Free Unfinished Business - Barbara Seranella by Barbara Seranella Page A

these
old-timers don't have a life outside of the department. They don't
know what they're going to do with themselves. All they do all day
once they know they're leaving is talk to other retirees."
    "Kind of like an inmate fearing his release
date?" she asked.
    "Exactly. Guys get institutionalized. They start
running scared, too, like getting superstitious, even if they never
were before. Half of them die within five years of leaving the job.
That's why I'm never going to quit."
    "Where does this leave Robin?"
    "Probably not in very good shape. I doubt if
there's been any follow-through. It's like this: 'Big case, big
headache; small case, small headache; no case, you figure it out.' "
    "Great."
    "I'll make some time tomorrow to swing by and
talk to her."
    "Thanks. I know she's feeling pretty desperate."
    "I'll meet with her, but there might not be
anything I can do. I hope you didn't promise her anything."
    "Only that you were a great guy."
    " Yeah, I'm a sweetheart," he said, his lips
puckering in distaste.
    "You are," she said.
    St. John climbed aboard the Bella Donna and fired up
the diesel generator. It belched out black smoke from its exhaust and
then leveled out to a steady knocking idle. Diesel engines always
sounded like they had a rod knock. They smelled bad, too, like oil
and gas burning at the same time. Diesel-engined automobiles had been
another reaction to the so-called gas shortage, and she hated the
things.
    Charging the AC system took another ten minutes.
Miraculously everything seemed to work.
    "There you go," Munch said, picking up her
tools. She turned in Asia's direction. "C'mon, honey. It's
getting dark. Come inside."
    "I'm hungry," Asia said.
    "I ordered us a pizza," St. John said.
"Should be here soon."
    "You did?" Munch asked. "Is Caroline
coming over?"
    "Not tonight. She had meetings at work."
    Munch felt a little thrill. So it would be just the
three of them. Playing house. Down, girl, she told herself, he's not
the one.  Fifteen minutes later the delivery guy showed up with
the food. He didn't seem to have any problem finding the place. St.
John had probably used the service a lot in the last year when he had
been separated from Caroline. He paid the guy and must have given him
a generous tip, judging from the bounce in the kid's step as he left.
    They carried the pizza inside.
    Munch brought out three plates from the kitchen and
as many paper towels. She poured Asia a glass of milk and got a Coke
for herself. St. John popped himself a beer.
    Munch tore off a slice for Asia and set it down in
front of her.
    "Ah," Asia said, raising her right hand
with her slim, brown forefinger pointing skyward. " Domo
arigato ."
    St. John raised an eyebrow.
    "Don't ask," Munch warned.
    He ate two slices before broaching the subject of the
threat Munch received. "Have you, uh, come up with any likely
candidates for your situation?"
    "I've thought of a few, but they're all pretty
thin."
    He made each of the dogs sit and then rewarded them
with pizza crust. "I'll see what impressions the lab can get off
the paper."

Asia banged her milk glass down on the table. "You're
acting like I'm not even here. What are you guys talking about?"
    "Rescuing fair damsels in distress, m'lady"
St. John told her. Then he grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it
with a flourish.
    "Yeah, right," Asia said, rolling her eyes,
an expression she had begun using before she could speak. Munch
wasn't fooled for a minute. Asia positively glowed when St. John
turned his full attention on her. It was hard not to. Munch wondered
once more what would have happened if St. John had stayed separated
from Caroline. In matters of romance, timing was everything. Still
holding the little girl's hand, he said, "Honey you know you're
not supposed to talk to strangers."
    "Yeah," she said, the seriousness of his
tone making her drop her usual attitude.
    "Even if that stranger has a cute little puppy,
or a bunny, you don't go with him or near him if your