Speak in Winter Code

by S. M. Harding

  Win put her notepad aside, walked up behind my chair and leaned over to rub my shoulders and neck. “Relax Sarah. We’re not going to solve this with a magic snap of the fingers. We’ll get there, we will. No doubt in my mind. Relax.”

  “Are you trying to hypnotize me?”

  “No. Your shoulders are so tight I can barely get the muscles to move.” She stopped and walked around to the front of the desk. “I think it’s time to go home. You have anything else to do here?”

  “Not really, but—”

  “Good, gather your stuff. We’ll stop at the hospital, you can talk to your deputy. Then home and a nap. I will brook no arguments. Move.”

  * * *

  I woke up when Win rubbed my shoulder and it took me a moment to focus. The fire was burning in the fireplace and I found myself on the couch covered with a quilt. I yawned and sat up.

  Win brought a tray and set it on the coffee table. “Chili, your mom’s version.” She handed me a bowl, took the other one. “We’ll eat, have dessert and go to bed.”

  “What’s for dessert?”

  “Anything you want.”

  I smiled in response to her leer and tucked into the chili. “Oh, wow. This is exactly like Mom’s. I followed her recipe exactly and it never tasted like this. What’d you do?”

  “Added cardamom. It needed a little zing.” She tucked her legs under her, grabbed a piece of garlic toast and dipped it in the chili. She looked up at me. “What?”

  “I love your gusto.”

  “Eat.” She dug into her bowl while the fire snapped and crackled. “I talked to Bill and he’s willing to help out. He’s got two guys he can put on our most probable suspect right now. He’ll fly in six more, but it may take a day or two.”

  “How come so long? And how come so many?”

  “The rest of team is out of the country. They work in two-person teams for continual surveillance. So which one of our miscreants would you like to cover first?”

  “I’d like to line them all up in front of a firing squad and whoever survives, we cover.”

  “I don’t think anybody would survive a firing squad, Sarah. For what it’s worth, Greg Hall may be the best bet to go higher up in the organization. If you want the shooter covered, Joshua Leatherby.”

  “I’m not even going to ask how you figured that, but let’s go with Leatherby. Should I call Bill?”

  “Yeah. You know where Leatherby lives. Now eat.”

  When we finished eating, I called Bill, gave him the specifics and told him I’d send him the file in the morning. “Thanks. This whole thing is getting to all of us and we’re already stretched so thin.”

  “No problemo, little lady.” He laughed and laughed as he hung up.

  “He called me ‘little lady,’” I said as I handed Win the phone.

  “Then laughed? Term of affection, Sarah.” She sat beside me, put an arm around my shoulders. Her thumb traced the patch on my uniform shirt. “I feel better about this op since we’ve deployed more eyes.”

  “This isn’t Afghanistan, nor is this a military op. As law enforcement, we have to uphold the law.”

  “We’re at war, whether you recognize it or not. So far, we’ve suffered two dead, three injured.”

  “Three?”

  “Don’t forget Major Laura Wilkins. She was one of the first casualties.” She wrapped me in her arms and pulled me close. “Laura was alone but we have each other. We’ll fight this together. During lulls in the action, we’ll make love. Celebrate life. Our lives. Together.”

  Chapter Forty

  Win

  My internal alarm woke me at four, before sunrise. Cocooned in blankets with Sarah’s body close to me, the last thing I wanted to do was get up and head for Bloomington. I nuzzled her neck. She smiled in her sleep. I slid out of bed, trying not to wake her. Went into the bathroom where I’d laid out my clothes last night. I peeked into the bedroom when I was ready to leave. Sarah hadn’t moved. Her face looked relaxed in sleep. Wish I could see her like that when she was awake.

  I placed a note on my pillow, kissed her forehead. Got the rest of my gear and went out to my truck. I fired her up, headed down the drive with the lights off. I didn’t turn them on until I hit the road to Bloomington. Nothing in the rearview mirror, nothing up ahead.

  Teaching that day meant putting the burden of the lesson on the students. We struggled through the day. At the end of class, I gave them a Tajik saying. “Anyone know what it means?”

  No one did, though a couple tried. “It means ‘my thoughts are elsewhere’ and I apologize for that. See you tomorrow.”

  When I got back to the apartment, I prepped extra hard for the next two days. I missed Sarah. I missed Des. To keep my mind off the ache, I took a volume of Rumi off the shelf and began to read. It made it worse. I exchanged it for the legal pad I’d used to jot down facts about the current war in McCrumb County. I couldn’t concentrate. I had to be here to teach, I wanted to be home at Sarah’s side.

  I got into my cold bed, turned the lights off and waited for Sarah’s call in vain. That became apparent when I opened my eyes and the sun was easing into the sky. I looked at the phone. Three messages from Sarah. I called her.

  “You forget to turn your phone on after class or should I have panicked?” she asked.

  “Not funny, Sheriff Perfect. Truth is, I fell asleep waiting for your call.” I could see the smirk on her face. “I’m giving a talk about staying safe at the LGBT center tonight. Thought I could review their security tapes when I’m finished.” I pushed myself up to rest against the headboard. “They’re showing a great film tomorrow night. Think you can come in?”

  “Um. I wouldn’t mind leaving the county behind for a night.”

  Precisely. “Why don’t you have Leslie escort you and maybe bring Deborah along. We can stay the night here. Get an early start Saturday morning.”

  “Good movie?”

  “Great movie.”

  “Let me ask Leslie. I’ll text you back.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” I cleared my throat. “Miss you. Stay safe, Sarah.”

  “You too, please. Des says she misses you too, so much she’s given up small rodents.”

  I heard Sarah take a deep breath, then she disconnected. I knew in my heart Sarah was lying. Des could never stop thinking about chasing small furries.

  * * *

  The talk went well, though I wasn’t sure the students bought my plea to keep their heads up and out of their phones while walking around. Sometimes I cursed mobile technology.

  The meeting with Nolan and Bill produced little new intel. Nolan was settling in, would go to a meeting of the Rangers tomorrow night. “They’ve got something in the works,” he’d said. “I’ll let you know as soon as I know what.”

  The following evening, I’d headed to the LGBT center film night. I had my arm draped over the back of Sarah’s chair in the media room. The film had just started. Twenty minutes late because there were some short comments by the director and actors first. Now the room was lit only by the reflected light from the screen.

  I caught some movement in my peripheral vision. Turned my head slightly and saw several males move to lean against the back wall. One of the guys had a bat sticking out from beneath a coat.

  I leaned over to Sarah. “Don’t look around, keep your eyes on the screen. I think we’ve got trouble forming. I’m going to the john where there’s a door to the hall. Put your phone on vibrate. I’ll text. Are you and Leslie armed?”

  Her eyes were wide when she turned to me. She nodded. “What kind of trouble?”

  “Four young males in the back of the room. One has a baseball bat.”

  “Oh, hell.”

  “Shhh. Could be a gay young man carrying a bat to protect himself. I’ll let you know.” I gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. “Stay safe, Sarah. No heroics.”

  I got up, sprinted to the ladies’ room. Once inside, I banged a stall door. Tip-toed over to the door to the hall, ease
d it open. Saw another ten guys waiting in the hall. The swastika tattoo on one guy’s neck gave proof to their intention.

  I texted. Get ready for attack. 10 in hall. When it starts, you & L slip behind them. I follow them in. I hit send.

  I followed that up with flushing a john while I called the campus police chief. Told him what was going on and to approach silently. I ran water. Walked back to the door to keep an eye on them. I thought a couple more had joined the group. What were they waiting for?

  Then I saw him. Down the hall at the exit. A guy in his late twenties, early thirties. Turning off the flash, I slipped the phone out the door and clicked off a couple of shots. I looked at the results. Not great but maybe Nathan’s software could work more miracles.

  I typed now and put a finger over the send icon. The guy by the exit looked at his phone. He nodded to the group. I hit send. He opened the door and swaggered out.

  I pulled my Glock, waited until a majority of the men were swarming into the media room. Sprinted down the hall, caught the last one in by his hoodie. His head had a hard meeting with the doorframe. He slid to the floor.

  I pushed into the room, weapon in the ready position. The mob wielded bats. A couple had heavy chains. Women scattered. The men attacked the projector and the flat-screen TV in the corner, yelling all the gay slurs they knew. A few bodies got in the way of their wild swings and tumbled to the floor.

  Sarah and Leslie had moved to either side at the back of the room. She nodded when she saw me. “Police!” Sarah yelled. “Don’t move. Put down your weapons.”

  The fuckers paused, wide-eyed and cornered. I assumed the stance, aimed my weapon at the bastard who seemed in charge. We locked eyes. “Give me a reason to blow you away. Please.”

  He dropped his bat. The clatter seemed very loud in the now silent room.

  “Hands on top of your head. Now,” I said.

  “That means all of you,” Sarah said. “Drop the weapons. Kneel down, keep your hands linked on the top of your heads.”

  “You can’t do this,” one of them said. “We have the right to free speech.”

  Sarah flashed her badge. “And I have the right to fire if I think your actions threaten anyone.” She stared him down.

  I heard feet pounding in the hall and stepped back to see if they’d sent reinforcements. Thank the stars it was campus police.

  The chief glanced at me, nodded. “What’s happened?”

  “Flash mob with intentions of mayhem. Property damage. Oh hell, I don’t know the civilian lingo.”

  His men began cuffing the creeps with plastic restraints.

  Sarah walked up and holstered her weapon. “Glad to see you, Chief. You can begin with assault and battery, throw in resisting arrest.”

  “That what happened to the guy in the hall?” the chief asked.

  “I came up behind him. Must’ve scared him. He turned to run, but instead took a header into the doorframe.” I held up my hands. “Scared rabbit not used to violence unless he was creating it.”

  The chief shook his head. “You looked mighty fierce when we made entrance. Think I woulda taken a header outta here too.”

  I grinned. He was going to buy the story. Besides the damage to the equipment, several women were on the floor, being administered to by those unharmed. I searched for Deborah but didn’t see her.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Sarah

  This was not the way I’d imagined our night would go. Bloomington PD sent their patrol wagon and took all the felons to their jail. Win and I had just finished up with our statements and were waiting to go home. Leslie and Deborah sat across from us, held up by Leslie’s participation in the bust. Leslie had told Deborah to get under the chair and stay there until it was safe. She’d stayed put until Leslie had gone over and lifted the chair away.

  “This is giving me a whole new appreciation of the law,” Deborah said. “I’m damn glad I went into corporate law.”

  “It was a good bust,” I said. “It would’ve been better if the campus police had been there to stop the melee because I don’t have jurisdiction. But I’m still a sworn officer of the court. I couldn’t do anything else but intervene.”

  “I have no standing whatsoever,” Win said. “But I do have a carry permit. It’s just lucky they backed down.”

  I glanced over at Win. Did she view tonight as just another op? Another opportunity to get the adrenaline going? The other side of my brain asked another important question: what would you have done if she hadn’t spotted them early?

  The chief walked up to us. “Thanks for the heads-up, Win. Bloomington will file the charges and handle the arraignment. Lets us go back to patrolling for drunks and rapists. My thanks to all of you—it could’ve been so much worse.”

  “How are the women who were hurt?”

  “No life-threatening injuries, though a couple of women have broken bones.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You all are free to go, but please be safe on the way home. Whoever instigated this isn’t going to be happy.”

  “Keep me in the loop?” I asked.

  “Of course, Sheriff.”

  As we walked into the clear, cold night, I looked at my watch. Nearly one a.m. “Are you driving back to Greenglen?” I asked Leslie.

  “Yeah. All I can think about is going to bed,” she said. She blushed a bright red. “To get to some sleep before I fall on my face.”

  “Why don’t you two come over to my apartment?” Win asked. “I’ve got a sleeper sofa. Get a few hours of sleep before you hit the road. We can caravan tomorrow morning. Safer, Leslie.”

  This was definitely not what I had in mind for tonight. After the usual protestations about putting us out, Deborah and Leslie said okay. When we walked into Win’s studio apartment, Deborah let out a small gasp.

  Win turned to her. “We need sleep tonight, not sex. Sorry.” She went ahead and prepared the pullout. She even managed to find two pairs of pajamas. “There’s a new toothbrush in the vanity drawer. Go.”

  Deborah grabbed Leslie’s hand and tugged her to the tiny bathroom. They shut the door.

  Win sat on the edge of the bed. “I thought this would be a good time tonight. Can’t tell you how sorry I am.”

  “It’s not your fault. It’s those pricks who think they’re the devil’s gift to this world.” I sat beside her, put my arms around her waist and leaned against her. “I have so many questions about tonight, all jumbled up.”

  “That’s why we need sleep, Sarah. You’ve been up almost twenty-four hours.” She kissed me. “I don’t have any more pajamas.”

  “I’ll be glad to sleep naked as long as you’re next to me.”

  “Getting from the bathroom is going to be tricky. A nude dash?”

  I giggled. “You have T-shirts and I have clean underwear here. Sorry to spoil the fantasy.”

  “You’re my only fantasy and I’m living it.”

  * * *

  We left at dawn, with Leslie and the civilian behind us as we escorted them to Deborah’s. I told Leslie to take the day off since she was exhausted. Besides, Deborah was still shaken, both by the violence and seeing her lover draw her weapon. A day in bed would do them both a whole bucketful of good. Win and I would have to wait until tonight.

  We walked into the station and I sighed a breath of relief. “How do you want to divide our tasks?” I asked Win.

  “I need to get hold of Bill, let him know what happened. Then I want to send the pics I shot last night to Nathan. See if he can identify the older guy who left before the fun started. Why don’t you check and see if the IDs on those kids have come through? Run them to see who and what we’re dealing with.”

  “Do you really think this has something to do with what’s going on here? The letters, the shootings?”

  Win nodded. “I haven’t told you what Bill and Nolan said yesterday. I was going to do that last night after the film. Didn’t get that chance, did we?”

  “Soon. Let’s get started on the houseke
eping and then we can talk.” I kissed her and then headed upstairs to the detectives’ loft.

  John was at his desk and looked up as I entered.

  “Morning,” he said. “Know anything about these arrest jackets? Came in from Bloomington PD?”

  “Yeah, they’re from our adventure last night. A bunch of kids attacked the LGBT center.”

  “Attacked?”

  “With baseball bats and chains. It was well organized and orchestrated.”

  “Skinheads?”

  “Maybe. Would you run the names through our databases? Put together a file on each?”

  “You got it. Want me to send them to Nathan too?”

  “Not yet. He’s got enough to do right now. Thanks, John.”

  I went back to my office where I found Win asleep on my couch, her phone clasped in her hand. I lifted her shoulders and sat down, holding her head on my lap.

  “This is nice,” she said as she opened her eyes. “We can nap until something comes in.”

  “You sent your stuff to Nathan?”

  “He’s running it now. Now hush, lean your head back. Doze off, Sarah.”

  Win’s eyes were already closed.

  Strangely enough, I did. I wasn’t used to catnaps and found it difficult to wake up when Win shook my shoulder. “What? What’s happened?”

  “Micah’s here to report to the sheriff,” Win said.

  I squinted. Tried refocusing. “Dad?”

  “Reserve Deputy Barrow reportin’.” He was smiling. “On the assignments that you give me. ’Member?”

  Win was already standing with a smirk on her face, so I pushed myself to my feet. “Talk to Dog and poke around the area where Leatherby and McNab live. I’m awake, Dad, so report away.”

  “You never could catnap, Sarah Anne,” Dad said as he sat in the visitor chair. “Even when you was a kid, took hell and high water to wake you if you fell asleep daytime.”

  “Report, Dad?”

  “Dog recognized them guys, said they come in ’bout ever’ two weeks. Same time, sit in the same place, eat the same food. Talk a lot, eat fast. Always pay cash. Just so happened, Dog said he wouldn’t object none to a little electronic eavesdroppin’ at that table.”