Lullabies & Dead Bodies, page 23
“So you never said last night what had you in such a state when you got home. You didn’t even want to talk about it over dinner.”
Sidney’s tone was full of caution, and Isaac glanced at her and sighed.
“It’s just this case, baby.”
“Wanna be more specific? You can talk to me, you know?”
“I know I can, Sidney. But I just…” He paused and shook his head. “I’m trying not to bring it home with me, you know?”
Sidney closed the dishwasher and stepped into his arms, staring up at him.
“I think we both know it’s impossible for you to leave this particular case at the station. I know that’s never going to happen, and so do you. So if you need to talk about it, I’m willing to listen.”
Isaac ran his fingertips over her face, marveling as he always did at the fact that he could freely touch her and feel her soft skin and not worry about the threat of pain.
“I appreciate that. I really do, and I’m sure at some point I will take you up on that offer to talk about it. But not right now or we’ll both be late for work.”
His lips brushed against hers and their tongues met in a sensuous slow dance. His Sidney.
“I love you,” he whispered against her lips.
“I love you back.”
Isaac stepped away from their embrace. Then he clipped his holstered gun to his side, grabbed his jacket and the overnight bag, winked at her, and walked out the door.
He remained in his dopey lovestruck feel-good mood all the way to the station. But as soon as he stepped into the back entrance, he was blindsided when Sgt. Natalie Bains exited the women’s bathroom and smiled at him.
“Good morning, Detective Sergeant.”
She was dressed in black slacks and a white blouse that hugged her curves in a flattering manner. The gun holstered to her hip was only for show. Her real weapon was the venom she spewed with every turn of her scarlet lips.
“Oh, I never did congratulate you on your little promotion, did I?”
“Hmm. You know, you never congratulated me on the conclusion of the IAB inquest either.”
He’d chosen his words carefully, and he got a kick out of it when they brought about the desired effect. Natalie’s fake smile dropped like a lead ball, and fire flashed in her blue eyes.
Gotcha!
“Didn’t think I’d figure out it was you who reported my relationship with Sidney to Internal Affairs?”
She smiled again, if the evil lift of her lips could be called a smile.
“Oh, I was only trying to keep you honest, Ike. You can’t blame me for wanting to be an upstanding, incorruptible officer of the law.”
Isaac stared at her in disgust. Though his true power lied in gleaning information by touching people or objects, it wasn’t uncommon for him to be affected by the energy of a person. By the vibes they gave off. It was something his psychic teacher/therapist, Geneviève, had helped him to realize. And he’d come to understand that his strong dislike of Natalie Bains was simply due to the fact that he hated being near her toxic energy.
“Besides, it seems IAB cleared you of any wrongdoing.”
“No thanks to you.”
“How is your girlfriend anyway? I understand you live together now.”
“Yes we do. Not that it’s any business of yours.”
“She staying out of trouble these days? No evil drug lords or abusive exes out to get her?”
“Again, not your business.” Isaac sidestepped her and began to walk away.
“Is she enjoying her new job at the Hope House?”
Isaac’s blood ran cold, and he stood still as a statue. Then he slowly turned and looked Natalie in the eyes, taking a couple of steps back toward her.
“What the hell are you doing keeping tabs on where my girlfriend works?”
His voice was dangerously quiet, giving no hint of the genuine fear that gripped his gut.
“Keeping tabs? You’re so dramatic, Ike. Is your girlfriend’s job such a big secret?”
“It is when she’s barely worked there two days. Now I’m going to ask you one more time…”
“And then what?”
She stepped closer to him. Much too close for Isaac’s comfort, and dread crawled along his skin like a centipede.
“Why are you keeping tabs on Sidney?”
He pushed the words past his heart, which was lodged in his throat.
The door opened and three patrolmen walked in.
“Hey, Detective.”
Isaac nodded a greeting to the patrolman who spoke to him. When he turned back to confront Natalie, he spotted her rounding the corner and slipping into the elevator before the doors closed.
“Motherfucker!”
He mumbled the foul word under his breath and then took off through the intake section and up the four flights of stairs. He had no clue what kind of game Natalie was trying to start, but he had no intentions of playing. He marched into the detectives section, a man on a mission.
He sat through their roll call session like a pressure cooker about to blow. The minute Lt. Hayes released them to begin their shift, he got his boss’ attention.
“We need to talk.”
Gavin frowned at him. “With me.”
They left the conference room and walked to Hayes’ office.
“Thought this room was off limits, sir.”
Gavin nodded. “I watched last night as Lt. Barton went over every nook and cranny of every square inch. It’s clean. But I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the fact that it’s clean means no one was listening in when Sgt. Bains and I discussed the witness’ whereabouts a few months ago, before the safe house was hit.”
Isaac’s stomach tightened with a swift and violent jolt.
Natalie Bains.
Again.
“As much as I dislike that woman, I can’t believe that she would willfully put Sidney in danger. Yet when I got here this morning, I had a run in with the poisonous Sgt. Bains. That’s what I needed to talk to you about.”
“Why? What’d she say?”
“She made a veiled threat.”
“Against you?”
“Against Sidney.”
Just the thought of that woman going after his precious Sidney did angry things to his insides.
“In what way?”
“She asked how Sidney was liking her new job at Hope House.”
Gavin didn’t get it. Isaac could tell by the blank expression on his boss’ face.
“Okay. I didn’t know she was working at Hope House. I thought she was teaching or something.”
“Exactly, Lieu. Sidney’s only just started this new job as assistant director at the women’s shelter. This is only her second full day of working there.”
Understanding dawned, and Isaac could see the glow of it in Gavin’s eyes.
“So how the hell does Natalie Bains know that?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.”
“Did you ask her?”
“Of course I did. She said I was being dramatic and walked away. But I don’t like it, Lieu. It’s like she’s targeting me and Sid for some reason.”
“You did imply she seemed jealous of Sidney when she learned the two of you were an item.”
“But Natalie is a good-time girl who can have any man she wants.”
Gavin shook his head. “Not true. She can’t have you. Isn’t that what you told me a few days ago? The animosity between you stems from her coming on like a Mack truck and you continually turning her down?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“But what?”
Isaac stared at him.
“Lieu, are we saying that we believe Natalie is the reason the safe house was hit that night? The reason Sidney’s location was compromised, and she was almost killed?”
“Look, Ike. The truth is that unless you see that with your… abilities, we’ll probably never know for sure. And without any real proof, we’ll never be able to get her for it. Now, as for this new development of her alleged…”
“Alleged?”
“…alleged threats…” Gavin shrugged his shoulders. “All you can do is document it. File a report if you want to. But without a record of harassing behavior toward you or Sidney, you can’t do much.”
“You don’t believe me.”
“I do believe you. Wholeheartedly. But I don’t know what you want me to do about it. You know the proper channels to take as well as I do.”
“Lieu, I…”
His cellphone buzzed in his pocket and he reached for it mid-sentence and stared at the screen.
“It’s Special Agent Fox.”
“You’d better take it.”
“Hello?”
“I’ve got my hands on some paperwork you might be interested in, Detective Taylor.”
Isaac knew immediately what Fox meant.
“Nice day for a flight?”
“Indeed.”
“Text me the details. I’ll meet you at the airport.”
The line went dead, and he looked at his boss.
“Subpoena came through?” Gavin asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, you’d better get going then. I’ll inform Vega and supervise your team on this end until you get back.”
“Thanks, Lieu. Hey…” He hesitated and then quietly cleared his throat. “Could you do me a favor and just kinda keep an eye on my place while I’m gone?”
It was a lot to ask and he knew it, but it was the only way he was getting on a plane and leaving the state after Natalie’s odd behavior and veiled threats against Sidney.
“I’ll put in a request for patrol to make some extra checks on your street for the next couple of days. And against my better judgement, I’ll personally ride by a couple of times. That’s the best I can do.”
“I’ll take it. Thanks, Lieu.”
“Keep me posted on your progress on this field trip.”
“Will do.”
Isaac left Hayes’ office and his cellphone buzzed with a text containing flight information by the time he reached his desk. He glanced at it and then dialed Sidney.
“Hey, baby.”
“Hey, darlin’. Just heard from Agent Fox. Flight leaves in two hours. I just wanted to keep you posted.”
“Wow. That’s soon.”
“Yep.”
“Guess it was good you packed a bag to keep with you, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess so. Listen, if you need anything while I’m gone, just give Pete Vega a call, okay?”
Pete looked up at him from his desk with a puzzled frown, and Isaac held up a finger — the universal sign of “wait a minute.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“Oh, I’m going to worry, and you know it.”
“I’m sure I’ll be okay. Until nighttime anyway. Then I’ll miss you terribly.”
Isaac grinned and turned away from Pete, searching for some privacy.
“Only at night, huh? That’s all I’m good for?”
Sidney softly giggled, and he lit up from within. God, he loved her.
“That’s not what I meant, Ike!”
“Uh huh. I see how it is.”
She continued to laugh, and he couldn’t do anything but smile for a long moment.
“Listen, I have to get going. I’ve got some things to go over with Pete before I get out of here.”
“All right. I’ll let you go.”
“Hopefully, things go well, and I’ll see you by sometime tomorrow evening.”
“Okay. Isaac!”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
His smile was wide and toothy, he just knew it. But there was nothing he could do to stop it.
“I love you too, darlin’.”
“Text me the moment you land! Let me know you got there safe.”
“Will do.”
He ended the call and turned back to Pete, who was watching him with a goofy expression.
“What?”
“You forgot to blow her kisses over the phone.”
He then proceeded to pucker up and make a loud, annoying, kissing sound with his lips, turning a few heads from other detectives at nearby desks.
“Will you knock it off, you juvenile delinquent,” Isaac grunted as he took a seat at his own desk.
Pete laughed and then grew serious. “Why are you telling your girlfriend to call me while you’re gone? Where are you going?”
“Just got a call from Fox saying the warrant came through. We’re flying out to Dubuque in two hours.”
“Oh, wow. That was fast. Does the Lieutenant know?”
“He’s up to speed, yes. And he’ll be supervising you and the others on this case while I’m gone. Hopefully, it’ll just be overnight. Now, listen… what I need from you is…”
“I know, I heard. Be available if Sidney needs anything. Got it.”
Isaac rolled his eyes. “I just figured, since you’d most likely be visiting Jada anyway, you could maybe look in on her while you’re over there.”
Pete flashed him a genuine grin. “I get it, Ike. It’s not a problem.”
“Thank you. Now, what I was going to say, though, is that I need you to remember that Miller and Dorn do not need the details of my trip. If they ask, you are just as in the dark about my trip as they are. Leave the explaining to Hayes, and go along with whatever he says about it, all right?”
“I have no clue where you’ve gone or what you’re doing there.”
“Good man. All right. I’m outta here.”
The good thing about flying with an FBI agent was that they were among the first to board the plane, which meant there were very few others around to get too close to Isaac. He and Agent Fox presented their Armed Passenger Authorization forms, along with their Law Enforcement credentials, at the security checkpoint. Then again at the gate when they boarded the commercial flight.
“You look a little peaked, Detective. You’re not squeamish about flying are you?” Agent Emmett Fox asked as they made their way from the gate to the entrance of the plane.
Isaac took a deep breath, wishing like hell that Sidney was there to soothe him.
“I don’t particularly enjoy the experience of being trapped in a confined space where I’m forced to share an arm rest with the stranger beside me. Too many people getting way too close to me. Too many opportunities for accidental touching.”
Emmett grinned. “I get it. So you’re not afraid of flying, per se?”
“I got no problem with flying. I just don’t like the close quarters.”
“Good morning, gentlemen.”
The flight attendant greeted them with a pleasant smile, and when they presented her with their paperwork her attitude morphed from jovial to all-business in the span of half a second.
“Very good. Allow me to introduce you to the pilot and co-pilot.” She turned efficiently toward the cockpit. “Captain Quarrels, First Officer Mercer, we have two Law Enforcement Officers flying with us today.”
Both gentlemen turned in their seats and gave them a polite nod, and Isaac was immensely grateful that they were already strapped in and unable to stand and shake hands.
“Special Agent Emmett Fox,” Emmett stated, flashing his credentials their way.
“Detective Sergeant Ike Taylor.”
“Good to have you both aboard. We’ll get you to Iowa safely.”
“Thank you, sir,” Emmett responded.
Isaac nodded and smiled at them.
The friendly flight attendant then motioned them to their seats.
“Air Marshal at 3A,” she said with a conspiratorial manner as other passengers approached the door of the plane. Then she turned toward the new arrivals, leaving Isaac and Emmett to handle introductions themselves.
Emmett swiped a card from his breast pocket and looked at Isaac.
“Got a card handy?”
Isaac quickly fished one of his business cards from his pocket and gingerly handed it over. Then he watched as Emmett smoothly, and somewhat covertly, handed both cards to the casually dressed man seated in 3A.
The man appeared unfazed when the cards were thrust at him. Reaching out to take them, he looked at Isaac and Emmett for a long moment, no doubt committing their faces to memory, then gave them a curt nod.
Isaac gave the man a polite nod and proceeded to his seat. He’d never flown armed before today, but he knew it was standard practice to make yourself known to the Air Marshal if the flight had one. He understood it, of course. Always smart for the good guys to know who each other are on a commercial flight, just in case the worst happened in mid-air.
“Something wrong?” Emmett asked.
Isaac stood in the aisle of the business class section, staring at the seats.
“I’m on the aisle.”
“What?”
“The aisle. I have the aisle seat.”
“Ah. And you don’t want the aisle seat because people will walk by and possibly touch you.”
“Exactly.”
“No problem. Feel free to take the window.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“Sure.”
Isaac slid into his seat and stored his bag at his feet. Then he secured his seatbelt, laced his fingers together, and drew his arms in close, settling in for the flight.
“You ok?” Emmett buckled himself in.
“Yep.”
“Cause you look a little…”
“I’m good. Really.”
“Okay. Feel free to spread out and use the arm rest.”
“Nope. Arm rest is all yours. Have at it.” Isaac grinned and looked at his traveling companion. “I swear I’m not going to freak out on you or anything like that. I’m not afraid of flying. I actually can’t wait for this bird to get in the air. The sooner we get airborne, the sooner I can get out of this sardine can.”
Emmett nodded. “All right.”
The plane slowly filled with passengers, and Isaac ran the case over in his mind for the thousandth time, going over every point yet again. When he tired of that, his mind wandered naturally to Sidney, and he wondered what she was doing at that very moment. Thoughts of his beloved took a jarring turn to Natalie Bains and the odd way she’d asked about Sid’s new job. Had she simply been trying to get a rise out of him, like she often did, or had she actually been making a thinly veiled threat?
