“I know it’s been tough, Hunter. It’s gotten personal.”
“Yeah. But I don’t think he’s killed her yet. I don’t think he wants to. He’s leaving clues. He’s giving us a chance.”
“But why?”
“I don’t know, Stan.” She paused, then finally decided to confide in him. “He told me something on the phone. He said he’s been watching us… me and Sam. He said he knows where she lives. I think… he wants us.”
“Jesus Christ, Hunter. Have you told her?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. You want to put a unit at her place?”
“No. We’ve already lost one today. We can handle it.”
“The hell you can,” he yelled. “I won’t take that chance.”
“We won’t be at her place, Lieutenant. I’ve got my apartment, you know.”
“You don’t think he knows about that? Hell, Hunter, what are you thinking? You’ve been targeted, just like Charlotte Grayson. You think I’m going to leave you unprotected?”
“Maybe this is what we need, Stan. Someone to draw him out.”
“Are you out of your mind? He’s killed nine people that we know of.”
“And he’ll kill more if we don’t fucking stop him,” she yelled.
“Well, I won’t allow you to be bait! And you can argue that all you want,” he yelled just as loudly.
“Do you seriously think I’d put Sam’s life in jeopardy? I’m not talking bait, Lieutenant, but I don’t see any reason to park a unit on my street where they might be in danger. We’ve seen what he can do.”
They stared at each other, both breathing hard. He finally looked away. “Okay, Hunter. I’m going to trust you on this one. How do you want to play it?”
“I think it’s up to him. He’ll contact us again, I’m sure. In fact, I wouldn’t doubt if he called before we leave today. But tonight, we’ll take an unmarked car to my apartment. I’m on the fourth floor. There’s only one entrance. He won’t get in.”
“He could be waiting. He’ll know you won’t go back to her place.”
“He doesn’t know about my apartment, Stan.” She shoved her hands in her pockets. “It’s not in my name. I got it when I moved back here, all those years ago. I didn’t want… anyone to know I was here. Louise put it in her name when I was at the Academy. So he won’t know about the apartment.” She shrugged. “It’s not like he could have followed me there recently, anyway.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah. But let me talk to Sikes. I think maybe he and Ramirez might want to watch Sam’s place. Just in case.”
“Okay. But shit, I don’t like this one bit.”
“You think I do?”
“No. I’m sorry.” He stood. “Let’s pull the file, see what they missed.”
“They’re yelling,” Sikes said.
“Yeah.”
“Wonder what she found out?”
“We’ll know soon enough,” Sam said. She watched through the glass as Tori paced in front of the Lieutenant’s desk. Malone didn’t look happy. For that matter, neither did Tori.
“Sam?”
“Hmm?” She pulled her eyes away from a pacing Tori and looked at Sikes.
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
She raised her eyebrows and nodded.
“How long have you and Tori… been, well… more than just partners?” he asked quietly.
“What?” she whispered. “What makes you think… ?”
He smiled. “Come on. I’ve known Hunter a lot of years and I’ve never seen her go ballistic like she did when you were abducted and she couldn’t find you.” He lowered his voice. “You’re in love with her, right?”
Sam closed her eyes. Damn.
“I think it’s… great, Sam. I really do.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. Tori’s been so different. You’ve brought out a side of her that none of us even knew existed. I mean, hell, I even find myself liking her.”
“She’s the most dynamic person I’ve ever met… and yes, I’m in love with her.”
“If Malone finds out…”
“I know. Please, John, keep this to yourself.”
“What about… I mean, you had a boyfriend and all. What does he think about it?”
Sam sighed. “I ended things with him before… well, before Tori and I became involved.”
“So you’re… bisexual?”
She smiled. “Why are we having this conversation?”
“I’m just trying to understand.”
“Please tell me you’re not imagining us in bed together.”
He had the grace to blush, then laughed. “Well, I am a guy.”
She reached across the desk and squeezed his arm. “And I’m not bisexual.”
He nodded, and she looked back into the Lieutenant’s office, meeting Tori’s eyes through the glass. They softened immediately, and Sam gave her a slight smile, then dutifully returned to the database.
Chapter Forty-four
“Are you okay with this?” Tori asked for the second time as she drove them to Oak Cliff.
“Tori, if you think it’s the best thing, yes. I wish I had a change of clothes, though.” Sam reached across the seat and squeezed Tori’s thigh. “I’ll admit, I am curious about where you live.”
“It’s not… home, you know. It’s just a place where I can crash sometimes. Your place, it’s a home. It’s warm. It’s… you.” Actually, Tori was embarrassed for Sam to see the tiny apartment. It was dark, sterile. Much the way her life had been for so long. Before Sam. And she really didn’t want her to see it now.
“We should probably pick up something for dinner,” Sam suggested.
“Yeah. I know for a fact there’s not a thing at my place.”
“I could really go for a burger.”
“Oh, yeah? There’s a great place close by that delivers. We could do that.”
“Good.”
Sam watched her as she drove, not missing the frown that Tori had been wearing most of the day. They’d not really had a chance to talk all afternoon, and she had no idea what her conversation with Malone was all about. But it could wait. They needed some time alone, away from the case. Or at least, she did. She knew Tori’s mind was still reeling. They had spent the afternoon going over missing persons reports, trying to weed out the ones who might have been gay or lesbian. It was a tedious process, and she had been shocked at the vast numbers of missing and assumed runaways from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
She pulled her attention from Tori and watched the shabby buildings flash by. They were definitely in an older, well-worn area of the city. In fact, when she worked in Assault, she could remember numerous calls to this area. It was a poor part of the city. For the life of her, she couldn’t imagine why Tori kept an apartment here.
Tori found a spot on the street and parallel parked without incident. When she cut the engine, she glanced first at the old building, then at Sam.
“This is it.”
Sam ducked her head, peering out the window at the dilapidated building. There were several broken windows that had been taped up and a couple that were simply boarded up with plywood. She was amazed that the building hadn’t been condemned.
“Uh-huh,” she murmured.
“We could always just get a room somewhere,” Tori suggested. In fact, she didn’t know why she hadn’t thought of that before.
“No, this will be fine.” Then Sam grabbed Tori’s hand and squeezed. “Why, Tori?”
“Why? Why here? Why this apartment?”
“Yes.”
Tori shrugged. How did she explain to Sam why she hung on to this?
“We lived here for three years when I was five,” she said quietly.
“When I moved back, I had Louise get the apartment in her name. It wasn’t like this when we lived here. Even when I moved back, it was shabby, but not like this. But it was the only place… where I could go that was familiar.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s silly to have it, I know. And it’s not like I live here anyway.”
Sam brought Tori’s hand to her lips and kissed it. “It’s not silly. If it’s what you needed, then it’s not silly at all.”
Tori turned in the seat and faced Sam, meeting her eyes in the dusky glow of the streetlights. “I don’t know that I need it anymore,” she admitted. “It was a lifeline of sorts, I guess. But I don’t feel like I’m in that dark place anymore.”
“I’m glad.”
“And I have you to thank for that.”
Sam smiled and leaned across the console and kissed Tori gently. “You’re welcome.”
“Come on. Let’s order some dinner. I’m bushed.”
“Me, too.”
The ringing penetrated her sleepy haze, and Tori untangled herself from Sam to grab her cell phone.
“Hunter,” she murmured.
“It’s me. The goddamn bastard was here,” Sikes said.
Tori sat up. “At Sam’s?”
“Yes. I’ve got an APB out on the car. It’s a match for the stolen Honda.”
“Why the hell didn’t you follow him?” she demanded.
“You think we didn’t try? The bastard is smart. He took us to the Deep Ellum bar district and faded into the traffic.”
“Christ, Sikes.”
“I know. We had him. But I didn’t think you’d want me plowing down drunken pedestrians to catch him.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” She ran her hand through her short hair, then sighed as she felt Sam’s hand moving soothingly across her naked back. “It’s two, Sikes. Get some sleep. Maybe we’ll get lucky and some cruiser will spot the car.”
“Yeah. I’m sorry, Tori. We had the little prick.”
“It’s not your fault, John. Tomorrow is another day. We’ll get him. Go home.”
She lay back down, and Sam immediately curled against her. Tori kissed her forehead lightly and gathered her closer.
“He was there?” Sam finally whispered.
“Yeah.”
Sam was quiet for a moment, then her hand moved lazily to Tori’s breast. Her nipple responded, and Sam rubbed against it with her palm, content to just feel Tori under her hand. They were both too tired for more, especially since their nearly sleepless night the day before. But it was nice, this touching. She closed her eyes and sighed, feeling Tori’s arms tighten around her.
“He’s getting very bold,” she murmured.
Tori nodded. Yes, he was. She wondered where he was hiding, where he was keeping Charlotte and whether she was alive or not. She suspected he would already have displayed the body if he’d killed her. He’d want them to know that he’d won again.
“Tori?”
“Hmm?”
“You know I feel completely safe with you, don’t you?”
“I hope so.”
“And I don’t just mean about him. It’s… everything. I’m with you and my life feels… complete, you know,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
“Do you feel that way, too?”
Tori hesitated. How did she tell Sam all she felt? How could words convey what she felt in her heart?
“Sam, for the first time in my adult life, I feel… happy, content. I don’t feel like I’m running away anymore. I don’t feel like I need to hide from anything.” She tightened her arms. “You make
me
feel safe.”
“I’m so glad, Tori. When this case is over, I hope we have some normal time together. I think we need that. I wish we could spend a few days alone on the boat, just us. Where we can be ourselves and talk… and make love,” she whispered. “I love how you touch me, Tori. You bring all my senses alive, and it’s like I can’t get enough of you.”
Tori closed her eyes, letting Sam’s words wash over her and settle into her heart. She didn’t know why, but Sam loved her. She wouldn’t question it, she wouldn’t fight it. She couldn’t. But still, the words she longed to say to Sam wouldn’t come. Yes, she knew she was in love with her. Tori had no doubt about her own feelings. She had never given her love to anyone. She hadn’t thought she had any to give. Even now, she found it amazing that Sam had been able to find the light within her after she’d spent so very many years in darkness.
“Tori?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not going to leave, you know. I know you still have doubts about this, about me.”
“Sam…”
“You do, Tori. I don’t blame you, really. But I know how much I love you. And someday, you’ll know it, too. You’ll believe me.”
Tori didn’t know what to say. She pulled Sam to her, finding her mouth in the darkness.
Chapter Forty-five
“Christ, Donaldson. You talk to a few people at the bar, you find no prints at the scene, and you deem it unsolvable?” Tori tossed the file on her desk and stared at Donaldson, waiting.
“What did you expect us to do? We had nothing and nobody would talk to us. When your first girl was killed, you didn’t have shit either,” he reminded her.
“But I didn’t close the goddamn case.” She picked it up again, reading the medical examiner’s report. A serrated knife was used. She picked up the phone, waiting impatiently until it was answered on the third ring. “Sara, it’s Hunter. I need you to have Jackson look at something. The knife wounds on our two cops, have him pull the report on Jason Branson, the transvestite who was murdered last month. Spencer did the post. She reported a serrated knife was used in that decapitation. See if we’ve got a match.”
“Rita has already pulled the file, Hunter.”
“Good, good. Okay, let me know.”
Tori nodded as she hung up the phone. Rita Spencer was smart and thorough. Tori should have known she would remember the case. She looked back at Donaldson. “We need to go back over this case, Donaldson. Who did Branson leave with? Who was he talking to? Surely, someone saw something. He was a regular there.” She looked back to the file. “You say the only one who remembered him being there that night was a bartender. That’s all you got? What did the bartender say?”
“He didn’t say anything, Hunter. He said he saw
her
there, that
she
was called
Lisa.
What the hell were we supposed to do with that?”
“You were supposed to put your goddamn prejudice aside and work the case. I can just imagine the two of you in that bar. You probably asked a couple of questions and got the hell out. Christ!”
“It was a dead end.”
“Dead end, my ass. When I talk to the bartender, if he gives me any information that points to Grayson, you and Adams will have hell to pay.”
“You’re not my fucking Lieutenant, Hunter. Don’t threaten me.”
Malone was listening to the exchange from his doorway. He should have pulled the case from Adams and given it to Hunter in the first place. He knew they’d hardly probed the surface. But Hunter was overloaded as it was. They had no way of knowing the two cases were connected. But still, he should at least have run it by Hunter. But, you have a transvestite with no family badgering them to find the murderer, it was easy to let it slip through.