Chaos by Barbara Huffert Page A

them
but I didn’t think I’d announce it either.”
    “I see. You’re going to be casual and if it comes out it
does?”
    “Yeah, unless you want me to do something else.”
    “You do whatever you want. I’m not going to be around
anyway. I figure she’ll be over any ideas she has by the time I get back.
You’re on your own on this one.”
    “Thanks,” he grumbled sarcastically while she giggled. “You
know this means you have to let me hang out with you today. It’ll sound better
if Kiley thinks we actually got along a little instead of just having sex.”
    “You can’t seriously be worried about my sweet cousin?”
    “Not worried. I just don’t want her mad at me right away. If
she’s mad, Jordan will have to get in the middle and I don’t want us to cause
their first fight.”
    “Now I’m really glad I won’t be around. I’ll make a deal
with you. You can help me and I’ll even show you the wedding albums if you’ll
do one thing for me.”
    “Why am I afraid to ask what that one thing is?”
    “Relax. I just want to take a few shots of you.”
    “Campini…”
    “Come on, McKade. I already know the camera loves you. I
have some great photos of you in your tux. I’d like some casual ones. I’m sure
your parents could use a recent picture of you. How long has it been? College,
high school?”
    “They have the picture they took when I graduated from the
police academy.”
    “Then it’s time you give them a new one. Come on, don’t be
such a wuss. I’ll do some in black and white and let you print them. You can
delete any that you don’t like. It’ll be fun, I promise.”
    “Okay, okay, fine. I give in.”
    “Good, I’ll just grab some stuff for you.”
    “Wait! Hold on. What does that mean exactly?”
    “Trust me, McKade. I’m a highly respected professional.
People would pay big bucks for me to take candid shots of them.”
    He stood helplessly and watched as she ransacked his
drawers. When she handed him a pair of soft knit cotton boxers, his most worn
jeans and a navy tee shirt, he put them on without comment. When she
disappeared into the bathroom, carrying his sweats and a shirt, he was amazed
at how comfortable it was to be with her when she wasn’t arguing about some
ridiculous point.
    * * * * *
    “I’m impressed, Campini,” Shane commented after wandering
slowly around her studio. “Why don’t you ever show any of these human-looking
ones?”
    “I’m not into that at the moment. I just take a few now and
then so I have a portfolio when I’m ready to switch. I know I won’t want to do
the sort of things I’m doing now forever. I want to be ready for whatever comes
next.”
    “So you just go with the flow? How will you know when it’s
time to change?”
    “I just will. What about you? Are you planning on being a
cop forever?”
    “Six months ago I would have said yes. But now, I don’t
know. I always wanted to be a cop and I thought I wanted to be in a city but
lately I’ve started to have some doubts. It feels like we’re fighting a losing
battle.” He pointed to one of her photos, a boy with pale, almost luminescent
skin and black, obviously dyed hair. “This is one of the kids from your gang
series. He’s all of what, thirteen? He should be playing football with his
buddies, not stealing guns or selling drugs. He’s just a kid, for Christ’s
sake! Why isn’t he home where he belongs?”
    “His dad is in the army in Germany with his new family. He’s
not sure about his mom. She’s an addict and a hooker when she needs more drugs.
He was with his grandparents but the old man beat him, just like he used to
beat his dad. When he said he wanted to stay with his mom, his grandmother told
him if he left to never come back. He tried to help his mom get cleaned up but
she didn’t want to. He took off when one of the guys with her noticed how cute
he is.”
    “I hate this! That’s what I was talking about. How can we
hope to make the city safer when we