Chapter 10
CHAPTER
TEN
Ker
As he settled into bed, Ker couldn’t believe how much he had learned. Ash had made it all seem so easy. And as Ash had pointed out to him over dinner, Ker had really done it all himself! Sure, Ash showed him the correct way to chop vegetables and walked him through all the steps, but Ker had actually done most of the work.
And dinner had been great. The pasta with meat sauce, or ragu as Ash had called it, was delicious. So much better than the stuff in jars he’d bought in the past. When he mentioned that to Ash, the man had just smiled and then went on to explain that if he was in a rush and didn’t have time to make a batch of sauce for the freezer, there were a couple of jarred brands that could be elevated with quick extra touches and be ready in just a few minutes.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized that not only did he enjoy the time spent with Ash, he also really enjoyed cooking. Okay, maybe it was because he was cooking with a guy he found attractive, but he had never expected to enjoy it as much as he did. He had always thought that cooking was just a way to prepare food for eating—a necessary task to stay alive, as it were, but as he was doing it all, he found it spoke to his creative side, and he could see how folks really got into it. He would have to talk to Ash about setting up another time for them to cook together. He wanted to learn as much as he could.
Ker drifted off to sleep with a contented smile on his face.
One of the things that Ker liked about his job was that every day was different. Today he needed to stop by the company office for a meeting, then do a bit of admin work and make a call or two. After that, he’d head out to one of the sites that he was overseeing for the construction of a new donut shop in a small strip mall.
When he got to the office, Colin Matthews, another project manager, was already at his desk.
“Morning, Colin,” he greeted his coworker. “What’s going on?”
“Not much, Ker. After the meeting, I’m going down to Sandwich to meet the guys who are starting on that new shopping center.”
Ker made himself a cup of coffee at the office Keurig machine as a few other folks walked into the office. They all slowly made their way to the conference room for their monthly managers’ meeting.
After the thankfully short meeting, Ker returned to his desk and powered up his laptop. Many of the folks who’d attended the meeting were heading out to various sites for the rest of the day. He made himself another cup of coffee and was just opening his email program when his phone rang. “Standish Construction, this is Ker,” he said.
“Hey, Carl,” he replied after listening for a moment. “What’s going on?”
They began an in-depth discussion of a new project they’d both be working on in a couple of weeks. The company that Ker worked for would be constructing a new office building that Carl’s firm was spearheading. It wasn’t the first time they had worked together, and the conversation turned technical pretty quickly. Ker had learned early on that Carl was a hands-on kind of developer and wanted to know all sorts of details that most guys didn’t pay that much attention to.
A few minutes into the conversation, Ker noticed movement near the office door. He looked over and saw Ash standing there.
“Excuse me a sec, Carl,” he said into the phone, then, “Ash, is that you?”
Ash turned and stopped, shock evident on his face.
Ker, stunned that Ash was there, gestured toward his guest chair and mouthed, “Gimme a minute,” then continued his call. He didn’t want to keep Ash waiting but couldn’t afford to be rude to the client either.
When there was finally a lull in his phone conversation, he said, “Hey, Carl, sorry to cut this short, but I’ve got something pressing here to deal with. Can I call you back later today so we can finish this?”
Ringing off the call, he turned to his visitor and said, “Ash? What are you doing here?”
“I’m here on business, actually. Is this where you work? I had no idea.”
“This is the company’s main office, but I only spend a few days a month here. I’m normally out at different sites, working out of a trailer or my car, depending on which jobs I’m managing at any given point. Can I ask what you’re doing here?”
“Sure. I’m looking for a guy named Brett Porter. He works here, right?”
“Yeah, he does, but he’s out at one of our sites today. One that I’m managing as a matter of fact. Is he in some kind of trouble?” Ker asked.
“No, not at all. Remember that string of robberies I was telling you about? Brett was one of the victims, and we may have recovered some of his things. I was hoping to show him a few photos if that’s okay,” Ash replied.
“Of course. I’m heading out to the site—it’s a donut shop in a small strip mall on the edge of town. You can follow me out there, but I need a few more minutes here if that’s okay?” Ker was sure that Ash could find the place on his own but was hoping to spend a few more minutes with him.
“Yeah, no problem. I can wait.”
“Wanna cup of coffee?” Ker asked, gesturing to the Keurig machine.
Ash said, “I can get it, thanks.”
Ker finished up his tasks, and they headed out to the parking lot. “I’m sure you know where the place is, but I figured it would be easier if I introduced you to Brett when we get there.”
“Makes sense,” Ash agreed. “Some folks get antsy when cops show up unannounced.”
The ride took only ten minutes, and when he got out of his car, Ker said, “Come on in the trailer with me. The building they’re working on is a hard-hat area, so I’ll just call Brett on the walkie-talkie, and he can come here to talk with you. Plus, the other guys don’t need to know his business unless Brett wants to tell them.”
Once inside, Ker grabbed a walkie-talkie from the desk and said into the speaker, “Hey, Brett. You there?”
A moment later, he heard, “Yeah, boss, what’s up?”
“Can you come to the trailer, please?”
“Sure. Be right there.”
A few moments later, Brett walked in. “You wanted to see me, Ker?”
Ker turned to Ash, who said, “Hello, Mr. Porter. I’m Detective Reynolds from the Hawthorne Bluff Police Department. I believe you were interviewed by my partner, Detective Hank Somerset, about the theft of some items from your home.”
“Um, yes. Nice to meet you, sir.” Brett reached out to shake Ash’s hand.
“I can give you guys some privacy if you’d like,” Ker said to them.
“No, that’s okay, boss,” Brett replied. “None of this is private as far as I’m concerned.” He turned to Ash. “Have you found anything yet?”
“We think so. I have photos of a few things that may be yours.” Ash opened the file folder he was carrying and showed Brett a series of photos. “Can you identify any of these items?”
Brett scanned the photos and said, “Yes, these are definitely my things. What happens now? When can I get my stuff back?”
“First I’ll need you to sign some forms that identify these items as belonging to you. We’ll need to keep everything for a little while longer, but as soon as they’re released, someone from the precinct will call you.”
Once they’d completed their business, Brett left the trailer, and Ash looked at Ker, smiling. “It was an unexpected pleasure running into you today.”
“Ditto,” Ker said. “And a bonus to see you in a suit. You clean up good, Detective.” There was mischief in his eyes. “I’m just glad you weren’t here to arrest anyone.”
“Do I need to get my handcuffs out?” Ash teased.
“I don’t think that’s necessary.” Ker was enjoying the banter more than he cared to admit. “Are you still volunteering on Thursday for Thanksgiving dinner at A Helping Hand?”
“I am. Then I’m heading to my mom’s for our family dinner. It’s gonna be a busy day, but that’s okay,” Ash said. “And don’t forget, we’re going to Cuppa Joe’s on Friday night.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”