Dark Wings Descending (14 page)

Rafe laughed and surreptitiously slid a hand under the sheets to make sure she still had her boxers on. Relieved they were in place, she eased herself out of bed. The floor held steady beneath her feet. With her back to Ashley, Rafe stared at the carpet, searching desperately for the right thing to say. She’d been surprised by the desire that lit up Ashley’s eyes. She was even more astounded to realize it was directed at her.

“Then I am really sorry that I imbibed too much last night,” was all she could honestly say. Rafe gathered up clean clothing out of her dresser, holding it to her modestly. “I need a shower, then maybe I can try to redeem myself in your eyes.”

Ashley slid off the bed and walked toward her, her gait deliberately sensuous. Rafe was captivated by the sight. Ashley moved nearer, stilling Rafe’s nervous hands.

“You have nothing to redeem. You do have to promise me you’ll start taking better care of yourself.”

“The doctors warned me to be careful with the meds, but I was only listening with one ear. I just wanted to leave the hospital so bad. I slipped up. I won’t again.” Rafe pulled a pair of socks from a drawer. “Am I right in remembering us talking about the presence of angels last night?”

“That’s pretty much when you started knocking the beer back,” Ashley said.

“Damn, I’d so hoped that was part of the alcohol talking.”

“I’m sorry. I just keep piling on the unbelievable for you to carry, don’t I?”

“Are there any more secrets left? If there are, I really don’t think I can cope with them before a cup of coffee.”

Ashley shook her head. “I think you’ve reached your allotted quota of ‘angels and demons news flashes’ for now.” She plucked at her shirt. “I need a shower too. Do you think I can borrow something of yours to wear? I believe your cat drooled on me sometime during the night.”

“I’ve got plenty if you don’t mind tucking it in or rolling up the sleeves. I’ll get you a clean towel and then I’ll make you breakfast to hopefully make up for my appalling lack of manners last night.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. You’re incredibly sweet when under the influence, be it devil’s poison, alcohol, or medication.” Ashley appeared to think this over. “Actually, you’re a lot easier to handle then too. I might have to remember that.”

“I’ll try to be nicer without the assistance of mind-altering substances, if that’s all right with you. I need to keep all my wits about me around you as it is.”

“Do I make you nervous, Rafe?” Ashley ran a finger along Rafe’s naked forearm.

“You make me crazy to start off with, but then crazy in other ways too.”

“What kind of other ways?”

“The kind that make me wish I had sweeter breath and that I wasn’t the only one half-naked.” She deliberately took a step back. “And that we aren’t due in the DDU in just over an hour.”

“I like that kind of crazy you speak of. I’ve felt it too since the moment I saw you and you saw right through to me.” She shook her head. “Damn work,” she grumbled. “Go shower and use plenty of mouthwash. I at least want my kiss when you’re done if we can’t call in late.”

“You do realize that fraternization is frowned upon at the department?”

“I’m not on your payroll, Detective, so you can fraternize with me any way you want to.”

Rafe groaned at the heat that stirred at Ashley’s seductive tone. “Damn it, now I need a cold shower.” She pushed past Ashley in haste, feeling their bodies touch as Ashley refused to budge.

“Tell me about it,” Ashley said loud enough for Rafe to hear before she shut the door behind her.

*

Rafe shook the cereal box experimentally and was relieved to hear a remarkable quantity of flakes rattle around inside. She looked down at Trinity, who was winding herself around her legs in a bid for attention. “I’ve fed you already. Quit fussing.” Rafe checked on the state of the last carton of milk in her fridge. It was still fresh, so she placed it on the table too. She stared for a moment at the two bowls, two spoons, milk, and cereal laid out on the kitchen table. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had someone who’d stayed long enough for breakfast after. Usually she was steering them out the door once they were clothed. She moved the cereal box a little to the right, wondering if it would be enough.

“You’re muttering to yourself.” Ashley entered the kitchen with her hair still damp and curling at the edges. She ran a hand down her front, smoothing the borrowed shirt. “Thank you for this.”

Rafe couldn’t take her eyes off Ashley’s cleanly scrubbed face. Though she was aware Ashley wore the minimum of makeup, seeing her without it made her look even younger. Rafe gestured to the table. “I prepared breakfast.”

Ashley snorted. “You laid out cereal. That’s not the same as preparing it, Detective.”

Undeterred, Rafe pulled back a chair for her. “Semantics, Sparky. Hope you like your flakes frosted.” She was surprised when a small hand reached for her neck and pulled her head down.

“I want that morning kiss you promised,” Ashley whispered against Rafe’s lips.

Rafe complied without hesitation. Ashley’s lips were soft beneath hers, full and moist. Rafe explored every inch before teasing her tongue inside to taste, then retreat, then push inside again. She pulled Ashley to her, startled by how well they fit together. Ashley’s full breasts nestled against her own, hip fit to hip for all the difference in their heights. Ashley pulled Rafe’s shirt out from her pants and Rafe jerked at the heat from her hands as she touched her. Reluctantly having to draw breath, Rafe pulled back and rested her forehead against Ashley’s.

“About last night—” she began, but Ashley cut her off with a finger placed upon her lips.

“Enough already.”

“No, I need to know what happened. I remember figuring out Eli’s angelic status, and I think I ate dessert, but after that all I remember are snatches of stuff, and I really need you to fill in the blanks for me.”

“We shared a large piece of chocolate gateau, but by then you’d started to get very sleepy. I noticed your speech going first and then your eyes just started to droop. So I paid the bill and helped you walk home.”

Rafe groaned. “You paid? It was supposed to be my treat.”

“I didn’t know how to charge it to your card, otherwise I would have.” Ashley grinned up at her.

“Fuck, I can’t even do a date without messing it up.” Rafe tried to pull back, but Ashley held on to her.

“Our next date won’t have you scarfing down multiple painkillers with a Budweiser chaser. And the conversation won’t be about work, angels, demons, or anything else inflammatory.”

Rafe sighed and lowered her chin to rest it on top of Ashley’s head. “Did I say or do anything stupid?”

“No more than usual,” Ashley said. “You asked me my favorite film. That’s a first date question, so you aced that.”

Rafe racked her brain for the answer, then relaxed a little. “Kate Winslet.”

“You remembered.” Ashley hugged her in delight.

“I remember asking why Eli didn’t save the passengers.” Rafe grimaced as bits and pieces of the night filtered through her brain. “And you gave me the free will speech.”

“It’s what makes us human, Rafe. Free will, the choice to screw up should we wish to.”

“I sure screwed up last night.” Rafe was acutely embarrassed and disgusted with herself. Her behavior was not how she wanted Ashley to see her.

“You were exhausted. You’re barely back behind your desk, and you’re still getting used to your medication. Will you stop beating yourself up about it and get back to kissing me!”

Framing Ashley’s face between her hands, Rafe pressed tender kisses all over her skin. She started at her forehead and traced every feature on Ashley’s beautiful face reverently with her lips. When she reached Ashley’s mouth, she was ravenous, seeking comfort, wanting more than just kisses. She pulled Ashley to her; her hands slipped under clothing to rest on Ashley’s waist. Rafe began restlessly tugging up Ashley’s shirt, seeking further.

“Stop.” Ashley gasped the word against Rafe’s lips, kissing her sweetly before reluctantly drawing back.

“Why?” Rafe’s body was primed for more.

“We have to be at work soon, and besides, not in front of the children,” Ashley murmured, cocking her head to one side.

Trinity sat up on a kitchen chair, looking like some serene Sphinx. Her eyes were half-closed as if their antics were boring her, but she couldn’t be bothered to look away.

With shaking hands, Rafe reached for the cereal box. “Sorry I can’t offer you more,” she said, trying to calm her pulse and steel herself from reaching for Ashley to taste her lips again.

Deliberately letting her fingers brush over Rafe’s, Ashley retrieved the box. “Oh, believe me, Detective, what you have to offer isn’t anywhere on this table.” She ran the tip of her tongue across her upper lip as she teased Rafe. “At least, not yet
you
aren’t.”

Rafe stifled the moan in her chest and grumbled. “You’re going to drive me insane.”

“Probably, but you said it yourself, with all you’ve seen you’re already halfway there.”

Trying to act normal and not give in to the urge to pull Ashley back into her arms, Rafe changed the conversation. “What’s on your agenda today?”

“Other than finishing off your frosted flakes?” Ashley tipped out a generous bowl full and handed the box to Rafe. “I’m going to check in on Eli to see if he’s heard anything more. What about you?”

“I should be getting results back from the crime lab from the second killing. I rushed them through to get it done in a week.”

“It’s always processed quicker on TV crime shows.”

“They can piece everything together in forty-five minutes too. I could only wish for that kind of solve rate.”

“Are you busy tonight? I thought maybe I could show you the bright lights.”

Rafe answered around a mouthful of flakes. “You forget. I’ve already seen
your
bright lights.”

Ashley laughed at her. “Aren’t you witty in the morning? I’ll have to remember that. I thought you might like to take a walk on my side of the city, Detective.”

“You’re taking me demon hunting?” Rafe blurted, rubbing at her forehead distractedly. “The last time I did that I failed abysmally.”

“You’ll be merely looking, not tracking. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

“You’re doing an excellent job so far,” Rafe said. “It’s like having a guardian angel or something.” She looked suspiciously at Ashley but got a firm shake of a head in return.

“That would be Eli’s role, not mine. I’ll just stick to trying to keep you out of trouble.”

“Some would say you’ve got your work cut out for you.”

“I can handle both it and you, Detective, never fear.”

Dean rose from his chair the second Rafe entered the office. “Boss, we might have a break.” He waved her over to his desk and handed her a folder. “Cops last night brought in a guy for attacking a woman. He’s being brought over here for us to interview.”

Rafe perched on the table edge reading the report. “He was caught in the act?”

“He was seen strangling the woman in an alley, right under the nose of a guy in the apartment across the way.”

Rafe flipped through the rest of the report. “Was he carrying a knife at all?”

“Yes. Looks like he was caught before he had a chance to use it. Forensics has it.”

“But our guy’s M.O. is a murder and mutilation, not manual strangulation.”

Dean held up a hand, forestalling the rest of Rafe’s arguments. “The kicker is this guy is one of the butchers at the Epican Meat Factory. Come on. That has to mean something.”

“It means we have a suspect here who isn’t sticking to the pattern we’ve gotten established for our serial killer. We’ll investigate him, certainly. Maybe he’s devolving, trying something new.” She didn’t believe that for a second. The man they were after had a specific undertaking in his kills. He was searching for something. He wasn’t going to switch back to something as basic as strangling, not when he was able to rip open flesh to find what he was looking for.

“You don’t think this is our spine killer, do you?”

Rafe shook her head. “No, but I’m open to the possibility he might be. All are guilty until proven innocent, right?”

Dean leaned back in his chair. “I was hoping this might bring an end to the case. I don’t like the fact we’re getting no evidence and all we can do is wait for him to kill again.”

“I know, but I learned the hard way that suspecting someone because you think he might fit the mold isn’t going to get you any closer to finding the true killer.” She turned her attention to Alona, who was hard at work at her desk. “Anything new on the shift schedules from the local factories?”

“I’ve narrowed it down to a few names that came up on the nights in question. But one pinch-hits for anyone who wants him to do their shift and the other is a sixty-year-old woman.”

“Can we really rule her out?” Dean asked.

Alona nodded. “I’m afraid so. She doesn’t fit any of the profile except for her vocation, and then there’s the little matter of her being only four foot six.”