by Lois Kay
“Good—” Sam glanced at her watch. “morning. This is Sam Stevens. I have a request. Across from The Reef there is an apartment building, you know which...exactly. Miss McDonnell lives here, right. There's been a situation here and we can't get in, because we're waiting for the police. Would you be so kind to send over a thermos of coffee? Of course, I could be anybody...it's good of you to be so cautious, but...alright, have it your way. My name is Samantha Stevens and my family owns the joint. Listen, I’m tired and very pissed off and I really need a cup of coffee, so—”
Jody reached out and took hold of the phone, pulling it from Sam's grip. “This is Jody McDonnell...oh, hi Nick...Listen, she really is who she says she is and I could use some coffee as well. Do you mind? Thanks, Nick...what? No, I don't think she will fire you...She’ll understand you were just doing your job.” Jody glanced up at Sam who was still standing in front of her. She was continually flexing and extending her fingers, trying to hide the trembling. Her face was pale and Jody noticed a sheen of perspiration on her forehead. “Nick, throw in something to eat as well, preferably something with protein. Yes, a cheese and ham sandwich would be wonderful. Thanks. I’ll see you later.” Exhausted Jody leaned back at the wall behind her and closed her eyes, still trying to understand what had happened. “It's completely demolished, Sam.” Her voice quivered and a single tear slid down her cheek. “What do I do now?”
***
“So, you didn't recognize him?” Inspector Wong asked for the second time. She observed Sam with intelligent brown eyes. When Sam shook her head, she tapped her notepad with her pen, obviously deep in thought. “Do you think you’d recognize him if you’d see him again?”
Sam shook her head. “I don't think so. It was dark and it all happened so fast. I didn't get a chance to get a good look. I know he was big.”
“Did you see him, Jody?”
“No, I didn't, I was standing behind Sam. She had told me to stand back.”
Intense eyes traveled from Jody to Sam and back again. Inspector Wong didn't say anything, but it was clear she was contemplating Jody’s words. “Why did you tell her that, Sam, to stand back?”
“I told Jody to stand back because I felt something was wrong,” Sam answered. “When I turned the key to unlock the door, I noticed it already was. Unlocked, that is. When we left earlier that evening I knew Jody locked the door.”
“You sound very convinced.”
“I am. I saw her do it,” Sam answered. Her voice was cool and detached. She was tired and knew Jody was exhausted, too. Her body felt heavy and her eyes were dry and so light-sensitive she had to constantly blink to prevent them from tearing up. All she wanted was to go to bed and sleep. Sam did like the zealous Inspector, but she was getting fed up with all the questions. “Can we go now, please? It's getting light already and we are bushed. I’ll be more than happy to drop by later today to answer any more questions. Right now, we desperately need some sleep.”
Inspector Wong put away her notepad and nodded. She cast a look at Jody, who was fighting hard to keep her eyes open. She noticed the look of concern on Sam’s face every time she glanced at Jody. “My team will go through your apartment with a fine toothcomb, Miss Mc…Jody,” Inspector Wong smiled. “It will take some time and while they’re there, I’m afraid your apartment is off limits. Where will you be staying?”
“We have some friends, a few miles down the coast. They’re willing to put us up. I'll give you my phone number in case you have some questions. Please, feel free to call,” Sam said.
Inspector Wong scribbled down the number and nodded. “Thank you for your time and I’ll get back to you…Sam.”
Jody missed the look that was exchanged between Sam and the Inspector. The first one looked innocent, almost indifferent, while the latter one had a suspicious glare in her eyes, like she wasn't satisfied with the answers she had received.
Sam gave Inspector Wong a brief nod and put her arm around Jody's shoulders, guiding her toward the elevator. “Come on, Jody, let’s get you to Sarah and Megan's. You can sleep in the car if you want, I think I’ll be able to find the place on my own.”
“It's not that hard,” Jody mumbled. “And I can stay awake a little longer.”
Sam smiled and pulled Jody a little closer, kissing the top of her head. “I know you can, honey. But it's okay.”
When the elevator doors closed behind them, Jody glanced up at Sam with a puzzled look. “You didn't tell her about the flash drive. Why not?”
Sam turned to Jody and was surprised to see a pair of not so sleepy eyes look back at her. They were clear and wide awake. It caught her off guard and for a moment she didn't answer. “Um...well…Geez, you wake up quick! How do you do that?”
“I’m tired, Sam, very tired. But I'm not stupid.” Jody’s voice held a hint of impatience. “Inspector Wong was about to grill you. I’m not sure why, but hey, could it have something to do with the fact you’re withholding information from her? I thought she might let us go if I was almost falling asleep on her. So, stop dodging my question. Why didn't you tell her about the flash drive?”
Sam chuckled. “Remind me never to bet against you,” she said. “I want to figure out what’s wrong first, or, at least, make a copy. Call me stubborn, stupid, opinionated, obstinate or anything else, but my gut feeling tells me to do it this way.”
“There must be more to it, Sam,” Jody replied. “Don't insult my intelligence.”
“I'm not, Jody,” Sam’s voice was soft. She waited for the elevator door to open. “I think this thing might be bigger than I initially expected. I need some information first, that's all. As soon as I've got it, I'll tell the Inspector about it.” They stepped out the elevator and walked toward the front door, which Sam opened. She made room to let Jody pass, scanning the area cautiously.
“Is this all a way to protect the good name of the Stevens family business?” Jody asked and she couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. From the corner of her eye she saw Sam stiffen and noticed an expression of pain cross her face. Immediately, Jody regretted her words. She bit her lip, not willing to meet Sam’s gaze. “Sam, I…I’m—”
“If you'll give me the keys, Jody, I'll drive,” Sam offered. She sounded painfully polite. Her lips were pursed, while she waited with an outstretched hand. “I'm very tired and not in the mood to argue.”
“Sam, I—” Jody tried again, but Sam interrupted her.
“Please, Jody?”
Jody bit her lip to try and keep the tears away. She handed Sam the keys and quietly slid into the passenger side of the car. She glanced to the right and saw the frown on Sam’s face. She had shifted into a very businesslike mood and it was a Sam Jody wasn't familiar with.
Sam knew Jody was sorry and hadn’t meant what she had said, but the words had stung nonetheless. And since Sam was still trying to calm down after seeing the ferocious destruction of Jody's apartment, it had been too much. She rarely lost her temper, but when she did it was with an intensity that had gained her a legendary status within her family. Her brother Tom used to say: ' If Sam reaches her boiling point, that's bad enough. But don't let her explode, or you'll have some serious mopping up to do.” Reaching that point was something she wanted to avoid.
It was only after Sam drove the car up the driveway leading to Sarah's and Megan's house, that Jody spoke again. She had been watching Sam from the corner of her eye and had noticed that most of the tension had left her body. It left Sam visibly drained and tired, with dark smudges underneath her eyes.
“I didn't mean what I said earlier, Sam, I'm sorry.” Jody took in a shaky breath. “I…I don't know where that came from, but…but it was a stupid thing to say. I'm sorry.” Jody stared at her hands and willed away the tears that were threatening to fall. Suddenly, a warm hand covered hers and when she looked up Sam sent her a weary smile.
Sam parked the car and quickly exited. She walked around to open the door for Jody and offered her a hand. Jody accepted and let Sa
m guide her toward the house, where the lights in the kitchen were already switched on. Before they reached the veranda, Sam halted. “I'm not angry with you, Jody, I'm just really tired. I want you to know I have my reasons, but we can talk about that later.”
Jody looked up and nodded. She squeezed Sam's hand and briefly rested her head against her shoulder. Immediately, she was wrapped in a hug. “Come on, let’s go inside, before we topple over,” Sam said.
The moment they stepped onto the veranda, the kitchen door opened and a worried Megan stepped outside, closely followed by Sarah. Sam and Jody were almost dragged into the house and firmly planted on one of the kitchen chairs. When Sarah put a hot, steaming cup of tea in front of them, Sam shot her a grateful look.
“Are you girls okay?” Megan asked. “I don't think I really understood your message. Did someone break in into your apartment, Jody? Did they really trash it?”
Jody rubbed her eyes and nodded. “Yes, that's what happened. It's completely torn to pieces and I—” She nibbled her bottom lip and her eyes filled with tears. “Everything I own has been ruined.” Her voice faltered. “All my stuff, my clothes, my books.” She wiped at the tears and pushed her hair back. Her hands were trembling. “It looks like a cyclone went through my place.” Again, she wiped away a tear that slid down her cheek.
“It's okay to cry, Jody,” Sam said gently. “You've been through a lot in the last couple of days. Don't bottle it all up inside. Let it out. It will make you feel better.”
“I don't want to cry, Sam, because I don't think I’ll be able to stop when I do.” Jody looked up at Sam, who was still holding her hand. She was determined not to give into tears. But the understanding look in Sam’s eyes broke all resistance. Finally, she let go and with a gut wrenching sob the tears started to fall.
Sam put down her cup, cast a look at Megan and Sarah, who were almost in tears as well and simply pulled Jody from her chair, right into her lap. Jody buried her face in Sam's neck and cried away all the pain and stress she had been gone through since the phone call from her mother, the evening before. Sam didn't say a word. Her arms were wrapped around Jody and she held her tight. From the corner of her eye, Sam noticed that Sarah and Megan were getting ready to leave the kitchen, but Sam shook her head. She didn't want her new friends to leave their own kitchen. “It's okay,” she mouthed. Her left hand traveled to Jody’s neck and started a gentle massage. It seemed to have a calming effect. The sobs became less intense, until Jody let out a long, heartfelt sigh and snuggled closer into Sam’s embrace.
Sarah’s voice broke the silence. “You two should get some sleep. We can talk later about what happened. And what we are going to do about it. You look like hell, Sam.”
A quick smile crossed Sam's face and a spark of humor found its way to her eyes. “Gee, thanks, Sarah,” she replied. “I don’t know why. Maybe because I’ve been up since one o'clock, yesterday afternoon?”
“Sam has a cut that needs to be seen to.” Jody’s muffled voice sounded. She lifted her head from Sam’s shoulder and looked at Megan. “Could you have a look at it, Meg? She didn't let me do it before.”
“Because it's just a scratch,” Sam protested. “It's okay, really.”
“I'll have a look at it anyway,” Megan said. She was already on her way to one of the kitchen cabinets, where they kept their first aid kit.
Sam looked down at Jody, who was anything but ready to leave her lap. The sight made her chuckle. “You might have to go back to your own chair now. It might be hard for Megan to look at my shoulder with you all draped around me.”
“Good point,” Jody answered, not moving.
Sam smiled and wiped away a strand of hair that obscured her view of a pair of green eyes. She was happy to see that the dull, hollow look that had been there before, was gone. Jody still looked tired, her eyes were puffy from crying, but the life had returned. “You can sit in my lap later,” Sam teased. “I can even sing you a few nursery rhymes, if you want me to.”
Jody’s face relaxed and Sam could hear her chuckle. “That would be a sight to see. You excel at many things, love, but singing is not one of them.”
Megan had returned to the kitchen table and was rummaging through her first aid kit. She pulled out different items and placed them on the table. Sam looked at it and her eyes widened. “Megan, I didn't get run over by a truck!”
“I’ve only known you for a day or so, but I already figured out that with you we’d never know,” Megan answered. “That story of you climbing up those balconies somehow created the impression you’re a bit of a daredevil. So, I’m not taking any chances.” She patted Jody’s shoulder and pointed to a vacant chair. “McDonnell, scoot! Go sit on your own chair. You're hogging my patient.”
Jody chuckled, but obediently left Sam's lap to return to her own chair, while Megan hovered over Sam, casting her a stern look. “The shirt has to come off, you know,” she said, pointing at the bloodstain. “I can't look at it any other way. You’re not shy, are you?”
Sam snorted in reply and pulled her shirt over her head, revealing a long, red gash, that ran from the top of her shoulder to her collar bone. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches, but still looked angry. The wound edges were red and swollen and the area around it was already showing bruises. “That doesn’t look pretty, Sam,” Megan said. She narrowed her eyes. “Cleaning that is going to hurt, I’m afraid.”
Jody gasped and sent Sam an annoyed look. “Sam! You should have someone have a look at that. That could get infected.”
“Someone's looking at it right now,” Sam answered. “It's okay, it looks worse than it is. Trust me.”
“Okay, Warrior Princess, brace yourself,” Megan warned. She grabbed some gauze, soaked it with lukewarm water and started to clean the knife wound and the surrounding area where dried blood was stuck to her skin.
Jody's eyes were fixed on Sam's face. She was searching for any signs of pain, but only the occasional darkening or narrowing of her eyes gave away her discomfort.
“All done,” Megan finally spoke, after covering the wound with a sterile gauze. “You need to change that a few times a day, Sam. You don't want it to stick to the wound and have it bleeding all over again when you remove it.”
“Yes, nurse,” Sam joked. She slipped her shirt back on. “Thank you.”
“Okay, you two, off to bed,” Sarah said. “You need to get some sleep, because we want to hear the full story later. Okay? Come on, I'll show you your room.”
Sam and Jody got to their feet and followed Sarah. When she passed Megan, Jody stopped to give her a quick hug. “Thanks for helping us out, Meg. You two are the best.”
“That's okay, sweetie. You’re family. Now, hurry up and go to bed. You look like you could fall over.”
Jody smiled and followed Sarah and Sam into the hallway, where they stopped in front of a door at the far end. Sarah opened it and stepped inside, letting her friends enter. “I assumed you two wouldn't mind sharing a room,” she said. There was a twinkle in her eyes when she pointed to the large bed. She opened the door of a closet. “Here are towels, clean shirts, soap anything you need. The guest bathroom is through there, so, if you feel up to it you could take a shower. If you need anything, let us know. Please, make yourselves at home.”
“Thanks, Sarah.” Jody said hugging her.
Sarah patted her back and smiled at Sam. “Get some sleep, you two. We'll see you later.”
She left the room and closed the door behind her, leaving Sam and Jody alone. They stood in the middle of the room and suddenly Jody felt a bit awkward, but when Sam smiled at her the feeling disappeared, leaving her tired, but at peace with herself. “I don't know about you, but I just want to brush my teeth and go to sleep,” she muttered, pushing back her hair.
“Same here.” Sam kicked off her shoes. “I’m so tired I feel numb. You go ahead, brush your teeth, I'll see if I can find a shirt that will fit me. I can't sleep in this filthy piece of clothing.”
Jody went into the bathroom and when she came back a few minutes later, Sam was already dressed in a clean shirt that barely reached mid-thigh. She grinned when she saw Jody's amused eyes. “This is the best I can do. I put a shirt for you on the bed. I’m sure that will be a better fit.”
Jody nodded and yawned. “Just don't raise your arms,” she joked.
“Very funny,” Sam replied. She cast a look at Jody before she entered the bathroom. “Midget.”
“I heard that,” Jody answered. “Beanpole.”
Sam’s answer was a mixture between a choke and a snort and Jody grinned when she climbed into bed. The sheets were smooth and cool and with a groan she stretched her exhausted body, before snuggling under the covers.
When Sam returned from the bathroom, Jody was already half asleep. She slid into bed on the opposite side and felt her whole body relax when it was finally lying down. She extended her hand to brush away a strand of hair from Jody’s forehead and noticed a pair of very sleepy eyes watching her.
“Can I snuggle up?” Jody asked. She almost sounded shy.
Sam didn't answer, but extended her good arm and immediately Jody crept closer, until her head was resting on Sam's shoulder and her arm was wrapped around her waist.
“Oh, this feels so good.” Jody wiggled to get more comfortable. She closed her eyes and let her body relax. “I'm gonna zonk out, Sam, sorry…'bout…that.”
Amused, Sam noticed that Jody was already asleep. She smiled and gently kissed the forehead that was so close to her lips. “Sleep tight, love, sweet dreams,” she whispered, before closing her eyes. Within minutes, the only sound heard in the room was the peaceful breathing of two people sleeping.
Chapter 8
“I can't believe this, I really can't. Do I have to do everything myself? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?”
Joseph Michaels paced the room, casting a furious look at the two men that were standing near the door. They looked ready to escape if needed. Fred was nervously plucking at his shirt, twirling it around between his fingers. Little Steven appeared calm but the rapid blinking of his eyes was indication he felt far from relaxed.