A/N: As usual a big thank to my beta, Madison Bellows.
GeorgeAndrews, you're reviewing every single chapter (big, hard task), so a huge thank to you, too!
Chapter 20: It never rains, it pours
Jess greeted the young woman with a smile, "hi! Sam, this is Lindsay," the detective pointed to the woman next to her, "Lindsay, this is Sam, Don's sister."
"You can't go wrong, the blue of your eyes doesn't lie!" Lindsay smiled as she shook Sam's hand before nodding toward the stroller, "this little one is Lucy. Though asleep, she's really happy to be here."
Truth was the two women had already met years prior, but they had both decided to ignore the fact. They didn't want to create embarrassment in a day so special to Jess.
Samantha lent over a little to take a better glance at Lucy, "cutie! She looks like you."
"Thank god," Jess murmured in a low tone.
"Hey, I heard you! Not to be a polemic, but my husband is not that bad looking."
"Lindsay, I know. But I have to be at Flack's side in these occasions. You know, I'm the one who's going to marry him."
"So it's better he doesn't know you think Lindsay's husband is handsome?"
Jess shook her head furiously, "please! Don't you dare!"
"Yeah, we don't have time to face the next competition between our alpha males," Lindsay commented with a sigh. She was madly in love with Danny and she loved Flack, but sometimes their friendship was a little too much.
"Okay, let's go in."
That day, Jess had the final fitting of her wedding gown. The first time she had brought her mom and a couple of her brothers but she'd like to have her friends' insight as well. Her relatives had been very kind but she couldn't forget the comments her brothers had made about the neckline. Why did I bring them in the first place? They're so overprotective! If I listened to them, I would be wearing a burlap sack. Luckily dad hadn't been there...
"Welcome back, Jessica!" Megan, the assistant, was waiting for her, the usual plastic grin on her face. Wondering if she's going to be paralyzed at the end of the day...
"Good morning, we have my last fitting."
"I know, dear! Please, follow me," she said with a growing smile. Then, she nodded toward Lindsay and Sam, "it'd be wonderful for you to come too. Our tailoring room is very quiet and that little girl could sleep peacefully."
The woman was right, the room was cozy and silent. Though Jess could sense in there a certain sense of uneasiness and tension. "I can only guess the dramas that unfold in here," Lindsay murmured in Sam's ear. The couple sat on a little couch while Jess went in the changing room.
A few minutes later, Jess reappeared wearing her wedding gown. "So?"
"Wow, Angell..." Lindsay was speechless. Jess looked amazing, the dress was elegant and classy and followed perfectly the curves of her body. Monroe couldn't help but feel a little regretful, considering how she missed her occasion to wear a white dress.
"Look at this," the detective turned around, showing her friends her almost naked back.
"Gosh!" escaped from Sam's lips.
Jess frowned a little, "too much?"
Sam shook the head, "no, it's beautiful. I was just imaging my brother's expression when he sees you."
Angell smiled, "I know! The low back line is a little present to him. He's going to get crazy about it."
"You're fabulous, trust us."
The girls produced a long dreamy sigh, it was more than perfect. But then Jess's phone rang. She looked for it in her purse and her expression clouded when she noticed the caller. There's only one reason Don would call me right now, and I don't like it. "Angell," she answered.
"Hey, there, sorry to disturb you, but the suspect killed again, there's a third victim. Central Park, Strawberry Fields. Come as soon as possible. And bring Lindsay. Thank you."
"Okay. See you soon." Jess took a look at her dress and sighed sadly.
"Gotta go. We're waited in Central Park," Jess told her colleague while shooting a quick glance at Sam, she didn't want to say too much.
Lindsay understood immediately, "you go, I have to stop first at Danny's parents to drop Lucy, okay?"
Jess nodded before going back to change out of her dress.
The woman wasn't more than thirty-five. She was laying under a big oak, the eyes fixed on something she couldn't see anymore. Around her, almost to protect her from the cold, the killer had placed the dark cover, his signature. Flack was looking on silently, letting Mac and Danny collecting the smallest evidences. After all these years, the detective knew they needed to work calmly and without pressure. He studied them for a couple of minutes, hoping to be hit by a sudden idea but then he looked away, his eyes taking in the surroundings.
The girl who had discovered the body was being medicated by Hawkes. While jogging, she had stumbled on the victim hurting a knee. Flack had already spoken to her. Her words had been full of shock. Flack hadn't insisted too much, the girl was only a passing-by.
There had been news during the night: an employee of one of the Companies worked also as a volunteer. Problem was that the man, Mark Connor, was nowhere to be found even after Flack had sent his best men to look for him. They had already been at his house and at the help-line but he hadn't been there. Plus, the Company was closed because it was celebrating its anniversary.
"Mac, look!" Danny's exclamation captured Flack's attention who moved closer. His friend was happily holding a cell phone. It was a big difference from the other scenes.
"Does it work?"
"Let's try..." Messer tried to turn it on but nothing happened, "battery must be dead. It won't be a problem though," he commented, securing the evidence.
"There's nothing more, no ID, nothing. The cell was partially hidden under the body, as if it had fallen or the killer had forgotten it."
Flack's cell rang and he answered it, waving at Angell and Lindsay who were approaching the scene.
"Who threw a coin in the well?" he asked after he closed the call, "Connor is at the precinct. Angell, you're with me."
He stalked away, followed quickly by Jess. Mac, Danny and Lindsay watched silently while Hawkes put the body in the bag.