The Killing Room

by Gerri Hill

  “Jake, we’re not going to talk just yet.” Nicole pulled the T-shirt over her head and tossed it on the floor. “Come to bed.”

  Jake was speechless. She felt like a fumbling teenager, not a woman in her late thirties. Jesus, she was a cop, for God’s sake! But she had no resistance. She pulled her own T-shirt over her head, standing there clad only in a pair of navy panties. Without another thought, she slid them down her thighs, conscious of Nicole’s eyes following their path.

  Jake lifted the covers and slid next to Nicole, pulling her close. Nicole immediately snuggled against her, wrapping her arms around Jake. They just held each other, flesh on flesh, breathing the same air.

  “I was scared tonight Jake,” Nicole whispered. “And I needed you.”

  “I’m right here.”

  “Yes. Right here.” Nicole lifted her head, soft lips gently kissing Jake’s neck, moving slowly across her jaw, finally finding her lips. “I just want you to make love to me… make me feel alive, Jake.”

  Jake’s arms tightened, trying to ignore the ache between her legs. She rolled them over, settling between Nicole’s thighs. Without another word, her mouth found Nicole’s breast and she lost the little resolve she still clung to.

  CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

  Jake opened her eyes, instantly aware of the woman curled beside her. She lay flat on her back, Nicole snuggled at her side, arm wrapped around Jake’s midsection. She let her breath out slowly, mentally reliving the night. They had talked some, yes, talked about the case. But hands wouldn’t stop touching, lips wouldn’t stop seeking. She closed her eyes, her arms tightening around Nicole.

  How had it come to this? At her age, how did she become so… insatiable? It wasn’t like other partners hadn’t wanted sex all night long. Heather, in fact, ten years her junior, had begged for it. Jake had tried to keep up, really she had. But it was a halfhearted attempt. Nicole however, could take Jake places she had never been. And a rather pleased part of her knew that she did the same to Nicole.

  But what did that mean? They were good in bed? That much was obvious. But the ties ran deeper for Jake and she suspected they did for Nicole, too. But, Nicole was damn near closeted. Where in the world would Jake fit into her life? What they shared in bed was most likely all they could ever share. As Nicole had said numerous times, Jake was not her normal date.

  Lost in thought, she was startled when warm lips covered a nipple. With her eyes closed, she felt Nicole’s hand slide across her skin, and Jake’s hips involuntarily rose to meet that hand. Insatiable? Yes.

  But Nicole simply touched her, that lazy hand moving over her thighs, pausing briefly at the now healed scar, and back up again, finally resting on Jake’s breast.

  “Are you teasing me?”

  Jake felt Nicole smile against her breast. “No. Just… touching you.”

  Nicole sat up, resting her head in the palm of her hand as she watched Jake, her other hand still drawing lazy circles around Jake’s nipple.

  “You’re not sorry, are you?”

  Jake raised her eyebrows. “Sorry?”

  “That we… made love. I know, the night before, you thought it was a mistake.”

  Jake smiled. “It’s a mistake if my lieutenant finds out.”

  “Rick was okay with this?”

  “No, not really.” Jake sat up, too, leaning against the head-board. “I told him that I could keep this separate. And I think that I can. It’s just that I’ve not ever had to try before.”

  “Yes. But this case might be over in a day, a week,” Nicole shrugged.

  “Yeah. It could be over soon.” And then what? Would Nicole just walk out of her life again? Most likely. “We hope it’s over soon, anyway. Five murders to pin on this guy are enough, and I know you’re ready to get your life back to normal.”

  Nicole attempted to smile. Back to normal? Back to her lonely house, and the never-ending stream of blind dates? Back to her life… where there was no place for Jake. Strangely, that thought made her heart ache.

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  Jake pointed at the gray metal chair next to her desk. Nicole obediently took a seat, nodding once at Rick. Jake logged into her computer, wanting to check e-mail before the lieutenant was around. She hoped Steven had found something.

  “Did you have a good night?” Rick asked quietly, unable to keep the smirk off his face.

  “I’m guessing it was better than yours.” Jake looked up and met Nicole’s eyes. She felt a sudden sense of loss, of regret. Yeah, as they’d said, it would be over soon. Nicole would go back to wearing her power suits and too much makeup, and Jake would simply fade from her life. Jake knew it was true, but it was hard to reconcile that with the Nicole she saw now. The woman sitting at her desk in blue jeans, sweatshirt, and hiking boots—hair still rumpled and wind-blown—was not the Dr. Westbrook Jake knew she would transform into. No, the woman sitting here now was the one that Jake wanted to haul back to her cabin and snuggle with in front of the fire. She was the one that Jake wanted to make love to as the snow fell in the mountains, the one that Jake wanted to sink into the hot springs with. Jake’s heart ached as she realized that Nicole was the one she’d been searching for, waiting for. The one she wanted to share her life with. And she was also the one person she knew who could never share her life. Damn, but God and his jokes.

  “Maybe. But at least I got some sleep.” He lowered his voice. “You two look like you didn’t sleep at all.”

  Jake ignored him and scanned her e-mail for something from Steven. There were two. The first at midnight. The second at two-thirty a.m. Damn. Stevie was like a dog after a bone.

  “Got a couple of e-mails from Steven,” she said, opening up the first one.

  Found your dead time, Jake. July 23, 1999. 9:47 p.m., there are 93 seconds missing. This was hard as hell to find. I’m going to find a back-door into 911 now and crossmatch the date/time and see what shakes. I’ll be in touch.

  “He found it,” she said, looking at Rick. “Nine forty-seven. July 23, 1999.” She glanced at Nicole. “Sound right?”

  Nicole nodded. “Yes.”

  Jake opened up the second e-mail, her eyes widened as she scanned it.

  The 911 log was deleted on July 25, 1999. You were right. It was from the outside. There was no trail to follow. Dispatch log was deleted from the inside. Your Lieutenant Gregory deleted it at 10:21 that same night. I dug a little deeper and found two units, four officers unaccounted for between 9:40 and 11:00 that night. They were on duty. There is activity earlier in the evening and then again later. Their shift ended at 6 the next morning. I’ve got names, but let’s do it in person. Inside job, Jake. Be careful. Delete the e-mails. I’ve already covered up my tracks.

  “Well fuck me,” Jake murmured. She looked around, making sure Gregory was out of sight before printing out the e-mails. Then she dutifully deleted them both from her file. “We can’t talk here,” she said quietly.

  “What the hell is going on?” Rick demanded.

  Jake stood, grabbing both papers from the printer and folding them, shoving the paper into the back pocket of her jeans. “We’re in big trouble, Ricky. Come on, let’s get out of here.” She grabbed her coat from her chair and started walking, motioning for Nicole to follow.

  “Jake?”

  “Not here.”

  Then she stopped suddenly, Rick and Nicole nearly bumping into her. Lieutenant Gregory had just walked into the squad room.

  “Where you off to?” he asked, brushing the snow from his coat.

  Jake cleared her throat. “Started to snow?”

  “Just flurries.” He looked at Nicole. “What do you have?”

  Jake stepped back. “This is Dr. Westbrook. We’re heading over to her office now. She’s going to allow us to dig a little into her files. I want to see if we can find a pattern with the crisis center. With five victims now, we’ll have more to go on.” She stared at her lieutenant, hoping Rick and Nicole would simply go along with her ramblings.
>
  “Five?”

  “Last night,” Rick said. “I thought the sergeant called you. I was taking Dr. Westbrook home. There was a body dumped there. Hanging in her garage.”

  “Another patient?”

  Rick nodded.

  “Salazar and Simpson?”

  Jake looked around. “I haven’t spoken with them this morning. Salazar was working on the profiles of the victims. I’ll make sure she gets Dr. Westbrook’s file on the latest.”

  “I don’t have to tell you that Captain Zeller will get involved if we don’t break this soon. I got a call from the chief’s office, too. They have word that the paper is going do a story using the serial killer angle, and I believe they know the link with Dr. Westbrook now.”

  “Great,” Jake murmured. “That’ll bring the crazies out.”

  “Keep me posted.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  They watched him walk into his office, and Jake let out a relieved sigh. “Let’s go.”

  “Where?”

  “Nicole’s office might be safest. For now.”

  “What the hell is going on?” Rick hissed. “You’re making me crazy.”

  “Good thing Dr. Westbrook is around then, eh?”

  “Very funny.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  Catherine looked up as the outer door opened, relieved to see familiar faces. She wasn’t ashamed to admit that she was a little scared being at the office alone, especially after Nicole’s phone call last night. Nicole had told her not to come in today, but Catherine knew she had to make arrangements for the patients and reschedule appointments.

  She smiled brightly at them, but Nicole shook her head disapprovingly.

  “Catherine? What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Someone had to rearrange your schedule.”

  Jake brushed past Nicole and leaned on her usual corner of Catherine’s desk. “Weird phone calls? Anything?”

  “I did have a hang-up, actually.”

  “When?”

  “First thing. Right after I got here.”

  “Okay. Wipe her clean for all of next week.”

  “Jake, no. That’s too long to be away,” Nicole complained. “A few days, maybe.”

  “Sorry. But it’s not your call.”

  “The hell it’s not! This is my practice. I’ve already missed too many sessions in the last two weeks. I can’t cancel everything for next week. I won’t do it.”

  Jake met her eyes without flinching. “Sorry, Dr. Westbrook, but you will do it.”

  Nicole started to protest, but Rick grabbed her arm tightly. “She’s right, Nicole. You’ve got to shut it down until this is over. You’re not safe, Catherine is not safe. Your patients aren’t safe.”

  Nicole let out a deep breath, her eyes still locked with Jake. “Okay. You win.” She glanced at Catherine. “See if Dorothy can squeeze some in. You might need to refer some to Dr. Andrews, too.”

  “I’ll call right now.”

  Jake’s eyes softened as Nicole looked over at her. “I’m sorry, Nicole. But I won’t take a chance with this.”

  “I understand, Jake.”

  “Good. Now, we need to talk. Come on.”

  ———

  The three of them settled casually on Nicole’s sofa, foregoing the desk and chairs. Jake pulled out the folded pieces of paper and handed the second e-mail to Rick.

  “The stalker was an inside job, Nicole. I’m going to meet with Steven later today to get more information. He was afraid to reveal too much in the e-mail.”

  “Holy shit!” Rick waved the paper at Jake. “Gregory?“

  Jake shrugged.

  “We’re fucking screwed, Jake.”

  “No we’re not.”

  “What about Gregory?” Nicole asked.

  “He deleted the dispatch records six years ago.”

  “Oh my God,” Nicole said quietly. “Why?”

  “And a hacker deleted 911?” Rick said. “Gregory is not a hacker. Hell, he can barely get around the system as it is.”

  “You’re right. He’s not the hacker. But we’ve got to get the names of the four officers who responded that night. They had to have known about the coverup.”

  Rick leaned back. “Okay, wait. We’re working two different cases here. We have five murders, Jake. Don’t you think we need to focus on that first?”

  “Ricky, do you think the stalker coverup is simply a coincidence?” Jake stood, beginning to pace. “The stalker was murdered, really. Shot down in Nicole’s yard by four cops who knew what they were doing. They got rid of the body and Lieutenant Gregory got rid of the dispatch call. The only other evidence was Nicole’s original call to 911. So, two days later, you find a hacker who gets in the system and deletes that as well. Then, all you have are four guys who pulled it off in the first place.” She stopped, staring at Rick. “We find the four guys.”

  “And we start asking questions. How long before Gregory gets word of it?”

  “And I still don’t see how that incident is linked to the mur-ders,” Nicole said. “I mean, that was just a random guy. And he’s dead.”

  “Who was he and why was he stalking you?” Jake asked. “What did he want? And what link did he have to Gregory? Was Gregory the one who ordered him killed? Maybe someone higher up,” she said. “It was shortly after that he got transferred to Special Victims. Maybe someone owed him a favor.”

  “Christ, Jake, you’re making me nuts with all this. We’ll be lucky if we don’t both lose our shields over this one.”

  “You’re right. And the less people know about it, the better. Not a word to Salazar or Simpson. We don’t know who we can trust.” Jake pulled her cell phone out and dialed. “I’m calling Steven. We need to meet.”

  “How do you know you can trust him?”

  “I just know.” Jake waited only two rings. “It’s McCoy. Where can we meet?” She nodded, then disconnected. “Damn. Never knew Stevie was gay.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “He wants to meet at Louie’s Down Under.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Afraid so, buddy. Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

  “What is Louie’s?” Nicole asked.

  Jake grinned. “It’s a bathhouse.”

  “For gay men?”

  “Right.”

  “Oh.” Nicole looked at Rick and laughed. “Sorry.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Friday afternoon, Louie’s was crowded, despite the threat of snow. Rick looked nervously at Jake. “I don’t like this one bit.”

  “Yeah? Well, I’m not exactly crazy about seeing a bunch of naked men either,” Jake said, as she pulled into a parking spot.

  “Why in the world would he pick this place?”

  “My guess is because he doesn’t think anyone from the department would be here.”

  “I feel like we’re in a damn spy movie, sneaking around like this.”

  “I know. I’m plenty nervous myself,” Jake admitted. She looked in the rearview mirror and met Nicole’s eyes. “You okay?”

  Nicole nodded. They had locked up Nicole’s office as soon as Catherine had made arrangements for her patients. Nicole hated it, but conceded it had to be done. She reached across the seats and touched Jake’s shoulder. “I’m okay as long as you’re around.”

  Jake grinned. “I don’t plan on leaving you.”

  Rick groaned. “Please, you two are making me nauseous.”

  Jake leaned back in the seat, keeping an eye on the parking lot for Steven’s red Volkswagen Bug. “When are you and Michelle getting together?”

  “Tomorrow. God, I’m dreading that.”

  Jake looked in the mirror again. “Michelle is his wife,” she explained.

  Rick turned around in the seat, facing Nicole. “We’re separated.”

  “I’m sorry,” Nicole said automatically.

  “No, it’s okay. It was my choice.”

  “Rick decided they had nothing in comm
on,” Jake stated.

  “Geez, it’s not that,” Rick said.

  “Then what is it?”

  “Do we have to talk about this now?”

  Jake grinned. “You might be able to get some free counseling, Ricky.”

  “I’m sure Dr. Westbrook has more to worry about than my marriage problems.”

  Jake met Nicole’s eyes in the mirror. “Rick and Michelle have nothing in common. Never had, never will. I tried to tell him.”

  “Will you stop with that?” Rick said, as he punched Jake’s arm. He turned again, facing Nicole. “Jake thought I was rushing the marriage thing. Michelle was a catch, and most of the guys on the force were eyeing her,” he explained.

  “She’s like… a model,” Jake said. “Beautiful.”

  “Well, I can see how the two of you made a perfect couple,” Nicole said.

  “Are you trying to give him a big head?” Jake asked.

  “No, but he’s an attractive man. I’m sure that was a lure, to have an equally attractive woman on his arm.”

  “Yeah, he’s cute as hell. But still, you have to have something other than looks between you, right?”

  “Hey, guys? You know, I’m still here.” He laughed. “And just what I need. A couple of lesbians fawning over me!”

  “Sorry,” Nicole said. She realized then that this was the first time in her life that a straight man had called her a lesbian—and she hadn’t fainted dead away! Well, it would be something to tell Dorothy, at least. She pushed her thoughts aside and reached out, grasping Rick’s shoulder. “I just mean, perhaps the physical attraction was so strong that it overpowered your logical thinking. It happens sometimes.”

  Jake let the words settle, knowing they weren’t meant for her, but unable to shake the truth. Yes, she and Nicole had a physical attraction that was… well, beyond her comprehension, really. Had it altered her logical thinking? No. Logically, they still wouldn’t fit in each other’s lives.

  Rick ducked his head. “It was an ego thing, yeah, I admit. She liked me. And all the guys liked her. But now that we’ve been together…”

  “You don’t like her?” Nicole guessed.