Fast and Easy (4 page)

Where had the time gone?

Why hadn’t she had her hair done in a salon? Shoes, she had tons of, but she settled for her standbys, white sandals with three-inch heels.

It was time to leave the comfort of her apartment and head to the Plaza where all the in people hung out.

That was a laugh. She’d arrested most of them for drunken driving or wife beating.

Lord, don’t let this night drag on too long
.

* * * *

Remembering several unexplained scrapes on the fender of her car, Carmen wasn’t anxious to use valet parking. She reluctantly handed over the keys to her Lincoln to an attendant and went inside the discreetly lit lobby of the hotel. Following the signs, she found the banquet room and stood near the exit.

She hadn’t been sure about the white silk cocktail dress, but after seeing what the other women were wearing, she relaxed. The dress had cost her a week’s pay, but the soft swirl of the skirt around her knees had convinced her to buy it. She was confident the feminine, draped bodice was modest, and the tiny straps would hold her breasts in place.

Lifting her bare shoulders, she moved through the crowd, smiling at the officers she knew, and exchanged a few words with some of them. They all had dates, or their wives hung onto their arms in a territorial stance.

Carmen moved on, finally spotting the guest of honor. She held her hand out. “Congratulations, Major.”

He pulled her into the circle of his arms for a hug. “Thank you, Redstone.” He smiled and turned to the group of men with him. “You all know Detective Redstone, don’t you?” He eyed her dress with a smile. “She’s an exemplary officer and is going places in the department.”

Knowing some of the men thought she wasn’t qualified for advancement, heat rose to her cheeks. After the incident with Genonese, she was considered poison, a joke. “You’re too kind, Major.” To change the subject, she pressed the cigars into his hand. “I hope you still like these.”

He grinned and held the box up for the others to see. “She knows a good thing when she sees it. Thank you, Carmen.”

The others agreed, gathering around, and quickly drew the retiring man back into their conversation. It was a good time for her to think about leaving the scene.

A waiter hoisting a tray loaded with champagne came toward her. She stopped him. “I’ll have one of those.”

He nodded, holding the tray down for her. The guy was in a hurry, but she didn’t miss his male perusal of her legs.

The night wasn’t a total loss. Score one. Tipping the flute up to take a sip, her good mood froze solid.

Genonese stood in a corner with his arm around the waist of a redhead in a green dress.

No, oh no. You’re not going to let this slide by.

She pasted on a smile and worked her way to where he leaned against a wall. He didn’t notice her for several seconds, wrapped up in a bragging session, no doubt.

The redhead saw her first and moved closer to Don’s side, a smug little smile on her puss.

Carmen itched to push the chick aside but kept a tight rein on her temper until he caught sight of her.

“Carmen.” He dropped his hand from his date’s waist and turned red under his tan. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

She faced him, taking his arm in a firm grip. “That’s right, partner. I came over here to see if it was the same guy that lied in my face after we’d fucked all night.” The idiot touched her shoulder in a flirtatious way, a grin curving his lips. She brushed at his hand and lowered her voice. “Don’t do that again, Genonese.”

He mumbled some kind of lame apology to the girl he was with, and stepped away from the group. “Redstone, I forgot I’d set this up weeks ago.”

“For a cop, you have a short memory.” Carmen smiled at him and whispered, her comments for his ears alone. “You’re a liar and a special kind of pig.”

“Redstone, you’re flying off in all directions.” He reached for her arm. Her glare obviously changed his mind, and he withdrew his hand.

“Go back to your lady friend. She looks like she’s just been mugged.” Carmen glanced around before verbally slashing him again. “I’ll see your sorry ass at work. Oh yeah, you’ll find your damn jeans on the trash heap.”

It was hot in the crowded room, and all she could think about was that snake in the grass. She felt like a fool, never considering Don would already have a date. The idea infuriated her all over again. He didn’t have enough balls to tell her.

He was like every other man she’d known. She couldn’t trust him.

Hell with it. The music sucked, the champagne warm, and the man who jerked her around was following her.

“Redstone, wait a minute.”

“I don’t have a minute, Don.” She let those little moonbeam feelings creep in while he gazed intently at her. “I have somewhere to be and I’m late.”

“That’s bullshit.” He curved his arm around her waist. “You’ll just have to sleep with me after you hear my side of this.” He grinned. “Kind of makeup sex.”

“Go have it with the dumb chick whose eyes are glaring a hole in your back.” Carmen hated the turmoil of jealous hurt that knotted her stomach. “I don’t like being lied to.”

Damn him! He didn’t even try to make up some lame excuse, or follow her as she moved away, weaving her way back to where Major Green stood.

If she hadn’t been so caught up in her miserable self pity, she’d have paid more attention to the man who pushed her aside, running straight toward the major.

The flash of exploding powder jolted her into action. Her hand went into the silly evening bag she carried to yank out her snub-nosed thirty-eight. She ran to kneel by her friend who lay wounded. “Is there a doctor here?” She checked the Major’s pulse, relieved to feel the strong beat under her fingers. She tried to make herself heard over the noise. “This man needs help right now.”

A grim-faced officer worked feverishly, pressing a handful of fancy dinner napkins to the bleeding wound.

She barely heard the shouts and commotion of the other officers taking the shooter down and dragging him from the reception area.

Major Greene groaned and tried to sit up. “Hell, I’m only winged, Carmen. Don’t look so worried.” He laughed and clutched his arm. “Looks like he ruined my best jacket.”

Hearing him joke about it, she breathed normally and patted his shoulder. “You can always get a new coat.” He was in pain, no matter how he tried to hide it. “Relax, Major. The EMT’s are here.”

“There’s plenty of party time left, Carmen. Go dance with one of these men.” He coughed and winced. “They haven’t sense enough to ask you.”

“I just want to make sure you’re taken care of.”

Strong hands pulled her to her feet.

“Carmen, are you all right?” It was Don, his complexion pasty, worry etching lines on his face.

Anger forgotten, she leaned against him. “Why couldn’t I have gotten here sooner? I should have gotten here in time.”

He laid his arm across her shoulders. “Two hundred officers are asking themselves the same question. Just like me.”

They moved aside to let the EMTs do their job. They stayed put until the Major was carried to a waiting ambulance.

She put her weapon back in her purse. “I’m going home.”

“I’ll take you.”

“I’m a cop, Genonese.” Brushing at her ruined dress, she tried to sound calm. “I’ll get there on my own. Take care of the woman you brought.”

“I take that as a no.”

He gazed at her for a moment then nodded as if he’d been dismissed by a witch. She couldn’t leave things in the mess they were in.

“Don, wait a minute.” He turned to look at her, his dark eyes shadowed by his lashes. “This should teach us something.”

“And, what would that be?”

“We can never be more than partners.” She glanced down, not wanting him to see the pain in her eyes. “From now on, I’ll keep my hands to myself, and you’ll see me as just another cop.”

“Sure.” His deep voice stirred memories of sexy things he’d said to her in bed. “I got you loud and clear, Sergeant Redstone.”

“Don’t get hot under the collar, Genonese.” Now she could speak her mind. He was pissing her off. “It might save us a lot of trouble in the future.”

He loosened the knot in his tie. “I said I got your message. Shit.”

Before she could do more damage to the situation, he turned around and headed back to the redhead in the green dress.

Carmen was too angry to let hurt feelings make her change her decision. He’d made it clear he wasn’t going to attempt a decent explanation or make her reconsider.

She bit her lip to stop the rush of devastation twisting her heart.

Your damn level head and foolish rules have cost you everything
.

Chapter Five

The next day started out like most, domestic disturbances and grocery store robberies. Carmen took a long drink of the Coke she’d left in the cruiser before making a stop at an apartment complex where a fight had broken out. The collar of her blouse hung in shreds with the top two buttons missing.

Don sat beside her, working his shoulders as if he were in pain. Maybe she should inquire about it. No, he’d just criticize her method of handling a drunk.

“Want a drink, Genoese?” She remembered he’d dropped his when they got to the family riot.

He took the cup and drank thirstily. “Thanks. Let’s stop somewhere for another. I’m dry as dust.”

“Okay.” Damn her craven hide. She made sure to place her lips on the spot he’d had his. She’d always done that, and couldn’t break the habit. The dash computer lit up, and she nodded in its direction. “Take that, will you? I have to find a pin for my blouse.”

Don put down his clipboard and listened to the message. He took notes, grimacing as he wrote. “Now what? I have half a mind to apply for a spot with the FBI.” He drank the last of her Coke. “I couldn’t catch anymore shit than being with this crazy outfit.”

“I heard.” Whatever the problem at headquarters, it couldn’t compare to the fact that Don really wanted to leave the department. That meant he would be leaving her as well. That wasn’t supposed to matter to her, but God, it did. “It’s probably nothing. You know how they call you in a dozen times if a felon gripes about you.”

He gazed at her with those dark, sexy eyes and nodded. “You’re probably right.” In an unconscious gesture, he touched the riot gun bolted to the dash. “We’d better get downtown before they send out the dogs.”

“Look in my purse and get my sewing kit.” His look of surprise made her want to laugh, but she held it in. “Look for a safety pin.”

“Damn.” He grabbed her satchel and rummaged through the contents, finally holding up her emergency repair kit. He opened the plastic box and dug out a huge safety pin. “This okay?”

“It’ll do.” She pulled into a fast food parking lot and turned on the overhead light.

While she closed the blouse over her bruised breast, Don quietly observed her.

“You haven’t said much about seeing the chief.” He took the box from her and dropped it in her purse. “You’re not worried about being pulled in for an ass chewing? Not even the least bit pissed off?”

“Nope.” She drove from the parking lot and headed downtown.

Carmen couldn’t afford any more problems with the department. She had no intentions of staying on the street or being a uniform until retirement. That wasn’t good enough, especially since she’d worked so hard for advancement.

She knew Don had applied for captain when she had, almost a year ago. He was too good a cop to keep chasing two-bit drug dealers and the hassle of domestic calls.

Her thoughts drifted on a forbidden journey, teasing her with the memory of his lips on hers, the weight of his muscular body pushing her into the mattress. She had recurring wet dreams of him and was tempted to lure him back into her bed, but it would have to look like his idea.

“We should have gotten drinks back there.” His bellyaching erased her erotic daydream. “And, I need to empty Big John.”

“For God’s sake, Don. You’ll survive.”

She found barking at him a release for her knotted up nerves. The closer they got to downtown headquarters, the tighter her nerves coiled. Keeping him ticked off meant he’d forget to insult her.

God, what was she in for now
?

* * * *

Three months later, and she still treated him like shit. Don had thought he knew women, but Carmen showed him how little he knew.

“Did you come up with anything? This is a hell of a note, being dragged down here like a cut steer.” He cleared his throat at her cool glance in his direction. “We went over that river bottom arrest.”

So the brass got to live like this, drapes at the windows and flowers on a table? Redstone would fit perfectly in here, only she’d have buffalo robes covering the windows and a moose head on the wall. She caught him staring at her and broke the deafening silence with a not unexpected insult.

“You’re paranoid, Don.” She sounded confident, but the constant checking of time on her watch drove him crazy.

Sitting in the Chief’s office wasn’t on his list of great things to do.

And why had they both been called in at the same time?

Hell with that. He was more concerned with getting Carmen to pull some more time in the sack. He hadn’t meant to hurt her, or do any of the lowdown things she thought he’d done. On the other hand, he wasn’t ready to start explaining his every move to the woman who wanted nothing beyond a working relationship with him.

When Major Green had been shot, all he could think of was Carmen could have been the one lying on the floor. He’d been shaking so hard, he’d scared himself while driving that chick back to her apartment and now, he couldn’t even remember her name.

Carmen. Beautiful, hot blooded, hot tempered Carmen Redstone. He didn’t realize he had been grinning until she hissed at him.

“I’m glad you find this so amusing.” She walked to the water cooler and filled one of those dinky little cups.

“By the way, Genonese, what have you done?”

He jumped up in a flash and crossed the room to grip her arm. “I could ask you the same question. You’ve run the string out on good behavior. Shot anyone in the ass lately?”