Detective Partners (19 page)

"Let me warn you now," Officer Travers said. "Goodwin's not in a good mood. I don't know what's bothering her. She wouldn't tell me."

"I'll talk to her." Galen moved around him and opened the door. He entered the room, finding Nicole standing by the bed. She was wearing black slacks and a long sleeve black blouse. Her shoulder length red hair looked as though she had just run a hairbrush through it. Despite her bruised and swollen face, she was lovely. Clearing his throat, he crossed the room to join her at the bed. "Good morning, Nicole."

She snorted. "What's so good about this morning?"

He arched an eyebrow. "You're being released from the hospital. I thought that would make you happy. I know you were going stir crazy in here." He stared at the top of her head. "Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?"

"No," Nicole said firmly.

"Okay." Galen placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "I'm here if you change your mind." He glanced at the bed and spotted her holstered gun lying on top of her suit coat. The gun meant only one thing. She was planning to return to work. "If you think you're going back to
wor
think again. The only place you're going is home, where you're going to rest."

"I am going back to work." Nicole leaned her head back and glared up at him. "If you won't drive me to the station I'll call for a cab to take me. Either way I'm going to work. I'm not going home to sleep all day. I'm sick of lying around doing nothing. I need to do something. I need to feel useful. So what's it going to be? Are you driving me or do I have to call for a cab? Make your decision quickly."

"Two conditions," he growled, his eyes flashing. "If you get tired you go home. If you start experiencing any pain you go home."

"Fine," she said.

"I mean it, Nicole," Galen said. "Don't try to hide how you're feeling just because you don't want to go home. Promise me that if you start feeling unwell you'll tell me."

"I promise if I start feeling unwell I'll tell you," she said sincerely.

"How are you feeling?" he asked with concern.

"I'm a little stiff, but that's from lying in that damn bed all weekend." Nicole smiled at him. "I'm all right. Really I am."

"Physically, but emotionally I'm not so sure. What's bothering you?" he inquired softly. "Talk to me."

Sighing heavily, she reached for her gun and hooked the holster to her belt. "My father's out of jail. Officer Stevens called a little while ago to tell me. He said Dad made bail late last night. After what he did it angers me that he's free."

"He won't be for long," Galen told her. "When he goes to court the judge will sentence him to jail time. In the meantime, if he comes around you his bail will be revoked and he will go back to jail. He won't hurt you again. I promise you that." He picked up her suit coat and held it open for her. "I ran into Travers in the hallway. What did he want?"

"Nosy, aren't we, Maxwell?" Nicole teased as she slipped her arms into the sleeves.

He took her by the shoulders and turned her around. She was smirking and had a teasing glint in her eye. His gaze swept over her face and came to rest on her mouth. Suddenly an urge to kiss her came over him. Slowly, he pulled her close as he lowered his head. In the back of his mind there was a little voice telling him that what he was about to do was wrong. He ignored the voice and listened to his body's urges. Gently, so as not to hurt her split lip, his lips settled on hers.

It lasted the span of four heartbeats, no longer.
A brush of lips, a mingling of breaths, the whispered glide of a tongue.
As far as kisses went, it was brief and innocently sweet. Yet it made Galen ache like nothing else ever had and pulled
a tenderness
from him that left him breathless. Stunned, he raised his head slightly and looked at her. She opened her eye and looked back at him. For several seconds neither spoke a word. Both were reeling from what just happened.

"Galen," Nicole breathed, breaking the silence. "You shouldn't
hav
we shouldn't have done that."

"I know," he croaked. "I'm sorry, but-"

"I'm not sorry it happened," she whispered, blushing. "I wanted you to kiss me."

His heart skipped a beat at her admission.
"But?"

"But we're partners," she said. "We can't have feelings for each other."

She was right. It was against the stations policy for colleagues to be romantically involved. "It won't happen again." The words leaving a bitter taste in his mouth, he reluctantly let her go.

Nicole was relieved when she and Galen arrived at the station and she could put some distance between them. She felt awkward being in his company. She had a feeling he felt the same way around her. Would that awkwardness be there between them from now on? She hoped not. Nicole headed to Parker's office. Once there, she found his door open. She knocked lightly and stepped inside.

Parker, who was seated at his desk, glanced up. His eyes grew wide at the sight of her face. "Good Lord, Goodwin." He jumped up and hurried around the desk. "Sit down. Do you need help?"

She smiled at the question. "Thank you, sir, but I can manage on my own."

"What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning. "Shouldn't you be home resting?"

"I'm fine." Nicole lowered herself into a chair, wincing when her bruised back met the back of the chair. "I've had plenty of rest. I'd like to get to work."

"I admire your dedication, Goodwin." Parker perched on the corner of his desk, "but I'm not sure you're ready to return to work. You're functioning with one eye and one hand right now."

"I can see fine, sir," she assured him, "and I can use my hand a little. The doctor didn't say I had to take time off. He just told me to be careful and take it slow."

"How does your partner feel about you wanting to come back?"

"I'm all right with it, sir," Galen said, walking into the room. "Nicole and I had a little talk. She promised me that if she grew tired or started feeling any pain she would go home. I think you should let her stay."

Nicole felt a rush of gratitude toward her partner. She wanted to thank him, but was too shy to look at him. She knew if she looked at him she would start replaying the kiss over in her mind and that was the last thing she wanted to do, especially with their boss standing there watching. Clearing her dry throat, she said, "What do you say, sir? Are you going to let me stay?"

"Yes," Parker sighed, "but I want you to know that I will be watching you closely. One sign that this is too much for you and I will send you home."

"Fair enough," she muttered.

"What do you want, Maxwell?"

Galen held up an envelope. "This just came for you. I think it's from him."

"You mean Judas?"

"Yes."

"Damn," Parker swore softly. "I guess I better round up the rest of the team."

"They're all ready in the conference room waiting on you," Galen informed him.

"Then let's get the show on the road," Parker said. He stared at Nicole. "Welcome back, Goodwin."

"Thank you, sir." Nicole rose to her feet, groaning. Both men raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm fine," she snapped at them. "I bet if Marsh, Brown, or Lopez were in my place you two wouldn't be trying to coddle them."

"We're not trying to coddle you," Parker said coolly. "We're just looking out for your well being.
Conference room, you two."

"We'll be there in a minute, sir," Galen said. "I want to have a quick word with my partner."

"Make it quick." Parker took the envelope from him and left the office.

"What do you want to talk about?" Nicole asked, not meeting his gaze.

"I just - I just wanted to know if we're all right." Galen took a step closer. "I don't want what happened at the hospital to come between us."

"I don't want that either." She snuck a glance at him and saw he looked worried. "Why don't we put it behind us and move forward?"

He nodded. "I guess we should go before Strauss sends someone after us."

Her heart in her throat, Nicole led the way to the conference room.

C
hapter  20

"'
Greetings, my friends,

I pray this letter finds you all doing well. It has been two days since I last contacted you. I apologize for keeping you waiting, but our almighty God has kept me busy. There is much to do and time is short. Let me get to the point. Last night, I destroyed another demon. You will find this demon near the old abandoned factory on Houser St. The Lord and I are counting on you to dispose of this piece of filth. Do not let us down. I am sorry, but I must say goodbye for now. As I said before there is much to do and time is short. Before I close, Detective Goodwin, I understand you were physically assaulted. I am sorry it happened. Please, keep the faith and do not let what happened to you turn you from God. In time, the demon that harmed you will get what he has coming to him. I will pray for you. May God shine upon you in all that you
do.

Sincerely,

Judas'"

"Well." Parker lowered the letter. "I don't know about you all, but I'm curious Goodwin as to how he found out you were assaulted."

"Maybe he works at the hospital," Marsh said.

Galen turned his head and looked at Nicole. She appeared calm and composed. He glanced down. Her hands were gripping the armrests of her chair so tightly that her knuckles were white. He leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "Relax. Take a deep breath and just relax."

Taking a deep breath, Nicole let it out slowly and unclenched her hands. "How does he know that I was beaten up?" she murmured.

"I don't know," he said quietly. He inhaled and caught a whiff of her perfume. The scent reminded him of roses that had been warmed by the sun. His gaze went to her mouth and just like that, he was reliving the moment he kissed her.
Don't think about that,
he thought. Quickly, he moved out of her space.

"Goodwin," Parker said. "Did you have any male nurses?"

"No," Nicole answered. "The only male that treated me was Dr. Kershaw."

"Either Judas works at the hospital or he knows someone that does," Renfro said.

"There is also the possibility that he works here at the station or knows someone that does," Marsh added. "Hell, he could be
anywher
having anyone working for him. You just never know with these nut jobs."

"We are working a case that he handed to us," Galen said. "My guess is he knows all about us, which is why I think everybody should be on his or hers best behavior. I'm sure he's watching us and the last thing any of us wants is to piss him off and end up on his sinner's list."