Working the Case

9

𖤍𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚗𖤍

Evie sighs and leans forward to set the empty ice cream container down on the coffee table in front of us.

She fixes the blanket that she threw across her lap, keeping her legs pulled up to her chest on the cushions.

She reaches forward again to grab the remote off the coffee table, turning the volume on the tv down so low I can barely hear it. It's almost muted.

"What do you want to know?"

I stare at her for a moment before a slow smile grows on my face. "Have you always lived in Virginia?" I blurt my first question out while I have the chance.

"Yes." Evie nods with a quiet sigh. "I don't really like it though." She admits.

"Why not?"

"I don't know." She shakes her head, confused with herself.

"Where would you want to go if you weren't in Virginia?"

Evie bites the inside of her cheek as she thinks. "Somewhere hot." She eventually says. "I like the warmth."

I smile wider. "It gets hot out here."

She smiles and rolls her eyes at me. "What else, idiot?" She coaxes. My smile gets soft at the hint of fondness in her voice.

"What's your favorite color?"

Her expression turns dry. "What are we, seven?"

"Mine's green."

Evie scoffs but is still smiling. "Red's a nice color." She decides.

"What kind of kid were you?"

She pauses. "I was quiet." She simply answers. "And I didn't have many friends."

"I wasn't." I smile, almost proud of it. "Why didn't you have many friends?" I push for more. She said she was quiet, but still. Just being quiet isn't a reason to not have any friends, is it?

Evie shrugs softly. "I don't really know." She admits. That makes me frown a little.

"The kids at your school must've sucked." I try to smile again, joking with her.

Evie's eyes drift off. "Yeah." She agrees. "I've got a question for you." She decides, perking up without really acknowledging it anymore.

"Yes?"

"You said it was just you and your mom growing up?" Evie squints. I smile a little and nod once. "So, what was she like?"

"Well, she was really flexible with my curfew." I chuckle. Evie hums. "She was a nice woman. Very smart." I nod to myself as I look away to think. "She always wanted to read me stories when it was time for bed." I add at random.

Evie almost laughs at that. "Bedtime stories?" She offers. I smile and nod. "Always? As in past the age of ten?" She pushes.

"I was sixteen and she was still sitting beside my bed with a book."

She actually does laugh. It only makes me smile wider. "What, like kids' books? Or did she at least change it to your age range?"

"She changed it." I hum, my smile softening. "At the time I was annoyed but...I don't know. Now I just miss it." I shrug and scratch the back of my neck. I'm not sure if it's weird to miss something like that.

"Understandable." Evie nods, her laughter having calmed down already. Now she just smiles. "I like to read before bed." She admits. "Do you?"

I sigh. "Haven't tried it yet." I admit. "I think I just liked being read to though." Evie nods at that, seemingly understanding it.