After Midnight (13 page)

“Okay, I think it’s about time for us to leave,” Sam said as he stood. He gathered up all the canceled checks made out to the mystery woman and put them in an empty manila envelope Sue handed him.

Sue patted Kate’s hand. “It was very nice meeting you. I hope I’ll see you again soon.”

“Me, too.”

Sue packed them a small plastic bag of cookies and insisted they take them, then walked them to the door. She stood, waving and looking very alone as they drove away.

They rode in silence for several blocks, then Sam covered her hand with his. “You were great.”

“I really did enjoy looking at the photos. And I think she needed to talk.”

“I don’t know about you, but those cookies just reminded me that I’m starving. What sounds good?”

Kate shrugged. “You don’t have to babysit me. Honestly, just drop me off at my apartment….”

He pulled off the road and stopped so fast that she was thrown forward against her seat belt. “You can’t be serious! You can’t go back to that apartment.”

“I have to. It’s where I live. It’s where most of my things are. I don’t have enough money to stay in a hotel.”

Sam reached over and hooked his finger around her chin and gently turned her to face him. “Was it that awful at my place last night?”

“No, of course not. I can’t just move in with you.”

“I want you to stay with me. I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I knew you were back in that place and someone could just let himself in and rape you…or worse.”

She shuddered at the vivid picture he had painted. “I don’t want to intrude.”

Sam leaned over and kissed her, his lips firm but gentle. “You fascinate me. I’ve been under some sort of spell since the moment I first saw you. Your apartment incident kinda sped things along faster than they would have gone naturally. But I’m okay with it. And before you think I’m being selfish, it’s not about the sex, although God knows that was great. It’s about you and me.”

She licked her suddenly parched lips. His words had brought on such a rush of emotions that she could barely breathe. “Wow!” she echoed her earlier exclamation, then leaned closer and kissed him again. “I do love your shower,” she murmured against his lips with a smile.

Much later, after dinner at one of Lodo’s brewpubs and a quick stop at her apartment to pick up the rest of her clothes, Sam and Kate snuggled together on the couch and watched
The Tonight Show.

“Do you have any ideas about those checks?” She was lying in front of him, with her head on his chest and his right arm and leg slung over her.

“Not a clue. Larry never mentioned that woman to me, and I thought we talked about everything.”

“Could it have been an affair?”

“I don’t think so.” His voice didn’t sound as certain as it had when he had been assuring Sue. “I hope not.”

“Ten years is a long time. Maybe he was paying off a loan or something.”

“Maybe.”

“Are you going into the station tomorrow after PT?”

“Yeah, I thought I’d run her name through the computer. Maybe she’ll show up.”

“I need to work at the bookstore in the morning. Could you drop me by there on your way to PT?”

“Sure, no problem.”

They were silent for several minutes, watching a well-known actor promote his latest film.

“Coral Marcus. That name sounds sort of familiar.” Kate struggled to think of where she would have heard it. Suddenly, it dawned on her and she sat up so abruptly, she almost tumbled off the couch.

“Ouch. Remember the arm,” Sam reminded her.

“Oh, sorry. But I just thought of something. It probably has nothing to do with this, but Marcus was Jameel’s last name.”

“Your pimp?”

She punched him on the leg. “Be serious. Could there be a connection?”

“I don’t see how. Did you ever meet her?”

“No, but he said he was still living at home. I think his father died when he was pretty young, so Jameel had to work to help pay the bills.” She shook her head. “There’s probably no connection.”

He pulled her back into his arms and nibbled on her ear. “I should have known you weren’t a hooker.”

She leaned back so she could look at him. “Why is that?” she asked, just a little defensively.

He grinned. “Because you have all your teeth. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but most hookers look like they’ve been run over by a truck. Colfax does not attract upscale prostitutes, and baby, you were top-shelf.”

She settled back against his chest. “And I was trying to be all
Pretty Woman
out there.”

“Yeah, well, that’s Hollywood shit.” He slid his hand under her blouse and caressed her stomach, then let his hand drift up until his finger circled her nipple. Even through her lacy bra, it responded immediately, swelling at his touch. “Julia Roberts looks like a wallflower compared to you. You really sold it.”

“You’re just saying that to get me in bed.”

“Is it working?”

“Turn off the TV and find out.”

After a quick stop at McDonald’s, Sam dropped her off at the bookstore, but not without a very satisfying good-bye kiss. “I’ll drive my car to your apartment after I get off work,” she told him. He gave her a reluctant wave and watched until she entered the front door of the shop.

Mr. Jacobi fussed over her as if she were his daughter. But his feelings were mixed since not only did he own the bookstore, he also owned the hotel. And while he cared about his residents, he cared about money more. She knew there would be no changes made to the facilities because there were always people moving in and out. She told him she had moved out, and, given the circumstances, he waived notice. He didn’t ask her where she was moving to, and she didn’t volunteer the information.

It was Tuesday, so there were piles of magazines waiting for her. She picked up a pair of scissors and started opening bundles. Grabbing an armload, she carried them back into the shop and pulled the old ones off the shelves before loading the new ones. This had gone on for about an hour when the bell over the door jingled.

Kate didn’t look up, but continued with her work until she noticed the faded jeans and Converse shoes stopped next to her. She looked up and smiled at Brian.

“Back for another book?”

“Nah, I’m still on the second one. I’ve been pretty busy lately.” He paused, and when she didn’t ask him why, he continued proudly. “Did you see this morning’s paper?”

“No, I’ve been buried in old magazines. I’m sure there’s a copy around here somewhere.”

Brian whirled around and looked, finally finding a copy Mr. Jacobi had left on the desk. He flipped through the sections until he pulled out the front page. Folding it so that her attention would be drawn immediately to one particular article, he thrust it at her.

Kate stood, wiped her hands on her jeans, and took the newspaper. Obediently, she read aloud, “Local newsman is honored with a nomination for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for his in-depth article about the shoot-out on Colfax earlier this month. The
Denver Post
is proud that Brian Bergan is a valued member of our staff.” The article went on for two columns, rehashing the substance of the article and Brian’s participation in the event itself.

“Congratulations,
Brian. That’s quite an honor.”

He was trying to be cool about it, but the excitement sparkled in his eyes. “It’s what every journalist hopes for and very few achieve.”

“Well, good luck. When do they announce the results?”

“Not until next year. But I feel really good about this.”

“You deserve it. I think people overuse the word ‘hero’ lately, but you really are one. Who knows how many other people would have died if you hadn’t been there that night. And your article was very well written.”

“Thanks. I was glad things worked out like they did.”

They stood there for a few moments, a little awkwardly. Kate didn’t know if he was waiting for a hug or just more accolades. But she didn’t feel comfortable hugging him, so she just smiled. “I’d better get back to work.” She handed him the newspaper.

“Yeah, well, I just wanted to share my news.”

“I’ll bet your girlfriend is proud.”

“My…oh, yeah, Leigh. I haven’t told her yet.” Kate’s expression must have reflected her concern, because he rushed to add, “She’s at work right now, and they don’t like her to take personal calls.”

“You’ll have time for a celebration tonight.”

“Yeah, tonight. Are you going to be at the parade?”

Kate had almost forgotten about the Fourth of July parade, but she shrugged and nodded. “Probably. They close the Music Hall that day, so I’ll probably find a good spot around here to watch.”

“Get close to the bandstand at Civic Center Park. The mayor is giving me the key to the city.”

“I will.” She leaned over and picked up a stack of old magazines, intending on taking them to the back room as Brian turned to leave. He was several steps away when he stopped.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” He pulled a business card out of his pocket. “The reason I dropped by today was to give you the name of a good body shop. I know this guy, and he does a good job for a reasonable price.”

She juggled the magazines and reached out for the card. She started to thank him, but he continued.

“But I guess you already took it somewhere.”

“No, I haven’t had a chance to yet.”

“Oh, when I didn’t see it parked in the back, I assumed you’d already left it at a shop.”

It took her a couple of seconds to digest this information. “It’s not in the back?” she finally managed to ask.

“I parked back there, and I didn’t see it. At first I thought you might be off today, but then when I saw you in here, I figured it was off getting repaired.”

Kate dropped the magazines and rushed across the store and out the back door. There must be some mistake. Brian had just overlooked it, although how anyone could miss the bright yellow Escape was difficult to imagine. The color was one of the things she loved most about the car. She could find it quickly in any parking lot, no matter how far away.

She walked out into the parking lot and stopped. It wasn’t there. Thinking maybe she’d forgotten where she had parked it, she spun around. But it was a small parking lot, with only about twenty spaces…none of which contained a yellow Escape.

“Oh my God, it’s gone.”

“Gone?” Brian echoed, looking around as if he could somehow find it when she had not. He realized he was still holding the business card, so he tucked it back in his pocket. “Guess you won’t be needing this.”

To her dismay, she burst into tears. Now it was Brian’s turn to feel awkward as he put his arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder. Stiffly, he patted her on the back, clearly uncomfortable with her distress.

She stepped away, but continued to sniffle. “Someone stole my car.” She stared at him in disbelief as if he could somehow conjure it up.

But he just shrugged. “You live in Denver. I don’t handle the lower end crimes, but I’ve heard that about sixteen cars are stolen here every day.”

“I loved that car.”

“I’ve heard it’s the Russian mafia.”

“What would the Russian mafia want with my car?”

“They either take them to a chop shop or load them on a truck and ship them overseas.”

“My poor little car.” She took her phone out of her pocket and dialed 911. “I need to report a stolen car.” She went on to give them the address and a few other details, then leaned against Brian’s Toyota while she waited for the police. Brian took a position against the car next to it to keep her company.

“Mr. Jacobi told me your apartment had been broken into,” he commented.

“Yes.” She was so shaken up by her car, she didn’t want to talk about the apartment.

“Did they take anything?”

“I didn’t really have anything to take,” she admitted. “The most upsetting thing was knowing that someone had been there and had gone through my things.”

They lapsed into silence.

Brian shook his head. “You know, you’re just kind of a shit magnet. Are you rethinking this whole Denver thing?”

“It
is
kind of discouraging.”

“I guess you’ll have to give up the play.”

Her shoulders drooped. “Oh, no, I hadn’t thought of that. How will I get there?”

“It’s pretty expensive to rent a car. If you have insurance, maybe you can buy something in a week or two after they process your claim.”

“I have a big deductible. I didn’t know where I was going to come up with the money to get the car fixed. I guess I should be glad I didn’t do that before they stole it. But I know how insurance companies are. They never pay you enough to get another one.” She rolled her head back and looked up at the sky. “Why, God? What did I do to deserve this?”

“I know it’s not what you want, but maybe it’s time to buy a plane ticket back home. What do you have holding you here?”

What indeed? Looking at the big picture, was it the smartest thing for her to stay in Denver when her whole world had come crashing down? She was now homeless, carless, and jobless if she couldn’t figure out a way to get to the Music Hall every day.

Could she leave Sam? It was not something she wanted to do. But someone was trying to tell her that she should get out.

“I’ve never lived in the downtown part of any city before,” she admitted. “I’m beginning to believe it’s not for me.”

Brian nodded. “Probably for the best. I hate to see you go, but this city is eating you alive.”

“Yeah, I’m getting that feeling, too.”

A police car pulled into the parking lot.

“The cavalry has arrived.” Brian straightened and pulled his car keys out of his pocket. “If you don’t need me, I think I’ll leave. I’ve got a couple of leads for stories this afternoon, and I don’t want to get blocked in.”

“No, go ahead. I’ll be fine.”

“Why don’t you program my phone number into your phone, and you can call me if you need anything.”

She pulled her phone out and plugged his information in as he gave it to her.

“Hey, I’ll even take you to the airport and save you the taxi fare,” he offered.

“Thanks. I’ll let you know.”

He got into his car and backed out, then inched his way around the police car as he left the lot. As soon as he was gone, Kate dialed Sam’s number. For some reason, she hadn’t wanted to share her connection with Sam. Brian might somehow manage to put it all together, and having him write a story about her would be the final straw.

She got Sam’s voice mail and left him a message, trying hard not to break down again at the sound of his recording. Even with his no-nonsense cop attitude, his voice was familiar and comforting, and she wished he were there with her.

The officer who had arrived was friendly and businesslike, if a little bored, as he took down the details of her vehicle. She couldn’t really pinpoint the time since she hadn’t actually seen the car for more than thirty-six hours. He had almost completed his report when Sam’s black Mustang pulled in behind the cruiser and he got out.

Covering the parking lot with a minimum of long, hurried strides, he stepped around the other officer and wrapped Kate in a big, strong hug.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his lips buried in her hair. She nodded, reluctant to let go of him even for the short time it would take to answer.

Over her head, he addressed the other cop. “Frankie, do you have what you need?”

“Yes, I think so, although you know how these things go.” Frankie held out the report he had written attached to a clipboard. “Miss McKinney, I need to get your signature on this.”

She turned just enough to be able to take the clipboard and sign the paper.

“Here’s my card. Call me if you think of anything else or if your car shows up.”

“Could that happen?” she asked, brightening a little.

Frankie shook his head. “Not likely. Sorry. Have a good day.” He returned to his cruiser, reported in on the radio, and left.

“My poor baby,” Sam murmured, rubbing her back in a way much different than Brian had. She melted against him, so glad he was there that her body physically ached.

“What am I going to do?”

“I’m going to take you home. Why don’t you wait in the car, and I’ll run in and tell your boss what happened.”

She nodded, but she couldn’t let him go until he actually walked her to the car and helped her into the passenger seat. A few minutes later, he joined her.

It seemed like a good night to order a pizza. Comfort food for cops. Sam called in the order and set the table while Kate took a shower. She was just returning to the room as he paid the delivery boy.

“You look better.” His appreciative gaze swept over her slender body, now dressed in short shorts and a tank top.

“Thanks, I think.”

“I cooked.” He placed the box on the table with a flourish and opened the lid.

She managed a weak smile and joined him at the table. He set a cold bottle of beer in front of each of them and sat down across from her. He scooped up a slice and placed it on her plate, then helped himself to two.

He tried to make small talk as they ate, but by the time he had finished half the pizza, he noticed she had barely nibbled at hers.

“Not a pizza fan?”

She looked up from absently picking off the onions and peppers. “I love pizza.”

“I didn’t know how you liked it, so I ordered it with everything.”

“It’s fine. I guess I’m just not very hungry.”

“Kate, everything is going to work out.” He decided to get straight to the point.

“I wish I could believe you. But I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” She wiped her hands and rested her arms on the table, palms down. “And you…ever since you met me, your life has been completely disrupted…and almost ended. I think it would be better for both of us if I left.”

“And go where?”

“Probably Texas. I don’t have enough money to give it a shot in a whole new place.” She shrugged and reached for the beer. She took a deep gulp and wiped her lip. “I’m sure there’s some sort of job with my dad’s campaign that wouldn’t bore me to death….” Her voice trailed off and she lifted the beer to her lips again.

“You’d hate that.”

She exhaled with a hopeless whoosh. “I would. But what choice do I have?”

“I can think of one.” He forced his expression to be neutral.

Her smile was wistful. “There’s nothing I would like better. But we barely know each other. And I’ve been such a victim in all this. I’m not usually this…” She shrugged, searching for the right word and finally settled on, “Depressing.” She drained the beer bottle. “Actually, you’d kind of like me if you’d met me without all the drama.”

“I kind of like you now.” He attempted to lighten the mood.

Her eyes filled with tears, and he knew he had to go all in. He pushed the pizza box aside and leaned forward, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“I know you’ve been through a lot in the past few weeks. I’ve been impressed by your courage and your strength. And I can see why you’re questioning yourself and your decisions. But the one good thing that’s come from this is that you’re here, with me, and until you get your feet back on the ground, I can take care of you.” She started to protest, so he rushed to add, “It’s what I do best. Let me do it. I can’t be out there helping humanity, so let me help you.”