Part 4 of 5

3 days later

The clock tower peals out 6 bells and a car horn beeps down in the parking lot. The team startles as their boss leaps to his feet, catches up a bulky object wrapped in a blanket from behind his desk, and hustles out the door with a clipped, "Good evening." His officers rush the door to watch him clatter down the steps and practically leap into a car waiting for him.

Dwayne scratches his head, "I wonder where he's goin' in such a hurry?"

Fidel shrugs, "Dunno, but he looked happy, didn't he? I'm glad he's getting involved with the community. He spends too much time on his own. It isn't good for him."

Camille quietly murmurs, "Did either of you see the driver?" Both men shake their head and so a mystery pops into being, the mystery of the happy disappearing Detective Inspector.

Next day

Richard tells them all about his pleasant evening. He's going to join the club. They are just the sort of people he likes to mix with, so many quirky personalities and entertaining manners. He's sure to be happily engaged and intellectually stimulated. He also mentions Georgie Westcott a few times too often. He finishes off his little report with, "The next outing promises a meteor shower and the passage of four moons across Jupiter. You gotta love that red spot."

No one gets the reference, least of all Camille who is seething with impotent jealousy. She watches him amble happily over to his desk and seethes harder. She knows nothing about the heavens but she knows a thing or three about devious English roses and clueless English men! Especially English men with big telescopes! Big telescopes and too much time on their hands!

She begins twisting papers into fantastic shapes on top of her desk, hot eyes fixed on her suit. Or what she'd thought was her suit, hers alone, with no worries. Now, she has a worry! A big blonde blue-eyed curvy worry!

Dwayne sees her distress, mis-reads it, and sidles up to whisper, "Relax, Sarge, this Westcott's a civilian an' this club won' hold 'is attention fer long. He's jest bored. Soon as he gets it outta his system, he'll be back on track with us again."

Camille winces, "Gets it out of his system? Oh, no, anything but that…"

Dwayne doesn't understand her worry... he brightens as if having a happy thought, "Unless there's a murder, a' course. That'll bring 'im back inna snap!"

Camille lowers her head into her hands, upset that she's suddenly hoping for bloody mayhem. Then her thoughts turn to Georgie Westcott and she's suddenly thinking of performing bloody mayhem herself... and that's a completely different basket of crab! She also vows to visit the library – and soon!

One month later

Richard has just mentioned that the upcoming club meeting is the annual Dinner Dance. Camille immediately offers to be his 'plus one' since she's the only woman he knows. He rolls an amused eye, "Nonsense, I've met lots of women. Several members have fine sensible daughters and nieces with scientific minds. Besides, Miss Westcott is partnering me."

Pleased silence from the men. Stunned silence from Camille. Dwayne sees the look on Camille's face. His intuition flashes over the past weeks of odd discussions, the half-hidden stack of astronomy library books he'd found in the locker area, the awkward moments, the fraught looks from brown eye to green, and realizes a most startling thing. He doesn't have time to think about it though as Camille looks like she's going to explode. He saves her the agony of outing herself by asking, "An' who asked who? Wuz it yer idea?"

"Mmm? Oh, ah, I believe Miss Westcott offered and it made good sense. She's splendid company, so cultured, so mannerly…"

"So English," growls Camille, compelling Dwayne to place a warning hand on her arm.

"Well," Dwayne smiles fake, "jest don' get lost among the stars, Chief."

Richard looks insulted, "Really, Dwayne, I am NEVER lost. Whatever made you say that?"

Dwayne shrugs, feeling the tension building in Camille's arm, "Dunno, but I got a feelin' mebee yer in over yer head a bit with all these wimen. Any of 'em pretty?"

Now his boss shuffles his feet, "Oh, um, I don't notice things like that. This isn't a dating club, it's a place for serious discussion and quiet enjoyment of scholarly pursuits."

As they watch him walk out the station door, Camille groans, "Oh, Dwayne, he doesn't see his danger! He's the most eligible bachelor on the island and I'm afraid the only suit being pursued is HIS!" She turns agonized eyes away from the empty doorway, "What can I do? What if that Westcott trollop turns his head? I've tried to read the books but I can't take it in. She's just so English... AND a rose! What if he makes a bad mistake? What if he decides…"

Dwayne pats her arm, "Relax, Sarge, the Chief don' make mistakes. If anythin' he's too cautious. An' so what if yer not a star-gazer? I'm sure he notices all the OTHER things you are." At her alarmed look, he makes soothing motions, "I'm not blind, yah know, I seen how you look at 'im lately. An' he's not blind either so..."

She slumps, "I don't know, Dwayne, I just don't know. He never says anything. It all feels so hopeless."

Dwayne pats her hand, "Cheer up, girl, perhaps things aren't as bad as you think."

END - part 4