Fast and Easy (10 page)

“How’d a girl get to be a captain?” The football player tried to sound sarcastic with a swagger in his tone.

“I worked very hard, followed rules and thought about the rest of my squad.” She pointed to her shield. “You earn these with honesty and caring about people.”

Don had never heard Carmen talk about her job with such pride. He’d fallen for a beautiful, charming and loving woman. His personal admiration was interrupted by a tiny voice coming from a back row.

“Ma’am.” A small, blonde girl shyly held up her hand, looking straight ahead as she spoke. “I want you to arrest Billy.”

Carmen’s attention riveted on the little girl with uncombed hair and huge blue eyes. “What’s your name, honey?”

Don didn’t miss the stiffening of Carmen’s back as she moved between the desks to speak with the child. She’d sensed a problem in the girl’s life. “Why do you want me to arrest Billy?”

“He hits me and pulls my hair.”

A moment of concern hit Don in the gut. Carmen’s cheeks pinked noticeably as she patted the girl’s hand. “Is Billy here today?”

Mrs. Grady glanced at Don with a hint of worry in her eyes. She’d heard the stern authority in Carmen’s voice, too. He tried to make eye contact with Carmen before she ripped into the kid.

Too late. The girl pointed to the redheaded, freckle-faced boy in the desk next to her. “That’s him.”

Instead of Carmen reaming the boy a new asshole like he’d expected her to do, she went to the front of the quiet room. She paced in front of the group several times before speaking to the class. “Sometimes, Amy, boys think hitting a girl shows their affection for that girl.” Carmen clasped her hands behind her back, making her point without raising her voice. “What boys don’t realize is how much stronger they are than girls. It doesn’t show affection, it shows lack of consideration and it is wrong. Men do not hit women. Ever, Billy.”

To his surprise, Billy, the hood in question nodded and apologized to Amy. Hell, it had to be love.

The half hour went quickly, and the kids crowded around to get the free tin badges the department had sent over for them. The boys wanted to look at Carmen’s weapon and the girls all seemed intrigued with her hair.

Waiting for her turn, Amy shyly approached Carmen and hugged her around the waist.

Don’s heart pounded with tenderness while Carmen embraced the little girl and stroked her hair. She straightened the belt holding up Amy’s threadbare jeans and teased her into a laugh.

The woman scored a mega hit, with the kids all hugging her before filing out of the room and heading for the lunchroom.

When she had finished talking with Mrs. Grady, Carmen met his gaze and smiled, a flush on her cheeks.

He knew at that moment, nothing could change his feelings for Carmen.

Forever in love with Carmen, that’s you Genonese
.

Chapter Twelve

Carmen hated leaving Don after the wonderful morning they’d shared, but if she stayed with him, she’d never get to work on time.

She remembered to get her mail from the hall mailbox, waiting until she was inside her apartment before looking at the handful of bills and flyers. A folded piece of yellow paper caught her eye as it fell to the floor.

Reaching for it, she scowled at the grease spot on the paper. The kids down the hall must be putting things in mail boxes again. She tossed the scrap of paper onto the hall table and unbuckled her gun belt. Walking toward her bedroom, Carmen unbuttoned her uniform shirt and unzipped the trousers she no longer found so distasteful.

She had time to catch a nap and still get to the station on time. The sight of the half made bed didn’t bother her. Don had slept there last night, and she happily lay down on his side, hugging his pillow, inhaling his scent.

Drifting off into a comfortable drowse, she paid little attention to the thumping against the outside wall. Her peaceful afternoon instantly ruptured by the sound of her car alarm blaring.

This was the second time in a week someone had set the thing off. She groaned and got up to hit the cancel button on her key pad. A look out the front window revealed exactly what she expected. Nothing.

Her yawn instantly stifled as she walked by the front door. Another yellow note had been shoved under the door. This time she picked it up.

She read the illegible written words several times.
You been warned bitch. Yur dead.

Carmen had been called worse things and threatened, but never had the threat come into her home. She read the insane note again, torn between anger and worry. Who would dare come to her home, and how the hell did they know where she lived? If it had come from a previous arrest, which one?

She picked up the phone and hit Don’s number, staring at the offensive scrap in her fingers.

When he answered his phone, he sounded sleepy. “Hi, sweet Carmen.” He must have been resting well. His muffled groan made her wince with guilt. She knew firsthand how hard it was for cops to get enough sleep. “Can’t get enough of me, huh?”

She exhaled, wishing she hadn’t called him. “I may have a problem.”

“I’ll be right there.” The sounds from his end of the connection told her he had gotten out of bed and was getting dressed. “Do you need a squad car?”

“No, I’m not sure it’s even a problem. Yet.”

After she hung up the phone, Carmen checked the doors and waited for Don. In her head, she ran a memory file of arrests she’d made in the last few months. They’d all made threats and screamed lawsuit. Nothing ever came of any of them. She finally decided she worried for nothing. Lots of kids around the area knew she was cop and probably thought it would be a cool joke to play on her.

She’d taken a shower and dressed in a white pants suit by the time Don arrived. He seemed anxious, scanning the apartment when she let him in.

“What’s going on, Carm?”

“Maybe nothing.” She loved being in his arms, being hugged close to his strong body. She may be a cop, but she was still a woman.

“Has to be something, or you wouldn’t have called.” He kissed her and gazed into her eyes.

“Just a series of silly stuff.” She put all the little odd things into prospective and realized they weren’t silly.

She picked up the greasy note and handed it to him, watching his normal, easy going expression freeze into anger. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen.

“We’re treating this as a threat against you.” He looked out the small window over the sink and closed the café curtains. “Get your purse and a couple changes of clothes.”

“What?” She finally comprehended the meaning of his words. “Don. I’m not running from my home because of some coward’s scribbling.”

“Don’t get stubborn on me, Carm.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t mind sharing my sheets with you.”

“Don’t try to sweet talk me, Genonese.” Her desire for independence wouldn’t be taken down by this threat. “I love that you would share your home with me, but I’m a big girl.”

“Redstone, you’re a stubborn woman, but I think I know best this time.” He jiggled her several times to get her attention. “I’ll be worried about you and won’t be able to do my job. You don’t won’t that on your conscience, do you?”

“I’m going to work, and so are you.” She poured two cups of leftover breakfast coffee into mugs and set them in the microwave. “I’ll do a search of the files and see if anything comes up. Okay?”

He shook his head and took the mug she handed him. “You know best, but don’t think I will forget this.”

“Oh, I know you won’t.” She dumped the coffee in the carafe into the sink. “Thank you for coming over. I’m okay now.”

“Take this seriously, Carmen.” He rinsed his cup and gazed steadily at her. “It has all the stink of someone wanting to get even.”

Before he left, Carmen was aware of Don’s looking at her window locks and deadbolt on her door. He wasn’t stealthy enough to fool her. His concern warmed her heart, and she knew why she loved him.

Alone, Carmen went through the apartment to satisfy herself that the place had been locked tight. She left for work, knowing there would be little time for personal problems once she walked in the door.

With twenty minutes to fill before the new shift arrived, Carmen closed the door to her office and sat at her desk. She ran a checklist on her prior arrests made in the past year and took notes of the most sinister threats thrown at her. Filthy names didn’t count.

None of them proved to be likely suspects, and most of them were serving sentences. She’d never worried about empty threats made in anger from the garbage. They were pissed because they’d been caught, nothing personal.

What a job, and you asked for it
.

She sat up straight when her door opened and Gentry stepped into her office. “What can I do for you, Detective?”

He glanced at the screen of her computer. “Busy?” He sat in the chair in front of her desk. “Gotta say, Captain. You’ve cleaned this place up nice.”

Carmen hadn’t been fooled by his tea time conversation. He wanted something.

“Yeah, I’m a real homemaker.” She closed out the screen on her computer. “What is it? A gripe from the ranks?”

“Not out loud.” He laughed and straightened his flower-patterned tie. “I thought maybe you’d like company tonight on your rounds.”

“Don put you up to this, didn’t he?”

“You don’t play stupid very well, Gentry.” Carmen leaned across her desk to look him in the eye. “I don’t need a babysitter.” She looked up to see sergeant Rosen standing in the doorway. “Sergeant. I’ll be out before the officers go on patrol.”

“Well, that’s not exactly what I wanted to see you about, Captain.” He shifted from one foot to the other. “There’s something you need to see in the men’s public restroom.”

“Okay.” She didn’t find it amusing as Gentry apparently did. She stood and followed Sergeant Rosen to the hall leading to the restrooms.

“I hate to ask you to come in here, but it’s important.” He went in first and opened the last stall door. “In here, ma’am.”

Gentry followed close on her heels and leaned over her shoulder to read the magic marker graffiti. “Son-of-a-bitch.” He scrubbed his hand over his mouth before apologizing. “Sorry, Captain.”

She waved her hand to dismiss the apology. The crude drawing of a woman with a penis in her mouth didn’t startle her. The name under it did. Captun Hore Redstone, blazed out at her in printed bold letters, underlined. An arrow pointed from the drawing’s mouth to her name.

Inhaling a shaky breath, she crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s plain enough.”

“We’ll get that cleaned off pronto.” Sergeant Rosen was visibly angry, his dark eyes narrowed and words clipped as he added. “Sorry that happened.”

“Don’t you people watch who comes and goes in this place?” Gentry glared at sergeant Rosen.

“I just came on duty, Detective.” Rosen glared back at the man who’d insulted his competence. “We can’t lead all of the crazies by the hand.”

Carmen ended the short confrontation. “No one’s to blame. Sergeant Rosen is right, and I don’t want this to go any further. Okay?”

“Well, we need to pick up all the freaks in the city and squeeze what we need out of them.”

The sergeant rubbed his jaw and nodded. “It’s somebody that knows your routine and where you work. Some degenerate that could hurt you, Captain.”

She tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sigh. “Stop worrying about this. I think it’s a kid. An adult would have already come after me.”

“Freaks like to taunt first.” Gentry pointed to the offensive drawing. “It’s somebody with zero IQ, which makes him even more dangerous.”

“Let’s go.” She turned and headed off to let the evening patrol know she was around. She waited until the sergeant was out of earshot before cautioning Gentry. “Don’t make too big a deal out of this, and don’t make any special report to Genonese. He has enough to worry about.”

“He’s not going to take it worth a damn when he does find out.”

“We’re not going to tell him, are we?”

He didn’t answer, simply straightened his tie before walking away to leave the building.

Carmen was surprised these men were so protective of her. She wasn’t accustomed to being hovered over. The threats to kill her dredged up ugly memories from years ago.

That’ll be the day, you son-of-a-bitch
.

She shivered and hurried to the conference room.

Chapter Thirteen

Don heaved a sigh of relief, grateful to find a table at Anthony’s this late in the evening. The corner restaurant had the best authentic Italian food in Kansas City next to his mom’s cooking. He wished Carmen could have had dinner with him, but her shift had ended an hour earlier.

He frowned, puzzled that she hadn’t called him before heading home.

Funny how he’d erased all other women from his life. Carmen effectively removed every memory of his pussy chasing days and enthroned herself as his woman. He got the feeling she didn’t know how deep in his blood she had gotten. Getting close to her had been a hell of a job, and he still wasn’t sure where he fit in her life.

He sipped the glass of Merlot he’d ordered, groaning softly when Gentry approached his corner table.

“Gentry.” He gestured to the chair across from him. “What’s up?” The detective seemed unusually quiet. He sat down and fiddled with the napkin wrapped silverware on the table. Don shook his head and moved the utensils out of Gentry’s reach. “What’s going on?”

“Redstone talk to you tonight?” Gentry helped himself to one of the breadsticks in the basket.

“I’ve been on duty and I assume so has she.” The question had been innocent enough, but worry turned Don’s nerves to liquid fire. “You want to talk, or do I choke it out of you?”

Gentry held his hands up. “No need for violence, my man.” He glanced around. “It seems some prick has it in for her. Drew a nasty cartoon of her in the men’s john sometime today.”

Don tried to breathe against the squeeze of blood rushing through his heart. “What else?”

“The usual shit. You know, the old standby, I’m gonna get you, and you’ll be sorry.” Gentry gripped Don’s wrist. “Settle down, boy. I’m taking a chance just telling you. She’ll have my balls for this.”