Cold Love

Only a few hours had passed, but it felt like an eternity...It was getting very cold....freezing...Carlotta and I huddled together in a corner...I had put my suit jacket on her and was holding her very tight and very close in my arms...Our combined body heat was keeping us warm, well as warm as could be under the circumstances...but our oxygen was running out too....I wasn't sure how we would die...,Either we would freeze to death or we would suffocate....

I looked at Carlotta, who was starting to shiver and I said-

''Carlotta, if we die...I want you to know that I'm at peace with it....I got to know you, I got to marry you and be with you and the short time we've been married has been the happiest days of my life....I don't regret a thing...not a moment."I said...

Carlotta smiled weakly....''Awwww that's so sweet papi...I feel the same way about you too!...Being with you this short time has been the happiest time of my life too!....You brought together this great unit, reunited me with all of my favorite people....but mostly, Waking up to you every morning...That's the best thing.....If I regret anything,it's just that I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to my Papi and my sister, Carmen and my cousin Mercedes...I didn't get a chance to tell them that I love them." she said with a tear running down her face..

"They know...I'm sure they know..."I said.

We held each other tight....I prayed that the signal from my phone was being picked up by Sissy, Duke,Tyriq and Jimmy and that they were desperately trying to find us...I checked my phone...It was still on and still hot..I was sure, our conversation was being heard somewhere by somebody....At least I hoped so...

I looked at Carlotta and smiled....I remembered the first time I laid eyes on her...

SPRING 2009-

"Thank you for clearing up those murders...I know Lt. Tragg is proud of you guys." said Lt. Sissy Van Buren...

''Yeah, I'm sure he is." said Detective Tyriq Pile with more than a trace of sarcasm in his voice.
"We couldn't have made this happen at all without the help of that rookie detective over there .....She's good..Cool as a cucumber." said Duke...

''Carlotta, come over here." said Tyriq..."I want you to meet some people." he continued.

Carlotta walked over....
"Carlotta, this is the other Lieutenant we were telling you about...Lt. Sissy Van Buren....Lieutenant..this is Detective Carlotta Rodriguez." said Tyriq.

 "Pleased to meet you Carlotta...I've heard nothing but good things about you......Maybe Lieutenant Tragg will let you come work for me one day...." she said.
"That would be nice." she said.....

 "I'm ADA Keith Wallace...Pleased to make your acquaintenace Carlotta." he said.

"Likewise I'm sure " she said....her eyes lighting up..

I thought she was beautiful...The hair, the body, the eyes...The sassiness....I couldn't get her out of my mind...

I told everyone that would listen, Duke,Tyriq, Sissy, Robert Foxworth how beautiful and mellow I thought she was....But she was also street, more street than I had been in awhile...I didn't think I had a chance with her... I remember even telling the opposing attorney ,Olivia Bennett about Carlotta after one of our many court battles...

WINTER 2010 -

"You like her don't you?" said Olivia...Attorney Olivia Bennett, the opposing attorney in the case and a personal friend of mine outside of court...

''Who?" I said.

"The Detective, The Latina Detective who arrested my client...Detective Rodriguez, Is that her name?...I have to hand it to her..She's sharp...She's got all her ducks in a row." said Olivia..

''So you gonna make a plea arrangement?" I asked.

"Got to.... Or my client takes a long fall...Which he certainly deserves.." she said.

''When you gonna stop representing these slime balls Olivia and go into some real law?...You're way too good for the public defenders office?" I said.

"When you gonna admit that you like that detective?  You watched her every move..You smiled at her numerous times and your eyes were glued to her when she left the courtroom...Do you even know her?" she asked..

"I've met her a few times..We've talked...Nothin heavy..." I said.

''Ask her out...What have you got to lose?  All the girls, Attorneys, Cops, like "Smooth" Keith?"she laughed. "That's what all the ladies call you...but...you know that already don't you?" she said.

I just smiled ruefully.

"How bout you?" I joked. I kinda had a crush on Olivia Bennett too back then...Half the attorneys that knew her did...She kept them all at arms length. I was the only one she would have more than a casual conversation with...

"I'm married...but I certainly understand. If I wasn't married..I'd certainly be one of your numerous fans.....Ask her out...Bet she won't say no.She's cute...You two would make a nice couple.." said Olivia..

'You think so?" I asked.

''Yes... Ask her out before someone else does...Like ADA Soloman Foster...I've seen him trying to put the moves on her." said Olivia..

"I'll make it a point to do that." I said.

I made it my business to stop by and have a converstaion with Carlotta every chance I got...I'd ask her about her family, her police work, her progress, her cases...I'd bring her coffee and pastries sometimes...Little things...She was always perceptive,Always had a nice smile. ..but she kept me at arms length for a long time...I didn't think I had a chance of going much farther.. Had no idea I had met my future wife.

II-

I thought about Sissy and the guys....by now they knew we were missing and in the clutches of Serial Killer,Haywood Coley Jr.

They would find Carlotta's car at the Hess Gas station, not far from where she went to gas up...They would trace her smartphone to where-ever he dropped it off, both far from where we actually was and as I suspected...This refrigeration truck was in some remote location by itself...away from all of those trucks where we found the murdered Carla Brown...

Carlotta looked as if she was about to pass out...I shook her...
''Stay awake...Stay with me babes..Stay with me..They'll find us...." I said. I hoped I sounded surer than I sounded.

Carlotta smiled... I held her tighter trying my best to keep us both as warm as possible..

It was getting colder....

I remembered a conversation I had had with Detective Angie Belton about Carlotta....

Angie was silent as Robert drove us back to CID.....
We got out of the car and I turned to her.....
"If you want to be mad at me Angie...I understand...I can take it..."I said.

"Noooooo,I'm not mad at you Keith...Why should I be? You're like my brother in law...  Here...I have a letter...Put this on Jimmy's desk for me." she said passing me a perfume scented envelope..

''Sure Angie." I said.  I wanted to ask her about the contents...but it was none of my business...I figured she'd tell me if she wanted me to know..

''Brother in Law huh?" I said with a smile.

"You heard me in there....Your wife, Carlotta is like my little sister...I love her...So that kind of makes you like my brother in law..I can't be mad at you." she said.

If I knew right, Angie had probably volunteered to help the guys out in the investigation....

Sissy had good detectives in Tyriq, Duke, Sirena, Jimmy and Hop...but Angie was always around when we needed an extra Detective...I knew in my heart that one day she'd rejoin Homicide...I just hoped it wouldn't be because Carlotta was dead and she was asked to fill up a vacancy!

I felt as if I was passing out....Carlotta slapped my face lightly....

"Don't pass out papi ...Stay with mami...Stay with your wifey." she said and kissed me slowly....I remembered the first time she ever kissed me....Outside in the parking lot of Josies....

 I was parked two cars behind her.

''Well..this was nice." I said.

"Yes it was.." she said.

"Any chance we can do this some other time?" I asked.

"ADA...I-I mean Keith...This is our third date!" she said with a grin...

"I suppose it is...Maybe you might...uh ruh let me take you on a real date sometime." I said.

"Are you asking me?"she asked.

I was hesitant for a moment...then I got my courage up...

"Y-Yes..I'd like to take you someplace nice...You know, a nice dinner...Maybe some music, dancing.." I said.

"That would be nice...Maybe after we crack this case." she said.

"You sound really confident." I said.

"Oh I'm certain we'll crack this case." she said.

"Glad to hear that." I said..

She leaned over and kissed me lightly on the lips.... I pulled her to me and kissed her passionately....I couldn't believe this was happening...she didn't pull away though........Then she broke our embrace.

''Damn girl, you got the softest lips." I said

"Ouuuuu,Good Night Keith." she said. ''I'm sorry..I-I didn't mean that...I've had a little too much to drink." she said softly.

"Good Night Carlotta." I said. "You have nothing to be sorry about ,nothing at all." I said.

''Guess that made your night huh?"she said.

"Hell, that made my year." I said. She cracked up laughing.

"Well....I-I-I'd better be going." she said.

''Drive safely." I said.

''Sweet Dreams" she said and smiled....

It was such a warm night in the fall.....Ironically enough..we were hunting this same cretin at the time...Haywood Coley Jr. for four murders...we would find out after he was captured about a fifth murder that we didn't even know about...He made a plea arrangement and got Life with no possibility of parole.
 I wondered after the two of us were dead would he be satisfied?...Didn't he know how hot he'd be...He'd add cop killer to his list of crimes ,along with my murder....The FBI would clear their desks of everything and hunt him to the ends of the earth....Where did this all end? Did he have an end game or was he flying by the seat of his pants??

I didn't know...I didn't care at this point...

I looked at Carlotta....I held her in my arms...The air was getting thin...it was getting colder....

"You still with me babes?" I said.

"Yes.." she said looking at me and trying to smile...

''We are going to get out of this somehow...I just know it." I said.

"If you say we are, then we are.." she said and squeezed my hand....

I just hoped I was right.

(DEFINITELY TO BE CONTINUED-)