by ERIN BEDFORD
“Hey, girlie, can I get a Jack and coke over here?”
I turned with a big grin the one voicing their request instantly familiar. “Why Detective Stevenson, aren’t you out past your bedtime? And on a school night too!” I gasped in mock horror, my hand on my chest.
Amanda Stevenson, or Mandy to anyone who really knew her, had only recently been promoted to detective and had been my best friend since elementary school. It was no surprise to see all the males turn a bit toward her. With her honey blonde hair and athletic figure, she could pull even the holiest man’s eye. The hoe knew it too.
“I’m here on official business.” Mandy lifted her badge and set it on the counter making me grin.
“And official business calls for Jack and coke?” I quirked a brow but made the drink for her anyway.
“Always,” Mandy giggled. She took the tumbler from me and took a large swig of it.
“Hard day?” I asked, pouring her another one.
“Well, we’ve got several high-profile cases that are going nowhere. We are fighting the FBI for jurisdiction on a murder and then there are a string of reports about stolen goods up at Blessed Falls Spa Resort.”
“You mean the one by the beach?” I asked, a bit more eager than I should have been at the prospect of laying out in the sun. I really needed a vacation and soon.
“Yeah.” Mandy nodded, taking another drink. She licked her lips, and I swore the whole male population shifted in their seats just now. “Plus, Detective O’Connor is riding my ass about,” - she snorted - “well, everything.”
“He really needs to see a counselor or something.” I shook my head and sighed. “Is he still hung up on his ex-wife? I thought that was done and finalized?”
Mandy nodded. “It is, that’s why he’s all pissy. Plus, he’s had a bunch of complaints about him being overly aggressive with our suspects. The captain is one second from suspending his ass.”
“Well, if he’s not doing his job, isn’t that a good thing?” I cocked my head to the side. Someone hollered at me from the other end of the bar, and I held my hand up to say one second.
“Not with the cases we have on us right now. I need him.” She shook her head and shook the ice in her glass.
I started to say something else, but the woman yelled again. Sighing, I told Mandy to hold on. I hurried over to the woman and got her another light beer before hustling back to Mandy.
“Okay, so Detective O’Connor is kind of broken right now. It happens.” I shrugged. “What can I do to help?”
“Find my killer and thief,” she said, grinning over the rim of her glass.
I leaned my hands on the counter and nodded. “Okay. I don’t have experience with killers, but I can help you with your thief. I’ve gotten pretty good at robberies as of late. I just solved one today.”
“The Garretts?” Mandy raised a brow, surprise on her face. “That was you?”
I nodded. “Yep. The butler is one nasty old man, I can tell you that.”
“And did your …” She glanced around and lowered her voice. “… angels help you?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Some, but mostly this one was on me.”
“Now, that’s hardly true.” I jumped and glared over my shoulder at Lucifer. “We helped more than a little.”
“Is one of them here now?” Mandy asked, leaning forward even more, her eyes darting behind me.
“Yeah,” I sighed. “Lucifer.”
“What’s he saying?” she asked, her head tilting to the side. She was far less scared of my abilities now and more curious. I preferred it that way. I’d rather her ask me a million questions than having to watch what I said around her. Hard to be best friends when you have to keep half of yourself hidden away.
“He’s just being himself.” I glanced behind me with a wink. “Don’t worry about him. The whole of Hell to rule over and he’d rather spend his time in this piece of crap bar.”
Lucifer crossed his arms over his chest and smirked as his eyes settled on my short skirt. “The view in Hell does not compare.”
I bit my bottom lip and lowered my lashes, a flush spreading across my face as blood pooled in my pulsating clit. Mandy cleared her throat, and I turned my gaze back to her, my face heating even more.
“Sorry, things have been a bit …” I trailed off as Lucifer moved into my line of view once more.
“I get it.” Mandy smiled broadly. “If I had three guys who looked like the one I saw, then I wouldn’t even bother putting my clothes back on.”
“Believe me. It’s a challenge.” I giggled and ducked my head once more.
“Well, then you have more self-restraint than me.” Mandy laughed with me and then finished off her drink and stood. “I better get going. Like I said, I’m still on duty. If you want to come to the station tomorrow, I’ll get you up to speed on the Spa thefts, and then we can see about getting you on as a consultant.”
“Sounds good.” I took the glass from the counter and sat it in the sink. There were only another few hours left before we closed, and I was counting down the minutes. Especially with Lucifer still there, everything was that much more desperate.
The Devil wasn’t making it any easier either. He kept looking at me with those bedroom eyes, his fingers brushing along my skin sending a buzzing through my body every time I passed by him. It took everything in me not to say fuck it all and drag him into the bathroom for a quickie.
By the time the last person left the bar, I was more than antsy to leave. I almost forgot that I was supposed to be quitting tonight. Mandy coming in and offering me another job had only helped to solidify my decision. It made my footsteps firmer and my back even straighter.
“Bill?” I knocked on his office door. Bill’s brown head popped up from his desk, his glasses on the edge of his nose.
“Oh hey, Jane. All closed up?” He pushed his glasses back up where they belonged.
I leaned against the door frame and nodded. “Yeah, the last of the drunks have left the building.”
“Good, good.” He inclined his head. “Well, I’ll see you later then. Unless you wanted me to walk you out?” he asked with a raised brow.
I shook my head. “No, I’m fine. I actually do need to talk to you though.” Bill turned in his chair and met my eyes, waiting for me to continue. “I’ve been thinking. With the work with the police and now my new business, I’m getting pulled a bit thin.”
Bill sighed and tapped his fingers on the desk. “Of course, you are. I can’t say I’m surprised. I had a feeling this would be coming.”
“You did?”
“I might wear glasses, but I’m not blind.” Bill snorted. “I knew a girl like you wouldn’t stay in a job like this for long. I never understood what you were doing here in the first place.”
I tucked my hands into my pockets and moved off the door. “What do you mean by that?”
“You’ve got several degrees, and you choose to hole up in - let’s admit it, Heavenly Arms does not live up to its name. You don’t belong here.”
“Oh, don’t say that.” I started and then stopped when he gave me a pointed look. “Okay, it’s not the best, but I’ve really enjoyed working here. I just think it’s time for me to move on.”
“And I’m saying it’s about damn time.” Bill smiled and stood. Placing a hand on my shoulder, Bill squeezed it slightly. “You go, fulfill your potential. Don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine. Well, Terry will be pissed, but he’ll get over it.”
I chuckled with him and sighed. “Okay. I guess that’s it then.”
“Looks like, unless there was anything else you wanted to talk about?” he glanced around him for a moment and then leaned in slightly. “Though it seems like you have more than enough people to talk to these days.”
Oh crap. He saw me talking to one of the guys. Not surprising. It was bound to happen sometime. All the more reason to get out now.
“Well, come by the office if you ever need my services or, you know, just to s
ay hi.” I waved a hand.
“And you don’t be a stranger. Just because you don’t work here any longer doesn’t mean you’re not welcome.” He patted me on the shoulder once more before waving.
Well. That was easy.
4
Blessed Falls Police Station was bustling with activity when I arrived the next morning. Of course, it could hardly be called morning at eleven a.m. Heck if I’m getting up before ten after a late shift, something I’d never have to do again.
A small part of me was sad that I would never work until three a.m. cleaning up the remnants of the drunken idiots of Blessed Falls. Then again, that part was minuscule, almost nonexistent. Who cared about bars anyway?
In any case, I was happy to be working for myself and, on occasion, the fine police men and women of Blessed Falls. I could really see myself settling into a new routine. One that didn’t involve cleaning stale beer off my shoes from the night before. Though, there was that one incident with the yogurt at Gotcha! I didn’t really want to think about.
Yogurt and hangovers did not go together. Ever.
“Where are you going?” Gabriel asked, popping out of nowhere to trail along beside me.
“To talk to Mandy about a case,” I whispered under my breath. I’d just entered the precinct and hadn’t even had a chance to announce my arrival. The receptionist didn’t need to see me talking to myself first thing in the morning. That was no way to start a day.
“Oh! We have a case?” His eyes lit up almost as bright as his hot pink shirt with pineapples and palm trees decorating it. It was a good thing he had a great personality - and a nice ass - or I’d never have taken one look at him. It probably helped that he was an incorporeal angel and only I could see him. Still, his choice in clothing baffled me.
Clearing my throat, I nodded tightly before stepping up to the counter. I smoothed my hands over my cream V-neck top and adjusted the belt of my jeans before putting on my best customer service smile. The receptionist was the gatekeeper to all that was good and holy. If you pissed her off, there was nothing but hell to pay.
I should know. I’d done my fair share of pissing people off. It was kind of a trademark of my personality. That and my perfect rack.
“Can I help you?” Smith didn’t even look up from her desk, but I could still hear the attitude in her voice. She had no time for me, so I better make it quick, and even then, she had even less time.
“Yeah, uh, Jane Mehr for Detective Stevenson.” I laced my fingers in front of me on the counter.
Smith sighed, the aggravation clear that I was taking time out of her precious work day. She pressed a button on the phone and Mandy’s voice came over the speakers. “You have a visitor.”
“Who is it?” Mandy asked, even I could tell the trepidation in her voice. Smith had put her foot down with her as well.
Rolling her eyes, Smith snapped, “Why don’t you come out here and find out?”
“I’ll … I’ll be right there,” Mandy stuttered out before hanging up the phone.
Smith gestured behind me with her pen, still not looking up at me. “You can have a seat over there. She’ll be out in a minute.”
I glanced back to the bench she pointed to and was happy to see it free of any teardrop tattooed criminals waiting to be processed. Smacking my lips, I dropped my hands and took a seat. Not more than a second after my butt touched the wood then Mandy came barreling through the door separating the front from the back offices.
“Hey,” Mandy reached out and grabbed my arm before I could even get all the way up from my seat. “I was expecting you here several hours ago,” she hissed as she practically dragged me through the door.
“What’s got your panties in a wad?” I grumbled, jerking my arm from her grasp. I rubbed the spot her fingers had pinched, ignoring her glare. “I worked the night shift. You know I wouldn’t get up early even if the zombie apocalypse happened.”
“Still, it’s almost noon. O’Connor has done nothing but bitch about where you are all morning,” Mandy explained as we navigated through the desk toward the back.
“And that’s different from any other morning?” I smiled back at Gabriel who chuckled. At least, someone thought I was funny.
Mandy huffed and pushed open the door to a conference room. There were papers scattered all across the table and a large rolling board with pictures pinned to it standing next to a very tense Detective O’Connor. From the back, I could see how a woman might fall for him. Large shoulders, a tapered waist, and not to forget the gun and handcuffs on his belt. That alone would get any girl’s motor running.
It wasn’t until he turned around my eyes landed on his bright orange and green splattered tie that I cried out. “Oh, my eyes! My eyes!” I covered my face in mock horror.
“Jane,” Mandy warned.
“Finally. You kept us waiting long enough,” O’Connor growled, not even giving me the decency to acknowledge my insult. Well, we’d see who had the last word.
Keeping my hand up over my eyes, I said, “I need my beauty sleep. If I don’t get at least eight hours, I turn into a raging monster.”
“Oh, please.” O’Connor snapped.
“No, no.” I countered, keeping my hand up so I couldn’t see anything but my palm. “It’s all true. Men cry. Women and children run for their lives. It’s all very traumatic. A bit like your tie.”
“My tie?” The curiosity in his voice turned to irritation as I assumed he looked down at the atrocity hanging around his neck. “Oh, for the love of God. It’s just a tie.”
“God does not love that tie.” I pointed at him. Or at least, I thought I did.
“Got that right,” Gabriel muttered into my ear from the side. Because no one could see it, I rolled my eyes. Like he had any room to talk.
“Jane.” Mandy huffed once more. “Put your hand down. We can’t show you the case if you can’t see.”
I shook my head, pressing my lips together tightly. “Nope. Not until the monster has been destroyed.”
There was silence for a moment before O’Connor asked, “Is she serious?”
“As the day I was born,” I held my other hand up in a three-finger salute even though the question was directed at Mandy.
“I’m sad to say she is,” Mandy sighed, and a squeak of a chair made me think she sat down. “O’Connor, do you mind?”
Once more there was silence, and then an aggravated growl and some shuffling before something plopped on the table before me. “There are you satisfied, you prepubescent child?”
I peeked through my fingers to find the offending tie on the table before me. With a happy smile, I dropped my hand and took a seat next to Mandy. “Very. Now, you were saying something about a robbery?”
O’Connor stared at me and then shook his head. He was actually going to let it go. Wow, they must really be pressed for time. It made me feel somewhat bad about giving him a hard time. Somewhat.
“So, over the last month, there have been a string of robberies at the Blessed Falls Spa Resort.” O’Connor pointed out a picture of the spa Mandy had told me about. It was elegant in an over-the-top extravagant kind of way. The exact way I liked my spas. “The manager is beside himself worried that the thefts will lead to bad press for the spa.”
“Oh, my goodness! we can’t have that.” I said in my best southern voice my hand on my chest in mock dismay. “What will they say? What will they do? If pa and ma find out, then there will just be hell to pay, and there goes the farm.” I gestured wildly in the air earning me a ‘Really?’ look from Mandy.
“Are you finished?” O’Connor clipped, not at all amused by my antics.
Folding my hands in front of me on the table, I nodded. “Quite.”
“Thank you.”
“Go ahead.”
“I will.”
“Alright then.”
“Mehr!” O’Connor snapped, his nostrils flaring violently.
I pretended to zip my lips, forcing back the laugh that threatened t
o explode. Gabriel didn’t have to worry about that. He let it rip from his side of the table, his whole body shaking with it. God, was he a gorgeous specimen.
“Like I was saying.” O’Connor glared at me for a moment before continuing. “The manager, Riley Parks, would like us to get this taken care of as quickly and quietly as possible. He doesn’t want his elite clientele getting word of the incidents and taking off.”
I snorted. “Of course not. They go there to relax and get away from the riff-raff, not get ripped off.” I sniffed as if I were one of them and then asked, “So, when do I leave?”
“Jane.” Mandy knocked on the table, getting my attention. “We need to know you are going to take this seriously. We aren’t sending you up there to go on vacation. We’re sending you there to catch a thief. A really good one.”
I waved a hand in the air. “Pfft. Catching thieves is my thang! I’ll have your thief and still get in a nice tan.” I stroked my arms, just imagining the golden hue I’d have by the end of this.
“Anyway,” O’Connor raised his voice, killing my pre-tan buzz, “the thief is taking things right from the safes. No broken locks. No witnesses.”
“It’s the manager,” I quickly decided with a confident smile.
O’Connor’s mouth dropped open briefly before he snapped it closed his bushy brows coming together in joyous union. “It’s not the manager.”
“Sure, it is.” I leaned back in my chair, propping my feet up on the table.
Mandy batted at them, but I didn’t drop them. Sighing in defeat, she said, “What makes you think it’s the manager? Did you get a vision?” Her eyes moved around the room as if she were trying to see Gabriel.
I shook my head. “Nope. Just look at that guy.” I gestured to the photo on the board with the sticky note below it labeling him as the manager. “Just look at that weaselly face and that mustache. No one but a villain has that kind of mustache.”
