Chapter 82

word count 1326

Gil and Simone entered the squad room with caution, pausing to look in, taking in every face and detail. Both caught sight of Hank at the same time. Gil shot his companion a troubled glance.

"Should we go in?" he asked.

 "We're going to have to sooner or later. Besides, we've got to tell him I'm putting in for a transfer to this precinct...to be with you." She added the last remark with an affectionate gaze in Gil's direction.

"Yeah, I guess so."

 As if he sensed them, Hank swung around his chair and looked at the two. But in the next instant, he turned his back to them again. It was bad enough he'd lost Jeannie, now Gil had one-upped him on the one other woman who had caught his eye. He should probably just quit trying. There would never be another dame like his wife, Patricia, who died a year ago. At least he still had Lisa, their daughter, to give him comfort, and his grandson.

Gil walked over. He tapped Hank on the shoulder.

"Hey, buddy? Can we talk?"

"I don't know about that, Bettencourt!" Hank replied, turning to face him. He nodded to Simone. "I was just leaving for the day. Anything you have to say can wait til tomorrow."

 "Look, I'm...we're...sorry about what happened. But this thing between Simone and me, it's the real thing. We can't ignore it."

 "Hank," Simone jumped in. "You're a lovely man, but it was love at first sight with Gil. It feels good. I know it's right, and I know it's for keeps. I hope you can understand."

 Hank shot her a weak smile. She spoke with all the certainty he and Patricia had when they first met. Sometimes you just knew. He couldn't fault them for that.

 At that moment, all eyes turned as Buzz appeared in the doorway. He gave everyone a quiet nod and headed toward his office. The three detectives followed. Something did not seem right with the boss.

When he'd settled at his desk, he pointed to the office door.

"Come on in, and close that, will you?"

 He put his head in his hands and sat in silence for a moment before looking up and speaking.

"They took Adam away from me."

"Whaaaaaat?" Gil was the first to react. "I'll check on it, maybe call in a few favors!" The young detective reached for the phone. Buzz's rugged hand caught his and made the cop stop.

 "It's okay. I understand why they did it. He doesn't want to see me. He tried to kill me. For some gawdawful reason, he poisoned his mother..." His voice trailed off and he fought back tears.

 A stunned silence followed. This was rough, tough, Buzz Miller reduced to sobbing. The man who brought down the worst criminals and thrived on risk and danger, reduced to nothing by the actions of a little boy.

***

 Elliot was getting more and more excited. He wanted to visit his friend. Lisa had stood firm and explained again that it was a bad time for that, what with Adam being in ICU and with Elliot being so young. Getting him permission to visit at the hospital was impossible.

 But he was hearing none of it. He was back in his room again hiding out. He'd wedged a chair under the door knob so Lisa's attempts to get to him were thwarted. Now he lay on the bed brooding.

 Downstairs Lisa paced. What would John think when he came home and found she'd let Elliot barricade himself in his room? When she heard a key turn in the front door, her worst fear was realized. Not only did John enter, but Trudy, as well. That lady barged through first, running headlong into Lisa, taking both women by surprise.

 "What the hell? YOU! What are you doing in my house again? I thought I told you to stay out my home?"

"I asked her to come," John said.

"You 'asked' her? Is that supposed to mean something?"

 "It means that I have as much reason to ask her here as you have to ask her to leave."

 "Oh yeah? Well, I win! What do you think of that?" Trudy wobbled, indicating she had been hitting her paisley flask today, as usual.

"Look," Lisa interrupted. "If Trudy doesn't want me here, I'll go."

"No, if Trudy doesn't want you here, we'll both go...and Elliot, too."

"The hell Elliot goes with you!" Trudy retorted.

"Well, it just so happens when you were in JAIL, it was easy to get this court order to keep Elliot with me until our divorce is ironed out by a judge. I didn't want to have to be this blunt, but you've given me no choice." John pulled the paper out of his pocket and dangled it in the air.

 "You SONOFABITCH!" Trudy lunged but he jumped out of the way. By now she'd had enough booze to be slow and disorganized. John darted for the stairs to go to Elliott's room. This would be a no-brainer. If Elliot was left a choice to either stay home alone with his mom, or go to a vibrant, loving household with John and Lisa and her boy, he'd choose John and Lisa. As long as Trudy wasn't where he was going, he'd be happy.

When they'd left--John, Lisa, and Elliot, who couldn't seem to get out the door fast enough, Trudy was reduced to tears.

“DAMN IT!” Swinging wildly, she sent a table lamp flying. It crashed to the floor. “Dammit, dammit DAMMIT!”

An idea hit. Buzz! She needed to talk to Buzz. She grabbed her purse, checking to make sure the paisley flask was inside, and headed to the door. She ended up having to hail a taxi. Even Trudy knew she was too drunk to drive. Once she'd reached the sidewalk, keys in hand, she'd paused and thought better of getting behind the wheel.

Rumbling, gray clouds were circling in the sky and a storm loomed, making the roads even more dangerous. It gave her time to sort her thoughts as she sat in the back of the cab. By the time she arrived at Buzz's place, she knew what she had to say.

She paid the driver with crumpled bills she found rolled up in her pocket. Heavens only knows how they got there. When she rang the bell, her heart was threatening to catapult out of her chest. Mrs. Dunn answered.

“May I help you?” the older woman asked.

“Where's Buzz?”

“And who, might I ask, wants to know?” Mrs. Dunn took in Trudy with her solid gaze. My heavens, she thought. This lady is drunk.

“I'm his friend. Ya better let me in.”

“Honestly, miss. I see no reason why I should do that.” This one looked like she was going to be a problem, Mrs. Dunn thought. She reached in her pocket to cradle her cell phone in her hand.

“If you don't let me in, I'm gonna pop ya one in the nose! What do ya think of THAT!”

Mrs. Dunn considered whether to call the police now or later. Honestly, when she answered the door, she'd hoped it was word from Detective Miller. She'd arrived home from the hospital to find the house empty and blood upstairs in Adam's room, on the bed and all over the carpet. She had no idea what to think. His father didn't answer his cell phone. And now, this crazy woman was standing on the stoop demanding to come in.

The skies rumbled and rain began to fall. It pounded down on Trudy with no mercy. Although she seemed not to notice, remaining intent on making her way into Buzz's house.

As Mrs. Dunn watched the other woman's hair getting wetter, soon to be plastered on her forehead in saturated clumps. The housekeeper took mercy.

“Come on it, then!” she said. You can wait for Detective Miller in the living room.