CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

The ringing of the telephone finally penetrated through to Jamie. She groaned as one eye opened and she stared into the darkness, glanced at the clock beside her bed and frowned at the time. Two o’clock. For a moment she toyed with the idea of ignoring the insistent clamor, but wondered if it might be Darcy calling her after closing the restaurant. She stretched out a hand and lifted the receiver with a low groan."Hello?"

"Jamie?" The voice was urgent, thick with nerves, and Jamie sprang up in bed, heart thudding.

"Megan? What is it?"

"I think something’s happened to Alex. They won’t tell me where they’ve taken her. They called looking for her mother’s phone number. Jamie, I think…" The voice broke as Megan started to sob."Megan, it’s okay. I’ll start calling around. Just try and stay calm. I’m sure everything is okay. I’ll call you as soon as I have news."

"Oh my God, I don’t know what I’m going to do if…"

"If nothing. You won’t have to do anything because she is fine," Jamie interrupted firmly, even as dread spread. "I’ll call you, I promise." Shaken, she hung up the phone and swung her legs around. She was barely aware of throwing some clothes together as she dialed a number from memory.

"Gaston? It’s Saunders. What’s going on?"

"Saunders? What the hell do you want?"

"I got a call that something happened to Alex." Her heart dropped at his next words.

"Ryan’s been shot or stabbed. She’s at Boston Medical Center."

"Is she…" Her voice trailed off, unable to voice the thought lest that make it reality.

"I don’t know. Who called you?"

"Why in the hell wouldn’t you tell her partner?"

"Partner? She was off duty."

"Not that kind of partner, you idiot. Never mind." She threw the phone down and frantically searched for her shoes. Monster, thinking it was time to get up, bounced around her, tail wagging madly. "Go lie down." Her voice was rougher than usual and he sat down shaking, looking at her with sad brown eyes.

"I’m sorry, buddy, just go lie down," she choked out, blinking back tears.

As she raced down the stairs, she dialed Megan and told her what she could before racing out into the night. She fumbled with her keys and swallowed a scream of frustration, took a deep breath as she started the car and sped off with a squeal of tires. The minute her car started, her mind went completely blank. The adrenaline had kicked in and her reactions now were based on her training. Somewhere her fear had frozen over, replaced with icy calm.

She dialed another number as she turned a corner too fast and swerved, missing a parked car by inches. She forced herself to slow down. "Come on. Answer the damn phone," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Darcy, something’s happened to Alex. Get everyone. I’m on my way to BMC. Meet me there." At a time like this there was no time for pleasantries.

***

"What the hell could be taking so long? She’s been in surgery for hours." Jamie pushed up from the yellow plastic chair and started to pace. The question had been aimed at no one in particular and no one bothered to answer. It had taken Darcy little time to gather everyone after the phone call. Now assembled, the group crowded into the small waiting room, fidgeting as time dragged by. Each one struggled with her fear, her feeling of impotence at not being able to do anything but wait.

Megan sat quietly next to her grandmother Willy, who periodically would gently pat her hand. The diminutive white haired woman struggled with the urge to take out the small flask hidden inside her coat pocket. Just one little sip would take the edge off, she was sure. Her hand went to her pocket, but glancing at Megan she stopped and instead took her hand.

Megan looked shell shocked, all expression carefully wiped from her face. Of all of the things she had imagined happening in their lives, this was not one of them. Though she knew that Alex faced danger every day, she had never thought of what would happen if Alex were hurt while on duty. Now she fought against the panic of facing a life without her partner. The fear clogged her throat and she fought against the tears burning behind her eyelids.

Darcy leaned against the wall nearest to the hallway, reading the same poster over and over again without any of the words registering. She remembered another phone call in the dead of night, years before. The message then had been equally brief, with the news of another friend gunned down while on duty. The irony that the call had been about Sam, Alex’s late girlfriend, was not lost on the auburn haired woman. She glanced at Jamie and gave a silent prayer of thanks that she was no longer on active duty. She couldn’t deal with the fear of what Jamie might face every day.

Lauren periodically stood up to go stare down the hallway, looking for any sign of Madison, who was still at work somewhere else in the hospital.

Jamie shoved her hands into her pockets and glared at a watercolor print as she paced. Aware of the emotion vibrating through Jamie’s body, Darcy crossed to her and massaged Jamie’s neck with a gentle hand. "She’ll be fine." At her touch, Jamie leaned back against her for a brief moment; wanting to feel her arms around her.

"What the hell was she doing in that alley? I should have been there."

"Jamie, stop it. Don’t do this. You are not responsible."

"What’s going on?" They all turned their attention to the hallway as Madison came running in. She had spent the better part of the night at the bedside of a dying patient until the quiet end. As an oncologist, unfortunately those times came with ever increasing frequency. She had stayed for a moment to console the grieving family, then had stepped out…and received the message about Alex. Swaying with fatigue and worry, she stood trying to read the news from their body language. Lauren jumped up and into her arms as everyone started speaking at once.

The cacophony of noise just as quickly died down as the double doors opened and an older woman came through them. The sight of her wasn’t encouraging. She looked like a battle-scarred soldier who had lost the war. She had pulled on a lab coat, but it didn’t hide the bloodstains coloring her scrubs. Strands of hair damp with sweat trailed from beneath her cap.

"Is Alexandra Ryan’s family here?"Megan stepped forward. "How is she?"

The doctor’s tired eyes tracked to the blond woman. "Are you family?"

"Hi, Louisa. We are friends, but Megan is her partner," Madison broke in gently as her arm wrapped around a trembling Megan who was flanked on the other side by her grandmother.

The woman looked over in surprise at Madison. "Maddie, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there." She turned to Megan. "She survived the surgery."

Megan expelled a deep breath and buried her face against her grandmother’s shoulder. Lauren wiped tears from her eyes as Jamie and Darcy hugged, whispering a prayer of thanks. The doctor pushed her hands into the pockets of her coat and got straight to business. "She was stabbed in the back and her wound was deep. The solid part of her right kidney was penetrated. The organ was repaired and should heal without adverse effect."

Megan smiled through her tears. "Can I see her?"

"Come with me." As they all stepped forward, the doctor turned with a faint smile. "I didn’t mean the entire waiting room. Sorry, only immediate family tonight."

She led Megan and Willy through two sets of automatic sliding doors into the surgical ICU. "She is still under heavy sedation and I should warn you that she doesn’t look very good. She fell on her face."

Megan turned to her, eyes wide.

The doctor answered her unspoken question. "Apparently, she was attacked from behind. She collapsed and landed hard on the pavement, face down."

Megan, who was suddenly braver than Willy, went directly to the bed, took one look and began to cry. At her tears, her grandmother rushed to her side and took her into her arms.

Alex lay on her left side, propped up in that position by pillows. The left side of her face, the one visible, was so badly swollen and bruised that she was hardly recognizable. Both her eyes were closed but she couldn’t have opened her left eye if she’d wanted to. It was that swollen. A breathing tube was taped in place between her lips.

"Her pulse is steady. We’re keeping a tight check on her blood pressure. We’ll be taking her off the respirator as soon as she regains consciousness. Naturally, she’ll be sedated for pain. She’ll remain in ICU for several days, but her prognosis is good. It helps that she was in good physical condition." The doctor recited the litany in a voice that sounded mechanical and detached.

They stood looking at Alex in silence for a couple more minutes. Megan looked down at her lover and felt her heart trip as more tears threatened. "Oh, honey, what happened to you?"

The doctor then motioned them out. "Visitation will be restricted for a few days until she is stable. Only immediate family for now."

Megan struggled for calm. Now that she had seen Alex, the relief she had expected to feel did not come. Instead, the fear settled over her and made her legs wobbly. "Her sister and mother have been notified. They were out of town but are catching the first available flight."

The doctor nodded once. "I’ll leave word with the nurse’s station. If you’ll excuse me." She left them staring at the closed doors.

"Willy, I could have lost her." Megan leaned her head against her grandmother. "Yes, but you didn’t. It will take a lot more than that to beat our girl. She’s too tough to go quietly."

Megan smiled at that, but her eyes remained worried.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

"What do I look like? Every time I ask Megan, she starts to cry."

"I won’t lie to you. You look like hell."Alex closed her eyes, then opened them again. "Damage?"

"Considerable but reparable."

"Did they get him?"

Jamie shook her head.

"Fuck."

Jamie remained seated beside the bed. Megan had just gone home to shower and change, and would return later. Jamie had pushed her out of the door, threatening to physically toss her out if she didn’t leave. She thought Alex had gone to sleep until Alex mumbled, "My face. Hurts like hell."

"Apparently you were attacked from behind."

"Right."

"You fell forward and landed hard on your cheek. You’re bruised and swollen, but no bones were broken."

"So I’ll be as beautiful as ever?"

"Yes, and as conceited, I’m sure." There was a pause as Jamie stared at her friend. "You scared the hell out of me, Alex. Don’t do that again."

Alex smiled, but the smile caused her discomfort and she closed her eyes again. "I promise."

"What the hell were you doing in that alley?"

"I was meeting Barney." Suddenly remembering what she had seen in the alley, Alex opened her eyes. "Barney, he was in the car, and I thought he was…"

Jamie nodded grimly. "He’s dead. Shot through the head."

Alex closed her eyes again. "He wanted to tell me about something he found regarding the judge’s death."

There was no need to tell Jamie which judge. The guilt escalated and she sighed as she studied her bruised friend. She should never have tried to avoid getting to the truth. She had chosen to take the easy way out when she had taken her leave of absence. Maybe if she hadn’t, she might have been there that night and saved Alex from the stabbing.

Almost as if she could hear her thoughts, Alex opened her one good eye and stared at Jamie. "It wasn’t your fault, James."

Though she did not believe it, Jamie nodded as if in agreement. Her face became set and her eyes turned grim with resolve. She felt the fear, white hot, spear through her. It tightened her stomach into knots and constricted her chest. It was followed closely by rage. She was usually slow to anger, but when it came, the rage was often blinding. She had failed. She had not been there to cover her best friend’s back. "I’m coming back, Alex. I’m coming back and I’m going to finish this thing once and for all. No one comes after my best friend."

But by that time, Alex had fallen asleep. Jamie continued staring at her bruised face as the hate and the rage surged through her. Her father had been involved in something ugly and sordid and even now, months after his death, his poison was still causing destruction. She had no doubt that Barney’s death and Alex’s attack were all related to it, that her father was somehow to blame. Even as a victim, he was still the catalyst.

She wanted to escape the smells of sickness and injury, the sounds of voices and phones, the sight of yellow plastic chairs in the waiting area, the stifling box of memories that held so much pain and fear. But she fought off the panic and let her mind empty of all thoughts except one: she would find whoever was responsible and make them pay.

***

"I’m going back."

"Okay." Darcy continued to rinse glasses even as her heart dropped at the words. She didn’t have to ask to where. From the determined set of her face, she knew Jamie meant back to work.

"Aren’t you going to ask why?" There was belligerence in Jamie’s tone. She had expected an argument.

Darcy shrugged. "I don’t need to."

Jamie pushed the glass in front of her. "I can’t just sit here and pretend that all of this is not happening. I have to do something. I can’t turn away and ignore the fact that Alex got hurt while working on a case that I was initially involved in."

"I know you can’t. So you’ll go back, and you will find who is responsible for it, and then you will be able to move on."

It was said calmly, logically, and Jamie frowned at that. Needing an outlet for her anger, she had wanted Darcy to argue the point. Now that Darcy was full of understanding, it defused her anger and she wanted, no needed to stay mad.

Because Darcy knew her so well, she read all of the emotions that flickered on her face."Jamie, did you expect me to argue against you going back to work?"

Jamie shrugged, not answering

."Would it make a difference to your decision if I ask you not to go back?"

Jamie hesitated, then shrugged again. "No."

"There you go. So why waste my energy arguing a point I can’t win?"

"It never stopped you before."

Darcy sighed, sensing that Jamie was spoiling for a fight and understanding the reasons behind it. But Alex’s stabbing had her rattled and scared. And because she was scared for Jamie, she erupted. "Do you really expect me to be happy about you going back? Do you think for one minute, one second, I want what happened to Alex to happen to you? Are you that stupid and clueless?"

Jamie’s eyes turned hot. "What? I didn’t think…"

"No, you didn’t, which is typical of you." Darcy had found her own mad and was on a roll. "Do you think it gives me any pleasure to think about you going out there? I saw what happened to Alex. I remember what happened to Sam. I sure as hell don’t want to lose another friend. Especially one…" She didn’t finish the thought. Especially one that I’m in love with.

Jamie stared at her lover, mesmerized by the sight of Darcy in full fury.

As Jamie continued to stare at her, Darcy threw up her hands. "Forget it."

She turned to go back to the kitchen but Jamie stood up and called out to her, "Darcy! Wait." The last word was a whisper.

If it had been shouted, it wouldn’t have had the desired effect. As it was, the soft plea stopped Darcy, who turned in the kitchen doorway.

As she reached her, Jamie’s hands cupped Darcy’s face. Jamie saw frustration there, but not born of anger. She was used to that combination. What pulled at her and make her touch gentle was that this time it was triggered by fear. "I’m sorry." Her mouth was a breath away and mingled with Darcy’s as they stared at each other. "I have to do this. Please don’t ask me not to. Don’t ask that of me."

Darcy closed her eyes briefly as fear churned deep in her stomach. "I know, Jamie. That’s why I didn’t want to say anything. I know you have to. I’m trying not to think about the fact that two of my closest friends get to carry guns for a living. And one of them I’m rather fond of."

Jamie’s mouth closed on hers and the kiss carried the tenderness that Jamie could not express. "Fond?"

"Yes. I’m rather fond of Alex." Her mouth trailed feather light against Jamie’s jaw and she felt Jamie’s smile. "Promise me you’ll be extra careful," Darcy said against her mouth. "Promise me, James."

Jamie pulled back to stare into her eyes, serious, intent now on soothing. "I promise. Look what I’ve got to come back to."

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

"Where is she? Where is my baby?" The voice that pierced the quiet corridor had even Alex wincing.

"Oh no. Quick, move me to another room; better yet, let’s move to Canada. It’s not too late," Alex whispered

.Megan smiled. "She would probably hire the Mounties to find you, but it’s worth a try. Oops, too late," Megan whispered as the door swung open and a shorter version of Alex swept in.

"Where is my daughter?" The older woman with salt and pepper hair cut in an elegant bob, a smooth still unlined face, and the same piercing blue eyes pushed past a startled Megan to get to the bed. She took one look and started to cry.

"Oh my baby. My poor baby. I need a chair. I’m feeling weak." The weeping continued.

"Mom…Mom, I’m okay," Alex protested at the fluttering hands that kept insisting on patting her everywhere.

"Alexandra, I told you this would happen. Being a cop is so foolish. Didn’t I warn you about this?"

"So many times," Alex murmured. She closed her eyes and willed her mother away. She loved her dearly, but at a great distance. She opened her eyes and sighed when she saw that not all dreams come true.

Her mother produced a tissue that she delicately dabbed against her eyes. She tried to smooth the sheets, all the while shaking her head. "Don’t you worry, I’m going to take you home to Virginia and will have you fixed up in no time."

"Mom…I’m fine. Plus, when I get to go home, I have Megan to take care of me."

"Yes. Megan. Your les-bi-an partner." She had a habit of pronouncing lesbian as if it was a three-syllable word. "How is Megan?"

"She’s fine, thanks." Megan replied dryly from the other side of the bed. "You can just call me partner. Saves time."

Alex started to laugh at that then winced as her facial muscles immediately protested the movement.

Her mother ignored Megan’s comment and turned to her daughter. "Poor baby. What can I get you?"

Megan rolled her eyes, then turned as the door swung open again. Ashley, Alex’s older sister, entered. She reached Megan first and kissed her. Their eyes met and Ashley smiled at her, blue eyes twinkling. "Sorry I’m late, I couldn’t keep up. I’ve never been good at the twenty yard dash." She approached her sister and looked down at her, eyes filling with tears. "Wow, kid, you look like you lost the fight with a transport truck. What happened?"

"I fell on my face."

Her sister nodded. "Of course you did. Cool. I’m the prettiest now." She kissed her sister.

"Ashley Dawn, what a terrible thing to say. Why, look at her face…"

The door opened once again and Madison, Darcy, and Lauren walked in, interrupting her in mid-hysterics.

"The cavalry’s here. Thank God," Megan whispered.

"Terrific, now we can have a party," Darcy drawled

. Alex closed her eyes in relief. She felt no shame in needing her friends as a buffer for her mother. And now just wanted to sleep.

Her mother forgot about her tears as she looked at the spectacular group of women crowding into the small room. "Ah...the les-bi-an friends are here."

"Indeed. We prefer being called a posse, but whatever," Jamie said grinning. She bent down and kissed her cheek. "Hi, Mrs. Ryan."

"Jamie, you look…well." There was almost an accusation in the remark. Jamie was fine but Alex wasn’t.

Feeling overly sensitive, Jamie’s face tightened but was spared further remarks by a voice cutting through the room.

"What the hell is this? Out! Everyone out! This isn’t a party. I said immediate family only." The doctor who had operated on Alex stood glaring in the doorway. Her laser sharp eyes found Madison. "Maddie, I’m surprised at you."

Madison shrugged sheepishly. "Well…I’ve always been a follower." The long sweep of dark hair slid against her cheek as she kissed Alex before following the chastised group out.

Megan kissed Alex. "I’ll be back later honey."

The doctor crossed to the foot of the bed and her eyes swept over Alex’s face, noting the strain on it that covered the pain. "I would say that visitors’ hours are over for tonight. My patient needs some rest." Her tone brooked no argument.

"Are you the doctor?" Mrs. Ryan asked as she stood up.

"Yes. Doctor Ramsay."

"I’m Alex’s mother."

"Ma’am."

"Are you a les-bi-an, too?"

"Mom!" Alex groaned.

The doctor looked taken aback for a moment, then her amazed stare caught Ashley’s embarrassed look and her mouth curved ever so slightly. "Not the last time I checked. Now please, I will ask you to leave so that Alex can rest. You can come back in the morning." She ushered them out firmly. It was done so smoothly that neither could protest the ejection. She then crossed back to Alex’s bedside.

"How are you feeling?"

"I will vow my undying love and devotion for you if you will ban my mother from this hospital," Alex whispered, fighting against the fatigue that made her eyelids heavy.

The doctor’s mouth twitched as her fingers deftly probed the bruises. "Tempting offer, but I would imagine your girlfriend would have something to say about it." She lifted the bandages and took a peek.

"You might be right. Then how about using one of those infernal needles to inject her with Valium when she’s not looking?" Alex was already falling asleep as the sound of laughter floated around her.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

"Jamie…" A surprised Shane looked past Jamie’s shoulder for the others. There was only Jamie.

"We need to talk."

Shane stepped back and allowed her in. She closed the door and leaned against it briefly, steeling herself against whatever was coming, then followed Jamie into the living room where the tall blonde stood gazing at the picture frames scattered on the mantel.

"Is this an official visit?"

"In a matter of speaking." Jamie turned. Her eyes took inventory of Shane’s attire, the loosely worn robe, the tousled damp hair, and realized that she had caught her coming out of the shower again. For a moment as Jamie’s eyes touched on the bare skin peeking from the opened gap of the bathrobe, she remembered the last time she had surprised Shane.

Shane’s hand fluttered to the collar of her robe as if she too was remembering. Shane gave a faint smile. "You have me at a disadvantage. If you can wait, I’ll get dressed."

Jamie nodded, fighting off the memory of Shane’s naked form. Easy now.

A few minutes later, Shane returned, dressed in faded jeans and a loose sweater. She had quickly brushed her hair and it lay curling against her shoulders. "Can I offer you a cup of coffee or something?"

"No. I’m fine."

Shane stepped further into the room and Jamie caught her scent. She smelled fresh, of the soap she always used, of something sweet, and Jamie’s body automatically responded to that stimuli. She frowned at the betrayal from her body.

As if sensing her reaction, Shane stopped a foot away and looked at her uncertainly. "Should we sit down?"

"Sure." Relieved to be moving away from her, Jamie settled on the couch and immediately regretted it as Shane sat down beside her.

"Where is Detective Ryan?" Shane suddenly asked, giving Jamie an opening.

"In the hospital." Her eyes studied Shane for any sign of guilt.

Shane’s eyes widened. "In the hospital? What happened?"

Jamie ignored the question; instead she turned slightly so she could look more fully at her. "Shane, you need to level with me. You need to tell me everything you know about my father."

"Father?" At first there was only puzzlement. It took a moment but as comprehension dawned, Shane’s face reflected her horror and she jumped up and away. "Reynolds...Reynolds was your father?"

It had been a calculated slip and Jamie’s eyes narrowed. "I use the term loosely."

"Oh, my God…oh my God…I slept with…." Her face turned ashen at the thought. It was too sordid to think about.

Jamie had had time to adjust to the reality and felt momentarily sorry for Shane. It was clear from her reaction that at the very least Shane hadn’t known of that relationship.

"You slept with both father and daughter, in a matter of speaking." Jamie said it bluntly because she felt it needed to be said out loud for it to lose its impact. Shane looked physically ill, and Jamie sighed as she went to her and took her by the arm. She led her back to the couch. "Look, sit down. Maybe you should have a drink or something."

"No…no. I’m fine. It’s just so unexpected."

"Unexpected is not the word I would use, but okay."

"I…I didn’t know that, Jamie."

"I know." Now.

Their eyes met.

"I guess this means that you and I are an impossibility," Shane added quietly.

Briefly there was regret on both sides. Jamie’s mouth curved ruefully. "For a variety of reasons." They sat quietly for a moment, each lost in her own thoughts.

"Was it you that night?"

Jamie glanced at Shane, then away. "No," she sighed. "And I can’t elaborate any further than that." A hand rubbed at an invisible spot on her knee. "Shane, I need to know who else he was blackmailing, where he got the money, everything you know."

Shane leaned her head back against the cushion and closed her eyes. "I don’t know about the money. I know he was paid to swing some votes, but I don’t how or how much."

"Which case were you pressured on? Let’s start with that."Shane looked trouble. "Jamie…"

"Shane, I’m not trying to get you to implicate yourself. I’m asking because my best friend was almost killed and someone else also died because they kept digging into this case."

Shane’s teeth toyed with her bottom lip and Jamie watched the movement. She could so easily picture that mouth on her body. It unsettled her that despite her feelings for Darcy, she could still feel that curl of lust while sitting beside Shane. The thought about Darcy had her standing and walking away to pace by the window.

"Some of the decisions I would have agreed with regardless," Shane finally said.

"Shane..." There was frustration in that one word. Jamie released a breath. "Then start with the ones you didn’t agree with."

It took a few hours, but by the time they were done Jamie had a list of about a dozen suspect cases spread over five years. Some were names of corporations she vaguely recognized, others were names she knew nothing about. But as she was reading back the list, no common denominator jumped out at her. She would need to run them through the system to see if anything stood out.

She stood up, feeling her back protest the sudden movement, and she stretched the kinks out as her eyes drifted over to Shane, who stood staring out of the bay windows. She looked shaken and tired.

Almost as if she could feel Jamie’s eyes on her, she turned to face her. Her smile was strained. "Did you get everything you needed?" She motioned toward the pile of notes and files that Shane had pulled out of her home office. Jamie nodded, putting away her notebook.

"Yeah. Thanks for that. I’ll work my way through them; maybe something will come out of it." Her eyes touched on Shane again; she looked worried. "Don’t worry. It won’t track back to you."

"Whoever did this may know about me," Shane replied with a faint shrug. "That’s all I was thinking."

"I know. I’ll keep an eye on things. If you see anything suspicious or if anything seems odd to you, call me." She handed her a business card.

Shane took it and her mouth curved, almost as if she was amused by the preposterous situation in which they found themselves. She followed her to the front door. On an impulse, Shane kissed her. The kiss was soft, tentative. Jamie stood rooted to the spot, unable to move. She hadn’t responded, but she hadn’t pushed her away either.

"Good night, Jamie."

***

Jamie returned to the office feeling unsettled. Her foul mood was scarcely improved by finding the assistant district attorney waiting for her.

"Hi, Jamie."

"Stacey." Jamie pushed by her and threw her keys on the desk. When Stacey followed her in, she turned, unable to hide her irritation.

"I wanted to know how Alex is doing."

"Go see her at the hospital." There was a momentary flash of hurt on Stacey’s face that had Jamie cursing silently. Jamie flopped down in her chair. Its creak was the only sound in the room as they stared at each other.

"You don’t like me much, do you?" Stacey asked.

"Not much."

"Why? What have I ever done to you?"

"Not to me. I just don’t agree with the kind of person you are."

"Kind? What am I, a different species?"

"The kind that would screw around with my best friend’s girlfriend." This alluded to the affair Stacey had had with Sam, Alex’s late girlfriend.

Stacey’s eyes flickered at the blow. "Alex seems to be over it," she responded.

Jamie started to sort through the files on her desk, hoping that Stacey would get the hint and leave.

"Love doesn’t ask permission before crashing through your life, you know."It had been said softly. Jamie’s head rose up. "What?"

Stacey regarded her calmly. "You heard me. Sorry to have bothered you." She turned to leave.

Jamie thought about Shane and Darcy and sighed. Who the hell am I to judge anyone for being human?

"Hell, Stacey, wait!" She stood up and shoved a hand through her hair. "I’m being a bitch."

Stacey’s mouth curved ever so slightly as she glanced at the detective. "Agreed."

At that response, Jamie’s eyes whipped to her; a reluctant grin crossed her face at the bland look on Stacey’s face

."Truce?" Jamie asked, offering her hand.

Stacey crossed to her and took her hand. "For now. Don’t want us to get too comfortable..."

Jamie shook her head at that."So, let’s start over. How is Alex?"

"Better. She is still weak and in pain, but she is getting cranky and that is always a good sign."

They exchanged smiles. When the silence lengthened between them, Stacey shifted. "Well…I should go. See you later, Jamie."

As she turned to leave, Jamie suddenly thought of something. "

Stacey, do you have any idea what Barney could have found? Did Alex talk to you about it?"Stacey stopped and turned. "No." Her eyes narrowed. "Are you back on this case?"

Jamie shrugged, trying to avoid answering directly. "I want to find who did this to Alex."

Stacey nodded. "I do too."

After a brief hesitation, Jamie threw a small notepad her way. Stacey caught it in mid air. "I went to see Shane earlier today."Stacey’s raised her eyebrows at the familiarity. Shane

?As she read her reaction, Jamie silently cursed herself. "Judge Scott."

"Uh huh."

"I asked her who might have been pressuring or buying the court’s favors through Reynolds."

Stacey flipped through the pages and read the scribbled notes, her face impassive. If she was surprised by what she was reading, it didn’t show

.Jamie studied her. She grudgingly acknowledged to herself that Stacey was a good prosecutor, and more importantly in Jamie’s mind, Stacey had once been a good detective before she got called to the bar. Stacey looked up at her.

"There is enough here to indict her. Why aren’t we?"

"Because I don’t think she did it."

Stacey stared at her. "Why do I sense that you are not telling me everything?"

Jamie shrugged.

Stacey flipped through the notes again. She nodded in the direction of the notebook before tossing it on the desk. "There is certainly enough in there to continue digging. I would take a look at the other woman who was used to lure Judge Scott into that hotel room. She couldn’t have been an innocent; it seemed too well planned as a set up. Maybe she was used on more than one blackmail job. And look for that photographer. I mean, someone had to take the pictures."

Jamie nodded, half annoyed that she hadn’t thought of that angle herself, having been too distracted by everything else.

Stacey looked back at her and smiled in amusement, as if she was reading her mind. "I would start by getting a sketch together from Judge Scott’s description of the woman. Who knows, we might get lucky a second time," Stacey said.

Jamie flipped through another folder, buying time as she thought about her next move. For some inexplicable reason, the thought of seeing Shane alone again unnerved her. "Do you want to ride shotgun when I go back to see her?"

Stacey stared at her and their eyes met briefly before Jamie looked away. Stacey’s eyes narrowed, puzzled by the apparent embarrassment. As the silence stretched, Jamie wondered if Alex had said anything to Stacey about her involvement with Shane.

"All right. Count me in," Stacey finally replied.

***

"Saunders!"

The voiced carried enough irritation to have heads turning to and fro in curiosity.Jamie grimaced. Not for the first time she cursed the city’s builders for the paper-thin walls. She took her time walking to the captain’s office. Why rush? It looked like she was already in trouble.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Close the door."She closed the door and remained standing."What are you working on right now?"

"Just reviewing the cold cases."

"Mmm… Rumor has it that you are poking around the Reynolds’ file."

Jamie didn’t answer.

After a moment, he lifted his head and looked at her. His chin jutted out as he frowned. "Stay away from this case, Saunders. Ryan told me about the relationship."

Jamie blinked. Alex had told him about Shane? Her heart skittered.

"Why it came from her and not you, we will discuss later, but I can’t have one of my detectives investigating a relative’s death. If the defense ever caught wind of that, bias would be the least of their accusations."

Jamie hid her relief. He was talking about her father. She almost smiled.

His eyes narrowed as he studied her. "I want you ten miles away from this case. Understood?" He waited, but when she said nothing, he continued. "What was the DA doing in your office?"

Jamie shrugged. "Checking up on Alex."He looked thoughtful.

"How is she?"

"Better."

He nodded.

Jamie cleared her throat and tried to sound nonchalant. "Who is working on the Reynolds’ file?"

"McCarthy."

"What? Captain, you can’t…" She stopped as she saw his face tighten.

"I want you to give him all your and Ryan’s notes."

He turned to read a memo and Jamie knew the interview was over. She left, closing the door with exaggerated delicacy. Inside she was fuming. McCarthy was a throwback to the fifties where women belonged in the kitchen. She would only grudgingly acknowledge that he knew what he was doing. She returned to her office knowing that regardless of what her captain said, she would still poke around. She had too much invested in seeing the case solved.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

"Don’t stop…I’m so close."

"I won’t."

"Shane, I need you inside me." Jamie groaned as the swelling of her clitoris increased under the knowing hand. She felt the orgasm start and her whole body twitched. Behind her eyelids she felt another presence, the sensation of being watched. Her head tossed from side to side on the pillow and her hands clenched on the sheet as pleasure and pain mixed.

"That’s good, sweet pea."

What? Dad… "No!" Jamie’s eyes flew opened just as the climax was ripping through her and the horrified scream was dying on her lips. "No."

"Jamie, it’s okay."J

amie looked into concerned blue eyes and her face paled as she felt her body shudder on the tail end of her peak. She gulped in air. A dream. It was just a dream.

"It was just a dream," Darcy whispered.

Jamie sat up, knowing she was going to be sick. When Darcy tried to rub her back, Jamie jumped up from the bed. "Don’t. Don’t touch me." Jamie fled into the bathroom, leaving a stunned Darcy behind. She leaned weakly against the closed door then locked it as she felt the nausea increase. She sank down onto the floor and rested her burning face against the cool tile.

"Jamie? Are you okay?" Darcy’s concerned voice came through the closed door.

Jamie felt the guilt pierce through her. "I’m fine, Darcy. I’ll be out in a minute."

"Oh my God. Oh my God," Jamie whispered into the quiet as her body trembled. What the hell was that?

She turned on the shower taps and stepped into the spray, scrubbing vigorously as tears streamed down her face. Every time her mind tried to pull her back to the dream, the nausea returned and she rubbed her body harder. What the hell is wrong with me? Jamie thought as she swallowed a hysterical sob. She thought of Darcy in the other room and felt her muscles clench. More than anything she wanted to run back out and into her arms, and let her warmth and strength soothe her.

She stayed under the spray until most of the hot water had run out. Shivering as the water cooled, knowing she had delayed it as long as she could, she finally turned off the and stepped out, toweling herself briskly. She searched for and then pulled on a pair of navy sweatpants and a t-shirt, then she slowly opened the door and peeked into the dark room.

Darcy was sitting at the foot of the bed, staring down at her hands. Her head lifted at the sound of the door and her worried eyes fell on Jamie. "Are you okay?" The voice was uncertain, soft. It didn’t sound like Darcy at all.

Jamie hesitated in the doorway and with a sigh finally stepped further into the room. "Yeah. I had a nightmare and it just freaked me out. I’m better now." She tried to avoid the searching eyes, afraid of what hers would reveal.

"Jamie…"

"Darcy, I don’t want to talk about it, if that’s okay."

"Okay."

There was hurt in that simple word and it made Jamie feel worse. She sat down on the other side of the bed and glanced down at her hands, wanting desperately for Darcy to hold her but unable to find the right way to ask. Her vulnerability overwhelmed her and yet she flinched when she felt Darcy’s hand on her shoulder.

Darcy’s body went rigid at her reaction and she pulled her hand away as if scalded.

Jamie bit down on her lip as she fought against the tears that threatened once again. Darcy moved away and Jamie felt the mattress shift as Darcy readjusted herself and laid down on her side. Jamie stripped, then slipped in beside her and from the corner of her eyes, looked at Darcy. She was facing outward, her back to Jamie.

Jamie closed her eyes and tried to relax her body. But she was afraid of sleep, afraid of what sleep would bring. Afraid of what the nightmares and dreams would reveal about herself. Again her eyes traveled to Darcy and took in the long bare back, the powerful shoulders. She wanted, no needed to feel Darcy next to her. Needs and fear tangled. "Darcy?" There was no answer and for a moment, Jamie wondered if Darcy was ignoring her.

"What is it?" the sleepy voice replied.

"Would you? Could you…" Jamie broke off as tears spilled down her cheek.

Darcy turned to face her. In the darkness, Jamie felt the intensity of her stare. She felt the mattress dip in as Darcy shifted closer. Then a gentle hand wiped her tears.

"Honey, what is it?"

"I need to…I have to…" She shook her head, unable to put words to her want.

"Come here."

Darcy gathered her close and Jamie wrapped herself tightly around her. She sighed when she felt the strong arms tighten around her. She buried her face into the warm curve of her neck, inhaling her familiar scent. "I got spooked. I’m sorry."

"It’s okay, Jamie." Darcy’s hand rubbed her back. "It’s okay."

Jamie felt the heat from Darcy’s body seep into her own, and she pressed closer. Strength met need and need became desperation. She felt the weight of Darcy’s breasts against her body, felt the long legs entwine with hers, and almost violently felt her body react to being this close to her lover. Her mind was swamped with sensations. This was the woman she loved; this was safety.

"Darcy…"

Darcy’s hand stilled at the ache in Jamie’s voice. Jamie moved, and with a subtle press of her hips covered Darcy. "I need you, honey. I need you."

"Jamie, wait…"

Jamie was like a woman possessed as she tore through Darcy’s defenses one by one. Darcy’s scent was everywhere, subtle at the curve of her waist, stronger at the gentle underside of her breasts. With open mouthed kisses, Jamie relearned her body. Her mouth, her teeth, her hands covered Darcy’s body inch by inch, wanting her total surrender. Darcy’s skin was damp. Jamie tasted the moistness of it and craved more. There had always been passion between them, but tonight there was a different urgency.

Unable to stop the tidal wave of emotion that rose up between them, Darcy helplessly followed along as her body arched taut and her hands clung.

As she felt Darcy’s muscles clench around her fingers and heard the ragged breathing, Jamie knew her lover was close to tumbling. Jamie’s hand lowered and she started to stroke herself, matching her movement to that of her tongue as her mouth made love to Darcy.

"I want us to come together," she whispered.

Darcy groaned as she felt Jamie touching herself. "Then come up here, honey. Jesus, come here." Darcy’s hands were urgent as the breath caught in her throat and with an insistent pull she had Jamie turned so that Jamie straddled her mouth.

When Darcy’s tongue stroked her, hot and sure, Jamie cried out and buried her own into Darcy’s wet softness. There was need there, but it tangled with love.

Instinctively they matched rhythm, and Jamie was almost deaf and blind to anything but the sensation of wet silk in her mouth and Darcy’s tongue inside of her. She felt Darcy grow rigid then push against her mouth with a loud cry, and in almost simultaneous response, her own orgasm came crashing through her. It robbed her of coherence as she bucked against the wave, while her tongue kept time with Darcy’s frantic thrusts.

When Jamie tried to pull away from Darcy’s mouth, unable to take any more, Darcy’s hands grabbed her hips and kept her close as her tongue continued to ravage.

Jamie was almost sobbing into Darcy’s wetness. The second climax had her screaming Darcy’s name. They collapsed back down on the bed, Jamie throwing one arm weakly over her eyes as her body shuddered with aftershocks. She felt Darcy tremble beside her.

"Darcy, you completely wreck me," Jamie managed weakly.Darcy opened heavy lids to look at her. "I’ve never… This is the first..." Darcy blushed.

Surprised by the shyness, Jamie pushed herself up to look at her. "You’ve never done that before?"

Darcy shook her head as her cheeks heated. "No. I’ve always sort of taken turns. I’ve never felt compelled to…"

Jamie flipped back to face her and leaned over to kiss her. "I love you, Darcy." She was surprised to feel the wetness against her mouth as she felt Darcy’s tears against lips that trembled. The love she felt for Darcy swamped her and her grip was fierce. How can I think of anyone but her?

Afraid, Darcy held her. She had sensed the desperation in Jamie’s touch, almost as if she wanted to forget. But forget what? Her hold tightened and they fell into a restless sleep.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Jamie erupted when she entered the room. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"What does it look like?" a grumpy Alex answered. She had stayed in ICU for two days. For the past five, she’d been in a private room that afforded her a lovely view of the parking lot. She was now able to lie on her back. It still hurt like hell, especially when she was forced to get up and walk around, which was at least twice a day. Each of those hikes, as she called them, was an ordeal equivalent to climbing Everest. At first she was only able to shuffle slowly around her room, but earlier today she had managed to make it to the end of the hall and back, which the nursing staff claimed was a major breakthrough. She cursed and asked them where they stored their Nazi uniforms. She was now just shuffling back to bed after going to the bathroom, and was sweating and feeling as helpless as a baby.

"I had to pee. I refuse to do it in that god awful plastic bowl."

Jamie hid a smile and helped her into bed. "Where’s Megan?"

"I sent her home." It was more like she had thrown her out, irritated by her concern. And just as soon as Megan left, Alex had wanted her back. Jamie made a sound like a clucking and Alex glared at her. Her cheek was still the color of an eggplant going bad, but the swelling had gone down enough for her to see out of both eyes. "What?" she asked grouchily.

"You must be feeling better, you’re back to being grumpy."

"Shut up."

"Are you eating?"

"Some. A little. I’m not hungry. Besides, have you seen the crap they try to pass off as food?"

Jamie sat on the chair beside the bed. "Megan said you should be going home soon."

Alex shrugged, feeling guilty about being so mean to Megan. "Who knows? That evil doctor won’t tell me anything. Have you talked to Megan?"

Jamie smiled. "Yeah, and she’s not mad. But you should call her later."Alex looked sheepish. "I’m a bitch and she should leave me the first chance she gets."

Jamie grinned. "Yeah, that’s what I told her. She keeps insisting that you have redeeming qualities. God knows what they are."

They smiled at each other. Jamie looked away briefly then cleared her throat.

It was a sign of nervousness that had Alex looking at her speculatively. "What’s up? Everything okay with you and Darcy?"

"Everything’s fine." She didn’t look convinced. "I asked Stacey Nash to help me with the case."

A dark brow rose in surprise at that. "Stacey? You mean you guys haven’t come to blows yet? If you tell me you have become friends, I will know that I still have a concussion."

Jamie shrugged. "We’ve come to an understanding. How much does she know about my father?"

Alex sighed. "Nothing that relates to you. And she doesn’t know about you and Shane, either. Wait a minute, I didn’t think you were working this case."

At Shane’s name Jamie’s eyes flickered. That reaction didn’t escape Alex. "What are you up to, Jamie?"

"Looking into things for you until you are back." She shrugged then stood up, needing to pace. "We got a description of the woman that picked up Shane, and Stacey will poke around the hotel some more. I’m going to track down Barney’s last flop. Do you have any idea where he was staying?"

Alex shifted, grimacing as the pain stabbed at her. "I don’t know." There was a pause, then she opened her eyes. "Hey, didn’t he used to rent a room out of that stupid strip joint? What was it called? Talisman?"

Jamie stopped her pacing. "Talisman? I’ll check it out." She walked back to the bed and her fingers briefly pressed Alex’s shoulder. "You should rest. Can I get you anything when I come back?"

"Yeah, a burger. Oh, and fries too." Her eyes closed as the pain medication took effect.

Jamie stared down at her friend and smiled foolishly. It was good to have her back. She left quietly.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

A couple of days later, Jamie sat at the bar brooding over her coffee. She had stopped at Darcy’s after searching through Barney’s room. Her search had paid no dividends whatsoever. All that she had found were porn videos, moldy take out boxes, and a pile of smelly clothes. There was nothing that would indicate what he had found, not one scrap of paper or scribbled note. Nothing. Now she glared into her cup, knowing that she had way too much caffeine coursing through her blood.

Darcy smiled at the pouting picture she made and was about to say something when the café door opened.

Jamie’s heart stuttered as Shane stood framed in the open doorway. Their eyes met and Jamie made as if to stand, but she remained sitting. Her reaction was not lost on Darcy, who stared curiously at the two of them as Shane approached tentatively and sat down beside Jamie.

"Shane what are you doing here? This is not a good idea."

Darcy, who overheard Jamie’s comment, froze midway between the kitchen entry way and the restaurant.

Shane touched Jamie’s arm gently. "I know, Jamie, but something told me that this is where I could find you. I was going to try at the station, but it would appear that you’re not formally working on the case, are you?"

Jamie shrugged. "Really?"

"I was visited by a nice detective with a very thick neck."

McCarthy. "I’m working it, just not quite officially," Jamie admitted.

Shane regarded her for a moment. Jamie felt the intensity of her stare and felt herself blush. She was uncomfortably aware that Darcy was somewhere in the restaurant, yet she couldn’t find it in herself to break the visual contact. Shane was the first to look away. Jamie frowned down at her cup.

Shane finally spoke. "I had lunch with Mrs. Carter. A nice lady. Lonely."

Jamie raised a brow."

Judge Reynolds’ secretary for ten years until her retirement two years ago. She was only too happy to talk about the good old days," Shane offered to Jamie’s unspoken question. Shane handed her a slip of paper. "This is the photographer that ‘his honor’ always used for his official portrait." She shrugged, as Jamie’s look sharpened. "Could be nothing, but I thought you might want to check it out."

Beaten by an amateur. Jamie didn’t know whether to be depressed by that fact or angry. She pocketed the paper.

Darcy, who had returned from the kitchen, saw that and felt the uneasiness stab at her. It wasn’t like her to feel unsure. Ordinarily she would have sauntered over and made a show of not caring, but now she stood frozen on the spot, wanting to escape as instincts screamed warnings of all kinds. She stared as if fascinated at the intimate tableau before her.

Unaware of Darcy’s presence, Jamie met Shane’s eyes and felt the impact of them again. Shane touched her arm. "Thanks. I’ll take a look at it." Jamie’s voice was deeper than she wanted it to be.

Shane smiled slowly, the green eyes deepening as she saw the flush creep up and over Jamie’s cheeks.

Darcy had seen enough and turned to leave, her heart hammering in her chest. See, I told you good things don’t last, she thought furiously.

"Shane…" It was but a whisper. "I’m sorry. I’m involved with someone else."

Shane’s eyes flickered, whether it was from surprise or hurt was unclear. "Oh?"

"You and I…"

"…are an impossibility," Shane finished for her.

"Yeah. Bad timing. Somewhere between meeting you and now, I fell in love with someone else," Jamie replied.

Shane smiled with regret as she stood up. "I should leave before I make a fool of myself."

"Never that, Shane."

Their eyes met and Shane gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "She’s a lucky woman." She left quickly.

No. I’m the lucky one, Jamie thought.

She looked around for Darcy but Darcy wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Jamie pulled out the slip of paper and looked at it again. She tugged her cell phone from her back pocket and dialed a number from memory.

"Stacey? I might have a lead on the photographer."

About an hour later, Darcy returned to the café from a walk around the block taken to clear her head. She saw that Jamie was gone and, finding no message, she felt the tears burn behind her eyelids. "Fuck…I refuse to cry over a damn woman," she swore, unaware that the tears were already rolling down her cheeks.

***

Jamie and Stacey stood at the door of the small, nondescript grey building. From the looks of the overflowing mailbox, Brian Mayer, the photographer, had not been home for several days.

"Now what?" Stacey asked after ringing the buzzer for the second time.

"We should go in and take a look," Jamie replied. She started to fiddle with the locks as Stacey looked on in surprise.

"Are you breaking in?"

"No. We are not breaking anything." Jamie pulled a credit card out of her coat pocket.

Stacey sighed as she quickly looked around. The residential neighborhood was quiet, with most people probably at work. Still… After watching Jamie struggle with the lock and her credit card, she pushed her out of the way. "If this gets out, I’m not taking the fall alone," Stacey muttered as she pulled a small black case from her inside pocket and extracted a thin pick. She had the lock snapping open within a few seconds.

Jamie stared at her open mouth. "Wow, Stacey…"

"Not one word," Stacey growled.

They entered quickly and shut the door behind them. Stacey flicked on her pen light, and the weak yellow beam flickered in front of them. They were immediately struck with the smell of closed in rooms. Jamie sneezed at the dust. "I’ll take upstairs, you take the main floor," Stacey instructed after a cursory look around.

Jamie raised an eyebrow at her. "I bet you like to be on top," she muttered.Stacey turned and gave her a heart-stopping smile. "You’ll never know."

Jamie shook her head at that and watched Stacey go up the stairs. She then turned her attention to the main floor. It was sparsely furnished and divided on either side by a small hallway. On one side was the living room and what looked like an office, on the right side and to the back was the kitchen with its efficient appliances. She was surprised by the neatness and by the fact that not one photograph existed anywhere. Wasn’t that strange? If this guy was a photographer, he didn’t bring his work home. As she searched further, she was disappointed not to find a dark room. What kind of photographer doesn’t have a darkroom at home?

She decided to concentrate on the small room that he had converted into an office. The functional desk was bare except for the fine coat of dusk on its veneer surface. No computer, no notepads. The garbage can was empty. No envelopes or crunched up notes. It was too clean. She sighed in frustration. The desk had three drawers. Three more strikes and I’m out. The first one was filled with pens, all ball point and black, and a white notepad. Not one doodle or scribble. Blank. Strike one. The second drawer was empty. Strike two. Sighing, she turned her attention to the third.

It was stuck, and she struggled with it until she was able to slide it open. There was a rustling sound to it as she poked about with her fingers, but she found it empty. She pulled it out completely to peer inside and fished with her hand into the opening, but her hands only touched dust or so she wanted to believe. Her hand slid along the sides and again she heard the rustling sound. Finally, after pressing along the sides, she felt the bottom of the drawer give. What do you know, he has a false bottom…

She extracted the contents and was only mildly surprised to find a manila envelope that had been secreted in the crevice. She pulled on a pair of thin gloves before peeling the tab open and pulling out the pictures. She wasn’t aware of the scream that erupted from her throat. Staring back at her was a picture of her father with Sarah Timley, the missing eight-year-old girl who had turned up in pieces months before.

CHAPTER FORTY

It had been two days since she’d found the pictures and gave them to Stacey. Two days of avoiding all contacts, of hiding out at Madison and Lauren’s, while her nights were haunted by nightmares. She hadn’t spoken to Darcy; she hadn’t even talked to Madison about why she had showed up at their front door. Madison had respected her silence and was waiting it out. Jamie was unstable, jumpy and distracted. All three moods collided when the door to the bathroom opened while she was sulking in the shower and she saw Madison enter.

"God dammit to hell and back," Jamie yelled. "I’m naked in here."

"I certainly hope so. I’d be more worried about you if you’d started taking showers with your clothes on. Bathroom’s about the only place I figure we can talk without you trying to escape. Especially with you naked."

Jamie tugged the shower curtain back an inch. Through the steam, she watched Madison drop the lid on the toilet and sit.

"If I’m in the bathroom, it’s because I want privacy."

"Exactly so." Madison crossed her legs. "You need to snap out of it."

"Snap out of what?" Jamie yanked the curtain back into place and dunked her head under the spray. "Seems to me, there ought to be a little more respect around here. People bobbing into the bathroom while other people are wet and naked."

"From where I’m sitting, I don’t see that as a disadvantage." Madison grinned. "I want to know what is going on with you. The bags under your eyes are big enough to hold a week’s worth of groceries, you’ve lost weight, and somehow all of this is affecting Darcy. Her temper - never sterling to begin with - is getting ugly. And I’m thinking you’re the cause. So spill it."

Jamie snarled in the shower. "Go away, Doc. It’s none of your damn business."

The dismissal was the wrong approach to use with Madison. She rarely let her temper get the better of her, but today it did. She yanked the shower curtain open and stepped in, fully dressed.

"What the hell are you…"

"Shut up, Jamie." Madison pushed her against the wall and held firm. Jamie, too aware of her nakedness, fought back weakly, embarrassment heating her body.

"What is going on?"

"I told you…" Jamie snarled, her eyes snapping open at Madison’s surprising strength.

"You told me squat. My friends, namely you and Darcy, are hurting, so I consider that my business. Dammit, Jamie, you made her cry," Madison shouted, shaking her a little.

Jamie stopped fighting. "Who? Darcy?"

Madison’s hold loosened as the water plastered her dark hair against her scalp and she felt her clothes cling wetly to her body. "You made her cry. Darcy never cries. Even the time when I beaned her with a baseball."

"Oh God!" Jamie’s breath hitched and she started to cry.

"What? No…hey wait." There was panic now on Madison’s part. She hated tears. Jamie slid down into the tub and Madison knelt in front of her. "Jesus, Jamie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…"

"I love her, Maddie. I love her, and yet I think I’m losing my mind."

Madison reached over and turned off the water. She put her hand on Jamie’s bare shoulder. "Whoever said love was supposed to be sane?"

Jamie shook her head at that. "I’m in love with her, but I keep having dreams that involve someone else. But it’s all mixed up with a case. I’m damaged goods."

"Hmm… Maybe you should start at the beginning."

Jamie sighed. "I need to get dressed first. I feel weird discussing anything further with you while I’m buck naked."

"I’m a doctor. I see naked people all the time. " Madison smiled and stood up. "And from where I stand, it’s not a bad view." She held out her hand and helped Jamie up. She stared down at herself ruefully and realized that her cashmere sweater was probably ruined. "I need to change and then hide this sweater. It was a gift from Lauren."

Jamie looked at her and had to smile. "I’d forgotten how fierce you can be when you get pissed."

Madison made a face as she stepped out and grabbed a towel. She handed one over to Jamie. "Just don’t say anything to Lauren."

"What? About how we took a shower together and you saw me naked?" Jamie’s smile held a promise. "It will be our little secret. Next time though, you strip. It’s only fair."

"Deal." Madison rubbed her hair then stood shivering in the clothes that felt like ice against her skin.

Jamie wrapped a towel around her body and stepped out. Madison heard her rummaging in the other room and then Jamie returned and tossed her a pair of sweats and a sweater. "Okay, let’s talk."

***

Jamie used her key and entered Murphy’s. The lights were still on but the place was quiet. It was just after eleven and Darcy had closed the place early, which was unusual. As she stepped into the café, she found Darcy sitting at one of the tables, an all but empty bottle of wine next to her. And a glass half full. She took another, closer look at her face.

"You’re plowed."

"Does that mean I’m drunk? If so, I’m forced to agree. I’m very, very, very drunk." She lifted her glass and managed to sip without pouring it down the front of her shirt. "I don’t know how it happened. Prob’ly ’cause I kept drinking."

Christ, she was cute, sprawled in her chair, her blue eyes bright and glowing. Her smile was, well, Jamie thought, stupid.

"That’ll do it." Gently Jamie braced a finger under Darcy’s chin to keep it from wobbling. "Did you eat anything?"

"Nope. Can’t cook. Sent the chef home." That was so funny, she sputtered with laughter. "Why are you here? Hi."

"Yeah. Hi." It was impossible to be anything but in love with her. She looked so sweet and so incredibly drunk. Jamie felt her heart squeeze for the pain she might have caused her by not calling her for two days.

"Let’s get you upstairs."

"Aren’t you going to kiss me?" With that she slid gracefully from chair to floor.

With an oath, Jamie reached down to pick her up.

She might have been drunk, but the auburn haired beauty had damn good aim. Darcy’s mouth fastened on Jamie’s in a long, eye-popping kiss.

"Missed you. I thought you had gone. Left me. It made me sad. See how pissed I am?" Riding on that and on the wine swimming in her head, Darcy flung out her arms to fasten them around Jamie. "Come down, okay? And kiss me again. It just makes my head go all funny and my heart pound. Want to feel my heart pound?" She snatched Jamie’s hand and slapped it over her breast. "Feel that?"

"Yeah." She could feel it all right. The heat of it made her fingers tingle. "Cut it out now." Her system was jangled. "You’re drunk, honey, and we need to talk first."

"I feel wonderful. Don’t you want to feel me?"

This time Jamie’s curse wasn’t quite as good-natured. She hauled Darcy up, unable to avoid the cheerful kisses being plastered over her face and neck.

"Stop it, Stretch." Her voice cracked with desperation as her body went on high alert. She was trying hard to remember that she needed to talk to her. Sober. "Behave yourself."

"Don’t want to. Tired of behaving. I came face to face with my past this week. I thought I was losing you. Am I?"

"No, of course not. You’ve got me good, and I’m not that easy to shake off. I’m sorry. I want to tell you about my week."

"No." Darcy shook her head. She fumbled at the buttons of her lover’s shirt. "Just touch me."

Now Jamie was cursing, unable to hold on to her head as she carried her from the room and upstairs. Darcy giggled and Jamie nearly yelped when Darcy bit her ear, then stroked it with her tongue, wet and hot.

"I love you, Jamie. I love your mouth. And I love the way your chameleon eyes shift color. The way you feel against me. Can we have wine in bed?"

"No, and you’d better…" Jamie made the mistake of looking at her and their mouths fused together. The heat ran through, tormenting. With a long desperate moan, Jamie teetered on the stairs as she lost herself in the wonderfully willing lips. "Darcy." Her name was a plea. "You’re driving me crazy and I’m trying to remember you are drunk. Please, honey, cooperate."

"You came back."

Jamie stared at her. "Oh, Darcy, I love you so much; you have no idea. You have my heart. But we have to talk."

"No talking. Just kiss me. I want you inside of me. Feel how wet you’re making me." Darcy groaned. For one moment she almost sounded sober.

"Oh my God." As a prayer it was perfectly sincere. Jamie repeated it over and over again as she dumped her charge on the bed.

Before she could escape Darcy pulled, tugged, and had Jamie flopping onto the bed. On top of her. "Feels good," Darcy sighed. Then arched. "Oh my…"

Jamie moaned. What was left of her mind scrambled and knew she was moments from coming. "Dammit. I’m not doing this. We have to talk, and you are in no condition to…"

"Okay," Darcy murmured. "Okay." Then she yawned hugely…and passed out.

Jamie lay there for several minutes fighting for breath, fighting for strength. She levered herself away from the passive body, vibrating. She looked down at her lover and had to smile. She would be one sorry woman.

***

The sun was up by the time Jamie returned to Darcy’s place. She was very surprised to see her already up and making coffee. She had expected her to sleep ’til noon, then wake up, pull the covers over her pounding head and pray for a quick, merciful death. It threw her to find Darcy pale, heavy-eyed, still in her robe. Her hair was definitely wet, which meant she’d probably tried to drown herself in the shower.

"Hi there."

Darcy’s smile was sheepish. "Hi."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. Tired." Cautiously she cleared her throat. "I guess I got carried away."

"You were drunk as a skunk."

"I want to thank you for carrying me to bed."

Jamie felt completely thrown. She had expected to be the one in control, coming to comfort and then gently explain. The calm woman in front of her was nothing like what she had pictured. She frowned. "No headache?"

"No. I don’t really get hangovers." Darcy pushed a hand. She tightened the sash around her bathrobe, then poured cream into her cup.

Jamie shook her head. No hangovers? "Do you remember what was said?"

"Yeah. Most of it." Darcy shifted under the intent gray eyes.

Jamie studied her. "Darcy, we need to talk."

Darcy nodded, swallowing slowly. We need to talk. That was never followed by good news. She knew, having said it to others too many times before.

They walked through to the living room and sat down. Jamie wanted to pace but forced herself to sit facing Darcy. She stared at her, trying to find the words, and found herself suddenly nervous under the watchful blue gaze.

"Two days ago, a woman came here to see me. Her name is Shane…"

Darcy stiffened, but that went unnoticed by Jamie who suddenly could not think of how to explain what she had gone through. Her mind scrambled, trying desperately to retrieve the words she had rehearsed on her way over. The words had fled the moment she had looked at Darcy, and now she felt tongue-tied.

She tried again. "Shane is the woman I had a one night stand with, the one who was also photographed with my father." There was a pause. "Well, I was with her more than that one time but…that time also felt like a one night stand kind of thing." That didn’t sound right, Jamie thought.

Darcy’s eyes narrowed. More than once? She fought her temper down.

"She came to see me the other day because she had the name of a photographer that my father used. I had gone to see her the week before to ask her about it. Then she kissed me and…"

She kissed her? This time Darcy’s eyes heated."

…then I had this dream and it was all wrapped up in the case and it scared me." She shifted under the penetrating gaze. This was not going as planned. She cleared her throat. "Two days ago we located the photographer, and I found pictures of my father with this little girl who went missing. It messed me up. And I couldn’t figure out what to do, but now…" Jamie stopped as Darcy launched herself from her seat and started to pace. Her temper was bursting out after all.

"Messed up? Are you better now? Feeling okay?"

"Yes."

"All your faculties intact?"

"Yes." Jamie frowned at her."

She going to kiss you again?"

"No. I told her that…"

"No more one night stands?" Darcy interrupted.

Jamie’s eyes narrowed. "No." This was really, really not going the way she had planned. "Listen, Darcy, I wanted to say I’m sor…"

"Shut up, Jamie," Darcy snarled as her fury erupted. "You know I’ve been sitting for two lousy days feeling sorry for myself. How stupid is that? Now you’re calmly sitting here telling me that only days ago you kissed a woman you had a one night stand with. Days ago! And if that’s not bad enough, when she showed up again, you disappeared for two days. Without a word to me."

Jamie was struggling to get control of the conversation as well as her temper. "I said she kissed me, I didn’t say I kissed her."

"Whatever. Details." Darcy waved that away. "I’m only going to say this once." She stood glaring at her. "I love you, goddammit. And it’s all your fault. There will not be another woman for you or for me. ’Cause the next woman that kisses you who’s not related to you better be me or I’ll have to hurt her and you both."

Jamie stood up. "Really?" Why, she is just perfect, she thought with delight.

"Really. I know you’ve had a shitty time of it. I can’t even imagine what this case has done, where you can put all that stuff at the end of your day. But the next time you decide to disappear, I’m going to hunt you down."

"Is that right?" Jamie stared at her. Darcy in full fury was the most breathtaking thing she had ever seen and she felt the arousal spread through her body. "So now you’re telling me what to do?"

"Somebody should. Especially when you are acting stupid. I’ve said my piece. Now what are you going to do about it?"

Jamie smiled slowly. "Well…to put it in terms you will understand, I’m going to fuck your brains out, Stretch."

***"

How are things?"

Alex smiled, shifting slightly. She was finally home, and that alone had improved her mood. She had lost weight and was still unable to completely lift her left arm without pain, and her bruises were now a nice shade of yellow, but she was home with Megan. That was all that mattered. "Better. Megan has toned down her hovering; I’ve toned down my grumpiness. All in all, not bad." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Something’s not right with Megan, though. She’s jumpy, and every time I mention going back to work, she gets this look on her face."

"Give her time, Alex. This was scary for her, too. She almost lost you."

Alex wanted to change the subject. "So, what’s been happening?"

"I came face to face with the possibility that I might be the daughter of a monster. That scared me."

"Jamie, you are not him."

Jamie shrugged. "Yeah, but there is a part of him that lives in me."

Alex took her hand. "You and I both know that no one is pure evil. Tell me what happened."

"Shane came to me with the name of a photographer that the judge used, a Brian Mayer. Stacey and I tracked down his place but didn’t find him. It looks like he hadn’t been around for days. We found pictures, though. One in particular. A picture of my father smiling away with his arm around a cute girl." She took a deep breath, the horror of it still fresh. "Sarah Timley."

Alex’s eyes widened then she closed them. "No shit?"

"Shook me up some. I mean - what the hell does that mean? McCarthy took over and found out that at some point the judge was dating this nice paralegal secretary."

"Sarah Timley’s mother," they said together.

"Yeah."

"Do we think she killed him?"

"No, it appears she’s got a tight alibi." Jamie sighed, her frustration clear. "I’m surrounded by coincidences. And you know how much I can’t stand coincidences." They smiled at each other. "I have a man who abused young girls, dates a woman who has one, then the girl ends up dead, right around the time he winds up with a bullet in his head."

"Those are pretty big coincidences," Alex agreed.

Jamie pushed a hand through her hair. "Yeah. So now I’m thinking of the next steps, and what I need to do next."

"Which will be what?" Alex asked.Jamie shrugged. "I don’t know. I’m not even supposed to be working on this case."

"I would think that we have to find the missing photographer."

They both turned at the voice coming from the doorway. Stacey stood there, smiling calmly, and Alex grinned at her. She felt better knowing that Jamie would have help until she was back on her feet.

"We?" Jamie asked, eyebrow lifting.

"Yeah. We. You can’t pick a lock worth a damn, so somebody should help you out until Alex is ready to come back."

"Fine." Jamie acted as if she was capitulating, though deep down inside she was relieved to get the help. "You are definitely a top," she muttered.

Stacey’s smile would have melted steel. "Let’s just say I like to keep my options open."

Jamie shook her head and turned and caught Alex’s chuckle. "Oh sure, both of you laugh it up. But when my boss finds out I’m meddling in a case I shouldn’t and the DA is helping me in an investigation, we’ll see who has the last laugh."

They continued to grin at her and Jamie threw up her hands in exasperation. "Fine. I’m going home to have a chat with the ghost I think lives there, and to wait for Darcy to make up her mind to move in with her stuff."

It took a moment for the words to register, but as they did Alex’s mouth dropped open. "What? Darcy is moving in with you?"

Jamie turned at the door. "Oh…did I forget to mention that?"

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Jamie and Stacey settled in at a little all-night diner. Coffee thick enough to walk on came first, served by a sleepy-eyed waitress wearing a cotton candy pink uniform and a plastic nametag that declared her to be Midge.

Jamie perused the hand-written menu under its plastic coating, then propped an elbow on the scarred surface of the coffee-stained linoleum that covered their table.

An ancient country-and-western tune was twanging away on the juke and the air was redolent of the thick odor of frying grease. Breakfast was served twenty –four hours a day.

Stacey added cream to her coffee and stirred. "Is he dead, do you think?" she asked in reference to Mayer.

Jamie chewed the inside of cheek. "Dead or hiding out. You know what bothers me the most about the whole thing? Where is his studio? He’s a photographer, but he’s got no studio."

"From what I hear, he worked in hotel rooms."

Jamie toyed with her spoon. "Yeah. But still… And where is his darkroom? He had to develop his pictures somewhere. I mean, that kind of subject matter does not allow for walking into a Wal-Mart for their same day processing. Maybe we missed something back at his place."

"Maybe. To be frank, the screaming pretty much stopped my search in its tracks."

Jamie felt the heat touch her cheeks. "I’m sorry about that."

Stacey studied her. "About that, want to talk about it?"

Jamie looked away. "Nothing personal, Stacey, but no."

Something flickered in the brown eyes. "Okay." She pulled her notepad from her back pocket. "So, I think we should go back to his place, search it further."

"Okay." There was a pause. "Stacey?"

Stacey turned her attention back to Jamie.

"There are things in my past when it comes to my father that are extremely painful for me. The pictures brought it all back."

Stacey frowned. "Sure. No problem."

"No, it’s just…" Jamie hesitated, but if she and Stacey were going to get anywhere in the investigation, they had to trust each other. She took a deep breath. "The judge was my father."

Stacey’s eyes widened. She looked at Jamie for a moment, then surprised her by gently touching her hand. "I’m sorry."

"And, I slept with Shane, our suspect, the night of his murder."

Stacey’s eyes narrowed fractionally. "Anything else?"

"Well, you already know about my seeing Darcy. Oh yeah. I’ve been ordered to stay away from this case by my superior." She had to smile at the look on Stacey’s face.

"You are still a cop right?" Stacey finally said.

"Of course."

"Good. For a minute there I thought things were going to get complicated."

***

They broke into the photographer’s apartment again. The mailbox was still stuffed with flyers and bills, the air still felt closed in, and yet they both knew that someone had been there recently. They looked at each other then crouched low as they entered the living room. Only silence met their stealthy approach. After a cursory look around, Jamie figured that whoever had been there was long gone. They went back to the small room where she had found the pictures.

"What are we looking for?" Stacey asked. The bottom drawer was still lying on the floor where it had been left.

"Anything."

"Well, that narrows it down." Stacey’s mouth curved slightly as they started their search.

Jamie went back to the desk and stared at it, then wrenched out another drawer. She searched it, turning it over, checking the underside, the back, then tossing it aside and yanking out another. On the third try, she found another with a false back. She had missed it on that first search. Her quick grunt of approval had Stacey turning, watching her take out a penknife and pry the wood. Giving up her own search, she joined Jamie. By tacit agreement, she gripped the loosened edge and tugged while Jamie worked the knife around. Wood splintered from wood. They switched jobs. Jamie got a splinter, swore, and continued to peel back the wood. All at once, the false piece popped free.

Jamie took the knife again and cut through the tape affixing a key with a small tag to the back of the drawer. "Safety deposit box. Local bank," she muttered.

***

They hadn’t worked out the details of how to get into the safety deposit box at the bank. Banks usually required identification or a signature match, or a warrant. Jamie couldn’t very well go to a justice of the peace and ask for a warrant when she wasn’t even suppose to be working on the case. Well she could, but then her superior would have to be told and she would probably be suspended. And they were so close to cracking this thing. She could feel it. They decided to try flashing their badges and bluffing their way in. As they left the apartment, neither paid any particular attention to the blue van pulling up to the curb. Jamie absently glanced at the two men who were stepping out of it and was about to say something to Stacey when the hair at the back of her neck rose. One of the men, the passenger, nodded in their direction and Jamie knew it meant trouble. "We’ve been made. Run!"

They dashed to the car, and Jamie was already pulling out as Stacey was diving in. She caught the glint of moonlight off the van as the two men jumped back in and squealed after them. "Grab on to something." She spun the car into a fast U-turn, riding two wheels over the opposite curb. Her bumper kissed lightly off the fender of a sedan, and then she was screaming down the quiet suburban street at sixty miles per hour. She took the first turn with the van three lengths behind.

"You remember how to use a gun?"

Stacey threw her a disdainful glance. "Please."

Jamie nodded in the general direction of the glove box. "Let’s hope you don’t have to. Put your seat belt on."

Stacey glanced at the side mirror. "They’re closing in. Just drive."

Jamie wound through the streets like a snake, tapping the brake, flooring the gas, whipping the wheel so that the tires whined. The challenge of it, the speed, the insanity, had Jamie grinning. "I like to do this to music." And she switched the radio on and cranked the volume up to blaring.

"You’re crazy." But Stacey found herself grinning back. "Beats being in court any time." They both heard the ping of metal against metal as a bullet hit her rear fender.

"Now they’re getting nasty," Jamie muttered.

"I think they are trying to shoot the tires." Stacey grabbed the gun, then popped out the window to waist level and fired at their pursuers.

"Are you crazy?" Jamie’s heart jumped into her throat and nearly had her crashing into a lamppost. "Get your head back in here before you get it blown off."

Grim-eyed, too wired to be afraid, Stacey fired again. "Two can play." With the third shot, she hit a headlight. The fourth got a tire, and the sound of squealing and of crunching metal filled the night. "I hit them. Bastards! I think they are coming to a stop," she shouted, still hanging out of the window. Jamie watched in the rear view mirror as the van smash into a parked car and come to a stop, then she threw an amazed look at Stacey. "I can see. I don’t need a damn play-by-play. Get back in here. Strap in this time." She hit the on-ramp and sped into the night.

"We lost them." Stacey grinned at the driver, eyes a little wild.

Jamie glanced at her, shaking her head at the picture she presented.

Stacey leaned over and kissed her right on the mouth. "You’re good, Saunders."

"Damn right. So are you." They grinned at each other, then Jamie slowed the car to a more manageable speed and started to retrace her steps. "Do you have a car? ’Cause we have to ditch this one; they know it. Whoever the hell they are."

Stacey grimaced. "No, mine’s in the shop."

Jamie’s fingers tapped against the steering wheel as she considered her next move. She pulled her cell phone from her front pocket and dialed quickly.

"Hey, Darcy. Listen, my car just died. Battery, I think. Can I…oh…yeah, okay. No, I have a couple of things left to do still. I was going to drop in on Alex later, too. Sure. See you later." She threw the phone on the seat and glanced at Stacey, who was looking at her inquiringly. "She said, ‘you touch my car and you die’."

Stacey burst out laughing. Jamie frowned. "I guess we can always borrow Alex’s car."

"I guess. Seems safer that way," Stacey deadpanned.

Jamie rolled her eyes as she maneuvered the car through traffic at a more law-abiding pace.

***

They decided to leave Jamie’s car a few blocks from Alex’s place as a precaution and walked the rest of the way. There was no way of knowing who was chasing them or how much they knew. The fact that there were two bullet holes in her trunk had Jamie’s temper just on the edge of becoming an eruption.

Unexpectedly Madison and Lauren were already at Alex’s, enjoying a glass of wine. "Hey!"

Taken aback by their presence, Jamie hesitated in the doorway. She mentally revised her plan of discussing the case with Alex. "You remember Stacey?" she said by way of greeting. Megan turned and offered them a glass of wine. By now, the adrenaline that had kicked in during the chase was dissipating and the reaction of being shot at was settling in. Feeling her legs start to weaken, Jamie sat down. She glanced quickly at Stacey, who seemed to be bearing up. They exchanged looks and Alex, who was watching them, knew that something had happened. "So, how’s it going?" Alex asked casually.

"Just fine. Listen, I need to borrow your car."

"Why? What’s wrong with your car?"

"I…there was a bit of an incident."

"Incident?" Darcy’s question came from behind Jamie and made her jump.

"People have got to stop sneaking in and out of rooms," Jamie muttered.

"I was in the washroom. What incident? You told me your battery died."

Jamie shifted. "I didn’t want to worry you, that’s all." She felt the heat spread up her neck.

"Smooth," Stacey said under her breath. Jamie ignored her.

"What’s wrong with your car, Saunders?"

When Darcy used her last name, in just that tone, it was never good. Jamie hunched her shoulders as Darcy crossed the room to the fridge to pull a beer out. She untwisted the cap and took a long gulp, keeping her blue eyes steady on Jamie.

"I’m fine," Jamie reassured her.

"For now." Darcy’s tone implied that this condition would not last long.

"What happened?" Alex asked.

"We went back to the photographer’s place and found a key, and on our way out, we were sort of chased by a couple of guys in a van."

"What?" they all erupted.

"It’s fine. We lost them."

"Where’s your car now?" Alex broke in.

"We ditched it a few blocks away. There are a couple of bullet holes in it." Jamie avoided Darcy’s stare. She felt the heat of it, nonetheless.

"Seems to me we need to figure out who shot at you," Alex said, breaking the tense silence.

"What do you mean we? It’s Stacey and me. You stay put and get better."

"What transportation are you going to use?" Alex asked smugly.

"I’m going to borrow your car, that’s what," Jamie replied, temper roiling.

"Not without me in it."

"If you go, I go," Megan cut in, eyes turning frosty. She wasn’t letting Alex out of her sight.

"Me too," Darcy chimed in.

"Why you, for God’s sake?" Jamie asked, exasperated.

"Some thug takes a shot at my girlfriend, riles me some."

"We will have to retrace your steps," Madison supplied helpfully.

"Figure out who hired this photographer," was Megan’s contribution.

"For the last time, there is no we," Jamie finally yelled. She had the sudden sensation of having been dropped into a bad French farce or a screwball comedy. She half expected everyone to start piling into a tiny Mini to speed off after the bad guys. "Look, you guys, I appreciate you all wanting to help, but this is a police investigation not a party. Leave it to the experts. I mean…" She turned to Stacey, who sat there amused. "Say something."

Stacey shrugged. "Hey, it stopped being a normal case the night you slept with our prime suspect."

***

Stacey approached the counter and waited until the teller was free to help her. Jamie stood back near the chairs and tried to ignore the attentive stare of the guard. She watched Stacey chat with the teller and wondered how she could get a justice of the peace to sign a warrant without being the officer on the case. Maybe she would need Alex to do it. She was about to call her when Stacey returned with a smirk. "We’re in."

"How did you manage that?" Jamie asked.

"I’m taking her out to dinner one night next week."

"What?" Jamie looked at her in amazement. "I think you are beginning to scare me."

Stacey grinned at her. "Come on, before she changes her mind."

They walked into the tiny vault and were left alone with the box. Before opening it, Jamie shot a questioning look at Stacey, who shrugged as if to say ‘what the hell’. Jamie lifted the lid and found a bulky manila envelope and an undeveloped roll of film. She shoved the film into her front pocket, held on to the envelope, and put the box back. Just in case someone might be about to take exception to their presence, Jamie didn’t want to take the time to look inside the envelope. Better to go somewhere they could look at the contents at their leisure.

They once again found themselves in the diner, being served by a sleepy eyed Midge who showed no interest whatsoever in getting them more than the coffee they ordered as she went back to the tabloid newspaper she had been reading. Jamie had the envelope in hand, but toyed with it rather than opening it. She could not bring herself to look inside. Stacey watched her and waited.

Jamie frowned, lost in thought. Darcy was pissed, that had been obvious. Just from the look she had thrown her when Jamie had insisted on leaving alone. Jamie could not think of a way of avoiding that. Alex was upset, too. But Jamie couldn’t please everybody. She thought it ironic that Stacey was the only one not upset with her at the moment. It was probably just a matter of time.

Stacey continued to look at her and finally sighed. She reached out and took the packet from Jamie’s grasp. "Maybe I should take a look." Jamie made a face but made no move to stop her. Stacey pulled the lone picture out of the packet and stared at it for a moment, her expression inscrutable. She handed Jamie the picture. Heart hammering Jamie glanced down at it.

The picture was of a woman about their age, dark haired and pretty. She was staring back into the camera with a sad expression. "Do you recognize her?" Stacey asked. Jamie shook her head. "Maybe she is our missing accomplice."

"Maybe. It might be time to pay another visit to your lady judge."

Jamie frowned. "She’s not mine."

Stacey shrugged, turning her attention back to the picture. Something tugged at her as she stared at the photograph. But whatever it was, was illusive, a whisper, thin as a wisp of smoke. Just as quickly, the thought or whatever it was had evaporated.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

"That’s her. That’s the woman I met that night," Shane recalled as she stared at the picture

."Are you sure?" Stacey asked.

"I’m positive." Shane looked over at Jamie and their eyes met. Jamie was the first to look away. She was uncomfortable sitting there next to a woman with whom she had been intimate. A woman for whom she knew, much to her annoyance, a degree of attraction remained. She could feel it pulling at her. It shimmered between them as they sat there. She shifted and caught Stacey’s interested look.

After a beat, Stacey turned her attention back to Shane. "Thank you for your time." She stood up and waited for Jamie, who followed her more slowly.

At the door Jamie turned, feeling like she needed to say something. "Shane…"

Shane smiled at her, a smile tinged with regret. "Jamie, just go. It’s okay."

Head bowed, Jamie followed Stacey out of the house. At the car Stacey turned to her. "Jamie, want my advice?"

"No."

Stacey smiled. "I’ll give it to you anyway. Stay away from her. Sometimes even when we have the best of intentions, the moment gets away from us."

Jamie frowned at her, most annoyed by the fact that Stacey could read her so well without really knowing her. "I’m beginning to remember that I don’t like you."

Stacey was amused rather than offended by her response. "Yeah, I get that all the time."

Jamie smiled at her and Stacey’s look sharpened. She continued to study her for a long moment. "Well, I’ll be damned," she whispered.

"What?" Jamie shifted impatiently as Stacey continued to stare at her. "Do I have dirt on my face or what?"

"Where’s that picture?" Puzzled, Jamie gave it to her.

Stacey studied the photo and then looked back at Jamie. She handed the photo back to her. "See anything familiar?" she asked.

Jamie looked at it again and frowned. "No."

"You. The girl looks like you."

***"

I see it." Darcy looked at the picture, then back at her lover. The resemblance was there in the slashing cheekbones, but mostly it was the eyes - the shape of them, the smoky gray color. After her pronouncement, Darcy left them to grab a pot of coffee.

They had made their way from Shane’s directly to Murphy’s. The reason she had given Stacey for the side trip was that they should get a second opinion regarding the photograph. The truth was simply that Jamie wanted to be near Darcy, but would never admit to her need. Her feelings were too complex to analyze. She was unsettled by her persistent reaction to Shane uneasy about their latest discovery, but more importantly she was desperate for Darcy’s touch.

They sat at a corner table as Darcy returned. Without thinking about it, her hand brushed Jamie’s shoulder gently, possessively. Jamie looked up at her. Their eyes met, and the look in Darcy’s eyes eased Jamie’s tension. They were okay. She didn’t look mad anymore.

Stacey was frowning over the picture. What the hell did they have now? Every time they inched forward in their search, something blew up at them that sent them in a different direction. Now they had found someone she would have laid odds was Jamie’s sister. It was also likely that this woman had participated in her father’s sick games. Her eyes shifted to Jamie, worried now.

Jamie rubbed at the headache brewing across her forehead. "I’m so confused that for the life of me I can’t figure out what the next step should be."

She had another sister. Instinct told her so. This stranger with familiar eyes and a familiar wounded expression was related to her; she recognized the look as the same one she had had for years. She felt the nausea burn the back of her throat. She was afraid. No, that wasn’t true. She was terrified of what would come next.

Darcy sat down beside them and, sensing Jamie’s internal turmoil, took her hand.

Stacey watched them, feeling a pang of envy. Loneliness settled uneasily over her shoulders. She sighed that feeling away. "We need to find her."

Jamie nodded unhappily.

***

It took them a week. Jamie had remembered the roll of film in her pocket and gotten it developed. There were several shots of the mystery woman. As they sat poring over them, looking for clues, Stacey fingered one of the photos. "He loves her."

"Who?"

"Whoever took this photo. I’m thinking Mayer. He loves her and she knows it. She is looking directly at him and smiling just for him. Look at the soft focus, the way he framed her. It’s different than the other pictures."

Alex nodded. "You might be right." She absently flipped through the rest, then her gaze sharpened on one. "Hey, guys, look at this one. Notice the address?" They all turned their attention to the one of the woman standing in front of a tidy brownstone. To her left was an oval plaque with a number on it.

"I can’t make it out," Jamie said. "Anyone have a magnifying glass?" Minutes later they were looking through the magnifying glass that Stacey had provided from the kit in the trunk trunk of her car. "Twenty-one Bank Street." Jamie met Alex’s eyes and swallowed hard. "Let’s go pay a visit."

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Stacey drove, with Alex sitting beside her. Jamie was in the back seat staring unseeingly out of the window. Her heart was hammering as she wondered if she was strong enough to face the unknown woman, the half sister who might also be their father’s killer. More worrisome was that if she had done it, Jamie could not hate her for it. She had wished it thus too often herself.

Alex shifted to look at her. "Are you sure about this, Jamie?" She was concerned for her friend, wanting to spare her more pain.

Jamie nodded. "I need to; I need to know."

Alex glanced at Stacey, who looked equally worried, and took a deep breath. "Okay." Her face became set in that calm detached look that hid all her thoughts, and she watched Jamie shift into the same mode.

They all got out of the car and filed into the building. At the fourth door they got lucky when they found the tenant home. She barely glanced at the photograph before pointing them to the door marked 5B and closing the door in their face.

"Friendly neighborhood." Stacey whispered.

Alex stood in front of it and rapped on the door while Stacey and Jamie stepped back into the shadows on either side of her. There was a long pause, and they were about to turn away when the door finally opened.

"Hello, I’m detective Alex Ryan, I was wondering if I could have a few minutes of your time."

The woman from the photograph looked startled but after a brief hesitation and a quick glance at her badge, stepped back to let her in. Her surprised look turned to shock when her eyes fell on Jamie. Her gasp was loud in the sudden quiet and her face paled. "Who are you? What do you want?" She looked afraid now, panicked.

Jamie’s heart twisted. She recognized that trapped look. "I’m Jamie. We might have someone in common."

They moved to the living room. The woman sank onto the couch, her eyes never leaving Jamie. Jamie sat across from her and met the gray eyes. "What is your name?" she asked gently.

"Kelly. Kelly Tanner."

"Kelly, this is difficult, I know. I’m just as shocked as you are. But I think I might be your sister." Jamie’s voice shook a little as she spoke. "Was your father Tomas Reynolds?"

"Yes." It was a whisper. Her eyes were wide, like those of a deer caught in headlights.

Jamie’s eyes closed briefly. "He was my father, too."

"Are you aware that he died a few months ago?" Alex broke in.

Kelly nodded and her face paled even more.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Alex asked.

"A little over two years." Kelly’s eyes turned once more to Jamie. "He...he was not a very nice man. After years of therapy, I finally was able to exorcise him from my life." She looked like she was recovering her equilibrium. "Were you close?" she asked of Jamie.

"No. He was a bastard. I last saw him thirty years ago." Jamie frowned. She had not expected to feel a tug from the woman sitting across from her, but she felt it. That tender call to the heart. Her jaw tightened and she forced the feeling away. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-nine." Younger. She had a younger sister. Jamie felt the headache return and her helpless look found Alex’s.

Alex shifted nearer. "We need to ask you where you were the night of June 26^th."

"June 26^th?" Kelly frowned. "I don’t remember."

"You don’t remember?" Stacey spoke for the first time. Kelly turned to Stacey looking surprised, as if noticing her for the first time.

There you are, Stacey thought as their eyes engaged and she felt recognition spear through her. She blinked to clear her mind. What the hell was that?"

No, I don’t. But then again I don’t remember what I did last night either." She gave her a half smile then stood up and walked over to a small table where a black briefcase sat. Looking inside, she took out a date book and flipped through the pages. "June 26^th, I was in class - Ethics and the Law." At Stacey’s look of inquiry, she shrugged. "I’m studying law."

"Can someone vouch for you being in class?"

"What?" She frowned at Alex now. "I suppose my whole class, my professor. We had to write an exam that night, so yeah." Then it was as if something suddenly clicked. "Are you asking me if I have an alibi?"

Alex shrugged. "We are still looking for your father’s killer. We are questioning everyone. Your whereabouts are of interest to us for a variety of reasons."

"Which are?" She crossed her arms and glared at Alex.

This was no longer the scared woman of a few minutes before. This was a furious soon- to-be lawyer who looked suspiciously like her sister in that anger. The resemblance to Jamie would have been amusing under different circumstances. She ignored the question for the moment. "Do you know a Brian Mayer?"

The question threw Kelly but she recovered. "I might."

"Well, we are looking for him too. Do you have any idea where he is?"

The hesitation was brief but was not lost on the three women. "No."

"Are you sure?" Alex persisted. "Because he hasn’t been seen at his house since the murder and so we are wondering if he is okay."

"Like I said, I haven’t seen him in ages."

"Well...if he does get in touch with you, we would appreciate a phone call." Alex handed her a card. "We will also need a list of names, your professor, your classmates." She stood up. "I would strongly recommend that you not leave town, Miss Tanner."

Kelly’s eyes flickered but she nodded, then her attention turned once again to Jamie. "Are you an only child?" Jamie froze in the doorway. She turned and her smile was sad. "No, I have a twin sister. Identical. We will be in touch."

***

Each lost in thought, they stepped out into the dusk. The stillness of the night was shattered when somebody shot at them. Jamie froze, not believing that anything like that could happen again, outside of the movies. Stacey grabbed her and yanked her down on the sidewalk behind the parked car, and Alex crouched beside them as another bullet whined overhead and buried itself in the trunk. Alex winced as her sudden movement jarred her still-injured side. She pulled out her gun. "You guys sure are popular."

"Tell me about it," Stacey growled. "It’s starting to piss me off."

Alex peered over the hood in the direction the shot had come from. There was only silence. Whoever it was had either fled after the warning shots or else was out there waiting. She hated waiting. "Anyone feel like running?"

Jamie nodded, automatically understanding what Alex wanted to do. "Let’s go."

"Where are we going?" Stacey asked.

"You should stay put. We are going to try and smoke him out. Keep your head down and we will come back for you."

Stacey shook her head. "No way. I’m not missing out on the fun."

After a brief hesitation, Alex nodded once. "I’ll go left, you guys go right. We’ll see who he really wants." She shifted, grimacing at the pain. "Now!" she shouted, and they took off running with guns drawn.

Jamie heard footsteps take off and shouted to Alex, "He’s running!"

They started chasing after him. One block, two blocks, then he cut through a backyard and they split up - Jamie following him, while the others ran around to try and head him off from the other side. He climbed the fence and fired wildly behind him before falling to the other side. The bullet lodged in a tree inches from Jamie.

"You little fuck!" she snarled, following him up and over the fence, gun poised ready to fire as she jumped to the other side. He hadn’t waited and was running back to the street.

"Drop it!" Alex yelled. "Drop the fucking gun!" Someone fired, and the sound of a scuffle ensued. By the time a panting Jamie reached them, he was lying face down, his hands cuffed behind his back. "You shot me," he spat at Alex

."Barely. Brian Mayer, I presume?"

"Go fuck yourself."

"Tsk...tsk. Now is that the correct attitude to take with someone who just saved your life?" Alex turned to Jamie with a smile. "I’m getting too old for this shit."

"Right back at you." Jamie wiped at the sweat from her forehead. "I haven’t run this much since that Lewiston robbery. Remember that?"

"Oh yeah; man, that was a fun one." She grimaced. "I’m going to be stiff tomorrow. Megan is going to kill me."

"I’m bleeding over here." he whined.

Stacey was staring at them as if they were all insane. "Shouldn’t we call an ambulance or something?"

"I’m fine," Alex replied. She glanced at him. "Oh, you mean Mayer here?" She crouched down beside him. "We’ll call the ambulance when he tells us why he has been shooting at cops."

"I just wanted to scare you a little. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I didn’t know you was cops."

"Mmm... Well I appreciate that thoughtfulness. Why try to scare us?"

"I was just trying to protect Kelly."

Alex glanced at Jamie. "Why?"

"I need an ambulance; I’m bleeding to death here."

"In a minute. Why does Kelly need protecting?"

"She...she needs me to look after her. He’s been hurting her, you know?"

He shifted, but Alex’s hand kept him down. "Did you shoot her father?"

He glared at her then looked away. "I’m not talking until I get a lawyer."

Alex stood up. "Suit yourself. Let’s go pay Kelly another visit."

"Leave her alone!" He struggled, trying to get up, and swore when he was unable to manage it. "I should have aimed for your head, you bitch. Leave her alone." His voice broke.

Jamie knelt next to him. "Brian, I’m her sister, so I don’t want her hurt anymore either. I would have killed him myself, given the chance. Did you shoot him?"

He looked at her and his photographer’s eye noted the resemblance; tears started to roll down his cheek. "I didn’t mean to kill him. Kelly, she had read about the little girl that turned up dead, and she knew that he knew her because she had seen some of my pictures of the two of them together. Well, she started crying and having nightmares and saying he needed to be stopped. I just wanted to scare him, but when I showed up, he was lying there on the floor not moving. I thought he was already dead. I just shot him to make sure. I did it for Kelly, so she could sleep again."

Jamie sighed and rubbed her eyes with a tired hand. She felt Stacey’s hand on her shoulder. It was a gesture of comfort but also of caution. She stood. "Call an ambulance, I’m going home," she told them. She started walking and didn’t look back. Alex and Stacey didn’t try to stop her; they just watched her go.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

They all gathered at Murphy’s a week later Lauren, Madison, Megan, Alex and Stacey. Darcy and Jamie stood behind the bar making drinks. Once everyone was served, Jamie grabbed a beer and leaned back against Darcy, who held her as she sat on one of the stools.

"You okay...with everything?" Alex asked Jamie.

"I’m living with everything. I still haven’t told my mom or my sister about Kelly, but I will. Finding out that you have a half sister so late in life takes some adjustment. Once the case against Mayer is over and done with, I might talk to her again."

They all sat quietly sipping at their drinks.

"Do you think the judge killed Sarah Timley?"

"I just don’t know." She would live with that, too, the never knowing. Justice didn’t always come as you expected. Darcy’s hand caressed her neck and Jamie let her head fall forward. She closed her eyes and thought back to earlier in the morning.

Darcy stood in the bedroom doorway watching Jamie get dressed. She smiled. "You know, Saunders, I used to think I wanted you to distraction because you were so contrary. Then when I had you, I decided I still wanted you because I didn’t know how long I’d keep you."

"Is that a fact?" Jamie frowned at her, her gray eyes turning cool."That look right there, the one you’re wearing on your face right now. When I think it through, that’s the one that did it to me."

"Did what?"

"Had me falling in love with you. Then it kept creeping up on me, why no one ever pulled at me the way you do, ever made me miss them five minutes after I walked out of the door the way you do. When I heard that someone was shooting at you, it made me crazy. I figure the only way to handle things and keep you safe is to move in with you."

"That’s your idea of a proposal?" But Jamie’s heart was tripping."You’ve never had better. No point in saying no; I’ve got my mind set on it."

"I’m thinking of saying no." But Jamie was smiling."I love you. I don’t want to live my life without you. You’ve been causing me frustration for the last fifteen years. You’re bad-tempered and exasperating, but it seems that turns me on." Darcy crossed to her and with a quick jerk, ripped Jamie’s shirt in two. "You see, that’s the damnedest thing, this loving you. Makes me do crazy things."

Jamie stepped into her arms. Her heart was so full, she was surprised it wasn’t spilling over. "Hold on, Stretch. Just keep holding on."

Jamie lifted her head and looked at her friends gathered around her. She loved them all. She couldn’t help herself even when they drove her crazy. They had cried and fought and barged into each other’s lives in the only way they knew how. Insisting on being heard. Determined not to be ignored and always, always loving each other despite it all. And somehow when the chips were down, when life got too messy, they rallied around and pushed and pulled and dragged you back into living it. Then her eyes found Stacey.

"Hey, Stacey, when was the last time you had a date?"

The End

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This story is a work of fiction and is not intended to represent any particular individual, alive or dead. This work may not be printed or distributed for profit without the express written permission of the author. Copyright registered with the Library of Congress.