Deadly Deceit, page 15
Jolene slipped her arm over Christina’s shoulders. She let out a heavy sigh, and stared apprehensively at the door.
Christina wasn’t wrong. It was entirely possible that whomever made the threat was just having some morbid fun. Sadly, it was not uncommon for someone to call in threats, just to create chaos. Jolene had investigated more false claims of complicity than she’d like to admit.
I don’t think I’m going to be that lucky, she thought cautiously as she rubbed her hand up and down Christina’s bicep.
***
“Dammit, Preston, you aren’t hearing me!” Lieutenant Dale shoved a hand through his hair for the umpteenth time. Jolene’s safety was his top priority at the moment, and she was being entirely too difficult.
“I am hearing you just fine,” Jolene replied calmly, “I just don’t agree with you. I am not going to a safe house without my wife. Taking her would cause way too many questions at her job, and probably result in her and Joseph being outed. I am not going to be responsible for the loss of her career.”
“Honey, please,” Christina tried again, “Your safety is more important to me than my job. Hell, I will resign today and out myself, if that’s what it takes.”
Jolene shook her head resolutely. “No, Christie. You love your job; it means the world to you. We’ve kept our lives a secret for this long, and I am not about to let some lunatic ruin it now.”
“Wait a minute,” Lieutenant Dale said, his mind catching up with everything that had just been said, “You two are married? I thought you were married to Christian.”
Christian squirmed under the Lieutenant’s inquiring glance. “We never actually said that,” he defended meekly.
“We just let everyone assume,” Jolene supplied with a shrug, “We corrected anyone who asked directly, but didn’t specify to whom we were married. Just said we were married to each other’s sibling.”
Lieutenant Dale shook his head and let out a humorless chuckle. “I never would have guessed,” he said with a sheepish look at his borrowed officers.
He grinned as he turned to Christian. “Well, I had my suspicions about you,” he said honestly, “but the rumor mill said you were married to Jolene, so I didn’t put much stock in them. Honestly, I thought Officer Erixon was the gay one.”
Jolene snorted. “Everyone thinks that. She’s used to it, but it still annoys the hell out of her. Her husband works for the Dallas FD. The rumors are the reason she wanted to be based out of Marilynn. Dallas isn’t exactly known for its open-armed acceptance of anyone who isn’t straight and white.”
Lieutenant Dale’s eyes widened slightly. “Is Antoine Erixon her husband?” he asked. He’d dealt with the imposing African American firefighter on numerous occasions.
Jolene nodded. “They’ve been married for almost twenty years.”
Lieutenant Dale shook his head. Maybe it was time to get to know his Officers a little better, even if they were just on loan from another department.
“Alright,” he said, bringing the conversation back to the topic at hand, “We need to get this figured out. So far, the bomber has only targeted known lesbian officers. So, either there is a public speculation about Officer Erixon, or the bomber knows that you are gay. Either way, I think it’s safe to finally acknowledge that lesbian officers are, indeed, his primary target.”
Jolene was silent for several moments as she thought about that. She, Christian, Christina, and Joseph had worked hard to keep their personal and professional lives separate. They’d played along with the lie, as had their parents, for so long that Jolene couldn’t say for certain that anyone, other than a few trusted friends, knew about her personal life.
“LT,” she started with a sigh, “While I have never denied being a lesbian, I have kept that detail close to the vest. The Dallas School Board has a clause that terminates any teacher who intentionally outs themselves. Being outed by someone else is a gray area, but it doesn’t mean that the teacher won’t lose their job.”
“That’s why we aren’t public about our relationships. Christie and Joe would lose their jobs. The only people who know about us, aside from our families, are a few very trusted people.”
Lieutenant Dale pulled a notebook and pen from his blazer. “I’m going to need their names,” he said with a grimace, “just so we can eliminate them. I’ll also be talking to Officer Erixon,” he added at the perturbed look on Jolene’s face.
Jolene huffed out a sigh and took a seat on the hospital bed beside Christina. “Off the record?” she asked hopefully.
Lieutenant Dale shook his head solemnly. “I can’t do that,” he said apologetically, “But, I assure you that I will handle the interviews myself. I will keep it on the down-low, and so long as nothing comes of it, I will erase everything from my file.”
Jolene cast a hesitant glance at Christian. He dropped his eyes for a moment, before nodding slightly at his partner.
Christina slid her hand over Jolene’s thigh, where Jolene covered it with her own. She knew she was putting herself in a tight position with people she trusted, and who trusted her, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She knew it was standard procedure, and she sincerely hoped that she wasn’t about to lose any of her friends over this.
“Okay,” she sighed in resignation, “but I want one more guarantee from you.” She pinned her Lieutenant with a stern look. “I want your word that none of them will be treated as a suspect. I want them all treated as family members who are cooperating fully with your investigation.”
Lieutenant Dale nodded. “You have my word.”
Jolene breathed deeply and licked her lips. She felt like she was betraying a confidence by giving out the names. “On my end, there’s only four people I can think of that know the truth. Jenica and Cordelia Weston, Todd Rutlage, Alexis Walker, and Oakley Frost.”
Lieutenant Dale’s eyebrow raised as he took down the names. “You mean the Alexis Walker?” he asked, clearly impressed, “I had no idea any of my officers were personally acquainted with her.”
Jolene smiled affectionately. “She’s an amazing person. Of course, her wife, children, and the rest of her family knows, too.”
Lieutenant Dale nodded in understanding. “What about you?” he asked Christian.
Christian shrugged and listed those who knew he was secretly gay. Lieutenant Dale snickered at the extensive list. “Not in the closet too far, are you?”
Christian blushed. “I, um,” he stumbled as he fidgeted with his hands, “I was kind of a player before Joseph. Some of them are Dallas residents, but most live in Marilynn.”
“What about you, Mrs. Preston?” Lieutenant Dale turned his attention to Christina.
She’d been mostly silent during their visit, and the man knew he needed to cover all his bases. He was going to have to get a list from Joseph Preston, as well.
“I can speak for both myself, and for Joseph,” Christina said confidently. “We’ve worked together since we got our teaching certificates, and because of our situation, we know all of each other’s friends.”
Lieutenant Dale nodded. “I understand,” he said, “but I will still have to confirm the list with him. I will do that at his home, though, so there isn’t any speculation around the school.”
“Thank you,” Christina, Jolene, and Christian said in unison.
“LeRoy Stoddard; the Principal at Dallas High School. Marcy Crow; his secretary. Judy and Lauren Parker; from Willowbrook Academy in Marilynn. There is also Brittany McCormack, Rachel Faulk, Tracy Johnson, and Jaymes and Karli Meyers. They are all close friends of mine, and have known about me and Jolene from the beginning. They also know about Joe and Chris.”
“Thank you,” Lieutenant Dale said, tucking the notebook back into his blazer. “Now, we need to talk about protection detail.”
Jolene groaned in annoyance. Lieutenant Dale raised his hand to stifle her grumbling. “I know you don’t want to risk anything, but we need to keep you safe. The threat we received was credible, and we have already taken steps to assure Officer Erixon’s safety. She wasn’t very happy about it, either,” he added with a chuckle.
Jolene listened as the man laid out the standard protection plan, her own mind racing to come up with a solution she was comfortable with. A slow grin crossed her face, causing the lieutenant to pause his speech.
“What?” he asked in confusion.
“I have an even better idea,” Jolene said with a wide smile. She glanced at Christian and Christina, and winked at the both of them.
“I will agree to the protection detail, on one condition,” she told the Lieutenant. “I want to choose the location, and those assigned to protect me.”
Lieutenant Dale tilted his head and considered the redhead. “I am not agreeing to that, at this time,” he said carefully, “but, out of curiosity, let’s hear it.”
Jolene draped her arm over Christina’s shoulder and pulled her close. She pressed a kiss to the brunette’s temple, and laid out her conditions.
Chapter 12
“Thank you, so much,” Jolene said to the others gathered in the hospital room.
Lieutenant Dale had laughed at her proposal, but agreed to try and meet her demands. To his immense surprise, everyone had agreed to help, and he’d had no trouble getting the approvals needed.
“Not gonna lie,” Lieutenant Cordelia Weston said with a subdued smile, “This scares the shit out of me. It’s no secret that I am a lesbian, and I was hesitant to accept the request. But,” she added when Jolene began to interrupt, “You are my wife’s friend. She would kill me if I turned you down.”
“So would Stormie,” FBI Agent Oakley Frost chimed in, “For whatever reason, she likes your cheating ass.”
Jolene’s eyes widened, and Christina let out a bark of laughter. “I didn’t cheat!” Jolene insisted, “Your wife is just way too obvious in a card game. If she hid her tells better, I wouldn’t have been able to win every hand we played.”
Oakley and Cordelia simply smiled at their friend. They and their spouses liked the younger officer, and both had been beside themselves with worry after the bombing.
“Just out of curiosity,” Agent Dani Prescott piped up, “Why did you request us? We don’t even know each other.”
“Actually, I’m the one that requested you,” Lieutenant Dale interrupted the deceptively diminutive Agent. “I’ve heard about your ears,” he said, “You may not know this, but you are very well regarded amongst the local LEOs. We all know about the Falls City Five case.”
Agent Prescott blushed. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to the praise from others. The media had sung the Agent’s praises, although they hadn’t shown her picture, for months after the end of the Falls City Five case.
Most of the local law enforcement officers didn’t know what the young Agent looked like, but they all knew that her incredible hearing had led to the rescue of six teenaged girls who had been held captive for weeks.
“That case is also why I requested your wife,” Lieutenant Dale went on, making eye contact with Agent Max Prescott, “Rumor has it that you have an eidetic memory. You’re also an acclaimed profiler, just like Agent Frost. Maybe you two will be able to help out with the investigation better than the Agents currently assigned.”
The FBI had been brought in earlier in the bombing investigation, but Agents Frost and Prescott had been away on other cases. The Agents that had been assigned to the case hadn’t managed a whole lot of progress, and rumors were beginning to circulate amongst the townsfolk that the FBI was simply there for the sake of appearances.
Lieutenant Dale cleared his throat. “Now that we have the detail worked out, let’s get you out of here. There’s a car waiting outside to take you home. Lieutenant Weston and the Agents will be following you in their personal vehicles.”
Jolene let out a sigh and stood, pulling Christina with her. “Why are they following us?” she asked curiously, “Isn’t it a bit extreme to have the FBI as my body guards?”
Agent Frost laughed. “We aren’t your body guards, Cheats. Our guys have set up the surveillance equipment, and will be intercepting all mail and phone calls. If the bomber tries to contact you, it will come to us first. I’m the SSA, and I want to get an idea of the layout in your neighborhood.”
“What about Officer Erixon?” Jolene asked as the group headed out of the room.
Lieutenant Dale placed his hand on Jolene’s shoulder. “She has opted for protective custody. She and her family have gone to Salem to stay with ‘relatives’. She also has the surveillance detail and interception in place.”
Jolene nodded with relief. She felt better knowing that Donna would be safe, if she was the intended target.
Outside the hospital doors, reporters caught sight of the group and began hurling questions at them.
“Officer Preston, are you concerned about the threats against you?”
“Officer Preston, is it true that you’re a lesbian?”
“Officer Preston, does your husband know?”
Jolene and Christina said nothing as they climbed into the back of the car. Lieutenant Dale handled the reporters, leading them several feet from the car to give the others a chance to make their exit.
Once Jolene was safely out of the hospital parking lot, she breathed a sigh of relief and took Christina’s hand.
The windows of the car were darkly tinted, preventing the cameras from seeing inside, but she had avoided physical contact with her wife until they were clear of intruding eyes. One could never be too careful in a crowd of cameras.
“Agent Frost, checking in.”
“Copy, Agent,” the officer in the driver’s seat called back through his radio. He repeated the call with others as each member of the protection detail checked in.
“You just couldn’t let yourself fade out of the spotlight, could you?” the driver asked as they stopped at a light.
Jolene raised her eyebrow in the rearview mirror, and readied herself to give the man a stern retort. When the man turned to look at her over his shoulder, Jolene’s heart leapt.
“Coop!” she said with a warm smile. She had been too concerned with the chaos surrounding the hospital, that she hadn’t even bothered to find out who would be driving her home.
“You know me,” she chuckled, “Always gotta be the center of attention. How did you get roped into playing chauffeur?”
Cooper Haliburton smiled at his colleague, before meeting her eyes in the mirror. “I volunteered. I wanted to see for myself that you were really alright. You gave me a helluva scare, Jo.”
Jolene reached over the seat and placed her hand on Haliburton’s shoulder. “Chris told me that you were the one who found me,” she said, her voice dripping with gratitude, “There aren’t enough words to tell you how grateful I am that you didn’t stop looking for me. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
Silence fell over the car as Jolene and Coop’s eyes met in the mirror. The rest of the drive went smoothly, the comfortable silence offering a nice change to the whirlwind of activity currently surrounding them.
As they pulled up in front of the house, Coop let out a long whistle. “Damn, Preston,” he muttered as he stared at the house, “How in the hell did you and Chris manage to afford that?”
Jolene laughed. “It was a gift from our parents. Chris and I wanted to be close to Joe and Christie, so our parents came together and had this house built for us. Both sides are identical.”
Haliburton whistled again and stepped out of the car when the others radioed in that they had arrived. Each of the Agents positioned themselves around Jolene and Christina, effectively blocking the women from sight as neighbors began to step out onto their porches to watch the goings-on.
As the group headed up the driveway, the garage door opened, and Christian beckoned everyone inside. Once everyone was in the garage, Christian closed the door and led the way into Jolene and Christina’s side of the house.
“Thank you, Coop,” Christian said, shaking the man’s hand. “We’re going to visit for a bit, then I will take Jo over to our side through the garage. We can move freely between the houses without having to go outside.”
Haliburton nodded and stepped up to Jolene. Jolene frowned at the look of indecision that crossed the man’s features. Cooper Haliburton was an attractive man, a dedicated police officer, and Jolene realized, a damned good friend.
You owe him your life.
“Thank you, Coop,” Jolene said as she pulled the taller man into an embrace.
Coop’s arms went around Jolene, and he hugged her tight. “I’m so glad you’re alright,” he said, his voice shaky with emotion, “I really thought we had lost you. Our precinct wouldn’t be the same without you.”
Tears filled Jolene’s eyes as he spoke. The others watched the scene, each silent as the pair wordlessly conveyed their appreciation for each other.
Once the Officer took his leave, Agent Frost explained the surveillance plan in greater detail. For the first few days, she and Agent Max Prescott would post themselves in the garage, watching the security monitors that had been set up while they poured over the case notes regarding the bomber. Agent Dani Prescott and Lieutenant Weston would rotate with them in shifts.
“Okay,” Agent Frost said, once she finished her explanation, “you ladies relax and go about your day. We’ll let you know if there is any cause for alarm.”
Jolene and Christina thanked the women again, and Christina showed them out. Joseph and Christian used the garage to return to their own home, and Frost and Weston headed out to the garage.
“Damn, I’m tired,” Jolene yawned, once she and Christina were alone. “Are you hungry, baby?”
Christina’s stomach answered for her. Jolene laughed and pulled the woman to her for a gentle, passionate kiss. “I’ll take that as a yes. How does a pizza sound?”
Christina sighed and nodded. If she were honest, she just wanted to take Jolene upstairs and climb into bed with her. She wanted to hold her wife, and try to reclaim some semblance of normalcy.
