by Jet MacLeod
“Goodnight, Mrs. O’Shea, Padrick. I’ll call you in the morning about the fees and contracts. Thank you again for dinner,” Reagan said, edging from the table and the emotions that were about to explode in front of her.
“Now wait here, just a minute. This is my house! You will all do as I say,” Padrick started ranting.
“Goodnight, Dadda,” Grace said, and gave Reagan a gentle push to the door, “Goodnight, Mum. I’ll call you, later, I promise.”
Grace pushed Reagan out the front door and to her car before Reagan could protest.
“Don’t let him get to you,” she told Reagan.
“I wasn’t.”
“You did. He will. I know,” Grace said.
“But?”
“Don’t thank me. I was just trying to leave. I don’t know what you have going on with my father, but be careful. He is an odd man with a hell of a sense for business. He will eat you alive if you let him. He is like a ravenous dog that just got a sniff of meat when it comes to business. He’ll help you until he has you where he wants you and then he pulls you into his fold.”
“Don’t have to worry about that. I’ve already paid my debts back to him. I don’t owe him anything. I work under contract through my firm for him.”
“Well, then, when the contract expires, run. Run as fast as you can away from him. Don’t let him sucker you into another one. He will slowly own you that way. He will make your business his and there will be nothing that you can do about it,” Grace said.
“He can’t because he already sold it to me. It is mine. It bears my name. Everything in it is mine. The only way he could do that is to trash me and make me lose contracts.”
“If he thinks that it will help him, he’ll do it. I am warning you, Reagan. Stay away from my family. It is bad for your business.”
“Is this because of what happened at the bar that night? Is that what this is all about? Are you still only thinking of yourself, you spoiled bitch?” Reagan asked with ire.
“No, this has nothing to do with that night. I am still upset with you about calling my parents but this is business, not personal. Trust me, Reagan. Get out while you can,” Grace said and then got in her truck.
Reagan stood there dumbfounded. She couldn’t believe what Grace had just told her. She didn’t want to believe it. She decided that she would research all of the companies in O’Shea Industries, Inc. in the morning. She had enough for one evening and went home.
Grace was upset with herself. She had told lies about her father to Reagan to get back at both of them. She knew that her father’s dealings in business had always been legit. She knew, too, that they would look bad to Reagan if she decided to do any research on them anywhere down the road.
Grace decided to let it go. She was tired of being angry with everyone. She needed to prepare for the next day in court. She went home and decided to relax in the Jacuzzi on her back patio. She knew that it would make all the stress of dinner disappear.
Chapter Seven
Grace was happy to be home. The trial had taken longer than she thought it would. She hated testifying but she knew that it was a necessary evil to police work. She was always rewarded for her hard work with a conviction. She was glad for the one she got today. She was extremely happy that he would be behind bars for a long time. Gracie was always happy when she could mentally hear the bars of a prison cell clink to in front of a pedophile.
Gracie immediately went upstairs to change. She was happy to be out of her “power suit.” She turned the tub on for an extremely warm bath. She wanted to relax because she knew that tomorrow held a new case, a new victim and a new sex offender for her to deal with. Tonight, she just wanted to let the worries of work melt away. Tomorrow, she would become Lieutenant O’Shea of the Special Victims Unit. Tonight, she was just Grace.
She finished her bath and decided to go out. It had been over a month and she felt that she was ready to face the public again. She went to her closet and tore through it. She finally decided on a pair of Wrangler boot cut jeans and black polo shirt. She glanced at herself in the mirror before she grabbed her black cowboy boots and black leather belt with her “G” belt buckle. After Grace finished dressing, she grabbed her wallet and a black and maroon Carolina Gamecocks ball cap. She didn’t feel like fixing her hair so the cap was her solution.
On her way down the stairs, she heard her dog Max begin to whine. She detoured her route from out the front door to the kitchen to feed her little tan Chihuahua. When she placed his food bowl on the kitchen floor, Max wen tearing ass to the front door. Gracie knew immediately there was someone at the door.
“Who needs a door bell with Max?” she thought to herself.
“Alright, alright, I’m going. I’m going,” Gracie said to the dog.
When she got to the front door, Grace scooped up Max to try and calm him. He jumped right out of her arms as soon as she opened the door. She was about to catch him when she saw Reagan standing in front of her. Max took a few steps back and began to bark in earnest at her.
“Back, I say. Back! Back, you hound of hell,” Grace yelled at the dog.
“Cute dog,” Reagan said.
Grace bent over and picked him up, again. He struggled but didn’t get loose this time. Grace looked over at Reagan.
“What’s wrong?”
“I think someone tried to break into my house,” Reagan said.
“You think?”
“Well, it sure as hell sounded like it.”
“You’re home when it happened?”
“Yeah,” Reagan said.
“And, you didn’t call the cops because?”
“You’re right here.”
“And, if I wasn’t?” Grace asked.
“I’d’ve called the cops.”
“Okay, so let’s pretend I’m not here, then, shall we?”
“Grace! What about your duty to serve and protect?”
“It turned off about an hour ago.”
“I should have known. You haven’t changed. You haven’t changed at all. You are still that stuck up bitch rich kid from high school.”
“Now, wait a minute. You screwed me and now I’m returning the favor. Thank you for the visit, now, goodnight,” Grace said.
“You really aren’t going to help me?” Reagan asked.
“Umm…no.”
“You really are something.”
“Why thank you.”
“Gracie, come on.”
“Come on, what?” Gracie asked, angrily.
“Are you going to check out my house?” Reagan asked.
“Are you going to leave anytime soon?”
“No, I am not leaving until you tell me that you are going over there and check it out for me,” Reagan said.
“Fine.”
“Thank you,” Reagan said in exasperation.
Grace moved out of the door way. Reagan followed her into the house much to Max’s dismay. Grace shushed the dog and made her way to the closet right inside the kitchen. Reagan couldn’t believe how big the kitchen was. She watched Grace open the closet and pull out her police bag. Grace rummaged through the bag and dug out her service Glock and a big five “D” cell Maglite flashlight. She grabbed a chained badge and put it around her neck.
“Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll be right back. Got me?”
“Got it.”
“Oh, yeah, and lock the door,” Grace said.
Reagan shook her head in affirmation. Grace took a hold of her weapon and flashlight in a searching stance and made her way out the door. Reagan shut the door behind Grace and locked it.
Grace made her way into Reagan’s house. She came at it from the back. The door had been pried open. When Grace saw this, she wished that she’d her radio to call it in to the station.
She raised her weapon in her right hand and placed her left wrist, while gripping the flashlight, under her right wrist supporting it. Grace slowed her breathing and began to clear the house. She slowly made her way from room t
o room. She found nothing. Grace made her way back into Reagan’s kitchen and dialed 911.
“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?” the operator asked.
“This is Lieutenant Grace O’Shea of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office, badge number 4681. I need CSU and a unit sent to this address. There has been a break in,” Grace said.
“Yes, ma’am. I’ve sent a message to dispatch. A car should be arriving soon. Is everyone safe?” the operator asked.
“Yes, can you patch me through to the patrol car, please?”
“Yes, ma’am, hold one. Romeo six five, this is control, over.”
“Go ahead, control, this is Romeo six five,” an officer said over the phone line.
“Romeo six five, Lieutenant Grace O’Shea is on the scene. I’m patching you through to her, now.”
“Go ahead, Control.”
“Go ahead, lieutenant, you are patched. Call back if you need anything. Goodnight,” the operator said ringing off.
“Whom am I speaking with?” Grace asked the officer on the line.
“I am Sheriff’s Deputy Walker Rollins.”
“How soon will you be here?”
“About five minutes, Lieutenant,” Deputy Rollins said.
“Hurry up. And CSU, how long on CSU?”
“They’re gearing up. It will probably be around ten to fifteen before they show up. I have a basic crime scene kit in my car, though.”
“Good, hurry up. I want to go to bed sometime tonight.”
When CSU showed up at the scene, Grace turned everything over to the CSU head agent and Deputy Rollins. She was tired and didn’t want to stay there any longer. Grace told the deputy that she would give her statement to her captain in the morning and she would pass it on to the proper detective within interoffice mail. She would also pass along any information she obtained from Reagan and would have Reagan come in to make her statement. This seemed to pacify them so Grace left.
Grace walked into her den through her back door, courtesy of her key. She found Reagan sleeping on her couch. Grace had to fight every idea that she had to kick Reagan out. She resisted the urge to wake her as well.
Grace knew that it would be wrong. She also knew that CSU and the deputies would take their time processing the house and its surrounding areas. She doubted that Reagan would feel safe in her own home, now, well at least for the rest of the night. Grace decided to leave Reagan sleeping on the couch. Grace was upset about her decision but she decided she’d deal with it.
Grace put her weapon and flashlight away. She made her way into the kitchen and got herself a beer, knowing that she wouldn’t be going out tonight as planned. She twisted the cap off and took a sip. Grace walked back into her living room and sat in her EZ chair.
She looked over at Reagan and suddenly felt a need to protect her. Grace shook the thought from her head because she didn’t want to get involved with Reagan. Grace was still angry with Reagan and didn’t want to forgive her. She knew that she would eventually, but she didn’t want it to be tonight.
Reagan began to stir on the couch. Grace had to confront her thoughts about kicking Reagan out. Grace decided that Reagan had been through enough tonight without Grace being rude. She decided, once again, to let Reagan spend the night. Grace was still trying to decide where she was going to let Reagan sleep. She wasn’t sure if she’d put Reagan in the spare bedroom or leave her on the couch.
“Sorry…oh…,” Reagan said, waking.
“Don’t worry about it,” Grace said.
“Find anything?”
“No, but CSU is processing your house still.”
“Processing?”
“Yeah, they are searching it for evidence,” Grace said.
“Oh, well, do you believe me?” Reagan asked, point blank.
“I believe that you were scared by something, but I didn’t find anything in the house to tell me why someone tried to get in. I do believe that someone did jimmy open the door. I am going to take you downtown to give my captain, Danica Wannamaker, your statement about what happened. I need to go, as well,” Grace said.
“Tomorrow?” Reagan asked, absent-mindedly and quietly.
“Don’t worry about it. You can stay here tonight and after we finish giving our statements with Danica, we’ll check out your house. I don’t think that you’d sleep very well there tonight, anyway.”
“Thank you. I am sorry I’m being such a bother, but I was scared. I didn’t know what else to do. I mean I knew you were a cop, so I came here. I am sorry if I ruined your evening,” Reagan said.
“Don’t worry, you didn’t. Work did earlier today,” Grace said lying and then said, “Forget it, okay?”
Grace’s cell phone rang and she looked at the caller ID. It was Danica. She shook her head, knowing that work had just ruined her night even more.
“Yeah, Cap, what’s up?...Uh huh…yeah…I’m on the way. Don’t worry about it,” Grace said.
“Work?”
“Yeah, I gotta go. Do me a favor. Stay here. Stay put and lock up. I’ll turn the alarm system on. Here,” Grace said handing Reagan a small pistol.
“What am I supposed to do with this?”
“Protect yourself if you burglar decides to try my place. I’ll be back before morning. Try and get some sleep, okay? Don’t worry about me. You’ll be safe here.”
“If you say so,” Reagan said.
“I do,” Grace said and then left.
Chapter Eight
Grace sat back in the chair on her boat and looked out over the water.
“Nice day for fishin’, ain’t it?” her partner “Frenchy” asked.
“If you fish, which I don’t. It is the perfect day to relax, to forget about all the horrors of the job. It is a great day to be me without having to be a cop. I love that.”
“If you hate being a cop, then why be one?” he asked.
“That is just it, Frenchy; I don’t hate being a cop. I love catching the bad guys. I hate having to deal with the victims. Sometimes, I wish I had stayed in homicide back in Atlanta,” Grace said.
“Why’s that?”
“At least then the victims were dead.”
“True, you know the burn out rate for SVU detectives is around five years. Not many make it past that.”
“Well ask me again in five years if I hate my job,” Grace said.
“I’ll do that that if I am still here with you,” Frenchy told her.
“But back to relaxing. Today is a lovely day. So, where’s the family?”
“Little ones had school and Marsha doesn’t like the water.”
“Doesn’t like the water? How come? Something happen?” Grace asked.
“Yeah, the preacher held her under too long at her baptism. She said it gave her a new appreciation for God. She says that she can serve him perfectly fine without ever having to go back into the water. It sucks though. She could have been a swimming champion.”
“Why you say that?” Gracie asked.
“She ribboned and medaled every summer and then she gave it up after the baptism. She told me once while we were at a swim meet for the kids that all she could think about when she saw the water was her almost drowning as a child,” Frenchy said.
“Damn, that must be hard with Jake being the all City Champ, huh?”
“It has its moments.”
“I am sure,” Grace said.
They both lounged in the back of the boat, letting the lake breeze blow through their hair. Grace was happy that she didn’t have to deal with the realities and horrors that come from her job. She had to admit that she spent her days off trying to act like a spoiled rich kid, again. Then she could forget the evil that she’d seen.
“Gracie?’
“Yeah, Frenchy?”
“You still upset about last night?”
“Yeah, man, it was a little freaky,” Grace said, honestly.
“I know.”
“Let’s not talk about it, ‘k? I don’t want to remember th
e sound of the gun or the look on that little girl’s face. It was too much. Too much, I tell you.”
“I know,” French said, “I’ve made an appointment with Suzie.”
“The shrink?”
“Yeah, I mean I can handle death. I can handle the cases, you know? But, I am having a hard time dealing with what the Sonuvabitch did.”
“Gotcha,” Grace answered.
She had to admit that she was having trouble dealing with it, too, but she hated shrinks far more than she did her job or rather the evils of her job. She wondered if she’d ever break down enough to go see Suzie. She knew it would not be held against her if she did, but she lived with the cop mentality that going to a shrink showed weakness. And as a woman, she was not about to have that part of her record or police station talk. She’d fought hard for her position and she wasn’t about to let it go.
“I mean I won’t say anything if you do,” French said.
“I’m sure you wouldn’t, Frenchy. I mean I have my own way of dealing with things. I am not without a way to find a release to my anger and rage. That is why I have my own personal gym and very big punching bag,” Grace said.
“That may work sometimes, Gracie, but sometimes you need someone else. You know someone to talk to, someone to help you grasp a hold of your sanity, someone to make sure that you yourself weren’t broken. Eventually, we all do, even the best of us.”
“You may be right, Frenchy, but that day is not today for me.”
“I didn’t say that it was. I was just saying…ah, never mind.”
“Today is just for relaxing, Frenchy. Let it go. Just relax.”
Reagan sat in her office working over a bunch of contracts. She was tired and she felt relieved that she hadn’t been with Catherine. Reagan was glad that Catherine was safe. She was thinking over the events of the night before. Reagan was still upset about it.
She looked at her watch. It was a little after two. Reagan began to wonder when Grace O’Shea as going to pick her up so they could go to the station to give their statements. She was sure what she was going to say. She’d been through giving statements with the police before. She just wasn’t sure how she was going to get through it. Reagan knew that she shouldn’t be that worried about it. It was just a “B and E.” It wasn’t some horrible rape.