Reflections of Light

The Detective Game

"Photograph!"

"What, again?" Luci said to her son with a smile as he took rapid-fire photographs of her and the kitchen with the camera on her phone.

Frankly, as underfoot and awkward as his new game could sometimes be, she didn't mind it that much. It kept him occupied and was a much needed break from his borderline-obsession with Peter Pan.
At least it was highly unlikely playing at being a detective would cumulate with any attempts to fly off bannisters or windowsills.

She laughed as he took close-ups of the nobs on the top of the oven. "I'm half surprised you've still got my phone. Just don't use up all the memory, okay? It hasn't got that much."

"I'm takin' imp'portant pic'shures to be an'lysed back at da home office for our invest'gation."

"Ooh, and what important investigation would that be, Mr Detective?"

" 'S top secwet."

"Oh, of course. I should have known. Silly me."

A loud yap signalled the entrance of Nibs, the already-much-larger dog skittering excitedly over the kitchen tiles and jumping up to excitedly lick at Billy's face, the boy laughing at the dogs hyperactive antics.

Luci chuckled, rolling her eyes at the two excitable boys. "Alright, Nibs, down. No face licking. Down. Good boy."

Nibs sat at Billy's feet, practically quivering with excitement, table beating a swift rhythm against the tiles.

Billy, completely disregarding his mother's attempts to calm the dog, went down on his knees besides his pet, ruffling his fur and winding him up until the energetic dog went onto his back, eagerly seeking belly rubs.

"C'mon Nibs, let's play! You c'n be my sniffering dog, sniffering out for clues!"

Nibs jumped up and ran excitedly in a circle a couple of times, before coming to lap at Billy's dimples again, expressing his approval of whatever they were going to do.

"Hey, I said no face licking! Down!"

"C'mon, Nibs!" Billy called, jumping up onto his feet and pulling his jacket closer around him. "Let's go find some clues!"

They played around madly, the duo exploring every surface they could climb over, every crevice they could squeeze through, investigating and photographing every detail.

Then, taking his turn at leading the expedition, Nibs took off at a run, hurrying into the front room, and launching himself onto the sofa, followed by a surprised sound from Sebastian as the dog landed in his lap and attempted to scale its way up his chest to lick his face.
"Get off, you stupid mutt!"

Billy ran in, snapping photographs of him attempting to prise off the over-friendly dog, before hurrying over.

"Did'ya catch da suspect, Nibs? Did'ya? Good boy, good boy." He fussed over his happy dog, before pulling a small water pistol out of his pocket and pointing it at Sebastian. "Was it you? Did'ja do it?"

"Lucia, your son's threatening me with an empty plastic gun."

"Ignore him, it doesn't work anyway.".

"No talkin' between da sus'pects!"

Later that day, Evelyn's phone chimed. Picking it up, she saw the small folder of photos that had been sent to her.
Picking it up, she tapped Billy a quick reply.