Traces of Hope

The next night, her night off, Crystal tried to talk herself out of calling Jewell at work. She didn’t want to appear desperate or anything. However, by 4:00, she’d lost all will to refrain from making the call. With shaky fingers, she dialed the number on the card Jewell had given her. “Springfield FBI field office,” said a curt male voice. “I’d like to speak with Agent Wallace, please.” “Agent Wallace is tied up at the moment. I can tell her you called if you’ll give me your name and number.” Crystal gave him the information. “I’ll let her know you called.” “Thank you.” She hung up, a bit bummed not to have gotten ahold of the attractive FBI agent. If anything, though, she’d rather see her than speak to her on the phone, so when 3:00 a.m. finally rolled around once again, she was delighted when Jewell showed up at the diner. Jewell looked both elegant and professional in a silk blouse with streaks of gold and a crème woolen skirt. This time, she wore her badge around her neck, which hung from a silver ball-chain. “Hello there,” she said, smiling as she took her seat at the counter. “Sorry, I missed your call.” “It’s okay,” Crystal said. “So now that you know I have a record, do you still want me for a waitress?” Jewell smiled, keeping her eyes on the briefcase and file folders she arranged on the counter before her. “I think so,” she said. Then she looked up at Crystal. “So why’d you do it?” “She slugged me; I slugged her. Only I got caught, and she didn’t.” “Oh,” said Jewell, watching her as she poured her a cup of coffee. “It was my ex that I got into it with. We were at her parents’ house. She slugged me for accusing her of being a lying little cheat. Just as I threw a punch back, her father walked into the room. He called the cops, and they had assault charges filed against me. I ended up with three months of probation.” Crystal set the coffee down in front of Jewell. “So that was my one and only brush with the law. Any scrapes for you?” “How could I be an FBI agent if there were?” “Easy. You guys are God. You can get away with anything.” Jewell sipped her coffee. “Think so?” Crystal nodded. “Want a snack to go with that?” “Sure.” “What do you want?” Jewell looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, “Surprise me.” Crystal walked away and returned with a slice of cheesecake a moment later before heading over to wait on a couple who’d just come in. She cursed their lousy timing in her mind. She was busy for the next fifteen minutes. Jewell sifted through her papers and ate the cheesecake as she worked. Finally, she got up to leave as she was carrying a tray to yet another new customer. She smiled and gave a brief nod toward her on her way to the door. “Bye, Jewell.” “See you,” she replied. Then she was gone. “Oh, how sweet,” she heard Dominique say after she served the newcomer. “What?” asked Crystal, approaching the section Jewell had sat in. “Your girlfriend left you a rather special tip tonight.” Crystal frowned curiously, moving closer to Dominique. Her eyes scanned the countertop to find not only the five-dollar bill Jewell usually left, but a beautiful pink rose as well. “Oh, wow,” she said in a soft, breathy voice, obviously both touched and surprised. “She must’ve had this in her briefcase.” “Guess it’s safe to assume she is both gay and interested,” Dominique said with a wink. “No more lonely nights with nothing but romance paperbacks for company.” When Crystal returned home that night, she was as joyous as she was exhausted. Try as she might, she couldn’t get Jewell off her mind. Then she was suddenly a bit glum when she thought of the long two days off that lay ahead of her. She felt she would be bored silly and that each minute would seem like an hour. Yet come late the following afternoon, she would be pleasantly surprised. She was just returning from picking up a few things at the small general store down the street when the phone began to ring. She set the bags down and ran to snatch up the receiver with a gloved hand. “Hello?” “Crystal?” Crystal’s heart did a cartwheel. “Yes, Jewell.” “You sound out of breath.” “I was just coming in when I heard the phone ringing, so I made a run for it.” “Oh, I see,” said Jewell. “Well, the reason I’m calling is to see if you wanted to do something today. Perhaps we could get a bite to eat somewhere and then head over to my place.” “Sure,” Crystal said, beaming a broad smile. “What time?” “Would an hour from now be okay?” “That’d be fine. I’m on the corner of Locust and Woodside. Know where it is?” “Yes, I do.” “Just buzz number fourteen, and I’ll run down. That is, unless you want to come up here first.” “No, I don’t mind coming up,” Jewell said. “See you then.” “See you.” Crystal was elated when she hung up the phone, but she was also a bit nervous. The last thing she wanted to do was appear foolish in any way by saying or doing anything that might turn Jewell off. She simply wasn’t used to this sort of thing. She had never dated regularly. Except for her ex and one other casual encounter, she had very little experience when it came to the dating scene. Kaori, who hadn’t been much luckier in love than she had been so far, often teased her about her shy ways. She went to decide what to wear with a big smile plastered on her face. Jewell sat in her warm kitchen with Pam, a long-time friend and colleague. She recalled some of her conversations with the irresistibly cute little redhead who seemed to be in her every thought lately, an hour before she called her. “The only thing I don’t like are the scars I spotted on her wrist,” she told Pam. “Think she might be unstable or something?” “She doesn’t seem unstable, but cutting your wrist isn’t exactly an act of stability, that’s for sure.” “Do you know why she did it?” “Well, I know she was raped, but I don’t know when or if it’s connected to the scars at all. I just hope she isn’t a nut. After all, I don’t know the girl well. As cute as she is, I’d rather not bother if she’s not wired right.” “You’ll never know if you don’t give her a chance,” said Pam. “That’s true,” Jewell agreed. “Maybe the cuts are ancient history, and she’s as stable as she seems. Check her out some more. Just seeing her a few times at her job won’t tell you much.” And so Jewell had called, telling herself that if she didn’t have anything to gain, she would at least not have anything to lose, though she knew she’d be disappointed if things didn’t work out. Crystal gave a slight jump when her buzzer rang. Her heart beat even faster as she hit the intercom’s button. “Jewell?” “That’s me,” she heard the FBI agent say. She hit the door-release and then stepped out into the hall. She walked over to the stairwell and leaned over the railing to peer down between the center of the four flights of scissor-stairs. She saw a long-fingered hand sliding up the banister far below her. “All the way to the top,” Crystal called down. “Yes, I figured that when I saw that the highest apartment number on the second floor was eight, that you must be on the fourth floor,” she heard Jewell say. Crystal giggled. “It’s okay. The sixty or so stairs will be great exercise for me,” Jewell said, now on the third floor. Crystal giggled again just as Jewell came into view, wearing jeans and her leather jacket over a red sweatshirt. “You look cute,” Jewell said, eyeing Crystal, who wore jeans and a pink and purple knit sweater. “Thanks,” said Crystal. “And thanks for my tip last night, too.” “You’re quite welcome,” said Jewell, giving Crystal a quick, soft kiss on the lips that made her heart flutter. “I never knew you had such long, pretty hair. You always wear it up at work.” “Yeah, it’s long,” Crystal said, running her fingers through her long, bouncy curls. Jewell followed Crystal into her apartment. “Welcome to my pad,” Crystal told her. “Wow, this is big,” said Jewell, checking out the spacious living room. Crystal nodded in agreement. “It’s a good-sized place.” She walked Jewell through the large L-shaped one-bedroom apartment. Jewell could tell by the sparse furnishings that it was rather old. “I thought that because you spend so much time in a restaurant, you might prefer a nice home-cooked meal for a change,” said Jewell. “I wouldn’t mind that at all,” Crystal said with a smile as she grabbed her purse and a suede jacket with fringes. “What do you like?” “Anything that isn’t spicy.” “How about if we stop at the supermarket first and pick something up?” “Okay. Where do you live anyway?” Crystal asked as they left the apartment and made their way down the lengthy stairwell. “In Longmeadow.” Crystal blinked with surprise. “Really?” “Really.” “So are the rumors true about it being a stuck-up town?” Jewell glanced quickly at her. “I really wouldn’t know, to be honest. I keep to myself. It’s a beautiful neighborhood. Picture-perfect and very quiet.” “I’ve known people who have lived there. Where in Longmeadow do you live?” Jewell told her. “Oh, so you’re not even five minutes from me.” “No, not quite,” Jewell said as they got into her comfortable, midsize car. She held her hands up to the heater. “It’s cold out there.” “Yes, it is.” Jewell lit up a cigarette and then pulled on a pair of leather gloves. Crystal began to cough. “Oh, sorry,” said Jewell, stamping the cigarette out in the ashtray. “You’re a fragile one, huh?” “When it comes to cigarette smoke in such a confined space, I guess I am.” The two proceeded to head for the supermarket. There, they decided on lamb chops with sautéed mushrooms and baked potatoes. Next, they headed for Jewell’s house in Longmeadow, home to the rich or at least the very comfortable. The small residential town had very few businesses. There wasn’t much more than a grocery store, a hardware store, a pizza joint, and a few expensive boutiques. Jewell’s house was simple, yet nice. The two-story structure with white aluminum siding and black shutters was set back from the road. “Wow, you have a big house,” said a surprised Crystal. Jewell hit the button on the remote clipped to the visor overhead, and the door to the attached two-car garage opened. “It’s definitely much too big for just one person, but when my aunt passed away and left the house to me, I couldn’t pass it up. It’s all paid for, too.” “Do you have a lot of family?” Crystal asked as they pulled into the garage. “It’s just my mom and me in these parts. My father died of a heart attack last year, and my sister Zona lives with her husband way out in the Pacific Northwest, which is why I got this house. Other than that, I don’t have any other aunts or uncles or cousins. What about you?” They were now entering the house from behind the garage. “My parents live in Springfield,” said Crystal, “but there are no siblings. I don’t see my aunt and uncle much, but as you know, I see my cousin Mathew. We grew up together and are more like good friends than anything else. He too, has his own apartment in the city.” Jewell ushered Crystal inside ahead of her. The air was invitingly warm. Jewell then reached for a switch by the door that lit up the kitchen they stood in. “Let me set these bags down, then I’ll give you a quick tour of the main floor,” Jewell told her. “Okay,” said Crystal, taking off her coat and placing it on a hook behind the door where Jewell placed hers. “This floor’s pretty much a big circle with the stairs in the center of it,” Jewell explained as Crystal followed her down a short hallway, past a half-bath, and into a rectangular living room that ran the length of one side of the house. The furnishings were simple, yet comfortable and homey-looking. There weren’t many prints on the walls. Just a few floral designs were all that adorned the walls, along with what appeared to be a family portrait that hung over the fireplace mantel. Next, they crossed the foyer at the foot of the stairs leading to the second floor and walked through the dining room before returning to the kitchen. “This is nice. Real nice,” said Crystal. “You’re lucky to have this.” “There’s even a finished basement, too.” “Is there?” Jewell nodded. “It’s got a bathroom equipped with a shower stall and everything, though I never really go down there except to do laundry.” “How many bedrooms upstairs?” “Four.” “You’re right. It is a big place for one person.” “So help me fill up this spacious kitchen for starters with your wonderful presence while we prepare our little feast.” Crystal smiled. “Let me get my hair out of the way first.” “Your hair is so beautiful,” Jewell drooled with admiration. “Thanks,” said Crystal, pulling her ruby tresses back into a ponytail. “How long have you lived here?” “The house was built in ’65 by a couple with three kids. My aunt said they weren’t nice people at all and that they treated their kids terribly. I don’t know why she wanted a house so big, but nonetheless, she bought this place in ’78 and lived here until she died in ’99 of cancer.” The two set to work preparing their meal, then they moved into the living room, where Jewell got a fire going in the fireplace. “Would you like a glass of wine?” Jewell offered. “No thanks. I don’t drink.” “Oh,” Jewell said with a slight smile. It was almost as if she found the fact that she didn’t drink amusing. Before she could question it, however, Jewell asked her to tell her about herself. “Tell you about myself?” Jewell nodded. “Not much to tell.” “Well, what sort of things do you like?” “That depends. I know I like summer better than winter for starters.” “Do you get along with your parents?” Crystal seemed hesitant. “Sometimes. What about you?” “We get along okay. Do you mind my asking you something, Crystal? I hate to put you on the spot, but I can’t help but wonder.” “Wonder what?” “What’s going on with this?” she asked, lifting Crystal’s arm. Crystal felt her face redden. “This? Oh, it’s just some stupid thing I did.” “Do you mind my asking why? And when?” Crystal looked unsure of herself, then she took a deep breath and said, “I did it when I was raped a few months ago.” “Oh,” Jewell said dubiously. “Do you know the guy who raped you?” Crystal shook her head. “It happened in the city. I was walking home one day after picking up a few groceries. The guy pulled up and yanked me into his car so fast I never had the chance to escape. I didn’t get the plate number, but I remember it was an old, beat-up station wagon that appeared to have been spray-painted numerous times. I think it was brown. He drove to a secluded spot in Forest Park and did his thing there. When the bastard was done with me, he tossed me out of the car like an old, used-up rag and took off. By then, it was dark. I was terrified, though fortunately, I still had my purse, so I could get to a pay phone and call someone to pick me up.” “Did you report it?” “No.” “Why not?” “Because I wasn’t in the mood to be raped all over again by the courts if they could find the sicko, then see the prick get a mere slap on the wrist. Massachusetts isn’t one of those states where you can practically point a finger at anyone for anything and have the book thrown at them with little to no evidence. So, since a mere accusation wouldn’t cut it, I got a gun instead.” “One in which you have a permit for, I hope.” “Yes, I have a permit. A part of me sort of hopes he’ll come at me again so I can give him what he deserves, though my cousin says not to count on it. Says he thinks he’s long gone by now and has moved on to new places with new people to terrorize.” Jewell shook her head. “I doubt it.” Crystal glanced at her. “Do you?” “Guys like this usually work close to home, and they don’t move around that much. They don’t roam from neighborhood to neighborhood. Remember, I’m a profiler, Crystal.” Crystal appeared to weigh Jewell’s words in her mind. “He’s probably a homely-looking loner with one botched relationship after another under his belt, along with one lost job after another as well.” “I don’t know about the relationships or the jobs, but he was one ugly dude. I can vouch for that much. He had this sickly-looking, pockmarked complexion. Or maybe they were scars.” “Did you have any tests done afterward for diseases and pregnancy?” Crystal nodded. “I’m clean, thank God, but I haven’t taken a pregnancy test. I have skipped a couple of periods, but I do that often enough anyway when I’m under stress.” Jewell eyed Crystal intently. “I think you should get the test and then get out of that neighborhood. It’s too dangerous. I’d get out of that diner too, before something happens, or at least change shifts.” “Easy for you to say. I can’t get a ride in on any other shift, and where would I go if I moved? Besides, there are assholes everywhere, you know.” “Yeah, I know there is,” Jewell sighed. “You ready to be put on the spot yourself?” Crystal asked. “Sure.” “Why me?” “Why you?” Crystal nodded. “You’ve got a top-notch career, and you live in a beautiful house in a beautiful neighborhood. I’m just a poor old waitress living in a dumpy apartment in the slums of the city.” Jewell smiled. “I don’t know, babe. I guess there’s just something about you.” She playfully pinched Crystal on the cheek before they rose to head into the kitchen. “That was delicious,” Crystal said, pulling back from her plate a while later. “Sure was. Ready for dessert?” “Oh, no. I’m stuffed. I’ll have to take a rain check on that one.” “Okay, then, how about a tour of the upstairs?” “I can handle that,” Crystal said, following Jewell upstairs. There were two bedrooms to the right that were over the living room, and two to the left over the kitchen and dining rooms. A full bath was just at the top of the stairs. “I have my computer set up in the front room on the right here. The back room across from it is a guestroom, and I use the smallest room next to the master bedroom for storage.” Jewell followed Crystal into the spacious bedroom at the front left side of the house. “You sure do have a lot of space,” Crystal said. A pair of long, strong arms suddenly slid around her waist from behind. She stiffened. “Think you could relax enough to spend a little time up here with me?” Jewell asked over her shoulder. Crystal hesitated a moment. She had been caught off guard. She just hadn’t expected a woman like Jewell to be interested in her in any way. People usually went for those whose personalities and lifestyles matched their own, didn’t they? And even if they sometimes didn’t, she simply hadn’t expected anything to happen so soon. “Uh, sure, I guess I could,” she finally managed to say. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite,” Jewell promised with a smile, coming around in front of Crystal to remove her clothes. One by one, she tossed the garments onto an old rocking chair near the foot of the bed. She then peeled back the bedspread and slid under the sheets. “Just get as comfortable as you feel comfortable getting.” Crystal thought Jewell had a great body. She shyly followed with undressing and sliding into bed as well. It felt awkward at first. Not just because of the recent attack, but because she hadn’t known Jewell very long. She wasn’t used to being pampered the way she had been so far, either. With her back pressed against the front of Jewell, Jewell began to massage her shoulders. Eventually, she felt herself begin to relax. “There you go, girl,” said Jewell. “No more stiffies.” Her hands then roamed toward the front, finding and caressing her breasts. “You smell good,” she said. “It’s a perfume I thought you might like,” Crystal told her. “You thought so, huh?” Crystal gave a slight laugh. “Are you a little seductress?” “Not usually.” “Want to go a little further than just hands?” “I don’t know,” Crystal said reluctantly. “The longer you put off intimacy, the harder it will be to return to it,” Jewell said. “At the risk of sounding selfish, don’t let this guy win, Crystal.” “Okay.” Jewell reached up and clicked off the bedside lamp. Naked in the semi-darkness of the setting sun, the two kissed and fondled each other before Jewell’s tongue found its way between her legs. At first, Crystal stiffened up and began to feel as if she might suffocate, though she soon relaxed enough to allow herself to be taken. Despite any initial discomfort, she was surprised to climax in the end, something she didn’t normally do the first time around.