Part 14
Gail thundered out of 15 and onto the street, turning and just walking away from the building, needing to get as much distance from Sam and Nick as possible before she did something stupid.
What she wanted to do was beat the living daylights out of both of them.
She grumbled to herself as she turned sharply and headed back in the opposite direction. She needed to stick around because this was where she knew Romi would come as soon as he was able to. Chris had told her he was okay, told her that he and Holly were both okay.
But she couldn't let herself think about Holly right now.
Not when her head was so consumed with dealing with this latest attempt to rattle her. To have Nick let his rookie draw a gun on her…that was crazy! And in broad daylight.
What was really pissing Gail off was the rookie shouting for her hands before even getting into position. The whole scene kept replying over and over again in her mind and whether or not she was jumping to conclusions, her gut kept telling her that if she had been alone in that car today things might have turned out much, much worse.
Her gut instinct was telling her that the rookie was hoping she'd give him a reason to shoot. Just one movement would have been enough, a jerk towards her glove box or to her pockets, just any slight movement that could be construed as threatening.
In her time in uniform she had drawn her gun on several occasions and she knew that as a police officer if you feel your life is in immediate danger then you could use reasonable force, and if that meant firing your weapon then that was what you were expected to do.
Another thing that was bothering her was Nick hanging back for such a long time.
You were supposed to always back up your partner, and if they drew their gun it meant you get up there with yours and provide them with the support they needed to take down the suspect.
Nick knew it was her car. He had to, he'd pulled her over often enough.
As she turned back at the end of the street someone ran into her shoulder knocking Gail to the side. She stopped long enough to glare right into his eyes. He paled and apologised before carrying on his way at a quicker pace.
Gail felt her fists clench and unclench as she stood there frozen. Her body was buzzing with adrenalin and her temper was at breaking point. If she walked past the entrance to 15 one more time she wasn't sure she could stop herself from going in.
But that would just be senseless of her at this stage. Not when she wouldn't get past the front desk, even with Chris on duty.
Plus, Gail hadn't survived this long by being stupid. She needed a better plan for some payback than to just storm into the station with nothing but her guts for company.
As tempting as it would be to get at least one good punch in, maybe a kick, she was going to have to wait.
Her blue eyes lifted back up from the pavement and she noticed the wide berth she was being given by passers-by and it almost made her smile, almost, but not when her eyes tracked to 15 and she saw the figure of Sam Swarek standing there watching her.
He waved when he noticed she'd spotted him.
Bastard.
Her feet moved forward. Stupid or not, it was going to feel good to do her best at wiping that smug grin off that pricks face.
She was fifteen feet away from Sam when hands grabbed her from behind and she was lifted up into a crushing bear hug.
"Damn Bravo it's so good to see you." Were the words that whispered at her ear and let her body relax into the embrace even as her eyes stared daggers at Swarek.
"You okay?" Romi asked as he let her down and she turned and took in his appearance.
"Are you?" Gail asked him right back.
Romi's eyes darkened and he snorted. "I'm fine, so is Holly," He gestured across the road. "She's waiting in the car." He explained to her with a grin, happy to see her out of cuffs and out of jail.
Gail slowly glanced over, she could only just make out a figure behind the tinted windows of the black Range Rover Sport, but a second later the window drops and Gail lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Holly gave her a quick wave and gestured them back over.
She quickly turned to Romi and smacked him hard on the shoulder with her fist.
"Ow!"
Gail just glared at him before shaking her head and walking across the busy road, not even trying to avoid passing cars that had to slow for her as she made her way over to the car and slipped into the passenger seat. She turned and stared at Holly, studying her face for a long moment before Romi scrambled into his place in the back of the car and she turned to look back the way she'd come.
Sam was gone from the front of 15 Division.
They sat there for a moment in silence and Gail knew they were quiet because they could probably feel the anger rolling off of her in waves. She consciously closed her eyes and let out a deep breath as she tried to relax and let it go for now.
She'd deal with Sam and Nick and that idiot of a rookie soon enough.
Right now she had to just be thankful that Romi and Holly were both back with her again and neither of them were hurt.
"This what all the city paid employees at the morgue drive these days?" Gail asked Holly as she tried to smile at the older woman.
Holly grinned back at the blonde, glad to see her out of cuffs, it was getting to be a habit when they were together. One she didn't much like.
She nodded in answer to the question and started the car up and took off down the street, not wanting to spend any more time near police officers right now than she had to. "When we're not selling all those unclaimed body parts."
Gail laughed and it felt strange after the tension she'd been feeling, but she welcomed it. No one had died today, and no one was hurt.
Not yet at least.
"Where to?" Holly asked as the lights turned red at the next intersection. They'd originally been headed to Gail's apartment but if that was where they were still aiming to go then she'd need directions.
Gail turned her head to look over at Holly again. Then her eyes drifted to the back and Romi.
"Can you take us over to the University?" She asked Holly softly.
"Sure." Holly answered and set about taking the next turn and planning the route in her head that would take them clear across town to the College district.
"Gail!" Romi whined from his seat.
Gail frowned and turned in her seat to send him a glare. "You have class, and you're going. That's not up for discussion. You already owe me summer school, don't make it worse." She told him evenly before turning back around.
Romi huffed but didn't argue with his friend. He'd got a text message from Chris moments before Holly had pulled up across from the station letting him know what Gail had been led to believe. He wanted to ask her if she was okay but he knew she wouldn't talk about it so there was little point.
He wished Anan was around but he was off on a job and wasn't due back for a few days still.
Maybe he could get her into the gym later or to the bar and loosen her up with some alcohol before asking about it. He smiled to himself thinking that Chris might be able to help as well.
He watched Gail occasionally turn to stare at Holly and he had to wonder where that was going. He had seen Holly kiss Gail outside the café before they went to the hospital but nothing really between them since that. But then he'd seen how Holly had known some of the cops that had turned up after Gail had been driven away by Nick.
He had no idea how to feel about that.
He knew Gail liked the other woman or she never would have been at the café this morning. But this was a risk. Maybe even a bigger risk for Holly than for Gail.
"You going to the bar?" He asked. He had class until 4pm then he could come join her, or them if Holly was sticking around.
Gail cracked her neck to one side as she thought about it then she relaxed deeper into the leather seat. They were almost at the University.
"Yeah." She finally answered before glancing across at Holly. She could show the pathologist where she worked, some of the time, when she wasn't breaking into people's homes and getting hit into next week with baseball bats at least.
She'd meant to take Holly to her apartment but the last thing she wanted right now was to be in a confined space. She could show Holly her bar then maybe go for a walk around the nearby park, get something to eat, talk.
If she could stay relaxed enough.
"You aren't allowed to drink alcohol remember." Holly felt like she should remind the blonde of this.
Gail rolled her eyes and scowled at the brunette. "Even after the last few hours? Seriously?"
Holly grinned and shrugged but kept her eyes on the road. And it wasn't much longer before she was pulling into a parking space next to the campus grounds.
Gail shifted in her seat again to look around at Romi. "You going to be okay to go to class?" She asked softly as if it was only now that it had registered in her head that he and Holly had basically been shot at not long ago.
Romi rolled his eyes. Now she asks? "I'm fine, a little shaken up but I'm good." He'd been around guns enough to not be too bothered by one going off but he was still angry about the fact the cops that had took his statement seemed to think the whole thing was just an accident.
Gail watched him open his door and get out then come around to her door.
She dropped the window and leaned out as he rested against her door.
"We'll talk later okay?" She told him quietly. She still had to work out what her plan was going to be for them but after that, she'd talk to him about it.
Romi nodded before grinning. "And when I'm bored during this class I'll look up some stuff to help, I've already got his full name." He said before shooting a worried glance at Holly.
"Get to class." Gail said pushing at his shoulder. "We'll talk later."
Romi nodded and then sent Holly a wave and turned and headed across the commons towards the large building to the far side.
Gail watched him go, using the time to work out if she should talk about this with Holly. She probably needed to, things had just got so much more complicated between them now.
When Romi disappeared from view Gail finally turned her attention to Holly.
"Do you mind if we walk from here? It's not that far." She asked.
Holly shook her head as she pulled her keys out of the ignition. She got out and waited for Gail to join her before locking her car up. She then stuck her hands in her jacket pockets and kept pace with the blonde as they started along the sidewalk.
"Is this going to be a problem for you?" Gail asked Holly before noticing a raised eyebrow. "Being caught in the car of an alleged criminal."
"You mean you." Holly had to clarify just for the fun of it.
Gail snorted, they both knew she was talking about herself, and the only reason she had used 'alleged criminal' was because despite the best efforts of the 15 Division there was still no concrete evidence to link her with any sort of crime.
"I think I've seen you more in cuffs than out of them." Holly told the blonde trying not to think about what it would be like for her the next time Detective Swarek was around the morgue. Holly hadn't done anything wrong today, and her cover story would work, she just had to share it with Gail so she could repeat it if she was questioned.
"Which is why I used alleged criminal. Until it's been proven in a court of law, I'm still a free woman without a criminal record I'll have you know." Gail explained.
Holly shook her head. "Shocking." She replied, finding that a hard one to believe. "I guess they must just miss having you around so much they feel the need to set up these little visits with you just to say hi." She continued with a chuckle.
Gail scowled at that and grabbed Holly by the arm and pulled her to a stop. "Don't joke about that." She told the older woman.
Holly blinked then nodded her head slowly. This was the most serious she had seen Gail. "Okay."
"I mean it, if the wrong person hears you say something like that it could get me killed." Gail explained gravely as she released Holly and started walking again, this time glancing around trying to spot anyone following them.
Chastised Holly ducked her head slightly and stayed a step behind Gail as she continued following the blonde.
Satisfied that they were in the clear Gail glanced back over at Holly, only to see her slumped shoulders and downcast expression. It was in stark contrast to the Holly that had followed her all the way to the café this morning for her meeting with Chris.
She wanted that Holly back. But that was purely selfish of Gail. She had rebuked the other woman for making a joke but now that people knew, that cops from 15 knew, that she had been in her car this morning when Nick had pulled them over, it could ruin Holly's career.
Hell, Gail was putting Holly in a risky situation on all sides when this got out.
And Sam would make sure it got out.
Gail glanced around at the faces of students around them, some on their way to class, the library to study, or to their apartments, or to the cafés and bars that surrounded the area. All of them looking carefree and having the time of their lives.
Gail envied them that freedom.
She was in a tougher spot now than she had been when trying to live up to her mother's expectations when she'd graduated and joined the 15 Division.
Sighing Gail slowed and put her hand back on Holly, this time being gentle with her touch. "Can we?" Gail let her hand trail down Holly's arm until she was holding the other woman's hand. She glanced around and spotted an empty bench just off one of the paths that cut through the common. "Can we sit?" She asked giving the hand a soft tug.
Holly licked her lips and stared at Gail for a long moment, then she squeezed Gail's hand and nodded. They could sit for a while. She kept quiet though as they made their way over hand in hand.
Things felt serious again and it made Holly frown. Even with Gail's hand in her own she didn't feel like she could do anything but let Gail say whatever it was she wanted to get off her chest.
When they sat down Gail took her hand back and rubbed at her face. She was bone tired again and her day was a long way from being over.
"How's the head?" Holly couldn't stop herself from asking, still painfully aware of the damage she had caused to the blonde even if the hospital had given her the all clear.
Gail sighed and shrugged as she leaned back beside Holly and glanced around again. Habit. One that had kept her alive. Again, nothing stuck out at her and she tried to just concentrate on now and this talk she needed to have with Holly.
She held her own hand out, palm up.
Holly smiled then slipped her hand back into Gail's and laced their fingers together. This was a good start wasn't it?
Gail kept her eyes on their joined hands and hunched forward, keeping her voice low as she spoke.
"I'm not a cop Holly, please don't get this wrong and think that I'm something I'm not." She said sneaking a quick glance at the pathologist to make sure she was paying attention. She was. "I'm not one of the good guys here, I work for one of the most dangerous men in Toronto Holly. He's had lots of people killed. I almost died because he wanted to make sure I wasn't going to him as an undercover cop."
"Romi's brother?" Holly had to ask, although just the thought of Gail being hurt so badly made her want to cry.
Gail swallowed then nodded as she met Holly's gaze. "When you beat someone that badly, for that long," Gail had to pause and clear her throat as she tried her best not to remember those events, but she needed Holly to understand. "They knew I was a cop, after Jerry died my picture was on the news and in every paper next to his and Ollie's. I couldn't hide that or change it and they needed to make sure I wasn't there to try and set them up."
Holly sucked in a breath and placed her free hand over Gail's and trapped her hand in both of her own wanting nothing more than to pull the blonde into her arms and hug her.
Gail chuckled and wiped a falling tear from her face. "I guess you could call it an initiation, if I lived through that then maybe he'd give me a job. You know I wasn't sure I wanted to live when the hitting stopped because I knew the recovery was going to be a bitch!" She said with a short laugh.
And it had been every bit as slow and painful as she'd thought.
She shrugged. "When I could I started working the door at one of his clubs, it took months before I did anything more than that until now, where I'm only really needed when he has a big job on, the rest of the time I'm at my own bar or my gym. Sometimes I still work the clubs but that's more just to hang out with Anan."
"How can you be friends with him after that?" Again Holly couldn't stop the words before they were out past her lips.
Gail sniffled and wiped at her face again. She tried to think how best to explain it to Holly, how to explain that Anan was doing what he had to and she didn't hate him for that.
Eventually she shook her head and just shrugged her shoulders. Holly would never really understand what it was like, what people like Anan had been through, what she had been through. Trust needed to be earned and in Gail's world now that often meant with blood.
"As a cop I would put on my vest and wear a gun and I worked side by side with a partner during every shift. I had to trust that they would back me up no matter what the circumstance and they had to trust me to do the same. And each day you went into work it could be a different person in that squad car beside you, but the principle stayed the same. You had their back, they had yours."
Gail paused to see if Holly was taking any of this in. The pathologist was watching her every move so Gail went on.
"Now I go to work with a bunch of people who will never trust me because they all know I used to be a cop, that my family are cops. And so I can't trust any of them. I still have a gun but there's no bullet proof vest to protect me or someone to watch my back. It's just me. The only person I trust with my life is Anan, because he trusts me Holly."
Holly frowned, she really didn't like the sound of this at all. It was bad enough thinking that Nick held some grudge against her or that Sam Swarek would be first in line to arrest Gail the second he had the proof to convict her, but to hear just how unsafe, how dangerous it was for Gail every day?
Holly didn't understand how the blonde could live like this.
"Are you…are you saying my life's in danger?" Holly asked with wide eyes. Were the people Gail worked with going to want her out of the picture?
"No!" Gail answered in a yell that attracted more than a few curious looks from people around them. Gail blushed and cleared her throat and tried again, this time not so loudly. "No, I swear Holly, no one is going to hurt you." Gail told her but then she added, "But Nick and Sam, they can make it harder for you at work, they could spread it to your boss or-"
Holly shook her head and quickly covered Gail's mouth with her hand to stop her speech. "My work speaks for itself Gail, my boss won't care as long as it never affects my ability to do my job. He doesn't pay attention to gossip."
Gail shook her own head rapidly, eager for Holly to move her hand away. "My mother is Superintendent and she made it so I couldn't even get a position as security guard at the local store Holly, don't underestimate what people can do when they want to prove a point." She warned.
Now Holly's head was starting to hurt. Nick and Sam. Gail's underworld associates, and now Elaine Peck?
"What are you trying to say Gail?" Because Holly knew there was a point to being told all of this.
Gail sighed then reluctantly let go of Holly's hand stuffed both of her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket.
"This might be the only time that you can walk away and not have this get any more difficult for you." Gail finally told her.
Holly's breath caught. Was Gail really telling her that this thing they both felt that was there between them was over? Just like that?
"Do you want me to leave?" She had to ask.
Gail frowned but she couldn't tell Holly what to do, the brunette had to decide for herself if she was willing to take a chance by sticking around.
Holly spotted Gail's shake of the head with a touch of relief. "Good." She said and then she eased her hand into Gail's jacket and reclaimed the blonde's hand.
The gesture made Gail grin even as she tried to keep the scowl on her face.
"Come on." Holly said as she tugged the blonde up with her. "Don't you have somewhere to show me? Or was that just a line to get me alone?" She teased the blonde with a smile. There had definitely been enough serious talk for now.
Gail didn't quite understand how Holly was able to smile after that conversation. The blonde had been sure Holly would have been on her way back to her car by now vowing never to go near her again.
Yet here they were holding hands on their way to Gail's bar.
Maybe the doctors were wrong and that blow to the head had done serious damage.
"You're weird." Gail muttered at Holly.
Holly snorted. "Thanks. Way to compliment a girl."
Gail felt a smile tug at her lips and she tightened her grip on Holly's hand. "Hey, a sane person would have run for the hills by now. I'm just calling it like I see it."
"Meh," Holly shrugged nonchalantly as she met Gail's eyes and smirked. "I've already met your mother. I wasn't impressed. And she definitely didn't scare me."
Gail's eyes lit up as she grinned back at Holly.
This was news to her, and if it was true it would be the first time Elaine Peck had failed to intimidate someone.
Oh, now Gail had to keep Holly around, because if nothing else it was sure to piss her mother off when she found out.