"I"m not the one who deserves an apology, Sergeant."
"Right, ma"am, I"ll see to it immediately."
Keri grabbed her reports and dashed toward the lineup area, unable to keep the smile off her face. For the first time in her career, somebody had called one of the boys on his s.e.xist behavior. Alex had sliced Barnes like a zero-degree wind chill. She would"ve probably done the same for any other of cer, but Keri was glad it had been for her.
Barnes stuck his head in the door as he pa.s.sed the squad room. He shot her a blistering stare and mumbled, "Morgan, sorry about earlier, you know, the b.u.t.ton." His squinty face was splotchy and contorted with anger.
Keri felt vindicated, but before she could reply, Barnes vanished.
Knowing there"d be h.e.l.l to pay for that apology, she gathered her equipment bag and walked the frayed carpet path from the squad room to the parking exit. A suffocating blanket of heat and exhaust fumes enveloped her when she kicked open the metal door to the parking deck. Not far from her, Alex was rearranging something in the trunk of an unmarked Crown Victoria.
Keri dropped her bag beside her patrol vehicle, took a deep breath, and approached. "Excuse me, Lieutenant."
Alex closed the trunk and turned, her piercing eyes momentarily devoid of their customary defenses. Keri noted the up-and-down evaluation of her body. The intensity of it unnerved her and she shifted uncomfortably. She inhaled the light musk fragrance already embedded * 29 *
in her olfactory memory, the subtly commanding fragrance she recalled from earlier. It de ned this woman.
"Yes, Of cer Morgan?"
The openness of her gaze caught Keri off guard. Reluctant to break the connection, she said, "I just wanted to say thank you. I mean, I wasn"t eavesdropping. I appreciate what you did for me with Sergeant Barnes."
With a blink, the contact was broken and her customary guarded faade was in place. "You shouldn"t have heard that, Morgan. Women have a hard enough time in this job. I just think we should try to keep the playing eld as even as possible."
Keri couldn"t believe it. The woman sounded almost sincere.
"Well, I appreciate it, but I don"t want any trouble."
Alex regarded Keri with a mixture of what appeared to be curiosity and confusion. "I"m afraid I don"t understand."
"I don"t want to le a complaint against my sergeant."
"That won"t be necessary. I observed the violation myself, so if any charges were going to be brought, I would do it. You needn"t worry."
"Good, just so we"re clear." Keri hesitated, trying to decide if and how to broach her next subject. No guts, no glory, she nally concluded.
"So, I guess the fact that a councilman"s daughter is our latest victim elevates the case to APE status."
Blood drained from Alex"s face. Her brown eyes turned to deep pools of pure sadness and welled with tears. One of her hands attened against the side of her vehicle as though she needed support.
Keri knew without a doubt that she"d said something terribly wrong. "I meant an acute political emergency. You know, bad case, bad press."
Alex"s lips moved but no sound emerged. A quick ick of her hand dispatched a single tear.
Keri wanted to hug her and erase the anguish so painfully etched into her delicate features. She stepped closer, the sorrow drawing her in. "My G.o.d, you knew her, didn"t you? I"m so sorry. I had no idea."
The ever-present icy exterior had vanished before her eyes and Keri saw a woman deeply affected by the death of a friend. She watched in disbelief as Alex straightened, nodded in af rmation, and regained control of her crumbling faade.
Alex nervously combed the sides of her auburn hair with her * 30 *
ngers. "She interned for me last summer. Stacey is-was a wonderful young woman." Her voice cracked at the end and she turned to open her car door.
"I"m really sorry, Lieutenant. We"ll catch this guy. Don"t worry."
"Thank you for that, Morgan." Alex closed the door of her Crown Victoria and started the engine.
"Have a nice day, ma"am."
Keri waited for her to drive off before strolling back to the patrol car. She couldn"t believe the glimpse of uncharacteristic emotion she"d seen from Alex. Was it possible she"d misjudged the lieutenant? She had to admit she was now more intrigued than ever about her, yet despite that unguarded moment and the fact that Alex had taken up for her with Sergeant Barnes, a nagging feeling remained. Keri didn"t trust Alex"s motives, and she doubted that would change anytime soon.
v Alex pushed open the oak front door of her ranch-style house with her sneaker-clad foot and dropped her briefcase. As she did most evenings, she took in the collection of inherited antiques mingled with junk that served as furnishings and vowed to have a tag sale. It was time to upgrade her home and her life. Both had been prisoners of the past for too long.
Her body ached with physical fatigue, and a deep sadness clung to her like a wet woolen pea coat. She couldn"t shake the image of Stacey Chambers"s body, lifeless and frozen in an epileptic twist of dis gurement. It was hard to comprehend how that once lively young woman had been taken away. Alex was convinced Stacey"s death was not from a self-administered overdose. Whatever had happened, someone else was responsible, either deliberately or accidentally. She needed to know who was with Stacey immediately before she died, and exactly what was going on at that community watch meeting.
Alex slumped into her father"s worn leather recliner and rested her head in her hands. She and Stacey hadn"t been close personal friends but they"d formed a bond of mutual respect and appreciation. They shared an understanding of dedication to purpose and service for the greater good. This was a young woman who would"ve made a difference in the world. Alex lost track of time as the tears started without invitation and * 31 *
refused to stop. Memories of Stacey"s laughter, her plans for the future, and her compa.s.sion for others faded with the sobs Alex had held in all day.
The world sucks, she thought as she slammed her sts against the chair arms and rose to pace her cluttered living room. Whoever did this to Stacey would not go unpunished. She owed it to her and the other young people who had died before realizing their potential. She wanted this killer of dreams and purveyor of poison to rot in prison for the rest of his natural life. Better yet, she wanted him to do something stupid and invite a bullet.
For the first time in her career, Alex considered the risks she was willing to take in order to make this case. The very idea of anything illegal, immoral, or unethical grated at her nature, but she wondered if her strict adherence to the rules all these years had allowed others like Sonny Davis to go unpunished. Other of cers occasionally skirted procedures or bent the rules, and didn"t the end justify the means, especially if the end result was justice? The thought sent a shiver up her spine.
Her mind ashed unwanted pictures of Keri Morgan"s unenc.u.mbered b.r.e.a.s.t.s under that tank top. She wondered if the skimpy attire had been the result of a wardrobe oversight or an intentional effort to attract attention as she came into work. Alex tried to dodge her wayward thoughts as she walked to the bathroom. The old reel-to-reel answering machine on the phone stand in the hallway blinked that she had a message waiting. She ignored it. All she wanted was a hot shower to soothe her aching muscles followed by a vodka tonic to erase Keri Morgan from her mind.
She turned on the hot water and undressed. How could she possibly work with Keri on the task force when Keri gave her killer looks like today? Not to mention the fact that Alex had physically craved her b.r.e.a.s.t.s not six hours earlier. What a mess. Questionable professional ethics were bad enough, but add to that Keri"s... Alex struggled for the right word. She was just too d.a.m.n...vibrant.
You"re making no sense at all, Alex chastised herself. One of the reasons she was drawn to Keri was that she bristled with life. Alex hadn"t felt that energy in herself or anyone else for a long while. She showered and dressed without wasting time, then wandered out to the * 32 *
hallway and mashed the rewind b.u.t.ton on her blinking machine. The tape backed up with a slow whirring growl, then began its delivery.
"h.e.l.lo, gorgeous, it"s Helen."
Alex jabbed the rewind b.u.t.ton and stared at the phone. She suddenly hated the antiquated technology that prohibited immediate erasure of that deadly sweet voice. But she"d been unable to part with her father"s only concession to the high-tech age in their home.
Alex rattled off a list of reasons Helen Callahan might call her.
Maybe she"d already heard about the task force and wanted to horn in on the political action. Or perhaps she was just h.o.r.n.y and thought Alex was weak enough to entertain the idea of having s.e.x with her again.
The most likely reason was that she was drunk and lonely again. Alex dropped into a turquoise vinyl chair at her kitchen table and stared at the Formica and chrome top, feeling as dated as the hand-me-down dinette set. Different emotions warred in her mind. She knew what was coming every time she allowed herself to remember Helen: seductively promising words followed by the skillfully manipulative hands and mouth, ending with the inevitable knife to the heart.
Helen had strolled into the Granville detective division ve years ago, a newly promoted Layton PD lieutenant, with an in-your-face con dence. She was supervising an organized crime task force involving the two agencies. Methodically working the room, she shook hands with everyone, saving Alex for last. Helen"s ve-foot- ve frame was perfectly accentuated in a navy suit. Her beauty was topped off with blond hair and blue-gray eyes that pierced Alex"s soul.
When their hands touched, Alex was captivated by Helen"s warmth and seductive charm. They quickly became inseparable, making excuses for unnecessary meetings just to see each other.
Two weeks later they made love for the first time in the lift of Helen"s building, and Alex was undeniably lost. Even now, she couldn"t escape the vivid memory. She didn"t even bother to ght it; she simply gave in, letting herself drift back in time. Helen had punched the Stop b.u.t.ton. The tiny wood-lined cubicle jolted to a halt and Alex"s breath caught in her throat as Helen pressed her against the wall. She ripped Alex"s blouse from her jeans and quickly unfastened the b.u.t.tons. Her lips were hot and hard against Alex"s b.r.e.a.s.t.s, sucking and biting them into erection. Alex"s knees trembled and her c.l.i.t ached with pulsing * 33 *
beats. She tried to regain her composure and calm the re that threatened to blind her to all sense of decorum. Her protests were pointless.
Helen said, "I have to f.u.c.k you right now. I can"t wait."
Alex had melted into her arms, moisture gathering between her legs. No one had ever been so desperate for her.
Helen unzipped Alex"s jeans and slid her hand into the slippery warmth. "See? You want me."
"But we"re almost to your apartment." Alex struggled to move away but Helen lowered her to the oor and pinned her. She was vulnerable. It turned her on and Helen knew it.
"You"re so wet. I know you want it as badly as I do."
"But the alarm...people will come." The fear of interruption only served to heighten Alex"s arousal.
"It"s broken. f.u.c.k them anyway. I only care about you."
Helen"s mouth covered hers with bruising kisses as her hand claimed Alex"s center. She rode Alex"s thigh as her ngers plunged deeper and deeper inside. Her expert hands stroked Alex with such intensity that the sensations uctuated between pleasure and pain. Alex could feel Helen"s need to have her, to possess her. She wanted to please Helen, but something held her back.
"You"re safe with me, Alex. Let go for once in your life."
And G.o.d help her, she did. Alex had wanted to trust someone to love her and take care of her. She"d grown weary of always being on guard, never feeling safe. Need that intense must have been love.
She gave in to the feeling. Desire overtook her and physical pleasure became her only goal.
Helen felt her response and drove her ngers deep inside, making Alex"s body burst into a wave of light. Tears, sweat, and come spotted the elevator oor as Helen continued to devour her. Alex had never imagined such pa.s.sionate physical grati cation.
As their bodies trembled, Helen whispered, "You"re mine now."
If Alex had only known the literal intent of those words. She had trusted Helen totally and felt safe. She"d surrendered to the emotional involvement and craved the s.e.xual excitement. Helen had lled a void, and Alex had allowed her to control their life together. The four-year exchange aroused pa.s.sion and volatility beyond Alex"s wildest imagination and nightmares. Ultimately it almost destroyed her. Helen was a violent alcoholic, who came from a long line of similar relatives.
* 34 *
Her obsessive jealousy had isolated Alex from friends and family. Alex"s attempts to extricate herself from their relationship always ended in a scream-fest followed by threats of further violence.
How could she have been so stupid? And why did she still feel drawn to Helen?
Maybe it was because everyone she loved had left her all at once. Helen had dumped her for another woman a week after Alex"s parents were killed in the crash of their private company plane. She felt orphaned and abandoned, and she knew that made her vulnerable.
She didn"t trust herself right now and she certainly couldn"t trust other people. Self-pleasuring and anonymous s.e.xual liaisons satis ed her physical needs. Intimacy was an indulgence she couldn"t allow.
Alex picked up the phone and ordered a pizza. As she waited for the delivery, she agonized again over the same old questions. How could she have trusted Helen so completely? When did her judgment go so off track? Her heart ached with the loneliness of too much control and too little hope. Maybe it could be different. I may be bruised, but I"m not broken. Perhaps it was time to nd out. She allowed the thought to sit with her for a moment before common sense rea.s.serted itself.
No, the only true safety was in maintaining distance and not getting involved.
* 35 *
* 36 *
CHAPTER THREE.
Alex was about to check off when she heard the hostage situation call. She"d attended two afternoon lineups and three night-shift a.s.semblies and had been running calls for the past three hours. She wanted to nd the other candidate for the task force ASAP, and seeing of cers in action was a good start. She fought the urge to respond directly to the scene. The eld was not her command, and male egos were fragile.
"Dispatch, this is Lieutenant Troy. I"m in the vicinity. I"ll be at the staging area."
She pulled into the Quick Stop parking lot at Cypress and Fourth, threw her jacket in the backseat, and took a ballistic vest from the trunk.
She pulled it over her shirt as she approached of cers already at the staging area.
Great, Keri thought, that"s all I need, Lieutenant Hard-a.s.s looking over my shoulder again. As if one hostage taker isn"t enough. She crouched at the corner of the residence behind a row of dense pampas gra.s.s, her pulse pounding as she awaited further instructions. She could hear the television next door, a barking dog, and even crickets in the gra.s.s with pinpoint clarity. Worst-case scenarios ashed through her mind and she played each out to its logical conclusion. Her skin tingled with sensitivity as the seconds crawled.
"All units on the scene..." The dispatcher"s voice had gone up an octave. "We just received a call from a relative of the reported victim that the male subject at this address is holding a female hostage and threatening to kill her if anyone interferes. They say he"s hooked on * 37 *
meth and sounded high. For information only, our original call came from the victim. She advised he has a gun."
Sergeant Barnes arrived at the command post as Alex was reviewing a sketch of the street with the zone of cer. "Lieutenant, I didn"t realize you"d be here." His clipped tone made it clear her presence was neither necessary nor welcome.
"You didn"t realize we"d have a hostage situation, either."
Barnes. .h.i.tched up his utility belt. "I checked on the way over and the Special Response Team is out on another situation. It could take two hours to get back. We need viable intel ASAP, and Morgan"s in a perfect position to serve as forward point."
A tinge of something unfamiliar sneaked into Alex"s usually awless, operational mind. "Do I detect some reservation about sending her in?" She wasn"t sure if she was asking herself or Barnes.
Barnes"s lips tightened as he offered the explanation. "Morgan always volunteers for these types of a.s.signments. She can get emotional.
I don"t think she"ll act unless she has to, though."
Alex questioned his motives. Would he make that comment about a male of cer? "What kind of a.s.signments?" p.r.i.c.kling hairs on the back of her neck indicated she knew the answer.
"Anything dangerous. If you ask me, she"s got something to prove."
"It"s your call, Sergeant." It galled Alex to give him control of the situation. "I"d suggest you make sure she understands not to engage the subject unless directed to do so. If he"s on meth he"ll be extremely volatile. Also, get some of cers on the other corners of the house and a backup for her. If this guy bolts we need to be on his tail."
Keri listened to Barnes"s instructions while she scoped out a position nearer the house. Just because she couldn"t go in didn"t mean she couldn"t get as close as possible. She needed to know what was going on inside. She skirted across the patchy lawn, attened herself against the concrete foundation of the building, and called in her location. The partially opened window she squatted beneath offered an excellent vantage point. She was close to danger; it permeated the air.
"Car 260, can you tell us anything?" Barnes asked Keri by radio.
"There"s a car in the driveway, older Buick with no tags. It looks like it"s been here a while and- Stand by. I hear something."
* 38 *
Alex felt beads of perspiration forming under her vest in spite of the cool night air. Screams from inside the house could be heard in the background of Keri"s transmission.
"Sarge..." Keri"s voice was barely audible. "It sounds like he"s a.s.saulting her right now. Permission to go in."
Through the open window, Keri heard the pleading voice of a woman. "I just wanted you to get some help. These drugs are going to kill you."