The Brass Ring (25 page)

"Well . . ." Jamie replied, trying not to smirk at CC's enthusiasm, ". . .it's in your price range and you liked the test drive. You would feel comfortable driving with Emma in it . . . I say you should buy it, CC."

"Yeah?" CC practically gushed.

"Caitlin, just talk to the salesman." Jamie pushed her towards the impatient-looking gentleman who had been assisting them.

"Let's wrap this up, Sparky," CC called out to the man. He led them into the showroom and CC began to fill out the necessary paperwork. "Damn they ask a lot of questions."

"You're buying a car. There are things they need to know," Jamie said reassuringly.

"Miss Calloway, let me just run your Social Security Number for the credit check." The salesman, Gary, smiled brightly.

"Detective," Jamie corrected him.

"You're a policewoman?" He perked up even more.

"Homicide," CC mumbled as she poured over the endless forms.

"Oh?" he choked out. Jamie sensed that CC was about to get a very reasonable deal on her new vehicle.

They discussed the price and Jamie jumped in, haggling for the very confused CC. She knew that her friend had never bought a brand new car; in fact, this was probably the first major purchase CC had ever made. They finally agreed and Gary ran CC's credit check. "Oh no." He sighed heavily.

"What?" CC snarled. "I have good credit."

"What there is of it," Gary said. "Other than a couple of credit cards, there really isn't much here."

"I live within my means." CC shrugged.

"But you've never financed anything before?" he asked.

"So?" CC responded with an icy glare.

"Caitlin, a lack of credit history can be worse than a bad credit history," Jamie explained. "What if she had a co-signer?" she asked Gary.

"That would work," Gary responded eagerly.

"Wait a second," CC protested as Jamie held out her hand for the forms that Gary was sliding across to her.

"Caitlin, you like the Forester and you need a reliable car," Jamie said quickly as she filled in the appropriate information. "Here," she said triumphantly as she handed the paperwork back to Gary.

"Okay, let's take a look at this, Miss . . . sorry, I mean Doctor, Jameson." The man was practically drooling when he read the information. "Any problems with student loans?"

"None, I've paid them off," Jamie explained. "I had a lot of scholarships so I didn't need that many."

Gary quickly punched the information into the computer. The way the man's eyes were lighting up Jamie knew that CC wasn't going to have any problems. "I don't like this," CC grumbled beside her as Gary gathered up the paperwork.

"I'm just going over to the finance guy," Gary explained. "I'll to see if he'll okay it without your . . ." he said, hesitating for a moment. Jamie was familiar with the blank stare. ". . .friend," Gary tossed in quickly.

"James . . ." CC began hesitantly after Gary left.

"Caitlin, let me do this," Jamie cut her off. "I don't want to be worrying if you're going to be safe at night."

"You worry about me?" CC asked in a playful tone.

"Yes, you big Goober." Jamie groaned as she rolled her eyes. "The other night it was really strange; I could feel your vest under your clothes and it made me feel good."

"They're mandatory now," CC explained flatly.

"I wish they had been twelve years ago," Jamie grumbled bitterly. "Tell me about this friend you're going out with tonight."

"Huh?" CC stammered as her azure eyes widened in surprise.

"I see," Jamie sneered slightly as she began to grind her teeth.

"What?" CC said in a defensive tone.

"Old flame?" Jamie asked directly.

"No. . . uhm . . . no . . . well, not really," CC babbled on.

"Uh huh," Jamie grunted as she continued to grind her teeth.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

C
C PLAYED WITH her food, not really listening to Marissa. She just wanted to get out of the restaurant and call the station to find out if the DMV computers were finally working. She needed to know who's car was in the hospital garage that night. She wanted to kick the acting Governor's behind for the recent cutbacks that were stalling her accessing the information instantly. She had wanted to cancel the dinner with Marissa for many reasons. One, Marissa did not seem deterred by CC's lack of interest. Two, she was with Jamie and wanted to go check on her to see how she was. The list went on and on.

"You're not even listening to me, are you?" the perturbed medical examiner growled in frustration.

"Sorry, Marissa," CC apologized. "It's just this case," she explained, giving half the truth.

"Want to talk about it?" Marissa offered in a sincere tone.

"I think I know who the guy is," CC grumbled in a defeated tone.

"That's great." Marissa beamed. "Personally, I'll sleep easier once he's off the streets."

"So will I," CC confessed earnestly. "Too bad you can't get a search warrant just because someone gives you the creeps."

"Amen to that." Marissa lifted her glass of wine and toasted the idea. "It would certainly make my job a little easier. Then again, there's that whole infringing on human rights thing." Marissa groaned.

"I know, the rules are there for a very good reason," CC concurred. "Sometimes it's just so damn frustrating. "

"You'll put the case together," Marissa reassured her. "You're very good at what you do."

"Except I have to back off on this one," CC explained in a distant tone.

"Why?" Marissa asked in confusion.

"The guy works with someone that I'm close to," CC explained, not ready to go into the entire drama.

"Stevie? Doesn't she still run her own business out of the house?" Marissa persisted.

"It's not Stevie," CC hedged. "It's someone else."

"If it's just a friend then there shouldn't be a problem," Marissa continued, pushing the issue.

"Well . . ." CC winced as she tried to think of just how she was going to explain this one.

"Calloway, just a few days ago I asked you if you were seeing someone," Marissa said firmly. "You said no. Were you lying to me?"

CC took a sip of her drink and brushed her dark bangs back. "Not really," CC said slowly. "There is someone . . ."

"Why didn't you just say so?" Marissa laughed lightly. "If you're out with me tonight, it can't be all that serious."

CC was miffed by Marissa's words. "This is just dinner," CC pointed out. The cool confident smile Marissa flashed in response made CC even more agitated. "Marissa, I'm serious." In her heart CC knew that she was referring to more than their dinner engagement.

"I believe you," Marissa responded in a slightly condescending tone. "I also know that you've never been a U-Haul girl."

"Once," CC corrected her as her mind drifted to a certain blonde doctor. "I was once. Funny thing is, it's the same girl." CC had hoped that by being honest, Marissa would finally get the hint.

"So you're dating an old flame?" Marissa answered nonchalantly, seemingly unfazed by what CC had just told her. "After dinner do you want to catch the drag show over at Vapor?"

"No," CC declined, fighting to maintain a polite tone.

An hour later Marissa was pulling her Jeep into the parking lot for CC's house. Somehow CC had managed to finish her meal and maintain a polite level of conversation. Marissa was nice enough but she just didn't seem to understand that CC wasn't interested in renewing anything. The policewoman did end up agreeing to going for a cup of coffee after dinner. Somehow she managed to divert Marissa's flirtations and now she was home.

She just wanted to get out of the car, down a bottle of aspirin, and go to sleep. "Thanks for dinner," CC said as she reached for the door handle, hoping to make a quick escape. She never expected Marissa to do what she did next.
'What the hell?'
CC's mind screamed as she pried herself away from the intense lip lock Marissa held her in. "Marissa!" CC snapped as she pulled away.

Marissa's brown eyes stared at her in confusion. CC was just about to read the medical examiner the riot act when she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. She knew Jamie was watching them before she turned to find a pair of angry emerald eyes glaring at her. "No," she gasped as she once again reached for the door handle.

"Jamie, wait!" CC called out as she scrambled out of the Jeep and ran after the furious blonde. "It's not what you think," CC explained as Jamie fumbled with the keys to her car. She reached the fuming doctor as she struggled to open her car door. "Jamie, let me explain," CC pleaded to Jamie's back. She could see the blonde's small hands shaking as she continued to fumble with her keys.

"I can't talk to you right now," Jamie choked out, keeping her back to CC.

"Jamie?" CC pleaded as she touched the trembling woman before her.

Jamie shrugged away from her touch; the bitterness in her action ripped a hole in CC's already fragile heart. Jamie turned to her, tears streaming down her beautiful face. "I have to go to work," Jamie choked out as she turned away once again.

"Please," CC begged fearfully. "It's always been you," CC said urgently as Jamie opened the door to her car. "I never stopped loving . . ."

"Don't!" Jamie snapped as she climbed into her car. "I can't do this right now."

CC's heart broke as she watched her lover wipe her tear-stained cheeks. CC opened her mouth to speak. She needed to explain everything before their lives once again spun out of control. "Not now," Jamie said stiffly, cutting off her attempt to speak. CC was frozen in horror as Jamie closed the door to her car. She watched helplessly as the love of her life started the car and drove off.

"What the hell was that all about?" Marissa demanded angrily from behind her. CC spun around and glared at the woman.

"That was the woman I love," CC spat out.

"What?" Marissa trembled in response. "I . . . I . . . didn't know."

"Maybe if you had listened to me just once tonight, you wouldn't have done something so asinine," CC fumed, the veins in her neck bulging as she spoke.

"Do you want me to explain things to her?" Marissa offered remorsefully.

"No," CC flared. "Stay away from her. Just go."

Marissa looked like a frightened rabbit before she made a mad dash to her car. CC stormed into her home and found Stevie standing there with a bewildered look on her face. "What the hell happened this time?" Stevie demanded.

"I swear I just thanked her for dinner, and the next thing I know, Marissa was trying to floss my teeth with her tongue," CC explained in exasperation.

"I hope you told her where to get off," Stevie snarled.

"I was about to when I saw Jamie standing there watching us," CC added as she flopped down onto the sofa.

"Oh no," Stevie groaned in sympathy.

"What am I going to do?" CC choked out, fighting against the tears threatening to spill.

Stevie just sat there in a stunned silence. "Why didn't Jamie let me explain?" CC suddenly asked, anger now overriding her sadness. "If she'd just waited and listened to me . . ."

"Hold on, Caitlin," Stevie said, cutting her off. "Give James a break on this one. She just caught you playing tonsil hockey with another woman."

"But I wasn't!" CC protested.

"I know that and you know that, but James only knows what she saw," Stevie explained in a soft comforting voice. "Come on, you're a cop. If you saw Jamie in the same situation, what would you think was going on?"

CC grumbled, knowing that her sister was right. She had to fix this and she had to fix it now. "What did Jamie say?" Stevie inquired carefully.

"Not much," CC said, the image of Jamie's face playing over in her mind. "She said she couldn't talk to me right now."

"That's good," Stevie said brightly.

"How is that good?" CC snapped.

"She didn't tell you to take a hike," Stevie offered as she placed a comforting hand on her older sibling's shoulder. "She's hurt but she still left the door open. She just can't handle talking to you right now."

"I need to talk to her," CC reasoned.

"She's at work; wait until she gets home," Stevie said in an effort to placate her sister.

"If she comes home," CC mumbled, realizing that in the past Jamie often sought comfort in the arms of another woman. CC felt the anger rise once again, only this time she wasn't certain whom she should be angry with. There was Marissa for acting like a total jackass. There was Jamie for not listening to her and jumping to conclusions. And there was, of course, herself for going out with Marissa in the first place.

"I need to see her," she said firmly as old demons fueled her fears.
'If Jamie hops into bed with another woman I don't think I can forgive or forget this time,'
her heart and her mind screamed. "Not this time," she hissed as her jaw locked firmly.

"What?" Stevie questioned.

"I have to see her," CC said in a strained voice. "I know her. I finally understand her and I can't let her think that I betrayed her. Because if she does, then she'll do something stupid."

"Such as?" Stevie asked in a fearful tone.

"Sleeping with someone who doesn't mean anything to her," CC explained dryly. "I won't go through that again."

"Good for you," Stevie responded with bravado. "But I don't think that's going to happen this time. Jamie is a bright woman and I think with everything that's happened in the past she'll listen to you once she calms down. But if she doesn't then you need to walk away."

"I know," CC admitted in a defeated tone. "No matter how much I love the girl, I can't start a relationship with someone who's going to run every time we have a problem."

"You kissed someone else!" Stevie blurted out.

CC glared at her sister who held up her hands in defense. "That's what she saw," Stevie explained quickly. "If it was me, I'd be pretty ticked off."

"So what am I supposed to do?" CC tried to think of just how she was going to get Jamie to listen to her.

"Give it a couple of hours so both of you can calm down," Stevie explained softly. "Then go see her. She's at work. It's not like she'll be trolling the Emergency Room looking for a date."