Office politics

Chapter 15

Connie watched as Mike placed the baseball on his desk. He then quickly grabbed the Paige Regan file.

He rifled through all the loose papers. Scanning quickly, his eyes became fixated when he found the paper with the online charges. A smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"Yes!" he almost shouted, holding up a piece of paper, "It's all coming together now!"

Connie felt herself sitting at the near edge of her seat.

"So you know why they picked those specific names?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure, but I'll need your help," Mike proposed, "There's research to be done and it'll mean staying late."

"I'm there!"

Reaching down into her bottom right-hand drawer Connie pulled out a plastic container filled with various colored M & M's, "I like to snack on these whenever I want to pull an all nighter."

Mike grinned, "M & M's? Is this another part of the SoCal lifestyle?"

"I can't say for sure on that one, "she smile back, "but I swear, Mike, the yellow ones are like amphetamines!"

Mike grinned playfully, "Great! that and coffee will be just what we need for working late."

"I'll go put a pot on," volunteered Connie, as she started to get up.

But Mike raised his hand to stop her.

"I believe making coffee is now my field of expertise, remember?" Mike teasingly stated as he started to get up.

It was Connie's turn to smile.

"Fine by me, Mike!" she approved, "But, remember, pour don't drop!"

"Don't worry, I've got the pouring technique down pat!"

Connie was actually looking forward to working late, "Mike! Aren't at least going to give me a clue as to what your theory is? I don't think I can wait until you come back!"

Mike had been on his way out, but now he stopped at the doorway and turned to look at her.

"And what would be the fun in that?" he asked.

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Mike had returned with two steaming mugs of coffee.

Connie smiled as he placed steaming cup on her desk before returning to his own desk with a mug. The generous gesture of making coffee for her was such a sweet gesture.

Mike and Connie sat looking at each other with their two desks pushed back to back between them. They were acutally looking forward to working the all-nighter.

As Connie took a sip, Mike smiled, "How's the brew?"

She smiled back, "perfect." She then took the lid off her jar of M and M's, "Remember, the yellow ones are uppers."

"Then I'll avoid those for now," he said as he helped himself to a handful, watching her the entire time.

If Mike had discounted the kiss at the beach as temporary madness, then, why, as they sat in their office, did she still have that same effect on him? He realized he craved her physically and what was worse, emotionally. She was slowly causing him to lose the detachment he always had with the world.

Which was a good thing, wasn't it?

Connie, too was thinking of that kiss at the beach… the way his chest moved against her cheek when she was enclosed in his arms…the heat of his mouth…the searing pleasure of his kiss…

R-r-ring.

Both of their daydreaming vanished as they were brought back to reality. Connie looked at her phone, as if staring at it would make it stop. When it continued ringing relentlessly, she picked it up.

The caretaker for Connie's mother called with a family emergency, so Connie was required at home. She sighed. Afterwards, when she informed Mike, he assured her that he was more than capable of working on his own.

Their night together, unfortunately, was coming to a close.

"Mike, I feel bad about leaving you, especially if you've had a breakthrough…" Connie began.

"I wouldn't call it a breakthrough, more like a hunch," he countered.

Then he had an afterthought, "by the way, Connie, do you happen to have an 'in' with any of the detectives over at Police Plaza? Someone who might do you a small favor?"

It didn't take Connie too long to come up with a name, " Tomas Jarulzalski might be able to help us."

Mike got out a pencil to jot down the name, "Uh, did you tell me a name or did you just sneeze?"

Connie smiled, "It did sound as if alphabet soup had exploded in my mouth, didn't it? Anyway, I'll give you his home number and just call him "TJ" when you talk to him. Why?"

"I can't possibly do all that I need to do with another courtroom showdown tomorrow," Mike explained, as Connie handed the number from her Rolodex.

He scribbled it down on his pad. He then waved his hand around as if clearing the air, "Don't worry about it, Connie, just go take care of your family."

She stood up and gathered her things. Mike could already feel the office getting chilly as night descended quickly.

"I'll try and come in as early as possible," promised Connie, "Good night, Mike."

Mike looked at her a second longer than necessary.

"Good night... Connie."

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The next day Connie was at the DA's office at 8 am sharp, a large box of donuts in her hand. She strode quickly to her office, wondering if Mike would be here this early. As she peered in her office, disappointment showed on her face.

Both desks were empty, although Mike's desk was littered with papers and the Paige Regan file had been left opened. It were as if he had just up and left in the middle of reading it.

A half mug of coffee was next to his papers and his blue baseball had been placed next to that. Seeing that familiar possession of his made her smile.

Their office was a mess and once she came back from the break-room, she'd do a little clean up work here. Not that she minded. Somehow it felt so…intimate...to be organizing things on his desk, organizing his life.

For now, she'd better put the huge donut box for the other workers in the snack area. Nonchalantly entering the snack room, she gasped.

On the long couch that had been placed against the wall, Mike was sound asleep, his jacket thrown over his upper body for a blanket.

Connie quietly placed the donut box down on the main table and crept over to him.

Her heart drummed softly at the sight of the sleeping figure.

A smile touched her lips as she saw that he was curled up in a deep sleep. Sheets of papers had fallen to the floor.

Connie bent down to get closer to him, being careful not to disturb him. She could hear him breathing softly. Her heart stirred with protectiveness.

He looked so vulnerable when he slept.

Mike moved his head to a more comfortable position and then was deep breathing again. Any small movement he made seemed to fascinate her. He seemed at peace with the world.

The temptation was too great and she just couldn't help herself.

Connie reached out and brushed a stray lock of hair that had fallen over his forehead. Mike murmured in his sleep and his jacket almost fell off his chest before she captured it and put it carefully back on him.

A male voice behind her disturbed her private thoughts.

"Miss Rubirosa!"

At first alarmed at hearing another voice, Connie recognized Joe Dekker' voice. Not wanting to wake Mike up, she turned and put her index finger to her lips to shush Dekker before she stood up and quietly walked to him.

"Joe, " whispered Connie, "you'll wake him! I'm sure he had been working here in the office half the night!"

If she expected understanding, she wasn't getting it from Dekker.

"Oh gee, gosh, " stated Dekker sarcastically, "isn't that too bad that we are making it difficult for him to sleep in our working office!"

God, thought Connie, she and Dekker had always mixed like oil and water.

"Is there something you need to say to me, Joe?" asked an insistent Connie in a low tone, "Can we discuss this out in the hallway, please?"

They both walked outside of the breakroom, prepared to do battle.

"I just wanted to ask you," questioned Dekker, "do you think we are running a daycare center here?"

"I told you already, Joe," Connie's tone was harsh, "he stayed late here to work on a case. He isn't the typical 9 to 5 worker!"

"Slackers usually aren't!" Dekker retorted.

A third voice had entered the conversation from behind them.

"What the hell is going on between you two?"

They both turned as their boss, DA Jerry Hardin, walked up to them.

Joe and Connie silently exchanged guilty glances.

"Is this a matter I need to be involved with?" Hardin asked in a demanding tone as he stood in the middle between them.

Joe Dekker guffawed.

"Actually, you better keep your voice down, Jer, "stated Joe, sarcastically, pointing to inside the breakroom, "Sleeping Beauty over there doesn't want to be disturbed."

Jerry looked beyond them into the room and noted Mike sleeping on the sofa. He then looked at Joe and then over to Connie glaring at Joe.

"In my office, you two," he demanded.

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The three of them had settled in Hardin's office.

"I don't like coming in first thing in the morning and hear bickering from two of my best prosecutors!" Hardin admonished them both, "I don't understand why you two are even interacting with one another, being that both of you are on separate cases!"

"Because," said Dekker, "I am all about being professional! Then I come in this morning only to find other people in this office dilly-dallying! Come on, Jer! You gotta let your people know what is acceptable and not acceptable in this office!"

"Listen, Joe," rebounded Hardin, "I know exactly what goes on here! For example, I know that very often when you two are together, both of you are at each other's throat!"

"Well, I wouldn't be," Dekker stated, "if Miss Rubirosa would understand that we don't condone lovesick squatters in the office here!"

Connie immediately felt her cheeks getting warm.

She had hoped Joe Dekker had not witnessed how she had been observing Mike asleep on the sofa. But it was obvious he had.

DA Hardin had turned to watch Connie's reaction. She knew he was bound to see the high coloring on her flushed face.

"I must insist," Hardin directed his words at Connie, "that we keep the highest standards in this office."

"I am in totally agreement," Connie responded, now able to look Hardin straight in the eyes.

"Hah!" Joe retorted

Connie turned to her former mentor, "Is this really even any of your business, Joe?"

"It is when it affects this office!" Joe exclaimed, "This office has one of the highest conviction percentages in the country…and do you know why, Connie? It's because we remain focused on a case! And from what I hear about your case, your client plans to drop the charges. How the hell have you two been advising her?"

Hardin leaned back, "Actually Connie. I've been hearing the same rumors myself…"

Dekker darted a look of satisfaction over at Connie.

"Jerry, " stated Connie, "I cannot comment on the case as of yet, being that I just entered the office myself…"

"…Perhaps," interrupted Dekker, "if you kept your mind on business, you would know what is happening on your own case!"

The implication from Dekker was pretty clear as Connie scowled at him.

When she turned and looked back on DA Hardin, she read disappointment in his eyes, something she had never seen coming from him.

He sighed worriedly, as if he did not want to say the next words.

"On your insistence, Connie, I allowed you to be put on Regan case, " Hardin lectured, "because I believed you when you said you would give your all to that case…"

Dekker looked pleased as he watched Connie fidgeting. He always felt that even though he was the star pupil in the office, Connie was the teacher's pet. It was nice to bring her down a notch.

Before she could even reply, however, the three turned at the sound of Mike's emphatic voice coming from the doorway.

"Jerry, how could you ever question Connie's work integrity?"

Connie couldn't help it. Her heart leaped at the sight of him leaning against the doorway. She had no idea how long he had been standing there, or how much he had heard. All she knew was that she was glad to see him.

As he approached, she saw he had managed to look office ready with last night's shirt tucked neatly in. The only clue that he had spent the night here was that his hair was slightly tousled.

Mike looked over at Connie, trying to quell the instant surge of pleasure at the sight of her first thing in the morning. He then faced the two men.

"…Connie has given her all to every case she has ever worked on…" Mike insisted, "Look at her work ethics, her recommendations, her records. Professionally, she is the best partner I have ever worked with!"

Connie loved how he put them on an equal level as he looked over to her and nodded.

Dekker gave them both a look of annoyance.

"If you must know, Cutter, "said Hardin, getting to the point, "We were discussing the rumor we heard regarding Miss Regan's plan to recant her testimony, thereby dismissing the charges."

Mike gave Connie a nod of confidence.

"Don't believe everything you hear, Jerry, especially if the talk comes from another lawyer," Mike had been looking at Dekker, "true, Miss Regan had considered the possibility, but I talked with her late last night and after I told her what I found out, she agreed to continue with the trial."

Dekker looked surprised, Connie looked pleased and Hardin looked relieved.

"So you were able to convince Miss Regan to stay with the case?" Hardin asked, with a satisfied smile, "You'll have to tell us your secret methods of persuasion."

"No secret," stated Mike modestly, "Paige, like everyone else, wants to see justice done."

He then gave one casual toss of his blue baseball that he had kept hidden in his hand until now, "Now if you'll excuse me," he said, backing away, "I have to go back to the hotel to clean up—Connie and I have a lot of work to do on our case, after all!"

He nodded to the two men and stated to Connie that he would also update her on everything before they went to court later that day. Then he turned and went out the door.

"Arrogant little b*stard!" mumbled Dekker under his breath when Mike had gone.

Afterwards, it seemed as if he took all the energy and enthusiasm with him. Connie had a full smile on display as she thought how much more interesting and happier her life was with him in LA.

She then stood.

"I better go, too." Connie sounded carefree as she gave an extra big smile to Joe before exiting, "Wish Mike and me luck with our case!"

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