20.
C OREY
As I walked through the bullpen to turn in some paperwork from yesterday’s shift, I saw at least three of the detectives and staff eating pastries together and had to smile because Janis was at it again.
In the two weeks since we’d started seeing each other, she’d taken to sending baked goods to the station at random times, making sure that she distributed them equally between the shifts. I told her that everyone was grateful for her thoughtfulness, but I didn’t want her to waste too much of her precious time and money just to make me look good.
Janis had laughed before she explained that she hadn’t been thinking of me at all when it started. She was using my co-workers as guinea pigs for new recipes and gathering their opinions of the previous pastries she’d sent when she brought the next batch. It was a genius marketing strategy that had not only driven more traffic to her bakery, but also to Piper’s coffee shop next door. I quickly realized that it was a win-win for everyone.
“Tell your girl that the apricot macadamia muffins she sent this morning were the best thing I’ve ever tasted,” one of the detectives who was just starting his shift called out from across the room.
His partner, who was seated at one of the desks, chimed in, “When she finally gets sick of your ass, I’m going to be first in line as your replacement, Forrester.”
“Not happenin’, Mills. I’m keeping her whether she wants me to or not.”
I might be testing that theory after this morning’s argument. Janis might not want me around for a while, but then again, if we’d learned anything over the last two weeks, it was that making up was the best part of an argument.
I knew that there was usually a honeymoon period when a couple first got together, but Janis and I had somehow skipped over that step into a full-blown relationship complete with simple disagreements like the one we were still laughing about three days later to the all-out war we’d participated in this morning after I asked her a question before the coffee was ready and she snapped at me like I’d just accused her of a heinous crime. I wasn’t firing on all cylinders either and responded in kind, and by the time I left the house, we’d been in a full-blown argument.
Although, I was happy to say that she still gave me a kiss before I left, even if it was just a quick peck on the lips.
I had just put my paperwork in the correct box for processing when my phone buzzed with a text. I was happy to see that it was from Janis, a bit more curt than she’d been for the last few weeks, but communicating all the same.
Do you want dinner tonight?
I thought about it for a second and wondered if she was cooking or if she may want me to and then wondered what we might have.
What are my options?
Yes or fucking no.
I barked out a laugh and scared the hell out of the secretary, who was walking past me in the hallway. After I apologized, I thought about how to answer her question.
I’d love to have dinner with you, Medusa, but if it’s not too much to ask, I’d like it without rat poison.
What kind of amateur do you take me for, Donut? Have some faith.
Has anyone ever mentioned to you that you’re a bit terrifying?
Don’t be a pussy. You started this fight.
And I’m not apologizing for what I said, but I am sorry for the way I said it.
Thank you. Just for that, I’ll leave the drain cleaner under the sink where it belongs.
You don’t think I’d notice if dinner tasted like drain cleaner?
I wasn’t going to use it to poison you, Donut.
Then what were you going to do with it?
Blow up your truck.
I started laughing again and then thought about it in confusion for a second before I replied.
How were you going to blow up my truck with that?
Code Blue.
I was laughing so hard now that there were tears in my eyes, and without thinking, I sent her a reply.
God, I love you, Medusa.
I realized what I’d just sent, and my heart stopped for a few long seconds before it started racing. Holy shit! Had I just told Janis Grissom I loved her? Why did I do that? How could I do that?
As I watched the three dots blinking, my heart finally slowed, and I became aware that I wasn’t really terrified of saying that because I really meant it. What scared the shit out of me was how she might respond.
A text finally came through, and as Lawson and Brawley walked up to me, probably to find out why I was laughing like a loon, I started chuckling again.
I’m going to assume that you’re a hostage and trying to send an SOS.
If not, then you’re even fucking crazier than people say I am.
Be safe out there, Donut.
I like you a little bit and might get upset if something happens to you.
“He’s officially lost it,” Lawson told Brawley before he got down on one knee to straighten the laces on his boot. “He’s laughing like a crazy person and dating Janis Grissom. Either one of those is enough to get him locked up with a snug white coat outfitted with lots of silver buckles.”
Lawson reached over and took my phone out of my hand, and his eyes got wide before he whispered, “Drain cleaner?” A few seconds later, he looked up at me in shock and asked, “You told her you love her?”
“It slipped out.”
“Things like that don’t slip out, Forrester,” Brawley said as he stood back up.
“I think I meant it.”
“She’s right. You are fucking nuts,” Lawson said as he handed me my phone. “Completely certifiable.”
“What did she say back?” Brawley asked.
“She said she likes him a little, and she’s not going to try to kill him today,” Lawson explained, summing up our conversation.
“Well, when it comes to Janis, I think that might be as close to a declaration of love as anyone’s ever come.”
“I think you’re right,” Lawson agreed. He grinned at me before he said, “You found that spot in there that’s almost soft, didn’t you?”
“She’s growing on me.”
“You’re already in way deeper than I imagined you would be by this time. Most men would have run screaming for the hills the first time she threatened to poison their food.”
“She really threatened that?” Brawley asked.
“No. She actually said she was considering blowing up my truck.”
Brawley whistled softly before he said, “And here you are, laughing about it like a crazy person.”
“It’s Janis,” I said with a shrug.
When Lawson just nodded, Brawley shook his head. “Both of you are nuts.”
◆◆◆
The second Noble pulled up in his patrol car, I got out of my unit and met him on the sidewalk. He and I stood still for a few seconds and listened since the call that had come into dispatch reported a man and woman screaming. When we didn’t hear anything, I shrugged and started up the sidewalk.
I had just stepped onto the porch when the front door opened and a young woman timidly smiled at me through the glass door. I was about to introduce myself when I heard a woman’s shout and then a man yell, “Please stop!”
“What the fuck?” Noble asked as he spun around to run down the steps.
I told the girl to stay inside and lock the door, and she immediately complied. I heard the deadbolt click right before I hit my mic to call in confirmation and ask for backup, since we were probably going to have to breach the home next door.
As I jogged toward the disturbance, I saw Noble creeping along the wall, staying low to avoid being seen through the windows on that side of the house. Since he was going to cover the back, I took position by the front door and waited for dispatch to confirm that there was at least one other officer on the way.
It didn’t take long for another patrol car to arrive, and I was surprised to see my sister get out of the passenger seat. Generally, we weren’t allowed to work the same shift, but she was doing a ride-along with the sergeant on duty. I motioned for Officer Ward to join Noble at the back of the house and waited to see what Sergeant Cortez wanted to do.
Suddenly, there was another angry shout from the woman inside, followed by a man’s long, tortured scream. When he again started begging for the woman to stop, saying it repeatedly, Cortez pulled his service weapon out and nodded toward the front door.
“Get inside,” he ordered.
I reached over to see if the door was locked, and when I found that it was, I stepped in front of the door and kicked it as hard as I could, making sure my foot landed as close to the frame as possible. When I kicked it a second time, the door flew open, and Cortez rushed past me into the house.
I pulled out my weapon and followed him, covering his back and double-checking to make sure the situation was safe. When the woman started screaming again, Cortez burst through the closed door at the end of the hall and yelled, “Put your hands up!”
I rushed in behind him just as Noble and Marley hurried down the hall, only to rear back in horror at the sight in front of me.
“Holy shit,” Marley muttered behind me.
“Get out of my room!” My high school algebra teacher, Miss Litherland, screeched at the top of her lungs.
“What is the meaning of this?” the man, who just happened to have been my chemistry teacher both times I took the class, yelled at the same time.
Sergeant Cortez, a usually stoic man, was stammering and sputtering. At first I thought it was because he was mortified, but then I realized he was trying to hold back his laughter.
“Everybody out!” Cortez ordered, as he turned around with a barely suppressed grin. “Mr. Hoover and Miss Litherland, please get dressed so I can take a statement from each of you for my report.”
Cortez ushered us down the hall like wayward children and pushed us out the front door onto the porch.
“If any of you laugh while we’re taking their statements, I’ll have you doing cavity searches in the jail for the next six months.”
“Can we puke?” Marley asked hesitantly.
“I’m not sure I can stop myself,” Noble said before he gulped loudly. “I’ve seen some shit in my life but that . . . What was that?”
“That was my worst nightmare come to life,” I admitted.
“Was she . . .” Noble asked.
Marley swallowed hard, gagged, and then answered, “Yep.”
“And he . . .”
“Uh huh.”
“But then . . .”
“Yep.”
I watched Marley and Noble’s back and forth and then had to slap my hand over my mouth when Noble asked, “I’m not one to kink shame, but why was she dressed like Minnie Mouse?”
“The polka dots,” Marley whispered. “Jesus, the polka dots.”
Cortez barked out a laugh and then coughed to cover it up before he said, “You’ll remain professional at all times. Understand?”
“Yessir,” we replied in unison.
I heard the door behind us open and then the familiar sound of Mr. Hoover clearing his throat. I was taken back in time to chemistry class, but this time, he wasn’t wearing the disheveled button-up and ugly tie. Oh, no. This time, he had on bunny ears and a hot pink bra.
Tears filled my eyes as I held my breath, trying my hardest not to make a sound. It almost killed me when Noble and Marley both looked down at their boots. If I didn’t know better, I’d think that both of them were crying, and when Noble’s shoulders shook, I had to cough to cover up a laugh.
“Keep it together,” I whispered frantically.
“But we can’t tell anyone,” Marley whispered sadly. “Do you know how bad that sucks?”
“So fucking bad,” Noble agreed, and it sounded almost like there were actual tears of sorrow in his voice rather than laughter.
“Okay,” Marley said before she took a deep breath and stood up straight. “Game faces, guys! Liquor fills the pot at the end of this shit rainbow, and I, for one, can’t wait to get to it.”
“Ain’t that the truth?”
◆◆◆
“Hey, friend. How’re things?”
Carl glanced around the alley we were in, sighed, and slowly shook his head before he answered, “The damn heater went out, so I put in a service call to get it replaced. The quote the technician gave me was enough to pay for his kid’s college tuition. I’m sure I won’t even get so much as a thanks when he gets his diploma.”
“Ungrateful asshole,” I said with a laugh at his sarcasm. “Seriously, though. Is there anything new going on I should worry about?”
“You got that young girl off the streets, I see.”
“I didn’t, but I let the powers that be know, and they took care of it. Last I heard, she was getting much-needed medical attention and her family was eager to welcome her home.”
“I like it when there’s a happy ending.”
“Are you ready to find a house of your own yet?”
“And give up all of this?” Carl asked as he motioned toward the alley behind him.
“There are programs out there that can help, and I’ll do whatever I can too.”
“You gonna move me into your place?”
“I probably should, after as much help as you’ve given me.”
“Nah. You’re going to move that pretty baker in sooner than later. I’d hate to cramp your style.”
“So, let me get you some help,” I pressed.
“I’m a free spirit,” Carl said, ignoring my offer. Again .
“Anything I should know about her after-hours visitors?” I asked as I nodded toward the back door of Janis’ bakery.
“Just the usual,” Carl answered. “Those gang assholes are still frothing at the mouth, you know. You and your buddy still have targets on your backs.”
“I’m sure we do.”
“That call about the wife-beater you went on yesterday was one of them.”
“I saw his tattoos when I cuffed him.”
“That just made your target even bigger.”
I shrugged before I asked, “How did you know I took someone in on a domestic?”
“I’m that old guy who knows just about everything that goes on in the neighborhood.”
“Do you need anything?”
“I’m as fine as a bottle of wine,” Carl said as he lifted up the to-go box that I knew must have come from Janis. When he opened it and I saw kolaches, a power bar, and a cupcake, I knew for sure he’d just been served dinner by her. “Since you’re here, I’m going to settle in at the park and enjoy my dinner.”
“Stay safe out there, Carl.”
“You do the same,” Carl said as he shuffled off. I watched him for a few minutes before I walked over and entered the code to get inside the bakery.
Even though we had started out the morning on the wrong foot, our texts throughout the day had gotten us back on good terms. I reiterated the mental note to myself that I should keep my mouth shut until the first mug of coffee was gone in the morning.
Janis’ schedule was grueling, and since we’d spent every night since our first night together at either her house or mine, I was becoming accustomed to it. She was on her way to bed when most people were having dinner and up when they were still sleeping soundly. It took some effort, but I’d changed my schedule to match hers when I could, going to bed early and waking up when she did to get in a workout before I went on duty.
When my shift schedule changed at the end of the month, I’d have to reconfigure, but I knew that we’d find a way to work it out so we could see each other.
It had only been a few weeks, but I was fully vested in this relationship, and I couldn’t imagine living without Janis in my life. I had a feeling she felt the same way, but she was much more cautious about showing her emotions than I was - something I knew that would become easier the longer we were together.
With the door shut behind me, I opened the tub to see how many dinners she had left and found a few, which surprised me because by this time of day, the light was usually off because she’d run out. I glanced into the office and saw that it was empty, so I pulled off my shirt and switched into employee garb in case she needed my help with anything.
When I rounded the corner into the kitchen, I found Janis sitting on a stool, bent over a large piece of parchment paper as she drew on it with a small piping bag.
“Hey, Donut,” she said without looking up. “You’re earlier than usual.”
“I made an arrest and just happened to be at the station for shift change, so it went a lot more smoothly than usual,” I said as I approached her. “Are you filming?”
“Yeah. Give me just a second to finish this sheet, and I’ll give you a proper hello.”
“Need me to do anything?” I asked as I walked toward the sink to wash up.
Janis glanced up and smiled when she realized I’d already changed clothes. “Will you restock my flour and sugar?”
“On it.”
I’d been helping her for a while now and knew what I needed to do without asking, so when I finished washing my hands, I opened the large containers and got everything out so I could rotate through the stock.
By the time I finished, Janis had completed her work and turned off the ring light that she used when she was filming.
“Now I just need these to dry so I can do the ASMR while I take them off the paper.”
I dusted my hands off before I turned around and opened my arms for her to walk into them. After I gave her a long kiss hello, I held her tight and asked, “Are you feeling okay? How’s your back?”
“It’s worked itself out, so I assume I just overdid it with the cookies yesterday. I’ve been using a stool every time I worked at the counter today, and I think it’s made a big difference.”
“Good. I’ll give you a massage when we finish dinner. Are we going to your place or mine?”
“About that,” Janis hedged.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as I studied her face. Her entire body had gone tense, and I worried about what she was trying to figure out how to say.
“Mom and Dad invited us over tonight, and I couldn’t come up with a good excuse to say no.”
“Why would you want to?”
“You want to go to dinner at my parents’ with me?”
“Do you want me to go to dinner at your parents’ with you?” I asked.
Janis shrugged before she said, “Maybe.”
“Is your dad cooking?” I asked. Hank’s cooking was legendary, and I was eager to have more of it. “He’s not going to poison me, is he?”
Janis scoffed. “He wouldn’t ruin good food that way. Besides, you know that if he wants to do something, he’ll take the direct approach.”
“That’s true.”
“We don’t have to be there for an hour or so.”
“Hmm,” I said as I looked around the kitchen. “How long do we have before those things on the paper are dry?”
“At least thirty minutes,” Janis said with a grin.
“Wanna test out that hammock in your office?”
Janis took off toward her office with my hand in hers and all but dragged me, not that I was unwilling, by any means, in that direction.
“I thought you’d never ask.”