Page 13 of Heat of Justice (Duty #3)

Cody waded in up to her knees to confirm that a large garbage bag, caught around the base of a piling, contained a human body wrapped up in bits of rope. She made the necessary calls then, requested backup units, a forensics team to process the scene, and the medical examiner. Soon, the area was shut down and crawling with police. Any junkies in the vicinity either fled or retreated into their living holes. She was confident that her men would find them and extract any relevant information.

“I can ID her.” Pale and shaken, Kim insisted on doing so. “She has a little flower tattooed on the inside of her left wrist. Please, let me look and see.”

“Alright.”

Because she understood how much she would need to take this final step now to see for real what she had only previously caught glimpses of in her visions, Cody allowed her to approach the gurney on which the body had been transferred to a thick bio-hazard bag. Kim took one look at the bloated face, winced, and shook her head. A long time spent in the water had done its work on the flesh, obviously.

“I think it’s her,” she stated. “But I need to see the tattoo.”

“Inside the left wrist, please,” Cody asked the ME’s tech.

As he exposed the arm of the lifeless victim and twisted it so that she could see the spot on her wrist, Kim was instantly able to confirm.

“Yes, this is Cassie. Oh, God...”

Cody ripped off the gloves she had pulled on to help secure the scene and retrieve the body. She clasped her hand in hers as Kim turned away and pulled her aside, deliberately moving in front of her to shield her from the rest of the scene.

“I’m okay,” Kim snapped. “It’s not my first dead body.”

“No, but this one is personal. Right?” Cody prompted.

“Yeah.” Kim blew air out again. “Yes. Very.”

Cody could see what it cost her to maintain her composure. She understood and admired this kind of courage. It was neither the time nor place for an emotional display, so she held back from pulling the woman into her arms. It cost her. She did allow herself to brush a curl of her hair behind her ear, and to cup her face in both hands. She looked deep into her eyes.

“We are going to need to take your statement.”

“Of course.” Kim smiled without humor. “I know how this works.”

“Someone else will do it while I finish up here. Okay with you?”

“It’s fine.” Kim raised her hands to hers, held there and her gaze briefly for a second, then let go. “You do what you have to, Cody.”

“Okay.”

Cody had a uniform escort Kim back to her car with orders to record her statement and keep an eye on her. She wanted to do things by the book here. Not only because it was the way she always dealt with her job, and the victim deserved her absolute best, but also because Kim challenged her in ways she had never expected to feel again after Emma. She could not let her feelings affect her performance on the job. As it was, Cody could imagine what her lieutenant might say following their last conversation if she knew that Reed had led her straight to a dead body. She took a deep breath to clear her head and went to join the ME’s assistant.

“Right off the bat, what can you tell me?”

“Couple obvious things.” He nodded. “A: someone put the body in that bag and tied the rope around it. B: she’s got a hole the size of a golf ball at the back of her skull.”

Cody exhaled. “So, she was killed first, then thrown in the water?”

“Or severely incapacitated, then thrown in, yeah.”

“Either way, we’re looking at murder in the first degree.”

“Correct. I’ll be able to tell you more about the manner of death once we autopsy her.”

“Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

◆◆◆

The sun was rising when Cody came back to confirm that they were looking at murder in the first. This was not even remotely surprising to Kim.

“I don’t suppose you can share any of the details with me at this stage,” she prompted.

“No, I can’t.”

“You need to look at the husband again, Cody.”

“Listen, I’m not able to talk about this now. I’d like to drive you home if that’s okay.”

Kim knew what she was not saying. Until I am 100% sure, this topic is off the table. She pursed her lips with a quick flash of anger, soon tempered by the obvious realization that Cody was doing her job. And extremely well, to be said, judging from her response to her call for assistance earlier, the way she directed her team at the scene, and now her gentle but firm refusal to compromise the investigative process.

“Sorry,” she sighed. “You’re right.”

“I’m going to find who did this to her, Kim, I promise. Now please, can I drive you home?”

“My car’s here.”

“I’ll have an officer take it back for you. Please?”

Under regular circumstances, Kim would never allow this to happen. She could take care of herself. Didn’t need some cop, no matter how kind or attractive, to babysit her. Not even if she said please, in that respectful way Cody had about her, but now, Kim handed her keys to the uniform in question, managed a grateful smile, and followed Cody to her own vehicle without a backward glance. She wanted, needed, to go with her. Neither of them said a word until the bridge was no longer visible in the distance. Cody was the first to break the silence.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Tired. Empty.” It was bone-deep as well, the sort of fatigue Kim did not experience often. Catching the exit sign for Silver Beach coming up in the distance, she touched Cody’s arm. “Turn off here, please.”

“Okay.”

Cody did not ask why. She just took the turn and drove to the edge of the sandy beach. Kim got out, kicked her shoes off, and walked briskly across the open space. Breathe… Back at the bridge, a penetrating darkness had clung to her like a shroud. Death permeated the air, a sense of terror and dread. Here, now, facing east, she no longer felt that. The sand was already warm under her feet, and she squinted in the sunshine as she stepped toward the glittering ocean. She kept going when she reached the water, driven by an instinctive need for purification. It was cold, a lovely contrast. Going in up to her waist, Kim inhaled deeply, then allowed her knees to fold. She dropped below the surface. Eyes open wide in the silence, weightless, she watched the strong rays of light pierce through to the white sand on the bottom. Cassie... She thought of her. Called to her from the heart. And watched another flash of sunlight ripple through like a burst of laughter. Kim clearly heard the woman’s voice inside her head.

‘Thank you for finding me! I can go now. I’ll be okay! Thank you! Thank you…’

Again, Cody was waiting when she returned, booted feet planted on the beach, hands on her hips, a serious and watchful expression on her handsome face.

“I needed to cleanse,” Kim explained.

“Okay. Are you aware that you’ve got tears running down your face?”

“Ah… No.” Kim wiped them off and smiled. “It’s just from release. I feel a lot better.”

“You look gorg—” Cody’s eyelids fluttered, and she shifted. Corrected. “I mean, you look much better now, yes.”

Kim stared intently into her eyes.

“Cody. I am not a murderer.”

“I do believe you, Kim.”

“Good.” Kim fixed her harder, urgently. “And I’m not crazy either, even though I’m going to do something a little crazy now. If you don’t mind...”

On these words, she stepped into her, laid one hand on each side of her face, and pressed her mouth firmly to her lips.

◆◆◆

Demi spotted her as soon as Lia walked into her old office at the police station.

“Heyyyy!” She hurried to greet her, a beaming smile on her face. “Hello, stranger!”

“Hi, Dem.” Lia smiled and hugged her back.

“How are you, my dear? It’s good to see you!”

Lia chuckled now, amused. “It’s not been that long since I saw you, has it? Only two weekends ago, that barbecue party at your house?”

“It was last month, actually. Time flies, girl, but never mind. I’m just happy to see you in the office, like old times.”

“Yes, it’s good to be here.”

“Got some work?”

“I want to update the website and upload a couple of videos I’ve been sent from the K9 unit.” Lia dropped her bag and laptop on her desk and automatically moved to the coffee machine in the corner. “Want one?”

“Yes, please. How’s the new docu-series coming along?”

“Very well. I’m doing a final round of edits at the moment, and planning the release schedule. You and Carole will come to the premiere, won’t you?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Demi took the cup of coffee Lia handed her, and she went on to claim the corner of her desk to sit on—just like old times, indeed, when serious talk was coming.

“So,” she nodded, eyes intent. “How is she doing?”

No need to ask who she was referring to and Lia answered with a little sigh.

“Quinn is dealing with the suspension the best way she can. Spending more time at the gym, unofficially checking on her team and current cases… Hopefully, everything will get back to normal very soon.”

“This is so unfair, Lia.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“I saw Quinn briefly the other day.”

“Uh-huh?”

“She told me she was fine, but I know how good she is at putting on a brave face even though she’s hurting. I’m glad to hear you say she’s handling it okay.”

“Thanks for checking, Dem.”

“Of course! Hey, you know what else is good for the soul, apart from time in the gym?”

“What?”

“Hot sex,” Demi declared with a mischievous grin.

“Oh, yeah...”

Lia fell briefly silent as she recalled the way her day had begun. She woke up feeling aroused and soon discovered the reason why. Her hot wife lay between her legs, expertly tending to her. Finding her awake and watching, Quinn flashed her a wicked smile. Then, before Lia could even speak, she pressed her thumb over her most sensitive spot and slid her tongue inside her. It made for an explosive start, even before their first cup of coffee. Remembering the supremely self-satisfied look on her wife’s face afterward and the alluring sounds she made as Lia took care of her in return had her smiling in a way that made Demi chuckle.

“I guess I don’t need to tell you that, do I?”

“Nope.” Lia grinned. “No, we know.”

“How long do you think it will take before Quinn is fully reinstated?”

“Not long, I hope. She had an interview with Captain Mills from Internal Affairs yesterday.”

Demi frowned. “How did that go?”

“He pledged his full support. Mills knows the suspension is bullshit. So does Wilson. But they have to be seen to be taking all appropriate measures.”

“This suspension won’t stay on her record, will it?”

“No, don’t worry. It won’t even hover close.”

“Good. I sure hope Quinn receives an official apology from the mayor when this is all over. She damn well should demand one.”

“Yes, but you know this isn’t her style. As a former soldier, she’s used to taking hits. She’s too stoic. It won’t even occur to her to ask for an apology she deserves.”

“But it’s occurred to you,” Demi prompted. “And you will push for one for her, won’t you?”

“Oh yeah,” Lia answered fiercely. “You betcha.”

Quinn was handling the situation well, it was true. She was patient, pragmatic, and not overly anxious about it. Or at least no longer. But Lia would never forget that first evening when she had gone to meet her at the beach. The wounded expression on her wife’s face, the tears she fought back, the way it stole her breath... She would not forget any of that in a hurry. Lia was even more furious about the blog and the ensuing suspension due to the fact that she knew just how hard Quinn had had to work to overcome the emotional trauma of her final mission on the frontline. The blog writer had obviously done their research, and aimed to cause maximum damage.

“Okay.” Demi patted her on the shoulder in approval. “I’ll let you get on then, darling. Like I told Quinn, if there’s anything I can do, you just let me know.”

“There is, actually.”

“Oh, good. What do you need?”