Thursday, July 10th

Christ this guy is creepy.

Erin thought to herself as he bunched up her hair in his hands and examined it in the mirror. His name was Joel and he was the one assigned to cut her hair.

His fingernails are long.

That's what bothered her the most. That and the roofing nail sticking through his earlobe instead of an earring. Joel didn't say much of anything to her. He had his instructions from Sergeant Ruiz and a picture of one of Adam's ex girlfriends to go by.

She sat and watched him as he colored her hair. He was highlighting it with blonde streaks, which she didn't mind. She had always had natural blonde highlights in the summertime anyhow. But when he began cutting her hair off she suddenly found it hard to breathe. She had never worn her hair so short and she felt exposed as the cool air hit the back of her neck and ears. She ran a hand over her bare neck and studied her reflection. A chill ran through her and this time it wasn't brought on by creepy Joel or her exposed flesh. Instead, it was brought on by the stranger staring back at her in the mirror.

By the time she reached the station she had already somewhat adjusted to her new look. Her hair felt sporty and she felt a new found freedom in the blonde messy spikes which surprised her. She felt unusually confident and thought maybe she would be able to handle Adams after all.

She had spent the remainder of last night going over the information that Henderson had left for her. The team had done an excellent job of surveillance on Adams, having personal details on the woman that must've taken months to gather.

It seemed that Elizabeth Adams had a preference for athletic looking women with short hair. Mostly blondes, but she was known to stray to brunettes every so often. She didn't have steady girlfriends, but rather a steady slew of women whom she could choose from at any given time to have a flighty rendezvous with. But every once in a great while a woman would come along that struck Adams fancy and she would go to the ends of the earth in order to posses her.

Erin stood before her sergeant's door and took a deep breath. She had to convince him that she was ready for this assignment. She wasn't sure she could do that when she hadn't totally convinced herself of her own capability.

She knocked quickly and was greeted by his voice calling her in. She entered and found him seated behind his desk which seemed to always be covered with neat stacks of files. Across from him sat Henderson wearing jeans and a tight blue t-shirt. The shoulder gun strap seemed to pull the shirt tighter across her chest, showing off her ample breasts. She uncrossed her legs at seeing Erin and placed her boot covered feet firm on the ground in order to stand. She crossed the room and helped Erin with the files she was carrying, her blue eyes bright and welcoming, a good sign considering their behavior the night before. Erin breathed a little easier at her presence.

"Your hair looks great." Henderson let out a little more raspy than she had intended. She was trying desperately not to stare at her and she did her best not to trip over her own tongue. The new haircut brought more attention to Mac's beautiful features and the blonde brought out the incredible green of her eyes. She looked amazing and reeked of sexuality.

Erin looked away from the beckoning blue eyes and felt her cheeks flush at the attention of the beautiful woman. Why hadn't she noticed Henderson's body before? The woman moved with panther like grace as she took the files and carried them across the room. Erin watched the muscles moving under the tight fitting t-shirt. It was as if her mind had been given the key to a whole new world. The door had been unlocked and she was seeing and noticing things she had never imagined. Like Henderson.

"Mac?" Sergeant Ruiz was talking to her but she found it difficult to pull herself away from the new world in which she let herself drift.

"Yes?" She replied dully as if waking from a trance.

"You ok kiddo?" He was looking at her with concern etched in the lines of his forehead.

She and Henderson took their seats across from him in silence.

"Yes, fine thanks." She willed the blood to leave her cheeks and her breathing to return to normal.

"Henderson's right, your hair looks good. Perfect for Adams, don't you think so Henderson?"

The frazzled detective answered, careful not to look over at Erin again, "Yes, it's perfect."

"Ok, Henderson I'll start with you. How did last night go?"

Erin swallowed wrong at the question and began coughing as she tried to regain her breath.

"You ok Mac?" Ruiz asked once again. Henderson stood and offered to get her some water.

"No, no I'm fine. Just swallowed wrong."

Henderson gave her a slight smile and sat back down. Mac was still obviously flustered from the previous night. At least now she knew she wasn't the only one.

"Last night went well." She began, trying hard to concentrate on the topic at hand. "Mac and I talked a lot and I've got a good feel for where she's at in all of this."

"Good, so we're ready to roll for Saturday night?" He asked making a steeple with his hands.

"Not necessarily sir." Henderson said as she maneuvered in her seat in order to get more comfortable. She could feel Mac's eyes on her in response to her statement. "I don't think she's ready for Saturday."

Erin looked back at her Sergeant and decided to speak on her own behalf.

"With all due respect sir, I feel that I am ready for Saturday night."

"Mac may think she's ready, but it's my opinion that we wait. We wait until next weekend." Henderson added quickly.

"Why? Tell me why she's not ready." This obviously wasn't the news he wanted to hear. This investigation needed Mac to be under starting with the weekend. Lives depended upon it.

"I don't want to get too personal here sir, with respect to Mac, but you can't just give a woman a short haircut, dress her a certain way and throw her to the lions." She paused and eyed them both, wanting them to see her point. "You can't just snap your fingers and make a woman a lesbian. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

Ruiz took a deep breath, "Please continue." He encouraged Henderson.

"Bottom line, if we send her in now, they'll see right through her. Her cover will be blown before she even sets foot in the door."

Erin cleared her throat and looked at Henderson. "Look, I can put on a pretty good show. I've done it before and did a damn good job."

Henderson looked over at Erin and thought for a moment, making sure she did undermine her capibilty. "I'm well aware of your excellent work in narcotics, Mac. And I'm in no way questioning your ability to get the job done. But from what I saw last night, your emotions are too raw. You're just not ready. Not yet."

Ruiz sighed. "We can't afford to wait another week on this. Another week may mean another victim. Now, tell me and tell Mac what needs to be done in order to…"

He stopped talking as he saw Erin get up from her chair and walk over to Henderson.

Erin swallowed hard in preparation for what she was about to do. She knew Henderson had seen her at her most vulnerable and she needed to prove to this woman that she was ready for this assignment. And this was the only way. They had no time to waste.

She walked seductively over to the baffled detective, locking eyes with her. Licking her lips, she grinned seductively and straddled Henderson on her chair, slithering against her. She saw the look of bewilderment on the detective's face and with one fluid motion she aggressively grabbed Henderson's face and kissed her deeply.

For a brief second Henderson seemed to resist with shock, but just as quickly she conceded and let Erin explore her mouth with a vengeance. All reserve melted away as Erin rode against her lap and sucked on her tongue. Henderson let out a muffled moan of sheer desire and lifted her hands up to Erin's back trying to pull her deeper.

At hearing Henderson moan, Erin knew it was time to pull away. She had proved her point and she willed herself to climb off the woman quickly before she herself lost the control she was trying so hard to show she had. Their lips smacked in objection as she pulled herself away. Henderson looked up at Erin, her blue eyes dark and smoldering, hungry for more. Erin licked her lips; the taste of Henderson was hot and sweet. She hurriedly returned to her seat and crossed her legs, praying that the throbbing she felt between them would soon stop. She forced a smile at her shell shocked sergeant.

"See? That was completely easy for me. And as for whether or not I'm believable, I guess we have to ask Henderson." She looked at Henderson and watched as her chest rose and fell quickly, her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen and dark with excited blood. She had been greatly affected by Erin's stunt and now Erin felt her heart rage at her own words. Of course she was believable, she was truly attracted to Henderson and if that much intensity was involved in kissing women, Erin knew she was doomed. But she wasn't about to go down without trying. She had never quit on an assignment and she wouldn't start now.

Henderson sat for a moment and let her mind soak up what had just happened. Mac had just completely seduced her and in a matter of seconds, no less.

"She's good." She said, clearing her tight throat. She thought about getting up to excuse herself but she didn't trust her own legs to hold her.

"Well I, I'm sorry, I'm a little shocked." Ruiz said while he adjusted his glasses and tried to adjust himself mentally. "I guess the only thing left to do is to get you finalized for Saturday night. I'll be leaving most of that up to you Henderson."

He eyed her carefully, waiting for her agreement. She seemed to be looking past him.

"I'm sorry sir?" She hadn't heard his question, or what she assumed to be a question. Her lips felt almost bruised from the powerful kiss and she was ran her fingers softly over the smooth surface that Erin McKenzie had just devoured as her own.

"I'm suggesting that you and Mac get the hell out of here and get her ready for the weekend."

"Yes sir." Henderson stood and looked down at her snakeskin boots thankful that her legs functioned properly. She grabbed some files and watched as Mac stood, looking the slightest bit pink in the cheeks.

They exited the small office in silence and walked the short distance to a larger room which held their desks along with the numerous other homicide detectives. Mac's desk stood towards the center of the room and it held two lonely coffee cups, one of them half full with a red stir stick saluting amidst the cold liquid. A single pencil rested next to a lazy stack of files and a faded white telephone. Henderson noted no pictures of loved ones, no plants or figurines, nothing to give the desk a feel of home.

She set down the files she had helped Mac carry and waited for the younger detective to say something. Although her heart still beat rapidly when she looked at Mac and relived the lightning that had been jolted through her with that kiss, Henderson had to move past it and see it for what it was. Mac had done a number on her, and she had done it well. The kid was good, damn good. Henderson had never felt such molten desire so easily, and it would take her awhile to wrap her mind around that. Of course, it could be because she hadn't been intimate in so long. She was certain that had to be it.

Mac sat heavily in her squeaky chair. "I'm sorry about what happened back there…" She was nervous and that was an understatement. What happened and what she felt were one in the same. God, she could still feel Henderson responding to her.

Henderson held up a hand to silently stop Mac from continuing. "No need. You proved your point Mac. Let it go." She rested her hip against Mac's desk and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked into the deep green eyes and thought for the briefest of moments that she saw sadness. "We have a lot of work to do, and not much time to do it in."

A group of detectives walked in the room, talking amongst themselves in loud, bellowing male voices.

"Hey, who's that fox with Henderson?" Stewart nudged his partner, desperate for him to see what he was seeing.

"Where?" Hernandez asked, intently searching the room until his eyes came upon Henderson and a shrinking figure behind her.

"Oh God, don't let them see me," she said pleading with Henderson to shield her from view. Mac was instantly self conscious of her new hair cut and she could already hear the teasing from her fellow detectives, even though that had yet to make her out.

"Mac, is that you?" Hernandez asked trying to get a better look. It had to be Mac. The shrinking violet was sitting at Mac's desk wearing Mac's clothes. Hernandez moved in on her and pulled her into full view from behind Henderson. Mac stood, hiding behind her hands, refusing to show her face.

"Come on Mac, let me see." Hernandez pleaded with her. "We're gonna see sooner or later."

Henderson sat and watched completely dumbfounded at the now very shy Erin McKenzie. It was hard to believe that this was the same woman who had completely seduced her only moments before.

Erin took a deep breath and let down her hands and faced her fellow detectives. Thankfully her hands had blurred up her vision a little and everyone's face was out of focus. It helped to ease her anxiety a little, not knowing who was who.

"You look good." Jeff Hernandez smiled at his long time friend. A few whistles were the comments of other detectives while Stewart reddened at his earlier remark. He refused to admit that Mac was attractive.

"Thanks." Erin said, glad the momentary exposure was over.

……………… ………….. …………….. …………….. ………….. …………….. …

"So why so shy all of sudden back there?" Henderson threw over her shoulder as they walked to her full sized Blazer. They had left soon after the crowd had dispersed and Erin had been very grateful to step out into the scorching sun.

"I knew the guys would give me a hard time." She replied as she tugged her sunglasses free of her shirt and slid them on.

"You're not good with attention?" It was an important question as well as an observation. "You don't handle it well?" Henderson unlocked her black blazer with her remote.

"What's with the questions?" Erin burned her hand on the truck door as she climbed in. "And didn't anyone tell you not to buy a black vehicle in Valle Luna?"

Henderson pulled the large shade away from the windshield and tossed it in the back seat. She started the car and switched on the air, knowing it would blow hot for at least a few minutes. "If you can't handle attention, it could be a potential problem with Adams. You'll just have to get used to her showering you with attention and gifts. If you can't handle being the center of her universe for awhile, you had better tell us now." She glanced over at Mac and caught her profile, making sure she was listening and taking what she said into consideration. "And as for my black truck, hot is hot. A hundred ten, a hundred fifteen degrees, it's all hell to me. A couple of degrees doesn't make or break me. So I got black because it's what I liked."

Erin licked her lips and let Henderson's words float around in her mind. She silently wondered what kind of women the elusive detective liked, and whether or not she could ever be something Henderson wanted. She knew the thoughts were ridiculous but she felt relaxed in the deep heat of the vehicle and she allowed her mind the freedom to relive the kiss and to fantasize about Henderson and her blue eyes blazing with desire.

Henderson decided not to ask Mac any more questions for the remainder of the journey. She didn't want to overwhelm her right now. The younger detective would soon be overloaded with information and instruction.

"Do you live alone?" Erin knew they were headed for Henderson's house, although she wasn't sure why. Maybe they needed to talk more about personal issues. That thought made her stomach jump and she hoped Henderson didn't have a live in girlfriend. She was certain that what she felt for Henderson was written all over her face.

The question completely threw Henderson. "Yes, I live alone." She was sure she had told Mac the night before that there hadn't been anyone in a long time. She shook the thought of the previous night's encounter from her head. "Actually, that's not quite true."

Erin's heart sank at the comment. Why did this woman affect her so?

"I do share my home with another." Henderson grinned as she said it. She could sense Mac's discomfort as she pulled into her driveway and put the truck in park. "Come on in and you can meet him."

"Him?" Mac emphasized as she climbed down from the truck. Henderson was ahead of her walking through her garage to the interior door. The house was in a nice neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. By size it wasn't nearly as large as the one Erin lived in, but it was big enough with a trim front yard and well kept rose bushes flanking the garage.

Erin followed her inside and directly into the spacious kitchen. Deep red Spanish tile and oak cabinets gave the room a warm feeling and Erin instantly relaxed in her surroundings. The house was larger than she had ventured, sitting deep into a spacious backyard. Adjoining the kitchen was a sitting room with overstuffed sofas and a moderate size television.

"Mac, come here." Henderson called to her from a large living room in the center of the house. She was kneeling in front of another comfortable looking sofa, this one was tan leather.

"What are you doing?" Erin walked towards her, not sure what she would she find on the couch before Henderson.

She rounded the couch and stood next to Henderson. "This is Jack." A stark white Jack Russell Terrier slept peacefully curled into a tight ball. Erin smiled involuntarily at the little dog. He had one brown ear that matched his collar. That was the only color Erin could make out on him, the rest of him being completely white.

"That is the cutest thing I think I've seen in long time." She whispered, careful not to wake him. Mark despised animals, dogs and cats alike and forbade them from the house. "I'm not allowed to have animals…" She hadn't meant to say it aloud and she stopped herself from finishing the revealing and silly sentence.

"Not allowed?" Henderson repeated in disbelief. "Jesus, where do you live Alcatraz?"

"No, it's Mark…he doesn't like them."

"Ah, Mark's the warden." Henderson countered shaking her head truly sad for Mac.

Erin stared at the little dog who continued to sleep oblivious to their presence. "Why doesn't he wake up?" She asked with growing concern for the cute dog.

Henderson was looking at her with contempt, wishing she could make Mac see how crazy her living situation was. She looked back at her dog and considered Mac's question of concern. "Jack's deaf." Henderson replied and looked up at her with violet looking eyes.

"He's deaf?" Erin shook her head in disbelief. The thought had never crossed her mind that an animal might be stricken by something that to this point she had classified as merely a human trait.

"Yep, and by the looks of it, he's sleeping pretty good too. He usually wakes up long before now by feeling vibrations or by catching my scent." Henderson patted the couch next to the sleeping dog and Jack jumped nearly out of his skin. Henderson talked to him and comforted the excited dog with long scratches and rubs along his back.

"I know it's ridiculous to talk to him when he can't hear me, but I just can't help myself." Jack stretched for a brief instant and gave a Snoopy sounding yawn before he assaulted Erin with attention.

"I don't think it ridiculous. Not at all." In fact she had been momentarily smitten by Henderson and the love and tenderness she had shown the dog.

Jack licked her palm and jumped off the couch to follow the women into the kitchen. Henderson opened a cabinet and grabbed two glasses. "Iced tea ok?" She offered as Jack shot out the small dog door in the connecting T.V. room and out into the back yard.

"Please." Erin shook her head in agreement and sat on the tall stool at the bar facing Henderson as she poured the tea. "Thanks." She said as she took the glass from Henderson and sipped the refreshing liquid.

Jack shot back into the house like a rocket and carried a small ball in his mouth. Erin sat down her glass and threw the ball for him to retrieve several times.

"You better stop or you'll spoil him." Henderson watched the two entertain each other for awhile. "He'll never stop. You have to end it or he'll play all night long."

"I wish I had that kind of energy." Erin said smiling. Jack was trotting back towards her with the ball in his mouth when he suddenly stopped and dropped the ball. He turned towards the front door and began growling with the hair raised up on his back. Henderson stood and went to him.

"What is it?" Erin asked. The doorbell rang just as Jack began barking. Henderson went to the door and opened it and picked up a small box. Erin heard the parcel truck start up and drive away as Henderson shut the door behind her.

"Good boy." Henderson said as she made a hand signal at Jack. He wagged his tail and followed her into the kitchen where she gave him a treat.

"How did he know someone was here?" Erin was completely baffled at the small dog and his feats.

"Probably the vibrations of the big truck." Henderson took the box and cut it open.

"What was that hand signal you did?" She leaned forward from her position on the stool and tried to peer inside the box as Henderson retrieved a sharper knife.

"I trained him with hand signs." She cut the box better and pulled out a paperback book and set it on the counter. A packet of papers came with it and she began mindlessly flipping through them.

"No kidding? That really works?" Erin asked in awe.

"Sure does. He knows about thirty different signs." She tossed the box into the garbage and slid the book across the counter to Mac.

"Amazing." She said softly as she glanced down at the book. "What's this?" The book was entitled Deep by Katherine Chandler.

"Katherine Chandler is well known lesbian fiction writer." Henderson said as sipped her tea.

"Oh I get it, more research for me right?" She casually flipped the book over to read the back cover while silently wondering if it was any good.

Henderson laughed at the comment. "You're more right than you want to be Mac."

Erin looked up at her curiously. Henderson eyed the book and continued. "Erin Mackenzie you are now Katherine Chandler."

"What?" Erin was beyond shock. It just wasn't possible for so many different reasons. "What about the real Katherine Chandler?"

Henderson looked at her in silence for a moment before speaking. "You're looking at her."

This time Erin came up off the stool. "What?" She couldn't seem to think. Her mind reeled at the information and she grabbed the book and began looking for a picture of the author.

"You won't find a picture." Henderson walked into the great room and motioned for Erin to follow. Erin stood, watching Henderson in silence as she opened the cabinet on a large oak book case. She pulled out a box and brought it over to the coffee table.

Erin looked in it and found a dozen or so books inside. "I don't understand." Erin whispered.

"Please, sit." Henderson said as she herself sat near Erin on the leather sofa. "I've been writing for quite awhile now. Katherine Chandler is my pen name. Well, one of them anyhow. These are the eleven books I've written under Chandler. The twelfth you're holding in your hand there. That's an advance copy. It's not due for release until next month. Sergeant Ruiz and I thought Chandler might be the perfect identity for you."

"Ruiz knows?"

Henderson sighed. "Yes. He's the only one that knows though. I've kept it private for many years. No one else knows, other than my publisher." She rubbed her cheeks as she felt herself starting to flush with embarrassment. She had always been extremely private and the thought of Mac knowing and reading her work left her feeling more than a little exposed.

"Why do you keep coming to work? Why not write full time?" It was obvious that Henderson was talented and multi faceted to say the least.

"I love my job. Writing has always been an outlet for me, doing it full time wasn't an option." She didn't want to open up any more for Erin Mackenzie. She didn't want her to know that in writing about passion, romance and desire, she could somehow live through her characters thereby saving herself from going insane with loneliness. During her time off she would throw herself into creating a fantasy world in which she herself had the ultimate control, where love was real, and free flowing and mesmerizing.

"So why now? Why expose yourself now to Ruiz and to me and ultimately to this investigation?" Erin could see the huge wall of privacy that Henderson had worked so hard to build, and she wondered what could possibly cause her to tear it down.

Henderson looked away from Mac and thought about what she needed to tell her. Sighing she stood and began to pace. "Elizabeth Adams has to be stopped. Doing so is going to be more than difficult Mac. She's beyond clever, she's sharp. I knew you would need, in a sense, a real identity. Otherwise, she would find out and fairly quickly. You see, when she meets a woman who holds her interest, she goes to no ends to find out everything about her. Nowadays its known as stalking and it's highly intrusive. But she always gets her way and she has a lot of friends in high places who can't seem to tell her no. When you go in Saturday night and she sees you, you may not even see her and you'll answer your door the following morning facing a booming bouquet of red roses beckoning your return attendance to the club."

"Whoa." Erin said as she listened.

"Whoa is an understatement. From the moment you first catch her eye she'll know everything from where you live to how much money you make in a year, and how many pets you have."

"Doesn't all that scare women away?" It gave her the creeps and she couldn't fathom why women didn't run away from this Adams.

"No it doesn't. She doesn't let on to all that she knows. She picks and chooses from the information she has and she uses it to her advantage. For example, tomorrow night you'll catch her eye and she'll find out who you are. Katherine Chandler the writer. She'll start reading your books without letting you know that she knows."

"She's crazy."

"She's something all right." Henderson returned to her seat.

"I didn't read some of this in my file on her. How do you know so much?" Erin suddenly realized just how much Henderson did know and it was much more detailed than her file or even the notes that Henderson had given her on Adams. She knew Adams was notorious for having high powered friends and crude dealings with many of them. But Erin was starting to worry that she had been left out of the loop for some reason in regards to Adams and her ability to gain personal information on women and it terrified her.

"You're right; some of this isn't in the file. I'm telling you this because you're the one going in and you need to know."

"So, how is it that you know?" As soon as Erin asked it, she knew.

"Because I was once involved with her." Henderson replied softly. She had said it so quietly that Erin almost didn't hear her.

"Oh." Erin sat there in silence, embarrassed by her naivety.

"It was years ago and I'm not proud of it." Henderson said, making eye contact with Erin briefly before once again looking away while she spoke. "She has a way of sweeping a woman off her feet and making her feel like she's the only one in the world. She's very impressive Mac, but you can't forget that she's a predator and she does whatever it takes to get the woman she wants."

"What happens when she gets the woman she wants?" Erin didn't understand why Adams worked so hard to get women when she seemed to have them by the dozen.

"She usually only sleeps with them once or twice and then she moves on. It's all about conquering for her."

"Is that how it was with you, a one night stand?" Erin felt her stomach turn at the thought of Henderson being seduced by Adams. The look on Henderson's face was one of defeat and embarrassment and Erin realized her question was invasive. "I'm sorry, it was rude of me to ask."

"No, it's ok. You need to know. With me it was different. It lasted a few months before I found out she was messing around. I thought she was the woman of my dreams and when I realized she wasn't what she lead me to believe I got out."

"Why did it last longer with you?"

"Every once in awhile she meets a woman who interests her beyond sex. And she sees it as a game, she mistakes lust and the need to control for love. If the woman leaves her, like I did, she freaks out and becomes dangerously vengeful."

Henderson felt the blood leave her face as she relived the stalking and the messing with her finances and personal affairs. The hell she had been put through at the hands of Adams was unforgettable and terrifying. It had taken outrageous lawyer fees and months out of her life in order for her to safely move on. Her relationship with Adams had been her last. She just couldn't allow herself to trust anyone after Adams.

Erin saw the ashen look on Henderson's face and she thought briefly about moving closer to comfort her in her anguish. But before she could do so Henderson stood and dug the books out of the box and handed them to Erin. "You should probably read up as much as you can before Adams beats you to it."

All of the information was beginning to overwhelm her and fear pitted her insides. "What if Adams questions me about a book or a character and I can't remember anything?" Her cover would surely be blown. How could anyone expect her to pull this off as early as tomorrow night?

"That's actually pretty easy to handle. Just tell her you're very private about your writing, because remember you aren't going to offer her that information. She's going to find that information out on her own and without your permission."

Erin shook her head in agreement, thankful that she didn't have to worry about the books.

"We need to move on and talk about some other things. Come on." She motioned for Erin to follow her down the hall and into the master bedroom. Erin felt her face flush as she thought of the different topics that involved a bedroom. Henderson's perfume lingered in the air and it stirred adrenaline deep within her once again. The bed was large and inviting with goose down pillows and duvet. The oak wood floor matched the southwestern furniture and was accented with an Aztec rug. Erin cleared her throat nervously as she imagined Henderson nude in her soft bed adorned by candlelight.

Henderson didn't notice Mac's reaction, she walked into her closet, thankful that she could now think of something other than Adams. She reappeared with garment bags and set them on the bed. "I took the liberty of buying you some clothes to wear to the club."

Erin helped her unzip the bags and pull out the clothes.

"I thought this would be good for Saturday. Adams is throwing a party for some business guests from back east. So it's a wild west theme." Henderson hoped the sizes were right. She had guessed at Erin's size and found it very easy to do so. Erin was about her size only she had a little more muscle to her physique.

Erin eyed the outfit before her and her blush deepened at the thought of Henderson imagining her in the clothing. The jeans were faded and low rise to fit low on her hips. They looked to be slightly boot cut but nothing like the flare bottoms that were currently so popular. Next to the jeans was a camel color suede vest and Henderson opened up a large shoe box and pulled out a pair of suede cowboy boots to match. "I hope they fit."

"Where's the shirt that goes with the vest?" She didn't see anything on the bed that would work with the outfit.

"There is no shirt to go with the vest. It's meant to be worn alone." Henderson felt her heart rate quicken as she remembered back to picking out the vest and how she had imagined Erin in it.

"I see." Not wanting Henderson to think she was uncomfortable with the revealing outfit she promptly scooped up the clothes and headed towards the master bath. "I better try all these on to make sure they fit."

Henderson shoved her hands in the back pocket of her jeans. "Sure, I'll go scare up something to eat so feel free to use the whole room." She motioned for Jack to follow her but the dog hesitated looking first toward the master bath then back towards his owner. Letting her hands fall to her side she merely grinned at him, knowing how confused he must be at having someone else in the house.

She had just put the frozen lasagna in the oven when she heard Mac walk into the kitchen behind her.

"Hungry?"

Mac took her seat at the counter and smiled warmly. "Starved."

Henderson glanced over at her, not sure if Erin would be wearing the revealing outfit meant for Saturday. But she was relieved and slightly disappointed to see that Erin had changed back into her own clothes.

"Everything fit ok?" Henderson asked as she wiped the counter.

"Mmm, yes." Erin sipped her tea. "It all fit perfectly. How'd you know my size?"

Henderson swallowed hard and turned to rinse the dish cloth in the sink. She wasn't about to admit just how thoroughly she studied Erin's body.

"It wasn't difficult, you're about my size."

Erin sat and sipped at her tea. Henderson seemed uneasy and Erin hoped it wasn't because of her earlier escapade. She had obviously affected the detective but she didn't know if it was shock or attraction. Erin thought back to the photos of Adams and she bit her lip with a sudden wash of jealousy. Thinking of the gorgeous Adams with Henderson made her blood boil. And she realized that there was no way Henderson could ever be attracted to her. Adams was tall, dark and mysterious and devilishly beautiful. And not to mention, wealthy and powerful and extremely sexually confident.

And there she sat, shorter, blonder, and completely inexperienced in comparison to Adams. Even if by some miracle Henderson did find her attractive, she was married. Erin chewed a piece of ice nervously, not liking the feelings of inadequacy. She eyed her wedding ring and thought of taking it off when she got home. It represented lies and deceit and she was no longer willing to pretend.

"You want some more tea?" Henderson stood before her across the counter, friendly smile lighting up her face.

"Sure." Erin smiled back, truly taken in by her beauty. "So what are you cooking?"

"Lasagna." Henderson said somewhat proudly as she refilled her tea. "I'm just reheating some left overs. I hope you don't mind." She said as she began tossing a salad in a large bowl while stirring in a homemade vineregette dressing.

"Are you kidding? I rarely eat anything homemade."

"You don't like to cook?" Henderson asked, a little surprised.

Erin thought for a moment before answering. "I wouldn't say that. I guess I just never had a reason to. Mark and I are rarely home." She sat in silence for a moment, saddened by her home life.

Henderson sensed her change in mood and decided to change their topic. "So how did the suede vest fit?"

Erin looked up from her hands, grateful at the change in topic. "It fits, but it's a little snug."

Henderson smiled. "It's supposed to be form fitting." She said, looking up at Erin as she dished out the salad into serving bowls. "It's an attention getter."

"Ah, you mean girl bait." Erin said with a grin.

"Something like that." Henderson laughed. "You ready for some salad before the lasagna finishes?"

Erin shook her head and helped to carry the bowls and silverware over to small oak table.

They ate in silence for a few minutes when she realized she had a very important question for the more seasoned detective. "Won't Adams recognize you if you go in the club with me?"

Henderson took a sip of her tea noting that it needed a little more lemon. "Yes. But it won't alarm her. She knows we've been investigating her for weeks. Besides, she'll welcome police presence. It would show fear if she turned me away. And Elizabeth Adams never shows fear. It's a sign of weakness." Henderson stood and went to the over to retrieve the lasagna.

Erin pondered the information as she finished her salad. Henderson returned to the table with plates and a large bowl filled to the brim with steaming lasagna. She dished out a hearty portion for Erin and herself.

Erin took a bite of the cheesy pasta and let it melt into her taste buds. "Mmm, you are a great cook Henderson. You can cook for me anytime." She chewed gratefully at the homecooked meal, and marveled at how it can warm the soul.

Henderson swallowed hard at the statement even though she knew it was meant innocently. "Thanks, I enjoy it." It was true she didn't have anyone to cook for and the thought of cooking for Mac made her insides flitter with excitement. Making this meal with her in the house had warmed her and left her feeling content.

"Feel free to bring any leftovers to the station." Erin continued with a smile.

"Why the station? I can just cook for you here." Henderson looked up to sip her drink and she saw the red in Mac's cheeks and she suddenly felt the need to clarify. "After all, we will be working twenty four seven on this assignment, and there's no need for either of us to starve."

Erin swallowed, relieved that the tension between them had been momentarily squandered. "Those leather pants you got for me, when will I need to wear those?" The shiny, black leather outfit had fit her perfectly and she was very curious as to what event she would wear it to.

"Once a month is leather night at the club. Adams loves it. Everyone comes in various leather dress, the club is darker than usual, heavy music plays and all the local vampire wanna bees venture out of their caves to party with Adams."

"Sounds wild." Erin pushed her plate away, her stomach suddenly full with anxiety.

"Mm, it is." Henderson eyed Mac and detected her hesitancy. "You never partied much did you?" She pictured Mac as the goody goody type in high school. More than likely she was very athletic and very focused on her studies. So much so, that she probably had very little time for anything else, including boys.

Erin pondered the question, weighing whether or not she wanted to share her past with Henderson. But seeing as how Henderson had shared some of hers, Erin decided to share. "Some, when I was real young, like fourteen."

"Fourteen?" Henderson was more than surprised by the revelation.

Erin sighed. "I got mixed up with some older kids, mostly because I couldn't relate to the kids my own age. I started sneaking out at night and going to parties. This high school guy raped me and I told no one. My hidden pain eventually led to some drug use."

"Jesus." Henderson couldn't believe what she hearing. She felt incredible sorrow for the young and innocent Mac, the one that was lost way too soon.

"So anyway, my folks eventually found out and they sent me away to a clinic for teenagers. I was scared to death in that place and I straightened up real fast, just so I could get out." She looked down at her hands as she remembered back to that horrible time in her life.

"I'm so sorry." Henderson said softly.

"Oh, don't be." Erin said, not needing anyone to feel sorry for her. "It's long over and I've never looked back." They sat in silence for awhile and Henderson got up and cleared the table, letting Mac recuperate from her tale of teenage trauma.

Erin stood and stretched, trying to clear her mind of the tragic events of her teenage years. She hadn't thought about those years in a long while and she couldn't afford to think about them now.

"Let me clean up, you cooked." She had maneuvered around Henderson taking a wet dish from her hands at the sink. Henderson relented and stepped back letting Mac clean the kitchen. Cleaning always helped her to clear her head of negativity and she thought it may do the same for Mac.

"Just rinse them off and put them in the dishwasher." She wiped her hands dry on a dish towel and watched Mac continue to scrub the dishes, seemingly unhearing her. Shoving her hands in her back pockets she cocked her head and watched the blonde woman for awhile, not sure if she should be concerned. She considered talking to her, but she soon decided it best if she let Mac work through it on her own.

Grabbing some files on Adams along with a refill of iced tea, she headed out to her back patio to enjoy the heated remnants of the sunset. Jack followed suit and began hopping happily around the backyard, barking at his reflection in the swimming pool as well as imaginary, nonetheless vicious adversaries. Sitting down in a deck chair, she propped her heavy boots up on an opposite chair and began leafing through some surveillance photographs. The majority of the photos were of Adams and she paused and briefly scanned each one. She knew the hard body inch by inch and images of their heated love making flashed involuntarily in her mind. Steel blue eyes pierced hers as a powerful arm pumped between her legs.

"Tell me Patricia. Tell me how bad you want it."

She closed her eyes and recalled how easily Adam's could make her beg, the orgasm always seemingly centimeters away, leashed by the dark woman and completely under her restraint. When Adams did let go and allow her the orgasm, they were never anything less than earth shattering.

"Ummm, you felt so good Patricia, so tight."

"Hey, you ok?" Erin asked, coming to stand beside her. The mindless work of scrubbing the dishes had helped to clear her mind of the dark clouds, but now it appeared that Henderson might have some clouds of her own. Henderson opened her eyes and placed her feet on the ground. She tried to rub the heat from her face and she felt angered and frustrated at herself for allowing Adams to once again light her fire.

"Fine. A little hot I guess." She bent down and pulled off her boots and socks. "I was just going over some files." She stood and walked over to the pool and sat on it's edge. "I needed to talk to you about Kristen Reece."

Erin sat down in a deck chair and watched as Henderson rolled up her jeans and eased her feet down into blue green water. She thought back to files on the case and remembered the woman that Henderson was now speaking of. Kristen Reece was a tall, blonde bartender at La Femme and she had also starred in some of Adam's productions as well.

"What about her?" Jack ran over to her, the small ball dropping from his mouth to her lap.

"We think she's an accomplice."

Erin tossed the ball and watched him sprint after it. The news about Reece didn't come as a shock, she had suspected as much herself just from what she had read.

"You think she's the mysterious blonde the victims were last seen with?" She looked over at Henderson and noted how beautiful she looked sitting with the pool as her backdrop.

"Yes. Her and Adams have been involved for years. Adams took her out of an abusive home and gave her work. Reece would do anything for her."

Erin knew all that Henderson was telling. It was all in the file, but she let Henderson continue, knowing that what she wasn't yet sharing must be important.

"There's only one thing that can come between them. And if that happens, it will be a whole lot easier on us. If we can get to Reece, we'll have Adams hook, line and sinker."

"So what's the one thing?" Erin asked once again tossing a ball for Jack.

Henderson smiled and pulled her feet out of the pool. "Women."

"Women?" Erin scoffed, more than a little nervous at what Henderson was hinting at.

Henderson pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "She'll like you, Mac."

"Wait a minute…" Erin gulped and nearly choked. Going undercover to bait a woman was one thing, but creating some strange love triangle to bait two of them was a little more than she could handle.

Henderson held up a hand seeing that Mac was ready to run and hide. "It's simple. When you go in Saturday night, go after Reece."

"What about Adams?" Erin rubbed her hands on her jeans in a nervous gesture.

"It'll infuriate her."

"Why?"

"Because she'll want you for herself."

Erin pondered for a moment. "And what will Reece do?"

"Well let's hope she fights for you and get pissed off in the process."

Erin couldn't believe what she was hearing. It sounded like two dogs fighting over a scrap rather than two grown women.

"So you're hoping that I will provoke a fight between the two, drive a wedge in between the fierce loyalty?"

"Yes." Henderson stood and smoothed down her jeans. "You up for it?"

Erin looked over at her and chewed on her bottom lip. Was she? She looked down at her hands and considered her fear of failing. She weighed it against the stigma of quitting and decided to give it her best shot. What's a couple of dogs anyhow?

She shook her head yes.

"Good, let's go over the final plan." She sat down across from Erin and grabbed a spiral notebook and a pen. Jack jumped in the pool and stood on the top step lapping at the cool water. "Saturday night, at eight o'clock we meet at Katherine Chandler's residence."

"Which is where, by the way?" Erin asked, not yet knowing where it was she would be staying during the course of the assignment.

"I'm taking you there tomorrow morning. Are you packed?" Henderson chewed on the back of the pen.

"Mostly." She didn't require much and it would take less than an hour to gather her necessities.

"Ok," Henderson continued, reading off her notebook. "J.R. wires you and me for sound and we follow you to the club. You enter first and head over to the bar where you exchange with Reece. I enter several minutes later and shadow you." She stopped and looked up at Erin.

"Play hard to get with Adams, Mac. It'll intrigue her to no end."

Erin once again shook her head in silent agreement. It was all too much to remember and she swallowed back some anxiety. She breathed in deep, knowing that she needed to read all there was on this case and her target, and then relax. It was just like taking a big exam. Minutes before the exam, you either knew the material or you didn't and there was nothing that a few last minutes of cramming would help.

"The first night, Saturday, keep your contact with Adams minimal. Just enough to let her catch your scent and get out. Then, we'll go from there."

"Got it." Erin said while studying the orange and purple sky. This time Saturday night she would be getting ready to enter the club. Of all the things she had read and been told about this case, there was only one thing Erin was sure of.

She was getting in way over her head.

TBC

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