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CHAPTER 9: TEA FOR TWO


T INA SMILED WIDELY at Mariel's enthusiasm and watched as the young scientist rose from the couch and moved over to her desk to rummage through the stacks of paper and files. With a raise of her dark eyebrow, the detective glanced down at the purring yellow cat and shook her head. With idle fingers, she smoothed through the golden fur and took another sip of her beer, finishing it in a steady swallow. Glancing over at Mariel's back, the researcher was bent over the desk, one knee perched on her office chair. Tina swallowed again for different reasons.

Mariel was a beauty, that was plain to see. As Tina had cavalierly said at dinner, she wasn't expecting someone quite so attractive. That might have been why she was such an ass at the table, affecting a coolness that was unnecessarily condescending. To be honest, from the first moment her eyes caught sight of the FBI scientist, she felt something tingle inside her brain, almost like a memory. She had watched from a darkened corner of the restaurant as the young woman sat alone at her table, her chin propped on her hand with her elbow on the table, a far-off look on her face. Tina noticed the slight smile that had graced Mariel's lips, the corners of her mouth edging up until the waitress had come to interrupt her thoughts. Now, sitting in this woman's apartment watching her move with a casual confidence as she read through papers looking for the right ones, Tina knew that if she wasn't careful, Mariel Potidean could charm her way into the detective's life.

With a light 'a-ha!', Mariel turned back and raised an eyebrow at Tina's lounging form. Holding up a set of papers, she smiled.

"Found it!"

The investigator sat forward a bit on the couch, carefully picking up the reluctantly moving Idgie from her lap and depositing her on the couch next to her. She watched as Mariel made her way back over to the couch and sat down, turning to her with a smile and a deep breath.

"Ok, so here are the notes I've made for us about the case. The things we know so far, leads that have been followed, a rough sketch of where to start looking, other things I could think of."

The scientist handed Tina a copy of the thick stapled documents, all typed and marked with the doctor's clear precise handwriting. Separated into sections, each was labeled with headers such as 'Timeline', 'Suspects Contacted', 'Suspects Cleared', 'Background on Missing Kids', and so on. It appeared as if Mariel had condensed everything Agent Amy Ephran had given her into a more coherent profile of information. Tina looked it over, flipping through the pages as she eyed the layout. Sam Lamonie had filled her in on the bare details so she had a good enough idea how to proceed. The documents Mariel gave her would help fill in the picture more. With a smile, she raised her dark head over at the scientist.

"Looks like you've been busy."

The detective's low voice rumbled and Mariel smiled with a shrug. The excitement of the evening and the fact that she couldn't control the heat in her apartment (which she had conveyed with supreme displeasure to the housing people) had conspired to make it far too warm for wool.



"Well.."

Mariel paused as she casually removed her sweater, revealing a clean white t-shirt underneath, the word 'NAVY' crossing her chest in tall dark blue letters. Throwing the sweater over the arm of the chair next to the couch, she reached for her copy of the documents and continued, her eyes looking back up to Tina's.

"I thought it would help to profile out the specifics. Eph gave me a ton of files on this case and I figured the best way to start was to write what we know."

"Mmm.."

Tina agreed as she nodded at the words before she looked back down at the paper, her fingers playing with the edge of the pages while she glanced through them. It really wasn't helping that Mariel was sitting there looking all adorable in her t-shirt and khakis. The detective shook her head and told herself to focus. After all, it wasn't like the scientist was her type anyway. Focus. Focus.

Tina put the stack of papers on her lap and leaned back into the couch. Reaching up, she ran a hand through the front of her bangs and closed her eyes briefly. Her original plan was to check out the scene and shake down some of her informants for information. From what Lamonie had told her, the few leads they had had led them to the club scene in Chicago. It seemed that most of the kids who had disappeared somehow found their way to undisclosed and ever-changing clubs, reminiscent of the Rave scene in the late 80's. Only these days, the warehouses that were used were generally filled with more drugs and more gangs and younger kids. Tina had already dismissed gang hits as the cause because those were too random. No, from what the investigator could gather, specific kids were being targeted for specific reasons, and in order to find out who was behind it, they'd have to find out what the word on the street was.

With a roll of her head to the side, Tina looked over at Mariel before she spoke, her voice serious as the scientist listened to her intently.

"There's some type of centralized operation going on, my guess is that there's one person running it. There would have to be that kind of control to cover up something of this size and keep a lid on it. Someone out there wants these kids for a reason, they aren't being murdered or we'd find the bodies. It's like they're vanishing from the city."

Mariel nodded as she got up and started to walk into the kitchen, her voice carrying as she spoke.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking when I started reading the files. Eph thinks that it's either drug lords wanting runners for out of state transport or some kind of slave labor system."

Tina watched as the scientist moved through the kitchen, putting on a pot of water on the stove. With casual grace, she got up and strolled across the room, her cowboy boots lightly thudding against the hardwood floor. Coming to rest with her shoulder leaning against the kitchen doorway, the investigator let her eyes catch Mariel's as the researcher got out two coffee mugs.

"I don't think it's drug-motivated. Kids are too big of a risk to handle that these days. And unless Gore has eased up on child labor laws here in the US, I don't think that's what's going on."

Mariel leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms casually, her green eyes gazing intently at the detective. She nodded seriously and spoke.

"I think you're right about that. It's like there's something more...sinister...going on here. From what I could gather from the case reports and eyewitnesses who might have seen a kid before they disappeared, I think it has more to do with..."

Here, Mariel paused briefly before continuing. The investigator silently listened, her blue eyes focused on the scientist.

"I'm afraid it has to do with exploitation. I think these are innocent kids who are being targeted and used on the black market. I got the sense that there might be some sort of..."

Tina nodded and filled in the rest for her, knowing what the FBI researcher was going to say before she said it.

"Sex slave ring."

Mariel looked at her, green eyes only hinting at her surprise briefly, before her voice held a compassionate note.

"Tina, how could something like that still happen these days?"

The investigator looked down at the stove, eyeing the boiling water before she casually reached down and picked up the pot. Mariel turned and grabbed the two mugs she had ready, holding them out while the tall woman poured the water into them. Tina shook her head as she poured, her voice steeled, betraying her emotions.

"I wish I knew. All I want to do is stop those bastards before anyone else gets taken."

Tina paused and waited until the scientist looked up before she continued.

"Mariel, this is going to be really dangerous, you know that right? Whoever is behind this business has a lot invested in it and isn't going to take kindly to someone shutting them down."

Mariel looked up into unreadable blue eyes before she set the mugs down on the counter. Turning back, she let her eyes speak for her as her voice got quiet.

"I know this is going to be rough, Tina, but I can take care of myself enough to not have you worrying about me every step of the way. As I said at dinner, I may be new to the field, but what I might lack in experience, I make up for in commitment to this. I've never backed down from anything in my life and I'd really rather not start now. I want to do this with you and I know the risks. I'm willing to take them."

Tina gazed down at her impassively for a moment, torn between wanting to keep this young woman she barely knew safe and wanting Mariel at her side in this. Putting a hand in her jean pocket, Tina leaned against the counter, resting her elbow on it as she came to her decision.

"Alright."

Mariel and Tina looked at each other for moment, quiet in the dim light of the kitchen. The steaming scent of tea wafted between them as the clock on Mariel's living room wall chimed softly, midnight signaled. A pesky drip of water sounded rhythmically as each drop fell into the white ceramic kitchen sink. With a quirk of her eyebrow, Tina licked her lips and spoke again.

"But there are a couple of ground rules when it comes to working with me in the field."

Mariel smiled at the detective's voice filled with that no-nonsense Chicago charm she had come to associate with the tall woman. With a nod of her head, she looked into blue eyes before turning to the mugs and stirring the gently steeping tea.

"Rule number one is that at the first sign of serious trouble, you hightail it out of there."

Mariel chuckled and nodded her head.

"Hightail. Got it. Next?"

Tina let a small smile cross her lips, wondering if this headstrong scientist would really listen to her advice. Probably not, but it wouldn't hurt to try. In a relaxed voice, she drawled out the next rule.

"If you get caught, you give up and then hightail it out."

The researcher nodded her head as she removed the tea bags and held up a Honey bear, her eyebrow quirking in question. Tina nodded slightly and Mariel squirted a dollop of the sweet golden syrup into the tea as she spoke.

"Ok, give up and hightail. Seems easy enough."

The investigator just shook her head and smirked, reaching a lazy hand out to take the mug of tea before shifting so that her back was against the counter. With a small sip, she smiled into the mug as Mariel came around to stand in front of her, sipping from her own mug as well.

"Third rule.."

Tina paused as the young doctor reached out and took her by the elbow, leading the tall investigator back into the living room. Mariel's shorter form guided them back to their places on the couch and Tina relaxed back into the green cushions. She was silent for a moment, unsure why the scientist's casual and gentle touch suddenly made her lose her train of thought.

Settled cross-legged again with her back against the arm of the couch, Mariel looked over at the sleek form of the investigator, puzzled. With a raise of her golden dark eyebrow, she prompted.

"Third?"

Tina looked down at the mug she held, it's dark green color soothingly warm in her hand, the white F.B.I. Behavioral Science Unit lettered across it. Lifting her eyes, she smiled over at the researcher.

"Third, if there are lots of them, let them fight each other while you hightail."

Mariel chuckled and took a sip of her tea, her eyes flickering over at the investigator in amusement. She was conscious of the fact that she was now the one making the enigmatic private eye nervous, why, she didn't know. It's not like she was this beautifully attractive woman's type. Then again, finding herself drawn to this woman was another discovery that she would have not thought likely. She had never been involved with a woman before, though the thought had crossed her mind more than once. With a light voice, she smiled over at the detective.

"Seems like a lot of hightailing."

Tina nodded with a slight chuckle and casually draped her arm over the back of the couch, her fingers idly playing against the fabric. Idgie, who had been hiding on the window ledge, poked her head out between the vertical blinds and pawed at those same fingers. The investigator turned her head and raised an eyebrow, her voice rumbled menacingly as her hand playfully dueled with the furry golden paw.

"You're asking for trouble, yellow cat."

Mariel laughed as she watched the furry faced cat reach out, her one white paw closing over the detective's fingers, claws extending lightly into the skin. Setting her mug quickly on the floor, she put one hand over Tina's to shield it and used the other to reach into the blinds, catching her cat gently.

"Idgie! You are such a little shit!"

With the cat purring contentedly in her lap against her t-shirted belly, Mariel picked up the investigator's hand and brought it closer, carefully looking for any damage.

"Are you ok? Did she get you?"

Tina watched as the young scientist held her hand and bent her head in examination. Mariel's smaller hands took hers and turned it over, looking at the back, running her fingers over a light scratch. The detective sat completely still and she could feel Mariel's light breath against her skin. The doctor's touch was soft, yet firm, her fingers gliding over skin looking for any marks. With a low breath, she spoke.

"I'll live."

Her low voice caught the FBI researcher's attention and she lifted her green eyes. Looking back down at the hand she held, she quickly let it go, the blood rushing to her cheeks in mild embarrassment. She had felt the strength in that hand, disguised by the softness of Tina's skin. It was an amazing feeling, really, and she had never noticed the subtle differences before. The guys she had dated all had rough hands, aggressive hands. But Tina's hand was soft and strong all at once. And it felt incredibly good. Covering her thoughts, Mariel reached down and picked up her mug, taking a sip while her eyes looked over at the detective.

With a smile, Tina shifted on the couch, crossing a booted foot on her knee again and wrapping a hand around the green FBI mug. Lazily, she reached out the attacked hand and held it out in front of Idgie, who was curled up in Mariel's lap. With a raise of her eyebrow, Tina spoke quietly to the cat.

"Truce?"

Idgie sniffed at the fingers and before she closed her eyes and started licking against the detective's salty fingertips. With a loud purr, the golden cat signaled her truce. Mariel smiled as she looked down and watched as Idgie reached out a paw and gently curled it around Tina's hand to hold it while she licked. She was such a softy at heart.

"So.."

Mariel spoke and Tina looked up, catching her eyes.

"Are there any other rules I need to know about when working with you?"

Tina chuckled and let her gaze drift down to Idgie before returning again, her blue eyes holding a hint darker shade than before. A dark eyebrow raised and she breathed out.

"Yep. There's one more rule."

Mariel let her hand drift over Idgie's soft fur and looked back across the couch to the lounging detective. She knew that there was something between them, something undefinable and she could only assume it was some sort of attraction. She was beginning to sense that Tina felt it just as much as she did. Part of the young scientist was intimidated, because truly, Tina Amphipoli was quite a woman and she couldn't imagine what the detective would see in her. A tiny bit of insecurity flashed though Mariel at the thought. Another part of her was scared, because it had been a long time since she had opened herself up to those kinds of feelings, afraid of the fragile nature of things, afraid of taking the chance of losing again. And finally, a part of Mariel was simply thrumming with excitement. Everything about Tina spoke to her, the way she held herself, her words, her stoic strength, her dazzling dark looks. It was chemical and so much more.

Raising her eyebrow, she smiled over at the detective, her voice lilting and soft.

"And what's that? More hightailing?"

Tina's low voice rumbled a chuckle as she drew her hand back slowly from the cat, her fingertips lightly grazing Mariel's hand before it settled back on the investigator's own Levi covered thigh. With a shake of her head, Tina took another sip of her tea, smiling back at the young woman next to her.

"Nope. The last rule is..."

At this, Tina's voice went to a lower register and her incredible blue eyes sparkled.

"...when all else fails, charm the hell out of them."

 


Date: 2015-12-17; view: 447


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