A Touch of Lilt

Chapter OneKeith looked at his watch and groaned. “Oh, for crying out loud! Only two more hours until we can clock off.” Casey laughed. “You’ve been moaning about clocking off for the last four hours. Am I really that boring?” “It’s nothing on you, Case, I just don’t like sitting around doing nothing. And this shift has been very boring.” Keith had been warned that there would be days where he didn’t do anything and days where he wouldn’t be able to sit down. His big sister had said this was the life of a patrol officer, and he would need to get used to it. Keith had been on the job for close to two years and he still hated what he called ‘lazy shifts’. How Myra had managed to get through these without going mad, Keith had no idea; she was more restless than he was. “I’m with you, it’s boring right now. And we’ve been sitting in this damn car for nearly an hour.” Casey eased her seat back a little before stretching out her legs and rubbing her belly. “But if you keep moaning about the amount of time we’ve got left on the clock, I’m going to wallop you one.” “You wouldn’t be able to catch me.” “Who said I’m going to wallop you with my bare hands?” Casey gestured at the steering wheel in front of her. “I’m the one behind the wheel.” “Ouch.” At least the company was good. Casey English was a good cop and a good friend. Keith enjoyed shifts with her. It was a shame that it wasn’t going to happen for a while, not if Casey’s husband had anything to do with it. He was in a bit of a mood that his wife, at four months pregnant, was still going out to deal with crime when she should have been at the station behind a desk. Casey had ranted about that so many times, and it was a fight with her sergeant to let her go out. Keith was aware of a compromise where Casey would go to desk duty once she wasn’t able to get out of the car, but that didn’t make her husband feel any better. It did make Keith a little uncomfortable. He hadn’t dealt with a pregnant woman before, so he had no idea how it was meant to be. Casey was tough, she could handle herself easily, but the pregnancy made Keith very hyper-aware and a little too protective. It was at the point where Casey kept scolding him for treating her like spun glass. Keith didn’t like being scolded. She couldn’t blame him for that. He hadn’t had anyone close to him deal with a pregnancy. His siblings didn’t have kids, and Keith wasn’t a dad. How was he supposed to know? “Even though I will hate going on desk duty until maternity leave, I will be glad not to be stuck in a car for hours.” Casey shifted in her seat. “I feel like all my joints seize up in one position. My ankles have to be double the normal size.” “All the more reason you should be on desk duty.” Keith pointed out. “You can’t even get out of the car without me helping you.” “I don’t need help, you just make it look like I need help.” “I’ll remember that next time you’re demanding me to give you a push to get off the seat.” Casey swatted his arm. “Little bugger. At least it’s better than you wanting to stop at a convenience store to get a bottle of your favorite stuff instead of the water we carry in the car all the time.” “Hey! A man’s got to have a little vice!” “By getting a six-pack of Lilt?” Casey shuddered. “I don’t know how you can drink that down when it’s been stuck in a warm car all day.” Keith shrugged. “You get used to it. Besides, at this time of year, it’s cold enough that they stay cool.” Casey grunted. “At least it’s not an alcohol habit. That I might be able to understand. But Lilt? Seriously?” They had been over this before. Keith just had a sweet tooth for the soda. He had had his first when he was ten and couldn’t get enough of it. It was at the point where he would drink it like it was water. His family did point out that he needed to cut back, but Keith couldn’t bring himself to do it. He did end up drinking less on days he worked, and that made him super cranky. Much like when he didn’t see his favorite drink in the soda aisle. Casey teased him about it, but Keith didn’t mind. He knew spending all his money on soda was not a good idea, but he argued that at least he wasn’t an alcoholic or a smoker. That could kill anyone. Until his brother pointed out that an overconsumption of soda would kill him as well. Fourteen years, and Keith was still alive. He would take the risk. And he ate healthily outside of that, so weight wasn’t an issue. He just had an annoying but addictive habit. That wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, he was sure. “You do know if you ever become a dad, Keith, you’re going to have to cut down on soda or cut it out altogether.” Casey pointed out. “Then you’ll have extra money for the baby.” Keith snorted. “I’ll figure it out. And I’m not becoming a dad anytime soon.” “You’ve not had an offer?” “You make it sound really sordid.” Casey laughed, tugging her blond ponytail over her shoulder. “Maybe it is. But you’ve never considered having a baby with someone?” “Not really on my list right now. I’m happy being a bachelor with only obligations to myself.” “Really?” Casey’s eyes glinted. “You’ve never thought you could make cute little Keith babies with a woman?” “Now that just sounds bad.” Keith shuddered. “Who would want a baby with me?” “You never know, someone might jump up and say ‘me’.” Keith wasn’t so sure about that. He was only twenty-four. He didn’t want to think about having kids until he was at least thirty. If it happened before, Keith would deal with it, but kids would happen later for him. He was enjoying his single life too much. Babies weren’t exactly a mood killer, but for him, he would rather be single and childfree for a little longer. Their radio started buzzing, bringing Keith out of his thoughts. “This is Dispatch. RTC on Greenwood Avenue North in Bitter Lake. One car is still at the scene. Paramedics are on the way. Request police assistance.” Greenwood Avenue North. That was in a residential area only around the corner. Casey glanced at Keith and nodded, so Keith picked up the radio receiver. “Dispatch, this is Alpha-Fox-Niner. We’re close by and heading to the scene immediately.” “Roger that, Alpha-Fox-Niner.” Keith put the receiver back and sighed. “Another one. That will be the sixth this week, and it’s only Wednesday. You’d think people would know how to drive.” “Not everyone does.” Casey said as she pulled the car away from the kerb. “They should make the test harder.” “If they did that, how are you going to pass it?” Casey shot him a scowl. “You’re lucky we’re on the move now. Do you want to walk the rest of the way?” “No, thanks.” Keith laughed. “Not in this snow.” The snow had been causing trouble for everyone lately. It was thicker than what Keith was used to, and cars were skidding all over the place. It was a wonder more accidents hadn’t occurred, especially with the Christmas rush. People wanted to get their shopping done, and with only five days to go before Christmas Day and the rules of the lockdown lifted a little so people could spend Christmas together, everyone was going a bit nuts. Keith had no idea what the fuss was over Christmas. To him, it had been just another day since he started university. He had always worked on Christmas since that year, and it was just stressful. He did like gifting things and getting presents and spending time with his family, but he didn’t like the bells and whistles. They felt pointless. His neighbor had told him he just didn’t have the Christmas spirit. Keith didn’t mind; he was content with what he had. They pulled up into Greenwood Avenue North and saw a car on the grass verge, bumped up against a tree. From their angle, they could see the car’s hood was sporting a very nice dent and the tyre was blown. It wasn’t wrapped around the tree, and it looked like the driver had been able to get out, but that car was not going to see the road for a while. Then Keith took a closer look. That car looked familiar. Then again, he saw a lot of cars. They would all look familiar at some point. Getting his hat, he got out of the car and zipped up his coat. God, he hated snow. He loved Seattle, but he hated the snow that came with winter. Slipping on his gloves, Keith followed Casey across the snow-mushed road towards the ambulance parked across the street, Keith holding onto Casey’s arm as she gingerly made her way across. “Get off!” Casey swatted him away. “I’m not an invalid.” “Would you like to explain to your husband how you ended up in hospital after falling over with his child?” Casey grumbled and grabbed Keith’s arm. “Fine, but I’m taking you down with me.” Keith bit back a smile. Casey was a good cop but she wasn’t the best on her feet when the ground wasn’t just flat. And he wasn’t about to get it in the neck from Casey’s husband about making her go out in the snow; Keith was glad he didn’t have to worry about that, either. Pregnant women were far more stubborn than women who weren’t carrying a life around for nine months. The back of the ambulance was open, one of the paramedics standing outside the doors as he scribbled on a clipboard. He looked up as Keith and Casey approached, his eyes widening when he saw Casey. “Jesus, Casey, you shouldn’t be out here in this weather.” Casey rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Justin, you sound like my husband. How’s the driver?” “Just some bruises, from what we can tell. Nothing’s broken, but she is complaining of a sore neck and her head hurts. Thinks she hit it on the window.” Justin gestured inside the ambulance. “Marlene’s checking her out now. She’s refusing to go to hospital.” Keith looked in, and then he froze. A curvy, very curvy, blonde was sitting on the gurney, Marlene checking out her eyes with a torch flickering across them. The driver was paler than normal, a shell shocked look on her face. Almost like the expression Keith had seen on her when he first met her. “Shit.” “What?” Casey frowned. “What is it?” “That’s Julia Chisholm. She’s my neighbor.” Casey stared. Then she cleared her throat. “Well, I was going to talk to the driver while you assessed the scene, but do you want to take Miss Chisholm?” “What about you?” Justin frowned. “What if you fall over?” “Then you can hold me up.” Casey didn’t take her eyes off Keith. “You cool or do you want me to talk to her?” “I’m talking to her.” Keith wasn’t about to let anyone else talk to Julia. Taking a deep breath, he hoisted himself into the ambulance. Julia looked up, her blue eyes widening when she saw him. “Keith?” “Hey.” Keith glanced at Marlene. “Can I have a few minutes?” “Fine by me.” Marlene shrugged and stepped around him. “She’s fine, but she should go to the hospital for an MRI.” Julia sighed. “I’ve got a headache, it’s nothing.” “Honey, you could have a concussion and they need to be checked.” Marlene shook her head. “Honestly, you young ones are so stubborn.” Keith had to stop himself from smiling as Marlene vaulted out of the ambulance. He often bumped into the matronly woman while working and she was always lamenting about the younger generation. He slid onto a seat and focused on Julia. God, just being this close to her had him itching to reach out and touch her, to feel that warm, soft body in his arms. You’re beginning to sound like an i***t again. Focus. “I…” Julia shifted about on the gurney. “I didn’t know you’d be here.” “It’s my job, Julia. Where else would I be?” Julia’s cheeks flushed and she looked away. She bit her lip, and Keith had an image of biting that lip himself. He pushed that aside. What they did before was nothing to do with now. She was involved in a crash, and Keith had to do his job. Even if he couldn’t stop thinking about touching her.