Faceoff -- chapter 3 (JB)

by Jan on January 31, 19100 at 07:34:37:

GREAT morning, angels, as we celebrate the Super Bowl victory in St. Louis! I have to admit we had a secret weapon – the Pope. He visited St. Louis last January, and it’s been shown that every city he visited recently (Denver for one) has gone to the Super Bowl the following year. They didn’t all WIN, but we won’t quibble!! This continues my J&B adaptation of Mary McBride’s novel, “Just One Look.” Previously, Brenda had seen the face of a serial killer, the Dockside Slasher, but when she woke up from a mild concussion, she couldn’t remember what he looked like. Enjoy, and your feedback is most welcome! ---------------- Jan

Faceoff

Chapter 3

Lieutenant Jasper Jacks ran his fingers through his hair and then settled both hands on his hips. “So let me get this straight, doc – are you trying to tell me that Miss Barrett has amnesia?”

“I’m no psychiatrist, Lieutenant,” Tony Jones replied calmly. He, Jax, and Blue were all gathered in the hallway outside Brenda’s room while Bobbie was inside helping Brenda get dressed again. After she had passed a simple neurological exam, Tony had pronounced Brenda well enough to be released, even though she still had the makings of a splitting headache.

“I may be a neuro-surgeon, but that doesn’t make me an expert on what goes on in a person’s consciousness,” Tony continued. “Miss Barrett obviously doesn’t have full-blown amnesia since she remembers the events leading up to the blow to the head quite accurately. It’s possible that she’s just suffering some kind of post-traumatic stress reaction to the entire situation.”

“She sure does seem to have her undies in a twist about being able to go home,” Blue commented dryly. “Do you think that it’s possible, once she’s in a more familiar environment, she might be able to recall what our perp looked like?”

Tony shrugged. “I wish I could give you a definite answer, Sergeant. But as I said, if she’s blocking that entire part of the afternoon or connecting it with some kind of trauma in her past, it’s possible she may *never* recall your suspect’s appearance.”

Jax whistled softly. “Great.” His eyes darted around the corridor as he resumed his hands-on-hips stance. “We’ve got a witness who can’t remember what a murderer looks like and a murderer who’s probably tracking down her identity this very minute.”

Tony held up a hand. “Now Lieutenant, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in this business, it’s never to say “never.” You just have to give her some time to process all that happened yesterday. Be patient.”

“Ohhhh, patient, that’s good,” Blue murmured quietly. “Then you’ve got the right man for the job, Dr. Jones.” She winked at Jax. “Patient is my partner here’s middle name.”

Just as Jax inhaled to reply to Blue’s snide insinuation, the pager Tony Jones wore on his belt started beeping loudly. He held up a finger to both Jax and Blue and gazed down to check the number. “I’m sorry to cut this short, folks,” he said, already turning on his heel, “but I’m needed in ICU stat.” He ran towards the elevators, his white lab coat flapping behind him. “I left Miss Barrett’s signed release papers at the desk,” he called back as he punched the “down” button on the wall. “She’s free to go whenever she’s ready.”

Jax and Blue watched as Tony disappeared into a waiting elevator. When they turned back to each other, Jax wore a frown. “What was that crack supposed to mean? About “patient” being my middle name?”

Blue snickered as they walked back towards Brenda’s room. “Well, Jax, you have to admit that when God handed out supplies of that virtue, you weren’t exactly standing in the front of the line!”

Jax snorted and caught Blue by the arm. “I am *too* patient!”

“Oh, yeah……like when you had to take the hostage negotiation course three times before you passed it!”

“That was a crock!! I got those hostages out alive the first two times!” Jax pointed a finger at Blue for emphasis.

Blue avoided the jabbing finger and stifled her laugh. “Yeah, Jax, but the first time you blew up the building in the process, and the second time you killed the terrorist!”

Jax shook his head and muttered under his breath. “D*mn bloody bureaucrats – the bottom line was to get the hostages out safely. I did that. End of case.”

Blue was still chuckling softly when V came down the hallway towards them. “How’s Miss Barrett this morning?”

“Just about ready to be released,” Jax replied, rotating his left shoulder and rubbing it gently. “How’s the situation downstairs?”

V put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “Reporters camped out in the lobby all night. They’re still waiting for some kind of press release on a possible break in the Slasher case.”

“D*mnit! I swear, if Tiffany Hill had tried to stick that microphone in my face one more time last night, I was going to tell her where *she* could stick it!” Blue rubbed her forehead in thought and then laid a hand on Jax’s forearm. “Why don’t you wait until Miss Barrett is ready to go and then bring her down the service elevator? I’ll go downstairs and bring the black and white around to the side door and we’ll take her home in that.”

“That should work,” V nodded. “They towed Miss Barrett’s sedan from the scene of the accident to the impound lot yesterday so she doesn’t have any means of transportation here.”

Jax sighed. “All right. You go get the car. I’ll bring Miss Barrett down.” He glanced towards the eager junior officer. “You can go out and pretend to have some kind of statement for the reporters. That should divert their attention just long enough for us to get her out of here and on her way home.”

Blue nodded and left while Jax and V remained outside Brenda’s room. “Was Miss Barrett able to give you any leads this morning, Jax?”

Jax grimaced and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Let’s just say that I’ve had better witnesses, V.” He shook his head and stared at the door. “This is *not* turning out at all the way I expected.”

*********************

“He doesn’t like me.”

Bobbie looked up at the sound of Brenda’s voice. She had been methodically stripping the bed while Brenda changed out of her hospital gown in the bathroom. “Who doesn’t like you?”

Brenda opened the door of the bathroom. “That policeman – the tall, blonde man,” she replied, standing in the doorway. She sighed and glanced over towards the door of her hospital room. “I don’t think he believed that I can’t remember anything about that man who tried to carjack me.”

Bobbie smiled and walked over to take the hospital gown from Brenda. “Don’t pay any attention to him, Miss Barrett.” She chuckled a little. “Jax can be a little……intense……sometimes.”

“You know him?”

Bobbie patted Brenda’s arm to re-assure her. “Honey, I’m *related* to him! I married his older brother!” She was still laughing softly and shaking her head as she walked back to throw the hospital gown in the pile of dirty laundry. “He’s probably just testy this morning because he slept in that orange monstrosity last night…..”

Brenda’s face was blank until she glanced over at the leatherette chair. Her eyes widened. “You mean he slept in here? All night? In that thing?”

Bobbie shrugged. “I guess so. I know he told me he was planning to, and when Jax plans to do something, only a category 5 hurricane could keep him from doing it!”

Brenda chewed on her lower lip and frowned. “But why would he have needed to watch me all night?” She turned towards Bobbie again. “Was he guarding me or something?”

Bobbie inhaled to answer but before she could, Jax pushed the hospital room door open. “Miss Barrett? Are you about ready to go?”

Brenda felt a funny fluttering in the pit of her stomach when she heard him say her name. But she attributed it to a mild return of the agoraphobia, and gave him a weak smile. “I think so, Lieutenant.” She looked around the room. “If I can just find my purse, I’ll be down in the parking lot before you can say…….”

“NO!” Jax’s firm interruption caused Brenda to jump back a little. “I’m sorry,” he said, closing the hospital room door behind him. “But I’m afraid you’re going to have to endure the hospitality of the PCPD just a little bit longer. Your car was towed from the scene of the accident to the impound lot, so you really don’t have a way home.”

Brenda picked up her purse and gave Jax a confident smile. “No problem. That’s why God made cabs, lieutenant.” She opened her purse but before she could pull out her mini-phone directory, Jax put a hand over hers.

“I insist, Miss Barrett.” He raked his hair with his free hand, not letting go of Brenda’s – partially to keep her from getting away from him, and partially because he liked the feel of her petite fingers beneath his. “Besides, I understand there’s quite a gaggle of reporters gathered downstairs. I imagine you don’t want to face them this early in the morning…….”

The thought of bright klieg lights, crushing reporters, and flashing strobes caused the color to drain from Brenda’s face. “Well, maybe just this one time, I guess it wouldn’t hurt anything to accept your kind offer……..”

Jax glanced back towards the door of Brenda’s room. “Then let’s get going. Officer Ardanowski is only going to be able to hold those reporters back for so long…..” He gave Bobbie a pleading look. “Can you just turn the other way this time, Bobbie? Pretend we used a wheelchair and followed all the rules?”

Brenda grabbed her purse and coat as Bobbie covered her eyes with her hand and waved at them. “Just go, Jax. But next time – try to pick somebody *else’s* patient for your latest case?” Brenda frowned and was about to ask why she was Jax’s “case” when she felt his iron grip on her forearm. She was out the door and walking down the hallway with him almost before she could blink.

“Uhh…..aren’t the elevators back that way?” Brenda’s heart was in her throat as Jax took a left and ushered her towards a darkened set of elevators. She tried to keep reminding herself that Jax had flashed a badge when he introduced himself. {Besides – Nurse Spencer seemed to indicate he was on the up-and-up. And she’s married to his older brother, so she should know!}

“Yeah, but we’re not taking the regular elevators,” he growled, punching a button. He kept a possessive hand on her arm and before she could ask another question, a set of doors opened and he pulled her in. He must have seen the skeptical look in her eyes as they descended to the ground floor. “I….uh…..took the service elevators since they’re closer to the side entrance. Blue’s picking us up in the squad car at that door.”

Brenda nodded cautiously. {OK. I’ll bite. Anything that’ll get me home faster….} The corners of her mouth turned up in a weak smile. “I’m sorry for falling apart like this.” She pushed the hair back off her forehead with a shaky hand. “It’s just that I have this thing about places like this……”

Jax never let her finish the sentence as the elevator doors slid open. “That’s OK. Lots of people are claustrophobic.” Brenda tried to object but Jax just pulled her beneath his arm and guided her towards a set of glass doors. “This is our exit. Blue should be waiting with the car and then you’ll be on the way home.”

Brenda didn’t really notice a thing that Jax said. She was too busy luxuriating in the feel of his warm embrace. Since she was so much shorter than Jax, Brenda fit into the crook of his arm like the missing piece of a puzzle. For the first time in a very long time, she felt warm, and safe, and sheltered from anything and anybody that could hurt her. When he pressed her harder against his side, she turned her face and found her nose pressed against his chest. When he wrapped his bomber jacket around her, she inhaled the potent fragrance of old leather and confident masculinity.

Jax guided her out the side exit of General Hospital and into the waiting squad car so quickly that Brenda didn’t even have a chance to notice the cold air stinging her cheeks. He hustled her into the back seat, slammed the door, and then sprinted around to the other side of the car to slide in next to her. During the split second it took Jax to do that, Brenda noticed the smiling blonde woman in the driver’s seat. “Hi,” she said tentatively, extending her hand. “I don’t think I got a chance to really meet you earlier – in my room. I’m Brenda Barrett.”

“You can just call me Blue, sweetie,” Blue drawled, accepting Brenda’s friendly gesture.

“OK, enough with the social pleasantries. Let’s get out of here before V can’t hold off those reporters any longer,” Jax snapped. Blue winked at Brenda but then turned back to the steering wheel to follow Jax’s orders. He glanced over at Brenda when she made some soft noises as she fought with the seat belt. “You need some help with that?”

Brenda was tugging on the belt, trying to make the two ends connect. “It just doesn’t seem to work……it won’t reach……”

“Go ahead, Blue. We’ll have it buckled by the time you’re ready to leave the parking lot.” He leaned over and brushed Brenda’s hand as he took the seatbelt from her. That’s when he noticed it. His training as a police officer was far too ingrained for him not to. She was trembling.

Jax straightened back up next to her and stared out his own window, trying not to let Brenda see that he had noticed her nervousness. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t seem to shake his curiosity. {What gives? Does she remember what happened, and know that the Slasher might be stalking her this minute? But then why wouldn’t she tell us what the guy looks like? Or is it just my own animal magnetism getting to her?}

Jax stifled his vanity as he looked back over at Brenda again. Blue had questioned her once since they left the hospital about which turn to take at an intersection, but other than that, she had been subdued. To his surprise, he noticed that instead of the situation getting better, her hands were now visibly shaking. {Why the bloody h*ll is she so nervous? Is it because she’s uncomfortable riding in a squad car? Could she ……. Cripes, Jax, you’re letting your imagination get carried away with you. She couldn’t possibly be connected to some kind of illegal operations…..}

While Jax was pondering Brenda’s nervous state, she was inwardly trying her hardest to dispel that same anxiety. {OK, you’re on your way home now, Brenda. You don’t have your own car, but as long as this one gets you there, who cares? It’s not far now – just a few more turns and you’ll be there. Just think how wonderful it’ll be – you can take a hot shower, and change into your favorite sweater and leggings, and then make yourself a nice grilled cheese sandwich. Maybe you could even celebrate and open that bottle of wine you’ve been saving. Celebrate your freedom – from ever having to leave your house again.}

After a few more terse conversations, Brenda finally leaned forward. “That’s it – up ahead, on the right. The big old brownstone with the straw wreath on the front door.”

Blue slowly brought the squad car to a stop in front of Brenda’s home. She put the car in “park” and turned to the back seat. “You must enjoy country décor. The stone bunnies in front are a nice touch.”

{Awwww, geez…….stone bunnies and enough straw wreaths for an entire funeral home full of stiffs. I sure hope this gal remembers the Slasher’s face quick cause I don’t know how long I’d last with all that girlie stuff if I had to stay with her…..}

Jax fought his rising nausea. “Why don’t I take Miss Barrett inside while you go to the impound lot and see what’s up with her car?” he said to Blue. “Then you can swing back around and we’ll head back on down to headquarters.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Blue replied. She stifled her grin at Jax’s plan, knowing full well that he probably wanted to be alone with her so he could do some gentle – or not so gentle -- prodding of her memory. Blue smiled as Jax jumped out of his side of the squad car and ran around to help Brenda out of hers. “I’ll see you later, Brenda,” Blue waved. “Nice meeting you.”

“You too, Blue,” Brenda countered. The words were barely out of her mouth when Blue gunned the motor and the car took off down the street. “She was sure in a hurry.” Brenda turned to Jax with a question in her eyes. “Do you think she got an emergency call?”

“No, I think she just develops a fondness for the brake pedal when *I’m* in the car,” he replied sarcastically. He held out a hand towards her front door. “Shall we?”

“Most definitely!” Brenda was off like a shot, up the front steps, and had the door unlocked before Jax could even blink. Her entire body seemed to wilt as the tension left her once she was inside the door. Closing the door behind him, Jax threw the dead bolt and peeped through the curtains – force of habit, to make sure no strange cars had followed them. He was relieved when the street was deserted.

“Well, I really appreciate your giving me a ride home, Lieutenant Jacks,” Brenda said tentatively. She glanced up the long staircase that dominated the entry hall of the brownstone. “But I’m dying for a hot shower and some tea……”

Jax ignored her not-so-subtle invitation to leave. He pushed past her and looked into the living room. “This is an awfully big old house……you live here alone?”

“Yes.” Brenda sighed and led him into the living room and connected dining room. Obviously he had no plans to leave soon, so her grilled cheese celebration would just have to wait. “I know that quite a few of these old buildings have been renovated into smaller apartments, but I’ve just never had the time or inclination to do that.”

{So that means there’s no permanent boyfriend on the premises, either.} Jax silently filed away the tidbit of information and went towards the dining room. “Kitchen’s that way?” he asked, pointing towards the back of the house.

“Yes,” Brenda replied. “My bedroom and several guest rooms are upstairs. Actually, there are quite a few extra bedrooms, but I just closed them off until I can get a chance to decorate them…..”

Jax put his hands on his hips and looked towards the staircase. “Why don’t you go ahead and shower, then, and I’ll put on the pot for some tea?” He saw Brenda’s shocked look and tried to give her a reassuring smile. “I think I can manage to boil water without burning down your house, Miss Barrett.”

{Why is he staying? He knows I can’t remember that guy’s face, so why doesn’t he just leave? Although…….I have to admit, he’s certainly not hard on the eyes. And it does kinda feel nice having someone so concerned about me….} Brenda put on a bright smile. “That sounds like a plan, Lieutenant. The teapot’s on the stove. I shouldn’t be long.”

She turned and was heading for the staircase when she heard Jax’s footsteps behind her. Brenda stopped so abruptly that Jax almost ran into her backside. “I thought you were going to make the tea,” she said, not doing a very good job of hiding her wary confusion.

“I am, but I wanted to come upstairs with you first to make sure everything’s secure.” {Don’t spring it on her yet, Jax. She still seems a little shaky. Wait till she’s had her shower and tea to tell her that she might be the Slasher’s next victim.} “You know, this IS a really big house for a single woman, and it’s not exactly in the best of neighborhoods.”

“Spoken like a true blue policeman, Lieutenant.” Brenda smiled and nodded the OK for Jax to follow her. Her hand rested lightly on the banister as they climbed the stairs and Jax noticed it wasn’t shaking anymore. “My father was against me buying this old monstrosity for the same reasons, but I just couldn’t resist it.”

“Your father…..being Harlan Barrett?” They stopped outside the first door on the right at the top of the stairway.

“You recognized the name?”

“My superior did. He wondered if there was a connection.”

“I *am* Harlan Barrett’s daughter but I have nothing to do with Barrett Industries.” Brenda turned the doorknob to open the door to her bedroom. “I have my own antique business that I run from my home via the Internet.”

“Looks like you’ve kept some of the goodies for yourself over the years.” Jax nodded towards Brenda’s bedroom, which was now visible through the open door. It was a study in shades of light beige and off-white. A large blonde four-poster bed dominated the room with filmy ecru curtains draped over the canopy frame. Sprays of winter white dried flowers sprouted from tall pottery vases that sat on the floor. An explosion of pillows decorated the bed, and Jax suddenly had the disturbing thought of how Brenda would look reclining against those pillows with her dark hair flowing down her back. {This is a room you could stay in for days and never miss the outside world…..a bed that’s made for more than just sleeping…..for cuddling, and petting, and…..}

Jax snapped out of his reverie when Brenda tapped him on the arm. “Uh…..Lieutenant? Were you going to make that tea?”

“Oh, the tea….right!” Jax fought the blush that crept up his neck towards his cheeks. He pointed towards the hallway. “I’ll go do that and have it ready by the time you’re finished!”

Brenda smiled and nodded as she closed the door behind him. Jax was about to take a quick inventory of the other upstairs rooms when he heard the unexpected “click” of Brenda locking her bedroom door. {That’s good. She’s cautious. It’s nothing personal……} He shook his head to clear it and after doing a fast reconnaissance of the other four bedrooms on the floor, he hopped down the stairs and went towards the kitchen to complete his mission.

About 20 minutes later, Brenda appeared at the kitchen doorway. “Well, none of the smoke alarms are going off so I assume it’s a safe bet to let you boil water, Lieutenant.”

Water wasn’t the only thing boiling when Jax turned to see Brenda. Her hair was a riot of unruly curls around her face. It appeared that she had only run her fingers through it after the shower and was allowing it to air-dry. She had changed into an oversized loosely-woven tan sweater with a large cowl neck that threatened to swallow her head any minute. The sleeves hung past her wrists, but as he watched her reach for a tin of teabags, she pushed them up repeatedly so they didn’t hinder her movements. The sweater hung down to her mid-thighs, and her legs were encased in some tight black fabric that seemed to fit like a second skin.

“Would you like some tea, Lieutenant?” Brenda asked innocently. “I mean, I wasn’t sure when Blue was coming back for you…..”

“Tea would be nice, Miss Barrett.” Jax slid into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. {Might as well get it over with. The sooner we can get an APB out on the Slasher, the sooner he’ll be off the streets and not threatening you.} “I…..uh……I haven’t heard from Blue yet, and I really needed to speak to you again about the man who tried to carjack you yesterday.”

“I had a feeling that was why you were being so…….domestic.” Brenda offered Jax a small tin containing various types of teabags. After he selected one quickly, she took out one for herself and then capped the tin. “But I already told you at the hospital that I don’t remember anything about what the man looked like.”

As Brenda went to the stove to get the teapot, Jax shrugged off his leather jacket. He allowed it to droop over the back of his chair lazily. “I know that, Miss Barrett, but it’s very important that you try to remember him. Dr. Jones thought that perhaps once you were in familiar surroundings, you might be able to recall more about him.” When Brenda turned back towards the table, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Jax’s shoulder holster hugging his broad shoulders. Jax followed her eyes and realized what was causing her alarm. “I’m sorry – I’ve been wearing this for so long, it gets to be like a body part for me. Does this bother you?” he asked quietly, his hand going to the butt of the Magnum.

“No – it’s alright.” To Brenda, the gun was only a reminder of why she hated the outside world so much. Here, in her beloved brownstone with her antiques and her privacy, there was no violence. There was no need for pistols – no carjackers – no concussions. She walked over towards the table slowly. “Exactly why is this particular carjacker so important, Lieutenant? Why are you so anxious for me to remember what he looks like?”

Jax cleared his throat awkwardly as Brenda poured the steaming water into the dainty cup she had set before Jax. “Miss Barrett, have you ever heard of the Dockside Slasher?”

“Are you kidding, Lieutenant?” She poured her own hot water and then went to put the teapot back on the stove. “Living in this neighborhood, it’s almost impossible NOT to know about that particular scourge on society.” Her eyes suddenly widened and she gripped the back of her chair as she remained standing next to it. “Why do you ask?”

Jax motioned with his hand that she should take her seat and when she did, he spoke slowly and deliberately. “Miss Barrett, we have every reason to believe that the man who tried to carjack you yesterday was the Dockside Slasher.” She gasped softly and covered her lips with her fingers. “He had attempted to attack a woman not far from there, but she was able to fight him off. The description she gave of the Slasher’s truck matched the description of the truck your carjacker was driving.”

“And you think he was going to attack me, too?” Brenda was quiet, but didn’t seem too frightened and certainly not tearful.

“No, probably not.” Jax smiled weakly. “It would have been very uncharacteristic of him to have attacked you with so many witnesses. He was probably only interested in your car since he knew we were hot on his tail.”

“But now that you mention it, I *do* remember that he had a knife…..a big one, in fact……”

“…..which I became intimated acquainted with,” Jax joked quietly. He rubbed his left shoulder. “He threw it at me when I threatened to shoot him if he didn’t freeze on the spot.” His face lost its smile and he leaned forward seriously. “Miss Barrett, as you’re aware, none of the Slasher’s victims have survived. The woman yesterday wasn’t able to help us because he was wearing a ski mask when he attacked her.”

Brenda’s face grew pale. “But I pulled the ski mask off……”

“That’s right. And you got a good look at his face.”

Brenda rose from her chair and went to the kitchen sink, folding her arms across her chest defensively. “But I told you that I don’t remember anything about what he looked like, Lieutenant.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. Would this nightmare never end? “It’s all just a blur…..”

Jax rose and went to stand in front of her, taking her hands in his. “Dr. Jones said that it might just take some time, Miss Barrett. Maybe if you try, more of it might come back to you…..”

The tears finally started to gather in Brenda’s eyes at Jax’s words. Just as she inhaled to say something to him, his beeper gave off a shrill tone, causing her to jump slightly. “That’s just my pager,” he said softly, holding her hands and squeezing them to reassure her. “Can I use a phone?”

Brenda tipped her head to the right. “Over there, on the wall.”

“Thanks.” Jax squeezed her hands one more time and then went to the phone and punched in a series of numbers. As he was speaking into the receiver in hushed tones, Brenda walked back to the table and sank into her chair. {How could this all be happening?} She grimaced at the irony. {It just shows you made the right decision yesterday, Brenda. If you just hadn’t gone to see Gail, none of this would have happened. You wouldn’t have gotten into that traffic jam, or seen that awful Slasher’s face – even if you can’t remember it…..} The “click” when Jax hung up the receiver caused Brenda to glance over her shoulder. Jax’s shoulder muscles flexed beneath the shoulder holster as he rubbed the back of his neck where a tension headache was starting. Brenda chewed on her lower lip as something inside of her tingled at the sight. {But then again, if it hadn’t been for the Slasher, you might have never met the handsome, dashing Lieutenant Jacks…..}

He turned back to her and put his hands on his hips. “That was Blue. Your car wasn’t at the impound lot anymore. They took one look at the damage after I called and identified it and shipped it to the dealership for repairs.” He slowly returned to the table. “I’m sorry that you still won’t have a set of wheels, but I can make some arrangements for a rental until your car is running again.” He shrugged. “It’s the least I can do, considering everything that’s happened.”

Brenda shook her head and stared down into her tea. “That really won’t be necessary, Lieutenant. You see, I won’t be needing a car for some time……”

She was about to tell him of her decision never to leave the brownstone again when Jax interrupted her. “That’s right, you won’t need your car.” He reached down and picked up his leather jacket to slip an arm into one sleeve. “Blue is on her way back here to pick us up.”

“Us?” Brenda tried to fight the terror that clawed its way up her chest. “Don’t you mean she’s coming back to pick YOU up?”

Jax was shrugging his jacket on, totally oblivious to Brenda’s oncoming panic attack. “No, I mean US.” He took a sip of tea and then carried the cup over to the sink to rinse it out. “Blue suggested that you might come downtown with us and look through some mug shots – it might jog your memory a little.” Jax chuckled and stared down at his feet. “As much as I hate to admit it, the woman’s a genius sometimes.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Lieutenant.” Brenda tried to keep her voice from sounding as desperate as she felt.

Jax suddenly looked up at her and then around the kitchen. “Oh, you mean because you haven’t had anything to eat yet.” He shrugged and then walked back to plop himself down on his chair again. “That’s OK. Blue had a stop to make along the way, so you’ve probably got time to fix yourself a sandwich before she gets here. Or we could even pick something up along the way and you could eat it at the station while you……”

“NO, LIEUTENANT!!” Brenda’s shrill shriek caused Jax to jump, something he rarely allowed to happen. She put her hand on her chest to calm herself a little, ashamed at her outburst. “I’m sorry, but you don’t understand. I can’t go with you to the station this afternoon, either.”

Jax frowned. “But I thought you didn’t have anything to do today……you didn’t mention any appointments……”

Brenda sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chair. “I’m going to say this very slowly, Lieutenant, but only once, so please pay attention. I’m not going to the station to look at your mug shots today, or tomorrow, or EVER.” She took a shaky breath. “I made a decision yesterday, and I’m going to stick to it if it’s the last thing I ever do.” Finally Brenda raised eyes filled with tears to meet Jax’s. “I’m never leaving this house again – EVER.”

To be continued……