Disclaimer: See part 1 Other Info: See part 1
pt. 4
"Oh ho ho, MAN!" Sandburg chuckled upon hearing Jim's explanation.
At the sound of his partner's upset voice, Blair had rushed to the bedroom door. What he found was his usually very controlled partner very nearly OUT of control. He was pacing in front of the door, face red, jaw clenched, and chest moving in rapid breathing exercises. None of it was working to calm the man down, so the anthropologist had asked what was wrong. Jim was still in so much shock, he told the truth.
Jim just shook his head. "I walk in and...and...she was just STANDING there, Chief. Towel in her hand, just hanging by her side. And she was singing....Like she was perfectly happy being naked and staring at me." And he threw up his hands in frustration, then settled one hand on the back of his neck.
"Well," came the calm voice from the other side of the door. "I just happened to be naked first! And YOU were staring at me. So, I just thought I'd return the favor." She opened the door and walked between the men, turning around momentarily in mid-stride. "Of course, if we want to be fair, you needed to remove YOUR clothing, Detective." Nik spun around and sauntered down the hallway.
Blair stared after her, shock painted all over on his face.
She was absolutely beautiful in a long gown of indigo silk, her dark brown curls caught up in a bunch with a stray curl here and there, makeup perfect- as if she weren't really wearing any. The gown was a simple design, sleeveless with a jewel neckline, and gently scooped back. The body of the dress was nipped in slightly at the waist, with a slit up the right side that exposed the leg nearly to the hip.
It was all the anthropologist could do to keep from drooling. With the matching silk wrap gently draped about her shoulders, Blair would have sworn he'd seen her likeness on a ceremonial urn or something of that sort. She looked like she'd just stepped out of one of his anthropology texts, especially with the intricate tattoo that circled her upper right arm. Slowly the shock transformed to a pleased smile. "Oh WOW..." he whispered.
"Chief." Jim said quietly. "Watch the table leg..."
"So," Dakota said calmly. "To what do I owe this pleasure? Just couldn't bear to be without me?" She was flirting - she knew it - but it was so easy with the detective. That face and those eyes...it was all she could do NOT to stare at him. A sudden panic crept through Nik, quickly followed by the understanding that she had to do something to distract herself.
The two men watched her walk to the liquor cabinet and pour herself a drink. If she was hurt, she was hiding it extremely well. After all, Jim had only just seen every inch of her body bared to him. To his eyes, and of course he'd used the enhanced sense, there wasn't a nick or scrape evident on Nik's body. In fact, other than a strange couple tattoos, some minor scars, and a small bruise, she was a normal, healthy woman. As he stood studying her with her drink, Jim couldn't distinguish anything unusual in her heartbeat - nothing to give away any secrets. All he could get was the steady rhythm of her breathing. He cast a frustrated look at his partner.
"Anything?" Sandburg asked quietly.
"Not a thing... She's hiding something..."
Blair grabbed Jim's arm and held him back ever so slightly. "You catch more bees with honey, man."
"What? Oh..." Taking a calming breath, Jim tried to find the best way to start. "Uh, Detective..." At the soft look in her eyes, he stopped abruptly.
"Nik, please. I'm not fond of formalities..." she said with a slight smile.
"Nik," and he shook his head. "We're really sorry for coming in like this. But we found a spot of blood at the garage, and your footprint next to it. Sandburg and I were afraid you'd been injured."
"Well," and she crossed to the two of them, holding her arms out from her sides and twirling around for them. "As you can see, I'm just fine. I even had a chance to work out that kink from earlier. I appreciate your concern, though." Her arms came down, slipping one each around the men and pushing the two towards the door. "Now, gentlemen. I really don't want to be rude, but I have a date! So if you'd be so kind as to disappear before he gets here, I would greatly appreciate it." With very little tact, Nik ushered them through the doorway to the hallway, then closed the door.
The two men looked at each other with some shock.
Blair stared at the closed door. "Table leg forgotten, man."
~~~~~ ~ The next day ~
Megan took a long, happy look at her desk, then settled herself into the seat. After only a couple seconds, she stood up and looked around the bullpen. She sat down then stood again, adjusted the chair to her liking then sat again. Then she surveyed her desk, the drawers, and its contents. Without warning, she started in a voice a little louder than normal. "Someone's been sitting in MY chair." There were several laughs, but no one came forward. "I mean it!" The woman exclaimed in a serious tone - as serious as her Australian accent could be. "Someone has been sitting in my chair and USING my desk! What gives?"
Inspector Megan Conner walked to the front of her desk, watching everyone around her. As she stood there, Nik took a seat behind the desk, opened a drawer and pulled out a pen, then began work on some papers in a folder. She was about to pick up the phone when the angry Inspector from Down Under pushed the reciever back into the cradle, successfully trapping the female detective's hand over the phone.
"And just WHAT do y'think you're doing?" Conner asked the woman at her desk.
"Getting ready to ruin your fabulous manicure if you don't let go of my hand." The violet eyes turned coldly up to the Aussie, who let go of her hand, but didn't break the stare.
Megan asked calmly, "This happens to be MY desk. Are you new?"
"Detective Nikya Dakota, and you must be the Australian exchange - Inspector Conner. Pleased to meet you." Nik said, removing her hand from the phone and offering it to the stunned woman. They shook hands, then Nik went right back to her paperwork, looking as if she were not planning on moving. "I was informed that I could use this desk for a couple weeks, until you got back. Now that you're back, I'll look for somewhere else..."
"Thank you." Megan started and was swiftly cut off.
"As soon as I'm finished with this case." Without looking up, Dakota went right on working.
The Inspector looked around for a friendly face, suddenly spying the Captain and her favorite team, Jim and Blair. She walked towards them, eager to share her dilemma. Simon had seen Megan in the garage that morning and was anticipating any and all confrontations. Jim, on the other hand, had the pleasure of hearing the women's exchange, his Sentinel hearing kicking in automatically at the threatening words directed toward Nikya. He'd actually laughed at the manicure comment, which meant, of course, that he had to explain the conversation to the other two men in his company.
*Forewarned is forearmed.* Banks thought to himself just as he caught sight of the Inspector headed his way. "Conner! Good to have you back. How's your father? Why don't you come in and debrief over some coffee..." Stunned that he would ask, Megan lamely followed the Captain to his office, shrugging to the pair of men left standing in the Bullpen doorway.
The buzzing in her head, lessened now, let her know they were approaching. Without looking up, Nik greeted them as the two approached her.
"Detective," she said rather plainly. "Blair..." and she smiled up at the young man, noting the immediate reactionary bounce. "What can I do for you?"
Slightly annoyed at her cool greeting, Jim held out a folder to the woman. "We've got the warrant. It's a go to search the victim's home. One Elise D'Ornier, up on Quaker Hill."
Nik stood and grabbed her jacket. "We're there."
Noticing she was having a bit of trouble with one sleeve, Blair grabbed the back of the jacket and helped her on with it. He was rewarded with a brilliant and appreciative smile.
"Your mother must have raised you well. First the door, now my coat. Tell your mom thank you, the next time you talk to her..." As she walked away, she pulled keys from her pocket.
"Should I drive?" Came the two voices, then matching smiles between the detectives.
"I've got a back seat..." Nik reminded them.
Jim nodded, seeing Blair smile.
~~~~~
"This is nice."
Nik was happily surprised to hear Jim's sincere comment on her ride. The '69 Chevelle SS was her baby, her obsessed frivolity. Garage kept, on-call mechanic, special detailing at a reputable custom shop - yeah, she was proud of the car. "Thanks. Custom rod all the way. A bit of a throwback compared to current models, but I enjoy an engine and exhaust system I can HEAR." She saw Jim smile as he studied the car's interior.
"You'd love Sandburg's Volvo, then. You can hear the muffler for blocks..."
Blair heard the hint of laughter in his friend's voice, and hit him in the shoulder anyway, maybe just a bit harder for it. "C'mon, man. It's a classic. Like this..."
"NO Volvo is a classic like this, Chief." Jim said rather quickly. "This RUNS..." The two laughed lightly at that, as Blair shook his head.
Nik was starting to see a different side of her companions. The gentle teasing, the brotherly concern - there was a genuine affection between them. No wonder Ellison had gotten in her face when she'd mentioned sharing Sandburg.
"...you think, Nik?"
"Huh?" she said, having caught only the last words and her name.
"I could fix my Volvo up like this, don't you think?" Blair repeated, a sad but hopeful look in his eyes.
Nik wet her lips and chuckled before answering. "Well, you can fix a Volvo up, but NOT like this. You'd need a better engine, better transmission..."
"Don't forget a better exhaust system." Jim added.
"That too." Nik agreed. "Of course, with that much more power, you'd need a more sturdy chassis. Once you got the chassis, then the interior would have to be custom picked and fitted. You'd NEVER get these seats in a Volvo. The swivel bucket needs a special mounting bracket and wide turning radius."
Jim stared out the window, all the time wanting to chuckle. He cast a glance in the outside mirror seeing Blair hang his head in defeat.
"Sorry, Blair." Nik said. "Of course, you MIGHT be able to get these seats in a CORSA or a Spyder - them being GM products - but who would want to do that to a Corvair? They're near perfection anyway... You know?"
It was Jim's turn to hang his head. He could almost hear the coming discourse on the evil preachings of Ralph Nader. Jim had turned around in an attempt to halt Blair's comments, missing the fact that they were stopping in front of the D'Ornier residence. Just as his hand had gone up, he saw the young man searching coat pockets in a hurry.
Shutting the car off, Nik opened the door and walked around to the sidewalk. She saw Ellison get out a second later and turn the seat for his partner. But instead of waiting for Sandburg, Jim walked towards her leaving the young man in the backseat.
"Is he staying there?" She asked quietly.
Jim shook his head, gazing around. "Phone call... Um." And he paused, then crossed his arms over his chest. "The comment on the Corvair. You don't have one of THOSE, do you?"
She laughed. "I saw the key on Blair's keychain, the Corvair Turbo symbol keychain. You know? Only two Vairs had those engines - Corsas and Spyders. It stood to reason he had a soft spot there..." Nikya watched the big man turn away, one hand to his mouth. "I hope you don't mind my razzing him a bit."
"No - not much, that is." And he looked at her directly, his face somewhat placid, then turned towards the car. Blair was standing behind them closing his phone and shaking his head to Jim's silent question. *Damn, nothing yet.*
"Pretty nice digs..." Blair commented as they stood at the end of the flagstone path looking towards the front door.
Something creaked somewhere in front of them, Jim's ears focusing in on the sound immediately. His hand came out against Sandburg's chest, stopping the young man before he could take another step.
Knowing the odd tilt to Jim's head, Blair questioned his partner. "What is it? You see someone?"
Jim shook his head, pulled his gun, and motioned for Dakota to do the same. The two approached the door, Jim's sight letting him know it was already open, just slightly ajar. "Door's open...we could have company." He motioned for Nik to take the opposite side of the door and he'd go in first. Entering the foyer with a burst, the two pulled up short and holstered their weapons.
"Damn!"
Not usually one to stay behind, Sandburg walked through the front door and surveyed the entryway. It was walled on one side, with a small archway on the other side that led to what appeared to be a library. The hallway opened into a rotunda with a curved staircase to the second floor, complete with balcony. A high vaulted ceiling had a beautiful set of frescos and a large, wrought-iron chandelier suspended from the center button. Blair was so busy looking up that he backed directly into Nikya, stumbling a bit but being caught just before he would have abruptly landed on his backside.
"Whoa!" She said and helped the young man stand upright. "I know Diana up there is interesting, but you don't have to go fawning all over for it..."
"Uhhhh...You didn't just say that, did you?" The two laughed, staring up at the fresco of Diana the huntress and her hounds pursuing a young deer.
"Are you two done with the Humanities 101 class?" Giving them a sour look, Jim holstered his weapon and motioned to the empty rooms. "Well, either she just moved, or someone didn't want us to find anything here."
Blair's eyes were still focused on the ceiling, but he nodded in reaction to Jim's words. "Well," and he looked around. "Let's see what they missed. You can take the back of the house."
"Excuse me?" Nik gave the detective a stern look placing her hand palm out to his face. "I CAN TAKE? Um, I hate to remind you, but Sandburg and I are the primaries on this."
She didn't mind taking the back of the house, she just didn't want to be ALLOWED to do so. From what she could see, Ellison and Sandburg were a great team. All the reports she'd read said they were THE top dogs in Major Crimes. Regardless, Nik was still the main detective on the case and she wanted it known that she could make her own decisions.
Ellison took a step back at the display of attitude from Dakota. "I didn't mean anything..."
"Whatever." She said in a clipped tone, then headed for the stairs. "I'll take the second floor."
Hands on hips, Jim turned to his partner and took a couple deep, controlling breaths. "What was THAT all about?"
"Control." Sandburg supplied. "You were usurping her control of the case."
"She didn't have to get all bent out of shape, though." Jim's gaze towards the stairs was half to see if Nik was out of earshot and half to avoid his partner's reaction to his comment.
Blair wasn't fooled by the statement. He'd seen the irritated look on Jim's face. "Maybe she did and maybe she didn't." Sandburg said as he jammed his hands into his pockets. "But how would you feel if the roles were reversed and she told YOU to go out back?"
Giving it a quick thought, Jim smiled and cuffed his partner on the shoulder. "I wouldn't just jump down HER throat."
"Yeah, right."
"No, I would've nodded my head -" Ellison said, steering his partner into the living room. "And headed up the stairs anyway..."
With Nikya safely upstairs, Jim focused his senses in for the slightest thing. Whomever had emptied the house had done it extremely well. The only scent left was from the steam-cleaning solution used on the rugs. They moved from room to room, from the living room with matching high ceiling to the gourmet kitchen and large den. The house was a sensory void. The two men walked back to the rotunda where Blair once again stared at the ceiling's paintings. His interest drew Jim's attention to them as well. His sight focused in on details.
"They're beautiful..." the anthropologist said in awe, desperately searching his pockets for his glasses. "I can't get a good look at them from down here. The technique is so similar to ones I've seen...but those were a couple hundred years old."
"There's something about them, all right." Jim said and rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around the area one last time. He heard the footsteps and saw Dakota coming down the stairs. For some reason he couldn't stop watching her as she came down the curved staircase, hand gracefully sliding down the worn brass handrail. Nik had removed the scrunchie from her hair, allowing the shoulder-length curls to fall around her face. One hand was running through those same curls, shaking out any knots. Jim looked from the woman on the steps to the woman on the ceiling - the woman who was caught in the midst of a strikingly similar gesture. He shook his head slightly, trying to stop the instinctual overlay of Detective Dakota's face on Diana's.
"JIM!" Blair yelled, finally getting a less than blank stare from his partner. "Geez, man. You were zoning there. Did you find something?"
"Uh - No." Came the lie.
~~~~~ ~ The next day ~
Blair sipped his coffee, careful not to drip it on his shirt. He didn't want to ruin it and have to iron another one, because then he'd have to change the tie too, which meant asking Jim for another loaner. He popped the last bite of bagel into his mouth and crossed the room to stand behind the couch where Jim sat with the phone, reporting in to Simon.
"Yeah, Simon. I just want to see who shows up." and the detective smiled. "Right, sir. I'll keep an eye on Sandburg..."
"Funny, Jim. I think I learned my lesson about funerals, okay?"
Jim watched the physical shiver that went through his partner. It was the same one that went through him. No one, especially a cop, enjoyed attending a funeral. But after Lash, neither Jim nor Blair would ever be calm at them ever again. It took a moment or so before the man could return his thoughts to the conversation with Captain Banks.
"Someone there will talk to us... We might just find out who emptied the house." Jim finished his conversation with a requisite "Very good, Sir." and hung up the phone, turning his smile to his partner. "You didn't get anything on my tie, did you?" At the indignant look, Jim turned, and headed for the door. He missed Blair's panicked inspection of the patterned silk.
As they headed down to the truck, Sandburg asked about their 'other.' "Is Nikya meeting us there?"
"No," Jim replied, pulling the truck into traffic. "Simon said she had a couple personal things to do this morning, but she'd catch up with us this evening..."
~~~~~
They parked the truck behind a couple exotic and undoubtedly expensive vehicles and walked up the drive towards the crowd. Jim knew instinctively Elise would have plenty of friends with plenty of money - who else could evacuate a house so completely so quickly. What he didn't expect was the number of them that would show up at the funeral, especially when they couldn't find more than two for questioning. He tried to slow his thinking, hoping it would ease the pain in his temples - no use. The closer he got to the mourners, the worse the headache. Jim's hand automatically went to the back of his neck. As he turned to ask Sandburg for a couple aspirin, Jim noticed the way the younger man was already rummaging through coat pockets.
Jim stopped the question before it started. "Forget it, I was just gonna ask you for the same thing. I don't understand these headaches lately. Gotta be something we're both in contact with..."
Blair smiled as Jim looked at him and the two men answered at once: "Dakota."
They were laughing to themselves when Jim's sight zoomed ahead of him, focusing on the black car parked near the hearse. A very DISTINCTIVE black car in addition to the limo. "Nah...it can't be..." As the Sentinel searched the crowd around the grave, his eyes followed his nose and he focused in on the scent of heather, his hand coming to rest on Blair's shoulder when he saw her.
She stepped out of the SS and adjusted the long black coat as she walked, meeting the door of the limousine and embracing the man who exited it. She was joined by several others in drab mourning and they walked to the back of the hearse. As her hands grasped the brass rail, she sucked in a hard breath, using the strain in her shoulder to keep the tears at bey.
The service seemed to last forever.
It wasn't that the funeral service was any different than any other. It wasn't. It was her reactions and her role. From the moment her hand had taken hold of the brass and led the casket into the midst of friends and family, the partners had cataloged everything. Behind their dark glasses, the two men watched the pain and anguish, feeling much of it through her.
Her black suit, black overcoat, and black glasses covered her in mourning from head to toe. Her hands, even, were hidden in black gloves. Pale lips and pale skin. Jim could see tears on her cheeks, yet she never wiped them away.
They watched her stroll towards her car, greeting people as she went. As she stepped towards her vehicle, she felt them close in behind her, then saw them in the window's tinted reflection. For the first time in hours, she smiled. "Gentlemen..."
"Detective Dakota." Ellison started, not really watching her. And not really wanting to at that moment. "Imagine our surprise."
She turned around slowly. "Not here."
"Why not?"
Sandburg stepped back at the anger his partner injected into those two words.
Unfazed by his emotion, Dakota lowered her glasses enough to send a chilling violet stare to her fellow officers. "Because I'd hate to see you lose that well- placed head of yours."