Sophie's meeting place with Harris was a few miles out of town, a small diner on the side of the main highway. When Bobby arrived the place was mostly empty, the mid-morning lull between breakfast and lunch. A bored waitress leaned against the counter while an impatient Harris occupied a booth towards the back.
"Robert, what are you doing here?"
"Sophie had something come up, Charles is dead."
"I know. Miss Wallace arrived last night."
"I'm not entirely convinced that she was the one to kill him," Harris looked surprised but didn't ask him to elaborate.
"There will be plenty of time to question her. We're planning on tomorrow night to raid the club. Tuesday is usually a busy night there, if we wait any longer we risk more girls disappearing," Harris slid a newspaper across the table. "Everything is there. Be sure to stay out of Nicole's sight. Last thing we need is her to spot you at an inopportune time."
Bobby simply nodded, took the paper and left. He didn't like the drive alone, suddenly everything seemed far too quiet. Pulling up to the sidewalk he barely put the car into park before Sophie had the door open and climbed in.
"Is everything—"
"Drive," she answered simply before he could finish his question. Bobby did as she instructed, shifting the car into drive and pulling back into the street. "I said that I was late for an open house. Nicole showed up and informed us that she would be taking over."
"Harris anticipated as much. You're sitting on the plans for tomorrow night's raid."
"Let's see what's in sports today." Sophie arched up for a moment, reaching a hand under to grab the newspaper before falling gracefully back into the seat.
"What's the plan?"
"Pretty straight forward, we wait until they bring a girl back, catch them in the act. In rides the Calvary. I've got the wires in the safe at home since there won't be any time to meet up before hand."
Bobby just nodded; they both knew that if the raid went well then the case would be closed. He would return to Major Case and Sophie would have a new assignment to whisk her away. There was an undeniable connection between them but that guaranteed nothing. When they returned to the house he followed Sophie to the den where she unlocked the vault, pulled out a small box and perched on the edge of the desk.
"I've got two wires and a role of tape to secure. We're flying blind otherwise I'm afraid."
"I'll be out front at the door so we need to be sure that I don't run into Nicole."
"I can go in first, make sure that she's inside," Bobby just nodded and moved closer to where Sophie sat.
"How'd the meeting go today?" He took another step towards her.
"Thrilling," Sophie muttered sarcastically, "Nicole made an entrance, she seemed glad to see another woman there."
"I'm sure her power grab went over well," another step brought him into her personal space. He was almost standing between her legs, only a few more paces would bring him there.
"Oh yeah," she chuckled, "John was quick to vouch for the testosterone of the group. I swear to God, Fred and Greg looked like they were about to stroke out."
"Well, they won't have to deal with her long."
"You forgot to take a step."
"Huh?"
"Each time you've said something you've taken a step closer. You forgot to take one just now."
"Guess I'll have to take two, make up for the one I missed," Bobby wore an amused expression as he closed the space between them. His lips quickly descended on hers, unlike their prior embraces this one didn't need to progress in intensity, it started out strong. His lips were quick and eager against hers, catching her by surprise at first. Bobby's hands found their way to her lower back, pulling her forward towards him. However the movement was not entirely thought through and resulted in Sophie losing her balance and falling off the desk, bringing him down with her.
"Sorry," Bobby apologized sheepishly, pulling back so his weight wasn't entirely on her.
"That's all right," Sophie smiled, linking her arms around his shoulders and pulling back down.
"I'm too heavy," he managed between kisses.
"You're fine, not crushing me at all," she reassured as she snaked a leg around his middle. With a sly grin he lowered his head and kissed her neck, nipping at her skin with delight.
"You're a very different kind of woman, Soph."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It was meant as one," he smiled, his fingers finding the top button of her dress and undoing it. Further undoing the garment provided Bobby with more bare skin to kiss much to her pleasure. He was rapidly becoming addicted to the taste of her, sweet and savory, the smell of lavender and rosemary reaching his nose as it brushed against her collarbone. Her soft moan reached his ears, as did the annoying chime of the doorbell.
Both froze, they knew it wouldn't do any good to hope that it might go away, but it didn't hurt to try.
"I'll get it," Sophie sighed, smirking slightly as he brushed against her stomach, "you might need a few minutes."
"Hurry back," he called after her.
"Please have gone away," she muttered to herself, hurrying to the front door. There on the front porch stood Nicole, looking significantly more collected than Sophie did at the moment. "Nicole, what are you doing here?"
"Warm greeting," the Australian chuckled taking in the brunette's appearance. Her lipstick was smeared to the point of being completely rubbed off, which didn't matter as her lips were flushed and swollen on their own. There was a trail of red stubble burn from her mouth down her neck concluding at the portion of her green dress that was still buttoned, which wasn't much as Sophie realized when she looked down and saw that her cleavage was proudly on display. "I've interrupted something?"
"I'm afraid so, my husband only got out a few days ago. Making up for time."
"Oh, well I suppose you could use this anyway then," she shrugged handing Sophie a bottle of wine. "I had hoped we might chat a bit, get to know each other as you're the only other woman in the boy's club."
"Another time perhaps?" Sophie laughed nervously, reaching to do up a few buttons.
"I would like that. Well, I'll leave you to it then," Nicole paused for a moment, looking at Sophie closely. "Must be nice."
"What?"
"Look at you, eyes glowing and what have you—You're in love."
"Well it helps in marriage," Sophie smiled without missing a beat, although her mind was sent reeling. A mass murdering psychopath just suggested that she was in love with—well, essentially a coworker. She couldn't be in love, they barely knew each other, and a few hot and heavy make-out sessions did not mean love.
"I'll see you later," with a nod Nicole left.
"That was bizarre," Sophie called out as she rushed back upstairs.
"Who was it?" Bobby asked, not turning from window facing the backyard.
"Nicole, hoping to have a chat. Not sure if she was trying to befriend me or hit on me," Sophie mused setting the wine bottle down on the desk with a clunk.
"How'd you get rid of her?"
"One look at me made it clear that it wasn't a good time," Bobby turned back to look at her and felt a swell of male pride in his chest. "It was odd though, she seemed hesitant to leave."
"Maybe she was hoping to get us both downstairs."
"That was her dastardly plan?"
"Eddie was waiting in the backyard. Probably to get back up here and open the vents."
"They must've finally noticed."
"Too bad they didn't them back open sooner," Bobby smirked as he approached her.
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Missing the action," he said simply before kissing her hard enough that they both stumbled backwards a few steps, Sophie found herself being pressed up against the doorframe.
"Bobby—Bobby," she gasped trying to halt their actions for a moment.
"Yeah?" He pulled back slightly but his hands remained on her hips.
"We need—we need to stop now before—" Bobby made something of an unhappy groan before nodding in agreement.
"I know—I—" Sophie quickly launched herself back into their embrace, cutting him off mid-sentence. "I'm—" she kissed him between words. "Going to take—a very cold shower." She nodded as they disengaged once more, Bobby making his way to the bathroom.
"I'm going to go stare at a wall or something," Sophie said to no one in particular. She grabbed the file that Harris had hid in the newspaper. It was going to be a long, long night.