Case 31: Dog Eat Dog
Two weeks, two whole blissful weeks of absolutely no murders within the historical centre as the dog pageant approached.
David stretched out, listening to the quiet sounds of the house and glanced at the clock, timing his lover coming through the front door perfectly. He heard the light footsteps coming up the stairs and watched as JJ looked around the door, body slicked with sweat and shirt in hand.
"Morning Doll, want to join me." A dark and sexy grin spread over his kiss bruised lips and David groaned, pulling himself up and following for an incredible round of rough sex that he'd missed so much, gentle was great but this was so much more.
Panting he came down, feeling plush lips smoothing down his neck, kissing gently and he leaned his head against the others shoulder.
"I love you."
JJ looked up at his, green eyes sparkling with life and love.
"I love you too, David Jeremiah Jones." Making the elder grin brightly, lighting up like another sun.
They kissed softly before cleaning up and getting ready for the day.
It was terribly domestic as David leaned against the counter beside the coffee pot, mug in hand as JJ cooked a couple of omelettes on the stove.
Leaving they got into the SUV and went to the station to check in before going to the department to check in with the King before going to the pageant head quarters where everything was being prepared.
Everything was going well until a few hours before and suddenly JJ saw Molly Robinson on the floor and made his way over. Her heart had stopped and her little dog was just the same, still and lifeless, already going cold.
JJ swore and called it in, he should have known something like this would happen. Quickly he closed off the area and had David keep an eye on it while he looked around for the evidence.
There was a handkerchief with blood and pieces of something that he'd have to piece together.
Doing just that while David spoke with Margaret Littlewood it turned out to be a chew bone.
Moments later the cavalry arrived freeing them up and they walked out the door in sync and straight to the car, JJ was so glad he had sent Dorian up to Grace, he didn't want him within a hundred feet of this place.
"Margaret think Charles Parker might be involved." JJ nodded at his words.
"Drop me at the station then go look it up." He winced when it came out as an order, not something he did often, but David just laughed and kissed him gently before climbing into the driver's side.
JJ honestly didn't expect to be back at James Savage's hut but here it was. Turns out that he was putting Apollo into the competition, JJ warned him to make sure the Husky didn't eat anything while there and get him to the vets if he seemed off.
Then he went back to the station and waited for his lover. David showed up with nothing of note but suggested they go to the dog parlour that sponsored the pageant.
That was the real gold mine of evidence and they found more than enough evidence.
A ribbon covered in cookie crumbs that had to belong to Astrid, Margaret's dog. Then the half erased, as always, loyalty card that lead to Desmond Galloway.
Margaret like always made JJ feel uneasy but that was of course nothing new so he thought nothing of it as they talked, he chuckled when David jumped at the chance for a carrot cake but declined himself, he didn't like them.
They then went talk to Desmond and found out that unsurprisingly he was a competitor in the competition. JJ left the interview to David because he was interrupted by a call from the station.
James had found Apollo passed out in his shack and couldn't wake him, whoever had been there had run before the hunter could see them and he'd been more concerned with Apollo than following.
They made their way back to the station and found the hunter in the lab, smoothing a hand over the husky's fur, Dorian against the other dog's side. David looked a little green and leaned back against one of the sides.
"I've got a trace from Apollo's muzzle and its ether, looks like someone was trying to kill him without getting hurt themselves." Grace said just finishing up. "But there isn't anything else there."
"Which is good." Nathan came in, out of his scrubs and in his usual work clothes. "The killer used an impeccably done poisoned carrot cake. I'm working on finding the poison but its an old one that isn't in the database."
David and JJ both straightened up suddenly and it caused the elder detective to sway in place, eyes rolling back into his head and JJ darted forward to catch him.
He cradled his lover in his lap and felt for his pulse that was hammering away under the slightly clammy skin.
"Doll. David. Come on Doll wake up." Tears rolled down his face and the world was drowned out as he looked at the only thing he cared about in that moment.
He barely heard anyone saying about the ambulance and it took everything in him to let the brunette go so he could be treated.
Grace held him for a few seconds but he shrugged it off, shutting down completely and going cold, eyes like ice and every line of his body radiating hostility and authority as he walked out the door to find his target.
"Hello Margaret. Where's the antidote?" The woman trembled and paled looking at the marine with pure fear that shook her to the core.
"What are you..?" She gulped as he glared down at her.
"Right now my partner is in a hospital bed potentially dieing and if he does I'll start by peeling your skin of then inject you with bleach." Margaret back up and yelped as she slammed into a table.
JJ shot his hand out and it wrapped around her throat and even though he didn't apply pressure her throat locked up and she struggled for breath looking into almost black eyes that glared down at her.
She reached shakily into the bag and pulled out a small bottle that JJ took and walked away; leaving the officer to put the cuffs on her or else JJ would have gone through with his threat regardless.
He got the antidote to Nathan as soon as possible and then the Chief sent him back to the pageant to make sure that nothing poisoned was left behind to give him something to do without killing someone and letting him panic more than he already was.
It was easily done and Desmond was more than thankful for the help making sure everything was in order and just as he was leaving Nathan called to say that it was the antidote and he'd sent it to the hospital and it took everything in him not to break three hundred traffic laws to get there.
Walking into the hospital room past the officer on guard he watched as the doctor injected the antidote and took a seat beside his lover who looked at him with tired eyes.
"Shouldn't you be working?" His voice was slightly slurred and his skin was still clammy and feverish as the younger took his hand.
"I did the field work the lab can finish it up. It was Margaret. I should have fucking known, she always set me on edge."
David squeezed his hand, not liking the self deprecating look on the red-heads handsome face.
"And I should have thought with my head instead of my stomach. Babe, it is not your fault and even if it was you got me the antidote and I will be fine." Even in a slightly tired state his tone was strong and JJ ducked his head, the first smile in an hour making it's way onto his face.
Leaning up he pressed a firm, gentle kiss to his lovers lips, laughing when the heart monitor sped up.
"I love you David Jeremiah Jones."
"And I love you James Gerard Jensen." He leaned up slightly, kissing his lover again, a smile stretching over his lips.
Later that night they lay in bed, curled round each other, JJ's grip like a gentle vice.
David had refused to let Astrid go to a shelter and had taken her in and had even been well enough within a few hours to take her through the pageant and the little dog had won hands down.
It made JJ hate the woman all the more but there was nothing he could do, he just knew during their week off he wouldn't let the man out of his sight.
