They had given him a cane at the hospital, but Nico hated it, and preferred to walk with a limp, even though it left him looking more infirmed than the cane would have.
Someone knocked on the door. He placed the dumbbell out of sight at the side of the chair and looked through the peephole.
When he remembered who it was he was looking at, he smiled.
They never forget.
He opened the door and stared at the woman. She was good-looking, black, but her skin was so light that at their first meeting Nico had thought she was Hispanic. He knew who she was, but gazed at her in confusion anyway. The doctors must have told her that his memory was still foggy from his injury, and so he acted as if he couldn’t place her.
“Who are you?”
“Mr. Umbria, my name is Detective Knight; do you remember me, sir?”
Nico shook his head.
“I remember a big guy with dark hair, but I don’t remember his name.”
“His name was Detective Parker, he’s my partner. May I come in, sir?”
Nico let her in and waited, normally he liked sparring with cops, but he really was not himself and didn’t trust what he might say.
“We questioned you in connection with the murder of Charles Woolley.”
“Woolley?”
“Yes sir,”
Nico shrugged. The doctors told him that he could expect not to remember much of his recent past, and Woolley was a good part of his past to forget.
“I don’t remember him, but I really don’t remember much of anything that happened around the time I was injured.”
“I see.” Knight said, and Nico could tell that she was suspicious.
Nico lay on the bed and rested his head against the pillow.
“I need to sleep; can we talk some other time?”
Knight smiled at him.
“Oh we definitely will, get better Mr. Umbria,”
Nico watched her go, liking her rear nearly as much as her front. He closed his eyes and mumbled.
“Oh, I’ll get better, count on it, cop,”
Rachel walked over to the bar as Heather was picking up a drink order, and Heather saw that she was fiddling with one of the silver barrettes in her hair.
“Jerry, I’m going out for a while, and I may not be back before closing,”
“Yes ma’am, we’ll handle things,”
Rachel turned to stare at Heather, a smile playing on her lips.
Heather looked back at her. “Can I help you, Mrs. Hearn?”
“No.”
“All right... um, Jerry I need a Sea Breeze and a Kamikaze.”
“Coming up,”
Rachel took out her cell phone and paused by the door. When Heather finished delivering her drink order to the table, she saw that Rachel was still watching her, but now she also seemed to be discussing her with whoever was on the other end of the phone, and finding it all amusing as she laughed in a giggle. Just as Heather disappeared into the kitchen to pick up an order, she heard Rachel utter the words, “...absolutely clueless....”
When she came back out to the bar with her order, she saw that Rachel was gone, but she thought about what had just happened long after she left.
Chapter 25
For the second time that day, Heather found herself called to the office; however, this time the request came from Mr. Hearn.
After knocking and being told to enter, Hearn walked over and shut the door.
“Hello Heather,”
“Mr. Hearn,”
“Why don’t we sit on the sofa and talk?”
Hearn sat down and Heather took a seat on his right. He was staring at her chest, as he always did, and she could smell a strong scent of liquor on his breath.
“You wanted to see me?”
Hearn smiled. “Who wouldn’t, you’re very beautiful,”
“Um, Mr. Hearn, I probably should be getting back out to the bar.”
“My wife went out earlier; do you know where she went?”
“No sir.”
“I do, and it’s not the first time she’s gone there.”
“Gone where?”
“Your boyfriend’s house,”
Heather shook her head.
“Rick isn’t sleeping with your wife.”
Hearn took a long swallow from a glass containing amber fluid; he then looked at Heather and shrugged.
“Maybe they just watch TV, but I doubt it.”
“I just spoke to Rick. He was alone.”
He reached into a side pocket and pulled out a money clip. After peeling off a hundred-dollar bill, he laid it atop her thigh.
“What will that buy me?”
Heather blinked rapidly. “Excuse me?”
Hearn laughed.
“You’ve got me wrong; I never pay for it. I was just attempting to compensate you for the money you’ll lose in tips by going home early.”
“You want me to leave early?”
“Go see for yourself, I’m sure she’s still there.”
Heather tossed the money on the coffee table.
“I should be getting back to work.”
“Suit yourself, but your eyes will be opened someday,”
Heather left the office and walked through the busy kitchen. When she reached the bar area, she told Jerry that she was taking a bathroom break, and then headed into the restroom, where she sat in a stall. She took out her phone to call Parker, but then put it away. They had spoken right before she’d been called to the office and she knew that he was home by himself.
As she sat there, she remembered Rachel’s sly little smile, and doubt began to creep into her mind.
Parker opened his front door and found Rachel standing there.
He had been in his basement workshop in the middle of a project when he saw the lights flicker. He had the basement lights connected to the doorbell in such a way that caused them to flicker whenever a visitor rang the doorbell.
Rachel reached over and brushed sawdust from his T-shirt.
“Hi Rick,”
“Rachel, is everything all right at the bar?”
“There’s no trouble, not yet, but that is why I’ve come to talk to you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Can I come in?”
Parker stepped aside and let her in. Rachel looked around and noticed the changes. She pointed at the floor.
“That’s a nice rug, did Heather pick that out?”
“Yes she did,”
She walked into the living room.
“You’ve painted, and such a feminine color, I take it that is also a change made by Heather?”
“What do you want, Rachel?”
“A drink of water would be nice for starters, and then we’ll talk.”
Parker sighed as he headed toward the kitchen.
“I’ll be right back.”
When he had disappeared from sight, Rachel reached into her purse and took out a pair of red, silk panties. She tucked them and one of her silver barrettes on the side of a sofa cushion, the left side, because she knew that Parker habitually sat on the right.
When Parker reentered the room, she was at the mantle, staring at a picture of him with Heather.
“Here’s your water, now why are you here?”
“I’m worried. Your partner called earlier and asked us about Nico Umbria, until she called, Tim and I thought he was still in a coma.”
“Why would you be worried about Nico Umbria? As I recall, he and your husband were friends, the type of friends that alibi each other.”
“Don’t be cruel, Rick, I’m really worried, what if Nico blames Tim for what happened to him?”
“If Nico threatens you or Hearn then call Jo, my partner is working that case, not me.”
Rachel moved closer.
“Don’t you care what happens to me? You know I still care about you.”
“Of course I don’t want to see you get hurt, but there’s no point in getting upset now, from what my partner told me
on the phone, Nico Umbria is still recovering from the shooting.”
Rachel touched his cheek.
“Do you ever miss me, just a little?”
“Stop! Nothing is going to happen. You know I’m not the type to cheat and you have a husband at home waiting for you.”
“How do you know that?”
“How do I know what?”
“That you’re not the type to cheat. Are you telling me that if young Heather had come on to you while we were married, that you wouldn’t have bedded her?”
Parker considered the question seriously.
“I would have resisted the temptation. Other women approached me when we were married, and I always came home to you. I only wish you had taken our vows as seriously as I did.”
“That’s bullshit. I see the way you look at that girl. You have a thing for her that’s more than sex. What is it about her, Rick; does she make you feel young again?”
“You wouldn’t understand,”
Rachel pressed herself against him as her hand went to his crotch.
“Take me upstairs and I’ll make you feel like a teenager.”
He pushed her away and then stared at her.
“What is your problem? Does it bother you that much that I’m happier without you than I was with you?”
“That’s a lie!”
“No Rachel, it’s not a lie, and I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m sick of these little attempts of yours to drag me down to your level. If I did cheat on Heather with you, it wouldn’t make what you did all right, it would only make me wrong. Now, why don’t you go home, hmm?”
Rachel looked him up and down as her eyes narrowed in rage.
“You and that ginger bitch won’t last, you know that.”
“I pray you’re wrong, now c’mon, let me walk you to the door.”
“I know where the damn door is, Rick. I lived here for years, remember?”
She stormed out, and Parker watched her go, while thinking once again that Heather needed to find a new job.
Chapter 26
Heather stepped out of her car and looked around for Rachel’s red Mercedes.
When she didn’t see it, she felt relieved, but also felt foolish for looking for it, but then, she felt foolish for even being at Parker’s house in the first place.
It was after two a.m. and she had just gotten off work at the bar. She should be parking in her own driveway, but instead she let Hearn’s words eat at her until she began to doubt what she knew to be true, that Rick Parker loved her, and that he would never betray her.
Not only should she be home, but she should also be calling Parker to let him know that she had gotten home safely. It was a habit he insisted on, no matter how late she worked or how early he had to rise the next day.
Would a man be so concerned about her and yet toss away everything they had for casual sex?
No.
But, what if it wasn’t casual? He had loved Rachel enough to marry her, had married her and built a life with her. Maybe a part of him found her irresistible. Maybe he wanted her back.
She drove home. Once she entered the house, she went to the kitchen, sat at the table, and called Parker. He answered on the third ring with a sleep-filled voice.
“Heather?”
“It’s me, I’m home safe,”
“Great,”
“Rick?”
She heard a yawn, and then the word, “Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She said nothing after that and so Parker spoke.
“Heather, are you still there?”
“Yes, I’m sorry, I guess I’m tired.”
“Me too, and I didn’t get to bed until after midnight.”
“What were you doing?”
“Woodworking in the basement, I’m making that vanity table you wanted.”
“Oh good, but were you really working all night?”
“Yeah, and I got a lot done too, I should have it finished by next week.”
“I see.”
“Oh yeah, Rachel stopped by. It seems she and Hearn found out that Nico Umbria came out of his coma.”
“That doesn’t explain why she was there.”
“She... nevermind, it doesn’t matter,”
“Does she come by a lot?”
“No, and I doubt she’ll be back.”
“Um hmm,”
“Is everything all right? You sound funny,”
“No, everything is good, now go back to sleep,”
“Okay, but give me a call tomorrow when you wake up,”
“I will, good night,”
“Good night,”
Heather hung up the phone and then sat there thinking for over an hour.
A few days later, Parker and Knight were called out in the afternoon to handle a missing persons call.
The person in question was a sixteen-year-old boy named Kevin Fidler. Kevin had Down’s syndrome and had wandered away from his mother in a supermarket,
The two rookies, Ed and Sierra responded to the call along with their respective partners, and Ed and the other cops searched the large supermarket for the boy as Sierra stayed with the distraught mother. Parker managed to calm the woman, and asked her to talk about her son.
“Hobbies and interests?” She said, in response to a question. “Well, Kevin really likes airplanes, and can name every one ever made. My husband and I gave him a ride in a biplane as a gift for his last birthday and he was happier than I’d ever seen him.”
Parker assured the woman that they would find her son and then he and Jo went off to join the search.
Jo spoke to Parker as he headed for the exit.
“You don’t really think he’s walking to the airfield, do you?”
“No, it’s much too far, but I did notice something as we drove in. The hobby store across the parking lot has a big model airplane display in its window. If I noticed it, maybe Kevin did too.”
Parker’s hunch was right, and he had Sierra bring the mother to the shop. It turned out that Kevin and the shop owner, an elderly man named Mr. Benchley, were getting along like old chums, as Kevin’s knowledge of airplanes fascinated the man.
After scolding him for walking off without telling her, Kevin’s mom tousled his hair.
“I should have known you were here as much as you love model airplanes.”
Mr. Benchley smiled.
“He told me that he can put them together fast, is that true?”
“Oh God yes, you should see his room, it looks like a miniature aviation museum, and before that he was into model cars.”
“You know Mrs. Fidler, I could use a boy like Kevin in the shop. My grandson used to put the display models together and keep things tidy, but he’s got a fulltime job now and can’t do it anymore, so what do you think?”
Kevin’s mom looked surprised by the idea.
“A job?”
“I could do it, Mom,” Kevin said, “You know I can put models together fast.”
“When and for how long would he be here?”
“Oh, let’s say three days a week, four, maybe five hours each, but the work hours are flexible, and I pay a little more than minimum wage.”
“All right, I’ll have to talk to my husband... but yes, that could be good for Kevin.”
Jo and Parker drove back to the station and caught up on paperwork to finish their shift. As they walked out together to go home, they talked about their day.
“That last call was probably the best we’ve had yet, and I was afraid it might turn out bad.” Jo said.
“Missing kids are always scary calls to get; it was nice to see a happy ending.”
Jo received a text, and then sent one back.
“That was Matt; we’re going out to dinner tonight with friends.”
“Anyone I know?”
“No, they’re a couple he went to college with,”
“Oh yeah, I think you’ve mentioned them before.”
&
nbsp; “Matt and I are moving in together.”
“Really? I guess things are good then.”
“They’re excellent, and what about you and Heather?”
Parker gave Jo a funny look.
“I’ve something to show you; come sit in my car with me.”
Jo smiled.
“The last time a guy said that to me, he began unzipping his pants.”
Parker laughed as he climbed in.
“My pants are staying on, but take a look inside the glove compartment.”
Jo opened the compartment and saw a small, red velvet box. She took it out, opened it up, and gasped.
“Oh my God, are you going to ask Heather to marry you?”
“Yeah, I love her to death, Jo, and it kills me every time she leaves me to go home. I don’t want to live without her.”
“This is why you’ve been working so much overtime these last few months, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, my savings account is running on fumes, but I should have the mortgage paid off next year.”
“When are you planning to ask her?”
“Tonight, she’s making dinner for us at my house. I had planned to ask her when we went to the Bahamas, but it looks like that trip will be postponed.”
“That’s okay; you can go there on your honeymoon,”
“Do you think she’ll say yes?”
“Rick, that girl is crazy about you; I’d be shocked if she said no.”
“I am so nervous.”
“Don’t be, it’ll be fine,”
Parker put the ring back.
“So, who’s giving up their apartment, you or Matt?”
“Matt’s moving in with me, my apartment is bigger and it’s closer to his job.”
“I’m happy for you, Jo.”
“Likewise, and I can’t wait to see that ring on Heather’s finger.”
Parker arrived home that night and saw Heather’s car parked in front.
After putting the ring in his pocket, he entered the house. He had expected to smell food cooking and to hear the TV or stereo playing, but instead the house was quiet, he found Heather sitting on the sofa with her arms folded and her eyes red.
Parker & Knight Page 14