Let Me In

Morgan’s ears popped like a balloon at the sound of her voice. It was a soft, gentle voice, but when it broke his exhausted stare from the passing city of Washington outside the car window, it made him start. He craned his neck toward her, examining her pale cheeks as the passing lights brightened them. She was still as beautiful as the day they’d met. At thirty-four, he felt he was ageing far worse than she was.

“Honey?” she prompted, gesturing to the cradle by the vents where his phone sat. It wasn’t until then that he noticed his cell phone lit up like Times Square, his best friend’s name plastered across the extended screen. It was always great to hear from Gary. Still, after putting so much effort into finding the perfect restaurant for his wife’s birthday dinner, he didn’t want to tear away from the ideal evening for whatever morbid crime Gary had stumbled upon.

Besides, Gary worked for Washington’s homicide department, whereas Morgan was a breed of his own—a private investigator. It sounded sophisticated, but the bottom line was that he was a cop who chose his hours, and eight o’clock on his wife’s birthday was hardly the time to work.