Chapter 2

The days began to blend together and Missy and I established a workable and comfortable routine. She really was enjoyable company, not at all like the horror stories I had heard from others who had done similar work.

In fact, it got to where we were almost like a married couple, we could anticipate what the other one was thinking or wanting without being told. I was thinking that if this was what witness protection was like, I would like to do more of it!

For me, it was almost like a vacation. I hadn’t been working in the department for very long, but my last job was a real grind, so having nearly a month to kick back like this was a real treat! I’m sure that Missy didn’t hold the same vacation mentality as I did, but she seemed – at least on the outside – to be taking it well, if not enjoying it too.

It was about a week into it, I guess, when things took a decidedly more intimate turn. Missy and I were sitting on the sofa watching The Dick Van Dyke show when the telephone rang, startling us. Now I knew this phone number was unlisted – no one would call it except for the station house. So I picked it up.

“Hello?” I said.

“Jones, it’s me, Captain Harris. I’m coming over, I need to talk to you both. When I come over, I will have a yellow ribbon in my right hand so you’ll know it’s me,” he said. He knew that the small peephole in the door wasn’t very clear so this was his way of establishing his identity to me. “I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”

“Okay Captain, we’ll be expecting you,” I said and hung up.

“What was that about?” Missy asked.

“I dunno. The Captain says he’s coming over and needs to talk to us. Probably something about the case,” I said.

“Oh, I hope it’s good news!” she said. But from the tone of his voice, I doubted it.

The Captain showed up with his yellow ribbon in hand twenty minutes later, and I let him in after checking the door. “I’m afraid I have some news. Seems that a couple of the gang we busted have escaped and are on the loose. We are looking for them and we will find them, but I wanted to give you two a heads up in case they somehow manage to figure out where you are and come looking for trouble,” he said.

“But how would they know where we are?” Missy said, obviously frightened.

“I don’t think they do. This is just a precautionary measure, just letting you know what’s going on. Remember that you have my direct line and also you have the marshall’s next door. Don’t hesitate in calling them if you see anything suspicious. We have every resource available out looking for these two – we’ll find them, don’t worry,” he said.

“We’ll be okay, Captain. You just worry about finding them. I’ll take good care of Missy – er Miss Garner – here,” I said.

“All right. I just wanted to let you know so you would keep an extra eye out in case. We are busy working on the investigation and things are coming along. Okay, I’ll be going now. Be safe you two,” he said and then the Captain left.

“Oh, Kevin, I’m scared!” Missy said, cuddling closer to me on the sofa.

“Don’t worry, Missy. Remember, no one knows you are here except the Captain, that female officer that brought your things the other day, and the Marshalls across the way. We have the direct line to the station house and the Marshall’s across the way. And let’s not forget my alarm system – no one is coming in through that door without my knowing it! Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you,” I said.

“I trust you, Kevin,” she said. But she was visibly shaken by this development. The rest of the day was tinged with worry and caution and I could tell that Missy had a lot on her shoulders. I tried to be as comforting as I could and reassure her that nothing bad was going to happen – that the police would catch these two escapees shortly and have them safely back behind bars.

I reminded her that this house was not known to anyone outside the police and Marshall’s departments. Even past witnesses we had protected didn’t know about this house as they were out of state and this was a brand new safe house for our department.

I have to give Missy credit, though, she did put on a brave face. But I’m a detective; it’s my job to figure out the truth from what people show and say. And while she didn’t say anything, I could sense that she was upset.

That evening as we were sitting watching the Ed Sullivan show, a car drove by and the engine backfired with a loud bang. Poor Missy about jumped out of her skin and I have to admit, it got my attention too. I peeked out the corner of the window just enough to see the car go by and I knew what had happened.

Even after I explained what had happened and that it was only a car backfiring, Missy was too distraught. I suggested we just turn in and go to bed – it was late and she needed to get her mind off things.

We went to bed, but after about an hour I heard a soft knock on the door. The door opened and Missy peeked her head in. “Kevin? Are you asleep?” she asked quietly.

“No, Missy, what’s wrong? Do you need something?” I asked.

“Kevin, I know this may sound silly coming from a grown woman, but ... can I sleep with you tonight? I’m really frightened and I could use someone close to make me feel safe,” she said, feeling embarrassed about being such a scaredy-cat.

I tossed open the blankets and moved over so she could climb into bed with me. I was wearing my pajama bottoms and underwear so it wasn’t like I was totally naked, and she had on her chemise and panties. Besides we were adults and given the situation there wasn’t going to be anything going on anyway – she was too scared. Or at least that’s what I told myself. But I’ve been wrong before...

She turned on her side with her back to me and scooted real close, “spooning” me. “Hold me, Kevin, please?” she said. I put an arm around her and she cuddled close, wrapping my arms around her like a warm blanket and holding it there.

“Better?” I asked.

“Mmmhmm ... thank you. You must really think I’m an awful chicken, but I’ve never been in trouble like this before. I am usually quite timid and I like to stay in the shadows and just do my work without drama and suspense,” she said.

I rolled over onto my back. “Missy, we all get dragged into things we wouldn’t normally be involved in on occasion. And no, I don’t think you are a chicken. In fact, I think you are very brave and very strong for coming forward and agreeing to testify against these people. It shows you really care about others and want to make this world a better place. I am actually quite proud of you,” I said.

“Really?” she said propping herself up on one elbow. “You are proud of me?”

“Sure,” I said. “It isn’t everyone who would agree to risk everything to stand up against the thugs and criminals in the world today. You are giving up your whole life here in Chicago for what you believe is right. If that isn’t pure bravery I don’t know what is!”

I saw her eyes get wet for a moment, then she leaned over and kissed me. At first, I think it was meant to be just a “thank you I’m grateful for your help” kiss, but before either of us knew quite what was happening, the kiss deepened and became much more passionate than either of us had planned.

As we kissed, my arms went around her slim waist and her free hand went up to stroke my hair. I heard a soft moan come from inside her somewhere, which only drove me deeper in my desire. It was as if the restrained, moral, and innocent part of our characters went to sleep for a while, and the lustful, sensuous, carnal part of us came out to play.

She felt so good ... warm, soft, and she smelled like baby powder – my favorite scent. I couldn’t help myself. It had been a too long since I had felt the pleasures of the female sex and she must have needed what I had to offer as well.

Without a second thought, my kisses became hungry, passionate, needful kisses. I wasn’t kissing her anymore, I was devouring her. I was feasting on what had quite fortuitously been dropped in my lap.

Looking back on it, it probably was wrong of me – one could make the case I was taking advantage of a woman in a bad situation. But at the time neither of us felt anything but a sudden, overpowering need for each other.

I rolled us over until she was on the bottom and I was over top of her. I continued kissing her moving my kisses to her ear, her neck, and down to her collarbone. I learned that she really likes neck kisses as her moans attested. Once I reached her collarbone, I followed it to the notch at the top of her breastbone then kissed my way straight down her chest leaving a hot trail of kisses and lip brushes along the way.

When I reached the lace-trimmed top edge of her chemise, I stopped and looked up at her. I wanted to make sure this is what she really wanted and I wasn’t just reading the signals wrong. I saw a look on her face that was unmistakable.

She had that clouded look in her eyes and she was biting the corner of her lip as if waiting for my next move and hoping it was what she wanted too. Since I hadn’t heard a “wait” or a “stop”, I figured I was reading things all right.