Love Next Door

by Jerry Cole

  James winced. His face went redder.

  “That was initially my fault. I tried to cover up that I was doing wrong, wanting to be seen as the victim. But then that spiraled out of control, especially after I told Laura we were done. She just added gas to the already blazing fire.”

  “Well, you’d better get that sorted, because it’s not fair on David. And your reputation is going to be tarnished the longer this goes on.”

  “I understand that.” James rubbed at his eyes. “But you’ve met Laura. You know how vindictive she can be.”

  “She’s deluded, I know that much.”

  “I do now. I just wish I had noticed at the time, but I was too wrapped up with her seduction to realize it. By the time I came to my senses, it was too late. I even transferred to a precinct in the north of the city so I didn’t have to work with her, but she still kept bothering me. I had to get a harassment order out on her for a while myself.”

  Reese was stunned. He hadn’t realized that James had been struggling himself. But he didn’t feel any sympathy. James had brought a jealous, manipulative woman into his life and she had shattered his marriage. Now he couldn’t get rid of her.

  If they had known about James distancing himself from Laura and the harassment order, things might have been different. But James had been sporadic over the last few years in contacting David and Laura barely came up. Reese wondered if that would have changed anything if James had said something about it.

  Probably not. David wasn’t about to be burned again.

  “She played you, James. She’s the one in charge and no one’s allowed to desert her. Which is what you did.”

  “Which is what I did.” James agreed.

  “You should’ve kept it in your pants.”

  James winced.

  “You don’t need to tell me twice. But I kept lying to myself, that it was okay. I thought David would straighten me out, and he was a good influence. But I wasn’t used to having someone love me like David did. He was so young, so kind. And now I’m not going to get that back.”

  Reese shook his head. David had been willing to get through tough situations with his husband, but sleeping with someone else, especially with a co-worker, was a line that was well and truly crossed. James hadn’t just stepped over the line; he had pole-vaulted over it. There was no going back.

  And that made Reese feel a little better about himself. If David hadn’t divorced James all those years ago, he wouldn’t have gotten to this point where he had now shared David’s bed, tasted his body, fallen asleep in his arms. James had no idea what he was missing.

  Reese was not planning on giving David away. David was his, as far as he was concerned.

  “Well, that’s going to change now.” James went on. “I’ve put in for a transfer. Rapid City. I’ve got some cousins who live there, and they can help me get back on my feet. Fresh start and all that.”

  Reese nodded.

  “I think that’s for the best. You need to get a clean slate.”

  “And I can’t really do that here when my past is haunting me. I should have done this a long time ago.” James paused. “I know David won’t want to see me, so would you tell him that I’ll leave him alone now? He won’t have to see me again.”

  “I’ll tell him.” Reese held out a hand. “He will appreciate that.”

  James hesitated. Then he firmly shook Reese’s hand.

  “You know, with my cheating, I was concerned about David doing the same with you.”

  “With me?”

  “You two got on so well, and you were a much better fit for him than I ever was. Loyalty is never brought into question with you.” James grimaced. “That’s something I need to work on.”

  “I won’t argue with that.” Reese paused. “You know David’s never cheated on you, don’t you?”

  “I know. I just wanted to make myself feel better, and it didn’t work.” James rose to his feet with a grunt, rolling his shoulders. “Starting afresh is what I need to do. And Laura won’t know where I’ve gone, either, so that’s something.”

  Reese should have let him go, but instead he found himself standing and hurrying after James as the man went dejectedly towards the exit.

  “James.” Reese caught up with him as James got to the doors. The sharp wind that came through reminded Reese he had left his coat behind. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “What you’ve done is wrong. Big time. But I appreciate you coming to me. You have my respect for that.”

  James looked startled. Then his shoulders slumped, relief flooding his face.

  “Thanks for that.” He glanced out into the parking lot and shook his head. “I should have figured this out a long time ago. Who knew that having a one-night stand with Laura would have me realizing that I had screwed things up completely?”

  “What are you talking about, one-night stand?”

  James looked bashful. He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat.

  “I... I had a fling with her again about a year ago. Well, I say it was a one-night stand but it turned into a six-month affair. But then I realized that I was fooling myself. Whenever I was with her, I saw David.”

  Reese couldn’t believe what he was hearing. James had only said a moment ago that he ended things during his divorce, and now he was saying that he had started up another fling with Laura more recently? No wonder Laura thought James belonged to her.

  “What part of you thought it was a good idea to sleep with the woman who broke up your marriage again? Wait, don’t answer that.” Reese shook his head. “I already know.”

  “Laura just got back under my skin, and now I’m trying to get rid of her again.” James’ expression said he wished he had never said anything. “She’s determined that we’re going to be together.”

  Reese said nothing to that. James had really screwed things up. It would certainly explain why Laura had doubled down on hassling David in the last six months. She had won and lost James again, and she was threatened by the fact James wanted to try and make amends.

  This whole thing was a mess. James had thrown everyone into the quagmire and was only just realizing he was sinking himself.

  “Reese.”

  Reese turned. One of David’s co-workers was walking towards them, his radio in his hand. He frowned at James.

  “What are you doing here?”

  James held up his hands.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going near David. I’m just leaving.”

  “Okay.” Adam didn’t look convinced. “As long as you don’t bother David. He’s got enough on his plate. Have either of you two seen a woman with a buggy come this way? Dark hair, pale pink sweater and shorts? The baby is a boy about a year old?”

  Reese shook his head. He had seen women with their children, but not someone matching that description. Then again, he had been focused on James for the last five minutes. James also shook his head.

  “We haven’t seen someone matching that.”

  “There are plenty of mothers with strollers around.” Reese pointed out.

  “Not matching the description we were given.” Adam grumbled. He gestured with the radio. “And it doesn’t help the radios are playing up now. I can’t get word to David and he’s meant to be managing the cameras.”

  That was when Reese saw James’ face pale. He looked like someone had walked over his grave.

  “Oh, fuck.”

  “What is it?”

  “I think I know who the woman is.” James looked at Reese. “Daisy Mallard, she’s a regular at my old precinct. Laura’s on first-name terms with her. She’s always bringing Daisy in for something.”

  “You think this has got to do something with David’s radio screwing up?”

  “It has to be. I saw the patrol car outside, and I recognized the car plate. It’s the one Laura uses.”

  Reese hadn’t seen Laura around. If any of the guards had caught sight of her, they would have escorted her straight back out. But there was no sign of her
.

  Reese didn’t like where this was going. And his gut was sure he knew where Laura was. From James’ expression, he had come to the same opinion. He grabbed Adam’s arm, nudging him towards the elevators.

  “Get us in there, Adam. Now.”

  Chapter Nine

  David eyed the gun pointed at his head. Had Laura gone mad? She seemed to have gone completely around the bend. What did she think was going to happen? Shoot him and walk out? She couldn’t think that was going to work.

  But from the crazed look in her eyes, Laura very much believed that she would walk out of there with no repercussions.

  David knew he could reach for his own gun. He was armed, this was something he had been trained to do if he came across an armed robbery. But he didn’t want to risk being shot before he had drawn his weapon. Laura looked like she would shoot if he sneezed at the wrong moment.

  On the table, David’s radio crackled and buzzed. David glanced at it before looking back at Laura.

  “You do know if I don’t respond soon, my colleagues are going to come and find me.”

  “They won’t get here in time.” Laura smirked. “Not when they’re looking for a shoplifter who’s already vanished.”

  “You set that up?”

  “Of course. I know someone who has a lengthy record. She’s doing me a favor right now.” Laura gestured at the cameras. “I wasn’t sure if you would be alone but seeing you in here with nobody else was perfect.”

  David grimaced. This was not a day for half of his staff to go off sick. He was going to be having words once he got out of here. If he got out of here.

  “What the hell is going on, Laura?” He demanded. “What are you doing?”

  “Getting rid of you. What else?” Laura bared her teeth in a snarl. “This is all your fault, you know.”

  “My fault?”

  “Yes, yours.” Laura’s eyes looked wild. David wondered if she had completely lost grip on things. “I fell in love with James the moment I saw him. I knew we were meant to be. The fact he was married to you didn’t matter. He was mine. When you served James divorce papers, I thought I might have him all to myself. But then he dumped me. He decided that he had a conscience and told me to get lost. Can you imagine how that feels going through all that and then he turns his back on me?”

  David said nothing. Saying anything would have been superfluous. Laura was acting like he hadn’t gone through a breakup with the same man himself.

  “It took me two years to get him back into my bed.” Laura carried on with barely drawing breath. “Can you believe that? Two years! But it was worth the wait.”

  “I don’t want to hear this, Laura.”

  “You’re going to hear it!” Laura shrieked, gesturing the gun in his direction. “It’s all your fault this happened.”

  “You’re the one who’s been threatening me, Laura.” David pointed out. “Why would you do that when you had what you wanted?”

  He was silently weighing up the decision to draw his own weapon. Laura was too crazed to come back from the edge. Who knew a man could make a woman go mad?

  “Because James started talking about getting back with you.” Laura hissed. She came across the room, waving the gun in David’s face. “Even after the divorce, that bastard still loved you. I had to listen to him as he talked about completely screwing up because he didn’t know how to handle the love you two shared. Even getting back with me didn’t change anything.” She practically spat in his face. “I hated hearing about you all the time, but I had him and that was what mattered. And then he broke it off again. There was no way I was going to let him walk away again or get back with you after everything I had done. You were not screwing that up again.”

  David glanced at the door. He had to get out of there. Where was Adam? Where was Reese? Surely, someone would have noticed something was wrong. By the time they figured it out, though, Laura might have already put a bullet in his head.

  He looked up at Laura, who towered over him. This close, he could take her but that gun was far too close to his face. That needed to be diverted. Laura was strong, David knew that. She could easily put up a fight. And this could easily go her way. Laura could declare that David had gone crazy and attacked her, that this was all self-defense.

  If only they had put cameras in the room where the security guards worked. But that hadn’t been a thought, not when they were behind coded-locked doors.

  “So, what’s this about?” David challenged her. “What are you going to do now? Kill me and expect James to go back to you because I’m not around? I’ve moved on myself. I don’t want James again.”

  “But you’re still alive.” Laura pointed out. “Once you’re out of the way, James will forget you.”

  “He’ll grieve. You might be able to take advantage of a grieving man, but not when James is fully in control of his senses.”

  “That’s as much as I need. Once I’ve got him again, he won’t remember anyone else.” Laura smirked. Snakes had nicer smiles. “You still love James. I knew once James had worn you down, you and he would make another go of it. I’m not going to let that happen.”

  “I love someone else, Laura.” David pointed out. “James would have been sent away.”

  That gave David pause. He did love Reese. Why did he have to come to that realization when he was being faced with a mad woman with a gun? Not the time to be confessing to a revelation.

  “I don’t believe you.” Laura hissed.

  “Believe it.” David rose to his feet. Laura took a step back, but the gun didn’t lower. Her hand was shaking. “Reese and I are planning on starting a life together. James is certainly not a part of it. You’re wasting your time over him.”

  Maybe he could do this. Laura was looking ready to pull the trigger, but she liked the sound of her own voice. All David needed to do was knock the gun out of her hand before he tackled her. It was just waiting for the right moment.

  “James has been everything to me since we met.” Laura bared her teeth, pointing the gun at David’s face. “He’s mine. At least, he will be once you’re gone.”

  “And you’re going to do what? Make it look like I committed suicide?”

  Laura snickered.

  “I’ll think of something.”

  David could see her finger tightening on the trigger. He knocked her arm aside at the last moment, the bang making his ears ring as the bullet whizzed past him and hit one of the computer screens behind him. David grabbed Laura’s arm and twisted it, Laura screaming and dropping the gun. David kicked it away, the gun spinning under the desk. Then, still holding onto Laura’s arm, he swiveled her around, forcing her to her knees. Laura tried to push back, throwing her weight back, but David rode her down to the ground, twisting her arm up behind her back. Laura screamed.

  “Let me go! Get off me!”

  “Not a chance.” David pressed his knee into her back. He could just reach his radio. “You’re under arrest, Laura.”

  Laura laughed.

  “You’re not a cop, David. You can’t arrest me.”

  “But I can.”

  David looked up. He hadn’t realized the door had opened, or that anyone had joined them. Now James and Reese stood in the doorway, both aiming their guns at Laura. Adam was just behind them, looking at the scene with wide eyes. Laura gasped. She went from fighting David to bursting into tears.

  “Thank God, James! Please, get this bastard off me! He attacked me!”

  “I don’t think so.” James glanced at Reese as he holstered his gun. “Would you mind covering me, Mr. Powell?”

  “No problem.”

  David had never been so relieved to see his former husband in such a long time. As James knelt beside him, David gladly let him take over. His heart was racing, and his ears were still ringing as he stood and backed away, trying to remember how to breathe properly. James brought out his handcuffs and snapped them onto Laura’s wrists.

  It was then David saw the penny drop in Laura’s
head. She was beginning to realize that she wasn’t going to get away with it this time. She started to cry louder, wailing as James and Adam drew her to her feet.

  “No, please!” She tried to go to James, but Adam turned her around. “James, listen to me! Please!”

  “Shut up, Laura.” James glanced at Reese. “Will you wait here while I sort out the shooter? I need to call this in.”

  “Not a problem.” Reese put away his weapon and stepped aside. “Have fun.”

  James grunted and tapped Adam on the shoulder.

  “You take her. I’ll open the door.”

  Then he left the room, followed shortly by Adam as he dragged a screaming police officer with him. Laura was beginning to sound like a banshee, with something having snapped. David hadn’t thought it was possible to go from perfectly normal to completely crazy with a snap of his fingers, but Laura constantly surprised him.

  He slumped against the desk. That had been more harrowing than he thought. He had known Laura would do something to keep the former spouses apart, but to go after David with the intention of shooting him hadn’t crossed his mind.

  “David?”

  David blinked. Reese had appeared in front of him, watching him with a look of concern. David swallowed and tried to speak, but no words came out. He couldn’t find the right words. Reese took hold of him and eased David into a chair.

  “Sit down. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

  David hoped not. The adrenaline was leaving him in a rush and he was beginning to shake. This couldn’t be happening. Surely, he hadn’t just faced a mad police officer planning on killing him, had he?

  Then he caught sight of Laura’s gun, still under the desk, and he realized that he had.

  ***

  The rest of the day seemed to go in a bit of a blur for David. He needed to give a statement about what happened, and he was interviewed for close to three hours. This time, though, the cops were sympathetic. It was like they were in shock themselves after discovering a potential shooter was one of their own.

  David was still trying to come to terms with it himself. Laura had shown she was manipulative and vindictive, that she always wanted things her own way, but this had been something else. David didn’t think anyone had noticed that she was crazy enough to think she could walk into an office, shoot her supposed love rival, and then walk out again uncontested.