Chapter 9
“What is your problem?” Caitlin asked testily as they got into her apartment.
“You almost got shot! That’s my problem.” Katie said.
“So did you.”
“I told you to stay put”, Katie said.
“You're not my boss.”
“And you’re not the one who's lost a partner to that bitch!” Katie yelled.
“Getting shot at is part of the job, Katie!” Caitlin raised her voice.
“I don’t need another death on my conscience!” Katie yelled.
Cailin paused and then stepped closer. “Katie - what is going on?” she said in a lower voice.
”Nothing, sorry”, Katie said. She started to turn away but Caitlin grabbed her arm.
”Katie, what is it?” Katie didn’t say anything so Caitlin said “Please, tell me.”
Katie stared at Caitlin for a moment and then exhaled. “Ruesha was my partner, in more ways than one. She was also my lover.”
“Oh my god”, Caitlin said. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.”
“After Ruesha was killed, I told Denise I didn’t want a partner, ever again. And I haven’t had one for three years. And then I met you.”
“Katie-”
“I know I started off cold with you. And it wasn’t that I didn’t want to like you, or whatever, it’s just that I didn’t want to get close again to someone who might get shot, which I knew would be a possibility if we were going after Leah.”
“I’m sorry, Katie”, Caitlin said again. “I had no idea how you felt.”
“And then we started to work together, and not only have I felt myself caring about you as a professional partner, but also…” Katie paused.
“What?” Caitlin prompted, and took a half-step closer to Katie.
Katie paused, gazing into Caitlin’s eyes, and then said, “I’m falling for you, Caitlin. I’m falling for you, and when that bitch shot at you today…”
“Katie”, Caitlin said, and then reached out and touched Katie’s cheek with her hand.
“I already lost someone I love to that bitch”, Katie said. “I don’t want to go through that again.”
Caitlin gazed at Katie and then pressed a kiss against her lips. They stayed like that for a moment, and then said, “From now on, we won’t leave each other’s sides, okay? You’ll take care of me, and I’ll take care of you.” Katie hitched, so Caitlin said, “What is it?”
“I told Ruesha right before she died that I’d take care of her”, Katie said. “And I failed.”
“You won't fail with me”, Caitlin said. She gazed at Katie, who was gazing right back at her. “Katie, I-”
Katie slammed her lips against Caitlin’s. Caitlin wrapped her arms around Katie’s neck, and Katie wrapped her arms around Caitlin’s waist, pushed her up against the wall, and opened the kiss. They stayed like that for a moment, kissing and kicking off their boots, and then Katie took off her own jacket and shirt. Caitlin did the same, and then Katie’s hands went to Caitlin’s trousers. She unbuttoned them and then pulled them down, and then ripped off Caitlin’s underwear. “Hey - I like that pair”, Caitlin breathed out thru a small smile, as she stepped out of her trousers.
“I’ll buy you another”, Katie panted out. She took off her own trousers and then put her hands under Caitlin’s thighs and picked her up. She carried Caitlin to the bedroom, kissing her as they went, threw her down onto the bed, and then jumped on top of her and planted a deep kiss. They stayed like that for a moment and then Katie unhooked Caitlin’s bra and flicked her tongue across Caitlin’s nipples. Caitlin gasped, and Katie’s mouth traveled down Caitlin’s stomach. She planted a soft kiss on Caitlin’s belly button, and then her head went down between Caitlin’s legs, and her tongue touched Caitlin’s clit.
“Oh my god”, Caitlin shuddered, as Katie tongue began to work her clit. “Fuck”, she said, then arched her back as she felt Katie slip a finger into her folds. “Fuck…” she moaned, as Katie started to build momentum. “Fuck me, Katie”, Caitlin beathed out, and Katie slipped another finger in. “Fuuuuuuuck”, Caitlin breathed out, as the pleasure mounted inside her, and then she screamed as she hit her climax, Katie’s tongue working her clit, and Katie’s fingers working deep inside her. She gripped Katie’s hair in her fists as she rode out her orgasm.
“Hi”, Katie smiled, looking up at Caitlin from between her legs.
“Hi”, Caitlin breathed out. She smiled back and then pulled Katie up into a long kiss. “Your turn”, she said, and flipped Katie over…
********
“Told you I’d call”, Leah smiled into her phone.
“Hiiiiiiiiiii”, Julie said, smiling back. “I wasn’t sure if I’d hear from you.”
“You just have to have a little faith in people, Julie”, Leah teased.
“Well, I guess I have faith”, Julie said. “Isn’t this a nice surprise. Are you in town?”
“I am”, Leah said. “Are you free for dinner this evening?”
“I can clear my schedule”, Julie said flirtily.
“I can meet you at your place. I drove into town this time. I can be at your place in fifteen minutes.”
“Sounds lovely. I’ll be off work in an hour. I’ll text you my address and the garage code.”
“See you soon”, Leah said, smiling into the phone, then hung up. She drove a few minutes and found Julie’s house, then let herself into the garage. She parked and then went to work assembling the gun on the mount inside the minivan, and was finished before Julie got home.
“Hello?” Julie called out as she walked through the front door. “Leah, are you here?”
“In the kitchen”, Leah said cheerfully.
Julie smiled to herself, checked her appearance in the mirror near the front door, and then walked into the kitchen and saw Leah sitting at the counter. “Hey gorgeous, I’m so glad you called-” she started to say, when Leah raised her gun and pulled the trigger.
********
“Hi”, Caitlin whispered and smiled. She and Katie were in Caitlin’s bed. She was nuzzled into Katie, her head in the crook of Katie’s neck. It was late evening. A single candle was burning in the otherwise dark room.
“Hi”, Katie said back softly. Katie was on her back, her arm around Caitlin. Caitlin looked up at Katie and then planted a soft kiss on Katie’s lips. Katie returned the kiss, and Caitlin smiled, then nestled her head back in the crook of Katie’s neck.
“We fell asleep”, Caitlin mused, then asked. “What time is it?”
Katie looked over at the clock on the nightstand next to the bed. “Almost nine.” She paused and then said, “I’m hungry.”
“Me too. But don’t want to leave this bed”, Caitlin smiled.
Katie smiled back. “Me either, but we should eat. I’ll need energy for our next round of lovemaking”, she said, and Caitlin laughed. “Grub Hub? Do they deliver for that place with the corned beef sandwiches? That sounds good right now”, Katie said.
“Missing home?” Caitlin teased.
“Hey, you’re the one who brought up my Irishness and corned beef”, Katie said back and smiled.
“Yes, I did”, Caitlin laughed lightly, then pulled Katie in for another kiss. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand. “I guess that place doesn’t offer delivery”, she said after checking Grub Hub.
“I can go there”, Katie said.
“We can get something else for delivery. I don't want you to leave”, Caitlin said with a flirty pout.
“Well now I have my mind set on those sandwiches”, Katie said with a small smile. “I won’t be gone long, just tell me where this place is.”
“Between here and the office. Half a mile away”, Caitlin said. “It’s called McGinty’s. Here’s the address.”
“Got it”, Katie said. “Two corned beef sandwiches coming up, followed by another round of white hot orgasms.” Caitlin laughed, and Katie smiled and gave Caitlin a lingering kiss, and then got off the bed and got dressed. “I’ll be back soon”, she winked.
“I’ll be waiting”, Caitlin said flirtatiously. Katie blew her a kiss and then left.
Caitlin heard the front door shut, then laid back down and smiled to herself. Katie McCabe…I like her, she thought. For a moment she imagined the two of them together in the future, closing more cases together, moving in together, Katie proposing to her on a beach, getting married, having children. She shook her head but kept smiling to herself, then got up, blew out the candle, turned on the bedroom light and put on a pair of underwear and a t-shirt, then went into the bathroom, brushed her teeth, touched up her makeup, and applied a bit of her perfume. She smiled to herself in the mirror, then walked back out into her bedroom, and as she did, she heard the front door shut. “That was quick”, she called out, then came into the living room and froze when she saw Leah was standing there. “What the-” Caitlin started to say, when Leah raised her gun and fired a bullet into Caitlin’s stomach.
“Ahhhhhrrrrrgggghhhh!” Caitlin screamed and fell over.
“Shhhhhh”, Leah said softly. She looked around and saw clothes strewn about and two pairs of underwear on the floor. She smiled and picked up one pair and stuffed them in Caitlin’s mouth. “Let’s not make so much noise, we don’t want to disturb your neighbors”, Leah said in a friendly tone. She looked around at the strewn-about clothes and smiled. “Couldn’t wait to get to the bedroom, huh? Must have been scorching hot. Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall”, she quipped.
“Mmmmfffff”, Caitlin struggled through the gag.
“Hmmm...that looks bad", Leah said, looking at the bullet wound in Caitlin’s stomach. "You’re gonna need some medical attention soon.” She grabbed one of the shirts that was lying on the ground and folded it up and pressed it against Caitlin's gunshot wound. "Hold this here, it will help stem the bleeding", she said, then took Caitlin's hand and pressed it over the shirt, which was quickly becoming soaked with blood.
“Mmmmmmfff”, Caitlin said again, sweat forming on her forehead.
“What’s that?” Leah asked.
“Mmmmmmffffff.”
“I can’t understand you”, Leah mocked.
“Mmmmmmffffff!”
“Okay, I’ll remove the gag, but if you scream, I’ll put another bullet in you”, Leah said. She removed the gag and stared at Caitlin, who was now sweating profusely.
“Katie…is…going…to…get…you…” Caitlin breathed out.
“Is that so?” Leah smiled. “Katie McCabe can’t protect her women. First Ruesha, and now you”, Leah said. “Do you know about Ruesha? She was McCabe’s partner and lover before you. Did McCabe tell you about her?” Leah paused and then said, “I wonder how you stack up against her”, she taunted. Caitlin tried to move but Leah put her hand against Caitlin’s chest to still her. She reached over to the couch for a pillow and put it underneath Caitlin’s head. “There, that should be more comfortable.” She put her hand to Caitlin’s forehead and cheek, then grabbed the afghan off the couch. “You’re cold. You’re starting to go into shock”, she said, then covered Caitlin with the afghan. She crouched down over Caitlin and gently stroked her hair. “I have to go, but when your girlfriend gets back, you can tell her that I said she can’t protect her women.”
“You…won’t…get…away…with…this…” Caitlin croaked out.
“I think I just might”, Leah said with a smile. She stared at Caitlin for a moment and then stroked her cheek and kissed her on the lips. “Goodbye, lover”, she mouthed, and then left.
********
“I’m back”, Katie said as she opened the front door. “They said we got the last two sandw-” then stopped when she saw Caitlin on the floor. “Oh my god”, she said. She dropped the food bag, ran over and crouched down next to Caitlin. “Luv, are you alright? What happened?”
“Leah was here”, Catlin croaked out.
“What?! When?”
“Right after you left”, Caitlin breathed out.
“Shite”, Katie said, realizing Leah must have picked up their trail at the NDA headquarters and then followed them back to Caitlin’s apartment.
“She said to tell you-” Caitlin started, and then coughed.
“Don’t talk, Ima call an ambulance”, Katie said, then dialed 911. “I’m so sorry, luv, I shouldn’t have left you”, Katie said. She looked around and then looked back at Caitlin. “Fuck, I said I’d never leave you. Fuck fuck fuck!”
“Leah said…tell Katie McCabe…she can’t protect...her women…”
“What?” Katie said.
“You...can’t...protect...your...women…” Caitlin breathed out as her eyes started to close.
“Luv…oh no no no no no!” Katie said, as Caitlin slipped into unconsciousness.