Monday morning, after his walk with Chelyan on the beach, and his fresh fruit breakfast, Mel called St. Louis.
“Good morning. St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. May I help you?”
“Good morning. Could you please put me through to Detective Dean Westmoreland, if he’s in the station this morning?”
“Let me check on that for you. Who may I say is calling?”
“Mel Haldane.”
“One moment please, Mr. Haldane.”
Mel waited a few minutes until the line clicked and his old friend began talking.
“Hey there old buddy, I haven’t heard from you in a few years. How the hell are you doing?”
“Just fantastic, Dean. How are things with you?”
“Not too bad for a working stiff I guess. Not all of us get to retire at forty-eight, you know.”
Mel laughed. Dean would never stop teasing him about that. “A
