It's Monday morning. McKenzie and Logan have known each other 13 days.

Ending of Previous Post:

At the car, Jose asked, "Where's this guy going to sit?"

Logan laughed. "Where ever he wants to."

McKenzie pointed. "Edger, wait." He sat. "Simon, sit up front. Jose, go over the other side. I'll put him in the middle and sit on this side. It'll work, really it will." She paused. "Unless the diarrhea starts." She giggled.

The three men stared at her.

TODAY'S POST:

ST. LOUIS CHAPTER 26 PART 2

After they returned to McKenzie's townhouse, she said, "I'm surprised Jose and Simon stayed so long."

"They're worried about you and Edger. You and Sheila are becoming friends. She would've been here, if Simon didn't send her and the boys to her parents."

"That's probably true." She surveyed the mess in the living room. "Well, I guess I'd better start cleaning up." She paused. "We should recheck for bugs. Do you think the people who did this planted more bugs?"

Logan stood beside her. "Good question. I'll check. I've heard the upstairs is just as bad. Why don't you start in your room? I'll check for bugs and then start down here. You can join me when you're finished."

With a sigh, McKenzie said, "Sounds like a plan." As she walked by the den, she noticed the notes she had penned to the bulletin board were ripped down and torn into small pieces. "I see they didn't like my planning board."

Walking up to her, he put his arm around her waist. "Might as well get the bad news over."

"You mean there's something worse than what they did to Edger?"

He took her hand and led her to the desk. "Depends how you look at it." He pointed to a message written in red paint across her desk. It read 'YOU'RE DEAD!'

Her eyes widened. "I guess we're much closer than we think we are. We have whoever it is scared."

"I'd say you're right."

She turned to leave. "I'm going upstairs."

That's strange. I expected more of a reaction. Hmm. Something's wrong. Now, what do I do? He stood on the bottom step and stared up the stairs.

After he scanned the downstairs room for bugs and found one in the den, he went upstairs and scanned that area. No bugs were found. He paused at McKenzie's bedroom door. "I found one in the den. I'll give it to Bill when we see him. I'll get started on the living room."

Logan was partway down the stairs, when Edger went to the back door and barked.

He rushed over and opened the door. "I guess you're demanding to go out." He watched the dog rush outside. "I didn't know you could move that fast."

McKenzie ran down stairs. "Edger, is he all right?"

"He's fine. He needed out, now."

"Dr. White said..."

"I remember." Logan paused a moment. "You all right?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Just for starters, your house was broken into and somebody threatened to kill you. I could go on and make an entire laundry list of reasons, but I'll stop there." Logan took her hand. "Is there anything I can do?"

She stood in front of him. "I could use a hug."

Logan opened his arms. "You don't need to ask. You can have all the hugs you want." He drew her closer to his chest. "Better?" As she nodded, he kissed the top of her head. "Good."

They stood like that for a few minutes. McKenzie backed away. "I forgot Mrs. Whitmore. What time is it?"

He checked. "It's eleven-thirty. What time did you set the appointment?"
"One-thirty."

"Good, you have time for lunch. I'll get started."

"I can't leave Edger alone in the house, and it's too hot outside. I always meant to get a doggy door. I guess it's too late now." McKenzie answered her ringing phone. "Hello, Bill." She listened and then filled him in on Edger's vet appointment and the newly found bug. "I've got a problem. I have an appointment with Mrs. Whitmore." She listened again. "Yes, she has the husband who frequents the strip joint. Anyway, one of the side-effects of the tranquilizer is diarrhea." She paused. "Thank you so much. I appreciate the help." She put her phone away. "Joanie will be over to babysit Edger."

"See, there are plenty of people who are ready to help. You just need to let them."

"It's been my experience that people are usually a disappointment. I'm the only person I can count on." McKenzie walked upstairs.

*****
A little after noon, Joanie opened the front door. "Edger's babysitter's reporting for duty."

McKenzie went to her and hugged her. "Thank you for doing this. I'd already had this appointment set up."

"Not a problem. Edger and I go way back." Joanie smiled. "I knew him when he only weighed about fifteen pounds."

"True." McKenzie giggled.

Logan tilted his head. "You mean this guy was actually small once?"

Both ladies nodded. McKenzie added, "And he was an adorable baby."

As Logan and McKenzie prepared to leave, she said, "Do you mind staying a little longer? We told Mr. O'Malley we'd stop by the hospital to check on him. It shouldn't take long."

Joanie poured a cup of coffee. "Not a problem. I got this." She petted Edger. "Come on, big guy. You can help me with my Sudoku."

Logan shook his head. "No, he can't. He's a dog." He glanced at McKenzie. "He can't, can he?"

She took his hand. "I'll never tell. Let's go."

*****
After McKenzie and Logan left the Whitmore house, he asked, "How does it feel to have possibly saved a marriage?"

"It feels good. I wouldn't want to be Mr. Whitmore when he's confronted. He's gone to great lengths to keep his problem from his wife. It would've been so much easier to have had open communication from the beginning."

"True." Logan paused and faced McKenzie. "At the risk of upsetting you, you could be a little more open with your feelings."

She swallowed. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm open."


Characters:

McKenzie 'Mac' Morgan a 27 year old private investigator
Major Logan Nelson 34 years old and an active duty soldier
Arlo McKenzie's black and tan dachshund
Megan Nelson Logan's younger sister - murdered
The Lou local name for St. Louis
Simon Knight and Sheila Logan's former Army buddy and a Lab technician. Sheila's his wife.
Fan name for the St. Louis Cardinals - a major league
baseball team.
Yadi What Cardinal fans call Yadier Molina - Cardinal's all-star catcher.
Edger McKenzie's black and tan rottweiler
George Whitney A former boyfriend of Megan, early suspect in her murger.
John Benson Man who murdered McKenzie's parents
Bill Abbot A D.A and McKenzie's God-Father; he was a high-
school friend of McKenzie's father. Joanie is his wife.
Jose Lopez his wife is Lucy Chicago Police Department undercover police
department.
Kate Hartford Megan Nelson's friend they taught middle school
together.
Donny Carlton A man Megan Nelson dated.
Mitch Gardner St. Louis Police Department detective who has
partnered with McKenzie's dad.
Ivan Smart A bad guy
Peter and Nancy Nelson Logan's parents
Sidney Parks works for the St. Louis Police Detective with the drug unit.
Mack and Helen Morgan McKenzie's parents - both deceased
Gus Piper McKenzie's abusive grandfather - deceased
Austin Bryant an old boyfriend - McKenzie broke up with him because he's a jerk.
Joshua Davis so far a nobody, but is a neighbor to Donny Carlton
Mark Young an acquaintance of McKenzie, a state trooper, and will become important much late