Free Hot Storage by Mary Mead

eat.”
       We had a nice dinner, both of us ordering the chicken and dumplings, which came with a side salad, and iced tea.
       We exchanged small talk while we ate, nothing about the case or the events of the morning, dwelling mostly on old movies and a book Burke had just finished and recommended to me.
       He paid and we left, me with a Styrofoam box of leftovers.
       When we were back at the facility Burke wanted to take a drive through. I opted to be dropped at the gate.
       Instead Burke turned in and parked at the bottom of the stairs.
       Turning off the engine, he reached for the door handle. “Stay,” he said, and hopped out to come around and open my door for me.
       “This isn’t necessary,” I told him as he helped me down from the truck. “You could have just dropped me off. Go take a look around. I can manage the stairs just fine.”
       Burke tugged the arm he was holding and drew me close. “I asked you out. That is a form of date, like it or not. I will see you to your door.”
       “Mama again?”
       He laughed out loud, and hugged me against his side. “Yep, that’s it. She would shoot me if I just dropped you at the gate.”
       I leaned against him for a minute, careful to keep my box of leftovers to the side. “Does your mom live close by?”
       He let me go quickly and stepped back, guiding me towards the stairs with a hand on my back. “She’s dead,” he said flatly. “Years ago.”
       “Oh, I’m so sorry!” He had never mentioned family and I felt rather foolish.
       “No need. Long time ago.” He glanced at me and his look softened. “You didn’t know.”
       I led the way upstairs and unlocked the door. Burke followed me in, closing the door behind him. While I put the leftovers in the fridge he took a seat on the couch, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Déjà vu.
       “If you’re that tired you better head home.”
       He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. “Is that a request? Or an order?”
       “Take it any way you choose. Thank you for dinner.” I remained standing.
       He took the hint and stood up, pulling his keys from his pocket.
       “You’re welcome, Marlena. I enjoyed it. Hope we can do it again.” He was moving for the door as he talked and I followed a step behind him. At the door he paused and turned back to me, darting in and giving me a quick kiss. “Thanks for going with me.”
       “I had a good time, too,” I said, easing back a step. “You be in tomorrow?”
       He smiled and stepped outside. “Yes, boss. I’ll be here.”
       I stood in the open door and watched him down the stairs. “Take a look at that file,” I called after him. “I left it on the seat.”
       He waved a hand over his shoulder. “Will do. Good night.”
       “Good night, Burke. Thanks again for dinner.”
       He waved again and drifted into the dark at the bottom of the stairs.
       I locked up behind him.
       True to his word he was on the lot when I opened the office. I could see the cart parked near Building 3 although he wasn’t in sight. I went in and started the coffee, figuring he would be in shortly.
       By the time the coffee finished he came in looking much better than the last few days. He was flushed from the sun or the effort, putting some color in his freshly shaved face. His eyes were bright and clear.
       “Good morning,” I said when he came in, handing him a cup of coffee. “You started early.”
       “Yes, ma’am. Wanted to get after it.” He pulled out a chair and sat down. “Got an idea I wanted to run past you.” He paused long enough to sip coffee.
       “Go ahead,” I told him, lifting my own cup.
       “That space along the fence, in the back, space 29.”
       I nodded.
       “How about I bring my motor home down here, park in that space? I can watch the place from there, give us another perspective. Maybe see something at night. What do you