Cowboy in the City
Jon turned the plain white envelope over in his hand. Without to much thought he tore the seal open and removed the card inside. Looking at the front of the card, Jon smiled and quickly looked around to see who was watching him. Frowning slightly he looked around again, positive that the practical joker had to be somewhere near. But, the corridor that housed the officers' mailboxes was empty. Jon looked down at the picture on the front of the card. A man and a woman, framed in a heart, were walking hand in hand along a beach. The top right hand side of the card displayed the words "LOVE IS..." Convinced the card had been misplaced, Jon decide to open it, identify the recipient and apologize to him or her for opening the card. Jon was both puzzled and amused when he realized the card was indeed meant for him. Somewhat bashful he read the poem written inside.
Jonathan Baker
I dreamed of a cowman a long time ago
But lived in a city where they'd be sure never to go
People I met consumed with their own ego
Then came my hero
With innocent charm
And powerful arm
He rescued me from certain harm
His startling blue eyes, his quick-draw grin
Kept me alive through thick and thin
My cowboy in the city
xxx
Jon couldn't help feeling flattered. He placed the card at the bottom of the mailbox and made his way to the morning briefing. Still convinced that a practical joker was at work, he decided not to mention the card to anyone. Sooner or later the joker would try and elicit some sort of reaction from him, then he'd know who it was. But, rather than the usual joviality that was generated by practical jokes most of the officers seemed to be suffering from a bad case of the Monday Blues. Even Ponch, who usually described his weekend dates enthusiastically, was slouched in his seat looking decidedly grumpy.
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The morning patrol had been extremely stressful with an oil spill during peak hour traffic and an overturned tourist bus later in the morning. Jon was thankful for the hour off to eat lunch. As he bit into the sandwich his mind wondered back to the card. He was at a complete loss as to who could have given it to him. During the last few weeks, the little dating he had done had been organized by Ponch, who believed the best way to get over a broken heart was to find someone new. Not that he had found anyone. In fact, he could hardly remember what the women looked like.
"Maybe you should go back to the doctor."
Jon looked at Ponch and gingerly touched the side of his head at the same time. "What for? The stitches are only coming out next week."
"I know that. Maybe that pole did more damage than you think." Ponch was referring to the injury his partner had sustained while helping rescue a woman trapped under a truckload of poles. Miraculously the woman had sustained only light injuries.
"What makes you say that?"
"You're talking and smiling to yourself," Ponch teased.
"Yeah. Maybe that's because I miss intelligent conversation," Jon quipped light heartily.
Ponch laughed, then looked at his partner and best friend seriously.
"Ah oh! I know that look. Before you give me another lecture can you please make sure my next blind date can at least read."
Ponch looked hurt. "What was wrong with Felicia? She's drop dead gorgeous."
"I had to tell her who the president is."
"I never said she was clever. Anyway, I'm glad to see you're finally laughing. Terry really hurt you, didn't she?" Ponch added referring to Jon's ex-girlfriend.
"Not her fault. I always knew she had to go back to Canada. I just kind of hoped..." Jon stopped and shrugged his shoulders. Sensing his friend's reluctance to discuss the Terry matter any further, Ponch changed the subject. "So, what were you thinking about?"
Jon smiled shyly, "I got this card in my mailbox today."
"Did I forget your birthday?" Ponch asked worriedly.
"No, it's not my birthday and it wasn't a birthday card." Ponch's ears pricked up.
"It was kind of a love letter, I think."
"Yeah!" Ponch was amused. "Who's it from?"
"That's the puzzling part. I don't know."
"You don't know? "
"No. I thought maybe that it was a practical joke. You don't know anything about a practical joke do you, Ponch?" Jon asked accusingly.
"No way man. Everyone at the station knows how cut up you were about Terry. I can't see them pulling this kind of a stunt. If they did, when I get my hands on the insensitive..."
"Maybe it was from one of your friends I dated." Jon interrupted him.
"I don't think so," Ponch's said softly. Most of the women had told him that although his friend was cute he seemed preoccupied. They didn't think they were his type, or he theirs.
"Maybe it's from..."
"Terry," Ponch said completing the sentence. Jon dropped his head sadly at the mention of her name, but not before Ponch saw the look of hope in his eyes. "We can always find out."
"We can?"
"We're not cops for nothing you know. Terry bought you a watch didn't she?"
"Yeah. So?"
"Well, then it's easy. I'll ask Kent to finger print card and the watch and if the finger prints match...voila."
"I don't think I'm to comfortable with that idea, Ponch."
"You want to know, don't you?"
Jon handed Kent the card and watch for finger printing. "This is the great mystery, Ponch?" Kent asked amused. During the years Kent worked for the department he had helped solve numerous cases. But, this was the first time he had been asked to solve a mystery about a love letter.
Ponch and Jon hovered around while waiting for the results. "Well?" Ponch asked, "what's the verdict? Guilty?"
Kent looked at the two men thoughtfully, "I'd say someone is guilty," Kent's eyes danced mischievously as he watch the looks of anticipation on the two officers faces, "of writing bad poetry."
"Kent," Jon sighed, "are the finger prints on the watch and the card the same."
"Yes. Both sets belong to you."
"And?" Jon asked feeling frustrated at having to draw out the information.
"And nothing. There are a couple of prints on the watch. But, the only prints on the card are yours."
"You sure?"
"Sure I'm sure. Here take a look yourself."
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The mystery of the love letter grew in intensity as Jon received more and more of them as well as numerous small gifts. The time period over which the gifts and letters arrived ruled out the possibility that a practical joker was at work. Jon finally accepted that he had a secret admirer. Although flattered in the beginning he started to feel uncomfortable, as the messages he received became more personal.
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"Morning partner what you got there?"
"Another letter," Jon sighed.
"What does this one say?"
"Hope you enjoyed the pizza last night. Didn't know you liked mushrooms. Love Cathy J."
"At least we've got a name to go on." Ponch said trying to cheer his partner up.
"Ponch, how would she know what I had for diner last night?"
"I don't know, partner," Ponch said thoughtfully. "But I'm getting a bad feeling about this."
"Me to." Jon said feeling a shudder run down his back.
"Hey, you two still coming to the party tonight?" Bonnie asked as she walked past.
"Yeah," they said in unison.
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Ponch wondered around Jon's small apartment while he waited for his friend to get ready for the party. Suddenly a sickening thought occurred to him.
"Jon! I think I've found something."
Jon walked out of the bedroom still towel drying his hair.
"You're not going to like this." Ponch stood facing him. His telephone lay dismantled on the kitchen counter.
"You broke my phone?"
"No." Ponch held up a small black device. Jon walked over to inspect the object. In a sudden rage he through the object against a wall and watched as it shattered into pieces. "I don't believe this!" He fumed. "She bugged my phone!"
Ponch didn't know what to say. The one thing his partner placed great value on was his personal space. And now someone had invaded Jon's privacy to the extent of listening in to his conversations.
"What do you say we forget the party and I help you change the locks and look for any other bugs and stuff."
"You sure, Ponch?"
"That's what friends are for."
The two men busied themselves over the next few hours putting in new locks on the front door and searching the small apartment thoroughly for any more devices. Although nothing was found, Jon noticed that who ever had been in his apartment had taken their time to go though his things. Books weren't in quite the same order he had left them in. The piece of paper he had left in his diary had been moved to a different page. Underwear had been removed from his laundry basket.
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"What happened to you and Ponch last night?" Bonnie asked sounding both annoyed and disappointed.
"Ah! Bon-Bon I'm sorry I should have phoned." Briefly, Jon explained what had happened.
"Gee Jon, I'm sorry. But if the lock was never jimmied how did she get into your apartment?"
"I don't know Bonnie."
"You didn't leave a spare key lying around did you?"
"No. I'm using the spare key."
"Why? What happened to your keys, Jon?"
"They went missing a few weeks ago. After I rescued that woman from under the poles."
"Maybe someone at the hospital took them. My friend Beth was on duty in the emergency room when they brought you and that woman in. Perhaps she saw or heard something. I know it's a long shot, but maybe it's worth a try."
"I'll try anything. Thanks Bonnie."
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Jon forced himself to smile as he handed the man the ticket. Ponch was still standing slightly behind his partner clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Do you believe that guy? He's got his kids in the car and he's driving like a lunatic because they're behind 'schedule' for their holiday. Did you see how scared they looked?" Ponch fumed before taking a deep breath to calm his raging temper. "By the way, thanks for stepping in, Jon."
Jon smiled ruefully. "I've heard motorist call us a lot of things. But I don't think I've heard half of those expressions before. You know what's so sad...give them a couple of years and we'll more than likely be pulling over his kids for the same type of thing."
Ponch felt his temper diffuse. "You know who you sound like?" he teased.
"Who?"
"Grossie?"
Jon chuckled softly as he mounted his bike and followed Ponch back to the station.
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Jon had nearly completed filling out the reports for the day when Bonnie startled him.
"You're jumpy this evening."
Jon turned his head and smiled at her. "Didn't your parents tell you it isn't polite to sneak up on people."
"Yeah. But they said I could make an exception for cute guys."
"Oh Bonnie I never knew," Jon said placing his hand over his heart and battering his eyes.
Bonnie laughed then cleared her throat. "I think I may have good news for you. I spoke to Beth. She told me a day or so after you were brought in, a friend of hers was complaining about some woman, a patient. Apparently this woman was going through other patient's things and stealing. No one reported it because she wasn't taking anything of value. Only small things like a hair clip, or toothbrush. When she was confronted she became quite violent. Saying that she was stealing things for her lover who had saved her life. The reason why Beth remembered it so clearly was because a few of the nurses started to worry about would have happened if she had stolen your gun. Not that that would have been possible because it was brought back and locked up at the station."
"Anyone remember who this woman was?"
"No. But Beth will ask her friend when she gets on for duty in about 2 hours."
"Thanks, Bon, I really appreciate it."
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Jon walked towards his apartment. He was looking forward to spending a relaxing evening at home. Tomorrow, he would worry about his secret admirer. He wiggled his shoulders as a shudder run down his back.
"You are jumpy this evening, Baker," he said to himself as he inserted his key into the lock. The lock wouldn't tumble. Jon frowned. The first thing he thought of was that someone had tried to break-in. He removed the key and as he was about to insert it into the lock a second time, when he started laughing. "You have got to calm down, Jonny Boy, you are going to get an ulcer." He was trying to open the door with his old key. He fumbled for the new key, inserted it into the lock and turned.
Suddenly he felt a blinding pain at the back of his head. Dazed he stumbled into the apartment and collapsed onto the floor.
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Ponch jumped over the coffee table to get to the phone before it stopped ringing.
"Hello," he answered breathless.
"Hey, Ponch it's Bonnie. Is Jon with you?"
"Nope. He went home. Have you tried to call him there?"
"Yes, but the phone just rings and it's kind of urgent."
"What's up, Bonnie?"
"I think I've found out who Jon's secret admirer is and it's not good."
"What did you find?"
"You remember the woman Jon helped rescue. Her name is Catherine Jonas."
"Cathy J." Ponch interrupted.
"Yeah. Seems she was one doing the stealing when they brought her and Jon in. She made a real nuisance of herself, stealing petty stuff. One of the nurses caught her looking up records on the hospital computer at midnight. She got away with it because she said she was bored. Anyway, I did a bit of background checking on her. She's spent time in an institution for delusional schizophrenia. A couple of year's back she fell 'in love' with a work colleague. Only problem, the guy was married and didn't know who she was. The letters and constant phone calls she made was putting strain on his marriage, so he got a restraining order. She became violent, went to his house and through acid at him. Fortunately he wasn't to badly hurt."
"Oh man!" Ponch groaned. "That would explain why she didn't leave finger prints on the cards and stuff. She's already been arrested before. I wonder if she got hold of Jon's keys and address in the hospital. But," Ponch added confused, "she doesn't even know, Jon. How could she think he was in love with her?"
"Apparently, it doesn't take much for the delusion to start. She started fantasizing about her work colleague because he wore her favorite type of after-shave. She thought he was wearing it especially for her. Can you imagine what she came up with when Jon saved her life."
"Bonnie, I don't like this. I'm going to Jon's place to see if he is okay."
"I'll meet you there Ponch."
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Jon fought against the blackness as he tried to figure out what had happened. His first thought was that he suffered some type of stroke. Panicking he tried to get up. A crashing blow to his hand met his efforts. He heard the bones break before he felt the pain radiated through his body. Still in a state of mental stupor he protectively clutched and shielded his left hand against his body. Instinctively he backed up against a wall. As the swirling blackness began to subside he tried to focus on his attacker. The figure that loomed above him didn't seem human. The creature's hair was disheveled, drool dripped down the side of its mouth, the eyes were wild and unfocused. It took Jon a few minutes to realize that it was a woman standing above him.
"I loved you!" She shrieked, smashing Jon twice more with a pole. Jon tried to get out the way. But, still sluggish after the blow to his head, the best he could manage was to take the other blows on his arm and the side of his face.
"I loved you," she cried pathetically. "Why did you lock me out? Why?"
Jon starred up at her frantically trying to work out who she was.
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Bonnie was already standing next to Jon's pick-up when Ponch drove up. Before the two officers had a chance to greet one another they where met by Jon's neighbor.
"You tell your friend, his girlfriend crazy, she nearly kill me when she come this afternoon," Mrs. Contardo said accusingly, still highly annoyed. "I don't know what he want with such a crazy woman. I try to introduce him to my granddaughter, but..."
"Mrs. Contardo, what woman? Do you remember what she looked like? Or where she went?"
"I don't know these things. I'm sure they go out. First there's lots of noise then there is quite inside his apartment. What do I know about what you young people do these days."
"Mrs. Contardo please it's important. You must try and remember, Jon may be in danger."
"From the crazy woman?"
"Yes." Ponch said exasperated.
"Why you not try phone him from my apartment? Maybe he is inside his apartment hurt."'
"We have tried to phone him, Mrs. Contardo. No one answers," Bonnie replied, her frustration levels also building.
The old woman sighed. Wrestling with her conscious, she finally said, "Jon, he give me a spare copy of his key this morning. But, I know you make a mess." She pointed her finger accusingly at Ponch. "But, I give the key to the lady. You will not make a mess, will you?"
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"Who are you?" Jon croaked.
"Who am I? Who am I? You...you saved me! You told me all about yourself! You listened to me and know you want to know about me. I told you everything! Me!" she shrieked beating Jon with the pole. "I gave you the cards, the letters, the gifts. You're just like the others. You think you're to good for me!"
Jon fainted from the pain that screamed through his body.
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Ponch and Bonnie could hear the commotion coming from Jon's apartment from the elevator. Sprinting they headed for the door, key in hand.
As the door flew open the woman turned stunned. With the element of surprise on his side, Ponch stormed in and tackled her to the ground."
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Jon sat propped on the hospital bed; his hand, arm and face still heavily bandaged. "You know Ponch, I keep wondering what I did to make her think I loved her," he said out of the side of his mouth. "I held her hand and asked her questions and told her about myself to try calm her down, while they were trying to get her out from under the poles."
"She was delusional Jon. If she didn't fixate on you, it would have been on someone else."
"In that case, next time I'm going to let you do the rescuing," Jon teased.
Ponch smiled. "At least we know she's off the streets and being treated at that institution."
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18 Months Later
"Hey Rich, look over there."
Richard Davies turned to look at what his partner was pointing at. An attractive blond haired woman was standing next to an expensive sports car. The car's tire was clearly flat.
"I think this is my turn to help out, Tyrell"
Tyrell laughed. "Be my guest. If my wife found out I helped a woman who looked like that, she'd kill me."
"That's done, ma'am. She's all ready to roll."
"Thank-you," the woman moved closer to read his nametag, "Officer Davies."
"It was my pleasure Miss. Jonas."
"Please, call me Cathy."
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"Cowboy In The City" ©1999 Caryn Beynnen. "CHiPs" and its characters © Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Inc. All rights reserved. " No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.
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