Colton's Spring

Chapter 1

Spring nearly spilled her cup of coffee when her boss unceremoniously dropped an envelope on her desk.

"For you, Dixon," he said. Spring was used to him using her last name. It was interesting because he referred to everyone else in the newsroom by their first name, but not her. No, she wasn't 'Spring', she was 'Dixon'.

Pulled from her reverie, she grabbed the envelope. "What is it?"

"No idea," Harrison replied. "It was dropped on Edna's counter when her back was turned."

Spring turned it over in her hands several times before finally reaching for a letter opener. The manila coloured package opened easily and she dumped the contents on the desk. There were a pile of papers and a microcassette. Who used microcassettes these days, she wondered. She held it up.

"I have a recorder in my office," Harrison said. "I'll go get it."

Spring watched her boss leave. At thirty-seven, he was ten years older than her, but he looked good for a guy his age. Buff and cute with the light brown hair and hazel eyes. When Spring had first been hired, she'd had a bit of a crush on him. When she had learned his name was Ulysses, some of the luster had been lost. What kind of parents named their child Ulysses? English teachers, apparently. At least that's what he had said one night when they'd had one too many beers.

Soon, he was back with the recorder.

Spring took it from him and loaded the cassette. Then she gave him what he referred to as the 'evil eye'. "Don't you have something to do, Boss?"

She knew he hated it when she called him 'Boss'. No, he went by Harrison and expected everyone to refer to him as such.

"Nothing in particular," he said. "Why don't you just hit play?"

"Because this was sent to me," Spring said. "If they wanted you to listen to it then they would have sent it to you."

Harrison didn't look pleased. He reached for the papers, but Spring was faster.

"I expect a report," he said.

"Or a story," Spring replied.

"A story would be even better," he replied. "Crime has been quiet for the past couple of weeks and you've had an easy time of it. I hope this is a lead on something good."

"Or it could be nothing," Spring pointed out.

"Then why drop in on Edna's counter without being seen? No, I suspect there's something good in there." He straightened up to his full height. "I'm in my office if you need me."

"Always, Boss." She gave him a quick wink and grinned as he walked away, grumbling about insubordinate employees. Spring rifled through her purse and came up with her beloved iPod. She removed the headphones and was pleased the jack slid easily into Harrison's records.

She pressed play.

And her world was shaken right down to the foundation.

He was into his third beer when the pounding began. He rarely drank and never in the middle of the day, but today had proved to be a day when whiskey was not only a desire, but a necessity. So he sipped and ignored the pounding. Whoever it was would go away, of that he was sure.

"Colton Pritchard, you open this god damn door."

His eyes closed. He wasn't sure whether to be amused or annoyed. Annoyed, he decided. How had she known to come?

"Look, Pritchard, I can see your car and I know you're home. I'll stand here all day if that's what it takes."

And she would, he knew. The woman was beyond tenacious. No, if she wanted to, she would just sit on the front porch until he had no choice to go outside. He was running low on provisions because he'd planned to go to the grocery store after work. He'd been so shocked that he'd been suspended and put on paid leave he'd forgotten he was out of food. Unlike some people, he didn't keep enough rations to survive Armageddon. No, he kept just enough to get him through a few days because he liked fresh food.