Insubordination

I had asked if I needed to use a condom. She said she had it taken care of.

"I understand," I had said. "What do accountants use for birth control?"

She gave it a little thought and said, "I don't know."

"Their personality."

She said, "Shouldn't you have saved that joke until after we finished?" But she laughed.

I told her she had an atypical personality for an accountant.

That it was atypical was reinforced now as her bra hit me in the face. I started flinging my clothes on the stairs as well.

Maeve had an advantage on me. She could simply step out of her shoes. Mine needed to be untied.

It was our most enthusiastic romp to date. She was especially into it.

I sensed it was leading to something. Was she about to suggest we become a committed couple? I did not do that well.

She went to her bathroom and washed up after we finished.

When she came out naked, wiggling her hips, I realized we were not finished.

This time it felt more connected, more loving. She held me very tightly after we climaxed and didn't let go for a long time.

When we finally separated, she said, "John." She took a very deep breath before continuing.

This was it; the big moment. She was about to tell me she wanted to become exclusive. I had been giving it some thought, but I still didn't know what I was going to say.

She sat up straight. She was ready.

Chapter 11

"John, we can't see each other anymore."

Not what I was expecting. I made a face; the one Gary Coleman made on Different Strokes.

I asked, "What you talkin' about, Willis?"

Maeve reached into the middle drawer of her nightstand and took something out. She drew it over her head and turned to me. There was something hanging on a chain between her very lovely, naked breasts.

"I'm FBI," she insisted when I didn't comment.

I had been focusing on her breasts. Hanging between them was her FBI identification.

"Oh."

Why was she telling me? Have I done something that removed me from suspicion of any wrongdoing? Was she about to arrest me?

"Hold that thought. If we've got to stop seeing each other, why don't we enjoy this one more time? I've never done it with an FBI special agent in, uh, uniform."

She looked down at her ID. "Is that what this is?"

She was amenable to my suggestion.

When we finished this time I asked, "Why don't we start this, whatever you're going to do, in the shower unless it's going to involve handcuffs not in a nice way?"

Whatever she had to tell me, I could still make her laugh.

"Is that waterproof?" I pointed to her ID.

"Thanks." She took it off.

We let the water warm up and then got into the shower.

I washed her hair. I didn't just let the shampoo suds up, I massaged her scalp.

"Oh, God," she moaned. "Why did you have to be a cop?"

"It was either that or be a criminal. Would that work out better for you?"

"I'm going to smack you for that when you finish your massage, so take your time."

I moved to my hands down to her neck and massaged it. I slid them down to her shoulders and massaged. I continued down her arms all the way to her wrists, massaging all the way.

I took a hand and massaged it with both of mine. I did her fingers. Then I did it to the other hand.

I placed my hands on her shoulders and worked my way down her back, massaging from her spine outward.

I massaged her butt. Her persistent moans changed to groans.

"All right," she almost yelled. "Let's do it one last time."

"I wasn't looking to get laid. I just wanted to make you feel good. I've got nothing left in the tank."

I ran my hands up her sides. "I'm really going to miss you."

"Me too." There was sadness in her voice.

I soaped up my hands and started to wash her body. Her arousal was unmistakable so I helped her get over it.

She soaped up her hands and washed my body.

"Not even a twitch," she said.

We got out and toweled off.

"I was assigned by the SAC to debrief you."

I looked down. "You certainly did that."

She slapped my chest playfully.

We started to dress. It was time to be serious again.

I answered her questions and filled her in on everything she wanted to know.

I told her I was sure Councilman Ruggeri was involved and why I thought so.

I explained the recording setup, but did not advise her on whom to lure into the pantry so she could change out the tapes.

She told me they had another person working in Frank's organization. Neither of them had gotten anywhere near the information I had.

"You did an absolutely amazing job. With the information you've given us, we're going to be able to bring down a lot of people. I'm sorry you can't be part of it."

"I'll survive," which was precisely the point.

Chapter 12

A few days later I showed up at The Shillelagh, sidled up to the bar and requested a brew. Liam chuckled. It never got old.

I was seated at a table when Darcy walked in. I waved her over. She kissed me on the lips. She was not FBI.

I lied about having been so busy. She pretended to believe me.

She said, "Why don't we catch up?"

I thought we had been catching up, but then I saw the twinkle in her eyes. I got up, put an arm around her shoulder and headed for the door.

I would genuinely miss Maeve. Soon, I would miss Darcy as well.

That was the last time I went to The Shillelagh.

I was on a month-to-month lease. I never contacted the landlord and didn't take a single thing from my place. I left food in the refrigerator to go bad. I didn't leave the key.

Two weeks later I called the FBI office in Philadelphia. I left a message for Roy Rodgers. I said he should call his taxidermist.

Maeve returned the call. I knew her voice.

"Thanks for calling, Roy."

"I hear you're dead. They don't have an official time assigned to that, but you disappeared suddenly as if you were coming right back and then you didn't.

"I asked after about a week and Frank said he hadn't heard from you, but he would tell you I was looking for you if he talked to you.

"The next time I asked, Mickey said he was afraid you were never coming back anywhere. He was sorry. Those things happen."

"Thanks for the update."

"If you need me in the future, we're keeping Roy Rodgers in place."

"Good luck." And goodbye.

Chapter 13

"Nobody move!" I used my most authoritative voice.

Nobody moved.

"I want you all to back the hell out of here! Watch where you're stepping. It would be nice if we don't add or subtract any evidence before the CSU guys go over the place. The only people I want in here are them and the Medical Examiner."

"Very macho," my partner Lily Beauchamps said from over my shoulder.

"That's how it's done." Just like she had taught me.

The woman's body was sprawled on the floor, face down. There was a considerable pool of blood which appeared to have started at her head.

Lying in the blood was a crowbar.

Her body was aimed at the front door, from which she likely had hoped to escape her attacker.

I could see the back door from where I stood. It was wide open and there were shards of glass scattered on the floor. The arc of the shards was wider the further they fell from the door, which retained fragments of what had been the window along the edges.

Nothing else in the kitchen seemed out of place. Nor was anything in the living room, where she lay, out of place.

"First on the scene," I called out.

A bright-eyed young patrolman appeared at the front door.

"Run it down," I said.

"Nine-one-one call from a neighbor, sir. She came over to borrow some sugar and looked in through the front window when nobody answered her ring.

"The front door was locked and I could see that the back door was open when I looked in so I went around and got in through the back door.

"I stepped around the glass so as not to disturb it and approached the body to check for a pulse. There was none so I called it in."

"Whose dog is that? It's awfully loud."

"It's their dog. We're holding it out back."

"Did you talk to the neighbor?" I asked.

"I did. She confirmed what she said in the nine-one-one call."

Lily walked down the stairs from the second floor.

"The bedroom is disturbed. The jewelry box is empty, open and lying on the floor. It looks like some stuff was tossed out of the drawers looking for valuables."

"Is the neighbor here?" I asked the officer.

"She's outside," he said.

"Could you get her for me?"

He brought a five foot four, thirtyish brunette. She was a little over her wedding dress weight, but quite attractive.

I dropped my just-the-facts-ma'am voice and switched to a concerned but friendly voice.

I shook her hand. "I'm Detective Jonathan Smith. Were you friends?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Is her dog friendly?"

The patrolman had a what-the-hell-is-he-talking-about look.

The neighbor was a little taken aback by the question as well.

"He's pretty good around people he knows, but he barks up a storm at strangers."

"Why did you look in the window?"

She hesitated, but there was no accusation in my voice.

"I thought she might be listening to the radio or the TV and not be able to hear the ring. If I saw her I could ring again or go around to the back door."

"Thank you."

The young patrolman guided her away from the door. He returned a few seconds later.

"Have we located the husband?" I asked.

"We're trying to find him at work."

"Let me know when you locate him. I want to talk to him."

He disappeared from view.

I pursed my lips and shook my head. "It's the husband."

Lily didn't say anything.

"It's the evidence we don't have. The glass is undisturbed. Somebody breaking in isn't going to take the time to walk carefully around it. The dog wasn't barking. Somebody he knew doesn't have to break in through the backdoor."

"Yeah," Lily said.

"Now all we have to do is collect one or two pieces of actual evidence and we can put the prick away."

She nodded. "You need some work on your people skills, Jon. You gave her your name and boom, you're asking questions.

"She says they were friends. Some people might say they were sorry or sorry for your loss.

"You asked if their dog was friendly. Most likely the dog is friendlier than you were.

"You do a lot of things exceptionally. Then you forget that other people exist. Just a thought."

"I appreciate it, Lily. I know you're trying to help. Sometimes I just seem to jump somewhere else and forget I was doing something completely different before. I don't get it."

I turned on local news as I smacked the vegetable knife down on a few cloves of garlic.

Our homicide was not the lead story.

There was video of men being led away in handcuffs.

"The United States Attorney announced a sweeping set of indictments today.

"In addition to alleged mob bosses Arthur "Michael Rows" Como and Theodore "Thin Albert" Tucci, and their associates, the FBI has arrested City Councilman Royce Ruggeri for racketeering, loan sharking, murder and a host of other crimes."

I smiled.

This is my first Jonathan Smith story. He is the main character in my novel Circumstantial Evidence which should be available around the third week of July, 2010. I'll post more information in my profile. I'll also be posting the first four chapters.