The Bridge (Para-Earth Series) (11 page)

             
Then he looked back to those around him.  Veronica, Roy and all the other officers had lost not only a co-worker but a friend.  The badge bound them to each other in a way most people couldn’t fully understand, but he did.   In fact, he understood a lot of things people never spoke of. 

sassy-cassie

              The next day, Alex found himself at the Impound Yard, trapped between two Dobermans. They kept licking his hands and looking up at him as if to say, “You won’t let anything happen to us right?”

             
“Unbelievable,” muttered Veronica watching this.  Then she turned to Roy who was standing nearby.  “Is this why you had me bring him along?” she demanded.

             
“I needed someone to keep those mutts out from under my feet. They won’t leave me alone,” he told her. “Now while he keeps them busy, you come with me.”

             
As Alex watched them walk towards the wreck he sensed a lingering chill in the air.  This was surprising since he was doing his best to keep closed off.  But, there was no danger here now.  What he was sensing was simply residual impressions, which meant whatever had left its mark on that vehicle was strong.  And to make matters worse, it was still out there somewhere, waiting, watching…                

             
A hand brushed his arm, causing him to whirl around and almost trip over the dogs. 

             
“Geez Alex, take it easy,” remarked the hand’s owner, a beautiful young woman with long auburn hair and flashing brown eyes. “You’re going to make everyone think I grabbed your ass or something,” she smiled engagingly. 

             
“Cassandra?” he blinked in surprise.  “What are you doing here?  No, wait, let me guess.  Things slowed down so much in the hotel business that you started looking to buying Impound Lots.  I can see it all now.  You get their vehicles towed and tell the owners they can’t get it back until the next day.  But not to worry, you know a good hotel where they can stay overnight with a Deluxe Overnight Impound Rate, Stripper Cop extra.”

             
His childhood friend laughed at that and came back with, “Are things so slow in the cop business you’re looking to get your girlfriend a side job as a stripper?”

             
“I wish,” replied Alex uneasily.  Now he really wished to be somewhere else.  His lady viewed Cassie as a rival and with good reason.  Cassandra was not only closer in age to him, but was also a billionaire heiress who made no secret of her desire to have him for herself.  He had turned her down many times in the past and had made a point of letting her know he was quite happy with Veronica, but that had not deterred his old friend. 

             
“Actually, I’m here on business and...” Cassandra was saying then stopped to study him closer.  “Have you been ill?  You look pale.  Or have the Cougars around here been keeping you up at night?”

             
“He’s had a touch of flu,” said Veronica suddenly joining them.  She must’ve been watching abandoned Roy to protect her territory.  Eyeing the newcomer coolly she asked politely, “How are you, Cassie?”

             
“Fine,” replied the girl sweetly, “I was just saying…”

             
“I heard,” the older woman remarked with an arched brow.  “But don’t worry.  There aren’t any big cats around here, just little ones in heat.”

             
Cassandra actually smiled at that.  “I’m glad to see New Swindon’s number two cop is doing all right.  Though I’ve wondered why they haven’t given you a command of your own.  I mean you’ve been in uniform almost as long as I’ve been around, surely all that experience must count for something.”

             
Alex noticed the sly grin on his lady’s face and thought, ‘Here it comes.’

             
“That’s true,” Veronica nodded, snapping her fingers.  Immediately, the two Dobermans came over and lay down at her feet, while two of the male officers started to approach until she waived them off.  “All that experience really pays off.”

             
Cassie’s smile flickered ever so briefly.  Then she said, “I was wondering if you two would be up to having lunch with me, my treat of course.”

             
“Uh-huh,” Alex commented raising one eyebrow suspiciously.  “You’re not trying to butter me up so I’ll give you a sneak peak of the Graham place by chance?”

             
“Would I do that?” Cassandra asked, trying to look innocent.  On her it looked wonderful.

             
Pursing his lips Alex folded his arms and replied, “Only if you were hoping to get an offer in before I hold an Open House.  Because once I do that, other offers would start pouring in leading to a bidding war between you and a few of your business rivals.”

             
The girl laughed. “Guilty as charged.  Get out the handcuffs I’ll come along quietly.”  No sooner had she put out her hands when there was a flash of metal and clicking noises.

             
“You have to watch yourself around Veronica.  She’s fast with those cuffs,” commented Alex.

             
“You’d know,” quipped his lady. 

             
Meanwhile, Cassandra silently stared at her new bracelets.

             
For a moment Alex thought she was breathing a little heavier than usual.

             
Ronnie must’ve noticed it too because a curious look crossed her face and then she quickly stepped in front of him saying, “Sorry about that.  Here let me get you out of those.  I didn’t make them too tight did I?”

             
“N..no, not at all,” Cassie stammered as she rubbed her wrists briskly once they were free.  Then, as if nothing had happened, she smiled, “So, yay or nay on lunch?”

             
Alex looked to Veronica who nodded.  “Right, we’re in.  We’ll follow you.”

             
“Why not ride with me?  I remembered to bring my limo,” offered Cassandra hopefully.

             
“Depends,” said Alex thoughtfully, “did you remember to bring the chauffer as well?”

             
Veronica sniggered while Cassie eyed him for a moment.  Then the heiress snapped her fingers in mock disappointment and said, “Darn it, I knew there was something I was forgetting.  I guess you’ll just have to drive us around in style.”

              Alex successfully parked the limousine without mishap.  Then he got out and opened the door for his three passengers.  Ronnie emerged first, followed by Cassandra and Casey, her regular chauffer.

             
At six and a half feet tall and almost as wide at the shoulders, Casey was an impressive figure.  He was also a former Green Beret hired by Cassandra’s parents to act as a bodyguard for their only daughter.

             
As the driver took his cap back, he gave Alex a nod of approval and headed over to the restaurant they were to dine at, and held the door open for them.

             
Following the girls Alex remarked, “I have a whole new respect for people who drive limousines.”

             
“Oh come on it wasn’t that bad Alex,” Cassie chided, “It’s a regular sized limo; it’s not like I asked you to drive a stretch one.”

             
“It still felt like I was trying to steer the Titanic.”

             
“Only you didn’t hit anything,” Ronnie pointed out.

             
“Exactly!” agreed Cassie, “You did a great job.”

             
“If that’s true, how come no one tipped me?” complained Alex.

             
“I’ve got a tip for you,” smiled Cassandra and kissed him, good and hard.

             
Once he finally managed to extricate himself, Alex muttered, “I didn’t do that good a job.”

             
“You always do,” she sighed and sauntered past Veronica without a glance.

             
The older woman looked at him with a raised eyebrow but said nothing as she followed the girl inside.

             
‘Oh boy, this is going to be a fun lunch,’ thought Alex and wondered how fast he could get across the parking lot before anyone noticed.

             
Just then the human wall, known as Casey, stepped in front of him and gestured to a table, “The ladies are waiting for you.”

             
“So is St. Peter,” Alex muttered turning and heading towards what he hoped would not be a last meal.

              Veronica was still silently fuming at Cassie’s brazen move, but a part of her was also beginning to wonder about what Alex had said the other day.  He claimed that Cassandra was bisexual.  And when she had gone to remove the handcuffs from the girl’s wrists she noticed the heiress was trying not to look at her.  But from the little glimpse she did get of her rival’s face it did look like she was blushing.

             
So for the next fifteen minutes she quietly kept an eye on the girl.  During this period their waitress, a buxom blonde introduced herself and described the days’ specials.  On the surface Cassie’s reaction did not seem unusual or out of the ordinary.  She was polite, asked a question or two and then went back to the menu.  But after a little while her eyes strayed to wherever the waitress was.

             
In fact the only time she looked over at Alex seemed to be whenever she remembered who she was with.  And whenever she focused on him, she made a big production of being very interested and affectionate.  But even then every so often the girl’s eyes wandered over to their waitress once more.

             
‘I’ll be damned,’ Ronnie thought quietly, just as Cassie started whispering in Alex’s ear.  While she couldn’t hear the heiress’ words, she didn’t really care.  Now she knew the score.  But on the other hand, Alex was starting to look uncomfortable and that was something she was not going to put up with.

             
“Cassie, may I have a word with you in the Ladies Room?” she said finally and stood up.

             
The younger woman looked surprised, but quickly recovered her self-assured manner.  “Sure, why not,” she replied and got up from the table.  But not before kissing Alex on the cheek and saying, “Wish me luck.”

             
‘You’re going to need it,’ thought Ronnie not waiting for the girl and heading into the restroom.  She checked to make sure all the stalls were empty and then waited.

             
Cassandra did not keep her waiting long.  Breezing into the room the girl sighed, “Alex said I should apologize for kissing him like that in front of you.  So, I guess I’m sorry.  I just get carried away when I’m around him.”

             
“Oh, I understand,” Veronica smiled back. “He has that effect on me too.  Of course I get to take it a lot farther.”

             
“That’s true…” Cassie replied, turning to the mirror and fixing her lipstick.  Then she added, “….for now.”

             
“Really,” Ronnie smiled back and walked up behind the girl so both their faces were reflected in the mirror. 

             
Now Cassandra was starting to look uneasy. 

             
Choosing her line of attack carefully Veronica whispered, “You’re a beautiful girl, you know that?”

             
“Thank you,” Cassie murmured looking more worried, but trying to sound confident.  “I suppose your next words will be something about what a shame it would be if someone were to mess my face up?”

             
Ronnie shook her head, “Nope, I’m just telling you the truth.  You are a beautiful girl Cassandra.  And I have no doubt you turn heads quite a bit.  But I wonder, who makes your head turn?”

             
In the mirror a confused look crossed the younger woman’s face as she answered, “I think we both know the answer to that?”

             
“Alex?”

             
“Damn straight,” Cassie replied and went back to applying her lipstick.

             
“Uh-huh,” Ronnie nodded and then whispered in the girl’s ear, “What about our waitress?”

             
The lipstick suddenly clattered noisily onto the counter and Cassandra quickly tried to retrieve it.  She failed several times before finally succeeding.  From a viewer’s point of view it was quite comical.  But Veronica wasn’t laughing.  For the first time in their acquaintance she actually felt sorry for the girl, who was doing her best not to look at her.

             
“I seem to be clumsy today,” Cassie said in an obviously controlled voice.

             
“We all have those days,” Veronica replied.  Her police training had already detected a tremble in the shoulders and the slightly slumped posture.  Then she said kindly, “Do you need a hand?”