scowled at the grease spot on the paper. The kids down the hall must be putting things in mail boxes again. She tossed the scrap of paper onto the hall table and unbuckled her gun belt. Walking toward her bedroom, Carmen unbuttoned her uniform shirt and unzipped the trousers she no longer found so distasteful.
She had time to catch a nap and still get to the station on time. The sight of the half made bed didn’t bother her. Don had slept there last night, and she happily lay down on his side, hugging his pillow, inhaling his scent.
Drifting off into a comfortable drowse, she paid little attention to the thumping against the outside wall. Her peaceful afternoon instantly ruptured by the sound of her car alarm blaring.
This was the second time in a week someone had set the thing off. She groaned and got up to hit the cancel button on her key pad. A look out the front window revealed exactly what she expected. Nothing.
Her yawn instantly stifled as she walked by the front door. Another yellow note had been shoved under the door. This time she picked it up.
She read the illegible written words several times.
You been warned bitch. Yur dead.
Carmen had been called worse things and threatened, but never had the threat come into her home. She read the insane note again, torn between anger and worry. Who would dare come to her home, and how the hell did they know where she lived? If it had come from a previous arrest, which one?
She picked up the phone and hit Don’s number, staring at the offensive scrap in her fingers.
When he answered his phone, he sounded sleepy. “Hi, sweet Carmen.” He must have been resting well. His muffled groan made her wince with guilt. She knew firsthand how hard it was for cops to get enough sleep. “Can’t get enough of me, huh?”
She exhaled, wishing she hadn’t called him. “I may have a problem.”
“I’ll be right there.” The sounds from his end of the connection told her he had gotten out of bed and was getting dressed. “Do you need a squad car?”
“No, I’m not sure it’s even a problem. Yet.”
After she hung up the phone, Carmen checked the doors and waited for Don. In her head, she ran a memory file of arrests she’d made in the last few months. They’d all made threats and screamed lawsuit. Nothing ever came of any of them. She finally decided she worried for nothing. Lots of kids around the area knew she was cop and probably thought it would be a cool joke to play on her.
She’d taken a shower and dressed in a white pants suit by the time Don arrived. He seemed anxious, scanning the apartment when she let him in.
“What’s going on, Carm?”
“Maybe nothing.” She loved being in his arms, being hugged close to his strong body. She may be a cop, but she was still a woman.
“Has to be something, or you wouldn’t have called.” He kissed her and gazed into her eyes.
“Just a series of silly stuff.” She put all the little odd things into prospective and realized they weren’t silly.
She picked up the greasy note and handed it to him, watching his normal, easy going expression freeze into anger. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen.
“We’re treating this as a threat against you.” He looked out the small window over the sink and closed the café curtains. “Get your purse and a couple changes of clothes.”
“What?” She finally comprehended the meaning of his words. “Don. I’m not running from my home because of some coward’s scribbling.”
“Don’t get stubborn on me, Carm.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t mind sharing my sheets with you.”
“Don’t try to sweet talk me, Genonese.” Her desire for independence wouldn’t be taken down by this threat. “I love that you would share your home with me, but I’m a big girl.”
“Redstone, you’re a stubborn woman, but I think I know best this time.” He jiggled her several times to get her attention. “I’ll be worried about you and won’t
She had time to catch a nap and still get to the station on time. The sight of the half made bed didn’t bother her. Don had slept there last night, and she happily lay down on his side, hugging his pillow, inhaling his scent.
Drifting off into a comfortable drowse, she paid little attention to the thumping against the outside wall. Her peaceful afternoon instantly ruptured by the sound of her car alarm blaring.
This was the second time in a week someone had set the thing off. She groaned and got up to hit the cancel button on her key pad. A look out the front window revealed exactly what she expected. Nothing.
Her yawn instantly stifled as she walked by the front door. Another yellow note had been shoved under the door. This time she picked it up.
She read the illegible written words several times.
You been warned bitch. Yur dead.
Carmen had been called worse things and threatened, but never had the threat come into her home. She read the insane note again, torn between anger and worry. Who would dare come to her home, and how the hell did they know where she lived? If it had come from a previous arrest, which one?
She picked up the phone and hit Don’s number, staring at the offensive scrap in her fingers.
When he answered his phone, he sounded sleepy. “Hi, sweet Carmen.” He must have been resting well. His muffled groan made her wince with guilt. She knew firsthand how hard it was for cops to get enough sleep. “Can’t get enough of me, huh?”
She exhaled, wishing she hadn’t called him. “I may have a problem.”
“I’ll be right there.” The sounds from his end of the connection told her he had gotten out of bed and was getting dressed. “Do you need a squad car?”
“No, I’m not sure it’s even a problem. Yet.”
After she hung up the phone, Carmen checked the doors and waited for Don. In her head, she ran a memory file of arrests she’d made in the last few months. They’d all made threats and screamed lawsuit. Nothing ever came of any of them. She finally decided she worried for nothing. Lots of kids around the area knew she was cop and probably thought it would be a cool joke to play on her.
She’d taken a shower and dressed in a white pants suit by the time Don arrived. He seemed anxious, scanning the apartment when she let him in.
“What’s going on, Carm?”
“Maybe nothing.” She loved being in his arms, being hugged close to his strong body. She may be a cop, but she was still a woman.
“Has to be something, or you wouldn’t have called.” He kissed her and gazed into her eyes.
“Just a series of silly stuff.” She put all the little odd things into prospective and realized they weren’t silly.
She picked up the greasy note and handed it to him, watching his normal, easy going expression freeze into anger. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen.
“We’re treating this as a threat against you.” He looked out the small window over the sink and closed the café curtains. “Get your purse and a couple changes of clothes.”
“What?” She finally comprehended the meaning of his words. “Don. I’m not running from my home because of some coward’s scribbling.”
“Don’t get stubborn on me, Carm.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. “I don’t mind sharing my sheets with you.”
“Don’t try to sweet talk me, Genonese.” Her desire for independence wouldn’t be taken down by this threat. “I love that you would share your home with me, but I’m a big girl.”
“Redstone, you’re a stubborn woman, but I think I know best this time.” He jiggled her several times to get her attention. “I’ll be worried about you and won’t
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