by Beth Shriver
“Why?” He drew his brows together as he watched her pick up the spoon.
“I just thought you were always involved with someone.” She looked straight at him in disbelief.
He lowered his head weighing his words and then returned his gaze to her. Her unblinking eyes meant business. He decided right then and there that he wasn’t going to hold back. This was finally his chance with her, and if he ended up making a fool of himself, so be it.
“I decided awhile ago that something was missing from my relationships. I haven’t figured out exactly what it is, but until I do, I haven’t had much interest.”
Liz stared, and opened her mouth but nothing came out for a couple of beats. “That’s interesting. I wonder what it is.”
He knew he had intrigued her and was quiet for a moment, studying her. He wasn’t sure he should say what he was thinking. “Maybe it’s not something, but someone.”
They held each other’s gaze until the roar of the basketball game flooded into the kitchen. Alex jumped up and then stopped himself. “Do you mind?” Like an idiot he’d lost the moment.
“Are you kidding?” She sidestepped him and beat him to the couch to see what the excitement was about. But she didn’t last long.
A bath and a full stomach only meant one thing...sleep.
Chapter Eight
Liz woke up on the couch with a very large headache. She took a couple of Tylenol and then made her way into the kitchen. She vaguely remembered Alex saying he was leaving, and feeling a light kiss on the cheek—or maybe that part was a dream.
No, she thought as she touched her cheek. That was real. Her heart fluttered at the thought.
Reaching for a mug, she saw a note attached to the coffeepot. Coffee’s ready. Just flip the switch. Meet me at the station—10:00.
Liz turned on the coffee pot and opened the kitchen curtain to let the sunshine in. The icicles slowly shrank as drops of water collected and fell from their tips.
Why did Alex want her to come in again? Maybe they needed more information on Sanders, or he wanted her to go to Carl’s with him. She called the office to let them know she wouldn’t be in until that afternoon and took her time getting ready. During the drive to the station she checked the messages on her cell, one from Brenda and another from her parents. The last message made her go numb.
“Hide and Seek. I’m seeking what you’re hiding.”
The raspy voice from the other end of the line reached out, grabbed her around the throat and made her gasp. She checked the ID but no number was shown. It could have just been a prank, but what if they knew she was hiding Scotty?
She parked and sat in the car for a moment and replayed the message. She racked her brain trying to find any distinctions in what was said, any familiarities in the voice. Nothing. She knew a lot of jokesters who would fit this kind of mischief, and if it were something more she was sure she’d hear from him again.
She did her best to shake it off and walked through the double doors into the station, making her way to the huge bull pen that held cubicles and a large front desk for check-in. As she turned the corner to enter, Liz felt as if a hundred eyes scrutinized her.
“Well if it isn’t our newest recruit,” Lt. Charles Miller yelled out from behind the front desk. The florescent light reflected off his bald head and moved with him as he did. He raised his bushy, black eyebrows at her.
Liz stopped in front of him. “Hey, Charles, how are you?”
Charles grinned. “I’m just putting in my time. I only have a few more months.”
He’d been with the department for over twenty-five years and was considered everyone’s “dad.”
“You’re down to counting the months? That’s too close for my comfort. I’m going to miss you.”
“Oh, I’ll still come around. You can’t get rid of me that easily.” He leaned in closer to her. “So, I hear you’ve had a bit of excitement lately.”
Liz didn’t want to go into to it and politely skirted the issue. “I’m here to see Officer...”
“Demas?”
Liz snapped her head back in surprise.
Charles’s bald head turned a shade of pink, showing his embarrassment for being so presumptuous. He looked behind him and yelled to Alex. “Demas, Miss Adams is here to see you.”
He looked at Liz again. “You’re in good hands with Demas. And all the talk...” He waved a hand toward her. “Don’t listen to it.”
Liz gave Charles an awkward smile, then turned to see Jake walking toward her. He stood only a couple inches above her. Short and sweet was how she’d always thought of him.
“You okay?” he inquired, placing his hands on his hips.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
He nodded. “You and Alex have been on a lot of calls together with this drug ring developing.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, the poor guy.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’s bothered with it. He knows what he’s doing.”
She narrowed her eyes, wondering where he was going with this. “What are you referring to, Jake?”
He held up his hands in surrender. “Nothing, just glad you two are working so well together.”
“Don’t give me a hard time, Jake, or I’ll request you next time,” she teased.
He shook his head with a grin. “Oh no, you finish the case with whoever you started it.”
“I’m starting to feel like I have the plague when I come in here.” She scanned the room.
He chuckled. “I guess you do in a way.”
She gave him a swift hit to the arm. “So what’s the latest news on Sanders?”
“He’s being charged with possession and assault.”
The news put her mind at ease. Whatever was going on between the Harrises, Pirelli and Sanders was being investigated, and it might be easier with Sanders out of the picture.
She saw Alex start to walk over and stop when he passed Charles. They conversed briefly and both glanced over at Liz and continued talking.
Jake turned to where she was looking. “He gets a little over-protective.”
“It’s sort of nice to have a dad around.” Liz put a fist to one hip.
Jake arched a brow. “I’m talking about Alex.”
Liz smiled her surprise. Between Charles and Alex she’d be well taken care of. It was a good thing Alex was always the one on her calls. The other cops were apparently glad they hadn’t been with her. After talking with Jake, she was starting to wonder if it was more than the close calls keeping them away.
Alex finally came over and stood quietly next to them as they finished their conversation.
“Stay out of trouble.” Jake pointed at her and tilted his head down to emphasize the warning. He shifted his finger to Alex. “And you keep her out of trouble.”
Alex grinned and waved him off, and Liz chuckled at his playfulness.
Liz and Alex walked over to Checkout, which was a long counter with a metal mesh divider between them and the cops on the other side. She followed him, bothered by not knowing where they were going or what they were doing.
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he inspected her wrist. “Your wrist still looks sore.”
“I’m fine,” she said flatly, as she pulled down her sleeve, not wanting to answer to anyone else.
“What are we doing?” She watched suspiciously as the cop on the other side of the cage took out a gun and set it on the counter.
“Target practice.” He didn’t look up.
“What did you say?”
He stopped filling out a form and turned to her. “I know how you feel about guns, but you should at least know how to shoot one.”
“But I don’t want to learn to how to shoot a gun. I couldn’t shoot anyone, ever, so what’s the point?” She lifted her hands and shoulders in an emphatic shrug.
Alex fixed his eyes on hers. “Never?”
“I can’t imagine,” she answered, taken aback.
“If it was self-defense, like it al
ways is with you, and it was you or the other guy?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re awfully sure of me.”
“Yes, I am.”
Their eyes locked for a moment and she felt a shiver. But she had the feeling he wasn’t just talking about the gun.
“Okay, where do we go for this little target practice thing?”
“It’s not little, and it’s not a thing. We go downstairs.”
He took the gun from the officer behind the cage, examined it, and then handed her a box of bullets. She held them as if with two fingers, like they were a snake.
His soft chuckle mixed with his words. “They don’t have much effect without the gun.”
She sneered and followed him down the stairs. “Do you do this often?”
“Yeah, we teach gun safety classes all the time.”
They walked down to the basement of the station and through some locked doors into a huge darkened room. Alex turned on the lights. There were several alleys with a target at the end. None were being used.
Alex signed them in, picked a lane, and loaded the gun. “Rule one, all guns are loaded.”
“But they’re not,” Liz protested.
Alex sighed. “We just assume they are. These are the gun safety rules, just go with me on this, okay?”
She shrugged.
“Never let the muzzle cover anything you’re not willing to destroy. Keep your finger on the trigger until your sights are on the target, and be sure of your target.”
She scowled. “The last one is a given, isn’t it?”
He waved her off and placed the safety glasses over her eyes and handed her some ear plugs. Then he stood behind her, holding the gun out in front of them for her to take a hold of.
He placed his hand over hers to help her get a feel for the correct positioning.
Alex’s other arm closed around her, his warmth surrounding her. His body blanketed hers, complete body contact between her back and his chest with their arms intertwined.
His voice murmured against her ear and cheek, but her focus was on the feel of his chest covering her back. His arm muscles bulged slightly as he moved the gun. His breath on her cheek was warm with a hint of peppermint. That distracted her enough to completely tune out his voice. He stopped talking, and she finally noticed he had asked her something.
She slipped back into the moment and held the gun more firmly.
“Liz?” He dropped his arms down and then came around in front of her. “Have you heard a word I’ve said?”
Her face flushed, and she averted her eyes. “Yeah, everything you said. About safety and what I shouldn’t do.” She lowered the gun to her side and met his gaze as he scowled, his fists on his hips and a knowing look on his face.
He studied her for a minute with narrowed eyes, then nodded. “Then you’re ready to shoot.” He put in his earplugs, and she did the same.
He observed as she shot a couple of rounds, corrected her, and she shot again. She kept shooting for what felt like an eternity.
Finally she peered into the box of bullets, hoping they were gone. “Are we done yet?”
He shrugged. “I guess. You did hit the target pretty well. It’d be good if you’d hit it close to the middle before we stopped though.” He put his fist to his mouth to stifle a laugh.
Liz laughed with him. “Thanks for doing this. I know you’re just trying to look out for me.”
“Now I just have to get you a gun.”
She shook her head. The body contact was one thing, but she actually hated the shooting, so was it worth getting a gun?
He took her hand, pulling her closer to him. His eyes sparkled as they held each other’s stare, heads moving closer, their lips almost touching.
“Did you kiss me last night?”
His smile widened. “I thought you were asleep.”
“Hey, Demas. You about done? We got calls coming in,” a voice boomed from the top of the stairs.
Liz startled and took a step back.
A crooked grin etched his face as he gazed at her. “I’m coming,” he answered the other cop without taking his eyes off her.
He took the gun from her, gliding his finger across the palm of her hand, sending goose bumps prickling up her arm.
“Duty calls. Will I see you later?”
She nodded and watched him run up the stairs.
****
Liz put a couple of quarters in the meter and walked past Denver’s Union Station. She peered in the tall glass windows of the Wynkoop restaurant. Groups of people intermittently blocked her vision as she walked to the door.
As soon as she entered, she saw Brenda’s big blond hair and both hands waving at her.
“Hey!” Liz greeted, as she slid into the booth.
“You’re late.” A slight smile played over Brenda’s lips. “But I’m sure you have a good reason.”
“As a matter of fact I do.”
“I know you were with a guy, a really good looking guy that makes money to burn.”
“I’ve already dated him. Next time I’m going for personality,” Liz teased with a playful smirk.
“So what’s your excuse?”
“Alex took me target shooting.”
Brenda’s face scrunched up. “You hate guns.”
“Yeah, but Alex thought I should at least know how to handle one.”
“And?”
“The shooting part was what I expected—tolerable at best. What I hadn’t expected was the body contact.”
Brenda laughed. “Oh, no. You’re in trouble.” She put a hand to Liz’s and noticed the injury on her wrist. “What’s that from?”
“I had to question this guy about a disturbance call he made the other night, and I found something he didn’t want me to. He got a little upset.”
“And he did that?” She grimaced.
“Yeah, but he mainly just scared the heck out of me.” Liz appreciated Brenda’s concern but didn’t want to talk about Sanders. She wanted to talk about guys, something she hadn’t done for a long time, and she needed some help sorting things out.
Brenda gave her a motherly look and tilted her head. “I’m getting worried about you.”
“Yeah, me, too.” Liz sighed with frustration.
“Maybe it’s time to move to a different district, the suburbs maybe.” Brenda nodded and waited for Liz to nod back.
“I’m already looking into other options. Actually, Margie is. Between you and her, I’m very well taken care of.” Liz noticed the fatigue in her friend’s face, probably from working another double shift. “How are things at the hospital?”
“There’ve been so many deliveries it almost feels like spring.” She stopped and stared at Liz, slowly put her spoon down, and laced her fingers together on the table in front of her. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” Brenda’s eyes were wide with anticipation.
Liz grasped a strand of hair and began twirling it around her finger as a pained feeling passed over her. “No. Nothing new anyway.”
“But you have that face.” Brenda tilted her head to examine Liz.
“Just my mom again and all the questions about my love life with the constant reminder that ‘I’m not getting any younger,’” Liz sang out, mimicking her mother’s tone.
Brenda replied with a grin.
“Are you going to help me or not?” Liz pleaded.
“Of course.” Brenda placed a hand on Liz’s twirling finger. “But how? I’m not a fairy godmother.” She rubbed her tired eyes and scratched her side through her scrubs adorned with pink and blue rattles.
“I don’t need a fairy. I need a prince.”
“You already have one.”
“I do?”
“Alex.”
Liz sat back in her chair and twirled double time, looking past Brenda into a blank stare. “There’s always been an attraction between us, but I don’t think anything will ever come of it.”
Brenda leaned forward and put her hand on
Liz’s. “All guys aren’t like Nick, Liz. Most guys aren’t like Nick. And you won’t ever let that happen to you again, I know. I’ve seen you change through your dependence on the Lord.”
Looking back, Liz couldn’t believe she had let her last relationship become what it did. But Nick’s repeated promises to make amends, and her desire to believe him, kept the relationship going long after it should have.
“I know you’re right. It’s just hard to take that first step of faith. You know, I used to pray for someone special to come into my life, but after Nick, I’ve prayed to keep them away.”
“Yeah, I know. You’ve driven Margie and your mother crazy for the last year.”
Liz shrugged her response.
“Speaking of faith, is Alex a Christian?”
“Yes, but he’s hesitant, not open about it. That’s what I’m most concerned about. Sometimes I feel God is calling me to bring Alex to Him, that my purpose is not to have a relationship with him but to remind him of his relationship with Christ.”
“I’m sure you’ve been an example to him already, Liz.”
Liz sighed. “I hope so. I know he had a strong faith at one time, but something happened, something big enough to change that. But he never talks about his past.”
Brenda slumped in her seat. “Maybe he will if you can spend some time together outside of work.”
“I asked him over for dinner.”
Brenda lifted her eyebrows in surprise.
“He helped me out after a couple of rough calls and went out of his way to make sure I was okay.”
Brenda smiled. “Yeah, I know what that’s like.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “But I never got a home cooked meal out of it.”
“Would you have wanted one of my home cooked meals?”
“Come to think of it, no. Poor Alex.” She chuckled as Liz playfully nudged her.
“I didn’t think he’d say yes.”
“You never know until you ask.”
Liz nodded and took a sip of her water, then sat back and groaned. “I forgot to mention, Margie is trying to set me up on a blind date.”
Brenda scrunched up her face again. “I hate blind dates. But you don’t want to get Margie ticked off. She can be as mean as a snake if you do her wrong.”