“Taking Care of Our Own”

by Marie and Stacey

Zack pulled up in front of the boarding house, slammed the car into park, grabbed the keys and went flying up the stairs to his room as quickly as his legs could take him. When he got there, the door to the room was locked. Good girl, he thought to himself, and pulled out his key to unlock it.

“Who’s there?” Destiny called out, worriedly, as she heard the key go into the lock.

“Its just me, Zack,” he called back, then walked through the door and nearly fell into her arms.

“Oh Zack,” she told him, wrapping her arms around him, “I was so worried. Is everything alright? You were acting so strangely before you left, I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.”

“Um... I’m fine,” he told her, trying to calm her nerves. “Destiny, did anyone call or stop by while I was out?”

“Actually...,” she pulled back, biting her lower lip.

“Who?”

“I... I don’t know for sure,” she told him. She walked over to the dresser, picked up a large manila envelope and handed it to him. “Someone knocked once, a couple of hours ago, then slid this under the door. I...I was afraid to open it.”

Zack turned the envelope over, his name was scrawled in black marker on the outside. “Gloves,” he told her, “in the top drawer, bring them to me.”

She did what he asked, handed him a set of black fitted gloves, which he quickly slid onto his hands and began the task of opening the envelope. Inside, there was a set of photographs. Just as he expected, they were of his missing friend, Yoji, being tortured, the last photo showing his death. Zack clenched his teeth, sighed deeply, trying to fight back his grief.

“What is it?” Destiny asked, curiously. She could see a mixture of fear, anger and grief on Zack’s face, knew whatever it was in the envelope couldn’t be good.

“N...nothing,” he lied, quickly shoving the photos back into the envelope. “I’ve...um...I’ve got to call White, give me a minute?”

She nodded, managed a weak smile, and went into the bathroom to give him some privacy.

Zack waited until he heard the door close then pulled out his cell, fumbling with the numbers until Bud picked up the line.

Bud punched a button with his thumb.  He hated these fucking things.

"White here."  He barked into it and then saw Zack's name on the screen.

"Partner, what can I do for ya?"  Bud was itching to get out and do something.

"I've got something I've been working on... little side gig for someone in town. Thought it was gonna be a piece of cake, but...," he paused for a moment, trying to hold it together, "I...um... I can't talk about it over the phone. Can you get away to meet me... say, in fifteen minutes?"

Bud was getting to know Grant well enough that he could tell something was very wrong.  And he said no phone talk.

"Yeah, I can meet you at the office in 15."  Bud got his gun, checked to make sure it was loaded and slipped it into his holster under his jacket.  He was about to say goodbye when instead..."And Grant, watch you back."

Bud shut his phone and slipped it into his pocket.  He smoothed out his voice to sound nonchalant.

"Hey, Hon.  I'm going into the office to meet with Grant.  I'll call you later.  Gotta run."

Marie popped her head out from the kitchen where she was busy cooking meals for Lachlan, Ashley and for Terry.  Lachlan and Ashley would be bringing Katie Marie home from the hospital tomorrow and Marie intended that they'd have no cooking to do for at least a week.  The same for Terry when he moved into Toni's house.

"Can you pick me up a few things from the market later while you're in town, Bud?"

"Uh, I'm not sure.  I'll call you later, Hon and you can tell me then what you need."  Bud came over and kissed her before turning to leave.

Marie saw he was wearing his gun.  But he said he was going to meet with Zack at the business they were still building.

"Is everything okay, Bud?"

"I don't know."

Marie grabbed his lapel and pulled him in for a stronger kiss from the peck they'd just exchanged.

"Okay.  I love you.  Be careful."

"Right, Hon.  Always."  Bud hurried out the door and into the cruiser.  He could get into town much faster in that.  Putting the big vehicle into reverse he gave a small smile as he saw Marie's lipstick and wiped it from his mouth.  He roared out of the driveway and toward town.

Zack had waited 5 minutes after he hung up the phone with Bud to let Destiny know he was heading out again. He hated the idea of leaving her alone again, especially knowing that whoever had killed Yuji had just been there, right outside their door. They could still be in the building, could still be watching, waiting for the opportunity to present itself. Yet, he didn't want to involve her in this anymore than he had to.

Fuck it, he thought to himself, gritting his teeth, "Destiny, I'm meeting White down at the office, I need you to go with me."

"Go with you?" she asked, worriedly, "Zack, why? Does this have anything to do with the envelope you got? What was in it, anyway?"

"Don't... ask," he replied, softly, taking her hand in his, "the less you know, the better. Just...um... grab your purse, let's get moving. I don't feel safe leaving you here alone again."

She nodded, grabbed her bag and followed him downstairs. They'd walk, being that the office was just up the block. Perhaps then if anyone came looking they'd see his car still parked out front and think he was still upstairs.

Bud was just pulling up when they got there. Zack looked around, making sure no one else was around, waved Bud inside the office and quickly shut and locked the door. Once they were inside, Zack pulled out the envelope and tossed it across the desk to Bud.

Bud started looking at the pictures.

"Who's this guy...?"  He trailed off.  Make that who was the guy.  It wasn't a pretty death.  He looked pointedly at Grant.

"I take it this is someone you know or knew?"  He looked from Grant to his girl, Destiny.  Bud could smell fear in the room.  Grant brought her with him to protect her.  Bud thought of his own family.  His sweet new baby niece.  The stench of this better not come near any of his or he'd fucking kill Grant himself.  He waited for the explanation.

"His name was Yuji, he was a friend of mine," Zack told him, "I was doin' a favor for Roberts, tryin' to track down who's behind importing and selling fake antique miniature paintings around the area. Figured it would be easy money, ya know? Track down some old timer workin' out of his basement or some shit like that.

At first I was just supposed to be helpin' out Roberts' secretary, go talk to a guy in the business down in Coffs. I was just supposed to tag along in case something went wrong, and boy did it. We get there, she gets clubbed on the head and the shop owner was lyin' on the floor, dead. Roberts' gave me all the information he had on the case,  suggested the fakes were comin' outta Singapore, so that's when I got Yuji involved. Figured he might ask around there, give me some names to go on." Zack paused, looked down at his hands, "He called me in the middle of the night, said he was at the airport, had the information for me, wanted to meet. He was scared, real scared, worried about being followed and shit. Hell, I thought he was just bein' paranoid, ya know? Told him to meet me at this old abandoned station a couple hours from here, but he never showed. He never showed." Zack sighed, looked up at Bud, "I got home, Destiny said someone had been by, slipped that envelope under the door. That's when I called you."

Bud nodded and ran his hand across the stubble on his chin as he thought.

"Miniature paintings sounds like a fucking pansy case.  Who the hell would kill over fake little paintings?"  Bud shook his head.

"Your friend didn't tell you shit before you got these?"  Bud tapped his finger pointedly on the table by the pictures.  He had an idea.  This could go two ways.  Grant would have to decide.  He wanted to know if his partner really knew something or not.

"Just that the guy was bad news, dangerous," Zack told him, "Wouldn't give me a name over the phone, said he needed to meet with me in person. Had a file for me on the guy or somethin'. Shit, Bud, whoever did this knows where I fuckin' live and I have no idea who the hell I'm chasin' here."

"Then maybe you shouldn't."  He looked intently at Zack.  Bud was going to give him the easiest and perhaps the best way out first.

"Whoever did this could have killed you if they wanted to."  They could've killed the girl too when the pictures were delivered, but Bud didn't want to say it out loud and he knew Grant had thought of that.  He didn't want to scare the girl more.

"I'm sorry your friend died over this, Zack.  Those pictures were a warning.  If you walk away now it's over and you and yours will be fine.  So you need to decide if you can walk away from this now or not?"  Bud didn't know how close Grant was to the dead guy.  But he figured Zack needed to step back a moment, think clearly and decide how much more he was willing to sacrifice for this case of Richie's.  Bud knew how quickly everything could disappear in one big cluster fuck.

Zack had thought about that - walking away. He figured the pictures had been a warning, otherwise both he and Destiny would already be dead. Richie, too, perhaps. But he'd gotten Yuji involved in all of this, it was his fault his friend was dead. He couldn't just let it go, couldn't just walk away and let that fuck get away with murdering his friend. He clenched his jaw, looked up at Bud, "Can't do that, not when that fuckin' bastard is out there breathing the same air I am. Not after what he did to Yuji. He's gotta pay, Bud, whoever he is. I dragged Yuji into this, I can't just let his killer walk away. You can help me or not, but I'm not walking away."

Bud scowled at Grant.  What'd he mean he could help him or not? 

"Do I fucking look like I'm walking away?  I'm here and you're my partner.  I'm not gonna let you hanging out and flapping in the wind alone.  But, I'm not letting our women be in danger.  I suggest we send Destiny and Marie over to the Curry's where Varner can watch out over them.  He knows how to shoot and so does Marie."  No one would expect that Marie would be at Curry's house.  Lachlan and Ashley were still in the hospital with the baby.  There'd be room for Destiny, Marie, Jessica and Varner to stay there.

"Zack, I'm not sure I want to leave you," Destiny spoke up, worried that she may never see him again.

"Destiny, Bud here is right," Zack told her, "Sweetheart, if anything were to happen to you... I just couldn't live with myself." He turned back to Bud, "Thanks, partner, I appreciate the offer. Once I know she's safe we can go after whoever this bastard is that killed Yuji."

Bud called Marie and arranged everything.  He hated to hear the worry in her voice.  But she was a cop's wife.  She didn't question.  The same couldn't be said for Varner.  He had to fucking tell him everything and spell it out.  Varner would watch out for the girls; he'd come through for the family.  And he'd probably stay in Jessica's room.  Bud felt his face turn bright red.  He choked out a thank you and hung up before he said anything more.

"Everything is all arranged.  We need to get Destiny separated from us.  Marie will come and pick her up and take her to the house.  I suggest someplace public like Andy's restaurant."

"Agreed," Zack said, "Let's get moving then."

Zack and Destiny followed Bud over to Andy's, both men looking over their shoulder as they went. If whoever they were after was having them watched they were doing a good job of keeping themselves well hidden. Nothing looked suspicious or out of the ordinary, every vehicle and face completely familiar. Once inside Andy's, they relaxed a bit, ordered coffee as they waited for Marie to arrive.

Bud had instructed Marie to park behind the restaurant and slip in the back door as unobtrusively as possible.  She wore jeans and a beige shirt and even a hat to not attract attention to her red hair.  Once inside she stopped a moment to allow her vision to adjust to the darker interior.  She saw Bud sitting at a table with Zack and Destiny.  She hadn't seen Destiny since they'd met at Travis' barbecue.  Bud jumped up and hurried over to her when he saw her.  Marie gave him a kiss.  She wouldn't miss the opportunity.  It was obvious something very serious was going on.  She whispered to him.

"You be very careful and come home to me soon."

"Okay, Hon.  I want you to take Destiny and slip out the back.  Get out of here, go home to Curry's house and stay put there until Zack or I tell you otherwise.  You got that?"

Marie nodded.

"The same goes for Varner and Jessica.  Make yourselves scarce in town.  I know you got plenty of food since you've been cooking for two days."  He gave her a small grin.  "Destiny can't go home and get clothes.  She'll have to wear something of yours, Jessica's or Ashley.  Their place may be being watched.  Ours wouldn't...not yet anyway.  You two need to leave now."

Marie wrapped her arms tightly around Bud's broad chest.  If she had his handcuff's at that moment she thought she'd lock herself to Bud and swallow the key to prevent them from being separated.  She wouldn't make a very good cop...she wasn't sure she always made a very good cop's wife.  But, she wouldn't cry and she wouldn't beg him to stay.  She wasn't going to make this any harder for him than it already was.  And Marie could see in his eyes that it was killing him to send her away where he wouldn't be personally protecting her or the family from possible harm.

And it would be one very full house if this wasn't resolved before Lachlan and Ashley came home from the hospital with Katie Marie.  Lachlan's arrival would give them the advantage of a trained soldier if it was necessary.  It also brought a newborn infant and newly delivered mother into a situation that was less than optimal.  All these thoughts went through her mind in seconds.  She kissed Bud one more time and went over to the table where Zack and Destiny were waiting.

"Hello, Zack and Destiny.  The truck's out back."  She squeezed Bud's hand.  He hadn't let go of hers yet.

"Thanks, Marie," Zack told her, then took Destiny aside and held her in his arms. "I'll give you a call later, let you know I'm safe," he told her, then leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"Zack, I..."

"Shh... you just do what they tell you, stay inside, keep the doors locked. You'll be fine and this will all be over soon."

She nodded, gave him one last hug and kiss, then followed Marie out the back door to the truck and got in.

Marie looked over at Destiny and smiled.

"They'll be okay.  They'll watch each other's backs.  The bad guys won't have that.  And we'll all take care of each other for them."  She put the truck in gear and drove out of the back parking lot.  After proceeding down the road she watched for anyone possibly following them.  There appeared to be no one around.  By the time she turned down the lane for the Curry's house, she was convinced they were alone.

Bud looked at Zack as they walked back to their office.

"We've done our best to make sure they're okay.  Let's go get us some shitbirds."