by Mimi Barbour
The half-grin Debbie couldn’t hide spoke more than if she’d babbled all day. Love made her eyes luminescent, and Aurora’s envy burst out and grabbed hold before she knew it would happen. She’d never be jealous of a person she loved, because that was just sick, and beneath her. On the other hand, wishing it was her belly that was full of a baby, and her life being shared with someone she adored, as much as Debbie adored Cory, couldn’t be helped. Deep down in a tiny secret place she’d never shared with anyone, having a precious family of her own would be the ultimate.
Since she’d never in her life admit to those tender wishes, and no one would ever suspect her of having them, she felt pretty safe. She knew her hard-ass personality covered up the real Aurora Morelli. Very few people were ever allowed to see the soft side she hid so well, but she really didn’t know how else to protect that vulnerability. Over her growing-up years, there’d been many harsh lessons. To be sensitive and loving was a surefire way to get kicked in the heart. More times than not, showing weakness of any sort meant a punch in her stomach or some other part of her body, until she got old enough to fight back.
Cory and Debbie were her closest friends, within the force or otherwise, and even they had no idea that buried deep inside the cranky cop was a scared little girl who wanted to grow up and be a mom—a real mother, quite unlike the bitch who raised her.
Debbie’s voice broke in on Aurora’s soul searching. “You sure you can handle me gushing?”
“Hey, what are friends for? You’ve got sixty seconds. Gush all you want, but then I’ll have to stick a sock in it to shut you up. So go for it.” Another check of her watch, and Aurora was shocked that so little time had passed since her last peek.
“To tell the truth, being married is pretty darn great. I love knowing he’ll be home to share the evening and cuddle in bed. Sometimes we start talking, and it’s like we could talk all night. Other times, we cook dinner and then share the couch to debate about which programs on TV we want to watch, and… hey! I saw that!”
“What?”
“Your eyes glazing over, missy.”
Aurora took the hint and pretended to be snoring. A quick glance told her that Debbie was enjoying herself immensely, and gladness shoved aside the frustration that was eating at her insides. She grinned and asked, “How does my buddy Cory feel about being a daddy? Is he excited? What? What did I say? Hey, don’t turn away from me. What the hell is wrong?”
Small parcels of fear gathered inside Aurora. Debbie had turned pasty white, and sat huddled at the other end of the forest-green leather sofa. She covered her face with her long fingers, and Aurora couldn’t help but take notice of the false nails. Guess there’s a first time for everything, and when a person’s nails were bitten to the quick… wait!
Aurora thought back, and realized nail biting had never been a habit of her partner’s—at least not before the horrific attack. Guess if a woman’s assaulted and almost raped in her own home by a sick madman such as Earl Rhondo, she’s bound to pick up some nervous habits.
All of a sudden, comprehension dawned for Aurora. Somehow she just knew. It was impossible to hide from the truth that stared her in the face. “You said I got there in time, that he hadn’t—”
“I lied.” A sob broke loose, and tears dripped from between those well-manicured fingers. “I was so ashamed. I’m a cop, and that filthy son-of-a-bitch caught me in my own home! He overpowered me, Aurora. I’ve never been so terrified in my whole life. I swear, if I could have killed him, I would have. But he was strong, and mean and… My God, he loved every minute he had me under him. He got off on my terror and my pleading.” She looked up and caught Aurora’s shock. “I never thought I’d ever beg any man for anything. But I begged him to stop, Rory. “
“It’s okay, Deb. It’s okay.”
“No it isn’t! You wouldn’t have begged.”
“How can you say that? No one knows what they might do in similar circumstances.”
“You would have let him kill you first.” The blunt statement echoed in the room. Debbie struggled up, and plodded into the kitchen like someone carrying too heavy a load, one hand covering her dripping face and the other holding her belly. After a few seconds, she returned with a box of tissues under her arm—a few held to her nose.
Aurora hadn’t moved. Disconnected thoughts roared through her mind at breakneck pace, as if she were rapid-clicking through random website pages on her computer screen. Suddenly, Aurora locked into her memory of that horrible night.
It had happened on their junk-and-drunk date of eating junk food and getting plastered—a celebration after closing the case they’d been working for months. Since it had been Aurora’s turn to pay, she’d picked up the pizza and wine and headed over to Debbie’s apartment… only to be stopped at the door by a bloodcurdling scream.
She’d burst in with her purse gun cocked and ready, only to find her partner on the floor, her clothes ripped and hanging open. Cuts and bruises had marred her face and naked chest. One eye was already partially closed, and her jaw was raw from being battered.
Debbie was twisted in a fetal position; her bruised legs pressed together trembling, her shaking hands pulling at the ripped clothes concealing the evidence.
Rhondo, half-dressed, had fired in Aurora’s direction, and used the cover to flee the scene. He’d leapt through the window and taken the fire escape.
Debbie, who’d pulled herself to a sitting position, had urged Aurora to go after him. In fact, she’d pleaded for her to get the prick… and now Aurora knew why.
Debbie had required that time to herself, to get cleaned up so the rape wouldn’t have been obvious. A cop knows how the procedures work. Who better to twist the story and fix the evidence than a policewoman? If she didn’t want anyone to know she’d been raped, she’d sure know how to keep it from being discovered.
“But why lie Deb, you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I’m a cop, Aurora. I didn’t want the rest of the department to assume I can’t handle myself. All I could think of was to wash him out of me—to rid myself of anything to do with that dirty—” Another sob escaped, and she could say no more. Aurora had her arms around her before the next tear fell.
Once both women had finished grieving and their faces were washed, they sat huddled together while Aurora drank strong coffee, and Debbie sipped on her weak herbal tea.
Aurora took a small gulp and decisively put the cup down on the glass-topped coffee table in front of her. “You have to tell Cory. You know that, don’t you?”
“No! I can’t and I won’t. He never has to know, because everything in me believes this is his baby.”
Suddenly, a positive thought struck Aurora. “Did you take a morning-after pill?” Hope sprang in Aurora’s heart. But she realized her optimism had been premature when Debbie wouldn’t look at her.
“No. I’d just finished my period a week before and figured I’d be safe. Then, a few nights later, after Cory returned to town, he’d come over to see if I was all right. One thing led to another, and… well, it would have been the perfect time for me to conceive. So I know it’s Cory’s baby. I just know it! It has to be.”
“Promise me something, Deb.”
“What?” Wariness entered Debbie’s expression, and all Aurora saw were the white knuckles visible between her clenched hands.
“After the baby’s born, you have to get a paternity test. If it proves you’re right, and he’s Cory’s baby, then I’ll agree to keep my mouth shut. But if it turns out the other way—”
“How do you know it’s a he?” Debbie said, trying to use the old change-the-subject tactic. It had never worked with Aurora before, and it certainly wasn’t going to cut it now.
Debbie finally answered, “I know the baby is Cory’s.” Then she tried to stare Aurora down and failed. Grudgingly, she said: “Fine! I promise.”
Chapter Six
Aurora couldn’t wait to pursue the only lead they’d found at the scene, the busin
ess card for the clinic downtown. Aware they’d be closed on a Sunday, though, Aurora agreed to stay with her friends for another 24 hours. Come Monday morning, however, Aurora had whined and coaxed until the other woman couldn’t take it anymore.
“Oh, for pity’s sake! Leave already. I can’t stand watching you pace like a caged leopard. You’re wearing a path in my hardwood. I know you want to follow your lead. Hell, I’d go with you if I could, but Cory would kill me. Can you tell me what you find out?”
Aurora just shook her head. “C’mon, Rory. I’d do it for you. You know I would. To me, we’re still partners, and I need to know what’s going on with this guy. I have a right to know! Tell me that you, of all people, understand.”
Aurora’s sympathy for what she now knew her partner had suffered, was eating away her flagging resistance; Aurora nodded once and didn’t bother speaking the words. It was enough.
Debbie thrust a pharmacy bag into her friend’s hands. “Here are the pills you need to keep with you. Take them if the pain gets bad. And, Aurora…”
“Yeah?”
“Look after yourself.”
With that bit of encouragement and a hug Debbie forced on her, Aurora hightailed it to the office, only to stop short at the sight of Kai working diligently at his laptop.
“What the hell are you doing here? You should be in the hospital.”
His eyes lit up when she stepped into their crowded office, and for a very few seconds Aurora wondered if he might be glad to see her. He shot that down pretty darn fast.
“I’m fine. Glad you’re here. I was just trying to find your cell number. Do you have the stuff Rhondo dropped from his backpack in the scuffle? I couldn’t find it on the board or with the other evidence.”
“I have it here.” She pulled out the business card enclosed in a plastic bag and put it in his outstretched hand.
“That’s it?! That’s all you found?” His disbelief was palpable.
Bristling, her temper riled and close to erupting, Aurora allowed her disdain to cover her face.
“Hey, we searched everywhere around that desk. Other than garbage in the wastebasket, this is all we found. Are you accusing me of holding out on you?”
“No, I don’t think you’re holding out on me.” He wiggled his head like a teenager as he repeated her words in a mocking tone. It was so annoying; she wanted to slap him silly.
“Then why the hell are you questioning me with such a pissy attitude?”
“Because I’m disappointed!” This time his voice had risen and his hands tried to brush through hair that wasn’t there anymore. Instead they rubbed a bald surface. “I could have sworn I saw papers and a small book fall out.”
“You did. See the papers. They were contracting advertisements torn out of the newspaper.”
“Like building contractors?”
She nodded.
“What was on the other side?”
“Crazy stuff like second-hand furniture notices and obituaries for animals. The only other item we found was this business card for a medical clinic downtown. Ham got me a list—”
Kai’s eyes questioned.
“You know, John Hampton,” she elaborated. “The Irish cop, tall, bushy eyebrows, likes to make jokes.”
“Right, the one who warned me you were a ball-buster.”
“He didn’t!”
“He did.”
“The idiot!” She turned away and hid her grin. “Anyway, he compiled a list of all the doctors who work out of the building. I thought we could pay them a visit today. See if we could shake anything loose. Gotta start somewhere.”
“Fine, but I’d like to start at Rhondo’s apartment and take another look around.”
“Okay. If it’ll make you feel better.” Aurora had no intention of dissuading him. Following hunches had paid off for her in the past, so if he wanted to go back to the scene where he’d been shot, then that’s where they’d go.
***
Driving up to the same building pulled her back to the night of the incident. She remembered the lobby, and scaring the bejesus out of the poor older couple in their second-floor apartment. Maybe she should stop by and apologize, and see if the department had fixed them up with a new door.
The manager, who was outside clipping the hedges, let them in. They slowly walked up the stairs to the second-floor hallway, where the yellow crime scene tape still had the place blocked off.
A younger male came toward them. His face was full of smile as he stuck his hand out. When Kai grabbed it, the young man forced an inside shoulder hug, and beamed even brighter when Kai allowed it.
“Glad you’re here, man. I wanna thank you for saving my ass the other night. Hell, if it wasn’t for your quick reflexes, that creep woulda plugged me instead of you.”
“Yeah, no problem. I do have a few questions for you, though, if you don’t mind.”
Wait…Kai saved this kid’s ass? What the hell is he talking about? Aurora had a few questions of her own, but obviously they’d have to wait. She edged nearer to pick up their conversation.
Kai had taken out his small notepad and a pen. “First, I need your name and age.”
“Wayne Kupa. I’m fifteen, and I live here, in Apartment 207.”
“Did you know Rhondo? Ever talked with him?”
“You mean that creep who shot ya? Hell yeah! He’s been trying to come on to my older sister, Darlene. She’s eighteen and scared silly of the dude. He’s the reason we decided to move. I caught the prick playing with our door handle one night, and told him to bugger off or I’d call the cops.” The kid acted brave now that the danger had passed.
“Thanks, Wayne. If you think of anything else that might help us find him, give me a call.” Kai leaned to the left, tugged a business card from the pocket of his tight-fitting jeans, and handed it to the boy. “Call anytime.”
“You got it, man.” The kid strutted toward the stairs with his back straight, walking tall.
Once the kid was out of earshot, Aurora had to ask. “What’s this about you saving his ass?” She had a mental picture and wanted collaboration. She figured he owed her; after all, she hadn’t told Cory that the injury she’d gotten the other night was a bullet wound from her own partner, and not a cut from Rhondo’s knife. Of course, she’d saved them both a lengthy visit with the Special Investigations Unit, so it had worked in her favor as well.
When Cory had questioned her that night, she’d told him Kai had shot his weapon toward the criminal in her defense, and she’d wrenched away from Rhondo’s hold only to receive a cut on her arm. One of the ambulance attendants had looked curious at the time but had ultimately shrugged and said nothing.
Kai, not being too stupid when questioned, had used his own injury as his excuse for having “forgotten” much of what had gone down that night and said nothing—or so Cory later told Aurora.
Plus, the bullet had smashed through a window and to date, still hadn’t been retrieved. Otherwise the blood traces would have given them away.
She stopped her mind wandering and zoomed back in on her partner as he loomed over her. Arms crossed and foot tapping, she hoped that he recognized she wasn’t about to let him pass without giving her an answer.
He cleared his throat and looked up the hall before letting his gaze settle on her face. Then his eyebrows rose, those full lips quirked upward, and his mouth twisted in a sexy way to the side before he spoke.
“Fine! Okay! On the night in question, I identified myself at Rhondo’s door with the intention of smashing through right away. I know he’s a slippery son-of-a-bitch, so I was counting on the element of surprise. Except, he turned the tables on me. His gun was ready when he showed himself. At the same time, the kid came out of his place. I had no choice but to push Wayne out of the way and force Rhondo back inside.”
“To save Wayne.”
“Sure, to give the kid enough time to make himself scarce.”
“Guess you’re right. There was no choice.”
&n
bsp; “For a second, I caught a glimpse of a girl. Musta been Wayne’s sister Darlene, and she looked like Rhondo’s type. Got me thinking.”
“You figured with his rep, he’d have given her a bad time?”
“Hell yeah! I just hope the rat never got to her. Since he’s only arrived back in town, maybe he didn’t get the chance, but it wouldn’t hurt for you to question her. You know, woman to woman.”
Aurora raised her eyebrow. “Woman to woman? You’re serious?”
“You fit the description.”
His blue shockers skimmed her body, and Aurora somehow felt as if Kai’s caressing fingers had made the trip. It was all she could do to tamp down the desire that shocked the shit out of her. What the hell?
Before they could move, the door on the left opened, and an older man stepped out. Aurora recognized him immediately and was glad for the rescue.
“Good morning, Officer. Looking to scare the piss out of someone else in the building?” The twinkle in his eyes conveyed that his words were a joke.
Sarcasm was a language that Aurora knew well, and she gladly accepted the teasing from the old coot.
“No, sir. I just wanted to make sure your heart hadn’t given out,” she quipped back. She noticed Kai’s puzzlement but wouldn’t embarrass the older man with an explanation. Seems the senior could read expressions also. He turned to Kai and explained it himself.
“This little lady kicked in the door of my apartment in the other night, frantic to find her partner who she suspected could be in danger. Never saw a woman so determined. Not that I mind. Have to admit that this tale has drummed up a lot attention for me and the wife at the Senior Center.” He nodded his head, as if seeking some kind of affirmation for his words. “Yup! Me and the missus are practically celebrities there now.”
Aurora smiled, but she still felt as if she owed him some kind of reparation. “I see they fixed your door. Have to apologize again for the damage.”
“Needed replacing anyway. Didn’t have a peephole in it and the wife’s been nagging me to get one installed for quite some time. So as they say, no harm, no foul.”