They'd hitched a ride to the station in a radio car. Cat had been fine during the quick trip. The two young officers pestered Faith with questions about being a Slayer and all the different demons she'd seen. Once they retrieved the case files and climbed into Cat's car, things had become awkward. Fifteen years of waiting for Faith to come back, fifteen years of talking to the missing bond, yelling at it and at Faith for leaving her alone... And now that they were in the car alone, without Faith's Dominant, Cat didn't know what to say. Or how to act. She gripped the wheel too tightly and drove as if they were involved in a high speed chase.
"Heard you say you were from C6." Faith broke the silence. She'd removed her seat belt and sat with her back against the passenger door so she could face Cat. "Me, too. I grew up in Southie. This is the first time I've been back…in a long time."
The news wasn't a surprise. Faith's accent was pure South Boston, with a little West Coast flavor tossed in. But for Faith to volunteer the information left Cat elated. Faith had never talked about herself when they were growing up. Feeling better, a little more positive about being with Faith, Cat responded, "Yeah. I moved here right after college." Cat's parents still hadn't forgiven her for leaving Texas. "Snow looked so beautiful and romantic in pictures. Reality, though, it's a bitch. My first winter here, I didn't even own a coat or snow boots. I was cold all the time, and walking a beat was murder. My partner thought I was a big wuss."
"And I hated California. Hot, humid, and the way they talked." Cat loved Faith's laugh. Or, chuckle, really. It was husky and it hit her right in the heart.
"Did you move there for the Council?" If Cat focused on the road and not on the fact that she was actually talking to Faith it was easier to ask questions.
She saw Faith shake her head. "Not really."
There was no more explanation forthcoming. This was more the Faith that Cat remembered. How many times had she pressed Faith for details about herself because of something she'd felt through their bond? But no matter how many times she'd asked, no matter how she'd begged, Faith had shut her out or stopped talking if Cat asked about her life. She had been very young then. She'd believed that Faith was her Dominant.
Cat no longer had those illusions - and she was a detective. Setting her jaw, Cat did what she'd always wanted. She mined for information.
"So you went to see the sun and the sand? I love the beach. Me and my folks used to hit Corpus a couple of times a year. And I visited Miami Beach one Spring Break." It had been a horrible experience. Too many drunken college students. All of them either already bonded and hanging all over their bondmates or stumbling around coming on to any unattached Dom or sub in the drunken belief they'd finally found their "intended."
Faith shifted again, going back to a traditional pose on the seat, staring straight ahead out the windshield. It meant Cat couldn't see her expression when she glanced over. "Ran into a badass vamp. Thought California was far enough away he couldn't find me."
Fear blinded Cat for a moment. She lost sight of the road as her throat closed. "It's dead, right?" she asked tightly. If it wasn't…
"Take it easy, tiger." Faith reached across the car and gently touched Cat's shoulder. "I'm here, ain't I? Kakistos got dusted a long time ago. Bastard followed me all the way to Sunnydale, the biggest craphole on the planet. He died there after I got some help."
Cat shivered as Faith's fingers closed over her shoulder a second time that day. She didn't even notice the pain from the bruises and welts. "Faith." She couldn't stop the soft entreaty, a plea for more, when Faith's hand dropped back to the seat.
"Cat?" Faith was watching her now, eyes wide.
The moment stretched on too long. Cat was off-balance, body and heart ready to throw themselves at Faith while her mind screamed warnings. She had to pull it together. Faith didn't remember. As far as she was concerned Cat was a stranger - an obviously crazy one, based on her current actions. Staring grimly at the red leather cuff on her right wrist, Cat concentrated on its meaning. Forsaken. Alone. A sub with a broken bond. Faith's touch had meant nothing more than a fellow sub offering comfort. She needed to apologize or make a joke. She needed to let Faith know she wasn't going to cross any boundaries. "Sorry. No one…It's been a long time…" Cat pressed her lips together before she embarrassed herself further. "Your Domme seems all sweet on the surface, but I bet she could kick my ass if she wanted. No way am I poaching." She managed a more teasing tone the second time around. Blinking rapidly, Cat willed away yet another round of near-tears.
"You kinda push her buttons," Faith admitted. "Ain't never seen her go all Alpha Domme like she did last night when you tried to shake my hand. She had you almost on your knees, didn't she?" Although Faith matched Cat's attempt at humor, the message was clear. Faith belonged to Tara, and Tara would be more than happy to prove that point if Cat pushed the issue.
More unsettled than ever, Cat withdrew behind The Job. "We're almost to the third crime scene. The body was found overlooking the Bay in Marine Park. From the photos, it's probably not a vampire attack. The marks look exactly like the ones from the church this morning."
The binder holding copies of the crime scene photos rustled as Faith opened it. "Yeah. None of this makes sense."
"Do vampires, I don't know, make bargains with humans?" College literature discussions of Faust teased Cat. "What's the connection? The victimology shows no ties between the victims. They were all left in different parts of the city. Different ages, races, genders, socio-economic backgrounds. The only similarity is cause of death."
"Vamps are big on family, especially if their Sire is around." Faith bounced her right leg. Nervous energy? Or nervous twitch? Cat wondered. "Only know one time vamps worked with a human. Doubt you got anything like that here."
Faith fell silent, obviously unwilling to explain further. Not wanting to upset their tentative working relationship, Cat didn't push for more. Angling the car into a clearly marked no parking zone, Cat climbed out. Despite the meager sunlight, it was frigid this close to the water. Wind gusted, and whitecaps were visible beyond the snowy beach. "The body was on the pedestrian path." She zipped up her coat and pulled on gloves.
Faith watched her bundle up with a smirk. She wore only a hooded sweatshirt beneath a faded jeans jacket. "I thought you said you'd been in Boston for a while? Looks like you're still a big wuss, tiger."
"I'm not courting pneumonia," Cat retorted. Marching off in faux insult, she called over her shoulder, "Does Tara know you don't have a coat?"
"Bitch." Although Cat had a head start, Faith caught her in seconds. "You gonna rat on me? Toss a sister sub under the bus? That's harsh." Her grin was back for a second and then she sobered. "This place is wide open. You got a few trees up around the beach and parking lot. The walkway... I can see all the way out on the water."
Cat nodded. "Just like the church. Not to mention it's a cool mile out to the center point of the walkway - and that's where we found the body. I'm in good shape and I wouldn't want to carry you that far. Someone bigger? This vic was not a small woman. Five-nine and two fifty."
"I could do it easy." There was no boast in Faith's voice. She simply stated a fact. "So could a vamp."
They'd hit the pedestrian walkway and the wind picked up. There was no one around, and it was eerily quiet except for the wail of the wind and the soft slapping of the waves. "Still doesn't track. Human killer but vampire body hauler? What about victims two and four? Maura's pretty sure they were killed during the day."
"Weren't dumped during the day, right? Me and T read the reports." Stopping, Faith pivoted and scanned the entire area. Her eyes narrowed as she faced Castle Island. "We got a watcher. The Fort ain't open this time of year, and he ain't bird watchin' in the winter."
Only her training kept Cat from looking in that direction, too. Instead, she casually strolled up to the railing and leaned against it. "I'll call it in. Get a radio car to do a sweep." She pulled her cellphone out and dialed dispatch. "This is Detective Cat McClearen, badge 6171. I have a possible 10-31 at Fort Independence. Requesting units at that site."
"Roger that, Detective. Do you want to be notified when units arrive?" The dispatcher was all business, and Cat heard the sound of rapid typing in the background as the dispatcher documented her call.
"Yes. Notify Detective Jane Rizzoli of developments." Cat wasn't taking any chances. Jane could be...difficult if she felt out of the loop. She waited for an acknowledgement before ending the call and stuffing the phone back in her pocket.
Joining Cat at the railing, Faith looked out over the water. "Hey, T. You good to talk?" she said out loud.
Cat's hunched her shoulders and tried to tune out Faith's seemingly one-sided conversation. She used to do that, once upon a time.
Unfortunately, there was nothing to distract her as Faith continued. "Rizzoli's about to get a call. Found some action up near Fort Independence. Cat called it in." She paused and her head tilted comically to one side. "I'm not stupid, T! We're hangin' out waiting for the cop cars."
Faith's body language changed abruptly. She straightened and her chin dropped to her chest in the universal Bad Sub posture. "Sorry, Tara."
Cat's stomach cramped at the sight. She'd always imagined Faith standing tall and strong. Clearly in charge of those around her.
"Yeah. I mean, yes, Tara. I remember the rules." Faith's hands were now rubbing nervously up and down her pant legs. "I'll be ready. Yes, Tara."
In the distance, Cat heard sirens. They grew louder as she watched Faith out of the corner of her eye. The conversation must be over. Not only was Faith not speaking out loud, her posture had relaxed. Instead of braced for Tara's displeasure, Faith was slumped against the rail with her eyes closed.
A strange need to wrap her arms around Faith, to protect her, hit Cat hard. She looked so sad. So defeated. Cat inched closer so they almost touched along one side. "Tara wasn't happy?" Her muscles ached with the strain of not bridging the rest of the gap. If she did, Cat knew there would be no going back.
A tight laugh answered her.
"I…I could talk to her," Cat offered quietly. It probably wouldn't help. Dominants rarely accepted excuses. Anything she said to Tara might be viewed as interference, and backfire. "We weren't anywhere near the Fort." Cat would be willing to do anything to take care of Faith right now. "I could tell her it was my fault. That I'd made you do it. Tell Tara to report me to Cavanaugh." Judicial punishment would be worth it to protect her Faith.
"I'm not lyin' to T, and you aren't lying, either." Faith pushed away from the railing and glared at Cat – who took a step back and dropped her eyes. "Call dispatch and find out what the unis found."
"Yes, Faith." Cat hit redial on her phone and asked for a status check. "Nothing," she relayed a moment later. "No luck. Jane sent CSU out to look at foot- and fingerprints. The responders said there were signs of activity but no obvious physical evidence there."
Eyes narrowed, Faith peered at the Fort again, where Cat could faintly see the flashing red and blues of the radio car light bar. "Time to do some more digging, tiger. Walk or drive the rest of the way?"
The conference room was packed. Every single member of the taskforce was in attendance, along with most of the brass from Boston Police Headquarters. Too many people in too small a space. It was hot and smelled of the leftover food in the overflowing garbage cans in one corner.
Cat stood jammed against Korsak as Jane briefed the team. "The sixth victim, Paula Benton, actually lived near the dump site. St. Peter's Church on Flaherty. It's the first time a victim was connected in any way to the neighborhood where we found the body."
Seamlessly, Maura stepped in. "I completed the autopsy of Ms. Benton a few hours ago. Cause of death was exsanguination. The victim had two spherical puncture wounds spaced approximately five centimeters apart. The punctures were smooth, with no tear marks, as might be expected from a bite wound."
A hand rose in the back ranks. "Dr. Isles, are you saying we are not dealing with a vampire?"
"I'm sorry. Were you not listening?" Maura's voice was sharp, and Cat glanced at Jane, who appeared both proud and pained. And with good reason. "At no time did I offer an opinion on the nature of the killer. I do not have any evidence to prove – or disprove – that a vampire, demon, or human killed Ms. Benton."
Funeral parlors were louder than the conference room after Maura's comment. Cat used the time to observe Faith and Tara. After the scene in Marine Park, Faith had recovered her equilibrium. She'd been the perfect partner as they'd spoken with the officers at the Fort and then driven to each of other crime scenes. There had been no more shared personal information or teasing.
To Cat, it had been a small yet still painful replay of the day the bond had disappeared. Faith had withdrawn. There and…not there, just as Cat knew her bond with Faith was alive even if Faith didn't remember.
Faith knelt at Tara's feet. Unlike the previous night, there was no companionable contact. Faith's back was ramrod straight, hands resting palms-up on her thighs. Tara idly stroked Faith's neck where it met her collar.
There were at least three other submissives in similar poses around the room. Had Cat been at the briefing as Faith's sub, she would have been happy to kneel for Faith.
This was different. Faith shouldn't kneel. Tara shouldn't touch her as if she owned Faith.
Cat shifted and managed to bump Korsak. He turned his head and gave her a questioning look. Mouthing an apology, Cat directed her attention back to Tara as she piggybacked on Maura's autopsy report. Her voice was so soft, Cat leaned forward to hear better. "Dr. Isles won't speculate based on the current evidence. However, the Slayers' Council is confident the killer is not a vampire." A murmur rose from the group. "The bite marks are clearly not vampiric in nature. Other demonic activity has not yet been ruled out."
More hands waved in the air. Tara considered them for a moment without giving anyone a chance to ask questions.
"We do have one other new piece of information." The hands reluctantly dropped when Jane stepped up to the large map of Boston covering one wall of the room. "During an examination of Dump Site Number Three, Detective McClearen and Slayer Lehane spotted someone watching them from a point here," she tapped the Fort Independence symbol. "CSU recovered several partial prints, cigarette butts, and shoe prints. All of those items are being examined and run through local and federal databases now." Jane followed Tara's example and ignored anyone with a raised hand. "We don't have any other details. We'll schedule another full-team briefing once the lab results are in."
There were several minutes of scraping chairs as most of the gathered officers and detectives filed out of the room. The Deputy Superintendent and Lieutenant Cavanaugh cornered Jane and Maura. Korsak made a beeline for the door.
That left Cat vulnerable when Tara approached. "Detective McClearen, I'd like to speak with you. In private, please."