My Saving Grace Pt. 08

"Base to Unit 4," came Tony's annoyed voice.

"Go for 4," I replied, after picking up the mike.

"TX base," he said.

I wondered what was so Secret Squirrel that he couldn't say it on the radio, but whatever. I picked up my cell and called in. He picked up after only one ring. "Kev, what's your 20?" he asked, still in that annoyed tone of voice.

"I just finished at the Miller place. I'm still sitting in their driveway. Why?"

"Alright, haul ass over to the Forster place next, will ya?"

"Okay," I said, picking up my tablet to check Maps. "Tony, that takes me 20 minutes out of the way, it's going to throw off my schedule for our other customers. What's going on?"

"Old Man Forster has been calling the office every ten seconds," Tony growled. "The fucker is driving me insane! He wants his drive plowed now, so it will be cleared before his wife gets home. He doesn't want to hear anything about schedules! He-"

"Okay, Bro, calm down!"

"Sorry Kev," he said, after a minute. "Look, please just get over there ASAP. I'll work something out with the other folks on your schedule, alright?"

I agreed and hung up. Sighing, I dropped the truck in gear and got a move on. When I made it to the Forster place, something instantly struck me as odd. The place had an attached garage that was easily big enough for four cars, yet there were three sitting outside in the drive way. I sighed, seeing that I'd have to do that part with a shovel.

The other thing that struck me as wrong was the cars themselves. They were older. They were in decent condition, but none of them was newer than 4 or five years old...and they weren't exactly BMW or Lexus, either! In most neighborhoods that would be perfectly normal, but this was Fairview Manors. The property values here were the highest in the county...hell, the highest in this part of the State! No one who made less than 6 figures (and HIGH 6 figures at that) could afford to even LOOK at a house in this neighborhood, much less buy one!

It just looked wrong. That didn't stop me from getting to work, though. I plowed as best I could with the three cars in my way. It was easy to see why they were still were they were. The City had plowed the streets here (it was Fairview Manors, and several city councilman lived here), but the big plows had left a ridge of snow at the end of the driveway that most average cars would have trouble getting over. The company truck I was in, with it's powerful Cummins Diesel engine, massive tires, and 4-wheel drive had no trouble, but my Subaru never would have.

I finished the end, worked my way carefully around the three trapped cars, and plowed everything that was safe to do. Then I got to work with the shovel. Every time I looked toward the house, I noticed someone watching me. There was a middle-aged man, about mid 50s, and three much younger women in the front room of the ground floor. The man was staring unbrokenly as I worked. The women all looked nervous. The three of them wore what looked – oddly – like cocktail dresses. Strange garb for this time of morning.

Something clicked for me just then. Forster! I've lived in Highland all my life, so I know that name isn't all that common here. These people had to be related to Lance Forster! He'd said his family was "Old Money," and he'd mentioned the Fairview Country Club...

I shook my head at my train of thought. So what if this place does belong to Lance's family? Who cares? Just do the job as fast as you can, there are other customers waiting! I finished the drive, and started on the front walk. It was much shorter than the walks at the other places, thankfully! Even more thankfully, there wasn't a back walkway, just a deck.

Then, to be nice (and hopefully get a good tip) I brushed the coat of snow off of the three cars, which I'm assuming belonged to the three ladies in the window. Afterwards, I trudged towards the house. As usual, I made sure my body cam was recording. After being involved in several lawsuits and damage claims over the years, Jenkins Property Management gave all of it's work crews body cams. Dash cams were standard for all company vehicles as well. If nothing else, it saved a lot of time in court!

I walked up to the door and rang the bell. The man I'd seen earlier answered the door.

"About time you got here!" he said rudely. "My daughter and her friends have been waiting all night to get out! Not to mention the fact that my wife is due home very soon!"

"We apologize for any inconvenience, sir," I said, politely, ignoring his tone. Mr. Forster struck me as the kind of person who wouldn't react well to politeness when he was angry...maybe I could kill him with kindness. I handed the invoice to him, and waited expectantly.

"If you're waiting there for a tip, the only tip you're going to get is 'don't eat yellow snow!'" he sneered.

"No, sir, I was actually waiting for you to pay the invoice I just handed you," I said, politely. "Jenkins Property Management has an immediate billing policy for urgent rush jobs. That fact was covered in the service contract you signed with us," I helpfully reminded him. That clause had been added at about the same time as the body cams.

He grimaced, wanting to argue the point. He apparently thought better of it when I made a point to look past him and smile at the three women.

"Good morning ladies! I hope you brought some warmer clothes to go home in!" I said.

Forster glared at me. "Wait here," he commanded, pointing at the doorstep, clearly not wanting me in the house. It was fine with me. I'd gotten such a workout from all the shoveling that I'd had to partially unzip my heavy coat so I didn't sweat too badly!

"So, which of you is Miss Forster?" I asked, smiling. I had a suspicion, and if I was right...

The three women looked at me in confusion. That confirmed my suspicion: none of these women was any relation to Mr. Forster. The old goat was having a little get-together of his own while the wife was out of town. His pleasant morning-after had been interrupted by the discovery of all this snow. He must have completely freaked, knowing he had to get these women out of here before MRS. Forster got back!

"Uh, why did you think one of us was named Forster?" one of the ladies asked.

"Well, Mr. Forster just said his daugher and her two friends were stuck here all night, and needed to leave. You're the only other people I see standing here. And your dresses, pretty though they are, are a little out of place at 11:30 on a Sunday morning. You were here all night, right?"

"Yes-" another woman said, before instantly shutting her mouth. She looked at me in absolure horror. The smile on my face faded as I made note of the fact that that particular lady was wearing a wedding band. Was that absolute proof of anything inappropriate? No. Did it look really bad? Oh HELL YES! Mr. Forster came back suddenly and slapped a check in my hand.

"Here!" he said, snarling. "Now get yourself out of here!"

He slammed the door in my face. I looked to be sure he'd made the check out correctly, for the full amount, and signed it. Then I looked up at the closed door.

"Thank you for choosing Jenkins Property Management for all of your landscaping, trimming, lawncare, and snow removal needs! Have a nice day!"

As I walked back to the truck, I made a decision. It was one of the easiest decisions I've made recently. I picked up my cell phone and the card I'd been given in the hospital.

Lance picked up after a couple rings. "Hello?" he said, in a cautious tone.

"Lance, it's Kevin Richmond. I think I have something that just might help you."

He was quiet for a second. Then, he said, "What would that be?"

"I don't want to get your hopes up too much, but I have some video I want you to see. If it's what I think it is, it'll be the start of getting some leverage that'll help you out of your situation. If it's not what I think it is, you'll have wasted a few minutes of your time. Nothing more."

"When and where?" he asked, getting right to the point.

"I'm about to take a 30-minute lunch. Meet me at the coffee shop at 4th and Davis as soon as you can."

"I'll be there in ten," he said, and hung up.

###

Thirty minutes later, my ribs were still tender from the bear-hug Lance had given me after looking at the body cam video. He'd confirmed that the man at the Forster house was, in fact, his dear old Dad. He'd also let me know that, while he had two younger brothers, he did have any sisters at all! I'll never forget the look on his face as he copied the body cam video to his laptop. He knew he'd need to do a little of his own legwork to iron things out, but this gave him a starting point. With this kind of leverage, he might finally be free!

I finished the rest of my customer list, including MacCallister place, and the Fairview Country Club just before dusk. The people at most of the other places tipped well, I was happy to note. I returned the truck to the garage and signed it back in. Afterwards I trudged back to the office to turn in the office copies of my invoices, the checks, and to take my name off the duty board. I was still on-call for the rest of the week and the New Year's holiday, of course, but for now I could go home.

"Hey," Tony said, tiredly, stepping out of the office.

"Hi Tony," I mumbled, slinging my ruck over one shoulder.

"Was it bad, over at the Forster place?"

"Better for me than it will be for him, I'll bet," I said with a smirk.

He looked at me in confusion, then shrugged. "Whatever, as long as I don't have to hear from that asshole for a while. Later, Bro!"

"Take it easy, Tony," I said, dropping into my Subaru.

The drive home was pretty quick, fortunately, as I was beat. The city's plows had had time to clear the major streets, and soon I was pulling into the driveway. Gracie was waiting for me at the door. As soon as I was in the house, she took my ruck and my lunch box. She put her arms around me and held me close, even though I'm pretty sure I smelled like...well, I couldn't have smelled very good with all the sweating I'd done.

Grace kissed me, and I forgot my discomfort completely. When we parted she smiled, lighting my world right up!

"Go clean up, sweetie," she said. "I'll get some dinner together for us."

"Thank you, Gracie," I said. "That sounds great!"

I headed upstairs and took a quick shower. The warm water revived me, and the smell of whatever Grace was cooking reminded me it had been quite a while since lunch! She had made spaghetti with meatballs, and garlic bread. We shared a wonderful meal together, and cleaned up together afterwards.

By the time we finished, I was ready for bed. It'd been an exhausting day.

"Honey, I'm sorry, I know it's only 9, but I can hardly keep my eyes open," I said, apologetically. "I'll understand if you want to stay up and watch a show, or something-"

"Don't be silly, Kevin!" Grace said. "I've spent the whole day apart from you. I'm not letting you go to bed without me!"

We headed upstairs and brushed our teeth. I stripped down to my boxers and climbed into bed. Gracie put on an old T-shirt of mine and climbed in next to me. She pulled me close to her, and I relaxed as she laid my face against her warm breast.

"I love you so much, Gracie," I whispered, inhaling her soft, subtle scent with every breath.

"And I love you, Kevin, with all my heart," she said. She ran her fingers through the soft hairs on my chest in a loving caress. "Go to sleep, love. Your body is still healing, and you need it."

I closed my eyes, warm and relaxed in her arms, with my face cushioned against her breast. In seconds, I was fast asleep.

###

The next couple days leading up to the New Year passed very quickly for us. I had one more call, but this was for a brand new commercial property that had just signed with Jenkins. The parking lot was completely empty, making it one of the fastest and easiest jobs I'd done, despite it's size.

Grace decided, finally, that the Bloomington campus of St. Vincent's Stress Centers was definitely the job she wanted, so we began making plans. I filled out my application for IU's engineering program for the fall semester, and looked up information on how to get my credits transferred.

We had a very brief conversation about what had happened at the Forster place. Gracie had smiled tenderly at me, and made a few pointed comments about Karma coming back around. I agreed. Cheating has consequences! And at least SOMETHING good might come from the situation: Lance had another chance to take control of his own life. I sincerely hope that this time, he used it well!

Yes, those two days were a joyous respite for us. We made love, enjoying each other to the fullest! There was so much for us to try. We had quickies, when the mood and opportunity presented themselves. We had longer lovemaking sessions where we explored one another's bodies, learning new ways to pleasure each other. We tried some different positions to see what worked and what didn't.

Grace and I were both in excellent shape, and were willing to try just about any position – once, at least. That led to all sorts of interesting times. Some of the crazier positions just didn't do anything for us, though. I'm sure there are people who really enjoy bending themselves like pretzels while they make love, but I would never be one of them! Ironically, if I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be plain old "missionary." I loved being on top of my beautiful Gracie, staring into her loving eyes as I plunged into her. The full body contact and unlimited opportunities to look into her eyes made it really hot for me!

Gracie loved being on top; she loved to hold my shoulders and ride me while I teased her sensitive nipples with my lips and tongue. Sometimes when she was really worked up, I'd gently strum her clit with my finger. She always came HARD when I did that!

The night before New Year's Eve, Fleur called and invited us to their place for dinner. Grace and I happily accepted. They were good friends, after all, and Elizabeth was almost as good a cook as Mom was. It promised to be a fun time!

We arrived at Fleur and Elizabeth's house at 7 that night. I parked my Subaru at the curb in front, and we headed in. Aunt Lily greeted us at the door with a smile and a hug.

"Hi Grace, Kevin!" Aunt Lily said. "Come on in, dinner is just about ready!"

We stepped into the house. I took Grace's coat and hung it with mine. We followed Aunt Lily nto the kitchen, where Fleur was setting their dining table. The ringing of the doorbell was a surprise to all of us. Elizabeth and Fleur looked at each other in mild confusion and annoyance; they obviously weren't expecting anyone.

Fleur walked to the door and peered out the peephole.

"It's the police!" she said, quietly, before opening the door.

"Good evening, ma'am," the police officer said. "I'm Office Carey Lake with the Highland Police Department, and I'm looking for Mrs. Lily Collins. Do you know her whereabouts?"

"I'm here," Lily said, stepping out into the living room with Elizabeth and Grace.

"Mrs. Collins," he said with a polite nod. He then looked at Fleur. "May I come in, please?"

"Of course, Officer," she said, stepping aside.

As soon as he was in, she closed the door and gestured towards a chair. Fleur took the love seat with Elizabeth. Lily, Grace, and I took the couch.

"What can I help you with, Officer Lake?" Lily asked without preamble.

"We're looking for your husband, Trent Collins. Do you know where he is?" he asked.

"No, I'm sorry, I don't," Lily replied. "You probably already know that we're separated, pending our divorce. In fact, I haven't even returned to our house, except for a trip a few days ago to get my personal things and few family hierlooms of mine. I deliberately waited for a time I knew Trent wouldn't be there. I've not seen Trent since the day I left him."

Aunt Lily leaned forward slightly, looking concerned.

"I was givn to understand Trent had been arrested. Did he make bail? Why are you looking for him? What's happened?"

The cop studied her face for a moment, probably making a judgement call about whether or not he was hearing the truth. After a brief pause, he said, "Mr. Collins did make bail, ma'am, the morning after he was arrested."

Officer Lake paused yet again, as if weighing how much he wanted to say to Aunt Lily about her soon-to-be-ex husband. At last, he said, "We'd like to speak with him about an assault that took place earlier today, on a Highland Police detective named William Kowalski."

"I know Billy," Lily said, in concerned tones. Looking over at Elizabeth, she said, "You were probably too young to remember, but the Kowalskis were our neighbors when we lived over on Ohio Street." Turning back to Officer Lake, she said, "He tried to help Trent get on the force, but there was some kind of test Trent couldn't pass, so he got his PI license instead."

Lily looked lost in memory for few moments before she shook herself. "Sorry, I got off topic. My husband can be violent, that's true. But as far as I know, he and Billy Kowalski were friends. They went golfing together. He and his wife would occasionally join us for a couples night out. Why on earth would Trent assault him?"

"I never said he did, Mrs. Collins," the policeman said. "At this time, he's just someone we'd like to talk to. You're sure you don't know his whereabouts?"

"No, I'm sorry, Officer. I really don't have any idea," Lily said, shaking her head sadly.

"Alright," the officer said, getting to his feet. "If you happen to see him, or have any contact with him, please call the Highland Police Department."

"Of course," Lily murmured, as Fleur stood to walk the policeman to the door.

I was shocked. Attacking a policeman was one of the dumbest things Trent could possibly do. He'd have every cop in the city, county and state looking for him! And in today's climate, all bets were off as to whether or not they'd bother trying to take him in custody. Speaking purely for myself, I hoped they just put him down! I hope that didn't make ME a monster...

Fleur opened the front door for the policeman and politely wished him goodnight. Because she was looking at the cop, she didn't see the two figures waiting just to one side of the front walk. The policeman did, but he took just a second too long to realize what was happening. By then it was too late.

What happened next occurred so fast that it took me time, later, to piece together the sequence of events for myself. Two people entered the room, the first one in slammed a fist into Fleur's face: a brutal right hook. She went down hard and landed in a heap on the carpet, unmoving.

The long silencer screwed onto the end of the first intruder's pistol reduced what should have been a roar to a soft bark. The bullet slammed into policeman; Officer Lake stumbled backward, fumbling for his own weapon. The intruder's pistol barked three more times, and I watched in horror as the cop crumbled to the floor.

That broke me from my shock-induced stillness. I pulled Grace and Lily to the floor and drew my Kahr PM45 from inside my waistband, bringing it to bear against the threat. The endless drills from my instructor reverberated in my skull over and over again as the front sight aligned with the chest of one of the intruders. I pulled the trigger once, twice, three times, four... By some miracle, all four of my desperate shots connected. The masked intruder's pistol fell from his hand as he sank to the floor, and I turned from him, searching for the second intruder.

Not seeing him, I dropped to one knee behind the pathetic cover offered by the loveseat. My hands were shaking with adrenaline, but thanks to the time I'd spent practicing, I was able to eject the half-empty magazine and replace it with my full spare. My ears were momentarily deafened from the noise of my own shots (I didn't have a silencer, after all), so I couldn't rely on my hearing to find the second intruder.