When I got home, Isidra took off my shoes and walked me to the bathroom. The tub was full. In silence, she undressed me and guided me toward the tub. I sank in, losing myself in the events of the day. Only a small part of my brain registered that she had gotten in the tub and began washing me.
I was getting dressed and she realized that I was putting on a suit.
“Are we going somewhere?”
“We have a date.”
“Honey. It’s been a long day. Why don’t we reschedule?”
“No. I go out there and put myself in danger to protect the people and things I love. I’m not going to give up on something I’ve earned because I had a shitty day.”
“It’s not giving up. I’m only suggesting that we postpone.”
“I said no!”
She didn’t argue anymore. We got dressed in silence. I felt bad for yelling at her. It really was a shitty day and she didn’t deserve my anger.
“Babe. I’m sorry I yelled.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. You’ve been nothing but loving to me and I took my frustration out on you.”
“Well, you have the rest of our lives to make it up to me.”
“Oh, I do huh?”
“You better.”
We arrived a little late, but I had already texted everyone. I valeted the car and we went in. We ate and drank, and she told me about some drama going on at work and how she needed a vacation. Under the table, my leg was bouncing like a jackhammer. I made it through dinner without incident. It was time. All I had to do was text the group and ask for the check. My hands were starting to get clammy, my heart was in my throat and I didn’t think I could speak.
“Babe, can we get desert?’
“What?” I responded stupidly.
“Desert. Can we get some?”
“Oh, yeah.”
I quickly texted the group and let them know about the delay.
“Hey, we said no phones during date night. Who’s so important that you’re breaking your own rule?”
Without missing a beat, I replied. “It’s Mike. He and Shelia wanted to meet us for drinks after.”
“Did you tell him to have her call me? She still isn’t responding. Is she okay?”
“Yes, I did. As far as I know, she’s fine.”
We ate our dessert and I sent the text. The next time the server came by I asked for the check. As a rule, I never sit with my back to an entrance. Isidra was perfectly positioned so that she wouldn’t notice her dad and the others entering the restaurant. I saw the server walking back toward us and gathered my nerves. The entire group had their phones out.
“Hey, babe. Will you text Mike for me and tell him you and I will meet them at Dive Bar?” I asked Isidra. She said nothing but pulled out her phone.
As the server got closer to us, she pretended to drop something. I got out of my seat to help her. Isidra was still working on her text and didn’t notice me kneeling down in front of her. When she did, I opened the little black box and said.
“Isidra Ramos. You are the most beautiful, caring, genuine woman a man could ask for. Will you marry me?”
Silence. Isidra had both hands over her mouth in what I hoped was an attempt to hold in the excitement and surprise.
“YES! YES! YES! What took you so long?”
Cheers and applause bombarded my ears. I slipped the engagement ring on her finger and stood up to kiss her. That was my favorite kiss ever.
“Oh, my God. My mom is going to be so happy. My dad might shoot you, but I’ll take care of you.”
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Her dad’s voice cut through the ongoing cheers. “You know, I don’t appreciate that assumption.”
She turned around to see the group that had come out to support us. Congratulations were given, and hugs and kisses were exchanged. Her dad even bought a round for all of us. We partied until closing. Forgetting what we had been through that day.
The next day started off well enough. I had been contacted by someone to let me know that Carl was doing much better and could go home in a day or two. I called Linda and gave her the good news. She still wasn’t happy that they wouldn’t allow her to be by his side.
We had no ops planned, so the rest of the team and I were training. Around lunch, I got a text from Riley telling me to meet with Detective Le. I had no idea what it was about, but I recognized the address as being around the corner from my house. I knew it was the scene I had seen on my way in the day before.
Mike decided to roll with me. We pulled up to the scene about 30 minutes later.
“Dude! This is right down the street from your house.”
“Yeah, I saw the coroner and CSI out here on my way to work yesterday.”
The house was on the northwest corner of Palm and Tyler. Isidra and I lived less than a mile west, on Palm Ave. The house was beige with a brown roof. The front door was facing Palm Ave. There was a black Lexus GS F in the driveway. Very out of place for this neighborhood. So immediately I’m thinking it’s a drug dealer's house. Mike and I park across the street from the house and head inside to find the detective. There’s blood splatter right as you walk into the small foyer. A tape outline of a body is on the ground.
We made our way through the house, passing another body outline and blood splatter in the hall. We didn’t find anyone in the house, so we checked the backyard. Still nothing. When we opened the door to the garage there was blood everywhere. Shell casings littered the floor and there were bullet holes everywhere. The walls were covered in soundproof padding and there was a large chain that had been bolted to the floor. I wasn’t sure what had happened here. The detective, a 5’6” 200lb Asian male, was standing near the garage door taking in the scene.
“Detective Le. I’m Deputy Johnson, this is my partner, Deputy Adams. We were told you requested us.”
The detective continued to stand there staring at the scene in silence.
“Detective?”
He looked up from the scene of blood and shell casings. He looked at us as though he hadn’t noticed we were there.
“Welcome gentleman. I’m Detective Le. Please watch your step.”
“Why did you request us, Detective?”
The detective stared at me with a look of recognition on his face. I stared back.
“Do I know you, detective?” I asked.
“No, but our vamps knew you. Follow me.”
“Vamps?”
“Yeah, seven of them.”
Mike and I looked puzzled at each other. Detective Le walked past us and back into the house. Inside one of the bedrooms, there was a large corkboard with a map and several pictures on it. Detective Le grabbed one of the pics off the board and handed it to me. I stared at myself in the pic. Mike looked over my shoulder and saw what I was looking at. He looked as shocked as I felt.
“Bro, do you know these people?”
The detective handed me his cell phone.
“These are all the fangs who were killed here. Do you recognize any of them?”
I scrolled through the photos of the dead vamps, but none of them jumped out as anyone I recognized.
“Sorry detective, I don’t.”
“We’re waiting for IDs on them. It seems like you were one of many they had an interest in. Can you tell me why vamps would be interested in finding you?”
“No sir.”
“Do you recognize any of the other men on that board?”
I went to the board and looked at the faces of 5 other men.
“No sir. I don’t know any of them.”
“Hmmm… Well until we find out what’s going on, I’ve been instructed to give you a shadow. Give me your contact info and address so that I can send someone to canvas your neighborhood?”
“I live on the other side of Hillsdale in Logan Park Apartments.”
The detective just stared at me.
“So, you’re telling me that seven assholes who were looking for you, got a house less than a mile from your residence and you’ve never seen any of them and don’t know why they were interested in you?”
“Yes, that’s pretty much it. Does that make me a suspect?”
“No. I’d need more than that to suspect one of my own. Who’s your sergeant?”
“Lieutenant Ramos”
“I’ll get in contact with him and let him know what’s going on. Go back to your station, someone will meet you there and take you home. We can’t have you take your own vehicle in case there are more of these assholes out there. The good thing is someone out there is looking out for you. Whether that’s on purpose or a happy coincidence I still don’t know. Whoever these guys were, they were well-funded. Some of the hardware they had I couldn’t afford without taking out a 2nd mortgage. That Lexus in the driveway, surveillance equipment, weapons.”
“Is there any indication of who or what took them out? It’s not like vamps to use weapons.”
“So far all we’ve found are some paw prints in the blood. Likely some wolves from the local pack. I’m headed to speak with the alpha after I leave here.”
After answering a few more questions, Mike and I walked outside. As we were walking back to our patrol car, Le called out to Mike. He walked back over to him. As I was standing there, I noticed a man parked a few houses down. He was watching me, or at least it looked like he was. Mike walked back over to me and I turned my back on the man and spoke to Mike.
“Over my left shoulder, there’s a man parked 2 houses down, sitting in a blue truck. It’s the same guy from our op yesterday.”
“Should we approach him?” Mike questioned.
“No, Agent Riley said he’s not someone to mess with.”
“So what, we don’t run from anyone or anything.”
I looked at Mike for a minute and made my decision. I turned around and looked at the mysterious Romulus. He shook his head at me, started his vehicle and pulled off.