Blind Date

Chapter Five

Part One


Joey

I wasn't sure whether this was such a good idea. It had seemed harmless enough at the time; when the idea had first struck me. After all, what's the big deal about paying a friend an impromptu visit?

But I was feeling very nervous. Perhaps it was simply down to human nature. Walking into a police station for most people, including myself, is kind of intimidating, to say the least. But coupled with the thought of seeing Charlie again, well my nerves were going into overdrive. I probably looked like I had committed a crime and was there to turn myself in, desperate to confess!

After our little running session of three days ago, I'd discovered two more things about the delectable Senior Constable. One, although a prerequisite of the job she clearly loved; Charlie despised working night shifts. And two, she hated to lose; whether it was playing tennis on the Wii or engaging in a friendly running match, Charlie wasn't the type of person who was comfortable being beaten.

Our little jogging session had ended with Charlie challenging me to a race and, never one to back down over a challenge, I'd foolishly agreed. Whilst I was what you'd call a fair weather jogger, as I'd watched her sprint off way ahead of me, I'd quickly come to realise that Charlie was competitive; fiercely competitive. Don't get me wrong; I relished kicking Aden's butt whenever we played Mario Kart, and I've never let him forget the time I managed to beat him at table tennis. But in my experience competitiveness more often than not came with an arrogant, almost self righteous I'm-better-than-you streak. Yet to my joy, Charlie - as competitive as she was - seemed totally devoid of those unflattering traits. And consequently, it was just one more reason why I found her so engaging, so captivating. Nothing about Charlie Buckton was stereotypical. And I liked that. A lot.

And so, with Charlie still working the dreaded night shift, it was that reason which brought me to Henderson Street, and Fremantle Police Station, at just after midnight.

As my fingers increased their vice like grip on the wicker basket I was holding onto for dear life, I tentatively made my way through the front entrance and up to the front desk.

Breathe Jo, breathe. You're not a criminal. You're just here to have lunch with a friend. I don't think they can bang you up for that!

Hmm maybe not. But they could certainly bang me up for some of the impure thoughts I've been having recently, about one of their Senior Constables!

"Hi, " I said, breaking free from the conversation I was having in my head to smile at the young pretty blonde constable manning the main reception desk. "I'm looking for Senior Constable Charlie..."

"Joey?"

Turning around, I felt like I had lost my breath. Literally. I'd always had a thing for women in uniform. Fire. Police. Ambos. You name it, I found the authoritative air of a woman clad in an official professional uniform highly attractive. And boy, Charlie Buckton certainly knew how to fill out the blues of her police uniform exquisitely. As she stood there, only a few feet between us, I felt my heart start to race in my chest. I took in the crisp shirt, noting how it seemed to perfectly emphasise her two perfectly formed assets that were encased behind the blue cotton fabric , and smiled.

"Hi, Charlie."

"Hey, this is a nice surprise," she said walking towards me, still smiling broadly. "Is everything okay? What brings you here at this ungodly hour?"

"Well, I'm a bit of a night owl myself. And I remember you saying something about hating night shifts," I said, holding up the picnic basket. "So, I thought I'd come to your rescue. Are you hungry?"

"Starving, actually. I haven't had time to grab a bite to eat since starting my shift. So, your timing is perfect. And I'm due a break about now. Please, come into my office," she said, ushering me into a small but neat and tidy room.

"This is really sweet of you, Jo. Please, take a seat."

"Thanks," I said, as Charlie pulled up a chair next to her desk, for me to sit on. I smiled, noticing a small framed snapshot of a beaming Charlie and Ruby taking pride and place on her desk.

"I don't usually venture out this way much," I said, placing the wicker basket on the floor next to me.

"What, to Fremantle?"

"Yeah. It's a bit off my beaten track. I haven't been out this way for a good couple of years. If you don't mind me asking, what made you want to take a posting here? I'd have had you down as a big city kind of cop?"

Charlie smiled, taking her seat opposite me. I couldn't help but note as she, albeit unwittingly, flashed me a tiny bit of cleavage.

"Well, I spent three years in Sydney and after the day to day dramas of life as a city cop, I not only fancied a change of scenery, but I need a change of pace, too. Hence me upping sticks and coming to Perth. When I first arrived I was originally posted to Subiaco. But almost six months ago I was asked to cover Fremantle and well, I fell in love with the port town. So I ended up putting in for an official transfer."

'And you haven't looked back since."

"Exactly. I might be a big city girl at heart, but Fremantle has a lot of charm. Beautiful colonial architecture, great cafes and restaurants, plus it's so laid back and the people are really friendly. I love it here. And it's less than a forty minute drive from the city, so I kind of get the best of both worlds."

I smiled, captivated by Charlie's enthusiasm and the sparkling blue eyes that met mine. Then I suddenly remembered the reason for my visit.

"Tuna salad or chicken salad?" I said, searching the contents of the picnic basket.

"Tuna salad, please."

As I handed Charlie her sandwich, I felt her thumb gently graze against my fingers. The feeling I got from the briefest of contact was indescribable. It was like someone switching on a light switch in the very embers of my soul.

"Apple juice or water?"

"I'll go for the apple juice, thanks."

"I've also got some chips and some dip... and some chocolate muffins; double chocolate muffins," I said, after handing her the bottle of apple juice.

I noticed Charlie's blue eyes light up as I mentioned the chocolate muffins. After our previous date at the Bellhouse cafe, I had remembered that she seemed to have a bit of a thing for chocolate cake.

"So, you're a chocolate muffin kind of girl then," I said, teasing.

"I'm an anything chocolate kind of girl," Charlie said with a warm smile.

"Have you ever been to Miss Maud?" I asked.

"Miss Maud? Sounds like some Swedish massage parlour!"

"Charlie Buckton, call yourself a chocaholic! I can't believe you've never heard of Miss Maud! They do the best chocolate mud cake in the whole of Western Australia - if not the whole of Australia! I'll have to take you some time."

"Cool, I'm in."

I smiled as I watched Charlie take a bite of her sandwich. We'd only known each other for a few weeks and yet I already felt like I'd known her a lifetime. I felt so comfortable in her presence. Just sharing the simplest things, like enjoying her company over a bite to eat, elicited in me such immeasurable pleasure.

"You know, being a cop suits you," I said, in between mouthfuls of my own sandwich.

"Pardon?" she said, staring at me, intrigued.

"I just mean... I mean even in the short time that I've known you, I can tell it's not just a job to you... being a cop. It's not simply a way to make a living. It's more than that... it's a vocation."

"And there was me thinking you were going to say it was because of the uniform!"

I noted the massive grin on her face, and I was powerless to prevent myself from blushing.

"Yeah... well... yeah..." I couldn't seem to form the right words. And I didn't think me saying anything like Charlie, you look so shaggable in that uniform or Charlie, looking at you in that uniform just makes me want to leap on you, rip off your shirt and ravish you on this desk was appropriate at this stage of our relationship.

I took a sip of my water to try and cool me down.

"Yeah, I guess you could say I've chosen it for life. Or rather, it's chosen me for life. But I imagine it's the same thing for you; you know, being a writer."

"I guess. I've wanted to write stories ever since I could read. It's just part of who I am. I don't think I'd know myself if I stopped writing. I need to write as much as I need to breathe, if that makes any sense."

"It does, totally. Lord only knows what I'd do with my life if I wasn't a police officer. So, what did you make of my so-called friends the other day? I hope they didn't end up embarrassing you?"

"Not at all, I enjoyed meeting them. They seem really nice and friendly. I liked them, a lot."

"Thank you. Yeah, they are, " Charlie said, seemingly relieved that I approved of her friends. "Dana's my best friend but she likes to wind me up no end, as you probably noticed. But she's the salt of the earth. I don't know what I'd do without her. And Lesley and Shannon are equally gorgeous. In a way they're like the older sisters I never had."

"So, I guess we have Aden and Ruby and Dana to thank for... for introducing us."

"I guess we do. Dana's been trying to set me up for as long as I've known her, but I never thought I'd be thanking my kid sister for playing matchmaker."

"Well, I'm certainly grateful... to all three of them."

"Me too, me too. By the way, I popped into Dymocks over the weekend... I wanted to check out your latest novel. Number nine on the best seller chart, I believe. I'm impressed Joey Collins. Very impressed."

I blushed. "I didn't think you were much of a reader... of books, that is."

"Sadly, I don't seem to find the time these days, but I used to be. When I was a kid, I'd always have my nose stuck in some murder mystery crime type story."

"What, like Nancy Drew?" I giggled.

"Hey, don't knock Nancy Drew. Girl knew her stuff!" Charlie said, before taking a sip of her juice.

"Don't tell me she inspired you to become an officer of the law?"

"No, that would be my dad. Let's just say being a cop runs in the Buckton family."

I noticed the sudden tenseness in her voice and I sensed it wasn't something she felt comfortable talking about.

"So, have you read any of it yet... my book?" I said, changing the subject.

I watched as Charlie proceeded to open the top draw of her desk, and I cringed slightly as she pulled out the hardcover version of my most recently published work of fiction."

"Caught in the Act? It has a cool, intriguing ring to it... and I'm loving the publicity shot, by the way," she said with a knowing grin, turning the book over in her hand to look at the back cover.

It was a black and white full length shot of me, grinning broadly with a surf board tucked under my arm, taken last year at Cottesloe beach.

"I didn't know you were one of those surfer type chicks," Charlie said with a smile that, even sitting down, made me go weak at the knees.

"Oh, there's a lot you don't know about me, Senior Constable." I replied with a shy smile.

"Well, I'm looking forward to everything I discover."

Our harmless but flirtatious banter wasn't lost. On either of us.

"So, have you managed to read any of it yet?" I asked again.

"Not much I'm afraid, just the first few pages. But I must say, I'm really liking the description of this Kennedy Lehane chick. She sounds hot!"

Charlie was referring to my book's protagonist; a tough, no nonsense former homicide detective turned private investigator. I watched, wide eyed as she proceeded to open the book at a turned down corner of the page, and began to read an excerpt.

She may have looked serene and innocent, with her striking brunette locks that cascaded down her shoulders and a figure befitting a catwalk model, however Kennedy Lehane was far tougher than her appearance portrayed. Intelligent and beautiful, with a wilful nature and an infectious exuberance for life, Kennedy was by anyone's standards, the complete package. But the thirty-one year old former homicide detective was a no nonsense cut to the chase type who said what she thought and never regretted a single word. Sure, she had a softer side; a side she kept separate from the job. But it was a side she largely kept reserved from the world.

"She sounds totally doable... I'm already hooked! So, what's the book about, exactly? Besides this hot cop." Charlie said, raising an inquisitive eye brow.

"I can't tell you that, Charlie," I said, in mock horror. "You need to read it."

"Oh come on, Jo. Sell it to me. Just give me a short synopsis. Please."

Whether it was the way her blue eyes danced when she said my name, or the beautiful smile that lit up her face' either way, I found Charlie Buckton impossibly hard to say no to.

"Okay, since it's you. Well, the story centers around our protagonist, Kennedy, who's a private investigator. She gets hired by a famous and wealthy family after the police fail to find their teenage daughter who goes missing in suspicious circumstances after holidaying with her up-and-coming rock star boyfriend. Who's a jerk, by the way. Let's just say Kennedy has rather unique observation skills and an uncanny insight into the human psyche. She specialises in cold reading; it's a technique favoured by psychics, fortune tellers and con artists."

"Oh, kind of like The Mentalist?"

"Yeah, kind of. Don't tell me you're a fan of that show."

"Not exactly. Lesley's made Dana and I sit through a few episodes. She has a bit of a thing for the guy who plays Patrick Jane."

"I guess he is kind of easy on the eye... if you like that sort of thing." I said, laughing as Charlie wrinkled up her nose in the cutest of ways. "But Robin Tunney... now she's far more my idea of eye candy."

"Oh yeah, I had a bit of a teenage crush on her in The Craft. Her and Neve Campbell."

"Me too. Did you know Robin Tunney had to wear a wig for that role? She'd shaved her head for a film role the previous year."

"No way! I'd never have guessed."

For the next half an hour, we continued to chat aimlessly about anything and everything. I discovered we both harboured a now not-so-secret crush on actress Eliza Dushku; loved the TV shows My Kitchen Rules and So You Think You Can Dance; had aspirations to visit faraway places like Canada and England; and that we both had a thing for Tim Tams.

Once the midnight feast had eventually been devoured, noticing the time, I stood up and began to pack away the remains of our impromptu picnic.

'It's almost one o'clock. I really shouldn't keep you from your work any longer," I said, failing to hide the disappointment from my voice.

"I guess so," Charlie said, sounding equally disappointed that we had to draw things to an end. "Jo, before you go, I was wondering if you could... if you wouldn't mind maybe doing me a small favour... please?" Charlie said, fixing me with a shy smile.

"Sure."

"Would you mind signing your book for me?" she looked at me, her shy smile having been replaced by a huge grin. "It's just... well I'm kinda stoked that I know a best selling novelist."

"You really are too cute for words, Senior Constable Charlie Buckton... it would be my absolute pleasure."

I took the book from Charlie, and a pen, and began to scribble an inscription in the inside cover, before closing the book and handing it back to her.

"Well, I'd best let you get back to work, Senior Constable."

"Thanks for stopping by, Jo. It's been great seeing you again. And thanks for the food, it was lovely."

"You're very welcome. Bye, Charlie."

"Bye, Joey."

As I took my leave, I didn't need to have eyes in the back of my head to know that Charlie was already eagerly perusing my little message, which read:

Dear Charlie,

I may profess to be a writer, but I have no words to justly explain how much sunshine being in your presence brings into my so-called existence of a life.

Until our next "date" (which I remain hopeful will be soon) you remain never very far from my thoughts.

Much love,

Joey xxx

PS. Kennedy Lehane has nothing on you!