Death Changes Everything Read Online Free PDF Page B

furniture.
    He pulled a beer out of the refrigerator, which was empty except for the rest of a six-pack, a carton of eggs of dubious age, and a pizza box with two slices left over. He could cook, as Kristy had bragged, but he rarely took the time. He leaned against the counter and took a long drink, letting the beer cool his anger.
    He flipped open his cell phone and called the building manager. He left a message about the car and asked the manager to have it towed if it was still in his spot when she opened the office in the morning.
    Feeling better, he checked the time and decided it wasn't too late to call Kristy. His call went straight to voice mail so he left her a message. He dropped his phone on the counter and took his beer into the bedroom. He didn't bother to turn on the light. There was enough filtering in from the living room.
    His bedroom was as starkly furnished as the rest of his apartment. A full-sized mattress sat on a box spring, resting directly on the floor. His parents had bought it for him when he was in high school. It was getting a little lumpy and the fabric covering the mattress had become threadbare and had torn in a few spots, letting batting ooze out.
    As he pulled off his shoes, Matt debated getting a new mattress, but the thought was fleeting. His mother always bought him new sheets at the annual white sale, knowing he was unlikely to remember to buy them for himself, and the sheets covered the ugly mattress. As for comfort, Matt had spent too many nights in a patrol car to notice whether the bed was comfortable.
    Matt stood up with effort, knowing the sore spots would be purple in the morning. He took off his jacket and hung it in the closet. He dumped his clothes into a hamper, another gift from his mother. He pulled on a faded blue t-shirt with the Casper PD logo over his boxers and went back into the living room.
    Draining the last of his beer, he put the empty bottle on the floor next to his overflowing recycle bin and made a mental note to dump it in the morning. Since the bin was next to where he'd had to park his car, at least it would be easy enough to remember.
     
    ***
     
    Kristy rolled over and looked at her cell phone when it rang. Seeing Matt’s number, she reached for the phone, then stopped and let it ring. She stared up at the exposed pipes and ducts that were part of the industrial charm. She’d kept her furnishings and décor simple, with warm colors and soft cushions that made what could have been an austere interior feel welcoming.
    Matt would assume she was sleeping, as she had been trying to do for the last forty minutes. She’d gone to bed worn out from emotion and second-guessing her feelings and his. She’d had dinner with her friend, Cheri Jackson, who was president of the Casper Greeters and Vice President of a local bank.
    They’d met at The Cornucopia, a soup and salad bar on the east side of town. A serpentine buffet offered a bewildering array of fruit, vegetables, and prepared salads. At the end of the buffet was an equally impressive variety of soups, breads, and desserts displayed along the walls, with plates, utensils, and drinks in the middle.
    “So how are things going with that handsome police detective of yours?” asked Cheri, once they had filled their plates and settled in a quiet corner.
    “I don’t know that he’s mine, exactly. It’s only been a few months.”
    “Something’s wrong.”
    Kristy had blushed and changed the subject but now, lying in her darkened bedroom, she wondered why she hadn’t answered Matt’s call. Throwing off the quilt, she got out of bed and padded to the living room. Picking up the book she’d been reading, she flopped down on the sofa and thought about Matt. A smile crept over her face, only to be replaced almost in the next moment with a frown.
    “Oh, for Heaven’s sake!” Kristy tossed the book onto the coffee table and stomped back into the bedroom. “Stop acting like a kid with a crush. Just talk to