When I came to, Chris and a paramedic were standing over me. There were also a ton of police officers swarming around the office.

"What happened?"

"Claudia's dead. You found her, screamed and passed out. You also hit your head on the corner of her desk."

I rubbed the spot where, I'm guessing, I cracked my head open. Great. The paramedic continued checking me out.

"You should be okay; it was just a bruise on your head. Take a few Tylenol when you two get home."  She turned to Chris, "if she starts feeling dizzy or lightheaded for a little while, that's to be expected. But if it lasts longer than about 12 hours or so, or she feels any other symptoms, bring her to the ER, okay?" He nodded and she packed up and left. I looked over at him. "Why did she say when we get home?"
"I told them you were my fiancée so they would let me near you." Chris said as he helped me into a chair. Just as I was getting my bearings, two men walked over to us.

"Ma'am, how are you feeling? Are you up to answering a few questions?" The younger of the pair said. I nodded and he continued. "I'm Detective O'Connell. This is my partner Detective Green. Can you tell us what you remember? Why were you in tonight?"

"Claudia called me a few hours ago to come in and work on my column but we were at dinner so I told her I would come in later.-Who's we?" Green interrupted. Obviously he was going for the "bad cop" in this scenario.

"Chris", pointing to him, "and I. We were headed to dinner when she called the first time. During dinner, she called again but didn't say anything. All I heard was faint gurgling."

"Can anybody verify this dinner date?"

"Um, besides the two of us and the restaurant full of people?" O'Connell and Chris were trying not to laugh, but Green obviously didn't find it too amusing.

"This is a murder investigation, ma'am so I suggest you cut the jokes."

O'Connell continued with his questions. "So she called twice and then you came up here about a couple hours later?" I nodded. "What happened when you got here? Do you remember seeing anyone?"

I thought back to when we got off the elevator. "I remember seeing a large shadow in the corner. But I thought it was the plant or something." He wrote as I went on. "Then I headed to Claudia's office to find out what the problem was with my column. Her chair was turned away so I called out to her. She didn't answer so I turned her around and...That's all I remember."

"Did you call out to her or yell at her?"

"I might have raised my voice to get her attention, but I wasn't yelling." O'Connell kept writing while Green was looking at me like he wasn't buying it.

"So you disliked Ms. Ellis?"

"Yeah, but almost everyone in the office did."

"Well right now, we're talking about you. She was stabbed with a pair of scissors from her desk. Are you sure you didn't get fed up and deal with your major problem?"

So Det. Green reads my column. But he's not going use my own shit against me.

"Look I may have not liked the woman, but I wouldn't kill her!"

"We'll be the judge of that. If I were you, I wouldn't make plans to go anywhere."

O'Connell shot his partner a look. "Miss Baker, it is Miss right?" I nodded and he smiled. "Well, Miss Baker, here's my card. If you remember anything else, please give me a call, alright?" Chris took his card from him. The two looked at each other oddly for a second then the moment passed. "We'll have an officer take your information in case we have any other questions." He patted my hand. "You get some rest okay?"  Maybe I'm still fuzzy from get hit on the head, but was Det. O'Connell flirting with me? And was Chris jealous?

"You ready to go? I'll take you home."

When we got to my apartment, Chris walked up to my front door with me.

"You don't have come in if you don't want to, I'll be okay." I said as I opened the door. Chris walked in right behind me.

"No, I don't want you to be by yourself. You have a mild concussion and might go into a coma or something. I can't have that; we haven't gone on our second date yet." He said with a sly smile.

"Oh so, this was a date? I thought it was just dinner to catch up?" I said as I sat on the couch. Chubb Rock was asleep on the coffee table as usual. Chris sat down next to me and started taking off my shoes.

"You didn't think this was a date? I am slipping."

"No, I just...It was a good date, minus the dead body and all. Who would murder Claudia?" We sat there quietly, then I shot off the couch scaring Chris and Chubbs both. I grabbed my notebook and started writing.

"What are you doing?"

"This would be a helluva story. I have to think of a catchy title. But the main question is: who would want to kill her?"

Chris looked at me like I completely lost my mind. "Maybe you should rest. I think the blow to the head is affecting you."

"What? I'm fine." I started to stand up again, but this time I almost passed out. Chris shot up and caught me before I cracked my head yet again. While he was holding me up, I really got a chance to look at him. I've seen the man one day and I want to jump his bones.

"You should lie down. Where's your bedroom?"

Ah, the words I want to hear. "In the back." He practically carried me back to my bedroom. Once we got there, he laid me down on the bed and tried to cover me up.

"Do you have any medicine?"

"There's some in the bathroom." He walked into my bathroom and then out the bedroom door. While he was gone, I slowly stripped down and threw on my huge Bears t-shirt and shorts. He came back a few minutes later with juice and pills.

"Here, take this." He watched me for a second.

"What?"

"I really don't want you to be alone tonight. Is it alright if I stay here-" yes, stay here. In this room.

In my bed....
"-on your couch?"

Son of a bitch. "Yeah, would you? There are blankets in the hall closet. My brother left some clothes the last time he was here if you want to change. They're in there too."

"Okay, I'll be up front if you need me. But you get some sleep okay?" He kissed my head and walked out.

I don't know if it's the mini concussion or the drugs, but it's official: I will jump his bones.

Where am I? Am I at work? Why am I in a designer dress? Is that David wearing a tiara? I started walking around the bullpen to see if Chris was here too when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw Claudia standing in front of me with scissors hanging out of her neck.

"Where's the column? You must write about this! Tell everybody who did this! I know who it was...."

"Who Claudia? Who killed you?"

"It was....it wasss....." I started shaking her and blood gushed all over my dress. Eww.

"TELL ME!!"

"Maxie? Maxie!" As I was shaking her, someone was shouting my name. It sounded like...

"Chris? Is that you? Where are you?"

"Maxine! Wake up!" I opened my eyes and I was back in my bedroom. Chris was on my bed shaking me awake. And wearing a gray wifebeater and pajama pants.

"What happened?"

"You were yelling at Claudia in your sleep. You were saying tell me, tell me. Tell you what?"

"She was going to tell me who killed her." I explained the dream to him. He thought about it for a minute or so then finally spoke.

"David was really wearing a tiara?"

"That's not the point jackass. She wants me to find out who did this and tell the world. I have to find out who did it." Before I could jump out of bed, Chris climbed in and wrapped his arms around me.

"That was real sneaky sir." I said as I got closer to him.

"I know, but it worked." Like a charm.

I could feel myself falling back to sleep. "Don't try and take advantage of me while I'm a sleep."

He pulled me closer. "I would never do that." Before I fell asleep, I swore I heard him say, "I want you to be awake and well aware when we...."

The next morning, I woke up to a splitting headache and strong arms wrapped around me. I turned to see Chris sleeping soundly. I moved as softly and quietly as I could, but the arms tightened around me.

"Mmmm, where are you going?" He asked as I felt his breath on my neck, which caught me completely off guard.

"I have to potty and we have to go to work." He let me go and I went to handle my business. Afterwards I headed into the kitchen to find Chubbs waiting on our usual morning routine. Every morning, when I make my coffee I give him wet cat food. This morning I did not disappoint.

"Really Chubbs, I'm gonna have to get you on a diet. Iams here we come."

"Are you talking to the cat?" Chris asked and in the process, scaring the shit out of me. I almost dropped my coffee beans. Almost.

"Fuck! I forgot you were still here. Thought I was dreaming that too."  I regained my composure and continued making coffee. Once it was done, I handed him a mug and we sat down.

"I should probably go home and get ready for work. How about I come by and we have lunch together?"

I looked at him confused, "Come by where?"

"Come by here. You're not going to work, are you?" Which came out more like a statement than a question.

"Yeah I am. I got to start finding out who could have done this."

"And I can't talk you out of it, can I?" I shook my head. "Fine, at least let me help you."

We had another cup of coffee together then Chris went home to change. I called Theresa to tell her about last night.

"Are you shitting me? You found your boss dead? While you were on a date? I don't know which is more outrageous."

"Shut up. Somebody did die, you know. But the dream I had was so weird. I wonder if that means somebody at work did it."

"Who Max? Betty, the nice lady from your Christmas party that baked the gingerbread men? She seems like a complete psycho. What I can't believe is that you finally realize how cute Chris Martinez is. He's been fine as far back as I can remember."

"Whatever." But I will admit the man is fine. "I need to maybe work up a list of people at work it could be. You know, help out the police."

"No I don't know. The police, who do this for a living, don't need your help. As your best friend let me tell you this in a way I know you'll understand: leave it alone Maxine. This has nothing to do with you."

That's what she thinks...