Chapter 39: All Eyes On You
On Wednesday Punk and AJ arrived back in Chicago. She wasn't mad at him over the Christian thing anymore, at least if she was she was doing a good job of faking it. But he was sure she saw it his way. He had never folded and apologized like that to anyone before and even though he still felt he was in the right he was sorry for hurting her feelings.
"So what are the plans for the week?" AJ asked him once they unpacked
"Well we have to be back on the road Saturday so I figured we could work out a little" he told her as they headed down to their home gym.
"And?" AJ asked
"And we then I thought we could watch more of that horrible show you love so much" Punk said to her
"Love it or List it!?" she asked happily
"Um no the other one" Punk informed causing her to frown
"You'd love it if you gave it a chance" AJ scolded
"Right" he smirked
"Can't we go out?" AJ asked him "Like to the movies?"
"Um" Punk started as scratched the back of his head
"Seriously? We can't even go to the movies now?" AJ asked him annoyed
"I don't trust it AJ" Punk admitted
"So we're going to live in here forever and only leave when we have to work?" AJ asked
"Of course not" Punk assured her "It's just so soon and last time I let my guard down so quickly after a threat emerged you ended up tied and gagged in the back of a van"
"I won't leave your side" AJ assured him "I really want to see the new x-men movie" she said to him
"Fine" Punk said to her as she clapped in victory "But no sneaking off" he warned
"Where would I go?" she asked with a laugh
"I mean it AJ I don't even want you using the bathroom" Punk told her seriously as she just rolled her eyes.
"Yea, yea, yea" she mocked "I have to go upstairs and grab my towel can I do that alone or are you going to escort me to do that too?" she teased
"You promised you'd take this seriously" he reminded her
"You're right I'm sorry" she said to him "I'll be right back"
As soon as AJ headed up the stairs she heard a knock at the back kitchen door and saw a man standing outside. Her fist instinct was to open it but she knew better.
"I'm Detective Jacobs" he said holding up his badge to large glass door "We talked on the phone I believe" he smiled as AJ opened the door for him
"Sorry" AJ said stepping aside to let him in
"You can never be too careful" Detective Jacobs assured her "You must be Mrs. Brooks" he said extending his hand
"Yes please call me AJ" AJ replied politely accepting his hand
"Only if you call me Dan" He smirked "Lovely home you have" he said glancing around the kitchen
"Thank you" AJ said to him "I thought we were going to meet up tomorrow morning?"
"We were but I really wanted to introduce myself and at least find out what Detective Keith was discussing with you the night he was killed" Dan said to her
"Well he really didn't talk to me. He spoke mostly to my husband" AJ told him
"Is he home?" he asked looking around again
"Yes" AJ said to him "He's downstairs I'll go get him"
"Before you do that I just want to assure you I'm doing everything in my power to catch Mr. Scott" Dan informed her
"I'm sure you are" AJ said with a forced smile as Dan just smiled admiringly at AJ
"Hello" Punk said stepping into the kitchen. The hint of annoyance was evident in his voice upon seeing the stranger in his kitchen- alone with his wife
"You must be Phil" Dan said extending his hand to Punk now "I'm Detective Jacobs"
"You have a badge?" Punk asked not accepting his hand and the man smiled
"Of course" he said pulling out his badge for Punk to see "Sorry for dropping in unannounced but I needed a rundown of the last meeting you had with Drew"
"Sure" Punk said to him
"Can I get you anything?" AJ asked him "Coffee?"
"That would be great" Dan smiled warmly at her
"How do you take it?" AJ asked
"Black" he told her as he watched her walk across the kitchen "You need it for this kind of job" he smirked towards Punk who just nodded
"So you had some questions?" Punk asked grabbing Dan's attention
"Yes" Dan said looking towards him "I was just wondering about the nature of your last conversation"
"Really?" Punk mocked "You can't figure that out?"
"Obviously it was in relation to Mr. Scott" Dan smirked "Anything specific?"
"It was a three minute conversation" Punk told him simply "He came over told me that he was positive Christian was in Chicago and told me he upped patrol which I noticed isn't here now"
"We weren't aware you were home we'll have a car down here as soon as possible" Dan told him
"How come only when we're here?" Punk asked "Last time he got into our house it was while we were out"
"He won't repeat the same plan" Dan said with a laugh
"You're an expert on Christian Scott too?" Punk questioned in a sarcastic tone
"No not like Drew was" Dan said to him "But I've done my homework"
"We're here!" Cliff yelled with a laugh as Punk heard the front door open and then close
"Excuse me" Punk said stepping away
"Whose that?" Dan asked
"Friends" AJ said walking over to him with a cup of coffee "Here you go" she said passing it to him and when he did his hand brushed AJ's
"Thanks" he said to her with a grin "Do they have a key here?"
"Yea" AJ said quickly as she stepped away and walked back across the room
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Dan asked "You don't know who Christian Scott can afford to buy"
"These men are some of the best I know" AJ assured him as she turned around surprised he was so close to her
"Look I know you're scared" He said placing the coffee on the counter
"I'm actually pretty ok" AJ said to him honestly "I'm not afraid of him anymore"
"Drew wrote you were a very strong woman" Dan said to her "He was very right he did leave out how beautiful you were though"
"He was a really good man" AJ said to him seriously "I feel terrible for what happened to him"
"He was my partner" Dan admitted "Before he lost his job a few years back. We went to the academy together and after he quit we lost touch."
"So you two were close?" AJ asked
"He was like a brother" Dan said sadly "I gave up on him though. I'll always regret that"
"What do you mean?" AJ asked curiously
"After he got fired he was far to obsessed with Christian Scott. It consumed him and I kind of gave up on him" Dan admitted with the regret evident in his voice "I'll never forgive myself and the truth is I volunteered to take over his case work because selfishly if I get Scott I know it would ease some of my guilt"
"I'm sure he'd appreciate it" AJ said to him, Dan looked into AJ's eyes and gave her a faint smile
"Look I don't really do this sort of thing-" he started but stopped when heard another voice enter the kitchen
"Who the hell are you?" Cliff asked entering the kitchen
"He's a cop" Punk said walking in behind him
"Name, badge number and social security card" Cliff said to the man seriously
"Cliff" Colt hissed in a whisper "He will arrest you"
"He's way too close to AJ" Cliff said pointing the two and Dan quickly stepped back turning a slight shade of red "Well?"
"I don't have all of that on me at the moment" Dan said with a laugh "I have to get going but we'll pick this up tomorrow down at the station" Punk nodded as the man walked towards the back door "Nice meeting you guys and thank you for the coffee April" he said with a wave then left
"He seems alright" Colt said about the young blonde Detective who walked out of the kitchen
"I didn't like him" Both Punk and AJ said at the same time and both gave each other a confused look
"Scary" Cliff noted "They're morphing into one person" he said seriously to Colt
"Why didn't you like him?" AJ asked
"Because he was checking you out" Punk told her honestly "He had the balls to walk into my house and look at my wife" he spat "He's lucky he's a cop"
"The nerve of a man speaking to your wife making eye contact" Colt mocked with a laugh
"He wasn't looking at her eyes" Punk said glaring towards Colt
"That son of a bitch" Cliff muttered
"I think you're over reacting" Colt laughed
"No" AJ said to him in an almost unsure voice "I got a really weird vibe from him as well. As soon as Punk walked out of the room-"
"Did that bastard touch you?" Cliff demanded
"No" AJ said with a laugh "But he did kind of invade my personal space and told me I was beautiful"
"Oh really?" Punk asked her seriously
"He actually made me really uncomfortable" AJ admitted "And he called me April when he left when he came in he called me Mrs. Brooks then AJ. No one calls me April except for….well maybe that's why I didn't like him" she said thinking about it
"No you're right something was off about him" Cliff agreed "He was eyeing you up when I walked in here"
"He thinks you guys could have been bought by Christian by the way" AJ laughed as she poured them both a cup of coffee
"What!" Colt shouted
"He said anyone could be bought by him" AJ said to him
"Maybe he's been bought by him" Punk said to her
"I don't think so" AJ said to him "He went through the academy with Drew and told me this story about how they lost touch and he wants to close this case for him. It was very sweet. If he didn't creep me out so much I might have been more affected"
"I don't trust him" Cliff spat "You stay away from him" he said to her seriously causing her to give him a faint smile
"I don't think that's how it works with cops" AJ smirked
"No he's right" Punk said to her "He makes you uncomfortable I don't want you talking to him"
"Well what am I supposed to do tomorrow?" AJ asked him
"I'll talk to him" Punk told her simply "You can hang out with Colt and-" then he glanced towards Cliff who was now sporting a very hopeful face "Just Colt"
"I hate you" Cliff shot at him
"Don't be silly" AJ said to Cliff "You can hang out with me too the more the merrier"
"Great" he grinned towards her then glared towards Punk "Jealous?"
"I really am starting to hate you" Punk told him seriously
The next morning Punk arrived at the police station alone and was sent into Dan's office to wait for him. He looked around the office and saw a framed photo of Dan and Drew from what he assumed was their academy graduation.
"Mr. Brooks" Dan said walking into the office and closing the door behind him "Where's April?"
"My wife is home" Punk informed him
"Is she alright?" he asked him
"Yea she's fine she just doesn't like you" Punk told him bluntly surprising Dan "I don't like you either"
"I'm sorry if I made a bad impression-" Dan started
"I don't know what your deal is" Punk said cutting him off "But you came into my home you eye balled my wife if front of me and then made a pass at her while I was out of the room and that doesn't sit well with me"
"I didn't make a pass at her" Dan smirked "I made an observation. I'm sorry if it upset her"
"The word she used was uncomfortable and that makes me uncomfortable because my wife loves everyone she meets and for some reason you rubbed her the wrong way" Punk said to him casually
"That wasn't my intention" Dan assured him
"I don't want you working on this case" Punk told him folding his arms
"Look Mr. Brooks you may be a big shot at your job but here in the real world you don't have that kind of power" Dan told him calmly "I'm working this case and it would be easier if you and I could communicate but if you don't want to help this investigation it's your funeral and I mean that literally because you know you're next on Christian Scott's list"
"How do you know that?" Punk questioned "Is that what he told you?" Dan let out a laugh
"Are you implying that I've had contact with Mr. Scott?" Dan questioned clearly amused
"Yes" Punk told him honestly
"You don't even know me well enough to pass that kind of judgment on me" Dan informed him in a low voice
"You're right I don't know you" Punk said to him "And I don't want to"
"You're going to have to get used to me" Dan informed him "I'm not walking away from this investigation because your wife can't take a compliment and as far as 'eyeing' your wife goes I admit it" he said with a chuckle but Punk wasn't amused at all "She was wearing workout clothes and well I'm a man I'm sure you've done it yourself, I bet you still do it"
"No I have a brain" Punk shot at him "It helps me control where I look and what I say"
"Please don't make this difficult Mr. Brooks" Dan pleaded lightly "If you distance yourself from me you're distancing yourself from the entire police force and the only ones who are going to be hurt are you and that pretty wife of yours"
"You don't even sound like a real cop" Punk said with a laugh
"I'm not as tightly wound as most officers I'll give you that" Dan agreed "But I'm a great cop and that's why I have Detective's shield. I assure you that I have you and Mrs. Brooks interests at heart. And I know I can't catch Christian without both of your cooperation so how about we start over, fresh page- what do you say?" he asked extending his hand to Punk
"Go fuck yourself" was Punk's casual response before turning on his heel and walking out of the office
When Punk arrived back home AJ was on the couch with Colt and Cliff and just as he left them Colt was sitting in-between AJ and Cliff.
"That was fast" Colt noted as Punk closed the door behind him
"Yea I didn't have much to say" Punk said to him
"How'd it go?" AJ asked "Do you think he could help us?"
"No" Punk admitted "I don't like him"
"Did you punch him in the face for eyeing our girl?" Cliff asked him seriously
"No I didn't Cliff because I would have been arrested and that would have left AJ at your mercy and I can't have that" Punk told him honestly
"Party pooper" Cliff remarked bitterly
"So I wasn't crazy?" AJ asked him as he took a seat on the chair across from them "There is something a little off about him?"
"No you were right" Punk said to her "I don't like him and if he comes around don't let him in just come and get me"
"You guys don't really think that he could be working for Christian do you?" Colt asked
"I don't know" Punk admitted "I'd like to think not but I don't trust anyone right now"
"You trust me right?" AJ asked in a playful voice
"That goes without saying" Punk smirked "You and Colt always go without saying"
"Really?" Cliff asked realizing he was omitted from that
"If I can't trust you to even sit next to my wife on my couch there's not much I can trust with you" Punk teased in a serious voice
"So what are you going to do?" Colt asked him
"What do you mean?" Punk asked
"If you can't trust the cops what's your line of defense?" Colt questioned
"I don't know yet" Punk admitted and then saw AJ's face turn to a slightly worried one "But we'll figure it out, right?" he asked AJ who offered him a smile
"Absolutely" she agreed
Later that night after both Colt and Cliff AJ was cleaning up the kitchen from the dinner she cooked them all.
"It's going to be ok" Punk assured her coming up behind her as she washed some dishes, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her neck briefly
"I know" AJ said to him "I just feel like we're outnumbered. It's a little scary. I feel like I'm just waiting to die"
"Not going to happen" Punk said as he turned her around and trapped her against the counter "I've spoken to another Detective that I know through people and he's going to do all he can"
"This Dan Jacobs is our only line of protection" AJ reminded him "Maybe we should try with him"
"No way" Punk said to her "I don't like him and you don't like him. There's something off about him and I am not taking any risks when it comes to your safety"
"We don't exactly have a choice" she reminded him
"Do you trust me?" he asked her
"Of course" she said to him softly
"Good" he smirked kissing her lips gently "I'm going to take care of you"
"You always do" AJ smiled as Punk's hand reached between them and tugged her loose t-shirt down enough so he could press his lips to the top curve of her breast. AJ arched her back and pushed against him
"How about I take care of you right now?" he asked as lips left one more kiss at breast then ventured up to her face and kissed her lips again. His hands moved behind her now and cupped her backside as he pressed her lower half against his. "Huh?" he questioned as lips brushed over hers gently then left a small kiss on the corner of her mouth
"Do you even have to ask?" AJ asked with a laugh as she jumped up lightly and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck
"I love when you wrap yourself around me" Punk admitted me with a groan as he carried her out of the kitchen
Dan Jacobs was in the seediest part of Chicago. Even being a cop he didn't feel safe in the neighborhood but he pushed past his thoughts and headed into a project like building and knocked on door 316
"It's about time" the man said letting Dan in
"I've had a lot of work to do. My work load has doubled ironically" Dan mocked tossing his badge onto the table
"Did you see her again today?" Christian Scott asked the man hopefully
"No" Dan said and he could tell Christian was disappointed "Her husband came to see me and he informed him that he and April don't trust me and will not be assisting in the investigation"
"What the hell did you do?" Christian demanded
"Nothing" Dan defended "The guy is a nut job"
"He may be a nut job but he's not stupid either" Christian said to him "He wouldn't just turn down police assistance for no reason"
"He thinks I was looking at his wife's ass" Dan said to him
"Were you?" Christian questioned
"Maybe" Dan admitted and Christian smiled lightly
"How does it look?" Christian asked
"She has a great ass" Dan laughed "But her ass cost me a lot"
"He'll get over it" Christian said to him "You need to gain his trust"
"How the hell can I do that?" Dan asked him "I'm pretty sure he would have punched him in the face today if we were on the street and not in the middle of the police station"
"How did Detective Keith gain his trust?" Christian asked
"I have no fucking idea" Dan groaned "That Punk is a dick"
"I actually kind of like him" Christian told him honestly "In another world I bet Punk and could have been friends"
"I told him that he could possibly be next on your kill list and he didn't even flinch" Dan told him
"He doesn't fear for his own life he's proven that over and over again he fears for her. She's his weakness problem is she's mine as well" Christian said to him as Dan just rolled his eyes
"Her ass isn't that great" Dan said seriously
"Don't disrespect her again" Christian warned
"Sorry" Dan mumbled "What should I do? Should I take him out too?"
"No" Christian said to him "I gave him my word"
"What?" Dan asked confused
"I told him and April I wouldn't lay a hand on him or his sisters" Christian informed him "A man isn't a man if he can't keep his word"
"Didn't you attack him in his own home?" Dan asked with a laugh
"That was a weak moment" Christian said bitterly "One I paid for dearly. I didn't keep my word and now I'm a wanted man"
"Right" Dan said eyeing the man as if he was crazy "So any ideas?"
"April is your way back in" Christian told him simply "She's very gullible. Talk to her and once she lets you back in so will Mr. Brooks"
"I don't think that will fly with her husband" Dan said to him
"You're smart you'll figure it out" Christian said to him
"Oh here" Dan said passing him bag "Some clothes and food"
"Good" Christian said to him accepting the large duffle bag
"You must be going stir crazy in here" Dan said eyeing the crappy apartment
"Not really. It helps knowing I'm close to her" Christian said simply
"Sure it does" Dan said unsurely "If you need something else let me know now because I won't be able to come around for a few days. I don't want to draw attention here"
"Smart. And no I'm good" Christian said to him "You're doing good Danny"
"Thanks big brother" Dan said to him
"I'm not your brother" Christian reminded him quickly
"You were for like six months when our parents were married" Dan reminded him
"April likes Starbucks" Christian said ignoring him "I suggest you wait for a moment she's home alone or at least with someone who isn't Mr. Brooks and bring some over to her as a peace offering"
"I can do that" Dan said to him
"Good." Christian said to him
"What are you going to do to her?" Dan asked him
"I'm going to reclaim her" Christian told him as if Dan was asking an obvious question and he was an idiot
"She's legally married to another man" Dan reminded him "She seems to really be happy with him"
"She's mine" Christian said to him "Not his"
"So you're going to what? Run away together?" Dan asked
"That's her first choice" Christian said to him
"And if she declines?" Dan asked
"I'd rather not go there with you right now" Christian told him "What I need for you to worry about it is getting back in her good graces. I didn't take out Detective Keith so you can screw this all up"
"I understand and I'll fix it" Dan assured him