by Reina Torres
Any of it could have spelled disaster.
He’d already dug himself into a deep hole. He’d fallen for her. He was in love with her.
But none of that could change the fact that she seemed to have a target on her back.
No, that wasn’t fair. Not when he could catalog her injuries in his head. It wasn’t on her back. She was a magnet for danger.
And he could patch her up every single time she came into the ER. He could even provide house calls.
One day, it wasn’t going to be enough. She would let down her guard. Someone could ambush her. A high speed chase. An arrest gone bad.
There was no way of knowing when or where circumstances would take their toll.
Take her.
He wanted to go to her apartment, drag her into his car, take her far away into the mountains, or find a faraway lake.
Maybe even an island where they would be alone and far, far from any dangerous criminals with guns, or a domestic violence call.
If he got her far enough away from the danger… that wouldn’t solve a damn thing.
She was born to be in law enforcement just as he’d been born to be a doctor. What they did satisfied their soul-deep need to serve others.
He just didn’t know if he could stand to watch her go off to work every day knowing that he might get a call saying that she’d been seriously injured or killed.
Or worse, see her come into the ER and not be able to treat her, because there was one sure thing in his life. He couldn’t treat Pilar anymore.
He couldn’t treat family.
And while she didn’t have his ring on her finger, that didn’t mean a thing. Loving her meant he wouldn’t, couldn’t be objective.
That day’s events had proven it.
He knew how much her job meant to her. He knew how good she was at it.
He just wasn’t sure he could see her suffer again and again, and maybe even give her life for the people of Center City and know that he might have been able to save her.
He was tearing his own heart apart with his thoughts. The argument he was having with both his heart and head wasn’t going to be that easy to resolve.
His phone chimed in his pocket and he took it out.
PILAR: Are you okay?
The only truthful answer was NO, and he wasn’t ready to talk about this with her. He wasn’t even ready to think about it inside his own head.
PILAR: Back home. Let me know what time to expect you. I can make something to warm up when you get here.
Leaning his forearms on his knees, he gazed over the center of the meditation garden with its Zen rock garden visible in the darkness because of the soft glow of solar lights. He knew he needed time. He wouldn’t be of any help, or even decent company and she had to get up early for her first shift back after her administrative leave.
ROAN: Have a headache. Dead on my feet.
It was the truth.
ROAN: Going to head home to my apartment. Good luck tomorrow. I’ll talk to you soon.
As he sat there, waiting for his head to stop throbbing in pain, he saw the three dots dance and jump. They stopped and then started again.
And finally stopped with no new message.
Blowing out a breath, Roan got to his feet. He really did need to sleep, but he knew it would probably be a long time before he actually succumbed to it.
He’d have to shoot down the voice inside of him that said he was a chicken shit.
A coward.
A complete and total asshole.
He just couldn’t dump his issues on her, not after the day she’d had. She didn’t deserve it.
He just needed to get his head on straight and find some perspective before he made a decision he knew was going to be the toughest one he would ever have to make.
Lifting his phone he sent one last message before turning off his phone.
ROAN: You were amazing today. The Papas family sends their thanks. I’m sorry about the change in your plans. I think this is for the best.
She knew the day was going to be shit. She’d run the coffee maker through its paces only to realize that she hadn’t put any coffee into the basket and made herself a piping hot carafe of water.
As soon as she stepped into Precinct Four, barely on time for her shift, the Desk Sergeant met her eyes and mouthed, ‘I’m so sorry.’
By the time she had clocked in and stowed her things in her locker, she felt an odd niggling sensation that she should have grabbed the morning newspaper and checked her horoscope.
There was a distinct chance that this might have been one of those days where she should have just thrown the alarm clock against the wall and pulled the blankets back over her head.
“You actually planning to work today, Bravo, or are we interrupting your beauty sleep?”
“Back it off, Jerzek.”
Pilar was surprised and she wasn’t alone. Sure, Detective Jerzek looked like someone had just, how did Crois put it, ‘pissed in his Cheerios.’
A few of the others took a moment to look between the surly detective and Detective Ichiro Matsumoto who just spoke. Normally quiet and watchful, it seemed that Detective Jerzek had crossed a line and ‘Ronin’ wanted him to know it.
Pilar wanted to hug him, but knew that wouldn’t go over well.
Jerzek started speaking again.
“Turner got called to the Commissioner’s office this morning, so she asked me to hand out your assignments.”
Pilar wanted to call bullshit on that. Jerzek was the last person Kate would ask to do that. If anything, it was Detective Matsumoto who had been asked to do the duty roster, but from what she understood Jerzek liked to pull rank when he could. As the Detective with the most seniority, he’d just taken over.
“We’re going to switch things around today.” He looked around the group of officers with such an avid interest that Pilar couldn’t help taking a quick look as well. “I’ve been told that some of our officers don’t know how to play well with each other. I had that same problem with a few of my children.”
She tried to keep her face as neutral as possible, but something she did drew Jerzek’s interest. “So, the first of my pairs for patrol today is going to be...” his gaze moved down the line away from her, but she had a feeling the day was really going to shit.
“Officer Pelton. You’ll be partnering with Officer Bravo. The little scene you two made the other day hasn’t gone unnoticed by the press, or our Commissioner. If you must know,” she ground her teeth together, expecting his next revelation even though she hated to be right in this instance, “your Sergeant was called over to explain your actions. So, I’m going to be proactive.”
She could almost hear Crois’ voice in her ear. ‘Proactive, my ass.’
“The two of you are going to prove that you’re worthy of wearing the uniform. And Pelton?”
Burke snapped to attention like he was addressing a drill sergeant. “Yes, sir.”
Oh, a kiss ass too.
“You have the seniority here. You'll take lead, and Bravo?”
She looked him in the eye. “Yes, Detective?”
His eyes narrowed at her. “You’re going to prove to me that you can follow instructions.”
The day was just getting better and better.
“Are we going to have issues with this, Bravo?”
She saw Detective Matsumoto’s cautioning look and shook her head. “No, sir. No issues.”
“Good.”
As soon as Jerzek paired everyone up, they headed to the locker room to grab their gear and head out. Not eager to join the stampede, Pilar was walking at the back of the group when someone put a hand on her shoulder.
“Officer Bravo.”
She turned to face him. “Detective Matsumoto. Is there something wrong?”
He smiled as he shook his head. “You got my name right.”
“I met your brother.”
“Ah, Jon Lee. Did he ask you out?”
“Lia told him to
back off.”
“So, I see you’re making friends.”
She wasn’t sure why, but her guard didn’t go up around him like it did around Detective Jerzek. “Yes, sir. Making more as I go along.”
“You can count me as one of them. I’ve seen your work. You’ve got a sharp eye. Good judgment in the field. You don’t shrink back. I like that in an officer.”
Wow. She wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but hey, she’d take a compliment like that any day. “Thank you, sir.”
“Forget the sir, seriously. I just wanted to warn you.”
Pilar felt her shoulders tense. “Oh?”
“Someone like Burke, he’s not the kind of man who changes. Not unless the stakes are big enough and even then-”
“It’s probably just superficial. There are people like that everywhere.”
“I’m glad you understand.” Detective Matsumoto looked up and they both saw Burke standing off to the side. He was actually waiting for her. “Keep sharp. He’s going to enjoy throwing his weight around on patrol today. Just be aware.”
Pilar gave him a quick nod. “I was planning on it.”
Tilting his head to the side, he gave her a half smile so Burke wouldn’t see the gesture. “Go on, now. Get out there and do your job.”
14
It was an interesting experience working with Burke. For the larger part of their shift they’d managed to be civil, but along with civility, it was clear from the beginning that he’d taken to the notion of her following his instructions. Pilar bristled at the thought, but if Kate was getting heat for her actions, she would do what she needed to do to help.
And that’s why she ended up giving half a dozen tickets for jaywalking, two tickets for parked cars that were just a hair over the line, and one expired sticker ticket to a nun who looked like she was going to go straight to church and tell God all about the mean officer.
She knew he was trying to teach her a lesson, but he didn’t need to go to the trouble of making other people suffer.
Pilar didn’t understand him at all, but then again, she didn’t understand anyone’s need to bully someone else. To her, it meant they were lacking in a lot of areas inside their hearts. Her family had always raised her to look out for others.
Burke just seemed to get off causing trouble. It had to be a lonely existence. She couldn’t see how anyone would want to be around someone like that.
With a quick look at the dashboard clock, Pilar could see that there was still a few more hours of fun before they were done with their shift. As soon as she got home, she was going to invite Kate over for a beer.
Or four.
Each.
“Let’s go down to that barbecue place on Clark.”
She looked over at him from the driver’s seat. “That’s outside of our patrol area.”
“What happened to following my instructions?”
Yeah, her own private hell. She felt like she was in some kind of wacky independent film, Driving Mister Asshole. “Regarding the job. This is exactly the opposite.”
He shifted in his seat, bracing his arm on the door so he could look at her head on. “Anyone ever told you that you’re a tight ass?”
“Sure.” Goodness knows that was the absolute truth.
“Then why not loosen up? It wouldn’t hurt you to get along with others.”
She did, but she didn’t think he’d care.
“Now that we’re partners-”
Pilar barely stopped herself from cringing. She’d never had another officer make the word partners sound sexually suggestive before.
“I think we should get to know each other better.”
“How about we start with lunch. You have a place in mind that’s inside our patrol area?”
His smile was sly. “Well, we have the mid-shift, so it’s more like dinner, don’t you think?”
Oh, she thought a lot of things. Nothing she could say at the moment.
“I’m not all that hungry.”
He shook his head in amazement. “I don’t get what people say about you. If you’re all that good then why the hell did you move here where you’re nobody?”
His dig sank deep, but she wasn’t going to say anything.
“And a big brother in the F.B.I.”
Wow, he sounded like Hannibal Lecter cussing out Clarice. Her life really was shit.
“At least back home, he could protect your ass.” He tilted his chin down and took a good look.
That was it.
She started to pull over and let him have a piece of her mind when a call came over the speakers. She gleaned the necessary bits of information as she listened. Large group of juveniles. Possible gang activity. Breaking and Entering at a warehouse.
She nodded. “They distribute vaping supplies.”
“What the fuck do you know?”
Her shoulders sagged. “It’s down by the 911 offices. I had to go there during my orientation. I saw the sign on the building.”
He made some sort of sound of approval, but she was going to take everything from him with a grain of salt. He called back on the radio, telling dispatch they’d take the call.
It was outside of their patrol area, but dispatch didn’t argue. With a crime almost on their doorstep, she guessed they’d take any help coming their way.
Other units called in, but they were further away from the location. Pilar knew that they would be the first ones on scene. Before Burke could reach for the dash, she had their lights and siren on, clearing the road in front of them.
She wasn’t worried about seeing action. That was part and parcel of every shift. The problem was Burke. Riding his high horse of being ‘in charge,’ she wasn’t looking forward to wading into that scenario with her partner.
The door to the On-call Room swung open, but Roan didn’t lift his head. It felt like he’d just closed his eyes a second ago. The mattress under him sagged a little as someone sat down by this hip.
“You hiding in here?”
Kate.
“I’m trying to get some peace and quiet.”
“Too bad.”
He let out a breath that sounded more like a sigh, but he didn’t move.
“I didn’t see you this morning.”
He cracked open an eye. “Were we supposed to meet for breakfast?”
She narrowed her eyes at him and he wished that he’d kept his closed. “I thought I’d see you in Pilar’s kitchen when I walked by.”
“I do have my own apartment. I pay the rent on it, so I should see the inside of it from time to time.”
Kate nodded. “Defensive. Interesting.”
“Tired,” he shot back. “Don’t you have officers to order around?”
She lifted her radio and gave him a smirk. “I spent most of my morning explaining to the Commissioner that he’s a few decades behind the times.”
Leaning on his elbows, he gave up all pretense of getting rest. “I hope you were a little more diplomatic than that.”
“Me?” She gave him a look that might have been innocent if he didn’t know her. “Yeah, I was careful with my words, but I’m guessing he got an earful from Pelton’s uncle and wanted to let me know that my officer should be less confrontational with her colleagues.”
“How did you react to that?”
“Inside? I wanted to chew him out. Outside? I managed to say something that didn’t make me choke, but I believe I got my point across. That all of my officers could learn from that situation and that no one could take the blame for what happened.” She shook her head. “Pretty sure he’ll just ignore what he doesn’t want to hear. There’s only so much ‘progressive’ thinking that he can absorb at one time. I’m sure he’ll come around in time.”
“I just don’t know if you have the century to wait.”
She just kept looking at him.
“What?”
“So, you want to tell me what happened yesterday?”
No.
He didn’t say it out lo
ud. Kate wasn’t going to listen anyway.
“Because I’m wondering what’s going on in that head of yours, little brother.”
He barely managed to hold back an eye roll.
“Things were just cruising along and then on her last day of leave, things fell to shit.”
That got his attention. “What did she say to you?”
“Say?” She narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head. “Nothing. Do you think she’s going to come and tell me what you did? Or didn’t do? She’s not going to tattle to me about why you didn’t spend the night.”
No, she wasn’t. Pilar wasn’t like that.
“You heard about the robbery at the deli, right?”
“How could I not? Jerzek had some choice words to say about Pilar stepping in, but I told him to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine. She did a great job. Saved some woman from a rather nasty bullet wound from what I read in the witness statements. Including a rather glowing report from Mrs. Papas who mentioned you as well.”
“I went with her husband to the ER.” He saw the look on Kate’s face. “I was the first one to give him care at the scene and with the chest pains he was experiencing, it made sense to go with him.”
She nodded.
Silently.
And that told him exactly how easily she saw right through the front he was trying to put up.
She was trying to make him squirm.
“Don’t, Kate.”
“You’re scared.” She lowered her chin and nailed him with a glare. “You’re scared and don’t you dare deny it.”
How could he?
“It’s bad enough that I have to worry about you and Walker when you’re on shift. She could have been shot. Right in front of me.”
“And you would have been there. Talk about having the best care. She’d be-”
“Care on scene doesn’t help if he’d gotten off a shot. She didn’t have a vest on. She doesn’t carry one when she’s not on shift. It’s likely she’s going to just jump in and put herself in danger every time she sees something happen.”
