“I took a fresh mug of coffee. Grilling grieving families always goes down better with caffeine.”

“I sipped my own coffee, heavy on the sugar and cream, trying to make up for the late work the night before. Caffeine and sugar, the two basic food groups.”

“You can never have too much coffee”, I saidHe turned and smiled at me. “You think so, but the rest of us get a little OD’ed on your level of caffeine.”

“Can the sarcasm,' he said. 'Please, I always use fresh sarcasm, never canned.”

“I'd never met coffee that wasn't wonderful. It was just a matter of how wonderful it was.”

“Watching St John rock his wife's body was not part of my job description. Honest. I sat down on the stairs where I could see the door, the hallway, and the stairs as far as the landing. St John started singing in a strange, broken voice. It took me a few minutes to figure out what he was singing. It was 'You are so Beautiful”

“I prayed as we walked up the hill. I prayed and felt a measure of calm return. No visions. No angels singing. But a feeling of peace flowed over me. Ii took a deep breath, and something hard and tight and ugly in my heart let go. I took it as a good sign that I'd get to Jeff in time. But part of me was skeptical. God doesn't always save someone. Often He just helps you live through the loss. I guess I don't entirely trust God. I never doubt Him, but His motives are too beyond me. Through a glass darkly and all that. Just once I'd like to see through the damn glass clearly.”