PART ONE

Chapter Eleven

"What happens if we find any UVs?" Leah asked as she dug her hands in between the stiff couch cushions. Nothing was found but dust bunnies. With a dissatisfied huff, she took a step back and looked around Room 2916, hoping something would catch her eye. No such luck. The suite was spotless, and nothing appeared to have been moved since her and Jacob's last visit. "You'd think we'd known if there's a glowing bullet lying about…"

"We'll tell Morris and Paul," said Jacob while scanning the common area with a UV index meter, gratefully provided by the Forensics team. The room had been inspected numerous times, but one more search couldn't hurt. "And we're not exactly looking for a bullet. Sure, that'd be great, but what we are specifically looking for is light."

Leah cocked an eyebrow. It was the middle of a bright, sunny day. Even without turning the lights on or drawing the blinds, the room was well-lit.

"A spike in ultra-violet light," Jacob clarified. "Residue. If we can find traces of UV, then we can assume that UVs were present and an arms deal happened that night. Inside this very room."

With a nod, Leah turned around and headed towards the main scene of the crime, the master bedroom. As with the rest of the presidential suite, the bedroom looked ready for its next guest. She walked around the room a few times before stopping at the foot of the king-sized bed. She dug into her purse to retrieve a file folder, containing a hand of crime scene photos, all taken by the CSI crew on the night of the Dahlia murder. She pulled out one page, depicting the victim and a bed adjacent to her lifeless body.

Leah glanced at the made-up bed in front of her, recalling how rumpled and soiled the bedsheets had been on the night of January 15th. Crap, she thought, wishing the crime scene had been left alone. She understood why it couldn't, especially given that it was more than two months after the fact, but it would've been nice not to only rely on the photos and Leah's memory.

She held up the photograph, aligning it with the bed before her. She arched an eyebrow at the picture – The black sequined dress was laid neatly on the bed, completely intact. So, it wasn't ripped off.

Did this happen before or after the deal? Leah wondered. Probably after. Generally, people didn't partake in arms deals in the nude. Generally.

So after, she decided. Remember: there was no sign of a struggle, so perhaps an idea of a botched deal should be tabled? Maybe she was getting ready for bed? Maybe she was in the middle of her tryst with a potential date? With Demetri? But there wasn't any indication that another person was inside the room with her.

Maybe she was getting dressed? Probably she came out of the shower, and that was when everything happened. Leah shook her head. But another person had to have arrived before she got dressed. She had to have met this person at the door, right? In the nude? No… well, maybe. No, no, she was with someone.

Or maybe she was wearing that dress? Leah examined the photo once again. Maybe the assailment removed it after the poison had set in and right before the dismemberment? Maybe he set the dress down, draping across the bed so neatly?

But why?

Leah returned the photo to the folder, admittedly feeling hopeless because she still had more questions than answers.

She checked the bedroom one last time before returning to the common area.

"How would one be able to leave the room without detection?" Leah asked Jacob, who was still conducting his search. She hoped he would have more luck with his inspection than hers. "The cameras, or what's left of them, didn't catch anyone."

"The windows?"

Leah looked at the panel of three windows, all sealed shut. From what she could recall from her memory and the photos, there had been no signs of broken glass on the night of January 15th.

"This high up?"

Jacob shrugged.

"Anything?"

"Not yet," Jacob said, though he seemed to have more faith in the UV detector than Leah did. Leah took a seat while Jacob carried on, mumbling under his breath, praying for something to appear. Several more minutes passed, and he still couldn't find anything –

"Bingo./"

Leah went to Jacob's side. She peered at the spot near the bar area, currently being inspected with the UV meter. The small light splotches were spotty, but all marks were concentrated in one area as if several UVs had been placed in a bundle.

"I'm guessing the UVs were removed from whatever and placed on the table," Jacob said before asking Leah to hold the UV meter in place while he took a series of photos with his phone. "This would be a perfect spot." He knocked on the marble tabletop. "The UVs wouldn't cause any damage."

"Didn't think it'd still leave a mark, though." Leah counted the spots and then placed the device aside. "Five bullets?"

Jacob slowly nodded. "Our C.I. may have been onto something." He walked around the high table to the rest of the kitchenette area. He checked the cabinets, the mini fridge, and the microwave. Nothing. "There's…" he trailed off as he whipped his head around and stared at a hand towel folded on the counter.

He then took a long whiff.

Leah watched her partner with bewilderment as he bent over to sniff the material. "I'd thought it would've been washed or replaced," she remarked, referring to the towel. "Considering the circumstances."

Jacob took a deep breath and stepped back. He sniffed a few more times before turning to his partner. "They clearly did not do either," he declared. He returned to attention the towel, seemingly dumbfounded. "We need to see Paul."

"You have got to be shitting me."

Leah had to agree with Paul, who was pacing around his office, trying to digest the information Jacob had just relayed to him.

"I know what Demetri smells like," Jacob said, keenly watching Paul's every move. The captain appeared to be besides himself. "I caught a whiff of his scent while at the morgue, and when we visited the hotel room, I picked it up again."

Paul stopped. "On a towel?" His nose wrinkled. "I thought everything was sanitized and replaced?"

Didn't we all, Leah thought. Well, she got her wish; the cleaning staff and CSI crew had indeed missed a spot, and – She blinked a couple of times before looking at one man and then the other. Wait, she must've misheard Jacob. "Hold up." She shook her head. "Scent? As in scent? As in what you can smell with your nose?"

Jacob gave his partner a smirk, tapped his nose, and then told the captain, "Demetri, he was there. He was there."

Not that Leah didn't trust Jacob, but shouldn't a police-associated canine be used to verify this piece of information? It wasn't as if Jacob's heightened sense of smell could be submitted as evidence. The judge would laugh everyone out of the courtroom and force Jacob to endure a psych evaluation.

"It's been almost two months," Paul argued. But the crazy thing was, he wasn't laughing Jacob out of his office. This scent thing was seemingly a thing. "Surely, the scent must've faded weeks ago…"

"He's a leech," Jacob reminded the captain. "Their stench never goes away."

Paul gave Jacob a sharp look. "You can't be saying that shit around here," he warned. "We don't tolerate any forms of discrimination within these walls, not even against vampires. The BIA's been far enough up my ass as it is… " He gave Leah an innocent smile. "Not that I've personally done anything wrong."

Leah gave a dismissive wave.

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Like you got any – "

"We're an equal opportunity employer, Detective."

Leah turned her head, looking through the open blinds and into the general squad area. The office was filled to the brim with cops working. Not all of them were humans, she realized. Oh, goodness. She didn't know. They all looked so normal. She quickly turned to the captain. "How… many?"

"That's confidential," Paul said, "but the fact remains: no calling vampires leeches around here," then added, "No one's been a problem. They're fully committed to the cause. Wonderful at recon, and as long as they don't get on my nerves or do something that'll result in a lecture from the brass, I honestly don't give a damn what they are."

Jacob crossed his arms. "And they know about you?"

Paul rolled his eyes. "They're not idiots."

No way.

No freaking way.

Leah wanted to ask about it. There was nothing else in the world at this moment that she wanted to ask more, but she held her tongue; this wasn't the place. If Paul wanted to confirm anything, it had to be on his terms.

But wasn't that what he just did?

Either Jacob and Paul didn't realize the admission, or they simply didn't care.

"Fine," Jacob said, holding up both hands. "No more vampire slander. Anyway, Demetri was definitely inside that hotel room, and according to the hotel records... I don't know why he would be there, though. He was a high-ranking member of the Volturi. There's no way in Hell the Olympic would deal with him."

"Maybe Jessica wasn't operating as a member of the Olympic that night?" Leah suggested. "I mean, Riley claimed that they were involved, right? So, it's likely – as you've mentioned before, Captain – she was playing for both sides. Maybe that's why he was there that night?"

Paul gave Leah a look before returning to his desk. He sat down. "Can you confirm that something was going on between Jessica and Demetri?" he asked, rubbing his temples. "Besides what Riley said?"

Jacob quickly looked to Leah before replying, "Everyone we've talked to mentioned she was involved with a white guy, tall with a slender frame, short brown hair, and a Russian accent." Paul wasn't convinced. "I know, it's not very specific, but it can't be a coincidence, right? We're pretty sure this is the same man Jessica's boss, college friends, and Lauren were talking about."

Paul lifted an eyebrow. "Lauren?"

"Lauren Mallory, Jessica's roommate," Leah explained. A person of interest, who hadn't attracted much interest as of late. "When we had our first interview, she mentioned something about Jessica meeting up with a man. Looked young, Eastern European, brown hair, slim build, aspiring model… As Jacob alluded to: it makes sense that the guy might've possibly been Demetri Karlov."

Paul slowly nodded as he leaned back in his seat. "You may want to talk to the roommate again," he advised. "See if she remembers anything else about Jessica and her little date."

"We've talked to her numerous times since then," Jacob said. That was true. "She still claims not to know much about Jessica's private life. They didn't talk much, apparently."

"But she must know something," Paul argued. "She knew about the necklace, the exotic vacations, and Jessica's so-called side hustle. Unless Jessica broadcasted her personal life, which from all accounts, she didn't, Lauren must've gotten this information from someone. Likely from Jessica, herself."

The detectives nodded.

"So, Demetri and Jessica?" Paul rubbed his forehead. "How and when did that happen?"

"Based on the information our C.I. and Jessica's friends and boss provided, they must've started talking around..." Leah shrugged. "Halloween, the latest. Nothing was official, of course." The captain snorted. "They both seemed to like the nightlife. Maybe they met at a club?"

"The bastard was known to scour bars and clubs for his next conquest," Jacob said with a look of disgust. Knowing Demetri's unsavory reputation, the disgust was understandable. "Damn, their 'thing' managed to last for that long? More than two months?" He let out a humorless chuckle. "That's a serious relationship for Demetri."

"I'm sure she wasn't the only one in his stable."

Leah hummed in agreement with Paul's statement. Demetri was a disturbed man, but, at a glance, she understood the appeal. He wasn't an ugly man and had the confidence of a thousand people, but she had heard too many stories about the man, and none were pleasant.

She sat up in her chair. "Demetri worked for the Volturi, yes?" That was rhetorical, but she was she was onto something. "He was one of the big shots. A known recruiter… Do you think it's possible that he was the one who took Sulpicia's necklace and loaned it to Jessica? As a gift? To get her cooperation? After all, she did like the nicer things in life."

Paul lifted an eyebrow in interest.

"He could've simply gotten something nice for the jewelry store," Jacob argued. "Not steal a prized possession from one of the heads of the Volturi coven. That'd be bold, even for him."

Paul slightly nodded.

"Yes, true. But, honestly, which one would you have preferred?"

Paul tilted his head, looking at Jacob.

"Not to get killed."

Paul looked at Leah.

"Potential death off the table. C'mon on, Jacob, wouldn't you feel special if someone gave you a centuries-old, one-of-a-kind necklace or something from Kay Jewelers?"

Paul raised both eyebrows.

"But he let her keep it. He must've known Sulpicia was looking for the necklace, but he still let Jessica keep it – Even after death."

Paul looked from one detective to the other.

"I just don't see why he'd wanna put his ass on the line for that."

"I'd normally agree," Paul said. "Under normal circumstances, that would be considered suicidal, but… Not if he wanted to gain the affections of a pretty young lady linked to a rival. That necklace is impressive," and when Leah asked if he thought that Sulpicia knew of this, "Doubt it. She wouldn't have reported it stolen if she had. Too much attention – Check with Bella to see if she can match Demetri's fangs with the bite found on Jessica's neck."

Jacob made note of it. "He seems like the obvious suspect," he said, lifting a shoulder. "It makes sense." There was a 'but' in his voice. "Kinda think it's a bit too easy, to be honest." He briefly turned to his partner, who gave a nod. "He didn't drain her, you know," he told Paul. "Or whoever gave the bite."

"She wasn't fed on, you mean."

Leah cringed at the implication. It made sense, though. Vampires needed blood for survival. Jessica had an entire body full of the liquid. "Do you think she might have… wanted the bite? "

Paul's eyes widened. "She thought he was going to turn her."

"They were fooling around, weren't they?" Jacob pointed out. "Maybe they were into fang-play?" He shook his head. "In either case, our number-one suspect is currently inside one of Bella's freezers. As far as we know, we no longer have a case."

"I wouldn't go that far," Paul said. "I know it'll suck for your metrics, but this case may lead us to something bigger. In the center of this debacle is an illegal arms ring. We also have proof, to an extent, that two associates from two rival crime families, the Cullens, and the Volturi, are involved. This is huge."

Morris and the brass would likely not accept Paul's rationale, but Leah figured the captain could weather the blowback. Not that she and Jacob should simply give up on the case. There were still so many questions with so little answers. Yes, Demetri delivered the bite, but what about the dismemberment? That was not the notorious recruiter's modus operandi.

Leah pulled Jacob aside as soon as they left the captain's office. "It's not over," she told him. Her eyes followed Jacob as he looked to the side, clenching his fists. "It's nowhere near over."

Jacob faced Leah. "I'd like someone to go to prison for what happened to Jessica." They all did. "But Demetri's dead."

"So, he delivered the bite, but like I said before, I don't think he did the mutilation." Leah shrugged. "Or even if he did, he must've had assistance, or someone knows something about what happened that night. They can't all be dead."

"Leah – "

Leah put up a hand. "I know, I know." She paused as a pair of cops walked past the detective, heading into Paul's office. Another meeting. "Trust me, I know. But it's only been a couple of months. Some investigations take years. It's far from ideal, especially since the brass issued so many stupid promises, but… We shouldn't give up."

"Never said anything about giving up."

Friday night's dinner with Sue and Seth was nice.

And simple. Goodness, that was just what Leah had needed. Simple meant no drama; simple meant she could enjoy a home-cooked meal after a long day at work and not have to stress over a goddamn thing. It had been a much-needed break.

Sue had been her usual pleasant, supportive self while Seth was Seth. He had spent most of the night rambling about video games, college graduation (he was graduating already?), and his plan to take next year's police exam.

Sam's name did not come up once.

But unfortunately, the topic of her likely soon-to-be-husband and traitorous cousin couldn't stay on the back burner forever. Thankfully, Sue decided to wait until the following morning, when it was just her and Leah. Seth had left sometime before to hang out with a fang and likely wouldn't return until mid-afternoon.

"I still have no words," Sue remarked solemnly over a cup of tea. She was at the kitchen table with her daughter sitting across the table, aimlessly stirring the long-dissolved sugar into her tea. "I try to come up with the right words, but…" Sue shook her head. "I simply cannot come up with anything that'd make you feel… better."

Honestly, Sue being in here did wonders to Leah's mood. She didn't have to scream into a void. She had someone to talk to. Someone she could trust. Someone who would always have her best interests at heart. It didn't solve all of Leah's problems, but it did give her comfort.

She bit her bottom lip before taking a long sip of the comforting hot drink. She wished she could avoid this conversation, especially with her fatigue rearing its ugly head, but… she couldn't back out of it. She had promised Sue she would talk, and damn it, she was going to talk. "It is what it is," she whispered, giving a half-shrug.

Sue's forehead creased as she took a bite out of her toast. "So blasé?"

Leah pressed her lips together, a little peeved by the comment. But perhaps, her mother had a point. This situation with Sam and Emily wasn't something she could gloss over. It was serious. The implications were grave. Upsetting. Still devastating. Leah should – She should be pitching a fit, yelling at the top of her lungs, cursing Sam and Emily to Hell and back.

But she was tired.

She was tired of being angry.

"I know you have your reservations, but I still believe you both should see a professional. Together. Someone who can provide sound advice and direction."

Leah didn't want to be in the same vicinity as Sam, let alone in the same office. "You can't do just it?"

Sue softly scoffed. "I admit I've never been in your situation." There was an implied Thank goodness behind her words. "I'd like to think that I have a temperate nature, but… I fear I may have considered pulling the trigger." She scoffed again. "Now, what advice would I be able to give after that?"

Leah's smile was small. "If it makes you feel better, it took a lot of willpower not to do it." The fact that she still hadn't been arrested for the incident was a blessing. "No matter how mad I was, I wasn't trying to become a felon and lose my pension. Not over him."

"Never over a man," Sue said definitively, "Not under these circumstances. It's never worth it."

"That wasn't my best moment."

"Perhaps not, but I suppose your actions reminded Sam to no longer take you for granted." Sue shrugged. "Sometimes people need just the right amount of push to see the light."

"I guess."

"I can ask Max to change some seating arrangements for the reception," Sue offered. "I'm sure he'll understand."

Leah's eyes widened. Right. Yes, of course. The wedding. It was coming up, wasn't it? Goodness, she was not in the mood to be around happy couples, but she wasn't going to not go – She was quickly reminded about how long it took to finalize seating assignments for her own wedding.

"No," she decided, shaking her head, "No, please don't. Look, I know how weddings are. I know how stressful they can be. The last thing Max or Stephanie need is a seat-change request so close to the big day."

Sue was taken aback. "You're alright with sharing the same table as your husband and your cousin, his mistress?"

It sounded just a bit crazy and unrealistic, but Leah maintained that, "I'll be fine. Honest." She gave a dismissive wave. "I deal with uncomfortable and unfortunate situations and people every day. It's quite literally my job."

"Surely nothing as personal as this."

Leah couldn't come up with a decent comeback.

"It is not you whom I am concerned about," Sue continued. "I know you'll keep your emotions in check when the opportunity arises, but Emily?" She sucked her teeth. "You know she has an impulsive side to her that she refuses to acknowledge. I do not want anything to… arise during the wedding. It wouldn't be fair to the bride and groom."

Leah dropped her gaze onto her mug. She wasn't in the mood to drink the tea. "I think she's genuinely sorry."

"I think she's genuinely sorry she got caught." There was a sharp bite in Sue's voice, something Leah wasn't used to hearing from her mother. "If she were truly sorry, she would've stopped this foolishness with Sam long ago."

"Mom – "

"Tell me." Sue set her tea aside; she folded her hands on the table's placemat. "If you had never caught them in the act, do you think they would've ever come clean?"

Instead of answering immediately, Leah downed half of her tea, thankful that the liquid wasn't scorching hot. "Sam? No," she would eventually admit; it pained her to utter those words. She used to have so much faith in who she had thought was a good man, but then again… Sam had never been the type to be straight about anything. Especially when doing so would put him in a bad light or start a fight –

That wasn't entirely true. He never minded barging in headfirst when it came to work.

"Emily?" Leah took another sip. "Maybe."

Especially since she was now pregnant.

Sue nodded. "Exactly." She grimaced. "Impulsive, that girl can be." She placed a hand on her forehead. "I cannot believe it. Of all people, she went after your husband. My niece. I'll forever love her out of familial obligation, but…" She dropped her hand; disappointment was all over her face. "Do you want to work on it?"

"The marriage? Mom, Emily's pregnant." Leah took a deep breath, trying and failing to subdue the tears collecting in her eyes. She was tired of crying over that man and that woman, but the tears wouldn't stop. "What's there to work on? It's not like she and the baby are going to disappear. Sam's not going to ignore his child. He may be a cheater, but he's not the deadbeat type." Leah pressed the palm of her hands against her eyes. "There's always going to be a reminder of what they did, and I don't think I can handle that."

"Then don't."

"You know what's messed up about the entire situation? I still love him. I still have a sliver of hope that he'll see the light. That he'll leave her, forget about her, and come back into my arms. Faithful and only mine… That we can get past all of this, and we can, I don't know, somehow come out even stronger."

The look on Jacob's face said it all. Yes, Leah knew she sounded like a fool with her lofty, perhaps irrational wishes. But was it wrong to have hope? Oh, she was kidding no one; Sam would be stuck with Emily for, at least, the next eighteen years. There was no hope with that.

"Yeah," Leah mumbled in response; frustrated, she aggressively broke off a piece of naan. It was midday, a little after noon. She and Jacob had decided to have lunch at a Devon Avenue spot before heading back downtown. "It's all BS," she said in between chews. "I know I should just go ahead and move on with my life – "

"There's plenty of fish in the sea," Jacob interjected, leaning back against the restaurant booth. "Plenty."

To be honest, the thought of being with anyone else, even for a hookup, wasn't anywhere Leah's to-do list. "Well, maybe it's best that I spend some time being by myself," she said, "and anyway, I'm a married woman. Divorces don't happen overnight, and I actually believe in sticking to my vows."

"If only that were mutual," Jacob mumbled under his breath before taking a bite from his meal. "He's a goddamn idiot."

Leah looked down at her plate of vegetable biryani; it was delicious with just the right amount of spice. However, for a brief second, she found herself briefly losing her appetite.

"Are you going to…?"

Leah lifted her gaze. "Get a divorce?" she finished. She exhaled, then shoved a spoonful of rice into her mouth. Sometime later, she responded with, "I think it's for the best. I – " She bit her lip. "It's that baby. That baby that's gonna be a constant reminder for the rest of my life. I don't think I can..."

"Not many can."

Leah reached for her cup of masala chai. "So, what about you?"

Jacob almost choked. "Huh?"

"Your divorce," Leah clarified. "How did you know it was time to take the leap? What did you do about it? Was it contested?"

Jacob didn't immediately respond. Instead, he reached out for his second half of the meal, chicken chili paratha (best thing since steak cooked rare, he had declared), took a couple of bites, and washed it down with his soft drink. He then pushed the plate aside and crossed his arms, frowning deeply at the table.

Sensing her partner's discomfort, Leah regretted bringing up the subject of Jacob's previous marriage. He never talked about it, only mentioned it a few times with vague details. Perhaps, she shouldn't have said anything; just because she was upfront with her marital problems, didn't mean Jacob had to be as well.

"You don't have to – "

"There was this assignment sometime back. 2013. Undercover. Back when I was in Gangs." Jacob began. "I had to infiltrate a trafficking ring that – " He paused. "I spent four months working with some real sadistic pricks." He shook his head. "He and his friends did things, and – " He stopped to clear his throat. "I was a mess afterward. Was forced off the streets and onto desk duty for the rest of the year. I hated it. I understood why I had to do it, but I hated it, and I got frustrated, and..."

Leah looked down at her cup. Jacob didn't have to explain himself any further. She'd done undercover before; she got it. "You don't have to…" her comment stalled when she looked back up. Jacob wasn't done, so she let him finish.

"I took off for a week," Jacob continued; his voice was full of regret. "Left the city altogether. Didn't really do anything, but…" He ran a hand down his face; his nervous, frustrated tick. "I didn't tell her everything – You have to know, Monica was a wonderful woman, is a wonderful woman. Seriously everything I thought I had ever wanted. She dealt with my shit, but everyone has their limits, and I was testing hers."

Leah remained silent as Jacob poked at his half-eaten roll. He huffed at it, then frowned.

"Definitely testing hers with his damn job," he admitted. "After a while, she couldn't take it anymore. Couldn't blame her honestly. Still don't." He lifted both shoulders. "And worse of all, I never told her about me."

Leah pressed a hand against her chest. "What?"

"I know. I know. I should've. I had years of opportunity to say something, but…" Jacob shook his head. "No, no excuses. It was stupid, cowardly even, but I didn't want her to think that I was some freak." He adverted his gaze and swallowed. "She could be a little superstitious like that… I don't think she would want to stay with me. Me, being me." He twisted his face. "Not offended by that, by the way, dealing us… it's an adjustment, especially when you've been blindsided for years."

Leah didn't know how to respond, so instead she took another large bite of her biryani.

"One night," Jacob carried on, "not long after my weeklong absence, I went on a run with the guys out west. When I returned, I don't know why, but I abruptly," his voice dipped, "shifted right in the middle of living room, and, well… yeah, I'm sure you can imagine how that turned out."

"She didn't take it well."

Jacob gave a humorless cackle.

"That's putting it extremely lightly."

"I'm sorry."

Jacob seemed to be as well. "She promised not to say a word as long as I signed the papers."

"Did you want to?" Leah softly asked.

Jacob loudly cleared his throat; he reached for his half-eaten paratha before almost immediately setting it down. "No," he replied quietly. "No, I didn't."

Leah dropped her gaze onto lunch as a moment of silence began to set in. She then looked up, asking, "Did you have a choice?"

Jacob cleared his throat for the third time. "We all have choices," he said, "but it wouldn't have been fair to me to contest anything. It wouldn't have been fair to her. Leah, you gotta understand, I had already put her through enough."