by Gerri Hill
“And maybe you underestimate her. Love is a very powerful thing, once you accept it. Leslie seems very strong and level-headed to me. I don’t think you need to worry about her adjusting, if that’s what it is.”
Casey smiled. “No, she’s adjusted quite well. I just mean how to deal with coworkers, friends, family.”
“I’ve found that people, as a rule, just want you to be happy. Now family—”
“Oh, that’s right, you still haven’t told yours.”
Sam blushed slightly. “It’s not something you casually mention in a phone call. And it’s not like I’ve been to Denver to see them.”
They both turned when the door opened. Leslie stood there, her eyes red and puffy. Casey got up and went to her, pulling her into a hug. She didn’t say anything. There was nothing to say.
Leslie squeezed her tight. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Casey nodded and pulled away. “Come sit with Sam.” She motioned to the window where Tori stood. “I need to go talk to her.”
Leslie squeezed her arm affectionately. “Yes, go. I’m fine.”
Casey walked quietly over, standing next to Tori, staring out the same window, wondering if Tori saw anything or was simply lost in her own mind. She stood silently by her, letting Tori feel her presence. Finally, she nudged her shoulder gently. “I love you, you know.”
There was a moment of silence, then she heard Tori take a shaky breath. “It’s my fault. I really fucked things up.”
“No. I’m not going to let you bear the burden of this.”
Tori turned away from the window, her eyes swimming in tears. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Casey moved without thinking, pulling Tori into her arms and holding her tight. She’d never seen Tori cry before, never seen her break down. She doubted anyone had. Not like this, with deep sobs choking her throat. Casey didn’t know what to say, so she said what she thought she’d want to hear if it were reversed.
“You did what you had to do. He had a knife. We all thought it was Patrick. Even if you knew it wasn’t, you still had to take the shot. I’d have taken the shot too, Tori.”
She felt Tori’s grip loosen, felt her sobs subside. She finally pulled away.
“Thanks, O’Connor,” she said as she wiped her eyes with both hands. “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll kill you.”
“It’s between us.”
Tori took a deep breath, then wiped her nose with her hand. “Sikes, man. I just can’t believe it. He lost so much blood. I should have never sent him—”
“Stop it right now, Tori. Don’t you start second-guessing. You can’t control everything. You know that.”
“They haven’t told us a thing. I mean, what if he’s brain-dead or something? Then that’s my fault too. I kept him alive.”
“Yeah. You kept him alive. That’s all I’d ask for you to do for me.” She met Tori’s eyes. “The rest is up to him. He fell in love. He’s got someone waiting for him. He’ll fight.”
Sam watched them, her eyes filling with tears. Tori was in pain and she wasn’t reaching out for her. She was reaching out for Casey. She turned to Leslie.
“Casey’s being the sister.” She wiped at her eyes and smiled. “I love her, you know. She’s special.”
“I think so.”
“Yeah. Look at her. She’s trying to bring Tori back to me. Tori wasn’t Tori there for a minute.”
“It was…it was terrible, actually,” Leslie said. “It all happened so fast. I saw what was happening and I couldn’t respond fast enough. But Tori, it was like she processed everything in a millisecond and fired. Before I even realized what had happened, she was on John, trying to stop the bleeding.”
Sam nodded. “She has a gift. She…she saved me once from a…a situation.” Was situation a good word for rape, she wondered? But Tori burst through the door and in the blink of an eye, had taken out every one of them. It was a memory she tried to keep buried, but every so often, it reared its head. Like now. “It was before we were together, you know.” She smiled. “We were on the verge of being together though. Anyway, she’s great in the field. She doesn’t hesitate.”
“Has there been any news about John?”
“None.”
“What about his family?”
“Malone was calling them. They don’t live locally, so I have no idea when they’ll be here.”
“What about this girl he’s been seeing?”
“John Sikes has a girl?” Sam laughed quietly. “I don’t think he’s ever dated anyone twice.”
“Yeah. They’ve been teasing him. Apparently, he’s in love.”
“We’ll need to find out who it is. She’ll want to know.”
They both looked up as Tori and Casey walked closer. Sam sent a silent thank you to Casey, then stood, moving into Tori’s arms.
“I love you,” she murmured into Tori’s ear.
“I’m sorry. I lost it. And I didn’t want you to see me that way.”
“I told you a long time ago that you can’t be strong all the time. Let me be strong for you sometimes.” She pulled out of her arms and looked at Casey. “But it’s a sister thing, right?”
Tori smiled. “Yeah. If I had a sister, I’d want her to be like you, O’Connor.”
Sam was surprised at the emotion that crossed Casey’s face, surprised at the misting of tears in her eyes. She sometimes forgot that Casey had no family.
“Thanks, Hunter.” She cleared her throat. “Make me cry in front of Leslie, why don’t you?”
They laughed quietly. The kind of laugh to ease tensions, to lessen the strain of the situation of being in a hospital waiting room…waiting.
Chapter Forty-One
“So you weren’t lying when you said you could cook.”
Casey looked up from the wok she was hovering over. “I’m not a gourmet, don’t get me wrong. But some nights, I just like to play in the kitchen with a glass of wine.”
“So fried rice, huh?” She walked closer, refilling Casey’s wineglass.
“Fried rice with chicken and shrimp. And a few veggies tossed in to make it semi-healthy.” She took a sip of wine and smiled. “Thanks.”
Leslie pulled out a chair at the small table and sat down, watching her. It had been an emotional few days, but they hadn’t really had time to reconcile everything. Technically, their case was still open. Patrick was not in custody. But they’d been crawling all over the Deep Ellum area for three days and nights, and still no sign of Patrick. The few men on the street who would talk to them said they hadn’t seen him in days. But it was only when they talked to Sammy that they feared Patrick had left town.
He ain’t been around, the bastard. Poor John. I can’t believe he’s dead.
John Doe. As ironic as his name, that’s how he’ll be buried. There was no one to claim his body.
“Hey.”
Leslie looked up.
“You ready to talk about it?”
Leslie shrugged. “It’s just a tragic situation. I keep thinking, what if it had been me and you there instead of Tori and Sikes. I’d have taken the shot, yes. That’s not a question. But could I live with myself? John was an innocent pawn in all this. Patrick used him at will, from wearing the dress, to dying his hair, to taking a knife to Sikes. He was innocent, all the way to the end. And now we have no hope of finding Patrick. He’s slithered off to another city, no doubt.”
“Most likely, yeah.”
“So what did we accomplish? We have three women dead. An innocent, simple-minded boy dead. And John Sikes lying in a hospital bed, damn lucky to be alive. What did we accomplish?” Leslie stood. “And don’t say he’s off the streets here in Dallas. So what? So he moves on? There’s now another city that’s not safe.”
“We did the best we could, Les. Like I said many times, he was like a damn ghost.” Casey moved the wok to a cool burner and turned, facing her. “How do you think I feel? I had the bastard right in my hands, and I let him go. I should have known i
t wasn’t John.”
“They were playing a game. How could you know?”
“Because I did realize it,” she said. “Before we heard the shots, I knew it wasn’t John.”
Leslie frowned.
“When I finally caught him, he kept saying don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me. And I’m like, I’m not going to hurt you. We’ve never hurt John. So I left him with one of the officers, told him to put John in the patrol car. And when I was going to go after you, it hit me. John never said don’t hurt me.” She tilted her head. “What did John always say to me?”
“Don’t tie me up, Miss Casey.”
“Exactly. So I went running back. But he’d gotten out of the car and was gone. Then we heard the shots. And I knew it was too late.”
Leslie walked closer and wrapped her arms around Casey’s shoulders, pulling her close. Casey was suffering too. She’d been too caught up in her own misgivings, too worried about Sikes, to realize that Casey felt partly to blame as well.
“There are so many variables in this case, aren’t there?” She kissed her softly on the mouth. “Tori feels responsible because she sent Sikes in. She’s taking the blame for killing John and not Patrick. You feel like it’s your fault because you had Patrick and you didn’t know it. And I feel like it’s my fault too. We saw them together—one in a dress, one in pants. I was so sure that Patrick was the one in the dress. So sure.” Her arms slipped away from Casey and she picked up her wineglass again. “The break this weekend comes at a good time. I think we all need it. Tori especially.”
“Yeah. And you’ll love being on the boat. Sleeping is wonderful. It’s cool out. The motion of the water just relaxes you. It’ll be great.”
She smiled. “Sleeping, huh?”
Casey wiggled her eyebrows and grinned. “I think Sam is looking forward to you being there. She likes you. And Tori and I tend to get absorbed in fishing.”
“I like her too. It’ll be good to spend time with them. I’m looking forward to getting to know them as well as you do.” She put her glass down. “I’m going to shower before dinner. Okay?”
“Sure, go ahead. I’ve got to warm the egg rolls yet.”
She stopped at the door and turned back around. “Casey?”
“Hmm?”
“I…I really…like you a lot.” She mentally rolled her eyes. Like? No, she was in love with her. But telling her in the kitchen while she cooked Chinese food didn’t seem like the perfect moment.
Casey smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I like you too.”
Leslie laughed. “Yeah.”
But in the living room, her smile faded as she looked out the window to the lake and saw a face staring back at her. She gasped, unable to stop the startled scream. Then Casey was behind her.
“What is it?”
Leslie shook her head. “I thought …I thought I saw someone outside,” she said as she held her hand over her chest, embarrassed by her racing heart.
“Let me check it out.”
Leslie grabbed her arm to stop her. “No, no. It was nothing. Just my imagination, I’m sure.” Wasn’t it? She made herself walk to the window, her eyes darting in every direction. There was no one out there.
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure.” But her eyes bounced off every window, suddenly wishing Casey had drapes to hide the view of the lake.
Patrick? Was he out there?
Don’t be silly.
But still.
“Casey?”
“Yeah?”
“Shower with me?”
Publications from
Bella Books, Inc.
The best in contemporary lesbian fiction
P.O. Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone: 800-729-4992
www.bellabooks.com
WITHOUT WARNING: Book one in the Shaken series by KG MacGregor. Without Warning is the story of their courageous journey through adversity, and their promise of steadfast love.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-120-8
$13.95
THE CANDIDATE by Tracey Richardson. Presidential candidate Jane Kincaid had always expected the road to the White House would exact a high personal toll. She just never knew how high until forced to choose between her heart and her political destiny.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-133-8
$13.95
TALL IN THE SADDLE by Karin Kallmaker, Barbara Johnson, Therese Szymanski and Julia Watts. The playful quartet that penned the acclaimed Once Upon A Dyke and Stake Through the Heart are back and now turning to the Wild (and Very Hot) West to bring you another collection of erotically charged, action-packed, tales.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-106-2
$15.95
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER by Gerri Hill. In this highly anticipated sequel to Hunter’s Way, Dallas Homicide Detectives Tori Hunter and Samantha Kennedy investigate the murder of a Catholic priest who is found naked and strangled to death.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-108-6
$13.95
IT’S ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS: The First Chronicles of Shawn Donnelly by Therese Szymanski. Join Therese Szymanski as she takes a walk on the sillier side of the gritty crime scene detective novel and introduces readers to her newest alternate personality—Shawn Donnelly.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-117-8
$13.95
THE ROAD HOME by Frankie J. Jones. As Lynn finds herself in one adventure after another, she discovers that true wealth may have very little to do with money after all.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-110-9
$13.95
IN DEEP WATERS: CRUISING THE SEAS by Karin Kallmaker and Radclyffe. Book passage on a deliciously sensual Mediterranean cruise with tour guides Radclyffe and Karin Kallmaker.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-111-6
$15.95
ALL THAT GLITTERS by Peggy J. Herring. Life is good for retired army colonel Marcel Robicheaux. Marcel is unprepared for the turn her life will take. She soon finds herself in the pursuit of a lifetime—searching for her missing mother and lover.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-107-9
$13.95
OUT OF LOVE by KG MacGregor. For Carmen Delallo and Judith O’Shea, falling in love proves to be the easy part.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-105-5
$13.95
BORDERLINE by Terri Breneman. Assistant Prosecuting attorney Toni Barston returns in the sequel to Anticipation.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-99-7
$13.95
PAST REMEMBERING by Lyn Denison. What would it take to melt Peri’s cool exterior? Any involvement on Asha’s part would be simply asking for trouble and heartache…wouldn’t it?
ISBN: 978-1-59493-103-1
$13.95
ASPEN’S EMBERS by Diane Tremain Braund. Will Aspen choose the woman she loves…or the forest she hopes to preserve…
ISBN: 978-1-59493-102-4
$14.95
THE COTTAGE by Gerri Hill. The Cottage is the heartbreaking story of two women who meet by chance . . . or did they? A love so destined it couldn’t be denied . . . stolen moments to be cherished forever.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-096-6
$13.95
FANTASY: Untrue Stories of Lesbian Passion edited by Barbara Johnson and Therese Szymanski. Lie back and let Bella’s bad girls take you on an erotic journey through the greatest bedtime stories never told.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-101-7
$15.95
SISTERS’ FLIGHT by Jeanne G’Fellers. Sisters’ Flight is the highly anticipated sequel to No Sister of Mine and Sister Lost Sister Found.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-116-1
$13.95
BRAGGIN’ RIGHTS by Kenna White. Taylor Fleming is a thirty-six-year-old Texas rancher who covets her independence. She finds her cowgirl independence tested by neighboring rancher Jen Holland.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-095-9
$13.95
BRILLIANT by Ann Roberts. Respected sociology professor, Diane Cole finds her views on love challenged by her own heart, as she fights the attraction she feels for a woman half her age
.
ISBN: 978-1-59493-115-4
$13.95
THE EDUCATION OF ELLIE by Jackie Calhoun. When Ellie sees her childhood friend for the first time in thirty years she is tempted to resume their long lost friendship. But with the years come a lot of baggage and the two women struggle with who they are now while fighting the painful memories of their first parting. Will they be able to move past their history to start again?
ISBN 978-1-59493-092-8
$13.95
DATE NIGHT CLUB by Saxon Bennett. Date Night Club is a dark romantic comedy about the pitfalls of dating in your thirties…
ISBN 978-1-59493-094-2
$13.95
PLEASE FORGIVE ME by Megan Carter. Laurel Becker is on the verge of losing the two most important things in her life—her current lover, Elaine Alexander, and the Lavender Page bookstore. Will Elaine and Laurel manage to work through their misunderstandings and rebuild their life together?
ISBN978-1-59493-091-1
$13.95
WHISKEY AND OAK LEAVES by Jaime Clevenger. Meg meets June, a single woman running a horse ranch in the California Sierra foothills. The two become quick friends and it isn’t long before Meg is looking for more than just a friendship. But June has no interest in developing a deeper relationship with Meg. She is, after all, not the least bit interested in women…or is she? Neither of these two women is prepared for what lies ahead…
ISBN 978-1-59493-093-5
$13.95
SUMTER POINT by KG MacGregor. As Audie surrenders her heart to Beth, she begins to distance herself from the reckless habits of her youth. Just as they’re ready to meet in the middle, their future is thrown into doubt by a duty Beth can’t ignore. It all comes to a head on the river at Sumter Point.
ISBN 978-1-59493-089-8
$13.95
THE TARGET by Gerri Hill. Sara Michaels is the daughter of a prominent senator who has been receiving death threats against his family. In an effort to protect Sara, the FBI recruits homicide detective Jaime Hutchinson to secretly provide the protection they are so certain Sara will need. Will Sara finally figure out who is behind the death threats? And will Jaime realize the truth—and be able to save Sara before it’s too late?