Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the plot and Annie. Even the title is borrowed from Van Morrison.
Italics - Spanish
Some bad words, some violence, and fade into black sex-scenes, nothing too graphic.
Chapter 14. Back in the parking lotThe next morning they stayed in bed celebrating that they had come clear with each other, then had a shower with more celebrating and finally got downstairs and ate a large breakfast. Tank saw that Gazarra had sent him a text, which said that Morelli would be in front of a judge on Monday at the latest.
"I need to wash some clothes," Annie said.
"I'll show you the laundry room."
They spent the time until lunch washing and cleaning, and had lunch sitting in the sun outside. Applejack cautiously took a small tour of the garden, but Cinnamon and Ginger stayed inside. Applejack returned inside quickly, and Annie and Tank took a tour in the small garden. It had a high fence and no trees near the fence. Tank explained the layout was the best for security.
One of the neighbors was outside and waved a hello, which they returned. Tank sighed.
"It´s not only the `Burg that has busybodies. I´m sure Mrs. Gonzales will have all the neighbors aware of the fact that I have a beautiful woman at my place."
"As long as that means she'll stop flirting with you I'm alright with that."
"Flirting?"
"Definitely flirting with you."
"She must be at least fifty."
"So what. You're an attractive man. I bet she´s usually outside whenever you're in the garden."
"Yes, but I thought that was because she´s always in the garden."
"Not well kept enough for that. The garden I mean."
"Stop teasing me."
"I will. But you´d make her day mowing the lawn in just your shorts."
Tank hesitated for half a second before he gave Annie a steaming kiss, and followed it up by hoisting her up his body and carrying her inside with a big hand under her bum, the other in her hair.
"What was that? Not that I'm complaining."
"Me telling Mrs. Gonzales I'm not on the market. Now hush."
"Good thing we changed the sheets."
"I said hush."
x x x
That night they went out to a restaurant with good vegetarian food.
"Since I've already shown my possessive streak with Mrs. Gonzalez, is there any chance we'll run into Lula?"
"As long as we eat in this type of restaurant I´d say this risk is minimal. She´s more Kentucky Fried Chicken or a steakhouse. Wanna go the movies?"
"Why not. And I'm still against war movies."
"And I'm still against chick flicks."
"Here's to finding a compromise movie."
At the cinema they could agree on a movie rather fast. Since they had just eaten Annie just bought two bottles of water. On their way into the auditorium they ran into Hal, who had a date with a tall blonde. They stayed and said hello, and Hal introduced the blonde as Nicole, a lab assistant. They exchanged a few polite words, and then went to different auditoriums. Annie looked over her shoulder and gave Tank a mischievous grin.
"They went to the chick flick."
"Well she looked tall enough to kiss him without a crick in the neck. Maybe Hal appreciates that so much he´s willing to see a chick flick."
"I see. I´ll let you see the movie undisturbed by any kisses that could give you neck problems then."
"It´s Hal who has had problems with his neck. Mine is fine."
Annie laughed and they sat down.
"If they get kids they'll be a shoo-in for the basketball team."
"Not if they inherit Hal´s ball control."
Annie laughed softly, and they watched the movie. With some kisses in between.
Obviously the chick flick was the same length as the movie they had seen. They ran into Hal and Nicole again in the foyer.
"How was your movie?"
"I liked it, but I don't think they had been outside the US making it, even though it should be scenes from Europe."
"You're from Europe?"
"Yes, and it sounds like you are as well."
"I'm half British, half Swedish."
"I´m from Germany."
Annie switched to rapid fire German, and Nicole answered. Tank and Hal patiently waited, not really eager to start a conversation between them.
"Sorry, it was just nice to talk German for a while."
"Yes, sorry. You really have an excellent German. It was nice talking to you."
"Nice talking to you too, Nicole. Bye Hal."
"Bye Annie, Tank."
"So, will he get lucky tonight?"
"You are crude man, Tank. And no, I don't think he'll get lucky. It was their first date. But here's the catch – she works as a lab assistant for TPD."
"That's dedication."
"I don't think he´d be that dedicated if she wasn't that good looking."
"I suppose you're right."
Annie yawned a little.
"Back home?"
"Yes, please. Someone in my vicinity´s keeping me up odd hours. Or maybe I´m keeping him up. I´m a bit tired anyway."
Tank laughed and put his arm over her shoulders and led her to the car. Back home they snuggled together and fell asleep. They woke when Annie´s phone started buzzing.
"Yeah."
"Oh."
"I see:"
"Thanks for calling, I´ll just have a quick word with Tank, please wait."
Annie turned to Tank.
"It´s Bart, my neighbor. He just came back, and he saw an unknown car in the parking lot. He recognized the person inside it as the man in the foyer the other day. I´d say the odds that it´s Morelli is pretty good."
"Please ask him just to observe from his apartment, not engage him. I don't know if he's armed. If he could continue to do that for maximum half an hour."
Annie repeated what Tank had said to Bart.
"And thank you, Bart."
Tank quickly dressed in an all-black Rangeman outfit. He called someone on the phone.
"Cal. Tank here. Morelli´s sitting in the parking lot outside Annie´s apartment. She´s not there, but I'm through with giving the TPD the chance to arrest him. They haven't so far, and he has a restraining order of being in the vicinity of her or her apartment. I'll pick you up outside Rangeman in seven minutes."
"I'll be there. And Hector as well if he's home. Otherwise he'll be pissed off at us for weeks."
Tank turned around and kissed Annie.
"I'll put on the alarm again when I'm out. Will you be OK here?"
"Yes. Go get the bastard, but don't kill him."
"Oh, I won't kill him. I'll just give him alternative accommodations for a while. "
It only took Tank, Cal and Hector half an hour until they had Morelli´s car back at his place and Morelli himself in a cell at Haywood.
"Check if Brown or Hal could take a DNA-sample. And other than that it's normal procedure for a drunk. A bucket, a bottle of water, no shoe strings, belt and so on."
"And we´ll have the surveillance camera as well, boss. Go back to Annie."
"OK, thanks."
Tank drove back to his house. He could see the light was on in the kitchen.
"Annie?"
"Tank. Everything go alright?"
"Yeah, he´s in a holding cell at Haywood. Officially we're not keeping him locked up, we just found him drunk in the street, and thought it would be better to have him under supervision so he didn´t die from asphyxiation.
"Oh, and can you call Bart? I didn´t have his number."
"He's already called me. He was impressed by how discreet you were. Even watching the parking lot he hardly saw anything. You want a cup of tea?"
"Only if I could have it with about half milk. Otherwise I won't be able to fall asleep."
"I told you it was British strength, and that´s usually with milk."
She gave him a mug with the tea doctored with milk, and Tank drank it slowly, feeling the tension drain out of him.
He looked at Annie.
"Would it be possible to have you a bit closer? I feel a bit tense still."
Annie immediately shifted onto his lap.
"Thanks for taking care of him."
"You don't need to thank me. I´m just hoping we can get him to open his mouth."
"Do you think he would talk to me?"
"I´m not sure. And there's no way that Ranger would allow Steph anywhere near him.
"Skype?"
"Maybe, that's an idea at least. Oh, and I´m not that keen on you anywhere near him, either."
"Me neither, but if we could get some answers…"
"We'll sleep on it."
Tank got up still with Annie in his arms.