Chapter Twenty-Eight
Once the detectives arrived back at the police station, they visited the crime lab's garage. Dana Stratton's Honda Prelude had all the doors open and two members of the crime team were going over every inch of the vehicle.
"Find anything, Ramona?" Gus asked of the small, thin brunette woman.
"Not really. We've pulled fingerprints from inside the vehicle."
Tessa moved so she could see inside the car. "Did you find any blood, seminal fluid, or other viable DNA?"
"Nothing showed up when we scoped it. It's clean-I found a receipt from a car wash dated last weekend. From the amount, it looks like she had it detailed."
"That would be in keeping with how we found her room." Tessa blew out a breath. "Keep looking and let us know what you find."
"I'll do my best, Detective, but I can't find something if it isn't there," Ramona said.
The two detectives had been back at their desks for less than five minutes when they saw R. J. Santana get off the elevator.
Tessa was listening to her voice messages as the man strutted toward them. There was a message from the ME telling her that he had received additional information from some of the toxicology and found nothing additional to hone in on the perpetrator-she hadn't expected anything more. Another message was from her dentist, reminding her of an upcoming appointment. Sliding her tongue across her teeth, she shrugged. They'd wait until the case was over to get a cleaning. She quickly dialed the dentist's number and rescheduled.
Listening to her voice mail again, she heard Ira Silverstein telling her that he'd exhausted all avenues with the victim's computer. The last message made a slight smile curve her lips-Anna. She heard call me and felt pleasurable sensations course through her body. Just as she was punching the buttons for the Anna's number, R. J. Santana stopped at Gus's desk. She let the receiver clunk back into its cradle. I'll call her later.
Clearing his throat, the man gazed at Gus and said, "Well, here I am, Officer," in a melodic tone. "You will be gentle with me, won't you?"
It was nearly impossible for Tessa to keep from laughing but she managed to keep her face neutral. "Trust me, Mr. Santana, Gus is always gentle."
R. J. shot Tessa a malevolent look before he turned back to Gus and pointed to his desk. "Are those the pictures you wanted me to take a look at?"
Gus, in his all business mode, said, "Yes, come with us and we can get you started."
Getting between Tessa and her partner, R. J. followed so close behind Gus that he bumped into the detective when he stopped at a door.
"Oh, so sorry, Officer," the man said, as he held onto Gus's arm. "I hope I didn't hurt you"
Once in the interrogation room, Gus spread several stacks of pictures out across the table and stood with the table between him and the store owner. "We have over a hundred crowd shots that we need you to look at."
"Once you've identified any that you need to get a better look at, we can enlarged them," Tessa added. Unfazed by the glare the man gave her, she pulled down a screen on a side wall in the room. She switched on a projector and a laptop before a picture came onto the screen. She said, "All you need to do is tell us which photo you want enlarged." After the man nodded, she turned everything off.
With a huge sigh, R. J. picked up one photo, held it close to his eyes, and looked at it through his thick glasses. He looked at Gus and smiled before he said, "What do you want me to look for?"
Gus's mouth curved into a frown. "See if you recognize anyone as someone who comes into your shop."
Tessa didn't like the man and didn't want to spend any more time with him than necessary-Gus could handle him. "Do you want something to drink, Mr. Santana? Coffee, soda water?"
Looking up, R. J. cocked his head and fixed Tessa with a quizzical look. "Sure, coffee… black."
With a quick nod, Tessa left the two men and made her way to the coffee maker. After filling two Styrofoam cups with the brew, she headed back to the interrogation room where she found Gus looking over R. J. Santana's shoulder.
In an irritated tone, Gus said, "Once again, if you think you see someone who looks familiar, just put the pictures in a pile and we can enlarge them once you've gone through them all." Gus's eyes met his partner's and he gave her a grateful smile.
"Here's your coffee," Tessa said, as she placed a cup for her partner on the table. "And, here's yours, Mr. Santana. See anyone familiar yet?"
"I've only just started, Detective," the man grumbled.
Anna Mikaelson walked briskly down a long corridor past several courtrooms until she reached the elevator bank. Her meeting with Judge Edwin McKinney had lasted longer than she intended. She needed to go by her office and pick up a brief so she could deliver it to yet another judge. It was important to an upcoming case that she convince the judge that a pre-trial motion requested by the defense was erroneous. Her argument was strong and she cited numerous legal precedents that all supported her argument. She knew logic didn't always persuade judges, so she needed to be at the top of her game.
As she pushed open the door to the U. S. Attorney's suite of offices, a heavyset man in a yellow windbreaker and black cap followed close behind her. When they both were in the reception area, the man asked, "Is this the U. S. Attorney's office?"
Anna looked at the man for a moment, certain she'd seen him somewhere but couldn't place him. With a slight smile, Anna pointed a finger in the direction of a woman, with silver hair pulled back in a bun and who wore glasses, sitting at a desk to the left. "That's Mary, she'll help you."
I hope Tessa called. The thought of the woman made her smile and if she was honest, the most important reason for coming back to her office was to see if Tessa called. Opening her office door, Anna heard someone say, Anna Mikaelson and, when she turned toward the voice, everything began to go in slow motion. She saw the man with the yellow windbreaker pointing a gun at her. She heard the distorted sound of someone screaming he's got a gun get down. Then, she saw the flash from the gun and felt herself falling into her office. Grabbing her head and rolling to the side, she pushed the door shut and reached up to lock it just as another screaming bullet hit the steel door. In spite of the warm blood she felt running down her face, she managed to crawl under her desk. Pulling her briefcase open, she pulled out a small Smith and Wesson and held it between her trembling hands.
In the distance, Anna could hear more gunshots as she sat unmoving under her desk. Then, it went eerily quiet. The rattling of the doorknob had Anna shivering uncontrollably but she managed to scream, "I've got a gun."
"Ms. Mikaelson, it's the police. You can come out now, it's all over."
"I don't believe you," Anna shouted. She heard the doorknob rattle again. "If you open that door I'll shoot," she screamed. Willing herself to stay aware of what was happening, she shook her head as blood obscured the vision in her left eye. "I'll only open it for Detective Jacoby," she said as loud as she could before she felt everything spinning around her.
Tessa had her fill of the sniveling, patronizing R. J. Santana and stood up. The man had been going through the funeral group pictures for a little over fifteen minutes and had only looked at five. Most of the time he was fanning his feathers to get Gus's attention.
Inwardly, she laughed, wondering how much more of it she or Gus could take, but she wouldn't desert her partner. "Gus, why don't you take a breather? I'm sure R.J. and I will be just fine." She eyed the witness. "Isn't that right?
R. J. fanned himself and his eyes behind the thick glass widened. "Ah, but the detective is being so helpful that I'm not sure I can do this without him here."
Gus rolled his eyes. "I won't be long."
Tessa winked and said, "Take your time, we'll be just fine."
Almost immediately, Gus came back into the room with their captain, John Flynn. "Tessa, I need to speak with you for a moment," the captain said softly.
"Shit, what have I done now," Tessa muttered under her breath. She passed by Gus who had a strange look on his face and stopped. "What's going on?"
"Go with him and I'll keep R. J here company until you get back."
Out in the hallway, John took Tessa by the arm and guided her into another room.
"Now, you're freakin' me out. What's going on Cap?"
"There's been a shooting in the U. S. Attorney's office."
Tessa felt her stomach lurch as she fought to maintain her defenses.
Anna.
"And…"
"Your friend Anna Mikaelson is locked in her office and won't come out until you tell her it's ok."
Calmly, Tessa looked at her captain. "Is she hurt?"
"They can't tell but they did see blood leading to her office. They asked if you'd go over there. Apparently, she has a gun. She won't open the door unless she hears your voice."
I should have insisted on her getting some sort of bodyguard. With her outward appearance belying her inner turmoil, Tessa hurried out of the room, ran down the three flights of stairs, and was out in the street within minutes.
Justice Square contained the courthouse, where the judges, DA, and the U. S. Attorney had offices. The main police station that housed the chief's offices, along with the detective division, was located there too. Various other building where lawyers had their offices along with bail bondsmen also was located around the square. All around a small square were emergency vehicles and more police officers than she could count. She ran across the square and into the courthouse, only to have a guard stop her at the door. "You can't go in there," the burly man said.
Tessa flashed the man her badge, then in full combat mode, she pushed past him and caught the elevator just as it was closing. "Come on, come on," she said between her gritted teeth. Finally, the doors slid open and she was on the run again, until she reached the suite of rooms that had Anna's office. She held up her badge as she pushed past the commotion and the bodies that were bleeding on the floor.
When she reached Anna's door, Mike Bonus, a redheaded, balding detective said, "We haven't heard anything from her in the last five minutes."
Tessa sucked in a breath and knocked on the door.
Anna heard the knocking and immediately opened her eyes. "I told you I have a gun," she murmured.
The faint sound of Anna's voice, had Tessa whispering, "Thank God," before she called out, "Anna, it's, Tessa. You're safe now. I'm coming in." She looked at the man next to her. "Do you have a key?"
Mike said, "Here, wear this," as he gave her a bullet proof vest before inserting the key and turning the knob.
The first thing Tessa saw was a sizable bloodied area on the carpet near the door. Her eyes followed the trail to the desk. Slowly, she moved closer. "Anna, I'm here. Are you ok?"
"Tessa?"
Squatting down, Tessa peered under the desk then sat on the floor and gently took the gun out of Anna's limp hand. She saw blood running down the left side of Anna's face-her white silk shirt covered in the red congealing liquid. Easing her head back around the desk, she softly said, "We need a medic." Tessa turned back to Anna. "You can come out now it's safe." She held out her hand and let go of a breath when Anna took it. "I've got you now," she whispered as Anna fell into Tessa's arms sobbing.
Two paramedics were by the desk-both females who looked fit and capable. "We need to get to her, Detective."
Tessa looked up at them and nodded. "I need to let you go so the medics can look at you." When she saw the panic in Anna's eyes she leaned in and whispered, "I won't be far…I'll never be far away."
While Tessa stood by and watched the medics tend to Anna, Mike Bonus stood next to her.
"How's she doing?" he quietly asked.
"Don't know yet." Tessa narrowed her eyes. "What the hell happened here?" she growled, as all her pent up frustration spilled over into her words. She pulled the vest off and shoved it in his direction.
Mike frowned and said, "Hey, I didn't do it."
Tessa closed her eyes. "I know I'm sorry."
"The best we can figure is, the shooter,"-he pointed to a man in a yellow windbreaker with a gaping hole in his head-"came in here looking for Mikaelson. We found a newspaper article in his pocket about a murder at Holcomb Prison-his sister. Why he chose Mikaelson we don't know, but my best guess is she prosecuted the case."
"How did he get in with the gun?"
"We're working on that."
They watched as the medics put Anna on a stretcher before pulling it up and locking it into place. Tessa was immediately by Anna's side. Anna clutched Tessa's hand, as the stretcher she was on began clattering toward the door. When they reached the elevator, one of the paramedics said, "We need to take it from here, Detective."
"I'm going with you," Tessa said in a voice that brooked no argument.
Tessa leaned down and whispered, "Don't be afraid. You're safe now. I'll be in the ambulance with you."
Anna clutched Tessa's hand tighter then closed her eyes. "Ok."
Sitting in the emergency waiting room, Tessa leaned her head against the cool light green wall and began to shake. Looking down at her bloody hands and the darker stains on her black t-shirt, she trembled, knowing it was Anna's blood. "I should have insisted on the bodyguard."
Standing up, Tessa took her phone out of her pocket and called Gus. When she heard his voice, she said, "Hey, I'm at the hospital. Don't know what her condition is yet. She lost so much blood," she whispered as she fought to keep the fear out of her voice. Reacting in such an emotional way was foreign to her. She had acted exactly the way the academy taught her-calm and steady under adversity yet her body was shaking. It had nothing to do with the shooting and everything to do with Anna.
She gathered her emotions and tucked them away as she waited for news. Finally, after thirty minutes a nurse came to her and said, "You can go in now, Detective. She's in room six.
Poking her head in the door, Tessa was relieved to see Anna sitting upright. "Hey," she said softly.
Anna's eyes brightened immediately. "Hey."
Once she was at Anna' side, Tessa took her hand and looked at the bandage on the left side of Anna's head. Blood was still evident on her clothes and skin. "What did the doctor say?"
Anna briefly closed her eyes. "The bullet didn't go in my brain but the impact bruised it. He said they wanted to do a CAT scan to be sure. That's what I'm waiting to do now," she said with a trembling voice.
Tessa gently stroked Anna's face and encircled her shoulders with her arm. "I've got you."
No longer able to keep the tears of fear away, Anna sobbed openly. "I was so scared, Tessa."
So far, out of her comfort zone and not knowing what to say, Tessa leaned in and kissed Anna's tear stained cheek. "I know."
Tessa pulled away from Anna when the door opened. A middle aged woman with highlighted brown hair, glared at her. "Her parents are here" The woman said, "Only one visitor at a time."
Tessa looked at the nurse. "Just give me a minute more."
The nurse grumbled and said, "Fine…one minute."
Tessa turned back to Anna. "I need to go back to the station."
Anna grasped her hand tighter. "Please don't leave."
"Your folks are here and I'll be back in a little while."
"Promise?"
"Yes." Tessa gently pressed her lips to Anna's forehead. "I won't be long."
Gus met her before she entered the interrogation room. "You ok?" he asked.
"Yeah, I washed off all the blood and, luckily, I had an extra shirt in my locker."
"How's she doing?"
"She's had ten stitches. The bullet seared her left temple. A plus was she didn't lose consciousness but I expect they will want to keep her at least overnight."
The cool tone of his partner's voice worried Gus. "Hey, if you want to go back to the hospital, I can take care of things here."
"No, I'm good. Anna's parents are with her. I'm better off here-it'll help me focus." She looked at Gus and gave him a thin smile. "Can't leave you alone with R. J. too long…there'd be hell to pay if Helen found out." She shrugged and moved into the room.
Entering the interrogation room, Tessa looked at the small man inspecting the pictures. "You find something for me to look at while I was gone?"
R. J. said, "Perhaps. Can I get another cup of coffee?"
"I'll get it," Gus said, as he brushed past his partner.
Without saying a word, Tessa sat down opposite the man and focused on what he was doing.
Santana ignored her and continued to inspect the pictures. When Gus came back in the room with a fresh cup of coffee, the man's eyes brightened. "Oh, thank you so much, Detective. You're so kind to me."
The partners sat silently while R. J. slowly made his way through the pictures. They watched as he held up the last picture, shook his head, and put it in the discard pile.
"Ok, I have sorted through all these pictures. I'm going to need a magnifying glass for some of them.
Gus gave the man a sideways glance. "I told you that we'd put them on the overheard so you could get a better look."
The harsh words made R. J. slump in his chair. "I'm sorry," he whimpered.
Exasperated with the witness, Gus got up and moved toward the pathetic man. "Which are the ones you need to get a better look at?"
R. J. touched one pile. "In this one I don't know anyone." He moved his hand to the other stack of pictures. "These I think I recognized people but I can't be sure. The image is too small or not very clear."
"Did you see someone you recognize?" Tessa asked.
"Not sure. There's something familiar about some of the people." The man shrugged. "I need a better look at them."
"Fine, we can enlarge them for you." Gus said.
R.J. looked at Gus and smiled before he reached out and touched the detective. "Yes, enlarged is always good, don't you think?"
Gus closed his eyes and moved away.
With an amused expression, Tessa watched and listened to the small man who was clearly enamored with her partner. She was impressed that Gus had kept his cool-she could tell by his expression that he wasn't happy. Wonder how much more he can take. When Gus looked her way, she winked.
Tessa picked up the pictures and guessed that the man had designated around ten photos for further review. "Mr. Santana, if you'll give me a minute, I'll get this up on the screen so you can take a closer look."
Once Tessa had correlated the numbers on the back of the pictures to the ones on the laptop, she made a few keystrokes, created a slideshow, and then brought the first picture up on the screen.
Both detectives looked at the picture, noting whether they knew any of the people and if they'd interviewed them.
Tessa said to R. J., "Tell me when you want to see the next picture, Mr. Santana."
The crowd shots kept flicking on the screen without comment from the witness. He'd give a wave of his hand when he wanted to see the next picture.
Irritated, Tessa's jaw clenched in reaction to the tension she felt in her body. "If on the second look you don't see anyone you recognize, Mr. Santana, can you at least tell us which ones you thought were familiar?"
Flustered, the man shot the woman detective an angry glance. "I'm doing the best I can," he said defiantly. "Do you remember every person you meet, Detective?"
Tessa smiled. "As a matter of fact I do, Mr. Santana-it's my job."
Gus moved closer to the man. "You're doing a good job, Mr. Santana. Please keep on looking."
The shop owner looked up at Gus and smiled.
When the seventh picture appeared on the wall, Santana said, "Stop," as he got up and moved closer to the screen.
Both Tessa and Gus moved to within inches of the man.
With a stubby finger, R. J. tapped it against the image of Rod Gambado. "I've seen him before."
"In your shop?" Tessa asked with suppressed excitement.
"Not sure. I only know that I've see him. He's a man I'd never forget."
The detectives waited while the man stroked his braided beard and focused his beady eyes on the picture.
SNAP. The sound of the man snapping his fingers rang loud in the silent room. "I know where I've seen him."
"Where?" Gus asked, as he moved closer to R. J.
"He comes to a club that I frequent," R. J. said, as he wiggled his eyebrows at Gus. "A club for men called the Lavender Poodle. You should go there sometime, Detective Barrett."
Tessa's gaze shifted from her partner to the witness. "Let's move on," she said, before flashing the next picture on the screen.
R. J. shook his head and waved his hand. On the next picture he said, "I know her. She's been in my store. She came in and bought my book." R. J. shook his head. "She didn't want me to autograph it, said that it was for a friend and she would come in herself for an autograph." He continued tapping on the face on the wall. "I remember thinking she wasn't the typical person who came into my store."
With her eyes focusing on the spot where R. J.'s finger was pointing, Tessa asked, "Why did you think that?"
"Well," the man started, as he sat back down. "Most of the customers I get are the earthy type. One might even say they're odd." He shrugged. "Much like me," he said, before he grinned. "I've seen you looking at me like that," he said to Tessa. "That's my modus operandi." He smiled. "Got to keep the customers coming back for more."
"How was this woman different from your other customers?" Gus pressed.
"She looked more like a school teacher than a mystic in search of life and meaning."
"How often did she come in?" Gus asked cautiously.
R. J. fingered his bearded chin before he said to Gus, "Just that one time."
Unconvinced, Tessa asked, "And you remember her from that one meeting?"
R. J. gave the detective a speculative look. "When someone comes in my store and buys my book and doesn't want an autograph, I remember. It's like a slap in the face."
Gus moved closer to the man. "Did she say anything else about why she was there?"
"No, and I didn't ask."
"Do you remember if you gave her one of the talismans?" Tessa pressed.
R. J. shrugged. "Probably, I give the talisman to most everyone who buys something."
Tessa glared at the man. "You're just telling us that now? I thought you said you only gave them to your special customers."
The shop owner whined, "I thought you were going to try and pin the murder on me. I had just gotten back from my uncle's viewing and, when Javier told me you were at my store, I didn't know what to think."
With a curious look, Tessa said, "How did you know we were there about the murder?"
R. J. winked at Tessa. "I see things. It's a sixth sense kind of thing." His eyes rapidly moved between both detectives. "It's the truth. I didn't kill that girl. I didn't even know who she was until I saw it on the news."
Tessa walked back to the laptop and moved the mouse so the next picture flashed on the screen.
Of the four remaining pictures, the man picked out the same woman from one more crowd shot.
Tessa rubbed her eyes then massaged her forehead with her thumb and forefinger as she contemplated her next move. "Thank you for coming in Mr. Santana. I appreciate you taking your time to help us out," she said.
The man ignored Tessa and looked at Gus. "If you need any more help, you know where I am." He smiled and winked at Gus before he got up and left the room.
Once the man had left, Tessa picked up one of the pictures and stared at Vanessa Carlton.
"What do you think?" Gus asked, as they closed in on their desks.
"I'm having a hard time getting my head around Vanessa Carlton being the perp. All the profiles point to a man." Tessa shook her head. "I remember thinking that something was off with her when I interviewed her but chalked that up to her working all night." She shrugged. "What's your take?"
"Right now, we need to put all our ducks in a row and see if we can make the connection between Carlton and Stratton. I'm certain that the woman doesn't think we know about her so she's not going to leave town." He smiled gently at his partner and shook his head slightly as he looked at his partner and debated the wisdom of what he wanted to say. Compassionately, he said, "Look, I know you're worried about Anna. Go see how's she doing now and I'll hold down things down here until you get back."
Tessa squared her shoulders and fixed her jaw as she fought to keep her emotions from dictating her reaction. She stared mutely at the man who had been her friend and partner for a long time. "Gus…" She stopped and reigned in her emotions. "There's nothing I can do at the hospital…I'd feel useless and obvious."
"Have you had any updates?"
No longer able to suppress her emotions, Tessa said in a shaky voice, "No," as he fought the tears that threatened. "God, Gus, there was blood everywhere. I thought I'd lost her."
"You care about her, don't you?"
"I don't know what I feel right now." She shrugged. "Mostly, I feel numb." She looked in his eyes. "I'm scared," she whispered.
Gus put his arm around her shoulder. "I know you are. That's what you feel when someone you care about is hurt-you're helpless."
Tessa moved away and reined in her emotions. "Tell me about Santana. Do you think he's viable?"
Knowing that any further discussion about her feelings would not happen, Gus nodded. "Right, I believed him when he said the Carlton woman came into his shop. Like you, I find it hard to believe she killed Dana Stratton. We need to find out what kind of vehicle she drives." He lifted one eyebrow.
"It is entirely possible that her shopping at that store is a coincidence." Tessa said, "Maybe she knows who did or is in cahoots with the guy who killed the vic."
It didn't take long for them to find out that Vanessa Carlton drove a two thousand and five Jeep Cherokee. It was dark blue, which well could be the color of the vehicle in the grainy hospital surveillance tape.
All the while, Tessa kept looking at her wristwatch and thinking about Anna and how she was doing. She couldn't get the image of the blood covering the upper part of her body or the look of trust in her eyes. If I can just make it a little while longer, I can go to her.
"Tessa?"
She shook her head and cleared her mind. "We know she probably had a money clip from the store, since Santana confirmed she was in his store." Tessa rubbed her forehead, as a headache that had threatened to overtake her ever since she heard about the shooting, was gaining some legs.
"She bought a book that the vic used for references in one of her papers but we haven't linked the two together yet," Gus said.
"They have the hospital in common," Tessa offered.
Gus sat with a thoughtful look on his face for several minutes before he answered. "True, but that was only for one event. We know that the vic was in the garage but, in all the other videos, we never see her actually going into the hospital."
"It's logical to assume that whoever she went with in the garage is the doer." Tessa swallowed hard, trying not to let the headache win.
"I agree. We know Carlton drives a dark colored Jeep."
Tessa closed her eyes. "But, the woman doesn't fit the profile. Besides, she was at work at the time of the murder."
"Do we know that for a fact?" Gus asked. "The mother said she went to work and you think she may have a drinking problem. Maybe she thought her daughter went to work but didn't."
"She was at work. The hospital employee schedule was one of the first things I checked before I interviewed her."
"Then it can't be her." Gus thought for a minute then asked, "If we find the book in the vic's apartment, do you think we'll find Carlton's prints on it?"
The headache was muddling every thought that Tessa had. "I guess that's the next logical step. It just sounds so farfetched to me."
Gus looked at his partner in question. "How can you say that? The vic used the book as a reference and we know that Carlton bought the book. To think there is a connection between them isn't farfetched at all."
The headache that constricted Tessa's brain took full control. "Let's look at this in the morning," she said, as she fought to keep her partner from seeing her pain. "Fresh eyes always work the best."
Gus looked at his partner. It was clear that she was in pain, not that she'd ever admit that to him. "Why don't you go on ahead? I need to check with my bowling buddies about tonight. Carlton will keep for the night. She doesn't know we suspect her and there's no real reason for her to think that we do."
"That's true. I'm sure the news will be focusing on the shootings at the courthouse. The Stratton case is old news by now. They will bury it in the back of the newspaper, if they mention it at all. Besides, didn't Carlton say they didn't get a newspaper?"
Once Tessa left the building, she gulped in the cool air, as she tried to gain her footing on the slippery slope of her headache. Sitting in the Expedition, she sank into the seat as her head pounded. She needed to get home and take a pain killer.
As Tessa navigated her vehicle along the familiar route to her home, a vision of Anna floated past the headache and a smile curved on her face. "Damn the headache…I need to see her again." Flicking the turn single to the left, she headed toward the hospital.
During the fifteen minute drive to the hospital, Tessa argued with herself about the wisdom of going there again. From an earlier discussion she had with Anna's mother, she knew both the parents were there and that Anna was agitated demanding to see Tessa. I told Anna I'd be back, didn't I? I want to see her. Getting out of her vehicle, attaching her badge to her jacket pocket, and walking toward the building, Tessa stopped in her tracks. I need to see her.
Once inside, a balding man who looked to be in his fifties, asked her from behind a glass window, "May I help you."
Tessa lifted her badge. "Detective Jacoby, I'd like to speak with one of the shooting victims brought in earlier."
"Name?"
"Anna Mikaelson."
The man looked at his monitor before he said, "She's still in exam six."
Tessa frowned as panic began to rise. "The shooting was four hours ago. Why is she still in the emergency room?"
"We're jammed up and are waiting for a bed to open."
"Unbelievable," Tessa muttered under her breath. "Is it ok if I go back and talk with her?"
"She's already spoken with two other detectives…how many does it take?" He waved his hand and said, "Go on. If someone else is there, tell them to leave-one visitor at a time."
Tessa walked past a circular desk where nurses, doctors, and paramedics were busy doing whatever it was that they did there. She went straight to the room she had visited earlier. Just as she approached the opened door, she heard Anna's voice.
"I don't need to spend the night, Doctor. I'm perfectly fine. I want to go home. I can take care of myself."
"We'll be there with her," Anna's mother, Sonya, said.
Agitatedly, Anna said, "I don't need babysitters-I need my own bed."
"I'm afraid I can't release you unless I know someone is there with you. Head injuries are tricky enough without adding a bullet into the mix," said the calm voice.
Anna scrunched up her eyes, gritted her teeth, and instantly regretted the action. She held her hand to her head and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she saw Tessa standing outside the door and motioned her in.
Tessa stepped into the small room that was now crowded with a patient, a doctor and three others. She sucked in a breath when she saw Anna again with a large bandage covering the side of her head. "Hi, I was just checking on you." Her reward-a sparkling smile.
Anna looked at her parents first, then at the doctor. "I'm going home with her."
With a look of surprise, Tessa studied Anna's parents for their reaction. Anna's mother looked at her curiously, before she smiled. Anna's father, a tall man, broad of shoulders with the same blue eyes as his daughter-just stared at her. The doctor, a short intelligent looking woman with auburn hair frowned.
Finally, the doctor asked, "And you are?" Her eyes looked at the badge on Tessa's jacket and the bulge of her gun.
With her eyes never leaving Anna, she said, "Tessa…Detective Jacoby…Anna and I are friends." She shrugged and let a small intimate smile meant only for Anna to curve her lips. "I've come to offer my services for whatever she needs."
"Now, wait a minute here," Carl Mikaelson, said. "If Anna goes anywhere, it will be home with us. Personally, I don't think it's wise for her to leave the hospital until the doctor is certain she won't suffer any repercussions from the shooting."
Sonya patted her husband's arm and looked at Tessa. Now I can put a face on the voice. "Anna is a grown woman, Carl, and she can make her own decisions. Come on let's go home. I think Anna is in good hands." Her eyes traveled to her daughter, whose eyes were still on the detective. So, this is the detective that stole Anna's heart.
Anna broke the eye contact and pulled back the sheet that covered her. "Where do I sign so I can get out of here, Doctor?"
"It's against my advice and you will have to sign a release absolving me and the hospital from responsibility for what might happen if you leave."
"I'm a lawyer and I understand that perfectly. Right now, I want to go home with my friend and that's what I intend to do, so where do I sign." She looked at her father and said, "I'm going to get dressed now so, if you don't want to see me naked, I suggest you leave." A quirky smile crossed her face. "Tessa, you can stay."
The glare from Anna's father had Tessa turning away. "I'll just wait outside with your mother."
Anna crooked her finger and said, "Come here." When Tessa was near she whispered, "I'll feel safer if you're close by." Her voice trembled slightly and she looked away from the intense scrutiny of Tessa's eyes. She focused on her father who was still standing in the doorway. "Please close the door."
When she heard the distinctive sound of the door bolt engaging, Tessa moved closer to Anna before she gently encircled her with a slight hug. "I won't let anyone hurt you again," she said into the blonde hair. "If you think you need to stay at the hospital, I'll stay with you."
"Oh, no, there're only two things I want-you by my side keeping me safe and my own bed." With a sly wink at Tessa, Anna pulled off the hospital gown and heard, to her satisfaction, Tessa's indrawn breath.
Anna pointed to an empty space. "You can use my spot since my car is still at work." For a moment, the events of the last few hours washed over her. I might never have come home again.
"Ok," Tessa said, before she turned with a smile at the comment. Her expression quickly changed when she saw a glimpse of horror on Anna's face. "Are you ok?"
Shaking away the previous thought, Anna gave Tessa a tight smile. "I have a headache from hell but, with you here, I'm doing much better."
"Hmm, I've been skirting a headache for a while now. I'm not sure if it started because of the case or what happened to you," she shrugged, "but I sympathize." Tessa didn't realize what she admitted in those few words but Anna's smile set her heart racing. "Let's get you inside and comfortable."
Taking the elevator to the top floor, they exited and Tessa looked down the hallway for seven-o-one. She was surprised to see that there were only two doors, seven-o-one, and seven-o-two. That meant that Anna's apartment occupied one half of the floor. "Wow."
"I take it that's in reference to me and not the hallway," Anna replied, as she watched the expression of awe traverse the detective's features as she stood at the door to her apartment. "You don't have to knock I have a key, remember." Dangling the object in her hand, Tessa took it and put her arm around Anna's waist as she slid the key into the lock.
Once inside, Anna pointed to a door. "I need to take a quick shower and change. Make yourself at home and I'll be right back."
"Do you need any help?" Tessa asked suddenly frozen in place. "I mean are you sure you're steady enough to take a shower?"
"I'll be fine but I'll leave the doors open so I can call you if I need help."
"Ok, I'll be right here if you need me." She watched Anna's retreat. "Hey, don't get those stitches wet."
Anna waved and said, "I won't," as she disappeared inside her bedroom.
It took a lot to impress Tessa and Anna's apartment did just that. The foyer led to a spacious living room that invited the viewer to come in, sit and relax. Comfortable was an understatement and that surprised Tessa. The impeccable way the lawyer dressed made Tessa believe that where she lived would reflect that image-it did not.
As she listened to the water running, Tessa looked around the room. It reminded her of her grandmother's house. The large, deeply padded furniture in Anna's apartment wasn't old but it held the charm of an era that relished in creature comforts. Tessa imagined what it would be like to fall onto the couch and have it engulf her in its comfort.
When Tessa looked up, she saw Anna, fresh from her shower framed in a doorway and it astounded her-she was stunning. The dark blue silk pajamas she wore made her eyes gleam. Even the bandage on her face and head didn't detract from the way her hair shone with just a small amount of curl as it gently kissed her shoulders.
Fumbling for words, Tessa said, "I really like your furniture," and immediately chastised herself for her lame words. What a dopey thing to say.
"Thanks," Anna said with a slight smile, as she moved into the room.
Getting a good look at the lawyer, Tessa saw strain reflecting on the beautiful face. "How about you sit and I'll get you something to drink and eat. You can throw me instructions on where things are from the comfort of your chair."
With a look of relief, Anna nodded and moved toward the couch. "Thanks, I'm sorry this isn't the date you expected."
Tessa moved quickly and was at Anna's side before she could catch her breath. She cupped the lawyer's chin and turned her face. Anna's eyes were brimming with tears and Tessa drew her in and held her tightly. "You're safe now," Tessa whispered as she felt Anna's body shake. She had seen the emotion a hundred times over but it had never affected her like this before.
"I'm sorry," sobbed Anna. "I thought I could just put it behind me but I can't. I keep hearing that man's voice calling my name before he shot me."
Tessa pulled back slightly and ran her thumb across Anna's cheek to wipe away the tears-they kept falling. "I wish I could tell you that it will all be gone in the morning but I can't. It will take time."
Anna buried her head in Tessa's shoulder and sighed between sobs. It felt good to have the detective's protective arms around her. Soon her tears began to subside and she lifted her head. "Thank you."
Guiding Anna to the couch, Tessa cleared her throat and said, "Sit with me." Once seated, Tessa shrugged. "I see bodies in all kinds of conditions. Some are gross, others aren't so bad, but I live with all their faces," she said softly. "But the ones you never get completely over are those of the people you know."
"Like the people in my office, who were in the wrong place at the wrong time?"
"Yes," Tessa said absently. "I walked into my sister's house and found her lying in a pool of blood. She had slit her wrist."
Anna's forehead wrinkled as she took Tessa's hand in hers. "That must have been horrible for you."
Tessa looked down at the entwined fingers in her lap, and shook her head. "It was ten years ago and, until recently, I thought I had allowed Rachel to be at rest. Now, I see her face, her body, her blood constantly."
"What happened to make you think of her?"
Tessa closed her eyes. "The Stratton case."
Gently prodding, Anna asked, "What is it about that case that brought back the memories?"
"Rachel, too, was raped but she lived." Tessa looked at Anna with tears edging her eyes. "The sleaze murdered all the others he raped but Rachel was the one that lived. Some said she was lucky." Tessa gritted her teeth. "What eventually killed her was living."
For a long moment, everything was silent except for the gentle hum of a fan. Finally, Tessa said, "I remember being in on the man's interview…his name was Nick Grasso. He wouldn't let us record what he was saying. Instead, he insisted he get some paper so he could write his confession." Tessa closed her eyes as she let the memory wash over her. "At the top of the page he wrote Rachel and then kept tracing the letters over and over again. He somehow found out I was her sister and he looked at me with his dark malevolent eyes and said, never forget my name, Detective, for I'll be back to take someone else you love."
Anna swallowed hard. "Was he guilty? Did he get sentenced?"
"He was eventually convicted for murdering the other women. Rachel didn't live long enough to testify …" Tessa trailed off as she tried to blink back tears. PLOP, a teardrop hit the back of her hand. "He spent three years in jail before someone shanked him in a bathroom. I thought good riddance."
Anna locked gazes with Tessa. Her confession was having a cathartic effect on her after her own experiences of the day. Strangely enough, it was what she needed. "If he's dead, then why did the Stratton case bring back the memories?"
"I'm not sure but something about it did. I've always thought of her when we investigate the death of women, especially the rape victims. I think it was when I stood in the morgue with her parents as they stood by her body, grieving. Suddenly, I missed my sister more than I had in a long time."
Letting go of the detective's hand, Anna's arms engulfed her. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that," she whispered, as she gently rocked Tessa.
As the two women melted into the other's body, they cried in mutual need and sadness.
Anna holding her in her arms felt right. But for Tessa, her emotions concerning the lawyer were too raw, too new, and she found herself teetering on the edge of happiness-that terrified her. But she no longer felt like she was balancing on a precipice that threatened to let her fall into an abyss that had no escape. In Anna's arms, sharing a common emotion, she felt safe for the first time in what seemed like forever. It was exactly where she knew she wanted to be-where she belonged.
Tessa touched her own cheeks and marveled at the evidence of the tears she'd shed in front of someone else-it was a first. She pulled away slightly. "Right," she said taking a calming breath. "I think we both need a drink. According to your discharge orders, you can't have alcohol, caffeine or anything that's a stimulant." Tessa grinned. "Guess you're getting water. But, since the only restriction for food is that you eat light, you're in luck. I will enchant you with my culinary skills."
Surprised, Anna pulled back further and looked into the green eyes, with a question on her lips.
Before Anna could speak, Tessa said, "Which way to the kitchen?"
"Over there." Anna pointed to a room off to the left.
Anna's eyes widened. "You mean it, don't you…that you can cook?"
Tessa let out a hearty laugh. "I'll have you know that for all my summers during high school and college I was a short order cook."
Shaking her head and then wishing she hadn't, pain ferociously shot through her temple. As the pain receded, Anna said, "No way," as she watched Tessa moving toward the kitchen. She stood up. "This I've got to see."
Stopping at the kitchen bar, Tessa eyed the area. Just like the other rooms, it had a homey feel. She turned and, when she saw Anna nearing her, she was at her side instantly before guiding her to a stool. "Take a seat, my dear, and be prepared for a taste of down home cooking."
Again, Anna laughed and, even though the action caused her head to throb slightly, it felt good.
"I'm assuming that, unlike me, you have your cupboards and refrigerator well stocked," Tessa said, as she opened a cupboard and nodded.
Sitting on a bar stool, Anna shrugged as her face began heating up. "To tell the truth, they're only full because I pay a service to do my grocery shopping. There just isn't the time to do it."
Tessa let a wry smile cross her face. "I know what that's like."
Anna let her eyes wander out a large plate glass window. "What happened today made me rethink the importance of dedicating my life solely to my job." She sighed. "Your life can be taken away in an instant, Tessa, with the things on your to-do list that exists outside of work left undone." Turning her face and gazing at Tessa she said, "I don't want to live my life like that anymore." I want you in my life.
Tessa silently agreed.
After they devoured the meal of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, Tessa and Anna sat close together on the couch.
"I can't recall ever having such a good sandwich or soup," Anna said, as she bumped her elbow against Tessa. "It's been a long time since anyone cooked for me. Thank you."
Tessa's heart was thumping so hard that she was certain Anna would hear it. The sexual energy that was flowing between her and Anna was hard to resist, yet she knew she had to separate her emotions from her actions. There would be time to make love-this wasn't it.
Anna's phone rang and she reluctantly answered it when the caller ID identified it was her mother. "Hi, Mom," she said in a strong voice that belied the pain she felt.
"Are you resting?
"Yes, Mom. Tessa made me a scrumptious meal and we just finished eating."
"You need to rest and not stay up all night."
"I'm not going to, Mom."
"But, what if your detective friend gets called away, who will be there with you?"
"If she does, I'll call you, promise. Goodnight, Mom, I love you."
Hanging up the phone, Anna lifted a shoulder and smiled. "Mothers."
"You're lucky she cares," Tessa said softly.
"What about your folks?"
Tessa looked away from Anna's intense gaze. "Just like your parents, they live about an hour away," Tessa said. "They kind of blamed me for Rachel's death, which didn't surprise me. I never could measure up in their eyes," she whispered.
Anna caressed Tessa's cheek, as she saw the look of sadness in her face. "I wish I could take your pain away," she said softly, before she gently pressed her lips to Tessa's soft mouth.
Their kisses were sweet and tender and lingered long after they parted. Smiling fondly, Anna let her fingers trace the lines of Tessa's face before they splayed and slid through her hair. "I'm glad you're here but, if you do need to go, I'll be fine."
"Sorry ma'am, you're stuck with me…at least for tonight anyway," Tessa remarked with a lopsided grin.
Anna's eyes bored into Tessa's looking beyond the attempt at humor and what she saw satisfied her. "Thank you, Detective Jacoby. I accept your kind offer."
Pulling Anna into her arms, Tessa's mouth hovered over Anna's until their lips gently touched again. The explosion Tessa felt in her body was powerful as their kisses turned more passionate.
Responding in kind, Anna relished the feeling of their tongues touching before dueling for superiority. She could feel Tessa's passion and that ratcheted hers higher. When her hand snaked under Tessa's shirt, she was surprised that the detective pulled away.
Anna's husky voice, laced with sexual need said, "What's wrong? I thought you wanted me."
Tessa untangled her body and stood up. "I do."
Confused, Anna asked, "Then why did you stop?"
Tessa crouched and sat back on her heels in front of the lawyer. "I think you're supposed to restrict physical activity," she said with a grin. The vision of a naked Anna in the hospital found its way between her thighs. She sucked in a breath and her voice lowered as she took Anna's hands in hers. "We are both suffering from exhaustion, headaches, and tension. When we make love, we both need to be able to take the time to show each other how we feel." Her eyes searched Anna's that suddenly gleamed with understanding. "Just like you said the other day, I need to be able to give you one hundred percent of me and I know that's what I want from you, Anna. Right now, we both know that's not an option." Tessa traced a finger down the pale right cheek of the lawyer with a tender smile. "You look gorgeous, by the way. Have I ever told you that?"
Anna cupped Tessa's cheek with her palm. "No, not in words, but you have very expressive eyes."
Tessa chuckled and saw tiredness draining the last bit of energy from Anna. "Well that's good then because I was never one for small talk. I can see that you're all in so let's get you in bed."
Anna didn't protest, as she meekly allowed Tessa to take her to her room. Once inside, Tessa felt like the room was familiar to her, but perhaps the woman at her side provoked those feelings. "Why don't you go to the bathroom and I'll get your meds and be back to tuck you in."
Anna gave her a lingering look as she headed toward the door. "Will you stay with me…in here for the night? Please."
Tessa smiled slightly and nodded. "I told you, Anna, I would protect you. And for the record, I don't want to be anywhere else."
As Tessa left the bedroom, Anna whispered, "For the record you didn't need to enchant me with your cooking skills. I was already under your spell from the first moment I saw you." With a happy sigh, she headed for her bathroom. Content that for tonight, at least, Tessa was going to be by her side.
Tessa woke with a start from a dream she could almost touch, only to have it completely fade away. Sweat saturated her t-shirt and underwear as she pulled the blanket tightly around her. Her eyes tracked to the digital readout of the clock by Anna's bed. The muted red seemed to flicker before her eyes focused and she saw it was four-thirty. For a few minutes, she allowed herself to look at the woman peacefully sleeping a few feet away from her. A faint smile tracked on Tessa's lips as she threw away the blanket. She moved to kneel beside the bed before reaching out to touch Anna's silky hair. She stroked it tenderly.
Anna's voice, foggy with sleep, whispered, "Hey, you must be cramped in that chair." Anna lifted the blanket and sheets in an invitation. "Why don't you get in here beside me?"
Tessa hesitated before she climbed in beside Anna. The action engulfing her in the scent and warmth of the woman, "Can I call someone to stay with you before I go to work?"
Anna wrapped her arms around Tessa's body. "Nope, I'm going into work too. Before you say it, I feel fine and I owe it to those who fared worse than I did. Can you understand that?"
For a second, Tessa wanted to argue the point but she didn't-she would have done the same. In the cocoon of Anna's bed, she felt herself relaxing. "Yeah, I understand completely. Now, close your eyes and let's get a few more hours sleep. I'm pretty sure we both need it."
Anna smiled as she placed a small kiss on Tessa's neck. "Hold me." When Tessa spooned against her, she sighed in contentment.
Tessa didn't flinch or feel any other emotion but happiness. This is where she wanted to be and a part of her hoped it would never end. If I'm lucky, it won't.
Two hours later, Tessa returned to her home after she and Anna ate breakfast. Anna had promised to either call someone or take a cab to work.
Once she had showered and dressed, Tessa sat in her favorite chair with a cup of coffee and contemplated the night before. It was a night she didn't think she'd ever forget-Anna-the name washed over her and she smiled. She tried to pinpoint when she realized that she cared for the woman on a level that was foreign to any other relationship. Perhaps it was at first sight. Anna instilled a sense of belonging in her and she no longer felt lonely. She felt a tingle of fear at the prospect of having a serious relationship with Anna but relaxed her shoulders and chased it away-she was no longer afraid of commitment. She smiled. It was comforting to know someone cared about her.
She remembered the first time she met the lawyer and her confusion and the hesitation she felt at her immediate attraction. When she overheard the woman talking about Anna being a womanizer, she recalled how she felt both relieved and saddened. Even if she didn't believe it, a small part of her did and it was stupid of her to give any credence to the gossip-Anna deserved better.
For Tessa, there had never been a forever in her life and the thought made her tremble.
Getting off the elevator, Tessa looked around the room that housed police detectives. She arrived later than usual and saw other detectives moving about the area. So she was surprised when Captain Flynn came out of his office toward her.
"Good morning," Tessa said.
"We need to talk," the dark haired man said.
"Ok, what about?" she said slowly, wondering where the conversation was going.
"About yesterday and the shooting. How are you doing?"
"It's all good, Cap. Anna had a head wound that required some stitches and, believe it or not, she's back at work today.'
Captain Flynn frowned. "Does she know that the office is off limits while Mike and his team do their investigation?"
A deep fissure developed between Tessa's eyebrows. "Yeah, I told her." She shrugged. "She seems to think that she could get her files and work elsewhere."
The captain saw the worried look on his detective's face. "That's how it usually works."
I should call and make sure she's doing ok. Distracted, Tessa said, "Yeah, you're probably right."
Before going back to his office, the captain looked at Tessa "When Gus gets here I want to see you both in my office."
Tessa nodded and watched the man walk away. "What now?" she murmured before taking the seat at her desk.
When Gus reached his desk, he slammed the newspaper down. "Did you see this?" he gruffly asked.
Tessa had only seen Gus angry a handful of times and she wondered what had set him off. She asked, "What?"
Gus picked up the paper and read, "A reliable source reported that R. J. Santana, owner of Magical Knowledge, and Occult Wisdom, was being questioned in connection with the Dana Stratton murder. When contacted, the store owner refused to comment. Our source told us that Santana is an integral part of the investigation. Captain John Flynn, head of the homicide division would neither deny nor confirm the allegation." Gus slammed the paper back down on the desk. "Who the fuck is leaking this information?"
Looking at the sweat glistening off Gus's head, Tessa took a deep breath and, keeping her voice steady said, "Maybe it was Santana."
Gus's mouth turned downward. "Give me a break, Tessa. The man is scared of his own shadow. He'd never do this because he'd be afraid I'd come after him."
Unable to stop her words, Tessa said, "Maybe that's what he wanted. You're kinda touchy about him, Gus. Why is that?" She looked at the man and swore she saw steam rising from his bald head.
Gus was rounding his side of the desk and invading his partner's space, when the captain said, "Jacoby, Barrett…my office now." He pointed his finger at Tessa and said, "You're lucky."
Tessa winked at her partner. "Maybe if you play your cards right, you can get lucky, too."
Gus growled.
Tessa and Gus entered the captain's office and saw two other detectives, Brett Buckley and Andrea James, already there.
"Sit down everyone," the captain ordered. "I've called you all in here to discuss the Stratton case. Jacoby, what do you have so far?"
Glancing at the other two detectives, Tessa flipped open her notebook and said, "We interviewed a shop owner, who said he regularly gives out the money clips like the one that was found at the scene. He called it a talisman, not a money clip. Late yesterday, he identified Vanessa Carlton as someone who was in his shop in February and bought something there, his book, Herbs, Spells, and Potions. The Carlton woman indicated to the store owner that the book was for a friend. The body was found with one of his talismans in a lot across the street from where Carlton lives with her mother and son."
"Did the crime unit find anything in the victim's vehicle?"
"No, it was clean," offered Gus.
"What about the video from the hospital parking garage? Was there any luck in getting a look at the driver or license plate?"
"Cho got as much as he could from the video. The quality was poor at best," Gus said.
"This case is high profile and we all know what that means. The press is all over it so we don't want to bring someone in for questioning unless we have concrete proof," the captain said. "Buckley and James here have just finished a case, so I've assigned them to assist you with the case."
Tessa set her jaw and frowned. "Why? Once we run down a few more leads and they all point in the direction we think they will, I'm confident that we will be able to make a solid case against the Carlton woman."
Captain Flynn focused his eyes on Tessa. "What's your problem, Jacoby? In the past, you've begged me for help and now you get it and you don't want it."
With eyes narrowing and looking at the captain through the slits, Tessa leaned forward. "Are you taking this case away from me?"
The two new detectives looked at Tessa then at the captain waiting for him to chew the lead detective out for her defiant tone. Gus's eyes looked at his partner, shook his head, and sighed. Here we go again.
The captain said, "No, I'm giving you more eyes." I'm taking the shooting of her friend into account. Otherwise, I'd kick her butt for speaking to me like that. He looked at the detectives and gave them a brief nod. "That's all."
Buckley and James followed Tessa and Gus out of the captain's office.
"What do you need from us?" Brett Buckley asked.
Tessa stopped, turned around, and fixed the man with her gaze. "First, I'll get you up to date, and then we can discuss where to go next."
Brett Buckley, a retired football player who was huge, cleared his throat and took a step toward Tessa. "I saw that article in the paper this morning…any idea who the leak is?"
"Not yet," Tessa said, as her focus switched from Brett to his partner, Andrea James, who was a slender, good looking blonde woman.
Gus said, "It's good to have more help…right, Tessa?"
"Yeah, sure." Tessa sat at her desk and tried to figure out what was going on inside her head-it wasn't the case or the two young detectives-it was Anna. Looking up, she eyed the new additions to the Stratton case. "Why don't you two grab a cup of coffee and meet us in interrogation one in about fifteen minutes. By then, I'll have copies of the murder book and we'll get you up to speed."
When Buckley and James had left the area, Gus looked at his partner. "How's Anna?"
"She's good…even going in to work today."
"Really. Wow, that's a fast recovery. Are you sure that's a wise move?"
"I tried to change her mind this morning but she was insistent. One of the paralegals is picking her up." Tessa got up and briefly looked at her partner. "I'll make copies and meet you and the others," she said, as she quickly walked away.
Gus's curious eyes followed her. Now, that's interesting. It almost sounds like she spent the night. Wait 'til Helen hears this.
Tessa arrived in the interrogation room and saw only her partner there. "Where are the others?"
"They'll be here. What's gotten into you?" Gus asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Tessa let her reply hang as she dropped two folders onto the table.
Gus stood looking at his partner, as he incessantly stroked his moustache. "What's going on with you?" he asked with uncertainty. "I know this case has gotten to you and I know why. But there's something else going on. Care to share?"
Tessa chuckled. "Give it a rest, Gus."
"What, can't your partner worry about you?"
Tessa's voice softened. "When there's something to tell you, I will."
"Fair enough," he said, just as the other two detectives entered the room with coffee cups in hand.
Pointing to the table, Tessa said, "There's a folder for each of you. You'll find all the case information, including photos and a transcript of all the interviews we've conducted. Take your time to look them over and then we can go from there."
"You want coffee?" Gus asked Tessa.
"Yeah, thanks." Gus hadn't been gone long before Tessa said, "I need to make a quick call."
When she passed Gus who was going back to the room, he said, "Where are you going?"
"Bathroom, I won't be long," Tessa said over her shoulder as she kept on going.
Entering the bathroom, Tessa bent down to see if anyone else was in the room-no one. Safely ensconced in a stall with the door locked, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed.
"This is Anna Mikaelson."
"Hi, how are you feeling?"
"Better but the headache is lingering," Anna said.
"I was afraid of that. Did they let you back in your office?"
"They let me in for ten minutes so I could get all the files and materials I need. They've set us up in an office a few doors away."
"You should have taken the rest of the week off."
Anna let out a soft chuckle. "Who would put the bad guys away, if I did that?"
Tessa smiled, and then laughed. "Me."
"I have a short hearing this morning then I'll go home and work from there."
"Your folks are going to be with you, I hope."
"Well, since my main protector has to work, I guess they'll do." Anna laughed. "I already called them and they're going to meet me here so we can get my car home."
When she heard someone pushing open the door, Tessa felt bereft-she had to break her connection with Anna.
"Look, I've got to go. I'll call you later, ok?"
"I'll look forward to it," Anna said.
Closing her phone, Tessa took the first semi-relaxed breath of the day. Anna had that effect on her. She shook her head and let out a low, derisive chuckle. What's wrong with me? I'm sneaking around calling my…what…girlfriend. "Yeah, my girlfriend," she whispered-it felt right.
When Tessa returned to the interrogation room, she put on her unreadable face as she dropped into a chair. She looked at the two new detectives with hooded eyes, as they worked through the case file.
"We need to keep everything that goes on in this case between us," Tessa said. "As both Gus and Brett pointed out, the newspaper this morning, with its article about R. J. Santana, didn't do us any favors." She closed her eyes and reined in the anger that the leak was causing her. "Carlton indicated that she didn't get the newspaper so we've caught a break. Unless she was lying, she didn't read the article and hasn't run."
"Do you think her running is a possibility?" Andrea asked.
Tessa folded her hands on the table and looked at the woman. "It has been my experience that, when people feel safe, they tend to get careless. We haven't positively concluded that Carlton is the perp. But from what we found out yesterday, it's a distinct possibility. Saying that, I think Carlton has felt safe but with that article, I think we need to move with deliberate speed."
"Any idea who leaked the story?" Buckley asked again.
Gus shook his head. "No telling how they found out."
Andrea's eyebrows met. "Who else knew you interviewed him?"
Tessa looked at the woman and regarded her question. "About questioning Santana?" Andrea nodded. "Only everyone who was working around here or visiting yesterday afternoon."
"Didn't the article say that you considered Santana an integral part of the investigation?"
"I believe it did."
"Then it can't be a casual observer. It has to be someone with intimate knowledge of the case and the witnesses."
Great deductive skills. "I like the way you think, Detective. Would you like to explore who that person might be for us?"
Andrea smiled. "Yes, I'd like that," she said, before looking at the file again.
As both detectives continued to peruse the contents, Tessa watched them with a critical eye. They were both young but they had solid reputations as conscientious in their jobs.
Getting up, Tessa listed on a white board: two-thousand-five Jeep, Herbs, Spells and Potions, R. S. money clip, medical knowledge, opportunity, knew vic, and motive.
"As you can see from the file, the perp left little or no hard evidence to go on. We have the marks on the body, the money clip, some fibers that turned out to be threads from a cheap towel, and mold that trace tells us is common lichen that comes from the ground, trees, or rocks." Gus said.
"Could they trace it to a particular area?" Andrea asked.
Tessa shook her head. "No," she said, before she let out a sarcastic laugh. "They only do that on television shows that have big budget labs."
Turning to the whiteboard, Tessa pointed to the words money clip on the list and looked at her partner.
"You'll find nothing about this case is straightforward," Gus said. "To date, our best lead is the money clip that came from a store that Vanessa Carlton visited. She purchased a book there that the vic used as a reference for a report she wrote."
She put Stratton, Santana and Carlton's names next to the money clip. Next to the book, she wrote, Santana and Carlton.
Gus nodded. "I checked out the DMV and found that Carlton drives a dark colored late model Jeep, which is like the one that is on the hospital garage footage."
Tessa wrote Carlton next to vehicle and said, "We know she has medical knowledge and the ME thought that the perp could have used a scalpel. The trainer also has medical knowledge." She wrote the names next to medical knowledge.
"What we don't have is motive and opportunity," Gus pointed out.
"We need to tie one of these people to the vic," Buckley offered.
Tessa gave the man a half smile before she said, "We need to go back to the vic's apartment and see if we can find that book."
"We can do that," Andrea said. "Does the search warrant include it?"
Gus nodded. "Yes, it covers everything in her room."
"I'll find out who the professor is for the class that she wrote the report for. Then, we can have him or her come in for questioning," Tessa added.
"If the Carlton woman is the murderer and dumped the body in a lot across from where she lives, doesn't it stand to reason that the murder took place nearby too?" Brett Buckley thought aloud.
A pencil tapping on the table was the only sound in the room. Tessa pondered the remark, then said, "We need to get a topographical map of the surrounding five miles of the body dump site and see if there's any densely wooded area that is easily accessible, yet secluded. The only other clue we have, and it's a shaky one, is the moss found on the body. The area should be dark, wet, and secluded."
Detective James frowned. "That's like looking for a needle in a haystack. What if the moss is erroneous?"
Tessa eyed the woman. "It could be but it's something that we need to check out. Let's first see if we can link them together. We need to find a connection. If we don't, then we've hit another dead end. The woman's son could have taken the money clip and put the money he found in it-that would be a plausible defense against the money clip at the scene." She softly bit her lip then said, "My gut tells me we're looking at Vanessa Carlton as the killer but we can't discount the others just yet."
Gus shrugged before he stood up. "Let's see if we can find the evidence to connect them."
An hour and a half later, three of the detectives met again.
Tessa asked Andrea, "Did you find the book?"
"We had to have the super open the door. The book was in one of her desk drawers." Andrea smiled. "I gave it to the crime scene guys for fingerprints and told them to put a rush on it."
Tessa looked at the woman and let a small smile curve her lips. "Good thinking."
Gus entered the room. "I checked again and Carlton was definitely working the night of the murder. I have a name of someone who can verify whether or not she was there and am waiting for a callback."
"So right now, we can't place her in the Jeep that we saw in the surveillance video." Tessa placed a question mark next to Carlton's name under opportunity.
A tech from the crime lab appeared in the door and motioned for Andrea. "I thought you'd want this as soon as I got it," the tall skinny man said holding out a piece of paper.
"What do you have, Ed," Andrea asked as she took the paper.
"I got her prints from the state database. Every medical professional, who applies for a license, is fingerprinted."
Andrea looked at the name on the paper and smiled. "Thanks, Ed, this is exactly what we need." With a serious look, Andrea reentered the interrogation room. "You can put Carlton's name next to knew the vic. They found her prints on multiple pages of the book."
"That leaves motive," Gus said, as his eyebrows knitted.
Tessa looked at each person in the room with a serious expression. "Does anyone here think we have enough to bring Vanessa Carlton in for questioning and possible arrest?"
"Not yet," Andrea said. "She has a pretty solid alibi."
Looking at her watch, Tessa let her jaw flex slightly. "She works nights, so I expect that she's home now. I want you two,"-she pointed at James and Buckley-"to go stake out the home. They don't have a garage. They park their vehicles behind the house. Check out whether she's there or not and then update me."
Gus added, "I remember seeing some sort of shed in the backyard." He thought for a moment. "If she is the perp, we have to hope that she didn't see that newspaper article and decided to run."
"We can do that," Andrea said. "Anything else?
"If you see her vehicle at the house, stay there. If she leaves, stick to her like glue. Gus and I are going to meet with the professor that the vic wrote the paper for." Tessa bit her lip. "Maybe by then we will have confirmation that she was at work that night."
"Be patient," Gus said. "Patience leads to convictions."
Tessa and Gus sat in the office of Professor Chelsea Vincent, as the woman reviewed the paper Dana Stratton wrote. The woman was heavyset, with black hair that was showing gray, pulled tightly to form a ball in the back of her head.
"Such terrible news about Ms. Stratton," the woman said in a high pitched voice. "She had an open mind that asked thought provoking questions." She took off her glasses and tapped them against the paper. "I remember reading this and musing about how agile her mind was-she had true insight into what alternative medicine is all about." The professor shook her head again. "Such a terrible loss."
Tessa didn't ask her questions immediately. She wanted to be sure to frame her question so that the woman would independently refer to Vanessa Carlton's involvement. "Are your students left to their own devices to find sources or do you suggest where to find information? Or perhaps you have professionals who can help them."
"I have been teaching for almost forty years. In that time I've cultivated friendships with many health professionals who I know I can count on to help my students."
"Is there anyone in particular for this type of research that you tell your students to call on?" Tessa asked in a flat tone.
"The Dean of Nursing at St. David's, Wendell Buxton did interact with several of my students for this particular assignment. I do believe that Ms. Stratton availed herself of that assistance."
Tessa nodded. "Do you know if she worked with anyone particular at St. David's or did she just get help from the dean?"
"It is my understanding that Dean Buxton assigns various nursing staff members to guide my students." Chelsea Vincent picked up her glasses and put them back on. "If you want to know more you'll have to ask him."
"Do you by any chance have his number handy?" Gus asked.
The professor opened a notebook, ran her eyes down a list, and then neatly wrote the man's phone number on a post-it. After handing Gus the slip of paper, she looked at the detective, then at her watch. "If that's all, I do have a class in five minutes."
"That's all. Thank you for your help and making the time to speak with us." Tessa handed the woman her card. "If you think of anything else, please give us a call."
"I shall."
As the two detectives walked away, Tessa said, "That woman said the vic was open and receptive." She shook her head. "I wonder if she realizes that attitude can get you killed."
Seated at his desk when Tessa and Gus entered his office, Doctor Wendell Buxton rose to greet them.
"You must be the detective I spoke to on the phone," he said to Gus.
"Yes, we're Detectives Barrett and Jacoby."
The man, who had handsome good looks and what appeared to be a fit body, smiled and motioned for them to sit. "What can I do for you?"
Gus gave the man a friendly smile. "We understand that Professor Vincent gave your name to her students for help with their research."
"Yes, she often sites me as a resource for her students on many health care issues. I'm happy to help out our future nurses and doctors."
Gus said to the man, "Did some ask for help on alternative medicine a few months ago?"
The dean pursed his lips and nodded. "I believe three of her students contacted me."
Leaning forward in his seat, Gus asked, "Do you help them directly or point them in some other direction?"
"I have a list of my nurses, who expressed an interest in helping students."
"Do you assign a nurse to a student or is it up to the student to contact them?"
"I pair them up. It depends on what shift the nurse is on and if they have the time to help. Most of the time, they can accommodate the students but occasionally they can't."
"Do you have the list of the nurse/student pairings for the alternative medicine assignment?"
The man did a few clicks with a mouse and a screen came up. With hazel eyes that moved from one detective to the other, the man furrowed his brow. "Why would that be of interest to you?"
"We're investigating a crime," Tessa said.
The dean frowned as his eyes scanned the screen. "What kind of crime?" he asked. "Does this have to do with the Stratton murder?"
Gus captured the man's attention with a piercing stare. "Yes. We are investigating all aspects of her life and anyone she may have met over the last few months. Consequently, we need to know who helped Dana Stratton on the alternative medicine paper she wrote."
Smoothing his thick, black hair back with his fingers, the man appeared visibly shaken. "I can't believe one of my nurse's would be suspected of murder."
In an impersonal tone, Tessa said, "No one is saying that, Dean Buxton. We are merely trying to find out what and who the victim was involved with in the months prior to her death."
The director looked at Tessa and frowned-he didn't like her tone. "I see."
"Will you give us the name of the nurse that helped Dana Stratton?" Gus said in an even voice.
Wendell pulled open a drawer and took out a notepad. "Let's see," he said, as he ran a finger down the computer screen. "Here it is. Vanessa Carlton was the nurse." He looked up at the detectives for any sign of recognition-he saw none. "She's one of my finest nurses and has helped out numerous students."
"Do you have a phone number for her?" Gus asked.
"Five-five-five-eight-nine-six-two." The director flicked the mouse and went to another page.
"Thank you, Dean Buxton," Gus said as he got up. "Oh, what shift does she work?"
"Nights."
"Would you object with our speaking with her at the hospital, if we can't catch up with her now?"
The dean looked at Gus then at Tessa. "I can't have you disrupting our patients."
"We won't do that," Gus said. "We'll wait until she has a break."
"You don't think Vanessa had anything to do with the murder do you?"
Tessa shook her head. "All we want to do is speak with her and find out if she knows anything that might help us find the perpetrator."
"I see," the doctor said nodding.
The detective laid her card on his desk. "I expect you to keep this conversation confidential." Tessa accentuated the comment by fixing the man with a hard stare. "If you think of anything else, give us a call."
Wendell watched the detectives leave his office and picked up his phone.
"You have a ten?" Gus asked Tessa as they entered the hospital elevator.
"Yeah."
"Want to wager on how long it takes him to call Carlton?"
Tessa grinned. "He already has." She pulled out her cell phone and was surprised that there was a signal in the elevator. She called the stake out team. "Be ready to roll," she said.
Andrea James replied, "She just left the house and is getting into the Jeep."
"Stop her and bring her in for questioning. We'll meet you back at the station."
Vanessa Carlton sat in a small interrogation room with the calm of the innocent. Occasionally, she let her eyes flick to the large plate glass window where she suspected someone was watching her. When the door opened, she looked up and saw the two detectives that she spoke to the day after her son found the body. With a bored expression, Vanessa looked at them. "I don't appreciate you people blocking my driveway then telling me I need to come down here. As I told you, I don't have anything to add to what you already know.
Tessa dropped R. J. Santana's book onto the metal table, causing a hollow metallic sound to reverberate off the walls of the small room. "Want to tell me why your fingerprints are on this book we found in Dana Stratton's apartment?"
The calm exterior of Vanessa remained intact as she coolly looked at the book where a black substance made the fingerprints visible, and shrugged. "So, I gave her a book. What difference does that make?"
Tessa's eyes narrowed. "It means you lied to us about knowing Dana." She watched the woman's face and body for any type of reaction-there was none.
"Lied is rather harsh, don't you think. My son found the body of someone that I had helped with a school project and I didn't see the need to share that information with you. Since I didn't kill her, it would only cloud your investigation. Surely, helping someone out isn't a crime." Her eyes went from one detective to the other. "Is it?"
"Tell us about your relationship with Dana," Gus said, as he flipped through his notes. They knew from listening to the tape of the earlier meeting with the Carlton woman, her lie was one of omission, rather than by statement.
"Dr. Buxton regularly asks for volunteers to help out students from Restin U. Alternative healing methods is a field that I am interested in. I've done extensive research on the subject and I thought I could be helpful to a student. For the record, over the years I've helped numerous students."
"And one of them was Dana Stratton, right?" Tessa asked.
"Yes, she had an open and inquisitive mind. I bought that,"-she pointed to the book on the table-"because it had some very informative information on what Dana and I were discussing." Vanessa stopped for a moment, and then added, "I didn't want to lend her my copy."
Tessa rubbed her chin and contemplated her next move. "You drive a Jeep?"
"Yes."
"Did you drive it to work the night that the murder occurred?"
Vanessa pulled her head back slightly and frowned. "Of course I did. How else would I get to work?"
Narrowing her eyes again, Tessa asked, "And, you were at work Sunday night a week ago?"
"Of course I was."
"Have you ever used the drug Pavulon?" Tessa asked.
"No, what kind of drug is it?"
As she contemplated her next move, Tessa fixed the woman with her eyes. A minute later, Tessa closed her folder and said, "I'll have someone take you home."
Vanessa stood up, placed her palms on the table, and, in a low voice, said, "If you continue to harass me, I will lodge a complaint against you."
Gus watched as the metal doors of the elevator closed with Vanessa Carlton inside. "She certainly is one cool cucumber."
"If she is the murderer, she certainly didn't give herself away," Tessa commented, as they walked to their desks. "I guess that puts us back to square one. Damn, I was certain she was the doer."
"Me, too," Gus said, as he picked up his ringing telephone. "Barrett." His eyes opened wide as he listened. "Are you sure?" A smile crossed his face. "Will you come to the station and make a statement about that?" He winked at Tessa and gave her thumbs up. "Thank you, Ms. Grier." Putting the phone down, Gus looked at his partner. "That was a nurse that works with Carlton. She told me that, shortly after ten the night of the murder, Carlton called and told her that she had a sudden family emergency and would be late. She asked if the woman could cover for her."
Tessa's face filled with a grin. "Gotcha."
After she returned home, Vanessa finally let the memory she'd been suppressing take hold and blossom.
The girl had been so open to new ideas. Vanessa had never met anyone like her and the attraction was instantaneous. Many mornings they would meet for breakfast after Vanessa got off from work. Their conversations were wide and varied.
At first, they spoke of holistic medicine and its approach to healing not only the mind and spirit but the body as well. The idea that it could be intermingled with conventional medicine fascinated Dana. She spoke of her desire to become a sports medicine doctor and her strong conviction that the mind plays a critical role in health. Vanessa lamented about physicians who often overlooked their patient's mental state in their diagnosis.
Soon their conversations moved to a more personal level. Vanessa would ask the young girl provocative questions about her inner feelings, life experiences, deeply held beliefs and her inner most thoughts. No subject was off limits. The response she got from the student was always honest and succinct. The questions Dana asked her were often flirtatious and many were sexual in nature. The more questions the girl asked, the more interaction they had. It wasn't long before Dana captivated her.
Long after Dana completed her paper, she still wanted to meet the nurse for breakfast. At first, they would only meet once a week, then it was twice, and before long, they were meeting three times during the week and once on the weekends.
Vanessa found herself dreaming about the girl and, at night, often would sit outside of the gym where Dana had basketball practice and wait for her to come out so she could get a glimpse of her. She bought night vision binoculars so she could see Dana up close-she was stunning. Sitting in the highest, darkest corner of the gym, she attended the home games and saw Dana's prowess on the court. It was then that she knew she was in love. The girl was magnificent and Vanessa knew they would be together forever.
The Thursday before the murder, Vanessa was working a double shift. She was surprised when Dana came up to the desk where she was sitting and knocked lightly on the counter. Certain that it was someone who wanted her assistance, Vanessa looked up with a blank stare. When she saw Dana, her eyes crinkled in the corners, as she gave the girl a genuine smile.
"This is a wonderful surprise," Vanessa said in a low voice.
Dana held up a bag that contained a deli sandwich. "I was hoping you'd like to share this sandwich with me."
Looking at her watch, Vanessa said, "I'd love to. I just need to get someone to cover the desk for me." She fished in her pocket and pulled out her car keys. "Why don't you go wait in my car." She shrugged. "It will be quieter there and more private. It is on level three near the door. All you need to do is push the open button and it will wink at you."
The basketball player readily took the keys and, with a wave, and a wide grin said, "I'll be waiting."
They sat in Vanessa's car and listened to softly playing music. While they shared a chicken basil sandwich on artisan bread, they talked quietly. Once finished, Vanessa smiled before she leaned over and tentatively kissed the girl on the lips. When Dana responded, Vanessa deepened the kiss and soon they were passionately exploring each other's mouth.
The alarm sounding on Vanessa's watch had her reluctantly pulling away. "I need to get back," she whispered. "Can we meet in the morning for breakfast?" she asked, as she stroked Dana's cheek.
Dreamily, Dana drew in a deep breath and smiled. "I'd love to have breakfast with you."
Vanessa gave the girl one more fervent kiss but it didn't stop there. Soon their hands were exploring each other's body. The nurse's fingers gently slid inside Dana's jeans and found she was hard and wet. "Oh, God," Vanessa moaned, as her fingers moved through the wetness and began pinching and stroking the girl's elongated clitoris.
When the metal door leading to the hospital slammed, both women immediately moved apart. "I don't want to leave you," the nurse said. "But, I need to get back to work."
"Please," Dana said, in a voice thick with passion, "touch me again."
Gladly complying, Vanessa slid her hand back inside the girl's jeans and smiled when she felt her two fingers slide effortlessly inside Dana. Vanessa watched the girl's face as she began pumping her rhythmically as she thumb rubbed the clitoris. It didn't take long for Dana's breathing pick up before she let out a guttural moan of satisfaction. Dana opened her eyes, pulled Vanessa in, and gave her an intense kiss.
"God, Vanessa, no one has ever made me feel like that," Dana said.
Pulling away, Vanessa smiled at the girl as she stroked her cheek. "I really need to get back."
"I know," Dana said as she gave Vanessa one last kiss. "I'll see you in the morning."
Once the two exited the Jeep, Vanessa watched as the girl climbed into her car and gave her a slight wave before she drove away.
The next day at breakfast, Dana was distant.
"What's the matter?" Vanessa asked, as she reached across the table and stroked Dana's hand.
Pulling her hand away, Dana said in a shaky voice, "Last night was a mistake. It won't happen again."
"No, you can't mean that, Dana. We have a connection. I know you felt it. I could tell by the way you kissed me and touched me." Vanessa whispered, "You were wet for me."
The basketball player stood up. "Like I said, it was a mistake, a terrible mistake. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. It won't happen again."
Vanessa watched as the girl left and felt a devastation that she never thought possible. "I have to get her back. I just have to," she said softly, before she stood up, put a ten on the table, and left the restaurant with a heavy heart.
The next day she lurked outside Dana's classes and in the shadows at shoot arounds at the basketball court. She did not intend on letting Dana Stratton walk out of her life.
Quietly leaving the gym, Vanessa hurried to her car and called her work.
When Trudy Grier answered, Vanessa lowered her voice and said, "Tru, I've had a sudden family emergency. Can you cover for me for a couple of hours while I straighten things out?"
When the woman agreed, Vanessa drove in the direction of the hospital. Parking on a side street where she knew there were no surveillance cameras, she waited for the green Honda to drive by. All she wanted was to talk with the girl. Nevertheless, if Dana didn't cooperate or threatened to call the police, she had to cover her tracks. She knew there were operating cameras in the garage, so she got out of the Jeep and put pieces of cardboard over the front and back license plates.
When she saw Dana's car approaching the garage, she waited for it to go by before she followed. Vanessa's vehicle was just rounding a corner when she saw the basketball player getting out of her car. Pulling alongside her, Vanessa lowered her window and said, "Hi." Her heart skipped a beat when the girl smiled, before her expression became one of annoyance.
"Hi," Dana said. "I can't talk. My sister is about to have her baby."
"Yeah, I know," said Vanessa with a smile. "Can we talk?"
"Not now. I've got to get inside."
"I've checked and your sister has a way to go yet. She's only dilated to three." With her eyes searching Dana's face, Vanessa said, "Please, get in so we can talk. We'll just drive around the block then I'll drop you off right back here. It will only take a minute. I promise you won't miss a thing."
Dana's face crunched into a frown as she raised her hands. "Fine," she said. "I can give you a few minutes." She walked around the Jeep and got in.
Vanessa, keeping her eyes fixed ahead as she drove her Jeep out of the parking garage, flexed her jaw, and took a quick look at the girl sitting next to her.
"I don't want to lose you as a friend," Vanessa said, as she watched the headlights carve out her route.
"We can't be friends ever again," Dana said quietly.
"Why not?' Vanessa said, dampening her anger.
"I'm not a lesbian."
"Well, you certainly reacted like one," Vanessa countered.
Dana whispered, "That was a mistake."
With those words, all the pent up anger Vanessa felt toward the young girl began to simmer, before it erupted. "Why won't you listen to me?" The nursed slammed hard on the steering wheel. "Can't you open up that mind of yours and hear what I'm saying," Vanessa screamed. "ALL I WANT IS TO BE YOUR FRIEND!"
The basketball player edged against the door. "I need to get back to the hospital. You said we wouldn't be gone long and it's already been ten minutes. I don't want to miss the birth," Dana said, with a slight tremor to her voice.
When the vehicle came to a stop at a light, Dana tried to get out but the door wouldn't open. "Let me out!" she demanded.
"Not until we get this resolved," Vanessa said, as she continued driving forward. In all the scenarios that Vanessa imagined, the one she didn't want to follow seemed to be exactly what she would do. All that she needed was in place-she had used it all before. If Dana would not be her friend, then she would have to take actions to prevent her from leaving and finding someone else to love.
Vanessa glared at the girl as she pulled her vehicle into her mother's driveway. She stopped when the car reached the backyard. From under her seat, she pulled out a gun and pointed it at the girl.
"If you want to see your sister's baby, you'll do as I say." Vanessa's cold voice commanded, "Get out of the car."
She led Dana to a rather large shed at the back of the property and, once inside, she said, "I wanted us to make up and to be friends again but you're so stubborn you can't see past your nose. For your information, no one, man or woman, has ever kissed me as passionately as you did. For god's sake, Dana, you came all over my hand. You're a lesbian, so get used to it." Vanessa pointed the gun to a filthy mattress on the floor. "Lay there, face down," she ordered.
"What are you going to do?" the frightened girl asked.
"Do as I say, Dana, or you'll be sorry," the nurse said in a threatening tone.
Trembling, Dana did as instructed.
You try to move and I'll put a bullet in your head. Now, put your hands together behind your back," Vanessa said.
"I'll do anything you say, just don't kill me," Dana said with a trembling voice.
With the girl in a passive mode, Vanessa easily bound her hands together behind her back before she tied her ankles, too. When Dana began to struggle, the nurse became enraged. "You can't get away," her crazed voice screamed. Ripping at the girl's clothes, she flipped her over and pulled at the remnants until the body was lying completely naked on the mattress.
"I use to hide in here when my drunken husband wanted to fuck me."
Dana sobbed uncontrollably as she pleaded, "Let me go. I won't tell anyone. Please, Vanessa, let me go."
The tears and the words did nothing to dissuade her from the course she was determined to take. Since the girl wouldn't willingly give her what she wanted, Vanessa would take it. Just as the father of her son had, Dana Stratton would pay for leading her on only to cast her aside.
In a voice that was so different from the one she was used to, Dana heard Vanessa say, "Tears, how touching. Did you really think they would persuade me now? To be perfectly honest, it's too late for such a display of emotion."
Trembling, Dana sobbed. "Why?" she asked, as she searched eyes that were now foreign to her.
Vanessa let out a maniacal laugh that filled the small area.
"Why indeed." A hand slid effortlessly over a tear stained cheek before fingers covered with exam gloves pinched the skin. "Because I can."
Dana begged, "Please, don't."
"All I ever asked you for was recognition of my love." A finger ran along the curve of the athletic body. "You gave me none. You cast me aside and now you must pay."
The memory of the moment she took Dana Stratton's life made Vanessa nauseous. She looked out the front window and saw a police cruiser blocking the drive way. "Shit! What do I do now?"
"We're at the house," Andrea James said into a mic. "Two uniforms are here, too. Shall we take her?" the detective asked.
"No, wait for us...we have the warrant."
Arriving at Mary Bertram's house, Tessa and Gus got out of the Crown Vic, before they joined the other two detectives and two other officers. "Any movement?" Tessa asked.
"We did see someone pulling the curtain back from the downstairs window."
"Could you identify who it was?"
"All we saw was the curtain move," Brett offered.
Tessa nodded. "Ok, then we'll go get her."
Tessa and Gus had gone part way up the driveway when the front door opened and Mary Bertram, clutching her grandson, walked out the door. Behind her was Vanessa with a handgun to her mother's head.
"Get out of here or I'll kill them," she screamed. "I swear I'll do it."
Holding her hands up with the palms toward the angry woman, Tessa said, "We don't want to see anyone get hurt, Vanessa. All we want to do is talk to you."
Vanessa jammed the gun hard into her mother's cheek-the woman cringed. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? If you all don't leave immediately, I'll kill her first, then him." She moved the gun slightly to point it at Joey.
"Vanessa," Tessa said in an even tone. "You really don't want to hurt your mother or Joey…do you?" When the woman remained silent, she added, "Put the gun down so we can talk."
Enraged, Vanessa screamed as she pulled back the hammer of the gun. "GO!"
In a low voice, Gus said, "She's gone over the edge. There's no telling what she'll do. I think there's a good chance that she'll pull the trigger.
Tessa allowed her eyes to move fractionally to where Brett Buckley was quietly sneaking up on the deranged woman. "Vanessa, I'm sure we can work this out. If I come up there, will you let your mother and Joey go-I'll be your hostage instead."
"That's some sort of trick," Vanessa screamed.
"No it isn't. I don't want to see them get hurt." Tessa held her breath as Brett was on the other side of the screen door. In one fluid motion, the detective pulled the gun up. A bullet shot from the gun lodged in the porch ceiling. Tessa let out a sigh of relief as she and Gus ran toward the porch.
Gus took control of the woman that Brett had already handcuffed. "Good work," he said to the taller man.
Vanessa screamed, "No, you can't do this to me, I won't let you."
In a calm even voice, Tessa said, "Vanessa Carlton, you are under arrest for the murder of Dana Stratton. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?"
"You can't do this," Vanessa screamed again.
"Do you understand your rights?" Gus asked.
"You'll be sorry," Vanessa struggled against the restraints. "I'll make you all pay for this. Let me go!"
Tessa moved closer and took the nurse by her shoulders. "Vanessa, look at me." When the woman's brown eyes looked at her, the detective said, "Do you understand your rights?"
Vanessa looked at the detective. Regaining her previous persona, she said, "Yes, I want a lawyer."
Andrea and Ron took Vanessa in their vehicle to book her. Gus and Tessa did a preliminary sweep of the area noting everything they observed. Once they opened the door to the shed, they let their flashlights cut a narrow path into it. The beam focused on the mattress that was stained with what they surmised was the vic's blood, along with the strong odor of the bleach. After a few minutes, when their sense of smell was acclimated to the bleach, they caught a different odor-decomposition.
Tessa looked at Mary Bertram, who was now standing on her small back porch, with her hand protectively around Joey. "Do you think she knew?"
Gus leveled the older woman with a look then turned to his partner. "I don't think so. She looks genuinely shocked and the fear on her face when the gun was at her head isn't something you fake."
Walking toward the porch, Tessa stopped at the bottom of three steps. "Mrs. Bertram, is there anything we can do for you?"
With a trembling voice, Mary said, "I can't believe it. I didn't know who she was. She certainly wasn't my daughter. What happened to her?"
"I wish I knew," Tessa said softly. "When you're ready, we need you to come downtown and make a statement."
"I need to make arrangements for Joey first."
"I know."
Once Vanessa Carlton was booked, Tessa and Gus met her in an interrogation room.
"Do you have anything to tell us?" Gus asked.
The woman looked at him with vacant eyes and said nothing.
"We can help you, Ms. Carlton," Tessa added.
Through gritted teeth, Vanessa said, "I told you I want a lawyer."
"Ok, if that's what you want, but you should know that, if you talk to us now, we might be able to give you some leeway. Once you have a lawyer then there's nothing we can do for you."
Vanessa's eyes squeezed into slits as she glared at the detectives. "You two really do think I'm stupid? Do you think I'm going to say anything because you say you can help me? Get real." Her lip curled as she snarled at the detectives. "I'm not saying anything more until I get a lawyer."
"They found a body under the floorboards of the shed," Brett said, as he stood in front of Tessa's desk with Andrea James.
"Any identity?" Gus asked.
"All we know right now is that it's a male. The ME said he was probably in his late twenties early thirties."
"Did the criminalist find anything else?" Tessa asked without looking up.
Andrea cleared her throat before she spoke. "Apparently, the wooden floor was saturated in blood. They found a syringe and scalpel wrapped in an old rag. There was a gun on a shelf, along with the biggest dildo I've ever seen. We also found the vic's cell phone and her torn clothes." When Tessa looked up at her, she said, "We found a drawer full of pictures of Dana Stratton in the woman's room. Some of them were torn into pieces and others had pentagrams over her face."
"Any clues as to why the pentagram?" Tessa asked.
"From what Westcott in the crime lab told me, they found numerous books on the occult, astrology, and paganism. His best guess for now is that it was used as a symbol of protection from the forces of evil." Andrea shrugged. "I'm not sure if that's a good take on it or not. If it was for protection, the vic certainly didn't get any. I don't think we'll ever know."
"You're probably right." With a rare smile filling her face, Tessa added, "Couldn't have done it without you two. Thanks."
From his desk, Gus's eyes snapped open and he looked at his partner with genuine surprise. As the two other detectives walked away, he fixed Tessa with an intense gaze.
"What?" After successfully disengaging her eyes from those of her partner, she said, "Well…"
Gus's bushy eyebrows lifted. "What have you done with my partner?"
Tessa flicked her gaze back to her desk. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, as her defenses began to gather around her.
Gus laughed low in his throat. "Love agrees with you."
Tessa looked up with a passive expression on her face as she raked a hand through her hair. "Give it a rest, Gus."
The partners stared at each other as if they were in a standoff. Tessa was the first to look away. She grabbed a pen and scribbled her name at the bottom of the report that she had just printed out.
"Here," she said handing the papers across her desk. "They need your signature." She winked at her partner and said, "This case is as good as over. I'm going home."
Just as Tessa was putting her gun in its holster, Andrea James came up to her desk. "Good, you haven't left yet," she said.
Irritated, Tessa said, "What now?"
The young detective placed an envelope on Tessa's desk.
Picking up the white envelope, Tessa noticed it was sealed. "What's this?"
Andrea said, "The name of the leak."
Tessa's eyes narrowed and turned suspicious. "How did you get it?"
Andrea made a small nervous laugh. "It is on the up and up. Nothing illegal." My uncle is an editor at the paper but she doesn't need to know that.
Turning the envelope over, Tessa tore it open, took out a piece of paper and read the name. Lifting her eyebrows, she said, "I should have known. Is this just hearsay or do you have proof to back it up?"
The woman slid a small silver voice recorder across Tessa's desk. "Listen for yourself."
Once she located the play button, Tessa listened to a voice that she recognized relate facts about the case that no one but a certain few knew. Her eyes then tracked to the young detective, who stood expectantly by her desk. With a genuine smile, Tessa said, "Care to share your source?"
Andrea shrugged. "Can't do that."
Tessa nodded. "You did good, Andrea. Thanks."
Once Andrea left, Gus said, "Who was that on the recording?"
Tessa put the piece of paper on her partner's desk. "I'm going to put an end to the leak permanently.
After reading the name, Gus said, "Holy shit, I hope I don't have to arrest you for murder," as he watched his partner walk quickly away. "Hey, wait for me."
Tessa knocked on the door before she and Gus entered the office. A startled district attorney, Herb Meyers, looked at them and said, "I thought you arrested the Carlton woman. Do you need an additional warrant?"
Without a word, Tessa pressed the play button and watched the man's reaction as he listened to the conversation. His eyes grew wide in disbelief before they focused on the detectives. "Where'd you get this?"
"Not relevant," Tessa said.
"Confidential informant," Gus added.
Herb looked at the two detectives as anger flickered across his face. Picking up his phone, he pressed one button. "Please come into my office."
The DA, Tessa, and Gus all turned their attention to the door when they heard a soft knock. Beverly Paycheck, looking confused, entered the office. "Yes?"
Herb looked at Tessa. "Will you play that again?"
Tessa delighted at the look of horror that crossed Beverly's face before she scowled. "Where'd you get that? That was a private conversation. I will sue you for invading my privacy!"
The DA's eyes appeared to flame with anger. "How dare you leak confidential information you gained in this office!" The man's red face turned to the detectives. "May I have the recorder?"
Tessa nodded and handed him the small device.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll handle it from here."
As the partners neared the police station, Gus said, "Why do you think she did that?"
"Revenge."
"Why?"
"She wanted to get back at me."
Gus stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "For what?"
"I stole her girl…at least she thought Anna was her girl." Tessa chuckled. "I have it on good authority that she never stood a chance." Tessa squared her shoulders and said, "I'm going home," before she walked away.
Gus stood outside of the police department with his mouth wide open and his eyes bulging. "What the hell was that all about? More importantly, who's that woman in my partner's body?"
Pumped, Tessa let the Expedition barrel down the street, as the bass from her music reverberated off every surface. For all intents and purpose, the Stratton case was over. Once the crime scene investigators cataloged all the forensic evidence and she handed it off the DA, her involvement would be over until the trial. She had heard someone saying that the defense was going to go with an insanity plea, but she didn't see how that would stand up.
The fact that Vanessa Carlton covered up her license plate and had acquired Pavulon to render the victim helpless showed premeditation. She was certain that it would be difficult to find a psychiatrist who would say that the woman was mentally unfit when she committed the crime. She did consider that it would take a depraved mind to do what the woman did to the girl's body. Tessa also knew that for the right amount of money, expert witnesses were more than willing to testify in favor of whichever side was paying them.
The icing on the cake, finding out that Beverly Paycheck was the leak. Tessa smiled as she speculated that the woman was cleaning out her desk at that very moment. "I can't wait until I tell Anna." The notion that she was going to share some anecdote of her day with another human being had her grin growing wider still.
When she pulled into the parking garage for the Overlook Apartments, Tessa felt a giddiness that she found odd yet, appealing.
Anna.
Tessa shifted her weight from one foot to the next as she stood outside Anna's apartment waiting for the woman to answer the door. When she heard the rattle of the knob, her body tensed before releasing pleasurable feelings.
The door opened and Tessa stared, captivated by the woman standing in front of her. "Hey."
Dressed in a pair of tattered jeans and an oversized t-shirt, Anna gazed at the detective before she smiled. "I was hoping you'd come."
The two women stood staring at each other. Neither was able to speak or move. The shrill ringing of a phone, that quickly became insistent, broke the spell.
Anna motioned for Tessa to come inside. "Let me get rid of whoever that is and then I'll turn the damn thing off."
As Tessa stepped inside and heard the door close gently behind her, her old fears of commitment-of letting someone else inside her space-clawed its way through her emotions for acknowledgement. She stiffened her back and refused to let those feelings control her.
When Anna found her still standing by the door, she laughed. "You can go farther than that, Detective.
"Are your parents still here?"
"No, I sent them home an hour ago." She let two beats pass before she said, "I was hoping you'd take care of me tonight."
"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" Tessa took a step closer and opened her arms wide. Their kisses were warm and filled with promise. As they deepened, each woman let their hands explore the others body. Tessa pulled away.
Confused, Anna asked, "What's the matter?"
"I want you so much I can hardly breathe sometimes." Her fingers gently touched the bandage on Anna's head. "It might be too soon."
Anna reached out and pulled Tessa back to her body. "I don't want to wait any longer. I saw the doctor today and she said I was good to go," she whispered, before kissing the lips that she could no longer resist.
Tessa sank into what Anna offered for it was what she wanted too. Pulling away again, she smiled. "Shall we take this into the bedroom?"
Tessa couldn't believe how intense the feeling was just holding Anna's naked body. As the woman slowly undressed her only minutes before, she felt small, eruptions of orgasm sweep though her body. She gently led Anna to the bed and, once she was lying down, Tessa covered Anna's body with hers as her thigh parted Anna's legs-she was so wet.
"God, how I've wanted this," Anna whispered, as she began grinding against Tessa's thigh. When Tessa did the same, she groaned, "Not yet."
With her green eyes darkening with arousal, Tessa lifted her hips and her fingers slid effortlessly through the wetness. Her fingers pinched the engorged, elongated clitoris and Anna responded with a cry. "You like that, don't you? Tessa purred.
"Yes," Anna's husky voice replied. "Please, Tessa, I need more."
Tessa's lips began a slow journey toward her fingers. When Anna moaned as Tessa took a hard nipple into her mouth, she looked up and smiled. She wanted to touch and kiss every part of the body she craved ever since they first met. When her lips surrounded Anna's clitoris she heard her groan in pleasure. Anna tasted exquisite as her tongue made long, lapping strokes-Anna grew wetter. Tessa took the hard clit in her mouth and began sucking in time with her fingers that had delved deep inside.
For her part, Anna was lost in sensations that threatened to overwhelm her completely. She lifted her hips for more contact. Never before had she felt so aroused-Tessa's relentless tongue and fingers took her to heights she never imagined were possible-her body was ready to explode. "I'm going to come," she cried.
Tessa stopped her onslaught and made her way up to Anna's lips while her fingers remained inside. The kiss was deep and wanting. She pulled back slightly. "Not yet," she whispered before her lips latched on to a swollen nipple. She sucked it deep into her mouth and let her tongue brush over it in a never ending movement that had Anna clamping down hard on the fingers inside her.
"Please, Tessa…please, I need to come," cried Anna breathlessly.
With her center resting on Anna's thigh, and her mouth on the lawyer's lips, Tessa slid two more fingers inside and began rhythmically moving in and out. She felt the walls tighten even more around her fingers, as her thumb stroked the still swollen clit. For her part, Tessa ground her clitoris against Anna's thigh and was soon matching Anna's hips as they moved.
Soon, both Anna and Tessa were crying out as each orgasm they felt took them higher. With one final push, Tessa's finger took Anna to the edge, before dropping her into a spiral of unadulterated joy.
For a long time afterward, they held each other while they shared secrets and whispered words of love and comfort.
Tessa could no longer deny what her heart had tried to tell her for so long-she loved Anna.
As if she heard all of Tessa's thoughts, Anna opened her eyes, looked at Tessa and smiled. "Do you know that I've fallen in love with you?"
Tessa kissed her lips. "I know the feeling."
Cupping her hand over the curve of Tessa's jaw, Anna pulled it closer before she kissed Tessa's lips. Then, with caresses that lingered long after her lips had moved on, the lawyer began her loving assault on the detective's body.
Tessa paced the corridor outside of the courtroom where the trial against Vanessa Carlton was to begin. The selection of the jury was over and once, the lawyer's opening statements finished, the trial would begin in earnest. Bob and Fran Stratton, along with their daughter, Sara, and her husband approached the detective.
Bob held out his hand and Tessa shook it. "Well, Detective Jacoby, the day is finally here. I want to again thank you for all your support over the last year."
Feeling her face warm, Tessa replied. "I'm the first to testify, so I'll be able to stay in the courtroom for the proceedings. Of course, I can't be here every day but I will do my best."
Fran Stratton, moved closer to Tessa and gave her a hug as she whispered, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. We should go inside now."
For an hour, the people in the courtroom sat restlessly waiting for the judge, along with the attorneys, to appear. Tessa saw Mary Bertram sitting behind the defendants table and wondered how she had faired over the last year-mostly, she wondered about Joey. When Sara Macintosh nudged her, she turned to the woman.
"Why is this taking so long?" Sara asked.
"Since the lawyers aren't here, I suspect they're all meeting in the judge's chambers." When Tessa saw the look of confusion on the woman's face, she smiled. "Nothing to worry about this happens all the time. There's probably something one of the lawyers want included or excluded."
Sara nodded and said, "Thank you."
A short time later, the lawyers entered the courtroom, followed by Vanessa Carlton. It wasn't long before the bailiff said, "All rise," and the judge entered the courtroom through a pocket door.
The judge, Emily Grafton, a slight woman with gray hair, struck her gavel and the buzzing in the courtroom stopped. "Mr. Konstanza, do you wish to speak to the court at this time?"
Medium was the word that could sum up everything about Edward Konstanza. He was of medium height and build and his hair wasn't too short or too long. His outward appearance belied his prowess as an excellent defense attorney. "Yes, Your Honor."
"Proceed."
"Your Honor, my client wishes to change her plea to guilty by reason of insanity. As I presented in chambers, three well known and independent psychologists have interviewed Vanessa Carlton and all agree that she is mentally unstable now and at the time of the murder. The district attorney's psychologist also came to the same conclusion."
The judge turned his attention to the district attorney. "Do you concur, Mr. Meyers?"
Herb Meyers stood up. "Yes, Your Honor. We have met with Mr. Konstanza and have worked out a plea deal." He handed a paper to the bailiff for the judge. "Ms. Carlton, pleading guilty to murder by reason of insanity, will be incarcerated at the Wellington State Hospital for treatment. At which time when the doctors feel she is able to cope, she will be transferred to prison for no less than sixty-five years."
"And your client agrees to this, Mr. Konstanza?" the judge asked.
"Yes, Your Honor."
"Show the jury in," the judge said.
Standing outside the courtroom, Tessa stood silently as she watched the Stratton family, all dressed in the same t-shirt that said around a basketball reach higher to win, cry and hug each another. The detective was at peace and no longer found other's suffering difficult to watch.
Anna's love had taught her how to allow the good moments become her focus. There would still be murderers and dead bodies but now she knew that it all was part of the grand scheme called life. With Anna by her side, she could face all her past demons and put them to rest. As for her family, she found forgiveness but the wounds were too raw to make any type of permanent contact-yet.
Anna had told her. "That will all change in time. You need to let it go. Just as I found out with Devon, we can't change what's happened, we can only move forward. Maybe you can start a new page with your family."
Thinking of Anna made her smile and she pulled out her phone. When she heard the voice she knew she would always crave, she breathed in deeply-she had found home.