The Reef

by Lois Kay

  “There were no disks, micro disks or flash drives, Joe. I swear, I’d have found them had they be there.”

  “I'm not just talking about that,” Joe hissed between clenched teeth. “How did you let them SURPRISE you like that, you IDIOT? God, you two are such amateurs. I should have done this myself. LOOK AT YOU.”

  Little Steven gingerly touched his swollen nose and flinched at the contact. Sam had hit him hard and although he was furious about that, he couldn’t help admire the woman for her strength and fast reflexes.

  “I…I….I... didn’t see them coming, Mister Michaels,” Fred stammered. “Suddenly they were there, they must have walked or something—”

  “Or something,” Joe sneered. “You two are so stupid, I…never mind. I'll give you one more chance. ONE. Screw this up and you're in REAL TROUBLE. GOT IT?”

  Two heads nodded simultaneously.

  “Find out where those two went to. It's obvious that Blondie carries the information with her. I want it and I want it fast. I don't care how you get it, got it? As long as you do. Just don’t leave a mess behind. Clean up after yourselves. The last thing I need is the police sniffing around.”

  “Yes, Joe.” Little Steven stuffed his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet. “We’ll do it right this time.”

  “You’d better,” Joe growled. “Get on with it. Move.”

  Fred and Little Steven quickly left the room, closing the door behind them. Leaving their boss staring outside the window, a worried crease between his eyebrows.

  * * *

  The sun was high in the sky, sweltering the earth below. The heat had driven almost all bush life into hiding. Occasionally, the sound of magpies crying out shattered the silence, followed by the distinct laughing call of a Kookaburra. Tranquility ruled and a light breeze from the ocean stirred the always green leaves of the trees. Nature was patiently waiting for the late hours of the afternoon that would bring a most welcome cooling down, keeping the delicate balance between scorching and survival.

  The room was almost dark. The blades of the big fan on the ceiling lazily turned in circles, creating a stirring of air that was a mere whisper in the silence.

  Sam hovered between sleeping and waking. Her body was relaxed and felt heavy. Sluggishly, she became aware of her surroundings and when she opened her eyes and sleepily blinked against the light that came tumbling through the curtains she remembered where she was and why. She smiled when she noticed a weight on her shoulder that her body had effortlessly recognized. Jody’s head rested against her shoulder and one arm was possessively draped around Sam’s bare waist. She realized the shirt she was wearing must have crept up, leaving her abdomen exposed. She took a moment to get acquainted with the sensation Jody’s unconscious touch ignited and decided she liked it. Jody was still fast asleep. Her breathing was deep and regular and the last thing Sam wanted, was to wake her up. But nature called and lying on her back, with the weight of Jody’s arm on her bladder was far from comfortable. Carefully, she tried to free herself from the gentle grip, but immediately Jody stirred. She mumbled something incoherent and tightened her grip. Sam winced and bit her lip in an attempt not to laugh. This was not the way she had imagined waking up. Again, Sam gently lifted Jody's arm and scooted to the edge of the bed. With a sigh of relief, she got out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. When she came back a few minutes later, she slid back under the covers as quietly as she could.

  “I’m awake, you know.” Jody’s voice surprised Sam. “You don't have to tip-toe around.”

  Sam smiled and punched her pillow, before lying down again. “I'm sorry if I woke you, but I really had to go.”

  “Some things never change, do they?” Jody chuckled. “I remember you waking me up almost every morning because 'you had to go'“.

  “Well, I can't be held responsible for my bladder.” Sam grinned. “It has a mind of its own. And when it's full, it's full. Or, if you prefer: when you gotta go, you gotta go.”

  Jody laughed and stretched. “Good morning.” Her eyes were twinkling.

  “Morning,” Sam answered, aware of the butterflies in her stomach and not able to tear her gaze away from Jody’s green eyes. “Did you have a good sleep?”

  “Perfect,” Jody sighed. “I haven’t slept like this in a long time. You’re a great pillow, Sam, but then, you always were.”

  Sam smiled and stared at Jody’s face that was so close, she could feel her breath on her skin. Neither of them moved for a long time as they were reveling in their closeness. Gradually, they slid closer, until their lips met for a featherlight kiss. It was a fleeting and very tender connection, that gradually became more solid and intense. Jody's hands slid to Sam's shoulders, pulling her closer, so she could wrap her arms around her neck. She moaned when she could feel Sam's arm around her waist, pulling her on top of her. They took their time exploring with tender kisses that progressively became more passionate. It lit a fire they couldn't deny much longer. When Sam felt the tip of Jody's tongue brush against her bottom lip she let out a soft whimper. Immediately, Jody intensified the kiss. She felt Sam's grip on her body tighten. When Sam slipped a knee between Jody’s legs she gasped and involuntarily increased the pressure. Her body had developed a mind of its own and wanted release of the pressure that was rapidly building.

  “Sam,” Jody breathed, feeling Sam’s hands on her hips. “Sam, I—”

  But she was interrupted by a pair of lips that cut off any coherent sentence she may have been able to come up with. A smooth tongue sought entrance and Jody’s mind went blank. When Sam increased the pressure, Jody’s body went rigid. Sam leaned back into the pillow and watched as Jody's eyes stared at her with a glassy look, that quickly turned into pure ecstasy when her whole body started shivering, rocked to its core, when she came crashing down from the height Sam had taken her to. Jody collapsed and disappeared in a pair of strong arms that held her close. Sam stroke her back, waiting for her thundering heart beat to settle down. They stayed like that for a very long time, until Jody raised her head and gazed into a pair of clear blue eyes, that were radiating so much love and tenderness it brought tears to her eyes.

  “The things you do to me, Sam,” she sighed. “All I need is one touch from you and—”

  “And you're off,” Sam said with a twinkle in her eyes. “I like that part of you. I like being the one who can do that to you.” She kissed the tip of Jody’s nose. “You’re so beautiful when you climax, I missed seeing that the last time, it was too dark.”

  Jody chuckled and buried her face against the soft skin of Sam's neck. She sighed in pure contentment and felt very well loved and totally relaxed. “I feel so comfortable with you. That definitely hasn't changed one single bit over the years.” Jody placed soft kisses on the skin that was within reach.

  Sam twirled a strand of Jody’s hair around her finger. “I'm glad,” she said. “And I absolutely love how you make me feel so alive.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Jody looked up and her gaze locked with Sam’s, while her hand slid underneath Sam’s shirt. “I assume you’ll have no objection then, when I—”

  A high-pitched scream and the sound of breaking glass shattered the silence. For a moment, they were frozen in place, but that only lasted a moment. With a rush of adrenaline, they both jumped out of bed and ran toward the source of the noise. Sam was the first one to enter the kitchen. Astonished, she watched Megan stand on top of the kitchen table. Her face was pale and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead.

  Jody slipped by Sam and stepped onto the cool, tile floor. “What the heck? Megan, what’s going on?”

  With trembling fingers, Megan pointed toward the floor, near one the kitchen cabinets in the corner. Jody followed her gaze and stepped back in a reflex when she saw the outline of a huge snake. “Where's Bindi?” she asked, referring to Megan’s cattle dog that was an exceptional good snake catcher.

  “Sarah took him into town.” Megan’s voice was shaky. “Jody, please get
rid of that thing, you know I hate them.”

  Jody took a deep breath and stepped forward, but was held back by Sam's firm grip on her arm.

  “What are you doing?” Sam asked with a frown. Her gaze flicked between Jody and the large snake that was curiously examining one of the cabinets, using its forked tongue to guide the way.

  “I'll get rid of him,” Jody explained in a very matter of fact kind of way.

  “How? Wave a magic wand?”

  Jody looked up and was surprised to see a pair of anxious blue eyes. “I will tell him to leave? “she joked.

  Sam didn't respond. A small crease appeared in her forehead.

  Jody patted her arm. “Don't worry, Sam, I'll catch him and throw him out.”

  The look Sam sent Jody was mortified. “How? With your hands? What if he bites?”

  “He won't bite,” Jody said with a soft laugh. “He's a carpet snake, they're harmless.”

  “Are you sure? I didn’t know you were a herpetologist.”

  “Yes, Jody,” Megan whispered. “How do you know it's not one of those cross breeds? He might be part brown snake, for all you know.”

  Shaking her head, Jody laughed. “I know because of its size and pattern. But, alright, I won't pick him up. Honey, give me that broom, will you?”

  Sam cast a suspicious look at the requested item and raised an eyebrow. “What are you going to do with that? Brush him to death?”

  “No snake is going to die.” Jody sighed. She shot Sam an exasperated look and took the broom out of her hands. “I’ll get rid of him, alright? But I’m not going to kill him. He's beautiful and he's harmless. You'll see.”

  “I don't want him around the house, Jody,” Megan said in a trembling vice. “He has to go.”

  With a chuckle, Jody turned around and disappeared into the bedroom. She returned carrying an empty pillow case. With a few steps, she was standing near the snake, carefully observing it's coloring. “Just so you both know, it is a carpet snake,” she said. She gently poked the reptile with the end of the broom. The snake stirred and raised its head, looking for his adversary, but didn't attempt to strike.

  “Come here, Steve Irwin,” Jody called Sam. “Hold that pillow case, so we can put him in and get him out.”

  Sam stepped closer, her gaze never leaving the snake. “I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with that. I…um…I hate to admit it, but I’m not too fond of snakes.” She paused and cast a look at Jody. “Can I hold the stick?”

  Jody tried to hide the smile that was creeping up her face. “Okay, gently push him toward me and I will put him in the pillow case, alright?”

  Sam nodded and took the broom out of Jody's hands. She let the bristles brush over the snake, gently pushing him toward the open pillow case. The snake was clearly annoyed, but let himself be pushed away and within minutes he was scooped up in the cotton cloth.

  “See? No worries,” Jody said. “I bet he was as scared as you were.”

  “I don’t really care about the feelings of a snake,” Megan muttered, climbing off the table. “I don’t care how much you love them, they give me the creeps.”

  “You know, they usually travel together,” Jody mumbled. Her eyes were scanning the floor.

  Megan missed the mischievous twinkle and quickly hopped back on the table, nervously clutching her hands.

  “I don't know much about snakes, but you’re lying,” Sam laughed. She reached out and tickled Jody's ribs.

  Jody laughed and motioned Megan to climb down. “It's okay, Meg. I was teasing. You can relax now, I’ll put him back into the bush.”

  “Jerk.” Megan wiped her forehead. “I can't believe this. The dog is always here and the one day Sarah decides to take him with her, a snake pops up.”

  “Maybe that was the reason,” Sam replied dryly. Her eyes followed Jody who was crossing the garden, heading for the tree line.

  Megan followed her gaze an unsuccessfully tried to hide a smile. “I hope I didn’t wake you up. Did I? I mean, since the both of you look like you were still in bed.”

  Sam looked down her body and realized she and Jody were just wearing a shirt and panties. She chuckled when she saw her bare legs, the shirt halfway down her thighs. “I guess we'd better get dressed. I’m sure this dress code is indecent in some parts of the world.” She cast a look at Jody and smiled. Jody was wearing a dark green shirt and skin colored panties. Her slim, but muscular legs were bare and Sam thought it was a beautiful sight to see her walk through the grass, clad in almost nothing.

  “I hope I didn't interrupt anything?” Megan let out a soft laugh when she saw the look on Sam’s face.

  “As a matter of fact, you did,” Sam replied. “But I guess it was a worthy cause. I'm not that fond of snakes myself.”

  “So, are you serious?”

  Sam turned to Megan. “Yes, I seriously don’t like snakes.”

  “You know that’s not what I mean.” Megan took a step closer to Sam and her dark eyes were thoughtful. “Are you serious about Jody? I don't think she could handle losing you again, Sam.”

  “As I wouldn’t be able to leave her again.” Sam’s voice was soft. “There are still a lot of things to work out, but I don't want to lose her, Megan. Not again.”

  Megan nodded and was touched by the pained expression on Sam's face. She put a hand on her arm and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “I'm sure you two will work it out.” She watched Jody step onto the veranda. “It's about time someone makes her happy. I know I couldn't. She's always been yours Sam, always.”

  * * *

  “Damnit, Steve, we've been sitting here for hours now and nothing has happened. I feel like a complete idiot.”

  “You look like one, too,” Little Steven replied, not taking his eyes off the entrance of the apartment building.

  “This doesn't get us anywhere, we have to find those women. If we don't the boss will have us for breakfast.”

  “I don't think he will have us for breakfast, Freddy boy. But the sharks will.”

  Fred glanced at his companion and felt his blood run cold. He felt sick to his stomach and had to swallow a few times to get rid of the bile that was rising in the back of his throat. Little Steven's face showed no emotion at all and Fred wondered if he had been serious. “You're…. kidding. Right? Surely the boss wouldn't—”

  “He would,” was the crisp answer. “That's why I don't want to screw this up, you understand? I don't want to end up as shark food. So, we stay right here and wait. They’ll come back eventually and when they do, they're ours.”

  “So, what will we do then? I mean, we can't …. I don't know.”

  “Fred, has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?”

  “No, but—”

  “Shut up, Fred. I can't—” Little Steven suddenly narrowed his eyes and a small smile appeared. “Bloody hell, look who showed up.”

  Fred followed his gaze and saw a young woman step out of a car in front of the apartment building. She was followed by a tall man.

  “Wow, she's hot.” Fred chuckled. “Look at those legs will you, they go on forever. Do you know her?”

  “That's McDonnell’s sister. I've seen them together once. She's not the kind of woman you easily forget.”

  “I agree. Who's the bloke?”

  “I don't know. He looks like that red-head. Maybe he’s a brother. Our patience is rewarded, Freddy boy.”

  “What are we going to do now? You reckon they know where blondie is?”

  “Yup, I do. We stay here and when they come out we’ll follow them. I bet they will lead us to the right place.”

  * * *

  “Sometimes I really don't understand you, Luce,” Gerald grumbled. “Is it your curiosity? Why do you want to have a look at Jody's place when you know it's wrecked?”

  “Because…. okay, I'm curious, alright? I still can't believe it and I have to see it with my own two eyes. I don't understand why a person would do something like that.”

  Lucy stepped out
of the elevator and entered the floor Jody’s apartment was located. The hallway was quiet and there was no evidence of the things that had taken place the night before. Until they reached the door. It was open and when she looked inside it felt like she was punched in the stomach. “Holy crap,” she whispered. She grabbed Gerald’s arm. “Look at that.”

  Gerald peered inside and felt his stomach drop. The devastation was complete and he felt tears stinging when he realized Jody had lost about everything that she owned.

  “Better not go inside,” he whispered. “The police might not be finished here.”

  “As a matter of fact, we’re not,” a female voice sounded behind them and they both whirled around. “Is there anything I can help you with?” A tall woman, almost as tall as Sam, was standing in front of them and Lucy couldn’t help but wonder how they had not noticed her presence. She was wearing a light blue uniform shirt, which emphasized her tanned arms, and navy slacks. Her hair was long enough to brush the collar of her shirt and was slightly curly. Lucy’s gaze traveled to the insignia on her shoulder. “Senior Sergeant,” she greeted. “I’m Lucy McDonnell and this is my brother, Gerald. Jody is our sister.”

  “Senior Sergeant Trisha Waters.” She looked from Lucy to Gerald and back again. The expression on her face was one of patient curiosity.

  “I…um…we needed to see this for ourselves,” Gerald said. His voice was hoarse. “We wanted to know what we’re up against.”

  Trishia Waters hiked up an eyebrow and her gaze never wavered when she looked at Gerald. She clearly made him nervous and he cleared his throat, glancing at Lucy for help.

  “Jody told us her apartment was completely destroyed,” Lucy said. “It’s something that’s hard to imagine so Gerald and I wanted to put a picture to the words.” Lucy swallowed when she felt her throat tighten. “I…it’s so much worse than I expected. They really destroyed about everything she has.”

  The emotion in Lucy’s voice was not lost on Trishia Waters and she made a conscious effort to relax her stance. “Does your sister have any enemies? People who feel like they have a score to settle?” Trishia motioned at the apartment. “This doesn’t seem to be a regular burglary.”