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Twelve years was a long time to be away from someone. Annie remembered Helen as a warm and loving mother of three, a relatively new officer. Someone in a transitional period between married and not, straight and not. Twelve years later and Annie still remembered how Helen’s mouth had felt on her in that small garage bedroom. Some things were simply unforgettable.
However, Helen Everton now had gold letters on her office door and an impressive rank. Commander Everton had no reason to acknowledge their old friendship or acknowledge Annie in any other way. But still, Annie was drawn to Helen’s memory strongly enough to risk disappointment and embarrassment.
She stepped into the office, leaving the door slightly ajar, and looked around, thinking back on Helen’s closet-sized office on campus. This space was easily twice the size, if not more, and contained an impressive wooden desk, a decent-sized window, and a row of filing cabinets. Everything was meticulously organized, from the pens in the holder to the typed labels on the file drawers. No dust or clutter accumulated on visible surfaces.
A single personal item appeared on the console next to the desk: a framed photo of three people—two adults and a teenager. Ashley, Kevin, and she assumed the teenager was Zach.
“Chief Weaver, I never permit people into my office when I’m not in it.”
The cool and clipped voice interrupted her admiration of the photo in her hands, and she flinched. She carefully put it back exactly where she found it, then turned around.
It was Helen. Older, certainly, but more refined, in a tailored pencil skirt, silk blouse, and fitted blazer. Her chestnut hair had been dyed into a shiny and dark chocolate-brown, sleek and styled.
She looked a little nervous too, though it was hard to see under the professional veneer. Annie considered her options and decided that a casual familiarity was best. She picked up the photo again and asked, “Are these the kids? Is this Zach?”
“Please don’t touch my things,” Helen said stiffly.
Or not. Annie returned the photo to its place once more and stepped away from the desk. Helen was holding a salad in a clear plastic box and a bottle of water.
“I can see I’ve interrupted your lunch. I meant to come earlier, but we had a break in a case over the weekend and…” She shook her head as she trailed off. She was losing her train of thought, losing control of this interaction. This was all wrong.
“Yes, one of your lieutenants signed out your firearm. Another thing I generally do not permit.” Helen stepped past Annie to set her lunch down on her desk, then turned to face her.
Annie fought the urge to edge closer to the door. “I came to apologize about that,” she said. “And to…to say hello to you.”
“Hello. Welcome to the LAPD.” But her words were cold and overenunciated.
Annie’s face was getting hot. She was just going to say what she came to say and leave.
“Helen—I mean, Commander Everton, I owe you an apology. You have every right to be mad at me, and I’d be mad at me too, but I want you to know that I never would have left if I’d had any control over the situation. Everything I did was because I thought it was best for you and your family. I know it was a longtime ago, but I wanted to say that first thing. And say that I’m sorry.”
Helen stared at her a moment, then said, “Sure. All right.”
“I…uh…wasn’t very good at long-term planning back then. I was just sort of running on adrenaline all the time. But once I started working for police departments, I made a plan to get back to Los Angeles. I know it’s been twelve years, but this was the last place I was really happy, you know? And most of that had to do with you and your family. I know I messed up any real chance I had of us being friendly when I disappeared, but I’m back here now, and whether we’re colleagues or acquaintances or enemies or whatever, I’m just really glad and relieved to have you in my life again. Even if it’s just a tiny bit.”
Annie forced a smile. “That’s it. That’s all I’ve got to say. Wait. Also, you look very pretty. Okay, I have to go. We have a case.” Annie edged out of the office and out the door. “Bye now, Commander. Bye-bye.”
She bolted out of the office, past the man who’d tried to stop her. He had a knowing look.
Standing in the elevator, she tried to catch her breath. This was not the time or place to burst into tears. She couldn’t let her team see weakness this early on.
By the time she got back to her office, she had recovered. Los Angeles was still a great place to live, and she was fine.
* * *
Another week passed, and she was no closer to finding a permanent address. Her real estate agent, Beverley DeAngelo, kept sending her listings, but every time she let her know of her interest in one, it had already been snatched up.
It’s a tough market, Beverley wrote for the fifteenth time in her latest email.You have to move quickly!
The next day was Saturday, and Annie promised Beverley that she would spend the whole day going to open houses and checking out off-market listings. She needed to do it if she was ever going to get out of the hotel, but she dreaded it. Plus, her mother kept calling, asking her whether or not she was settled. Patty was horrified that Annie had moved without having a place to live set up, but her start date had not given her much opportunity. She promised her mother she’d figure it out. She always did.
But for now, she would change into something more comfortable and sit at the hotel bar with a cocktail. And when she was buzzed enough to endure another night in a hotel bed, she would order room service and eat dinner in the shallow bathtub.
The bar was never busy, even on a Friday night. Usually there were people occupying two or three high-top tables and maybe a few people at the bar. Annie had become friendly with Arturo, the bartender, who would start making her martini as soon as he saw her.
It wasn’t unusual for the bar to be mostly empty. It was unusual, though, to see Helen Everton sitting on a barstool.
She panicked and froze, considering whether to turn around and bolt after the reception she had gotten from Helen a week ago. But then her fear ebbed away, and common sense took over. It was unlikely that Helen was here by happenstance. She’d come for Annie.
