20 The Future Beckons …

Steve had finally left the Captain's office just as Rae came back into the squad room. It was almost as if he had been waiting for her to reappear before he did so.

"Hi, stranger, I thought you were gonna stay in there all day." Rae smiled, she missed her partner's company when he wasn't around, but when he was around and she still couldn't talk to him somehow it was worse.

"Sorry, I had a lot of things to discuss. Look, Rae, can we go somewhere and talk?" Steve put his hand on her back, gently guiding her towards the interrogation suite that was at the back of their squad room.

"Um, yeah, sure. Is there something the matter?" Rae looked into her friend's face, but she couldn't read him, he didn't look upset, anxious, in fact he just looked his normal self, and so, without another word, she let herself be lead carefully to where Steve wanted her to be.

"Sit down, Rae." She did as she was told instantly, even more concerned now than she had been, and watched as Steve made himself comfortable sitting on the corner of the table.

"I've been reassigned."

"What?" She knew what that meant, but she didn't understand. How could he be reassigned? "Steve … what? How can that be?"

"I took the Captains exam. I didn't tell you because … well … I didn't tell you in case I failed." The smile was one that showed his embarrassment.

"But you didn't fail did you?" Rae was smiling now, despite herself, she was so pleased for him, for his family but, she had to admit, not for herself.

"No, I didn't, I was in the top three percent, which means I was one of the first to be chosen … and I start in three weeks at Wilshire."

"Oh." Three weeks, that was no time at all. For a moment she wasn't able to meet his eyes, knowing that her dismay would show. She schooled her features until she hoped that she looked happy for him and then spoke again. "Congratulations, Captain. You will do a wonderful job. Of course, you'll have to take up golf!"

"Ha, ha." Steve pulled a face. Somehow he didn't see himself on the first tee in strange trousers about to ruin a good walk by hitting a little white ball into long grass. "I don't think so."

Rae had a hold of herself now; she stood up, moved over towards him and, hoping that no one could see her, gently kissed his cheek. "I'll miss you, but I couldn't have had a better teacher. Thank you, Captain Steve Sloan. Wilshire is lucky to have you."

The words, so obviously heartfelt, made Steve feel as if he was glowing and, for a moment, he bathed in their kindness before taking a deep breath and smiling at her.

"I'll miss you too, but only if you turn me down."

"Turn you down? I don't know what you mean."

Steve smiled again, this time a little more broadly and then indicated with his hand that he wanted her to sit back down. When she had done so, his heart beating loud enough he was sure for her to hear, he began to speak again.

"There's quite a lot of restructuring going on at Wilshire. The captain is moving up to be the Assistant Commander of the West Bureau, so effectively will be my boss, and he's taking his Lieutenant from Homicide with him. Rae, I want you to come and take that position on. I hire and fire and I know you're the best person for the job. It was advertised internally and on the net, no one suitable came forward." He paused, looking at her, but not seeing anything, neither excitement nor despair. "What do you think?"

She had no idea what to say, it didn't happen very often, but Rae was speechless.

"Rae?" The concern in his voice was reflected in his face, and he was hesitant as he spoke again. "You … your name is on the promotions list, you're a detective sergeant, the next step is lieutenant, but you knew it probably wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, I did, and yes I am and I know that. But, Steve, what about Cheryl? She's a good cop, she's been here longer than I have, if I come with you, well it's not nepotism, but it's pretty close."

"Rae, if there hadn't already been interviews, and advertisements I wouldn't have done it this way, instead I would have just tried to persuade you to apply and then take your chances with the rest. It's a nice station, I've been there before, and I have to go over next week to start making arrangements for my transfer. Besides, I kind of need your help on something."

"Oh yeah? Want me to tidy your desk for you? Keep your room spic and span? Type up your reports?" Rae laughed, this was more like it, relaxed, she could deal with relaxed, when the banter was back in their lives, but the seriousness of the situation was still very apparent to her.

"Well, that would all be great, but … I know Newman doesn't do it, but the captain at Wilshire sends out a newsletter, every month!" The look of horror on his face was almost too much for Rae and she had to laugh again.

"Awww, poor baby, but won't you have a secretary to do all that for you?"

"Probably, but I'd rather it was you." The tone was serious again now, and he stared at her, waiting for an answer.

Again she smiled, thinking over what he had said. He would be moving in three weeks, it was her anniversary in three weeks. Twenty years, when Steve moved stations she would have been a cop for twenty years; maybe it was a good way to finish her career. A lieutenant, one of her best friends as her Captain, at least for a while, but she would need to talk it over with Jesse first.

"Rae?" He didn't know what else to say, he had laid his cards on the table, or as many of them as he dared. She knew how he was about exposing his feelings and thoughts to others, but he really did want her to move with him, and he hadn't been lying when he'd said she was the best person for the job.

"Steve, I can't make a decision just like that, you know I can't. Besides, I have to discuss it with Jesse. I realise there's more responsibility, more money, maybe a little less risk, but there are other things to look at too." She saw him nod, and realised that he had been stilling himself for her refusal.

"I'll talk about it with him tonight, I promise. I won't leave you hanging."

"And let me know on Friday night? You are coming, aren't you?"

"Can you see Jesse letting us stay home?" Rae watched him shake his head, "Me either, but Vicki is away, can the girls sleep in the nursery? I know Damita is there, but that would be ok, wouldn't it?"

"Of course. Rae, if you decide not to take me up on my offer, promise me something."

"Depends what it is."

"Typical cop! Promise me that when the vacancy for lieutenant is advertised here, that you'll go for it. Newman doesn't want to lose you. It took me a long time to persuade him to even let me ask you about this. And I can't think of anyone other than you or Cheryl who I would want to replace me."

This time she blushed. It was one thing to be asked to move with him, to take on a new position in a new station, but to be entrusted with taking over his own job, which he had always carried out with the utmost professionalism, well that was another thing altogether, and she was immensely flattered.

ooo

It was almost one in the afternoon before Jesse felt Susan move beneath his hand. She groaned and slowly blinked her eyes, gradually focussing on Jesse and smiling slightly.

"Hi." Her voice was raspy and faint and before answering Jesse carefully spooned some ice chips onto her tongue.

"Hi, yourself, shhh, take it easy." Jesse watched her try to move more of herself than just a hand and then saw the pain as it crossed her face.

"Jesse?" It was clear that she had no idea how she had ended up in an ICU bed, and Jesse knew now wasn't the time to tell her.

"It's ok. Just close your eyes, rest for a while. I'll still be here." He watched her do as he told her, but then suddenly Susan gripped his hand tightly and he knew that she had remembered.

"Oh … Jesse."

"Shhh, come on, doctor's orders, take it slowly, just breathe, that's it." Jesse was checking the monitors as he spoke, watching the readings, knowing that the possibility of Susan going into severe shock was still a risk and was one of the main reasons why she was in the ICU in the first place. He could see where her hair was short and hacked off on the side of her head; there was a small puncture wound on her neck, which, Jesse knew, was from the knife that had been held there ready to slit her throat. The wound on her back had been viciously deep but was now stitched and dressed as were her feet. Her skin, usually so flawless and beautiful, was pale and he wondered whether she would ever get her confidence and poise back.

"Rae?" The one word hung between them, and for a moment Jesse didn't know what she meant.

"She knows I'm here, I didn't want you to wake up alone."

"Thank … you … but … Rae … need to … speak … with her." Susan's voice although broken and still faint was insistent and Jesse nodded his head.

"I'll go call her. But I'll be right back, ok?" He saw her nod and wince as he made his way quickly out into the hallway. To use his cell phone he would need to leave the unit, he didn't want to do that and so he walked to the nurses' station, asked the young woman on duty there to contact Alex and tell him that Susan was awake and then, using the phone on the desk, put a call through to his wife's number.

ooo

Belinda had come and spoken to Jo as she sat with Jayden in her arms just looking up at her almost in awe. The telephone message from her butler had been relayed to her and an hour later Jayden was fast asleep in his isolette once more and she was being driven home.

Jo climbed gingerly out of the car and watched as Juan parked it in the garage. It was a little after one thirty and they had arrived back in time for a late lunch but, as Juan opened the door and let her in first, she saw and heard the sounds of the unexpected visitor which had prompted her early arrival home from the hospital.

"Don't tell me when I can't come to see you, I want to know when I can … Yes, an' I want to make sure that the investments an' interests in California are covered as well … that's more like it, I will see you at nine fifteen in the mornin' … I am never late when money is concerned … good day to you too." The phone was put down and Debbie turned. "Well, Jo, darlin' it is just so good to see you." The words and tone were friendly, although Jo didn't believe a word of it. Before she could even think of a reply however, a yappy sound was heard.

"Daisy, where's Mommy's little Daisy Waisy then?" Debbie crouched down and made strange kissy noises as a small white fluffy animal rushed towards her.

"What is that rat doin' in my house?" Jo couldn't help herself, she was dismayed to see her sister-in-law so unexpectedly, and now it appeared that she didn't travel alone.

"Jo, Honey, I'm sorry, I didn't know she was comin' or I would have told you." David stepped forward, ignoring the dog and his wife. He had told his sister that he'd received details of his divorce proceedings in the mail that morning along with various other forms including child custody papers and Jo guessed the visit had something to do with that.

"Jo, as a mom I know you can understand. I came to take my chil' back home to Texas. An' I'm tellin' you straight, David, there is no way she will be livin' with you." Her focus, expression and tone changed as Debbie switched her gaze from Jo to her husband. "You are workin' every day, she needs someone with her all the time, an' that someone will be her momma." Debbie had stood back up, but now held her dog in her arms.

"Jo, would you excuse us for a moment?" David looked at his sister, knowing that the last person she would want in her home was his wife, estranged or otherwise, and was relieved to see her nod.

"Of course, but that … that creature goes out in the yard." Jo looked down in distain, as the pet wriggled out of Debbie's arms, but had to admit that the little thing was quite cute, in a doggy sort of way. She didn't like her sister-in-law, but was prepared to have her in the house so that she and David could discuss things, but to bring a dog without asking, that was plain rude, and Steve would have a fit.

Juan came forward to pick up the small animal and suddenly Jo softened her attitude just a little. "Put him in the laundry room, an' make sure he has some water to drink."

"Yes, Madam." Juan moved away, the white head of the dog peeking over his shoulder and Jo had to laugh. He was a very upright, very proper man, just as Michael had been, and somehow the dog didn't aid the image.

"David, you an' Debbie can use the library; you won't be disturbed because Daniel doesn't ever go in there."

With school being out for the summer, her son had spent the morning riding with Maddie, but he had called on his cell phone, reaching his mom in the car to say he would be returning for the afternoon and, hearing that she was returning home too, suggested they went back to see Jayden together after lunch.

David just nodded his head and then made his way past the white leather sofa where Debbie appeared to have left two cases leaning against the front and a dog carrier next to them.

Jo watched the door to the library open and then close as immediately the argument began again.

"Just what makes you think I will give up my daughter to you?"

"Your daughter? I didn't see anythin' of you while I was in labour, you weren't there when she was born, an' you've been in the office more often than not ever since. You may be wealthy, David Walters, but I'm not frightened of you or your lawyers."

Jo walked away; the personal arguments didn't interest her although she had to admit that she hoped that her brother, rather than her sister-in-law, would bring up Damita. She knew that Debbie had something to do with the credit card incident as well as the money embezzled from the company; she just wasn't sure how to prove it but, seeing that morning's mail on the table by the front door, an idea began to form.

ooo

There was a message from Jesse on her desk when Rae finished speaking with Steve. She was surprised at the relief she felt at being able to leave the station for a while and, stopping only to tell her partner where she was going, and to discourage him from coming with her, Rae made her way to the dark red car waiting for her in the parking lot.

If she was honest Rae still missed Tom. The little Beetle had been a great car for driving around town in, but the Cruiser Jesse had bought her for Christmas was far more suitable for a family and it was fun to drive.

Pulling out into traffic Rae found her mind full of what Steve had just told her, and she began to try and see the pros and cons of taking him up on his offer.

A lot had happened to her since she had moved to LA, things that never in a million years would she ever have imagined. Even if she disregarded all the bad things, which she didn't, although she did try not to dwell on them, her life had still been amazing. So far she had married a man she met on her first day at work, had two more children, bringing her total to five, and become best friends with one of the richest women in the country. She had lived in four different homes; five if you included the nights spent at the beach house and was now a permanent resident of Beverly Hills!

What she hadn't done was change jobs or work partners. Her uncertainty, something that she would never have admitted to, had dissipated quickly once she met Steve. He had put her at ease, and now she couldn't imagine her working life without him in it. Rae knew that she had the chance to carry on being a cop with Steve close at hand, but once he left North Hollywood, whether she went with him or not, never again would they be partners.

The traffic in front of her slowed to a crawl and Rae sighed. The journey to Community General was going to take longer than she thought, but maybe that was just as well. Rae pictured the other cops in her division, many she had nothing very much to do with apart from general banter and chatter by the coffee machine, but three of them, Chapman, Yip, and Cheryl, of course, she knew well but, apart from her near neighbour, they were just work friendships. It took a while to feel confident with a new partner; Rae knew that Cheryl would watch her back, just as she would do hers, but with anyone else she would have to learn to trust all over again and that was hard.

"Oh, come on, I only have four hours of my shift left you know!" Rae shouted at the now non-moving traffic queued up in front of her and then laughed. The man in the car next to her was slamming his hand down on the steering wheel and she guessed she wasn't the only one feeling frustrated.

ooo

Jo and Daniel had eaten their late lunch together to the accompaniment of varying degrees of noise from the library. Sometimes the volume rose so loud that every word was clear, others there were just the soft muffled sounds of two voices. Finally, after a particularly strident exchange, the door opened, David came out and slammed it behind him. Looking at her son, indicating that he should say nothing, Jo got to her feet and moved carefully across to where the tall man stood, leaning against the banister, breathing hard.

"David, come an' sit down. You probably don't feel like eatin' anythin' right now, but maybe a drink, coffee, tea?"

"Thank you, Juan made me a sandwich before he came to pick you up so I have eaten somethin'. How is Jayden? I didn't even ask."

Jo's face broke into a smile despite the situation. "He is doin' just fine. We were havin' us a nice cuddle when I got your message, an' because Juan came to get me I was able to carry on until he fell asleep an' then come home."

"Good, I'm glad that I didn't spoil things for you until you got here. I'm sorry, Jo, but I didn't even know she was comin' but she's my wife, I couldn't leave her on the step."

"No, you couldn't, an' it's fine. You need to get things sorted out. Daniel an' I are gonna go back to see Jayden again this afternoon, an' I need to speak with Michael as well. I had a thought too. The day that the letter was sent authorizin' the bank payments, was Debbie in the buildin' at all? You keep a record of everyone who comes in an' out of the place. Has that been checked?"

"I don't know. But it certainly hasn't by me. I'll get on to the security people this afternoon an' see what they have to say about it. They can send me a copy of the relevant pages here, can't they?"

"Sure, darlin', we have fax, e-mail, anythin' you want. Just let Juan know an' he'll deal with it."

After that they sat in silence for a while, Debbie had been seen leaving the library and then telling them that she would be staying at the hotel at the end of the street if someone would arrange for her and her bags to be taken there by cab.

It wasn't until she had been gone over a half hour that Jo realised the dog was still with them.

ooo

Rae parked in a space just three vehicles down from where Jesse had left his car and made her way into the hospital. The pros and cons of a transfer were still going around in her brain. She had moved on from just thinking about her life since she had left London and was now trying to work out how she would feel being in North Hollywood without Steve, how she would feel going to work every day knowing that she would be entrusting her safety to maybe a total stranger, how she would feel not having him nearby.

She had realised that how she would feel was the same in all instances, not good. The station would be empty without him, she didn't think she could start again at North Hollywood with a new partner, and she would miss him, terribly.

Rae suddenly realised how Jesse must have felt when she barged her way into their lives. Seeing his friend move away by not sharing his cases as much as he used to with him, but sharing them completely with her, and she turned her walk into a jog as she felt the need to get to her husband, to hold him, hug him and tell him that, finally, she understood.

The journey up to the ICU was soon over, it was one she had made many times, sometimes consciously, sometimes not, and as the elevator doors opened she saw him, standing in the hallway waiting for her and she moved towards him quickly.

"Hi."

"Rae?" He knew, instantly, that something was wrong, or maybe not wrong, but definitely different. "What is it?"

"Nothing, not for now anyway, but I'm sorry, Jesse, sorry for being inconsiderate, and not understanding your feelings. Truly sorry." She kissed him then, gently on the cheek, but he felt almost as if she had kissed all the breath out of him.

"We'll talk, but, Susan?" He didn't know what else to say, he knew somehow that whatever it was they needed to discuss wouldn't harm them in any way and he was, for the moment, content with that.

"Will you come in? Listen too?" Rae looked into his eyes, as he nodded his agreement, she wanted him with her, not only because, finally, she was able to share, but also because she knew that the chances of Susan becoming upset and maybe going into shock again were great.

Alex was just coming out of the ICU room as Rae and Jesse arrived outside it and he smiled at them.

"Hi, guys, Susan's awake, she's desperate to talk with you, Rae, but you know that it'll upset and distress her. Do you want me to stay?"

Rae smiled at him. "No, thank you, Alex, Jesse is going to come in with me, but we'll report back to you, let you know how she reacted." Rae knew that Alex had been in the operating theatre with Susan and that Jesse had handed her care over to him.

With that the three friends parted company, Alex going back to catch up on paperwork, while Rae and Jesse went in to speak with the only living witness of the Red Rose Killer.

ooo

Martin stopped his weeding and watched as a cab drew up in front of the gate. The man leant his head out of the window and yelled at him. "What number is this?"

"Three, Five, Eight." Martin stood up and spoke slowly but clearly and the driver raised his hand in thanks before moving far slower along the road. The ex-detective, his curiosity rising, moved the few feet which took him to the end of the long driveway and looked towards where he knew Steve Sloan lived.

The cab had stopped again and, as he stood there, Martin saw the Spanish butler, whose name he could never remember, bringing two cases out and then putting them into the trunk of the vehicle. A very blonde and beautiful woman walked out behind him and then, without a word, climbed into the back seat and slammed the door. He had seen her before, he knew that, not for a while, maybe a week or so, but time sometimes ran away from him these days and he couldn't be certain exactly when it was.

Martin got very frustrated with himself when his memory let him down. He knew that the woman had something to do with the phone call he had received from Cheryl that morning about a man parked in the street who had hurt Rae, what he didn't know was how.

ooo

The first few minutes that Rae had spent with Susan had been almost silent, but now, gradually, the traumatized woman in front of her was getting herself together ready to speak. Rae could see the effort that it was taking and she sat down and took Susan's hand into her own.

"Susan, I know I'm here to listen to what you have to say to me, but just for a minute let me turn the whole thing around." Still there was silence, but Rae could tell that Susan was waiting for her to continue and so, taking a deep breath, she began to tell more than she thought she ever would to Jesse's ex-love. "I've been in a similar position to you; I was stalked, attacked and found myself in here. It really does help to talk about it, to share what happened with someone else, even if that someone else is a cop." The animosity that Rae had felt for Susan seemed to have left her; the jealousy that she knew had been simmering away for a long while was no longer there. All she saw was a very frightened and troubled victim that she knew she could help.

"What did I do wrong? All I wanted was a good time, a no strings attached date after I … after …" Susan stopped talking, realising that 'after I stopped chasing Jesse' wasn't the thing to say.

"Susan, this isn't your fault. I don't know you well, but I do know that you are a sensible, responsible, young woman. You weren't asked out for what you did or didn't do, but because of what you look like." Susan didn't appear convinced, in fact in her distraught state it was hard to tell how she was looking, and so Rae answered her question, deciding that it would be best to give Susan what she wanted, and then see what happened.

"Did you tell him you lived alone?" Rae saw her shake her head, "Did you lead him on, or give out any personal information before you had your date?" Still Susan was shaking her head. "Well then, normally, on a first date, you would have been fine, but this guy, he seems to be able to work round any and all precautions to get to his victims."

"I … I didn't have anyone to tell where I was going, but I met a doctor on my way to the movies, so I told him." Susan began to shake again, "I'm sorry, I … I thought I was gonna die." Tears flooded her eyes, and Jesse, his heart breaking for her, looked at his wife for a moment before taking her into his arms and gently holding her.

Gradually, once again, Susan pulled herself together and began to talk. Rae listened as she described the meal they'd had, how Dominic had talked about his early life, about being fostered, never settled, how his mom had died, and she began to see some glimmers of light as to why he was killing these women.

"He said that he had been left again, left over and over and that then … that someone in New York had left him, but that she would never do that another time. He … he called me Sara, I told you before, but it was more than that, he didn't seem to even see me as he did it, it was as if he was seeing her, this Sara, but then he said that he didn't have her hair, but he would have mine, that was me, he was talking to me then, almost as if he could go back and forward between the two."

For a moment she paused once more and then she spoke again. "I heard someone call out and then he … he sliced at my hair, but before he did that, it was almost as if the voices brought him back to reality, he jumped, jerked me backwards and then he cut off the …" She reached up to touch where her long blond hair had been, "then he ran." Her eyes were haunted now, her breathing ragged, but a look in Jesse's direction told Rae that she could continue a little longer.

"Susan, what I really want from you is what he looked like, I know you told me about the dark hair, the glasses and the beard, but all those things can be changed. What about his build? How tall he was, did he have any distinguishing features that he couldn't change? A lisp maybe, or a strong accent, anything, anything at all." Rae didn't want to sound desperate, even though, at this stage of the proceedings, that is exactly what she was.

It was clear now that Susan was able to think rationally about the questions Rae had posed. Jesse moved a little further away from her and his hand found that of his wife's. "She's doing ok, isn't she?"

"Great, it's hard, Jess, but she has given me a lot to go on."

"I have?" Susan looked up from where her eyes had been concentrating on her fingers pulling and twisting the bed sheet as she tried to picture the face of her attacker without panicking.

"I think I have an idea why he is doing this, an accurate idea, which I didn't have before, and, I'm gonna probably upset you and I'm sorry, but now I know what order he does things in. How he treats his victims. We didn't really know before."

"Oh. I'm … I'm glad."

Rae noticed that her witness was having a problem keeping her eyes open, and so quietly she stood up and then moved a little closer. "Susan, we've been talking for a long while, and we're going to get the look from Jesse if we don't stop soon."

Rae wasn't trying to become friends with her witness, but she did want to reduce the animosity between them. They would have to spend a lot of time together if Dominic was ever caught, and it would be a far more productive time if they didn't perceive each other as a threat or hostile.

"I haven't answered your question yet, can I think about it and then speak to you again tomorrow?"

"Of course, but I'm not working tomorrow or Saturday, how about I come in on Sunday? You need to rest, we can talk then."

A slight nod was all that Susan was capable of now she had, effectively, been given permission to go to sleep and so after Jesse had kissed her on the cheek the two of them went in search of Alex and left her to get the rest she so badly needed.