Неизвестный - 5. Justice Served

“I do.” Catherine reached for Sandy’s hand. “Shall we go in? I want to get seats up front so I can see everything.”

“Okay, sure…” Sandy’s voice trailed off. “Uh—you should go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Catherine followed Sandy’s gaze questioningly. Then she gave a small start, amazed to see a woman approaching who looked exactly like Mitchell except for the fact that she wore a different uniform.

“Well.”

“You got that right,” Sandy said, acid etching her tones. She took a step in the newcomer’s direction. “And there’s no fucking way she’s going in that room with Dell today.”

Before Catherine could even comment, Sandy was down the hall and in Erica’s path.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Sandy asserted.

Erica regarded her in confusion. “What? Who…?” She hesitated.

“Oh. Sandy, isn’t it? I didn’t recognize you.”

Sandy snorted. “No, I’m sure you only saw what you expected to see. Whatever. Dell doesn’t need you here today.”

“I hardly think that’s up to you to decide.”

“You know what? It is.” Even in heels, Sandy was inches shorter than Erica, but her eyes never wavered from the ice blue of the taller woman’s. “You walked out on her once when she needed you to stand up for her. She doesn’t need you now.”

“You don’t know anything about that.”

Sandy’s vision wavered as anger swept through her. She could still feel Dell’s tears scalding her breast and the way that Dell, always so strong, had trembled in her arms. She heard the broken words uttered through a throat choked with grief.

Robin was a captain and a general’s daughter. She was career Army, and I couldn’t let her lose everything. So when she denied that we were lovers and said that I’d gone off on the guy for no reason, I didn’t argue. They were willing to let me leave quietly, even gave me the honorable discharge, as long as I didn’t make waves. They didn’t want to know about us, and she wasn’t willing to give up her future for me.

“Yes, I do know,” Sandy grated. It was all she could do to keep her hands at her sides, because she wanted to smack the superior smirk off Erica Mitchell’s face. “I know you let her be treated like a criminal when all she did was defend her lover.” Sandy spat out the words.

• 175 •

RADCLY fFE

“Her lover who didn’t have the guts to stand up for her. And you didn’t either.”

“Dellon knew the rules.”

To Sandy’s astonishment, she heard pain in Erica’s voice. But no amount of hurt would make up for the suffering she had witnessed in Dell. “Love isn’t about rules. Love is just something that happens to you, and you don’t have a choice. You take it, you hold on to it, or you lose everything that matters.”

Erica stared at Sandy. “That’s how you feel about her?”

“Yes.” There was deÞ ance and pride in Sandy’s voice. She tilted her chin as if offering it for Erica’s punch, a warrior ready to take a blow in the name of honor.

“I thought…” Erica shook her head. “I don’t know what I thought.”

Catherine stepped up to Sandy’s side. “Is anything wrong?”

“No,” Sandy said levelly. “She was just leaving.”

“You must be Dellon’s sister,” Catherine said, extending her hand.

“I’m Catherine Rawlings. My partner and Dellon work together.”

“Ma’am,” Erica said, shaking Catherine’s hand. She looked uncertainly from Sandy to Catherine, obviously trying to discern their relationship. “I don’t want to keep you from the ceremony.”

“No, I don’t want to be late,” Catherine agreed. “My partner is being promoted as well.” She rested a hand lightly on Sandy’s shoulder.

“Are you coming in?”

“I…” Erica shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Sandy looked up at Catherine. “I don’t want anything to spoil this for Dell.”

“I know. Neither do I. But you’ll be there, and that’s the most important thing.” She gave Sandy’s shoulder a squeeze. “But I think she might like it if her sister were there too.”

“What if it throws her…seeing her?”

“It might, for a second or two.” Catherine smiled. “But you know…she’s got good reß exes.”

Sandy laughed, then cast Erica a considering glance. “You be careful with her. You don’t get another chance.”

“Understood,” Erica said quietly.

“Well, then,” Catherine said quietly, including both Sandy and Erica in her gaze. “Why don’t we go in?”

• 176 •

Justice Served

v

Mitchell shouldered her way through the throng congregated in front of the stage. She kept losing sight of Sandy as people cut across her line of vision. Finally, she edged her way up to her girlfriend. “Hey, how’re you doing?”

Sandy broke off her conversation with Catherine and smiled up at Mitchell. “Okay. I didn’t know you were going to get a medal too.”

“And well deserved,” Catherine added. “Congratulations, Dellon.

Now, I’m going to Þ nd Rebecca and try to steal her away for lunch somewhere.”

After a quick look around, Sandy brushed her Þ ngers over the medallion pinned above Mitchell’s left breast. “It’s nice.”

Fleetingly, Mitchell caught Sandy’s hand and squeezed. “Thanks.

I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too.”

The closeness of the crowd made it easy for Mitchell to ease her thigh against Sandy’s hip, and as she did, she steeled herself to greet the other woman present. After another few seconds’ hesitation, she met her sister’s eyes. “How did you know about this?”

“Your colleagues are very talkative. When I called the station earlier this week looking for information about you, I heard most of the story.” Erica extended her hand. “Congratulations, Detective.”

Mitchell swallowed and blinked against sudden tears. She forced the words through a sandpaper throat as she took her sister’s hand.

“Thanks.”

Erica held Mitchell’s hand in the silence that settled between them. Sandy wrapped an arm around Mitchell’s waist and squeezed, murmuring, “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah,” Mitchell replied softly, letting go of Erica’s hand. She smiled at Sandy. “I’m okay. I’m great.”

“I should go say something to Frye,” Sandy said with obvious reluctance, her eyes ß icking to Erica.

“Go ahead. Everything’s Þ ne,” Mitchell urged, sounding more like herself. “Then how about we grab some takeout for lunch and go home.”

• 177 •

RADCLY fFE

“Okay, if you’re sure.” Sandy looked once more from Erica to Mitchell, then ventured into the crowd.

“So,” Mitchell said. “What are you doing here?”

“You were being honored for bravery and promoted. It’s a big deal.”

“Yeah, and nothing I’ve done in the last year and a half has mattered to you, so why should this?” Mitchell tried to curb the bitterness in her voice, but failed. “Why did you come here at all this week?”

“Because I have to work at not thinking about you every day, and when I found out you were injured and in the hospital, I couldn’t stop worrying. I just…had to come.” Erica’s shoulders sagged slightly and she inched closer, her eyes dark with pain. “I miss you. Damn it, Dell.

I miss you.”

“Nothing’s changed…” Mitchell caught herself and grinned ruefully. “Actually, everything’s changed. I know who I am. I like who I am. I love Sandy. What are you going to do with all of that, Erica?”

“I don’t know.” Her sister shook her head. “Sandy is…she’s Þ erce, the way she…loves you.”

Mitchell’s eyes sparkled. “Yeah. She’s pretty amazing.”