RESIDENT EVIL PIERSHERRY

Chapter 16

SHERRY HEARD THE knock on her door and looked up from her
computer. Rob Merrocko, an assistant U.S. attorney with the office next to
hers, opened the door and poked his head in.
"How'd the arraignment go today?"
"He pled not guilty, as expected," Sherry said. "That'll change. A jury
would convict this guy in all of about two seconds." The defendant, a youth
soccer coach from one of the northern suburbs, had been charged with
receiving child pornography on his computer. If his lawyer had an ounce of
sense in him, he'd never let the case go to trial.
It was an ugly case, and one of the few she found difficult to keep a
cool head about. Just being in the same courtroom as the defendant had left
her feeling disgusted and emotionally drained.
"Why do you still take these kinds of cases?" Rob asked her. "Pawn it
off on one of the new guys."
Not really her style of doing things, but Sherry managed a smile,
appreciating the sympathy. "I'll be all right." She ran her hands through her
hair tiredly and eased back in her chair. "How are things on your end?"
"I just indicted an alderman for bribery."
"Nice," Sherry said approvingly. "Let's talk about that instead."
For the next few minutes, they swapped caseload horror stories,
gossiped about a particularly ill-tempered judge in their district, and
discussed which law clerk they should assign the ignominious task of
cleaning the trial prep room. They were interrupted by a call from Sherry's
secretary.
"Collin's here to see you," she said when Sherry answered. No last
name was necessary; in the last four years, her secretary had become
familiar with Collin's frequent visits.
"Thanks, send him back." She nodded at Rob, who waved good-bye
on his way out. About twenty seconds later, he was replaced by Collin.
"You sounded terrible on the phone," he said from the doorway,
referring to the quick conversation they'd had about an hour ago. "I'm here to
kidnap you."
"I had a tough day in court." Sherry checked her watch. "It's four
o'clock. I can't leave work now. It would be . . . indecent."
Collin laughed. "You're running yourself ragged these days between
work, Amy's bachelorette party, and that other business we can't talk about
here. You need a break. Come on, counselor--I'll treat you to a flight at 404
Wine Bar."
It was tempting. Sherry eyed him knowingly. "You just finished a
column, didn't you?" She could always tell.
"Is it so wrong to want to spend quality time with my best friend when
she's had a rough day?" Collin asked innocently. "As for whether I also
happened to be particularly insightful and witty while writing today, well, you'll
just have to see for yourself in tomorrow's paper. It'll be the big column about
sports stuff under my picture."
Sherry threw him a wry grin--very funny. Yet despite the pile of work
she had stacked on her desk, and also despite the fact that she sensed that
Collin was in another one of his god-among-men insufferable moods, she
thought that a drink with her best friend didn't sound like too bad of an idea
right then.
So for the first time in her four years as a prosecutor, she shocked
everyone in the office, including herself, by leaving early.
OFFICER HARPER ENTERED the kitchen, having finished his check
of the second and third floors of Sherry's house.
"We're all clear." He looked at his partner, Officer Regan, who had
checked the main level. "You good?"
Regan nodded. "We're good."
Sherry followed them to the door and locked it behind them.
"So what do they do now?" Collin asked. He'd taken a seat at the
counter while the cops had done their walk-through.
"They'll follow us to the bar and wait outside until the night shift shows
up."
"Why do I get the feeling that things are more interesting when Piers Nivans is around?" Collin teased.
"Things with Piers have gotten a little . . . complicated lately," Sherry
said.
"Complicated" was certainly one way to describe it. On Saturday night,
after she and Piers had rejoined Wilkins, Amy, and the rest of the
bachelorette party, they'd barely said two words to each other--the two words
on her part being "thank you" after he and Wilkins made sure the house was
secure when they dropped her and Amy off, and the two words on his part
being "you're welcome." She hadn't heard from nor seen Piers since.
Which was just fine with her. Really. Over the last five days she'd had
time to sort through her emotions. Sure, she and Piers had done Those
Things She'd Never Admit in a random office in a nightclub, but she'd
decided this was all simply part of that post-traumatic stress she'd been
fighting off lately. She'd been on some crazed high after the excitement of
the power outage, had gotten riled up, and Piers just happened to be there.
With his mouth on her breasts.
Tell me.
Let me touch you.
Sherry felt a little flushed every time she thought back to that
evening. Apparently, there was one level on which she and Piers had no
problem communicating openly.
She filled Collin in on the events of Saturday night, leaving out the most
racy parts. Which was odd, because normally she told Collin everything. But
some of the things between her and Piers felt . . . private.
"Sounds like I missed quite a party," Collin said when she'd finished.
"So where do you and Piers go from here?"
"Nowhere," Sherry said with emphasis. Hadn't he been paying
attention to the post-traumatic stress part? She'd mentioned that point at
least six times. "Saturday night was nothing. A fluke."
Collin threw her a skeptical look. "Babe, I hope you're at least fooling
yourself with that."
Nope, not really. "All right. So I'm physically attracted to Piers,"
Sherry conceded. It was a big step for her to admit even that much out
loud. "Who wouldn't be? You've seen him."
"Rugged hotness, sex in a shoulder harness--yep, I'm familiar."

"Right. But I can conquer a physical attraction. I mean, he told thirty
million people I had my head up my ass. What kind of self-respecting woman
would I be if I fell for a guy like that?"
"It would be somewhat ironic," Collin agreed.
"Plus, he doesn't even like me," Sherry added.
Collin cocked his head. "Is that what you're worried about?"
"No, I'm not worried. I just think, given our history, that it would be
foolish of me to think that Saturday night was about anything other than a
mere physical attraction on Piers's part." Sherry paused. "So it's a good
thing he and I are on the same page with that."
Collin seemed to be amused by her assessment of the situation. "I
think you need a few drinks to help you sort this out."
Sherry waved this off. "I don't need to do any sorting." She gestured
to her outfit. "But I do need to change out of this suit before we head to the
bar."
"I'll head up with you," Collin said, sliding off the stool and leaving the
kitchen with her. "I want to check the guest bedroom. I'm missing my Sox
sweatshirt, and I thought maybe I left it here one of the times I stayed over.
Either that, or Richard snagged it when he moved out."
Sherry followed Collin up the stairs. "Have you talked to him since
then?"
"Not once. I thought I'd get a phone call, or at the very least an e-mail.
But apparently he thin--"
Neither of them saw the attack coming.
A dark figure lunged at them when they reached the second floor, a
mere blur that moved blindingly fast. With Collin in front of her, Sherry
never saw where the man came from. He struck Collin across the head with
something in his hand, and Collin moaned and sank to the floor. Sherry
screamed his name.
The man, dressed all in black, whirled around. He wore a ski mask that
covered all of his face except for small openings at his eyes and mouth, and
she noticed that he wore black gloves.
The object in his hand was a gun.
Pointed straight at her.
Sherry felt as though her legs were stuck in quick-sand. She looked over to where Collin lay on the floor. He wasn't moving.
The man with the gun moved toward her.
Sherry took a step back, retreating slowly down the stairs. The man
followed her.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
As he took the next step, he lifted his gloved hand and pointed.
You.