by Liza Brown
He pushed back and looked at me. His eyes were red and watery. Had I really made him cry? I kissed him long and hard. I felt a tear escape his eyes and mingle between our lips. The salt of his sadness made my tears begin to fall again as well. He needed me as much as- if not more than I needed him. I didn’t know how in the situation I was in that was even possible, but it was. His only desire was to keep me safe and I could feel in that kiss that he was disappointed with himself. I had no choice but to go.
I pulled back and looked into his beautiful eyes. “Ok,” I said. I went to stand but he pulled my lips to his again.
“You have no idea what you do to me, Mae. Last night, about five minutes from the end of the game I thought of you and we were able to pull out a win, it was like I felt you with me. I don’t know why or how, but I could feel you watching.”
“I was, Elsu. I sat down and zoned everything out and watched every single second of the end of that game. All I wanted to do was support you. Maybe my prayers were working.” I smiled at him.
“I knew it! I could feel you. Is that weird? Are we taking some wacky turn here?” I wasn’t sure if his questions were to be answered or not.
“I don’t think it’s weird. I believe you.” I kissed him again and smiled.
I quickly packed for a night’s stay in Detroit, glad Colette had packed enough in my suitcase since I wasn’t allowed to go back into my apartment while it was considered a crime scene. I called Bonnie to let her know I wouldn’t be in.
Elsu and I stepped out into the hall and I looked toward my door which had yellow tape across it. “Guess I can’t go in there,” I said sadly. I then looked to the end of the hall where the plant had been set back up by Arnold the night before. Colette had adopted the window and always made sure there was a well-fed plant sitting atop the garage-sale table. The plant was not its usual perky self. “Arnold said it had been knocked over last night. It looks like it really took a beating. What ever happened to it.”
“That’s one sad looking plant.”
“But it’s not. I mean. It’s never sad. This plant has been here for a good four or five years or something. Bart broke the last one. Colette keeps this one healthy.”
“It looks like someone put something heavy on it,” said Elsu as he started to look around the plant.
Colette exited her apartment and saw us standing around her green baby. “What happened?” She rushed to the plant’s aid only to find it was probably damaged beyond repair.
“I don’t know,” I said as I stepped back and looked at the table. I bent over and noticed some dirt on the carpet. Jack vacuumed regularly so I knew the dirt couldn’t have been there long.
“What’s outside this window?” asked Elsu as he leaned over and separated the two panels of curtain.
“Noth…oh shit!” I said as I quickly went to knock on my apartment door. A young police officer I didn’t recognize answered wearing rubber gloves and a face mask.
“Yes ma’am?” he asked me.
“Why are you wearing a face mask?”
The young man pulled the mask from his mouth to make understanding easier. “It’s just for precautionary purposes, ma’am. Can I help you?”
“Where is Detective Graven?” I snapped.
“Just a moment,” the officer turned to look into the room. “Detective Graven. It’s for you.”
A moment later Detective Graven came to the door. “What can I do for you Mae? We’re just getting started.”
“Someone came in the fire escape!”
CHAPTER 13
Elsu and I may have been considered a new couple, but he seemed to know enough to quickly guide me to the awaiting taxi before I started hyperventilating.
“So did this person come in the window or was he part of the crew from this week?” asked Elsu.
I shrugged my shoulders as did Millard. Elsu smacked the headrest of the seat in front of him and put his knuckle to his mouth. “Damn!”
“I’m sorry, Elsu.”
“No! I’m the one who should be sorry. I was so concerned about making the place safe I didn’t think to ask who was making it safe. I should have done a better job of hiring.”
“No sir, I should have,” argued Millard.
“Stop it, no one is to blame. Plus we don’t even know where this person came from. Just wait until Detective Graven looks into it,” I said.
“He’s going to send me a list of the employees who worked all week as soon as he can. We can see if any of them have sketchy backgrounds.”
My phone rang and Harold Stevens’ name appeared. “What?” yelled Millard. “He’s supposed to contact me!” He took my phone and swiped to answer the call. “Hello?”
There was a pause. “All contact is to go through me. Remember?”
“…Excuse me? We are in a taxi, I’m not putting it on speaker.”
“…Fine, do that.” He hung up the phone then looked between Elsu and me. “He said he was sent a photograph from Mae’s apartment. Or he wants to confirm that that’s where it’s from.”
“Ok,” I said. My phone buzzed and I looked at the text. A picture of me standing in the shower with stalks of Photoshopped asparagus covering my private areas was staring back at me. I slammed the phone to my chest and blushed. “Yeah, that’s my apartment.”
Elsu eyed the phone but didn’t ask to see the picture. Millard called Detective Graven. After his brief conversation, he looked at me. “You need to send that picture to him, Miss Mae.”
“No!”
“It’s evidence, Ma’am.” I glared at him.
“I don’t want anyone to see it!”
“Mae,” said Elsu who gently put his hand on my knee. “The only way we’re going to catch this guy is if we have all of the clues we can get. This is another clue.”
I pulled the phone from my chest and looked at it. “Friggin’ asparagus,” I said under my breath.
“What?” asked both Elsu and Millard.
I turned the phone so they could see my picture. “Bastard,” said Elsu as he shook his head. I could tell he was trying to not study it but I definitely caught him staring a bit longer than Millard’s glance.
“Do you want me to send it to you, too?” I asked Elsu. I didn’t mean to come across as grumpy but I couldn’t help it.
Elsu looked into my eyes and I had a pretty good idea of what he really wanted to say. I sent the picture to Detective Graven and then to Elsu who smiled sheepishly when his phone dinged in his pocket. “Thank you.”
I glared at him but was not angry. “You’re weird,” I said.
“For wanting that picture of you? I don’t think it’s weird at all. Damn sexy,” he whispered.
“So, if Harold Stevens got this, then whoever did the elevator also did the cameras? How else would he have these?”
Millard and Elsu nodded quietly.
“And if that’s the case, maybe the cameras didn’t go in this week. Maybe they’ve been in longer.”
The two men nodded again.
“Then who came in through the fire escape?”
Both men shrugged their shoulders.
I sat back and watched the early morning commuters go by as we headed to Akron Canton Airport where we boarded our flight to Detroit.
Because Elsu’s tickets were purchased so late, we were forced to sit apart from each other. Elsu insisted I take the one business class seat while he and Millard squeezed into economy separated from each other by several rows.
I was physically shaking from the realization that someone had somehow gotten in through the window that used to lead to the fire escape. Back when the building had originally been built there wasn’t an elevator. It was that old. By the time Max had purchased it, one had been installed and the stairway was updated to be considered enough of a fire escape. The old rickety metal one that used to be at our hallway’s window was a rusty, useless piece of junk. It wasn’t safe to walk or climb on, and Max had repeatedly said ‘one day I’ll get that taken down’
but just never got around to it. Why couldn’t he have gotten around to it?
I found my seat and after a hug and kiss from Elsu I sat down. An older man was already sitting beside me and he smiled when I sat with him. He quickly pulled out a tablet to read on and I knew better than to bother him. The gentleman seated next to me across the aisle smiled and stared at me. I knew I had to be a mess. I was dressed like I was going to work, chop shop shirt, dingy jeans, and old tennis shoes. I definitely didn’t look the part of a person in business class.
“So, Detroit?” he asked finally.
I smiled shyly. “Yep.”
“What kind of business do you have in Detroit?” he asked.
“Off to see the Whoopsters’ game,” I said as I pointed over my shoulder toward where Elsu sat, hoping he had recognize the fact that the giant man I had just kissed was a team member.
“Flying to Detroit? That’s a bit extreme. It’s not that far, you could have driven,” I hated judgmental people. I wanted to say ‘then what are you doing on this flight,’ but I kept my composure.
“Well, I came with Elsu,” I said as I turned to face a little more forward, trying to use my body language to indicate I was not interested in continuing the conversation.
“Attention passengers, this is your pilot speaking. There is a plane stuck on the runway, we will be delayed by at least half an hour. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.”
I sighed. I wasn’t a big fan of flying. I’d only been on two flights and that was pre-Bart-making-me-claustrophobic days.
The man I was trying to ignore turned his body toward me and looked a little closer. “Mae?”
I turned my head quickly and looked at him, thinking he knew me personally and then realized probably not. “That’s me.” I grinned nervously.
He held out his hand and I shook it. “Nice to meet you.”
I smiled. “You too,” I lied.
“I’ve seen you online and on TV with Elsu,” he said.
“Yeah, apparently dating a basketball star makes press inevitable.”
“My name’s Ryan Bradford.”
I froze. I knew the name well. He was one of the leaders of the Nopesters. The local group who had tried repeatedly to get the team to find a different town to locate in. I had to admit I was very grateful their efforts had failed.
“So you’re the leader of the Nopesters?” I said finally.
“I am. Ironic that I have business in Detroit when they’ll be there.”
“So are you still anti Whoopsters?” I asked.
“I can’t see one single positive outcome from them, crime will go up, riff raff filling our streets at night, among other things.”
“Well, I honestly didn’t care one way or another when they first started building, but I can say now I am grateful beyond anything that they’ve come. I would never have met Elsu if they hadn’t.” I smiled.
“Eh,” he shrugged his shoulders. “There are other guys. When you two break up he’ll move on to someone else.”
“When we break up? That’s a pretty negative thing to say.” He was making me grumpy now.
“Mae, you really think he’s with you for the long haul? Guys like him have girls in every city. Basketball players are known for being unfaithful. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got a girl in Detroit who’s going to be disappointed to see you with him tonight.”
“I can’t imagine what kind of miserable existence you lead that you have to try to ruin someone else’s happiness. Elsu has been nothing but the perfect gentleman to me.”
“Well, that team is ruining our town. You’re as naïve as every other person there. Just wait and see, the newness will wear off soon.”
“Excuse me,” said the man who sat on my right. He stood to be allowed out of our row. “I need to use the little pilot’s room.” He went to the back of the plane since the one in business class was occupied.
“Well, I am pretty sure he’s not like most players. And I’ve gotten to know a few of his teammates and know most of them aren’t like that either.”
“People aren’t always who they pretend to be, Mae. That’s why they came to our town, the population has an average IQ of about 60. They knew we’d take them in, too damn bad the whole community will suffer. All they care about is if they can make their money.”
“I’ve heard enough, Ryan. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.”
“Besides, all the players are washed up. Your boyfriend is going to retire in a year or two. He’s supposed to be leading the team but that game two nights ago was a mess.”
“So you blame the whole game on one player?” I asked. “That’s very Ohioan of you,” I scowled.
“He’s going to burn out soon, that’s all.”
“Mae, scoot over.” Elsu stood above me. I looked at him and was relieved to see his handsome face. “Please scoot,” he repeated.
I moved over to the window seat and Elsu sat beside me. “So, I hear someone up here has a problem with me. I don’t usually send my girlfriend to fight my fights. Not that I doubt she’d defend me, kick ass, and take names. It’s just not very gentlemanly of me to expect it.” He looked at Ryan. “So, care to repeat any of your conversation while I’m sitting here?”
Ryan’s face paled. “I’m not sure what you mean,” he stuttered.
“Yeah, I thought so.” Elsu turned to look at me. “We owe that gentleman a VIP seat.”
I smiled and snuggled into him. “He can have two.”
“Ok, two.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You seem to have an asshole magnet on your back. We need to get that thing fixed.”
“How do you think I got you?” I said as I looked up into his face and smiled.
“Are you calling me an asshole?” He wasn’t good at faking anger.
“Something attracted you. Must have been the neon sign I have flashing on my forehead.”
“Yeah, the one that says ‘come be swept off your feet and you’ll never be the same’?” He kissed my forehead.
“Is that what it says?” I giggled.
The seatbelt light went on and we heard a ding throughout the plane. I buckled up and sat back as the plane started to taxi to the runway. I grabbed Elsu’s hand and squeezed.
“You ok?” he asked.
“I haven’t been on a plane since I was a kid. I thought I would be ok until I remembered someone decided a three million ton steel contraption should fly through the air and the people on board were trapped inside like sardines.”
“You have such a sunny disposition, Mae.” He grinned. “You’ll be fine. It’s a super-short flight. We’ll barely get to cruising altitude before it’s time to start landing.”
“It’s the take-off and landing that have me the most worried,” I said as I pulled his hand into my chest.
“Hey, if I get to put my hand there, I say we just take off all day.”
“You’re a dirty old man, Mount Elsu,” I said as I squeezed his hand while the plane left the ground.
“Yup,” he said and gave the back of my hand a kiss. The feel of his day-old beard scraping across my skin sent shivers through my body.
“You haven’t shaved,” I said as I put my hand on his face.
“Haven’t had time.”
I rubbed my hands across his chin and cheeks and found the scratchiness oddly soothing. “I like it rough.”
One eyebrow went up and I turned red. “Really,” he said with an evil grin.
“Oh my God, that’s not what I meant,” I said. “Kiss me.”
He leaned over to kiss me, but instead of giving him my lips, I presented him with my cheek. He kissed me there and I dug my cheek into his face. “You really like that, don’t you?” he said as I reveled in the scratchiness.
“Don’t take it the wrong way, but it reminds me of my grandpa. He always had scruff and whenever he’d kiss or hug me it would tickle. It’s kind of soothing.”
He picked up my hand and turned it palm-side up. He rubbed his chin
into it and I laughed. “That tickles!” I tried to pull my hand back but he kept doing it until I could barely take it anymore and then he kissed it.
He pulled me to him again and I wanted to find a way to permanently attach myself to him. “I feel so useless anymore,” I said finally.
“How do you figure?”
“Before you came along I was a perfectly capable girl living my life. Now I can’t even make it through three days without you having to come and rescue me. This isn’t the woman I’m used to being.”
He sat silently, absorbing my words. “I wasn’t rescuing you, Mae. I was being selfish, I think there’s a part of me that used your predicament as an excuse to come get you so I could have you with me.”
I sat back and looked at him. “Elsu, I can’t do this every time, you know that, right? I have so much going on at work right now. I have hiring, and the security upgrade, and my dad’s shop. Not to mention my dad’s health. I want to be with you so badly, it’s all I think about. Then when I’m with you my mind keeps drifting to all the things I’m not getting done,” I sighed.
“I want your mind with me when we’re together. We’ll get all that stuff taken care of.”
I shook my head. “There’s no ‘we’ in that Elsu. It’s all ‘me.’ You can’t help me hire people, you can’t help me deal with my dad. Millard is helping with the security, but I still have to deal with employees who are being disrupted from their daily routines at work.”
“I’m willing to work at the shop whenever you need me to help you get things taken care of. I really didn’t mind doing that. It was fun.”
“Once is fun, Elsu. After a while you’ll get burned out. You won’t want to be there every time you’re free.”
“Will you be there?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said.
“Then I’ll want to be there.”
I shook my head and looked out the window. The seatbelt light turned back on and I realized I hadn’t even taken it off. It was already time to land. Elsu reached for my hand and held it in his lap.
I looked at him and he was looking at me. “Mae, I am here for you no matter what you need me to do. I’m not going anywhere. You’ve set your hooks in me and I’m all yours.”
