by Fast
His fast driving was something she’d always ragged him about, but today she overlooked it. There were more important things on her mind. He’d called her his girl. She faced the window and smiled, thinking about how easily he’d fallen into his current situation. Don may have been teasing, but she was serious. He didn’t know it, but he’d always been her man.
She stopped him from getting out of the car when they parked in front of her apartment building. “Wait for me. I can change clothes easier without an audience.”
He grinned and looked at his watch. “Okay babe, but shake a leg.”
Carmen jumped and ran to the entrance, getting to her apartment in record time. It took several minutes, but she found her uniform in the back of the closet, still in a dry cleaning bag protector.
She ripped the cover off and laid the crisp blue uniform on the bed, then quickly shed her wrinkled shirt and blouse. She’d left her panties at Don’s and pulled a fresh pair from the dresser along with a bra. Socks, she needed socks for the regulation shoes. She pulled on a pair and grimaced at the confinement of her feet.
Once she got the pants on, she pulled on the shirt, buttoned it and stuffed the hem into the waistband. From memory, she checked the brass with her fingertips, satisfied every button and emblem was accounted for. The patent dress Oxfords were still comfortable, and she laced them up in a hurry.
Okay, you’re ready to face those kids. No you’re not. They’ll probably eat you for lunch.
She hadn’t used the gun belt for a long time, and it weighed heavy on her hips. The Glock in the holster added another four pounds.
The sheet of rules from the school principal had disappeared, and she had no time to look for them. Don turned in the seat, watching as she flew out the door and ran to the car.
Applying lip-gloss after she climbed in, Carmen nodded. “Let’s roll.” He stared at her, smiling while he started the car. “What are you smiling at? Is everything straight?’
He shook his head, and whistled softly. “You’re the best looking cop I’ve ever seen, Redstone. And hell yes, everything’s straight. Lord.”
Carmen re-checked the buttons of her shirt, making sure her uniform stood tall. She’d been so proud to wear it when she’d first gotten it, but just as eager to get back into street clothes to work vice.
She leaned back in the comfortable leather seat and exhaled, trying her best to not stare at him as they drove the short distance to The Shot. Being worried about her car had not occurred to her during the night. Who had time to think about a car while being entertained by Genonese?
The Lincoln was exactly where she’d parked it with all four wheels still attached. Don pulled up beside it and stopped. She looked at her watch and took a deep breath when she realized they had fifteen minutes to get to the school.
“I think we can make it using the side streets.” She hopped out of his car and unlocked the driver’s side door of her sedan. She pointed down the street. “Don’t try to break ranks and go somewhere else.” His expression of shock made her laugh.
“I’ll be on your ass all the way, just like always.” He revved the engine and grinned, waiting for her to take off.
Carmen chose
Brookside Boulevard
, the fastest, straightest route, glancing back occasionally to see Don following closely. Worry about what she’d say to the kids began to nag at her confidence. Never having been around small children much, she began to panic.
They’re going to hate you, Carmen. Suck it up and rely on Don to be your point man. He’s probably good with kids.
* * * *
Don strode inside the limestone and red-brick schoolhouse behind Carmen, feasting on the feminine swish of her hips. She wouldn’t look boyish if she’d been wearing a pair of coveralls.
He’d never seen her so animated as she smiled at Mrs. Grady, the tired-looking Principal walking them to the third graders’ room. The place smelled like white paste, floor wax and books, a scent you never forgot.
Mrs. Grady opened the door to the room and gestured for him to join them. “In here, Captain Redstone.”
Don wasn’t worried about what would happen. Hell, he had twelve nieces and nephews and more on the way. Kids were little animals who made noise and left piles everywhere they went. They did what came naturally, and it didn’t bother him.
Carmen turned to look at him, her lower lip caught in her teeth. He brushed his hand over her back, leaning close to reassure her. “You can take them, Carm.”
He hadn’t looked the class over until he stepped away from Carmen to give her the floor. Lord, what a bunch of future little bandits and speeders.
After Mrs. Grady’s introduction, Carmen went into her spiel, looking like a cop should look. Clean and serious.
“I’m Captain Redstone with the Kansas City Police department.” She smiled as the twenty-six kids yelled back their monotone greeting to her. “I won’t bore you with a long list of reasons why I chose to become a police officer. I’d rather answer your questions.”
Don laughed under his breath as the twenty-six pairs of eyes wandered around the room. The little brats were probably thinking of everything but conversation. Carmen moved out to the first row, looking at the kids with interest. She spoke to the biggest boy in the room, seated in a prominent position, probably to allow the teacher to keep an eye on him.
“You probably like football.” Carmen held her hand out, shaking the kid’s hand with no fear of the grime under his nails.
He grinned and nodded. “Yeah, me and my dad play when he comes over.” He ducked his head and blushed.
Carmen glanced over her shoulder, seeking Don out, and he smiled his approval of her technique. She had a way with kids and didn’t even know it.
Tentative in the beginning, she gained confidence, going from desk to desk to speak to the kids, one on one. Don leaned against the wall map to listen when she answered the questions the class asked.
“How’d a girl get to be a captain?” The football player tried to sound sarcastic with a swagger in his tone.
“I worked very hard, followed rules and thought about the rest of my squad.” She pointed to her shield. “You earn these with honesty and caring about people.”
Don had never heard Carmen talk about her job with such pride. He’d fallen for a beautiful, charming and loving woman. His personal admiration was interrupted by a tiny voice coming from a back row.
“Ma’am.” A small, blonde girl shyly held up her hand, looking straight ahead as she spoke. “I want you to arrest Billy.”
Carmen’s attention riveted on the little girl with uncombed hair and huge blue eyes. “What’s your name, honey?”
“Amy.”
Don didn’t miss the stiffening of Carmen’s back as she moved between the desks to speak with the child. She’d sensed a problem in the girl’s life. “Why do you want me to arrest Billy?”
“He hits me and pulls my hair.”
A moment of concern hit Don in the gut. Carmen’s cheeks pinked noticeably as she patted the girl’s hand. “Is Billy here today?”
Mrs. Grady glanced at Don with a hint of worry in her eyes. She’d heard the stern authority in Carmen’s voice, too. He tried to make eye contact with Carmen before she ripped into the kid.
Too late. The girl pointed to the redheaded, freckle-faced boy in the desk next to her. “That’s him.”
Instead of Carmen reaming the boy a new asshole like he’d expected her to do, she went to the front of the quiet room. She paced in front of the group several times before speaking to the class. “Sometimes, Amy, boys think hitting a girl shows their affection for that girl.” Carmen clasped her hands behind her back, making her point without raising her voice. “What boys don’t realize is how much stronger they are than girls. It doesn’t show affection, it shows lack of consideration and it is wrong. Men do not hit women. Ever, Billy.”
To his surprise, Billy, the hood in question nodded and apologized to Amy. Hell, it had to be love.
Waiting for her turn, Amy shyly approached Carmen and hugged her around the waist.
Don’s heart pounded with tenderness while Carmen embraced the little girl and stroked her hair. She straightened the belt holding up Amy’s threadbare jeans and teased her into a laugh.
The woman scored a mega hit, with the kids all hugging her before filing out of the room and heading for the lunchroom.
When she had finished talking with Mrs. Grady, Carmen met his gaze and smiled, a flush on her cheeks.
He knew at that moment, nothing could change his feelings for Carmen.
Forever in love with Carmen, that’s you Genonese.
Chapter Twelve
Carmen hated leaving Don after the wonderful morning they’d shared, but if she stayed with him, she’d never get to work on time.
She remembered to get her mail from the hall mailbox, waiting until she was inside her apartment before looking at the handful of bills and flyers. A folded piece of yellow paper caught her eye as it fell to the floor.
Reaching for it, she scowled at the grease spot on the paper. The kids down the hall must be putting things in mail boxes again. She tossed the scrap of paper onto the hall table and unbuckled her gun belt. Walking toward her bedroom, Carmen unbuttoned her uniform shirt and unzipped the trousers she no longer found so distasteful.
She had time to catch a nap and still get to the station on time. The sight of the half made bed didn’t bother her. Don had slept there last night, and she happily lay down on his side, hugging his pillow, inhaling his scent.
Drifting off into a comfortable drowse, she paid little attention to the thumping against the outside wall. Her peaceful afternoon instantly ruptured by the sound of her car alarm blaring.
This was the second time in a week someone had set the thing off. She groaned and got up to hit the cancel button on her key pad. A look out the front window revealed exactly what she expected. Nothing.
Her yawn instantly stifled as she walked by the front door. Another yellow note had been shoved under the door. This time she picked it up.
She read the illegible written words several times. You been warned bitch. Yur dead.
Carmen had been called worse things and threatened, but never had the threat come into her home. She read the insane note again, torn between anger and worry. Who would dare come to her home, and how the hell did they know where she lived? If it had come from a previous arrest, which one?
She picked up the phone and hit Don’s number, staring at the offensive scrap in her fingers.
When he answered his phone, he sounded sleepy. “Hi, sweet Carmen.” He must have been resting well. His muffled groan made her wince with guilt. She knew firsthand how hard it was for cops to get enough sleep. “Can’t get enough of me, huh?”
She exhaled, wishing she hadn’t called him. “I may have a problem.”
“I’ll be right there.” The sounds from his end of the connection told her he had gotten out of bed and was getting dressed. “Do you need a squad car?”
“No, I’m not sure it’s even a problem. Yet.”
After she hung up the phone, Carmen checked the doors and waited for Don. In her head, she ran a memory file of arrests she’d made in the last few months. They’d all made threats and screamed lawsuit. Nothing ever came of any of them. She finally decided she worried for nothing. Lots of kids around the area knew she was cop and probably thought it would be a cool joke to play on her.
She’d taken a shower and dressed in a white pants suit by the time Don arrived. He seemed anxious, scanning the apartment when she let him in.
“What’s going on, Carm?”
“Maybe nothing.” She loved being in his arms, being hugged close to his strong body. She may be a cop, but she was still a woman.
“Has to be something, or you wouldn’t have called.” He kissed her and gazed into her eyes.
“Just a series of silly stuff.” She put all the little odd things into prospective and realized they weren’t silly.
She picked up the greasy note and handed it to him, watching his normal, easy going expression freeze into anger. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen.
“We’re treating this as a threat against you.” He looked out the small window over the sink and closed the café curtains. “Get your purse and a couple changes of clothes.”
“What?” She finally comprehended the meaning of his words. “Don. I’m not running from my home because of some coward’s scribbling.”
“Don’t get stubborn on me, Carm.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t mind sharing my sheets with you.”
“Don’t try to sweet talk me, Genonese.” Her desire for independence wouldn’t be taken down by this threat. “I love that you would share your home with me, but I’m a big girl.”
“Redstone, you’re a stubborn woman, but I think I know best this time.” He jiggled her several times to get her attention. “I’ll be worried about you and won’t be able to do my job. You don’t won’t that on your conscience, do you?”
“I’m going to work, and so are you.” She poured two cups of leftover breakfast coffee into mugs and set them in the microwave. “I’ll do a search of the files and see if anything comes up. Okay?”
He shook his head and took the mug she handed him. “You know best, but don’t think I will forget this.”
“Oh, I know you won’t.” She dumped the coffee in the carafe into the sink. “Thank you for coming over. I’m okay now.”
“Take this seriously, Carmen.” He rinsed his cup and gazed steadily at her. “It has all the stink of someone wanting to get even.”
Before he left, Carmen was aware of Don’s looking at her window locks and deadbolt on her door. He wasn’t stealthy enough to fool her. His concern warmed her heart, and she knew why she loved him.
Alone, Carmen went through the apartment to satisfy herself that the place had been locked tight. She left for work, knowing there would be little time for personal problems once she walked in the door.
With twenty minutes to fill before the new shift arrived, Carmen closed the door to her office and sat at her desk. She ran a checklist on her prior arrests made in the past year and took notes of the most sinister threats thrown at her. Filthy names didn’t count.
None of them proved to be likely suspects, and most of them were serving sentences. She’d never worried about empty threats made in anger from the garbage. They were pissed because they’d been caught, nothing personal.
What a job, and you asked for it.
She sat up straight when her door opened and Gentry stepped into her office. “What can I do for you, Detective?”
He glanced at the screen of her computer. “Busy?” He sat in the chair in front of her desk. “Gotta say, Captain. You’ve cleaned this place up nice.”
Carmen hadn’t been fooled by his tea time conversation. He wanted something.
“Yeah, I’m a real homemaker.” She closed out the screen on her computer. “What is it? A gripe from the ranks?”
“Not out loud.” He laughed and straightened his flower-patterned tie. “I thought maybe you’d like company tonight on your rounds.”
“Don put you up to this, didn’t he?”
“Who?”
“You don’t play stupid very well, Gentry.” Carmen leaned across her desk to look him in the eye. “I don’t need a babysitter.” She looked up to see sergeant Rosen standing in the doorway. “Sergeant. I’ll be out before the officers go on patrol.”
“Well, that’s not exactly what I wanted to see you about, Captain.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “There’s something you need to see in the men’s public restroom.”
“Okay.” She didn’t find it amusing as Gentry apparently did. She stood and followed
Sergeant Rosen to the hall leading to the restrooms.
“I hate to ask you to come in here, but it’s important.” He went in first and opened the last stall door. “In here, ma’am.”
Gentry followed close on her heels and leaned over her shoulder to read the magic marker graffiti. “Son-of-a-bitch.” He scrubbed his hand over his mouth before apologizing. “Sorry, Captain.”
She waved her hand to dismiss the apology. The crude drawing of a woman with a penis in her mouth didn’t startle her. The name under it did. Captun Hore Redstone, blazed out at her in printed bold letters, underlined. An arrow pointed from the drawing’s mouth to her name.
Inhaling a shaky breath, she crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s plain enough.”
“We’ll get that cleaned off pronto.” Sergeant Rosen was visibly angry, his dark eyes narrowed and words clipped as he added. “Sorry that happened.”
“Don’t you people watch who comes and goes in this place?” Gentry glared at sergeant Rosen.
“I just came on duty, Detective.” Rosen glared back at the man who’d insulted his competence. “We can’t lead all of the crazies by the hand.”
Carmen ended the short confrontation. “No one’s to blame. Sergeant Rosen is right, and I don’t want this to go any further. Okay?”
“Well, we need to pick up all the freaks in the city and squeeze what we need out of them.”
The sergeant rubbed his jaw and nodded. “It’s somebody that knows your routine and where you work. Some degenerate that could hurt you, Captain.”
She tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sigh. “Stop worrying about this. I think it’s a kid. An adult would have already come after me.”
“Freaks like to taunt first.” Gentry pointed to the offensive drawing. “It’s somebody with zero IQ, which makes him even more dangerous.”
“Let’s go.” She turned and headed off to let the evening patrol know she was around. She waited until the sergeant was out of earshot before cautioning Gentry. “Don’t make too big a deal out of this, and don’t make any special report to Genonese. He has enough to worry about.”
“He’s not going to take it worth a damn when he does find out.”