by Jae
"No. My gaydar tells me Tracey Sheldon is a lesbian, and so is Melanie Riggs. Sheldon was probably her girlfriend or at least wanted to be. That's why Sheldon watched the trial – until she found a better object for her attentions in Kade." Aiden reached for the phone again. She tried Kade's office, her apartment, and her cell phone.
Kade didn't pick up.
"Where is she?" Ray wondered aloud.
There was only one last place Aiden could think of. She quickly dialed Del's number. "Del? Hey, it's Aiden Carlisle. Is Kade with you?" she asked as soon as Del picked up.
"No. Should she be?" Del asked, surprise coloring her words. "I assumed she's still at work, where she's safe with all the security guards around, or she would have called one of us to escort her home."
"Well, apparently, she didn't," Aiden mumbled, cursing Kade's stubborn independence and their lack of coordination. They had dropped the ball.
"What's going on, Aiden?" Del demanded to know.
"We think she might be in danger." Aiden had no time to beat around the bush. "The stalker... it's her doorwoman, and we can't find Kade."
Ruben, already on his way home, looked up from putting on his jacket. "You're searching for Matheson? When I handed in the arrest report for the Richards case over half an hour ago, she said she would head home in a few minutes."
Home, where Tracey Sheldon is waiting for her! "Shit, shit, shit!" Aiden said again. "Did you hear that, Del? Meet us at Kade's apartment!" She threw the phone down, grabbed her gun from the bottom drawer of her desk, and sprinted to the door. "Come on, Ray!"
* * *
Kade stuck another note to Ruben's arrest report. Instead of going home on time for once, as she had originally planned, she had decided to stay and look through Ruben's report. She had made no plans with Del for tonight, and at home, only her mother's demanding voice on her answering machine awaited her, so she had decided to stay a little longer. She would go through some reports, and when she was through with them, she would call one of her unofficial bodyguards and let herself be escorted home.
Her phone began to ring, then her cell phone. She had told Ruben she would head home soon. With the ever-efficient rumor mill, each and every one of her detectives probably assumed she was at home by now. That made it easy to guess the identity of the caller without even looking at the caller ID. Really, Mother, this is going too far! She picked up another report and ignored the ringing phone.
CHAPTER 36
DAWN SHIFTED THE food containers she carried to her left arm, trying to get one hand free to open the door to the Sexual Assault Detail's squad room.
The door opened before she could succeed.
"Ah." Jeff Okada grinned down at her. "Gracing our unworthy halls with your presence again, Doc?"
Evan and most of Aiden's colleagues had taken to calling her "Doc," and Dawn liked how affectionate it sounded. "Aiden and Ray are stuck with an investigation all night," Dawn said, without clarifying that they were investigating Kade's stalker, "and I wanted to make sure they're not starving."
"Oh. Bad timing, Doctor. They left in a hurry about ten minutes ago, and I'm not sure they'll be back tonight. I'm the last one out," Okada said.
Dawn hadn't expected that, but she quickly adjusted. Growing up in a family of cops had made her good at accepting sudden changes in plans. "In that case, this is your dinner." She handed Okada one of the containers.
Okada took it without hesitation. "If one of my ex-wives had been more like you, I might still be married. You don't happen to have a sister of marriageable age, do you?" he joked.
"I have a widowed mother, but I think you should talk it through with your accountant before I introduce you," Dawn teased, picking up a joke she'd heard from Aiden about all the money Okada had to pay his ex-wives.
Okada smirked. "Sound advice, Doc." He tipped his hat and said good-bye, leaving Dawn behind with another container of food in her hands.
* * *
"Hey, Sheldon, you in trouble?" Gus Bailey asked as he handed Tracey the clipboard to sign in for her shift.
Tracey looked up from signing her name and threw an impatient glance at him. She didn't want to make small talk with her colleague. Kadence had spent a lot of late nights at the office lately, but Tracey hoped she would be home soon, and she wanted him gone by then. Tracey wanted to be alone with her. "Trouble?" she repeated. The only trouble she had was the damned Latina cop who was sniffing after Kadence, ignoring her warnings to stay away from her girlfriend.
"Yeah. The boss said the cops called him, asking about you," Gus said.
Looks like that cop is doing everything to take Kadence away from me. That's not gonna happen! "Probably got one parking ticket too many," she lied. She waited until Gus had finally left, then hurried to her car.
She wouldn't wait until Kadence came home from one of her late nights at the office. With all of her cop friends who were constantly hanging around Kadence, they would only be disturbed at home anyway.
Tracey quickly got into her car.
The tenants of the South Waterfront condo building would have to make do without her. There was just one resident to whom she would offer her services tonight.
CHAPTER 37
KADE LOOKED UP from the report in which she had been engrossed when the door to her office opened. Normally, her visitors knocked before they entered, but Kade had often been surprised by unsuspecting cleaning ladies who had thought Kade had long since gone home.
This time, however, the face that appeared in the doorway didn't belong to someone from the cleaning staff. "Tracey?" she said in surprise. One of her mentors had taught her to always know the name of each member of a jury, and since then, she had made it a habit to practice by memorizing the name of the girl who wrapped her groceries, the boy who delivered her Sunday paper, and the doormen – and the doorwoman – of her apartment building.
"Surprised to see me?" Tracey asked with a smile, firmly closing the door behind her.
Kade furrowed her brow. She could feel her heart begin to beat loudly, echoing in her ears like a warning. Working with cops for so long, Kade had developed her own instincts about situations and people. She remembered that Tracey, the doorwoman, had always been a little too eager, a little too interested in her. She was the one who told Laurie where Del lives, she suddenly remembered. Why would she remember the address? She must hear dozens of people give their cabbies an address each day, and I bet she doesn't remember any of them. Why remember Del's? "Yes," she said cautiously, "a little."
"I thought so. You've been avoiding me lately," Tracey accused.
"Avoiding you?" Kade repeated. She didn't need to act confused. She didn't understand to what the doorwoman was referring. The only person she had avoided lately was her mother.
Tracey stepped closer until she was right in front of the desk. She put her hands to the left and right of Kade's file and leaned forward, looking into Kade's eyes from just a few inches away. "Yeah, avoiding me!" Anger sparked in the dark eyes. "You've barely been home for the last few days!"
Home? She sounds like I'm living with her. Kade realized with growing dread. Damn, I think I just found out who my stalker is! She eyed the phone and the door, any means to flee or call for help, while Tracey continued to rant.
"You even left the city without telling me. Where have you been? With your other girlfriend? I've warned her to stay away from you!" Tracey shouted. Her fists crashed down on the desk, making Kade flinch.
Shit, what do I do now? The crazy doorwoman was blocking her way to the door, and she would immediately stop her if she tried to reach for the phone on her desk or her cell phone. The gun Del had given her was in her purse across the room, too far out of reach to be of any use now. Talk to her. Play along. Talk her out of it. Words are your weapons, remember?
"She's not my girlfriend," she told Tracey, keeping her voice gentle. "I work with her. That's all."
Tracey towered over her. "Don't lie! I've seen you two together!"
>
"But it's over now," Kade said quickly.
"Prove it," Tracey demanded, still suspicious.
Kade stared up at her. "How?" she asked, already afraid of the answer.
"Leave her. Come with me right now." Tracey held out her hand.
Oh, shit. So far, playing along, acting as if she agreed with the delusional woman, had been her safest bet, but Kade knew that it was getting more dangerous now. She knew if she got into her car with Tracey, she would lose any chance of getting away. Tracey would take her wherever she wanted, somewhere quiet and deserted where she could do whatever she wanted to Kade without any interference.
Slowly, thinking feverishly, she stood from behind her desk. She took Tracey's hand and felt the rough strength. Think, Kade, think!
Tracey led her to the door, acting like the gallant admirer now.
"Wait," Kade said quickly, pulling her hand away. "Let me get my purse before we go." She took a step toward the coat-rack, where her coat and purse hung. Her hand shot forward, aiming for the purse and the gun in it.
Tracey reached out one long arm and snatched the purse away. "I'll take this," she decided.
Kade stared at her empty hand. Damn. She probably saw Del giving me the gun right in front of my apartment building.
She watched Tracey empty the contents of the purse onto the floor. The semiautomatic clanked down on top of a small perfume bottle. "Is that what you were looking for?" Tracey asked with dangerous calm.
"No. No, of course not. I just wanted to freshen up a little before we go out on our date," Kade said, pointing to the perfume bottle.
Tracey narrowed her eyes but finally nodded. She bent down and picked up the gun, shoving it into her waistband.
Kade grimaced. Great. Now she's armed. Brilliant, Kade.
Tracey gallantly held her coat for her while Kade slipped into it. "Come on." Tracey waved toward the door. "Let's go."
Kade knew if they stepped through the door, this would end ugly. Her crazy stalker would try to take her away to some cozy little love nest. If the security guard tried to stop her, she would just shoot him and anyone else who tried to interfere.
People will die. You could die. Kade clenched her fist in her coat pocket and realized her fingers were wrapped around her car keys. An image of Del flashed through her mind – and with it Del's parting words from their very first meeting: Next time, aim for the eyes.
"Tracey," she said, giving her voice a seductiveness she knew Tracey couldn't resist.
Tracey turned around to look at her.
In one quick move, Kade pulled the keys from her coat pocket. She jabbed the biggest key into Tracey's face, aiming for an eye.
At the very last second, Tracey turned her head.
The key scratched along her temple. She stumbled back a step and pressed her hand to her head. Slowly, she took her hand away and looked down at it.
Blood glistened on her fingers.
Roaring, she advanced on Kade. "I gave you every chance to admit to our love, but you're still too stupid to realize what we have is so much bigger, so much better than anything that goddamned cop can give you!" She roughly gripped Kade's arm.
Kade tried to use the key as a weapon again, but the moment of surprise was gone now, and the other woman was much taller and stronger than she. Tracey grabbed her with both hands, forcing her back with her superior weight, height, and strength.
She struggled in Tracey's grip and kicked out in desperation.
A well-aimed kick to the knee made Tracey reach out with a curse, holding on to the nearest file cabinet for balance.
This freed one of Kade's arms, and she began to struggle and fight in earnest. She hit Tracey's nose, making her howl, and pulled out of the weakening grasp. As soon as she was free, she raced to the door.
She had almost reached it when Tracey's arm wrapped around her throat from behind, stopping her. Tracey roughly jerked her back against her body. "Hold still!" Tracey hissed into her ear.
Of course, Kade didn't. She stomped on Tracey's foot, trying to get her to loosen the stranglehold around her neck.
Tracey moved back an inch to avoid another attack on her toes, and Kade got one arm free. She rammed her elbow back into Tracey's stomach.
Tracey doubled over, gasping for breath.
Kade whirled around. She tried to reach over Tracey and get her hand on the gun sticking out of the back of Tracey's pants.
Before she could reach the gun, Tracey straightened and backhanded her.
Pain exploded in her cheek. The force of it made Kade stumble back until her back hit the desk.
Angrily, Tracey pulled the gun from her waistband and pressed the muzzle against the side of Kade's head as she continued to struggle.
Kade froze but refused to close her eyes and admit defeat. She looked right into the burning brown eyes and spoke in her calmest voice, trying valiantly to hide her shaking. "You don't want to hurt me. You love me."
"You don't deserve my love!" Tracey raged. "You betrayed me!"
Kade's heart raced. Sweat ran down her back.
She could practically feel Tracey's finger tighten around the trigger. Still, she didn't look away. "Don't," she commanded in a voice that got even the most stubborn jurors to listen.
Tracey hesitated.
Then, suddenly, the pressure of the gun's muzzle was gone from Kade's temple.
Tracey slumped forward.
Kade quickly jumped aside and watched in astonishment as Tracey landed on the floor in front of her.
"Jesus Christ!" Dawn Kinsley stood staring down at the fallen woman, one of the massive law books from Kade's bookshelf held in both of her hands. "What's going on here?"
Kade bent down and took the gun from the groaning doorwoman, who was slowly coming to life again. "That's the person who has been stalking me," she said. It took some effort to keep her voice from trembling. She aimed the gun at Tracey, hoping she wouldn't fully regain consciousness before help arrived. "Call security!" She jerked her head at the door, using both hands to hold the gun steady.
Before the baffled Dawn could move, the door swung open.
Aiden, Ray, and Del stormed into the room with their guns drawn, a horde of security guards behind them.
"Great! Now that the fight is over, the cavalry arrives," Kade mumbled, hiding her frazzled nerves behind a joke.
Ray quickly cuffed the groaning woman and dragged her from the room with the help of two security guards.
Del approached Kade slowly. She slid her hand along Kade's arm until her fingers rested on top of Kade's on the gun. "You can let go now," she said gently.
Kade dropped the gun with a sigh of relief.
Immediately, Del wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close.
Kade held on tightly, sinking against Del's comforting warmth, but then she became aware of the glances resting on her and Del.
Dawn, Aiden, and the remaining security guard watched their intimate embrace with interest.
Kade stiffened. She almost pulled back in reflex until her gaze fell on the gun that had been pressed to her temple just a few moments ago. You could have died. It wouldn't have mattered if you were gay or straight or bisexual then. Is what they might think about you more important than feeling alive and safe in Del's arms? she asked herself. Stubbornly, she ignored the curious gazes of the security guard and remained where she was.
Aiden was no longer looking at her anyway. She was preoccupied with holding on to Dawn. "What are you doing here?" Aiden asked Dawn.
"I wanted to bring you something to eat, but Jeff Okada told me you had already left. I didn't want my food to go to waste, so I thought I'd see if Kade was still in her office," Dawn explained. She had let go of the law book to wrap her arms around Aiden.
"What happened?" Aiden asked. She looked from Dawn to Kade. "You didn't shoot Tracey Sheldon, did you?"
Kade threw a conspiratorial glance at Dawn. "Let's just say that the full weight of the law hit her."
CHAPTER 38
AIDEN STOPPED IN front of the door to Dawn's apartment. A giant bouquet of flowers lay on the doorstep, rattling her already tense nerves even more as she thought about Kade's flower-sending stalker. Carefully, she picked up the flowers and regarded them from all sides, making sure there was nothing dangerous about the bouquet itself.
There was a small card, but the envelope was closed and she didn't want to open it without Dawn's permission. Wrapping one arm around the bouquet, she unlocked the door. "Dawn?" she called.