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Darby
I leaned over and kissed Will again. Then, with my head on his shoulder, I told him how to get to the park.
If it weren’t for the headache lurking, I was sure I’d fall asleep, perfectly content.
“We’re here,” he murmured several moments after I’d given him the final direction.
I got out before Will could help me out, stretched, then pulled my jacket closer around me, my purse slung cross-body. The night made my bare legs cold. Oh well. The price of beauty, I suppose.
Will took my hand. We walked in the freshly cut grass. Even with fall coming in full throttle—unless snow fell early—the parks department would still be mowing for another month to six weeks.
We talked occasionally as we walked down to the pond. There, we sat on a bench and watched the reflection. He pulled me close, and occasionally, kissed me. I enjoyed every minute.
“This is nice,” Will said in all his southern charm.
“I’ve always loved this park.” Even with memories of Mark’s declarations in the field across the way two years ago drifting constantly in my mind tonight. I’d avoided the park the last couple years. Why had I suggested Loose Park?
I didn’t want to think about that right now. Couldn’t really. The wine had gone to my head.
“You’re troubled.”
“I thought we said we weren’t going to think about our jobs.” I sat up straighter and shook my hair.
“We didn’t agree not to use our powers.” He shifted enough to look at me.
“Kinda hard for me to use mine. I don’t see any murder victims anywhere. Or do you have plans?”
“Of murdering someone?”
I snickered. “Sorry. A joke.”
He smiled and put his hand on the back of my neck. “You’re upset about something. What is it?”
“It’s silly.”
“Silly’s not always bad.” His eyes searched mine. “Sometimes it’s just silly.”
I slid a lock of hair behind my ear and looked back at the pond. Two Canada geese slid silently along.
“Come on, Darby, you can tell me.”
I blew out a breath. “In the car earlier, you asked me about Mark.”
He nodded. “You’re living with him.”
“At his insistence since my apartment was torn apart.”
“What about him? Is he really competition? I sensed extreme jealousy from him the couple times we’ve met.”
“You might say that.” I turned and pointed toward the green space. “See the area over there, beyond the path?”
Will squinted. “Yeah, it’s kind of dark.”
“Two years ago, he told me he was in love with me there.”
“So, he’s not just your partner, but an ex-lover?”
I shook my head. “I was dating someone else at the time. We’ve never been anything beyond good friends and partners.”
“But he’s still holding a torch?” Will raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah.” I looked down at my hands. “He asked me the other day to reconsider going out with him.”
“So, I have some competition.”
I rubbed my head where it was starting to ache a little more strongly. “You should have fair warning.”
“Maybe we should finish our walk.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “I’d like that.”
“And let’s not bring up your partner again.”
I chuckled. “I think it’s a marvelous idea. I’d rather focus on you.”
He rose, then took my hand and pulled me into his arms. “I do have other ways to help you forget him.”
My breath went shallow. “What’s that?”
He kissed me, and thoughts of Mark retreated until all I was aware of was the feel of him holding me, the quiet lapping of water, and the crickets singing. A light breeze tousled my hair and skirts.
Finally, he pulled back. “Did it work?”
I licked my lips, fixed my hair, and nodded. “I think so.”
He took my hand. “Good.”
We set off and walked the wide path, enjoying each other’s company in silence. I leaned my head against his arm, entwined our hands, and found myself sighing in pleasure more times than I could count. Contentment was something I hadn’t found in far too long, and tonight, it had arrived in spades. I was practically purring.
Still, something jiggled in the back of my mind that I shouldn’t be this happy.
“Maybe we should extend this date into tomorrow,” Will murmured as we approached the famous rose garden. Being late September, the abundance of roses still emanated their fragrance, and with the light breeze, my nose could pick it up. Heavenly.
I found myself saying, “I’d like that.”
“Then you’ll come home with me?”
The offer was tempting. We entered the garden, and I stopped. “I’d like to. But I think Mark was serious about that eleven P.M. thing.”
“Not even for a little while? I can still have you back for curfew.”
“How’s about we finish this walk, and we’ll see if I still like you well enough.”
He kissed me again. “How about now?”
I put my finger to my chin. “Hmm, still deciding.”
He laughed. “Darby, you are a piece of work.”
“I hope it’s a pretty one.”
“It’s gorgeous. You’re gorgeous.”
A laugh burbled from my throat. I took both his hands and stepped back, so we held each other only by the fingertips. “You know what I think?”
“What’s that?”
“I think the alcohol’s talking.” I pulled from him and danced away. I felt free here. The moonlight. The columns where the roses climbed. Him by my side. I could let go of the regimented me, the one who hid behind her badge all day long and just be a woman.
A woman who was falling pretty damn hard for a man.
He grabbed me at the waist. “Perhaps it is. But I thought it the moment I met you, and I’m pretty sure the job frowns on being intoxicated with anything stronger than coffee.”
I giggled and twisted, throwing my arms around his neck. “You sure know how to treat a girl.”
He raised his eyebrows meaningfully. “I’ve had a bit of experience.”
I kissed him. But even as I did, something flickered in the back of my head that something wasn’t right. I didn’t usually feel this uninhibited.
Whatever. I was having a good time, right?
* * *
Mark
MARK HAD FOLLOWED THE couple to Loose Park just south of the Plaza. He was a stone’s throw from Moira’s place. Handy. If this didn’t end up turning into something, he could go pick up his truck easily enough.
Young had parked in one of the lots on the east side. Mark was hesitant to get too close, but he also didn’t want to be too far away. The park covered a lot of ground. It was roughly four blocks long, and two wide blocks across. He could run, but if something went down, he might not be close enough to get there in time. As such, he parked in the lot just north of where they’d gone. It was outside the office for the park, though the building was dark now.
“Darby won’t recognize Reid’s car,” he said for his own benefit.
Yeah. Good thought there.
Two years ago, he told me he was in love with me there. Darby’s voice.
In his head.
Weird.
He grabbed the infrared glasses from his pack and slid them on, then searched for them.
While he couldn’t see detail, he did note two figures over by the duck pond, sitting. It wasn’t terribly far from the spot Darby’s voice had indicated.
We’ve never been anything beyond good friends and partners. Her voice. Again. What was this?
He pulled out a candy bar and unwrapped it.
He asked me the other day to reconsider going out with him.
What. The. Hell? It was like she was having a conversation about him.
Maybe she was. Right now, with Will.
Mark adjusted the glasses and hit a button on the side to zoom in a little. He still couldn’t see detail, but he did scan the rest of the park and didn’t notice anyone else around. Except for the three of them, it seemed to be deserted.
Good, as well as bad.
Young and Darby got up and started walking.
Mark kept his eyes on them as he bit into the candy.
For the next ten or fifteen minutes, things seemed normal enough. Though as Darby moved, he could slowly see her movements becoming less fluid as she apparently became more drunk.
Drunk, or drugged, he thought.
They moved behind the office building, and he couldn’t see them.
I don’t like this, he thought. He checked his gun and got out, then grabbed the stun gun and stuck it and his handcuffs in his waistband, then clipped his badge along his front hip.
Making sure the infrared glasses were secure on his face and recording, he closed the door gently and locked it.
As quickly and as quietly as he could, Mark rounded the building and finally picked up where Darby and Young had gone—into the rose garden.
Mark stayed in the shadows, watching.
He watched them kiss multiple times.
What influence did Young have over her? She was never this unrestrained.
Then she darted off behind a column.
Young followed her.
Mark kept a close eye on them. Something was up. Was she trying to get away from him?