Her reaction to the food brought a smile to his face. It was endearing. Cute. If he told her that, he was pretty sure he’d get punched. So instead, he helped himself to the baked goods (because whoever said dessert couldn’t come first?).
“A taskforce would be a bit too conspicuous out here and we don’t have the number to spare,” he answered calmly as he tore a small piece from one of the brownies, “I also work better alone.” The Chief had offered to partner him up with someone. If not the other detective in the department, at least one of the deputies. He had declined. Maybe he was being too hardheaded about it, but he just wasn’t ready for that sort of bond again.
He didn’t think he would ever be ready for that sort of bond again.
“I know what I’m doing,” he reassured her, “I’ll be completely safe. I won’t do anything reckless and I’ll call for backup if I need it.” He popped the sugary chunk into his mouth. “I won’t even get a scratch on me.” Not that it was ever just a scratch and not that it mattered if it was something far more serious. He’d been through some pretty severe injuries already and his body had the scars to show for them. He even got bitten by a zombie and somehow survived it. That had to count for something, right?
“Don’t you know?” He asked her with a bit of a smile, “I have a knack for staying alive.” It was a joke for the most part. Tempting fate was never a good idea, but that was his job. That was what he dedicated his life to doing. And sooner or later, his luck would run out. It just depended on the when, the where, and the how. The most he could ask for was a heroic death. But wow, talk about having bleak thoughts. He needed to change the topic.
“Why don’t you tell me more about that human stray you picked up?” He stretched his legs out, crossing his ankles together. “Is he at the hospital now?” He took another bite of the brownie. “Is he cute?”