Between Limestone Ruins

Chapter Twenty-Six

The search turned up an empty house: the mattress was dirty but void of DNA, every surface had been wiped clean of finger prints, and the computer had been wiped with a magnet; the killer had been pinging the computer's location from a phone, meaning he hadn't even been in the house any time close to when Walker and Hannah had arrived.

He'd played Jenn to set them up. Only it was clear he didn't want to kill Walker; how-to's on bombs much more complex than the one they had found were available on google. if he had wanted them dead, he could have killed them. He just wanted them to know they still were not in control. Mission accomplished Hannah thought miserably. 

Nora had to take Jenn back to the motel, to calm her down and get her to rest. The guilt was eating her alive. Sammie and Doc remained in the morgue, still searching for anything they may have missed before. Hannah was back in her motel room, with the door that led directly to the room Walker and Johnathan were sharing wide open.

Hannah was watching Walker pace in and out of her view through a door from her bed. Johnathan, feeling much better than before, sat at the desk in Hannah's room, out of range of Walker's fury, where he sorted through old evidence on his laptop. They were all stuck banging their heads against walls.

"Fuck it," she muttered. It was enough to draw the attention of both men, Walker stopping short in the door frame and Johnathan turning the desk chair. Both men watched as she crossed the room to her bag and took out her laptop before sitting back on the bed to unlock the computer.

"Fuck what exactly?" Johnathan asked. 

Walker would have been happy to watch the determined look on her face and never find out what she was doing but was happy Johnathan had inquired.

"I'm gonna dance it out," she said firmly. Clicking something on her laptop that started an up-beat popular country song.

Hannah slid the computer from her lap to the bed and hopped back up. Johnathan and Walker watched as she closed her eyes and began swaying to the music. She let it consume her and with her eyes still closed, she smiled.

Johnathan moved first, taking her hand and spinning her under his arm, causing her to open her eyes and laugh as she twirled. The twirl ended with her posed, arms in the air dramatically in front of Walker. He watched her laugh and toss her hair as she sang along.

Johnathan continued to dance awkwardly by himself and let his slightly sharp voice join Hannah's sweet and smooth melodic voice. He knew the song, it played on the radio all the time when Walker controlled the dial. 

Johnathan was smiling for the first time in a while; Walker often forgot the cases affected his partner just as much as himself. Here was Hannah, bringing out the best in everyone.

Walker made the quick decision to step into the room swiftly, catching Hannah's waist from behind her and spun her to face him. Her singing broke off as she laughed and she fell into him.

Walker was beaming down at her, Hannah was positive this smile was a rare one for the man. He spun her back so her back fell against his chest, allowing him to sway her along to the music. They could both watch Johnathan's awkward robot from this position. nOt to mention he liked to believe she could only read his mind when she could see his face. 

"His dancing is the only reason he's single," Walker mock whispered into Hannah's ear. His mouth was so close Hannah shuddered.

"Fuck you, buddy," Johnathan called jokingly back at him.