Meanwhile, Henry, my beloved landlord, was off cruising the Caribbean in the company of his siblings and his sister-in-law, Rosie, who owns the tavern half a block from my apartment. I’d been bringing in his mail, watering his houseplants once a week and his yard every couple of days. Rosie’s restaurant would be closed for another five days, so until the three of them returned home, I couldn’t even have supper in familiar surroundings. I know all of this sounds ever so faintly like whining, but I feel morally obliged to tell the truth.

That Wednesday morning, I’d decided my attitude would greatly improve if I quit feeling sorry for myself and got my office squared away. To that end, I’d gone to a thrift store and purchased two additional (used) file cabinets, an upright wooden cupboard with assorted pigeon holes, and a funky painted armoire to house my accumulation of office supplies. I was perched on a low stool surrounded by cartons I hadn’t unpacked since I’d moved into Lonnie’s office three and a half years before. This felt a little bit like Christmas in that I was discovering items I’d long forgotten I had.

I’d just reached the bottom of box number three (of a total of eight) when I heard a knock at the door. I yelled “I’m here!” When I turned, Lieutenant Dolan was standing on the threshold, his hands sunk in the pockets of his tan raincoat.

“Hey, what are you doing here? It’s been months.” I got up and dusted my hand on the seat of my jeans before extending it to him.

His grip was strong and warm, his smile almost sheepish, as pleased to see me as I was to see him. “I ran into Lonnie at the courthouse. He said you’d rented this place so I thought I’d pop in.”

“That’s great. I appreciate the visit.”

“I see you’re getting settled.”

“About time. I moved in February fifteenth and haven’t done a thing.”

“I hear business is slow.”

“It is—at least the kind of jobs I like.”

I watched while Con Dolan made a circuit of the room. He seemed ill at ease and covered his discomfort by wading through a steady stream of small talk. He chatted idly about Lonnie, the weather, and miscellaneous matters while I made what I hoped were the appropriate responses. I couldn’t imagine what he wanted, but I assumed he’d get down to his purpose in due course. He’d never been the type to drop in unannounced. I’d known him for ten years, the greater portion of which he’d headed up the homicide unit of the Santa Teresa Police Department. He was currently out on a medical disability, sidelined by a series of heart attacks. I’d heard he was eager to return to work full-time. According to the scuttlebutt, his chances ran somewhere between slim and none.

He paused to check out the inner office, glanced into the half-bath, and then circled back in my direction. “Lonnie said you weren’t crazy about the place and I can see your point. It’s grim.”

“Isn’t it? I can’t figure it out. I know it needs something, but I can’t think what.”

“You need art.”

“You think so?” I let my gaze trace the bare white walls.

“Sure. Get yourself some big travel posters and some double-sided tape. It’d perk the place right up. Failing that, you might at least wipe the dust off the artificial plants.”

He was in his early sixties and his cardiac problems had left his complexion looking sour. The usual bags under his eyes had turned a dark smokey shade, making his whole face seem sunken in circulatory gloom. He was apparently marking the time away from the department by shaving every other day, and this wasn’t the one. His face had tended to be pouchy in the best of times, but now his mouth was pulled down in a permanent expression of malcontent. Just my kind of guy.

I could tell he was still smoking because his raincoat, when he moved, smelled of nicotine. The last time I remembered seeing him he was in a hospital bed. The visit had been awkward. Up to that point, I’d always been intimidated by the man, but then I’d never seen him in a cotton hospital nightie with his puckered butt on display through a slit down the back. I’d felt friendlier toward him since. I knew he liked me despite the fact his manner in the past had alternated between surly and abrupt.

I said, “So what’s up? I can’t believe you walked all the way over here to give me decorating tips.”

“Actually, I’m on my way to lunch and thought you might join me—if you’re free, that is.”

I glanced at my watch. It was only 10:25. “Sure, I could do that. Let me get my bag and my jacket and I’ll meet you out in front.”