Wedding Bell Blues (31 page)

"That's the plan. If, as I suspect, a night behind bars has
helped loosen his tongue, it will save a lot of time."

"All right." I took a deep breath and then smiled at him. "You
finish dressing and I'll start breakfast before grabbing my shower."

"In a minute." Now he grinned and pulled me close again. "Are
you all right? You look so tired and hurt."

"I'm as all right as can be expected."

Without thinking, I
touched the cut on my cheek, no longer covered by the bandage. Both Mom
and Dad had taken a look at it the day before and decided it was time
to go without the added protection. I wasn't sure I agreed but, after
all, they were the doctors.

"Babe, you don't have to be brave with me."

"You know me too well." I rested my head against his chest,
glad to
feel his arms go around me, holding me close. "Colton, I'm so scared
and angry. Add to that the fact I resent like hell that this is taking
Maryanne's attention away from her wedding. So, no, I'm not all right.
The only thing about this I can say has been positive is that I'm no
longer mad at you."

"Considering where you are right now, and how little we both
have
on, I should hope not." He shifted until we lay in each other's arms,
my head on his shoulder. "When I responded to the call at Manny's and
saw you sitting there on the curb, bloody and scared, it was like the
world came to a crashing halt. Nothing mattered except making sure you
were all right. I didn't care if you were mad at me. Hell, babe, I
figured you'd probably try to scratch my eyes out the moment you saw
me, but I had to be sure you weren't hurt."

"Colton, I really am sorry I misjudged you, that I jumped to
the very conclusion Heather wanted me to."

"Jess, we both made mistakes. But we've grown up. Hopefully,
we're
both a little wiser now." He grinned down at me and lightly cupped my
cheek with one hand. "When this is over - and I promise it will be over
soon - I want us to go away for a long weekend so we can talk and make
love and decide exactly where we're going now. How does that sound?"

"It sounds wonderful."

"Good." He gave an emphatic little
nod. "Now, much as I'd like to stay here and make love to you, I can't.
I need to get dressed and get downtown."

"I'll get breakfast started. Then I'll grab a quick shower and
dress. We can talk some more then."

Thirty minutes later, both of us dressed for the day, we
settled at
the kitchen table for breakfast. This was also different from ten years
ago when we'd just grab something on the run, but something told me it
was important we have this time. Colton seemed to feel the same way
because, the moment I appeared from the bedroom, he put aside the
morning paper and smiled in greeting. It all seemed so normal, so
right. I ran a hand across his shoulder as I passed, grinning as he
caught my hand in his and brought it to his lips.

This most definitely was an improvement over breakfast alone.

"What are your plans for today, Jess?" Colton asked as he
passed me the eggs.

"I've got papers to grade, and I need to prepare a couple of
tests for next week."

I
leaned back and watched him for a moment. Surely, he knew I didn't want
to sit here in the apartment while he was at work. Nor did I really
want to spend the day watching my sister go to the dark side of wedding
jitters as she worried about the rehearsal and dinner tonight and the
wedding tomorrow.

"Do you want me to drop you at your folks' or are you going to
stay here?"

He didn't know. Great. Or, if he did, he was doing his best to
ignore it, hoping I'd change my mind. Well, that wasn't going to
happen. So we'd best just get it over with.
Still, not looking forward to what I assumed would turn into an
argument, I took a sip of coffee and tried to figure out how to ask.

"Actually, Jess," he began before I could say anything. "I'd
rather
you not stay here. I don't have anyone to keep watch and, until we make
sure we've arrested all those involved, I don't particularly like the
idea of you staying by yourself."

"I won't argue with you. I'm not too proud to admit I'm
scared." I
chewed my lip for a moment. It was now or never. "Colton, I'd like to
go to the station with you. Please."

He leaned back, crossed his arms and looked at me
suspiciously. "Why?"

"Colton, I know you can't let me talk to Joey. I'm not asking
that,"
I said quickly, knowing that was where his mind was going. "But I don't
want to stay here by myself and, to be perfectly honest, I don't want
to spend the day with my sister. She's going to be a nervous wreck -
more of a nervous wreck - and I'm just not up to dealing with that. So,
if you'll take me to the station with you and give me a place where I
won't be in the way, I'll grade my papers, put together my tests and do
some reading. I promise you won't even know I'm there."

I fought the urge to hold my breath as I waited for him to
answer.
When he didn't automatically refuse, I felt a flicker of hope. At least
he was thinking about it. But I didn't want him to think about it too
long. If he did, he'd know that I hadn't told him everything. I might
know better than to ask him to let me talk to Joey. But I did want to
be there in case he decided he needed me to talk to the kid, and I most
certainly wouldn't be if Colton figured out what I was thinking.

"You have to promise not to interfere in anything you see or
hear, Jess." He pinned me with a firm look over the top of his mug.

"I do."

"All right. I admit, I'll feel better with you there." He
finished
his eggs and then leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face. "Thank
you."

"Huh?"

Wonderful, show him what a great conversationalist you've
become, Jess.

He just smiled again. "Thanks for breakfast. I usually just
grab a
piece of toast or a bagel or something. It's nice to start the day with
a meal and a gorgeous woman sitting across the table from me."

My cheeks heated, and I ducked my head, embarrassed. Then I
looked
at him and grinned. "Believe me, I like having you across the table
from me. Although -" I cocked my head to one side and gave him a long,
speculative look. "-the view would be so much nicer if you had fewer
clothes on."

"I think we can deal with that particular problem later
tonight, after we get home."

"Promises, promises. You'd just better be prepared to deliver."

"Believe me, I'll be more than prepared." He frowned and
glanced at
his watch. "Unfortunately, I don't have time to show you just how
prepared right now. Can you be ready to leave in ten minutes?"

"I can. I just need to throw some things in my briefcase."

"Go do that, and I'll take care of the dishes. We'll get on
our way as soon as you're ready."

I leaned back and sighed. After three hours in the small break
room
where Colton had said I could work, I was beginning to wonder if I'd
made a mistake coming with him. The smell of bad coffee hung heavy in
the air. It didn't matter that I'd made the last two pots of coffee -
and had been proclaimed goddess and lifesaver by more than one cop in
the process. I think there had even been a couple of marriage proposals
and one very definite proposition in exchange for more coffee.

But
that had been the highlight of the morning. I hadn't seen Colton in
more than two hours. He'd swung by the break room then to tell me he
was about to leave for the school. He'd seen Joey and, unfortunately,
the kid hadn't been ready to talk to him. So it was time to go see what
he could shake out of the administration and students. Then he'd pinned
me with a firm look, reminding me I'd promised not to leave the squad
unless someone was with me.

I'd agreed - what else could I do? Still, I hadn't anticipated
him
being gone so long, nor had I realized how quickly I'd get my papers
graded. I'd be finished preparing next week's tests in another hour or
so and then, whether he liked it or not, I'd have to find something for
lunch. Hopefully, one of the detectives would agree to go with me to
pick something up, because the thought of getting lunch from a vending
machine simply did not appeal to me.

"Shit!"

I started nervously, almost jumping out of my chair,
when the door to the break room flew open, hitting the wall behind it
with a bang. My heart thudded and my mouth went dry. So much for
feeling safe inside the police station.

"Colton, what the hell?"

He stood just inside the door, looking angrier than I'd seen
him in
a long time. Then, as if realizing that I was there and that he'd come
close to scaring me to death, he sighed and ran a hand over his face.
His shoulders slumped and he stepped far enough into the room to close
the door behind him. Without a word, he crossed to me, pulled me to my
feet and held me close, burying his face in my hair.

"Colton, what is it? You're scaring me."

"I'm sorry, Jess. I don't mean to." He held me for a moment
longer
and then released me. I watched as he moved to pour himself a cup of
coffee. He took a sip and then gaped in disbelief before taking a
deeper drink. "This most definitely was not made by a cop."

"Got it right in one, Colton." I grinned as he refilled his
mug and
savored another sip of coffee. "The stuff you guys call coffee doesn't
in any way, shape, or taste resemble that marvelous brew, and I refuse
to drink it unless I have to."

"Do the others know you made coffee?"

"Well, I have received several marriage proposals and the
offer of
as much good sex as I want if I'll come make coffee on a regular basis."

He threw his head back and laughed. Tension flowed away and I
grinned in response. Whatever had upset him, he'd managed to put it
away, at least for awhile. Now, maybe, he would tell me what it was.

"Colton, why were you so angry when you first came in?" I
returned
to my seat, patting the chair next to me and waiting until he joined me
at the table.

"Sorry, Jess. It was more frustration than anger." He reached
for my
hand, his fingers twining with mine and he looked down at them for a
long moment. When he looked back up, I could see his frustration. "I
interviewed three of the four you told me about. They aren't involved.
They may be slackers and fools, but they aren't murderers. Underwood,
however, wasn't at school. No one answered at his house. I've got a
couple of uniforms stationed at the school in case he shows up, and a
couple of detectives watching the house."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Go have another try at Joey. So far, he hasn't yelled for an
attorney and, since he's eighteen, I don't have to deal with his
parents. Still, the sooner I can get him to talk, the better, because I
have a feeling it won't be long before his folks send in an attorney
for him."

"What can I do?"

"Nothing just yet." He gave my hand a squeeze. "I'm going to
go see
what I can do with Joey. Then I'll take you to lunch before dropping
you at your parents'."

"All right. I'll be here." I smiled, not wanting him to worry
about
me. He leaned over and, after a quick glance at the door, kissed me.

"I'll be back soon."

I leaned back and watched as he left the room, taking his
coffee
with him. The moment the door shut behind him, I swallowed hard. Fear
flared, as did frustration. I'd so wanted him to tell me he'd managed
to not only get a confession from Joey but to arrest everyone else even
remotely involved in what had happened. Was it too much to ask that
this nightmare end now, before it completely ruined my sister's wedding?

Damn it, why couldn't anything be simple?

A few minutes later, I climbed to my feet and restlessly paced
the
length of the small room once, twice. This place of safety was quickly
becoming a jail - which was, seeing where I was, not so very ironic.
Still, I wanted to go outside, to feel the sun on my face and just be
able to walk around without having to check in with someone.

But I couldn't. I'd promised Colton I'd stay here. Besides, I
didn't want to risk running into Underwood, and I hated it.

As I returned to the table, hoping to once more be able to
push
aside my worry and frustration long enough to finish my test
preparations, the door opened. I turned, fully expecting to see one of
the detectives back for another cup of coffee. To my surprise, Colton
stood there, eyeing me speculatively.

"What?" I glanced down to make sure I hadn't spilled anything
down
the front of my shirt or lost a button - anything to explain that look.

"I know you've been in here the whole time, Jess," he began.
"But,
damn, it's like you've been working some sort of magic on Joey."

"What are you talking about?"

And why wasn't he making sense?

"He won't talk to me but, when I asked if he wanted to talk to
anyone, he asked to talk to you."

I stood there, staring at him in disbelief. Surely I'd heard
wrong.
Why would Joey ask to talk to me? More importantly, would Colton
actually agree to it? If he did, did I want to talk to Joey?

Hell, could I trust myself to be in the same room and not try
to hurt him for all the pain and sorrow he'd caused?

"So what does that mean?" May as well make him spell it out.

"It means, if you're up to it, you go in and try to get him to
tell
you everything." He crossed to me and motioned for us to be seated at
the table. "Jess, you don't have to do this. God knows, you've suffered
enough because of him. But, if he'll talk to you, if he'll tell you why
he did it and who was with him, it would be a real help."

"But you said I couldn't talk to him, Colton."

"I know. That was before he asked for you, though." He paused
and
let me think about that for a moment. "Jess, I've already discussed it
with the DA. He's agreeable if you are."