Part 8 (2/2)
”No.” Katie stepped over to Rainey and kissed her on the forehead. ”Now, get moving.”
Rainey showered and dressed in an old pair of jeans. She threw on a tee s.h.i.+rt and an old University of Virginia sweats.h.i.+rt. She was going to be late to work and stopped in the bedroom to call Ernie and let her know. When Rainey turned the corner into the kitchen, Katie was feeding Freddie by the back door.
She smiled up at Rainey. ”He brought me a mole. He just laid it at my feet while I was cooking.”
Rainey's eyes darted around the kitchen. ”What did you do with it?”
”Relax. I threw it away already. I still can't believe a big ol' FBI agent is scared of rodents.” Katie giggled.
”I'm not afraid of them. I just don't like them.” Rainey sat down and immediately began to guzzle the gla.s.s of orange juice beside her plate.
Katie placed bacon and eggs, along with cut fruit, and fresh baked biscuits on Rainey's plate. She brought the pitcher of orange juice and a cup of coffee for Rainey to the table and then sat down. Rainey dove into the food and began to feel better as the caffeine did its magic. Her head cleared of fog and she thought she might actually recover before noon.
Katie waited patiently, having learned that Rainey wasn't the most social person before her first cup of coffee. She ate her breakfast, watching Rainey's every move. Rainey was conscious of the looks from across the table.
”What? Do I have food on me somewhere?” Rainey finally asked.
”No. I'm just waiting for you to finish so we can talk, because I've obviously misunderstood you.”
Rainey leaned in closer. ”Look, if this is about my comment concerning your husband last night, I truly am sorry. That was totally out of line.”
”No, that isn't what this is about, but it did get me thinking. We jumped into this thing without getting to know each other.”
Rainey didn't like where this was going. Her heart sounded the alarm. Katie must have seen something in Rainey's expression that triggered her next statement.
”Honey, don't panic. I'm not breaking up with you. I'm trying to understand you. We skipped the dating and went straight to mating. There is so much we don't know about each other. I know I love you, I know you love me, but I don't know what shaped you into the person you are. I know some of it, but not enough.”
”Katie, you don't need to know all of it. You should never have to know what I know. You've seen enough, as it is.”
”I don't want the details. I want to know what you think and why. You of all people should realize your childhood, your abandonment issues, your FBI career, have all made you what you are.”
Katie wasn't finished talking, much to Rainey's displeasure. She stood up and went to the counter, producing a thin book Rainey recognized from her reference collection on the bookshelf. Maybe she should have locked those books up, too.
”I read this report from the Symposium of Serial Murder, before you got up. Your unit of the BAU sponsored that event and finalized the report, correct?”
”Yes, that's correct.” Rainey was always entertained when Katie questioned her like an attorney questions a witness. Hours of coaching JW through Law School had made her quite adept at this method.
”I was particularly interested in the section called Causality of the Serial Murder.”
Rainey knew instantly where this was going. She let a bit of a sly grin cross her lips when she said, ”I bet you were.”
”It said, and correct me if I get this wrong, that serial murderers, like everybody else are a product of their heredity, their upbringing, and the choices they make during development, but there really are no single identifying factors.”
Rainey nodded. ”You're doing well so far. Now for the point I believe you're about to make, the part where you throw my own words back at me.”
”Didn't you, Special Agent Rainey Bell, say that the most significant factor is the serial killer's personal choice to pursue his or her crimes?”
”Yes, I believe those were almost my exact words.”
Katie put the book down on the table, her hands going to her hips. Here comes the point, Rainey thought.
”When we were discussing sperm donors did you not consider that the parents help shape the child's decision making process?”
”Touche. You win. You're right. Every parent is faced with a c.r.a.pshoot of genetics. I concede and bow to your positive influence.”
Katie hugged Rainey tightly, saying, ”I know that's huge for you. Thank you.”
”You are very welcome,” Rainey said, smiling. She couldn't help it. Katie was so happy it was contagious.
Katie returned her smile. ”One step at a time. I'm going to let you get used to the idea, before we do anything else. I'm learning to let you mull things over. You're much more pliable that way.”
”I'm being handled by a master manipulator. I see that now.”
Katie threw her head back and laughed. ”I prefer to call it persistent.”
”You are that, darlin'.” Rainey's laughter joined Katie's, as she repeated, ”Yes ma'am, you are that.”
Rainey stood up, sweeping Katie into her arms, kissing the breath out of both of them. When they broke for air, the look that pa.s.sed between them rapidly changed from pa.s.sion to desire. They may not have known all of each other's thoughts and dreams, but they definitely knew each other's bodies. They spent the last nine months exploring them thoroughly. Within seconds, Katie's long sleeved tee s.h.i.+rt hit the floor, followed quickly by Rainey's sweats.h.i.+rt and several other clothing items. Several minutes later, a spent Katie leaned into Rainey chest. She began to giggle.
Rainey swept the stray hair from Katie's damp forehead, and asked, ”What's so funny?”
”If that's going to happen every time we have a fight, I think we should fight more often.”
Rainey decided to take the morning off and spend time with Katie. They were measuring out the ground plan for their new house on the lot beside the cottage. She checked the local media reports this morning and found nothing new about the body found yesterday. Rainey was lost in thoughts that the police would probably find the missing woman's case was related. A small dirt clod hit Rainey in the back as she bent down by the one of the corner stakes. Rainey turned to see a smiling Katie armed with a hand full of small dirt clods.
”What the h.e.l.l?” Rainey stood up, grinning at Katie who had another projectile c.o.c.ked and ready.
Katie let fly with the next clod. It hit Rainey in the thigh, sending a small cloud of dust into the air. ”You need to loosen up,” Katie said, reloading and nailing Rainey in the shoulder.
Rainey dropped the tape measure and reached for ammunition. The ground had been turned over and the clods were easy to find. Katie continued to blast her repeatedly, the whole time taunting Rainey.
”When's the last time you walked in a room and didn't scan for the exits?” Pow! A cloud of dust blew off Rainey's arm. ”When's the last time someone did something for you and you didn't look for ulterior motives?” Smack! That one hit her in the head.
Rainey stood up and pegged Katie in the abdomen, moving to avoid the next onslaught, and saying, ”A few hours ago in the kitchen, I think.”
Puff! She got Katie in the b.u.t.t. She wasn't throwing as hard as Katie. She didn't want to hurt her. Splat! A clod hit Rainey in the cheek.
”d.a.m.n, Katie that hurt.”
Katie laughed. ”Oh, did the little girl hurt the big ol' FBI Agent?”
Rainey dropped the clods and took off for Katie.
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