by Lynette Mae
“I’m all right,” Jessie protested. “No way am I going to leave you with all of this work by yourself. At least let me fill out the arrest affidavit for you.” She held the clipboard tightly with her jaw set, letting Devon know she wasn’t about to give in.
“Suit yourself, but as soon as we’re done you’re getting checked out.” Her tone left no room for argument.
“Yes, Corporal.” Devon could have sworn she heard a subtle teasing in Jessie’s tone. She held onto the other end of the clipboard and narrowed her eyes, but Jessie’s expression betrayed nothing. “I’ll get going on the paperwork since you want to talk to the suspect.”
They walked to the back of the ambulance where the suspect was strapped down. Devon positioned herself closest to him in case he started anything again. Cuffed to the gurney, he shouldn’t be a problem, but sometimes these guys were like Houdini and she wasn’t taking any chances where Jessie was concerned. “Guys, can you give me a minute?” she asked the paramedics. They nodded and climbed into the rig to prepare for the transport.
“Okay, buddy, what gives? What were you doing in the police lot the other day?”
He stared straight ahead. “I already told you. I made a mistake.”
“Bullshit. You asked for me at the desk by name. Why?”
He blinked and said nothing.
Devon chewed the inside of her lip, scrutinizing him, searching for any clue as to what was going on.
Jessie stepped closer. “I’ll get his information and then we can go from there, okay?” After reading him his rights she asked, “Sir, do you want to give me a statement?”
“Fuck you bitch, you broke my goddamned arm!”
“Suit yourself. Refused statement.” She wrote the same on the form. “Do you have any weapons or drugs on you?” Jessie searched his pockets for an ID. The man continued to curse at her. She located his wallet and removed his driver’s license. “All right, Mr.…Honeycutt. I’ll take that as a no.”
Devon’s head snapped up. She snatched the ID from Jessie. What the hell?
“Devon?” Jessie looked curiously at her.
Devon pushed past Jessie with anger and confusion building inside her. The guy was too young to be the Honeycutt she remembered, but he was sure as hell the guy from the parking lot. What kind of twisted game was he playing? She gripped the suspect’s injured arm, eliciting a new round of expletives. “Who the hell are you?” she demanded. When he didn’t respond she squeezed the arm tighter.
He glared at her. “I have the right to remain silent. But, you want a statement? Fuck you.” Devon wanted to drive her fist into his face and might have if Nate hadn’t stepped in.
“Dev, let the paramedics transport him.” He pulled her toward their patrol cars. Once they were out of earshot he asked, “What’s up?”
“That’s the guy who was in the station parking lot a while back, remember?”
Nate glanced over his shoulder as the doors of the ambulance slammed shut. He turned back to Devon. “You know him?”
“No.”
“Then what’s going on?”
Devon stared after the ambulance. Could the name be a coincidence? She doubted it. Something was definitely not right, but without any answers she didn’t want to jump to conclusions. She’d have Kelsey run a criminal history on the guy and see what that turned up in case it was just her imagination running wild. “I have no idea. Maybe nothing. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”
“I’m trusting you.” Nate looked over to where Jessie was filling out forms in her car. “Jessie did good, huh?”
“She’s definitely tough,” Devon said. She was beyond impressed at the way Jessie had handled herself in the fight, taking that punch and still overcoming it to subdue the suspect and help finish the arrest. She frowned at the sight of Jessie holding her head in her hands, obviously in pain. “Can you take her to the ER to be checked out, Nate? She took a nasty knock on the head.”
He looked from Jessie to Devon. “Sure. Dev, what about you? That head butt had to hurt.”
“I’ve got some aspirin in my trunk. My head is much too hard for him to have done any real damage.”
“Very true. I’ll take care of her.”
“Thanks. I’ll wrap up this scene and check in with you later to make sure she’s okay.”
Devon was on the way back inside when a smirking Nate caught her arm. “Why don’t you ask her out?”
“Who?”
“Oh, please.” He rolled his eyes. “Jessie, of course.”
Devon didn’t respond. She still couldn’t quite believe that Jessie had beaten her to the punch with the invitation earlier in the day. But it really didn’t matter who asked first, as long as she was able to spend more time with her. She had a crush on Jessie. The realization made her pause. There was no denying it to herself any longer, and knowing she’d get to see Jessie off-duty gave her a jolt of pleasure that she didn’t want to ignore. Of course, it was a birthday party, not a date. Still. It was a start.
Chapter Six
“THIS MUST BE the place.” Jessie’s sister was hosting the evening’s celebration and Devon didn’t need to check the house numbers to know that the brightly lit house in the middle of the block was where she needed to go. She maneuvered her Jeep down the narrow street made nearly impassible by the number of cars parked along the entire length of either side of the street. Devon thought Jessie must be a popular lady with this many well-wishers. Devon scanned ahead looking for an open spot, feeling a little guilty for showing up so late. Nothing seemed to go right while she was getting ready, and she’d been so damned nervous she nearly changed her mind and stayed home. The thought of spending some time with Jessie overrode her trepidation and now here she was.
In her rearview mirror she spied someone pulling out of a space and swung back around at the cul-de-sac to snag the opening. She climbed out of the Jeep and examined herself in the exterior mirror. Jessie had said the party would be casual and Devon hoped that her well-worn favorite jeans paired with a black polo shirt fit the bill. She glanced down at the scuffed black boots on her feet and decided they were a little dusty from her last ride. Quickly, she rubbed the toe of each boot on the back of her opposite pant leg to clean them up a bit. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Quit stalling.
Devon rang the bell and waited, listening to the sounds of music, voices, and laughter from inside. Nervously tapping the envelope in her hand against her thigh, she shifted her weight from foot to foot until she heard the sound of someone at the door. It swung open and Devon couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t move. The sight of Jessie made her feel unsteady, like she’d already had a few drinks.
Rich dark hair, which Jessie normally kept pulled up at work, cascaded around her face and flowed down her neck to her shoulders. She wore a white button-down shirt tucked into a pair of snug fitting, olive-colored jeans and black, round-toed motorcycle boots. The belt cinched around her narrow waist accentuated the curve of her hips. Devon’s eyes fell to the open collar of her shirt, moving down the V to the point where the top button allowed just a tantalizing hint of the valley between her breasts.
Devon forced her eyes back to Jessie’s face. Jessie’s smile nearly undid her. “Happy Birthday.” She held out the envelope.
“Thanks.” They stood there for a few moments at the threshold, neither one speaking. Eventually, Jessie stepped back, motioning inside. “Sorry, I’ve forgotten my manners. Please, come in.”
She lightly grasped Devon’s upper arm, drawing her through the crowded room. Devon tensed slightly beneath Jessie’s hand and then relaxed as they wove their way between groups of people laughing and talking. She automatically scanned the faces around her, recognizing some from work, but mostly feeling lost in a sea of strangers. Jessie’s touch anchored her while they made their way through the house. Devon smiled inwardly when Jessie pulled her closer. Across the room a card table was in use by three couples that laughed heartily after an older woman
declared, “Gin.” The woman was an older version of Jessie, with the same merry eyes and welcoming smile, quite obviously Jessie’s mom.
A younger woman, who favored Jessie with the exception of a lighter shade of curly hair, approached wearing a smug expression. “Hiya, sis, who’s your friend?”
Jessie smiled up at Devon and then replied, “Jen, this is Devon. Devon, this is my little sister, Jen.”
Jen stuck her tongue out at Jessie and rolled her eyes. “Why must you always introduce me that way? I’m her younger sister,” she corrected.
Devon smiled, remembering the same argument with her older sister. She extended her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Jen. Thank you for having me.”
Jen had a nice firm handshake. “Glad to meet you, Devon.” She and Jessie then shared a conspiratorial look, the way Devon and her own sister, Leigh, often did when they were young. A brief pang of guilt stabbed Devon’s gut when she realized she couldn’t remember the last time she’d talked to Leigh.
Jen nodded and winked at Jessie. “Enjoy yourselves.”
They made their way to the game room at the rear of the house. Jessie lifted the lid on a cooler and extracted two beers, handing one to Devon. They climbed onto stools at a small bar that divided the room. “Did you have trouble finding the place?”
“No.” Devon examined the bottle in her hands. “Actually, I was so nervous that I changed clothes five times trying to decide what would make the best impression.” She fidgeted and dropped her eyes nervously to the floor, stunned at her admission. Jessie touched her right knee and Devon’s leg twitched.
“You didn’t have to worry about that.” Jessie offered a reassuring smile to calm Devon’s nerves.
“You look beautif—”
“Jessica.” Her mother stood in the doorway. “It’s time to cut the cake and open your presents.” She raised an eyebrow expectantly, and Jessie looked apologetically at Devon.
Devon grinned at her. “You go ahead. Don’t keep your family waiting. I’ll finish my thought later.”
After cutting the cake and distributing pieces all around, Jessie sat in the middle of the living room surrounded by a pile of gifts. She carefully opened each card and present, thanking the giver with sincerity. Devon leaned against the doorframe across the room, watching her every move. Now and then Jessie glanced up as though checking to see if Devon was still there. They’d exchange a private look, and then Jessie returned to opening her gifts. When the last package was opened, Jessie motioned her over.
Devon squatted and Jessie spoke into her ear. “I hope that you can stay a while. I know I’ve been preoccupied, but I’d like it if we could have some time later.”
That thought warmed Devon inside. “Tonight is your night. I’ve got nothing but time for you.”
“Good. Give me a few more minutes.” Jessie held out her hand and Devon pulled her to her feet, admiring the gentle sway of Jessie’s hips as she walked away.
She returned to the game room for a second beer and soon struck up a conversation with another officer on Jessie’s squad about her kids and life in general. Devon knew Lu from work, but they didn’t usually see each other beyond parties like this.
“I’m surprised Nate’s not here,” Lu observed.
“He couldn’t get out of the job he had tonight. You know how that is sometimes.”
She nodded. “So, what’s with you and Jessie?”
“What do you mean?” Devon felt her defenses rising. Why did everyone care so much about her personal life when it was nobody’s business? This is exactly why she didn’t socialize much within the department.
“Just wondered,” Lu said. “It’s just that Jessie made a point to invite you. And then you showed up the other day at our call. Coincidence?”
Devon looked past her to where Jessie walked a friend out the front door to say goodbye. No it wasn’t a coincidence. She’d seen Jessie and Lu on the call bordering her sector and stopped by as an excuse to say hello. If Devon were honest with herself, she’d have to admit to keeping tabs on Jessie at work. Just out of curiosity. The in-car computer made it a little too easy to pull up the status of any officer and Devon couldn’t help herself. She didn’t want to answer, but she also knew that avoiding the question would only fuel Lu’s curiosity and she’d fill in the blanks on her own. She sighed.
Lu patted her arm. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve always liked you, Devon.” She tipped her chin in the direction of the front door. “Jessie’s a good person.”
She followed Lu’s gaze to the entryway. “Yeah. I think I’ll get some fresh air.”
Devon heard voices when she stepped onto the porch. Two figures stood in the shadows near the street next to a Harley Davidson roadster parked at the curb.
“You’re drunk,” Jessie said.
“Jessie, I’m here to give you one more chance to come home with me.” The other woman grabbed Jessie by the elbow.
“Take your damn hands off of me.” Jessie struggled to pull her arm free from the larger woman.
It took a second for what was happening to register in Devon’s brain. In the next she was moving forward, down the sidewalk, into the street, and forcefully grabbing a fistful of Angela’s shirt at her left shoulder. Angela gripped Devon’s right arm with her free hand. Wide-eyed, Angela stared at Devon, but did not let go of Jessie’s arm. The three of them stood connected in silence for a long moment. Devon and Angela glared at each other.
Finally, a smirk twisted Angela’s mouth. “Sport, I don’t know what your deal is, but this is a private conversation.” Her hot, rum-soaked breath permeated the air. She growled at Jessie, “We’re not done.”
Devon shifted closer and glared down at the hand gripping Jessie’s arm too tightly. Flipping her eyes back up, drilling her stare into Angela’s eyes, she said in a dangerous, low tone, “I believe the lady told you to let go. I’m going to suggest that you take your hand off of her.” She twisted her fist more tightly in the woman’s shirt. “But really, I gotta tell ya, there’s a part of me kinda hoping you don’t take the suggestion.”
Something in Devon’s eyes finally must have registered with Angela. She released Jessie’s arm, but stuck out her chin in challenge. “You SWAT assholes think you’re special.” She spat next to the cycle. “We’ll see.”
Devon tightened both hands in the front of Angela’s shirt, moving forward and easily backing her against the Harley. Then she leaned in a bit more to bend the shorter woman backwards over the gas tank. “You keep eye fucking me, and I can assure you I will finish this.”
Jessie laid her hand gently on Devon’s shoulder. “Please don’t do this, okay?”
Her soft voice penetrated the rage enveloping Devon’s brain, calling her back from the edge. She breathed deeply and released Angela. When she stepped away, Jessie slipped an arm around her waist and held her tightly.
Jessie looked evenly at her ex. “We’re done here.” She tugged at Devon’s midsection, guiding her back toward the house without another word to Angela. Whatever the woman grumbled in response was drowned out by the sound of the Roadster’s powerful engine.
Jessie turned back. “She shouldn’t be driving.”
Devon nodded, marching toward the curb again. Anger sizzled in the air around the motorcycle, but Devon ignored it for Jessie’s sake. She held up her hands. “Why don’t you let me get you a ride?”
Angela scowled. “Again, none of your business. You can have the ungrateful bitch.”
With that, she revved the engine loudly, drowning out Devon’s retort. A moment later the Harley accelerated down the street, the rumble fading into the night.
Devon returned to where Jessie stood, and they faced each other silently in the glow of the porch light.
“Are you okay?” Devon wanted nothing more than to wrap Jessie in a tight embrace, but she didn’t want to push after what had just happened with her ex.
“I feel like we’ve already covered this ground.” Jessie smiled sadly.
“Sorry,” Devon said, unsure of the expression on Jessie’s face. She was suddenly terrified. What if her response to Angela made Jessie think she was just as bad? Some hotheaded asshole that couldn’t keep her temper? And what about Angela? It was plain that Jessie didn’t want her hands on her tonight, but they had a history that Devon knew nothing about. Maybe Jessie didn’t want her involvement. She raked her hand through her hair in frustration. Jesus, I screwed this up. Shoving her hands in her pockets, she studied her boots waiting for the admonishment she supposed she deserved.
“Would you like to take a walk?” Jessie asked.
“What? Sure.”
They fell into step on the sidewalk. Devon took a chance and linked her right arm through Jessie’s left as they strolled silently in the warm spring evening. She wondered if Jessie felt her arm tremble or the heat suffusing her body as they leaned against one another slightly. At the end of the street they stopped under the shadow of a massive oak tree in the center of the cul-de-sac. Jessie leaned back against the wide trunk and regarded Devon seriously.
“You said you were going to finish your thought from earlier.”
Devon chuckled, remembering. Now, as she looked at Jessie with slivers of moonlight seeping through the tree branches, casting wisps of golden highlights in her hair and accentuating the beauty of her face, she was struck momentarily speechless. The scent of orange blossoms wafted through the air, sweetly intoxicating, carried by a light breeze that gently caressed the silken hair along Jessie’s neck. Devon pressed her hands to the rough surface of the tree trunk on either side of Jessie’s shoulders. She leaned in until their faces were inches apart. Something beyond physical was happening between them, and whatever it was felt too good to ignore.
“You are very beautiful,” Devon whispered, mesmerized by the enchanting eyes searching hers and the way Jessie’s lips curved into a shy smile. She reached out to gently touch a finger to the area around Jessie’s eye, wincing at the thought of the force needed to cause such a bruise. She wished she’d hit Honeycutt harder. “Does it hurt?”
