A Terrible Fall of Angels (Zaniel Havelock #1)(80)

We helped Doris catch the puppies, which were doing laps around the pool. Jamie laughed as he held a squirming puppy. It struggled not to get down, but to lick his face. He’d been afraid of dogs, of most animals, for years, and now he acted like an armful of puppy was the best thing in the world. It made my heart ache to see him so happy about anything, but especially one of the many things he’d seemed terrified of for over ten years. I would not cry in front of him while he was laughing, but I wanted to; luckily the puppy in my hands gave a serious squirm and I had to concentrate not to drop it. The thought that I might drop the tiny dog instead of saving it was enough to dry up any thoughts of tears.

“You really need to get them life jackets, Doris,” I said as I handed the puppy to her.

“I got them, they have little handles on them and everything. They’re supposed to be napping, not out by the pool, and thank you for getting Charlie out of the pool when he fell in last week.”

“I’m happy to help, and thank you for letting Connery play with them.”

“Pugs love kids, and he helped tire these little maniacs out,” she said, laughing as Donald tried to lick her face.

Jamie offered her the other puppy, and she tucked one under each arm. “Thank you both for catching the little hooligans.”

“Our pleasure,” Jamie said, and seemed to mean it.

One puppy started barking. “Charlie, stop that.” He didn’t stop and now it was a duo of puppy barks. “Don’t you start, Donald.”

“I’m going to take Jam . . . Levi upstairs for some food. We’ll see you later.”

“Have him make you some of that veggie pasta with the white sauce, it’s delicious,” she said as she turned with the wriggling puppies.

“I don’t have the ingredients for that right now, Doris, maybe next time he visits.”

“Invite me next time you make it,” she called back as she used her foot to close the door, and the sound of excited barking grew a little dimmer.

“That was great,” Jamie said.

I almost said, But you’re scared of dogs, but I didn’t, because his face was shining with joy, almost like the way Connery’s did after he’d played with the dogs. It was like Jamie was reborn, childlike and happy, like the last thirteen years had been washed away. I said another quick prayer of gratitude and led him toward the only stairs leading up. My apartment was at the top of the stairs; just turn slightly to the right.

It was the smallest apartment in the building, tucked away on the top floor, but there was a picture window that went from almost ceiling to floor so the living room got a lot of light, and a second smaller window on the other side of the door made the two-seater kitchen table cheerful. The sunlight hit the pool below and bounced even more light up to us, so that it was almost never dark or gloomy. As a cop, I wasn’t happy with the big window right by the front door, but as a person who’d just been kicked out of his home, I’d needed the light. The other apartments I could afford had been like dark holes. Neither my depression or my son would have done well there. Connery liked sitting at the table eating breakfast and watching the water shadows bounce along the roof overhang just outside the kitchen window. There were days when his happiness was everything to me.

“You always could do that,” Jamie said.

I turned from the table and realized that I’d totally lost track of things for a second. Jamie seemed okay, better than okay, but bringing a potentially unstable person into my apartment and then zoning out was not a good idea.

“Do what?” I asked, and tried not to frown or act upset. Jamie could be sensitive to moods.

“Smile and have it look happy and sad at the same time.”

“So, I’ve always been a gloomy overthinker, even at seven?” I asked with a smile.

He grinned. “Maybe not gloomy, but you’ve always been serious and an overthinker.”

“Hey, I kept us out of trouble more than once, because I thought things through.” I took off my suit jacket and put it on the back of the kitchen chair.

“I didn’t think you followed sports, Havoc.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He motioned at the shirt.

I looked down and realized I was wearing a Broncos shirt I’d borrowed from Charleston after my last clean shirt had been cut off me.

“I forgot I borrowed a shirt from my lieutenant.”

“Why’d you need the shirt?”

“It’s long story and I’d rather hear your story while I fix us dinner.”

“What are we having?”

“Paninis.”

“What kind of hot sandwiches?” he asked.

“Roast beef, three kinds of cheese, and a choice of dill or sweet bread-and-butter pickles. I’ve got mayonnaise, dijonnaise, and stone-ground mustard.”

“What’s dijonnaise?” he asked.

“A mix of mayonnaise and mustard in one bottle.”

He made a face. “No, I don’t want that.”

“Hey, my kid loves the stuff.”

“What toddler doesn’t like mayonnaise and ketchup?”

“He’s three, so don’t call him a toddler to his face. He’s a big boy now.”

Jamie smiled. “I still can’t believe you have a child, that any of us have a child.”