A Tale of Two Tabbies by Kathi Daley Page B

and I didn’t want to make promises I couldn’t keep, so I didn’t bring it up when we spoke before I left. We’re done for the day and it’s still early, so I thought I’d call to see how you were doing. Besides, I’ve been going crazy not being able to see you. I guess my tendency is to worry about all the little things that could happen.”
    “Well, you worried for nothing. I’m great.” Okay, not so great. In fact, I was totally freaked out with everything that had happened that evening, but I didn’t want to worry Cody, so I kept my freak-out to myself. “How are things going with you?”
    “Good. I think.” I heard Cody sigh. I could picture him running his hands through his hair. “Actually, I’m not sure. The committee seems interested in my ideas, but they haven’t made a formal request for me to take things further. They asked me to leave the room at the end of our session today, but they all stayed to talk, so I imagine they’re discussing it among themselves and will let me know tomorrow.”
    “I’m sure they’ll vote to follow through with your ideas. You have really good ideas. I’m sure if you want an opportunity to implement your plan they’ll have no choice but to grant it.”
    “Yeah, I guess. To be honest, I’m not even sure if I want them to make the offer. Part of me really wants the opportunity to bring my ideas into reality and part of me just wants to go home and pick up with my old life exactly where I left off.”
    “Yeah, I get that. I guess I feel the same way. I want you to have the opportunity if you want it, but I don’t want you to leave. I know this conversation has been awkward for some reason, but I do miss you. So much. I can’t imagine not having you here every day. I guess I’m being selfish, but I want to spend all the moments of my life with you, not just a select few. On the other hand, if your plan will save lives, how can you turn down the opportunity to do whatever it is you need to do?”
    Cody let out a long breath that sounded more like a sigh.
    “I did bring up to the committee the fact that I’d recently purchased and updated the newspaper, and that leaving the island for any length of time would be difficult at best. I’m hoping maybe if they decide to go with my curriculum we can work out an alternative to my spending a year in Tampa.”
    “Do you think that’s a possibility?”
    “Honesty, I’m not sure. I guess my ability to bargain will depend on how badly they want to explore my idea. I really just have a wait-and-see attitude.”
    I wasn’t sure what to say at that point, so I stayed silent. I wanted to be brave for Cody, and for my country, but at that moment I was feeling anything but brave.
    “So how’s your investigation going?” Cody asked to break the silence.
    I filled him in on everything I’d discovered so far, except for the photos of Maggie and Father Kilian. I found I wasn’t ready to share those with anyone other than Maggie herself until I understood exactly what they meant. Cody offered a few insights about the case and we exchanged ideas until we both realized we’d run out of things to consider.
    “Have you talked to Mr. Parsons?”
    “No,” I admitted. “I’ve been really busy, but I thought I’d pop over there tonight to see how he’s doing. In fact, I was just headed in that direction when you called.”
    None of that was actually true, but I wished it was because I really had meant to check in with my elderly neighbor.
    “Does he know why you’re out of town?” I wondered.
    “I told him that I had a meeting at Kitsap, but I didn’t mention the rest. I didn’t want to worry him until I knew for sure what I was going to do. It’s going to be hard on him if I leave.”
    Cody was right about that. Mr. Parsons really had grown to depend on him.
    “If you do make it over it might be best if you avoid the subject altogether,” Cody suggested.
    “Okay, I will. We’ll probably just sit together and