You Can't Run by Hope Davis (best way to read books .txt) 📗

work around the clock like  me, generation X. They tend to place more value on experiencing life and making just enough money that they can be comfortable.”

“Interesting.” She supposed the same had been at play in La Junta, but there also weren’t jobs to work around the clock there besides Sheriff and maybe a few others that had night shifts. Most of the town closed by eight in the evenings most days, besides the two bars. And considering it was a town with a population of only seven thousand, she was surprised it had two bars in the first place.

“Well either way, it’s changed the way the precinct functions. Where they used to employ four detectives, now there’s six of us. And where they used to have four or five crime scene techs, now I think there’s ten.”

“Hasn’t the city grown as well?”

“Yes, of course, but I’m talking in our district specifically, there shouldn’t be a need for two additional full-time detectives, except that most only work a maximum of fifty hours a week, even when they’re on a case. That doesn’t count the hours they put in thinking about a case at home, but when I first started detectives regularly put in many more hours. When I’m on a case I don’t hesitate to pull eighty-hour weeks, but I’m the only one. “

“I noticed.” She replied as he pulled up next to her car.

“Except you.” He specified. “You seem to want overtime as badly as me.”

She could tell this was a pointed question and she knew she would have to share about Vance sooner or later, but for now at least, time dictated their chat was over.

“Well, two families are expensive you know.” She joked as she stepped out of the car, but  before closing the door she decided she better make sure he was okay to drive home.

“Do you need me to take you home? I could pick you up and bring you back to your car tomorrow?”

He shook his head and pulled a red bull from his center consol. “That’s what this baby is for. But thanks for checking.”

She rolled her eyes. “Alright well if you want me to talk to you via Bluetooth to keep you awake you have my number.”

“Night Largusa.”

“Night Atlas.” She shut his passenger door, and with that he sped out of the parking lot as she stepped into her car and started the ignition. She was glad for the break she had taken earlier, otherwise she might be as tired as he was.

It didn’t take her long to drive home, and when she pulled up in front of the house Kevin’s truck was still there along with another car behind it.

When she walked through the doorway, she was immediately greeted by the smell of Indian take out and the sound of grown men yelling at the TV. Ah, she had forgotten it was Thursday and that football was a thing to people with day jobs.

She was about to sneak up the stairs and call it a night when Vance just happened to look over his shoulder and spot her. “Hey sis, come join.”

She couldn’t say no to him, so she gestured for one minute and walked upstairs to lock her gun in its case and set it by her bed. She briefly considered changing her clothes, but she didn’t plan to hang out longer than a few minutes so she ultimately decided against it and headed back down in her slacks and blouse.

When she walked into the living room, Kevin, Trevor and Sebastian were all eating plates filled with various curries and naan breads. Her stomach growled so loudly that the guys could hear it over the game.

“Go make yourself a plate already!” Vance laughed, though she could see his own plate had barely been touched. He pointed her to the kitchen and when she walked in, she gasped. They had ordered the entire buffet to be delivered to their kitchen.

“Yeah, sorry, it was Sebastian’s turn to buy, and he got carried away.” Kevin said from the doorway where he stood with his plate in his hands.

Naya quickly went down the line and loaded her plate with a little of everything. She had to admit, it looked delicious.

“Well, let him know I said thank you.”

Cheers erupted from the living room, clearly their team had scored. Naya cleared a spot for herself at the two-person table and sat down. To her surprise, Kevin followed suit, though he sat sideways and held his plate in his lap as a large vat of rice was occupying most of the small table.

“Not going to watch the game?” She asked.

He smiled. “I can watch the game whenever I want, but you’re a hard lady to pin down.”

“Oh, really now?” She was surprised how flirtatious her own words sounded. She was so used to her work voice that it sounded foreign to her.

He smiled wider in return and took a large bite of curry.

“Was there a reason you wanted to pin me down?” After she said it she realized how it sounded and put a hand over her face. “I walked right into that one.”

“That wasn’t my intention, but yes you did.” Kevin smirked before taking another bite.

It was quiet for another minute as they both chewed on their dinners. “So, Kevin,” Naya started, “You worked with Vance?”

He nodded. “I took his job actually, when he quit or…was relieved of his duties” He corrected himself.

“It’s okay. Vance has told me most of what happened.”

“I figured. Did you move here just for him?” Kevin picked up his naan and began using it to clean up the leftover curry sauce on his plate.

Naya glanced towards the entry to the living room and smiled sadly. “Yeah, he’s the only brother I’ve got, and  my parents will visit,