“She’s the chief. Chiefs don’t need badges.”
“EVERY DETECTIVE NEEDS A BADGE.”
Her mother gave me a look.
“Convenient.”
“Hospital politics taught me.”
Lily held up her paper star.
“Can I arrest people?”
“Only after you find evidence. And no kicking suspects.”
“CONVENIENT.”
“Even bad guys?”
“Especially bad guys. They might kick back.”
Her mother snorted despite herself.
“Do we get handcuffs?” Lily asked.
“Budget cuts,” I said. “You’ll have to use your imagination.”
“That’s a terrible police department.”
“YOU’LL HAVE TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION.”
“You should see our coffee.”
The man one row over raised his cup.
“I’d like to file a complaint.”
“Take a number,” I told him.
Lily started searching her mother’s purse for a pen.
“Ask permission first,” I said.
“DETECTIVE LILY. OFFICIALLY APPOINTED.”
“Mom, can I borrow it?”
“Yes. Thank you for asking.”
“See? Already solving crimes against airplane etiquette.”
“Don’t push your luck.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Lily drew another star and handed it to her mother.
“DON’T PUSH YOUR LUCK.”
“Now you’re officially my partner.”
Her mother examined the badge.
“Does this job come with a salary?”
“Cookies,” Lily said.
“Apparently, those are missing,” I replied.
I held up three fingers.
“NOW YOU’RE OFFICIALLY MY PARTNER.”
“Ben had chocolate on his shirt. Max had crumbs in his pocket. And the dog had an empty cookie wrapper beside his bed.”
“The dog did it!” Lily announced.
“Detectives don’t guess,” I said. “They interrogate witnesses.”
Her mother sighed. “Fine. Why did Ben have chocolate on his shirt?”
“He was baking brownies.”
“THE DOG DID IT!”
“And Max?”
“He said the crumbs came from crackers.”
“What about the dog?”
“Can’t talk. Excellent lawyer.”
Lily giggled.
“Mom, ask about the wrapper!”
“DETECTIVES DON’T GUESS.”
“Was it torn open?”
“No. Neatly folded.”
Her mother leaned forward, interested despite herself.
“Dogs don’t fold wrappers.”
“Exactly,” Lily whispered. “Someone framed him!”
“Now you’re thinking like detectives.”
“COOKIES.”
“Did Max eat the cookie?” her mother asked.
“He did. Ben caught him and made him clean up. Max planted the wrapper to blame the dog.”
“That’s cheating!” Lily protested.
“That’s crime.”
“Another case!”
I pointed at her mother.
“ANOTHER CASE!”
“Detective, your turn. Invent a mystery. Your assistant can question you.”
“I don’t know any mysteries.”
“Something missing from home?”
She looked at Lily.
“My good lipstick. Last Tuesday.”
Lily suddenly studied her shoes.
“SOMETHING MISSING FROM HOME?”
“Oh, now THIS is interesting,” I said.
“Lily?”
“I only used it to color my doll’s mouth!”
Her mother stared. Then laughed for the first time all flight.
“Case closed,” I said, pulling down my mask. “Absolutely no further appeals.”
Behind me, Lily demanded another mystery. Her mother began inventing one about missing house keys.
“CASE CLOSED.”
For once, they were talking to each other instead of shouting at me.
I fell asleep.
When I woke, landing was an hour away. Four hours of sleep. Not bad for a man nearly murdered by pink sneakers.
Lily was asleep against her mother’s shoulder. The woman looked as exhausted as I had felt in Tokyo.
Before landing, she leaned forward.
“Proud of yourself?”
I FELL ASLEEP.
“Very. Four hours.”
“You could’ve suggested that game earlier.”
“I did suggest something earlier. You told me to move.”
She looked away.
The wheels touched down. Lily woke.
“Mom, can I have your tablet?”
“YOU COULD’VE SUGGESTED THAT GAME EARLIER.”
“Not yet.”
“I’m bored!”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“Please. Five minutes without that word.”
I stood and reached for my bag.
“Good luck, ma’am.”
“PLEASE. FIVE MINUTES WITHOUT THAT WORD.”
“With what?”
“The ride home.”
In the terminal, Sarah had texted: Ben and Max were waiting for me.
I couldn’t wait to see my boys.
But first, I’d hug my wife and beg her never to buy them light-up sneakers.
I COULDN’T WAIT TO SEE MY BOYS.
I’ve spent twenty years fixing hearts. Sometimes the best cure for a headache is giving it back to whoever caused it.
