CLOSER TO THE EDGE
CHAPTER FOURTEEN-DON’T FEAR THE REAPER
Jo sat on the gurney while the doctor tended to her arm. It was only a second degree burn, which the doctors say had Lassiter not acted when he did, it would’ve been much much worse. They put an ointment on it and then wrapped her hand and up to her elbow in soft gauze. Her thumb and fingers were the only things exposed. After the doctors left, Jo sighed.
Lassiter was standing next to the gurney with his arms crossed over his chest. His head was inclined toward a nurse and as soon as she looked up, Lassiter followed her gaze.
“Hey,” the nurse said to Jo cheerfully coming over and gently fluffing her pillows. “How’s that arm feeling now?” she inquired.
Jo gently raised it and winced in pain. It still hurt badly.
“Still hurts,” Jo admitted.
“That’s to be expected. The doctor is going to prescribe you some pain killers,” the nurse said softly. “You can shower but just don’t get it wet,” she instructed. “I’ll let the doctor explain things more.”
She left and then Lassiter slowly sank onto the gurney beside her. He stared at her for a few moments before he took a deep breath and spoke.
Joe stared at her fingers.
“Are you alright Miss Matthews?” he asked in a quiet voice.
“Yeah,” she said. “I just can’t believe what he is able to do.” She said looking up into Lassiter’s striking blue eyes. “Have you found him?”
Lassiter shook his head solemnly.
“No,” he grunted. “And I don’t like it. I’ve got an APB out on him. So it’s only a matter of time before we pick him up.”
Jo nodded in agreement.
“Thank you for saving me,” she said. “It could’ve been much worse.”
Lassiter just let out a grunt which meant it was ‘no big deal’. But Jo gently leaned forward and gave him a one armed hug. He returned the gesture gently and his arms slowly wrapped around Jo’s shoulders and waist. He gave her a gentle squeeze, fully aware of her arm.
“Awww,” Shawn’s voice floated to their ears. “Cute Lassieface!”
Lassiter curled a lip up in Shawn’s direction. Emily came rushing toward Jo, arms out stretched. Jo hugged her tightly. Emily let out soft low sobs, signaling that she was clearly upset over Jo’s predicament.
Lassiter gently put a hand on Emily’s back.
“Your mom’s going to be just fine,” he grunted at her softly. “So don’t worry.”
Emily turned around and threw her arms around Lassiter’s neck. She hugged him tightly. A little surprised but clearly pleased, Lassiter returned the embrace and hugged her back.
“This is so cute,” Shawn said in a high pitched girls voice. “Gus let’s go braid our hair now and do our nails.”
Jo had to chuckle at that. Lassiter threw a death glare at them causing them to shrink back but they were still chortling and snickering over it.
The doctor came in a few moments later.
“Ah Ingrid,” he said to her warmly. “You’re set to go home. I’m giving you some pain killers but only take it if you absolutely need it. They are strong. Keep the area moist with the ointment we are giving you. Change the bandage at least twice a day. You can shower but do not get it wet. Other than that you’re all set. But,” he said frowning. “How on earth did you get this serious burn on your arm in the police building?”
They all exchanged looks.
“Someone had made a fresh pot of coffee,” O’Hara volunteered keeping her eyes on the doctor. “And was about to pour it when someone knocked into him sending it flying and it landed on Ingrid’s arm.”
“This was more extensive than a normal scald—but Ingrid I’d like to see you back in a week to check on that burn,” he said looking at Lassiter oddly.
Lassiter caught his expression and suddenly became angry.
across his chest.
“There’s a difference between a burn and a scald,” The doctor said calmly. “No way a simple pot of hot coffee would’ve burned Ingrid that badly. I don’t know what you people aren’t telling me.”
“Get something straight doc,” Lassiter growled through his teeth. “I would never burn her. I would never hurt her understand me?”
He grabbed the doctor by the throat and banged him up against the wall.
He heard the others startled cries of protest but ignored them.
“That is a sick thing to insinuate,” Lassiter continued. “We told you what happened. That is the truth…understand?”
The doctor nodded and looked frightened and held up his hands in a defensive position. Lassiter eventually let him go and the doctor handed the prescriptions to Shawn before scurrying out of the room.
“Carlton what on earth were you thinking? He was just trying to help and understand,” O’Hara reprimanded him.
“O’Hara, he was insinuating I deliberately hurt Miss Matthews,” he said rounding on her. “That is a sick and twisted thing that I would harm her in that fashion.”
“We know buddy,” Shawn said in a calm tone. “It’s fine.”
Jo carefully pushed the sheets and blankets off her and swung her legs over the side.
“Ok. Someone needs to help me get dressed here,” she said hoping to break the tension. “I am wearing a hospital gown mind you.”
That seemed to snap Lassiter out of his ‘whatever’ it was he’d gone into.
“O’Hara help her get dressed. We’ll be outside signing the release forms,” he said and stalked out of the room.
Shawn gave Jo a gentle bop on the shoulder affectionately and Gus gently touched her good arm before they both followed Lassiter out of the room. Emily stayed and helped O’Hara dress Jo.
Jo was dressed in a plaid button up shirt with a white tank top beneath it and jeans. She’d slipped on her sketchers sneakers and O’Hara pulled her hair into a braid. Some of the shorter strands had come loose and hung down against her cheeks. Feeling better now that she was dressed, Emily stayed close by as O’Hara led her out of the room.
Lassiter had completed the release forms for her and was waiting downstairs by the front entrance. Shawn and Gus weren’t there.
“Where is Shawn and Gus?” O’Hara asked him.
“They had to leave,” Lassiter said clearing this throat. “Spencer said he had some ‘research’ to do.”
“Um,” Jo interrupted looking bashful. “Someone’s gonna have to stay with me to help me around the house and whatnot. I can do somethings with one hand but not others.”
“Emily can help you right?” Lassiter asked.
“Carlton she’s a little girl,” O’Hara said frowning at her partner. “She needs someone to really help.”
He huffed and grunted.
“Why don’t you let her stay with you until her arm heals for a bit?” O’Hara suggested. “She’ll be safe. I can go and lock up her house for her and pack some things for her and stop by your condo tonight?”
Lassiter looked like he wanted to protest but fell silent and muttered something under his breath as he opened the door and held it for them to exit the building. He’d already pulled his Ford Fusion up in front. He opened the front passenger door for Jo. Jo carefully got in and tucked her legs inside the car. He leaned in and pulled the seatbelt across her chest. He was so close to her that she could pick up his cologne. Emily climbed into the backseat.
His hands brushed against her thigh for a moment before she heard the ‘click’ of the seatbelt and he pulled back and closed her door. O’Hara climbed in back next to Emily. Jo gave O’Hara her house keys.
“How will you get to Lassiter’s condo?” Jo asked curiously as Lassiter climbed into the driver’s seat and closed his door. He started the car and they pulled away from the entrance.
“I’ll get Shawn to pick me up its okay,” she said to her softly.
Jo nodded and stared out her window. Lassiter definitely seemed upset and quiet. They dropped O’Hara off at Jo’s house and headed to Lassiter’s condo. Emily was out cold in the backseat as the sun began setting and the sky was tinged with pink and purple. Jo snuck a glance at Lassiter. He was gripping the steering wheel tightly so that his knuckled were white. He was staring a head with a dead expression on his face. Jo slowly raised her hand and placed it on his. At her touch, she saw his grip visibly relax for a moment before going back to its taut posture.
Once at his condo, Lassiter parked the car in the underground parking lot. He picked up Emily who was still out cold and carried her in the bridal fashion. Jo followed him closely.
Inside the apartment, Lassiter put Emily to bed in the guest bedroom and closed the door slightly. He then pulled off his suit jacket and draped it over the back of the couch. He loosened his tie a bit and unbuttoned the cuffs of his sleeves, rolling them up to his elbow. Jo sat down carefully on the couch. He flopped down next to her and ran his hands over his face. Jo just watched him quietly.
About a half hour later, O’Hara showed up with luggage packed with Jo’s things and Emily’s things. When she left, Jo turned to Lassiter.
“I need help changing,” she said to him blushing a bit. “I can sleep in my tank top I just need a pair of pajama bottoms. I might be able to get them on myself. It’s just the shirt I need help unbuttoning.”
He nodded and sat down next to her. He slowly reached forward and slowly unbuttoned the first few buttons. His hands were shaking a bit and he kept his eyes on what he was doing, obviously embarrassed to look up into Jo’s face. She felt a smile creeping onto her face and with her good hand, momentarily covered his mid-unbuttoning. He looked up at her startled.
“You can touch me you know,” she said softly to him. “I won’t bite.”
She saw him let out a breath and leaned in close.
“But I can,” he added quietly with a deadpan expression.
Jo let out a cough.
“Did you just make a joke?” she asked him grinning.
“Don’t get used to it,” he grunted at her as he finished unbuttoning the shirt and carefully helped her out of it. “Here are a pair of pajamas.” He said handing her a pair of light blue cotton pajama pants.
Before he got up, she gently placed a hand on his chest spreading her fingers a bit over his heart, which she felt jump a bit.
“What is bothering you Lassiter?” Jo asked him curiously. “You know I would never think you would hurt me right?”
She saw pain flash across his face.
“I know,” he grunted. “But other people thinking I’m some mean, violent person, that bothers me.”
Jo reached up and put a hand on the side of his face.
“Well I know you’re a mushy teddy bear,” she grinned at him broadly. “Just know that I love you no matter what.”
She slung her one good arm around his shoulders and drew him close in a one armed embrace. She felt one of his arm snake around her waist; the other around her shoulders. He leaned into her embrace.
“Same here, Ingrid,” he whispered in her ear.
He held onto her for a while before releasing her and clearing his throat.
“Get dressed and I’ll order something for dinner,” he said. “Something Emily would like too.”
With that he headed off into the bathroom and closed the door. She carefully got dressed. It was a bit tricky with one hand but she managed to get it on. She heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was O’Hara, she got up and opened it and stared right into the barrel of a gun. She stood frozen before a man in a black hood whipped the butt of the gun against her temple and blackness over took her.
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Lassiter emerged from the bathroom dressed in a plaid pair of lounge pants and a white tee shirt.
“Was that O’Hara at the door, Ingrid?” he grunted as he stepped into the living room and noticed the opened front door. “Ingrid?”
Something was seriously wrong here. She was nowhere to be seen. He stormed over to the front door and his nose picked up the scent of something metallic. He looked down and noted the blood. Panic now over took him. He quickly pulled on a pair of light gray slacks and a graphite gray polo shirt. He called Spencer and Guster over to take Emily to Henry’s. When they arrived, he filled them in on what happened. They promised to take care of Emily as he rushed to the precinct. Ingrid had been abducted.
SEVERAL WEEKS LATER.
There had been no word on where Ingrid was being kept or anything on her whereabouts. Lassiter was getting more and more anxious and on edge. The others noted a change in their colleague. O’Hara was quiet and did everything she could think of to help him. Even Spencer and Guster were not provoking him in their usual taunts. Lassiter had not slept in over 48 hours. Lassiter cornered Spencer one evening.
“You’re supposedly psychic Spencer,” he said to him. “Why don’t you get a ‘vision’ or whatever and see if it can help us find Ingrid.”
“I know buddy,” Spencer said in a calm tone. “but you know my gift doesn’t work that way. Things have been a bit cloudy lately.”
“Cloudy my ass,” Lassiter snapped at him before storming off.
That night it was a full moon. Lassiter had changed and was now running through the woods. His paws kicked up clumps of loose topsoil. He ran up one of the hills and through a dense wooded section. He heard laughter and the clinks of beer bottles. He stopped and peered carefully from beneath one of the thick bushes. His fur color blended in nicely with the shadows so he was well hidden. His ears were pricked as he heard voices. A mobile trailer was parked there. There were lanterns strung up along side it and a table and chair underneath an awning. There were about four men sitting there. They were sipping beers and laughing loudly. Then a fifth member exited the trailer.
“So,” he barked. “Did you bury the bitch?”
“Sure did,” one of the men said tossing some playing cards at the man across from him. “She didn’t put up much of a fight when I thrusted that knife into her back.”
The men laughed heartily at that.
“Yeah we destroyed that bitch,” the fifth member said laughing. “Man Roscoe you had a little too much fun with her!” he bellowed laughing. “You too, Irving.”
“Yeah she was fun to play with,” the man named Roscoe said slapping the man named Irving on the back. “But Irving here takes the credit man. He brutalized her real good. She wasn’t moving much when we dumped her in the grave.”
“We gotta burn this,” The first man said holding up a bloodied white tank top. “We don’t wanna leave anything behind. The cops are looking for her like mad.”
“Well sure,” Irving chimed in throwing playing cards at the first man. “You messed up real bad and decided to kidnap her from the head detective’s apartment you fool!”
“Shut up!” the first man snapped at him. “Right now let’s just discard this crap and burn it!”
Lassiter’s heart rate picked up. As he watched them get up from the table and head into the woods. He carefully followed them, avoiding alerting them he was there. He saw them dump the tank top into a grave and then saw a second grave. Fear and panic, along with rage began filling his chest. When they left, Lassiter crept closer to the graves. They were deep enough and he sniffed along the second one. It had Ingrid’s scent.
Now sheer urgency filled him. Using his front paws, he frantically began digging. His front paws threw dirt behind him in waves. As he dug deeper, his nose picked up Ingrid’s scent more and more. He let out a low whine as he continued to dig, tossing dirt back like mad.
And that’s when he found her. She had a cut lip; a black eye; her hair was caked with dirt and blood. She had on a flimsy white dress that was torn slightly above her chest. There was blood on the front and on the side. From what he could see, a knife wound was visible. He whined more and frantically dug the rest of her out. Her legs were dirt caked and bruised. There were scratches on her thighs and cuts along her ankles as though they were bound by barbed wire. Her wrists had similar marks.
He gently dragged her out of the grave and into the wooded area. He quickly shifted back into his human form.
“Oh god,” Lassiter breathed cradling her against him. “No Ingrid.” He said as pain and anguish lodged in his throat. He felt for a pulse. It was very faint. She was barely alive. Relief flooded him as he cradled her tightly burying his face into her hair.
“I’m going to get these sons-of-bitches for what they did to you,” he whispered in her ear.
She made a faint noise and her eyes fluttered open briefly and focused on Lassiter’s face. She went to raise a blood stained hand to touch his face but her hand fell back. He hugged her again tightly before he placed her carefully in a spot where they wouldn’t be able to find her. He noted the blood on his hands and saw the knife wound in her back. Rage filled him as he shifted back into the wolf and began stalking the mobile trailer.
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Jo was so weak at this point. She could barely stand or walk but she slowly managed to get to her feet. She stumbled, leaning against one of the trees. Memories of the past few weeks flashed through her mind. The horror and violence of it all. And she still had no idea why they had kidnapped her from Lassiter’s condo. Her feet were calloused and rough. She heard screams coming from the trailer. At one point she saw blood spray onto one of the windows and a hand smearing it before there was absolute silence.
She leaned against the trunk, watching. Her lip was sore and it had bled. She watched as Lassiter came strolling from the trailer. There was blood on his muzzle. She knew he’d killed those men. He spied her and came running over. She fell to her knees as he stood in front of her and wormed his head against her. She raised a shaky hand and grasped at his fur. Blackness began encroaching on her vision as she fell forward; her cheek resting against the cold ground as she slipped into unconsciousness.
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“Oh my God,” O’Hara’s voice hit Jo’s ears. “Doctor why would someone do something like this?”
Jo heard a muffled male voice and then silence.
She blinked and slowly peeled her eyes open. The bright light caused her to wince and she raised a hand to cover her eyes from the sudden brightness.
“There she is,” She recognized Shawn’s voice filled with relief.
As Jo’s vision cleared a bit, she blinked more and the room came into focus. Shawn, Gus and Henry were standing at the foot of her hospital bed. Emily was clutching onto Shawn for dear life. Her eyes were red and watery, which meant she had been crying heavily. O’Hara was standing off to the left of her. She turned to look for Lassiter, but he was not there.
She went to speak but couldn’t.
“Ssh,” O’Hara said softly. “Don’t try to speak. You won’t be able to for a few days after your ordeal. They badly damaged your vocal cords. They punched you in the throat a few times according to the doctors who assessed you.” She said swallowing and looked completely torn and anguished. “Doc says it will be a while before you can speak again properly. Thankfully the knife wounds they inflicted on you missed your vital organs but…” her voice trailed off and she looked completely destroyed.
Jo gave her a look that said ‘go on’ and O’Hara took a deep breath glancing at Shawn, Gus and Henry for support. They nodded once but had solemn expressions on their faces.
O’Hara gently squeezed Jo’s hand and held it.
“You were sexually abused badly,” she went on. “It was bad enough that you won’t be able to have any more children.”
O’Hara’s words took a moment to sink in before she burst into tears. That meant she wouldn’t be able to have a family with Lassiter. Which was something she was thinking about in the future.
“I’m so sorry,” O’Hara said her voice cracking.
Emily rushed forward and threw her arms around Jo. Jo hugged her tightly and pressed her face into Emily’s hair as she sobbed.
“Come on kid,” She heard Henry’s voice as he slapped Shawn on the back. “Let’s leave her be for a bit.” She felt Henry, Shawn and Gus gently grab her foot and give it an affectionate shake before she heard them leave. O’Hara was still holding her hand.
Jo looked at O’Hara meaningfully, as if to say ‘Lassiter?’ as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Emily curled up in the bed next to her and placed her head in Jo’s lap. Jo began just gently stroking her hair.
At that moment, Lassiter entered the hospital room. He looked absolutely dismal. He was wearing a pair of slate gray slacks and a graphite gray polo shirt. He spied Jo and swallowed hard so that his Adams apple bobbed.
O’Hara got up and gently took Emily’s hand. Emily hugged Jo once again before O’Hara led her out of the room. Lassiter sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Jo pulled herself into a sitting position even though her whole body screamed in agony. Jo’s hair fell over her shoulder as she stared at her hands. Her burned arm had been freshly bandaged and cleaned. Her lip was still sore where it had been split open. Her cheek was sore and she slowly raised her eyes to Lassiter’s. He had an anguished expression on his face.
He slowly raised his hand and took her chin between his thumb and index finger and very gently ran his thumb over her bottom lip. She closed her eyes at his touch. He then gently touched her bruised cheek bone and she heard him let out a huff. She slowly opened her eyes and felt her eyes filling with tears.
“I read your chart,” he said to her quietly. “I am so sorry.”
She burst into tears at this point and slumped forward. She pressed her face into his chest and felt his arms encircling her tightly. One arm snaked around her shoulders; the other around her waist. She felt so safe in his arms. He rested his chin on top of her head as she cried.
“It’s alright,” he said quietly.
She felt him gently entangle his fingers in her hair as she pressed her cheek against his chest. She could hear his heart beating.
“But I want you to know it’s not going to make a difference to me,” he whispered in her ear. “We can still be a family. Nothing is going to change and this is not going to make me love you any less.”
Jo burst into fresh tears.
Exhaustion took over a few moments later, and she dozed off.
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Lassiter watched Ingrid doze off. O’Hara had taken Emily to Henry’s for the night. Lassiter had sent officers to the mobile trailer to see if there was any reason why they had targeted Ingrid. The officers were searching the trailer now to see. He had read her chart and was sick to his stomach at what those monsters did to her. She had been barely alive when he’d found her buried. He watched her sleep.
He remembered entering the trailer in wolf form and attacking those four men. His rage had taken over at that point and nothing mattered to him more than making them pay. He hadn’t told anyone it had been him and simply put it as a ‘wild animal’ attack. Thinking about it now, he was torn. Should he feel guilt or not?
He loved her. He would never admit that in front of Spencer of course. He would torment him endlessly. Though deep down Lassiter suspected that Spencer would be supportive. He shook himself of these thoughts. It was time to concentrate on Ingrid now and helping her heal.
TWO MONTHS LATER…
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Jo’s recovery was slow but good. She was out of the hospital now. Lassiter had asked if she had wanted to move in with him. He could sell the house. Jo had agreed. She had a bit of a limp still and her burned arm had healed completely. They had done up the guest bedroom for Emily. Painted it, bought new furniture and just decorated it the way she had liked. Jo slept with Lassiter. She was too nervous to sleep by herself.
Her vocal cords had been damaged beyond repair—she could not talk anymore. They all had to learn sign language at this point to communicate. She could hear okay of course, but responding to questions was the difficult so they all learned sign to understand what Jo was saying. They had done a hysterectomy on Jo being the internal damage was so bad. She could still be normal in all aspects; she just couldn’t have kids. Jo’s hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. She crawled into bed next to Lassiter and put her back against the headboard. Lassiter was sitting up reading a book. It was a police book. She gently tapped his shoulder. He quickly lowered the book.
“Are you alright?” he asked her curiously and worriedly.
She nodded and smiled.
She sank down under the covers and turned to look at him. He slid down under the covers also and gently crawled on top of her. She looked up at him with a questioning expression on her face.
“I almost lost you,” he said thickly. “I don’t care to repeat that feeing again…. ever again.”
Using one arm to support himself, he raised his other hand and gently took her chin between his thumb and index finger. He swept his thumb over her bottom lip. He leaned down and gently kissed her. She returned the kiss the same way. He broke from the kiss breathless and pressed his forehead against hers. Jo stared up into his handsome face, wondering where this was leading. Although she had a faint idea.
“If you don’t want to….” His voice trailed off and she shook her head.
She mouthed “It’s okay” to him. He sighed softly and leaned down to kiss her again. She trusted him completely. Jo completely lost herself in the moment.
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Jo felt warm sunshine on her face as she yawned and stretched lazily. She felt a grin slipping onto her face as she remembered the night before. It had been amazing and incredible. He had been extremely gentle. She threw the covers off of her and dressed quickly. She pulled on a pair of pajama shorts and an oversized shirt which had been Lassiter’s. The cuffs hung down past her finger tips but she didn’t care. She gathered her hair in a messy bun and headed into the kitchen. Her stomach growled hungrily as the entire apartment smelled of bacon, eggs and sausage. She met Emily already sitting at the bar eating a bowl of cereal. Jo broke into a happy grin and hugged her.
Jo signed to her: “Did you sleep okay?”
Emily nodded.
“Yes mommy,” she said and went back to her cereal humming happily as she ate Fruit Loops. Jo playfully ruffled her hair as she took a seat next to her at the bar island. Lassiter was making breakfast which surprised Jo. Lassiter turned around and placed a plate full of eggs, bacon and sausage down in front of her.
He caught her amused and surprised expression and let out an indignant noise.
“I can learn you know,” he grunted at her grumpily but she just grinned at him and dove into her breakfast hungrily.
At that moment, she heard his cell phone ring. He exhaled in frustration at being interrupted but he grabbed it and answered it.
“Lassiter,” he grunted irritably into it. After a pause, he raised his eyes to Jo’s.
Jo paused with the fork half way to her mouth as she waited to see what was going on. From the look on Lassiter’s face, it wasn’t good news.
“Alright, thank you chief,” he said as he hung up.
Jo gave him a questioning look.
“They found information on those men that took you and…” his voice trailed off as he couldn’t bring himself to even discuss that. “Well, anyway,” he said clearing his throat. “They think there might be a motive as to why they did this.”
Jo’s head cocked to one side as she waited for him to continue.
“Remember a few months ago we had that pyro kid who burned you?”
Jo nodded.
“Well, he’d hired those men to kidnap you,” Lassiter said thickly. “He’s down at the precinct now.”