Chapter 6 : Feet on the ground (second part)
The homecoming party was in full swing, groups were talking, others were dancing. Logan didn't know more than a third of the guests. He was playing poker, he had started playing in a quiet corner of the house, but he was in a winning streak and his interest grew as his stack of chips increased. Of the six players at the start, only four remained. After the flop, Logan had a good hand with two spades, there were two other on the table.
- I'll raise you 500. Logan said.
- I see your 500, said a second player.
- I'm going to bed. John added.
- I'll see you. Casey finally said.
A fourth card was turned on the table, a king of hearts. That's when Carrie came to join Logan, he had hardly seen her that evening. She kissed him and on her breath he could recognize the amount of alcohol she had been drinking. She whispered in his ear :
- You could join me, I'm dying to visit the guest room.
He was focused on the game. She added suggestively caressing his shoulders, back and hips:
- I have a lot of naughty thoughts right now. For a start, I'm stifling in this blouse. Then I really want to see what's out there ... down there. She said, letting her finger go down his thigh.
- Logan, are you here ? Insisted one of the players.
- Yes, sorry, I'll raise you. He reassured by adding chips.
He took her hand, pulled her towards him and whispered, :
- Let me finish plucking them and I'll take care of you.
- No ! I need you right now. I haven't seen you for six months, so forget this stupid game and follow me. She complained in a low voice.
- Believe me, I'll make it up to you later. He tried, hoping she would not get angry, but he was well on his track to winnning and didn't want to give up the game.
Frustrated, she left the room without looking back. Logan was aware that he had just comitted a serious faux-pas but he wanted to know where his luck was going to lead him.
Six months on an aircraft-carrier, without sharing a woman's bed, without tenderness, and he had just refused a tempting offer. The Logan of a few years ago wouldn't have hesitated but now it was different, he was different. A quickie didn't satisfy him anymore. He had learned not to indulge in his primary instincts. In his job it was a necessity to plan, anticipate, follow a trajectory. It wasn't a question of repressing desires but of letting express themselves in an intimate and appropriate frame. He had already been exposed enough and preferred to be in control. They all evolved, have careers, only Dick still seemed to be stuck in this teenage life, he had his demons and Carrie had hers. These ones tend to show up more recently, the situation got worse just before his last deployment. Alcohol was a catalyst and she had abused it tonight. Drinking made her more pressing, more selfish, more Bonnie. In those moments, Logan feeled out of place, they were no longer in sharing as a couple should be, but she used him, he played the role of a pawn in a game he neither understood the rules nor the outs.
They returned a king of spades. They were two now to battle for the bet.
His opponent proudly laid down a king and a ten.
- Three of a kind, well done !
- Logan, It's your turn to reveal your cards. Casey annonced.
He revealed his two shades with a satisfied smile and pocketed his chips.
Logan had finally overcome all the players at the table. He had perfect his game for long hours on the ship. The texas hold'em tournaments enlivened evenings on board furthermore being a good poker player was a way to earn recognition from the crew. Logan was more than occasionally on the final table.
He stood up and joined a group near the bar.
- So ? Dick asked.
- I've stripped them. Logan said.
He caught sight of Carrie, she was dancing in disharmony with the music, lost and completely drunk.
- I think I'll call it a night and going home, Carrie doesn't stand anymore.
- There is no way ! It's your homecoming, you stay, the night has just began. Time to get out !
Paparazzi flashes illuminated the entrance of the 09er night club, Logan tried to keep Carrie on her feet, he was holding her firmly against him, his arm on her hip. With his other hand, he rested her head on his chest, hiding her face not to reveal her condition. He didn't want to see it in headlines the next day.
Once inside, he put her on a booth and she fell asleep. He couldn't have fun and forced himself to stay close to keep her safe. His experience had taught him that an unconscious woman, left on her own at a party, could be an easy prey.
He took advantage of the return of some of his friends, to slip away in the bathroom. When he came back, a crowd had gathered near the booth where he sat no less than five minutes ago.
- Bitch. He heard.
It was a voice that unfortunately he knew only too well.
He made his way and found Carrie yelling at another young woman.
- Calm down, it was you who hit me and you fell ... on your own.
-Look whe yu go! And dot aologiz !
Carrie stood miserably along the booth back, she had a bump on her forehead and slurred speech. Logan made her sit down again, she struggled and gave up. He tried to calm the bouncer and apologized to the women Carrie had insulted.
- What happened ? Logan asked his friends.
- Carrie woke up, she wanted to get up but she she went straight ahead into this group of young women and fell head first, trying to stand up, she insulted them.
- I see, I'll bring her back now, it's better for everyone, we will try to avoid another scandal.
- Okay, go ! I'll tell Dick in 10 minutes that you went back home, that should give you enough time to go away.
- Thanks Casey and good night.
Carrie woke up holding her head, she had a terrible headache. She staggered down the stairs. Logan had showered, he was cooking.
- Hello, she stammered.
- Good morning! You're hungover ?
- It's horrible, I feel like I have been trampled by a herd of running zebras.
- You should look at yourself in a mirror, It's not far from reality.
She walked into the entrance and stared at her reflection. She immediately put her hand to her forehead to confirm that what she saw was real. A purple bump had taken up residence on her head
- How did it happen ? She hastened to ask Logan.
- Don't you remember?
She shook one's head.
- It may be better, there was no glory in it.
- I remember going to Dick's house, you were playing poker and I was dancing, but after that it's fuzzy, I know nothing more.
- We went to ther 09er.
- Me too ?
- Yes.
- You slept and you woke up, you fell on the ground banging your head and took the opportunity to insult some passersby.
- Wow !
- As you say, they almost expelled you from the club.
- I'm sorry, I don't remember anything. I drank a little too much.
- Carrie, listen ... I ...
She didn't let him finish, she threw herself into his arms and apologized a hundred times. They were going to have to talk about it but for the moment she was too vulnerable, and he returned to the role he was playing perfectly now, the support she needed.
Veronica got out of the car and looked at the parking lot. It was a vast expanse riddled with cameras. If the robbers had ventured there, they would have been spotted.
- Let's go back to the store and try to trace their route. She told Josh.
Once at the checkout, an old routine instinctively set up, it was like riding a bike, you never really forget how : to observe, to analyze, to question, to understand.
They passed in front of clothes shops, shoes, telephone and pharmacy. Then they took the west exit. From there they followed in the footsteps of thieves and continued to the right, they walked along a wall and finally arrived at the north wall, Veronica noticed a camera. It was between the exit and this spot that they had evaporated, the answer was here.
- I can see only one solution. She said, pointing to a door.
- The service door? Josh asked to know if they were on the same page.
- Exactly. They had to enter here to hide and to wait to get out. The question is how? Was there an accomplice?
- This is the delivery area, many trucks must come to supply the store, they could sneak inside.
She grabbed a folder from her bag and looked over a few pages.
- No, no trucks came out between the time of the robbery and the arrival of the police. They searched the entire store, they would have found them inevitably.
- They may have found a hiding place. We would have to enter to meet and to question the employees who were in the delivery area on the day of the theft.
- I like it when you think like a cop. Veronica confessed.
She was taking pictures of the place, that's when the door opened. A woman came out with empty cardboard boxes.
- Good afternoon madam, we are investigating tuesday's robbery. Could we ask you a few questions? Veronica tried.
-I'm working, you should go talk to my boss. She said hesitantly.
Josh grabbed a business card and handed it to her. She read the contents.
Mr Gardner. He introduced himself. Were you working on Tuesday?
- No, on tuesday Jimmy and Trevor were in attendance.
- Do you think the robbers could have hid here? He asked, pointing to the room behind the service door.
- No luck, there are only pallets here. Look by yourself.
She let them inside. Metal walls concealed no hiding place, Veronica noticed a ventilation grid large enough to allow a man to sneak in but it was closed by bars and too high to be accessible.
- Are Jimmy and Trevor working today? Josh asked.
- Trevor is here, probably at the gas station.
- We thank you for this information and sorry for the inconvenience. Good day. Josh finished.
The woman nodded and left with her cardboard boxes.
- Madam, ready to go to the gas station? Josh asked Veronica offering his arm.
- You're gaining confidence Mr Gardner. She smiled.
She accepted his arm and they walked towards the sign that indicated the station.
- Where are you on the case of the supermarket robbery, Mr. Gardner? The prosecutor asked Josh.
She was a professional and straightforward woman in her forties, Josh enjoyed working with her. Initially, she had mothered him, but he had gained her trust and she had assigned him more responsibilities and autonomy. Despite the pressure, the atmosphere was good and serene at work.
- We still don't have any suspects, we will be forced to file a complaint against persons unknown and the store should received compensation from the insurance, as no safety defect has been observed.
The interview with Trevor did not help. The employee had been in the delivery area for most of the day. He was busy unpacking pallets. He had not even noticed that there had been a robbery before the police stormed in search of thieves. The door of the warehouse had remained closed, the robbers had not been able to enter.
- All right, try to finish everything before your vacation and don't forget the Christmas party, Friday night. Ask Miss Mars to join us. Besides, what do you think of her? It was you who recommended her.
- She is brilliant and reliable. She has a point of view different from traditional lawyers, she has a pragmatic way of questioning business and a mature reflection for her age. She could surprise us.
- Josh I trust your judgment, she seems to be a real added value for this firm, which is rare for an intern, especially in such a short time. Mr. Ricker is already charmed and he told me that he was impressed by the way she carried out the missions he had entrusted to her.
- Yes, usually the passage through his office is used as a hazing ritual, the intern come out despondent but she handled him like a boss.
Both laughed at the situation and the prosecutor left the office with a wave of her hand. Selleck, real name Ricker, is formidable for the interns, he is very demanding on the writing of records and he makes them redo until they are perfect, breakdown guaranteed.
- Finally, It's christmas break ! cried Celine, returning to the apartment.
- Slow down, I still have two tests and a robbery to solve. You can go and pour out your joy in your room. Goodbye ! Veronica said.
- Buzzkiller, you should look on the bright side : you only have two tests left and a case that allows you to spend time with a charming, well-balanced and helpful boy.
- I'll be positive in two days and not before.
- Speaking of Friday night, there is a party on campus to celebrate vacations, I plan to go with other students and you have to come, you leave the next day for Neptune and we will not see each other until I'm going to join you there.
- Sorry Céline, but I already have plans.
- OHHHHHHH? Where did Josh invite you? Or unless it's Casey?
- It's not Josh, well not completely, it's a Christmas party for work. So yes, there will be Josh, but not as you think.
- Did you make your choice?
- Which choice ? retorted Veronica.
- Do not play idiot V!
- Listen, I have work, could we talk about that in two days?
- Okay, but if you want my opinion, choose Josh, she said entering her room and not giving Veronica the chance to answer, closing her door behind her.
VVO: STOP, focus Veronica, test, test, test, ...
In the DA building, Veronica was sitting at her desk, she was in an open space near the secretaries. She looked out the window lost in her thoughts. They were in a deadlock. And what to do when faced with a problem? Ignore it? No, it was not her style, take the case and look at it from a new angle, that was her. She reopened the file, read it again, she had added the testimony of Trevor and the photographs she had taken on the spot. She looked at them carefully, and ... EUREKA! She took her new evidence and went to Josh's office without knocking. He was surprised to see her showing up in this manner.
- I have a new theory! Look at this picture and tell me if you don't see another way to escape. He stared at it for almost a minute, then looked up at her.
- The manhole cover ?
- Yes ! She just answered, leaving him to his own questions.
He grabbed his phone and dialed a number.
- Good morning, Mr Gardner speaking, I need a schematic of the sewers on Lord Avenue could you send me a copy and to Sergeant Boomer too ?
Friday night at a bar in New York City.
- ... I am grateful for your work and commitment throughout this year by my side. I wish you all a very happy holiday. And a big thank you to Mr. Ricker for staying in the office for those two weeks, concluded the prosecutor with a thunder of applause.
All coworkers in the office shared a friendly moment, the bar was privatized and drinks were offered by the DA. Veronica drank her second mojito, they were delicious. Her midterm exams were finished, and the case was not yet resolved but it was progressing.
Selleck asked Josh:
- Did Sergeant Boomer call you?
- Not yet. He spotted where the two individuals came out. They traveled a few meters swimming in pipes and then set foot on the ground, a few streets away, a camera filmed their reappearance. They got into a car whose registration could be identified. As we speak, the owner must be questioned.
- Enough work talk, grumbled Mrs. Ricker, who was getting bored. We can't go on vacation because my husband here, she added with a grimace, volunteered to work. But I want to know everything about your plans.
- I'm going to the Caribbean on the island of Saint Lucia with my parents and my sister, Josh said.
- How lucky ! You'll be able to enjoy the sun and the blue lagoons, exclaimed Mrs. Ricker.
- I will also go hiking, I have to cross the island in its width and I will go through a volcanic area with hot springs.
- It's a nice program and you miss what's on the agenda ?
- Veronica, she said. I am the new intern. I'm going to California.
- Are you going to visit Los Angeles? Magnificent ! Hollywood was my dream, you know, I dreamed of being surrounded by all these stars, I ...
- No actually I'm from there, I come back to spend time with my father and my friends, she cut.
- Oh ! That's why I always have a magazine in my bag, it's Hollywood that comes to me, said Mrs. Ricker showing a piece of tabloid sticking out of her purse.
The evening was coming to an end, Josh suggested to some friends to come and finish the evening at his place. Veronica agreed and they got in a cab.
Josh lived in a rather spacious apartment in Manhattan, with large windows offering an unobstructed view of the city. Entranced by the sight, and the few glasses she had drunk, Veronica gazed blissfully at the lights, away from the group of people. She had appreciated the moment, she felt comfortable among her new coworkers and Josh stayed by her side, introducing her to the entire team. A collusion had settled between them last month. She turned and came back to sit on the couch to resume the conversation after this moment of loneliness.
- We should go, it's getting late.
Selleck and his wife left them and the others soon followed. Josh and Veronica were alone.
- What do you think of Mrs. Selleck? He asked.
- She is ... I can't picture them together. He is a quiet, impassive, workaholic and she ... she spent the evening wondering what actors or TV animators I had met in Hollywood.
- Strange alchemy, but I've known them for a few years and their relationship seems to work. Did you know they had four children?
Veronica didn't have time to answer, Josh's phone rang and he slipped into the kitchen.
She looked after the contents of the coffee table. Empty glasses and opened bottles occupied the space. Mrs. Ricker had forgotten her magazine, she had taken it out to comment on the divorce of the woman who was covering it. Veronica didn't understand how someone could be passionate about the life of famous strangers. She turned the pages mechanically, then titles caught her attention.
"The son of movie stars back on land after 6 months of deployment"
"The popstar and the son of movie stars more in love than ever."
"Lieutenant Echolls is back in Neptune, we see him with Bonnie Deville at the entrance to a club, and rumors are that an engagement should take place soon."
With a picture as proof, we see two people in the arms of each other, Logan firmly holds Bonnie by the waist. Her head is against his chest. Their position reflects the image of a happy couple, Bonnie is intimately supported by the strong arms of her companion. It's a tender scene.
Veronica had learned not to believe the headlines of the tabloids but this picture ... could the engagement be real?
What to do about a problem? Ignore it. She closed the magazine and stood up abruptly. Josh chooses this moment to rush in the living room. With a smile on his face, he took her by the waist and made her flutter.
- We got 'em! He exclaimed enthusiastically.
He put her down, Veronica was surprised, she looked him straight in the eye. The gap between them was small. He explained:
- The accomplice, he confessed and gave the names of the robbers, they were arrested. You know you're great, it's all because of you !
What to do about a problem? Ignore it, no it was not her. Revisiting the evidence, opening new perspectives ... so she did it, she kissed him.
A kiss led to another, she let herself be guided by the sensations. Sensations too long forgotten, too often repressed. She slid her hands under his shirt. It was a mixture of abandonment, desire, frustration, she wanted to forget the image she had just seen, to create a new one, he directed her to his room and losing contact with the ground she slid back on his bed.
Veronica opened her eyes, outside it was daylight, she saw some rays filtered through the curtains. Her head rested on a comfortable torso. When she remembered the events of the evening, she understood where she was and who she was with.
Guilt ate her, she had used Josh without thinking of the consequences. She had no intention of getting involved in a relationship with him, yet she could not escape like a thief, they were working together for God's sake. What had she done with rule number one of working life : do not sleep with a colleague ?
VVO: Well done Veronica ! Wake him up, rip the bandage off sharply, and get on your plane.
She pulled herself out of bed and started getting dressed. The loss of contact woke Josh up.
- Veronica? he said.
She sat on the edge of the bed.
- I've got to catch my plane, I have to go, I'm sorry.
- Do not tell me you're sorry for what happened last night, he said, feeling she was embarrassed. Because don't worry, I'm not.
- No, it's just that it's ... it's complicated. I got carried away, I wanted to, it's not what ... it's just that I'm not ready to start anything for the moment, to commit myself.
- Because of Casey? He asked.
- Among others, and then I ..., it's too sudden. To be completely honest, I don't know what I feel and I'm leaving in less than three hours for several weeks. The timing is not perfect.
- Okay, but I'd like us to talk about it again, when you will be back.
- Okay, she replied.
She kissed him and disappeared.
Veronica walked toward the airline counter. The employee checked her ID card, he noticed her birthplace : Neptune - Southern California. He returned it to her saying:
- Have a safe trip home.
She replied nodding her head, retrieved her card and rushed into the hallway that would lead her to her plane.
Was she ready to set foot on California soil ?