Tough Love (14 page)

“"All right,”" he said unhappily. “"I’'ll take you to a bathroom.”"

Rhetta looked over her shoulder, wondering if Jeannie had successfully slipped away. It would go hard for her if the man beside Grace found out that she’'d disobeyed a direct order and talked to one of the enemy.

Grace pointed to a distant outbuilding sided with corrugated aluminum and roofed with turquoise fiberglass.

“"What about in there? There any bathrooms in there? Out there by itself …... it’'d be a hike to use the john if you were in there planning your next drive-by shooting.”"

Oh, my God, Grace, Rhetta thought, glancing at Ham to see how he reacted—--he didn’'t—--and bracing herself for a response from Johnson. Instead, he looked straight at her. At Rhetta.

“"What do you think? Think we got a bathroom in there?”"

“"It doesn’'t matter what she thinks,”" Grace said. “"I’'m the one who’'s gotta pee.”"

He regarded her. “"You’'re probably one of them women who tries to pee standing up.”"

“"Hold still and you’'ll find out,”" Grace shot back, and Johnson laughed. Ham grinned, too. Grace could do that, act like a chameleon to get what she wanted. She’'d had years of pretending everything was fine while her priest and father confessor was raping her. It gave her an advantage as a detective. Due to the lack of trauma in her childhood, Rhetta was less versatile. Less wounded.

My farm, she thought unhappily. My animals.

My home.

    Grace called Captain Perry’'s cell to give her the news: no truck. And everything of investigative value had been dragged out of sight, if the many phone calls Hunter Johnson and Tommy Miller both sent and received were any indication of a concerted effort to save their butts before the detectives spotted unregistered handguns or dead bodies.

The Sons of Oklahoma saw them off pretty much the way they greeted them, in an unsmiling row, their womenfolk tucked away. Rhetta told Grace that Jeannie Johnson had found her, and she’'d given the girl some salve for her arm. Rhetta seemed like she wanted to tell Grace something else, but then Captain Perry called back to order Grace to get her paperwork done first thing in the morning.

“"First thing. After our meeting,”" Grace promised.

It was a Sunday night, and the Monday-morning meeting in the conference room had been arranged so the squad could go over Henry’'s full autopsy report and Rhetta’'s progress so far. They wanted to lay out the three cases to see if they found connections, or if the information they were assigning to one case was a better fit for another. It was Bobby’'s turn to bring in the coffee and donuts. Clay was safely with his dad. So it was time to pay Ham back some more for getting the warrant.

As she ripped off her clothes and grabbed a bottle of bourbon, Ham lifted her up and carried her down the hall like a caveman. He smacked her bottom with more affection than aggression, and she arched up so she could take a swig of hooch. This late at night, Ham would probably wind up falling asleep. No one spent the night, not even him—--especially not him—--but she’'d worry about booting him out later. After all, it was only ten p.m. now.

He unrolled her onto the bed; she held the bottle up like the Statue of Liberty’'s torch and …...

…... the phone rang.

She looked at caller ID. It was Clay. At ten on a school night. She instantly went into concerned-aunt mode and Ham backed off, aware that something was up.

“"Yeah, Clay, hi,”" she said. “"What’'s up, man?”"

“"Forrest was supposed to e-mail me this evening. We’'re working on a project in school. But he hasn’'t done it.”" He sounded very worried.

“"Is the project due tomorrow?”"

“"Yes.”"

“"Well, that sucks. Did you call him?”" She sat cross-legged and grabbed her cigarettes and lighter out of her nightstand.

“"His mom answered. She said he’'s not allowed to talk to me.”"

Grace smiled gently as she lit a cigarette and took a puff. “"Well, there you go, man. He’'s been grounded.”"

“"But I need his part of the project and he knows that. He could have e-mailed it. I know she would have let him.”"

Ah, the logic of kids. Urgency trumped the facts every time. She blew out her smoke. “"Did you tell your dad? Maybe he can write you a note. When Forrest shows up tomorrow at school, he can vouch for you. Heck, I’'ll talk to your teacher if you need backup.”"

There was a pause. Ham started sliding his hand between her crossed legs. With a silent laugh, she leaned back on one elbow and gave him some room.

“"I feel terrible, Aunt Grace,”" Clay said. “"He got in trouble because of me.”"

“"No one forced him onto that ATV,”" she reminded him. “"It wouldn’'t have been so bad if you hadn’'t driven into that boulder.”" She chuckled silently at Ham’'s astonishment. “"Just when that rocket started chasing everybody.”"

Ham mouthed What?

“"Yeah,”" Clay murmured. Then he chuckled a little. “"It was pretty wild, how it all happened at once.”"

“"You think?”" Grace said. “"Hey, I’'m pretty used to wild and it scared the tar out of me. Think how Forrest’'s mom must see it. She’'s probably going to make him wear body armor from now on.”"

Clay guffawed. “"And a seat belt when he goes to the bathroom.”"

She snickered. “"So when he comes to school tomorrow, just have him tell your teacher that he wasn’'t allowed to use the computer and it’'s all good.”"

“"I’'ll give you good,”" Ham whispered. She kicked at him to shut him up.

“"Okay, Aunt Grace.”" There was another pause. “"I need to make some money. To pay that guy for the damage. Dr. Anderson.”"

“"A doctor. Too bad he’'s not a mechanic.”" Grace took another puff. “"Maybe you could start a dog-walking service. You could take Gus around the neighborhood and hand out flyers after school tomorrow. If you don’'t have too much homework.”"

“"Cool. How much should I charge?”"

“"Let me think about that,”" Grace said as Ham wriggled his way between her legs. “"I’'ll do a little research. But you should go to bed.”"

“"Right. Thanks. I love you.”"

Grace smiled. “"I love you, too, man. Now get some rest. And Clay?”"

“"Yes, Aunt Grace?”"

“"Let Forrest tell the story at school tomorrow. He doesn’'t have many chances to brag.”"

“"I will. G’'night.”"

They hung up and Grace batted at Ham again while she tamped out her cigarette. It didn’'t deter him, only made him crawl on top of her, while they both laughed and prepared for liftoff.

“"He drove an ATV into a boulder and got chased by a rocket?”" he asked.

“"Something like that.”" She rocked and rolled. “"A little to the left, Detective.”"

“"Shit. Are you kidding me?”" His eyes were far away, even if his body was not.

“"No. I’'m not kidding you. I want you to move a little to the left.”" She roped her legs around him and applied pressure to his right cheek.

“"Jesus, Grace, you’'re steering me,”" he said, laughing.

“"Right into the explosion,”" she promised.

They began to move together, as only Dewey and Hanadarko could; partners, bedmates, all wound up after the trip to the compound, both looking for release from the Sunday-night blues: Tomorrow the official workweek started, not that they had taken much time off that weekend. They had to be ready; who knew what tomorrow would bring?

Tough—--

“"No,”" Grace whispered, but it sounded like “"Oh.”"

“"Oh, my God, Grace,”" Ham whispered, touching her hair, her cheek, her earlobe. He moved inside her; he moved her; she closed her eyes as white-hot ecstasy shot through her veins. If heroin was as good as this …...

And then all thoughts escaped her, which was the point, and she was pure, wonderful, blissful sensation. No Grace, no Ham, just …...

Pow.

    She fell asleep before she could kick him out, and she woke up because the rain was pelting her roof like hail. Maybe it was hail. Gus didn’'t like it so she kneaded him with her toes and looked through the darkness at the male shape next to her. Ham, Ham, what was she going to do with him?

She got up naked and walked into the kitchen. Grabbed a beer. Then she walked over to the case files she’'d brought home—--Malcolm’'s was on top—--and stared at the horrible, gruesome pictures. She felt nothing, only clinical interest. God, the job was hollowing her out.

She pulled her throw over herself and listened to the rain. Thought about waking up Ham and making him go home. He’'d squawk. She lit a cigarette, smiling to herself when toenails clicked on the floor and Gus approached with a questioning doggy moan.

“"Hey,”" Earl said, sitting in her easy chair. Gus hurried over to him and sat down at his feet with a plop. Earl leaned forward and gave him a head scratch. “"Can’'t sleep?”"

“"No, man.”" She took a drag. “"Who can sleep with all this shit going on? So is this it, Earl? My tough times?”"

Earl cocked his head. “"Didn’'t say they’'d be yours, Grace.”"

“"Why can’'t you just talk like a normal person?”" she snapped, rolling her eyes. “"Maybe this is all fun and games to you but this is my life, Earl. My life that I have to live.”"

“"I know. I wish I had all the answers for you. But I’'m just a messenger.”" He looked genuinely sorry. “"I know that God has plans for you. Big plans.”"

“"Maybe He doesn’'t,”" she said, blowing out smoke. “"Maybe you’'re just telling me that to get me to do what you want. The way I tell the criminals I flip that they’'re special, that I can see they’'re not just regular thieves and rapists. Sometimes I tell them the department’'s had its eye on them for a while, and I’'ve been sent to ask for their help.”"

Earl pondered her words. “"And that works?”"

“"You know it does. ‘'Hail Mary, the Lord is with Thee.’' God’'s special handmaiden. God’'s chosen people. My chosen CI. I don’'t pick them out because they’'re special. I pick them out because I can get them to do what I want.”"

“"So because you lie to them, you think I’'m lying to you?”"

She leaned her head against the sofa and looked at him through her cigarette smoke. “"Maybe all this talk about paradise after we die is like heroin. You dole it out to make me feel good, let down my guard. Maybe dead is dead, and all this shit is a lie.”"

He looked perplexed. “"I thought we’'d moved past all that. I thought you trusted me. At least a little.”"

“"Maybe it’'s a kind lie,”" she said, her tone softening a little. “"Like a pellet in a rat maze.”"

“"You really are in a bad mood.”" He hunkered forward. “"That little escapade of Clay’'s scared you more than you’'re letting on, am I right?”"

She pulled the throw around herself. “"Stabbings, murders, rapes …... I see a world I never want him to see.”"

“"He sees you trying to make it better.”"

“"It’'ll never be better for Malcolm. Or Haleem.”"

“"It already is, Grace. In my Father’'s House are many mansions.”" He did look honest, and he did look kind. “"And I’'ve seen a world I never want you to see.”"

“"Hell.”" It scared her to say it, even though most of the time she didn’'t really believe it existed.

“"Yup.”"

“"Maybe that’'s a lie, too. An empty threat.”" She took another drag.

“"It’'s not. Trust me.”" He grinned. “"A little.”"

Lightning flashed across the glass side door. “"It’'s coming down like crazy,”" she said.

“"I love the rain,”" Earl replied. “"It’'s one of my favorite things in all creation.”"

“"It washes away the evidence.”" She yawned. “"Do you know where the white truck is?”"

“"Nope. And I’'m telling you the truth. Now I really think you should get some sleep.”"

“"I’'m not sleep …...,”" she began, and then her eyelids closed.

    Gus gazed up at Earl and expressed his opinion. Earl took it into consideration.

“"I know she’'ll wake up with a neck ache,”" the angel told Grace’'s concerned roommate, “"but if she wakes up next to Ham …...”" He tsk-tsked. “"She’'s prickly about that.”"

Gus gazed over at Grace, then back at Earl.

“"Sure, you’'d love to share your doggy bed with Peaches every night,”" Earl said, “"but Grace needs her space. Lots of space.”" He pursed his lips. “"It’'s complicated.”" He grinned.

Gus made another suggestion. “"You think Ham should give her a dead rat? That would definitely show his undying devotion. Yes, I do think Peaches would love one.”"

Gus shook and panted.

“"Sure, I’'ll go hunting with you. One for Grace, too? That’'s real thoughtful, Gus. We’'ll see what we can do.”"

Gus was delighted. And grateful.

But as for Earl, he felt a tad confused. Maybe angels did tell kind lies.

CHAPTER          ELEVEN

“"Hey,”" Ham said.

Grace jerked awake. Purple-gray light was washing her walls, literally—--the shadows of heavy rains ran down the walls. Ham was staring down at her from behind the couch, naked, drowsy. She could see the hair in his armpits and his hairy chest. Nice view.

“"Did I chase you out of bed?”" he asked. He was trying to make light, but it was clear he was concerned. Or hurt. Or something. Gah. Complications.

“"I came out here to look things over.”" She lifted up the case files. “"I must have fallen asleep.”" Okay, this was really weird. Now what?

“"I have to go home and change,”" he said. Because she wouldn’'t let him bring clothes over, maybe he was saying. She let it hang there. They’'d settled all this, right?

“"I’'ll see you at the office. Got the meeting. Bobby’'s bringing donuts.”"

“"Yeah, cool.”"

He went back into her bedroom and came out in his clothes. The house shook as he headed for the front door, thunder loud as bowling balls.

“"Jesus,”" Grace said.

“"Bad storm. Drive careful.”" He opened the door and went out. About fifteen seconds later, Grace heard his truck.

Sighing, she lowered her head back to the couch, twisting back and forth to work out the kinks. The rain was really coming down. Maybe that was God’'s big plan with the flood and all…... …... washing away the evidence.

    She listened to calls coming in for a big pileup over on May Street and called Dispatch, asking if she should go. Things were in hand, but the road was a big, fat parking lot. Of course the one morning she didn’'t stop for coffee was the morning she was denied the satisfaction of that first cup. But that was a minor inconvenience. There were fatalities involved in the accident. Fire truck, paramedics—--she wondered if her brother Leo the firefighter was there.