style="font-size:15px;"> “Better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
She smiled. “You try a few more shots.”
After another hour of shooting Rita took Alex for a cheeseburger, while she ate an ice cream cone. She couldn’t believe how much food the kid could pack away. As she watched him a feeling of motherhood crept over her. She’d never imagined herself in this position and now felt a protective instinct growing inside her. It frightened her and made her happy at the same time. A confusing feeling.
Chapter Seven (Friday, June 25, 2021)
Two days had passed since the murder of Sergeant Lewis, the Army now on full alert, Colonel Robinson handing the case over to the already over loaded Lieutenant Sweet. The entire personnel at the Army base totaled just over seventy. Only forty of which were actual MPs, the others being support personnel such as legal, medical, cooks and motor pool. Not many people to patrol the entire Saanich Peninsula, but soldiers could be brought in from Victoria or Nanaimo if needed. Base Sidney was more a police operation than anything else. That was the prime function of the base. The reason it existed at all.
Officially, Rita and her two assistants were not involved in anything to do with the base, but unofficially they had been doing some quiet investigating on their own. So far nothing. No trace of Mamoud.
Rita walked into the shower, the day sunny and bright, the house filled with sunlight. As she stood letting the warm water wake her up, she was frustrated that they were getting nowhere fast in finding Mamoud. Not one clue to his whereabouts. She stepped from the shower and dried herself, walked from the bathroom naked. Alex was staring at her.
Rita turned around and walked toward her bedroom. “Sorry, I thought you were asleep.”
He grinned; he’d never seen breasts as large as Rita’s up close. “I guess I’m getting used to waking up early now.”
“So I see.” Rita walked into her bedroom thinking she better take a robe with her into the bathroom from now on.
Alex entered the bathroom thinking Rita had to be the best looking woman on the planet. Maybe even the galaxy. Or maybe even the universe.
Rita dressed in tight faded blue jeans and black t-shirt, walked barefoot into the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast for Alex. She could hear him singing in the shower. She didn’t know the song.
She was standing at the stove when Alex entered the kitchen. He looked at her slender shape as she tended to the food. Thought she also had the nicest butt in the entire universe too. It was perfect. Just like everything else about her.
Rita turned her head. “Last day at Kats Klub?”
He nodded. “I should be done by noon. I’ll do the other place on Monday.”
“So after today you’ll have lots of money in your pocket.”
He smiled. “I like Nicki. She said she likes the flowers.”
“I’ve never seen flowers filled with women in bikinis before.”
“The idea just came to me.”
Rita thought this kid’s hormones were probably raging. Or was it testosterone? She knew so little about boys. “And Nicki likes the bikini women?”
He nodded. “She thinks the lesbians will like them too.”
Rita filled two plates with bacon and eggs, poured Alex a glass of orange juice, set the food on the table.
“This looks good, Rita.”
She smiled. “I was thinking I might play some poker tonight for a couple hours. What are your plans tonight?”
“Could I go see my buddies for a while?”
“Sure. Don’t drink and drive. Home by eleven.”
He shook his head. “I won’t, Rita. We’re just going to hang out at the pier for a while. Some girls from school are going to be there too.”
“Okay. Take your cell phone with you.”
“Thanks for the phone, Rita. Its really cool.”
“You’re welcome, Picasso.”
Rita arrived at the office, parked her motorcycle in front, looked at the usual Friday protesters. The same people every Friday. People with signs wanting elections to begin again in Canada. Rita guessed they’d be waiting for a long time, as trouble with the Islamists was not finished quite yet. She smiled at the protesters, said good morning, only one woman returned the greeting.
Rita entered the office, Dixie already at her desk. “Good morning, Lieutenant.”
“Hi, Major.”
“What’s on tap for today?”
“Colonel Robinson just called, he said he can’t provide constant watching of you and Alex anymore, as he needs all the MPs, because of what happened to Sergeant Lewis.”
Rita nodded. “If Mamoud comes after me, the Army guys wouldn’t be able to stop him anyway.”
“Do you think Mamoud is after you?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe this Zamani character acted alone when he came to my house. Mamoud would have used professionals, not amateurs like Zamani and his crew.”
“Maybe Mamoud has nothing at all to do with any of this.”
“Maybe not. Still, we need to watch our backs. Somebody killed the sergeant.”
“Roger that, Major.”
Rita looked at Dixie; her red hair sparkled in the morning light. “Alex saw me walk out naked from the bathroom this morning.”
Dixie laughed. “You’re going to have to change your habits, Major.”
“I know. I sometimes forget I have a young man living with me now. He’s a good kid though. Have you seen the paintings he did?”
“Yes. I drove by this morning. Bikini clad mermaids rising up out of the flowers. Quite good, actually. Quite the imagination he has.”
Rita nodded. “I’m growing rather fond of him.”
“Your mother instincts are showing, Major.”
“Yeah. Me a mother. Who knew?”
“It looks good on you, Major.”
A grin crossed her face. “Where’s Cathy?”
“Dentist appointment. She’ll be here in a while.”
Rita nodded, blew out her breath. Looked out the window. “Its such a nice day. I don’t feel like working. I think I’ll get out of here. Why don’t you and Cathy knock off at noon today.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Rita
