CHAPTER 54

    Dylan paced to and fro in the chief's office back at the precinct. He had commanded her to follow him there saying that he needed to talk with her. She wasn't sure what he wanted to tell her. It was now almost past thirty minutes since they got there and she was growing impatient. He had left her in the office and locked the door from the outside. Now,her suspicions about him being involved in something serious doubled. Why would he just lock her up there and disappear for all those minutes without even saying a single word to her. She relaxed for a moment when thoughts about Carly crossed her mind. Just how her heart raced with fear at the thought of anything happening to her was enough for her to commit the worst crime to save her. But there was no need for that because nothing had happened to her. It was at that point that she let her mind think about the kiss they had shared earlier and what it meant. Did Carly want her back or was it just meant as a thank you? It hadn't been just a kiss for her. The way her body had reacted as if she had been set aflame said as much. There was no denying the connection she had first felt with Carly the first moment they had kissed when they were only sixteen. Part of her was still afraid that they would never get back to those moments but another part of her wanted her to trust the process,see if they stood a chance again. After all,life is all about failing the first time and getting second chances and trying to make good use of them. She was interrupted from her string of thoughts by the turn of a key at the door. She turned and came face to face with a more relaxed chief. She walked back to a seat opposite his and took it.

              "What did you want to talk to me about?"

                "This Lewis,"he expressed with his hands around them but she didn't understand. "Why are you so stubborn, can't you cooperate for once?"

               "I am doing what I have to chief,"she replied calmly but didn't know what exactly he was talking about. "Did you find anything about Kelley and what I told you last week?" she decided to ask but she could already guess there was nothing from the look in his face before he shook his head.

             "We are trying but there is nothing. You know her,every time you think you are on to something,a block lands in the way and we are back to nothing. Smith plays it that way, she lets you think that you are about to discover something but in the next moment everything is blown up to ashes."

   Dylan didn't really know if to believe him or not,or even if he had tried as he claimed but dismissed it with a nod. She wasn't sure if he knew Kenny was back but she didn't want to mention it. 

               "You got at the store this morning before any of us could, was there something else unusual, something we might have missed?" He paused,"I mean,why would anyone just break in a store and not take anything?"

              "Maybe it was just someone trying to scare the owners,"she didn't even think twice about the box. That was definitely out of question. She knew if she mentioned it, everything she was trying to work on would be washed down the drain in the same way thinking that she was being helped. "There was nothing unusual though. I looked around."

                  "Okay,here is the thing Dylan," he addressed her by her first name which wasn't common. "I promised your mom that I would keep you safe when you first joined us. And to keep that promise,I am trying to get you as far away from the center of all this as much as I can."

                 "So you thought suspending me was the only way,"she stated.

                  "Yes but I have got a feeling that it isn't working. What have you been up to Lewis?"

                  "Nothing, just sitting around waiting to be brought back to work."

                    "You haven't been snooping around, accessing some files that you shouldn't?" She made as if to speak but didn't. Instead she looked away and sighed but looked up sharply the moment he spoke again. "Don't be surprised how I found that out,I have my eyes and ears everywhere and so,I think it would be best for all of us if you went completely under the grid."

  She sat up straight,"There's no way I am going under protective custody. You can't do that to me,I need to be out here working."

                   "I am trying to protect you because the path you are on is dangerous and it will get even more so if you keep digging."

                    "And if I stop,I will be dead anyway. There's nothing you are doing about it!"

                     "Calm down and listen to me.  I promise I will come work it to the end but you will have to cooperate."

   She stood up shaking her head,"That is not convincing chief. I'm sorry but I'll have to be dead before I agree to go into protection."

                  "I promised your mother,i can't let you walk into a death trap knowingly."

                  "Maybe you did, but that is on you. I might not have anything to live for but there are people out there who I care about. If I go into hiding, I'll be signing their deaths and that,that is not gonna happen chief. Fire me or do anything but I am not backing down. They are the only family I have left and I wouldn't sacrifice them for my life. If you want to help me, please don't come after me,let me work this out."

     She turned and left the office without turning back. She didn't expect to get past the break room without hearing his loud voice stopping her but she did. She walked past her desk, glanced at her former partner who already had another partner and shook her head. It was almost as if her presence there wouldn't be required anymore. She nodded at him as she walked past but didn't dwell longer. She walked towards her car where Carly, Emily and the kids were waiting for her.

                  "Let's go,"she said the moment she got there. Carly sat in front with her while Emily and her kids took the back seat. None of them was talking. The kids, especially Kimmy seemed so devastated but was a million miles away in her thoughts. Poor kids,they had started seeing the rough side of life at a really young age. She pitied them. She looked behind her at Emily and asked,"Are you okay?" Definitely not the question to ask at the moment but she didn't know what else to ask.

                     "I think I am,", Emily replied.

                     "How did the questioning go?"

                       "It wasn't easy but I told them exactly what you said to me."

 She nodded,"Good, let's go see if we can try to uncover this together now." She started the car and drove away.

   They drove silently for a while but she kept looking at Carly once in a while. She had one hand resting on her thighs while the other one was resting on the handle of the door, picking the nail of her index finger in her mouth. That was a habit she had come realize Carly did whenever she was struggling with something on her mind, especially when she wanted to talk about it but didn't know how. She was guessing what it was about but she didn't know if she was ready to talk about it just yet.

                 "We don't have to talk about it,"she stated. Carly turned to her. "Maybe it was impulse or something like that and honestly I don't know what to say about it." That was when Carly understood what she was talking about.

                  "Me neither. I was just worried you were mad at me for doing it."

                    "Maybe confused but mad? No. We will talk about it some other time."

 Carly nodded then asked,"What did the chief want?"

                    "He knew I was still following up the case and wanted me to stop. Anyway it's no big deal, I declined going into protection as he wanted."

                   "You could have been safe though,"Carly said but her eyes displayed relief. That much she could tell.

She smiled,"I told you, I wouldn't live with myself if I let anything happen to you. I don't trust the chief or anyone else to protect you."

                     ★★★

    Carly smiled and nodded her gratitude. The rest of the drive was done in silence until they got to a block of flats where Dylan parked the car. She looked around the place and it looked like a nice place to live in. She hadn't asked her yet who it was that she had talked to that morning and wondered if he was still there. Her questions were answered the moment they got to Dylan's apartment where a tall and good looking guy opened the door for them. He seemed surprised by the number and it was clear he hadn't expected that. 

                "Oh well,I was worried about you but it seems like you have an army of your own. Why didn't you pick my calls?"

    Okay,this was now getting confusing for her. The guy seemed overly concerned and protective and Carly found herself questioning what kind of relationship they had with each other. From his whole appearance, the guy looked like he had slept over.

                   "I couldn't have,half the time I spent in my boss's office."

                 "Uh-oh, that doesn't sound like it was all cupcake and rainbows. Anyway,who are our visitors?"

    'Our?' Carly wondered silently but returned the smile he flashed at them warmly. Dylan turned to introduce them.

                 "Kenny, this is Carly and our friend Emily with her kids, Kimmy and Lex." She didn't wait for him to comment as he seemed burning to do so. She was sure he had noticed the looks between her and Carly and his thoughts were now probably running wild. "Did you save some of the breakfast you were preparing? Some of them are in real need of it."

                  "Yeah,sure." 

  When she finally got the chance to talk to her alone, she didn't hesitate to ask the question that was floating around her mind. 

                   "Is he your partner?" 

Dylan seemed to have expected the question because she smiled at her then shook her head. "No,he is just a friend. I worked with him for a few days protecting a special victim and is now staying with me for some personal reasons. He will be here for a few days or weeks,I am not sure."

    She nodded,"But we can trust him,right?"

                  "Yes, don't worry about him,he is a cool guy. He's actually helping me with the case and so far,I think he is trustworthy."

                  "Okay,you know what's best,"she replied.

                   "He is gay too." 

Dylan stated which made her wonder why she had decided to tell her that. Had she been worried that she was thinking there was something else, something more than just a friendship cover? She was embarrassed because for a second her mind had thought that maybe they were involved and Dylan seemed to read her directly. Why she would even doubt Dylan's sexuality wasn't even explainable. She was as gay as they came.

                "Good to know,"she replied but her answer caused some tension between them. "I'm sorry," she stated.

                 "For what?"

She chuckled nervously,"I don't even know what I am apologizing for."

 Dylan smiled then touched her arm,"Relax, okay?"

    ‘Yeah, easier said than done.’ she thought silently. These touches were probably meant to be innocent but her body and mind didn't seem to realize that. She nodded anyway.

               "You have a nice apartment," she tried to make a lighter conversation instead and moved a step away from her looking around.

               "Thanks,"then,"Let's go join the others."