Hello! I hope we are all enjoying the festive season.
I have been working on this chapter for some time now, hence the length, so please let me know what you think. All you reviews have spurred me on and are much appreciated and I want to make sure the ending is just right for you and meets any expectations you have.
This leads into a sequel which will be up in a week or so. I have an idea for a tragic and a happy-ending to it. They are the same principle, but obviously end very differently! Let me know which one you would rather read and I really hope you enjoy this. Dedicated to all those who have replied, especially chrysalis escapist and of course the lovely Lily.
xxx
Chapter 7
Stella felt the arm around her shoulders jerk away, the body next to hers shook slightly and the silence had been shattered by short, sharp intakes of air. She opened her eyes, and saw the lab was still deserted and although it was dark, the pitch blackness of night was fading, indicating the morning was fast approaching.
"Mac?" She whispered.
"You're awake?"
"Evidently, are you ok?"
"I didn't mean to wake you."
Stella could here that his breathing was still sharp and quick and his hand, that was still in hers despite them both being asleep for a considerable space of time, was clammy. Stella let go of his hand so she could turn to face him. Although it was hard to see in the dim light, Stella thought he looked pale and could see his blue eyes were wide.
"Mac what's wrong?" Stella's voice was laced with concern.
"Nothing Stel." Mac said and he shut his eyes and leant back on the sofa. Stella looked at him and after a moment Mac said, "I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's fine Mac, honestly, we've got to get up some time."
There was a moment of silence that was not the usual comfortable one the two shared. Neither of them moved from their position but Stella shot a glance at Mac, who was beginning to look better.
"Are you ok?" Stella probed again.
Mac nodded and said quietly, "just a dream."
"Yeah, but they can seem so real."
"I dreamt that someone had taken you and that if we didn't find you, you'd be killed. I was really scared, God that makes me sound so pathetic." Mac muttered and turned away.
"Mac, you're not pathetic, you're strong, smart, brave, a bit of an insomniac, but definitely not pathetic."
Mac looked at her and with half a smile said, "Sorry I woke you."
"Yeah you should be, although I suppose I sort of woke you up." Stella said playfully as she kicked her feet up on the stool.
"See, you even occupy my subconscious thoughts, even is you did scare me to death!"
"You know it's ironic you had a nightmare, I was having a really good dream."
"Were you? What was it about?"
"I dreamt a handsome knight came to me."
"Yeah?" Mac took her hand and stroked it gently.
"Yeah. He swept me off my feet and we shared a passionate kiss."
"And how did that go?" Mac asked, leaning into her, moving his own legs near to Stella's on the footstool.
Stella turned to him and cupped his face in her hand, putting the other on his chest she pressed her lips on his. The kiss was tender yet passionate, precise, but exciting. She pulled away and looked at Mac, searching for a response in those bright blue eyes that she had drowned in so many times before.
"Something like that." Stella said quietly.
"So that's what you dreamt?" He asked.
Stella nodded, a curl falling on her pretty face. Mac tucked it behind her ear and ran his hand gently through her hair, "You know, that's my recurring dream." Stella smiled widely and pulled him in for another kiss which he gladly returned.
"Did you pull another all nighter Mac?" Danny asked as he placed their coffee orders on the table where the team were sat.
"Yeah, had some loose ends that needed tying up."
"I hope it was worth it, you missed a great game last night, the Nix won by miles."
"Believe me, it was definitely worth it." He pressed his knee against Stella's, who was sat besides him, who squeezed his back affectionately attempting to mask her action.
"Has the Diaz case been wound up yet?" Asked Lindsay who took a sip of her newly arrived vanilla latte.
"Not yet," Stella said as she took her cappuccino from the paper tray that Starbucks issued, "Flack's got the warrant so he'll bring him in later."
"Slam dunk," Danny said, downing his espresso, "we'll wind him up a bit, he'll confess and both of them will be in the slammer before the shift ends, boom!"
"Let's hope so." Mac said whilst he sipped his Irish coffee demurely feeling Stella's leg pressed firmly against his.
Mac finished in the shower in the staff wash rooms, dried himself off and got dressed. Putting on his shirt he heard someone enter and he turned to see Stella in the doorway. "Hey." He said smiling at her.
"Hey yourself." Stella replied as she walked to the bench on which he was sat on. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and gently kissed his neck nipping at his damp skin.
"Stel," Mac moaned, "we can't do this now."
"No?" She teased and she ran her hands under his open shirt, letting her hands explore every inch of his firm torso. Feeling himself surrender to her touch as her finger traced his chest he turned to her and kissed her on the lips pulling her onto his lap.
"I'm so glad last night happened." Stella said quietly.
"Me too, come back to mine tonight?"
"Wouldn't miss it." She purred and as she moved her hands back under his shirt the door clicked. Stella darted up and went to open her locker as Mac tuned away and did up his shirt, which was now a little crumpled!
"Morning." Hawkes said as he entered the locker area.
"Hey Sheldon."
The three made small talk until Sheldon went around the corner to his own locker. Hearing the bang of the opening door Stella whispered to Mac, "To be continued Detective Taylor." She kissed him firmly but silently and said loudly, "later guys." Hawkes walked back around to where Mac was now shutting his own locker, "Why are you so happy?"
"I finally got the answer I was looking for."
"How long had you been on the case for?"
"A long time Sheld, a very long time!"
"Where on earth is Flack?" Asked Lindsay, "he's been gone for ages."
"Knowing Flack he's making sure all the ends are ties." Mac said.
"We need this guy off the street. He is more dangerous than we first thought. He and his brother killed Dora Parson and we know they are after other prostitutes who work the same area as her." Stella said.
"As long as we get him before he gets another girl we will be fine." Mac said reassuringly.
"He made it clear what his intentions were." Stella continued, "He's going to go back to the same area and get one of her friends."
"Maddy Self." Mac continued, finishing Stella's sentence. "We are sending officers to her as we speak. Diaz has some sort of target list and we know Maddy is the next one."
"She's just a kid," Stella said, her voice getting a little higher, "She's just a poor kid whose only friend has been killed and now he's after her."
"We're not going to let him." Mac said, softly brushing against Stella as he paced up the room in which they were talking.
"That's why Flack is taking his time." Danny agreed.
They carried on working until they were interrupted by the door flying open and a rather breathless Flack entered.
"Guys we have a situation!"
"What's up man?" Danny asked, sensing something was wrong by his friends unusually urgent tone.
"We've just been with a squad to collect Diaz."
"And?" Stella probed, dreading what Flack was about to say.
"And he's gone."
"Gone?" Mac asked sharply, "He can't be gone, we had someone on him since day one, what about Maddy Self?"
"I don't know, all we know is he just vanished in the night, no ones seen him, apartment is still full, nothings missing expect him."
"We have to find him." Mac said, "Stella get the whole team on this one, there's no other case until Diaz has been caught, we know how dangerous he is. Flack, get the squad car out..."
"Wait," Flack cut in, "just wait a second."
"Flack we don't have time for messing around!" Stella snapped.
"You need to see this. When we went to his apartment Diaz was gone, but this was here." Flack took out a piece of paper, and handed it to Mac, making sure he held it through a rubber glove. Looking slightly sceptical Mac's face drained of colour as he read the note which he had been handed.
Good morning Detectives
I hope we slept well, we've got a busy day a head of us. I'm sure you're all annoyed that once more I have outwitted and therefore escaped you, and it greatly saddens me that I can't see you running around trying to find clues of my whereabouts. However, it does not matter, you shan't find me because you won't look for me. I have something you want, something you'll want me to take special care of. Meet my demands or I'll send your precious item back to you piece at a time.
If you are unsure what I mean, I'm sure the lovely Detective Bonaserra can help and if she gets into any trouble her gallant knight can save her once more, can't you Detective Taylor? I'd be careful though life isn't always a happily ever after and you too will get your just desserts. No one stops Victor Diaz and you have forced me to show you that the hard way.
I will contact you at 12 noon, try to stop me and she will die.
Yours truly.
V. Diaz
A silent chill spread across the room, as a sense of fear and doom hung over them.
"He's got her," Stella said quietly, "He's got Maddy. We have to go after him. He'll kill her if we don't."
"He'll kill her if we do., and probably us too by the sounds of it" Mac said solemnly.
"What do we do?" Danny asked
"We wait, we wait until noon." Mac replied.
"We have to do something!" Stella cried.
"It's not just Maddy he wants dead Stella, he holds grudges and he's made it clear what he wants." Flack protested.
"We've picked the wrong guy to mess with." Lindsay said her voice shaky.
"If we don't play it right more than one innocent person could die." Flack said and Stella could feel eyes burning on her and Mac's back.
"Diaz is all talk," Mac said calmly, "no one is going to die."
There was a moments silence and Stella said quietly, "What time is it."
"Five minutes to 12." Danny replied, looking at his watch. They sat in silence when a shrill beeping interrupted their thoughts.
"Detective Taylor it's Cheryl on reception", a high pitched voice blared from the speaker of the phone on the desk, "there's a call for you, I'll put him through."
Mac picked up the phone and felt the hill wash over the room as the caller spoke. A voice laced with malice that oozed danger filled the room silkily.
"Good afternoon Detective Taylor, if I am on speaker phone I do request you take me off, this is for your ears only. I'm afraid you have angered me and no one angers a Diaz so you must pay the price. Now listen closely, I'm only going to say this once."
Mac's face drained of colour and he put the phone down, his hands trembling a little. "What is it Mac?"
"He's here."
"What?"
"He's here."
"No Mac, he can't be here, Diaz can't be in this building he's..."
Before the sentence could be finished a deafening shot rang out and everything went black...
The End