6. Chapter 6
~LEVI~
“ F eed her.”
Joy, my brother Jace’s wife, gently places a tiny kitten in my hands then gives me a little bottle of milk.
“Uh, Joy, I’m not really?—”
“If you want breakfast, you’ll feed her,” she says as she walks away and whisks the eggs.
It’s the morning after my day out with Starla. I haven’t seen Jace in a couple of weeks thanks to both of our schedules, and I’m happy to spend time with him and Joy, catching up.
I brush my thumb along the top of the kitten’s head and offer her the nipple, which she latches on to right away.
“Do you ever feed her?”
“Every two hours,” Joy confirms. “You should adopt her once she’s ready to go home.”
“No.” I shake my head adamantly. “No pets for me.”
“I’ll talk you into it eventually.” Joy’s voice is confident. She may be right, but I’ll continue putting up a fight.
Mostly because it’s fun.
“So, what have you been up to?” Joy asks, her voice way too nonchalant for me to believe she doesn’t already know what I’ve been doing.
“Who have you talked to?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Bullshit.”
She laughs, and I stare at Jace, who just shrugs and takes another sip of his coffee, watching his wife with the proverbial heart eyes.
“There might be a rumor floating through the family that you’re dating Starla.”
“And you’re looking for confirmation?”
“Yes.” She stirs the eggs in the pan and smiles over at me. “So, what have you been up to?”
“Nothing.” I laugh when she scowls.
“Watching you two banter is exhausting,” Jace says.
“It’s your fault, dude. You started bringing her around fifteen years ago, and she’s been a pain in my ass ever since.”
“Hey,” Joy demands. “You love me, and you know it.”
“I can love you and still find you to be a pain in my ass.” The kitten is making a mess of the milk, so I set the bottle down and use a paper towel to clean her up. “Is she done?”
Joy shrugs because she knows my pain in the ass statement is true, and once she has our plates loaded with eggs and bacon, she sets them in front of us, then takes the kitten from me and tucks her into a warm blanket.
“She’s done. And I have toast coming.” Joy says.
“This is way more than I expected when I said I was coming over.”
“You’ve got to eat,” she replies. “And, if you’re not dating Starla, which as you pointed out is none of my business, I have a new doctor at my clinic I’d like to introduce you to. MaryLou. She’s super smart and funny. Right, Jace?”
“Sure,” he says, shoving eggs in his pie-hole.
“Whose side are you on?” I ask him, earning an eye roll.
“I have sex with her ,” he reminds me. “Whose side do you think I’m on?”
“Anyway, MaryLou is super sweet, and I think you’d hit it off.” I glare at my sister-in-law and, in my head, run through all the ways I could kill her and make it look like an accident before she follows up with, “I just want you to be happy, Levi. I love you.”
Okay, there will be no killing today.
“Are you going to control your woman?” I ask my brother.
“Nope.”
I sigh and take a bite of toast. “I’ve been seeing Starla.”
“I knew it!” Joy pumps her fist in victory. “Tell me everything. Not just your cop version of the events, which is never enough. Everything , Crawford.”
“You’re truly a pain in my ass.”
“Go on. Spill it.”
I look helplessly at Jace, but he just shrugs.
“It’s not the job giving me the grey hair, it’s my nosy-ass sisters-in-law.”
Joy just watches me expectantly, and finally, I cave.
“It’s really pretty normal dating stuff.”
“Like?”
“I took her out to dinner, to the Pop Culture Museum, the Market. You know, the usual.”
“Without being mobbed?”
“Lia helped.” I tell them about Lia giving Starla a disguise. “It was fun to take her out where she could relax and enjoy herself.”
“That’s so awesome,” Joy says. “She seems really nice.”
“She is.”
“So that’s it?”
“That’s it.” I shove more food into my mouth and chew, holding Joy’s gaze with my own in a stare-down of wits.
“I don’t believe you.”
“What else do you want to know?”
“Are you sleeping with her?”
“Jesus, Joy.”
“I told you, I want to know everything.”
“No,” I blurt, surprised at myself. “No, I’m not sleeping with her. Not for now.”
Jace and Joy both blink at me in surprise.
“Really?” Jace asks first. “Wow.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just wow,” he says. “From what you told me, the chemistry is crazy hot, so I just figured?—”
“Wait,” Joy says, holding up a hand. “He told you the chemistry is hot? Why didn’t you tell me ?”
“Because some things are private,” I say at last and then feel like shit when her eyes have hurt in them. “And because she fucked me up in the head before, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I just needed to talk it out with Jace.”
“I can see that,” Joy says, the hurt leaving her eyes. “How do you feel?”
“Still a little messed up,” I admit. “But I like her, and I want to get to know her better.”
“Well, I think it’s fantastic,” Joy says. “I’ll keep MaryLou as a backup, just in case.”
“You’re a meddler,” I say, pointing at her with my toast.
“Thank you for noticing.”
“Jesus, why does the paperwork pile up over the weekend?”
I stare at my inbox, both on my desk and on the computer, and sigh.
“Because everyone missed you, Crawford,” Anderson says from the doorway of my office just as my phone rings.
“Crawford.”
“This is dispatch. We have a burglary call at 7720 North 77 th Street.”
“On my way.” I stand and reach for my leather jacket. “Paperwork will have to wait. We have a call. You’re with me.”
“I’m ready,” Anderson replies and falls into step behind me. Anderson’s a rookie. He’s been in my division for less than a year, but I like him. He has strong instincts, and a solid work ethic, which I’ve found is sorely lacking in the young guys coming through the academy these days.
The drive to the address in question takes ten minutes. When we pull up, there’s already a cruiser there with its lights flashing, and the front door of the house is open. Neighbors stand outside and on tiptoe to peek through windows, trying to see what’s going on.
I approach, calling out my name and rank.
The patrolman on scene steps to the door.
“A woman named Francesca Smith called it in,” he says, quickly briefing me. “She insists that she’s missing property but can’t tell me exactly what’s gone.”
“Tape off the perimeter,” I instruct him. “I don’t want neighbors walking on the property in case we need to look for footprints in the grass.”
“Will do.”
He nods and steps out, and Anderson and I walk in to find a crying woman on the couch.
“Hello, Miss Smith, I’m Detective Crawford, and this is my partner, Officer Anderson.”
“Hello,” she whines, sniffing at her tears. “Thank you for coming.”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“Well, like I told the other guy, I woke up and just knew someone had been in my house.”
“How do you know?” I ask as Anderson takes his phone out of his pocket and starts taking notes. I survey the scene, looking over the windows and doors to the outside.
Aside from the front door, it doesn’t appear that anything is open.
“I could feel it,” she says. “And I know you’re going to tell me I’m crazy, but I’m not. I have women’s intuition.”
“I don’t think you’re crazy.”
Yet.
“Were any of your doors or windows open?”
“No,” she says and sniffs again. “But my mother’s wedding ring is missing.”
This piques my interest.
“Can you describe it?”
“I have a photo of it,” she says and brings it up on her phone to show me. “It’s a simple gold band.”
I look at Anderson, who looks back at me.
“Is it engraved inside?”
“No.” She sniffs once more.
“Is anything else missing? Any other jewelry?”
“No. That’s why it has to be Jeremy that did it.”
“Jeremy?” I raise a brow. “You know who did this?”
She nods and starts to cry again. “He’s obsessed with me. He won’t leave me alone.”
Anderson and I share another look.
“Is he stalking you?” I ask.
“Absolutely. We work together, and I’ve told him I don’t want to jeopardize my job. I mean, he’s cute and all, but it’s not worth losing my job over. He just won’t take no for an answer, and he knows that ring means a lot to me, so he took it just to hurt me.”
I frown. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it won’t hurt to have a conversation with Jeremy.
“Fran, what’s Jeremy’s last name?”
“My name is Francesca ,” she bites out, glaring at me. “I didn’t give you permission to call me Fran .”
“My apologies.” I glance around the room again. “Do you mind if I look around?”
“Why? I told you what I’m missing.”
“Someone was in your home without your permission,” I remind her, watching her closely. “I’d just like to take a quick look.”
“Fine.”
She dissolves into another puddle of tears, and I know Anderson won’t like babysitting her, but I leave him with her while I walk the space. The house is small and simply decorated. Nothing fancy. The woman who lives here is tidy but clearly doesn’t make a ton of money.
There’s nothing here that screams foul play.
When I return to the living area, Francesca is snapping at my partner.
“I saw the way you looked at me.”
“I wasn’t looking at you, ma’am.”
“Now I’m a ma’am?” She stands and pokes her finger into his chest. “I don’t like you.”
“You don’t have to like him,” I interrupt, pissed now. “And you’d best not touch him again, or I’ll arrest you for assault of a police officer.”
“He was looking at me.”
“He won’t be looking anymore. We’re done here.” I nod at Anderson, and he immediately turns and walks out of the house. “I’ll call you if the ring turns up. It would help if you’d tell me Jeremy’s last name.”
“Lubbock,” she says. “Like the city. Please talk to him and tell him to leave me alone.”
“I’ll talk to him. If you’re that afraid of him, you can take out a restraining order.”
“I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that,” she says with a sigh.
I tip my head and leave, closing the door behind me, then walk down to Anderson and the uniform at the end of the sidewalk.
“You can remove the tape and go,” I say to the uniform. “We’re done here.”
“Yes, sir,” he says.
Anderson and I get in the car.
“Pull up a Jeremy Lubbock. We’ll go pay him a visit.”
“Got it,” Anderson says, pulling up the name on his phone. “Found him. She was a piece of work.”
“She was interesting,” I agree, rubbing my fingertips over my mouth. “I didn’t believe a word she said.”
“I didn’t either.”
Jeremy lives about three miles away from Francesca. “I wonder what they do for a living that they’re both home this time of day?”
“Looks like they work at the airport,” Anderson says. “Makes sense. Shift work.”
“That would explain it,” I agree as I pull into the driveway behind a minivan. “Van. Could Jeremy be a family man?”
“There are toys in the yard,” Anderson says with a sigh. “Well, shit.”
“Shit indeed.”
We get out of the car and walk to the front door. I ring the bell. A few seconds later, a woman in her early twenties with a baby on her hip opens the door.
“Yes?” she says, her smile faltering.
“I’m Detective Crawford, and this is my partner Officer Anderson.”
“Oh God, is my dad okay?” she asks, tears filling her eyes.
“We are not here to inform anyone of a death or accident,” I quickly assure her. “We’re looking for Jeremy Lubbock.”
“Oh.” She blinks rapidly. “Of course. Come in.”
We follow her inside.
“Jer!”
“I’m right here.” A tall, lean man is standing at the top of the staircase, watching us. He descends. “How can I help you?”
“First, do you know a Francesca Smith?”
He frowns, and his eyes dart to his wife, then back to me.
“Yes. I work with her at the airport.”
Good. Don’t lie to me.
“She called in a burglary this morning and told us you’ve been harassing her at work. She’s pretty sure you stole her mother’s wedding band just to dick with her.”
I watch them both carefully. How they react in the next second will tell me everything.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Jeremy’s wife mutters, shaking her head. “I told you to call the cops two weeks ago.”
Jeremy wipes his hand down his face. “Jesus.”
“So, do you have the ring?” I ask.
“Fuck, no,” he responds immediately. Now this guy, I believe. “I’m not the one who’s been pursuing her. She’s crazy, man.”
“Batshit,” his wife agrees. “Show him the texts.”
“There are texts?” I ask.
“Oh, yeah. Here.” Jeremy takes his phone out and proceeds to show me pages and pages of disturbing text messages. “This is where they start, about three weeks ago when I started the job. At first, it wasn’t too crazy.”
Can I call you?
Are you alone?
I think you’re the nicest guy I’ve ever met.
“Why did she have your number?” Anderson asks.
“I don’t know how she got it,” Jeremy replies. “And I’ve changed it three times since she started texting. She always finds the new one. I can prove that I changed it.”
“I believe you.”
I do. There’s no reason for him to lie to me about this, and as I flip through the texts, they get more and more disturbing.
I know you’re there, you’re just not answering me. Is it because of that stupid Karen? I know you don’t really love her.
“Are you Karen?”
Jeremy’s wife nods soberly. “Yeah. She started texting me, too. Telling me to stay away from her man. ”
“Jesus,” Anderson mutters, reading over my shoulder.
I want you to fuck me. I want you inside of me. I can make you so happy! I can make you come in ways you’ve never dreamed of.
“Creepy,” I mutter, still flipping. Finally, I get to last night.
I can ruin you, you asshole. You think I can’t? I can claim that you’ve stolen from me. I can tell the cops you raped me. That you’ve been after me for years, and no matter what I do, you won’t leave me alone. I can RUIN YOUR FUCKING LIFE!! I’m not joking, Jeremy.
I raise a brow when I see the three dots winking at me at the bottom of the screen.
“Seems she has something to say right now.”
We wait a few moments, all four of us staring at the small screen, and then the message comes through.
I told you I wouldn’t stop fighting for you. I warned you.
“Looks like a whole bunch of threats to me,” Anderson says.
“You can press charges for harassment,” I inform Jeremy. “Between all of the proof on your phone and the bogus call to us this morning, you’ll have no problems getting the charges to stick. I can go arrest her right now.”
“Do it,” Karen says, her voice full of urgency. “Right now, on behalf of both of us. She’s been harassing me, too.”
“Agreed,” Jeremy says. “This is just nuts. And it’s not just me anymore. My wife doesn’t deserve this.”
“Jeremy, before we go pick her up, I need you to be honest with me. Brutally honest, even with your wife standing right here. Have you ever had sex with Francesca Smith?”
“No.” He looks me dead in the eye, his face hard with rage. “I’ve never touched her. I’ve barely spoken to her, and just at work. I love my wife.”
“Okay, then.” I nod and ask Jeremy to take screenshots of all of the texts and send them to me. “We’ll go get her.”
“Thank you,” Karen says. “Thank you so much.”
“Well, that was a clusterfuck.” Anderson presses a wet rag to his neck where Francesca bit him, making him bleed.
“One of the worst arrests I’ve been involved in, and I’ve seen plenty.” I collapse behind my desk and sigh. “You need to go have that cleaned out properly and file a report.”
“I’m most pissed about the extra paperwork this is going to generate,” he says, shaking his head. I can’t help but agree.
“I’m with you there. Go get stitched up and take the rest of the day off. In fact, I’m going to wrap up a few things and head out myself.”
“Whoa. Detective Crawford of the SPD is taking time off?”
I flip him off, but he grins.
“You’re a legend for working more hours than anyone else. What gives?”
I have a sexy redhead on my hands that I can’t wait to see again.
But I don’t say that. I’d rather not be the laughing stock of the department.
“Seeing your blood has me lightheaded,” I lie, earning an eye roll.
“We’ve seen more blood than this.”
“Are you going to go get stitched up before you pass out on my floor?”
“Yes, sir.” He starts to walk away but stops himself and looks back at me. “Thank you. For teaching me.”
“You’ve earned it. See you tomorrow. No calling in sick.”
“No, sir.”
I sigh and sit back in my chair. He’s right, leaving early isn’t my style. Before Starla, I’d hole up here for days on end, working through case after case.
But now that I have her, I can’t get out of here fast enough.
She asked Luke and Nat the other night when a person starts to realize that it’s time to slow down. When the priorities change.
I already feel that, and I’d be a fucking liar if I said it didn’t scare me. Police work is all I know. It’s been my first love for all of my adult life. That changing is terrifying to me.
But losing her is just as scary.
I pick up my phone and shoot her a text.
Leaving work early. Dinner?
I smile when her message comes through.
Chinese. I’m ordering. What do you want?
Her. I want her. But for tonight, I’ll settle for Chinese.
Chicken chow mein. Extra eggrolls, unless you want to share yours.
I lock my office and walk through the bullpen to the parking garage.
Extra eggrolls it is.