Her phone rang. She leaped out of bed and searched the room for her jeans. Her phone was in the back pocket. She could hear the muffled ringtone. She had six rings to pick it up. She finally found them on the floor in his closet.
"Your closet is the size of my bedroom." She struggled to get the phone out of her pocket. He was flustered. She turned the pants on end and shook. The phone made a thump. She answered it on the last ring.
"Yes, this is Kingston," you could hear the adrenaline in her voice.
"Is that seriously how you answer your phone?" Dean asked. Allie put her finger to her lips to shush him.
"Allie, it's Bruss. Did I interrupt something?"
"No, why would you think that?"
"Because you sound like you just jumped out of an airplane."
"I have jumped out of planes before. Trust me, this isn't what you sound like," she said.
"You've jumped out of planes. Oh, that is so cool," Dean said.
She looked at Dean and waved him off to say, please shut up.
"Wow, I never knew that," Bruss said.
"Why would you? We never had a reason to discuss jumping out of planes. Why did you call?"
"Oh. Yes. You need to head out to Painesville Township. We might have a hit on the missing Kasper girl."
"Oh my God, of course. I'll head out now."
"Allie, they found a body. Most likely, it's her body," he said. "It was in a car fire, and she has some facial damage."
"Oh fuck. We need a positive. If it is her, I have to be 100% sure before I even think about calling Ms. Kasper," she said. "I'm getting dressed. I'll be out soon. Meet you there."
She hung up the phone and started to gather her clothes. "Where's my underwear? Where's my bra?"
She was on her hands and knees, looking for her missing clothes. She didn't realize that she was giving him a full view of the lips between her hips. Dean just stared at her. He hadn't blinked in a few seconds.
"What exactly did we do last night? Where the hell are my clothes," she said. "Dean. Dean. DEAN!"
He snapped back to reality. "Umm... ah... yes. You're underwear. I think it's under the... no, maybe in the... bathroom." he said, sounding unsure. "Why are you getting dressed in the first place?"
"Bruss said Painesville Township might have a lead. I need to get over there."
She was hopping, trying to pull her jeans up.
"I'll go with you," he said, getting out of bed.
"No. I don't think that a good idea," she said, pulling her shirt on.
"They're going to call me anyway, so we can just go together. I'm coming," he said, pulling on his jeans.
Allie's clothes were a little wrinkled and smelled slightly like bourbon. She must have spilled a little of her drink last night.
"I just don't think it's a good idea."
"It will be quicker if we go together," he was putting his socks on.
"Ok, fine. I just hope no one says anything about it."
"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me now?"
She went into the bathroom and pulled her hair up. Looking down, she realized she had never put on her underwear or bra.
"No, I'm trying to avoid workplace gossip," she called out from the bathroom.
He walked into the bathroom, "There's an extra toothbrush in the cabinet."
He came in and grabbed it for her. He stood next to her, wearing only jeans and socks.
"What exactly is there for them to gossip about?" he asked. "You don't want people to know. You are embarrassed. I know you guys hate the feds ."
Allie brushed her teeth and stared at him in the mirror. She remembered tracing his muscle definition. Her finding the way down to his treasure trail. Any woman would be proud to have this man on your arm, in his bed. In his gigantic house
"I am in no way embarrassed this happened," she pointed back and forth between them. It's just that I like to keep my private life private."
"Yeah, evidently you do. I get it. I can't say I like it. I wouldn't say I like hiding things. It makes me feel like I'm lying all the time. Never tell me a secret. It's not that I will blab. It's just that it will kill me to keep it."
"Can we finish this conversation in the car?" she asked.
"We will tell people at some point, yes?"
"We can tell people when we sent the wedding invitations out," she laughed.
They finished brushing her teeth.
"Is that a proposal?"
"You wish," she said, walking out of the door.
They walked down the stairs to the kitchen. He grabbed at her butt.
"You have the most perfect heart-shaped ass."
They went to the kitchen. Natalie was standing on the island cutting strawberries.
"Well, well, well. Now, what do he have here?" Are we doing the walk of shame together?"
"Real adult Natalie." Dean
"I never said I was an adult. It's just really nice to see my big brother getting a life. I'm sure your hand will appreciate it, too," she said.
Allie let out a huge snort.
"Et to Brute?" he asked her.
"I'm sorry, but that was freaking funny."
He picked up a set of keys from a bowl by the back hallway. "We have to go. Hey Natalie, let's not talk about this later. Okay, good," he said.
He pushed Allie gently forward. "Bye, Natalie. Maybe we can have drinks sometime," she said.
He pushed her a little harder. "Nope. No. Defiantly not," he said.
"I'D LOVE TO!" Natalie called after them.
They entered the garage, and he hit the unlock button on his key fab. The blue Dodge Challenger made a single beep, and you could hear the locks pop open.
"We're taking that?"
"How else are we going to get there quickly."
"Sweet," she said.
She slid onto the leather bucket seat. The car smelled of leather mixed with his cologne. There was a setup in the center console area. It was exactly like a police shop. A chrome book was mounted on a swing arm to run plates, driver's license numbers, and check for warrants. He probably had access to the FBI database. He started the car and flipped a couple of buttons on the console. He was checking the emergency lights. He had blue and red strobes on the rear dash, in the center of the front window, and the Challenger's grill. He pulled out of the drive, made a left turn, and went through the back roads of Gates Mills, heading to the freeway entrance.
"This is an amazing setup. Like A-MA-ZING..." she said.
"I assume your department doesn't have anything like this."
"No, and we never will unless someone dies and donates six million dollars to the city. Even then, I can't see the 6th ever benefitting from it. We are the red-headed stepchild of the department."
"I know that this is not an FBI standard issue."
"No. It is not."
"So, this is your car? You paid to have it set up like this?" she asked. "I wish I could have something like this."
"You can have this one," he said nonchalantly.
"What?"
"I said, you can have this one. I wanted to get the newer model. I really don't want to strip it and turn it in. I can't sell it like this unless the person is in law enforcement. Few cops can afford something like this," he said.
"Ya think?" she said with attitude.
He laughed. She was so animated when she talked, and when she dropped the Marine mentality and the detective persona, he absolutely loved being with this Allie.
"How old is this model?"
"Well, I got it on an advance release date. So, it's about three years old."
"3 years is what you consider old to you?"
"I like to stay current. Upgrades are worth it," he said.
"So how much is something like this, 45, 55 thousand."
"Okay, we'll go with that."
"I'm serious. I know nothing about cars. I SURE don't know anything about police shop equipment. So really, I want to know what this cost," she said.
"Different models, different prices."
"How about the price of this particular model."
"Do we really need to have this discussion? You flipped out over a set of knives."
"I will not flip out."
"This is a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon with all the bells, whistles, and toys," he explained. "Keep all that in mind. Plus, a custom paint job because they didn't make this blue anymore."
"Dean, is there a princess at the end of this story? Let's just cut to the quick."
"One hundred forty-seven thousand." he winced, waiting for the flip.
"One hundred forty-seven thousand American dollars!" she exclaimed. "HO-LY SHIT!"
And there it is. "Do you think I overpaid?"
"How the hell am I supposed to know? My last four cars put together didn't cost that much," she said.
"Cowboy, I need to ask you something."
"Sure, Princess."
She cleared her throat. "Do you sell drugs? "she asked.
Dean turned his head and looked at her."Do I what!"
"I am dead serious. You are a federal agent for the US Government. You would make less than 78 thousand a year even if you were top-tier, and I know you are not top-tier."
"No. I do not sell drugs, Princess. And you are right. I do not make a top-tier salary. I know you have questions, but I hoped to avoid this conversation."
"You live in an eight-hundred-thousand-dollar house in one of the nicest cities around Cleveland.
She thinks my house costs... wow, this girl really has just been in service for a long time. I want to show her so many things that don't involve sand.
"You own the biggest truck I have ever seen; that must be 50 thousand dollars, and I know I am probably grossly undervaluing that. You own a set of knives that cost 3500 dollars. The watch your dad gave you for your graduation is a thirty-eight-thousand-dollar watch THAT YOU LEAVE OUT ON YOUR SIDE TABLE LIKE IT's A TIMEX," she said.
He interrupted her. "How do you know what my knives and watch cost?" he asked. "And since we are on a roll here, fifty thousand dollars is wrong."
"I know how to use GOOGLE, Dean. It's not that difficult. Don't even start on the clothes I found in your closet."
"Yes, please don't." He was getting a tad agitated. He was going to talk to her today, come clean about his real life.
"So, either you won a lottery, or maybe you are embezzling money from someone, you are a forensic accountant," she said. "
"Can I use a pass on this whole thing?"
"Can you use a pass? No, you can't use a pass!"
"I am wealthy by association."
"Ah. Sugar Mama? That is something you should have told me yesterday!" She let out a giggle.
"Well, there is a Mama involved, but I just call her mom," he said.
"Oh, now it's making a little more sense. Your parents have money." "Exactly what do your parents do?"
"Pass."
"Really?" she asked.
"Fine. I can see you will not let this go," he said. "Are we there yet?"
"No, you still have yet to tell me what your parents do for a living?"
"My life has always been lush. I never wanted for anything, but my parents still made sure Natalie and I stayed grounded.
We both had to work when we turned 16. We had to get high grades without reward. We did have it good. My parents made sure we volunteered, and we never flaunted our money. It was just kind of there."
"You call owning a one hundred forty-seven-thousand-dollar car not flaunting?" she asked.
"I'm not going to deny who I am. My parents have kept a legacy going. I respect that. I have never told the guys at work to come to check out my car, or my house... or my knives."
"So, what do they do?"
"My father owns a company that produces milk cartons. All shapes and sizes. He has contracts with most of the dairy distributors in the US and even some overseas. If you ever bought milk, chances are you opened one of his cartons. He inherited the business from my grandfather. My great-grandfather owned a dairy farm," he said.
"Wow. Okay. What about mom; does she work, or is she a stay-at-home philanthropist type?"
"My mom is a philanthropist, but she runs the other family business," he said.
"Let me guess, diamond mine?" she asked jokingly.
"Sure. Let's go with that," he said with a broad smile.
"Come on, we've come so far!" she said.
"Ok." How can I say this without her thinking I am crazy? When a Thoroughbred horse retires, they want the bloodline of the most significant, fastest, most vital horses to carry on."
She nodded her head, and then she shook it as she spoke.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
"Alright, horses, Thoroughbreds, don't breed like they do in the wild when they are domesticated. The breeder inseminates the mare. And the more you can afford, the more prestigious the donor can be," he said. "My family procures and distributes Thoroughbred horse sperm. Yep. So now you know."
"We are riding in a car purchased by the sale of horse sperm."
"Do you see why I used the pass at the bar? Or tried to 5 minutes ago?"
"Is that the part that's only legal in some countries?" she laughed.
"Very funny."
"The picture of Natalie in your room, on the horse," she said.
"Yeah, she was a champion show jumper. She even made an alternate on the US Olympic team."
"That's amazing. Does she still do it?"
"No, she had to stop. She was injured. She tried to, but she couldn't. She also did cheerleading and gymnastics but couldn't compete in those anymore after her accident."
"I'm so sorry to hear that. The pictures of you guys when you were younger were so cute."
"You should see my parents' house. There is this wall in the great room that has, oh, I don't know, 100 framed pictures on it," he said, smiling.
"So, your family is rich. I don't want to ask about your family's total wealth, but I will eventually google it. What would your parents think about me? Retired Marine who pulled in 23000 a year, became a cop, shoots tequila, drinks bottled beer, treats their son as her private stripper pole, and no doubt she is going to fall in love with their son?" she asked.
He was doing about 85 on the freeway. He wasn't paying attention to the speedometer. He firmly grasped the steering wheel and stared out the window. His eyes were wide open, and he seemed to have forgotten how to blink. He finally spoke.
"I think they would be happy for me, Allie," he said.
"They wouldn't mind the beer drinking, shot taking, lap dancing, Marine being with their little boy, who is not so little, in more than one way," she said with a giggle.
"Well, I think they would ask me if I was in love with her, and I would say I deeply, madly, unequivocally. In fact, I don't think I have genuinely loved anyone the way that she makes me feel, the way my heart hurts when I am apart from her. I believe they would fall in love with you, too," he said. "I do have one question. How do you know that you are going to fall in love with me? "
She looked out the window and bit her bottom lip.
"I think I may already be. I don't know if I'm in love. That probably doesn't make sense. I knew when I wasn't in love, but the way I feel now is I don't have that feeling of knowing I am not in love. I'm making no sense," she said, turning to him.
"If it makes sense to you, then it makes sense to me. I am in love with you. The first time I met you, you looked into my eyes, and I knew this was special. You are special," he said. Allie, how I feel about you makes me question whether I really have been."
"Will you ever tell me about the one that hurt you?"
"Will you ever tell me about the Marine Corps?" he asked
"Oh, look at that we're here."
"Nice save."
He exited the car, approached her, raised his hand, and helped her. Challengers have a shallow profile, so getting out of the vehicle could be awkward. Usually, she would have declined assistance, but she took his hand and let him help. Bruss was already there. She hoped he didn't see them arrive together and also hoped he didn't see them leave.