R. E. Bradshaw - Rainey Nights (12 page)

Rainey pulled the office door closed and locked it. She walked Ernie to her car door. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you are secretly excited about getting that concealed carry permit,” she teased Ernie.

Atypically, Ernie snickered before saying, “You know, I really am. I’m now a legal pistol packing momma.”

Rainey held the car door while Ernie climbed in. “Not quite yet, but your license should be here in about a month.”

Ernie smiled up at Rainey. “Well, what they don’t know won’t hurt them.”

Rainey leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “I guess you’ll have to be nice to me, so I don’t tell on you.”

“I’ll skin you alive, if you do.” Ernie started her car. She looked back up at Rainey and said, “Goodnight, sweetheart. See you in the morning.”

“See you tomorrow. Drive safe,” Rainey added.

Just before the door closed, Ernie got in her last little jab. “I still say she’s got you wrapped.”

“She does, Ernie. That she does.”

#

Rainey turned the handle on the front door of the cottage and was disappointed to find it unlocked. How many times did she have to tell Katie to keep the door locked? She walked in ready to deliver a reprimand, but was interrupted by Katie’s appearance in the archway to the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.

“Before you say anything, I saw you coming. I just unlocked it.”

Rainey flushed all over. It was impossible to stay mad at Katie, especially when she looked like she did at the moment. All the lights in the cottage were turned down low. She could see the candles lit on the table in the kitchen. They didn’t have a dining room, but Katie went out of her way to make the small cottage as romantic as possible on some evenings. “Special Occasions,” she called them. Katie was wearing jeans and a Carolina blue, sleeveless mock-turtleneck that fit her form tightly. The blue reflected in Katie’s matching eyes. The sparkle in those eyes told Rainey that this was indeed going to be a “Special Occasion.”

Rainey put her Glock in the safe and re-armed the alarm. She turned back, crossed the floor quickly, sweeping Katie into her arms and kissed her deeply.

“Wow!” Katie gasped when Rainey finally let her go. “Was that for locking the door or are you just glad to see me?”

Rainey grinned. “Both. So, what did the doctor say?”

Katie went back to the kitchen, answering over her shoulder, “I’ll tell you in a bit. How was your day? Did Ernie qualify?”

“Yes, she will soon be legally carrying a weapon, as opposed to her current illegal status.”

Rainey entered the kitchen. She saw the table set with Katie’s good china and silver serving dishes. Her investigator’s mind said either the doctor’s appointment went very well or Katie wanted something else added to the architect’s plans for the new house. She came up behind Katie, who was busy at the stove, and placed her arms around the smaller woman’s waist, nuzzling into her neck. Katie turned off the gas under the pot she was stirring and patted Rainey’s hands on her abdomen. She leaned back into Rainey, relaxing into her arms.

“I missed you, too.” She turned to face Rainey, smiling. “But hold that thought until after we eat. It’ll be ready by the time you wash up.”

Rainey reluctantly let Katie out of her arms. “Okay, be right back.”

Rainey left the kitchen and went to the master bedroom to clean up. Her shirt smelled like gunpowder, so she took it off and tossed it in the hamper. Her holster went on the bedside table. Rainey was washing her face when she heard Katie’s voice in the bedroom.

“Anything exciting happen at work?”

Rainey thought about the news alert. “Did you see they found a body today?”

“Yes,” Katie said, now leaning in the bathroom door. “I wonder if it’s that missing woman.”

“It’s hard to tell sometimes. They may have to wait for DNA results. Depends on how long she was in the water.” Rainey answered and then thought how detached she sounded. This wasn’t someone in law enforcement. Katie wasn’t used to seeing the things Rainey had seen. Rainey needed to be more sympathetic to that. She added quickly, “Sorry, you didn’t need that graphic image.”

“I watch crime shows when you’re not here. I can take it.”

Rainey dried her face. “Be careful. You’re going to become as paranoid as you say I am watching that stuff.”

Rainey hunted for a shirt. Before Katie, she would have just grabbed the first tee shirt she happened upon. Now, she cared about how she looked, especially since it appeared Katie planned a special night. Rainey’s mind wandered while she looked for a shirt. Rainey began thinking like the FBI agent she used to be. The family dynamics would be the first thing her team would look at in a missing person’s case. She wondered if the BAU was involved. A pang of… what was it? Loss, isolation… the knowledge she would never again be what she spent her life becoming.

Katie tapped her on the shoulder. When Rainey turned around Katie was holding the soft white, button up blouse she bought for Rainey. It was just a casual cotton shirt, but the first time Rainey wore it Katie beamed with delight. She evidently liked the way it looked and Rainey had reaped the benefits. Remembering, Rainey smiled and took the shirt. Although they were talking about a missing woman and a dead body, both their inner thoughts were heading in the same direction. It was all Rainey could do to put the shirt on without just throwing Katie in the bed behind them.

Katie slipped away, evidently sensing how close she was to being the victim of a pounce. She walked toward the doorway. Getting back to the subject at hand, she said, “Didn’t another woman go missing about a month ago?”

Rainey buttoned the shirt. She left the top two buttons undone. The small white trail of long healed stitches peaked out of her cleavage. She no longer wore a tee shirt under everything. The scar was just a part of her now. It did not define her. It happened to her, but it didn’t hold the power it once did.

She answered Katie’s question, “Yes, but she was from Chapel Hill.”

“That’s not so far from Durham. Do you think they are connected?”

Now dressed, Rainey followed Katie back to the kitchen. “I don’t know enough about the cases to draw that conclusion. Why do you ask?”

“I was just wondering if maybe it was a serial case.”

Rainey smiled. Katie wasn’t too good at hiding her motives. “No, I haven’t been contacted by the police to help.”

Since resigning from the FBI, Rainey consulted with local law enforcement needing a profile for an UNSUB. She had only done it once since Katie moved in. It was a one-day affair involving a series of rapes. She delivered the profile and was done, before Katie became too nervous. Rainey chasing bail skippers made her crazy enough. The little blond was having difficulty getting used to being a cop’s wife.

Rainey sat down beside Katie and surveyed the table. Katie had poured them glasses of wine and prepared Rainey’s favorite, Cheese Ravioli, with fresh baked bread. Her stomach growled at the sight.

Katie touched Rainey’s hand. “I don’t care if you want to consult on this. I know you miss the investigative side of your job. I just don’t want the nightmares to come back.”

Rainey’s vivid night terrors more than once sent Katie scrambling out of bed. Katie made the mistake of putting her hands on Rainey, the first time she experienced one of her blood curdling screams in the middle of the night. Rainey awoke just before she was about to punch Katie’s lights out. They agreed afterwards that the best course of action was for Katie to get out of the bed and talk calmly, until she was sure Rainey was fully awake.

“I haven’t had a bad dream in months now. I think you cured me,” Rainey said, smiling, and then changed the subject. “Is this meal a bribe for something?”

Katie’s grin lit up the room. “Maybe.”

Rainey leaned over to kiss Katie on the cheek. “Whatever it is, the answer is yes.”

“I have something to show you after we eat.” Katie beamed, while serving the ravioli.

Rainey took a sip of wine, and then asked, “Have you been reading those lesbian romance novels again?”

“Why do you say that?”

Rainey chuckled. “Cause every time you read one, you have to show me what you’ve learned.”

Katie took a drink of wine and looked at Rainey seductively. “I haven’t heard you complaining.”

“Oh, far be it for me to discourage your lesbian edification,” Rainey cracked.

“I think you’ve benefitted from my research, don’t you?”

Rainey smiled broadly. “Oh yeah, I most certainly have.”

Rainey and Katie had learned a lot about each other in their short time together. Katie moving in had gone nearly seamlessly. It was as if they had known each other forever; still there were some adjustments. Rainey was subject to leave things lying around. Katie picked up after her without much complaining. There was a fair amount of teasing, but no fussing. Katie adjusted to Rainey’s obsession with NCAA basketball, by reading books while Rainey shouted at the TV. Rainey, who wasn’t much for going out, gave in to Katie’s need to see a movie in the theatre, when she’d really rather wait for the DVD. Katie learned how to just kick back and not be busy. She could now sit quietly on the dock beside Rainey, listening to the sounds of nature. They compromised and laughed and somehow made it all work.

Rainey winked at Katie. “What are you reading these days?”

Katie broke the bread and handed Rainey a piece. “A story about a hot bail bondsman and her new girlfriend.”

Rainey savored the big bite of Ravioli she had in her mouth. Katie was a self-taught gourmet and learned very well. Rainey swallowed and smiled. “Does she have to run extra miles cause her girlfriend is a fantastic cook?”

“Yes, but she doesn’t mind. She’s healthier than she’s been in a long time and did I mention she’s hot?”

Rainey laughed. “She’s probably grateful for the food and the attention.”

“Oh, she is and she shows the girlfriend how much quite frequently.”

“I think I like this book,” Rainey replied, grinning.

Katie winked. “I thought you might. I’ll change the subject, so you can finish eating.” She paused, pouring them each some more wine. “I went by my old school today.”

Rainey sipped her wine. She knew how difficult it was for Katie to walk away from her job as a first grade teacher, but it had been Katie’s decision to do so. She reached out and touched Katie’s hand. “I know that had to be hard for you.”

Katie nodded affirmatively. “I have to admit my heart did beat a little faster before I walked in, but once I was there the panic went away. I thought I would be hit with so much remorse for resigning. That’s not what happened at all.”

Rainey relaxed and picked up her fork. “So, things went well?” She resumed eating, while she listened to Katie.

“I miss the kids. I miss spending time with them every day, but I don’t miss the politics or paperwork. Those teachers looked so tired. I wonder if I looked like that.”

“I saw you when you were a teacher and you did not look tired. You looked like you loved it, from what I could tell.”

Katie continued, “Oh, I did, but Chelsea is doing a great job with the kids. Do you remember her? She took over for me when I had to take leave.”

“Yes, I remember her from the day we packed your stuff.”

Katie smiled. “She told me her sister is part owner of Feme Sole, a lesbian night club in Durham. She said we should go.”

“Do you really want to?” Rainey asked, honestly having never thought about going to a lesbian club.

Katie grinned broadly. “I’ve been dying to go.”

Rainey stopped eating and looked at Katie’s excited face. She laughed at the pretty blonde. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to seem too eager to meet other women.”

Rainey cocked her head. She teased Katie, “Hmm, I hadn’t thought about that… Maybe I should go by myself and check it out first. See if it’s safe to turn you loose on the unsuspecting lesbians of Durham.”

“No way. They’re always all over the hot cop or P.I. in these books I’m reading. You’re not going to a lesbian bar without me.”

Rainey continued the tease. “What? So now you don’t trust me.”

“You’re the one that said I couldn’t go. Who has trust issues?”

Rainey laughed. “I just had no idea you’d be so interested in going to a gay bar.”

Katie’s smile slipped a little. “Are you worried about being seen with me in a lesbian bar?”

Rainey had guarded their privacy over the last nine months. After the initial stories broke in the paper, she and Katie could go nowhere without someone taking their picture and posting it on the web or in the paper. Maybe Katie had the wrong idea about why she did that. It certainly wasn’t because she was embarrassed to be with a woman. Rainey had reasons beyond Katie’s knowledge not to want her personal life made public.

Rainey reached out and took Katie’s hand. “No, I am proud to be with you. It’s just, I’d rather not have our pictures splashed all over the web, again.” Rainey saw the disappointment in Katie’s eyes and added, “Maybe we’re old news by now. It has been nine months. Surely, no one is interested in the two of us anymore.”

“Oh please take me, Rainey. I want to see all those women just having a good time with each other. I want to dance with you.”

“Honey, I hate to break it to you, but I don’t dance. I’m a wall flower.”

“Then we’ll just watch. I know you can slow dance. We’ve done that here. Come on, Rainey. Who knows, you might even have a good time?”

“I always have a good time with you. Okay, I’ll take you to a lesbian bar.”

Katie leapt out of her chair and landed in Rainey’s lap. She hugged her with excitement and then asked, “When can we go?”

Rainey kissed Katie’s lips and said, “I’m on duty Friday night, but I’ll see about Saturday, after your father’s party, okay?”

Katie was so excited she jumped out of Rainey’s lap and did a little happy dance.

Rainey laughed aloud, as she said, “If I had known it would make you this excited, I would have taken you to a bar much sooner.”

Katie hugged Rainey again and then sat down. Katie was too wound up to eat. She chattered away while Rainey continued to devour her favorite meal.