Some Like It in Handcuffs

by Warner, Christine

  “Are you okay?” Droplets of blood pushed through Judson’s skin.

  He looked at the scratches and grimaced. “I’ll live.”

  “I’m so sorry. He’s never done that before.” She stood and Judson followed. Guilt washed over her. Sunny inspected his hand then tilted her head back to look into his face. “I don’t know what came over him.”

  “He’s protective of you.”

  Just like every other man in my family. Sunny forced a laugh then tugged at his arm. “He must think he’s a dog instead of a cat then. Come on.” She led the way to the bathroom.

  He’d almost kissed me and I wanted him too! Not good, Sunny. You’re working together. He’s leaving in a few weeks. And, what about Roxanne? It seemed he made a habit of getting involved with the women he worked with.

  She chewed her bottom lip. Her legs felt like overcooked spaghetti noodles, but she continued walking. They reached the bathroom where she grabbed the antiseptic wipes and a bandage from the cabinet.

  He pulled his hand from hers and flexed his fingers. “I’ll clean it, but no bandage.”

  She stood in the doorway, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. “I’ll just order that pizza then.”

  Judson walked into the sitting room as Sunny clicked her cell closed.

  “Pizza in twenty.” The smile on her face wavered, she looked away. Their “almost” kiss had destroyed her confidence. Like a nervous teenager she grew self conscious and her palms began to sweat. She debated if she should mention what almost happened to clear the air, or carry on as normal.

  She busied herself straightening the cushions on her sofa and folding the afghan heaped up in a chair. Sensing his presence she took a peek from beneath her lashes. He stood in the archway, following her with his eyes. His scrutiny prickled her skin and her heart beat thumped inside her head.

  Would she have kissed him back?

  She swallowed.

  Hell yeah she’d have kissed him back.

  His gaze continued to follow her as she crossed the room toward the green leather chair. If only he’d say something.

  Several more moments passed and she wanted to snap. Heat dotted her skin at the weight of his stare. Glad her jeans hid her shaky legs she turned to face him. She’d had it. “What are you staring at?” She threw the afghan over the back of the chair.

  “You. I’m waiting for you to say something.” He stepped forward. “I can see it in your face. Just spit it out.”

  She inched back, waving him away with her hand. “Don’t be silly. I have nothing to say.”

  “Now that’d be a first.”

  He took another step closer.

  She stepped back, looked at the floor, and willed her heart to stop its urgent pounding. No success.

  Damn him. If he wanted a comment, she’d give him one.

  Sunny lifted her head and stared into his bright eyes. His wicked grin sent her heart beat into a flurried panic as he took another step forward.

  Her chin lifted and she stepped toward him.

  “You know what, now’s as good a time as any.” Sunny folded her arms across her chest. “I do have something to say.”

  “Now there’s the Sunny I know.” Judson’s eyes twinkled.

  “We need to talk about last night.”

  “Really?” Judson rolled his eyes. “Not that again. Isn’t there a statute of limitations?”

  “I’ll let you know when the timer goes off.” Her lips thinned. “Just be thankful I took some time to cool off.”

  “Wildcat, I know you’re not trying to intimidate me.” His grin widened.

  “You need to be brought down a notch or two.”

  “And you need to be thrown across someone’s knee and spanked.”

  “Pu-leeze.” She shook her head chuckling. “Next you’ll be telling me you’re the man for the job.”

  “I wouldn’t even accept payment, I’d volunteer.” He took another step in her direction.

  “See, there you go, just like last night.” Sunny placed her hands on her hips and leaned toward him. “The big guy taking control, trying to make the little woman do his bidding.”

  “Just goes to show the ‘little woman’ doesn’t know her place.”

  Sunny’s hands itched with the need to connect with his arrogant face.

  “Is that what last night was all about, Judson, you putting me in my place? Showing me you’re the boss.”

  “You need to understand. Working in the field is no place for a woman.” His jaw tightened when he glanced at her tapping foot. “It’s dangerous, risky. I agree with your family, you should stick to working behind the scenes. You’d be a helluva researcher.”

  Her foot stilled. “I can handle it. If everyone would focus on what I’m doing instead of what they think I should be doing they’d see that. Just because you’re men doesn’t mean you know it all.”

  “Yeah, you handled last night real well.” He rolled his eyes. “Who knows what might have happened if I hadn’t stepped in.”

  “Did you hear that key word?” She turned her head to the side and fanned her palm behind her ear. “Might.”

  He turned and walked toward the large picture window at the front of the room. A flash of lightning lit up the sky and silhouetted his rigid posture.

  “Don’t play word games with me, Sunny.” He turned to face her. “You know very well that guy outweighed you by a hundred pounds. Not to mention the fact he was mean, strong and determined. Admit it. You were in over your head.”

  “Not.”

  “You just want the action, thrill, the adrenaline racing through your body. I admit it, I’m the same. Once you’ve experienced it, it’s an addiction. But this job is not safe. You need to find another way to get your kicks.”

  Sunny threw her hands up. “You’ve probably already bought me a gift certificate for bungee jumping. You’re acting just like my brothers.”

  “Now there’s an idea.”

  She took a deep breath, ignoring his remark. “As for last night, news alert. Men have hit on me before. I would’ve handled it like I have in the past. I don’t need to be rescued.”

  No need to tell him she’d had the same doubts. It’d only act as fuel for his fire.

  “Playing private investigator is too dangerous.” His eyes glinted like steel.

  “Playing?” She raised her voice. “This is a rehash of the fight I had with my family. You were there. Didn’t you hear anything I said?”

  “I heard you, I just don’t agree with you.” He bit the words out.

  “Well, that’s too bad isn’t it?” Sunny turned toward the sofa. “I don’t care if you agree with me or not. I told you from the beginning I’m doing this my way.”

  She sat and ran shaky palms up and down the thigh of her jeans. “You don’t know me well enough to get this worked up over my well being, Judson. What am I missing?”

  He jerked his head toward her. Sunny raised her eyebrow, and he turned to look out the front bay window.

  Scattered raindrops tapped against the large sheets of glass. The stormy sky darkened the room. Sunny reached over to the table and switched on the Tiffany-style stained glass lamp.

  “This has something to do with Roxanne, doesn’t it?”

  His back straightened at the sound of her voice. “Now you’re the mind reader.”

  Sunny stood and walked over to him.

  “What happened, Judson?”

  When he met her gaze with hollowed eyes, Sunny forgot about her annoyance. She touched his arm. He looked at her hand as she ran it along his forearm in a soft caress. The desire to hear how he felt about Roxanne and what happened overshadowed the tense knot in her chest.

  He sighed and looked past her. “Rox and I had been partners for years. We worked great together because we liked the harder cases, something with a challenge.”

  “I can relate to that.”

  He swallowed hard. She slid her hand down his arm and locked her fingers with his. “Wel
l, we asked for a particular case where the perp was a hard core drug dealer. Numerous arrests for assault, armed robbery, and attempted murder. But, like our guy Slater, he always got off on some technicality.”

  Sunny flinched at the bitterness in his voice.

  “We wanted to bust him so bad we could taste it. We lived and breathed that case for over six months. Rox took the big risk and worked right in there with those thugs. I stayed behind the scenes.”

  “Why?” She asked.

  He squeezed her fingers. “Our perp had a soft spot for tall brunettes, and Rox was just the gal to play the part.” Judson smiled as he looked out the window. “She was able to get inside the group fairly quick and Brock, the leader, trusted her.”

  Sunny’s skin grew cold. “Are you talking about Brock Bishop?” He appeared on the airwaves more times than a toy commercial during the holidays. After each acquittal, the media interviewed him with his team of lawyers glued to his side on the court house steps. The fake-white sparkle of his smile, and handsome good looks made for riveting television. The public ate it up, but Sunny cringed. “Derek called him Teflon man.”

  “He’s right, but this time we had so much taped evidence we would’ve been able to put him away no problem.”

  It all came back to Sunny. She’d followed that case in the newspapers and on the news. She’d never actually seen the pictures of the active detectives involved, because their identities had been protected, but she had seen the obit for Roxanne. She’d been survived by her family of co-workers and a devoted fiancé, another detective from her precinct. Judson. Sunny’s insides quivered.

  After so many failed attempts they had indeed convicted their felon this round. The murder of Roxanne DeWitt, a decorated and well loved detective, had put him behind bars for life. There had been no way for him to slither his way out of those charges.

  “We just about had it all wrapped up. Rox and I fought about her doing one more stint wired. She hoped to get more information on another suspect we had in our sights so we could go after him too. We argued, but in the end she told me it’d happen with or without me.”

  Sunny swallowed heavily. She and Roxanne had a few things in common.

  “I’m not sure what happened, but the wire was discovered and a fight broke out. Brock shot Rox before I could get inside to help her.”

  The raindrops pelted the windowpane. Lightning flashed across the sky followed by a boom of thunder. Sunny startled, jumped and pulled her hand from his grip, but he didn’t even move.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “She died in my arms. I didn’t get there quick enough. I didn’t protect her.” His expression was grim as he rubbed the back of his neck.

  “It’s not your fault. Roxanne knew the risks of her profession. We all do.” She stepped back to give him space. “People in our line of work get killed everyday. It has nothing to do with them being a man or a woman.”

  “I’ve reevaluated so many things.” His voice softened. “Losing her is the main reason I decided to leave the force and take the job as sheriff on the reservation. No partner, nobody I’m responsible for.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.” She reached out and touched his shoulder, but he brushed her away.

  “I don’t want your pity, Sunny.”

  She pushed him to the side and stood in front of him. “What makes you think I pity you?” Sunny thumped his shoulder. “The last thing I feel is pity. I’m trying to be compassionate. I know what you’re going through. It’s hard to lose someone you love.”

  “You’re too much like her and watching you makes me realize—”

  “You’re vulnerable too.” She finished for him. “Listen, nobody is responsible for me except me. Watch me prove to my family I can do this, and I bet it’ll help you understand why Roxanne did some of the things she did.”

  They stared at each other. The doorbell rang, but neither moved. A loud knock echoed through the room seconds later.

  “Pizza’s here.” Sunny sighed, grabbing her pocketbook from the table by the front door.

  Sunny returned moments later to glance around an empty room. A cupboard in the kitchen banged closed and she strolled in that direction.

  Judson had plates and napkins on the table. He was in the process of pouring Coca Cola into two glass tumblers filled with ice.

  “Sit down.”

  He took charge as always, but Sunny obeyed. First she put a slice of pizza on his plate then hers. “You know, you have to give me some credit here. Trust me, believe in me,” she said. He pulled out his chair and sat, never taking his eyes from her face as she continued, “Don’t treat me like my brother’s, Judson.”

  “It’s hard not to think of Rox when I’m with you. Hearing everything your family says, and what I went through with her. I know all about equal rights, but it’s hard to see a woman taking risks in this type of job.”

  Sunny tossed her half eaten piece of pizza on her plate. She wanted to cut him some slack because of what had happened to Roxanne, but his unbending attitude pissed her off. “Don’t even give me that bullshit excuse. You don’t know anything about being a woman and what we can do. Over the years I’ve learned to fight, shoot and handle difficult situations when I’m working. I’m not some delicate little flower that needs protection.”

  “I know enough to see you’re in over your head.”

  “You’re as bad as my family. They need to realize I can do this and I will.” She brushed her hand through her hair and took a deep breath. “This is my chance to help Mr. DeVito, solve a cold case, and prove myself to the overbearing men in my family. And now to you.” Sunny twisted her heart pendant and sighed. “If you’re going to help me, then you better understand right now that my determination will see me through.”

  He leaned back in his chair watching her. The tick in his jaw let her know she’d angered him, but she had more to add.

  “As for Rox, listen up. She wasn’t a ‘girl’ that needed your protection. She was a woman who knew her job and the risks that went along with it. She took them because she wanted to. When things went right, she felt on top of the world.” She snapped her fingers. “And, when things went wrong, she accepted the blame and learned from it. But, she moved on.”

  “She didn’t get to move on from her last lesson.” His voice hardened.

  Sunny tilted her head, her voice softened. “I’m sorry for that. But even though I didn’t know her, I can tell you she didn’t go into work blind. She loved her job and knew everyday there was a risk. But, she did it anyway. Because like you, me and my family, it’s in our blood.”

  “The scary thing is she said the same things to me when we fought last.”

  “Why doesn’t a man doing the same job not run into all of these issues a woman does?” She lifted her chin to study him.

  “Look at it from a guy’s perspective. When he’s working with a woman in our profession, he’s going to be protective and it’s distracting. We’ve been geared since childhood, we’re the stronger sex and to take care of our women. It’s hard to accept a woman at your side as an equal on the job.”

  “Well, accept it.” She folded her arms over her chest with more bravado than she felt. “Roxanne dealt with the same issues I’m dealing with, so I know how she felt. I’m telling you, she didn’t want your protection. She wanted your respect.”

  Judson sat silent for several minutes while he considered her. He rocked his chair back and forth on the two rear legs. “You remind me of myself when I was a rookie. I think it has something to do with your anger issues.”

  “I’m sure your age has put your temper into perspective.” Sunny raised her eyebrow.

  “Let’s just say I’ve learned how to control it.” He grinned. “It’s something you should work on.”

  “Next you’re going to tell me we look alike.”

  Judson’s laughter came from the gut. “Hell no, you’re way better looking.” His heated gaze moved across her face.

  Sunny’s
ears pounded as the blood rushed through her veins. She stared at Judson, clamped her lips closed, and picked up her pizza. She had no quick comeback, so she bit into the soft crust to hide her smile. Her stomach somersaulted and her legs did a silent happy dance beneath the table.

  Chapter Eight

  Judson parked the unmarked police van across the street from the apartment building that housed Slater, his wife Vivian and his mother. Sunny turned sideways in the passenger’s seat and frowned.

  “Not a Norman Rockwell vision for sure.” She eyed the desolate looking building that held six apartments. The rusty colored brick façade couldn’t hide the repairs the building needed. Plywood covered two sets of windows on the main floor, the cracked cement stoop leading to the entrance littered the sidewalk with broken bits of concrete and looked like a future lawsuit for a slip and fall victim. The metal double hung front doors were dented with the left side hanging by one hinge.

  “How about I deliver the flowers?” Judson looked from her to the building and back again, his eyebrows drawn together so tight it appeared he had one long eyebrow instead of two.

  Sunny chuckled. “Not a chance. There is no way a little old lady is going to confide to some big, bald man wearing an angry scowl. It’s a woman thing.” She grabbed the handle of the door as two kids on roller blades sped past pretending to shoot at each other with their handmade guns of sticks and rubber bands. “Anyway, you’ll be able to hear everything going on. The wire has been tested and we’re up and running. Put in your earpiece and relax.”

  “Easy for you to say.” His tight lipped expression did little to steady her jangled nerves, but she gulped in a large breath and willed herself to stay calm. “And don’t take all day. Even though Slater and Vivian are at the bar around the corner, we have no idea how long they’ll be.”

  “If past practice is anything to go by, we have a few hours.”

  Judson frowned then tweaked her chin. “Just hurry it up.”

  “Show time! I’ll be back in a few.” Sunny flipped the collar of her light jacket to shield her face from the cool breeze. She moved with long strides to the rear of the van, opened one side of the double door, and pulled out a clipboard to look official, followed by a crystal vase filled with an arrangement of wild flowers and a plush brown teddy bear tucked along the side with a silky red bow adorning its head.