Cupid's Revenge - Charlie

This is a sequel to Cupids Revenge co-authored by DG Hear and myself. Please read that story first for background. Again I want to thank Techsan for editing this story.

Prelude

The death dealer stood in the doorway, rocking back and forth on his feet. A hard man of no conscience, he mused once again what a great business selling drugs had become: you just had to get them hooked and they were forever customers … until they died. And they always died.

Lighting up a smelly black cheroot he thought he saw a ghost of movement on the rooftop across the street. Being in a chancy business he was always cautious, and blowing out the match, he backed deeper in the doorway. He stared hard at the roofline, seeing nothing, but … a glimpse of streetlight reflecting from something in the air and … pain. A sudden intense, choking pain in his throat brought him to his knees and his last fleeting thought was a realization that he had been hit with an arrow. An arrow, by God, when his enemies were loaded with enough arms to start a revolution in a small third world country.

His death leaked to the ground in rapid red pulses. This dealer of death was out of business and lying in the gutter in a pool of what had been his blood.

This was Cupid's first revenge and occurred in the early morning hours of Valentines Day.

CHARLIE

Crispen O'Driscoll stood on the high cliff overlooking the vast ocean of water before him. At fifteen he had the hunger in him: hunger for adventure, hunger from the strange yearnings in his body and real hunger. Ireland, and particularly the area around Baltimore, eight miles down the Ilen River from Skibbereen, was particularly hard hit. It was a time of death – it was a time of famine.

He looked back at the small herd of sheep and knew he was going to have to take his uncle's offer to take him to America. There were just too many mouths to feed and not enough food. As the oldest in his family he hated the long nights of listening to the rumbling, growling noises coming from the stomachs of his brothers and sisters.

Watching the surf batter the broken, rocky shore with a violence seemingly aimed at his home country, it was with a heavy heart he said goodbye to the hard life his people had fallen upon. As he shouted commands to his loyal dog, he followed the decimated herd back to the overcrowded farm.

Late that night, wide awake as he awaited the early call from his father's brother, he wondered if there was a lass across the wide water that could love a homely lad such as him … with his angry red hair and profusion of freckles, he knew with a bitter self-awareness that he would never be the lad the young lasses pined over.

As he finally drifted off to a land of dreams he had a vision of the lovely Maire Kinsella and the hesitant smile she had given him at the mass on Sunday morn. His dream was of going back to the dark eyed beauty with her pert nose with the light scattering of freckles. He would come back with a gold ring, good clothes and driving a fine carriage pulled by a flashy pair of blacks. Ah, the great life he and Maire would live with their stout lads to work the land and their pretty lasses to please the eyes of a man in his age.

Charlie sat at her make-up mirror, musing over the stories Grandpa Driscoll had told her about Crispen O'Driscoll, the first of the family to move from Ireland during the great potato famine. He had settled in the small town of Baconsburg, Ohio and found a job as an assistant to the town smithy. Later, a few years before the railroad came and the town was renamed Courtland, Crispen had been able to take over the shop and now was the blacksmith for a wide area around the town.

After Crispen settled in he started writing to the fair lass Kinsella and to his great pleasure she was receptive to his hints of coming to America to be his wife. Six months later she arrived and the long love affair between Crispen and Maire was the talk of that part of Ohio.

Through the years the Driscolls, losing the O somewhere around the emerging twentieth century, were known for three things: their athleticism, the carroty red hair and a surfeit of freckles. Charlie, along with her younger sister had inherited all three traits. Her mom was named after the fair maiden Maire and she had intended to pass this name down to her youngest. Due to a mix-up in the records, Maire became Marie, and as her husband told her, "'Tis a fair name for such a lovely girl." And her name was left Marie.

Thinking of her upcoming date with Jim, she knew she had to tell Jim that night what had happened in Germany with Major Tomlinson. It wasn't rape but it sure as hell wasn't from his trying. She could see her green eyes flashing in the mirror and she knew she had to get her anger under control before Jim arrived.

She was twenty minutes early and wondered if Jim would think her too anxious if he knew she had been ready so early. With a wry smile she wondered with some awe how quickly she had fallen for him. It had been six months since the Cupid killer was caught and she and Jim had been dating regularly. Sometimes she had to nudge him a little … a typical cop, he would get wrapped up in a case and not call her for a week or so.

But she knew something that Jim himself didn't know – he loved her as much as she loved him. No, he didn't exactly wear his heart on his sleeve but it was in his eyes, his gentle touches and certainly in his kisses. Memories of their increasingly lusty petting brought a tinge of sweat to her upper lip and a redness on her cheeks not from rouge.

That's why she had to tell him about the damn Major. She couldn't give herself to him until he knew all about her … well, almost all. There were things she just couldn't tell him. Looking in the mirror of her compact she saw the glow on her face that came from even thinking about consummating her relationship with Jim brought to her. And she was ready to make love with him. Men, and especially men who were cops, could be so damn dense sometimes.

As she heard his car drive up she mused on what it would be like to live with him. Hopefully there would be marriage and at some point kids. She liked being a detective but she would drop it in a minute for a child, maybe a red-haired imp to replace her sister. This time she would get the name right, Maire.

Jim picked her up, attentive, as always, in the little things, like opening the door, that she cherished so much. Working as a cop she had to suppress her femininity and on her off time wanted to be treated like a lady.

They were back at Cote Sud, which had become their favorite restaurant.

"It's nice to see you, Charlie. I have to say that black dress makes those green eyes of yours shine. I was thinking, while I was driving over, how much I missed you."

She hit his arm, "Jim, we were at the courthouse all morning for Murphy's sentencing. You couldn't possibly have missed me in that short of time."

He smugly smiled, "Well, I did!" He took a sip of his wine and continued, "Damn, I'm glad he copped a plea bargain. I'm always afraid some dickhead on the jury will let him off."

"Gee, Jim, you don't have any hard feelings against jurors, do you?"

Looking abashed, he responded, "No, not really. It's just that sometimes we work so hard to catch someone and it really grates on me when they walk away.

"Anyway, it's a shame that we couldn't get him for the first Cupid murder. I guess that will go to the cold case file. We just don't have anything to go on."

They looked up as the waiter delivered their dinner and the conversation turned to more intimate things.

As Jim was driving her home, she asked him, "I need to talk to you about something. Can you stay for a while?"

When they got to her small home, Charlie went to her bedroom to slip into something 'more comfortable,' then fixed a drink for them.

"Jim, we haven't really talked about where we want this relationship to go. I think it's time we sat down and had that discussion, but not tonight."

"Charlie, I …"

"No, I need to tell you something. I've pulled away from you a couple of times when you wanted to become more intimate and I know that it has hurt and even confused you. A relationship is hard enough without me sending you mixed signals. I don't like doing that … I don't want to do that.

"When I was stationed in Germany, I was involved in a sexual harassment case. It was eventually dismissed for lack of evidence – CID said it was just a situation of 'he said, she said'. The key part was there were two other women that came forward but they said it was too late for their cases.

"This is what led to me leaving the Army. I was just fed up with the bureaucratic bullshit.

"I'd had several dates with Gary Tomlinson, a Major in the Division Public Affairs Office. I'd fixed him dinner in my apartment and afterwards we sat down to talk, both of us on the sofa. We were having a glass of German wine. He put his arm around me and drew me in for a kiss. I was okay with that but I wasn't ready – and didn't want – anything more. I tried to jerk away from him but he was too strong for me.

"He started ripping at my clothes – he tore off my blouse and bra and slapped me, hard, when I tried to push him away. He was trying to get my skirt off and I was able to grab the bottle and hit him hard on the back of his head.

"He fell to the floor, almost unconscious. What I should have done was call the MPs at once. What I did was drag his sorry ass out my front door – I was always fairly strong – and locked the door. I sat there frozen in fear for a long time but I never heard anything. The next day I went to my commanding officer and filed a complaint.

"Since then I have this fear of intimacy. As soon as a man tries to touch me in an intimate place I freeze up. Jim, I care a lot about you and I want us to move our relationship to a new level. I want to do that now." My face blushed scarlet as I added, "Jim, you don't know the dreams I've had about us!"

Jim reached over and touched her face, "I didn't know, Charlie. I knew there was something, but I thought I'd just go slow. I've had the same kind of dreams." He put his strong arms around her and held her close. Charlie relaxed into his arms, closing her eyes against the wetness struggling to make a tear.

Charlie was wearing satin pajamas of a color to match the deep emerald of her eyes, with a matching robe. Jim held her tight, moving his hands up and down her back, feeling her relax. A few minutes later he felt a change in her breathing, a slowing and deepening. He pulled his head back and saw that she was asleep. He carefully disengaged and putting his arms under her, gently picked her up and carried her to her bed.

Carefully laying her down he turned up the covers on the other side of the bed, pulled untied the bow on the robe and moved over and lay her on the sheets. Reaching over to cover her, he felt her small hand on his shirt and looked down to see her eyes half open, a smokiness deepening the emerald color to the dark green of the deep ocean. He looked in her eyes, mesmerized, then she pulled him to her, placing his hand on her swell of her breast and kissing him with a deep need.

After a long moment she pushed back at him and, eyes locked together, she undid the buttons to the top of her pjs. Her need now urgent, she pulled his head down, his lips locking on her erect nipples. Both of them were beyond stopping now as they helped each other off with their clothes. The lovely sight before him awed Jim: Charlie in all her loveliness, her trimmed bush as red as her hair, the freckles scattered enticingly over her abdomen, her eyes half closed – the lust showing.

"Jim, I need you. Please, now, take me."

He whispered, "I love you, Charlie," and he rose up slightly and gently, slowly entering her. Scant minutes later her back arched and she shook with the power of her reaction to his caring love."

Suddenly sobbing, she pulled him down close. Her body was shaking with a different kind of passion from that of minutes previous.

Jim was scared. He had thought she was ready, but now this … "Darling, I'm sorry, I …"

"No, Jim. It's fine, everything is fine now. I just needed you so much. It's been so hard, loving you, wanting you but being afraid to move forward."

Jim turned off the light and lay next to her, the two of them cuddled as one. They both fell into a deep sleep, Jim wakening to the smell of coffee. He looked up and saw her as a beautiful vision, face scrubbed and shining. Sitting up, he took the coffee and placed it on the nightstand.

"Are you okay with … well, last night?"

"Oh, Jim, I'm more than okay. Do you love me? Oh, I know you do, but how … how much?"

Smiling, Jim reached over and took her hand, pulling her to the bed, pulling her on top of him. He reached down; pulling up the robe and put his hands on her bare, firm buttocks, pulling her to him tightly.

"How about if I show you, lady?"

They woke after ten and took a leisurely shower together. Charlie prepared a picnic basket and grabbing a couple bottles of wine drove to Lake Mosquito and found a small meadow surrounded by trees but mostly open to the lake. It was a hot, humid day and they ate, talked, loved, talked, drank the rest of the wine and loved.

Driving back to Charlie's house, both of them sated, neither talked – just shared a loving companionship. Their love was out in the open to be shared and enjoyed. They each felt their lives were more complete. Neither had expected to feel this deeply about another person.

In their respective precincts things were fairly quiet for a few months and neither of them had to work too much overtime. Jim did get an award for catching the Cupid killer and was promoted to Detective Sergeant, but he asked his new boss to keep it quiet for a couple of days.

Towards the end of September, Jim took Charlie to dinner at the Cote Sud again. He was somewhat mysterious about it – he hadn't even told her where they were going.

When the valet took his car she turned to him, "Okay, Jim Hartly, what's going on?"

"Oh, I was hungry. Seemed like a good idea to get something to eat. Gosh, I hope you're hungry too."

"Well … yes, sure. You know I'm always hungry."

The maître d' led them into a back room with about a dozen tables, and sat them at one at the far side of the room, with a nice view of the gardens which were lit at night.

"How come we are in a room by ourselves?"

Jim answered, "I'm not sure. Let me ask the waiter."

He stood up and walked through the door to where the waiter stood. He appeared to chat amiably with him with a bit of arm waving and came back.

"Well, " Charlie asked impatiently.

"It seems that they expect to be crowded tonight. So rather than jam us in they put us in here so we can have some peace and quiet. He did say they might have to seat several people in here."

"Oh, well, okay."

A waiter brought a bottle of champagne and after pouring two glasses put the bottle in a crystal ice bucket. Charlie looked over at the bucket and saw the Waterford logo and said to herself, "Damn, this looks like an expensive dinner!"

To Jim, she asked, "Uh, why the champagne? Are we celebrating something?"

Jim looked over at her, a serious mien on his face, "Darling, every day I see you is reason enough for celebrating. As Debby Boone so aptly put it, 'You Light Up My Life."

Pleased with that, Charlie just smiled.

A few minutes later, a distinguished silver haired man with an attractive brunette on his arm came in and was seated at another table. Charlie stared at the man and nudged Jim, "Isn't that your boss? You know, Captain what's his name?"

"Yeah, you are right. I'd better go over and say hi to him. Excuse me."

A minute later he waved for her to come over. "Captain Adamson, this is my fiancée, Charlie Weaver."

She jerked at his arm. What was he saying? They weren't engaged yet. She certainly had hopes, yes, even plans, but …

"Charlie, this is my boss and his lovely wife, Joanne."

They chatted for a minute then Captain said to Charlie, "You have a great young man here. With his promotion he is really going places."

"Huh? What promotion?" She shot Jim a dirty look. Something funny was going on.

A little bit later her sister Doris and her husband Ray Hough came in and walked over to their table. Doris kissed Jim on the cheek and then hugged Charlie. Ray shook Jim's hand and said, "Hey, congrats! Detective Sergeant ain't chickenfeed," then the two of them walked over and sat at the table with the police captain and his wife.

"Okay, Jim Hartly, what in the hell is going on? Did you really get promoted?"

Somewhat abashedly, he nodded and gave her a hug.

Within a few minutes both of their families, and friends from both within and outside the police force came in and all congratulated Jim. Dinner proceeded and at the end Captain Adamson walked up to a mike that had magically appeared and gave a speech chronicling Jim's achievements, especially on the Cupid case and formally announced his promotion.

After everyone clapped, Jim walked up to the mike and thanked everyone for their help. "Charlie, can you come up here for a minute?"

Groaning, Charlie walked up and stood beside him.

"Without Charlie's special expertise, we never would have solved that case. I spent a lot of time with her and we have become good friends."

Charlie looked at him, aghast. The look on her face asking, "What did he mean by that?"

Jim quickly amended, "Well, somewhat more than friends." Turning to Charlie, he put one knee on the floor and in the palm of his hand was magically a ring. Putting the ring on her finger, he asked, "Charlie Weaver, will you marry me? Please?"

Almost in shock she stared at him. Realization finally dawning she jumped on him, squealing, "Yes, yes. Oh, God, yes, Jim!"

That night, Jim was told he had been a very bad boy but was treated like he had been very, very good.

After some discussion they decided they wanted to be married on Valentine's Day of the next year. "It would be fitting," Charlie insisted.

Her sister, Doris jumped in and started helping with the planning. A month after proposing, Jim moved in with Charlie. The plan was to stay there and save money for a larger house they hoped they would need later.

Their love was expressed frequently and it was mutually satisfying. They were both open to finding out what would give the other satisfaction and took joy from each other's happiness.

Finally, the time of the wedding came. Jim moved into one of the local hotels for the several days before the wedding. On Valentine's Day, at one thirty in the morning, Jim's phone in the hotel room rang.

"Jim, is that you?"

Recognizing her voice, he asked, "What's wrong, Honey. You sound upset."

"Jim, I have to come down there. I'll be there in about twenty minutes."

"Wait, Charlie. I thought I was supposed to stay away from you today?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes. If I don't talk to you, there won't be a wedding!"

Jim hung up and stood looking at the phone in a dazed shock. Not too much later there was a soft knock on the door. Jim opened the door with some trepidation. Charlie stood there with tears running down her face and no make up on. She looked like hell.

"Charlie, what …"

"Do you have some brandy? I need something to let me get through this."

Jim looked in the mini-bar and found four small bottles of Courvoisier. He poured one in a glass for her. "What's going on, Angel?"

"You sit in that chair and I'll sit in this one. Just listen. Please, if you love me let me get through this. Then if you still love me, well…"