Lust and Found Pt. 01

"He was a cop too. It's how we met; at another officer's funeral, incidentally. He was a sergeant, and the fact I killed another cop despite the circumstances, led to a lot of conflict with my job. After a year or so, I'd had enough. I found openings here and applied. I was accepted and moved here to start over. The only part of my past I kept, was Misty. That's why I was so upset when she ran away."

"Doesn't sound like you had any choice." I said somewhat callously, although in an understanding tone. "I'd have shot him too. So that's why you haven't gotten serious with anyone?"

"I haven't gotten anything with anyone at all!" she exclaimed. "As soon as a guy finds out who I am, I never hear from him again. I've tried, believe me. It's tempting to change my name."

"Well, you'll hear from me again." I stated emphatically. "I've killed people for a whole lot less than that. Simply because they were 'the enemy.'"

"You're the first to truly understand." Jenny said quietly. "Thank you."

"Any time you want to talk about it, I'll be there to listen." I responded gently. "We've hit it off really well, and I'd certainly like to see you again."

"I'd like that too." she said with a nod.

Suddenly she brightened.

"Besides," she continued, "we haven't gotten to the best part yet!"

About that time, a pleasant looking woman stopped by the table to check on us.

"How is everything?" she inquired.

"Hi Christine!" Jenny greeted her enthusiastically.

The woman cocked her head, and stared at Jenny.

"I know the face, but I don't think you're a customer." she responded. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you have me at a loss."

My date shook her head.

"No, it's me, Jenny- I mean Officer Barlow."

Christine clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" she apologized. "I'm so used to seeing you in uniform and with the ponytail. It didn't register."

"It's a great change, isn't it?" I asked with a grin. "Personally, I like her both ways."

"Well, she can protect you if you ever get carjacked." Christine quipped. "She's a pretty tough cookie! You should see her throw those drunk guys around, and slap the cuffs on 'em."

"Oh, I can imagine." I mumbled.

"Jack can handle himself, I'm sure." Jenny interjected. "He's seen a lot more action than I have. I feel very safe around him."

"Well, since this is the first time you've been in here as a customer, and not to haul someone out, dessert's on me." Christine said brightly. "Nice to meet you, Jack."

"You as well." I replied.

"I'm getting full." Jenny asserted. "I think dessert's going to top me off!"

"Me to." I agreed.

"Then we'll just have to work it off then, won't we?" she giggled. "Why don't you stay the night? I have tomorrow off, so we can sleep in."

Suddenly, it dawned on her that she knew absolutely nothing about me.

"I don't even know what you do!" she exclaimed. "For all I know, you might have to be at work at midnight."

"I deliver newspapers two days a week." I replied. "I don't have to be at work until Thursday morning."

Jenny gave me an odd look.

"I have a past as well." I explained, knowing what she was probably thinking. "I used to have a white collar job, making good bank forty hours a week. Then, I ran for public office and there was a hell of a row about something in my personal life. Now, I can't get a date either. Women look my name up and I never hear from them again. I can't get a professional job either, anymore. And my record is as clean as yours. I know exactly what you've gone through.

"I put these papers out a couple days a week, and some other advertising from people who've flagged me down. I only work a total of eight days out of the month, but I still make about thirty five hundred a month, and half of that is off the books."

"That's not bad at all!" Jenny exclaimed. "Actually, it's a pretty good deal for this part of the country. That's like, forty grand a year!"

"I started out with one route, making forty nine bucks a week." I explained. "I answered the ad, and the guy hired me over the phone. Over the years, I've worked my way up. I'm the senior driver now, and I fill in for my manager when she's out. It's taken me ten years though, but I've pulled myself back up."

"That's very commendable." Jenny observed. "Most people wouldn't be able to overcome that. They end up taking another route. Drugs, crime."

"And in that case, we might have met under completely different circumstances!" I laughed. "But I am glad that we met. Besides, I got my revenge. The reporter that broke the "bombshell" on me got fired a few months later, and two years after that, the paper went out of business. People quit advertising in it after what they did to me. Seems a lot of advertisers would have voted for me, and did ten years later when I ran again. I got the second-highest number of votes in this county; close to a hundred and fifty thousand."

"Wow!" Jenny exclaimed. "I'm impressed. That's awesome, Jack!"

"Well, my opponent had the highest," I laughed, "but I still got my revenge. I found out later on, that the big paper here had a page-long story preprinted about my losing the race, because they figured I'd get maybe five or six thousand sympathy votes. When I got that many, they refused to publish the results."

"Assholes." she snorted disdainfully. "I hate the media."

"I can understand why." I said with empathy. "Looks like we have even more in common than just some mind blowing sex."

"We haven't had that yet," Jenny pointed out, "but don't worry, we will. Grab your jacket, Sweetheart. Round two is coming up!"