Forged Under Blue Fire: Indigo Knights Book VIII

by A. J. Downey

  “There’s a very real possibility that whoever gets it, they’ll decline to prosecute,” Chrissy said. “If they do, I’ll be taking them apart.” She shrugged.

  “Can you do that?” Ellie asked.

  “Do what?” Chrissy asked.

  “Work as a defense attorney while also being a prosecutor?” she asked. “Isn’t that a conflict of interest or something?”

  Chrissy gave her a charmed smile and said, “I can see where you’re going with this, and no, I won’t get into trouble if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “Okay.” Ellie nodded. “If you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure. Thanks for worrying, though.” Chrissy winked at her.

  “So how about it?” Driller asked as Everleigh rested her head on Narcos’ shoulder nearby. “You good to finish the party or are you all partied out?”

  Ellie took a deep breath and let it out slow. “I could really use a drink, and something to eat,” she said. “Lunch was a long time ago.”

  “Alright!”

  “Yeah!”

  The guys and girls of my club put up a rowdy cheer and I pulled my girl’s temple against my lips.

  “Thatta girl,” I said grinning and she looked up at me with an impish smile that was still fragile around the edges and said, “Just feed me.”

  “You got it.”

  We had dinner, a few more dances, and wandered on over to the stall with paintings to pick up her stuff.

  “Ah, there you are!” the artist guy called out when he spotted Ellie. “I can see where you got your inspiration this time.” He produced her easel, all packed up, and her satchel of paints and shit from against one of the legs of his easy-up tent.

  “Hey, what up, man. Good lookin’ out,” I greeted him with a firm handshake.

  “Ah, you know; us artists have to stick together,” he told me and passed my girl’s gear off to me. I hefted both onto one shoulder.

  “Silverio Pérez, meet Oz. Oz, this is Silverio,” Elka introduced us.

  “Nice to meet you, Silverio. Thanks again for hanging onto my girl’s stuff.”

  “Absolutely, anytime. You’ve got quite a talent, Elka.”

  Ellie blushed, “Thank you.”

  “Here, let me give you my card. I’d like to stay in touch. There aren’t a lot of other artists that I know. I could always use another person to talk color theory and you said you were a preservationist?”

  “I am,” she said with a nod.

  “I may need help cleaning a painting I have at home. It was supposedly painted by my grandfather and was one of the things my mother brought with us. It meant a great deal to her, but I am afraid time has not been kind to it.”

  “Absolutely, I’d be willing to take a look.” Elka beamed at him. “It’s the least I could do.”

  “Ah, God bless you,” he said and wrote his number on the back of one of his business cards, handing it over to her. She slipped it into a pocket of her satchel hanging from my shoulder.

  “Thank you. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Are you leaving?” he asked.

  “Yeah, man. We gotta get home.”

  “Well, it was good talking to you. Safe travels.”

  “Alright, thanks man, we’ll see you around.”

  “I look forward to it,” he said with a smile and I took my lady’s hand and steered us in the direction of my bike.

  “I think you made a new friend,” I said with a smile.

  “You know,” she said, “I think I did, too.”

  “Not a bad day over all,” I said and she made a face like she’d just sucked on a lemon.

  “I don’t know about all that. You didn’t get arrested and go to jail,” she said.

  I nodded and was about to say some smart-ass sarcastic remark but the look on her face stopped me.

  “What? What is it?” I asked.

  She came to a stop, dragging on my hand a little and I watched them, our hands interlinked, swinging between us, the distance between her body and mine only about a foot and a half but for all intents and purposes, it felt like an entire gulf had just opened up between us and I wanted to bridge that gap real quick.

  “It’s not going to look badly on you, my getting arrested, is it?” she asked and shifted uncomfortably.

  I gave her a half-assed grin. “No, and even if someone wanted to come at me like that, fuck ‘em. You were justified in slapping the shit outta that asshole. I just wish you’d thought to kick him in the nuts.”

  She stifled a laugh behind her hand and tried to school her expression immediately into something more appropriate – whatever that honestly meant.

  I closed some of the distance between us and touched the side of her face. She looked at me and I couldn’t keep the charmed half-smile off of my face if I wanted to.

  “I love you,” I said. “And what you did today isn’t going to cause me any problems with the department. Even if it did, I’d find something else to do if they wanted to play it that way. You’re everything to me. You have to know that.”

  She stared at me, searching my face, eyes wide and uncertain, looking for any hint of deception, a lie in my voice, a look, I don’t know what. I just held still and let the truth radiate from me, let her pick it up with that sense we all had but rarely used.

  “You really mean that, don’t you?” she asked after a little bit of silence.

  “I really mean it,” I told her. The dead certainty in my voice clear as day.

  I leaned forward and put my lips against hers, kissing her gently. She kissed me back, arms creeping around my neck as the street lights flickered on overhead.

  “Let’s go home,” I murmured and she nodded slowly, gently.

  “Let’s go home,” she agreed.

  She tucked herself into the side of me that wasn’t laden with her art gear and I put a protective arm around her as we strolled the rest of the way up the side street to my bike on the next block.

  I got out my jacket and cut, secured in my locking hard case and peeled my cut off my jacket. I handed her my coat, putting it around her shoulders while my cut was trapped between my knees.

  As soon as I had her squared away with my coat and her art stuff, I swung into my cut for the ride. She got on behind me as soon as I pulled around into the street and held on tight for the ride home which was a bit of a brisk one with the cooling temperatures brought on by night and a stiff breeze coming in off the water.

  Ellie shivered when she got off the bike and hugged herself.

  “First order of business, a nice hot shower.”

  “I know that’s right,” I said and took her art gear off of her. “Let me carry that.”

  I handed her my keys and we paused under the next street lamp so she could find the key to her door on the ring. She took my hand when she found it, her fingers frigid, and we double-timed it the less than half a block to the apartment’s door.

  She keyed us in the lock, stepping aside so I could get in after her. I shut the door and said, “Go on and handle your art stuff, baby, I’ll put some water on for that tea you like and meet you in the shower.”

  “Okay,” she readily agreed.

  I went in the kitchen and filled her electric kettle from the tap while I listened to her unbuckle this and unstrap that. She made an impatient noise and an ‘ah’ of success and I smiled to myself.

  “You alright in there?” I called.

  “Yeah, just fingers are a bit stiff and he had this knob turned really tight. Everything looks good, though. Minimal shift in the paint layer, and the marks in the corners are easily brushed out.”

  “Good deal.” I set the kettle on its base but didn’t switch it on yet.

  She made small talk, asking me, “You really liked me in this style of dress?”

  “Yeah, I mean it. I think you got a signature look there. It really suits you, you know?”

  She was quiet for a moment and finally called back, “I really like it, too. Makes me feel pretty and sassy.�
�

  I chuckled.

  “I think that sass may be me rubbing off on you some.”

  “Ha! As far as I’m concerned, it needed to happen. It felt good to stand up to that asshole.” She stepped around the corner of the kitchen and leaned a shoulder against the archway, crossing her arms over her stomach.

  “Go get in the shower, babe. Go get warm.”

  “Towels are out, just waiting on you, Princess.”

  “Oh, you’re funny!”

  I grabbed a hold of her and she shrieked, laughing, and it was the best sound I’d heard all day. I kissed her soundly as she giggled against my mouth, her fingers still cold, touching the sides of my face as we swayed from our mock little struggle.

  “How do you feel about maybe someday becoming Mrs. Jones?” I asked suddenly.

  “Are you asking me to marry you?” she asked, face coated in a thick layer of surprise.

  “Not yet,” I said. “But maybe someday.”

  “Oh, the thought had crossed your mind?” she asked with a devilish grin.

  I gave her one right back. “Just now, yeah.”

  She laughed.

  “Elka Jones doesn’t sound half bad. It’s got kind of a nice ring to it,” she said.

  “Damn right it does,” I said and pulled her tight against me. I kissed her more soundly, slipping my tongue past her lips. She kissed me back deeply, her hands at the back of my head, holding my face to hers.

  I pulled back and said, “No matter what happens, we got this. It’s you and me against the world, babe. Don’t you ever forget that, mmkay?”

  “Okay,” she whispered and her smile was everything.

  I led her into the bathroom, started the shower, and unwrapped her body from its pretty pastel blue-green dress like it was a present. She gave as good as she got, kissing me, nimble fingers working my belt, pushing my over shirt back off my shoulders.

  “Mm, I should start the water,” she said against my mouth and I nodded awkwardly, refusing to take my lips off hers.

  “Mm-hm.”

  She laughed and pulled back, turning around and leaning into the shower to start the water giving me the absolute best view of her perfect ass.

  “Mm, boy,” I moaned admiringly and slapped her on one ass cheek. She yipped and stood up straight, looking at me affronted over her shoulder.

  “Hey, you put it out there,” I reminded her.

  She smiled and shook her head, sticking her hand under the shower spray to test the temperature.

  I swiftly finished stripping down and Ellie did likewise. “Ladies first,” I murmured over the babble of falling water and she stepped in under the showerhead, stepping back to give me room.

  I joined her, shutting the shower door and put my hands on her hips as she tilted her head back and wet her hair with a groan of pleasure.

  “God, I don’t know how you do it every day,” she said. “That place left me feeling like I was just coated in a thick layer of depression.”

  I gave a bit of a bitter laugh and said, “It’s easy for me. I get to go home at the end of the day. Makes all the difference.”

  “Mm, sorry, honey. I don’t think I’ll be visiting you at work again anytime soon.”

  I chuckled and leaned in, kissing her in the center of her chest over her heart. I straightened up and said, “I’m cool with that. You don’t belong anywhere near a place like that, anyhow.”

  She smiled and it held an edge of sadness when she said, “You don’t either.”

  “I signed up for it,” I said with a shrug. “I’m all about keeping people safe, baby. Keeping the animals in line and helping those guys that wanna change – and I’m tellin’ you, there are a lot more of them than you’d think. Problem is, the street is geared toward keepin’ men down, keepin’ ‘em in their place. Breaking that cycle is hard as hell and the ones willing to do it? The ones willing to put in the work? Somebody’s gotta be there to give ‘em a hand.”

  “And that somebody is you.”

  There was no accusation in her tone. Just pride. Pride and a statement of fact.

  “That somebody is me. Some of the other guys and gals that work the jail, too. Ain’t all of us like the Bartle’s of the world.”

  She made a face and I chuckled.

  “That guy was an asshole. For no reason, no less.”

  I put some of her shampoo in my hand and massaged it into her hair. She groaned in pleasure and turned around, tipping her head back so I could reach better.

  “He say anything to you on the ride over to the jail?” I asked.

  “No, mostly just had this sickening satisfied and smug look on his face. Like he was sticking it to you.”

  “Ha! I wouldn’t give that prick the satisfaction,” I said.

  “I wouldn’t either,” she said. “Let Karma sort his miserable ass out.”

  “K, rinse, and I agree. It’ll come one day and when it does, I’ma park my ass in intake with a bag of fucking popcorn.”

  “You better call me when that happens, I love popcorn and you better share.”

  I laughed and pulled her close, kissing her soundly.

  “I love you,” I said and she smiled up at me.

  “I love you, too.”

  I nodded and thought to myself again, that our love was forged under blue fire, hot to the touch and stronger than any steel. We’d been through it, and anything else that tried to come at us from here on out? We’d just be tempered and made stronger for it. As I washed my woman’s troubles down the drain, I smiled knowing that I’d found a forever partner, a worthy partner in crime. A love that could withstand anything.

  Epilogue

  Elka…

  The judge looked over the papers in front of him and stared disapprovingly down through his bifocals. He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed out.

  “While I am loath to advocate violence as a solution to any matter, I cannot in good conscience say,” he paused and looked at me, “that Ms. Köhler was out of line. There she was, on a crowded street of onlookers, a man thrusting a recorder in her face demanding answers to questions he asked despite repeated pleas from Ms. Köhler for him to stop and leave her alone. His physical actions were overbearing at the least and clearly left Ms. Köhler feeling threatened. Therefore, I am dismissing this case with prejudice.”

  He stacked the sheaf of papers on his bench and looked over the courtroom.

  “Quite frankly, I am disgusted this even got this far. This is a waste of the court’s time. I would hope the prosecutor’s office would use more discretion in the cases they brought before the court in the future. Again, case dismissed with prejudice, this court is adjourned.” He banged his gavel on the bench and I turned to Chrissy a bit stunned.

  “That’s it?” I asked.

  “What do you mean, ‘that’s it?’” Chrissy asked, rolling her eyes. “You won!”

  “Yeah, but what does with prejudice exactly mean? Does that mean if they want to, they can re-try me?”

  “No, silly. It means the exact opposite of that. That’s it, you’re done, you’re free to go. No record, no more court dates, you’re just done. Another one in the books for Chrissy Franco, Attorney at Law.” She raised her hands in victory and did a little booty shake and Oz cracked up in the gallery behind me.

  “You stupid!” he declared and I blinked.

  “You mean, all of that – for nothing?” I asked.

  “Yup, and now Yale gets to go ream someone’s ass for dropping the prosecutor’s office conviction rate.”

  “Wow.” I sagged with relief. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” My hands were shaking, and Chrissy smiled.

  “I have no problem defending people who are genuinely good people getting railroaded for no good reason other than to satisfy some imaginary vendetta.” She rolled her eyes as she shuffled file folders into her briefcase.

  “Man, those assholes really need to get over themselves,” Oz declared, hold
ing open my coat for me to shrug into.

  I pulled the lapels closed and remarked, “It’s sad really, you’re all supposed to be playing for the same team.”

  “Right?” Chrissy sighed and shook her head.

  “They just don’t like it that we don’t play dirty like them. In fact, ain’t a one of us that would think twice or even hesitate to dime their asses out,” Oz declared. “They’re so dirty it could fuck up the whole damn department.”

  “Problem is proving it,” Chrissy said flatly.

  “All these motherfuckers tryin’ to ice skate uphill. Eventually they’ll figure out they ain’t going nowhere. Hopefully by the time they do that? The rest of the system’ll be all caught up to ‘em.”

  “I will drink to that,” Chrissy declared. “You buying?” she asked.

  “Hell yeah, I’m buying.”

  “The 10-13 it is,” she said with a smile, hefting her briefcase.

  “Here, let me have that.” Oz carried it for her.

  “How’d you guys get here?” Chrissy asked.

  “We took a car,” I answered.

  “Good, we can share one over to the 10-13, then.”

  “Sounds good,” I said smiling.

  When we arrived at the 10-13, we dashed from the car and through the biting rain to the front door. It was still technically fall but right on the cusp of winter and this damn charge had been dogging my every step since the Little Havana Block Party weekend. We stepped through the door, shaking off the rain and everyone just stopped and stared in our direction.

  “Well?” Yale demanded.

  “Case dismissed!” Chrissy crowed and a cheer went up. “With prejudice, might I add.” She blew on her nails and polished them against her trench coat, and we all jumped when a champagne cork popped behind the bar.

  “What?” Skids demanded. “This calls for celebration!” He poured along a line of flutes and said, “Everybody come grab one! You think this is some high-class joint that’s gonna serve you?”

  Laughter swept through the club and glasses were passed out among the men and ol’ ladies.

  “A toast!” Reflash declared, holding up a glass and tossing his kitchen towel over his shoulder and everyone settled down.