To Protect & Serve (25 page)

“Such as Chad?”

Alex ordered herself to think like a future Vice/Narcotics captain. “Actually, the ideal candidate is Lynn.”

Beth looked startled.

“You said it yourself,” Alex continued. “Davis knows she wants in, and he wants to impress her. What better way than to bypass the middlemen and offer her a spot on his crew?”

“It’s risky.” Excitement filtered through Beth’s tone. “But smart thinking, boss.”

“We’ll just have to see if he takes the bait,” Alex said. “Set up the initial bust ASAP. We need to move on this before that particular batch dries up on the street.”

While she waited for the arrangements to be made, she called Chief Lancaster and updated him on their progress and the latest plan. After a long conversation about the Chambers case and reminders about Alex’s promotion prospects, he let her go and Alex headed for the conference room.

Beth greeted her at the door. “We’re ready, Lieu.”

“Who’s making the buy?” Alex asked.

“Tony Reese. He’s a savvy street officer but new enough not to be easily identified. He knows what we need and how to get it done.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen some of his arrests. He knows narcotics. Good choice, Sarge.”

As Alex took a seat, she made eye contact with every officer in the room, gathering courage to meet the deep, probing ones at the end of the table. When she did, tunnel vision overtook her and the questioning look in Keri’s eyes was all she saw. Her heart lurched and pounded rapidly against her chest. She wanted to gather Keri in her arms and take her home, not get her further involved in this dangerous case.

Keri’s breath caught in her throat. Had it only been two days since they kissed by the lake? It seemed so much longer. Too long. Every muscle strained to make contact. Every nerve vibrated with the memory of that kiss and the proximity of their bodies. She still couldn’t believe Alex had decided to put her career first and wasn’t even willing to sit down with her and talk about what was happening between them. Although she’d accepted Beth and Tammy’s advice to give Alex time, she couldn’t help but be hurt.

“Folks.” Beth waved the team into silence. “The lieutenant would like a few words.”

Alex cleared her thoughts. She had no idea how long she’d stared at Keri before Beth spoke, but she needed to get her act together before people noticed. “I don’t usually say this in the course of a drug investigation, but this one’s personal. Davis drugged one of our own and he’s got to pay. We’re going to do a buy-bust on one of Davis’s dealers so we can match his product to the drugs that killed Stacey Chambers and some of the other young people. Officer Tony Reese from the western division will make the buy. Later, when Davis starts to feel the lost cash flow, we’ll see if we can place an officer inside his operation.” Alex looked at Keri. “Is Chad still on board?”

Keri nodded, forcing thoughts of the weekend from her mind. “If the money’s right, he’ll do anything.”

“Good. The minute the buy is complete, we’ll do the takedown. Officer Reese will be wired. He’ll be arrested, too. If we’re lucky the dealer we arrest will call Davis for bail or help, another connection.”

Rick Jones asked, “Any special location you got in mind for the buy?”

“Chad could give us some suggestions,” Keri said. “He knows the area Davis’s men work and could find a spot near our target dealer, but not too contained.”

“Good idea.” Alex smiled. Keri was still engaged and in the game. “Just make sure he knows it’s to be a fairly open public place, well lit. I want us to be able to control access and egress. Anything else? Sergeant Price?”

When her question was met with silence, Alex concluded. “Morgan, check with your man. When you and the sergeant are satisfied with the location, we’ll reconvene for assignments.”

The rest of the team moved around the conference room making preparations for the buy. Paige double-checked the cell phone transmitter and receiver. Renee wrote the beginnings of the raid briefing on the chalkboard, date, primary officer, and case number. Mike got fresh batteries for everybody’s walkie-talkies and Maglites, while Rick made a fresh pot of coffee. Steve checked vehicle availability and made equipment assignments.

Alex watched the officers interact as they worked, joking and helping one another. They’d developed respect for each other’s talents and came together as a formidable team. That didn’t happen often with a multijurisdictional group. Politics and egos often hindered interagency cooperation. She was proud of their performance.

Her thoughts turned to Keri Morgan and her part in the investigation. Her informant, Chad Williams, had made contact with Davis immediately possible. Keri had handled herself well in a new kind of assignment and taken direction easily. It wasn’t her fault that her lieutenant had developed an innocent crush on her that blossomed into…something stronger. Alex knew she couldn’t continue to work with her and not speak of her feelings. In the past she’d easily compartmentalized her emotions, but now it was a struggle to remain detached for even short periods of time. She would be thankful when this case reached its conclusion.

“We’ve got a location,” Beth informed the group eventually, “the Food King on Hanover Drive. It’s in a strip mall with enough activity to provide good cover. The potential for civilian involvement should be minimal. Keri, finish the diagram while I partner everybody up.” She sat and scribbled quickly on a yellow legal pad.

Keri moved to the chalkboard and sketched the location, along with all points of entry and exit. When she finished, Beth rose, plugged in the team assignments, then said, “Lieutenant, you and Keri can back us up, in case we need extra help. Keep an eyeball on the west side. I want the two of you out of sight. Since you’ve been the initial contacts with Davis, I don’t want to take chances that any of his goons could ID you.”

Keri cast a quick look at Alex but stood, put on her low-rider holster, and slid into her flak jacket as the other officers did the same. She wondered how she’d survive in such close proximity to Alex without talking about what happened at the lake. Her feelings bounced around like the steel ball inside a pinball machine. She knew they were both thinking about the incident on the dock, but she also knew they had to stay focused. Drug takedowns were very unpredictable. Anything could happen.

Beth had briefed her on the lieutenant’s plan to insert her into Davis’s organization as his new dealer. It had never occurred to Keri that she’d actually be inside the drug business on her first undercover assignment; officers more experienced than she had been discovered and killed attempting just such assignments. She thought about Davis pawing her at the club and wondered if she could keep up the pretense of liking this moral degenerate long enough to arrest him. She would have to be consistently persuasive in order to carry out the plan. Alex seemed convinced that she was up to the task. That confidence shored up her doubts. She could do this. She refused to fail.

*

Four hours later, after the bust went down successfully, Keri stepped inside her glass-enclosed shower and adjusted the water until it was as hot as she could stand. The pressurized spray caressed her tired shoulders and back with welcome fingers of heat, fingers that reminded her of Alex’s long, firm hands and their sensuous motions. Her center twitched and her stomach coiled into a knot of sexual tension. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as silky sheets of warm water slid down her torso. Turning, she enjoyed the sensation on her chest and stomach. An involuntary moan escaped her lips, witness to the desire building inside.

What would it be like to make love with Alex? Keri allowed the liquid caress of the shower stream to wash over her arms, across her breasts, and down the flat plane of her stomach. Touching herself, she imagined Alex’s hands on her as they had been at the lake, warm, soft, and needy. She palmed a breast in one hand, teased the nipple with her thumb, and pressed her other hand against the hunger low in her belly. She relived the touch of Alex’s lips against hers and curled her fingers into the silkiness between her legs. Her pelvis bucked forward at the first touch, exquisitely torturous. She knew it would only be a matter of seconds before she came. And she also knew she would not be able to keep from screaming Alex’s name. She thanked the gods that her parents were out of town for a few days, before she returned to the growing pressure in her body. Clinging to the side of the shower, she stroked faster, but something wasn’t right.

Distracted, Keri opened the shower door and stuck her head out. The phone in her bedroom was ringing. Her first thought was Alex. She grabbed a towel and bolted from the bathroom.
Don’t hang up, don’t hang up
. They needed to talk. Alex had been pleased with her work today, but her demeanor had been all business, not the slightest sign or indication that they’d shared anything personal.

Just as she reached for the phone, it stopped ringing. Keri snatched it off the cradle, “Hello, hello.” Dial tone. “Damn.” She dried herself, wrapped the towel around her, and retrieved the message from voicemail. When she heard Alex speak, her heart and her clit pounded with the same beat.

Keri, it’s Alex. I wanted to…
A pause. A heavy breath.
I think things went well today.
Another eternal hesitation followed, during which Keri prayed that Alex would say something to acknowledge their personal connection.
I really just wanted to thank you for your work today and make sure you’re okay with the next phase of the operation. I know it’s throwing you into the deep end of the pool, but I know you can do it. Well—I guess that’s all. Good-bye.

Keri listened to the message over and over, trying to read something into the words and tone that wasn’t there.

*

Alex stared at her cell phone. What a coward, she thought. She was parked outside Keri’s house, opposing thoughts battling in her head. She had tried to go home but that didn’t work. Now she was sitting here like a teenager in heat or a demented stalker, trying to get up the courage to knock on Keri’s door.

What would she say, anyway? Nothing was any different. Nothing had changed except her apparent level of sanity. It would still be nuts for them to start a relationship. The only good thing that could come of it would be sexual release. And while she felt she’d explode if her needs weren’t satisfied soon, that didn’t seem like a good enough reason to risk this case and her career, not to mention Keri’s. The negative possibilities were numerous and well engrained in her mind. Alex turned the ignition, put the car in drive, then slammed it back into park.

She just couldn’t leave. This whole situation was getting out of hand and interfering with work at a critical time. They had to talk. She’d run out on Keri at the lake without an explanation. The woman deserved an honest answer to the questions Alex saw in her eyes daily. She had to understand that a relationship was out of the question. Direct, simple, and final. Alex exited the car and walked slowly to the door, rehearsing her speech with each step.

When the door opened almost immediately after her knock, she stood staring at Keri, who wore nothing but a towel, her hair wet and falling into ringlets around her face. Tiny patches of moisture seeped through the fabric and it clung to Keri’s body, igniting a hot throb in Alex’s body that screamed for attention.

Keri stepped wordlessly aside, and Alex couldn’t remember any of the sensible things she planned to say. She walked in and looked around questioningly.

“They’re out of town for a few days.”

Alex kicked the door closed behind her and pulled Keri into her arms. Her lips were on Keri’s before she could take a breath, hungry and demanding. Their kiss deepened, her tongue probing the inside of Keri’s mouth, sucking in the salty flavor of her. She backed Keri to the wall and pressed their bodies together, cursing the fabric that separated them and rubbed painfully against her swollen flesh. She wedged her leg between Keri’s thighs, humping like a rutting animal. Her blood boiled with a desire to strip her naked and devour her where she stood.

Keri pressed against Alex’s shoulders and backed her off enough to take a deep breath. “Alex, baby…”

The soft endearing words were like soothing music to a savage beast. Alex looked into Keri’s lust-clouded eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…I mean, I’ve never been like this before.” And it was true. She loved sex, but this was more, much more.

Keri gently outlined Alex’s bottom lip with the tip of her index finger. She loved seeing her like this, vulnerable and out of control. It meant Alex trusted her and that meant everything. “It’s all right. I just needed to catch my breath.” She cupped Alex’s face in her hands and feathered her lips with light kisses. “God, I love your lips.”

A slight involuntary tremble followed by intense heat rose from Alex’s core. Her pulse pounded and her breathing became more erratic. Feelings and needs she’d been suppressing surfaced with such ferocity she could hardly contain them. She took Keri’s hand, brought it to her lips, and imparted to each digit a slow, sucking kiss.

“Oh, Alex, I want you so much. I never thought this day would come.” Keri sighed, moving her breasts back and forth against Alex’s. “Please, take me to bed.”

Alex took Keri by the hand and led her to the bedroom. As soon as the door closed behind them, she ripped the towel away from Keri’s body. She needed to touch flesh soon or she felt she’d melt into a puddle of bodily fluids. “My God, you are more beautiful than I imagined.”