Sandy Tobias

"That was a lot of fun. And you, losing your taste for strippers. I can't believe you said that."

"Honest, I didn't realize what I'd said for a second."

"Still, I think that was the perfect finish."

"So how can I talk you into staying here tonight?"

"Jay do you really think that's a good idea right now?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea and I can't think of a reason for you not to stay. Okay, I'll say I need your help."

"You do not need my help."

"I most certainly do. Would you go through Tanya's things and take what you want. I'll drop the other stuff off at Goodwill next week."

"I know we've talked about this, but what if I got confused and wore something to dinner tonight that was hers? How would that make you feel?"

"Fine. I liked her taste in clothes for the most part."

"I did too."

"It's her other tastes that I can't accept. I'm sure that you'll look great in anything you choose."

"Some of her things won't fit me though."

"I know."

"As you so crudely reminded me one night, I don't have her body."

"I apologize for being insensitive, and I'll add that I think you have a great body."

"You do not, you're just trying to cover your ass now."

"Stand up and I'll show you how much I know about the human body."

As she rose she said, "Why do I feel like I'm making a mistake."

He ignored her and said, "I'll bet you never knew that I was an x-ray technologist several years ago."

"I never knew that."

"Now take for example this bump on the top of your shoulder." He put a finger on that and said, "That's your acromioclavicular joint. It's where your clavicle connects to your scapula." Then slowly drawing his finger along he said, "This is your clavicle and it comes down here and joins your breast bone right at the top, or the manubrium portion of your sternum." She was watching his face as she felt his finger tenderly trace her anatomy, as he talked to her in a soft voice.

As his finger touched her between her breasts his other hand eased up under her pullover top and she took a quick breath when she felt him touch her bare skin. "Now where my finger is now, between your breasts and at your bra, that's the body of the sternum, but if I draw on down I come to the end of your sternum and that's called the xyphoid process. Attached to your sternum are your ribs, and they curve around to your back. Feel where my finger is now? That's about the sixth rib and it curves like this," and he drew a line under her bra toward her back.

"Jay, maybe we better..."

"Your first through your seventh ribs attach to the sternum," he said ignoring her. He didn't remove his hand as he kissed her softly and then let his hand go behind her and down toward her waist. She felt his hand sliding down her slacks as he caressed her butt and he whispered, "Now here, at the top of your very nice butt cheeks, is the bottom of your lumbar spine. This area is where the sacrum joins your lumbar spine. And at the bottom of your sacrum is your coccyx, or tail bone." That put his touch so very close to her anus that she tightened her muscles in reflex.

She kissed him harder and their arms went around each other and a minute later she pushed him away a little and said, "Okay, I believe you told the truth. Damn you Jay, why did you really do that? Why Jay?"

He pulled her back to him and said, "I wanted to prove to you that I know what I'm talking about, but I seemed to lose control pretty quickly."

"I almost lost control too Jay, so please don't do that again. I don't think you can know what you were doing to me."

"Are you mad at me Casey?"

"Damn it, no I'm not mad at you. I don't even know what I should feel right now. I just know what you were doing to me." She took a deep breath and said, "We better sit down and have more coffee or something. I'm going to have to be very careful around you and your trained hands."

"I'll try to do better."

Jay, "Can I ask you a very personal question?"

"Try me."

"Was your sex life okay...I mean between you and Tanya?"

"I thought it was until...well until she went to Lansing now that I think about it, but maybe she needed something she wasn't getting from me."

"I've thought about that...I'm sorry damn it, I don't mean about what she was getting from you," and they both laughed. "I meant that I've thought about why she would go back to stripping or whatever. I think she liked doing that. Not so much for the money, because obviously she didn't have any problems in that area. I think she missed the excitement and the attention and flattery. She had to know that what she was doing was pretty sleazy and so wrong."

"You're probably right."

"Okay, now what about her clothes. I'll go through them if you're sure that's what you want."

"I'm sure."

Then she smiled and said, "Maybe now would be a good time for me to do that and get away from you rather than wait until tomorrow."

"Okay, have at it. I'll bring you some plastic bags."

After about half an hour, Jay wandered in and asked her how it was going and saw some of Tanya's sexy outfits. "Sorry Jay, I'll just put those in a bag."

"Casey, I'm okay, I really am. I bought those for her. You know, one here or one there. On a trip or for her birthday, that kind of guy thing."

"Then I won't keep any of them."

"Why not? Were you planning on modeling them for me?"

"Oh sure, that's exactly what I had in mind."

"I'm not going to see you in them so what's the difference? Besides, I don't think she ever wore any of those garments more than one time. They really aren't at all practical, but...you know, guys get the idea that negligees are a good gift and all that."

"I think that was sweet of you. I think that told her that you thought of her as sexy and desirable, and that was a good thing. Whatever she was Jay, you loved her and were pretty proud of her."

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Yeah, that's true. Well whatever, take what you want and I mean that."

"Thank you. I'll have her things ready to get rid of pretty soon."

"Be sure to go through her jewelry too."

"Oh no, because some of her things could be resold."

"For about a nickel on the dollar at a pawn shop. Help yourself Casey or get rid of it or whatever."

"Okay."

After coffee Saturday morning, Casey said, "I want to try on a few more things and then I'll be done."

"Great, let me know when you're done and we'll go out for breakfast."

About twenty minutes later he heard her call from the bedroom, "I'm done Jay." When he went in she was bent over putting the last things in a bag.

"You know what I've decided Casey?"

"Narrow it down for me a little with a hint."

"About you."

"I'll bet I'm not going to like this, but hit me with it."

"You have a nicer ass than Tanya had."

"You've been staring at my ass?"

"I had nothing better to do I guess."

"You jerk, you just ruined a nice compliment. Never mind about my ass."

He went over to her and pushed her onto the bed and lay on her and kissed her.

"I just want you to know that I will mind your ass, and the rest of you too."

She was smiling up at him as she said, "After what you just said I shouldn't even talk to you."

"Then we won't talk," and he kissed her again. She tipped her chin up a little and put her hands behind his neck to pull him into her, and as their kiss continued, her hips tipped up and he pressed down onto her. As his hand found her breast she uttered a soft involuntary moan, but once again, it was for her to stop what they were doing as she said, "Oh God Jay what are you doing to me? We shouldn't be...it's too soon."

"Casey honey..."

"No Jay, please don't say anything. Just hold me close for a minute. I want so much to be close to you, but...I want you too, but it really is too soon."

"I know, but...how long would be long enough?"

"I don't know. Jay we both have to face the fact that a lot of what we're feeling for each other could well be some kind of reaction to Tanya's death. We're both a little vulnerable right now. We both need more time to get our thinking straight."

"The fact that we've known each other for a long time should count for something."

She smiled and said, "Yes, we knew each other as the enemy, so I'm not sure that does count."

"Even if I confess to studying your ass even then?"

"You did not."

"But I did, and your legs and all the rest of you. I even told Tanya that I thought you were good looking."

"I'll bet she about choked."

"She didn't react to that at all in fact."

"Okay, I'm going to let you haul what's left to Goodwill and I'm going home."

"I can't talk you into staying tonight?"

"I don't trust us or even myself Jay. I like being here and I love being with you, but I have to go home before I do something I'll regret or before I lose my mind."

Casey hadn't been gone ten minutes before she called him and said, "You'll find things in the left side of the dresser that I left behind. You know, just in case I get snowed in with you again or something."

"I love how you think."

"Jay, we both know that a lot has happened between us and I'm sure both of us can see where this is headed. I just have to be sure that it's right for both of us. We're both in over our heads, and I meant it when I said we need more time."

"I know you're right, but when you're here I just want you and I don't want you to leave."

"I know. I hope things go well for you at work next week."

"Thanks, I'm sure they will."

"I'll call you Tuesday or Wednesday night."

"Okay, bye Casey."

"Bye hon," and she quickly closed her phone.

Chapter Fourteen

Monday went okay for Jay, but he was glad when it was over, because everybody he'd ever worked with had to stop at his office and offer their condolences and he wanted all of that behind him.

The day was very mild for late January so he had his heavy coat over his arm as he walked through the parking lot. He fished through his coat pocket and found the remote door lock and then the one for the auto start. He was within twenty feet at that point when the car started and a split second later exploded.

When he opened his eyes, he had to close them against the bright sun, but he'd seen some guy in uniform hovering over him and heard him say, "Just lie still and we'll take good care of you. He felt hands and the winter air where his clothes had been cut away, and he became aware of the pain then. At first just stinging pain, but then he realized his head was throbbing, and then suddenly he hurt everywhere. He was moved onto a backboard and then onto a gurney as the uniform said, "Okay lucky, we're on our way to the hospital to get you put back together."

"What the hell happened?"

"The only thing I know is something blew up and threw you I don't know how far and against another car. I don't know how you could have survived that, let alone do as well as you're doing."

"Damn I hurt."

"I'll just bet you do, but until you get your head checked out we can't pump you full of anything for pain. We're almost there so try to relax and take nice deep breaths."

After that it was a blur of people, words and activity. If he was asked a question he did his best to answer it, but other than that he stared at yet another white ceiling far above his head. As he lay there hurting, burning and wondering what the hell had happened, his last thought before he lost consciousness was, he was going to paint his bedroom ceiling anything other than white.

His bedroom ceiling wasn't an issue as he slowly woke up and heard a woman's voice say, "Welcome back again Jay, I'm Naomi your nurse."

Jay licked his lips and said, "Again?"

"You've been waking up and going back to sleep for quite awhile."

He didn't remember a thing the paramedic had said so he asked, "What the hell happened?"

"Well as I understand it, your car blew up and almost took you with it."

"I don't remember that at all."

"That's not unusual. You may remember it later and you may never remember it, but from what I hear, you're something of an amazement. You were tossed some twenty five feet across a parking lot before you slammed into another car."

"Damn." Then he moved and said, "Ouch, damn I hurt."

"Jay, you have so many stitches in you they had to bring in a seamstress to help them." He wasn't awake enough to catch her humorous comment.

"So that's why I look like a museum mummy."

"That's why. Some of those wraps will come off in the next day or so. By the way, an attractive woman was here to see you, but you refused to wake up for her."

"That would be Casey."

"I believe that was her name. She said she'd be back after while."

"What time is it?"

"It's five ten and it's Wednesday afternoon."

"What happened to Tuesday?"

"You had some help sleeping through it, but I'll let Dr. Mancovich explain it to you."

Matt and Shelly eased into the room, and as soon as Shelly saw that Jay was awake she went over to Jay and carefully kissed him. She smiled and wiped tears from her eyes and told him, "You scared the hell out of us."

"You should have been with me, I didn't have time to get scared. Hell, I didn't even know what happened until Naomi told me a minute ago."

"How much do you know about what happened to you?"

"Just that my car exploded."

"That's putting it mildly. The only thing left of your car is the motor and frame, a lot of bits and pieces and about the back third of it more or less."

Matt was standing next to Shelly and said, "What I want to know is how the hell you survived. Also I have to wonder if there's a connection between this event and Tanya."

"I haven't had time to think about it, but damn it you might be right. What the hell that connection could be I just don't know."

"I'll bet the police will be talking to you soon. Okay dude, we're out of here so you can rest."

"Thanks for coming in."

"We'll be back later this evening after you've had your nap."

Naomi returned long enough to change the setting on his I.V. and left just before Jay got another visitor. "I'm Detective Lopez in case you don't remember." Jay was getting pretty tired, but he was glad to see the detective.

"Yes, of course I remember you. Have you found the connection between what happened to me and Tanya's murder?"

He smiled slightly and said, "So you think there is one then."

"There has to be a connection don't you think?"

"Well we keep our minds open, but we're looking into that possibility. In fact I have a strong feeling that there is a connection somewhere."

"Detective, I'm still not thinking very straight, so I don't know how much I can help you right know."

"I understand. Do you have any thoughts about anything that could connect you and Tanya in the way of dealings or angry friends or relatives?"

"Nothing. Neither of us have...or had much in the way of close family members and our finances were separate. Well there is the gentlemen's club in Milwaukee that she half owned. Of course it's mine now, but I can't imagine how that could be significant."

"A gentlemen's club?"

"You know a fancy name for a strip club. The detectives in Lansing have all of that so maybe they can help."

"Detective Withers is calling them as we speak. Can you think of anything else?"

"No. Sorry, but I'm about to fall asleep."

"I understand. You rest and if we need to talk to you again, we'll wait until tomorrow."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it Jay."

Chapter Fifteen

The next time that Jay woke, he saw another nurse setting up his dinner tray, and Casey sitting next to the bed. She smiled and kissed him before she said, "Dinner's ready and I'm here to help you."

"Hi Casey, they told me you were in earlier."

"I was, but you couldn't keep your eyes open for very long at a time."

"Detective Lopez was here to talk to me."

"Did he share anything with you?"

"Not a thing. Sorry I look so rough."

"You look beautiful to me honey. You're alive and your injuries will heal."

Jay was able to eat, but Casey hovered over him and made sure he had what he wanted as they continued to talk.

"Casey, I told Lopez that the only connection there could be between what happened to me and Tanya's murder was the Palace."

"Crystal?"

"That's right. Motive being she wouldn't have to continue sharing her profits. I'll guess that she thought having Tanya out of the way would solve her problem, but when I appeared she had to do something about me or her killing Tanya would accomplish nothing."

"The way you tell it I have to agree." Then she smiled and added, "Unless you were seeing some married woman and her husband objected."

"Right, the only woman in my life is you and I don't see that changing."

Jay was picking at his fruited Jello when a guy appeared in a long white coat. "Jay, I'm Dr. Mancovich. Go ahead and eat, and I'll tell you what we did and where we stand. You had a chunk of bone knocked off of your left femur, but by some miracle it didn't break. We cleaned that wound thoroughly and patched it up. You have three significant lacerations from what appears to have come from flying metal shards. You have almost too many other cuts to count, and we harvested a lot of glass from you, and of course you lost a lot of blood. But most importantly you have a skull fracture. Not a life threatening injury, but significant enough that we need to keep you here for at least another day to keep an eye on you. You're going to be very sore for a while, but that problem should ease significantly over the next few days to a week. We're giving you potent antibiotics and will continue with those until tomorrow, and then you can get rid of that I.V. If all goes well I'll discharge you later tomorrow afternoon. Any questions for me?"

"I can't think of any, but I want to say thanks for putting me back together."

"You're welcome. As I understand it, you weren't killed because you were still some distance away from your car, and you had your top coat in front of you."

"I was back a little, because I had a remote starter on my car, and you can bet I'll have one installed on my next car too."

"I would too if I were you. I'll see you tomorrow then," and he left.

Casey was still holding his hand as he said, "One good thing is all of the damage is on my front except for the back of my head."

"You are so lucky that your eyes were spared. Your cheeks didn't do as well, but those cuts will heal."

Casey left soon after dinner, and Jay was asleep within minutes after she left. Other than the nurses and aids seeing to his needs he was left to sleep until breakfast Thursday morning.

Casey was there when he was discharged, and drove him home and saw that he was comfortable. "Thanks Casey."

What about dinner?"

"If I get hungry I have one of those large frozen dinners in the freezer. Right now I'm just glad to be home and a long nap sounds about perfect."

"So you're sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine. I'll take my pain pill just to be sure though."

"If you need me all you have to do is call, but either way I'll be here right after work tomorrow."

"Thanks hon. Maybe Saturday we can go car shopping."

"With a remote starter."

"Damn right." Casey carefully kissed him and then she left.

The sun had set when Jay stirred and realized his doorbell had just chimed. He couldn't even remember if he was dressed, so as he sat up he looked at himself to be sure and then went to the door. He peeked out and couldn't believe who he was looking at. She was looking at the door and had her arms folded under her breasts until she reached for the doorbell again. Jay opened the door just before she pushed the button, and they looked at each other for a second before she said, "I'm sorry to bother you so...oh my god, what happened to you?"