Always Yesterday

by Jeri Odell

  “Delanie? You awake?” Eli startled her.

  “Sorry. Daydreaming.” When she turned away from the window to walk out the door, she stopped midstride, and her heart shifted into overdrive. Eli had gotten his hair cut, had shaved, and wore a gray business suit. “Wow. You clean up nice.”

  He struck a model-type pose. “You like?”

  She nodded. His new look only increased the attraction.

  “Sarge said I needed to dress the part.”

  “And dress the part you did. I hardly recognized you.”

  Eli held the door open for her, made his way around the car, and climbed in. He turned the key; the engine roared to life.

  Eli pulled into traffic while Delanie updated him. “I tried to make an appointment to see the lawyer, but his receptionist informed me he doesn’t do adoptions, which I find interesting since a large percentage of the clientele we watched coming and going while staking out his office were indeed pregnant. Anyway, then it hit me: He isn’t on the adoption list, but the ‘George list.’ I think Brandi tried to help without helping, if you know what I mean.”

  Eli pondered that idea. “It never occurred to me that George was a clue. Good work, Detective.” His smile told her how proud he was of her. “What is plan B?”

  “Sarge said grab lunch, look over the blueprints he gave you, and you can fill me in on that end of things. At three, when the attorney’s office reopens after lunch and court, he wants me to be there—upset, crying, I hope, and insisting that my friend told me to come. Do you think I should use Brandi’s name? Or just pick a really common name and hope it rings true with him?”

  Delanie looked up from her notes and discovered he’d brought her to Bertha’s for lunch. “You’re scoring all sorts of points with me today,” she joked as he opened her car door and helped her out. “You compliment my ability as a cop, bring me to my favorite restaurant, and promote me to your friend list.” She dared not also mention how attractive she found him in his new getup.

  While they waited for a table, they talked about the youth center and how much his group of junior highers loved being there. “What about you? You’ve never told me what you think of the place.”

  He shrugged. “It’s okay.” The subject seemed to make him uncomfortable.

  Delanie nodded.

  “I mean, it’s a great place for the guys, and I appreciate everyone welcoming them and making us all feel right at home. Don’t get me wrong—I’m grateful.”

  “Do you miss having more time—just you and them?”

  “I do.”

  The host called them and led them down a few steps to the back of the room and a little booth for two.

  Eli looked up. “I hadn’t noticed this before.” The ceiling on this part of the restaurant wasn’t wood like the rest, but Plexiglas.

  “It’s kind of weird being inside yet seeing the sky overhead, isn’t it? I think my dad said they added this part later. See the half wall with the large pots on it? That used to be the outside wall. My favorite time to come, though, is in the summer when they open their outdoor patio and you can eat outside in the shade of a big tree.”

  “You’re an outdoor girl at heart, aren’t you?”

  Delanie nodded. “One reason I chose this job.”

  “Do you hunt?”

  “I have with my dad.” She scrunched her face. “I don’t enjoy the blood-and-guts part of it. Fishing’s the same way. I don’t mind the catching part but hate the cleaning part. How about you?”

  “I do love any outdoor sport, and I like spectator sports, as well. I’m a huge Angels fan.”

  “So I noticed by your caps and attire.” She winked at him.

  “Guess I’m not the classiest guy around, huh?”

  “I think you’re pretty classy, at least in the ways that matter. Any single guy who dedicates his life to a group of neighborhood kids is the classiest.”

  The smile he shined on her jump-started her heart.

  The waiter arrived with hot plates of food, interrupting the moment.

  Delanie took a bite of her enchiladas. “Do you think I should mention Brandi’s name when I get to the lawyer’s office,” she asked again, “or will that draw suspicion?”

  “I’m not sure, but let’s err on the side of safe rather than sorry. I’m afraid mentioning Brandi’s name might increase wariness. What’s a fairly common girl’s name?”

  “Amanda, Melissa. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll try not to mention a name but just refer to ‘my friend.’ ”

  They ate lunch and chitchatted. Delanie loved their easy conversations. If not for her attraction, she’d love to work with Eli forever; but as things stood, she’d decided that when the case closed, she’d request a new assignment. Sarge would understand.

  Eli paid the bill. Their short drive to the bank building was quiet. She was planning what to say, and Eli was engrossed in thought, as well.

  ❧

  Eli had never experienced so much apprehension about an undercover assignment before. He hated Sarge’s plan and wished he had tried harder to dissuade him. His feelings for Delanie were messing with his mind and impairing his judgment as a cop. This was the first case ever where he wasn’t willing to get the guy whatever the cost. He could barely stand the thought of her going in alone.

  The irony of the situation was that when they started this case, he worried about Delanie’s ability to handle things, but now he was the one struggling to keep a cool head and stay unemotional about her safety on the case. If there was a God, He must have a sense of humor.

  “I’m going to park in this garage, which is a couple of blocks away. Right outside the garage is a bus stop where you can wait while we get set up.”

  Eli drove all the way to the roof of the garage. Only three cars were up there—all empty—and not a soul to be seen. He pulled into a spot, gave Delanie last-minute instructions, and got out to walk her to the elevator.

  He struggled to let her go through with the plan. He couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to her, and he knew these people weren’t afraid of murder.

  Delanie reached for the elevator button, and he grabbed her hand. “Wait.”

  Her brows drew together as she studied him. “What?”

  I’m in love with her, totally and completely. Fully acknowledging all of the feelings floating around in his heart caused Eli to throw caution to the wind. He pulled her into his arms and watched several emotions play across her features. The first was surprise, but as his lips found hers, he saw the same longing he felt.

  He pulled her close, which wasn’t close enough at all with her fake tummy between them. As the kiss deepened, he wondered how it had taken him so long to recognize the love between them. She felt it, too; he was sure of it.

  When the kiss ended, he held her tight for several seconds and whispered her name.

  She pushed out of his arms. Her expression reminded him of a deer in headlights—dazed and confused. “What are we doing?”

  “I have feelings for you, and I wanted—”

  “Don’t!” She backed up a couple of steps, just out of his reach. “Don’t have feelings for me.” She pushed the elevator button and turned accusing eyes on him. “I asked you not to ever kiss me again.” Her voice grew demanding. “Now I’m telling you—never again! You got it?” She pointed her index finger at him.

  The elevator doors opened, and she stepped inside. He blocked the doors from sliding shut. “I read you loud and clear.” The truth was, he’d completely misread her. “Turn on your body pack so we can make sure our gear is working.” They both reached behind them and slid the little buttons over. “Testing.”

  Delanie nodded that his voice had come over the wire. “Testing,” she said in a shaky voice.

  “We’re good.” Eli walked away, and the elevator whisked Delanie off.

  He wondered how he’d so utterly misinterpreted her. He leaned against the car to catch his breath and regroup. Though his feelings ran deep, hers obvio
usly didn’t. He shook his head, struggling to reconcile her words with the tender looks she sometimes gave him and the kiss they’d shared moments before with this end result. He climbed in the car, slamming the door. Now he remembered why he’d avoided women—none of them made a bit of sense.

  ❧

  Delanie couldn’t chase away the memory of the hurt expression she’d brought to Eli’s face. It broke her heart to treat him so callously, but she didn’t know what else to do.

  Exiting the elevator, she took a seat on the bench at the bus stop. She couldn’t very well tell him she had feelings for him, too, but because of her relationship with God, she’d have to ignore those emotions. He already hated God enough without her adding more ammunition. Then he’d not only blame God for his brother’s death and his mother’s leaving, but blame God for their failed relationship, too.

  She also couldn’t risk telling him the truth in case he decided to become a Christian just so they could start dating. Nope, that was never a good idea. A true conversion had to happen between a man and God, not with the motive of a woman behind it.

  The one plus from this mess—Delanie would have no trouble crying in the lawyer’s office. She was on the verge now.

  A bus pulled up, and the door opened. Shaking her head, she waved it on.

  “Then get off my bench, lady,” the driver yelled. He shut his door and drove off, leaving Delanie to choke on the bus’s exhaust. She rose and started walking toward the bank building.

  Eli pulled out of the garage and passed her. “Don’t enter the building until you’re told.” His voice had a hard edge to it. “Copy?”

  “Copy.” She wanted to find a quiet corner somewhere and bawl her eyes out, but three other guys heard everything she did, so she’d have to be tough and save the tears for later. Buck up, little buckaroo.

  She walked to Dreamer’s and ordered an iced blended mocha. The other two cops teased her and complained about sitting in a hot stairwell while she lived the good life. Eli, however, said nary a word.

  Delanie grabbed a table outside and watched the river rush by, wishing she could follow it somewhere far away from heartbreak. Even worse than her own sorrow was knowing she’d hurt Eli. He’d opened his heart for the first time in a long time and offered not only his friendship, but more, and because of circumstances beyond her control, she cruelly shoved the deal back in his face. She knew instinctively they’d no longer share the lighthearted relationship she’d come to love. Eli would shut her out, and their tenuous buds of friendship would not survive today.

  Lord, please heal his hurts and touch him with Your love. Send someone who’ll adore him and then draw them both to You. Delanie wiped a silent tear from her cheek.

  “Cooper, we’re in place. Keep us apprised of your approach.” Eli was all business.

  Digging through her purse, Delanie said, “I’m leaving the river walk. ETA at the front door in two minutes.” Once she finished talking, she closed her oversized handbag. Rummaging through it provided a good distraction for conversing without anyone’s being able to tell.

  She entered the building and pressed the elevator button. She was the only one in it, so she freely said, “Approaching the third floor.”

  “Copy,” echoed in her ear three times.

  “This will be my last update, so unless I say different, assume all is going according to plan.” Delanie grabbed a stick of gum from her purse. “Excuse the chomping, but I’m role-playing.”

  She stuffed the gum in her mouth, exited the elevator, and found suite 314.

  Delanie’s heart pounded. She stopped by the restroom to inspect her appearance. Yep, she looked the part of a pregnant teen. She said a quick prayer and sauntered through the office door and up to the receptionist, requesting to speak to George Benavides.

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  Delanie chomped, shaking her head back and forth.

  “I’m sorry. Without an appointment he can’t see you.”

  Delanie pictured Eli’s face when she pushed him away and rejected his offering of something more. This time she could let the tears fall, and fall they did.

  “I tried to make an appointment, but you wouldn’t let me.” She spoke loudly to draw the attention and, she hoped, sympathy of the onlookers.

  “Miss, please calm down.” The receptionist spoke in a quiet, calm tone. “Mr. Benavides doesn’t handle adoptions. Isn’t that why you’re here? I explained that to you on the phone when you called earlier.”

  Delanie cried harder, for Brandi, for Julie, for Eli. “He does. I know he does. A girl I met on the bus told me he’d help me find a wonderful home for my baby. Another girl I met in the mall told me the same thing.” Delanie sobbed. “Why are you lying to me?”

  Two security guards entered the office. The receptionist must have pushed some sort of button to summon them. Delanie hadn’t counted on that.

  “Please show this young lady out and see that she doesn’t return.”

  The men each took an arm and escorted her all the way to the front door of the building. “You’d best heed our warning, miss. Don’t come back, or we’ll handle you more severely next time.”

  Delanie nodded.

  “Head to the garage,” Eli’s voice boomed through her earpiece. “I’m in section 4B. I’ll meet you at the car.”

  All of the emotion of the day wore on her. She wanted to go home, soak in a hot tub, and shed a few tears. Oh, how she wished she could unbreak a couple of hearts.

  Chapter 11

  Delanie was already waiting when he got to the car. She looked a mess, her face red and blotchy, her eyes swollen. She didn’t say a word, which was fine by him. He’d foolishly thought she cared. He’d obviously failed to learn his lesson well enough, but this would be the last time he’d ever open himself to anyone.

  He pushed the number 3 on his cell phone and unlocked her door.

  “Eli, how’d things come down?” Sarge asked.

  Eli recounted the afternoon.

  “You two head home. We’ll put our heads together and devise a new plan in the morning.”

  “Will do.” Eli shut his phone and slipped it into the pocket inside his suit jacket. When he pulled to a stop in front of Delanie’s place, he relayed what Sarge had said.

  She nodded. “I think I’ll drive myself in to work tomorrow morning. I’ve got some errands and stuff. . .”

  Relieved, he agreed. “Yeah, that’s probably better.”

  She opened her door.

  “Delanie?”

  She paused.

  He hated to ask but had to know.

  “Are you going to the center tonight?”

  “No. I think I’m going to take a break for a while.”

  Good. “When you decide to go, if you’ll give me the heads-up, I’ll stay out of your hair.”

  She inclined her head in acknowledgment. “Bye, Eli.” Her words sounded so final, and his heart hurt with the loss. What went wrong? He didn’t have a clue.

  He was relieved she planned to take a break from Cops-N-Kidz. The guys loved going there, and frankly, so did he. Some unknown something inside him craved more of what he found there—the joy, the peace, even the messages that uplifted instead of condemned. His brood felt the same way, and they often ended up there four or five times a week. Tonight was no different. The vote was unanimous, and they loaded up the van and headed over, stopping at the Burger House on the way.

  Sarge delivered tonight’s message, and his words were powerful. He spoke about God’s amazing, immeasurable, unconditional love for each person in the room. “No matter what you look like, how unlovable you feel, God adores each one of you. The Bible calls us—all people everywhere—the apple of God’s eye!”

  Eli felt a tug on his heartstrings but chalked it up to a long day and Delanie’s rejection.

  At the end Sarge invited people forward to receive Christ. Oscar and Jose both responded to the invitation. Eli envied their childlike faith, wishing it were that
easy as an adult to simply believe.

  ❧

  The following morning Eli made his way to Sarge’s office, wishing he didn’t have to face Delanie after his foolish proclamation yesterday. Talk about a man with regrets.

  Yet there she was in the midst of a serious conversation with Sarge. Were they talking about him?

  When Delanie saw him, she smiled, one of those ear-to-ear jobs that lit her whole face. “Sarge said Oscar and Jose accepted Christ last night! That’s so wonderful!” She bubbled over with excitement.

  So that was what they’d been talking about. Probably wondering when he’d take the plunge. He decided a change of topic was in order. “Anybody come up with a plan yet?”

  “We need to get an undercover worker into the office.” Sarge focused on him. “Any ideas?”

  “It would have to be entry level.” Eli took the seat next to Delanie. “Cleaning service? Night security for the whole building?”

  “What about the receptionist?” Delanie paced to the window. “The person who has direct access to all files.”

  Sarge nodded. “Could work.”

  Skeptical, Eli reminded them, “That lady was no-nonsense and pretty hard-nosed. I’m not sure she’d roll over easily.”

  “Let’s check the angles.” Sarge grabbed a pen and jotted as he spoke. “Eli, you check out the building, both security and cleaning. Who does it, what sort of access they have to files, and the like.”

  Pointing his pen at Delanie, he continued, “Find out everything there is to know about the receptionist. We’ll meet back here tomorrow morning and make the best plan with all the info available. Agreed?”

  A day without Delanie—he’d more than agree.

  ❧

  The next morning Eli and Delanie met in Sarge’s office. He was there first. She blamed the line at the coffee shop for holding her up.