Pregnant. She's pregnant. Why the hell hadn't he thought she could be pregnant? He walked into the kitchen and poured that cup of coffee, anything to give him a moment to wrap his brain around this unexpected news. Flynn was taken aback. He knew why it hadn't occurred to him, but to admit it made his sound like an ass. When had she become more to him than a boss, a friend, when had she become so damn important to him personally? Pregnant…oh hell she's pregnant…. He stared out the kitchen window and took a big swallow of scalding coffee, burning his mouth and throat. He didn't notice the pain, his heart was aching too much.
"So you are pregnant chief?" Sanchez asked.
"Yes, detective I am….. pregnant." She heard the words come out of her mouth for the first time. Did she sound happy? She didn't know. Was she happy? She couldn't go there, not yet. "And thank you for not thinking I'm too old to be pregnant."
The last comment brought Flynn out of his stunned silence. "I don't think you're too old to have a baby!"
"Well that's so nice to hear Lt." She was really pouring on the sweet southern charm.
"Guess Agent Howard can't wait to get home. He must be really excited."
Flynn watched Brenda fidget, damn; they shouldn't be the first ones hearing this news. Where is the bastard?
She was fiddling with her hair and rubbing her forehead said, "I haven't told him yet. This isn't news you give over the phone." She looked a little unsure than asked, "is it?"
"I wouldn't know chief." Sanchez replied quietly. "So I get to be the first to say congratulations?" Brenda smiled and Sanchez gave her a big hug. Joel trotted through the kitchen catching his attention.
"Wow, chief, I forgot you have a cat." He frowned at Joel.
Brenda looked down at Joel wandering around the kitchen looking for someone to drop him a treat. "Chief you can't take care of Joel if you're pregnant."
"What, that's just silly? Why ever not?"
"It's not safe for the baby."
Brenda looked from Sanchez to Flynn. Flynn nodded, "Its true chief. Could be bad for the baby."
She frowned down at Joel, blank brained as to how to deal with this new kink in her life. "I can't get rid of Joel, he's family." She scooped up the orange cat and buried her face in his fur. "How bad?"
Flynn walked over and took the cat away from her; he scratched Joel before placing him on the floor. "Possible birth defects, possible chief." She looked down at the cats rubbing against Flynn's leg as if he were suddenly possessed. "I said possible. You don't have to get rid of Joel. Just talk to your doctor. Better safe than sorry."
"Chief like I said I come from a big family, lots babies, lots of pets. My nephews will be over to take care of Joel's litter box."
"Julio y'all can't do that. I'm your superior. It's against department policy for me to ask you to do anything off duty."
"You didn't ask. And it won't be me chief. It will be my nephews. Just until agent Howard gets home." He quickly explained and said the boys would be over the next day.
"But Julio…"
"It's for the baby chief." She hugged Sanchez. He caught Flynn's frown and grinned.
"Thank you Julio. I appreciate this."
Brenda walked into the kitchen to refill her coffee cup. Before she could take a drink Sanchez took the cup from her. "You need to talk to your doctor about that too." A quick glance at Flynn confirmed Sanchez was right.
"Oh for heaven sake." She watched as he poured it down the drain. Brenda wondered not for the first time how she was going to get through this. In the last few minutes she discovered how clueless she was. Both these men knew more than she did.
"Congratulation on the baby. I'll see you Monday chief." Sanchez said as he moved to the door, Flynn behind him. Brenda gave him a hug.
"Thank you, Julio."
Flynn gave her a brief hug, "You need anything call me" he said quietly.
Brenda couldn't help it; she was still stinging, believing he thought she was old and ill. "I know a woman of my advanced years has to be careful not to fall and break a hip but I believe I'll be just fine."
Flynn looked pained, "You're not going to let me forget that are you?"
"Well Lt, if you're lucky I may not remember a thing y'all said today." She shooed them out the door.
"Don't worry chief, I'll remind you." Sanchez laughed as he moved towards the porch steps.
"Why thank yew Detective Sanchez." She called.
As soon as the door shut behind them Flynn turned to Sanchez and said, "You are such a kiss ass."
Sanchez laughed, "You're just pissed because she was mad at you for not thinking baby before cancer, detective."
Brenda decided a good long soak in the tub would help her relax and clear her head. She would have rather had a very big glass of Merlo, but that out of the question now. How many times had she come home and walked to the cupboard intending to pour a glass? It was automatic, she did it without thinking. That was something else she was going to have to face….. but not today. She would tuck that away to deal with some other time.
Walking into the bathroom she caught site of herself in the full length mirror. The palm she slapped over her mouth muffled her horrified scream. "Oh my lord, I just spent the last hour talking to Flynn and Sanchez looking like this!" she wailed out load.
/
Flynn picked up the phone and set it down, again. He had been repeating this ritual for the last hour. Sleep was impossible. He picked up the phone dialed and waited, listening to the rings. "Hello, hold on please…" the voice was female. Flynn slumped on the couch, rubbing a hand over his heart he closed his eyes and waited. "Fritz, wake up honey, you have a call." He could hear two voices on the other end but couldn't understand what was being said. "Agent Howard."
Flynn had planned to say simply that Howard needed to get home and check on his wife. Instead his temper snapped, "You scum bag son of a bitch. Abu Dhabi my ass." He yelled before disconnecting and tossing the phone on the table. He couldn't sit still, couldn't sleep. The walls of his home were closing in and he needed air. Grabbing his keys he decided to go for a drive and clear his head. He ignored the phone ringing on the table as he locked the door.
/
Brenda smoothed her hair and gave her jacket an extra tug to be sure it was straight. She had spent a ridiculous amount of time fussing over her appearance this morning. Her bedroom looked as if she had thrown a majority of her clothes willy-nilly around the room. That was pretty much what she had done. There was no time to clean up the mess; it would have to wait till tonight. Cleaning had become a ritual since she was no longer relaxing over a glass of Merlo.
Walking in to the squad room she hoped to make it to her office without having to look at Sanchez or Flynn. "Morning chief.' Flynn grinned. Brenda did a double take… did he just wink? Her brow furrowed and he added, "Looking good chief."
"Thank yew Lt." She replied threw gritted teeth.
"New outfit?"Flynn was smiling like the altar boy she knew him not to be.
"Heavens, this old thing?" She smoothed her hair needlessly and ducked into her office.
At noon Detective Sergeant Gabriel knocked on her door. "Chief got a call. Looks like a double homicide."
Before she could answer Sanchez said. "Gabriel I have to talk to the chief about something. Give us a minute." On that he shut the door in Gabriel's face. "Chief I think it would be better if you let us go and you stay here."
Lowering her voice she hissed "Detective Sanchez explain yourself. But before you say a word I had better not hear anything about me not being….. fit for the job.."
Holding up his hand to stop her he answered, "No chief….. It's just that….. it's kids chief, two little kids."
Putting her black bag over her shoulder moving from behind her desk she took a second to the information sink in. Taking a deep breath she gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "Thank yew Detective. But I can't not go, its part of the job we have chosen to do. I'm no different from any other member of the squad."
"Okay chief." He didn't agree but there was nothing he could do about it.
A uniformed officer approached as they arrived on the scene. After identifying herself she said, "What have y'all got?"
"Bodies are up there in the bushes. The hills and brush in this lot attract all kinds Chief. A couple of kids were out walking their dogs, found the bodies are wrapped in a blanket. Ma'am you might want to let them go." He said pointing towards Sanchez and Gabriel. "This lose dirk makes it a slippery climb…. And those little bodies…"
"Yes I get the picture. Thank yew." Using Detective Taos forearm as a brace Brenda climbed the slop to the where the bodies were.
"Alright gentlemen let's see what we've got." She steeled herself before lifting the sheet over the small bodies.
"Oh my god, these are just babies." She heard Buzz gasp as he started filming. The rest weren't holding back their collective horror and disgust that anyone could do this. There weren't enough years on the job dealing with murder to prepare anyone for this.
She gave orders to the teams while she made mental notes of the injuries and forced her emotions into that place in her mind she stored things to be dealt with later or preferably never. "This didn't happen here."
They moved through the crime scene with little conversation. The age of the victims, one less than a year the other less than three, would have shaken even the toughest cop on the force.
The coroner gave a time of death, "Chief Johnson they've been dead between twelve and sixteen hours." She nodded.
"Detective Sergeant Gabriel and I are going to the morgue. Detective Sanchez would you please run a canvas of the neighborhood. I need to know who these babies are. I don't understand why no one is missing them…. If you get an ID before we get back to the squad room please let me know. Somewhere in this city there is a mama going crazy looking for her babies." Taking a step down the hill to the car she stumbled as a rock dislodged under her foot and sent her tumbling before anyone could grab her. She let out a surprised squeal.
"Chief!" Gabriel yelled and grabbed but caught nothing but air.
Sanchez got to her first. Brenda was more mad than hurt. "Chief you all right?"
"Yes I'm fine." Holding up her hand to him. He pulled her easily to her feet.
"Easy chief. You sure you feel alright?" He asked as he removed twigs and a couple leaves from her hair. "Looks like you have scraps on your elbows."
"Yes, yes. No need to fuss, I'm perfectly fine. Just…. dirty."
"Provenza and I can go the morgue chief. You need to go home. Take it easy. We've got this." Flynn said when he got to her side.
"I'm going to the morgue. I just need to take a little detour and clean up first." She said as she beat the dust off her skirt, the skirt she had spent so much time deciding on. "Now we all have work to do, let's get to it. Detective Sergeant Gabriel with me."
/
Brenda ignored the stinging scratched on her palms and elbow. It wasn't so easy to ignore the ache in her backside. She knew she was going to find a nice bruise forming on her butt where she hit the ground. Neither she nor Gabriel spoke on the drive to her house.
"I won't take long David."
"Don't worry chief. I'm not in that big a hurry to see them…"
"I understand."
Rushing to her bedroom she shut the door and stripped out of her dirt covered clothes as quick as she could. She caught a glimpse of the makes covering her arms and legs, scratches from the bushes. Rushing to the toilet she emptied her stomach. Relieved she was able to make it home before being sick. Stepping into the shower she scrubbed off the dirt, shampooed her hair and let the soap run into her eyes welcoming the tears. Her head was under the shower when the curtain was pulled back and a large pair of hands griped her waist. She screamed in shock.
"Brenda it's me Fritz." Pushing her hair from her face she looked at her husband than wrapped her arms around him. "My god what happened to you?"
"Nothing really, fell down a hill. No big deal." Releasing him she pulled curtain closed rinsing off. What else is going to happen today? Turning off the water she stood, needing to steady herself. "I have to get back to work." She wrapped herself in a towel and threw a second over her head to dry her hair. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home? I could have fixed a nice dinner….. or something."
"Honey, Brenda, I have some news….Please just sit down for a few minutes."
"Oh Fritz its goanna have to wait. I have to get to the morgue. We have a double homicide."
"Brenda when do you not have a homicide?" He sat on the bed and watched her rush around the room. It was as if he'd never left.
"Its two little girls, babies really." She had to take a breath to keep from being ill again as the image of the babies flashed in front of her. "They were beaten to death and dumped in a field. I'm thrilled you're home, I am. But this can't wait. You understand don't you?"
She was pulling on her clothes and hunting for a rubber band for her hair. "Brenda…. Brenda stop for a minute and look at me." This wasn't going the way he wanted.
It was the odd tone in his voice that got her attention. She stopped and sat on the edge of the bed next to him."I'm listening."
"Because of the work I did on this Abu Dhabi case, I've been offered a new position."
"Honey that's wonderful. Congratulations we'll celebrate tonight with a real nice dinner. " She hopped up and started reapplying her make-up.
"Brenda…. Brenda stop….. the position is in DC… and I've accepted."
"What?" She turned from the mirror staring, "But why, we live here. We work here. I know how to pronounce Sepulveda. How can you take a job on the other side of the country and not talk to me, I'm your wife?" Her world was crumbling under feet. Fritz continued talking as she turned back the mirror and finished her makeup and pulled her hair into a wet ponytail. Slapping a couple band-aids over the worst of the scraps she kept moving to afraid what would happen if she stopped. She was being bombarded with emotions. "I have to go. We can talk when I get home." Stepping into her shoes she left the room.
Fritz remained in the bedroom. Jet lag was hitting hard. He hadn't slept since getting the call from Flynn. He'd screwed this up big time. But his sleep deprived brain couldn't see how it could have gone differently.