Force of Habit
If it hadn't been for the fact that her boyfriend was a Lego aficionado, Detective Jane Tierney wouldn't have been in Queens that night. But as luck, or in her case the lack of it, would have it, she was notified immediately when they brought Myka into the police station in the outer borough. This was because Officer Bell was on duty in Manhattan and knew that when Code 678 was heard on the internal police radio, Jane was to be called. Through connections with the Mayor and the police department, Helena Bering- Wells had her own Detective to handle these kinds of matters. It was meant to apply to the usual suspect - Helena, but now Myka benefited through marriage.
"What the hell?" Jane said when she saw the text on her phone. "Where is your boss?" she asked Pete, who was in a heated discussion with the store owner.
"I know you think the robot Lego would be better, but I'm telling you, the last time I got her one of these she, she mocked it, built her own life size robot, and now he's babysitting the dog. I could have babysat the dog," Pete explained because it bothered him. "I need something …bigger," he added, extending his arms out as far as he could put them.
"I have something, but it's very expensive," the experienced shop owner said.
"How many pieces?" Pete asked.
"Over twenty four hundred…," he started to say and Pete was already yelling, "I'LL TAKE IT!"
"Pete? Your boss?" Jane asked again, concerned about the text.
"Yes, it's for her," Pete said, running his hands slowly and lovingly over the box when the man brought it out.
"No, Pete. Where is she?" the detective asked.
"I dropped them off at home," Pete said.
"Well according to this, they have Myka at the police station near here," Jane said as Pete paid the man the seven hundred and fifty four dollars plus tax. *
"Myka? No, that must be a mistake," Pete argued.
"Well, let's go see, shall we?" Jane said as they headed for her car.
Myka sat in the police station, rubbing her wrists from having been cuffed. There was a lot of yelling from other prisoners and she was grateful that she was inside an office, even if it was the Captain's. Jane was right outside the door and apparently calling in most of her favors with the precinct in Queens who had released Myka to her care. "Yes, I know. Neighbor Watch is doing a great job. Yes, I'm sure having such vigilant neighbors is a good asset. But as I explained, she was looking for her friend's dog that had run away. She wasn't casing the place," Jane explained to the arresting officers who were a little fervent in taking her in.
That vigilant neighbor heard the dogs bark, then heard a man yelling, and saw someone lurking outside the house. A call to 911 sent squad cars to the house and Myka's apprehension.
Myka grabbed her stomach and bit on her lip. She wanted to throw up. She had been escorted to the waiting police car and whisked away, all before Helena realized there was something going on outside. She was too busy inside trying to understand what the neighbor was telling her. He became very cooperative after Helena convinced him it was in his best interest to share what he knew. He explained – he in fact had driven Irene, but only to the airport. She paid him a hundred dollars to drive her there.
"She's a really nice lady," he said to Helena, whose harsh expression never let up. When Helena finally realized there was a commotion outside, Myka was already gone. Helena went back to Irene's, grabbed the woman's car keys, and went to the nearest police station. The man she had accosted in his own house was more than happy to tell her where it was.
"Okay, we're good here," Jane said to Myka and then heard the disruption outside. "And here comes the tornado now," the detective said of the woman she was waiting to arrive. "In here please," Jane waved at Helena who had burst through the precinct doors seconds before. Helena moved through the space quickly and when she saw Myka sitting there in the chair - fell to her knees in front of her.
"Myka, are you okay? What happened?" Helena said completely unaware of the events that took place. "If they hurt her," the Brit warned in an angry voice.
"Threatening the police IN the police station. Classic Wells," Jane said, sitting down behind the desk of the cop who was kind enough to lend it to her so she could handle this matter.
"Myka, how did this happen?" Helena asked - her expression innocent because she was befuddled.
Myka looked down at dark pools and she wasn't sure if she wanted to strangle Helena or just beg her to take her home. "Get me out of here, please, Helena," Myka said in a soft voice. The entire ordeal was surreal to Myka.
"Now there'll be no charges filed," Jane said hoping to assure Myka. She knew that expression that truly innocent people got when they realized they'd been arrested.
"Charges?" Helena said, standing erect. "You're lucky I don't sue the entire City!"
"And we're using our inside voices," Pete said, closing the door to the office.
"Helena, right now you don't want any attention to any of this. The police were a little zealous, but they received a call of a woman lurking around. Now, we've managed to explain that Myka was looking for her lost dog. What we won't be able to explain is what you were doing inside Mr. Smith's house roughing him up," Jane said because she convinced Myka that she needed to know everything in order to help them.
"I was….," Helena started and realized they were getting off on the wrong track. "We're done here?"
"Yes, a simple case of a nervous neighbor calling 911 who is now happy you found the dog. Now, we're all good at the Smith residence? I'm not going to get a call about a body, am I?"
"No, we came to an understanding and ….," Helena said lowering her voice to continue, "….I apologized."
"And we're one big happy family again," Jane said, happy this ended as well as it did. "Let Pete take you home." Pete took Irene's keys and went outside.
"Thanks Jane, I don't know how we can repay you," Myka said, grateful nothing was coming of this.
"Oh, Helena is going to take care of that," Jane said confidently.
"What the bloody…," Helena started to say and then saw the look on Myka's face. She knew Myka was upset by all of this and there was the slightest possibility, Helena considered, that Myka felt this was all her fault. She cleared her throat and started over. "Of course, detective, what can I do?"
Jane explained her request and although Helena thought it was a ridiculous one, she acquiesced. Helena had bigger things on her mind right now.
"And you can do something for me, Jane," Helena said and the detective raised her eyebrow. "I'd like to file a missing person report."
"On who?" Jane asked incredulously.
"Irene Frederic," Helena said plainly.
"Irene? She's missing? Jane turned to Myka and asked, concerned.
"Helena can't find her," Myka explained.
"Is it possible she doesn't want you to find her?" Jane asked, projecting her own thoughts into the conversation.
Myka took Helena by the hand and pulled her out of the office. "Let's go, dear," Myka said and her tone resonated clearly.
"Oh," Helena said, remembering the night was far from over.
Helena followed Myka to the car and Pete drove them home – again. This time there was a chill in the air and when Helena reached over to touch Myka's hand, she didn't respond. Helena let go and crossed her arms, trying to figure out why Myka was upset with her. In fact, she would spend the next thirty minutes on the way home trying to figure that out. Myka could see Helena out of the corner of her eye, her head moving slightly as she tried to work out the equation of how she caused all this. Myka really wished she didn't find the genius' inability to grasp the simplest things in life so endearing.
Myka shot out of the car as soon as Pete pulled over in front of the Townhouse. He had enough information to figure out what was going on. He was getting pretty good at this relationship stuff now; enough to offer Helena some advice.
"Apologize," he almost whispered to Helena when he held the car door open for her.
"But….," Helena attempted to say before she was cut off.
"And listen," Pete added.
Helena was about to protest that although she might have acted impulsively, it was for a good reason. Then she saw the stern look on her friend's face. Pete wasn't just suggesting this.
"Great, now I'm taking advice from the staff," Helena complained under her breath as she went into the townhouse.
Myka was on the first step of the long stairway when Helena closed the door. She turned and looked at Helena with an expression of confusion and disappointment. Helena detested that look.
"I'm sorry," Helena said and things started to click. "If I hadn't impulsively run to that man's house, you wouldn't have followed me…," she started and things fell into place. "And none of this would have happened. I do apologize," Helena finished with, inching closer to Myka with each word.
Helena waited – for what seemed like a long time – but there was silence. "Don't you want to talk? I'll listen," Helena said, certain that this was part of the remedy formula.
Myka wanted to scream, yell, or do something, but she couldn't. All she could see was Helena trying -and Helena troubled about Irene - and Helena doing the opposite of what she normally would do.
"How worried are you about Irene?" Myka asked, because she knew it was what caused Helena to go ballistic.
Helena breathed a sigh of relief and stepped closer and reached out to Myka. She put her head on Myka as she hugged her. "It's not like her, Myka. I don't know what to make of it, but it's not good."
Myka put her arms around Helena and pulled her in, kissing the top of her head. "Let's ask Claudia to check to see if we can find her destination," Myka said. She agreed that this was unlike Irene, even if everything was ok.
Helena squeezed her tighter. "Thank you, Myka."
"Come on, we'll set up Operation Yoda over some tea," Myka said, stepping back down and taking Helena's hand.
"What does Yoda have to do with this?" Helena asked, familiar with the character; unfamiliar with the connection.
"She doesn't remind you of the all-wise, all-knowing Jedi Master?" Myka asked, texting Claudia as she spoke.
"Is he the wrinkly, old, short guy?" Helena asked. "I'm going to tell Irene you compared her to the wrinkly, old, short guy."
"And I'm going to tell her you got me arrested," Myka smiled back, trumping her wife.
"That's…not funny," Helena said with real concern.
Somewhere in Boston ….in a dimly lit waiting room....
"Are you Irene Frederic?" the nurse asked as she approached her.
Irene sat with a small suitcase at her feet, an untouched cup of coffee that someone brought her on the table. "Yes, I am," Irene said after hours of waiting.
"You can go in and see her now, but only for a few minutes," the nurse said softly.
"How is she?" Irene asked, getting up from her seat.
"We just don't know anything yet," the nurse said and patted Irene's hand.
Irene pulled the suitcase on wheels behind her as she followed the nurse through the doors and down the hall. At that hour of the night, there was little traffic, little noise aside from the beeping of the machines in the rooms. The nurse walked into the room where the woman lay semi-conscious in the bed.
"Look who's here, Mary," the nurse said and the woman's eyes fluttered open. Upon seeing her guest, a smile appeared on her face and she used what little energy she had to lift her hand.
"You're here," the woman said in a raspy voice as Irene took her hand and bent over the rail and kissed her forehead.
"Of course I am," Irene assured her.
The woman's smile stayed on her face even when her eyes became too heavy to keep open.
"Everything's going to be okay now," Mary said.
Irene never let go of her hand as she reached into her own pocket for a tissue to wipe away a tear.
* Actual price of this Lego!
You can see Pete's choice on Pinterest at ManhattaniteNYC