You Know Who, Robin L. Deeter [mini ebook reader TXT] 📗

there.
“Hello, Ray.”
Ray stopped squinting at his task and looked up.
“Hey, Benny. How goes it?”
Fraser’s gaze went blank. “How goes what?”
Ray smiled. “Anything. Your morning, your life, you know? It’s the same thing as ‘how are you’.”
“Oh. I see. In that case, it goes just fine.”
Ray shook his head. “Glad to hear it. Jessie brought our morning brew. She’s gonna spoil us.”
That’s the idea. Out loud Fraser said, “It’s very thoughtful of her, don’t you think?”
“Very. You guys must be really good friends.”
“Yes. She’s a very special person and a lot of fun. We have a good time playing chess. She’s also a good cook. We usually have supper when we play.”
Leaning back in his chair, Ray regarded Fraser for a moment. “So the two of you spend a lot of time together but you’re not dating.”
“No. We’re more like brother and sister. Plus, we both like to play chess and haven’t found any other players.”
“I see. Benny, has it ever occurred to you that Jessie secretly has feelings for you?”
Fraser nodded. “Oh, yes, and we’ve talked about it. She’s not interested in me in that respect.” He smiled. “There’s someone else who has caught her eye.”
Ray’s eyes opened wide. “Who is it?”
“Well, now, I’m not at liberty to say. I gave my word.”
“Hmmm. Ok, but just tell me one thing; is it someone in the division?”
Fraser mulled over whether to answer Ray’s question or not. He decided it couldn’t hurt. “Yes, it is.”
“Interesting.” Ray enjoyed gossip as much as anyone and he instantly became determined to figure out who Jessie was interested in. He resumed typing.
Fraser was chuckling inside. He could see Ray’s wheels turning. This was going to be entertaining to watch unfold. Over the last couple of days he’d come to the conclusion that his two friends would be good for each other. He planned to help things along in his own way.
“Do you want me to type that for you?” Please God, let him say yes before I go insane listening to him hit every letter but the one he should hit.
“Sure, Benny, if you want to.” Ray and Fraser switched chairs. Fraser’s fingers began flying over the keys. Ray watched his sure movements with gratitude and a little envy. His mind turned to Jessie again, working on the mystery of her secret crush. He made a few inquiries over the next couple of weeks, but made no real progress. Fraser wouldn’t budge on keeping the secret, either.
Every morning hot coffee waited on Ray’s desk, a different blend each time. Jessie made him at least attempt to guess the kind or flavor. On a couple of occasions, muffins accompanied the coffee, always freshly baked. A pizza from Guido’s was another gift that was bestowed upon Fraser and him. The Mountie recognized what Jessie was doing. She was applying the old adage about the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach. In Fraser’s opinion, Jessie couldn’t have picked a better hunting strategy. She was using bait instead of ammunition, letting her quarry come closer and closer. It was the same method he employed to get Ray to do what he wanted. Ray was an intensely curious individual, one of the qualities that made him a good detective at least when it came to solving crime.
It appeared that a mystery of a more personal nature was another matter, since Ray never picked up on Jessie’s feelings for him. This highly amused Fraser because at least once a day Ray tried to get Fraser to tell him who Jessie was sweet on without success. Neither would the Mountie confirm or deny Ray’s hunches. His partner’s blindness to what was right in front of him did try Fraser’s patience on some days and he was hard pressed to keep his mouth shut because Ray was so dense, but keep it shut he did.
Each day Jessie grew a little more comfortable talking with Ray. She didn’t always tell her favorite detective the flavor of coffee she brought because she’d discovered if she withheld the information that Ray would keep coming back to guess. He actually called her a couple of times from his cell phone to grill her about it. Her trapping was going very well indeed.


The day was long and frustrating for Ray and Fraser. None of the leads they’d dug up had panned out. They’d spent a lot of time and gas running around the city with nothing to show for their efforts. Ray hated days like that. He was glad it was Friday and he had a date to look forward to, although his enthusiasm had waned unexpectedly during the afternoon. Jessie had given him a particularly difficult coffee flavor to decipher that morning. Fraser had tasted it but wouldn’t tell him what it was, so he was no help. Thoughts of the pretty brunette and her coffee plagued Ray. Had he ever asked Jessie out? If so he didn’t remember asking and if not, why hadn’t he? Oh yeah, he remembered now; she was friends with Frannie. Not a good idea to date your sister’s friends. Dropping Fraser off at home, Ray sped to his own to get ready. He didn’t want to be late for his date but even while he dressed Ray’s mind kept straying back to Frannie’s friend.
Fraser and Dief made their way up to their apartment, greeting their neighbors and helping a couple with grocery bags and such. When they reached their hallway, Dief barked and bounded towards their door.
Someone’s here. At least it’s someone we like judging by Dief’s reaction.
The wolf pawed the door open and pushed his way inside. The door was not very functional and sometimes didn’t latch correctly. Dief began barking happily. Fraser followed him and found Jessie tussling with the wolf.
“Hi, Jessie.”
“Hey, Ben. I hope you don’t mind, but I brought you a little something to spruce things up.”
Over his card table Jessie had laid a white cloth and placed a budvase filled with late summer blooms in the center. It added a little bit of color to his otherwise sparse abode. He didn’t bother to decorate since it was just him and Dief. He also reasoned that without a door that could be locked it wasn’t practical to keep anything of any value around. This was why he always stored anything of that nature at Ray’s house or at the Consulate. As he looked over the results of Jessie’s handiwork it made him smile. Her thoughtfulness was much appreciated.
Removing his hat and placing it on its stand, he said, “The flowers are lovely, Jessie. Thank you for bringing them. It does make it a little homier.”
“I’m glad you like it, but they’re not the real reason I came. Do you have plans for the evening?”
“No.”
“Are you hungry?”
He smiled. When Jessie asked if someone was hungry it usually meant she had something for them to eat. “Yes.”
“There’s a chicken potpie holding warm in the oven.”
“I know.”
“I know that you know. I saw you sniff the air when you came in.”
“Does that mean that we’re going to play chess?”
“Only if you want to.” Jessie waited while he thought it over.
Fraser knew that Jessie wouldn’t take it personally if he refused. His pause came from trying to decide what he was in the mood to do. He was tired and didn’t feel like going out anywhere, especially since he and Ray had tramped all over the city. He found that reading didn’t appeal to him either. Playing chess did, however.
“I’d like that.”
“Great. I’ll set it up.”
An hour later they were in the middle of an intense game. It was Fraser’s move when someone knocked on his door.
“Hey, Fraser! You home?”
Jessie’s heart skidded to a stop then restarted in double time at the sound of the voice. She looked at Fraser but he was engrossed in his contemplation. He wouldn’t turn from the game unless there was an emergency. He didn’t consider Ray an emergency, but Jessie did.
“Fraser?” the voice repeated.
Dief whined in response.
“I’ll get it,” Jessie said and went to the door. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and pulled it open to reveal Ray dressed to kill in a summer weight silver suit and black tie. She knew they had to be Armani.
“Hi, Ray. Come on in.”
“Is he here?” Ray’s confusion was evident.
“Yeah, of course. We’re playing chess.”
She had no idea what cologne the detective was wearing but it was intoxicating to Jessie. Closing Fraser’s door she stood where she was for a moment to get her rapid pulse under control. Just treat him like you do Fraser, she kept telling herself over and over.
“Hey, Benny. Who’s winning?” Ray clapped Fraser on the back and sat down in the vacant fold-up chair next to him. He hadn’t been expecting Jessie to open Fraser’s door. It was disconcerting to him, especially since he’d been thinking about her most of the day. That reminded him about something.
Fraser smiled faintly but didn’t answer. Ray rolled his eyes and looked at Jessie. “What’s with him?”
“It’s a rule we have. The person whose turn it is doesn’t have to talk or move until they’ve made their play.”
“That’s gotta be boring.”
Laughing she forced herself to sit in the chair she’d vacated. “If you don’t have patience it would be.”
“Yeah, hey, wait. Are you saying that I don’t have patience?”
Jessie put on an innocent face. “Me? Oh no, of course not.”
“Because I can be very patient.”
Oh boy. He’s getting wound up. This could be fun.
“Yeah, right, Vecchio,” she scoffed.
“No, really. I can. Take tonight for example. I was supposed to have a date, right?”
Jessie had heard it through the grapevine at work but hearing it directly from him still brought the green-eyed monster out in her. She stifled it. She had no right to be jealous. He wasn’t hers. Yet. She mentally crossed her fingers for luck.
“Uh huh. So?” she prompted him.
“So, I get all ready, as you can see, and make sure I’m a few minutes early, you know? Don’t wanna keep her waiting.”
“Let me guess. She stood you up?”
“Exactly. She never called or anything. That’s just rude.”
“Yes, it is. Are you hungry? I made chicken pot pie and there’s still some left.”
“I’m starved. If you’re offering I’m eating.”
“Ok. You look very handsome, by the way,” she told him with a pat on the shoulder as she moved by him.
“Thanks. Hey, hang on,” he snagged her wrist. “You never did tell me what kind of coffee you brought today.”
“Do you give up?”
He returned her smile. “Yeah, I give up.”
“If I tell you, you have to come