It Isn't Cheating if He's Dead, page 12
“So I should keep pushing?”
“I can’t advise you on that, Jemima. It sounds like he needs help. Professional help.”
“Right. Maybe I can find a therapist willing to come to the park.” He didn’t bite. “How about you, Sid? You’re the best I know.” The only one.
“I’m in Toronto right now. For another two weeks. Perhaps when I’m home. In the meantime, have you looked into missing persons cases?”
Now why didn’t she think of that?
“Not yet. Thanks so much, Sid. I appreciate your help.”
She ended the call and turned back to her computer. She Googled ‘missing persons Alberta’ and hit enter. She clicked on the first link the Google gods bestowed upon her. A missing persons search engine. The only search parameter she could enter was his first name.
She typed in ‘Joseph’ and clicked search. Eight results. That was manageable. The link for the first missing Joseph took her to a new page. An old picture of a man who was not her Joe smiled from the screen. Last seen twenty-seven years ago. Missing that long and his family was still looking for him. There was hope for Joe yet.
She visited the site of each missing Joseph, scanned the date they went missing, the description, the photos. He wasn’t among them. Or at least she didn’t think so. He was so thin. None of these men were emaciated. What did Joe look like with some meat on his bones? What was normal for him?
A numbing thought hit her. Maybe he wasn’t from Alberta. He could be from anywhere, even the States. She rubbed her forehead, covered her mouth with her hand, and stared at the screen. She needed help.
She shut down her laptop, refilled her tumbler with wine and ice, and took the bowl of popcorn into the living room. Her body sank into the sofa and she grabbed the remote.
Page after page of choices flashed on the screen, three hundred channels of crap. The digital video recorder she’d bought two years after Gerald’s disappearance had done little to fill the void in her life, but it did kill some time. She chose Dirty Dancing for the umpteenth time. She could quote lines in her sleep. Familiar faces and familiar feelings let her escape from her life for a few moments. And the wine made her eyelids heavy.
A sharp rap at the window next to her head jolted her awake. Finn’s face was pressed up against the glass.
“I knocked but you didn’t answer,” he called through the closed window. “Saw the TV flickering.”
“Holy shit you scared me to death.” She let him in the front door. “I think it’s time I gave you a key. What time is it?”
“Four-thirty. Sorry, but we found her.”
Jem cocked her head to one side. “You mean the missing little girl? That’s wonderful.”
“Hell yeah it is. Mother was trying to take her into Montana. Border agents got her and the Mounties brought her back here. The girl is with her father.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why isn’t the mother allowed to have her daughter?”
“Because she’s a drug addict and hooker. She leaves her five-year-old alone all night while she's out turning tricks and getting high.”
“Oh. Good reason.”
“I wanted to let you know. And I can’t sleep. Never can after something like this. It’s like a great bennie high.”
She raised one eyebrow. “And you would know this how?”
“Youthful indiscretions.” He gathered her in his arms and kissed her. “Do I smell popcorn?”
“That was dinner.”
“Yikes. I’ll be here tomorrow, promise. In the meantime,” he pulled away from her. “I’ll let you go back to sleep.”
She grabbed the lapel of his jacket and pulled him back. She eyed the jacket and rubbed the fabric between her thumb and fingers. “Is that silk?”
“Yeah.”
“A cop in a silk suit?”
“Only the jacket. See, jeans.”
She took a step back. “Wow. Casual and buttoned down all at the same time.” She took hold of his lapel again. “But I’m supposed to get up in half an hour, so no point in sleeping now.” She slid the jacket off his shoulders and tossed it over the armchair, pointed at him, then beckoned him with a come-hither gesture. She flashed her eyebrows up and down and ran up the stairs, Finn on her heels.
a dangerous game
Jem hauled the sandwich box out into a gleaming June morning and loaded it into her van. She tiptoed upstairs and peeked in the bedroom door. Finn lay naked and sound asleep in her bed, covers thrown off, the rising sun illuminating his muscular frame.
Less than two hours ago, the moment he climaxed, he rolled off her and passed out, the post-arrest high satisfied by one great romp. When she came back in the room after her shower, he hadn’t moved a muscle. She crept around the room, pulling drawers open an inch at a time so as not to disturb him. She could have slammed doors and screamed bloody murder, she doubted he would notice. He was dead to the world after more than twenty-four hours without a break.
And here he was, still in the same spot, an hour after her time in the kitchen making tuna sandwiches. One arm above his head, the other thrown out to the side, one leg straight, the other slightly bent and flopped to one side. The view was breathtaking.
He was like no man she’d ever been with. It was more than the whole Greek God good looks thing. It was everything about him. He was so thoughtful. So kind. So sweet. So, so… So horny.
She licked her lips and approached the side of the bed. His signature little snores made her want him again. She ran one finger from his ankle to his groin and up to his chest.
His eyes popped open and he became erect in an instant. He grabbed her and rolled her onto the bed, pinned her shoulders and sat on her thighs. “That’s a dangerous game to play with me.” He bent and kissed her.
She laughed with his tongue in her mouth and then returned the kiss with vigor. Adrenaline-soaked arousal sliced through her body. She groaned and turned her head to the side. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I don’t want to have sex right now.”
He released her shoulders and sat back. “Oh. Sorry.” He ran his finger between her breasts, over her clothes, and scratched between her legs over her denim capris. “I got a different impression.” His smile was disarming as hell.
“Let me put it this way. I do want to, but I can’t. The sandwiches are in the van. Tuna. Mayonnaise. Can’t leave them for long or I’ll poison everybody.”
“Now that I understand.” He kissed her forehead. “If you wait five minutes I can shower and come with you.” He climbed off of her and headed for the bathroom.
“You don’t have to go to work?”
“Nope. Day off.”
“Maybe you should sleep.”
“I can do that later. Unless you don’t want me to come. I mean, this is your thing, I get that. I don’t want to intrude.” He stood sideways in the bathroom doorway, one hand on the jamb, eyebrows raised.
She stared at him for a few seconds. “I would love for you to come.”
He beamed and turned away. The shower started to run, the door still wide open.
She skipped down the stairs and poured them each a cup of coffee.
He fastened his watch on the way down the stairs. A dark grey t-shirt taut against his chest hung loose around his hips. He wasn't even tucked in today. He slid bare feet into flip-flops.
Casual Finn was even hotter than suit-and-tie Finn. Giving him a drawer to keep a few changes of clothes was the best idea she'd ever had.
She handed him a travel mug and a granola bar and kissed his cheek. They climbed into the van and she pulled away from the curb.
“Maybe don’t tell anyone you’re a cop. It might scare some of them off.”
“Done.”
“Gotta say, even dressed like that, you have cop tattooed on your forehead.”
He snickered. “So I’ve been told. How about I hang back at the van. Let you go ahead with the deliveries. If you want me to come closer, give me a signal.”
“I like that idea. There’s one fellow in particular I’m worried about. He’s pretty new, and he doesn’t speak. I’m making progress with him, got him to tell me his name. And he did answer a question yesterday. Only a couple of words mind you, but still, with a voice. He hasn’t talked to any of the others in the park.”
“Got it. Don’t mess with the residents.”
“Joe is different than the others. I think his family might be looking for him but I have no way of finding out.”
Finn turned to her. “Jem, you’ve got a detective sitting right beside you. Finding shit out is what I do.”
She glanced at him. “I didn’t know how to ask. It’s not a case. Unless there’s a missing persons report or something. I looked online but couldn’t see anyone that resembled Joe. I don’t even know where he came from.”
“We have better resources than the internet. Let me take a look at him — from a distance.”
“Thank you.” She put her hand on his knee. “I bet Frank and Angus would love you. You’ll get a huge kick out of them.”
“Were they there a couple of years ago? When you saw Gerald?”
“Yes. Angus has been hanging his hat in the park for four years. Frank even longer. Why?”
“I think I might have interviewed them. Part of the investigation. Them and a few others.”
“I forgot about that. So they know you’re a cop already.”
“Only if they remember me. I won’t say anything.”
Jem pulled into her usual spot and parked. Finn lifted the wagon from the van, filled it with boxes of food and drink, then hoisted the entire thing over the curb and put the handle in her hand.
She watched him and grinned. “I might get used to you doing all the heavy lifting. Maybe you should come with me more often.”
“I could arrange that.” He bent and kissed her cheek.
She started on the far side of the park. “Hi Joe. Beautiful morning, isn’t it?” She knelt in front of him. “Tuna today.”
Joe stared past her. She turned around and glanced at Finn.
“It’s okay. That’s my boyfriend.” That was the first time she’d said that out loud. Or even thought about it. Her boyfriend. How odd.
Joe’s posture slackened and he looked at his sandwich. He glanced up at her as he unwrapped the parchment and took a bite. She was rewarded with his now-daily thumbs up.
Question after question stalled on her lips. Today was not the day to push. With Finn here making him nervous, too much prodding might send him back where he came from. She stood there for a couple of minutes to be sure he ate his food and tucked his seconds away for later before making her way around the park.
Frank and Angus waited for her to get to the other side. They sat with straight backs, their gazes shifting from her to Finn.
“Good morning, gentlemen.”
“Ruby. Why’d you bring that cop with you?”
“You remember him?”
“Hell yeah, hard to forget. Bit rough around the edges.”
She grinned. “Not when you get to know him. He’s been investigating Gerald’s disappearance all these years. He’s cool.”
“Gee, Jem.” Frank looked at his feet. “We’re starting to think you don’t love us anymore.”
“How so?”
“First Chief comes along and steals all your attention. Then you bring this big dude around. Not looking so cop-like today, is he?” The light glinted off Frank’s good eye, a sly smile crept onto his face.
She put her arm around his shoulder and gave him half a hug. “Ah, Frank. No one will ever replace the two of you in my heart.”
“Cop-man replaced Gerald though, didn’t he?” Frank elbowed her in the ribs.
“We have started… seeing each other. But no one will ever replace Gerald. I’ve just added Finn to the fold, you know?”
Angus eyed Finn over her shoulder. She turned and followed his glare. Finn leaned against the passenger side of the van, looking at his phone. Who the hell was he texting? He was supposed to be checking out Joe, helping her figure out who he was.
She looked to Joe. He hadn’t moved a muscle. He watched Finn too, but not with curiosity like Angus. More like with dread. Had Finn spooked Joe? Maybe she shouldn’t have brought him with her.
“Is he good to you, Ruby?”
“Yes he is. And thank you for worrying about me.”
“You’re my girl, Ruby. Always will be.”
“I love you too, Angus.”
She glanced back at Finn, he was still looking at his phone. Damn it, who was so interesting that he didn’t care about Joe? Wait, was she jealous? Of a text? It was probably work-related. Something about a case. Get a grip, Jem.
He put the phone to his ear.
What the hell? Couldn’t they leave him alone on his day off?
For the first time since they’d started, what, dating? No. Having a relationship? How could she define what they had? Friends with benefits? Really, really amazing benefits. Whatever it was called, this is the first time she was annoyed with him. She balled her hands into fists and bounced them off her thighs. Maybe he hadn’t understood how important finding Joe’s family was to her.
She shook her head and admonished herself under her breath. That's how his wife reacted. Jealous of his work, of his cases. Jem couldn’t let that happen, couldn't be like the ex. This is who he was, accept it or end it.
Finn held his phone up at arm’s length and squinted like he was farsighted. She’d never noticed that before. He didn’t wear glasses. Never took contacts out at night. She shook her head. He looked adorable and sexy and strong and vulnerable.
No way was she going to end it.
“Well guys, I’m out of here for today. Any requests for tomorrow?”
“Bacon.”
“Oh Frank, we’ve got to find you a new favourite.”
She met Finn on the sidewalk.
“How’s Joe?” He picked up the wagon and loaded it into the van.
“Seems fine. He’s a bit freaked out by you. I didn’t push him for information. One thing at a time, right?”
They got into the van and she pulled away from the curb.
“I got a couple of pictures of him. Not sure how good they’ll turn out on this phone, and from that distance. Tried to be all casual like I was texting or something. Didn’t work. Had to hold it out like an old fart reading the Sunday paper.”
Well damn. She was an idiot. All annoyance melted from her.
“I called in a favour. Gave a colleague a starter description and sent the photos. If you can get more info, that’d be great. Maybe you could get a shot closer up?”
“Maybe. He’d hate that. I don’t think he wants to be found. But he did go to the shelter, showered and shaved. So maybe he’s coming around.”
Finn reached up and rested his forearm on the back of her headrest. “Do you realize we’ve never been out on a date?”
Interesting change of topic. “What, barbecue and endless sex doesn’t count?”
He snickered and ran his fingers down the back of her neck. She shivered.
“I think you should know I’ve never slept with a woman on the first date before.”
“You married your high school sweetheart. How many dates have you had since she left?”
“Counting tonight?”
Her heart leapt. “Tonight?”
“Yeah. We’re going out. Anywhere you want. And this will bring my post-divorce tally to one.”
“You haven’t had one date since she left?”
“I haven’t had a date, not a first one anyway, since grade ten.”
She stole a glance at him. She was only his second relationship? He wasn’t her second. She’d been, let’s just say, active before she met Gerald. But Finn didn’t need to know that.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I guess I’m particular about who I ask out. What do you want to do?”
She drummed her fingertips on the steering wheel. “Dinner. And a movie.” She nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I want. But we need to sit in the back corner.”
“Why?”
“Since you don’t sleep with women on the first date, then I’m not gettin’ any tonight. So the least you can do is grope me in the theatre.”
He laughed and squeezed her neck. “I can do that. And maybe I can break the first date rule too.”
“Excellent.”
They pulled up in front of her house. Finn grabbed the empty boxes from the back and met her on the doorstep.
Jem pushed open the front door. More mail littered the entry. She stooped to collect it, and piled it on top of the other envelopes waiting for her attention. “Coffee?”
“Sure.” Finn fingered the stack of mail. “Jem, how are you doing?”
“I’m fine. Why?” She slid a filter into the coffee pot. His arm came over her shoulder and the stack of mail landed on the countertop in front of her.
“You seem to be avoiding things. We haven’t talked about nirvana in days. You were going to tell me what you learned about Gerald, but every time I bring it up, you find a way to put it off.” He rubbed her shoulders and bent his head towards hers. “I’m worried about you,” he whispered in her ear. He kissed her cheek and spun her around.
She buried her face in his chest and hugged him. “I know. I wish it would be done. Find his killer, answer all the questions, move on and forget. The bad stuff I mean.”
“We’ll get there. Maybe not all the questions can be answered, they usually aren’t. It’s not like on television where every loose end is conveniently tied in one moment of clarity from one clue. Doesn’t work that way.” He pulled back and put his hands on either side of her face, then landed a sweet kiss on her nose. “Gerald was a pretty complex guy. The case is complicated by his disease. I think the murder might be the easiest part to close. And at this point, it’s the only thing being investigated. His disappearance was solved with the discovery of his body. But that doesn’t help you, doesn’t explain why he left.” He cupped her chin in one hand and kissed her lips. “How can I help you?”
