Blood Red

Ben was still thinking about how to handle the situation when he arrived back at his apartment. He entered quietly and crept back to his bedroom to find that she was still under the covers, only her thick curly hair in sight. He was closing the door when she spoke to him.

“Ben?”

“Hi, Maggie. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Ben, I’m cold. Come sleep with me.”

He climbed into the bed fully clothed. At first he lay on his back next to her and tried not to move. Eventually, she reached behind her own body and caught his arm. She pulled him closer until he was spooned against her back.

The feel of her body against his was an agony he willingly endured. Eventually, he managed to join her in her slumber.

IV

O’Neill was in a mood. Boyd wasn’t in the right mood to put up with it. He stood with his arms crossed and scowled throughout the entire peppy conversation about how he and Danny needed to get their acts in gear.

“The thing is, Boyd, that you two are good cops. I know that. But if this situation doesn’t get any better, I might have to look into outside help. I have to say I’m disappointed.” O’Neill was one of those bastards that was aging gracefully. Boyd wanted to slap him on general principles but he was normally okay as captains went.

“All due respect, Captain. Fuck off.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said fuck off.” He uncrossed his arms and moved toward O’Neill’s desk. “We normally deal with maybe ten cases. Right now we got over thirty. You want to go ahead and bring on a few extra people, you go right ahead. But don’t you dare accuse me of sloppy work. I’ll turn in my notice and take the time in jail for kicking your ass.”

“That is uncalled for, Rich.”

“The hell it is. You just said you’re ‘disappointed.’” He snorted. “What? You think I’m having orgasms over the way my week has been? Get a fucken clue. I got thirty fucken cases to handle here and not all of them are easily solved. You want my badge? Go for it. Wanna write me up? Do your shit. But you can shove your disappointment straight up your ass, you stupid bitch.”

He left the captain’s office and headed for the door, his expression murderous enough that everyone but Danny decided to look elsewhere in case his gaze might turn them into stone.

Danny took it in stride. He’d been there for the reaming. “So, what’re we doing first, Richie?”

“First I’m keying the fucker’s car.”

“He’ll know you did it.”

“Not if I write ‘Freemont was here.’”

“Maybe later. Right now I think you hurt him enough when you called him a bitch.” He paused. “I thought only women could be bitches.”

“Did you see balls anywhere on that piece of shit? ’Cause I sure as shit didn’t.”

“You’re being a baby.”

“Yeah? And?”

“Nothing. Just an observation.”

“Any news on the ballbuster?”

“Alan Tripp? No. He vanished.”

“I don’t think so. He’s just really good at not looking like a maniac in a hospital nightie.”

“Think he’s still hanging around?”

“According to him, his dead son kidnapped his dead wife. My guess is he’s looking for dead people.”

“Maybe we should let him know about the Red Lady.”

“We aren’t letting anyone know about her.”

“Oh, come on. They might give us vacation time.”

“No. But be on the lookout for red ladies with nice racks.”

“I’m always on the lookout for nice racks.”

“Do we have anything at all on the girls working for Tom?”

“No. Besides, you dropped this case.”

“No I didn’t.”

“Yeah, you did. Just last night you handed it over to Whalen and Longwood.”

“Only on paper.”

“What? We’re gonna bust her now?”

“Shit no. I wanna thank her for the public service.”

“Seriously, Richie.”

“Seriously? Anyone could do that, maybe they know something about the Falcone car accident. Maybe they know a lot and they got caught before they could get rid of another body.”

“Shit.”

“Covering our bases is all. Far as I’m concerned, Tommy being dead is just a plus.”

“You heard about the fire?”

“Yeah. Fucken tragedy.”

“They didn’t find any bodies.”

“Yeah, that’s the tragedy. O’Neill is gonna shit a house when he hears.”

“Fuck the bitch, Richie. I ain’t wiping his ass.”

“That’s what I like about you, Danny Boy. You learn fast.”

“So, we’re going to the frat house?”

“’Course we are.”

“I knew you’d say that.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“I just love to hear your voice, Richie.”

“You need help.”

“I need that vacation. Sure we can’t mention the Red Lady?”

“Very sure.”

“Bitch.”

V

Alan Tripp crawled out of his cubbyhole and shivered. The woods were not a good place for sleeping, especially without any shelter aside from a few trees. His body felt feverish. The bandages on his hand were soaked again. He didn’t have any more pads or even cloth, and he decided he’d have to risk a trip to his house.

Besides, he was tired of freezing his balls off. He had perfectly good clothes waiting for him at the house, and he had other things, like money.

And he wanted to go home. Screw everything else; he wanted to go home for a while. Even if home was empty of everything good but a few stale memories.