Fake Fan Fiction ❯ Loves Company ❯ Best Served Cold ( Chapter 11 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Kita and Subu-chan 
Stephanie tells her tale...
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police / Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.11.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 461 | Status: Work In Progress
Stephanie tells her tale...
Anime/Manga: Fake Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Police / Mystery | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.11.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.8K | Visits: 461 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Eleven-Best Served Cold
A/N-Well, here’s chapter eleven of Loves Company. Thanks, everyone, for the reviews and words of encouragement. Forgive the delays, but there have been some problems on the homefront. Special thanks as always go to our most loyal of fans, the incomparable Catti-dono. Thanks to a relative newcomer, but rabid fan nonetheless, Daxemon. Here’s your next fix. Mistress-Drucilla, thanks for keeping Kita company on DA and for the art. DogOfTheForest (AKA Garita) Your art is wonderful! Thank you so much. Thanks for being such a good friend to Kita and I. Much love to Nee-chan also, for just being you. That says it all… *pokes Hana with a stick* You dead over there? Where you at?
“Mr. Drake!” As soon as the door closed behind him, Drake was hit with an armload of crying teenager. He wrapped his arms around Stephanie and held her close until the worst of the tears had passed. When the fifteen-year-old’s sobs had quieted in volume, he spoke softly to her, words of comfort and reassurance.
Finally, her hysterical spate of tears had exhausted itself, and she sniffled quietly into Drake’s sweatshirt. He got her back into her chair and blotted at the tear-tracks on her cheeks with a tissue from the box that someone (Dee?) had thoughtfully provided. As she managed to get herself back under something resembling control, he studied her with concern. There was a dark bruise making her brown skin a nasty shade of purple-black all along one cheekbone. The chestnut eye on that side looked out from a shiner of epic proportions. Her skin bore traces of being scrubbed raw and she wore a plain t-shirt and jeans that were too big for her, held up by a braided belt that he recognized as belonging to Janet. Bare brown toes peeked out from beneath the overlong pants legs.
Stephanie sniffled and met his eyes. “Why can’t I see Daddy, Mr. Drake?” She asked plaintively.
“Shush, kiddo. I’m going to call your dad now. Do you want to talk to him?”
Stephanie scrubbed her eyes, wincing when she touched the bruises. “I-I want him here, please, Mr. Drake?” Her voice quavered.
“Sure thing, baby.” Drake brushed a hand across her damp hair in a soothing motion. With the other hand he laid his cell phone on the table. “You can make the call if you want.”
She leaned forward and hugged him with desperate strength, burying her face in his neck. He could feel her trembling as she shook her head. “N-no.” Her voice was muffled. “You c-call him. I-I d-don’t think I can make my f-fingers work right.”
Drake picked the phone up and dialed. He held it to the ear that was opposite where Stephanie had her head buried in the crook of his neck.
“Mertz.”
“Hey, Benny. This is Drake Parker. I’m gonna need you and Marcus to bring Marty down to the station.”
Benny Mertz snapped to attention on the other end of the line. “Parker? Why?”
“Cause he’s not gonna be safe to drive after I talk to him.”
“Shit, don’t tell me…?”
“Relax, Benny. His girl is safe. She’s here with me right now.”
Relief filled the other Detective’s voice. “Oh, thank god.”
*----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------*
Drake heard him coming long before he reached the door. He left Stephanie sitting at the table and opened the door before Marty hit it. He had to move fast to get out of the other man’s way. Stephanie launched herself at her father with a squeak, and Marty enveloped her in a bear-hug, whispering over and over, “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. Daddy’s here.”
Drake stayed well out of the way as they clung to each other. Dee and Ryo peeked in and smiled at the sight. Drake offered them a shaky grin of his own and waited until Stephanie and Marty had both calmed down. “Marty, man, I hate to remind you of this, but…”
Marty glanced at him, eyes bright with unshed tears. “Y-yeah. I got you. Steph, baby, do you think you can talk about it now?”
Stephanie cuddled into her father’s sheltering arms with a frightened expression. “I-I can try. It’s all so… so jumbled together and scary.”
Ryo sat down at the table and Marty and Stephanie took the other two chairs, the teenager scooting hers over to shelter under her father’s protective arm. Drake and Dee stood back, trying to be inconspicuous. Ryo flicked on the recorder and stated the date and time and other specifics into the mike.
“Stephanie, just take it one thing at a time. You and a group of friends, including Miss Richmond, snuck out of school, correct?” Ryo said soothingly.
“Y-yeah. Tif was going a little stir-crazy and d-decided we should all go to the mall. She knew how to get out of the school grounds without being seen. I-I tried to tell her it was a bad idea, but she just laughed and said that what harm could going to the mall do? We were only going to b-be at the mall for a little while, just till classes were over, and then we were gonna go home. Tif said that nobody would come after us in the mall cause of all the witnesses.” Stephanie sniffled and snuggled closer to her father. Marty silently offered her a tissue. “I guess she was right, cause everything was alright till we got back to the car. W-we all got in, but T-Tif was the last one to get in cause she wanted to finish her cigarette.”
Stephanie hiccupped and laughed a little hysterically. “S-she always said that her dad would kill her if he found out she was s-smoking…” She shivered and wiped her eyes. “Tif got in and - and then there was somebody b-beside her, shoving her out of the driver’s seat. She yelled and t-they whacked her in the face with a gun.” She hiccupped and fresh tears leaked out of her reddened eyes. “T-then t-the gun was pointed at u-us…”
Ryo looked at her sympathetically but asked, “Did you see the person holding the gun?”
“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head. “He was wearing a ski mask and a parka or something and there was something all funny with his v-voice, like he was t-talking though a tunnel or something.”
“A tunnel?” Dee asked softly.
Stephanie turned to look at him. “Y-yeah. Like echo-y or something. Weird-like.”
Ryo looked up at his partner. “A voice-distorter?”
“Sounds like.”
“Then what happened, Stephanie?”
“H-he yelled at us to hand over our c-cell phones. When we did, he started the car and drove out of the parking garage, h-holding the gun on us with one hand. D-daddy always told me to do whatever I was told to if there was somebody with a g-gun, so I stayed quiet.”
“Good girl.” Dee said approvingly.
“I-I tried to memorize where we were going, but the driver s-stopped at the warehouses, down by the docks, and pulled into one. He made us all get out of the car and into a delivery truck. I t-tried to look for a plate, b-but there wasn’t one. I-I looked!”
“I believe you, baby.” Marty whispered softly into his daughter’s hair. “You did good.”
“It was a white truck, like-like those refrigerated trucks from the store and there was something written on the side, but i-it was taped over with newspaper.”
Ryo growled under his breath. Drake was close enough to hear him mutter, “Goddamned clever bastard.” He hated to have to agree. Their perp seemed to have thought of everything.
“H-he locked us in the back and drove us someplace. It wasn’t very far cause he didn’t drive for v-very long, but he made an awful lot of t-turns. Then he stopped the van and left us there. We s-screamed and yelled b-but nobody h-heard us.” Her voice broke on a sob and she began to cry helplessly again. “I-I w-was so s-scared!”
Marty held her until she calmed, the look in his dark brown eyes promising retribution for whoever had done this to his little girl. Drake had to agree with him on that point. He wanted this bastard bad, for all the girls he had already killed, for Stephanie, for her friends who were still in his hands, and for himself. This sonuvabitch had made things real personal.
Marty patted her back as she regained as much of her composure as she could. She looked so young and helpless, sitting there in clothes far too big for her and sheltering in her father’s arms. Drake swallowed a fresh lump as she scrubbed at her eyes with the back of one hand.
“Can you tell me what happened next, Stephanie?” Ryo asked softly. “I know this is hard for you, but we want to catch this guy before he hurts your friends.”
Stephanie nodded and straightened shaking shoulders. “T-Tif, she woke up while we were y-yelling. She said that it w-was somebody w-with a g-grudge against h-her father. She t-told e-everybody not t-to say anything about m-me being a c-cop’s daughter. When he came back, Tif said that she was who he was a-after, so to leave the r-rest of us alone! S-she w-was so b-brave, Daddy. She m-made him laugh, t-though.”
She shivered again. “He said that a lesson was n-needed and it h-had to be taught through b-blood. That R-Richmond wouldn’t learn without a picture being painted for h-him in blood. And t-then he grabbed me and Sarah and p-pulled us out o-of the v-van. H-he hit Sarah and shoved us b-both into a different van.” Her voice broke and she started to shake violently. “H-he hit me too, and said that this w-would be a m-message that even Richmond c-couldn’t mistake. W-when I w-woke up, we were t-there in t-that building wh-where y-you f-found us…”
She was crying again, great hiccupping sobs, but she torturously forced the words out, wailing as if the effort alone hurt her. “H-he blindfolded… m-me, b-b-but I-I-I c-could… hear… ever-everything. S-Sarah…” Her voice rose in a heartbroken howl. “I-I-I heard… him c-c-cut her. I h-h-heard her d-die, D-Daddy!!!”
There was no stopping the flood of tears this time and Stephanie collapsed into her father’s arms, sobbing hysterically. “T-t-the-there was b-b-blood a-a-and I c-could h-hear h-her - h-hear her screaming!!”
Drake put his hand on Ryo’s shoulder. “That’s enough for now. I think that’s all she remembers anyway.”
Ryo nodded and reached to turn off the recorder. There were tears gathered in his dark eyes, though he held them in check in a fierce show of will.
“N-no.” Stephanie managed, looking up from Marty’s shoulder. “H-he said that I had to give a message t-to R-Richmond. T-that that was the reason I d-didn’t die t-too. He said to tell him that revenge was b-best s-served cold and this dish h-had been c-cooling for eight y-years. That R-Richmond had taken everything he loved and l-lived for. A-and now h-he w-was taking it back…” She met Drake’s eyes. “I p-passed out then. When I woke up, you were t-there. C-can I g-go home now? P-please?”
Ryo shut off the recorder. “Yes. Marty, you can take her home now. But remember, you’re still off the case. Chief finds out you’ve been anywhere but your house, he’ll have all our badges.”
Marty cradled his daughter close. His eyes were hard. “I know. Just know that if this bastard comes anywhere near my little girl again, he’ll be looking for pieces of him big enough to arrest.”
Ryo nodded and asked Dee to drive the two of them home. When they were gone. He looked back at Drake. “Thank you. You know you’re going to hear it from Rose, right?”
Drake nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Let him yell all he wants. It was the right thing to do and besides, I was off-duty, so he can’t do anything more than scream. He has to have a good excuse for any disciplinary action, and I haven’t given him one.” He offered Ryo a mirthless grin.
Ryo sighed as he dubbed off a copy of Stephanie’s teary account. “Shit, I so want this bastard behind bars.”
Drake shoved a hand through his hair. “You’re not the only one. He fucked up when he fucked with a cop’s kid.”
Ryo took the copy and rose. “You heading home now?”
Drake nodded as he held open the door. “Yeah. I have to get some sleep or I’m going to be useless.”
Ryo nodded as they walked down the hall to the elevators. “Yeah, I know what you mean. If you’ve gotten one night of uninterrupted sleep since this case started, I don’t know how you did it…” He sighed as he punched the button for the elevator. “I know I haven’t.”
Drake flushed as he thought of the night he had slept dreamlessly through. JJ curled against him was the contributing factor, he was sure. JJ…
“Is he waiting for you?”
Drake jumped with a yelp. “W-what?”
Ryo smiled at him, his cheeks tinged red too. “I recognized that look. God knows, I saw it in my own mirror enough times when I stared thinking about Dee.”
Drake colored. “Yeah. He promised he’d be at my place when I got away. Fuck, Ryo, were you this confused?”
Ryo laughed. “Oh, yeah. I was that confused and more.”
Drake sighed, shoving fingers through his already rumpled hair. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
Ryo patted his shoulder. “Take is as it comes. There’s no harm in taking things one day at a time.”
Drake blinked as Ryo unknowingly echoed JJ’s words.
Ryo smiled at him. “At least you have Dee and I to talk to. I didn’t have anyone to talk to besides Dee. JJ was no help at all. He was more interested in flinging himself at Dee than talking to me… the one who stole Dee’s attention, remember?”
Drake managed a wry laugh. “Oh, yeah. That I remember. He’d come to me and vent. It was his favorite subject. ‘And then Dee kissed him… How could he? What does he see in him anyway?!’ And that was just the wind-up. If I’d let him, he’d go on for hours.”
Ryo winced. “Ouch.”
Drake shrugged carelessly. “It didn’t bother me so much then, except when he wouldn’t shut up. Now… well, it’s in the past.”
Ryo turned to face the opening elevator. “I have to say, you’re still taking it a lot better than I did. I was beating myself up over being attracted to a man for the longest time.”
Drake shrugged pragmatically as he followed the other man into the elevator. “What’s the point in acting like a blushing virgin? Sure, he confuses the hell out of me, but I made my choices. If you don’t count the kiss on the roof, I was the one who made the first move.”
“Really?” Ryo raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah.” Drake’s smile was wry and self-depreciating. “Let’s just say, I was stressed and went a little overboard. JJ wasn’t exactly unwilling and we wound up in bed together.”
Ryo blinked, high color staining his fair skin. “Uhh… I really have no idea what to say to that, so I’m just going to shut up now.”
Drake laughed, and the lines of worry and stress around his gray eyes eased. “I’m not going to tell you all the sordid details, if that’s what’s got you worried. Hell, I don’t think the details are all that sordid, but…”
Ryo blinked at him, embarrassment easing. “Huh?”
It was Drake’s turn to look embarrassed. “Give me a break, huh? I’m still new to this, but I’ve seen enough to know how sex between two guys works.”
“Oh.” Ryo blushed again. From the look on his face, it was clear he was thinking of some of the things he and Dee had done. “So things haven’t gone that far?”
“Far enough.” Drake scowled at him, color creeping up his own face. His own imagination had gotten carried away and some of the thoughts weren’t at all unpleasant to contemplate.
“If you two are through discussing the sordid and/or not so sordid details of your sex lives, do you think you could get out of the elevator and let other people use it?”
Ryo and Drake both jumped. Deep in their conversation, neither man had noticed the elevator door hiss open. Jim Campbell glared at both of them, a hand propped on his hip.
“Jim?”
“What are you doing here?”
“The case both stations are cooperating on? Remember that? I just came from the morgue, with the autopsy on the girl who was with your office-mate’s daughter.”
That cooled Drake’s blushes fast. “Anything new?”
“Other than another teen being dead?” Jim scowled. “No. Our killer’s too damned careful for that.” He glanced down at the package in his hands. “I have some fiber samples from Stephanie’s clothing that I’m sending to a better equipped lab for processing. Looks like carpet fibers.”
“From one of the vehicles?”
Jim nodded. “Chances are. And god, I hope so. It might be a break in the case.”
Drake hoped so too. They had gone too damned long without a real break in the case. Way too fucking long…
*----------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------*
When he parted with Ryo and Jim, all Drake wanted was a few hours of sleep before the next crisis. He’d all but forgotten about JJ being at his place until he opened his door and saw JJ curled up asleep on one end of his lumpy sofa, nose buried in the battered leather trenchcoat he was holding tight against his chest.
Drake sighed and shook him gently. “Why are you using my coat as a hug toy?”
JJ blinked up at him sleepily. “It smells good. Just like you.”
Drake softened and sat next to him. “Like stale cigarette smoke?”
JJ gave him a sleepy smile. “A little. It smells like your aftershave and soap too. And you.”
Drake made a production of sniffing one pit. “Huh? You saying I stink?”
JJ stretched and wrapped himself around Drake with all the boneless grace of a cat. “No.” He purred against Drake’s throat. “It smells like you, like your skin and hair smell.”
Drake sighed and slipped his arms around JJ, enjoying the warm weight pressed against him. “JJ…”
“I’m sorry about the way I acted earlier. I was just scared.” JJ spoke quietly against the skin of Drake’s neck.
Drake nodded and buried his nose in JJ’s oddly colored hair. “I know. And I’m sorry.”
JJ tipped his head and planted a kiss on Drake’s jaw. “How did it go? I got the text that you were going to be late, but this…” He glanced at the clock on the wall.
Drake explained about the subterfuge Dee and Ryo had come up with and then found himself telling JJ about Stephanie’s account. JJ listened carefully, grimacing sympathetically at Drake’s retelling of how the girl broke down in tears. “Poor kid.”
Drake recounted the message she had been given and had the dubious pleasure of watching JJ’s face go blank with concentration.
“JJ? What is it?”
JJ blinked and shook his head. “I want to hear the recording later. I might want to talk to her again. Something she said reminded me of something.”
“What?”
JJ sighed and cuddled closer. “Something about the way the killer said revenge was a dish best served cold. Something about losing everything…”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.” JJ shook his head. “I can’t connect the dots right now. Not enough dots.”
Drake frowned at him before a yawn ruined it.
JJ rose to his feet and tugged Drake up. “And I think we both need sleep. Mind if I share the bed? Your couch is lumpy as hell.”
“You don’t like my couch?” Drake plopped back down and made a production of stretching, trying not to wince as the damned broken spring poked him in the ass. The expression didn’t escape JJ who smirked and sat down right on top of him. Drake yelped indignantly as the spring dug into his rear. “Ow! Ow, okay… get off, you lump. That hurts!”
JJ grinned at him. “Want I should kiss it and make it better?”
Drake turned red.
JJ dropped a kiss on his nose before getting up. “Aww, you’re no fun.”
Drake decided a little payback was in order and goosed JJ. The sharpshooter yipped and whirled indignantly. “Drake!”
Drake smirked and rose. “If you don’t hurry, you get to sleep on the floor.”
JJ beat him to the bed by the length of the bedroom.
A/N-Well, here’s chapter eleven of Loves Company. Thanks, everyone, for the reviews and words of encouragement. Forgive the delays, but there have been some problems on the homefront. Special thanks as always go to our most loyal of fans, the incomparable Catti-dono. Thanks to a relative newcomer, but rabid fan nonetheless, Daxemon. Here’s your next fix. Mistress-Drucilla, thanks for keeping Kita company on DA and for the art. DogOfTheForest (AKA Garita) Your art is wonderful! Thank you so much. Thanks for being such a good friend to Kita and I. Much love to Nee-chan also, for just being you. That says it all… *pokes Hana with a stick* You dead over there? Where you at?
“Mr. Drake!” As soon as the door closed behind him, Drake was hit with an armload of crying teenager. He wrapped his arms around Stephanie and held her close until the worst of the tears had passed. When the fifteen-year-old’s sobs had quieted in volume, he spoke softly to her, words of comfort and reassurance.
Finally, her hysterical spate of tears had exhausted itself, and she sniffled quietly into Drake’s sweatshirt. He got her back into her chair and blotted at the tear-tracks on her cheeks with a tissue from the box that someone (Dee?) had thoughtfully provided. As she managed to get herself back under something resembling control, he studied her with concern. There was a dark bruise making her brown skin a nasty shade of purple-black all along one cheekbone. The chestnut eye on that side looked out from a shiner of epic proportions. Her skin bore traces of being scrubbed raw and she wore a plain t-shirt and jeans that were too big for her, held up by a braided belt that he recognized as belonging to Janet. Bare brown toes peeked out from beneath the overlong pants legs.
Stephanie sniffled and met his eyes. “Why can’t I see Daddy, Mr. Drake?” She asked plaintively.
“Shush, kiddo. I’m going to call your dad now. Do you want to talk to him?”
Stephanie scrubbed her eyes, wincing when she touched the bruises. “I-I want him here, please, Mr. Drake?” Her voice quavered.
“Sure thing, baby.” Drake brushed a hand across her damp hair in a soothing motion. With the other hand he laid his cell phone on the table. “You can make the call if you want.”
She leaned forward and hugged him with desperate strength, burying her face in his neck. He could feel her trembling as she shook her head. “N-no.” Her voice was muffled. “You c-call him. I-I d-don’t think I can make my f-fingers work right.”
Drake picked the phone up and dialed. He held it to the ear that was opposite where Stephanie had her head buried in the crook of his neck.
“Mertz.”
“Hey, Benny. This is Drake Parker. I’m gonna need you and Marcus to bring Marty down to the station.”
Benny Mertz snapped to attention on the other end of the line. “Parker? Why?”
“Cause he’s not gonna be safe to drive after I talk to him.”
“Shit, don’t tell me…?”
“Relax, Benny. His girl is safe. She’s here with me right now.”
Relief filled the other Detective’s voice. “Oh, thank god.”
*----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------*
Drake heard him coming long before he reached the door. He left Stephanie sitting at the table and opened the door before Marty hit it. He had to move fast to get out of the other man’s way. Stephanie launched herself at her father with a squeak, and Marty enveloped her in a bear-hug, whispering over and over, “It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. Daddy’s here.”
Drake stayed well out of the way as they clung to each other. Dee and Ryo peeked in and smiled at the sight. Drake offered them a shaky grin of his own and waited until Stephanie and Marty had both calmed down. “Marty, man, I hate to remind you of this, but…”
Marty glanced at him, eyes bright with unshed tears. “Y-yeah. I got you. Steph, baby, do you think you can talk about it now?”
Stephanie cuddled into her father’s sheltering arms with a frightened expression. “I-I can try. It’s all so… so jumbled together and scary.”
Ryo sat down at the table and Marty and Stephanie took the other two chairs, the teenager scooting hers over to shelter under her father’s protective arm. Drake and Dee stood back, trying to be inconspicuous. Ryo flicked on the recorder and stated the date and time and other specifics into the mike.
“Stephanie, just take it one thing at a time. You and a group of friends, including Miss Richmond, snuck out of school, correct?” Ryo said soothingly.
“Y-yeah. Tif was going a little stir-crazy and d-decided we should all go to the mall. She knew how to get out of the school grounds without being seen. I-I tried to tell her it was a bad idea, but she just laughed and said that what harm could going to the mall do? We were only going to b-be at the mall for a little while, just till classes were over, and then we were gonna go home. Tif said that nobody would come after us in the mall cause of all the witnesses.” Stephanie sniffled and snuggled closer to her father. Marty silently offered her a tissue. “I guess she was right, cause everything was alright till we got back to the car. W-we all got in, but T-Tif was the last one to get in cause she wanted to finish her cigarette.”
Stephanie hiccupped and laughed a little hysterically. “S-she always said that her dad would kill her if he found out she was s-smoking…” She shivered and wiped her eyes. “Tif got in and - and then there was somebody b-beside her, shoving her out of the driver’s seat. She yelled and t-they whacked her in the face with a gun.” She hiccupped and fresh tears leaked out of her reddened eyes. “T-then t-the gun was pointed at u-us…”
Ryo looked at her sympathetically but asked, “Did you see the person holding the gun?”
“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head. “He was wearing a ski mask and a parka or something and there was something all funny with his v-voice, like he was t-talking though a tunnel or something.”
“A tunnel?” Dee asked softly.
Stephanie turned to look at him. “Y-yeah. Like echo-y or something. Weird-like.”
Ryo looked up at his partner. “A voice-distorter?”
“Sounds like.”
“Then what happened, Stephanie?”
“H-he yelled at us to hand over our c-cell phones. When we did, he started the car and drove out of the parking garage, h-holding the gun on us with one hand. D-daddy always told me to do whatever I was told to if there was somebody with a g-gun, so I stayed quiet.”
“Good girl.” Dee said approvingly.
“I-I tried to memorize where we were going, but the driver s-stopped at the warehouses, down by the docks, and pulled into one. He made us all get out of the car and into a delivery truck. I t-tried to look for a plate, b-but there wasn’t one. I-I looked!”
“I believe you, baby.” Marty whispered softly into his daughter’s hair. “You did good.”
“It was a white truck, like-like those refrigerated trucks from the store and there was something written on the side, but i-it was taped over with newspaper.”
Ryo growled under his breath. Drake was close enough to hear him mutter, “Goddamned clever bastard.” He hated to have to agree. Their perp seemed to have thought of everything.
“H-he locked us in the back and drove us someplace. It wasn’t very far cause he didn’t drive for v-very long, but he made an awful lot of t-turns. Then he stopped the van and left us there. We s-screamed and yelled b-but nobody h-heard us.” Her voice broke on a sob and she began to cry helplessly again. “I-I w-was so s-scared!”
Marty held her until she calmed, the look in his dark brown eyes promising retribution for whoever had done this to his little girl. Drake had to agree with him on that point. He wanted this bastard bad, for all the girls he had already killed, for Stephanie, for her friends who were still in his hands, and for himself. This sonuvabitch had made things real personal.
Marty patted her back as she regained as much of her composure as she could. She looked so young and helpless, sitting there in clothes far too big for her and sheltering in her father’s arms. Drake swallowed a fresh lump as she scrubbed at her eyes with the back of one hand.
“Can you tell me what happened next, Stephanie?” Ryo asked softly. “I know this is hard for you, but we want to catch this guy before he hurts your friends.”
Stephanie nodded and straightened shaking shoulders. “T-Tif, she woke up while we were y-yelling. She said that it w-was somebody w-with a g-grudge against h-her father. She t-told e-everybody not t-to say anything about m-me being a c-cop’s daughter. When he came back, Tif said that she was who he was a-after, so to leave the r-rest of us alone! S-she w-was so b-brave, Daddy. She m-made him laugh, t-though.”
She shivered again. “He said that a lesson was n-needed and it h-had to be taught through b-blood. That R-Richmond wouldn’t learn without a picture being painted for h-him in blood. And t-then he grabbed me and Sarah and p-pulled us out o-of the v-van. H-he hit Sarah and shoved us b-both into a different van.” Her voice broke and she started to shake violently. “H-he hit me too, and said that this w-would be a m-message that even Richmond c-couldn’t mistake. W-when I w-woke up, we were t-there in t-that building wh-where y-you f-found us…”
She was crying again, great hiccupping sobs, but she torturously forced the words out, wailing as if the effort alone hurt her. “H-he blindfolded… m-me, b-b-but I-I-I c-could… hear… ever-everything. S-Sarah…” Her voice rose in a heartbroken howl. “I-I-I heard… him c-c-cut her. I h-h-heard her d-die, D-Daddy!!!”
There was no stopping the flood of tears this time and Stephanie collapsed into her father’s arms, sobbing hysterically. “T-t-the-there was b-b-blood a-a-and I c-could h-hear h-her - h-hear her screaming!!”
Drake put his hand on Ryo’s shoulder. “That’s enough for now. I think that’s all she remembers anyway.”
Ryo nodded and reached to turn off the recorder. There were tears gathered in his dark eyes, though he held them in check in a fierce show of will.
“N-no.” Stephanie managed, looking up from Marty’s shoulder. “H-he said that I had to give a message t-to R-Richmond. T-that that was the reason I d-didn’t die t-too. He said to tell him that revenge was b-best s-served cold and this dish h-had been c-cooling for eight y-years. That R-Richmond had taken everything he loved and l-lived for. A-and now h-he w-was taking it back…” She met Drake’s eyes. “I p-passed out then. When I woke up, you were t-there. C-can I g-go home now? P-please?”
Ryo shut off the recorder. “Yes. Marty, you can take her home now. But remember, you’re still off the case. Chief finds out you’ve been anywhere but your house, he’ll have all our badges.”
Marty cradled his daughter close. His eyes were hard. “I know. Just know that if this bastard comes anywhere near my little girl again, he’ll be looking for pieces of him big enough to arrest.”
Ryo nodded and asked Dee to drive the two of them home. When they were gone. He looked back at Drake. “Thank you. You know you’re going to hear it from Rose, right?”
Drake nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Let him yell all he wants. It was the right thing to do and besides, I was off-duty, so he can’t do anything more than scream. He has to have a good excuse for any disciplinary action, and I haven’t given him one.” He offered Ryo a mirthless grin.
Ryo sighed as he dubbed off a copy of Stephanie’s teary account. “Shit, I so want this bastard behind bars.”
Drake shoved a hand through his hair. “You’re not the only one. He fucked up when he fucked with a cop’s kid.”
Ryo took the copy and rose. “You heading home now?”
Drake nodded as he held open the door. “Yeah. I have to get some sleep or I’m going to be useless.”
Ryo nodded as they walked down the hall to the elevators. “Yeah, I know what you mean. If you’ve gotten one night of uninterrupted sleep since this case started, I don’t know how you did it…” He sighed as he punched the button for the elevator. “I know I haven’t.”
Drake flushed as he thought of the night he had slept dreamlessly through. JJ curled against him was the contributing factor, he was sure. JJ…
“Is he waiting for you?”
Drake jumped with a yelp. “W-what?”
Ryo smiled at him, his cheeks tinged red too. “I recognized that look. God knows, I saw it in my own mirror enough times when I stared thinking about Dee.”
Drake colored. “Yeah. He promised he’d be at my place when I got away. Fuck, Ryo, were you this confused?”
Ryo laughed. “Oh, yeah. I was that confused and more.”
Drake sighed, shoving fingers through his already rumpled hair. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
Ryo patted his shoulder. “Take is as it comes. There’s no harm in taking things one day at a time.”
Drake blinked as Ryo unknowingly echoed JJ’s words.
Ryo smiled at him. “At least you have Dee and I to talk to. I didn’t have anyone to talk to besides Dee. JJ was no help at all. He was more interested in flinging himself at Dee than talking to me… the one who stole Dee’s attention, remember?”
Drake managed a wry laugh. “Oh, yeah. That I remember. He’d come to me and vent. It was his favorite subject. ‘And then Dee kissed him… How could he? What does he see in him anyway?!’ And that was just the wind-up. If I’d let him, he’d go on for hours.”
Ryo winced. “Ouch.”
Drake shrugged carelessly. “It didn’t bother me so much then, except when he wouldn’t shut up. Now… well, it’s in the past.”
Ryo turned to face the opening elevator. “I have to say, you’re still taking it a lot better than I did. I was beating myself up over being attracted to a man for the longest time.”
Drake shrugged pragmatically as he followed the other man into the elevator. “What’s the point in acting like a blushing virgin? Sure, he confuses the hell out of me, but I made my choices. If you don’t count the kiss on the roof, I was the one who made the first move.”
“Really?” Ryo raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah.” Drake’s smile was wry and self-depreciating. “Let’s just say, I was stressed and went a little overboard. JJ wasn’t exactly unwilling and we wound up in bed together.”
Ryo blinked, high color staining his fair skin. “Uhh… I really have no idea what to say to that, so I’m just going to shut up now.”
Drake laughed, and the lines of worry and stress around his gray eyes eased. “I’m not going to tell you all the sordid details, if that’s what’s got you worried. Hell, I don’t think the details are all that sordid, but…”
Ryo blinked at him, embarrassment easing. “Huh?”
It was Drake’s turn to look embarrassed. “Give me a break, huh? I’m still new to this, but I’ve seen enough to know how sex between two guys works.”
“Oh.” Ryo blushed again. From the look on his face, it was clear he was thinking of some of the things he and Dee had done. “So things haven’t gone that far?”
“Far enough.” Drake scowled at him, color creeping up his own face. His own imagination had gotten carried away and some of the thoughts weren’t at all unpleasant to contemplate.
“If you two are through discussing the sordid and/or not so sordid details of your sex lives, do you think you could get out of the elevator and let other people use it?”
Ryo and Drake both jumped. Deep in their conversation, neither man had noticed the elevator door hiss open. Jim Campbell glared at both of them, a hand propped on his hip.
“Jim?”
“What are you doing here?”
“The case both stations are cooperating on? Remember that? I just came from the morgue, with the autopsy on the girl who was with your office-mate’s daughter.”
That cooled Drake’s blushes fast. “Anything new?”
“Other than another teen being dead?” Jim scowled. “No. Our killer’s too damned careful for that.” He glanced down at the package in his hands. “I have some fiber samples from Stephanie’s clothing that I’m sending to a better equipped lab for processing. Looks like carpet fibers.”
“From one of the vehicles?”
Jim nodded. “Chances are. And god, I hope so. It might be a break in the case.”
Drake hoped so too. They had gone too damned long without a real break in the case. Way too fucking long…
*----------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------*
When he parted with Ryo and Jim, all Drake wanted was a few hours of sleep before the next crisis. He’d all but forgotten about JJ being at his place until he opened his door and saw JJ curled up asleep on one end of his lumpy sofa, nose buried in the battered leather trenchcoat he was holding tight against his chest.
Drake sighed and shook him gently. “Why are you using my coat as a hug toy?”
JJ blinked up at him sleepily. “It smells good. Just like you.”
Drake softened and sat next to him. “Like stale cigarette smoke?”
JJ gave him a sleepy smile. “A little. It smells like your aftershave and soap too. And you.”
Drake made a production of sniffing one pit. “Huh? You saying I stink?”
JJ stretched and wrapped himself around Drake with all the boneless grace of a cat. “No.” He purred against Drake’s throat. “It smells like you, like your skin and hair smell.”
Drake sighed and slipped his arms around JJ, enjoying the warm weight pressed against him. “JJ…”
“I’m sorry about the way I acted earlier. I was just scared.” JJ spoke quietly against the skin of Drake’s neck.
Drake nodded and buried his nose in JJ’s oddly colored hair. “I know. And I’m sorry.”
JJ tipped his head and planted a kiss on Drake’s jaw. “How did it go? I got the text that you were going to be late, but this…” He glanced at the clock on the wall.
Drake explained about the subterfuge Dee and Ryo had come up with and then found himself telling JJ about Stephanie’s account. JJ listened carefully, grimacing sympathetically at Drake’s retelling of how the girl broke down in tears. “Poor kid.”
Drake recounted the message she had been given and had the dubious pleasure of watching JJ’s face go blank with concentration.
“JJ? What is it?”
JJ blinked and shook his head. “I want to hear the recording later. I might want to talk to her again. Something she said reminded me of something.”
“What?”
JJ sighed and cuddled closer. “Something about the way the killer said revenge was a dish best served cold. Something about losing everything…”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know.” JJ shook his head. “I can’t connect the dots right now. Not enough dots.”
Drake frowned at him before a yawn ruined it.
JJ rose to his feet and tugged Drake up. “And I think we both need sleep. Mind if I share the bed? Your couch is lumpy as hell.”
“You don’t like my couch?” Drake plopped back down and made a production of stretching, trying not to wince as the damned broken spring poked him in the ass. The expression didn’t escape JJ who smirked and sat down right on top of him. Drake yelped indignantly as the spring dug into his rear. “Ow! Ow, okay… get off, you lump. That hurts!”
JJ grinned at him. “Want I should kiss it and make it better?”
Drake turned red.
JJ dropped a kiss on his nose before getting up. “Aww, you’re no fun.”
Drake decided a little payback was in order and goosed JJ. The sharpshooter yipped and whirled indignantly. “Drake!”
Drake smirked and rose. “If you don’t hurry, you get to sleep on the floor.”
JJ beat him to the bed by the length of the bedroom.