04 - Shock and Awesome

by Camilla Chafer

  "Works for me," I decided, rather than arguing I was in the army and thus, ready for anything. While that was kind of accurate, it wasn't exactly the full truth. The army thing lasted a few weeks, but it did earn me kudos around the office, so long as I didn't reveal any of the details. Most of all, getting stabbed or chloroformed would totally ruin my day, and I wasn't sure my insurance would pay out any more. Fletcher no doubt relished the opportunity to take out a bad dude. It would probably make his day. Some people had an odd sense of fun. But I didn't actually want to fight Ben or Justin. I just wanted to cuff one of them and hand them over to MPD. Then maybe rub Maddox's nose in it a little bit, before celebrating.

  "Great," said Solomon. I ignored the sarcasm in his voice and waved him on to continue.

  "Lexi, you take the first four-hour shift, seven to eleven. Delgado, you take eleven to three. Flaherty will relieve Fletcher for the second shift. I'll get a couple of the new guys to work shifts too. We'll have the front and back covered at all times. Hopefully, we'll be done by morning."

  "Where will you be?" I asked.

  "Everywhere," said Solomon, giving me a little shiver of something I probably shouldn't have gotten a thrill about. "Go home and get some rest. Lexi, you need to be seen in the Chilton house today, so maybe you want to rest up there before you start your shift."

  "Sure thing, I'll grab a couple of items from my apartment and head over there now. Hey, what if he comes in early to hide there before I supposedly go out?" I froze where I stood and watched the others eyeing each other. Clearly, that idea didn't occur to anyone. "I'm not taking a snooze if someone is hiding in the closet," I told them. "That's how urban legends start."

  Solomon picked up the desk phone and punched in a number. "Send someone to sweep the Chilton house," he told the person on the other line. "Yes, now. My team is due over soon. Get a guy on the front and one on the back until I relieve them." He put the phone down. I waited, keeping my face expressionless so he couldn't see if I were impressed, or riveted with curiosity over whom he just called. The guys upstairs? So much for snoozing, I'd definitely be looking outside just to see if I could catch a glimpse of them.

  Solomon dismissed me with a hand wave. It made me think perhaps he wasn't too impressed with my casual little wave when I was about to leave before. Seeing I didn't move, Solomon looked up. "Go," he said.

  "On it, Boss." I nodded to my colleagues and hightailed it out. It wasn't until I got to the parking lot that I realized Solomon not only eradicated the danger by placing me on watch at the front of the house, but also assigned me with the least risky shift of all. I didn't know if it were because I was the newest team member, and therefore kept in all low-risk assignments, or because Solomon was overly protective. Maybe it was both. I couldn't decide if it was sweet or insulting, so instead, I focused on catching the thief and being home in time for a movie and ice cream; or if it was really late, cocktails and dancing on tables.

  ~

  By the time I got to the Chilton house, Solomon had sent a short text: "Sweep complete. Safe.” Not exactly chatty, but it confirmed the most important things... or did it?

  “Check under beds?” I texted.

  “Yes. Thief sleeping,” came the next message.

  “Thrilled,” I replied.

  “7 PM. Don't oversleep. Eat,” instructed Solomon.

  "Yes, Boss," I said to the phone. I parked my car several houses away, ready for the stakeout later, and went inside, casually looking around just in case any PI-type men were lurking there. None. The street was empty. Damn. I looked up at Solomon's living room window as I took the first step to mine, and saw a woman move across the room. The mystery guest. Great, now I could think about her while trying to chill out next door.

  The house was quiet as I stepped inside, no obvious signs of anyone else having been here. All the same, it gave me goose bumps to walk around it, knowing someone was almost certainly figuring out how to break into it later, not to mention the people watching over it outside. Speaking of whom… I went upstairs and first peeked out the front, then the rear windows. Nothing. I repeated this several times and only once saw something I actually wanted to see: the guy from Not Wong Chinese arriving with my dinner. Handing him his money, I took another look around from the doorstep and retreated inside. I ate my meal at the bar in the kitchen, while my curiosity gnawed at me. I took another look from the living room window. Where were Solomon's men hiding?

  The ringing of my cell phone made me jump so high, I nearly threw my egg roll into the light fixture. "Boss?" I said upon answering.

  "Stay away from the windows," he commanded. "No one looks out windows that much. My guys complained."

  "I was looking for the takeout guy."

  "For three hours?"

  "I was really hungry."

  "You only placed the call half an hour ago."

  I looked up at the discreet camera hidden on the living room bookshelf. Of course, Lucas was probably already next door, monitoring the feed. "Okay, you got me. Where are these guys hiding?"

  Solomon paused, and I pictured him smiling. "Obviously, in really good places," he said. "Get some rest. I don't want you falling asleep on the job."

  "Do I ever?" I started to ask, but he was gone, so I took his advice. I finished dinner, washed my knife and fork, and threw the cartons in the kitchen trash, though finding the trash was actually quite a feat. Solomon texted me and told me it was in a concealed panel, after Lucas probably watched me scour the kitchen for it. Then I had a nap on the incredibly comfortable couch in the living room. I didn't check for the guys again, but I didn't intend to fall asleep either. When I woke up, I felt utterly refreshed.

  After stretching, using the bathroom, and filling my plastic bottle with tap water, I locked up the house and strolled to my car. No one was around, and the street was quiet. I pushed the driver's seat back, and settled in for a long wait, calling Solomon. "I'm here," I told him.

  "You’re in the VW?"

  "Of course. It would be stupid to stake out my fake house in my fake car."

  Solomon laughed. "I see you. Keep your head down. If anyone complains about you, you'll have to sweet talk your way out of it. Shouldn't be too hard."

  I snorted. "Do you know how many cops I'm related to?"

  "Yep. I'm heading out back with Fletcher," he said, catching me off guard, although I didn't know why. I should have expected him to be home. I wondered if they both ate dinner with the mystery woman. Then I wondered why I was so bothered. "Call if you see either suspect."

  "Ten-four."

  "Do you even know what that means?"

  "Duh!" I said, hanging up, although I thought Solomon might have been teasing. Instead of wearing out the car battery, I stuck my earphone jack into my cell phone and set it to play my music. It beat doing nothing. I couldn't read a magazine or a book, in case I missed Ben or Justin, or much else. Surveillance was never sexy. It was really just waiting it out. Beside me, for insurance, was my camera, retrieved from the trunk with a fresh digital card inside, so I could record any suspicious activity. Somehow, I didn't expect much to occur with the early shift. Why would a thief break in during daylight hours? When people might see him? Surely, he would act under cover of darkness, when everyone was asleep.

  An hour into my surveillance, I was yawning and craving a coffee. Thirty minutes later, after several frustrating games of Solitaire on my phone, I contemplated downloading a bunch of apps I didn't need. A man walked past, wearing a baseball cap and a leather jacket, holding a bunch of flowers, and I was ready to accuse him of anything just to save me from boredom.

  Two hours in, and I waved to Jord, who cruised by in a patrol car. I called my mother and agreed to have dinner on the weekend, then texted several friends, and prank-called Lucas once. I had a really good sulk when I saw Solomon leaving his house, his arm wrapped around the Anastasia's waist as he led her towards his car. From my position, I even saw him lean over to buckle her in before they sped off.
Well, I conceded, at least my replacement was hot. If I had to be replaced by someone, it was a damned nice compliment that she was practically a supermodel. All the same, kind of unfair that he dodged his shift, not that I would even ask where he was going. I was not a jealous ex. Or even an ex.

  By the time Lily called, I was ready to beat my head against the steering wall from boredom.

  "Hey," she said weakly. "I don't feel good."

  "Food poisoning hitting hard?"

  "I don't think it's that... I think it's..." Sobbing sounded in my ear and Lily sniffed. "My stomach hurts and I don't feel well."

  "What's going on?"

  "I think it's the baby. Something's not right. I've been in pain since yesterday. I thought maybe it was food poisoning, but I don't think it is. It got worse all day. I tried calling Jord, but he isn't picking up."

  "I saw him fifteen minutes ago. He's in a squad car. He might not have his cell phone with him," I told her.

  "I figured. Lexi, I think I need to go to the hospital. I know you're working, but can you come get me?"

  I didn't have to think about it. I didn't have to hesitate. In the case of best friend versus job, there could only be one winner. "Yes," I said. "I'll come now." Lily started to cry again. "Sweetie, I'll be right there. Don't panic. It's probably nothing. Alice went to the hospital three times when she was pregnant with Rachel, and everything was fine."

  "Do you think so?" she said, her voice edging towards a whimper. Lily rarely got upset, and when she did, there had to be a really good reason.

  "Absolutely," I assured her, even though my heart was pounding. "Let me make a couple calls and I'll be right there. Okay? Sit tight until I get there."

  "Okay," she murmured before hanging up.

  I took a moment to catch my breath and calm myself before calling Delgado. He picked up on the second ring with a gruff, "Hey."

  "Hey, Delgado, I'm at the Chilton house and I have a family emergency. I need to leave. Can you take over now?"

  "I'm at your sister's place. I'm leaving now anyway, but it'll take me thirty minutes to get there. There was an accident on Century and traffic is backed up. Hold on." There was muffled talking, and I could just about hear my sister asking questions before Delgado came back on. "Serena wants to know what kind of emergency."

  "Lily isn't well. I'm going to take her to the hospital."

  "Okay. I'll be there soon as I can."

  "Thanks, I appreciate it." I called Solomon next, but his phone rang out. I tried twice more, but voicemail didn't click in. For the next few minutes, I tapped my feet on the floor with my hands on the wheel, growing increasingly agitated as I waited. Solomon didn't return my call, leaving me with a problem. I was caught in a crisis of ethics. My friend needed me, but I couldn't leave my post until I was relieved. The moment Lily told me she was in trouble, my interest in catching the thief ended. I wanted to leave now. Also, it was Solomon's own damn fault for not picking up, and the traffic issues on Century weren't my problem either.

  I felt torn over what to do, and watched a couple of pedestrians walk past, one of them holding the leash of the tiniest dog I'd ever seen. Leather jacket man came along right after them, and I lifted my camera to get a better look as he paused outside the house. Unfortunately, I could only see the back of his head. There was something familiar about it though. Maybe he was one of the street’s residents. The bouquet he held was pretty. He looked like he was getting the courage to give the flowers to someone, which explained why he passed by twice.

  I jumped as my cell phone trilled again, and Lily's name flashed onto the screen. Dropping the camera onto the passenger seat, I answered.

  "Did you leave yet?" she asked.

  "No," I admitted. "But I will. Very soon."

  "I think I saw some blood. Lexi, I'm so scared. I tried Jord again, but I got voicemail and my parents are in Brazil. Or Guatemala. I don't know. I thought about calling your mom, but I don't want to upset her..." Lily's voice trailed into a heaving sob.

  That was it. I started up the engine and checked the dashboard clock. Twenty minutes until Delgado got here. For the last three and a half hours, barely a single person entered the street, either on foot or in a car. "I'm leaving now," I told her. "Stay on the line, okay? You're going to be okay." I wasn't sure whom I was trying to assure as I pulled onto the quiet street, driving past Solomon's house, then my fake home. I noticed the lamp in the living room was left on. Funny, I thought I switched it off, but it was irrelevant now.

  Lily needed me and that was all that mattered.

  Chapter Seventeen

  "Where the hell have you been?" yelled Solomon from across the office the moment I stepped through the agency door, albeit late in the morning. I yawned, narrowing my eyes, and wondering why the hell he wasn't telepathic, and how that could possibly be my fault, before shutting the door.

  He waited at the office door, arms folded, as I walked towards him. Clearly, he got a better night's sleep than I because he was wearing black pants, a striped, black-on-black, open-neck shirt and he looked damn good to my tired eyes. I thought about wrapping my arms around him and resting my head on his shoulder, but I was pretty certain he wouldn't call that appropriate employee conduct. We just weren't that huggy an agency. "My office," he said, his voice straining with obvious frustration, while tilting his head inside. Like I couldn't guess.

  I stepped through and Solomon banged the door shut behind me. "I called you ten times. Didn't you get my messages? You left your post," he said, moving around me to sit behind his desk, without making any indication for me to sit, but I did anyway.

  "I'm sorry." I didn't even think of checking my phone before crawling into bed, or after; but even if I did, I'd probably have ignored the messages.

  He raised his eyebrows. "Sorry? Great. Just great. The plan worked, by the way. The house got hit. Unfortunately, no one saw a damn thing!" Solomon leaned back, his jaw set in a firm line. I don't think I ever saw him so angry, or so ready to raise his voice.

  "I had an emergency."

  "Emergencies don’t count when you're on the job!"

  "I called Delgado and told him I had to go. I also tried calling you. Where were you? You left, too."

  "That was different."

  Huh. Well, isn't everything different when a guy is involved? Sure, I was being unfair, but it seemed really unfair to blame me for the job going south when he deserted his post too. At least, I tried to call him. I guess he was just too busy with Anastasia. "This was important. Didn't Delgado tell you where I went? I called him."

  "No, we were too busy finding out how the hell we missed our guy. What the hell kind of emergency did you have anyway?"

  The fatigue and sadness caught up with me and fat tears prickled the corners of my eyes. In the quiet of the room, I said the words I didn't want to voice. "Lily lost her baby."

  Solomon stared at me for a long moment before running his large hand over his short crop of hair. His face softened, the hard lines of anger disappearing. "Shit. She okay?"

  I shook my head. "No, not at all. I took her to the hospital and stayed all night. Jord got there at midnight, but I couldn't leave her. We took her home this morning. My mom is with her now."

  "You should have called," Solomon said at last; and I came this close to snapping. Didn't he pay attention when I said I tried calling? Didn't he see the missed calls?

  "I did. Several times last night. Then, your cell phone wouldn't go through to voicemail. Didn't you see this morning?"

  Solomon reached into his pocket. He tossed the phone onto his desk in annoyance. "Fuck! Battery is dead." He rummaged in his desk drawer, pulled out a charger and plugged the phone in to recharge. "Damn it. Obviously our calls missed each other."

  I would normally take some satisfaction in my boss screwing up, but today wasn't the day. All the same, it was a relief to know he wasn't infallible. "Yeah, so that was my emergency. I'm really sorry I screwed up," I said, in all sincerity. I wouldn't chan
ge a thing though. I'd leave my post again and again. On the plus side, I knew who and what were important to me.

  Solomon waved a dismissive hand. "No matter. Lily's more important."

  "Yeah." We were both silent for a moment, just breathing while the tension dissipated. I wondered what Solomon thought about it. I remembered Lily was crying when I left her, and I thought I might cry too. "So, what happened at the house?" I asked. "You said the thief took the bait."

  "We think he came in through the rear of the house, so you're off the hook on that one. Lucas noticed there was something wrong with the cameras, which must have coincided with Delgado arriving, so he sent Delgado to investigate. He entered, got hit over the head, and while he was down, the thief escaped through the front."