The Jumper (SF Mystery)

The Jumper 08: Friendly Advice

He grumbled about it to Alicia over dinner, a month later. "I was told there were some cases that would haunt me," he said, "but this is the first one for me, because I had the guy and I knew he was guilty, but I couldn't prove it, and now he is beyond my reach."

The evening with Alicia had been nice, but hadn't gone any further. Jeff knew he wasn't getting any younger, but he was bothered by the Crane case more than he let on.

He continued to try to track down Gilbert Stevens. He had managed to have the guy's bank account frozen, and had gotten the alert raised to an arrest warrant on suspicion of homicide, but his captain warned him that he was on very shaky ground with it.

"Just let it go, Jeff. The guy left a suicide note, for god's sake!"

"I can't, Cap. Something is very wrong with this. We've known each other, what? Ten years? You know I can't let go of something like this."

His captain sighed. "I know. I just think you ought to do your best, because I don't think you'll ever find anything else out about it. I have ones that still bother me from thirty years ago."

He clapped Jeff on the shoulder. "Take Alicia out again. That did you both some good."

Jeff looked up in surprise. "I didn't know you knew about that."

The captain chuckled. "You both were much happier for a couple of days after it." He sobered. "Then you both got depressed again. You aren't in the same chain of command, so fraternization rules don't apply."

"Giving me an order, Captain?"

"No, no, just friendly advice from an old man who remembers being young and lonely. Maybe Alicia isn't the one, Jeff, but don't live your life alone. To do this job, you have to have someone else to go home to."

His friend wandered off, leaving Jeff with his thoughts.

Jeff didn't know what was holding him back with Alicia. He liked her, and it had been a very pleasant evening, but Alicia was more ready to go deeper than he was. He wasn't ready to give up on this case yet, and somehow, getting more involved with Alicia–or anyone–would feel like giving it up.

Besides, as much as he liked her, Alicia was not completely his type.

"You don't even know what your type is, you idiot," he told himself in the mirror. Still, he didn't call Alicia again.

He kept up the pressure in the hunt for Gilbert Stevens, but other cases and duties required his attention.

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