Chapter 33

I awoke the next Morning with the smell of her all over me. I hated the thoughts of a shower, so even though I knew better I took Dog and went for a ride on my trike. He and I did about an hour on the thing. It was so hard to pedal up hills that it was as strenuous as running. Well it did give me a chance to rest during the downhill run. Dog couldn't but he had learned to run along beside and not to pull me. If he kept that up, we could do two hours, I thought.

We stopped at Hardee's and I bought three biscuits. The one cup coffee maker would get a work out this day, I thought. When we got to the house Wendy was still in bed.

"It's time to get your butt out of bed Dog is hungry." I said.

"I was just pretending to sleep, so you wouldn't force me to take part in the self flagellation you call exercise. So did you bring me your heart attack on a bun breakfast?" she asked.

"Bacon, egg and cheese on a greasy biscuit, what so awful about that?" I asked.

"You have a great body, and flabby arteries," she said.

"Probably some truth to that," I agreed. "Regardless you wanted to see a day in my life not yours."

"Alright but I refuse to eat before I take a shower. You do not smell like roses either," she informed me.

"Wow and you do?" I asked.

"You know I smell better than you do. Now how about a shower before we eat for both of us. As a matter of fact that dog could use one as well." Wendy said.

"Now I know why Dog doesn't trust you. He sensed that you are a odorphobe." I turned my attention to Dog. "I'll defend you Dog and I'm the one with a weapon."

"I won't be long. If you had a larger shower, we could do this together," she commented.

"We still could if you weren't such a clean freak," I said. After she got in the shower I got her camera and sued it to film her stepping from the shower naked. I already knew that her body wasn't perfect, but it was nice enough for me.

"You are such a bitch, " she said when she saw me with the camera. She took if from me and pushed a few buttons and the images were gone from the camera but remained in my mind. "Now get your smelly ass in that shower."

I took a quick but thorough shower in five minutes. I was just as clean as she was after fifteen. I did have the advantage of my terrible butch haircut. I still had that androgynous look going. I imagined I was stuck with it. Someday I might let my hair grow out to a couple of inches but certainly no more.

She at least had a cup of coffee waiting for me. I ate in my panties. I didn't even bother with a bra. There were two good reasons for it. I wasn't worried about sag and I kind of like the idea.

Unlike me Wendy was in her shorts and sweat shirt with the arms hacked off and the State University Logo on it. She was adorable wet hair and all. "God this is good. Why are all the things that kill you the ones that taste good, and the ones good for you taste like grass," she said.

"Some of them taste like cardboard." I suggested.

"True, so what is today's project?" Wendy asked.

"I don't know about you but for me it just another day at the office," I suggested. We have to stop by the Hardee's again. This time for take out. After I dress we went by the Hardee's for one more biscuit and three take out coffee.

"Trust me we are going to need the coffee. Cop coffee is pretty awful in the morning," I explained to Wendy.

"Surely you aren't eating that biscuit?" she asked.

"No, it's payment for something I need," I said.

When we parked the truck in the parking lot Dog finally got out of Wendy's lap. "God that dog is like having a baby," she said.

"Hey be glad he likes you. It would have been over with us, if he didn't," I said.

"You are serious?" she asked.

"Be glad neither of us had to find out," I said.

First stop was Wilson. "Wilson this is Wendy. She is a reporter so be careful what you say. Wendy this is Wilson, he is our forensic expert." I suggested.

"I have seen you on TV. It's a real pleasure meeting you," he said.

"Well thank you. The sheriff must really think of lot of you to bring you breakfast?" she asked.

"Or she wants something, so what is it sheriff?" he asked.

"I want you to call down and see what is holding up that tox screen on the man our deputy put hands on." I said. The implication was to tell me when Wendy wasn't present.

"I can do that Sheriff they owe me a favor or two. It would be easier, if we could carry them biscuits in the morning," he said.

"That would be a bribe, but it is a good idea," I said. "Maybe a catfish sandwich from that Seafood place in Dobson."

"You mean the one the board of health shut down last year?" he asked. I nodded. "I didn't know they had reopened."

"The bacteria in the water turned out to be a dead animal in the well. They got it out and cleaned the place up enough to pass health inspection." I said. "There are some good things about being sheriff. You get to hear all the dirt, even if it isn't about things in your county."

"Give me a call when you hear," I said. Wendy and I went to my office.

"You do remember Mrs. West?" I asked.

"Oh course, how are you Mrs. West." she said.

"You have done something different with your hair," Mrs West commented.