by S. J. Lewis
“Very clearly,” she nodded. “Why?”
“Well, Red,” he sighed. “The plain fact is, after YOU, everything seemed like plain vanilla ice cream to ME, over and over again. I tried to shrug it off, but it just wouldn’t go away.”
“You’re kidding,” she accused, but the look in his eyes told her he wasn’t.
“I ain’t kiddin’, Red.” His hand closed on hers, holding it tightly. “The absolute worst moment of my life was just a while ago when I thought that bastard was going to shoot you before I could do anything.”
She looked into his eyes for a long time. Neither spoke.
“What…” Claudia gulped. “What about Dianne?”
He sighed. “I thought she was gonna come up,” he began. “Look, Red, I’d tried everything else I knew to find you for six months, and no luck. I ran into little Dee by accident…mostly…and I figured if anyone knew where you were, she would. I think I went a little crazy that night. She was the closest thing to you there.”
“So…what do you want now?” Claudia asked.
“I know what I don’t want,” he answered. “I don’t want plain vanilla any more.”
“That’s not good enough,” Claudia shook her head.
“Well, what do you want, Red?”
She sighed, and laid down beside him again. “I don’t know, Sam. I’m not thinking clearly right now anyway. How do I know you won’t just up and leave one day?”
“I guess you don’t. I don’t know how to convince you, either.”
They were silent again for a long, long moment.
“What the hell do you do?” Claudia asked at last.
“What?”
“What do you do for a living, Sam? I don’t know anything about you, really.”
“Oh,” he shrugged. “I’m a consulting engineer, Red. Major construction, worldwide.”
“You’re kidding!”
He laughed ruefully. “No, I ain’t. I’ve got my own agency, and I’m very good at what I do. I can pick and choose my jobs, set my own hours, live like I want between jobs.”
“You had me thinking you were some kind of biker-bum, maybe doing a little smuggling on the side for cash or something.”
“Yeah, I know,” he chuckled.
“So why let me think that?”
“Hell, Red,” he shrugged again. “Wasn’t it more of a thrill, thinkin’ you were with some bad boy, some outlaw? Little threat of violence givin’ everything an edge?”
She laughed. “You’re a pretty good actor, anyway. How do I know you’re telling me the truth now?”
“You don’t,” he shrugged. “But why would I lie? You’d find out for yourself soon enough.”
She kissed him softly. “Sam…” she sighed. “Thank you again for saving my life tonight. But we both have to see Sergeant Sanchez in the morning.”
“And?”
“And I’m trying to take all this in right now, and it’s a little overwhelming. I need a good night’s sleep, and some time to think, and I’m not going to get either one if you stay here. Besides…” she giggled, “you’re going to need a change of clothes, and I don’t have anything that will fit you here.”
“Okay, Red.” He pulled her head closer for another kiss. “I guess you’re right. On top of everything else, I think I need medical attention.” He sat up, looked back over his shoulder at her. “See? I must’ve run into a bobcat.”
Surprised and a bit chagrined, she looked at his lacerated back. Could she have done that? There were little red scratches all over him. She caught his eye, and he gave her a wink.
She began to laugh, nervously at first, until he joined in, and then they were holding each other, laughing uproariously as tears streamed down their faces, unable to stop.
***
Sergeant Sanchez did not look as if she’d had much sleep last night. Her desk was littered with papers and reports, and while her phone kept ringing, she didn’t answer it.
“Geez, Cole,” she observed tiredly, “you don’t do anything halfway, do you?”
“What do you mean?” Claudia asked. She was in one of the uncomfortable chairs in front of Sanchez’s desk. Sam, next to her, occupied the other. Before he’d left last night she’d insisted on treating his wounds. It looked like this morning they were bothering him a little, for he sat upright and very still.
“Harry talked. Hell, Harry won’t shut up. Shepperton wouldn’t say a thing- once he came to in the hospital. You clobbered him pretty good, Sam Pender.”
Sam said nothing, only shrugged…and winced. Claudia resisted a smile.
“Like I said, he wouldn’t say a thing until I played him back Harry’s interrogation, and then he knew just how dead HE was. So HE started talking. If he was going to go down for this, he was taking everybody he could down with him. You know what I have my detectives doing right now, Cole?”
“Uh…no.” Claudia replied.
“They’re out serving arrest warrants on the three Bowman partners. Judge Heinman wasn’t too happy about being waked up at three in the morning to sign them, either.
“I don’t understand,” a puzzled Claudia shook her head.
“You don’t? Well, let me lay it all out for you,” Sanchez grinned broadly. “You figured Shepperton was just arranging burglaries? Oh, shit, no! This goes deeper. The Bowman owners found out a while ago that they’d made a teensy little error. They put in a bid to manufacture some things, and won the bid. Then they found out they’d screwed up, and couldn’t produce the items for the price quoted. They didn’t want to eat the losses. Would’ve meant big pay cuts for all of them for a while. Shepperton found out somehow, and between them they cooked up this stinking mess which, thanks to you, Cole, is now piled high and deep on my desk,” she waved at the mass of papers. “It gets better!” Sanchez went on, enjoying herself. “The DA has already been on the phone. The Bowman guys were big contributors to his last campaign, and he isn’t at all happy about any of this. I think he’s going to be throwing every book he can at everybody he can just to show how unaffected he is by those contributions.” She shook her head. “I wish he’d be as anxious to go after some of our more violent customers, but, what the hell? This thing is big enough for state and Federal authorities to want their own pieces of it too. Shepperton’s looking at charges everywhere he turns.” Sanchez leaned back in her chair, propped her feet up on her desk. “Which brings me to my question.”
“What question?” Claudia asked. “It seems like you’ve got a handle on everything.”
Sanchez laughed. “Yeah, I do, but there’s one more potential charge against Shepperton. Didn’t he try to shoot you last night?”
Claudia frowned in response, “He tried to KILL me.”
“Yeah. I know. I believe you, too, but it’s only your word and Sam Pender’s here that he tried. Us dumb cops were all looking the other way when it happened, gathering up Harry’s little gang. My question is, do you want to file charges against him and get in line with everybody else? In football, they call that ‘piling on’.”
“Oh,” Claudia said, “I see.” She thought for a moment. “How strong are all the other cases against him?”
“Cole,” Sanchez dropped her feet back to the floor and leaned forward. “He isn’t getting out of jail, local, state, or Federal, until he is a very, very old man.”
“How long do I have to file charges?”
“Well, you sure don’t have to file today,” Sanchez replied. “And to be honest, I kinda wish you wouldn’t, ‘cause I’m really, really busy right now thanks to you. I’ll tell you what, though.”
“What?”
“Go home. Think about it for a while. Give me a call in a week or two. There’ll still be time to file. If you still want to then, do it with my blessing.”
Claudia looked at her. She knew Sanchez well enough to know she was sincere. She looked across at Sam, who looked back and shrugged (and winced again)
“You’re the one he tried to shoot, Red,” he
said. “Your choice. Me, I’m just your witness.”
“Yeah, but will you be here later when I file or it goes to trial?”
“Well…” Sam looked at Sanchez. “Why don’t you take our depositions today? Just to get them on the record?”
Sanchez eyed him keenly, “Good idea.”
***
It was after noon when they walked out of the police station.
“I think she’s going to check up on you, Sam Pender.” Claudia said. “I can see it in her eyes. Something about you sets off her internal alarms.”
“Me?” Sam feigned surprise. “How could that be?”
Claudia smiled up at him. “Just something about you, Sam. Trust me. She’s going to check you out, and I’m going to ask her what she finds out.”
He smiled back at her. “And if I turn out to be just who I say I am will you be disappointed?”
“I don’t know,” Claudia’s smile got a bit lopsided. “I have a feeling that there’s a lot about you that won’t show up on any records anyway.”
“So now what, Red?” he asked, tilting his head to one side.
Claudia reached up to caress his cheek. It was stubbly, and she liked the feeling.
“I have work to do at the office yet. I’m going to be busy today. Do you have a number where I can reach you?”
“Still thinkin’, hey, Red?”
“Just give me the damned number. And wait for my call.”
He laughed, and gave her the number. “Okay, I’ll wait, but I’m getting myself something to eat first. For some reason I’m really hungry today.” He leaned down to give her cheek a quick little peck. “I’ll see you tonight, Red,” he told her before he sauntered off.
She watched him go. So, he was that sure she was going to see him tonight? For a moment some of her old anger at his smug self-assurance flared up, but it died quickly, leaving her chuckling to herself. He was more complicated than he seemed and she was actually glad to see that side of him again.
“Hey, Chief!” She heard Jerry’s voice behind her just as she was opening the door to her office, and she stopped and turned. Jerry was trotting up the walkway from the parking lot, toting a plastic bag, grinning like an idiot. She waited for him to catch up.
He arrived puffing a little, but still grinning. “You did it, didn’t you?”
Claudia smiled, “WE did it, Jer. What’s all that?” she indicated the bag.
“Huh?” he looked down. “Oh, we were waiting lunch on you and finally decided to go ahead and get something anyway. Let’s go in! I want to hear how it all went down.”
“She’s here, Marabel!” Jerry called out as they entered.
“Miss Cole!” Marabel exclaimed, getting up from her chair. “Are you all right? The police said there were shots fired, but…”
“I’m fine, I’m fine, Marabel!” Claudia held up her hand. I saw it all, and there was only one shot fired. Ah…who’s this?” Sitting on a chair next to Marabel’s desk was a young woman, small, blonde, wearing a slightly shabby business suit and a nervous smile.
“This is Amanda Willis,” Marabel introduced her. “The temp agency sent her over.”
“Hi, Amanda,” Claudia greeted her, holding out a hand. “I’m Claudia Cole. Has Marabel been showing you around?”
“Uh…yes, ma’am,” Amanda nodded, standing up and hastily taking Claudia’s hand.
“Think you can handle things while she’s away?” Claudia asked.
Amanda gulped and reddened, looked down. “I think so,” she said shyly.
Claudia looked at Marabel, who just smiled and nodded. Well, if Marabel approved of her…
“Anything interesting in the mail today?” Claudia asked.
Marabel’s smile beamed. “No, but there was a delivery for you.”
“A delivery?”
“Show her, Jerry.”
Jerry stepped over behind a filing cabinet and came back out with a bouquet. It was huge: Roses, lilies, chrysanthemums…those were the only ones she could name, but there were many more she couldn’t. It was an amazing array of blossoms. Jerry placed it on her desk.
“This…when did this arrive?” Stunned, Claudia sat down hard in her chair.
“This morning,” Marabel answered.
“There was no card, right?”
“No, there’s a card,” Jerry said, holding up a small envelope. “Here, Chief.”
Claudia took the envelope from him, started to open it, and then looked up. When she did, both Jerry and Marabel suddenly found something extremely important to do. Marabel towed Amanda along with her.
Smiling, Claudia opened the envelope. There was a sheet of paper folded up inside. When she opened it, the first thing she saw was a copy of a driver’s license: John Samuel Pender. She laughed out loud. Underneath, the only written message was the same phone number he had given her as they had left the police station. She wondered why he would give it to her again, and then realized he couldn’t possibly have had time to send this monster bouquet in the time between their parting and her arrival here, which meant…
She sat down, laughing. She knew that both Marabel and Jerry…and probably Amanda too, were just dying to know what was so funny, but there was no way she could tell them without having to explain it, which would tell them all far too much. She wiped her eyes and folded the note up, returning it to the envelope. Let them wonder. It wouldn’t kill them. She put the envelope in her purse.
“Say, Jer,” she said, looking up at him. “Do you think you could hold down the fort next week, with Amanda’s help?”
“Huh?” Jerry looked surprised. “Well, yeah, sure, I guess. It’s pretty slow now that the Bowman case is tied up. Why?”
Claudia smiled at him, “I think I need a little vacation.”
***
It was just getting dark out when she finally called Sam. She’d finished all her preparations hours ago, but had purposely delayed calling him in order to let him stew a little. He would never let her know if it had worked, though, and she had been doing some stewing herself. Well, no. Actually it was more like simmering.
She heard his phone ring. From outside, she heard a low growl of thunder. The weather service had been predicting evening thunderstorms for weeks. It seemed like tonight they’d finally gotten lucky.
He picked it up after the fourth ring. “Hi, Red,” he said.
“You’re so sure it has to be me?” she chuckled.
“You’re the only one with the number, Red,” he answered. “Talk to me.”
“I want you to go here,” she gave him the address. “It’s a little motel, out near the airport. Just go to the office, and they’ll give you a key to a room. Go to that room and wait for me.”
“I think I can find it,” he said. “This is kinda mysterious, Red. How do I know you’ll show up?”
“You know, damn you,” she chuckled. “You know. Now do it!”
“Yes, ma’am!” he answered before hanging up.
She waited another thirty minutes before leaving her apartment, and for the last fifteen of them she was pacing her living room, watching the hands of the wall clock creep ever so slowly. She could hear more thunder, still distant but growing closer. She hoped it would hold off just a little bit longer. She hated driving in the rain, especially at night.
When she stepped outside, she could feel a fresh breeze blowing in ahead of the storm. Off to the north and west she could see occasional flashes of lightning, high in the sky.
She drove carefully. The last thing she wanted now was any kind of accident, or getting pulled over for some traffic infraction. The roads seemed almost deserted at this hour. She was thankful for that.
The first fat raindrops began to hit her windshield just as she pulled into the motel parking lot. The place had seen better days, but the family running it was slowly making improvements as they could afford them. They’d sunk all their savings into buying it last year, and their efforts were paying off. Business was up, mostly truckers and
salesmen happy to find a clean place to sleep that didn’t cost much for a night. Most of the parking spaces were occupied tonight, she noticed, and smiled. They were good people and hard workers, and had been only too happy to return a favor to her by holding that room.
His car was there. She could just make out that the lights were on inside through the heavy drapes. More raindrops began to splatter on her car, big fat ones now. She scurried out of her car to the door and knocked on it.
He opened the door almost immediately, and started to gather her into his arms, but she held up a hand to stop him.
“Wait!” she ordered.
He shrugged and stepped aside so she could enter, and closed the door behind her. She took a few steps into the room and turned to give him a sly half-smile. The rain had given her an excuse to wear her trench coat. She made no move to take it off. Instead she gave him a slow wink and then walked slowly into the bathroom, shutting the door.
Red was acting oddly again, he thought, but given how things had turned out last night with her acting oddly, he didn’t mind. He’d have to keep her nails out of his back, though.
He went over to the bed and stretched out on it to wait for her. He could hear the rain pounding on the roof now. It sounded like a real frog-strangler out there. Where had he heard that turn of phrase? So many different places he’d been, so many different people he’d met, and worked with. Somehow, he’d never expected to find himself lying on an old bed in an old motel, waiting for a woman who could pull him all the way back to her from halfway around the world. He heaved a sigh, and smiled. He’d wait. She was worth waiting for.
Claudia checked her hair in the mirror, brushed back a stray coppery lock. She slipped off the low heels she’d worn and smiled at her reflection. No, she didn’t want plain vanilla, over and over again, all the rest of her life. He said he didn’t either, and that was why he’d come back. Would he stay? She’d find out. She was sure as Hell going to give him a reason to.
