Justice(4)

“Should I be jealous?” Justin asks in a cutesy tone he caught from her.

Rebecca smirks and leans in to kiss him right on the cleft in his chin. “Never.”

Cue projectile vomit.

“He must be about a hundred years old,” I point out to stop the public display of affection. I wasn’t kidding about the vomit.

“Who?” Marnie asks.

“Justice. He’s been around since the thirties.”

“Maybe when one retires another takes his place,” Rebecca says.

“Then why not be original?” I ask.

“He’s a symbol,” she says. “One we’ve always had and looked up to. Like God or Jesus.”

“Maybe we’d all be better off if we relied less on the abstract and more on reality,” I say.

“You both make valid points,” Justin says, “but I’m not that cynical, Jo. He serves a purpose. Hope is never a bad thing.”

He always sides with her. Always and forever. I’ve lost him.

Before he says another word, my cell phone chirps on my belt. I didn’t bother to change out of my suit, so the phone is right next to the gun. I’ve never been a fashion plate like Rebecca, who is dressed in a vintage Chanel dress with primroses imprinted up and down its loose fit. No, I stick to jeans and pantsuits in either gray or black, my colors. I flip open the phone. “Detective Fallon.”

Everyone in the room but Justin seems impressed. He just stares at me. He can be a tad overprotective. Whenever I take a work call he moves closer to listen as his lips purse in disapproval. When I told him I was joining the force, he spent days trying to convince me that it was too dangerous. Too hard. He even offered me a cushy job at his company in the security department. He was worried about me, and I can’t begin to describe how good that made me feel, but I’d known since I was thirteen I wanted to be a police officer. All that authority. All that power. Helping people. The gun doesn’t hurt either. I got my AA in Criminal Justice at Galilee Community College and signed up the day after I graduated. Haven’t regretted it to this day.

“Hey, Jo,” my partner Terrance Cameron says. “I hope you’re not too tired.”

I press my finger against the receiver. “Excuse me,” I say before stepping out of the library into the ginormous hallway. Every floor, except in the bedrooms, is covered with Corinthian marble the color of bone. The walls of the hallway are filled with paintings of landscapes and old soldiers or landowners in their red or brown uniforms. Every generation of Pendergast watching me from their oil canvas as I talk to my partner.

“Why? What happened?”

“I just got a call from ADA White. Janus Manx’s attorney called him. She says Manx wants to talk to us about the rest of his victims.”

“What? Tonight?”

Justin walks out, his usual look of concern plastered on his face. He’s as nosy as I am.

“We have to be at the prison promptly at 7:30. Can you make it?”

I check my watch. “Just.”

“See you there.” He hangs up.

“What’s going on?” Justin asks.

“The usual. Rape. Murder.”

“You shouldn’t joke like that,” Justin chides.

I roll my eyes. “I’m a homicide detective. Gallows humor keeps me sane.”

Rebecca pokes her head out, all smiles. “Hi. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just have to go to work,” I say.

She steps toward me, the smile falling. “Oh, no.” She quickly glances at Justin. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just the usual. Sorry to dash but duty calls and all.”

Rebecca reaches out and squeezes my arm. There are precious few I let into my personal space, and those are usually the result of too much alcohol. I keep my mouth shut though. “I understand,” Rebecca says. “You just be careful, okay?”

“Careful is my middle name. Tell your mom and Daisy good-bye for me.”

“Of course. And if you can’t make it to the engagement party, we’ll understand.”

I may not have to dress up and schmooze with high society. Silver lining. “I’ll do what I can to make it.”

“We know you will,” Justin says. “Call me tomorrow, okay? So I know you’re safe?”

He’s always done this since I’ve been on the job. I have to call every morning just to tell him I’m alive with all my limbs still attached. It should annoy me, what with me being an independent butt kicking woman who doesn’t need any man to look after her, but instead it warms my heart that he cares so much.

One time I was drowning in a case and barely ate, let alone had time to call anyone, and Justin showed up in the squad room demanding to see me. I was out in the field, but Harry assured him I was fine. I called right away when I heard. Not many people would do that, certainly not for me. I can count them on one hand.