| A Day Of Discovery Chapter 10 |
| "Harv? It's only 7:30...what are you doing here? I thought that you had the day off?" Officer Ronnie looked up from his paperwork as Harvey walked into the SIU. Harvey: " I do but I'm needing some information on a kid that lives at this address." Harvey tore a piece of paper from his notebook and handed it over to Ronnie. "I noticed this kid checking out an apartment building at 4 this morning and it just seemed too suspicious to ignore." Ronnie: I'll handle it for you. I don't have anything going on right now so I could check him out and then contact you with the results. You look like you haven't had much sleep so why don't you get out of here and get some rest. Harvey: I've had a little sleep but I'm to excited to rest. I've got something in the works for today and I have one final thing to take care of before I leave. Listen...when you find something, call me. * "EVAN!!" Casey was desperately trying to find her brother. She tried to run to him but her feet were riveted to the ground. He was reaching for her but she couldn't grasp his hand. Amidst the bells and sirens that were sounding, Evan was calling out to her for help but she she was slowly losing sight of him and suddenly, he was gone. " NO!!" Casey screamed as she woke from the horrible nightmare. It took a moment to realize that the ringing telephone had jolted her from her sleep. Looking at the clock on the nightstand, she saw that it was only eight a.m. She had slept for only three hours and knew that only one person would have the nerve to call this early. Casey: Stephanie, this had better be good... Harvey: Uh... Cassandra? It's Harvey. I'm sorry, were you sleeping? Casey: Harvey?? No... I mean yes, I was sleeping but it's not a problem. Actually you did me a favor. I was having the worst nightmare. (falls back against the pillows, closing her eyes trying to shake the memory of the dream) Harvey frowned at the sound of her shaky voice: Are you alright? Can I help you? She was touched by his concern: You did help. You woke me up, remember? (Looking at the clock) Don't take this the wrong way but why are you calling at 8am? We didn't leave the diner until after four this morning and I didn't get to bed until five. Harvey: It was five- thirty for me. I couldn't sleep so I came into work early to check something out...but I digress. The reason I'm calling so early is because I would like to take you sightseeing today. Think about it...I'm the perfect tour guide. I grew up here so I know all the best spots and I might even have a surprise or two up my sleeve. So...are you interested? Casey: I don't know. Could you be a little more specific about the plans? Harvey( laughing): No...they're for me to know and you to find out--if you dare. Casey: Ok, you've got my curosity peaked now. Where and when? Harvey( looking at his watch): How about nine thirty? I'll pick you up at your apartment, ok? Casey: Cool. I live at.. Harvey: 34980 Chestnut. Casey(surprised): How did you know that? Harvey: I followed you home from the diner! What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn't make sure that you had arrived home safely? Casey: Sorry, nice to know chivalry is alive and well and living in San Francisco. I'll see you later then. Harvey: Cassandra... one last thing Casey: What's that? Harvey: Who's Stephanie? Casey (laughing): I'll tell you later. Bye! * At 9:15, Casey was dressed and waiting impatiently for Harvey to arrive. She must have changed her clothes three times before deciding to go with jeans, red t-shirt and her old leather jacket. She emptied the contents of the small backpack onto the couch and sorted through them to make sure that she had everything needed for a day out.. Wallet with money and credit card, brush, lipgloss, dayplanner. Looking through the dayplanner, she noticed the entry that she had made regarding meeting with Captain Bridges. That meeting just might come sooner than expected now that the SIU was also involved with the investigation. The sound of the doorbell ringing brought Casey out of her thoughts and she put the dayplanner into the backpack before answering the door. Harvey was standing on the steps, bouquet of flowers in hand and a radiant smile on his face. Harvey: Good morning ma'am. Special delivery! Casey: Harvey! They're beautiful...Thank you. Come on in. I want to put these in some water... if I can find a vase. Harvey chuckled as Casey looked around the room hoping to find a suitable container. "You don't know if you own a vase?" She had done it again! What was it about him that made her forget about being undercover? Casey: This isn't my apartment. I'm just staying here temporarily. To be honest, I'm not sure how long I'll be staying in San Francisco. Harvey was somewhat surprised by what she had said. He followed her into the kitchen so that they could continue the conversation. "I thought that you were a permanent employee at CJ's. It never occured to me that you didn't live here in town. I guess we need to fill each other in on our life histories. Why don't you go first. Tell me about Cassandra." Casey decided to be as truthful as possible. She really liked Harvey and when this assignment was over, she wanted to continue seeing him. "Well, I was born in Georgia and lived there until I was five years old. My parents were killed in an auto accident and I was adopted by my godparents who moved me to Chicago. I've stayed close to my southern relatives though. I graduated from college with degrees in criminology and computer technology... I double majored. When I was twenty-four, my older brother was killed and I decided to leave Chicago... you know, get away from the memories. I took a job in Amarillo, Texas and that's where I currently call home." Casey thought that sounded rather convincing. "OK, now it's your turn. Tell me about you, Harvey." Harvey(joking): six feet tall, 170lbs., brown hair, blue eyes, 44 years..... Casey shot him a dirty look before saying: "That's NOT what I meant." Harvey(laughing): Let's go. I'll fill you in on the way. Harvey didn't reveal much about his family life. He was born and raised in San Francisco and had one older sister. His parents had retired to Arizona for health reason and he didn't see them as often as he should. He had taken a year off after graduating from high school to bum around Europe with a group of friends. When he returned, he enrolled at Berkley and graduated in 1979 with degrees in criminology and computers as well as chemistry. He was surprised by the fact that they both had degrees in the same fields. Harvey: I can't believe that you didn't get into law enforcement with those degrees. I've found that the computer aspect has helped me a great deal with my work. Casey: You never have told me what type of work you do. Harvey: Really? I thought you knew that I was a cop. Casey was a little stunned. "You're a cop?" Harvey was rather confused by her reaction. "Yeah, I'm a San Francisco Police Inspector working in Special Investigations. Why so surprised?" Casey: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you... it's just that I never figured you for a cop. But hey, it's a cool profession. Harvey: No offense taken. I don't look the part but I take my work very seriously.. His career choice wasn't the only thing that surprised Casey. She was also impressed with his taste in music. He loved the Grateful Dead! Casey: I don't believe it. You're a true Deadhead, aren't you? The tapes, the armband...which, by the way, I haven't seen those worn in years! Harvey(teasing): Woman, are you making fun of me? I can turn this car around you know. Casey(wiping away tears of laughter): NO, NO.. I promise, I'm not making fun of you. I like the Dead's music...I'm not a Deadhead but I like their music. Unfortunately, no one else that I know does. This is really cool. Have you ever heard the lullabye that Jerry Garcia recorded? I can't remember who he recorded it with but it's such a beautiful ballad. Harvey: I have that record! My son, Jerry, loves it. I play it for him at bedtime. Casey(surprised): You have a son? Harvey(cautiously): Yeah, he's three years old. You do like kids, don't you? Harvey was almost afraid to here the answer. He had met women in the past who didn't like the idea of dating a man with a child. Especially since he and Anna had never married. It was a fact that made him appear to be irresponsible in their eyes but nothing could have been further from the truth. He loved his son and went to great lengths to provide for Jerry both financially and emotionally. Casey: Yes, I love kids. I'd love to have one of my own..someday. Alright...continue with your story. Harvey began to tell her about his marriage that ended after five years. Bonnie left only a note telling him goodbye. He then told her about his relationship with Jerry's Mom. "Anna and I dated for almost a year before we started having problems and split up. I saw her again early last year and that's when I found out about Jerry. That was really hard for awhile. Knowing that she had given birth to my son but didn't want to let me know about him. We've worked things out but it can still be hard at times. I would love to see my little guy more than just on weekends." There was such sadness in his voice and Casey wished she knew of something meaningful to say. Instead, seeing that his hand was resting on the gear shift, she reached over and placed her hand on top of his. * Harvey had planned the whole day around showing Casey as many sights in the city as possible. They had brunch at Rochelle's Coffee Shop, a popular outdoor cafe. There was a short wait for a table but neither seemed to mind. They never seemed to run out of things to talk about. After brunch, they drove to the north bay area to see the waterfalls and do a little hiking. The drive back into town was scenic and beautiful as well as relaxing. Casey was so comfortable riding in the Crusier, she almost fell asleep. Harvey offered to take her home if she were too tired but the answer was a definite "NO" Harv couldn't wait to show her around the Haight-Ashbury section of town. This would give them a chance to do some shopping. Walking around the area was fascinating to Casey. People from every walk of life could be seen shopping for the usual and the unusual. Harvey pulled her into a small shop called Purple Daze and was amused by the expression on her face. She felt as though she had stepped back in time. Tie-dyed shirts, peace sign necklaces, blacklight posters, waterpipes, sixties music...Casey loved looking through this shop. After Harvey paid for his purchase, he found her looking at the hand carved keepsake boxes that were on display. Harvey: You like those? She nodded and pointed one out to him: That one...the interlocking hearts with a rose in the center of them. That's the one that I like. The couple continued to explore a few more shops until Harvey realized that they hadn't eaten lunch. "All of this walking and shopping has made me hungry. Come on, I know a place that serves the best pizza in town." Taking Casey's arm, they returned to the car and headed for Fisherman's Wharf. He parked the car and they walked the short distance to a Pizzaria. Casey took one look at the sign and laughed as she slapped Harvey on the arm. Casey: A Taste Of Chicago? It had better live up to it's name. I'm from Chicago remember. Harvey(pushing her towards the door): I promise, you won't be disappointed. Let's go in, I'm starving! * After lunch Casey and Harvey walked along Fisherman's Wharf. This was one of the places that she had wanted to see before leaving San Francisco. They walked in silence for awhile, just enjoying each others company and taking in the sights. At one point, Harvey reached over and took Casey's hand to hold. They stopped to look out over the water and a woman approached them to ask permission to take their picture. Agreeing, Harvey put his arm around Casey and they smiled as she snapped two pictures. The lady walked over and handed the photos to Casey before walking away. Tourist Lady: You two make such a nice couple. I can see the love shining in your eyes! Casey was stunned by her words and could only reply with " Thank you". Walking back to the car, She and Harvey discussed what the lady had said. Harvey: Do you think the shine in our eyes is the result of breathing the air in that head shop that we stopped in? With that remark, they were both overcome with hysterical laughter. * They had been driving for a while when Casey reached over to turn the volume down on the tape deck that was blaring "Hell In A Bucket." Casey: So where are we going now? Harv( grinning): I thought you might want to visit the best place to kiss in San Francisco. Casey looked at him quizzingly but he did not dare look at her. "Excuse me??" she replied giggling. "Just be patient" was all he said. They pulled into the parking lot of Fort Point. It was the perfect place for a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. "Walk with me" Harvey told her as he took her hand to lead her down a path that would bring them underneath the bridge. "Wow, it's breathtaking!" Casey remarked. Harvey stood in back of her, his hands resting on her shoulders, pointing out different sites. Harvey: If you look up San Francisco on the internet, you will find this place is considered to be the best kissing spot in the city. Casey: So that's what you meant! I wasn't sure what you had in mind. Harvey slipped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder: "I'm really glad you agreed to come with me today." "So am I" Casey said as she leaned her head against his and continued to look out over the bay. They sat and talked for a long while before noticing the time. When they stood up, Harvey took her hand and began to walk away but Casey didn't move. Harvey: Something wrong? Casey: No... just wondering why this is called the best kissing spot. Harvey hesitated for a moment and then he looked down at Casey. Reaching out, he took her by the hand and pulled her close to him. She felt his other hand resting on the back of her neck as he gazed into her eyes for a moment before leaning down to give her a gentle kiss. Casey pulled back a little, keeping her eyes closed, wanting to memorize the feel of his lips. Harvey: Hey...open your eyes... look at me. She opened her eyes and smiled as he put his arms around her waist and touched his forehead to her's before softly asking, "You did want me to kiss you, didn't you?" Casey looked up into those caring blue eyes and in a whispered voice told him, "Only since the first night that we met. I was just wanting to remember every detail of it." Harvey(looking down at her and smiling): You know, there's more where that one came from. Leaning down, he kissed her once again before sighing deeply and telling her: "We should be going. The park will be closing soon and we have dinner reservations at 7:30." They walked hand-in-hand back to the Crusier. After starting the car, Harvey leaned over and gave her a quick kiss and said "One for the road." Casey laid her head back against the seat and sighed. "I guess they are right. This is definitely the best place to be kissed. * Harvey had dropped Casey at her apartment and told her he would return in about an hour and a half. She knew that she had walked into the apartment but it felt more like she was floating on air. Where did this wonderful man come from and why did it take so long to find him? Falling down on the couch, she reflected over the day. Everything had been perfect and she wanted to look perfect for him tonight. Standing in front of the mirror, she carefully checked her image. She chose the short, dark blue dress with the square neckline and straps that crisscrossed in the back. The matching shoes had heels that were 3 and 1/2 inches high. They weren't comfortable but Stephanie had insisted that they were perfect to wear with this dress. She had told Casey: "The high heels make your butt look good." Casey laughed at the memory as she ran her fingers through her hair after taking out the curlers. She took a final look in the mirror and approved of the image that she saw. She hoped that Harvey would approve as well. * Harvey arrived at her apartment at 7 pm and adjusted his tie before ringing the doorbell. When Casey answered the door, his eyes grew wide--she looked incredible. "WOW, you look great." Casey felt herself blush and quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I was about to say the same thing about you. You look very handsome. He handed her a single peach colored rose as he told her: "If you're ready we can leave now, our reservation is for a half hour from now". Grabbing her wrap, they locked the apartment and walked down the sidewalk to his car. Casey couldn't keep her eyes off of Harvey. How incredibly handsome and different he looked in the dark suit and tie. Without his armband and beret, he could pass for a banker or lawyer. Instead of Grateful Dead music on the tape deck, he was playing some soft, easy listening music. They exchanged small talk about their day together during the short drive to Mission Street. The name of the restaurant was Shangri-la Gardens. Harvey had arranged for a balcony table that provided a spectacular view of the city lights and was slightly secluded for privacy. The waiter brought a bottle of the restaurant's best red wine and poured a small amount for Harvey to taste and approve before pouring a glass for Casey. Harvey ordered the specialty of the house for them and when the waiter left, he lifted his glass of wine. Harvey: A toast... to an incredible day. Thank you for sharing it with me. Casey: Thank you for asking me to share it with you. They touched glasses and each took a sip before Casey spoke. "Harvey, today has been so wonderful. It's been quite a while since I have felt this relaxed or have had this much fun. I don't know how to thank you." Harvey looked at her with a mischievous smile: "Don't thank me now, it's not over yet!" Dinner was unbelievable. The setting was so romantic and Harvey was the perfect companion. After leaving the restaurant, they decided that it was a perfect night for a drive. He had one more place to show her. He turned the Crusier onto a road leading to the top of a hill. Harvey: This is called Turn Peaks and it has the best view of the city. He parked the car and they got out to walk toward the cliff. Casey: Is there anything about this city that's not beautiful or romantic? Harvey: We have problems like any city, but when you're with the right person...those problems seem to disappear for a while. "Damn, he's good." She thought to herself. Casey: You do have a wonderful way with words, Harvey. Walking over to him, she reached out to take his hands and looked up at this most incredible man. Her heart was filled with so much admiration and desire for him. She simply had to let him how she felt. Casey: I need to tell you something. I realize that we haven't known each other for very long but you have become so very special to me. I don't know exactly what these feelings are but...I really care about you. (smiles at him) Alright...you can run now. Harvey pulled her close and held her for a while before speaking: " I'm not going anywhere. Can't you tell that I feel the same way about you. It's like some cosmic force has brought us together. Call it fate, Karma, whatever...all I know is that I'm right where I want to be. (hugs her and then leans back to look at her) Of course, you could have told me this sooner. I wouldn't have been trying so hard to steal your heart." Casey: Harvey, you don't have to steal my heart. I'm giving it to you. The couple shared a kiss before walking arm in arm back to the car. Harvey asked her to stay in front of the car as he walked over and climbed into the driver's seat. Casey(Laughing): You aren't going to make me walk home in these shoes are you? Harvey turned on the car lights and the radio before joining her in front of the Cruiser: "I suppose that I could let you but I've got a better idea." Turning to face her, he held out his hand and asked, " May I have this dance?" Casey heard the beginning of a song called "New Love" and it was so very appropriate for this moment and the feelings that she and Harvey had for each other. As they danced, Casey's mind raced with thoughts. Evan had been right. She had found the man of her dreams in San Francisco. But there were some major obstacles that would put their relationship to the test. Casey closed her eyes trying to block out her thoughts. She didn't want to think about work...not tonight. She lay her head on his shoulder and he held her tighter as they listened to the words of their new song. **I still get excited just talking to you....I'm still inspired just walking next to you. Girl the way I need you....I find as time goes by I need you even more. Nothing feels as good...as good as us together. No there ain't nothin' better than this new love. Always feels like a new love...** *New Love by Michael Bolton from the CD Time, Love and Tenderness |
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