The Crossroads Duet

by Rachel Blaufeld

Petrisky turned to me. “The note. Did you read it, ma’am?”

  “It’s Alyson, not ma’am.”

  “Did you see it?”

  Shaking my head for the millionth time, I said, “I know better than to tamper with evidence.”

  Simms held it out for me to see.

  FiX thE CaSe.

  The note was handwritten in black marker in uneven block letters, some capitals, others lowercase, apparently in an attempt to disguise their handwriting.

  Simms barked into some walkie-talkie like cell phone. “Yeah, I need you to run a guy over to a Jake Wrigley’s place for me. Apparently he had dinner with the victim tonight at his place. She took her dog too.”

  “Jake had nothing to do with this.” I tried not to beg, but I knew what they would find if they dug deeply enough.

  “Just doing my job, Ms. Road.”

  “You got the knife? You’re going to run prints?” I asked.

  “Yes, and a guy’s coming to photograph the scene. You won’t be able to clean up your place until we dust for fingerprints and finish our investigation. Do you have somewhere to stay?”

  I looked at the ground. Of course I didn’t have anywhere to stay. After paying for my mom’s nursing home and the extra care for her, I had no savings I could dip into for a hotel. And I had a dog. Panic rose in my throat as I mentally sorted through my options, which were nil.

  “I’ll figure something out,” I said with as much confidence as I could.

  I’d set Maverick down on the ground when the police arrived, and he was now pulling me toward the grass, his nose to the ground. I let him lead me a bit, and he stopped to pee. Distracted, I didn’t even tell him he was a good boy. I was staring at the outside of my building, wondering why the hell no one came out to check out what was going on, and then I remembered I lived in a college building. Everyone was more than likely drinking and doing drugs; no one was about to come out and chat with the cops.

  “May I go up and get some fresh clothes?”

  Simms offered to escort me back to my own home and watched while I sifted through my bras and panties, filling a small bag with everything I needed.

  With tears burning my eyes, I called a cab and told the officers I was going to the Holiday Inn for a few nights. Instead, I went to the nursing home and curled up in the chair next to my mom’s bed. I’d sneaked Mav inside the building in the duffel bag, and held him tightly in my arms as I cried myself to sleep.

  I woke early the next morning to the feel of my phone vibrating inside my pocket and Maverick licking my hand. Mom was still asleep, her gray hair splayed over the pillow, and dawn had barely lightened the sky. I unfolded myself from the chair, standing up and stretching out my sore muscles, then tucked my dog back in the bag before heading outside.

  “Go potty, little guy,” I said as I placed the puppy on the ground, then checked my phone.

  Three missed calls and sixteen unread texts, most of the messages from Jake. The calls were from the police.

  The texts pretty much all read the same except for the last one.

  UNKNOWN NUMBER: Work your magic on the big dogs or I’ll snatch your dog.

  My chest tightened and my head throbbed at the prospect of being threatened further. The message could refer to any number of cases, but in my heart, I knew which one it was. It was something to do with Cameron.

  Was someone protecting him or out to get him? Or was it Cameron himself threatening me? I was supposed to be defending the man, and I was doing my best despite not wanting to take the case. It didn’t make any sense.

  I tapped the icon for the office and dialed Barry’s extension. It was Sunday, and he always went in to review notes for the week.

  “Barry Bruno,” he answered.

  “Barry, it’s Aly.”

  “Shit! Are you okay? Where are you?”

  “I’m fine. You heard?”

  “Yes. You need to come in so we can talk?”

  “I will,” I said, letting Maverick pull me around as he sniffed everything in his path. “Do you know anything? Did you hear any chatter?”

  “Can’t say for sure who did it. I have some thoughts.”

  “I figured. I have to go. I’ll see you in an hour or so, and we can discuss it.”

  Hanging up on Barry, I reached down to pet and rain praise on the puppy for doing his business before I called Jake. Despite the pit of regret lodged in my belly, I knew I couldn’t make him wait any longer.

  “Aly! Are you all right? Why didn’t you call?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to drag you into this.”

  “A little late for that. For a moment, I was the cops’ number-one suspect. They swung by here last night with all kinds of questions. After all, I showed up last minute and took you back to my place with your dog, leaving your place wide open to a break-in. Plus there’s the little issue of you letting me out of jail scot-free.”

  “Oh God.” I held the phone tightly to my ear, pacing the same patch of grass outside the nursing home, the pollen lingering in the dew clogging my throat. Or was that my own stupidity?

  “I’m sorry this happened to you, Aly. I didn’t do it, though. You believe me? The guy didn’t press charges; you were free to let me go that night. Plus you know Cameron hit a trigger with me, a nasty one. I wouldn’t have fucked him up if he hadn’t. Aly?”

  “No, I don’t think it was you, but they’re not going to buy it unless I find them a suspect. We need to stay away from each other while I do.”

  “Goddamn it! Don’t do this,” he pleaded. “Don’t make me the bad guy. I’m not in this situation. I’m the good one, trying to help.” He paused for a moment, then said, “Move to my place.”

  “I can’t move into your place!” I shrieked, then composed myself as I glanced around, hoping no one was around yet this early in the morning.

  “Calm down, Legs. I meant the duplex unit I offered you.”

  My breathing kicked into high gear. How did he manage to be so infuriating and sexy at the same time? And how did I end up being the desperate damsel in distress? I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself—usually—but my options were so limited at this point, I didn’t know what to do.

  “It’s really not up for discussion,” he said, trying to reason with me. “I know your place is all tied up in the investigation, and the only other place you can go with a dog—quickly—is my rental. I’ll be by at four today to help you take some stuff over to your new digs.”

  “Jake.” I sighed, my resolve dissipating. “I have to run into the office and discuss this with my coworkers.”

  “County building at four?”

  I nodded. I was back to that again until I heard Jake growl my name into the receiver, thinking I hadn’t responded.

  “Okay.”

  Aly

  After showering quickly in my mom’s bathroom, I hurriedly headed to my office. Maverick was a good boy, curled up in my duffel bag on the bus until we hit town, and when I got off the bus, I leashed him and set him on the ground. We walked toward the county building, me with my work face on, and him squatting every chance he could. When I got to the county building, I picked him up and placed him inside the bag again for the elevator ride up to my office, giving the security guy a quick flash of my ID and a bright smile.

  Once inside my safe place, surrounded by law books and legal documents, I relaxed for the first time in twenty-four hours, including my impromptu date with Jake.

  I’d barely settled in when Barry stuck his head inside my door. He was wearing khakis and a button-down shirt and sweater, like he usually did when he came into the office on a weekend. On someone else it might look preppy, but his slacks were wrinkled and his sweater had a stain that looked suspiciously like tomato sauce.

  “Aly, we have to talk. What the . . .” His eyes grew wide. “What the heck is that?”

  “Come in. It’s my dog, my new puppy. We were displaced last night. Don’t worry, I’m making new living arrangements tonight.�
�� I waved a dismissive hand in the air as if I faced crises like this regularly.

  Frowning, he tore his gaze away from the puppy and focused on me. “Whatever. Listen, you know who did this? You know what he wants?”

  “He wants us to get rid of the charges.”

  Barry dropped into my guest chair with a huff. “He’s in the wind, our guy, jumped bail. No one knows where the fuck he is, but he’s either lurking around you or having someone else do his dirty work is my guess.” He rested his elbows on the chair’s arms, drilling his eyes into mine over his entwined fingers. “I found out last night that he went MIA. They’re going over traffic cam footage looking for him. The freaking ankle monitor they put on him isn’t working, but I don’t know why. It’s anyone’s best guess as to where or when he’ll turn up. You need to watch your back, Aly.”

  Frustrated, I blew out a long breath. Knowing Cameron had found a way to ditch his ankle monitor changed everything. “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “I thought maybe he’d turn up by morning, but then this happened with you. Shit!” he exclaimed, then gave me a questioning look. “Maybe you should come stay with me? I’d feel a hell of a lot better knowing you’re safe.”

  What the hell is going on? I have more offers than ever before to stay with men?

  “Barry, don’t be ridiculous. I’m moving to a new apartment. A secure building,” I lied. “I’ll be fine. Let’s find our client. We work together; we can’t live together.”

  “I worry about you, Aly. You try to be so tough, but we all need a little help.”

  Uncomfortable, I steered the subject back to our client. “I just don’t get him—Cameron. He says he didn’t do any of it, claims the photos were planted in his apartment, yet he makes a big deal about his belief in free speech. So why run like this? What point is he trying to prove?” I ran my hand across my brow in frustration and squeezed my forehead, attempting to keep the headache looming at bay. “I should’ve known better. His actions were right there, niggling in the back of my brain. This is on me. I’ve been distracted.”

  “Don’t do this to yourself. He’s acting insane, but it feels like too much of a put-on,” he said, focusing his gaze over my shoulder like he always did when he was pondering something. “Does he want an insanity plea? Why would he want that if he claims he didn’t do any of it?”

  “There were pictures of the crime scenes in his apartment, taped all over the walls. Like bragging rights.”

  “This guy is zigzagging all over the place. Did you ever get him to mention any names of close friends or girlfriends?” He ran his hand through his greasy hair; obviously he’d skipped a shower this morning.

  “No, although it certainly felt like he was protecting someone. Just go!” I told him. “Get out of here and find Cameron. I have to meet with the cops from last night again and get some work done. When we find him, we’ll demand some answers.”

  Focusing back on me, Barry reached over my desk and squeezed my hand, something he’d never done in the two-plus years we’d worked together. It was meant to be brotherly, I was sure, but somehow it didn’t feel like it.

  Either way, I couldn’t dwell on that right now. I needed to figure out how I was going to deal with my new landlord.

  At five minutes after four, I walked outside to find Jake’s Hummer waiting for me in front of the county building, pulled up next to the curb with its flashers on. As soon as Maverick was released from my bag, he started going nuts in the same way I wanted to. Jake got out of the truck wearing ragged dark jeans, a tight-fitting black T-shirt, and some type of athletic shoes, looking formidable and delectable as he walked toward us.

  Afraid my own tail was wagging, I simply said, “Hey.”

  “Hey, you.” He opened the truck door for me, then picked up Maverick from the ground and settled him into my lap. “He’s not going to be able to do that much longer, you know, sit on your lap. He’s going to be eighty or ninety pounds when he’s done growing.”

  “I guess I’d better enjoy it while it lasts,” I said with a grin, not willing to let the little guy go at the moment.

  Jake jumped into the driver’s seat and we sped off toward my apartment. When we got to my building, I climbed the stairs reluctantly, and my hand trembled a little as I unlocked the apartment door, ignoring the caution tape run across it.

  Jake waited outside with the dog while I tiptoed around the scene. I wouldn’t admit it to him, but I wanted to be in there as little as possible. I felt so violated and vulnerable; whoever had done this had rifled through everything I owned. And if it was Cameron, how could I defend him effectively now? Between my fear and my anger, I couldn’t possibly give him the best defense.

  I stuffed some clothes and toiletries in another duffel bag, grabbed my chargers, Maverick’s food and bowls, the crate, and a sleeve of cookies, then locked up behind me. As I ran down the front steps, Jake threw open the Hummer’s passenger door as if he sensed my urgency to get the heck out of there.

  The truck was quiet as we set off for another side of town. Highland Park once was the “in” neighborhood with its tree-lined streets and gorgeous parks. For a while it suffered a small decline, but now it was hot again. Large maples surrounded mansions, row houses, and smaller freestanding brick houses—all which Pittsburgh was known for. Kids played out on the sidewalks, and young couples enjoyed their Sunday, walking their dogs to the independent coffee shop in the center of the neighborhood.

  When we pulled up in front of a dark red brownstone, Jake announced, “Here we are,” and threw the truck into PARK.

  I turned slightly in my seat to face him. “Are we going to discuss anything?”

  “If you’re asking if I raided your apartment, the answer is no. Because that’s fucking ludicrous. I was with you the whole time, remember?”

  “That’s not what I was asking.” I reached over the center console and ran my fingers over his muscular forearm.

  “If you mean rent, I won’t accept anything more than what you were paying for the shithole in Oakland.”

  “That’s not what I meant either, although I plan to pay you rent. What I meant was . . . this is going so fast, and now I’m dragging you into all my work stuff and this break-in. Geez, I must look so needy.”

  “Just stop. Come on, we’re going in.” He set his free hand on top of mine and squeezed it. “Let’s go.”

  He threw open his door and hopped out to come help me, then he snatched the pup.

  “The unit on the right needs a little more work,” he explained, “so let’s get you set up in the left. Everything’s been inspected and is working right. My guys may need to do a little work while you’re here, but they’ll be neat.”

  The left side of the brownstone had obviously been maintained. The door opened to an exposed brick entry. To the left when we walked in was a living area with a huge stained-glass window looking out onto the yard at the side of the house. In the back was a fairly updated kitchen, but with those old-fashioned knobs on the sink, the white porcelain ones I’d always loved that read HOT and COLD. A staircase led upstairs.

  While I explored my new digs, Jake propped open the back door and let Maverick run out and squat. Overwhelmed, I spun in a circle, taking it all in, and realized the place was full of furniture.

  “Um, Jake. Why is there so much furniture here?”

  He shrugged. “I bought it to go with the unit. I was going to rent it furnished, so now it’s yours.”

  I stopped dead in my tracks and leaned on the banister, newly sanded and painted. “Jake? I can’t.”

  “You can. Come on, I’ll show you upstairs and then you can get settled.”

  Since Maverick still hadn’t gotten the hang of stairs yet, Jake picked him up and carried him with us. Once on the second floor, he tied the leash to his belt loop again, and Maverick bounced around his feet, excited to explore the two bedrooms and bathroom upstairs. The master bedroom was dominated by a king-sized sleigh bed.

  Frowning, I
turned to Jake. “Seriously, I can’t accept this.”

  “You can. Gotta have room to sleep with those long legs.”

  My vision blurred and I blinked furiously, but the tears made it hard to see.

  “I have to go,” Jake said quickly, as if sensing I needed time to compose myself. “I need to get out to the suburbs and check on a few things in my other location, and then swing by the construction site on the other side of town before the week starts. Can I bring dinner later?”

  “Why don’t I go to the store and cook?”

  “Another time.” He leaned in and pressed a soft closed-mouth kiss to my lips, then handed me the puppy’s leash and walked away.

  “Wait, Jake!” I called out, and he stopped in the doorway. “Thank you.”

  He gave me a big smile. “I’m going to run in your bags and the dog crate, and leave the keys on the hall table. Make yourself at home.”

  Unfamiliar emotions swirled inside me as I listened to Jake run down the staircase, his heavy boots thudding on the hardwood stairs. In other circumstances, they might seem threatening, but not now, not with Jake.

  Funny how we met and where we ended up—so far.

  Jake

  “Lane, I need a favor,” I yelled into my dash Bluetooth.

  “What’s up?”

  “I hate asking. I’m trying to do shit on my own, but I’m seeing that girl—woman—the one I told you about. Someone broke into her place and tore the shit out of it, and now she’s living in my rental like I wanted, but—”

  “Say no more,” Lane said, cutting in. “I got a guy to look after her.”

  “Look, I don’t want you fixing this, bro. I just want the intro. I’m paying for it and dealing with him, but you’re right. She needs eyes on her.”

  “I have a guy whose team keeps an eye on AJ, makes sure he keeps his distance from Bess. They’re good. Not cheap, but worth it.”

  “Text me their number. Let them know I’ll be calling.”

  “Okay. And Jason?”

  I huffed out an exasperated sigh. “You must be about to get all serious. No one has called me Jason since Mom died.”