by Radclyffe
“Today. In fact, he’s already left for Boston and a late flight out to Pittsburgh tonight,” Tory replied.
“So you’re going back to work,” Kate said carefully.
“Yes.” Tory put down her soup spoon and regarded her mother-in-law. “Did Reese tell you?”
Kate shook her head. “No, but she told me you’d gone into the clinic today because Dan was leaving earlier than expected.”
“I’m trying to find someone to take his place so I won’t have to work full time.”
“Any possibilities?” Kate knew that even part time for Tory would be very nearly a full workload by anyone else’s standards.
Tory picked up the spoon and turned it between her fingers, thinking back to the morning. “KT O’Bannon came over from Boston this morning to interview for the position.” She raised her eyes and met Kate’s. “You remember her, of course, from when Regina was born.”
“Yes. She seemed very capable.” Kate regarded Tory steadily. “You have some history with her, don’t you?”
Tory smiled briefly. “Along with her astonishing good looks, Reese seems to have inherited her ability for understatement from you.”
Kate merely smiled and waited.
“KT and I were lovers when we were young.” Tory gazed past Kate’s shoulder out the window to the harbor. An artist’s palette of purples and pinks and indigo was brushed across the sky by the setting sun. “We didn’t part on good terms.”
“She hurt you,” Kate observed.
Tory brought her eyes back to Kate’s, grateful that there was no sympathy in them, only kindness. “Yes.”
“And how do you feel about her now?”
“I don’t know.” Tory frowned, surprised. “If you had asked me yesterday, I would’ve told you with certainty that I felt nothing whatsoever for her other than anger. Perhaps not even that. She was just someone from the past whom I had left there.”
Kate tilted her head thoughtfully. “And what’s changed?”
“I don’t know that either,” Tory said softly.
“Could you work with her, seeing her every day?”
“I’ve thought about that every minute since she left this morning.” Tory leaned back in the chair, her dinner forgotten. “Actually, I think so. When I’m working, I’m so focused that nothing else really matters. And I’ve worked with her before. We were medical students and residents together. We know each other’s...rhythm.” She looked away, refusing to think about how well they had known one another and just how seamlessly they had fit together for so many years.
“I imagine there would be moments when it would be hard.” Kate placed her hand on Tory’s arm. “Only you can know if it would be too hard.”
“Reese said that she would be okay with it.”
“If she said it, then she means it.”
Tory smiled. “Oh, I know. But still, I don’t want to give her anything else to worry about.”
“If you don’t have help, she’s going to worry a lot more,” Kate said with certainty.
“What do you think?” Tory asked softly.
Kate took her time before answering. “I know you can trust Reese to support you in whatever you decide.”
“She always does.” Tory touched the scrolled gold band on her ring finger. “I love her so much.”
“Yes, I know,” Kate said with great tenderness. She covered Tory’s hand with her own. “I also think that we never really leave the past behind, and the pain follows us until we find a way to forgive the people we used to be.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“None of us does until faced with it.” Kate sighed. “But you said yourself that something’s changed, and maybe that’s all you need to know for now.”
Tory squeezed Kate’s hand in thanks, her mind on the silent plea in KT’s eyes and the answering tug of her own heart. Yes, something has definitely changed. For both of us.
Chapter Ten
Trey Pelosi was waiting for Reese and Bri in a small alcove outside the ICU. She stood as they approached, a smile on her face and an appraising glance at Bri.
“Officers,” Trey said.
“Ms. Pelosi.” Reese indicated Bri. “Officer Parker.”
“Ma’am,” Bri said.
Trey nodded to Bri briefly before returning her gaze to Reese. “Thank you for coming. Mr. and Mrs. Bridger want to cooperate in any way they can with your investigation.”
“Excellent,” Reese said evenly. “When can I speak with their son?”
“Well,” Trey said smoothly, “as you can see, he’s still under observation and in no condition to be questioned. However, we might have some information that would assist you.”
Reese raised an eyebrow but said nothing for a moment. She leaned one shoulder against the wall and studied Trey Pelosi. That evening, as on the previous one, she was impeccably dressed in tailored dark slacks, matching low heels, and a burgundy silk blouse with the cuffs rolled casually to midforearm. “Still on the case?”
Trey smiled again. “At this point, I’m here as a family friend and advisor. No charges have been brought, and I’m not anticipating that any will be since the boy hasn’t committed any crime.”
Bri shifted slightly, her equipment belt creaking as she moved. Reese shrugged off the first parry. “We’re still gathering information.”
“Yes,” Trey agreed, indicating the tiny lounge behind her with a tip of her chin. “Why don’t we sit down for a few minutes and perhaps I can provide you with some.”
“At some point, Ms. Pelosi,” Reese said without moving, “I’m going to need to speak to Robert Bridger.”
“Since that won’t be this evening, Sheriff, perhaps I’ll do.” Without waiting for an answer, Trey walked back into the lounge and took a seat in the otherwise unoccupied area.
“What do you think, Officer Parker?” Reese asked quietly.
“My guess is she won’t let us talk to him until she’s certain that charges won’t be filed or, if they are, that she knows the specifics so she can protect him.”
“Yes, I agree. I’d do the same thing.”
Bri rarely thought about the fact that Reese was an attorney. It was weird thinking of Reese that way, because she was such a cop’s cop. Everyone who knew her said the same thing. “So, if we can’t talk to him anyhow, what’s the downside of talking with her?”
“If we’re not careful, she’ll know everything we know, and we’ll come away empty.” Reese felt a little thrill of challenge and clapped Bri on the shoulder. “Come on, Officer. Let’s go talk to Counselor Pelosi.”
“There’s a coffee machine down the hall,” Trey said as she watched Reese and Bri approach.
“We’re fine,” Reese said, taking a seat on one side of Trey as Bri moved around to one opposite. “So what is it you’d like us to know?”
“Have you ID’d the young woman who was found near Robert’s vehicle?”
“You mean the young woman who was with him?” Reese asked. Her thrust this time.
“I don’t believe we’ve established that fact yet,” Trey commented, sidestepping neatly.
Reese grinned, but a flicker of irritation hardened her gaze. “Counselor, we could fence all evening. I think it might even be enjoyable under some circumstances. But I’ve got a dead girl in a drawer in the morgue in the basement of this hospital. Right now, I’m assuming that she got into that vehicle voluntarily.” Before Trey could speak, Reese held up her hand. “But if I don’t start getting some answers, I’m going to start thinking maybe she didn’t. Maybe your clients’ son took advantage of a drug-impaired young woman, coerced her into the vehicle, drove her out into the dunes, and dragged her off where no one could see them for sex or something rougher. Maybe she resisted. Maybe he thought she would resist and he gave her more drugs to make her compliant. And now she’s dead. And I guarantee we’ll find evidence to support that she was in that vehicle with your clients’ son.”
“There are any number of explanat
ions to account for her body being in the vicinity of the Bridger vehicle,” Trey noted calmly. “It could even be a coincidence.” She held up a hand as Reese started to speak. “Nevertheless, the Bridgers informed me that Rob had been spending this past week with family friends in Chelmsford. When I talked to them this morning, it sounded as if Rob heard about a party here on the Cape from the older brother of the boy he was visiting. We suspect he...borrowed...the family car so he and his buddy could go.”
“They filed a stolen vehicle report,” Bri pointed out.
“Yes, well, it seems that was premature.” Trey smiled at Bri. “A simple miscommunication.”
“Where was the party?” Reese asked.
“We don’t know.”
“What about the girl?” Reese asked sharply. “What do you suspect about her?”
Trey shook her head. “He doesn’t have a steady girlfriend. The boys he was visiting don’t know anything about her. But if you could get me a photo, I’ll show it to his parents and the other family.”
“Let me have the name of the family he was visiting.” Reese took a small spiral notebook from her left breast pocket, along with a pen.
Trey looked apologetic. “Ah, they’ve retained my services, merely to facilitate matters at this point. For the moment, I’d like to keep their names out of this.”
Facilitator, my ass. Covering their own asses. And their kid’s. Reese’s jaw tightened. “Look, Ms. Pelosi—”
“Sheriff,” Trey said quietly, “I’m no happier about an unidentified dead girl than you are. For now, let me see what I can do. The Bridgers really do want to cooperate. Both families do.”
Reese blew out her breath. She didn’t like it, but until she had a clearer picture of what had happened, she couldn’t blame the parents or their attorney for keeping the boy under wraps. “All right. For now.”
Trey smiled, and it was a genuine smile of pleasure, not victory. “Good. When can you get me the picture?”
“It’s a morgue shot,” Reese said as she reached into her shirt pocket again and drew out a Polaroid. She passed it over to Trey and watched her face carefully as the woman looked down at the photo. The attorney’s expression did not change. She may be corporate now, but this isn’t the first dead shot she’s seen.
“Thank you.” Trey met Reese’s eyes. “May I keep this?”
“Go ahead.”
Bri leaned over and murmured to Reese, who nodded assent.
“Ms. Pelosi,” Bri said. “When you talk to the boys about the party, ask if it was a candy-bowl party.”
Trey looked at Reese, who shook her head. To Bri she said, “Translation?”
“It’s a party where everybody brings whatever drugs they have, tosses them into a big bowl or just a pile, and everyone samples.” She looked at Reese, whose expression was bland. “The parties move around. Usually in somebody’s house, not a bar.”
“Hard stuff?” Reese asked.
Bri shrugged. “Could be anything. Uppers, downers, crack, coke, sometimes even heroin.”
“Christ.” Reese rubbed her face in frustration. “Is it all...bring your own, or are their dealers there?”
“I don’t know.” For a second, Bri looked as if she might say more but did not.
“I’ll see what I can find out,” Trey said as she stood. She extended her hand to Reese and then to Bri. “Thank you for coming. I’ll be in touch.”
“Ms. Pelosi.” Reese stood as well. “I’m not interested in hauling a boy into court on a DUI when he’s already paying for his mistake. If that’s all this turns out to be, we’re not going to have a problem. But if it’s anything more, the next time I come, I’m not standing outside in the hall.”
“You two take care,” Trey said calmly. “Good night, now.”
“Good night, Counselor,” Reese said.
“Jeez,” Bri said so softly that only Reese could hear as she watched the attorney walk away. “I sorta liked her until I figured out she was kicking our asses.”
Reese laughed. “She didn’t kick them too bad. At least now we have a lead to work on.” As they walked down the hall toward the exit, Reese glanced at Bri. “So when’s the last time you were at one of these parties?”
Bri blushed and kept her face forward. “Last year. When I was still in school.”
“Is there anything we need to talk about?”
“No, ma’am. I don’t...partake.” Bri got to the exit door first and held it open until Reese passed through. Walking briskly to catch up, she said, “Sometimes you don’t know it’s going to be that kind of party until you get there and it just sort of happens. Spontaneously. But other times, it’s publicized in advance and an address circulates maybe a day or so ahead of time so you know where to go.”
They settled back into the cruiser and Reese pulled out onto the highway. “And what about dealers?”
“I only went to two of them, and both were by mistake. At the second one, there were definitely guys selling hard street drugs.”
“So,” Reese mused. “We might be looking for a mobile drug party that’s a front for dealers to move their stuff, probably to the kids of vacationing families who have plenty of money to spend. Jesus. Where do we start with that?”
“We have to talk to Robert Bridger or one of his friends to find out how they heard about it, how they got directions, and where it was.”
“Yes,” Reese agreed. “Unless Ms. Pelosi comes through for us.”
“Think she will?”
“I don’t know. She’s too good to give her game away.”
*
“KT?”
“Yeah,” KT mumbled, rolling over in bed without thinking. She caught her left hand in the covers and gasped sharply. “God damn it.”
“KT? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah.” KT put her cell phone down, fumbled for the light switch in the unfamiliar room, and blinked into the sudden glare. Even through the haze of confusion, she recognized the voice. She found her phone again. “Vic?”
“I woke you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” KT rubbed her face with the back of her arm and tried desperately to wake up. She’d taken two pain pills to get to sleep, and she was groggy. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was not quite 11 p.m. She’d only been asleep half an hour. “Sorry. Go ahead. What is it?”
“I...uh...wanted to tell you that you’ve got the job. Here at the clinic. If you still want it.”
KT closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. “Great. Thank you.”
“I know you probably need time to move your things and settle in, so I was thinking next week would be soo—”
“Tomorrow. I can start tomorrow.” KT suddenly felt invigorated. She had work. She had some purpose. “I have a nine o’clock appointment with my therapist. I can start at eleven.”
“I didn’t ask you. Is it Pia Torres?”
“Yes,” KT replied, surprised, although if she’d thought about it, she shouldn’t have been. Provincetown—the entire Cape—was a small community, and it made sense that Tory would know about other medical professionals.
Tory was quiet for a second, then said, “Good. She’s terrific. Does she know that you’ll be working with me?”
“Not yet. I didn’t know that I would be.”
“No, of course you didn’t.”
Tory’s laughter coming through the phone gave KT such a strong sense of déjà vu that she was nearly dizzy. How many nights had she lain awake in her on-call room down the hall from the trauma unit, talking to Tory on the phone? Hundreds? Thousands? Conversations about nothing. Something on the news. Some bill that needed paying. A movie they planned on seeing the following weekend. The aimless, easy conversations of people whose lives were one. Jesus. How long has it been since anything has felt so right?
“KT? Are you there?”
“Yeah,” KT said quickly. “I told her I’d fit my schedule around hers. I’ll try to get a better idea from her tomorrow about how that will shake
out. You just tell me when you need me, and I’ll work out the rest.”
“Tomorrow at eleven will be fine for starters. We’ll work out the rest of the details later.” There were a few seconds of silence. “Good luck in therapy tomorrow. Don’t push too hard, KT.”
“Wouldn’t think of it.”
“Good night,” Tory said softly.
“Good night, Vic,” KT whispered. She didn’t say what she’d always added at this point. Sweet dreams, sweetheart.
*
“You’re home right on time tonight,” Tory said with pleasure, putting aside the newest Katherine Forrest mystery as Reese walked into the bedroom only a few minutes after midnight.
Reese leaned down and kissed her. “And you’re up kind of late, aren’t you?”
“I thought I should try keeping regular hours again since I’m going back to work. But I confess—Reggie and I took a little nap a bit earlier.”
“Was she good with Kate and Jean?” Reese stripped off her uniform and laid it carefully across a nearby chair in case she needed to get dressed again before morning.
Tory smiled. “Her grandmothers told me that she was quite angelic.”
“Of course she was. She looks like one asleep right now, too.” Reese slid under the covers as Tory snapped off the light. She extended an arm for Tory to snuggle against her chest, threaded her fingers into Tory’s hair, and kissed her forehead. “Hi.”
“How was your night?” Tory tilted her chin up and kissed the corner of Reese’s mouth. “God, you feel good.”
“Mmm, you, too.” Reese stretched and sighed. “Pretty routine. It seems like those kids were at some kind of drug party out here on the Cape somewhere. We’re going to try to chase that down.” She ran her hand down Tory’s arm and back up again. “When will you have something from the pathologist in Hyannis?”