Good morning, angels! This continues my J&B adaptation of Mary McBride’s novel, “Just One Look.” I’ve started to call this
story my “Energizer Bunny” because it just keeps going, and going……and will require another chapter to follow shortly! It
looks like I’ll be able to end that one on a fairly calm note and then switch back to some of the other fanfics. Have a great
Holiday weekend! ------------------- Jan

                                             Faceoff

                                            Chapter 8

Jax paused briefly outside the entrance to Harrison’s Handy-Mart to take a deep, steadying breath. His heart was racing, his
adrenaline pumping, every nerve in his body on red alert as he prepared to face death yet again.

The minute he heard the call on the police scanner in the jeep, he knew he had to take action quickly. Past experience told him
that there wasn’t another unit within three minutes of the convenience store. By the time backup arrived, the hostage could very
well be dead, along with any number of innocent by-standers that the crazy perps might randomly execute when fleeing the
scene. Despite all the sophisticated hostage negotiation exercises and psychological training he had had, Jax knew that the best
solution to a situation like this was to strike early and decisively.

Brenda hadn’t even noticed when he got out of the jeep. A quick perusal of the parking lot told Jax that they were the only
patrons there in addition to the hapless hostage still inside. He rationalized that with a least three other fully-armed PCPD units
due on the scene within five minutes, the Slasher would have to be a total idiot to make a play for Brenda at this point in time.

He kept to the shadows while making his way towards the glass double-doors of the small store. Although he was about to
become intimately acquainted with the dirtbags who thought they could rule their little corner of Port Charles with
semi-automatic weapons, there was no point to giving them advance warning of his arrival. Jax kept a wary eye on the one
suspect, who was holding a sobbing brunette woman, probably about 19 years old, with a sawed-off shotgun jammed beneath
her chin.

Spontaneity was the key. As he tried to calm his nerves and appear nonchalant, Jax knew that the one thing that was most
effective in neutralizing a situation like this was the element of surprise. And if nothing else, Lieutenant Jasper Jacks was one
heck of a surprising guy. He stared down at the pavement, reached in and drew his Magnum from his shoulder holster, took
another deep breath, and then put on a burst of speed to rocket through the glass doors of the Handy-Mart.

“EVERYBODY FREEZE!!” Jax held his weapon high over his head, both hands firmly clasping the butt of the pistol, and
glanced around the store. “THIS IS A STICK UP!!”

The good news was that the Handy-Mart appeared to be empty, except for the one gunman, his hostage, and Jax. The bad
news was that the words were no sooner out of Jax’s mouth than another gunman toting a sawed-off shotgun appeared from
between the frozen foods and produce aisles. He stared at Jax as though he had two heads. “WHO THE H*LL ARE YOU?”

Jax rose one eyebrow in apparent disbelief. “I’m the guy who’s knockin’ over this store! Who the h*ll are you?”

“You CAN’T be knockin’ over this store!!” The frozen foods perp leveled his shotgun at Jax’s chest. “I’M the one who’s
knockin’ over this store!”

“HEY!!!” The gunman holding the hostage jerked her backwards, pressing the gun more firmly against her neck as he glared at
his accomplice. “What the h*ll about me?”

“Oh – sorry.” Frozen Foods blinked rapidly a few times, shifted his weight, and put a fierce glare on his face again. “WE’RE
the ones knockin’ over this store!”

“Since when??!!” Jax lowered his weapon, hoping that Frozen Foods would do the same. “I’ve been stakin’ this place out for
weeks, man! I’ve been *plannin’* this job!”

God was listening. Frozen Foods put one hand on his hip and lowered his shotgun. “Well, we been in and out of this place
every day this week, and I ain’t seen you!”

“Would the two of you quit YAMMERIN’????!!!” Hostage Guy jerked the brunette again, drawing a panicked sob from her.
It took all of Jax’s intestinal fort*tude not to deck him on the spot, but he knew he had to stick to his plan or she wouldn’t live
to see the next sunrise. “There’s probably enough cash here for all three of us to split. But if we don’t get down to business,
NONE of us will be takin’ home ANYTHING cause the cops will be crawlin’ all over this place!”

{Obviously Hostage Guy is the boss. That’s good. Score another one for the good guys.} Jax hid the shaky breath he took to
steady himself. “Yeah – you’re right, Jimmy,” Frozen Foods nodded enthusiastically. “Should I still go work on the safe in the
back?”

Hostage Guy/Jimmy grimaced. “No, Louie, go see if the new guy here wants some coffee.” He waited for a few seconds, but
Frozen Foods/Louie still stood rooted to the spot. “OF COURSE YOU SHOULD GO WORK ON THE SAFE!!”

Louie spun to do his master’s bidding and scurried away. {Even better. Now I just have to deal with one at a time…..} Jax
turned back to Hostage Guy/Jimmy. “So……who’s that?” he asked, nodding his head towards the brunette.

Jimmy grimaced. “Who do you *think* she is, Crocodile Dundee?” He tightened the arm that was wrapped around her waist,
letting it slip up towards her breasts. When she choked back another sob, Jax contemplated how many different ways he would
emasculate Jimmy when his time came. Hostage Guy/Jimmy grinned lewdly and caressed her jawline with the shotgun. “*This*
is our ticket out of here.”

“Her?” Jax’s eyes widened theatrically. “HER?”

“Yeah, her!” Jax was pleased to see just a flash of insecurity in Jimmy’s eyes. “What’s wrong with her?”

“You’re hopin’ to use HER as a shield? HER?” Jax knew his sarcastic half-smile would drive Jimmy nuts. He wasn’t
disappointed.

“WHAT THE H*LL IS WRONG WITH HER?”

Jax strolled over to where Jimmy stood with the still-shivering brunette. He looked around them as though he was checking to
make sure nobody else was listening in. “Don’t you know who this chick is, man?”

He wished he could have let the brunette in on his plan. Jax wished more than anything that he could just freeze time, take her in
his arms, tell her that everything would be alright, and then start God’s clock again. But unfortunately, he had to settle for being
grateful for that things had gone so well so far.

Jimmy’s eyebrows drew together slightly in an embarrassed frown. “No. Is she somebody important?”

Jax grunted and snorted sarcastically. “Yeah – you might say that!”

Jimmy tightened his grip on the shotgun. No wait – that’s *good* if she’s somebody important, right? That makes her more
valuable!”

Jax’s eyes darted from side to side and then he leaned towards Jimmy. “There are different *kinds* of important, if you know
what I mean, man.”

“Yeah……” Jimmy nodded, then his face blanked. “No.” He suddenly jerked the brunette again as his patience evaporated.
“Just tell me who the h*ll the chick is, man!”

Jax shook his head and crossed his arms. “Unless I’m mistaken, *this* is Anthony Moreno’s daughter.” Sending up a silent
prayer, Jax tried to telegraph a message to the brunette to play along with his scheme.

“Anthony Moreno.” Jimmy was non-committal, but then his eyes got as big as saucers. “You mean the *mob* guy, Anthony
Moreno?”

“None other.” Jax looked the brunette up and down, relieved when he saw her staring at him as though he was her lifeline.
“Antonia or Angela or Amelia – one of those girl-type “A” names, just like her old man.”

Jimmy thought about it for a minute but then defensively shoved the shotgun against the brunette’s chin again. “So? So she’s old
man Moreno’s kid. So what?”

Jax’s eyes narrowed and he leaned towards Jimmy. “So ……..do you know what Moreno’s going to do to you if his baby
girl’s got so much as a broken fingernail because of all this?”

Terror flourished in Jimmy’s eyes. “You think?”

“You really want to take the chance of findin’ out?”

Jimmy let go of the brunette so abruptly that she crumbled to the floor. Jax realized that she was probably in shock from the
drama. He caught her under the arms and gave her just the slightest hint of a smile and a nod, trying to silently encourage her to
keep up the charade just long enough to get out of the store. “You OK, Miss Moreno?”

Her hands were ice cold. “Yyy…….yes,” she finally managed to stammer. She gripped Jax’s forearms tightly as he helped her
back to a standing position.

{Just keep it together, lady. Hang on. Just fifteen more seconds and you’ll be out of here on the parking lot and Mac and his
crew can wipe the floor with these slimeballs.}

“I……..I’m fine.” She glanced back over her shoulder at Jimmy and then tears came to her eyes when she smiled her grat*tude
at Jax. “And the name is Angelica.”

“Angelica.” Sweat popped out on Jimmy’s forehead while Jax breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, you tell your old man……I
mean, Mr. Moreno,” Jimmy added with utmost respect, “that I hope he has a nice Thanksgiving.” His eyes widened and he
held up one finger to the former hostage. “In fact…….hold on one second…….”

When Jimmy sprinted off to the next aisle of the store, the brunette swerved back to Jax with fear in her eyes. He just pursed
his lips and shook his head once, motioning that she should stay cool. Jimmy returned a split second later bearing a large turkey.
“You go on home to your father and tell Mr. Moreno that the turkey’s on me this year!” When the brunette stood silently,
Jimmy pressed it into her arms with a broad smile. “Really!!”

Jax gave her another slight nod. Reality finally got through to the brunette and she clutched the turkey to her breast. “Thank
you…….” She turned back to Jax and he saw the sobs bubbling up from her chest. “Thank you……”

“No problem at all, Miss Moreno.” Jax put his arm around her shoulders and hurriedly escorted her towards the front door of
the Handy-Mart. “Now you just be sure to go home and tell your father that everything is fine.” Her head bobbed up and down
as tears freely ran down her cheeks. She was headed through the glass doors when he called after her, “And tell him that Jax
said hi, OK?”

Jax waited until the brunette had cleared the glass doors to let out the breath that he was holding. He deliberately stood in
Jimmy’s line of sight so that he couldn’t see the brunette stumble into Mac’s waiting arms and collapse to the concrete in
hysterical relief. Nor did he see Mac give Jax a solemn thumb’s up.

“Jax, huh?” He turned around at the sound of Jimmy’s voice. “That’s your name?”

“Yep.” Jax glanced down at the Magnum in his hand, making sure that he had a full clip and the safety mechanism was released.
He strolled amiably towards Jimmy, who had set his shotgun down on the counter and was wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“You can call me Jax.”

“Well, Jax…..I guess I owe you one.” Jimmy shook his head and laughed loudly. “I mighta been wearin’ concrete overshoes
before the night was over if it wasn’t for you.”

“’Ya know, Jimmy,” Jax crooned, putting his arm around Jimmy’s shoulder. “You were wrong earlier tonight……when you
told Angelica that the turkey was on you this year.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. The turkey IS you.” Jax pressed the business end of his Magnum against Jimmy’s ribs. “Put your hands in the air, friend.
You’re under arrest.”

He should have known Jimmy would try something stupid. After the years he had spent diffusing tense situations just like this,
Jax kept telling himself that maybe this time it would go down quietly. But Jimmy proved to be no different than any of the other
idiots he had collared. When he tried to reach for the shotgun on the counter, Jax elbowed Jimmy in the ribs and then applied
one swift karate chop to his shoulders, dropping him on the spot.

God really was on Jax’s side that night. Louie waited to re-appear from the back until Jimmy was in dreamland. “Hey,
Jimmy…….” Jax knew from the tone of his voice that Louie was totally unaware of what had gone on. He crouched in a ready
position, both hands firmly gripping the butt of his Magnum. “I finally got the safe open and look what I found……”

“You found more than that…….” Louie finally looked up at the sound of Jax’s fierce growl. “FREEZE!! PCPD!!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Bad word, bad word, ba……D*MNIT!!!!!” Brenda finally cut loose with the appropriate expletive when Mac’s waiting
SWAT team rushed in and blocked her view of what was happening inside the store. Up until that point, she had been gripping
the dashboard of the jeep tightly, watching every move that Jax and the suspects made, wishing with all of her heart that she
knew how to read lips so that she would know what was going on.

The first thing she did when she discovered Jax had left her alone in the jeep was pull his door shut and hit the automatic lock
button. Her heart started pounding like a bass drum and Brenda thought she was going to hyper-ventilate – until she turned
back towards the front and saw where Jax was. As soon as he entered the Handy-Mart, looking like he was just taking a
casual evening stroll, all thoughts of her agoraphobia faded. She couldn’t think of anything but him and what the H*LL he was
doing!!!

She didn’t realize she was screaming out loud at Jax – screaming to pull his weapon – screaming to get out of there and just
forget about the grated Parmesan – until a soft tapping on the car window nearly induced a heart attack. When Brenda turned
and saw Blue’s smiling face, she fumbled at the controls on Jax’s side of the jeep until the window rolled down a few inches.
“Blue? What’s Jax doing in there? Doesn’t he know he could get himself killed?”

Blue smiled grimly. “Now you know why I call him DD, sweetie.” She stared towards the inside of the store. “Dare Devil.
Death Defying.” She shook her head. “That’s our Lieutenant Jacks. He doesn’t care what it takes to get the job done. Not
even if it means putting his own life on the line.”

He was a complicated man, this Lieutenant Jasper “D.D.” Jacks. Brenda wondered if he really was that brave, or that foolish –
or if he was just so despondent after losing his wife that he didn’t care anymore. Maybe – despite all of his accusations that she
needed “help” for her fears of the outside world – maybe the lieutenant needed some help as well. But maybe it was a good
sign, the way his eyes had sparkled that morning when they were squaring off on the back porch. Maybe she could actually give
him a reason to stay alive for another day.

As soon as other officers had arrived on the scene they had thrown up a yellow police line around the store. When Blue and
Brenda heard some hushed growling coming from the front line, Blue shook her head. “My master calls. I gotta get back up
front with the SWAT team.” She peered inside the jeep. “You gonna be OK in there by yourself?”

Brenda nodded and gave Blue a thumb’s up. After explicit instructions to keep the windows and doors of the jeep locked, Blue
crept off towards the rest of her police cohorts. Brenda watched the entire scene play out before her. She stuffed her knuckles
in her mouth to stifle the sob when Jax put his arm around the hostage to reassure her. Tears ran freely down her cheeks when
the hostage came out of the store. When Jax turned back to face the gunmen alone, Brenda’s heart rose in her throat. Then – in
the blink of an eye – all h*ll broke loose. Policemen in bullet-proof vests carrying large rifles stormed the front of the store,
completely blocking her view of what was going on inside.

It seemed like an eternity before the wall of blue uniforms parted and Jax came loping back towards the jeep. Brenda’s fingers
were shaking so badly that she almost couldn’t press the buttons to release the locks. But once she did and Jax flung open the
jeep’s door, he barely had time to brace himself before Brenda wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on for dear life.

“Hey there…….” Jax felt her entire body trembling and stroked her hair softly. “It’s all OK now. Shhhhh…….” When she
pulled back, he gave her a wan smile. “I’m sorry I had to leave you alone like that…..” He glanced around the interior of the
jeep. “You didn’t chew off an arm or go ballistic and change all the settings on my radio, did you?”

“I should ……..I should……..I should kill you myself!” Brenda punched at his shoulders ineffectually. Then she took a shaky
breath and stroked the side of his face with her fingertips. “I don’t know what you said to those gunmen in there, but it must
have been something pretty amazing!”

Jax shrugged. “Lucky break.” He glanced around as the two would-be robbers were being led to waiting patrol cars. “I know
this is tough for you, but can you stand it in here by yourself for just a few more minutes? I just need to sign off on some
paperwork for these creeps and then I’ll take you right back to the brownstone.”

Brenda’s eyes were full and liquid. “I’ll manage. Just don’t take too long, OK?” As Jax turned to go, she caught hold of his
arm. “And Jax?” She smiled at him impishly. “Don’t forget the Parmesan.”

Jax laughed heartily, but then he cupped the side of Brenda’s face, his eyes tender and warm. “You know I never would have
left you if I thought that you were in danger from the Slasher, don’t you, Brenda?” She gave him the slightest nod. “You’re safe
with me,” he whispered in a husky voice.

     Let me be the one you call
     If you jump I’ll break your fall
     Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
     If you need to fall apart
     I can mend a broken heart
     If you need to crash then crash and burn
     You’re not alone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Brenda pressed the “stop” button on the remote control with a loud sigh. “I guess it was more impressive on the big screen,
huh?”

“Hey – don’t talk like that!” Jax took another sip of wine and lifted the glass in Brenda’s direction. “This has been a wonderful
evening – great food, great movie…….great company…….”

Brenda grimaced and rose from the mound of pillows on the floor where she had been sitting. “You don’t have to sugar-coat it,
Jax.” She picked up Jax’s plate off a low coffee table in front of a huge brick fireplace where they had eaten. “I know that after
a big break on a case like you had tonight…….” She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. “……a bust, isn’t that what
you call it?” He nodded. “Anyway, after you get all the bad guys and nobody gets hurt, I’m sure you usually go out for a big
celebration dinner on the town.” She stared down self-consciously at the remains of Jax’s steak and potato. “The last thing you
probably want to do is spend the evening cooped up in a big old clattletrap of a house with a fraidy cat like me.”

Jax stared into his wineglass for a few minutes before looking up into her eyes. “How did it start, Brenda? The agoraphobia, I
mean ……” His voice was warm and gentle, encouraging her to let down the guard she had built up for so long. “Did it just
happen one day out of the clear blue, or did it sorta build up gradually?”

She sighed and sat back down on the couch, dishes still in her hands. “It was about three years ago now, I think…….” Brenda
rubbed her cheek on her shoulder. “I guess it was right around the Nurse’s Ball – you know, that thing they have every year to
benefit AIDS research?”

Jax nodded. “Our commander’s wife Felicia serves on a couple of the planning committees every year.” He laughed softly.
“Mac usually can’t wait for the thing to be over just because Felicia drives him nuts with all her worrying.”

Brenda’s eyes got a faraway look. “I remember I was going to attend the ball with the man I was dating at the time. Daddy
always did like us to put on a visible presence for civic awareness – good for Barrett Industries’ image, you know,” she added
sarcastically. “Anyway, I had this beautiful designer gown and Sonny was all set to pick me up in the limo……” Her voice
trailed off as though she were watching the events in a movie. “…….and I remember staring at my reflection in the mirror and
thinking, “You don’t really want to do this, do you?”” She smiled guiltily and shrugged. “I was only going because my father
expected it, and Sonny liked being in the spotlight with me……I’ve always hated hypocrites, you know.”

“So you didn’t want to go to some black tie phony-baloney shindig.” Jax shrugged his shoulders. “That certainly didn’t mean
you had to lock yourself behind these four walls for the rest of your life.”

Brenda lips thinned as she smiled grimly. “It didn’t start that way, you know?” She set the dishes down on the table and clasped
her hands in front of her. “I remember suggesting to Sonny when he came to pick me up that night that we skip the ball and just
spend the evening here – watching a video or something in front of the fire. Of course, he wouldn’t think of it.” She rose to her
feet with a sigh. “So, I sent him on his way to the ball alone and pleaded a splitting headache to daddy the next day.”

When she picked up the dishes again and walked towards the hallway, Jax rose to follow her. He clutched the empty
wineglasses and half-bottle of wine to assist in clean-up. “I remember I ended up taking off that designer dress, enjoying a long
bubble bath, putting on a soft satin bathrobe, and sipping a glass of wine while I watched Humphrey Bogart tell Ingrid Bergman
good-bye at the airport.” Brenda sighed as she set the dishes in the sink. “It was one of the most wonderful evenings I could
remember having for months. Better than any of the fancy places Sonny had taken me to for dinner and dancing.”

Jax put the wine back in the refrigerator. “So you had a nice time all by your lonesome. So what?” He closed the door and
crossed his arms, leaning one shoulder against the fridge. “Everyone enjoys private time.”

Brenda shook her head, her raven ponytail bouncing as she did. “Don’t try to play psychoanalyst with me, Jax. My therapist at
GH has been working on me for months and still hasn’t figured out how I got from that modest beginning to this point.” She
walked back towards Jax and waved a casual hand at the dishes in the sink. “Let’s just forget about these for tonight. Why ruin
a perfectly wonderful evening with Brillo and dishpan hands?”

“If you say so.” Jax cast one last wary glance at the dishes over his shoulder as they headed back to the living room. “But you
know that cheese from the potatoes is going to make one bloody mess by morning……”

{You’re a d*mn hypocrite yourself, Jax! You *know* you’re afraid that if the two of you go back to that living room with
nothing to do, you’ll end up taking her in your arms …… and feeling how soft and warm she is…….and looking at those full,
sensuous lips of hers……}

Brenda stopped so short that Jax almost ran into her when she looked up at him over her shoulder. “Well, it’s not exactly like I
have plans somewhere, is it? I mean, that’s the great part, Jax! I can do *exactly* what I want because I’ve got nowhere to
be!”

     When you feel all alone
     And a loyal friend is hard to find
     You’re caught in a one way street
     With the monsters in your head
     When hopes and dreams are far away and
     You feel like you can’t face the day………

Her breath caught in her chest when she looked into Jax’s eyes. The flickering light from the fireplace lent a golden glow to his
tousled blonde hair. Brenda’s head spun with warm, muzzy feelings that might have had something to do with the wine but more
likely had to do with the hard, masculine contours of the body pressed against hers. Time seemed to stand still as they stared
into each other’s eyes, both wanting so much and yet both afraid to say it.

Brenda finally cleared her throat loudly. “Well…..uh…….I think I’ll call it a night.” She rotated her shoulders slightly. “I’m still a
little sore from our romp in the snow this morning and that adventure to the convenience store took a lot out of me.”

“Yeah – me too.” Jax ran his fingers through his hair – not sure whether he was relieved that she had made the decision to
postpone taking their relationship any deeper, or disappointed. “I didn’t exactly sleep too well last night.”

“Are you sure you want to stay on the couch?” Brenda stopped on the first step and pointed up towards the second floor.
“Because it really wouldn’t be too much trouble for me to shake off the dust covers and make up one of the extra bedrooms for
you…….”

“No……no…….” Jax shoved his hands in his pockets. “The sofa is fine. And hopefully tomorrow morning I’ll hear you come
down so I won’t mistake you for the Slasher again.”

“Yeah.” Brenda smiled. “Well…….thanks for this evening, Jax. I haven’t been on a date……..well……” She stared down at
the steps and an attractive blush stained her cheeks. “Let’s just say I haven’t spent much time alone with a man in a long time. It
was nice.”

“Yeah. Nice.” There was another twenty seconds of uncomfortable silence. “You just yell out my name if you need anything.”

“I will.” The smile she gave him sent his blood singing through his veins. “Good night.”

“Night.”

     Let me be the one you call
     If you jump I’ll break your fall
     Lift you up and fly away with you into the night
     If you need to fall apart
     I can mend a broken heart
     If you need to crash then crash and burn
     You’re not alone.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“JAAAAXXXXX!!!!!!!”

He was off the couch in less than two seconds, racing up the steps in his bare feet, his weapon drawn and ready. When he got
to the top of the stairs, Jax didn’t even think of waiting to knock. He put his shoulder to Brenda’s bedroom and burst in without
even breaking stride.

She was in bed, sitting up straight, tears running down her cheeks. When Jax saw her chest heaving and the terror in her eyes,
he strode quickly to her bed without a second thought. “Brenda? What’s the matter? Are you OK?”

“I had a dream, Jax.” He re-holstered his Magnum with a sigh of relief and sat down on the bed next to her. “I dreamed I was
back at the accident.” When Jax took her hands in his, they were ice cold and trembling. “I saw the Slasher’s face, Jax.”

“Good!” He squeezed her hands and tried to rub some circulation back into them. “That’s good, Brenda! Can you remember
anything about him?”

Tears flowed afresh as she shook her head. “No! That’s what’s so scary about it!” She pulled one hand free from his grip and
wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of it. “As soon as I woke up, his face vanished into thin air! I can’t remember
anything!”

Jax took her into his arms and held her tightly against his chest. “Don’t cry…….shhhhhh…….this is a good sign, Brenda, don’t
you see?” He forced her to look up at him. “Your memory is coming back a little! Pretty soon you’ll probably remember the
whole thing and be able to give us a description!”

Brenda’s words came out on little choked sobs. “And then this all…….all will be over…….”

“Yes……….over……….” The sudden quiet finally forced Jax to notice Brenda’s sleeping attire. He would have bet his last
paycheck that she wore long, flannel granny gowns to sleep in. Something any respectable antique dealer would adore.
Certainly not something from Victoria’s Secret. Something not exactly white – not exactly brown – something close to the color
of her soft, translucent flesh. Something that clung to her full, ripe breasts like a second skin. Something that barely veiled the
tenderness that was aching for his touch.

When Brenda realized where Jax’s gaze had strayed, she glanced down herself. Her blush spread to the very object of Jax’s
inspection. “Oh……I, uh……..I’m sorry………..”

Jax swallowed hard. He stroked her hair in what he told himself was a fatherly gesture of concern for her well-being. “That’s
OK. You were just frightened, and I told you to call me. No prob…….”

The sudden resounding crash outside her bedroom window brought another shriek from Brenda and sent her into Jax’s arms
again. “JAX!!” She peeked over her shoulder at the window, half expecting to see all the demons from h*ll flying in any minute.
“What was that?”

Jax licked his lips and tried to pull her away before she felt his body’s reaction to her peignoir. “Probably nothing. Sounded like
it came from the alley.” He rubbed her arm with his hand lightly and patted it for reassurance. “Probably just some drunk
stumbling down the alley who ran into your trash cans.”

“Jax………” He thought his fingers would turn white when she gripped his arm so tightly it cut off his circulation. “I don’t have
metal trash cans. I recycle. They’re plastic.”
 

     To be continued……..

     Music credit: “Crash and Burn” by Daniel Jones and Darren Hayes, from the Savage Garden CD, “Affirmation.”
 
 

Posted by Jan on July 05, 2000 at 10:42:06:

Good morning, angels! This continues my J&B adaptation of Mary McBride’s novel, “Just One Look.” Previously, Brenda had
dreamed about the Slasher but couldn’t remember his face. As the chapter ended, Jax and Brenda heard a suspicious noise in
her back yard. I’ll be working on a chapter of “Keys to the Kingdom” next. ------------------- Jan

Faceoff

Chapter 9

“You don’t have *any* metal containers out there in the alley? For leaves or soda cans or *anything*?”

Another metallic crash from Brenda’s back yard made her jump and press her body closer to Jax’s. “Nothing,” she answered
in a shaky whisper. “I have a contract with one of those special trash recycling companies and they provide separate containers
for everything – paper, glass, metal…….” Jax stared grimly out her bedroom window in the direction of the noise. “And all the
containers are made out of that heavy green industrial plastic stuff.”

He rose from the bed and took the pistol from his shoulder holster in one motion. “You stay in here. Pull the shades down and
stay away from the windows.” Jax was almost out the door when he turned back as an afterthought occurred. “Lock your
bedroom door and don’t open it to anyone but me.”

“Jax!” Brenda scooted out from under the covers and ran to the bedroom door as he vanished from sight. By the time she
peeked out around the doorjamb, he was at the bottom of the staircase grabbing his bomber jacket. “Shouldn’t you call for
backup or something? Should I call Blue?”

“No, you should go back in your room and do what I *told* you to do, Brenda!”

Her conversation from earlier in the evening with Blue came back to haunt Brenda. Jax was fearless. He was daring. He could
be reckless, especially when it came to putting his own life on the line. “But Jax……”

“BRENDA!!” His sharp reply made Brenda jump a little. Jax saw it, turned away and swore softly, and then gentled his voice
when he looked up at her again. “PLEASE just go back in your bedroom and lock the door.” When he couldn’t ignore the
concern in her eyes, he gave her a weak smile. “I’ll be fine – really. Now don’t worry about me.”

She chewed on her lip and returned his smile but then, when he gestured at her in a “go-on-DO-IT!” way, Brenda ran back to
her bedroom. Jax waited until he heard the slam of the door and then he stared determinedly towards her back yard.

He flung the door to the yard open with a crash, jumping into the open space in a ready stance. Jax’s arms were stretched
forward, elbows locked, both hands firmly on the Magnum as he swung back and forth, ready for any assailant he might spot.
But the area around the porch was quiet and empty. Taking a breath to steady himself, Jax crept down the steps, careful to
avoid the icy patches that still remained from the day. He made a mental note to remind Brenda to salt the steps – if they both
lived to see the next day.

Everything in the yard was peaceful. A full moon bathed the yard to assist Jax in his surveillance. As he slowly made his way
towards the utility shed and alley, he was relieved to see that the padlock remained undisturbed on the shed’s solitary door. The
snow on the pathway crunched under his feet to provide the only sound. He was about ten feet from the alley when a hushed
thump made Jax’s eyes narrow.

Jax swiveled in the direction of the noise, hands clenched tightly around the weapon. It had come from the alley – behind the
shed. Gritting his teeth, he cautiously made his way to the area in question. A dusk-to-dawn lamp mounted on a telephone pole
in the alley provided some illumination. He stood motionless, waiting for something to happen – but nothing did.

Eyes darting back and forth in vigilance, Jax stepped into the alley. He was about five steps from the back gate when his gaze
was drawn to a small heap of snow about three feet from the back of Brenda’s shed. Jax approached it slowly, kicking at it
with the toe of his foot when he was close enough. A soft clunking noise was his reward.

He inched closer to the heap and nudged some of the snow aside with his toe. As he peered forward, still clasping the butt of
the Magnum with both hands over his head, he could see something glinting in the moonlight. Jax warily looked around in all
directions and then leaned forward to get a better view. When he pushed at it with a sharp kick, a dented, twisted portion of
guttering drainpipe caused Jax to let out part of the breath he had been holding.

Another look around gave Jax the confidence to squat down towards the pipe. He took one hand and brushed away more of
the snow to reveal a rounded metal disk just beyond the dented guttering. When he lifted it out of the drifted snow, Jax realized
it was a metal snow glider – a steel version of the old heavy plastic “flying saucers” that he had flown down hills on as a young
boy.

A soft sound from over his left shoulder drew Jax back to his feet like a shot. He dropped the snow glider, braced both feet in
the shallow layer of snow, locked his knees, and aimed at the source of the noise with both hands on the pistol to steady it.
“PCPD!!! Come out with your hands in the air where I can see ‘em!!!”

Jax waited tensely for at least ten seconds. Once he had found the crude sled, he had a suspicion what might have made the
noise. But experience had taught him that in police work, assuming could not only be embarrassing – it could be deadly.

“This is your last warning – come out now or I’ll shoot!!” He prayed that he wouldn’t have to make good on his threat. After an
additional fifteen tense seconds, a wiry young man stepped from the shadows, his hands high above his head.

“Pppp……please don’t shoot, mister policeman, sir!” Jax bit the inside of his cheek. Although he usually didn’t go in for “tough
love” theories of discipline, sometimes a good scare accomplished a great deal in the management of teenagers.
“Ddddd…….don’t shoot!”

Jax held his stance, pistol aimed at the youth’s chest. “What’s your name?” he snarled, gripping the butt of the Magnum
theatrically to emphasize his seriousness.

“Juan……..Juan Santiago, sir,” the teen replied in a shaky voice.

“And what were you doing back here on private property, Juan Santiago?”

“We didn’t think that the alley was…….”

“WE??!!”

Juan shifted his weight back and forth from one foot to the other. “Mmmmm…….me and my girlfriend……” He glanced over
towards the shadows and Jax heard soft sniffling and a muffled sob.

“Let’s see this girlfriend of yours.” When Jax jerked the gun towards the shadows and then out to the alley, Juan turned and
motioned in that direction. A pet*te figure swathed in a light pink parka and matching pink stretch pants skittered out to hide
behind Juan. “And what’s your name, Juan’s girlfriend?”

“Emily……Emily Quartermaine.” She sniffed again loudly and rubbed her eyes with her mitten-clad hand. “We didn’t mean any
harm, Mister Policeman, Sir!” she wailed. “We just thought that the alley was public property and we could go sledding back
here, and then Juan couldn’t steer the saucer because we got going so fast, and we hit the drainpipe, and we fell off in the snow,
and we’re REALLY sorry if we damaged anything……”

Jax grimaced and finally raised his weapon above his head, relaxing his stance. “You two are breaking curfew, you know that,
don’t you?”

“It’s not a school night, sir! Port Charles High went on Thanksgiving break early this year because they have to install new
boilers in the furnace rooms and there’s no heat!” As soon as Emily enlightened Jax, she crouched down behind Juan again.

Jax stared thoughtfully at the pair for another thirty seconds. Then, he reached down and picked up the snow glider, tossing it
back to Juan. “Next time take your girlfriend to Art Hill in Port Charles Park when you want to go sledding. They have bonfires
and facilities nearby in case you have an accident and can’t stop the disk again.”

“Yes, sir…..we’ll do that sir!” Juan nodded and smiled nervously as he and Emily back away from Jax. Then he stared down at
the drainpipe. “Do we have to pay anything for the damage to the gutter?”

“I’ll put a good word in for you with the lady who owns the house.” One corner of Jax’s mouth lifted in a slight smile. “I think
it’ll all be OK.”

“Thanks a lot, mister! I mean, Mister Policeman, Sir!” Juan pushed Emily towards a walkway back to the front of the street.
“We’ll just head on over to the park now!”

“You do that!” Jax watched and waved at them once as the terrified teenagers scurried off into the night. Once they were out of
sight, he let out a long sigh and re-holstered his Magnum. Turning back towards the house, a sudden chill ran down his spine –
partly from relief, and partly from the fact that he was once again in the frigid back yard with no hat and gloves.

Jax stomped back to the house to get the circulation going in his feet again. He firmly locked the back door, both to the yard
and from the kitchen leading to the porch. After turning out the lights in the kitchen, he only took time to toss his jacket on the
sofa before heading up the stairs towards Brenda’s bedroom.

The door was locked, just as he had ordered. “Brenda – open up. It’s me.”

Jax’s heart almost stopped when thirty seconds of silence followed his command. He called her name again. After another thirty
seconds of blood curdling silence, he heard Brenda’s soft voice from inside the bedroom. “Me who?”

“What the bloody h*ll do you mean, me who? Me JAX, that’s who!!” He braced his hands on the doorjamb and stared at the
floor, muttering some choice words beneath his breath.

Another thirty seconds of silence passed before he heard her voice again. “How do I know it’s *really* you?” Jax’s eyebrows
drew together and his jaw clenched in exasperation. “I mean – what if it’s just the Slasher *pretending* to be you? Or what if
he’s holding a knife to your throat, forcing you to get me to open the door?”

Jax’s chest heaved as he let out a loud breath, trying to control his frustration. “It wasn’t the Slasher, Brenda -- just some
teenagers in the alley that made the noise. They were sledding on one of those metal glider things and they ran into an old
section of drainpipe.” He rubbed his face with his hands and then smiled as genuinely as he could in the presence of a neurotic
female. “Now the house is locked up tight and it’s just me out here, so open the door…….”

“We should have picked a password or something. Some way that I could tell for sure that it was you and nothing was wrong.”

“BRENDA – OPEN THE D*MN DOOR OR I’LL KNOCK IT DOWN WITH A CASE OF ASPARAGUS!!!”

Just as Jax stepped back to put his shoulder forcefully against the door, it opened. All the exasperation left him in a whoosh
when he saw Brenda in a fuzzy pink robe, tear stains clearly visible on her cheeks. “I’m sor…..ssssor……sssssssorry……..”
Her breath caught in her throat each time she tried to speak.

“Awwwwww, geez……Brenda……..” Jax couldn’t help himself. Breaking every rule in the book, he took her in his arms and
held her tightly as she sobbed against his chest.

“That guy……..that Slasher guy……..” Brenda pulled back a little and Jax saw fresh tears in her eyes. “He’s……he’s really
trying to kill me, isn’t he?”

“He’s going to have to get past me to do it.” Jax pushed the hair back off her forehead and allowed his fingertips the luxury of
tracing her delicate skin. “Better slimeballs than him have failed, believe me.”

“I know.” Tears glistened in Brenda’s eyes as she raised them to meet Jax’s powerful gaze. “I’m glad you’re here, Jax.”

{*I’m* glad you took off that nightie from my fantasies and put on something furry and shapeless.} Jax smiled and turned
Brenda back towards her bed, putting his hand at the small of her back. “Now why don’t you try to go back to bed and get
some rest? I’ll be right downstairs if you need anything.”

“But that noise outside…..” Brenda stopped at the bed and firmly dug in her heels, refusing to sit.

“……was nothing to worry about.” Jax snickered a little and glanced towards the yard. “Those kids won’t be back tonight –
I’m sure of it.”

Brenda nodded and caught her lower lip with her front teeth. “And the back door?”

“Locked. Front door, too.” He pushed her down by the shoulders so that Brenda found herself seated on the bed. “The house
is tighter than a drum, Brenda.” They both avoided discussing the fact that she was wearing the heavy chenille robe as Jax
tucked her beneath the covers.

“But what if I have that dream again, Jax?” She popped back up like a jack-in-the-box, pushing the covers back and grabbing
for Jax’s forearms to trap him there. “What if I see his face in the dream again and can’t remember what he looks like when I
wake up?”

Jax pressed her shoulders back to the mattress. “Then just call me and I’ll come talk you through it – maybe it’ll jog a memory
this time.”

“I just…….” She glanced down towards the fleecy frill at her neck. “I can’t seem to stop shaking, you know?” Brenda gripped
the edge of the covers tightly. “I thought maybe I was cold so I changed out of that other nightgown, but even with this on, I’m
still……well…….”

“It’s just your nerves.” Jax risked rubbing his hand over her arm for reassurance and then drew away before he let it stray any
farther. “Now that you know it was nothing terrible in your back yard, I’m sure you’ll start to calm down.”

Brenda nodded but her eyes were still the size of silver dollars. “OK.” She gave him a half-smile. “Thanks again for putting up
with me.”

“No problem.” He straightened up and turned off the bedside lamp. “Now just try to relax and get some sleep.”

He was about three feet from her bedroom door when Jax heard Brenda’s voice again. “Jax?” He turned and even in the
darkened room, he could see her wide eyes. “I can’t do this. Not alone.”

His anguish was almost a living, breathing thing in the room with them. In all his years on the force, Jax never remembered
feeling so much about a case – empathy for Brenda’s terror, and hatred for the faceless criminal who was causing it. He slowly
walked back to the bed. “Brenda……”

“Please, Jax……..” She reached out and caught his hand before he could tell her all the reasons why what she was asking was
a bad idea. “I know it’s silly and I know it’s probably breaking every police rule there is, but I just can’t……” Tears gathered
in her eyes again. “Please stay here with me – just till I fall asleep.”

Jax sighed loudly and ruffled his hair with his free hand. “I’m a pretty big guy, you know.” He nudged his one shoe off and then
the other before gingerly sitting down on top of the covers. “If this bed is some kind of antique or something, I might bring the
whole thing crashing down if I lie down.”

“I’ll risk it.” Brenda scooted over as Jax eased his frame into the bed next to her. She turned on her side away from him as he
slid down into a prone position, spooning her from behind. When he wrapped his left arm around her, he felt her snuggle closer
to him. Quiet darkness wove a cocoon around them.

“I might snore, you know.” Jax snorted softly in the dark and tightened his arm around her. “Might just end up bloody keeping
you awake instead of helping you go to sleep.”

Brenda couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out. “Not might, Lieutenant. You DO.”

More silence. “Do not.”

More silence. “Do, too. I heard you this morning.” Brenda felt the indignant huff ripple through his body and she grinned. “Like
a bloody buzz saw.”

“It was no ………” Brenda felt the bed move as Jax shifted his weight and stopped himself before it got into a full-fledged
argument. “Good night, Brenda.”

She felt his warm breath on the back of her neck. “Good night, Jax.”

#####

Jax knew the exact moment that Brenda went to sleep. Fortunately, just before his body reacted to the hormones that Brenda
sent bubbling through his bloodstream, he heard her long sigh. Her body seemed to sag against his, and then he felt the tempo
of her breathing slow and deepen.

Until that moment, he hadn’t realized just how tense he was himself. It hadn’t exactly been a relaxing day – starting with the
adventure in the kitchen starring the grocery kid, then the back shed debacle, and ending with the successful defusing of the
hostage situation at the Handy Mart. When Brenda rolled over in her sleep and cuddled closer to his chest, Jax fought the lazy
warmth that seemed to creep its way up from his toes. Throwing her arm across his waist and nestling her head on his shoulder,
Jax couldn’t avoid inhaling the wonderful scent of lavender coming from her hair.

{You should get out now, Jax. You promised her you would stay just until she fell asleep. Well – she’s asleep. Yep. Sure is.
You should just get out before you get too sleepy yourself……}

But when Jax tried to shift and slip from beneath Brenda’s arm, she frowned and whimpered softly. He felt her right hand grip
his left arm. He craned his neck to peek at her face. Although Brenda’s eyes were still closed and her breathing slow, she
seemed to be grimacing and there was rapid movement beneath her eyelids.

{Probably a nightmare. You could just stay till it passes. Wait till she’s sleeping soundly again. Yep. You could do that. And in
the meantime, you could just close your eyes for a while. Just rest ……. Just for a while……..}

#####

Brenda knew the exact moment Jax woke up. Sometime during the night, she had pushed off the covers. The chenille robe she
had donned for warmth was like a piece of thin cellophane compared to being held in Jax’s arms. When she had blinked and
opened her eyes, she found herself nuzzled firmly against his chest. His left arm was wound protectively around her body while
her right leg was entrenched solidly between his knees. She cringed at the sight of his shoulder holster but then realized that he
had probably worn it to sleep to protect her.

At first, she was mildly shocked that she hadn’t bounded out of bed like she usually did in the morning. {You should get up right
now, Brenda! The poor man probably fell asleep here after all the troubles you caused him yesterday! He probably couldn’t
help himself – after all, that couch is no place to get a decent night’s rest. Yep. You should get out of this bed and let him have
some time to himself in a real bed. Yep. That’s what you should do.}

But somehow, despite her best intentions and everything she told herself, Brenda just couldn’t bring herself to leave him. The
warmth of the early morning sun reflecting off the snow-covered yard combined with the heat coming from the rather
extraordinary body of her bedmate made Brenda want to stretch like a lazy cat after a nap.

After dozing off for a few more minutes, Brenda opened her eyes again and smiled. It hadn’t been just a wonderful dream. She
was still wrapped securely in Jax’s arms. After admiring the strong, muscular ribcage that had become her pillow, her eyes
roved up towards his face. Opportunities to observe Jax up close without him knowing it like this didn’t come along every day.
She never realized his eyelashes were that long and lush. She never noticed the little scar above his lip, and wondered what had
caused it. She hadn’t realized just how s*xy his shadowy beard could look in the morning light. Or how tempting it was.

Just as she was reaching up slowly to draw a finger across the fine stubble on his jaw, Brenda felt Jax’s entire body tense. It
was like the engine in a fine sports car, roaring from 0 to 75 miles per hour in 1.9 seconds. There was the slightest hint of a
shudder, and then his eyes shot open. They darted from side to side, his momentary confusion obvious. She didn’t think it was
possible, but with the backdrop of the eggshell-colored sheets, they looked even bluer than before. Then, when they rested on
Brenda’s face, she saw them soften……and then flare with something she dared not identify.

“Good morning.” Jax’s greeting was barely above a whisper, his voice still husky with sleep. He lifted his left hand and gently
traced a finger down the side of her cheek.

Brenda drew her lower lip beneath her top teeth – an involuntary movement that sent a surge of testosterone through Jax’s
body. “Good morning yourself.” She glanced down at their intertwined bodies. “I guess we made ourselves comfortable during
the night.”

“Yeah – comfortable.” Jax glanced down towards their legs. Then his gaze traveled back up her body until it stopped at her
lips. Brenda felt the heat and when her tongue slipped out to moisten them, Jax thought he was going to die if he didn’t get a
chance to kiss her just once.

Brenda’s eyelashes fluttered downwards as she inched upwards in the bed until her lips were only centimeters from Jax’s. Their
breaths mingled, their bodies pressing even more closely together as the embrace tightened. She couldn’t ever remember
wanting something as much as she wanted him to kiss her. Although she had never been a religious person, Brenda even sent a
few prayers heavenward that Jax would feel similarly inclined. She heard a faint moan of satisfaction escape her throat when she
felt Jax’s tongue teasing at her lower lip. When something pressed against her hip as Jax pulled her beneath him in the bed,
Brenda’s gasp was swallowed by his mouth brushing temptingly against hers……

And the doorbell rang.

They both sat straight up in bed, Brenda clutching Jax’s arm in a panic. “Who could that be?”

Jax glanced down at her. “The grocery guy again? Didn’t you say he delivered first thing in the morning?”

Brenda’s eyes were wide, her face pale. “Not every day. He’s not due back again until day after tomorrow.” Jax shoved her
back down in the bed and rose, slipping into his shoes as he did. He reached for his Magnum in one fluid stride and held out a
hand to her when she tried to follow him out of the bed.

“You stay here until I check it out.”

“But it’s broad daylight, Jax!” He was almost at the door to her bedroom by the time her argument sounded in Jax’s ears.
When he failed to stop, Brenda swung her legs out of the bed and wrapped her robe more tightly around herself. “And I don’t
exactly think that the Slasher would ring my front doorbell if he was planning to kill me!”

She heard Jax’s footfalls on the steps but ignored his growls for her to go back in the room. When he got to the front door, Jax
arched an eyebrow in disapproval and then motioned at her to get back from the landing at the top of the stairs. Brenda started
to go back but then when Jax turned to push the curtains at a front window aside, she held her position, crouching behind the
spooled railing.

Thanks to the angle of the window, Jax couldn’t see who was ringing the front doorbell. But when he saw the black and white
patrol car parked at the curb, he swore softly beneath his breath. Re-holstering his Magnum, he flung open the front door.
“Haven’t you ever heard of a wonderful new invention they have now? It’s called the telephone!!”

Blue smiled cattily at Jax. “And good morning to you, too, DD!!” She stepped inside the brownstone’s front door, both hands
occupied by a large brown sack and tray of small Styrofoam cups. “You look like h*ll!!”

As Blue chuckled merrily and sauntered towards the kitchen with her treasures, Jax slammed the front door behind her, making
sure to lock the security chain. “And you came all the way here to tell me that in person?” He caught Blue by the arm to stop
her progress. “Aren’t you supposed to be off somewhere playing doctor with a certain refugee from a third world nation?”

“Blue!!” Brenda came down the stairs, a relieved smile on her face. “I don’t know what’s in those bags, but it sure smells
heavenly!”

“DD’s favorite breakfast – Kelly’s cinnamon sticky buns!” Blue held up the bag. “And a few powdered sugar and jelly donuts
thrown in on the side for those of us who prefer something of a more traditional nature.”

“Why the feast this morning?” Jax raised an eyebrow warily as Blue spread out her treats on the kitchen table. Brenda was
busily getting stoneware mugs for the coffee and fresh juice from the refrigerator.

“Mac’s celebrating!” Blue smiled her thanks at Brenda and then began arranging the pastries on a heavy china plate in the
center of the kitchen table.

“Mac’s celebrating just because I managed to get that hostage out alive?” Jax remained standing while Blue and Brenda seated
themselves and selected donuts. His eyes suddenly widened. “Hey – was she *really* somebody important?”

Blue swallowed her mouthful of donut and took a sip of juice. “Well, Mac’s pleased about how that all came out, but he’s even
happier about another bust.” Jax snarled at Blue in exasperation, but she just gave him a dirty look. He finally sighed in disgust,
took his seat, and Blue nodded happily. “The guys in the Third District brought in a perp for GTA.”

Brenda turned to Jax immediately. “Grand theft auto,” he explained, and then waved at Blue to continue.

“Anyway, they’re grilling this guy about the stolen Grand Prix when somebody comes in with a ski mask they found in the trunk.
And about thirty minutes later, the perp confessed to being the Dockside Slasher!”

Brenda almost choked on her juice but Jax remained noncommittal. “It doesn’t make sense.” He shook his head firmly. “The
Slasher has been outsmarting us for almost a year and a half, and then it takes only thirty minutes for him to break down and
confess?”

Blue tipped her head and c*cked an eyebrow. “H*ll of a thing to confess to if he’s not really the Slasher. Why face a lethal
injection courtesy of the state of New York if all you did was lift a set of wheels?”

Brenda’s gaze bounced back and forth between Jax and Blue like she was at a tennis match. “So then this guy is really the
Slasher? It’s all over?”

“It will be.” Blue turned to stare at Brenda pointedly. “As soon as you come down to the station and identify him in a lineup.”

The color drained from Brenda’s face. She dropped her donut on her plate. “Ohhhhh, nooooo……I can’t do that.”

“You’ll be completely safe, Brenda.” Jax reached for her hand but she jerked it away before he could grasp it. “You’ll be
behind a mirrored window. None of the perps in the lineup will be able to see your face or know which one you picked out.”

Her tousled raven curls bounced as she shook her head. “Nope. Can’t do it. *Won’t* do it.” She quickly rose from the table
and took her plate to the sink. As she set it in the dishpan, she carefully kept her back to both Blue and Jax.

“Which one is it, Brenda – can’t, or won’t?” Blue’s voice was gentle but firm.

She turned to face them with tears in her eyes. “I CAN’T, Blue. You know that.” Brenda’s lower lip started to tremble. “Can’t
you just bring me pictures of all of the suspects or something? Or have me look at a videotape here in my living room?”

Jax slowly rose and went to put his arm around Brenda’s trembling shoulders. “I’m sorry, love. If there was some way I could
bend the rules on this one, you know I would. But there’s no way to get around it. You HAVE to go down to the station now
that we’ve got a confessed suspect.”

Blue mirrored Jax’s actions as she came to stand on Brenda’s other side. “DD’ll be right there with you, Brenda. He’ll keep
you safe, I promise.”

Brenda wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and then raised skeptical eyes to meet Jax’s intense gaze.
“What if I pass out?”

“I’ll catch you.” His reply came out as soon as the words left her mouth.

Brenda’s eyes shifted towards Blue. “What if I throw up?”

“I’ll handle that.” When Brenda’s eyes widened, Blue grimaced good-naturedly. “It wouldn’t be the first time somebody puked
at the station.” She chuckled softly and nodded towards Jax. “DD and I feel like doing that every day when we have to keep a
straight face with our chief.”

Jax took Brenda by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “You can do this, Brenda. I know you can. And then it’ll all be
over and you can go back to leading a normal life. No more fear.”

Brenda took a deep, shaky breath. “The line-up’s scheduled for 11 this morning,” Blue said softly. She patted Brenda on the
back. “Why don’t you go take a shower and get dressed? Jax will drive you there and by 11:05, you’ll be walking out of the
PCPD a new woman.”

As she looked over her shoulder at Blue, Brenda chewed on her lip. “You know it would be easier for *me* to take that lethal
injection, don’t you?”

Jax just pushed Brenda in the direction of the hallway. “Go on, love. You’ll feel better after your shower.” He and Blue
watched as a despondent Brenda disappeared down the hall and went up the steps. Then Jax crossed his arms and stared
down at the floor. “I don’t know, Blue. I’m not sure she’ll be able to go through with it.”

“Well…….” Blue mimicked Jax’s stance. “I guess everybody’s gotta go sometime, DD.” When he raised an eyebrow at her,
she continued. “If the Slasher doesn’t kill Brenda, this lineup will.”
 

To be continued……..
end chapter 9