09: Murder in the First-Degree Pt. 2

“Have you seen the papers?” Mike asked slamming a copy onto Mason’s desk as he barged his way into the man’s office. “They are making Victoria out to be some kind of cop on an abuse of power trip; making up…all kinds of lies about her! I mean how the hell did they even get wind of this?”

“Rizzitello, calm down. I’m sure there’s an explanation for it.”

“Yeah, there is. Those bastards down at IAD are trying to put on the heat and make her do something stupid. They think this cheap tactic is going to scare her into confessing something that’s never fucking happened! I can’t believe it. I can’t believe how calm you can be just sitting there like nothing’s happening while a damn good homicide detective is being persecuted like this! This is bullshit, Captain!”

“Fuck!” Mike yelled and slammed a fist into the wall before planting his back against it. “This isn’t right! She’s been doing her job and better than most of the clowns in any of the other precincts AND under stress! She’s been stabbed, shot at, nearly rundown by suspects and treated horribly because of her sex and all in the line of duty. This really pisses me off!”

“I can see that, Rizzi. But you have to understand that there isn’t anything I can do about it at this point. I’m looking into the allegations as far as I can but the IAD are not going to just hand over their records without a subpoena and a damn good reason. Now I am just as pissed as you are, believe me. Carson is one of my best detectives and I hate that she’s being placed under a microscope like this. But if anyone can withstand the scrutiny, it’s her.”

Captain Mason pulled the journal off his desk and dropped it into the trash. “Where are we on your brother’s case? Any new developments?”

“No, nothing. I had thoughts that the eyewitness to the scene had been holding out on us in the first interrogation so I went to interview him again. His story changed a little but still wasn’t much to go on. I think that if I keep at him, I can eventually get him to break. I’m sure he knows something.”

“When’s the funeral?”

“This Saturday. My sister Georgia is flying in Friday night with her husband and our niece. Tina keeps asking when her mommy’s coming home. She doesn’t quite understand what happened yet; or just refuses to accept it.” He pulled away from the wall and started for the door. “I’m sorry I barged in here like this, Cappy. I just…”

“You miss her. It’s been five days without having her sitting across from you and you’re going crazy without her. It’s funny though. When I first partnered the two of you up you were so against having a partner you considered transferring; and not just a partner but a female on top of that. And now the two of you are like peanut butter and jelly; just not complete without the other.”

“Whatever,” Mike smiled sheepishly and stepped quietly out of the captain’s office.

“So, let’s go over it again,” Cole sighed as he placed a Vanilla Spice Frappuccino in front of Victoria and took a seat across from her. “The last case you worked you said some guy off the street just dropped it into your lap?”

“Well, no, not exactly. He wasn’t some ‘guy off the street’ apparently he and Ed are friends or something like that. His family knows Ed’s family or the mayor’s and he pulled some strings to have a lead detective work the thing for him because the vic was a friend of his.” She leaned forward into her chair and toyed with the cream on top of her drink with the tip of her straw as Cole slowly sipped his Cinnamon Dolce Frappuccino.

“And he had all of the evidence necessary to lock the guy away? If that were the case then why didn’t he just hand it over to someone else who could have made the arrest?”

“I don’t know and I asked him that. He said it had to be me; that I was the only person for the job.”

“Yeah, but why you? What makes you so special?” He quietly sipped his drink and nearly choked on the coffee. “I…that’s not…I didn’t mean it like that, Vik,” he replied uneasily as he realized what he’d said. “I meant why…?”

“I know what you meant, Cole, no worries,” she laughed him off. “And trust me I’ve been trying to figure that out myself. It wasn’t that he said it but the way he implied it you know? Like I really was the only one he could go to with that case. And then afterwards he kept telling me that Sketch wasn’t like the typical bad guy; that there was more to him than that. He was so worried about it he gave me this for ‘protection,’” she replied and twirled the bracelet around her wrist for Cole to see.

“Wait some guy gave this to you?” He asked looking at the item on her wrist more carefully than he had before. “I thought you picked this up at some antique store or something. I know how you feel about jewelry and gifts in general so I…I don’t know.” Cole’s eyes fell on his drink and he refused to look up at Victoria for a while even when she started speaking. The hurt and frustrated expression on his face wasn’t lost on her but she did her best to ignore it for now. There wasn’t anything she could say to make him feel better about her acceptance of another’s man jewelry but she did her best to explain.

“He practically begged me to take it. He said to think of it as some sort of thank you for helping his friend find peace. I didn’t want to blatantly reject his gift so I put it on. The only thing is now I can’t seem to get it off. The wires are wonky or something and they won’t untie. I’ve tried a few times but it’s a no-go.” Cole tugged at the bracelet and felt it seemingly tighten around her wrist and pulled back. “It does that a lot too; almost to the point of pinching. It’s why I want it off.”

“You should try wire cutters,” he half joked and sipped his coffee. A large black bird flew overhead casting a dark shadow on their table, enough to draw their attention. “Is that a raven?”

“Um…I don’t know. Ravens aren’t indigenous to this area. But it sure looks like it. I wonder if it’s nesting around the coast somewhere.” She turned her cup around her hand a moment and watched as the bird circled over them again and perched itself just over the awning near the entrance. “So, what’s going on with you? Any new breakthroughs on the criminal psyche?”

“Nothing exciting. Next week we’re bringing in a prisoner convicted of three child abductions and rape cases over the last five years to test a theory on parental influences on kids who meet certain criteria. A lot of the analysts believe the issue is genetic and still we have some who will argue on the side of experience and nature v. nurture all day. I think the Bureau purposely incites these guys just to have a full spectrum of the ‘why’ on file,” he smiled brilliantly as Victoria hung on his every word. “I’m boring you, aren’t I?”

“Cole, you never bore me. I’ve always thought your job was fascinating though I would never want to try and get into these guys’ heads. Seems like the worst place to ever be. I prefer the mystery of ‘Who? What? When? And how?’ versus the ‘Why?’ Motives change and aren’t all that important. Catching the bad guy is my rush.” She swallowed her drink hard and met his gaze with a smile. “I had fun last night by the way. And I wanted to thank you for staying the night, again. I’m going crazy with the not knowing and sitting around all day leaves me with way too much time to think.”

“Well, any excuse I can get to…” the table shook beneath his drink and a spill covered his arm and pant leg.

“Shit! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” a slender brunette continued a string of apologies to Cole. Accidentally bumping his arm, she’d spilled her Nonfat Mocha on him instantly drenching his arm and staining his jeans. The woman grabbed a handful of napkins from the table nearby and did her best to wipe him down. “I didn’t mean to do that, I’m so very sorry.”

“It’s ok, really,” he nodded and took over cleaning himself off.

“Can I buy you another cup?”

“It’s not necessary.” She shied away in embarrassment and Cole worked on dabbing the liquid to dry himself a little more. Looking up he noticed the covered smile on Victoria’s face and leaned back in his seat amused. “Oh, this is funny huh? I still have to get to work after this you know?”

“My place isn’t far, Cole. You can grab a shower before you go in. You still have some clothes left over. It’ll be fine.”

“In that case then we should get a move on. I hate feeling denim clinging to my legs and I have to get back to the office soon.”

They got back to Victoria’s place and Cole led the way up the stairs. She heard the shower run as she walked into her closet to grab something from the pile of clothing he’d left at her place a time or two before when they were together. “Try not to use up all the hot water,” she called in to him and rubbed a hand over her stiff neck. She hadn’t noticed how sore it was before but spending the last three nights on the couch caused her muscles to tighten up on her and a shower sounded like a great idea right about now.

Cole was passing the bedroom to grab a towel as he heard her call to him and saw her with her back to the door, gently rubbing at her neck. He tossed the towel to her dresser and moved in to replace her hands with his own. Victoria moaned as he instantly seemed to find the trouble spot between her shoulders. “There’s plenty of room for the both of us in there you know?” Victoria’s eyes shot open but Cole didn’t take long getting her lids to fall again in lust as his lips trailed kisses down her neck and shoulder.

He wrapped a hand around her waist pulling her back against him and she could feel the fine hairs of his chest rub against her. He was nude down to his briefs and sticky where the coffee had spilled on him. Cole turned Victoria to face him but before she could speak he crushed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply. He felt her resist slightly and wondered if he should pull away too but the feel of her warm body against him only made him push harder. Cole felt her tongue swirl around his and he moaned when Victoria’s hands pulled them even tighter together.

Parting his lips more to break their kiss, Cole wrapped his hand over Victoria’s and pulled her behind him toward the shower. It didn’t take long for her clothing to hit the floor and Cole to have her back pinned against the cool tile wall. The warm water from the shower head cascaded down his back and Cole felt a familiar stirring in his cock the longer he held Victoria in an embrace.

Victoria’s eyes twinkled with excitement as she noticed his growing length and felt it inching its way up her thigh. She pushed him away slightly reaching out with her right hand and took hold of him. Cole gasped as he felt her hand slowly begin to stroke along his rigid shaft. Water splashed down onto her body, running in streaks over her skin and he leaned forward to kiss the drops as they beaded and fell. His hand closed over her breast and he guided her nipple between his lips and licked along the erect flesh, gently teasing her with his tongue. Victoria looked down at Cole with lust letting her eyes tell him what she wanted.

She bit her lip as she stared down at him with her glowing brown eyes, enjoying the way his lips moved against her skin. She continued working her hand delicately over his shaft. Cole opened his mouth to groan at the sensation filling his groin and she smiled. “That’s so good...” he whispered, gasping again as he took her lips between his.

Her hands moved so that she held his shaft in both and she pumped them together while her fingers lightly massaged his balls. The new feeling produced yet another moan of delight from his lungs, and Cole felt Victoria giggle beneath him. “It’s been a while but I still remember what you like.”

“Yeah, and you’d better stop before you make me come.” He watched Victoria and the way the water ran in rivers over her nude form. He liked the way her breasts shook as she stroked him, his eyes drawing shut the closer he came to the ultimate feeling. Cole backed away and pulled himself free of her grasp as the sound of the shower thundered down on top of them. “Turn around,” he growled with a wicked smile on his face. A similar look took hold of her features as she spun and slowly ran a finger over his toned stomach appreciating his hard work.

Cole couldn’t help but smile as he imagined what he must look like. The water had long since soaked away any ‘style’ his hair held as long as the two had been standing beneath its spray. His wet locks would give him the appearance of a doused rat and yet she still wanted him.  

Victoria pressed her hands against the tile and pushed her ass toward him. Cole ran one hand down her glistening back, stopping just on her hips allowing the water to trickle down his arm slowly. With a gentle squeeze, Victoria bent over giving him sight of her awaiting sex, soaking wet but not from the shower. Cole gripped his cock and pushed the head against her soft folds and thrust forward driving deeper with a loud groan. Victoria moaned too as she pushed her hips back to meet his, taking even more of his length into her. “Oooh yeah, fuck me, that’s it, Babe. Mmm you’re so hot,” Cole moaned as he thrust forward, harder this time, feeling himself slip deeper inside her.

The noisy shower drowned out their faint moans and her wet hair clung to her head as he ran his hands lightly through it. “Mmm, you feel so good, Cole,” she sighed and another moan rumbled from her lungs as Cole began to slowly move his hips sliding easily into her silken walls, her muscles squeezing his length firmly. The feeling was incredible. And coupled with the splashing water of the shower, Cole could feel his body fighting quickly to find its end.

He reached out, slipping his hand along Victoria’s back once more, his thrusting no longer gentle as he pounded himself harder into her. Victoria’s hand splayed more against the wall as she struggled to keep herself balanced beneath his onslaught. A deep, long moan erupted from her throat and her eyes rolled to the back of her head at the intense pleasure that coursed through her.

“Yes,” Cole groaned again, his dick driving faster as droplets of water pelted them. “God, you are so perfect. So fucking perfect!” With a handful of her hair, he pulled her head back using it as a handle. The current propelled his actions allowing him to sink completely into her depths and Victoria took it well. She began bobbing her hips in time with his thrusts creating a powerful momentum in their motion. Cole squeezed her firmer, his fingertips sank lightly into the supple flesh of her thighs, and Victoria moaned from the feeling, biting her lower lip as her pleasure steadily increased. 

Cole’s dick was creating the desired sensation in his loins as it slid in and out of her wet body and he could no longer maintain a steady pace. And as he gripped her waist harder, he finally let himself go. Cole’s hips began pumping wilder making Victoria cry out in satisfaction, her heart beat faster against her ribcage. She shut her eyes and began sobbing in pleasure and through the boisterous roar of the shower Cole expressed his own delight groaning and moaning like a madman. “Oh fuck, Victoria! Christ, you feel so good.”

She looked back at him, her brown eyes shimmering with lustful need. Opening her mouth, she spoke through winded breaths. “Fuck me, Cole! Harder!” Cole’s hips were a furious blur of motion. Water splashed in all directions as it was launched from their vigorous bodies. His balls began to tighten and he knew his orgasm was not too far off and from the sounds coming from the lusty woman in front of him he knew she was close to another too.

Victoria squeezed her eyes tighter and Cole felt her legs wobble beneath her as her thighs started to tremble from his relentless assault. He stared at her with animalistic hunger as she turned and met his gaze. “Yes…almost…there…,” she panted, her mouth hanging open and she inhaled sharply. Suddenly, she shuddered, her body quaked within his grip and her eyes rolled back. Cole felt instant warmth wash over his cock as he pushed himself to her hilt and his body joined her in release.

“Oh God, Babe, mmm, I’m coming…ahhh…I’m coming!” he shrieked, standing more erect and grasping at Victoria’s hips. Her body clenched down on his shaft as their simultaneous orgasm exploded inside of them, rocking them both. Cole grunted in euphoria as his seed spurted from his shaft. He fell forward as he continued spewing hot liquid into Victoria’s body, their long moans blended together silently through the roar of the shower. Colder water swept down Cole’s back as his balls drained into Victoria’s center and he shivered.

It took a moment for the two to regain their breaths and with a long sigh he let go of Victoria, smiling merrily as she unraveled herself from his arms. She turned to face him; a wide, satisfied smirk spread across her face as Cole stepped close and brought her back into his arms kissing her tenderly. “Mmm, thanks. I think you just made me late for work.”

“ME!? I’m not the one with the fast lips, Cole Downing!” She pushed him away and slipped out the shower door. A rush of cold air hit his body and he hurriedly shut it behind her. Victoria pulled open the drawer on the bathroom vanity and checked the small compact inside making sure she remembered to take the little white pill this morning and closed the drawer silently. She toweled dry and lotioned up. “You’d better hurry if you don’t want to get fired!”

Victoria pulled on her PJs as Cole finished his shower in the cold and tossed on the spare clothing laying out for him. Hurrying down the stairs he gave her another quick kiss and she watched from her patio as he jumped behind the wheel of his car and started off toward work. A loud, sharp, throaty squawk forced Victoria’s eyes to the top of her garage and she immediately found herself staring at a large black bird perched above a light on the wall. 

“That can’t be the same bird,” she spoke to herself and slipped her feet into the fuzzy slippers beside her door. She slowly ambled toward the garage door and lifted her hand up at the animal. “Come here birdy, pretty birdy.” The raven looked down at her with cold, black eyes. “Are you hurt? Hungry?” It tilted its head listening to the sound of her voice but never budged. 

“Are you following me or am I just being crazy?” she continued her line of questioning as the wind rustled in the trees nearby. “Of course you’re being crazy, Victoria, you’re talking to a bird!” She backed away slowly and started for the house. Locking her patio behind her, she gave one last look at the large animal as it seemed to make itself comfortable nearer her back door and sighed. “Well as long as you’re not a bad omen, I guess you can stay.”

She turned off the light to the living room and headed upstairs to play on her computer for a little while. The raven waited a moment until all motion ceased inside the large modern home before swooping down over the place. Doing three rounds across the lot, it appeared to be ensuring the house was secured and again nestled itself on top of the garage door to rest.

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