Destiny's Fates

Chapter 7

“Do you know anything else about this guy Des? A last name and 2 potential professions aren’t a lot to go off.”

“Sorry Chris, I never actually met the guy. I didn’t even know his first name, or what he looked like.”

“It’s okay Doll. I can look through the police database and see if I can find a driver’s license. Did he live here in town?”

“How exactly is a Missouri cop going to look through the Idaho database?” I looked at James, “Yes, I think he lived here in town, his parents did at least.”

“Actually Doll, I transferred to Boise two months ago when I made detective. I can access the database from my work computer if I can connect to your WIFI.” James stands up and walks to the front door and grabs a laptop carrying case I hadn’t noticed before.

He must have brought that inside when I was out with Derrek. “Sure, the name is Reign House, and the password is c8h10n2o2, all the letters are capital.”

Chris looked up from writing down the password, “Really Destiny? That is your password?”

James and Derrek exchanged a glance, then James said “It’s just a random bunch of letters and numbers. Right?”

Chris shook its head, “It’s the chemical formula for caffeine.” He grinned, “Still as nerdy as ever Des.”

Derrek laughed, “Does that really surprise you? You were the one who mentioned you almost had to have an intervention for her coffee addiction.”

“To be clear, I only got up to four cups of coffee for finals week, and it was only 2 days that I drank that much. Plus, I remember Chris matching me cup for cup.” I grinned, standing up.

Cherry barked, “Yip yip yip.”

“Okay girl, you can go potty.” I walk to the back door and open it, letting Cherry run out into the backyard. I closed the door but left it cracked so she could get back in.

“Did you just have a conversation with your dog Love?” Derrek asked, standing up and stretching. His shirt raised a little above his pants, and I found myself staring. Is that part of a six-pack I, see?

Shaking my head to make my thoughts disappear, I respond. “Yes, that is pretty normal for people to do.”

“No offense Doll, but I am pretty sure it is not normal for people to understand their dog when they bark.”

“Cherry and I have a strong connection.” I glare at James, “You wouldn’t understand since you only ever had a snake as a pet. Can’t really form a connection with a demon creature like that.”

Chris and Derrek laughed. James returned my glare, “I will have you know that Scorpio had a long and happy life.”

“Trapped in a glass box with no human touch.” I muttered, “Are you logged into the data base yet?”

“Almost Doll, your patience hasn’t improved much since high school.” James typed a few keys, “Okay, I’m in. How do you spell his last name?”

“Um, I would guess F I N L E Y. My mom only ever spoke his last name, so I don’t know the correct spelling.”

Chris leaned over and glanced at James’s laptop screen. “That data base is super cool! It even has a spot for his blood type!”

James playfully shoved Chris, “This is top secret information, you don’t have the clearance.” James glanced at me, “Anything else you know Doll?”

“I don’t know his blood type if that is what you are asking for.” I grinned, “Mom said he was a year older than me, so he was born in 1999. She also mentioned that he had just had a birthday when she was setting up the date, so try June of 1999. I have no idea what his first name is, she never said it. Mom also said he was about 6’ and had brown hair. Any of that helpful?”

“Sure is Doll. I will plug in the info and run a search for men with a driver’s license in Idaho Falls.”

Cherry came back in and jumped up on the couch, then crawled into James’s lap. She rolled over and exposed her belly, and James started rubbing it. I shook my head. Could this be my future? James working on a case from home while petting my dog, with me working on a new plan for kids with down syndrome. Us sharing our weekends with each other. It’s almost a dream come true. I turn around and walk to the back door, shutting it firmly.

“Hey Des, this might take a while. Got any other leads on who your 4th Fate could be?” Chris asked.

I walked back to the living room and leaned against the door jam. “Not really. I mean, we have hired some new people at work, and I haven’t met them all.”

Derrek looked up from James’s laptop, “Can you access the personal files from home Love?”

“I think so, let me grab my laptop.” I walk to the office and grab my laptop, unplugging it from the charger. At least I remembered to plug it in last night. I had celebrated turning 23 at home alone last night with a bottle of wine someone had left on my desk at work with a “Happy Birthday” note. Per usual, I binged watched an entire season of the current Sci-Fi thriller I was hooked on and passed out about 1:30 in the bed with Cherry.

“Derrek, do you want to look through obituaries, maybe see if anyone fitting the criteria has died in the past year?” Chris asked, “I have an extra laptop in my car.”

“Sure, that might help if James and Destiny come up with nothing.”

“Okay, let me go get it.” Chris walks out the front door, and Cherry makes a dash for it, just slipping out right before the screen door closes.

“Cherry!” I run to the door and see Chris bend down and scoop up Cherry with one hand, while opening the back seat of his car with his other.

“Do you need help Chris?”

“Nah, she is a lot more chill than the kids I work with all the time.” He laughs, grabs the computer bag, and shuts the door. “I might need you to hold that door open though if you don’t mind Des.”

“Not a problem.” Chris walks back in, sets the bag down in the yellow chair and then glances back at me. I finish shutting the front door and turn around. Once he sees that the door is firmly closed, Chris puts Cherry down and gives her head a rub, then sits on the couch. “Good girl!”

Cherry responds “Yip Yip,” then she jumps back up on the couch and lays down between Derrek and Chris. They both immediately reach out and start petting her.