Page 292 of Off Limits: The Firsts

“Okay.” I nod. I can face down a six-foot suspect and know if he’s lying or not, but give me a five-year-old little girl, and I’m lost in fucking translation. “What were they arguing about?”

“Stuff.” She shrugs again. Twists her fingers. Shifts her feet. “Money and just stuff.”

“Okay. Were you scared for your mommy or daddy at all?”

She finally lifts her eyes to meet mine, and I can see her fighting wanting to betray her parents. “Yeah. I don’t like when they fight. Nemo and I hide under the covers and sing ‘You are My Sunshine’ so we don’t hear them.”

“That’s my favorite,” I say, thinking of how my mom used to sing it to Luke when he was a baby. “And a very smart move on your part.”

“Did you really want to see my rocks?”

“Yes. Of course. That was why I came to talk to you. I’ve found some new favorites.” I glance over to Nate to see where we are in the call, and his slight nod and stiff expression tell me he’s getting no-fucking-where. “The poop emoji one is my new favorite,” I say, trying to keep a straight face.

Her giggle makes me smile, though. “You know what a poop emoji is?”

“Of course I do. Don’t let the uniform fool you. I know poop emojis like the best of them.”

And every time I say “poop,” I get another giggle, a sound that should be a norm for her but probably isn’t. Déjà vu hits me in the moment, much like it did the last time I was here. I shake it, along with the image of the strawberry blonde little girl in my memories, away but come up with an idea.

“Tell me something, Keely, do you like to keep secrets?” I ask in a hushed voice.

“You mean like secrets that will get you in trouble or secrets like a super spy?”

“Like a super spy.”

She nods, her smile widening. “I can keep super spy secrets. Of course I can.”

“I thought so. I mean, I gave you the badge last time, but I was pretty certain you were spy worthy.”

“I am. I am.”

“Sometimes, when you’re a secret spy, you have to leave coded messages for other secret spies so they know what’s going on.”

“You do?”

“Yep.” I nod, knowing I need to wrap this up but also needing to get this point across. “Sometimes the littlest of signs tells other spies that things are okay or they’re not okay.”

“Really?”

“Definitely.”

“So what does that have to do with me?”

“I need you to be a super spy for me. It’s my job as a police officer to know that you and your mom are okay at all times.” I can see her little wheels turning, and I speak before she can question it too much. “So, I’m thinking that we use your rocks as our secret code.”

Her eyes and smile both widen, pride in her work replacing any skepticism she had seconds ago. “My rocks?”

“Yes, but you can’t tell anyone else or else the secret spy code will be broken, and then we’ll no longer be spies.”

“I can keep a secret.”

I eye her as if I’m doubting her, but then when I smile, she knows I trust her. “Good. I think we should come up with a certain picture or word, and if you paint that on a rock, then I know you’re afraid and need help for you or your mom.”

Skepticism is back, but it isn’t as deep when she asks, “What word or picture?” Her voice is barely audible.

“You can pick it.”

“Hmm.” She twists her lips and thinks so hard it’s adorable. “Watermelon.”