Single Dad Boss: A Small Town Romance

by Kara Hart

  I print it out and carefully grab the paper, holding it away from me. I don’t want to get any of my hair on it, any of my saliva, or anything. I quickly fold it and throw it in an envelope. I drive 40 miles out and drop it in a box, near a few shacks, in a poor neighborhood. There are no cameras around here, so I should be safe.

  When I head home, I’m exhausted. Come tomorrow, Craig will be in their custody. As for me, I’ll be holding my breath and hoping for better days.

  54

  Marshall

  “Who is she, anyway?” Adam asks me, in a room full of FBI Agents. I glance at him with a hurried look of disgust and anger.

  “Don’t question me about my business,” I tell him. “She’s a woman I’m saying. Let’s leave it at that.”

  He has no business asking me who she is. Frankly, I’ve been nice to him up until a certain point. Him envying me and thinking I’m some sort of badass has now turned into him thinking I’m some sort of hedonist. Maybe I used to be. Maybe I used to sleep around with any woman I saw as a catch. That was then. Now, I’m devoted to one woman and I’m not letting the department get involved in my love affairs.

  “Come on, man. Just tell me about her,” he says. I know where he’s going with this.

  “What is this new obsession with my love life?” I ask him. “It’s getting weird.”

  The way he looks at me now is so different. It’s like he’s questioning my motives, every second of the day. It started at the first stake out. Once I proved he was wrong, he felt thwarted. Now, he’s got it in his head that my girl is a bank robber. The whole thing sounds fucking ridiculous, even when I say it in my head.

  “I just want to be closer with you, man. We’re partners, after all,” he says, in a friendly tone. Still, his eyes reveal everything. “I don’t know. Maybe we can go on a double date sometime, or something. I’m seeing someone too now, actually.”

  “Oh yeah?” I laugh because I know he’s bullshitting me. He’s spent his nights hunched over at his desk, researching the case. There hasn’t been any time for him to find somebody. “Who is she?”

  “Some girl I went to college with. I called her up the other day. I thought we could catch up and she ended up having dinner with me two nights ago,” he says.

  I’m staring directly in your eyes, man. How could you lie to me like that? Partners? Fuck that. We’re so far removed from each other.

  “That’s sweet, but I don’t really do the double dating thing. It gets… awkward.” I chuckle and drink the bitter coffee. It’s lukewarm at this point. The styrofoam cup in my hand feels out of place. I want to get the fuck out of this room. I’ve never liked working with the feds. No cop does. But Adam? Hell, he’s loving every second of this. He feels like a fucking superstar.

  Policing used to be an honorable profession. I suppose it still is in some places. Down here, in this county, it’s nothing but an ego-game. It’s just a department full of guys trying to climb their way to the top. Ever since the new team came in, it’s been worse. It’s like they’ll do anything to get ahead. They’ll even chat it up with the feds.

  “Suit yourself,” he says, looking over at Freddie Macker, the fed who showed up at my door, violating my privacy. Freddie smiles. They’re buddies, after all. Soon, they’ll all go out for beers, like all men working for the government do after a long day. Adam will make the suggestion to look into my affairs. Adam, my partner. My friend.

  I haven’t been clean all of these years, but I sure as hell have done my job well. There’s paperwork I’ve fucked up on, there’s evidence I’ve withheld. Back when I first started, we were taught different procedures. We were told to go with our gut. Turns out, my gut was good. I put a lot of bad men behind bars. But how is that going to look to a federal agent, who’s trying to take over this case?

  They’ll clean up shop. They’ll try to get me on some bullshit, but we all know they’ll just fire me. There won’t be any going to any other departments. My career will be over. The life I’ve made will fall to pieces.

  “What do we know about the guy?” I find myself asking. I might as well be proactive on this. “Craig Richardson. Where was he last seen?”

  Freddie glances at the bulletin board posted in the office. It has all of Elroy and Craig’s history up there, but it’s not clear how they met or what woman is involved.

  “After the murder, he went off the grid for a while. Word on the street is he took a number of odd jobs. He was a dishwasher for three months, before screaming at his manager and breaking a rack full of dishes. He worked on a farm out in Louisiana for a bit, but that didn’t last too long. Someone told us he sold marijuana to some friends of his, but at this point, we can’t confirm the validity of that,” he says. “All in all, we don’t have much. The guy doesn’t use a smartphone or anything. He hasn’t had internet for years, or even a registered place.”

  “Any bills? Anything we can trace to him?” I ask him. Adam won’t keep his eyes off me. The jealousy is palpable.

  “There’s no paper trail. The man must’ve paid with cash,” he says. “We’ve found a number of bills related to his mother, as she was the sole provider for the family. But even then, nothing points to him. We’ve sent our guys out to different properties and each time we’ve come back empty-handed.”

  “Fuck,” I whisper. “A real mastermind, huh.”

  “Maybe,” he nods. “He definitely thought this through. I think he knew we were going to hear his name sooner or later.”

  “Sir,” a man walks through the door, holding an envelope in hand. He’s looking at me. “This came in for you today. Just wanted to send it your way and make sure you got it.”

  “Who the hell would be sending you something at the station?” Adam asks.

  “No idea, but we’ll find out soon,” I say, ripping open the envelope.

  I start to read the words aloud: “I never wanted to be typing these words. I never thought I’d be in this position, stuck in the middle of two crimes…”

  I look up at the guys in the room and it’s pretty fucking clear to everyone that I’m holding something big. Everyone is waiting for me to continue. This is good news, whatever is revealed. Only, Adam is looking at me in a different way, as if I’m the one behind this somehow. Still, I tune him out and read the letter.

  “…anyway, I hope this helps your prior investigation on the murder…” I finish the letter and set it down, slumping back in my seat.

  “Jesus Christ,” Freddie whispers.

  I smile and nod. “Jesus Christ is right. We just witnessed a miracle,” I say. “We got him, right?”

  “Don’t be too sure. Could be a trap. Could be nothing,” Freddie says. “Either way, we have to send our men in now.”

  “No,” I tell him. “This was our case from the get-go. It’s our boys in there or nothing.”

  Freddie groans. “Are we really going to play this game?” he asks me.

  I stand up and face him. “I’ve worked my whole life for these guys. Hell yeah, we’re going to play that game,” I say.

  He sighs. “Fine. Your guys can go in. But it’s their lives that are on the line,” he says. “We’re going in behind you though. Our government orders it.”

  “Deal.” I shake his hand. “Adam, you coming with me?”

  “Yes, sir,” he says. I nod. “Gear up, boys! We’re about to have ourselves a little fun!”

  Louisiana is hot, muggy, and full of dark mystery. It takes hours to get there, which means hours of silence with Adam. Finally, when we’re close, he turns and asks me a revealing question.

  “Who wrote that letter?” he asks.

  “Excuse me?” I laugh at the absurdity of the question.

  “I just mean, it’s pretty good timing right?” he asks.

  “What are you insinuating?” I ask him, turning grim. We turn off our lights when we get close and start driving a little slower. We park the car a block away and prepare to head out on foot.

  “Nothing at all,” he
says. “Forget I said anything.”

  There are noises everywhere. Crickets, winged bugs, croaking gators… Louisiana always gave me the creeps, but it’s these parts that especially freak me out. As we walk up to the sheltered cabin, I hold my breath.

  We get to the front door and move into position. I motion with my hands, keeping my pistol out. My heart is beating wildly. I motion. “1-2-3-” And we bust the door open, moving in.

  We’ve got men with high-powered rifles, dressed in the nicest swat outfits our taxpayers can buy. “Craig Richardson!” I scream, holding my gun out. I look through the night vision goggles and see movement in one of the rooms. The door is open. “Down on the ground!” I scream.

  He aims his pistol at me and I fire twice. One bullet clearly hits his abdomen, while the other hits his chest. He hits the ground fast and our men move in to arrest the bastard. It all happens so fast and I’m left, leaning against the wall, catching my breath. I’m dizzy with fear. I almost just lost my life. Worst of all, I almost lost the chance to have another day with Virginia.

  “We need a medic,” I say.

  “They’re on their way,” an officer says. I close my eyes and somehow, I know Adam is staring at me. I may have just killed our suspect and that doesn’t look too good.

  55

  Virginia

  I’m sitting at my favorite coffee shop, the one I went to the day after the crime. It’s been a long time since I’ve let myself go out like this, but I need more information on what happened last night. The radio let me know that Craig was caught, but when I got here, all of the news networks were saying that he’s dead.

  “…shot down by Warren Marshall…” were the first words that I heard. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I can’t believe it. Craig is dead? Why? But I already know why. He was already on his last leg. No doubt, he came out firing.

  Now, however, I’m learning that he’s still alive. He’s in critical condition. I call Marshall, but he doesn’t answer. Instead, another guy does. “This is Adam, Marshall’s partner. Who’s calling?” he asks.

  “I’m, uh, his girlfriend,” I say. “Where’s Marshall. Is he alright? I just the saw news.”

  “Oh, his girlfriend. We haven’t met yet, though I’m curious. How can a woman fall for a guy like him?” he asks.

  “Excuse me?” I blurt out. Already, it’s obvious this guy is not someone I want to be talking to, but I keep myself on the line because I need Marshall. I need to know that he’s okay.

  “It’s a joke. Er, sorry,” he says. “He’s pretty busy right now, but if you’d like to come in, you’re more than welcome to.”

  “I’ll be there in less than an hour,” I find myself saying.

  “Good, good. We’ll talk then. Thanks, uh…”

  “It’s Virginia,” I say. “Goodbye.”

  I hang up the phone and run out the door. I get to the station in fifteen minutes. I shouldn’t be anywhere near here, but there’s so much I need to find out. What happened in there? Is Craig really alive? I have to admit, I don’t want him to die. Even if he does hold the power to give me up, I don’t have it in me to wish someone to die.

  At that station, all eyes are on me. It’s quiet in there, somber even. “Wait over here,” the FBI guy says to me. “Marshall’s busy right now, but he’ll be out soon enough.”

  Another man, younger than everybody, walks over to me and sits down. “Virginia, right?” he smiles and extends his hand toward me. “Adam. I’m Marshall’s sidekick.”

  “Sidekick?” I laugh. “Is that the official term?”

  “It sounds better than saying partner,” he laughs a little with me. I nod and there’s a long silence where we both stare at the wall in front of us. “Pretty crazy stuff, right? Shootouts, bank robberies, and now the feds are involved. I sure didn’t expect any of this when I applied to work for the department.”

  “Must be exciting.” I wonder if he’s on to me. After hearing what Marshall said about the exes, I think it’s safe to say he has a hunch. But how? Because of what Elroy said during his interrogation?

  “It’s a little exciting. I’m not going to lie. But I’m praying that kid doesn’t die in there,” he says. “He did some pretty bad stuff, but no one deserves to die like that.”

  “Yeah, but Marshall was just defending himself, right?” I ask, wondering what he’s getting at.

  “Yeah, of course,” he smiles. “Even if he didn’t, I think we all are prone to making mistakes in the heat of the moment. It can be pretty terrifying out there.”

  I just nod and keep to myself. Whatever he wants can’t benefit me. “Right before all of this, we got a mysterious letter from the woman who helped commit those robberies,” he finally says. Here it is…

  “Yeah, I heard about that on the news,” I say.

  “It’s odd. Why would they write to Marshall? Why make it so personal?” he asks.

  “I’m not a detective,” I say. “I really don’t know. He is the leading guy on the case, right?”

  “Yeah, I suppose that’s why,” he says, stopping himself. Of course, he can’t help but finish his thought. “Do you know anyone close to Marshall who might be involved in this? An ex-girlfriend or something?”

  “Am I interrupting something?” The words come from a familiar voice. It’s that deep, gruff voice I’ve come to know and love.

  “Marshall!” Adam jumps from his seat. “Your girlfriend came to see you.”

  “Keeping her company?” he asks him.

  Adam awkwardly stuffs his hands in his pockets and says, “Just introducing myself. Wasn’t I?” he looks at me.

  “Something like that,” I say. “Can you talk? Outside.”

  “I’ve got 30 minutes. Let’s get some food,” he smiles. I’ve missed that smile so fucking much.

  Outside, we don’t even talk. He simply wraps his arms around me and stares longingly into my eyes. “I dream about you every night,” he says.

  “I’ve missed your touch, Marshall. I’ve missed everything about you. When is this all going to end? I’m dreaming about Mexico,” I say.

  He glances back at the station. “Soon, hopefully,” he says. “Hey, can I talk to you about something?”

  My heart jumps, but I nod. “Anything,” I say. Somehow, I feel ready. If he asks me about the robberies, I’m going to come clean. I can’t live with this weight anymore.

  “I’m thinking about quitting the department,” he says. “Now, before you say anything, I want to tell you that I’ve been thinking long and hard about this. I don’t see a bright future if I stay here. There was a time when being a police officer meant things for me. Now, it doesn’t give me much joy. I hate saying that aloud, but I want to live a simpler life. I want more time with you, Vi. I hope I’m not rushing things here by saying any of this.”

  “Marshall,” I try to find the words. “I was so mixed up before I found you. You’ve given me purpose, real purpose in this life. I love you so much. I don’t care what job you have. Just do what you love and I’ll be happy.”

  Our lips meet and the weight of our passion knocks me against the station’s walls. He brings me to the side and suddenly, my hands are under his shirt, feeling his strength. He grows hard against me and I have the biggest desire to fall to my knees right here, despite the fact that there are at least 20 cops inside.

  “Not here,” he says. “Tonight. I’ll sneak away.”

  “Won’t that Adam guy get mad? Aren’t you supposed to be here all night?” I ask him, out of breath. My lips taste like him. Every time I breathe, I can smell him. He smells like confidence.

  “Fuck him,” he says. “He can stay and be their pawn. I’m done breaking my back for them.”

  “Okay, tonight then. But where?” I ask him.

  “At the bar we met,” he says. “They won’t think to look for me there.”

  We kiss one last time. My body flutters with excitement. I feel electrified. But behind all my excitement is the knowing that this may be it. Wh
ether Craig lives or dies is beside the point. My conscience won’t allow me to lie anymore. I have to tell him who I am. I have to let him know.

  56

  Marshall

  It’s not hard to leave the place every now and then. It is hard to get Adam out of the way before I do it. Lucky for me, Freddie gives him the task of watching over Craig at the hospital, something that Adam is not happy about.

  “Good luck,’ I say to him as he leaves the station.

  “Yeah, yeah,” he replies back. “Laugh it up.”

  Surprisingly, he’s been okay the rest of the day. Maybe his talk with Vi set the record straight a little bit. Maybe now he knows we’ve got absolutely nothing to do with this thing. Either way, I don’t dwell on it too much. I’m just excited to sneak out and see my girl.

  When I get to the bar, I quickly change out of my old clothes and put on a nice suit. I don’t normally dress this nice, but I figure it’s a nice enough occasion. I see her walk in front of my car and I tap on the glass, smiling big. I jump out of the car, run, and pick her up into my arms.

  “Marshall!” she squeals. “Put me down.”

  She laughs as I set her down. “God, I’ve had the worst day!” I exclaim. “Been looking forward to this for hours now.”

  “You look really good,” she says, biting her lip. “Like, really good. I didn’t know you wear suits.”