It was about then that my cell rang. And from the particular ring tone, I instantly who it was, since Toni’d programmed it in herself. Man did that she like her classical music. I'd been thinking of changing it, but I just have to figure out how to explain why Wagner wasn’t really my style. You know, she even liked to play it during sex. Yeah, a bit weird, but, as I’d noted, she is pretty hot in bed, so it’s not all bad.

“It's the girlfriend,” I told the guys, “Back with you later. Let me know if the city’s next mayor has anything earth shattering to tell us.”

Bill made a noise.

“In his dreams,” he shot back.

Do the dead really dream? The experts didn’t think so. Teresa never said whether she dreamed or not and I’d never asked her. Could lead to some uncomfortable confessions on my part.

I took another drink, turned away from the pair and I tapped my phone, brought it up to my ear.

“Hey sweetie,” I started, I was good to hear her voice, after the day I've had. “How are things at the church?”

“I'm okay lover, “she told me in a playful tone that had an edge of suspicion in it. She was damn good with vocal cues and for some reason calling the hospital a place of worship tickled her pink. “I had a very good night. How about you?”

”I'm doing well,” I told her, pleased I’d made the decision a few hours ago that I had, for both our sakes. “Considering the kind of crappy day it’s been. Thinking of you has helped, though.”

“Oh,” she replied, concern in her tone. She had to be the best RN ever, the best bedside and in bed manner. “What happened baby?”

Now, I had the feeling that she’s heard the news,. My only question was how much she already knew and where she’d heard it from. Although Toni expressed at least a little jealousy of my secretary, she and Teresa had engaged in a lot of communication over the past few months, now that she’d gotten a little over initial impressions. And I guess she wanted confirmation that Teresa only wanted my job, not my body.

Which I will admit was kind of weird, maybe, because in some ways Toni had more in common with my two friends at the bar. Her family was pretty old school religious too, pre-Vatican II Catholics. So when the three of us were together there always seemed some degree of tension. And not in the more preferable sexual kind.

As I hinted earlier, she had been jealous, although I didn’t share that for a few weeks after she found out Teresa was a werewolf Toni had been so mad she’d almost dumped me. I think she’s gotten mostly over the fear my admin assistant could attack at any moment, me or her. And maybe even more than that. Now, I was sure there was something going on between the two of them.

“Had to deal with a death of a tenant, baby, happened in one of the apartments late last night,” I told her.

I heard her intake of breath.

“Jesus Johnny, was it bad?” she wanted to know. “But you didn’t say anything this morning.”

Was I in trouble? Hard to tell yet.

“No, it was after you left,” I told her “No rest for the wicked.”

I took in a deep breath. Damn it was still affecting me. I had another drink. Shit, I looked at my hand, it was shaking. What was that all about?

“Wow,” I heard her say over the phone” “Want me to come over?”

“Oh, more than anything,” that sound of her concern made everything better. She’d gone into that mode. “There’s nothing more than I would like than that, but got to head out in a couple hours to see Vaclav, you know, Emily’s lawyer, I can’t see that I’ll be back before 10.”

“You’re going to drive? They say it’s going to snow up north tonight.”

I have to say that I rarely loved her more than I did right now.

“I’ll take it slow,” I told her. “Better that this is done sooner than later.”

“I understand,” she told me. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll do a shift this afternoon and meet you when you get back, and neither of us will have to get up early tomorrow.”

I thought about that for a moment, that could be pretty good. I decided to say yes. It wouldn’t be easy for her change her shift at the last moment. I didn’t want to say no to that offer.

“And tell you what,” she told me, her tone taking a decidedly sexy turn. “I'll bring over something that will completely take your mind off of anything you saw today.”

“Really?” I asked. “And what exactly will that be?”

“It'll be a surprise,” she offered cryptically.

“I can't wait,” I told her.

At least one part of my life was going well. Maybe the rest would follow.