Just in Time: Portals of Time (21 page)

For an hour, she’d searched every space where he might have hidden proof of his intent to hurt Jess and found nothing: no second computer device, which they’d scoured the place for last night, no papers that were incriminating in the desk. Perhaps Craig Krueger was not guilty.

But she didn’t believe in his innocence. The things of his she touched bore remnants of his resentments—the shirts in his clothing space, the dishes he’d used. Even his personal-hygiene equipment. She didn’t always get vibrations from inanimate objects, but his
stuff
bore his ill will.

Discouraged, she pulled open a door that led to a little room that she’d learned earlier was called a closet. They searched it last night, but now she pulled back the heavy clothing and when she saw nothing, out of frustration she kicked the wall. A panel clicked open. Oh, Nord! Inside was a rectangular box. Picking it up, she tried to open the thing but it was locked. Hmm. Nothing else in the house had been secured. She took it out to the eating room and retrieved a utensil. The lock snapped the third time she jiggled it with the sharp object. She lifted the lid.

Inside was a key. Etched in it was
#456.
When she picked it up, she was overcome with sensation: ugly smells, loud noises and a sense of evil that knocked her back on her heels.

Think, Celi, think.

His computer? It had contained financial information. If he paid for the storage of something, there might be a record. She found the machine where they left it last night and called up his owed payments. After five minutes, she saw an item with the number 456: Midtown Bus Station. Something must be there that the key unlocked. Excited, Celeste left the room, then the dwelling. There wasn’t a peeper out of Krueger.

In the reception area, Eddie smiled at her. “Leaving so soon?”

She pouted, another gesture of the time. “He’s still asleep. I waited but…” She smiled shyly at him. Men of their time seemed to like that gesture. “He’s still sleeping. He won’t get up.”

“Crazy fellow, then.”

“I’ll be back.” She used the wink she’d practiced and headed for the door. She’d gotten a few feet down the walkway when a vehicle pulled up in front of the building. Dorian and Luke bolted out of each side, and Luke slammed his door. He circled the car and grabbed her by the shoulders. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Are you crazy?” Fear poured out of him.

She touched his chest to calm him. “I seek your forgiveness. I didn’t mean to worry you. But don’t be angry.”

“I’m angry, too,” Dorian told her. “You could have been harmed.”

“I wasn’t. And I found something. You’ll be glad I did this.”

THE BIG STRUCTURE
that held the busses swarmed with people. There were so many of them, with their scents so strong and conflicting, and the cacophony was so constant, Dorian had to steel herself from overreacting. She glanced at Celeste, who’d gone white from the sensory overload.

“All you all right, Celi?”

Celeste put her hand on her stomach. “This is the place the key is connected to. I recognize the sensations I got from holding it. The surroundings are hard for me to deal with.”

“Yeah, well you’re going to have a lot more to deal with after we get what we came for, doll. Like me! I’m furious with you.”

By now, Dorian figured
doll
was an insult, but an affectionate one.

“Luke, please, not now.”

He drew in a deep breath and put his hand on Dorian’s shoulder. “You’re right. Let’s go. The lockers are this way.”

They headed down an equally fetid hallway where small storage boxes were stacked one on top of the other. People banged open or flung shut several as they passed by, and the steel hitting steel reverberated loudly. Checking the numerals, Luke hurried ahead of them, his stride long, his steps determined. In a few minutes, they reached the four hundreds. Finding 456, Luke sent Dorian a hopeful look and held the key up to the lock. Stuck it inside. The small, metal door sprung loose.

Celi practically deflated and had to brace her arm on the wall. “Thank the godheads.”

Luke peered into the locker. Dorian could see several large envelopes nestled on the bottom. He removed them and put them in a gym bag he’d always stored in his vehicle and brought inside with him. “Come on, let’s hurry. We don’t know when he’ll wake up, figure out what you did and show up here.”

“Oh!” Celeste’s hand went to her mouth.

“You aren’t going to vomit, are you?” Alisha asked.

“I…I’m unsure if I closed the door where I found this. I got so excited…”

Luke felt for the gun at the small of his back, and Dorian checked to see if her stunner was on. Megadamn, the weapon wasn’t there. She hadn’t expected to need it when they left Jess’s to go to Luke’s living space.

“All the more reason to hurry.” He was trying to be calm for the women, but Dorian already knew him well enough to see that he was bluffing. As they rounded the corner of the hallway, they came face-to-face with Craig Krueger.

Before anyone could react, he grabbed Celeste, pulled her into another shorter—and deserted—hallway and jammed his hand into her back. He said, “I’ll shoot her if you don’t turn over what you took out of my locker.”

LUKE SAW THAT
Krueger’s eyes were crazed. The drug Celeste had given him would still be coursing through his system, but he didn’t seem sluggish.

“I mean it. I don’t know who the hell you are or why you tricked me, but I’ve come too far to let you three bozos take it away from me.” His shirt half open, his hair askew and face red, he was clearly unstable.

Flipping up his shirttail, Luke flashed his star, which was on his belt. “This bozo is a New York City cop, mister. And you know what happens when a cop is shot. The rest of the force will hunt you down like a rabid dog.”

“Yeah, sure. Cops don’t break into apartments.”

Celeste raised her chin. “I did not break in. You gave me a key.”

“You cunt!” He pulled his hand away; the gun in it waved in front of her face.

Luke knew the longer this went on, the more could go wrong. He had to end it soon. “Give me the gun, Krueger. You’re caught. You can’t silence all three of us.”

Wildly, Krueger glanced around. There were no people in the small hallway, but someone would come in here soon enough. Then others would be in danger, and Luke couldn’t let that happen.

Celeste yelped when Krueger jammed the gun into her neck again. Luke glanced at Dorian and saw her eyes narrow. She was figuring out how to help her friend. Luke had to do something before the crazy, brave woman did. Suddenly, shouts erupted behind Krueger. “Finally, reinforcements are here!” Luke yelled.

Krueger took his eyes off Celeste for only a split second. But that was all Luke needed. Gun in hand, he rushed Krueger. “Get out of the way, Celi,” he yelled just before he tackled the guy.

Krueger hit his head on the concrete.

Shots rang out.

Everything went black.

DORIAN AND CELESTE
were holding hands when Jess, Helen and Alisha, along with Dick Anderson, arrived at the hospital. Jess’s face was taut. “How is he?”

“He’s in surgery. The bullet lodged in his shoulder. They say it’s not serious, but…” Dorian felt water mist in her eyes and let go of Celeste. Her friend wasn’t taking on
this
pain.

Alisha sat down on the other side of Dorian. “Are you all right?”

“No, of course not. I’m gravely concerned.” She stared beseechingly at Alisha. “Don’t be mad at Celi or me.”

“I’m not mad.” Alisha squeezed her hand. “I’m worried about you.” She nodded to the doors to the treatment rooms for emergencies. “And Luke.”

Sometimes, Alisha could really pull through.

“Hi, everyone.” They looked up to see David Ryan, wearing his collar, standing before them. “Helen, I got your message. I was already here visiting someone who had to come down to the city for treatment.” His gaze scanned the room and landed on Alisha. “What’s going on?”

“Luke got shot,” she told him.

“How badly is he hurt?”

“Bad enough!” Dorian blurted out. “I can
not
believe you have instruments of destruction that wound people. And you’re allowed to carry them at will. What is wrong with your society?”

“I agree, Dorian.” David’s tone was calm. “Unfortunately, groups of powerful people in the country don’t.”

“Dorian means no harm. She’s upset.” Alisha leaned in so Anderson didn’t hear. “Don’t forget, we have the mini-Multimed. We can use it when he comes home.”

“The what?” David asked, his brows raised.

“I’ll explain it to you…” Alisha’s voice trailed off and Dorian tracked her gaze.

A man in blue clothing came out through the treatment space doors, and they all stilled. He consulted with a female hospital employee at the desk, then approached them. “You’re the family of Lieutenant Cromwell?”

Jess, holding on to Helen, nodded. “I’m his brother.”

“He’s going to be fine. The bullet didn’t knick anything vital. It lodged near a bone and we did a clean extraction. He’ll be in pain for a while. But the news is good.”

The sudden relief made Dorian weaker, and water leaked profusely from her eyes. David crossed to her, dragged her close and held on to her.

“I can’t believe I’m weeping. I didn’t even know I could. I’m just so glad…”

“It’s all right to cry." Now David’s tone was dry. “Jess is crying, and the rest of us are teary. We’ll all feel better for it.”

After a while, Dorian calmed. She looked up to find Jess had come to her. “We can go in one at a time as soon as he’s out of recovery.”

“M-may I go after you and Helen?”

“Honey, you can go first. I’m sure he’d rather see your beautiful face than my ugly mug.”

She tried to smile.

The wait was interminable. Now that the mood among them had brightened, Dorian became aware of the acrid smells in the place, the sound of ringing archaic phones and occasional moans of grief.

Alisha and Celeste were in deep discussion at a table, a bit away from her. She finally found the energy to join them.

“Are you feeling better?” This from Celeste. “He’ll be fine, especially after we get him home.”

“I’ll be better as soon as I see him.”

Alisha said, “You have affection for him. I was right. Joining in this time made you close to him. What will you do about that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Surely, you don’t intend to live your entire life engulfed in this kind of turmoil.”

“Stop it, Alisha.” Celeste grabbed Dorian’s hand. “This isn’t the time to criticize her.”

“Of course you’re right. I just worry so much about you two. But I seek your forgiveness, Dorian. You don’t have to concern yourself with anything right now but Luke.”

LUKE SURFACED BY
degrees from the darkness. He could hear people talking. Smell things that stung his nostrils. Feel the covers heavy on him. Finally, he was able to open his eyes. “Hello, Lieutenant. How are you feeling?” A nurse. Dressed in white.

His voice was a croak on the first try. Finally, he got out, “Like a truck hit me. I’m sore all over. What happened?”

“I’ll let your brother tell you. We told him he could come in as soon as you began to rouse.”

“I’m thirsty.”

She put a cup with a straw to his mouth. “Just baby sips.”

Though it hurt going down, the water cooled his parched lips and throat. As soon as he finished, a vision appeared in the doorway to his room. Her clothes were mussed, as was her hair, but her face was shining. She just stood there and stared at him. Was she biting her lip?

He said hoarsely, “Come here, love.”

The nurse snorted. “I take it that isn’t your brother. But you’re a cop, so we’ll let the family requirement go.”

After the woman left them alone, Dorian crossed the room and sat on the edge of the mattress. Up close, he could see her eyes were red and puffy. “Have you been crying? Because of me?”

“Um…” Her eyes misted again. “I was so worried. Perpetrators are stunned in our time and they recover quickly.”

“That’s good.” He reached to take her hand and moaned. “I’m okay. What happened to Krueger?”

“Do you remember that you charged at him?” Her voice shook. Even in the throes of pain, he recognized he’d never seen Dorian this vulnerable.

“Yeah, then I got shot and now I don’t remember anything.”

“Your gun went off, too.”

“Is Krueger dead?”

“No, but he probably wishes he was.”

“Meaning?”

A small smile broached her lips. “You shot him in his genital parts.”

His chest started to rumble, but it hurt, so he tried to stifle the laughter. “Yeah? Great. Has he made a statement?”

“I don’t know. The police are in his medical room.”

Suddenly something occurred to him. “Where’s my duffle bag?”

“Alisha has it with her.”

“We need to look at the envelopes, then decide what to do.” His eyes narrowed. “The police will want a statement now.”

Her face reddened. “You can’t tell them the truth about us, Luke.”

“’Course not. We’ll have to explain as much as we can, though.” He grabbed her hand and winced.

“What’s wrong?”

“My shoulder hurts like a bitch.”

“You need to rest.” She swallowed hard. “We can decide all this later.”

“Kiss me.”

Her brows arched. “Earnestly? When you’re in pain?”

“I need you to.” Now his voice was even hoarser. “You could have been harmed. Or worse.”

Leaning over, she pressed her lips to his. The contact was so totally different from any she’d shared with him, so sweet and precious, it brought those tears to her eyes again. And damned near his.

It was then Luke realized he was in love with her.

SUNSHINE FLOODED THE
den in Jess’s house through the wide windows. The room was spacious and the pullout sofa bed was the best money could buy. Two days after he’d been rushed to the hospital, Luke let Jess and Dorian help him to the bed. He was glad to be here for several reasons. “Get the girls and their magic wand. My shoulder’s throbbing.”