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 24. DowntimeThe next morning they started with a thorough round in the gym, and then they had breakfast. Annie had called Murillo the night before and said that she´d work with just the photos for the next week, at least. She didn´t explain anything, and couldn't help but wonder if Hector had told Murillo anything about his work when they were in a relationship.
Annie worked in Tank´s apartment until she wanted some company and ventured out to the break room. Obviously more people wanted company or at least coffee, cause she met Cal and Bobby, who introduced her to two men in their late fifties/early sixties – Frank Plum and Joe Juniak.
"I can see why Joe Morelli mistook you for Stephanie from behind," said Frank. "Not only the curls but also the hair color looks the same."
"I agree," said Juniak. "From behind I´d definitely believe you´re Stephanie."
They chatted for awhile about her work. Ex-mayor Juniak had met Ms. Anderson on several fundraisers, mostly concerning cultural purposes. Tank came to the break room for a quick cup of coffee. He wore a suit, and Annie complimented him.
"I don't know if Mrs. Gonzales would prefer this or the shorts only view," she teased.
"Well, as long as you know which one you prefer, it's OK." Tank gave her a quick kiss and returned to another of the client meetings.
Annie returned to Tank´s apartment to work some more, and didn´t notice the time until Tank rang and asked if she had already eaten lunch, or if she wanted to eat with him. When she looked at the time she saw it was already two o´clock.
"No, I haven't eaten yet. Shall we meet in the break room?"
"Why don't you come to my office. I'm through with the client meetings, thankfully."
"Be right over."
In his office Tank had a small sofa with a table. There were fruit, sandwiches and water bottles, as well as thermos of coffee.
"Looks perfect," Annie smiled and gave him a kiss.
They ate while talking about the client meetings and Annie´s work with the fragments.
"I had planned to take you out to celebrate tonight, but since we don't know how desperate Ford is I don't feel comfortable with exposing us outside of Haywood," Tank said.
"I´m not all that keen on going out with that threat over us either. I´ll give you a rain check."
When she had left Tank called a florist and had them send over a dozen red roses. Ella had asked if they wanted dinner, and Tank had explained about the postponed celebration. Ella promised to help with an intimate dinner. Since Annie was working in the apartment she said she'd use the smallest conference room.
At six o'clock Tank, still in his suit, knocked on the apartment door. Annie opened, and he could see that she had changed into a short copper colored dress, and put on makeup. Her hair was in an elegant updo, with a single curl artfully escaping down her long neck. He gave her the roses, which Ella had put in a vase.
"They´re beautiful. Thank you."
"You're beautiful." He gave her a toe-curling kiss, and then held out his arm.
"Our dinner´s awaiting."
Annie laughed and gave a small curtsy before taking his arm. He escorted her to the conference room, which Ella had managed to transform to a beautiful dining room with flowers and lit candles.
They had a delicious dinner complete with English beer, and a chocolate dessert that made Annie close her eyes and lick the spoon. Tank groaned at her display, and Annie opened her eyes and blushed.
"Sorry. Didn´t mean to tease."
"No problem, but now I need a taste." Annie held out the spoon with dessert on, but Tank gave her a steamy kiss instead. He turned up the slow music playing in the background, and they danced for about two songs before they decided to relocate to the apartment.
x x x
The next day was a Saturday. They skipped the gym for the morning, and Tank made them pancakes. Annie was wearing one of his t-shirts, long enough to be considered a dress, but the neckline kept slipping down, teasing him with glimpses of a shapely shoulder. He kissed it when she passed with two cups of fresh coffee.
"I believe you missed," she said, and kissed him on the mouth.
They had a leisurely breakfast, reading the paper and drinking more coffee. They did the paper´s crossword together, and Tank managed to find an old Scrabbles board, and had to acknowledge a thorough defeat.
"How about we ask Brown over to play Scrabbles?" Tank asked.
Annie gave him an appraising gaze.
"Is he any good?"
"He always beats me, but after seeing you in action I´m convinced he won't stand a chance."
Annie did thoroughly trounce Tank and Bobby. Bobby comforted himself that a Ph.D. in linguistics ought to be good at Scrabbles.
They ate a light lunch together with Bobby, complemented with Ella´s chocolate dessert from the dinner.
"That was really good," said Bobby. "And I´m thankful you're not as vocal as Steph in your appreciation of chocolate."
"Steph usually moans," Tank explained. "Honestly, she sounds like the soundtrack to something x-rated."
"Yeah, and it can be a bit embarrassing," Bobby said. "Especially since Ranger is a bit possessive. Like Tank."
"I have to say that this far I'm definitely the more possessive of the two of us," Annie calmly replied.
Tank laughed. Bobby just looked at them, and shook his head.
They were still sitting in the break room when Frank Plum came in. He said hello, and got a cup of coffee and sat down. He looked a bit off.
"How are you, Frank?" Bobby asked.
"I've talked to Valerie. Since it's a Saturday her husband could look after the children for a couple of hours, so we met at their house."
"Oh, did you tell her about…" Bobby fell silent.
"If you want to talk about it I´ll just leave now," Annie said.
"Please don´t," Frank said. "Since you've talked to Helen you already know everything, and maybe I just need to talk about it to someone not involved, at least not in that part of it."
"So, what did she say?" Tank asked.
"At first she didn´t want to believe it, but that was easy to prove with the different blood groups. And then she started ranting a bit about Helen, and then she got jealous of Stephanie being my biological daughter… All in all quite emotional. I asked her not to talk to Helen about it until after I´ve talked to her.
"And then I went to Helen…" He sighed. "It went as well as I expected. She maintained that Valerie was mine, and also claimed that she hadn´t been unfaithful. When I confronted her with the blood analysis plus said that I´d talked to Joe Juniak she went on the offensive, and said that she wouldn't have been unfaithful if I'd been enough of a…" He fell silent with an embarrassed look at Annie.
"I was on my way to the gym," Annie said and got up from the table. "For what it´s worth, when I met Helen Plum she didn't seem to be capable of acknowledging that she had done anything wrong ever, including what she´d done to you and your daughters."
Annie left, and Bobby and Tank tried to convince Frank Plum that his soon to be ex-wife was a real bitch. Finally Tank made him listen to the audio from the park, and when he got to the part about not giving Valerie a blood transfusion after her accident Frank became livid.
"I talked to the law firm yesterday. They will give her the divorce papers on Monday, and if she tries to contest them I won't give her the house either. And any judge hearing how she behaved when her own daughter´s life was in danger…"
Tank took a look at him.
"Why don't we join Annie in the gym. There´s a lot of possibilities to work out some frustration."
"I believe I´ll take you up on that."
x x x
After the gym Tank went down to talk to Morelli.
"Hello, Morelli. I believe you've had quite the drama to listen to. How did you like Juniak´s press conference?"
Joe didn´t answer.
"I believe he left you and the commissioner in front of an oncoming bus. What's your opinion?"
"-"
"Well, I´d say it was nice talking to you, but I don't want to lie…"
Just before he was leaving the cell Tank turned around.
"Have I said thank you? I mean, after all, your stalking got me my own curly haired brunette…."
When he closed the door behind him he heard Morelli´s enraged bellow.
Tank returned to the apartment, and found Annie working at her laptop. She shifted around, and unconsciously massaged her neck.
"Tired muscles?"
"Mmm. I don't believe this was a good position to work in, but I was on a roll, and now my neck and shoulders feel quite uncomfortable."
"Move over to the bed and I´ll give you a massage."
"Really? That sounds absolutely perfect."
He picked up some lotion in the bathroom, and proceeded to give her a thorough massage.
"It´s like that old Mellencamp song, 'Hurts so good'," Annie said. "A bit of a backrub on top and you'll have me asleep in five minutes."
"If that´s what you want. Or I could massage your front, too."
"Decisions, decisions…" Annie turned around and kissed him.
x x x
Sunday came, and with it another lazy morning. They had brunch, and then Annie´s telephone rang. It was Bart. He assured her everything was OK with the apartment, and then explained he was a bit down since he had broken up with Marvin. They talked for awhile, but both thought that this conversation called for lots of chocolate and preferably eye to eye. Annie quickly explained that they had some security issues, and that she couldn't leave the building. Tank had overheard some of their conversation, and told her to ask Bart to come over. Bart approved, and they decided that he´d come over as soon as he had bought some chocolate.
Annie asked Ella for some ingredients and made what she called a Swedish specialty, kladdkaka. Half-baked brownies was the closest comparison, but not quite the same thing, she told Tank. She managed to get hold of Bart and told him to bring some unsweetened double cream from the store as well.
Bart arrived after half an hour, laden down with different types of chocolate. Tank had fetched him in the reception, but left them alone in the apartment.
Annie sent him on his way with a kiss and a promise to save some cake. Tank decided to go to the gym, where he met some of the off duty men.
"Honeymoon-phase already over?" Cal teased.
"No, but since she's more or less locked up here at Haywood she asked her gay neighbor over for an eye to eye with a chocolate binge."
"I hope you have some surveillance. It would be hilarious to hear what they say about you."
"Probably," Tank acknowledged. "But since I wouldn´t appreciate someone listening in when I have a private conversation…"
"Got it."
They got in the ring to spar with each other, and afterwards Tank ran for 45 minutes on the treadmill.
On his way out to the locker room Tank met Frank Plum and Joe Juniak on their way in. They both looked hungover.
"Is it too bad for the universal cure of salt and grease?" he asked them.
"Probably," Juniak said.
Tank took a look around the gym, and raised his voice.
"Anyone for pizza tonight?"
"Are you buying?" Cal quickly asked.
"Why not, there's been a lot of extra work lately. But in exchange you and someone else can pick them up from Shorty´s. Just give me a rough estimation of how many we'll be."
x x x
Tank arrived at the apartment, and felt a bit silly when he knocked on his own door.
"Come in," said Annie.
She and Bart sat in the sofa, with two polished plates on the table. A pile of discarded wrappers showcased a massive chocolate overdose.
"Oh," said Bart. "I believe it's time for me to go to the gym.
"I hope there´s a good view," said Annie. "I must say that the gym here has the best view ever."
"Oh, I believe you," said Bart.
Tank and Annie followed him down to the foyer, where they said their farewells, and after an affectionate hug from Annie Bart drove away.
She gave Tank a kiss.
"Thank you."
"You´re welcome. Can you now please explain what I´ve done that deserved a thank you."
"Allowing Bart in here. And letting me have some alone-time just to chat and gossip with him. He was upset about Marvin, even though I´ve thought they were on the verge of a breakup for a long time."
They returned to the fifth floor and did a rough estimate on how many pizzas they should order. Tank phoned in the order, and Cal and Woody picked them up. The biggest conference room was set up for the impromptu feast, and some beers found their way there from different apartments.
"I believe you´ve made me a choosy beer drinker. I used to be fine just if it was wet," Tank said.
"Are you complaining?"
"Not really. It´s still cheaper than wine, especially better wine."
They were sitting on the corner of the table talking quietly.
"Annie," said Bobby.
"Yeah?"
"You don't have any single sisters or friends? Looking at you two makes even me consider having a real relationship."
"My newly single friend just left, but I don't think you swing that way, even though Bart´s a very good man and friend. And I´m an only child, so no siblings. I do have a really nice single cousin, but she lives in London.
"I think you should learn from Tank and Hal."
Hal looked up, blushing.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you asked Nicole out when you met up at the TPD. You had already established you had some mutual interests. And Tank asked me out on a date the first time we met."
Bobby sighed a little.
"I did give you my phone number the first time we met, Annie. What more could a man do?"
"Maybe buy a cup of coffee? Without bringing your friend…"
They bantered a bit back and forth, and Tank just sat there enjoying the way Annie fit into his life and with his friends. He could understand that Bobby saw something he was missing in his own life. And Bobby was the more mature of their former quartet. Lester felt like the eternal bachelor, but then again Tank hadn't thought Ranger would ever marry again. Really, Bobby felt like the one most likely to settle down of the four of them.
"But really, Annie, I don't want to just meet a woman, I want to meet the right one."
"Then you should think of what´s the more important parts of your life. If you're really into scuba diving, join a club, if medical care is top priority and interest take some classes, or maybe volunteer at the veterans´ hospital, if you like dancing take some classes. The odds of meeting someone with similar interests are a lot better than just hoping to meet the right one when you're in a club. But if you take up ballroom dancing, please bring Cal with you."
"Cal?!"
"Yeah, can you imagine the looks when they see his tattoo?"