Evil Eyes 2
"Lanie, am I happy to see you!" Kate was up out of her chair to hug her old friend who she had just seen four days ago since they had driven up to see her and Javi. Plus she had called her office to request her help with her two dead teenagers. "Any progress?" she asked softly. Lanie shook her head. "Everything's booked for the next two years or longer." Lanie was bummed that they couldn't find a venue for their wedding. She couldn't believe that there were women willing to wait three years just so they could get married There. Wherever There happened to be. "I can get Rick to help look; he found ours and he actually does have contacts amazingly enough." Kate offered up Rick's help even though he knew nothing about it. "I'll take it, maybe it'll be as awesome as yours." Lanie loved her pictures and video of that mountaintop wedding. "He'll find you something. ...Now come with me, I've got two bodies that need your expertise."
"I'm taking the State Examiner over to our two bodies, call me if you need something or if someone gets lucky somehow," Kate called out. "You got it, Boss," was the answer she got back. "Boss, huh?" Lanie loved the sound of it. "Don't encourage them. I still haven't gotten used to being a county sheriff. I knew Montgomery had paperwork and while I know I have less than him, it's still too much." Kate had always hated paperwork. Unfortunately it was a necessity.
"Nice car, girl," Lanie remarked as she got into Kate's Chrysler PT-Cruiser Limited. "I haven't driven my Jeep in so long I've almost forgotten I have my own car. Thank god I remembered to order tire chains last winter for the office's new vehicles! We did get some use out of them last year. Winter's coming up soon and this'll be another test of our vehicles. So far there have been no complaints." Kate hadn't gotten any complaints over the new computers or improved building, either. Still it hadn't gotten really cold yet like the girls in the office had talked about and snow on the ground was at least a few weeks away if not more.
Lanie didn't say a word about where Kate was taking her and found herself inside a walk-in cooler. She also didn't see a table to work on. "Newcastle isn't New York City," Kate reminded Lanie seeing the look on her face. "In fact I had to go to the high school to get the supplies I needed to make casts of all the tire tracks that were in the area. I SWEAR, the idiot sheriff that came before me must have given out nothing but speeding tickets and parking tickets. The office had nothing." Kate had been pissed even after she had gotten the inventory list she had asked for. Now she was even more pissed.
"They're lucky to have you, Kate, really lucky." Lanie knew she was perfect for the job. "Take me back to my plane and I'll unload my equipment. I even have my own portable autopsy table. It might fit in your car, just maybe," Lanie said somewhat doubtfully. "We can go back to the office and change to one of the two Ram trucks. How did you get here? Fly into..." Lanie interrupted her. "We landed in your little airport...field, whatever that place is."
Kate's eyes opened wider. "You landed out there? That place is nothing more than a field, not even flat, nothing. Your pilot's either brave or an idiot." Kate was amazed. She wasn't even sure if it had wind flags. It certainly didn't have a control tower, lights, or even a gas truck. Lanie chuckled. "I'm thinking he's both actually. Let's get your truck and take me to my plane. If you can help me load the truck I'll get started. ...Is your mom's restaurant open tonight?" Lanie would kill to eat there. "I'll call and make reservations for tomorrow. Just be ready for a busload of older people on their way to Mount Rushmore," Kate warned her, since tomorrow was one of the scheduled stops of the tour company. "How's she doing?" Lanie, of course, knew Johanna was pregnant. "She's being stubborn and is convinced that the restaurant will fold without her. Oscar makes her sit for as long as he can every hour. Mom isn't making it easy on him."
"Not to worry, the later in the pregnancy she gets the more tired she'll be. You should know that." Kate had gone through her pregnancy but she wasn't fifty years old and would be fifty-one when the baby was born. "Is she still stressing out about the baby?" Lanie asked on the ride back to the office to pick up the truck. "Not much at the moment, that will likely change though." Kate really wanted everything to go well for her mom. "She's due in mid-March if I remember correctly," Lanie said. "There will probably be snow on the ground. We have a hospital of sorts, it just isn't the hospital in Rapid City." The hospital in Rapid City was at least an hour away even if Kate used her lights and siren and she would if it came to that.
She stayed only long enough to help Lanie get set up since it was just her and her pilot. "And when are you having a baby?" she asked and got a glare from Lanie. "I have room for you on my table," Lanie snapped as she slapped it. Kate raised her hands in surrender. "I'm going, I'm going. ...But I'll be back." She made a hasty retreat out the door. "YOU BETTER RUN, GIRL," Lanie yelled after her. Lanie loved babies just so long as they were someone else's.
"I've got something for you, Boss." Greta handed over her folder just as Kate made it back inside. "Not you, too?" she moaned. "I'm going to get you two for this, mark my words!" she grumbled, pointing at Elizabeth and Rebecca. "Anything you say...Chief," Elizabeth teased. "I better not find a phone booth in this office," she called over her shoulder as she walked into her office, referencing the '60s TV series, Get Smart. She missed the high five between Elizabeth and Greta. "We need a phone booth," Elizabeth said, and Rebecca picked up the phone. "On it!" Though she couldn't stop laughing.
Kate had nothing and it was frustrating her more than words could say. She left her office to stare at her white board that had what meager amount of information she had on it. She had their names and had talked with their parents which went about as expected. There was a list of their friends and she had one of her officers out to interview each of them, trying to find out all she could about the teens. Why were they out there walking at that hour? Where were they going? Names of all the people they knew. She was totally zoned out till she felt someone tugging on her uniform. She looked down and smiled at who she saw. Then the realization set in and she quickly flipped the board so that the little girl couldn't see the pictures that were on it. "Hi Kate." Sam smiled up at her. She knelt down to hug her. "Hi, Sam. ...Did you bring your backpack?" It had her sleep clothes and clothes to wear for tomorrow. Kate watched her point at her mom who was holding it for her and talking to Rebecca about what projects needed to be worked on since she didn't have 911 call center tonight.
"Go get your mom while I get my bag." Kate guided her to Amber while she retreated to her office. Moments later she heard, "Kate?" They usually just traded off and Kate went home, this must mean something had changed. Amber silently went into full blown panic mode. She didn't think she had done anything wrong, but the economy wasn't as good as it used to be. "Amber, Alexis has been wanting another sleepover with her friends and having Ava has made things in our lives more complicated." Kate could already see Sam bouncing at the prospect.
"I need to solve this case first so I was thinking about having the sleepover the day after we solve it. I wish I could tell you when that day would be, but I wanted to find out if you were open to the idea." Sam was really bouncing now.
Amber took a relieved breath and smiled at the enthusiasm of her daughter. Amber didn't wait for her daughter to ask her. "Just tell me when and I'll bring her with a suitcase instead of just her backpack. Your place or mine?" If it was just Alexis and maybe Jenny, she would take them. "We're thinking of inviting Paige as well and making it a party. There's another complication for tonight though. Midas got hurt today and his back leg is all wrapped up in a bandage; he's supposed to stay off it as much as possible."
Kate watched Sam clap her hands over her mouth and she looked like she was ready to cry. "He'll be fine, sweetie. He just has to stay off his leg for about a week. He'll be as good as new, I promise." Kate tried to make her feel better. "You heard her, Sam. Do not play with Midas unless Kate or Rick tell you that you can. Understand?" Amber asked and watched her nod. "That's my girl." Amber hugged and kissed her.
Sam was silent all the way home. Kate felt bad for her. Sam was over so often that Midas and Maggie had adopted her and made her part of the family. "Lanie's going to sleep in the guest room tonight so you're sleeping in Alexis's room in the extra bed. Wash your face and brush your teeth, sweetie, and I'll be up to tuck you in in a few minutes." Kate watched Sam go upstairs to Alexis's room.
Kate found Rick with baby Ava in his arms, both of them sound asleep on the sofa. He was holding her tight to his chest. She smiled as the sight tugged at her heart strings. She took out her phone to take a picture. However, Kate wasn't looking forward to what came next. She wanted her daughter to be happy being a Dragon even in a world that didn't have Dragons. She didn't want a repeat of what Meredith had done to Alexis. Being a Dragon didn't automatically make her a monster. It had taken a lot of work to get Alexis to feel good about being a Bear.
She left them to sleep for now while she went upstairs to tuck Sam in. "All set?" Kate tugged the sheets and comforter in place and tucked in Sam's penguin, Petey. "You can see Alexis and the dogs in the morning. Maybe even Ava if she isn't sleeping. I know Alexis will be very happy to see you. Pleasant dreams." She kissed her forehead and watched her yawn. She stopped at the door and thought about things. Amber was working in her office full-time now during the late shift. Her husband still had his job even though, according to Amber, it didn't pay that much and their son was still working at her mom's restaurant. As a family they were doing so much better now and Kate was happy about that.
Kate still didn't believe how much money it took to run a sheriff's office and how much paperwork she needed to quantify how much money she spent, what she spent it on, and why. She had to keep track of each credit card that each of her officers had and what they used it on. The notice of next year's budget being 20% to 30% lower concerned her. She had just hired everyone she needed and she was still technically short almost two people. What if this meant someone had to go? "I'll take a pay cut," she said to herself. "Rick makes more than enough for all of us." She knew his latest book was doing well and the checks were still coming in. He was even working on the next one, or so he told her.
She carefully stepped in and worked slowly at taking Ava from him. Since she was still sleeping she took her upstairs to their room and put her in her crib, then she sat down to pump for tomorrow while watching Ava sleep. "You didn't wake me up." A voice had her looking up from her baby girl to find Rick rubbing his eyes.
Kate felt weird sitting there topless with cups that had bottles attached to them and the soft noise of the pump. Still he ignored it all and leaned down to kiss her. "I love you." And those three words elevated her heart rate yet again. He loved her even sitting there looking less than sexy. How did she get so lucky? Meredith's loss was her gain and she was keeping him till hell froze over and maybe not even then. "How long have you been home?"
She just smiled and reached up to pull his head back down to kiss him. She could feel the desire to have him inside her building up. She could feel the desire to have him inside her building up. They had only made love to each other a couple of times since giving birth to Ava, but it felt good to know that having a baby hadn't made her need for him lessen as her need for him grew. "Not long, just long enough to put Sam to bed and take Ava from you. You two looked so cute like that."
"Yeah, I'll bet. Drool dripping down my mouth with a baby doing the same to my shoulder. Really cute, very sexy," he responded sarcastically. She chuckled. She hadn't noticed any drool and even if she had it wouldn't have changed anything. Good thing she had a picture of it. "How goes your case?" Rick changed the subject.
"It's going nowhere; we've got next to nothing. I'm hoping Lanie can shed some light on that. I left her my Jeep to get around in. Drove her out here and left her the keys and went back to the office," Kate said. Rick got on his knees and looked her in the eye. "I had a nice long talk with Ava about not being a Dragon until we tell her she can." He took Kate's hands in his. "What I don't know is if she was listening or even understood me. I'm still wrapping my mind around how she's more mentally mature as a baby Dragon than a baby human. I know Ava the Dragon is in there and listening, I just don't know how much."
Kate's love for him soared. Still she was the mother and the Dragon in this house. "I'll talk to her in the morning. She needs to learn when she can and can't be a Dragon. I hate it but it's just the way life is for us." Being a shifter meant complications.
"Are you sorry you bonded with me that night?" He looked down, somewhat saddened that her life was so complicated now. Maybe her Dragon would have remained hidden if not for him. She looked hurt and squeezed his hands. "NEVER! I love you. Maybe I didn't totally understand all of the implications at the time, but that changes nothing. You're never getting rid of me. Ever," she exclaimed as she placed a hand on his cheek.
"I wish I had met you long ago..." he murmured. Kate began shaking her head, getting him to stop when she moved to place a finger over his lips. "You've got me now, and while Alexis isn't mine, she feels like she is. I love both of you and I wouldn't change anything." She was all in now. Hearing Maggie barking followed by doggie nails on the stairs got their attention. "That's probably Lanie. Give me a few minutes to finish. I'll put the milk into bottles and into the refrigerator then I'll be right there," Kate told him as Rick stood and left their bedroom.
oXo
Kate waved on her way to the kitchen and came back out with two glasses of wine, handing one to Lanie. "Thanks, I could use this." Lanie didn't bother sipping. "It's always sad to see someone so young having their life put to an end. It's the only part of this job that sucks."
"Find anything?" Kate was desperate for a lead. "Well, they were both hit by a car or truck. I'm guessing truck due to what looks like the initial impact location. It's a little high for the average car. Based on their injuries the damage to the truck should be significant," Lanie told them. "So the impact killed them?" she asked only to see Lanie shake her head. "Yes, the damage was significant, but that wasn't what killed them. Actually they were both run over. I found distinct tire markings on both of their bodies," said Lanie. Kate and Rick tried to visualize how that could have happened. He was actually using his hands to mimic how a body could be hit and then run over. "I can maybe see one of them getting hit and falling under one of the tires, but both?" He couldn't see it and to be honest, neither could Kate.
"Would it help to know that they weren't run over just once?" Lanie asked and took another drink. That came as a shock to both of them. "It wasn't an accident, they were targeted and killed. ...Except our interviews with everyone they knew don't lead us to that." Kate was confused. "Maybe it was both," Rick suggested and saw the blank look on his wife's face. "He or they hit the kids by accident. Fell asleep at the wheel, drunk, stoned, something. Then they backed up and ran them over making sure they were dead," he said grimly.
"Making sure they didn't survive to rat on them and send them to prison." Kate was catching on. "It still leaves me with the problem of finding them and making sure it was them in the truck," she said.
"I've sent paint chips off to be analyzed so you may get a paint color of the truck. I also found lice on both of them," Lanie informed them. "Head lice? Please tell me you didn't bring them home with you!" Kate didn't need her girls getting head lice. The damn things were tough to get rid of. Lanie replied, "I'm clean, I made sure. Since lice bite you to get your blood..." Kate finished what she was about to say for her. "You can get DNA from the blood. He or they hit them, backed up and maybe went forward again to run them over and make sure they were dead and not just injured. One or more got out to make sure they were both dead and left some head lice behind. If you can match the blood and maybe the lice themselves, I can nail them for murder and not just vehicular manslaughter. Running them over shows intent to kill and not just an accident. Please tell me you kept some of the lice too!" she remarked and saw Lanie glare at her. "Sorry," Kate said apologetically.
A sudden cry from Ava on the baby monitor had Kate getting up. "I think that's my cue," she said after standing. "I can use one of the bottles and you two can continue to talk," Rick offered. She shook her head. "I haven't pumped that much, you're going to need what there is for tomorrow. But thanks for the offer, babe." She leaned down to kiss his head then went upstairs to feed her daughter.
"I'm glad you two found each other. She and Jo were both lost after Jim died. I know Kate hid it well and decided that she needed to be strong to support her mother, but they were both hurting," Lanie said after Kate left. "I can't take the credit, she saved me, too. I never really knew I needed someone besides Alexis until Kate came into my life," Rick admitted.
"Not afraid that she's a cop?" Lanie asked, meaning Kate might not come home one day. "If she was in the murder capital of the world then I probably would be. But I have faith that she's been trained well and Newcastle likely hasn't had a murder in years. At least until now. And she's good at it and is dedicated to her job. If it makes her happy then I'm happy." Plus he knew something Lanie didn't. Kate wasn't just a kick-ass sheriff but also a powerful Dragon if it came down to it.
"Missing the city?" Lanie questioned since Newcastle was barely a fraction of the size of New York City. He shook his head. "There's room to live out here and by that I mean live, not just exist. What about you? You gave up the city, too." He knew a city girl when he saw one. "Sometimes, but I wouldn't have this job without Kate. I know she did something, but I'm not sure what. I fly or drive all over the state. We may be two to two and a half hours from each other and not working together, but we're still close. Still close enough to be best friends. It's like living in Jersey, someone in Queens, and someone in the Bronx. Just without the stop lights, taxis, or trains. How's Johanna and Oscar?" Lanie changed the subject.
"Pregnant," he chuckled. "You'll get to see tomorrow since we have reservations. Just get ready for all the old people." He used his fingers to try and look scary. Lanie was amused but not scared. "Just so long as none of them are my mother." Even getting engaged hadn't made her mom happy!
