Acquainted With the Night (2 page)

I’m buying her a fucking tank next time
, she thought desperately.
God, please, let her be alive, please.

There was a flurry of activity at the bottom of the hill.
That has to be good. They wouldn’t be working so hard, so fast, if she were already gone.
It was a fragile thought to pin the rest of her life on.

A hundred other nightmares crowded into her. She made her bargain with God:
Let her be alive. We will deal with whatever else there is, I swear, just give her back to me with her mind whole, and I promise I’ll take care of the rest. Please.

For a brief moment, she could see Alex as they lifted her onto the stretcher, her uniform dark against the white of the backboard they had her strapped onto. No one was pulling a sheet over her face, she must be breathing. Five people grabbed the stretcher and hauled it up the hill as quickly and carefully as the wet grass would allow.

CJ ran to meet them at the junction of the hill and the back of the ambulance, and this time no one tried to stop her. They had Alex in a neck brace, and the blood all over the left side of her face made CJ’s heart lurch.

“Alex, darlin’, I’m here,” she said, trying to find someplace to touch her.

To her astonishment, Alex actually opened her eyes for a moment. Even in the harsh distortion of the flashing red lights, CJ could see her face was gray with pain.

“Sorry,” Alex muttered. “Scared you, sorry.”

CJ couldn’t talk. One of the paramedics said, “Are you family?”

CJ nodded. Tired of euphemisms, she fumbled out, “Wife. She’s my wife.”

The paramedic blinked, then said, “We’re taking her to Aurora Lutheran.”

CJ wanted to ask how bad it was, but knew it was a useless question none of them could really answer. Instead she said, “I’m coming with you.”

Alex closed her eyes again, but managed, “Please.”

They let her sit by Alex’s side. CJ kept a firm grip on her arm all the way to the hospital, keeping Alex with her, in this world.

* * *

CJ sat in the waiting area at the emergency room. She was attempting to send positive thoughts across the hall to Alex but all she could think about was the drama of earlier that same evening.

Before the rain, it had been a mild evening for March in Denver, and people were spilling out onto the deck and the pool area of the townhome complex where Vivien Wong lived. Music could be heard coming from within the building.

“What is that?” Alex had asked. “I’ve heard it before, haven’t I?”

CJ listened for a moment and said, “Chaka Khan.
Through the Fire
. Sounds like Viv is going with jazz tonight.”

“At least Vivien has good taste in music.”

“And in best friends,” CJ added lightly.

Alex laughed. “You’re so modest.”

CJ smiled. “Not me. I’ve got the most beautiful woman at the party on my arm, so I have nothing to be modest about.”

She tugged at Alex’s hand and led her into the room without releasing her. Alex was always careful about public displays of affection, both because she was a career police officer and because she’d fallen in love with a woman later in life, but CJ was comfortable and happy touching her. Vivien was out, and the party was sure to be filled with lesbians as well as with her business associates. Viv only gave one big party a year, and she invited just about everyone she knew.

The room was pretty full, people clumped in predictable groupings. By the food table, there was a crowd of both men and women, their casual clothing failing to conceal their ties to mortgage banking, Vivien’s job. Other groups near the bar were more likely personal friends, women in everything from cocktail dresses to suits, sequins to jeans.

Alex said to CJ, “Vivien actually hired bartenders this year.” She nodded at a petite brunette and a tall blond in white shirts and black ties, mixing drinks with practiced precision. The wine and liquor bottles set up on the table covered with a white tablecloth looked like the downtown Denver city skyline.

“She told me she was tired of tending bar and wanted to mingle.”

“Since when did Vivien ever tend bar?” Alex asked dryly. “Last year, I think you and I did it most of the evening.”

CJ laughed. “And that’s why I told her to hire help this time.”

Alex grinned at her. “Good thinking, sweetheart.”

A moment later CJ stiffened as she glanced across the room. Alex turned around, her reaction to CJ’s expression both wary and curious.

The women approached them and CJ couldn’t see any graceful way to escape. “I was sure it was you,” one of the women said to CJ. “It’s been a while.”

She hadn’t changed much, CJ thought. The woman’s dark hair was cut severely short, showing off diamond earrings just a bit too large to be in good taste at a casual cocktail party. She wore a pantsuit that looked like linen, and attached to her elbow was a much younger woman who was pretty in a vague way, although she was wearing too much makeup.

“It has been a long time,” CJ replied. Her voice was calm, her tone carefully controlled. “Viv didn’t tell me you were coming.”

The woman laughed. “She didn’t know I was showing up. Patty brought me, didn’t you, my dear?”

Patty nodded, sliding her round blue eyes back and forth between CJ and Alex. “Um, yeah,” Patty said. “I’m with Mountain Title Company. Vivien and I work together sometimes.” She offered her hand. “Patty Herron.”

“Alex Ryan,” Alex said, her expression still cautious.

“Are you a friend of Vivien’s, too?” Patty asked.

“Indirectly,” Alex began. “Actually, I met her through CJ. They’re old friends and—”

The other woman interrupted, still addressing CJ. “Is this the new girlfriend, honey?”

Alex narrowed her gaze. She wasn’t the jealous type normally but CJ could feel Alex’s temper starting to rise.

CJ said abruptly, “Alex. This is Stephanie Morrow.” She added for clarification, “Steph.”

CJ had only had two serious relationships before she met Alex: Laurel, her college girlfriend, and Stephanie, the real estate agent with whom she had lived for two years. CJ didn’t talk much about either woman to Alex. There hadn’t been any reason to: Steph was a minor chapter in her past. Alex was her present and her future.

CJ watched Alex study Stephanie. She was certainly still attractive in an edgy way, her hair molding against her head like a black skullcap. Her makeup was perfect and underneath her expensive clothes she had retained her well-maintained body. She was CJ’s age, which made her seven years younger than Alex. CJ wondered if Alex was comparing herself to this flawlessly turned-out woman.

CJ found Alex’s hand and tangled their fingers together in silent reassurance, silently answering Steph’s question. She felt Alex’s tiny tug of gratitude.

Stephanie dropped her eyes to the diamond ring and wedding band on CJ’s left hand. Her manicured eyebrows rose and she murmured, “Well, well. Looks like you finally found somebody to go through that ceremony you always wanted.”

CJ saw that Alex was ready to enter the conversational conflict, but she was saved from intervening by Patty’s bright question.

“Oh, hey. You’re CJ St. Clair, Steph’s ex, right? Did anybody ever tell you that you look just like that singer? You know the one. Stephy, you know, we saw her on
Ellen
, remember? It’s been a while, but you look just like her.” Her look wobbled uncertainly between Stephanie and CJ, searching for help. “You know. The singer,” she said again.

Steph was ignoring her, but CJ asked gently, “Are you talking about Trisha Yearwood?”

Patty clapped her hands together happily. “Yes! You’re a redheaded Trisha Yearwood!”

“I have heard that once or twice,” CJ said. “It’s very flattering every time, though.”

“You sound like her too, when you talk,” Patty added, oblivious to the currents of discomfort swirling around her from the other three women. “She’s from the South, isn’t she? Are you?”

“I’m from Savannah, Georgia, originally,” CJ explained patiently, her drawl thickening for a moment. “Trisha is from a pretty small town about two hundred miles away, I believe.”

“Well, you sound just like her,” Patty repeated.

Stephanie cut in with, “So what have you been doing with yourself, CJ? Aside from getting out the U-Haul. Are you still a police officer?” She shot a glance at Alex, not a friendly one.

CJ responded, “Yes, I left the sheriff’s office and I’m with Colfax PD now. I’m in Internal Affairs, actually. Alex is a Captain in the Department, in charge of Investigations.”

Stephanie’s lips curled a little and she said, “Oh, nepotism, huh?”

Alex had just about had enough, but again CJ stepped in and said coolly, “Not at all. I’m in a different chain of command.” She turned to Alex. “Would you mind getting us a drink, darlin’? I think I could use something refreshing.”

“Of course,” Alex said, letting CJ handle whatever was going on. “Back in a minute.”

CJ watched her walk across the room then managed a few more minutes listening to Patty, who liked to chat about everyone, and fending off intrusive questions from Steph. Finally Patty said, “Steph, honey, I could use a drink too.”

Steph said, “There’s the bar.”

Patty glared at her and huffed off in the same direction Alex had taken. CJ thought Steph would be looking for a new girlfriend pretty quickly at this rate.

“You femmes keep us busy taking care of your every need, don’t you?”

CJ replied coolly, “I wouldn’t say that at all. Actually, I find taking care of someone I love and being taken care of equally satisfying.” She turned to go, hoping to leave the conversation behind, but Stephanie wasn’t through.

“You’ve really got her under control, do you?”

CJ suppressed a flare of anger. She turned very deliberately and said, “I’m not going to take relationship advice from you, Steph. You don’t know Alex. And you didn’t really know me at all apparently, or you wouldn’t have suggested a ménage à trois.”

A dark red flush crept up Stephanie’s neck. “You’d be surprised how well I understand you,” she said acidly. “Do you still like to be fucked in the shower? You were a pain in the ass to live with, but you did like fucking.”

CJ stared at her for a long moment, proud of herself for not slapping the leer from Steph’s face. Then, her voice very low, CJ said, “You always were an offensive bitch, weren’t you? I can’t figure out why it took me so long to see that.”

The angry flush reached Stephanie’s cheeks. At that moment, Alex returned to hand CJ her chardonnay. CJ watched Alex read the situation and then Alex said, “Nice meeting you, Steph. I think Patty needs you. Now.”

Steph gave her a glare, then she stalked away. Alex murmured, “Do I need to ruin Vivien’s party by going over to slap the bitch?”

CJ looked at her in amused shock. “Why would you do that?”

“I don’t know what she said to you, but I can see your canine teeth and not in your usual pretty smile.”

CJ shook her head. “You always know how to make me feel better.” Then she looked into Alex’s stormy blue-gray eyes and murmured, “I’m sorry for bringing her into our lives, even for just a minute.”

Now Alex gave her the full smile that always transformed her serious face. “Please, Red. If we have to apologize for everybody we were with before you and I met, I’d have to do seven years of penance for bringing Tony into the equation.”

CJ grinned, suddenly feeling much better. “You are so right,” she said with a laugh. “Dealing with your crazy ex-husband the district attorney on a weekly basis is much worse than my occasional bitchy ex-girlfriend.”

Alex squeezed lime into her tonic water. “I agree.” She glanced around and added, “Is Laurel here, by chance? I’m on a roll and I’d love to tell off your other cheating ex while I’m at it.”

CJ laughed again. “Sorry. She’s still in Georgia, last I heard. And I’m not keeping track of her. Keeping track of
you
occupies all my time.”

Alex decided to take advantage of the opportunity to be affectionate in public and leaned over to kiss her, very lightly. “And that’s the way I like it.”

Vivien Wong joined them at that moment. She was in bright red, a tunic with a mandarin collar that emphasized her Asian features. “Okay, knock it off,” she said tartly. “Jesus, I invite you two to a cocktail party so you can mingle and you just stand in the corner and neck. With each other. How boring.”

CJ hugged her hostess. “I keep telling you, Viv. It’s the opposite of boring, believe me.”

Alex added, “And that’s not really necking. I could show you the difference, if you’d like.”

Vivien rolled her eyes and then hugged Alex, too. “I’d like that,” she said, suggestively. Flirting with Alex was one of her occasional hobbies, but the unspoken rule was that she could only do it in full view of CJ.

“I meant with CJ, not you,” Alex said with mock severity.

“Christ, you two are boring as hell!” Vivien exclaimed.

CJ laughed at her. “Not so boring,” she said. “I think Alex was ready to throw a punch or two at one of your guests a minute ago.”

Vivien’s eyes widened. “Which one?”

CJ gestured across the room, where Steph was having what looked like a disagreement with Patty. “Stephanie,” CJ said.

Vivien exclaimed, “Christ on a pancake! I had no idea Patty was bringing that cunt to my party.”

CJ choked on her wine. “For heaven’s sake, Viv! Just because we broke up doesn’t make her a…” CJ hesitated over the word.

Vivien shook her head and turned to Alex. “For God’s sake, she can’t even say it, despite the fact that she presumably spends much of her leisure time in and around one. I hope to Christ she at least manages some choice language for you in bed.”

CJ, suddenly angry again, demanded, “Why is everyone suddenly so interested in the details of my sex life?”

Alex’s face turned hard. “Is that what Steph said to you? She really is a—”

CJ interjected, “She’s not a nice person.”

Vivien threw up her hands. “I give up. I’m going to go play hostess and flirt with the bartender.”

“Which one?” CJ eyed the two women behind the bar.

Vivien smirked before she answered, “The blond Viking-looking one, of course. Alex, this one is all yours.”