My disclaimer: The characterization of Benton Fraser, Ray Vecchio, Diefenbaker, Victoria Metcalf and the rest of the dueSouth gang belong entirely to the minds which created them. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Enjoy!
By Patti Cherry Due South Fiction Rated "G"
There was a light rain falling over the city of Chicago during the pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning. If the weather forecasters were correct, this would gradually change over to freezing rain, sleet, and then snow; just in time for the morning rush. At the moment, however, most of the city slept peacefully unaware of what would prove to be a very messy day. There was scarcely any traffic on the rain slick streets and virtually no one out and about except for the few unfortunate enough to have pulled the night shift or the ones who had no place to call home.
As the 1971 green Riviera made its way slowly down the quiet streets, Detective Ray Vecchio stifled a yawn and then reached between his legs for the cup of coffee he had picked up at the 7-11 just moments before. He carefully took a sip and then attempted to place the cup back where it had rested, trying not to spill.
"Look out Ray." Constable Benton Fraser suddenly shouted from the passenger seat, pointing with his right forefinger straight at the windshield, while bracing himself with his left hand on the dash.
Ray grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, slopping coffee on himself, while at the same time hitting the brakes hard. The Riv began to fishtail; first to the right, then left, before straightening out as Ray managed to keep the car under control and bring it to a halt.
"Did I hit anything?"
"Uh, no, Ray. Sorry, my mistake. It was nothing."
"Nothing? What is wrong with you Fraser? Don't be shouting like that over nothing. It's too early in the morning."
"Well I'm sorry Ray. I thought I saw an animal run across the street, but it would appear that what I actually saw was nothing more than a crumbled up piece of paper. A newspaper I believe."
"Fraser, the only animals running around at this time of night, in this neighborhood, are rats."
Ray looked down at his lap.
"Look what you made me do. Now I got coffee all over my pants. The same pants I just picked up from the cleaners that had filth on them from following you to the dump. Do you know how embarrassing that was? Taking the pants to the cleaners? "
"I'm sure Mr. Lee has seen worse, Ray. After all, he cleans soiled clothing on a daily basis."
"Yea, but I'll bet he never smelled worse."
" Would you like me to hold your coffee for you, Ray?"
"No.... I wouldn't like you to hold my coffee. I'm perfectly capable of holding my own coffee. Just sit there and shut up........and no more shouting."
"Understood."
Fraser looked over at his best friend and partner, noticing the deep frown which creased Ray's brow.
"Is there a problem Ray?"
Ray glanced sharply in Fraser's direction and then turned back. The rain was beginning to freeze and mix with sleet. The surface of the street was shining with a thin sheet of ice. Ray couldn't help but think that he'd much rather be home in bed than driving on these dark, deserted back streets at 4:00 in the morning. He must have been nuts to have offered to go with Benny, especially on his day off. He could have slept in as late as he wanted and he had no reason to go anywhere today. The Bulls were playing later this afternoon and Ray intended to be front and center on the sofa, a six-pack of beer on hand, and Marissa Bennet right next to him. Ray smiled slightly at the thought. And then after the game...
"Ray? Are you alright?"
"No, Benny, I don't think so. If I were, I'd be home in bed, staring at the inside of my lids right now."
"You didn't have to come with me."
"Yes I did. I couldn't let you do this by yourself."
"I HAVE been on stake-outs before, Ray. I know what I'm doing."
"Yea, and if anything happened to you, I'd have to answer to Dief. Where is he anyway?"
"Oh, I left him home. He was sleeping and I didn't want to wake him. He hasn't been himself lately. Very sluggish in the morning. I don't think he's sleeping well."
Ray looked in Benny's direction again and laughed out loud in astonishment.
"You've got to be kidding! All that wolf does is eat and sleep. Maybe he needs vitamins."
"What he needs is a proper healthy diet and some vigorous exercise."
"Yea, I can picture Dief munching on carrot sticks and doing low impact aerobics."
"The Deli is just up the block on the right, Ray. You'll want to park in the lot across the street. That will offer us the best possible vantage point for the alley." Fraser peered intently thru the rain in the direction of Peterman's Deli. Mrs. Peterman had complained to him just this morning about the thefts which had been occuring the past few days at her store. Since Wednesday, someone had been stealing bagels from the morning delivery. The box which contained the bagels had been opened and the inner plastic bag had been ripped. Only a few bagels had been taken, but the rest had to be disposed of due to health and safety regulations. This was an expense Mrs. Peterman could ill afford, and so she had asked the Mountie to help her; and help her he would.
"Alright Ray. You'll need to make a left turn into the parking lot. You might want to put on the turn signal now."
"Who's driving the car, Benny?"
"You are, Ray."
"That's right, I am. Now shut up and let me drive."
"Turn signal, Ray"
"Look, do you see any other car on the road?"
"Well, no, but..."
"No. That's right. And do you know why? I'll tell you why. Because no one in their right mind is out at this time of the night. The really smart people are home in bed, which is where I should be."
"Actually, Ray, it's morning, not night."
"Shut up."
The Riv passed Peterman's Deli and continued moving slowly up the street. At the entrance to the driveway, Ray turned the wheel sharply to the left and pulled the car into a space. The force of the turn caused Fraser to bang his head against the side window. Hearing the sound, Ray glanced sideways at him and fought to control a self satisfied smirk.
" You okay?"
"Yes Ray. Not to worry. It was just my head."
Ray turned out the lights and wipers and then shut off the ignition. Both men studied the small alley alongside the store for any sign of an interloper. The street light on the corner was out, casting the alley in darkness. The sound of the freezing rain bouncing off the Riv and hitting the street, plus the ticking of the engine as it cooled, filled the air.
"What time is it?"
Fraser held up his arm, pushed back the sleeve on his leather jacket, and squinted at the face of the watch.
"It's.....4:23."
"And what time does the truck make its delivery?"
"According to Mrs. Peterman, the delivery is made at 5:30"
"5:30? You got me up at 3:30 in the morning and the truck doesn't get here til 5:30? What are you, nuts?"
"No, Ray. Since we don't know who the thief is, we have no way of knowing his MO. I figure the perpetrator arrives either slightly before the time of delivery or shortly thereafter. In either case, we'll be in position to apprehend him when he makes his move."
"Wake me when he makes his move."
Ray picked up the now cold coffee, rolled the window down and tossed the cup. He stretched out his long legs as best he could, crossed his arms over his chest, leaned his head against the window and closed his eyes. Ray's eyes flew open a second later when he heard the sound of the car door being opened. Fraser got out, walked around the back of the Riv to Ray's side. He bent over for a moment, then straightened up. In his hand he held Ray's empty coffee container. Fraser walked back to the passenger side and got back in. He placed the cup on the floor between his feet, then resumed his intent search of the alley and street.
Ray shook his head, then closed his eyes once more. He shifted his body around trying to get comfortable. The sound of the sleet intensified, which annoyed him. The silence coming from Fraser's side of the car also annoyed him. Ray quickly realized that he wasn't about to get any shut eye. Sighing loudly, Ray pulled himself up to a sitting position. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Fraser looking at him. Ray turned in his seat and placed one arm along the back of it.
"Ok, Benny, so what do you want to talk about?"
"Whatever you'd like, Ray."
"Anything new happening in the Wonderful World of Oz?"
"That would be the Wonderful World of Disney, Ray. And it's the Land of Oz."
" I know what it is!"
"You don't have to shout Ray."
"I'm not shouting!"
"Yes. You are."
Ray rested his head on his arm, shaking it back and forth. Fraser sat with his arms crossed watching his friend. He decided to tell Ray about his new neighbor who he had helped move into his apartment building earlier that evening.
"A new tenant moved into the building today."
Ray raised his head and looked at Benny. There was something in the tone of Fraser's voice that caught his attention. Ray couldn't put his finger on what it was though. A certain hesitancy about the way Fraser said "tenant." Ray waited for Fraser to go on. After a few seconds had passed and no other words were spoken by his friend, Ray turned forward in the seat, placing his hands on the steering wheel. He looked thru the rivulets of water running down the windshield and zeroed in on the alley. Still no sign of life on the street.
"Oh yea? And I assume that you helped this person move in?"
"Yes Ray. She was having some difficulty carrying boxes up the stairs and so I offered my assistance; the elevator being out of order."
"When is it ever in order? So, she's a woman."
"Yes, Ray."
"And?"
"And what?"
"What's her name?"
"Her name is Jo Spenser."
"How old is she?"
"Well, I don't know, Ray. I've discovered that inquiring into a woman's age is not something that they appreciate. Although I fail to see why it would bother them."
"I can't imagine. Come on. You've some idea of her age. Does she have gray hair, false teeth and a dowagers hump?"
"No, Ray. I'd estimate her age to be about 26 years olds. Give or take a few months."
"Ok! Now we're getting somewhere. What does she look like?"
"Who?"
"Sara Lee! Who do you think? We were talking about your new neighbor. Geez." Ray placed the palm of his right hand over his eyes and rubbed. "You know Benny, sometimes I wonder about you." Ray dropped his hand onto the steering wheel and turned to look at Fraser. He was staring intently at something slightly to the left. Ray immediately looked left, peering hard through the wet window, his right hand going instinctively to where he carried his weapon. "What is it?"
"You were right Ray. There ARE rats in this neighborhood."
Ray relaxed and directed his attention back to Fraser. He wanted all the details about this mystery woman. Women were a rare topic of conversation for the Mountie, and for Fraser to mention her in the first place made Ray curious. After all that mess with Victoria Metcalf...Ray shook his head sharply. No, that's in the past. No point in dredging up bad memories.
"So, what does she look like, Fraser? And if you ask me, who, I'll shoot you."
"Well, she's 5' foot 31/2" inches tall, approximately 108lbs., long blonde hair. Although I'm not quite sure how long her hair is: but I would guess, judging from the thickness of the braid and the number of coils in the bun, that her hair is nearly waist length. The tone and highlighting suggests that she is a natural blonde: however, I believe that she may use some sort of natural hair lightener. Probably lemon. I detected a very distinct smell of citrus about her."
"You sniffed her hair?"
"I could hardly help noticing, Ray. Lemon has a very distinctive, clean smell."
"I guess thats why they make lemon-scent Tidy Bowl."
Fraser was silent for a second. He stared ahead and seemed to be lost in thought. Ray was amused. So, this woman got to him, he thought.
"So, she's a blonde."
"Yes."
"Thats good."
"She has the most incredible green eyes. A person could get lost in those eyes." Fraser's voice was soft as he spoke these last few words. A look of consternation crossed his features, replaced quickly by one of innocent wonderment. "And her laugh. It's like the tinkling of chimes on the wind. It made me smile.....you know, I wanted to say something humorous, just so I could hear her laughter. I've never heard anything quite so.....lovely." Fraser became quiet once again. Ray waited patiently for him to continue. This woman, Joelle Spenser, must be something to affect him this way.
"I organized her kitchen cupboards."
Ray was taken aback by the sudden change in topic.
"So what did you do? Put her kitchen utensils in alphabetical order?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ray. I only aphabetized the spices. And I must say, she had quite a collection." "Great! That must mean she can cook."
"I would assume so. Her cookware showed signs of extensive wear."
"Imagine. A woman who cooks. Who would have guessed?"
"She has small hands. Very delicate and shapely. The nails were well manicured and without polish. She's a writer."
"What gave her away? Carbon stains on her fingers or was it paper cuts?"
"Neither. She told me."
"Oh."
Ray was resting his chin on top of the steering wheel, still gazing out at the ice slick street. The rain had begun to change over to snow now. Very light, but coming down steadily with increasingly larger flakes. It seemed as though the four to six inches that was being predicted was a very strong possibility.
"It's 10 after 5 Ray. The truck should be here shortly."
"Any sign of life out there?"
"None that I detect."
"Maybe the thief is a homeless person. Maybe he was just hungry."
"Even still, Ray, a crime has been committed. Mrs. Peterman can't afford the loss. If the thief is indeed someone in need of food or lodging, we can assist him in finding the proper agency, rather than resort to a life of crime."
"What about Mrs. Peterson?"
"That's Peterman, Ray. Oh I think she can be persuaded to not bring charges, if the person in question, is indeed, in a desperate situation. She's a truly remarkable woman."
"Translation: You'll pay for the bagels."
"Right."
"Speaking of women, you got plans on seeing Ms. Spenser again?"
Fraser turned to look at Ray. He raised his eyebrows slightly as he answered.
"Well, I'm sure I will, Ray. She lives in the apartment next to mine."
"How convenient. I mean, are you going to ask her out? Like on a date?"
" I hardly know the woman."
"What do you think dating is for, Benny? It's a way to get to know someone, to find out if there's anything there worth going after."
"I know what dating is, Ray. I've been on dates before."
"Really?"
"A few."
"In this lifetime?"
"Yes, Ray."
"Are you attracted to her?"
"She's a very attractive woman."
"That's not what I asked.. ... Does she make you sweat?"
Ray couldn't help but tease Ben. He liked to see Mr. Calm and Cool get flustered every now and then. And women always had that effect on the Mountie. He would blush as red as his uniform and always seemed at a loss for words; stuttering and stumbling whenever a woman engaged him in conversation. This was one area of expertise that Ray held over Fraser. However, it never ceased to amaze him the way women seemed to fall all over the guy in red. It's got to be the suit, Ray thought for the thousandth time. "It WAS a bit warm in her apartment."
"Were you wearing your uniform?"
"Yes, Ray. I'd just got home from work. Why?"
"Oh, no reason. Here comes the truck."
Ray and Ben turned their attention to the white box truck which had just pulled up to the curb across the street. Large red lettering on the side of the truck proclaimed, "The Bagel Barn." A few seconds later, the driver stepped down and proceeded to the back of the truck. He unlatched the doors and opened them fully. The man disappeared inside for a moment, then reappeared. He jumped down off the gate, turned, and reached into the back grabbing a large box. The driver then carried the box into the alley. The two men watching from the Riv lost sight of the deliveryman for a minute or two
"Damn streetlight." Ray muttered under his breath. Fraser kept his eyes on the entrance to the alley waiting for the man to come back into sight. He turned his gaze quickly up and down the street searching for signs of a possible suspect. The deliveryman suddenly stepped out of the alley, went to the back of the truck and closed the doors. In another few minutes, the truck pulled away and the street was empty once more.
"Ok. Let's get this show on the road."
Fraser reached out and touched Ray's arm, then pointed up the street.
"I detected some movement in that direction."
"What was it? Another rat?"
"No. Much bigger."
Both of them peered intently in the direction Fraser had pointed. The snow was coming down much harder now and beginning to lay. Visibility was only about 25 feet. Ray and Ben watched and waited. Each of them searching for some movement or flash of color which would indicate the location of the possible suspect. Suddenly, a form began to take shape. It was moving rapidly towards the alley. Both men leaned forward, straining to make out the shape. Fraser was the first to recognize the perpetrator.
"Oh dear."
"Dief? Fraser, is that Dief?"
"Yes Ray. It most certainly is."
"Dief's the bagel bandit?"
"Apparently."
"So....what do you want to do?"
"We'll have to apprehend him. I suggest we move quickly, before he has a chance to eat the evidence."
With that, the men simultaneously opened the car doors, and, moving carefully, quickly crossed the street to the alley. They could hear the sound of plastic being torn open coming from within. Fraser began to enter the alley, but Ray stopped him by putting his hand on Benny's arm. Without a word, Ray held out his handcuffs to his friend. Fraser looked at Ray, shook his head, then proceeded to enter the darkened alley. He stopped halfway and observed his wolf in the act of vandalism. Diefenbaker had his head buried in the box of bagels.
"Diefenbaker! Drop that bagel."
The wolf looked up and saw his longtime friend standing just a few feet away.
"I thought he was deaf?"
"I think it's more along the lines of selective deafness. Diefenbaker! Back away from the bagels and come here. Now." Dief hung his head in defeat and growled slightly. "No, I don't want to hear excuses. You know stealing is wrong. What could you have been thinking? We are going home, and when Peterman's Deli opens, we will be there and you will apologize for your behavior." Dief trotted towards Fraser, stopped in front of him, head hanging low, then sat.
"You WILL make restitution. And don't think this will go unpunished, either."
"What are you gonna do Benny, take away his squeaky toy?" "No, Ray. I'll ground him. Until I decide otherwise, no more trips to the park on Saturday morning. No Frisbees, no tug-of-war, and no nerf football."
"And how is he gonna pay for the bagels? Are you gonna take it out of his weekly allowance?"
"No, that will come directly from his savings account."
"He has a savings account?"
"Yes Ray."
"How much does he have?"
"Much more than I, Ray."
"I'll keep that in mind. Next time I need a loan, I'll ask Dief."
Fraser looked down at his wolf, a stern expression on his face and shook his head from side to side. "I'm very disappointed in you, Diefenbaker." Dief whined and looked up at Fraser. "Save your apologies for Mrs. Peterman." The Mountie let out a long, drawn out sigh. "Do you think you could take us home now, Ray?"
"Sure. Let's go."
As Fraser and Ray turned and began walking to the end of the alley, Dief glanced back over his shoulder for one last look. "Don't even think about it." Dief turned his head back sharply, groaned, then slowly followed the men. It would be a long day. He would miss playing with the children at the park on Saturday mornings. Save a man's life, and he makes you pay and pay and pay.
Fraser and Ray made their way to the Riv which was covered with newly fallen snow. After hastily brushing the white stuff off of the windows, they got inside, and started for home. Diefenbaker lay down on the back seat, his nose between his paws. His eyes slowly closed, and in seconds he was asleep. Fraser looked over his shoulder at the sleeping wolf and frowned. Now he knew why Dief had been so groggy in the mornings as of late. It hadn't anything to do with his health a'tall. His apparant lethargy was due to the fact that he had been getting up at 5:00 in the morning and gorging himself on stolen bagels. Fraser made a mental note to make sure that Dief received some strenuous exercise this week to work off the weight that he had gained.
As the Riv worked its way back to Frasers apartment building, Ray was once again thinking about Benny and this woman. He wondered if Fraser was finally ready to take a chance again. Maybe this woman would be able to set his heart free from the pain Victoria had left behind. God knows, the Dragon Lady hadn't helped much. At least that relationship hadn't gone anywhere, which was a big relief to Ray. And Fraser didn't seem any worse off because of it. But even after all this time, Ray still caught glimpses of the devastation Victoria had wreaked on his soul. He mentally crossed his fingers and silently prayed that this Spenser woman would prove to be a woman who could appreciate the goodness in Frasers heart and hold it gently next to her own. Ray shook his head slightly. Man, I've been reading too many of Frannie's romance novels, he thought. With a big grin lighting up his face, Ray turned to Fraser.
"So....tell me more about your woman, Benny."
"She's not my woman, Ray."
"Well, she could be. Want help? I've got experience with that sort of thing."
"Ray, you just ran a stop sign."
"Who's driving the car Fraser?"
"Understood."
To be continued................... "The Scent of a Woman"
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