Chapter Twenty-two
“What’s up on the peeper case?” Rusty asked as she made their plates.
Kirsten told her everything that had happened that morning. “We’re gonna canvass tonight, but I doubt he’ll come out of hiding for a few days. One of my officers proposed that we set up a bait house to see if we can lure him out, but I have some things I want to look into first.”
“By bait house, you mean you’re going to put someone inside and leave the windows open?” Rusty asked as she checked the bread.
“Basically. There’s only one other female officer besides me, and I can’t put a civilian in that position, so I’m gonna have to—”
“I’ll do it,” Rusty said casually. “You’ll be watching, what do I have to worry about?”
“No.” Kirsten shook her head and filled two glasses with ice. “No, no.”
“Why?”
“As I said, I can’t put a civilian in that situation. Rusty, I don’t have a lot of time with you, so I don’t want to spend it all talking about work.”
Rusty pursed her lips and nodded. “All right.”
Rusty set the food on the table, and Kirsten brought the drinks. When they sat and prepared to eat, Kirsten said, “You haven’t mentioned your dream lately.”
“I didn’t dream last night,” Rusty said with a smile. “My mind and body were exhausted.”
“I want to hear about it when you have another one. It’s like a TV series, I find myself wanting to know what’s gonna happen next.”
“Yeah, me too,” Rusty said. She was not prepared to admit that Kirsten had joined the cast of the show.
Kirsten took a bite of the spaghetti and sighed. “This is delicious, you’re a great cook.”
“Thanks,” Rusty said happily.
Kirsten gazed at her a moment with a warm smile. “What did you do today?”
“I bought a table saw, so I can make all the things I want. They wouldn’t sell me the floor model, so I have to wait for one to be delivered.”
Kirsten’s smile vanished, and her brow rose. “They’re very dangerous if you don’t know how to operate them properly.”
“Yeah, but it would be useless without the big twirling blade. I’m going to watch some videos online before I even plug it in.”
“I’ll have my dad come over here and show you how to use it. Woodworking is his hobby.”
Rusty wiped her mouth and dropped her napkin in her lap. “Kirsten, I’m not stupid. I’m well aware of what I’m dealing with.”
“You’re quite intelligent, and I apologize that what I said made you feel that I think otherwise. I’m naturally protective. I hope you realize I only have your best interests at heart.”
Stella’s dream words swept through Rusty’s mind again, and her face went blank as they continued to echo in her brain. She only wants what’s best for you.
Kirsten interpreted the reaction as discomfort and wondered if she’d been mistaken by what she felt in the bedroom. They’d gone from being friends to having sex for the hell of it, and Kirsten began to feel like a romantic idiot trying to make too much out of something that was simply carnal. “I’m not getting attached if that’s what you’re afraid of. I mean, I do care for you, we have a great friendship, but I know we can’t have any more than that.”
“Right,” Rusty agreed with a nod.
They ate in silence for a little while, both feeling a bit awkward after the exchange. Baton Rouge wasn’t that far away, some people in Ancelet Bay commuted there daily for work, Kirsten thought. It was conceivable that she and Rusty could continue to see each other on the weekends. It was the wrong time to suggest that, though, especially since Rusty sort of spaced out when she had mentioned that she was concerned for her.
Rusty wasn’t on the same page, but she was at least in the same book. She glanced at Kirsten while she ate and wondered if she might’ve stumbled onto a woman who might actually appreciate her for who she was and not what she could do for her financially. She wondered if she’d screwed up by striking the deal and if hormones blinded her to what she really could’ve had if she’d been patient. She decided like Kirsten that it was the wrong time to voice her concerns.
Kirsten broke the silence when she said, “Everybody got a kick out of me in those shorts this morning. According to Terry, I was showing off a whole lot.”
Rusty covered her mouth with her napkin as she laughed. “That’s why I like them on you.”
“Well, you’re getting them back after I wash them.”
“Good, I’ll put them back on you every chance I get,” Rusty said, still laughing.
*******
After dinner, they were both lazy and ended up lying on the couch together in front of the TV. Rusty had the remote, and she was flipping through the channels rapid-fire until Kirsten grabbed it out of her hand and said, “You’re out of control. I’ll find us something to watch.” She chose a random channel and tucked the remote beneath the pillow under her head.
“Why are those people naked and in the woods?” Rusty asked as she stared at the TV.
“I think this is some kind of survival show.”
“That doesn’t explain why they’re naked. Look, that woman is sitting right in the dirt.”
“I guess the creators thought it would be more interesting if they were in the buff.” Kirsten winced when the guy on screen bent over to pick something up. “Thank God for those blurry boxes hiding what I really don’t need to see.”
Rusty rose up from Kirsten’s shoulder and met her gaze. “Can you imagine all the grime and nastiness she has in her naughty bits? There could be bugs.”
Without a word, Kirsten pulled the remote from beneath the pillow and changed the channel. Some woman was retelling the story of an encounter she’d had with a ghost. Rusty settled back down on Kirsten’s shoulder and started to giggle like a kid watching cartoons.
“You want me to leave it here?” Kirsten asked.
“Yes, this is hilarious.”
“You find ghosts amusing?”
“She claims it’s digging in her underwear drawer. What’s funnier than a ghostly panty raider?” Rusty patted Kirsten on the stomach softly. “Turn it up.”
“…and the followin’ night, I was laying up in my bed, and I saw the drawer open on its own. A pair of my underthangs just floated up in the air. It prefers those over the bras. A friend of mine is a psychic, and she says she senses the presence of a male Indian spirit that lived on this land hundreds of years ago. He ain’t never been acquainted with Victoria’s Secret, and that’s why he’s so fascinated with that drawer.”
“Never mind the microwave,” Rusty said with a cackle.
“He likes to flush the toilet a lot too,” the woman on TV said. “I hear it just a-flushin’ during the night, and that’s one of the reasons I called y’all to investigate because he’s running my water bill up.”
The sofa practically vibrated with Kirsten’s and Rusty’s combined hysterical laughter. They watched as a bunch of bearded men spilled out of an old school bus painted black, carrying cases and gadgets. One of them looked very serious as he spoke to his crew and explained they were there to ease the woman’s terror and maybe help her reduce her utility bills.
“Oh, please, please, don’t let this be filmed in Louisiana,” Kirsten said with a groan. “The whole world thinks we’re hairy and stupid because of these shows.”
“Look at the side of the bus. It says ‘Tennessee Paranormal Patrol.’ I think we dodged a bullet.”
One of the beards said, “I feel a lot of pressure inside me in this bathroom. I’m almost dizzy with it.”
Kirsten and Rusty howled with laughter again.
“I’m gonna take a baseline readin’ with my EMF detector that picks up on electromagnetic energy. If that number goes high, that means there’s a spirit present,” the beard said as he held the meter close to the toilet and moved it around the seat. “He could be sittin’ right here, accordin’ to these numb
ers. Stew, git in here, boy, and see this.”
Kirsten had tears streaming out of her eyes as she watched two grown men cram themselves into a tiny bathroom to experience a ghost sitting on the toilet.
“You feel that?” Stew waved a hand over the commode. “The air’s much colder right here.”
“You smell that?” Rusty blurted out between gales of laughter.
The main investigator spoke directly to the camera. “We’ve decided to give the ghost some privacy in the bathroom, and now we’re gonna do some baseline readin’s on the underwear.”
“He’s so serious,” Kirsten squeaked out.
“…and we have an infrared video camera aimed right at the drawer at this point and time to catch any evidence that might manifest. Now we’re gonna do an EVP session where we will ask the ghost some questions, and even though our ears might not catch its responses, the recording will,” another investigator explained, then cleared his throat before addressing the ghost. “Hi, how are you? We are gathered here today to ask you a few questions. We mean no harm. Do you like the panties or the bras more? Was that you on the toilet? The lady of the house wants us to ask you to stop flushing it all night, that’s costing her a lot of money. You can go on and touch the panties if you want to, there’s no harm in that. We all like us some panties.”
Kirsten was practically choking with laughter, and Rusty couldn’t make a sound, but her entire body shook as tears streamed out of her eyes too. For the both of them, it felt really good to laugh like a couple of complete fools. When the program ended, they both drifted off to sleep curled up in each other’s arms.
*******
At one a.m., the alarm on Kirsten’s watch went off, and she opened her eyes. Rusty was sleeping squarely on top of her. “Hey,” Kirsten said softly and kissed the top of Rusty’s head. “I have to get up.”
“No,” Rusty mumbled and didn’t move.
“Seriously, baby, I have to.”
The term of endearment surprised Rusty and pulled her out of her sleepy stupor. She did her best to climb off Kirsten gently and sat up. “What’re you going to do out there?”
“A lot of driving and a lot of walking,” Kirsten said behind a yawn.
“Will you be alone?”
Kirsten stood and stretched. “Sometimes.”
“Do you think since you have a gun, you’re invincible?” Rusty got up and followed Kirsten into her bedroom.
“Not at all, but I’ll be safe.” Kirsten pulled off her T-shirt and exchanged it for a black one with long sleeves. “You keep everything locked up tight here. I’m gonna have Mitch pick me up, so my car will be parked in front of your house as a deterrent to anybody who might be creeping around.”
Rusty didn’t follow when Kirsten went into the bathroom. Instead, she went into the kitchen and opened a drawer where she kept her nicotine gum. She hadn’t craved it lately, but the thought of Kirsten roaming around in the dark looking for the peeper made her nervous. She popped a piece into her mouth and chewed.
Kirsten joined her in the kitchen a few minutes later dressed entirely in black with a matching ball cap bearing the department emblem perched on her head. She’d washed her face and smelled of soap and toothpaste as Rusty hugged her.
“Do you mind if I leave my things here?” Kirsten asked as she stroked Rusty’s back.
“Not at all. Feel free to bring whatever makes you comfortable. Do you want some coffee?”
“No, I’ll get some later, but thanks.” Kirsten captured Rusty’s lips in a sweet kiss and backed away. “The timing of this sucks. I’d rather stay and be your pillow, even though you kick me sometimes. Come lock the door behind me.”
Rusty stole another quick kiss at the door, then locked it after Kirsten. She watched from the window as Kirsten walked out to her car, got something out of it, and stood near the hood. Kirsten waved at Stella’s house, made a gesture toward her eyes with two fingers, and pointed at Rusty’s place. A patrol car drove up, Kirsten hopped inside, then she was gone.
Rusty went into the bedroom and picked up the shirt Kirsten had discarded. She took it back to the sofa and curled up with it.
Chapter Twenty-three
The night had been uneventful, and when Mitch dropped her off to pick up her car, she longed to go inside and curl up next to Rusty. Instead, she wearily drove to the station. Kirsten’s shift change meeting was brief, but as she spoke, her cellphone vibrated in her pocket. After everyone was dismissed, she read the texts from her mother.
I have three kids, and only one of them spends time with me.
Come to breakfast, you know how much it means to me.
I told your father if he starts anything, I will club him with a skillet. I meant it.
Kirsten sighed and walked out to her car. She was tired and in no mood for a confrontation and doubted that her father took the threat seriously. Kirsten knew she would have to face him sooner or later, and the quicker she got it over with, the better she would feel.
*******
“Good morning,” Mona chirped brightly as Kirsten walked in. “Why are you dressed like a ninja?”
“I think it makes me look cool,” Kirsten said and kissed Mona’s cheek. “Hello, Dad.”
“Hey,” he replied from behind a newspaper.
Kirsten walked over to the coffeepot and poured herself a cup. “I’m hungry this morning, Mom. Go wild.”
“Great,” Mona said with a grin and started loading a plate with eggs. “I’m feeding my baby.”
Kirsten took her cup of coffee to the table and sat. Tal lowered the paper and said, “I spoke to the mayor this morning, and—”
“I don’t care.”
Tal glared at Kirsten and looked as though he was about to yell but thought better of it. Mona dropped Kirsten’s plate on the table rather roughly. “Can we have a meal in peace, please?” she ground out.
“Go right ahead.” Tal got up and walked out the back door.
“You could’ve tried a little bit harder, Kirsten,” Mona spat out.
“I’m sorry, Mom, but he could’ve chosen his first sentence to me more wisely. I’m tired of getting messages from my boss through him. If Ben Hoskins has something to say, he should say it to me.”
Mona sighed and fixed her own plate. She sat at the table and pointed to Kirsten’s fork. “Pick that up and use it to shove food in your mouth.”
“I’m sorry I ruined your morning.”
“At least you came,” Mona conceded with a slight smile. “Eat.” She watched Kirsten take a couple of bites. “What did you do this weekend?”
“I shared the jambalaya you made me with Rusty, and we hung out.”
“The whole weekend?” Mona asked casually.
Kirsten’s car had been parked in front of Rusty’s house for the last couple of days. Kirsten knew if Stella hadn’t informed her mother of that, then someone else had. “Yes.”
“So…you’re dating?”
Kirsten wasn’t about to admit that she was in a strictly sexual arrangement to her mother and replied, “Casually, yes.”
Mona narrowed her eyes. “What exactly does that mean?”
“Rusty’s here temporarily, so this isn’t going to develop into anything serious. We’re simply enjoying each other’s company.”
Mona nodded and stared at Kirsten as she picked up her cup and took a sip. A moment of silence hung between them, and Mona said, “We need to talk about your daddy. There’re some things you need to hear and understand before real bitterness sets in.”
“Momma, I’m tired of his constant disapproval over how I do my job. I also resent that he appears to have accepted the position of my personal handler for the mayor. You know me, I want to do what’s right, and it’s hard enough to have to fight Ben Hoskins to do my job fairly. It’s heartbreaking to have to struggle with Dad too.”
Mona took a few more quick bites of her food and set her fork down as she chewed. She wiped her mouth and blew out a heavy breath. “There are aspect
s of my marriage that I never wanted to have to discuss with my children. I haven’t always agreed with how your dad handled things when he was the police chief. He’s a good man, but he’s also human and got some things wrong. When Clive Howes was mayor, things were different, then Ben took office. He’s an asshole.”
Kirsten was surprised by Mona’s observation. Normally, she made an effort to point out the better characteristics of someone’s personality.
“He has his buddies, and he takes care of them. He’s a typical politician with the ‘don’t pay any mind to things I do, just believe everything I say.’ Your dad was an old dog when Ben took office, and he was tired. Instead of standing up to Ben, your dad took the path of least resistance. Once he did that, Ben took full advantage. What you sense in your father isn’t disapproval, it’s…shame for his own actions, not yours. It’s a blow to his pride each time he sees you stand up like he should’ve done.”
“Okay,” Kirsten said with a nod. “I understand that, but what confuses me is that he tries to talk me into doing the exact same thing.”
“He doesn’t want you to lose your job,” Mona said, holding Kirsten’s gaze. “Honey, you deserve the position you hold, you earned it, but that’s not why you got it. Ben pushed for you because he expects you to be just like your dad. Ben has the council in his pocket, along with the most influential people in and outside of this town. He can strip you of your position and run you out of the department completely.”
“He might, but I won’t go down with a whimper. People like him forget there are more of us common folk than there are people like him and his friends. He may win the battle, I might lose my job, but he will not come out unscathed in the war. I’m not tired, I’ve got plenty of fight left in me.”
Mona smiled sadly and patted Kirsten’s cheek. “I hope you win.”
*******
“Achmed, this is some mighty fine brew,” Stella said after she sipped her coffee. “You got some kind of Arabian herb in here?”
“I bought it from the market down the street, ask them what they put in it. Do you ever sleep? Kirsten says you watch my house all night. It’s ten in the morning, and you’re bright-eyed.”
Rusty Logic Page 17