The Aftermath

48

Baker shows up at Rodes' door, bags in hand and gives the wood a few good raps. She hears Roads inside yell something that sounds like "Come in." So she assumes it is a greeting and opens the door. Roads is in the bedroom sluffing into pants. His collared shirt is open and she can see his white belly popped out. She tries not to laugh and makes it all the way into the kitchen before the laugh pops out of her in a hoarse cough.

"What are you doing here?" He yells from the bedroom.

"Making myself some breakfast. Be nice or I won't make you any."

"Nice hell. It is too early for nice. You better have something better than breakfast for waking me up."

"Well," she slurs, "actually I do. But I'm not saying anything until I eat. So leave me be, and I'll leave you be, and we'll get to the good stuff later."

"I had the good stuff last night. Damn good too."

She freezes in the act of putting a skillet on the stove, trying to figure out what the hell he meant by that comment, very worried that she was indeed in the sex puppet column.

She hears him coming out of the bedroom, "I meant that as an endearment. Since I have no experience, I probably suck at them, huh?"

She turns and he is there, dressed in a white shirt, brown pants and black shoes. He is overweight, unshowered, unshaved and looking very endearing with that worried look on his face. "Go back in and take a shower. You have time, and you might want to come with me today."

"I have no badge, remember?"

"You have that." She points at his P.I. license.

"Doesn't amount to much."

"It does if you are with me." She turns her back on him and cracks eggs into one skillet, and then throws a pound of bacon into the other. A man with a belly like his probably likes his bacon. A couple of minutes later she hears the shower turn on. She smiles.

Roads spent thirty minutes in the room getting ready this time, and she had to eat her breakfast by herself, or the eggs would get cold. When she heard him getting dressed again, she fried up a couple eggs and had them on the plate when he showed back up at the kitchen. She handed him the plate and gave him an approving inspection. "You clean up well Roads."

"Thanks, and for the breakfast. So, now give, what's going on?" He brought his meal to his computer desk, pushing the keyboard aside and setting his plate down.

She told him about Charlie Davis, and then told him about Tom Blake and Kemp Simmons. "They rescued her in the nick of time, or so the evidence would suggest."

Roads had stopped eating, and was now looking at some place beyond the ceiling, as his mind processed this new event. "Doesn't really jive does it, doesn't track. Why would Blake risk his life like that to save his lawyer?"

"Well she did save his life in the courtroom."

"No, that's not enough. Not to risk his. He's a predator, not a saint."

"I'm thinking this isn't the first time he's acted like this." And she told him her theory about Simmons' leg and Blake being a medic, and Simmons' being willing to ruin his reputation for Blake.

"You think Blake saved Simmons' life? Not a bad theory considering the facts." Roads agreed and began eating again. "We should check on that as soon as possible." He lifted his head from his plate and added, "Even predators protect their own I guess, so maybe it does track."

Roads finished his meal and began grilling Baker on the crime scened; how many lights, what were the instruments, why were they left, what was outside the back door. When she admitted that she didn't check outside the back door he gave her a frown which came from the gut, but didn't say anything. He continued his questioning about the scene as he took their plates into the kitchen and began washing the dishes and putting the unused food away. By then he was puffing on a cigarette, looking like a freight train ready to head down the tracks. He was animated and becoming vibrant, completely unlike how he was last night. He was more like himself, and there was an air of gratitude about him, as though he was fully aware that he had been taking his life on the force for granted, and was now being given a reprieve from the lifelessness of existence without his shield.

"So you want to talk about last night?" He suddenly asked, taking down his bottle and pouring two fingers. She noticed that his hands were shaking when he did so.

"Do you want kids?" She replied.

"What?" Nearly spilling his drink.

"I asked if you wanted kids, because if you aren't ready to talk about that, then there is nothing to talk about. I want it all Roads, all of it. I want kids, I want a husband who doesn't watch porn, I want a house, I want dancing on my wedding day, all of it, so if you aren't thinking along those lines then it was just a night. Just two people sharing a night and that is all."

He was quiet for a long time, as he considered the drink in front of him. Then he took the drink in one gulp and breath out, "I could give up porn."

A spike of adrenaline hit her in the gut, What the fuck! She wasn't sure if she was excited or afraid. Thankfully her phone rang and she reached for it with enthusiasm.

"Baker." She listened to the voice on the line tell her about the attack on Teri Mast at the Union Tribune. That she had a composite picture of both the driver and the man who tried to snatch her. She wanted Baker to come down and talk with her before she put it out on the wire, and in the evening issue. Baker said she was on her way and broke the connection.

"John, maybe there is something to talk about, but now isn't the time. We got a hot one, and I want you to ride along." She got up and took his hands and kissed him. "Let's go to work, alright? Talk is for night time anyway."

Roads smiled and for a moment he was hansom, then the moment passed and he was Roads again. "Your car?"

"My car."

"Let's roll."