Irrefutable Evidence Part Ten

By CN Winters

See Part One for Disclaimers. Write the author at cnwinters@hotmail.com

Denise ripped the entire phone from the wall and threw it across the room. Her pulse was pounding, making her entire body shiver. She wasn’t sure which was strong her rage or her fear. She took a shaking breath and then another and another. Finally she was able to breathe in and blow out, to decrease her heart rate. She had to calm down if she was going to think clearly and pull this off.

"Okay jerk-off, you wanna play," Denise said going to the bedroom to retrieve the satchel. "I’ll play. I’ll bring the money . . . along with a few close friends." With that Denise checked her revolver, tossing it on the bed along with the case.

As Denise hastily threw on a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans something the ‘jerk-off’ said to her came back in her mind . . . ‘Your dyke’. How could he possible know about Sara . . . unless . . . Oh Jesus! He walked into the bedroom. He saw the two of us sleeping . . . which means I didn’t even notice. I didn’t hear a single thing. The more Denise thought the more she pieced things together.

She looked at her watch. She had just over an hour to put her plan in motion. With all the confidence she could muster she picked up the bedroom phone. She had a few calls make before she dredged up the hill for the confrontation.

The wind blew Denise’s long ponytail around as she walked up the hill to the supports of the huge, steel cross. Every minute felt like an hour as she watched the man who stood carefully tucked behind Sara. Denise hoped to take him out with a single shot without getting too close but he was too well shielded by Sara’s body. Denise’s eyes never left the man. Not once did her eyes meet Sara’s. When she was about 10 feet away, the man spoke.

"Let me see the money," he ordered.

Denise opened the satchel for him to see inside.

"Throw me the bag," he told her.

"How do I know you won’t kill us both once you’ve got the money?" Denise asked casually, keeping her cool.

"You don’t," he answered in a cocky voice.

Denise stared him down. She didn’t dare look at Sara. Denise knew she would lose the control she fought to muster all morning if she did. Of all the situations they were in, this was the most important when it came to the ‘distance’ Denise spoke of repeatedly.

"Send her over here," Denise barked sternly.

"Give me the bag first," he ordered again.

Denise smiled and shook her head. "Fuck you," she said as she started to walk away. Sara couldn’t believe her eyes. Denise was leaving her there. Leaving her to die. She was on the verge of crying out but the man beat her to it.

"Give me the money bitch!"

"Give me the girl!" Denise yelled as she spun back around, closing the distance between them even more.

The man got frustrated and pushed Sara toward Denise. When Denise saw Sara heading in her direction, she pulled her gun that was hidden safely in the back of her jean waistband. He saw the gun come out and he pointed his weapon but didn’t fire.

"Now give me the money," he yelled nervously.

Denise didn’t raise her weapon. She didn’t want to make the man more edgy than he already was because that could have disastrous consequences. She didn’t have to raise her gun anyway. She was one of the best ‘hip shooters’ in the precinct. And if need be she could pick him off at any angle now that he was in open view.

Denise pushed Sara behind her and reared back her arm. She tossed the satchel down the hill. As it flew through the wind Denise focused on the bounty hunter who was focusing on the airborne black bag.

The satchel landed about 20 yards away. "Go get your money," Denise taunted, waving her gun toward it. "Go on," she repeated after the man stood stationary.

"I should shoot you right now for doing that you fuckin’ queer," he shouted as he pointed his gun.

"You could," Denise grinned deviously. " . . . but then you’d be out 100 grand . . . and my dyke would kill you dead."

The man’s faced turned white when he saw that Sara now was holding a gun as well. Denise took the momentary distraction of the flying bag to hand Sara a weapon with the quick words ‘Just in case’. Being the bright woman she was, Sara knew what Denise meant. If the man got a lucky shot off at Denise then Sara had the means to defend herself. The gun felt heavy in her grasp and a bit intimidating in fact. But as sure as she breathed Sara knew if this man felled Denise with a single bullet she’d have no qualms with pulling the trigger on him. When the man saw the look in Sara’s eyes he realized that fact as well.

"Look," Denise said in a more gentle tone. "I got what I came here for. You got what you came here for. Let’s call it a day. I’m a woman of my word and I swear I will not harm you as long as you don’t harm us . . . So take your money and go home. Deal?"

That seemed to calm the man a bit and he began to gingerly walk backward down the hill. His eyes didn’t leave Denise’s for a single moment. The only time he looked away was long enough to glance at the satchel to pick it up. When Denise didn’t make a move on him he realized she was willing to keep her word. Still he wasn’t going to take any chances and once the bag was firm in hand he started to sprint down the hill. Only after he climbed into his car at the bottom of the hill did Denise pull Sara into a strong embrace.

"Are you okay?" she asked the blonde, giving a quick inspection of her body. "He didn’t . . . hurt you in any way . . . did he?"

"No . . . I’m okay. I’m doing much better now," Sara said with warm relieved grin. "It would be nice if I still had my money," she teased. "But it seemed like a good trade."

"Oh I don’t think your money is going too far . . . Watch," Denise said pointing down the hill.

The man didn’t even manage to get the car into drive when red uniforms swarmed him. Another team on horseback came over the hill at an explosive pace. One rider stayed behind as the others proceeded to the car below.

"Gee when you send in the Calvary lieutenant, you really send in the Calvary don’t you?" Sara teased.

"Good work Lt. VanCook," the man said as he dismounted.

"Thank you," Denise smiled to the Mountie. "Will you be needing us any longer? We’d like to leave the area as soon as possible given the situation-."

"By all means," he grinned warmly. "If we need further assistance we’ll contact you in Detroit . . . It’s been a pleasure to help you ma’am," he said kissing the back of her hand in a gentlemanly fashion.

Denise watched him walk down the hill to oversee his men and Denise sighed, "I’ve always been a sucker for a man in uniform," Denise smiled, clutching her heart.

"Yeah. Right. You and me both," Sara chuckled.

Denise smiled, enjoying the moment of having Sara near her again. Then the reality of the talk they would have to have came to the forefront of her mind. "Come on," Denise replied trying to act strictly business again. "We’ve got a train to catch."

"Aren’t we forgetting something?" Sara asked. Denise gave her a puzzled look. "My bag!" Sara offered when Denise gave no reply.

"Oh shoot!" Denise said slapping her forehead. "Come on."

The duo proceeded to walk down the hill, watching the Mounties handcuff the kidnapper.

"So tell me," Denise asked, "How did you manage to have 100 grand just ‘laying around’ in your office? Hell I’m lucky if I have 1000 dollars in my savings account at one time," she chuckled.

"Like I said," Sara answered with a bashful grin. "I’m loaded . . . And I’ve always kept money at different places. Never put all your eggs in one basket," Sara added.

"Yes and a stitch in time saves nine," Denise bantered. "I’m great at passe cliches so you’ll never win."

"A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," Sara volleyed.

"Don’t bite the hand that feeds you," Denise replied.

"Never look a gift horse in the mouth."

"And…and…argghh! I ran out of cliches," Denise chuckled.

"I thought you were going to WIN lieutenant? . . . Guess this is a case of ‘Don’t count your chickens before they hatch?’" Sara jabbed with a playful chuck to Denise arm.

"Well it takes one to know one."

"Too late," Sara smiled. "You already lost," Sara said triumphantly, picking up her pace just a tad to walk ahead of Denise. All the officer could do was shake her head and smile.

After collecting Sara’s bag they departed to the car that Denise. Denise put the car and drive and soon found Sara’s finger intertwining with hers. A gnawing feeling grabbed hold of Denise’s gut. You gotta say something. You gotta tell her you’ve gotten far to close.

But instead of speaking her heart Denise went back to the case, like she often did in her life. Work was much easier to deal with than love at the moment.

"Tell me what happened," Denise asked as she drove along back to their hotel to get their bags.

"Well you were still asleep and I was going to call room service to bring us some breakfast. I would have gone to the pastry shop but last time I got in trouble," Sara teased with a playful grin. "Anyway, I went to the living room and he was just sitting there on the sofa. He whispered for me to be quite and he wouldn’t hurt you . . .He then told me to get dressed. He stood in the bedroom doorway and watched me to make sure I didn’t say anything."

"He watched you dress? You mean he saw you-."

"Naked," Sara finished. "Yes. In truth I was so scared that it didn’t really occur to me. I just wanted to get my clothes on and get out of there before he hurt you. . . . Anyway, he kept his word. After we left the suite, I just kept talking to him – rambling. At first he said nothing but I kept pushing. I kept trying to keep him ‘off-balanced’. He didn’t say much but what he did say was interesting."

"Like what?" Denise asked.

"Well, he got in with a room key from the front desk. I’m not sure how he knew where to find us but he made mention that he was in town for the past few days so chances are he cased us the last day or so."

Denise released a sigh. So much for thinking you were focus again, the officer berated herself. "What else did he say?"

"Let’s see . . . At one point when I was getting frustrated with him I asked why didn’t he just kill me there. Just get it over with. But he said his deal was to bring me back alive. He said you’d be dead if it wasn’t for the deal."

"The deal?"

Sara chuckled slightly. "Yeah that’s what I wondered too – what deal? So I asked. He said the snitch put a condition on things. You weren’t to be harmed. And the reason I was being taken back was so his boss could have the pleasure of seeing the job finished. Of course he never mentioned DeVittem as his boss but I figured that’s just a given," Sara grinned.

Denise couldn’t believe it. Despite all this trouble, the heartache and the sheer terror at times, Sara could still smile. Denise felt a lump form in her throat when she realized that she couldn’t keep this ‘light’ in her life without endangering it.

But Denise put her brewing emotions on hold for just a moment. "Conditions?" she said out loud as she considered just why the informant wouldn’t want her killed. Perhaps it was because she knew the informant. Perhaps it was someone she thought she knew better than anyone. But why would Angie sell me out? After all these years . . . it just doesn’t make sense.

"Anyway," Sara sighed. "We got to talking about just how much my head was worth. I told him I could beat DeVittem’s price and we ended up haggling," Sara chuckled. "Don’t get me wrong. I was scared shitless at the time. But to hear it now it sounds quite humorous. He wanted to know how much I’d give him but I wasn’t about to do that! I wanted to know what DeVittem offered. Finally he gave in and said $50,000. I told him I’d double it if he let me go . . . but we had to call you to get the bag. And sure enough, that’s when he made the call."

A silence filled the car as Denise put the automobile in park at the hotel. Sara could see Denise’s mind whirling with thoughts, computing everything.

"So he . . . saw us? I mean, together?" Denise asked.

"Yeah," Sara answered. "But that doesn’t mean anything."

"Oh boy," Denise sighted.

"What’s the matter?" Sara asked.

"If he saw us then that means DeVittem will probably hear about it. And if DeVittem’s lawyer question you on the stand about our relationship-."

"Then I’ll tell the truth," Sara replied. "It’s none of their damn business."

Denise smiled and shook her head. "It’s not that simple," she began, "What I did with you . . . I broke so many ethics as an officer of the law. And DeVittem’s suits are sure to run with it. They’ll discredit you as a witness and me as an officer and he might walk as a result."

"I won’t let that happen," Sara answered. "I don’t care what DeVittem’s lawyers try to do. All I care is about the two of us getting through this safe and sound. That’s all that matters Denise."

"I love you Denise."

Oh she had to say it didn’t she. Denise closed her eyes and couldn’t help but show a smile despite her misgivings. "I love you too Sara," the officer whispered sincerely. Get your nerve up Denise and tell her later. You’ve still got lots of time before you get back to Detroit. "Come on," she said turning off the ignition. "Let’s get our stuff and get the hell out here. Whadda ya say?"

"Where are we off to now? The Klondike seems like a safe bet," Sara grinned.

"We’re going to take in a double header with the Blue Jays," Denise answered softly.

Sara considered the reply for a moment. "Ahhhh," she said out loud. We’re going to Toronto Sara thought. Teasingly however she said, "So were going to Baltimore huh?"

Denise stopped opening her door and gave Sara a look of disbelief.

"I’m teasing. I’m teasing," Sara said holding up her hands as she chuckled. "I’m vaguely familiar with our nations past-time."

The rest of the morning went quiet and smoothly. They packed their belongings and made their way to the train station with idle chitchat conversation. Neither woman was up to any deep discussion nor did they have anything too pressing to discuss. Yeah, right Denise thought as she took her seat next to Sara on the train headed west.

Once seated snuggly in their spots, both women released a deep sigh. Sara rested her head on Denise’s shoulder and Denise’s hand found it’s way to Sara’s knee reflexively. It was just so easy to be relaxed and affectionate with this woman – more so than anyone she’d ever met.

This was a close one. I almost lost her Denise thought as she kissed Sara’s forehead. I love her. I know that now but I have to let her go . . . it’s the only way to keep her safe. She’s going to hate it. She might even hate me . . . but I hope that someday she understands . . . I have to do it . . . For her.

TBC

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