Jordan hesitated, but didn’t try to stop her.
* * * *
“He was…odd, to say the least. Not impulsively violent. He must have been planning for a while, and that’s why I’m sure there was another guy. Ward only came in later, and I recognized his voice. From that other time.” Ellie saw Doss and Jordan exchange a look. She had handed over her notes from the hospital with as much detail as her mind could produce, and tried to sound calm and professional. They had no reason to doubt her perception—she wasn’t just any kidnap victim, she was a police officer, and for most of the time, she had been awake and aware. Her life hadn’t been threatened except for that one time and…Ward was dead. She didn’t have to think about him anymore.
“Anyway, this guy didn’t even flinch when I threw food at him, just went to get a rag and a brush to clean it up. He only drugged me after I’d hit him in the face. He almost reminded me of that case, I’m sure you looked into that, those brothers. They weren’t violent per se, but wanted to get back at the other guy. This one was different, I believe he didn’t choose me randomly. After all, the jerk knew I was supposed to go on a vacation. It didn’t seem…sexual.” Ellie sensed that the two women listening to her almost felt the same kind of relief at this assessment. Ward hadn’t been that harmless. Ward was dead. She couldn’t repeat it often enough in her mind.
“Ellie, we’ve turned the apartment upside down,” Maria Doss said, her expression serious. “It was rented in Ward’s name, the computer belonged to him as well. We found the cell phone he used to send you texts from, a file on you, information about your schedule, what you were doing after work, et cetera. Photos. They’re still processing the prints, but so far, we haven’t found any proof that there was even another person in there other than you and Ward.”
“No, that’s not possible.” Ellie shook her head, vehemently, to underline her protest. “He’s still out there. He might not have been violent this time, but what if he tries again? It might not even be me, and at some point, he could snap. We’ve got to keep looking.”
“We checked Mercer’s alibi,” Jordan said. “What about Branson?” she asked Maria. “I can’t believe this guy keeps slipping through our fingers.”
“We can’t tie him to this case,” Maria answered. “He admitted providing the car for Ward, that’s all. He wasn’t supposed to ask any questions, and he didn’t.”
“I don’t believe that,” Jordan said.
“I don’t know what he knew, but he wasn’t the other guy in the apartment.” Ellie remembered Tucker Branson, his voice, the threats he made in court. One of her first arrests, she had felt proud when the case came to court, not so much after he screamed about how much she’d regret it. She didn’t want to imagine how he would have reacted, had she thrown eggs and coffee at him. “He’s violent. If it had been him, I might not be sitting here. You have the car, don’t you? The guy has to have taken off those damn gloves at some point. He made eggs one time. You looked at Ward’s rap sheet? He didn’t care whether I had anything to eat or not.”
“Okay. As soon as we find something, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Believe me, there was someone else, and it was not Branson. I know that guy. He gave me a pretty good scare back then.”
“We will find him,” Jordan said, but all of a sudden, Ellie wasn’t so sure.
It wasn’t fair. After finally identifying the perp who had attacked her months ago and almost did it again in the mystery man’s apartment, she should have some peace.
“Excuse me,” she said, “is this all? I would like to talk to Kate for a moment.”
“Yes, sure. We’ll keep you informed.”
Ellie couldn’t make much sense of the look Maria cast at Kate standing on the other side of the room with Henderson. She just wanted to exchange a few words with her friend, make sure she knew everything was okay.
During the few seconds it took her to walk over to them, Kate and Derek had ended their conversation, and he greeted Ellie briefly before heading to his desk, where he picked up a file and left.
Kate embraced her. “I’m so happy to see you here. You’re coming back to work already?”
“Tomorrow,” Ellie said, determined. “Friday at the latest, depending on how soon I can clear it with the doctor. Hell, I’m a little banged up from falling down a few steps. I don’t need to sit at home, especially when the guy is still out there.” She saw Kate’s eyes widen. “Not Ward, obviously. There was someone else.”
“Are you sure? I mean…I’m willing to admit, I’d be scared out of my mind.”
It wasn’t something Ellie wanted to hear. “You do what you have to do, there’s not much else to it. I’m really sorry,” she hurried to add. “It’s nothing in comparison.”
Kate sighed. “Take good care of yourself, okay? I’d really like to talk sometime soon. Maybe we could hang out for a bit on the weekend?”
“I could meet you later tonight. We might be at the Code 7.”
“Really? Shouldn’t you…?”
“Like I said, I’ll clear it with the doctor. I’m fine.” Kate looked doubtful, but she didn’t protest. “Find me that guy. Then I’ll be even better.”
Ellie spent the rest of the day keeping busy, longer than she’d hoped at the doctor’s office—hers was no emergency after all, only in her eyes, it was. She had seen the doubt in her colleagues’ eyes, and she would have none of that.
She could see him clearly in her mind, the dark clothes, the mask, hear his pathetic attempt at altering his voice, then faltering. Not Ward.
She went back to the moment she’d come out of the bathroom, slamming her cuffed hands in his face. That must have hurt. He must have some marks, and she’d written it down in the notes and told Doss. Ward’s face had sported the gash from the tab, but nothing else.
That man wasn’t a ghost, he had to be in hiding somewhere—and he’d been clever enough to rent the apartment for the purpose of her abduction in Ward’s name.
To her chagrin, her doctor insisted on at least another couple of sick days, and she still had to schedule an appointment with the department shrink.
Ellie was frustrated and offended by the red tape that kept her from carrying on with her life. After all, it was nothing like getting on the radar of a serial killer. Jordan still had a lot on her plate, dealing with the aftermath of that case, the revelations about her birthparents, and the way her relationship with Bethany ended.
Right—this wasn’t such a good moment to ask if Ellie could move in, because she hated her apartment. She’d be patient. It had paid off before.
She made a call to both Jordan and Kate, telling them to meet her at the bar later.
Just a few more days. And maybe a few more nights would convince Jordan that they were compatible in close quarters as well.
* * * *
On the bright side, Ellie had managed to avoid the apartment for most of the day. With a sigh, she unlocked the door and stepped inside, taking a few deep breaths. It was over. She wouldn’t break down crying. All she wanted for the moment was to get some clothes, go take a shower at Jordan’s house and chase the memories from her mind, spend an evening among friends.
Friends who had been through worse. She still wondered what Kate’s cryptic words might have meant, but she felt too tired and dispirited herself to try and solve the mystery. Kate would tell her later.
She grabbed a few clothes from the closet, underwear, a couple pairs of shoes, halting halfway through her actions. She hoped Jordan wouldn’t misinterpret the fact that Ellie simply needed a little time away from this place so she could eventually come back, clean it up and do the best she could to get the hell out of here. It was only normal. She’d never liked it so much to begin with. Who could blame her if it didn’t feel safe to her any longer?
Ellie was glad when she closed the door behind her once again. She took the elevator down to the lobby and left the building, halting abruptly halfway to her car. A drop of sweat was
sneaking down her spine as she tried to shake the feeling of being watched. She turned into all directions, but there was only the neighbor from across the street, pushing her baby in a stroller. She waved.
Hesitantly, Ellie raised her hand, waving back. She turned to look back at the building, but couldn’t detect anyone lurking behind windows.
So she was a bit overly careful—perfectly normal. It would go away with time.
* * * *
Kate was already there when she walked through the door of the Code 7. Ellie took a deep breath, relieved to be back in a space that had only ever been associated with mostly good experiences, friends, laughter, coming together to grieve with people she could trust. And, let’s not forget, the incredibly hot encounter in the bathroom stall that no one but Ellie and Jordan should ever know about.
She could feel her body relax, and the crazy past days fell away as if they were nothing but a bad dream. That’s how Ellie would treat it. All else wouldn’t serve her. She ordered a beer at the bar and then went to join her friend who looked like she hadn’t slept in days.
When would she be able to stop reassuring people that everything was fine?
“Hey,” Ellie said and took a seat across from her. Jordan wasn’t there yet. “What did you want to talk about?”
Kate shrugged. “Everything and nothing. I’m not sure I should bother you with this. You’ve been through a horrible time.”
“Oh, come on.” Ellie laughed a little, noticing Kate’s uncomfortable demeanor. “It was boring and annoying for most of the time, and it certainly screwed up my vacation plans. Horrible…I think some of us have been through horrible things, but those were petty, small-time criminals. I just hope we’ll have the other one behind bars soon.”
“You are certain that there was someone else,” Kate observed. “I hear there’s no proof of anyone other than Ward?”
“They’re going to find proof, I am sure. Now, let’s talk about you, okay?”
“I’m afraid there isn’t much to say you don’t already know. I was worried sick about you. Jensen…I miss him…” She choked up at that, making Ellie think she’d been right about assuming she wasn’t the one who had it worst. No innocent people had died in the course of her abduction. As for Ward, she couldn’t muster much sympathy for him. She’d run into bad luck, which, in Ellie’s opinion, was a far cry from Kate’s situation. Or Jordan’s.
“Oh Ellie, I screwed up. Badly.”
“No. You did nothing wrong. You couldn’t have…”
“Hey there! Ellie, I didn’t expect you here tonight, but it’s great to see you,” Libby Marshall greeted her. She was accompanied by another officer she’d been dating for some time, and shortly after him, Jordan entered the bar.
Ellie cast Kate a quick look. “It’s okay,” Kate said, though her smile looked a bit forced. “Go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. I assume Libby and Matt will keep me company.”
“That’s the plan,” Libby confirmed, taking a seat on a barstool. “Good to have you back, Ellie.”
“It’s good to be back. See you later.”
Jordan hugged her in greeting. It was a relief to be able to stay in her embrace for a moment and not have to worry about who knew. No more hiding. She caught the guy behind the bar regarding them thoughtfully, or maybe he was just staring into nothing. The owner’s son. He helped out with the bar, but hardly ever talked to patrons except taking their orders.
Ellie and Jordan found a table.
“I’ve been waiting for Doss’s call, but nothing to far. Is there anything new?”
“I’m afraid not,” Jordan said.
“What does that mean? Is it her theory that I wasn’t thinking clearly? Or yours?” That would be infinitely worse. If Doss thought Ellie had made up the second man because of stress, it wasn’t good either.
Jordan raised her hands. “Relax, it’s not what I believe. It’s entirely possible that someone set up Ward to be the main suspect. We’re looking into Ward’s connections, but no such luck so far. He used to have money, but didn’t for many years. The people he hung out with don’t rent in that neighborhood.”
“So the other guy, he has a bit of money available, a plan, and he needs a scapegoat. How does he find Ward? Someone’s not only been watching me, but they might have been aware of cases I worked. How is that possible? There are only certain people who have access to that information, or could easily get it.”
“You’re not saying what I think you’re saying.”
Ellie shrugged, frustrated with the lack of progress. The man in the apartment hadn’t struck her as extraordinarily intelligent, someone who could escape the police for a long time. It was impossible that he had left no traces.
“I don’t know. Maybe. It does make sense though.”
“What about Rhonda? Did you know she had an ex hanging around? A guy?”
“Okay, that’s news to me like most things about Rhonda, but then again, she just disappeared on me. I don’t think she ever wasted a thought on wanting me back.” Thinking about Rhonda brought back her present dilemma immediately. “I hope you don’t mind I invited myself to your place for a few days…You know I still have to clean up my apartment, and after that I want to look for something new. Actually I wanted to do that months ago, so now’s the time.”
Ellie held her breath. Ball’s in your court. All the clichés she’d ever heard about lesbians moving in together too soon floated through her mind, and then there was of course Jordan’s very specific situation, the recent ending of a long-term relationship, the fact that she valued her own space so highly. Ellie was aware of how much they differed in this regard. Hell, the apartment had felt big even when Rhonda still lived there.
“It’s okay. You can come stay with me for a while, until you find something new,” Jordan said, her smile belying the hint of nervousness. “I haven’t changed much since I moved in, but you know there’s enough space.”
Space, it was always an issue with Jordan. She was entitled, Ellie reminded herself.
“You don’t mind if I just sleep naked in your bed again?”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“Good. Maybe sleep isn’t all we’ll do. Now I’d really like a glass of wine.”
Jordan was quick to get up and get it for her.
* * * *
Five minutes later Jordan was almost grateful the guy behind the bar was such a klutz, getting wine all over her shirt instead of in the glass—she still wasn’t sure how he had managed that. In any case, it gave her a small reprieve and time to calm down.
This was how it had happened with Bethany, a tough case, a few drinks after work, a few dates and the next moment, a moving company was involved and they signed the lease on a condo. It had taken her nine years to get out.
The present situation was completely different, of course. She didn’t blame Ellie for wanting to finally get out of a place that carried many bad memories, especially since one of them was associated with Jonathan Darby. She knew Ellie was more aware than anyone else in her life of what significance buying her own space, living on her own for the first time in a long time, had for Jordan.
She loved Ellie. She wanted a future with her. Jordan had hoped that future would include separate living spaces for a little while longer, and somehow it made her feel like she’d done something wrong. A vacation together had seemed like a much more logical and safer step.
She couldn’t mess this up, not like she had with Bethany. No pressure.
Eventually, she stopped rubbing at the stain and decided the tank top she wore underneath was decent enough for the Code 7. She had promised Ellie her wine, time to get back in there.
When she returned, Ellie was still sitting in the same space, waiting patiently. Maybe Jordan had overreacted. Ellie could be impulsive, and Jordan loved that about her, but she was also one of the people who had been most patient with Jordan in the past few weeks, months, when everything seemed to be
falling apart.
They’d be all right.
Her cell phone rang when she finally put the glass in front of Ellie, and seeing who the caller was, Jordan sighed and excused herself.
“Darla. What’s the matter?”
The young woman had been her CI for the past couple of years. The latest case involving Jordan’s biological father TJ Pratt bore a great risk for her, and Jordan had promised to put her in touch with people who could help her make some changes in her life. She hadn’t heard from Darla since.
“Can we talk?”
“Can it wait until tomorrow? Is everything all right with the program?”
The last thing Jordan knew was that she had gone back to school and taken a cashier job in a supermarket.
“Yeah, I’m doing all right,” Darla said. “It’s not about that. I…I really need to talk, but tomorrow is fine.”
“Sure?”
“Yes, I swear.”
“Okay. I’ll meet you after my shift, in the usual place.”
“You’re still going to pay?” Darla asked, laughing, but she sounded wistful.
“Of course. See you then.”
“I was kidding. You don’t have to do that anymore. I look forward to seeing you. Bye.”
“Is she all right?”
Ellie had met Darla, in fact saved her from a ruthless criminal who had associated himself with Pratt. No, there was no reason to cozy up to Kathryn anytime soon after the many harmful decisions she’d made, including her brief affair with Pratt.
“I think so. She wants to talk. I’ll see her tomorrow. I think she stayed pretty much on track.”
Ellie shuddered, no doubt thinking about the moment they had found her.
“After what she’s been through, I’d be surprised if she didn’t. She really wanted to make this chance count. You know, you could have gone now.”
“I know, but it didn’t sound urgent…and I really want to spend time with you.”
“I like that,” Ellie said. “And don’t worry, I’m pretty easy to live with.”
Pretty easy to love, too.
* * * *
His plans were slowly taking shape, and so Danny started to feel better about himself again, less angry, when he saw them at the bar, acting as if nothing had happened, as if his actions didn’t have any weight.
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