Hunter's Way

by Gerri Hill

  “Come on. I found it,” she said.

  “No. I can’t,” Samantha insisted.

  “Yes, you can. Now get in here.”

  The voices were louder. Soon, they would be caught.

  “Sam, now,” Tori hissed, grabbing Samantha’s foot and nearly dragging her over the side.

  They splashed together into the water, Samantha clutching Tori hard around the shoulders.

  “I hate this. I really fucking hate this.”

  “It’s not too bad from where I’m standing,” Tori murmured as two frantic hands moved over her shoulders.

  “Is that supposed to be funny?” But Samantha didn’t release her grip.

  “Hold your breath,” Tori instructed. “I’ll guide you through. There’s an air pocket in the tunnel. You’ll be fine.”

  “If we make it out of here alive, I’ll shoot you myself,” Samantha said through clenched teeth.

  “On three.”

  They both took deep breaths, silently counting. Then Tori disappeared under water, pulling Samantha with her. Samantha thought for sure her lungs would burst, then Tori pushed her up and she banged her head on the top of the tunnel, gasping for breath.

  “I hate you, have I told you that?” she gasped. “You damn near gave me a concussion.”

  “You did great.”

  “Uh-huh. Now what?”

  “Now we see where the tunnel goes.”

  “See? I can’t even see you,” Samantha said.

  “We’ll feel our way. These ground wells have to empty somewhere. A holding tank or something.”

  “What are these things, anyway?”

  “Probably where they dump the wastewater.”

  “Do I want to know?”

  “No, you don’t.”

  “You don’t think there’re like… rats or something in here, do you?”

  “No. No rats. Maybe snakes,” Tori said.

  “Snakes?” Samantha hissed, again grabbing onto Tori, nearly climbing her back.

  “I’m teasing. Come on.”

  They inched along the tunnel, keeping their heads above the water in the air pocket. Samantha held tightly to Tori’s waist as Tori felt along the sides of the tunnel. They came to a junction with another tunnel and stopped. Closing her eyes, Tori tried to imagine the direction. The tunnel they entered would have been on the north side of the well. Most of the other wells were to the east. Logic would make the tunnel to the west the drain tunnel.

  “What do you think?” Samantha asked.

  “We go left,” Tori said.

  Samantha nodded. She wasn’t going to argue. She never released her hold on Tori’s waist. The water level lowered considerably as they walked on and she slipped down once, nearly pulling Tori with her.

  “Hang on,” Tori said. She turned around and gripped Sam’s arms, pulling her up. “You okay?”

  “Just peachy,” Samantha murmured.

  “You really should wear sensible shoes,” Tori teased.

  “These shoes are perfectly sensible for the city. Had I known we were going to go swimming this afternoon, I’d have dressed appropriately.”

  “Okay… I’m trying to picture you in a bikini.”

  “I haven’t worn a bikini in ten years.”

  “Okay. A one-piece Speedo then,” Tori said as they continued walking up the tunnel. The water was only at their waists now. “A dark green one. You know, your eyes.”

  Samantha grinned. One-piece Speedo? She hadn’t been swimming in years, either.

  “Hey, look,” Tori said.

  Samantha looked around Tori and laughed. Daylight!

  “Oh, thank God,” she said.

  “Thank God? I’m the one that dragged you through this tunnel,” Tori said.

  “Yes. You’re the one that dragged me into this tunnel.”

  “Better than getting shot.”

  “Definitely.”

  The tunnel was level and Samantha finally released her hold on Tori as they made their way to the tunnel’s entrance. But up ahead, a creature lurked and Samantha grabbed hold of Tori once again.

  “What the hell is that?” she whispered.

  “Too big for a rat. Maybe a nutria,” Tori said.

  “A what?”

  “Nutria. A big, hairy water rat,” Tori explained.

  Samantha tried to climb on her back.

  “What the hell are you doing?”

  “Shoot it!”

  “I will not.”

  “Then I will. Get out of my way.”

  “Sam, it lives here. This is his home. We’re not going to shoot it. Besides, don’t you think that would call attention to us?”

  “I know you don’t expect me to walk past it,” she said.

  “Stay here.”

  “Gladly.”

  Samantha looked behind her, envisioning hundreds of the hairy creatures coming at her from the tunnel. She shivered. Tori walked closer to the creature, clapping her hands as she went. It finally crawled out toward the entrance and disappeared.

  “All clear,” she called.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Now come on.”

  Samantha walked hesitantly toward Tori, her eyes never leaving the entrance, watching for the rat to reappear.

  “It’s okay, Sam. I doubt they attack.”

  “I’m not even going to ask how you knew what it was,” she said.

  “I lived down in the Houston area for a while, on the bayou. They used to come out right before dark,” she said.

  Samantha stared. This was the first bit of personal information Tori had shared with her.

  “I like to think they’re more like a beaver than a rat,” Tori continued.

  “Well that makes all the difference,” Samantha said. “Why didn’t you say so to begin with?”

  “And miss out on you climbing up my back?”

  Samantha smiled. “I probably would have climbed up anyway.”

  They both stood at the entrance to the tunnel. Samantha rolled her eyes. They were thirty feet up. She wondered where the rat had gone.

  “Damn. They dump this shit right into the creek,” Tori said, pointing. “Can you believe that?”

  “We’ll play environmental cop later, Tori. How the hell do we get out of here?”

  Tori gripped the sides of the tunnel, looking up. They were on the side of the creek bed. It was probably only ten feet up to the top, but there were no footholds. Concrete had been poured. She turned and looked down. A few tree roots protruded but not much else.

  “Wonder how deep it is?”

  “Deep? The creek? I know you’re not suggesting we jump,” Samantha said.

  “Just in case we fall,” Tori said. “Come on.”

  “Come on where?”

  “We’re going to try to climb down.” She was already sitting on the tunnel floor, legs dangling over the sides.

  “Are you insane?”

  “It’s been mentioned,” she said lightly. “Sit down here,” she said, pointing beside her.

  “I’m not really crazy about heights,” Samantha murmured. “Is now a good time to tell you that?”

  “I’ll go first. If you start to fall, I’ll catch you.”

  “Oh, well that makes me feel better.”

  They sat side by side, both peering over the edge. Then they looked at each other and smiled, then laughed.

  “Been a hell of a day, huh?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Samantha said. “And it ain’t over yet.”

  “Creek beds are usually pretty soft. You know, mud and all.”

  “In case I fall?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I thought you were going to catch me?”

  “In case I don’t.”

  Samantha watched as Tori turned around and gripped the edge of the tunnel, lowering herself. She grabbed a root, then slipped as it pulled from the earth. She dropped five feet before stopping.

  “You’re not allergic to poison ivy, are you?” Tori called up.

&n
bsp; “I don’t know.”

  “Well, you’ll know in a couple of days.” Tori continued to climb down, finally looking back as Samantha still sat on the edge. “Come on, Sam. You can’t stay up there.”

  “You could use your cell phone and call for help,” she suggested.

  “Well, besides the fact that it’s been under water for a while now, can you imagine what the guys would say about that? No way. I’d rather get shot.”

  “I’d rather get rescued by helicopter,” Samantha murmured. Then she took a deep breath and attempted to follow Tori down. Unfortunately, the tree root didn’t hold. She slid and bumped her way down the embankment, landing with a thud in the water, face first. It was waist deep.

  Tori tried in vain to grab her as she slid past. Without thinking, she jumped the last twenty feet, landing just beyond Sam in deeper water. She grabbed for her.

  “Are you okay?”

  “As soon as I find my gun, I will be. I’m going to shoot you,” Samantha hissed.

  Tori laughed, then reached out and brushed at the mud covering Sam’s face. She laughed harder.

  Samantha stood up straight, then dove at Tori, tackling her and landing them both in the water again. They came up sputtering. They stood in waist-high water, staring at each other as mud and water ran down their faces. Tori grinned and Sam did the same. Then they laughed, hard laughs that shook them both.

  “Wonder where the hell we are,” Samantha finally said.

  Tori looked at her watch. It had been two hours.

  “Wonder where the cavalry is?”

  The words had barely left her mouth when gunfire was heard. They both looked up, listening.

  “Come on,” Tori said. She grabbed Sam’s hand and pulled her out of the water.

  They waded through the creek to the other side. Samantha had only one shoe. They took only a few steps before the gunfire stopped.

  “That didn’t take long,” Tori said. She walked over and was helping Sam along when the explosion hit. Tori took them to the ground, instinctively covering Sam’s body with her own. The earth beneath them shook, then another smaller explosion sounded.

  “Are you okay?”

  Samantha considered the question. She was soaking wet and covered with mud and water. Her clothes were ruined and she’d lost a shoe. And now, the not unpleasant weight of another woman covered her body. Was she okay? Yes, she’d just had the time of her life.

  “You weigh a ton,” Samantha said and heard Tori chuckle, then felt her move away. They sat up, looking back to the tunnel they had come from. Smoke was seeping out.

  “Damn.”

  Sam nodded, glancing once at Tori. They were sitting side by side, soaked head to toe. It was obvious Tori wore no bra… her shirt clung to her. For some unknown reason, Sam couldn’t pull her eyes away. Then a shoulder nudged her own.

  “Come on. They’ll be looking for us.”

  Samantha blinked and looked up, meeting Tori’s eyes. Then she smiled and reached out, brushing at the mud covering Tori’s face.

  “I don’t think that’s going to help.” Tori stood and offered a hand to Sam, who took it willingly.

  Chapter Nine

  “You could have been killed,” Robert said for the third time. “I can’t believe I was listening to it on the news all day and you were right in the middle of it.” He brought over a hot cup of tea and Samantha reached for it.

  “I’m fine, I told you. A few bumps and bruises is all.” She sat in the corner of her sofa, wrapped up in a thick robe sipping her tea. After being wet all day, it had taken her hours to get warm.

  “So, are you going to stay?” he asked hesitantly.

  “Stay? Stay where?”

  “With Homicide? With your partner?”

  She set her cup down and stared at him. “Robert, what are you asking?”

  “I just think maybe this is more than you bargained for,” he said.

  “Well, yes it is. We were helping out CIU. You remember, you thought CIU would be the perfect place for me,” she reminded him. “And yes I’m staying.” She leaned forward. “Robert, in all my years on the force, this is the most fun I’ve ever had.”

  “Fun?”

  “Yes, fun. It was exhilarating. And you know what? There wasn’t a single moment that I felt like we were in danger. Well, we were in danger, but I mean grave danger. She was amazing, totally amazing. Whatever she suggested we do, I trusted her. And she was right. She got us out of there.”

  “She got you in there,” he said. “I’ve heard stories about her. She’s dangerous.”

  “She’s not dangerous. We were just doing our job, Robert.”

  “You could have been killed.”

  “Will you stop with that? I could be killed every time I go out.”

  “I just worry about you, honey.” He sat down beside her and rubbed her thigh. “I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.”

  “Oh, Robert.” She leaned forward and kissed him. “I’m fine. Exhausted, but fine.”

  “You want me to stay with you tonight?” he asked quietly.

  She shook her head. “No. I’m going to go to bed and crash. I wouldn’t be great company.”

  “I hate to leave you. You know, if we lived together, I wouldn’t have to leave,” he said, moving over to kiss her again.

  She wanted to tell him that even though they didn’t live together, he still didn’t have to leave. But she wanted him to leave. She wanted to be alone. Like she said, she was exhausted. The ordeal today and the endless questioning by CIU had lasted for hours.

  “I just want to get some rest, Robert. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll get away early and cook dinner for you. How does that sound?”

  He put his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her forehead.

  “That sounds great.”

  Later, as she crawled under the covers alone, she wondered what Tori was doing. She wished she had her phone number. Surely, she wasn’t at the station on the cot tonight. Surely she went home. Samantha lay back, her eyes wide open. Her new partner was most likely alone, with no one worrying over her well-being or bringing her a hot cup of tea. No one to fuss over her almost being killed. The thought saddened her. She hated to think of Tori being alone. Not after a day like today.

  And why was she alone? Samantha didn’t know anything about the gay lifestyle, but Tori was attractive. In fact, she was… gorgeous, with a body to go with it. Why didn’t she have someone?

  But Samantha knew the answer. Tori didn’t want someone.

  Tori flipped on the lights to her tiny apartment and looked around. She hadn’t been there in nearly a week. She tossed her keys on the counter, opened the fridge and stared inside. Two beers and a carton of milk that had soured, nothing else. She slammed the door and opened a cabinet, taking out a bottle of scotch. She grabbed a large glass and filled it nearly to the top, then moved to her lone chair, a recliner.

  “Hell of a day,” she murmured to the empty room.

  Chapter Ten

  “Well, well, hero for a day,” Sikes said as he walked over to Samantha and patted her shoulder. “Good job, Kennedy.”

  “Thanks, Sikes. All in a day’s work,” she said lightly.

  “You looked great on the news, all wet with your hair slicked back,” he continued, taking his usual perch on the corner of her desk.

  “I didn’t think you noticed things like that, Sikes.”

  He stood up quickly. “I told you, I’m not gay! I don’t know where you got that from, but it better stop here.”

  She only smiled at him and nodded.

  Tony Ramirez walked over then, sticking out his hand and shaking Samantha’s.

  “You guys were great,” he said. “Good plug for Homicide. Can’t believe Hunter did that.”

  “Well, CIU was acting like they busted the whole thing on their own,” she said. She actually couldn’t believe it either. When the TV crew had asked how long she’d been with CIU, Tori had laughed. “We’re with Homicide, n
ot CIU. They were too busy to check out this dead-end lead, so they had us run out here. Hell of a dead end, huh?”

  “You should have heard Fisk when he was telling the story. ‘Tell Malone to send the troops. Oh shit!’” Ramirez said, mimicking Tori.

  Samantha laughed. That was only the beginning of their ordeal.

  “Where is Hunter, anyway?” she asked.

  “Haven’t seen her.”

  “It’s eight-thirty,” Samantha said. “She’s always here before me.”

  He shrugged. “She’s probably out working already.” Then he handed her something warm wrapped in foil. He laid an identical one on Tori’s desk. “My mother made these. Tori loves them. Chorizo and eggs.”

  “Thanks, Tony. That was sweet of you.”

  She unwrapped hers, finding a warm tortilla rolled inside, bulging with eggs and Mexican sausage. She took a bite and moaned. Wonderful.

  But it was another half hour before Tori walked in, looking like she’d hardly slept at all. She walked past Samantha’s desk and straight to the coffee.

  “Are you okay?” Samantha asked when Tori returned.

  “Uh-huh,” she said, sipping from the hot liquid. She looked at the foil on her desk and grinned. Tony’s mother had no doubt cooked for her again.

  “Where have you been?”

  Tori raised her eyebrows.

  “What? I can’t ask that? I would think after yesterday, I could ask anything I damn well pleased.”

  Tori grinned. “That’s what you think, huh?”

  “Yes, that’s what I think.”

  “Okay, fair enough. I was at my boat. I overslept,” she said.

  “Why don’t I believe you?” She lowered her voice. “You look like you hardly slept at all, Tori.”

  “Oh, but I did. I went to my apartment first. There was nothing there but a bottle of scotch. About midnight, I went out and got something to eat, then drove to my boat. I fell asleep about four. Got caught in traffic.”

  Samantha stared at her. Four? She was asleep by ten. She was about to comment when the Lieutenant called for them.

  “You two want to come in here?”

  Tori sighed, then pushed away from her desk. She was used to existing on only a few hours’ sleep each night but for some reason, she couldn’t shake it this morning.