Haven 1: How to Save a Life by [email protected] Page A

frame. He wasn’t about to leave anything lying around that proved they’d been in the apartment. Even if the kid next door knew they’d been inside.
    He turned to leave the bathroom but stopped short. The toilet lid was open, the seat wet. He kicked the lid closed. All along the front were scratch marks. Charlie stood in the bathroom doorway. “Were you thirsty?”
    The dog wagged his tail in response.
    “Is that a yes?” Kevin asked.
    “Hell if I know.” Walter forced himself to walk out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. Not that he could call it much of a kitchen. More like a hallway flanked by cabinets and compact appliances. He used the towel from his pocket to open the freezer. The cool blast of air had him momentarily frozen in place, his body finally cooling down.
    Charlie trotted in and sat beside him. The dog cocked his head as he stared up at him.
    Walter crouched and gave him a pat. “What am I going to do with you?”
    Charlie took off running for the living room. He came back with something plush and pink half hanging out of his mouth. He head butted Walter in the side, almost knocking him over where he was still crouched beside the fridge. Charlie dumped the pink item on the floor. A bunny rabbit with long, floppy ears. “Is this yours?”
    Charlie got up, tail wagging. Walter sighed and tossed the toy across the kitchen. It made an annoying squeak as it smacked the wall and again when it landed on the floor. Not the sound he would’ve pictured for a fuzzy rabbit. Charlie scrambled for the toy, his toenails making scratching noises all along the linoleum floor as he hurried after it, then back to Walter. He dropped the toy at Walter’s feet and sat, waiting.
    Walter patted his head. “I know. You miss him.” If he had to look into the eyes of one more lonely kid or equally lonely dog today, he was going to lose it.
    “Are you some kind of dog whisperer?” Kevin stood in the doorway of the narrow kitchen. His face was less flushed, and he had a slight smirk on his lips.
    “Hardly.” Walter rose. “He’s just hungry.”
    “Wow. You must’ve been the smartest investigator on the force with those deductive skills.”
    Walter chuckled. “You’re a funny man.” He slid by Kevin and moved into the living room, struggling to push aside the way Kevin had felt in his arms, the way he’d sounded and tasted and smelled.
    Kevin followed. “How long do you think since Seth’s been here?”
    “Maybe since Ryder last saw him. He could’ve gone to work, then straight to the club last night. In this heat, that would’ve been long enough for Charlie to get desperate and make for the toilet water.” Walter checked the caller ID on the phone. One number was listed. A guy with the first name of Toby. “That friend Ryder mentioned has called three times.” He punched the number into his own phone and hit the Call button. He got the man’s voice mail. “Toby, this is Walter Simon. I’m looking for Seth Fisher. A friend of mine thinks he might need some help. I heard you and he were acquainted and hoped you might be able to tell me how I can get in touch with him. He hasn’t been at his place for a couple of days.” He offered his thanks, gave his number, and hung up.
    Kevin was still watching him, a focused stare, like he was working something out. Finally his expression softened. “I wanted to thank you.”
    “For what?”
    Kevin gestured toward the bathroom.
    “Been awhile, huh?” Walter asked.
    “Yeah.”
    “For me too.” He really needed to shut up. There was just something about Kevin that brought out the truth in him. The embarrassing truth.
    “Why did you do it?” Kevin asked. “You could’ve answered without the touching.”
    Those whispered words, spoken more to the floor than to Walter, had him wanting to grab hold of Kevin and give him a few other answers. Maybe they both needed to shut up. “Do you always ask this many questions?”
    “No.” Kevin kept his attention