CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Jake rang the doorbell and waited patiently. When no one came, she stepped back, trying to look through the window for movement. She rang the bell again, this time pounding her fist on the door.

" Police. Anybody home? " Jake waited again, then shook her head. " Fuck." She rang the doorbell one more time. Finally, she saw movement through the windows.

" Hold your horses out there."

Jake let a smile touch her face, then she pushed it away. She pulled her badge off her belt and held it in her palm, waiting.

" Who is it? "

" Police."

The door opened and suspicious eyes looked out at her. " Police who? "

Jake held up her badge. " Detective McCoy. Special Victims."

A rather thin man with steel gray hair stuck his head around the door, inspecting her before opening the door fully. He tightened the belt of his robe and tried to straighten his thinning hair. " What can I do for you, ma'am? "

" I just have a few questions."

" For me? "

Jake nodded. " May I come in? "

" Well, the missus is still in bed, " he said, glancing over his shoulder.

Jake casually looked at her watch, then raised her eyebrows.

The man smiled sheepishly. " We're night owls."

" I see. Then I won't take much of your time, Mr. Reynolds." Jake pulled open her notepad and glanced at the questions she'd jotted down. " How long have you lived here? "

" Well, let's see. We bought the house when I was still working. In fact, it was the year before the missus retired. So, that'd be..."

Jake waited patiently as he counted back the years, watching as he frowned, struggling over the number of years. Jake finally cleared her throat. " Ten years? "

" Oh, more than that. I was going to say fifteen, but it's maybe only fourteen."

" That's fine. What about Dr. Westbrook? Do you know approximately how long she's lived here? "

" Nicole? Oh, she moved in five or six years after us, I suppose. It's hard to keep track, it's been so long ago."

" I'm interested in a night about six years ago, " Jake said. " Police were called to a disturbance at her house. Do you recall the night? "

His eyes widened. " Oh, yes. The stalker. I'm surprised that young lady didn't move after it was all said and done."

" Can you tell me what happened? "

" Oh, I talked to her out in the yard one evening, and she seemed very upset. She told me a man had been coming by her work, had been calling, threatening. I told her to call the police. She said she had. Then, just a night or two later, the cops showed up, two cars, and they went running into Nicole's yard. We heard shots and looked, and there he lay, right by a police car."

" The stalker? "

" Yeah. And the way they left, I thought it was kinda strange, but it wasn't any of my business."

" What do you mean? "

" Two of the cops, they just picked this guy up by his arms and legs, and put him in the backseat of one of the cars and drove off. Like they were in too big of a hurry to wait for an ambulance. I guess they took him on to the hospital themselves."

Jake frowned, quickly scribbling down notes. " And the other unit? "

" The other car? "

" Yes, the other car."

" One of the officers went on in and talked to Nicole. They left about ten minutes after the first. I went over right away to make sure she was okay."

" And was she? "

" Shook up, that's for sure."

" Did anyone ever question you? Did a crime scene unit come out, tape off the area where the suspect was shot? "

Mr. Reynolds shook his head. " No. That was it. Wasn't in the paper, either. But what with so much crime these days, I guess it wasn't big enough to make it."

Jake folded her notebook and politely thanked Mr. Reynolds for his time. Unfortunately, she now had more questions than answers.

" You want to talk about it? "

Nicole turned from the window, surprised to find Catherine standing beside her. She hadn't heard her come in.

" Not really."

" You don't ever cancel sessions, Nicole."

Nicole sighed and let her shoulders drop. " Am I not allowed a personal crisis, or is that privilege reserved for my patients only? "

Catherine's eyebrows shot up. " Continue with that kind of talk, and I'll call Dorothy, " Catherine threatened.

" You will not call Dorothy." Nicole moved away from the window and sat down on the leather couch, patting the area next to her. " Come on. We'll talk." Nicole would much rather bare her soul to Catherine than Dorothy. Catherine was less likely to judge her.

" I'm assuming it has something to do with Jake, " Catherine said, as she sat down.

Nicole gave a half-smile. " It has everything to do with Jake."

" Something happened last night? "

Nicole nodded. " Jake insisted that our relationship, whatever that may be, would remain strictly on a business level. She's investigating a case that apparently revolves around me. And that was fine with me, because Catherine, Jake is not my type. You've said it. Dorothy has said it. And I know she's not my type."

" But you're attracted to her? "

" Insanely attracted to her, " Nicole admitted.

" And Jake? "

" The attraction is... mutual."

" And last night? "

" And last night we couldn't fight it."

Catherine smiled. " So what's the problem? "

" The problem is, last night we didn't have sex. We made love, " Nicole whispered.

" Oh my God, you're falling for her? "

" I don't know if it's that or just this... this lust between us that we can't control. And it doesn't bother me that she's a cop, that she's a gay cop, an out gay cop. None of that bothers me. It bothers Dorothy because Jake would threaten this little group of ours, you know? But it doesn't bother me. And it should bother me, right? I mean, technically, I'm in the closet."

" Have you and Jake talked about this? "

" Of course not. In fact, this morning, she said that last night was a mistake. I know it's because of her investigation. I know that, but still, she tried to make light of it, saying it was just sex, no big deal. Her words hurt me, Catherine, because I know it wasn't just sex. At least for me." She shook her head. " For her, too. I know she's trying to protect this case, trying to protect me."

" Well, if you want my opinion, Jake's the best thing that's ever happened to you. You probably don't know it, but your eyes light up every time she comes around. And you said so yourself, you have no interest in the women you date. You get depressed every time you go out."

" I know. And with Jake, God, I feel so alive when I'm around her."

" Then just go with it, Nicole. Who cares what Dorothy or your little closeted group of women think? It's your life. Go with what makes you happy."

" That's easy to say, Catherine. Unfortunately, there are two people involved here. And the other one has indicated that there won't be a repeat of last night. She's afraid she'll get pulled off the case. And I don't want that anymore than she does."

" Well, then I guess you'll just have to wait until this case is over."

" Wait? I don't know that that's possible, considering I want to rip her clothes off every time I'm around her."

Catherine laughed. " That could be a problem."

Nicole leaned her head back, eyes closed. " But Catherine, realistically, Jake could never fit into my life. Can you see her at one of our group dinners? She'd be like a fish out of water."

" You underestimate her."

Nicole shook her head. " I didn't mean she couldn't handle herself. She wouldn't be comfortable. It's not her thing."

" Are you so sure it's your thing? "

Nicole sighed. " It must be. I've been doing it for ten years."