Author's note - hey so I did mean to update on Friday but I had a really really bad day which involved crying and people hugging me all the time then I was at my caravan over the weekend and there was no internet which was good in a way just not for this. Promise I'll update next Friday.
Thanks again for the reviews on the last chapter - they really meant a lot. Please could you try and review for this chapter, it would make me feel so much better. Anyway, enjoy!
"Good. Where are we going?"
"I don't know. How about that new sushi place a few blocks away?"
"Sure." As they walked out of the precinct Tommy reached behind and put his arm around Megan's waist. She didn't try and stop him, instead she placed her head on his shoulder and they realised how well they fitted into each other's arms.
The next day Tommy walked into Megan's office holding two coffees. "This is becoming a habit." she said as she took her coffee from him.
"At least your arguments with Kate aren't."
"Yeah. I'd much rather have coffee than no job."
"Well you will forever get fresh coffee and a visit from me in the mornings."
"Hmmm, I like the sound of that."
"What? The coffee or me?"
"Both." she smiled. "Found anything new?"
"Stuart Carter alibied out. His lady friend and his wife both said that he was with them at the times of the murder. We're still at square one."
"No we aren't. We worked out what the braille on Patrick Smith's back says."
"Go on."
"I warned you not to tell."
"What?"
"It's what the braille spelt out."
"Why put it on his back?"
"Why Morse code?"
"Touché. Any way of knowing who wrote it?"
"We found a partial print on the skin, the lab are running it through the database. I was just going over all of the items that could have made the message. Want to help?"
"Sure." She passed him a book. "Wait, this stuff isn't on the computer?"
"What would you search? Weapon great for writing Morse code messages in someone's back?"
"Something tells me that won't be on ebay..."
She laughed. "Probably not."
"I dare you to search for it though."
"What are we? 5th graders playing truth or dare?"
"Mock all you want Megan, I dare you to search for it."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine." She sighed overdramatically. She typed the words into her computer. "Tommy." She said, he tone surprised.
"What?"
"Come here a minute."
Tommy stood up and leant on the table, their faces just a few centimetres apart. He looked at the screen. "Do you think that review's real?"
"I don't know."
"I mean, how could she-"
"Tommy! Not that one! The one below it!"
"Oh. I knew that." He laughed.
"Hmm, sure you did."
He leaned closer to her. She could feel his breath on her neck and it sent a tingle down her spine as the hair on her neck stood on end. The smell of his aftershave was intoxicating her and, if she hadn't been sitting down, she was sure her knees would've buckled beneath her. She turned to face him. Less than a centimetre was between their lips. She looked up at him, their eyes locking. He reached out to touch her and moved a piece of hair away from her face. Another shiver racked through her body. At that moment Tommy's phone rang. "You should probably get that." she said as she moved away from him, grabbed her bag and began to walk out of the room.
"Megan!" he shouted, "Where are you going?"
"Down to the lab." His phone was still ringing. She looked at him. "You gonna get that?"
"Megan!" He tried to shout her but it was too late. She had left. Their almost perfect moment had been ruined and he was left watching her leave him again.
Body of Proof
"What's up?" asked Adam as Tommy threw himself into his chair.
"Megan." he said.
"What happened?"
"We had an almost perfect moment, the first since I came, then my phone rang and startled her."
"Whoever called got an earful I guess."
"Naww, it was a wrong number. Felt like throwing that phone against a wall." He put his head in his hands.
"Hey, I have an idea."
"Go on. Even your ideas may be helpful right now."
"Idea 1: Go out with Officer Dunn again. You saw how jealous she was."
"What's idea 2?" He couldn't put up with another date with Jordan Dunn.
"Idea 2: Invite her round for dinner or a movie or something."
"You know, that's actually not a bad idea. There are some things we need to discuss anyway."
"Anytime."
"Any news on the print?"
"No. What else did you and Megan get up to, apart from the eyesex and almost kissing?"
"We know what made the marks in Mr Smith's back. We googled it. That was the reason I went you know."
"What? Really? So it wasn't too bring her coffee in the hope she might forgive you and maybe kiss you in the process?"
"That may have been my intention..." He trailed off. "Geez Adam, how did you get so good at reading people?"
"I'm a cop Tommy. It's my job. It's your job. Look, if I can read you then I can read Megan. She cares for you, she just doesn't want to be hurt again. I mean, she got divorced and had to watch as her boss slept with her ex then Peter died just a few years later. I think you showing up at that time just rattled her a little. She needs time to accept everything that's happened before she can realize that you've changed."
"Thanks Adam."
"It's ok. What did make the Morse code marks?"
"This." Tommy got the page up and showed Adam. It was a plastic finger pointer. He showed him the review.
"Woah. That's creepy. I mean who would write that as a review? How could she-"
"I know! Megan didn't understand my interest into that review! How could she do that?"
"Eww."
"Anyway, it's this review we're focusing on." Tommy read it "I warned him not to tell."
"That's worse than the one above. Who would write something like that?"
"Tech are tracking the IP address down now so hopefully we'll have an address soon."
"In the meantime, why don't you talk to Megan?"
"Because when she realised what we were doing she ran. I don't think she wants to kiss me."
"Maybe she's just scared of it falling apart again."
"I've changed though. I don't want to hurt her again."
"She has to realise that herself." He laughed, "Who'd have ever thought I'd giving relationship advice to you?"
"Yeah well, when it comes to Megan I'm a mess." He smiled. His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was the address of the review writer. "You coming?"
Body of Proof
Unfortunately the IP address had come from an abandoned warehouse and couldn't be traced easily to any one person. This didn't stop Tommy and Adam from taking a look around. "No sign of a computer." said Adam.
"Or any hygiene." Tommy had almost stood in what appeared to be a puddle of wee. They were about to turn and leave when a noise startled them. "What was that?" asked Tommy.
"I don't know. It came from over there."
"It sounded like a drinks can bring knocked over. Come on." They walked towards the noise, guns and flashlights at the ready. They turned the corner. A man was standing over a bin, rummaging through it. The approached the man carefully. "Sir?" said Tommy. The man turn to look at them. "My name is Detective Sullivan and this is my partner Detective Lucas. We just want to ask you a few questions about someone who was here about a week ago."
The man thought for a while before answering. "Look, I don't know very much."
"But you know something?"
"A man was here with a briefcase. I don't know who he was or what he did."
"Did you get a good look at him?"
"Yes, he didn't know I was here. He just set up his laptop or whatever was in the briefcase and sat over there." The man pointed to the far corner. "He was gone within half an hour."
"Would you be willing to come back to the station and describe this man to a sketch artist? It might help solve a murder."
"Anything to help the cops," he paused "but do you think you could set me up at a hostel for a few days?"
"I'll try talk to the chief for you." The man gave a toothy smile and followed Adam and Tommy to the car.
When they got back Adam accompanied the man to the sketch artist while Tommy decided to talk to Megan. He entered the lab and made his way to her office. There was no answer when he knocked and he couldn't see her because the blinds were down so he decided to go inside. She was lying on the floor, blood surrounding her head. "Megan!" screamed Tommy. He rushed immediately to her side. Kate heard the commotion and ran in. She stared at Tommy who was cradling Megan's head in his hands. "Help. You have to help her please!" Kate snapped out of the momentary shock and ran to get help. Tommy stayed knelt on the floor, Megan's head still in his hands. Tears ran down his cheek, dripping onto her face and running down her skin. She looked up at him. She stared into his eyes, the last thing she might ever see. "Megan stay with me. I love you!"
