Finally, Veronica looked away from the note and took in her surroundings.
This isn’t right.
Her two worlds had met and blended. Past and present collided in her mind making her head spin. She staggered, and everyone jumped to catch her before she hit the ground. Natasha, who had never left her side, was the first to get to her.
She helped Veronica to sit down and gently moved her hand towards a crime tech, so he could take the note.
Veronica was still comatose when Ben arrived.
Natasha knew that Veronica would not be able to say anything yet, so she got up to talk to him. “Ben, I’m worried about her. She hasn’t said anything since I found her out here.”
Ben stared over her shoulder to look at where Veronica still sat on the ground. He took in her appearance and noted that her skin was almost as gray as the pavement. “I should’ve known something like this would happen”
Natasha placed her hand on his shoulder to get his attention. “There is no way you could have known he would come after her again. We all thought that he was done with her.”
Ben shrugged off her hand, unwilling to accept her comfort. “I should have known. That son of a bitch went underground right after...I should have known that when he came back he would go after her again.”
Since comfort wasn’t working, Natasha switched to stern. “Ben, you can’t do this. She needs you not to fall apart right now. She needs you to catch him before he kills someone else. She barely survived last time. She won’t make it if she loses anyone else.”
Ben’s frustration at the situation boiled over, but he answered in a whisper to keep their conversation as private as possible. “You think I don’t know that! I know what it's been like for her. I’ve been there the whole time. I’m the one who’s been meeting her almost every fucking night to give her someone to talk to. I know exactly what happens next if this guy hurts anyone else.” With that, he walked past a stunned Natasha to go to Veronica.
“You know...if you wanted to see me again you could have just called.”
A weak smile played on her lips, but it never touched her eyes. “What do I do now, Ben?”
He gave up trying to lighten her mood and sat down next to her, mirroring her posture. “You do the same thing you’ve been doing. You keep going...you keep living. No matter what this creep does.”
Ben nudged her shoulder to catch her attention. “Remember the deal we made.You keep living and leave him to me.”
Veronica sat in silence for a moment longer, then she suddenly went rigid. She had reached a conclusion. She knew what she had to do.
“No. I can’t do that anymore. I tried to just keep living and look where that got me. He’s back...and for some reason he is still fixated on me. I have to end this.”
She stood up and walked over to a patrolman. After exchanging a few words, he led her to his car and they drove away. Leaving a baffled Ben to run the scene.
◆◆◆
Two hours later, she was still arguing with her staff sergeant.
“Veronica, you know I want to help you, but it's been a year. I can’t let you come back just like that. You would have to be cleared by a doctor and a psychologist before that can happen.”
She furiously paced Staff Sergeant Howard Blake’s small office. “Then set up whatever appointments you need to clear me! Either let me come back or I will do this on my own! I will not let this asshole waltz back into my life and fuck everything up again! It's been a year, and nobody is any closer to finding out who he is. I got the closest while I was on the force...I can find him now.”
Blake was flooded with anger at first, but that soon melted into resignation. He knew that he could not stop her. No matter how hard he tried. She had always been headstrong. Now she was pissed.
As Veronica left Blake’s office, she noticed Ben standing in the hallway. She melted against the wall, bending forward and rubbing her hands over her face. “I need to get some sleep,” she groaned as she pulled her hair away from her face.
Ben walked over and leaned against the wall next to her. “You back?”
Veronica shrugged, “Not yet...not officially. Blake’s gonna work on getting me cleared for duty tomorrow.”
Ben nodded his head without responding. “Give me a minute and I’ll give you a ride home.” Before she could ask him what he was doing, Ben opened up the door and walked into the office.
Half an hour later, Ben returned. “Okay, let's head out.” He walked away and Veronica stumbled to keep up with him.
“Wait! What was that all about?”
He kept walking while he pulled his car keys out of his pocket. “I was clearing something with Blake. If you are coming back, I’m going to be your partner. I know you were a patrol cop when you went on leave, but I’ve arranged to have you loaned to the detectives until we close this case.You can go back to the streets when this is all over.”
Veronica finally caught up with Ben and blocked his path. “How on earth did you manage that?”
A slightly mischievous look entered his eyes, “I may or may not have started talking about stories from when we were at the academy together...He wasn’t always the boss, and I just decided to remind him of his more...embarrassing moments.”
Veronica began laughing, but sobered up quickly. Before she spoke again, she arranged her features into a stern look. “You know...normally I would be annoyed with you for doing that. But I can’t imagine how uncomfortable it would be to ride with anyone else. Not to mention the fact that working with the detectives will make it easier to work this case. So...just this once...I’m gonna let you get away with that.”
Ben laughed and threw his arm across Veronica’s shoulders. “You don’t let me do anything. Blake is making you follow my orders. He figures you’re gonna be a bit rusty after a year and he doesn’t want anything to go wrong. For now...I let you do things.” Ben’s face lit up with the most glorious smile.
Before Veronica could stop herself, she started to grin. But she quickly forced a scowl and punched him on the shoulder. “This is never gonna work. How am I ever going to take orders from you?”
Ben laughed, “Can you even fit into your uniform anymore?”
This earned him a swift punch to the ribs.
The joviality they had experienced in the hallway faded as Ben and Veronica approached his car. Veronica’s car was still being torn apart by the crime tech guys and the bomb squad. As they drove towards Veronica’s building, the tension level rose. They knew someone could be waiting for them.
“Are you sure you want to go back to your apartment?” Ben’s concerned look only served to annoy Veronica.
“Yes, I’m sure. I decided in the parking lot that I am not going to let this guy push me around anymore. Last time, when Nick...I left my whole life behind. I got a new job and moved into a new apartment that’s in my dad’s name, and he still found me. This time I’m not going to be caught off guard. If he comes after me again, I’m gonna be waiting for him.”
As if her statement had confirmed something for Ben, he nodded his head and continued to drive.
Ben pulled over in Veronica’s parking lot. She hesitated as she opened the door. “Thanks for everything today, Ben. I know this can’t be easy for you either.”
He grinned and playfully punched Veronica in the arm. “Yeah, yeah...leave before you start getting all mushy on me.”
Veronica resolutely pushed herself out of the car, and marched to the door.
He shook his head and pulled out his phone. After dialling a number that he knew all too well, he started speaking. “Hey man, do you mind stopping by my place and feeding Charlotte...Yeah, I know it's late... Dude, she’s just a cat...just go refill her food and water. I have some surveillance to do tonight...Thanks man.”
◆◆◆
“No problem, Ben. I just left the station so I’ll stop by your place on the way home. Keep her safe for us...”
That was too close. I almost laughed at his stupidity while h
e was still on the phone. Sometimes I wonder why I bother surveilling when I would be invited in anytime I wanted.
Asshole’s too dumb to notice me sitting across the street. Only this time I’m watching a truck, rather than the window three floors up.
I should probably leave before he gets out of the car to take a look around. Gotta go feed Charlotte. He has too much affection for that damn cat.
◆◆◆
For a full hour after Ben dropped her off, Veronica searched her apartment, looking for hints that someone had been there. There were no creepy notes, bombs, or anything at all out of place. With that knowledge held firmly in the front of her mind, she started making dinner. Tomorrow was going to be a big day for her and she needed a decent meal and a full night of sleep for once.
As she was putting food in the microwave, Veronica remembered something she had to do before tomorrow. Walking back into her living room, she picked up the phone and hit 2 on her speed-dial.
After a moment, Natasha picked up the phone with a frantic “Finally! What the Hell is going on!”
Before she could help it, Veronica laughed. “Calm down Tasha! I’m fine. I do have a favor to ask though.”
Without even taking a moment to think about it, Natasha responded. “No problem. What’s up?”
“It looks like I’m gonna need to take some time off at the museum. I’m gonna go solve this case.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “Okay...I need you to promise me that you’ll be careful. I saw what this did to you last time, and I need to know that you’re going to get out of this in one piece.”
Veronica huffed, “Why does everyone think that I’m this pathetic headcase…Nevermind… Don’t answer that. I promise I’ll be fine this time.”
“Okay, then take all the time you need.”
After hanging up the phone, Veronica continued to pace her apartment, trying to settle her mind. This lasted so long, that even Ace abandoned her to curl up on the couch and sleep. She decided that the best way to calm down would be to follow her normal routine. Retrieving her dinner from the kitchen, she sat in front of the tv. Unable to focus, so she could not to decide what to watch. She just kept scanning through the options.
Finishing her food, she turned back to pacing her living room. Eventually, she decided to go to bed and wait for sleep to come.
For what felt like hours she counted sheep, blessings, and rotations of the ceiling fan, but her mind simply would not stop spinning. Every sound had her sitting bolt upright in bed. And every flash of light sent a rush of adrenalin through her system.
She was not making any headway. Because she had decided not to go back to the cemetery tonight, there was only one other place she could go.
Making up her mind, Veronica jumped out of bed and searched for Ace’s leash. Once she found it, she tiptoed over to her couch and lifted up his head. Placing it in her lap, she started smoothing the furrowed brow that he always adopted when Veronica started messing with his sleep.
“Ace buddy, I have a little treat for you. We’re gonna go visit your bestest buddy Charlotte.”
With bleary eyes, Ace looked up at her. He started wagging his tail, and she knew that he was glad not to be going running again.
She attached the leash to his collar and went to grab her keys. “Damn! I still don’t have my car!”
Do I find some other way...or do I stay here?
At that moment, a bird flew by her window and startled her.
Yeah, I’ll walk if I have to.
She quickly exited her apartment and locked the three deadbolts that she had installed shortly after moving in. About a minute after she left her building, a truck pulled up next to her.
“Do you have a death wish, or are you an idiot?”
Before embarrassment set in, she turned it back around on him. “What the hell are you doing here!”
A sheepish look crossed his face, and she knew exactly what he had been doing. He had been sitting in his damn truck ever since he dropped her off.
“Well, unlock your doors and give me a ride then. I was headed to your place anyways.”
He looked amused and said, “Oh really! What about all that ‘I can do this on my own’ crap?”
It was her turn to look sheepish this time. “Yeah...well...I’ll be tough tomorrow. Right now I need to get some sleep. Besides, Ace’s been missing Charlotte.”
At that, Ben laughed and unlocked the car for her. “Ace, don’t slobber all over her this time! I still have claw marks from the bath I had to give her last time.”
When Ben opened his front door, Ace ran gleefully into his house and started searching for Charlotte.
Ben stood bemusedly watching, “Man, he really loves that cat.”
Veronica walked in behind him. “They grew up together! It's like they’re siblings.”
She stumbled into his living room and crashed face first onto his couch.
“What do you think you’re doing? I thought you said you needed sleep. You and I both know that you’re not getting any on that couch. You’re insomnia is way too bad to have easy access to a television.”
She flipped over on her back and stared at him with an annoyed expression. “Well then, what would you suggest?”
He rolled his eyes and pulled her legs off the couch so that he could sit next to her. “Well...I suggest that you drag your sorry butt up those stairs and sleep in my room. I’ll take the couch this time...Just know that next time you show up here in the middle of the night, you’re on your own.”
She giggled, but refused to move. “I’m not going to kick you out of your bed, Ben. I’ll be fine here.”
He took his chance and pushed her off the couch. “No you won’t. Don’t make me carry you up those stairs. I don’t want my partner falling asleep all over the place tomorrow.”
Veronica picked herself up off the floor and lunged at Ben. The next few moments were a mess of limbs and laughter as Ben and Veronica wrestled on the couch.
Without warning, the wall that Veronica had been holding up all day fell apart, and so did she. Her laughter became sobs, and her shoves became weaker and weaker. Eventually, their game deteriorated into her sitting on the couch and crying while he held her.
Ben knew that she needed his solidity and strength, so he held her without comment. As they sat on the couch, her breathing slowed and her body relaxed. Before long, both she and Ben were sound asleep and for a few hours, did not have a care in the world.
DAY 3
Fortunately for both of them, Ben still had his cell phone on him when they fell asleep. As his alarm went off, confusion caused them to cling to each other, before they realized where they were. Disentangling themselves, they tried to act as casual as possible, but eventually Veronica’s calm exterior fell.
She wiped a tear from her eye. “I’m sorry, it's just that I haven’t woken up next to somebody since...”
Ben tossed a pillow at her to break the tension and said, “I know, but hey...at least you slept. Now let's go get you certified to work again.”
Suddenly she looked worried. “Right...that...you do know I have to talk to a psychologist, right?”
He grinned, “Yeah... they’re never gonna let you carry a gun.”
She tossed the pillow back at him. “Haha...very funny. I thought partners were supposed to have each others’ backs.” At this, he grinned again and walked upstairs.
She was about to follow him, when she heard the shower turn on and backtracked. She started to feed Ace, saying, “So not going there.”
In a few minutes, Ben sauntered back down the stairs, wearing a midnight blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His short blond hair was still wet, and the five o'clock shadow he had been sporting before was now cleanly shaven.
As Veronica watched him walking towards her, she could not help but notice how his shirt clung to his muscles, and how he still glistened faintly from the water on his skin.
He noti
ced her appraisal, “We couldn’t both go in wearing the same clothes we wore yesterday...people would talk. You know... if you wanted to change, I think I have a few things you could borrow that have been left here over the years.”
Not taking the offer seriously, she laughed as she tried to come up with a retort. “Thanks, but I don’t think I want to be wearing anything that one of your...umm...dates left here.”
He let out a sarcastic snort and tossed something satiny and purple at her. “At least change your shirt. Ace drooled all over yours last night.”
Veronica looked down at her own pale blue shirt and noticed the spots on it that Ace had left behind. “Give me a sec.” Then she turned and walked into the bathroom.
After putting on the button-down blouse Ben had given her, she turned and looked at the mirror. Immediately, she was struck by how different she looked in a day. The deep purple of the blouse set off the red of her hair and brought out the color in her cheeks. It clung to her curves enough to enhance them without looking slutty, and showed off a hint of cleavage.
I haven’t let myself look this good in a long time.
She looked at her own shirt sitting on the counter. She knew that a simple washing would set it right, yet she hesitated. After only a moment of indecision, she picked up the shirt and tossed it in the trash bin.
Grabbing her purse, she walked back out into the hallway. As she turned the corner, she caught Ben staring at her with an awed look, before he was able to school his expression. She racked her brain for a way to ease the tension in the room.
“How is it that one of your dates left your house without her shirt?”
A mischievous grin lit up his face again, “Maybe one day you’ll find out how distracting my presence can be.”
She looked scandalized as she picked his keys up off of the table and tossed them at him.
In what felt like no time at all, Veronica and Ben were standing side by side at the entrance to the station. Mustering her courage, she pushed through the door.
Coming Back Page 3