A/N: So this took forever, and I apologize for that. There are a bunch of reasons why but mostly I didn't like the way the first draft of this chapter turned out so I rewrote it.
Cara sat patiently across the street from the site of her latest job. It was a mechanic's shop, Jim's Auto. Real fucking original. Cara hated these jobs, insurance scams, it was a crap shoot and most of the time there was nothing to be found. Usually people weren't stupid enough to try anything dumb like insurance fraud, mostly because they've watched too much True Crime TV and they've seen the outcome. There's CSI and then there's reality. The reality is insurance companies love to hire investigators to handle this sort of thing, to dig into the dirt and get their hands dirty. Cara was one of these. A run of the mill Private Investigator. She drives a decent car, and takes jobs from paranoid house wives and cut rate insurance companies. The house wives she could deal with, the insurance companies... well, there were several problems when they came knocking. The biggest problem with cut rate companies is that they are hounds for money. They sure as hell won't just roll over and take it up the ass if they have the slightest inkling that they might be getting played. That's why Cara was sitting outside in the hot sun drinking a weak iced tea that was mostly watered down at this point... well, that and her client had deposited a considerable payment up front. Monetary incentive was a pretty big player. Maybe there was one good thing about jobs like this one, if insurers thought they might lose big, they'll pay big.
Apparently Jimmy boy was being accused of scamming his insurance company for some stolen vehicles. Fairly standard claim, really. It happens from time to time, especially when your yard security was pretty lax. By the looks of it, Cara thought Jim's idea of security was pretty fucking lax. Chain link fence about seven, maybe eight feet high and 40 years old, brand new chain and a Masterlock though - probably to replace the one that was cut the night of the theft, two security cameras that she could see. It was believable; some punk chopper looking for an easy target picks an auto shop with no security and a few nice cars in the back. Cara had seen a few cases like it before, she knew what to call.
If JIm was worth his lugnuts, then he should have known better and it was as simple as that. The auto shop was located in a suburban area, a little more on the upscale side of things, close to a freeway and away from residential blocks. All the businesses around the area looked like they closed up around 6pm, restaurants at 11. No one would have been around to witness anything. Jim was lazy and didn't take any of that into consideration. Cara could lecture all day on the importance of tighter security. It was almost the same damn thing every time. Doors can be kicked in or pried open, and chains can be cut. A good, industrial pair of bolt cutters ran about a hundred and fifty bucks at a hardware store, not cheap but if you're going into the auto theft business it's nice to invest in good tools. The two cars that were stolen from the yard were on all the top ten most stolen lists, which meant they were five to twelve years old; probably have maybe 80,000 to 110,000 miles on them. Blue booked those cars might go for a couple thousand in decent shape, but selling a stolen car is one of the stupidest ideas one could come up with. Definitely they were stripped for their parts. Stripped, those cars were easily worth double, just about the same as what Cara was paid to sit around and stare through the big glass windows of Jim's Auto. People say crime doesn't pay, it does, it's just more work.
Taking a swig of the watery tea, Cara counted off her days. Today was day four, day four of nothing. Nothing but sitting, waiting, and eating. Cara had sampled all the delis and cafes in the immediate area, the one she was at now she liked the best, they had a killer strawberry and Nutella crepe and a great view of the auto shop. She could see right inside; Jim was at the front counter, rubbing the frustration out of his temples. He had a problem with stress, Cara had learned this just from looking at him for four days. She had gotten to know Jim pretty well. He's got a wife of twenty three years, a son in high school, two dogs, three employees: Rick, Jesse, and Eduardo "Eddy". The shop pulled in good money, under $800,000 a year, but enough to provide some benefits to the employees and set up a college fund for Jimmy junior. Jim senior liked to collect car emblems and hood ornaments, several of which were displayed in the shop; he also enjoyed enabling his wife's addiction to antique birdhouses. The latest he had purchased for her was something called a purple martin house – Cara had to Google what exactly a purple martin was – and Jim had left a very positive review for the EBay seller. Yes, a criminal fucking master mind Jim was. He oozed middle class suburbanite through his pores. There was nothing about him that set off a red flag, except that he should be institutionalized for his taste in lawn ornaments. Cara was just about convinced that this investigation was as good as wrapped up. Cara pressed the cool, wet glass of her tea to her cheek. The heat was damn near blistering making Cara run a hand through her blonde hair to cool her scalp desperately waiting for the sun to sink below the hills and allow things to cool down a little. Flipping her wrist up to her eyes, Cara took a quick glance at her watch. Almost five, thank god too because she was sick of sitting and melting, and having to fight off the annoying waitress who kept bugging her about ordering dinner. Although, she would probably get something to go seeing as the day wasn't quite over yet. At half past, Jim would leave the shop which meant Cara would get into her car and follow him to wherever it was he went after work. The bank was usually the first stop, one time they made a quick detour to pick up some carrots and a six pack at the grocery store, the most exciting night was fantasy baseball night. Jesus nothing was more boring than a bunch of middle aged men discussing RBIs and batting stats.
Five o'clock finally struck and Cara's attention turned elsewhere. Okay, yeah she had a job to do, and that job was to watch the shit out of boring Jim the auto mechanic but it never hurt to rest your eyes. Across the street was a small business building, generally unremarkable in all of its beige glory, except for the one office door that was painted in the most hideous sky blue with a garish, bright, smiling sun on it. The door was obnoxious, so much so that Cara scoffed every time she looked at it. Seriously, an elephant stampeding down the street on fire was more subtle. It was a pediatrician's office, and Cara - who had no desire to have children, ever, and generally was disgusted by the sticky fingered booger munchers - took great interest in watching the door open and close every time a kindergarten germ factory exited. She wasn't a pervert, God no, and the moms were mostly frumpy and looked like the type of house wives that left distressed messages on her office phone asking for her investigative services. No, no, it wasn't about the bratty kids or the weary mothers, it was all about her. She was the doctor. The tall, milky skinned, dark chocolate haired, brightly smiling doctor that walked every one of her tiny, runny nosed patients out the door and happily waved goodbye to them. And it wasn't just a normal goodbye wave, she bent down to child height and wiggled all of her fingers like some real life Disney Princess. It was obnoxiously cute, just like the dumb sun painted on her office door.
In reality Cara should all out be annoyed by someone so seemingly endearing and perfect. She wouldn't get along with a woman who loved children so much that we wanted to heal all their booboos and cover them in Hello Kitty Band-Aids. Cara shouldn't wonder if the cute doctor owned several pairs of pink panties, or wore an apron when she cooked breakfast, or how she liked her eggs, or what her laugh sounded like, or what shampoo she used. This was all just some fantasy she delved into because she was so damn bored with sitting around all damn day waiting for Jim the Auto guy to do something besides answer the damn phone. Yeah, this was all Jim's fault, the boring dick.
Cara gave a restless sigh and watched as the painted sun taunted her with its big dumb grin, waiting for the door to open one more time. And then it did. She held her breath, Cara wouldn't admit that she did, but she did. She let it out at the sight of toned legs in a charcoal pencil skirt, covered up by an unbuttoned, white doctor's coat. Cara loved that coat. She wouldn't openly admit to that either, but she did. There was just something about white that looked so good with that creamy skin and all that long dark hair. She looked on as some of the that dark hair was tossed over a shoulder as the mystery doctor pulled a set of keys out of her pocket and locked up her office. Even with the most mundane of actions, the blonde P.I. was transfixed. Cara inwardly groaned at her own thoughts. It was infuriating how much she found herself drawn in to this stranger she'd never spoken too or even seen up close. It was sick. But here she was, mindlessly watching the hot pediatrician lock up her office, glance across the street, and lock eyes with her. Eye contact. That was a step in the right direction. Cara's direction, and that's the way the doctor was walking. The Hotness in white made her way across the street, up the sidewalk towards the café. Cara knew she had game, she could pull in any sweet number from across a crowded bar with a wolf's smile and wink, but this? Pulling in someone from about thirty yards out while sweating in the heat? This was an all time record for anyone, ever. Cara plastered on her trademark smirk as the doctor got near. It was shameless, it really was, but as much as she hated to admit it, Cara had been going through a bit of a dry spell. Flashing an unknown pediatrician a good smile was like taking a shot in the dark, but it was still a shot. Gay or straight, Cara could work her magic and she thought it had worked again when the lady in white came through the little patio gate of the café and approached her table. Cara, the fool, actually looked around to see if there was anyone else sitting in the patio that the doctor may be walk to. She got her answer when the second chair at her bistro table was pulled out with a long scrape and the doctor dropped herself into it.
Nervous was something Cara hadn't been since her first day of high school, but when the way-too-sexy-to-be-a-real-doctor doctor sat down Cara's walls went up, probably because of the absurdity of the situation. It certainly had nothing to do with the fact that the doctor had stunning blue eyes that grabbed on and held Cara tight while seemingly giving her a look over, reading her like a book. Likes what she sees, Cara thought. Or maybe not. The brunette doctor was definitely looking her over but it wasn't a flirty 'hey I saw you from across the street and wanted to check you out' look. It was cold, and calculating, and it made the smirk on Cara face drop away instantly.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" The doctor let it out so nonchalant. It was unexpected and it had Cara's brain misfiring.
"Err, excuse me?" Cara could barely get out a better answer before the doctor was leaning in a little closer and dropped her voice to a near threatening level.
"You heard me, blondie, who the fuck do you think you are hanging around here? Are you some sort of pervert?" Okay, hot doctor was maybe a bit crazy. Her blue eyes intensified by her sudden onset anger, and she kept leaning in further, invading Cara's personal space and setting off all her warning signals.
So she'd been noticed, and here Cara thought she was good at blending in. Cara's mind began to assess everything that the brunette may have seen to draw her attention. Blonde sitting at a café, wearing faded, loose jeans, and a red tanktop, half empty glass of ice tea and a finished off crêpe. It's not like she sat around in a bright Hawiian shirt and Detroit Tigers cap every day. She was wearing an ankle holster maybe that was it. Cara snuck a look down her left leg. No, nothing noticeable there, she was usually pretty careful about that. Plus she made sure not to sit in the same spot every day. So what was it?
"Okay, listen," Cara put her hand up, more to stop the forward progress of the contentious pediatrician than to make a showing of submission. "I have no clue what you're talking about, which leads me to think you definitely have the wrong idea. Whatever you're thinking, I guarantee it's the wrong thing." Yeah, that didn't make the situation better. Cara watched as the brunette's brows crushed together in anger. This was probably someone who didn't handled being told no, or being told she was wrong very well. "Is that it? Because I'm pretty sure I've seen you hanging around this area for the last week, checking out my office. What, are you creeping on the little kids, or stalking one of the moms? Or are you out here checking out the neighborhood? The auto shop got broken into not that long ago. You know anything about that?"
Cara just scoffed. Who did this chick think she was? A cop? Who was in the investigator here? Cara's feelings of confused lust were quickly begin replaced by what she thought was more like how she should really feel. The doctor was presuming, and Cara had a short temper which was slowly burning its fuse.
"I wouldn't know a damn thing, unless you care to divulge something?" Cara was now aiming to push buttons. If the doctor was going to call her a pervert and accuse her of casing the neighborhood, then the game was on.
A range of pissed off looking expressions passed over the doctor's pretty face.
"You shouldn't scowl, Doctor, you're getting a little wrinkle above your lip." Cara pointed out what was more than likely a scar, but she couldn't help herself.
"You know what I'm going to call the cops. I should have called two days ago."
"Why? Because I tried to give you a beauty tip?"
The doctor reached into the pocket of her white coat and pulled out her iPhone, only to put it down on the table when the persistent waitress interrupted.
"Hey, Doctor Kahlan. Can I get you anything?" The smirk returned to Cara's face when Doctor Kahlan looked fractionally worried that the waitress used her name, like she was some sort of spy who had her cover blown, and it took her a second to respond.
"No, Sherri, I'm fine," Kahlan said, and Cara took it as an opportunity to dig at her.
"Are you sure, Kahlan," Cara made sure to emphasize her name, "it's my treat. It would be rude of me not offer."
Kahlan turned her pointed glance back to Cara, "No, I'm fine, and I think you've been rude enough," was said through a gritted smile.
Sherri the waitress watched the scene confusedly then asked Cara if she wanted anything more.
"No, if Doctor Kahlan doesn't want anything I'll just take the check." Waitress Sherri nodded okay and wandered back to where ever it was she usually hid to retrieve Cara's leaned back in her chair and blocked the sun from her eyes as she stared down Kahlan, making a simple assessment. Her body was in good shape – great if Cara was being honest – so she probably kept up with her exercise and a healthy diet, she as a doctor after all. Most likely yoga or some other rich person, yuppie bull crap fad, she could probably afford it. She was also taller than she looked across the street, maybe an inch or so taller than Cara was. She was hotter too, and that pissed off look she was giving up was practically smoldering.
"Stop it."
"Stop what?" Cara let her eyes drop down to the vast exposure of perfect skin peaking through the white doctor's coat.
"Stop looking at me like that. You're sick. It's like you're trying to rip my clothes off with your eyes." Cara got caught. "I don't know what your game is, but seriously, I'm going to call the fucking cops if you don't tell me what the hell it is you're doing around here."
Kahlan picked up her iPhone and swiped the unlock, Cara just rolled her eyes at her annoying persistence to make an attempted citizen's arrest. She flipped her wrist back up and checked her watch, it was ten after. Shit. Ten after. Cara looked over the Jim's Auto, he was usually pretty punctual and sure enough Jim was waving goodnight to Eddy who was lowering the shop doors, and heading over to his car.
"Fuck," Cara mumbled under her breath. "You know, whatever lady, call the cops. We'll see how far you get. Until then I'm out." Cara shoved her seat back and stood up to pull her wallet. She hadn't gotten the check, nor had she even gotten anything to take with her which meant she'd be sitting in her car hungry until about midnight. This was entirely the hot doctor's fault. Cara dropped a twenty on the table, it was way more than what she expected the bill plus tip would be but whatever, she didn't have time for her irritating waitress to figure out change. If she lost Jim and he finally decided to do something of interest she'd be screwed. She ignored the angered face of Kahlan, she had to forget about her too. A paying job came before chasing tail or teasing. Hoping over the low iron fence that separated the café patio from the sidewalk Cara hustled to the parking lot behind the building.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Kahlan jumped up from the table, nearly dropping her phone in her dash to chase after the mystery blonde. She was wearing the absolute wrong clothes to be jumping over even the lowest fence, so Kahlan was forced to go around back out the gate – which admittedly wasn't that much of a hassle, but when you were trying to keep someone from leaving every second counted.
Cara moved quickly. She expected to have to dodge a little traffic to catch up with Jim on his drive to whatever mundane place he was going to tonight, probably to pick up dinner. If only that Kahlan hadn't gotten into her business or her head. Damn that doctor was hot and god damn irritating. Cara slowed up her pace rounding the corner, half distracted by the image of a pair of nice legs in a pencil skirt. It happened in a burning instant, the small moment when Cara's mind wasn't in the present. The doctor had caught up to her and in an attempt to stop Cara from leaving reached out trying to grab a hold of her shirt collar but her aim was high. Cara felt strong fingers brush against the base of her neck and apply pressure. Cara's breath caught and she fired off like a loaded pistol. In a flash Cara had spun around and taken a hard hold of the doctor's wrist, rotating the absconded with arm upward and back into a pronating lock. Cara's muscles took over from memory, and her memory told her that this was effective and painful and would subdue her attacker. She heard Kahlan let out a surprised and painful yelp at the first twist, and a keening whine, and the doctor's blue eyes widened as she pushed her forward towards the car. With a dull thud the doctor hit chest down onto the sun heated metal of the hood, she tried to struggle but with little success.
"Jesus, you really should be careful of who you try to fuck with, lady, you never know when you'll find someone who doesn't like getting pushed around." The whole action hadn't just caught Kahlan off guard but Cara as well, admittedly. So she alleviated some of the pain as she eased off the doctor's arm bent behind her back, but she didn't let go. She was trained not to. It was so effortless for Cara, her muscles not losing their memory of the action they had performed near to daily.
"Now listen," Cara took her empty hand a reached into her back pocket for her wallet. "I'm not going to hurt you more than I already have, but I'm not going to let you go either because you need to know something." Popping her wallet open, Cara flipped to the small square of official paper she kept on her at all times that read Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, and held it for the doctor to see. "That is my private investigator's license. I am a private investigator, and you are interfering with my work."
The doctor had stopped struggling once the license was dangled in her face, Cara could tell she was taking it all in. Cara, too, was taking it all in. It hadn't escaped her attention that the sexy doctor was sprawled out under her and across the hood of her car. And she may or may not have caught the scent of lavender and Big Red chewing gum. An oddly hot combination. That didn't change anything though, she was still a pain in the ass so far.
"Now, Doctor, are you going to stop being such a nosy bitch and let me continue with my work? Because you're making me late, and if I missed something big, I'm going to have to come back here, and you and I? We're going to have some harsh words. Do you understand?" Cara felt the doctor huff.
"Yeah," Cara let go at the sound of sincerity in the doctor's voice, even if it was hesitant and bitchy. "But I still don't entirely trust you, Cara Mason." It was the doctor's turn to stretch out a given name, it made her feel like she had a little control, she did so while she rubbed the strain out of her arm from where Cara had it twisted back. "That's fine by me, you don't have to, you didn't hire me."
Cara was given a hard stare. Damn those eyes were blue.
"Who did hire you?" The doctor must not even be paying attention to her own words, because Cara thought that was the dumbest question she'd ever been asked… well, maybe like the third or fourth dumbest.
"Seriously? Not only are you interfering, but now you're trying to pry information out of me. Just this," Cara motioned between the two of their bodies, "is enough to now label you as a witness, and if I really did miss something in my investigation, I will name you as an interferer and as a possible accomplice. And I know that's not the case, but you've pissed me off and I'll do it just out of spite."
"And you called me a bitch." At that Cara rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, well, if you're lucky I'll be able to wrap this case up and I'll be out of your hair and your neighborhood for the rest of both our lives. Now, do you mind?" Cara motioned for the doctor to move away from her car, which the doctor complied with slowly, giving Cara the eye the whole time.
Cara plopped down in the driver's seat and turned over the engine when a tapping came from the passenger window. The damn crazy, hot doctor again. Cara hesitated before lowering the glass.
Cara just stared incredulously. "You just couldn't leave without the last word could you? Seriously, I will name you in my report, so this better be worth it."
The doctor got a tight pinched look on her face and she leaned into the window. "I just wanted to say that I'll be looking you up, Cara Mason, and if I don't find anything about you being a private investigator, or I find something I don't like, I will call the cops. Then I'll press assault charges, which I should do anyway." Cara's eye flicked down to the wrist of the doctor, the one she had a hold on just moments ago. She could see red finger marks pressed into that prefect white skin.
She had been rough, she knew it, but her rage had broken through. She had problems with that. Cara looked again at the marks that will darken and become bruises. She had hurt someone, again. That guilt feeling started to rise in her stomach, and her face was getting warm. She tried to swallow it down but it was too thick. Cara reached over a slapped at the A/C button and the air came out warm and stale. Her jaw clenched and she looked at the doctor again. Why was she still standing there? Did she want an apology? She wasn't going to get one, maybe, Cara didn't know. The doctor confronted her first, she had it coming. Why did she even care?
"I-," the words stuck in Cara's throat. Fucking guilt, and fucking pride. "I have to go."The brunette doctor looked startled and couldn't back away from the car fast enough as Cara rolled up the window and put the car in gear. Cara may have pulled the car out of the parking lot a little too quickly, chirping the tires as she took a quick left. She told herself that she had to catch up to Jim, because what if he finally did something note worthy, besides just running through Jack In the Box for some curly fries?
I don't think I'll make promises on when the next update will be. Thanks for being awesome and reviewing, I like reviews they make me feel special.
and thanks to my lady for editing.
