Trial by Fire
Chapter 6
It was almost 5 o'clock when we got home from our visit to Brigid's Chamber. I still had no idea why Goren had gone back in to talk to Amanda King. He said nothing as he waited for me to unlock the door. I desperately wanted to know but I knew him well enough to know that he would tell me when he was ready and not before.
"Shower?" he asked once we were inside.
"Yeah, I can still smell hospital." I wrinkled my nose. "It must be in my hair."
"Do you need any help with that?" He grinned at me.
"Do you have to ask?" I returned his grin unabashedly.
"That smile says something entirely different than the one you gave me in the squad room." He lowered his voice as we walked to the bedroom to disrobe.
"Probably because I was I was thinking something entirely different." I chuckled.
"Strange how both smiles have the same effect on me." He watched as I undressed.
"Are you planning to shower with your clothes on?" I was down to my underwear.
"I was distracted," he replied absently. He still made no effort to remove any of his clothes.
"Let me help." I walked over to him and began to loosen his tie. He let out a long slow breath as his eyes blazed down at me. I was becoming more adept at undressing him so I made quick work of his clothes. I couldn't stop myself from stroking his erection. I loved how hard he got and the way he groaned at my touch.
"Shower," he reminded me and reached behind me to unhook my bra.
If the smell of my hair wasn't bothering me so much, I would've dragged him to the bed right away, but I knew a shower with Goren would be a very sensual experience. I washed my hair quickly and fully intended to condition it, but I, too, became distracted.
"Mmm, Bobby," I sighed as his soapy hands explored my breasts. I didn't have to ask for a kiss when I turned to face him. His mouth covered mine instantly. As his tongue caressed mine, he ran his hands over my ass. He had to bend his knees and lean over me, but he didn't seem to mind. I wanted him to lift me up so we could make love, but he continued to run his soapy hands over me, pausing occasionally to kiss me.
"Bobby," I panted. "I need you inside of me."
"Not here." He shook his head as he reached for the portable shower head. "Do you remember," he began as he rinsed me off, "our very first night together? Do you remember how overwhelmed I was because I wanted to do everything all at once?"
"Yeah." I nodded. My heart began to pound in my chest. His eyes had grown dark and had that same predatory look they had that first night.
"I'm feeling that same way right now." His voice had become gravelly. I could only watch in anticipation as he rinsed himself off.
I had no idea how he planned to accomplish his goal. His cock was so engorged, it was almost purple. I doubted he'd be able to last, but I had no doubt that I'd enjoy the effort. I dried off quickly and as we left the bathroom, I was surprised to see Goren carrying another towel. When we got to the bedroom he spread it out in the middle of the bed.
"Lay face down" he instructed.
I didn't have time to wonder why. As soon as he reached for the scented oil, I understood. I got onto the bed and lay down as requested, eagerly looking forward to his touch. I closed my eyes and waited. My skin tingled when I felt the bed dip and my pulse quickened when I felt him straddle my legs.
His hands were hot when they touched my back. Almost immediately, I could smell the oil. The comforting aroma of the vanilla and the clean spiciness of the sandalwood had a warming effect on me and Goren's hands only added to that warmth. He massaged me thoroughly, from shoulders to feet, pausing only to re-oil and warm his hands. When he'd finished with my feet, I expected him to roll me over; instead he moved back up the bed. I shivered when I felt his breath in my ear.
"Alex, you've made me feel whole for this first time in my life."
His cock pushed into the cheek of my ass and his lips descended onto my neck.
"Bobby," I breathed as I lifted my hips back against him. "God, you have no idea how much you mean to me." I wanted to tell him, to explain how much I loved him, but when I felt his cock slide into me, all of my words were lost. We were in the position that I'd only tried for the first time a few days earlier. It was the position where he felt enormous inside of me. It was also the position that resulted in the first hickey I'd had since I was a teenager. I didn't want to be perpetually marked, but the desire to have his mouth on me was stronger.
Reaching behind me, I grabbed his head and pulled it to my neck. His initial hum of approval was enough to flood my body with heat and I shoved my ass against him again. Beginning softly, he trailed kisses down my neck. Once he reached my shoulder, his attention became more firm. At the same time he began to thrust into me harder. It was all I needed. I felt him humming against my skin as I shuddered beneath him. My quaking had barely stopped when, too my surprise, he pulled out of me.
"C'mere."
I looked over to find him on his knees with his arms open to me. At the point I realized he was intending to fuck me in all of his favorite positions. I still didn't think he'd be able to last, but I was more than happy to find out, either way. In this new position he kept his hands on my breasts. He knew how much I loved the feel of his hands on me.
"Please kiss me," I requested breathlessly as I leaned my head back. Had he not been so much taller than me, kissing would have been impossible.
As he began to move within me again, I felt another orgasm building rapidly. It seemed that once I'd peaked, it took me no time at all to come again.
"I love it when you moan into my mouth," Goren breathed as his thrusts became faster. When I came again, he paused and took several shaky breaths.
"Could you put your head down on the bed?" he asked once my tremors stopped.
"So that my ass sticks up in the air?" I chuckled huskily.
"Yes, please." He gave me another kiss before I moved.
"Are you going to make it?" I asked as I settled into the position he requested. I wasn't able to resist wiggling my ass at him.
"I don't know, but if I don't, we can just pick up where we left off," he told me in his lust-filled voice. That voice alone was enough to make me shiver.
My orgasms must have brought him close because after he slid his penis back into me, he paused to caress my ass. Every nerve in my body was urging me to rock back against him but I resisted, knowing he'd be disappointed if he came. The slight motion of him massaging me was enough, in my heightened state of arousal, to start the swell of another orgasm within me.
"You're gonna make me come again," I warned him.
"Good," he breathed, rocking against me slightly.
"I mean now," I groaned as I felt my muscles tighten.
"How do you do that?" He gave me one sudden powerful thrust, sending me over the top.
"Pretty sure it's a mutual kind of thing," I told him lazily once I'd stopped quaking.
"But I wasn't doing anything." He was running his fingers lightly over my skin.
"I'm not going from zero to a hundred every time," I tried to explain. "After my first orgasm, I hover around ninety, so it doesn't take much."
"But when you come really hard, do you drop lower?"
I wasn't used to having this kind of conversation during sex, but I was used to Goren's curiosity. With him, it felt completely natural.
"Sometimes, but sometimes I can have a few really powerful climaxes right in a row and I'll think there's no way I can possibly have another one, but I do." I tried to satisfy his thirst for knowledge.
"I love the way it feels when you come," he told me as he began to move again.
"I think your reactions make my orgasms even better." I found his rhythm and matched it. "I love it when you talk to me."
"I know what you mean." His voice was raspy. "I like it when you say things like 'you're gonna make me come again'." His fingers tightened around my hips. "What kind of things do you like to hear?"
"Doesn't matter." I panted.
"I love that I can make you come over and over." He began to thrust harder.
"Like this?" I groaned as my body shook again.
"And you get tighter and hotter." It sounded like he was speaking through clenched teeth.
"Bobby, yes!"
"And your muscles pull and tug at me, trying to make me come, too." His hands held me firmly as he thrust roughly into me.
I came again for him, hard.
"Alex," I heard him moan.
When I finally stopped shuddering I was surprised to feel that he was still erect inside of me.
"See?" I gave him a throaty laugh.
"Mmm, what?"
"I like it when you talk to me."
"Yeah, I noticed," he laughed with me. "I need a breather, though. Could you roll onto your back?"
"I'll try," I chuckled ruefully. "All those orgasms wear me out." When I sank all the way to the bed, Goren helped me roll to my back. I didn't get a chance to take a breath before he grabbed me by the hips and dragged me to the edge of the bed. "I thought we were taking a break?" I lifted my head to look at him.
"I'm taking a break," he grinned slyly at me as he lifted my legs over his shoulders.
"Oh," I laughed shakily.
"I don't want you falling too far below ninety," he informed me and began to kiss the inside of my thigh.
"No danger of that." I lifted my hips to give him better access.
He took that opportunity to slip a hand under me and tilt my hips toward him. "The orgasms you have this way are different, aren't they?" He lifted his lips from my skin to ask.
"Mmm hmm," I sighed as his mouth returned to the juncture of my legs. "More like yours."
"So once you break a hundred your engine dies and it takes at least half an hour, sometimes longer to start it again?" His laugh vibrated against me.
"I've never timed it." I was squirming in anticipation. "But when has it ever taken your engine longer than half an hour to recover?"
"I guess that depends on who's doing the repairs." He planted an opened mouth kiss directly on my sex.
"Enough car euphemisms," I complained. I wanted him to focus on the task at hand, or more appropriately, at mouth.
"Have I mentioned that I love how wet you get?"
I felt his fingers spread me open. His touch alone was enough to make me shiver.
"I love how it feels when you touch me, Bobby." I lifted my hips hoping for more contact.
He took my hint and began to slowly run his tongue over me. When he slipped two fingers into me, my internal muscles clamped down on him. He groaned against me and I felt my body begin to tense. As he flicked his tongue over my clit, he moved his fingers inside of me. I lifted my hips even higher as I grew taut. He knew that meant I was hovering right at the verge and he began to move his tongue rapidly. The pressure within me built quickly and exploded into shock waves that travelled out from my core. Goren kept his tongue against my clit until it stopped pulsing.
"I like how that feels," he murmured when he finally moved.
"I'm rather fond of it myself," I told him lazily. I felt warm and extremely relaxed.
Goren chuckled and I felt his mouth move to my belly.
"We aren't done, are we?" I squinted at him out of one eye.
"Nope, but I need you further up the bed."
With his help, I slid back to the middle of the bed. He lay down beside me, smiling softly.
"What?"
"Have I told you how beautiful you look when we make love?" He brushed a strand of hair off my face and leaned in to kiss me.
"You tell me I'm beautiful all the time." I put my hands around his neck and kissed him softly.
"Not your regular beautiful," he shook his head slightly when I released his lips. "You become radiant when we make love. Your cheeks get pink, your skin glows, your eyes," he sighed, "they gleam sometimes and other times they get very heavily-lidded," he smiled knowingly. "And I like the way your hair gets messed up."
"You like the just-fucked look," I grinned at him, knowing how he felt about that word.
"Okay." His smile widened. "I do."
When he leaned in to kiss me again, I tugged at him, urging him on top of me.
"You know what else I like?"
"What?" I whispered.
"I like that you enjoy this as much as I do." I was surprised when he began to get to his knees until he took my feet and put them on his shoulders. I knew he was planning to bend me in half and just the thought made me quiver in anticipation. "I left this until the end because I know you'll definitely take me with you."
I could only groan in response. He knew what this position did to me, which was why he liked it so much. Even his first gentle strokes were enough to create a surge within me. When he began to move more quickly and thrust harder an explosion crashed through me. I was gasping his name as I peaked. Then I was just gasping. I wanted to tell him how good it felt and how much I loved him but I could barely breathe. I was aware enough to recognize his final thrust and felt him shuddering above me.
We were both breathing heavily when Goren pulled us to our sides. I snuggled into his chest and waited for him to catch his breath, but all of my orgasms must have exhausted me, because the next thing I knew, I was waking up under the covers. The lights were out and I was alone in the bed. I squinted at the clock. It read 10:30.
After wrapping a robe around myself, I padded to the bathroom. When I was done I went to the living room to discover Goren on the couch with a newspaper.
"Hey." He smiled when he saw me.
"Why did you let me sleep so long?" I asked as I settled in beside him.
"I tried to wake you up, but you muttered something and rolled to your other side," he let me know. "Did I over-exert you?"
"Maybe," I sighed contentedly. "But feel free to over-exert me like that any time you want."
"I'll keep that in mind." He chuckled.
"I'm surprised you didn't fall asleep, too." I leaned against his arm.
"I did, but the alarm on my phone woke me up." We'd decided setting the alarm on his phone would be the best way to make sure he didn't miss his nightly call to his mother.
Thinking about the alarm on his phone reminded me that I'd wanted to talk to my sister.
"Shit," I muttered.
"What?" Goren looked at me in surprise.
"I meant to call my sister, but I don't like to call this late. I'm worried I'll wake someone up. I guess I'll just e-mail her."
When I turned on my computer I discovered that Liz was online. I sent her an internet message asking her to call me and we ended up chatting for over an hour. Despite my nap, I decided I should try to go back to bed. It took me a while to fall asleep, but eventually I drifted off in the shelter of Goren's arms.
The next morning followed our usual routine, except that I had to choose clothes that would be appropriate for a memorial service and hide the fading hickeys on my neck. Goren commented on how long it was taking me to get dressed, but when I pointed out that I had hickeys to hide, he muttered an apology and left me alone. The best I could come up with was a wine-colored sleeveless turtleneck with a black skirt and jacket. I looked drab. I would've preferred a tasteful black dress, but nothing I owned would cover the love bites Goren had given me.
The drive to the hospital was quiet. Goren was back in work mode, poring over the case notes. I knew he was hoping a new suspect would jump out at him, but judging by the silence beside me, I could tell no one had.
Michael Robinson had been transferred to the ICU. We had to wait for rounds to end to speak to a doctor, but a nurse let us know that the professor had been drifting in and out of consciousness all night. His condition was still critical, although he had improved slightly. Goren went over Dr. Robinson's chart while we waited, telling me whatever he thought was relevant as he read. The professor was still running a very high fever despite being on two different antipyretics. He was getting a broad spectrum antibiotic, although how Goren knew that, I have no idea. The most troubling thing was that Dr Robinson's kidney function still wasn't good. I knew all of this was interesting to Goren, but I didn't see how it was pertinent to our case.
A young woman in scrubs entered the curtained off area around the professor's bed. "Are you the detectives?"
"Yes, I'm Detective Goren and this is my partner, Detective Eames." He shook her hand.
"Dr. Millson," she said curtly. "What can I tell you that wasn't in his chart?" she asked Goren pointedly. The chart had been hanging at the foot of the bed and was now on a table beside Goren.
"Do you think his kidneys will recover?" Goren didn't miss a beat. If he cared that the doctor was annoyed by him reading the chart, he didn't show it.
"It could still go either way," she said matter-of-factly. "He still isn't out of the woods."
"Do you know what he's fighting – what you're dealing with?" I asked.
"Lab results will take a couple of days." She shook her head. "But based on his temp and the renal issues, I'd say bacteria. If it is bacteria, they should respond to the antibiotics by this afternoon."
"The nurse said he's been in and out of consciousness," I continued as Goren took notes. "Has he been lucid, at all?"
"I heard he was asking for someone named Heather," she nodded.
"His girlfriend." Goren didn't look up from his notes to tell her.
"Why hasn't she been in?" Dr. Millson looked puzzled.
"She was murdered last weekend," I explained.
She stiffened noticeably and her expression grew pensive. "Do you suspect him?"
"We did." Goren finally looked up from his notes.
"But now we think he's another victim," I added.
"You think someone did this to him?" She looked surprised.
"Yes, we told all of this to the doctor we saw yesterday." I was getting frustrated.
"It's not exactly the kind of thing that gets charted," she frowned. 'But if you give me your card, I'll get in touch with you when he's more lucid and when we get the lab results back."
"Thanks," I handed her my card.
"Do you think he still might still be in danger?" She looked concerned.
"We're only speculating that it was intentional at this point." I explained.
"Has anyone been in to see him?" Goren asked.
"You'd have to ask the nurses," she said apologetically. "I haven't seen anyone here and only immediate family would be allowed in."
"Then why were you surprised about his girlfriend not being in to see him?" Goren stopped writing to ask her.
"The nurses make exceptions," she shrugged.
"We should talk to the nurses again." I glanced at Goren.
"Yeah," he nodded. "No exceptions."
By talking to the nurses we discovered that the professor's family had been notified and were expected later that day. We asked them to keep a record or everyone who visited, asked to visit or called to inquire about the professor's condition.
I left the hospital feeling like we'd accomplished nothing.
"Maybe we'll have better luck when we talk to the Chair of the Environmental Science department." Goren answered my thoughts.
"Someone's got to know who would benefit from these two people being dead," I sighed.
"Unless it's pure revenge," he thought out loud.
"Revenge for what? Being too nice? Too smart? Too environmentally conscious?" I furrowed my brow. "My money is still on someone benefitting."
"Mine too," he chuckled. "I was just playing Devil's Advocate."
The chair of the Environmental Science Department had agreed to meet us at 10:30, but it was only 9:45 when we arrived on campus. That gave us time to stop at the Campus Brew for a cappuccino. Since I was dressed in a black suit with a wine-colored turtleneck for the memorial service, I felt very out of place. Goren always seemed oblivious to those kinds of things. As we waited in line he told me about an article he'd been reading about the Leaning Tower of Pisa and how a group of engineers had stabilized the foundation so that it wouldn't topple over but would still keep its famous lean. I may have felt out of place but Goren seemed to fit right in with academia.
Dr. Philip Currie kept us waiting for fifteen minutes. One of my many pet peeves was people who thought their time was more important than mine, but Dr. Currie was so friendly and eager to assist that I forgave him almost immediately. He seemed genuinely upset about what happened to Heather and was shocked when we told him our suspicions about Dr. Robinson.
"We haven't found any reason in Heather's personal life that would make someone want to harm her," I began.
Goren had opened his case to take notes, but he was distracted by all of the diplomas, certificates and pictures on the wall. He stood up to get a closer look.
"So now we're wondering if maybe it was something in her academic life," I finished.
"Her academic life?" Dr. Currie replied absently. He was watching Goren.
"Did she win any scholarships that someone else might have been counting on?" I suggested.
"Oh." He turned back toward me. "Heather was awarded many scholarships but she never accepted any of them. She thought they should go to students who not only excelled academically but also needed them financially." He turned to look at Goren again when he finished speaking.
"Awards maybe?" I tried to keep him on track.
"What? Oh, the only awards she accepted were the ones that came without gifts attached." Dr. Currie was still focused on my partner.
"What's this?" Goren pointed to a series of plaques. "What's a Bywater Fellow?"
"It's a fellowship program administered by CERC," he told Goren.
"CERC?" Goren was still studying the plaques.
"The Center for Environmental Research and Conservation," Dr. Currie explained the acronym. "It's housed here at Columbia, but it's a consortium of world-renowned scientific institutions."
"Sounds impressive." I tried to look like I was actually impressed.
"Oh." Dr. Currie's eyes widened.
"What?" Goren and I asked in unison.
"Heather Kane was awarded a Bywater Fellowship for next year. She would have been the youngest ever fellow. Some members of the committee thought it shouldn't have gone to someone so young, but her presentation was so original and thought provoking." He seemed to shrink in his chair as he spoke.
"Go on." I nodded.
"The Bywater Fellowship is concerned with conservation and sustainability in Central America. The poverty in that region of the world leads people to strip the land of resources without considering what will happen in the future. Heather's goal was to educate Central American Women about sustainability and empower them to take charge of their futures. She argues that while women were responsible for a large part of the agricultural work, most of the education resources were focused on men."
"And women would think about the future for their children and their children's children," Goren said thoughtfully.
"Precisely," the chairman nodded. "And she talked about re-teaching them the traditional methods of farming and harvesting. It used to be a culture that fostered sustainability. She wasn't talking about re-inventing the wheel, just re-introducing it."
"It sounds like a good idea." This time I actually was impressed.
"She was very passionate about it," He took a long slow breath, "But even at her most fervent, her ideas and suggestions remained logical. That's what finally convinced the jury."
"Was there a lot of competition for the fellowship?" Goren's voice was subdued.
"A lot of *very* zealous competition," Dr. Currie nodded.
"Any sore losers?" I had to ask.
"I'll give you the short list. None of them were happy to lose to an undergrad. An undergrad had never been short-listed before, so I don't think anyone thought she stood a chance. It never occurred to me that feelings would have run as high as you're suggesting."Dr. Currie began typing something on his keyboard.
"Was anyone vocal about their feelings?" I continued. I knew we were finally getting somewhere.
"Only two were local, not including Heather" he looked up from his typing. "We get applicants from all over the world."
I flicked my eyes toward Goren to find him looking at me. We'd developed this silent communication early on in our partnership. We'd recently expanded our silent vocabulary and it seemed to me that even at work, my understanding of what his eyes were telling me had become deeper. We'd gone from no suspects to two. Goren gave me a slight nod, to let me know to go ahead with the next question.
"Would either of the two locals have known Heather outside of the application process?"
"Justin Nyland was one of her TAs, but he didn't seem overly upset," Dr. Currie frowned. "You don't think..."
"We can't rule anyone out, Dr. Currie," I informed him. "And please don't discuss this conversation with anyone."
"Of course," he nodded.
"We'd still like that short list of candidates," I smiled. "And do you have any contact information for Justin?"
After collecting everything from Dr. Currie, I handed it to Goren to add to the case file. We had a computer print out of Justin's student ID, but it was grainy and old. Dr. Currie said Justin looked quite different now. We said our good-byes and were almost out of the office when Goren stopped in his tracks and turned around.
"One more thing, Dr. Currie," he began. "Would Justin Nyland have had any contact with Dr. Robinson?"
"Mike Robinson?" Dr. Currie nodded. "Of course. Justin is a grad student. Mike is his thesis advisor."
"Thanks," Goren smiled and pulled the door shut behind him.
"I'll call Deakins," I pulled out my phone.
"We need to set up an interview with this kid," Goren said as we walked. "We don't have enough to arrest him."
"Do you think Carver would think we have enough for a search warrant?" I asked. He was about to answer when Deakins picked up the phone. I held my finger up to let Goren know to hang on. After I explained to the captain what we'd just learned and I hung up with a smile. "What do you think he said?"
"Step into him," Goren smiled.
I was relieved to have a viable suspect once again and was more than anxious to, in the words of our boss, step into him. We were still committed to going to the memorial service, but that would give us a chance to ask Heather's family and friends about Justin. I wanted more to go on before we brought this kid in for questioning, but we'd have to be careful. I didn't want him getting skittish beforehand. We'd have to lay our trap very carefully.
End chapter 6