Page 92 of Daybreak

He put on his sweatpants again, picked up his phone, and walked into the kitchen. Holly had left his bottle of pain pills on the counter along with a note.

Whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it.

Your job today is taking your meds in a timely fashion.

He grinned. Her sense of humor was a delight. He took the pain pill, poured himself a cup of coffee, then sat down and pulled up Frankie’s number.

It rang several times, and when she answered, she was breathless.

“Hello.”

“Frankie, it’s me, Gunner.”

“I know… Caller ID,” she said.

He grinned. “Okay. Duly noted. I have a question to ask you.”

“Ask,” she said.

“There’s something I really want to do, but I don’t want to insult you by the offer.”

“Okay. If I promise not to be insulted, what is this thing you really want to do?”

“It’s strictly between me and you. Nobody else in the department has to know.”

“Jesus, Kingston, just spit it out!” Frankie said.

“Family means everything to me, and I admire the devotion and time you give to yours. Then I went and won all that money out of sheer luck, and I wondered how you’d feel if I paid for the rest of your sister’s beauty school, with extra to help you take care of your mom. Like building that ramp off your porch for her wheelchair, and whatever else you needed to get your sister on her own path.”

He heard a gasp, and then nothing.

“Frankie… If this was an intrusion into your private life, then—”

“I’m not insulted. I’m crying, damn it.”

“So, you’ll accept my offer?” he asked.

“Yes, with more gratitude than you will ever know,” she said.

He sighed. “Awesome. You’ll probably have to notify the new lieutenant about a chunk of money suddenly showing up in your account. You can tell him it came from me, for your sister’s beauty school and handicap aids for your mom, and some minor repairs in your home. Something like that. And you can make a joke about how I always teased you about your colored hair to make the point. But I’d advise not mentioning it to any of the other detectives. People don’t deal well with jealousy.”

“Chunk of money? What are we talking about? There’s less than two thousand dollars left of her schooling.”

“I was thinking fifty thousand. It was the bounty for my life, and I want to give a real bounty to you. You spend it everywhere else you need, okay?” She was silent again, and he could hear her sobbing. “Don’t cry.”

“You have no idea what a difference this is going to make in my life. My father walked out on us when I was thirteen. My sister was four. Mom worked herself sick at two jobs to help me get through the police academy. My brother is a clone of my father. He has a dozen priors and at the moment is in jail somewhere in Mississippi, I think. Not for sure. Nobody has ever given us anything…until today. I am honored, and overjoyed, and grateful beyond words.”

“Then it’s a deal. You can either come by my house and pick up the check, or I’ll have my bank transfer it to your account, but I’d have to have the bank tracking number and your account number for that.”

“If we don’t pick up a case I can’t get away from, I could come by this evening.”

“Holly is here, working virtually, but I’ll have it written and in a sealed envelope, in case I’m asleep. Okay?”

“Yes, yes, and Gunner, thank you. So much,” Frankie said.

“It’s my honor to be able to do this,” he said. “Have a good day.”

“Oh. Well, shit Sherlock! It’s already peaked. Whatever happens next will never top this.”