Damaged Goods (Don't Call Me Hero Book 2) (30 page)

“Probably because I was swimming in one earlier.”

“Mystery solved.”

“See ya later, Tony,” I said, lightly pinching his nose. “Stay outta trouble.”

I left Julia’s office and walked with a noticeable bounce in my step. I threw my duffle bag into one of my motorcycle saddlebags and retrieved my cell phone. I didn’t have his number programmed into my list of contacts, but I still had the business card with his information stored in the back pocket of my jeans. They’d been the same jeans I’d worn when he’d suspended me.

It was after regular business hours, which meant Inspector Garnett was probably off-duty. I dialed the number even though he probably wouldn’t answer the call. But I didn’t want to let this opportunity pass me by.

The phone rang twice before the other line picked up.

“Hello?”

“Inspector Garnett?”

“Speaking,” my former supervisor’s voice growled.

“Sir, it’s Cassidy Miller.” I took a deep breath. “I’m in.”

EPILOGUE

“Nervous?”

“No. Don’t be ridiculous,” Julia readily dismissed. “Why would I be nervous?”

I grabbed her hand and swung our connected arms back and forth like a jump rope. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you’re going to be meeting the majority of my friends all at once
and
they’re all cops.”

Julia rolled her eyes. “You make it sound like I’m on the lam, dear.”

Angie was hosting an end-of-the summer barbeque at her place. We’d all arranged our time off to overlap so no one would have to leave early to go into work. She’d promised me a low-pressure environment where I could introduce my girlfriend to the gang and plenty of beer.

“I’ve already warned them not to make a big deal about your job,” I said.

“You mean that I’m the enemy.”

I nodded crisply. “Exactly.”

“Will Mendez be there?” she questioned.

“No. This is strictly a friends-only event, and he is most definitely not a friend.”

“That’s too bad—not about the friend thing,” she clarified, “but I really wish you’d leave me in a room with him.”

“Don’t tempt me,” I laughed. “I’d love to see you make him squirm. But I think we’ll all be better off when this thing gets dropped. I’m done with Mendez, and that’s a good thing.”

I heard her wistful sigh. “If you insist.”

I hadn’t seen or heard from my former FTO since we’d broken up that bar dispute near the university. I imagined that wouldn’t last forever though. The Cold Case Division was in the basement of the Fourth Precinct, so unless Mendez transferred out, we’d probably run into each other at some point.

Inspector Garnett had sounded relieved when I’d called to take the position with the division. I doubted it had anything to do with needing someone for the job and was instead reassurance that I wasn’t going to sue the department or at the very least to appeal his decision. I had the weekend to myself and on Monday morning I would report to my new office. With the exception of Stanley Harris, I had no idea who I’d be working with, but if they ended up being even half as quirky as Stanley, I was in for an interesting assignment.

Julia and I climbed the concrete steps to Angie’s duplex, and I pressed the buzzer for her apartment.

While we waited, Julia wrung her empty hands in front of herself. “Why did I let you convince me not to bring anything? It’s rude to come to a gathering without at least a bottle of wine.”

“You
are
nervous!” I practically gloated.

“Maybe a little,” she grimaced. “I want to make a good impression.”

I leaned in and brushed a lock of hair away from her squared jaw. “Don’t worry. If they don’t like you, I can always make new friends.”

“It’s just that when I get nervous, I get more formal than usual. I don’t want your friends to think you’re dating a cardboard cutout.”

“You’re too beautiful for anyone to make that mistake.”

She’d dressed more casually for the party, but still looked like she’d stepped off the pages of a high-end clothing catalogue. Her stilettos had been shelved for the evening in favor of wedge heels. Distressed skinny jeans hugged her curves, a cream-colored camisole displayed a hint of cleavage, and a thin three-quarter length sleeved cardigan completed the outfit. I didn’t exactly look like a slob compared to her in my jeans and Henley top, but her elegant carriage elevated whatever she wore.  

I buzzed the door again and peered through the small glass cutout in the building’s main door.

“Is this the right place?” Julia asked.

I nodded. “Angie had a party here when she first moved in. Brent puked in those bushes,” I said, pointing to a trio of boxwood shrubs.

“Charming.”

Suddenly it was me who became nervous. Julia had met my friends once before, but they’d been on their best behavior the night before I left for Embarrass. Tonight, they had no reason to put on airs. They could be as loud and as coarse and as crude as they wanted.

Before I could pack up Julia and salvage our relationship, the sound of laughter floated from the direction of the backyard.

Julia arched an eyebrow. “I’m no detective, but I do believe I’ve found your party.”

The apartment buildings in Angie’s neighborhood were fairly close to each other. Narrow, gated alleyways separated the private lots. I opened the gate at the side of Angie’s house and held the door so Julia could go in ahead of me. I ushered her into the backyard with my hand in the small of her back.

Angie’s rental wasn’t large enough to host everyone in our crowd, but the weather was in our favor and the shared backyard at her duplex was perfect for a private barbeque. A few pieces of patio furniture littered the green lawn. Angie, Brent, Adan, and a young woman whom I didn’t recognize stood clustered together near the charcoal grill. The distinct scent of charcoal and lighter fluid was heavy in the air.

“Hide your sisters, hide the beer,” Brent loudly announced. “Cass is here.”

“Cute, Viking. Real cute,” I remarked.

His mustache was starting to grow back in, but it would be a few more weeks before it was back to its full glory.

“Guys, you remember Julia.”

I had thought long and hard about how I might introduce my girlfriend to my friends. Technically they’d all met once before on the same night that I myself had met Julia, but as Angie had pointed out to me, we’d all met under a different context.

“Julia, this is Brent, Angie, Adan, and …” I trailed off when I reached the one person in attendance whom I didn’t know.

“Isabella,” she supplied. If I weren’t already flanked by the most attractive woman I’d ever known, I might have swooned. Isabella had a soft, feminine voice. Wide brunette curls formed perfect ringlets that fell down her round shoulders. Her dark chocolate eyes crinkled when she smiled at me.

“She’s with me,” Adan spoke up.

“Oh!” I exclaimed, suddenly making the connection. “You’re the girlfriend!”

Isabella smirked and turned to Adan. “Does
everyone
know about me?”

Brent raised his can of beer. “Julia, you look parched. What are you drinking?”

“Oh, well, uh, I don’t usually drink beer.”

“I’ve got a white wine chilling in the cooler,” Angie said. “I don’t drink beer like the rest of these unwashed miscreants either.”

Julia visibly relaxed beside me. “That would be lovely, Angie. Thank you.”

“Cass, what kind of beer do you want?” Angie asked as she went to dig around in the ice chest.

“Nothing, thanks. I’m Designated Driver tonight.”

“Look at you being all responsible and shit,” Angie taunted.

Brent rubbed his hands together. “So, now that you’re here, what are we going to do to get back at FTO Mendez?”

“Hey, keep me out of this,” Angie said. “Cass, no offense, but I can’t be a part of this. As much as the guy might deserve it, I’m an FTO, too.”

“No, don’t worry about it, Ang. And you,” I said, poking my pointer finger into Brent’s broad chest, “don’t you even think about going on some crusade against Mendez on my behalf.”

“Aww, come on, Cass. Just a little practical joke.”

“No. This thing with Mendez is done,” I asserted. “I’ve moved on.”

“Wait, you’re not quitting the force are you?” Adan frowned.

I glanced once in Julia’s direction. “I wasn’t planning on telling anyone until I was sure it was gonna stick,” I started, “but I’m transferring to the Cold Case Division.”

“Cold Case?” Angie repeated. “What the hell do you know about cold case work?”

“Nothing at the moment,” I admitted. “But I’ll figure it out.” I knew there was going to be a learning curve to get me caught up, but I was never one to shy away from a challenge. My pursuit of Julia was evidence enough of that.

“So what’s your new title gonna be?” Brent asked.

“Detective,” Julia supplied a little too eagerly. No one else caught the change in her tone, but I had. I hid a laugh behind a short cough.

“Anybody notice we only get together when Cass is moving or switching jobs? She’s gonna start thinking she’s important or something,” Angie snorted.

“Start?” Julia raised an eyebrow.

Angie’s loud laugh filled the backyard. “Oh, she’s a sharp one, Cass. I like it.”

“Not just a pretty face,” I smiled despite the teasing at my expense.

Angie handed Julia a glass of white wine. “I hear you defend poor people.”

I mentally winced. I’d explicitly told my friends not to ask Julia about her job as a public defender. I trusted my friends to be adult about it, unlike Mendez, but after a few beers had loosened peoples’ tongues, anything could happen.

“We prefer the phase indigent defendants,” Julia corrected.

“Do you like it?” Brent asked.

“Most days,” Julia nodded. “I’m a little frustrated with my co-workers right now. They’re mostly graduate students clawing their way to becoming so-called
real
lawyers.”

“Doing their time before something better comes along,” Adan nodded in understanding. “From what I understand, it’s not a very glamorous job. Thankless, actually. What’s your experience been like?”

“It’s actually not too bad,” Julia mused. “I like being the underdog. And unlike other kinds of practicing law, most of my cases go to trial. I love the courtroom. The hardest part is being able to relate to clients because we’re usually from completely different backgrounds. But I’ve had a lot of success so far, probably because everyone’s afraid of me.”

Angie eyeballed Julia. “You don’t seem so scary.”

“Thank you, dear.”

I snorted. “You haven’t seen her in a court room.”

At that moment, a high-pitched shriek filled my ears, followed by a crushing pressure wrapped around my ribcage. Before I could register what was going on, the mass of movement and sound had moved on to Julia.

It was only when the figure had her arms thrown around Julia that I recognized who it was: “Grace Kelly?”

Grace Kelly Donovan let go of Julia and launched herself back on me. Her arms hung around my neck, nearly choking me with her enthusiasm.

“You’re here!” she squealed.

“I am. It’s true,” I laughed. I held her at arm’s length. Her hair was a little longer than the short pixie style I remembered, but nothing else had changed.

Rich sauntered up to the group. “I see you’ve met Grace,” he joked. He tipped his ball cap. “Julia, looking lovely as always.”

“Richard,” she returned, raising her wine glass in salute. “Always a pleasure.”

As the evening turned into night, a few stars could be seen in the inky black sky despite the light pollution being cast from downtown Minneapolis. Angie had paper lanterns hanging from the trees in the backyard, creating a canopy of light overhead.

Rich and I stood apart from the rest of the party, me nursing a soda and he a can of beer. I periodically glanced in Julia’s direction. She, Isabella, and Grace Kelly had broken away from the rest of the group, bonding over their shared experience of dating a cop, no doubt. My eardrums were still complaining, but I was actually thankful Julia had a familiar face to talk to, not that I doubted her ability to make friends in a backyard full of strangers.

“You like to ambush me, don’t you, pal?” I said to Rich.

He held up his hands in retreat. “Grace knew you and Julia were going to be here. I had no idea she’d react like that though.”