Lauren's Quartet of Love, Chapbook3, Martine

By B.L Wilson

Previously in Lauren’s Quartet, NYPD Lieutenant Lauren Parker nearly loses her mind over Sunny York’s rape and murder. She tries to kill the rapist while they are trapped in a hospital during a snowstorm. Because of her atypical impulsive actions, she loses her badge first and then her job as a lieutenant in the NYPD. Despite Lauren’s protests of guilt, she avoids prison time but not the nine months of house arrest, two years of probation, court fees, fines, and hospital bills.

In the aftermath of the brutal crime, the dead hitchhiker’s girlfriend, Taylor Cobb, runs away. Her hometown shuns her for giving testimony against the murdering rapist. Lauren feels guilty that she couldn’t save Sunny York. She feels honor bound to find Taylor before something bad happens to her too. She and her ex-NYPD partner Reggie Hawkins scour the countryside. E-mail leads and sightings of the young woman start in upstate New York and go through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Then it’s on to New Mexico, where Lauren meets Martine, a sexy sergeant with two young daughters.

During her journey, Lauren discovers a new career, new friends, a new family, and a timeless love. Will Lauren’s search for runaway Taylor Cobb end in New Mexico with Martine and her two little daughters? Or back in New York where she left her heart with an alluring ADA?

• Language: English
• Publisher: B.L Wilson
• Release date: Jun 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005585587

B.L Wilson

B.L. has always been in love with books and the words in them. She never thought she could create something with the words she knew. When she read ‘To Kill A Mocking Bird,’ she realized everyday experiences could be written about in a powerful, memorable way. She wasn’t quite sure what to do with that knowledge so she kept on reading.Walter Mosley’s short stories about Easy Rawlins and his friends encouraged BL to start writing in earnest. She felt she had a story to tell...maybe several of them. She’d always kept a diary of some sort, scraps of paper, pocketsize, notepads, blank backs of agency forms, or in the margins of books. It was her habit to make these little notes to herself. She thought someday she’d make them into a book.She wrote a workplace memoir based on the people she met during her 20 years as a property manager of city-owned buildings. Writing the memoir, led her to consider writing books that were not job-related. Once again, she did...producing romance novels with African American lesbians as main characters. She wrote the novels because she couldn’t find stories that matched who she wanted to read about ...over forty, African American and female.

Book preview

Chapter 31: Meeting Probation Officer Cox & Uncle Ted

Early Monday morning, Lauren called the probation department. She asked for the PO that Eldridge had given her. She grew annoyed after being transferred twice. Ma’am, I’m Lauren Parker. I need to report into a Mr. Cox. Please don’t transfer me again.

"I never transferred you the first time, Ma’am!" the operator snapped, flipping the hold button on the switchboard.

Please don’t put me on … hold. Lauren held the phone away from her ear to look at it. Goddamn it! She put me on hold again. The evil woman put me on hold again, Reggie!

Eat your eggs and buttered toast. Drink your coffee. Flip on the speakerphone and wait. Reggie caught the server’s eye and signaled her for more coffee. He’d just finished off a large plate filled with bacon, scrambled eggs, and four slices of cinnamon raisin toast. He had an empty coffee mug near his right hand that the server walked over to fill to the brim.

Lauren listened to annoying elevator music with intermittent breaks in between that announced how much the city’s probation department cared about every client. She stayed on hold for the next eleven minutes listening to music that nearly drove her crazy before deciding the evil bitch of an operator deliberately disconnected the line. She closed the cell phone with a snap. Do you think I should just go there and find PO Cox that Eldridge told me about or just forget it.

After drinking another mug of coffee, Reggie shook his head in disagreement. You changed counties, Laurie. You know as well as I do you must report in today. You ignore it, then I arrest you and turn you over to the city. They’ll transfer your butt to prison after Eldridge reams your ass but good in court for violating probation. He sighed. Now, we eat. We don’t hear from Cox by the time we finish eating, I’ll drive us there. Then if there’s time today, we go see Taylor’s uncle.

Lauren saluted him. Yes, Sir!

Shut your mouth and eat. Reggie watched Laurie toss a crumpled napkin on top of the eggs and toast she’d barely touched.

I’m not so hungry. Lauren patted her belly. My stomach’s still at that hotel room in Lorraine.

Yeah, well. I’ll bet it’s really at that club with those women.

Ha, ha, you’re a real comedian this morning, Lauren remarked, watching him wolf down more eggs and more bacon then wash it down with several cups of coffee. God, Reggie! You’re eating like real pig today. What’s going on with you?

Nancy wants me to meet her at the doctor’s office for a checkup. I get to hear if she’s pregnant or not. Reggie wiped at the sweat breaking out across his forehead then held his hands out in front of him. They were trembling. Damn! I’m nervous.

I thought you said she was pregnant.

Reggie groaned then dabbed at more sweat clinging to his brow. I thought I told you she did a home pregnancy test. We’re just verifying the results today.

Oh. Lauren wasn’t really listening. Two things worried her today: Probation Officer Cox and her inability to speak with him personally, and finding Taylor’s uncle, Teddy Farrell, to interview him. Her cell phone rang. The number had a New York City area code. She didn’t recognize the number. Hello?

Is this Lauren Parker?

Yes.

Are you the one Eldridge Patterson told me about?

Lauren nodded. Yes, Sir, if you’re Mr. Cox, the probation officer I’m supposed to speak with today.

Oh, you’re doing more than talking to me by phone. I’m free in about ninety minutes. Be at my office at 11 AM. Bring the following with you: a form of photo identification. Make that a driver’s license since you don’t have city ID. Bring me some verification of your residence like a utility bill or some business mail. I’ll need to see proof of your employment, if possible. PO Cox sighed. Forget that. Eldridge sent me something on that already. I’ll take his word. Get me documents verifying how you support yourself. Copies of your retirement information or copies of your pension checks. Call your bank. Get them to fax the stuff to my office. Have them mail me those originals. Do you have proof that you completed…? He paused to consult a folder. Let’s see, that’s 1500 hours of anger management and 1500 hours of community service. He ran a finger down the papers. Ah, you agreed to pay restitution. The victim’s hospital bills. Copies of cancelled checks will do just fine. Any questions, Parker?

Lauren sighed. No, Sir. I don’t think it would do me any good to waste your time and mine. I need to find Staples and get stuff sent there.

Nope, send everything to me at my office. The fax is 1-201-555-8575-. See you in ninety minutes, Parker.

Yes, Sir. I’ll see you in ninety minutes.

Oh yeah, there’s one more thing, Lauren. A piss test; be prepared to take one in front of my assistant.

Lauren exhaled. That won’t be a problem, Sir. She hung up, frowning then thinking. Thank god it wasn’t yesterday. After a night of drinking, her PO would have known the exact amount of alcohol in her body.

Clearing his throat, Reggie observed. Aw come on, Laurie. It can’t be that bad.

Pissing in a cup in front of a witness is always bad, Reggie. Lauren watched as the server’s eyebrow shot up when she gave them both refills on their coffee.

Better drink plenty of water while we’re here.

I can’t. I’ve got a list of stuff to fax him if Althea cooperates. Lauren sighed then grew thoughtful. As my lawyer, Iris would have the information too.

Yeah, but Althea would appreciate the call more than Iris would. Reggie studied his long-time partner. wondering why for the hundredth time she was running full speed ahead away from the woman she claimed to love.

It hasn’t been that long, Reggie. It’s only been, what… Lauren counted the days, three or four days since I left. That’s not long enough to even miss me.

Try a week, Laurie. It’s been nearly a week.

Oh. Lauren dialed Iris Thanos. Althea hadn’t called or left any text messages or voicemails. Why should she be the one to bend a knee or break her back to apologize? Besides, she was finally having fun kicking up her heels and getting all the sex she ever wanted.

Iris’s secretary buzzed her intercom. Iris, you have a call on line two.

Tell ‘em I got a headache. Iris held her head and groaned. Althea spent the weekend with her. They hung out Saturday night and last night in several women’s bars dancing and getting very drunk. Realizing she didn’t have any cases on her calendar, Ally called in sick and stayed at her place, sleeping it off. Meanwhile, she had clients to see, so she dragged her ass in here today. Ally was driving back to her own house this evening.

Nope, you’ll wanna take this one. It’s that lieutenant you talked about so much.

Iris snatched up the phone on her desk and began with an immediate take-no-prisoners inquisition. Hello, Lauren Parker. This had better be good. She wants to kill you for not calling her. It’s been an entire week. She’s going crazy. Are you hurt? Are you in jail? Where are you? What are you doing? Did you find the kid? How long does it take to find a lost child? When are you coming home?

Lauren sighed. When Reggie started laughing at all the questions that he could hear, she muttered, Isn’t that just like a defense attorney? She ran a nervous hand through her hair.

Well, answer my questions, Lauren Parker!

My God, Rissy! Could you just. Lauren exhaled. She knew Iris was just protecting her best friend. Iris and Althea had grown closer because of her trial. They were so much like sisters, it was unbelievable. Okay, so we haven’t found her yet. Reggie and I are in the city. I’m at a diner. I just called PO Cox. She rubbed her chin. I was wondering if you could send a list of things to him. He wants them faxed in the next ninety minutes before my interview with him today.

Iris nodded. Email me the list. I’ll see what I can do.

He says I have to take a piss test too.

He has that right, Lauren. You don’t do drugs. I’ve rarely seen you take a drink. You should be fine. Iris put the call on speaker as she massaged her throbbing temples. She’s here in the city at my place. You could drop by and see her if you wanted.

If I did that, I’d never leave her side. Rissy, I need to close this case. Taylor Cobb connects to Sunny York. I … I feel responsible for her. If we hadn’t visited her school to find witnesses, we wouldn’t be looking for her now. We made her testify. We made her feel like she should have stayed to fight the bastard that day he attacked Sunny. We made her leave. Lauren exhaled into the phone.

Iris nodded. Althea gets that. She understands all about honorable women since she’s falling in love with one named Lauren Parker.

Lauren covered the phone, thinking about how she’d spent her first weekend away from Althea. The women she enjoyed and the beers she’d downed. God, she was acting like a kid with raging hormones who had just escaped from a nunnery. Maybe I’m not so honorable anymore, Rissy. Maybe all of this has changed me.

Do you love her, Lauren?

Lauren rubbed a hand through her hair faster. I think so. She sighed. I want her, but I’m... Never mind. I’ll send you the list. I’d appreciate it if you’d fax it all to the fax number at the bottom then text me. Rissy?

Yes?

If you tell her about this, it’ll make her sad. I’ve caused enough of that in my life. Lauren exhaled loudly. Do what you think is right, okay?

Iris nodded. Yeah, I will. She loves you. We both do. Please stay in touch with us, Laurie … email, text, or voicemail. We don’t care how, just stay in touch.

I will, Rissy. Thanks for everything.

Iris heard the whistle of her cell phone. She picked it up to look at the list text message with the list and the fax number. She buzzed the intercom. I need your help with some files, Clarisse.

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Ninety-five minutes later, Lauren watched a door to Simon Cox’s office open as she sat in the waiting room. A woman who looked vaguely familiar stepped out. She didn’t look happy. In fact, she looked as if she wanted to continue the argument Lauren could hear when the door opened. She sucked her teeth and balled fists at her side, but kept walking to the exit. When she reached the hallway where the elevators were, she found a tiny alcove and smacked a wall several times with an open hand. She cussed loudly with each slap. Seconds later, she straightened her jeans jacket, slicked back her brown hair, and went over to punch the down button on the elevator panel.

Lauren watched a tall, thin, brown-skinned man with watery brown eyes and short Afro step out of the office. He studied the people sitting in the waiting area. His eyes moved to her and another woman wearing a business dress with a matching jacket, carrying a purse. A briefcase sat at the toes of her black heels. Lauren Parker?

Lauren nodded then rose from the plastic chairs. She placed the magazine that was at least a year out of date on the table with more old magazines and current local papers. Yes, Sir, that’s me. She brought her backpack. Inside the pack, she’d filled a notebook with duplicates just in case Iris Thanos’s information hadn’t arrived.

She followed him inside. She recognized a NYPD seal on several folders. She could see all her information spread across his desk like a paper tornado had hit it. She hadn’t realized there was so much information out there about her. PO Cox pulled out a drawer and handed Lauren a cup. He pressed a button and a uniformed woman appeared in the doorway. Escort her to the restrooms and witness her contribution, Officer.

Yes, Sir, Mr. Cox. We’ll be back in five.

Five humiliating minutes later, the uniformed officer waited down the hallway as Lauren returned to PO Cox’s office.

Take a seat, Lauren, or do you want me to call you Ex-Lieutenant Parker?

Lauren will do, Sir. Lauren decided PO Cox liked order. The rest of his office was neat. All the books in his three bookcases were neatly arranged by size and height. The papers and files underneath her story were neat as well and so was supply a caddy with a pair of scissors, a stapler, paper clips, pens and pencils. The extra chairs lined up equally spaced apart. Even the raincoat hanging in the corner on the coatrack was hanging neatly on its hanger, as was the umbrella. His hat sat on top of the rack while his rain boots sat at the floor at the foot of the rack.

How did it feel to lose everything you worked for seventeen years in one angry moment, Parker?

Lauren sat down, choosing her words carefully. Right after I did it, I felt great. I’d done something to right all the wrongs in my world.

PO Cox nodded. And afterwards, when you were placed under arrest, how did that feel?

Lauren sighed then rubbed a hand across her hair. For the next six months, I knew it was wrong. I felt. She hesitated. She sighed and looked down at her hands. I felt righteous. He was an animal and I’d done what the system couldn’t do. I’d given him instant justice.

You realize you did so at a very high cost, Parker?

I didn’t at first. I thought what I had to give up made what I did worth it.

And now, how you do see yourself?

The judge told me to find something I loved as much as police work. Lauren rubbed her chin as she studied PO Cox. I hope you understand when I say the next part.

Go ahead, I’m listening.

The judge also said I should find a good woman I could love as well.

PO Cox looked up from shifting the papers on his desk. He placed most of them back in the folder, which cleared his blotter.

Lauren noticed a tiny sticker. Make that two stickers on his blotter. One sticker was of a small rainbow flag. The other was of a navy circle with yellow equal signs underneath it that said silence equals death.

Did you take his advice?

I’m working on it.

Is this plan to find ‘what’s her name’? PO Cox sorted through the papers and pulled out one. To find Taylor Cobb…. He frowned. She was mentioned in a trial transcript, wasn’t she?

Yes, Sir. She was a main witness in the trial against the man I assaulted. Without her testimony, he might not have gone to jail to serve as much time as he got.

You think you owe this girl something?

Yes, Sir, I do. I’d like to find her and bring her back home to her mother.

I read some case notes. The notes indicate somebody wasn’t too impressed with the mother.

Lauren sighed. We can’t pick our parents, Sir. I want to make sure the kid is aware that her mother wants her to come home. When we find her, we’ll give her a choice. She can stay where she is, if that’s what she wants to do, or go home.

You realize most runaways stop calling in to hotlines after six months or so on the street.

Yes, I know, but it’s only been three weeks or so. I’d like to beat that clock. My partner and I think we tracked her here. We think she might be with an uncle. Lauren caught his puzzled look and explained. The girl’s mother and the uncle are estranged.

The kid is gay, right? PO Cox watched Lauren nod. I take it the mother isn’t warm to the idea. He watched her nod again. Is the uncle gay?

Yes, he lives in the West Village. We’re going there after I leave here.

PO Cox nodded. Hang around the city, Parker. Your drug tests should be back in a couple of days. He studied Lauren for a minute. Are you still staying with the ADA that Eldridge mentioned or at your place here in the city?

You need to know my current address in case my drug test is positive. And you need to bust me, right?

That’s right, Parker. You know the deal as well as I do, probably better than I do. PO Cox shoved the rest of the papers into several folders then patted them. Eldridge will throw you under the jail after he kicks your ass. Parker, if you fuck up your probation, you’ll hurt several good people, including Iris Thanos and your friendly ADA upstate. For all intents and purposes, you’re the judge’s pilot project. He doesn’t allow probationers the kind of freedom he has given you. He likes your fucking ass, Parker, so don’t you dare disappoint him. You know the agreement. Check in with the people he gave you in each state you enter within 24 hours of entering or Reggie Hawkins busts your ass and brings you home. When PO Cox rose from his desk, Lauren offered a hand to shake. He looked at her hand as if it was something dirty and disgusting. We shake when I offer you my hand. You haven’t earned that right yet, Parker. Leave a number where we can reach you about those tests. Lauren wrote a cell number down and left it on his desk. Now, get out of here.

Lauren nodded and left as quietly as she came.

The uniformed officer waited by the elevator. Bet he didn’t shake your hand, did he?

Lauren sighed. No, he didn’t. She frowned at the uniformed officer. What’s wrong with him?

"It’s nothing twenty years