“You have to come now,” Cynthia demanded in his ear.
Derek ran a hand over his face and stared at the ceiling. Well, he would be staring at the ceiling except that it was in the wee hours of the morning and everything in his room was dark except for the cellphone which he could cheerfully toss away right now. “Why?“
“Just come. It’s an emergency,” Cynthia’s voice was panicked.
Derek groaned and sat up. “Is anyone bleeding?”
“No,” she sniffled a little pathetically.
Great. The Dragon was sniffling. He bet it was just allergies. Derek put his head in his available hand. “Does anyone need to go to the hospital?”
“No,” her voice was a little whiney. “Derek, just get here.”
“Is anyone missing?” he asked in a reasonable voice. “Including the pets?”
“No.”
“Then why do you need me there?” he bit out. He had been up until one in the morning and now it wasn’t even four. “Nothing about what I’m hearing constitutes an emergency. I still have to go through the specifics of the Underhill case and I’d love to get more than two hours of sleep in a row.“
There was another sniffle. It was louder this time and more pronounced.
“What is it?” he sighed and asked more patiently.
“The little monsters put gum in my hair,” she whispered. “Right at the front, down to the roots. I can’t get it out. I’m going to have to be shaved bald!”
Derek couldn’t help but laugh. He fell back on the bed, laughing long and hard.He fell back on the bed, laughing long and hard.
“It’s not funny!” she wailed over the phone.
“That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all week,” he gasped, trying to drag in air.
Josephine Beintema 