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The senator stood and stretched his stiff limbs. He glanced at his watch. "My wife should have been here by now." He looked at Victoria before speaking to the detective. "I would like to take a walk and stretch my legs, but I don't want Victoria to wake up and be alone. Do you mind?"

Taylor didn't have to think about it. She actually wanted to be where she was. "No, I don't mind. When will she be released?"

The senator smiled. "If they don't release her within the next hour, it will be tomorrow morning before she can go home. He turned his attention to his sleeping daughter once more before leaving.

Taylor sat quietly, watching the sleeping woman. After a few minutes in total silence, her mind began to drift. She thought about the scuffle with Kenneth, the Dreams case, the explosion, then her mind rested on her dream about Vicki. She had to admit to herself that she was attracted to the beautiful woman despite the woman's persistence in trying to slap her and utterly drive her insane. Taylor smiled at the thought.

"What's so funny, Detective?"

Taylor was jerked out of her thoughts by Vicki's playful voice. Taylor cleared her throat, trying to swallow some of her embarrassment. "I wasn't laughing."

Vicki waited for Taylor to meet her gaze, then she smiled and gave her a slow nod. "You're right. That was more of a very big smile without sound. There. Is that politically correct and more to your liking."

Taylor grinned and shook her head. "I can see that something as small as an explosion hasn't slowed you down one bit."

Vicki ignored the comment and became solemn. "It was nice to wake up and see that smile. Thank you for getting me to the hospital."

Vicki's admission and sincere gratitude shocked Taylor into silence. She simply stared at the woman. Vicki waved her hand in front of Taylor's face. Taylor forced an apologetic grin. "Sorry." She got up out of the chair and went to stand near the hospital bed. "You don't need to thank me for getting you to the hospital. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have needed a hospital."

"It's not your fault that your car…Oh no, your Camaro! I'm so sorry."

Taylor smiled a sad smile. "Yeah." She shook her head to remove the thoughts of her car. "At least no one was hurt." Seeing the darkening bruise on Vicki's face, Taylor added, "badly."

Vicki struggled to sit up and groaned.

Taylor moved to help her as she did earlier, but stopped when she noticed the hospital gown falling off Vicki's shoulder. "Maybe you shouldn't be moving around so much."

Unaware of the smoldering eyes upon her, Vicki causally reached for the falling gown and slowly returned it to its proper place. "No, I guess I'm going to be a little sore and stiff for a while. My body is not accustomed to being blown through the air and slammed to the ground."

Taylor's mind slipped back to the explosion. She slowly closed her eyes thinking how lucky they had both been today. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. You shouldn't have been there. I apologize for putting you in that position."

Vick could see that the detective was beating herself up over what had happened and she was determined to put a stop to it. "Wait. Stop right there. Did I just hear an apology from you?" She pointed at Taylor. "The detective that refuses apologies to the point of being slapped. I can't believe it. After everything I've done to get an apology out of you and all I had to do was almost get blown up." Vicki laughed at Taylor's expression.

Taylor was giving her the look. The look that caused lower ranking officers to find a hiding place. The look that caused grown men and women to second-guess themselves. Vicki smirked at her and tilted her head slightly, as if in thought. "Does that look actually work for you. I mean do people actually fall to their knees and ask forgiveness?"

Taylor's look disappeared. "I take it you don't think so."

Vicki smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I'm just immune to it."

"Are you always so brazen in your words…your actions?"

The question embarrassed Vicki. She looked away for only a moment before returning her gaze back to Taylor. She gave Taylor a sheepish grin. "No. I don't seem to have to be with other people. You seem to bring out the worst in me, Detective."

Taylor chuckled. "Well, I wonder what we can do about that. My job, my face and my sanity would be grateful if we could come to some sort of truce."

"Why would your job be grateful?"

Taylor raised a brow. "My job at the park. It's difficult looking over your shoulder all day for a woman that enjoys slapping you."

Vicki laughed. "Okay. Your face?"

Taylor's expression showed that she couldn't believe the woman was asking the question. "That was me that you slapped at the restaurant in Sacramento."

Vicki had tears in her eyes, laughing at Taylor's reply. She calmed herself enough to ask the last question. "I'm almost afraid to hear the answer to the last one. Your sanity?"

Taylor intentionally put a serious expression on her face and spoke in a tone that you would expect from a psychiatrist. "Have you really looked at the big picture of us since the day we met? It's not exactly healthy."

Vicki couldn't contain it any longer. She burst out laughing.

The playful banter was interrupted by the opening of the door to the hospital room. The senator stood in the doorway watching Victoria wipe tears of laughter from her face before turning to the detective with a questioning look.

Taylor shrugged. "I think she's laughing at my suffering, Sir."

The senator kept a straight face as he turned his attention back to his daughter. "The nurse asked me to tell my daughter and her playmate to quiet down. This is a hospital and it's late." He smiled and shook his finger at his daughter.

Both women looked properly chastised. Taylor looked at her watch. "It is late. I should be going." She looked at Vicki. "I'm glad to see that you're going to be fine."

"Yes. Thank you for checking on me."

Taylor turned to the senator with an outstretched hand. "It's good to see you again, Senator. I hope the next time we meet, it will be under better circumstances."

The senator accepted the firm handshake. "Likewise, Detective."

Before Taylor could reach the door, Vicki's voice stopped her. "Detective, I got my apology. Would I be pushing my luck to insist on the coffee date?"

Taylor smirked at her and reached for the door. "We'll see."

After the detective left the room, the senator pulled one of the chairs next to the bed and took his daughter's hand in his. "It's good to hear you laugh."

Vicki was still wiping tears from her eyes. "That woman seems to drive me from one extreme to another. One minute she has me so angry that I want to take her head off and the next she has me laughing so hard I'm crying."

"I see." Her father let go of her hand and tried to make himself comfortable in the uncomfortable hospital chair. "Before you fell asleep, you told me that you thought you might be attracted to this woman…"

Victoria interrupted abruptly. "No. I said that Susan felt that I might be attracted to Taylor."

Her father laughed. "I stand corrected." He knew his daughter well enough to know that Susan wasn't the only one who knew this. "After seeing…Taylor tonight, do you think you are attracted to her or do you think Susan must have been mistaken in her observation?"

Victoria could see the mischievous twinkle in her father's eyes and the slight lifting of the corner of his lips. "You already know the answer. Do you want me to say it?"

He smiled at her. "Yes, I know the answer and yes, I want you to say it because I think we need to talk about this."

Vick smirked at her father. "Well, I'm twenty-nine years old, so I'm going to assume that this is not about the birds and the bees." Vicki noticed that his eyes no longer held the twinkle and he wasn't smiling. He seemed concerned. "Dad, what is it?" When he didn't reply immediately, Victoria's mind raced to figure out what he could be worried about concerning Taylor. Of course, the first thing that came to mind was the fact that Taylor is a woman. As she was about to brush the ridiculous thought away, her father's career came to the front of her mind. "Dad, are you afraid that I'll embarrass you?"

He rushed to take her hand back into his. "No! You know better than that, Victoria. I'm just a little concerned that she might not be…ah…a person that you should spend too much time with. She is a woman and that alone will cause you problems. She's in law enforcement and that is a very dangerous job. I would hate for you to become fond of her and have something happen."

Before he could say anymore on the subject, Vicki squeezed his hand. "I appreciate the concern, Dad, but I just want to get to know her better."

He smiled, but Victoria could still see concern in his eyes.

**********

Friday morning had Taylor conducting her usual routine. She had just completed her rounds to all the posted officers and was headed for the main entrance when her radio alerted her. The display screen showed that it was Jones. "Jones, what's up?"

"We need you to meet us at the station. I'm headed there now from the Sacramento office. Can you be in the Chief's office in thirty minutes?"

"I can be there in forty-five. Who's we?"

"Chad, Fleming and me."

"I can leave here in a few minutes. You have something?"

"Yeah. It's not good."

Taylor looked around at the people gathering and moved to an area with fewer ears. "Is it about Dreams or something else?"

"I'll fill you in at the station. And Cross, watch your back."

"Always. I'll see you in forty-five."

When Taylor arrived at the station, Chad and Jones were already in with the Chief. "What's up, guys?"

Chad stood up to offer Taylor his chair, but she waved it off. Chief Fleming looked at Taylor, but addressed the room. "Jones has some disturbing news out of Sacramento. I'm going to let her fill you two in." He looked at Jones and offered her a sad smile. "Jones."

She looked at Taylor and Chad before lowering her eyes to the file in her lap. "Yesterday, about three hours before the explosion at the park…" She looked up at Taylor. "Before your car blew up, there was an explosion in Sacramento. A house. The house belonged to Agent Larry Crumpton. He was second in command on this assignment. It was his idea to send me to Redding."

Taylor leaned against the desk, dreading to hear what she already knew. "He was second in command?"

Jones hesitated a moment and swallowed hard. "Yes. He died in the explosion."

Everyone was silent at Jennifer's news. They needed a moment to comprehend what had happened to one of their own.

Jones broke the silence. "I spent most of last night and this morning with anyone and everyone in Sacramento connected to this case. Everyone agrees that the two explosions are connected."

Taylor frowned and shifted her feet, since there wasn't enough space in the office to pace. "How? Sacramento and Redding are over two hours away from each other and Agent Crumpton hasn't been here. Has he?"

Jones pushed an annoying strand of hair behind her ear. "No, he has never been here. They are convinced that most of the drug trading in Sacramento and all the surrounding areas is run from here. This isn't news. I've told you this. We had several good busts lately and Crumpton was very much involved in all of them. He's also one of two that has been dealing with the media. He's been in the media's light on several occasions after a successful raid."

"But we haven't had any media coverage on this in Redding. So why me? Why my car?"

"Dreams. Sacramento thinks that the person responsible is at Dreams and knows you're a cop. They think you've been made or that they have known you're a cop since the first time you walked through the door." Jones took a deep breath. "That's not all."

Taylor shook her head. "There's more?"

"Yeah. The Chief and I spoke several times since last night over the phone. All four of us, at one time or other, have questioned your assignment at the park. Granted, most of the time it has been in a joking fashion, but what if your being assigned to the park function is a set-up? They would know where you are for two weeks. You're out in the open. You could even become relaxed in the simple baby sitting job. Think about it."

Chad spoke up for the first time. "She's got a point, Taylor."

"It doesn't make sense." Taylor turned to Chief Fleming. "Chief, you said that the request for a detective came from Mayor Whitlow's office. Right?"

"Yes, that's true." He looked at Jones. "They did not specifically ask for her. They asked for files on three of my best."

"Redding is not large by any means. The chance of her file being sent was huge. It's just a theory, but none of it changes the fact that an agent is dead and Cross is only alive because whoever planted the explosives didn't expect her Camaro to have keyless entry."

Everyone looked at Taylor. Jones opened the file that was sitting on her lap. "There are several things that led Sacramento to connect the two explosions. The explosives were attached to the locks at both locations. The lock on his front door and the lock on your car. The time. Only three hours apart. And the most obvious is that you're both on the same case."

Taylor sat on the corner of the chief's desk as his phone rang. The chief told them to continue while he took the call, so Taylor questioned Jones. "What do we have? What about Arnell Palmore? Did you get any pictures to her?"

Jones shook her head no. "I think she's avoiding us. She's been through so much. She's scared."

Taylor turned to Chad. "Jones said that you lifted a new set of prints from a new visitor at Dreams. What ever came of that?"

"It was a woman. All I know is she doesn't have a record. Her prints gave us shit. Nothing. I lifted her glass because she spoke to half the people in the place. Mostly the people who work there, especially the doorman. Your driver, Gerald. They seemed very cozy."

Chad touched the folder in Jones' lap. "What pictures do you have to show the Palmore woman and how did you get them?"

Jones grinned. "Sacramento has a few toys. The camera was small enough that I could keep it in my hand most of the time, especially while I was at the table with Taylor. I could just put my arm across her shoulders or on her shoulder and practically photograph the room." She pulled a few of the pictures out of the file. "I took pictures of a lot of the regular customers and just about everyone that works there. And after yesterday's explosions, I added some newspaper photos of the Mayor and a few other people from his office."

As the Chief ended his call, Taylor addressed both Jones and Chad. "Are either of you scheduled to work at Dreams tonight? I'm to meet Eve Singleton at eight, so we can…"

The chief's voice echoed through the room. "What? Cross, did you not hear a word she just said? She said that you're possibly made. You won't be at Dreams tonight or any other night. We'll have to figure out a way to get someone else at the tables."

Taylor jumped off his desk. "Sir, it's possible, but not certain. We can't just pull me out without drawing suspicion and putting everyone's cover at risk. If they get suspicious then they will start watching everything and everyone too closely and you know it. Chad or Jones is always there to watch my back. I'm never alone. We're getting close or they wouldn't be trying to get rid of what they consider problems, Chief. Come on. You know I'm right."

Chief Fleming roughly rubbed the whiskers on his chin. "I don't know." He looked to Chad and Jones. "This could go bad, sooner or later, guys." He crossed his arms. "Cross, no heroics. I want you out of there if you even suspect that they're onto you." He pointed at Jones and Chad. "Keep your eyes and ears open and watch each other's back. Got it?"

All three answered in unison. "Yes, Sir."

"All right, get out of here. Let's try and finish this shit, before I put Tums out of business."

All three left his office discussing the upcoming night. Jones informed Chad and Taylor that she had to get back to Sacramento, but would meet them back at the station before heading to Dreams.

As Chad and Taylor approached their desks, Chad's voice changed to a singsong tone. "She must be lost."

Taylor followed Chad's sight line to the front counter of the station house. "Who?"

Chad nodded his head toward a petite blonde woman with her profile to them. "She looks like a flower in the desert standing in this place. Definitely lost."

Taylor couldn't believe her eyes. Victoria Roberts was standing maybe twenty feet away in the station. She looked even more beautiful among all the roughnecks, but definitely out of place. Chad couldn't have described the scene better. "Shit! What is she doing here?" Taylor started walking toward the woman.

Chad spoke to her back. "Who?"

Taylor didn't know which thought bothered her more. The thought that something else had happened to Vicki to bring her to the station or the idea that she was there to find her. "It's the Roberts woman. From the hospital, Chad."

Chief Fleming opened his office door and stuck his head out. "Cross, I need a moment." When she didn't turn around he raised his voice. "Now, Cross."

Taylor could hear the chief barking her name. "Damn, I better get in there."

Chad smiled a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile. "I'll find out if I can help her. You go on before the Chief starts really yelling.

Taylor gave him a stare that should have knocked down a wall with his body. "Chad…"

"Don't worry, Taylor. I'll be a perfect gentleman. I won't embarrass you."

Taylor shook her head and started walking toward the chief's office. "Yeah right! It's going to be a long damned day."

Chief Fleming gestured toward a chair as soon as Taylor entered. "I thought we needed a one-on-one, Cross."

Taylor made herself comfortable in the offered chair. "About what, Sir?"

"I want you to be careful until this shit is over. I want you to double check everything and then recheck it."

"I will, Chief. You don't have to worry."

"Well, a DEA Agent dead and your car exploding changes things. I want you to watch your ass. I would hate for you to get hurt or worse. Dead." When Taylor smiled at him, he continued. "Don't look at me like that. If you end up dead the paperwork alone would be the death of me."

**********

Chad approached the woman with a grin on his face. He had a feeling that Taylor was holding back with the woman and he felt that he knew why. He had known Sarah and liked her a lot, but the idea of Taylor not finding someone else, ever, bothered him. "May I help you with something?"

Vicki spun around and looked way up at Chad. "I'm looking for Detective Cross."

"She's in with our Chief at the moment. You're welcome to wait, unless there is something I can do?" He held his hand out to her. "I'm Chad Townsend. Taylor's partner. I believe you and I have spoken on the phone a few times."

Vicki accepted his hand. "Yes, we have. It's nice to meet you Detective Townsend."

"Call me Chad please."

"Okay, Chad. How long do you think Detective Cross will be with your chief?"

Chad laughed. "Probably not long. He's a man of few words and they're usually loud."

Vicki smiled. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. You get used to it."

Chad pointed to Vicki's face. "I hope you didn't get hurt too badly, yesterday. I was at the hospital last night. I'm sure you don't remember. You were unconscious when they brought you in."

Vicki touched her cheek. "I'm sore, but nothing that won't heal."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Vicki decided to take the opportunity to try to find out more about Taylor. "So how long have you and Detective Cross been partners?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I think too long, but I wouldn't want anyone else. She is difficult at times, but well worth the effort." His statement was made in a joking manner, but he meant every word of it.

Vicki mumbled, "Difficult? That is being nice about it." Chad's laughter filled the room and surprised Vicki. "Oh, my, you heard that?"

"Oh, yes." Chad led Vicki to his desk. "Have a seat. That's Taylor's desk. She should be out any minute. I take it that you don't have an official problem? This is more…personal?"

Vicki studied him a long moment. "I am here to invite her for coffee. I want to thank her for yesterday." She looked over her shoulder for Taylor, but no luck. "I was in a bad situation that could have gotten much worse if it weren't for Detective Cross."

Chad only nodded and looked at the chief's office. "Well, good luck. Don't be surprised or hurt if she turns you down."

Vicki expected just that, but she knew Chad didn't know that. "Why would she turn down a friendly thank you and a cup of coffee?"

Chad looked back toward the office; Taylor was still in conversation with the Chief. She is going to kill me. "You have called the station several times as of late. I assume you're looking to become friends with Taylor?"

Vicki only stared at him. She was a little surprised that he was being so forward with his questions concerning her and Taylor. When he saw the questioning look on Vicki's face he continued. "She…can be…I don't know." He took a deep frustrating breath. "Sorry! I shouldn't have said anything."

Vicki saw a chance slipping away. "Wait Detective, I mean Chad." Vicki leaned forward so she could lower her voice. "I am trying to get to know her, but…" She shook her head, not knowing how to explain it.

Chad chuckled. "You're running into a wall? Right?"

Vicki nodded. "Yes. One of the hardest and tallest I've ever seen. It's ludicrous really. We collide almost every time we see each other. I really shouldn't be telling you this. I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate it at all."

Chad smiled at her understanding of Taylor. "You're right about that, but that has never stopped me before. Here she comes." Chad rushed to get out the next sentence. "Call me here at the office this afternoon. I would like to continue this conversation and I believe you would too."

Vicki did not have time to reply before Taylor was upon them. "Ms Roberts. What are you doing here? I hope Chad has not been filling your head with rubbish."

Vicki tilted her head. "We're back to Ms Roberts? I thought we were past that."

Taylor smiled. "Yes, of course. I apologize. Some habits die hard," with a nod of her head she continued, "Vicki."

"I came to take you for a cup of coffee to thank you for your help yesterday, Detective."

Taylor looked at Chad and he looked away quickly busying himself with files on his desk. "Vicki, I really have a lot going on today." She looked back to Chad's desk. "We have several things to go over for tonight and I have to get back to the park."

Chad spoke up quickly. "I will take care of the few things we need done and you can head back to the park. Maybe Ms Roberts wouldn't mind giving you a ride." He looked at Taylor hard hoping she would read between the lines. "That way your vehicle won't have to be in the parking lot all day. I'll pick you up this afternoon."

Vicki smiled at Chad. "I don't mind at all."

When Taylor looked down in thought, Chad winked at Vicki.

Taylor thought about what Chad was saying as she watched Vicki patiently awaiting an answer. "Sure. A cup of coffee." She smiled at Vicki. "You have received everything that you have insisted on after this." She shook her head. "I'm usually not this easy."

Vicki picked up her purse off Chad's desk. "I'll remember that."

Thirty minutes later found the two in a local coffee shop. Taylor noticed how slowly Vicki was moving and assumed she was more than a little sore from the explosion. She rushed to open the door to the coffee shop to prevent Vicki from having to. "You seem to be moving with difficulty."

She only smiled at the gesture of Taylor opening the door. "Just sore."

"You should have stayed home a day or two and rested."

"Like you did? I heard you received stitches to your leg and you were hit by the same explosion that I was."

"I didn't mean anything by it. I just assumed that I was more conditioned to handle the impact. In this line of work, you learn to put up with some unusual things."

Vicki looked at her with a hint of sadness. "I guess you do." The thought of the woman going through situations like Ken and the explosion on a daily basis saddened her.

They found a small table near the front window.

Vicki looked pensive. "One thing about you has been puzzling me."

A tiny smile appeared across Taylor's face. "Just one? I'm slightly disappointed. Listening to you lately, I thought I was a bit more complicated than that."

"Mmm, believe me, you are. I have figured out that if I take one thing at a time, I might survive getting to know you with my sanity intact."

Taylor tilted her head slightly and smiled guiltily. "Why go to all the trouble?"

Vicki put her elbow on the table and folded her hand under her chin. She gazed into Taylor's eyes trying to find the words, closest to the truth without scaring Taylor away. "It is almost as if I didn't have a choice. I want too...I have too...I need too." Vicki failed at not scaring Taylor and she knew it. She could see the fear in her eyes. Quick think of something before she runs. "Must have been the uniform."

Taylor relaxed. The look in her eyes changed from fear to a humorous look. "I'm thankful that my uniform wearing days are about to come to a sweet end."

"That is sad because your ass is really very nice in those uniform pants."

Taylor blushed. "Can we please leave my ass out of the conversation? What one thing has you so puzzled?"

"I was told that you have a girlfriend, but I haven't seen anyone since you've been at the park, nor have you mentioned anyone."

Taylor looked away briefly as Sarah's face filled her mind's eye. "There used to be someone-Sarah-but not anymore."

Taylor's expression showed her dislike of the subject. Vicki misunderstood the expression. "Bad relationship. I'm sorry."

Taylor spoke without thinking. "No, it was wonderful. I miss it." Taylor decided that Vicki was too easy to talk to. She was talking about Sarah more than she was comfortable with."

Vicki took a sip of her coffee. "If it was so wonderful, what happened to end it?"

"Do you mind if we talk about something else? You were told I have a girlfriend. You were told wrong. End of story."

The edge in Taylor's voice told Vicki that it was not really the end of the story, but she decided that she could ask Susan about it later. "Sure. We don't talk about your ass or old relationships. Got it. I didn't mean to pry."

Taylor laughed. "Yes, you did."

Vick tried to look wounded by the accusation. "Maybe, a little, but you're right. It's none of my business, so I will change the subject. Do you have plans tonight?"

Taylor didn't know where Vicki was going with this, but it didn't matter because she had to be at Dreams. "I have to work."

Vicki leaned back in her chair and sighed. "You're at the park all day with your job. You can't be expected to work day and night."

"Comes with the job sometimes."

Vicki wasn't going to be deterred that easily. "What about tomorrow night?"

"Plans with friends."

Vicki was doing her best to keep her gaze at eye level. This was the first time that she had the chance to enjoy an unhurried view of the cop and she was taking advantage of it. "Would you consider breaking plans with your friends?"

Taylor laughed at the thought of telling Chris that she wouldn't be attending the party. "No. If I don't show up tomorrow night it could mean a trip to the emergency room for me, once they find me." Rather than continue to avoid what was coming, Taylor jumped in with both feet. "Are you attempting to ask me out?"

Vicki smiled. "That was the idea. I would like to get to know you better."

Taylor slowly put the coffee cup down and held Vicki's calm gaze. She found Vicki's persistence dangerously tempting. Whether it be confrontations, apologies, coffee or anything else the woman got into her head. And she kept coming back.

Taylor questioned herself. Why couldn't she just enjoy the woman? Because I'm too busy and she's too privileged, obstinate, persistent, aggravating… the list could go on forever. She shook the thought out of her head. "I don't think it's a good idea. I'm flattered, but no."

"I don't want you to be flattered, Taylor. I want you to agree to allow us to spend time together. Can you honestly say that you don't feel that…spark?"