Women And the Demons Who Love Them

Hiraeth-5

The Pretty Reckless- My Medicine 

    The one thing Carter hates more than murdering psychopaths is narcissistic mothers. Listening to that recording boiled her blood. The broken look on Wright's face reminded her of the many foster mothers who had their own children and treated them like they were nothing. Fathers who stayed because they were afraid of what would become of their children if they left. What kind of a woman does that to a little girl? 

    The tap on the chief's glass door had everyone wondering what she was doing here so early. She was specifically told that they were to stay home until the DNA samples came back from headquarters in Kansas City. The chief looked at her confused when he opened the door for her. 

    "What the hell are you two doing here?" he asked. He had sent her home so she could try and get as much rest as she could before the new case became the only life source she could sustain for however long she stays on this case. 

    "This isn't about the case, sir," she explained before he sat back down behind his desk. 

    "What's going on?" 

    "Chief, I know this is sudden but I need to go home. My ex-wife dropped off my daughter at my mom's. My mom has a heart condition," 

    "He's underselling it. His ex-wife dropped his daughter off at his mom's after telling her to f**k off. The court ruled against him after the divorce because he didn't have a place to stay. I'd like to make that call now," 

    "What call?" Kaleb asked his partner. The chief sat back knowing exactly what she was talking about. 

    "You know if you make that call you can never make it again. Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked. 

    "What else would I need it for if not this?" she asked looking away from the surprised manner he was looking at her. 

    Jesus, he had never seen this kind of anger from her before. Not even on her worst days. The fire in her eyes said it all. God have mercy on the soul of the woman she's going after for rejecting this man's little girl. 

    "Carter you don't know this man. You've known him for less than a week and half that time he had locked himself in a hotel room drunk off his ass. It's-" 

    "I hardly knew you when you risked your career and your relationship for me. I'm not risking anything. All I'm trying to do is help a man and his kid. You know exactly how I had to grow up. The things I had to endure, the things I had to see before I ran off on my own. This little girl has a father who is willing to fight for her. I'm not going to ask you again and I'm not asking you for a favor. I'm telling you to make that call and get me what I want," 

    Kaleb had never seen an exchange like this. He looked between the chief and his partner who had 'say no to me and I will f**k s**t up' written all over her face. Whoever this call is to must be big because he was basically telling her no as if she needed his permission. The chief finally looked away from their intense staredown. 

    "Fine, if that's what you want," he reluctantly sighed. He turned his gaze towards Kaleb. "If you f**k this up in any way. I will personally send the permanent suspension to the bureau telling them there is nothing to salvage here," 

    Kaleb looked at his new partner who wouldn't meet his eyes. The chief motioned them both to get out. Once the two were outside the office, she took her seat at her desk to wait for him to finish that call. Kaleb stood at the end of her desk looking down at her wondering what the hell was going on. 

    "Sit down, Wright. You're making me agitated and I get a whole lot worse when I am," she said clenching her hands into fists tightly before opening them back up. 

    "Whatever it is that you're doing, thank you," he said. She looked up at him and nodded. 

    "It would have been a favor gone unpaid had it not been for you," she shrugged. 

    "Can I ask?" 

    "It's better if you don't. The fewer people who know the better. If it works, I'll consider telling you," he nodded going over to his desk. He sat back facing the chief's door. 

    It's kind of funny how the chief has two desks in front of his door like this. The day he had walked into this station he couldn't believe how retro this place is. The brick walls, the wooden framing, the way the officers' desks are all set up. There is no protection. Someone can just walk in here and blow the place to hell. All there is to protect the officers is a metal detector upfront with an officer sitting in a small cubical probably playing games on his phone.

    The chief walked out with a newly printed paper in his hand and placed it in front of her. She took it and began to sign it before she handed it back. Kaleb didn't ask, he just watched the chief go over the sheet of paper she had signed. Carter didn't meet the chief's eyes when she tried to stare her down. There's no need for it. She had already made up her mind.

    "Are you sure about this? I won't ask again," he said softly so no one else would hear. 

    "I'm sure," she said finally meeting his gaze. This is the first time she's challenged the chief head-on like this. One last time, the chief searched for her face for any sign of hesitation to which he found none. 

    "Give her a few hours. Take a walk," his tone didn't hide the displeasure he felt. With one hard look towards Kaleb, he turned and walked back into his office with the sheet of paper in his hands. 

    "Let's go," Carter said getting up. 

    They didn't say a word as they headed downtown. She pulled over in front of a cute little cafe place. The sign up reads The Pancake Shack in a soft pink script. The glances from a group across the street came her way as soon as the engine cut off. They're angry. She got out of the car throwing an equally dirty glance at the group. She didn't take her eyes off of them until they were inside the cafe.

    The woman behind the counter was happy or relieved to see Carter and Kaleb walk into her cafe. The clique across the street always caused her trouble. They'd come in order and leave without paying. She's threatened to call the police on them but never did. Fear of what they might do to her and her family always kept her at bay and they knew that. 

    "Carry, it's been a while," Mrs. Raymond greeted her when she took a seat in the booth in front of the biggest window facing the group of ass holes outside. Kaleb 

    Mrs. Raymond remembers the first time she laid eyes on this girl. She was a little thing then. Skinny, messy hair, and most of all broken. The great detective had once been part of the hooligans that plague her shack. This one had greatness written all over her from the very start. She had often wondered what side this girl would pick. The greatness in a crime or the greatness that fought against it. She's proud to see what Carter Madison has become. 

    "It has. I've had a bit of a rough go as of late. Needed something to cheer me up," Carter smiled at Mrs. Raymond. 

    Carter would never admit it out loud but the closest thing to a mother she's had is this woman. She is the person she comes to for comfort. This lady is the only person who tried to advise her in the right direction growing up. Her husband had been a piece of s**t. Carter may or may not be glad the f**k died for what he put this woman through. She's better off now that she's on her own with her two sons. In short, this lady is the person she calls when it gets too hard for her to bear. 

    "The usual then?" Carter nodded. 

    "I'll have the special," Kaleb said smiling at the woman. The lady wrote down their orders. 

    "To drink?" 

    "Orange juice," the two of them said at the same time. Mrs. Raymond smiled before walking away. 

    "I have so many questions," Kaleb said after a while. "But for now-" 

    "See those guys across the street?" Carter asked cutting him off. 

    "Yeah," 

    "When I was a kid, I used to hang around with them. The older guy, his name is Alvaro Gutierrez. He took over a few years ago when the head of the crew got out. They call themselves the Hooligans," 

    "Why are you telling me this?" he smirked as if he knew exactly what she was going to say next. She smiled back at him. 

    "Once we're done eating, I want you to wait for me in front of my car and stare at him. Don't say a word. I need to talk to him," 

    "Am I going to get hit?" 

    "Try not to take any to the face. You need to look presentable," 

    "For what?" 

    Mrs. Raymond came over and placed a tray of food on the table next to them. She set four plates between them before she brought the silverware and their drinks. She didn't linger. She never did. 

    "Do you know who Alistor Roy is?" 

    "One of the Senators here," she nodded. 

    "I got his son out of some s**t last year. He owes me a favor. His daughter is married to the son of David Callahan," 

    "The senator of California," he whispered. "Madison, that's a hell of a favor," 

    "You see that woman?" she asked looking over at Mrs. Raymond. "I ran the clique outside. It's why they pick on her now. I was a few weeks shy of ten the first time one of my foster parents beat the s**t out of me. It wasn't as cold as it is now but he threw me out fresh out the shower. I was sitting where they're standing right now and she brought me inside, clothed me, fed me, and gave me a place to sleep for the night. She did that every time. 

    "At thirteen, I was deep inside with other cliques in the area. The cliques were created so that we didn't dive headfirst into the gangs. We did their dirty work, paid a tax, and they left us alone. She stopped me from doing a lot of stupid s**t and she's kept me alive. She didn't need to do that. It's a favor I will never be able to repay her," 

    "I don't understand," he said sitting up looking at the food in front of him. 

    "Kaleb," he looked up because of the tender way she had said his name. The only other person who had ever said his name that is his mother. "Sometimes, people need a second chance even when they don't deserve it. I've seen a lot of crazy s**t, I've done some f****d up s**t, and I will continue to do both of those things. Your daughter, if you don't help her. You might as well throw her out yourself. Show her that you care, that there's someone in her life that cares if she lives or she's going to spend her life trying to find a release from what she's probably already feeling inside," 

    "Is that why you brought me here?" she smiled at him taking a bite out of a strand of bacon. 

    "No, I just need to talk to the ass hole outside," he nodded not pushing the subject. 

    Kaleb is seeing his new partner with new eyes now. Not that he thought she was any different before. There's just a new kind of respect. This woman is something else. If her plan works, there is nothing he can ever do that will repay the debt he will owe her. She's giving him a piece of his life back just when he thought he had lost everything. She'd given him a part of her that didn't hurt as bad, yet there were a few things she said that seem like lies to him.

    "Carry?" Carter looked up at Mrs. Raymond who motioned her to follow her into the kitchen. 

    Carter didn't hesitate to get up. She followed the woman through the rows of dining tables and customers. Jared, her eldest son is moving around the stoves cooking. He smiled at her bobbing his head in acknowledgment. Jason, her youngest smiled waving his hand at her. She went over hugging the two of them. Jared should be halfway through his second semester at the junior college. Jason will probably be graduating high school this year. 

    "Carter, we saved your articles," Jason he smiled. His voice has once again changed from the last time she had seen him.

    "Did you? Are you being good?" he nodded. 

    "Yeah, mom said if I continue I can go to Grad night," 

She ruffled his hair. "That's awesome, buddy. What about you Jar?"

    "I'm good," he nodded. Mr. Too Cool for a formal answer. 

    "Who's that?" Jason asked pointing at Kaleb. 

    "That's my new partner. Kaleb Wright," 

    "A partner?" Mrs. Raymond asked. Carter chuckled at the surprised expression on her face. 

    "Yeah, I have to play well with others if I want a promotion," Mrs. Raymond nodded going over to her and pulling her into a hug. 

    "Carry, you look peakish. You're not eating well," 

    "It was just the case I was working. It was hard," she nodded. 

    "Yes, I read all about your little shootout. Are you being careful?" Carter nodded without looking up at her. "Good," 

    "Did you need something?" she asked the woman. There has to be something bothering or she wouldn't have asked her to come into the kitchen with her. 

    "Those kids across the street," Mrs. Raymond said softly like she was ashamed to even ask.

    "I'll take care of them. Why haven't you called?" 

    "The phone works both ways," she shot back making both boys laugh. She tried to hide her smile and failed. "Since you transferred, they have been here almost every other day.  Show her," 

    "Mom," Jared shook his head. Carter looked over at him expectantly. 

    "Show me what?" she asked him. He sighed lifting the apron and sweater. A fading bruise, it had been dark now just different shades of green and yellow. "Stay away from them. Both of you," 

    "Okay," they both nodded. 

    "I'll take care of it." 

    "Thank you," Mrs. Raymond said pulling her in for another hug. 

    "If anything like this happens again. Please, call me," she stopped Carter from walking out the kitchen door. 

    "Is there something you want to talk about? You look tired," 

    "I want to warn you. I'm taking a new case. She's from this side. I don't know who she is yet but I have a feeling it's going to bring me this way," 

"Carter, there's a new clique coming up," Jared said waving his spatula. "They call themselves Winchester High Street. They're not like Hooligans. They're kind of goth," 

"They look like devil worshippers," Jason added. Carter took note of it on her phone. 

"Alright, I'll look into it," 

    She walked out to see Kaleb was standing outside by her car doing exactly what she had asked him to do. She pulled her wallet out leaving a fifty dollar bill on the table. She stayed until she saw Alvaro's resolve snap. 

    Kaleb smirked at the guy and wondered if the reason why he was coming over is that he had been involved with Carter. The guy shoved one of the other kids with him before he started making his way to Kaleb with intent written all over his eyes. It's been a while since Kaleb has been in a fight. He wasn't much of a fighter before. In fact, he tried to avoid it because Helena would always cry when he came home hurt. 

    "You got a problem, pig?" the guy shouted. "You staring at me like you gotta f*****g problem," 

    "Am I?" he chuckled feeling an itch in him. An itch that would only go away when his fists connect with this i***t's face. 

    Alvaro pushed Kaleb. Kaleb pushed him back with a lot more force than Alvaro had used. Carter took this as her opportunity to get up and walk out of the Pancake Shack. A couple of other guys crossed the street to get to the men fighting in the middle of the street. She went over to her car watching the two of them brawl out their anger. 

    "Don't," was all she had to say to the two others. They put their hands up stepping back. "Come on. Wright, stop dicking around," 

    Kaleb reversed the position they were in and slammed Alvaro on the ground putting his knee over Alvaro's arms on his back. Carter walked over to the two of them and crouched down in front of her former friend. He looked up at her and spit in her direction. 

    "Que quieres, Perra? (What do you want b***h?)" he asked angrily and out of breath. She smiled at him. 

    "You attacked a detective, you f*****g i***t. We're going for a ride," he groaned when she handed her handcuffs to Kaleb who used them to cuff him. 

    Carter baby-proofed the doors and windows to the back seat of her car before Kaleb pushed Alvaro inside. The others began to make pig noises in their direction. Some of them called her a traitor. Others just stayed quiet letting their expressions show how much she's hated on this side of town. Carter just smiled at them pleased with herself. 

    "You know it won't stick, D," Alvaro said when she slowly drove past his friends. 

    "I don't need it to stick," she said heading towards the station. "I just have a couple of questions," 

    "I don't have s**t for you, Mamacita. You're out of place now, Princess. You're not one of them and now you sure as f**k not one of us," 

    "Girl, late teens early twenties. Shared. Two big guys between six feet and six feet four inches. Over two hundred pounds. Ring a bell?" he scoffed. 

    "I know a lot of guys that fit that description. None of them like to share the same puta. I don't do escorts either. You know that," 

    "She wasn't an escort. She belonged to them both for a while," Kaleb looked at her wondering how she knew that. 

    "No one running with me is into s**t like that," 

    "There's a new clique. What can you tell me about them?" 

    "Why are you here asking me all these f*****g questions, Diamante? There are a s**t load of others you can go to," 

    "None of them would care. She was in the system," 

    "f**k," he sighed. "Winchester High Street Gang. They're not a clique, D," 

    "Are they part of other s**t in St. Louis?" 

    "No, the bloods and the crips ain't want s**t to do with them. They're into some crazy s**t. Cult, the devil maybe. They're up on High Street. Gringos," she glanced at Kaleb. 

    "As in they hate anyone who isn't?" 

    "Si," he said softly. "Y este? Tu nuevo jugete?(An this guy? Your new toy?)" 

    "My partner," he laughed making her look out the window so that they didn't see her try and fight a smile. 

    "They're making you soft, mama," 

    "Do you have bus money?" she asked. 

    "Perra, I f*****g knew it. Good luck with this broad homie. You're going to need it," Carter pulled over and pulled the door open for him. 

    Before she took his cuffs off she slammed him hard on the trunk of her car. She pressed her body against his while pushing his face hard into the metal. 

    "You're going to find a new spot, Gee. If I catch you near the shack I'm not going to drop you off on someone else's street. If you or any of your guys ever put hands on my brothers again I will paint my car with a pretty new red shade. You got me?" she pushed his head against the metal again smacking the side of his head hard. 

    "Yeah, I got it," he bit out. She took the handcuffs off of him and pushed him towards the sidewalk. "For a minute there, I thought you were losing it. You can take the girl out of the street huh?" 

    "Don't forget. I'm not f*****g around," he looked both ways before he took off running. 

    Carter got back into her car just as her phone began to ring. Kaleb isn't exactly sure if he's okay with what just happened. Yet another side to her has presented itself. 

    "Chief," Carter answered. 

    "Tell Wright he can pick his kid up whenever he can and I have your results back," she let out a sigh of relief. 

    "We'll be right there," she said hanging up. She looked over at Kaleb. "Can you open that for me?" 

    "This?" he asked pulling the hatch on the glove compartment. 

    "Pull that box out and open it," Kaleb opened the small metal box to reveal a badge and a gun. He looked over at her. "I have your paperwork at my desk. You're going to need to sign it before you go," 

    "Where am I going?" he asked. 

    "To pick up your daughter. You should call your mom and have her get her transfer papers and anything else you might need," 

    "How did you-" 

    "They had your ex-wife sign guardianship over to you. You have full custody of your daughter," 

    "What about my son?" she sighed. 

    "You can't take him from her. You aren't his biological father. Not to mention he has family outside of you on his father's side. They'd all fight you for him and you'd lose. This is a small victory, Wright. Take it. Baby steps," 

    "How did you do all of this?" tears swell in his eyes. 

    Carter pulled into the station's parking lot and turned the car off. The look in his eyes is completely different than the one she had seen on his first day. She's not at all familiar with that expression. This man has come alive again. It shines brightly in his eyes. 

    "I made a call," she said as softly as she could just like she had done back at the diner. It was the same tone Mrs. Raymond had used on her several times. "Come on. The faster you get done the faster you'll get to her," 

    "Thank you, Carter. I don't know why you're doing this for me but thank you," 

    "I told you-" 

    "Cut the bullshit. We both know you can care less about anyone. You're grateful but that's the extent of it. Stop lying if not to me than to yourself. Maybe, when I come back you'll have a real answer," 

    She didn't have an answer. Not a real one anyway. The truth is, she really doesn't know why she's helping him. Sure, she sees an opportunity or two in this but she doesn't have to go to these lengths to get what she wants. What does she want from this man? What can he possibly have to offer her? 

    Carter watched him get ready to leave and waited so she could take him back to her house. She printed his two tickets out. He's going to be gone for two days. His plane leaves in three hours. He didn't say another word to her until they get to the airport. 

    "Thank you," 

    "Stop thanking me," she said without looking at him. "I'm going to have your things moved upstairs so you can have a room next to your daughter. You can both stay with me until you decide what you want to do," 

    "Okay," he nodded. 

    "Alright, get the hell out of my car," she said handing him the printouts. "Check-in," 

"Thanks," was all he said before getting out. He hadn't packed anything he had left all his belongings in the room he stayed in. 

    On her way back to the station, she asked herself what he could possibly give her that she didn't already have. There isn't anything, all except the look in his eyes. The man is alive. She can remember the girl she had been before her parents were killed. She just can't remember that feeling. She can't remember feeling alive, feeling anything other than hate and anger. More than just need to have it all end. That's what she wants. She wants him to teach her and in return, she'll help him try and get his life back. Carter only hopes he'll be willing.