Chapter 9
Hope and Bobby side-by-side, neither speaking nor looking at the other, left with their own thoughts and emotions for now. Aware they both needed to cool off and calm down before discussing this anymore. As the cab turned onto the bridge for heading for Brooklyn she quietly asked, "Why are we … what's in Red Hook?"
Bobby glanced at her, "Friends and home court advantage, if needed." Bobby nodded at the cab driver, indicating that now was not the time to get any kind of discussion. She stared at him for a moment before silently turning to stare out the window. Bobby shook his head and suppressed a frustrated sigh. He 'got' that she was mad at him, that she was frightened, that the situation wasn't fair. He 'got' that, because that was exactly what was going through his head too.
After riding the elevator down to the first floor at Hudson Publishing, Bobby had Hope show him the way to the loading dock. Not knowing exactly how much lead time he had, he felt it was a precaution that was called for. He didn't want to run into anyone coming into the building. There were likely to be fewer people on the loading dock and emergency exits were alarmed. There were already enough people up on the fifteenth floor to answer questions, if asked. As luck would have it, there was only one bored young man eating his lunch while disinterestedly turning the pages of one of the books that was soon to be shipped out.
Walking quickly up the alley to the street, Bobby quickly flagged down a cab and hustled Hope into the back seat. After brusquely giving the driver an address in Red Hook, he leaned back and expelled a frustrated sigh. He didn't like being without his car, but he felt they were better off without it. If an APB went out, he didn't want to be caught up in a traffic stop. He'd left the car in front of the publishing company. It was a message and those it was meant for would not misinterpret its meaning. Hope was gone but not alone.
Bobby paid the cab fare as Hope opened the door and looked around the parking lot of the auto repair shop. She saw souped up muscle cars from the 60's and 70's, chromed bumpers sparkling in the sun sitting next to dented mini-vans with car seats and school bumpers stickers emblazoned on their bumpers.
She turned questioningly towards Bobby. He pointed to the left of the building, saying, "The office is over there, why don't you can wait there. I need to find a friend of mine."
Without a word, Hope started to walk to the office, leaving Bobby to follow or not. Frankly, she wasn't sure which she hoped he would do. But she heard his footsteps behind her, and she slowed her pace a fraction to allow him to catch up.
He opened the door, allowing her to enter first. When she did she was greeted with a smile and head nod of a woman on the phone, who silently mouthed, "Be right with you…"
As the woman did, she caught sight of the man behind Hope and broke out into a genuine smile of happiness. Breaking into the one-sided conversation going on over the phone, she blurted, "Look Jack, get the parts over here today, or we'll find someone else." She hung up the phone and was around the counter before Bobby had closed the door.
"Bobby! Ohmigod, it's been so long." She pulled the big man down to give him a kiss and then wrapped him up in a strong hug, one belied by her tiny frame. "You're looking good." She looked over and said a friendly, "Hello" to Hope. Hope stepped back and watched the interaction between the two.
Freeing himself from the woman's grasp, he grinned down at her, "Hey, Gina." Glancing around, he casually asked, "Lewis around?"
Still appraising Hope, Gina turned back to look up at Bobby. "He's out in the garage somewhere… what brings you out here on a workday?"
"I… I'm just going to go find Lewis. I'll be right back." Stopping, he asked Hope, "You want to come with me or wait here? I won't be long."
"She'll wait here." Gina answered, she made a shooing motion with her hands. "You bring Lewis back here when you find him."
Hope shrugged and nodded, indicating she was fine waiting here.
As Bobby pushed through the door to the garage floor, he overheard Gina ask, "You want some coffee, honey?"
Bobby let his eyes grow accustomed to the lighting before quickly glancing around the garage, searching for Lewis. He nodded to several of the guys he recognized from the days when he was a more frequent visitor to the garage. One of the men spoke up. "Hey, Bobby. You looking for Lewis?"
"Yeah, Tony. You seen him around?"
"Um, not recently. But he was working on the 'vette in the back." Tony wiped his hands before offering his hand to Bobby.
Bobby grasped the outstretched hand shook it and warmly clapped the man on the shoulder. Bobby turned and saw the red 'vette and a pair of boots sticking out from the undercarriage.
Also noticing the boots sticking out from under the car, he added, "Looks like the boss is still hard at work on it."
"Looks like. I'm going to go see him, but I'll see you around. Thanks."
"Sure 'nuff. Hey, don't be such a stranger around here. Cop or not, we can still use your money in the poker game." Bobby nodded and chuckled before heading off towards the 'vette. Tony turned back to the engine he'd been working on and leaned back over it, muttering, "Okay, baby… whaddaya say, we get you purring again?"
Bobby kicked one of the boots sticking out from underneath the corvette. "Hey, Lewis…"
"Yeah, hold on a sec." The voice from under the car called up. Shortly the man came sliding out and when he realized who was standing beside the car, a big smile lit up his face. "Bobby! Man it's good to see you." He held out his hand and allowed Goren to help pull him up. Once to his feet he kept coming reaching around to wrap his friend in a back clapping embrace.
Stepping back, grinning ear to ear, he asked, "So… what can I do you for?" Glancing around he asked, "Is your partner with you? It's been a long time since I've seen Detective Alex."
"No man, Eames isn't here…" Bobby began.
"Probably a good thing. Gina's working the front office. She'd kill me if she saw the sparks flying between the two of us." Lewis grinned.
"Yeah, she sure would." Bobby said dismissively. "Look, let me get right to it. I need a little help. Do you have a car I can borrow?"
Twenty minutes later, Bobby and the girl left. Lewis had 'loaned' Bobby his Camaro, promising to cruise by Hudson Publishing and pick up Bobby's own car if it was still there and bring it back to the garage and hold it for him.
As Gina and Lewis watched the two drive off in the black Camaro, Gina stepped up to Lewis and wrapped her arms around him pulling his close and asked the question she couldn't ask before, "Is Bobby in trouble?"
Lewis held her tightly and shook his head, "Naw, he's fine. It's the girl. Someone's after her, she must be a witness of something."
Gina leaned back to fix him with a pitying look, "Babe, Bobby's a cop. All he has to do is take her downtown to keep her safe. No, she may be in trouble, but this is personal, not professional."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because Bobby's too much of a professional to sleep with a witness."
"What!?"
"You heard me. Didn't you feel the tension in the office. Look, I don't care what anyone has to say, but that kind of tension in a room, doesn't happen between a cop and a witness. That kind only happens when you've had a major fight or something with someone you're sleeping with. Or going to sleep with soon." Gina comfortingly patted Lewis on the back before leaving him to stand there, mouth agape. "It's a good thing Bobby's the cop, because you're not very observant."
Shaking his head in disbelief, but knowing better than to dispute her, he shouted, "Hey Gina, drive me over to check out Bobby's car and I'll buy you lunch."
"Deal. Give me five minutes to get Mike to keep an eye on the office." Gina called back over her shoulder as she added a extra little sway to her hips as she strutted off, causing Lewis to break out in a big goofy grin.
............. Next chapter ..........................Soon.
