Father Cini had insisted on driving them to the shelter in the church's dark blue minivan. TJ and Jody had accepted with good grace, realizing how nervous the priest was at sharing this secret with them. He was trusting in God, and his own judgment, weighing his instincts against the safety of those who relied on him for sanctuary. They left downtown Sloanville behind and headed out of town altogether, entering a once wealthy neighborhood now not unpleasantly filled with middle income families and their suburban lifestyles. One former Victorian mansion sat up on a small hill behind a thick hedge of spruce, and it was here that Father Cini turned in. Out of the corner of his eye, TJ noticed the man clipping the hedge, the one that had given the church van a fast once over and a nod when it hit the driveway.
The house was less impressive close up. Repairs had been of the useful type, nothing ornamental. There was a ramp on one side of the old porch, and the place looked lived in. Very lived in, as two children came running out the front door as Father Cini led his guests to the entrance. The pair barrelled past, yelling threats of interplanetary conquest and war at each other as they ran, sparing the adults a mere glance as they ran. The priest shook his head and smiled, then held the door open for Jody. A woman sat on the couch beside the door, her blazer doing nothing to hide the holstered gun she wore on her hip. She was reading "Cosmo" and glanced up when they entered, her eyes on them until Father Cini nodded to her. Then she smiled, a nice smile, and went back to her magazine. They moved through a narrow hallway to a huge open room, bright lamps already blazing in the twilight, at the back of the house. Several women sat in there, watching TV, playing cards, one was ironing, another reading to a semicircle of children who sat raptly at her feet. They all looked wary as Jody and TJ entered the room.
Father Cini's presence helped, as he walked in behind them, tensions visibly eased. He was obviously a trusted friend to the house. "Ladies, if I could disturb you for a moment?" He introduced Jody and her partner, and invited them to sit as the other adults gathered around and the children were sent to play in another room. Jody took the lead here, TJ doing his best to seem both non threatening and ingratiating as he listened to her outline their problem. "We know that Julia volunteers here, we're afraid that someone's husband or boyfriend may have seen her as a way to find one of you. Please, help us find him." The women murmured among themselves, then one spoke up.
"I'm Martha Davis. Jewel and I went out almost two weeks ago. I had my first job interview in fifteen years, and I needed something to wear so she offered to take me shopping. My husband had disabled our car to make sure I couldn't go out during the day, so I have no car now. We went over to Claridge's," Jody nodded here, she bought a lot of her working clothes at the upscale women's shop," Jewel said there was a fund set up to help women get back on their feet and into the workplace. There may be, but she used her own credit card at the register. If I'd known, I wouldnt have bought so much."
"I saw what you bought, girl, and it wasn't that much, seeing as you came here in jeans and a sweater. Probably she got paid back after." The young woman beside her said encouragingly.
"Maybe, anyway, we went out for lunch too, a nice place, with cloth napkins and hovering waiters." Martha smiled faintly, "Hadn't been in a place like that in a while. It wasn't the place though. She talked to me like a person, not a victim. We walked about a new exhibit at the museum, and the mayoral race, didn't mention the shelter, or my husband, or getting back out into the world once. And it was great. I felt like a woman again, a real person." She smiled again, a real smile, " We're having lunch again next month, at the museum restaurant, after we see the Russian Fabrege collection. My treat." the woman added fiercely, " I got that job, I'm earning a paycheck now. If there isn't a fund, there's going to be one when I pay that money back. But Jewel, she treated me like a friend, she IS my friend. If my husband did this to her.."
Her friend hugged her, "He's a loser, babe. You know it, he hurt you, and maybe he hurt her, but it ain't your fault." Wide dark eyes glared at the detectives, daring them to correct her. "An' these people ain't blaming you, either."
"No, of course not," Jody hastened to jump in, "If you could tell us your husband's name, where to find him, we'd go have a talk with him."
Martha laughed, hard and short. "Yes, go have a talk with him. That's all the cops ever did when the neighbors would call, and I'd answer the door bleeding. They'd have a talk with him. You think you might talk a little harder this time, since Jewel wasn't married to him and all?"
Jody fought back her sharp answer, in the face of the other woman's pain. "Married or not, he didn't have a right to hurt you. If you could give me that information, we'll investigate what happened, and if he did this to her, he'll be in jail by midnight."
"And be out by morning. I know how the system works." Martha nonetheless took the notepad TJ held out to her, and scribbled the information they wanted, then gave it back. As they were standing to leave, she smiled again, a little shyly. "She's going to be okay?"
Jody smiled back, and dared to touch the other woman's arm."She's going to be fine. Are you?"
Martha nodded. "Yes, I believe I am. Thanks for asking, Detective."
Father Cini had left the room, he returned in a few minutes and they left. Jody and TJ were quiet on the ride back. It was true, the standard answer to a domestic violence call was to talk to the people involved, but the standard also said that if there were visible signs of abuse, the suspect went to jail, at least overnight. Then it was up to his victim to press charges. Jody sighed, leaning her head against the glass window. She could count the spouses who filed charges on her fingers. "Yeah, Martha, I know how the system works too."
*****
Mid morning , the door to 413 was slightly ajar, and laughter was echoing out into the hall. Jewel sat in the straight backed chair that usually sat by the bed, her head leaning back into the improvised basin the nurses had helped her brother David rig up. He was wetting her hair down, using a small water pitcher, trying to block water from her eyes with a towel and they both were laughing. "David, don't tangle it up! I'll never get it unsnarled if you knot it now."
"If you hold still, it wont get tangled. Now, stop wiggling."
"Ow!! It's going down my neck,, and stop pulling, will you? You are so sadistic, I am never coming back to this salon again."
"But, mademoiselle, ah ahm ze warld famoose styleeste, Claudio."
"No! Not THE Claudio?"
"But of course! Who else, for ze esteemed youngair sistair of ze famoose attournay, Daveed Adaams?"
She pretended to gag, and relaxed. The warm water felt so good on her scalp, and it was fun to be able to just goof off with her brother. She'd missed that, this last year in Sloanville, having people with whom she shared a past.
"Okay, kiddo, soaping up now. Hand me that bottle, please."
Blindly, Jewel groped the side table to her right and found the squat plastic bottle she kept each batch of shampoo in. It smelled strongly of lavender, and rosemary for clarifying, and David groaned when he opened the bottle. "I'm going to smell like your herb garden." he complained and she laughed.
"It would be a nice change from the way you smell now." she quipped, then felt a thin stream of icy water on her forehead and yelped.
"You can keep those comments to yourself, missy, or you can suffer the consequences. Be nice to the hairdressing man." David grinned as she cussed him out. "Couple of new ones in there. Learn those from the boyfriend?"
"Will you stop calling him that? He's not my boyfriend."
"He seems to think so, he was willing to beat Chris up for you."
She huffed." 'Boyfriend' is such a lame word. It so does not suit Kermit."
"So what do YOU call him?"
"I call him Kermit, of course. I KNOW who he is in my life, no stupid definitions required."
The air was redolent with the spicy floral smell and she sighed happily, enjoying the rough scrubbing David was giving her hair. It was better than a scalp massage at the salon, and she was glad her brother had offered to wash her hair when he found out she'd just finished a sponge bath. "How long has it been since I washed your hair, babygirl?" he asked idly, and she thought back.
"Ten years? Maybe? I broke my arm when I was seventeen..."
"Yep, almost ten years. Not too rough, am I?"
"No, just right. I have a feeling you've kept in practice, though. Jess has been growing his hair out, hasn't he?" she teased and he laughed, tugging at the mass in his hands.
"Now I thought we had hammered out an agreement, you don't ask about my sex life and I don't ask about yours."
"I have never interfered in your personal life and you know it." Jewel said, offended.
"What about Mark?"
"Mark was a jerk! You THANKED me for telling you what a creep he was, remember?"
"How about Kevin?"
"Please, Kevin? The bimbo? Hello, I'm Kevin. If you hire me for a role, I'll sleep with you. If you recommend me for a role, I'll sleep with you. If you tell me about.."
"Alright, Nicholas."
"Nicholas was just a bitch, he had to go, no if, ands or buts" she giggled, and finally admitted, "Okay, so I have given you a little input into your social life, a little absolutely correct input. So sue me for trying to protect my big brother."
"Exactly. So maybe the next time I ask about your relationships, you wont jump down my throat?"
"I'll think about it."
David dumped a pitcher of warm water over her head and began rinsing the lank hank of soapy hair he held. Casually he said, as if thinking aloud, "Have you thought about coming back to New York for a while? You're going to be down for a few weeks anyway, and you have a bedroom at our apartment anytime you want it, you know."
"New York, for a few weeks? Huh. It never really entered my mind, Dave. I mean, I live here now."
"I know, but what if you moved back? You'd be just in time for the holiday season, and I know that you love the City then. We could go to Radio City."
A soft smile crossed her face. "I love the Christmas show. Moving back, that's so drastic, though. I like my loft, and my kitty, and...Kermit is here. How could I leave him?" Jewel wasn't smiling anymore, as water splashed behind her.
"It's just a thought, of course, but we aren't that far away by plane, and after everything that's happened, I thought you might want to be back near family for a while. No big deal, little sis."
"David, I couldn't leave Kermit like that. I really couldn't." but he heard the doubt in her voice. Jewel was thinking about the loft, and a shiver ran through her. Go back? Would she see him there, every time she went out her front door? Would she see blood in the kitchen, feel herself dying again when she answered the phone? The cool, clean thought of Jess and David's condo in New York came unbidden to her mind, safe and unblemished, free of any kind of taint, a place filled with laughter, and love, and welcome. No unpleasant memories there at all. She shivered again as David finished rinsing and wrapped her hair in a towel, began squeezing the water from it.
"No, definitely not, David. But thanks for offering." She'd never sounded less convincing, even to her own ears.
*****
Jody moved from room to room in the obviously empty apartment, unable to believe that the occupant was gone until she saw it with her own eyes. Obtaining a search warrant had taken until morning and now, Kevin Davis was nowhere to be found. TJ had directed the uniforms that had accompanied them in a search of the apt, and he joined his partner at the grimy window, admiring the partial view of rusted fire escapes it offered. "He hasn't been here at all, Jody." TJ offered, "No blood traces, mailbox stuffed and overflowing. We didn't miss him, he just hasn't been back. If Davis is who we're looking for."
"He's got to be, TJ. I know it, in my guts, but where?" She looked around one last time and shrugged. "C'mon, partner, we're wasting our time here." She walked out and they headed back to the station, Jody driving. She hadn't responded to his attempts at conversation, so TJ jumped when she suddenly yelped and spun the car into a Peteresque U-turn, heading the Honda they'd been issued back the way they had come.
"Jody! What are you doing?"
"I've got it, it has to be. I know where he is!"
He clutched the dashboard as she piled on the speed, whipping into the parking lot for Mercy Hospital, leaving the car out front. She ran up the steps, flashed her badge at the security guard and was in an elevator when TJ caught up with her. The doors nearly caught the trailing edge of his coat as he jumped in. "You want to tell your partner what's going on?"
"I've been dumb, that's what. Jewel told us that she shot him twice, point blank range, non fatal injuries. Non fatal if treated, that is."
"And so we checked this hospital, all clinics, private doctors, for gunshot patients treated, and our guy didn't come up."
"Yes! Now, there is one way he wouldn't have ended up on treatment records, even if he were brought in here." Her eyes were bright and she paced nervously in the elevator as it ground to a halt. "Last floor, Morgue." The doors opened and they stepped out into florescent city. "If he were brought in DOA, no treatment, they just fill out the form and ship him down here."
"Detective Powell, I apologize for all the things I was thinking on the ride over here."
"Not at all, Detective Kincaid. My good sir, could you assist us?"
The attendant at the desk looked up from his textbook. "Yes, ma'am?"
Jody winced, but continued, "Looking for a recent arrival, gunshot wounds to the shoulder and thigh. Probably bled out, could be a John Doe."
"Anything suspicious would have already gone over to the coroner's office, ma'am. I could call Dr. Elders for you and check?"
"I'd appreciate it , thanks."
Then, to her partner, "Maybe I'm not so brilliant, TJ, of course they'd send it over to Nicky."
He smiled and shook his head, "Great minds can't worry about the details, Detective."
"Confucius?"
"Mr. Howell, from 'Gilligan's Island."
She was still laughing when the attendant got off the phone. "Ma'am, Dr. Elders says he's got one with the wounds you mentioned, guy with ID coming back to a Kevin Davis." TJ clapped her on the back. They'd done it.
*****
"So, Mrs. Davis came down, positively ID'ed her husband's body. And that was that. Nothing left but the paperwork, which I conned TJ into doing." Jody dusted her hands together and grinned.
Jewel shook her head. "Poor Martha. She's been through so much already.. but I guess this means she can come out of hiding."
"She sent you this", Jody pulled a flat object out of her bag, "and said to remind you that this time is her treat."
It was the preview catalog from the Faberge collection and Jewel flipped through it, smiling as the colors dazzled her. "Murder and Mayhem and Museums. I should go into the thriller business."
"How are you doing?" Jody asked, and the other woman shrugged, then winced.
"Alright, I guess. Right now, they've got me so doped that I don't feel much pain. That will change in the next couple of days, I'm sure. IV comes out tomorrow, if I keep drinking enough. I hate this modified harness thingy," she irritably, but gently tugged at the stiffened collar and straps she wore to keep her mending collarbone straight. "But, at least it IS modified."
"So they can get at the bullet.." the detective caught herself, and Jewel pretended not to notice, nodding.
"Exactly. No signs of infection is a good thing. So, I'm healing, and I'm alive, which must be a plus, right?"
"So I hear. And how are YOU doing?"
The younger woman caught the inflection in Jody's voice and glanced away before meeting her gaze squarely. "I'm glad he's dead. I wouldn't mind the chance to shoot him again, actually. I'm not going to be fully mobile and taking care of myself for a couple of months, which thrills me to no end. My brother David even suggested that I move back to New York, can you believe it?"
"What's in New York?"
"Well, he is, of course, and my brother in law Jesse. They have a spare room in their apt that they call mine. It's a nice place, right on Fifth ave, right in the middle of everything.."
"Are you going?"
"I doubt it. It's a nice fantasy, but I have a life here, an apt, a job, a cat, a...a Kermit. I couldn't just pick up and leave." She shook her head with a rueful smile. "It's a sad thing, how much the idea of being babied and playing little sister for a couple of months appeals to me."
"Might be something worth thinking about. Anyway, I just wanted to bring you up to speed, let you know that you don't have to worry about this guy anymore, okay?"
"Thanks, Jody, I appreciate it. I should probably try to get some sleep, though.."
"Good idea." Jody squeezed her hand and left.
Jewel painfully shoved her pillows around and lay back, grateful to be alone in the cool, dim room. So, it was over. Her assailant was dead, now living only in the nightmare she kept having. She switched on the radio to distract herself, having insisted that the boys not bring some of her CDs to the hospital. She wasn't listening to music all that much, and the radio was fine, there was a classical station right outside of Sloanville that both she and Kermit enjoyed. It was one of the few stations they could listen to together, actually , and Jewel smiled. Kermit. With a completely unnecessary furtive look around, she fished her wallet out of the dresser drawer to her right and pulled her one picture of Kermit free.
* She'd snapped it one night when they had been cuddled up on the couch with Shade, half asleep and listening to a dreamy dulcimer and Celtic pipe CD called October County. A fat pillar candle had sprung a hot wax leak and she'd slipped from his arms to get up and blow it out. Her old point and shoot had been resting on a shelf nearby and, yielding to impulse, she'd decided to try and save that warm moment forever. He'd been halfway across the room to her before the flash died away, and Jewel had apologized for ten minutes by the clock for uprising him like that.*
It was a great picture, though. A rare shot of Kermit at rest, heavy lidded eyes peaceful, small smile on his lips as he caressed the sleek little animal on his lap. Jewel touched his face with a gentle fingertip, then tucked the snapshot away again and set the dial to the lite classical station. Someone's piano music rippled over her, and the soft stream lulled her to sleep.
She wasn't alone when she woke up. A glint of gold, a fresh outdoorsy scent, "Chris? Why are you sitting here in the dark?"
"Just thinking, babygirl. Just thinking. You've really grown up, haven't you?" His voice was wistful.
"A long time ago, big brother. Couldn't be a little girl forever."
"It's kind of a shame, you were awfully good at it. I used to like to see Liz brushing your hair before bed, when she'd tell those great stories. Dave and I hid in the next room sometimes, just to listen."
"Mother loved you guys, you know that, don't you?"
He nodded, unseen in the darkness. "I loved her too. She never tried to take the place of our mother, but she filled an empty place in our family. AND she brought us a little sister to tease."
Chris ran a large hand over his sister's head, following down the long plait and giving it a gentle tug. "I've got to cut out on you, brat. I got a call earlier, need to go out west."
"California?"
"Seattle. You need anything?"
"You could check and see if the Righteous Mothers have a new tape out yet, or if they've finally gone CD. If you want to, that is."
"I'll make a point of hitting the Antique Sandwich Factory to ask. You going to be okay?"
"No doubt, Chris. I'm fine, and I have about a million numbers to reach you if I need you."
"Good. David told me about his New York plan. I'd love the idea of you heading back to the City, but don't let him talk you into it, you hear?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. If this is what you want, then you stay put. David will survive without his little sister, and you're doing okay here. You've got your Kermit to protect you, right?" he grinned and counted to himself.
She snapped at him, right on cue. "I've got ME to protect me, Christoper Thomas Adams. I wouldn't stay here just to have a bodyguard."
"Just kidding. I do like him though, kiddo. So don't let our family shyster sweettalk you back to the City unless you're sure you want to go."
"You're pretty loveable, big brother."
"Not so bad yourself, for a mutant monkey that is.."
He evaded her fist, kissed her atop the head and opened the door. "Bye, sweetheart."
"Bye, Chris."
Conclusion
"I appreciate the real food, big brother." Jewel said, through a mouthful of turkey, three cheeses, and sprouts between thick, homemade slices of bread. David was eating his own "Uncle's Excuse" from the Two Sisters Deli, catching the stray Russian dressing when it dripped and threatened his silk tie. A Grinch tie, his sister noticed, one she had given him last Christmas. It was a nice sight, as the holidays drew around again.
"Umm, enlightened self interest, monkey. These are great sandwiches." He drank deeply from his bottle of Ginseng-up, stifled a belch in his napkin and sighed. "I may never move again." He'd scarfed the whole huge sandwich, his and Jewel's dill pickle, and the complimentary square of banana bread the Two Sisters put in every order. But he was no longer starving.
"Did Chris get off alright?"
"I took him to the airport myself, missing breakfast because he ran late, as usual. We had no time to stop for food at our usual place."
He sounded grumpy, and as with Kermit, she took delight in teasing him about it. "That's why you're staying in a place with a kitchen, darlin'. Haven't you bought a few groceries, coffee even?"
"Hmm, we did have some great leftover Chinese takeout that I could have munched on. I'll grab it for supper, we had sesame chicken and spring rolls, some of that almond ding that Chris likes, of course paper chicken for appetizers, you know, very garlicky and hot.." He licked his lips and she groaned. One of the best things about living in Chinatown was the food and he was making her crave it, despite her unfinished, incredibly good deli.
"Alright, alright, I give!! No more teasing, just stop." and he grinned at her.
"Let that be a lesson to you, little sis. So.. I was looking around the loft and I don't think it would be all that hard to pack up, it's mostly your books and things. Not a lot of knick naks. A good, reputable moving company could do most of it."
"David, I never said that I was moving."
"No, but you did say that you would think about it. I did too, and I think it would be a good thing, not too stressful, you'd be home over the holidays. You know that Kermit would be welcome to come and stay, anytime he wanted." She loved to hear him argue a case he believed in, his voice was full of the same down home "this is just RIGHT" conviction she heard in it now, and she had often wondered how any jury could believe that this man wasn't absolutely correct , just hearing him speak. But now..
"I appreciate the offer, hon, but this is home now. I can't just leave like that. I've got my office, and my cat"
"Both of which can come with you, and if Kermit wants the best for you, he'll agree that you should have care until you feel better, and that home is the best place for you." So smooth, with a smile and so utterly convinced of his own correctness..
Jewel shook her head, breaking through the images he was conjuring up. Breaking through years of depending on this man's advice as the right path to follow. "I don't want to go, David. I like it here. If I have to hire a nurse or something, you know I can afford it. As for Kermit...don't put me in this position. You should know better."
"Do you think I don't know that you're staying because of him? Julia, if he loved you, he'd want the best for you!! Like I do, like both Chris and I do. We love you ,little sister, and I've done some checking on Kermit Griffin."
She was furious, but she smiled at him, amused as well. "Didn't find much, did you? David, Kermit is a computer whiz, whatever you were hoping to find is long gone."
"And you think that's funny? I did turn up a few ex wives, some very odd military service in Vietnam.. do you know how old he is, Julie?"
"As a matter of fact, I don't. I know he's been married before, I know he was in the military. There's a lot you don't know, David Adams, and you probably never will, but you listen good to this." Her voice was quiet, her eyes never left his. "Don't make me choose between you. I'm warning you, don't you dare put me in that position. Do you have any doubt that I love you? Do you think there is anything you could do that would change that?"
Wordlessly he shook his head, and she continued, still intense. "That's how I love him, but he doesn't know it. Wouldn't believe it, if I told him. The only way to get it through to him is to show him, David, and I plan to do that. So if you have some little ultimatum or showdown planned, I suggest that you cancel it. Capisce??"
Jewel glared at David until he answered her. "Yeah, Julie, I capisce." He smiled at her, his eyes a little hurt, "You'd be a good lawyer, kiddo. Kermit doesn't know how lucky he is."
"Luck has nothing to do with it. He's Kermit. Who he is, is what I want. Past and present and all that jazz. So don't crowd me about him, okay?"
"I'll try. You may have to yell at me once in a while, but I will try." He leaned down to kiss her, and she hugged him tightly. That little outburst had not been expected and she was feeling a little shaky after it. It hurt her to see him leave the room, but the hurt was because she knew it was a relief. She'd never been glad to see one of her brothers go before.
The tall, dark haired man in his London Fog topcoat turned back at the boarding gate, to wave one last time at a pale, red haired woman. She looked fragile on the arm of the older man beside her, the bruising faded to yellows and greens around her eyes, but Jewel waved back, smiling, and David smiled too, because she was so obviously happy.
As he disappeared, she relaxed and felt Kermit's arm around her waist stiffen, supporting her to a chair. She accepted his help with a grateful look, leaning her head on his shoulder as he took the seat beside her. "You should still be in the hospital." he said, half accusatory, half amused.
Jewel grinned up at him, but said in a demure voice, "Kermit, you heard my doctor discharge me."
"On condition that you stay in bed at home for at least another week."
"David wasn't going to leave until I left the hospital and you know that he needed to get back to New York. Jesse needs him, and he's got his practice."
"And he was making you crazy." She looked at him, eyes wide, and he chuckled. "I saw it. He mother hens you."
"I always forget how much you see. I never used to be happy away from them. I love David so much, why don't I want him around anymore?"
Kermit hugged her closer, and laughed. "Because he doesn't see you as an adult, "monkeyface". Your brothers are more like fathers in that respect. And David can't quite wrap his mind around you and I as an 'us'. I saw you picking up on that."
"Christopher really got to like you though. Maybe you should have threatened David too." and she laughed with him. "Fighting with Dave. What a concept. Still, it'll be alright in the end."
She yawned and Kermit stood, then scooped her up out of the chair. "That sounds like my cue. Time for bed."
"Kermit!! Put me down, I can walk just fine."
He ignored her, and she just shook her head. "If you drop me, we are so through!! Anyway, I'm not going back to the loft just yet, I'm going to get a hotel room for a couple of nights.."
"No you aren't."
"Oh, really?"
"That's right. You're coming home with me. My tub is lower and easier to get out of, I have a hand held shower head, so you wont get that neck brace wet, and this way I will be available to help you as needed. Hair washing, cooking, all that sort of thing. You, my dear, will stay in bed or on the couch and rest."
"Just because we sleep together does not mean you run my life, Kermit Griffin." She pretended to pout, but he saw the smile underneath and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
He placed her gently in the Corvair and shut the door, leaning in the window and looking over his shades. "I suggest you rest while you can, milady, because when you're back on your feet, 'sleeping together' is not what I have in mind." He grinned, she blushed, then leaned over to kiss him.
An airport parking officer saw the green Corvair in the no parking zone, came zooming up, and watched, a small smile on his face, as the owner was quite thoroughly kissed by a pale, pretty girl inside the car. Then the dark suited, older man came around the car, flashed the traffic cop a "what can you do?" grin, and left. It was almost the holidays... and love was in the air, even at the tiny Sloanville airport.
The end
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