Why do they always call during lunch?
See, this is why I eat lunch out of the office as often as I can. Especially since, most of the time, I’m eating with Anna. So the one day this week when I’m eating an obligatory heart-healthy salad at my desk, the damn phone rings. I got half a mind to ignore it. But since I haven’t already covered the lettuce with that disgusting Light Italian, I decide to go ahead and pick up the phone.
“Dobransky.”
“Detective Dobransky, this is Sheriff James Thornton down here in St. Martin Parish. How you doing today?”
I look down at the wilting lettuce and the other questionable vegetation that is supposed to make me live longer, yet somehow makes me want to die sooner.
“Oh, just another day in paradise. What can I do for you Sheriff?”
“Well, Detective, it’s more like what I can do for you. I believe I got good news and bad news for you. The good news is, we found one of the people in your Missing Persons database – a Pedro Ruiz. That’s one of yours, right?”
I immediately recognize the name. It was on a file I had stared at for months while it gathered dust on my desk. But that was back when I was assigned to the Missing Persons division.
“Yeah, well he was one of mine. Apparently, they didn’t tell you at the front desk. I’ve been promoted out of Missing Persons to Homicide.”
“Well, now, that’s the bad news,” Sheriff Thornton continues. “We found Pedro, but all we found was his skull.”
I put my fork down and push away the rabbit food.
“Are you serious?”
“Serious as a rabid coon. Some gator trapper and his son were dressing out one of our indigenous when they cut open its stomach and found what’s left of ole Pedro. We ran the dentals through NCIC and got a hit on your guy. We’ve got a team searching the area where the trappers caught the gator and may send some divers out, but I thought you might want to know.”
“Yeah, thanks. I appreciate it.”
My gut immediately starts having a field day, and it isn’t growling from the absence of red meat. It’s making noises like something big is going on, and I needed to get into the middle of it.
“Hey, if it’s no trouble, I’d like to take a trip down there and help you guys look around. I could stand to get out of the city for a day.”
“The more the merrier. We’ll be out today and tomorrow, so come on down. Just come to the station house; Becks at the front desk can give you directions on where we’re concentrating our search.”
“I appreciate the hospitality, Sheriff. See you tomorrow.”
As soon as I hang up the phone, I give Anna a ring.
“Well hullo Detective Hunky-Doodle,” she answers. “Is this an obscene phone call?”
I smile and sigh at the same time; I wish it was just that.
“Hullo, Gorgeous. Unfortunately, this isn’t one of those times I can pant in your ear. I’ve got to cancel our lunch for tomorrow.”
“That’s fine. I had you and Brad Pitt double-booked for the same lunch, so this takes some pressure off.”
I close my eyes and chuckle at Anna’s quick sense of humor.
“Well, you give my love to Brad and make sure he tells Angelina she owes me a phone call.”
“Will do,” Anna responds. There’s a pause, then she bursts into a laugh.
“Alright, Chuckles. Why are you ditching me?”
I grab Anna’s picture that is now in a pewter frame on my desk and wish even more that I didn’t have to cancel.
“A sheriff down south called me. St. Martin Parish. He found one of my lost little lambs, so I’m going down to help him find the rest.”
“The rest? You mean the rest of those missing people from the French Quarter?”
“No, Sweetheart. The rest of the body. The sheriff only found the head.”
There’s a long pause, and I’m just about to check to see if Anna is still there when she finally breaks the silence.
“Weeeellll, I think I’ll cancel my lunch with Brad for tomorrow as well. Because of your little disclosure, I don’t plan on eating for the next three days.”
“That’s a shame,” I reply. “You two make such a cute couple.”
“Seriously Roy? They only found the head?”
I return Anna’s picture to the corner of my desk.
“Yeah, Sweetheart. Just the head.”
There’s another long pause, then an audible sigh.
“You are in one seriously disturbing line of work. You know that, Roy?”
I smile again and I rub the bridge of my nose as I absorb the truth of Anna’s statement.
“Yes. Yes I do.”