3 Days Ago

She was oblivious to the deafening silence in the car but Andy was all too aware that she hadn't said a word since they left the crime scene at her house. He knew she was more upset about everyone busting their clandestine opera date than the mess and the dead body in her living room.

He was more than willing to admit their date when questioned by the officers handling the murder case but Sharon's reaction had been evasive, defensive and offended that he almost got offended himself with the way she denied their date. There was nothing to be ashamed about it. They were both single. Had he not been certain about her feelings he would have thought he imagined everything between them, but remembering the way she whispered his name, how pliant and responsive she felt beneath his caress, her eyes that seem to sparkle a hundred times more every time they stand so close…. Her eyes, her body… they speak louder than words.

Perhaps everything that happened had been a blessing in disguise. He had been considering being open about their feelings and their exclusively dating status to everyone in the team, especially to her son, hoping this move would make her see just how serious he was about her.

"Sharon, Provenza said Rusty's okay. No findings on the CT scan, no swelling, no broken bones nor fractures on his x-ray. He is fine and resting." Andy cut through their silence as he pulled his car into the hospital parking lot.

Sharon sighed in relief. "Thank heavens." She instinctively reached out for Andy's hand beside her and squeezed it. A smile brightened Andy's face at Sharon's gesture but she pulled back her hand as soon as her hand touched his like she was scorched by a burning candle.

Andy tried to hide his wounded expression.

"What's the matter, Sharon?"

"Nothing," she replied in a low voice.

"You haven't said a word for fifteen minutes," said Andy.

Sharon remained silent.

He took back her hand and gave her a reassuring smile as he brushed a strand of auburn hair away from her face.

"I'm here, Sharon. Everything's going to be alright. We'll find out who murdered that guy in your apartment and what was his connection to this dead body who stumbled on our box seat in Madame Butterfly, okay? "

Andy leaned over her from the driver's seat. His fingers lifted her chin forcing her to meet his eyes but she couldn't. She was afraid he would see the truth… the truth that she would massively hide to keep her sanity… and reputation. Perhaps, if her brain would repeatedly tell herself he was only a friend and she didn't love him then her heart would eventually believe so.

His lips were gradually descending into hers, and her traitorous heart and body were singing with excitement she could hardly breathe. Then a loud knock on the driver's window startled them both apart. Andy looked like he was about to kill the intruder as he rolled down the window.

"Beat it a…" Flynn's voice trailed off as a familiar face poked from the other side of the window. It was Detective Thompson from Robbery Homicide.

"Captain Raydor!? Lieutenant Flynn! I'm so sorry… I… didn't know…. I mean… I saw your car pull up a couple of minutes ago… when nobody came out… I… I thought I ought to check it out… I'm sorry.."

"No harm done, Detective. We were just on our way to see Rusty," said Captain Raydor.

"Oh, Rusty is sleeping. Lt. Provenza told me to come back in the morning to get his statement. Doctor's orders… I was on my way back…"

"Then you best be on your way, Thompson," said Andy.

The detective saluted before moving away from their car. Sharon scrambled for her purse and left the car hastily but not before she glimpsed her red face on the rear-view mirror.

"Good evening, Captain," greeted Provenza as Sharon and Andy entered the room.

Aside to Flynn, "Was the elevator broken? You guys looked like you ran a marathon, the Captain's face is all red."

Andy shrugged his shoulders and went on the other side of Rusty's bed.

"How are you feeling, Rusty? I thought you were asleep," said Sharon as she touched Rusty's forehead.

"Nah! I only said that to keep Thompson away. I didn't want him to question Rusty without you around. I think it best if we first hear what Rusty has to say before the other department takes over," said Provenza.

"Mom, you don't have to worry. All the test results were good. No permanent damage. I just have a little headache from where the gigantic guy with a pony tail hit me," explained Rusty.

"Well, glad you're a lot calmer now," said Andy.

"He ought to be, the doctor gave him some kind of sedative a few hours back and it's only starting to wear off," said Provenza.

"How were things at the Captain's house?" he asked.

But Flynn refused to offer any information and instead asked Rusty for his version of the story.

"I have just arrived from school," began Rusty.

"Was the door unlocked?" asked Sharon.

"No, I opened the door from my own key then when I stepped inside everything was in pandemonium as though someone had ransacked through our things. Then as I stepped further in I could hear grunting and things falling on the floor inside Sharon's room and when I rushed in I thought I saw her… wrestling with this pony tailed guy..."

"Did you see their faces? Your mother was in the office… with us." asked Andy curiously.

"I know. Lt. Provenza told me she was with all of you that's why I'm calmer now. I was afraid something might have happened to Sharon."

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to your mother, I promise," smiled Andy.

It was in the manner of how Andy said it that sent goosebumps on Lt. Provenza's arm. He stared hard at Andy but Andy remained oblivious but Provenza managed to catch the deepening crimson on Sharon's cheeks. It was against his principles to be dating from his department as he believed that it would complicate work when the romance gets sour, same as what Deputy Johnson believed.

"The man's face was facing the bedroom door. I could see his face as he was straddling the girl… trying to strangle her with his bare hands then by a stroke of luck the girl managed to push him back by hitting him with something hard she managed to grasp. She stood up and tried to stab him with a letter opener. That's when I saw her pale skin so similar to my mother's, she had on a sleeveless dress. Her hair was auburn… she was built so much like Sharon. The man so big and strong he knocked the weapon away from her and they were wrestling again but this time standing up."

"Did he held her like this?" asked Andy. He demonstrated by hooking his arm around Provenza's neck.

"Yes, and by then both their backs was to me. I took the first thing handy which was the vase and I threw it at him but it didn't seem to hurt him at all because I remember staring into his angry face before he knocked me out. "

Rusty stopped and looked at each of them intensely.

"The next thing I know there were officers everywhere and the first thing I thought about was Sharon. I was afraid she was hurt…"

"You mean you didn't call 911?" asked Provenza.

Rusty shook his head.

"Then it must be the woman," said Sharon.