Authors: Christine Wenger
"I want to see if we can unload this car of yours and get another one. One that can't be traced for a while. I figure that Plato would know what's hot and what's not."
"And what do we do with my Blazer?"
"We'll park it where no one will notice it for a while. Maybe a used car lot."
Kate pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the highway that led to Rose Lake. “Mack, who do you think Captain Crowley was meeting?”
“I really don’t want to speculate.”
About forty-five minutes later, Kate parked by the curb on Commercial Drive, avoiding as much broken glass as she could.
She got out when Mack did.
"Kate, I don't suppose you'd stay in the car this time, would you? I don't know if Plato will talk to me if you're there."
"I can help. Plato knows me."
"I didn't think you'd listen." He took a deep breath. "Well then, come on."
As they walked toward the old factory, Mack picked up a stone and threw it against an old rail car.
Bang!
Kate jumped as the noise echoed.
One of the Greeks shuffled out from behind the rail car, his pants dragging in the dirt and glass. It wasn't Plato, but Antwan "The Ant" Blaisdell. The Ant nodded.
Mack nodded back. "I'm looking for Plato."
The Ant eyed Kate, nostrils flaring.
"She's okay. She's with me," Mack said.
The youth hesitated, pulling on the hem of his over-sized black tee shirt. He looked around, then stared into Mack's eyes. "Plato's not here."
"I see that. Where can I find him?"
The Ant spit into the dirt at Mack’s feet. "You know where he is, man."
"Look, if I knew where he was, I wouldn't be asking you, now would I?" Mack told himself to calm down, but he didn't have all the time in the world to play games with this kid.
"It's important," Kate added, with a sincere smile.
There was dead silence as Antwan and Mack glared at each other. The Ant broke down first. "He's in jail."
Mack didn't like that news. Plato had been going straight since his daughter was born. "What for?"
"Selling drugs."
"But that's not Plato's thing anymore," Mack said.
"No shit," Ant said. "It's a frame, man. A setup."
Mack nodded. He agreed. He'd bet his badge that Plato was setup, if he had a badge to bet.
"Who do you think framed him, Ant?"
"I don't know, man, but he was checking out something big–something really big–and pretty soon he was snatched out of his crib and taken to jail."
"Thanks, man. I'll see what I can do."
"Yeah, sure." The Ant raised a fist in a salute, and disappeared behind the rail car.
Mack cursed under his breath.
"What are you thinking, Mack?" Kate asked, touching his arm.
He loved it when she touched him. It was a small thing, but it showed him that she cared. If only he could open up to her, but he just didn't want to involve her in his troubles.
Hell, she was already involved.
He reached for her hand, and held it in his. She smiled and her eyes brightened. That made him feel all warm and fuzzy, and heaven knew he needed some warm fuzzies about now.
"Tell me what you make of this latest development, Sherlock." He kissed the back of her hand, and watched as her cheeks flushed pink.
"I think that Plato was helping you. I think that maybe he got too close or whatever, and he was arrested to get him out of the way. Jail would get him out of the way. That's just what happened to you. Right?"
"That's right."
"And you are innocent," Kate said.
"Are you asking me, or telling me?"
"I'm telling you. I always knew you were innocent, Mack."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, maybe not right from the beginning, but close to the beginning."
He couldn't help himself. He gathered Kate up in his arms and hugged her. She lifted her face for a kiss, and without missing a beat, his lips slanted over hers. Kate's fingers twined through his hair, and he was in heaven.
"Mmmm, Mack?"
"Huh?" It was amazing that they could talk with their lips still touching.
"Not here. It's too...public." He felt a gentle push on his chest. "And you're my client."
He moved away from Kate. He should have known better, but he just couldn't help himself. She was right. Until this was over, she was off limits.
#
Back behind the wheel of her Blazer driving to the Rose Lake Sheriff's Department, Kate thought of how things had changed between her and Mack. She couldn't pinpoint when she had crossed the boundary between apathy and the burning urge to help him prove his innocence.
Maybe it had been his house exploding and the fact that she'd felt devastated without him. Maybe it had been how gorgeous he looked in the shower. Maybe it was how he had protected her with his own body when the sniper shots ripped through the cabin.
Actually, it started on the bank of Rose Lake when he found her crying about her father.
Whatever it was, she’d always been attracted to him.
No. She loved him. John Mackowitz: high school athlete, firearms instructor, cop.
John Mackowitz: a man who could take on the worst criminals, but saved cats.
John Mackowitz: who looked great in a red slip, but looked even better without it.
She stole a glance at him. He was drumming his fingers on his thigh, either to some imaginary tune or to his own thoughts. Whatever it was, he seemed calm whereas she was a bundle of nerves.
Clandestine operations were never her thing. Paper work was her thing. Computers were her thing. But being with Mack was exciting, in more ways than one.
I love him
. The thought should have thrilled her, but instead it was making her crazy.
Kate gasped as she looked at her rear view mirror. "There's a patrol car following me, Mack."
"Can you shake him?"
"I-I don't think I should. Get down!"
Mack hunkered down on the seat. "He probably has a make on your car. He's probably looking for me, trying to figure out if I'm dead or alive. Must be that Captain Crowley didn’t put out the word yet that I’ve come back as a fisherman."
"I'll let him pass," Kate decided, slowing down.
"Let's see what happens. If he tries to pull you over, just step on the gas."
"I'll do no such thing."
She slowed down, and the officer did pass her, but not before making a point to look over at the front seat of her car. Kate waved and eased up on the gas so he could see no one was sitting beside her. The cop waved back and kept going.
"Okay, he's gone. You can get up now," she said.
"Drive into Danny's Dandy Donuts. Around back is a dumpster. Park behind that. We'll go the rest of the way on foot."
Kate nodded and did as instructed.
"Keep up with me," he ordered, getting out of the car.
"I will."
Mack knew every dumpster, every alley way and every dark nook and cranny of the area. Finally, they arrived at the side door of the Sheriff’s Department, the door that led to the basement.
"I'm going to unlock the door," he said, taking out a pointed metal instrument from his pocket."
"You mean pick the lock, don't you."
He smiled. "Whatever."
In seconds, Mack had the door open and motioned for her to follow. Bending over, he whispered in her ear. "Remember: quick. In and out."
Her heart thumped wildly, and she found herself holding her breath as she descended the stairs.
He waved to her again, and she quickly took a seat behind the computer.
It took forever for the old relic to boot up.
She plugged in a jump drive, one of three that she carried on her keychain. Her fingers flew. She had it! The computer chugged as it backed off the files Mack had wanted.
"Done!" she said, switching the computer off and sliding her keys into her purse. "Let's go."
They got out of the station without a problem, retraced their route back to her car, and drove away.
"Thanks for your help, Kate."
"My pleasure. Now where to?"
"We'll check into a motel, separate rooms of course, and I'll go to the Heliport."
"Nope.
We'll
go to the Heliport, then
we'll
check into a motel. One room. I'm not letting you out of my sight, remember?"
The thought of spending a night in a hotel room with Mack made her flush with heat.
"This one's too dangerous, Kate. I'm going alone."
"I can't let you do that."
"Dammit! I have the damn ankle thing on."
"This time, it's not about Your Home Is Your Jail, Mack. It's about me helping you."
"I appreciate it, but–" He swore under his breath. Why did she have to go and say a nice thing like that? "Okay, but you have to do everything I tell you. If you so much as give me a dirty look, you’re out. Got that? The second I feel that you're in danger, I'll give the word and you are to run like hell. Understand me, Kate?"
"Yes." Her knees shook in time to the pounding in her chest.
"Do you
really
understand me, Kate?"
"Yes! Now calm down and don't worry about me. I've been in tight situations before. I was a probation officer, remember?"
He didn't answer, but as they got closer to the Heliport, the sun began to set. Mack directed her to turn left, then right and soon she was driving across what she thought was an overgrown field.
"This is an old runway. We can get closer this way. You'd better put it in four-wheel drive, Kate. Slow down. And cut the lights."
Luckily, there was a full moon which lit their way. She drove in silence until the runway disappeared, and pine trees loomed dark in front of them. She could see the lights of the Heliport through the trees.
"Okay. This is close enough. Cut the engine."
She did as instructed, and he leaned over and put his index finger over her lips. Whispering in her ear, he said, "I'm going to case the place. I'll be right back. Trust me."
It was creepy sitting there in the dark with the crickets and frogs and mosquitoes and heaven knew what else was out there. The minutes dragged by like hours, until Mack appeared out of the dark, scaring her silly.
"There's a meeting that's breaking up. I'll check again in a little while, and see who's left."
"Brief me, Mack. What's your plan?"
"There's a reception area in the front. There will be at least one cop there guarding the place, possibly two. They'll be watching TV or whatever. Off of that, down a hall, is the hangar. There should be a couple of helicopters in the hangar as well as some patrol boats and some other equipment. I'll be headed for the northeast corner of the hangar to be exact. There's a metal door which leads to the storage room where the confiscated drugs are kept until they are destroyed. That's where I'll be. In there."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Your job will be to distract the cops so I can slip in the front door."
"Distract the cops. Check. I can play the stranded motorist looking for directions."
"Brilliant, Kate." He took her hand, and she felt so very close to him at that moment, but scared to death. "Yeah, ask for directions. Just get them away from the door, so I can duck in. The only other way in is through the big electric door of the hangar, and I don't have access to that. Besides it's really noisy."
"Check." Kate nodded. "No noise."
"Remember, get them away from the door when I give you the sign, so I can exit the building."
"Check," Kate said, breathing heavy, making a mental checklist. "Mack needs to exit the building."
He tucked a strand of hair behind her cheek. "Calm down, will you?" He chuckled. "I'll meet up with you somewhere on the road leading out of here." He snapped his fingers. "I know. There's a stop and shop gas station and convenience on the corner. Out back there's a–"
"A dumpster, of course. You know every dumpster in town.”
The amusement disappeared from his eyes and he looked at her intently. "So tell me more about the house you want to buy on Rose Lake."
"Now?" Kate gasped. "While we're on a stakeout?"
"What do you think cops do on stakeouts? We wait and we talk. So let's talk, so I don't end up making out with you." He grinned. "Do they still call it making out? I think we called it that in high school."
"And who did you make out with in high school, Mack?"
"A gentleman never tells."
He traced her jaw with his finger and she felt all warm and tingly where he touched.
"How about you?"
"A lady never tells," Kate said. Actually, she never made out with anyone. No one ever asked her out in high school.
"Then tell me about the house you want," Mack said.
"I’ve always wanted this big old Victorian with a wraparound porch and a patio that overlooks the lake. It's creamy yellow with white shutters. And I’ve biked by it a million times in high school or drove by it a million times. I wanted to buy it, but it’s never come up for sale. Now it’s a moot point. I sunk all my savings into Your Home is Your Jail.”
Kate sighed. Her house seemed like such a unreachable dream now. "It needs a new coat of paint, but it's grand and has these turrets, which are probably rooms. I'd hang lots of pink geraniums from the porch. I'd have a garden with flowers all around it–perennials. The lawn goes right down to the lake. It sits up high on a bluff and–"
"What's it like inside?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know you want it?"
"I just know, Mack. I know it in my gut."
He laughed. "But you said it's not for sale."
"I know, but maybe someday it will be. Maybe then I'll have the money again and I'll buy it."
He leaned back against the headrest. "Tell me more."
"You're laughing at me."
"Not at all." He looked over at her, intent on her answers. "Are you alone in this house? Any man in your life? Any children?"
Her heart fluttered. “That’s the part of my life that’s unfinished.”
“So the best part is yet to come, huh?”
Kate smiled. “I hope so. If I’m meant to be alone or have a family, remains to be seen. All I know is that I’d never leave that yellow Victorian with the white shutters.”