Chapter 5

"Natalie, maybe we shouldn't tell the Captain or Disher about us just yet." Monk told Natalie shyly, afraid of how she might take it.

"Oh thank God, I didn't want to tell them either. It's so much sexier when it's a secret." she said smiling at him.

They went into the police department and met up with Stottlemeyer. "Well look what the cat drug in. It's been half an hour since I began calling you two. What were you doing?" He asked.

"We just got a late start, because someone couldn't leave with the stain showing in his carpet." Natalie told the Captain. She turned and smiled at Monk, who was straitening files on the other detective's desk. "I don't know what I'm going to do with him." She said shaking her head.

"Fine. Randy, take the girlfriend in for questioning and take Monk with you. Natalie can I see you in my office?" Stottlemeyer said gesturing for her to come here.

"Yeah what did you want?" she asked even though she already knew what it was about.

"So, what happened when I let you two go home? Anything exciting?"

You would never believe how exciting, Natalie thought to herself. "No we just apologized for our actions, and went on." She told him sitting down in the chair in front of his desk.

"Oh, well maybe it's all for the best. I mean no offense, but I don't think I could handle it if he got hurt again. And if you two 'broke up' I wouldn't be able to work with you again." He said.

"Yeah, I guess that is why we decided not to go along with it." Natalie said smiling.

"You've really grown on him Natalie. You know about 3 weeks after you started he thought you were going to quit. It was something about him having bad karma around people. Now I can't imagine you apart." Stottlemeyer said laughing and shaking his head.

"I can't either." Natalie said smiling to herself. "I guess I should get back to Mr. Monk. He probably needs me for something right about now." She said getting up to find Monk. She went into one of the observation areas where Monk was watching the girlfriend through the window while Disher was interrogating her. She locked the door behind her and walked towards him. "Hey," she said grabbing his sides, "what are you doing?"

"Hey,…" he paused to look in her eyes, "you know even though you locked the door anyone can get in here. They all have a key." He smiled down at her. He got lost in her beautiful, green eyes and forgot where he was.

"Yeah, so what's your point?" She smiled and brought her lips up to his. They stopped when they heard someone unlocking the door.

"Hey. What's going on in there?" Stottlemeyer asked looking through the window.

"Nothing really, I don't think she's the guy." Monk said to him calmly. Natalie smiled at him and he smiled back. While Stottlemeyer was studying the girlfriend, Natalie walked over to Monk and put her hand on his back. They looked at each other and almost locked lips, but the Captain turned around.

"What do you think Monk? I am really stuck on this one and I need your help."

"Ok, you're right. What else do we know about her?" Monk asked putting his hands up to examine the girl. "Was she seeing someone else?"

"We don't know. How about you and Natalie go to her work and asked some of her co-workers?" Stottlemeyer said handing Monk one of her business cards.

"We'd love to." Natalie jumped in taking the card from Monk's hand.

"I guess we will." Monk said following his assistant out the door.