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Take care and enjoy.

CHAPTER 7

"The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives."

Proverbs 16: 17

CATHERINE POV

"No, absolutely not."

Sara opens her eyes, glancing up at me in the darkness.

"Get up."

"Catherine?" she questions, clearing her throat.

"You're not sleeping on the couch."

"I'm not," she states innocently, glancing around. "I'm just…"

Her voice trails off as she tries to think.

"Just what?" I encourage her, crossing my arms over my chest.

After another moment of silence, I reach down.

"Come on," I pull her upwards. "You're going back to your room to sleep in your bed."

Getting to her feet, Sara moves out of my grip.

"Sara," I state sternly. "You can't stay watch out here all night. You need rest."

She turns away, knowing I've seen right through her and what she's out here doing. She was quiet most of shift today after learning about the phone calls, and didn't say much either when we got back to her place. One thing she did do, though, was never leave my side.

Though she would likely never admit it, as the brunette doesn't often share her emotions, I can tell the revelation about this monster haven gotten so close to me has rattled her. Her demeanor today has been stoic bordering on angry.

"Come on," I state, taking her by the arm. "I'll be fine."

All but forcing her into her bed, I head back to my own.

About an hour later, when I get up to get some water after a bout of tossing and turning, I nearly stumble over something outside my door.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Glancing down, I look at Sara, the brunette propped up against the wall outside my door, head bent at an awkward angle and eyes closed.

Shaking my own head, I smile before preparing myself for what I know from experience is about to happen.

Positioning myself along the side of her, I shake her shoulder.

This time, I'm prepared when her gun swings around to face me, and I immediately jerk her arm down and into my knee, forcing her to drop the weapon.

As she pushes around to grab me, I sidestep her and reverse our positions, all but shoving her up and into the wall behind her.

"Sara," I call sternly. "Stop, it's me."

Hearing my voice, she immediately goes still. Arms raising, she holds them in a position of surrender, keeping them far from me.

Feeling her heavy breathing under my hands, I wait a few minutes.

"You good?" I question when I feel her breathing slow.

She nods, looking away.

Taking my hands off her, I back off. Picking up her weapon, I hold it out.

"I believe this is yours."

Sara takes it silently, clearing the chamber and placing the safety back on.

She remains quiet, eyes avoiding mine.

"I'm sorry," she eventually states. "I just…"

"I know," I whisper, reaching out to turn her face gently towards mine. "I know."

She finally meets my gaze, jaw tight under my fingers.

"We need to come up with a better solution, though," I tell her. "You can't keep doing this, sweetheart. I know for a fact you haven't slept properly in days."

Her body remains tense and silence stretches between us.

"What do you propose?"

"There's plenty of room in there for both of us."

Sara's the only person I know who chose to use the larger, master bedroom as her guest room, keeping the smaller bedroom for herself.

Sara, if possible, gets even tenser at my suggestion, her dark eyes hard to read in the dim nighttime lighting.

"What?"

"You heard me," I tell her, not backing down. "There's a bed that can easily fit both of us. Safety in numbers, and you can actually get some sleep knowing where I am and that I'm safe."

Sara shakes her head as best she can under my grip, making me realize I'm still holding her.

"What?" I question. "You have a better idea?"

She thinks for second or two, then nods.

"That room has a window seat."

I smile, quirking my head. "A compromise?"

Sara nods, "A compromise."

Letting her go, I squeeze her shoulders before stepping away.

"Deal."

Sara straightens out her t-shirt, nodding as she tries to subtly place her gun back into the back of her boxer shorts.

Raising a brow, I don't comment as I head to the kitchen and grab us both some water.

"Your hand okay?" I question over my shoulder as I see her flexing her fingers.

She nods, accepting the water I hand her.

"Sorry," I continue, knowing my disarming her hurt, whether she's willing to admit it or not. "Didn't mean to kung fu you – but also didn't want to get a bullet through my face."

Sara nods. "It's fine."

It's clear that her quiet demeanor is still in place, and so I let her be.

Drinking silently, Sara finishes her water first and heads to the couch to grab a pillow and the throw blanket along the back.

Joining her back in the room, I get situated back in bed as she does the same on the window seat.

"You sure?" I ask her, offering her one last out as I see her fold her tall frame awkwardly into the small space.

"Positive," she states, sending me a small smile. "I'm fine, Catherine, really."

"Alright," I give in, knowing I can't force the stubborn brunette to do anything she doesn't want to do.

Turning off the bedside light, I pull the covers tightly around me.

Though I'll never admit it to Sara, as I don't want to encourage these cockeyed plans of hers, I feel so much better having her here in the same room with me.

Closing my eyes, for the first time since this case began I let myself completely relax.

"Goodnight, Sar."

"Night," she responds in the darkness.

"Fifth and Oriel."

Sara nods, silently directing the car through traffic.

Our early morning was interrupted by a phone call I knew was bound to be coming.

A body had been found, fitting the profile for another victim.

We've been working ourselves ragged on this case, pursuing every lead we could think of, but we're moving too slowly and the killer is making us pay the price.

No, he's making innocent girls pay the price.

"Cath?" Sara questions gently, voice drawing me out of my haze.

I see what she does, a small gathering of people at the end of the street, facing what looks like a back alley.

Parking the car, we grab our supplies and approach.

"Excuse me."

Nothing more than a few glances at us, the onlookers turn their gazes immediately back to the action unfolding in the alley.

"Excuse me!" I try louder this time.

One lady shuffles a couple steps to her left, and that's it.

"Get the fuck out of my way!"

Now, I have every person looking over at me with wide eyes.

Smirking, Sara pulls her sunglasses over her eyes.

"Pardon us," she offers, trying to keep the smile from her face, taking advantage of the stunned crowd and making quick work of the obstacle of people.

Following suit, I meet her on the other side.

"Thank you," I halfheartedly toss over my shoulder as we walk under the crime scene tape. "Fuckers."

Sara snorts, nodding to Brass.

Then, taking a deep breath, we face the scene before us, expressions now dead sober.

"Heather Benton," Brass states, tucking his notebook in his suit pocket. "Senior at Las Vegas High."

I quirk a brow. "School's in session, what the hell is she doing all the way out here in the middle of the week?"

Brass shakes his head. "Not sure, but the impression I'm getting from the school is that it would have been odder to have found her in class."

"Skipper?"

He nods, "Was getting close to expulsion for attendance violations."

"I'll never get it," I state, pulling on gloves. "Public education is being given to you completely free. A free ticket out of whatever crappy situation you're in, and yet kids would rather throw their chances away on the streets, keeping them stuck in the life they're dying to get away from."

"Sometimes those same crappy situations are what keeps someone on the streets," Sara's offers quietly, gaze focused intently on the body. "Some situations make school feel more dangerous than the world out on the streets."

"I don't know about that, Harvard," I offer with a snort. "But something sure did attract her here it seems."

Sara turns, and the hurt expression that briefly crosses her features catches me off guard. Before I can comment, the expression is gone and she pushes her sunglasses back into place and walks away to examine the body.

"Did I…?" I question, furrowing my brows as I face Brass.

He shrugs, knowing better than to get involved.

"Alright," he states. "Scene's been cleared, it's all yours."

"Thanks," I mutter, feeling him walk away as I move to join the brunette.

"Seems consistent," I breathe out in exhaustion as we approach the Tahoe.

Sara nods, rubbing her temples. "It's him."

Placing our kits in the back, we start the return drive to the lab.

"Hey, Sara," I call out after a few moments of silence.

"Hmm?"

"Back at the scene, I didn't mean to offend you with my Harvard comment…"

"What?" she questions, clearly pulled from her thoughts by my unexpected statement.

"I didn't mean it badly," I tell her. "But it was crass, and I'm sorry."

Sara shakes her head, "It's fine."

"I really am sorry," I tell her in response to her quick brush off.

She doesn't answer, and I narrow my eyes in frustration. I know Sara doesn't typically like to admit when something's hurt her, but she's usually at least more receptive than this.

In fact, right now, she's all but ignoring me.

"Sara."

Nothing.

"Sara Sidle."

Holding up a hand, she narrows her eyes, assessing the area before pulling the Tahoe to the side of the road.

"What are you…"

My words are cut off when Sara unbuckles herself and draws her gun.

"Sa-"

Shaking her head fiercely, I catch the hint, falling completely silent.

Hand over my own gun, I'm still not sure what it is I'm supposed to be listening for, but her actions have sure as hell got me on full alert.

Eyes narrowed, Sara tightens her grip on her gun.

"Get out of the car."

I raise my brows at her words, but her tone has me reaching for my belt.

This is where I know I need to trust Sara and not ask questions.

Slowly getting out of the car, I leave my door open, hand on my weapon as I glance around us to be sure we aren't attracting any unwanted attention.

Seeing the coast is clear so far, I turn back to see Sara moving to face the back seat.

Then, she slowly opens the driver door, getting out of the car and moving around the outside of the Tahoe to the side doors.

Cocking her gun, hesitates only a moment before pulling open the back door.

The world remains silent, no one moving, no one breathing.

Then, Sara slowly moves back, features pale.

"Sara?" I call in concern, starting to approach.

Reaching me, Sara turns me away from the vehicle, moving us to the front of the Tahoe.

I can feel her hand shaking through the material of my shirt.

"Sara…please…"

She swallows, shifting her gun to her left hand. Then, without warning, she turns and hits the front of the Tahoe with her right. She gets in another punch before my body reacts and I grab her arm.

"Sara, stop!" I yell at her. "What the hell are you doing?"

She pushes away from me, stepping over towards the sidewalk, hands atop her head as she tries to control her shaky breathing.

"Sara," I breathe out with my own shaky breaths. "What…"

Finally turning back around, Sara has a hard time meeting my gaze, and I can see the younger woman physically fighting to keep her anger in check.

"There's another package."

My mind slowly works through her words.

"Another…" I trail off. "Where…not…"

I gesture to the Tahoe, my eyebrows nearing my hairline. "You mean…"

I swallow.

"In the Tahoe?" I finally get out.

"Yes."

"How…"

Sara clears her throat, swallowing tightly.

"I thought I smelled blood…when we got in…and …it just kept getting stronger…with the heat..."

"Fucking hell," I choke out.

I was expecting something soon, after all we did just find another body, and the packages always follow the bodies. But, I surely wasn't expecting something this soon.

"How…" I get out. "That was a secure scene. Are you telling me one of those people there…"

"No," Sara shakes her head. "There's no way. There were people and cameras everywhere. We can get the security camera footage to verify, but no."

"Then how?" I question, shaking my head. "When?"

Sara's quiet, her eyes sorrowful as they finally meet mine.

"You're not suggesting…"

Sara only nods, her hand flexing absentmindedly as she tries to cope with the information she's giving me.

"Last night," Sara confirms, the brunette completing the statement lodged somewhere deep in my throat. "He was outside the house."

AN: Thanks for reading.