I know it's been ages since I last updated. I've been buisy with final exams (I passed, yeah!), and housesitting for some friends. On top of that the weather was great here, and that's pretty unique in my country so I had to make the best of it and get outside!
But I haven't forgotten about my story. I hope you like it! Please let me know.
Sam felt like he was walking in circles. Well, now he was actually driving in circles around the block, but at least this time he found what he came for.
After dragging himself over to Boyd's house with great reluctance, he found nothing. Nothing at all. He had braced himself for a shouting match with Boyd, only to find an empty house, littered with empty beer cans and full ashtrays. Boyd had certainly been living the life.
Sam had let himself in, using the key that was hidden in the shed. He had let himself in this way numerous times on poker nights, only difference that Boyd was still his friend back then. No trace of Boyd, and the oldest peace of mail piling up by the door was from more than two weeks ago. Where was he? No one had heard from him, even his lawyer seemed oblivious he was gone at all. He had a court case to prepare for. He wasn't supposed to leave the city. And now he had fled, just when Andy was put on an undercover case led by a number one Boyd fan? What did all of this mean?
Worst of all, there was no one he could talk to about this. He wasn't supposed to know anything about Andy's assignment, and he was the only one who saw any suspicion at all. And he had official police work to get to.
Was he just being overprotective? Was he seeing ghosts? Maybe he had to reel himself in. But how could he, when Andy's safety was at stake?
Despite being already late, he had talked himself into making another detour before work.
As he drove up to headquarters, he still had no idea what he would say or do, just that he had to do something to clear this all up, put him at ease. Maybe it was all a freaky coincidence, but things kept piling up, making him more and more worried.
He got up to the Guns and Gangs unit without problems. There were even a few people there happy to see him, but he talked to none of them long enough to have them question his presence.
He asked an officer for Donaldson, and only got a raised eyebrow and a nod to an office across the hall.
Empty. Great. Sam walked in (hey, the door was open) and scanned the room.
The message board quickly got his attention. Maps, areas circled. Names, a few gritty pictures. As he leaned over to look more closely, the door slammed.
"What are you doing here?" Sam turned around to the officer and recognized him as one of the cops on Noelle's list; he was on Andy's case. What was his name again, Wesley something? Oh yeah, Craven.
Sam put on a smile while he silently cursed the nametag on his chest.
"I'm looking for Donaldson."
"He's out. What's this regarding?"
"A case."
"He's not due back any time soon. Can I help you with something?"
The look he gave Sam was anything but friendly. He probably didn't need a name tag to know his name.
He was not going to be helpful at all, by the looks of it. Another one of Boyd's supporters perhaps?
"Thank you, I'll come back."
The information on the board had been at least a little helpful, Sam thought as he raced to work. But how long would it take before his little unauthorized visit to headquarters would reach the white shirts? Frank would have his head if he found out he wad meddling with Andy's undercover operation.
Shift started of less than perfect. After getting an earful for being late, he was partnered with Epstein in bringing in some drunks from a bar.
When they finally were on the streets again, he drove straight to the other side of town and started driving in circles, until he found what he was looking for.
Sam quickly turned the cruiser around the corner, and parked it on the side of the street. He nervously tapped the steering wheel with his fingers while he waited for Epstein to shut up. Why did he have to be paired with him today? He much rather would have been alone today, this was only complicating things. Well, it could be worse: it could be Diaz, the honest Mr.-by-the-book. Would Epstein be up for this?
"What are we doing?" Epstein was eager to advance, questioning why they were in this neighborhood at all; not within 15th division.
"Listen, if I ask you to forget everything that's going to happen in the next half hour or so, never repeat it to anyone, and do exactly as I say, would you do it?"
Epstein seemed taken aback from his question, he looked Sam over to see if he could be kidding. But Sam was far from kidding. This had to be done, and if he wasn't up to it, he would just drop him off at a diner and take care of this alone.
"Could I lose my job over this?"
Sam thought it over. "No, but I probably could."
"Here's where I sometimes wash windows. You have to be fast though, because the cops ride by like every two hours."
Andy tried to picture Carly trying to make some bucks while ducking her colleagues. This was so sad. A young girl like that shouldn't be wondering where her next meal would come from. She should be at home, just hanging out and bothering her parents.
Without any hesitation, Carly took Andy's hand in hers and pulled her along the streets. She looked around if anyone could hear before addressing Andy again in a hushed tone.
"So, Jinx came to talk to me."
This got Andy's attention. "And? What did she say?"
"She wanted me to come work for her friends." Carly looked up at her with desperation written on her face.
This was not good. Not her, not Carly. Why couldn't she just leave the girl alone?
"What kind of work?"
"It's kind of a secret, I don't know yet. But she said I'll make enough to get to LA, and afford a place there, in just a few weeks."
If she ever got out of here. Did she really think they would let her go?
"What did you say?" Please say no.
Carly pensively kicked away a pebble. "Said I had to think about it. Do you think I should do it?"
Andy mind was racing. What could she say to get Carly to say no?
"I thought you were scared of Jinx."
"She was not so bitchy today. But that could be played, you know?"
If only you knew how much could be played.
"Do you trust her?"
"I don't trust anyone. Except you, of course."
That hurt. How could she ever explain lying to her about everything? She hated lying, anyway. But it was worse when the person that was lied to was so nice and innocent.
"Then I say, don't do it. Especially if you can't even know what it is."
That sounded honest enough, right? She could hardly tell Carly the truth; tell her exactly how dangerous that would be for someone like her, even if she wanted to with all her heart.
"You think I can make it to LA on my own?"
Andy bumped shoulders with Carly.
"Sure you can. You don't need some stuck-up bitchy boss anyway, right?"
That made Carly giggle.
Andy saw the red and blue light reflected on the wall across them before she heard the sirens.
"Shit, police." Carly looked just as panicked as Andy felt. No no, not now. If someone recognized her, blew her cover, everything would be over, and it would be all her fault.
She had to run, but where? And the doors of the cruiser were already open. But she had to try. She took Carly's hand and made a run for it.
"Stop, police!" The sound of the voice calling after her made her heart jump, and her body almost freeze at the same time. Sam. What was he doing here?
It wasn't long until they hit a dead end, and had no choice but to turn around to face the cops.
Sam, her Sam. Here, with Dov. What the hell was going on?
Dov couldn't hide his shock any more than Andy could.
"Officer, why don't you take that girl, while I talk to her here?"
Sam approached Andy with stretched out arms. "Don't make me tackle you. We just want to ask you some questions." He suppressed a smirk while Dov grabbed Carly by the arm and led her away from them.
"Leila?" Carly sounded scared.
"It'll be okay, just stay cool, okay?"
Sam kept a grin on his face. "Leila, is that your name? Got a last name?"
Andy did not answer. Her anger was getting the best of her. Did Sam have a reason to be here, or was he just checking up on her?
"I'm going to need to search you." He turned her around against the wall and padded her down slowly.
He stayed professional, but the memories he evoked in Andy by touching her were far from professional. Had it really been so long since they were last together? But she couldn't think of that now, not when so much was at stake.
Andy waited until Carly and Dov were out of earshot and Dov had turned her around to search her too.
She gritted her teeth. "What are you doing here?"
Sam turned her around again to face her, and went on to searching her bag. "Love the braids, Leila." He put emphasis on the L's of the name, dragging them out. Was he really teasing her, here, now?
After looking around the alley and making sure no one was listening, he lowered his voice.
"The story is, I questioned you about a break-in on a corner store, because you matched the description, okay? But don't worry, you're not guilty."
Andy stayed apprehensive. "Okay…" When was he getting to the point? She couldn't even think straight anymore. She had enough to deal with staying in character without Sam coming in and stirring up her new world.
"Boyd's missing."
Okay, not what she expected. What did that have to do with her?
"That's why you're here?"
"Hey, you arrested me, so it's only fair, right?"
Sam smiled apologetically before biting his lip. "I've been doing some investigating. There is some bad blood after the whole Boyd situation, and some coppers seem to blame us. The same guys who chose you for this op. That, paired with Boyd being gone, is suspicious at best."
"What does that mean?" There were a million questions she wanted to ask, but none she could formulate right now.
"Don't know yet, but I'm going to find out. Just thought I should give you a heads-up."
"Does Frank know?"
He smirked at her. "Not really official business."
So he was really taking a risk by talking to her. "You could lose your job for this."
"That's not the worst thing I could lose."
He looked at her with such intensity that she felt instantly weak.
"And what am I supposed to do with this?" As if things weren't complicated enough before.
"Watch your back. Don't trust anyone on the team, especially Donaldson. And call me if anything big is going on."
Panic rushed through Andy as she processed his words.
"Sam, I can't do this." Yeah, trust no one. Good policy, just not for her. How was she supposed to go about her work when she couldn't trust the people that were supposed to keep her safe? And what if Sam was wrong about all this?
"Sure you can. I've got your back. Call me."
He handed her back her bag. Dov was already approaching with Carly.
He took a step back. "Just stay out of trouble, okay?"
Sam bent closer one last time and whispered to her. "And don't lose the braids, McNally."