Chapter 10
They spent the remainder of their tour dealing with the crime scene and processing the two felony collars. Marc Waters had been transported to the hospital for a more thorough examination by doctors, but the medics believed he'd just suffered a concussion. They could find no other injuries except for some bruising from the initial attack.
Bernard and Hudson had searched the car and found a mess of drugs, paraphernalia, stolen credit cards and IDs. Mark Waters' wallet was sitting in the center console, with his credit cards in a cup holder, ready for use. Jamie and JC had waited for detectives to show to give their statements before taking their perps down to the precinct for processing. Between that and all the paperwork that came with it, the sun had long since risen before they were ready to clock out.
They were walking side by side to the locker room when JC glanced at Jamie. "Hey, so, we didn't even get a chance to eat. I'm starved. Gonna grab some breakfast before I head home. Any interest?"
"Yeah, absolutely." Jamie nodded, surprised by the offer. There had really not been any attempt by either so far to hang outside of work.
They changed into street clothes and made their way to a nearby diner. They ordered and sat quietly for the first few minutes as they sipped their coffee.
"Man, I still can't get over finding that guy in the trunk of that car." JC took another sugar packet and dumped its contents into his mug.
"I'm shocked they didn't do anything stupid when we pulled them over knowing they had a guy tied up back there. Maybe it's a good thing they were stoned." Jamie sat back in his chair
"I keep wondering what would have happened if we hadn't." JC stirred his coffee. "I know that's probably far from the worst I'll see on this job, huh?"
Jamie nodded sadly. "Unfortunately."
"Vinny sometimes used to tell me stories of the weird crap he'd see, but he wouldn't get into the really sad and gory stuff." JC looked back at Jamie.
"You try not to bring that stuff home if you can help it. Easier to leave it at the office. Home's your escape from the real tragedies we see on the street."
"You know why I became a cop?"
Jamie shook his head.
"I'd give you one guess."
"Vinny." Jamie had assumed as much.
JC stared out the window at the heavy foot traffic going by. "I thought he could walk on water, man. That he was invincible, ever since we were little. Especially, growing up at Bitterman. He never got into any of the gang stuff. It was like he was too cool for them and he could care less what they or anybody thought of him. Got into a lot of trouble because of it."
Jamie ran his finger along the edge of his cup. "Sounds like Vinny. Never a follower."
"He was the reason we got out of there. When he was going into the academy, he knew he couldn't be coming and going with a cadet's uniform, much less a cop's. It was hard enough living there without that added target on your back. And he didn't want to leave me behind to deal with Los Lordes on my own, so he helped my mom find a new place." JC gripped his mug with both hands and stared into the caramel-colored coffee. "After he died, I remember thinking that I had some really big shoes to fill and I didn't think I could fill them. As close as we were, we couldn't have been more different. Vinny could talk like no one's business and had more confidence in his little finger than all the New England Patriots combined."
"Not the Jets, huh?"
JC snorted. "Come on, man, have you seen them play lately?"
Jamie smiled back. "Vinny was something all right."
"I wish I could have been with him when he died. But I'm glad you were there for him."
Jamie swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. He could only nod as JC looked at him.
"He said you two didn't dig each other so much at first, but that changed, I guess, cause after a while he talked a lot more about the job. He talked about you a lot too. About your family of cops."
Jamie took a deep breath and dropped his hands to his lap. "He was a good friend. Great partner. I'll always wish I could have done more. Warned him better somehow. That feeling never goes away, you know?"
JC nodded his head. "After I got out of school, I worked a bunch of jobs cause I wasn't so sure of what I wanted to do. One day I got to thinking about Vinny and all the stories he used to tell me about the job, his partners, you. He loved to get up and go to work and I wanted that too. So I applied to the academy, got in and managed to break my mother's heart when I told her about it. But she accepted it eventually and I went through the academy so sure this was the right thing for me. Then I get out on the streets and it hits me how real it is. That this is what my brother died doing and I got to tell you, I started doubting why I had joined in the first place."
"Are you still feeling that way?"
"Up until we pulled those guys over last night. I looked over at you and it's like something snapped into place - drew my gun on that guy, focused on his every move and ready to do what whatever I needed to do. I think it's the first time I've acted without hesitation. Felt like I had a part of Vinny in me."
"I get it, JC, more than you know. It's natural to feel a little apprehensive in the beginning but you can't let it get in the way of doing the job. You've still got a lot to learn and you'll make a great cop, just like him, but you can't doubt yourself out there. It does get easier but if you decide this job's not for you, there's no shame in that either." Jamie paused as their food arrived. When the waitress left, he continued, "I know this has all been awkward, being partnered up with me. Was a surprise to me too - you're the spitting image of Vinny. But I'm your partner and I got your back if you need anything."
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Jamie stirred from a light doze as he felt someone slide into bed behind him. He smiled as he felt that same someone wrap an arm around his waist and pepper his bare shoulder with soft kisses.
"Mmmm. Hey." He stayed still, enjoying his wake-up call.
"Hey, babe."
"Time is it?"
"Almost six."
"Mmmm. You working tonight?"
"No, got the day tour tomorrow."
"Good. Me too."
"Surprised you're still in bed. Late tour?"
"A little. Went to breakfast with JC after." Jamie yawned and stretched his arms out over his head.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." Jamie turned onto his back and kissed Eddie's head as she laid it on his shoulder, her arm still firmly wrapped around his waist.
"How'd that come about?"
"Interesting tour last night." Jamie rubbed a hand across his eyes trying to rid himself of the last vestiges of sleep.
"What happened?" Eddie raised her head from his shoulder and braced it against her hand so that she'd have a better view of his face.
"Pulled a couple over. DUI. Ended up being a kidnapping. Couple of addicts mugged some guy and threw him in the trunk of the car when they found nothing but credit cards on him." Jamie ran his hand up and down Eddie's back.
"Seriously?" Eddie asked.
"Yeah. Scared the crap out of us when the vic started yelling and banging on the trunk. Guy started making noise after the car stopped cause he thought he heard cops. Spent the rest of the night dealing with that."
"I bet. Lucky guy. So you and JC making friends?"
Jamie pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. "I wouldn't say friends yet, but things are better, less strained. Definitely understand him a little better."
"That's good." Eddie smiled.
"Yeah." Jamie rolled over to face her, using both arms to pull her in for a tight hug which she returned.
"You ready to get up? Thought we'd go get a beer or something. Hit happy hour." Eddie smiled as Jamie began kissing her neck.
"Nope. I can have happy hour right here."
"Come on, Reagan." Eddie giggled.
"Let's move in together."
"What?" Eddie pushed back against his chest, her face scrunched up in confusion.
"You heard me." Jamie looked her straight in the eyes.
"Yeah, but...are you serious?"
"Yeah, I'm serious. My lease is up in a few months. Need to decide if I'm gonna renew or not."
Eddie sat up, indian-style, on the bed. "We've only been dating for four months. And your lease is not a good enough reason to move in together."
"It's not the only reason, it just got me thinking about it. We've been together for four months, but we've practically been dating without the fringe benefits for two years before that." Jamie sat up, the comforter pooling around his waist. "Before we started this up, we'd spend long tours together and then hangout some more afterwards. The only time we were practically apart is when we'd go home to sleep. Now it's vice versa...we're apart at work and together every minute we're off duty and I'll either end up at your place or you at mine.
"Yeah, but..." she looked down where her fingers were pulling on a loose thread in the sheet.
"What are you thinking?" Jamie placed a hand on her knee, drawing her attention back to him.
"Things are really good. I'm just afraid of messing it up. I've never lived with anyone before. What if we drive each other crazy? There's no where else to go."
"You already drive me crazy," he countered with a serious expression on his face.
"I mean it, Jamie." Eddie lightly smacked his arm.
Jamie laughed as he rubbed his arm. "I'm being serious. I knew most of your habits and quirks before we even started dating. I love you, Eddie, quirks and all."
"You make it sound like I'm the odd ball in this relationship."
"You are."
"I don't have any quirks."
"Yes you do."
"Do not."
"You always have to choose where we eat."
"That's cause I have better taste in food."
"Your mouth opens wide when you put on mascara."
"Uh, so does every other woman's on the planet."
"You like to snuggle when we're falling asleep, but push me away in you are asleep."
"So not true."
"You have to snooze for seventeen minutes after your alarm goes off, not a minute more, not a minute less. Peanut butter gives you hiccups and you still insist on eating it."
"I love peanut butter."
Jamie tilted his head and held his fingers up one at a time as if counting. "I can keep going."
"Oh, and you're so perfect, Reagan?" Eddie looked at him incredulously.
"Never said I was, but I am pretty close to perfect."
Eddie let out a belly laugh that had her rolling back on the bed.
Jamie smiled wide. "Okay then, Janko. Let's hear them."
Eddie sat back up, looking to the ceiling as if to recall them all. "You smell cups before you use them."
"I want to make sure they're clean."
"You write yourself reminders of everything on post it notes. You got post it notes all over your apartment and I'm starting to find them at my place."
"So I don't forget something."
"You're OCD about where things go...I could come in and shift a photo frame and you'd notice."
"I'm not that bad."
"You play with your earlobe when you're bored."
"I do?"
"You have this strange fear of clowns."
"Hey, they're creepy! And that's Danny's stupid fault. Made me watch that Steven King movie when I was a kid."
"Really, Reagan? Like he pinned you down and forced you?"
"Have you met Danny?"
"Don't forget, Mr. Harvard, that I know about your secret obsession with 'The Bachelor'."
Jamie's eyes widened. "You promised never to bring that up again."
Eddie shrugged her shoulders innocently.
"Okay, okay, I get it." Jamie chuckled and leaned over to kiss Erin cheek. "Yet you still love me. So you just proved my point."
Eddie grinned.
Jamie got out of bed and turned back to face her. "Just think about it. If you think it's too soon, it's fine."
"You won't be mad?" she asked.
"No, babe, I won't. Promise. I'll just ask you again next time my lease is up." He smirked as he headed for the bathroom.