Chapter 8
May 24, 1999
Palm Beach Police Department

"Let's dispel this mystery, I'm going to find out if anyone saw who left those flowers," Harry told them.

"I already asked Beau Trager, he didn't see anyone," Cassy informed him. "Listen, I'm sure this is just a coincidence."

"I don't think that's a chance we should take. Patrick was murdered." Tom was still kneeling down in front of Cassy.

"I agree. You don't normally find flowers in an Internal Affairs hearing," Harry reminded her. "We'll take precautions."

"Precautions?" color returned to Cassy's face. "I need to make travel plans to get to Texas and I have...other things to do. I was just being...I was in shock." Cassy attempted to stand up and leave.

"Hold on." Tom stood up and blocked her from standing. "Give Harry a few minutes."

Cassy glared at Tom and looked away. It was clear from her posture that she believed they were just trying to find excuses to make her stay, but she wasn't going to engage them in an argument. She would play along for a while and then she would do what she wanted anyway.

"Five minutes then I'm leaving."

Harry and Tom exchanged a look before Harry left the room. Secure that she wouldn't be leaving until Harry got back, Tom physically backed off and went to stand on the other side of the room. Cassy stood up and unconsciously moved to the opposite corner.

"Stop looking at me," Cassy said a minute later.

Tom opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it. He took a breath and then tried again. "Just because you don't want to believe this is connected to the murder doesn't mean it's not true," Tom said, a deeper message underlie his words.

"It's just a flower Tom. I've gotten flowers before. Besides we don't even know that these were for me," Cassy said rationally.

"Five minutes ago you didn't think so," Tom reminded her.

"I said that I wasn't thinking straight," Cassy snapped.

"When's the last time you spoke with him?" Tom asked in a suddenly sympathetic tone.

Cassy turned around and stared at the crushed flower she still held in her hand. "Probably about...right before you and I got married," she finally said in a low voice.

"How come?" Tom couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Because there are some relationships you need to leave in the past to move on."

Tom didn't respond to her pointed comment, but his face communicated the war of emotions he was battling. Anger, frustration, loss of hope, fear and sympathy all crossed his face within the space of a few seconds.

"No one saw anything," Harry announced with disgust as he walked back into the room. His face tightened in disgust as he saw Cassy and Tom standing in opposite corners. 'At least there's no blood or tears,' he thought ruefully.

"I'm going home." Cassy picked up her purse and slipped the strap on to her shoulder.

"I don't think you should go alone or unarmed." Harry pulled badges from his pocket. "Your guns are in my office."

"I don't need that." Cassy didn't move to take her badge.

"Take it and your gun, at least until we confirm that the flowers are just a coincidence," Harry said impatiently. "Tom, we'll meet you at my office."

Tom slipped his badge gratefully into his pocket and looked worriedly at the pair before slipping out the door to call his parents and tell them the good news.

"I know you think that you want to leave, but I've heard this from you before.," Harry waited until Cassy was seated before he began to tell her what he wanted to say. "I know you believe that Tom doesn't love you, maybe it makes you feel better to convince yourself of that. Safer. I don't know, but I know it's not true. I definitely know that he's a good friend and that you two are a great team. All I'm asking is that you take time now that you have your job back to think things through."

"All I've done over the past few weeks is think Harry, I'm not going to change my mind now!" Cassy ran a frustrated hand over her eyes and sat back. She was so tired of fighting everyone so that she could live her life how she chose.

"Then at least keep your job until you leave Palm Beach," Harry suggested.

"You don't think the flowers are a coincidence I take it. What is it, a hunch?" Cassy teased.

"Humor me," Harry shot her a look.

"You tease Tom about it enough," Cassy shrugged and smiled impishly.

"So do you," Harry reminded her.

>>>>>>

"Oh look," Harry slipped his glasses to his nose and began to read a telephone message. "A dead body. They must have known!"

Tom and Cassy looked warily at each other.

"Listen Harry, I need to make arrangements to leave town. The funeral is in two days," Cassy reminded him.

"So get the case solved before then and make reservations on your way to this address." Harry passed the slip of paper to Tom. "You're not going to sit around and mope for two days are you? You need to work. Now git, shoo!"

Tom and Cassy suddenly found themselves on the other side of Harry's door and looking at each other warily. Cassy sighed and went to her desk to retrieve her holster. She didn't have anything better to do since she had planned the next few days for the hearing.

"I'm driving." she looked up at her soon-to-be-ex-partner daring him to say something.

"Fine." Tom couldn't contain his grin. Suddenly things weren't looking so bad. He had his badge and gun back and Cassy was back at his side. This time he wouldn't let it all go so easily.

>>>>>>>
1.5 hours later

"We've been had." Cassy glared at the windshield of her Boxster two hours later.

"I would agree with that assessment." Tom couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. He was annoyed at Harry for sending them out to what was clearly the scene of a suicide, but it was a scene and he was with his partner. He didn't think he had the right to complain all that much since he had been afraid he'd never be doing this again.

"But you're pleased." Cassy turned a looked at him for the first time since they had left the police station.

"Come on, Cassy, you have to admit that there could have at least been some question as to whether this was a murder or not. Maybe Harry wanted us to ease back into the job? Or we just happened to be there when he got the message? Either way someone would have to go out and make sure there was no evidence of foul play, why not us? I'm just glad to have my badge back." Tom shrugged good-naturedly.

"So we can investigate suicides?" Cassy snapped as she turned the key in the ignition.

Tom put his hand over hers as she moved to put the car into gear. Cassy turned and glared at him. "When is the last time you smiled?" Tom asked her quietly.

Her eyes widened and filled before she looked away to hide her reaction.

"Get out of my car." Cassy turned back around, her eyes full of fire, her lips tight with rage.

"Cass..."

"Get out of my car and out of my life!" she repeated.

Tom studied her eyes for a few seconds more before slightly nodding his head and getting out of the car. He could get a ride with one of the uniforms back to the station. He just wasn't so sure she should be driving.

"Cass..." before he could finish what he was going to say she peeled out of the driveway of the ocean-side house and drove away, taking advantage of the engine of the Porsche.

Torn between sadness and frustration, Tom let humor win. A smile curved his lips as he imagined the hapless officer who pulled her over to give her a traffic ticket. Suddenly his expression sobered as he remembered the jarring news she had received that morning. Suddenly in a hurry, he turned and jogged to find a uniform who could take him back to his car.

>>>>>>

Miraculously, Cassy made it back to her townhouse without being stopped by the cops for speeding. Her disposition, however, hadn't improved much with the realization.

'How dare he ask me how long it's been since I smiled!' she fumed as she turned the alarm on her car and headed for her front door from the carport.

'Since you told me you were marrying someone else,' her memory reminded her. 'That's why you didn't want to answer him.'

"What is wrong with me? I never let him get to me like this?" she mumbled as she turned off her alarm and put her key in the door. As the door slid open Cassy felt prickles on the back of neck. Her had automatically reached down and pulled out her gun. With one finger she took off the safety and then slowly began to push the door open the rest of the way. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary she continued slowly into the residence. Before she could check to see if anyone was out of the range of her sight she was grabbed from behind. A cloth covered her mouth and squeezed the hand carrying the gun, a shot rang out. Unable to breath Cassy began to feel dizzy and her hand opened and the weapons was taken.

Hazily she heard the door slam behind her. As stars began to explode before her eyes she realized that the sickening smell was probably chloroform. She tried to control her desperation and stop breathing as she heard her purse fall to the floor. Suddenly a hand was groping at her breast through her shirt.

"We don't have time for that!" a strident female voice said from a distance. Cassy tried to look for the speaker.

"You promised!" the man holding her protested.

"The neighbors probably heard the shot..."

Everything went black.

>>>>>>

On the way back to the station Tom called Harry on his cell phone and told him that he intended to go check up on Cassy. He also added a few choice words about the "case" they had been sent out on. As soon as they reached the parking lot Tom hotfooted it to his Mustang. As he pulled out onto the road he chuckled as he remembered that Cassy was now armed and wouldn't appreciate his showing up.

"Nothing I'm not used to," Tom reminded himself. Whatever Cassy was, she definitely made life exciting. "I won't let that go!" his expression sobered. Their first case definitely lacked inspiration. He had hoped for a case that he and Cassy could sink their teeth into and would last a while. He knew she would never walk away from an unfinished case.

A few minutes later pulled into the driveway behind Cassy's car. He remained in the car for a few minutes steeling himself for Cassy's resistance to his appearance. He wasn't going to let her shut him out this time.

Tom noticed that her alarm was off again, something he was beginning to observe often happened when she was upset. He reached up to ring the bell when he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. 'Cassy would never be that upset,' his hand reached for his gun. She might slam the door, but she would never leave it open. Quietly he pushed the door open and he placed both of his hands on his weapon and waited a few seconds before entering. His eyes took in the sight of Cassy's purse and the crushed lily by the door. 'Funeral flowers,' he suddenly thought.

His heart pounding he looked around and didn't see anyone. Sensing movement out of the corner of his eyes he turned and pointed the gun towards the living room. He let out the breath he was holding when he saw it was a curtain blowing in front of the open patio door.

Still advancing slowly he continued to look around. At the foot of the stairs he saw a handkerchief lying on the floor. Cassy did not carry "reusable rags" as she politely called them with disgust. Someone else had to be here.

He fought the urge to call out Cassy's name. There was no guarantee that whomever had interrupted Cassy's entrance wasn't still here.

Suddenly he began to hear the sound of distant police sirens.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath. If someone was still there and held Cassy they might panic. Speeding up his advance he took the stairs two and a time. Breathing heavily, his gun still held out in front of him he looked for signs of intruders and Cassy as he advanced down the short hallway.

He reached Cassy's bedroom and saw that the door was half ajar. Tightening his grip on his gun he reached out with his right hand and pushed the door open.

Cassy was there all right. And she wasn't alone.

End Chapter 8