“Yes.”
“Jesus,” Sam whispered.
Tori stood quickly. “Thank you. You’ve been a big help.”
“Surely, you don’t think… that Richard did that?”
“That’s premature, Mr. Dreyfus. I’m sure we’ll be in touch.” She motioned to the door. “Sam?”
“Holy fucking shit,” Sam murmured as they walked down the silent hall. “Can you believe that?”
“Adams and Donaldson had that one. Let’s go pull their file.”
“God, I hope it’s clean. I hope they didn’t fuck it up.”
Tori smiled. “Detective Kennedy. Your language.”
“I’m sorry. But if this was right in front of their noses, and all those girls died because of it-”
“Sam, it’s easy to second-guess now. We may not be the best of buddies, but they’re good cops.”
“I know. You’re right. I’m overreacting.”
Malone stared at them, then tossed his glasses on his cluttered desk. “Pull the file. Adams is going to have a coronary if Grayson was the perp all along.” He shook his head. “Christ! I hate days like this.”
“Lieutenant, it might be better if you’re the one to pull the file and not us,” Tori suggested.
“Hell, Hunter, since when have you been afraid to step on toes?”
Sam cleared her throat. “Lieutenant, it’s just that… everyone is… getting along. We’re like a team.”
“A team? Damn, who would have thought?” He rubbed his eyes. “Okay. I’ll get Fisk to pull it. The only saving grace is that everyone’s caseload is thin right now. This is top priority. I know it’s your case, but I want everyone in on it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Malone stared. Just a few months ago, Tori would have been screaming at him if he’d suggested that she needed help with a case.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. You might want to bring Sikes and Ramirez up to speed, though.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do it,” Sam said.
They got up to leave, but Malone called to Tori.
“Hunter. A word?”
She nodded, with only a quick glance at Sam. She crossed her legs, waiting.
“Everything okay?”
“Fine.”
He leaned back in his chair and watched her. “I’ve never seen you this way.”
“What way?”
“You know what the hell I’m talking about, don’t play games with me.”
“I’m just… trying to get along with everyone.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Tori, I’ve known you seven years. In the last couple of months, you’re like a different person.” He leaned forward. “Kennedy?”
“She seems to have a calming effect on me,” Tori said vaguely.
He smiled. “So, best move I ever made, huh?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Captain wanted to pair you with Adams. Hell, it’s no secret he and Donaldson are like oil and water.”
“You said it wasn’t your idea to put me with Kennedy,” she reminded him.
“I lied.”
She lifted one corner of her mouth in a smile and nodded. “Best move you ever made. Adams would be dead by now.”
He laughed, leaning forward to face Tori. “You seem… happy, Tori. I don’t know that I would ever have used that word to describe you before.”
She considered his statement, then nodded. “I’m as happy as I can ever remember being, Lieutenant.”
“Are we talking work here, Tori? Or personally?”
She stiffened. “Work, of course.”
He stared at her for the longest moment, then nodded. “Okay. I guess I was hoping it was personal, too.”
Their eyes locked across the desk.
“Because I’d like… for you to have someone… in your life,” he continued.
Tori shrugged. “Rules and all.”
He smiled. “Since when do you follow the rules?”
“Stan…”
“I’m not blind, Tori. It’s just… hell, I thought she had a boyfriend.”
Tori smiled. “She did.”
He smiled, too. “Just keep it quiet, Tori.”
“Stan, I don’t know what to say.”
“Tori Hunter, at a loss for words. Damn, this place just keeps getting crazier by the day. Now, get out of here. We’ve got work to do.”
“Yes, sir.” She paused at the door. “Lieutenant, thank you for understanding.”
He nodded, then shoved on his glasses, dismissing her.
Chapter Forty-two
It was late, and Sam was tired. She eyed the coffee suspiciously, then thought better of it. Actually, she wanted a glass of wine. And she wanted that glass of wine curled on her sofa eating take-out with Tori, of course.
Walking back to her desk, she found Tori in much the same position she’d been for the last few hours-staring at her computer screen, a frown on her face.
“Hey,” she said quietly.
“Hmm?”
“It’s late, Tori.”
Tori sat back, noticing the empty squad room. She glanced at the clock, surprised that it was nearly seven.
“I’m sorry. I…”
“Lost track of time?” Sam walked behind her and lightly squeezed her shoulders, smiling at the low moan that Tori let escape. “You must be starving. I know I am.”
“Is that a hint?”
“Yes, that’s a hint.” She gave Tori’s shoulder one last squeeze, then urged her up. “Let’s call it a night. Please? It’s Friday, and you know as well as I do that we’ll be up here all weekend.”
Tori looked back at her computer. There was still so much to do. The Guerrero case had holes in it a mile wide. In the old days, she wouldn’t have thought about leaving. She would be poring over the case until midnight, at least. But that was then. She never had a reason to stop before. It wasn’t like she had a life outside of this department. Now she knew why the others left at normal hours. They all had someone to go home to. She looked up and met gentle green eyes, green eyes that promised so much. She shut her computer down.
“Pizza?”
Sam smiled as she grabbed her purse. “I don’t care, as long as it can be eaten while I’m lounging on my sofa.”
“Oh yeah? Are you planning on being alone while you lounge?”
“I plan on being curled next to a very warm body.” Her voice softened. “Yours, in fact. Then, if I still have any energy left, I’m going to make love to you.”
Tori stopped, her heart tumbling in her chest, all from those simple words spoken so quietly in the empty room. Sam paused at the door, her eyes questioning.
What did I do to deserve this? Tori thought. She never would have believed that someone like Sam would want her. But she did. It was there, splashed across her face, her eyes, for all to see.
“What?”
Tori shrugged. “Nothing.”
“You sure?”
“Sure. Come on. There’s a sofa calling our names.”
Sam used her cell phone to call in the pizza, and they stopped on their way to her apartment, using the drive-through instead of getting out. But as soon as the door was closed behind them, Sam took the pizza and blindly laid it on the counter, her arms wrapping around Tori immediately. She held her, face pressed snugly against her neck.
“Shower first?” she murmured.
“Mmm.”
Sam raised her head, her lips moving slowly across Tori’s cheek to her lips. Their kiss was light, gentle. Anything more and their pizza would be forgotten. She pulled away before her desire took over completely.
“Shower,” she said again.
Tori put the pizza in the oven to keep warm and Sam punched her answering machine as she walked past.
“Hey, it’s Amy. Just checking on you, kid. I need an update and not just on your health, if you know what I mean.”
Sam blushed as her eyes met Tori’s across the room.
“And how is that cute-as-hell partner of yours? Have you told her yet? I want details!”
Sam rolled her eyes, and Tori chuckled.
“Call me.”
“Sorry,” Sam murmured. Tori just smiled and walked to the spare bathroom. After the beep, Robert’s voice sounded in the quiet apartment and Tori stopped.
“Samantha, it’s me. I’ve got to talk to you. I need to see you. I can’t take this any longer. I love you, you must know that. I want to marry you, for God’s sake! Please, call me and let’s talk about this. Please?”
Sam watched the uncertainty cross Tori’s face, and she silently cursed Robert. Why couldn’t he just let it go?
“I’m sorry.”
Tori shrugged. “Not your fault. You can’t help it… if someone loves you. Besides, you’ve got a lot of history with him.” Tori felt the emptiness settle over her, nearly choking her. What was she doing here? Did she really think that Sam would find this relationship satisfying? After a few months, maybe even weeks, Sam would grow tired of this, would come to her senses and finally call Robert and tell him she’d made a mistake. Then what? Tori would have lost the only friend, the only person important to her in her solitary life.
Sam’s heart broke as she watched the sadness settle over Tori.
She walked closer, seeing the doubt in Tori’s eyes. She reached out, gently touching Tori’s cheek.
“You can’t keep doing this, Tori,” she whispered.
“What?”
“Doubting this… this thing between us. I wish I could explain to you exactly how I feel. My whole life, it seems, I’ve been looking for something but I didn’t know what. No one touched me. No one ever got inside me. I kept looking, finally settling, thinking I would never find it.” She let her hand slip into Tori’s. “But you let me see a part of you… that… I love, Tori. You
touch
me, you
move
me. I can’t explain why, Tori. What I feel for you, it’s what I’ve always imagined… dreamed it would be like when I fell in love.”
“Sam,” Tori breathed.
“Please don’t doubt this. Don’t doubt what I feel for you.” She squeezed Tori’s hand. “Because I can see in your eyes how you feel about me. You don’t have to say the words, honey.”
Tori felt a lone tear escape and fall helplessly down her cheek.
“I… I love you, Tori. I feel that… I
know
that. Please believe me when I tell you. Don’t fight this, Tori.”
“I’m so scared, Sam.”
“I know, sweetheart. I know you are.” Sam gathered Tori in her arms and held her. She was such a strong woman on the outside but so vulnerable on the inside. Her big macho cop was not afraid to face a gun but was terrified at the prospect of giving away her heart. “I promise I won’t hurt you,” she whispered. “Trust me.” Her lips lightly brushed Tori’s. “Please?”
Chapter Forty-three
Sam looked at her tired eyes in the mirror, then bent and splashed cold water on her face. They’d only had Sunday to themselves and they’d spent most of that time in bed. She was exhausted, but, God, it had been worth it. She could still feel Tori’s hands moving across her body. Closing her eyes, she shuddered as she remembered Tori’s mouth coming to her again and again, bringing her to heights she’d never thought possible. Her body felt nearly numb but even early this morning, she had still responded to Tori’s touch, still craved the release that only Tori could give her. They had slept only a few hours, but still, she’d pulled Tori to her, had welcomed her weight as she’d settled between her legs again this morning. Sam smiled at her reflection, wondering if she should be embarrassed by the nearly insatiable woman she had become.
All these years, pretending, just going through the motions. Now? She met her eyes in the mirror and smiled. Now she knew what it was like to be madly, hopelessly in love. And Tori, oh she couldn’t bring herself to say the words, but that hardly mattered. Her touch, the look in her eyes as she made love to Sam said more than any words ever could.
She finally moved away from the mirror, grabbing a couple of paper towels to dry her face. She opened the door, watching the activity in the squad room. Sikes and Ramirez were huddled around Tori, peering at her computer screen as she talked. Adams and Donaldson were in Malone’s office, no doubt going over the old case. Adams had bristled when the Lieutenant pulled the file. They’d all gone over it and even she could see the many leads that pointed to Grayson, but neither Adams nor Donaldson had followed through on them. She had been angry at first, but Tori had reminded them all that it was easy to second-guess now that they had all the facts in front of them.
Tori’s phone rang and Sam smiled as Tori blindly reached for it, still pointing to her computer. Then her face changed and Sam walked over, listening.
“You’re never going to find me, bitch cop.”
Tori felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand out. “Who is this?”
“You know who I am,” came the quiet response.
Tori grabbed Sikes’s arm and squeezed until he met her eyes.
“Ricky? Is that you? We’ve been looking all over for you, man.”
“Have you seen Aunt Charlotte lately?”
Tori shivered at the quiet laugh that came from the phone. She pulled up a blank screen on her computer and typed quickly.
RAMIREZ: CHECK ON CHARLOTTE GRAYSON. SIKES: FIND OUT WHERE THE HELL THIS CALL ORIGINATED.
Sam read the screen, then ran to Malone’s office. She opened the door without knocking.
“Lieutenant, I think Grayson’s on the phone.”
“What the hell?” His chair nearly fell over in his haste to follow Sam.
They all huddled around Tori, and Sam could see the tension in her body, on her face.
“Where are you, Richard? Let’s end this. There’s no need for anyone else to get hurt.”
“You’re too late, Detective. And be very careful. I’ve been watching you. I’ve been watching you and… your partner. I know where she lives.”
Tori gasped as the line went dead. The phone slipped from her fingers as her eyes met Sam’s.
“What the hell’s going on, Hunter?”
Tori turned to Malone, then looked expectantly at Ramirez as he shook his head.
“Nothing. They’re not answering the call,” he said.
“We just have the one unit there?” Malone asked.
“Yes, just the one.” Tori looked at John. “Sikes?”
He hung up and looked at his notes. “Twelve eighty-seven Whispering Oaks Circle,” he said and shrugged.
Tori closed her eyes and Sam reached for their file, flipping through it.
“Jesus Christ,” she murmured. “That’s Charlotte Grayson’s address.”
“And he’s got her.”
“What the fuck? She’s under round-the-clock surveillance,” Malone yelled. “Try raising the unit again!”