Chapter Twenty One
Jamie and Victoria arrived slightly after the Queens officers. Eddie was sitting, holding their babies in her arms. "It's okay, Jamie," Victoria soothed. "I'll run the response you go and comfort your wife."
Jamie didn't have to be told twice, Tory was becoming a solid partner and he could trust her in this. "Eddie, you okay honey? What happened?"
"I got home from music and I noticed that the pictures of the family were all messed up so I checked and the pillows were messed, my brush was moved, someone was in this house, Jamie. Someone was in our house."
Jamie held Eddie tight, "How did they get in?"
"That's the worst part, the lock was just fine…it wasn't tampered with at all, I thought I was going crazy but then Max and April's bears were on the wrong beds and that just…" Eddie's eyes fell on Victoria. "I don't want her in here Jamie, she makes me feel really uneasy. I…"
Jamie nodded, "Okay, I'll give her something else to do all right?"
Eddie nodded, as Jamie got up and headed to speak to Victoria, Eddie tried to shake the intrusive feeling she got around that woman. Perhaps it was the lipstick that bothered her, that another woman marked her husband, perhaps it was something else, but whatever it was, it was not good, she didn't' like it and that was that.
April trailed her father with the appropriate bear. She didn't understand why all these people were in her house and she didn't like that. Max was glued to Eddie's side, he was protecting his Mommom from whatever it was that upset her so much.
"Tory, let's just let the guys from here deal with this, Eddie's pretty shaken up, she needs a little bit of time to breath. I'm going to call myself out for the rest of the day, take the car back and see what Renzulli assigns you to do. I appreciate your wanting to help, but it's not working out that way," Jamie replied. "Go on, maybe he'll send you home with your pay for today, it's happened."
Victoria smiled and didn't miss the chance to put her hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Text me later and let me know how things are going." She offered a sweet smile then left.
Eddie's eyes were fixed on Tory the entire time she was there. Something about that woman bothered her immensely. Jamie kept playing it down, he heard her concerns, sure, but he played it down. She'd take this matter into her own hands, she'd pay a visit to Tory and set the record straight once and for all.
Eddie dressed to impress the day this was going to take place. She wore leggings and a pretty maternity top that knotted between her breasts. She put her hair up in a curly bun and even did her make up, you look good, you feel good was her motto.
She arranged for Kara to watch the kids, the drop off an excuse to cuddle with baby Andrew for a few minutes, he was getting so big already, but loved to be nuzzled and cuddled by his godmother. "So you going to bring the hammer down on her?" Kara asked.
"Oh, yeah," Eddie replied. "Jamie's too polite to say much about it, he doesn't want to stress the partnership and he doesn't want to call attention to it…he never said this but I know him. I'll make it clear our marriage is strong as the oak we were married under and she better back off. That's a pretty simple statement."
"Good for you," Kara smiled. "Go get her and I want details when you get back."
Eddie nodded, and hugged the kids before she headed out to the 12th. When she got there, she parked her car and started inside. She spied Jamie and Victoria heading back in, probably from meal. Victoria was still shamelessly flirting with Jamie, patting his arm and turning to face him. Eddie couldn't hear the dialogue, but she could hear the laughter and see Jamie's winning smile. That reminded her way too much of their time in the car together, laughing, smiling, enjoying the in between time togehter. Those were the moments upon which their relationship and their marriage was built. To the casual observer this looked bad, never mind to the wife of the man in the compilation.
Across the lot, on the east side, Danny and Baez had just arrived. They were there on an entirely different matter, but had the same visual as Eddie. Danny heard the familiar laughter. He remembered the smile on Jamie's face when he rode with Eddie. This looked a little too familiar for Danny's comfort. Danny got to see his brother's face as Victoria, with her eyes open, stood on her tiptoes and planted firm, open mouth kiss on Jamie's lips.
Jamie was so stunned by Victoria's actions that he froze in place. He didn't return the kiss, but it took several seconds to register what was happening. When it finally clicked, he took both arms and pushed Victoria back quickly. Jamie didn't see Eddie off in the distance, no one did.
Eddie couldn't get away fast enough, she just couldn't believe what she'd seen. She ran out the back door of the garage, tears streaming down her face. She sat on the ledge and took a few deep breaths.
"Tory!" Jamie snapped. "That was so far past appropriate…I'm your TO, your partner, not your friend, not your lover, I'm your boss, and you have to get this! You have to get it. This ends today, I'm getting a change now, right now!"
Tory sputtered with anger at Jamie. How dare he rebuke her! For what? For who? And now she would never be able to honor her bet. She would never be able to make a name for herself here. Each place she worked and lived became more toxic than the last.
Victoria dashed out if the garage, her anger raging. How dare he? How dare he reject her! She burst out of the back and saw Eddie standing there. She was crying, her hands on her belly.
"You it's all your fault! You're jealous. Jamie is talking to another beautiful woman, so you try to control him," Victoria yelled.
"Me!" Eddie erupted. "He's a married man! Married! How dare you!"
Victoria glared at her "How dare I? He's my partner and training officer. I didn't cross a line."
"You did! Eddie shouted. "You did cross a line kissing my husband! I saw you! And I looked you up. I have friends in Nassau PD...Oh yeah and I was coming here to warn you that unless..." The argument got more and more heated the two women throwing accusations at each other. Finally, Victoria reared back and elbowed Effie in the face
Eddie was knocked out cold in a few seconds flat. Victoria, half in panic and half in anger scooped Eddie up and tossed her in the trunk.
Looking around to make sure no one saw Victoria got in her car speeding off toward her apartment.
Danny hurried over to Jamie after witnessing the kiss. He was angry and showing it in his face. "What the Hell was that?"
"What was what Danny," Jamie asked still getting over the shock of Victoria kissing him.
"That kiss," Danny replied. "You better thank your lucky stars that Eddie didn't see that, that was no one sided kiss."
"Oh that. Danny, I wasn't expecting that, and I sure didn't want it. I was shocked she kissed me and froze." Jamie protested. "I only have eyes for Eddie, you know that. I'm going inside right now to address this with Renzulli, I'm not going to be able to continue to train her."
Danny nodded, "You better mind your p's and q's though kid. Come on, let's get this handled and get you home to your wife."
Victoria took the long way to her apartment, she was angry and nervous all at the same time. It would be a good thing to get rid of the wife, then she'd have a clear path to having Jamie for herself. She knew Eddie wouldn't stay unconscious for long. She had to get her out and into her apartment before she woke up.
She fireman's carried Eddie into the apartment and tossed her on the bed. Eddie stirred and moaned, her face stained with the blood that shot out of her nose when Victoria elbowed her. Victoria got even more amped, she didn't know what to do here…what was she going to do?
"Wow, Harvard," Renzulli sighed. "I didn't know when she came over from Nassau it was likely for trouble I'll make a couple calls but wow…"
"Can you make the change, I can't get back in the car with her again, not after this, she's a ticking bomb. In fact, Staten Island sounds good for her, with a female partner…"
"I will see what I can do, Reagan," Renzulli replied. 'But she's out of the car now. Danny, some brother you are letting Jamie get into trouble like this."
"He's a big boy, " Danny replied. "He's just one lucky SOB that Eddie didn't see her do that. He was so stunned he just stood there for five seconds. That would be enough to get me in bad with Linda for a week or more."
"Me too!" Renzulli laughed. "Lucky man all around kid. Go home to your wife and family, relax, this part is over."
Danny took Jamie for a beer to shake off the shock of the kiss. "Eddie will be relieved to hear that this over, she didn't trust Tory at all, not at all. You know she even told me she thought that Tory was the one that broke into the house. Just to mess with us!"
"That's a little out there" Danny agreed. "But Eddie has very good radar, there could be something to it."
Jamie shrugged, he didn't' want to keep thinking about it. He wanted to hug his wife and his kids and move on from this.
It was after four when Jamie's phone rang. Kara Simmons. That was strange. "Hey, Kara, what's up?"
"Jamie, hey," Kara greeted. "I was wondering if you heard from Eddie at all. She dropped the kids off a while ago and she's an hour late to pick them up. Did something…"
"Uh, no," Jamie replied. "Eddie's not with me, I haven't seen her since this morning. I'll come by and get the kids, she might have met someone for lunch."
Maybe, I called her to tell her not to worry about coming by, but it keeps going to voicemail," Kara replied. Kara didn't want to hurt Eddie or betray her trust, so she kept her answer non-committal. If Eddie went off by herself, she had a reason and she would come home to deal with it. Kara was just concerned for her friend, Eddie didn't want Jamie to know she was confronting Victoria until she told him herself.
"Thanks, I'll come get the kids…" Jamie began but Kara cut him off.
"No, Luke is here and they are having a good time, you and Eddie take tonight for yourselves. You earned it and you'll owe us one…"
Jamie hung up and looked at Danny, "Eddie's late to pick up Max and April. She's probably out with Hailey, I think she was coming in town and just lost track of time. I'll give her a half hour or so to check in, then I'll call her. I don't want to crowd her she's been a little stressed over this Tory business."
Danny nodded, "I think it's better to let sleeping dogs lie on this one. She'll call you, she always does."
Jamie nodded, that was the truth.