Cold (16 page)

Again the buzzer sounded, and this time she pressed the black button next to the flashing light.

"Jo?" the tinny voice asked. It was a woman.

Rocky remained silent, staring at the box in horror.

"Jo, you've changed the bloody code. Open the door."

Rocky backed away from the wall, holding her injured arm with her right hand.

"Come on, Jo. It's been days. I know you didn't mean what you said."

Rocky approached the box and spoke into the small holes at the top of it. "Jo's not here," she said quietly.

"What? Who the hell's that?" There was silence for a moment. "Look, sweetie, whoever. You just push the little white button and let me in. Then we'll see about finding you the exit door. You obviously don't know the rules. If Jojo goes out then you're meant to be gone before she gets back. It's a kind of rule with her little sleepovers. I'm surprised she didn't explain to you." There was a sigh. "It's just good fortune I came along before she returned; saves everyone a lot of embarrassment. Now, be a good girl and open the door." She waited. "Come on, sweetie. Be good and open the door. Now don't start thinking you're any different from any of the other sweet little things she has up there."

"She told me to wait," said Rocky, more to herself than to the disembodied voice. She slumped against the wall and slid down it, staring up at the talking box with tear-filled eyes.

"Very well. You just believe that. But when she tires of you, remember this little chat. And I'll be here, waiting to give her what you couldn't."

Rocky listened to the sound of footsteps and then a car door slamming. She struggled to her feet, and went in search of her stuff.

Jo parked the car in the garage and reached across for the large bag of shopping she'd put on the passenger seat. Then, taking the stairs two at a time, she made her way up to her home.

It was silent in the house, and she guessed that the blonde was probably still asleep, so she climbed the next set of stairs to the upper level.

The bedroom was empty, the quilt pulled back, and the tee-shirt and the scarf she had used as a sling were in a heap on the floor.

She picked up the tee shirt, and ran out of the room. "Rocky!" she shouted, throwing down the garment and descending the stairs quickly. She went into the kitchen, and then the lounge.

Rocky was nowhere to be found. She had gone.

"Shit!" was all Jo could manage, as she ran down the stairs and out into the courtyard, using her remote control to open the garage door. Once inside the car, she gunned the engine and sped out into the cold, damp day.

She automatically headed for Whitechapel, that being the only connection she had with the girl. And she hadn't gone far before she saw a familiar hunched figure, her gut clenching as she saw the people that passed her giving her a wide berth. She parked the car slightly ahead of Rocky and got out.

The blonde was struggling so much with her two bags that she didn't notice Jo until she almost walked into her.

"Rocky?" said Jo, putting out a hesitant hand to stop the girl's unsteady progress.

Rocky looked up at her, and Jo was alarmed at the pale, sweaty face and glazed eyes that met hers.

"Rocky, you're ill. What d'you think you're doing?" She tried to take the two heavy bags from the shorter woman, but Rocky pulled away from her.

"Leave me alone, Jo," she said, staggering back so that her arm collided with a wall. She gasped in pain, dropping one of her bags.

Jo made a grab for her as the blonde's knees buckled, and they both ended up in a heap on the wet pavement.

"Oh God, Rocky. What were you thinking?" Jo's voice was strained as she tried to keep her friend from toppling onto her side.

"What's wrong with her?"

Jo turned to see a policeman exiting his patrol car.

"Is she bothering you?"

Jo tore her eyes from the blonde, stood and faced the officer. "No, she's not bothering me. I'm trying to help her."

The policeman looked from her to the crumpled figure on the pavement. "Has she been drinking or taking illegal substances?"

"No!" Jo's tone was somewhat outraged, and the policeman raised his eyebrows in a warning gesture. Jo sighed. "No," she said again, calmer. "She's not well, and I'm trying to help her. Will you help me get her into the car?" She pointed to the Merc, its indicators still flashing, parked illegally on double yellow lines.

"Wouldn't you rather I called an ambulance, Miss?"

"No, really. She's a friend. I can help her."

The policeman turned his back on her and for a moment Jo thought he was just going to walk away and leave her. But then he reached into the car, said a few brief words to the driver, and returned, pulling on a pair of gloves.

A small crowd had gathered around the slumped figure by the time the policeman reached down and pulled Rocky none too gently to her feet.

Seeing an expanse of uniform filling her vision, Rocky pulled back. But in her weakened state she was no match for the man, who was a good few inches taller than Jo. Her guided her towards the Merc and put her into the passenger seat. Jo threw her bags into the boot, thanked the policeman, and quickly sped away.

Jo pulled savagely on the handbrake as the traffic in front of her came to a halt. A delivery wagon had stopped, and the driver jumped out. He didn't seem to have any concerns that he was blocking the road, and disappeared into the shop he was obviously delivering to.

Jo shifted in her seat to face her passenger. "What were you thinking, Rocky? Look at you, you're in agony." There was not much sympathy in her voice.

Rocky didn't answer, just pulled off her hat and threw it into the back of the car.

"I told you I wouldn't be long."

"I know." Rocky's voice was strained; the pain in her shoulder had intensified, and she was feeling nauseous.

"So why did you run? I really don't understand. I thought I'd made it clear you were welcome in my home."

Rocky gingerly supported her injured arm. "I don't want to be a burden, cramp your style."

"My style?" Jo was incredulous. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to be in the way." The blonde turned pain-filled green eyes on the driver; the pain wasn't all physical. "If you want to take someone back to your place, I wouldn't want to stop you doing that."

"Rocky what are you talking about?"

Rocky looked at her. Tell or not tell? Well, she wouldn't be around Jo much longer. "You had a visitor."

"Who?"

"I don't know, a woman."

Jo closed her eyes. "Did you let her in?"

"No, I spoke to her on the intercom thing."

Jo took a deep breath, suspecting who Rocky had spoken to. "So what did she say?"

"Why is it so important?" asked Rocky quietly.

"Because it drove you out of my home!" Jo's voice rose, causing Rocky to shrink back. Seeing the movement, Jo reached out, placing a gentle hand on a trembling thigh. "I'm sorry. I think I know who you spoke to."

"It doesn't matter." The blonde looked down at the hand on her thigh.

"But don't you see, it does. Whatever this person said to you caused you to leave. I want to know."

A blast of a horn behind her made her look up to see that the car that was parked opposite the delivery wagon had moved and she could now drive through the gap.

Rocky missed the warmth of Jo's hand on her thigh, and looked across at the driver, taking in the tense lines of her face. "I shouldn't have gone like that." Jo didn't look at her, but Rocky saw the muscles in her face shift as she clenched her jaw. "I'm sorry, Jo. You've done so much for me. I shouldn't have believed her."

Jo sighed loudly. "Whatever it was she said was probably true. Up until a couple of days ago, I didn't care about anyone." Jo steered the car off the road, coming to a stop in a small side street. She took the car out of gear, but left the engine running. She turned to face Rocky. "I want to help you, Rocky. I've never done anything to help another soul in my life. There are people I know who would laugh in your face if you told them I was helping you. The person you talked to today was one of them. I'm asking you to trust me. Will you do that?"

Rocky bowed her head and nodded. "I shouldn't have doubted you." She looked up and reached across and took Jo's hand. "I'm sorry."

Jo gave her hand a squeeze. "Let's go home."

She put the car into gear, and pulled out into the traffic again.

As Rocky hadn't really got that far, it was only a few minutes before they arrived back at Jo's home. But when they arrived there was an unpleasant surprise awaiting them.

"Trixi," was all Jo said, as she got out of the car and walked around to help Rocky out. Trixi had unfolded herself from her own car as the Merc glided into the courtyard.

Rocky looked a state. Her hair was in disarray and her face was pale and pasty, testament to the pain she was feeling. She concentrated hard on not falling to the floor as she stepped out of the car, and didn't notice the tensing of her friend.

"Oh. My. God. What is that?" Trixi stared in utter disbelief at the woman Jo was helping.

Jo ignored her and opened the door to the house. She turned to Rocky and ducked her head. "Can you get upstairs? There's something I need to do." Rocky nodded. "Ok, you go on and go sit in the lounge; I won't be long." She watched the blonde as she slowly climbed the stairs, then turned to the woman who was leaning casually on her car.

Trixi was smiling and shaking her head. "Oh, Jojo. Even for you, this is kinky."

"I think you'd better leave, Trix. Before I do something we'll both regret." Jo's voice was low as she approached the woman.

Trixi folded her arms across her chest, the smile never leaving her face as her sometime lover came to within inches of her. "Jo, baby, if you had told me you wanted something a little younger, I could have helped you. Found you something at least a little more hygienic."

Jo's hand didn't move that quickly, and Trixi didn't flinch as the taller woman's fist took hold of the front of her very expensive Kashmir coat. "Listen to me," she hissed. "I'm helping a friend. Something alien to you, I know. But I want you to try very hard, and just maybe you'll be able to believe that I can. Now, I want you to go away. Find one of your other little friends to play your games with."

Trixi placed her own hand over the one pressed into her chest. "She won't satisfy you the way I do, Jo. You know that. She won't let you do the things I let you do." Trixi smiled, seeing the blue eyes close. "Admit it, Jo. You want me. Now."

Jo pushed her away, and took a step back. "No more." Jo backed further away.

Trixi followed, like a panther stalking its prey, looking very much as she did the first night they'd met. The blonde had spotted Jo, made her a target, and later that night had taken her home.

She reached out an immaculately manicured finger and traced the tense jawline. "Jojo, why so tense? You know I have a cure for that."

Jo was standing with her back against her own car now. She reached up and took the hand into her own, pulling it to her lips.

Trixi smiled a smile of triumph, but it soon left her lips as her fingers were bent back. "Jo! Stop it!" she screamed as the pain in her hand drove her to her knees.

Jo bent to speak into the ear of the now sobbing blonde. "I'm not going to fight you, Trix. I want you to go and get in your car and drive away." Again the voice was a low hiss. "I don't want you to come here again, because if I see you anywhere near me, I will hurt you." She gave the woman's wrist one more savage twist before releasing her.

Trixi scrambled to her feet. "You bloody pervert," she cried as she got into her car. She lowered the window as she started the engine. "This isn't the end of this," she screamed as she drove from the courtyard.

Jo stood in the drizzling rain and looked down at her shaking hands. Then she got into her own car, and drove it into the garage.

Suddenly the need to be with Rocky was overwhelming, and she took the stairs two at a time in her effort to get back to her houseguest.

Rocky was sitting on the sofa again; she had obviously not even had the strength to remove her jacket. She turned weary eyes onto Jo as the tall woman rushed into the room.

Jo dropped to her knees in front of Rocky. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

Rocky nodded, "My fault though." She looked into the blue eyes of her friend. "What happened downstairs?"

Jo sighed. "I told Trixi to stay away."

"I don't want to cause trouble between you and your friends."

"Trixi wasn't what I would call a 'friend'. We slept together, that was all." She looked up at Rocky, waiting to see the disgust in her face.

"So you used each other?" asked the blonde.

"I suppose we did."

"Did you enjoy sleeping with her?"

"Yes, I did."

"But you didn't want to be with her?"

"Not in a relationship, no."

Rocky chewed her bottom lip. "Are you in a relationship with anyone else?"

"No, I'm not."

"Do you want to be?"

"Yes, I do."

Rocky smiled. "Anyone I know?"

Jo chuckled and shook her head. "Why aren't you angry? I just told you I sleep with someone I'm not particularly fond of because they're good in bed."

"It's not for me to be angry. How can I be angry with someone who is changing their whole life to keep me safe."

"I'm not...." Jo began.

Rocky raised a hand. "So you regularly help homeless people?"

"You know I don't."

"Exactly my point." She reached down and took Jo's hand. "I'm glad I'm the one you're saving."

Jo smiled. "Come on." She got to her feet and then helped Rocky. "I got some waterproof dressing for your wound. I want you to have a nice relaxing bath, and then we'll have something to eat. How does that sound?"

She took Rocky's jacket and hung it in the hall, then turned the blonde in the direction of the stairs.

In the bedroom, Jo gently turned Rocky to face her. "Do you want a painkiller?"

Rocky shook her head. "No, not yet, they make me sleepy."