“No shit?” I question.

“No shit, Mr. Everton. Let me make a call to get a guy down here for that footage, and then we’ll be out of your hair and I can finally get home for the evening.” I nod while he pulls out his cell.

Haverty rubs the stomachs of his dogs. They pant in excitement and roll around with their short legs in the air. I smile at the thought that those two dogs just saved me from being arrested and thrown in jail. Fuck, I hope that footage in my office won’t be viewed. I look at the Detective then back at my screen and pull up the window quickly while he’s on the phone. I’ve only got about thirty seconds to see what that camera captured.

I fast-forward and watch myself punching the heavy bag, drinking, throwing my flask, and falling to my knees with my back to the camera. I crawl out of the shot and my desk conceals the rest of my dumbass slip-up. It’s all fairly dark footage, but I can see my form. The Detective will surely be able to tell it’s me. Good thing there’s no sound. I doubt they’ll even watch it, but just in case I think I’m covered. I close it out along with all the other cams, and only leave the front door camera open on my desktop.

My pocket chimes as a text comes in, just as the Detective is ending his call. From Soph... she misses me. She has no idea how much I’d rather be home with her instead of sweating my balls off in my office, thinking about the discharged gun just a foot away. That bullet better be in the wall and not lying on the floor downstairs for anyone to come across. I text her back, not letting on anything’s wrong.

Need you. Hard for you. Home soon.

I wish.

The three of us have moments of awkward silence and fidgeting while we wait for the other guy to show. Haverty does most of the talking, saving me from having to be social. I’m depressed and almost shot myself for fuck’s sake, the last thing I want to do with these two is converse about sports. I smile and pretend I’m interested, but all I’m really thinking about is Ivy, getting rid of my guns so I don’t kill myself, and holding my wife in my arms tonight while we sleep. I want to make love to her. Actual love, not a fuck. Shit, did I just lie to her again? Deceitful bastard.

I look at my phone with hesitation then text her info about Ivy and what’s happening in my office. It’s obvious the Detective’s wondering what the hell I’m doing, and probably wants to know who in God’s name is more important than him right now, but Haverty, my savior this evening, clears the air with two words... his wife.

The Detective grins and nods with an asinine response. “I’ve got one of those.”

What a dick weed. Sometimes I hate men, including myself. Fuck, I’m so miserable.

“Well, Mr. Everton, while we’re waiting, why don’t you tell me how you got that mark on your cheek, and the injury to your fingers?”

“If you knew him like I do, you wouldn’t have to ask,” Haverty responds. “He’s an alcoholic, and I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve caught the idiot falling down those stairs over there,” he nods toward the stairwell that leads to my office. “It’s a weekly occurrence. Next week he’ll probably have broken leg, or a concussion. Welcome to the world of Cove Everton,” he winks at me, and the Detective buys it. Dumbshit.

Finally, a guy shows up and gets to work. I watch him like a hawk while he’s on my computer. I probably could’ve emailed the footage to them, but understand they need to get it themselves so nothing’s edited out. He exports the scene onto a drive and as soon as he’s finished, I walk everyone down to the front door. Can’t get rid of them fast enough. Haverty takes care of the lights while I set the alarm and lock up.

“Should I expect another call requesting my presence at the Scarlett tomorrow?” the Detective jokes.

“If you do, it will be because I burned the place down and decided to start over,” I joke back, although it’s not a bad idea.

We shake and the two walk away. The dogs’ pant and Max fucking pisses on the front of my building again. Haverty shrugs like there’s nothing he can do about it.

“You’re hosing the brick down before we open tomorrow. I love you, Hav, and the dogs right now too, but I don’t want my entrance smelling like dog piss.”

“Fair enough. You love Prudence and Max?” he grins. “Since when?”

“Since an hour ago. It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got...”

“I know, you’ve always got time, but I don’t. Had a long day and I need sleep.”

“You call your dad and Kaitlyn?”

“Taken care of, they’re probably at the hospital by now. Ivy was pretty fucked up when she got here. She was looking for my dad. They met today.”

“Yeah, that will fuck a kid up.”

I throw him an insulted look. “I’m sure my father was nice to her.”

“Dude, chill, I meant the fact that she never knew him before today.”

“Well, I know how it feels to have a missing parent,” I whisper.

“We all do. Why don’t you go home and dip your finger in the honey, it will make you feel better. Just don’t be a dick, or I should say, don’t use your dick in Soph the way you did the other day. You’re better than that. Oh, and try not to think about your tip ramming the baby, that’s just a myth. Some sort of urban legend.”

“How the fuck do these thoughts even enter your thick skull?” I shake my head and change the subject, making sure he gets the image of Soph and I boning off his mind. “Do you know the best way to get rid of a gun, two guns actually? I don’t want those things in my office or at home anymore. I’m not as prepared as I thought for gun ownership. It’s too easy to make a mistake, or for an accident to take place.”

“With you, I don’t disagree. Something you wanna tell me?”

I shake my head and wait.

“Alcoholics shouldn’t own guns, buddy. I told you that when you were buying them. Can I say I told you so, and that you have shit for brains?” he sighs and sets a hand on my shoulder. “You can sell it, but my advice is to hand it over to the police. They’ll destroy them so no one can ever use them for any crime. It’s safer that way, and you don’t need the money, so there’s no reason to get rid of them any other way.”

“So, another trip to the police station?”

“Yeah, but make sure you call for details, and don’t be stupid and bring the guns in loaded. No bullets in the same trip. Got it?”

I nod.

“Alright then, go home and get yourself some lovin’ from that gorgeous wifey of yours. Make her scream and moan, and I’ll do the same for Alyssa, then we can meet back here tomorrow and compare notes.”

“You’re such a dildo.”

“Yeah, but I made you smile, and thanks, you just gave me an idea... haven’t had fun with a toy for a while. She’s due for a double whammy penetration surprise.”

I close my eyes and exhale with a grin, and almost make it to the point of laughter. Haven’t had a good laugh in days. Prudence and Max get a well-deserving pet before I shake Haverty’s hand, pleased to see an astonished look on his face that I touched his dogs. I step backward along the sidewalk while asking him one last question.

“So tomorrow? You think I can take the guns there in the morning?”

He squints with a wrinkled nose in confusion. “Are things that bad, Cove?”

I stop and look into his eyes. My head nods slowly without my brain telling it to do so. I’m on autopilot at the moment, allowing something, or someone else to be in control.

He takes a step forward and raises his hand, as if he’s reaching out for more answers. “No,” he responds firmly. “It looks suspicious to get rid of your guns the day after all this shit went down. You want me to take them from you for a while?”

I turn away, repulsed that I’m so weak, and in front of him no less.

“Cove. Do I need to take you somewhere?” he asks in a softer voice. “‘Cause if what I’m thinking is right, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”