************
The funeral procession was understated, not the usual pomp and circumstance a
police funeral merited. Had Lieutenant Blake been killed in the line of
duty, she'd have had a full burial with honors. However, her parents had
requested a simpler honor service near their family plot. Her mother and
father sat graveside, her mother crying softly.
Francesca Battles stood in the back, suited in black and a pair of sleek black shades on to hide her own tears. Darinda was a friend of hers; they'd worked together on a few cases in the past. As the priest led the prayer, she had to look around at the people gathered. It wasn't disrespect that made Frankie's eyes wander. She simply could not pray for anything except justice for the bastard who did this to Darinda.
When the Twenty-One Gun salute fired the first volley, Frankie jumped. Flashbacks to Eric's funeral overtook her and the tears came again. Darinda's partner put his hand on hers to calm her as the Captain of the Honor Guard handed the folded flag to Mrs. Blake
Frank, Shay and Jake stood towards the rear of the gathering. When the rifles fired the first volley, Frank jerked slightly. But it was Jake's elbow in Frank's ribs that caught his attention.
"What?" he whispered.
"Hey, look over there, behind the parents a row or two. Isn't that Frankie?" Jake whispered back.
Frank looked over carefully. He hadn't seen Frankie since she'd hooked him up with Darinda on a blind date.
"What is it Frank?" Shay whispered.
"An old friend, Shay."
After the service was over and the mourners filed away from the graveside, Jake left Frank and Shay to catch up with Frankie.
"Hey, Firecracker..." he said softly as he reached out for her shoulder.
Frankie stopped and turned around. "Jake..." she smiled and stepped into Jake's arms for a hug.
"How are you doing Frankie?"
"I'm alright Jake. What happened to Darinda..." her words caught in her throat and she looked down. "I've seen too many deaths and funerals lately Jake."
Jake wrapped his arms around Frankie and hugged her tight. She put her arms around him and just let him hold her. The fact that she had to lean down to rest her cheek on his shoulder didn't bother either of them.
"Francesca."
Frankie shivered and straightened up. "I love it when you call me Francesca. Hello darlin'." She slid from Jake's embrace into Frank's. They fit together easily, her arms sliding under his and around his ribcage to hug him tight.
"How are you?"
"I'm alive. Thinking whoever did this to Dari needs to be hung by his nuts over a bed of Texas fireants."
Jake and Frank winced. That's Frankie for you...
A slight cough behind Frank brought their attention to Shay.
"Ah, Francesca, I'd like you to meet Shay, my wife."
Frankie smiled momentarily before her smile faltered. Wife? When did she miss Frank getting married? "Pleasure to meet you... what was your name again?"
"Shay. Shay Donovan."
"Ah. Yes." Frankie turned back to Frank. "I promised Dari's mother I'd help with the wake at her parent's house." She stretched up and kissed Frank's cheek, then kissed Jake's cheek and left without a word to Shay.
************
Shay watched from the sidelines as the three old friends reacquainted themselves. Francesca...Frankie...had made her feelings for Frank Donovan's wife fairly plain at the funeral. Ms. Francesca Battles was apparently a very territorial woman. Shay smiled sweetly at the man who chattered away at her, although her attention was focused on the woman who smiled silkily at her husband and could not seem to keep her hands off of him.
She occupied her time by chatting with the family and friends of Officer Blake. Mrs. Blake held up well most of the day, but Shay happened upon her alone in the kitchen washing glasses. "Mrs. Blake, here...let me help you with that."
"Nonsense, dear, I'm fine," she smiled as she looked up at the woman standing beside her. "You're Frank Donovan's wife, aren't you?"
"Yes, ma'am," She answered, grabbing a dishtowel and started drying the clean glasses.
"He's a good man," she commented. A cry escaped her as she dropped a glass into the sink and it shattered. Her shoulders slumped over the sink and sobs wracked her body. "I'm sorry," she said through her tears.
"Shhhh," Shay said as she wrapped her arms around the woman in a comforting embrace.
"Shay?"
She looked up to see the trio of friends and she shooed them away, but Frankie remained in the kitchen. "Let's get you upstairs, hmmm?" Mrs. Blake nodded against her shoulder and pulled away. "Is there a back way?"
"Yes, dear. Thank you. You go on back to your husband, I'll be fine," she insisted.
Shay nodded and placed a gentle hand on the woman's arm. "Take care of yourself, Mrs. Blake."
"Thank you, Mrs. Donovan."
Frankie smiled and wrapped her arms around 'Mum' in a tight hug before kissing her cheek. Once Mrs. Blake had left the room, she turned back to see Shay leaving the kitchen.
Shay left the kitchen with Frankie directly behind her to find the Frank and Jake waiting outside the door. She ignored the coolness in Frankie's eyes and looked down at her watch. "Frank, it's nearly three...we have that meeting at four."
He nodded in agreement, although clearly irritated. "You've gotten us involved, haven't you?"
Frankie blinked. Involved?
Shay sighed. This was getting old. "Yes. You won't discuss it and I needed to talk to someone, so I called Bryce. He wants us in on this case."
His expression was stern. "So, you go behind my back?" he growled lowly.
"Frank, take it easy," Jake interjected.
"What, your wife works with you?" Frankie balked at the realization. Married to a co-worker.
"You got a problem with that?" Shay asked, irritated. Not only was her husband ignoring her, he was reprimanding her in front of a stranger. Well, a stranger to her, anyway.
"Knock it off, Shay," Frank barked.
"Frank... easy there big guy..." Frankie laid a hand on his forearm. Leaning in close she whispered in his ear. "This isn't the time or the place for an argument."
Jake watched the scene with growing frustration. Shay was his best friend and he was not enjoying the show Donovan was putting on the past few days. More than once he had watched Frank talk to his wife out of character and now in front of Frankie. He did not know what problems had surfaced within their marriage, but maybe if they concentrated on work, the animosity would fade.
"Frank, if we are about to take on this case, we might need some help," Jake stated, nodding toward Frankie.
Distracted, Frank followed Jake's train of thought and nodded his agreement. "Francesca, care to sit in on this meeting?"
"I think I would. I'm getting the feeling it's got something to do with Dari - and if that's so, wild horses couldn't keep me off of it."
************
