10.
Joey stands up and hollers, “You want to see Punkin again, give me my t-shirt.”
Detective Milson says, “Sit down, Handsome.”
The squad room bursts into laughter.
“Ma’am, you got to watch out, she’s like a rattlesnake she strikes so quickly,” says Joey sitting down and ducking behind detective Milson’s desk.
From the other end of the squad room, “I used to think you loved me, but all that changed when you kidnapped Punkin.”
Joey doesn’t like the sound of being called a kidnapper, not when there are twenty cops nearby, “He says, I didn’t kidnap Punkin. Punkin asked me to take him because he was lonesome. Why didn’t you tell me you was thinking that maybe you loved me before you threw me out?”
“That’s because you slept with Eileen and she was my best friend. But she’s not my best friend no more so it doesn’t matter that you slept with her. I didn’t know Punkin was lonesome. I feel like crying. Are you taking good care of Punkin? Do you talk to him before you goes to sleep and do you rub his tummy in the morning?”
Joey is thinking Punkin is sitting on the rear seat in his car with at least fifteen empty beer cans. Joey decides to zing Sunny, “I think Punkin loves me more than he loves you because I let him watch TV with me.”
“That’s not fair. I didn’t know Punkin liked TV.”
“Punkin loves TV. You know what his favs are?”
“What?”
“I’m not going to tell unless you give my t-shirt back.”
“I’m not going to give you your t-shirt back unless you give me Punkin back and tell me his favs.”
“I got Punkin in my car because he likes to go riding with me. I even buckle him in. I’m going to teach Punkin how to drive.”
Detective Patterson considers checking the state’s driving code to see if stuffed toy poodles can drive. He shakes his head and thinks he needs to take a few personal days off.
“That’s not fair,” says Sunny.
“Is so,” counters Joey.
Detective Patterson wants the soap opera to end. He whispers to Sunny.
Sunny turns to Detective Patterson and says, “You think?”
Detective Patterson nods.
Sunny says, “Detective Pitable thinks we should make up and go back to the way things used to be because it’s destiny.”
Detective Milson whispers in Joey’s ear.
Sunny hollers, “Is she hitting on you?”
Joey says, “She was hit on me like she hadn’t been with a guy in ten years.
“I did not hit on you,” says Detective Milson.
“Did to,” says Joey.
“I told Handsome he’d be a fool to let you get away.”
“We can take it outside if you hit on Handsome again,” says Sunny.
Joey says, “Can we set her up with Detective Pitable?”
“I’m married,” says Detective Patterson.
“Me too,” says Detective Milson.
“So?” says Sunny. Then she says, “Handsome, you and Punkin are my only true friends.
Joey answers, “Me too.”
“God help them,” mumbles Detective Patterson.
“Handsome, come here,” says Sunny holding her arms outstretched.
Joey says, “Meet me halfway, Sunny.”
Joey and Sunny dodge desks and chairs on their paths toward middle.
“Oh Handsome,” says Sunny embracing Joey.
“Oh, Sunny,” says Joey.
Detective Patterson flashes a thumbs up to Detective Milson. He thinks, It’s all in a day’s work.