Chapter 36
Jack’s union rep had called him that afternoon to inform him that Internal Affairs had closed the investigation and had deemed the shooting to be within policy.
The police union began the process of getting him and his fellow officers fully reinstated.
At the same time the news emerged that they were cleared of any wrongdoing, Hollis Montrose was fired from his job at Metra.
Jack thought it was a good indicator that the buzz around the case would soon die down, and knowing Hollis would lose his health insurance and pension was like the cherry on top of his ten bullet wounds.
Jack hoped the loss would crush him enough that Hollis would plead guilty and the entire ordeal would end.
Then, life could go back to normal, with him and Chaz on patrol and Hollis’s meddling attorney, Beau Lee Cooper, returning to whatever rock he’d climbed out from under.
Jack arrived at Heaven’s apartment shortly after two a.m. She’d told him earlier that day her roommate was out of town, visiting her parents in Florida, and they’d have the place to themselves. It was the first time Heaven had invited him inside, and it felt like a relationship milestone.
She lived in a brownstone on Cleveland Avenue in Lincoln Park.
It was a nice neighborhood—quiet and safe.
He felt tense as he walked the stairs and rang the doorbell.
Going to Heaven’s home felt more like they were dating and less like hooking up.
He’d been treating women as playthings for so long that he wasn’t sure how to treat Heaven as something more, but he liked her enough, and he was willing to try.
Heaven answered the door in a silk robe, having just showered after her shift at the bar. She smelled like vanilla and lavender.
“Hi, handsome,” she said, leaning in to kiss him. The moment their lips touched, he felt like the world had stopped spinning. “Your lips are so cold. Hurry, come in and get warm.”
“You smell great,” he said, touching her bare stomach. “Soft, too.”
“Hurry, Jack. It’s freezing out there.”
Heaven led him into the living room, which was lit by flickering candles.
Soft music was playing; she had set the mood.
The place was well furnished on a grad student’s budget: a cream-colored couch, a bookshelf crammed with books, and a dining room table that looked to be fashioned from reclaimed wood.
There was wall art and floral tapestries.
The first word that came to Jack’s mind was trendy, a term he seldom used, if ever.
It felt reserved for people with money and college degrees who shopped at the luxury retail stores on Oak Street that sold brand names he couldn’t pronounce.
“Nice place.”
“Thank you.”
“You’ve got a lot of books.”
“Yeah, mostly stuff for school. What do you like to read?”
“Oh,” he said, taking a seat on her couch, “between the job and everything else, I don’t have much time for reading.”
“I get that…”
“Have you decided what you’re going to do after graduation?”
Heaven paused and said, “Oh, I don’t know yet. The job market is shit, so I’m not getting my hopes up. Why do you ask?”
Jack wasn’t sure why he’d asked. After all, it went against his rule of knowing very little about his mistresses because ignorance was bliss, but Heaven was different, and they’d come to a mutual understanding that their relationship would be transparent.
The more Jack told the truth, the more Heaven seemed invested in him.
“You’re inquisitive tonight,” she said, sidling up next to him. “Something on your mind?”
“It was just a question.”
“No, it’s fine. I like the curious you. Kinda turns me on.”
Jack grinned, leaning back against the cushions. “Well, you always turn me on,” Jack said.
“You seem very happy today.”
“There’s a lot of reasons to have hope. Today was a good day.”
“Then let’s make the night even better.”
“When you put it that way, I’d love a drink.”
Heaven met his eyes, a slow smile tugging at her lips, before finally rising to pour him a shot of Jack Daniel’s. “You sure you don’t want any nachos?”
“All I want is you wrapped up in my arms. But I need to talk to you for a few minutes about something serious.”
“What is it?”
“The shooting of that Black cop is all over the news, and I want you to know the truth. Me and my fellow officers, we’re trained to protect each other.
When we saw him grabbing his gun, we all lived up to our oath.
And that is to make sure that our fellow officers get home safely when the shift is over. Understand?”
“Yes, I do understand.”
Jack rose and joined Heaven at the drink cart.
He embraced her from behind, his mouth against the back of her head; the smell of her shampoo comforted him.
“But this so-called civil rights lawyer is trying to turn the city against us. Even though all I’ve ever done is to try and protect the city by keeping law and order.
And putting the crazy animals in check. You know what I mean? ”
Heaven turned around and looked at Jack as if she really understood. “Of course. I’ve always seen you as my protector.”
“During this trial, these lawyers are going to say some pretty bad things about me. I just want to know when the smoke clears and when all this is over, you’ll still be by my side for the long run,” Jack said, looking deep into her eyes.
“I’ll be here for you, by your side, forever and ever. I love you, baby, and there’s nothing anybody can say to make me stop loving you. I just want to be with you all the time.”
“After all this is over, we’re going to be together. I promise you. You make me so happy.”