by Anne Patrick
Kris retrieved her keys. "I'm gonna stop off at the cafeteria on my way back. You guys want anything?"
"I'll take a soda," Nick hollered.
"Me too, only diet." Gwen leaned against the side of his desk. "You know I almost feel sorry for you."
"Yeah, I bet you do." With folded arms, he eased back in his chair and looked up at her. "I don't think I'm gonna make it another week."
"Since you have so much free time on your hands you wanna do me a couple of favors?"
"Sure." He sprang forward.
"It's on the QT though."
He quirked a brow at her. "Bartlett?"
"Yeah. See if you can find a current address on his grandmother in Winslow. Her name's Vivian Bartlett. She wouldn't see me before, but she might be in a more talkative mood now."
"All right. And the other favor?"
Gwen went to her computer and pulled up the missing person's report from a couple of weeks ago. She then jotted down Mrs. Lofton's address and handed it to him. "See if you can find anything on them in the way of domestic disputes."
"Bartlett's neighbors?"
"It's an unrelated case I'm following up on."
"Give me a couple of hours."
"Thanks."
Gwen then called the courthouse and left a message with Judge Larkin's secretary to have him call her back when he had a chance. In the meantime, Gwen made some calls in connection to another open case she was close to wrapping up.
In the midst of typing up a report, Nick scooted his chair over to her desk. "No domestic calls. The only thing dispatch has on the Lofton's is a missing person's call on the eleventh. Dan's an attorney with Dennison and Lofton, and his wife, Angela, works from home doing medical billings. Long time natives of Shorewick. No children, but they are foster parents. He's in the Rotary Club, and they attend church at Westland Baptist."
She grinned. "What'd you Google them?"
"I'm nothing if I'm not thorough."
"Any luck on the other?"
"Nothing in Winslow. She may have moved. I'll keep looking."
"I think she's in her early seventies. You might try nursing homes," Gwen suggested.
The squad room door opened and Gwen glanced back to see Ian. "Thanks, Nick."
"Yep." He shot backwards to his desk.
Ian threw her a curious gaze and she smiled. He seemed about to speak when her cellphone rang. "Jamison," she quickly answered as Ian went into his office and closed the door.
"Stacy said you'd called. Is everything okay?"
Gwen smiled at the concern in Judge Larkin's voice. "Yes. I was hoping my favorite judge would meet me for breakfast in the park tomorrow." She knew he jogged every morning and he loved blueberry bagels.
"I'd love too, Gwen. Six-thirty okay?"
"Can we make it seven?" She planned to sit on Bartlett until two.
He chuckled. "Don't forget the cream cheese."
*****
Ian glanced over at Gwen as they sat at the dining room table at the Greer House. Gwen had given him a tour earlier and the place was even more amazing than he had imagined. He especially enjoyed seeing Gwen's old bedroom, and hearing the stories of how she and Tony would sneak out to meet friends at the local arcade. The mischievous tales had brought a beautiful smile to her face, which had quickly disappeared once the topic switched to the late owners of the home. It was obvious Gwen still mourned their loss.
"Where's Stuart tonight?" Gwen asked their hosts.
Tony smiled. "I forgot to tell you. He got his own apartment. Moved out yesterday. He told me to tell you he hasn't forgotten his promise."
"What promise was that?" Ian asked Gwen.
"He was going to ask around about the girl."
On the drive over, Gwen had briefed him on the interview she and Kris had with Amanda Kingsley's caseworker. Ian could tell from Gwen's tone that the missing teenager's history had hit a nerve. Was Gwen's story similar? He wondered if she would ever share it with him. More importantly, would she be able to stay objective where the girl was concerned and bring her in to face the charges against her. Judging from her previous comments about the foster care system, Ian feared she wouldn't. If that were the case, it would place them both in a quandary.
"Anyone care for more dessert?" Kara asked as she began to gather their plates.
Gwen stood to help.
"You stay put. I've got this."
"In that case, Tony, could we talk a minute in your office?" Gwen leaned over and kissed Ian's cheek. "I won't be long."
Ian smiled after her, pleasantly surprised by her show of affection in front of her family.
*****
"I take it things are going well between you and Ian?" Tony teased as he closed the door to his office.
She smiled. "It's going very well, thank you. That isn't why I wanted to talk to you, though." Hearing the news about Stuart moving out had her rethinking her decision to talk to Mrs. Lofton. With Kara being a teacher she could help Mandy study for her GED. "I have a huge favor to ask of you, Tony."
"All right."
Gwen told him what she knew about Mandy and the situation she was in. "I just need to find her a temporary home so she won't be placed in juvenile detention. Her DCS caseworker will want to meet with you two of course. I'm also going to talk to Judge Larkin about getting Mandy a diversion on the charges. Since she has no prior arrests, that shouldn't be a problem."
"She sounds pretty troubled, Gwen. What makes you think she'll even want to stay with us?"
"By all indications, she's a smart girl. If she wants any kind of a future, she'll see it's her best option."
"This means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"Yes. She's haunted me since the night I chased her in that alley. I've got to get her off the streets and somewhere safe, Tony."
"All right. I'll talk to Kara and will let you know." He drew her in for a hug. "I'm glad you came over tonight."
"We'll do it again soon. Only next time at my place."
"Not unless you've gotten rid of your demon cat."
Gwen laughed. "She's not so bad once she gets to know you."
Ian was quiet on the drive back to her place. When he parked the car and turned off the engine, Gwen learned why. "This talk you had with the DCS worker today brought up some bad memories for you, didn't it?"
"No," she lied. She had briefly considered telling Ian about her discussion with Tony and her plans to talk Mandy into going to a stable home, but knew if she did it would open up the door to her own past.
He leaned over, resting his arm on her seat. "Gwen, don't you trust me?"
"Not wanting to talk about my childhood has nothing to do with me not trusting you."
"You're thirty years old. Don't you think it's time to bury those skeletons?"
"I have, but people keep wanting me to dig'em up."
He let out a deep sigh.
Gwen met his gaze. She knew he was only trying to help. "I'm sorry, but I'm just not ready to share that part of my life with you."
"Okay." He lowered his lips onto hers and kissed her gently. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Gwen stopped by Mrs. Bernstein's apartment. She opened the door in her robe. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you out of bed. I should've called earlier."
"Don't be ridiculous, it's only ten. I was just lying on the sofa watching the news." She pushed back the door. "Come on in."
Gwen entered the modestly decorated living room and took a seat on the sofa. The layout of her apartment was similar to hers. Each floor had three apartments and she and Mrs. Bernstein had the largest on their floors.
"I saw your gentleman friend earlier. He's quite handsome, and very polite."
"Yes he is." Gwen was glad they had taken Tony up on his invitation tonight. Having him meet her family was a big step for her. It made her realize how important Ian was becoming to her. Not only did she look forward to seeing him everyday, she loved how he made her feel when they were together.
&nb
sp; "I would offer you some coffee but I don't have any made. It keeps me up. How about some juice instead?"
"I'm afraid I can't stay. I was hoping to borrow your car for a couple of hours tonight, and again Saturday, and Sunday."
"A stakeout?"
Gwen smiled as she nodded. "I promise to replace the gas I use."
"Don't you worry about that. I'm glad to do my civic duty." Mrs. Bernstein reached for her purse sitting on the end table and removed her keys and handed them to Gwen. "Don't suppose I could come along? This ole gal wouldn't mind a little excitement in her life."
"I'm afraid not. The guy I'll be watching isn't a very nice man and I wouldn't want you in harm's way."
"How about another ride-a-long sometime?"
"That I can do." The first one was two years ago and Mrs. Bernstein had the time of her life, listening to Kris tell stories of some of the calls they had gone out on. "I'll even throw in a tour of our crime lab."
"You better not be teasing me. You know how I like my forensic shows."
"I promise, just as soon as I wrap up the case I'm working on." Gwen stood and Mrs. Bernstein walked her to the door.
"You be careful. I don't want to hear about any more close calls like the last time."
Gwen gave her a hug. "I'll drop off your keys in the morning."
"Just keep them till you're done, hon. I went to the grocery store today so I won't be needing them till Monday."
The red light on Gwen's answering machine was blinking when she came into the apartment. She started a pot of coffee while she listened to her messages. Two were sales calls and the third was from Kris telling Gwen she couldn't make it tonight but she would Saturday. Gwen considered calling Nick but figured he was probably with Sara. Ron was also out of the question. She'd just have to go it alone. It wasn't likely Bartlett would hit a liquor store tonight, but Gwen didn't want to take that chance. He was going to screw up sooner or later, they always did, and Gwen was determined to be there when it happened.
The coffee finished brewing and Gwen poured it into her thermos then added it to her backpack. Lizzie came into the kitchen meowing. Gwen picked her up and went to the refrigerator. She poured the last of the milk into a bowl and placed it on the floor. "I'll see you in a little while. Be good."
*****
Gwen parked the blue Volvo a block from the Bartlett house and took out her binoculars. A light was on in the living room but she didn't see any movement through the cream colored curtains. Deep down, she felt a little guilty for going against the captain's orders, but three years ago she had succumbed to their threats and Bartlett ended up getting away with the murders of his family. That wasn't going to happen this time.
What bothered her more was her insubordination to Ian. He would be caught in the middle. At least this way, him not knowing what she was up to, he wouldn't be culpable if the captain somehow found out about her stakeout.
The hours crept by and Gwen grew so bored, she was tempted to call it a night. She turned the key in the ignition and checked the time on the dashboard. One-fifteen. If Bartlett had plans of pulling off a heist tonight, he would've already left by now. She gave it another twenty minutes then headed home. Along the way, she pulled into a convenience store to pick up a gallon of milk.
She made the purchased then walked back to the Volvo.
"Good morning, Detective," a male voice hollered.
Gwen looked over her shoulder. Dawson Bartlett stood next to his Monte Carlo at the pumps. He had no doubt followed her from his house. Great!
With a wide grin, he waved at her.
It took every ounce of her restraint not to walk over and wipe the smile off his face. Sucking in a deep breath, she got in the car and left. "Your day's coming, Bartlett."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Gwen saw the silver haired jogger approaching and stood from the bench. "You've lost some weight." It had been over four months since she last saw him. At sixty-two, the judge didn't look much older than the day she first met him.
"Just a few pounds." He bent over and grasped his knees, taking a minute to catch his breath. "Janie has me on one of those low carb diets that's killing me." He gave her a hug. "I was so glad you called."
"I meant to sooner but I've been awfully busy."
"I heard." He sat on the bench and crossed his legs. "How's the arm?"
"Almost healed." She often wondered if he had informants inside the station keeping an eye on her. The father of five children seemed to know everything that happened in her life. "How's the family?"
"Just great. Jason, my oldest boy brought the grandkids by last weekend and they nearly wore us out." He peered around her at the bag sitting beside her.
Gwen laughed as she handed it to him. "You better not tell Janie."
"Not a word." He piled cream cheese on one of the bagels and took a bite. "Aw, that hits the spot. You're a lifesaver, Gwen." He dug out a napkin and wiped his chin. "Word has it you've got a new lieutenant. How's that working out?"
"He's easier to work with than Reynolds was."
He laughed. "I don't think he was the one with the problem."
"Maybe not. I'm just glad he's gone." Gwen grabbed herself a bagel from the bag.
Judge Larkin draped his arm along the back of the bench and stared out at the duck pond. "So what's up, Gwen? I usually have to beg you to get together so we can catch up."
"I'd like your advice on a teenage runaway who's gotten herself into a pretty serious fix."
"All right. What do you know about her?"
Gwen told him about Mandy, her history, and the charge she had looming over her. "I'd like to see about getting her into the diversion program. Her DCS caseworker said she's smart, and the kid has never been in trouble before. According to the homeless couple she was staying with, Mandy is studying for her GED so she has aspirations to improve her situation."
"And you say she's a material witness?"
"A probable one. I won't know for sure until I find her and get her to talk to me. Right now, I just need to know what her options are and if I can help her."
"Since she doesn't have any prior offenses, as long as she's willing to abide by the terms of the diversion program, I don't see why the prosecutor wouldn't go along with it."
"How long a probation do you think?"
"I wouldn't agree to anything under a year, and at least three months of community service. She'll also need a place to go, Gwen. I can't just turn her back onto the streets."
"I know. I'm working on it. You remember Tony, my foster brother. Well, he and his wife have recently been licensed as foster parents. I talked to him last night and he's considering it. If that plan falls through, I know of another licensed couple."
"Okay. I'll talk to the prosecutor Monday and see what we can arrange. It's going to take some time, though. A lot of red tape."
"I don’t think that'll be a problem seeing as how I don't know where she is."
The judge smiled. "This isn't about getting her to help you with your case, is it? She reminds you of yourself."
"Maybe a little."
"You've come a long ways, Gwen."
"Thanks to you."
"I had very little to do with it. I just gave you the opportunity. You did all the work. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm very proud of you."
"Thank you. I just hope when I do find her, she's as smart as I was and accepts help."
*****
Gwen headed over to Ian's house to see if he wanted to hang out that day. Depending on whether or not he was in a receptive mood, she planned to tell him about her talk with Judge Larkin. As she pulled in his driveway, she saw him trimming his hedges. Living in the desert made it hard to keep a nice yard. What little rain they received throughout the year barely nourished the grass and flowers. Any water usage outside of necessity was done sparingly.
He waved as she walked up the drive. "This is a nice surprise." He placed the trimmers against the house and leaned over and
kissed her. "Sorry, I'm a mess." Pieces of greenery clung to his sweaty muscle shirt and shorts, as well as parts of his body.
Smiling, she brushed away a few that were stuck to his cheek and chin. "Sorry to interrupt your yard work. I was wondering if you wanted to grab some lunch at Rafferty's and then maybe go out to the mall? There's an action flick starting at two."
"Sure. Come on in and I'll get cleaned up."
"I can come back."
"It won't take me long."
She followed him inside his house.
"There's tea and soda in the fridge. Help yourself."
Gwen grabbed a glass and some ice and filled it with tap water. She had just sat down to watch TV when the doorbell rang. She peeked out the window and saw a young couple standing on the porch holding hands. The young woman she recognized from photographs as Ian's daughter. Oh boy!
She opened the door. The young redhead's eyes widened. "I'm terribly sorry, I must have the wrong house."
"No, you're in the right place. You're JoAnn, right? Your dad is in the shower. Come on in."
JoAnn paused just inside the entryway. "Who are you?"
Gwen hesitated. She doubted Ian had spoken to his kids about her yet. "I'm a friend of your dad's. Actually, we work together."
JoAnn smiled. "You're Gwen." She turned to the young man beside her. "This is my boyfriend, Chad."
"It's nice to meet you both." Gwen's stomach churned. "I'll just go and let your dad know you're here."
Gwen could hear the shower running so she opened the door and peered around it. She called his name out twice and he finally poked his head through the curtains. "Your daughter is here."
"JoAnn's here?"
"Do you have another daughter you haven't told me about?" Gwen regretted her sarcasm immediately. "Sorry. It's just I'm not really ready to do the whole meet the family thing."
Ian grinned. "I met Tony and Kara."
"He's my brother, not my kid."
"You'll survive. Tell her I'll be out in a minute. She's with Chad, isn't she?"
"Yes. Please hurry."