The Victory
By Elise
Chapter 1
Some things had changed and some had stayed the same since Bud had left L.A. Walking into LAPD he wondered what the hell he’d been thinking coming back here. What did he have to come back to? Nothing. The same as he had left in Arizona. He spotted Ed coming toward him.
Ed Exley shook Bud’s hand. “Good to see you White.”
Bud shook his hand back firmly. “Is it? So you in charge of the place now huh.”
Nodding Ed shrugged. “We’re still using each other. You have a place to stay yet?”
When the other man shook his head Ed turned to the desk sergeant. “I’m taking an early dinner call if anything comes up.” Turning back to Bud he gave him a wry smile. “I’ve gotta surprise for you.”
They drove out to a familiar place with a lot of past history for both men. But it didn’t look so familiar anymore. There was a new neon sign The Victory Motel. The office and rooms were bright with a fresh coat of white paint. The run down ruined dump Bud had roughed up hoods in had vanished.
It felt like someone had taken an eraser and rubbed it over those dark rooms. Exley motioned toward the office. Opening the door he started to laugh. Bud stepped in to see what was so amusing.
A petite brunette was stuck on the top of a ladder trying to hold a large light fixture with one hand and screw in the bolts with the other. She was looking between the bulbs at the man laughing at her. There was no way for her to get down without dropping the fixture or falling off the tall ladder.
“Ginny why didn’t you call someone to install that?”
“Why waste money I don’t have when I can do it myself?”
She continued to attempt to balance unsuccessfully and the ladder teetered. Ed grabbed the legs and stabilized it. As she braced one hand on top of the ladder trying not to drop the fixture.
“Get down here before you kill yourself!”
She glanced down cross. “I can’t. If I let go the light will fall.”
Ed kept hold of the ladder as Bud walked around and climbed up behind her. He had to press against her back and reach around to the fixture. She smelled wonderful, like exotic flowers. Her hair was in a ponytail, he was aware of how soft it felt brushing against his neck.
She let him take the screwdriver from her hand and held the fixture for him as he tightened the bolts. Ginny tried not to notice his presence. This man seemed to take up more than his space in a room. He was pressed to her back and reaching around her, it was all very intimate. When the last screw was done he checked to make sure it was secure.
She turned a bit to see his face. He had the most intense expression then it softened as he looked back at her.
“That should do it.” He said as he guided her down the ladder rungs.
Once on the bottom she smiled and put out her hand. “Thank you, I’m Ginny Wilson.”
He took her small hand in his expecting it to be as soft as her hair had been. Surprised he found it rough, working hands. “Bud White.”
Ed slapped him on the shoulder and grinned.
“He’s known to be a knight in shining armor to ladies in distress in these parts. Ginny here, she’s still innocent to the wicked ways of the city of angels. For some crazy reason she gave up life on the calm east coast to waste her inheritance on this dump. So are you open for business or do I have to take my friend to that cheap place down the road?”
It was all said with jest and Ginny seemed to take it that way, but Exley’s attitude toward her bothered Bud.
She gave a little laugh and smiled warmly, friendly not flirty as she moved to the check in counter.
“Gee let me see we may be booked up. It’s the busy season you know. Technically I’m not open but for you I’ll make the exception. Officer White you have the honor of being The Victory’s first guest.”
Bud frowned a bit as she opened the guest book and turned it to face him. It was still obvious he was a cop. He signed the register and Ed gave Ginny’s hand a pat as she picked up the pen.
“No more climbing ladders, Ginny. I’ve told you to call if you need something done.”
She gave him that look women give when their not interested but Exley wasn’t getting it. Or not willing to get it.
“I know, I know and I appreciate the offer but I manage. If you hadn’t shown up I’d have had that up in a couple more hours or days.”
With a wink she turned to Bud plucked a key from behind counter. “I must have had a premonition. This morning when I picked up the light fixture for the office I picked up a couple of sets of sheets and made up the first room to see if they fit the bed.”
She led the men out to the first set of rooms across from the office. Ginny unlocked the door and swung it open with a bit of pride in her step. “I’ll let you settle in. If you need anything just ask, my place is in back of the office.”
Bud took the key from her dipping his head shyly. “Thanks, you don’t have to go to any trouble Miss Wilson.”
Smiling warmly as she walked back to the office. “No trouble at all, for my White knight.”
Leaning against the door jamb until she was gone Ed gave a low whistle. “I tell you she is a fine dame. A tough nut to crack though, I can’t seem to get a foot in the door with her. You noticed that grand little sweep she made about this room?”
Looking around Bud nodded. Ginny really had taken an eraser to the place. He kept waiting for something to trigger and old memory but there was nothing but pale walls, new furniture, and shiny refinished floors. “She really on her own out here?”
“Yeah. She bought this place and has been fixing it up on her own. Literally, Ginny is the one who has done all the work you see. I think the only thing she had hired out was the electrician and major reconstruction. We met when some vandals broke in and tore up a couple of the rooms. We were really short on man power that day so I came out for the report. Once I heard her story I was hooked on her. I don’t think she’s really interested in me but I come around and help out when she’ll let me. Ginny is one stubborn independent woman.”
Bud had gone quiet not that he was much of a talker to begin with but Ed knew why. He was going on about the girl he wanted to land and Bud had just crashed in a blaze of fire. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out with Lynn.”
The other man shrugged. In truth their relationship had been doomed from the beginning. “We were just too different in the long run. I just hope she’s happier with her next choice.”
Not knowing what to say Ed shook his hand. “Well it was a long trip back. I’ll let you get some rest and pick you up at seven in the morning. It will be good to have you back in the force White.”
Bud nodded and closed the door behind him. After taking off his shoes he fell back onto the bed feeling more tired than he had two years ago. He glanced about the room. Exley said she had done all this work herself, impressive. Rolling on his side he looked out the window. He could see in the office and watched as Ginny flipped off the light switch.
Her shadowed figure walked though a door and turned on a light in a small living room. She picked up a book and curled into a large chair. Bud watched her read for a while. Ginny was pretty with curly soft brown hair. Her eyes were as dark as her hair and her skin was creamy scented with exotic flowers. She was a nice vision to fall asleep with.
***
Seven o’clock sharp Exley was outside honking the horn. Bud rushed out throwing on his jacket. He slowed down when Ginny came out of a room a few doors down. Her denims and checked blouse were spotted with paint. A smile touched her full lips when she saw them.
“Good luck on your first day back. Hey Ed, don’t get the man shot on his first day.”
Exley laughed. “Don’t worry it’s not on the schedule till noon.”
Waving as they pulled out Bud couldn’t help but glance back in the side mirror. He wondered how long she had been painting in that room. Exley started humming and his mind turned elsewhere. “So where you sticking me, with the janitor?”
“Actually. one of your favorite duties. Since you are the FNG you get to go out with the rookie and shake up the parolees. Got a fresh list last night, a few of the names you probably will recognize.”
“Sounds like a lovely day. Always did enjoy being the fucking new guy. What rules have changed Captain Exley?”
Grinning ear to ear as he remembered the battles he used to wage against the corruption of the department. Now Ed himself was neck deep. “Not much. The same crap is swept under the rug. They keep a tighter leash on me than they did Dudley other than that business as usual.”
Business as usual. Which meant Bud would have to be careful not to fall back into old habits. One thing his stint in Arizona had shown him was that he didn’t like who he was much, a thug. Brutality had its place but Bud had hoped to be more than that.
When he arrived for his first day back on the LAPD dime he was greeted warmly by familiar faces. He knew as soon as his back was turned the tongues would wag. People think women gossip. They don’t have anything on a bunch of cops.
The desk sergeant gave him the parolee list and a set of car keys. “Exley said to assign you a vehicle Detective. She’s yours till the Captain says otherwise so be good to her. Your partner for the day Officer Davies is probably in the break room eating all the good donuts.”
Bud grunted a short laugh as he went in search of Davies. The car was a nice surprise. In truth he had expected Exley to tell him to go to hell when he made the call from Bisbee. Instead he said there were openings in the department. He knew the openings weren’t going to be prize positions but Bud hoped to change people’s minds about who he was and move up quickly.
That wasn’t happening today. Walking out to the car where he found Officer Davies “taking the statement” of a curvy blonde. Bud knew today was going to be like old times.