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"I'm glad you're keeping an eye on your friends," replied Dave as he stood and turned to Kate. "I have to attend to a problem one of my students is having. Would you be okay for a few minutes?"
"Dave, I heard what that boy told you. I'm a police officer, remember? We'll both go find that girl and get her away from those creeps."
Dave nodded his agreement. He took Kate's hand and started for the skate park near the end of Main Street. They hadn't gone very far when they realized that around a dozen interested students were following close behind.
"This is a real life civics class," Annie Parsons, one of Dave's better students, declared. "We want to see what happens and to make sure Samantha's okay."
They found Samantha hanging with three college age men and another girl. Kate looked at the two girls briefly before she approached the young men.
"I'm a police officer and it appears you three have been supplying alcohol to these underage girls. I need to see your ID right now," Kate stated as she held her badge up in clear view.
All three men quickly dug out their wallets and nervously produced driver's licenses. Kate took all three and placed them on the hood of a parked car. She quickly snapped a photo of each ID before returning them.
"You guys need to make a decision. You can ride down town with me and explain your actions there, or you can call someone to come drive you home. Either way, I'll file a report stating what transpired here tonight. If you get caught luring underage girls into drinking again, you'll find yourselves in jail. It's illegal and it won't be tolerated," declared Kate with some heat. "What's it going to be?"
"We don't want any trouble. I'll call my brothers and ask them to come get us," one of the men promised. "You won't ever see us again."
"Terence? I'm asking that you and Annie take Samantha home. I know she'll be safe with you two," Dave declared.
"Mr. Lassiter, can I ride with them, just to be sure everyone's okay?" Tim Jenkins asked politely.
Dave knew Tim and Annie got along well in class and quickly agreed. "That's a good idea. Now, for the hard part. Samantha made a mistake, but I'd better not hear about anyone teasing or ridiculing her concerning this incident. She's a friend and classmate, so act accordingly. If Samantha's parents have any questions or concerns, tell them to call me."
"Here, give them my card," insisted Kate. "They can speak to either, or both of us if they like. You did a good thing when you told us about the situation, Terence. Friends watch out for friends."
"I know the other girl," Brittany Adams said a she held up her phone. "She goes to St. Michael's. I saw her brother, Will, not too long ago. I'll call him and tell him his sister needs his help."
Within a few minutes, Dave and Kate were again seated and watching fireworks. The kids hung even closer as they asked questions and made observations about the situation with Samantha. Kate was pleased when she realized the girl would not be cruelly treated by her classmates. On the ride home, she complimented Dave on his positive influence with his students.
"It's a work in progress," Dave replied. "You were great when you came down on those college kids. You were the perfect combination of a tough cop and an understanding adult. I don't think jail or a criminal record was warranted, but they needed to know that sort of behavior is not acceptable."
Kate smiled at Dave's compliment before turning serious. "I know we've only had one date, but I feel like we're getting along pretty well. I may as well come right out and ask. Would you be interested in being my escort at the Chamber of Commerce Ball on November 11th? If you're busy or don't like to dance, or don't want to go with me, I'll understand."
"It's a good thing you decided on a career in law enforcement rather than sales," Dave replied with a chuckle. "I'd be delighted to be your escort. Thanks for thinking of me."
"It's a black tie affair. All the important people in the town and county, politically speaking, will be there. I begged off last here, but I was pretty much ordered to attend this year."
"That's lucky for me," Dave responded as he walked Kate to her door. "Would you mind if I kissed you again?"
"I sort of hoped you'd want to kiss me," Kate admitted. "I haven't forgotten the first time. I just hope Mom isn't watching again."
Dave placed his hands on Kate's hips and pulled her close. She smiled as she lifted her face to meet his. The kiss lasted far longer than their first one had.
"Thanks, Dave. I had a great time. I hope you call me again," Kate managed as she regained her breath.
"You can bet on it!" Dave declared with enthusiasm. "I'll want a lot more of that, especially after our first formal."
"Don't get your hopes up. It isn't the prom and we're not high school kids," Kate retorted, but with a big smile.
Kate's Mom was watching television when Kate entered the house grinning from ear to ear. "Can I assume your date with Dave went well? You look quite happy."
"It was a very nice day, Mom. Dave is a lot more than he seems when you first meet him. He really likes his students and they seem to respond to him. It was something to see. He's going to escort me to the Chamber Ball. I'll need to go shopping for a dress," Kate added.
"That's great. Now you won't have to worry about Ken Holden bothering you. I just hope Holden's man enough to accept your decision. He may have it in for Dave," Rita stated with some concern.
"Dave doesn't seem fazed by Ken's posturing and preening, or his threats" Kate responded. "He reported him to Chief Foster when he tried to bully Dave the day he met me at the station. I've heard that Ken was furious after Chief Foster called him into his office."
"We both know that a cop with a vendetta can be bad news. Having a one as big and mean as Ken Holden could be a real problem for Dave," Rita suggested.
"You're right, Mom, but I don't think Ken realizes what he's dealing with. Dave was an MP in the service. That isn't a job for the faint of heart. He also did a tour in Afghanistan, so I wouldn't advise Ken to push him too hard."
Kate went out with Dave several more times before the Chamber of Commerce's Ball. He even had dinner with her family the week before the social event of the season. Kate's older brother, Jerry, was there with his wife, Landis, and their three year old daughter. He seemed intent on making Dave uncomfortable.
"What are your intentions toward my sister?" Jerry asked bluntly. "If you're playing fast and loose with her, I'll be paying you a visit."
Dave studied Jerry's face for a few seconds before responding. "I have the impression from your not-so-veiled threat that you think you'll make me nervous. Visit me anytime you feel lucky. I appreciate that you love your sister and that's how it should be, but don't think it gives you any special considerations if you come looking for me with anything but friendly intentions.
"You comment was threatening and rude," Dave added. "It doesn't merit a response."
Everyone suddenly became quiet as Jerry carefully sized up Dave. Kate was wondering if she should step between the two men before things got too far out of hand. She felt relief when Jerry stuck out his hand for Dave to shake.
"You're not kidding, are you? I've got you by three inches and twenty pounds, but you're not even worried. That's the kind of man Sis deserves," Jerry said as Dave shook his hand. "I think we'll get along great."
Kate was delighted when her big brother gave Dave his seal of approval. She wrapped Jerry in a fierce hug before kissing his cheek.
"With a brother like you and boyfriend like Dave, I think I'm pretty safe. The fact I get to carry a gun doesn't hurt," Kate joked.
Dave arrived on time to pick up Kate for the Chamber of Commerce Ball. Her mother, Rita, answered the door dressed in a figure flattering dress. "Wow, Mrs. Daniels. You look great! Now I wonder if I'm taking the wrong girl to the ball."
"Thank you, Dave. You know how to make a lady feel good, but you won't have any doubts when you see Kate. You look very handsome in your tux," Rita observed as she gave Dave the once over.
Then Dave saw Kate as she came down the stairs. She wore a simple black dress, but it accentuated her curves perfectly. Kate's cleavage was spectacular, her legs were tanned and toned and her hair was done to perfection.
Dave didn't realize he was staring until Rita began to chuckle. "It looks like you've had the desired effect, Kate. The poor man is speechless."
"I'm sorry," Dave blurted. "Kate, you look fantastic! You're beautiful."
Kate blushed with pleasure at Dave's sincere compliment. She saw how his eyes took in every inch of her body and his approval was obvious. For the first time in her memory, she felt like a sexy, desirable woman.
From the moment they entered the Chamber building, people constantly approached Kate and Dave during the cocktail hour.
"I can't get over how many people want to speak to us," admitted Kate during a lull in the festivities. "They must want to meet the handsome new teacher they've heard so much about."
"Seriously?" Dave asked. "You're far and away the most beautiful woman here. People are drawn to your amazing smile and warm personality. You're the star of the evening."
Kate found Dave's statement a bit difficult to believe. "I've lived here my entire life and I've never had this kind of attention. Most of these people have known me for years. They want to meet you."
As Kate finished speaking, her Aunt Gloria approached them. "You two are creating a bit of a buzz tonight. Everyone seems to think Kate's been hiding her beauty while her escort makes James Bond look shabby. You make a lovely couple and people are noticing."
For dinner, Kate and Dave were seated with two other couples about their age. Candace Lane and her boyfriend, Tim, were to their right, while Beverly and Jack Wilkens sat on their left.
"Everyone's been asking about you and your new beau," Candace revealed. "I'm telling them that I'm the one who brought you two together. It cost me money for the fine and some points on my license, but it was worth it. You guys really hit it off.
"I saw how you looked at Dave when you were giving me my ticket. I turned to see what he was doing to draw your attention. He was just sitting there staring back at you. The sparks flew."
"My cousin, Emily, showed me a video she has on her cell phone," volunteered Beverly Wilkens. "In it, Kate tried to slap Dave. It was in a restaurant. He grabbed her wrist, so she tried to hit him with her other hand. He grabbed that wrist, too. Then he moved Kate's hands behind her back so she had to move closer. They traded a few barbs and then he kissed her! It was all very romantic."
"Emily has a video of that?" Kate responded with a frown. "I didn't know she recorded it. This is embarrassing."
"It's not anything to be embarrassed by," Dave replied soothingly. "Beverly, can you give me her number so I can get a copy?"
Everyone laughed. Kate gently patted Dave's knee under the table. If he wasn't worried about the video, she didn't feel like she should be concerned either.
After a very good meal, the band began playing. Kate and Dave hadn't discussed their skills on the dance floor. Kate felt the need to make Dave comfortable.
"If you don't dance, or don't want to dance, I'll understand," stated Kate.
"I didn't get all dressed up to bring the best looking girl in the state to a dance so we could sit around," Dave answered with a smile. "Would you honor me with the first dance?"
The couple remained on the floor for several songs before returning to their table. Candace immediately expressed her surprise at their dance skills.
"Have you two been taking lessons together, or practicing for a few weeks? You looked like professionals on the floor. Everyone was watching and commenting on how well you tripped the light fantastic."
"I have two sisters who took dance lessons and used me as their practice dummy. They actually became a bit annoyed when I picked up the steps faster than they did," Dave revealed.
I had a semester of ball room dancing as an elective at college," Kate admitted. "No one in the class could dance as well as Dave."
Kate couldn't help but smile as she sat next to Dave. He looked so dashing in his tux and he always treated her like a lady. She considered how she somehow had wound up with the best looking man at the Ball, which made her smile even more.
The night seemed to fly by. Kate was sought after as a dance partner but she always insisted that Dave approve before she accepted any offers, even when her father approached her for slow dance.
Dave quickly asked Kate's mother as Kate danced with her dad. Rita made no effort to conceal her delight as they stepped onto the dance floor. "You've made Kate very happy tonight. She's finally letting the world see what a beautiful, intelligent woman she really is. You've been good for her."
"It's difficult for me to believe she's ever been considered anything but beautiful," Dave replied. "Your daughter takes after her mother and that's a very good thing."
"You're a smooth one," Rita observed with a smile. "I'd better warn Kate about your charm. She doesn't have a lot of experience with men, so please be kind to her. The way she looks at you and talks about you, I'd say she's under your spell."
"And I'd say you have it backwards. She has me wrapped around her little finger and she knows it," Dave responded as he gazed in Kate's direction. "She's amazing."
Rita's smile grew even larger at Dave's words. She was pleased for her daughter. Kate had never accepted just how attractive she really was. Over the years, she had often dressed to conceal her figure, thinking she was too big to appeal to most men. She was finally coming out of her shell with this fine looking young man who treated her with respect. Kate's happiness was always foremost in Rita's thoughts.
The dance had ended and Kate was being led back to her table by her Dad when an inebriated Ken Holden lurched up to her.
"It's time for us to have a few dances. Find out how it feels to be in a real man's arms for a change," slurred Holden as he reached for Kate's arm.
Kate's father, Jim, grabbed Holden's arm before he could touch Kate. "Holden, that's no way to ask a lady for a dance. You need to speak to her escort and see if he has any objections."
"The hell with that, Old Man," Holden snapped as he gave Jim a shove before once again reaching for Kate.
This time Holden's arm was suddenly redirected behind his back in a very painful position. He tried to pull it free but that attempt only resulted in having his arm pushed slightly higher, forcing him to lean forward in an attempt to alleviate the pain. He felt hot breath on his neck.
"If you ever touch Kate, I'll break every bone in your fucking body!" Dave snarled into his ear. "I'm going to turn you lose. You can either try me right here and now, or get the hell away from us. It's your choice, but don't waste my time talking about how tough you are. Show me or get the hell out!"
Rita had been shocked when Holden reached possessively for Kate only to see her husband Jim step in. She clearly heard him tell Holden he had to speak to Dave if he wanted to dance with Kate. Shock quickly turned to anger when the much younger and bigger Holden gave her husband a shove which caused him to stumble backwards before finally catching his balance.
Rita was still near Dave, close enough to hear his words and the threat they conveyed to the bigger man. She was certain a fight was about to break out as Dave shoved Holden away from where Kate was standing. Dave calmly waited, poised for Holden's next move.
Ken Holden was furious as well as a bit drunk, but something in his foggy brain stopped him from going after Lassiter. The man showed no fear and even seemed eager for Ken to start something. Everyone who was anyone in politics and/or society was watching. He realized he had placed himself in a no win situation. If he went after Lassiter, he would probably be fired and quite possibly be at the losing end of a law suit. He needed to be smarter and bide his time.
"Sorry folks," Holden managed to choke out. "I guess I had one too many."
Kate hurried to her father's side as Holden turned and stalked away. "That idiot's going to make Dave kick his ass if he keeps this up. Are you okay, Dad?"
"Yeah, but I'm a bit embarrassed. He swatted me away like a fly. He didn't want any part of your young man, though. That's the way I would have handled Holden thirty years ago."
"I have the feeling Holden made the right choice when he walked away," stated Rita as she gave Dave a warm smile. "The quick way you gained control of the situation was impressive to watch. It's easy to believe you were an MP in the Army after seeing you in action."
By this time, both the police chief and the mayor stood near Kate and Dave. "I'll be giving Ken an ass chewing Monday morning. Do any of you want to make any formal charges?" Chief Mason asked. "You certainly have enough credible witnesses here."
"I hope this incident doesn't ruin your evening," Mayor Gordon added. "It's been a pleasure watching the two of you this evening. You've captured the eye of everyone here with your good looks and great dancing.
"There's a reporter here from a TV station based in the capital. I'd like her to interview the two of you. Would you be willing to speak with her and hopefully, say some flattering things about Evanston?"
Kate looked at Dave to gauge his feelings before answering. "We'd be happy to talk to her and we'll only have good things to say about Evanston. I'm just surprised she'd want to talk to us."
Kate and Dave were interviewed on camera for a few minutes before the reporter wrapped it up. "I'll get this edited and back to the station in time for the late news tonight. Thanks for being so cooperative."
Just after midnight, Dave helped Kate into his truck for the ride home.
"This has been a great night. Would you like to offer me a cup of coffee... or something at your place?" Kate asked nervously. She had never been so forward and she was worried that she may have misjudged Dave's feeling for her.
Dave flashed his boyish grin. "I'd love that. I'll need to stop at a convenience store for some milk for the coffee. Is that okay?"
When they pulled into the store's parking lot Kate decided to go in with Dave. She wanted to pick up a toothbrush so she could freshen up her breath for what she hoped was to come.
Fate had a different plan. They entered the store behind a young woman with a toddler on her hip. Once inside the woman turned immediately toward the section where baby supplies were kept.
Dave noticed something was wrong immediately. No one was behind the counter and two slovenly dressed, thin, very dirty men were fidgeting nervously as they openly stared at Kate in her black dress. Both men kept one hand behind their back.
Dave glanced at Kate to see if she had noticed what he had. Kate was sliding a hand into her purse as she nodded her head toward the woman with the infant. Dave picked up her silent request and turned immediately to follow the woman with the child.
He simply walked up behind the woman and placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her down behind a display case. Before he could get the woman and child completely concealed, the glass display case shattered as gunfire erupted. Dave was confident that the woman and her baby were shielded from the gunmen by his own body. Broken glass was flying all around them as he pulled the woman to safety on the floor behind a large freezer.
Several more shots rang out and then silence, except for the crying of the baby lying in its mother's arms.
"Stay down!" Dave commanded as he carefully peered around the freezer. To his relief, Kate was standing with her gun drawn and pointed in the direction where the two men had been standing. He pulled his phone and dialed 911 as he stood and quickly hurried to Kate's side. As he reached her, he saw the two men lying on the floor with two handguns lying next to them. By this time a dispatcher had answered his call, so he quickly reported the situation, asking for police and ambulance crews.
Kate was grim, but steady as she kept her gun trained on the two men. Dave could easily determine both men were alive by their cries and groans. He stepped over and carefully kicked their guns away from them. The he saw flashing lights in the parking lot. Numerous police officers poured through the door with their guns out.
"Kate? What happened? Is everything under control? Are you okay?" an older officer demanded as he quickly surveyed the scene. His attention quickly turned to the woman with the toddler. She carefully regained her feet as her baby's cries increased in volume.
"Ma'am, are you or your baby hurt?" the officer asked with surprising gentleness.
Gesturing toward Dave, the woman said, "No, this man pushed us down and stayed between us and the men who were shooting. We're pretty shaken up, but otherwise we're okay."
Dave had to remain at the scene for another two hours as he gave the same statement several times. Ambulances carried out the two men Kate had shot as well as the clerk who was found badly wounded behind the counter.
Kate was subdued but professional as she gave her account of the shooting. She made sure to emphasize how Dave had hurried to move the mother and toddler to safety as she pulled her gun to confront the gunmen. Dave had surprised them with his quick movements, so both men had turned in his direction and fired shots his way. That gave Kate the time needed to carefully place her shots in the right shoulder of each gunman. The impact of her bullets had caused the men to drop their guns as they fell to the floor in pain.
After treating and transporting the gunmen and the wounded clerk, paramedics asked Dave and the lady with the baby if they could examine them for injuries. The woman and her baby were completely unharmed while Dave had several shards of glass in the back of his neck and tux jacket. They quickly treated the slight bleeding and applied bandages.
It was while Dave was being treated that Jim and Rita arrived on the scene. They were allowed in to check on Kate's wellbeing.
"Dave, were you shot? I see the paramedics are bandaging you. Were you hurt?" Rita asked as she wiped a stray tear from her eye.
"I'm fine, Rita. You should be very proud of Kate. She performed the way a law enforcement professional is expected and trained to do in a difficult situation. It was impressive as hell."
"Kate, Honey, why were you even here?" Rita asked her daughter.
"We were looking for a few items in case I decided to spend the night with Dave," Kate answered frankly.
Rita surprised her husband and several officers who had been close enough to hear Kate's response to her mother's question. Rita glanced at Dave, then nodded and said, "Next time take an overnight case with you when you leave the house. It's safer."
The same reporter who had interviewed Kate and Dave earlier in the evening pulled into the crowded parking lot. She was met by Chief Mason who gave her a brief rundown of events. He refused to allow her entry to the crime scene and stated that Kate would not be giving any interviews until due process had been completed.
Kate was finally told that she could leave. Rita watched as her daughter went off to speak to Dave privately. She saw him nod his head in understanding as Kate explained something to him. Kate placed a gentle kiss on Dave's lips and returned to her parents.
"Let's go home," she suggested. "It's been a long day and a difficult one. Dave agreed that our romantic date pretty much ended when we stepped into the middle of an armed robbery. I'm going to sleep until noon."
Dave spoke briefly to Kate on her cell on Sunday, but didn't see her. He knew she was dealing with the aftereffects of the shooting and her role in it. He decided to give her a few days before he went to see her.
Monday morning, Dave awoke with a nagging burning sensation in the middle of his back. It was exactly where he could not reach it. He had noticed a small hole and some blood on the dress shirt he had worn at the C of C Ball. He surmised that a small piece of the shattered glass must have penetrated his tux and imbedded into his back.
The kids in his first class wanted to spend the entire period discussing the attempted robbery and subsequent shooting. Dave quickly put that idea to rest as he explained that he was paid to follow the syllabus, not discuss the gruesome details of a crime. He did agree to share his experience with the students in their free time, outside of school.
"How about the Chamber of Commerce Ball?" Terence asked. "We saw you and Miss Kate on TV. She looked beautiful. My parents couldn't believe you're my teacher and Kate is a police officer. They thought you looked like a Hollywood couple."
"That's very flattering," Dave conceded. "However, it's class time and we need to stick to today's lesson plan."
Dave had a second period study hall so he asked a teacher's aide to handle it while he visited the school nurse. When he got to her office he explained that he thought a piece of glass was imbedded in his back and asked her to remove it.
The nurse, Mrs. Baxter, like everyone else in Evanston, had heard about Dave's involvement in the attempted robbery and was happy to help him. She had him remove his shirt while she gathered forceps and antiseptic cream. Dave stood still as Mrs. Baxter moved behind him to extract the glass.
She was silent for a full minute, causing Dave to wonder if she was still behind him. Then he heard her speak. He was taken by surprise because she wasn't talking to him.
"This is Delores Baxter, the school nurse at Evanston High. I have a man in my office with a bullet lodged in his back. He's mobile and alert, but the location of the bullet is of concern. He was involved in the fracas at the convenience store and apparently was shot. Please dispatch an ambulance immediately."
