Castleton Police Department

  Operations Staging Area

  Sergeant Emerson is the first person to greet Deputy Newsome as he and Detective Mackey enter the operations room. She strolls in their direction, eyes riveted to the large deputy's face. Dave shifts his gaze anywhere but at the grinning sergeant.

  "Hello, James....Dave," Phyllis says between a genuine laugh. "I hear the mayor has finally managed to wriggle out of his security detail. Imagine that. A man willing to risk his neck for a bounce in the hay. Or was it a splash in the hot tub? I forget. But then again, Molly is quite a stunner. From what I hear...Mayor Gunther isn't the only person who thinks so either."

  "Oh really?" Dave says, his ears perking up.

  "Yeah...Really," Phyllis replies, her raspy voice dropping and her eyes narrowing.

  Dave refrains from saying anything further, sensing there is an undercurrent of unspoken desire behind the sergeant's last statement. Much has changed since their first meeting more than two years ago. He has felt it for a long time. However, his relationship with Detective Patterson seems to have emboldened the sergeant--her flirtations becoming more and more overt. Perhaps, marrying Octavia is the right idea. Maybe the thirsting sergeant will finally slow her row.

  "Yeah, we know all of that," Detective Mackey says, coming to Dave's rescue. "We just choose to keep it under our hats, so to speak. If you know what I mean, Sergeant Emerson? It's rumors and speculation which allowed the mayor to get out of the police detail. What did he call it? A loss of professionalism. Molly was able to claim we were doing more harm than good. Any information obtained during the course of an investigation should remain within the department. I'm surprised that so many officers aren't familiar with that fact. Loose lips is how we blow cases. Now, if you'll excuse us, Sergeant...We have reports to fill out. Thank you."

  Detective Mackey nods politely and motions for Dave to follow him to his desk. Dave offers Sergeant Emerson a polite chin cant before turning to walk behind James. Once at Mackey's desk, Dave spins his chair around and straddles it. He stares over the upholstered back of the chair at his colleague, as the younger man neatly arranges paperwork on his desk.

  "You know that's not entirely what happened...Don't you, Mack?" Dave whispers. "None of our people squealed. Molly's sleeping around is pretty much common knowledge. The only man within fifty miles who seems to have no clue is Simon Gunther."

  "I know. I was simply offering food for thought," Mackey says. "From now on...Maybe...They'll think twice before letting a piece of important information slip from the tip of their tongue. Especially, Emerson. Besides...I was saving your ass, Dave."

  "Saving my ass? From what?" Dave exclaims, almost too loudly.

  The deputy glances around to see if anyone has observed his impromptu crashout. When Dave is confident that no one is paying him any attention, he leans over the desk. Fixing a fierce glare on Detective Mackey, Dave repeats his question.

  "Saving my ass from what?"

  "Oh, don't play ignorant," James laughs, grabbing a new report form from his three-tiered basket. "I was saving you from the 'Emerson Eyes of Doom'. That woman has the hots for you, Dave. She has since Day One. Women act crazy when they think a man is slipping out of their grasp. She's hoping to sow a few seeds. You know...In case, you and Octavia break up. She's letting you know she'll always be available. In case you ever need a healthy dose of creature comforts."

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "How can you know that?" Dave hisses in protest. "She's never told me anything of the kind."

  "She doesn't have to," James retorts. "It's in her body language. And in her eyes. She doesn't just look at you, Dave. Her eyes are constantly roving all over your entire face. Especially, your mouth. She wants you bad. Believe me, I know. That's how I felt about Madison. That's how I still feel about Madison. Every moment I spent outside of her house, during Aquarius' killing spree, was like extreme torture. The night she tried to seduce me...The only thing that kept me from ripping that damned robe off of her beautiful body was my duty. Not to the job...But to her. I owed it to Madison not to give in to my baser instincts. Strong emotions can often muddy up the mind. I needed to stay as clearheaded as possible...If I was going to track Aquarius down....And kill him. I never had any doubt it would come to that. For Madison's sake, I said no. But the war in my mind was very real. I wanted her more than I wanted breath. I see the same look in Sergeant Emerson's eyes. I don't want Octavia to get hurt, Dave. That's why I'm telling you this. If you don't want the sergeant's attentions, you're going to have to shut them down. Not harshly, but effectively. She won't stop pursuing you...Even covertly...Until you do."

  "You're talking out of your ass....Again," Dave growls.

  "Am I, Dave? We'll see," Mackey says, lowering his head and beginning to fill out a report form.

  "I hope you are," Dave finally responds. "I like the idea of being desired. But like you said, I don't want to hurt Octavia. She's the best thing in my life right now. Me and Emerson got off on the wrong foot. I never thought she'd develop a...Well. I never thought she'd suddenly have a thing for me. It's odd."

  "Feelings are odd. People are odd. The flu is odd. What isn't odd...Is how we react to those things and feelings. You say you don't want to hurt Octavia. And I believe you. So you have to make a decision, Dave. Hurt little Phyllis Emerson's feelings. Or risk another dramatic split from a woman you love. Emerson's behavior has ticked up a notch or two recently. She's betting on being a rebounder any day now. Something has changed. The change is either in you...Or Emerson's perceived status of your current relationship. Nip it in the bud, Buddy. Trust me. Do it now."

  Dave scoffs and sits up straight in his chair. Hearing his former thoughts come out of the younger man's mouth causes frustration to build up within the senior deputy. He crosses both arms over his wide chest and glares across the desk at Detective Mackey.

  "Wow. Aren't we the sage voice of reason today, Mack?"

  "Always have been, Dave. You just like to talk over me."

  "Voice of reason, my ass. And since when do I ever talk over you? Name me even one time."

  James peers across the desk at Dave, blinking slowly. Dave grunts and rolls his eyes ceilingward.

  "What other cases you working on, Mack?"

  "Nothing as interesting as Molly Gunther's checkered past," Mackey says, taking a black pen from the metal cup on his desk.

  The introspective detective tosses the spent pen in his opposite hand in the trash. He taps the lid of the new pen against his upper lip, eyes narrowing. James speaks without looking up.

  "Dave...Did you notice anything weird about Max today?"

  "Weird? Define weird, Mack," Dave replies, stretching noisily. "The guy's always been a little off to me. But...I've only known him for two weeks. Not a whole lot of time to get to know a guy."

  "Did it strike you as odd...That Molly would ask him...And not her dear old husband...To put her bags in her room? Not to mention, she told Max exactly where to set that one particular bag. Outside of her bathroom...On the table. Rather...Questionable, don't you think? If not a little personal."

  "So what, Mack? Maxwell works in the home," Dave retorts. "I'm sure he knows where just about everything is."

  "It's not just that. Maxwell is a groundskeeper. His primary job is to maintain the exterior and structure of the home, Dave. For Max to have intimate details of his madam's bedroom...Is sketchy at best. Her manner was too casual. Molly knew we'd be leaving with the mayor. She was inviting Max for a dip in her...Well. I think you can see what I'm getting at, Dave."

  "Yeah. I mean...Yeah. Now that I think about it...That is weird. Asking Max into her bedroom mere moments after we revealed the good mayor would be gone for a couple of hours. And in front of her husband? Wow. A rather bold move."

  "We're talking about Molly Gunther, Dave. Adult entertainer turned housewife. Some things never change," James says with a smirk.

  Dave simply blows air out of his pursed lips and nods.