by Jet MacLeod
“She’s mine!” was all she heard before she blacked out and hit the floor.
Reagan screamed out in terror. Jonah grabbed her and drug her further into the house. Reagan screamed, again. Cormack came to and tried to figure out where they were to take a shot. She couldn’t see anything in the blackness.
“Murray Zero!” she screamed as loud as she could.
“MURRAY ZERO!!!” Cormack called again.
She heard the sirens on her phone. She tried to see them. Something hit her again, and she was out.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Grace wasted no time. Once she heard the male voice and Reagan’s scream, she pushed her truck as fast as it would go. Sam had already reached over and turned the sirens on as soon as she heard Cormack call out the distress signal. She made Grace drive and watch with the road as she called in the situation on Grace’s police CB radio.
“Lexington, Lexington, this is Romeo Zero. Murray Zero. Murray Zero. I need Lexington Bravo and all available units to THREE SEVEN TWO COVE GARDEN WAY. MURRAY ZERO! MURRAY ZERO! CODE THREE!”
“Roger that, Romeo Zero. All units be advised, code three. Proceed to three-seven-two Cove Garden Way. Perp is on sight, presumed armed and dangerous. Lexington Bravo is a go!”
Grace and Sam could hear the patrol cars sirens from the local sectors coming. They knew they weren’t waiting for back up. Grace handed Sam her Glock and Sam checked it handing it back. Then, she checked her own. Sam knew they were going in guns blazing. Jonah would die tonight. Sam could only hope that Grace remembered to let her take the shot.
“There is body armor behind the seat. Get some. And, hand me mine.”
“Grace?”
“I know. You’re shot. I’m going in after Reagan. You’ve got Jonah.”
“Good.”
Neither of them let the truck come to a complete stop before they were out of it and at the front door. Grace did manage to put the truck in park and get her keys out of the ignition before she got out. She and Sam took their positions on either side of the front door. They counted to three and entered Reagan’s house.
Sam kicked something to her immediate right. It was Cormack. They pulled her into the living room. Grace helped Sam get Cormack into a sitting position.
“He took her to the bedroom,” Cormack moaned.
“We got him. Stay here, Cormack, until EMS arrives,” Grace ordered, “Don’t move. As long as I know where you are, you’re safe.”
“I understand, Lieutenant. I’ll call for my own bus in a minute. Just get Reagan,” Cormack told them.
Sam was already on her walkie talkie calling in, “Lexington, this is Romeo Zero Bravo. I need a bus at my location. Officer down. Romeo Zero checking the scene.”
“Roger that, Romeo Zero, EMS in route, code three.”
Sam grabbed Grace’s arm. They kept in contact with each other as they made their way to Reagan’s bedroom. They made it to the door, when they heard Reagan scream, again. Both of them raised their pistols and flashlights, backed up against the wall prepared to kick the door in. Silently they counted but before they could get to three, seven shots rang out.
Grace and Sam busted thru the door. Sam, in front to make sure Grace didn’t take a shot. Grace found a light switch and turned it on. Neither of them were prepared for the scene in front of them.
Reagan was standing against the window, with the 1911 pointed at the lifeless body on the bed. She was still pulling the trigger over and over and over again. Grace could see the fear in her eyes.
Grace immediately holstered her side arm and went to Reagan. Sam went to the bed to check on Jonah. He was dead. Once she was sure Jonah wasn’t going to come back from the dead, she holstered her weapon as well. Grace took the Colt from Reagan and dropped it to the ground at their feet. She pulled Reagan into her and held her tight.
“Romeo Zero, this is Lexington.”
“Lexington, this is Romeo Zero, go ahead,” Sam said into the radio.
“Situation update,” Danica demanded.
“Situation under control. Suspect down. Victim okay. One officer down, minor injuries. Romeo Zero Alpha and Bravo good. Lexington Bravo can stand down. We are going to need CSU.”
“Roger that, Romeo Zero, CSU will be in route shortly.”
“Roger, Lexington. Operation complete. Status updated to normal.”
“Roger that Romeo Zero, Ten-Six at this time. Good job. See y’all back at the house. Lexington out.”
Sam watched Reagan in Grace’s arms as an EMT came running into the room. He surveyed the scene and decided he wasn’t needed. He left as quickly as he came in.
“Do you need to be checked out, Reagan?” Grace asked her.
“No,” she whispered.
“You sure?”
“Just get me out of here.”
“Okay, Love.”
Sam watched them leave. She would stay with the body until the ME picked it up. She would turn the scene over to the CSU in charge when they finally got there. Sam walked over to the wall and leaned against it, before sliding down into a sitting position, with her knees on her chest, on the floor.
That was how Cormack and David found her. David had come to process the scene as lead on Danica’s request. He figured he owed Danica and Cormack for everything they had done and were doing for him.
“Sam.”
She didn’t respond.
“Sam, honey, come on. It’s time to go. It’s over,” Cormack told her.
Sam turned and looked at Cormack, saying, “You’re hurt!?!”
“It’ll take more than a smack to the head and ribs punches to keep me down.”
“Come on, Tiger. Danica is waiting for your report. I’ll take it from here,” David told them.
“Thanks, David,” Sam stated, taking his hand.
She and Cormack left the house. They got into the cruiser. Sam drove back to the station house. Cormack was riding shotgun.
Sam knew she should be happy they got Jonah. She knew he couldn’t hurt any more women. She knew that his reign of terror was over for all the lesbians that lived on the lake, except one. Sam wasn’t worried about Jonah anymore. She was worried about Reagan.
They entered the station. Sam went right to her desk and grabbed the correct blank forms and reports for the case to fill out. Cormack watched her as did Danica. Cormack and Danica shared a look but didn’t say anything.
“What happened?” Danica asked Cormack.
“Reagan got him with Tabitha’s 1911.”
Danica turned to Sam. She shared the same thoughts as her daughter. Reagan faced on nightmare only to create another.
Chapter Thirty-Six
They were all gathered at Tabitha’s apartment. It had been a week since Reagan shot Jonah. No one wanted to talk about it. It was like it never happened. In their minds, Jonah’s death ended the case. There was nothing left to discuss.
Tabitha was prepping for her art show. Reagan seemed eager for some normalcy in her life. Tabitha’s show gave her a way to get it and make Grace stand down.
Grace was worried about Reagan. She was with her every chance she could be. She wanted to be there when Reagan finally cracked. They only thing she got was Reagan’s anger. Regan told Grace in no uncertain terms that if Grace didn’t cease and desist her shadowing, Reagan wouldn’t marry her anymore. Grace backed off, but she made sure that she was still close enough, just in case.
Tabitha noticed the charge and changed mood between them all. Even Cormack seemed rattled by the experience. Tabitha knew all they needed was a night out, a celebration, something to get their minds off it all. Friday couldn’t get here fast enough.
“We still getting together before the show?” Cormack asked, breaking the silence.
“Sounds good to me,” Reagan answered.
“I’ll already be at the gallery. I’ll be available after the show. I’ll see you when you get there,” Tabitha told them.
“Why is that?” Sam asked.
“I have interviews and such. I have to make sure that everything is how I want it. Plus, Monica always has some sort of photo shoot for some article that someone is writing.”
“Oh,” Sam replied, her disappointment evident.
“Don’t worry, Love. I’m all yours after. I have to be the art world’s during it, and the media’s before it. It is a necessary evil,” Tabitha replied.
Grace shot Tabitha a look. Tabitha just stared right back. Their argument was unspoken and neither side won. Grace could only hope that Tabitha would tell Samantha who she would be meeting at the art show. Tabitha was still having an internal debate. She knew she should but it had always been a crazy twin test that both Tabitha and Penelope would do to their perspective dates.
“So what are we going to do after the show?” Sam asked.
“Everyone is going to the Closet. Drinks are on me. It’ll be the after party,” Reagan told them.
“That sounds great Reagan,” Tabitha stated.
“Nothing like drinking and dancing after a long week,” Grace added.
“But not too much,” Reagan quipped.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve done that, Baby,” Grace stated, blushing as she remembered her strip tease.
“Well, then that’s settled. I’ll meet everyone at the gallery and then we’ll go to the Closet afterwards. Sounds perfect.”
“Don’t forget that we have to dress up,” Grace said.
“Don’t remind me. I hate cocktail dresses and schmoozing. I always feel dirty afterwards. I hate openings,” Tabitha told them.
“No worries, Tabby. I’ll be there with you this time. It’ll be okay,” Sam said.
Grace and Tabitha just stared at Sam. Grace shook her head. She knew the anger that Sam would have once she figured out Tabitha and Penelope’s game. She, herself, had once been the recipient.
“Yeah, Love, you will.”
“Don’t forget that Alex will be there, too,” Grace added.
“She’s back in town?”
“Yeah, she fled her Grandmother and Paris, again.”
“When will the Czarina learn?” Tabitha asked.
“When Alex kills her?” Grace laughed.
“Alex is back in town? We should invite her over for dinner or something. I know that y’all will have a lot to catch up on,” Reagan told Grace.
“That sounds good, Babe. But, for some odd strange reason, she told me that she has business with Dadda. I can’t imagine what she would have business with Dadda about.”
“I do,” Reagan answered.
“What?”
“Alex is running her father’s construction company now,” Reagan answered.
“Yeah, so what?”
“Your father has gone into real estate,” Reagan told her.
“Damn it all to Hell. Columbia is going to become Hell because of this, don’t you know. Hell is going to freeze over and come out into Columbia. Nothing good will come of this.”
“Grace, calm down. They both have good business sense. Your father helped me. I’m sure that they are helping each other. Your father is a changed man. He isn’t as ruthless as he used to be. Besides, I think that he’s doing this because he was friends with Alexander Roman. He is just trying to help Alex maintain her father’s company,” Reagan told her.
“I hope so. I hope my father isn’t going into one of his crazy hair-brained schemes. They never end well for anyone.”
“Enough of that, so make sure Alex gets there on time. I can’t wait to see her. And, tell the Russian Princess that I haven’t forgotten that she still owes me a very good bottle of Vodka,” Tabitha told them.
They all laughed. Tabitha was silently praying that Friday would come and go and everything would go back to normal. She and Sam would be together, if Friday night proved her right. If not, she wondered if Penny would mind some company back in England for a while.
Friday night came before they were all ready. Grace took everyone but Tabitha out before the opening. She watched Sam all night, waiting to see if Tabitha had told her. If she had, Samantha didn’t betray her.
Monica met them at the gallery doors. She looked amazing as always. Grace and Monica eyed each other. Neither of them had forgotten the debacles back in Atlanta. It was Tabitha’s fault, even though Monica would never know it. She had smoothed things over with Monica, but Monica and Grace had come to a silent understanding to stay away from each other.
“Grace O’Shea, my how you have gotten tamer,” Monica quipped.
Grace smiled. She did look tamer now that she and Reagan were together. She had to admit that Reagan made her feel and act human.
Grace looked radiant in her tuxedo, sans shirt and tie. She was glad and disappointed that Reagan let her out of the house earlier. She had hoped that the sight of her in just the tux pants, vest and jacket would be Reagan’s undoing. But, Reagan had beat her to it with her own matching royal blue cocktail dress.
Cormack came in the typical “little black dress.” Sam acted as her escort for the evening. Grace was amazed at how good Sam cleaned up. Sam was rocking her white and red tux. She, too, had forgone the bowtie.
Monica checked them in, eyeing them all. She gave Grace a look that warned her of doing anything stupid. Grace just shook her head and nodded at Sam. Monica looked at her confused. Grace laughed at her as she took Reagan’s hand and entered the gallery.
Sam walked into the main series that was hanging in the largest of the gallery’s rooms. It was showing “Sleep” and “In Her Dreams.” Sam’s mouth hit the floor. They were all of her.
“It’s nice being the artist’s girlfriend, isn’t it, Rookie?’ Grace asked her.
“Pick your mouth up,” Reagan told her, as Grace slapped Sam’s back.
“Wow,” Cormack said, spinning taking it all in.
“Don’t worry, Rookie. No one will know it’s you. She always hides the faces of her nudes,” Grace explained.
“But, that’s only true if she would stop blushing,” Reagan jabbed.
Sam turned a deeper red. She immediately started looking for Tabitha. She wasn’t upset about the painting. She just wasn’t prepared to see her ass on the wall on a three by five canvas.
Grace held everyone back once she saw Samantha heading towards who she thought was Tabitha. Reagan questioned the move until she saw who Sam was after. Cormack wasn’t paying any attention to anything but the artwork on the wall, and then a tall, drop-dead gorgeous blonde and her date, who were walking towards Grace.
“Excuse me, Tabitha, can we talk?” Sam asked, pulling her away from a crowd.
“Sure, excuse me, folks.”
“You could have told me.”
“Told you what, Love.”
“That my naked ass would be on the wall,” Sam stated.
“I was afraid that if I did you wouldn’t let me show them.”
“Wait. Something’s wrong. Where is Tabitha?”
“I’m right in front of you, Love.”
“Don’t get me wrong, lady, but you aren’t my lover. It’s an amazing resemblance. But, I know Tabitha Grey in ways I don’t know you. So, if I was you, I’d tell me where she is and why you’re acting like her,” Sam demanded.
Grace saw Sam’s body language change. She knew that Sam had figured out the truth. Grace kissed Reagan, excused herself, made sure that Cormack stayed with Reagan, shook Alex’s hand while nodding at Tabitha in explanation for her departure, and made her way over to Samantha in under thirty seconds.
“Penny, I would suggest you tell her where Tabitha is hiding.”
Sam turned and glared at Grace. The look was one of accusation and betrayal. Grace shook it off and stared at Penny.
“Sam, this is Penelope Grey Watson. She is Tabitha’s twin and a psychologist that does twin studies. Penny steps in for Tabitha because Tabby hates crowds. You should count yourself lucky. Only a few have ever noticed the difference,” Grace explained.
“So, I’m part of some damn experiment?”
“No. Never. It is a test that we developed as kids,” Penny answered.
“A test? What kind of fucking test? Where is Tabitha?”
“I’ll let her explain it to you. She is at a bar called RL’s Closet. She said you were all going there after the show. It worked for me.”
Sam was already across the room and to the door when Grace caught her.
“Rookie, stand down!”
Sam stopped. She turned around and waited for Grace. The tears were there.
“Listen, it is a cruel joke. I know. Been there, done that. But, it is part of their survival system,” Grace told her.
“I don’t care. I don’t understand. Why didn’t she tell me?” Sam asked.
“Because she loves you.”
“That’s a funny way of showing it.”
“It’s a loyalty test,” Grace told her.
“A loyalty test?”
“Yeah, if you can’t tell her apart from her own twin, then how can she trust you with anyone else?”
“That’s fucking ridiculous,” Sam stated.
“I agree with you. That is why Tabitha and I broke up. But, Sam, y’all are different together. Go talk to her…calmly.”
“I’ll go talk to her. I won’t promise to be calm. But, I’ll talk,” Samantha replied.
“Just try to be calm. I’ll see you, later. Tonight. At the Closet,” Grace told her, as she watched her go.
Alex joined Grace at the door.
“She pass the test?” Alex asked.
“Aced it.”
“Think she’ll understand it better than you did, then?”
“For both of their hearts, I hope so.”
“Me, too, sounds like they are good together.”
“Welcome home, Alex,” Grace told her friend.
“Thanks, Friend.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Leigh stood at the bar cleaning glasses. She was preparing for not only the normal Friday night fare but the gallery’s opening after party that Reagan had arranged. She knew it was going to be a good night. Leigh and Drew had already over stocked the coolers. Drew was in the back stocking the upright coolers no one ever saw, just in case Leigh needed refills later.
