by Jamie Hill
“Where is what, Jack? What could they be looking for?”
“My first reaction is that it's drug-related. Maybe Dave was doing a little funny business on the side, and either got on somebody’s bad list or pulled a little double-cross and got caught.”
Crystal shook her head. “I don’t understand any of this. Honestly, I never thought I was a stupid person, but this business is totally foreign to me.”
He smiled at her. “Good. I’m glad it is. I’d like to keep it that way, if possible. But I’d also like to check your apartment and make sure everything’s okay before you and the boys go back there today. Can I have your key?”
“Sure.” She reached in her pocket and pulled the key out. “It’s my only one.”
He finished his coffee, stood and took the key from her. “I’ll be back here to pick you three up after work. What time do you get off?”
“By the time we eat it’s usually—”
“Don’t eat. We’ll make dinner after we go to the store. It’s payday, isn’t it?”
“Well, yeah.” She looked up at him. “Four o’clock?”
He leaned over and put a kiss on the top of her head. “I’ll be back at four.” He tossed a five on the table.
“Coffee’s on the house,” she told him.
He winked. “I liked the service. See you later.”
“Yeah, see you.” She watched him go, and then gazed behind the counter at Moe, who'd been watching. She gave him a small smile, pocketed the five and cleaned off her booth.
Her day passed with agonizing slowness. She kept expecting Jack to return and tell her that her apartment had been equally trashed. She didn’t know why. Whatever it was, the mess didn’t involve her, yet she had a bad feeling about it. She was relieved when the boys arrived from school at three-thirty, and even more relieved to see Jack at four.
“Jack!” Devon hugged one leg and Mark the other.
He smiled down at them and ruffled their hair. “Hey, guys. How was school today?”
“Okay,” Devon answered. “I didn’t have any homework, but Crystal made me sit here and study my spelling words anyway.”
Jack reached across the booth to where three uneaten brownies remained on a tray. He pinched off the corner of one and popped it in his mouth. “Pure torture,” he commiserated with Devon. The boy smiled up at him with a milk mustache, and Jack laughed.
* * * *
Moe and Crystal leaned against the counter, watching the display. He commented, “The children seem to like him.”
“He’s very good with them,” she agreed.
He looked sideways at her and back at the man. “You seem to like him, too, if the look on your face is any indication.”
Crystal grinned at Moe. “That obvious, huh? Oops.”
He waved his hand. “It’s the same look he has on his face when he sees you. He tries to hide it, like it’s not natural for a young man to be interested in a woman as beautiful as you. But who’s he trying to fool?” Moe looked at her again and smiled. “If I were thirty years younger…Oh hell, twenty years younger…he wouldn’t have a shot at you.”
Crystal laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You’re too good for me, Moe. Don’t I always tell you that?”
“Yeah, Crystal, you always do.” He smiled and shook his head.
She sauntered over to the guys and nudged her hip against Jack’s. “Hey.”
He turned and gazed at her. “Hello there. How are you?”
“Fine, I guess. How are things?” she asked almost nervously.
He squeezed her hand. “Everything’s good. I thought we’d hit the store before we went home. Unless you’d rather go change, first.”
She glanced down at her uniform. “Nah, I’ve worn worse than this to the store. I’m ready.” She looked at the boys. “You two are a chocolate mess. Come on, let’s go wash up.” She led them around the counter to the back room.
* * * *
Jack ate the last bite of brownie and wandered over to the counter. “Good brownies,” he acknowledged to Moe.
“Thank you.” He gave Jack an obvious once-over.
Jack smiled and extended his hand. “Jack Dunlevy.”
Moe continued to look at him warily, and then shook hands. “Moe Wilson. You’re with the WPD?”
“Yeah. Homicide division.”
Moe raised his eyebrows. “You work that BTK guy’s case? He was one sick son-of-a-bitch.”
Jack looked down and shook his head slowly. He hadn’t been involved with the self-proclaimed “Bind, Torture and Kill” serial killer. At one time he would have been the first detective assigned to the case. These days he pulled dead homeless guys in crappy neighborhood cases. Before last week he wasn’t too thrilled with his recent assignments. Now he didn’t mind so much. In fact, it was an apparent stroke of luck the day he was called to check out Manny Hooper’s poor lifeless body. Jack looked at Moe. “No, I lucked out and missed that. He was one sick bastard.”
Moe glanced around to see where Crystal was, and then looked back at Jack. “You’ll make sure they eat tonight?”
Jack smiled at the look of concern on the man’s face. “You bet. Crystal said it’s payday, so we’re going to the store.”
Moe looked around again and said quietly, “I slip a little extra in her envelope, but it’s still not enough. She does the best she can, but she struggled when it was just her alone. Now, with those boys, I just don’t know.”
“I understand,” Jack said gently. “I’m doing everything I can to help her out, but I have to go easy. She’s a proud woman.”
“She is that,” Moe nodded agreement, and they both watched her return to the dining room with two clean boys in tow.
“Ready to go?” Jack spoke up.
“Almost. Could you help them put their homework in their backpacks, please? I’ll just clean off the table.”
“Oh, sure.” He sorted out who belonged to what, and zipped everything securely into their bags. Crystal wiped off the table, said goodbye to Moe, and they were set. Jack gave him a friendly wave, and led his little family from the diner.
* * * *
“I’m never letting you go shopping with me again.” Crystal scowled at Jack as they hauled bag upon bag up the three flights of stairs. She deposited her armload on the table and tried to make room for his stuff. They could hear the boys one flight below, dragging up their own loads. “Jesus, Jack, just because I gave you my pay doesn’t mean I planned to spend it all on food.”
“I know that.” He pulled the pay envelope from his jacket and returned it to her uniform pocket, unopened. He patted her pocket securely and left his hands on her hips.
“Jack, I intended to pay for—” She attempted to protest, but he pulled her toward him by her waist.
“I know that, too,” he cut her off. “Now kiss me real quick before that last load of groceries makes it up here.”
She grinned and they kissed quickly, leaving them both breathless and wanting more. “What happened to the distraction factor?” she whispered.
He wiggled her hips and shrugged. “I figure we’ve already kissed. At this point it’s more of a distraction not to kiss you.”
“Oh, thank God. So there will at least be kissing.” She batted her eyes and he patted her butt as they went to relieve the boys of their burdens.
They made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, all four of them, working in the kitchen together. Crystal realized that the "family" feeling she kept experiencing was becoming normal to her, as though that was the way things were supposed to be, and might always be in the future. That scared her worse than anything. She knew how heartbroken she’d feel when it was just her, on her own, again.
“A penny for your thoughts.” Jack slipped behind her as she stood at the sink washing the dishes. He slid the last plate into the dishwater and planted a kiss on the nape of her neck.
“I was thinking I need a cigarette,” she admitted.
He chuckled. “God, m
y thoughts exactly. We are so in sync, it’s scary.”
Crystal laughed and turned to face him, holding her wet hands up in the air. “Okay, maybe I was thinking it’s awfully nice to have you here.”
He glanced back over his shoulder and saw the boys were watching TV. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “Now that…that is exactly what I was thinking.” He kissed her gently at first, and when he heard the little moan escape from the back of her throat he deepened the kiss.
“Jack,” she breathed into his mouth. “This is lovely, but I think you’re wrong. I think kissing is a distraction.”
“I know, damn it!” He kissed her hard one more time, then released her. “I always think just one taste of you will satisfy me. And I continue to be very, very mistaken.” He ran his finger along her cheekbone. He cleared his throat and picked up the dish towel. “I guess we should finish these, and get a bed made up for the boys. You can’t go next door anymore.”
She cleared her throat as well, and attempted to compose herself. “I suppose they can sleep on the sofa.”
“I thought I could bring one of their mattresses over here. Mark’s bed didn’t seem to get cut up as badly. If we flip the mattress, it’ll work for the time being. We can put it on your living room floor, and they can both sleep on it.”
“The sofa sounds so much easier.” She yawned.
“Yeah, but I’m going to be sleeping on the sofa. So we need to haul over that mattress, and anything else you want from that place.”
She looked at him. “You can’t sleep here, Jack. What are you, crazy?”
He smiled. “It’s been said before. But in this case, I don’t think I am. Someone ransacked the apartment next door. Pretty viciously, I might add. You have two of the residents of that apartment under your roof right now. I can’t say for sure that any of you are in danger, but I’m not putting it to a test.”
“But—” she began, before he raised a finger to her lips.
“No buts. You can come and stay at my house, or we can all stay here. I’m not leaving you three alone.”
She looked into his eyes, and then allowed her head to fall forward onto his chest. “Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll trust you to know what’s best in this situation.”
“Wow, that was easier than I thought,” he admitted.
She smiled.
“My house would be bigger.”
Crystal laughed. “Now you’re pushing your luck. You know how I feel about your house. It’d be like dangling candy in front of a baby, and then yanking it back the next day.” She looked around. “And the baby is left with this.”
“Okay.” He couldn’t argue with her, and she knew he couldn’t make her any promises. “Then I’m staying. Come with me to get their stuff.”
She nodded and dried her hands on the dish towel, folding it neatly and setting it on the counter. “Boys, keep watching TV, please. Jack and I are going to get your stuff. We’re sleeping here tonight.”
“Okay,” Mark didn’t glance up from the TV, but Devon stood up and whispered to Crystal.
“Don’t forget…you know.”
She smiled and touched his cheek. “I won’t forget. Watch TV now, okay?”
He sat back down and Crystal followed Jack into Dave’s apartment. “Holy shit!” She looked around at the mess. Nothing had been left untouched.
“Don’t forget what?” Jack asked as he made his way through the room.
“He sleeps with a stuffed bunny.” She looked in the boys’ room and moaned. “God, I hope it’s in here somewhere.”
“Whoever did this was thorough.”
“Sons-of-bitches,” Crystal sputtered, and he chuckled.
“Indeed. Okay, let’s make a pile of stuff to take. I don’t want to have to come back here every day for clothes. Let’s get them all.”
She looked at him, wondering how many days he figured to be around. Then she kicked herself internally for being so foolish. He was here now. He was helping her in ways she could never repay. She needed to be grateful and accept his help. “I think they have suitcases in the closet.” She found two bags and began stuffing things in them. There’d be time to sort it all out later.
They'd gathered all the clothes and Jack grabbed the best mattress, lifting it up. “Sheets are cut to hell, but I think this should work.”
“I’ve actually got more sheets at my place,” she remembered. She lifted their pillows, which were now in shreds. “Guess I can scrounge up a couple pillows.”
“Three, please.” Jack smiled at her as he hauled the twin mattress to the front room. He went back in the bedroom and sifted through what was left on the floor. “This what we’re looking for?” He held up a stuffed rabbit and Crystal grinned with relief.
“Thank goodness!” She grabbed the bunny and inspected it. “He doesn’t look any worse for the wear.”
“Another crisis averted.” Jack slid his arm around her waist. “This room is pretty well shot. They don’t have many toys, do they?”
“Like, almost none.” She held on to him as they walked out. “Dave brought home a Playstation video game system once, but he had to hock it a couple months later.”
“Father of the year material, right there,” Jack muttered.
She stopped in the bathroom to get their toothbrushes and anything else she could locate. The harsh black marker on the mirror surprised her. “Where is it?” she read aloud. “Where is what, you damned…?” She let her curse go unfinished. She couldn’t think of a word bad enough for someone who would do this.
Jack helped her gather everything, adding their toothbrushes to the pile going next door. He took a moment to stop and pull her into his arms. “We’re going to get through this.”
“I know we will. I’m just not thinking very clearly right now. I can’t begin to fathom what the future holds for them…” She looked into his eyes. “Or for me…”
He kissed the tip of her nose and whispered “Join the club. Come on, I don’t like leaving them alone, even though they’re right next door.”
“Crappy locks,” she muttered, remembering what he'd said the night before.
He chuckled and loaded his arms with stuff. “Hate to break it to you, sweetheart…Crappy neighborhood.”
Crystal laughed and followed him out.
The boys thought sleeping on Crystal’s floor was quite an adventure. And to have Jack on the sofa next to them—what could be better? He shoved her furniture around until there was room for the mattress. “Nice end table,” he teased, about the oversized cardboard box between her sofa and easy chair.
She smiled and shrugged. “I got a new TV a couple months ago. We set the box there while we hooked it up, and I just never moved it. Started putting stuff on it and forgot about it.”
He glanced at her. “You and Dave?”
She shrugged again. “We spent time together. We’re neighbors, help each other out and all that neighborly jazz.” She tried not to get defensive, remembering he was there to help.
The boys watched in awe as Jack unloaded his service revolver and put it in a lockbox. He stuck it on top of the fridge, placing the key in his pocket.
Crystal wasn’t thrilled with the gun, but the lockbox put her somewhat at ease.
Even knowing she wouldn’t like it, Jack was insistent. “I’m not sure my truck is going to be there in the morning. I damn sure want to know where my gun’s going to be.”
“Understood.” She helped him make up the boys’ mattress with fresh sheets and then found pillows for them. With the kids tucked in and the lights turned out, she and Jack sat in the kitchen drinking coffee by the glow of the nightlight. She opened the window so she could smoke.
Jack stretched his legs out. “Lovely out here on the veranda this evening.”
“Yes, darling,” Crystal spoke in a haughty accent and motioned with her cigarette for emphasis, “but please remember to tell the stable boy not to bring the horses through here when he puts them up for the
evening. They leave such a stench, you know.”
Jack chuckled and stood up to close the window. “Horses would smell better than what your neighborhood has going on out there. I think that’s called ‘eau de homeless person who hasn’t showered in a month’.” He sat back down and kicked his legs up on another chair.
She grinned and hurried to finish her cigarette. “Sorry.” She waved the smoke away from him.
He reached out and rubbed his thumb over the palm of her hand. “It doesn’t bother me. Cigarettes have never tasted better than when I taste them on you.”
She ground the butt out in her ashtray and stood up in front of him. Jack lowered his legs and Crystal straddled him in the chair. “I know I need to quit. Smoking, I mean.”
He slipped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. She was wearing a button-down blouse, and he undid the top button to reach more of her neck. “I told you it doesn’t bother me,” he repeated, his lips marking a warm path along her skin.
Crystal wriggled her butt into his lap and could feel his rigid erection through both of their jeans. She moaned as he strained upwards to press himself into her center. “God, Jack,” she whispered at the exquisite feelings, and he groaned his agreement. She tugged at his shirt, popping some of the buttons and loosening the rest. Her hands ran up his bare chest and she twirled her fingers in the hair she found there. He felt solid and strong, and so good that Crystal shivered.
Jack nuzzled her neck hungrily and was tugging at her buttons when they heard a loud thump through the wall. They froze and looked at each other. Another knocking sound sent Jack scrambling. He pushed Crystal off his lap and got his keys out to unlock his gun.
“That sounded like it came from Dave’s place.” She watched him pull his gun out and load it.
“They should make you a detective, Cartwright.” He headed for the front door.
“Where are you going?” she demanded in a harsh whisper.
“Uh, scratch that promotion. Where the fuck do you think I’m going? Stay here.”
“Like hell!” She stepped up behind him.
