*Late

Intro: I watch a lot of police stories and there is a common theme of spouses who get tired of lonely nights.

"Just let me call my wife to let her know I'll be home late tonight." Aaron slung his pack over his shoulder and picked up his phone. Speed dial one. Five rings.

"Hello, my love," Kristy said. "It's five o'clock. You're either calling to tell me you love me, or letting me know you're going to be late."

"I love you," Aaron said. "Am I'm going to be late."

"Will you be home at all tonight?"

"I'll be home after the search. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you." Aaron couldn't keep his voice even as he said, "I won't make it to the restaurant. But don't cancel the sitter you can go with your father."

His partner, Seth, stood in the door and motioned.

"I have to go. Your present is hidden in the glove compartment of your car. Happy Birthday."

She made a coughing noise but then said, "Be careful."

A night spent looking for signs of a body was not how Aaron pictured celebrating his wife's birthday. He didn't work late every night but whenever it came up it was gruesome for one reason or another.

"Did you see that?" Aaron asked. He reached for the gun at his side.

"No one's here," Seth said but Aaron heard the sound of a gun being drawn. "Cover me."

"No, wait." Aaron watched his partner scuttle forward. He followed. The adrenaline made every sound or moving leaf seem like a threat.

His partner swore.

Aaron stopped moving and stared at the dark shapes in front of him. His partner's gun was aimed at a figure kneeling on the ground. Aaron circled closer. The kneeling man was covered in blood. A young woman, eviscerated, lay in a shallow grave.

"Put your hands on your head and move away from the girl." Seth's face twisted in a grimace. "We didn't realize you'd be here. We have a roadblock on every road out of town and you fall into our hands."

Aaron continued sneaking through the trees until he had an angle view of the man's back. The culprit raised his hands from the leaves on the ground. Aaron caught sight of a gun muzzle.

"Drop it! Drop the gun."

The man snapped the gun up. Aaron fired. All his bullets hit home and the man stoppled forward half in the grave.

"Are you alright?" Aaron asked.

Seth nodded even as he stared at the matte black gun.

"I'll call it in." Aaron kicked the gun away and reach for his radio. Search party turned arresting officers. His workload doubled, but at least the local campus would receive good news for their co-eds.

At three o'clock he parked the car in the drive way. The garage door woke up the kids. Kristy's car keys were missing. He ran to garage. The car was gone. The three bedrooms were empty. He dropped his cell phone as he pulled it out and turned it on. One text message. 2:15: Won't be home.

Aaron sank down on the couch and let the phone slip from his fingers. He sat on the couch and watched the shadows fade. The garage door rumbled and Kristy walked in. Paul, their eighteen-month-old, was cradled in her arms. Penny, a rambunctious four-year-old, dragged her feet.

"Aaron? What happened? You look awful."

"You're back?" Aaron scrubbed a hand across his face. Penny climbed up on his lap and drifted off to sleep.

"I told you I'd be back." She handed Paul to him and scooped his phone off the ground. She flipped it open and then thwacked it with her palm. It lit up. "The battery must have come lose."

She handed the phone back and trundled the children to their rooms. Aaron flipped through the text messages.

3:11: Paul has whooping cough. 3:28: Might have to stay for observations. 4:00: Maybe you could come and get Penny. 4:45: Please say you're safe. 5:00: If you don't answer you'll have to buy me a new car. 5:01: Banana yellow. 5:01: Don't be dead.

"Is that blood from anyone I know?" Kristy asked.

Aaron looked up from the phone. "What?"

She pointed to his shirt. Faint speck of red were visible in the light.

'No. This isn't anyone you know."

She curled up next to him on the couch.

"Did you like your present?" Aaron asked.

Kristy laughed. "I didn't open it."

"I'm sorry I was late. I really am."

"My birthday's today. Not yesterday."

Aaron couldn't keep from crying even as he laughed.