typea_all (21 page)

"Where the hell were you?" I demanded.

"Who is this?"

"Brooke Castle. Where the hell were you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I thought you were following me, protecting me."

"I'm sorry, but we weren't. What happened?"

"You were outside my house this morning. You followed me to work."

"And to the police station, and around the circle a few times."

"So where were you when I needed you?"

"We weren't following you, Ms. Castle, we were following Big Jimmy's boy."

"The one in the big car that was parked on Ventnor Avenue this morning?"

"Yes."

"Well, you're not very good at following, are you? They never do it that way on television; you were right on his bumper the whole time."

"We wanted him to know we were there. We wanted him to know that we had an interest in you, that we were protecting you."

"Well you did a lousy job of it."

"What do you mean?"

"I got a visit from one of Big Jimmy's guys at work this afternoon. Younger guy, good looking, got away in a red car."

"Doesn't sound like the guy from this morning. What happened? Are you okay?"

"What happened? I took him dancing. What do you think happened?"

"Please calm down, Ms. Castle. Just tell me what happened."

"He threatened me and my uncle. He was going to hit me, or something."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No. I threw some Wright's Stain at him and he ran away."

"What's Wright's Stain?"

"A coloring agent we use in blood tests, harmless but messy.  Go over to Big Jimmy's and look for someone covered in purple."

"So you weren't hurt at all?"

"I already said I wasn't."

"Doesn't it seem strange?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"It just seems strange that you're being followed and threatened, but nothing really happens to you. How do we know that you're not trying to mask your own involvement?"

"Well I'm very sorry that he didn't cut off my ear or break my knees."

"Maybe you're really working with Big Jimmy and..."

"Hey, don't even think about. You listen to me. I don't know what's going on. I pay taxes, and I don't want to be accused by you."

"If what you say is true..."

"What do you mean, if?"

"If what you say is true, it looks like they are just trying to scare you."

"At least they're doing a good job at something."

"We'll have the Somers Point and Longport police check on you from time to time. Call me again if they make any type of contact."

     He hung up on me! The lousy fed hung up on me! Nobody hangs up on me and gets away with it. I dialed his number.

     "Special Agent Jackson."

     "It’s Brooke Castle."

     "Yes?"

     I hung up on him.

******

     That night I retreated into my routine. I made sure all of the windows and doors were locked, and I cleaned until my arm hurt. I scrubbed everything. I did all of my wash, and I ironed while watching my soaps.

     A few minutes after 11 PM I called Adam.

     "Is everything okay there, Adam?" I asked.

     "Everything is fine. Why shouldn't it be?"

     "You haven't seen anyone following you? Anyone strange?"

     "No. Well, now that I think about it, there was one strange thing that happened today. It was upsetting."

     I got worried. "What?"

     "Do you know how you have to open those milk cartons and pull out the spout?"

     "That's not exactly what I was thinking about, Adam."

     "Let me tell you. I opened the wrong end. Can you imagine that? For the first time in my life I opened the wrong end."

     "I was talking about someone following you or something. A strange man hanging around."

     "But that was strange. When you pull out the wrong end you can't get a spout for pouring. Then you have to push it back and try the other side. But by that time, the whole top is messed up."

     "And you got upset?"

     "Well, wouldn't you be? Now I had a perfectly new carton of milk and I couldn't get a spout."

     "I don't think I would be upset over that, Uncle Adam."

     "Brooke, sometimes I wonder about your priorities. Doesn't anything scare you?"

     "Uncle Adam, listen. If anything strange happens, if someone starts to follow you or gives you trouble, I want you to go straight to the police. Do you understand?"

     "Straight to the police. I understand. Do you think I should report the milk carton to anybody?"

     "Take it back to the store and complain. Tell them they owe you another one."

     I called Ryan. He wasn't home so I left a message that I would see him Friday after work. I told him that there was a lot we had to talk about.

Chapter 20

I didn't see Lipschitz at all on Friday, maybe he was hiding, but I did see Luke.

     Just after lunch, Gert came into the lab and said that the Longport police were outside with a prisoner. I didn't know exactly what she meant but I hoped it was the goon from yesterday with Wright's Stain all over him. I never reported anything but maybe Lipschitz called it in.

     Joan hadn't returned from lunch yet, so I went to the lobby to see what was going on. It was Luke handcuffed to a young girl who looked about 20 years old and who was wearing a gray jumper. I felt a surge of jealousy.

     "Brooke, get hold of yourself," I told myself. "She's a prisoner, Luke is a policeman, and you’re 48 years old and in love with Ryan.  Damn, Luke looks great!"

     "Luke, I mean Officer Walker, how can I be of service?" Like I didn't want to answer that myself.

     "We need a urine test for this young lady. We have her in custody until the New York police can pick her up. Her breath is terrible, smells like she's been drinking but she's been in the cell for a day. The doctor said something about a ketone smell and maybe she's diabetic."

     "No problem, officer. We have a test strip for that. If she has diabetes, her body could be making a constituent called ketone. Could be dangerous if untreated. Come into the lab."

     "What's your name?" I asker her.

     "Sam."

     "Short for Samantha?"

     "No, just Sam."

     "Okay, Sam, we're going to need a urine test. Take this cup into the bathroom."

     She held up her arm so I could see she's handcuffed to Luke.

     "Do I have to take him in there with me?"

     "What's the procedure?" I asked Luke.

     "I don't have to go into the bathroom with her, but I'll have to wait outside."

     All three of us walked to the bathroom. Luke removed the handcuff from Sam and let her go into the bathroom alone. We stood silently for a few minutes, and then I asked him, "You use those cuffs for anyone other than prisoners?"

     "Wouldn't you like to know?"

     "Ropes, chains, whips, studded leather pants, anything else?"

     "I don't need anything like that. Are you interested in finding out?"

     "Well, I am a scientist."

     "And I'm a policeman. My motto is Protect and Serve. Hasn't she been in there a little long?"

     "It takes some women a long time in a strange bathroom."

     "I didn't know that."

     "Maybe there's a lot you don't know about women, especially mature women like me."

     "Oh, I think I know enough."  He knocked on the door. "Hello, in there?"

"I'll just be a little while longer." A muffled voice through the door.

We stood smiling at each other a few more minutes.

"Those are some earrings, he said.

"These little things? Thanks." I was wearing my Merlin earrings. One was shaped like a castle with a blue and white tower on each side. Each tower, and the top middle of the castle, had a pink and black turret. The other earring was like Merlin the Magician, with a black robe and wizard's hat, and long white beard and hair.

"Hey, are you done yet?" he yelled to the door. "Just pee in the cup."

He turned to me. "Do you think she knows she's just supposed to pee in that thing? You don't have any magazines or anything in there, do you?"

"The only thing in there to read is the stuff written on the walls," I answered.

Another minute or so went by. "I've had enough. God, you'd think she'd be done by now.  What's happening in there?"

This time there was no answer from inside the bathroom.

"Sam?" I yelled. "Are you okay?"

Luke tried the door but it was locked from the inside. "Jesus, this is all I need. All she had to do was pee in the cup."

He banged on the door. "Is this test too hard for you?" he yelled.

"Luke, maybe there's something wrong."

"Do you have a key for this door?"

"There's an emergency key. Gert has it."

I ran to the lobby and asked Gert for the key. She started rummaging around in her desk. "I know I have it here someplace."

"When was the last time you saw it?"

"I don't remember. Maybe last year, or the year before that." She continued going through her desk.

"Brooke!" Luke yelled.

"Gert?" I yelled.

"Here it is! It was stuck to something on the bottom."

I grabbed the key out of her hand and ran back to the bathroom. When we opened the door, Sam was lying on the floor moaning. Luke knelt beside her and gave her a gentle shake. "Are you okay? What happened?"

I took a candy bar out of my pocket – I usually keep some chocolate in my pocket – and handed it to Luke. "Here, try to get her to eat some of this. Her blood sugar must be low. I'll call for an orderly to take her to emergency."

"Don't bother," Luke said. He lifted her up effortlessly, like she was a little child. "Come with me. I'll take her myself."

Without showing any sign of strain, Luke carried Sam all the way to the emergency room. He put her down gently on a gurney and followed it as the orderly rolled it into a cubical. I waited in the emergency room lobby a few minutes, until Luke returned.

"Brooke, this may take some time and I have to watch her. I appreciate your help, I really do, but you might as well take off."

"No problem, I'm here to serve."

As I went back to the lab, I wondered what Luke looked like under that uniform, if the candy was as big as the wrapper.

******

     After work, I rushed home, quickly cleaned my car seat, showered and changed, and grabbed a bag that I had packed last night to take to Ryan's. Traffic was light, so I got there before 6:30.

     He gave me a big, warm hug, and a slow lingering kiss that made my toes tingle. Then he started whispering things in my ear that made my head spin and body heat up.

     "I'd love to kiss you more," I said, "but I'm starving and I need a cold drink. What do you have to eat?"

     "Don't worry, my princess, I have your favorite chicken from the take-out place."

     "The carver sandwich with two sides of garlic potatoes?"

     "Would I get you anything else? I'll just heat it up a second in the microwave."

     I put my suitcase down and sat on the sofa.

     "I am so tired. What a day."

Ryan went into the kitchen and started reheating the food. "Tell me about it."

"The police came in with a prisoner today, in handcuffs."

"Was he dangerous? They shouldn't bring criminals into the hospital like that."

"It was a she, a young girl that they were holding for the New York police."

I heard the microwave door open and close, a few beeps of the timer, and then it turn on. "What happened?"

"She was diabetic, low blood sugar, and had ketone smell."

"I love when you talk science. What's ketone?"

"Your body burns fat and makes something called ketone. It can make your breath aromatic, your whole body emits an odor."

He carried in a glass with ice and soda. "This is a pleasant conversation for dinner."

"She collapsed in the bathroom while giving a urine sample."

"That's terrible."

"Luckily, Luke was able to carry her over to the hospital. She's okay now."

He walked back into the kitchen. "Who's Luke?"

"Officer Walker. He's from Longport."

"It's nice that you know his first name. He must be strong to carry her all the way to the hospital."

"He is. Well, it's not that far really. I'm sure you could have done it too."

"Dinner's ready, come on in. Bring your glass."

As we were eating, Ryan asked "Your message said we had a lot to talk about. What's up?"

I told myself that I would tell Ryan everything, but I just wasn't ready yet. "It really is nothing, just work stuff. How about if we save that for later? I just want to relax and enjoy your company."

"Are you sure? If you want to talk, I'll be happy to listen."

"Maybe later, let's just snuggle."

"Do you want me to unpack your stuff?"

"No thank you. I have a little surprise for you later."

     We watched television and talked for a few hours, kissing and snuggling on the sofa. After the news, I told Ryan, "Why don't you shower and get into bed? I want to show you something. I'll clean up."

     "You don't have to ask me twice."

     While Ryan showered, I cleaned up the dishes and the papers in the kitchen. It didn't take him long to get ready; when activities of the bed are concerned, Ryan can reach the speed of sound.

     "I'm ready," he yelled from the bedroom.

     "Okay, just relax, I'll shower and be right in with your surprise." Even though I showered at home after work, I don't like to get right into bed after being outside.

     I took a fresh pair of panties and my new Lucite shoes out of my bag and went into the bathroom.

     When I was done, I yelled, "Are you ready?"

     "I sure am. Should I jump-start my penis?" he yelled back.

     "No need to. I'll get it started for you."

I walked into the bedroom wearing nothing but panties and my shoes. As usual, Ryan just stared at me a few moments, but instead of coming over to me, he said, "Come and lay down."

     I walked over to the bed, and lay down beside him. I closed my eyes and waited for him to start kissing me, but instead I felt the bed shake and he jumped up.

     "Just lie there, and wait for me."

     He ran out of the room. I could hear kitchen cabinet doors and drawers being opened and slammed shut, having no idea what the hell was going on. Did he pick this time to cook something?

     A minute later, he ran back into the room, out of breath. "Just give me five minutes. I'll be right back"

     "I'm almost naked! Where are you going?"

     He started putting on his pants while he was walking and he tripped. "Don't go anywhere. Get under the covers to stay warm if you have to."

     With his pants half on, he grabbed his shirt and shoes, and half dressed ran out of the bedroom. I heard the apartment door open and close, and I got up to look out the window, in enough time to see him race to his car and drive away.