"Stop, police!" The tall dark haired woman yelled as she ran down the California street, chasing the drug dealer in front of her. "Why do they always have to run?" Detective Samantha Knight said under her breath, glad she had decided to wear her sneakers and old blue jeans. She watched the dealer as he ran around the corner into the ally. Slowing down, Sam reached under her dark blue jacket and pulled her gun from behind her back, out of the holster. She began to carefully move towards the corner to look around.
"I wouldn't do that. He's standing right around the corner with a board waiting for you."
Sam looked over her shoulder to see a young girl that must have been all of sixteen wearing a light green tee shirt and black jeans. She had short blonde hair and the most beautiful green eyes Sam had ever seen.
"Stay back kid, I don't want you to get hurt." Sam said as she moved closer to the corner.
"I'm not a kid, I'm 23 years old, and I mean it, he is standing right around the corner waiting for you to poke your head around it," Cricket told the tall detective as she leaned back against the wall behind her.
Sam wasn't sure what to think. There were no windows around that would let her see down the ally so how could this kid, correction young woman, be so damn sure the dealer is right around the corner? Sam looked at the young woman again and saw something in her eyes that told her, somehow she knew what was around the corner.
Giving the young woman a nod that she believed her, Sam swept her unarmed hand behind her to move the woman out of the way into safety. Instead of easing around the corner like the drug dealer expected her to, Sam moved fast, somersaulting past the corner and rolling up to her knees while holding her gun pointed toward the shocked drug dealer.
"Lou, please tell me you weren't really thinking of hitting me with that board, were you?" Sam asked him as she got up and signaled for him to drop the board. She pushed his face towards the wall, kicking his legs apart.
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After Sam cuffed the drug dealer, Lou, and read him his rights, she looked over to the young woman leaning against the wall where Sam had left her, watching everything. When the other police officers showed up, she turned Lou over to them to follow through on the arrest.
As the others left, Sam walked over to the woman. "How did you know?"
"Don't you have to get back to work?" Cricket asked in her defense, trying to ward off the question.
"Nope." Sam smiled, knowing what the woman was trying to do as she repeated her question. "How did you know?"
Cricket shrugged her shoulders, not really wanting to tell this tall woman the truth about herself. "Saw the same thing happen on a cop show the other night."
Sam brought up one of her eyebrows as she again looked into the sparkling green eyes. "No, I don't believe that. I think you really knew he was there. My name is Sam Knight, by the way, and you're??" Sam asked as she held out her hand noticing as she did that the young woman only came up to her shoulder. That must make her around 5' 2" to Sam's own 6'1."
With a smile, Cricket held out her own hand, looking into deep blue eyes while she noticed how tall the beautiful woman with long black hair was. "I'm Cricket Jones nice to meet you Sam." She finished as she took Sam's hand.
As their hands made contact it was almost like a shot of lightening hit them both. The impact of it ran up and down their arms. It was like the life times of two souls coming together in one single touch.
All Sam could do was stand there and stare at Cricket while she tried to figure out what the hell had just happened. As her brain finally kicked in, she again asked the first thing that came into her mind. "Why the name Cricket?"
"Cricket?Cricket who?" Cricket said as it took a minute to get her brain to understand the question.
"Oh." Cricket turned red when she realized what she said. "Because I was another girl and not a planned child, my father didn't take much notice of me and told mom to name me what she wanted. Somehow a cricket had gotten into the hospital. So when I was born my mom could hear the sound of a cricket, and that is the name she gave me."
"I take it dear dad wanted a boy?" Sam asked.
"That is putting it mildly. My father wanted boys to carry on his name and to learn the business. What he got was one boy and three girls. Dad was not a happy man." Cricket told her.
"I don't know how your father couldn't be happy with you." Sam said as she gave Cricket one of her brightest smiles.
Cricket could feel the blush work its way up her neck as she realized Sam was flirting with her. She ducked her head trying to hide the blush, but knew it was useless. She might as well have had a sign flashing above her head.
"Oh I have got to get to know this cute little pixie." Sam thought to herself. "Come on, let's go into this cafe so we can talk." She motioned to the place behind where Cricket had been leaning.
Cricket straightened up giving the place a look over her shoulder. "Ahhh?you really don't want to go in there, the cook's having a bad day." She said as she studied the sidewalk.
"Oh really mmm?that is strange. I usually get my lunch in here once or twice a week. The cook has always acted friendly." Sam put her finger under Cricket's chin and lifted it so she could look into her sea green eyes. "And just what happened inside to upset the cook?" She asked.
Cricket thought about telling Sam it was none of her business, but didn't. She didn't what to tick this beautiful woman off, and lose the chance to get to know her.
Cricket lifted her hand and rubbed it along side her nose. It was something she always did when she was nervous. "It really wasn't my fault. Well in a way it was but it really wasn't, understand?" Cricket looked at her with pleading eyes.
Shaking her head, Sam grasped Cricket's hand and started leading her toward the door. "I have a feeling this is going to take some explaining. Come on, I'm tired so let's go in and sit down."
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"I told you never to come in here again." Was the first thing they heard as they walked through the door.
Sam looked up and saw the cook and owner of the place coming towards them.
"Hey there, Frank, how things going?" Sam asked as she held out one hand, and with the other pushed Cricket behind her so she was between her and the angry cook, who was covered in ash.
"I'm doing fine Sammy, but I want that trouble maker out of here now." Frank told her. "She is a jinx, nothing but trouble. I never should've hired her. Get out."
"Ok Frank, clam down. Now, are you telling me you are refusing our business?" Sam folded her arms as she gave Frank a steely-eyed glare.
Frank shook his head. "No, not you, you're always welcome. It's her that's not welcome. I fired her, kicked her out and told her never to come back. Now make her leave."
Sam stood her ground, lifting her left eyebrow staring at Frank. "Ok, let me put it this way Frank. Are you refusing business to a police detective and her GUEST?" Sam asked as she pronounced the last word slowly.
Frank might have been mad but he was no fool. He knew when to back down. Letting out a loud sigh as his chest deflated, Frank shook his head again. "No Sammy, I'm not refusing you. Go sit in a booth and I'll have the waitress come over." He told her as he turned, and walked back into the kitchen, which still had little streams of smoke rising in the air.
Sam led Cricket over to a table by the window. "Okay, you want to explain what is going on here? Frank is usually a sweetheart."
Cricket cleared her throat. "It really wasn't my fault. I mean it was but it wasn't. Understand?" she gave Sam a pleading look.
"You said that before." Sam said as she sat back in her seat. "I'm waiting."
"Ahumm, it was like this." Cricket said as she took a deep breath of air. "I was serving the table next to this one, and a guy sitting in the booth pinched me. I was pouring ice water at the time. I didn't even think about it. I just turned and threw the ice water in his face."
"Kitty was one table down. An ice cube flew over towards her and landed down the front of her dress. She screamed and threw the salad she was carrying over her head. It landed on some guy at the bar who was so startled that he threw the catsup bottle he was holding against the wall. The bottle hit a picture on the wall causing it to fall, landing on a pile of cleaning cloths." Cricket stopped to take in another deep breath.
"They tilted over knocking over a pan of grease on the stove. The grease hit a flaming burner and ignited it. The fire could have been controlled if certain items behind the counter had been labeled correctly."
"I mean did you know cooking wine looks a lot like water? Did anyone tell you that you are supposed to throw salt on a grease fire and not water? Damn, if they would tell you this stuff when they give you a job maybe it would help out." Cricket finally ran out of air, and sat back looking at Sam to see what she thought.
Sam felt like she was in shock. "This little pixie did all of that. Unbelievable! I definitely need to get to know her."
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"That was a good meal." Sam replied as she dropped tip money on the table. "Come on and I'll take you home. It's getting late." Time had passed by quickly as they sat and talked. Sam still knew very little about Cricket. The conversation always seemed to turn to Sam, her family and her life.
But Sam knew one thing for sure. She wanted to get to know Cricket better in every way. Sam was a very determined woman when she saw something she wanted, she never stopped till it was hers; and she very much wanted Cricket Jones.
"That might be kinda hard to do considering I got kicked out of my place this morning. My bags are in the room behind the kitchen." Cricket told her before she could stop herself.
Sam stopped midway as she was rising. "I don't suppose it was because you were behind with your rent?" Upon seeing Cricket shake her head back and forth, she knew this was going to be another interesting story. "Ok, come on let's grab your bags. You can crash at my place for awhile."
After seeing Cricket out of her seat, Sam turned to walk towards the back room. Cricket had to run to catch up with her. "That's Ok. You don't have to do that...I mean I can do ok?ahhh? why would you take me home with you?" Cricket finally was able to get out the question she wanted to ask.
With out missing a step, Sam turned to her and said. "So I can have my evil way with you." Cricket ran right into the wall by the door. Sam just laughed and helped her through the door to collect her bags.
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They drove approximately two miles out of town. Sam turned off the main road onto a drive that led up to a big, beautiful home.
"It's beautiful. But how many people live here?" Cricket asked as she looked at the one story home.
"Well there's mom, dad, and Anne, the cook that has been with us way before I was born; and yours truly here lives around back in the guesthouse." Sam chuckled when Cricket looked at her, then back at the house again.
"Cricket really, it is not all that big. My dad made some wise deals and made a lot of money. So what he did was take the house and added a wing onto it. So when we have guests visit they have a place to stay. And it seems like we always have someone visiting." Sam informed her as she followed the driveway around to the guesthouse in back.
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Sam's home had a nice big front room and a kitchen, off to the side, two bedrooms and a bath. Sam had claimed the place as her own when she turned 18, and her father asked her what she wanted for her birthday. The sofa and chairs had been picked out to fit her tall frame. The second bedroom had been turned in to an office where she had her computer, and did some off-hours work.
Cricket turned in a circle as she looked at the big room. It was nice.
"Where do you what me to sleep?" Cricket asked.
"Oh, what a question." Sam thought to herself. "You take the bed and I will take the couch for now till we know each other better." Sam winked at her.
"OH GOD" Cricket's heart jumped. "Why can't I stay in one of the guest rooms in the house, and what the hell do you mean, know each other better?" Cricket questioned as she took a step back towards the door; trying not to act like she was just about ready to have a heart attack by the thought of this beautiful woman wanting her.
"Your my guest not theirs, and how am I going to have my way with you if you're not here?" Sam smiled.
Cricket put her hands on her waist as she stomped her foot. "Will you stop saying that, you're not going to have your way with me."
Sam winked at her as she slowly walked towards Cricket.
"What, you don't like girls?" Sam asked rapidly.
"I never said that." Cricket answered just as fast taking another step back.
"Don't like me?" Sam shot off.
"Hell yes I like you?damn, I mean." Cricket stuttered as her hand flew up to cover her eyes.
"Ahhhhhh?" Sam pointed her finger at her. "Too late now, you said it. Then, can you read my mind?"
Cricket got a puzzled look on her face. "For some reason no I can't; might be, because you're NUTS!" She said without realizing what she had just admitted to Sam.
"Really, well, we will get to that later." A twinkle came to Sam's eyes as the thought crossed her mind. "Gotcha little girl." Sam shrugged her shoulders. "And no I'm not nuts, so if you like girls and you like me, then what is the problem?"
"Hell if I know, you lost me back there some place." Cricket said as she threw her hands up in the air in defeat.
Sam just laughed. "Come on let's take your bags into the bedroom, and I will clean out a few drawers for you."
Cricket watched Sam walk off with her bags, shaking her head, wondering how in the world she got herself into these fixes, as she followed.
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It took the rest of the late afternoon to get Sam's clothes moved and Cricket's put away. Then they went in and together fixed a light dinner of Salmon with green beans and salad. Neither one wanted a big meal. After supper, Sam got them each a bowl of swiss cherry chocolate ice cream, Cricket sat on the sofa, and Sam sat in the big stuffed chair that faced the sofa.
"Ok Cricket, why don't you tell me more about yourself." Sam asked as she took a bite.
Cricket was hoping Sam would have forgotten to ask for more information on her, but with Sam being a cop she should have known better.
"Why don't you tell me more about yourself first, then I will tell you more about me." Cricket replied, hoping to get more time to think.
Sam just looked at her for a minute before coming to a decision. "Ok, we'll do it your way?for now. My full name is Samantha June Knight. I am 26 years old and have one older brother Jimmy. He is married and has a little 3 year old daughter, he lives down the road from here."
"I have a lot of relatives that are cops or lawyers. My great grandfather was a cop, so it's kinda become the family trade. My father was the only blacksheep and went into business instead. He learned how to invest; so well in fact he made a fortune. He also showed the rest of the family how to invest. So needless to say they all made money too."
"Wait, are you telling me you're rich?" Cricket held up her hand.
"Yes I am." Sam smiled.
"Than why work?" Cricket asked.
"Because I love my job. Just because you have money doesn't mean you have to just lay around." Sam answered. "Now how about your life story?"
Cricket looked down at her bowl of ice cream as if she would find the answers in there.
" Okay, you already know what my name is. I have no middle name and I just turned 23 last Friday." Cricket took a deep breath.
"I have a brother Mark and two sisters, Rose and Lucy. I didn't know my dad too well; he didn't want much to do with me. My mom went along with everything my dad wanted just to keep peace. I was seventeen when my dad found out I was gay and kicked me out. It was bad for the family name and business to have a daughter like me. I have been on my own ever since." She finished softly.
Sam sat there for a minute. "Ok, now what aren't you telling me?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Cricket told her.
Sam sat up and moved closer to the edge of the chair. "Bull shit."
"I don't have to stay here and take this." Cricket said as she stood up.
Sam stood up just as fast and grabbed Cricket's arm to stop her. "Listen Cricket, I know we just met but I really do care about you, and I want to get to know you better. Maybe it is just the cop in me but I feel as if you're hiding or running from something. I want to help." Sam looked deep into Cricket's eyes. "Please let me help you."
Cricket looked back at Sam as she made the decision to finally put her trust once again into someone. Somehow she knew Sam would not throw that trust away.
"Okay, what I'm going to tell you is the truth, I'm not making it up, and I'm not trying to pull one over on you, understand?" Cricket waited until she saw Sam nod her understanding. She took a deep breath to get her insides to stop shaking.
"I can read minds, see pictures in my head of stuff that is going to happen or has happened, and I can move things." Cricket told her rapidly, then stood back and waited for the laughing or name calling to start.
But it never came. "How long have you been able to do this?" Sam asked her.
To say Cricket was a little surprised was right. She was expecting laughter or to be called a freak at most. That is what happened before when she thought she could trust someone, and told them about it. But not this time, Sam believed her.
"I can't remember when I couldn't see things or read minds, but I started moving things when I was around six, I think. But it didn't take me long to find out I had to keep it a secret." Cricket answered.
"Can anyone else in your family do that too?" Sam asked.
Cricket started laughing. "No, I was the only freak in the family as my father used to call me. Whenever anyone came over I was taken out of the room by my nanny just incase I did something. I was never treated like one of the family."
"Wait a minute, you had a nanny?" Sam looked as if a light bulb just lit up in her head. "Your brother's name is Mark, oh god is your father 'The Mark Jones' of the millionaire Jones that owns half this town?" She asked.
Cricket gave her a little bitter smile. "Yeah, that's dear sweet dad. Now you know why he didn't want a freaky gay daughter around to foul up the family name."
Sam went over and took Cricket in her arms and gave her a hug. "First of all sweetheart you're not a freak. It was your dad that had a problem, not you."
Sam sat back down on the sofa and pulled Cricket down beside her.
"Have you ever thought of putting your talent to work for a good cause?" Sam placed her elbows on her knees as she leaned forward. "What you saw today with me going after that drug dealer is not what I usually do. I usually work with kidnapped and missing persons cases. Sometimes I am lucky and get to them in time." Sam turned her head and gave Cricket a sad smile. "Sometimes I'm not. I really could use your help out there."
"I don't know Sam, I've never tried to use it like that. I have always tried to hide it, not wanting anyone to know about it. I have no idea how to control it." Cricket told her surprised at Sam's offer.
"Think about it. Right now it is late and we better get to bed."
Sam stood up and held her hand out to Cricket to help her up. As they stood facing each other Sam leaned down, close to Cricket. "Oh, and I know why you can't read my mind."
"You do?" Cricket swallowed.
"Yep. I had a friend in college that was in to magic and could read peoples' minds. She told me one time that when you find your soul mate you won't be able to read their mind unless they want you too. That is how you would know you found the one for you." Sam told her as she leaned in and gave Cricket a fast kiss.
"Good night, I'll use the bathroom first, that way you can take your time." Sam told her as she walked off.
Cricket put her hand up to her lips in shock, then started smiling. Maybe she will have fun getting to know this woman too, she thought to herself as she turned and fell over the end table.
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Something woke Cricket out of a sound sleep. She wasn't sure what it was. She couldn't quite but her finger on the feelings she felt. Just as she started to close her eyes again, Sam walked in to get some clean clothes from her closet.
"Hey, it's the middle of the night, what going on?" Cricket asked as she sat up in bed.
Sam gave her a look over her shoulder. "Sorry the phone woke you up. That was my office they need me downtown, they just had one of Judge Hall's daughters get kidnapped."
"Oh damn that is too bad, but it wasn't the phone that woke me. Something else did. A feeling." As a puzzled Cricket watched Sam get her clothes and start dressing, a thought came to her. "Can I come too?" she asked.
Sam stopped pulling her jeans on and looked up. "I'm not too sure if that would be a good idea right now."
"But you said I should put my talent to good use, and what better way to learn how to use it than to find the Judge's daughter?" Cricket gave Sam a bright smile.
Sam chuckled. "Yeah you say that now but just wait till we are tired and hungry from working 24/7 on this job. But sure, hurry and get dressed."
The words were not even all the way out of Sam's mouth before Cricket jumped out of bed and grabbed some clothes. "I'll hurry." She yelled as she ran for the bathroom.
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Sam kept her hand on Cricket's back as they walked through the squad room heading for the captain's office. She could already see a bunch of people standing in the Captain's office from the large windows that surrounded the man's office.
"I don't care what it takes, I want this girl found and found fast. Does everyone get that?!" Sam heard her captain yell as she opened the door and led Cricket through it. "Well, it's about damn time you got your ass in here Knight." Captain Tools said as he looked up at her.
"Nice to see you too Cap." Sam nodded at the others in the office. "What do we have so far?"
"It seems like someone didn't like the way the trial was going, the Judge is over seeing." Captain Tools repeated to Sam what he had just told the others as he sat back down in his chair. "They took his 12 year old daughter, Jane while she was on her way home from school yesterday." The Captain picked up the papers in front of him to look over.
"Everyone thought she had gone to a friend's house till her mom called and found out she never showed up. They called the police, and about an hour ago they got a phone call, the kidnapper wants the Judge to turn his head and let the guy on trial go. They also told the Judge not to call the police." The Captain gave them a little smirk.
"Sounds like we are dealing with someone not too bright. Why wait so many hours after a kidnapping to call and say, don't call the police? They would have to know, they would have called them by then." Sam questioned.
"Yeah, that is what we thought too. So no telling what kind of idiot we are dealing with." Captain Tools agreed with her. "Ok, everyone has their jobs to do, so get to it. I want that girl found by morning. NOW, GO!"
Everyone but Sam and Cricket hurried out of the office.
"Any reason why you're still here Knight?" The Captain grunted as he grabbed a stack of papers.
"Captain, I wanted you to meet Cricket Jones. She is going to help me with this case." Sam told him as Cricket shook his hand.
"What the hell can she do, magic?" he joked.
"Well in a way, yeah she can. Cap, she can see things we can't, wait." Sam held her hand up to stop him from saying anything. "Before you joke it off remember we need all the help we can get, and what harm would it do to let Cricket try and help? You know as well as I, that other departments have tried this and it worked."
Captain looked at Cricket, then back to Sam. "What the hell, just get out there and find that girl, I don't care how you do it, just do it."
"Thanks Cap." Sam called over her shoulder as she grabbed Cricket's hand and took off out of the office. "Hey Joe, you got a picture of the girl?" Sam called over to one of the guys that had been in the office with them. He lifted up a picture and handed it over too her as he talked on the phone.
"Come on, lets head out to where she was last seen." Sam tugged on the smaller woman's hand she still held on to.
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"Ok, from what the report said this is where she was last seen, just outside the school here." Sam informed Cricket as she looked around the deserted area. It was two am and no one had a clue where to look or who to look for. Some of the other officers assigned to the case were looking into the defendant's background, just to see who might have enough balls, or just stupid enough to do something like this.
"WHAT THE FU?SAM!" Cricket screamed as she backed up.
Sam rushed over and grabbed her. "What?what is it Cricket? What the hell did you see?" Sam asked reaching for her gun as she looked around. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary, the street was still quite.
"Oh damn, oh shit! Don't you see them? Look there, right there. Look." Cricket told her as she hid her face in Sam's chest.
"Cricket please, I'm sorry but I don't see anything at all. What are you talking about?" Sam rubbed the smaller woman's back to try and settle the shaken woman down.
Slowly Cricket took deep breaths and was able to calm herself down enough to talk. "Are you sure you don't see anything over by the crosswalk? Nothing at all?"
"I'm sorry Cricket but no, I don't, please tell me what the hell is going on?" Sam took a small step back to look into Cricket's eyes.
Cricket looked up at Sam as she wiped at her nose with her sleeve. "I see footprints."
"Footprints?" Sam looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, they're glowing. This has never happened to me before, Sam. I'm scared and I want to go home." Cricket whispered as she went back into Sam's arms.
"Ok, tell me how all of a sudden you're seeing footprints?" Sam asked.
"I don't know how it happened, one minute I'm standing there studying the picture you handed me. I looked up and suddenly these footprints just appeared. I have no idea how. Don't you see them?" Cricket cried.
Cricket threw her hands in the air and shook her head. "Of course you can't see them, damn am I going nuts or what?"
"Cricket take it easy." Sam took Cricket in her arms again. " Now tell me, can you really see footprints?" Sam asked.
"Yes, I can. They're right there. Glowing." She turned out of Sam's arms and pointed to the road. "I don't know why this is happening. It's never happened to me before.
"Did you ever try and find someone missing like this before?" Sam looked at her.
"No, never, I'm not too sure if I want to now. Damn Sam, I've no idea how to control what powers or magic or whatever you want to call it. I've no idea what I can or can't do." Cricket cried. "Do you think they belong to the kidnapped girl? That she stood here while she waited for the traffic to slow down?"
"It could be, and it seems to me you're doing pretty good so far, Cricket. Don't worry, you'll know how to use your magic when the time comes. Come on, let's see where these footprints lead." Sam reassured her as she held on to Cricket hand.
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They had gone three blocks when the footprints turned down an alley. Sam took out her gun and went down the alley first to make sure it was safe. She motioned for Cricket to come stand by her, and show her where the footprints went. Cricket pointed down the alley. Sam followed Cricket's directions until they came to a stop by an old warehouse.
Cricket took a better look at the footprints as they came to a stop. "Sam, it looked like these footprints started to double back. Like maybe she changed her mind."
"Really?interesting." Sam answered as she looked for a way into the warehouse.
"But Sam, I also noticed these tracks are not smudged. It doesn't look like she put up a fight at all if they are her prints. She just walked right along beside the kidnapper. I don't get it, why didn't she yell? There had to have been a lot of people around still." Cricket questioned.
"Unless." Sam told her. "She knew who it was and trusted them."
"Great, that's all we need, someone on the inside." Cricket looked over to Sam.
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Sam took a look around and could not find a window or door left open or unlocked. She walked back over to Cricket. "Looks like we're going to have to break a window to get in there. I don't want to waste the time it will take to get a search warrant. If the girl is in there I want to get her out now. We have no idea what is happening too her."
"Won't you get into trouble going in with out a search warrant?" Cricket asked her.
"Not if I think a kidnapped victim is in there. And I make sure I don't search for anything else." Sam told her.
"Well then, why don't we just go in through that door." Cricket pointed towards the door in front of them.
"Because it's locked that's why. Don't you think I haven't tried it already?" Sam replied as she started to look for the best window to go through.
Cricket walked over to the door and took the doorknob in her hand and turned. There was a clicking sound and the door opened a little.
"How the hell did you do that?" Sam asked as she jogged over too her. "Why didn't you tell me you could do that?"
"Because you didn't ask." Cricket smiled at her.
"Smart ass, ok get behind me and stay there, I'll go in first." Sam told her as she took her gun out. Sam could feel warmth coming from the doorknob as she took hold of it to push the door open more.
"Can you feel or see anything?" Sam whispered to Cricket as they eased themselves into the dark warehouse.
Cricket didn't like the darkness around them anymore than Sam did. She put her hand on Sam's arm to stop her when she thought she felt something. Sam was smart enough to stop and not say a thing to distract Cricket.
Cricket stood still and just let her feeling search out what she felt. Even though she had lived her whole life with this gift or curse, whatever way you wanted to look at it. She still had no idea how far it would go. Cricket had never been in a situation like this before. So she was not too sure if she was really feeling something or just nerves from being scared.
She was ready to put it all down to nerves, when a picture popped into her head as if she had just turned on the TV of men with guns. She grabbed Sam pulling them both to the floor just as bullets hit the wall where they had been standing.
Sam pulled Cricket with her, behind some wooden boxes off to the right. "Damn, I can't see a thing in here." She said, wishing the sun would come up faster to get some light there.
"Shhh.." Cricket told her as she placed her hand on Sam's thigh. "There is one over by the back door on your right, and another one over by the stairs leading up to the office by your left. They can't see you any better then you can see them. At least I don't think so, unless they have on night vision glasses."
"Thanks for the good news." Sam said as she peeked around the box.
"Cricket, you said you could move stuff right?" Sam asked.
"Yeah?at least I could before I was shot at." Cricket nervously told her.
Sam took her hand and ran it down the side of Cricket's cheek. "Don't worry honey, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. We've got plans to get to know each other better, remember?" Sam said as she started to lean in to give Cricket a kiss as a bullet hit the wall above her, reminding her of where they were.
"I'm really starting to get pissed at these guys." Sam growled as she returned gunfire.
Cricket was tired of getting shot at too. This was not her idea of fun. "What do you want me to do Sam?"
"See those small boxes up on that shelf above the stairs. Do you think you could move them enough to let them fall? Then maybe I can get a clear shot off at these jokers.
Cricket stayed behind the box the best she could, as she tried to see the small boxes on the shelf well enough, to put all her thoughts towards moving them.
A warm feeling started working it's way through Crickets body as the boxes started moving. Cricket threw all her power into it, suddenly the boxes went flying off the shelf.
Sam jumped up as the boxes hit the ground, startling the men. Sam shot the man on the stairs, turned and shot the second man as he was running out the back door, wounding him. Sam ran over to the one on the stairs checking for a pulse. None was felt. "Stay here!" She yelled back at Cricket as she ran out the door after the other guy.
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"Damn, he had a car out there waiting. But at least I got a good look at his face and the license on the car." Sam said as she walked back into the room from outside. "Hey, I thought I told you to stay put." Sam scolded Cricket when she saw her standing over the man on the stairs with a 2x4 in her hands.
"I just wanted to make sure he didn't come to and come after you." Cricket told her.
"Can't, he's dead." Sam replied catching the 2x4 board as it came flying out of Cricket's hand as she jumped back from the dead man.
"Dead!" Cricket screamed. "Damn it Sam, you left me in here with a dead guy and you didn't even tell me?"
Sam just shook her head and chuckled. "Sorry honey, but I was a little busy at the time."
Sam went and gave Cricket a hug, then took her cell phone out flipping it open to call for back up. After she was finished with her call she started taking a look around the place to see what she could find.
"Come on Cricket let's see what is upstairs." Sam said as she started up the first step.
"Sam wait, shouldn't we wait till your back up gets here?" Cricket questioned her.
Sam smiled at her over her shoulder. "Oh come on Cricket, where is you sense of adventure."
"It flew out the window as I was ducking bullets, you idiot." Cricket answered her as she threw her arms up in the air, following the Detective when she saw Sam had no intention of waiting for help.
The office looked empty at first till Sam went around the desk and found a body.
"Damn." Sam said as shock came over her face when she recognized the dead man. She checked for a pulse, even though Sam knew she won't find one; Not with all the blood that pooled around the body. "Well, now we know why Jane went willingly, and didn't put up a fight."
"How? What do you mean Sam?" Cricket asked as she leaned over the desk to see if she could understand what Sam was talking about.
"This is Judge Hall's brother." Sam told Cricket as she stood up. "Can't remember his name, but I know he was into gambling. I busted him once. Could be he owed our kidnappers money, and used Jane as the payoff."
Sam shook her head with disgust, at thinking about family turning on family for money.
Cricket stood there with a sad look on her face thinking how easy it is for some people to turn on their family. Taking a look around the room she spotted what looked like a locker over in the corner. It was about as tall as Cricket. It had two doors in front that were locked with a padlock. Something about it drew Cricket towards it.
"Sam." Cricket called over her shoulder as she placed her hand on the door of the cabinet. "There's someone in here."
"What!" Sam said as she ran over to Cricket and started looking for a way to open it. "Can you tell if it's Jane?" Sam asked as she ran back over to the desk to look for a key.
It was no use; there was no key to be found.
Sam started to take her gun out when she stopped herself. What if she missed and the bullet went though the door, it could hit whoever was in there. 'There had to be a way', she thought when an idea came to her.
"Cricket can you open this lock like you did the door lock?" Sam turned and asked Cricket.
"I don't know Sam, I've never tried a padlock before." Cricket answered her.
"Try." Sam told her.
Cricket wrapped both her hands around the lock. Closing her eyes she thought about the lock in her hands. She could feel her whole body heating up as the energy ran down her arms into her hands.
"Come on baby you can do it." Sam tried to encourage her as she watched the sweat start to bead on Cricket's forehead. Sam could tell this was taking a lot out of Cricket. 'Maybe I will reward her with a nice rub down tonight', Sam smiled to herself.
Suddenly Sam heard a clicking sound and the lock popped open. "I knew you could do it." Sam proudly said as she grabbed Cricket and gave her a big kiss.
When Sam let her go to open the door, Cricket wasn't too sure if she was weak from getting the lock opened, or the kiss. Putting her hand up to her lips she had a good feeling it was from the kiss. Damn she was starting to like those kisses.
Cricket pulled her attention back to what Sam was doing just as the doors opened, to reveal small, 12 year old girl bound and gagged. It was Jane and she was not moving.
Sam reached in and very carefully lifted the girl up, and out of the cabinet. She laid her on the floor, checking for any signs of life as Cricket helped untie Jane.
"Are we too late? Is she dead?" Cricket asked.
"No just drugged to keep her quiet. From what I can see she is fine." Sam answered her just as Captain Tools and a bunch of other cops stormed through the door.
An ambulance was called as Sam filled the Captain in on how they found the warehouse and all that happened. The whole time, she kept her arm around Cricket to keep her close to her side.
"You did a damn good job Sam. The both of you did." Captain Tools corrected himself as he looked back over to Cricket. "I know the Judge is going to want to meet with you little lady. From the sounds of it, if it, wasn't for you we might not have found his daughter in time. If you ever want a job with the force just let me know."
"We're a team." Cricket had no idea where those words came from, but once she said them, they sounded so right. Sam's arm around her waist felt so right.
"Excuse me?" Captain Tools asked.
Cricket stood up straighter. "I said we're a team, Sam and I. If I did come to work for you, I couldn't work with anyone else but Sam."
Captain Tools looked over to Sam who stood there with a big smile on her face then back to Cricket. "Sassy little thing, aren't you? Your lucky I like sassy. You've got yourself a job little lady. Sam, make sure she is in the office Monday morning to sign papers, and don't forget the report for what happened tonight." Captain Tools told Sam as he walked off.
"Will do Captain." Sam said as she took Cricket by the hand and led her over into the corner away from everyone. Sam stood with her back to everyone, as Cricket's back was too the wall.
"So, we're a team huh?" Sam smiled at Cricket. "I like the idea of that."
Cricket rubbed the side of her nose to show her nervousness. "Yeah, I guess we are. I know we haven't known each other that long Sam, and I haven't been all that nice to you at times, but I don't know." Cricket waved her arm back and forth between them. "This, for some reason just feels right. That is, if you want to work with me. I mean, if not that's ok."
"Hold it right there. First of all, I would love to work with you." Sam said as she put her hands on Crickets waist. "But I think you know work is not the only thing I would love to do with you. Before you say anything I'm not going to press you. I am willing to wait till you're ready to move forward, because I have a feeling you're going to be the Keeper Of My Heart." Sam smiled at her.
Cricket was beginning to realize how lucky she was to have found this woman. "Ahhh?do you think maybe we could go back to your place and talk about this more? I really don't want to talk about my love life with a room full of cops or dead bodies."
Sam's smile was so bright it could have lit the whole West Coast. "Your wish is my command. Come on, lets go home. I have a nice hot tub just waiting for us to relax in." Sam said as she gave Cricket a gentle kiss, then started leading them out of the warehouse.
Cricket willingly went with Sam, as the pictures of them in a hot tub flashed through her head. She watched the swaying of Sam's hips as she walked a little ahead of her out the warehouse door. "Maybe we won't wait to long to get to know each other better." Cricket smiled to herself, as she looked Sam up and down. "Nope, not long at all."
The End
(Or is it just the beginning)
05/27/04
Continued in The Magic In Your Heart Series - Keeper Of My Heart.
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