I had just finished working on the Mathew’s case that evening and was heading into town with Gloria for dinnner. I was tucking the report into the now bulging folder when the phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Charlie?" It was my younger brother Chad.

"Yes Chad what is it?"

"I’m just calling to let you know I’m going out tonight so not to worry. Like last time when you sent out the whole force looking for me cause I was home a little later than I had planned."

"Okay, fine with me. And last time you were only 18 and you were more than five hours late. Besides I was a bit jumpy around that time and you know it."

It had been three years ago and I had just joined the police force that year. Our parents had just finished getting through a messy divorce after being married for twenty years and Chad had come to stay with me. He still lived with me now and I had come to be a bit overprotective of him over the years.

"Yeah I know, that’s why I’m telling you now. I just met this girl and we’r going to go get some coffee in town. I might be home befor you though cause aren’t you going out too?"

"Yes I’m giong to dinner with Gloria tonight, but I won’t be out that late. Anyways I need to finish filing some papers and close up here so I’ll see you later."

""K, bye Charlie."

"Good bye Chad." I said the hung up and went back to my work. Chad was constantly finding some new girl somewhere and taking her out. A couple years agon I’d made him tell me everytime si’d know where he was in case something happened. Now all I asked was that he tell me if he was coming home late. I know he’s almost 22 now but still it worries me when he’s late.

I finished sorting through the Mathew reports, there were so many, and closed up the filing cabinet. I wondered how one girl could get into so much trouble all the time. She aparently had excellent grades all through high school and was on a full scholarship in college. And she had as many good grades as police records. She was constanly in trouble for soemthing or other and she probably knew the anmes of all the officers in the county by now.

I’d filled out reports on her twice this month already and she really didn’t seem to care very much. Apparently her parents died in an accident of some sort and her only living relative was a great aunt nearby. Her life just seemed to go down hill from there while her grades in school went up. But enough thinking about work for now. After all I told Gloria I would pick her up at eight tonight for dinner and I wasn’t even changed yet.

I closed up my desk and grabbed my bag to head out. My partner, Greg, waved good night to me as I left. I wlaked out to my car and headed home to get ready for dinner.

Gloria and I had been seeing each other for nearly five months now. We had met at a charity banquet that the station had put on not to long ago. We had gotten to talking and before she left I go my nerve up to ask her out. She agreed and we’d been going out ever since.

I got ready as fast as I could and then got to Gloria’s just in time. I rang her bell and waited for her to answer.

"Charlie!" she greeted me enthusiastically when she opened the door. She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me on the nose.

"Hello Lori, ready to go?" I said kissing her back. She let go of me and opened the door wider so I could come in.

"Just about ready, have a seat and I’ll be out in a minute." She said dissapearing down the hall. I took a seat and she came out a minute later looking no different than when she’d gone in.

"Let’s go." I said taking her arm and leading her out. I helped her into my car and we drove into town for dinner.

Dinner was fabulous, and the food wasn’t half-bad either. Gloria and I had a wonderful time that evening talking and laughing as usual. I could really see myself with her for a very long time. I thought about talking about making our relationship a mor permanent one but it was getting late tonight so perhaps another time.

When I dropped her off she kissed me at the front door before saying good night.

"Dinner was wonderful Charlie, thank you. Call we later in the week okay?"

"Okay, good night Lori."

"Good night." She said before going into her house. I walked back to my car in a bit of a daze from that kiss, yes I really think she and I have something special I really do.

By the time I got home it was already past eleven and I assumed that Chad would be home already. I didn’t see his car in the driveway though so I figued he was still out. I went inside to change and get ready for bed, leaving the porch light on and the door unlocked for when Chad got home. I slipped into bed and turned off the light and started to drift off to sleep when I heard the door open.

At first I just listened to make sure Chad got in okay. Then I heard him talking to someone.

"Shhh, my brother’s probably sleeping already." I head Chad whisper a bit loudly. His words sounded a bit unclear and I hoped he hadn’t been drinking.

"Okay, come on let’s get you to bed." I heard the other person answer. It must be the girl he went out with. I got up and out of bed and decided to see what was going on. I was only wearing a pair of boxers and a t-shirt so I threw on a robe as not to shock anyone. But I shouldn’t have bother because when I walked out of my bedroom it was I who got the shocking.

Standing in the middle of the hallway was my half drunk brother leaning on the wall. And next to him trying to pull him over into his bedroom was Laura Mathews.