"Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep"
By: Kasey
(c) 1999/2000
You pretty much dont wanna steal this...painful and
humiliating things will happen if you do.

Chapter 12

	" Its okay Howie. I'll be fine for fifteen minutes.
What can happen in fifteen minutes?" Kasey asked. He
looked at her and debated whether he should take her
with him. He had to go and meet with one of the
officers watching the house. And he didn't want to
leave her, even for that short of time. Despite her
words, he knew what could happen in fifteen minutes.
	" I dont like leaving you alone, even for fifteen
minutes."
	" You'll be three houses away."
	" I'll be at the coffee shop on the corner. Thats a
lot more than three houses. Please come with me,"
Howie asked but she shook her head, smiling gently.
	" I cant. I have that lasagne cooking. I cant leave
that. You know what I'm like as a cook," she said and
he laughed gently, taking her into his arms and
savouring the feel of her against his body.
	" Okay. Fifteen minutes. Thats all it will be. I
promise. Here's my cell phone number and my pager.
Call me if anything happens okay?" he asked her and
she nodded. He let go of her reluctantly and headed
towards the front door. But he turned back and grabbed
her around the waist, pulling her up against him again
and said," I love you," and kissed her, deeply and
thoroughly. He let her go and left her, stunned and
elated. She waltzed back into the kitchen, a smile on
her face.
	" He loves me," she said out loud and smiled again at
how right the words sounded," And I love him." Again
the words fit. She checked the lasagne, pleased to
note that it was actually cooking and not burning and
decided that when Howie got back, she would have a
romantic dinner set. So she hurried around the room,
collecting candles and flowers, arranging them on the
table, thenracing upstairs to have a quick shower and
change into something a little more romantic. Looking
through her wardrobe while drying her hair, her hand
fell on a dress she hadn't worn before. It was a blue
ankle length dress, with a lowish neckline. It was
something she had bought on impulse, seeing it in the
store window and liking it, but never having somewhere
special enough to wear it. Kasey smiled. Well, tonight
would be that special time. She was in love. And Howie
loved her back. She wanted to look good for him.
Wanted to look special. All for him.

*****

	" There's been a man hanging around the house across
the street," the words were not what Howie wanted
hear.
	" And?"
	" It looks like its him."
	" Damn. I knew he was close by. When was the last
time you saw him?" Howie asked, glancing at his watch
again. Damn it. It was past the fifteen minutes he had
promised to be.
	" This morning, around eleven. He surveyed the house
for half an hour then left. Haven't seen him since,"
the young officer said, taking a sip of his coffee.
	" Did you at least try to have him followed?"
	" No. Why?"
	" Why?" Howie repeated incredulously," The man is a
serial killer. He's threatened the woman in that
house. And you ask me why? Linus, where the hell did
you get this jerk?"
	" Hey!" the officer said indigantly.
	" Brooks choice, not mine," Linus said nonchalantly,
receiving a glare from both Brooks and the officer in
question. Howie sighed. He should have known.
	" Brooks, I thought you wanted this guy. Putting
someone this inexperienced on a stake out was a stupid
choice," Howie said, never noticing the man who
entered the coffee shop behind Brooks and Linus.
	" I do. And he's not inexperienced. Anderson knows
what he's doing," Brooks said, taking a sip of his
coffee. No one noticed the man take out a gun, until
Howie spotted a flash of silver. He dived for cover,
gun drawn and yelled
	" Gun!" but it was too late. The man had aimed the
muzzle of the gun directly at Brooks' head and what
was left after the sound richocheted and the confusion
settled down, wasn't pretty, nor was it enough to even
know that Brooks had been the man shot. Howie and
Linus stood there, stunned, staring at what was left
of Brooks, while the younger officers screamed
directions into their radios, some looking pale and
ill, some shocked and horrified. 
	" Who would have done this?" Linus asked.
	" Brooks had enemies."
	" Yeah but for someone to come up behind him and
shoot him? How crazy is that? Especially when there
are so many police officers around. Whoever did it has
to be either stupid or insane. Did anyone get a look
at this guy?" Linus yelled amongst all the confusion.
	" I did," that was Anderson.
	" What did he look like?"
	" It was the same guy who's been at the house,"
Anderson looked pale and guilty. Howies attention
focused in him.
	" It was?"
	" Yeah."
	" You sure?"
	" Positive," Anderson hadn't even finished the word
before Howie was racing out the door. 
	" Dorough!"
	" Its him. And he's after Kasey!" he yelled and
sprinted down the street, fearing that by this time,
it would be too late.