"You two seem to attract a whole host of characters," Tabby commented to me when she brought Molly back a little while after I had finished on the phone with Leona.
I glanced to Molly who was getting out of Tabitha Choir's backseat and placing the bags that contained the medicines that Molly and I had to take regularly. She sighed and shrugged.
"Yes, George I told her," Molly sighed, "I figured it might help to bounce ideas off of someone."
"I'm afraid I don't have any more of a clue then you do," Tabby sighed, "Dave's family in California does some business with some of the various medical companies there. They might be able to get some answers about whether they have interest in Ms. Washburn's serum or research, but I doubt they'll tell a vineyard manager that sells them bottled wine for special events and promotions about whether or not they have hired some guy to come out urge you to urge Ms. Washburn to resume that research... or distribute what she has now to those that want it..."
"Leona told me on the phone that a good deal of them are still interested in her research," I then sighed, "finding out who that guy was will probably be impossible."
Molly gave a frustrated sigh and looked down. Tabby on the other hand only shrugged.
"Not that I would really complain, if I were the two of you," Tabby commented.
"Huh?" Molly and I both gasped.
"Well, come on, the two of you each ordered over one hundred dollars worth of steak and he paid for you," Tabby commented, "and the size of the order I can understand. You two need it to keep yourselves fit... but the point is he gave you a night off and a free meal."
"It's more the topic of conversation and who the guy was that Molly and I are concerned about," I commented.
"I know," Tabby sighed, "I wish Dave and I could do more to help... but we're going to be busy with our grapes and processing what got last year... and with what little we can do... it won't do much."
"Don't go out of your way with this," I told her, "You and Dave were our first friends here... and you've both done a lot for us. And besides... what the guy did was hardly illegal. He made no threats. He wasn't violent. He didn't bribe us... unless you're counting the food as the bribery. And supporting the guys that are suing Leona isn't a crime, either."
"Yes," Tabby nodded, "Molly's told me that you two aren't all that keen on the idea."
I nodded, "becoming an animal-person won't make them happy."
"Maybe," Tabby shrugged, "but I'd have thought you could take it as a sign there are people out there who won't treat you and Molly like mindless animals."
"We see transforming one's self into an animal person and treating those victimized by Eugene Changes as two separate issues," I replied.
Tabby nodded, "what do you suppose will happen if they win?"
"It could end up spelling the end of humanity as it is known," I commented, "one person becomes an animal person, falls in love and gets married to a human. The new human becomes an animal person the first time they have unprotected sex. They then have children, their children grow up and repeat the process."
"It'd take a long time for that to happen that way," Tabby commented, "and by that time, maybe some of the "infectious" nature of the serum will be taken out of it, or out of the animal-person without harming them."
"It sort of sounds like you'd want to take the serum," Molly said slowly.
"I don't entirely mean for it to sound that way," Tabby commented, "though it could have its humor to it... a tabby named Tabby..."
"Redundant naming," Molly and I grumbled.
Tabby only chuckled, "but I don't think I would do it... I'm happy with Dave as we are... though, Veronica has voiced the idea of being like you two... a tiger cub. I guess it's the good impression the two of you have made with the kids here."
"Yeah," Molly quipped, "two jungle gyms, straight from the jungle."
"The concrete jungle," I corrected, "this is the first place that Molly and I have ever been that seems to have some... nature to it. In a way it feels more like home then anything I ever felt in Peoria."
"And I hope it's a happy home for you for a very long time," Tabby commented, "but I need to get going. Make sure Dave hasn't burned down the house trying to cook something."
"He can't cook?" Molly asked.
"Oh he can cook," Tabby quipped, "the real question should be: how well?"
We gave a soft chuckle and waved as Tabby returned to her car and drove off.
"So, Leona didn't have any ideas on who the guy was?" Molly asked.
"She had leads, but mentioned that there were far to many of them to really investigate any of them," I replied, "and since buying us dinner isn't a crime, we have no reason to dig deeper."
Molly slowly nodded, "at least the guy didn't threaten us or anything like that."
"Yeah," I agreed with her, "but I'll still wonder as to what the guy's agenda was and why we were important to it."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The rest of the week went by fairly quietly. Neither Molly nor I heard anything more from the unknown man, and we quietly went about our business. The lawsuit against Leona was still a week away, so, we wouldn't get any updates on that until after the trial had occurred, or at least started. Molly and I decided that we would follow the news on the trial fairly closely, as there were bound to be something that we thought would affect us.
In terms of work, nothing super exciting happened over the course of that week. There was the occasional speeding ticket to issue, but there was nothing beyond that. And with some of the other things going on in the "background" at the moment, having something big or complex going on probably would have made some of that stuff difficult to deal with. And the sideshow was quick to raise itself a couple of days after my call to Leona.
"Tonight's the night," Officer Jenkins commented as we began our patrol.
"Hmm?" I asked as I climbed into the backseat of the patrol car.
"The date," Officer Jenkins answered, "tonight is the night."
"So you and Officer Barnes worked out a date for the date?" I quipped.
"Yep," Officer Jenkins said with a smile, "I'm all shades of excited!"
I sighed and shook my head as she pulled the car out, and we began driving along the town's streets. This was all part of the sideshow. Furry fans wanting to be animal people elsewhere in the country, and a grown woman acting like a stereotypical teen on her first date. And it was at that point that I decided try and help. I seemed to be stuck in the middle of it, anyway.
"Just remember to be yourself," I advised, "don't go out of your way to do what you think he will like... and obviously, be truthful. Don't let excitement or nervousness hide the truth."
"Thank you, Doctor Phil," Officer Jenkins quipped.
"It is merely some friendly advice," I commented, "which I thought would be wise to give, since you've already asked me to ask him out for you."
"I didn't ask you to do that," Officer Jenkins retorted, "I asked you to ask him if he liked me. That's completely different."
"Obviously," I shook my head, "still, it's good advice."
"It probably is," Officer Jenkins nodded, "and I do owe you a lot... you didn't do what I wanted... but without your encouragement... I probably wouldn't have the date now. I'd be nervously twitching over whether or not he liked me."
"It was no problem," I told her, "and hopefully, you and Officer Barnes have a good time.
"Thanks, George," Officer Jenkins replied.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
The next day, I found out that the sideshow didn't just apply to Officer Jenkins. I had taken a few pieces of meat that I had cooked the night before to be my lunch for the day. The morning patrol had been quiet, with the biggest issue we ended up having to confront was a pet dog that had escaped its yard and was being frantically pursued by the owner. He had apparently been getting ready to take it for a walk, and it got away from him. Officer Jenkins and I managed to corner it against a wooden fence while the owner caught up. He managed to get its leash back on it, and apologized if he distracted us from anything.
After the morning patrol ended, Officer Jenkins and I returned to the station where I retrieved my lunch and sat down with Officer Barnes in the interrogation room to have lunch.
"Heard about your morning adventure with Fido," Officer Barnes chuckled, "didn't cause any trouble, did he?"
"No," I shook my head, "it seemed to be more pent up energy then anything else."
"Good," Officer Barnes commented.
I enjoyed a few quiet bites of one of the steaks that I had brought back before Officer Barnes spoke again.
"You know, I've got the oddest feeling all of a sudden," Officer Barnes commented.
"On what?" I wondered, maybe some report had come in that was bigger then a loose dog.
"It's actually somewhat of a personal thing," Officer Barnes commented, "so don't be too judgmental."
"I've never been to law school," I commented, "I can't be a judge."
I didn't actually know if a common judge had to have attended law school or not. I figured the line would make a good joke.
"Cute, real cute," Officer Barnes retorted.
"Unless you're secretly dissecting people, or doing something illegal, I won't judge you," I said in a more serious tone, "and if it's personal, you don't have to tell me."
"It's nothing embarrassing," Officer Barnes replied, "Interesting, I think would be the word. And I figured that the moment you might be the one to talk to."
"Okay," I nodded.
"As I'm sure you overheard, Officer Jenkins asked me over to dinner at her place awhile back," Officer Barnes explained, "we had our dinner date last night."
"How'd it go?" I wondered.
"It was fine," Officer Barnes shrugged, "I spent much of the night assuring her daughter that I was okay, but overall, I think it went well."
"Good to hear," I told him.
"Yeah, but its left me with the nagging suspicion that she likes me... I mean romantically likes me," Officer Barnes answered.
"Is that really a problem?" I asked, "you aren't partnered with her. Protocol can't interfere with it, and she seems to be a fairly nice person."
"Oh, she is," Officer Barnes answered, "but I really don't know what to do really. She's a nice person, and I've helped her with a few little projects that she wanted done for her daughter... but overall, I've been very career minded. I do my duty and I focus on that."
"What about on your days off? Or when you're not on duty?" I wondered.
"I do what I can to keep busy," Officer Barnes shrugged, "which has included the projects for Officer Jenkins' daughter."
"So you don't like her?" I wondered, nervous thoughts of having to deal with a upset Jenkins running through my mind, "if you're looking for help in that regard, I'm afraid I won't be of much use. The only person I've ever really been with has been Molly."
"No, I do like her," Officer Barnes answered, "she is a good friend, and her daughter is sweet... it's just that I've never been good with a lot of these things... Joey has had more luck then I have when it comes to the finding love and having a family department."
"Don't tell me you're nervous you'll do something wrong?" I almost groaned.
"Hey, this is a first for me," Officer Barnes shot back, "weren't you nervous when you and Molly started dating?"
I slowly remembered some of the awkwardness of my courtship of Molly Rhoer when our relationship began to move from platonic friendship into a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship.
"I was younger then," I admitted.
"Not that much younger," Officer Barnes retorted.
I only shrugged.
"I don't know what I can say in the way of advice," I told him, "just be yourself... I guess."
The line seemed redundant and cliche to me, but then I didn't think that Officer Barnes knew how much Officer Jenkins had tried to get me to play matchmaker between them.
"And what if this does go "happily"?" Officer Barnes wondered, "I'll end up a stepfather to a little girl who doesn't know who her real father is. What if I screw her up?"
"I doubt that'd happen," I encouraged him, "You're a good guy. Treat her right, be her friend, her guardian, and as far as she will be concerned, YOU will be her father."
"You think so?"
"Siring children is a matter of genetics," I replied, "any male can get a female pregnant. It is what is done after the child is born that determines who is a father... a dad... her biological father is nothing to her. From what Officer Jenkins has told me, she doesn't even know who the father is. If you do well, you stand a good chance of receiving a fair amount of love. Romantic from Officer Jenkins and a father/daughter bond with Megan."
"You're a sap, you know that?" Officer Barnes commented with a chuckle.
"Maybe," I shrugged, "but it makes Molly happy. And she is who I live for."