Chapter Thirty Nine

The following morning, Charlie took Joey to the police station where they were informed that both Angelo and Watson had been suspended pending an investigation into their conduct. Joey felt guilty, although Charlie tried to assure her than none of this was her fault. Watson left the station glumly and in silence. Angelo immediately approached his ex-girlfriend and her charge.

"I hope you're both happy," he said.

He looked disgustedly at Joey. Then he turned his attention to Charlie.

"How could you do this to me?" he asked.

"How could you do that to her?" Charlie replied bitterly.

"She's just a whore, Charlie!" he snapped. "Why are you so fucking obsessed with her?"

"I'm obsessed with doing the right thing," Charlie insisted. "And getting rid of you is definitely that."

He glared at her, annoyed over having to rent a caravan from Alf Stewart. The whole town was talking about him and people such as Colleen in the Diner had given him a hard time for cheating on Charlie. It annoyed him that she was so well loved by their community and nobody was even willing to hear his side of the story.

Arriving back at the apartment, Joey sank onto her bed in order to cuddle the cat. Charlie was continuously amused that Joey was so charmed with having an actual bed, having spent her whole life sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Rolling onto her back, she reached out and opened her arms in order to welcome Charlie into them. The police officer hesitated but then hugged her. Smiling, Joey leant in for a kiss but frowned when Charlie pulled away.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Have I done something?"

"No," Charlie said awkwardly.

She shifted so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed instead of lying in Joey's arms. Joey also moved in order to sit beside her.

"What is it?" she asked quietly.

"I'm doing wrong by you," Charlie said gravely.

"What do you mean?"

"Kissing you, holding you," Charlie said. "I shouldn't be doing things like that."

"But I like it!" Joey grinned. "And being twenty six when I had my first kiss, I have a hell of a lot of catching up to do."

Charlie chuckled and squeezed her hand.

"It's not right," she said unhappily. "I just got two officers suspended for taking advantage of you and I'm doing the same damn thing."

Joey reached out and stroked her face.

"No, you're not," she said sincerely. "I want to be doing this with you. I love kissing you and snuggling up. I didn't want anything to happen with them. They made me. You and I… it's a different thing."

"I'm still in a position of power over you," Charlie objected.

"Hey, I'm good at power games," Joey smirked.

Charlie didn't laugh.

"Sorry," Joey said. "Hooker humour. Totally inappropriate."

Charlie still didn't laugh.

"Okay, I'm going to stop talking now," Joey decided. "Except to say that you're not taking advantage of me. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and if I had to be without you, it would feel like the end of the world."

Charlie sighed heavily and flopped back on the bed in a rather dramatic fashion.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she admitted.

Joey moved back also, lying on her side and resting her hand on Charlie's tummy. She leant down and kissed her.

"This," she said softly.

"It just doesn't feel right," Charlie said. "I feel like I'm taking advantage."

"But you're not," Joey insisted.

Charlie sighed again and stroked Joey's hair.

"Is this over before it's begun?" Joey asked worriedly.

"No," Charlie said. "I want to be with you."

"So be with me!"

She offered a dazzling smile. Charlie adored her even more.

"Would you wait for me?" she asked.

"Wait for you?"

"We behave until we've caught the killer," the police officer proposed. "And then we can be together properly."

Joey nodded but didn't look happy.

"Hopefully it won't be long," Charlie said, trying to sound cheerfully. "I mean, we have to catch him soon!"

Joey nodded. She rolled onto her back and closed her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you," she said sadly.

"I'll be right here still," Charlie said.

"I know," Joey said. "I just… when you hold me, you make me feel so… safe. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before. I thought Martha made me feel that way but compared to you…"

She shook her head.

"I like being in your arms," she said. "I'm going to miss you."

Charlie chewed her lip thoughtfully.

"I guess a hug doesn't have to be a romantic thing…" she ventured. "I can't sleep in here with you again like I did last night but I could… I don't know… hug you sometimes or…"

Joey didn't respond. Charlie shifted to hold her, going back on almost everything she had said about keeping her distance. They remained in the same position for most of the afternoon.

Next time… Joey comes face to face with the killer…