Dakota's Way 1 - Dakota's Way

by Robin Hicks

  "Sure ."

  Koty was thinking that she wasn't quite ready to rush home herself. It's not like there was anyone there waiting on her. At least she didn't have to answer to anyone for not going home right away. Somehow that didn't seem to make her feel better.

  "There's a Starbucks down the road a little ways off of Independence Blvd. Do you know where that is?"

  Smiling, Laney told her that yes, she did know where it was, and she would meet her there in a few minutes. She got into her Jeep and pulled out of the parking lot waving at Koty.

  They both arrived at Starbucks at the same time, and were able to park next to each other right up front by the door. 'Man, that's a first.' Koty thought as she got out of her Jag.

  They purchased their coffee and went to find a little table in the corner to sit at. After a moment of settling in and getting a few sips of their coffee, Laney asked Koty to tell her about the Coleman case. She had heard a few detectives talking about it.

  "I hope you can handle more than one cup." Koty said with a smile. "This could take a while."

  "I have nowhere that I need to be so one more cup wouldn't hurt one bit."

  Koty started from the beginning where Monty had asked for her help. She told about the fire, the shooting, the hospital and Bob Wheatly showing up at her house while she was sleeping.

  "I got to tell you, I'm not real sure to this day how I pulled it off with him. All that I could think of at the time was that I needed to get control of the situation somehow. Hell, as mean as I was to him, I'm suprised he didn't shoot me just to shut me up. At the time, I was going through something heavy and he just pissed me off.

  Laney looked at Koty and thought for a moment then smiled. "Well, having you as a partner seems to tell me that at least I won't be bored with any of the cases."

  "My life normally isn't this exciting Laney. No more than any other cop's really. Now, enough about me. Tell me something about yourself. How did you end up down here from Richmond if you don't mind me asking? Jason told me that you are married to some hot shot Lawyer up there."

  "Was married. Richard and his father are partners in a big firm there. He is actually a brilliant lawyer, but he was pretty damn dumb when it came to his personal life, or his wife. He thought that he could take his little twenty three year old mistress to some of the parties at certain friend's houses and I wouldn't find out. I guess he thought that everyone liked him so much they wouldn't tell me."

  Laney took a sip of her coffee then smiled and shook her head. "He never really seemed to understand that ninety percent of our friends were actually my friends just putting up with him for my benefit."

  "He left you for a twenty three year old?" Koty asked a little more than surprised. "He must be an idiot."

  Laney gave a small smile, a faint blush spread up both cheeks. 'Now why in the hell did that make me blush like that? I must be tired or something.'

  "Thank you, but he didn't leave me, he never would. You see, when I found out about his little affair, I'm the one that filed for divorce."

  Laney finished off her coffee and went to get them both another, leaving Koty's eyes following in her direction. 'She's very beautiful, and from what I can see, nice as well. That guy really must be an idiot for screwing around on her. Ha, and she blushes easy too.'

  Koty watched as Laney paid for the coffees and made her way back to the table. Even in here she was turning heads, and not just the men's either. 'Like I thought before, she is either used to it or she really has no clue.'

  "As I was going to say, Richard was positively shocked and livid when he found out that I had filed. He just couldn't believe that I would do such a thing. You see Koty, Richard makes a very good living at what he does, but I come from an extremely wealthy family in the oil bussiness from Texas. I knew that was really the only reason that he married me in the first place, but I was young and naive back then. When he realized that he had blown any chances of getting his hands on my money he absolutely panicked. I can still see the look on his face." She laughed at the memory.

  "So, when the divorce was final, I decided that I needed a change. I needed to get away from him and Richmond so here I am."

  "That must have been pretty hard on you to find out about his affair, huh?"

  "I had suspected long before then that he was seeing other women behind my back. To be honest with you, I had stopped loving him long before any of this happened. I'm not sure that I even truly loved him in the beginning. Like I said, I was very young when we got married. His infidelity was actually a blessing for me. It was my way out of a very dead marriage."

  Koty was smiling. "That's an incredible story Laney. It's refreshing to see the woman come out ahead of the game for once."

  "Yes well, I was such a dutiful wife at first, but he totally underestimated me. He was going to try and fight me at first, but after a lot of arguing, his father finally talked him into a non-contested divorce. "His father knew that he didn't have a chance in hell to win, and all it would end up doing was embarrassing his family, and maybe even tarnish the name a bit."

  Laney was quiet for a moment and seemed to get a little nervous. "Um...Koty, can I ask you something? Something personal?"

  'Uh oh. Here we go, just jump right on in and ask Laney, I know what's coming.' "Sure, what do you want to know?"

  "I went into work a little early this morning and this young, very pumped up rookie came up to me and asked if I was your new partner. When I told him yes, he made a smart assed comment like 'be careful bending over in front of her'. Though I knew what he was referring to, I asked him what he meant. He told me if I were afraid of dykes, his words not mine, that I might want to try and hook up with another partner."

  Koty closed her eyes and sighed, not really knowing what she should say to this woman. 'And I know just who you are talking about, that little pimple faced fart.'

  "Anyway," Laney continued, "As he was running his mouth, an older officer, Officer Barnes came over and told him to shut his trap and get lost. When the kid sulked off, Barnes told me that you were one of the best he had ever worked with, and that he would have your back any day, then walked away."

  "Um...Laney, are you asking me if what that rookie said was true?" Koty leaned back in her chair. "And if I said it was true, would you have any problems with that, and would you then seek out another partner?"

  "Yes Koty, I guess that is what I'm asking and no, that wouldn't cause a problem at all. What you do with your life, and whom you choose to love is not a problem, nor is it any of my business. "The only reason I asked is because I'm curious, nosey, and I like to know as much about my partner as I can. I care more about knowing that my partner doe's thier best, and has my back."

  Laney placed her hand over Koty's. "This isn't a problem Koty I promise. Like I said, who you choose to love is you're business. I heard that you were one of the best, and that's what matters to me. Ok?"

  Koty smiled and relaxed a little more. She decided that she was definitely going to like working with this woman. Koty answered the few questions that Laney had then they left to go home to their solitary existence.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  The next few weeks went by fairly quickly with Koty and Laney solving small cases here and there. It seemed to Koty that everyone at the precinct really liked Laney. Even the young 'pumped up pimple faced fart rookie' as Laney and Koty referd to him. A little too much.

  You could always find him sniffing at her heels when they were both in the building at the same time. 'That is,' until one day Laney backed him against the wall right in front of everyone, and kindly told him to back off.

  Of course he wasn't too happy that she had said it in front of the other officers, but he seemed to get her drift and knew better than to try and do anything about it. Since then, he behaved like a well-trained little puppy.

  ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗

  "Hey Koty, why don't we stop off at Fuddruckers for lunch today, I've become rather addicted to that place," Lane
y said just as her stomach viciously growed.

  "Jesus Laney, has that thing had all of it's shots?" They both laughed as Koty drove down Virginia Beach Blvd.

  As they sat down at their table, Jamie and Trish walked up to them. Laney told Koty to invite them to sit down and join them. Koty's friends had already eaten, but sat for conversation.

  Koty introduced Laney. "These are my best friends Jamie and Trish. Guy's, my new partner Laney Jacobs."

  After about twenty minutes Jamie's beeper went off. "It's the station. Charlie has been really sick for the last couple of days so I told them to page me if they needed me to fill in for him. Sorry but I have to go Trish."

  Laney had told them that it had been nice to meet them and maybe they could all get together some time. She waited until they had walked out the door before she turned to Koty.

  "Koty, are they together? Um...you know, as in a couple?"

  "Yes they are. Jamie and I have been best friends since grade school. She and Trish have been together for seven years now."

  "Really?" Laney said. "They make a very cute couple, and they seem real nice."

  "They are great people, and they have really good parties too, if you can handle being in a room full of lesbians. Well, there are a few straight couples that go to their parties as well. Maybe I'll take you to the one they're having this weekend. That is if you want to go?"

  "I think that I can handle it Koty, and yes, I would like to go. I like meeting people no matter if they are gay, straight, black, white, purple or green. People are just people to me Koty."

  "I know that Laney, but not everyone shares your point of view."

  "I'm a very easy going person most of the time Koty, it takes mean people to make me not want to be around them. Then, I'm not always that nice."

  ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗

  Jamie had been moving some things around in her garage when a toolbox fell off of the shelf and on to her pinky. With a sickening crunch, she knew that she had broken it. "Ow, shit, mother f...!"

  She knew she had better get it checked out, or Trish would have her ass so she drove over to Chris and Kasey's clinic.

  Chris had walked into the little room Jamie was waiting in with the ex-ray in her hand. "Well Jamie, you did break it, but we won't need to put a cast on it, just a splint. But, you need to still be careful with it so no messing around, ok?"

  "Yeah, ok Chris. I damn sure can't work with a cast on my hand so I'll be careful."

  As they were walking out of the small exam room, Chris smiled, "Good. Um...have you seen Koty lately?"

  "Yeah, I saw her at Fudruckers the other day when Trish and I had gone there for lunch. She was with her new partner."

  Chris laughed. "Monty told me that her partner was a 'real babe' as he called it."

  "He was right, she is a babe." Jamie told her right as Kasey walked up to them.

  "Who's a babe?" Kasey asked as she gave Jamie a hug and kissed her on the cheek.

  Not really knowing what to say, Jamie just shrugged her shoulders and said, "Koty's new partner."

  Kasey arched a brow, but refused to comment. 'That is something I for damn sure don't want to know about.' Instead, she asked Jamie if they were still having their party that weekend that Trish made her promise to be at.

  "Yes we are. You are coming aren't you, Trish is really counting on being able to see you even if you only show up for awhile."

  "Um...yeah I'll be there." She replied not knowing for sure if she wanted to go or not.

  She knew that Koty would be there one-way or another. Her feelings for Koty had not dimmed in the least. Actually the more that she was away from her the more she missed her. She wouldn't be able to handle it very well if Koty showed up with Tina. Well, with any woman actually. 'God, how petty can you get Kasey, you're the one that pushed her away.'

  The three of them spoke for a little while longer until one of their newly hired assistants walked a patient into a room for Kasey. Kasey left, leaving Chris and Jamie talking about the party. Chris and Monty had been invited as well, but had to decline. That was the weekend that thet would be out of town.

  ∗ ∗ ∗ ∗

  Saturday night, Koty and Laney drove to Jamie's house in Koty's Jag. Koty had told her that there wasn't any reason for them both to drive and that she would pick her up.

  "Nice car Koty, it suits you. How on earth do you keep it smelling so new though, it's got to be what, two years old?"

  "Two years exactly, and I take it to a detailer and have them clean it at least once a month. It wouldn't smell this way if I cleaned it all the time myself. I would probably just put one of those ugly little pine trees hanging from my mirror."

  Trish opened the door to find Koty there with Laney. 'Oh boy.' She actually liked Laney, and she was sure that there was nothing between her and Koty, but she knew that Kasey was going to be here and she didn't know how Kasey would react to them being here together.

  Hugging Koty and shaking Laney's hand, she led them into the kitchen to show them where the drinks were.

  "You know where everything is at Koty, so I'm going to show Laney around and introduce her to a few people. I'll bring her back in a moment."

  Laney turned and smiled as Koty winked at her. Lifting her hand to give a little wave, Koty said, "Bye now, ya'll come back now ya hear?"

  Koty was watching her face as Trish introduced her to their friends when Jamie walked up and kissed Koty on the cheek. She watched with Koty briefly before she asked, "Koty, is Laney gay?"

  "No. But she's not homophobic either, and she likes meeting people. She gets along with everyone she meets it seems."

  "There's going to be a lot of women here tonight that are going to try and hit on her. You think she'll be ok with that? She's awfully cute."

  "She'll be just fine James, you'll see."

  After a couple of hours, Koty had, had enough to drink to keep a permanent smile on her face. Laney had walked up to her and patted her back telling her that she needed to give her the keys to her car.

  "Ha, you just want to cruise in my car don't you?" She said, but handed over the keys anyway.

  Laney was sitting on the couch talking to Trish while Koty was dancing with Liz. Koty felt someone grab her shoulder from behind and spin her around.

  "What the...Mel! What are you doing here, and where is my girlfriend Gina?"

  After pulling from Koty's tight embrace, she told her that Gina had went to hang up their coats, and fix some drinks for them. "We just got in, I had some things I had to take care of before we drove down here. So how are you? Any more drama to report?"

  "Huh, how long are you here for?" Koty asked as she reached past Laney to reach her drink on the end table.

  "We're just here for the weekend. Jamie called and begged us to come in for the party, and since it's been a while since we've been here, here we are."

  "So how are all of your furry little creatures doing?"

  They both laughed at that, and Mel stole a quick glance at the woman sitting on the couch watching Koty. 'Hmm, and who do we have here?' She thought just as Koty introduced them.

  "Mel, this is my new partner Laney. Laney, This is Mel, one of my best friends since high school."

  Laney stood and reached for her hand. "It's nice to meet you. I couldn't help but to overhear some of your conversation. Did you drive in from out of town?"

  "Yeah, we drove down from a small town right outside of Grafton West Virginia. Koty calls us hillbillies now."

  "Grafton? I know that place pretty well. Some friends of my late grandmother lives up there. John and Lucy Hudman, they have an old farm down in the holler of Lewis's mountain."

  "No shit! We know old man Hudman and his wife. Someone was poisoning some animals out at his property about a year ago, and Gina and I helped some people out up at his place. Well what do you know, small world."

  At that time Gina walked up, and Mel started telling her about Laney knowing the Hudman family so they swapped stories for a while.
Koty stood there and listened, not knowing who they were talking about.

  Jamie handed Koty and Laney a fresh drink and said, "This seems like old times doesn't it, the only one missing is Deanne."

  "Not anymore, Mel said with a huge grin on her face. "That's her coming in the door right now. God I haven't seen that girl in a coon's age!"

  Koty hugged Deanne, then turned to her girlfriend Roxi and hugged her. "The whole gang is here now, what a trip."

  They all stood talking for a while, then Koty grabbed her drink and went over and plopped on the couch next to Laney giving her a smile.

  "You doing ok Laney?"

  "Of course. Koty, you sure know a lot of beautiful women."

  "I know a lot of women period, beautiful or not. They are great friends, and it's been a long time since we were all together at one place. We all went to school together with the exception of Deanne, but she came in not too long afterwards. "I hope this isn't too boring for you Laney, if it is we can go."

  "Nonsense Koty. I'm really having a good time so quit worrying about me, and you don't have to keep checking on me either. Just relax and enjoy yourself Ok?"

  Koty smiled and took a long sip of her drink as she watched Jamie walking up to her. Jamie knelt down by her legs and rested her hand on her knee.

  "How you doing Babes?"

  "Never been better. It's a great party James and it's pretty cool that the gang is together, even if it is only for one night."

  "Um...Koty. You know that Trish invited Kasey tonight don't you? She said that she didn't care if you two weren't talking or not, or what either one of us thought, but she also doesn't want anyone to be uncomfortable."

  Koty glanced sideways at Laney and watched her smile and take a sip of her drink, but did not say anything. 'What the hell is she gonna think about this?' She leaned back against the back of the couch and groaned.

  "Do you think she's gonna show up Jamie?"

  "Well...She's already here. Actually she's been here for about an hour. She's in the kitchen right now talking to Trish."