Chapter 9

Tim sighed as he got up from the couch. He had barely slept all night. His thoughts kept going to Lucy in his bed. He wanted to kick himself for even going there in his mind. He knew there was more to his feelings than just lust. He was falling or had already fallen for Lucy long ago. He'd keep that information tucked tightly away though. She wasn't interested and thought of that as a joke. After all, she was with Chris now. She seemed happy. He would be happy for her even if it hurt him to face Lucy would never be his.

Lucy had a fitful sleep as well. She had fought the urge to climb on the couch with Tim or even invite him to the bed. She wasn't a cheater. She had been cheated on. She knew how that felt. She'd never do anyone the way she had been done. Even if she had never been cheated on, she had a strong moral code about that type thing. Lucy hoped it was lustful thoughts keeping her awake. After all, Chris made her happy. Was he long term? Lucy doubted it. However, Tim didn't see her as a potential romantic interest. Yes, they had become friends. She doubted Tim would want more.

Lucy could hear the shower turning off. She chuckled slightly at not even hearing Tim enter the bathroom adjacent his bedroom. She stretched her arms above her head trying to rid herself of the grogginess of not sleeping. She patted Kojo, who had decided sleeping on the couch with Tim wasn't as nice as being in the big bed.

Lucy whispered to herself. "Girl, you got it bad. On my defense, he is a very handsome boy."

Tim's own words played in her mind. She loved how he was always fishing for compliments from her. She did the same with him. Laughing, Lucy got herself up and dressed. She would shower at the station. Tim was an early bird. Therefore, she knew she'd have time before roll call.

By the time Tim was dressed, Lucy had already taken care of Kojo by walking him and feeding him. They would grab a quick coffee and bagel at the little donut shop, which Tim had made into the LAPD place to be. It helped the owner not to be involved in gang activity. Tim had great ideas as far as Lucy was concerned. She was proud of him as her former TO and as her sergeant.

Their comradery was an easy fit as they drove towards Mid-Wilshire Station. Once at the station, they would look over a few things Lucy had been pondering. It wasn't long before Lucy and Angela were rewatching the video tape.

Tim and Nolan were combing through files trying to find a clue to where Bradley Salmons might be. He may not be important to the case, but they didn't want to leave any stone unturned. His brother, Andrew Salmons, was being held in a high security detention center. He seemed to be clueless on anything but delivering items to Rosalind.

"There!" Lucy pointed to the screen. "The bracelet."

"You're right. The one filming Rosalind is a woman. I didn't notice the reflection. It is a woman's bracelet. I know that could be misleading, but it is something." Angela tapped her pencil on the desk. "Are you set on being uncover later?"

Angela followed Lucy's glance. Lucy bit her lip as she looked at Tim. "I'm not sure now." Angela could tell that Tim was playing a part in that decision. However, Lucy played it off as something different. "I've been on two True Crime episodes. I may not can be now."

"Well, I think you'd make a great detective. Think about it." Angela smirked before making a screen shot of the bracelet and hand in the video.

Angela was a great detective. She knew that Lucy and Tim had more than just a working relationship. She knew they were friends. She also knew it was time they faced the facts of their true feelings for one another.

Tim and Nolan had headed out to follow a lead on Bradley Salmons. When they arrived, Tim pointed to the busted door.

"Let's go. Someone has been here." Tim nodded towards Nolan's gun. He was alerting Nolan to get his gun ready just in case. Nolan knew the procedure. He was ready to go before Tim could say another word.

Both police officers took note of the room in disarray. There was an obvious struggle. Then they found a body. Nolan exhaled as he noticed the hands missing from the victim.

Tim stooped down beside the body. He held up his phone as he looked at a picture of Bradley Salmons. "It is Bradley Salmons. We don't need fingerprints to see that."

"It looks like Rosalind got here first." Nolan shook his head as he bent down beside of the body.

Tim nodded. "She seems to be tying up loose ends."

Tim took out his radio as he stated his information before adding. "We have a body. We need a detective team and forensics team."

Angela showed up along with Lucy. "I'm going to keep Lucy to help process the scene."

Tim agreed as he stared at Lucy. "Are you going to be okay doing this?"

"Of course." Lucy appreciated his concern but sometimes she wanted Tim to understand she was okay and not worry about her. "I appreciate Angela's help in showing me the ropes."

Tim couldn't help but allow a smile to spread across his face. "Are you thinking of being a detective?"

Lucy shyly shrugged. "I'm not giving up the idea of undercover yet. But I want to keep my options open. Angela thinks I'd be good at this."

"You would be." Tim crossed his arms over his chest. "You'd be great at anything you decide to do."

Lucy swallowed as she noticed Tim's biceps bulge when he crossed his arms. Get your head in the game, girl. Lucy reminded herself.

Lucy added. "Thanks, I am weighing my options. I keep thinking of Nyla and how she went months deep undercover. I'm not sure I'd want to do that if I ever become a mother."

Tim nodded in agreement. "I know I'd want you home with the kids as much as possible with your job….I mean if you were my wife…I mean…You know what I mean."

Lucy could feel her face flushing red. She knew he meant he'd want the mother of his children home when she could be. Not that he didn't want the mother to work, but under cover could last for months without seeing family. She wasn't sure she'd want to make that sacrifice if she did have a family. Lucy loved undercover work. However, she could see Tim being nervous about any woman that he was involved with being in that line of work. Not that they would ever be involved.

Tim and John headed out to patrol while Lucy and Angela continued processing the scene. By the end of the shift, the scene was processed as well as the Salmons family informed of Bradley's death. Tim and John had made a few drug possession arrests and two traffic violations sited. The bracelet would be further investigated tomorrow.

Tim unlocked the door to his home. He punched in the numbers as Lucy followed. Both frowned when Kojo didn't come running to greet them. They both went in search of Kojo. Tim checked his room while Lucy checked the back yard. Perhaps, he got out somehow.

Tim froze when he heard Lucy's scream. He sprinted to the backyard to get to her. She sat with Kojo's head laying in her lap. Tim fell to his knees beside her.

"He's breathing." Tears ran down Lucy's face. "He's in a lot of pain but he's breathing."

Tim hurriedly ran and grabbed a blanket to wrap Kojo in. He didn't want to cause any other unnecessary pain to his beloved dog. Kojo's eyes pleaded for Tim to help him. Tim held back tears as he lifted Kojo up in his arms.

"Get the door for me." Tim softly stated to Lucy. He glanced at her. She was holding nothing back as she cried.

Lucy nodded before proceeding to open doors in Tim's path. Lucy punched in Tim's security system numbers before sitting down in the passenger side of the truck. Tim placed Kojo's head in her lap while allowing the dog's body to be between them.

"I got you, Boy." Tim said as he stroked Kojo's head. He didn't want to touch the dog's body as it looked like he had been beaten.

Lucy followed Tim's actions as Tim drove. She whispered to the beloved pet as she ran her finger over his head. The dog's breathing was labored.

Lucy glanced at Tim. "Please hurry."

Tim nodded as he picked up his cellphone. "This is officer Tim Bradford. I am off duty. There has been a break into my house." Tim proceeded to tell his address and detailed that his dog had been beaten but they weren't sure with what. He got off his phone and raced towards the veterinary hospital.

Kojo was rushed back by the vet assistants. Tim and Lucy sat in the waiting area. Lucy reached for Tim's hand. That is how they sat as they waited news. It was 2 hours and 14 minutes when the veterinarian, Dr. Ross, came out.

Tim and Lucy both jumped up at the same time. Dr. Ross smiled weakly at them.

"Kojo is going to be fine. However, he will need a lot of attention and care. He has a broken leg on his hind quarters and a small fracture on his front leg. He will be casted on both. Kojo won't need surgery. It doesn't sound like it but we are lucky it was clean breaks. He has no internal injuries. However, he was beaten with something causing some open wounds. We are going to give him antibiotics through IV overnight. That will keep down any infections the open wounds may produce. We will stitch those up tomorrow as I want some of them to drain due to swelling."

"Did he lay like that long?" Tim asked. Tears were audible in his voice.

"I don't think so. It seems his wounds have just started to clot." Dr. Ross stated. "It couldn't have been over an hour before you found him. He will also be getting pain medication through his IV. He will be going to sleep shortly. Our facility has a night guard due to the meds stored here. You'd be surprised at what some addicts try to steal."

"Actually, we wouldn't." Lucy said as she squeezed Tim's hand. They both realized they had not let loose of each other's hand the whole time.

"I'm going to let you come back to see him. Then Kojo will be sleeping most of the night." Dr. Ross stated as she gestured for them to follow her.

Tim and Lucy fawned over Kojo telling him what a good and brave dog he was. The dog seemed to understand that he was getting help. As Kojo's eyes closed, Lucy kissed him on top of the head. Tim did the same.

On arriving to Tim's house, Lucy saw Angela, Thorsen, Nolan and Nyla standing together in the living room. Tim had texted Angela about the situation. Angela was one of the few that knew Tim's alarm code.

"Nyla, shouldn't you be on bedrest?" Lucy walked up to give her a hug.

"Yes. But I heard about this. I'm not going to be on my feet long. I'm not chasing down anyone either. I wanted to help. I know how much Kojo means to you and Tim." Nyla rubbed her swollen belly as she sat down on the couch. "He's like your kid."

"How is Kojo?" John asked with concern.

"He's going to be okay. He was beaten with ..well, we don't even know. We left so fast that we didn't assess the scene." Tim leaned against the wall. He seemed exhausted.

"It was a police wand." Angela stood with her arms folded. "I found it under the hammock. It has been sent to forensics."

"I don't even have one of those here." Tim shook his head in disgust.

"He has two broken legs." Lucy added as an afterthought. "Who would beat a defenseless dog?"

"Someone who would cut off a man's hands." Angela showed her disgust. "My question is how did she get in without the alarm system going haywire?"

Tim breathed out. "The system was alarmed when we came in too."

"Who has the code, Tim?" Nolan asked. "If I may ask?"

"Oh sure. Besides myself, there's Angela, Lucy, and Whitney. Whitney is a teen girl, who walks Kojo." Tim rubbed his hand over his shoulder. "I better call to make sure she's ok."

Tim called Whitney to only find out she was out of town to visit her grandparents in Utah. Tim thanked her parents relieved she was okay. They gave him a number to reach Whitney in case he needed it.

"I didn't even give it Wesley." Angela stated as she looked at Tim.

"I wouldn't care if you did. I know Lucy hasn't given it to anyone." Tim licked his lips nervously.

"That's true. I haven't." Lucy assured him. "I don't think Whitney would either."

"She wouldn't but we can ask her just in case it slipped out." Tim felt his energy leaving him.

"The scene here is processed." Angela could see both Tim and Lucy were exhausted. "I'll let you question Whitney tomorrow. If you need me, just call."

"That goes for any of us." Nyla stood up to waddle out of the room. "VARDA should've already been set up."

"That's my fault." Tim answered quickly. "I told Grey to get Nolan squared away first. I had a great system in place already. Looks like I was wrong."

"Do you want to stay at my place?" Angela asked as she embraced Lucy.

"We can stay at my apartment. Tamara is gone so there are two rooms." Lucy looked over at Tim. "I'll stay in Tamara's room. You can have mine."

"I'll be fine here." Tim answered with irritation.

"But I don't want to be alone. I don't feel safe here." Lucy answered knowing Tim would want her safe. Thus, he wouldn't argue about staying at her apartment.

Angela winked at Lucy behind Tim's back. The girl knew exactly how to get to Tim.