Blind Spot

[mypgems]

This is a story I did awhile back on another board with a person named Falcon_Master. The writing just faded away so it never actually got finished but it was a load of fun doing it. Just posting for your enjoyment.

Some NSFW scenes.

Blind Spot


Chapter One


The black Camaro ZL1 cruised along the streets of Willowburg, passing the North Station before turning onto Canal Street and heading up towards the center of the North Side and the hub around Government Centre. It was a typical warm, humid late summer afternoon in Willowburg, a mid-sized quiet, sleepy city in Massachusetts, located about fifty miles from the border with New York. The sidewalks were filled with pedestrians as they made their way home from work, or to the station to begin their daily commute back home. The Camaro passed one of the WPD’s cruisers, heading in the opposite direction, before it turned onto the street that would take it up a hill and past the war memorials and then on further into the city.


Stopping at the next set of lights, Detective Sergeant Kyle Darius let the engine idle as he waited for the lights to change and glanced at the watch on his wrist. “Half hour to quitting time,” he said, as he turned to the beautiful young woman sitting beside him. “You wanna grab some coffee before we head back to the precinct and sign out?” He added, letting his foot brush the gas pedal a couple of times to rev the powerful V8 engine.


“Sure, sounds like a plan,” answered the woman next to him, as she turned to give him a soft smile. “You’re buying though, Kyle,” she added, as the lights changed and the car seemed to almost leap forward as Kyle took his foot off the brake pedal and eased down on the gas.


“You drive a hard bargain, Katya,” said Kyle, as he guided the car around the corner at the top of the hill and set it on a course for the nearest coffee shop. He drove past two Starbucks before he stopped outside a Dunkin’ Donuts, he’d never cared for Starbucks anyway. As he pulled the car to a halt he spotted a familiar vehicle parked a little way ahead of them, a Ford Mustang that belonged to his friend and fellow Willowburg PD detective, Devon Merrick. “Looks like we’ll have some familiar company,” he added, as he killed the Camaro’s engine and took the key out of the ignition. He didn’t worry about closing the windows, they wouldn’t be going that far anyway and besides with the immobilizer fitted anyone who felt like trying to steal the car wouldn’t get far.


“That’s a surprise,” said Katya, dryly, as she released her seatbelt and opened the door before she stepped out onto the sidewalk. Closing the door behind her, she reached into the pocket of the blazer she wore and took out her sunglasses.


“Yeah, isn’t it,” replied Kyle, as he waited until there was a break in the traffic before he opened his door and stepped out into the road. Closing the door behind him, he took his sunglasses from the inside pocket of the sport coat he wore as he moved quickly around the front of the car and stepped onto the sidewalk. A fraction under six feet tall, Kyle wasn’t particularly tall, but he had strong, broad shoulders that made his medium build seem a little heavier. He had long jet black hair, with just a hint of grey starting to creep in, and dark grey eyes. Stepping onto the sidewalk, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of Marlboro cigarettes and lit one with a silver Zippo lighter before he returned the pack and lighter to his pocket. Puffing on his smoke, with Katya at his side, he started along the sidewalk towards the Mustang.


“Kyle, Katya, figured we’d be seeing you two here,” hailed a familiar voice, as the two of them approached the Mustang. The two detectives looked up, in time to see the Mustang’s doors open and two familiar figures step out, each carrying two cups of coffee.


Seeing her fiance pull out the smokes made the petite blond shake her head. She was determined to get him to quit before the wedding and since they hadn’t set a date, she had plenty of time. Katya wasn’t a health nut by any means but she was going to have Kyle with her for many, many decades to come. If she didn’t kill him first.

“Yo Mikey, living up to the stereotype are we?” she laughed, nodding at Devon’s partner and his bag of doughnuts. Unlike the other three, Mikey Napolitano was a little more...well...round. He also had been on the force back when they had been in high school and was more of an old-school detective. Computers and gadgets were great but your head solved cases. That’s why Katya loved him.


Giving her a flick under the chin he then a grinned. “I should make you come home for dinner and let my Angelina put some meat on those bone. A good wind and you is gonna blow away. DOn’t do you feed her Kyle? Come on!”


Shaking her head, Katya laughed. She had eaten at his house once and Kyle nearly had to roll over out the door because she was so stuffed. It was try this and try that! And enough wine to float half the Italian navy. It was only the fact that her parents were Russian and therefore had started her on watery vodka and wines as a kid that she didn’t get totally drunk. As it was, she nearly spilled the beans about she and Kyle dating when they were still publically just partners. At least now with that little ring on her finger they didn’t have to hide in the shadows.


“If you play your cards right I might invite you and your wife for some old fashion recipes my honorary babushka taught me. And don’t you dare say anything Kyle and my cooking. I can’t burn soup like someone I know....” Katya broke out into a wide, teasing smile as she a little fun with her fiance.


They could tease each other but she had a slight edge on it all. When they first met Katya had been deep undercover as a call girl and madam and he didn't know she was a cop. Some of the comments Kyle had uttered were not the most flattering and she still didn’t let him live them down.


“Devon,” said Kyle, as he reached his friend and took the coffee cup the other detective handed him, as Mikey handed a cup to Katya. He opened the plastic cover on his coffee cup, inhaling the pleasant aroma of freshly brewed coffee before he took a sip. It was somewhat of a ritual of theirs, the four detectives would try and meet up at this particular coffee shop towards the end of their shift, giving them a chance to catch up and kill some time before they had to go and sign out for the day. The other benefit being that it usually enabled them to avoid getting caught up in anything before they had to quit for the day.


Turning, Kyle watched and listened to the banter and byplay between Mike and Katya. Mikey was very much an ‘old school’ detective, preferring to use his brains and instincts instead of a computer. He was also a good number of years older than all of them, having graduated the academy when Kyle was still at college. “Don’t listen to her Mike, and whatever you do don’t eat her cooking,” said Kyle, with a broad grin as Katya gave him a playful punch on the arm.


Watching the other three, Devon leant back against the hood of his Mustang. He smiled as he watched Katya move to join Kyle, her hand reaching for his and their fingers curling around each other’s. From the second he’d seen the way Kyle looked at her he’d known they were perfect for each other, but he also knew about the first encounters they’d had, the way Kyle had reacted when he’d thought she was just a hooker, because Kyle had told him. But he’d kept prodding his friend, helping him to see past all of that, until Kyle had finally bit the bullet and asked Katya for a date. That had been two years ago, but now they were engaged and inseparable. Devon had been the only one in their precinct who’d known they were dating, and he’d kept their secret until they’d got engaged.


“We still on for the weekend?” Asked Kyle, as he took one last draw on his smoke and then leant through the open window to stub out the butt in the ashtray of Devon’s Mustang. The four of them had made plans to hang out over the weekend, Kyle, Katya, Devon and his wife Megan.


“Yeah, Mike and Angelina are gonna join us, so I thought we’d fire up the grill and have an old fashioned cook out,” answered Devon, fishing in his pocket and pulling out a crumpled cigarette pack. “I saw Scott earlier, he’s gonna join us too,” he added, as he lit his smoke and then took a long sip from his coffee.


“Oh yeah, he gonna bring a date this time?” Asked Kyle, with a grin. Scott Carson was another detective at their precinct and he had somewhat of a reputation as a bit of a playboy, always seeming to have at least three women on the go at once. Which, given that he had a problem with his memory had made for more than a few funny instances when he’d forget the name of his date.


“That’s what he told me,” said Devon, with a grin. “Let’s just hope he can remember what her name is,” he added, as the four of them started laughing.


Seeing him light up another made her shake her head again. Mikey caught the look and grinned. “Just do what I did to my dog: squirt him with a spray bottle when he does something bad. Works everytime.”


“Your dog’s smarter I think. I gave him a box of those patches. You know, the ones that are suppose to reduce the urge.” Kylie gave Katya a look which she returned and added sticking out her tongue. “He took one out, rolled it up, and said ‘Its going to be hard to light.’. If I had a rolled up newspaper I would have swatted him!” They all laughed at the story. They were more impressed with the dead on imitation of Kyle’s voice. It wasn’t exact of course due the difference in gender but was close.


They all knew she had worked deep undercover the first few years out of the academy. At times like this they could see why: Katya could be a damn good mimic or chameleon. It helped her spot people who were faking something a good portion of the time. What only Kyle knew was the price she had paid for it. The nights where Katya had woken up crying from a nightmare and wasn’t sure just who she was.


There were was the one secret only Bryan Smith, the 2nd in command at the unit, knew about. For the longest time he had been Katya’s only contact with the force while she was working. They had joked about her calling him her ‘lifeguard’ but that was the truth. Especially when she had found herself pregnant. It was purely an accident and the father was a slimeball. However the baby was her’s and that was all that mattered. Then she had a miscarriage. Bryan was the one she turned to and he had helped her fight her way out of the despair that had set in. It was something so personal that she couldn’t tell Kyle even though she loved him.


“Well I could always change to chew if you don’t want me to smoke,” Kyle retorted playfully. The guys laughed at the utter disgust that appeared on her face. He slide his arm around her waist to hug her close.


“Tell Scott to bring one, I repeat, one girl to this debacle this time. I don’t want to have you all standing around, pointing, and yelling ‘chick fight!’ again.” At a previous party, Scott had asked a girlfriend to meet him there. The problem was that he had forgotten that and brought another girl. Pulling of hair extension followed.


“You act like that’s a bad thing Katya....” Mikey grinned.


“Men are dogs...” she said, rolling her eyes.


“And proud of it!” all three said.


Taking another draw on his smoke, Kyle let the butt fall to the floor and ground it out with his heel, taking another step closer to Katya as she leant back slightly against him. Glancing across at their friends he nestled a little closer to Katya, glad that they no longer had to sneak around and hide their relationship. Of course, sneaking around for all those clandestine dates had been fun, and exciting, but there had been times when he’d longed to just be able to act normally. Even though their secret was now out they still had to act professionally, but at least they didn’t have to hide anymore.


After another long sip of coffee, Kyle glanced down at the watch on his wrist. It was getting close to six, almost time for them to head back to the precinct and sign out for the day. For once they had the weekend off, normally they ended up working at least part of it, and he and Katya planned to make the most of it, having dinner with Devon and the others tomorrow and then heading out on Sunday to go horseback riding. A slight smile brightened his face as he remembered the first date he and Katya had gone on, she’d told him she’d always wanted to learn to ride a horse so Kyle had arranged for them to go horse riding and have a picnic dinner. Kyle had learnt to ride when he was a teenager; in fact his first job with the Willowburg PD, right out of the academy, had been as a mounted officer and riding helped him relax. He’d never forget the look of surprise and excitement on Katya’s face that day, when they’d reached the stables and she realized exactly what they’d be doing on their date. Ever since then he’d always tried to find little ways to surprise her and make her smile, seeing her smile was something he knew he’d never get tired of.


“So, what time are we meeting up tomorrow?” Asked Kyle, as he turned towards Devon. He slid his arm gently around Katya, his hand resting on her tummy as she adjusted her position slightly so he could lean forward slightly and rest his chin on her shoulder. She was at least six or seven inches shorter than him.


“Megan and I have a few things to take care of in the morning, so how does three in the afternoon sound to you guys?” Answered Devon, after taking a few seconds to think about it. That would give the two of them time to get their chores and things taken care of, get the house tidied up and the lawn mown, before everyone arrived.


“The sounds good to me,” answered Mikey, trying not to smile as he noticed the way Kyle and Katya were standing together. The two of them were good for each other, like they were meant to be together.


“Three is fine by us, too. You know how Katya hates getting up in the morning,” said Kyle, with a grin. Devon and Mikey laughed softly as they saw the look on Katya’s face, they both knew that it was Kyle had had the problem getting up in the mornings.


She had her eyes half closed with a smile on her lips as she thought about not having to get up at the crack of dawn. Even in that state of bliss Katya had no trouble jabbing her elbow back into Kyle’s gut for his comment. “Again with the comments sir? Do I have to remind you that you tend to walk around like Frankenstein’s Monster until you inhale your first cup of coffee? Or that the other morning I had to threaten to use your taser to get you up?” She smiled very sweetly.


It was an open secret that the pair were living together now at his place. Katya still had an apartment, a crackerbox was more like it, but right now it was mostly a place to crash if they were too beat to make it to Kyle’s as it was closer to the precinct. She actually didn’t have much to move to his place when she would finally clear the place out because she wasn’t too much of a collector of things. All the undercover work usually had her living the identity so she couldn’t keep a lot of ‘her’ things. The only item that traveled with her, and now was on the wall opposite their bed, was an icon of Our Lady of Kazan that had been sent to Katya by her grandmother before her death.


Glancing at her own watch, she turned her head slightly so she could see her partner. “We had best get back to the barn and sign out before we get a call.” Then she reached back into his jacket and grabbed the car keys. “And I’ll drive so we’ll get there faster. I know a shortcut.” Katya just loved the sudden looks of terror on Devon and Mikey’s faces at the word ‘shortcut’.


“Uh...Your shortcuts tend to involve going down the wrong way on one way streets!” Kyle protested as he walked after his fiance.


“Details....details....See you boys tomorrow!” she waved at the other pair. Katya made a face when Mikey crossed himself. “Didn’t I apologize for making you throw up that time? Well I did!”


“Pray for me!” Kyle pleaded as he got in a buckled up.


“Oh stop whining!” Katya’s voice called out from the open window. Mikey and Devlon heard the Camaro’s engine rev and then the car did a perfect J-turn and then roared down the street.


“Five will get you ten he shits his pants,” Mikey said.


Kyle tried not to hang onto his seat as Katya drove, but as she took the next corner too fast and the back end of the car fishtailed out behind before she corrected and the car straightened out he had to. As much as he loved his Camaro, with its big, supercharged, V8, there were times when he wished he’d opted for something a little more sedate and slower, like a Prius. Those times usually coinciding with whenever Katya drove. During his time in the marines he’d been under fire more times than he cared to remember, but this was almost worse. Well, almost. “Slow down, we need to get there in one piece,” he said, teasingly.


They reached the precinct about ten minutes later, Katya pulling the Camaro into the underground parking lot before they left the car and headed towards the entrance. As they walked Kyle slipped his hand in Katya’s, squeezing her fingers gently. The ride to the precinct hadn’t been too bad, all things considered. “So, what’s for dinner tonight?” He asked, as they stepped into the building and waited for the elevator to arrive. Since Katya had started staying over at his condo they had taken turns to cook most nights, except when they were too tired and had ordered in. Reaching under his jacket he adjusted his shoulder harness slightly, so the heavy Remington R1 he carried hung a little more comfortably. As the elevator car arrived and they stepped inside, the doors closing as Kyle took her in his arms and kissed her softly.


The ride up to the Homicide Division was short, and within a couple of minutes the two of them stepped out onto their level, with Kyle slightly ahead of Katya. Ahead of them was the main squad room, where Devon, Mikey, Scott and the other detectives in the division had their desks. As lead detective, Kyle had his own, separate, tiny office and desk, with a second desk for Katya. On the other side of the squad room was the Captain’s office, along with a second office for Lt. Bryan Smith. As they entered the squad room Kyle looked up, seeing the lieutenant as he came out of his office. He didn’t really care all that much for the lieutenant, but he knew he’d been Katya’s contact when she was undercover and that Katya liked him so he at least tried to maintain a good working relationship with him even though Bryan had made it clear he didn’t approve of their being in a relationship and working together. When the precinct had thrown the engagement party for them, last month, Bryan had been the only one who hadn’t attended.


“Katya,” said Bryan, leaving the open doorway of his office and started to come across towards them. “Detective,” he added, with barely a glance towards Kyle.


“I’ll go sign us out, I’ll see you in our office,” said Kyle, with a barely perceptible nod towards the lieutenant. Giving Katya’s hand the briefest touch, he turned and headed towards the desk where the sign in book was located, he could sign the both of them out. Each detective was supposed to sign in and out each day, at the start and end of their shift.


The brief kiss in the elevator had been the first one they had been able to share since they had left Kyle’s place that morning. As always, Katya was walking on air afterwards. She had mentioned something about making triple cheese and ham grilled cheese sandwiches or something like that for supper. Actually all she wanted to do was change into an oversized t-shirt and do some long overdown cuddling on the couch with her man.


She had been about to go into their office to do a quick check of her email before signing off the computer for the day. There was also the backpack slung over her shoulder that contained some extra stuff they might use during an investigation and couldn’t be left in the trunk of the car. Things like a camera and Katya’s Toughbook tablet computer. That let her access her office computer from anywhere there was wifi.


“Hey LT,” she smiled at Bryan and then turned nodded at Kyle. Her finger stretched out slightly to lengthen the contact with his hand. The older man caught the action but said nothing about it. The fact that he barely said anything to Kyle was noticeable to her. Touching his hand, she led him over to his office to stand in the doorway.


Bryan had been the one who had recruited her into the Intelligence unit even before she had graduated from the Academy. He had been her contact for most of the time when she was under and had kept an eye on her. “Personal experience,” he had said once when they were sharing a bottle of wine during one of Katya’s too brief breaks. “My lifeguard didn’t too good of a job and I’m not about to do that to you.” He wouldn’t go into the details of his history but she knew at least one operation had gone seriously wrong. That he had been exposed and on his own with some very nasty people. He had been there for her in so many things and she hated what was going on.


“Bry,” she said softly so no one else could hear. “I know you hate that we’re still partners and I know its not a great idea but.... Its what we got. You know I’d transfer but the department’s got that hiring and transfer freeze so we’re stuck. Besides, I don’t have anyplace I can transfer to and you know it. My name is for shit outside of here.” It was sad but true. Katya had blown a major operation that the FBI was involved in to resolve the murder of a runaway girl who happened to be a hooker. There was a lot of brass that hadn’t forgiven her for that. Bryan had recruited her again for this unit. Katya had looked around and the response from just about every other unit was ‘don’t call us, we’ll call you, and don’t expect that call’.


“I love him Bry. I love him with all my heart.” Katya kissed his cheek lightly and smiled. “I love you too my Woodsman.” Back when, her code name was Little Red Riding Hood and his was the Woodsman.


After signing the log, so the two of them were officially off-duty, Kyle had glanced back towards Katya and saw that she was standing in the doorway to Bryan’s office. He had a couple of things to take care of before they left, and he needed to check his email too and he could do that whilst he waited for Katya. Crossing to the coffee pot her poured coffee into a Styrofoam cup before he headed for the office he shared with Katya, again glancing across towards Katya and catching her eye as he pointed towards their small office.


Entering the small space, he slumped into his chair and set the coffee cup down on the desk before he leant forward to turn on his computer. Waiting for the machine to boot up, which seemed to take forever given how old the machine was, he took a sip of his coffee and wished he hadn’t. The brew tasted foul, like it had been sitting there and been reheated at least a couple of times, which it probably had. What with all the budget cuts and overtime bans, the department hadn’t updated its computers in almost three years and with all the penny-pinching the coffee was starting to suffer too. There was even talk of the uniformed patrol officers switching back to .38” revolvers because the department couldn’t afford the ammunition for their nine millimeter automatics, but they had a load of .38” stockpiled.


Finally his computer booted up and Kyle logged into his email, scrolling through the messages quickly. Most of it was routine, internal memos and the like, nothing that couldn’t wait until Monday and after a couple of minutes he logged back out and shut the machine down. Settling back in his chair he finished his coffee and waited for Katya to finish chatting with Bryan, so they could finally go home. A nice, pleasant evening just curled up on the couch cuddling with his fiancée would be the perfect end to a long, tedious week. And, maybe if he was lucky, she’d wear one of those sexy outfits he’d brought her, too.


Several minutes, almost a quarter of an hour, later, Kyle looked up as Katya stood in the doorway to their office. “Hey, beautiful,” he said, as she came in and closed the door behind her. She came across and sat on his lap, with the blind over the glass in the office door down, no one could see them. “You ready to blow this popcorn stand and go home?” He added, leaning in to kiss her before she stood up once more.


Katya spent spent a few more minutes with Bryan talking about other things. They just couldn’t come to terms with the situation. She wasn’t about to give up though at trying to bridge the gap though. A tentative date had been made for the next week where she and he would go out for dinner and have a longer talk. She so wanted him to be okay with all of this and be part of her wedding.


Sitting on Kyle’s lap for a moment, she rested her head on his shoulder and enjoyed his strong arms around her. “Don’t want to carry me out the door?” she grinned, kissing him before standing up. “I’m always ready to get out of here. Besides, someone has to keep you out of trouble.”


Closing out of her own computer took just a few minutes because Katya was, as she put it, a drone compared to him. “And I’m ready!” Standing on tiptoe before him, she gave her fiance a nice, long kiss that was more of a down payment for what was to come. Afterwards, she straightened his jacket a little.


“I talked to Bryan again as you saw and.....same old, same old. He does not like us working together. And....I can see where he’s coming from too.” Katya gave a slight shrug as she sat on the edge of his desk. “It can be risky with the emotions all but at the same time, a partner is like being married especially after a long time. Just making him see it that way.... I’m going to have dinner with him and try and clear the air. And Kyle...” She gave him a smile and touched his hand. “Thank you for being civil to him and not just because he’s the LT. I’ve gone about it before but its true that he was more than my partner, he was my link to sanity. There were a couple of times that I nearly lost it and he made sure I didn’t. He still worries about me. He doesn’t have to but try telling him that.”


Smiling again, she took both of Kyle’s hands in her own and stood before him. “Things will work out in the end. He gets the third dance at the reception after you and my dad.” Katya gave him a squeeze of his hand before letting go. “Now, let’s get while the getting is good!”


“Fourth dance, he gets the fourth dance at our wedding. After me, your dad and my dad,” said Kyle, after a few seconds, as he held her hands whilst she stood in front of him. “I know what he did for you back then, if he hadn’t been there for you then you wouldn’t be here right now, you wouldn’t be my Katya,” he added, as she finally released his hands and stepped back so he could stand up. Taking her in his arms he kissed her long and soft, before they pulled apart and he started to turn away before he suddenly scooped her up. “You said something about carrying you out the door,” he added, with a teasing grin before he took a couple of steps towards the door. Grinning down at her, he gently set her back on her feet, as much as he would have loved to carry her out the door he somehow didn’t think the Captain would approve.


Leaving their small office, Kyle glanced across towards where Bryan stood in the doorway of his own office, watching them as they headed towards the elevator lobby. Katya waved as they left, although Kyle merely nodded in the lieutenants’ general direction and within a minute they were standing beside the elevators waiting for one to arrive. As they waited they kept a small distance between them, just in case the captain came along. One of the provisions of their continuing working together, even though they were engaged, was that they remain professional at all times when on duty or in the precinct building.


With a soft, muted, ping the elevator arrived and the doors slid open, Devon and Mikey stepping out and almost bumping into Kyle and Katya. After exchanging greetings, the four of them managing to act as if they hadn’t seen each other since that morning, Kyle and Katya stepped into the empty elevator car as Devon and Mikey headed into the squad room to sign out for the day.


The ride down was mercifully short and soon they were back in the underground parking lot and walking towards where they’d parked the car. As he walked Kyle lit himself a cigarette before he reached for Katya’s hand, now they were officially off duty and outside the building they were free to act like any normal couple. “So, what movie should we watch tonight?” He asked her, as they walked towards the car. Reaching the car they separated, Kyle heading around to the drivers’ side as Katya opened the passenger door and climbed in. Reaching up to his neck, Kyle unclipped his tie and tossed it onto the back seat, loosening the top two buttons on his shirt and tossed the butt of his smoke out the open window before he started the engine.


The drive across Willowburg to their condo took about half an hour, mostly because of the traffic. It was, after all, the start of the weekend and everyone seemed to be leaving work at the same time. Arriving at the condo, Kyle brought the Camaro to a halt in their assigned parking space; of course they’d need another parking space once Katya officially moved in so she could park her car next to his instead of leaving it in the visitors’ lot. Leaving the car, Kyle set the alarm before, hand in hand; he and Katya walked up to their building and disappeared inside.


When he had scooped her up in his arms, she had playfully batted at him to get him to let her down. In reality, she loved it! If the day ever came when she was leaving the unit, Katya was going to have Kyle do exactly this. She would have to grab a uniform’s hat so they could do it in “An Officer and a Gentleman” style of things.


Leaving the building felt like a weight was being lifted off of her shoulders. She loved the job but being able to go out and be Katya Komarovsky instead of Detective Komarovsky was like night and day. When you were under though, you were never off duty. Not even alone in an apartment in the middle of the night.


“Chicken...” she had said when Kyle had gotten into the driver’s seat. This time she hadn’t minded. He’d put some of his tunes on and Katya half watched the the scenery zip on past. It was a great way to decompress. He had given her a nudge to wake her up from the half doze she fallen into. Before they had gone up, Katya had stopped by her Mini-Coop to make sure that Baby was all right. Kyle shook his head when she stroked the hood and told Baby that she was missed and would get loven that weekend.


The condo wasn’t fancy but it had plenty of room and a nice view of the harbor. They both hung up their coats, divested themselves of their firearms, and then embraced in the hug they had been waiting for all day. Nothing more than just holding each other close and not having to worry about someone finding them. The times they made love were a wonderful benefit but what both just like was the simple touching, a stray kiss for no reason, or a hug. It made the bond they had all the stronger.


“Guess I had better get on with dinner so we don’t starve,” Katya finally said, looking up at him. “Oh and a movie? How about a nice, romantic comedy: “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”? You get comfy my love....” She divested herself of her shirt and bra and put on the old t-shirt that was half on the bed. There were other things she would change into but those were for later on when they were settled.


After entering the condo and losing his jacket, Kyle had set about loosening the straps that held his shoulder rig in place before he’d removed his pistol and placed it in the small gun safe they kept under a section of the hardwood floor that lifted up. Watching as Katya headed for the bedroom, he settled down onto the couch and leant forward to take off his shoes, he’d take a shower and change before dinner. He groaned inwardly at her choice of movie, they both liked different things when it came to movies and TV, he liked sports, cop shows like NCIS and Science Fiction, he was a Trekkie and proud of it, and, of course, action movies. For this reason they usually took it in turns to pick what movie they watched, and tonight happened to be Katya’s night to choose.


Rising from the couch, he headed for the double doors that led out onto the small balcony that overlooked the harbor and marina. “I’m gonna step outside for a smoke,” he said to her, as she crossed back from the bedroom and headed for the kitchen to start dinner. She changed out of her work clothes and put on one of his old T shirts, which he had to admit looked a lot better on her than it ever had on him. Since Kaya had started staying over most nights he’d stopped smoking in the condo, instead going out onto the balcony, except in the winter.


Stepping out onto the balcony he lit his smoke and leant casually against the waist high wall that ran around it, gazing across at the harbor and marina across the way. Although the balcony wasn’t all that large there was enough room for a small table and two chairs, so they could sit outside in the morning on their days off and enjoy the view, whilst a gas grill was tucked in one corner. Finishing his smoke, Kyle stubbed the butt out in the ashtray he kept out there, although he stayed outside for a few more minutes before he finally went back inside.


“I’m gonna go take a shower,” he said, poking his head around the door to the kitchenette. Momentarily she looked up from what she was doing, and he stepped into the kitchen to kiss her softly before headed for the bathroom just off of their bedroom, stripping off as he went. Emerging from the bathroom some fifteen minutes later, he pulled on clean shorts, a pair of old, baggy, cargo shorts and an Iron Maiden T shirt and tied his long, still wet, hair back as he returned to the lounge.


He had hidden it well but she could guess his reaction to her choice in movies. What could she say? Katya was a closet horror movie junkie. She had a complete collection of all the Friday the 13th, Halloween, and more. The stuff from the 80’s was always good for a laugh. The best was the movies from the 70’s though. Production values weren’t great but the stories made up for it. Katya was going to be nice to Kyle though.... The actual movie was going to be Hitchcock’s North by Northwest. Or as she put it, the sequel to South by Southeast.


It was kind of him to move most of his smoking outside but she kind of hated thinking she had kicked him out there. It was just that after so many smokey places she had been stuck going to Katya just couldn’t stand it the smell much. Maybe she could get him to switch to a pipe... That smell brought back warm memories of evenings with her folks.


The thought of them brought a smile to Katya’s lips as she made the grilled cheese. At first they had grumped and growled at Kyle because he was a ‘Chekist’, she had to explain the term to him, but eventually they had come around. Dad liked it that Kyle was a ‘man’s man’ and mom like how he looked after her little girl. Getting their approval for the marriage had been quite easy. Dad had taken Kyle around to show him off when she had gone back to New York. They had returned very late, or was that very early, with both singing very off key Russian love songs. That Kyle couldn’t speak a word of Russian made it all the more interesting. Needless to say they were well past the point of being pickled!


Grinning at memory, she dished everything on a couple of plates, added some sweet pickles, and carried it out to the table in front of the couch on a couple of trays. Going back into the kitchen, Katya grabbed a beer out of the fridge for Kyle and a bottle of water for her. Then from the freezer came a bottle filled with an amber, almost red, liquid. Pouring a generous shot of homemade pertsovka, Vodka mixed with peppers and ginger, she put that out there as well.


“Off to change,” she said, kissing him lightly. “Be right back.”


Back in the bedroom, Katya stripped off the t-shirt and plain panties to put on a black, lace teddy with ties up the front. It was actually fairly modest in that it covered most of her torso but that actually added to the erotic appeal. And with how her body was built, it added all the more to the allure. This one was special because Kyle had gotten it for her and left it as a present in her desk drawer. He hadn’t said anything of course and she hadn’t commented. That he liked it and liked her in it was all she needed to know!


“Acceptable my love?” Katya said as she stood before him before sitting down next to him.


Looking up as Katya came back into the room, Kyle let out a low, soft whistle of appreciation as he saw her. He’d just popped the cap off his beer, but as he saw her he set the bottle down on the table and let his eyes drift over her, drinking on just how hot she looked. He’d always loved women in lingerie and stockings, and the fact that Katya didn’t seem to mind indulging him like that, and often went out of her way to surprise him, only made him love her even more. “Mmm, you look good enough to eat, my love,” he said, softly, as he reached out a hand to gently stroke and caress her leg. “I think I know what I want for dessert,” he added, before he leant in and kissed her.


The two of them ate their dinner in a relative silence, although Kyle kept turning his head to steal the odd glance at Katya beside him. Kyle might tease her about her cooking in front of Devon and Mikey, but Katya was actually a pretty decent cook. Definitely better than him, but then as far as he was concerned if it didn’t come in a can and couldn’t be microwaved then he was pretty much useless in the kitchen. Before he’d started dating Katya, Kyle had pretty much lived on TV dinners and takeout pizza or Chinese.


Finishing his dinner, Kyle set the empty plate back on tray and retrieved his beer, taking a long swallow before he settled back on the couch as Katya finished her own meal. Holding his beer bottle in one hand, he rested it on his right knee as he kept stealing glances at her. She really did look great, and the cut of the teddy she wore only seemed to empathize the natural curves of her body to make the outfit even more alluring. As Katya finished her dinner Kyle rose to his feet and leant in to kiss her softly before he collected the empty plates and took them through to the kitchen to put them into the dishwasher. Returning to the lounge, Kyle smiled to himself as he saw the way Katya had spread herself out on the couch as soon as he’d left. “I’m gonna grab a smoke before the movie,” said Kyle, leaning in to kiss her long and lingering before he grabbed his cigarette pack and headed for the doors out to the balcony.


Finishing his smoke, Kyle came back into the condo, popping a breath mint as he went to join Katya on the couch. He took her into his arms, kissing her as his fingers gently caressed and explored her body over the teddy she wore. He settled onto the couch, as Katya straddled his lap and leant against him, he could feel her heart beating against his chest and it, felt it seeming to beat in a perfect tempo with his own. “Ready for your movie, or do you want dessert first?” He asked her, as they kissed passionately.


Ever since she hit puberty guys, and some girls, had eyed her body. Most of the time she hadn’t cared in the least. Going under had taken things to a whole new level. A goodly portion of the time she had been playing some sort of a hooker. That called for dressing the part. At first all the looks had made her uncomfortable but then Katya realized that she could use the beauty to her advantage. It opened doors and distracted so she could learn things. Now however, she restricted it for just one person. That he liked it was good because she so wished to make him happy. Kyle being happy made her happy.


“Down boy!” she had said a few times as they had eaten and swatted a creeping hand of his. “Don’t touch the merchandise if you aren’t buying.” Shaking her head at his antics Katya didn’t have to say that she was getting turned on by his wanting her.


When they had started dating she had been totally honest with Kyle on her sex life. That she had lost her virginity in college and had experimented with boys and girls but liked boys better. That during her time under she had slept with people on occasion to maintain cover. Katya couldn’t deny that she had felt pleasure during most of those times but that she felt empty afterwards like it didn’t count. Breaking down into tears, Katya had half expected Kyle to leave in disgust and so was shocked when her hugged her and gave her tender kisses and stopped her tales with a finger to her lips. Her then carried her into the bedroom and made did something she had never experienced before: he made love to her.


Waking up next to him the next morning Katya realized something about Kyle: she loved him.


Hearing his question as she sat on his lap, she smiled. “Movies can be watched anytime. I’d rather have my dessert.” Another smile and then her lips pressed against his to share a longer and deeper kiss. A slight wiggle of her hips found that he was interested in dessert as well. Katya pulled a ribbon to loosen the teddy a little while a hand guided Kyle’s lips to a nipple that was hidden under the lace.


Feeling Katya wiggle her hips against him sent a tiny wave of pleasure through him, as he returned her kiss. With interest. When she’d told him about her past, about the things she’d done when she was undercover it really hadn’t bothered him. In his heart he knew that wasn’t the real Katya, that she’d been acting, playing a role and that if she hadn’t done those things it would have compromised her cover. It had never even occurred to him to walk away from her, he loved her and that was all that mattered.


As their kiss broke he felt her hand gently against the back of his head, guiding him towards her breasts and the outlines of her breasts he could see through the thin material that covered them. Gently he began to kiss her breasts and nipples through the soft material, circling her hard little bud with his tongue as her fingers played through his hair and kept his face pressed against her. His hands caressed her body through the teddy she wore, one hand sliding down to her ass and then around to run up her thigh. The heat between her legs and the dampness of the material telling him that she was definitely enjoying the attention he was giving her.


Pulling his face away from her breasts he took her lips in a hard, deep, kiss, one hand coming up into her hair and gently tilting her head back, exposing her slender neck and throat. Slowly he began to trail kisses up and down her neck, his teeth ever so lightly grazing against her skin as her back arched slightly. His other hand found the ribbons that held the teddy closed, tugging gently to release them as his hands came up her body to cup and caress her breasts. Leaving her neck, his lips trailed feather light down her throat to her breasts, taking her hard nipple into his mouth, sucking and nipping it ever so gently as his hands slid down to her ass.


As she adjusted her position on his lap his fingers found their way inside her teddy, brushing ever so lightly against the slick heat that radiated between her legs. Gently his fingertip traced along the slickness between her legs, teasing her as he trailed more kisses over her breasts and nipples, taking her lips in another fierce, deep kiss that told her exactly how badly he wanted her.


Her breasts were a little larger than the norm for her body and at times attracted more attention than they were worth. Not on occasions such as this though. Soft hisses of pleasure came from her lips each time Kyle’s sharp teeth nipped at a nipple. Katya had joked once that he was going to eat her all up and the grin he gave told her that he just might! If that was the case, she couldn’t think of a better way to go.


When he pulled back for a second to undo the tie, Katya took the opportunity to pull his shirt off and toss it away. With a low and playful growl, her short-nailed fingertips traced up and down his chest. Then her hands reached down to find his hardness that was pressing up against her. Before she could do anything, his lips had found her bare nipples and teased them into hard little rocks. That caused a soft whimper to come from her lips.


The whimper was replaced with a gasp as Kyle’s big finger drifted through the soft, wet hair between her thighs and found a hard point to rub. Katya had asked him once if she should shave that patch and he had replied, “Not on your life. I want you as is because that’s who I fell in love with.” Her reply to his current actions was a kiss just as hard as the one he had given her.


Then with a grin, Katya pulled away and stopped a protest with a finger on his lips. Sliding down to the carpet to knee before him, she undid Kyle’s pants and he assisted by lifting his ass up so she could pull them off with the shorts. “I think I’ll taste a little of my dessert here. It looks big and tasty....” Closing her eyes, she took him into her mouth and began suckling. At the same time her hands were busy caressing the hardness. If she could take the edge off, they could last so much longer. The groan Katya heard from him and the fingers running through her hair told her that he was enjoying it.


Gently he ran his fingers through her hair, always being careful not to get to rough or to start pulling her hair or forcing her head down on him. He sighed and moaned softly as she rode him with her hands and mouth, pushing her hair back so he could watch her, all the time his free hand stroking and caressing her neck and shoulders. He let out a long, soft, deep, sigh as her hand left his shaft and cupped his balls, squeezing them gently before she scraped her fingernails lightly against them.


“Kaya,” he murmured softly, some ten, blissful, minutes later, as the way she was working him with her warm mouth began to grow too much. “If you keep this up, that’s likely to go off in your mouth,” he added, again running his fingers lightly through her hair. It had been a few days since they’d been intimate with each other, and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to take much more of the attention she was giving him.


Slowly she lifted her head from between his legs, a wicked grin on her face as she gave his length one last, long, slow flick with her tongue. As she stood up he lent in and traced kisses across her tummy, before he rose to his feet, taking her in his arms and kissing her hard before he gently, but firmly, eased her down onto the couch, switching positions with her. “Besides, I’d like a little taste of my dessert too,” he told her, with a sly, wicked, grin as he lifted her legs.


Kneeling between her thighs he leant in and trailed soft, delicate kisses up her inner thighs before he began to gently cover her mound with more kisses. Soft sighs of pleasure escaped her lips as his fingers found her sensitive spots, teasing them, as she hooked her legs over his shoulders and ran her fingers through her hair. Spreading her wet folds with his fingers he leant in and kissed against her hot, wet, sex, flicking his tongue against her pleasure bud.


She had given him a playful pout before standing up. It was nicely erotic to have her strong, tough man totally under her control. Kyle liked it too on occasion Katya knew. The silk scarves for tying down and a blindfold in a bedroom drawer proved it. The pair were very comfortable and trusting of each other in every thing.


As she stood, Katya undid the remaining ties so the teddy slipped off of her body. When they both embraced they were naked as the day they were born. It would have been enjoyable just kissing while pressed together but there were other things to do. She leaned back into the couch so she had a good view of what Kyle was doing. Before he leaned in, a finger of her’s traced his cheek while she smiled.


Then he started his work and Katya gave a soft moan. It had been too long since they had been intimate like this. Work and exhaustion made it hard to find the energy for it and neither wanted sex for the purpose of sex. For them, it was always an act of love. It was unspoken but they would engage in a ritual this weekend that Katya had introduced and Kyle found he enjoyed too: a bubble bath. The tub in the bath was big enough for the both of them so she would rest against him in the sudsy water, with a hint of bath oil, dark but for scented candles, and some music playing softly. They could talk a little but mostly just relaxed.


The skillful use of his tongue and fingers put her in a state of pleasant ecstasy. Then one, and soon two, fingers pushed into her warmth and slowly moved about. A soft cry was made when Kyle suckled on the hard point. Katya had lost track of time but she knew what was coming and that she had to stop it like he had.


A slight tug on his hair by her hand made him look up at her smiling face. She just shook her head and whispered, “Together.” That got Katya a nod as he stood up to turn out the lights in the room. She had stayed where so was because he then lifted her smaller body in his strong arms and carried his love into the bedroom.


Neither one knew that a tiny, hidden camera was focused on the bed they know laid on....


Laying Katya on the bed, Kyle settled next to her and took her back into his arms, kissing her softly and deeply. That there was a very real desire, lust, between them was evident in the way they held and kissed each other. As he kissed her his hands caressed and explored her body, loving the way she responded to his touch even as her fingers explored him.


As their kiss broke he gently held her bottom lip between his for a few seconds nipping it ever so lightly before finally releasing it. He tilted her head back, covering her neck in kissing before trailing them lower, kissing and nipping at her breasts and nipples before he finally came back up to take her lips once more. This time as they parted he rolled onto his back, pulling Katya with him so she was atop of him.


As she straddled him he felt her grind gently against him, felt the heat and wetness between her legs as she slowly and sensually slid against his rock hard cock. Slowly, sensuously, she lifted herself off of him, so he could reach down between them and gently pressed his cock against her hot, slick entrance. His hands went to her ass, holding her up to stop her from pushing back against him. “I love you, Katya,” he said, before he kissed her deeply, finally releasing his hold on her ass so she could push back onto him whenever she wanted. For now he was more than happy to let her take control.


Somewhere a figure leant forward, eyes focused intently on the screen in front of them, the feed coming from the camera that was aimed at the bed where Kyle and Katya lay...


“And I love you Kyle,” she whispered back and then with a smile, lowered herself onto him. A soft moan coming from Katya as he filled her up until their thighs touched. For many moments she didn’t move but just enjoyed how how it felt. Taking hold of his hands, she placed them on her abdomen. “You feel so good there. Feels so right.” Katya smiled and leaned down to kiss him lightly at first and then harder until when she pulled back, she tugged at his lower lip.


Giggling, she began to move up and down on his cock. Slowly, drawing out the enjoyment for both. Every so often stopping to grind her hips against his before starting again. Kyle lay still at first, letting Katya do all the work but eventually grasping her breasts. His thumb flicking the still hard nipples until he leaned up to suckle them. The sensation of that made her throw her head back and moan softly. The muscles surrounding his cock throbbing around his cock.


Katya brushed her long hair back so it was a little out of the way as she smiled down at him. If only they could stay like this forever.... She was moving a little faster but didn’t want to go to fast and end it too soon. Reaching back, she gently caressed his heavy balls. The look Kyle gave told her that he liked that very much.


Eventually, his arms wrapped around her to bring Katya down to him and then Kyle rolled over to take charge. Braced on his elbows to give leverage, he started to thrust harder and faster. Each one nice and deep that drew gasps from her. Both hands grasping his ass to pull him deeper into her.


The viewer watching the screen intensely, focused only on Katya’s face. Ignoring Kyle completely. Images forming in his mind...


Rolling on top of her, Kyle took a couple of seconds to get his balance before he braced himself on his elbows and began to ride Katya slowly. Her legs spread a little wider, wrapping around him as he started to ride her harder and faster, thrusting deep inside her with each stroke. As she grabbed his ass with both hands he leant in and kissed her, hard and deep, his tongue brushing against her lips before they parted and it darted inside her mouth, flicking and teasing her tongue as their kiss grew deeper.


Breaking their kiss, Kyle gently nipped her bottom lip as they parted, his pace starting to grow quicker, his thrusts harder and deeper as their mutual need for release began to grow closer and more urgent. As in tune with Katya as he was, as she was with him, he needed only to look into her eyes to know that she was starting to get as close to her climax as he was to his.


Fighting the urge to move faster, Kyle slowed his pace a fraction, he didn’t want to reach his climax before Katya. His breathing slowed a little as he gazed down into her beautiful eyes, the look in her eyes a mix of lust and love, even as she took his lips in a harder, deeper, fiercer and more intense kiss. He returned her kiss equally, his tongue grappling with hers as she pulled him deeper inside her. His pace quickened once more, his thrusts harder and deeper as they both neared their climax.


Suddenly her back arched, pushing her hips up to meet his thrusts, as her climax hit her, his own release coming at almost the exact, same, split second. The two of them rode the throes of ecstasy from their shared orgasm, Kyle’s pace finally slowly until he came to a stop, although the two of them remained locked together in a long, deep embrace and Kyle still inside her. Only after their kiss broke did they slowly pull apart, Katya’s legs falling away from Kyle as he slowly slid out of her, rolling over and pulling her with him so their roles were reversed once more. “I love you, my Katya,” he whispered in her ear as he gazed up at her.


The viewer watched intently, eyes fixed on Katya’s face, knowing the happiness and rapture he saw in her eyes was only for him.


The force that was building within her wanted to be released but she would only let it when he was ready. It felt like Katya was holding back a tidal wave when she the look in Kyle’s eyes. No words needed to be spoken. The hold she had placed on everything was let go and it began to flow...


Her body trembling as she pushed up against his hard body, muscles clenching, the sounds of them groaning deeply as they shared their passion together. She thought she could feel every thick spurt of his cum into her womb. Someday, not this day though, it would reach a fertile egg and create a new life. Both wanted that to happen but not until they were ready for it. Katya had thought about tell Kyle about the baby she had carried for a few weeks before miscarrying it but she couldn’t. The pain was still too deep. Only Bryan, who had pulled her through that dark time, knew of it.


As she lay on top of her lover, Katya didn’t think of any of that. She just enjoyed the pleasure that was slowly subsiding to a dull roar. Kyle’s words still echoed in her ear as she brushed a bit of his hair from his face. Kissing him lightly on both cheeks, forehead, chin, and then lips. “And I love you too, my Kyle. It may sound silly but you are my knight in shining armor and I’m so happy to be your lady.” She gave him another kiss and then snuggled on his body with his arms around her.


They rested like that for a while, whispering endearments to each other, until Kyle’s cock made its needs know. So again they made love. Maybe not as frantic as before but teasing and fulfilling until once again they came together in a shuddering climax. Only then did they sleep with Katya snuggled against Kyle’s side and his arm holding her to him.


The viewer seeing this knew that it was he who was holding safe to him.

 

[mypgems]

Chapter Two


At a few minutes after three, Kyle guided the Camaro to a stop just short of the entrance to the driveway that led up to the house Devon shared with his wife Megan. Devon’s mustang was already parked in the drive, along with a Prius and Mikey’s big, red, F150 pick-up truck, so Kyle parked alongside the grass and trees and killed the engine. Unfastening his seatbelt, Kyle turned and brushed Katya’s lips with his before they both left the car, going round to the trunk to retrieve the two coolers they’d placed inside before they’d left the condo. Katya had baked bread rolls, using a Russian recipe her mother had given her, whilst Kyle brought the most important thing of all, the beer. Turning away from the car, neither of them were at all surprised to see Devon heading down the driveway to meet them, the Camaro wasn’t exactly a quiet car and Kyle was willing to bet the others had heard the big V8 at least a minute before they’d arrived.


The two of them, Kyle and Katya, had woken late that morning, or at least by comparison to when they usually woke, the combination of a long week and the prospect of two days off meaning it had been almost eight thirty when Kyle had finally woken. Katya still lay snuggled closely to him, in exactly the same position she’d been in when they’d fallen asleep, a happy little smile on her face as she slept. Leaving her still sleeping, Kyle had rolled out of bed and dressed quickly, pulling on clean underwear and the baggy shorts he’d worn the night before, then went into the kitchen to fix breakfast. Trying to make as little noise as possible he’d made coffee for both of them and fixed eggs for them both too, then placed everything on a tray, along with cream and sugar in case Katya decided she wanted them in her coffee and carried the tray through to the bedroom. Katya was still asleep, although she’d moved now and spread herself out on the bed, and he sat the tray down on a chair before he went to the bed. Sitting on the bed, he gently brushed Katya’s hair away from her sleeping face, leaning in to blow his warm breath lightly across her cheek before he leant in and kissed her.


As their lips touched her eyes blinked open and her arms wrapped around him, pulling him down onto her as their kiss lingered for several seconds before she finally released him. “Morning, love,” he said, as he smiled down at her. Since Katya had been staying with them it had become a little ritual of theirs whenever they had a day off, whoever woke first would bring the other breakfast in bed. Fetching the tray from the table, as Katya sat up, he set it on the bed between them and reached for his coffee and the two of them began their day, together.


After breakfast Katya had gone for a shower and Kyle had tidied up, taking his own turn in the shower when Katya had finished. After showering and dressing, he’d pulled on a clean pair of baggy cargo shorts and another Iron Maiden T shirt Kyle set about tidying up whilst Katya had baked the rolls. At a little after two thirty they left the apartment, Kyle now sporting sneakers and a black knee brace on his left leg to hide the scars on his knee, he rarely wore shorts outside of their condo because he was self-conscious about the scars but it was just too hot and humid to wear long pants.


“Hey, you two love birds,” said Devon, as he came down onto the sidewalk to join them and took the cooler she was carrying from Katya then leant in to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Enjoying your day off?” He added, as the three of them began to walk back towards his house.


“So far,” answered Kyle, as Katya took his hand as they climbed up the steps alongside the driveway to the house. Mikey came through the brick archway that led through to the backyard, sporting a rather snug fitting T shirt and very baggy shorts that looked as if they’d seen better days. “I hope you stocked up on ice, Devon, because there’s only one thing worse than warm beer,” added Kyle, as Mikey joined them.


“And that’s no beer,” chorused both Devon and Mikey together.


Following Devon as he led them round the back of the house, Kyle carried the cooler with the beer across to the small deck and set it down in a shaded corner, then went to help Devon as he carried over two big bags of ice. Emptying the ice into the cooler with the beer, Kyle tossed a beer each to Mikey and Devon and grabbed another two for himself and Katya, as the three of them headed over to where Megan and Angelina had cornered Katya and were playfully teasing her about setting the date for the wedding and which of them would make the best Maid of Honor.


It had been a wonderful day so far! Getting up late, breakfast in bed, goofing off, puttering about in the kitchen, and now this. It might not seem like much but just being able to relax together without having to worry about hitting the streets was heaven. Kyle had sort of volunteered her into making something but Katya hadn’t minded. She might not be the cook her mom was but she enjoyed it. For the party, she made pirozhki which was a stuffed bread roll. In them was a variety of fruit jellies. Some sweet and some tart. Just the kind of thing for desserts.


She wished Kyle wouldn’t be so self-concious about the scars on his knee as they were nothing to be ashamed of but she said nothing. She did give him a bit of a ribbing at the heavy metal t-shirt he was habitually wearing. “Could be worse sweetie,” he had said. “I could be wearing one with one of those big breasted anime girls on it.” Katya had thrown an oven mitt at him for that. For herself, she was dressed in loose, floral print sundress that went down to her ankles and sandals. As per habit, she wore next to no makeup and let her blond hair hang loose.


Before they had left the condo, Kyle had made her blush by saying he was the luckiest guy on to be seen with her.


“Help! Partner! Save me!!” Katya had laughed when she saw the guys coming over. She was describing some of the rituals in a Russian Orthodox wedding ceremony to Megan and Angelina. Their jaws had dropped a little at all the things that happened. That made the discussion as to who would be the Maid of Honor all the more animated! Kyle wasn’t religious himself and had readily agreed when she had asked for the ceremony. While Katya wasn’t much on church going either she felt it was important to her heritage and her parents.


The girls seemed satisfied for the moment that the important position hadn’t been picked yet and both were still in the running. Katya just sipped her beer and shook her head at it all. They were all sitting around the deck swapping stories. Mikey had some fun ones of the old days when everybody was still carrying .38 revolvers.


Megan then asked asked Katya, “Devon said you got sent to other cities? Just curious but where did you go?” Devon gave her a look that said she shouldn’t have said that. Everyone knew what Katya had done but were careful not to tread on any potential wounds. “Or shouldn’t I have ask?”


“No, that’s okay,” Katya laughed, brushing some hair back. “Bryan and I got ‘loaned out’ on occasion. Sometimes to the Feds but also some locals. Let’s see.... Um.... LA, New York, oh Seattle. I loved that place. They needed a new face so we got to stay there for a few months.” Just the word ‘months’ put a chill down the guy’s spines. They had done stings where you went home at night or maybe a couple of days but being under for months?


As Katya, Megan and Angelina talked about the wedding, discussing who would be her Maid of Honor and some of the details involved in a Russian Orthodox wedding ceremony Kyle turned to Devon and Mikey, the three of them discussing baseball. Although his parents were Catholics and he’d been raised in the faith he’d never been confirmed and didn’t consider himself all that religious so agreeing to the Russian Orthodox ceremony hadn’t been a hard decision. It made Katya happy, and that was good enough for him. Of course he knew his parents would be disappointed, but he and Katya had already discussed having a blessing at the church his parents went to and hoped that would be enough to placate them. He also knew Katya believed he couldn’t speak Russian, and whilst that had been true when they’d started dating, since their engagement he’d been taking lessons so they could conduct the ceremony in Russian. They’d just need a translator for his parents.


Kyle listened as Katya talked about some of her past postings, the length of time she’d been in some places making even more amazing that she’d been able to come back from some of the deep cover assignments she’d been on. He knew that was mostly because of Bryan Smith and, he thought with a wry smile, maybe he did owe the lieutenant one for that. Back when he’d been a Marine officer, in Iraq, he’d spent several months at a time on constant alert but that was different, there had been safe zones where he could relax, let his guard down, if only for a few hours. He’d only been undercover once, shortly before his discharge from the Marines, when he’d been loaned out to NCIS; taking part in a sting operation to infiltrate a group of marines who were smuggling captured Iraqi weapons to sell on the streets in the US. Which had got him interested in police work enough that when he’d finally been discharged he’d enrolled at the Willowburg Police Academy.


Finally, as Katya finished telling some of her exploits, Devon rose to his feet and leant in to kiss his wife softly on the cheek. “Time to fire up the grill; wanna give me a hand, Kyle?” Said Devon, straightening up and turning to head over to the corner where the grill was.


“Sure, I could use another beer and I gotta hit the head,” answered Kyle, as he too rose to his feet. He kissed Katya softly, and then headed for the screen door that blocked the entrance to the house and disappeared inside. Emerging a couple of minutes later, Kyle grabbed a couple of fresh beers and took one over for Katya before he went back across to join Devon.


Joining Devon by the grill, Kyle took a couple of seconds to adjust the pancake style holster inside the waistband of his shorts, shifting the compact Sig Sauer P250 .45” to a more comfortable position. Even though he was off duty Kyle made it a habit never to go anywhere without a gun, because you never knew when something could happen. “You told Megan you’re gonna be my best man, yet?” Kyle asked his friend, as the two of them stood over the grill, waiting for it to heat up. Even though they hadn’t set a date for the wedding yet Kyle had already asked Devon to be his best man, after all if it wasn’t for Devon he wouldn’t be with Katya.


“Yeah, she’s really looking forward to the wedding, shopping for an outfit and trying to find the perfect gift,” answered Devon, checking the temperature on the grill. It still wasn’t hot enough, yet, so he fished in his pocket for his cigarettes and lit two, handing one to Kyle. “Just promise I’m not going to have to do anything weird, okay,” he added, with a grin. If he was honest he was a little nervous about the ceremony, if only because he didn’t want to make any mistakes that might ruin the day for his two friends.


“I promise,” answered Kyle.


Blowing Kyle a kiss as he gave her beer she then set it next to her. Usually when they were out she would have just just one to keep her head clear. It was easy to make it look like she was enjoying more though. Katya had lots of practice in it. When the other ladies went inside to get some more of the food ready, Mikey moved a little closer to her so he could talk in a lower voice.


“Kat, you aren’t kidding about what you said once about the brass not wanting that runaway murder investigated? I mean that’s cold even for them!” That part of things she didn’t mention too much because the grinding of teeth from the HQ could be heard for miles. While she hadn’t been told not to talk about it, Katya was smart enough to know when to keep quiet. Mikey though....


“Nope. The goumba was damn near bragging about it so I had close to a confession. I got told to keep quiet and stay in character.” Katya said softly, shaking her head. “You remember? Kyle and Dev were doing the case and they had crap. I got ahold of Kyle, which was fun because he only knew me as a hooker and had had some choice words for me, told him who I was and what I knew.”


Mikey smiled and reach over to squeeze her small hand in his meaty one. “I remember you and I remember thinking that there was something wrong with you. You were suppose to be a madam right? You were too damn caring to be one. Madams hate their girls and you didn’t.”


Katya blushed deeply at his words. “I don’t think it was our brass so much as the Feds. This was their show and Don Popi was their Great White Whale. The last of the old time Dons that they had never so much as touched. He sent me flowers afterward! It had a card saying I should be given the Academy Award for Best Actress.”


Both them laughed at that. Don Popi was very old school and a gentleman. He also had no problem ordering someone to be tortured to death and their body divided up into pieces and scattered around the country. Katya was safe because she wasn’t a ‘snitch’, she was a cop doing her duty.


She gave Mikey a kiss on the cheek before going over to see what her fiance was up to. “About ready to blow us up? Should I alert the fire department to expect mass casualties soon?” she asked Devon as she put an arm around Kyle’s waist. “And Dev, don’t listen to _anything_ my father might suggest for Kyle bachelor party. If he gets involved I know something like “The Hangover” will occur!”


“And you say that like it’s a bad thing,” quipped Devon, watching as Katya and Kyle nestled against each other. The two of them were perfect for each other, he thought, with a smile. He’d known Kyle for three years now, since he’d made detective and Kyle had been his first partner and he’d never seen his friend so happy.


“Hey. I resemble that remark,” said Kyle, as Katya slid her arm around his waist and nestled against him. He slid his own arm around her slim waist, his hand sliding down to give her ass a gentle squeeze before it moved to rest against her hip.


“We should be ready in a couple of minutes,” said Devon, with another glance at the temperature readout on the grill. “You two keep an eye on the grill, and I’ll go get the steaks and burgers,” he added, dropping his cigarette butt into the bucket half filled with rainwater next to the grill. Last year they’d had a cook out that had almost ended up burning down the house when the grill caught fire, so now Devon always kept a bucket of water close by for emergencies.


“I think we can handle that,” said Kyle, tossing his own cigarette butt into the bucket before he turned his attention to Katya. He kissed her softy, the two of them holding the embrace gently as it lingered, both oblivious to what was going on around them until Mikey came over.


“Don’t you two ever come up for air?” He asked, with a sly, teasing grin at his two friends. He turned as Megan and Angelina came over carrying covered dishes of salad, as Devon followed them carrying the steaks and burgers. “Maybe we need to use that bucket of water on your two instead of the grill,” he added.


“You’re just jealous, Mikey,” replied Kyle, laughing softly as Angelina came over to join her husband and planted a delicate kiss on his cheek.


Katya lightly gave Kyle a head slap and when he looked at her she just shook her head. “I had to do that or Angelina would and she wouldn’t be that gentle. Right?” The other woman gave a nod and then she and Katya did a high five. “We keep the eyes of our men looking only at us so they can’t be jealous.” Before he could protest, Katya gave her fiance a light kiss and then whispered, “Quit while you’re ahead my love....”


Soon the air was filled the sound of sizzling meat and the odor of it. Mikey showed them a trick on how to tell if a steak was rare, medium, or well just by touch. As they waited for the meat to be done, the salads met their demise. Katya just loved green salads with fresh produce. Even better, Mikey and his wife had brought a bottle of wine from a tiny vineyard in Italy. It was a bit rough but full of flavors and she loved it. Breaking her alcohol slightly, Katya accepted a glass that she savored.


“So guys... Did I really miss out on anything not being a patrol officer?” she asked as they dug into the steaks. “I know Kyle says something about wanting to see me in uniform but that’s beside the point.” That drew a few comments about Kyle from the others and “Not in public my dear.” from him. Katya gave a playful embarrassed look and then laughed.


“You didn’t miss much Katya other than the tedium, punctuated by the moments of terror,” Devon said smiling. “The not knowing what the next call or next car was going to hold. Or...”


“Domestics,” Mikey said and got groans of remembrance from Kyle and Devon. Those calls could go from easy to very nasty in a heartbeat. They could also be heartbreakers too when kids were involved. “Although the car chases were fun!”


“She’s making up for that now.....” Kyle said and then ducked a corn kernel Katya threw at him.


“Worse, hearing a siren and wondering....” Mikey’s wife said, giving a slight shudder and getting a hug in return from her husband.


Devon looked at Katya in the eyes. “Don’t sell yourself short Katya. What you did... Makes what we did sound easy. You put your time in and then some. You’re a damn good cop and that’s all there is to it.”


When everybody started clapping and agreeing, she got beet red from embarrassment. Kyle wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.


“I guess I got lucky on that score, most of my time in uniform was in the mounted division, patrolling the parks and writing tickets for littering. Not all that exciting, really, except when I got to chase down a purse snatcher or when we got to work crowd control,” said Kyle, after a few seconds, adding his own experiences from his time in uniform. “Mind you, after three tours of Iraq and another in Afghanistan, I think I’ve had my share of excitement,” he added, thoughtfully, as he took another long sip from his beer. Of course they all knew he’d been a marine officer and that he’d been to Iraq, they’d seen his medals, the Purple Heart and Silver Star chief among them, but that was pretty much all they knew. Although, he was sure, they could all guess the rest or at least some of it. But not even Katya knew about the nightmares, at least he didn’t think she did, when he’d wake in a cold sweat from a nightmare where he relived some of the firefights he’d been through. “There was this one time, though, when I was chasing a purse snatcher through Swan Park. At the time I remember wondering how the hell this woman could run so damn fast in heels, turned out she was a guy and he used to run track in college. Man, did I sure as hell get a surprise when I finally ran them down and realized,” he finished, as the other five burst out laughing.


“I’ll bet that was not a pretty sight,” said Devon, between chuckles, as he tried to picture Kyle as he finally caught the suspect only to find out it was a guy instead of a girl. He tried not to talk about work when he was off duty, Megan had no idea what they went through, the dangers they faced every day, and he really hoped she never would. But stories like this were fine, light hearted and humorous.


“Imagine Mikey in drag, and about twenty pounds heavier,” said Kyle, which set them all off laughing once more.


As the afternoon drifted into evening and the sun began to set, the sky starting to darken, Megan and Angelina cleared away the dishes whilst Devon and Kyle set about lighting the ‘Tiki’ torches around the small deck to keep the night bugs away, before Devon turned on the lights around them. The six of them sat drinking and chatting until finally, at a little after nine, Mikey and Angelina announced that they had to head home. Unlike Kyle and Katya, Mikey and Devon had to work the next day. As the evening broke up, the three couples went their separate ways, Devon and Megan escorting their friends out to their cars before they headed back inside.


“That was fun,” said Kyle, as he settled himself into the passenger seat of the Camaro. Winding down the electric window, he lit a cigarette as Katya gunned the engine and guided the car back towards their condo.


“I hope we’re like them, especially Mikey and Angelina, when we’re married.” It was unspoken but Katya would do the driven since she had had less to drink. Kyle was steady, without any sign that he’d been drinking but they were cops and they knew the rules. Besides, Katya liked driving his muscle car. Unlike the day before she didn’t floor it and also took the long way home.


She glanced over at Kyle and smiled. The stuff he had said about his military experience... Katya didn’t press for details though and let him tell her things when he was ready. He did the same with things about her undercover time. There were the dreams or nightmares Kyle had that she knew he had but he didn’t know that she knew. When he was ready to tell her she would be there but for the time being, she would whisper good things in his ear to make the dreams better.


When she glanced over again, she said he had fallen asleep. “I love you Kyle,” she said softly and smiled.

 

[mypgems]

Chapter Three

Three weeks later.....


“Arrrggghhhh!” Katya growled through clenched teeth as she tried not to shake her tablet in frustration. Hearing the laughter next to her brought a, “And shut up!” from her lips. Her fingers swiping back and forth, bringing up pictures to compare with grainy security cam footage. “We get pictures of them from the worst cameras and none from the good ones. Its a bloody conspiracy I tell you!”


She and Kyle had been tracking down a new group that was busy doing armed robberies around town. They didn’t wear masks and half the robberies were half-assed but they kept one step ahead of the cops. The best description they got from the victims were that they were ‘Funny looking. More than most people.’ After the last person said that Katya proclaimed to Kyle: “I will into the squad room stark naked if I hear that one more time!” All her fiance said was that he would bring his camera.


“All I can tell Kyle is that they’re progressing,” she finally said, looking over at him. “They started out with gas stations, then mom&pop bodegas, then the higher end stores. They’re going for a bank and soon. But there’s no pattern.... They’re hitting everywhere in the city. Unless...that is the pattern....”


It was getting near quitting time and Katya’s butt was sore from sitting on it all day. As Kyle watched, she pulled up a city map on the tablet with all the robberies marked. “Where are you....” she whispered.


Listening to Katya, Kyle shared her frustrations. They’d been working this case for most of the past two weeks, in addition to the half dozen or more other cases they were working too. It should have been an easy case to solve, the perps weren’t exactly professionals, but it was proving to be a helluva lot harder than it should be. There was no pattern to the crimes, they’d started out hitting gas stations and convenience stores then progressed and although so far no one had been hurt during the robberies both Kyle and Katya knew that wouldn’t last. Either someone would try to be a hero or, more likely, one of the gang would end up killing someone.


Leaving his seat on the other side of their shared desk, Kyle came around to stand behind her, the door to their office was closed and the blinds were down, so they were hidden from watching eyes. Looking at the display on her screen, he gently began to massage her tired, stiff, shoulders as he tried to make some sense out of the map that was displayed. She’d marked and numbered all the crime scenes, starting with the earliest, but that didn’t really help. There really didn’t seem to be any pattern, any rhyme or reason to the robberies and it just didn’t make any sense. Unless...He stared at the screen, something wasn’t right, besides the obvious. “Pull up all the robberies in this area for the past year,” he said, as he continued to stare at the screen. It was a long shot, but it was all he could think of and about the only thing they hadn’t tried yet. Some of the robberies had been on the same block, others almost a half mile away, which was at least part of what was foxing them. Most crime sprees happened in a fairly concentrated area, close to the perps’ home, where they felt safe, and they only escalated once they began to feel confident outside that safety zone.


Sighing heavily, Katya did as he asked and called up all the reported robberies in that area for the past year, another dozen or more markers appearing on the map. Most of those were squarely in the area where most of the later robberies were concentrated, convenience stores and one gas station. Now, at least, it seemed as if a pattern was appearing and, as he glanced at Katya, he could tell she saw it too. It wasn’t much more to go on, but at least it was something.


He glanced at his watch, it was almost five in the afternoon and they’d been stuck in their office for pretty much the whole day, trying to get an angle on the case. “I need some air, let’s go grab some decent coffee,” he said, as he moved back to his own chair and lifted his jacket from the back of it. He slipped his jacket on, covering the shoulder harness he wore and the Remington R1 that hung beneath his right armpit, the black leather of the shoulder rig standing out clearly against his white shirt. Maybe they’d run into Devon and Mikey at the coffee shop, they could run this new theory by both of them, see if it made any sense to them. Mikey definitely had an eye for seeing patterns where no one else could. As Katya grabbed her own blazer the two of them left the office and headed for the elevator down to the parking lot. Within ten minutes they were pulling up to a halt outside the Dunkin Donuts where they always met up with Devon and Mikey, and sure enough there was the familiar mustang parked a few cars ahead.


Leaving the car, the two of them headed across to join their friends, and as Katya pulled up the map on her computer Kyle began to explain his theory.


Feeling Kyle hands on her shoulders got her to actually purr. “Don’t do that Kyle.... I’ll melt into a puddle and maintenance will have to come mop me up....” Hearing his request, Katya looked up at him for a second before doing it. He had something rumbling through that cute brain of his she knew. Even if he wasn’t her fiance she would follow any lead or idea that he came up with. She respected Kyle’s judgement that much.


Expanding the map and then pulling up the list, she muttered, “I’m going to get that big screen even if I have to pay for it myself....” Katya liked using the Toughbook she had bought herself more than that department issued desktop. The screen was smaller but it had more horsepower and a newer OS than the creaking dinosaur on their desk.


There was a pattern in there.... It wasn’t obvious enough to make sense of it but in the back of her mind Katya knew there was one. She was so focused on it that Kyle’s suggestion made her jump slightly. Grinning, she knew just what he had in mind too. After saving her work and shutting down the tablet, Katya adjusted the vest she wore under her blouse. The thing was hot and uncomfortable but Kyle insisted, actually ordered is more like it, that she wear it. It was policy and good sense. Her own .45 Baby Glock in a similar shoulder rig and a radio in blazer pocket.


“So oh font of wisdom, got any ideas?” Katya asked Mikey as he munched on a doughnut and stared at the screen. Computers in general vexed him, except for Xbox’s, but simple things like this were understandable. The dots had been color coded and shaded to give an idea when they all occurred.


“You said there’s three?” he asked and then continued on without waiting for an answer. “There’s three clusters here, here, and here. You do see them too good cuz they’re filling in between with the small shit but the big shit starts out in those areas. And it goes like this...” He pointed out a spot and then rotated a finger to the next and next. “Liquor store, bodega, pawn shop, etc, etc, etc. Its like they got a list and each one gets a share of it.”


“I bet that’s how they’re dividing the take up: the one whose area its in gets... let’s say 50% and the other two get 25% each. That’s why they hit three, so everybody gets a fair share.” Katya chuckled and shook her head. “Considerate bastards. So if you’re right, the next one should be here and it's going to be an escalation.” Her finger pointed to an area about six or seven blocks away.”


Mikey nodded but before he could say anything his and Devon’s radio went off. “Duty calls pretty lady.” Before getting into the car, he snuck a kiss on Katya’s cheek.


Watched the pair drive off, she looked at Kyle. “Wanna take a drive around and get the lay of the land?”


Kyle had listened as Mikey had pointed out the pattern, one that now they could see it was pretty obvious but which hadn’t been clear before because it seemed to be so random. Although that randomness itself had actually been a part of the pattern, either by design or, far more likely, merely by accident.


As Mikey and Devon get into their car and drove off, Kyle had taken his coffee and wandered back across to the Camaro, leaning back against the hood as he lit himself a cigarette. “Let me finish my smoke, first, then we can go and scope out the area,” he said, in answer to her question, after a quick look at his watch. They still had a good half an hour or more before they had to be back at the barn to punch out for the day, they could take a drive up there and check out any potential targets before they had to head back. Ninety percent of the robberies had taken place in the late morning or early afternoon, times when business was slow because most people were at work, although some had taken place late at night. At least if they knew what was in the area it would give them an idea of what places to stake out the next day, his gut telling him the next robbery was going to come sometime in the next day or so.
“Sounds like a plan,” agreed Katya, as she tucked away her computer and came across to join him, although she made sure she stood upwind of him so the smoke from his cigarette wouldn’t bother her.


Finishing his smoke, Kyle had just dropped the butt onto the ground when the radio in the car crackled into life.


“Attention all units! Attention all units! Two-eleven in progress at the Willowburg Municipal Bank.” Announced the voice of the dispatch officer, the words clearly audible even above the noise of traffic.


“That’s gotta be our boys,” said Kyle, as he dropped his coffee cup and raced around the front of the car to get into the drivers’ seat. There was only one branch of the Willowburg Municipal Bank, it was about ten blocks away and right slap, bang, in the middle of their target area. Buckling his seatbelt he gunned the powerful V8, shifting into gear even as Katya was fastening her own seatbelt. Reaching into the back, Katya grabbed the police light, sticking it on the dashboard as Kyle accelerated and switched the button that would activate the siren. The traffic ahead of them slowed and moved aside for the rapidly accelerating police car, Kyle skillfully guiding the Camaro through the cars.


As the car reached the block where the bank was located, already they could see several cruisers parked in a cordon around the entrance to the bank, the uniformed officers taking cover behind their vehicles, weapons ready. Just outside the bank was an armored car, which had probably arrived recently, bringing extra money for the bank, tomorrow was payday for most businesses in the city and it made sense that the bank would need extra money to cover all the paychecks they’d be cashing. Bringing the Camaro to a half, Kyle killed the engine and siren, although they left the light flashing, as they left the vehicle and moved quickly towards the cordon of police vehicles. Stripping off his jacket, Kyle tossed the blazer through the open window of the car, fishing in his pocket for his badge as he approached the uniforms. “Darius, homicide,” he said, simply, as they reached the officers. One took a quick look at his shield and nodded, trying not to look too relieved that the two detectives had arrived. “What’s the situation?” Added Kyle, as he and Katya took cover behind one of the cruisers.


“We’re not sure, sir. Three men went inside about fifteen minutes ago; we got a report of shots fired and an alarm sounding about five minutes after that. There’s been no contact with anyone inside since then, but as far as we know the bad guys are still inside,” answered one of the patrolmen, a sergeant with a fifteen year service stripe on the left cuff of his dark blue shirt. Turning away from the sergeant, Kyle unsnapped the safety strap on his shoulder holster and drew his pistol, racking the slide to chamber a round and then setting the safety.


“We’re going in,” he said, softly, after a couple of seconds, turning to Katya, who nodded her agreement. They didn’t have a whole lot of choice, really, unless they wanted to wait for the bad guys to come out. But, if they waited until the perps came out and they had hostages...things would get ugly. “Okay, here’s how we’re going to do this. We split up, circle round and come up either side of the bank, we take a look and check out the situation, and then we go in. Together.” He finished, with another look to Katya. Again she nodded, before the two of them moved out. Kyle heading right and Katya left, the two of them making a big circle around the parked cars and staying away from the banks big, plate glass, windows so their approach would remain unseen.


As she was waiting for Kyle to finish his smoke, Katya was running through some ideas in her head....
Can’t alert the banks cuz they’ll just panic and that would be very bad. Maybe the managers and have them keep it quiet and BOLO anybody looking funny looking. Maybe grab a couple of patrol guys and stick them in plain clothes to stake out places. They like plain clothes. Gotta tell them NOT to do anything. Should we stick a couple of M-16’s in the trunk just in case? I’d shoot my foot off by studly knows what to do and boy does he ever! Last night was.... Stop that! Focus. On. Work. It was nice what he did....


The alert from the radio brought everything back into focus as Katya jumped into the car and they took off. After putting up the light, she unlocked a box under the seat that contained a few extra clips for their weapons, a pair of shooting glasses, tactical gloves, and ear plugs. Just some extra stuff that hopefully they wouldn’t need to use but good to have.


“27 Zebra Henry responding to the 2-11 at the Bank,” she said into the radio. The last thing Katya did was put a ball cap with ‘Police’ on and fed her through the opening in the back. One thing she didn’t need was to mistaken for a civilian. That had happened before...


Copying Kyle in dumping her jacket, she attach her badge to a chain around her neck and tugged on the gloves. Giving each palm a punch to make sure they were seated right. Listening to what the sergeant said, she kept watch on the bank. When Kyle gave the orders she gave him a glance with a raised eyebrow. Then she grinned and pulled out her own weapon to lock a round in the chamber.


“Its the wrong day to forget to bring the flash-bangs,” she chuckled and got a grin from Kyle. This might be the bestest idea but ‘a good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect executed next week’. If it was good for George Patton then it was good for her! Before they separated, Katya gave him a brief kiss on the lips. “For luck!”


Moving fast, but carefully, Katya got to her side of the back. There were some nice windows that she had to duck low to get passed without being seen. The glass was too thick to hear through and she didn’t dare to and look up. Finally she was on the brick and stone wall next to the entryway.


Taking a deep breath with her gun against her chest, Katya looked over at Kyle and nodded.


Keeping low, using vehicles for cover, Kyle had moved around to the side of the bank until he reached it. Pushing his back against the cool stone and brick wall, Kyle took a few seconds to catch his breath as he waited for Katya to join him on the opposite side of the main entrance to the building. The front of the building was a good twenty meters wide, most of that being taking up by the huge, tall, plate glass windows. Fortunately the windows didn’t stretch from the ground up; there was a short, maybe three feet high, brick wall at the bottom that would hide his final approach to the door. As Katya reached the doorway on the opposite side of the bank, Kyle took a deep breath and then took a peak through the window.


At first he couldn’t see much, the inside of the building being a little darker than the outside and it took his eyes a couple of seconds to adjust. As everything came into focus he could see a uniformed body lying on the floor, either one of the armored car crew or the banks security guard, a pool of blood spreading around the corpse. He could see empty desks on one side of the main entrance, papers scattered across the floor around them, as well as a cluster of people sitting on the floor in front of the tellers booths. What lay beyond the teller booths he couldn’t see, but he could guess that was where the bank manager had his office, along with the secured entrance to the bank vault. He couldn’t see the robbers, though, but he could be sure at least one of them was in there, covering the bank customers and employees whilst one or more of his colleagues hit the vault. Having seen enough, he pulled back, dropped down and then crouching low beneath the window, he quickly moved to join Katya by the door.


“Okay, we’ve got one guy down, probably the security guard,” he began, trying to quickly explain everything he’d seen to his partner, along with his plan. The plan was still rough, but one thing he’d learnt in the marines was that things rarely, if ever, went to plan anyway and even the best plan could go wrong. This was why marine officers were trained to think on the fly, reacting to the situation as it evolved, maintaining control even when the shit hit the fan. “You’ve got empty desks down the left side, use them for cover and try to get into a flanking position but stay in cover. Most of the staff and customers are being held down the front, by the teller booths, probably being covered by at least one of the bad guys. The other two must be in the back, in the vault. We take the one by the customers first, see if we can get them out before the others return from the vault,” added Kyle, outlining his plan. He knew the plan was far from perfect, in fact there were a lot of variables that could really screw things up, but he knew that if he was one of the robbers he’d be looking to leave the bank with at least one hostage. Because if they had a hostage, they could get away clean and free. So, stopping the robbers from escaping with a hostage was their first and main priority. Katya nodded in understanding, gripping her pistol tightly in her gloved hands. “You wearing your vest?” He asked, needlessly, he knew she was wearing it but he just wanted her reassurance. Waiting for an answer, he took the two clips from his shoulder rig and slipped them into a back pocket, where they would be easier to get to if he needed them.


“Yes. Are you wearing yours?” She answered, as her thumb moved to release the safety on her Glock.


“Always,” he answered her, before he moved to the side of the door and slowly eased it open. “Go,” he ordered, once the door was open enough for her to squeeze through. Giving her a couple of seconds, Kyle eased the door open a little further and then slipped inside the bank.


Inside, the bank was a lot bigger than he’d realized. At least a hundred and fifty feet across and probably two hundred feet or more deep, the high, vaulted, ceiling supported by several tall pillars spaced at about five meter intervals. Holding his pistol low and ready, Kyle released the safety catch as he moved to the nearest pillar so he could use it for cover. He passed the motionless body on the floor, being careful to avoid stepping in the blood pool, keeping his movement quick but quiet. Glancing at the abandoned desks, he tried to spot Katya but couldn’t, which he assumed was a good thing.


Peering around the edge of the pillar he was hiding behind, once his eyes had adjusted to the light inside the building, Kyle could see one of the robbers, a young woman held across his body like a human shield as he waved a handgun towards the rest of the cowering hostages. There was at least a hundred and fifty feet between Kyle and where the hostages were, the gunman maybe ten feet closer, whilst beyond them he could see the empty offices, doors open, for the manager, whilst way off in the far right corner was the open, gated entrance to the vault. Ducking back into cover, Kyle took a deep breath and then crouched low as he moved forward until he reached the next pillar and took cover behind that. Pausing another few seconds Kyle moved to the next pillar, and then the next, edging closer to where the gunman stood with his hostage, until he was just fifteen meters away. Taking a deep breath, he glanced at his weapon, checking the indicator to confirm the chamber was loaded, before he stepped into the open.


“Willowburg police, lay down your weapon and release the woman,” said Kyle, identifying himself. His voice was loud as he spoke, if things went pear shaped and they had to shoot it out, he wanted to be sure that at least one person in the bank, besides Katya, had heard him identify himself as a police officer.


“Fuck you,” replied the gunman, pivoting his body towards Kyle even as he kept his weapon and hostage between himself and Kyle. “You’re not going to do anything, tough guy,” he added.


“I said, drop your weapon and release the woman,” repeated Kyle, his weapon held steady and unwavering on the gunman, although the muzzle was lifted slightly so he wouldn’t accidently shoot the woman. “This is your last warning,” he added, after a few more seconds.


“And I said fuck you, pig,” was the only reply he received. “Unless you want the pretty lady to die, you’re going to let me and my friends walk right outta here,” he added, moving his weapon to push the muzzle of his gun against the side of the woman’s head.


“Help me,” pleaded the woman, her eyes locked firmly on Kyle even as the gunman pressed the muzzle of his pistol harder against the side of her head. Her eyes were wide, full of fear, as she tried not to struggle against the grip of the man that held her.


“You’ll be okay, ma’am,” said Kyle, his pistol not moving as he held the gunman in his sights.


“Willowburg police! Now drop that fucking gun right now,” said Katya, as she emerged from her hiding spot behind one of the huge square planters that were spread around the interior of the bank.


What happened next was so fast, taking place in less than ten seconds, although it seemed to play out in slow motion and take much longer.


The gunman started to pivot towards Katya, exposing his side to Kyle. At the exact same second one of the other robbers emerged from the entrance to the vault, opening fire with his Uzi sub machine gun as he saw what was happening.


Kyle dropped and rolled, getting out of the line of fire as bullets shredded the air where he’d been standing a split second before. Rolling into cover behind the pillar, Kyle moved to the right side of the column, bringing up his pistol as he came back out into the open.


Framed in the entrance to the vault, the gunman was a perfect target and Kyle only needed a couple of heartbeats to bring his sights to bear on the gunman. Squeezing the trigger, the explosion of the shot was loud in the confines of the bank, the sound of the shot merging with the roar of automatic fire and the heavier boom from Katya’s own Glock.


A pair of 230 grain .45” semi jacketed hollow point round slammed into the gunman, each hitting with close to the impact energy of a small truck. Controlling the heavy pistol from the recoil, Kyle unleashed a second shot which impacted less than an inch from his first, the three bullets knocking the gunman off his feet as he fell to the floor. Another gunman appeared behind him, spraying more fire from an automatic weapon in the general direction of where Kyle was hiding.


Bullets ripped through the air, punching through the stone pillar and showering Kyle with splinters of marble as he took cover. Dropping to his belly, Kyle rolled into the open, knowing he was safe below the hail of bullets, squeezing off six shots in rapid succession before the slide of his pistol locked open on an empty chamber. Ejecting the empty clip, he reloaded quickly, unleashing four more shots in rapid succession.


When the shooting had started the gunman with the hostage had turned towards the newer threat, Katya, trying to keep the woman between himself and the female cop. Seeing the woman he opened fire, his two shots striking the planter she was hiding behind, sending chips of stone spraying into her face. He could hear the gunfire from behind him, knew his friend was keeping the other cop occupied, as he concentrated his own fire on the female cop.
The cop moved into the open a little, her fire aimed at the second gunman by the vault who was spraying her partner with nine millimeter slugs from his Uzi. “Die, bitch,” hissed the gunman, as he opened fire on Katya.


The first four or five rounds missed Katya, but the next two slammed heavily into her body. She felt the impacts on her vest, two solid blows that felt as if she’d been kicked by a horse and knocked her off her feet. As she fell her head struck the planter she’d been hiding behind earlier, and that was all she knew before oblivion took her.


Unaware that Katya was down, Kyle had his own problems to deal with. The gunman by the vault was spraying his position with fire from his Uzi, hosing the air with a deadly, buzzing, spray. Reloading once more, Kyle dropped low, steadying his aim as he rested his right elbow on the ground and squeezed off two shots in rapid succession. The two rounds slammed into the gunman, dropping him almost instantly as the bullets shredded his heart and left lung.


With the immediate threat eliminated Kyle turned his attention to the last, remaining gunman. The man was shooting at something to the left, which had to be Katya, his left side exposed and Kyle took careful aim before he fired. The heavy slug ripped into the gunman, shattering ribs before it stopped a fraction before it hit his spine. The gunman fell, dragging his hostage down with him, his pistol sliding from his grip as he landed heavily.


Not about to take any chances, Kyle cautiously approached the gunman, keeping his weapon trained on the man all the time. Reaching him, Kyle kicked the pistol away from his outstretched fingers, before he roughly grabbed the mans’ hands and cuffed them behind his back, ignoring the howls of pain that came from the gunman as he did so. Checking the hostages were okay, that none had been hit during the gunfight, he suddenly realized that Katya was missing.


“Katya! Katya!” He called her name, looking around for her as he finally set the safety on his weapon. The hostages had just confirmed that there were only three gunmen. Looking around, he suddenly saw something lying on the floor, over by one of the planters. Recognizing Katya he moved quickly, reaching for his radio as he saw the blood on her head and realized she’d been hit. “Officer down! Officer down!” He yelled into the radio, even as he tried to remember his training. It looked like she had a head wound, which meant he shouldn’t touch her, although he did tentatively check for a pulse, and he slumped to the floor, feeling worse than helpless, as he waited and prayed that she would be okay.

As she had listened to Kyle’s plan outside Katya two against three with hostages caught in the middle was not the best thing to try. However they had to try because things had gone south already with the three killing someone. They had to take the initiative back from the bad guys and they would never believe what was going to happen!


Getting into the bank was actually quite easy. She guessed the robbers were so focused on what they were doing that they hadn’t kept an eye on the door. The hostages were all down on the floor and certainly not looking up. The planters were nicely big that they hid her well.


Crouching low, Katya risked a look up to get the lay of the land. Frak. She couldn’t get an angle on the gunman with the hostage. Slight movement in the vault area. Didn’t see the third. In the vault too? Kyle’s announcement. She stayed hidden for a few extra seconds. When she pops up it’ll throw them off balance. And....up she goes!


The one with the hostage turning, giving Kyle an opening. Perfect....Frak! Uzi! The Glock booming in her hand. Aiming but also to keep him busy. Kyle was the sharpshooter. Frak! The third! Switching her aim, the last round fired at the first hit him high in the upper right chest to blow his shoulder apart. Final four rounds knocks plaster and marble pieces at the second to make him duck. Easing the fire on Kyle. Dropped down to reload and flinch at the bits of debris hitting. Thinking the second Uzi is pot shotting her. Up and fire. Distract him for Kyle!


Glock booming again. Gunman flinched. Round barely missed head. Next one will be on.... KICKED BY A MULE!! OWWWW!!!! Blackness....

 

[mypgems]

Chapter Four

“Officer down!” The words that turn the blood of every cop everywhere ice cold. The uniformed sergeant led his men in the bank at a dead run with guns drawn. Barely needed to say a word, he had two check on the gunmen by the vault, another start gathering up the former hostages to get them outside, and he was on the radio demanding EMS to get their ass in there.

The words were barely out of his mouth when the doors boomed open again with several First Responder firemen came running in their turnout pants and blue shirts lugging bags. Politely shoving Kyle to one side they started work on Katya. One setting up oxygen and gently holding the mask over her face while another gingerly touched the area about her cervical spine to look for any deformities before slipping a C-collar on her. Slipping a backboard along her, they got her on her back.


Seeing the holes in her blouse, they proceeded to cut it off. “Two round abdomen,” the lead said to the fireman who was writing all the vitals and information down on a trip sheet. He put markings on the body outline for where the damage was. “Vest stopped them thank God! Head is...” Looking up, he saw the blood on the planter. “Not bullet. She hit it on an object.”


“Katya.” Kyle said loudly enough that they turned to look at him for a moment. “Officer Katya Komarovsky.”


The fireman nodded, patting Katya’s cheek and calling her name before shining a light in her eyes. “Pupils are....pearl (Pupils Equal And Reactive to Light). They cut the straps that held the various pieces of her vest to her body so Katya was laying there in just her bra and pants. That let them put ECG leads on. For a heart rending second the monitor gave a horrible, flat tone before picking up her heart beat. Several very large firemen knelt around her, facing out, so that nobody could see her unclothed like that.


Kyle suddenly felt some hands on his shoulders pulling him back for the paramedics who arrived with their gurney. He started to resist until he found the hands belonged to Devon and Mikey. They pulled him off to one side where the Captain was. He was saying something but Kyle didn’t hear a word. His entire focus was on the fireman who lifted Katya on the backboard to the gurney.


The first thing Katya was aware of was blackness. Not darkness, blackness. No sounds, lights, smells, touches, not anything. Couldn’t feel her body. She started sobbing but not sobbing.


Oh God...I’m dead. Kyle! Oh please dear God I have to get to Kyle! He needs me! Wait....What’s that? There it is a again.... And again. Heartbeat! Mine! I’m alive! Why can’t I.... Please no... Not locked in. Can’t be that... Ow! Owowowowowow! Hurthrthurthurt! H...hold on to that. Pullllllll!


“Hey pretty! You see me? Follow my finger...Good!” the paramedic said when he saw Katya’s gray eyes flutter open.


It hurt too much to move, not that she could with all the straps holding her down, but she could see and feel and hear. That was so much better then the blackness. Suddenly her vision was filled with Kyle’s face. He was saying things but her brain was so sluggish that she couldn’t make them out. Instead, Katya just smile and squeezed his hand when he touched it. Then her eyes closed with the smile on her lips still. Relax.... All is well....


As Katya was being rolled out of the bank Kyle was about to start after her when the Captain stopped him short. “You know procedure officer, we do the preliminary report and run through now. Before anything else. The shooting team should be here in about 15 then about an hour.”


Kyle’s jaw was set, teeth were grinding as he was about to say what the Captain could do with his ‘procedure’ and the badge for that matter. He was going with his fiance!


The Captain’s face softened when he recognized the look on the younger man’s face. “Kyle,” he said calmly. “If she was here right now, what would Katya be telling you to do? What would she say?”


“She would slap the back on my head and tell me that was I being an idiot,” he replied, hating that it was the truth.


“Exactly. She’d want you to cross the T’s and dot the I’s and make this a good shoot. We’ll get this down ASAP and I’ll get you to her, k?”


Grumbling, Kyle nodded. “Who’s going with her then?”


“Bryan.”


Somehow that made him feel a little easier. If there was anyone who cared about Katya half as much as he did it would be the LT.


---------------------------------------------------


Devon and Mikey had been almost back at the precinct when the call about the bank robbery came over the radio, the two detectives turning to look at each other briefly as they each mentally debated whether or not they should respond. Technically they didn’t have to, they were at least a ten to fifteen minute drive from the bank and there had to be other units in the area. But, at the same time, they both knew that if they didn’t respond and something happened neither of them would be able to live with themselves. There was also the added fact that the bank was right in the middle of the target area for Kyle and Katya’s case, in fact it was one of the three potential targets that Mikey had identified as where the gang was most likely to strike next. Nodding once before turning his attention back to the road, Devon spotted a gap in the oncoming traffic and yanked the steering wheel over in a hard turn that reversed the cars direction as Mikey reached for their light and activated the siren. “This is car Twenty nine Zebra Henry, rolling back up to Twenty Seven Zebra Henry,” said Mikey, before releasing the radio mike and hanging on for his life as Devon fed more gas to the engine and threaded the Mustang through a narrow gap between a delivery truck and an SUV. They were still several minutes away when they heard the call that every police officer dreaded, “Officer down! Officer down!”


“That’s Kyle, which means...oh no,” said Devon, as he realized what that call meant. Pushing down harder on the accelerator, he hoped Katya wasn’t hurt too badly.


“She’ll be fine, she’s wearing her vest,” said Mikey, and began praying that he was right.


As they arrived at the bank, both men saw the cordon of abandoned police cruisers outside, along with the emergency response vehicles. Braking hard, Devon pulled the Mustang to a stop alongside Kyle’s Camaro, the two detectives abandoning the car almost before it had come to a stop, not even bothering to kill the engine as they ran towards the bank, fumbling for their badges as they ran. Being considerably younger, and fitter, than his partner, Devon reached the entrance to the bank a good thirty seconds before Mikey but he didn’t even hesitate as he pushed open the door and disappeared inside the building. As he entered the bank a uniformed officer, who was stationed by the door to stop anyone coming in, stepped in front of him, blocking his path, before Devon showed him his badge. Nodding to the two detectives, the officer stepped aside, allowing Devon, and Mikey who had just entered, to move forward.


Nearing the front of the bank, Devon could see a cordon of first responders kneeling around a prone figure, shielding them from prying eyes whilst the medics worked. Looking across he saw Kyle, his friend slumped on the floor and looking helpless and Devon changed direction, heading for his friend as the bank doors opened once more to admit a paramedic team wheeling a gurney. He saw Kyle rise to his feet, moving to intercept the medics, but Devon cut him off before he could reach them, placing a gentle, restraining hand on Kyle’s shoulder and pulling him back. “Let the medics do their work, Kyle, all you can do right now is get in the way,” said Devon, as he guided Kyle out of the way. Looking up he spotted the captain, wondering when he’d arrived as he gently guided Kyle across to the senior officer.


“What happened here, detective?” Asked the captain, as he saw Kyle had been led over by one of the other detectives. Although, he noted, Kyle didn’t seem to be paying any attention, or listening, to him, his focus fixed firmly on what was going on over by his partner.


Finally shaking off Devon’s hand, Kyle had pulled away from his friend and gone across to Katya, he had to know, see, that she was okay before he could think about anything else. He’d replayed the shootout in his head a couple of times already, trying to work out if there was anything he could have done differently that would have changed the outcome. So far he hadn’t found anything, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t stop trying or that he’d stop blaming himself for Katya being hurt. Reaching the gurney he nudged one of the medics aside slightly, smiling down at Katya as her eyes blinked and then focused on him for a few seconds. He touched her fingers, felt hers move against his, and then he was being pushed aside once more as the medics began to wheel the gurney, with Katya strapped to it, towards the bank doors. He was about to follow when he realized someone was standing in front of him, blocking his way. It took him a few seconds to realize it was the captain.


“You know procedure officer; we do the preliminary report and run through now. Before anything else. The shooting team should be here in about 15 then it’ll take about an hour.” Said the captain, standing his ground in front of Kyle, forcing him to back.


Grinding his teeth, it took all of Kyle’s willpower not to tell the captain where he could shove procedure, and his badge. He needed to be with Katya. However, after a few seconds the feeling passed. The captain was right, Katya would want him to get this sorted out, wouldn’t want him to risk his badge. It was hard, but finally Kyle took a couple of deep breaths and forced himself to focus.


“Now, detective, tell me what happened,” said the captain, once he was sure that Kyle wasn’t about to go running off after his partner.


“Katya, I mean Detective Komarovsky and I responded to the call over the radio. When we arrived on scene we received a situation report from the uniformed officers who’d arrived first, before I made the decision that we should go in. We split up and approached the bank from the left and right, and when I reached the building I took a look through the window. I saw a body on the floor and the bank customers and employees gathered down the front, by the teller booths, but there was no sign of the robbers. Assessing the situation I again decided we had to go in, we’d been told that the robbers were still in the building and I knew we couldn’t allow them to get outside with hostages.” He paused for a few seconds, the next sequence of events had taken place so quickly that he wanted to be sure he had them in the right order.


“We entered the building and split up, Detective Komarovsky going to the left whilst I went to the right, using the ceiling support pillars for cover as I made my way forward. By now I could see one of the robbers, who was near the front and covering the hostages with a gun. He had hold of a woman and was using her like a human shield. Identifying myself as a police officer, I ordered the suspect to release his hostage and lay down his weapon, which he refused to do. I repeated my instructions, and again the suspect refused.” Another pause to collect his thoughts, put the events in the right order, before he continued.


“Detective Komarovsky suddenly appeared to the suspects left, also identifying herself as a police officer and instructing the suspect to drop his weapon. The suspect turned towards her, pointing his weapon at her, which was when the second suspect emerged from the entrance to the vault. The suspect opened fire on me with an automatic weapon, an Uzi, I think, forcing me to take cover. I returned fire at about the same time that Detective Komarovsky opened fire herself, putting two rounds into the suspect. A second suspect came out from behind the first, opening fire on my position. Again I returned fire before I took cover and reloaded my weapon, the third suspect kept firing at my position and I continued to return fire, before I had to reload once more. This time, when I returned fire I was able to put two rounds into my target, the suspect went down and I could turn my attention to the first suspect. Although I couldn’t see her, I knew roughly where Detective Komarovsky was and the suspect was shooting in that direction. Assessing the threat, I fired a single shot which put the suspect down.


“Once all three suspects were down I waited a few seconds to make sure, before I went to check on the suspects. Two were down, dead, the third still alive so after securing his weapon I cuffed the suspect, which was when I realized that Detective Komarovsky had been hit and I called for medical assistance.” Finished Kyle, finally.


As he listened to the detective, the captain nodded slowly to himself. It all seemed to be a legitimate shooting; just looking at the damage to the bank was enough to convince him of that. Now it was just up to the shooting review board, but he didn’t think that would be a problem. “Okay, that’s good enough. You know the drill, detective, you’re on desk duty until the review board sign off on this. They’ll want to talk to you once they’ve had a chance to view the scene and check the evidence, and they’ll need your weapon, too,” said the captain.


“I know,” said Kyle, although he refused to hand over his pistol until one of the shooting review team arrived with an evidence bag.


--------------------------------------------------


Everything after seeing Kyle was just in tiny vignettes. Seeing sunlight. A siren blaring. Bryan’s face. Whiteness with lots of green. Questions. Hurttttttt. In a tube. Lots of clicking. Then blessed sleep....


“Ow.... Sorry mama.... I’ll stay out of the vodka.....” Katya opened her eyes and found that she was not 14 and not in her old room. She was in a hospital, from the noise an ER, in a hospital gown, an IV in an arm, and a lot of little men in her skull pounding away with big ax handles. Looking around she saw....


“B....Bryan?” her voice croaked.


“Hey there Red....” The older man rolled his chair over to the bedside and smiled. Back in the day, Katya’s codename was ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and his was “Woodsman’. They still called each other by those names in private sometimes. He gently held her arm down when she tried to raise. “Don’t.... Just lay there and let yourself rest.”


It was so tempting to give into the sleep again but she couldn’t. There was stuff to do! “Cut an arm off did they?” she smiled and then winced. Don’t do that again. “Or did they find marbles leaking out of my ears?”


“You took a couple of slugs but the vest caught them. When you went down, you banged your head on a planter. I guess they heard the echo across town...” he chuckled and got chuckle in return.


“Look who’s talking.... Your full of so much gas they should turn off the oxygen in here so we don’t go boom. Kyle....” There was a hazy memory of his face. “Where is he? Is he....” Even though it hurt she was struggling like she was going to get up.


“Shhhh..... He’s fine. He stayed back to do the review so I came with instead. Not a scratch on that bastard.”


“Lucky one he is....” Calmed, Katya faded for a little while Bryan held her hand.


--------------------------------------------------------------


Was it shouting...no just loud arguing that woke her up. Gray eyes blinking open and a hand that wasn’t stopped reaching up to touch a bandage on her left temple. Katya was still exhausted but some of the fuzziness had left her. The exploring arm touched her abdomen and that made her wince. Only the Tac guys got the vests with the plates in them. Everyone else had to use the soft armor.


“Are you out of your minds?! She’s just been shot!” the loud voice said just outside the bay. There was a quieter response that Katya couldn’t make out that was followed by a “I don’t give a fuck what procedures are. I’m saying no! Go...go talk to Detective Darius. Its his fault she’s in here.” Oh no...Bryan.... Then a new voice was heard: “Knock this crap off or out you all go. Badges be damned!”


Pushing her passed the curtains screening the door was a short, but quite feisty nurse who’s mood instantly changed the moment she saw Katya. “Look who’s awake and a lot more clear eyed then before.” The nurse quickly but carefully checked all the monitors, IV, dressing, and then her eyes. “How’s the pain level on a 1-10 scale?”


“A good steady number ten in the head and low five on the tummy unless I touch it and then....”


“...its an eleven. When the doctor comes in we’ll see if we can do something about it. In the meantime, can I offer you ice chips?”


Ice chips.... Katya didn’t know a person could drool for ice chips! “I’ll love you forever!” She got a couple of spoonfuls of them and savored the moisture. Her hands reached up to her neck to look for something. When they couldn’t, her eyes started to get big.


“Looking for this?” the nurse smiled as she pull the engagement ring from her pocket. Katya wore it on a chain around her neck while on duty. “Loud mouth out there the lucky guy?”


Chuckling as she slipped the ring on Katya winced. “Ow...don’t laugh. Pretty close but no, that’s the former partner. You might as well let them in. I know what they’re here for and I’ll get it out of the way.”


“Okay but if you want me to toss them out just hit the buzzer.”


Bryan came in behind two unfamiliar detectives. Both around Bryan’s age, one male and the other female. “I’m still protesting this. She is in no shape to endure your badgering. I....” He stopped when Katya raised her hand.


“Bryan, please. Let’s get it out of the way, okay. I assume you all want me to go over what happened?”


“Indeed we do Detective Komarovsky,” the woman said. She introduced herself as Detective Phillips and the other as Detective Andersen. First they had some basic questions to make sure Katya was coherent enough. Ones like name, date/place of birth, day/month/year, what did she have for lunch. When she said no cheese pizza with pickles, peanut butter, and tabasco they did look at her oddly.


“Oh and Double Bubble Cherry-Grapefruit Ice Tea,” Katya added. This time they looked at Bryan who nodded.


Katya began walking them through what Mikey had suggested and how they were going to take a spin through the area to get a feel for it. Then the call on the radio and what they had found out from the on scene officers. Finally how Kyle decided that they had to go in.


“That fucking idiot!” Bryan exploded. “You do not assault an inprogress robbery with two people!” Even the two other detectives were taken aback at the sheer vehemence coming from him.


Looking straight at him, Katya address Bryan rather than the investigators. “It was a good plan and justified. We had a verified report of shots fired with civilians trapped inside. The suspects were none to be highly unpredictable and their violence was escalating. We couldn’t know what they would do once they knew we were out there. We didn’t have the manpower to cordon off the area and didn’t have the firepower to outgun them. Especially if they took hostages. They get loose and its rush hour. Having a gun battle and potential chase in the middle of the city is not an option.” Her head was throbbing but she had to go on. Detective Darius gave the go ahead as he was senior but if I had been instead, I would have too. The uniforms had to stay outside to brief the incoming units and, in case the suspects got through us, be able to stop them. At the very least, Detective Darius and I would distract and disable at least some of the suspect to make it hard for them to escape. When it comes down to it, we’re willing to put our lives on the line to protect civilians. We’re not foolhardy or have a deathwish but we’re police officers.”


The room was quiet except for the noise from outside and the soft beep from the ECG machine. Then Detective Andersen cleared his throat and gave Katya a quick grin before changing back to his serious expression. “Can you give up a brief overview of what happened as you got to the bank door?


“My pleasure,” Katya said and smiled as she launched into what she remembered.

---

Chapter Five

As the shooting review team began their work, Kyle finally left the bank to return to the precinct. It was getting late, close to five, but Kyle knew he wasn’t going to be able to leave for the day until he’d at least started his report and spoken with the shooting review team. They’d probably want to talk to him again in a few days time, too, once they’d conducted their own investigation into the shooting. Flanked on either side by Devon and Mikey, Kyle took one last look at the spot where Katya had been shot before he turned and left the bank. The quicker he got back to the precinct the quicker he could start his report and get his interview with the review team out of the way, so he could get over to the hospital to see Katya. Although he knew she was okay, everyone had gone out of their way to assure him her injuries weren’t serious or life threatening, a part of him wouldn’t believe that until he saw for himself.


The drive back to the precinct didn’t take long, although for Kyle the journey seemed to take forever. Reaching the precinct he made his way up to the office he shared with Katya, removing his jacket and draping it over the back of his chair as he sat down. Turning on the computer he called up a blank shooting report form and began filling it in as he waited for the officers from the shooting review team to show up.


He’d been in his office for about an hour when there was a knock on the door, which was then pushed open before he could call out, two unfamiliar detectives entering through the door and coming into the small office. “Detective Darius,” said one, a fairly short man in his early forties, with receding, greying, hair. Another man was stood behind him, this one taller and younger, with dark eyes and dark blonde, almost ginger, hair. “I’m Detective Moore and this is Detective Johnson, we’re with the shooting review board and we’d like to talk to you about the shooting today. This is just a preliminary interview; we’ll want to talk to you again once we’ve completed our investigation.” Began the shorter detective, as his partner began to set up their equipment, the tape recorder and things. “You can, of course, refuse to talk to us, or request that either your union representative, or a lawyer, being present also, if you wish.” He added, as he sat down in Katya’s chair.


“Let’s get this over with, the quicker we’re done the quicker I can get to the hospital,” answered Kyle, he knew he had nothing to be worried about.


Once everything was set up, Moore turned to Kyle and spoke again. “You’re aware this interview is being recorded and that the recording maybe used in any subsequent disciplinary action?”


“Yes,” answered Kyle, after a brief pause.


Moore then began questioning him, starting out with the generic details such as name, rank, badge number and things like that. After a couple of minutes they moved on to the shooting itself, Moore walking Kyle through each stage with his questions, whilst Detective Johnson made notes on a yellow legal pad as he listened. Once Kyle had finished, Johnson glanced down at his notes before he spoke. “Detective Darius, you said in your statement that you had to reload your weapon several times. How many shots did you actually fire?” Asked Johnson, who had remained silent as he took notes until that point, letting his partner ask the questions. He knew they had the detectives’ pistol already down in the Forensic Lab; they’d run tests on it and compare the test bullets to the bullets recovered from the bank and the bodies over the next couple of days.


“I had to reload three times,” answered Kyle, after a couple of seconds, as he tried to recall exactly how many shots he’d fired. Each clip for his Remington R1 carried eight rounds, but he knew he hadn’t emptied that last clip he’d loaded. “I fired twenty nine rounds, all together,” he added, finally, after he’d thought about it for a few more seconds.


“And there was no other way you could have resolved this situation, no way at all?” Asked Moore, watching as his partner made a couple of notes on his pad.


“No, we couldn’t wait for them to come out, we had to go in. We tried to resolve the situation peacefully, without anyone getting hurt, but they opened fire on us after we had identified ourselves as police officers. We did what we had to, defended ourselves. Believe me, I would rather it had ended differently, but I’m not going to second guess myself because I did what I had to. To protect myself, my partner and everyone else in that bank,” said Kyle, in answer to the question.


“Thank you, detective,” said Moore, after a quick look at his partner, who shook his head to indicate he didn’t have any more questions. “We should complete our investigation within the week; if we need to talk to you again we’ll be in touch. Until then, you’ll be confined to desk duty,” added Moore, before he turned off the tape recorder.


Once the two detectives had gathered up their equipment and left, Kyle glanced up at the clock on the wall, it was almost eight thirty. The interview with the two detectives had taken a little over two hours and apart from a couple of uniformed officers on night desk duty the precinct was more or less deserted. Devon and Mikey had gone home hours ago, the news of the shootout in the bank had broken, along with the fact that a police officer had been shot, and both wanted to reassure their wives that they were both safe and well. Leaving the precinct, Kyle lit a cigarette as he headed for the Camaro; he knew which hospital Katya had been taken too and that was where he was heading now. The drive across town was short, although it seemed much longer to Kyle, and within fifteen minutes he was riding an elevator up to the floor where Katya had been admitted. The doors of the elevator opened and Kyle stepped out, right into a whirlwind as Bryan saw him and started yelling.


“What fuck is wrong with you!?” the older man yelled as he staked down the hallway. The elevator doors had barely started closing when Bryan shoved Kyle into the car and followed him in. He slammed palm against the controls trying to hit any button that could. Instead, he hit the Stop switch so the car wasn’t moving.


Kyle had been so surprised that he hadn’t reacted until the car stopped with a thud. “What?”


“Tough guy? Fucking Marine? Ain’t no fucking Iraq here war hero. You don’t go charging into no shootout with no backup. Especially not with my girl on your ass!” Bryan was heavier and 15+ years older than Kyle but he was ready to take him apart right now. “Never liked you boy. Too fucking cocky for his own good. Knew you were going to get somebody killed. Today you almost did it to her.”


“Back off, right fucking now,” snapped Kyle, once he’d finally got over his surprise. The older man still had a hand pressed against his chest, pushing him back against the wall of the small elevator car and Kyle roughly knocked it away. He paused a few seconds, taking the brief time to try and calm himself down. He couldn’t afford to get into a brawl with the lieutenant, but more than that there was Katya to think about. Bryan was like a second father to her, she cared a great deal about the older man because of everything he’d done for her when she was undercover and since.


“Don’t you think I know what might’ve happened? I know what could’ve happened; it’s my worst fucking nightmare. And I don’t need you storming around pointing that out to me,” continued Kyle, stepping away from the wall of the elevator and glaring down at the older man. “And don’t you ever, ever, bring up my war record and throw that in my face,” he added, pausing before he added. “I made a choice, and maybe it wasn’t perfect, maybe it was wrong, but you know what, you weren’t fucking there. You don’t have the right to lecture me, to second guess me, there was a situation and we needed to act fast. We didn’t have the luxury of being able to think every little fucking detail through and worry about what might go wrong, we had armed suspects and a hostage situation. We couldn’t wait for S.W.A.T. or a negotiating team, or back up to arrive; we had to act right fucking then.” Finished Kyle, trying to calm himself down before he said, or did, something they’d both regret.


“You ain’t ever gonna do that again. I’m ordering you to get yourself a new fucking partner. Right here, right now. And if you don’t, I will. Got it boy? It ends now!” His roar echoed in the small space.


“You don’t have the fucking authority to do that, you tried already, remember. The Captain told you to back off, that he was leaving us together. He’s not going to break up any partners because you’re an over-protective fool, which means we stay together or we’re flying solo. Is that what you want? Her out there, on her own, with no one to watch her back, facing the shit we go through with no one to cover her ass?” Replied Kyle, finally starting to raise his own voice. “But go ahead, try it, see how far you get. And don’t try and come between Katya and I, because we both know who she’ll choose.” Added Kyle, pushing past Bryan to reach for the switch that would start the elevator car once more, even as Bryan stepped in front of the control panel to block his way, the look on his face one of pure thunder.


“You wanna take a swing at me go right ahead old man; I’ll put you down so fast you’ll break light speed between vertical and horizontal,” added Kyle, roughly pushing past Bryan and slapping at the controls to start the elevator moving once more.


The elevator hadn’t moved that much when Bryan had shut it down so the doors opened almost instantly. Kyle marched out into the hallway without looking back. “This isn’t over Darius!” Bryan promised.


Far down the hallway and behind a closed door that had a uniformed officer sitting in front of it was Katya. She was stuck in the hospital for at least the night under observation due to a concussion. Of course arguing with the doctor didn’t fly and he threatened to commit her to a 72 hour hold. Katya wasn’t totally sure he was kidding....


The only two good things were that she had been given a set of real pajamas and not the gown that opened in the back. The other was that the TV had cable so she could watch the Discovery channels. Kyle might like the network fluff but she went for science and documentaries. Also she like ‘Mythbusters’ but that was beside the point.


Katya tried finishing the dinner they had brought but just....couldn’t. Not that she wasn’t hungry but that the food was just too bland. She asked for some salt and pepper but that wasn’t available. The chicken breast didn’t taste bad, it just didn’t taste! At least the tapioca was good. After pushing the tray away, she flopped back into the bed. Carefully of course because her everything hurt right now. Even worse....she missed Kyle!


At that moment the door opened and in walked....


“KYLE!!” she yipped and held her arms out to him so they could hug. “Oh God...I missed you my love!” Her voice sobbed a little as she enjoyed the feel of him even if it hurt a little.


Leaving the elevator, and Bryan, behind, Kyle headed for the Nurses’ Station to try and find out where they were hiding Katya. Of course, he could have just asked Bryan what room she was in, but somehow he really didn’t think the lieutenant would have told him if he did. Reaching the Nurses’ Station, Kyle waited until the nurse on duty had finished her phone call before he spoke. “I’m looking for Detective Katya Komarovsky; could you tell me which room she’s in, please?” Asked Kyle, as he leant casually against the counter. The Nurses’ Station was about ten meters square, surrounded by a four foot high wooden counter, with computers and telephones on top of it.


“And you would be?” Asked the nurse, barely looking up from her clipboard and not pausing as she jotted down notes on a sheet of paper. She’d been told, by the older detective, not to let a certain Detective Darius in to see Detective Komarovsky, in fact he’d been quite adamant about that.


“I’m her fiancée,” answered Kyle, after a few seconds, as he looked the woman up and down. She was at least ten years younger than him, with curly jet black hair, a fraction over five feet tall and slightly overweight.


“Her fiancée,” said the nurse, finally looking up from her clipboard. From what she’d heard, Detective Komarovsky was being a ‘difficult’ patient, or at least she had been until the doctor had threatened to keep her in for seventy two hours, instead of just twenty four. “Down this corridor all the way to the end, then take a left, Room Two Zero One. You can’t miss it, there’s a cute cop sitting outside,” added the nurse.


“Thanks,” said Kyle, before he turned away and started down the corridor. Reaching the end he turned left, looking up as he started down the new corridor. Ahead he could see the uniformed officer sitting on a chair outside the room, trying to look alert and vigilant despite the open magazine that lay across his knees. Reaching the door he flashed his badge to the officer, who simply nodded and then went back to reading his magazine, as Kyle pushed open the door of the room and stepped inside.


“KYLE!” Yelled a familiar, welcome, voice in greeting as he entered the room and closed the door. Quickly he crossed the small space to the bed where Katya lay, taking her gently in his arms as she hugged him. “Oh God, I missed you my love,” she added, wrapping her arms gently around him as he held her.


“I missed you too, my love,” he said, softly, being careful not to hold, or squeeze, her too tightly as they hugged. Although he’d known she was okay, a part of him hadn’t completely believed it until he saw and held her. After another thirty seconds or so he’d finally released her, stepping back slightly as she settled back onto the bed. She was surrounded by machines, heart monitor, ECG and an IV drip hooked up into her arm. Carefully he perched himself on the edge of her bed, close enough that she could reach his hand and her fingers curled gently around his as soon as she found them. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, you got that,” he added, although his voice was soft as he spoke. Realizing that Katya had been shot, he’d never been so scared in all his life, not even during the worst of the firefights in Iraq. He’d only just found Katya, he didn’t want to lose her.


He squeezed her hand gently, his fear of losing her finally starting to subside now that he was with her and he knew she was alive and safe, although he knew those feelings wouldn’t pass completely until she was out of hospital and back home. He thought about telling her about his confrontation with Bryan but decided against it, not wanting to put her under any more stress. “So, beautiful, how’d you feel?” He asked; finally, although he could guess just by the pained expression she wore. Although her vest had stopped the rounds he knew it had to have hurt like hell.


She grinned at his command not to get hurt again. “I promise Kyle. Next time I want to be laying in a hospital bed in four or five years from now with our new baby in my arms. “ Katya chuckled at the look on his face. Every time she mentioned them have kids Kyle got a deer in headlights look. They had discussed kids and he wanted kids but the concept of being a dad still boggled his male mind she thought. “Several years down the road my love. Calm your nerves.” She patted his hand lightly.


“How do I feel? Like I got run over by a truck. Just my luck to get hit in the gut and the head. Sorry, I hit my head. I should sue the bank for putting the planter right there....” The both laughed at that. “I should get the IV out soon and be out of here by lunch time at the latest. I’m here for ‘observation’,” Katya used finger quotes. “I have to come back in a couple of days for another MRI to make sure all the BB’s have settled back into place then I’m on bed rest for the rest of the week. I like that part....” Her hand rubbed up and down his thigh.


“The doctor tapped on my stomach and asked me ‘How does this feel?’ so I replied: About as good as a lifetime of parking tickets and I can arrange that. Then he threatened to stick me in the psych ward on a 72 hour just because I blew in his stethoscope.” The doctor was young and full of himself. Only Katya could be that way.


Laying back, Katya smiled at him. “How did your review go? They got me when I still down in the ER. Went okay I think but God, was Bryan pissed they showed up.... The nurse damn near threw him out because he was so loud. Oh! And she saved this!” Katya held up her left hand to wiggle her fingers to show off the ring. It wasn’t fancy but to her it was the most wonderful treasure on earth!.


“I’m on desk duty, until the review is finished, but that’s standard procedure. The preliminary interview went good, I guess, and I don’t expect there will be any problems. After all, we both identified ourselves as police officers, and they fired first, and we didn’t hit any innocent bystanders either,” said Kyle, in answer to her question about the shooting review. Of course, the investigation wasn’t over yet, but he was fairly confident that the review would come out in their favor.


Sitting on the edge of her bed, he squeezed her hand gently, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on her lips before he spoke again. “You do realize that bed rest means resting, right,” he said, with a sly grin. “And we’ll have plenty of time for babies, my love,” he added, after a few more seconds. Whilst the idea of being a parent, of having that responsibility, scared him, he knew it was a good kind of scared, and he knew that when they did finally start a family Katya would be a wonderful mother.


“You should have seen him when I arrived, I thought he was going to blow a blood vessel his face was so red. I swear, the way he’s acting you’d think he was the one engaged to you,” said Kyle, in response to her words about Bryan. He left it at that, though, choosing not to go into detail about the argument they’d had in the stopped elevator car.


He stayed another hour and a half, the two of them talking softly or just enjoying the closeness of the other, watching but not really watching the TV. Finally, a few minutes after ten thirty, the nurse poked her head around the door to the room. “Visiting time is over for today, I’m afraid you’ll have to leave, sir,” said the nurse.


“I love you, Katya Komarovsky,” said Kyle, softly, as he leant in and kissed her softly, their embrace lingering before they finally broke apart.


“And I love you too,” said Katya, pulling Kyle back for one last kiss before she watched as he left the room.


Hearing that about Bryan concerned her. Being concerned was one thing but this was getting unhealthy. “He worries Kyle,” Katya said softly. “I’ll talk with him. Again. Remember that he did deep undercover too and for a lot longer. I didn’t mention that he...got found out. I don’t know the details and I don’t want to but I guess was in Mexico. One of the cartels had him for...days I guess.” The look of shock on Kyle’s face displaced some the anger he felt about the older man. What the cartels could do to a person was beyond sadistic. Katya held her fiance’s hand tight. “He doesn’t have a ‘you’ like I have in you. I’m his little girl and between me and the job this is all he’s got.”


She didn’t mention one of her darkest fears: that one day all those demons would finally get to Bryan and deal with them once and for all.

---

Chapter Six

When the door closed behind Kyle, the nurse came back in for a moment to take the IV out of her arm. With that out, she get a little more comfortable. Katya wasn’t sure she would be able to sleep without Kyle next to her. However, between the residue exhaustion and the fact that the window overlooked the freeway with the cars acting like ‘sheep’ she fell asleep quite quickly. Even the nurses coming in to check on her pupils reacted every so often didn’t wake her up. The light snores told them that she was sleeping dead to the world.


Breakfast, Katya found, was no better them supper in terms of flavor. Oatmeal, with skim milk, scrambled egg whites, and industrial strength blue jello. Why blue? She didn’t know. Maybe they needed a contrast with the orange juice and, puke, decaf coffee. Katya ate every bit of it though because she was famished.


The doctor stopped by and she acted quite proper and prim. That didn’t fool him though and he stayed on the other side of the room unless he needed to. Katya had to report for an MRI at the end of the week and the call if she felt odder than normal. She added the last part.


And with that, she was sprung! At least until Kyle came by at noon with a change of clothes and a ride home.


In the meantime she had to call her folks. They had heard about the shooting and one of the TV reports showed Kyle leaving the bank. Of course they put 2 and 2 together and got 5. Katya spent an hour on the phone talking alternately in English and Russian trying to reassure them that their little girl was okay and not at death’s door. A couple of times she hit the phone receiver against the bed frame to get them to stop talking. A nurse was taking her blood pressure and thought reminded her of her family except they were from Alabama.


“Very funny Kyle now where’s my clothes?” She was standing in the room in her hospital pajamas with a wheelchair ready to go. Kyle was in front of her holding the clothes he brought out in front of him with a huge grin.


“These are all I got and unless you want to meet everybody in the pajamas...” He started laughing at how huge her eyes got and how she ran to the window to look at the parking lot. It was packed with patrol cars with lights flashing.


“You bastard. I know where you sleep,” Katya growled as she started stripping out of her PJ’s.


That was why Detective-Second Grade Yekaterina Ivanova Komarovsky was where pink & white sneakers, pastel pink socks, pepto bismal-pink jeans, a white t-shirt with a Hello Kitty in a pink police uniform, and a pink baseball hat with a pink propeller on it as Kyle wheeled her out. The hallway lined and the lobby packed with cops. Cameras all over the place taking pictures from every angle. As they had left the room a bouquet of pink roses were shoved into her arms and pink balloons were tied to the wheelchair.


“You are so dead Kyle Darius,” she kept saying behind a forced smile as she waved to everyone.


Although the idea for the clothes had been Kyle’s, he was sure that Katya would get a kick out of the fun outfit once she’d calmed down and stopped planning how she was going to hunt him down and kill him, it had been Devon and Mikey who’d organized everything else. They’d called around all the other precincts in Willowburg, arranging for the gathering of cops and other emergency personnel who were waiting for Katya as Kyle wheeled her out of the hospital.


Once they’d finally run the gauntlet of cheering cops, even the nurses and the doctor who’d been treating her had joined in the fun, Kyle wheeled Katya into the elevator and hit the button that would take them down to the parking lot level. As the door closed Kyle knelt beside the wheelchair where Katya sat, gently pushing her back into the chair as she tried to stand up. “Nuh uh, you stay put young lady,” said Kyle, with a teasing smile as Katya slumped back into the wheelchair with a soft ‘hrmpf’ sound. The only person who hadn’t been there to see Katya leave was Bryan, he’d still been at the precinct when Kyle had left but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t turn up. And given the way he’d been acting, Kyle didn’t want to risk any kind of confrontation.


As the elevator reached the parking lot and the doors opened Kyle resumed pushing Katya in her wheelchair, heading towards where he’d parked the Camaro. Once Katya had entered the elevator the cops had all headed off to continue your duties, so the parking lot was clear and empty as they made their way to the car. Reaching the car, Kyle had pushed her around to the passenger side and opened the door, before he scooped Katya up in his arms and kissed her softly, before he gently set her in the seat. Leaving her to fasten her seatbelt, Kyle had returned the wheelchair to the hospital, leaving it with an orderly who promised to make sure it got back to the right place. Returning to the car, he started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, guiding the Camaro towards their condo.


Neither of them were aware of the figure hiding in the shadows, watching as Kyle lifted Katya into the car.


The drive back to their condo had been quick, as Kyle guided the Camaro through the early afternoon traffic. With most people still at work there had been few cars on the streets. Pulling the car into their assigned parking space, Kyle had moved around to open the passenger door for Katya as she climbed out. He had the afternoon off, he was still waiting for the final decision from the shooting review before he could resume his regular duties, and having caught up with all his paperwork there wasn’t anything for him to do at the precinct except sit in his office so the captain had told him to take the rest of the day off. Taking Katya by the hand he walked with her to their condo, maybe that evening they could take a walk along by the marina, if the weather held out. Entering the condo, he let Katya go through to the bedroom so she could change whilst he went out onto the balcony for a smoke.


The death threats to Kyle had continued but she was quickly getting into the spirit of the thing. Nobody had to order all these people to show up, they did so because she was a fellow officer. Katya would have done the very same thing too. So she quickly was waving to people, blowing a few kisses at one’s she knew, and having her cheeks go pink at seeing the cameras. All in all, she had a great time! She was still going to kill Kyle...


Walking into the condo she stopped for a moment a gave a sigh of happiness. “Good to be home...” she said with a smile. “Good to have you home,” Kyle replied and gave her a gentle hug so as not to cause pain.


When Katya went to change, she looked at her naked body in the full-length mirror and gave a small shudder. She had never been vain about her appearance. Back in high school there were some girls who were jealous about good looking she was without even trying. Katya had just blown them off. When she had been recruited for the Intelligence unit, she had met with a woman who had taken her under her wing for week. Just what the woman had done in her life Katya never found out. Just that she had worked for one of those government agencies with lots of letters in its name.


She was taught to use her femininity and her beauty to distract and to entice enough to get what she wanted. It was a dangerous game because it was easy to go too far and she would have to do something that turned her stomach. Not so much that she did it, but that her body actually responded with pleasure from it. Bryan somehow always seemed to know. After a job was done he would take her out on a ‘date’ someplace where it was safe for them. Sometimes a fancy dinner and movies or a day at an amusement park. Just things to let her know that she was special.


“Whatcha lookin at good lookin?” Kyle said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms about her shoulders. He hid the pained look in his eyes at seeing the mass of multicolored bruises on her abdomen, the spot of her temple where the wound had stitched closed with more bruising, and finally all the spots on her body where she had fallen and bruised.


“A modern art masterpiece!” Katya grunted and then leaned back into his body. “Can I asked a favor? I want to take a nap and would like you to hold me. I’ve missed you so much...”


Kyle kissed the top of her head before leading his love to their bed. He stripped down and snuggled up next to her. “I miss you too Katya...” he whispered in her ear.

 

[mypgems]

Chapter Seven

The next three days seemed to pass almost in slow motion as Kyle remained on desk duty as he waited for the shooting review board to finish their investigation, but as dull and tedious as it was for him, he knew it had to be much worse for Katya. At least he had the distraction of work, getting out of the condo, Katya didn’t have that. All she had was Daytime TV, although he’d noticed that the stack of unwatched DVD’s they had had grown a lot smaller. On the plus side the captain usually let him leave early in the afternoon, Kyle had worked more than enough unpaid overtime, as he stayed late to try and break a case, that his leaving a few hours early for a few days was simply rebalancing the books. Another nice change was that he and Katya actually got to eat a proper dinner in the evening, something they rarely got the chance to do because they were usually so beat and tired when they got home from work.


One thing he had also noticed was that since Katya had come out of the hospital Bryan hadn’t been in to work at all. When he’d asked the captain had simply said that the lieutenant had asked for a few days of vacation time.


Kyle was sitting in his office, reading through witness statements from a murder case he and Katya had worked the previous year, when the knock on his door came. The case was due to go to trial in a few weeks and Kyle had been called to testify, so he was using his time to familiarize himself with the details once more. If he didn’t do it now, whilst he had the chance, he didn’t know when he’d be able to find the time once he was finally returned to active duty. Looking up he easily spotted the two men standing in the open doorway, recognizing them as Detectives Moore and Johnson from the shooting review team, who’d interviewed him a few days earlier. “Come in,” said Kyle, as he set the folders he’d been studying back down on his desk.


“Thank you,” said Moore, as the two men entered the small office and, as Kyle pointed towards the chairs in front of his desk, both men sat down. Lifting his briefcase, Moore laid it on the desk and popped the locks, rummaging inside as he searched for something. Whilst Moore searched for whatever it was he was looking for, his partner reached into his own briefcase and pulled out something in an evidence bag, which he handed over to Kyle.


“I believe this belongs to you, sergeant,” said Johnson, as he handed over the evidence bag, which contained a handgun, to Kyle.


“It does, thank you,” said Kyle, softly, as he took the bag that contained his Remington R1. Opening it, he took the pistol out and checked it was unloaded before he pulled open a drawer in his desk and removed a clip and his shoulder harness. Slipping the clip into place, he put the shoulder rig on before he slid the big, heavy, pistol into the holster and adjusted the straps slightly so the whole rig hung comfortably against his right side. “I take it this means your investigation is over?” He added, after a few more seconds.


“Indeed it does,” answered Moore, as he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled a manila file from his briefcase and handed it to Kyle, before he closed his briefcase once more. “Detective, it is the findings of the shooting review board that your actions, and those of Detective Komarovsky, were entirely justified. You both identified yourselves as police officers and did not open fire until fired upon, which left you little choice but to act in order to protect your own lives and the lives of the hostages.” Added Moore, as Kyle opened the file and quickly scanned the contents. “Also, with regard to your actions and the disregard you displayed for your own lives by entering the building, you are both being recommended for Department Citations and awards for ‘Bravery Beyond the Call of Duty’,” finished Moore.


“Thank you,” said Kyle, trying not to sound as relieved as he felt. In his mind there had been no doubt that the review board would find in their favor, but it was still a major relief to have that weight finally removed. There was also the added bonus that now he could finally get out from behind his desk and get back to doing his job.


With a slight nod to the detective, the two shooting review officers rose from their seats and left the office, leaving Kyle alone to read through their report. Finishing the report he closed the folder and set it down on his desk, lounging back in his chair for a few seconds before he leant forward and picked up the phone. He wanted to share the news with Katya, especially the fact that not only had they been cleared but that they’d also been recommended for awards at least in part because of what she’d said to the officers who had interviewed her.


The receiving phone rang four times before Katya answered, her voice sounding like music to Kyle’s ears. “Hey, beautiful,” said Kyle, as she answered the phone.
-------------------------------------------------------------


It was a lovely and lazy Friday afternoon and Katya was bored out of her mind! After enduring the MRI test the previous day, then waiting forever for the images to get read, the doctor had given her the all clear to return to work this morning. Which was great except that it was Friday and the captain said not to come in until Monday morning. For an active girl like her that was intolerable! She had been watching movies but after awhile that got old.


With Kyle at work, at his desk but still work, the only way it had been bearable was the fact that for the past couple of days her parents were paying a visit. They had clucked and mother henned all the time they were here. Svetlana had cooked up some of Katya’s favorites in the kitchen. They were Russian based but after all these years there was plenty of American influences too. Kyle had earned points for suggesting she open a Russian/American fusion restaurant. He lost a couple with Katya when he suggested that she dress up in the pink nightmare so he could take pictures with her folks. He lost even more when he dad said they were going up on his facebook page.


Now that they were gone, she was bored. They wouldn’t get kicked out if she dropped water balloons off of the balcony, wouldn’t they? Probably.... That was why when she heard Bryan’s voice over the security intercom at the building’s door she nearly jumped for joy.


“Hey there Red,” he smiled as she gave him hug and showed him into the condo. As he was coming in, Katya realized that he had never been over here. Several times she had invited him for dinner but Bryan had always declined. Why was he here now?


She guided him over to the couch and offered him something to drink when she went to get some lemonade. The real stuff, made with real lemons. “No thanks Katya and I’ll guess that I’ll come right to the point about why I’m here.” She saw him lay a folder down on her side of the couch.


“Sounds serious LT...” she said softly as she walked back and sat down to read it.


“It is. And this was in no way an easy thing for me to write but I’d like you to sign it with me.”


Katya stared at him for a moment and then began reading. It was less than ten pages long of single spaced text. At first her face showed puzzlement, then surprise, then shock as she read through the pages. Without thinking, her hand covered her mouth to hold back a gasp. By the time she was done read Katya’s face was white in a wide mix of emotions. “Bryan, what the hell is this?” she asked, holding up the file to him.


“It is what it is Katya.”


“Bryan.... This isn’t a report, this is nearly grounds for an indictment of Kyle! Are you out of your mind?!” She felt anger but it was deadened by the sheer horror that she was feeling. Where the hell was he coming from with all of this?


“He nearly got you killed Katya. You and whole lot of other people in that bank. Procedure says you wait for backup, for SWAT, for the negotiators.” He ticked each off on a finger.


The file got slammed against her leg. “You know as well as I do that ‘procedure’ goes out the fucking window the moment the gun is fired! And since when did you or me *ever* use procedure? We made it up as we went along.”


“This is different....”


“The hell it is Bryan! What’s in the book is good for guidance, so we know what not to do. What Kyle did was right its also what I would have done too! Maybe not the same way but I wouldn’t have sat on my ass.” Katya got up and started walking around. Just what had gotten into him? She’ll burn this stupid report rather than see his embarrassed. “The Bryan I knew would have done it too.”


“You’ve changed Katya and not for the better,” he said calmly, his eyes staring at her. “You were never this impetuous. You were careful, always planning four steps ahead and two behind. Now you’re becoming like him. Maybe I should never brought you into the unit.”


The pacing she had been doing stopped and she looked at her mentor like he was out of his mind. “What?”


“Yes. I shouldn’t have. You could have had a better life instead of being a cop. You would have been safer and....” Bryan stood up, walked over to Katya and placed his hands on her shoulders. “There’s still time Red. I can pull a few strings and get you an instructor position at Quantico or even Langley. With your experience...”


Shaking her head, she looked up at him. “Remember, the Fed’s hate me for blowing their operation. They would never....”


“The Don’s dead. They’ve done housecleaning and with the selling I’ll do they’ll snatch you up in a second.”


There was something seriously wrong here. She didn’t know what but she had to get him help. “I’m not leaving Bryan. I like my job and I love Kyle. He wouldn’t leave and so I can’t either.” Katya didn’t notice the slight extra squeeze of his hands at that moment.


“That’s why you have to go. To save yourself from him. I’m the only one who can do that for you Red.”


Her head wa spinning at all of this, his words were so insistent so.... Before she could think anymore the phone rang and Katya stepped back from Bryan to answer it. “Just a sec, k?” Picking up the phone her face brightened at hearing Kyle’s voice on the line. “Hey sweetie! How are they hanging?” With her back turned to him, she didn’t notice Bryan’s face darken. “A surprise? I hate sur... Okay....Uh...Hold that thought.”


Katya pressed a couple of buttons on the phone to put it on hold. “Bryan, It’ll be just a moment. I gotta take this in the other room.” He nodded slightly as she put the receiver down and went into the bedroom and closed the door most of the way. He just stared at the phone.


“Okay, I’m back. What? Oh nothing. So what’s the news?” She sat on the edge of the bed, listening patiently. Then her jaw dropped. “You are shitting me? You aren’t? That’s unbelieveable Kyle! Oh yeah I know! I figured the review would be clean but I didn’t think it would be this quick and the citation? Damn.... What? Yeah I bet the publicity was a factor. There wasn’t anything obvious, nobody except the bad guys and me of course, got hurt. Makes the department look good. Yeah and us too!”


She laid back on the bed and listened to a conversation Kyle was having with the Captain. Her fist then punched the air above her. “I heard!” she squealed. “Two weekends in a row! I LOVE it! What? Casey’s? Of course I’m up to it. I might not drink but I’m up to hanging up with y’all.” Casey’s Pub was a local watering hole for cops. “However the rest of this weekend is you and me. Got it? Yes....yes.... I’ll throw you and the bed and have my way with you. Naked. All weekend? Of course I won’t shut up! Just because Mikey is there is no reason to. Now where was I? Oh yes! I’ll ride that big cock of yours nice and slow. Every time you are about to cum I’ll stop and you won’t be able to do jack about it cuz you’ll be tied down at my mercy. I’ll let you suck my nipples and stop saying ‘stop’. Want me to catched a cab and crawl under your desk and..... Hah! Funny guy! Seriously though Kyle... I want to spend all weekend in bed with you. At the very least naked. Mmmmmm.... Oh you know I adore cherries and whipped cream... Yeah...you had better go. Give me a call when you leave and when you get here. Love you too!”


Katya sighed happily as she laid on the bed. All the worries had been blown away. A hand drifted down between her thighs for a second before she remembered.... “Bryan!”


Springing to her feet, she race back into the living room and saw that it was empty. “DamnDamnDamn....” she muttered. There was something wrong she knew but the rush of emotions from Kyle’s phone call deadened them. She resolved to help her friend somehow.


Finally Kyle put the phone down and turned to Devon, Mikey and the captain, who had all come into his small office whilst he was on the phone to Katya. Even though the other three men were all standing, Kyle remained sitting behind his desk to hide the effect his conversation with Katya had had on him. Looking up at the other three, the captain’s face was set like stone, unreadable, but Devon and Mikey were both grinning like idiots. “So, what time are we meeting up at Casey’s?” Asked Kyle, with a glance at his watch.


“Eight thirty,” answered Mikey, glancing at Devon, who nodded. Although neither of them had been worried that the shooting review board would find against Kyle, or Katya, there had always been a slight doubt in both their minds. Several years ago there had been several officer involved shootings where the suspects had been either unarmed or the officers had fired first, which had brought a lot of bad publicity onto the department and the way those incidents were handled. Ever since then the shooting review board had been getting tougher and officers had been disciplined for excessive, or unnecessary, use of force as the department tried to rebuild its image and regain the public trust. Not that this was a bad thing, after all no one wanted the public to believe that the police were just killers protected by a badge, that they were above the law, but there had to be a balance so that if an officer had to use his weapon he didn’t hesitate because he was scared of the repercussions if he did.


“We’ll be there,” said Kyle, after a couple of seconds. It had been a while since he and Katya had been to Casey’s, most nights after work they were just too beat to do more than go home, eat and then go to bed, and on their days off they usually had other things to do. But they both liked Casey’s, it was small and friendly and Casey, the owner, had been a cop with the Willowburg PD for over thirty years before he’d finally retired and brought the bar. So long as you had your badge with you, the first drink was free for any serving, or retired, cop.


“And would you object to your captain coming along too?” Asked the captain, who was standing in the open doorway to the small office. He tended not to socialize with the officers from the precinct, partly because he was their superior but mostly because outside the precinct he didn’t really know any of them. He’d transferred to the precinct from New York, so he didn’t really have that same bond with them as another officer would have, no shared memories of the academy or patrolling the streets in uniform. He’d attended the engagement party for Kyle and Katya, though, had found he’d missed that sense of camaraderie and had vowed to spend more time getting to know his detectives and patrol officers outside the precinct.


“Er, yeah, sure, captain,” said Mikey, after a few seconds, once he’d finally got over his surprise. Apart from attending the engagement party, Mikey had never known the captain to just hang out with any of them.


“I understand the first round is on the house, but would any of you object if I bought the second?” Added the captain, before he started to turn away to leave.


“In that case, captain, you’re more than welcome,” said Mikey, with a grin.


“One more thing,” started the captain, turning back towards Kyle, Mikey and Devon. “Congratulations, to both you and Detective Komarovsky, your conduct is a credit to this precinct and the badge we all wear.” Added the captain, looking straight at Kyle and pausing for a handful of seconds before he continued. “Now, Detective Darius, go home. That’s an order,” finished the captain, before he turned smartly and headed back towards his own office.


Once the captain had left, Mikey and Devon sat down on the opposite side of the desk to Kyle. The three of them chatted for about twenty minutes or so, Devon and Mikey telling Kyle about a case they were working, involving a young woman who had been abducted a couple of days ago. They didn’t have a whole lot to go on; the victim hadn’t seen her abductor so she couldn’t give them a description. All she could tell them was that she’d never forget his voice, or the way he’d kept calling her ‘Red’ and saying that he wanted to ‘protect’ her. Both detectives thought it was probably just a prank that had got out of hand, but they weren’t willing to just dismiss it as such, because they both knew that it could also just as easily be the beginning of something a lot more serious.


Once Devon and Mikey had left, Kyle tidied up his desk, which basically meant he opened a drawer and swept all the papers and everything else on top of it into the drawer and then closed it. Once that was done he grabbed his jacket and left the office, waving to Devon and Mikey as he went, reaching for his cellphone as he reached the elevator. “Hey, honey, I’m on my way home. Why don’t you slip into something whilst you wait for me,” he said, once Katya had answered. He stepped into the elevator car and hit the button to go down to the parking lot.


“Oh, really? Any suggestions?” Replied Katya.


“Hmm, why don’t you surprise me,” he answered.


“Hmmmm.... Could tie you up and let you have a taste of a whip? Nah....I’ll be gentle since you’re so delicate. See you soon my love.”


After she hung up Katya went to put away a few things before changing. The glass on the table in front of the couch reminded her of the conversation she had had with Bryan earlier. There was something really wrong. He was over protective but this was a big step too far! The report wasn’t a report at all, a report has facts while this one was just opinion. Bryan’s opinion about Kyle and in, a way, her. She wished that she had read it more thoroughly or that he had left it here so she could go over it again. It was just bizarre...


Katya wasn’t sure what she was going to do about Bryan. He needed help she knew but how to convince him of that? At least with the citations and the report coming out he wouldn’t dare try and push what he had written. He’d be laughed out of the department. Could she talk to Kyle about it? Probably not because of the bad blood there. Not the captain either. She would think of something Katya knew.


Dismissing all of it, she went into the bedroom to look for a suitable something to wear for Kyle when he came home. It only took her moments to find the right combination of things....


When Kyle came through the door what he saw made his heart stop due to blood being diverted to other areas of the body. There in front of him was Katya sitting on a chair dressed in a lacey red corset that hooked in the front and pushed her breasts up so the nipples were barely hid. It created a monumental shelf of cleavage. On her crossed legs were red hose with eleastic at the thigh holding them. On her feet, 6 inch red pumps.


“Welcome home my love....” she said with a smile.

---

Chapter Eight

For Kyle, the drive home from the precinct had seemed to take forever even though it had only taken a fraction over forty five minutes. Normally it took less than half an hour, but the traffic had been heavier than normal because it was Friday and everyone was leaving work early so they could get home for the weekend. It also didn’t help that every stoplight he came to seemed to be red. As he found himself at yet another stoplight, Kyle slipped a disc into the car CD player, tapping the steering wheel in rhythm to the music as the classic Iron Maiden song ‘Phantom of the Opera blasted from the speakers. It was one of his all-time favorite songs; he had it as the ringtone on his phone and his alarm.


Guiding the Camaro through the streets, Kyle felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, which it had with the results of the shooting review finally come through. Now he could get back to doing the job he loved. Pulling the car into the parking lot of the complex where he had his condo, Kyle slid the car neatly into the parking space and killed the engine. Lighting a cigarette, he waited a few seconds before he left the car and headed for the entrance to the condo.
Walking across to the condo, Kyle let his mind wander, trying to picture what outfit Katya might have chosen. Of course she knew the things he liked, and she always seemed happy to indulge him. Reaching the door he slipped his key into the lock, unlocking the door and entering the condo.


Entering the lounge, Kyle stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Katya. “Welcome home my love,” she said, with a broad, bright smile.


“Oh, wow,” said Kyle, once he’d finally regained the power of speech. Katya looked fantastic, better than anything he had imagined, the red of her outfit complimenting her pale skin and blonde hair. Taking off his jacket he tossed it towards a corner of the room, slipping out of his shoulder harness too and placing it on the couch before he moved towards her. Taking Katya in his arms he kissed her long and deep, his hands caressing and exploring her body as she responded to his kiss.


As their kiss broke he took a half step back from her, letting his eyes caress her as she leant back on the chair she was sitting on and extended one leg towards him. He stepped back a little more, his eyes lingering on her legs for a few seconds before they drifted and roved all over her. Already he was pulling off his tie and shirt, taking her in his arms once more before he kissed her hard. Pushing her back onto the chair, he knelt in front of her and lifted her legs, turning to trailing gentle kisses along her nylon covered thighs. “You’re a very, very bad girl,” said Kyle, softly, giving her a teasing grin as he realized she wasn’t wearing panties. “What am I going to do with you,” he added, as he trailed more kisses slowly up and down her legs. It was a rhetorical question; he knew exactly what he was going to do to, and with, her although if Katya had any better ideas than what he was planning he was open to suggestions.


Slowly his kisses trailed higher up her thighs as she parted her legs slightly, teasing her as she ran her fingers through his hair and tried to pull his head closer to the heat between her legs. Resisting, Kyle moved up to take her lips in a deep kiss; his fingers undid the first half dozen or so hooks that held her corset together, his hand sliding inside to gently cup and caress her breasts. Trailing kisses down her neck, his hands caressed her all over, touching and teasing, all the time keeping himself out of her reach.


She didn’t know what was more enticing: his reaction to her or her reaction to him. Kyle’s strong hands along her skin caused goosebumps to form and make her nipples all the harder. Then his kissed so near but not touching her heat.... Katya had to bite her lip to stop from sighing. He was playing a game she knew and she could play one too.


“I’ll admit that I have been quite bad and probably should be punished too. Are you going to use your billy club on me officer?” The tip of her shoe stroked the large bulge in his pants. Up and down it moved until Kyle pulled away with a soft groan. “Better frisk me throughly officer and make sure I’m not hiding anything......anywhere. I could be very dangerous.”


“You could be at that. I shouldn’t take any chances with you.” He went behind her and guided her hands behind her. Pulling his cuffs from a pocket, he lightly clicked them around Katya’s wrists. Not tight enough to cause marks but enough to restrain her. Kyle reached around to grasp her breasts through the fabric and give them a squeeze. Much firmer this time.


Katya moaned softly at feeling his fingers flick at her nipples. Then he started to lift her up to her feet and stepped around the chair. “Going to take me in officer?” she whispered, trying to press her ass against him but he kept stepping back to prevent her.


Kyle sighed heavily as her shoe and foot rubbed against the bulge that had formed in his pants almost the instant he’d entered the house and saw her. She knew just how to play him, but this time he was determined not to give in to her and that he would maintain control. Removing his cuffs from the pouch on his belt he gently cuffed her hands behind her back, he knew she enjoyed it when he took charge.


Once he had her hands cuffed he gently pushed the fabric of her corset down, exposing her breasts so he could cup and squeeze them, being a little rougher than before, but not too rough. As he massaged her breasts his fingers found her hard nipples, nipping and pulling them gently but firmly which caused a series of long, soft, deep sighs and moans of pleasure to escape her lips. Gently he helped her to her feet, stepping back and dodging as she tried to push her ass back against him. “Going to take me in, officer?” She asked, her voice soft, almost breathy.


“Maybe,” answered Kyle, moving to one side of her as he started to led her through to the bedroom. “Depends on whether or not you’re a good girl,” he added, as he guided her through the open door of the bedroom and then across to the bed.


Gently pushing her down onto the bed, he knelt beside her and kissed her long and hard, his tongue flicking against her lips and tongue as her lips parted for him. Breaking the kiss slowly, nipping her bottom lip gently as they parted, he trailed kisses down her neck to her breasts. Nipping and sucking her nipples gently, he slid a hand down over her tummy and began to gently stroke his fingers against her pussy, teasing her even as long, deep sighs of pleasure and desire escaped her lips. Slowly he slid a finger inside her, his thumb stroking against her pleasure bud as he continued to nip at her hard nipples. Only when he was ready did he move, slowly unhooking her corset to expose her breasts and tummy fully before he gently trailed kisses down her body.


Kneeling between her legs he trailed kisses up and down her thighs before he finally slid his fingers from her pussy, using them to spread her open before he gently flicked his tongue inside her. More sighs and moans of pleasure escaped Katya’s lips as he flicked his tongue gently inside her, his little fingertip gently pressing against her ass as she pushed her hips against him and another deeper, groan of surprise and desire escaped her.


She knew that she could ask him at anytime to release the cuffs and that he would. That made the game just a game. Just imagining herself under the control of Kyle though... Totally and completely. Well it made it her wetter than she thought she could be. He took her into their bedroom and turned her around to lay her on her back. “I might have been very, very bad officer. I leave it up to you if you think I need to be punished.”


Both feet dangled off of the bed as she looked up at Kyle. First the kiss to her lips and then to her nipples before his fingers started their magic. Then the corset was unbuttoned so Katya was naked but for the stockings and shoes. Soft moans came from her lips at the light kisses of of his lips. A touch of his finger at her anus made her gray eyes grow large. They had played with it but hadn’t gone any further than that.


A hard suckle on her clit cause Katya to lift her hips up and give a long whimper. Her fingers under her clenched and unclenched while her head rocked back and forth. “Oh yes....officer. You...you have to make sure...Mmmmmmm...that I’m not hiding anything. Anywhere.” Kyle lifted his head up so their eyes met. She gave him a tiny nod that got a grin in reply. His head lowered as he went to back to work. Her body shivering and her breath getting faster and faster until...


Kyle pulled back as she gave a soft cry of need. “Time to check you for other hidden items naughty girl...” He gently rolled her onto her stomach with her ass up in the air.


Gently Kyle licked and sucked on her clit, his fingertip gently probing and teasing her ass, pressing lightly against her as his tongue flicked and teased her pussy. Her long legs hooked over his shoulders, her feet and heels resting against his back as her body writhed with the pleasure he was giving her. After a few minutes he slowly lifted his head up from between her legs, sliding a finger inside her as he continued to tease her. The look she gave him was all the encouragement he needed.


Several minutes passed, as Kyle licked and teased Katya without mercy, using his fingers and tongue to push her closer and closer to the edge. Feeling her body writhing more, her legs on his back pulling him closer, he gently slid the tip of his finger into her tight ass, which sent her over the edge.


Once she’d recovered from the climax she’d just experienced, Kyle pulled back from between her legs, standing before he turned to help Katya sit up. Gently he turned her over onto her stomach, her ass in the air and he moved in behind and to one side of her, unbuttoning his pants as he did so.


Slowly his slid two fingers into her hot, wet, pussy, his fingers riding her as his other hand caressed her ass, giving it a gentle slap every now and again. Finally sliding his fingers from her pussy, he used them to cover her ass before he slid a finger into her tight ass, riding it ever so slowly and gently, as his other fingers teased her pussy. Katya sighed and moaned softly as he continued to tease her until Kyle finally stopped, moving in directly behind her to gently brush and rub his hot, hard cock against her ass and pussy. “You’ve been a very bad girl,” said Kyle, giving her ass another gentle slap before he slowly pushed his cock into her pussy.


The orgasm that he was able to bring was just a taste of what was to come and took the edge off of things. Kyle could make her feel such wonderful things! No one else had ever been able to do that to her. Then he turned her over and put a pillow under her stomach to lift her ass up. There were light slaps along with kisses following them. Katya had to bite her lip to avoid crying out too loudly while his fingers explored.


The slight sound of his zipper and the rustle of his pants told her all that she needed to know. Katya’s nose picked up the tiny smell that his confined cock had created. It turned her on even more if possible. Kyle let her ass cheeks cradle his cock between them before sliding back and forth. The tip poked at her anus but he didn’t go any further than that. Soft whimpers came from her lips that grew louder as he pushed into her pussy.


“Mmmmmmm....very bad....You have to punish me officer....” Katya breathed. Kyle slowly pushed forward until he was fully inside her warmth. The different angle caused new sensations that made them both groan in pleasure. For a moment, he just let his cock throb in her while her muscles squeezed in response. “So...big.....perfect....” she moaned.


Kyle brushed her long hair from her back and then leaned forward to kiss Katya’s back before unlocking the cuffs. “Very bad girl but I’ll let you off this one time,” he groaned, moving back and forth slowly with his hands on her hips. She felt so hot and tight!


Hands on her ass and hips, Kyle began to slowly ride Katya from behind, thrusting his cock deep inside her and then withdrawing slowly until just the very tip remained inside her. Then he would pause a few seconds, his hold on her ass stopping her from pushing back against him, before he would thrust back inside her.


Slowly his pace began to quicken, his hold on her ass and hips ensuring that he remained in control, giving her ass a gentle slap whenever she tried a little too hard to push back against him. He kept teasing her ass gently with his finger, his finger riding her ass slowly as he started to fuck her pussy harder and faster. After several minutes he slowed his pace once more, slowly sliding his cock from her hot, tight, pussy and rolling her over onto her back.


Gazing down at Katya, Kyle lifted her legs, turning to trail kisses along her red hose covered legs before he spread them wide. Holding her legs just above the ankles he pushed his cock deep inside her, before he began to ride her hard and fast. His hands slid down to hold her legs at the back of her knees, pushing them back a little as his pace quickened. Resting her legs on his shoulders he began to drive his cock harder and deeper into her, his fingers nipping and pulling her nipples gently as he fucked her hard and deep.


As her second climax hit her he slowed his pace, leaning in to kiss her hard as she rode the waves of ecstasy from her orgasm. As the final throes of her climax washed over them both he knew he was getting close to his own release and he slowed his pace, finally pulling out of her pussy. “Mmm, you’ve been a very bad girl and must be punished,” said Kyle, softly, as he moved onto the bed and knelt beside her. His hard cock brushed against her cheek and he turned her head slightly so she was facing it, his fingers running gently through her hair as he hand curled around his shaft. “Mmm, good girl,” he said, softly, as a low, soft moan escaped him as her lips parted slowly to engulf his cock and she began to suck and stroke him hard.


It was a relief when Kyle finally turned her over. While the sensations from the angle of his cock felt great, she wanted to be able to see her lover when she came. Katya locked her ankles around his neck while her arms were extended to either side to grab at the bedspread. She was determined that Kyle would cum first but that plan was derailed by the hands that encompassed her weighty breasts. The slightest, and gentlest, twist or her rock hard nipples caused her to give a low cry as she orgasmed. Her smaller body shuddering as the muscles spasmed around his cock to try and pull him into the bliss as well.


As Katya recovered, she found that he had cum yet. Before she could say anything, Kyle had adjusted his position. Without a moment's hesitation, her hand grasped his sticky cock and her tongue began to lick it up and down. First to bathe it and then to suckle on the head. He was so hard and ready to cum so she knew it wouldn’t take much to trigger him. Katya’s other hands gave Kyle’s heavy balls a light squeeze and her tongue tickled the little groove on the underside of his cock. WIth a groan and shudder, he erupted in her mouth. Four or five thick spurts of his seed and then a dribble that she lapped up.


When he was finally finished, Kyle laid on the bed next to her. His arm pulling her body close to his as they both recovered. Neither had the strength to say anything for the moment but the looks their eyes gave the other was all that either of them needed. Eventually, they both wandered into the adjoining bathroom to get ready to go out. The small woffs of steam that came out said that they were testing the hot water capacity of the building’s boiler....


The figuring that was glued to the monitor imagined that it was they who was in the shower with Katya....

---

Chapter Nine

“I hate Wednesdays,” said Kyle, as he and Katya stepped out of the elevator at the precinct and headed towards the squad room and their small office. The front of his white shirt was one large coffee stain, which had started to dry, whilst the front of his khaki slacks were also damp from the almost full cup of coffee he’d managed to spill over himself when the lid came off as he tried to drink it. “This was a brand new shirt, too,” he added, grumbling more to himself than anyone else.


“Oh cheer up, there’s only two more days and then we’re off for the weekend,” said Katya, trying not to grin although it was getting harder with every passing second. She’d almost choked on her own coffee as she tried not to laugh, when the lid of Kyle’s had come off and dumped almost the whole cup down his shirt and in his lap. The look on his face had been a picture, and she’d had to look away so he wouldn’t see her grinning.


“Yeah, there is that,” agreed Kyle, as they headed for the small office they shared. It wasn’t the cost of the ruined shirt that bothered him, he brought most of his work clothes at Wal-Mart, it was just the latest in a string of things that had gone wrong that day. The judge had refused to grant them a search warrant in a murder case they were working, their suspect had got himself a high-flying lawyer who probably cost more than he and Katya made in a year combined and the slime had convinced the judge that granting the search warrant would infringe on his clients rights to a fair trial, or something like that. Which meant that Kyle and Katya were going to have to go with whatever evidence they had or could get from other sources, if they wanted to get a conviction.


Reaching their office, the two detectives went inside; the rest of the squad room was more or less empty, except for Detective Scott Carson and his partner, who were over by their desks working on their own cases. Once inside the office Kyle stripped off his sport coat and shoulder rig before he began unbuttoning his shirt, he always kept a spare shirt in a drawer of his desk, just in case. This wasn’t the first time he’d managed to spill something over himself, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. Stripping off his shirt, he pretended not to hear the soft growl that escaped Katya as her eyes lingered on his bare chest, before he pulled on the clean shirt and began to button it up. Kyle had just slipped his shoulder rig back on, the black leather standing out against his white shirt, when there was a knock at the door and a uniformed patrol officer poked his head through the doorway as Katya called out for him to enter.


“Detective Darius, the Captain would like to see you in his office,” said the patrolman, as he stood half in, and half out, of the doorway.


“Now what?” Said Kyle, with a nod towards the officer, who turned on his heel and disappeared as quickly as he could. Picking up his tie from the desk, Kyle clipped it into place and then turned to Katya, who nodded to signal that he looked presentable. “He’s probably gonna ask me to work this weekend,” grumbled Kyle, as he headed for the door. Katya gave him an encouraging smile and he left their office, heading across the squad room to the Captain’s office on the opposite side. Knocking on the door, he waited until the captain called out for him to enter. “You wanted to see me, sir?” Said Kyle, as he entered the office and closed the door behind him.


“Yes, take a seat, Detective,” answered the Captain, looking up from the file he’d been studying before his visitor arrived. Not really sure how to proceed, the captain waited until Kyle was seated before he picked up a file from his desk and flicked briefly through the pages before he spoke.


“What’s this about, sir?” Asked Kyle, as he settled into a chair in front of the Captain’s big desk and let his eyes flick around the room. The wall behind the captain was covered by framed photographs, a few were black and white but most were in color, mementos from the captain’s career Kyle guessed. At least one was the standard graduation picture from the captain’s police academy class.


“Detective, this was submitted to the Commissioner yesterday and he sent it down to me,” said the Captain, as he passed Kyle the file he’d just flicked through. He didn’t really know what else to say, but he felt sure that Kyle should know about the accusations that had been leveled against him, even if they had been dismissed as groundless.


Taking the file, Kyle began to flick through the typed pages it contained, at first puzzled but as he read on that changed to indignation and then anger. Not even bothering to finish the report in the file, Kyle tossed it back onto the captain’s desk and took several deep breaths to control his temper before he finally spoke. “This is bullshit, sir,” said Kyle, softly, once he’d finally calmed down. The file had contained a report and investigation into the shooting at the bank and his conduct before and during it, but unlike the shooting review board whoever had written that report had laid the blame for everything that went down solely on Kyle’s shoulders. About the only thing the reports’ author hadn’t accused him of was shooting first, although given some of the things Kyle had read in it, if they could have found a witness to back them up they would have. “The shooting review board cleared me, cleared both of us, but this, whoever wrote this blames me for everything,” he added, fighting to keep his voice calm.


“I know, detective, and so does the Commissioner,” answered the captain, once he was sure that the detective had stopped ranting, for now. “That’s why you’re here, talking to me, and not the Commissioner or the DA,” he added, after another short pause. The final page of the report had contained a list of recommendations and charges to be laid against Kyle, the least of which was Reckless Endangerment and going all the way up to Second Degree Murder for the deaths of the two bank robbers. “The Commissioner just wanted me to bring this to your attention, and assure you that there will be no repercussions, or any reprimand, resulting from this. Once you leave my office, this is going in the shredder, it’ll be as if it never existed,” added the Captain, pausing again before he finished.


“At least that’s something,” said Kyle, trying to calm down although he was finding it almost impossible. If whoever wrote that report had got it to the review board before they’d reached their conclusion it could have changed the final decision. At the very least he could have found himself facing a disciplinary board, at worst he could have ended up in jail.


“Don’t let this trouble you, detective,” said the captain, as he watched the younger man. The Captain himself hadn’t escaped the report authors’ wrath, either, because he’d allowed Katya and Kyle to remain partnered together even when it was publicly known that they were dating. It was a violation of department policy, but given how short staffed they were and how well the two of them worked together the Captain hadn’t seen any problem. Even the Commissioner had agreed to them remaining together, although the ultimate decision had been the captains.


Kyle picked up the file from the desk and took one last flick through it, his teeth clenching as he saw the name of the author. Lieutenant Bryan Lyons. He should have known. Trying to stay calm, although he found it more than a little hard, the lieutenant had gone too far this time. He knew he was Katya’s friend, but this...this was too much. “Is that all, sir?” He asked, finally, fighting to keep his voice calm.


“Yes,” answered the captain, watching Kyle and recognizing the look in his eyes. “And, detective, whoever wrote this report has already been dealt with. Do not, I repeat do not make things worse. Is that clear?”


“Yes, sir,” bit out Kyle, as he rose to his feet. Leaving the office, Kyle closed the door and then headed for Bryan’s office, but the lieutenant wasn’t there and instead, still fuming, Kyle almost stalked back to his office and slammed the door.


As the door slammed behind him, Kyle lashed out at the nearest object, in this case a four drawer metal filing cabinet. “That fucking sonovabitch,” said Kyle, as he punched the file cabinet twice. The cabinet rocked visibly, the front of the drawer denting under the impacts, and his knuckles came away bloody. “I’ll fucking kill him,” he added, giving the cabinet a hard kick for good measure.


“Kyle? What’s wrong? What did the captain want?” Asked Katya, worry and concern on her face as she watched her fiancé beat the hell out of an innocent file cabinet. She’d never seen him like this before, he was normally so calm. Normally he was the one who calmed her down. Turning towards his fiancée, almost instantly starting to calm down as he gazed into her gentle eyes, Kyle told her about the report that Bryan had submitted.


As she watched the door to the Captain’s off close, Katya then turned her attention to a wall of the office she shared with Kyle. On it was tacked photos and reports and everything else they had about the current case. On the wall behind her was a whiteboard for the scribbling of ideas. Currently it had the remains of a game of hangman. Computers were great but sometimes doing it like this stimulated the brain to connect the dots. That they had learn from Mikey.


How could they get around not having a search warrant... They knew the guy was guilty but to prove it in court was the problem. One of the uses she had when she was undercover was the ability to go places the cops couldn’t without warrants. Most of the stuff she saw or found out couldn’t be used in court. However, it could be used to give the investigators hints or ideas on what to look for or what not to look for. Doing it that way let them build the case legally and get warrants to do searches.


One plus one plus something equals five. What was the ‘something’.... It was there. Katya knew it because she could feel it. Like a tickle.....


The suddenly slam of the office door surprised her enough that Katya had reached for her weapon. Seeing it was Kyle relaxed her for a moment but then she saw his rage. “Kyle? What’s wrong? What did the captain want?” She grabbed his arm to prevent him from killing the file cabinet. In short sentences, he told her.


Two words came out of Katya’s mouth as she sat down: “Oh shit...”


Knowing Kyle was looking at her, she rubbed a hand over her face a couple of times before speaking. “The day you called about the report and the citation. Bryan was at home with me. He showed up out of the blue...”


“Wait...he was at our place Katya? He never comes to our place! What did he want?” Kyle slid into his chair next to her’s. He had a sinking suspicion as to what it was about.


“He had a...report, more like a screed, that he wanted me to read and sign. It wasn’t a report Kyle, it was an indictment against you. It was beyond ridiculous! I couldn’t believe that he actually expect me, ME to sign such a thing!” It actually hurt to think that Bryan could do this to her. He didn’t care for Kyle, Katya knew that but she thought he would at least be....civil she guessed about it. He taken care of her during times that she hadn’t even been able to tell Kyle about. There were open wounds that had scabbed over but Katya didn’t have the courage to pick at them even if it would cause a healing to happen. The pain and memories were too great.


“Why didn’t you say anything to me about it?” he asked softly, touching her shoulder.


“Because after the citation and the rest I didn’t think he would actually go through with it! It was crazy to begin with and after that it would be insane. He was talking about getting me a job as an instructor for the Feebs (the nickname for the FBI) at Quantico. Then you called and I went into the bedroom to talk to you and when I came out, he was gone.” She shook her head several times before looking up at Kyle. “I tried to talk to him about the next Monday but he waved it off. I figured.....I figured he had forgotten about it.”


For several minutes the room was quiet as Kyle put an arm around Katya’s shoulder and she tried not to throw up. It felt like she was being pulled in two different directions even though she knew the one she wanted to go to. “I’m sorry Kyle...” she whispered. “I...I should have told you but I...couldn’t. If I thought Bryan was going to do it, I would have. You know that right? You are the man I love. My heart and my soul. “ Katya looked looked up at him with eyes that were brimming with tears. “I love three men in my life is this order: you, my dad, and Bryan. You always come first....” She buried her face in his chest and she sobbed.


Gently Kyle held Katya in his arms, running his fingers lightly through her hair and rubbing her back, letting her sob into his shirt. Of course he knew she loved him, as much as he loved her, they were soul mates, two halves of the same soul reunited, meant to be together. “I know, my love, my Katya,” he said, softly, his fingers running through her hair. He had no doubts that if she’d even had an inkling that Bryan would go through with submitting his crazy report she would have told him.


“I should have seen this coming, at the hospital, he was threatening to go to the captain, the commissioner, have us broken up if I didn’t take a new partner. I told him to go ahead and take his best shot, I guess he did,” said Kyle, his voice still soft as he held her. He knew Bryan didn’t like him and the feeling was mutual, but they’d always at least tolerated each other because of Katya.


As Katya finally stopped crying she slowly lifted her head from his chest and he gazed down lovingly into her gentle eyes, there were tear streaks down her face and tears still in her eyes but she smiled up at him. Gently he brushed a few stray tears from the corners of her eyes, his fingers trailing down her cheeks to wipe away the tear-streaks from her face before he leant in and kissed her. The kiss was soft and quick, little more than a delicate brush of his lips against hers, but it carried every ounce of the love he felt for her. “Let’s get the hell outta here,” said Kyle, softly, as they finally broke apart and Katya grabbed a tissue from the box on her desk to wipe her face. It was only a little after four but Kyle really didn’t care, they’d worked more than their fair share of overtime in the past so he figured the captain owed them an early mark.


Once Katya had cleaned herself up the two of them left their office and went across to the main desk to sign out for the day, at least they weren’t on emergency overnight call which meant they could just go home and stay there if they wanted. Leaving the squad room, they headed for the elevator, passing Devon and Mikey on the way.


Hearing what went down in the hospital just made Katya shake her head. What had gotten into Bryan?? As always, she wanted to help him but she didn’t know how. He didn’t have any family that she knew of and had always seemed wedded to the job. If he didn’t have that, what did he have? Hearing Kyle’s ‘command’ she gave a nod and packed up her stuff. Normally she didn’t but tonight Katya’s was taking her tablet home with her. It had all the details of the current case and she wanted to work on a couple of thoughts she had been having.


“Look who’s thinking they’re skipping out early!” Devon laughed as the four stopped in the hallway. He and Kyle immediately launched into a discussion about baseball or rugby. Katya couldn’t never keep them straight. Instead, she pulled Mikey off to the side.


“What can I do for you sweet pea?” he asked, his eyes taking in the redness in her’s.


“Bryan,” she said softly. “He did something really, really stupid. He doesn’t like Kyle and he did... I can’t go into details but something is up with him.”


The older man nodded in agreement. “I noticed the lieutenant been extra tightly wrapped lately. Let me guess... He made a play against your betrothed?”


“And it blew up in his face. I’ve tried to talk to him before but he just says things are fine but....”


“I’ll have a chat with him and see if I can find out what’s what, capiche?” Mikey wasn’t friends with the LT, nobody outside of Katya really was, but they were of similar age. Maybe he could edge around and at least get a feel what was up. Actually he thought he had a clue.... Bryan was being the equivalent of a good old-fashion Italian father. No man was good enough for his little girl and even worse, they were living in sin and right under his nose! But he would see what he could do.


“Thank you,” Katya gave him a kiss on each cheek. “One is for you and the other is for your lovely bride.


Mikey gave her a grin and then a gentle nudge towards Kyle. “Take her out of here before I take her home myself.”


Katya gave the pair a wave as the elevator doors closed on her and Kyle.

---

Chapter

MaryBeth Anders was late for a study group the local library and so cut across Marquis Park. It was the shortest route but at night, the spookiest. What with all the trees and the widely spaced lights. The nineteen year old had done it several times before so wasn’t too worried. Besides, she was sticking close to the sidewalk that was nearest to the road that ran through the park. Even at that hour there was a fair amount of traffic so it would be perfectly safe.


She had gone to all the self-defense classes the college had offered and even had a can of pepper spray in her hand. Just in case. The mousy blond’s head swiveled back and forth as she kept her situation awareness updated. The worst thing, Marybeth had been told in the classes, was to not pay attention to what was happening around you. So when the gloved hand clamped around her mouth and a strong arm wrapped around her body to pin her arms to her side. Then to lift her petite body off the ground to go into the deeper shadows she was more pissed than anything. She had done everything right!


Unlike the others, he would not have the time to talk to her and convince her to agree that he knew best how to protect her. No, this one had to be punished for disobeying him. He would punish her by not protecting her. It hurt him dearly but it was for her own good! She needed him like she always had. He had watched out for her for so long and only wanted to save her from all the bad things that were out there. The things that still came to him in the middle of the night and reminded him during the day in the scars he showed no one. It had been so chaotic lately but he had learned how to protect her and that brought blessed silence to the screams he had heard. Her screams as they did....things to him.... No, her. did to her.


“Its for your own good Red,” he whispered into the struggling girl’s ear. Oh he wanted to kiss her at least but he couldn’t. Perhaps that was a punish to her as well. “Now nobody can hurt you. I love you Red. Love you so much....”


A knife point went into the side of her throat until it was fully in. Then it was pushed out to created a jagged but quite effective slice that ripped both carotid arteries. The spray of blood went forward on to the dark grass. In just a few seconds, it was over. He gently laid her on her back before slicing her abdomen open crossways. For her, it would be a way for her soul to escape the flesh and to eventually join him.


As he brushed any tracks in the dirt away, he place a small red ribbon as a placeholder in one of her books that had partially spilled out of a bag. Then with a last, lingering look, he disappeared into the shadows....


“Hey, sleepy, wake up,” said Kyle, turning towards where Katya sat in the Camaro’s passenger seat as they waited at the stop light. He gave her a gentle shake to wake her, but she shook off his hand grumbling softly in her sleep as she settled back against the door and slumped a little lower in her seat. Within a few more seconds she was snoring softly. The light changed and Kyle eased his foot down on the gas, guiding the car back towards the precinct so they could sign out and go home to get some sleep. The past three days they’d pulled the night shift, working a stake out on a suspected drug smuggling ring, but with their own caseload mounting this was supposed to be their last night and they’d be back to their regular routine the next day.


Guiding the car through the streets of downtown Willowburg, Kyle had to admit that it was nice not to have to negotiate so much traffic. This early in the morning most commuters were still at home and the Camaro was mostly sharing the road only with taxi cabs and a handful of police cruisers. Glancing at his watch he realized it was still a little early for them to be signing out, so he decided to head for a coffee shop to kill some time before they had to go back and sign out. Taking a left, onto Marquis Street, Kyle brought the car to a halt outside the Dunkin Donuts a few blocks ahead and killed the engine. Turning in his seat he saw that Katya was still sleeping and he gently brushed the hair away from her face and leant in to kiss her cheek softly, before he opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Lighting a cigarette, leaning back against the warm hood of the car, smoking before he dropped the butt onto the ground and crushed it out. Taking one last glance back at the car, Katya still seemed to be fast asleep, and he headed for the coffee shop. Emerging a few minutes later, carrying a tray with two Styrofoam cups and a bag of donuts, Kyle returned to the car, smiling to himself as he realized Katya was still asleep. Setting the coffee cups in the cup holders, he settled into his seat and took out a donut. They had time for breakfast before they had to get back to the precinct.


Fifteen minutes later, still sitting in the car, Kyle had finished his donuts and was thinking about finally heading back to the precinct when the police band radio crackled into life. “Attention all units! Attention all units! We have a code one eight seven in Marquis Park.” Announced the voice of the police dispatcher, who paused for about thirty seconds before she repeated the message.


“This is Twenty Seven Zebra Henry, responding to the one eight seven in Marquis Park,” said Kyle, as he picked up the radio mike. Gunning the engine he reached for the flashing light, sticking it on the dash in front of Katya as he flicked the switch to activate the cars siren.


“Huh, what...I’m sorry, mamma,” said Katya, blinking sleepily as the siren finally woke her from her doze.


Pulling away from the curb, Kyle quickly filled her in as the car accelerated through the dozen or so blocks between the coffee shop and the park. Ahead they could see a couple of black and whites already parked by the main entrance to the park, a half dozen uniformed officers working to secure the area and cordon off the crime scene to prevent journalists and passersby from disturbing any evidence there might be. Braking the car to a halt, Kyle killed the siren, although the left the flight flashing, as he and Katya left the vehicle. As he exited, Kyle made sure he grabbed his coffee.


Hanging his badge on a chain around his neck, Kyle led Katya as they headed towards where the uniformed officers were working. Spending a couple of minutes talking with the patrolmen, the two detectives were directed towards a small area that had been cordoned off with bright yellow ‘Crime Scene’ tape. Reaching the area, the two detectives took a look around, checking out the area, both of them aware of the shroud covered mound inside the taped off area. Near the shroud they could see a dark book bag, with several books having partially spilled out of it. Having made a complete circuit of the taped off area, Kyle glanced towards one of the uniformed officers, who nodded, before he held the crime scene tape up for Katya before he ducked under it himself. Being careful where they put their feet, the two detectives approached the shrouded body and knelt down.


Carefully Kyle lifted the top edge of the shroud, pulling it back just enough for them to get a good look at the victim. His sharp eyes took in the image, paying close attention to the ugly wound in her throat. After about a minute he glanced at Katya who nodded and he lowered the shroud once more, crossed himself quickly and then stood up. Nodding to Katya, the two of them ducked back under the tape and headed back towards the gathered police officers and cruisers.


The ‘reward’ for getting a search warrant that lead to a guilty plea in the previous murder case was stakeout duty. Being stuck in a car with Kyle was one thing but being stuck and watching for a deal that might never go down was another thing! They were so far removed from the action that they would be very lucky to catch it. Besides, it could happen so fast and be so casual they wouldn’t notice.


Katya had proposed a simple plan that would increase the chances of success. First, she would spend a day or two on the street. Either as a working girl or a homeless person. Someone would wouldn’t stick out and could get a feel for the street. There was a nicely abandoned and partially burned out building that had a good view of everything. Kyle could sneak up there with a scoped rifle and camera to keep an eye on her and record things. He literally wouldn’t move the time he got up there so as not to be noticed. Once done, they would go over everything they had found and set up a nice trap.


Of course both the captain and Kyle turned it down as being too dangerous. When Katya had gone into Bryan’s office to grouse about it, he actually laughed. It was the first smile she had seen on his face in weeks! That got them talking about old cases and tactics and war stories. When Kyle had walked past the office and saw the LT yodeling and his fiance dancing he stopped and stared... “We did a job as buskers. They paid us money to shut us up,” Katya explained as she twirled about the office.


Before she got out of the car at the scene, Katya switched lenses on the camera from the night scope to a regular with flash. CSU would be doing their own sweep but she always like to get her own shots. And she took a lot of them. First the wide area to get the settings then down to the body. Especially how the body was positioned and the wounds.


“Frak...” she whispered. The girl, and she was, probably no more than ten years younger than she was. Katya hated that because it unnerved her a little. Until the ME and CSU released the scene they couldn’t touch the body or anything else. A peek at the books gave a clue as to her age. That and the general location. “College student I’m guessing from the Psych books. Probably first or second year cuz they’re ‘Intro to...’ and....” Katya looked around to get her bearings. “Betcha she was off to the library too.”


“Who found her?” Kyle asked the uniforms. Two raised their hands. One of them looked a little green in the face. Probably his first murder he guess.


The older of the two cleared his throat, “We were doing drunk patrol and found her laying here. Didn’t bother checking for a pulse because.... You know. Just covered her up with a sheet.”


With the way the girl’s throat was that was understandable. “They normally do two or three runs through here at night. Anybody see anything unusual?” Katya asked. She knew most ‘patrols’ were done from the comfort of a car using a spot light. The uniforms were suppose to get out and walk it but if they didn’t it was looked the other way.


“Yeah, second shift did a run through before the shift ended. Didn’t see anything. We thought, well we thought she was sleeping because she looked so peaceful.”


“She does,” Katya agree softly. They would get the officers formal statement in a bit. First, she and Kyle moved off a little ways.


“We’re about twenty feet from the sidewalk and thirty from the street. No signs of a struggle but the ME can tell us more. Pants looked intact so probably no sexual assault. Quick and quiet.

 

[mypgems]

Chapter Ten


Sitting in their office the two of them talked about the case, Kyle flicking through a copy of the ME’s report and glancing up at the photographs that Katya had taken at the crime scene and had pinned up on the wall. Something was still bothering him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Katya had made good points when they’d been at the park, but in the back of his mind he could still hear the advice his partner had given him his first day in homicide. “Kyle, most murders are committed by someone the victim knows,” Dale had told him, as they investigated their first murder case together. Dale had retired two years later, now he was living down in Florida, but Kyle had never forgotten those words.


Rising to his feet, Kyle crossed to where Katya had pinned up the photographs she’d taken that morning, his eyes scanning over them, searching for something that would lead them to whoever had committed this crime. His eyes lingered on the close up of the girls face, eyes wide open and the ugly wound in her throat, then moved to the spilled books from her bag and the red ribbon between the pages before he turned back to Katya.


“Let’s head down to the college, interview a few of her friends and see if we can get a picture of her life before last night,” said Kyle, as he finally closed the report and tossed it onto his desk. Katya had been right at the park, there had been no indications of a struggle by the victim, nothing under her fingernails or anything like that, and no sign of any sexual assault, pre, or post, mortem. They could also return to the crime scene and take another look around; now the crime scene unit had finished their work they’d be able to look around more. Maybe they’d find something the CSU missed, although Kyle doubted that.


Katya nodded and gathered her computer and camera, before the two of them left their office and headed for the elevator.


The preliminary autopsy report was waiting for them when they had arrived back in the office. The more detailed exam and tox screens would take a little while longer. CSU would have all the pictures, prints, etc by the next morning unless they got backed up again. That had happened in several cases. With an open murder though, those tended to get priority. For the moment, they would have to do with the pictures Katya took and printed off.


While Kyle had studied the picture wall, she had run through any updates on the cases they already had. Some were waiting on call backs, others lab work, a precious few were ready to be closed or kicked up to the DA. The unit really needed two or three more pairs of detectives but with the budget problems that wouldn't be happening anytime soon.


Without a word, Katya grabbed her stuff and followed her partner out the door. As they passed Bryan’s off, he was arm deep in paperwork, she gave him a nod and he nodded back. Things between them had been...good as of late. He ignored Kyle unless work required it and then it was very formal. Mikey had reported back that try as he might, he couldn’t get Bryan to open up anything. He was polite but managed to dodge or deflect any attempts the detective had made to draw him out. Katya could have told Mikey that he was a pro at things like that.


“It might sound odd but I definitely want to visit that area tonight,” she said to Kyle as they go into the car. “He’s not going to show up but I want to see what they both saw out there.”


“That’s not odd Katya, its good police work.” He glanced over at her. “You still think he’ll repeat?”


“I don’t know about here because he hasn’t set up shop already. I checked the other precincts and they don’t have any case like it so he’s just passing through or....” she looked over at him. “We have a new boy in town.” The rest of the drive was in silence at the thought of that.


---------------------------------------


As they pulled up to the area in the park, Kyle nodded towards where the body had been. “We have a visitor.” Most of the police tape had been removed but a few pieces remained to show where it happened. Standing before it was a young woman, taller than the victim with red hair. Before she got out of the car, Katya snapped a few shots of the woman.


“This is where it happened. This is where they found MaryBeth.” The woman hadn’t looked up when the detectives approached. CSU had just about vacuumed the area up so there was little sign of what had been there earlier. Still, the woman knew where not to stand. .


“Yes,” Katya said softly. “She was found here this morning. I'm Detective Komarovsky and this is Detective Darius. I take it that you knew Ms Anders? Can I ask your name?” They had found out she was a college student from out of town so they were spared the duty of having to tell the parents. Katya had looked the place up in Wikipedia and saw it was a typical, midwestern small town in Iowa. Probably hadn’t had a murder in years there.


The woman nodded. “Megan Wheeler. She’s....she was my roomie. When she didn’t come back.... I thought she fell asleep in the library with her face in a book. She’d done it before. I said she was trying to learn through osmosis.” The woman, Megan, started to chuckle but they quickly turned to sobs. Instinctively, Katya hugged the woman to her. There wasn’t anything she could say to make it better, just to hold her while it passed.


“What can you tell us about her?” Asked Kyle, keeping his voice soft, gentle as he spoke. Katya was good at this, comforting friends and families of victims; she seemed to have a gift for it, a natural empathy, which they responded too.


“Not much, I’m afraid,” answered the girl, Megan, after about thirty seconds, as she regained a little of her composure. “We were roommates, like I said, but we didn’t really have much in common, we didn’t even take the same courses, except Pre-Law. Marybeth wanted to be a lawyer. She told me her parents were so proud that she’d made it into school on a scholarship, that she was the first from her family to go to college. She...she would have been a good lawyer, I think,” added Megan, before she started to cry again.


“What about other friends, outside of school, maybe?” Asked Kyle, keeping his voice soft as he spoke. He didn’t want Megan to feel like they were badgering or pressing her, but anything she could tell them that might give them a picture of Marybeth would help.


“I don’t know, we didn’t really hang out much together. Maybe someone from her study group might know more, that’s where she was going last night. To her study group, at the college library,” answered Megan, taking a few deep breaths before she spoke.


“What about a boyfriend?” Asked Kyle, making a few notes in his notebook, another thing Dale had taught him was that the human memory was fallible so he always carried a notebook in his pocket. Katya might have her computer, but computers could break down. A notebook and pen never failed.


“I...” Megan’s voice trailed off before she could finish.


“Anything you can tell us, even the slightest thing, it will help us find who did this,” said Katya, her voice soft as she spoke.


“Her...her parents thought she was too young to be interested in boys. They can’t know,” said Megan, her voice soft, barely above a whisper.


“They won’t, I promise,” said Kyle, softly.


She...she’d been seeing this guy, Alex, for a few months, but they broke up about three weeks ago,” said Megan, pausing before she added. “I don’t think he took the break up very well, or at least that was the impression I got from Megan. She didn’t say as much, but...he used to call her late at night and she’d get upset, and I heard from some others that he’d been hanging around the dorm building trying to see her,” she finished.


“I see,” said Kyle, softly, as he made a few more notes in his book. “And does Alex have a last name, or an address?” He asked, as he glanced at Katya. With her computer she could check if Marybeth had filed any kind of harassment complaint against her ex-boyfriend.


“I don’t know his last name, or address, but I remember Megan told me once he’d been in the military, army, I think she said,” answered Megan, after taking about fifteen or twenty seconds to think about it.


Glancing at Katya, Kyle gave her a quick nod before he turned back to Megan. “Thank you, Miss Wheeler, you’ve been really helpful.” Said Kyle, as he fished into his pocket and brought out his wallet before he handed her a business card. “If you think of anything else, you can reach me on that number, or you can call the Willowburg Police and ask for Detective Komarovsky or Detective Darius,” he added, giving her a small smile. Something she’d said was starting to nag at him, about the ex-boyfriend.


“I...there was one thing, her things. I hate to sound callous but she’d borrowed one of my books, I...well...I need it for class,” said Megan, softly.


Kyle looked over at Katya, who nodded; there was no reason for them to keep her books. “Drop by the ninth precinct tomorrow, ask for either of us, we’ll have you go through her things, so you can collect your book,” said Kyle, giving the girl a gentle pat on the shoulder before he turned away and started back towards where they’d parked the Camaro.


“Sonovabitch,” said Kyle, softly, as the thing that had been troubling him finally clicked into place. The wound on the victim, a note in the ME’s report and something Megan had said finally slotting into alignment.


“What?” Asked Katya, as she hurried to catch her partner.


“The ME’s report, the wound on her throat, the ME said it had been caused by a wide blade knife, possibly a combat knife. It’s a ‘K-Bar’, in the marines they taught us...whoever did this, Katya, they have military training. Her ex has military training,” said Kyle, softly, as they reached the Camaro and climbed in.


“She filed a harassment complaint against an Alex Sanchez, five days before she was killed,” said Katya, as she tapped furiously on her computer keyboard.


“Then we should pay Mister Alex Sanchez a visit,” said Kyle, as he gunned the engine.

---

Chapter Eleven

The comment about the victim’s parents thinking she was ‘too young for boys’ almost got a laugh out of Katya. The girl was nineteen and far away from home on her own. How can she be too young? Her own parents had been protective but they had also been realistic too. They had to meet any potential boyfriends in high school but she had never brought anyone they would disapprove of. Her parents knew her and she knew them.


As they drove off, Katya pulled up any records about Mr Sanchez. “Twenty-four, a couple of DUI’s, a disorderly from a bar, nothing serious....” Pulling up the mug shot, she committed it to memory and read out the address to Kyle. She clicked back to the picture of the MaryBeth’s face and put it next to the ex-boyfriend’s as she read through the order.


“Let’s see.... Sounds like he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Calling and texting. Some raised voices in public. Looks like the kicker was in the dorm where she shut the door in face and pounded on it until the school bouncers threw him out. He’s banned from campus for three months. Nice guy...” She studied the two pictures as she tried to picture what had happened and the crime they had seen in the morning. They didn’t have access to his service records but with a few clicks of buttons the request was submitted.


He could have done it but..... She just wasn’t getting the vibe that he did. Passion kills were generally a lot more messy than this. They also could be more public too. Yes he had a restraining order but that didn’t mean he was violent to the point of murder. Katya noticed that the RA for her dorm floor was listed in the details of the orders. Did she help with it or convince MaryBeth to get it? Those were questions that needed to be answered.


“Let’s not be certain yet that he’s the one Kyle,” she said as they pulled up to an apartment building. It wasn’t run down but had seen better days. “I want to know if she made it a habit of going through that park because he would have had to gotten into position before she got there. That’s what I want to check tonight: I play her and you play him and we’ll see.”


As they went inside, Katya made sure her weapon was securely at her waist. Ever since the shooting, she had ditched the shoulder rig and gone back to the one that hung on her belt. Maybe more noticeable but also more comfortable. It would probably be okay, but you could never be sure about the suspect....


“We can do that,” agreed Kyle, as they got out of the car. Recreating a crime was something they’d done several times on past cases they’d worked, and they’d both found that it usually game them a fresh perspective on the crime and how it might have actually gone down. Of course they’d have to let the uniformed patrol officers who usually worked the area know, just so Kyle didn’t get mistaken for the real killer.


As they walked towards the building, which was a little rundown and beat up and would probably benefit from at least a fresh coat of paint, Kyle easily noticed the way Katya adjusted her weapon. He knew that since the shootout at the bank she’d started wearing a hip holster instead of her shoulder rig, with her bruised ribs still healing it was probably more comfortable for her. He still preferred his shoulder rig, though, although he used a pancake style holster that clipped onto his pants when he was off duty.


Reaching the front door Kyle checked the names on the mailboxes; their suspect lived on the second floor in apartment 2c. Checking the door, Kyle wasn’t really surprised to find it was locked. However, as they stood there one of the other residents came out and Kyle grabbed the door before it could close. Holding the door for Katya, Kyle followed her into the building and then led the way up the stairs to the second floor. Finding apartment 2c, Kyle took up a position on one side of the door, with Katya on the other, before Kyle knocked loudly on the door. “Alex Sanchez, Willowburg Police,” said Kyle.


From beyond the door came the sound of footsteps, of someone moving around, before they heard what could only be a window being opened. “I hate it when they run,” said Kyle, as he and Katya headed down the stairs and outside. As they got outside they saw a young man with dark hair running down the street. “Get the car,” said Kyle, not pausing as he started chasing after the fleeing figure.


Although the suspect was younger than Kyle, Kyle had always kept in shape and he quickly started to gain ground as he chased him. He could hear the roar of the Camaro’s V8 and the siren as Katya followed in the car, overtaking them and braking to a stop just in front of the suspect, who checked and tried to change direction. Getting close, Kyle tackled the suspect, bringing him to the ground and rolling on top of him as Katya got out of the car. “Alex Sanchez, you’re under arrest on suspicion of the murder of Marybeth Anders. You have the right to remain silent, but if you give up that right anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, but if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?” Said Kyle, sitting on the suspects back as he pulled his hands roughly behind his back and cuffed them.


Getting off the suspect, Kyle stood and then grabbed Sanchez, pulling him to his feet before he pushed him towards the car. Although she kept her weapon in its holster, Katya’s hand never strayed from the grip. Opening the passenger door, Kyle pulled the seat forward and then pushed Sanchez into the back of the vehicle, getting in alongside him as Katya slid the seat forward before she went around to the drivers’ side. Gunning the engine, she spun the car around and headed back towards the precinct.


The building didn’t have fire escapes Katya noted as she and Kyle raced back down the stairs. That meant Sanchez had jumped out of the second story window. Usually that meant the suspect had something to hide! “Got it!” she called out, jumping into the car. There was enough room for her to get past Kyle and the runner so when she was in she whipped the car into a 180. Then she throwed it into neutral and bounded out with her hand on her gun, ready to cover Sanchez while the cuffs went on.


“Oh Lord....You’re driving again!” Kyle laughed as they took a corner slightly too tight.


“Means we’ll get there sooner is all. So, Mr Sanchez....” Katya said, glancing back at the prisoner in the back. “Care to tell us just why you decided to run? All we wanted to do is ask a few question is all. Nothing more than that. Didn’t even have enough for a warrant. Until now I guess.” That probably wasn’t true of course. Worded the right way they probably could have gotten something from a judge. After the run though, it wouldn’t be a problem.


She was busy driving but was able to spare a few glances at him. Sanchez wasn’t clean-cut but didn’t look like a gang banger either. He also made nervous glances from side to side like a captured animal. “I didn’t do it. I didn’t... I...I loved her! She loved me too!” he finally stuttered. “That dyke counselor made MB get that order! You...you ought to check her out instead!”


Katya raised an eyebrow at that bit of information and filed it away. It was 99.9% bogus but they would check it out to be sure.


The rest of the ride back to the precinct was uneventful, aside from Katya taking a few corners a little too fast. The suspect said nothing else and Kyle and Katya didn’t push him, mostly because anything he said in the car probably wouldn’t be admissible in court. Although Kyle doubted the counselor had had anything to do with the crime he and Katya would, of course, investigate her just to be sure.


Reaching the precinct, Kyle led Sanchez down to ‘Booking’ whilst Katya went to park the car, before he stepped outside for a smoke and then met her in their office. In their office he found Katya pouring over her computer, she’d logged into the NCIC Database and had pulled up Sanchez’s record. There wasn’t much, just a couple of DUI’s, a caution for a Drunk and Disorderly after he got into a fight at a bar and the restraining order that Marybeth Anders had taken out against him five days earlier. Two uniformed patrol officers had gone to his apartment to deliver the order, but when Katya called up their notes she’d found nothing that had caused any concern for the officers. They’d speak to them later, of course, just to be sure, but Kyle was starting to think Sanchez wasn’t their man. If he hadn’t run, they wouldn’t have brought him in.


“So, let’s go talk to Mister Sanchez and see what he has to say for himself,” said Kyle, as Katya closed down her tablet and rose from her seat. Taking the elevator down to ‘Booking’, the two of them waited whilst the booking sergeant retrieved the paperwork and then sent two officers to fetch their suspect and bring him to the interview room.


“Mister Sanchez, I’m Detective Darius and this is Detective Komarovsky. You’re aware that this interview is being recorded, and that anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. Also, although you are entitled to have a lawyer present you have waived your right to counsel. Is all of this correct?” Began Kyle, once Sanchez was seated at the small metal table. Katya sat opposite the suspect, with her tablet, but Kyle remained standing.


“Yes, I’m aware the interview is being recorded and I confirm that I’ve waived my right to counsel,” replied Sanchez, his eyes flicking from one detective to the other before he fixed his attention on Kyle.


“Mister Sanchez, do you know why you’re here?” Asked Kyle, trying not to look towards the corner where he knew the video camera was taping the whole interview. Although the camera was supposed to be for their protection as much as the suspects, Kyle knew it was mostly there because in the past certain officers had used force to get a confession from a suspect.


“Because Marybeth put that stupid restraining order on me, and now she’s dead,” answered Sanchez, after a few seconds. “I didn’t do it; I was home, last night, playing video games until like three in the morning. You can check my account, I was logged in from about eight thirty until three in the morning, the only time I left my keyboard was to get a beer or take a piss,” he added, after a few more seconds.


“If you didn’t do it, why’d you run? Innocent people don’t run,” said Kyle, although he knew that wasn’t strictly true.


“I got scared, okay. I’ve got a record, and Marybeth put that restraining order on me, so I got scared and I ran,” he answered, pausing before he continued. “When I heard, this morning, about Marybeth, I knew you’d come looking for me. I was gonna come down here, I swear to God, then you showed up at my door and I just panicked.”


“How’d you learn about Marybeth’s death?” Asked Katya, briefly looking up from her computer screen. The request for Sanchez’s service file had just been approved and she’d been reading through the details, although nothing really stood out. Average soldier, one tour of Iraq right after he completed basic, then an honorable discharge after his three years was up. Eyes skimming over the assessment of his CO, Katya scrolled down to his training records, as something caught her eye.


“Are you kidding, it’s been all over the news. Of course, I didn’t realize it was Marybeth until one of my friends called and told me. When...when I heard I just cried, I couldn’t believe it,” he answered.


“According to the complaint Miss Anders took out against you, she says you threatened to kill her. In front of witnesses, you said you’d kill her, that if you couldn’t have her then no one could,” said Kyle, as Katya drew his attention to something on her computer screen. It seemed that Sanchez had gone through CBT, ‘Close Quarter Battle Training’ as well as ‘Ranger Training’.


“I was drunk, mad, pissed at her because she wouldn’t even talk to me. One day she’s telling me she loves me, the next; she won’t even answer my calls. So, yeah, I got mad and I got drunk and said some dumb stuff, but I didn’t mean it. I love her, I could never hurt her,” answered Sanchez, as he slouched back in his chair with a look of resignation on his face.


Not having to worry about a lawyer was always a good thing. Most people didn’t know that a high majority of suspects waive the right to a lawyer. Mostly because they tended to be more knowledgeable about the law and lawyers tended to just get in the way of a deal. Even though she had her tablet, Katya also used a scratch pad for a quick notes. Like making sure the warrant covered Sanchez’s computer and getting the information from his ISP. It probably not an alibi but everything little bit helped.


The service records were typical government bland. It appeared that he was an average soldier: no major incidents but not distinguishing himself either. Sort of just putting in time. A couple of minor entries for being insubordinate, aka having a big mouth. Eleven-B, infantryman. Tour of Iraq in Baghdad. Had to be fun. Ranger School afterwards.... Katya knew it sounded familiar and so did a quick Wiki read of it.


“You graduated Ranger School with good marks and then left the Army six months later. Just curious as to why? I had a partner who was Special Forces and he said a Ranger tab can open a lot of doors.” The school taught a lot of patrolling and close combat. It appeared that Sanchez did quite well in all of it.


“A green beanie? Yeah I saw more than a few go through the course.” Sanchez gave a shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t know why I took the course. Just seemed something to do at the time. You can’t be a candy ass and....I guess it got to be a challenge to get through it.” He gave a small smile to himself that Katya suspected was a self-satisfaction that he’d face the worst the Army could through and passed.


“Why didn’t you do another hitch?”


The suspect then fidgeted a little before giving a sigh. “I would’ve been up for another tour. Iraq or Afghanistan. I...didn’t want to go. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t become ‘anti-war’ all of a sudden. I didn’t want to...kill people....again. I had in Iraq and I....didn’t like it. I don’t like.” His voice had dropped to a whisper. “I still seem them sometimes...at night. I wake up in a cold sweat. I got nothing against the Army. I liked it but I just....couldn’t.”


Katya kept her face neutral as she listened to him. It sounded....real. A person didn’t know, really know, how they felt about killing until the time came. As for herself, she had killed the man who she had broken her cover to get. Did she enjoy it, no but it was something that had to be done. During the bank shootout, one of her bullets missed a gunman’s head by an inch. She was only sorry that she missed because Kyle would have then gotten the one who had shot her.


Studying his face closely, she asked: “Were you and MaryBeth lovers?”


Sanchez’s head whipped up and gave Katya a look of pure anger. So much so that Kyle almost got up to intercept him in case he went over the table at her. The suspect took several breaths and shook his head. “No, we weren’t. I wanted to but MB...she wanted to wait until she was married. I respected that. I know it sounds dumb but I thought she had more courage to say no than to give in. I was a fucking idiot and blew my chances with her. MB was a damn good girl, okay? Don’t let anyone say she wasn’t.”


Kyle listened as Sanchez spoke, finding himself feeling a little sympathy for him. He knew exactly how he felt, no one could ever know how the felt about war and killing until they’d been through it. As a marine he’d been trained to kill, he’d been through sniper school as well as CBT, but it was something he’d never, ever, felt comfortable with. As far as he was concerned, if he never had to fire his gun again he’d be happy, but if a situation arose, like it had in the bank a few weeks earlier, then he wouldn’t hesitate. “I know how you feel,” he said, softly, looking straight at Sanchez. “Helmand Province, Baghdad, Fallujah and Ramadi,” he added, ticking off the names on his fingers as he spoke. Not even Katya knew where he’d been during his time with the marines, although she could have guessed just by looking at his campaign medals in the case along with his Silver Star and Purple Heart.


Her next question surprised him, although he knew it shouldn’t have.


Studying his face closely, she asked: “Were you and Marybeth lovers?”


Sanchez’s head whipped up and gave Katya a look of pure anger. So much so that Kyle almost got up to intercept him in case he went over the table at her. The suspect took several breaths and shook his head. “No, we weren’t. I wanted to but MB...she wanted to wait until she was married. I respected that. I know it sounds dumb but I thought she had more courage to say no than to give in. I was a fucking idiot and blew my chances with her. MB was a damn good girl, okay? Don’t let anyone say she wasn’t.”
“No one’s trying to say that,” said Kyle, softly, his muscles relaxing just a fraction. Although if Sanchez tried to attack either of them Kyle was ready to slap him down, hard if necessary. “We have to ask, we don’t know Marybeth or you, so we’re trying to get a picture of her, of both of you.” He added, relaxing a little more as Sanchez seemed to calm down and his hands, which had been gripping the edge of the table finally unclenched.


“Marybeth was a good girl, better than me, I didn’t deserve her,” said Sanchez, keeping his voice soft. “She’d never have got that restraining order if that bitch RA in her dorm hadn’t talked her into it. Marybeth told me she’d been hanging around her room, a lot, always when she was getting dressed. Marybeth said it made her uncomfortable, but I don’t think she ever said anything,” finished Sanchez.


“And what’s this RA’s name?” Asked Kyle, watching the suspect. So far his gut wasn’t telling him anything, one way or the other, but if they didn’t at least pursue that angle then you could guarantee Sanchez’s lawyer would bring it up if he was formally charged.


“Judith, Judith Baker,” answered Sanchez.


The whole thing with the RA was probably nothing but since they didn’t have much to go on in the first place it would get checked out. Katya had a new tack that she wanted to try out while they were here. “Would you give us consent to search your apartment? Especially to check the IP address on your computer. We can can check to see when you were online.” They would be getting a warrant nonetheless, just to make sure all the bases were covered, but it could be a level of guilt as to his answer....


“Sure. I’ve got nothing to hide. Give me something to sign and you can do whatever you want.” Sanchez leaned back and closed his eyes. “If I hadn’t fucked it up maybe I would’ve been with her and....”


“Mr Sanchez, don’t think like that. It doesn’t serve any purpose other than to twist your guts up in knots,” Katya said quietly and then nodded to Kyle. “We’ll be back in a few minutes with a form for you to sign.” The detectives gathered up their things and walked back to their office. A pile of pictures and other items from CSU was stacked on their desk.


She leaned against the door after closing it and looked over at her fiance. “We can do a search Kyle but my gut is telling me he didn’t do it. He’s got a temper and is an asshole but I don’t think he could do that to her. What happened to her was cold blooded. If he had done it would be more...violent I think.”


Picking up a report, she read it briefly before tossing it back on the pile. “And no hair or saliva that they could find. Lovely.... No physical evidence that we can really use. Oh and a note says the parents will be here tomorrow to collect her. I do not look forward to meeting them....” Katya remembered the runaway hooker Tina Sanders and how as ‘Lisbeth Neeley’, the madam, she had to identify the poor girl after she was murdered. As she was walking out of the morgue, the parents had been walking in. They took one look at her and the mother had slapped her across the face. Katya had run to the nearest bathroom afterwards to throw up.


“We still get the warrant, run the checks, anyway, just in case,” said Kyle, as he perched on the edge of his desk and turned to look at his partner. He had to admit that he agreed with her, his gut was telling him that Sanchez hadn’t done it but that was no reason for them not to be thorough. “I don’t think he did it, either. I don’t know why, but I can’t shake the feeling that this was more random, not planned out, that she was a victim of opportunity rather than directly targeted. It just doesn’t feel like a crime of passion,” he added, after a few more seconds. If Sanchez was guilty it would have been more planned, or at least that’s what his gut was telling him.


He picked up the report Katya had just tossed onto the desk, flicking through the pages until something caught his eye. The murder weapon was definitely some kind of wide bladed combat, or hunting, knife, but more than that the CSU team had identified that the blade had a small chip, or nick, in the edge. If they could find the knife, the CSU team would be able to match it to the wound. Closing the report after a few more seconds, Kyle tossed it back onto the desk, sighing inwardly as Katya mentioned the victims’ parents. They weren’t necessarily obligated to meet them, but in the past they’d found that meeting the parents gave them insights into the victim that they couldn’t get any other way.


“Okay, here’s what we do,” said Kyle, finally, as he stood up. “I’ll take the consent form down to Sanchez, have him sign it, whilst you call the judge and apply for the search warrant although it probably won’t come through until tomorrow. Make sure its worded right, we’re gonna need his computer, cell phone, clothing and make sure it includes weapons and any ‘Military Paraphernalia’, that should cover it. Then we’ll head out and talk to the RA, I agree that’s probably a dead end but we still have to follow through on it,” finished Kyle.


Katya nodded and moved to her desk, passing Kyle the consent form for Sanchez to sign before she picked up the phone and Kyle left. Fifteen minutes later it was all set, the judge was willing to grant them a search warrant, although it wouldn’t be ready until the next day. Once they had everything they needed the two detectives headed for the elevator, passing Devon and Mikey on the way. Minutes later the Camaro left the parking lot, heading for the college dorm where Marybeth Anders had lived.


“Sounds like a plan,” she said and then glanced to make sure the blinds were closed before giving Kyle a quick hug. They had to be professional and all that while at work. Katya called up an ADA and explained what she needed. The warrant was a given but wouldn’t be ready until morning but she didn’t that would be a problem. At this moment, the search of Sanchez’s place was more pro forma than anything else.

---

Chapter Twelve


Before they took off again, Katya grabbed some protein bars she kept in a desk for a quick shot of energy. If they were going to do some more investigating she wanted to have a clearer head on it. The one thing she dearly hope for was that they could give the parents something more than just ‘we’re working on it’ in terms of the case progress.


The dorm was single sexed but from the number of guys they saw as they walked down the hallway there were no rules banning them. “What kind of security do you have for the dorms?” Katya asked the campus cop who was taking them to MaryBeth’s room.


“Well we’ve got the usual,” he said. The guy was older than they were with a bit of a belly but he didn’t act like a ‘rent a cop’ though. “Emergency doors are locked from the outside with alarms on them, cameras in the ground floor commons and elevators. Panic buttons in there too. All the doors into the dorm areas are key card access and if you don’t have one you have to be escorted in. However....”


“However if you have a card that you were given or stolen you can get in and you can probably tailgate through, right?” Kyle asked. The security was more for show than anything. It might help keep some of the small fry out but anyone who really wanted to, could get in. Not to mention all the maintenance staff responsible for the upkeep.


The guard chuckled. “Exactly. Can’t make it like a prison now can we? And, between the three of us, I’m willing to cut the kids some slack on the minor stuff. The dorms are alcohol free but as long as they keep it quiet and don’t go making trouble I’d rather have them doing it in the rooms then being out of the streets. And here we are...” He stopped at a door that had a hand drawn sign in technicolor saying ‘MaryJane & Megan’ before unlocking it. “When are the parents....”


“Tomorrow,” Katya said. “I don’t know if they’ll be coming here but...”


“Yeah... I’ll let the RA know. Sad to say but we have procedures for this kind of thing. Parents having to clean out the room after something happened. Try and get it done quick and quietly for everybody’s sake.”


“True enough. Thanks.” Katya got a nod from the guard who left her and Kyle to the room. Both pulled on gloves as they began searching. For what, neither really knew but they would know it when they saw it. From previous experience, Kyle let her go through the clothing and closet. Not just because of the feminine things but that Katya might notice something he wouldn’t.


“She’s on the Pill but that doesn’t mean anything.” She replaced the pack in the sock drawer. “I started on it when I was thirteen because my periods were so...”


“We’ve had this discussion before Katya....” Kyle growled, which made her chuckle. Big, tough Kyle had a thing about how her internal plumbing worked.


“And right where I knew I’d find it....” Katya sat on the edge of the bed and dug the switch blade from her pants pocket. She had found a girl’s diary hidden in the sock drawer as well. With the tip of the blade she manipulated the lock slightly. “These locks just need a slight twist and...bingo.” The detective flipped to the last entry and started backwards. “Nothing earth shaking... School, missing Alex, hmmmmm. He was kinda of right. She did want to make off the order but the RA convinced her to go through...”


“What the hell are you doing with that?!” a voice called out from the doorway. It belonged to an early twenty’ish woman with short, black hair and a multitude of earrings in each ear. “That’s Mary private stuff.”


The voice and sudden appearance behind them, in the doorway, caught Kyle by surprise and his hand instinctively snaked inside his jacket to the butt of his pistol. “Willowburg PD, ma’am,” said Kyle, in answer to her question, as he reached into his pocket for his badge and ID. Flipping his badge and ID holder open, he offered it to her as he took a few steps closer to her so she wouldn’t have to come into the room. “I’m Detective Darius, and this is my partner Detective Komarovsky,” he added, as Katya handed over her own badge and ID. “And you are?” He asked her, as she took the two badges.


“Judith Baker, I’m the RA.” She answered, as she looked at the two badges. “How do I know these are real?” Asked the woman, as she took the badge the detective handed her and examined it carefully. Turning it around, she compared the face of the detective to the picture on his ID. Although she had to admit the badge and ID seemed real enough, she’d seen enough fake ID’s to know that there were some very good fakes out there.


“You don’t,” said Kyle, simply. “But you can call the ninth precinct, ask for Captain Johnson, or Lieutenant Bryan Smith, they’ll confirm who we are,” he added, after a handful of seconds. The woman looked at the two detectives and frowned slightly, then, without another word, she disappeared.


As the woman walked off, Kyle turned back to Katya who was still studying Marybeth’s diary. “Anything good in there?” He asked her, as she looked up. The woman had to be the dorm RA, he figured.


“Not really, it’s mostly typical teenage girl stuff; boys, school, the usual,” answered Katya, as she kept flicking through the pages and then stopped. “This is interesting though, and it’s dated about two weeks before she was murdered.” She added, pausing before she began to read the passage that had caught her eye aloud. “Alex and I had a fight over what movie we were gonna watch. When he couldn’t get his own way he just left in a huff. Judith came round about an hour later, she said she wanted some girl talk, but all she did was keep bad mouthing Alex, saying he was just a dumb, stupid loser. Once she put her hand on my knee, but I told her to move it and she got all defensive. I’ve noticed, though, she comes around a lot when Megan is at class, and she always sits right beside me, even though there are other places she could sit. And she’s always touching me, stroking or brushing my hair, I’ve told her I don’t like it but she won’t stop. I told Megan about it, but she just laughed and said I was imagining it.” Katya finished reading, closing the diary as the heard footsteps returning.


“I’m afraid you’re going to have to leave, detectives, unless you’ve got a warrant. Marybeth’s parents are stopping by tomorrow to collect her things and I’ve got to get them ready,” said the woman, as she handed Kyle back his badge and Katya’s too. She started to step into the room, before Kyle stopped her.


“You need to stay outside, ma’am,” said Kyle, his voice soft but forceful. He tossed Katya her badge and hung his own around his neck. Based on the snippet Katya had just been reading it was possible that Miss Baker had a thing for Marybeth.


“And I said you need a warrant, if you don’t have one you can get the hell out. I know my rights, you can’t come in here and touch Marybeth’s stuff without a warrant or her parents’ consent and I’m willing to bet you don’t have either.” Replied the woman, glaring first at Kyle and then at Katya.


“Okay, we’ll do things that way if you want,” said Kyle, simply, as he turned to Katya and nodded. His partner stood up, started to tuck Marybeth’s diary into her pocket.


“That’s Marybeth’s, and unless you have that warrant it stays right here with the rest of her things,” yelled the woman.


Placing the diary back down on the bed where she’d been sitting, Katya held out her hands to show they were empty as she went to join Kyle. “We’ll be back,” said Katya, as the two detectives left the room. Walking out of the building, both of them were aware that Judith was following and watching them, not turning away until they were safely in their car. “Now what?” Asked Katya, as Kyle drove back towards the precinct.


“Now we talk to Megan, find out if Marybeth ever talked to her about their RA, then we talk to Marybeth’s parents tomorrow and try to persuade them to let us keep their daughters diary,” answered Kyle, before he lit a cigarette and focused on the road ahead.


There was an argument that could be made that they didn’t need a search warrant because this was a victim’s items. However, Katya knew that crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s was good for the case. As soon as she got into the car, she was on the phone to the ADA again getting another search warrant ready.


“It should be okay as long as we get a copy of the diary. And....if we have to we can seize it as potential evidence in the crime. That’s a last resort for sure.” Katya settled back in the seat and thought for a moment about what they had read and the RA. “I certainly get the creep factor from Judith. That she has a hard time taking ‘no’ for an answer. I’m going to do a search and see if she’s ever had any stalking complaints. We’re going to have to be really careful with her my love. If she what we’re guessing she is, I think she’ll scream bloody murder the moment the going gets tough.”


“Yeah I know...” Kyle sighed. Both he and Katya didn’t care what your skin color was or who you slept with. It was tiring though when you ran up against people who used such things as a way to get out of trouble. Usually by trying to get the cops in trouble instead. Many a career had been wrecked on the shores of ‘political correctness’. The sun was going down and it was past six already. With their change of hours they would be back on normal duty in the morning. “Want to call it a day and start fresh?”


“Not just yet... Swing by the park and we can do a run through of attack. By the time we get there it should be fairly dark.” Katya smiled at Kyle’s sigh. She called in what they they were doing so any patrol cars wouldn’t get the wrong idea.


“Okay... The attack happen over there and they wouldn’t have want to drag her too far so I’m guessing the snatch took place about there.” They were standing on the sidewalk with cars going past on the right and several large trees to the left with more aways in. The trees blocked out the setting sun to make it more dark than it already was. “If you would so kindly play big bad wolf I’ll be little red riding hood,” Katya smiled at accidently using her old code name.


As Kyle disappeared into the trees, Katya went about a hundred feet back up the sidewalk and stopped. For a few seconds she stood there with eyes shut to get in character. No long was she a streetwise cop instead she was a small town girl who was on her own for the first time. Taking a breath, she started back down the sidewalk. Looking back and forth, keeping her eyes open. Every so often a car went past with the oncoming ones rounding a corner and shining their headlights right at her. It made her see spots and destroyed any night vision she might have had.


Just as one did and whipped past, a hand covered her mouth and arm around her waist lifted Katya’s off the ground. She tried to struggled but the arm around her waist pinned her arms so she couldn’t get any leverage. Her legs and feet kicked out but kept hitting air because of their wide splayed legs. Before the next car appeared, they were in the trees.


“Jesus God! You’re a wildcat my dear!” Kyle said after setting Katya down. “That was a lot easier than I thought it would be. The noise from the traffic cancels out the sounds I made. We know one thing, the suspect is my size at least to get the leverage on you.”


Before speaking, Katya had to take some deep breaths and stop trembling. Even knowing what was going to happen and knowing it was going to be Kyle it was an unnerving experience. “I was thinking it would be a battle to get back into the trees but that was easy and that’s the scary part. Kyle, I’m hoping it was the RA or Sanchez because if it wasn’t its someone who’s going to do it again and again.”

---

Chapter Thirteen


The next morning, Kyle and Katya were up at their usual time. Although after several ‘days’ of pulling night duty they’d both found it a little hard to get to sleep, but the combination of working hard and only taking a nap earlier in the day had they were both dog tired and they’d slept soundly when they finally fell asleep. After showering and dressing Kyle had gone to make them breakfast whilst Katya took her own shower, fixing coffee for both of them and cereal for Katya. Kyle would grab some donuts, or maybe a breakfast sandwich on the way to the precinct, and the two of them left the condo at a little after eight for their half hour commute to the precinct.


As Kyle drove, guiding the car through the heavy early morning traffic, the two of them talked quietly about the ‘Marybeth Anders’ case, planning their approach for the day. Most of the other cases they were working were at an impasse whilst they waited for warrants or for forensics to get back to them, which meant they had the time to focus on just that one case. Neither of them was looking forward to meeting Marybeth’s parents, but they both knew that her parents would want to talk to them if only so they could be reassured that whoever had killed their daughter would be caught. Hopefully they’d get the warrants they’d asked for that day, too.


Pulling the car to a stop at their favorite donut shop, Kyle had gone to get them both coffee, as well as a breakfast sandwich for himself, before they continued on their way to the precinct. Reaching the precinct, Kyle pulled the car into the underground parking lot and the two of them headed for the elevator up to their floor. Stepping out of the elevator the two of them turned towards the squad room, almost bumping into Devon who was walking towards them with his head down, not looking where he was going. “Hey, Devon, wake up,” said Kyle, teasing, as Katya had to do a neat sidestep to avoid walking into the other detective.


“Huh? What? Oh, hey Kyle, Katya,” said Devon, finally looking up before he started to walk off again, only to stop ad turn around once more. “You’ve got a visitor, a young woman. She said you told her to come down here, something about books,” added Devon, who hadn’t really been paying attention when the desk sergeant and brought her into the squad room and she explained everything to Mikey.


“Something on your mind, my friend?” Asked Kyle, pausing as Katya headed into the squad room to sign them in.


“Yeah, sort of,” answered Devon, glancing at his cellphone as he held it in his hand. “It’s Megan, she had a doctor’s appointment this morning. We’ve been...” his voice trailed off as he lapsed into silence. “I’ll tell you later. Think the lovely Detective Komarovsky can spare you for a couple of hours tonight so we can go grab a beer or two,” he added, finally.


“Yeah, I don’t think she’ll mind. We’ll sort something out later,” said Kyle, before Devon nodded and got into the empty elevator car as it arrived. Wondering what was troubling Devon, Kyle shrugged and then headed into the squad room, nodding to Mikey who pointed toward the office Kyle shared with Katya.


Entering the office, Kyle found Katya already inside and seated at her desk, with a young woman sitting to one side. It took Kyle a couple of seconds to recognize the woman as Megan, Marybeth’s friend, the message Devon had given them finally making sense. He remembered that Megan had said something about Marybeth borrowing one of her books and needing it back, they’d told her to come down to the precinct, although in truth he’d been expecting her later in the day. “Miss Wheeler,” said Kyle, softly, as he took his coffee over to his desk and sat down.


“I’m not too early, am I, detective?” Asked Megan, as she watched Kyle sit down and take a sip from his coffee. “It’s just, I have class later this morning and I need my book, and, well, Marybeth’s parents are coming to pick up her things this afternoon and I’d really like to be there to meet them. She used to talk about them all the time...” her voice trailed off as she took a tissue from her purse and dabbed her eyes gently. “I...I still can’t believe this is all really happening,” she said, after another few seconds.


“It’s okay, miss, you’re not too early,” said Kyle, softly, as Katya moved her chair slightly and placed a comforting hand on the young woman’s shoulder. “We’ll need you to sign a claim form, for the book, but we’ll take care of that in a few minutes,” he added, pausing to let Megan regain her composure before he spoke again. “If you’re up to it, though, we do have a couple of questions we’d like to ask you,” he finished.


“What kind of questions?” Asked Megan, looking up at Kyle.


“It’s just routine, nothing to worry about,” said Katya, dropping her hand from Megan’s shoulder, although she stayed close to her just in case.


“Did Marybeth ever talk to you about your dorm RA, Judith Baker?” Asked Kyle, once he was sure Megan had regained her composure.


“Yeah, she did. She told me once that Judith had touched her leg, that she used to come round when I was out, pretending to be looking for me, and then she’d stay. Marybeth told me it made her uncomfortable, but I told her she was imagining things,” answered Megan, after several seconds as she thought about the question. “She said Judith was always touching her hair, brushing it, things like that.” She added, after a few more seconds.


“I see,” said Kyle, making a few notes on a legal pad. “Did you ever see Marybeth and Judith together, see anything like that happening?” He asked, if Megan had actually witnessed it, it would be more than just hearsay.


“Once, I came back early from class and Judith was in the room with Marybeth. She was sitting really close to her, the door was open slightly and I could see Judith had her hand on Marybeth’s leg. As soon as I opened the door Judith moved away really quickly and then stood up to leave,” said Megan, frowning as she tried to remember exactly what she’d seen. “I asked Marybeth what was going on, but she wouldn’t talk about it. After that, I started to believe the other things she’d said about Judith,” she added, after another short pause.


“Would you be willing to write a statement about what you just told us?” Asked Katya, once she was sure Megan had nothing else to add.


“Uh, yeah, sure,” answered Megan.


Whilst Katya got a pen and paper for Megan so she could write her statement, Kyle went down to the evidence locker to fetch the books that had been with Marybeth when she was murdered. Carrying the bag into the office he opened the bag and set the books on his desk, as Megan finished her statement and signed it before she pushed the paper and pen back to Katya. “Which one is yours?” Asked Kyle, as Megan turned her attention to the books.


“That one, ‘An introduction to Criminal Law’,” answered Megan, as Kyle picked up the book and handed it to her. There was a small red ribbon tucked between the pages, like a bookmark, and Megan frowned as she saw it. “That’s not mine, or Marybeth’s,” said Megan, softly.


“Are you sure?” Asked Kyle, even as Katya opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a pair of latex gloves and an evidence bag.


“I’ve never seen it before, and Megan always used to use a folded piece of paper for a bookmark, like that,” answered Megan, pointing to another of the books, which had several pieces of folded paper between the pages.


Seeing Kyle was busy talking to Devon, Katya had gone to sign them in. As she did so, she was told they had a visitor. Who it was suprised her for a moment. “Ms Wheeler? Oh the books, right? If you’ll follow me please we’ll get it taken care of for you.” Katya led the young woman through the squad room to just outside their office.


Having Megan wait outside for a second, she moved some folders on the desk so MaryBeth’s files weren’t visible. Then she pulled a curtain across the wall to hide all the pictures that were tacked up there. Katya was quite certain Megan wouldn’t wish to see the photos of her dead friend as they waited for Kyle.


Everything had been going as expected until the red ribbon. That had taken Katya aback for a moment before she recovered. Before removing it, she took several pictures of the book first closed and then open to show the ribbon in its entirety. It was about six inches long and looked to be the kind you tied into a bow for a present. If so, that meant it was probably the kind you could buy yards of in any store. Nevertheless, the ribbon was treated with the greatest of care and sealed in the evidence bag.


After she was done, Katya noticed that Megan wouldn’t touch the book. “They touched it so you don’t wish to, right?” she said softly and gently. The girl gave a silent nod. “The best way to show they have to power is to claim it as your own. Its just a book, but its one that MaryBeth touched and if you touch it you join with her to drive out all they might had done.” Katya chuckled. “Or something like that.”


Megan smiled and reached out to take the book. “I know what you mean and thanks.”


“You do? Then you can explain it to me!”


Kyle just looked at the two and shook his head slightly. His partner had the gift of comforting people but also drawing them out to get them to talk too. He called it ‘her gift of gab’. Katya could strike up a conversation with anybody over just about anything.


Katya had a couple more questions for Megan about Judith but had to think about how to phrase them correctly. They were the kind that could cause a lot of trouble if not done right. “MaryBeth’s ex-boyfriend Alex, were she and he....having sex?”


The girl blushed and shook her head. “No...no they weren't. MaryBeth, she wanted to wait until she was married. A gift to her husband she said. Alex, I guess, asked once but he was okay with it.”


That fit with what Alex had said. He went up a tiny bit on her scale of guys for not pushing MaryBeth into something. “Alex visited the dorms, right? How did he and Judith get along?”


The young woman got a little uncomfortable before sighing. “You’ve heard of love at first sight? That was hate at first sight. Alex....he really didn’t pay too much attention to Judith. Or me for that matter. I mean he said hi and all that he was mostly interesting in MaryBeth. Judith...Judith kept trying to be in the room when he was there like she had to talk to me or her.” Megan shook her head again. “The more interested Alex got in MaryBeth the worse it got and Alex started getting mad at Judith. Then one day....” She stopped suddenly.


“What happened?” Katya leaned over a little. “Every little bit helps Megan. And unless it pertains to the case, what you say won’t leave this room, k?”


Nodding, she started again. “I had come back from class and our door was open a little. I could hear Judith and MaryBeth arguing. More like Judith shouting and MaryBeth trying to calm her down. I didn’t go in, I just went for a walk. Afterwards, I tried to ask MaryBeth about it and she wouldn’t talk about it. She was writing something in her diary I know that.”


“Any ideas what the argument was about?” Kyle asked.


“I only caught bits and pieces but it was about Alex and how Judith didn’t think she should be seeing him. I thought...I can’t be sure what I heard, but I thought I heard Judith say something about not going to let her see him no matter what.”


After they had finished with Megan and escorted her out, the detectives sat in their office for a few minutes. “I’d said we got suspect number two....” Katya said and did a search for anything on Judith the RA. “Let’s see... Couple of traffic tickets. She likes to drive fast. A drunk & disorderly. And an assault with a deadly weapon when she was....eighteen. Guy was hitting on her girlfriend and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Pulled a knife on him. Charges were dropped.” She looked up at Kyle. “Want to go ask her a few questions?”


“Let’s make sure we have that warrant, first, because you know she’s not going to talk to us or let us anywhere near Marybeth’s room if we don’t,” answered Kyle, as he picked up his coffee cup and took a long sip of the contents. Grimacing as he set the cup back down, the coffee was barely lukewarm, he added. “You call the ADA, make sure the warrant is ready, I’m gonna go hit the head then we’ll head out.” Rising to his feet, he headed for the door, but paused as he opened it. “Something is bothering Devon, he wanted to know if you can spare me for a couple of hours after work so we can go grab a couple of beers,” he said, leaning against the open door.


“Sure, you can go grab a couple of beers with Devon,” answered Katya, after a few seconds. She really didn’t mind Kyle going for a drink with his friend, if only because he didn’t make a habit of it and she knew he’d be home before dinner. He rarely went out on his own, unless it was to play golf.


“I’ll let him know,” said Kyle, before he left the office. Heading across to Devon’s desk, Kyle let him know that they were on for a beer after work before he headed for the restroom. Returning to the office, Kyle found Katya just hanging up the phone and she turned towards him as he entered.


“We’ve got the warrant for Marybeth’s room, and her diary, we just have to pick it up on the way,” said Katya, as she rose to her feet and then gathered what she was going to need. Camera, computer and her back pack, which she tucked the two things into. “Right, let’s go,” she added, as she moved to the door and led the way towards the elevator.

 

[mypgems]

Chapter Fourteen

The ride across town to the college was uneventful, they made a detour to City Hall where the DA and ADA’s had their offices to collect their warrant before continuing across to the college. Reaching Marybeth’s dorm block, the two detectives left their car and approached the building, both of them hanging their badges around their necks as they approached. Entering the building they found the same campus security ‘cop’ who’d escorted them to the room yesterday, although now he seemed to be standing guard. Probably to prevent anyone, but especially them, from getting into Marybeth’s room. As he saw them the cop took a couple of steps towards them, blocking their path. “Sorry, detectives, but I can’t let you go back there. Not without a warrant,” said the security officer, with a slightly apologetic look on his face. He knew they were just doing their job, just as he knew they knew he was only doing his.


“It’s okay, officer, we have a warrant,” said Kyle, giving the older man a knowing smile as he handed the warrant over. The security officer took the warrant and quickly read through it, scanning it quickly although he made sure to check the date, address and room number, before he handed it back.


“That all seems to be in order, detective, although Miss Baker wanted me to inform her if you returned,” he said, as he handed the warrant back. After the two detectives had left yesterday Miss Baker had spent nearly half an hour screaming at him, threatening to have him fired for showing the detectives Marybeth’s room. She’d then gone into the room and shut the door, telling him to wait outside and stop anyone, even Megan, the roommate, from entering. He didn’t know what she’d been doing in there, but when she came out she had something in her hand.


“Let’s hold off on that for a few minutes, shall we,” said Kyle, after a few seconds. They had their warrant so technically they didn’t have to inform Judith Baker they were there, although he knew it would be good politics to do so, but that could wait a few minutes. “Has anyone besides Megan Wheeler, the roommate, been inside the room since we left?” Asked Kyle, deciding to play a hunch.


“Miss Baker spent several minutes inside the room, with the door closed, after you left,” answered the guard, after a brief pause.


“Thank you,” said Kyle, before he added. “Would you be willing to make a statement to that effect?” The guard nodded, and Kyle spoke again. “Thank you. Now, why don’t you go tell Miss Baker we’re here, now, we can find our way.” The guard nodded, abandoning his post after first using his pass card to open the barrier so Kyle and Katya could go through. He handed Kyle a key off the ring on his belt, the key to Megan and Marybeth’s room, before he headed off in the opposite direction to inform the RA that the detectives were back.


Before entering the room, both Kyle and Katya were careful to pull on latex gloves, Katya taking out her camera as the moved into the room. “Diary’s been moved,” noted Katya, as she saw it on the floor by Marybeth’s bed and took a couple of pictures before she stooped to pick it up. She distinctly remembered putting the diary on the bed, and she doubted that Megan had gone near it. In fact, judging from the room, Katya was willing to bet that Megan hadn’t spent last night in her room, instead probably bunking with a friend. “Of course, she’ll just say that it got moved when they were boxing up Marybeth’s stuff,” she added, as she sat down on the bed and opened the diary. “Kyle, there are pages missing, ripped out by the looks of it, including the ones I read to you yesterday,” she added.


“I thought I told you two not to come back without a warrant,” demanded a voice from the doorway behind Kyle. Standing in the doorway was Judith Baker, hands on her hips and glaring at Kyle. “Now, get the hell out, before I call the commissioner and lodge a formal complaint against both of you!” She added, her eyes fixing on Katya and the diary she held.


“We have a warrant, Miss Baker,” said Kyle, as he turned to face her. “But I’m glad you’re here, ma’am, we have a few questions we’d like to ask you.” He added, as he moved to block her path into the room. He’d seen the way her eyes had moved to Katya and the diary.


“Fuck you, and your damn questions. I’m not answering any questions until I see that warrant,” said the RA, thrusting out her hand towards Kyle and making a ‘give it to me now’ type gesture. Taking the warrant from his pocket, Kyle handed it over, watching the RA as she read through it.


“It’s all legal, but you can call the ADA if you like and check,” said Kyle, softly, watching her.


“Don’t you think I won’t do that,” she snapped, before she stormed out of the room. She returned some ten minutes later, all but throwing the warrant back at Kyle as she stood once more in the doorway.


“Now, Miss Baker, about those questions,” said Kyle, keeping his voice soft. Katya had already placed the diary in a sealed evidence bag, they’d bagged a few other items too, including a rainbow ‘friendship’ bracelet on Marybeth’s bookcase and four or five cards, including a Valentine card that had been simply signed ‘J’. “Did you come into this room after we left yesterday?”


“No,” answered Judith, after the briefest hesitation.


“Are you sure? Not even to sort out Marybeth’s things? We have a witness who places you in this room, with the door closed, after we left,” pushed Kyle, keeping his voice calm as he spoke.


“I...no, that’s a lie,” protested Judith, weakly, after another hesitation.


“Miss Baker, I will ask you one last time. Did you enter this room, at any time, after we left yesterday?”


“No,” answered Judith, although this time she couldn’t look either detective in the face.


“Miss Baker, I’m placing you under arrest for obstructing a criminal investigation, and also on suspicion of tampering with evidence in a criminal investigation. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, and to have an attorney present when questioned. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as I have explained them to you?” Said Kyle, as he removed the handcuffs from the pouch on his belt and stepped towards the RA. Pushing her gently against the wall, he pulled her hands behind her back, placing the cuffs on her wrists and locking them into place with a click.


“I want a lawyer,” snarled Judith, as Kyle and Katya led the suspect out of the building and across to the car.


Holding the door open, so Katya could push the suspect into the back of the car, Kyle turned to her and said “This time, I get to play ‘bad cop.” Katya just grinned and rolled her eyes, before she climbed into the rear of the car and Kyle shut the door, before he went round to the driver’s side and got in.


The information the guard had given them about Judith being alone in the room and then coming out with papers in hand had made Katya groan inwardly. She had a good idea what had happened and they didn’t need that kind problems. Not with a suspect. The first thing she did after the guard left was to call up the ADA to get another warrant for Judith’s room.


“Yes I know its another one. What? Funny.... I’ll two for one sale you. Can’t you just get us a universal warrant it would make things so much easier? I know your boss has to face the voters and that he’s a member of the ACLU. What’s your point? Okay, thanks Abbs.” Katya slipped her phone in her pocket and shook her head. “Why do lawyers all think they are comedians?”


As she took pictures of the diary she tried to remember if she had taken any that showed the pages that were now missing. The memory card with the images was back in the off in a locked drawer. It would certainly help matters when push came to shove. Which it would and did. The arrest wasn’t a surprise to either her or Kyle. That she asked for a lawyer already would make things fun.


“Could you locked up both rooms so nobody can get into either one?” Katya asked the guard as they were leaving with Judith in tow. She got a nod and a ‘better you than me’ look about it all.


The drive back was fairly quiet. With the lawyer request the detectives didn’t bother to question her much and Judith wasn’t in a talking kind of mood. The most direct route to the station was through the Marquis Park and past where it had happened. As they passed the spot, Katya noticed Judith’s head turn to keep it in view for as long as possible.


“That’s where it happened, right?” Judith asked softly.


Katya had been watching the woman’s face closely and an eyebrow went up at the the tone she heard. So as not to taint any future questioning all she said was a simple “Yes.” She then explained some of the basics about what would be happening next. “Once you’re done processing in, they’ll let you use the phone to call your lawyer. If you don’t have one, there’s a number next to the phone where you can request one of the pro-bono ones. Just give them the information on the sheet and they’ll be down in about an hour or so. Okay?” Katya gave a smile.


For the first time since they met her, Judith actually did something besides scowl. It wasn’t a big one but she smile and a nod.


From the get go, Katya knew she was going to be the good cop with her because she was female. Judith seemed to have issues with males and probably ones in authority. Was there something behind that? Maybe but that wasn’t important right now. She got along better with females so Katya would exploit that fact during the questioning.


Some women had problems being around lesbians but she didn’t. It probably due to her time in college when Katya experimented a little. Not just with sex, she had had makeout sessions with a couple of girls in high school but had gone much further in college, but with real relationships. Just one step below actual dating. Katya wouldn’t consider herself Bi- but just that she leaned a little more towards the liking the male gender then the female. Now if Kyle had been a Kylie Katya knew she would have gone the other way.


-------------------------------------------------
Chapter Fifteen

While Judith was in booking, the pair compared notes and looked at some of the evidence they had brought back. Katya found that she didn’t have pictures of the intact pages but remembered what they had said. Doing a quick scan through, she didn’t see anything more that looked relevant to the case until...


“Hey... Listen to this: ‘J stopped by again. Got to talking about stuff. Told her about the stuff with Uncle Jim and how no one believed me. J told me how her dad did it and worse to her too. She said never trust a guy because they’ll always hurt you. I said she was wrong. Got into a fight again. I like her but she’s so....’ and that’s where it ends.” Katya slipped the diary back into its back and peeled the gloves off. “Frak... Well we have an idea why she doesn’t like guys too much. Gods knows what happened. If she’s looking like a probable suspect, I think we’d better write everything up and send it down to Quantico and led the BSU crew take a crack at it.


“Any court trial will be a battle of the shrinks. Have I told you how glad I am that I’m not a lawyer?” Kyle said. It was nice that all the big decisions in things like this were far above their pay grades.


“On occasion but if you were we could afford a lot more things.” Katya gave him a quick but deep kiss. Tonight, when they got home, would be just for them. No worrying about work!


----------------------------------------------------


Back in the interrogation room, the same one Sanchez had been in, the detectives sat across the table from Judith and her lawyer. She was one of the pro-bono Katya knew. After exchanging the pleasantries, things got down to business.


“My client is prepared to apologize for removing the pages from the room. They were of a personal nature to her and her emotions got the better of her. Sadly, the papers were flushed down the toilet.”


Katya glanced at Kyle with a glint in her eyes. That was $20 he owed her!


“That’s not a good thing. We’ll have to let the DA decide on what he wants to do with it. Considering its evidence in an open murder investigation...” Before Kyle could go on he was interrupted by Judith.


“Open? That Sanchez creep did it! Come on! He threatened to kill him!” Judith started to rise out of her chair but her lawyer’s hand on her shoulder got her to calm down.


“That may be so Ms Baker,” Katya said quietly. “And we are still gathering evidence but for the moment we have not ruled anyone out. What doesn’t look good is your destruction of those pages because of what was on them. About how you were trying to take a friendship to another level.” She held up a finger to stop Judith from saying anything. “We’ve heard it from other people too that you were being a little...insistent. Insistent and possessive can go hand in hand to some people.”


The lawyer’s eyes narrowed as she leaned across the table. “Are you tell me that my client is a suspect in the murder MaryBeth Anders?”


“What!?! That’s bullshit! I would never hurt her!” Judith stood up and leaned over the table, glaring.


Katya saw Kyle beginning to stand out of the corner of her eye. Touching his leg, she got him to sit back down. Remaining seated, her gray eyes stared at the brown ones of the suspect until Judith’s blinked and she sat back down.


“Yes, you are a suspect Ms Baker but that’s only because the evidence is there. Ms Baker, Judith, prove us wrong. Please. I’ll be happy to apologize that we mistakenly considered you one. But for the moment we have what we have.” She started ticking things off on her fingers. “Your wanting a relationship with the victim that she didn’t reciprocate, a previous charge of assault with a knife, you promising to prevent her from seeing Mr Sanchez, and finally how you told her that you were abused by your father.”


Judith’s mouth dropped open at hearing that. “I...that...”


“It was a page you missed,” Katya said simply. “Means, motive, and opportunity. Its there. With Mr Sanchez, he was more angry at you than at Ms Anders. As I said Judith, prove us wrong.” She sat back a little but kept her eyes on the suspect.


When Judith remained silent, either unwilling, or unable, to answer Katya’s question, Kyle gave her almost thirty seconds before he slowly pushed his chair back away from the table and stood up. “Where were you the night Marybeth Anders was killed, Miss Baker?” Asked Kyle, before he took off his jacket and draped it over the back of his chair.


“I...I don’t know,” answered Judith, after a few seconds.


“You don’t know? You don’t know where you were two nights ago? Is your memory really that bad?” Said Kyle, as he stepped away from the table a short distance.


“I was in my room, studying,” answered Judith, as Kyle finished.


“Really? You went from not knowing where you were, to knowing where you were in five seconds?” Said Kyle, turning back towards her. “Did anyone see you? Were you with anyone?” He asked her, keeping his voice soft, conversational, as he spoke.


“No, I don’t think so,” answered Judith,


“Isn’t that convenient,” said Kyle.


“Detective...” said the lawyer, Kyle held out his hands and tried to look innocent, although he knew exactly what he was doing.


“Look, Miss Baker, right now you’re facing charges of obstructing a criminal investigation and tampering with evidence. You cannot account for your whereabouts the night Marybeth was murdered, how do you think this looks?” Said Kyle, leaning over the table and getting close to the RA. He kept an eye on her, though, ready to move out the way if she decided to try attacking him. “Well, Miss Baker?”


“Don’t answer that,” said the lawyer, glaring at Kyle. She knew exactly what the detective was trying to do, and as she turned towards her client she realized he might just have succeeded.


He was good..... Katya knew that her fiance could be an ace at interrogations when he wanted to be. While she was good at using empathy to get the suspects trusting her so they would let their guard down, Kyle probed to find the chinks in their armor. Either by being smooth like this or big and nasty. Even better was when they worked together. The suspects didn’t know which way to react in those cases. At the moment, Katya was studying the reactions that played across Judith’s face.


“The cameras!” Judith suddenly said. “All those damned cameras. You can’t get out of there without them seeing it. Especially at night.” She sat back, quite satisfied with herself.


“Point for you,” Katya nodded and then smiled at the slight scowl Kyle had for an instant. The woman did have a point and she made a mental note to check them out. “Problem though... Its more like proving a negative. The fact that we wouldn’t see you doesn’t mean that you hadn’t left somehow. Just not through that way. But....its something to check.”


“I couldn’t hurt MB. Okay I came on a little strong with her but... It was hard not to. I mean she was nice. The kind of person would wanted to protect.” Judith shook her head several times and then lifted her left arm up slowly to flex it while rubbing the shoulder with her right hand. From the grimace, it was causing some discomfort.


“Did you hurt your shoulder?” Kyle asked, zeroing in on it. If the girl had struggled half as much as Katya did when they did the run through it could have caused some injuries.


“Yeah...a week ago playing basketball. Bitch tripped me and I fell on it.” She then smiled a little. “Probably revenge from the body check I gave her. Probably should have a doc check it for a rotator cuff tear.”


“Combat basketball?” Katya grinned and got a nod. “They hated me because I was so short. Every time they went to do an elbow they missed.”

---

Chapter Sixteen


The questions went back and forth for awhile longer until they finally let Judith go. With the warning: ‘Don’t leave town’. Afterwards, the detectives regrouped in their office with the door shut.


“She couldn’t have done it. Not with that arm. Not holding MaryBeth and hauling her into the treeline.” Katya leaned back in her chair and rubbed her face in her hands.


“No and she wasn’t faking either.” Kyle agreed. “I had a partial once and that hurt like crap. Damn and she was looking good for it too.”


“Yep. We’ll do a sweep and check those videos and some of the other players to be sure. I so don’t want it to be what I thought it could be.” She pulled out the bag that contained the ribbon from the book. “We probably should tell the captain to have the other precincts keep an eye out for anything hinky.”


“Hinky, huh?” Asked Kyle, with a grin before he added, in a near perfect imitation of the captains’ voice. “Is that a technical term I’m unfamiliar with, Detective Komarovsky?” As he finished Katya started to laugh, which made him start laughing too. “We should get that down to the lab, maybe our boy got careless and left a print. Hell, I’d take a partial right now, or anything that might lead us to this bastard.”


“I know, I would too,” agreed Katya, her voice soft as she stared the ribbon in the bag. Obviously the ribbon had some kind of meaning to the killer, either symbolic or something only he could understand. When the caught the guy, she’d ask him.


“We’re missing something,” said Kyle, softly, as he brushed the clutter off one corner of his desk and sat on the edge. “One of my first cases out of uniform, Jessica Marquis, she was another college student. They found her body in the park, it was called ‘Stone Park’ back then, her father was the mayor and the council renamed it later. We thought we had a solid suspect, her ex-boyfriend, but he had an alibi we couldn’t break down. He killed two more girls before we finally caught him.” He added; his voice somber as he spoke. He had never forgot that case, never forgot the two other innocent girls who’d lost their lives because he’d got it wrong. “This feels like that,” he finished.


“I know what you mean, and I pray to God we’re both wrong,” said Katya, as she turned to look at the ‘white board’ behind her, with the notes they’d made, and the photos of Marybeth Anders taped or pinned to the wall around it. “Could our guy be a copy-cat?” She asked, finally.


“No, different M.O;” answered Kyle, after a couple of seconds. “The ‘Stone Park Killer’ garroted his victims, we tried to keep that a secret but it came out during the trial. When we caught him we did some digging into him, he’d served with the Green Berets, Special Forces, turns out his instructors noticed he was a little too fond of the garrote during training. That’s why, when I saw Sanchez had been through Ranger training...” his voice trailed off. Alex Sanchez was definitely not their man, his alibi had held up and the game company had been able to confirm that not only had he been logged in he’d been playing all the time.


“I know, I thought he looked good for it, too,” said Katya, turning away from the white board and photographs.


Looking at his watch, Kyle realized it was after lunch time. “Let’s take a break, grab some lunch,” he said, as he rose from his desk and glanced briefly towards the whiteboard.


For an extra moment Katya stayed in her chair, looking at the board. “Way back when when Bryan and I first started working with the Feebs to go after that Don we met with some of the BSU people. To get profiles on the targets. We got to talking shop afterwards and they told us one of the kinds of serial that scares them most is a copycat.” She looked up at Kyle for a moment before standing. “One that goes around to places, does a few copycats, and moves on. If they already have an active killer they get lost in the shuffle.”


“But in any case...” She stood up and stretched to work the kinks out. At the same time a smile came to her lips because she knew Kyle liked how her breasts seemed like they wanted to pop right through her shirt. He was a ‘leg man’ but didn’t seem to have any issues enjoying her C-cups. “You had best wipe that drool off the corner of your mouth my love before we go out...”


He watched her put on her jacket and walk out into the squad room with the slightest swing to her hips. And yes...he did have some drool to wipe up. A few nights ago Katya decided to spend the evening wearing nothing to see how long he could last without jumping on her. Eventually she bent over in front of him one too many times and....


Kyle shook that image out of his head and started after Katya. To his horror, she had gotten to the car first and so got to choose where they would have lunch. “No! Not that. I refuse to watch you eat that pizza again. Its vile Katya. And that pop is pure sugar and probably gives you cancer from the chemicals in it! I should call the health department on that place...” He grumbled, getting into the car.


“You do and you’ll find a horse head in bed next to you again!” She had gotten a horse head pillow, with ‘entrails’ coming out of it and placed it in bed next to him one morning before tickling his feet. Kyle’s reaction to waking up to it got a good laugh out of the squad when they saw the video Katya had recorded and that she hadn’t told him she had sent them. “And stop whining too!”


He had the honor of watching his future wife, the mother of his future children, tear into a no cheese pizza with pickles, peanut butter, and tabasco and wash it down with Double Bubble Cherry-Grapefruit Ice Tea while he munched on bread sticks. They did talk about the need to finally set a wedding date so the church and everything else could be reserved. The honeymoon was simple: a seaside house in Monterey Bay in California all to themselves for at least a week. No cruises or anything like that. Just good alone time doing whatever they wished.


As they got into the car, reality set in again: MaryBeth Ander’s parents had arrived at the morgue to claim their daughter’s body. Neither detective wanted to do what they had to do but they had to do it. From experience, they knew the morgue had rooms set aside where they could meet with the parents in private.


“I so don’t want to do this....” Katya whispered and felt Kyle squeezing her hand. She glanced over and smiled a little before nodding towards the door. “I believe that’s where we first met. You were investigating Tina Sanders murder and ran into Lisbeth Neeley and you called her about every bad name you could think of. I think you also swore you would put her in prison for pandering, prostitution, accessory after the fact, and from the way you were looking down her dress, indecent exposure.” She got a case of the giggles. “Then the look on your face when we met in that baseball dugout that first time was priceless!”


“I know, love, I don’t want to either,” said Kyle, his voice soft as he squeezed her hand gently. He glanced across at the door she indicated, a flash of memory coming back to him. The girl had been badly beaten, raped and then shot in the head, her body dumped at a landfill like so much trash. He’d just come from meeting her parents, had been escorting them down to the morgue, when he’d bumped into Katya in her guise as Lisbeth Neeley and if he could have he would have arrested her right then and there. He couldn’t, so instead he’d settled for letting her know exactly what he thought of her. Staring at the door, he felt the memories come flooding back.

---

Chapter Eighteen


“Mister and Missus Sanders? I’m Detective Darius,” said Kyle, as he stepped into the small room where he’d been told the victims’ parents were waiting to formally identify her body. There was a small TV screen at one end of the stark, white painted, room, liked to a camera in the morgue and when they were ready the screen would come to life to show them the body.


“Detective,” said the man, simply, as he turned towards him. He had his arms protectively around his wife, who was still crying. She’d been crying almost constantly since they’d received the news of their daughters’ death two days ago. He didn’t think she’d slept since then, neither of them had really, the news still hadn’t sunk in that their baby was gone.


“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said, softly, even as he realized how empty and hollow those words must sound. He wished there was more he could say, that he could at least say that he had the man who’d murdered their daughter in custody, but the truth was he had no idea who was responsible.
“Do you know who did this to my daughter?” Asked the man, Andrew Sanders, looking at the detective.


“I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t comment on an active, ongoing, investigation,” answered Kyle, after a handful of seconds. That much was true, but if he’d known anything he would have told them.


“I understand,” said Sanders, although his voice and expression told Kyle that he didn’t.


“I’ll take you down to the viewing room,” said Kyle, as he led them out of the room and down the short corridor to the ‘Viewing Room’. Once they were inside he went to inform the M.E; so they could get the body ready for identification. Leaving that room, he’d all but bumped into the young woman wearing more make-up than was necessary. “Who the hell let you in here?” He demanded, before he proceeded to grab her by the arm and all but dragged her into an empty room. “I should arrest you for being an accessory to murder, right now,” snapped Kyle, once the door was closed.


Katya...or rather Lisbeth had gone down to the morgue to ID the body of one of her ‘girls’. As a runaway, Tina hadn’t had anybody in town that could, or would, do that for her and it was the least Katya could do for the poor girl. It disgusted her that she could get these girls off the streets and in protection where they belonged. She had been shown into the observation room and had been waiting there when the door opened again....


It was obvious that the couple there were the parents and Katya had quickly stood up. From the designer dress, heels, and makeup it was easy to assume that she wasn’t a schoolgirl friend of Tina’s. The parent’s hadn’t been told how their daughter had made a living but they were smart enough to make a guess. They could also make a guess as to what Katya was too.


The mother walked over and slapped Katya hard on the cheek before she could say a word. “Get out of here! Get out!!”


As she ran out into the hallway, she heard a “I hope you rot in hell!!”. Katya ran around the corner to a bathroom and just made it into a stall as she heaved the contents of her stomach into the toilet.


Afterwards, as she fixed her makeup, she thought about this operation. The Feebs had said that Don Popi was making a move into town and was asking himself for her ‘assistance’ in setting up some call girl operation. She had worked on a couple of other ops targeting him and her cover was still safe. During the last, she had been a guest at the wedding reception of one of his grand daughters and had even danced with him. The old man was a complete gentleman. A gentleman that could order you to be killed in ways that would take days for you to die.


Her orders were to round up the girls, get procedures set up, and the rest. Of course actually running it would be a no-no. They wanted to get the linkages made to the Don or some of the underlings so they could be turned later on. Everything had been going okay until Tina Sanders turned up dead.


Tina had sworn up and down that she was 18 but Katya knew different. The girl had too much of a babyface to be that old. She was going to get the girl busted somehow before things really got rolling. The drugs Tina used and her experience meant she had been on the streets and for that fact Katya wasn’t going to use her. The ‘advisors’ from the the Don disagreed because she did look so young there was a market for that.


As she looked at the not-herself in the mirror, Katya/Lisbeth knew it was getting time to get out. What had been fun and a game, a dangerous one, but still a game was eating at her soul. Every day a little more was chipping away. And since Bryan had been reassigned, she had no one to talk to about it. Her new boss, Tony, just wanted results and didn’t care how she got them.


Exiting the bathroom, she had literally run into the detective assigned to the case...


Her fake nails dug into her palms as both fists clenched at having to listen to him. Of course he didn’t know a thing about her other than the cover story. Outside of some Feebs and brass in the police department, nobody knew Officer Katya Komarovsky existed. She wanted to yell: “I’m a fucking cop!!” to his face but couldn’t. She just had to stand there and take it like a civilian would. To fight back would get her arrested. Oh she would make bail and the charges would vanish thanks to Don Popi but she didn’t need that kind of trouble right now.


“Are you finished Detective....Darius?” Katya read from the ID badge. “I came down here so that Tina wouldn’t be listed as just a number in the morgue. So she could be sent home to her parents. I know what you think of me and I really don’t care. I do have a heart and I would have liked to seen her off the streets. And before you start yelling at me, check with your own Vice squad because I know she got picked up by them several times. Why didn’t any of them do anything for her Detective or did they think she was just worthless trash?”


Katya pulled a handkerchief from her Gucci bag to dab at her eyes. She did not need makeup in them. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she then look up at him with blue-gray eyes. Blue because of the contacts she wore. “Do you have any idea who did this to her? I might burn in hell but I want them there too.”


“I’m sorry, but do I look like I have stupid tattooed on my forehead?” Asked Kyle, once the woman had finished. “And don’t try and play innocent with me, that girl was fifteen, maybe sixteen, and don’t try and tell me you didn’t know that!” He’d check with Vice, and make inquiries if it turned out the dead girl had been arrested before and find out what had happened to the charges. Although he could guess; ‘Charges dropped, insufficient evidence.’ “Listen, lady,” he added, fighting to keep his voice calmer than he felt. “Right now, the only thing separating you from a being charged with being an accessory to murder is I don’t need the extra paperwork.” He took a couple of deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down, before he continued.


“Right now, I could arrest you for being an accessory after the fact, an accessory to murder, obstructing a criminal investigation, providing a minor for sex, soliciting, and if that dress was any shorter, or lower, I’d have you for indecent exposure too,” continued Kyle, ticking each potential charge off on his fingers. “Those are all felonies, by the way, and by the time you get out you’d be pushing sixty. Oh, your friends in high places might try and get the charges dropped, but I’ll make things so fucking hot for them they’ll drop you like a hot brick. But, right now, I don’t need all that extra paperwork, so here’s what’s going to happen. If you hear anything, anything at all, about Tina Sanders and her murder, you’re going to call me right away.” He took a couple of steps towards her, pure thunder in his dark eyes. “I will find out who did this, and if I find out you knew anything and held it back, I’ll make sure they throw the book and the fucking bookcase at you.”


Reaching into his pocket he took out his wallet and pulled a business card from it, which he handed to the woman. “That’s my number, you hear anything you call me, you got that. You hold out on me, I’ll make sure you get a date with a lethal injection,” he added, before he turned away. Maybe something had happened in her life that made her the way she was, but maybe she could change, become a decent person and so the right thing.


The words were forming her her mind and she was so tempted to say “Yes, it is tattooed to your forehead!” but she didn’t. She so wanted though.... And hearing how old Tina had been made her shut her eyes in pain. Why hadn’t Vice done anything? She was underaged and they HAD to have known it or suspected it. Probably it was that she was a druggie and a whore and they just didn’t give a damn.


Then he was listing off felonies that he could charge her with and one took her aback. “Indecent exposure?! Did you fall asleep in your criminal law class? Section 9A.88.010 says it applies only if you’re exposing yourself to someone and only a felony if they’re under fourteen or a sex offender as defined by section 9.94A.030....” Katya realized from the look he was giving her that she was saying a little too much. Lisbeth would know the law but Katya would know the statutes.


Katya took his card though and nodded. “If I hear anything Detective, even if its just gossip, I will let you know. Promise. You don’t believe me but I keep my promises.” She thought she heard a ‘hmmph’ from him as left.


For a few moments, she stood alone in the room before leaving.


There were a few errands that she had to do and the local shopping mall fit perfectly. To anyone, Lisbeth was casually shopping and drifting from store to store. Actually Katya was making she sure wasn’t being tailed and if she was, not letting them know that she knew. Satisfied that she was clean, she bought a pre-paid cell phone and found a quiet corner to call a number that was to a beauty salon.


“Yeah I would like a dye job if you could? Thanks.” She heard a couple of clicks as the call was transferred. “Day word: cottonmouth. Command word: trinity. Action word: red riding hood. Two two eight alpha three seven.” The lifeguard on the other end seemed satisfied and paged Tony. If she had flubbed anything or changed the three seven to seven three they would know it was being done under duress. “Woody? Red. I need a meet with you and Brothers Grimm. I don’t give a fuck about that. I want a face to face. Do not give me that. I have you by the fucking balls, got that? Good. Alpha five. Plus four. Got it. Bye.”


Tony and the Feeb guy, and the Intell guy from the locals were going to get an earful when she met with them. That was certain. Katya popped the Sim chip from the phone before wiping it down and tossing it in the trash. The chip would meet its end in another bin.


-------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Nineteen


Leaving the room, still mad as hell, Kyle headed for the elevator that would take him back up to the main hospital so he could get the hell out of there. As he walked he realized she’d cited not only the law but the statues relating to it, too. Maybe a little too much information for a ‘call girl’ to know, but then again maybe not. He was willing to bet there was more than one lawyer calling on her, and he’d probably have given her the exact details if only so she could protect herself. Trying to push the thought from his mind he found that harder than he’d thought, the woman was undeniably attractive, despite the excess make up, and he had to admit she had damn fine legs.


Leaving the hospital, he walked towards his car and dug into a pocket for his cellphone. Dialing a number from memory, he waited until the receiving phone was answered. “I’d like to speak to Detective Hanson, please. It’s Detective Darius, from homicide.” He said, before his call was transferred.


“Kyle, old buddy, long time no see. What can I do for you?” Said a familiar voice, several seconds later, as his call was transferred.


“Jake, yeah, it’s been a while. How’re you and Maria getting along?” Answered Kyle, the two old friends catching up before he finally got round to the real reason for his call. “I need a favor, need you to run a name for me. Tina Sanders,” he added, as he reached his car and leant casually against the hood as he took a cigarette pack from his pocket. Lighting his smoke, he waited whilst his friend ran the girls name.


“Tina Sanders, arrested for prostitution four times in the past year. Every time all charges were dropped and she was released, orders from high,” answered Hanson, after about two minutes, as he called up the girls file.


“Who ordered the charges dropped?” Asked Kyle, as he puffed thoughtfully on his smoke.


“No idea, I remember her, though, pretty little thing. We knew she was underage, but when we tried to find out why the charges were always dropped we just got ordered to drop it. Whoever it was, though, it came from way above my pay grade, the last time my captain gave me a direct order to drop the charges. I got the feeling that something was up, but, you know how it is.” Said Hanson, finally, as he stared at the file and the photos of the girl. He’d thought the name had seemed familiar, but seeing her picture had finally kick-started his memory.


“Okay, thanks Jake,” said Kyle, frowning. Something didn’t feel right; he just couldn’t put his finger on what it was.


“No problem, Kyle, and you should come on over for dinner, soon, I know Maria would love to see you again.”


“We’ll sort something out,” said Kyle, before he ended the call. Returning his phone to the pocket of his jacket, he tossed the butt of his smoke away and then climbed into his car. Starting the engine he pulled out of the hospital parking lot, heading back towards the precinct. Something wasn’t right, in fact something stank like hell, and he was going to get to the bottom of it. Tina Sanders deserved at least that much.


-----------------------------------------------------


Katya stormed out of the office complex more angry than she had even been in her entire life. The meeting with her handler Tony, the guy from Feebs, and the supervisor for the Intell unit had started just the way she had thought it would: them being pissed that she had requested a face to face. It had gone downhill from there.


Not only did they not care about Tina’s death but they berated her for going to the morgue in the first place. The positive light they could see was that Detective hadn’t busted her and endangered her cover. They were more worried about that then a girl’s death. When Katya asked about at least bringing Darius into the loop they went ballistic. Giving her all the usual messages about this being more important than any one thing and all the rest that she had heard again and again.


What had floored her though... What had actually made her jaw drop was being told that she was not, repeat, not to investigate the murder and even if she somehow found the suspect she was to keep it to herself. When all was said and done, they might be able to bring charges against that person. Katya got the impression that the ‘might’ would be ‘never’.


After that news, she had left before she did something they would regret.


As she drove, Katya half thought about telling Don Popi about it. He had granddaughters, hell, great-granddaughters Tina’s age and he was old school when it came to them. She could easily get him to take care of whoever it was. It was so tempting....but she couldn’t do it. Not only would be make her an accessory and taint all her work it was just wrong. When it came down to it, she enforced the law, not breaking it for her own needs.


“Hey Lissie!”


“How many times have I told you that its ‘Lisbeth’ and NOT ‘Lissie’?” Lisbeth/Katya said as she walked into the back room of one of the hottest new night clubs in town. The person she was directing her playful scorn to was very tall, very thin, and very very gay.


Miguel had a wit that was as sharp as cut glass and a laugh that matched it. He was, however, one of the best managers that she had ever come across. He could work the chaos of the club into magic. He was also smart enough to not notice anything that might be happening behind the scenes or where some of the money came from. She knew he knew what she was setting up but appreciated that she was keeping such a low profile because it didn’t bring the heat down.


“Where have you been girl? You is late. Getting near time for the house to get rockin!”


“Had things to do... You remember Tina? Baby face, brown hair, hung around where you got all the old pinball machine?” Katya said as she poured herself a shot of Stoli before sitting down on a couch. She didn’t drink much but today she needed a slug.


“Yeah....cutie. All the young bucks liked to hang around her.” The place strictly enforced the legal age. No ID, no getting in, no exceptions. The problem was there were a lot of ID’s around that were, in a word, perfect. Miguel took a look at her face and sat down next to her. “Oh no....what happened?”


“Cops found her last night....this morning. Somebody did a number on her and I went to do an ID and ran into her parents. It was not pleasant....”


“Fuck....” He shook his head. They had the runaways and other flotsam washing up. He knew what Lisbeth was doing, or going to do, and he knew she was being careful to try and weed out the lost children from it all. To at least give them a second chance at living. She gave her hand a squeeze. “My poor girl... Wait. You they found her this morning? And she was here last night. I remember because she had that cute band in her hair that looked like two cat ears.”


“I remember that! I kept asking to borrow it and she kept saying no.” Katya chuckled and then she saw how white he had gotten. “What? What’s wrong Miguel?” She hadn’t been there the previous night due to some other work that needed to be done.


“She left....she left with Chris Danti.”


She could understand why he went white because a shudder went through her body at the thought of him. He part of Don Popi’s crew and someone who was on his way up fast. Usually by killing off his rivals. He was a stone, cold, sociopath. The few times she had met him it felt like he sucked the heat from the room.


“He came in this morning and the night guy said he took the hard drive with last night’s camera recordings. Lisbeth....” he started to say, shaking. She pressed a finger to his lips.


“You didn’t say that, you didn’t see them, it never happened, k? We don’t ever mention it again.” Katya said softly and got a nod from him. They both knew that is Danti even thought they might know something they were dead.


Miguel nodded and then excuse himself to start opening things up as she sat there to think.


Could they use this to flip Danti? Never. Even if he had been caught in the act he would never turn snitch. Even on a straight murder case the evidence was thin at best. Without the video all they had was Miguel and he wouldn’t talk. Not even for witness protection. He had a big family and Katya knew Danti would be willing to start chopping it up. Did he leave anything else behind that he hadn’t realized? Forensic type things. Stuff that could get missed if you didn’t know who you were looking for....


Grabbing her purse, she sought out Miguel. “I don’t think I’m going to be in tonight. Just don’t feel like it....”


Katya drove her car to a hotel parking ramp and flashed a pass to the attendant. She had a box under the seat with parking passes to most places in town. The hotel had a rather nice gym that she used a couple of times a week. It also had a locker room too... At this hour of the day it wasn’t too busy so she had time alone to change out of the designer dress and into a professional slacks and blouse that had been hanging in her locker. She scrubbed off the heavy makeup and applied just light bit. The kind that would be appropriate in an office for example. The dress was folded carefully to be placed in a thin briefcase. After adjusting the black wig, she put the finishing touch: wire rimmed glasses. In under 15 minutes, she was a whole new person.


Striding out the front door, she caught a taxi that would take her to airport. There, she caught a shuttle to another hotel and picked up the car that was in that parking ramp. This one was clean and owned by her father. From there Katya drove to a storage rental site and unlocked a small unit. Nobody knew about this but her. In contained stuff that probably should have been turned in after previous assignments but she had ‘forgotten’ to do it.


After looking through a box, she found what she was looking for. It was getting near nightfall and she needed something to see in the dark. Military grade night vision/thermal goggles would do the trick. There was also something in a locked box as well she might need too.


In a few minutes, she was changed into jeans, t-shirt, and a Mets ball cap with most of her tucked under it. Slipping on a jacket, Katya made sure the 9mm Makarov she had found under the spare tire in the car was reachable in a pocket. It had to have been her dad's but where he had gotten it she didn't know. While undercover she wasn’t allow a firearm.


The card that Darius had given her was long since destroyed but she knew the number. Pulling out a new burn phone she dialed the number. “Detective? No names for the moment. Remember me? Okay. I want to meet. Cuz I like your good looks! No, I got information. Yes. Remember Hasselton? Where he started out? Walk out on to the field and I’ll signal. Hey! My neck is on the line here and not your’s. I want to see if you brought company. Okay. In....45? Cool.”


She hung up and pulled the battery from the phone before driving off.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Leaving the hospital, after his call to Vice, Kyle had headed for City Hall to see if anyone in the DA’s office knew about Tina Sanders and the mysteriously dropped charges. One of the ADA’s owed him a favor; maybe they could do some digging and find out where the order to drop all charges had come from. He checked his watch, it was a little after a six in the evening but he knew there would still be people working on cases, preparing depositions and warrants. Parking the car he lit a cigarette as he walked towards the building entrance, adjusting the 9mm Ruger he carried on his hip and fishing in his pocket for his badge as he paused outside to finish his smoke.


Finishing his smoke, Kyle dumped the butt in the ashtray outside and then headed into the building, flashing his badge to the security guard on duty. The guard checked his badge and ID, comparing the picture to the face of the detective before he allowed Kyle to bypass the security metal detectors. Taking the elevator up to the fourth floor, Kyle made his way down the corridor until he reached the office of ADA Emma Bryant. Knocking on the door, he waited until a soft voice called out for him to enter before he turned the handle and stepped inside the office. “Hey, Emma,” said Kyle, as he entered the office and closed the door behind himself.


“Well, if it isn’t the cutest detective in the Willowburg PD,” said the woman, as she looked up from her computer screen and the report she’d been reading. She flashed Kyle a warm smile and gestured towards the seat on the opposite side of her desk. “What can I do for you, detective?” She added.


“I need you to run a name for me, Tina Sanders. She was busted for prostitution four times in the past year, but each time orders came down and the charges were dropped. Any chance you can find out who got the charges dropped?” Said Kyle, as he settled into the chair opposite Emma.


“Sure,” said Emma, as she began tapping away on her computer keyboard. “Or, maybe not. I can’t even access the booking records, someone really doesn’t want anyone looking into this,” said Emma, several minutes later. “I’ve tried everything I can, and I keep coming up against a stone wall. Sorry, Kyle,” added Emma


“At least you tried, Emma,” said Kyle, softly, as he rose to his feet. It looked as if this case was going to be harder to solve than he’d first realized, but he was going to get to the bottom of it. Tina Sanders deserved at least that much. “Is there anything you can tell me?” He asked, pausing by the door to Emma’s office.


“Not much, just the club where she was busted all four times,” answered Emma, as she wrote the name down on a piece of paper and then rose to her feet and came across to the door to give it to him. “Be careful, Kyle. Whoever is behind this, they’re connected seven ways from Sunday. Just be careful, so this doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass,” she added, as she handed him the paper with the name of the club written on it.


“I’m always careful, Emma,” Kyle assured her, as he tucked the paper into a pocket of his jacket. “I promise, Emma,” he added, as he reached out and gently touched her hand. Opening the door her left the office, leaving City Hall and heading for his car.


Once inside his car Kyle lit a cigarette and stared at the paper in his hand, something told him he was in over his head with this whole case. He knew the club; it was rumored to be the main hang out for some of the city’s worst criminals funded by money from organized crime. Maybe Tina Sanders had found out something, or seen something, she shouldn’t have and that had been what got her killed. Finishing his smoke, Kyle stubbed the butt out in the ashtray and then started the car’s engine as he checked his watch. It was almost eight, and the evening sky was starting to get dark as he guided the car back towards the precinct. He’d check in first, then decide what to do. He’d either sign out for the night and visit the club in the morning or he’d go that night, he just wasn’t sure which. He was halfway to the precinct when his cellphone rang.


“Darius,” he said, fumbling the blue-tooth hands-free earpiece into place.


“Detective, remember me?” Said a familiar voice, one he really hadn’t expected to hear again.


“I remember you,” said Kyle, keeping his voice even.


“Okay, good. I want to meet,” added the speaker.


“Why?”


“Cuz I like your good looks! No, I got information. Yes. Remember Hasselton? Where he started out? Walk out on to the field and I’ll signal.”


“Why should I trust you?” He asked, it was an obvious question but he still felt the need to ask.


“Hey! My neck is on the line here and not yours. I want to see if you brought company. Okay. In forty five? Cool.”


“I’ll be there,” said Kyle, before he ended the call and tossed the cellphone onto the empty seat beside him. Changing lanes he put his foot down, he was sure he hadn’t been followed but if he did have a tail he wanted to be sure he’d lost them before the meeting.

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Chapter Twenty


As planned, Katya had gotten there ahead of the detective and settled into the dugout. The field was a far distance from the street lights so it was just about pitch black. The night vision goggles made it a sea of green though. These were state of the art that combined night vision with thermal imaging so heat sources glowed. They had been loaned to her and Bryan for an op that involved Katya dressed as a homeless person and Bryan watching her from a hidden vantage point. They just never turned it back in after it was done....


The vision was great but the field of view was limited so Katya had to keep swiveling her head to cover every where. There looked like a bunch of bunnies running about in the grass that she could see. Grinning, she wanted to watch them but knew she couldn’t. Then they all suddenly ran away.


Tightening the hold on the Makarov in her pocket she watched as a blob came into view. Soon enough, the blob became a human figure. She kept looking but couldn’t see anyone else showing up. Turning back to the figure, she dialed the zoom up to look at the face. It was blurry but Katya recognized the detective. Her other hand held up a pen-sized flashlight and blinked it three times at him. She had to bite her lip to stop from laughing at how he jumped when the light hit him.


‘Watch your step. About three feet to your left,” she said softly, not wanting him to fall off the edge on to the concrete. When he was settled, she pulled off the goggles and closed her eyes for a moment to let them get readjusted to the dark.


“Why are talking Miss Neeley?” Kyle finally said in a soft voice.


Taking a deep breath, she started speaking... “First off, my name isn’t Lisbeth Neely. That’s my cover I’ve been using off and on for a few years. My real name is Officer Yekaterina Komarovsky of the Willowberg Police Intelligence Unit. Katya for short and we’re meeting because a certain sociopathic goumba named Chris Danti killed Tina. I don’t have any evidence that you can actually use but he’s the one that did it.”


From where he’d been when he’d received the call, the baseball field was only about a twenty minute drive away. But Kyle wanted to make sure he wasn’t being followed, or set up, so he’d made sure he took the longest route he could and still get there a few minutes early. Even if he wasn’t being followed he wanted to scope out the field, make sure there wasn’t an ambush waiting for him. Being ninety nine percent certain he wasn’t being followed, despite the precautions he’d taken Kyle knew there was no way he could be one hundred percent sure, he parked the car about two blocks from the baseball field and killed the engine. Taking an extra minute to check that he wasn’t being followed, the area where he’d parked was almost devoid of traffic, he left the car and lit a cigarette as he ducked into a narrow side street and headed for the baseball field.


Ignoring the main entrance, Kyle circled around towards the bleachers and outfield until he found a stretch of fence that was well concealed in the shadows. Taking off his jacket he tossed it over the barbed wire at the top of the fence, and then climbed up and over, his jacket protecting him from the wicked barbs. Dropping to the ground, he reached up and pulled his jacket off the wire, it was a little ripped but otherwise wearable, before he unsnapped the safety strap that held his holstered pistol in place and then moved out into the field.


As he walked Kyle knew he was being watched, the sensation a little unnerving because he had no reason to trust that woman and no way of knowing whether or not she was leading him into an ambush. He kept his hand close to his gun, his senses reaching out into the blackness that surrounded him. He paused once, his keen ears having picked up the barest, faintest, sound of someone breathing in the otherwise still and silent night. Turning slightly towards the sound he began moving again.


When the flashlight beam hit him, even though he’d known someone was there, it had still caught him a little by surprise. Shielding his eyes to protect his night vision, Kyle began walking towards where the beam had come from, the sound of breathing getting louder as he drew close. Even before her words came he knew exactly where she was, and where the edge of the concrete was, he’d played both senior and big league baseball there when he was in High School. Dropping down into the dugout, he seated himself on the edge of the dugout wall and waited for her to remove the night vision gear she was wearing.


“Why are we talking, Miss Neeley?” He asked, finally, keeping his voice soft.


Taking a deep breath, she started speaking. “First off, my name isn’t Lisbeth Neely. That’s my cover I’ve been using off and on for a few years. My real name is Officer Yekaterina Komarovsky of the Willowburg Police Intelligence Unit. Katya for short and we’re meeting because a certain sociopathic goumba named Chris Danti killed Tina. I don’t have any evidence that you can actually use but he’s the one that did it.”


“I see,” said Kyle, finally, once she’d stopped talking. He knew about the WPD Intelligence Unit, they focused almost exclusively on organized crime, working closely with the Feds and DEA amongst others. The name she’d just given him did sound vaguely familiar, though, although he couldn’t quite place where he’d heard it. “Let’s assume, for a minute, that you’re telling the truth and you really are a cop. You don’t have any evidence to prove it, but you ‘know’ he’s responsible. No evidence makes that hearsay, Officer Komarovsky.” He paused, looking straight at her before he added. “What am I supposed to do? Go to the DA and say: I don’t have any evidence, but this hooker who claims to be an undercover cop says this guy Chris Danti killed Tina Sanders? If I go to the DA with that, I’ll be lucky if they just laugh me out the building. So, unless you’ve got something concrete, or are willing to help me get something, then we’re just wasting each other’s time.”


Thirty seconds of silence passed, before he added. “Well, Officer Komarovsky, what’s it going to be? Are you going to help me, or not?”


His attitude infuriated her but in a way, she knew he was right. What did she have to give him? “You’re right, I can’t prove I’m a cop,” Katya said softly. “My records are in a locked box in a safe somewhere at HQ. I haven’t lived under my own name in over four years. I never actually graduated with my class at the academy so there’s no pictures. In short, I don’t exist.” She sat back down and shook her head. “I could give you the name of my handler but I have a feeling they would have the Feebs arrest you on something to get you out of the way. We’re going after Don Popi and ain’t nothing is getting in the way of things.”


The light was too dim to make much out but Kyle thought without all the makeup she looked a lot prettier than when they first met. “What do you know then?” he asked more gently. “Anything you know can help.”


“I’m based out of the Cobalt Club, the new place over on Longview Drive, setting up escort services. Ones that won’t actually work of course. And yes, we’re mobbed up the ying yang. We card everybody and kick the underage out but the ID’s are damn good. That’s why girls like Tina get in. I wanted to keep her out. Hell...I called a tip to the cops once and they busted her and she was back the next night.” She didn’t realize it but her fist pounded on the bench a couple of times before wiping some tears off of her cheeks.“I wasn’t there last but the manager told me that Tina left with Chris Danti and that he came in this morning and took the hard drive with the security camera footage from last night.”


Katya knew what the next question he would ask and she shook her head. “You can’t talk to the manager either. He won’t say anything, I can guarantee that. And its a better than even chance that if Danti finds out you questioned him, he’ll kill him and/or his family. Trust me detective, Danti will do it. I met him a couple of times and he is....evil. I mean even the other goombas are scared of him.”


“Damn it! My bosses want to sweep this all under the rug. If Bryan, my old handler, was here he would have been talking to you this morning about it. He got transferred to the 4th or 5th precinct robbery last year and made an LT.” Katya knew Bryan would have figured out what to do even if it meant going behind everybody’s back to get some justice for Tina.


The name Bryan triggered a connection; they’d had a new lieutenant transfer to his precinct about a year ago. “I’m with the fifth precinct, we had a new lieutenant transfer in the back end of last year, Bryan Smith,” said Kyle, thoughtfully, after a handful of seconds. Although the lieutenant had initially come across as a bit of a hard ass, he and Kyle actually got on pretty well. Probably because they were both former military.


“That’s him,” she said.


Thinking for a few minutes, Kyle tried to decide what they should do next. If the lieutenant could confirm she was a cop then that would give him something to work with, but if she was a cop and undercover he couldn’t risk doing, or saying, anything that might blow her cover. He had no delusions about what would happen to her if the people she was investigating found out she was a cop; she’d be lucky if they killed her slowly. Luckily, the marines had trained him to think on his feet.


“Okay, this is what we’re going to do,” he began, finally, as he took out his notebook and wrote a telephone number on it then handed it to her. “I need you to give me something, a code word or something, which I can drop casually into a conversation with Bryan, so he knows we’ve made contact. If he confirms you’re story, I’ll call that number at exactly five tomorrow afternoon. It’s a payphone, down by the marina; make sure you’re there to answer it. We’ll decide where we go from there,” he finished, finally. What exactly they’d do he didn’t know, yet, but he would think of something.


Her jaw dropped at the news of Bryan working with him before changing into a smile. One thing she knew about her old handler was that he would move heaven and earth to help her. Exactly what they were going to do she hadn’t a clue. They needed to get enough evidence could be a probable suspect to get search warrants, etc on him. At the same time keeping her out of it enough not to blow what she was working on. Oh and not letting their

 

[mypgems]

Chapter Twenty-Two


Staring at the door, Kyle felt the wave of memories finally fade away, until once more he was standing outside the ‘Viewing Room’ at the morgue with Katya. Beyond that door he knew Marybeth Anders parents were waiting. Right then he could make a very good guess at what they were feeling, and thinking. Disbelief. Disbelief that this was happening, that their daughter could be dead, although he was willing to bet that reality was also starting to sink in. He turned to Katya, reaching for her hand and squeezing her fingers gently as he saw how pale she’d gone. This was something no police officer ever looked forward to, something they never wanted to have to do. He waited another thirty seconds, letting Katya regain her composure and for her to stop squeezing his fingers like a vice, before he released her hand and stepped towards the door.


Opening the door, Kyle stepped aside to allow Katya to enter first before he followed and closed the door behind them before he finally turned towards the two people who were stood down near the front of the room. “Mister and missus Anders?” He asked, unnecessarily, as he and Katya started towards them. “I’m Detective Darius and this is Detective Komarovsky, we’re the officers assigned to your daughters...” he paused, unwilling to say ‘murder’. “Investigation,” he finally finished.


“It has to be a mistake,” said the woman, turning towards the two detective although she clung to her husband like a drowning man clutched at an overhanging branch. “It has to be a mistake, Marybeth can’t be...she can’t be...” the woman couldn’t finish her sentence and instead buried her face in her husbands’ chest as she began crying once more.


“Hush, love, hush,” said her husband, softly, as he lightly ran his fingers through his wife’s hair and held her close, almost protectively, against himself. “Is there no chance this is all just a misunderstanding, a mix up?” He asked, looking across at Kyle as he tried to comfort and calm his wife.


“I don’t believe so, sir,” said Kyle, after a few seconds.


“Would, would one of you take my wife outside,” asked the man, after a few more seconds, as he tried to gently ease his wife away.


“No...no, George, I...I want to...” protested his wife, even as Katya stepped forward.


“No, love,” said her husband, his voice sounding firm if a little shaky from emotion. “If...if it is Marybeth I don’t want you to see her, I want you to always remember her the way she was. Full of life, happy,” he added, as Katya slowly and gently took the older woman by the hand and led her out of the room. Only when the door had closed behind them and George was sure he was alone did he turn to Kyle. “I don’t want to do this, either, but...” he left the sentence unfinished.


“Of course,” said Kyle, as he stepped forward to turn on the television set. He paused and reached into his pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and offering one to the older man, who took it before Kyle handed him his lighter. Kyle had seen the yellow nicotine stains on the mans’ fingers. Taking his lighter back, Kyle lit himself a smoke before he picked up the telephone beside the TV. “We’re ready,” he said, simply.


The TV screen went blank for a few seconds, before coming back to life, only now it showed the image of a shrouded figure before someone adjusted the camera angle to focus solely on the head and upper chest area. Unseen hands pulled back the sheet to uncover the face, the mortician had done an excellent job and there was no sign of the ugly wound. Kyle waited a few seconds before he turned back to the man, who was visibly shaking, tears forming in his eyes. Kyle knew the question was unnecessary but he had to ask. “Mister Anders, is that your daughter?”


“Yes,” was the single word reply.


Picking up the phone, Kyle said, “We’re done,” before the body was covered once more and the screen went blank. “I’m sorry for your loss,” said Kyle, although he knew how hollow those words must sound.


“Promise me, detective, you’ll find who did this.” Said the older man, before he grabbed Kyle’s hand and stared hard into his face. “Promise me, one marine to another, you’ll find who did this and make them pay!”


“I promise,” said Kyle, softly, before he reversed his hand in the older mans’ grip and looked straight into his eyes. It was an unspoken oath; Kyle would find who had done this and bring them to justice. Not because he was a cop and it was his duty, but because he was a marine and he’d made a promise to another marine.


----------------------------------------------------


As they stood in the hallway, Katya wasn’t sure what to say so she did the safest: say nothing and just held the woman’s hand. “Komarovsky? Like in....” the woman suddenly asked.


Katya chuckled. “‘Dr Zhivago’, yes. I’m lucky they didn’t name me ‘Lara’ or I would never have heard the end of it. Ironically, my parents hadn’t seen the movie until they arrived in this country.” Her father had had some choice words about some of the characters in the movie but he did like Rod Steiger's character for some odd reason...


“My Marybeth... Did they...was she...” The mother really didn’t want to know the answers but knew she had to know.


“No. There was no signs of sexual trauma or anything else. I know its not much but it appears that it was quick.” She knew that little bit, that her daughter hadn’t suffered much, might ease things even slightly. “Mrs Anders, I won’t lie to you. It might take some time before we can close this case. We’re still processing the evidence and running down the people who knew your daughter to talk them. We’re working as fast as we can but it takes time.”


The older woman actually smiled slightly. “I know. Its not like ‘CSI’ where its solved in an hour. Truth be told detective, I don’t really care. It won’t bring our daughter back and they will have to face a higher judge eventually. It might just take longer. What’s important to me detective is that she is at peace and no one can hurt her again.”


“What we can do is to make sure they can’t do it again to anyone else. That’s why I became a police officer. To keep people safe.”


“That was Marybeth goal too. She wanted to be a lawyer but not to work in some fancy office. She wanted to be prosecutor and ‘put away the bad guys’ she said.” Mrs Anders chuckled softly and then looked at Katya. “Do you have any children detective?”


“I.....almost....did. I...misca....” Katya said softly but couldn’t complete the sentence. She felt her hand being squeezed and took a deep breath. “I want to... Very much. I’m engaged and we’re planning on it.”


“I’m glad. You’ll be a good mother. Just remember to love them and tell them that you love them as often as you can in case....”


At that moment the door opened and her husband and Kyle walked out. He just nodded at his wife and she gave a soft sob as they embraced. Katya found her love’s hand to squeeze it tight. They couldn’t hug each other but this was the next best thing.....


Coming out of the viewing room, went to stand with Katya as the older man went to comfort his wife. Being there, then, brought back memories for Kyle from when he’d been with the Marines. During his combat tours he’d lost almost forty marines, men he’d come to care about, and he’d felt each of those losses personally. When he’d come back to the US he’d made a point of visiting each and every family to pass on his regards and respects. Only one family had turned him away, although some time later the man’s father had written to Kyle to thank him for coming, for trying to tell them what happened, even though he still blamed Kyle for the death of his son.


As he stood beside Katya he felt her fingers curl around his, felt her squeeze his hand as he gently returned the gesture, it was about as close and personal as they could be on duty. Finally he released her hand, as he took a few steps towards the grieving couple. “We’re sorry for your loss,” said Kyle, softly, as he placed a gentle hand on the older mans’ shoulder. “It might take some time, but we will catch whoever did this,” he added, as the older man looked at him.


“I know you will, you’re a marine,” said Mister Anders, as he held his wife and looked up at Kyle and Katya, who was hanging back. “We...we just need to be alone, now,” he added, after a few more seconds.


“We understand, sir,” said Kyle, stepping back. He nodded to the older man, just to let him know that he hadn’t forgotten his promise or unspoken oath. “This is my card, you can call me anytime, to check on things,” he added, as he gently pressed a card into the older man’s hand.


“Thank you, both of you, for...for taking care of Marybeth,” said the older man, as he took the card and tucked it into his pocket.


Leaving the grieving parents, Kyle and Katya headed for the exit, stepping out into the late afternoon sunshine as they left the hospital. As soon as they were outside Kyle lit a cigarette, and for once Katya didn’t say anything. She could see, tell, how rattled Kyle was by that meeting. Walking across to the car, Kyle reached for her hand and squeezed it gently, not caring if anyone saw them. Right then he didn’t feel like a cop, he just felt empty inside.


Tossing his cigarette butt aside as they reached the car, Kyle held the passenger door open for Katya and then went round to the other side and got in. “I love you,” he said, softly, as he sat in the car.


“I love you too,” said Katya, leaning over to kiss his cheek softly.


“We should head back to the precinct, see if the CSI boys have found anything then we’ll head out for the day.” Said Kyle, as he started the engine. Right then he was really looking forward to having that beer with Devon.


At least this was over. That was the only good thing about it. They had done their duty and now Marybeth could go home. Her parents would have the job of trying to put their lives back together again. How does a parent do that? Katya didn’t know and didn’t wish to find out nor put her own parents through that.


Earlier in the day, Kyle had mentioned about catching a beer with Devon. He hadn’t said why but she guessed it was ‘guy talk’. Katya never had a problem with things like that. She knew her fiance loved her and loved being with her but he needed to have time with his own friends every so often. Tonight most especially. Chatting up with Devon would be good for him she knew.


“Sounds like a good plan my love. Before you meet up with Devon, just drop me off at the main library branch. I’ll catch a cab home.”


“You sure?” he asked, glancing over at Katya. “I can pick you up too?”


Patting Kyle’s hand, she smiled. “And have you leave early to come get me? Not on your life! No, I’m just going to hide out in the old section of the library and absorb the ambiance is all.” She had discovered that the main branch of library, while modernized, had kept a lot of the feel of an old time library. Especially in the original sections with lots of wood, huge book cases, and the rest. There were some leather cushioned chairs that Katya was going to try and sneak out someday. You sat in them and you SUNK into them. She loved it!


“Oh yeah, I also have to finalized the wedding dress too. I got three or four ideas... And stop groaning! I’m making this as painless for you as I can buster!” They both laughed at that. Actually, it was both of their mothers who were doing a lot of the planning. They just consulted with their children every so often.


“I’m just looking forward to the bachelor’s party our dads are putting together. What little they have said sound....interesting!” Kyle and Katya had been told that he would show up in time for the wedding. In what condition the fathers would not, or could not, promise. “You dad said something about a bar he knew in Saint Petersburg...”


“No Kyle... You are not getting on a plane to Mother Russia before our wedding! I will talk to my mother who will tell my father to forget any, ANY ideas like that.” That made Katya grin. Her mom was her height, 5’2” and her dad was 6’4” but you tended to think it was the other way around at times....


“Spoilsport,” said Kyle, grinning. Once, shortly after he and Katya had started dating, he’d made the mistake of upsetting her mom, he’d never done it again. He’d once remarked to Katya that her mother would have made a perfect Marine Corps drill instructor. “Although, you should probably take the car, I’ll catch a cab home. I shouldn’t be drinking and driving, anyway,” he added, as he guided the car back towards the precinct. Although he wasn’t planning on having more than three or four beers and he’d probably be okay, he really didn’t want to take the risk. It just wasn’t worth it.


“Good point,” agreed Katya.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Chapter twenty-three



Reaching the precinct they headed up to the squad room, Katya heading for their small office as Kyle went across to check with Devon which bar they were heading to. Apparently Mikey was planning on coming along to, although he said he’d be a little late because he had to head home first, so he’d meet them at Casey’s later. With the details set, Kyle headed back to his office, as Devon and Mikey went to sign out for the day, glancing across the squad room towards Bryan’s office as he walked. Although he didn’t get along with the older man, now, once they’d been good friends, although that had seemed to change almost as soon as Katya had been transferred to the precinct and they’d been partnered together. In fact it had been Bryan who’d pushed to have them put together in the first place.


Entering the office, Kyle found Katya just finishing up on the phone and he cleared off a corner of his desk and perched on the edge of it as he waited for her to hang up. He could guess she’d been on the phone with the CSU team, checking to see if they’d found anything new on the Marybeth Anders case. “Anything new?” He asked her, needlessly, as she hung up the phone with a heavy sigh. He knew the answer, even before she shook her head. He glanced at his watch, surprised to see it was almost seven. Their meeting at the hospital, with Marybeth Anders parents had gone on longer than he’d realized. “You ready?” He asked her, as he slid off the corner of desk he’d been sitting on. Katya nodded and whilst he went to sign them both out for the day she gathered up her things and met him out in the squad room. Across the room, as Katya emerged from the office, unseen by either Kyle or Katya, the blind that was pulled down over the window of Bryan’s office twitched slightly before it fell back into place.


Leaving the elevator as they reached the underground parking garage, Kyle and Katya joined hands as they walked towards the car. Now they were off duty they were free to be a little more open in how they behaved, which meant they could hold hands. Opening the passenger door for Katya, Kyle ran around to the other side and climbed into the driver’s seat before he gunned the engine. The drive to Casey’s was short and within a few minutes Kyle was pulling the Camaro into a space about a hundred yards from the bar, half a dozen cars down from where Devon had parked his Mustang. “I’ll be home by ten,” Kyle assured her, as he unclipped his tie and unfastened his top button. Getting out of the car, as Katya slid over and into the driver’s seat, Kyle removed his jacket and shoulder rig before he passed his holstered sidearm to Katya, she’d lock it away in the safe he’d had installed under the spare wheel in the trunk, before he leant in and kissed her. Turning away, Kyle headed for the bar as Katya drove off.


Although it was still early, there were almost two dozen people in Casey’s as Kyle entered, the detective nodding to friends and exchanging a few words with some he’d not seen for a while, before he made his way across to the booth where Devon sat. An almost full pitcher of beer sat on the table in front of him, along with two glasses, and Kyle slid into the seat opposite Devon before he poured himself a beer from the pitcher. “So, what’s on your mind my friend?” Asked Kyle, after downing half his beer in one swallow. Setting the glass down with a sigh, he looked up at Devon, who was playing nervously with his beer glass.


“Megan, she had an appointment with the doctor today,” said Devon, finally stopping playing with his beer glass and looking up at Kyle. “We’ve been trying for a baby, which was why she had to go to the doctor. We thought she might be, but...” his voice trailed off and he paused before he added, with a huge grin. “Megan is pregnant, we’re gonna have a baby.”


“Congratulations, my friend,” said Kyle, reaching across to slap his friend on the back.


-----------------------------------------------------------


As she packed Kyle’s weapon in the safe she wished he had kept it on him. Just to be on the safe side. That done and everything locked up, Katya walked through the parking ramp and into the library. There was a bathroom right off the entrance that she remembered. It was one of the places around town that she would change disguises to become another person. There were dead drops in the library that had been used too. Usually a book with papers slipped in or a container someplace.


It was so nice not to have to worry about that kind of thing anymore!


She drifted into the back stacks to look for a book to read when her ears caught a sound. One that was familiar to Katya for all the wrong reasons. A glance through a gap in the books confirmed just what she had feared it was. It was generally a safe thing but just to be safe Katya put her hand on her weapon while pulled out her badge.


“Want to put it back in your pants there chief?” she said softly as she gazed at the gentleman who was getting a blow job from a woman kneeling before him. His eyes got wide at the sight of the badge she held in front of her.


“I...I....we...I...” he stuttered, stepping back and fumbling to pull his pants up. His cock had instantly wilted.


“Don’t try to explain, please. This is your lucky night too cuz I don’t want to take the time to run you both in.” Katya just shook her head and noticed the ring on his finger. “Get the hell out of here and if I catch you again then you will be run in. And sir, I doubt your wife will like having to bail you out for this so don’t do it, k? And what the hell were you thinking? What if a kid had come around that corner and not me?”


The man was Bryan’s age or a bit older. The nice suit said he also had money. For Pete’s sake he could afford a motel room! He was still jabbering when he reached for some bills that were on a bookcase.


“Leave it. She earned it. Now git!” Katya watched him nearly run and then turned back to the woman. “Tracey? Is that you?” It was one of her ‘girls’ from the last operation. Still pretty but more worn than the last time she had seen her.


The bleached blond was a head taller then she was and a few years older. Her dress was a bit revealing but not more than what other women might be wearing. “Lisbeth? Or whatever your name is?”


“Katya. Call me Katya.” She shook her head at meeting her like this and in a library! “What the hell are you doing girl?”


Tracey just shrugged. “A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. You should know, you did the life once upon a time. Or acted like because you were a fucking cop. Us ladies you recruited... Nobody would sponsor us after you came out cuz they all thought we were wired. Most of us had to go on the streets to work. Thank you ‘Officer’.”


To go from high price call girl/escorts to street whores. That was a huge fall in terms of class, money, and pride. Did it bother Katya? A little, especially for the girls who had kids but she could live with it. They wanted to love the life, they earned the fleas that went with it. There were ways out of they wanted to take them.


Before Katya could say anything a librarian poked her head around the corner. “Might I ask what is going on here?”


“She is just leaving and I would suggest putting her on the people who aren’t allowed in here,” Katya said, showing her badge. “And she was just leaving too. Night miss. Run allow please.” She stepped aside to let the hooker leave.


Tracey walked past Katya with head held high. “Bitch,” she said softly.


“Thank you officer. We try and keep them out but....” the librarian said, shrugging slightly.


“Quite welcome. I have a feeling you won’t see the gentleman here again. He did look like he was running a little fast...”


“Almost tripped twice too...” They both got a grin out of that.


-----------------------------------------------------------


Settling back into his seat in the booth, Kyle looked across at Devon and frowned. Although Devon looked happy, there was also something that clearly seemed to be troubling him. “So, what else is on your mind?” Asked Kyle, as he lifted his beer glass and watched Devon over the rim.


“I don’t know,” answered Devon, as he took a sip of his beer and then refilled his glass from the pitcher on the table. “It’s just...I’m worried. Not about the baby, it’s what we both wanted, it’s just I’m worried I’m not going to be a good dad,” finished Devon, as he set his glass down on the table.


“I think you’re gonna be a great dad, Devon,” said Kyle, trying not to laugh. He was sure this was something almost all expectant fathers went through the first time, wondering if they’d be a good parent. Not that Kyle thought Devon had anything to worry about on that score, he’d seen the way Devon was with Mikey’s youngest. “What makes you think otherwise?” He asked, as he took another sip of his beer.


“My dad, I know it’s silly but he was never around, never had time for us when we were growing up. I don’t want to be like that, but...” answered Devon, looking up from the spot on the table he’d been staring at.


“You’re not going to be like that, I’ve seen you with Mikey’s kids, you’re great with them. You’re gonna be fine, my friend,” said Kyle, as he reached over the table and gave his friend a slap on the shoulder. “Mikey will tell you the same, his kids adore you.”


“I know,” said Devon, the faintest hint of a smile. He finished his beer and then stood up, glancing down at Kyle. “Come on, let’s go grab a smoke before Mikey gets here,” he added, as Kyle rose from his seat and the two of them went outside for a smoke.


The rest of the evening seemed to go by quickly as Kyle and Devon talked about anything and everything except work, Mikey called to let them know he wouldn’t be able to make it down, saying something about a plumbing crisis at home. Around nine thirty, with Devon feeling a lot better than he had when Kyle had arrived, Devon gave Kyle a ride back to his condo before heading home. “You’ll be fine, Devon. Just remember what your dad did and then do exactly the opposite,” said Kyle, as he got out of the car.


“Thanks, Kyle,” said Devon, watching as his friend headed towards his condo before he drove off.


“Hey honey, I’m home,” said Kyle, as he entered the condo.


-----------------------------------------------------------------


After the encounter with Tracey, the thrill of being in the library had left Katya so she went home. Entering the condo and knowing that Kyle wasn’t there made it seem all the more empty to her. She guess that’s what being in love felt like.


Without turning on any lights, Katya put away their weapons in the storage safe and made herself a bowl of cereal as she looked through the mail. Nothing important, just some bills and junk mail. As she ate, she just stared out the windows at the darkening sky.


Tracey had reminded her of the years she had spent not being herself. Not just as ‘Lisbeth’ but as several other women as well. Each with a separate identity, background, and style. Many mornings she had to remind herself as she woke up just who she really was. That she was Katya and just playing another person. Sometimes it all came cascading back. Like having the dreams of ‘Olga’, the Russian biker babe, and ‘waking up’ to talk to Kyle in Russian until he really woke her up.


That always horrified Katya because for that brief moment, she literally didn’t know who she was!


After ending her undercover work, she had met with shrinks who warned her that she could be a prime candidate for PTSD and Dissociative Identity Disorder. That was why she wanted to get back to work as soon as she could so she could just be ‘Katya’ and no one else. It was working and especially with Kyle being there the dreams and such were less and less. Still though... She knew all the ‘girls’ were still there. Someday, she would be able to embrace them fully but keeping herself on top.


When Kyle came home, only the light in the kitchen was on. He knew from experience that usually meant that Katya had gone to bed early. Quietly entering the bedroom, he found that he was correct in that assumption. For a moments he just gazed down at her sleeping form and wondered just how lucky he was that she had decided to spend her life with him. He slipped off his clothes so he was as naked as she and joined her in bed.


“Hey...” Katya said, sleepily as she turned to face him. “Sorry I zonked out but I couldn’t help it.”


He kissed her softly, gently placed a finger against her lips as she started to say something else, and held her close as they both drifted off to sleep.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter Twenty-four


The next morning, Kyle woke before their alarm clock went off. Katya was still snuggled in close and tight against him, her head resting lightly on his chest as she slept soundly. Being careful not to wake her, Kyle managed to wriggle free of her and slipped out of the bed, grabbing a pair of pajama pants from the chair and putting them on as he padded across the room and out into the kitchen. He checked the clock in the kitchen, there was still a half hour before the alarm clock would go off, at six, so he started the coffee maker and then headed for the bathroom. Returning to the kitchen, Kyle poured himself a cup of coffee and then carried his drink out onto the small balcony before he lit a cigarette and sat down to watch the boats in the small marina as he sipped his coffee.


Finishing his coffee and smoke, Kyle remained outside for a few more minutes, enjoying the cool breeze that blew across the marina. It was late August and most of the past six weeks or more had been extremely hot and humid, with temperatures reaching into the high 90’s with humidity levels to match, so the chance to enjoy a cool breeze was rare and welcome. The door that led from the lounge to the balcony slid open and Kyle turned slightly, smiling as Katya, wearing a long robe that was tight tightly around her middle, stepped outside to join him. She carried two cups of coffee and she passed him one before she settled in the chair next to his, a frown darkening her pretty face as he reached for a cigarette and lit it. “Morning, my love,” said Kyle, as he took a sip of coffee before he leant over and kissed her softly.


“Why didn’t you wake me?” Asked Katya, as she adjusted her robe and sipped her coffee.


“You looked so peaceful, sleeping, that I didn’t have the heart to,” he answered, reaching for her hand and squeezing her fingers gently. “Devon and Megan are expecting,” he added, after a few more seconds.


“That’s fantastic, I guess that’s why he wanted to meet you for a drink last night, to celebrate,” said Katya, with a smile.


“Yeah,” agreed Kyle, deciding not to tell her what Devon had been worried about. He was sure he’d convinced Devon that he had nothing to worry about, but he’d try and talk to Mikey later, hopefully the older detective would be able to lay all Devon’s fears to rest.


“I’m gonna take a shower,” said Kyle, some ten minutes or so later, as he finished off his coffee. He rose from his seat and kissed Katya softly, before he disappeared back inside and headed for the bathroom.


Two hours later, at a little after eight, Kyle and Katya made their way from the elevator into the homicide squad room, carrying a paper tray with four cups of coffee and a bag of donuts. Whilst Kyle went across to sign them in, Katya headed for where Devon and Mikey sat at their desks and gave Devon a fierce bear hug. “Congratulations, to you and Megan,” said Katya, once she’d released the somewhat startled detective.


“Thanks, Katya,” said Devon, before he returned her hug. He kissed her cheek gently, before he added. “And thanks for letting me borrow that big lunk of yours last night,” he whispered in her ear before he released her.


Glancing across at Devon and Katya, Kyle picked up the tray of coffee cups and carried them across to where Devon and Mikey sat. He set the tray down before taking one of the cups himself, the four of them exchanging pleasantries and catching up before Kyle and Katya headed for their small office and left Devon and Mikey to get on with their day.


Entering their office, the two detectives made sure they left the door open as they saw Bryan lurking in the doorway of his office, watching them. Although the lieutenant had seemed a little more relaxed, mellow, since the incident with the report he’d tried to submit, neither Kyle, nor Katya, was willing to push him too far. “Forensic report is here,” said Kyle, as he saw the envelope on his desk. Picking it up he opened the envelope and slid out two copies of the report, handing one to Katya before he settled into his chair and began reading through it. There wasn’t really anything new, although the hair and fiber analysis had been completed. The techs had found several distinctive dark green fibers on Marybeth’s body that weren’t from her clothing, if they could find a suspect and a garment the CSU team were confident that they could match them. It wasn’t much, but at least it was something.


Katya pulled up her notes and studied the wall of pictures to try and get any kind of insight that she hadn’t had before. As she was doing that, Kyle was reading a few other reports that had also arrived during the early morning. One confirmed that the RA, Judith Baker, had been injured in a basketball game and had seen one of the campus nurses about it. There was a recommendation to see a surgeon about a possible torn rotator cuff. Another was confirming that Sanchez, the ex-boyfriend, had been playing an online video game at the probable time of the murder. Neither were iron clad of course but they confirmed what both detectives felt in their guts: neither did it.


Calling up a Google map, she traced the route that Marybeth was taking to that branch of the library and zooming in on several areas. Her brow furled slightly as Katya then punched a search into her desktop and waited for it to load. Kyle watched as her head went back and forth between the tablet and monitor. He didn’t say anything but he just knew that his partner was onto something.


Finally, Katya leaned back and looked over at Kyle. “We have a problem.... When I talked with her mother, she said that she had talked to Marybeth earlier that day. She had mentioned about getting some fancy air fresheners for the dorm room and that she had only seen them in a place on 3rd Street. Its a little boutique or something and its actually a slightly better shot to the library because you don’t have to cross a couple of streets.” She brought up the map to show him as he leaned over her shoulder.


“A couple of hours before she left the dorm there had been a water main break and that whole street was shut down until early the next morning. Including the sidewalks. Marybeth wouldn’t have known that until she got to the barrier and then taken the other route. If someone was stalking her, they would have had race ahead and get into position in that park to wait for her. There’s no way they could have done that without being noticed.” She just shook her head.


“Marybeth was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.” Kyle said softly. “We’re looking at a random murder, not a specific one.”


“Which means we have jack shit to go on. Until we get a witness or something else....” Her voice trailed off. They both knew things had gotten a lot harder.


“This case just keeps getting better and better,” said Kyle, softly, with a deep, heavy sigh. Between their suspects having solid alibis and this, Katya was right. They had nothing, less than nothing even. “I guess we could canvas the park later, see if anyone was around that night and might have seen something. I mean, the park is a pretty popular spot, people go jogging there, someone could have seen someone acting suspiciously,” added Kyle, although he really didn’t sound, or feel, hopeful. Sure he’d had cases break on something that flimsy before, or on a hunch, but the chances of it happening were slim.


“It could be worth a shot, I guess,” said Katya, after a long pause, although, like Kyle, she really didn’t sound all the hopeful.


“Okay, so we know what we don’t have. A suspect or a motive,” said Kyle, as he stood up and moved to stand beside the white board. He uncapped a marker, before he added. “But we do have some things we can go on. Whoever did this has military training, probably with Special Forces, Green Beret, Marine Recon, Delta Force, Ranger or Navy Seal. We know that from the wound on Marybeth’s neck, the placement and the type of knife that was used. We have the fibers, and we know whoever is responsible has to be around my height and build, which means they’re probably male.” As he spoke Kyle made notes on the whiteboard, pausing before he added. “We also know whoever it is, they’re not a sexual predator, if they were there would have been some evidence, even if they were interrupted.”


Looking at the notes he’d made Kyle realized it really wasn’t much and that most of it was guesswork, but it was better than nothing. Of course having a suspect, or motive, would have made things a lot easier, a lot more clear cut, but they didn’t have either so they were going to have to work with what they did have. “So, why don’t you check around the other precincts in the city, see if there’s anything that matches our profile, whilst I dig into the archives, see if I can find any unsolved cases with a similar M.O?” He said, as he returned to his desk and settled into his chair. Switching on his computer, Kyle headed out for a smoke whilst he waited for the machine to boot up. Something told him this was going to be a long day.


“That’s going to be a long list of people....” she said as she watched him create the list. You could add hunters to that list too because they would know how to slit the throats of animals quite well. “I agree on the sexual angle too. They have plenty of time but laid Mary beth out of the ground very peacefully. According to the techs.... They found arterial spray in the direction she was facing.” Katya dropped the report and stood up to pantomime what she was thinking.


“He had from behind, tilted her head back, slit her throat, and then set her feet on the ground, and lowered her as he knelt down.” She looked up at Kyle. “He might have gotten a little blood on a glove or sleeve but that would be it. Quick, clean, and in a way peaceful. I’d add butchers to your list too Kyle. The artisan meat processors, the guys with the small shops, would have the skill easy.” Katya took her seat again and began tapping on her desktop’s keyboard.


“I’ll check the other precincts and the Feebs ViCAP, she said as Kyle got up for his filthy habit. “Last time you used the ViCAP search we got listings for clowns in Phoenix. How you did that...”


“Shaddup....” he said, shaking his head at. So he wasn’t a computer tech like she was... As he walked past Bryan’s office, Kyle glanced in. His and the LT’s eyes met and neither broke contact until he passed out of view. While things were calm on the surface, the tension between them was still thick enough to cut with a knife. Katya had told him to just go easy and not look for a fight. It was good advice but the problem was the close proximity to each other...


Unaware of the pissing match her fiance and former mentor were engaged in, Katya entered the search parameters into the ViCAP database. They didn’t have a lot to narrow it down so the results were very long. Changing the time frame to the past two years and the location to the city did help a little. Still, it was a big list to print out for Kyle. She then pulled up the department’s own database to see what was in there. This one was heavily monitored she knew because the brass didn’t want the media to see the raw data and numbers. Aka: the cases that couldn’t be closed for whatever reason.


“Hey...Here’s a couple that kind of fit the MO from about two years ago,” Katya said as Kyle came back in. “Ummm...hookers over in the 2nd and 3rd precincts died from stab wounds. Not to the throat though. Looks like they were stabbed through the heart. There’s other ones but I don’t get the feel from them. He’s killing them but being..well...gentle about it.” She was figuring it was a ‘he’ because it just seemed to fit. Then Katya suddenly winced as if in pain.


“Oh Lord... What if these are the only ones we’ve found? I’ll do a missing persons search but I’m not sure just what we’re looking for... When you pull up the records, I’ll give the investigating detectives a call and use my ‘sweet lil thing’ voice to find out what they might have seen.”


As soon as he got outside, Kyle found a nice, shaded, spot and lit himself a cigarette as he leant back against the wall with a long sigh. The case was turning out to be a lot harder than either he, or Katya, had imagined it would be at the start. And if, as he suspected, there turned out to be other victims they hadn’t found yet, or hadn’t been linked to their case, then it really would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. He thought about what Katya had suggested, about adding butchers to their list of possible suspects, but he really didn’t think they were really viable suspects. Sure they’d have the skill to inflict the kind of wound that had killed Marybeth, but they wouldn’t have the skill or training to subdue a struggling victim, much less sneak up on them unseen. No, he was sure that whoever was responsible for this had to have had military training.


Finishing his smoke, Kyle dropped the butt into the trash but he stayed outside for a few minutes more. The situation with Bryan seemed to be getting better, the tension between them easing off a little, at least in their working relationship. He glanced at his watch, it was a little after nine thirty although it felt as if it should be a lot later. Shrugging, Kyle lit another cigarette and tried not to think about the case, or Bryan, for the next ten to fifteen minutes.


Returning to their office, Kyle settled into his chair and turned to face Katya as she told him what she’d found out. “Oh, great,” said Kyle, softly, as Katya finished telling him what she’d found out and her theory. “We can rule out butchers,” he added, pausing before he continued. “Sure, a butcher might have the skill and precision to make that cut, but not on a living, struggling, victim.


“Think about the walk through we did the other night, how much you struggled and how easily I was able to subdue you. We were trained for that in the marines. Whoever did this, and who may be responsible for others, has military training. They’ve done it before, if they hadn’t it would have been a lot messier. And that cut, it’s exactly, and I mean exactly, the way we were trained. Placement, depth, force, everything. No butcher would have that level of skill, unless they’ve been trained.” He didn’t like the idea, but he knew, in his gut, he was right. When they found whoever did this, they’d find he’d been in the military, either Marine Force Recon; Rangers or some other Special Forces unit.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHapter Twenty-five

The rest of the morning they spent searching computer records and the city database of missing persons and unsolved homicides dating back over the last five years. Besides the two hookers that Katya had found, they turned up another half dozen possibilities from the other precincts files, along with almost two dozen missing persons that matched their general victim profile. Mid to late twenties, five feet three to six in height, brunette and slim build. Whilst Katya checked out the Federal ViCAP database, Kyle made some calls and arranged to have the case files shipped over to the precinct so they could read through them. Glancing at his watch, Kyle realized it was past lunchtime, which explained why his tummy was grumbling. “Let’s grab some lunch, and this time I’m choosing,” said Kyle, as he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair before he and Katya left the office.


She didn’t totally agree on his dismissal of her butcher theory but she let it drop. It was probably wrong but Katya would keep it in the back of her mind though. The talk about how easy it was for Kyle to subdue her still sent some shivers up her spine. “At least we have a general idea about the build for the perp: Somebody about your height and upper body strength. They’d have to be to be able to drag Marybeth away.”


At Kyle’s announcement about lunch, Katya realized what time it was and readily agreed. Staring at computer screens all morning had made her dig out her glasses that she hated to wear. It was that or have a migraine. Dimming the overhead fluorescents and using a little table lamp helped things too. Kyle always joked that the next thing she was going to bring in was scented potpourri. “Only if it came in French roast coffee flavor....” she replied.


Their lunch was at a hole in the wall rib joint that by all rights should have been closed by the health department. The only reason they weren’t, besides probable bribes, was that they made the best BBQ ribs in town. “I gotta take you to Memphis someday,” Katya said as they split a platter of ribs and coleslaw. “Little place on the river that puts this place to shame. Parents and I found it by accident after visiting Graceland. Two Russians just had to visit there....” she just shook her head.


“You know what kind of serial killer is the most hard to catch? The one who drifts into a town that has an active killer, does a few copycats, and then leaves. Police are too busy going after the real one to bother much with the fake.” Katya wiped her fingers and mouth with the handy wipes that were amply supplied at each table. “Not just because he can hide so easy but that you can’t figure out how he picks the targets. He’s going after women but what kind and why.... We get a lead on that and get in his head, we can track him.”


A thought suddenly came to her as Katya thought about the files they had requested. “How many of those potentials we’re looking at are prostitutes? I ask because I know, rather, knew a fair share. I’m sorta persona non grata amongst the ladies but I could ask around and see if they’ve noticed anything. Hell, I could go under and eye things up a bit from street level!” She just knew what Kyle would think of that idea!


“I know, that’s one of the reasons why we always keep the details out of the press, it makes it harder for someone to be a copycat if they don’t know the details,” said Kyle, as he set down a rib bone and wiped his fingers clean before he reached non-alcoholic beer he’d ordered with his lunch. He couldn’t drink on duty, but this was the next best thing. Setting the glass back down, he looked up from his plate as Katya suggested going undercover as a hooker.


“No way, not even Bryan would agree to that,” he answered, almost before she’d finished suggesting it. “Even if it wasn’t as dangerous as hell, which it would be, if you go undercover you’re gonna be out of the office and I’m going to be trying to work this case, plus all our others, on my own.” He wasn’t going to dispute her suggestion that having someone out there might be a good idea; he just didn’t want her to volunteer. Partly because of their caseload, but mostly because he didn’t want to spend all night worrying about her safety.


Finishing their lunch, the two detectives headed back to the precinct and returned to their small office. As they entered they found the files that Kyle requested had already been delivered, with over two dozen manila folders sitting on their desks. Whilst he went to get them some coffee, Katya went into the office.


Four hours later, at a little after seven in the evening, Kyle finally closed the file he’d been reading and tossed it onto his desk alongside the other dozen or so he’d spent the rest of the day studying. So far they’d identified another half dozen possible victims they could tie in to their killer. The one thing that was really puzzling them both, though, was that none of those victims had been killed in the past two years. They had at least half a dozen victims spanning a two year period, then nothing for two years until Marybeth Anders. It didn’t make sense, unless something had taken their killer out of the city. The burning and so far unanswered question, though, was what that might have been. Tomorrow they planned to check the ViCAP database, see if there were unsolved murders in other cities around the country that might be linked to their killer. If their killer was moving around the country that would at least explain the gap between their last possible victim and Marybeth.


Rubbing his tired eyes, Kyle glanced at his watch and then turned to Katya. “Let’s call it a day; I’m getting nothing except eyestrain right now. I’m so tired right now I couldn’t spot a link if it walked up and introduced itself. We’ll come back tomorrow fresh and rested,” said Kyle, as he stood up and began gathering up the files, being careful to keep the ones he’d read separate from the ones he hadn’t. He’d re-read all of them again, later.


As Katya finished tidying up her own files Kyle went to sign them out, before the two of them left the precinct. “I’m too tired to cook, let’s grab some Thai on the way home,” said Kyle, as they reached the car. He held the passenger door open for Katya then got in on the other side, the Camaro tires squealing in protest as he accelerated out of the parking lot.


As the car left the parking garage, neither detective was aware of the figure, hiding in the shadows, watching them.


His reaction at her undercover suggestion was just what Katya expected. Bryan though? He wouldn’t even have to say a word since Kyle would lock her in a closet if it came down to. It was a dangerous idea but if it could save a life, she would do it in a heartbeat! And if he was so worried, maybe Kyle could join her. He was too nice looking to be a pimp so a grungy homeless guy? That would be cute!


“Yeah I know we keep things out of the media but that’s how they work. They use all the details that are printed So we know its not related but shuffle it off to be worked on later. They use our processes against us.” Katya and Bryan had heard all of this while down at Quantico meeting with the FBI’s BSU shrinks for more tips on undercover cases. It was fascinating, in a scary sort of way. She had read the case file for a police officer who went under to get close to a serial killer suspect so she could win his trust and have him open up to her. The temptation to blow his brains out must have been huge!


Going through the piles of files, Katya tried to keep a list of things that were most likely to be in common. That way they could go over it later and see if there was a common denominator. After the first four though it was obvious that they weren’t getting anywhere with it. They just didn’t have much in common other than being dead. So when Kyle decided to call it a day Katya didn’t argue in the slightest.


While Kyle was signing them out, she paid Bryan a quick visit...


“Hey Red...” he said, looking up from a report he had been reading. “How’s my girl doing?”


“Same old, same old. Just about to sign out... What the heck is that?” Katya pointed at a foil plate with a fragrant mix of beans, rice, and meat that was mostly gone in it. “Smells....good actually.”


“Its Asado.”


“Asawhowho?” She said and took a bit of bread to mop up the sauce. Her eyes lit up at the flavors.


“Colombian barbeque. Small place on the south end makes. Maybe I ought to take you there sometime?”


“I’d like that Bryan. You and me. Us against the world!” Katya laughed and went behind his chair to wrap her arms around him. “I love you Bryan. You kept me safe so many times....” She didn’t notice his tensing up for a brief moment before relaxing again.


--------------------------------------------------------------


When they got home Kyle and Katya didn’t bother turning on any lights. While she sorted out the food, he went for a smoke on the balcony and then followed her into the bedroom. Later on, still feeling the afterglow from their mutual orgasms they lay snuggled against each others as they ate. It was warm enough that they didn’t bother with any sheets and just lay naked on the bed.


“This is nice....” Katya said with a smile. “Just being like this, not worrying about a thing.... Being with my studly man.” She leaned over and kissed him briefly before laughing. “Oh God, I just remembered that first date we went on. The one that was a near disaster. I hadn’t been on a real one in years and I didn’t know what to do.... I actually called my mom when I ducked into the bathroom to get advice.”


“This is the same mother who bet me that she could drink me under the table last Christmas?” Kyle asked. Katya’s parents were interesting. Scary at times, but interesting.


“The same and if I recall she won.” They had gotten some nice pictures of a sleeping Kyle. Some of them he hadn’t seen yet but would. At the wedding reception. In large blowups. “She told me to get my ass back out there and start apologizing for things even if it wasn’t my fault. Just apologize and make you feel sorry for me.” Katya snuggled closer. “I didn’t apologize but I got my ass back out there.”


“I remember,” said Kyle, with a grin. “I was sitting there at the table on my own, our waiter hovering over my shoulder, and starting to think of strange and inventive ways of killing Devon for talking me into that, whilst I sat there and wondered what the hell doing. But then you came back and I knew why I was there, your smile, the look in your eyes, I didn’t need any other reason.” Said Kyle, softly, as he cuddled a little closer to Katya and ran his fingers through her hair as she gently rested her head against his shoulder. “I guess we were both pretty nervous that night,” he added, with another grin. He knew he’d done a better job of hiding his nerves than Katya had, but he’d been nervous too, it was the first date he’d been on for almost five years and he’d worried that he wouldn’t know what to say or do. Luckily he hadn’t needed to resort to the ‘cheat sheet’ that Scott had prepared for him, just in case. Scott had overheard him and Devon talking, and although he hadn’t known who Kyle was going on a date with he’d felt the need to offer his advice and wisdom, even when Kyle very firmly told him not to.


The two of them sat cuddled up close on the bed for a while longer, neither of them really saying anything, just taking a comfort from the warmth and closeness of the one they loved held close. Turning, Kyle gently kissed Katya on the forehead and then gently tilted her head back until he could gaze down into her soft eyes. “I know we said we’d wait to get married, but I don’t want to.” Said Kyle, suddenly, as he gazed down into her eyes. Although the suggestion seemed almost off hand, a spur of the moment type thing, it was something he’d been thinking about off and on since she’d been shot during the bank robbery. He’d never felt so scared in his life when he’d realized she was down, that he might lose her. “September, just as the leaves start to turn, a fall wedding. It gives us two months and change to prepare, make plans,” he added. He could tell from the way her eyes suddenly got wide that he’d caught her by surprise.


“Even if we can’t get the church, we’ll make other arrangements, we can get married at the bandstand in the park, or City Hall, by the river, anywhere,” continued Kyle, once he was sure that Katya wasn’t going to freak out on him. If she wanted they’d do it all again, properly, later, just like they’d originally planned but he knew he didn’t want to wait any longer. There was another reason behind his suggestion of September; they’d started dated in September, three years earlier. “So, what do you think?” He added, still gazing lightly into her eyes.


Listening to him, she found herself smiling more and more. “I think its a wonderful idea!” she exclaimed and gave him a deep kiss. Afterwards, Katya rested her head on his chest while Kyle gently stroked her hair. “I’ll let our moms know so they can get the balls rolling and get everything set up. Last I heard they had the plans and just needed the date to make it happen. They’re more organized about it that I am....” That gave them both a laugh. The way it seemed, the couple just needed to show up at the church on the correct day. Their mothers were having fun too much fun setting things up.


“As it happens, I found a dress that I think I like. When we take lunch tomorrow can we stop by the shop and I can go in to try it on?” Knowing Kyle like she did Katya placed a finger over his lips. “And no, you can’t come with me. You get to stay in the car like a good little boy. You get to see the dress on our wedding day.”


“Just so long as I can see you without the dress is all I care about,” Kyle laughed and kissed the top of her head. “Are we still on for Big Sur for the honeymoon?” It would be a week of just doing nothing except enjoying the company of each other.


“Of course. Means we have to make the reservations for that too. Good to have reminded me.” Katya looked up at Kyle and touched his cheek lightly. “I do have another a question for you about the ceremony.... I already talked to my dad about it and he agreed to it. He’ll give me away but I want him and Bryan to both walk me down the aisle. Dad is dad or course but Bryan.... Well he was something close to it for a long time. He got me through some bad times...”


Kyle didn’t say anything but just held her tighter. There were somethings that Katya still couldn’t talk about he knew. Things that had hurt her deeply. With all that she had done he kind of suspected what they might be. A pretty female, alone, amongst some very bad men? He didn’t press her on it. When she felt comfortable about talking about it Kyle would be there for her. “I think its a great idea,” he finally said. “He cares about you alot. He and I have our...differences but we agree on that point. We both want to see you safe.”


“And you do Kyle...and you do.” Katya leaned up to kiss him again. A kiss that lasted alot longer and ended with her astride his body as they began to make love again.


Something lover knew about: a figure before a screen zooming the image in to see the words Katya was mouthing, knowing that she was saying their name.

---

Chapter Twenty-six


The following day and the day after Kyle and Katya spent going through the rest of the unsolved murder case files that had been sent over, trying to identify more possible victims to link to the murder of Marybeth Anders. Which was proving to be a much more daunting task than either of them had first realized. Whilst Willowburg was considered a relatively quiet city, there had been an average of seventy five murders per year in Willowburg over the past five years. The Willowburg Police Department had a higher than average success rate when it came to solving murders, solving better than eighty percent of all the murders in the city, but that still left between ten and fifteen unsolved murders per year. Most of those were gang related, like almost all cities Willowburg had its own gang problems although they were nowhere near as bad as elsewhere, but between them Kyle and Katya were able to identify at least ten cases that could be linked to their current case. Most were hookers, which explained why they hadn’t perhaps received the attention they deserved, but two stood out above the rest. Both victims had been college students and although the crimes had taken place three years apart, both victims had filed police reports saying that they’d thought they were being followed several days before they were killed. There were also over a dozen ‘Missing Person’ reports that fitted their general victim profile, but with no bodies and nothing else to go on they put those aside for now.


Over the weekend, the two detectives tried to put the case behind them, they both had the weekend off and neither of them wanted to think about work. They spent most of Saturday uptown, shopping for birthday gifts for Kyle’s mother and Devon, as well as making wedding plans. Saturday evening and most of Sunday morning they spent writing out wedding invitations, whilst they also spent several hours on the telephone with their respective parents making plans. “I never knew planning a wedding was so involved,” said Kyle, as he finally hung up the telephone after spending close to an hour talking with his mother. Of course he realized that things could be a lot worse, both their parents were doing most of the planning and making the arrangements, so that all Kyle and Katya really had to do was organize their outfits and make sure they turned up at the appointed time and place. There was one thing, though, that Kyle wanted to do. Katya had once told him that when she was a little girl she’d dreamed of riding to her wedding in a horse drawn carriage and Kyle wanted to make that dream come true for her.


Most of Sunday afternoon the two of them spent out at their local gun club and shooting range, sharpening their skills in preparation for their upcoming mandatory requalification test. As police officers the two of them were required to qualify with their sidearm every year, if they failed they’d be unable to work on the streets until they passed. There was also the annual Willowburg PD pistol shooting competition coming up, too, and Kyle was the defending champion. Kyle had also, recently, brought himself a new hunting rifle and he spent the last half an hour or so zeroing in the rifle scope before they finally left.


Leaving the range, the two of them headed for a local Thai restaurant they both liked, for dinner, before they returned to their condo and then took a long, leisurely stroll around the marina. It was a beautiful, sunny, evening with a light breeze blowing in across the marina, the two of them walking hand in hand with the wind blowing through their hair. There were a couple of boats up for sale and they stopped to talk with the owner of one, they couldn’t afford it, but, as Kyle put it they could dream. Maybe one day, though.


Even with the ear protectors, Katya’s ears were ringing by the time they left the range. When she had joined the squad, she could barely hit the broadside of a barn but her aim had gotten better over time. Now she at least get a good grouping that would allow her to pass. Kyle though....he was the sharpshooter. On a long distance range he was hitting targets that Katya could barely see through binoculars.


“You know what I would love to do?” she said as they looked over the boats. “Buy a sailboat, after learning how to sail of course, and go around the world. Sail down the Atlantic, around the Cape of Good Hope, stop in Australia, and then bum around in the South Pacific for a year or two. Just going where the day takes you.” Oh it would be a lot of hard work too Katya knew. Especially the sailing through the ‘Roaring 40’s’ but it could also be fun as well.


“Anything to keep you in a string bikini 24/7,” he laughed and earned a light punch to the shoulder for it. “Abuse! Abuse! Someone call the cops!”


“I don’t know him.... My name is Smith!” Katya said walking ahead faster and laughing at the same time.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


When they arrived at work on Monday morning, Katya noticed that Bryan was already in. She didn’t think that he had ever left before or arrived after they did. If his office was bigger it would probably have a cot so he’d never have to go home. That made her sad because she wanted him to have a life outside of work.


“Hey, Mind if I come in?” she said, knocking on his door. Kyle was in their own office starting the day. Bryan was on the phone but waved her in to take a seat. Katya sat silently until he was done.


“Now....how my assisted you?” he said with a smile. One that faded when he handed him a gold embossed envelope. Staring at it for several second like it was going to bite him, Bryan roughly slipped his fingers under the flap and pulled the stiff card out. His eyes only caught certain words. Like: Yekaterina, wedding, Darius, ceremony, and a date. His eyes read the lines over and over without reading them until the card slipped from his fingers. “So you’re really going through with it.” His flat voice said it as a statement rather than a question.


Katya restrained herself from sighing. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy but a person could hope... Instead, she gave him a smile and a nod. “We finally got off our butts and got a date. And you *will* be there Bryan. Even if you get hit by a bus and are in a body cast I’ll have you propped up and brought in via forklift I’ll have you there, got it?”


Her smile and forceful tone made him jerk his head up. This wasn’t the Red he knew.


“You need to be there because you’re walking me down the aisle with my father. That’s how much I love you Bryan. My dad is....my dad and I love him to death. You....looked out for me when my life was on the line. How can I not love you and what you there? And by God, when we have our first baby you’re going to be the Godfather because I want that kid to know how wonderful you are.” Katya got up and went behind him to hug him again. Saying softly, “You put my heart back together and pulled me from that abyss I was ready to leap into. You made me give you that knife. If you had been twenty minutes later....”


Silence filled the office as their memories went back to a dingy motel room and the hours she had spent being held by him as the pain that had been festering poured out of her in sobs. When it was over, only a gentle nudge would have been needed to make them lovers but neither had wished that. The closeness they had felt them exceeded any such carnal thing. For Katya, it had faded over the years but she still felt a special bond with him.


“I don’t want you getting that 3AM phone call or worse, what happened at the bank,” he said softly, a hand going up to squee

 

[mypgems]

Entering the interrogation room, with Katya, Kyle moved quickly to the table in the center of the room and placed the stack of files he’d been carrying down on top of it before he took off his sport coat and draped it over the back of one of the chairs. The suspect was already seated at the table, leaning forward slightly with his forearms resting on the top and a slightly bored expression on his face. Although that had changed when he’d seen Katya walk in, his eyes tracking her movements as she came around the table and settled into the chair opposite him. Turning away from the suspect, as the uniformed patrol officer who’d already been in the room with the suspect left and closed the door, Kyle took a few deep breaths before he turned back. They’d caught a break in the apartment building burglary case they were working, now they just had to make the most of it.


“Mister Matthews, you’re aware that this interview is being recorded and that anything you say may be used against you in any criminal proceedings. You are also entitled to have a lawyer present during this interview, but you have waived your right to legal counsel. Is this correct?” Began Kyle, once Katya had started the recorder. The whole interview was also being recorded on video, just in case.


“Yeah, I know the interview is being recorded and I also confirm I’ve waived my right to legal representation,” replied the suspect, his gaze not really straying from Katya as she sat opposite him. “Look, why don’t we just stop this charade right now and you let me go, we all know you’ve got nothing on me,” he added, finally lifting his gaze from Katya and looking up at Kyle.


“Maybe, but, you know what, I think we’ll continue anyway, just for the hell of it,” answered Kyle, as he leant forward and opened the top file on the stack he’d earlier placed on the table. “Let’s see now, Davey Matthews, four convictions for burglary and aggravated assault, currently on parole and working as a doorman for ‘Warden Security’,” added Kyle, reading from the file. The suspect wasn’t exactly a criminal genius, if he was he wouldn’t have been stupid enough to try and sell a stolen laptop computer with the owners wedding photos still on the hard drive. “The same security company that provides doormen and security guards for several exclusive apartment buildings, all of which have suffered from a string of burglaries. All of which took place when you were on duty,” finished Kyle, after a short pause.


“It wasn’t me, I didn’t do nothing like that,” answered Davey, still looking up at Kyle although a little of his earlier self-assuredness had vanished.


“Then explain to me how you were caught trying to sell a laptop computer the owner had reported stolen two days earlier?” Said Kyle, as he opened another file, this one containing several high resolution photographs of Davey Matthews talking with an undercover police officer and trying to sell him a laptop computer.


“That laptop is mine, I’ve had it six months or so, I bought it at Wal-Mart a couple of months after Christmas, I’ve even got the receipt somewhere at home,” answered Davey, as he casually leant back in his chair and looked up at Kyle. “I told you, you guys have got nothing, just let me go and I won’t report you for harassment,” he added.


“That’s interesting, Davey, because if it’s your computer why do you have the real owners wedding photos saved on your hard drive?” Asked Kyle, leaning against the table. “Look, Davey, we know you’re responsible for at least two of the burglaries, we found other stolen items at your apartment when we searched it. But we don’t think you’re the one behind the whole scheme, so here’s the deal. You tell us who put you up to it, and we work something out with the DA so you don’t spend the next ten to fifteen in a ten by six cell.” Added Kyle, as he finally pulled his chair back and sat down. They’d already talked with the ADA, explaining that they didn’t believe Davey was the mastermind behind the scheme, he wasn’t that smart, which explained why he’d been caught trying to sell a stolen laptop with the owners photos still on it.


“Ten to fifteen, that’s bullshit, we’re talking five years, max and that’s if the judge throws the book at me,” said Davey, before he added. “Even then, I’ll be out in eighteen months, maybe two years,” he finished.


“Normally, you’d be right, but, Davey this is your third strike and that’s a mandatory ten stretch, minimum, without parole,” said Kyle, giving the suspect close to thirty seconds to let that information sink in before he added. “So, Davey, what’s it gonna be?”


Katya studied the suspect as Kyle worked him over. A career criminal but not exactly the brightest bulb on the tree. When they had read his history they just knew there had to be someone in the security firm that was in on it too. Hiring a guy like this as a doorman with a history of burglaries on his sheet? That’s asking for trouble right there. No, it meant someone was on the take in the company.


“Don’t forget Mr Matthews that because of the third conviction you will have to do at least the first five years up in Meadowlark.” The way Katya talked was quiet and very professional. Not a trace of sarcasm or anything. The mirror opposite, by design, of Kyle. The mention of the state’s notorious maximum security prison had the desired effect on Matthews with the color leaching from his face. “I believe the first year is solitary with twenty-three hours a day in your cell with an hour of recreation in a concrete pit by yourself. I think the cells are actually smaller than this room, right?” Katya looked at Kyle who nodded.


She caught the slight tremble of Matthews’s hand before he shoved it under the table. A brief read of his prison record had spoken of being sent to solitary after a fight and how he hadn’t liked it one bit. Something about climbing the walls after a couple of days....


“As my partner said, we can talk to the DA and see what can be done. Its up to him of course and the judge to accept anything.” Katya talked gently, moving her head slightly to catch his eyes and lock them with her own. “Maybe a couple of years in a medium security prison in Iowa or Minnesota? With the overcrowding they’re trying move some of the non-violent ones to the lessor security prisons in other states. Nobody would know you there. You might even get a chance at a work release program too.” She held up a hand and leaned back a little. “We’re getting a little ahead of ourselves though. The DA would want to know what you know first. The more the better.”


Matthews’s eyes looked back and forth at each of them as the gears turned in his head. Being a snitch went against everything he had ever known but to be locked up in one of those holes.... “Thompson. Mike Thompson. One of the supervisors at the company. Bastard is the go to person for the tenants for security. He gave me the keys and lists of shit they have. In his own handwriting.” The tentative voice grew more confident as he got into it all. “I still got the lists and I can tell you the storage shed where the rest is stored. Oh and his wife? The bitch is wearing some of jewelry. You’ll get it all when I see the deal.”


---------------------------------------------------


As the uniform took Matthews back to hold, Katya and Kyle exchanged a high five. “Don’t get cocky,” They turned to see Bryan coming out of the observation room. He had a frown on his face that changed to a slight smile. “Nice work in there with the tag-team. Who figured out the bit about the solitary?”


“I did but Katya knew how to make it work for us,” Kyle replied. He was surprised that Bryan was...well...being nice to him for a change.


“She’s a crafty little girl,” Bryan nodded. “Best undercover I’ve seen and I’ve seen a lot. If the DA gives you any back talk, let me talk to him.” He gave another nod and disappeared into his office.


The pair stood there for a second before looking at each other.


“What was that?” Kyle asked as they went to their own.


“I dunno....but I like it,” Katya replied with a smile.


Heading back to their small office, Kyle took a detour to use the ‘Men’s Room’ as Katya continued on into their office. Leaving the bathroom, Kyle crossed to the coffee maker and poured himself a cup of coffee, someone had finally got around to making a fresh pot and he savored the aroma as he carried it back to the office. Setting the cup down on his desk, he took off his sport coat then unlocked and opened the secure drawer in his desk and took out his shoulder rig and Remington R1. Slipping the rig on, he adjusted it slightly then slid the pistol into the holster before he settled into his chair and leant back. He checked his watch; it was still a little early for lunch so he picked up his coffee cup and sipped the contents. Setting the cup back on the desk, he turned to Katya and was about to say something when the phone on his desk rang. “Homicide, Sergeant Darius,” he said, as he picked up the phone.


“Kyle, long time no see old friend,” said a familiar voice in his ear, seconds later. “Just got your wedding invitation, Alice and I will be there,” added the voice, after a short pause.


“Glad to hear it, Dan,” said Kyle, as he reached down to adjust the back rest on his chair and then leant back as the chair tilted backwards. “Although somehow I don’t think you called just to tell me you’re gonna be coming to my wedding,” he added, once he was settled and sure his chair wasn’t going to collapse on him. Once, shortly after they’d been partnered together, Katya had loosened the back of his chair so it had collapsed and sent him sprawling on his butt whilst she’d sat opposite and tried to look innocent.


“Yeah, but I figured I’d get the good news out the way first,” answered Detective Dan Murphy, his voice turning serious as he continued. “We had a murder down here a couple of days ago, young woman; the M.O. seems to fit a case you’re working. It took us a couple of days to get the forensic report back, but as soon as we started entering the details into the computer it tripped all kind of red flags. ViCAP, FBI and a whole bunch of others, all of them linked back to your case.” Added Dan, after a few seconds. “My captain had me shoot it down to the Feds, they’re sending a couple of agents up from Quantico, they should be here day after tomorrow.”


“Great, just what we need,” said Kyle, pausing to think for a few seconds before he added. “We’ll be across after lunch, pick up the files,” he added.


“I’ll see you then, old friend,” said Dan, the two of them taking a couple more minutes to catch up before they ended the call.


Setting the receiver down, Kyle glanced up at Katya, who had been listening to his side of the conversation. “Let’s grab some lunch, I’ll fill you in on the way,” said Kyle, as the two of them left their office.


“...and watch. See how it bounces slightly? One of the lab geeks thinks that is because he shined it on the camera, watched back to get his car, and then moved it to it. Therefore, no picture.”


Kyle, Katya, and Dan Murphy were all crowded into Dan’s small office listening to his partner go over the video taken from the security camera covering the strip club’s back parking lot. All you could see in the picture was a green light from a laser pointer aimed at the lens.


“There,” Matt, Dan’s young partner pointed at the dim shapes that suddenly appeared when the green glow vanished. They could see the edge of a car backup and disappear. “He turned it off and left. All we can say is that he’s got a car. Sorry. The place doesn’t have any other cameras they said.”


Katya chuckled as she stood with her arms crossed. “Not if they want to stay in business they don’t. Same goes for having a lot of credit card usage too. Except for the, and I kid you not, guys who put it on their expense accounts. Guys want to go and they want to be sure nobody knows they’ve gone. Protection is done by one of the crews or gangs who are the real owners.” She looked at the expressions on their faces and shook her head. “What? I used to work in and run these places.”


“Hey! Maybe I saw you some night,” Matt said and got a slap on the back of his head from Dan.


“I doubt it. You would have remembered,” Katya replied with a satisfied smile on her face.


Kyle just groaned. “Moving on.... The club didn’t have any trouble with anyone lately? Other than the usual of course.”


“Nada. The other girls said she definitely was not one to hang around with the guys afterwards,” Jon said. Standard policy with the clubs was that the girl didn’t do tricks so the club couldn’t be busted for prostitution. Of course everyone knew some girls earned the extra money and gave a cut to their boss. “Lived for her two year old girl. Poor kid... Dad’s in prison and there isn’t anyone to take her in so its foster care.”


“Lab said there wasn’t any fibers or anything else that they can prove came from the guy. Oh and the path from where he laid her out was brushed clean. No footprints.” Jon switched off the TV and rubbed his eyes. “This guy is scary good. The Feds didn’t say much but you got the feeling they might have found some more to tie to him. Besides the ones that you had in the report.”


Kyle looked at Katya who nodded. “Yeah, we guessed that might be the case. Did they happen to find anything on her that didn’t belong? I mean that she didn’t own.” Out of the corner of his eye he noticed his partner straighten up at that question.


“Um.....yeah...” Matt said as he flipped through the report. “Here we go... Pin on the strap of the purse. Nobody remembered seeing it before but then again, they might not have noticed it.” He handed them a picture of the red enamel pin of a bow. “Previous one left a red ribbon. That’s what caught my eye.”


They chatting for a little while longer before Katya and Kyle left. “Frak....” she sighed as they walked to the car. “I was hoping we were wrong about this being a serial. I think we got less to go on with this one then with the previous one Kyle. He knows what he’s doing and that terrifies me.”


“Me too,” said Kyle, softly, as he stuck a cigarette between his lips and sucked fire into his smoke as they walked. “We’re gonna have to talk to the Captain, try and keep a lid on this. No press reports, it’s the only way we’re going to be able to stop a mass panic,” he added, as they reached the car. Katya went around to the passenger side and Kyle fumbled with the keys before he unlocked the doors.


He remembered the first, the only, serial killer case he’d worked, ‘The Stone Park Killer’ case. After the second victim had been found the old precinct Captain had called a press conference and released some of the case details, shortly afterwards there had been a mass panic. People had got nervous and jumpy, the uniform patrol officers had responded to more suspected prowlers in the aftermath of that press conference than they had in all of the five years before it. More than anything, except catching the killer before he could kill again, Kyle wanted to avoid a repeat of that.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter twenty-nine


Climbing into the car, he gunned the engine and pulled out into the late afternoon traffic before starting to head back towards the precinct. For most of the ride the two of them remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts, as Kyle concentrated on the road ahead and guiding the Camaro through the sparse traffic. Taking a right onto 2nd Street, Kyle finally broke the silence in the car. “What say we grab some coffee,” he suggested, as he spotted a ‘Dunkin Donuts’ coffee shop up ahead, with a ‘Starbucks’ on the opposite side of the street and a dozen doors down. Like most towns and cities in Massachusetts, the streets of Willowburg were littered with countless ‘Dunkin Donuts’ coffee shops and almost as many ‘Starbucks’. He started to guide the car across the road, pulling into a space about thirty yards down from the coffee shop as Katya nodded. They could use the time to compare notes, work out what they were going to do next. They’d visit the club where the victim had worked later, once it was dark, check out the parking lot and maybe try to interview a few of the girls that worked there too. Not that he expected the girls to tell them anything, although maybe Katya might be able to get them to open up.


Leaving the car, the two of them headed for the coffee shop, Kyle taking Katya’s hand as they walked. The two of them were far enough away from their precinct that it was unlikely anyone who knew them would be watching them. Within a few minutes the two of them were back by the Camaro, enjoying their coffee and the late afternoon sun. A gentle breeze blew down the street, ruffling Kyle’s long hair and ponytail, a more than welcome relief from the otherwise oppressive heat of the day.


Kyle noticed that he hadn’t heard anything from Katya after a few minutes. When he looked over at her she was staring off into the distance but with a look he had seen from his time in the Corps: thousand yard stare in a ten foot room. “Penny for your thoughts?” he asked quietly.


“Huh? Oh...sorry. I was just thinking and shaddup. No cracks!” Katya said sweetly. “I know BSU probably has a profile already but I was just trying to get into his head a little. He’s full of contradictions... The vics are innocents in that they’re not turning tricks or the like. He’s being gentle with them. I know, cutting their throat isn’t ‘gentle’ but its a fairly quick way to go and he’s not molesting them before or after. And he’s making sure they can be found and ID’ed quickly. He’s saying something but what?” She leaned up against the car next him and sipped her coffee.


“God....this the time I miss undercover,” she said and shook her head. “Back then I just had to worry about keep my eyes open and staying alive. Just like when they had a ‘short, you’ll be done a couple of hours!’ job.” Katya said sarcastically and rolled her eyes. “Go into the bar, scout the place out, see where any bugs might be put, and come out. Easy! Oh and a Russian biker gang just bought the place so you’ll fit right in! What? Cover? ID? Nah! Only a couple of hours!” What followed was a string of Russian that Kyle guessed were things that would have made him blush had he understood them.


“Everything was working great until the gang want to go for a ride and decided to take Olga, who just got in from Poscow or whatever, with them. ‘Not a problem! We’re watching the bar like a hawk!’ they had said. They missed the fraken side door and it took them two hours to wonder ‘hey! where did everybody go?’” Katya drained her coffee in a swallow and crushed the cup. “Ever have to invent a life while on the back of a Harley and then try to remember every detail so you don’t contradict yourself? Well....don’t! Somebody yelled ‘Komarovsky!’ and I looked up at the same time he did so it was ‘Who the hell are you?’ I had to say that I knew a deadbeat back in Mother Russia who owed me $400 for smuggling some heroin up my snatch. He looked at me and gave me $500!” Kyle knew enough not to try and stop her because when Katya got on a roll it was dangerous to be in the way! “The only reason I did have to have sex with any of them was because I said I was having my periods and to simulate *that* two bloody weeks is no easy trick I’ll have you know! I couldn’t call anybody cuz they didn’t set me up with a lifeguard number cuz it was going to be just a couple of hours. It wasn’t until I got to Chicago that I could call and Feeb I had run into once and convince to him to have ‘Olga’ arrested on an immigration change. The gang was trying to raise bail for me! Lot more help then my ‘people’ did for me. Except Bryan of course. He went nuts trying to find me. He’s a dear, isn’t he.”


Katya went to drink from her coffee when she realized she didn’t have any. Then she realized Kyle was staring at her. Then she noticed a kid who had stopped on his bicycle to stare slack jawed. Then she noticed an older man who was offering her a business card that said ‘Professional Ghostwriter’ on it. “What?” she said to the kid and “Huh?” to the man.


“Give me a call. With that story I can write up a book that will make us a mint!” he said and then tipped his hat to them. The kid shook his head and took off on his bike. Katya just stared at the card and then looked at Kyle. “What the hell?! And stop laughing!” She yelled at him and lightly hit his chest with a hand before joining in.


When Katya got started on one of her ‘rants’ Kyle knew better than to try and interrupt or stop her, it was better to just let her carry on and get it out of her system. As she finally stopped he had to laugh as she realized she’d drawn an audience, the look on her face as the man handed her the business card was priceless. Finally able to stop laughing, Kyle looked down at Katya, saw she was about to launch into another tirade and leant in to stop her by planting a soft, tender, kiss on her lips before she could start. Finishing his coffee, he dropped the empty cup into a nearby trashcan and then turned back to her, then glanced at his watch. It was later than he’d realized, almost five thirty, by the time they got back to the precinct it would be just about time to sign out for the day.


“Come on; let’s head back to the precinct.” He said, as he reached for the door handle. He glanced up at the sky, which had seemed to grow darker, with heavy clouds drifting in, since they’d stopped for coffee. “Looks like it’s gonna rain, we’ll check out the club where the victim worked tomorrow,” he added, as he pulled open the door and slid easily into the drivers’ seat. Waiting until Katya had settled herself into her seat, Kyle gunned the powerful V8 and eased the Camaro back out into the early evening traffic.


The ride back to the precinct took almost half an hour, longer than it should have, mostly because of the heavy early evening traffic as commuters made their way home from work. Although it also seemed to Kyle that every time they came to one of the cities all too frequent sets of traffic lights they were always on red, and he was forced to sit there, tapping the steering wheel in frustration whilst he waited for them to change and the rain drummed on the windshield. Eventually they reached the precinct and Kyle parked the Camaro in their usual spot in the underground parking lot, and together they headed for the elevator that would take them up to the squad room.


Reaching the elevator, they met Devon and Mikey as they the elevator doors opened and their two friends stepped out. The four detectives spent the next five or ten minutes chatting, catching up on each other’s cases before Devon and Mikey left to go home whilst Kyle and Katya headed up to the squad room to sign out for the day. Leaving the elevator, they saw that the door to Bryan’s office was open and the lieutenant was still sitting behind his desk. Whilst Kyle went to sign them out, Katya headed across to pay the lieutenant a quick visit.


After signing the two of them out, Kyle saw that Katya and Bryan were still talking so he headed across to the small office he shared with her and made sure all their case files were locked away. Inside the office he checked the calendar on the wall, groaning inwardly as he realized he had to be in court the next day to give evidence in a murder trial that he and Katya had worked towards the end of last year. The case had been fairly straight forward, but the suspect and his legal team had tried to convince the DA that he was mentally unstable, in order to get the charges reduced to ‘Manslaughter on the grounds of Diminished Responsibility’. Fortunately they’d failed and the trial had started earlier in the week. Leaving the office, Kyle joined Katya and the two of them headed for the elevator back down to the underground parking lot. Leaving the building, the two of them headed for home.


She had gone to Bryan to bounce a few ideas about the murder case off of him but it had quickly turned to her telling the story about what had happened earlier. He just shook his head and grinned. Looking at the business card he had asked her if she had thought about doing a book. Maybe not a bio considering a lot of the cases she had worked on were still sealed in many places. Instead a fiction based on her experiences. “You ought to think about it Red” is what he said.


As they were driving home, Katya mentioned it to Kyle and he nodded as well. “Your reports aren’t just dry facts. You try and tell a story in them. With a little polishing... Who knows? You could be the next Joseph Wambaugh.” He had read some of his books as a kid and always thought the seed of becoming a cop had been planted by them. “Can’t hurt to test the waters as they say.”


“True... At the very least doing some scribbles might keep my mind off of other things.” Both knew it had to do with the case. The only new information they had was from CSU and it didn’t amount to much. They had gone through some of the earlier video tapes and noticed a couple of other times the camera was laser shined but only briefly and nothing unusual had happened. What that meant was that their killer was doing a little scouting but hadn’t left any more traces than that. They could send a BOLO to other establishments but both knew that would never happen for two reasons: the department didn’t wish to cause a panic and from Katya’s experience, most of those ‘cameras’ were fakes.


With Kyle’s day in court tomorrow, Katya would be checking out of the club alone. That would be okay with her because she might be able to get a bit more details by sliding into a little of the old Lisbeth persona. Either that, or she might be a newbie detective assigned to tag along with her for the day. That wasn’t a sure thing given how short staffed the department was. Katya was a lot easier on the newbies than some of the others in the squad. Mostly because she remembered how it was to be the new one too. Especially with some of the ‘old guard’ not exactly thrilled that she hadn’t ‘come up the ranks’ and done her time as a uniform like they had. That just meant that Katya had to work twice as hard to show them that she was no creampuff.


Their evening was quiet, even for them, with some Thai take-out for supper. That followed watching a little TV, Katya falling asleep, and off to bed to sleep. With Kyle carrying her to bed. The following day she spent alone, no newbies available, going to the crime scenes and doing the interviews. The hardest was talking with the daughter of the victim. She was only two but in Katya’s experience, a child’s power of observation was better than what most people thought. The girl said that her mom never brought anyone home and she loved her very much. That almost broke the detective’s heart.


Kyle was going to catch a cab home from court and she was surprised that he hadn’t beat her there. There had been a package addressed to her outside the door to their condo. The delivery people were suppose to leave such things in the postal box but if they had a new person... Any thoughts about it left when Katya opened the wrapping and found what was inside: a powder blue lace teddy that hide most everything on her torso but at the same time, didn’t. Included were a matching garter and panty hose. The piece de resistance was a full panties with an opening at both the front and back for ‘easy access’.


Katya squealed in delight and raced into the bedroom to change. When Kyle would return he would find a trail leading into the bedroom of a pair of pants, a bra, panties. Laying on the made bed in dark but for a few candles was his bride to be in his latest gift....


Sitting outside the courtroom, waiting to be summoned to give evidence, Kyle tried hard not to look too bored, or frustrated. He was due to be the first witness called, but the entire morning session had been taken up with the opening statements and the defense counsel again attempting to get the case dismissed before the judge had called a recess for lunch. Fortunately the process of jury selection had already been completed earlier in the week. Kyle had managed to slip out and grab a quick burger during the lunch recess, so at least his stomach wasn’t growling as he sat and waited. He’d exchanged a few text messages with Katya earlier in the day, before the battery on his cellphone had died.


Things seemed to move a little quicker once the court returned from its’ lunch recess, with both the defense counsel and the DA finishing their opening arguments surprisingly quickly. Suddenly the heavy door to the courtroom swung slowly open and a Clerk of the Court appeared in the open doorway to summon Kyle into the courtroom. Standing and straightening his sport coat, making sure his shoulder holstered pistol was hidden, Kyle entered the courtroom and made his way down to the witness stand. The Clerk of the Court stepped forward, a Bible in one hand, approaching where Kyle sat. “Raise your right hand and repeat after me,” began the clerk. “I swear that the evidence I shall give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God.”


Waiting until Kyle had repeated the oath, the DA rose slowly from his chair and approached the witness stand where Kyle sat. “Would you please state your name and rank, detective,” asked the DA, standing some ten feet or so away from where Kyle sat.


“Detective sergeant Kyle Darius, I’m stationed at the fifth precinct, homicide division,” answered Kyle, trying to relax in the chair although he was finding that harder than he’d thought. He was aware of the eyes on him, watching his every movement, scrutinizing his posture and body language.


The next two hours went by fairly quickly, as the DA guided Kyle through the details of the investigation and the evidence that led Kyle and Katya to the suspect. Once the DA was finished the defense counsel had taken over, trying to pick holes in Kyle’s evidence and using any dirty trick they could think of to try and provoke an angry response from the detective, but Kyle had kept his voice calm and even as he answered the questions. Reiterating some of the points he’d made earlier and elaborating on others, as the defense counsels questions allowed him to. Once the defense counsel was finished the DA asked a couple more questions on redirect before Kyle was finally dismissed by the judge and allowed to step down from the witness stand. Leaving the courtroom, Kyle kept his eyes focused on the door, not looking at the DA, the suspect of the jury as he left.


Once he was outside the courtroom, Kyle headed for the exit, leaving the courthouse and making his way down the stone steps outside as he lit a cigarette. Reaching the curb, Kyle smoked his cigarette before he hailed a cab. Getting into the cab, he gave the driver his address and then settled back in his seat as the cab peeled back into the traffic.


The ride back to the apartment seemed to take far longer than usual, although whether that was because he was riding in the back of a cab rather than driving, or if the late afternoon traffic was just heavier, Kyle wasn’t sure. As he drove the cab driver kept up an almost constant stream of inane chatter and banter, despite the disinterest of his passenger. For his part Kyle managed to tune the cab driver out, mostly, only answering in a disinterested monotone when he had to. As the cab finally reached the condos where Kyle and Katya lived, Kyle had the cab driver pull over about a block short and, after paying the driver, Kyle lit a cigarette and started walking.


The walk to the condo he shared with Katya took about ten minutes, time Kyle used to smoke a cigarette and unwind a little. Reaching the door of their condo, Kyle slid his key into the lock and then entered; he knew Katya was home because he’d already seen the Camaro parked in its customary parking space. Closing the door, Kyle removed his shoes and took off his sport coat, hanging it up, slipping out of his shoulder harness as he walked towards the lounge. He thought about going through to the kitchen and grabbing a beer from the fridge, but decided against it.


Entering the lounge, he removed his pistol from the holster and tucked it into the small pistol safe, which was when he noticed the discarded pants on the floor. Following the trail through to the bedroom, a smile brightened his face as he pushed open the door and saw Katya lying on their bed wearing a powder blue teddy, dark hose and a very sexy smile. Pulling off his tie and starting to unbutton his shirt, Kyle moved to join Katya on the bed. “Mmm, you’re a very naughty girl,” he said, softly, as he took her in a hard, deep kiss and his hands caressed and explored her body and he realized just how little of her the outfit actually covered. He didn’t know when Katya had found the time to go shopping, but he was really glad she had.


Even though she had heard the door open and Kyle move about in the other room Katya stayed silent. He would find his way into the bedroom one way or another. It would kill the mood any other way. They would make love, that was a given, but the environment is what could make it just a touch better. They had joked about doing it at their office with the door closed but both knew that would stay in the realm of fantasy. That and giving Kyle a blow job while parked somewhere. Both liked their jobs way too much to risk them for a silly actions like that.


A smile appeared on Katya’s face at see him appear in the door and the look of approval in his eyes. He’d picked out what she was wearing and liked how she filled it all out. It was a touch tight in the bust but that just made her breast stand out a little more. There was plenty of space left on the best for him to take his seat. Her hand resting upon Kyle’s thigh and then her leaning up so their lips met for their kiss.


Katya loved how his hands touched her body. They were strong and firm. Squeezing her softness to show ownership but not enough to hurt. The thought of being ‘owned’ by Kyle sent a thrill through her body. She loved him greatly and would do just about anything for him. If that didn’t mean she was owned she didn’t know what it was then. The first time they had made love she had willingly allowed Kyle to dominate her and to take charge of it. Katya had so enjoyed just giving herself to him and enjoying the pleasures he created in her.


As they finished their first kiss, her hand had shifted slightly and now laid on his crotch. As expected, his cock was huge and hard. “Are sure I’m naughty officer? Perhaps you are as well because you have something like this,” she whispered and gave him a squeeze. Kyle groaned softly which made her smile. “Then again, I’m very bad because I adore doing this to you...” With busy hands, she unbuttoned his pants and quickly freed his cock so it stood there straight up. Glancing up, Katya smiled as she lightly stroked him. “Just relax officer and allow this naughty creature to relax you after a hard day....”


With that, her head lowered and her mouth took him in. Kyle had that tangy, salty taste from his cock being stuffed in underwear all day. Of course she didn’t mind it at all! Her skilled tongue licked up and down the shaft while sucking on the wide head. A hand gently kneaded his heavy balls to encourage him to give this first load so he could last much longer afterwards.


For his part, Kyle groaned softly and held her head while his fingers ran through her long hair. “Mmmm.....just like that you naughty, naughty girl.... Maybe I should give you a spanking for being that bad?” The extra hard suck she gave told him that she approved of the plan. They did get a little physical on occasion but nothing more than a light paddle or something on that order. Both knew if one said to stop it, the other would. Even after all the time together, both were thrilled that they were still finding new ways to pleasure the other.


With his eyes closed and a looked of pleasure on his face Kyle said softly, “I love you Katya....”


On the other side of a monitor screen a figure whispered the same words as he knew she was actually doing it for him...


Sighing softly as Katya worked her magic, Kyle ran his fingers through her hair lightly, grinning down at her as she looked up into his face. Gently he used his hand in her hair to control her pace when she started suck and ride him harder and faster with her mouth. This was his ‘reward’ after a long day in court, or at least a part of it, and he wanted it to last just a little longer before he finally gave her what she wanted. He moved his other hand, sliding it down her body to stroke and squeeze her ass, giving it a gentle slap before he be reached for her breasts, cupping and caressing one as he gave himself over to the pleasure Katya was giving him.


After a few more minutes Kyle let out a long, deep sigh of pleasure, his release almost exploding in her mouth as the pleasure she’d been giving him finally came to an explosive climax. He smiled down at her as she slowly released his cock from her mouth, before she moved lithely up his body, her fingers clawing gently at the shirt he still wore before she pulled it open, buttons flying across the room, so she could run her nails across his chest. A soft purr came from Katya as she kissed his chest, before she came fully up his body and he kissed her softly. “Your turn now,” he said, softly, as their kiss broke slowly and he nipped her bottom lip gently as they parted.


Gently he pushed her back onto the bed, easily, yet playfully, pinning her down with his body as he began to slowly cover her in soft kisses, paying particular attention to her breasts and tummy. Pushing the teddy aside he took her nipples gently in his mouth, sucking them softly, giving each a gentle, playful, nip with his teeth before he moved further down her body. As Katya parted her legs a little more, allowing him access, he turned his head to trail kisses up and down her inner thighs. Pointedly ignoring the heat between her legs, which only made her purr and growl a little harder in frustration, but he wanted to take his time and he wasn’t going to let her rush him.


Kneeling between her legs he continued to tease her, kissing her legs, her inner thighs, over her tummy, always stopping just a fraction short of her pussy. He gazed up into her face, grinning wickedly before she ran her fingers through his hair and gently pushed his face closer to her pussy. “Impatient, aren’t we,” he said, with a grin, before he ran his tongue slowly and lightly along the slick, hot, wet folds of her pussy. The sigh of pleasure she let out was all the encouragement he needed, before he spread her pussy gently and flicked his tongue against her clit.


The watcher sighed, eyes fixed on the screen even as he used a mouse to adjust the camera angle until it focused on her face, knowing that it was him who was giving her such pleasure.


While she hated it when he took his time the worth was certainly worth the wait. Katya had a sharp intake of breath the instant she felt Kyle’s lapping at her juices. Then a brief sigh at his lips on her clit. While waiting for him to come home Katya had been tempted to play with it herself but hadn’t so as to get the maximum amount of pleasure from him. This was only the introductions to what would certainly be a wonderful evening of sex.


With one hand hold his head to her, she propped herself up on the other elbow so she would watch what he was doing. That didn’t last long however because the insertion of several fingers into her pussy caused Katya’s eyes to squeeze shut and for her to groan in pleasure. The simple movements of the digits were so good! There had been other men before Kyle but none of them could make her feel the way she did when they made love. It wasn’t just the actions, it was the special connection they had together. That very first time together.... It had been so long since she had had sex and hadn’t had it as *her* that in a way it was like losing her virginity all over again but without the pain. The glorious aftermath was when she realized that she truely loved Kyle.


Just the memory of that time was enough to push Katya over the edge into a small, but oh so satisfying orgasm. Kyle could tell from the rush of juices that he was forced to lap up and from the hand tightening in his hair. Knowing his lover, his fingers began pistoning in and out as they rotated. One hand reached up to cup a breast and play with a nipple that was already hard while his lips suckled at her clit. Soon enough, he heard a louder cry and felt her body shuddering from another orgasm.


Before Katya could recover, Kyle moved up her body and fitting his hard cock to her. With a single stroke, his thighs rested against her’s. They both moaned at the sensations of heat and wet and tightness and fullness.


Only for moment did they rest because then Kyle braced his hands on either side of Katya’s head and began thrusting hard into her. For her part, she wrapped her legs around his thighs and grabbed his ass with both hands. Slowness and tenderness would come later, this was raw lust and the need for both to experience it.


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Chapter Thirty


The watcher turned up the sound to hear the groans and whimpers from her lips that he was giving her.


As the observer observed, he felt a stirring in his loins that was so uncommon now. The horrid people had told him that the electric wires up his anus and attached to his genitals would render him impotent for all time. That combined with what he had scene had proved them true until he met Red.


The purity in her in her soul had touched that broken and battered that was his. Just being around her.... He felt more alive than he had in so long. Then he had almost lost her. It had been so close but in the end, he had saved her. Unlike those others...


Watching her sleep as he had that first night the erection he had gotten had shocked him. Just touching his cock gave him a release that was almost painful in its intensity. Mercifully for him, Red had slept through it and never knew of his shame. Yes, he wanted to take her. He ached to take her like a man takes his woman. He even knew that all he would have to do is ask and Red would have been his but he couldn’t. She was so hurt.... So damaged that to do that would have made him no better than those....others. There would be time enough he knew.


Then THEY ripped her away from him.


THEY said he was borderline obsessive. THEY said that *he* was a danger to her when THEY had lost her for days! THEY wouldn’t even let him say goodbye or let him have any contact with her at all. He was given a ‘promotion’ and a new assignment or rather, someplace to stick him until he ate his gun. That was what THEY wanted him to do but he would give THEM the satisfaction.


Almost by accident did he find an outlet for things.


One night, he had seen Red on the street. It looked so much like her until he got closer and then he knew it wasn’t. Still...she went with him and she let him talk to her and he tried to do more but nothing happened. Then she....laughed and mocked. Only for a little while for he made he be quiet. for good.


He was still a good planner, the best, and knew what to do with the non-Red. The place where he had spent the couple of weeks with the real Red. So isolated with that old mine built right into the wall. Plenty of room with some quicklime to take care of things. Before doing that, he talked to her. Long conversation about what had happened to him. Things he never mentioned to anyone. Talking about the life he would have with Red and about how they would spend their days and raise the children she wanted. Children didn’t matter to him but he knew Red wanted them so therefore he did too.


When he was done, the all consuming need was contained for the moment. It was still boiling inside but he was functional for the moment. Finding non-Red’s when it became too great helped. He started picking them more carefully, ones that wouldn’t be missed or weren’t from the same areas. Ones he would take to the place to begin with and maybe try and play house with them a little. It never responded when he tried it with them but that was okay too. When done, they would go with the others. They weren’t Red but he would protect them nonetheless.


Then one day a miracle happened!


Red was brought back to him! THEY had tried to hurt her but he saved her again and then shamed THEM into giving her back. He was so close to her! They would talk and laugh. Things were getting more perfect. So it would be complete and he wouldn’t need the non-Reds anymore.


Then HE happened. Red was stolen from him once again but it was worse than that. She was still so close but HE enticed her away and then made her make house with HIM. All the things he wanted to do, she did with HIM.


The sheer rage he felt was nearly blinding and made him take several non-Reds to the place in short order. He wanted to kill HIM but didn’t because that would mean hurting Red. For the moment, he bided his time.


It wasn’t until HE almost killed Red that he started to make mistakes. The confrontations, the attempted actions, even trying to convince Red. That brought things into the open too much so he had to pull back. Even taking a non-Red to the place didn’t help like it had. Until the one that was left in the open, to be found. Then the second after Red had seen him. Why this felt better he didn’t know or care but it did.


Soon though.... Soon fragments of an idea came into focus every so often. They would disappear just as quickly but the traces they left found themselves in the new things.


As he watch he and Red on the monitor his cock grew harder. Why couldn’t he feel her against him? So odd.... Soon enough though... Soon she would be with him forever!



*****************************************************************************************************************

Character Bios

Character Profile
Name: Yekaterina (Katya) Ivanova Komarovsky
Rank and Grade: Detective - Second Grade
Department: Homicide
Age: 27 Date of Birth: 03/01
Height: 5ft 2 inches Weight: 131 lbs. Hair: Blond Eyes: Gray
Sidearm: Glock 30 (Baby Glock) .45” semi-automatic pistol



Physical Appearance:
Character appearance based on Amanda Seyfried.

Curvaceous body and long blond hair. She is quite the flexible in terms of dress. From showing off the body to being prudish and dowdy. All depends on the situation. No tattoos or piercings other than a couple in each ear.


Personality:
Generally she is quiet and more prone to listening rather than talking. At times she can even appear to be dozing but that’s just her way of taking everything in. Its also a nice way for people to get the impression that she’s marshmallow when actually under that softness is a iron core. Her taste in music ranges, depending on her mood, from Bach to Rammstein to Beach Boys to Starland Vocal Band. She doesn’t have many friends but the ones she does have she loves dearly.


Strengths and Weaknesses:
A big strength is her adaptability to just about any situation. She refers to it as her ‘chameleon’ gene. She also has the uncanny ability to ‘read’ a room in a single glance. Both allow Katya to fit in just about anywhere and question the right person. A weakness is that she dislikes the philosophy of ‘ends justify the means’. Just to get the big fish doesn’t mean you can ignore the little fish that get caught in the way.


Background:


Katya’s parents moved to the US and settled in Brighton Beach, NY with the first wave of immigrants from Russia after Glasnost and Perestroika. Soon after their only child, Katya, was born. Growing up, she learned more Russian than English so when she started school she had a distinct Russian accent. Learning to hide that at school was Katya’s first ‘acting’ job.


She noticed that her parents didn’t talk much about relatives that might be back in the Motherland. If they did, they seemed like they wanted to spit rather than say names. For the longest time she let that slide until one day Katya demanded answers. It turned out that her uncles on both sides were members of the Thieve’s in Law or Russian Mafia. Her parents had no use for such things and fled Russia so the child in her womb would grow up clean. Untouched by the evil that flowed through the families veins.


They were a family that was never too well off but they made do. That meant when it came time for college Katya went for any scholarships she could get. The closest to a full ride was a small college up in Massachusetts. There she studied for, and got, degrees in Computer Science and Russian Literature. As to what she was going to do after college was a puzzle for her until one night when her roommate was raped. The police did their best but couldn’t bring the attacker to justice. Seeing how shattered her friend had become made her career simple.


Telling her parents that she had enrolled in the Willowburg Police Academy caused several long, and loud, arguments. Her parents might not have been in the Life but that didn’t mean they had to like the Chekists. It wasn’t until she described, in detail, how one incident could turn a strong and confident woman into someone who couldn’t sleep at night without the lights on. Who couldn’t be with people but couldn’t be alone either. That how their daughter was going to make sure animals like that could never hurt anyone ever again.


At the academy the instructors seemed to have a goal of driving Katya out of the program. Maybe it was that she barely met the height requirements. Maybe it was the face and body that could turn heads and make men, and some women, drool. Maybe it was that no matter how hard they treated her she refuse to give them the satisfaction of quitting. Or maybe it was that someone had spotted something in Katya and they want to see just how strong she was.


Before graduation, she was invited to a meeting with an officer who rarely wore a uniform. It was about a job offer. One that was highly dangerous but could potentially do more good than sitting in a patrol car for a few years. Most undercovers had several years, or decades, of experience as cops. However, that time in uniform made the possibility of them being remembered as a cops a distinct chance. Someone just out of the academy though.... Especially someone who was from out of town could fit into a role much better and for longer periods.


Katya didn’t have think twice and volunteered on the spot.


Just as soon as graduation was over, Katya Komarovsky disappeared and a variety of women appeared. Ones with names like: Heather MacParland, Gretchen Sinclair, Lisbeth Neeley, Olga Olanavich, Siobhan O'Neil, among others. Different histories, hair styles, attitudes, and the like. The kind of assignments she got were ones that lasted not for days but for months. Most never resulted in arrests right away but built up information that could be exploited later on. On a couple of occasions, Katya was ‘loaned’ out to the FBI to work at building a case with a major crime lord.


The only contact she generally had with the force was through her rabbi/mentor Bryan Jones. Yes, that was his name. He had done what she was doing and knew how hard this life was. At various times he pulled her from the job and sent her home to her parents for a vacation as herself. He was twenty-some years older but they were good friends.


A problem Katya had with the job was that she didn’t see that she was making a difference with any of it. Oh she knew it was for ‘long-term’ cases but she hadn’t become a cop just to fill out space in file cabinets. Then Bryan got promoted and assigned to a Homicide unit as a deputy commander. That was an overt job so they couldn’t keep in touch. Katya’s new contact was more of a: do your job and shut-up kind of guy.


The the FBI came calling again and they needed Lisbeth Neeley to work her magic in Willowburg itself. The crime boss was making a play to take over things in the city and she was perfectly placed to give them everything the department and Feds needed to prevent that from happening. Lisbeth was a high class call girl who knew a lot of names. Her job was to arrange for talent in the whore houses that would be starting up. It was disgusting but the cops would raid the places before things got going.


Everything was running perfectly until Tina Sanders ended up dead in an alley. Katya/Lisbeth had to identify her and was barely able to do that due to the beating the girl had taken. As she left, the runaway’s parents showed up and the language they used.... She had to find the nearest bathroom to throw up. The she had to run into Detective Kyle Darius who gave her a piece of his mind about everything.


Finding out the thug that had done it was easy enough because he didn’t hide the fact too hard. The girl was a runaway who could be replaced in a heartbeat. The attitude amongst the criminals was to be expected but from her own superiors? That infuriated her! They told Katya not to interfere and to stay on the case. When she complained that the investigators had nothing to go on she was told “So what?”


Breaking all the rules, Katya secretly met with the lead detective and told him what she knew. Between them and Kyle’s boss Bryan, her old handler, they figured out a game plan.


The trap was laid but the thug tried to turn the tables. After a brief fight, Katya killed him with two bullets.


The problem was it was public and things had to be recorded. Including Katya’s involvement. She didn’t even try to stay undercover with it all and that infuriated her bosses. Several years worth of work went down the drain and she didn’t care.


Now she had to find a new job since she couldn’t do undercover anymore. Oh she could do the standard hooker stings and things like that but her unit didn’t want her anymore. Katya was at quandary when familiar voice called her on the phone and asked her if she would like a job.


And that was how Katya Komarovsky reappeared as a Detective - Second Grade at the 5th Precinct's Homicide unit.



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Character Profile
Name: Kyle Darius
Rank and Grade: Detective Sergeant
Department: Homicide
Age: 38 Date of Birth: 06/23
Height: 5ft 11 inches Weight: 180 lbs. Hair: Black Eyes: Dark Grey
Sidearm: Remington R1 M1911 .45” semi-automatic pistol

Physical Appearance:

Longish jet black hair, with dark grey eyes. Fairly good looking, with a scar that runs from his left eyebrow diagonally to his left ear. Various tattoos on both arms, including a mono-chrome ‘Grim Reaper’ on his left forearm and the ‘Globe and Anchor’ emblem of the US Marine Corps. Usually wears dark glasses.

Personality:
Fairly relaxed and easy-going, most of the time. Slow to anger, but deadly when roused. Currently trying to give up smoking (again) with varying degrees of success, from day to day. Relaxes by listening to heavy metal music, particularly Iron Maiden and playing the guitar. Intelligent, caring and hardworking, with a strong sense of duty and ethics. However, he does have a slightly rebellious nature that has marred his past career and led to more than one reprimand on his file from past commanders and training officers.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
His main strengths are his sense of duty and ethics, both of which have got him into trouble in the past. When he discovered a former colleague had been forcing confessions out of suspects, he went to Internal Affairs with the evidence, which led to the offending detective being expelled from the force. His main weakness is the somewhat rebellious streak he has, something which has led to more than one commander making negative comments on his evaluation reports.

Background:

Born and raised in Willowburg, MA, Kyle always knew he wanted to be a USMC Officer from a very young age. His parents, however, encouraged their only son to explore other avenues before he settled on a career, so when he left school he enrolled at college to study history and archaeology. Even before graduating with a BA in archaeology and history, Kyle knew he’d not lost his desire to be a Marine Officer and had enrolled in the USMC Officer Training Program whilst he was still in college.

After graduating, Kyle saw action in Iraq, earning a Silver Star and Purple Heart, but after eight years, with the rank of major, he began to grow disillusioned with the military and resigned his commission. After leaving the marines, Kyle had struggled to find his niche in the civilian world, turning down numerous offers from security companies and corporations as he tried to find his place in the world. After witnessing a robbery at a convenience store, he’d enrolled in the Willowburg Police Academy and graduated top of his class.

His first position with the Willowburg Police Department was as a mounted officer, he’d learnt to ride horses when he was younger and the WPD was one of the few police departments that still maintained a mounted division. After three years with the WPD Mounted Division he’d transferred, spending another two years as a uniformed patrol officer before he’d taken and passed the detectives exam. His first assignment as a detective had been in the Willowburg PD Narcotics Division, but after almost five years he’d taken ad passed the sergeants exam.

Transferring to the Willowburg PD 5th Precinct, Homicide Division, as Lead Detective, he’s looking forward to the challenges his new job will bring.

Having trained from a young age in the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do, he is ranked a 2nd Dan Black Belt and master. He competed in several mixed martial arts tournaments when he was younger, winning several of them.