More Than a Soldier

by Irene Onorato

  Hank locked the Jeep and joined him.

  “Thanks for coming.” The detective clasped Hank’s hand with a firm shake. “Mind if we talk over breakfast? It’s on me.”

  Hank pulled open the door. “Count me in.”

  Inside, they slid into an empty booth. A waitress set two cups on their table and filled them with coffee. She took their orders and left.

  Vargas added cream to his coffee and chinked a spoon around inside the ceramic cup. “Yesterday, I wasn’t sure whether or not I could trust you, so I did a little research on you last night.”

  “And what did you come up with?”

  “A lot, actually. I know you’re a former Army Special Forces demolition expert and that you earned a Silver Star, Purple Heart, and countless other decorations. You’ve got quite an impressive service record. I’d say it vouches for your trustworthiness.”

  Hank sipped his coffee. “Now that I’ve passed your good-guy evaluation, maybe you can tell me why you’re taking an extracurricular interest in this case, and why this clandestine meeting?”

  “Fair question. We take care of our own at the P.D., and Cindy was one of ours. Everybody in the department liked her. Me included. I’ll tell you, just so it’s out in the open, that I asked her out once. She turned me down saying our eight-year age difference was too much for her. I respected her decision and never asked again.” He smiled. “You’re a lucky guy.”

  “Not lucky enough.” He’d be luckier if Cindy would leave the past behind and take a chance on a future with him.

  Vargas pressed closer to the table. “Eric still has a few friends at the department. Likeminded rogues with no real regard for the law unless it suits them. Scuttlebutt has it they’re crying foul over me being assigned to this case, saying I’m too close, and that I have an automatic bias. They know I couldn’t stand Eric from the start, and that I had put in several requests for a new partner while we worked together.”

  “Think they’ll be successful in getting you off the case?”

  “Probably not, but it lets me know they’re going to be watching me closely and reporting to Eric.”

  “What was it you were going to say about Plunkett’s firm yesterday in the ER before the lady cop showed up to take pictures?”

  Vargas studied Hank as if deciding how far to delve into sensitive info. “I suspected from the beginning, when I got saddled with Eric for a partner, that he was getting kickbacks or hush money from Plunkett and a few other businesses in the downtown area. So, when you said Cindy worked one day for Plunkett and got fired the next, bells went off in my head. I’m not a big believer in coincidences, and throwing Cindy into the mix is beyond coincidental. How’d she get the job in the first place, and what got her fired?”

  Hank related the details surrounding Cindy’s mysterious one-day job and subsequent firing by Plunkett. He swigged his coffee. “Good thing she has an unemployment claim to fall back on until she can find another job.”

  Vargas shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that. Cindy’s unemployment claim will be denied because she was fired. I know because the same sort of thing happened to my sister earlier this year. Cindy will have to file an appeal and prove that her firing was unjust. It might be a long, arduous process that doesn’t turn out well in the end. I have no doubt Eric had his hand in this, but proving it is another story.”

  If Vargas was right about Eric’s involvement in getting Cindy fired, it stood to reason he was also responsible for trying to get the lady at the unemployment office in trouble for expediting Cindy’s claim. Proving any of it was another issue altogether.

  The waitress set their meals in front of them and hurried away.

  Yolks oozed from Vargas’s sunny-side-up eggs as he dipped his toast into them. “Could be Eric was trying to force Cindy to her financial knees as a form of punishment. As vindictive as he is, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Targeting her hair wasn’t a random act of violence either.”

  “Then you knew—”

  “That she was planning to donate it? Yeah, a lot of people at the station knew, and we respected and admired her for it.”

  For the next few minutes, Hank focused on his breakfast. He finished eating and pushed his plate aside. “Let’s get real. What is it you hoped to gain by having a face-to-face with me? What do you want?”

  Vargas stabbed through his last chunk of ham and clacked his fork hard against his plate. “I want to nail Eric to the wall for what he did to Cindy.”

  “Excellent. We have a common goal. What can I do to help?”

  “I called you from my personal cell phone last night. If you or Cindy see or hear from Eric, call me at that number. By now Eric’s probably stashed his truck and switched to another vehicle. Keep an eye out for him, and tell Cindy to do likewise. Program my number into her phone and tell her to call me day or night if she so much as suspects Eric is lurking in the shadows.” He flashed a small smile. “I’m sure she’ll call you first, but make sure she knows I’m here for her too.”

  * * * *

  “Hey, Dad. Cindy still sleeping?”

  “No, she and your mother got back from an appointment with the hairdresser about fifteen minutes ago.” Dad tossed his magazine aside and looked up from the easy chair as Hank sat on the couch. “She’s upstairs in her room, but I’d give her some time before going up there if I were you.”

  “I take it she’s not thrilled with her new hairstyle?”

  “She didn’t say anything, but I’m sure having to get a haircut she didn’t want only served to reinforce yesterday’s trauma. She’s doing the best she can under the circumstances.”

  “I know. I just wish there was more I could do to help her through this.”

  “You’re doing a fine job, son. I’m proud of the way you’ve cared for her.”

  His father was one of the most caring people he could think of. An approval from him meant a lot. “Thanks, Dad.”

  “How’d your meeting with the detective go?”

  “It went well.” Hank nodded. “Pete Vargas is a man of integrity. I like him. He seems highly motivated to catch Eric and bring him to justice.”

  Hank told his dad the details of his conversation with Vargas. “Oh, and I called Edward afterward, so he’s up to speed with everything.”

  “How’d he take the news?”

  “As expected. All I can say is Eric Nolan ought to be very thankful Eddie is in North Carolina.”

  * * * *

  All it would take to make Cindy cry again was a flick of Hank’s brow, a twitch of his cheek, or any other subtle sign that Hank hated her haircut as much as she did.

  A second set of soft knocks landed on the door. She braced for the worst. “Come in. It’s not locked.”

  A warm smile flooded Hank’s face as he came in and checked out her hair. “I like it. You look like a red-carpet celebrity. Whatever it’s called, the style suits you.”

  “It’s called a pixie cut, but I look more like Moe from the Three Stooges than Tinkerbelle.”

  “Believe me, Moe wasn’t the celebrity I had in mind. Off the top of my head, I can think of several actresses that rock that same tousled, sexy do. But you’re hotter than all of them put together. Way hotter. And just so you know,” Hank brushed a hair from in front of her eye, “I’ve watched a lot of Three Stooges in my day and never once wondered what it would be like to kiss Moe.”

  Affection poured from Hank’s eyes. The length of her hair hadn’t changed the way he looked at her. If anything, his adoring gaze penetrated to an even deeper level than before. But kissing him would open a Pandora’s box of emotions and commitments she was nowhere ready to face.

  “Relax,” Hank said. “You look like you’re revving up for a panic attack.”

  “Am I that transparent?”

  “Totally see-through.” Hank smiled. “But lucky for you, I happen to be running a one-day, no-strings-attached nickel special on hugs, guaranteed to
ease your frazzled nerves.”

  “No strings attached you say?”

  “Absolutely no strings. Scout’s honor. Act within the next two minutes and the manufacturer will waive all shipping and handling costs.”

  Murmurings of daytime TV ads floated up from downstairs. Whatever they were peddling couldn’t be as appealing as Hank’s offer. Cindy managed a small laugh and swiped a tear away. “All for the low, low price of five cents? You’re cheap, aren’t you?”

  “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”

  She withdrew a quarter from her jeans’ pocket. “Here you go. Pencil me in for four more, just in case.”

  “You got it.” Hank pocketed the money and reeled her into a strong, firm embrace.

  As promised, her tangled nerves started to relax.

  * * * *

  “My mom packed us a picnic lunch. She figured fresh air and sunshine would do you good. We can go whenever you’re ready.” Hank held Cindy tighter and nuzzled his cheek against her hair. “But, take your time here and get your nickel’s worth. I’m definitely not trying to rush you.”

  “I’m ready.” Cindy’s hands slid down his shoulders. “I didn’t have an appetite for breakfast, but I’m hungry now.”

  Hank hooked his fingers through her side belt loops. “I meant it when I said your hair looked awesome. I wasn’t just saying that to make you feel good.”

  “Thanks. I felt like I had hit rock bottom, and I needed that positive affirmation. Especially from you.”

  “Long hair or short, it’s the girl underneath that matters to me. I think you know that.”

  Cindy blushed. “We better go before your mother comes looking for us.”

  “You’re right. We could hike out to the thinking rock and have lunch there if you’d like. It’s a beautiful day for it.”

  The blues seemed to lift from her shoulders. “That’d be great. I’d love to have lunch out there. I have great memories of the day we spent jumping off the rock and swimming in the black hole.”

  “Me too, so let’s go.”

  Hank loped down the stairs with Cindy following. “Mom, Dad, we’re going out to lunch.”

  His parents waved from the couch.

  Hank grabbed the picnic basket off the kitchen counter and held the patio door for Cindy.

  She tipped her face to the sun as she stepped outside. “Your mom was right. I needed this.”

  “Mom’s pretty clever that way.” Hank smiled. “After lunch, there are a few things I need to talk to you about.”

  “Like what?”

  “I had a meeting early this morning with Detective Vargas.”

  Cindy stopped short. “Did he catch Eric? Please say yes.”

  “No, he hasn’t caught him, but I have every confidence that he will.”

  “Does he have any idea where Eric is?”

  “No, but...” Hank pushed Cindy along with a hand to the small of her back. “I’ve got a lot to tell you, but I’m not saying another word until I get a sandwich in you and you’ve washed it down with my mom’s secret formula chocolate milk. Nothing’s worse than warm milk, so let’s get to the rock and chow down. After that, I’ll tell you everything about our meeting.”

  “Sounds good. Afterward, I’m going to call human resources at the police department and see if there’s any way I can get my old job back. It’s not likely, but it’s still worth a shot. Now that Eric’s gone, I’d feel comfortable working there again.”

  “I think that’s a great idea. Even if they’ve filled your position, they might have another job for you. Sounded to me like you had a good reputation there.” Vargas had vouched for that.

  “If that doesn’t pan out, I’ll call about reopening my unemployment claim. The information I received when I initially applied made it clear that quitting or being fired from a job would make me ineligible to receive benefits. But I’ll call and verify.” Cindy shrugged. “Can’t hurt to ask, right?”

  “Absolutely.” Hank started up the thinking rock, reached back, and gave her a hand onto the first leg up. “I’m sure things will work out, Sassy. They always do.”

  * * * *

  Lunch on the thinking rock with Hank had been great. Cool, refreshing weather, beautiful scenery, delicious food, and great company. Perfect for an enjoyable diversion from life’s problems. If only she had put off calling about her old job and unemployment until tomorrow, she could have at least basked in the afterglow for the rest of the day.

  Cindy left her smartphone on Hank’s old desk and went out to the patio where he sat waiting for her. “I made both calls,” she said, pulling out the chair and joining him at the round table.

  “That was quick.” Ever the optimist, Hank smiled as if he expected good news. “So how’d it go?”

  “The P.D. is in the middle of a hiring freeze because of budget cuts. The H.R. rep said to check back in a couple of months. Oh, and I asked about my old position. She said it’s been filled.” The mild case of jealousy toward her unknown replacement was unwarranted, but real.

  “And unemployment?”

  “The lady who took my call was very nice. I explained what happened, and she told me to go ahead and put in to reopen the claim even though she was certain it would be denied. She said I could file an appeal if and when the police came up with written proof of wrongful termination.”

  “Hey.” Hank reached over and squeezed her hand. “This isn’t the end of the world. Relax. Enjoy the here and now and don’t borrow tomorrow’s troubles.”

  “Wise advice. Thanks for the reminder.” The here and now was real, tangible, and worthy of savoring. She’d accept the gracious offer to stay with Hank’s family several days and try to put off worrying about her job situation until she returned home.

  Chapter 26

  “Sorry, girl. You’ve got to stay home this time.” Hank ruffled Cricket’s fur and hopped into the Jeep. As he reached the end of his driveway and turned onto the hardtop, his phone rang. “Hey, Eddie. What’s up?”

  “Not much. Any idea what’s going on with my sister? The last time I was able to reach her was right after that Nolan guy attacked her. That was what, two, three weeks ago?”

  “A little more than three. She’s been busy. I brought her home from Mom and Dad’s the following Monday, and she got a job later that week. I’ve seen her only a handful of times since she went back to work. Oh, and I picked up a small job too. Just got back last night after a weeklong demolition consult in Albuquerque for the takedown of a factory complex for Charlotte Hollingsworth.”

  “The rich lady whose husband you almost punched in the face?”

  “I prefer to think of her as the fairy godmother of Michelin tires, but yeah, that’s her.”

  Edward laughed. “So tell me about Cindy’s job. Is she doing secretarial work?”

  “Not exactly. She works at a place that puts together advertising packages. She took whatever was available so she wouldn’t have to start dipping into her savings.” He’d leave it at that and say no more. If Edward knew his sister worked in near-sweatshop conditions, standing on a concrete floor all day long while feeding stacks of coupons and leaflets into a machine that stuffed them into advertising mailers, he’d fly off the handle and go on a tirade.

  Time to change the subject. “I called Cindy this afternoon. Caught her during a break at work and nailed her down to have dinner with me tonight. I’m on my way over to pick her up now.”

  “Do me a favor. Give her a swift kick in the pants and tell her to call me, would you?”

  “Will do.” Not that long ago he’d had to practically twist Edward’s arm to make him call Cindy. Finally, his brother was stepping up to the plate and putting forth the effort to reach out to people he cared about.

  “Listen, Hank, I know I’m sticking my nose into your personal business, but are you still having nightmares about the RPG attack?”

  Not something he was itching to talk about. “I’m okay, bro.�
��

  “That’s a yes if ever I’ve heard one. Been getting much sleep at night?”

  “Not really. I catch up with naps when I can, but I’ll admit, I’m tired almost all the time.”

  “Don’t you think you should talk to someone about it? A doctor, or maybe a counselor who deals with these types of problems?”

  A doctor would do little more than whip out a pad and write a prescription for antidepressants or sleeping pills. On the other hand, Marcus had extended an open invitation to call any time. The situation with the dreams wasn’t getting better by itself. If anything, it was getting worse.

  “You know what, Eddie? You’re right. I do need to talk to someone. And I will. That’s a promise.”

  * * * *

  Cindy punched her timecard and joined the drove of workers migrating toward the parking lot. The sooner she got off her feet, the better. If she hurried, she might even have time to light a couple of eucalyptus candles and relax in a leisurely hot bath before Hank came over.

  She searched the bottom of her purse for her keys and worked her way through the maze of cars. The bumper of her silver hatchback came into view halfway down row four. A welcome sight. If only she could whistle for it like she would a horse and make it come to her instead of having to walk the rest of the way. Her aching feet would certainly second that idea.

  “Have a good night, Cindy.”

  Cindy made a one-eighty, walked backward, and waved. “G’night, Jillian. See you tomorrow.” Good ole Jilly. How she managed to keep a forever-smile all day while operating a noisy mail-assembly machine in the dungeons of Casey Mailing Solutions was beyond comprehension.

  The hatchback popped into Cindy’s peripheral vision. Finally, homeward bound. She pivoted toward it. A gray Chevy sedan sat a few inches from her driver’s side door, its outside mirror pushing hers backward on its springs.

  “Whaaat? Unbelievable. What kind of idiot would park that close?”

  Cindy stuck her key in the passenger door lock. On the far side of her car, the Chevy’s roof may as well have been playing peekaboo with its tongue sticking out at her. She pulled the key back out. “No. You’re not getting off Scott free for making me climb over everything and shimmy into my seat.” She went to the back of the vehicles and took a picture with her smartphone. A few feet closer, she took another of the car’s license plate. “Human Resources can deal with you tomorrow.”