Revenge is Best Served Cold

"It's meatloaf night tonight," Lanny said jealously.

"You can still go," I reminded him. "It's not as if I own the place."

"Yeah, but then you'd think I was spying on the two of you."

"Lanny, it's no problem. Just bring your latest girlfriend. By the way, who is that... Angela?"

Lanny laughed. "Angela was two girlfriends ago. It's Adeline in maintenance."

"Working your way through the 'A's in the duty roster?" I teased him.

"Laugh it up Sarge. I've got a steady girlfriend. You have to beg Lehka to let you come back to her," he observed correctly.

"You win Lanny," I told him, conceding the argument. He was dead right. "Let's go see what Cap wants," I said, changing the subject.

We wandered back to the main building and Cap's corner office. Audrey, Cap Sheehan's executive assistant, was filing something in the metal filing cabinets lining the corridor. It was my belief that Audrey was there when they christened the building in 1974. Her ample rear end was blocking our way to Sheehan's office. She, of course, had eyes in the back of her head.

"Max, Lanny, Cap's on the phone right now," she announced as she filed away a document and pushed the drawer shut. She still hadn't looked at us.

I got closer. Audrey straightened up and turned to face us, smoothing the front of her tight fitting dress. Her breasts were as large as cantaloupes, which made her wardrobe adjustment a sight to behold. She caught me watching a bit too intently and glared at me.

"Max," she said, using that authoritarian tone of voice that comes with decades of ruling this roost, "Eyes forward."

Then the inquisition started. "Are you and Lehka back together?"

"We... uhhh..." I stuttered like a moron.

And at that moment Sheehan shouted out of her door, "That Max?"

Audrey turned her attention to her boss. "Yes, she's here with Lanny," she shouted back.

"Send them in," Cap ordered.

Saved by the bell. I squeezed by Audrey and into Sheehan's office. It was a first for me to want to be in her office.

Cap was studiously filing her nails when we went into her office.

"Broke a nail using the fucking copy machine. It ran out of toner and there was nobody around who knew how to fix it so I did it and caught my finger inside the machine. Also got this black shit all over my uniform so I had to change."

Good to know that Cap was going to be in a foul mood.

"So Max, Lanny, what do you know?"

"Not a whole lot." I plopped myself down on her guest chair. "We shook down Syd's boy Lester. I think he may know something. Other than that, nada."

"Lanny?" Cap asked.

"Don't have much to add boss. Max did a good job shaking down Lester. I think he's afraid of us."

"Good. I think there may be more to learn about Shevchenko in Detroit. I've made an appointment for the two of you to meet with their drug task force folks tomorrow. It's a four hour drive, so I would suggest you take the rest of the afternoon off and pack and then drive up after dinner. I've taken the liberty of reserving hotel rooms for you for tonight. Audrey has the details."

Great. Detroit. Maybe I could go to Greektown for some Coney Island hot dogs and catch a Tiger's game. But given my date with Lehka that evening the timing was terrible. I'd have to circle back first to Audrey, then to Lehka, to straighten this out. We first went to Audrey's cubicle, where she was hunched over flipping through her desk file drawer.

"Max, Lanny, been expecting you back," said the buxom assistant.

"So Max, how are things with Lehka?" She pulled out two folders and placed them on her desk. She didn't hand them to me, waiting on the answer to the question I had dodged minutes before.

"We're working on it."

"Not yet back together?"

I had to be careful with my answer. Telling Audrey was like broadcasting it to the station.

"Not yet. I'm optimistic we'll be back together soon."

"Still living in the Royal Palms?"

"Yep."

"Still a dump?"

"Yep."

"And you Lanny. Why did Maddy turn you down?"

Thank God the eye of Sauron was now focused on my partner.

"I think it's because I'm not as smart as she wants."

"Nonsense. You're plenty smart Lanny."

"Well, at least that's what she thinks."

"Silly girl."

Audrey's opinion meant a lot in the court of public opinion. It was good to see my partner get a positive stroke.

"So here's what's happening. You're staying at the Hilton Doubletree. Police headquarters is three blocks away. You should be safe walking it. You can park your car with the hotel's valet. We don't reimburse for items taken out of the mini-bar. Max, pay attention, I'm the one who reviews expense reports. The first folder has your reservation numbers and the particulars on the hotel. The second folder has your meeting information. You'll be meeting with Captain Grosjean at 11 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 2 you'll be talking to a group about our task force. You'll have a private audience with the task force commander from 2 to 4. Then drive back to Cincinnati."

"Questions?"

"I think we might leave early tomorrow morning. I've got something I need to do tonight. So can you cancel the hotel for tonight?" I assumed Lanny would be good with this. If he wasn't, I guess it was tough shit. I wasn't going to cancel with Lehka.

"Sure Max, I can do that. You good with that Lanny?" Audrey asked.

Lanny nodded his head. "Whatever Max wants."

When we left her office I told Lanny that I'd meet him at the station at 5 a.m. He was fine with that. Thank God I had a good and understanding partner.

* * *

The next stop was Lehka's office, by myself. She was on the phone and motioned for me to take a seat.

"Uh huh... I understand... no... that won't be necessary."

"I'll get back to you."

She hung up.

"That was Cap. Was asking if I needed more resources for our investigation. I told her that we don't need them yet. So what's up Max?"

"Cap asked me to go to Detroit with Lanny."

"Right, right. Cap offered to help arrange a visit for someone from our shop with the Detroit task force. Knew she was trying to set it up but didn't know she had you in mind. So are you leaving tonight? Cancelling our dinner at Nicky's?"

"Not on your life," I told her. "Nicky's is still on. Lanny and I are going to leave at 5 a.m. tomorrow. I'm meeting up with him at the station."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be. Lehka, I've been waiting for a chance to make amends with you." I looked at her hopefully. "We promised ourselves we'd work on this."

"You never know when shit like this last minute trip to Detroit will land on you. Max, as always, work seems to get in the way."

"We're still living apart. I don't like..." I said before I was cut off.

"Max... we've been through this before. I think you need to build up your level of trust with me before we live together again."

"And when is that exactly?"

"I don't know." She was getting frustrated. "There's no timetable on this. I can just tell you that your little incident with Heather, and the flirting and drinking... I'm not sure you're past it."

"How can I prove it to you Lehka? Tell me."

"I can't Max. Let's just keep moving this along and I'm sure we'll get there."

"I don't like travelling without directions."

"You're just going to have to trust me on this one."

"I guess I do."

"So, we'll leave the station around 6:45 for Nicky's?"

"That sounds good."

I went away from her office a bit more unsettled this time. She was more than willing to go out with me, but my fuck up with Heather was still a raw wound. Christ, I'm glad I didn't sleep with Heather. That would have been the death knell for my relationship with Lehka. But the drinking might kill it anyway. I had to stay away from the bottle and bear up to the emotional trauma of life without my favorite crutch.

* * *

I stopped by Lehka's office a bit early and watched her pack up for the day. I was excited that we were going out on a real date. I wondered how I had snagged such a wonderful and beautiful woman and also how I had managed to mess up our relationship. Standard operating procedure for Mad Max.

We parked nearby and walked the half block to Nicky's in blustery winds. Nicky's was hopping. The old diner's aluminum shell was creaking in the stiff breeze as diners feasted on Nicky's homestyle comfort food. I spotted Lanny and Adeline in a corner booth and waved to them. Nicky saved us a table in the front. I helped Lehka take her coat off as Nicky offered us menus. No one took a second look at us even though we were still wearing our police uniforms.

I waved Nicky off. "Don't need menus... you know what we want," I told her.

She nodded her head. "Good to see you Lehka."

"I missed you Nicky." Lehka stood up and gave her a big hug.

I think like the others in our orbit Nicky was hoping we'd get back together.

I admired Lehka's elegance and grace. It was such a contrast to my hardscrabble lifestyle. Her uniform was perfectly pressed and her make-up freshened. She rearranged her place setting just as she wanted it as we waited.

"I can't believe you're going to leave at 5 a.m. tomorrow instead of tonight."

"Lanny's a trooper. He knew what this dinner meant to me."

"I'm not sure I would have done the same if I was in his shoes."

"Yeah you would," I challenged her.

She nodded her head. "You're right. I would."

"You can't be outdone by Lanny. He doesn't love me."

"Of course he does."

"Not that way," I observed.

She squeezed my hand. "Not that way," she repeated.

Lehka became pensive. "Max, there's something I wanted to tell you."

"I'm all ears."

"I owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"For Carina De León... for not trusting your instincts and giving you the money to chase Shevchenko. Cap and I were hung up on the Columbians. We took the bait, hook, line and sinker."

It was good to hear it from her without asking. I did respect her for her decision but I knew it was the wrong one.

"You know me... never give up."

"If you had given up we would have never reunited Carina with her baby."

"And I wouldn't have gotten shot."

"But you would have done it all over again..."

"I would have."

"That's one of the reasons I love you."

"That means we're back together?"

"That means we're working on it."

And that was that. I decided to change the subject.

"How about my Bearcats?" I asked her. The University of Cincinnati football team hadn't been ranked this highly since... forever.

"Number two," Lehka observed correctly.

"You're right."

"Being from Columbus, we have our eyes on the football polls 24/7."

"Damn Buckeye fans," I added.

"You won't get to first base with that attitude," she said, giving me a friendly warning.

"You're mixing your metaphors."

"You're about to strike out Max."

"I think it's time for me to shut up while I'm ahead."

"Good idea."

Nicky came back with two plates heaped with homemade meatloaf and baked potatoes. She was carrying a metal wire caddy holding small stainless steel bowls of sour cream, chives, butter and bacon bits. I used my hand to waft the aroma of the meatloaf under my nose.

"Ummmm..." I purred. "You spoil me Nicky."

Nicky smiled and wiped her hands on her apron.

"Anything for you Max."

"Lehka?" I asked her.

She smirked. "Max, that one's up to you."

She left us to our food.

Lehka was already two forkfuls into her plate of food.

"Lehka... I..."

She pointed to her plate.

"Right... no talking, just eating."

She nodded as a third forkful went into her mouth.

I started in on my dinner. Lehka was right. This was not the time for talking.

* * *

We left Nicky's with pleasantly full bellies. Lehka took my arm as we walked back to my car. Dried leaves were blowing past us. "Thanks for taking me to Nicky's. I feel like I'm at home when I'm in there."

"Nicky is good people," I observed.

"The best," said Lehka.

"Yeah."

A cool gust of wind hit our faces. "Back to your apartment?" I asked.

"Big day tomorrow for you."

"It'll be fine," I assured her. "Just a couple meetings. I'll be back before you know it."

I was really wondering if it was going to be a short night, of if by chance she'd invite me up to her (formerly our) apartment.

We reached my parked car. I unlocked it and we both got in, lost in our own thoughts as I started it. We didn't talk during the ten minute drive to the apartment building located in Clifton, an up and coming neighborhood just north of downtown and home to the University of Cincinnati (and my beloved Bearcats). It hadn't been that long since I was last living there, but I already missed the tree lined boulevard and the neat and orderly appearance of the front yards of well-kept homes. Being there reminded me of how much of a dump the Royal Palms was and how my fuck-ups had earned me temporary exile there.

We reached the security gate for the underground parking garage. I punched the code into the security pad and waited for it to open. I pulled into the space assigned to the apartment and shut off the motor. I said nothing and waited for Lehka to speak up. She made no move to get out of the car. I looked over at her. She was staring straight ahead into the darkened parking garage. Even in the faint artificial light of the cavernous space, her face and her wavy dark hair called to me. I wanted to kiss her in the worst way.

She turned to face me, finally acknowledging my presence in the car.

"I shouldn't Max..."

Her eyes looked sad.

"... but I can't help myself."

Her eyes dipped lower, and in a soft voice she said, "Do you want to come up for a cup of coffee or something?"

If there was a God, thank you, I said to myself.

"Lehka, I swear I'll be..."

"Don't say it Max," she said, cutting me off. "Don't say it if you don't mean it."

"I know... I'm weak Lehka. For all the Max bluster, I'm really a weak person inside. You know it. You've seen it. You've lived it," I confessed.

"You know I can't stay away from you..."

"Maybe it's my sparkling personality?" I offered, trying to add some levity to our conversation.

She smiled.

"Shut up Max and kiss me."

I did exactly that.

* * *

Lehka flicked on the light. The apartment looked precisely the same as when I left. Neat as a pin. Not a thing out of place.

"I'll make the coffee," she said, throwing her coat over a living room chair. She still had her uniform on underneath and even in that she looked sexy to me. I watched her disappear into the kitchen. I plopped myself down in the other chair and stared out the picture window of the third floor apartment. The streetlights illuminated the mature trees that cast shadows on the parked cars below them. A breeze made dried leaves flutter down. I heard a dog bark in the distance. At least there was the appearance of calm and peace in this neighborhood.

There was a rustling in the kitchen, then Lehka reappeared. She had unbuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse. Her name tag was still pinned to it. She threw her coat on the floor and sat in the chair next to me.

"Coffee should be done in a couple minutes."

"Did you use my special roast?"

She gave me a disapproving look. "You had to ask?"

It kind of made me happy to see her scowl. This was happily married couple banter.

"Sorry," I said, apologizing for questioning her judgment.

"Same old Max," she added, as if that explained everything, which it probably did.

We both stared out the window. Her hand snaked over to grasp mine. I didn't look, but having her reach out to me was better than a drink. It felt good to have her soft, supple hand in mine.

"We've got a lot to figure out... " she started, as her voice trailed off.

"Yeah..."

"You are weak Max."

"Uh huh..."

"And I don't think you'll change."

"I want to."

"If wishes were horses..." she began.

"Beggars would ride," I said, finishing her phrase.

"Precisely. As I learned in my leadership course, hope is not a strategy. So what are we going to do about this Max?"

I thought about it for a second.

"I think the first thing we need to do is to make sure we're sexually compatible."

Best to voice what was on both of our minds.

She was still holding my hand. She pulled on it so we were looking at each other.

"Max, sometimes you say the right thing at the right time."

It was a backhanded compliment. Maybe I was an idiot savant. Then I heard a beep from the kitchen.

"Coffee's done," I observed helpfully.

"Fuck the coffee," she said. Lehka pulled me to my feet and kissed me.

* * *

It had been two solid weeks since the last time we had sex. We were both as horny as polecats. We kissed as we made our way to the bedroom. I used my foot to push the bedroom door shut behind us.

"Arrest me officer," I told her. "I've been a bad girl."

She pushed me on the bed and then jumped on top of me, straddling my waist. She ripped open my blouse. A couple buttons flew off. She didn't bother taking my bra off. She just pushed it upwards so my tits jiggled free. She snagged a nipple in her mouth and pulled on it with her teeth, using just enough pressure to give me a double shot of pain and pleasure.

"Fuck yeah..." I moaned. "A really bad girl."

"Shut up Max. You talk too much." Her hand shot down inside my pants and underneath my soaked panties. I saw an insidious smile on her face. She stuck two fingers inside me and then kissed me hard on the lips. I felt an orgasm already bubbling up inside me. She knew how to play the Max violin. I started to sing.

"Yes... please.... shit... oh God... Lehka..."

The dam broke. The binge drinking. The tearful recriminations. The crying and hand wringing. It all came to the surface in a glorious make-up sex orgasm. My hips arched upwards towards the sky as her fingers toyed with me, fucking me to delirium. She was everything that I wanted... all that I wanted. I didn't want it to stop and she didn't until I put my hand over hers.

She rolled off of me, and was on her back. I soaked in her beautiful face and long, shiny hair, looking at me with lustful want in her eyes. I pushed my pants and panties off completely and straddled her chest. I dipped my hand between my legs and bathed it in my essence. I held my wet, sticky palm over her nose so she could smell my mating call to her. I smeared the palm of my hand all over her face, letting her lick the surface to taste me.

"Do you see what you do to me?" I demanded of her. She needed to know how much I wanted her.

She looked up at me with her radiant emerald green eyes. She blinked. She knew.

I shimmied forward until my overheated sex was hovering over her waiting lips. I lowered myself onto her sloppy wet kiss. Her hands grasped my hips and pulled me downward so she could push her tongue deep inside me.

"Yessss!" I hissed, as her soft, velvety tongue found a sweet spot in my pussy.

She made sucking noises as she tongue fucked me. My nectar was hers. I came again, this time in a splash of rainbow colors, begging her not to stop. As I relaxed, she would begin anew, bringing another crushing climax.

Finally I could take no more and she stopped.

I was wrung out, but not done. I waited to catch my breath.

"My turn," I announced.

I flipped around and zeroed in my attention on her pants, still on, and helped her pull them down. She kicked them off when they were around her ankles, leaving only her panties between me and the object of my desire. There was a large dark spot on the gusset. I put my thumbs inside the waistband as she lifted her hips, allowing me to slide the sopping wet panties off of her. Her shaved pubic patch and the cute teddy bear tattoo stared at me. Dew was seeping from her wet cunt.

"Make me cum Max," she begged me.