Rock Her(33)

“But, Kip, what about my stuff?” Annie asked him.

“You mean the stuff in your apartment? The stuff that is strewn around the floor and shot all to hell? That stuff?” Kip asked, realizing that he could have said that with a little more tact.

Annie nodded.

“Annie, I’ll buy you more stuff. Whatever was in your apartment, I’ll replace it. Hell, I’ll replace the whole apartment building. If you have something in there that you cannot part with, let’s ask the cops to get it for you. There is no reason for you to go back there. Today or really ever.”

Annie nodded, her tears welling again and streaming down her face.

“Annie, I am really sorry. I know how crazy this has all been.”

Annie looked up at the sky. “It’s just that my whole life has changed so much in the past few days, even hours.”

“I know,” Kip said, and he reached out and pulled her into him, hugging her tight.

As Kip breathed deep the sweet scent of her hair, he asked her: “Annie, what did the lieutenant want with you?”

“They want to do a sting on Stewart. They want me to confront him about the hit while I wear a microphone.”

Kip held her away so he could look her in the eyes. “No shit? And you said?”

“I said yes.”

“So, you think I am right, then?” Kip asked.

Annie nodded. “It’s the only real explanation. The only one I can think of.”

“When do they want to do it?” Kip asked.

“Tomorrow,” came the answer.

“Great, so we have time to go shopping tonight then,” Kip said, trying to sound chipper.

Annie smiled. The first smile he’d seen on her since this morning.

Kip looked around for officer Capuli and he waved at him, motioning him to come over.

“Do you have anything in your apartment that you want brought over to the hotel?” Kip asked.

Annie bit her lip, thinking. “For now, just my notebook, and laptop. They can both be found in my bedroom on my vanity. Oh my God I hope my laptop did not get shot up!”

Kip shrugged as Capuli walked up. “If it is, I’ll get you a new one. No worries.”

“No, Kip, you don’t understand,” Annie said. “All of my work is on there. Every bit of writing I have done. It’s all there. I kept meaning to get an external hard drive, but I never did.”

Kip asked Capuli if he would retrieve the laptop and notebook from the apartment and bring it to the hotel. “If you could just leave it at the desk,” he added. Capuli agreed and expressed his sorrow about the way the day had turned for them.

Then Kip and Annie went to the waiting deputy and climbed into his car.

“Uh, we decided we weren’t quite ready to go back to the hotel yet. Do you think you can drop us off at the City Center?”

“That works for me,” the deputy agreed.



During the drive to the City Center, which is a mall downtown, Annie was mostly silent. Kip could tell she was worried about her laptop.

“I am sure it will be fine,” Kip said. “Most of the gunfire was at me in the living room. I don’t think the bedroom even got hit at all.”

Annie finally gave his a faint smile in appreciation of his concern. “Thanks Kip,” she said. “But I wasn’t so much thinking about that as I was about Stewart.”

Kip nodded.

“I mean, I know it is the logical answer, I just still can’t see it in him. Never in my wildest dreams…”

“Did you ever in your wildest dreams think he would ever hit you?” Kip asked. “Even in public like he did the other night? I keep telling you, Annie, this guy is not the same guy you married. He is deeply disturbed.”

“I know Kip. I know. But still, murder?” My God, I just can’t get my head around it.”

“I am sorry you have to go through this, Annie. Really.” Kip told her.

“Kip,” Annie said, suddenly looking seriously concerned again. “Should we be out in the open walking around at the mall?”

“No!” came the gruff voice from the front seat. “Absolutely not!” The deputy had spoken.

Kip shrugged. “Maybe you could walk around with us?”

“You mean like a body guard?” the deputy asked?

“Sure.” Kip said.

“I am a cop,” the deputy said. “Not a hired hand.”

“Deputy, what is your name?” Kip asked him, leaning forward in the back seat, crossing his arms over the seatback and talking into the rear view mirror.

“Sparks,” the deputy answered.

“Do you know how much money I give to the police benevolent association, Deputy Sparks?” Kip asked. He tried to make it sound as good natured as he could, though he really meant the implication.