~ Breathless ~
by Lois Kay
For Disclaimers see part 1.
Part 6
With anticipation, Lauren dialed the number of the OSBI laboratory. There could only be one reason for them to call her on a Sunday morning; they had the results of the blood test for the dead girl.
"Gordon? This is Lauren Darkwolf," she spoke when her call was answered.
"Hey, Lauren. I've got some results on Jane Doe. I just emailed them to you. I just wanted to be sure you did get them."
"Is there anything special about it?" Lauren asked, motioning Maureen to follow her to her office and her computer.
"Yes and no," Gordon answered. "The blood test on the baby boy shows there were no traces of drugs in his system. Yet, the mother was..."
"Hold on," Lauren interrupted him, while booting up her computer. "The mother? So, the child was hers?"
"Absolutely," Gordon answered. "Anyway, the mother was loaded with drugs and that's what killed her."
"What kind?" Lauren asked with a grim expression on her face.
"The new kind," Gordon sighed. "Fentanyl laced heroin. Taking that stuff is like playing Russian roulette; will I stop breathing or will I live?"
"And she had that in her system?" Lauren asked, typing her password so she could pull up her email.
"She was loaded. That stuff is so incredibly dangerous. The chances of respiratory arrest are so high, it's a miracle some people survive," Gordon sighed. "That, and more, is in the report I sent you. The interesting thing, though, is that the baby was clean."
Lauren, who had motioned Maureen to take a seat in front of the computer and open up her email, sucked in a breath and nervously rubbed her forehead.
"Are you...? Was she breast feeding?" she asked, not able to hide the tension in her voice.
"She was," Gordon replied in a solemn voice. "You know what that means."
"I do," Lauren nodded. "There's a real chance somebody gave her the drugs against her will."
"You're spot on," Gordon acknowledged. "The marks on her body tell the story. Read the report and call me if you have any questions, Lauren."
"I will. Thanks, Gordon."
Lauren broke the connection and cast a look at the monitor. Maureen had already opened the attachment and was quickly browsing through the preliminary autopsy and lab report. Lauren's eyes flew across the screen.
"Somebody killed her," Maureen spoke in a voice that was void of emotion. "They intentionally shot her up with an overdose of this stuff."
"So, we're looking at murder now," Lauren nodded, feeling a wave of sadness when her thoughts returned to the young infant whose mother's life was deliberately snuffed out.
"We sure are," Maureen sighed, turning around and grabbing the other woman's hand. Her green eyes were dark with sadness when they looked up at the other woman. "Is...will the baby be alright?"
"Yes, he didn't have any trace of it in his system, which is why I think the girl OD'ed by someone else's hand. Gordon said something about marks on her body," Lauren said pensively, staring at the computer screen.
Maureen scrolled through the file, looking for the autopsy report and when she had found it, she felt Lauren's hand tighten around her own.
"Bruises and rope burns on her wrists and ankles, contusions across her back and abdomen," Lauren read in a voice that was void of any emotion. "Traces of duct tape around her mouth. Multiple puncture wounds consistent with injection needles on both her arms. Hairline fractures on right cheekbone."
"Looks like she put up a heck of a fight," Maureen commented in a soft voice.
"Some of those could be post-mortem, though," Lauren sighed. "She was thrown out of the car."
"I'm sure we'll find out more about that later," Maureen nodded, rubbing her tired eyes. "This is just a preliminary report anyway. But, it seems to me China Girl has made it down to Oklahoma," she added in a somber voice, referring to the fentanyl- laced heroin that had already been responsible for a lot of deaths in Detroit and St. Louis.
Lauren tugged Maureen's hand in a silent request to follow her out of the study into the kitchen, which the redhead willingly did. Without speaking, Lauren poured coffee into two mugs and handed one to Maureen, who accepted it with a grateful smile.
Maureen took a seat at the kitchen table and motioned Lauren to do the same.
"We might be more comfortable in the livingroom," Lauren gently objected.
"That's exactly why it's better to sit here," Maureen nodded with a small smile. "I think I might be able to keep my hands to myself while in the kitchen."
"Oh," Lauren responded, setting her mug down. "I think you have a point," she added with a chuckle, leaning forward to kiss Maureen's cheek before taking a seat across from her.
In comfortable silence both women sipped their coffee, while exchanging an occasional glance and smile over the rim of their mugs. Maureen's body still tingled with the memory of Lauren's kiss and every time she looked at the dark-haired woman she could feel a pleasant flutter in her stomach. She had not been exaggerating when she had told Lauren it would be hard to keep her hands to herself. The desire to touch her friend was so great, Maureen needed the physical distance between them in order to be able to focus on other things.
It was as if Lauren could read her mind, because the other woman extended her arm across the table and covered Maureen's hand with her own. Immediately, Maureen's heart did a double-take and with a sigh she looked up into a pair of smiling dark eyes.
"You're very distracting," Lauren gently teased, rubbing the back of Maureen's hand with her thumb.
Maureen smiled and shifted her hand so she could entwine her fingers with Lauren's.
"So are you," she answered in a soft voice. "In fact, you've been a distraction to me for quite a while now."
"I have?" Lauren asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, you have," Maureen smiled, raising their entwined fingers so she could kiss the back of Lauren's hand. "In fact, and don't take this the wrong way, I was attracted to you when I was still with Rob."
Maureen could feel the fingers she was holding tense and she gave Lauren's hand a reassuring squeeze.
"No, you had nothing to do with our break-up," she immediately added when she noticed the worried look in Lauren's eyes. "All it did, was force me seriously to think things over."
"And you did," Lauren spoke, her eyes warm when they caught Maureen's green ones.
"Yes, I did," Maureen smiled. "I know I've told you this before, but, I never should have married Rob. It wasn't fair to him."
"Then why did you?" Lauren asked, sipping her coffee while her eyes took in the woman who sat across from her. Maureen's long hair spilled across her shoulders in a wave of different shades of red, mesmerizing the dark-haired woman, who found it very hard to take her eyes off the colorful display and whose hands were itching to rake her fingers through the thick, soft tresses.
Maureen was aware of the expression in Lauren's eyes and, with a knowing smile, she took a sip of coffee.
"I married Rob because it was expected of me. I didn't want to disappoint my parents and I thought it was the right thing to do. We practically grew up together and he was my first boyfriend," Maureen finally answered with a sigh. "I mistook friendship for love and, naive as I was, thought that over time, I'd learn to love him more." Maureen shook her head and sent Lauren a sad smile. "Poor Rob, I never did."
"Did you ever tell him you thought you might be gay?" Lauren asked curiously.
"No, he told me," Maureen answered, much to the other woman's surprise. "Apparently, he figured it out before I did."
"When was that?"
"A few years ago," Maureen answered softly. "Deep down inside I knew he was right, but I wasn't ready to accept that yet, so I threw myself into my job, alienating myself even more from Rob, and my family. It was a pretty confusing time."
"I'm sure it was," Lauren nodded. "That can't have been an easy time."
"It wasn't," Maureen answered. "Especially not when I started to fall for you," she added with a smile.
"How long ago was that?" Lauren wanted to know, aware of the rapid beating of her heart.
"At least more than a year ago."
"Really?" Lauren responded in surprise.
"Really," Maureen nodded. "I remember the moment it dawned on me that I was attracted to you. It was an...eyeopener...to say the least." Maureen smiled at the memory and gave Lauren's hand a affectionate squeeze.
"You were in the office, standing in the doorway, with a cup of coffee in your hand. I stepped out of the elevator and you smiled at me, giving me a look that was part amusement, part curiosity and part affection." Maureen paused to take a sip of her coffee, while her eyes caught Lauren's. "My heart skipped a few beats when you looked at me like that and all of a sudden I realized I was seriously attracted to you."
"I remember that moment," Lauren mused. "It was just after you had finished the investigation of that triple murder in Duncan."
"Yes, you're right," Maureen smiled. "You remember," she added in a voice that was a mixture of surprise and wonder.
Lauren smiled and could not help herself when she noticed the look of slight bewilderment on her friend's face. It was too cute. She simply had to lean forward to capture the red-head's warm lips in a soft kiss.
"Yes, I remember. Like I remember the first time you walked through the door, looking sharp, professional and incredibly nervous."
There was a twinkle in Lauren's eyes and Maureen laughed.
"I was pretty nervous," she admitted with a chuckle. "I vaguely remember you being there."
"Vaguely?" Lauren repeated with a raised eyebrow.
"Pretty much," Maureen answered. "I was too preoccupied with making a good impression and hoping nobody would notice how much of a rookie I was."
"That's alright, I didn't tell anyone," Lauren replied with a smug smile, which made Maureen playfully punch her shoulder. For a brief moment, both women smiled at each other.
"So, what happens next?" Maureen sighed after a few moments of silence. "I mean...," with a frustrated gesture she raked her fingers through her thick, red hair. "I mean work wise."
"I thought that's what you meant," Lauren replied dryly, earning another swat. "I guess we'll have to make a list with everything we know, all the facts and data and then take it from there."
"And we need to look into that health fair," Maureen added with a frown. "I guess the easiest way to do that, is to ask Rachel and Hannah, because I'm sure the fair was sponsored by St. Andrew's. And I want to figure out why that newspaper clipping was on the girl's body."
"If you are right, we might be on to something," Lauren drawled, while her dark eyes held a pensive expression. "The fair, where was it held?"
"The convention center," Maureen answered. "I don't think...oh, wait a minute," she took a deep breath. "You're thinking about the security cameras, aren't you?"
"Yup," Lauren nodded with a smile. "If the convention center is where the girl went to, then they might have her on tape."
"And anybody she was with," Maureen added. "Damn, why didn't I think about that?"
"You would have, eventually," Lauren laughed. "I just beat you to it."
"Smart ass," Maureen mumbled, but there was a twinkle in her eyes.
"Thank you," Lauren responded with a broad smile. "It looks to me like we've got some work to do, Agent Lawrence."
"I'm afraid you're right, Wolfie," Maureen answered, not expecting Lauren to jump up so fast, she had hardly time to blink her eyes. Strong hands on her arms practically lifted her out of the chair.
"There's that 'Wolfie' thing again," Lauren growled, pulling Maureen into her arms. Before the red-head could make any sound, a pair of warm, insistent lips had already descended on her mouth, robbing her of speech and, within moments, from every coherent thought. Maureen's body craved the close contact with Lauren and, involuntarily, molded against the other woman's slightly taller frame. She softly moaned when Lauren's arms pulled her even closer and a strong hand wound its fingers through her hair. The contact was so intense, Maureen could feel her knees starting to give out and when they finally had to come up for air, her hands dug into Lauren's shoulders for support.
"My God," the red-head whispered, still clinging to the other woman in an effort to stay upright. "Lauren..."
"I know and I'm sorry," Lauren answered in a whisper.
"You are?" Maureen asked with a weak smile.
"Well, no, not for the kiss," Lauren replied, pressing her lips against Maureen's forehead. "But my timing is way off. I didn't mean for it to get so...intense...I just felt the need to kiss you."
"And you did," Maureen agreed with a soft laugh. "Do you have urges like that often?"
"I don't know," Lauren smiled. "I might. Your kisses are addicting."
"Well, no need to worry," Maureen promised, using the back of her hand to caress Lauren's cheek. "I'll never stop you. Next time you feel the need to..."
"Even at work?" Lauren asked with an innocent expression.
"Even at work," Maureen nodded with a grin.
"The Chief might frown on that," Lauren mused, chuckling when Maureen started laughing.
"Maybe in private settings then," the red-head decided.
"I'd like that," Lauren replied, smiling at the woman in her arms. Her words had sounded like a promise and, by the look on Maureen's face, she could tell it was perceived that way as well.
"So, you are serious about this...about us?" Maureen asked in a soft voice.
Lauren nodded and dropped a kiss on the bridge of Maureen's nose.
"I'm very serious about us," she acknowledged.
With a sigh, Maureen buried her face in the crook of Lauren's neck, closing her eyes in contentment when she felt the arms that were holding her pull her even closer.
"I realize I sound pathetically insecure," she mumbled.
"Don't worry about that," Lauren answered kissing the top of Maureen's head. "We've been dancing around our attraction for each other for quite a while now, so it's only natural it will take some time for us to get used to the fact we finally admitted to it." After Lauren dropped another kiss on Maureen's forehead, she let out a soft chuckle.
"What?" Maureen mumbled, reluctant to lift up her head from its comfortable resting place.
"Our timing is not exactly perfect. Here we are, in the crucial first phase of an investigation and we don't even have time to enjoy the moment thoroughly. We're quite the pair."
"I don't care," Maureen said, finally lifting her head so she could look the other woman in the eyes. "Of course I'd rather run off with you and hide for, oh, a
couple of weeks. But at least one of my biggest insecurities has been addressed; you," she added, playfully poking Lauren in the chest.
"You do have a point," Lauren nodded. "I've wanted to hold you like this for ages now."
"Just holding?" Maureen could not help asking with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Among other things," Lauren laughed. "Like I said before; I think I'm already addicted to your kisses. I can only imagine what making love to you would be like."
Those last words were met with a barely veiled sharp intake of breath from the other woman. Maureen could not help wondering what it would be like to be as physically close to Lauren as she was at that moment, but without the barrier of clothing. All of a sudden her hands ached to touch Lauren's skin, exploring the tall body with her fingers and lips, losing herself completely in her feelings of love and desire for the other woman.
Moistening her lips, the red-head gently pushed herself away from Lauren and shot the other woman an apologetic smile.
"You just put an image in my mind that is so incredibly...distracting...that, if I don't create some space between us right now, you wouldn't have to imagine what making love to me would be like."
"Let me guess, I would be doing it?" Lauren asked in a soft voice, smiling when Maureen nodded.
"Unfortunately, we'll have to hold that thought," she continued.
"I know, duty calls," Maureen sighed.
"And it's deafening," Lauren gently joked, happy to see the smile on Maureen's face.
"Let's get started on that list."
#
"Alright, Mr. Janek, where did you say you cast out your line?" the police officer asked, staring at the lake where a small police boat was slowly cruising the surface while two officers were intently staring in the water.
"Over there, where I left the buoy," the older man answered. "It was pretty close to the shoreline. And please, call me Martin."
"Okay, Martin," the officer smiled. He cast a look at the boy, who was standing next to his grandfather and who was completely transfixed by what was happening on the lake.
"Is he...maybe it's better...," the officer started, but Martin Janek interrupted him.
"Don't worry, his dad is on his way to pick him up. He'll be here any minute now."
"Good," the police officer nodded. He himself had a ten year old and the idea of his son having to watch the police drag the lake for, possibly human body parts, did not sit well with him.
"As a matter of fact, there's my son," Martin Janek smiled, waving at the driver of a pick-up truck.
"Aw, grandpa," Scotty tried with a pout, but Martin Janek was determined.
"No, son. You're going with your dad. You don't need to see this."
"It's on TV all the time," Scotty objected, which earned him a raised eyebrow from his grandfather.
"I know for a fact that you're not allowed to watch stuff like that, so don't even go there. Come on, get in your dad's truck. We'll talk later."
"What about that big fish we're gonna catch?"
"We'll do it later, I promise," Martin Janek smiled, ruffling his grandson's hair. "Go, on, Scott."
"Okay. I'll see you later."
"You bet."
"Bye, grandpa," Scotty said, still not happy with his grandfather's decision. "Bye, sir," he politely greeted the police officer, who smiled at him while tapping the rim of his hat.
"I'm sorry about that," Martin Janek apologized after his grandson and son drove off.
"I've got a son about that age," the officer smiled. "He'd have tried the same thing. Are they in the right area now?" he asked, pointing at the small boat that was going around in slow circles.
"Yes, that's about it," Martin Janek answered, feeling the tension grow within his body. The contents of the plastic bag he had pulled out of the lake had seriously rattled his nerves and he was afraid of what else would be discovered. He did not have to wait long. Only a few minutes after carefully pulling a long pole through the water, one of the officers on the boat raised his hand, signaling to drop the anchor.
"I've got something here," his voice was low and controlled and carried far across the water. "Give me a hand, Joe," he asked his colleague kneeling down and peering into the water. Within a few seconds Joe was at his side and together they used a big net to bring up whatever was hiding below the surface.
"God have mercy," escaped from Joe's lips when his eyes fell on their catch.
"Amen to that," was the grim reply from the shore.
#
A slender young man, dressed impeccably in his navy-colored suit, muttered a soft curse when his cell phone rang. With an annoyed frown, he reached for his belt where he had clipped his Blackberry. The frown on his face deepened when he recognized the number that was displayed.
"Yeah?" he answered, not trying to hide his irritation.
"Hey, Musk, it's me. It went alright, man."
"Is that why you're calling?"
"Um...well...I guess you wanted an update, or something..."
"Did you find what I was looking for?"
There was a moment of silence, in which the young man cast an impatient look at his watch.
"I...um...yes and no, man. I got most of the stuff back, but...it was kinda hard to find out where...where the other...thing...is, you know."
"I told you where to..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know, man. I'll go after it today."
"You'd better. Don't call me back, unless you have results. And you know what happens if you screw up."
"I know, I know. I won't, man. You can count on me."
"I'd better. Now, stop wasting time and get going."
Without waiting for a reply, Musk broke the connection, clipping the Blackberry back to his belt. His eyes fell on the TV and he quickly grabbed the remote when he noticed the local news had just started. Increasing the volume, he sank down on a chair and listened intently to the blond woman who filled the screen.
"...by a local fisherman and his grandson. According to the a spokesperson of the Grove police-department the identity of the two men is still unknown. The car that was found a few miles south of the gruesome site has not been officially linked to the discovery of the two bodies, but, according to the police spokesperson, there is a possibility the two finds are connected. The OSBI has been called to the scene as well to assist the local police with the investigation of this, what seems to be, foul play. We will keep you informed of any new developments. Now, we're going to the weather..."
"Shit," Musk exclaimed, hitting the 'mute' button on the remote, before throwing the device across the room. "Morons! I knew I should have done it myself. Now I've got to do all the clean-up!"
#
"... According to the spokesperson of the Grove police department, the identity of the two men is still unknown. The car that was found a few miles south of the gruesome site has not been officially linked to the discovery of the two bodies, but according to the police spokesperson, there is a possibility the two finds are connected. The OSBI has been called to the scene as well to assist the local police with the investigation of this, what seems to be, foul play. We will keep you informed of any new developments. Now, we're going to the weather..."
"They're spreading us thin," Maureen mumbled, muting the sound of the TV, before putting the remote down.
"Who's thin?" Lauren asked, walking into the room, while toweling her wet hair. She had just showered and even from the other side of the room, Maureen's nose was tickled by the fresh, flowery scent she dark woman had brought into the room.
"We both will be, if we don't get anything to eat soon," Maureen quipped. "I'm starving."
"I'm sorry, I guess I should have fed you earlier," Lauren apologized with a smile. "But I'll make it up to you; if you'll go ahead and shower, I'll fix us some breakfast."
"Really?" Maureen replied, answering Lauren's smile with one of her own.
"Really," Lauren nodded. "What would you like?"
"I don't care," Maureen answered with a shrug. "I'm just thrilled someone will actually make me breakfast."
"Eggs and bacon?"
"Oh, you're a woman after my heart," the red-head sighed, playfully patting Lauren's stomach when she walked past her.
"Are you telling me I just discovered the way to keep you happy?" Lauren chuckled.
Maureen, who had almost reached the door, stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. Her green eyes were sparkling when she looked up at her friend, who looked down at her with warm, brown eyes.
"That's just one way to keep me happy, Darkwolf," Maureen spoke in a low voice, reaching up to brush her fingertips across Lauren's cheek. "But it's a good start," she added in a whisper, before replacing her fingers with her lips, giving Lauren a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Keep up the good work," she added with a wink, before pulling back, so she could quickly exit the room, before Lauren, who was stunned into silence, would regain her senses.
"Not so fast there, Lawrence," Lauren spoke, grabbing Maureen's hand just before she could disappear. She pulled the red-head into the circle of her arms and looked at her intently, bringing her face so close to the other woman's that she could feel the heat radiate from Maureen's skin.
"I'd like to learn more about your...list," she purred, biting back a laugh when she saw Maureen swallow hard. "You do have a list, don't you? Of things that keep you happy?"
"Where's the fun in telling you?" Maureen quipped with a grin. "You're the hot-shot Agent here, you'll figure it out."
Lauren laughed and pulled Maureen in for a quick hug.
"You're something else, Maureen. I've got to tell you I'm looking forward to exploring your secret list. I don't think..."
Lauren paused in mid-sentence when, from the corner of her eye, something on TV caught her attention. Maureen followed her gaze, not surprised it was the 'breaking news' update that had caught Lauren's eye.
"Let me turn the sound back on," she said, quickly walking toward the remote. Within seconds a clear, female voice filled the room.
"...as I'm standing here near the site where the bodies were found. Behind me you can see the police dredging the area, in the hope to find clues that will help them in the investigation. The police still have not confirmed the find of a severed hand, wrapped in what appeared to have been a clear, plastic bag. That morbid discovery lead to the meticulous search of this part of Grand Lake. " The petite blonde on the screen brought her hand to her ear and seemed to listen intently. She nodded, before returning her gaze back to the camera. "I've just been told we have footage of the car that was dredged up from the lake, just minutes ago. Let's have a look. We're live."
The image of the blonde was replaced by a live account of a dark-colored car that had been pulled out of the water. Water was pouring out of the door at the driver's side and both Lauren and Maureen were completely engrossed at what was going on.
"That's a Volkswagen Jetta," Maureen spoke and Lauren nodded. "Did you see the windscreen? It's busted."
"Looks like a bullet hole to me," Lauren replied. "My gut-feeling tells me those bodies came out of that car."
"Yup, that's what I think as well," Maureen agreed. "The questions is why they didn't leave the bodies in the car, before dumping it in the lake."
"Who knows," Lauren sighed. "Maybe a case of warped, criminal logic."
"Just before you came in they said the local police had already asked the OSBI for help."
"Great," Lauren sighed. "I'm sure that will make the captain very happy. There's so much stuff going on, we're running out of Agents. Maybe Jack can do this case himself, huh?" Lauren joked.
"Why don't you suggest it to him?" Maureen grinned.
"I might," Lauren smiled. Leaning against the back of the couch her dark eyes stared at the TV with a pensive, almost brooding expression.
"Penny for your thoughts," Maureen said in a soft voice, curious to find out if she and Lauren were on the same wave-length.
"I was thinking about that car," Lauren answered, slowly letting her eyes travel from the TV to Maureen. "I can't help wondering if..."
"If it's the dark car we're looking for? The one who dumped the girl and baby at the side of the road?" Maureen interrupted.
"Yes," Lauren replied in an eager voice. "I can't shake the feeling that it might be."
"Sometimes it's good to go by instinct," Maureen smiled. "Do you want to drive up to Grove and do some sniffing around?"
"I do," Lauren chuckled. "But I need to convince the Chief first."
"Good plan," Maureen nodded. "Why don't you call Jack while I shower. And don't forget breakfast," she added with a grin.
#
"St. Andrew's Emergency Department. This is Betty. How may I help you?"
"Oh, hi, um...my name is...Paul...um...Paul Jackson and I...I was in the hospital the other day and there was this really great nurse who helped me and...my wife...I'd like to...thank her...for all her help, but I don't remember her name."
Betty Palmer was no rookie. She had been a nurse for a very long time and the phone call she was handling made the alarm bells go off in the back of her mind.
"Do you remember what she looks like, Mr. Johnson?" she asked in a polite voice. Betty did not fail to notice there was no response to using the wrong name.
"Um, yes, she...um...was blond. About five foot seven, blue eyes..."
"I'm afraid we have a few nurses here that would fit that description, sir. Do you remember what day you were here, so I can check the schedule, see who worked that day?"
"It was yesterday," was the quick answer.
"I'll have a look at the schedule, sir," Betty answered, accessing the computer. She quickly typed the name 'Jackson' and was not surprised there had not been anybody by that name in the ER the previous day. " I'm looking at it right now. By the way, how's your wife doing, Mr. Jackson?" There was no answer.
"Mr. Jackson?" With a concerned frown, Betty put the phone back on the receiver. The caller had hung up.
"I'd better talk to Hannah," she mumbled.
Continued in part 7
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