Radclyffe - Safe Harbor 02 - Beyond The Breakwater

by Beyond The Breakwater (lit)

  "Some kind of retribution?" Bri asked.

  "That's what we think. Morris's area of specialty was fire investigation, and the timing seemed right. But the company didn't have any proof."

  "So they hired you," Reese surmised.

  "I worked Missing Persons when I was a cop in Providence," Ashley informed them. "But, I haven't been able to find him, although it seems like I'm always close."

  "Can you place him anywhere around here?" Reese asked.

  Ashley shook her head. "No. The last place I can put him is in Falls River six weeks ago. But that doesn't mean he's not here on the Cape, paying with cash and lying low."

  "All right. Well get an APB out to the other divisions on the Cape today," Reese said. "Is there anything else we should know about this guy?"

  "When he lost his job, his wife left him. He's angry, and I'm not sure he's entirely stable. I would consider him violent and recommend caution if he is to be apprehended." She hesitated. “Im not sure its relevant, but he was an explosives expert in the Army.

  "So noted." Reese pushed off from the desk and glanced at her watch. "I'll get this out on the wire as soon as we square Officer Tremont away. Are you going to be staying around for awhile?"

  "I'm planning on it. Ashley stood as well. “Maybe he's coming undone. I might as well stay here until I can pick up some trace of him."

  The three of them walked back to the radiology suite, where they found Tory placing a soft cast on Allie Tremont's left lower leg. Tory looked up when the others walked in.

  "There's a very small chip fracture of the distal fibula. It shouldn't be a problem long term, but it needs to be immobilized for three or four weeks."

  "Great." Allie looked frustrated as well as worn out. "I don't even have any way to get home."

  "I can take you," Bri said quietly.

  "Why don't I do it," Ashley Walker volunteered. "I'm sure that you have work to finish up here, Officer Parker."

  Bri looked at Ashley in surprise, but she didn't argue. "Okay. Fine."

  "And I should take you home, Dr. King," Reese said quietly.

  For a brief instant, Tory thought about protesting, but she didn't argue because she couldn't deny that she was exhausted. At the very least, she needed a shower and something to eat. Nodding her head tiredly, she said, "All right, Sheriff."

  *****

  "Tory, love. We're home." Reese gently shook her lover's shoulder. "Time for you to get some sleep."

  "Time for me to take a shower. God, I'm grimy."

  Reese got out and walked around the front of her SUV and opened Tory's door. She extended a hand and said, "I've got an even better idea."

  "Oh?" Tory asked, raising an eyebrow. "I love you beyond imagination, Sheriff. But I couldn't make love right now if my life depended upon it."

  "Really?" Reese said as she slipped her arm around Tory's waist. "Actually, I had something else in mind."

  Five minutes later, Tory, clad only in an old T-shirt of Reeses, since hers no longer fit comfortably, was tiredly brushing her teeth in front of the bathroom mirror. Reese came in behind her, lifted the hair at the back of her neck with one hand, and kissed her on the ultrasensitive spot just below her hairline.

  "Mmm," Tory murmured, closing her eyes. "God, that feels good."

  "Just wait." Reese whispered. She nuzzled Torys ear before moving away.

  The next moment, Tory heard the bath water running and turned as Reese began to strip. She rested her hips against the counter and watched as Reese unsnapped her jeans and pushed them off. Reese was halfway through the buttons on her shirt when Tory murmured huskily, "You are so gorgeous."

  "No sex, remember?" Naked now, Reese reached down to test the water temperature and then opened a small bottle that rested on a ledge on one side of the tub. She poured the vanilla scented essential oils into the water, capped the bottle, and replaced it. Turning with a smile, she held out her hand. "Your bath awaits, my lady."

  With an appreciative groan, Tory steadied herself on Reese's shoulder and stepped into the tub. As she lowered herself into the soothing heat, Reese pulled the shades and quickly lit several candles that stood on the bathroom counter. Then, she sat on the edge of the tub and reached for the shampoo. "Wet your hair."

  Lids half closed, Tory tilted her head back until her hair was below the surface of the water. When she pushed herself up, Reese leaned forward and massaged the shampoo into her hair.

  "You have the best hands," Tory murmured, closing her eyes completely.

  Reese took her time, smoothing the lather down the back of Tory's neck and over her shoulders, massaging the tense muscles. Eventually, she directed softly, “Go ahead and rinse."

  Once again, when Tory lifted herself from the water, Reese was waiting, this time with a body sponge which she used to spread a fragrant bath gel over Tory's back. When she'd finished massaging her from shoulders to hips, Reese stepped into the tub behind Tory and settled down with a leg extended on either side of her lover's body .

  "Lean back," Reese whispered in Tory's ear.

  The tub was deep, and the water came to just above Tory's breasts as she reclined in Reese's embrace. Allowing her head to fall back against Reese's shoulder, she closed her eyes.

  Tenderly, Reese reached around and spread the soothing lotion over Tory's upper chest and down the swell of her breasts. Tory groaned faintly and lifted her breasts into Reese's palms.

  "Remember," Reese murmured, "no sex."

  "God, you're evil," Tory muttered, even as she realized that she wouldn't be able to follow through with the distant pulse of desire in her depths. The sensation of want was pleasant, nevertheless.

  When Tory opened her eyes again, she realized that she had been asleep, cushioned within the curve of Reese's body. Astonishingly the water was still warm.

  "How long have I been asleep?"

  "About twenty minutes," Reese said quietly. She was resting with her back against the wall and her chin on the top of Tory's head. "I've been turning the water on now and then to keep it warm. You didn't even realize when I recycled it."

  "I can't remember the last time I was this out of it," Tory said with a sigh.

  "Let's go to bed now, love. I thought I'd lie down with you for a while," Reese said, hoping that would entice Tory to stay home from the clinic.

  "You know that's an offer I can't refuse, don't you?"

  Smiling to herself, Reese kissed the top of Tory's head. "That's what I was hoping."

  *****

  An hour later, Reese slipped from the bed, quietly dressed, and walked downstairs. Bri was sitting at the kitchen counter, drinking orange juice and eating a bowl of cereal.

  Halfway around the counter toward the kitchen, Reese stopped, turned, and walked back to Bri's side. "You've got a pretty big burn on the side of your neck."

  "I just realized it," Bri replied. "I guess that happened when that drape caught on fire as we were going out the window."

  "You did a fine job back there."

  Tears stung Bri's eyes as she murmured huskily, "Thanks. And thanks for coming after us. I'm not sure I could've gotten him out of there."

  "You could have," Reese said with certainty. "As soon as you're done eating, report to the clinic and have that looked at."

  "Yes ma'am."

  Reese watched Bri jump from the stool, grab her motorcycle jacket, and hurry out. Smiling, she shook her head and tried not to think about how close she had come to losing not one, but two, cadets earlier that day.

  *****

  When Bri returned to the house an hour and a half later, she grabbed the portable phone from its cradle on the breakfast counter and took it with her into her small room. Holding her breath, she punched a number and waited. A minute later, the familiar voice answered. "Carre?"

  "Bri?" Almost as if she could hear something in Bri's voice, Caroline added anxiously, "What's wrong?"

  "I know you asked me not to call, but I--"

  "Are you hurt?"
<
br />   "No, not really. Just a little bit of a burn."

  Caroline took a deep breath. "There was a fire?"

  "In Truro. A big one." Bri hesitated, then said very softly, "I love you, babe. I miss you so much."

  "Something happened, didn't it," Caroline said, the concern still sharp in her tone. "Tell me what happened."

  "Nothing," Bri said quickly. "It was crazy for a little while, and we almost got trapped in this burning room, but we went out the window--"

  "And you got burned," Caroline said in an unnaturally calm tone of voice. "Where?"

  "Just the side of my neck and a little bit on my shoulder."

  "Has Tory looked at it?"

  "She's upstairs asleep. Her associate checked it. I'm okay."

  There were a few seconds of silence as they listened to one another breathe.

  "If something happens to you, Bri, I'm not going to be able to stand it," Caroline said softly. I still haven't forgotten the first time you were hurt.

  "Nothing is going to happen," Bri said just as quietly. "It's just...I thought about you when, for a minute there..." Bri took a long breath. "I just wanted you to know that you're the only girl I've ever loved. And the only one I want."

  "Promise me you'll be careful."

  "I promise." Bri closed her eyes. I promise never to hurt you again. I promise to love you forever. Please let me.

  "I'll see you soon, baby," Caroline whispered.

  "Okay."

  When the dial tone signaled that Carre was gone, Bri pushed the off button and curled onto her side with the phone still in her hand, falling asleep with the image of Carre in her mind.

  C hapter Thirty-five

  June, Provincetown, MA

  "I can't believe how much she's moving," Reese whispered to Tory. She was sitting at the head of the exam table, her cheek resting against the top of Tory's head, and they were both watching the ultrasound image as Wendy Deutsch moved the probe over Tory's abdomen. "Can you feel all that?"

  “ Mmm. Reese's arm rested around Tory's body, just below her breasts, and Tory had laced the fingers of her left hand with those of Reese's right. "Most of the time."

  "Fetal size and movement look excellent," Wendy commented. "You're both doing beautifully."

  Reese kissed the top of Tory's head, her eyes still watching the image on the screen.

  Wendy removed the probe and set it aside. "Come on back to my office when you're ready."

  A few minutes later, Reese and Tory were once again seated in front of Wendy's desk.

  "Everything seems fine with the baby at this point," Wendy reiterated. She held Tory's gaze and said quietly, "We need to talk about your blood pressure."

  "I know."

  "The elevation is persistent and substantial, although still in a range that I would consider mild hypertension. We have to consider this preeclampsia."

  "Yes." Tory's voice was very calm.

  Reese's heart plummeted but she managed to sit absolutely still.

  "Most experts agree that at your stage, the only management is expectant." Wendy shrugged. "Salt restriction and plenty of rest can't hurt. I don't ordinarily treat my patients with anti-hypertensives because they haven't been shown to be of any value in terms of the outcome."

  "I've read the same thing," Tory said. In fact, she'd been searching the literature for the last few weeks, ever since she had first noticed the slow progression of her gestational hypertension. She probably knew as much as Wendy about preeclampsia at this point.

  "As long as there's no progression of the symptoms," Wendy said, her eyes still solemn and riveted on Tory, "well induce labor at thirty-seven weeks if conditions are optimal."

  "So let me get this straight," Reese said, hoping her voice didn't shake. "As long as nothing changes, we just wait until the baby is big enough to be delivered, right?"

  Tory smiled and reached for Reese's hand. "Right."

  "And if the other things develop," Reese persisted. "Theprotein in the urine, or headaches, or visual disturbances or abnormal blood tests--then Tory is admitted to the hospital until the baby can be delivered?"

  "That's possible, yes," Wendy said. She looked at Tory again. "Weekly visits. No excuses. Take your blood pressure every four hours and twice weekly blood screening."

  "Done."

  "Good," Wendy said briskly. "I'll see you next week."

  *****

  On the plane ride back, Reese sat in the window seat with Tory leaning quietly against her shoulder. They held hands, but they didnt speak. When they landed at the small air strip at Race Point, it was still early afternoon.

  "How about I drive over to the beach, and we take a look at the ocean?" Reese asked as they walked through the tiny terminal.

  "I'd like that."

  A few moments later, Reese parked in front of the ranger's station and helped Tory climb from the Blazer. "Do you want to walk down to the beach, or to the lighthouse?"

  "The lighthouse, I think."

  They held hands and took their time walking down the winding sand path between low scrubs to the lighthouse that stood at the curve of the tip of Cape Cod as it stretched out into the Atlantic Ocean.

  Reese smoothed the sand free of pebbles and needles at the base of the stone structure and asked, "Is this okay?"

  Tory eased down with a sigh. "Perfect."

  Reese settled beside her and slid her arm behind Tory's shoulder. For a few moments, they were silent, basking in the June sun and watching the sailboats and larger crafts track across the ocean in front of them.

  "Tell me how worried I should be about what's happening," Reese said at length.

  "For now, not too," Tory replied quietly, resting her cheek against Reese's shoulder. She turned slightly so she could thread her arm around Reese's waist, drawing her knee gently over Reese's thigh until she was reclining in her arms. "Everything has been stable except for the blood pressure, and that hasn't really changed very much."

  "How long until the baby has a good chance?"

  "God, you always go right for the heart of things, don't you, Sheriff?"

  Reese tightened her hold on her lover. "I don't know the things you know. But I need to understand, because I want to be prepared."

  "Like Wendy said, thirty-seven weeks is usually the point when labor is induced in situations like this. But many times a few weeks earlier and the baby will do fine."

  "So we need at least another eight or nine, right?"

  "That would be good."

  "I don't want you to train anymore," Reese said quietly.

  Tory was still for a moment, and then she tilted her chin and kissed the underside of Reese's jaw. "Okay."

  "And you'll do half shifts at the clinic?"

  "Yep."

  "Do know how much I love you?" Reese asked, looking into Tory's eyes.

  "I do." Tory kissed her, slow and deep and thoroughly. When she drew her head back, she smiled, knowing from the way Reese's eyes had darkened that the kiss had had its intended effect. "Do you know how much I love you? "

  "I can make a pretty good guess," Reese murmured softly, running her free hand up and down Tory's arm.

  "Make sure you get home on time from work tonight, and you won't have to guess."

  *****

  "Anything new on the firebug?" Nelson asked.

  "No," Reese said, frowning. "We've got his description out to all the departments on the Cape."

  "Any reason to think he's still around here?"

  "Not that I can figure out," Reese said. "If there's something keeping him around here, I don't know what it is."

  "You know, it's often some trivial detail that you never find out until you catch the guy," Nelson observed. "It could be something as simple as he used to vacation here every summer. Who the hell knows? The guy is nuts."

  "Yeah."

  "Bri graduates, formally, in a couple of weeks," Nelson said, squaring the papers on his desk into neat piles.

  Reese looked up from her own
paperwork and studied him. "I know."

  He met her eyes and grinned sheepishly. "I put in for her to be assigned here permanently."

  Reese grinned back. "Good. I was going to suggest it, if you didn't. She's a good officer, Nelson, and this is her home. She's good with the people, and she's happy here."

  "Caroline's going to be here the end of this week," Nelson remarked.

  "Then I'd say that might be the only thing Bri needs to be really okay."

  "Jesus," he said softly. "I hope so."

  *****

  When the door to Bri's room opened a little after seven on Friday night, Tory looked up from the couch where she sat reading a magazine.

  "Nervous?" Tory asked kindly.

  "Jesus, yes," Bri said in a tight, clipped voice. "Dumb, huh?"

  “ No. Tory shook her head. "I don't think so. I think it's pretty sweet."

  Bri blushed furiously. Then, softly, she asked, "Do I...uh...look okay?"

  Giving the question due respect, Tory took in the new black jeans, the polished black boots, and the crisp white shirt. Bri looked like Bri always looked, lean and sleek and slightly dangerous. "You look great. I'm sure the only thing that's going to matter to Caroline is that you're there to see her."

  "It feels pretty weird visiting her at my dad's," Bri said. "At my own house, where we used to sleep in my bedroom together."

  "Things have changed now, Bri. You were kids then, and you're not any longer."

  Bri settled a hip on the arm of the sofa and regarded Tory solemnly. "If you were Caroline, what would you want from me now?"

  "Trust is a terribly fragile thing," Tory said gently. "You know that, right?"

  Bri nodded. She had become very still and every ounce of her attention was riveted on Tory's face.

  "The first step is to tell her what you feel, everything that you feel, as honestly as you can. If you're scared, or not sure of how you feel, or even if you're not sure if you love her--"

  "No," Bri said vehemently. "I am sure."