Heaven can Wait

by Nicola Lawson

  "I'll see what I can do, but don't get your hopes up. We've managed to keep the press out of this so far so it's unlikely we have a copy cat."

  I started moving towards the door and Frost took the hint and came along with me.

  "Maybe next time we meet you can leave your work behind."

  "At least I haven't messed things up so far that you don't want to see me ever again. I'm sorry for the interrogation but if you had just told me all of this when we were at the club . . . I would only have asked your friend a few questions."

  "Most people in your position would have taken one look at what she was and decided she was guilty enough regardless. They would have found some way to pin what happened on her or at least made her an accessory."

  "I'm not most people."

  "Maybe next time I can get to know you a little better and judge that for myself."

  We were just about at the door but despite the anger that had started to build with his questioning I was reluctant to open the door and show him out. My hand went to the handle but I didn't turn it yet.

  "That's the second time you mentioned a next time. Are you fishing for me to ask you out? You know that in these times the woman can ask the man if she likes?"

  I looked into those eager eyes that sparkled with the smile on his lips. I wondered what those lips would taste like. He licked the tip of his tongue just between his lips as he watched for my reaction. I wondered what it would feel like to have that tongue part my lips and- Whoah, time to get a grip on myself again. What was with me lately.

  I had been staring. Frost didn't seem to mind.

  "A lot of men might have a problem dating someone like me."

  He looked me up and down and just about succeeded in not making me feel like a piece of meat. "Most men wouldn't."

  I gave a sort of half smile. "You have already said that you aren't most men. I think your boss might have a problem with you dating someone like me."

  "He's my superior not my keeper. There are no rules saying I can't date."

  Somehow we had moved closer. Frost was just a touch under the average height for a man because we were pretty mush the same size. It made looking at each other from this close a very intimate act all in itself. Or perhaps that was my feelings colouring the moment. Our eyes were locked and I knew it wasn't just me.

  My voice didn't want to work. "Did we just agree to a date?" I barely breathed the question.

  "I believe we did."

  My heart was hammering in my chest and I was surprised that Frost couldn't hear it. I had had offers for dates before, from men whose idea of a date was hiring a hotel room for an hour, I had refused them all. There had also been offers from various men and women when I was still confined to the Zone but at that time I had been fresh to this realm and didn't really feel the need to indulge in such things. Now I felt the need, boy did I feel the need. I pushed the door open. It did nothing to relieve the renewed sexual tension.

  "You have my number so call me?"

  "Why don't I just say I'll pick you up later," Frost countered. "Say seven-thirty?"

  "Because it is highly likely Ms Jones will still be indisposed at that time, Agent Frost."

  Stern came into view flanked by a number of very armed NIRU and police officers. "And it is against regulations to date a suspect in an ongoing investigation. You could loose your badge for that.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  They took me down to the local police station and locked me in an NH cell. There were plenty of things that weren't human that could escape a standard cell using brute strength or less mundane means. Non-human cells were heavily reinforced concrete and metal boxes. The metal reinforcing the concrete was there not just to increase strength but because it interfered with the magical talents of a number pf beings. The concrete was mixed with holy water and every holy symbol that had ever been used had been inscribed inside the walls.

  If I had wanted out of the cell I could have simply left the mortal realm at any time. But then I would have been a fugitive and I would have to give up this life I had been trying so hard to build for myself. So I stayed.

  They left me alone in the cell for what felt like hours. I hadn't been able to eat or drink any of the meal they provided. I was too nervous to keep food inside me and I didn't want to have to use the very basic facilities in the corner.

  I spent most of my time just lying on the basic cot. They had taken my blouse and short skirt, I had removed the stockings myself when I was cleaning the graffiti off the front of my apartment. What bothered me most was that they had taken Selene's chain and ring as well. The short gown thing they had given me made me feel vulnerable enough. For some reason missing the jewellery had me feeling like half a person.

  I found out what time it was when the custody officer removed me from the cell and took me to another room for questioning.

  Agent Stern was waiting in the interview room and he was setting up a recording of the interview. There was a microphone on the desk in the middle of the room and a camera in the corner that looked over Stern's and the uniformed officer already at the desk's shoulders. It pointed at the only friendly face in the room.

  I was shown to my seat next to the friendly face. Opposite Agent Stern and the cop.

  "The time is nineteen thirty-eight. Agent Stern and Officer Smithson interviewing Faith Jones, a non-human. Also present Ms Jones' legal representative Christopher Thyme." He finished rattling off some official prattle.

  I knew exactly one lawyer and I hadn't wanted to rely on an appointed advisor. I had told Thyme when I called that I might have trouble with his fees. He had come to help me anyway.

  "This is absurd, Agent Stern. My client has done nothing to warrant this kind of harassment."

  Stern didn't even look at the lawyer. He had eyes only for me and not in a good way. Most other men wouldn't have been able to keep from ogling the way the tight gown was stretched over my otherwise bare chest. At least the desk kept my legs out of view. When I had taken my seat the gown had come up so far that I could feel some of the plastic seat making contact with the naked backs of my thighs and the bottom edge of my buttocks. If Thyme had glanced down he could have taken quite a look. But he was being professional and keeping his mind on helping me out of this mess.

  "Ms Jones, you knew a non-human bounty hunter that went by the name Selene?"

  I looked at Thyme, if you had a legal representative in to offer you advice it was best to take full advantage. With a look he told me to stay quiet and let him do the talking.

  "My client won't be answering any questions until you inform her of exactly what she has been accused of."

  Stern still didn't look at Thyme, he just gave me a smug smile.

  "Ms Jones, the bounty hunter I mentioned was killed at some time this morning. You are being held because I suspect that you killed her."

  I was too shocked to speak but Thyme was already at work again.

  "You should speak to your colleagues more often, Agent Stern. Ms Jones was meeting with Agent Frost this morning. If you want another corroborating witness I was also present for the end of that meeting."

  "I have spoken to Agent Frost and he has already tried to provide an alibi but that meeting was very early this morning. Ms Jones you had ample time to make your way to the SNQEZ and kill the victim."

  I shook my head wryly and leaned in to Thyme, I told him what had happened today, leaving out my re-living Selene's murder in her head. He gave me permission to tell Stern.

  "You'll find the Temple representative's card at my apartment and you can contact Fluvius at his registered address."

  Stern kept his face unreadable. "We will look into your story, Ms Jones, but a religious cult and a goblin-"

  "Gremlin."

  "-aren't exactly sterling witnesses. Whoever killed Selene tried to make it look like she was killed by this serial killing monster we have got."

  "You have nothing to link my client to-"

  "Ms Jones
is not a suspect in any of those other killings," Stern cut him off. "But in this case the victim was shot. She was killed with bullets and cut up afterwards to make it look the same. Apart from the officers investigating, Ms Jones is the only person involved with the case with enough knowledge of the details to arrange such a deception."

  "You have nothing tangible to hold my client on," Thyme spoke surely, there was no sense that he was the least intimidated by the older man. "I expect you will want to get corroboration of her story and then you will be releasing her. This interview is over."

  "You really think I'll be getting out of here soon?"

  Stern had ended the interview moments after Thyme had said it was over. Now I was back in my reinforced cell. This time they had let Thyme come in with me. He had demanded they allow him to consult with his client.

  "They don't have enough to build anything like a strong enough case against you. As long as your story holds up-"

  "Which it will."

  "-And as long as they don't come up with any forensics or physical evidence to place you at the scene-"

  "Which they won't since I was never there."

  Thyme was smiling at my interruptions rather than being annoyed by them. "Then you should be home in a couple of hours."

  I made a largely inarticulate noise of relief and absently leaned back on the cot. I stretched to try and get some of the tension out of my muscles and my body. Cool air on certain parts of my body brought me back to myself. I realised that I must be flashing Thyme and straightened myself up.

  Still playing the professional gentleman my lawyer had taken an intent interest in the far wall. I had no polite way of knowing whether he had been looking at me or not.

  "Thank you for coming here to help me. You've been a great help and I hardly even know you."

  Thyme gave a half laugh. "This isn't an imposition, this is my job."

  "But I don't know if I can afford your full fees."

  Thyme shrugged it away. "I told you when you called me that it didn't matter."

  "My knight in shining armour."

  Thyme got up. "If you like, my Lady."

  He sketched a bow and I actually managed to laugh.

  "That's better. You look lovely when you smile."

  This didn't really seem like the time or place to start flirting with yet another guy, but; "So I'm not lovely the rest of the time?" I gave him an exaggerated pout.

  "You know I didn't mean it like that," Thyme said. "You've just had a lot on your mind and now this. It's nice to see you relaxed."

  "We've pretty much only just met," I said.

  "It's still nice to see you relaxed. Nice to see you at all actually."

  "You're not too shabby yourself."

  "Why, Ms Jones are you flirting with me?"

  "Does this seem like a good time for flirting?" I retorted.

  Thyme gave me one of those looks that men give to women to make them melt. "Seems to me anytime with you would be a good time."

  I shook my head. "You should know that before they came and dragged me down here I had just agreed to a date with Agent Frost."

  "Will you still be going out with him after this?"

  "This was Stern's doing not his."

  Thyme nodded and considered. "You were arranging your first date." I nodded. "So you haven't dated yet? You aren't an item?" I shook my head and Thyme brightened.

  "That's all right then. You can still have a date with me as well."

  I furrowed my brow. "I'll grant you that I'm not exactly au fait with this dating thing, but aren't you supposed to limit yourself to dating one person at a time?"

  "But then how would you know if you had found the right person? You need to play the field a little first."

  "You offer a persuasive argument counsellor."

  "Part and parcel of the package," Thyme said.

  "And what else do you have to offer in the . . . package?"

  "Now, now, Ms Jones. Before you get to wonder about my package I would like to know if I get to think about you in return. Will you agree to a date with me as well as the good Agent Frost?"

  I really didn't have much experience at dating, and while what Thyme said made sense I wasn't sure that Frost would agree. But, then again, I hadn't been out with Frost yet and Thyme was cute as well. So long as I was honest with them both who could it hurt? As long as I had been living in this realm I hadn't had the chance to indulge myself in some of its more enjoyable pastimes. It was about time that changed.

  Thyme had been right. Stern had nothing to hold me on, and after he had confirmed what I told him with Fluvius and the pushy Temple representative I was being released.

  They had had my clothes brought back to me so that I could get dressed in privacy. Now I was waiting for Stern to finish up with the formalities of my release. I had to sign a couple of forms before I could get my other belongings.

  Agent Stern had stayed close to me since I was let out of the cell. Frost had arrived just after and hovered around. I exchanged smiles with the younger Agent. Thyme had stayed close by to make sure the proper procedures were followed. I was suddenly nervous about my decision to go out with both men.

  The tension was palpable. Stern and Frost kept glaring at each other. When Stern wasn't glaring at his colleague he was aiming dirty looks at me and Thyme.

  Things didn't get any better when Stern turned me fully loose with a; "Don't leave town, Ms Jones. I don't doubt I'll be wanting to talk with you again."

  Now instead of everybody glaring at each other there were lots of mixed looks being exchanged. It was just myself and my two suitors on the street around the corner from the police station. I had explained things to Frost.

  I have no idea what expression was showing on my face, I was certainly confused enough that it could have been practically anything. The men's expressions changed depending on who they were looking at. Thyme was the hardest to read but there was a touch of animosity when he looked at Agent Frost. This wasn't really unfair since Frost was certainly regarding the lawyer as if he was an enemy. What I found hardest to accept was the combined attraction and betrayal that was in Frost's eyes when he looked at me.

  "I suppose it's your choice." Frost's words were accepting but he couldn't keep the hurt out of his voice. "You don't owe me anything."

  I lifted Selene's chain and ring over my head. I lifted my air out from the back of the chain and tucked the ring down the front of my blouse. It was somehow comforting to have the metal band in contact with the skin between my breasts.

  "No, I don't owe either of you anything. We can go out on a few dates and I'll go on a few dates with Thyme. After we each get a chance to know each other better we can makes the hard decisions. Maybe by that time they won't be so hard." I can't believe I put it that succinctly.

  "Fair enough. But who goes first?"

  I stepped between them before the men could start arguing. "We can arrange that later. Let's just leave the dating until after I'm officially out of the frame for my friend's murder." I don't know how I suddenly managed to be so forceful but it got me what I wanted so I didn't question it.

  "For now I just want to get home." I held up a hand before either could offer me a ride. "One of you just call me a taxi and we can talk tomorrow."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  This time there was no outward indications that there was an uninvited guest in my apartment. The fact that my door was closed, intact and still locked didn't make him any less there.

  "Hello, Halberd. It's been a very long day. Can we make this quick? I just want to get to bed."

  Halberd stood there, all resplendent in his hooded cloak with his skin almost glowing. He spent enough time down here amongst the mortals that he was quite adept at keeping a relatively low profile.

  "I bring-"

  "Yes, yes you bring a message from the elders. They want me to stop this silliness and resume my rightful place up there. They want me to stop interfering in mortal affairs."


  I hung my jacket on a hook and started unbuttoning my blouse. Halberd turned away as I had known he would. I spied the negligee Frost had teased me about earlier in the afternoon, it sure felt a lot longer ago than that. I had a vague recollection of sympathising with Halberd for the teasing I put him through, what the heck it had been a hard day and I deserved to have some fun. Besides I was getting to have a permanent horn on bubbling just below the surface and it seemed to be affecting my usual standards. I had never been attracted to Halberd before, although he was definitely put together very nicely, but now . . .

  "Actually, the Elders-" He always said that with a capital E.

  "Hold on," I said. "I don't want to have a conversation to your back. Will you turn around?"

  "I will turn around when you have clothed yourself. I have spent too much time in this realm to be entirely comfortable around you when you are nude."

  If he had spoken a moment earlier I could have argued that I was only half naked but in that moment I had dropped my skirt and panties and now I was. "Give me one moment then."

  I grabbed my negligee off the bed and slipped it on. I retained enough self control that I slipped into another pair of panties so that he couldn't quite see everything. But he was going to get an eyeful that's for sure. I had the brief thought that with two men already after me I had no need to be flirting with a third. The response came in a distinctly Selene voice; "You can never have too many."

  "You can turn around now."

  I was ready for almost any reaction from Halberd; from him being so embarrassed or angry that he stormed out to taking me in his arms and ravishing me right then. The one reaction that I wasn't ready for was the one I got, isn't that always the way? He just turned around, took me in at a glance, and went on with his pitch. There was no widening of the eyes, not reddening of the cheeks. No stiffening that I could see under the cloak. Part of me was relieved and part of me disappointed. I should have gotten some reaction from him.

  "The Elders are not deaf to your desires. They have listened to you when you said that you felt impotent before. That you were limited in the good that you could perform. They have seen you attempting to do more good here in the mortal realm and they believe they have come up with a compromise."