Devil’s in the Details (55 page)

Chapter 17

Victoria was asleep, passed out to the world, leaning on my shoulder with her half eaten plate of eggs and pork chops balanced on her lap. She had fallen asleep while we, well I, sat watching Summertime with Katharine Hepburn. Victoria was zonked out from the extra strength ibuprofen doing its job in easing the pain in her side enough for her to get the sleep she desperately needed for healing to start.

I pressed my hand against her forehead to check if a fever was setting in or any other signs that her body was hiding more than just tender, bruised ribs. Victoria's forehead was warm and she stirred awake from my touch. She blinked heavy eyelids. "Alex, I’m okay. Stop worrying."

I rolled my eyes, "I can't help it, I’m a nurse." I reached down, lifting her plate as I stood up, "We need to get you to bed and lie down for a while. This couch and odd angle you're in isn't good for the ribs. I don't want your lungs to get congested." I set her plate on top of my empty one, holding out a hand for her to take, "Let's go."

Victoria offered up a dirty look at the tone of my voice. I sighed harder, "Up! You're going to bed. No if's, ands, or buts." I glared in groggy grey eyes, "You passed out on your pork chops. A distinct sign that it's time for you to rest and not object."

She frowned at me, "What if I told you I didn't like pork chops?"

I folded my arms, "I would say you're full of shit, Victoria. You love my pork chops." I shook my head, "Why are you being stubborn? You have a personal nurse standing in front of you, offering to take care of you and maybe even give you a sponge bath."

"Sponge bath?" Victoria's eyes perked up as she reached for the arm of the couch, "You should have said that first." She pushed up, wincing tightly when sore muscles fought back.

After helping Victoria upstairs and to the edge of the bed, I went about drawing a hot bath for her. "Do you have Epsom salts anywhere?" I called out from the depths of the bathroom cabinet.

"Linen closet, bottom shelf, there should be a few bags."

Walking to the linen closet, I found a nice stash of Epsom salt bags all neatly lined up along the bottom, making me curious as to why Victoria had a healthy supply.

I sighed, picking up the closest one and dumping a few scoops into the hot water. "I want you to soak for at least an hour then go to bed. We need to get the inflammation down and reduce the tightness to ease your breathing." I grabbed a thick fluffy towel, setting it on the edge of the tub before walking back out to the tired woman. "Do you want help with your clothes?"

Victoria smirked, nodding, "I might need you to wash my back too."

I rolled my eyes, Victoria was being overly cheeky and as much as I was still miffed at her, it was adorable. "I will get in the bath with you, but no funny business." I walked over, waving my hands to get her to lift her arms up. "If you behave, I will give you ice cream in bed."

Victoria smiled through the grimace as her arms tugged and pulled on her side, "If I behave? Am I on punishment, Alex?"

I shook my head, tossing her shirt to the floor and moving to unwrap her bandages, "I'm a little angry at you, for getting hurt and not telling me." I sighed, noting how clingy and bossy I suddenly sounded, "It's silly, but…" My feelings were all over the map, my gut telling me one thing and my heart telling me to keep Victoria close and protect her.

Victoria grabbed my hand, "It's not silly. I’m just not used to someone worrying about me. Caring when I take a clumsy tumble and bash my body up." She looked down at our hands, "Dani told me she dropped by."

I smiled, letting go of her hand as jealousy flicked its way into my body, "She brought by your uniform for Saturday." I moved back towards the bathroom to check on the bath. I wanted to ask the questions that had been rattling around my thoughts since Dani stopped by. Who was she to Victoria? Why was she so interested in our relationship? How did she tie into Victoria's past? There was something more to Dani and Victoria that gave off the feeling there was so much more to the redhead's impromptu visit.

Shutting off the water, I ran my hand in the tub, swirling the hot water and salt together. Straightening back up, I felt the sudden need to be away from Victoria before I asked the questions I wanted, adding more tension to the room. "Victoria, I think I’m going to run out and get that ice cream while you soak."

I turned to come face to face with the woman standing right behind me, the ace bandage rolled up her in hand and wearing nothing but a bra, "Alex." I swallowed hard glancing at the gruesome bruise on her perfect skin. Skin I really wanted to see more of. "Alex, Dani is no one you should be jealous of."

I furrowed my brow, folding my arms over my chest, "I'm not jealous." I mumbled the words, hoping my tone wouldn't betray the lie.

Victoria chuckled, moving closer as she set the roll of bandage down on the counter, "You are jealous. You're also pissed off, grumpy, and wound up." I felt her hand fall to my neck, "Don't tell me you're not. I’ve always been able to read your emotions since the first day we met. You won't look at me for long when you're jealous. Your jaw twitches under the fake smile you give me when you're pissed. Lastly, you sigh heavily and avoid touching me when you're grumpy and wound up."

I frowned deeper, glaring at her, hating that she was exactly dead on. "I am none of those things." I looked over my shoulder at the bath, "You should get in before the water cools."

It was Victoria's turn to sigh, "Alex, Dani isn't an ex-girlfriend, an ex-lover, a one night stand, or anything that would link us romantically or physically. The only time her and I have been physical is when she broke my nose one drunken night in Italy." I glanced up to see Victoria grinning, "I kind of broke one of her ribs with a sucker punch. It's a long, terrible story that I’ll save for ice cream."

She moved closer, gently grabbing both sides of my face, "Dani told me she came by and told you bits and pieces of how I still help her with intelligence work. How she led the rescue team to save me and how we ended up being stuck together as we became media darlings."

Victoria paused, waiting for me to look up in her eyes, "Dani is the sister I never wanted. She is my dearest friend and old Navy buddy, but that’s where it stops." She let out a slow breath, "She’s also helping me with a few things to speed up my retirement from the Academy so I can be a lazy slob watering the tulips in the morning over a glass of bourbon."

I bit my bottom lip, hating the way she looked at me, melting my heart into goo. I also felt stupid seeing the pure honesty in her eyes. There was nothing to worry about other than the stupid fears from my past creeping up. It still stung that I had yet to hear the three little words come from her mouth. Three stupid little words that seemed to hold so much weight in our relationship. "I didn't like the way she looked at you the other day. I thought maybe you and her have, had a past that I couldn't compete with."

I huffed, "I'm mad that you hurt yourself and didn't tell me. I think it's left over from my incident on the metro station. I’m always looking over my shoulder and nervous when night falls. Then I’m always afraid you’re going to get hurt and there's nothing I can do to help it, but I’m also always worried in general because you mean so much to me." I unfolded my arms, reaching up to delicately run my fingers over her uninjured skin, "Yes, to grumpy and being wound up. I've never felt like this for anyone and I didn't think I would crave to be around someone so much that it ached." I frowned, "Now I sound super clingy and co-dependent."

Victoria held my eyes, "Alex, you have nothing to worry about. I promise, and no, you don't sound like either of those. I understand that us, this, was born out of the fire so to speak. A tragic circumstance provoked by four men who should have known better, but got exactly what they deserved." She gently tugged me into a hug, holding me as tight as possible without mashing her side. "I will always be here to protect you."

I sighed against her shoulder, her words came out with a tone that told me she was one hundred percent honest, but there was more to that tone that sent shivers down my spine. Recanting memories of how I once looked at this woman and felt she could be very dangerous if provoked.

I left Victoria in the bedroom to get settled into bed after her bath. A bath she swindled me into joining her in and then followed through on her promise of taking advantage of me with her very capable hands. Not that I was that upset with her for breaking nurse’s orders. I just hated that she already knew my weak points and how to touch me in just the right spot to pull all words from my mouth. Whittling me down to a gasping mess in her arms.

Even though it was early afternoon, I wanted Victoria to take it easy and talked her back into lying in bed. Promising to watch movies together as we ate fancy roast beef sandwiches, bowls of ice cream and more ibuprofen to ease her pain. I scooted into the kitchen, moving to gather up the goods I would need when I spotted my phone next to the coffee pot as I had left it when Victoria showed me her side.

I scooped it up, checking missed messages and calls when one caught my eye. Biting my bottom lip, debating whether or not to return the call. My head was full of crazy ideas after Dani came over and threw the book of Victoria Bond my way. I believed most of it, but there were a few things I wanted to double check before I finally shoved my gut to the side and lived in half-truths or ignorance.

I shook my head, my gut winning out again and called upstairs, "Victoria? I’ll be a few minutes. I have to call my mom back. She wants to know if I can watch the dogs this weekend." When I heard her mumble a sleepy okay, I walked out the back patio doors and out to the middle of the yard.

Hitting the missed call, I chewed on my thumb listening to the rings.

"Sergeant James Hewlett NYPD Internet Crimes Division, how can I help you?"

I shook my head at his cocky voice, "James, you have caller ID, you know it's me."

He chuckled, "Of course I do Alex, but I love answering the phone with Sergeant Hewlett."

"Congratulations on your promotion by the way. Petey told me last night when I called the desk." I cleared my throat. My ex and I were on good terms even with the past we had, and James was someone I could trust.

"Yeah, fancy hearing that I had a message from you waiting at my desk. You left New York almost two years ago. I didn't expect you to come a calling on your NYPD ex." James blew out a breath, "Before I get to what you called me about last night, how are you, Alex? I meant to call after I heard about the incident, but I wasn't sure you wanted to hear from me."

I tucked a hand under my arm, staring out at the blooming tulip plant, "It's okay James, we needed the time. I'm doing good, really good." I paused, trying to find a balance in the awkwardness of wanting to share how happy I was without making James feel like crap. "It wasn't your fault, James. Looking back, I truly think we weren't meant to be."

"Yeah, can't put two bulls in a room and expect anyone to come out unscathed." He let out a slow breath, "I looked into that address you sent me and I don't even want to ask why you sent it from a random email account, but I understand. That address does trace back to Voltaire Industries, the mother company for Voltaire Lingerie. Now the address you found on the envelope, it's a building in the federal hub of the capital, right by the Pentagon. I went deeper, and something is hinky, Alex. There are no stockholders in Voltaire Lingerie. It's all privately owned and not anywhere near the stock market as a public IPO."

I felt my stomach turn, "Did you find anything else that was strange?" I began to gnaw on my thumb, why was I doing this? Digging into things I knew I shouldn't.

"Not really, I have one of my hacker hookups looking for more. If anything, it looks like Voltaire is one of those giant conglomerate companies that deals in everything from underwear to oil drilling. I want to keep looking into them. The address you gave me popped up in our database linked to an old cold murder case. Some sort of dipshit drug dealer in the Bronx was found dead from an overdose, but had an envelope with that address on it tucked in his safe with a huge wad of cash." James sighed, "Alex, is there anything I need to know about this? You said it was your friend twho was getting taken down the river in the stock market by this company. Should I call the SEC and get them involved?"

I shook my head furiously, turning to catch Dale coming out with a bag of trash, "No, James, it's like I said. A friend has been getting weird stock tip letters from that address I gave you. I told her I knew a boy in blue that loved to be a bloodhound when it came to this kind of detective work."

I waved at Dale, "It's no big deal, if you find anything call me or just ignore it."

I sighed, trying to reel in my building nerves, "I need to go, James. It was good to hear from you and maybe the next time I'm in New York we can get a drink and get caught up."

James chuckled, "Sounds good, but make sure your girlfriend is okay with it."

I almost choked on my own spit, "What?

"It's okay, I called the hospital this morning to get ahold of you. I ended up talking to a nurse named Stacy for about twenty minutes. She told me you have a wonderful girlfriend that could kick my ass. Seems you told her all about my bad characteristics?"

I covered my face with a hand. "James, I…"

He interrupted me, "Alex, no worries. I was a shit to you and lost a damn good girl because of it. I hope she treats you like gold and regardless of our past, you'll always have a boy in blue in your back pocket." He coughed lightly, "I’ll call you later if I find more, Alex. Take care of yourself."

I whispered out a goodbye, hung up and stared back at the house. What the hell was I doing? I had found one of Victoria's blue envelopes tucked in her DVD's when I went looking for a movie to watch while she was still in Rhode Island. The envelope was empty and the postmark was from a few years back, but it had the same address as the first blue envelope I saw in her mail. I took a picture of it and let it sit in the back of my head for hours until my gut poked harder and harder, forcing me to pop into the library and use their computers.

I quickly set up a random email account and sent it to James, hoping his vast connections in the NYPD could help me put fears to rest. After Dani's visit, I couldn't stop thinking about Victoria and her past in the military. How it was the perfect foundation for a perfect spy novel.

I sighed, moving back towards the house. If Voltaire was a giant conglomerate company, it would make sense if Victoria was working for them through a government contract. Or maybe she did have an inside stock tip from a CEO who worked there and she was getting paid out. There were a lot of what ifs and maybes, none of them put me at ease and James’ information of the address being close to the Pentagon, had my gut twirling.

Pulling open the back door, I couldn't shake the idea that my girlfriend was more super spy than teacher.

I woke up from a lengthy nap to find the television on and the room empty, a note on the bedside table from Alex.

-Went out to get groceries and to pick up my dress for Saturday. Stay in bed, rest and I’ll be home with Thai food. Love you, A –

I smiled, rolling to sit up and get out of bed. My side was faring much better after the long hot bath and nap. I could move without having to catch my breath and stop every time I lifted my arm up.

Getting out of the bed, I shuffled to the closet to where my dress uniform hung up in its black bag. I didn't have to unzip it to know what it looked like, it was the same silly uniform I had worn for a week straight during the media blitz of being the hero for a minute.

I closed my eyes, pressing a hand against the rough black plastic bag, the crisp white lines of the sleeves would trail down into the gold cord at the cuffs. The left side would be nothing but a block of ribbons from the top of my shoulder down to the second button of the jacket. Dani would have already gone through the trouble of placing my rank perfectly on the collar, the name tag on the right side perfectly centered and all the other stupid bells and whistles that I once wore with chest puffing pride, would all be perfect and spotless.

Something I certainly was not.

Dragging my hand down and away from the bag, I turned to head back out and down to the kitchen for something to drink.

Seeing Alex and how upset she was with my injuries made me sick to my stomach, and I tried to play it off with flirting and stupid jokes. I was telling her the truth when I told her I wasn’t used to anyone taking care of me, or caring if I came home broken or bloodied. Everyone in my life would accept the stories of clumsy accidents on ships or falling during a run. The ones I had relationships with before Alex, cared very little to look past the mask I wore since I never let them in any deeper than just below the surface.

The biggest problem was, that I now cared. I cared for and loved Alex so much that I was tired of having to lie to her. Opting for silence instead of truths, or kissing her to distract her gentle interrogations. It wouldn't last long, as Dani said. Alex was smart and would begin to press harder.

She did just that in the kitchen when I sheepishly asked if she loved me, and she replied with always loving me regardless of who I was or what I thought I was. That alone told me she was starting to see the cracks in my mask, catching glimpses of the black hooded figure hiding just under the thin layer of humanity I used to trick the world.

Yanking open the fridge I grabbed the large bottle of her green tea, smiling at how the fridge was now fuller with the addition of her weird healthy foods sitting next to my beers and deli meats. I bit the inside of my cheek, closing the fridge door to stare at a printed out picture of Alex and I from her parents’ house the other day, holding hands walking the dogs. Barney and Annie walking happily under our joined hands.

I bit harder, fighting the tears back and making the decision that on Saturday after the formal, I would ask her to move in. Then at the yearly meeting with the old man and old lady I would ask to apply for my retirement. I was five years away under Voltaire's strange standards, but I knew I was the best and could at least appeal to the old man. He was the one half of my bosses who always had a special soft spot for me since that day I met him in the back room of the oval office with the Colonel. He was the one who asked me three times if I was sure I wanted to join the cause the Colonel kept feeding me. I was so lost in the depths of PTSD and hatred, I didn't hear him, only nodded my head and signed the offered contract.

It took me ten years and a brunette with the biggest heart for me to realize I should have taken the out when he offered it to me.

Maybe then, I would still feel like I could be human.

Pouring green tea in a large pint glass emblazoned with the Academy logo, I decided that I had to tell Alex I was in love with her the first chance I could. I had to start finding the last thread of humanity hiding in me and work on it more. I would ask Alex to move in with me, then I would ask for my retirement from Voltaire. After securing a promised retirement, I would tell Alex exactly how I felt about her and start breathing and finally living.

I grabbed the glass, if I had to, I would use all of the money I tucked away from Voltaire and start a brand new life with Alex somewhere far away from here.

I let out a slow breath when I heard my phone ring from inside the den, it was Dani. I groaned, wobbling over to the den, hoping to hell it wasn't a last minute job or something that would interrupt the rest of my vacation.

Scooping up the phone from the desk, replacing it with the glass of tea in my hand, I answered it, "What?"

"Did you know that nurse blue eyes has an ex-boyfriend who is a cop? One of New York’s finest?" Dani's tone was one that told me she was not in the mood for our usual bickering banter.

"She mentioned having an ex who was a cop when she lived in New York." I ran my fingers along the edge of the glass, "I honestly don't care about her exes and you shouldn't be digging in her past."

Dani huffed, "I would very much like to not be digging in her past relationships. But when I get an email notification from the New York office asking me to go digging in the personnel files of a James Hewlett, Sergeant for the NYPD's internet crime unit, who is poking his nose into the cold case murder of one Martines Rodriguez in 2010 and kicking up dust. I go digging."

My fingers stopped their slow movements, "Martines? Wasn’t he the Manhattan plumber Voltaire had removed for going rogue on his contracts, deciding he could double dip and be a plumber for both Voltaire and the Colombians?"