The Crime of Seduction

by Nadine LaForet

  Alex unlocked the door and Cody followed her in, closing the door and locking it behind them. “The bathroom is just off my bedroom,” she said, pointing down the hall. Cody walked ahead as she kicked off her flip flops and threw her purse and keys on the counter. She was still cold and decided to put her pajamas on. She walked in to her room and there, neatly laid out in the middle of her bed, were her lace panties.

  The ones she had worn on her first date with Heath. The ones she couldn’t find later than night when she couldn’t sleep and left. The ones she hadn’t seen since then. Those lace panties.

  Cody came out of the bathroom to see Alex frozen, staring at the underwear.

  “What is it, Alex?” He asked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  Alex tried to speak, but she couldn’t get any words out.

  “Alex?” he said again. “You OK? What is it?” He sounded concerned.

  “Do you see those?” Alex asked, wondering if she was seeing things.

  “Your underwear? Yeah.”

  “Did you put those there?” she asked, looking at her bedroom window.

  “Uh, no. What are you talking about?”

  Alex walked past Cody, into the bathroom and checked to make sure the window there was locked. It was. “This was closed when you came in, right?” she called out to Cody.

  “Yes, Alex, I didn’t touch anything but the toilet and the sink. You want to tell me what’s going on?” he asked as she walked past him again and checked the bedroom window, pushing against it to make sure it was closed and locked too.

  “I’m freaking out, Cody. Someone was in here while we were gone!”

  “Calm down, Alex,” Cody said, his voice growing stern.

  “Oh my God, Cody. He was in here. He doesn’t even know where I live. How did he get in?” Alex began to shake.

  “Babe, babe, calm down. Take a deep breath and sit down. Tell me what is going on.” He took her hand and sat her down on the edge of her bed. He sat down next to her.

  Alex took a deep breath, it was ragged and she felt like she was going to cry. “It’s that guy I was seeing. The one who stood me up.”

  “OK. What about him? You think he was here?”

  “Yes, he was here!” She paused. She took another few breaths and told herself to calm down. “I left those underwear at his house on our first date. I couldn’t find them when I left, and I haven’t seen them since.”

  “On your first date?” Cody asked, his voice sounded tight.

  Alex stared at him. She couldn’t believe he was focusing on that. “The point is: I have not seen those since I was at his house. He didn’t know where I live. He has never been here. How did those end up here? You were here, Cody, you locked the door when we left, remember?”

  “OK, I get it now, Alex. I understand.” Cody stood up and checked the windows in her bedroom and bathroom again. He looked in her closet, and Alex followed him as he walked into the living room and kitchen, checking all the windows and the back door, which was bolted. “Everything is locked, Alex. Maybe you should file a report if you are scared. Who is this guy? “

  Alex felt sick. Not only was she freaked out by the underwear laid out neatly on her bed, but she knew she had to tell Cody about Heath. “He’s bad news, Cody.”

  “Bad news how, Alex? What’s going on?”

  “His name is Heath Valentine.”

  “What?!” Cody looked at Alex disbelievingly.

  “His name is Heath Valentine,” she repeated, her voice cracking.

  “As in, the guy I have been investigating for months and finally arrested, Heath Valentine?”

  “Please don’t be mad, Cody,” Alex begged, tears welling up in her eyes.

  “Mad? Mad? Mad doesn’t even really begin to express what I’m feeling, Alex,” he said, his voice harsh.

  The fact that he wasn’t yelling scared her even more, and the knot in her stomach grew tighter.

  “I have been seeing you while you are fucking my suspect? Do you know what that does to my investigation? To your boss’s case?” Cody’s face grew red and his fists were balled up at his sides.

  “I know, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what to say, when to tell you. God, I am so sorry, Cody.”

  “Does Shayna know?” he asked calmly.

  “I told my supervisor today,” she said, quietly. She sat down on the edge of the couch and started to cry. Her chin puckered and she tried to stop herself, but the tears came and she couldn’t stop them.

  “Jesus Christ, Alex. I can’t fucking believe you would do something so stupid.”

  “I didn’t know who he was, Cody. He stood me up that weekend because you guys arrested him.”

  “Fuck, that was the guy you were mooning over?” He ran his hands over his face. Those hands that, just minutes before, had been caressing her and holding her close to him.

  Alex sobbed, covering her face with her hands. Now that the tears started she let the weight of the past few weeks bear down on her. The tough schedule at work; the pain of being stood up by Heath only to find out he was a top-level con artist; the stress of knowing she needed to tell work about her connection to the case and now this, disappointing Cody—just when she had made a real connection with him. She felt horrible. She couldn’t believe how quickly her life had gone to shit, how she could have made such bad decisions, how she had gotten to this point.

  “I don’t even know what to say to you, Alex.”

  “I know, I know, I am so sorry,” she sobbed.

  Cody sat down next to her and stared straight ahead.

  Alex continued to sob, and Cody eventually put his hand on her back and rubbed it in slow circles. “Shhhh, it’ll be alright, Alex. It’s gonna be OK.”

  Her sobs slowed and turned into jagged, hiccupy breaths. “I am so sorry, Cody. I didn’t know at first and then I was in shock and then I made bad choices because I was afraid of getting in trouble or disappointing people, and then that’s exactly what I ended up doing.”

  “Shhhh, let’s not talk about this now,” he said, his voice growing softer.

  “I know you are so mad at me, Cody. And you should be. I just blew everything between us, just as it was getting started.” She began to sob again.

  Cody pulled her into him, wrapping his right arm around her and holding her close. “Shhhh. Alex, shhh…”

  “I know you are pissed at me, but please don’t leave. I’m freaked out, Cody. Please don’t leave me here alone.”

  “OK, OK, Alex,” he said. “It’s going to be alright. I won’t leave you alone.” He scooted back into the corner of the couch and pulled her over. Alex lay her head in his lap. He ran his hands over her head, stroking her hair until her breathing slowed.

  “I have to tell my supervisors, Alex. I don’t know what they will do to me.”

  “I’m so sorry, Cody. I really am.”

  “I know you are, Alex, I can tell.” He continued to run his fingers through her hair. They sat in silence for a long time, Alex didn’t know how long, until his hands eventually slowed as he dozed off, his head falling back on the couch.

  * * *

  Alex woke with a jerk, still on the couch, but with Cody gone. Her head was on a pillow and a blanket had been pulled over her shoulder. The early morning light made its way through the thin curtains in her living room. The memory of last night hit her hard and she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

  On the coffee table was a note from Cody. I am still pissed. You have jeopardized more than you can imagine. I’ll call when I am ready to talk. Until then I think you should contact the police about the break-in. Stay safe.

  Alex felt horrible. She had hoped she would wake up and it would have all been some sort of bad dream, but real life didn’t work that way. She remembered falling asleep with her head in Cody’s lap, his hands gently stroking her hair. He had made her feel safe and cared for—despite the fact he was clearly extremely upset with her.

  It felt odd to have the shoe on the other foot—
to feel like she was in deep and he had the control. Normally, she felt like she was the one in control in her relationships. But with Cody, especially now, she was the one waiting, hoping she hadn’t screwed up a potentially good thing with a really good guy. She felt sick to her stomach at the thought.

  That’s some sick role reversal for you, Alex, she thought dismally.

  She got up and stumbled to the bathroom. She avoided looking at the underwear still on her bed. She peed and walked back to the kitchen to start the coffee. As she was waiting for it to brew she read Cody’s note again. I am still pissed.

  She tried not to think about last night as she got dressed for work. She picked up the panties that were still laid out on her bed and threw them into her hamper. They didn’t seem as intimidating in the daylight, although if she allowed herself to think about it the thought of Heath in her apartment gave her goosebumps - and not the good kind he used to give her.

  When she got into work she called her neighbor, Henry, to ask him if he had seen anything unusual the night before. He hadn’t, and he was a pretty attentive neighbor, which told her Heath was careful and quiet. She told Henry she was going to have new locks installed and asked if he would be willing to supervise the locksmith. He happily obliged. Henry liked to feel important.

  The rest of the day was busy, Sheila was in jury selection, so Alex wasn’t doing as much for her, but the word had gotten out that she was a good researcher, so several of the prosecutors had come to Bev asking if Alex could help them with various projects. Alex was happy to have her work noticed in a positive fashion after the past few weeks of sub-par work and then hitting Bev with her big news about Heath. She spent the day deep in research mode and was able to leave the office shortly after 5:00. She wanted to text Cody-to see if he had cooled off at all, but thought better of it.

  On her way home she picked up Chinese food and went directly to Henry’s after parking her car. She rang his doorbell.

  “In the mood for Chinese?” she asked when he opened the door.

  “Alex!” he exclaimed, smiling. “I am always in the mood for dinner with you.” He invited her in and pulled out a chair for her at his dining table.

  As Alex pulled out the red and white boxes of steaming, fragrant food Henry gathered silverware, napkins and plates. They enjoyed a talkative dinner with Henry telling Alex each step that the locksmith took in replacing her locks and how he thought the price was reasonable and the work professional. Henry told her all about his grandkids’ latest shenanigans and how he managed them for an entire weekend while his daughter and son-in-law enjoyed some alone time. After dinner, Alex helped Henry wash the dishes and kissed him lightly on the cheek as she took her new keys and walked next door to her apartment.

  As soon as she walked in she locked the door behind her and checked the backdoor as well. She checked her closet, her bathroom and the windows, making sure they were locked. Everything seemed to be in place and just the way she had left it that morning. She fought the urge to call Cody, although she really wanted to hear his voice. She knew he would make her feel safe, even over the phone. She wanted to feel safe. Instead, she poured herself a large glass of wine and changed into her pajamas. It was still early, but she felt tired and it didn’t take long for her to doze off on the couch with the TV on.

  Saturday morning she woke early, her neck stiff and a throw blanket haphazardly pulled over most of her body. She got up and stumbled into her bed where she slept for a couple more hours wrapped warmly in her covers. She dreamt of Cody’s hands running through her hair and lulling her to sleep.

  When she woke again she felt rested and determined. She went for a quick run around he neighborhood, keeping her eyes open for the black sedan with darkened windows, but she didn’t see it. After she got home she brewed coffee while she showered. She threw on some jeans and a tank top, slipped on her flip flops and grabbed a sweater, her purse, and a mug full of coffee. At a local furniture shop Alex picked out a mid-range bedroom set and queen mattress, putting it on her credit card and arranging for delivery later that week. Then she drove to a department store and bought new bedding, pillows and a couple of bedside lamps. She stopped at the grocery store on the way home and stocked up on the basics - milk, juice, bread, cereal, cheese and wine.

  It was after lunchtime when she got home, pleased with herself and her productive morning. She did her best to not think about Heath, or Cody, or the panties and what it all meant. She wanted a break from the drama her life had become. Picking up the book she had been reading the weekend Heath stood her up, she let herself get sucked into it and spent a few quiet hours reading. Eventually the afternoon light began to dim and her stomach began to growl. Alex got up and sliced some of her baguette, a few pieces of cheese, and poured herself some wine. Sitting back down on the couch she turned on her TV and happened to catch the local news. The lead story was about three high-profile arrestees who appeared to have pulled a fast one on local law enforcement and jumped bail. Heath was one of them.

  According to the newscaster, they had passports in different names and changed their looks enough to elude law enforcement who, for some reason, was not expecting them to flee. They had coordinated their efforts and attempted to fly out of three different airports. One of the three had been apprehended and was being questioned. The speculation was the men who had made it out of the country were going to stay underground. When - or if - they surfaced it would most likely be in a European country that wouldn’t extradite them on conspiracy or theft charges.

  Alex was speechless. She didn’t know what to think. this Heath they spoke of in the news was so different from the Heath she thought she knew. It made her head spin to think about the course of events over the past few weeks. This had been one of the first days that felt normal-whatever that was-in a long time. A day without drinking too much or fucking too much or making questionable choices. It was refreshing. She picked up the remote, turned off the newscast and picked her book up again.

  * * *

  The next two weeks went by smoothly and in a similarly placid fashion. Alex made a conscious effort to not think about Heath or Cody. She was focused at work - helping Sheila with her ongoing case, as well as any work the other prosecutor’s had for her. Her work was clean and organized again, she was up-to-date on office gossip after a couple of lunches and coffee breaks with Rachel and Mari. She was off of Bev’s shit list and back in her good graces.

  Her bedroom set and mattress had been delivered and her old mattress hauled away - along with any lingering memories of time spent with Josh in that bed. Alex was surprised at how much lighter she felt, watching the delivery men carry her old mattress out to their truck and drive away. She hadn’t even known she had been holding on to memories of Josh anymore until that moment. She wondered what else she was holding onto without even realizing it - and how good she would feel when she was able to figure out what it was and let it go too.

  Alex slept well in her new bed. She woke feeling good most mornings and when she went to bed she fell asleep quickly - partly due to her renewed habit of going for a run after work. All the pieces of her life were fitting together well, and she was thankful for that. There were times her vigilance lagged and her thoughts wandered to Heath, or Cody, but she had gotten very good at stopping her thoughts and turning her thoughts to something else. That’s why, when Cody called, she wasn’t sure how to react.

  She had gotten back from a run and was preparing a fruit salad for dinner when her phone rang. Her phone flashed his name on it’s screen: Officer Patrick. She stared at the phone for a minute before picking it up.

  “Hello?” she said.

  “Hi Alex. It’s Cody.” He sounded good. She missed him.

  “Hey, Cody. How are you?” she asked, trying to sound impartial.

  “I’m good. I mean, I’m OK. I, uh, I’m calling to ask you to dinner. At my house. I’ll cook.”

  Alex smiled to herself. “I’d love to. When?”

  “You
would? Great!” he sounded relieved, which she thought was sweet. “How about tomorrow?”

  “Sure, yeah, that would be great. Uh, where and when?” she asked.

  “I’ll text you directions, but how about 8? Will you be done with work by then?”

  “Yes, yes that should be fine,” she said. “I’ve been getting out of there at a decent time lately. Can I bring anything?”

  “No, I’ve got everything we need. Just you, just bring you.”

  “OK. I’m looking forward to it. See you tomorrow, Officer Patrick,” she said, smiling as she hung up the phone.

  * * *

  The next night she arrived at Cody’s house just a few minutes after 8:00. He answered the door barefoot, in jeans and a t-shirt with the Interpol emblem on it. He looked and smelled like he had just gotten out of the shower - fresh and clean. His blue eyes were bright and Alex felt a wave of warmth wash over her when he opened the door.

  “Hi,” he said, opening the door for her.

  “Hi,” she said, a big smile on her slightly flushed face.

  “Come on in. Welcome to my humble abode,” he said, gesturing grandly to his living room. His house was very neat, but looked lived in, with stacks of books and magazines on his coffee table, shoes by the front door, and throw pillows tossed haphazardly on the couch.

  Alex set her purse down on a side table by the door and followed Cody into the kitchen where he handed her a glass of wine. He poured himself a glass and tipped his glass to hers, “To starting over - and no shop talk.”

  Alex smiled and clinked her glass to his. “Sounds wonderful,” she said, as she took a sip.

  “Yum!” she said, enjoying the complex taste of the wine. “So, what’s for dinner?”

  “Lobster ravioli in a vodka cream sauce and a lightly dressed baby greens salad.”