The Body Hunters (3 page)

 
           The art for sale was part of the fundraiser from established artists who donated a painting for the cause. She duly noted, from the variety that she saw before her, that arguably if they were going to give it away it would not be their best pieces. But what did she know she mused. She, after all, was just a cop that sat primarily behind a desk.

 
           Danny's fashionably late entrance did not go unnoticed. As if on cue, a group of women wandered over to her and surrounded her like a lion on a gazelle. Danny suddenly found herself in a gaggle of overly-perfumed housewives and arm candy wearing too much makeup and way too much jewelry.

 
          "Hello!" One of the arm candy queens sauntered over and introduced herself. "I'm Cassandra Hopkins.
"

 
          "Uh, hi, I'm Danielle Labouleaux.
"

 
           Cassandra looked her up and down. "What a beautiful dress you have on. Oh you must tell me who you are wearing!"

 
          "It's a Valentino, I think." Danny said
.

 
          "Oh and look at that gorgeous necklace. A cross I see! It's very bold of you to be wearing your religion in New York!" Cassandra and her entourage chuckled
.

 
           The other women in the swarm took their positions and surrounded Cassandra and her prey. "I haven't seen you before, and I see you're alone! Very gutsy. A young, pretty, single girl coming to this charity event all by yourself?"

 
           Danny was not as intimidated as they hoped she would be. She very coyly channeled her grand mere, the ultimate southern lady in Danny's mind, and by damned these pretentious uppity drones were not going to spoil her evening! Danny spoke with her best southern belle drawl.

 
          "Why darling, this piece of jewelry I'm wearing? Well, you know it came right from my ancestor, the great Marie Laveau, you know, of N'awlins legend. Why, my word, she was without a doubt a voodoo priestess, but heaven knows she also did love her Jesus! Now how would it look if I did not wear such a fine family heirloom and honor the great Miss Laveau! Why she might just come back from the grave and put a spell on me! And my word, bless your heart! You must understand. You seem to be wearing all your family heirlooms on your body tonight!
"

 
          Danny turned on her Louboutin heels and walked into a side room, hearing the laughter of the husbands and boyfriends of the drones who were listening intently to the caramel-skinned beauty. They took much delight in the dressing down of the haughty Cassandra Hopkins
.

 
           Dr. Gerard Wolfe had also heard the exchange and followed Danny into the side room where there was a podium set up and several chairs along with a slide projector screen.  Upon realizing that this was not the way to the ladies washroom, Danny turned quickly and bumped right into Gerard, spilling her champagne on the good doctor's Armani tux.

 
"Oh my God!I'm so sorry! Let me find a towel!" Danny started looking frantically around for something to use to towel off the tux
.

 
          Gerard smiled and looked right into her golden eyes, "So you aren't a southern belle?" He noticed the sudden lack of a distinct southern accent from her now
.

 
          "Well southern yes, belle sometimes, Creole all the time. I really am sorry! Please let's get this champagne out before it stains your suit! I'll get some club soda for it!" Gerard laughed and couldn't stop smiling at this beautiful woman with the slender hands and obvious wit
.

 
           "It's rented, don't worry. They'll clean it!" Gerard said, his eyes never leaving her face. "Besides I have to give a presentation in a few."

 
          He pointed to the podium at the front of the room
.

 
          "Oh, um, well I'm sorry again! I better let you get ready then." Danny was turning to leave, but Gerard grabbed her by the arm gently
.

 
          "Why don't you stay? I promise not to be boring!" He pointed to a seat in the front row right on the end. "And your husband or boyfriend can sit right next to you.
"

 
           Danny knew it was a ploy by the doctor to find out if she was alone. "I'm here by myself and to be honest, I was given a ticket to this event by my roommate to get me out of the house. I didn't even know what it was for! I'm really embarrassed right now and I've already caused a scene and ruined your tux!"

 
          She was babbling and she knew it. Her face was going all hot and redness was creeping into her cheeks. "I should just go now!
"

 
            She looked down at her feet amazed that she hadn't spilled champagne on the Louboutins.

 
          "Don't be silly! By the way I'm Gerard Wolfe, and you?
"

 
           Danny remembered seeing his name on the program. "Oh, aren't you a doctor? Oh Lord! Where are my manners!? I'm Danielle La Boo Low." She pronounced her last name as if she were saying it phonetically. "My friends call me Danny."

 
           She held out her hand for the doctor to shake. The good looking doctor with the sandy blonde hair and tall, slim build took her hand and lifted it up. For a moment she wondered if he was going to be cliché and kiss it. He didn't, but he did put one hand on top of hers and one on the bottom to hold it. Finally he let it fall to her side.

 
          "Well Danielle, seeing as how we're already friends since you've spilled champagne on me, may I now call you Danny?
"

 
          "Why yes you may!" She now couldn't stop smiling. "And if you don't mind I would love to hear your presentation!
"

 
            She sat in the front row seat Gerard had picked for her as the others started filing in.

Angel Faces was an organization that Gerard had been with for many years after he got out of medical school and did his residency at New Haven General in his home state of Connecticut. He traveled the world and received an abundance of experience in his chosen specialty of craniofacial reconstruction, repairing various facial deformities in children whose villages would have shunned them otherwise.

 
              Danny watched intently while he gave his presentation and slide show. It was very obvious he was passionate about helping these children, and she felt embarrassed about not having known anything about the reason for the fundraiser. She couldn't help but admire him and his compassion. After thirty minutes he was through, and the house lights came back up. After the polite applause ended and a few minutes of obligatory meet and greet, everyone filed back into the gallery where there was now music, finger foods, and hard liquor being served as if the seriously moving speech and slide show had never existed. Check books started coming out and the donations started along with the bidding for the pretentious art pieces.

 
           This was Danny's cue to sneak out. She rose to her feet ready to walk when Gerard came down from the makeshift stage, leaving a guest still talking to him and grabbed her by the hand. He was handsome in his tux and hazel eyes were dancing as they gazed at her. He was lean and physically fit she thought, though she noticed his gifted hands were certainly his best feature. She imagined they could deftly wield a scalpel and make miracles happen, and they were definitely holding her heart now.

 
           "Would you like to go get some coffee with me?" He asked, still holding her hand gently but firmly. "Nothing left now but the upper crusties out there and those horrible hor'dourve's'."

 
           Danny laughed a little at his comment, gazing back at him. She quickly regained her composure and with a little shy smile said in her best southern belle, "Why Doctor, I would be delighted if you would escort little old' me to get some coffee!"

 
           They both laughed.

 
          Arm in arm they left the ballroom, leaving gossip and wagging tongues behind. If there were a competition they would have won the award for best dressed patrons at the coffeehouse that night. Among the wannabe screenwriters, playwrights, and hackers huddled over their laptops taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi, the couple chose a private little corner and got to know each other. That coffee date led to another, then a dinner date, and that started the makings of their romantic relationship
.

Chapter Thre
e

 
            
 
 A walk home from her precinct station and fresh air was all Danny needed to clear her head after the grueling day she just had. The precinct had been a mad house today and she was grateful to be headed home, putting the drunks, prostitutes, and bickering spouses behind her, at least until tomorrow
.

 
It had been nearly four months since she and Gerard had been dating, and she still couldn't tell him directly of the many secrets she held. He knew she worked in the NYPD, but she only let on that it was a desk job, even though she held a badge. She told him it was mainly for identity purposes, not that she was arresting bad guys herself.

 
Besides, she had also briefly worked for the New Orleans police department and went through their police academy after hurricane Katrina. There had been many openings created when so many police officers fled after the hurricane landed. For some reason Gerard believed her, and she was grateful. She had told him she had worked for the FBI for a small stint too, again mostly paperwork. To her surprise and delight, he seemed to be content knowing just that information and never pressed her any further.

 
The bigger elephant in the room was the fact that they also did not see eye to eye on spiritual beliefs. She believed in God and Heaven and certainly the presence of spirits and the afterlife. Gerard insisted such things were fairytales. He had seen so much evil and mayhem in his time overseas that he couldn't understand how God would let innocent children suffer at the hands of their parents, especially their mothers who should have loved them unconditionally no matter what their deformity. He had seen children tossed into the street like unwanted garbage. He had witnessed children fighting with the local stray dogs and rats for scraps of food, when their deformities could be fixed with a reasonably easy surgery.

 
 Despite their differences, she still loved him. She figured, as a lot of women do early on in a relationship, that he would lighten up on his opinion and maybe it was possible for him to change. Of course, she was wrong. She didn't realize how wrong until one night watching a medium on television that claimed he could talk to your deceased loved ones. Gerard laughed and called it all hogwash. He told her he couldn't understand how gullible people actually were. That should have been the deal breaker for her. How could she let him know this so-called medium was a fake and a fraud, but she was the real deal? Maybe it was the desire to feel normal. Who wouldn't want to be the girlfriend of a very successful doctor? She did see a future with him even though he was so adamant about the subject. She resolved to keep that part of her life secret. Besides he really didn't ask that many questions about what she did. She knew she loved him. To her that was all that mattered, and she still held hope that in time he would mellow on the subject
.

 
She released those thoughts from her mind and arrived outside her apartment building. The walk home had done her good. She felt the sweet smelling July evening air swirl in her lungs as she took one last deep breath before going in for the evening. The sun was setting and glowed. She smiled to herself, shaking off Gerard's overt opinions on the subject. She was ready for a relaxing night alone soaking in the tub since Stephania was still out of town. Hopefully Stephania wouldn't mind her using her expensive imported French bubble bath
!

 
           Danny stepped into the elevator of the antiquated but architecturally sound apartment building. She had let herself in the door of the main hallway and mailboxes. On the south wall leading to the elevator was an old picture of the beautiful building with the residents of the time standing out in front of it. The picture was dated August 20th 1930. When she had first moved in, channeling her abilities, Danny had visited with the former residents of her building. The photograph was her doorway into the spirit realm. How fortunate for her to have the friendly spirit of Mrs. Jansen to escort her around the new art deco building with what was then new modern architecture and wonderfully modern conveniences. She was given the grand tour, her guide only pointing out the sights. How she wished Mrs. Jansen could just talk to her! The fun stories that would have been told by her in her own voice would have been exciting! Mrs. Jansen held the distinction of having lived the longest in the building until her death in 1962. It was her apartment that she and Stephania now occupied
.