We Work Together

Office life just wouldn’t be the same without Ethan...

MELISSA clattered into the office kitchen and wrenched open the cupboard door next to Ethan's shoulder.

"I smelled it on his breath," she said.

Ethan yawned without covering his mouth.

"What, whisky?"

"No, peanut butter."

Melissa had to stand on tip-toes to reach the highest shelf, but Ethan didn't move to help her. He knew better than that.

She swiped the enormous jar of peanut butter from the cupboard with her left hand.

Cradling it in her armpit, she unscrewed the lid.

"There's definitely some more missing." She inspected the contents. "I only bought this last week."

"You think it was Gerry?"

Ethan was stirring four sugars into his coffee and eyeing the toaster.

Melissa noted that he was dressed, as usual, like he had just rolled out of bed, shirt only halfbuttoned, hair in a tangled man bun.

Using her small arm, she smoothed down her own brown bob.

She checked her skirt for wrinkles.

"It must be," she replied.

"He had that look on his face." "What look?" "Treachery." "Gerry from accounts is a devious mastermind?" Ethan thumbed his lower lip. "Yep, seems right." Melissa bumped him with her elbow.

It was possible Ethan was being sarcastic (because Ethan was invariably being sarcastic), but that didn't change the truth of the statement.

Gerry was the prime suspect in the theft of her peanut butter.

Just because he had two cute young daughters and a goldendoodle didn't change the fact that he had motive and opportunity.

Gerry was always the first one in the office, giving him complete privacy, and he was always eating bananas.

Everyone knew bananas tasted better with peanut butter. Thief! The toaster popped.

Ethan grabbed his own jar of peanut butter, which was organic and had a picture of a leaf on the label.

He smeared a thick layer over his toast and took a bite.