Marked for Love

by Hannah West

  “You’d be the first female Head Detective if you make it.”

  “I know.” Noelle smiled slightly. “I just - it’s not fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair.” Riley grimaced. “Eventually it’ll blow over. In a year or two, no one will care about your soulmate status. You don’t have to tell anyone.” He glanced at her wrist. Noelle covered it reflexively. How many people would see her out with Sara, and see their wrists, and know? How would it impact their lives, something so visible?

  “It’s going to come out sooner rather than later,” Noelle said, her voice whisper-quiet.

  Riley patted her back. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. We’ll make sure it won’t jeopardize the case.”

  “It’s not fair -” Noelle started.

  “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Riley repeated, his voice firmer this time. “I’ll worry about that, and you worry about the investigation.”

  Noelle sighed. “Fine.”

  They drove in silence to the crime scene. Noelle had volunteered to drive, testing her knowledge of the more elite parts of town. Murders didn’t happen often in this part of town, so she rarely was there. Riley watched the scenery go by. It was nice, not having to worry about mindless chatter - or what she was dealing with with Sara.

  “Almost there. Turn right, here.” Riley pointed out the driveway, not that it was necessary with the blinking red and blue of the patrol cars.

  “I can see,” Noelle said dryly. She turned in and parked not far from the house. “Is Samantha still there?”

  “She confessed, so they’re taking her to the precinct and processing her. She’ll be ready for interrogation by the time we’re done checking out the crime.” Riley nodded to Henry and Adam, the two cops they were relieving. “Anything interesting, boys?”

  Henry sighed and Adam ran a hand through his hair. “It doesn’t look like domestic violence. We can’t really be certain,” Henry said.

  “Can’t even say she killed him for his money,” Adam agreed. “No motive easily apparent. They’re bonded mates.”

  Noelle didn’t miss the way Adam glanced at her. She was certain she was going to get a lot of that.

  “Did she claim DV?” Noelle asked.

  Henry shook his head. “She clammed right up, asked for a lawyer.”

  “Interrogation might be a bit early of an idea, then.” Riley sighed. “Who’s crewing the forensics?”

  Henry and Adam exchanged looks. “Loryn.”

  “She’s not that bad,” Noelle said, raising her eyebrows.

  “I don’t know what’s gotten into her,” Henry said, “but she’s in a right mood. Just get your work done and get out of there.”

  “Safest for all involved,” Adam agreed.

  Riley nodded acknowledgment. “Finish up your reports back at the precinct. I expect them on my desk by the morning.”

  “Hardass as ever,” Adam said cheerfully. They nodded to Riley before walking past them towards the black and whites.

  Riley glanced around and then leaned closer towards Noelle. “The tenth anniversary of Loryn’s partner’s death is tomorrow.”

  Noelle’s heart clenched. “Oh.”

  Absently she thought of Lydia’s death, of the fact it was slowly inching towards a year. What would she do on that day? How much worse was it for someone like Loryn, who had known and loved her soulmate and then lost her to cancer? “Did you ever meet Loryn’s partner?” she asked Riley quietly.

  Riley nodded. “Loryn brought her to a couple police functions. Cara – that was her name – was the daughter of the director of police here.”

  Noelle hummed in acknowledgement, looking at the house with mild trepidation. There were media cars collecting outside, likely having been summoned by the clamour surrounding the house after Samantha’s arrest. At least they hadn’t arrived until they had gotten Samantha out of the house. Ambulance chasers. Noelle wrinkled her nose.

  “Let’s get inside,” Riley said, glancing back at the media circus forming. He turned to some of the patrol officers. “Blake, you and Jacob establish a perimeter and keep the media out of it.”

  “Yes sir,” Blake said. He and Jacob turned around and immediately went and talked to other sergeants who had gathered around outside.

  Noelle smiled. “Always fun, seeing you at work.”

  Riley rolled his eyes good-naturedly. “After you.”

  Noelle chuckled, then headed towards the door. Loryn met them just inside. Her normally taciturn expression was dark, and Noelle could understand at once what Henry and Adam had been afraid of. Immediately Noelle shifted, her posture becoming more professional. It wasn’t time for laughing or jokes anymore. “Hello, Loryn,” she said, trying to at least be cordial.

  Loryn frowned, then nodded to her and Riley. “Body’s being processed. Forensics hasn’t released it yet, figured we’d leave it for you. You have a few minutes before the coroner wants it.”

  Straight to work, like she always was. “Thanks. Anything else?”

  “No.” Loryn turned away from her, talking to one of the forensics techs that had come up besides her.

  Riley looked at Noelle and Noelle looked at Riley. It really was a bad day. “Let’s go upstairs,” he murmured. Noelle nodded, and they followed the trail of techs up the stairs.

  “Poor Loryn,” Noelle said quietly, glancing back at the brown-haired forensics tech. Did the others pity Noelle just as they pitied Loryn? Probably not. She had to tell herself that.

  Riley inclined his head. “It’s always a tragedy, when they were together for so long.”

  Considering the topic closed for the moment, Noelle reached the top of the stairs and glanced around the second floor. Samantha’s house was huge. How did she not get lost? “Any idea which room?”

  “The one with the police officer in front of it?” Riley raised his eyebrows and nodded towards the third door in on the left. One of the sergeants stood in front of it.

  “Hello, Emma.” Noelle smiled at the female sergeant.

  “Detective Richards.” Emma smiled. Noelle had talked with her once or twice, about being a female on the force. They were fond of each other. “And Detective Hanson. Nice to see you.”

  Noelle grimaced slightly. “Could be better circumstances, but. We make do, we always do.”

  Emma grinned. “That’s true.” She glanced back at the scene she was guarding. “It’s gruesome,” she said, her voice more solemn. “Blood’s starting to dry.”

  Riley didn’t let his expression shift. Noelle envied his professionalism. “Isn’t that nice of it.”

  Emma nodded slightly and then stood to the side so that they could pass. “Need anything from me?”

  “Not yet,” Noelle said, glancing at Riley for confirmation. “We’ll call you if we do.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Emma nodded to her and then assumed her watch position, scanning the hall diligently. Noelle smiled.

  Riley led the way into the bedroom, stopping not far into the door. Noelle followed, her eyebrows raising as she caught sight of the crimson splatter. “Bludgeoned to death,” she said quietly.

  “No, really?” Riley drawled. “I didn’t notice.”

  Noelle rolled her eyes and walked around the techs taking pictures. For all that it was just the master bedroom, it was a huge bedroom - big enough for several techs to be working and to have room for them. “Looks open and close,” Noelle said, judging the blood spatter and the body.

  The roughly thirty five, forty year old male was laying on the bed, face-down in crimson-stained bedding. Blood spatter adorned the ceiling and the walls by the bed - and the floor, and the dresser. The killer must have used broad strokes. Odd for a female. Maybe she was strong. Noelle hummed to herself as she came closer, steeling herself once she got near the body. The corpse was dressed in pyjamas - consistent with an evening-time murder.

  “We’ll know more once we talk to Samantha,” Riley said, standing not too far away.

 
Noelle nodded absently. “The killer was strong.”

  “And tall, too.” Riley pointed to some of the spatter. “Not consistent.”

  “Coroner’s ready to take the body,” Loryn said from the doorway. Noelle didn’t jump, but it was a near thing. She turned to look back at her.

  “We’re nearly done,” Noelle said, smiling an apology to her and turning back to the body. There was something off about the situation, about the confession, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. Still, there was time for that back at the station. The man seemed - stiff. Not in a rigor mortis sort of way, but in that he didn’t look like he was reacting to anything when he was killed. That was mostly consistent with being killed while asleep. Interesting.

  “Anything else?” Loryn asked, her voice brusque.

  Noelle and Riley exchanged glances. “Nothing I can think of,” she said.

  Riley shrugged. “We’ll know more from the coroner,” he said.

  “We’re done,” Noelle said to Loryn with a nod and a faint smile.

  “Then you can leave,” Loryn said coolly.

  Noelle had to breathe in and out, remind herself not to take it personally. It wasn’t her. It was the circumstances. “Let us know what you find,” she said, then led the way out of the room. She nodded to Emma as she passed.

  “Back to the precinct?” Riley asked good-naturedly, not ruffled at all by Loryn’s behavior.

  “We have a long day ahead of us,” Noelle agreed. She just hoped she would be done early enough to go to Sara’s for dinner.

  Chapter Ten

  Noelle knocked on Sara’s door, exhausted to the bone. She held take-out in her other hand. As tired as she was, it felt like a breeze could knock her over. Between not sleeping well and then being in interrogation for the past several hours, she was well and truly strung out.

  Sara opened the door, her smile quickly morphing its way to concern. “Are you okay?”

  Noelle tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace. “Work,” she said with a shrug. It was, and always would be, work. “Might have to go back in in the morning.” Extra shifts were a given. It had been Riley who had kicked her out of the department when she had tried to keep working.

  Sara ushered her into the house, as quickly as she could when walking was still slow. “I’m sorry.”

  Noelle turned to look at her, her eyes softening. “Could be worse. How are you doing?”

  Sara scowled and fingered the hem of her easy to put on clothes. “Could be better. Still can’t manage to bend very much. It very much limits the wardrobe options.”

  “And the ability to change your wardrobe.” Noelle managed a slight smile. Sara had worn the same handful of outfits since she had gotten injured. “You look cute.”

  “I managed to change my shirt this time.” Sara made a face.

  “Any luck with the bra?” Noelle carried the take-out inside and sat it on the table. “I brought your favorites.”

  “None,” Sara said, following Noelle into the kitchen. “Well. Limited. But it’s hard to quantify.”

  Noelle chuckled. “You talk like an academic.”

  “I was an academic.” She kissed Noelle on the cheek and began sorting out the takeout.

  Noelle was quiet for a moment. “Did you hear Samantha Kennedy was arrested?”

  Sara turned to look at her, nodding. “It’s been on the news for the past several hours.” She rolled her eyes. “Bet that case is a nightmare.”

  Noelle sighed. “It is.”

  Sara was quiet, studying Noelle in near-silence. “That’s your case?”

  Noelle nodded. “Riley and I are lead.”

  “How did you make it out of the media circus without being spotted?” Sara raised her eyebrows, incredulous.

  “Well. I did. Riley’s taking the spokesperson role. I just work behind the scenes.” Noelle smiled.

  “Still, you’re not going to get out of testifying.” Sara had stopped messing with the take out containers.

  Noelle hadn’t told her what had happened at the courtroom. There hadn’t been a point. It wasn’t Sara’s fault.

  “I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.” Noelle said, leaning in and kissing Sara on the cheek. Sara handed her a plate of takeout. “Did you get the movie?”

  Sara lifted it off the counter and showed it to her. “Got it right here.” It was a rom-com that they hadn’t seen yet. “Looks good.”

  Noelle grinned. “It is good.”

  Sara raised her eyebrows. “Have you seen it already?”

  Noelle giggled, feeling lighter than she had all day. “No, just the previews.” She kissed Sara before heading into the living room, the plate of takeout in her hand. Sara followed, settling on her side of the couch. It felt weird to cuddle and eat.

  “I’ll do the movie in a bit.” Sara waved a hand at it. “So this is a big case?” she asked, tilting her head.

  Noelle nodded. “High profile, the works.”

  “It’s amazing that you were chosen to work on it.” Sara smiled proudly.

  Noelle couldn’t help but blush a little bit. “I wouldn’t have been if Riley wasn’t my partner.” Sara tilted her head. “I’ve broken a lot of cases lately. The department thought with him by my side, I’d stay out of trouble and make them look good.”

  “Stay out of trouble?” Sara raised her eyebrows.

  Noelle sighed, ate a bite of her food. “The bosses are still very much a ‘boy’s club’. I want to move up the ladder. Some of the other detectives don’t necessarily approve of me being where I am.”

  “Thus you being in the background.”

  “Well, that and the fact I’ve only been a detective for five years.” Noelle shrugged her shoulders.

  Sara hummed thoughtfully. “Is it rare for new detectives to work high profile cases?”

  “Well. Brand new, yeah. I’m getting there. Normally it’s the guys.” Noelle smiled at Sara. She was proud of herself, that much was for sure.

  “Medicine’s a lot different,” Sara said absently. “Fewer promotions. Unless you want less clinical work.”

  “Which you don’t?” Noelle raised her eyebrows.

  Sara laughed. “I already have enough paperwork.”

  Noelle rolled her eyes dramatically. “I know, right?”

  Sara bit back giggles, smiling. “Time for the movie?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Sara sat aside her food and stood with a grimace, picking up the movie and putting it in her player. Noelle watched her, distracted by the grace with which she moved - and in all honesty, by the way her slim jeans fit. Sara turned back to see her watching. “Like what you see?” she asked dryly.

  Noelle averted her eyes, studiously focusing on her food and trying not to blush.

  “Are you staying the night?” Sara asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as she sat down.

  Noelle swallowed. Maybe. She could. Unless she had to go back in tomorrow. In theory, she should. “I have to work tomorrow,” she said, apologetic.

  “You could stay and shower here,” Sara said quietly. “Not saying you have to,” she said hastily. “Just - in case you wanted to.”

  “I’d like that,” Noelle said with a shy smile. She could borrow Sara’s pyjamas again, and then re-dress in last night’s clothes, go home, and shower. “I’ll probably spend most of the next few days at work.” She grimaced.

  Sara settled back down on the couch, grimacing as she started the movie. “At least with shift work, when I go home, I’m home.”

  Noelle nodded agreement. “That’s the advantage of having a partner. A case isn’t completely neglected if I’m not working.”

  “How do you not work all the time?” Sara grimaced.

  Noelle considered the question. It was something she had struggled with, years ago. When she had first started and was primarily taking cold cases, it had been just her. If she wasn’t following leads or talking to witnesses, few other people were. She had been committed to her
job, making a name for herself. Plus - it was hard, seeing the families without any sort of resolution. Eventually she had gained current cases, mixed up her time. “It’s hard.”

  Sara reached out and put a hand on Noelle’s arm. “I can only imagine.”

  Noelle smiled apologetically, went back to eating as she tried to catch up on the movie.

  By the time it was over, their plates were on the table and Sara was dozing, stretched out against Noelle. She was taking less pain meds now, but she still took over the counter meds if her pain got to be too bad. Noelle leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head. “Wake up, sleepy head,” she murmured.

  Sara’s eyes fluttered open, sweeping the room before fixing on Noelle. “I fell asleep.”

  Noelle smiled. “That you did.”

  “Did he get together with him in the end?” Sara yawned and slowly, carefully rubbed her eyes with a hand.

  “He did.” Sara had fallen asleep before the end, in which - well, in that case, the man had gotten the man. “We’ll watch it again sometime, when you’re more awake.”

  “I am awake now,” Sara said through a huge yawn. “That hurts.”

  “How’s your chest doing?” Noelle asked, wrapping a gentle arm across Sara’s middle as a sort of hug.

  Sara made a face. “Could be worse.”

  Noelle chucked, kissing her head. “Slowly getting better?”

  “Slowly.” Sara yawned again.

  “Bedtime?” Noelle quirked her eyebrows.

  Sara smiled reproachfully. “I’m not up for much fun, sorry.”

  Noelle laughed and hugged her gently, trying not to hurt her ribs at all. “I’m okay with that.” Gently she helped Sara sit up. “Do you need help with your pyjamas?”

  Sara tried not to scowl as she stood up. “I’m not a child.” She winced. “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay.” Noelle stood, clasping her hands behind her back so she didn’t reach out and help. “I don’t like depending on others, either.”

  Sara smiled an apology and Noelle leaned in, kissing her briefly. “Can I borrow your pyjamas?” Noelle asked.