immediately wished he hadn't; every sore spot made him wince. He opened his eyes to see Thomas grinning at him.
"Drink your coffee. I'll keep them entertained. There are fresh clothes at the end of the bed and a fresh toothbrush in the bathroom."
Wearily, Eric sat up, running his hand through his hair. He just knew he'd have huge bed hair after falling asleep with it still damp.
"I think you need to tame it a little," confirmed Thomas. "See you back downstairs. There'll be more coffee when you're ready."
"Thanks," he yawned sleepily, not really wanting to get out of bed.
Thomas left the room and went back downstairs to talk to the police.
Eric finished his coffee and went into the bathroom. Staring bleary-eyed at his reflection in the mirror he realized it confirmed his worst fear about his hair: Animal from the Muppets looked back at him. Taming it would require more than a slick-back with water. A brief rummage in the bathroom cabinet revealed a half-used tub of hair gel. Score! He slicked some through his hair, taming the beast as best he could.
The clothes were a little tight, and very short in the leg, but beggars couldn't be choosers and at this point he really was a beggar. At least until he could get to a store.
Eric walked down the stairs and paused at the bottom, trying to remember where he was supposed to be going. He heard voices to his left. Opening the door, Eric discovered Thomas talking to two police officers in a large, bright, airy room. They all looked up as Eric walked in and he paused, suddenly self-conscious, on the threshold.
Thomas smiled at him. "There you are. Would you like some more coffee?" At Eric's nod he said, "I'll get you another cup. Ted, Mark, would you like some more?"
The policemen both nodded and Eric was left alone with them as Thomas wandered around the corner.
"Mr. Pawlowski?" the older policeman queried. He reminded Eric a little of James Garner with his handsome, craggy face and an easy twinkle in his eye. His companion was younger but seemed equally relaxed. They could have been father and son. Eric looked at them a little more closely. They probably were father and son.
Eric held out his hand. "Eric Pawlowski," he confirmed.
"Ted James, and this is my son, Mark." Ted said as he shook Eric's hand. "Saw you lookin'," he laughed.
"Policing's a family business, then?" Eric asked, relaxed enough to let a hint of Texas creep back into his voice.
Mark nodded, speaking for the first time. "Even Ma's a cop. Can't get away from us in Grafton."
"Ted used to drive me mad as a young 'un. Every time I did something wrong he jumped on my case. He seemed to know what I was going to do before I even did it," added Thomas, as he came back into the room with a tray of mugs and fragrant coffee that was making Eric's mouth water.
At Eric's skeptical look, Ted laughed. "You think Thomas' too straitlaced to get out of line?" "Well, yes,"
"Don't let this calm exterior fool you. Scratch the surface and he's a real wild-child. Some of the stories I could tell you…"
Thomas coughed; a flush spreading up his neck. "If you've finished embarrassing me, Ted, shall we get down to business?"
Eric chuckled. "Ted, later I want to hear all about this wild-child here." He sat down in one of the easy chairs, ignoring Thomas' mock-scowl. "Do I get coffee or do I have to beg?"
"After trying to find out my dirty secrets? You can beg."
Eric smirked, trying to let his eyes convey exactly what he thought of the idea. It seemed to work, as Thomas blushed even harder when he realized what he'd just said.
"So, uh, coffee and business?" Ted's amused voice cut across their exchange. Eric looked up to see both policemen watching them.
"Sorry," Thomas muttered, tearing his eyes away from Eric's with obvious effort. Eric noted with satisfaction that his hands shook as he poured the coffee.
"Where are the dogs?" Eric suddenly realized he hadn't seen them and felt guilty for ignoring them.
Thomas handed him the
"Drink your coffee. I'll keep them entertained. There are fresh clothes at the end of the bed and a fresh toothbrush in the bathroom."
Wearily, Eric sat up, running his hand through his hair. He just knew he'd have huge bed hair after falling asleep with it still damp.
"I think you need to tame it a little," confirmed Thomas. "See you back downstairs. There'll be more coffee when you're ready."
"Thanks," he yawned sleepily, not really wanting to get out of bed.
Thomas left the room and went back downstairs to talk to the police.
Eric finished his coffee and went into the bathroom. Staring bleary-eyed at his reflection in the mirror he realized it confirmed his worst fear about his hair: Animal from the Muppets looked back at him. Taming it would require more than a slick-back with water. A brief rummage in the bathroom cabinet revealed a half-used tub of hair gel. Score! He slicked some through his hair, taming the beast as best he could.
The clothes were a little tight, and very short in the leg, but beggars couldn't be choosers and at this point he really was a beggar. At least until he could get to a store.
Eric walked down the stairs and paused at the bottom, trying to remember where he was supposed to be going. He heard voices to his left. Opening the door, Eric discovered Thomas talking to two police officers in a large, bright, airy room. They all looked up as Eric walked in and he paused, suddenly self-conscious, on the threshold.
Thomas smiled at him. "There you are. Would you like some more coffee?" At Eric's nod he said, "I'll get you another cup. Ted, Mark, would you like some more?"
The policemen both nodded and Eric was left alone with them as Thomas wandered around the corner.
"Mr. Pawlowski?" the older policeman queried. He reminded Eric a little of James Garner with his handsome, craggy face and an easy twinkle in his eye. His companion was younger but seemed equally relaxed. They could have been father and son. Eric looked at them a little more closely. They probably were father and son.
Eric held out his hand. "Eric Pawlowski," he confirmed.
"Ted James, and this is my son, Mark." Ted said as he shook Eric's hand. "Saw you lookin'," he laughed.
"Policing's a family business, then?" Eric asked, relaxed enough to let a hint of Texas creep back into his voice.
Mark nodded, speaking for the first time. "Even Ma's a cop. Can't get away from us in Grafton."
"Ted used to drive me mad as a young 'un. Every time I did something wrong he jumped on my case. He seemed to know what I was going to do before I even did it," added Thomas, as he came back into the room with a tray of mugs and fragrant coffee that was making Eric's mouth water.
At Eric's skeptical look, Ted laughed. "You think Thomas' too straitlaced to get out of line?" "Well, yes,"
"Don't let this calm exterior fool you. Scratch the surface and he's a real wild-child. Some of the stories I could tell you…"
Thomas coughed; a flush spreading up his neck. "If you've finished embarrassing me, Ted, shall we get down to business?"
Eric chuckled. "Ted, later I want to hear all about this wild-child here." He sat down in one of the easy chairs, ignoring Thomas' mock-scowl. "Do I get coffee or do I have to beg?"
"After trying to find out my dirty secrets? You can beg."
Eric smirked, trying to let his eyes convey exactly what he thought of the idea. It seemed to work, as Thomas blushed even harder when he realized what he'd just said.
"So, uh, coffee and business?" Ted's amused voice cut across their exchange. Eric looked up to see both policemen watching them.
"Sorry," Thomas muttered, tearing his eyes away from Eric's with obvious effort. Eric noted with satisfaction that his hands shook as he poured the coffee.
"Where are the dogs?" Eric suddenly realized he hadn't seen them and felt guilty for ignoring them.
Thomas handed him the
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