Closure (Partners in Crime Book 5)

Chapter 6

Nicole splashed cold water on her face, then heard the siren in the breakroom go off.

Seriously, God? I mean, this week has been terrible enough, then you send Blake into the stairwell and sees me at my most vulnerable moment? That could have been bad.

"Nicole! You coming?" Jenna called out.

Nicole raced out to the sugar baby and hopped in the front, giving Jenna the heads up to start the vehicle up.

They rode in silence to the scene, but when they arrived, Nicole gasped. A fire. At the CSI lab. Olivia.

She scrambled out of the sugar baby and helped Jenna get the gurney and supplies ready. The fire department was already at work, some going inside.

Nicole unzipped her jacket, but kept it on for safety clearance. She stood far enough back that she could help if needed, but also was kept a safe distance away.

A firefighter came out of the building holding a woman in his arms. She waved him over and he nodded. Jenna helped him set the woman on the gurney.

"Recognize her?" Jenna asked.

Nicole looked down and felt a gush of relief. Then worry. It wasn't Olivia. "Her name is Payton Quantum. She's Liv's partner."

"I got her, her pressure is stable. You wait for anyone else who might be injured." Jenna told her.

Nicole nodded. She moved to the side and watched the flames lick up the building. "Nicole!" A voice shouted. She turned to see Jack running towards her, worried sick.

"Jack!" She met up with him.

Jack looked at her, then at the fire, then back at her, "Where's my wife?"

"I don't know. She hasn't come out of the building yet." Nicole bit her lip, dread settling in.

Panic spread across his face, "If she's trying to save a piece of evidence..."

"She'll be okay. She's a Wagner."

Jack looked at her and half smiled, "No, she's a Murray."

"All the same, she'll be fine." Nicole reassured.

They waited in agony, Nicole counting the seconds. Nobody was coming out of the building. Jack started to pace.

"Jack!"

Nicole and Jack both turned to see Olivia sprinting towards them, covered in black dust and soot.

Jack ran to her and caught her in his arms. Nicole jogged up to them. "You freaked me out." Jack was saying as he clung to her.

"I'm sorry, it's just, there was so much evidence being lost, I wanted to save some of it."

Nicole grinned.

Olivia looked at her, "What?"

"Jack was just saying he didn't know what he'd do if you came out and said you risked your life trying to save a piece of evidence." Nicole told her, still grinning.

Olivia broke into a smile and looked up at Jack, "Is she telling the truth?"

"Yeah."

"Nicole!"

She turned and saw Blake coming towards her. She didn't want her family bugging her about him so she put on a nice smile, "Yes?"

Jack was still holding tight to Olivia, still processing things, and he wasn't paying attention to Blake. As for Olivia, well, she was glued to her husband.

"This is the CSI building?"

Nicole slowly nodded, "Yeah...why?"

"The weapons I needed to look at were in there." He looked annoyed. Good, they were back to normal.

That caught Olivia's attention. "You mean those guns that were very valuable? The ones smuggled into the US?"

Blake nodded, "Yeah. I needed those."

Olivia twisted her wedding ring, "Sorry. By the looks of that building, there isn't much hope for anything inside it." She looked at the lab and sighed, "Guess I'll be working from home for awhile." She was quiet while her brain thought. "Who are you?" She abruptly asked Blake.

Nicole grinned, as did Jack. Blake was caught off guard. "I'm Blake Tanner."

She looked at him, "That name is familiar. Do you know him Nicole?"

Nicole blushed. "Yeah, I know him."

"Blake Tanner, Blake Tanner..." Olivia repeated. Something must have clicked because her eyes widened, then narrowed. "I remember you."

Blake didn't seem daunted. "You must be Nicole's sister."

She stepped up to him. "Yes I am. Which means I have every right to say this: stay away from her."

Nicole couldn't have said it better herself.

Jack obviously had no clue what was going on, "Alright, honey, no more fires for you. Let's go." He took her by the arm and pulled her away waving at Nicole and Blake.

"I can see how you two are related." Blake crossed his arms.

"Didn't she tell you to stay away from me?" Nicole warned.

"Nicole, why do you hate me?" He questioned.

"I don't hate you." She replied promptly.

Blake raised a brow. "Oh really?"

Nicole looked around, "Can we not do this here?"

"Nicole! Get over here!" Jenna called.

Nicole grinned and ran away from Blake.