copyright: i own and control these characters and the world they’re stuck in.
sex/subtext: subtext? of course.
violence: a smidge, yes.
feedback: can be directed to me at red_hope@yahoo.com
webpage: http://www.redhope.net
started: August 28, 2003 – Thursday
Series 3: Putting the Puzzle Together Series Number: 19 Story Number: 57
Maryland State Trooper #1153
by Red Hope
Part IV
Ashley had just drove home and parked her car in the garage. She hadn’t closed the garage door so she walked out that way and went to the doorway of the garage. There on the side of the doorway was a hidden panel and Ashley flipped the top up. Under the top was a number keypad and she punched in four numbers then pressed the enter button. Instantly the garage door began to roll down.
Ashley walked away from the garage and down the small driveway. She took off her trooper hat and tucked it under her right arm. She reached her mailbox and opened it up. Several letters were inside along with a newspaper.
The state trooper started to thumb through the letters as she strolled to her front door. When she went up one step, she stopped, and stared at one particular letter. It wasn’t a bill and it wasn’t junk mail, nor was it from family. She furrowed her eyebrows at the unfamiliar handwriting but she knew the letter was actually a card. She turned it over and on the back was Katia Danforth’s name and her university mailing address.
Slowly, Ashley began to smile and she turned some and sat down on the bottom step. First she placed her other mail and her hat down on the step beside herself. She then reached to her side and pulled out a knife that lived in a case on her belt side. She flipped the blade out and carefully opened the card. After she put the knife away, she pulled the card out.
On the front of the card was a beautiful image of a wheat field rolling along hills and a brilliant sunset reflecting off the wheat. Ashley opened the card and began to read what Katia wrote to her.
Ashley,
Doesn’t this remind you of the place where we first met?
The trooper paused and just laughed quietly. She then continued reading the card.
Well maybe this place is a little more beautiful than where we met but I did laugh when I saw this card and the irony. So I thought you might laugh too. I like it when you laugh and smile.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for saving me from that guy. I hope he’s still handcuff to his truck and dying to go to the bathroom. I think that’s a worst fate than jail time.
Once again, Ashley stopped and just started to laugh at Katia’s words. She’d been extremely tempted that night to take out that man. The only reason she hadn’t was because of her concern for Katia. After a heavy sigh, Ashley went back to reading the card.
I guess what touches me so much was the fact you took such good care of me. You could have easily taken me to the local police and let them handle me. Instead, you welcomed me into your home and cared for me and even showed me I’m worth more than what I think. Not to mention, you drove me all the way back to school. I find such kindness as that rare in people these days so it touched my heart.
I hope we remain friends and become closer because you’re beginning to already feel like family. Please stay in touch with me and I will always be in your debt for the kindness you showed me. Thank you so much
Love Always,
Ashley held the card in her hands, she reread the card then just stared at it. After a long time, she finally closed the card and carefully slid it back into the envelope. She turned the card over and stared at the front of the envelope where her name and address were written out in Katia’s handwriting. “I wonder where she got my address?” she muttered.
Just for reassurance, Ashley looked at her mailbox and saw that she definitely had her address number lettered on the side of the box. Her eyes lowered back to the card. “Well… there’s always the internet and phonebook.” She grinned and shook her head. She then thought about calling Katia but she was hesitant, she didn’t know what Katia’s daily schedule was like between classes and everything else.
She ignored her worries and decided to just call her friend so she could thank her for the card. Ashley unclipped her Samsung from her belt and flipped the top. She searched Katia’s name then hit the send button on her friend’s cell number. She lifted the cell phone.
“Ashley?” greeted Katia over the phone.
“Hey.” Ashley smiled at hearing her friend’s voice. “You’re not busy?”
“No, no,” persisted Katia. She smiled as she sat down on her bed, her cell phone in her right hand and against her ear. “I just finished classes and just stepped into my room now. How are things in Hunt Valley?”
“Pretty good. How have you been?” Ashley leaned back against the steps and stretched her left arm back until it pressed against the top step.
“Things are getting a little better,” admitted Katia. “Classes have been really busy.”
“Good. They’ll keep you out of trouble.” Ashley just heard Katia huff at her. She grinned and studied the postmark date on the card Katia had sent her. It was dated four days after she dropped Katia off at Salisbury. “I got your card today,” she mentioned.
“Oh you did?” Katia felt her stomach tighten some.
“Yes and you don’t need to thank me much less send a card.”
Katia sighed inwardly as her smile reappeared. “Hey… you saved me, you’re my hero. I have to praise you some how,” she teased.
Ashley quietly laughed and continued to stare at her address in Katia’s handwriting. “Thank you though, Katia.”
“My pleasure,” replied the young woman. She scooted onto her bed more then fell back into it, becoming more comfortable. “Did you work today?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Any interesting tales?” probed the college student.
Ashley just knew her friend would ask that. She lifted herself up and carefully put the card down into the pile of her mail. “Just the usual.”
“The usual? What does that entail?” Katia grinned and added, “Getting shot at?”
Ashley laughed and stared down at her black shoes on the pavement below. “No, didn’t get shot at today. I did catch a couple of kids with cocaine… that was about it.”
“Really?” urged Katia. “A lot?”
“That depends on how you look at it.” A small grin tugged at Ashley’s lips. “If you mean in their stash, no there wasn’t much. But there was plenty in them.”
Katia giggled a little. “Gotcha now.”
“Just the usual speeding tickets though today. I did though get a call in at the Towson mall for stealing.”
“Yeah?” urged the college student.
“Mmmm.” Ashley lifted her head and looked across the road. She saw her neighbours pulling into their -driveway. “This couple, boyfriend and girlfriend, were in Victoria Secret and-”
“Oh no, don’t tell me he stole underwear for her?”
“Pretty much,” replied Ashley.
Katia laughed really hard. “Oh that’s too funny.” She laughed a little more then asked, “So did you have to stumble through that one?”
“Yeah actually. It’s not easy to stand there and write up a report about a man stealing a pair of thongs for his girlfriend. Let’s just say they blushed more than I could count.” She could hear a few more giggles from Katia. “It was pretty humorous in the end. And I think the embarrassment was enough justice for them.”
“Yeah I bet,” agreed Katia. She sighed contently and closed her eyes.
“So how are classes?”
“Like I said, pretty busy,” replied Katia, “I had a test in Calc this today, which ended my week just perfectly. I’m not that great with my math.”
“You have a lot of trouble with it?”
“Well,” started Katia, “not so much trouble. Its just when my class first starts out, everything goes in one ear and out the other. Then for some reason, I suddenly catch on by mid semester and by then its kinda late to start pulling my grade up.”
“Mmmm, yeah that’s not so good,” agreed the trooper. “Have you gone for extra help on it?”
“I thought about it.” Katia chewed on her lower lip, worried she’d get a lecture from her friend like her parents would do occasionally.
“Well….” Ashley bent forward some, she grasped a lace on her right shoes and began twisting it. “Might be a good place to start, yah know. I would help if I was there.”
Katia relaxed when she heard the concern in Ashley’s voice and not annoyed as she had feared earlier. “You’re good with your math?” inquired the college student.
“I’m good in a lot of subjects,” admitted the older woman.
Katia groaned and asked, “Are you one of those people that could sleep through the class, wake up at the end, and know everything that was taught?”
“Yup.” Ashley suddenly had a smirk when she heard a dramatic groan come from her friend.
“I… hate… those… types,” drew out Katia. “I wish I could do that.”
“Yeah I bet you would… sleep through your classes and know everything,” teased Ashley.
“Very funny,” deadpanned the younger woman. “I’m still a good student. Just some subjects come easier than others.”
“Yeah I know.” Ashley twisted her lace tightly then let it go and it untwined. “Just think about getting some extra help with your math,” she quietly mentioned. “I’d hate to see you fail over your own stubbornness.”
Katia chuckled at her friend’s teasing. She had to admit though Ashley hit the nail over the head. She was too proud and stubborn at times to ask for help. “I’ll think about it,” she whispered.
“That’s a start.” Ashley smiled.
Katia smiled as well.
Ashley began to notice it was growing dark. She looked to the west and couldn’t see the sun anymore but the remaining sunlight poured through the trees. “I meant to ask you,” she started, “have you decided on a major?”
“Mmmmm… not really,” confessed Katia. “I can’t figure out what I want to do. I thought about English as my major.” She paused and shrugged. “I don’t know… being a writer isn’t very much money.”
Ashley chuckled and smiled to herself. “Not unless you’re Steele.”
“Or Clancy,” added Katia.
The state trooper grinned and nodded. “So you like to do creative writing.”
“I also like the arts and I mean drawing arts,” explained Katia.
“Really?” asked the curious officer. “What kind of medium?”
“Any really,” answered Katia, “I can paint, draw with graphite… work with clay and right onto photography.” She shrugged some. “I just enjoy art.”
“Hmmm.” Ashley thoughtfully considered the darkening sky over head. She stared at several large clouds as her thoughts tried to add things up. “What does one plus one equal?”
“Um two,” replied Katia. She opened her eyes and wondered what was her friend’s point.
“Well… what’s creative writing plus art equal?” countered Ashley.
Katia pressed her lips together and tried to really add the equation. “I told you I sucked at math,” she joked.
Ashley grinned. “Comics.”
“What?” Katia instantly sat up in her bed. “Comics? You mean like… comic book comics?”
“The same,” replied Ashley.
“But….” Katia furrowed her eyebrows as she added the equation too. Katia liked writing and she also liked drawing. And the other odd part of the entire thing was the fact when she was younger, she use to be into comic books. “Wait….”
Ashley’s lips slowly shaped into a wicked grin. “It’ll come to you,” she tormented.
“How’d you….” Katia laughed but more in disbelief. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Ashley smirked and replied, “Because I’m the one that can fall asleep and wake up knowing everything.”
“Oh yeah, almost forgot.”
“I won’t let you,” tormented Ashley.
Katia snickered. “Thanks.” She then went more serious as she considered her friend’s idea. “What kind of major is that anyway?”
“Well….” Ashley started to consider how to work it.
“Come on, mathematician.”
The trooper rolled her eyes but finally answered the question. “Major in art and minor in creative writing. Can you do that at SU?”
“Not sure… let me look.” Katia hopped out of her bed and went to her desk. She pulled open her bottom drawer and found the university degree catalogue. She went to the front where the art majors were and she found one for a bachelors in fine arts. She quickly dog eared it then flipped to the English department where she also found a minor for creative writing. She marked it as well and put the catalogue down on her desk.
“Find them?” quietly asked Ashley.
“Yeah, actually.” Katia laughed and sat down in her desk chair. “How’d you know that?”
“I have many skills,” joked Ashley. She grinned and reached over to grab her hat. “So you have one idea now,” she mentioned while putting on her hat.
“Yeah… I guess I do,” agreed the college student.
Ashley gathered up her mail and stood up.
“Are you working this weekend?” inquired Katia, breaking the brief silence.
“No but I’m headed up to Lancaster.” Ashley lifted her right shoulder and held the phone against her ear. She then used her free hand to pull out her house keys. She managed to unlock the door and pushed it open. She grabbed her cell phone with her keys still in her hand.
“What’s up in Lancaster?”
The officer opened her door and went inside, she felt the warm air in her house rush to her. “I’m going up to see Laurel.” She slammed the door shut with her foot.
“Gee you two must be pretty damn close for you to drive up there.” Katia shook her head some then slumped down in her desk chair.
“You could say that,” agreed Ashley. She was walking into her kitchen where she deposited her mail on the kitchen table. “If I wasn’t going up I’d let you come over,” she mentioned.
Katia smiled. “Oh and here I thought you were glad to get rid of me last weekend.”
Ashley softly laughed and made her way back out of the kitchen. “You were good company,” she teased. She went to the steps and slowly climbed them. “Maybe next weekend though.”
“Honestly?” urged Katia.
“Yeah sure but this time you have to drive over.”
“Eek.” Katia shook her head then said, “I don’t exactly have a ton of money for gas, yah know.”
“Well… guess you’ll have to stay on the Eastern Shore,” taunted the older woman. She’d already reached the top of her steps and instead of going to her bedroom she went down to the left of hallway and went to the door at the opposite end. She opened her door and leaned against the doorway while saying, “You don’t get any money from your parents?”
“Some,” admitted Katia. “Don’t get me wrong. My family is rich and all but I’m the low child on the pole so to speak.”
“I didn’t know you have siblings.” Ashley stared at her computer screen. The doorway she leaned against was to her office.
“I have a younger sister… a spoiled younger sister.” Katia sat up and leaned back, her head falling back over the top of the chair. “I have to do everything on my own steam while my parents stick a golden spoon in Lisa’s mouth.”
The state trooper sighed and lifted herself off the doorway. “I’m sorry.” She came up to her desk chair and grasped the top of the chair. “There is one good thing about that though.”
“What’s that?” Katia lifted her head up.
Ashley reached forward and pushed the button on the monitor. Her face suddenly lit up from the monitor. “It’ll make you extremely independent.”
“I was independent when I was five,” joked Katia.
Ashley grinned some but felt bad for her friend. She now understood why Katia was so closed up, stubborn, and lacked self-esteem. “Hey, we’re both in the same boat,” she reminded. Ashley moved her mouse around and maximized her Explorer. “So I can relate, Katia.” She stared at the web page of a house for sale located just outside of Salisbury Maryland. “Once in awhile its nice to be dependent on somebody.”
“Yeah right if I could trust somebody enough,” countered Katia. “Anytime I have tried in the smallest amount they stab me in the back somehow.”
Ashley let out a heavy sigh while she stared at the image of the house on the web page. “Give it time.” She then looked away from the monitor and said, “Well if you show up Friday evening, I’ll be here. I shouldn’t be working.”
Katia inwardly grumbled because she wanted to go next weekend but she didn’t know how she was going to get there. “Alright… I’ll be there one way or another.”
Ashley chuckled. “I’ll count on it.” She turned around and left her office. “And unfortunately I have to get moving, Katia. It’s a long drive up to Lancaster.”
“You’re going tonight?” asked the surprised college student.
“Yeah.”
Katia could tell by Ashley’s tone that she wasn’t happy in the slightest that she had to drive tonight. She then began to wonder why Ashley was going up there anyway if she didn’t even want to go. “Well drive safely up there.”
“I will,” promised Ashley. She was in her bedroom now and placing her trooper hat on top of her dresser. “Have a good weekend, alright? Call me if you need anything.”
“Well do. You do the same, alright?” Katia grinned then added, “Like if you need somebody to talk to keep you awake while you’re driving.” She heard Ashley faintly chuckle.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Alright. Bye, Katia.”
“See yah, Ashley.” Katia lowered her phone while flipping it shut.
Ashley pushed her end button and closed her phone. She then hurried to get ready and travel to Laurel’s place for the weekend.
Part V
Katia stormed into Mike’s room from across the cluster. “Mike, I need a favour.”
Mike was in his closest and getting changed. “What’s up, honey?” He turned around while putting on a black leather belt.
“I need to get off campus this weekend. I was here all last weekend. And-”
“And the weekend before that you runaway, what else you wanna do?” tormented the gay young man. He shook his head. “You should stay here this weekend.”
“I can’t, Mike.”
Mike buckled his belt and looked up. “Then what you need me for? Just go, Katia.” He turned around in the closest again and pulled out a button down white blouse. He slipped into it over his tee-shirt and he slowly buttoned it up.
“Well I have plans its just… well it involves travelling.”
“Oh no, not again,” joked Mike. He spun around on his heels and grinned at her. “Where to now? California?”
“That was last time,” teased Katia. She moved away from the door and sat down on Mike’s bed. “This time its Baltimore.”
Mike was looking down at his shirt but he stopped buttoning and looked up. “You want to go see Ashley? Katia Danforth!”
Katia suddenly blushed when she saw Mike’s grinning face. “Mike its not like that!”
“Honey.” Mike came over and knelt down in front of her. “Its okay to be a lesbian, you know.”
“Argh, Mike.”
“I’m serious… we all go through this period of uncertainties but it’ll work out, I promise.”
“Mike!” hotly yelled the young woman. “I’m not like that.”
“Girl, when was the last time you dated a guy huh?” Mike smirked and stood up. He went back to buttoning his top.
“Not long ago.” Katia got a sceptic look from her friend. She rolled her eyes and said, “Look it doesn’t matter anyway. I just need some help.”
“What you need?”
Katia suddenly pouted. “About twenty bucks.”
“Done.” Mike walked over to his desk and pulled open the middle drawer. He opened his leather wallet and peered up. “I only have a fifty so you’ll have to suffer with that.”
“Mike, I don’t need that much to fuel my car up.”
The young man rolled his eyes and came back over to her. “Just take it, Katia.”
“I rather use my credit card,” protested Katia.
“And pay the bill with what money?” contested Mike. “Katia, just take the fifty and whatever you don’t use you can give back to me. How’s that?” He gave a warm smile and held out the bill. “Besides, its not a good idea to travel without much money.”
“Are you sure?” urged Katia.
Mike decided to end his friend’s worry. He went over to her, took her right hand, and put the bill into her hand. “Positive.”
“Thank you, Mike.” Katia sprung up and hugged her friend.
Mike smiled and tightly hugged her back. “You better get going because it’s already four.” He pulled away but held onto her shoulders. “It’s a long ride over there.”
“Yeah, I know,” agreed Katia. She smiled and said, “Thank you again, Mike.”
“Anytime, honey. Go enjoy yourself.” Mike turned Katia around and pushed her towards the door.
Katia laughed and took the hint.
“Don’t let the door hit yah where the good lord split yah.”
Katia threw a glare at her friend then left the room. “Thanks, Mike. Bye!”
“Bye!” called Mike through the closed door. He smiled to himself and muttered, “Ashley is good for her, I think.” He nodded his head in seeming approval. “Definitely.” He turned and went back to his closest to get ready for tonight’s outing.
Katia shoved the money away in her back jean pocket. She rushed back into her room and began packing her stuff for the weekend. Once she decided she had everything she needed, she grabbed her long yellow bag and brought the strap over her right shoulder. “Here I come Hunt Valley.” She dashed over to her desk and swiped her purse. She then went over to Erin’s desk and hastily wrote a goodbye note to her so she wouldn’t think she ran off again.
Katia then raced out of the room and the dorm. She went directly to her car and tossed her items in the trunk. She slammed the trunk and hopped into the Mercedes. Once she had her car started, she backed out and drove down Camden then West College Avenue until she got onto Route 13 north.
But before she got onto Route 50, she stopped at the Wawa gas station and fuelled up her car. Once she was back on Route 13, she quickly took the ramp to Route 50 west and headed for the Bay Bridge. As she drove along, she realized once she got across the bridge she wouldn’t know how to get to Hunt Valley from there. “Oh crap go figure,” grumbled Katia. “I’m such an idiot.” She glanced at her purse on the passenger’s seat. She leaned over and slipped her hand inside and felt around for her cell phone. She finally found it and pulled it out. “Maybe she’s not working right now.”
Katia kept her eye on the road while punching in a message to Ashley. She could only hope Ashley wasn’t busy and she could get some directions on how to make it to Hunt Valley. Suddenly her phone started to ring and she quickly flipped it open. “Hey, Ashley.”
“So you’re coming over huh?” teased Ashley over the phone.
“Yeah, I found a way.”
“Glad to hear it.” Ashley smiled and lowered the radar gun down onto the passenger seat in her police vehicle. “Need some directions huh?”
“Kind of,” admitted Katia. “If you’re not busy.”
“No, no… I’m just sitting here doing speeding tickets,” casually mentioned the officer.
“Oh great.” Katia couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re not any where near me, are you?”
“Oh wait….” Ashley grinned and said, “I see this golden 190E coming my way, real fast too.”
“Shit!” Katia partially believed her friend because she started to slow down and even got into the right line. “Wait,” she growled, “you’re… oh that was so wrong, Ashley.” She heard her older friend just snicker.
“Gotcha… you shouldn’t speed, Katia.”
“Yeah, yeah… so ticket me,” taunted the college student. She actually started to speed back up again but not over sixty-five miles per hour. “I saw how fast your speedometer was last weekend when you drove me back.”
“I’m the law… I can speed.”
“When you’re on duty,” reminded the younger woman.
Ashley grinned to herself. She reached over and put the radar gun back up on the dash and locked it into place. She put the automatic switch on and let it take care of the targeting. “When you get across the bridge just follow 50 and 301 until you meet up with I-95 North. Follow 95-”
“Until I get 695 West, right?”
“Got it and when you see signs for 83 take the exit for 83 north. Once you’re on there, look for the exit to Shawan road.”
“Okay, I know the rest from there.” Katia manoeuvred her car into the left lane and passed three slower cars then got back into the right lane. “Will you be home?”
“Yeah, I’m off duty in another fifteen minutes. So I….”
Katia could hear a beeping noise in the background. “What’s that?”
“Somebody doing eighty-two.” Ashley flipped her sirens on and her lights. “Anyway, I’ll message the directions later.” She’d already started her car and went reeling out of her hidden spot behind an over pass pillar. “I’ve gotta get back to work here.” She was in the fast lane and doing about a sixty miles per hour and going faster.
“Right. Go get ‘em, tiger,” teased Katia. “Be careful. See yah soon.” She could just make out Ashley voice over the sirens.
Ashley couldn’t help but grin and it was simply from the nickname. “See you soon then.” She shut her cell phone and floored her gas pedal.
Katia continue to drive towards the Bay Bridge, she was already coming into Easton Maryland. She switched lanes into the left lane and passed several cars then her heart skipped a beat. She released her gas pedal and instantly her 190E began to slow down at an increasing rate. Katia tried to take deep breaths as she passed by the state trooper that was in the grass between the northbound and southbound highways.
As Katia flew past the state trooper, she kept her eyes up to the rear view mirror. She was just waiting for the cop car to pull out and come after her for speeding. But as she drove along, the police car never moved and Katia sighed in relief. “Goddamn… cops,” she hissed. “She’s got me paranoid now.”
After that incident, Katia went a little slower and decided she really didn’t need to rush to get to Ashley’s place. It took her about two hours to finally make it to Route 83 north and she kept a sharp eye out for the Shawan road exit. About an hour and half ago Katia had gotten a text message from Ashley as promised with the directions. She was now looking at them just to confirm the exit number she needed to take to Shawan road.
Katia found the exit and quickly turned onto the ramp. Once she connected with Shawan road, she drove past the Hunt Valley mall, and went down to the lights. Making a left onto York road, she drove to the entrance of the housing development where Ashley lived.
She drove along the whiney road and came around the last left turn and spotted Ashley’s house to the left. To her surprise, she saw Ashley still outside in the last remains of the sunset light. She quickly realized Ashley was drying her car with a shamie. “Huh… she must have washer her car.” Katia drove her car past Ashley’s driveway and parked her car on the side of the road. She knew there was plenty of room and also considering a lot of other people in the development were doing the same thing.
Ashley straightened up with her cloth in her right hand. She watched as Katia came out of her 190E and pulled out a yellow bag from the trunk. “Hey there, stranger.” She walked from the side of her car to the back of it and waited for Katia.
The college student smiled warmly and walked up the driveway. “Miss me,” she teased.
“Actually yeah,” confessed the state trooper. Katia came up to her and pulled her into a strong hug. Ashley smiled and hugged her friend back.
Katia gave one last tight squeeze then released her friend. “So you cleaned your car huh?”
“Yeah… she needed it.” Ashley looked at it then back at her friend. “I hate a dirty car.”
“Think you can do mine next?” joked Katia.
“Sure.”
Katia blinked then laughed. “Funny.” She then poked her head around Ashley’s tall form and looked at the sparkling car. It sparkled even in the darkening afternoon. “Not bad,” she admitted. She returned her attention to her friend. “Guess you’re still drying it off huh?”
“Yeah, just started but won’t take me long.” Ashley turned around and folded her arms. She seemed to inspect how clean her car was and nodded her head in approval.
“Go ahead and finish up. I’ll make dinner for us,” stated Katia. She then grabbed Ashley’s left arm and stood up on her tiptoes.
Ashley’s eyes suddenly widened when Katia kissed her on the cheek.
Katia chuckled and walked away from her friend. “No rush either,” she called.
Ashley blinked and just remained frozen for several seconds. She blinked again and glanced at front door of her house. The door had just shut with Katia closing it. “What was that?” she whispered. After a shaky breath, she walked back to her spot on the passenger side and continued drying her car off before it got any later.
Once she finished drying her car off, she rang out her shammie and got into her car. She took a deep breath and smelled just how clean her car was now. It made her happily smile. Ashley then started the car and drove it into the open garage. She didn’t push the close door button on her sun visor. Instead she got out and walked back outside to gather up her cleaning supplies. She also coiled up the garden house and unscrewed it from the faucet on the side of her garage. She put all her cleaning supplies away in the garage.
Ashley strolled out of the garage and made sure to key in the code on the garage keypad. She stepped back as the door rolled down. Briefly she stood there and watched the door take her view away of the back of her car. She slid her hands into her khaki pant pockets and walked to the front of her house. When she went into her house, she made her way into the kitchen to find Katia cooking and humming a tune.
Ashley smiled and stopped in the doorway. She admired Katia’s from behind and some urge arose in Ashley. She felt like stepping up behind Katia and slipping her arms around the younger woman then pulling her in against her own body. Ashley shook her head and tried to rid of the thoughts. She finally walked into the kitchen.
Katia took notice of her friend and stopped humming. “Hey,” she greeted. “I’m almost finished.”
“You didn’t need to cook dinner,” protested Ashley.
The college student flashed a grin then returned her focus to what she was cooking over the stove. “I don’t mind…do you?”
The state trooper slowly grinned and came over to her friend’s side. “No… considering my own cooking.”
“Oh?”
Ashley half grinned and chuckled. “I never said I was a great chef.”
“Well you have one now,” stated Katia. She winked then looked at her cooking rice. She put the wood spoon in and stirred the herb rice around some. “Get something to drink… sit down. It’s almost finished.”
Ashley nodded and went around her friend. She opened an over head cupboard and pulled out two glasses. As she went to the kitchen table, she asked, “What you want to drink?”
“You still have that Arizona tea?” inquired the college student.
“Of course.” Ashley grinned and went to her fridge. She pulled out the tall can of Arizona tea and poured the remains between her glass and Katia’s glass. “What you cooking?”
“Rice,” replied Katia. She shifted to another pot and stirred the contents. “Corn.” She had a small stick of butter near the stove with a knife beside it. She picked up the knife and cut a small piece of butter. Her butter went into the pot of corn to melt. “And chicken.” Katia was now at the oven and poking her head in to check on the food.
“Sounds good,” agreed Ashley. She was back near the stove again but pulling out two plates from another cupboard. Then she lowered her hands and slid open a drawer full of utensils. She strolled back to the kitchen table with two forks and two knives that she set on the table. Ashley then pulled out a chair and sat down. She glanced over at Katia.
Katia was pulling out the baked chicken and setting it down on the back of the stove. She lifted the lid on both the rice and corn to find them ready. “Perfect,” she muttered. She quickly turned off the gas burners and was about to get plates but saw they were already out.
Ashley inwardly chuckled at Katia’s brief confusion. She grinned, bent forward, and grabbed two napkins from the left side of the kitchen table. She always kept a stack of them on the table for use. She neatly folded them and slipped them underneath the knives and forks. When she looked up, she saw Katia carrying the plates of food.
“Is that enough?” inquired Katia as she lowered the steaming plate in front of her friend.
“Perfect.” Ashley grinned and her stomach happily growled.
Katia lowered her plate in her spot then sat down. “I haven’t eaten all day,” she mentioned while pulling the napkin off the table and into her lap.
Ashley peered up from her food, a worried look on her face. “Why?”
“Just so damn busy,” replied Katia. She shook her head.
“Come on.” Ashley lifted her fork.
Katia mimicked the action and started eating her meal. “Oh by the way….” She finished chewing her mouthful of herb rice before continuing her sentence.
The officer patiently waited as she thoughtfully munched on some of the corn.
“That Calc test I had…?”
“Mmmm?” Ashley raised an eyebrow.
“Eighty-six,” happily stated the college student. “I took your advice… again.”
Ashley grinned and teased, “My advice has been good for you lately.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.” The younger woman chuckled and smiled. She lifted her knife and started cutting a piece of chicken. “I went to the math centre a day before the test. Got some extra help and everything clicked into place finally.”
“Glad to hear it.” The state trooper was busy eating her chicken now. “Keep going if you have to,” she added.
“Yeah, I will,” agreed Katia. She returned her attention to her food. She was really enjoying the chicken out of all the food. Then she looked up with a curious expression.
Ashley caught the look and raised an eyebrow at her friend.
“I’ve meant to ask you,” started Katia, “this is purely out of nosey curiosity.”
Ashley chuckled and shook her head. “Go on.”
“What number are you?”
The older woman pushed her rice around some then looked up. “Trooper number?”
“Uh huh.”
“Eleven fifty-three,” stated the trooper in a tone that sounded rather serious.
Katia pressed her lips together. “One, one, five, three,” she whispered, more to herself than anybody else.
Ashley nodded but she wasn’t looking at her friend.
“You really like being an officer?” Katia looked up.
Ashley lifted her head and met soft emerald eyes. “Yeah… I really do.” She watched as a smile emerged on Katia’s face and she couldn’t help but let one pull at her own lips.
Katia felt an uneasy for staring at her friend for so long. She broke the contact and shovelled her corn up with her fork. “I think I respect cops more now because of you.”
The state trooper huffed but she couldn’t help her grin. “Gee thanks.”
“I’m serious… in a serious way,” countered Katia. She lowered her fork to her plate even though she wasn’t finished. “I looked at cops like… well… well like pigs.”
Ashley shook her head while cutting her chicken. “Yup… save somebody and they change their entire perspective."
Katia heard the taunting tone in Ashley’s voice but when sky eyes met her own, she knew Ashley was also a bit hurt. “Don’t get me wrong, I think police are important and are needed and what not to keep the peace. I mean without police god only knows what society would be like.”
“Chaotic,” confirmed Ashley. She ate the last piece of her chicken.
“Its just you know… after being around certain people, they made me think that cops liked to just hand out tickets and ruin people’s days.”
Ashley evilly snickered. “Well that’s not all a lie.” She looked up with a glitter in her eyes. “I have done that a couple of times.” She shrugged then added, “But they’re the type of jerks that deserve it.”
“Exactly. I mean, if you stop somebody that’s whines and complains to you then you ticket them, right?”
“Right away,” agreed Ashley.
“And if they’re nice and realized they were wrong-”
“Then I don’t because I think they learned their lesson,” finished the state trooper.
“Exactly.” Katia sighed and looked down at her food. She had only a little bit of rice and corn left so she mixed the two together. “My point is,” she looked up, “police are here to help us and protect us even if it means a ticket or jail time or… whatever for me or another person.”
Ashley grinned, ate her last bit of rice, then pushed her plate away after putting her fork and knife on the plate. “You just figured this out?”
“Okay… so I’m a little slow,” agreed Katia.
The officer revealed a big grin. “No, I didn’t say that.” She sat back into her chair. “You must have missed D.A.R.E. class huh?”
“Very funny.” Katia couldn’t help but grin as she finished her meal. “I respect police better now.” She put her fork and knife on her plate and sat back into her chair. “So thank you for that and I’m sorry for looking down on police.”
Ashley smiled, folded her hands over her full stomach and said, “Thank you.”
“Welcome.” Katia smiled back.
The trooper contently sighed and patted her stomach.
“Good huh?” teased college student.
“Mmmm,” agreed Ashley. She then suddenly stood up and took the plates. She deposited on the counter beside the sink. She turned around and leaned against the counter, her hands up and holding the ridge of the counter top. “What you feel like doing tomorrow?”
“Well….” Katia pushed her chair out and stood. “I wanted to ask you something else.”
Ashley did a dramatic groan. “What’s that?”
The younger woman chuckled at her friend’s grin. “That picture of you and Laurel?”
“Yessss?” drew out the state trooper.
“Where were ya’ll?”
Ashley brightened up at where her friend was going with this line of questioning. “Baltimore Inner Harbour. Why?”
“That’s what I thought but I wasn’t sure,” muttered Katia. She pushed her chair in then turned back around. “Is it nice there?”
“You haven’t been?” inquired the surprised trooper.
“No actually.” Katia faintly blushed and came over with her and Ashley’s empty glasses. “I heard it’s a lot of fun.”
Ashley took the glasses and placed them behind herself. “We’ll go there then tomorrow.”
“I would say yes but….”
“But?” probed the taller woman.
Katia folded her arms over her chest.
Ashley crossed her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow.
Katia giggled and lowered her arms. “You’ll pay for everything. I have absolutely no money. I had to bum money off Mike just to get here.”
Ashley sighed and dropped her arms. “Katia, should have told me.”
“I did,” squeaked the younger woman.
“I thought you were kidding or exacerbating some. I would have came over and got you.”
“Its okay,” protested the college student. “I have money and everything its just its all… set aside for things,” she explained.
“Alright how about this….” Ashley straightened up off the counter. “You drive us there and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“No, you’ll spend a…. crap load,” protested the smaller woman.
The state trooper suddenly grinned and grasped her friend’s shoulders. “Let me put it another way. If you drive me there, that means I don’t have to drive.” She lowered her head closer to Katia’s. “Know why that’s the greatest thing in the world to me?”
“Um… no,” whispered Katia in a small voice.
“Because five days a week I drive all day long,” uttered the cop.
“Oh.” Katia blinked and she came out of her trance when Ashley pulled away. “Never thought of it like that.”
“Is it a deal then?” Ashley held up her right hand.
Katia swallowed as she debated with herself. She slowly lifted her hand and took the much larger one. “Okay,” she agreed and shook but she instantly regretted it when a wicked grin crossed Ashley’s features.
“Great.” Ashley broke the hand contact and walked out of the kitchen with a bounce in her walk.
“Oh shit,” muttered Katia, “What’d I just agree to?” And she was surprised when Ashley actually heard her because Ashley flashed Katia a cat like grin. She shook away her thoughts and realized her friend was headed to the living room. “Hey wait up,” she called, “don’t hog that extremely comfy couch.” She hurried after her friend.
“Too late!” yelled Ashley.
Part VI
“Oh my god! I’m in a city… I’m driving in a city,” hyperventilated Katia. “I hate cities!”
Ashley groaned and was about the break the deal and just to drive Katia’s car herself. “Just breathe, Katia,” she soothed.
Katia took the advice and breathed very deeply.
“Good. Out with the bad air… in with the good air.”
The college student glared at her friend. “You know you’re a real-”
“Stop!” yelled Ashley suddenly.
Katia looked out the front window and slammed on her brakes. She threw out her right arm and pressed it against Ashley’s chest.
Ashley closed her eyes and gripped the front dash with both her hands.
Katia held her breath as her Mercedes came to a sudden stop and inches from hitting the Nissan Maxima in front of them. “I… hate… cities,” breathed the shaking Katia.
The state trooper sighed in relief and removed her hands from the black dash. “I… hate… your… driving,” she teased.
The college student winked but on the inside she was sighing with relief. She pulled her right arm away from Ashley and gripped the steering wheel again.
“I’m not letting the state renew your license,” muttered Ashley under her breath.
“Thanks,” deadpanned Katia. She pressed on her gas when the Nissan in front of them drove forward.
“This next street, take a right onto,” instructed Ashley.
Katia did as she was told and then her friend told her to pull into the garage on her left side. She turned the Mercedes into the five-story parking lot. She came up to the gate and took a ticket from the personnel. She slipped the ticket away in her sun visor then drove forward.
Unfortunately, Katia had to drive up to the third level and then she finally found an open parking spot. She immediately took it and turned her car off. She took a shaky breath before taking her key out of the ignition.
“You okay?” quietly asked Ashley.
Katia eased a smile onto her lips. “Yeah… I’m okay. Sorry about that.”
“Didn’t think cities freaked you out that bad,” commented the older woman.
“Not so much the city but the idea of getting lost… then running out of fuel.”
The officer chuckled and said, “I know this city very well, Katia. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“I know.” Katia smiled then opened her door, she stepped out.
The tall trooper got out as well and it felt good to stretch her legs out. She slammed the door.
“Hey!” yelled Katia, “Easy, easy… this is a Mercedes.”
A crooked grin appeared on Ashley’s face. “My mistake… let me try that again.” She opened the door and carefully closed the door this time.
Katia nodded her approval. “Much better.” She inserted her key and locked the doors.
Ashley laughed a few times and walked to the back of the car. She waited for Katia and when they were together, they started for the elevator. The friends then made it to the Inner Harbour within ten minutes and they decided first to go to the aquarium. As they walked around the Inner Harbour, through the crowd, Katia began to realize the photo of Laurel and Ashley was positioned in front of the aquarium since it had the neon lights.
Once they arrived at the entrance, Ashley took care of the tickets and then shoved her friend inside the building. They first started out with all the various marine life within the Chesapeake Bay area. They then went up an escalator that took them up and up until finally a very warm, humid air surrounded them.
“What?” whispered Katia in surprised. “A tropical rain forest in an aquarium huh?” She chuckled while stepping off the escalator.
“Neat huh?” Ashley grabbed her friend’s shoulders and directed her through the path in the forest. She then stopped them in front of a railing so they could look around at the area.
“Pretty,” commented college student. She was looking all around herself – back, front, above, and to her sides. Then something caught her eye and she stared at a pair of women.
Ashley followed her friend’s gaze, curious as to what she was staring at right now.
“Are they….” Katia couldn’t finish her sentence, to intrigued by the two women.
“Lesbians?” finished Ashley in a very low voice.
Katia closed her mouth and then tore her gaze away from them. She looked up at her friend and saw how she was carefully watching them now.
“They are,” confirmed Ashley. She lowered her crystal blue eyes to her friend. She saw how Katia had a very confused and questioning look on her face.
Katia felt her stomach drop for some reason. One thing that Sara always told her was that gaydar only typically worked among gays so they could pick up on each other. She didn’t believe a word of what Sara told her but now, she wasn’t so quick to discredit her friend.
Before Katia could say anything, Ashley walked away and continued down the path in the tropical forest.
Katia relaxed her scrunched expression and hurried after her friend. But a random thought made her stop walking, she just stood there and completely surprised by her own thoughts. She knew those two women were not flashy, flaming lesbians that could easily be picked out. They were rather discreet and she knew, from what Sara told her, that it would take a good gaydar to pick up on it. Yet Sara explained to her only gays have gaydar and nobody else really did. So Katia has gaydar now and did that make her gay?
Katia blinked and suddenly she jumped when two hands grabbed her shoulders. “Oh shit.” She sighed when it was just Ashley.
“You okay?” asked the worried trooper. She felt her stomach knotted up at trying to guess at what Katia was thinking about now.
“Yeah… yeah. I just… realized something,” simply stated the younger woman. She lifted her head.
Ashley grounded her teeth some then decided to just go with it. “Was it something bad?”
“No… I don’t think so.” Katia smiled and she could tell it eased her friend’s worries. She stepped closer and hugged Ashley.
The state trooper was surprised but she didn’t hesitate to hug her friend back. “Come on… don’t want you to miss the dolphin show.”
Katia chuckled and started walking again along side her friend. “You never told me about that.”
“Was suppose to be a surprise but I figured I better tell you if we wanted to make it there.”
“Let’s go then,” declared the college student. She grabbed her friend’s hand, walked extremely fast and dragged Ashley right along with her.
The friends made it in time for the dolphin show and they both enjoyed it. After they toured the remains of the aquarium, they entered back into the busy Inner Harbour. Katia stopped just outside of the exit and waited for her friend.
Ashley slowly came up from behind and stood directly behind her shorter friend.
“Where to now?” asked Katia, she dropped her head back.
The officer grinned as she looked down into soft mossy eyes. “You like to shop?”
“Does a bear shit in the woods?” joked Katia.
Ashley rolled her eyes and walked around her friend. “Come on.”
Katia straightened up and hurried off to catch up to the trooper. She jumped up to Ashley’s side and continued with her.
“What time are you going to go tomorrow?”
“Mmmm… kind of early. I have a lot of homework to do.”
Ashley raised an eyebrow at the smaller woman. “And you came here? You should have done your work.”
“Oh come on, mommy.” Katia smirked and grabbed Ashley’s closest arm. “I wanted to spend time with you.”
“School first,” reminded the police officer.
“Uh huh.” Katia was grinning though. “So can I come by next weekend?” She released Ashley’s arm.
Ashley sensed her arm cooling off now. “I have Friday and Saturday off. And I’m going to be very busy both days.”
Katia pouted. “Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously.” Ashley noted how tight the crowd was getting as they came around the Baltimore Trade Centre. She stepped in front of her friend, held a hand out, and when Katia took her hand, she weaved through the crowd. When they finally broke through the crowd, she let go of Katia’s hand and waited for her to come back to her side.
“So seriously?” repeated Katia.
“Yessss,” drew out the trooper.
“What are you busy with?” asked the annoyed college student.
“Stuff,” simply stated Ashley.
“Like what stuff?” urged Katia.
“Are you always this nosey?”
“Yup,” answered Katia.
Ashley huffed and shook her head.
“So?”
“So what?” countered Ashley.
“So what are you busy with?”
“Katia,” growled the state trooper. She was growing impatient and she started walking faster, ahead of her friend.
“Yes, Ashley?” Katia had no warning until she suddenly slammed into Ashley’s back. She stumbled back and glared up at her tall friend. “Why’d you do that?”
“Made me feel better,” teased the trooper.
“Oh move it, Officer Carver,” growled Katia. She pushed the older woman.
Ashley snickered and continued leading the way. She went around one of the long buildings along the Harbour. She then stopped at a walkway for a street.
“Where are we going?” inquired the young woman.
“Over there.” Ashley pointed to a tall building across the street.
“The… Galleria.” Katia looked from it to Ashley. “What’s that?”
“A five storey mall. ”
“Oooooooooh.” Katia’s face light up with a smile. “What are we waiting for?” She was about take a step off the pedestrian sidewalk onto the road but a very strong arm grabbed her around the waist.
“We would be waiting for the sign to say we can walk,” reminded the trooper. She watched a car fly past then she freed her arm.
“Oh right,” sheepishly whispered the younger woman.
When the walk signal flashed, they crossed over with several other pedestrians. When they made it into the mall, Katia just filled with excitement and dragged Ashley all over the place. Ashley just humoured her friend and happily followed behind. She wasn’t big into shopping but standing aside and watching Katia shop was extremely entertaining for her.
After Katia had her fun and she thought she’d tormented Ashley enough, she decided they should head back. Yet Ashley disagreed and suggested they get dinner first before leaving. So Ashley led the way back to the Inner Harbour in the early evening and they ended up in one of the green and white buildings along the Harbour.
Katia soon found herself inside a restaurant called The Cheesecake Factory. She licked her lips just at the thought of cheesecake for dessert. And when she was seated with a menu, she flipped instantly to the dessert menu and started happily smacking her lips. Ashley just shook her head and told her the entrée came first.
After dinner, the pair finally decided to go home. Katia kept her promise and drove them both home, especially considering Ashley had a couple of drinks for dinner. She knew Ashley had eaten and two drinks weren’t enough to get anybody intoxicated but she also could tell it relaxed Ashley more so.
“Have a nice time?” quietly asked Ashley.
“Mmmm, yeah thank you.” Katia smiled at her friend. She then quickly looked back, too worried about being distracted. She was currently driving around 695 and looking for 83.
“Good to hear.” Ashley sighed contently and closed her eyes. “We’ll have to go again. Take you to the Imax.”
“There’s an Imax?” Katia’s jaw dropped. “I didn’t get to go to the Imax?”
The state trooper glanced over then closed her eyes again. “No… sorry about that.”
“I like Imax’s,” whispered Katia disappointment.
Ashley felt a ping of guilt. She moved her left hand and rested it on Katia’s leg. She gave a brief squeeze.
Katia hadn’t expected that and she was suddenly pushing down on the gas. She tried to relax but the innocent touch was making her nervous.
“Take you next time,” promised Ashley more to herself than to Katia.
“Don’t worry,” reassured Katia. She released a deep breath when Ashley removed her hand. She then looked over at her friend and asked, “How often do you drink, Ashley?”
The state trooper lifted her right hand and brushed back her midnight bangs. “Not too often. Very rare because I don’t have anybody to drive me.”
“Ah ha! Now I know why you wanted me to drive.”
Ashley gave a silly grin as her hand dropped back into her lap. “Nah, that’s not it.”
“Hmmmm.” Katia was grinning but she lost her grin some. “You enjoy today?”
Ashley opened her eyes again and looked at her friend. “Yeah, of course. I like spending time with you, Katia.”
“Thanks.” The college student smiled. “So if you like spending time with me, you’ll let me come back next weekend?”
The older woman groaned very loudly. “Katia, I told you-”
“Yeah, yeah you’re busy,” cut in Katia. “I see how I rate, uh huh. You’ll travel up to Lancaster to see Laurel but you won’t let me travel here to see you.”
“Katia, it's not like that.”
“I know, Ashley.” Katia gave her friend a smile in hopes it’d sooth Ashley’s worries. “Just giving you a hard time.”
“I know,” whispered Ashley. “If I had the time, I’d let you over.”
“I know… thank you.”
Ashley simply smiled back her welcome.
Within twenty minutes, they arrived back at Ashley’s place. They both got out of the car and after Katia locked up, they went inside and upstairs. For the third time, they slept in Ashley’s bed together. They both had grown accustom to it after the first night two weeks ago. Neither one seemed to mind so they kept the arrangements like that.
The following day though, Katia had to leave in the late morning. After a long hug with Ashley, Katia got into her Mercedes and drove away. Ashley stood on the side of the road and watched her friend drive away. After a deep sigh, she went back into her house to prepare for her busy week. Katia would see her after all.
Part VII
It was now Sunday, a week later, and Katia had yet to speak to Ashley for almost three days. Typically Ashley called Katia or the reverse each day and they would speak on the phone for about an hour. Yet Katia hadn’t heard a word from Ashley and she was too nervous to call Ashley since she knew Friday and Saturday she would be busy.
Currently, Katia was driving back to her University after just dropping Mike off at a friend’s house. She was on Route 50 and headed back south to Salisbury. She felt rather worn out and rather lonely without hearing from Ashley. It’d been over two days without talking to Ashley and she was figuring out she didn’t do too well with Ashley withdraws.
Katia couldn’t figure out why she was growing so close to Ashley but she could not help it. She’d really come to adore the state trooper and even more as she got to know Ashley. She also figured out she was beginning to trust Ashley more than anybody else in her life. She was close with Erin, Sara, and Mike but nothing like how she felt with Ashley. Something just clicked between her and Ashley, she liked that too.
Katia continued thinking about her relationship with Ashley and how it was growing. She then started thinking more about Ashley. Her thoughts began to go back to the day in the aquarium last week and the scene in the tropical rain forest.
Katia tried to shake her thoughts away. She glanced down at her speed and saw she was doing sixty. She’d taught herself to do the speed limit anymore after hanging around Ashley so much. Her eyes lifted away from the speedometer and she peered up in her rear-view mirror. Katia quickly noted a red Dodge Durango coming up behind her.
Katia narrowed her eyes when she noted how fast the SUV was coming up behind her. She’d seen the SUV earlier when it was turning onto route 50 so that didn’t bother her. She was about to curse them when she saw they were about to get on her tail but her pulse quickened.
The SUV was suddenly flashing red and blue lights in the grill and in the front window. Next a siren went off.
“Oh shit it’s a cop,” hissed Katia. She glanced at her speed and saw it was sixty. “I know it's not me.” Yet there were no other cars that close to her and the SUV was not going into the left lane to pass her. “Shit,” she growled.
Katia put on her right blinker and drove off onto the wide shoulder. “I can’t believe this. I didn’t do anything… none of my lights are out. My registration is up to date with my stickers.” She was hyperventilating and her own rambling wasn’t helping her settle down. She came to a stop finally and shifted her gear into park. She pushed the window button and her window went down. As she waited for the police officer to approach her, she looked out her front window and saw the huge speed limit sign that read fifty-five miles per hour. “I wasn’t speeding,” she growled.
Katia felt her pulse quicken when the SUV door swung open and a Maryland State trooper appeared out of the car. “Oh god,” she breathed in fear. She saw the trooper had a notepad and was writing in it, their head was down and the brim of the hat covered their face.
Katia took a shaky breath and prepared for the worst but she decided to get the jump on the officer. When the officer stopped next to her window, she hastily said, “I was not speeding, officer. The speed limit is fifty-five and I know I was doing sixty. The constitution says I can go five miles per hour over the limit.” She got the last words out in a rush of air and she took a minute just breathe. She had no immediate response from the officer and she waited for the trooper to say anything, something.
“I need your license and registration, ma’am.”
Katia’s eyes suddenly widened and her mouth hung open when a pair of warm blue eyes lifted up to her. “Ashley!” she squealed.
Ashley Carver gave her friend the biggest smile. “Hey.” She then jumped back when the Mercedes car door flew open. Ashley almost lost her notepad when Katia jumped into her and hugged her furiously.
The state trooper laughed and hugged her friend back. “Gee… I wish everybody got this happy when I gave them tickets.” Suddenly the air was squeezed out of her and tried to breathe from the strong hug. Katia finally released her and she sucked in a lot of air.
“What… how…” Katia laughed in surprised and just hugged her friend again.
The state trooper grinned and returned the second hug. “Surprised huh?”
“I am.” The college student did a quick squeeze then finally let go for good. “Why are you here? I mean….” She peered around Ashley and looked at the SUV. “You’re obviously on duty but,” she looked at Ashley again, “you’re in the wrong area.”
“No,” countered Ashley. She closed up her notepad and added. “I’ve been transferred to here.”
“You’re joking?”
“No.” Ashley grinned and folded her arms over her chest.
“But… what about your house?” Katia put her hand over her head, she was sorely confused.
The state trooper chuckled and explained it. “I bought a house here, sold my one in Hunt Valley.”
“You mean… you moved here?” Again, Katia had a surprise look as her arm fell back to her side.
“Yup,” confirmed the officer. “I thought I’d check out the Eastern Shore… see what the big deal is.” She grinned.
“Wait….” Katia started to fit the pieces together. “You were busy moving this week, weren’t you?”
“Yeah and figuring out all the money stuff,” explained Ashley. She was about to tell her friend more but suddenly a car went soaring past them.
“Now that was stupid,” muttered Katia under her breath. “Do eighty right in front of a cop.”
Ashley grinned and called back to her friend while walking to her SUV. “I’ll catch up with you.”
“Promise?”
“Definitely.” Ashley got into the SUV but had the window down. She poked her head out and said, “Gotta get back to work.”
“Go get ‘em, tiger,” joked Katia.
The officer was grinning and shaking her head. She looked over her shoulder and drove into the left lane. She flipped a switch on her dash that turned on the siren again.
Katia watched her friend leave and she couldn’t help the silly grin on her face. She climbed back into her car and just sat there for a second. Suddenly it was like everything hit her. “Oh my god… Ashley lives right around the corner now.” She happily laughed. “I’ve gotta tell the girls.” She turned her left blinker on and drove down the shoulder some to get speed. She got into the left lane and continued her drive back to school.
When she got about a mile down the highway, she saw Ashley had pulled over the Ford truck that had flown past them earlier. She honked her horn at Ashley, who was busy in the red SUV.
The state trooper flashed her lights after Katia went by her.
Katia saw it and just giggled to herself. She couldn’t wait to get back to the dorm to tell Sara and Erin that Ashley was now in town.