Title: Cold Case – Hope Lives
Summary: Detective Lilly Rush finds a little more than the truth when the Squad investigates an unsolved murder.
Pairing: Lilly Rush & OFC
Rating: M for F/F sexual content.
Disclaimer: No profit or copyright infringement intended during the writing of this story. All characters other than original remain the property of creator Meredith Stiehm, Jerry Bruckheimer TV, Warner Bros TV and CBS Productions.
Chapter 4
I enter my house after an early morning outing and the phone rings as I enter the kitchen. Putting down the groceries, I pick up the receiver, "Hello."
"Good morning," replies Lilly cheerfully.
"How are you?"
"Great, I was wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner with me tonight."
"I'd like that Lilly."
"Okay, I'll pick you up around seven."
I agree to the time and give her my address. I spend the rest of the day watching random episodes from the first four seasons of Xena and struggle for breath when the Crusader Najara comes to life on screen. "Holy shit!" I exclaim. Except for the short curly blonde hair, she is a dead ringer for Lilly.
Before I know it, it is time for me to get ready for my date. I now have a clear understanding of the appeal for the television show and admit I do indeed resemble Lucy Lawless. Although I have natural black hair unlike Lucy who is ash blonde under the dye, we share similar facial features, blue eyes and physique.
I giggle to myself on the way to the bathroom and continue to find the amusing side to Lilly and my doppelgangers while I shower then dress in burgundy trousers, long sleeve white shirt and black sweater.
I am fully enthralled in a fight scene featuring Najara when I hear Lilly pull into the drive. Turning off the DVD player and TV, I secure the house and meet Lilly on the porch. My throat constricts and I think to myself, "Oh good god, she is amazing." The blonde is wearing her hair out and a grey pants suit with a pink shirt. She is gorgeous and I am a blithering idiot on the inside. I finally get my act together and say, "Hello." With all the superlatives racing around in my brain that is the best I can come up with . . . I am toast.
"Hey Connie, are you ready to go?"
The Queen of vocabulary finally manages to string two words together, "Yes, I certainly am."
Smirking at my reply, Lilly steps in closer and cups my face with warm hands, "You look really nice."
Searching for an ingenious reply, I come up empty handed, "So do you Lilly." My eyes lock onto hers and I sigh as her lips brush against mine. They are soft and I want more. Clever words be damned! Less talk and more action seems like the best way to go. I place my hands on Lilly's hips and draw her closer, deepening our kiss. My body shivers as a tongue runs over my bottom lip. I gently reciprocate by probing her mouth and am rewarded with a soft moan.
Ten minutes pass before Lilly ends the kiss. Both our breaths are ragged. Our first kiss was perfect and I'm so close to the edge of oblivion that I want to drag her inside and have my way with her. "Oh god, where are these Mills and Boon thoughts coming from?" I ask myself.
Lilly's eyes are focused on me and I see the need in her eyes. I turn and open the front door.
"We can always order in," suggests the blonde goddess before her lips meet mine in a fiery kiss.
She manoeuvres me in inside and I close the door blindly. Needing the quickest route to my bedroom before I make a complete dork of myself by climaxing in the hallway, I securely grip Lilly's waist and lift her up. She holds onto my shoulders and wraps her long legs around my 24 inch waist. With our kiss still unbroken, I carry my soon to be lover to my bed.
I flick the light switch as we pass through the doorway. I want to see Lilly clearly as we make love for the first time. I need to witness her beauty and I also want to slow down.
I gently move to the queen size bed and lower Lilly onto the cover. With the kiss ended, I take a second to admire the striking blonde who is looking up at me with an incredible smile. "You're so beautiful," I huskily state while pulling off my sweater.
Lilly's eyes lock onto my movements and she smiles brilliantly.
Slowly, I unbutton my shirt to reveal my burgundy lace bra. My already drenched vulva throbs painfully when the blonde licks her bottom lip. I groan softly, well, more of a whimper really.
"You're wonderful," Lilly comments as I reach behind and unclasp my bra.
A moan escapes from Lilly's mouth as my stiff nipples are exposed.
"Do you like what you see?" I ask boldly.
"Yes, very much so Connie. You have magnificent breasts."
My knees are starting to give way, "Oh god." I reach down and unbuckle my belt then unbutton my trousers. Unzipping the fly, my hands are trembling badly. I am nervous and can't help but shake. I slip off my boots and pull off my trousers and briefs in one fluid motion. My socks soon follow.
"Oh dear god Connie," moans Lilly. "You are stunning."
As I kneel on the end of the bed, my cell rings with a work number. "Shit ... shit ... shit. I'm really sorry, but that's the office."
Lilly gives me a crooked grin, "I understand, take it honey."
Getting off the bed with all the grace of a baby elephant, I pull my phone from my trouser pocket, "Detective Cooper."
"Sorry to disturb you Connie, but we have a multiple shooting and robbery with four confirmed deaths. I need you on it A-SAP."
"Sure Cap, I'm on my way." I listen while Frank gives me the store address then close my phone. I start to dress while Lilly gets off the bed.
She picks up my shirt and bra and hands them to me, "Bad timing hey."
"I'm sorry about this Lilly."
"It's fine, don't sweat it. Would you like me to tag along with you? Maybe we could go out to eat afterwards?"
I smile brightly while tossing on my sweater, "I'd like that."
Lilly walks in behind me and wraps her arms around my midriff, "I'd like to see you at work."
"Yeah, I'm a trip baby," I joke. "I just need to use the bathroom." I retrieve a fresh pair of underpants and race to the ensuite.
I hear Lilly ask, "That bad hey?"
After a quick giggle, I answer, "You have no idea."
"Oh, I think I do."
I exit the bathroom and draw Lilly into my arms, "We are basically the same size, so you are welcome to a pair of briefs."
Lilly kisses me then says, "Thank you that would be more comfortable."
I collect my shield, gun, handcuffs and notebook from the top drawer of the bedside table. Lilly joins me moments later and we race to the crime scene in her car.
-0-
Lilly retrieves her badge and gun from the secured glove compartment before alighting from the vehicle. CSU are already on site collecting evidence and the Medical Examiner greets us briefly while walking past. We are met by the first officers on the scene, Stanton and Reece. Stanton hands Lilly and I two pairs of shoe covers and we put them on. As the officers outline their findings, I scan the store and detect three bodies lying in the third aisle. I notice Lilly is looking too.
"Fourth DB, a Nathaniel Gordon, 55, is in the office out back. Poor guy was worked over pretty bad Sarge," says the petite blonde Amanda Reece.
Looking behind the officers, I see the open door of the safe. "I assume the doer was trying to persuade him to hand over the combination," I reason.
"That's what I was thinking Connie," agrees dark haired Greg Stanton. "We'll commence a canvas of the neighbourhood."
"Thanks Greg and Amanda," I say before carefully making my way towards the office.
"Got to be at least two perps," speculates Lilly while avoiding stepping on bloodied shoe prints.
"Yeah, one guy couldn't have controlled four hysterical people on his own without someone escaping or overpowering them."
Officer Cruz from the Crime Scene Unit approaches, "Hey Cooper and Rush."
Lilly and I both reply, "Hey Rick."
"We've got some useful prints off the gun left behind."
My brows rise, "You got the murder weapon?"
"Yes, I located a Smith & Wesson 38 Special under the second aisle."
"That's great work Rick," I say before moving to the office door.
Stepping inside, I am greeted with the sight of Nathaniel Gordon strapped to a chair with duct tape. His mouth is gagged with a piece of cloth and the same insulating tape.
"Jesus," mutters Lilly as she moves in behind me.
The walls, desk and floor are splattered with blood cast off and there are pools of blood under Gordon's feet and the linoleum. Lilly and I move no closer. I pull two pairs of latex gloves from the inside pocket of my overcoat and pass a set to Lilly.
"Hey Doc, what we got?" I ask the kneeling Medical Examiner.
Doctor Wilson Miller, 50, lean build with greying black hair, removes the thermometer from the victim's liver and looks up, "Time of death no more than thirty minutes ago and there are obvious signs of torture, mutilation and numerous stab wounds. I'll know more once I do the autopsy, but I'd say by the depth of the incision to the neck and the amount of blood loss, cause of death was a severed jugular."
"Wilson," says Lilly as I take a closer look at the victim. "How many stab wounds are we talking about here?"
"Preliminary count is thirty four, but I expect to find more once I remove all the clothes back at the morgue. There are a multitude of hair fibres and prints all over the body and decent shoe impressions on the floor.
I nod then theorise, "Our doers knew the victim. These wounds are too personal and the time of death suggests they panicked when they heard the patrol car's siren approaching. It would also explain the dropped gun and we are definitely dealing with amateurs here with this amount of evidence left behind."
"Good theory Detective Cooper," remarks Lilly with a glint in her blue eyes.
I stay in cop mode and totally ignore how god damn gorgeous she is. "Let's go notify Mr Gordon's next of kin," I suggest, knowing there is little else we can do at the scene.
After a computer check on Nathaniel Gordon, I locate his home address and his wife and son's names.
-0-
"I hate this part," I say while knocking on the door of the semi-detached home. "It never gets any easier."
"No it doesn't, even dealing with cold cases doesn't make it better."
Fifty year old auburn haired Janelle Gordon opens the door, "Can I help you?"
I display my credentials wallet, "Sorry to bother you ma'am. My name is Detective Sergeant Cooper and this is Detective Rush."
The woman before me goes white and starts to collapse. I lunge forward and support her with my arms around her shoulders. Leading her to the sofa in the living room, she breaks down and sobs heavily. Lilly follows after closing the door.
"It's Nathaniel, isn't it?" Mrs Gordon asks moments later.
"Yes ma'am," I answer. "There has been a robbery at the store."
"He's dead?"
"I'm sorry to inform you that your husband has been killed. We'll need you to come with us and make a formal identification when you are ready. We are sorry for you loss ma'am. Is there anyone we can call for you Mrs Gordon?"
An expression of abject horror comes upon Mrs Gordon's face, "Jeremy would have done it, him and that lousy drugged up girlfriend of his. Frank disowned him two months ago after catching him stealing out the register. Jeremy has lost all decency since hooking up with that trollop Hayley. Oh god, I have to call Frank's brother."
Janelle Gordon is correct about her twenty-four year old son Jeremy. Lilly and I pay him a visit along with two uniformed officers. Jeremy and Hayley Thompson are lying on a worn sofa and oblivious to our arrival. Both are stoned with the proceeds of the robbery strewn over the floor. I serve the warrants on the incoherent Jeremy as CSU joins the action and the officers take the blood speckled pair to the station for questioning.
I meet up with Captain Sorrell outside the interview room a short time later and inform him the Crime Lab has already matched the fingerprints taken off the 38 Special to Hayley Thompson. We enter the room that holds Jeremy and commence our interrogation.
-0-
It is well past four am and Captain Sorrell and I are in possession of two signed confessions. Once Jeremy Gordon had been presented with the findings from the Crime Lab matching the blood on his clothes to his father's and the shoe impressions to his sandshoes, he admitted to his crime. Hayley Thompson gave a stilted version of events when confronted with the forensics evidence. She'd been holding the gun on the three customers and panicked when she heard a siren and just started shooting. Jeremy then ran out of the office to tell her his old man was dead and he had the money. Thompson stated the gun was heavy and she just let go of it and fled out the back door with Jeremy. They stopped off at a friends place and bought some weed before returning to the apartment. When asked why they robbed the store, Thompson admitted it was all Jeremy's idea to get back at his father for firing him.
Before starting the paperwork, I go to the crib and check on Lilly. I'd insisted she go home around midnight, but she compromised with suggesting she use the downtime room. Pulling a blanket over her shoulders, I return to my desk and organise forms to have Thompson and Gordon charged at Central Booking along with my report.
Captain Morrell joins me as I print off the last of the papers.
"There you go Cap," I say while handing over a copy.
"Thanks Connie. It was nice to finally meet Detective Rush. John has nothing but admiration for her."
"Yeah, she's good at her job."
"Considering you pair were together at the scene, is it safe for me to assume you were out on a date?"
I chuckle at my boss's straight forward comment, "Yes and I'd like to take my date home."
Frank taps me on the shoulder, "Good work. I'll have Reece and Stanton transport Thompson and Gordon down to Central, so you can go and I'll see you Monday."
"I appreciate that, bye."
I run to the crib and gently shake Lilly's arm, "Lilly, time to go home."
Eyelids flutter open and Lilly smiles, "Mmm, okay. Do I get to sleep in your bed?"
I look down into sleepy blue eyes and return the smile, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Stretching tired limbs, Lilly sits up and frames my face, "I enjoyed out first date."
"It's not over yet and you'll be happy to know Gordon and Thompson both waived their rights to counsel and made full confessions. ADA Thomas is satisfied and so am I."
Lilly kisses me softly on the cheek, "I am too Connie."
-0-
Lilly is asleep again by the time I pull her car into my drive. She stirs when I lift her off the seat and close the door with my boot.
"Mmm, you're incredibly strong."
"And you are beautiful when you sleep."
Unlocking the front door while balancing my precious cargo on my knee, I ask, "Are you all right to walk?"
A soft sigh escapes the blonde's mouth and her breath blows across the hollow of my neck. Carefully, I lean Lilly up against the wall and secure the door. "Good god, I'm falling fast for this woman," I say to myself as I start down the hall to the bedroom.
After lying Lilly on the bed, I have a quick shower and don a tee shirt and pair of cotton boxers. I return to the bed and am surprised to find Lilly has taken off her clothes and is snuggled in under the covers. She is breathing deeply as I slide in behind her and drape my left arm across her bare waist. Nuzzling into the back of her neck, I quickly fall asleep.
-0-
