FOREVER MINE (10 page)

Officer O’Connor has been pouring over notes and pictures.  He is not supposed to be working on this case anymore.  The higher ups have deemed it cold for lack of evidence.  He knows if he looks hard enough he will find what they need to put this scumbag away.  If not, he is sure he will go back and kill Charlie.

He has the statement open from three years ago; there wasn’t even a real investigation then.  They filed reports but barely looked for this guy.  He looks at pictures of Charlie’s broken body.  The bruises on her face; her eye is swollen shut, both lips cracked and bleeding.  Her jaw is swollen and bruised but not broken, as if that is good news.  There are finger marks around her long delicate neck.  She has three broken ribs. 

The rape itself was so brutal and forceful she bleed from the inside.  He tore her open over and over.  The doctor said she had been lucky, she will have no scarring.  No scarring, are you fucking kidding me?   What this man took from Charlie he cannot give her back, but he can help her feel safe again. 

He looks at the evidence collected at the apartment yesterday.  The beer was wiped down.  The plate was clean of finger prints, no DNA on the pasta, fork, plate, napkin, nothing.  The only thing they had was his DNA left behind on her pillow.  This guy is a sociopath.  He literally gets off on scaring the shit out of this girl; for no other reason other than he can. 

The only thing he has is the same man who raped Charlie three years ago was in her apartment last night.  Unless he can find him, or more evidence there is nothing more he can do.  Sometimes it sucks having to go by the book.

“O’Connor, you have patrol what you still doing here?  Get out on the street.”

“I’m going, just finishing up my report from the B&E from yesterday.”

“Alright, just hurry.  It’s full moon tonight.  All the crazies are out.”  With that the boss walks away mumbling to himself.

With nothing else to do he picks up his files and puts them in his desk, closes and locks it.  No one needs to know he is still working the case.  Then, he goes out the door and climbs into his cruiser, looking for crazies on the night of the full moon.

Charlie is sitting at work with a big stupid grin on her face.  She thought it was hysterical how at 30 she still blushes about porn.  Brody, being Brody, loves every uncomfortable minute of it.  She has gotten better over the years but there are some things that still make her remember how very inexperienced she is.  Maybe she should watch porn, she may learn something.

She cleans up her desk, runs through the motions of cleaning up the office and knocks on Mrs. Smith’s door.

“Come in.”

“I’m done for the day just checking on you, do you need anything before I go?”

“Charlie, how many times do I need to tell you, you don’t need to check in before you go?  I do appreciate it, but you do enough, now go.”  Smiling she stands and shoos her out the door.

Laughing, “Ok, ok I get it.  I’m out of here.”

“Have a good night, dear.  Say hello to the nice fellow you were talking to on the phone earlier.  Any man who can make my Charlie smile is a good man.”

Remembering the “naked humping” conversation, I blush to a deep red.  “How much did you hear?”

Winking and smiling, she says, “Good night dear, see you in the morning.”  She closes her door and I swear I hear laugh and say naked under her breath.

I’m totally mortified.  Not only does my boss think I’m some kind of pervert, but she laughed, and she’s like 90 years old.  Oh god, I’m the last prude on earth.  Get a grip, its sex, so what? 

Walking with a purpose I head to the ladies room and put my gun in its holster at the small of my back.  It is the most comfortable place for me to carry it.  Armed, I head to the lobby and out the door.

I feel exposed once outside.  I take an extra second to look around slowly.  I let my surrounding sink in.  I watch people moving to see if anyone is stopped, I take in all the cars to see if I have any special interest being paid to me.   My body says something isn’t right, but the longer I stand still, the more of a target I become.  Leaving the front of the building and the shadow of the awning; I walk to my car, chasing away the goose bumps that have relentlessly risen on my arms, by rubbing my hands over them. 

In the car I drive straight to Brody’s.  I may be leading Michael right here but I need the safety of the house.  I can protect myself here.  I can protect Brody, and the tree, and my bedroom, and everything that is mine.  Everything I love; everything that represents home to me.  Everything, that Michael said I couldn’t have.  I didn’t deserve. 

I pull into the driveway and get out of the car.  I get my key out and unlock the door.  As I turn around a car
drives
by slowly, but keeps going.  The driver never looked this way, but I still close and lock the door.  I kick off my shoes and run upstairs to change out of my suit. I come back down and head to the kitchen for a glass of water and hear the keys in the lock.  I can’t stop the butterflies swarming in my stomach.

“Lucy, I’m home.”  Brody yells out doing his best Ricky Ricardo impression.

“I’m in the kitchen, Ricky.”  Watching Brody walk in, carrying dinner and the mail, in his suit, I find myself forgetting to breathe…again.  This is getting old.  Why now after all these years does he affect me this way? I have seen him in less and not reacted.  He is fully clothed and all I can think about is ripping his clothes off.  At that thought my mouth goes completely dry.  I take a sip of water and realize I have been gawking without speaking.

Brody is staring at me, like he just heard my thoughts.  His face is flushed and his breathing is a little quick.  He licks his lips and my knees almost buckle.  The room has taken on the heaviness it always does when we get caught up in our heads.   He is still holding the take out bags.  I walk toward him, slowly.  I don’t want to break the trance we are both caught in.

I take the bags from him, sliding my hands over his, never breaking eye contact.  I may not understand what is happening, or why, but I’m powerless when it comes to this new feeling.  I step into him, placing the bags behind him on the counter, accidently, on purpose, rubbing against him. 

When my hands are empty, I stand in front of him.  I am still in his space.  Placing my palms flat on his chest, I lean in and run my nose down his jaw and breathe him in, “You smell really good.”  I say barely above a whisper.

He places his hands on the small of my back and holds me flush against a very happy part of him.  My breath catches.  His hands slide to the top of my ass and his eyes close.  I move my face from his jaw to his shoulder and put my head there.  I’m scared now.  What am I doing? 

As if reading my mind, Brody moves his hands up my back and leans his head into me.   “It’s ok.  I’m here,” 

With that everything is ok.  I’m not worried that I’m going to scare him away.  He knows how to handle me.  He knows what I want before I know myself.  Why would I not fall for someone like Brody?   He makes it so easy.  No wonder he was a slut when we were kids.

“I can feel your gun.” He whispers into my hair “I’m glad you’re being careful.”  He rubs up my back and twirls a curl around his finger, then flicks my nose.

Laughing, “So what did you bring home to eat?”

“Mexican.”

“Well, what are we standing around for?  I’m starved.  Let’s eat.”

“I am enjoying standing around.”  He winks “Alright, let’s eat.”

They go about eating, talking about the day.  Brody tries to tell her about the virus he removed, but computer talk makes her sleepy.  After dinner Brody goes to his office upstairs to finish up some computer job he is doing on his own.

I am watching the news and looking up recent rapes on line.  I tried to Google just recent rapes, and found a lot of information; what rape is how to report a rape, and statistics on rape, all of which is not what I need.  Unsure how to narrow the search I sat thinking for a few minutes when the door bell rang.  I got up to answer it, pulling my gun from the holster, before I unlocked the locks.  When the door is open, I look around, and don’t see anyone.

“Who’s there?”  Brody is coming down the stairs, he is hurrying.

“No one is here.”  I turn around, and come face to face with an angry Brody.  “What?”

He walks outside and turns around.  “Shut the door and lock it.  I’m going to go look around.”

I walk back inside and close the door and lock it.  I am really nervous now.  Not that Michael may have found us, but that Brody is out there, alone.

“Lucy, I’m home” I yell out doing my best Ricky Ricardo impression.  It’s not too bad, if I say so myself.

I follow Charlie’s voice to the kitchen.  When I get there I stop dead.  She has changed out of her work clothes and is wearing a light blue ‘men’s’ dress shirt.  It has dark blue and white strips and she has the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.  A tiny white tank top, a camisole I think it’s called, is showing between the buttons.  She finishes off the casual look with a teeny pair of white shorts.  This woman will be the death of me.  I never thought being fully clothed could be such a turn on.

Charlie puts her water down and slowly stalks towards me.  I can’t look away from her.  When she is standing in front of me she takes the food out of my hands, brushing her long fingers down my hands, and her body against mine.  I stopped breathing a long time ago.  I don’t know the right way to react, so I just follow her lead. 

She stands and presses her hips into me.  I place my hands on the small of her back and slowly slide them to the top of her ass cheeks to hold her in place while I press myself into her, letting her feel what she does to me.

Her hands are flat against my chest she leans in running the tip of her nose down my jaw.  She whispers against that spot where my neck and ear meet.  I think she says I smell good.  She smells like vanilla and strawberries.  She puts her head on my shoulder and I feel the nervous tension radiate off her.  I won’t let her second guess herself or have any regrets, so I hold her and rub her back.  “It’s ok, I’m here.”

I feel her relax and decide now is a good time to break the spell she has cast on me.  “I can feel your gun.”  I whisper into her hair not fully trusting my voice.  “I’m glad you’re being careful.”  I was worried she didn’t think this is as serious I think it is.  I twirl one of her beautiful curls, making a spiral when it’s released, and flick her nose.

Laughing, “So what did you bring home to eat?”

“Mexican.”

“Well, what are we standing around for?  I’m starved.  Let’s eat.”

“I am enjoying standing around.”  I wink, lightening the mood, “Alright, let’s eat.”

After dinner I told Charlie I had some work to do in my office, but as I sit here I can’t seem to get anything done.  I keep thinking about what is going on with us.  That was the first time Charlie has ever acted that way towards me.  It wasn’t like she was taking her clothes off but usually she’s so casual with me.  I have seen her in her underwear and there has never been that kind of heaviness in the air.  Everything usually turns into a joke.  I’m not laughing this time.

Turning back to his computer, Brody starts to type.  He stops, opens a new tab, and searches for rapes in the last three years.  He gets way too much useless information.  Thinking on how to narrow his search, the door bell rings.

He jumps out of his chair and hurries down the hall to the top of the stairs, Charlie already has the door open.  At least she has her gun out. 
Foolish girl.
  “Who’s there?”  I can’t believe she opened the door.  I don’t know why, but I’m fuming.

“No one is here.”  She turns toward me, confusion blooming in her features.   “What?”

“Shut the door and lock it.  I’m going to go look around.”  I walk outside and listen for the locks.  Then I start to slowly walk around the house.  Everything looks fine.  Maybe kids in the neighborhood were playing ding, dong,
ditch
.  As a kid that game is awesome. 
As a grown up, not so much.
  As a grown up trying to stay off a psycho killer’s radar, it sucks, bad.

Just as I’m getting ready to head inside, I decide to widen my search.  I walk down the side walk careful to notice anything that looks off.  At the next block I take a right, this street leads to an alley behind the houses on my street.  No one uses the alley so I almost forget it exists. 

In the alley, a little more than halfway down, I notice what looks like black paper all over the narrow road.  I walk over and pick up a piece of paper to find it isn’t paper at all.  Someone has thrown black rose petals all over the ground.  There must be two dozen worth.  They are everywhere.  I realize where, in the alley, I am and my blood runs cold.

I look up and I am looking at the back of my house.  Charlie is standing in the kitchen chewing her middle finger nail.  I can see her clearly through the windows.   She walks over to the back door and comes out to the deck.

“Well, what is it?”  Her voice sounds strong, steady.

I walk over to the gate of the surrounding black wrought iron fence.  As I walk to the deck Charlie is standing on, I tell her, “It is at least two dozen black rose petals.”  No sense in keeping it from her.  “I couldn’t find anyone though.”

“Fuck”

“Come on let’s go inside.”  I take her hand and lead her to the house, stopping on the deck.  “Wait one second.”

“Are we going to call the police?”  She asks.  Her voice is starting to rise.

“Yes.  First I want to do something on our own.”  I walk in and take a notebook out of the drawer in the kitchen, and go back outside where she’s waiting and I write today’s date, June 24, at 8:39 pm, door bell rings; no one’s there.  Black rose petals in alley behind house.  “I want us to start keeping track of the weird shit that is going on and probably will continue until Michael is caught.”

“Ok, but do you really think it will matter?  Isn’t that what filing a police report is for?”

“Yes I think it will matter.  I think if we keep track we might be able to see a pattern or at least maybe learn his mode of operation.   It gives us specifics to look at also.  I tried to look up anything on rape and just got the home page for the justice department.  It’s really hard to find correlating cases.   It isn’t like we have access to police records.”

“Ok I think that is a good idea.  I also think he gave us our first clue, Fred.  How many florists in the area sell black roses?  It has got to be pretty rare.  I think if we find the florist we might be closer to finding Michael.”

“I think your right.  Who’s Fred?”

“From Scooby.
  You know, you’re Fred and I’m Daphne.  We are solving a mystery.”

“Oh, yeah.
  I think I want to be Shaggy.  He was cooler.  You should definitely be Scooby.  He eats a lot, like you.”  Laughing I poke her in the belly button.

Laughing back, she says “You’re just jealous that a skinny twerp like me can out eat you, and not have to worry about her girlish figure.”

“You’re right about that.”  Speaking with a lisp and adding an overly feminine octave to my voice, I say, “Everything goes straight to my ass.”

“Alright enough, we have to call the police, and file a report.  I really don’t feel as afraid as I should.  Does that make me as crazy as he is?”

“No. I think you are just past the fear stage.  You have lived there for so long you are ready to deal with what causes it.  I think you should have caution and be careful, as I’ve said before, but I think not being as scared as you were before is a good thing.  You won’t panic if you are put in a position where you need to act.  You are a strong woman and I think you can take whatever mind games Michael is playing with you and come out of it the winner.”

She reaches out to me with her hand, and pulls me into her when I take it.  Hugging me tight she lifts her head and looking me in the eye she says, “Your faith in me is overwhelming, it staggers me.  I believe it when you say I’m strong.  I believe I can be finished with all the pain he has caused me.  I want to heal.  I want more, now.  I want what I was told I didn’t deserve to have.  I want it all.  You help me believe in me.  Thank you.” 
Then, standing on the deck with the setting rays of the sun over the horizon, Charlie slowly inches towards me pressing her lips to mine.
 

I pull her in closer to me and probe her lips with my tongue begging for a way in.  She grants it, parting her lips taking as much as I am giving.  She moans and I tangle my hands in her hair at the nape of her neck holding her to me.  Our tongues dance and our hands roam.  When we pull apart we are breathless.  I gently kiss her nose. 
Her cheek.
  Both eye lids.  We stand there for a minute catching our breath.

I look at her and see the tears standing in her astonishing eyes. “Please don’t apologize.  It will kill me.”  I close my eyes waiting for what she’ll say.

“I’m not sorry.  I’m happy.”  She sighs and snuggles into me closer.  “Brody, we just had our first kiss.”  She giggles a little.

“Yes we did.”  I rub my cheek against the top of her head.  “Come on.  We’ve got work to do.”

“Ha Ha, that’s in the theme song!”  She jokes as we walk back in the house.