“He understands about Yoko Ono,” I explained, “it’ll be all right.”
More silence then, “Maybe you should explain to me about Yoko Ono.”
The words were a suggestion, the way he said them was not.
“Do you know who Yoko Ono is?”
He didn’t answer.
I figured everyone knew who Yoko Ono was so I just forged ahead. “Well, see, The Beatles had this thing, no women in the –”
“I know about The Beatles,” Vance cut in.
“You do?”
“Yeah.”
“You like them? Their music, that is.”
I asked because I was curious. Everything with Vance had been so intense, it felt like it had been years and it’d only been a week. I had a lot to learn and I figured no better time than the present.
And anyway, I loved The Beatles. If he didn’t like them that would suck. If he was in the house what would I do when I was in a Sgt. Pepper’s mood?
“For Christ’s sake, Jules, get to the point.”
Yikes.
Maybe now was not the time for a “getting-to-know-you” conversation.
“Well, if you know about The Beatles and Yoko Ono then you get it.”
“No.”
“I don’t want to be the woman who breaks up the band.”
Again silence.
“Luke gets it. I think he’ll be cool,” I went on.
He still didn’t speak.
“I really want to do a ride-along. I think I could learn a lot.”
More silence.
“Vance, you have to trust me,” I said quietly.
A beat more of silence then I heard a sigh. “Come back for dinner. When you’re done with Luke, I’ll be at the cabin.”
For a second I didn’t breathe. Then my mind shouted, Yay!
He trusted me.
And I was getting a ride-along. And I was getting to go back to the cabin.
“You have to leave the door open,” I told him.
“I always leave the door open. Do you know how to get there?”
Hell yes, I’d memorized it even though I thought we were breaking up.
I wasn’t going to tell him that.
“Maybe you should write out directions.”
* * * * *
The Powwow was at Fortnum’s at five thirty. I got there late and the crowd had already assembled. It included May, Daisy, Roxie, Jet, Indy, Ally, Tod, Stevie and for some bizarre reason Tex.
Tod and Stevie I could understand. Tex seemed like curry powder sprinkled on an ice cream sundae.
Whatever.
I sat down while everyone watched me all of them grinning but no one saying a word.
“It seems there was a misunderstanding,” I started.
Lots of nods.
“I thought we were breaking up. Vance thought we were making up. Then he decided to give me some space because things were too intense.”
More nods, grins turning into smiles.
“Seems you don’t have sex four times while breaking up and saying good-bye,” I went on.
Mouths dropped open except Daisy who emitted a tinkly bell laugh.
“Vance tells me that’s more of a making-up kind of thing to do,” I informed them.
Everyone looked at each other and I thought I heard Ally give a snort of amusement.
“This morning, my Rottweiler took a hike,” I went on.
The smiles disappeared and faces turned confused.
I took in a deep breath and told them about my emotional Rottweiler and his disappearance and even told them about my cute, new, cuddly, squirmy pug puppy.
The smiles came back.
“Last night, I made out with Luke,” I continued.
The smiles vanished again.
“And, kind of, the night before.”
Eyes bugged out.
“Holy crap,” Indy finally spoke.
“What’s he like?” Roxie asked.
I just looked at her. She took one look at my face which obviously said a thousand (good) words and when her hand went up to her throat it was shaking.
I carried on. “Vance wired my house, put cameras in to keep an eye on me and protect me. He was working the surveillance room last night. He saw the whole thing.”
“Jesus, sweet Lord in heaven,” May whispered.
“I’d just taken down a furry pimp, some guy who skipped bond and two of his girls, taser and hand-to-hand. Luke and Ike didn’t need to lift a finger. After it was over, I was kind of… jazzed and I’m guessing so was Luke,” I explained, “and anyway, I thought Vance and I were over.”
More nods.
“The time before, well… it just happened. Still, I thought Vance and I were over or no way.”
“I hear you, sister,” Ally said.
“Luke wouldn’t move in if he thought you were Vance’s woman,” Roxie threw in. “He doesn’t do that.”
“How do you know?” Tod asked.
“He told me,” Roxie answered.
“That seems an odd thing to share,” Jet entered the discussion, “especially for Luke.”
“It’s a long story,” Roxie said.
Everyone stared at her. With everyone’s gaze on her, she told us about how Luke told her he was interested if it didn’t work out with Hank and something about “Denver men being men”.
When she was done, everyone kept staring at her.
“That Luke sure gets around,” Stevie muttered.
“Boy needs to find his own woman,” May declared.
“You got that right, sister,” Jet said.
“Mm,” Ally murmured, her eyes had gone glazed.
“People, f**kin’ focus. I’m thinkin’ The Law ain’t here to talk girlie bullshit. What’s this about a furry pimp?” Tex barked.
“That’s over. Ike took him in. It took like thirty seconds for me to drop all three of them,” I said.
“Righteous,” Ally remarked.
“So what d’you need from us?” Tex asked. “Need a partner when you go out? Want to double up on maneuvers; you get seen harassin’ one dealer while someone else douses another’s car with vegetable oil? Get them all freaked out that The Law can be two places at once? That kind of thing?”
That wasn’t a bad idea.
I looked around the room and was surprised to see everyone’s face was eager (except Stevie who was staring at the ceiling looking like he was praying). “Well, actually, I did come here to talk girlie bullshit. See, I’m worried I’m a tease.”
I saw a couple of blinks but mostly blank stares.
“Excuse me?” Jet asked.
“Misunderstanding the whole make-up, break-up scenario with Vance. Kissing Luke,” I explained. “I don’t want them to think I’m jacking them around. I don’t want to be a tease.”