Chapter 30

Jan was somewhat disappointed when she saw Bryant making up his couch. She wasn't certain how far she wanted the night to go but she disliked the fact that the decision had already been made.

She sat down in the chair opposite the coach and tucked her legs beneath her. Her silk robe fell open and her off-white panties were visible until she closed the robe. She chatted with Bryant, extending her legs and adjusting her posture to try to keep Bryant interested. He seemed resolved to sleeping on the couch.

Finally, Jan stood and yawned.

"I'm going to bed," she announced. "It's almost midnight."

"See you in the morning," Bryant replied.

Jan leaned forward and put her arms around Bryant's neck. The movement caused the front of her robe open and her breasts were visible to Bryant's gaze again. He didn't look downward, keeping his gaze locked on Jan's face. Unfazed, she leaned further forward and kissed him.

"Thank you," Jan said. "I had a great day."

"Me, too," Bryant said softly. Jan gave him a softer kiss and stood up.

"See you in the morning," she said, glancing backward over her shoulder to see if Bryant had noticed the extra sway she'd put in her hips. He was looking in her direction but his eyes were above her waist.

Jan had very little trouble falling asleep and but she came awake when she felt weight on her bed. She reached for the gun she kept under her pillow and came up empty. She sat bolt upright in bed.

"Sorry," Bryant said in a soft voice.

"What do you want?" Jan asked urgently.

"I just wanted you to see something," Bryant told her. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

Jan's addled brain finally caught up and she recognized her surroundings. She also figured out who was sitting on the bed.

"What?" she asked.

"Come on, get up," Bryant said. "Put on some clothes and come with me. It's a little chilly so if you have some sweats, put them on."

She shook her head sadly.

"I have a pair of jeans," she said.

"Good enough," Bryant said. "I'll wait for you out front."

"What do you want to show me?" Jan asked in a sleepy voice. "I was sleeping."

Bryant laughed.

"It's the middle of the night," he said. "It's what you should be doing. Just meet me out front. Trust me?"

"I do," Jan said, wiping sleep from her eyes. Bryant was gone before she made her way out of bed. She pulled on some jeans and rummaged around in his closet for one of Bryant's sweatshirts. It looked like a dress on her and she laughed lightly.

Bryant was wearing a tracksuit when she emerged. He directed her to the front door and then down the steps. He opened the door to the deck and pulled the single chair that Chuck left outside at night. He left it there for Bryant to enjoy what he was going to show Jan.

"What time is it?" Jan wondered.

"A little after five," Bryant said. "Have a seat and watch the horizon. You'll enjoy this. I promise."

Jan dutifully sat down in the cloth and plastic chair and shifted until she got comfortable. It was only then that she realized Bryant was standing off to the side, leaning against a railing.

"Are you going to stand up the whole time?" she asked.

"Chuck only leaves one chair outside each night," Bryant admitted.

"We'll share," Jan told him as she rose. "Come on. I'll sit on your lap."

Bryant gazed at her for a moment before she gestured him over again.

"If that chair will hold you, it'll hold both of us," she said with a laugh. That hadn't been what Bryant was worried about. He had decided during their evening stroll the night before that he was willing to go to great lengths to help Jan feel better. But there were some things that he just couldn't do.

Still, he walked over to the chair he'd spend several mornings on and took a seat. Jan sat down on his lap.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked. The question was meant not only for Jan but for him.

"I'm positive," Jan replied. She wrapped her arms around his neck and put her head on his shoulder. "If you'd brought a blanket I could go back to sleep just like this, I think."

"If I wanted you to sleep, you'd still be in bed," Bryant pointed out.

"Oh, yeah," Jan laughed. She turned her attention to the horizon and watched the red sun slowly emerge from the sea. The beauty of the reds, oranges and yellows of the sunrise reflecting off the few low clouds was breathtaking. The darkness of the night sky gave way to red and then to light blue as the orb ascended. Jan watched in awe as the world around her awoke. She had never witnessed such majesty and turned to Bryant with tears in her eyes.

"That was the most inspiring thing I've ever seen," she gushed. "I can't believe I've never taken the time to watch that before. Thank you for sharing that with me."

"Well, you know, it's not really mine to share," Bryant said with a warm smile. "Stand up. I want to show you something else."

Jan arose and he walked her to the edge of the deck. The sand leading down to the water was pristine.

"It's like no one has ever been there before," Jan said in amazement.

"Every day the tide rolls in and wipes away all the footprints and debris," Bryant explained. "I sort of look at it as a metaphor for life, you know. Every morning is a fresh start for at least something."

"Yeah," Jan said. "Could we walk on it? I mean, is that okay?"

Bryant chuckled.

"Someone's got to be the first each day," he said. "It won't stay this way forever. But it'll be just like this again tomorrow."

"With all of humanity's sins washed away," Jan added with a nod.

"Something like that," Bryant agreed. "It was right down there that I really decided that this is where I needed to be – Emerald Cove, I mean, not Chuck's old apartment."

"I knew what you were saying," Jan replied. "Let's take a walk down the beach."

"You'll find some cool shells this time of morning," Bryant replied. He led her off the deck and through the gate that separated the bar from the beach.

"The water is still pretty high," Jan said. The tide was considerably nearer to her that it had been the evening before.

"It's like the seasons," Bryant explained. "The high tide comes in the middle of the night and then gradually recedes through the morning. I think the low tide is supposed to be about noon. Then it will gradually become higher until another high tide about six o'clock tonight."

Jan grasped Bryant's hand as they came down the steps. They headed up the beach at a leisurely pace after Jan stopped to roll the legs of her pants up and take off her sandals.

Neither spoke as both were content to listen to the sounds of gulls and the waves breaking. The water was a startling green as it pushed higher up the beach and Jan figured out where the city had gotten its name.

They walked almost a mile before deciding to turn around and head back. It was now after 6 a.m. and they had company on the beach. They could hear the sounds of Emerald Cove coming alive. They heard traffic begin on the four-lane road that ran along the coast as more and more people had come down from their hotels. Life was about to get under way once more.

They ambled back down the beach, stopping to pick up some shells along the way and speaking to a few friendly souls who greeted them as they passed. Bryant pushed the gate open and was startled to see Chuck O'Bannon sitting in the chair on the deck.

"Hey," he said. "Miss the view?"

Chuck tapped the side of his head.

"I got it in here," he said.

"What brings you down this early?" Jan wondered.

"Oh, I suppose it would be a call from the Emerald Cove Police Department about a couple of suspected prowlers," Chuck said. Jan was still holding Bryant's hand and Chuck noticed. Jan saw where he was looking but didn't take her hand back.

"Prowlers?" Bryant asked. "We didn't see anyone."

"I suspect you didn't, boyo," Chuck replied. "Because if I had to guess, you were the prowlers. Someone reported a male and female leaving the bar at oh-dark-thirty this morning and skulking away down the beach. Your guys arrived here in about five minutes to investigate. They found my back gate unlocked and gave me a call to see if I could come down to let them enter the premises and check things out. That gate has to be closed and locked at certain times. I got here and saw that the gate hadn't been forced open – and I knew that only you and I have a key for it – so I suspected it was you. I was positive when I saw the chair on the deck. I told them I had probably forgotten to lock it last night. So I sent them on their way and figured I'd wait to make sure."

"Ah shit," Bryant muttered. "Sorry about that, Chuck."

"It's no problem," the older man said. "I called your cell phone but it went to voice mail. I would have just told them just to go on in but I sort of worried about what they might see. I wasn't sure if you wanted your patrolmen to see you come strolling up the beach arm in arm."

"They'll probably see it soon or later," Jan replied casually. "But I'm sorry, too, Chuck. I know those gates have to be locked but, well, you probably won't believe this, but this is the first time I've taken a few minutes to watch the sun come up over the ocean. It was so beautiful. Then Bryant showed me what the tide did to the beach and I wanted to take a walk. We should have remembered to lock the gate, though. I honestly didn't think anyone would see us."

"There apparently are a couple of old people who troll the beach this time of morning," Chuck replied. "They called it in when you slipped out."

"They didn't cite you, did they?" Bryant wondered. He knew it was a $1,000 fine to have the back gate open after 3 a.m.

"Nah," Chuck said. "They were very polite and professional. They seemed to know what constitutes a serious problem and just a nuisance. They said they wouldn't have called me at all except for the report that someone was inside the premises. I didn't tell them you lived upstairs and they didn't appear to know. But if you're going on any more early-morning treks, lock the gate behind you. Louise was not pleased to have the phone ringing that early."

"Let us make it up to you," Jan said.

"That's okay," Chuck told her with a laugh.

"No, seriously," Jan said. "I know she's been after you to take a night or two off. Well, I happen to know two people who think the world of you and who are remarkably free from obligations for the next few days. We can handle making sure the cash gets deposited and things like that."

"Oh, I know you could," Chuck said. "I could turn the bar part over to Rosa or Erin. They're both really good people. I'm really the only bartender though, and that's the problem. The guy I have working outside can pass out beers but if anyone wants more than that, I have to do it."

"Cosmopolitan: One ounce of vodka; a half-ounce of triple sec, lime juice and cranberry juice," Jan recited. "Shake and strain into a martini glass, then garnish with a lime wedge. I can make an appletini. I can make a vodka gimlet. I can make a Manhattan. If I had known you needed a bartender, I'd have offered earlier."

"You can bartend?" Bryant wondered.

"When I was in college – and not watching 'Cops & Lawyers' reruns – I'd be the drink mixer if someone convinced me to go to a party," she admitted. "I told you: I'm not averse to people, just contact. So I would get behind a makeshift bar and that was that. I got to go to the party and be around others but I was separated from the masses. I was pretty good at it. Why don't you give me a tryout tonight, Chuck? It'll get Louise off your tail and it'll give us something to do. Plus we won't feel nearly as guilty about dragging Louise out of bed if we know she gets a night on the town with her fellow out of the deal."

"I can't bartend," Bryant pointed out.

"You can pour a beer, I'll bet," Jan said. "And you can keep the rowdies in line."

Chuck pondered for a moment. If there was anyone he'd trust his bar to, it would be Bryant Hawkins. He had liked the man since the first time he'd met him. Jan Elliot was solid, too – even if she was a little strange. He was also positive Louise would like a night out of the house. He worked seven days a week during the summer. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, he closed at ten. But he was there until at least three in the morning, and often later, the other nights of the week. It might be nice to have someone he could rely on to give him a break every now and then.

"Let's give it a shot," he decided.

Jan spent the afternoon in O'Bannon's pub mixing cocktails for the college-aged girls in the crowd. Chuck was impressed enough that he had no problem calling Louise at home and asking if she'd enjoy a night of dinner and dancing the following evening.

Bryant took the opportunity to slip away and wash his clothes. It had been years since he spent anywhere near the amount of consecutive hours he'd spent in Jan's company. Jan still befuddled him. She had kissed him again when they got back upstairs after visiting with Chuck. When he sat down to watch the news on television, she had put her head on his thigh and drifted back to sleep, wearing only his long sweatshirt.

She had rolled over and looked up at him with a dreamy smile as she came awake.

"What time is it?" she had wondered. She felt rested even though the sunrise and the walk had interrupted her slumber.

"Almost eleven," Bryant had told her.

Jan had sat upright, quickly.

"You let me sleep for four hours?" she had asked.

"You looked peaceful," Bryant had said. "But now that you're awake, I'm off to the john."

Jan had just watched as Bryant headed across the apartment. She had not felt him move the whole time she was sleeping. He had just sat there and let her rest.

She wished she had made it into the bathroom to brush her teeth before he scooted in there. She would have greeted him with a kiss when he came back out.

"You need to get moving," Bryant had told her when he returned from the toilet. "Chuck gets in down there pretty early and you'll want to see how he sets up everything."

"Yeah," she had admitted. "I'm going to hop in the shower. You need in there again?"

Bryant had shaken his head and gathered up his clothes while Jan bathed. As the day before, she had walked out wearing only her towel.

"Can you throw my stuff in with yours?" she had asked. Bryant had shrugged his agreement and had watched as Jan's bottom had come into view when she leaned over to gather the clothing she'd worn the day before. He had turned away when she started to rise, unwilling to be caught ogling her backside.

"I need to get home tonight," she had told him. "I'm about out of clothes. I only packed for a couple of days away. I didn't realize you planned to secret me off to your lair."

Bryant had started to protest but he stopped when he saw Jan was kidding around. She had given him a small kiss as she had placed her clothing in his bag.

"See you when you get back," she had told him. Now he was sitting at the Laundromat, perplexed at how the past two days had played out. Jan had told Chuck that the officers under their command would have to get used to seeing her holding his hand. That didn't conform to the theory he had organized in his mind.

To him, this was just another of Jan's experiments. She had used him as a guinea pig to see if she could stand to be held or touched intimately. He had begun to wonder how far Jan's plan extended.

He decided he would have to discuss this with her at some point. He just hoped the time presented itself before he was in over his head.

Jan was already upstairs when Bryant got back. He was amazed to find her in his kitchen, wearing a pair of terry cloth shorts and a T-shirt. She turned when she heard the door open.

"What are you doing?" Bryant wondered.

"I'm fixing your supper," Jan announced. Bryant tried to hide the look of fear that crossed his face – and failed.

"I'm not going to poison you," she said, shaking her head. "Rosa – that's the woman who cooks for Chuck..."

"I know who Rosa is," Bryant interrupted with a laugh as he sat his basket of clothes on the floor. "I live upstairs, remember?"

Jan flipped him off.

"She gave me a recipe for chicken enchiladas," she continued. "I figured I could prove to you that I'm not helpless in the kitchen."

"Did you find everything you needed?" Bryant wondered. His kitchen was poorly stocked – not only in the way of food but in the way of utensils.

"I had to borrow a pan from downstairs," she admitted. "If I would have tried to fix anything in that one you have, we'd both be in the hospital tomorrow."

Bryant laughed. He had carried the same baking dish around with him for years. Mostly he used it to reheat things in the microwave.

"Yeah, I probably need a new one," he agreed.

"So I figured we could have an early supper and then take care of my clothing situation," Jan said.

"Sounds okay to me," Bryant answered. He pulled Jan's belongings out of the bag and set them aside.

"You pressed my blue jeans," she said with a laugh.

Bryant looked down at the pile of clothing. Jan had put a pair of jeans, her sundress, two pairs of shorts, three shirts, a nightshirt and two pairs of underwear into his laundry.

"I just folded them the way I fold my stuff," he said sheepishly.

"I'm goofing around," Jan replied as she turned back to her work. "I bought a six-pack from Chuck. He said he could sell it to me since legally it wasn't leaving the premises."

"He told me the same thing when I moved in here," Bryant said. "I ran it past Ally just to make sure he didn't get jammed up. She said so long as I didn't go on the sidewalk or the beach with it, it was fine."

"I asked Jonah," Jan admitted. "He was in for a late lunch as I was leaving. I told him I was just headed upstairs with it. Why does no one know you live here?"

"I didn't want their drunk asses pounding on my door early Saturday morning because they needed a place to sleep," Bryant admitted.

"So besides me, who knows?" Jan wondered.

"Allyson," Bryant told her. "Bea was here once or twice. I gave the address to the HR department but I'm sure Linda or Steve figured it out. Regina and Holly know. That's about it."