Chapter Five

He began to try to catch Jordan with whomever it was she was seeing. He had probed the morgue staff as discreetly as he could, but all he could come up with was that the guy's name was John. "She's given us no clues," Nigel told him. "He never comes into the morgue. Jordan says he's too busy and his job is too demanding. That he often meets his clients for lunch. I know he plays the guitar, because Jordan met him at a music class they took together at the music shop."

"Which music shop?" Woody asked.

"I don't know. I know it's where she buys her guitar strings, because she found out about the class when she went to get some replacements." That was all Nigel could tell him.

Woody had no idea where to even begin looking. There were pages of music shops in the Boston yellow pages. And while he was well aware she played the guitar, he had no memories of her mentioning where she bought anything other than her groceries. He had the wild idea of going to every music shop in the area, flashing his badge, and demanding their class rosters.

But such action would only get him fired.

"Why don't you just ask her?" Nigel finally recommended, after Woody had been back to Jordan's office one more time to try to see if she would slip up and name the man.

The direct approach. He hadn't thought of that. "What if she doesn't tell me?"

"So what? Why do you want to know anyway? You're seeing someone else now. What is Jordan supposed to do? Wait until you're finished with Kim and then see if you want her again? I don't think so," Nigel replied, a hint of anger in his voice.

Woody thought fast. "What if this guy isn't on the up-and-up? What if he's got some sort of shady past that could hurt her….What if…."

Nigel cut him off. "Jordan is a grown woman, Woody. I'm sure that as often as she's gone out with him, at some point, she had him checked out in her own way. She's not stupid and she has access to too many databases and people that know how to use them. I wouldn't worry about that. If I were you, I'd keep my nose out of Jordan's business. She may cut it off for you if she finds out you've been asking her friends questions about her personal life."

Woody nodded and left the morgue. Nigel was right. Jordan wasn't stupid. She was a grown woman.

But he had to know. He just had to know who this John was.

And he did find out. Quite by accident. He finally decided to just ask Jordan who her new boyfriend was.

But not without consequences. It was on a Saturday night, and he knew she was working for Max at the Pogue. He had taken Kim out to eat and then back to her apartment. She had cuddled up next to him…and began to unbutton his shirt. "No. Not tonight. I have to go back into my office," he had told her, stopping her questing hands.

"No you don't. You said you didn't have to work this weekend," she returned, still unbuttoning his shirt and now reaching for his belt. He backed away from her.

"Things change…so do work schedules." He began to redress himself and reached for his car keys.

He heard her hiss from across the room. "You don't have to work. You're going out to look for her, aren't you?"

He didn't have to ask who her was. He knew. But he played dumb. "Who, Kim?"

"Her. That medical examiner…Jordan."

Woody paled just a degree. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he countered, trying to regain his composure.

"Don't lie to me. I've heard you asking about her on your phone calls to the morgue. You thought I was asleep, but I heard you this morning, asking Nigel if she was going to be at the Pogue tonight."

"Kimberly, we work together. Sometimes we have to talk about cases. Jordan answers a lot of my calls."

"Then explain why last night….when we were in bed, you called out her name instead of mine?"

Woody ran his fingers through his hair, opened the door of her apartment, turned, and gave Kim a tight smile. "Don't wait up," he said, closing the door quickly behind him.

Jesus….I called out Jordan's name…in the middle of making love to Kim? I am so a dead man….Woody thought as he drove to the Pogue. It was closing time. He planned to wait until the last patrons left the bar, then go in and confront her.

Only after his fight with Kim, he was running late. And the bar was closed when he arrived. But Jordan hadn't gone home. Looking through the windows, he saw her…and him…dancing. The way Woody and she used to, after she closed for the evening. The jukebox was blaring and Jordan and John were dancing. He would spin her out and pull her back to him. She was smiling at John…the same way she used to smile at Woody. From his vantage at the window, Woody swallowed hard. Jordan was having fun. She was enjoying herself.

She was with another man and was happy.

Still he had to know. He'd hang around until she left….hoping against hope she would leave alone. He backed away from the window so he wouldn't be seen and waited until he heard the door open and saw Jordan tell John good night. He also was lucky enough to see John gently kiss her. Woody clenched his fists and stopped himself from going over and knocking the man senseless. The door closed behind the man and Woody saw Jordan begin to lock back up. He walked over and softly tapped on the door.

"We're closed," she shouted out, her back to the door.

"It's against the law for an Irish bar to ever be closed," he shouted back.

Woody? She thought...what on earth brings him here at this hour, she looked at him through the door, alone? She unlocked the door again and let him in. "What's up?" she asked. "Something about a case?"

"No."

She looked at him…confusion written all over her face. "Need a beer?" she finally asked.

"Yeah. A beer would be nice."

She pulled a Guinness out, uncapped it, and sat the bottle in front of him. He took a long drink, looked her in the eyes, and asked the question that had been plaguing his mind for days. "Who is he, Jordan?"

"Who is who?"

"You know what I'm talking about. The guy you're seeing now. The one that just left. The one that kissed you good night."

She gave him a hard look. "Why do you want to know?"

"I told you all about Kim."

"Yeah. Well. I'm not much into trading dating stories tonight, girlfriend." She moved away from the bar and began to put the chairs up on the tables. Silently, he began to help her….much like he had done in the past.

"Come on, Jordan. You can at least tell me his name."

"No."

"Why not?"

"To borrow a line you used on me a long time ago…it's none of your business."

"Jordan, I just don't want you to get hurt…"

"Now you think about that…what about that night at my apartment…when you said it was better we didn't make love…that we'd both regret it. You just left me there…never called. Never asked how I felt…if I was okay. Didn't you think that hurt me?"

He lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking straight…you're right."

Jordan snorted. "Of course I'm right. You weren't thinking about me…you were thinking about her."

Evidently I thought of you last night….I called your name, not hers, when I climaxed, he thought. "What's his name, Jo?" he asked again, bringing her back to the subject at hand.

"You know what I'm thinking now, Woody?" Without waiting for him to respond, she went on. "I'm thinking you're jealous."

"Me? Jealous?"

"Yes. You. Know why?"

"I'm all ears."

"Because you lost the best thing that ever happened to you – me. With Kim, you're constantly wondering who she's with…if she's faithful….and I'm sure the only place she really holds your interest is the bedroom…an area you never gave us a chance in, because I'm not blonde, or busty, or tall. But now….you're wondering just how great this fling you're having really is with her….how much does she really care about you, or is she using you to get what she can out of you?

"You lost me, Woody. You chose her over me. And while I'm not perfect, I wanted what was best for you. I didn't use you. I loved you." I still do, she added in her thoughts.

Her words stung him. Partially because they called into question his decision about Kim.

But mainly because she spoke the truth…as only Jordan could. Blunt. To the point. Cutting no corners, taking no prisoners. He grew angry at her perceptiveness….her honesty. But finding no reply in his heart, he turned and left the bar…leaving her alone, cold, and aching for him one more time.