A Dozen Deadly Roses (3 page)

Jade gave Mac a visual inspection when she saw him.  “Are you all right?  At least she could have told us to look for a dog.  Good job, partner.”  Jade brushed dirt and small shards of glass from Mac’s back. “You almost became a crispy critter,” she said eyeing the puppy squirming in his arms, “you and your little dog too.”

“Very funny.  Dexter, I’d like you to meet my partner, Jade.  Jade, Dexter.”

Jade shook the puppy’s paw.

Dexter’s owner staggered toward them, arms outstretched.  “Dexter, darling!  You’re safe.  Mommy doesn’t know what she would have done if you’d gotten hurt.”  The woman, swaying on spike heels, covered the dog’s shiny coat with kisses.  She then turned to Mac.  “Thank you, officer.  Thank you so much!  I can’t tell you what this means to me.”  The stale smell of alcohol wafted in the air.

Mac passed the puppy off to Jade and took the woman’s hand.

“I’m glad it turned out okay, and neither of you were seriously hurt.  Unfortunately,” he said, spinning the woman around, “I’m detaining you for driving under the influence of alcohol.”  He ratcheted the handcuffs in place before the woman could react.

Immediately the drunk began to wail and protest her innocence.  Jade handed the dog to a traffic officer who had arrived to investigate the accident.  Jade did a quick pat-down search of the sobbing woman, and then walked her to their police car.  The closer they got to the black and white, the louder and more profane the woman became.

Mac shook his head. 
I wonder if people were as disgusted with me when I was drinking?
  His body still craved booze.  It was a daily battle.  Some days he fared better than others, but it was a thin line.

Mac and Jade gave the traffic officer their names and unit number and told him they would take care of booking the drunk driver if he would handle the dog and the traffic accident report.  Seeing the woman banging her head on the windows of the police car, the traffic cop happily agreed.

Once the intoxicated female failed the Field Sobriety Test, and she’d been seen by a jail doctor and booked, the rest of the shift passed comparatively quietly.  They handled a domestic violence call resulting in an arrest, and later, a barking dog complaint.

During the course of their day, Mac realized that Jade had turned out to be a competent police officer no thanks to the training he’d provided her.  But today he’d been able to handle his side of the car as well.  Oh, he’d needed help with some of the new paperwork, but overall, his cop skills were still intact – a fact that surprised him.  Working with Jade hadn’t been nearly as bad as he’d imagined.

After unloading the patrol car, they hauled their gear back to the kit room, and then waited in line to return their equipment.

“Hey, Donovan,” an officer called out.  “You’ve got a package up at the front desk.”  As he passed by, he poked her in the arm.  “Don’t worry, it’s not ticking.”

The officer joked, but Mac immediately noticed Jade’s expression froze in place.  In fact, her usually creamy complexion turned as pasty as a cadaver’s.

“Thanks, Bill.  I’ll get it as soon as we get this equipment checked in.”

Mac turned to her, taking the shotgun from her hands.  “I’ve got this covered.  Go get your package.”

Jade bit her lip.  “Okay, thanks,” she murmured.

Like a walking zombie, she headed toward the front desk.  Mac frowned.  Something was definitely wrong.  His partner appeared dazed.

After turning in their equipment, Mac settled into the officers’ report writing room to finish his paperwork.  He glanced up as Jade came from the front desk.  She held a gold foil box, typical of ones used by florists.  A scarlet ribbon and bow secured the container.  She hadn’t opened the package yet.

“Hey, partner, need a knife?”

“Oh, no.  Thank you.  I’ll open it at home,” she replied in a monotone.

Again, Mac frowned.  With her blank stare and droned response, she walked and sounded like someone high on PCP.

“Is everything okay?”

Her eyes finally focused on him.  She gave him a sickly smile.  “Yes, everything is fine.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.  Drive carefully.”  He felt his stomach tighten.  His years of experience told him the sensation in his belly meant something was wrong.  Maybe she’d had a fight with her boyfriend, and he’d sent the flowers as a way to make amends.  If so, she didn’t look happy to get them.

# # #

After changing out of her uniform, Jade drove to her father’s home and pulled her ice-blue SUV onto the cracked driveway.  No matter how long she lived on her own, this one-story ranch style house in the San Fernando Valley would always be home.

Stepping onto the concrete front porch, she rapped lightly on the wooden screen door.  Creaks in the floorboards announced someone's approach.  She plastered a smile on her face.  She didn’t want her Dad to see any evidence she was upset.  The door opened.

“Hi Dad.  How’s it going?”  Although he hadn’t touched a drop in three years, she couldn’t keep herself from looking for the telltale signs he’d been drinking.

Angus Donovan opened the screen door, allowing her entry.

“Oh, fair to middlin’.  That young ‘un of yours is a handful.  He’s kept me and Mona hopping all day.”

Jade followed her father to the family room.  Well-worn furniture lined the walls.  A blanket covered the floor in the center of the room.  Donnie and her father’s friend from Alcoholics Anonymous, Mona, lay on the blanket and colored in large books while cartoons blared from the television in the corner.

“Mama!” Donnie jumped up and ran to her, throwing his plump arms around her knees.

Jade bent down and squeezed her son tight.  Tears filled her eyes seeing how much he resembled his father.  It broke her heart that Donnie’s daddy wasn’t around, but having no male parent was better than having an unfit father.

“Hey, Sweetie.  Did you have a good day with Grandpa and Mona?”

The child nodded his head, his dark hair framing his chestnut eyes.  “Mama, you’re holding me too tight,” Donnie complained, wiggling from her arms.  “We played war, and Grandpa and Mona were terrorists.  I was a fireman, and I saved the world,” the four-year-old said, proudly.

“I think it’s disgraceful children his age even know about terrorists,” said Mona, rising from the floor and moving to the tan faux-suede sofa.  “Whatever happened to Bert and Ernie, or Captain Kangaroo?”  she asked, sitting next to Angus on the tan faux-suede sofa.

Jade shook her head.  “Times have changed.  You never know where danger lurks.  That’s why it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and be prepared.”  Her thoughts flashed to the foil box hidden in the back of her truck. 
Pretty sanctimonious speech, considering you’ve got some nut sending you dead flowers every day, and now he’s even bringing them to the police station
.

Angus shifted on the couch.  “Ah, lassie, you’ve always been head-strong and self-reliant; it’s your Irish pride. I suspect that’s why you haven’t found a husband to take care of you and be a daddy for the wee one.”

“I don’t need a man to take care of me, and I’m perfectly capable of taking care of Donnie.”  Jade’s heart lurched thinking of Donnie’s father and how he was anything but daddy material.

“Don’t get your feathers all ruffled,” said Angus.  “I’m just sayin’ sometimes it’s nice to have a safe place to fall.”  He focused his gaze to Mona, who returned his look of adoration.

“Well, I like things the way they are,” Jade said, turning her attention to her son.  “Donnie, let’s get your backpack and head on home.  I’m hungry.”

“Okay, Mama.”  He gathered his crayons and coloring books and stuffed them into a worn canvas backpack.

“Dad, I got a subpoena for court on the twenty-fifth.  I know I told you I wouldn’t need you to watch Donnie that day, but would you be able to baby-sit?  I probably won’t be long.”

The elder Donovan shook his head.  “I thought you were off that day.  You know I don’t mind watching the boy, but when do you get a day to rest?”

I never get to rest, thought Jade.  First, I’m bombarded with dead flowers, and then Mac Stryker turns up at work.

Jade forced a smile for her father as she helped Donnie zip his jacket.  “Going to court comes with the job, even if it is my day off.”

“Well, Mona and I will be here.”  Angus peered over his bifocals at the refined woman sitting next to him.  “You
will
be here, won’t you?” he asked.

“Angus, my love, where else would I be?” she said, patting his hand.  She turned to Jade.  “Who would have thought the terrible disease of alcoholism would bring two people together?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Angus grumbled.  “She just likes to come over and boss me around.”

Jade laughed.  “I can see that you suffer.  Donnie tells me all about the “nummy” lunches Mona makes for you guys.”  Jade scooped the little boy into her arms and grabbed his backpack.  “See you tomorrow, Dad.  And thanks again.  Both of you.  I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Bye, Grandpa.  Bye, Mona.”  Donnie waved his plump hand as Jade carried him out to her truck.  “Did you have a good day or a bad day, Mommy?” Donnie asked while Jade strapped him in his car seat.

Jade’s mind returned to the stressful day working with Mac, the screaming drunk, and then the shiny box covered by a blanket in the cargo area of her truck.

“Well, hon, I’d have to say this was kind of a bad day.  But it’s much better since I came to get you.”

The little boy favored her with a wide grin.  “Can we have macaroni and cheese for dinner?  Please?”

“Someday you’re going to turn into macaroni and cheese,” she replied, maneuvering her SUV towards their apartment.

Once they got home, Donnie helped Jade make the requested pasta.  While he stirred the powdered cheese into the macaroni, Jade noticed the red flashing light on her telephone answering machine.  Pressing the button, she was surprised to hear a male’s voice.

“Hey, Jade, it’s Malcolm Toombs.  I know we haven’t talked in a while, but I was hoping we might get together for dinner or something.  Give me a call when you get a chance.”  After reciting his number the message was over.

“Who was that, Mommy?” Donnie asked, licking grains of powdered cheese from his wrist.

“Oh, just someone Mommy knows,” she said casually.  But inside, Jade was surprised and a little unsettled.  She and Malcolm had dated a couple of times.  He didn’t take it well when she told him she didn’t think there was any point in continuing to see each other.  Remembering how annoyed she was by his pitiable attempts to appear worldly, she jabbed the “erase message” button.  She wouldn’t be calling him back.

After a dinner of salad, baked chicken breasts and macaroni and cheese, it was bath time, and then she read Donnie a story while he snuggled in his bedding adorned with bright red fire trucks.

“Go right to sleep.  Firemen need lots of sleep,” she said, turning out the light and closing his door.

Moving around the apartment, she closed all the blinds.  Checking the knobs on the three dead bolt locks she’d recently installed on the front door, she took comfort in the heavy pins aligned in place.  The new locks on the windows were all secured.  She made her way to the hall closet where she’d hidden the rectangular box with its brash ribbon.  She argued with herself while carrying the shiny box to the table.

He’s getting more brazen.  He brought a box of dead flowers to the station!  You really should tell someone.

Don’t be an idiot, you told Lasko, and she did everything but laugh at you.  Do you want the whole station whispering behind your back?

They won’t laugh.  You’ve already proven yourself. You shot and killed an armed suspect.

That was five years ago.  What have you done to validate yourself lately? You’re only as good as your last good arrest.   Now, if you could catch this psycho…

Blood pounded in her ears while scissors sliced through the crimson trim.  She’d hated bringing the box home, but dumping it at work would have caught someone’s attention.  Here at home, she’d take quick peek and get rid of it.  She knew what was in the box.  She didn’t want to open it, but she had to.  It was like looking at a dead body.  Most officers didn't like scrutinizing a corpse but, in order to rule out foul play, were required to witness there were no obvious signs of trauma.

She lifted the lid of the container.  There they were.  Five days ago there’d been a dozen.  Yesterday there were eight.  Today, seven.  Seven roses - wilted, withered, and dead lay in the green tissue paper.  She knew there would be no note, but she looked for one anyway.

Tears slid down her face.  “Who’s doing this?  Why?” she whispered to herself.  Then she remembered a sign hanging at the police academy.  It read, ‘The more you sweat up here, the less you bleed on the street.’

Suck it up, Jade.  It doesn’t matter who is after you or why.  What matters is that you’re ready
. Smoothly conducting a chamber check to reassure herself the gun was loaded, she took a deep breath and returned the weapon to the leather pouch on her hip.

Come on asshole, I’ve killed before, and I won’t hesitate to do it again.  I’m ready for you.  Bring it on
.

# # #

The next morning, bloated gray clouds filled the sky.  Heavy rain soaked the thirsty soil of Los Angeles.  Although the precipitation was much needed, water runoff surged down the streets to be sucked into storm drains.

“Mama, I need my rain boots and my umbella,” Donnie cried, looking out the window at the downpour.

“Okay, okay,” Jade replied.  “Do you have your backpack?  We’ve got to get going to Grandpa’s.  Mommy can’t be late for work again.”

Jade was grateful to have a car with a high undercarriage.  It had been pouring all night, and some of the intersections were flooded and littered with cars half submerged.

After leaving Donnie at her father’s house with a quick goodbye, she carefully navigated her way to the station.  She hated to burden her father with caring for Donnie, but Jade had seen too many sexual abuse reports where a caregiver had violated the trust of the child and parents.  No pervert would get their hands on her son if Jade could help it.