Nick measures coffee beans into the hand grinder then sits beside Kate, hunched groggily over a bowl of porridge. Gripping the wooden grinder between his knees, Nick steadies it with his left hand and starts turning the crank.
As the mechanical chrish-chrish-chrish fills the air, the scent of the freshly ground beans wafts up from the grinder. Kate smiles over at Nick, breathing in the aroma. Nick shakes his head, “You know you don’t have to get up this early, babe.”
“Then I’d almost never get to see you.”
“Who’re you kidding? Your eyes aren’t open yet. You’re not seeing me now.”
“I just need coffee.”
“Almost done. What’d you decide about the meeting? Is it on for tonight?”
Kate sighs, “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Did you hear they’ve caught the guy?”
“What do you mean caught him … caught who?”
“The cops brought the guy in this morning.”
Kate says, “Yeah, but they brought Boris in too.”
“Well, they let him go again too.” Nick shrugs.
“After Natasha went down and made them let him out.”
“Well, you know it wasn’t Boris.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Well sure you do.”
“Honey, he’s your friend. I don’t really know him. It could very well be him no matter what Natasha thinks.”
Nick shrugs. “Wait and see. I doubt it, though.”
“Just ’cause you pump iron with the guy doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a rapist. I mean, come on.”
Nick says, “I don’t think … wasn’t she badly beaten?”
“She was, but Boris is her boyfriend. You know how it goes, they naturally assumed it was him. She checked out of the hospital to get him released.”
Nick shrugs. “This one’s a little different. The campus flasher apparently. Some guy lurking in the woods, Val said.”
“Maggie’s flasher?”
“Probably. Val’s taking the attack personally. He’s annoyed nobody told him about the Christie flasher.”
“You didn’t tell him about Maggie?”
“It never came up. I mean, it was just a funny story. Who knew?”
“Don’t worry babe, I won’t rat you out.”
“He’s planning on going after the board of directors for a bigger budget so he can afford to hire guards with brains.”
“It’s about time. Sounds like he’s got a handle on it, though.”
