Sins of the Past – Chapter Fourteen
No copyright infringement intended, author writes for amusement only, yada yada yada...
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"And Goldie got to fire the shuttle cannon?" River was almost in tears from laughter. Zoe smiled over the wave. As usual, the two ships were passing in transit, Serenity just hours into her run, Companion the same distance from home.
"Shoulda seen him," the warrior woman grinned. "He was still gloating hours later when they finally called off the search, and he and Blade and Wart brought the cattle thieves in. It was comical, he was so proud of himself."
"Well, at least he got to shoot it," River giggled. "Maybe that makes up for his missing out on the pirate battle."
"That's what I said!" Zoe laughed again. "Mal said maybe he's got it out of his system now."
"How is Baba?" River asked. Zoe lost her grin at the question.
"He looks bad, sometimes, River," Zoe admitted. "Part of it is he's still in a lotta pain. But some of it has to be this thing with the Ghoul. Or whoever it is." River nodded.
"Is Goldie doing better?" she asked.
"Yep," Zoe nodded. "Nightmares are about gone. He's still paranoid as a long tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs, but that's easin' up some. Not enough to suit me, but some."
"Jayne as well," River agreed. "He isn't experiencing the horrible dreams he had at first, but he is still like a trap waiting to be sprung. There's really not much more we can do. I asked him not to 'assist' anymore, and he agreed that unless Baba needed something that only Jayne could do, then he would not. It surprised him, I think, that I asked it of him," she added.
"Well, River, you are partial to Mal," Zoe told the younger woman. "I imagine that Jayne was surprised that you wouldn't want him to do all he could to help. I know that Goldie was like that. He wanted to help Mal because of my relationship with the Captain."
"I think we made the right decision," River said firmly. "Or I should say you did, and I was wise to follow it," she amended with a smile.
"That was hard for me to do," Zoe admitted. "I've. . .I don't think I've ever flat out refused Mal on near on anything. We've had our differences, o' course. No two people been workin' side by side long as we have can avoid it. But I'm pretty sure this is the first time I ever flat out said 'no'."
"I doubt he was offended," River offered.
"He said the same thing," Zoe nodded. "Said he was using Goldie, and Jayne, as a 'crutch'. On account o' they had experienced all this before. He's moved past that now. And the Marshal's being involved has took some of the pressure off him. Not that they've done a damn bit o' good," Zoe frowned.
"I think you're ahead on that score, Zoe," River smiled. "She had a beautiful shiner, Inara said. Try to lay it aside. She says that Captain Daddy told her that both were much better behaved now."
"Better be," the older woman said darkly. "Next time. . . ." She let the threat hang.
"I don't blame you," River smiled. "Well, take care Zoe, and you guys fly safe."
"You too, little one. Watch yourself when you're on the ground." The wave broke, and River started down the passageway to the galley. Inara wanted to land the ship, which had almost hurt Chelsa's feelings. River had spoken to her, and made it clear that if she made a scene, or even looked unhappy, that her flying days would be few and far between for some time. As usual, that was all it took. Chelsa was all smiles around Inara.
Kaylee, of course, hadn't been able to stay out of the engine room. Holly had not taken offense, since Kaylee had taught him all he knew about the ships and their systems. He was always eager to learn a bit more from her. River was sure he had. And Kaylee was very pleased with how well Holly maintained the ship.
All in all, River was very pleased with the trip. Humming lightly, she headed aft.
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"Mal, we've found her."
Mal sighed, looking up from his desk. He'd been expecting the words for the last two or three days, but that didn't make them any easier to hear.
"I take it the hundan managed to bring her in here, despite everything?"
"Yeah," Toby looked dejected. "We tried, Boss, we really did. Got the overtime to prove it. But there's just too much ground to cover."
"I know," Mal nodded, rising. "Well, let's head out there. You call the Marshals?"
"They're on the way."
On his desk was the morning paper from Mount Talmidge. The headlines and entire front page were dedicated to one thing.
The Bickford Slasher.
Wonderful.
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The scene was as clean as ever. No clues, no mistakes. Nothing.
"I was so sure we'd be able to get him this time," Bonds was shaking his head. "In spite of all we could do, he still did it. It's like he's a magician or something."
"He's just had a lot o' practice," Mal sighed. "At least a dozen places hit on the search we did. Same victim profile, same methods, same result. Nothin'. Scenes always clean. After a while, the killin's stop, and he seems to just move on."
"If what the other places experienced are any indication, then he's just getting started here," Reeves said mournfully. "And we're no closer to catching him than when we started."
"Well, we do have a physical description," Bonds argued. "That's something. Not much, I agree," he held up a hand to forestall her objections. "But it's not nothing."
"It may as well be," Toby sighed. The four of the were back at Mal's office, gathering around his desk. The body of Valerie Frost was on her way to Mount Talmidge, via the Marshals Medical Examiner. Her father, Everest Frost, was screaming at the top of his very rich and influential lungs about the lack of law enforcement on the moon. Immense pressure was being put on the Marshals to solve this crime, and quickly.
"Funny," Mal said. "Long as these girls were nobody special, seemed like this case had a lower priority. Now, all of sudden it's important." New resources were being allocated even as they sat there, and Bonds had been notified that a task force was being formed to tackle the problem. He and Reeves weren't on it. They were to continue their investigation until the task force was ready, then turn over all their notes, evidence, etc, to them.
It had sounded a lot like the speech they'd given Mal when they'd first come to Bickford. They hadn't like it any more than he had.
"Well, if they can solve it, so much the better," Toby shrugged. "If it saves even one girl, I'm happy."
"And if they don't, then no one can say anything about the effort we've put in not being enough," Reeves pointed out. Mal frowned at that.
She's an ambitious little thing, he thought darkly. Well, she didn't work for him, so she wasn't his problem.
"Well, it's still our problem until they get rolling," Bonds reminded them. "Any suggestions?"
"I still think. . . ." Reeves began.
"Other than that one," Bonds cut her off.
"What one?" Mal and Toby said at once. Bonds sighed, shooting a glare at Reeves.
"Isabel wants to go undercover, offering herself up as a target for the killer." Like all LEO's, Bonds was reluctant to use the media name for the man responsible for so many deaths. Naming him simply gave him more of what he wanted. Attention.
"Undercover?" Mal looked stunned. "How in the world would that work? I mean, it ain't like you can hang a sign around your neck, proclaiming your desire to be the next victim."
"No, but I can make myself look like the type of woman he preys upon," Reeves spoke quietly but surely. This was an unexpected opportunity.
"I have the same height, weight, and build as the victims so far. My hair color is roughly the same. I can visit the clubs in Mount Talmidge, alone, and see if he bites. I'll have an apartment, and a job, just to cover the bases if he 'cases' his victims. We don't know that all of them were taken from clubs," she pointed out. Mal found himself impressed with her idea, and presentation.
"Well, I can't say one way or another," he finally shrugged. "You don't work for me, for all that you've been under my orders during this. I will say this. Happen you do convince your superiors to go along, we'll back you any way we can." Mal looked at Toby, who nodded.
"I agree," he offered. "But Reeves? Have you thought about the danger you're exposing yourself to? If he's successful, we may not can find you before it's too late." Reeves had the presence to look a bit afraid, though she wasn't. She had planned very well.
"I know it's a possibility," she told them. "And I haven't decided on this without a lot of thought," she added, truthfully. "And yeah, it scares me a little. But we've got to do something. I. . .if we don't come up with something, I'm afraid we'll never catch him. And how long will he keep going, if we don't?" she threw in. Might as well use their fear to help get their assistance.
The men in the room fell silent. Reeves, in her typical fashion, thought that the 'men' were thinking that she, as a woman, shouldn't take these risks. She might have been surprised.
Bonds was unhappy because of the danger to his partner. They were soon to be removed from the case, and he saw this as an unneeded danger.
Toby was thinking that Reeves might be trying to prove she was a team player, after the disaster her initial introduction had been. She had thawed some, but remained aloof for the most part, as if she considered herself slumming. If that was her intent, he decided she was even more stupid than he'd given her credit for. And that was saying something.
Mal was studying the need for such a move. They had failed to catch the killer even after being notified within a half hour of his latest abduction. If Reeves were to be bait, he reasoned, then she would be under constant surveillance. Should the killer actually strike at her, then they would undoubtedly be men in a position to apprehend him. Or kill him. At this point, Mal didn't care one way or the other.
Well, he admitted to himself. That ain't exactly true. I'd rather he be dead.
"Well," Mal finally broke the silence, "like I said. I don't have no say so in a matter like that. You want to do it, and your boss approves, then that's for you all to do. But I meant what I said. You decide to do it, and we'll back you every way we can." Reeves nodded in appreciation.
"I'm with Mal," Toby nodded. Everyone looked to Bonds.
"I don't have any more authority than you do," he told Reeves. "If you can get the boss to sign off on it, you know I'll back you up. But I wish you wouldn't. It's stupidly dangerous in my opinion. And we're due for re-assignment in just days."
All the more reason to act now! Reeves wanted to scream.
"I respect your concerns, Hiram, I do," was what she said. "But during those few days, he may strike again. If he does, maybe he'll go after me."
And if he does, I'll take him down! she almost added. I'll be the agent that took down the Bickford Slasher!
"Like I said, if you can get the boss to sign off on it, I'll back you up."
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"You want to what?" Haimes looked harried, to say the least. Even on the cortex screen, you could tell that he hadn't had much sleep. Mal decided that whatever pressure he himself was under, Haimes had it worse.
"I want to be a decoy for the Slasher," Reeves shrugged again, trying to remain calm. So close, girl, don't blow it! "I think it's the best chance we have of bagging him. And, as I said before, I do match the victim profile very closely."
"You two won't even be on the task force, once it's running!" Haimes reminded her. "I won't have any say over it either. It's all being run from the main office in Argo City."
"We're still on the case until they take over," Reeves reminded him. "We can't just sit on our hands until they take over."
"You realize how dangerous this is?" Haimes demanded. "How stupid?" he added, his voice challenging.
"I understand the danger," Reeves contented herself in saying.
"Reynolds, are you a part of this?" Haimes demanded.
"No sir, I am not," Mal replied. "I told them same thing I'll tell you. They don't work for me. Mount Talmidge is outta my baliwick. This is your show. I did offer any and all assistance we can provide here, but I'd do that for any operation your office mounted. Other than that, and me adding my own 'dangerous and stupid' comment, I have nothin' to do with this."
"So you two came up with this all on your own?" Haimes asked, and Reeves detected a note of interest in his voice.
"No sir," Bonds answered before she had to. "This is all Isabel's idea. I said the same thing you did. But she's my partner. If she wants to do this, and you approve, I will back her to the hilt. I don't like it, but I don't have to."
"So you don't approve either?" Haimes asked. Bonds looked at Reeves before answering.
"I think she deserves a medal just for volunteering," he admitted. "But no, I don't. For reasons that have already been stated."
"Reeves, what say you to all this negative feedback?" Haimes asked.
"I repsect their opinions," Reeves began firmly. "But I think this is the only way we can nail this bastard. I know that they object, and I feel sure most of that is concern for my personal safety." Toby managed not to snort at that. It was a trial, though.
"But I honestly believe that we have to do this. I'm tired of finding dead girls and not being able to do anything about it. Someone has to try something new. This sort of operation has worked in the past. I know that's no guarantee that it will work now, but it's encouraging. For me, anyway. I want to do this, sir," she ended firmly.
Haimes studied her a long time, thinking furiously. He was under immense pressure. The Chief Marshal himself had called earlier in the day to express his extreme displeasure. In words that Haimes could still hear ringing off the walls.
Despite the pressure, he was reluctant to risk one of his officers. True, she had volunteered. That didn't change the dangers. Or the possibility that she, too, would be killed in a horrible manner. He sat back.
"If we do this," he said finally, "it has to be multi-tiered. Electronic monitoring, locator beacon, men on the scene, air cover, the works. It will take at least a day to set all that up."
"We can be back in just a few hours, ready to go," Reeves nodded, fighting to remain calm. He's going to do it, he's going to do it! Haimes looked at something off screen for a long time. No one spoke as he deliberated.
"All right," he said finally. "I'll start setting things up here. We'll have ID, housing, and work assignments in place by the end of the day. We'll have you working here, in the building, as a clerk. Nothing threatening. Might even entice him a little. Get back here as soon as you can."
"Yes sir!" Reeves grinned. The others were less enthusiastic.
"Keep us advised," Mal ordered. "We'll be ready if anything breaks."
"It's been good to work with you, Sheriff Reynolds," Reeves said diplomatically.
"I'm sure it's been a pleasure," Mal chuckled, taking the offered hand. "Watch yourself." After the two left, Mal looked at Toby.
"Hope that ambitious streak ain't the death of her," he said drily.
"Was thinkin' that myself," Mal nodded.
"And I hope she's a better actor around him than she was around us," Toby chuckled.
Isabel Reeves might have fooled Bonds. Might even have fooled Haimes. But not Malcolm Reynolds and Toby Bontrager.
"Ambition aside," Mal shrugged. "Hope it works."
"Yeah," Toby nodded. "Me too."
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"Gorram it, this is heavy!" Jayne exclaimed as he and Liam wrestled the largest box into the house. "Where ya want it Inara?" The promised help had failed to materialize. Just as Jayne had figured. They had borrowed a truck from the plant, and George had had some men help transfer it to the truck. But he and Liam were on their own unloading.
"Over here, Jayne," Inara pointed to an open space in her living room. "I don't. . .I think there's been a mistake. There's too many pieces of living room furniture." River's eyes caught Jayne's, and he ordered Liam and Chelsa outside with him.
"We'll see what's left, and decide what to bring in next," he said. When they were alone, River looked at Inara.
"Inara," she said quietly. "I need to tell you something, and I need you to promise me you won't be mad."
"This isn't even mine!" Inara was inspecting the boxes. "What, dear?" Inara realized that River was speaking to her. "Did you say something?"
"I need you to not be mad," River repeated. "I. . .I did something you may not like. Jayne and I did," she added, deciding that he could share some of the blame, since he would get some of the credit.
"What?" Inara looked puzzled. "I could never be mad at you. Either of you. I'm mad at those idiots in that furniture store! To think that place came so highly recommended!" River sighed.
"Inara!" When the Companion looked at her, startled, River tried again.
"The order isn't wrong," she told her friend. "I. . .I changed it."
"What? Why would you do that?" Inara demanded. "River, I worked hard to pick out what I could afford. I had everything just as I wanted it!"
"I exchanged the things you bought for your home with the things you said you'd actually like to have," River admitted sheepishly. "And. . .well, Jayne and I paid for it. All of it." No sense beating around the bush, as Jayne liked to say.
"You. . .what?" Inara seemed dazed.
"I only did it with the things for the house," River rushed to say. "I didn't change any of the school things. And yes, you did pay for the school furnishings. But. . .I paid for the house furniture. Jayne and I. It's a combination of house warming and wedding presents."
"River, I. . . ."
"Please don't be angry," River pleaded. "Your original order is on hold, as you placed it. Just in case."
"That's why you were quizzing me so at the store," Inara's eyes narrowed slightly. "You weren't interested in my opinion for your house at all!"
"Not true!" River assured her. "I have a list of your suggestions that I plan to incorporate into the house we're planning. Including most of the things you suggested in the furniture store. I just. . .well, added some things. And changed some things. Please don't be mad," she plead again. "We just really wanted to do this, and knew you wouldn't allow us to."
Inara just looked at her for a moment, then sat down.
"The living room suite?" she asked, looking at the boxes.
"The leather," River nodded.
"And the four poster?"
"Uh, yes," River nodded again. "King size, though," she almost hated to add.
"And the kitchen. . . ."
"All of it," River sighed. "Everything. Nothing you thought you paid for made the trip. But only for the house!" she hastened to add. "Everything you ordered for the school is the same. Uh, well," she stammered, remembering the desk. "Um, there might be a different desk. Same size, though! Oh, and there may be some extra furniture for your office," she added. "And for Baba's." River bit her lower lip.
"Are you mad?" she asked, fearing the answer. "I promise I'll make it right if you don't like it. I swear even! Cross my heart!" Inara couldn't help it. She laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more.
"I find none of this humorous," River said, her face turning red.
"That's because you can't s. . .see your face!" Inara gasped between laughs. "You look like a small child, who did something and wants her parents to like it!"
River frowned, but then nodded a bit. That was close to the truth after all.
"Does this mean you aren't mad?" River asked hopefully. "This seemed like a really good idea when we came up with it. Now, I'm starting to wonder."
"Oh, River," Inara sighed, embracing the younger woman. "I told you, I can't be mad at either of you. But mei mei, you can't just go around changing things like this! You have to let people make their own decisions, sweetie."
"You wouldn't have accepted our offer, though," River pointed out in what she firmly believed to be the voice of reason. "Jayne and I talked about this at great length. We wanted to do this, but couldn't figure out how. We didn't really know what you would want. This was the best we could come up with," she shrugged, looking hopeful.
Inara didn't know what to say, or to do. She sighed again, sitting down on a nearby box.
"River, it's wonderful that you wanted to do something nice for us. But, I can't keep these things! Mal and I have enough money to provide for ourselves, the Guild's vultures notwithstanding."
"I know that," River replied, sitting next to Inara. "As I said, this wasn't about providing for you. We wanted to do this. We just couldn't figure out a way. We didn't want to just run out and buy things, not knowing how you felt about them. And had I offered, in the store, to buy the things you wanted as a present, what would your answer have been?"
"I would have refused," Inara sighed. "Politely. River, you and Jayne have already done more than enough for us. If you hadn't helped me get the Guild off my back, none of this would even be possible. We would have had to sell everything, including Serenity, to pay them off, and would probably have still been short."
"That's a wonderful gift that I can never repay you for."
"That was not a gift," River replied stubbornly. "That was a friend helping another friend. This," River waved her hands at the boxes around them, "is a gift. Please take it," she added. Tearfully. River was not above blackmail.
"Don't try that on me," Inara laughed. "I know better." River huffed.
"Then will you please accept our gifts?"
"River. . . ." Inara began, then stopped. She could see how much this meant to River. And probably to Jayne.
"River, I don't see how you afford all this," she temporized.
"Inara, Jayne is worth several million alone," River confided. "And we have a portfolio worth just as much. I have amassed it over the last two years, trading stocks and futures. No one, no one, besides you knows that. No one."
"That's why I told you it wasn't a problem," River continued. "I really didn't want to tell you that," she added. "Neither of us did."
Inara was speechless. She had no idea what to say.
"If it makes you feel better, I spent an obscene amount of money on Kaylee, too. She doesn't know it yet," River confided. "It's for the baby, mostly. Well, okay, almost all of it is for the baby," she amended.
"Please keep our secret, Inara," River asked quietly. Inara wanted to laugh it was so absurd. She reached out and took River's hand.
"I promise, mei mei, that I'll keep your horrible secret." Both women erupted into giggles at that.
"And the furniture?" River asked, hopeful again. Inara studied her for a moment.
"If you promise, promise, River, not to do something like this again, at least not to me, then yes. And thank you so very much, River. The house will be so much more beautiful thanks to you."
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" River threw her arms around Inara's neck. The former Companion had to remind herself on occasion that River, and to a lesser extent Jayne, were both very inexperienced in living a normal life. This was one of those times. The two of them were really extraordinary people.
"Now, let's get the rest of this beautiful gift unloaded, shall we?"