{Still for Ann. Still a Work in Progress and always subject to be altered, edited and added onto.}
Jennifer dropped her belongings on the floor at the foot of her bed, left her boots and clothes on her back in the same pile and dropped onto the bed.
"Thank you God, for Best Westerns on every highway and Preferred Membership Status." She had spotted the hotel on her way into Haven, midway between Haven itself and Derry. A hotel like Duke had suggested with no entry to the rooms from the outside and like most Best Westerns open even late. Since she had their rewards program and their app on her phone she'd been able to call them before she had even left the pier and now half an hour later was ready to enjoy the comforts of familiar hospitality.
Despite being exhausted, she couldn't sleep. Probably because she'd been sleeping in Duke's bed. The thought made her shiver a little as she recalled the scent of him on his pillow that had warmed her from the inside out when she had been there and the insinuation he had left her with earlier of having him there for company. Maybe she could, if he wasn't leaving tomorrow evening. Maybe she would if she even knew how to proposition a guy like that. She felt over heated and uncomfortable at the very idea of asking or inviting him for that. There was no way she could make a smooth or successful attempt.
Restless and a little hungry since she hadn't finished her dinner, Jennifer reached down and dug through her pile of belongings until she found the candy sack she'd grabbed off Duke's counter. It was oddly heavy but she figured that her pocket book would make up the weight. But when a silver box toppled out of the sack upturned on her bed and emeralds scattered out, she couldn't help but begin to smile.
"Oh, Mr. Crocker. I do think you'll be helping me out quite a bit more than you intended."
She stretched back the other way across the bed and called the front desk. "Do you have a safe, by any chance? You do? Great! Can I bring something down? Okay, thanks. I'll be down in a few minutes."
Jennifer put the emeralds back into the antique silver box and placed it all back into the sack from the candy shop and after redressing went down to the lobby to check the package into the hotel safe. She was so giddy she had to work hard to restrain herself from hugging the clerk. She also bought a couple of Advil PM tabs so she could go to sleep and practically skipped back to her room where she took the pills and a long hot shower before tumbling into bed.
Duke paced restlessly, drank straight from the bottle and swore virulently. "Crocker, you shit for brains! You should have kissed her. Kissed her and a lot more. Then SHE would still fucking be here and so would the goddamn emeralds and I wouldn't have to.... What the ever living fuck am I supposed to do now?"
Even as he asked it aloud he knew the answer. He'd have to be ready to bargain tomorrow morning when they met for breakfast again and he knew just exactly what she would be wanting too.
Jennifer would have liked to have strutted in flush with victory at breakfast in the morning but while going through the sparse remnants of her clothing she had finally discovered that she had no underwear - at all. Either it was part of the destroyed portion that Duke had mentioned or he hadn't bothered to pick any up. Or maybe he hadn't wanted to handle her intimates. Either way, she was uncomfortably conscious of how her jeans were fitting and how cool the morning was and how she couldn't jog up the few steps onto the deck of the Grey Gull without a little discomfort and the embarrassing awareness of how her breasts bounced under her top.
Duke watched her arrive from his seat at the bar, admiring the effect that going braless had on her and biting his tongue so that when she saw him, she didn't see his smile. There was a chance, however slight, that she had no idea what she had of his and would therefore be willing to make a simple return of his goods.
"I see you lived through the night."
"Yes. And I found that decent hotel you were so worried about."
"I'm glad."
She hung her bag on the back of the seat, tantalizingly close to him, and he wondered if she was foolish enough to have brought the box and the emeralds with her. When she lifted herself onto the seat she squirmed for a moment and when he realized why he almost choked on his coffee. When he imagined what she wasn't wearing underneath those skinny jeans and that blouse he immediately imagined clearing off the bar and laying her back across it, pushing the blouse up and dragging the pants down, setting his mouth to her...
"....private."
"Um, what?"
"I said, we should go somewhere private. To talk."
So much for a simple return of his goods.
"Alright." He stood with his coffee and called to the barista, who frowned when he saw Jennifer. Duke noted it but dismissed it for now. "My breakfast companion and I would like a more private spot if you can point us out to one." The barista narrowed his eyes slightly but nodded and pointed toward a corner table over Duke's shoulder. Turning to inspect the spot Duke approved of its privacy and glanced toward Jennifer to see if it also met her approval. She nodded also and turned to the barista to place her order for breakfast.
Before she could the barista asked her, "get much research done yesterday?"
There was nothing wrong with the question itself. Something in his tone, in his too direct stare made her feel uncomfortable.
"I got a little done, thanks. Can I get the fruit and yogurt bowl with a croissant and coffee with sugar and cream please?"
He nodded, "I'll bring it to your table over there."
When Jennifer took her seat across from Duke she decided that it would be best to just come right out with it.
"They're locked up in the safe at the hotel." She spoke softly, just above a whisper.
Duke only nodded in acknowledgement.
"I promise, I didn't mean to take them when I left last night."
"And now that you have them?"
He watched the change come over her as she prepared for her next move. Her lips tightened and her brow furrowed. She clasped her hands on the table so tight that her knuckles turned white.
"I believe it's called leverage. You want them back and I want your help."
Duke sighed. "Did it ever occur to you that you could just be getting yourself into even more trouble playing a game like this? If I've got someone expecting those goodies you have locked away, what do you think would happen if I pointed them in your direction?"
"They'd have to take it up with Steve, the safe guy at the Best Western."
Duke closed his eyes and rubbed his brow and Jennifer rushed on. "I thought about the risks, I did. And Audrey is worth it." He looked highly skeptical. "Isn't there anyone you would risk that much for?"
"No. And if your sister is so great, why would she send you her journal, knowing that it would lure you into whatever kind of trouble she got herself into?"
"I - I don't know.... And I don't care."
Duke gave up and gave in. "Alright, I'll help you - today. I wasn't kidding about leaving tonight. And I'm going to need that package of mine when I do - no dicking me around, you got that?"
"Yeah. I got it. Thank you."
"Don't thank me, Sweetheart. You got lucky when you grabbed that bag and I was too... And I didn't catch you. Accident or not, you won't get that lucky with me again. Are we clear?"
"Yes." She couldn't quite contain her elation but she did at least have the grace to look appropriately chastised.
"What is it that you think I can do for you?"
"I need help getting in upstairs," she whispered, leaning across the table. "I mean, I could get in, but it's too risky that I would be seen or get caught. I need someone to be a look out."
"Isn't it locked?"
"Um, I have a lock pick set."
That explained the church. His surprise was evident and Jennifer rushed to explain. "Audrey gave me one."
He grimaced. "So your sister gave you almost everything you need to get into trouble."
"Well, what would you do in her position?"
"Sweetheart, I can tell you if you were mine..."
"If I was yours? Your what?"
"My anything! If you were my sister, my girlfriend, whatever... I'd HIDE you from whatever trouble I got myself into, not give you a map and key into it!"
"You don't think I could do this?"
"It's not about what I think you could do, it's about protecting you."
"Well, you said yourself you don't have anyone, and Audrey is all I have left; so I don't know how I could make you understand."
"At this point, I don't really need to, do I? You just need to understand that my assistance is for today only." Duke did his best to menace her. "And, Sweetheart, all I need is something of equal worth to those emeralds to trade, if that's going to be you..."
She rolled her eyes. "I get it."
"I don't think you do --"
Duke cut himself off when he saw the barista approach with Jennifer's breakfast. When he left, Jennifer continued.
"I doubt I'm worth all of those to whoever trades in that kind of thing." She smiled saucily at him. "Maybe they would want to take you too. Then you'd really be stuck with me."
Duke allowed himself to catch her humor and chuckled soundlessly. "Alright, forget about that for now. When do you want to do this?" He flicked his eyes upwards toward the apartment upstairs.
Jennifer looked around. "No time like the present? I figure we'd look less suspicious acting in the light of day than if we tried to sneak in at night. Which wouldn't work for you and whoever wants your stones, anyway."
He was starting to admire her brass.
"Okay, when you're finished with breakfast there. We can head outside and..."
"Enjoy the view."
"Right."
Ten minutes later, Duke was pretending to lean casually against the corner of the apartment loft as he kept an eye and ear out for any unwanted joiners. He kept glancing back to her, admiring the curve of her ass and enjoying the thought of her going commando underneath.
"So where did you learn to do this?"
Jennifer presumed he meant pick locks and answered accordingly, "On the fly. I practiced at home a little before coming here, but I didn't take a class. Audrey sent this kit to me. And no, I don't think it's standard FBI issue, I'm pretty sure this is hers."
"So did you actually break into that church yesterday?"
She smiled over her shoulder at him. "Yeah, I did."
"Why did you want in there?"
"Um..."
"Come on, you want my help so I gotta know what I'm working with here. Otherwise it's just the blind leading the blind."
"Audrey references a lot of mysterious deaths. And the late Reverend Driscoll seems to have been involved. By the way, it was Audrey who shot him. Anyway, there was a list there of people who were friends with Lucy, the woman who is most likely Audrey's birth mom, and they all died within weeks of each other under some shady circumstances. I don't know if those guys were so pissed because I broke in or if it was because I swiped that list and a picture of Lucy. Who, by the way, does look a lot like Audrey."
"Let me guess, no police investigation in those either?"
"Right."
"This looks more and more dangerous all the time."
She sighed. "I don't mean to be rude but since I'm not really experienced at this I kinda need my concentration, okay?" She wondered what he would say when or if she told him that they had photos of herself as well.
Duke rolled his eyes, took a glance around, and walked up behind her. She spun around when he tapped her hip and from his close proximity he got a rewarding view down her blouse. A view he didn't bother to pretend he wasn't enjoying.
When he raised his eyes back to hers he enjoyed the hot blush on her cheeks and the look of feminine outrage on her face as well.
"Beautiful, just beautiful," he enthused around a smile.
Jennifer tried to stay angry but Duke's unabashed admiration was satisfying in light of her own attraction to him. Though she still cut off his view by pulling her jacket close. That only caused him to smile wider and laugh softly as he took the tools from her hand and turned to the door. She didn't know who heard the telltale footfall first; her or Duke, but his entire demeanor changed in a second and the next thing she knew he had her in his arms, her back pressed against the door and his mouth slanted over hers.
It made sense, she mused to herself, even as her breath caught and Duke took advantage of her attempt to draw breath through her mouth by pressing deeper into the kiss and when she felt his tongue brush against hers she curled her fingers against his shoulders and sucked on that tongue until she heard his answering growl and felt his hand at her breast.
"What are you two doing up here?" It was the barista from downstairs and he sounded angry.
Duke pulled back without letting her go. In fact, he drew her nearer, fairly tucking her into his jacket as he turned to look over his shoulder at the intruder.
"What does it look like?"
"Maybe you should get a room."
Jennifer couldn't stop herself from giggling at Duke's response. "I don't suppose you have a key to this one?"
"No. That one is under lease. You're basically on someone's front porch. Now, get out of here."
"Alright. Fine. Don't get your knickers in a twist." Duke kept his arm around Jennifer as he turned, ushering her along with him and keeping himself between her and the angry barista. Sweeping his glance over the other man he could see part of a tattoo on his left forearm, but not enough of it to discern anything. He heard Jennifer gasp as they walked by and a glance at her confirmed that she had done her own survey and had recognized something. "Come on, Sweetheart, let's get going. Don't want to get kicked out of our favorite breakfast spot here."
He fast walked her all the way to her car and got in with her.
"What did you see?"
"Where's your car?"
They asked their questions at the same time and smiled at each other.
"Did you see his tattoo?" She asked him.
"I saw part of it."
She leaned across him to the glove compartment and opened it to withdraw the photographs from the church that she had put in there. She tried to keep the ones of her hidden but her position was awkward and her grasp on them not secure enough and the photographs scattered around his feet. With a hand on her shoulder he lifted her gently back toward her side and picked up the pictures for her. While he certainly saw them, he didn't at first mention the ones of her, addressing first the one of Lucy instead.
"This is Lucy? The woman who may be Audrey's birth mother?"
"Yes. But that's not the one I wanted to show you."
He nodded but continued to hold the rest of the photos while he studied the one of Lucy for a moment longer.
"She is almost a ringer for your sister. Her hair is darker and she looks a little... rangier than your Audrey. But I could definitely see why Audrey would want to track her down." He took the unnecessary action of showing her the two pictures of herself. "They saw you coming all the way from Boston. I hope you're taking this seriously."
"I am. It's the biggest reason I need your help. I know I'm out of my league but..."
"I get it. It's your sister." He looked through some of the other pictures until he found the one she had planned on showing him. Since it was a picture of three men all wearing the same tattoo on their left forearms he was able to recognize what it was she had seen.
"Well, at least they're all wearing the same tag, should make it easy," he remarked after studying the strange labyrinth tattoo with four people standing at four different entrances.
"Easy to do what? Did you hear the barista ask me if I got any research done yesterday? There's nothing wrong with that question on the surface but the way he asked it was creepy. EVERYTHING about that guy is creepy. Especially with his suggestion that I have a will."
"Yeah. I didn't hear him this morning, but I heard him yesterday, thought it was very weird."
"Creepy," she insisted.
"Yes. Creepy. Especially considering this guy was obviously able to make you the second you walked in that door. He knows you're Audrey's sister and what you were really trying to do up there."
"Which means an after dark visit."
"I think it means you really should think long and hard about what you're doing here."
Jennifer held her exasperation to herself as she pressed the start button on the car. Duke picked up on it anyway.
"I know, broken record at this point. So what's next?"
"Where's your car?"
Duke pointed to his skiff tied to the dock at the restaurant.
"Oh." She giggled a little. "Wow, what all can you import with that thing?"
He laughed with her. "You'd be surprised. My ship is at the pier. When I can't use that I have a bike I can get around on. It's actually still downtown."
"Well, I'm headed that way. Turns out I need to do some shopping along with my sight seeing up here, I'll give you a lift."
"Need help shopping? Trying stuff on?" She was shaking her head as she maneuvered out of the parking lot but she was also grinning. "You sure? I am quite the connoisseur of ladies' clothing. Especially lingerie. If you're interested in wearing any lingerie that is..."
This time she took a mild swipe at his arm.
"You could have told me last night... Did they ruin it all or did you just not..."
"They ruined it. Which is a pretty direct threat when you think about it."
"Or just more weirdness. But I'm thinking they have some serious misogynistic issues. Quite a number of the people on that list I mentioned are women. If I was a man, they would probably try a more direct approach than threatening my underwear."
"I don't know if that would be preferable."
She only shrugged in response to that before filling him in on the rest of her plans. "After shopping I'm going to the Haven Herald office - the local newspaper. The owners are mentioned several times by Audrey and they seem to have something of a friendly relationship with her. You want to meet me there around 2:30? I might need some manly man masculine back up in there." Duke twitched a small smile in response. "After that, I promise, we'll go to my hotel and get your stuff."
"That's it? That's all you want from me?" She was making this too easy.
"Unless you want to stay long enough to play look out for me again at Audrey's loft."
"No. And you should stay away from there. Whoever these people are, they'll be watching it."
"I'll be careful. I promise. That place operates as a bar until about ten o'clock. I'm going to use the crowd for cover and get in then out."
He was silent in response and she glanced over to him, trying to read his expression. She couldn't tell for sure if he was concerned, unbelieving, or irritated with her, she didn't care either. A few seconds felt like several minutes and she began to feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny. "So then yes, that's it. Just meet at the newspaper office at 2:30 and after that you can follow me to my hotel out on the highway and I'll return your things to you."
"How long you plan on doing this?" His voice was soft and gentle enough to draw her glance to him again.
"Until I either can't gather any more information - in which case I WILL get everything over to someone at the FBI or until I find some clue or trace of what happened to her."
"Don't you have a job to go to?"
"Umm... Probably not anymore."
"So... Excuse me for the really personal question but how can you afford this venture?"
Jennifer sighed. "Trust fund." She cringed inwardly to prepare herself for the expected mocking she usually received, not looking over at him.
Duke watched her knuckles whiten on the steering wheel and the corners of her mouth tighten. She was probably accustomed to taking a lot of crap over that. But from what she had told him of her parents it wasn't surprising. He smiled and looked out his window, saying nothing to her in response.
"Did Audrey have one too?"
She nodded in response and glanced over at him again.
"What happens to it if she's....?"
"Dead? We are each other's beneficiary. So I would inherit it. Why?"
"Just wondering. Are you sure? Because it could be motive."
Jennifer shrugged. "I think if she'd met anyone who would take that place I would have read about it."
"I meant if someone starts to investigate this they would see it as motive for -"
"Me? Kill Audrey?! No way."
"I know you didn't do it. I'm just pointing out the way that investigations go."
"They can investigate me all they like. My life is an open book."
"Alright. Turn here. My bike is right up there."
Jennifer checked her watch. "So... Meet you at the Herald in a few hours?"
"It's a da- deal. It's a deal. I'll help you out there and then we'll go get my stones."
He stared at her a moment, considering the inclination to kiss her again. She stared back.
After a moment she blushed and blinked. "What?"
He smiled. "I was thinking of that kiss."
"Wh- Oh." She turned to look back out the windshield and blushed even deeper, her hand clenching the gearshift until her knuckles whitened. She looked embarrassed. She also looked pleased. He nodded at her and that made her look slightly puzzled before he took her hand and gently tugged her toward him. She leaned toward him smiling; and this time when he kissed her, he made it count. Releasing her hand to cup her face in both hands, he indulged in the softness of her mouth before brushing his tongue against her lower lip. When she opened for him he still took his time, memorizing the silk of her lip, the velvet of her tongue and the sweet flavor of her mixed with the berries in her morning bowl of fruit. He heard her soft moan and forced himself to back away.
"I like the way you think, Duke Crocker," she murmured, surprising herself almost as much as him.
He nodded with a smile and opened his door. "I'll bring coffee this afternoon?"
"Perfect."
Duke got out of the car and smiled at her over his shoulder as he went to collect his bike and the other half of the emeralds.
Jennifer drove onto the shopping district downtown and was able to replenish her wardrobe and lingerie at a shop called McGuinness'. She took her time there and made an effort to not wonder what Duke would like or think. When she was finished there, she noticed that she still had a little less than two hours left before meeting Duke at the Herald so she simply walked around in the downtown area, appreciating the scenic buildings and sights.
It was a few minutes before two thirty when she made it to the Herald office and feeling antsy she decided to go in without Duke. Collecting her photos of Lucy and Audrey she went in to see who she could talk to. She found two older men who, before they noticed her presence were in a heated argument about the quantity of lemon curd left and who should be responsible for buying the next jar.
"Um, excuse me?"
The effect of her interruption was immediate and interesting. Both men turned to look at her and they both looked too shocked for the situation. Which meant that somehow they recognized her. Both of them had their sleeves all the way down so there was no way for her to know if one or both sported the mysterious tattoo but she was willing to bet that at least one of them did. She reached into her bag and curled her fingers around her can of mace.
It was the smaller man, whose name plate said 'Dave,' that seemed to recover first and smiled brightly. "Welcome to the Herald! How can we help you?"
"I was wondering if I could look at some of your archives? I'm looking for information regarding these two women," Jennifer produced a photograph each of Lucy and Audrey and showed them, watching each man carefully for their reactions.
"Well, let me see," Dave reached for the photograph of Lucy but Jennifer stepped back even as she maintained her friendly smile.
"This one is Lucy. Lucy Ripley. The other one here is Audrey Mason. She may also go by Audrey Parker. Audrey is my sister though adoption."
"Well, I recognize the name Audrey Parker," the larger man, Vince chimed in and joined them at the front counter. "She was a police officer here for awhile. On loan from the FBI so to speak. She went back to them, didn't she?"
"No. Actually. She didn't. She seems to be missing." Jennifer watched them both get uncomfortable and charged on. "In fact, she seemed to know that something was going to happen because she sent me some.... letters where in she expressed her concern about certain events... Basically what I'd like to do is look at any articles of any cases she worked on. I'd also like to see the article associated with this photograph of Lucy and any others you might have for her."
The door behind her opened and she watched curiously as they both looked shocked at the newcomer. She turned to look, saw that it was Duke and wondered if they were surprised to get this much foot traffic or if they knew something about him. He did look like he was in a bad mood.
"Can we help you?" Dave asked. Vince had actually started to look both worried and angry that Duke was there and Jennifer wondered why.
Duke simply nodded toward her and she noticed he was carrying a drink tray with two coffees in it. "I'm with her." Setting the tray on the counter he handed one to her. "Raspberry mocha latte. Almond milk. Whipped cream. With cinnamon sprinkles on top."
She smiled and momentarily forgot the two older men. "You remembered."
Duke let himself feel warmed by her smile. "I don't think I could ever forget." He studied her for a moment and didn't hide his disappointment that not only had she shopped for lingerie, she'd found the time and place to put some on. "How are you making out here?"
"I actually just started." She turned her attention back to the two older men. "So, how about it? Can I see those articles?"
"Um. It will take us a little while to collect it all. Would you like to come back tomorrow?" Dave was much better at bluffing than his partner.
Duke watched her narrow her eyes at them. "Why don't you just see what you can find in the today time zone and I'll read that while you get the rest ready."
"Well, we can't let you leave with the materials."
"You can if they're photo copies, which would be fine."
"Alright," Vince gave in. "Why don't you have a seat over there and we'll get some of the more recent articles together for you. Those will be the easiest ones to find."
"I'll wait just outside, thank you. There's a bench out there we can sit on." She looked questioningly at Duke who nodded his acquiescence and opened the door for her before following her outside.
"Wow. They are up to something," he remarked when they were both seated on the bench.
"Yeah. And I'm dying to know if one or the both of them have that tattoo. You, however looked to be in a bad mood when you came in. What happened?"
He had no intention of telling her that there were more emeralds and that he would be staying later than planned."I thought we were going into the newspaper together."
"You're upset that I went in there without you? I call bullshit."
Duke grinned into his coffee cup. "Alright, fine. Some... business stuff didn't go the way I wanted. It happens sometimes."
Her curiosity was tinged with a calculative hope and he shook his head in response to the question she hadn't raised yet. "It doesn't change anything. And if the guys who run the newspaper are in on this whole conspiracy surrounding your sister, you should be the one changing your plans. If the press is working with the cops to cover shit up that's some serious and deep shit."
He was surprised when she actually seemed to agree.
"I'll see what they bring me and then I'll look into Audrey's loft tonight and see what I can find or collect. After that I'll go back to Boston and start trying to make what sense of it I can. I'll get copies to some friends of hers at the FBI that I know of. And I'll do my investigating from home - until or unless I find something that leads me back here to search for something more."
He looked away so that she wouldn't see how relieved he was at her concession. "Will you come back here?"
She frowned at her coffee cup for a moment. "I don't know. If I need to?" She took a drink and her eyes seemed to go far away again for a moment, and he wondered where. "It will take me a few days to go over what I've found and compare my own notes to Audrey's journal. I'll have to get all that information into sort of a cohesive chain of events and then see if there are any more missing pieces and if those would be something to come back here and find."
The door to the newspaper opened and Vince called them in.
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