Over time, Nathan Walker slowly forgot about Officer Amber Bateman. Things were going well with Ashley and she was home more often. She'd gotten local flights and was home twice a week usually.
Sure, he saw Bateman cruising around town now and then but she acted as if she didn't notice Nate anymore. He certainly didn't mind flying under any policeman's--or woman's--radar but he did find himself thinking back to the things that went on as he hung inverted in his garage and by the dim light of the back of the park. And that one time she pulled him over.
Whatever it'd been, Bateman must've gotten it out of her system. Nate was glad of that but, if he were honest with himself, a little dejected that she'd lost interest in him.
But he had Ashley.
And had her quite a bit more often nowadays.
It was about two months later that Ashley had to fill in for a sick stewardess for an international run. Instead of being home two or three nights a week, Ashley would be gone for a week-long stretch. Yes, it would be hard--in more ways than one--to be without her but Nate would manage. He always had.
On an overcast Thursday evening, Ashley called him. Unless any of her connections got delayed, she would see him the following Monday. Six days without relief worked on his nerves and he couldn't wait to calm his nerves with her when she got back into town.
Nate had called it a day at the office and was heading to the bedroom to change into his shorts and shoes for his daily run when he heard the doorbell ring.
He was caught off-guard when he opened the door to Officer Bateman leaning against the door frame.
"Uh--hi," Nate said.
Bateman smiled at him and looked him up and down. "I see you're alone again for a while."
"Not really," he lied. "Ashley's due back tonight."
Bateman popped a piece of Juicy Fruit in her mouth, worked it a moment, and said, "No, she's not. She won't be back for another three."
Nate's face clouded. "How in the hell do you know that?"
The gum rolled around and Bateman grinned. "Should never lie to an officer of the law, Walker. Part of my job is to know things people don't think I know."
"Just leave me alone," Nate said. "I prefer to have as little to do with the police as possible."
"Well, Nate, you've been on my radar since you moved in here and as such, I need you down at the station to answer a few questions."
"About what?"
"Doesn't matter what," Bateman said suddenly becoming all cop.
Nate felt his anger rise. "You have to tell me. You know and I know I mind my own business. Other than getting pulled over by you--and otherwise harassed--I've never been in any trouble."
"Come on, Walker," Bateman motioned and put a hand on her Taser.
"Are you going to arrest me?"
Bateman moved her Taser hand back toward her handcuffs. "If I have to. Keep giving me shit and I might enjoy doing just that."
"So I'm not under arrest?"
Bateman stepped into Nate's personal space. She was shorter than him but just as intimidating as any man. "That's debatable at the moment. I'm not asking you again."
Nate clenched a fist around the doorknob hard enough to turn his knuckles white and locked the front door then followed Bateman to her cruiser.
The ride was only six blocks but felt longer as Nate looked through the mesh of the cage. If he'd not been under arrest then why was he not allowed to ride in the front seat? These questions were ones that he decided to keep to himself. He wanted to be done with this charade and get back home and if he had to humor Officer Bateman to do it, he would.
Bateman wheeled the car to the rear of a plain brick building that still had a fallout shelter sign hanging on the front. They pulled to a stop at a double door marked AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL only. Beside them sat the red conversion van that served as an ambulance and the white pickup with a tool body emblazoned with the word RESCUE.
Nate followed Bateman into the building which felt a little claustrophobic with the low-ceilinged hallway.
"What is this about?" he tried again.
He passed a door marked PROCESSING/INTAKE and another marked VISITATION. Bateman didn't answer him until they came to a door marked INTERVIEW.
"Just routine," she said and held the door open for him.
The room was pitch black until Bateman flicked on the light. Inside was a steel table and two chairs, the table bolted to the floor. Along the back wall was a brickwork of file storage boxes marked with the years, some had ruptured papers at the corners. Across from that was a six-foot-long mirror. Nate corrected himself. One-way glass. He'd seen enough crime shows to know cops and witnesses sat on the other side.