Closure (Partners in Crime Book 5)

Chapter 12

One and a half months had passed, and Nicole was doing great. She had gotten two more bouquets of roses from her secret admirer in vibrant colors, the notes telling her how amazing her personality was.

She was doing better at work, and hadn't been late six weeks straight. She had also done well avoiding Blake. Much to Jenna's dismay.

Nicole was following Blake's case via Dominic and Jack, but she wasn't sure why she did it. She told herself it was because she had almost died and wanted to see how it ended, but there was a tiny part inside her that knew it was for a different reason.

And that reason was Blake.

She couldn't deny that she was slightly attracted to him. Maybe more than slightly. But she didn't want anything else to do with him. It was better to keep her distance than get hurt. Again.

Nicole slipped into the hospital, early, and hung up her large winter coat. She didn't wear the heavy coat on sugar baby runs, it just got in the way. Nevermind the fact that she froze. Better her freezing than someone else dying.

Jenna walked by, talking with Greyson about something random. Nicole maneuvered around to the break room, wondering how long it would be before her and Jenna would be sent out.

She got herself some coffee and chatted with her nurse friends for a while. Then she leaned against the wall and continued to drink her coffee, just watching things going on around her.

"Ford's in custody." A voice next to her said.

Nicole calmed her nerves and looked straight ahead of her. "Hello to you too, Tanner."

"You can call me Blake you know." Blake gave her a pointed look.

"I know." Nicole sipped her coffee, "How's the case coming along?"

Blake leaned back and crossed his arms. "It's sort of slow. We confirmed that the voice was the governor's son, Raphael, so we've got that going, but nothing else. We're sort of at a dead end. Both the warehouse and the CSI lab were arsons so I guess there's an arson behind it too. It's been over a month and we've got nothing. My boss isn't too happy."

"Ooh, sorry about that." The weird thing was, she was actually sorry.

Nicole felt a vibration go off in her pocket. Blakes phone rang at the same time. She checked and started to run out to the sugar baby.

"What is it?" Blake asked, stopping her.

Nicole turned, "Fire at the downtown bank."

Blake listened into his phone then hung up. "I guess I'll see you there."

Nicole immediately understood and ran out.

~~~~~

Blake pulled into a parking space and saw the flames lick up the old bank. A call from his friend had his heart racing. Matt had been in the bank minutes before. He could still be in there now.

Something wasn't right.

Blake flew out of his car and ran up to the ambulance which had just parked and gotten set up. "Nicole? Jenna?"

Jenna popped up, "Yeah?"

"Has anyone come out of the bank yet?" Blake felt his stomach twist.

"Um, no."

The knot that just formed would've made a boy scout proud. "Nobody?"

"Correct."

Blake tried calling Matt multiple times, yet he got no answer. Jenna and Nicole stood waiting by the ambulance with a man he just identified as Lucas. They waited expectantly for someone to come out.

The weather was insanely weird. The cold of December was biting, but the heat from the fire was scorching. Blake called Matt one more time and when there was voicemail yet again, he ditched his jacket and ran inside the burning building.

The only voice that registered in his mind was Nicole screaming his name.

Blake felt the heat. He should have left this up to the firemen, but he was trained for this. He needed to find Matt. He also needed to find the evidence Matt was looking for.

But most importantly, Matt.

Blake struggled to breathe through the smoke and let out a cry that used up precious air when he almost tripped over Matt's body.

~~~~~

Nicole waited nervously. She hadn't meant to scream Blake's name, but had done it anyway. Now her heart was beating way too fast, worried Blake wasn't going to come out. "Cut it out. Why are you so worried?" She muttered to herself. She couldn't help but panic.

Jenna noticed she was worried, but wisely left her alone.

Nicole crossed her arms over her stomach and shivered against the cold. She gave a cold laugh. There was a fire a few hundred meters away, yet she was cold.

Jenna was standing closer to the fire and Nicole watched her and Lucas pull up a gurney for someone that the fireman came out of the building with.

Nicole's heart lurched. She commanded it to stop and carefully jogged over to the gurney. "Who is it?"

Lucas stood from where he was kneeling, "His practically burned up wallet says Matt Proger. He's a cop."

Nicole realized that Matt was Blake's partner. "Jenna..."

Jenna looked up at Nicole, reading her mind. "Blake will be fine. I promise."

Nicole gave her a soft smile. She then got to work checking Matt's vitals, completely distracted.

She kept looking up, hoping Blake would traipse out of the bank, uninjured. But she knew better than to hope. She put on an expressionless face and stared down at Matt's burned body.

"Nicole?"

She jerked her head up, recognizing the voice instantly. "Blake?" She stood and turned.

Blake stood there, looking as handsome as ever, covered in dust. He held up his hand, "I need a Band-Aid."

She broke out in a smile. "Come over here."

Blake walked over to her.

She took his hand carefully and placed it palm up in hers. His warmth seeped into her hand and up her arm. He must have felt it too because they both looked up at each other and stared. Nicole grabbed some gauze and a cleaning wipe. She tediously cleaned his hand and wrapped it up, taking great care in how she did it. When she finished, she looked up at him, "Lift up your hand, rotate it, then curl it into a fist."

Blake lifted his hand and rotated it. He wiggled his fingers then tried to curl it into a fist. He winced. "Ow."

Nicole nodded, "It's going to hurt like that for a bit."

"Okay."

Her tone changed. Nicole slapped Blake's shoulder. "What were you thinking?! Going in there?! It could have collapsed on you! You could have died!"

Blake smirked, "Worried about me?"

"Shut your mouth." Nicole crossed her arms. Sure, Blake had scared the wits out of her. But she wasn't going to give him a chance to think she actually cared for him. Which she didn't. Right?