This is a work of fiction, using characters from the film, “LA Confidential". No insult or invasion of privacy or infringement of copyright is intended. The story is for readers over the age of 18 only, and contains adult language. The writer is not responsible for any "discomfort" caused to the reader by this language and these situations.
Shadows
©2007 by: C4C
CHAPTER FOUR
The day wasn't going well for Ed Exley. It was only one o'clock and he had a pounding headache. The pile of paperwork on his desk was growing by the minute and, to make it worse, neither Bud nor his secretary had materialized. Reaching for his coffee cup he managed to knock both it and most of the morning's work to the floor.
"Shit," he hissed to himself.
There was a knock at the door.
Further annoyed that there was still no secretary to screen his visitors, he snapped, "Come in and state your business. Quick!"
"I think you're my business, Captain Exley," said a feminine voice.
He looked over at the tall, slender woman standing at the door. She looked rather bemused at his plight. He stood up awkwardly and adjusted his glasses.
"I'm sorry--I was just in the middle of something--how can I help you, Miss--?"
"Joy. Joy Garrison. And, I think I'm here to help you."
"And how's that?"
"I'm your new secretary."
He blinked. "We have a secretary--Susan--"
"--Susan retired at the end of the month, don't you remember?"
He did remember. He'd just forgotten. She could tell from the expression on his face. Men!
"So we drew straws in the typing pool, and I lost," she said, trying not to laugh.
At the blank look on his face, she said, "That was a joke, Captain."
Feeling more foolish by the minute, he said, "Could have fooled me."
They stared at each other for a minute and then they both laughed.
"I'll bring you some fresh coffee, and then maybe we can make some sense out of this," she said, gesturing at the jumble that was his desk.
"Thank you, Miss Garrison."
"You're welcome, Captain Exley."
They worked quietly all afternoon. Ed stole glimpses of her, realizing how different she was than Susan, who had been an older, rather nervous woman. This one couldn't be more than twenty-five and very attractive, besides. He couldn't help but notice how out of place she seemed, here. The way she talked and dressed and the way she carried herself. Very poised and self-assured. He liked it.
She had been nervous to find out about her job, knowing that both her new bosses were so important in the department. Of course she had read the stories in the papers and knew about the huge scandal and the snake-up that had followed. These two men had changed the whole face of the L.A.P.D. And the pictures she'd seen of Captain Exley didn't do him justice. She risked a glimpse of him and smiled to himself. He was cute, with those glasses perched over his face.
Bud lumbered into the room.
"Nice of you to show up," Ed said, slyly. "Stopping in, on the way home?"
"I was working," he said, falling into the chair in front of Ed's desk. "Tried to leave you a message--" He glanced at Joy, then back at Ed, with an inquisitive look.
"This is our new secretary, Joy."
"I'm afraid so," Ed said, wryly.
Bud nodded his head at her. "Hi."
"Hello, Lt. White," she said, politely. "I'll leave you two to your business."
Bud couldn't help but notice that Ed hadn't taken his eyes off her as she left the room.
"Nice girl," he commented. "Not a bad figure, either."
Ed shot him a look.
"Hey, I'm a cop, I'm supposed to notice these things. For ID purposes."
"Very funny. Did you find anything?"
"Yeah, we were right, all along. Those girls are runaways. They've been recruited for prostitution and drug drops. I even got a name for him, seems one of the girls wants to get away, wants to talk. Name is 'Scarlet,' something. I'll get to her tomorrow."
"Good job, White." As Bud rose and headed to the door, Ed added, "Lynn okay?"
Bud suddenly got a vague look in his eyes. "Yeah. She's fine. Wanna go for a drink, tomorrow night?"
"Sure," his partner replied, with an inner smile.
As Bud came into the house, he heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. He left a trail of clothes as he headed in that direction.
Lynn was in the tub, her eyes closed, her hair piled high, leaning back as the steamy water lapped around her. Bud reclined in the doorway for a moment, admiring the lines of her graceful neck and the peaceful expression on her face. He slipped off the rest of his clothes and walked over to her.
She smiled lazily as she felt him slip in behind her, moving forward so that she could sit between his legs and rest her head on his chest. He slashed the sparkling bubbles playfully as he cradled her in his arms.
"Baby taking a bath," he asked, his voice deep and smooth.
She giggled. "He loves baths."
"So does his Daddy." He reached up and turned the water off. She turned around. Straddling his legs, she kissed his lips, softly at first, just brushing them with hers. Her tongue teased his mouth open and danced on his, sucking it into her mouth.
Bud reached for the soap and began to lather her body, letting his hands glide down her shoulders and back, down to the soft, smooth roundness of her ass. He cupped her with both hands and pulled her against him, enjoying the soft, yielding feel of her skin on his. She rubbed against his big, hard cock, then, suddenly, moved from his arms, giving him a sly look as she went under the water. He moaned as her lips closed around the head of his cock, holding his balls delicately as she moved her mouth down to his shaft, taking him greedily. Bud's thick thighs parted as he leaned against the tub, gripping the sides and fighting for control. When she came up for air, he pulled her head firmly to his.
"God, baby, I didn't know you could hold your breath that long," he gasped.
"I was motivated," she grinned, wickedly. She raised her hips to mount him but he stopped her.
"Lynn, you sure this is alright?"
It took her a second to understood that he was worried for the baby. "Yes, honey," she answered against his lips. "Very all right."
She took him inside, flexing her muscles to grab every inch of him. He held her close, pressing his lips against the groove of her throat as she pumped him. He was nearly bursting.
"Hurry, Lynn, please, baby!"
Her own orgasm was building as she picked up speed and came, shuddering and moaning into his shoulder. The water splashed wildly, spilling over the tub. Bud released himself into her, deep and hard, holding onto her for dear life.
Bud heaved himself out of the tub and reached for the soft, fluffy towel lying close by. He helped Lynn out, wrapping her in the towel, patting her dry and kissing her moist skin. She opened the towel.
"Come inside," she invited him, drawing him tight against her with the towel. They swayed back into the bedroom where she danced him over to the bed, trying to pull him down, giggling all the way.
"Oh, no," he said, resisting. "If we do that, we'll never get up."
"That's the idea, silly."
"Now, what's the baby going to think?"
"How lucky he is. To have parents who love each other so much," she purred and tried again. It took every ounce of his will to refuse her.
"No, come on, I want to take you out." He pulled her to her feet, slapping her bottom playfully. "And besides, I'm starving."
"But my hair's wet," she wailed.
"Well," said Bud, grabbing the towel and rubbing her damp tresses, "whose fault is that?"
El Cholo's was a nondescript hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant on Western, near Olympic near the south side of town. The cafe had very few amenities except for a tiny dance floor and a huge juke box that usually drew Bud like a magnet. The waiting room had no bar but was always full, because it was, simply, the best Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles.
Tuesday was one of the lighter nights, though, and they managed to get their favorite booth right across from the Juke Box. They slid in close together. The waiter came and Bud ordered their usual Margaritas. When the drinks arrived, he raised his glass in a toast.
"Congratulations, Mom," he said, tenderly.
She clinked her glass to his. "Congratulations, Dad."
As they swallowed and set their drinks down, Lynn was suddenly serious.
"I'm glad you're happy about this, Bud."
He didn't answer for a moment, then, "Why wouldn't I be happy?"
She stroked his face. He took her palm and kissed it. "I know you're scared," she whispered. "So am I, believe me."
"Don't be scared," his voice was low and urgent. “And don't worry. I'm gonna take care of you and I'm gonna take care of this kid."
"I know."
"Good." He took another drink and gave a furtive look at the juke.
"Go on," she urged, her mood playful again, "I know you want to."
Bud was not a playful man. He had never learned to play as a child. But he was learning to loosen up and that machine brought out the little boy in a way that tickled Lynn to pieces. Usually he would stand there and play with it for a while but this time she could see, even from where he was sitting, that he had a purpose as his fingers drummed on the different selections. By the time he was back at the booth, the clear, sweet tenor of Johnny Mathis's voice was filling the tiny cafe.' She heard the opening words to "The Twelfth of Never," as he led her to the dance floor.
"You ask how much I need you, must I explain?/I need you, oh my darling, like roses need rain./
"You ask how long I'll love you, I'll tell you true./Until the Twelfth of Never, I'll still be loving you."
"Our favorite," Lynn crooned.
"It's how I feel, doll. I just can't seem to come up with the words," he said, his voice whispering in her ear.
He held her ever closer.
"I don't know what kind of father I'm going to be," he continued, "but I'm gonna try to be a good one. I know I can do better than that piece of garbage--"
"Shh," she put a finger to his lips. "Don't say it, don't even think it, Bud."
"--let me, Lynn--while I can get the words out. I want you to know. I'm keeping him in the past with his damn sister. I'm not going to see her, I'm not even going to think about her."
"You do what you have to do, darling. I trust you," she said, into his lips.
Some of the patrons smiled at the solitary couple on the dance floor, so much in love.
But the figure in the darkened corner was also watching them. And he wasn't smiling. He wasn't smiling at all.
Return to
Character Fiction
Return to Main Page
WANT TO POST FEEDBACK?
VISIT THE ROUGH MAGIC FEEDBACK MESSAGE BOARD!