Flashpoint: Reed Series

by M. C. Cerny

  “Easy. You’ve got a little bump on the back right here.” Jacob reached under her ponytail to gently touch the spot that was slightly swollen. Her hair felt like silk in his hands, but she stepped back, putting space between them and forcing him to drop his hand.

  “Thanks. I really should, uh...get going. You’ve been incredibly kind.” Katie felt heat wash over her and a blush staining her face from Jacob touching her.

  “Unfortunately, I didn’t see anything that would help you with the police report. He was, um…gone by the time I got to you.” It wasn’t the exact truth, but Jacob could find the scumbag before the NYPD could. He’d also take care to make sure the little punk never mugged anyone again.

  “Darn. Oh, well.”

  “I can drive you over to the station, make sure you get there safely.” Jacob was holding out to keep her as long as possible.

  “That’s a nice offer. Really, with traffic picking up, it’d be quicker on foot. I can take the subway part of the way.”

  “Okay, but I hate to be that creepy guy.” No, he didn’t. “I’d just feel a lot better if I could at least see that you got to your destination. We’re close enough that traffic shouldn’t be a problem. It’s only a few blocks over so it’ll be a straight ride to the station. Better for your knee, too, I’m thinking.”

  Katie thought about Jacob’s offer as she put her flat shoes on. The move made Jacob groan inwardly because, as she picked up each leg to fix the shoe, her skirt rose up slightly. She tossed the heels that she was wearing earlier in her bag. Heaving a small sigh, she slung the bag over her shoulder. “Okay, that would be appreciated.”

  “My pleasure. Let’s go grab a car. Come on, Hauk. You can ride in the back.” Jacob led the three of them down to the garage and held the door open for her. He chose the jaguar, his favorite of the handful of vehicles that he kept there. He was so pulling a guy move, trying to impress her.

  Katie slid into the supple navy leather seats. The car definitely cost more than she made in a year. It was a Jaguar XK model, obviously new. It was navy black and looked like it could reflect stars. Hauk sat in the back, hooked in the seat by a doggy harness. He certainly took good care of the dog and she liked that, but he was still totally out of her league. She was overwhelmed. The ride to her station was taking too long and she cursed her pained knee for making her give in to his suggestion of the ride. Katie sat quietly in the front seat as he drove the several blocks to her station’s office building, a part of the Rock complex in midtown. He wondered if any savvy paparazzi would catch them. God, he hoped not. He pulled up to the curb and smiled to himself. Eli would be flipping out. What the fuck was he doing driving up to a news station, of all places?

  “Here we are, safe and sound.” Jacob smiled slowly.

  “Thanks for the ride. I’m sorry if I delayed you today.” Katie collected her bag, pausing briefly. She didn’t know if she would vomit in the poor man’s car after his generous offer and her sudden attack of nerves. If she had to vomit, she’d just open her purse and do it in there, saving his precious car’s interior from her disgusting and embarrassed self.

  “I’m glad I was able to help.” Jacob hesitated. If she didn’t want to see him again, it was over. His stomach clenched. This was his one shot to get to know her and he felt it slipping away. She had to make the first move.

  “Maybe…maybe I can buy you dinner sometime to thank you properly?” Katie looked at him and thought that she was probably crazy to think that he might want to see her again. What the hell had she just done? Where had those words even come from? Vomiting inside her purse was looking better and better at this moment. She immediately regretted her impulsivity to ask him out and her head swam with those overwhelming feelings, the ones where you wonder if you’ll black out from your stupidity or racing heart first. Katie doubted she could be so lucky to just pass out. After all, she’d met him in an alley and she was incredibly rude. As Trevor would say, the mugging certainly made her a prickly bitch.

  “I’d like that. How about tomorrow night? I’ll meet you here after the 6 o’clock news.” Jacob took a deep breath. He hoped that Score! was only screaming in his head and that he didn’t really yell it. He was probably okay since Katie was still looking at him and didn’t recoil in horror.

  “O-okay, I’ll see you then. I’m usually finished by 6:45, but it might take me a little to wrap up with my producer if something unexpected comes up, news-wise.” Katie never stuttered in her life, but now she was feeling like the biggest idiot on the planet.

  “Sounds excellent and, for our sake, I hope it’s a slow news day.” Jacob winked at her and wished he could have smacked himself in the face. Winking, really? Did every first date have to feel like a high school nightmare flashback, or was it just this one because he had been dreaming about it for so long?

  “Thanks again for rescuing me. See you soon. ‘Bye, Jacob. ‘Bye, Hauk!” Katie ruffled Hauk’s ears and he woofed. She jumped out of his car and across the sidewalk to the big glass and chrome office doors that one of the security guys held open for her. Jacob’s phone started ringing, but he watched her go before he picked it up.

  “Did you get any information on the mugger?” Jacob breathed deeply and went back to being strictly business, cold and methodical.

  “I’ve finally got some video surveillance. I tapped into a bank across the street and downloaded their video feed. We should be able to ID the kid in another hour. How’s the reporter?”

  “She was shaken up, but I don’t think the fall gave her a concussion or reversed the drug induced amnesia. She didn’t see enough to help her police report, either. I just dropped her off at her office to make sure that she was okay.” Although I think she remembered that I called her Lois Lane a year ago, Jacob thought. That would’ve been the beginning of some very bad developments. He would just have to watch her carefully from now on. Jacob rubbed his hand over his face. Hauk nudged his shoulder so Jacob unhooked his harness so he could climb into the front.

  “Did you tell Eli what happened yet?” Nick asked.

  “Nope. I haven’t had a chance. I just dropped her off, but I’m still pissed at him so he can do his own babysitting. However, with any luck, I’ll be seeing her tomorrow.”

  “Oh, Jacob... If you keep your interest in this girl, it’s going to make her a target. Pissing off Eli probably isn’t the best course of action.” Nick clucked at Jacob’s dismissive tone of his brother and friend.

  “You let me worry about that. We’ve done enough to her already.” Jacob hung up the phone.

  Nick could think what he wanted about Katie Wilson, but Jacob sensed that she was a loyal type. He just feared what she might do if she found out that they had met before today. She would probably freak out first, then want to investigate the situation. That would get her pretty little butt in big trouble with his brother and their “hired” superiors in the CIA office, and maybe even blow his whole cover. Worse, how would she feel knowing that he betrayed her from the beginning? He was pretty sure that she wouldn’t buy the excuse that it was “for her own good”.

  HER HEART BEATING FAST, KATIE rushed inside the building and made her way to the Channel 10 newsroom offices. Her silk blouse had a smudge on her left shoulder and her hair was tangled. She grabbed her cellphone and called the office, reaching her boss’s assistant. She briefly relayed what happened and that she was running late to the office, even though she was already inside the building and was downstairs.

  “Katie! Look what the cat dragged in!” Trevor took her by the arm, scanning the hallway, moving her down the hall and into the ladies room.

  “Trevor! You can’t be in here!” Katie tried to escape Trevor’s hold, but he was firm and gentle as he pushed her into the lavatory. Nervously, she looked around to make sure no other female news staff was in the room.

  “So you keep telling me, darling. Seriously, you don’t have what I’m interested in. So where have you been all afternoon?” Trevor brushed her hair back
and saw Katie wince. Dampening a paper towel, he began to clean off her forehead.

  “Have you seen Jeff?” Katie bit her bottom lip nervously.

  “Sweetheart, if Jeff sees you looking like this, he’ll put Lindsey on for sure. Give me your purse. Makeup! Good, it’s late enough that we can give you a smoky eye and put your gorgeous hair up for once. Hair clip? Excellent.”

  “Oww, not so high up. I have lump the size of a melon growing back there.” Trevor, although a news anchor himself, worked on the 11 o’clock circuit so he took charge of Katie and set her looks more to the way her boss liked. Trevor was not about to let his only ally get fired.

  “I have your preliminary news report that you were working on earlier so you can prep now. Darling, we have five minutes to get you out there. Jeff is pissed, but I smoothed things over and told him you were mugged. He’ll expect you to mention it in your safety piece at 6:05pm. I already submitted something to the Teleprompters.”

  “Damn, news travels fast in this office. I need to also call the police and report the mugging.”

  “Sweetie, I called them already. They’re sending a detective to take your statement.”

  “Oh, Trevor, what would I do without you?” She kissed him on the cheek and squeezed his hand affectionately.

  “Well, my dear, if you were a man, I’d tell you. However, since you’re not, I’ll settle for a full accounting of your mugging and mysterious rescuer after work tonight.” Katie smiled at Trevor’s cheeky response. She could always count on him. “Now, go, go, go!” He helped her off the sink ledge, handed her her purse, and pushed her out the door into the newsroom. Despite his “smoothing” things over, Jeff would not be so easy to deal with.

  “This is Katie Wilson here at Channel 10, reminding you to stay safe and we’ll see you at eleven. Brian, back to you.” Katie waited for the green light to go off before getting up. She could see Lindsey glaring at her from across the studio. The woman was like a shark, always looking for Katie to trip up, like that one time a year ago. Lindsey never let her forget it. She made her way to the bathroom to freshen up before meeting with the police detective who had waved to her from the lobby. She would be meeting with Trevor in the cafeteria later before he had to go on the air. Then she’d have to tell him all about Jacob Reed. She couldn’t wait to get home tonight and crawl into bed, as her adrenaline wound down and her body started to feel banged up in places that she didn’t want to think about.

  Jacob turned the TV off, slightly more relaxed. Watching Katie deliver the news had been a balm after seeing her lying motionless in the alley just hours ago. Good thing she had a hard head. The thug had knocked her out pretty good, and Jacob hadn’t been able to catch up to them in time. Once the thug had seen Jacob pull his gun, the kid took off. His only concern was making sure that Katie was okay. He didn’t even have Hauk with him to send after the kid, but Nick was getting him info. Then he’d scare the kid into a new profession.

  Detective Martinez waved at Katie from behind the glass wall in the lobby. She went out to meet him and shook his hand. “Thank-you for coming here to meet me, Detective.”

  “Usually victims come to the station to make a statement. I understand you were mugged this morning, correct?” Detective Martinez was condescending, but she was used to directing difficult interviews.

  “It happened at about noon, lunch time. I was going to the Starbucks across the street for some coffee, and then this kid grabbed my purse and took off.”

  “Did anyone else see this happen?” He pulled out his pocket notebook and began scribbling notes.

  “Only half of New York, Detective, but nobody cared enough to stop him.” Katie stood defensively, her arms crossed over her chest. She could tell that he had no interest in taking her report.

  “You said a bystander helped you afterwards. Can they identify the alleged perp?”

  “I can, but he didn’t see anything. He only came afterwards and helped to make sure I was okay. What I do recall is that the kid looked to be a young Hispanic male in his late teens, probably involved in some gang initiation, no visible tattoos that I could see. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, low-rise jeans, and red high-top sneakers.”

  “That’s not much to go on and he dropped your purse so, essentially, nothing was taken.”

  “Well, correct; however, he’s still out there and probably looking to mug someone else.”

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Wilson, but this really isn’t very much to go on. We get these kinds of reports all the time and, since nothing was taken, our lab really wouldn’t bother trying to fingerprint your purse, which you probably have been using all day anyway. What was the bystander’s name?”

  “I’m sorry to have wasted your time, Detective. Mr. Reed could make a statement in support but, like I said, he didn’t see anything. I’d only met him today after he helped me after the mugging.”

  “No problem, Ms. Wilson. Next time, I’d suggest not chasing after your attacker for a story, though. It’s not safe. You could have been killed, or worse. Here’s my card in case you recall anything relevant.” The detective handed Katie his white-and-black embossed city PD card and left. His statement made her wonder what would have been worse than death. The kid probably needed funds to help his family, she thought, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. She walked over to her cubicle and tossed it on top of some papers that she had on her desk. Feeling a little sore and defeated, she sat down at her desk for a moment to collect herself. She could try investigating the story further, but Jeff would probably frown on that. Her probationary work period still wasn’t quite over from her last stunt. She absently rubbed her ankle, hoping the soreness would ease up. She decided to get up and find Trevor. Maybe a chat before his segment would make her feel better.

  She found him in the cafeteria, getting coffee and a small meal. “That detective was a real prick.” She looked a little worn and worse for wear, and followed him through the line, getting herself some coffee. She didn’t want a repeat of this afternoon by going across the street for coffee.

  “Katie, love, tell me how you really feel. Should I have gotten his number?” Trevor chuckled at her grumpiness and rested his hand over Katie’s in a protective gesture.

  She laughed. “No, he just wasn’t helpful and probably thought I wasn’t very credible. He figured I was going after an angle to make a story of it. That was Jeff’s idea, not mine.”

  “That’s too bad. Maybe this kid will get caught anyway. They seem to keep up with a pattern of criminal behavior and eventually get caught up in the system.”

  “Yeah, let’s hope he doesn’t escalate and really hurt somebody. He seemed really young and it’s a shame he had to go down that path in his life. Thanks for earlier. You know, I feel like I owe everybody today, especially you.” Katie held her cup of crappy office coffee in her hands to warm them.

  “Don’t worry, Katie. I’m happy to help. You keep my secrets, darling, and I’ll keep yours. So spill the beans about your mystery man already! I’m bursting at the seams of my suit here.” Katie moved closer to Trevor, resting her head on his shoulder for a moment, thinking. Her body was feeling achy after the day’s events, and her adrenaline wore off hours earlier.

  She yawned and picked up the coffee, taking a fortifying sip. “Well, I was on the corner getting some coffee at Starbucks and, while I was distracted, this guy grabbed my bag. Without thinking, I just started chasing him. I’d just about caught him when he turned around and pushed me. I fell and wacked my head pretty good. When I woke up, I was in Jacob’s apartment.”

  “Ooh! Juicy, darling! Clothes on or off? Who is this Jacob? Come on, don’t hold back! I want age, looks, and location!” Trevor practically wiggled in his seat.

  “Shhh!” Katie rolled her eyes and looked around. Holding her coffee cup up to her pursed lips, she went back to her story. “He’s this guy that lives nearby and has a gorgeous dog named Hauk.”

  “That’s it? I’m your best friend! Det
ails, please! What does he look like?” Trevor whined his request as he crammed food in his mouth. She rubbed the back of her neck and head, gingerly.

  “He’s really tall and has these huge shoulders,” Katie reminisced dreamily.

  “Who? The guy or the dog, love?” As usual, Trevor was impatient for details.

  “Him! He must have carried me from the alley to his apartment. His hair is dark, his eyes are dark. He looks really fit in a business suit.”

  “That’s it? Dark eyes and hair? Really fit? Oh, lord have mercy. This is why you’re still single, my dear. No observation skills at all. We need to get you laid.” Katie bristled at Trevor’s comment as if she’d heard something like that about her before. Come to think of it, she hadn’t even gone out on many lead investigative stories since Tully’s death. Now, she mostly covered stories preapproved by Jeff, with another staffer and cameraperson in tow.

  “So how did it end when you left his apartment? Did he make a move?” Trevor blinked his eyes rapidly. Katie laughed at his ridiculousness, shaking herself back to reality.

  “I thanked him for rescuing me. Initially, I turned down the ride back to the station, but my busted knee had other ideas. He dropped me off and I ran into you, literally. Oh, by the way, thanks again for saving my ass.”

  “Oh, my god.” Trevor slowly put his fork down and looked into Katie’s eyes.

  “What?” Katie whispered harshly, looking around and then back at Trevor, realizing he was mocking her.

  “You thanked him for rescuing you…and then you just left? Have I taught you nothing? Unbelievable.” Shaking his head, he put another forkful of food into his mouth and began chewing away, staring at her like a science project.