A Dozen Deadly Roses (11 page)

Mac clenched his jaw, knowing he was in for a long afternoon.  From the instant he’d seen Jade this morning in her T-shirt and navy blue sweat pants he’d fantasized about her charms hidden under her baggy clothes.  She looked so cute and sexy with her flirtatious ponytail and spotless white sneakers.

The trainers gave detailed instructions on what they wanted the students to do.  They wanted him to lie on the floor on his back and have Jade straddle his hips so he could practice throwing her off of him.  Fat chance.  His natural instincts encouraged him to hook her leg with his own, flip her over, remove her clothes and then sink himself inside her.  It might be a long afternoon, but it was going to be fun.

Mac smiled, watching Jade scrutinize every move the instructors made. 
She really had a hang-up about being perfect
.

“Okay class,” said the instructor, “you give it a try.”

Mac lay on his back, his knees bent.  Slowly Jade lowered herself between his thighs.

Mac recited vehicle code sections in his head to keep his mind off Jade’s breasts swaying directly in front of his face as she got into position.

Supporting herself on her arms, she grinned at him.  She must have sensed his discomfort, and it was obvious she was enjoying every moment.

At the instructor’s command, he maneuvered into what was called a guard position, then on further instruction he flipped over, taking Jade with him.  Now their positions were reversed.  They were in the classic “missionary” posture.  Blood surged to the lower part of his torso as he gazed into her sparkling green eyes.

“Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me,” Jade whispered.  Suddenly, she put him in the guard and flipped him over as he’d just done to her.  Again, she dominated.

“Good, good,” the instructor praised, walking by, observing their technique.

“You know, I think I might like this better myself,” said Mac.  There was no mistaking his arousal and the impact she was having on him.

“Oh,” she said, her eyes wide.  “I think it’s time for a break, or we might have an accidental discharge,” using a term usually associated with mistakenly firing a gun.

As if on cue, the instructor called for a rest.

“I’m going to have to lay here for a minute,” Mac said.  “I’d embarrass myself if I got up now.”

“I’m going to grab my bottle of water.  You want yours?” she asked.

“Sure.”

He watched Jade move to wooden cubicles where she’d left her car keys and a couple bottles of water for them.  He liked the way she’d joked about his erection.  It made the situation less awkward.  Of course, the way they were intertwined, it was easy to imagine having sex with your partner.  He was glad he had Jade as a partner – no way did he want to roll around like that on a mat with another guy.

He saw her pull his bottle of water off the shelf and start toward him, but he got up and jogged to her.

“What’s wrong, my service too slow?”

He gave her a wide grin.  “Nope, wanted to grab a drink and hit the head before class starts again.”  Twisting the lid off his drink, he gulped half the contents.  Wiping his arm across his mouth he handed her his bottle.  “I’ll be back,” he said, moving to the restrooms.

Jade returned to the mat and sat down.  Today sucked, she thought.  It started out okay, but then Mac told her about his girlfriend, and that revelation changed everything.  Any thoughts she’d had on confiding in Mac about the stalker were shot down in flames.  Obviously, he couldn’t be trusted.

We’ll you can’t be trusted either, Jade told herself.  Just because the department mandates training and you happen to be partnered with Mac, doesn’t mean you have to be a bitch and flirt with him.  Sure, it took the sting out of the fact he has a girlfriend, but it’s pretty low behavior - and the guy has enough problems without you stirring the pot.

One of the instructors squatted beside her.

“What’s your partner’s name?” he asked.

“Mac Stryker, why do you ask?”

“He looks really familiar to me.  How much time does he have on the job?”

Jade wasn’t sure how to answer.  “Um, about fifteen years.”  She hoped the inquisitive teacher would go away.  She didn’t want to have to go into Mac’s history.

“Stryker,” the man said tapping his head with his index finger.  “Mac Stryker.”  Suddenly, the man’s eyes lit up.  “Wait!  Wasn’t he in a shooting about four years ago?  Didn’t he get fired for being drunk on duty?  What’s he doing back on the job?”

“Starting over,” Mac said quietly from behind them.

The instructor’s face turned a ruddy shade of red.  Mac’s voice was calm, but his eyes were narrowed, his gaze challenging the inquisitor to say anything more.

“Okay class,” yelled another instructor.  “Let’s review what we’ve gone over today. Then we can get you out of here.”

The entire class put their hands together in lackluster applause.

After a brief review, the instructors lectured on the importance of practicing what they’d learned.  “These are perishable skills.  Use ‘em or lose ‘em.  Remember: never give up.  Those who survive a deadly attack have the will to live.  Thanks for your attention today.”

As Jade and Mac walked to her truck, she decided to try to make amends for the hurtful words Mac had overheard from the instructor.

“I’m sorry you had to hear those comments by the instructor,” she said, feeling confused by her own reaction to Mac’s return to the job.

“No worries, Jade.  I knew when I came back to the LAPD there would be officers who didn’t feel I deserved to have my job back.  I just have to prove them wrong.”

“Well, that’s a pretty good attitude to have.”

“Do I have any other choice?” he asked getting into the SUV.

“I guess not,” she said, tugging on her seatbelt.

Wanting to change the subject, she asked, “Is it okay for me to pick up Donnie from my dad’s?  It’s on the way and I don’t like to leave him any longer than necessary.”

“Sure.  He’s a great kid and I’d like to see him again.”  Mac stretched his legs out in front of him.  “In fact, I hope someday to have a boy like him of my own.”

CHAPTER 6

After battling with the traffic on the Los Angeles freeways, Jade pulled into the driveway of her father’s house.

“I’ll be right back.  I’ll leave the engine going so you can have the radio and the heater if you want.”

Mac watched her bound to the front porch and knock on the wooden screen door.  Her breath came out in a vapor every time she exhaled.  Seconds later the door opened and she stepped inside.

A few minutes later Jade returned to the car with Donnie in tow.  Mac was surprised when a tousled older man came out onto the porch holding hands with a statuesque elderly woman.  They seemed like an odd pair.  The man in his work pants held by suspenders, while the woman wore tailored slacks, silky blouse and low heels.

A burst of cold air filled the car as Jade strapped Donnie in his car seat.

“There you go, hon. Say hi to Mr. Stryker.”

“Hello Mr. Stryker.  Did you bring me the fireman’s hat?”

“Donnie!” Jade scolded.  “You don’t ask people if they’ve brought you presents.”

“I do,” the child replied.  “He said he was gonna give me a fireman’s hat.”

“Sorry, Donnie, I don’t have it yet, but I promise I’ll get it very soon.”  Silently, Mac berated himself for not following through on his promise.  Donnie was such a good little boy.  Mac hoped his firefighter buddy would come through with a duty helmet.

The elderly couple stepped down from the porch and approached the car on Mac’s side.  Mac exited the vehicle.  Jade slammed Donnie’s door closed and turned to the twosome.  “Dad, Mona, I’d like you to meet my current partner, Mac Stryker.”

Mac extended his hand.  “Pleased to meet you.”

Jade faced Mac.  “This is my father Angus Donovan, and his, um, his...”

“For heaven’s sake child, stop dancin’ around like a leprechaun prancin’ around his pot-o-gold.”  Angus grasped Mac’s hand.  “Mona and I met at A.A.”

Mona’s voice was smooth as melted chocolate as she reached forward with her manicured hand.  “We’re both active in the program,” she said.  “More importantly, I’m Angus’ girl,” she said smiling, pulling Angus’s arm around her waist.

Mac released Mona’s hand.  “I attend A.A. meetings too,” he said softly.  “It’s tough going sometimes.”

Angus nodded his head. “Aye, laddie, that it is, that it is.”

Just then, Donnie tapped on the window and motioned for Jade to hurry.

“Okay, ‘his highness’ has spoken”, Jade said.  “Got to run, Dad.  Bye Mona.”

“It was nice meeting both of you,” Mac said while climbing inside the truck.  “Maybe we can go to a meeting together sometime.  Of course, I’m going to be busy for awhile.”  He slammed the door and rolled down the window.  “Angus, your daughter needs lots of work on her Arrest and Control techniques.  We’re going to have to do a lot of practicing.”

Angus and Mona nodded and smiled at Mac, not understanding the true meaning of his words.

Jade stuck her tongue out at Mac.  “See ya, Dad,” she said as she put the truck in reverse.

“Bye, Grandpa.  Bye, Mona,” Donnie called waving pudgy fingers.

Jade shifted gears and they were on their way.  She wondered about Mac’s inside joke to her dad and Mona about practicing their arresting techniques.  He sure wasn’t being faithful to his commitment to his decorator girlfriend.

“They seem to be nice folks,” Mac said.

“Yes, they are.  I’m so lucky to be able to leave Donnie with my father.  Of course, I feel better about it since Mona is there with him.  Between the two of them they’re less likely to slip up.”

“Mama, does Mona babysit Grandpa, too?”

“No, honey, she’s just Grandpa’s friend.”

“No she’s not.  She’s gonna marry Grandpa, and be my new Grandma.”

“Where’d you get that idea?” Jade demanded.

“Grandpa and Mona told me to keep it a secret.”

Jade turned a rueful gaze to Mac.  “Mona started out as Dad’s friend, but before long, she was at the house all the time.  I can’t believe their friendship has gotten that serious.  They come from two different worlds.”

“Ah, cut them a little slack.  They’ve each fought a tough fight and, so far, are winning.  I think it’s great they found each other this late in life,” was Mac’s reply.  “I should be so lucky.”

Jade turned into the housing development where Mac lived.  “I thought you were dating the interior decorator.  How many women do you need?”

Mac took a moment to form his answer.  “Only one,” he said.  “But she has to be the
right
one.  The decorator wasn’t.  She wanted to get married and I’m not sure I could ever be married again.”

In his mind’s eye, Mac relived the joy of his wedding to Susan, the awe-inspiring birth of Ashley, and the feelings of despair when he found out they were dead.  Their deaths had sucked the life out of him.  He wouldn’t allow himself to love again.  He knew he couldn’t endure that kind of pain a second time.

But hanging around Jade and Donnie made him realize how much he missed having a family.  In fact, he liked being around them too much.  Now he’d met her Dad and his girlfriend.

I’m getting in too deep here.  I’m not going to get involved just because I think Jade is an amazing woman and Donnie is a terrific kid in need of a father.  Our relationship needs to stay professional
.  Then Mac remembered the heat of Jade between his legs and how turned on he’d gotten. 
Yeah, keeping our relationship professional will be as easy as shooting at gnats
.

“Why are
you
frowning?” Jade demanded, her voice cross as she pulled in front of his house.

Mac, startled out of his thoughts, turned to her.  Her mouth was set in a hard line.  He must have missed something.  She looked angry.  I wonder what’s wrong, he thought. 
Keep it professional.  Remember?  Don’t get any more involved than you have to
.

He opened the truck door. “Oh, sorry.  I was just deep in thought.  Thanks for the ride and enjoy your days off.”  He turned and jogged up the walkway feeling empty and very confused.

# # #

Jade stomped her way up the stairs, Donnie trailing behind her.  She couldn’t get Mac’s words out of her mind. 
I’m not sure I could ever be married again
.  Jade wasn’t sure why that comment made her upset, but it did.

Then she saw it.  Another box sat at her front door, mocking her.  Jade snatched the package before Donnie saw the stiffened body of the rat attached to a blood-red bow.  She shuddered and hustled Donnie into their apartment.  Immediately she got a plastic trash bag and slid the box inside, away from Donnie’s inquisitive eyes.  He wanted to know why he couldn’t see what was inside the packages.  It was getting more difficult to distract his attention away from the deliveries.  She had to do something.

She’d tried to tell Lasko what was going on, but the Watch Commander wasn’t interested.  Normally, Jade would go over Lasko’s head, but that was out of the question because Captain Kincaid was Callie’s supervisor.  Suspecting Kincaid might be responsible for the flower deliveries, Jade couldn’t go to him.

After setting Donnie in front of the television with a snack, Jade took the trash bag containing the box into the bathroom. 
I wonder if there’s any significance to the rat attached to the box
.  She cut the crimson ribbon on the box and looked inside.  Five brittle flowers – nothing more.  No note, no greenery, no clue.  The dead rodent was attached to the package with a piece of the ribbon around its neck.  Shuddering, Jade tiptoed like a thief, carrying the bag containing the garish foil box down to the trash dumpster.

Academy training had taught her that the textured outside skin of the boxes were not suitable for fingerprinting.  The fancy gold surface was too rough.  With the first couple of boxes, she’d dusted the smooth insides in an attempt to find fingerprints.  Whoever sent the boxes was smart.  There were no prints.  The suspect had worn gloves.

The bang from the metal lid slamming closed on the garbage bin was loud.  At least the decaying body of the rat was out of her house. 
The roses are bad enough, but God only knows what he’ll attach to the box next time
.  She wasn’t afraid for herself – she carried a gun, but she had Donnie and her father to think about too.