by Lesley Davis
“How much of this is make-believe?” she asked.
“I don’t know anymore,” Blythe answered honestly. She pressed a lingering kiss on the back of Daryl’s hand. “I do know that it feels right when I’m touching you. It feels as natural as breathing to me.”
“And the fact we’re trolling round adoption agencies trying to procure a baby?”
“That’s something we can discuss later when we’ve been more intimate.” Blythe knew her own face burned as much as Daryl’s did at her words.
“You see us being intimate?”
Blythe leaned across the tiny table to brush a kiss across Daryl’s mouth. “I do; repeatedly.”
Daryl’s hand snagged behind Blythe’s neck to draw her forward again for another kiss.
“Hi, girls!”
Blythe jumped, startled by the intrusion. “Mia!” She hoped Mia realized just how lucky she was that Blythe wasn’t carrying her gun. Reluctantly, she slid back down into her seat.
“I thought I spotted you two canoodling here in the corner booth.” Mia Connelly gave them both a warm smile, totally oblivious to what she’d unwittingly interrupted. “What brings you here sampling sweet treats?”
“We’ve just started the ball rolling at our first adoption agency,” Blythe explained and had to smile when Mia clapped her hands together like a delighted child.
“How wonderful. Tell you what, how about you two come over to our place for a meal tomorrow night and I’ll invite Liz and Claire too so you can swap adoption stories.”
Blythe nodded eagerly. “That’s very kind, thank you.” Perfect, those women are exactly who we need to interrogate in a friendly atmosphere.
“No problem,” Mia said. “Besides, it gives me the excuse to get to know you better. Daryl, it appears you like your desserts.” She looked deliberately at the empty ice cream glass. “Do you like fruit pies?”
Daryl nodded. “I’ll admit to having a bit of a sweet tooth.”
Mia spared Blythe a knowing look. “So sweet things are the way to your girl’s heart then?”
“It explains why I’m with Blythe.” Daryl smiled across the table and Blythe felt her heart skip and stutter in her breast.
“Oh, you two are too cute for words,” Mia sighed. “My Niki needs to take lessons from you, Daryl. Especially on how you get to keep so fit when you eat such sinful desserts.”
“The answer is lots and lots of hot and sweaty…exercise.”
At Daryl’s blatantly sensual tone, Blythe was assailed with visions that hinted more of exercise under the sheets than the pounding of the pavement in a pair of Nikes.
“Oh my God, you are so bad!” Mia chuckled, fanning herself comically. “No wonder Blythe wants to keep you all to herself.”
“I like it that way,” Daryl said. “I’ve been hers from the moment our eyes first met.” Daryl reached across the table and Blythe linked their fingers together.
“Geez, the honeymoon never ended for you two, did it?” Mia shook her head at them. “I’ll leave you to whatever you were doing, and I’ll call later with details for dinner tomorrow night.”
Blythe waited until Mia left the shop. “I swear we have magnets attached to our asses where that woman is concerned.”
“She does have the unfortunate habit of interrupting us just as we’re getting to the good stuff.”
“But she has just opened up a channel for us to talk to Justin’s mommies. I thought we’d have to bide our time for another week or so before we could approach them without it looking highly suspicious. I didn’t want us being seen as too blatant in our desire to talk about adoption. Having just moved in and you saving their child’s life seemed a little too much to then arrive on their doorstep asking if they’d tell us how they got him. At least this way you know Mia will do all the talking and we can slip in our questions around her.”
“It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow, apparently. We’re meeting with the next adoption agency on our list and then dinner with the neighbors.”
“It should make for an interesting evening. Especially now that Mia thinks your tight body comes from us having an exuberant sex life.”
Daryl grinned. “Hey, I’m just helping to perpetuate our cover as a devoted couple who love each other with a passion.”
“Do you think our attraction is due to these roles we’re playing?”
“All I know is, when I walked into that office and saw you sitting there, my life hasn’t been the same since.”
“So what do we do about it?”
“We just take it one day at a time and not let whatever we’re feeling jeopardize the investigation. The children have to come first.”
Blythe had to laugh. “I swear you just channeled my friend Rafe for a moment.” She recognized the warning though; the case had to come first. Then, and only then, could they explore what was happening between them.
Chapter Eleven
The office in Blythe and Daryl’s home hummed with the sound of computers busy doing their job. Daryl sat before the screen recounting their latest interview to Agent Lake and the team.
“I swear, Nathan, the woman fell just short of coming right out and saying ‘you’re unfit to raise a child because of your deviant lifestyle.’” Daryl was still fuming at the derisive manner in which the adoption agency manager had treated her and Blythe.
“Do you believe that excludes her agency from the list?” he asked.
Daryl shrugged. “I don’t honestly know. We got so many sympathetic looks as we came out of the office, no doubt looking shell-shocked, that maybe someone in there disagrees with her and goes behind her back to facilitate an adoption.”
Lake nodded. “That would make sense. We’ll probe deeper into Connie Hunt’s staff. Let’s see if we can find anyone with homosexual sympathies.”
“We could have benefited from some of those sympathies in her presence.” Blythe slipped into the chair beside Daryl, armed with the paperwork she’d just printed off. “She looked through our medical files and made the comment God must have had good reason to make us both barren.”
“Fuck me,” Trace growled. “How did you rein yourself back from punching her, Blythe?”
“I was too busy wondering if I needed to hold Daryl back first.”
Daryl looked sheepishly at the screen. “If I could have arrested her there and then for a hate crime or discrimination I would have. The woman made my skin crawl.”
Agent Lake looked over his shoulder at Caldow. “We’ll run a check into her associates. A woman that devout in her beliefs has to run with a pack of like-minded people. And I’d say she makes enemies fairly easily.”
“She told me I’d have a better chance of getting a child if I looked less like a man,” Daryl added, silently amused by the shocked and furious faces that looked back at her from the screen.
“And how did you answer?” Lake asked.
“She politely told the bitch she could still be a good mother to a child whether she wore pants or not,” Blythe said. “I’m telling you, the woman was a poisonous snake! Tell me what you can find out on her because I’d bet she’s a spinster who’s never spread her legs once!”
Daryl choked on the coffee she was sipping and hastily put the mug back down. Trace and the men on the other side of the screen all laughed, though Lake recovered his professionalism hastily.
“She made me mad.” Blythe was justifiably indignant.
“We really didn’t like her,” Daryl said with a smile on her face.
“So Criton and Welch Adoptions didn’t ring any bells except for the blatant homophobia they display?”
They shook their heads.
“I’m hoping for a more informative evening tonight in the company of Liz and Claire, the women who somehow acquired Matthew Malone. We’ll have an informal setting, hosted by a very chatty neighbor who informed me that my wife has the neighborhood buzzing.”
“How so?” Lake asked.
“Seems everyone wants to take up runnin
g so they can try to keep up with her.”
Daryl sighed. “I don’t see what all the fuss is about.”
“Well, Angel Hair, you’re six foot of gorgeous butchness. I’m surprised Blythe hasn’t had to keep you under house arrest away from all the admiring eyes.”
Daryl laughed then realized Trace wasn’t joking. “Get out of here.” She willed her face not to display her embarrassment but knew it was a lost cause.
“Maybe you should have handsome here ask your ladies the questions tonight, Blythe. She might get more out of them than you.” Trace flashed Blythe a sly grin.
“I’ve considered that, especially as she’s the one who saved Justin/Matthew from nearly taking a header into the fish pool. They might be more willing to open up to the savior of their child.”
“It wasn’t that big a deal,” Daryl said.
“It was a very big deal,” Blythe said.
Daryl heard the sound of someone mimicking a whip being cracked. She glared through the screen at Trace who just grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
“I’ll expect your report in the morning,” Lake said. “At the very least they should give you the name of the adoption agency they went through.”
“I’m guessing it wasn’t today’s,” Blythe said.
“Not with Ms. C. Hunt at the wheel,” Trace said under her breath, making the c soft and sending Caldow into a fit of laughter that he hastily hushed when Lake glared at him.
Daryl cast an eye over the paperwork Blythe had rested on her lap. “Any new information from the hospitals?”
Browning shook his head. “We’re checking out all the employees that have worked on the baby support area, but some of it is done on a voluntary basis and they don’t keep detailed records for those who might just be filling in for an hour.”
“Damn it,” Blythe grumbled.
“The woman we’re trying to trace gave all the women she helped different names, and so far, not one of those names appears in the hospital records,” Caldow added.
“She’s like a damned chameleon. She apparently can blend in with the hospital staff and no one notices she’s out of place. She’s obviously no threat to look at. You welcome her into your home to look after your child because she’s proved she’s reliable and safe. And then she strikes.” Daryl rubbed at her face, annoyed that the woman seemed to have left no trace anywhere that they could follow up on.
“I’m running a program using the description of the kidnapper against anyone going in or out of the hospitals at any given moment.” Trace gave them all a resigned look. “As you can imagine, it’s spitting out every woman that has blond hair and the occasional dude with man boobs. I’m gathering the identities of them through the hospital IDs and the rest from the DMV files. Who knew there were so many blondes out there? I’m going to need a miracle to narrow it down if we’re going to get anywhere on this line of inquiry.”
“Do the hospitals know you have access to their security cameras?” Daryl asked.
“Not at the moment. I did get to watch a very fascinating operation yesterday courtesy of one cam. Oh, and a doctor providing a little ‘hands on’ experience with a young nurse. I’d like to think he was checking out his plastic surgery skills considering the amount of time he spent ‘testing’ her breasts.” She demonstrated graphically.
Blythe burst into laughter and Daryl swiftly hid her smile behind a hand while Lake cut Trace a reprimanding look.
“Eyes only on what we need, Trace,” he said.
Trace lifted her hands in surrender. “Don’t blame me if Dr. Feelgood wanted to play ‘hide the thermometer’ right under a security camera’s lens while I was scanning for blondes.”
Browning muttered, “Call me next time, Trace.”
“On that note,” Lake said, speaking loudly over the agents behind him, “I hope you have a successful evening, ladies.”
The computer screen went blank as their connection was severed and Daryl stared at it for a long while before speaking. “Why can’t we find her? She’s tied to the hospitals, has to be linked to an agency because of her knowledge of the desperate couples, and still she’s invisible to us.”
“She’s good at what she does. She’s done it five times now.”
“Five times too many.” Daryl pushed out of her seat and stalked from the room. Five children, five babies taken from their mothers, and where is my Intuition? Showing me, directing me, but not once letting me stop her. I’m finding where the children are, slowly, oh so slowly, but just once couldn’t I be shown who’s behind it so I can stop them from terrorizing another mother? Daryl stared out the living room window, not seeing the traffic going by, lost in her disillusionment. She was tearing herself up inside because she couldn’t solve the case quicker.
She jumped as arms slipped around her waist and Blythe pressed herself against Daryl’s back.
“Stop beating yourself up over this, Daryl. You’re not omnipotent. You can’t solve everything with the snap of your fingers even if you do have the stats that apparently prove otherwise.”
Daryl could feel the length of Blythe’s body pressed against her. Strong arms encircled her and Blythe’s head rested on Daryl’s shoulder. She felt oddly safe and secure in that hold. “I feel so useless,” Daryl admitted.
“Undercover work isn’t a quick fix. You can’t expect everything to suddenly appear before us. We’ve got to investigate, interrogate, and at the same time never give ourselves away. As we gather more evidence things will become clearer.”
Daryl sighed deeply. “I’m used to things happening a lot quicker.”
Blythe nodded against her. “I know. I’ve read your personnel file. You’re renowned for finding lost children. And you have here; you’ve located some of the missing children already.”
“But not all of them,” Daryl muttered. She’d only been able to physically account for Matthew Malone so far. But she knew, without a doubt, the others were near too.
“Yet,” Blythe said. “But that doesn’t mean you won’t. You have some kind of uncanny sixth sense when it comes to finding children.”
“I’m just doing my job,” Daryl said, thankful that still, after all these years, her true ability still didn’t make the reports. She was fighting the need to wrap her own arms over Blythe’s to keep them around her. The comforting hold was a balm to her anger and she could feel herself relaxing and calming down. For a moment, she allowed herself the luxury of not thinking about the missing and instead just concentrated on the feeling of being safe in Blythe’s arms.
“What’s got you so wound up?” Blythe asked softly in her ear.
“I just want these people so bad, and I don’t even know if it’s more than the two we’ve already deduced. I hate guessing. I’m working on instinct, and I’m terrified I’m wasting the resources the DDU has entrusted to me.”
“You’re not wasting anything. We’re gathering evidence like you’d do in any investigation. We’re just going through it undercover and sneaky-like because no one will come right out and tell us why children are being taken from their mothers.” Before she stepped back, Blythe pressed a quick kiss on Daryl’s cheek. “You sure you’re up to tonight’s outing?”
Daryl nodded, now distracted by the gentle kiss and wishing they had more time to discuss what was sparking between them. It was both exciting and confusing. She missed the warmth and comfort found in Blythe’s arms. Daryl didn’t dare turn around because the longing she felt would be visible all over her face. She was trying so hard to remain professional, to keep her mind firmly on the case, but every innocent touch from Blythe was wearing down her resistance. Daryl was starting to look forward to when they were among others, playing the role of lovers. It was then she could look and touch without fearing she was crossing a line.
In company, it was expected of them to be demonstrative, and it was becoming as necessary to Daryl as breathing was. She loved the feel of Blythe’s hand wrapped inside her own and how Blythe leaned in close and would res
t her cheek against Daryl’s shoulder. Daryl wondered how she’d feel once the need for this intimacy was gone. Blythe had said she saw them being intimate, but Daryl knew the case loomed between them before they could even take a step that close. And would she even get that chance? Once the case was solved, she would be heading back home to her own department, back to her own life. She needed to concentrate on the reason they were undercover and less on how much she was relishing the fact they were partnered together.
“You’ve gone very quiet, Daryl,” Blythe said from behind her.
“Just thinking about the case,” Daryl said, knowing that was only half the truth.
“Always the cop,” Blythe teased softly.
I used to think so, until you appeared and made me notice so many other things instead. The Chandler-Kents have a life I never expected to experience. I’m finding myself envious of the love they share and yearn for even half of their life together. Daryl turned to find Blythe removing her earrings. She held one out for Daryl to hold onto while she fiddled with the stubborn clasp of the other. Such a simple task but it struck Daryl as oddly intimate.
“These are my serious earrings. For tonight, I want something a little more showy,” Blythe explained, gently retrieving the small gold stud from Daryl’s palm and heading for the stairs. “Do you want me to pick you out a shirt for tonight?” she called from the landing.
We’re so domesticated. Daryl smiled reluctantly. Yeah, I could get used to this way too easily. She bounded up the stairs in Blythe’s wake to prepare for the night ahead. To investigate, interrogate, and play the part of the devoted partner. Daryl brightened considerably; it really was the best of both worlds for her.
*
Mia and Niki Connelly’s household didn’t allow for anyone to be shy and retiring. Mia ushered Blythe and Daryl in and Niki handed them a drink. Then they were reintroduced to Liz Mayer and Claire Benson. Blythe made a play of looking around the room for Justin. Liz laughed at her.