Part Seven
After being caught twice trying to sneak into AJ's hotel room to visit her Dean decided to give Punk a task. He would be safer out of state so he sent to Punk to New Jersey to meet with the local PD and AJ's family to investigate the fire. While Dean was an obsessional expert, Punk was an arson expert and it would keep him occupied for a bit at least. Of course he wasn't alone on his trip though.
"Man, it smells here." Kofi groaned as they got out of their rental car on a dirt road.
"You're just saying that because you hate the east coast." Punk mocked looking around.
"I hate it because it smells like a dump. How close are we to Staten Island?" He asked seriously and Punk eyed him.
"That's been closed since before 9/11." Punk told him.
"Smells." Kofi stated again. "So where are we?"
"This is where Jamie ran AJ off the road." Punk told him looking around. "It's too late to see her parents or local PD we'll do that tomorrow."
"Nervous to meet the parents?" Kofi teased.
"We're not that serious." Punk defended.
"Not the word around the water cooler." Kofi mumbled.
"Everyone should stop gossiping." Punk told him. "I'm still the boss."
"We know that. But Amy is like gone and you haven't batted an eyelash." Kofi pointed out.
"Even if April wasn't in the picture I wouldn't have batted an eyelash." Punk remarked.
"Do you know what house AJ ended up running into for help?" Kofi asked.
"Nah she doesn't remember." Punk said walking the trail he assumed she took. "Ripped fence." He pointed out.
"She ran through there and got into the yards." Kofi noted. "There aren't even fences to separate their yards." He said looking through it with a flashlight. "It's dark in these yards and only one person came out to help?"
"Yup. Real nice, right?" Punk asked annoyed.
"Hey! Get off the property!" A voice yelled from a few houses down.
"We're not on the property!" Punk yelled back. "I'm a Federal Agent!"
Punk eyed the woman holding a bat and she matched the description AJ gave her.
"Let me see proof." The older woman demanded in her nightgown still clutching the bat.
"Here." Punk said holding his credentials through the fence and she lowered her bat. "I'm here about an incident a few weeks back."
"That girl!" The older woman gasped. "The tiny one with the crazy boyfriend? Did he get her?"
"Can we talk?" Punk asked hopefully and the woman eyed them. "You'd really be helping her out if you would."
"Ok." The woman eventually agreed.
Inside the woman's kitchen she poured Punk and Kofi coffee.
"I have nothing else to do but to watch the yards." The woman confessed. "After that night I'm scared."
"I'm sure are." Punk nodded. "Can you tell me what happened that night?"
"I was inside watching TV and it was real late and dark and I heard a girl screaming for help." The woman remembered. "Her screams were blood curling." She shivered. "I don't know if anyone else was home or they just ignored her but I couldn't. I was going to call the police first but she stopped screamed suddenly and I looked outside and he grabbed her and I had to help her. There was no way a cop would get there before I could."
"You were really brave." Kofi noted.
"I would want someone to do it for my daughter or my granddaughter." The woman told them. "I grabbed my bat and just ran out there and he took off."
"Did you get a look at him?" Punk asked her.
"I didn't." She told him honestly. "Did he hurt her?" She asked nervously.
"No he hasn't." Punk assured her. "I was just hoping to get an ID on him from someone so it's not just her word against his."
"I'm sorry." She frowned. "She must be in big trouble if the FBI is working it."
"We're just trying to help her out." Kofi told her.
"Good." The woman said to him. "Poor thing was frantic. She said the police wouldn't help her but we called her friend who promised she'd take her to the cops."
"She did go to the cops." Punk told her and she was relieved. "No cops came around here to look around or speak to you?"
"No and I am home everyday." The woman informed him.
"Nice." Kofi muttered under his breath before sipping his coffee.
"I wish there was more I could do." The woman said to him. "Actually…." She began standing up and looking out her window. "They have cameras on their house." She pointed and Punk got up and looked at the house she was pointing. "They're all over including the yard I used to think it was ridiculous but I guess it's not so crazy anymore."
"That's a huge help." Punk said to her.
"He was like an animal." The woman told them. "She's so little and he grabbed her like a rag doll. I hope she'll be ok."
"She will be." Punk promised her.
Kofi went to go speak to the neighbor with the camera in his yard while Punk continued to look around the scene. He couldn't imagine how scared AJ must have been in this quiet area, running for her life with a madman a foot behind her.
"Punk!" Kofi yelled waving him over and Punk met Kofi at the door and he was holding an iPad from the owner.
"I had no idea someone was attacked that night." A young man said to them. "I play drums and practice late I'm in a soundproof garage."
"You have footage of the night?" Punk asked.
"What time?" Kofi asked looking at Punk.
"Around 11." Punk told him and watching as he searched the footage. "There." Punk pointed and you can see AJ just barely come into view. She ran right up to this exact house at one point and banged on the backdoor then ran off again and you can see a male following her but it being dark and not close enough for view they couldn't see him over his cap and hood there was no way ID him this way.
"Shit." Kofi hissed. "I'm going to have to send this footage to my office it's going to take a few minutes."
"Take as much time as you need." The man insisted. "I can't believe that happened in my own yard."
"It's usually peaceful around here?" Punk asked.
"Yea. I mean this area doesn't even set off fireworks. It's real quiet." The man insisted.
"Look at this." Kofi said walking back over. "Five minuted after AJ goes into the neighbors house and Jamie runs off he comes back."
"He went back for the gun." Punk said watching the footage which again couldn't make a face out but could see something in his hand. "It was in his car. That's why every time Dean stops and searches him he doesn't find it."
"He went right to the backdoor then backs off and leaves." Kofi said pointing at the screen. "Probably was afraid they called the cops by then."
"Nah. He just didn't have the balls to do it. Killing AJ is one thing but he'd have to take the woman out with her and he didn't have it in him." Punk said to him. "It would have been perfect since they didn't call the cops and weren't expecting him back."
"Alright it's all been transferred to Dean." Kofi said handing the man his iPad back. "Thank you, you were a big help."
"Sure." The man nodded then headed inside.
"Still too late for the house but still early." Kofi said to him.
"I know our next stop." Punk told him and nodded for him to follow him.
Punk walked up to a door and knocked and smiled when the woman answered.
"Hey." Celeste greeted him with a hug.
"You are so much more pleasant than your brother." Punk smirked walking into her house and Kofi following. "Kofi this is Celeste, she's Jeff's sister."
"Nice to meet you." Kofi shook her hand.
"I'm glad to see that someone is taking AJ's case seriously." Celeste said closing the door behind them.
"Yea well we want this over with for her." Punk told her.
"How is she doing?" Celeste asked Punk. "And I mean really, my brother feeds me bullshit and so does AJ for that matter."
"She's good." Punk told her. "She's not happy about Jamie following her obviously."
"I figured he would." Celeste remarked sitting down in the living room and gesturing them to sit as well.
"What's been your interactions with Jamie?" Punk asked her.
"I caught him peeking in AJ's bedroom once and I screamed out him." Celeste told him. "That's really all I've ever said to him. I've seen him a lot. He did cause a scene at my birthday a year ago but for the most part he was always just lurking. We used to think it was weird but not serious. Then AJ isolated herself and wouldn't leave her house and it got scary."
"The night he ran her off the road?" Kofi asked.
"I didn't see anyone but AJ and the woman who took her in." Celeste told them. "Local cops just brushed it off as a crazy over dramatic girl. After that happened I knew he was escalating and that's when I called Jeff and asked him to help us out."
"You did the right thing." Punk told her. "This needs to be addressed and if local PD won't do it then we will."
"I wish I could help you out more but he never like touched her or left her things or broke the law around her besides that one night." Celeste told them.
"Can I use your bathroom?" Kofi asked and Celeste nodded.
"Down the hall to the right." She pointed and he stood up and walked down the hall. "So, how is AJ?"
"I told you." Punk said to her and she glared at him. "What?"
"I know about you two. She tells me everything." Celeste said to him. "Please tell me you're not rebounding off your wife to her."
"I'm not." Punk told her. "I did the rebound thing already. This is different."
"Good." Celeste said to him. "She must feel the same since she told me she's not coming home."
"She told you that?" Punk asked and she nodded.
"Staying for a job but I don't think she would have bothered to look for a job if there wasn't a certain FBI agent there." Celeste said to him. "You hurt her I will kill you." She threatened.
"I get it." Punk said to her. "You're protective. I'm not going to hurt her."
"She's never had a good guy in her life and I know you are a good guy." Celeste said to him. "Don't break her heart because she rarely lets someone in."
"That's the last thing I plan on doing." Punk assured her.
"She likes flowers." Celeste told him. "She'll lie and say she doesn't but she does and she deserves them."
"Noted." Punk laughed then Kofi walked back in.
The next morning Punk and Kofi were on their way to meeting the local PD and AJ's parents at their burned down home.
".…no like a big bouquet." Punk said into the phone as Kofi drove. "I guess roses…..how much? Yea I can fucking afford it….yea just get them….alright bye."
"Sending flowers." Kofi smirked.
"She likes flowers." Punk shrugged. "Just to cheer her up."
"Right." Kofi smiled a bit pulling over.
"Damn." Punk said looking at the burned down the house.
"They haven't started the rebuild yet?" Kofi asked.
"Insurance is holding it up." Punk said to him as he climbed out of the car.
"Agents." A stuffy Sheriff greeted.
"Sheriff." Punk replied back professionally..
"Not sure what you're doing here or why." The Sheriff noted.
"We told you over the phone that we think the person responsible for the fire is responsible for a crime across state lines." Kofi explained.
"We don't even have a suspect." The Sheriff reminded them.
"We do." Punk remarked. "We think Jamie Meyers is responsible."
"Oh god I'm sick of hearing that name." The Sheriff groaned. "The man had an alibi, he has no record, he's never acted out."
"He's been stalking April Mendez who was living in the house at the time." Kofi argued. "Why didn't you take her claims seriously?"
"It's called proof." The Sheriff mocked. "She said he was hanging around her house I can't arrest a man for hanging out on his own property."
"She also went to you the night he ran her off the road." Punk reminded him.
"There was no car, no date, no injuries and no proof." The Sheriff shrugged. "She seemed like she wanted attention."
"She wanted attention?" Punk asked arching a brow.
"He's followed Ms. Mendez across country. He's already violated an order of protection and he's considered armed and dangerous." Kofi educated the Sheriff.
"I had no proof at the time." The Sheriff repeated.
"Did you even investigate?" Punk asked him.
"We have a small squad here. I can't utilize our resources on nonviolent complaints." The Sheriff explained.
"Burning a house down with people inside and killing a dog isn't violent?" Punk asked back.
"I have no evidence it was him." The Sheriff remarked. "Just Ms. Mendez guess and we still don't have evidence because evidence burns in fires."
"Of course it does." Punk remarked walking towards the rubble.
"You must be the FBI agent." An older woman greeted.
"I am." Punk said to her. "I didn't see anyone else you must be Mrs. Mendez." He greeted shaking her hand.
"My husband is around back." The told him. "April told us we could trust you and that you were going to help her."
"I am." Punk assured her. "It'll take some time but I'll get this all figured out."
"How is she?" Catherine Mendez asked him.
"She's good." Punk told her and she nodded with a smile.
"She seems to have really taken to Chicago I just wish that lunatic didn't follow her there." Catherine sighed.
"He's keeping his distance and she has people watching her back." Punk promised her.
"So she tells me." Catherine remarked. "Are you the FBI agent that is part of the reason she's staying in Chicago?"
"I don't know about that." Punk remarked nervously.
"You must be." She smiled. "She said a lot of tattoos and doesn't look like he works for the government. I'm just glad she's in good hands."
"She really is." Punk assured her.
"Aaron! Come meet April's new boyfriend!" She yelled out loud and Punk looked around nervously then followed her.
AJ was sitting in her hotel room trying to figure out the laptop her new job sent her when Dean walked in.
"Delivery." Dean announced holding flowers.
"What's that?" AJ asked arching a brow.
"From Punk." Dean said placing the vase of flowers down.
"Seriously?" She asked standing up to smell them.
"Yup." Dean said putting his stuff down.
"They're so pretty." She grinned. "No one has ever given me flowers before."
"Seriously?" Dean asked with a laugh. "You've dated some losers." He informed her then walked into the next room.
"Can I ask you about Phil?" AJ asked following him and he cringed.
"I'd rather not be involved in what you two have going on." Dean said to her.
"It's just he's so private. He knows everything about me and I don't even know his favorite color." AJ argued.
"I don't know his favorite color either." Dean shrugged opening his laptop.
"What does he like?" AJ asked him.
"You." Dean answered looking at her her seriously and she rolled her eyes. "He loves hockey."
"I know all of this already." AJ groaned.
"Then we know the same amount." Dean laughed relieved. "You'd be better off asking Cass about personal history and whatnot."
"What about Amy?" AJ asked.
"I can't get into that with you." Dean laughed.
"He told me they got married quick and it didn't work out." AJ told him. "But he had to love her."
"Of course he did. But things change. Amy isn't all there." He said pointing at his own head. "She always wanted attention and was super needy and he gave up everything he enjoyed like going to games and hanging with friends to appease her. A person can only live like that for so long. If you're worried that Amy is going to show back up and want to be part of his life you have nothing to worry about because he has zero interest in her."
"What's his favorite food?" AJ asked.
"Don't know." Dean replied quickly as he typed on his computer.
"Favorite movie?" She asked.
"No idea." He replied just the same.
"Come on." She groaned.
"He likes pizza." Dean said thinking about it. "I don't know the guy doesn't let a lot of people in. He likes dogs."
"Ugh." She groaned and stepped out of the room.
Later that night AJ was laying in bed when her phone went off and saw Punk's name appear across the facetime screen.
"Did I wake you?" Punk asked.
"Nope." She smiled still laying down. "The flowers are beautiful thank you."
"You're welcome." He replied and she narrowed her eyes.
"Are you in my aunts house?" She asked sitting up now.
"Backyard. Your parents insisted on cooking for me and Kofi." He said to her and she let out a laugh.
"BBQ?" She asked and he nodded.
"Good too." He grinned. "You have some great people in your life but that doesn't surprise me."
"I miss them. Wish I was there." She frowned.
"They miss you too." He told her.
"Anything on the fire?" She asked.
"No." He told her honestly. "I met the woman who helped you the night he chased you down. She's nice and we got some camera footage but can't make out his face. I sent the footage to a lab to enhance it to see if we could."
"You get to be at my parents eating a good home cooked meal and I'm stuck here watching Dean scoff down a burger." She frowned and Punk laughed.
"I'll cook for you." He told her and she eyed the screen.
"You can cook?" She asked skeptically.
"Oh yea." Punk informed her smugly.
"When are you coming back?" She asked.
"Tonight." He told her. "I got all I could out of here. I'm going to try to sneak over."
"Dean isn't going to let that happen." AJ warned him. "He caught you the last two times."
"Dean doesn't scare me." Punk mocked. "I'll get him out of there and get in."
"As much as I'd love to see you I don't want you to get in trouble." She told him.
"I'm the boss." He mocked. "It's been a week I want to see you in person."
"I wouldn't complain." She said to him.
"I have to go your mom is feeding us more." Punk said looking over.
"Did she bake?" AJ asked with a jealous frown.
"She did." Punk said to her. "I'll bring you something home."
"This isn't fair." She pouted as he hung up.
A few hours later AJ woke up when she felt a hand brush her cheek and she popped up.
"You scared me." AJ gasped then softened her face upon seeing Punk.
"I'm sorry. I know there wasn't a good way to wake you up." Punk whispered. "We have to be quiet because Dean is going to be so pissed I'm in here."
AJ scooted over and pulled the covers down and Punk removed his shoes and jeans and jumped into the bed with her.
"Your parents sent me here with cookies." He told her as she removed his shirt.
"That sounds good." She whispered pulling his face down to kiss her and pull him on top of her.
In an instant her sleeping shorts and panties were gone and they were connected after being apart for as long as they had been. There wasn't a lot of foreplay but a lot of kissing. Punk had missed kissing her more than he cared to admit. These moments never lasted long but Punk wanted to drag it out forever. He wasn't sure when he'd be able to see her again but he decided in this moment he wasn't going to wait this long again.
"This is so good, don't stop." AJ moaned against his lips and clawed at his chest.
Punk grabbed her hand and intertwined it with his own and lifted it over her head as he loved her the only way he knew how. He was hoping they were staying quiet and not alerting anyone.
Kofi was sitting nervously in the living room when Dean walked back in.
"Chief didn't want to talk to me." Dean said annoyed. "I get the worst fucking service in here."
"Oh, must have wanted to talk to Dan." Kofi laughed to himself.
"Ok." Dean said with a laugh. "Why are you fidgeting?"
"I'm not." Kofi laughed nervously.
"Tell me you didn't let him in here." Dean said annoyed stomping over to AJ's bedroom.
"I wouldn't do that-" Kofi bean as Dean opened the door then quickly closed it.
"Now I have to wash my fucking eyes out." Dean snapped at him. "You know he can't be here."
"The guy is fucking nuts over her." Kofi argued. "She's all he talked about the entire way there and back and he like kissed her family's ass and spoke so highly of her and it's one night and we're all here."
"Not the point." Dean said to him.
"No one is coming into this room." Kofi told him. "Let him have a little time with her. That shit with Amy, the stuff with Stacy- he deserves a decent girl."
"I'm not breaking them up I just asked him to keep his dick in his pants. He's the boss and he should know better." Dean argued.
"The fact that he is and is still willing to risk it for her should tell you everything." Kofi remarked. "Let them have the night."
"Fine." Dean said to him. "She's been all sad anyway and it's making me depressed anyway."
"Anything on that footage I sent?" Kofi asked.
"Not yet but I'm hoping." Dean said to him.
"What happens if there's not?" Kofi asked. "We won't get him on the fire or accident so what do we do? We can't keep her here forever."
"I was hoping we'd get him on the fire at least." Dean sighed. "I don't know. Only way to get him is if he goes after her and that's really fucking risky if he's carrying a piece. We'd never make it on time."
"What if we're already there?" Kofi asked him.
"What do you mean? Set him up?" Dean asked. "What's the point? He'll get 60 days in lock up for second violation of his order of protection."
"That's 60 more days to really try to nail him for something." Kofi said to him. "You've worked obsessional crimes before you know guys like this don't just pop up like this and start burning shit down that well without doing it before. I think we're spending way too much time looking into these incidents and not enough into his past. There has to be another ex or coworker who can help us out."
"I like that." Dean had to admit. "But this guy is armed and dangerous we need it in a busy area because he won't have the balls to pull anything in front of people he was scared off by the old lady in Jersey."
"We'll do it outside Jake's bar." Kofi said to him. "It's a heavy cop area as it is. We'll all be there he has been outside that bar every night waiting for her to go to work as it is."
"I have to talk to AJ about it first I don't want her doing anything she's not comfortable with." Dean told him.
"What are the options?" Kofi asked him. "Realistically what else can we do? We can't keep her in this hotel, she has to work, she wants to go out with her boyfriend I'm sure, this guy isn't big enough of a threat to earn moving on the dime of the government."
"I get it." Dean agreed. "It's just-"
"-I know she means a lot to Punk." Kofi said to him. "And you don't want to fuck this up but maybe your feelings are getting in the way."
"He'll never forgive me." Dean told him. "I'll never forgive myself."
"We will all be there." Kofi reminded him.
"Be where?" Punk asked walking out of the room zipping his jeans up.
"You're an asshole." Dean said to him and Punk just let out a sigh and walked into the kitchen.
"What do you want me to say? Sorry? I'm not." Punk said grabbing two water bottles from the fridge and heading back to the bedroom.
"We need to talk to AJ." Kofi told him. "We've got a plan."
"Kofi has a plan." Dean corrected quietly knowing Punk wouldn't like it.