House Arrest (13/35) – WMC fic
(December 22nd, Cindy’s POV)
To make the call or not to make the call, that was the question.
It was just a gift. A Christmas gift. There was not a thing wrong with buying a Christmas gift for Lindsay. Especially since she would be spending Christmas at Lindsay’s place. It should even be somewhat expected of her as a well-mannered house guest.
Cindy picked up the phone.
And abruptly put it back down.
This particular gift though? Was this gift too… obvious? After all, the price tag did constitute an actual percentage of her salary. That could be obvious. Not to mention, the particular category in which she found herself browsing. That, in itself, was pretty obvious.
But speaking of pretty. This gift… on Lindsay… very pretty.
Cindy picked up the phone.
And it wasn’t her fault the catalog was sitting on Lindsay’s kitchen counter.
She dialed.
“How’s my little jailbird?” Jill answered, with an irritatingly happy lilt.
“Funny,” Cindy said. “Are you working today too?”
“It takes a bit more force to get me to work through the Saturday before Christmas than itdoes Lindsay. I’m more of an ‘in case of emergency only’ kind of girl.”
“In that case, I have an emergency. Can you do me a favor?”
“It depends. Does it have a chance of getting me shackled next to you?”
“No, smart ass.”
Jill laughed.
“Now, now. Don’t forget you need a favor. What do you need?”
“Legs.”
“For what?”
“Could you go shopping for me?”
“Honey, I could go shopping for Satan.”
“There is this necklace and earring set at Charles Jewelry. They’re drop diamonds and sapphires.”
“White gold? Page three?”
“Yeah,” Cindy answered.
“Ooh. For me, I hope,” Jill cooed.
“Maybe next time.”
“For Lindsay?” Jill asked, in what seemed to Cindy an overly knowing tone.
“Uh… yeah.”
“Mm hm.”
“What?” Cindy asked a little too loudly, flinching at how defensive she sounded.
“Nothing. Just a little thank you gift for keeping you out of the pokey?”
“Yes.”
“Mm hm.”
“What?” she asked again, though she knew she shouldn’t.
Jill was doing this completely on purpose, and every overreaction gave her exactly what she was digging for.
“Nothing.”
“So will you pick them up for me?”
“I’ll pick them up for you.”
“Okay good.”
“When are you going to give them to her?”
“On Christmas.”
“Lindsay is taking off Christmas?”
“She said she was.”
“In the middle of a big case?”
“I guess she’s tired.”
“Mm hm.”
“Would you stop doing that?”
“Sorry,” Jill said, without managing to sound the least bit. “I can drop them by tonight.”
“Thanks. I don’t have any cash here, but I can write you a check.”
“I didn’t figure you were planning to make me pay for them.”
“Thanks Jill.”
“No problem.”
“See you later.”
“Mm hm.”