Twin Embers (Rainbow Cove Book 2)

by Jet MacLeod

  “Thank you,” Danica replied.

  The male agent looked her up and down, then left. He didn’t wait on the other agent. She looked confused but didn’t leave.

  “Sorry about him,” she told them.

  “Not your fault,” Danica answered.

  “He reminds me of Gregor,” Grace replied.

  “Gregor?” the agent asked.

  “Yes, Peter Gregor, he is one of my detectives,” Danica answered.

  “Wow. Pete’s your problem. Well, Silas is mine. That was Agent Silas Gregor, Pete’s cousin,” the agent told them, “My name is Julia Henlow.”

  “That’s the last straw. I’m suspending Gregor as soon as I get a hold of him. You better believe I’m investigating this breech in protocol. He’s transferring or I’ll fire him,” Danica responded, her anger flaring.

  “Have fun with that. If y’all need anything else, call me. Here’s my card. I’m available twenty-four seven for this one. I don’t care who gets the credit as long as we get the guy.”

  “Agreed,” Grace, Sam, and Cormack replied.

  “Good day, ladies, David,” she replied as she left.

  Danica stood there dumbfounded. Grace and Sam decided to let it go, in favor of following Cormack to review the evidence they had. Cormack grabbed the folder of SLED evidence as she walked back to her desk. Danica finally gathered her wits and pulled out her cell phone. She was looking at Grace as she dialed the number. Grace looked up at her captain, quizzically.

  “Gregor, my office. Now! And, no, you may not,” Danica commanded, the anger palpable.

  Grace nodded in agreement. Danica didn’t say anything as she left the lab. Cormack and Grace shared a knowing look as they began to pass around the SLED files.

  Sam opened her file and immediately began to compare the photos. Cormack and Grace started comparing evidence and DNA tests to see if there was a match. David continued to process the latest evidence they had collected. They were all hovered over their respective files.

  “Cormack, are there any trace samples of mud in your files?”

  “I got one,” Cormack answered.

  “Is it a match?”

  “As far as I can tell, Grace.”

  “What county?” Grace asked.

  “Looks like Fairfield,” Cormack replied.

  “Guess we’re going on a road trip.”

  “Can I come?” Sam asked.

  “We all are, including David,” Grace replied.

  “Great,” David mumbled, looking into his microscope.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Danica sat in her office. She was pissed. She couldn’t believe what Gregor had tried to do. She would have his badge, but it would be up to the discipline board. She was reviewing his file. All of her citations were in it, along with his few commendations. Reading over his file very carefully, she wondered where Gregor went bad.

  She had decided to let the matter go for the moment. She wouldn’t have to worry about it until next Friday and she had already sent Gregor home until then without pay. Danica shook her head at the thought of Gregor’s twenty years being in jeopardy because he was a stupid and thoughtless chauvinist asshole. Danica pushed aside her thoughts and berated herself for giving Gregor so much thought.

  Danica was about to review a case file for the solicitor, when there was knock on her office door. She looked up to see Sam and Grace. Danica immediately motioned for them to enter.

  "Got something?” she asked them, as they took their seats in the chairs in front of Danica’s desk.

  “You could say that,” Grace answered.

  Danica eyed them both. It wasn’t an answer she was expecting. She cocked her eyebrow at Sam, letting her know to elaborate.

  “Well, we found some connections, but that isn’t the only reason we came.”

  “Would one of you care to elaborate farther? My patience is wearing very thin. Do you need my approval for some crazy test?” Danica asked them.

  “Not a test, Cap, but a field trip,” Grace answered.

  “A field trip? Another county? Which one?”

  “Right now, we believe we have a positive match to two cases in Fairfield.”

  “So, why are you still in my office and not with the detectives up there?”

  “Because, as I said before, that is only part of the reason, we’re here,” Grace replied.

  “Then explain,” Danica commanded.

  “I’m stepping down as lead investigator,” Grace answered.

  “Permanently?”

  “No, just for this case, Cap,” Grace replied.

  “I’m going to be taking point on it from now on. I don’t want Grace reassigned. I want her to help.”

  “Good, cause she is going to have to, anyway,” Danica answered.

  “Why is that, Cap?” Grace asked, noting the tension in Danica’s voice.

  “Budget cuts. Smith transferred because of Gregor’s antics. Gregor is suspended pending disciplinary action. I have you two and French. He is trying to retire but I think I’ve managed to convince him to stay as my desk lieutenant.”

  “So, he is back-up?” Grace asked.

  “Only if I’m not available.”

  “So—“

  “Get your asses to Fairfield’s office and get whatever you need.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” they both answered, standing.

  Danica smiled as they left her office. She knew that Sam had finally worn Grace down, but she also knew that Grace was a smart woman and smart detective. She was proud of both of them for recognizing the issue and dealing with it head on. Now, all she had to do was reign Grace in a little tighter.

  She grabbed the case file for the Wendy Cooper case. It was cases like this that Danica was glad for Grace being on her squad. Danica knew that Grace was an awesome detective. Danica had studied her jacket. It didn’t take long to want to hire Grace. She could only hope that one day Grace would realize that Sam was not only her partner but an equal. Danica was even prouder of them both for working so well together. She, then, remembered that she was reviewing their impromptu open and shut case with Wendy Cooper.

  It was a fairly quick case. It wouldn’t take the prosecution anytime to get a conviction. They would need a few more cases like that to help their numbers. She grabbed the phone and called the assistant solicitor.

  “Whatcha got, Danica?” he asked.

  “An easy one, meet me down here in an hour,” she replied.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Tabitha sat at her desk mixing paints on a make shift palette. She knew that she didn’t know when she was going to see Sam again. She knew what it was like to date a first responder. Tabby knew that working on her art would help her through the times that she didn’t get to be with Sam.

  Tabby turned on her stool, palette in hand and stared at the canvas before her. It was another nude of Sam. She wondered what Sam would do when she finally saw it. Tabitha wasn’t stupid enough to put Samantha’s face in it, but she knew who it was. She also knew that Grace and Reagan would guess and guess right.

  She shook her head and dipped her brush in paint. She leaned back, staring at both sketches, the paper and the canvas. She felt a sense of relief as she let the brush glow over the canvas. It was almost as if Tabitha could feel herself touch Sam. She smiled.

  She began to daydream as she painted. Tabitha began to dream that her brush was her fingers and the portrait was Sam. She sighed. The dream was making Tabitha horny and the hornier she got, the steamier the dream got. It was getting pretty bad when she heard Sam cough to interrupt her thoughts.

  Tabitha dropped her brush and flushed when she saw it was Samantha.

  “Hi,” she said bewildered.

  “Hi, yourself,” Sam answered.

  “You alright?”

  “Yeah, just had a lot of stuff to sort through without SLED’s help. Turns out this guy isn’t just a grade A bastard. He’s an evil, sadistic asshole. How was your day?”

  “Good and prod
uctive,” Tabitha answered, understanding it was time to change the subject.

  “That’s good.”

  “I think so. For once, I don’t think I’m going to have to rush to meet my deadline. The gallery and Monica are going to be happy. I might have too much, even.”

  “I doubt that you have too much,” Sam said.

  “Like I said, today has been productive.”

  “Anything you want to show me?”

  “You’ll have to wait until the show,” Tabitha answered.

  “And, what if I don’t want to?” Sam asked, moving around the table before Tabitha could say or do anything.

  Tabby gasped when she saw Sam’s face. Her heart sank. She was afraid that Sam would feel this way about them. It was one of the reasons she didn’t want Sam to see it. But, then again, she was glad that Sam saw it now and not at the showing where she could make a big scene.

  “I’m sorry, I know I should’ve—“ she started to whisper.

  “WOW!” Sam finally stated.

  Tabby sat there in silence. She didn’t know what to do, let alone say. She was waiting for Sam to say something, anything else before she commented.

  “Tabby, is this how you see me?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, barely audible.

  “Dear God, woman, I wish I had your eyes.”

  “What?” Tabitha asked, obviously confused.

  “You make me beautiful. Thank you. I had no idea.”

  “You are beautiful.”

  “I’m not that beautiful,” Sam said, pointing at the canvas.

  “But, you are and so much more. I can’t convey everything that you are, there. No one would understand it. Plus, I want to keep some of my secrets secret. I don’t understand it half the time, so how can I show it?”

  “I guess I never realized,” Sam answered.

  “I told you being an artist was a curse and a blessing. I wish more people could try to be as understanding as you are. Plus, I don’t want people to see too much of you. I can get crazy jealous sometimes. I don’t share well,” Tabitha said.

  Tabby stood and went to where Sam was standing. She looked over her work as Sam continued to study the series. Tabitha waited to see is Sam was going to ask or say anything else about the paintings. Sam just stood there in awe.

  “I can’t believe these.”

  “Horrible?” Tabitha asked.

  “Hell, no, they’re awesome. Is this what you’ve been working on so hard? Are there more?”

  “Maybe,” Tabitha answered.

  “Maybe?” Sam questioned.

  “Yes, Love, maybe. I haven’t decided on everything for the show yet. So, there maybe more, but right now, I just don’t know.”

  “You’ll let me see them?”

  “Nope.”

  Sam turned and gathered Tabitha around the waist. Tabby melted into her. They kissed and giggled.

  “Nope, still not showing you,” Tabitha said, still giggling.

  “Well, damn. Guess I’ll just have to try harder. I wonder what it’ll take. How about this?” Sam mused as she led Tabby back to her table.

  Sam turned on the radio. She found something slow and sensual on, something that they could dance to. Sam spun Tabitha around and pulled her back into her embrace. Sam danced them around the studio with the beat of the music playing. Tabitha laughed as they danced around.

  “Still not going to work, but the dance was nice.”

  “Damn it, woman. I am going to have to pull out all the stops with you. You’re going to break me, aren’t you?” Sam asked.

  “Only if you want me to,” Tabitha said, straight faced.

  Sam stopped the dance and just stared at her. Tabby just smiled a perfectly sexual smile at Sam, before she broke out into full blow laughter. Sam didn’t know what to do with Tabitha.

  Tabitha realized that she had completely perplexed Sam. She knew that Sam didn’t know what to do with her British personality. She pulled Sam into her body and melted against Sam. She felt Sam begin to soften next to her.

  “Relax, Love. I don’t bite. Hard,” Tabitha told her winking.

  Sam finally relaxed, realizing that Tabitha was just playing.

  When Tabitha finally saw Sam relax and her eyes soften, Tabby leaned in for a kiss. She wasn’t trying to pressure Sam. She wanted Sam to know everything she was feeling. It was the only way that Tabitha knew she could make Sam understand.

  Sam melted into Tabitha and enjoyed the kiss she was receiving. She realized that she wasn’t used to the depth of feeling that Tabby had for her. She had seen it in the artwork. She had seen it, but she didn’t understand it. Sam mused that the curse that Tabitha had, seeing beauty were most didn’t. In a weird way, Sam was glad. Having that ability would break a cop quickly and frankly, she didn’t have time for it.

  Tabitha felt Samantha start to stiffen slightly.

  “No, you don’t. Not tonight. Not now,” Tabby told her.

  “What? What did I do? I don’t understa—“

  Tabitha cut her off, kissing Sam deeply, again. Sam made her mind stop wandering and focus on the here and now. Because now all she wanted was Tabitha. The things that woman did to Sam’s mouth drove Sam wild. She wondered how long she was going to let Tabitha play before she was going to flip Tabitha over and have her way with her.

  Sam didn’t exactly flip her over, but she did take control of their kiss. Tabitha relented with a pleasured moan. Sam used the moan as permission to deepen the kiss.

  As their tongues danced, both warring for control, neither of them back down fully, Sam’s hand found its way to the hem of Tabitha’s shirt. She snaked it under and made her way up from Tabitha’s stomach to Tabitha’s bosom. She heard Tabby’s sharp intake of breath as her hand began to caress the breast it found. Sam kneaded the breast as she slightly rolled them so Tabitha was on her back.

  Sam wanted more. She needed more. Her hand left Tabitha’s quickly swelling and pebbling breast for the hem of Tabitha’s shirt. Sam heard Tabitha groan in protest until Tabitha realized that Sam was removing her clothing. Tabitha moaned in pleasure, again.

  Once Sam had Tabitha bare, she continued to touch every inch of freshly exposed skin. Sam drank her up. It was as if Tabitha had become Sam’s personal drug. Sam had to have more. She was becoming insatiable.

  Tabitha writhed beneath her. Sam enjoyed herself, but she wanted more. Suddenly touching and kissing and caressing Tabitha’s exposed torso wasn’t enough. Same hand immediately found Tabitha’s shorts and before Tabitha could even realize, they were gone, too. Tossed on the floor like some sort of offensive thing Sam was trying to discard.

  Sam wasted no time. She descended Tabitha’s body, kissing a heated and well-loved trail. Once Sam’s hands found purchase upon Tabitha’s hips, she found her personal ambrosia. Tabitha held nothing back, bearing her soul in an ear splitting scream as Sam found her core. Sam didn’t stop. Tabitha’s moans and screams became Sam’s fuel. Sam continued to love and nourish herself at Tabitha’s font. Sam’s continued worship sent Tabby to the heavens on a blinding moan.

  As Tabitha fell back to Earth, Sam stayed her position. She was still holding Tabitha by her hips, wrapped around them. They were still merged to the point where Tabitha didn’t know where she ended and Sam began. Sam was on Tabitha, again, as soon as she felt Tabitha relax. Tabitha started to moan in protest but it quickly turned to absolute pleasure. Sam was making sure that Tabitha knew how she felt.

  Chapter Twenty –Three

  Grace and Sam pulled into the Fairfield Sheriff’s Department’s lot. Grace turned off her F150 but didn’t make a move to get out. Sam glanced over and waited for Grace.

  “They might get a little defensive,” Grace said.

  “Didn’t we?”

  “True, but we need to stay polite and friendly.”

  “I understand.”

  “Follow my lead and keep me nice,” Grace stated, opening her truck door.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Sam answered, laug
hing as they disembarked the truck.

  They walked into the office and walked to the counter.

  “Can I help you ladies?” the lady behind the counter asked them.

  “I hope so. I am Detective Grace O’Shea and this is my partner Detective Samantha Wannamaker. My captain called your office. We are supposed to be meeting with one of your detectives concerning a case on the lake,” Grace explained.

  “Hold on. Let me find out who is in charge of the case. You can have a seat over there. They’ll come out and get you,” the lady told them.

  She and Sam went over to the bench and sat down. It didn’t long for someone to come out of the back of the precinct to get them. Grace stood as the Fairfield detective came over to them.

  “Afternoon, detectives, welcome to Fairfield.”

  “Thanks,” Sam stated.

  “I’m Detective Lieutenant Grace O’Shea and this is my partner, Detective Sergeant Samantha Wannamaker.”

  “Yeah, I know. You’re here about the lake case. I am Detective Curtis Wilson, but everyone calls me ‘Bubba’.”

  “Okay, Bubba,” Grace answered.

  “Call me, Sam,” Sam added.

  “Follow me and I’ll show you what we got.”

  “Thanks,” Sam stated.

  They followed Bubba back to a small room with a large table. Grace figured it was some sort of conference room. They both looked at the boxes on the table. Both were marked with case file and victim names.

  “Have a seat,” he told them.

  They all sat at the table. Sam and Grace were waiting for Bubba to begin. He slid a piece of paper across the table at them. Grace looked it over and then signed it. She slid it to Sam, who did the same. Sam slid it back to Bubba.

  “Well, ladies, they’re all yours now. Hope you catch the bastard. Have fun. I’ll check back on ya in a few,” he said, taking the paper with him.

  Sam waited until Bubba was out of ear shot before she asked Grace, “Did he just have us sign for the cases?”

  “Yeah, it was a chain-of-custody form,” Grace answered.

  “I got that. But, did we just take his cases? Is he turning them over to us?”