A Dozen Deadly Roses (14 page)

The arrogant tone of the lieutenant’s voice caused Jade’s stomach to gurgle.

“So, Officer Donovan, you’d been out with your son and he conveniently dropped a toy in the street.  As you went to retrieve the stuffed teddy bear a mysterious car barreled toward you.  If you hadn’t jumped out of the way, you would have been flattened and become road kill.  Is that your story?”

Jade leveled her gaze at Lasko, mustering as much indignation as she could, considering how far she was stretching the truth.  “Yes, that’s my story.”  And I’m sticking to it, she thought miserably.

One of the patrolmen cleared his throat.  “And, uh, Jade you said your son didn’t see anything because you’d left him on the sidewalk and his view was blocked by a vehicle at the curb.”

Jade nodded her head hoping she wasn’t making a costly mistake.  She could lose her job by lying about being with Mac, or admitting she’d been seeing her probationary officer off-duty, no matter how innocent their contact.  She was screwed either way.

There was a light tap at her front door.  Three sets of eyes expectantly turned to Jade.  She shook her head indicating she didn’t know who it could be.  The uniformed cops took a position of advantage.  They nodded to Jade they were ready for her to open her door.

She moved to the front door, peeked through the peephole and her knees almost buckled.  Mac. He looked calm.  There was no choice but to open the door.  She hoped he wouldn’t blow the story she’d concocted.

“Officer Donovan, I’m sorry to disturb you, and I know this is highly inappropriate, but I saw patrol cars out front.  Is everything okay?”

Jade opened the door wider to reveal their co-workers.

“Stryker?  What are you doing here?” Callie Lasko demanded, her eyes narrowing.

“Officer Donovan had told me the general area of where she lived and later on showed me a picture of her son in front of the building.  I must have paid more attention than I thought because as I happened to be driving by, I realized this was her building.  I saw the black and whites out front and thought maybe something was wrong and I could help.”

The lieutenant frowned and shook her head.  “This is none of your business.  Everything is fine.  You’ve no business here.”

Jade saw a muscle in Mac’s jaw jump.  The officers who’d responded with Lasko averted their eyes in embarrassment of the lieutenant’s rudeness.

“Sure, lieutenant,” Mac said.  “Sorry, Officer Donovan.”

Jade let out a pent up breath. “No problem, and thank you for your concern.”  Mac stepped out and she closed the door.

Callie Lasko gave Jade a long, hard look.  “Don’t you think it’s pretty coincidental your probationary officer is driving by and happens to recognize your building from a picture?  You really don’t expect me to believe that, do you?”

Barely registering the metallic taste of blood, Jade bit at the inside of her lip.  “Well, um, he isn’t a regular probationer.  He has fifteen years of patrol time behind him.”

“You’re lying and he’s lying.”  Callie’s tone was accusing.  “I’m guessing you two have been sliding between the sheets playing hide the salami.  I’m going to scour this neighborhood looking for witnesses.  If I find out you and Mac have an off-duty relationship going, I’ll have your badge.  Count on it.”  Callie turned on her heel and marched out the door.

After the lieutenant left, the two officers completed a preliminary investigation report.  Jade signed the document and afterwards, her fellow officers told her to be careful, then returned to their patrol car and left.  Jade wilted into the sofa and wept.

Fifteen minutes later there was a light knock at her door.  Looking through the hole in the door she saw Mac had returned.  She flung open the door and pulled him inside.

“Are you crazy?” she hissed as she closed and locked the door.  “Lasko thought it was suspicious when you showed up before.  How do you know she isn’t parked down the street waiting to see if you come back?”

Mac’s narrowed eyes glowed like molten lava.  He turned and moved toward her.  He looked twelve feet tall and very mean.

“Forget about Lasko,” he spat out.  “First off, are you and Donnie okay?”  After she nodded, he continued.  “This game has gone on long enough.  You’re going to tell me what the hell is going on.  Don’t bother making anything up because I’m not leaving until I get the truth.”

Jade felt the color drain from her face.  “I...um, I...don’t know what, ah, you mean.”  She was taking small steps backwards in an effort to stay away from him.  “Did you find the SUV?”

She was stalling.  She’d seen this coppery glitter of rage in his eyes once before.  It was years ago when she was on probation.  A suspect caught her by surprise and punched her in the face.  Although boozed up, Mac had moved lightning fast.  The criminal was pinned to the ground and Mac’s eyes had an eerie fervency while he threatened to shove the crook’s head into a far-reaching orifice.  That same crazed look glowed in his eyes now.

“I’m not kidding, Jade.”  His face was inches from hers and now he was whispering.  “Someone is after you and I want to know who it is and why.”

He knew!
  A wave of relief washed over her.  Her knees buckled and she sank to the floor.  “How did you know?” she asked, blinking back tears.  “I wanted to handle it myself.”

Mac’s gaze softened and he reached down and grabbed her arms and pulled her up.  He motioned for her to sit on the couch.  She sank into the thick cushions.  He sat beside her and took her hand.

“Tell me what’s going on and we’ll figure it out.”

Jade took a deep breath and began.

“It started just a little over a week ago. I got a box of a dozen dead roses.  There was a note inside saying I deserved to die and my time was coming – stuff like that.”  Jade rose and paced the room.  “The next day another box showed up.  This time there were eleven roses inside, but no note.”

Jade passed by Mac who remained on the couch.  Her hands balled into fists.  Her strides were short and clipped.  “Each day another box minus one rose mysteriously appears.  I have no clue who is sending the packages, although I did consider they could be coming from a guy I’d dated who didn’t take rejection well.  That‘s why I didn‘t notify anyone at work.  I thought I could handle it myself.”

“Did you try to trace the sender through the florist?” Mac asked.

Jade nodded. “No florist.  The boxes are hand delivered outside my door.”

“What about the one that was delivered to the station a few days ago?   Did the desk officer get a florist’s name?”

“No.  I didn’t want to sound like I was interrogating him and make a big deal about it.  Bill said some guy in street clothes dropped off the box and said it was for me.”  She plopped on the sofa next to him.  “I’m really scared.  I’m sure the SUV that almost hit us is connected to the roses.”  She motioned toward the front door with its series of locks.  “I beefed up security as best I could.  I started wearing my gun at home.  I tried to lift some fingerprints from the boxes, but he either wiped them clean or wore gloves.”  She shifted in her seat.  Unshed tears filled her eyes.

“Did you notify work?  I’m sure they would set up a surveillance team to try to catch this nut.”  He rose from the couch and started to pace.

“I tried, but Lasko wasn’t interested.  I’m not going to make an issue of it.”

“Why the hell not?  Go to the captain,” he argued, running a hand through his dark hair.

A horrified look spread across Jade’s face.

“What is it between you and the captain?  You seem
afraid
of him.  Why?  What do you have to fear?” He was suddenly struck by a thought that made perfect sense.  “Is Captain Kincaid Donnie’s father?  Is that why you avoid him?”

Jade got up and jabbed a pointed finger at his chest.   “Don’t be ridiculous.  You have no idea what it’s like to be a woman in this department.  I have to work twice as hard as a man to gain the respect of my peers and supervision.  If a woman makes a mistake or uses shaky tactics, the guys whisper to one another that she’s unsafe or an idiot.  If a guy does the same thing, the men slap him on the shoulder and tell him not to worry, they’ll get the crook next time.”

Mac started to open his mouth, but Jade held up her hand warning him to hold his tongue.

“If a woman really wants to get labeled as a moron she sleeps with the guys she works with.  Most of the men will throw out a line to a new woman in a division.  It’s usually the new women right out of the Academy, the ones who don’t know better.  They’re flattered by the attention and want to fit in.  So they take the bait.  Unfortunately, no one tells them their name will be passed around the men’s locker room as someone who puts out.”

Again, Mac tried to speak.  Jade shook her head and continued.

“Those of us that don’t fall into that trap work hard at gaining our co-worker’s respect.  I worked damn hard to become a training officer and I’m not going to let some psycho slime- ball make me look like I can’t handle myself.”  Jade sank onto the couch again.  “And no – Douglas Kincaid is not Donnie’s father.”

Mac blew out a breath. “I’m going to talk now.  Okay?”

She gave a slight nod of her head.

“I don’t agree with you not telling the captain you’re being stalked.  And make no mistake about it, that is what’s going on.”  He sat next to her.  “Kincaid still has friends in Metro.  I bet he’d make arrangements for some Metro officers to watch you and Donnie for a while.”

Jade started to speak and this time Mac held up his hand.

“Since you don’t want to involve the department, this is what we’re going to do.  You and Donnie will come live with me at my place.  Together, we’ll try to flush out the stalker and throw his sorry ass in jail.”

She shook her head. “I hope you’re kidding.  First of all, it’s against department policy.  We’ve already played fast and loose with the rules.  I am not going to lose my job over this, nor am I going to move myself or my son out of our home because some whacko is after me.”  Besides, she thought, Donnie will only become more attached to you.  She turned a hard gaze on him.  “I’m not asking for your help.  I don’t need your help.”

Mac’s nostrils flared. In anger, he grabbed her by both arms pulling her toward him as if he were going to shake her.  Her face was inches from his.

“Listen to me.  You’ve got some chip on your shoulder about how hard it is to be a woman cop.  If you don’t like the job or how you’re treated, get out.  Meanwhile, while you play Jane Wayne, you’re endangering the life of your son just so you can look like one bad-assed chick.  For you, it’s all about appearances and your Irish pride.”  He tightened his grasp.  His eyes sparked with anger.  “You and your child are in danger.  I’ve lost my wife and child.  I’d give anything to have them back.  You better get your priorities straight real fast.”  His eyes drilled into hers like a bullet in the center ring of a target. Mac released his hands from her arms.  Cool air replaced where his heated fingers had gripped her.  Their locked stare remained unbroken.

“I’ve got my priorities straight, and shacking up with some guy my son has just met doesn’t seem like a smart move right now.  And what about Lasko,” she countered.  “She said she was going to canvass the neighborhood for witnesses.  What if one of my neighbors saw us kissing?”

“First off, there’s no way Lasko is going to walk the street talking to witnesses.  Now, she may direct those patrol guys to do it.”  Mac paused to think.

Jade watched as Mac pondered ideas.

“You know what I think?  I think if those same two patrol officers
do
happen to find a witness, they’ll write an accurate report on the crime without mentioning you were in the street kissing me.”

Jade snorted.

“Furthermore, I don’t think it matters because it’s nothing we can control at this time.”

“Well, it may not matter to you, but I’ve got a son to raise.  And if I lose my job I’ve got no way to support Donnie.”

The clock on the wall drummed a few staccato beats as neither of them moved. The silence was broken by a weak whine from the rear of the apartment.

“Mama, I want up.”

“I...I’ll be there in a minute, Sweetie.”

“If this guy gets to you and kills you, you’re not going to be supporting Donnie either.  So what will it be?” he whispered.

Finally, she averted her eyes.  “Donnie and I could stay at my dad’s.  Although the sicko has delivered flowers there too.”

“Do you want to put your father in more danger?”

“Of course not,” she snapped.  “Maybe you could stay here,” she said hopefully.

“Jade, the stalker knows where you live.  He’s tried to run you down with a truck.  This whack job is escalating.  Use your head.  If you refuse to get help from the department, I’m all you’ve got.”

“So I should expose you to danger too?”

“He just tried to run us both down.  I’ve already been exposed to danger.”

Rustling from the hallway made them both turn.

“Mama, you said you’d come and get me.”  Donnie’s lower lip stuck out in a pout as he shuffled to Jade’s side.

She immediately put her arm around her son and pulled him close.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.  Mr. Stryker and I were talking about something important.”  She sighed and lifted a defeated gaze back to Mac.  “Donnie, how would you like it if you and Mommy stayed at Mr. Stryker’s house for awhile?”

Jade couldn’t help but smile at the look of astonishment that flooded her son’s face as his gaze moved between her and Mac.

“Really?  Do you mean it, Mama?”

Mac sat on the couch and lifted the boy to his lap.  “You bet, Champ.  We’ll have a good time.”

Defeated, tears pooled in Jade’s eyes.  As they sat with their heads close together, the resemblance between father and son was staggering. 
Maybe she’d find a way to tell Mac that Donnie was his son while they shared Mac’s condo.  But was telling Mac the smart thing to do?  Oh, this was such a mess.  Maybe with Mac’s help everything would be more clear.

“Donnie, why don’t you go to your room and pick out a few of your favorite toys you’d like to take to Mr. Stryker’s house?”