Chapter 2

"Not like my place at all, eh?" Jen tried to break the silent tension that had hung in the air since Nick got into the car.

"What's that?" Nick asked clearly distracted.

"I said it's not like my place, too clean," she chuckled trying to get a smile or really any response out of Nick.

He turned towards her as he slipped on his latex gloves, "Yeah I suppose not," he looked around the flat, "It seems more like a display home don't you think?"

Jen nodded in agreement, "Yeah, no photos, no knickknacks, nothing posted the fridge. It seems devoid of life." She walked towards the bedroom, "Are we sure she actually lived here," pointing out the perfectly made bed that didn't look slept in.

"Well maybe she just used it for her mail, but spent most of her time at the Preston's place?" He shrugged and returned to the kitchen noting that there wasn't much but alcohol and some cheese inside the refrigerator.

"I guess, I'm not really sure how that works, a live in threesome? Is that kind of like one of those sister wives things?" She followed Nick back into the front of the flat, taking a moment to admire the view, as much as she loved her little bungalow in the suburbs sometimes she wished she had a flat like this, close to work and nightlife and with an incredible view.

Nick startled her out of her thoughts when he came up behind her, "Definitely not my area of expertise, I'm a one woman type of guy, maybe you should ask Rhys he seems to know a lot about this stuff," he stripped off his gloves as it became obvious there was no evidence for them to take back to the station.

Jen felt herself bristle a bit at his remark, she knew Nick wasn't the type to go after more than one woman at a time, and certainly the swinging lifestyle wasn't him, but after seeing him with that woman today at the station she felt on edge. She could tell the two clearly knew each other, more than just a professional thing, but something about the visit made her worry about Nick. The two weren't together like that anymore, and she knew it was her doing of course, but she still loved him deeply. She shook her head, thoughts like this were exactly why she broke up with him she needed to keep focused at work, "Great view," she stated taking off her gloves too.

"Yeah, not too shabby, I bet this place cost a pretty penny," he said making his way to the front door of his apartment as Jen followed.

As so often happened between the pair he said something that made her brain just clicked, "Nick, you're right!"

He looked back at her as he held the door open for her, he knew that look that she got in her eyes when she had a clever thought, he loved the sight of watching her brain at work, and so he waited for her to share.

"This place is in the heart of the city, we're 12 floors up, this must cost a fortune. So how is she paying for it? Drew Preston is the one that got the new job down here, got a place for him and his wife. So is he paying for the apartment? Is that what this is all about, he had to get rid of her because of the money? It was all too expensive? Keeping up this lifestyle?"

Nick smiled, they were all great questions. Jen was the best at making these kinds of leaps, it's why she was brilliant in homicide and why he knew he could never jeopardize her position there, it's where she was meant to be.

"Or—" she started in.

He chuckled, "Save it for lunch Jen. All your theories are making me hungry." And like that his foul mood over his conversation with Juliette and the trouble she was stirring up over Dane Majors. He hadn't forgotten about it, but Jen certainly had found a way like she did most days to pull him out of his head.

"Alright, alright, let's get you something to eat," she replied glad to see Nick smiling again, "Thai?" She suggested as a lunch time option, knowing it was one of his favorites.

"Sure, you know I can never turn down an offer of Thai take-away," he replied as the pair got on the lift back down to their car.

Across town in the suburbs of Melbourne, Allie was having her fill of Rhys and his side remarks about swingers and threesomes. The entire car ride over he managed to take any conversation back around to the subject, she knew he was doing it just to needle her and she was trying her hardest not to give into him and the temptation to smack him. If she had to hear one more time that swingers weren't kinky, and it was all just ordinary conventional sex she would smack him and only Matt would have himself to blame for the report of striking another officer. She knew Matt had done it on purpose, pairing them up together on this investigation. She'd been fine with Nick this morning taking Drew's statement, going to the morgue there was no reason why it needed to be changed up. Letting out a deep annoyed sigh she looked up with relief. Finally they arrived at the couple's house and she'd practically leapt from the vehicle before Rhys could even put it in park. She was desperate for a few moments of fresh air without his voice in her head.

Allie knocked on the front door of a modest sized house in what seemed to be an average suburban neighborhood. It only took a moment for someone to come to the door, it was a petite woman wearing a cliche jogging suit. Allie wouldn't have been surprised if it said Juicy on her ass, because there was no way this woman was a runner. "Olivia?" She said trying to muster a smile.

"Hi," she said looking at the young couple before her, "you've got the right place, but we don't kick things off until after dark. You'll have to come back around 9 tonight."

Suddenly a tall man holding a coffee mug out for his wife appeared beside her at the door chiming in, "Oh and don't park on the street. Neighbors get annoyed with too many cars parked along the drive. Just a consideration, don't want too much attention and all." He added a smile, but it still made Allie feel a bit off. She quickly and happily pulled her badge out and held it out for the couple to check. She could sense Rhys behind her, just snickering, but she didn't care if her tactics were a bit brusk they had a job to do, not friends to make.

"The police?" Olivia uttered as most people do when they suddenly have coppers show up on their doorstep before 9am.

"Yes ma'am," Allie replied, "may we come in?"

The husband nodded and the wife held the door open ushering them into the kitchen. Rhys opened his padfolio and pulled out the headshots laying them onto the counter, "Do you recognize these individuals?"

Olivia smiled, "Yeah of course. That's Sophia and Rebecca," she pointed to either woman and then towards the center, "And Drew, Rebecca's husband. I'm sorry, but I don't know their surnames, we don't ask for that kind of information."

The husband nodded in agreement, while staring at Allie.

"Is there a problem? Did something happen?"

"Why would you ask that Mrs. Akkerman? Do you often have incidents with guests at your parties?" Allie couldn't help but jump on it.

"No, I mean occasionally someone gets jealous. Thinks that they're game for the lifestyle, but it's not for everyone," The husband replied squeezing his wife's bicep in reassurance.

"I just thought that if the police were here then something must have happened is all," Olivia said, "Did - something - happen?" Her words came out more slowly.

"When is the last time you saw Drew?" Rhys asked the couple.

Olivia looked up at her husband in recall, "Uh, it must have been two parties ago now. Becky, Rebecca, and Sophie were here last Saturday though."

The husband interrupted, "Drew came pounding on the door Sunday morning," Olivia looked up in surprise, "you'd gone to the market. He was asking if his wife was here. She wasn't, but I we had family over for a BBQ, so I had to kindly ask him to leave."

"How did he seem to you when you sent him away?" Allie pressed.

"Upset I guess. Said he hadn't seen or heard from Becky in a few days, but there wasn't anything I could do to help. We see people at these parties, but we don't really get to know them outside of these walls — it's one of the rules. Is there anything else?"

"Do you know what time Sophie and Rebecca left? Did they leave together?"

"Oh gosh, I'm not sure I remember what time. I thought they'd gone out together, but I couldn't swear on it. Have they gone missing?"

That was their cue to leave, Allie and Rhys nodded their heads and pulled out their business cards, "Thanks for the information. If you think of anything else or hear anything please let us know."

Olivia took their cards while her husband showed them back out of the house. As Allie walked back to the car she leaned on the doorframe waiting for Rhys to unlock it, "You know, I think something happened that night at the party and they don't want to tell us."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not sure, but he was holding something back, I know it."

When Jen and Nick pulled back into the garage after lunch they were surprised to see Rhys and Allie making their way towards the lift.

"So how was it?" Jen hollered.

"Another creepy daytrip to the suburbs," Allie replied.

Nick's phone buzzed in his pocket and he looked down at the caller ID, "Hey I need to take this, I'll be right up," he said to Jen before hanging back from the rest of the group. He watched them get onto the elevators before opening the phone.

"Bruce," he called out not wanting to sound wary just yet.

"Nick, I was surprised when I saw a message from you this morning to give you a ring. What's it been six, seven years?"

"Yeah mate, been awhile for sure. Hey listen, I know you're busy and I just caught a case, but I'm having to field some questions on the Dane Majors case—" his voice trailed off letting his old boss time to process.

"Now that's a blast from the past, who wants to know about that bloke?"

"Well this journo has gotten some tip-off that maybe some evidence was planted to frame Majors—"

"That's a load of crap and you know it! What did we supposedly plant?"

"I'm not sure yet, she's going to share the details with me later I think, she was just giving me a head's up that some questions are being raised about his innocence."

"Yeah, well every guy in lock-up claims he's not guilty,"

"Yeah, well listen when I know more I'll let you know, just didn't want you to get caught off guard if anyone comes asking you,"

"Let'em, we ran a clean case then just as we run'em clean now. This just the latest stunt by that asshole to have anyone but him take the blame for what he's done to his wife."

Nick saw Jen reappear at the base of elevators, "I hear ya. Listen Bruce, I gotta go, active case and all."

"Go go, Let me know what you hear,"

"Will do," he said walking towards Jen.

"Sorry," she said with a little smile, "but Matt wants a briefing." She rolled her eyes at her own remark. Matty's impatience was taking on legendary proportions.

"No worries Jen," he clicked the button to call the elevator back down to the garage.

Jen gestured down to his phone, "Everything alright?"

He followed her gaze, "Ah, yeah. Old Sarge calling me back. Just touching base."

She nodded her head wanting to ask more, but not wanting to press him. She could read Nick almost too well and knew when and how to be pushy, "Always good to keep in touch. You never know when you need those contacts." She smiled back.

"Exactly," he knew Jen wanted more and part of him wanted to share with her, unburden himself a bit, but it wasn't the right moment. He needed more information, more time to process things before looping her in. After all it may come to nothing.

The doors opened and the pair walked into the conference room where everyone else had already convened.

"Nice of you to join us," Matt tossed out the unnecessary slight, but Nick and Jen avoided the bait. "As I was saying, they saw them four nights ago and they can't remember anything?" His attention was directed at Rhys and Allie surprised they didn't push the swinging couple organizers harder for details. "Don't they pay attention to their guests and their comings and goings? How many people go to these things anyways?"

"It's not like there's a guest book they sign in and out of. We wager that around 30-40 people attend any given party," Rhys said looking towards Allie who nodded in agreement.

"I wager they're hiding something. They refused to share any information about their guests," Allie chimed in.

Duncan pulled out his notes, "I spoke with Sophie's boss, she did go to work last week. No issues with co-workers. Everything seemed normal."

"Did he mention anything about Drew Preston?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, Drew was down there yesterday asking if her boss had seen his wife or Sophie," Duncan leaned back in his chair, "fits with the husband's story."

"Yeah, but he could just be putting us all on right? Acting like he is worried, all to cover his tracks," Jen still felt the husband was involved in it all, but didn't have anything to go on as of yet to say for certain.

"Well on the VW front, I've got an update, the car was at the mechanics shop for a few days. Sophie picked it up, the owner confirmed it was her, but it hasn't been seen since. Patrol is still looking for it."

The room went quiet for a moment until Rhys put both hands onto the table and leaned forward, "Look," he waited for everyone to look at him before continuing, "I've been doing a bit of research into the swinger lifestyle—"

"I bet you have," Allie muttered under her breath. Given all his point of facts in the car, she knew he had.

"These parties, you basically have to be a 'member' of a group to get into one. They don't just take anyone, you have to know someone to get in."

"That fits with what we got from the couple when we questioned them," Allie had to admit, as much as it pained her to do so, that Rhys was at least right about that.

He nodded his thanks, "The venues are posted online, you show up, if your name's on the list, you pay a cover to get in. It's usually a large amount of money too, they want to weed out people that are just there to 'observe' or have a drunk threesome."

"So it might be worth checking into financials then," Jen said always following the money.

"Yeah, yeah it might," Rhys said in agreement, "Well there's one of these parties tonight." He let his comment just drop.

"I like where your head's at," Matt said pointing at Rhys who burst into a gigantic grin, "Nick, Jen get dressed up you're going undercover to the swingers party tonight."

Jaws dropped throughout the entire conference room. Rhys clearly disappointed. Allie in dismay. Nick and Jen in awkward confusion.

"Uh ok Sarge, but uh, why us?" Nick asked hesitantly gesturing between he and Jen.

"Easy, you guys have the whole married undercover thing down already," Matt smiled back as if this was the most genius idea and perhaps the easiest thing he had to decide all day. "Rhys get Drew to give you the website for this swinger's group. Nick and Jen will use his name to get inside." He gave Nick a pat on the shoulder and walked out of the conference room.

Rhys slumped over in defeat. "Guess you'll have to pass on your research to Nick then, eh?" Allie needled him causing him to throw a sneer in her direction.

"Well Trish and Wesley are out, who do you feel like being tonight?" Jen's mind was reeling as she wrapped her head around the notion that once again she and Nick would be posing as a couple. It was sure to be more awkward than their first night together, how do two people who've been broken up for three months genuinely sell themselves as an in-love swinging couple?