CH 4
Dan had to make extra effort to pay attention that afternoon. His mind kept going back to what he had wanted to happen in the empty office earlier. He was filled with a mixture of shame that he'd almost lost control of himself so close to the squad room, anger at the rules and regulations that made being with a fellow officer seem shameful and a desperate need to show Karla that he wasn't an animal out only to use her for sex.
Yes, she was teasing him, but she wasn't doing it maliciously.
All of this was running through his mind as he directed his officers, answered the phones, made high level decisions and did the work that just seemed a nuisance today. If only he could just go find Karla and what? Certainly making love to her was high on his priority list, but that wasn't the only problem he needed to deal with. He had to get his hormones under control. He wasn't some horny teenager, after all. He was a captain in the NYPD and he'd worked hard to get here. Funny thing, though, he actually felt a lot like a horny teenager and he hadn't felt like that in a very long time.
About 4:30 he tried to call Karla and see if she wanted to go to dinner with him, but her cell phone just rang. He called her home # and left a message. He expected to find a message on his machine when he got home. There wasn't one. He called her again, but there was only the answering machine. He was concerned, but not really alarmed.
He took out the paperwork he'd taken home and spread it out on the table. It just required looking over and his signature under the approval line, but he couldn't do it. It wasn't wrong, but he couldn't concentrate on it. He gave up and went into the living room to check his machine. It hadn't changed and he hadn't missed any calls. Where was Karla? It wasn't like her to not return his calls.
By 10:00 when she hadn't called he got his keys, his gun and his coat. Maybe she was having second thoughts about what had happened and she was ashamed to call him. At least he could go make sure she was alright. He admitted to himself that in all honesty he was rationalizing his decision to find her, but he couldn't help it. He had to see her.
Her truck was there when he pulled up. That was good, wasn't it? Did that mean that she didn't want to talk to him? Should he go back to his home and wait for her to call him? His head said yes, but his heart was leading him to the door of her house. He didn't see any lights on, even though it was nearly dark. He raised his hand to knock on the door when he heard noises inside. "Karla?" he called.
The noises stopped then resumed, softer this time. "Karla, it's Dan. Open the door if you can." He pulled his gun. Something was wrong here.
He heard the deadbolt slide back and the door opened just a crack. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me." She said.
She wasn't showing her face. "Let me in, sweetheart." He said softly.
"I… you don't want to see me like this." She said. "Go home, Dan. I'll call you in a few days."
"I'm not going anywhere until you let me in and I see for myself that you're alright. You know I mean it." He said.
Karla swung the door open, but retreated back into the dark recesses of her home. Dan stepped inside and looked around before he holstered his weapon. Karla had gone over to sit on the sofa and was curled up on one end. She was the very picture of abject misery. He went toward her. She never moved.
"I-I tried to call you a couple of times this afternoon. You didn't answer so I came by to make sure you're alright."
Karla was unnaturally still. He went over and carefully sat on the sofa a small distance from her. "Karla, talk to me. What's going on?"
"I'm fine." She said but her voice was muffled.
"You're not fine. You are sitting here in the dark, not answering your phone, not acting like yourself. You can't tell me you're fine, because I'm not buying it. Let me turn on a light."
"No. I don't want a light on."
"Sweetheart, you're scaring me. You were fine, when I dropped you off at the garage, now you won't look at me and you won't let me turn on the light. Tell me what's going on or I'll have to figure it out for myself. You don't want me to call someone to come talk to you, do you?"
"No, it's not a police matter. It's personal. I don't want to get you involved."
"Too late. I'm already involved if you are. Tell me what happened, Karla. Right now."
Karla drew in a deep breath and let it out in a shaky sigh. "Turn on the light." She said reluctantly.
Dan in the dim light he was able to go to the table across the room and found a small lamp to turn on so it wasn't too bright. He turned to see Karla had buried her face in her knees. He returned to the couch and sat back down. "Look at me."
She lifted her head marginally to look at him. Her hair hung forward and all he could see was her eyes and her forehead. "See, I'm fine." She reiterated.
Dan snorted. "I'm a detective remember? I know better. Don't be difficult, sweetie. Let me see what's going on."
Karla sighed and straightened up. She dropped her knees and he clenched his jaw in rage. The entire left side of her face was swollen and turning beautiful shades of black and blue. She had one swollen black eye and her lip was swollen and bloody. She looked at him. "Are you satisfied?" she asked, defiantly.
"Oh, my God. What happened to you? Who did this to you?" he wanted to take her into his arms but he was afraid to touch her.
"He didn't mean it. He was upset." She told him.
"He? You know who did this?" he demanded. Could she be seeing someone else? His heart said no.
"We-We were raised together. He came to give me some bad news and when he found out I'd been seeing someone, he hit me. He was upset and he thought he should be my only concern. I told him that I wasn't interested in him any more and he flew into a rage. He hit me before I knew he was going to. He hit me a couple of times then he left. I tried to call the police, but I don't have any information on where he lives or anything. I'm a cop. I'm supposed to be able to defend myself. I just couldn't. I never expected him to be so violent."
Her eyes teared up and she struggled not to cry. "Did you report this?" he asked gently.
"I went to the emergency room. They wanted to call the police. I told them I was one and I'd file the appropriate charges myself. They had a fit, but what are they going to do? Nothing's broken, just some bruising. I'll need to go to my own doctor tomorrow, for treatment, but that's all."
She began to cry in earnest and he moved forward to pull her into his arms. He tried to be gentle, but her grip was strong and he just held her and wanted to strangle the man who'd done this to her. "Shhh. I'm here now." He soothed.
"I hate women who cry at the drop of a hat." She managed to sob to him.
He chuckled. "I'd say you have a good reason. Karla, listen to me." He managed to get her calmed down for a few moments, lifting her chin so she would look at him. "Did he…Did he…were you raped?"
"No."
"You're sure? Did they do a rape kit?"
"I'm sure, Dan. I didn't loose consciousness."
"Thank God. Why didn't you call me?"
"Do you want to deal with someone who looks like this? I can't even defend myself. I don't want anyone to know. I can just imagine the rumors. Oh, poor Karla. She got beat up by someone she knows. She isn't much of a cop, is she?"
"They wouldn't dare say that." He bristled.
"No, but they'd think it. And the last person they saw me with is you. Suppose they think you did this? Oh, Dan, I can't let them think it's you."
"Why would they think that?"
"It's a well known fact that cops tend to take their stress out on their partners or their family. I won't do that to you."
"It's a weak willed partner, man or woman, who does that. Someone who needs to find another job. I'm not that way."
"I'm so confused. You're right. I just want… I don't want anything to happen to you because of me." She started to break down again.
"Nothing's going to happen to me. Or you either. I won't let it. No one's going to hurt you again. Tell me who it is and we'll put out a warrant for his arrest."
"Ben. Ben Winston."
"You said you know him?"
"We were raised in the same home town. He was the son of the woman who raised me. That's what he's upset over. He came over to tell me that she'd passed away and she'd left her estate to me instead of him. He was waving a paper around and demanded that I sign it all over to him. I refused. I tried to reason with him, Dan, I did, but he started yelling and throwing things and then he hit me. I wasn't wearing my piece and I tried to reason with him again. He just went berserk and he started hitting me. I didn't even have a chance to defend myself except to play possum. What if he comes back?"
"If he knows what's good for him he won't." Dan told her darkly. "Anyway, they usually don't return to the scene of a crime. I'll have an APB put out for him and we'll lock him up for the night."
"But I never thought he'd be so violent. Suppose you're wrong too and he does come back. What am I going to do?"
"You, my dear, are going to pack up and come back to my place with me. You aren't going to be alone tonight."
"I need to be here, Dan, just in case."
"I don't see…" he began.
"Please, I just need to be here."
"Alright. I'll stay here then. You're couch looks comfortable."
"It's not." Karla giggled.
Dan looked closely at her. Her eyes were glassy and she was rather dreamy looking. "Did the hospital give you a painkiller?"
"Yes."
The painkillers were knocking her out. In fact, he figured if she hadn't been terrified earlier, she'd be out like a light now. She was beginning to list seriously to one side. He figured he only had a few minutes before she was completely senseless. "Let's get you to bed."
She smiled at him. "Sounds good."
A woman with one thing on her mind! "Not right now. Right now, you need sleep. Come on."
Karla was practically boneless. She was trying to walk, but her knees kept giving out on her. He managed to get her to her room and onto the bed before she stopped moving entirely. She rolled over onto her side and snuggled down into the comforter. He stood up and stretched his frame. He watched her for a few minutes then turned and headed for the door.
"Stay." She asked softly.
He turned to look back. She was still laying on the bed but her one eye was open, watching him. "You should get some sleep." He said even though he wanted to stay. Not because of a threat to her, but because he wanted to be with her. His morals wouldn't let him take advantage of her condition, even if his body said yes.
Karla lifted her head and looked at him with both eyes now. "Dan, please stay with me. I know you want to. I can see that. I also know you don't want to be insensitive. I promise not to attack you, but I'm scared and I need someone I know I'm safe with. You."
"You sure don't ask for much, do you?"
"I hope for a lot, because I respect you. Never mind, I understand. You can go home if you like. I'll be fine." She put her head down and rolled over so her back was to him putting her in the middle of the bed.
How the hell did she make him feel guilty about not taking advantage of her? Oh, she was good. She was right, he did want to stay with her. He wanted to be with her, in the physical sense. He hadn't wanted anyone this badly since he'd met Nancy, his ex wife. Why was he comparing them with these two women who were nothing alike?
Nancy had been a college student and so had he when they'd met. She been studying to become a doctor and he was in criminal law. They'd run in different crowds, she had been a privileged student with family of money while he'd worked as a security guard at night so he could afford to attend during the day. Her parents had never liked him, though they supported Nancy if she wanted to stay with him. Being Jewish had been his only saving grace as far as they were concerned.
Then the boys had come along and all seemed better. Until Nancy's new beau had come into the picture and it was all over but the paperwork. Oh, there was a civil relationship because of the boys, but there was also relief. He hadn't loved her in a long time, the way he felt he should love someone he was married to. He was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.
Karla, on the other hand, had not known him back then. She had only met him what only six months ago? Did she know he was Jewish? Did she care? He didn't know what or if she practiced any religion either. He knew he felt good around her and she had never tried to change him. Maybe they just weren't familiar enough with each other to take that step yet.
His body was demanding satisfaction, but his mind was in control. He'd stay with her just to prove he could be a civilized man about this. He toed off his shoes and took off his jacket and holster. The bed had a bookcase headboard where Karlas piece already rested. He eased himself onto the edge of the bed, putting the gun close at hand. He was tired.
The house settled into a peaceful rhythm. He was dozing when he heard Karla say "Thank you." Softly.
Minutes later, it seemed to him, Karla was touching his shoulder. "Dan, someone's here. Dan."
He raised one finger to her. She was laying on her side looking at him and her eyes were huge. He reached up and grabbed his gun. "I'll go see if anyone's out there. Stay here and don't come out there." Okay, so the man was half asleep. He should've known better.
Wishing he'd worn a darker shirt Dan rose on stocking feet and moved toward the bedroom door. He could hear someone moving around in the living room. He heard someone bump into the coffee table and swear softly. Definitely a mans voice. He thought about calling the local precinct for an intruder alert, but there wasn't any way he could get through to them without tipping off the burglar.
Using both hands to support the weapon he stepped out into the hallway. No one was visible. He could hear someone rifling through what sounded like a drawer. He eased over to the doorway leading into the outer room. He cautiously peered out and saw a man, a very large man, leaning over a desk and moving things around inside.
He stepped out into the living room and hit the lights with one hand while holding the gun with his other. "Don't move." He warned the guy.
There was no reason for the man to whirl around and glare at him. He couldn't see in the sudden bright light, he was too far away to swing at him and he was too drunk to connect a punch if he'd been standing right beside him. But he did and stared at Dan in dazed confusion. "Who the hell are you?"
"Police. Who're you?" Dan barked at him.
"You ain't no cop. You aren't even wearing a uniform. You're that guy, Karla's been seeing, ain't you?"
"Who are you?" Dan asked again.
The man, who Dan deduced was Ben Winston staggered toward Dan. Why is anyone's guess. He had nothing to gain by it, but that didn't seem to matter. "You are not supposed to be here…."
"Stop right there." Dan told him.
Ben didn't seem to hear. He lumbered toward Dan. "Ben, no." Karla cried out to him.
Ben saw her and veered toward her. The fact was that it wasn't much veering as Karla was standing right next to Dan and had her gun trained on the man as well. "You belong with me. We were supposed to be together. That's all she talked about, that we were going to be a family." He said.
"Ben, stop." Karla barked again.
Dan was ready to pull back if the man had stopped, but he kept on coming. He wasn't just drunk, he was stoned out of his ever-loving mind. His eyesight was affected as he stumbled over a large floor vase with artificial flowers. "Stay back or I will shoot." Dan barked once more. He didn't want to shoot him.
Ben recovered his balance and incredibly pulled a knife out of his pocket. There was no help for it. He was close enough to make it a serious threat and Dan had to act. He shot to kill. At the same time, Karla did likewise. The gunshots were only split seconds apart and they knocked Ben off his feet. His bulk slammed into the coffee table and made kindling out of it.
Dan darted forward and kicked the knife out of his reach in case it was still a threat. He knelt next to the man and felt for a pulse. He was dead. He glanced down at the wounds and it he hadn't known better he'd have said it was a single shot. He looked over at Karla. Her face was impassive, her cop face. "Is he?" she asked.
"He's dead. We need to call the locals now. We don't have a choice any more."
"I'll call. It's my house."
She stepped back and took a phone off the wall. "This is Sgt. Karen Wilkes. I need a squad at my home on Helmer Road. There was an intruder here and there has been gunfire. Be advised there are two off duty police officers on the scene. We need an ambulance and the Coroner."
Within half an hour there were four squad cars out in front with flashing lights going and an ambulance ready to take the body away parked in front of Karlas house. She was seated in a chair in the kitchen with a detective from the local precinct. Ross was in the living room making sure the crime scene was being properly investigated. He was not in charge of the investigation, but he was also fully aware of how an investigation should be conducted and he was being very careful. He was also making the CSU unit people very nervous. That was his intention.
One of the detectives had called their captain, who was really angry at being awakened from his night off duty, to deal with Ross. He was a suspect, but he was also above their rank. The chief detective had tried to gain his attention by stepping between him and the view of the room. Ross had given him his full attention for one minute then told him "Move!" The detective moved.
The detective gave up trying to talk to Ross and just stood with him watching the process, helplessly.
"So you say that the victim, Winston, did that to your face earlier today, Sgt. Wilkes?" the detective in the kitchen was asking Karla again.
"For the fourth time, yes, he did. And no, I hadn't reported it yet to the police because I wanted to rest and gather my thoughts. I was going to talk to the police first thing in the morning. Yes, I told the personnel in the hospital who did this to me and no Dan Ross did not do this to me. Yes, I have surrounded my weapon for analysis and possible charges. Yes, I understand that you don't think I should leave town and yes, I understand that I should not speak to anyone regarding an ongoing investigation. Have I pretty much summed up the last five times we've gone over this same thing?"
"Just trying to be thorough, Sgt."
"I'd use a different term, detective, but I understand your implication." Karla stated, sharply.
The detective wanted to refute the tone, but he also knew he needed to tread carefully. These were higher profile suspects. Especially the other one. He stood up and moved back to the living room where the CSU were packing up their equipment. Captain Reggie Morgan had arrived and was talking to Dan Ross in one corner of the room. Karla slipped past the detective and stood looking around at the mess that they'd made of her home.
Ben Winston's blood was still on the carpet and the remains of her table were still scattered all over the floor. She wanted to clean it up, but not while they were here. She sank down onto the arm of a chair and withdrew into herself until it was all over. There was nothing else she could do. Her face was throbbing, but she wouldn't let the other officers here see her pain or her taking pain killers. She was just so blamed tired.
Dan Ross was in full captain mode while talking to his counterpart, but he wanted to wrap this up and get them out of here. Karla looked ready to drop and he was worried about her. Morgan kept going over the same thing over and over. Dan finally turned on him and glared at him. "Look, I know how this goes, but I'm telling you that you now know everything that happened tonight. Check with your detectives, confirm that it's the same story and get back to me. You know where to find me. We're done here."
Morgan saw the conviction in his face and nodded. He couldn't really do any less. Dan had a stellar record and he was a tough man. If he had done anything wrong it wouldn't be hard to find him again. "I'll be in touch." He nodded and called to his people to leave.
Dan went to stand beside Karla and look around. He didn't touch her while they were there, but he just stood there. After they left and he was sure they were gone, he turned to Karla. She looked at him. "Are you sorry you ever met me yet?"
"Not in the least. I'm just glad you're on our side." He told her honestly.
"You are a glutton for punishment. What do I do now, Dan? I can't think anymore."
"Now, you go to bed for the rest of what's left of the night and worry about it all tomorrow. You are exhausted and you need your sleep. Let me help you back to bed."
"That detective tried to pin this bruising on you. I told him he wasn't going to do that. I won't let it happen."
Try not to think about it. Do you some more medicine?"
"It'll knock me out."
"I'll get you some water. I'm here for you so you can rest. I won't let anything happen to you. Come with me." He took her by the hand and lifted her to her feet. She was so wasted he pulled her into his arms and just held her for a few moments. She leaned heavily into him.
She gave a huge sigh and pulled back. "Thank you. I needed that." She told him softly. "I guess I'd better go to bed. What're you going to do? You need your sleep too."
"I was hoping you'd let me come back in there with you." He admitted uneasily.
"I was hoping you'd want to. I need you near me. You've been a rock for me. I'm not sure I'd be able to rest if you weren't around. This doesn't let you off the hook though."
"Off the hook? I wasn't aware I was on the hook for anything."
"One of these days, Dan Ross, you and I are going to make love. When the time is right and we don't have other things hanging over our heads. That's one thing you are not going to get out of."
"Are you serious? You tell me that then you want me to sleep on the same bed with you like a brother?"
"You are not, and never will be like a brother to me, my Dan. But this also isn't the time to make that happen. When I have you and you have me it will be the right time and we will be ready. Right now my defenses are down and it wouldn't be the right time, but it's still a damned good idea. Let's go to bed."
Dan felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Did she know what she'd just said? Was she delirious? Was he?
He followed her into the bedroom and closed the door.
TBC
