Partners.

By Gerri Hill.

About the Author.

Gerri Hill has thirteen published works, including 2007 GCLS winners Behind the Pine Curtain and The Killing Room, as well as GCLS finalist Hunter's Way and Lambda finalist In the Name of the Father. She began writing lesbian romance as a way to amuse herself while snowed in one winter in the mountains of Colorado, and hasn't looked back. Her first published work came in 2000 with One Summer Night.

Hill's love of nature and of being outdoors usually makes its way into her stories, as her characters often find themselves in beautiful natural settings. When she isn't writing, Hill and her longtime partner, Diane, can be found at their home in East Texas, where their vegetable garden, orchard and five acres of woods keep them busy.

They share their lives with two Australian shepherds, and an assortment of furry felines. For more, see her Web site: www.gerrihill.com Dedication To Diane...who reminds me daily of the true meaning of the word partner. "Thank you" can't possibly express my heartfelt gratitude for your patience and understanding while I peck away at the keyboard, day after day. I love you dearly...

Acknowledgement.

Many thanks to Judy Underwood for her encouragement to continue the story of these wonderful characters. As always, I appreciate your help. Also, to the many, many fans of Tori and Sam, and now Casey O'Connor, thank you for embracing them and letting me know they're your all-time favorites! I hope you enjoy Partners as much as Hunter's Way and the go-between, In the Name of the Father. It will be hard to say good-bye to these ladies...

Chapter One.

"O'Connor, back here."

Casey followed the sound of Tori Hunter's voice, nodding at one of the new crime lab technicians who was dusting for prints near the phone. Whereas the apartment was neat and orderly, the bedroom was in shambles. She stopped in the doorway, finding Tori squatting beside the bed, listening to Mac describe the scene. The bed was a bloody mess.

"Jesus."

Tori looked up, then motioned Casey closer. "Spencer already took the body."

"Hell of a lot of blood."

"Her throat was cut." Tori stood, pointing. "She was tied to the bed. Rita didn't think there was sexual trauma."

"But we found semen on the sheets and on the legs of the victim," Mac said. "I've already sent it back to the lab. Spencer will do a rape kit, but it kinda looks like our guy just left a deposit on the body."

"Who is she?" Casey asked. She was used to working with live victims, not dead. She still wasn't comfortable referring to the victim as a body.

"Sikes is with the apartment manager now, but the ID in her purse is Dana Burrows.

College student. UT Dallas."

"There didn't appear to be forced entry," Casey stated. "Boyfriend?"

Tori shrugged. "Always possible. I sent a couple of the uniforms around to the neighbors to see if anyone knew her. But it's nearly ten. I suppose most have already headed to work."

"Who found her?"

"The manager. He said he got a call from a friend of hers. She was supposed to meet for a study session last night and didn't show. After not being able to reach her on her cell or by e-mail, she called the manager. He only remembers her name as Julie. He didn't get a last name."

"Okay. Well, I'll start at the university. Want me to take Sikes along?"

"No. I need John here. We'll need to locate the family. I'll have him interview them."

Casey nodded. She'd learned it was something Tori was not comfortable with, notifying families. Sikes, on the other hand, was good at it. His good looks and charm helped portray genuine regret and compassion, and most believed him when he said the police department would have the killer behind bars sooner rather than later.

3.

*Tori went back into the living room with Casey, motioning with her hand. "Nothing looks disturbed in here," she said.

"Maybe he had a key and came inside while she was asleep," Casey suggested.

"Possible. And if it was a boyfriend, having a key is probable."

"Well, let me go see what I can dig up at the university. I'll be in touch."

Tori stopped her. "Come by for dinner?"

Casey raised her eyebrows.

"Judging by what was on the counter this morning, Sam is making chicken spaghetti."

Casey grinned. "My favorite. I'll bring the wine."

Chapter Two.

"Look, I understand the privacy rules. Really, I do. I just need some information."

"Detective O'Connor, I can't give you anything other than published directory information," the registrar said for the fourth time.

"We can subpoena the information," Casey threatened, watching as the older woman's eyebrows shot up over her black-rimmed glasses.

"Then please do so. It would make it so much easier on me."

Casey leaned forward. "This girl was brutally murdered. A student of yours. All I'm asking for is a little help. If I could find someone who knew her, someone who took a class with her, that's all I need." She gave what she hoped was a charming smile, one the registrar couldn't resist.

Finally, she saw a crack in the professional mask. "Listen, why don't you wait in the hallway? I'll ask around. Maybe I can find someone who knew her."

"I appreciate this, Mrs. Wheat. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, Detective. I haven't given you anything."

Casey nodded, then left with only a slight bow in her direction. She hated begging for information. And they would most likely subpoena the girl's records anyway, but leads ran cold if left too long.

She sat down on one of the hard-backed chairs and folded one leg over the other, resting it on her knee as she watched students walk by. They all looked so young, making her feel much older than her thirty-three years. She wondered if any of these students may have known Dana, may have passed her on the way to class, may have 4*even sat beside her in class. She wondered if the word had spread yet that one of their own had been killed-ruthlessly murdered.

It had only been a few months since she'd transferred to Homicide from Special Victims, and she still wasn't used to it. But as Tori had told her, you never get used to it. And she hoped she didn't. She never wanted to become accustomed to murder. But it was the main reason she'd left Special Victims. She'd become nearly immune to rape, to sexual assault. To the tears. And it had become exhausting trying to convince her victims to testify in court, to face their attackers, when all they wanted was to forget. So when Lieutenant Malone had offered her a spot on the team, she'd accepted after only a little prodding from Tori. After the St. Mary's fiasco and Father Michael's murder, they'd remained in touch, with Tori and Sam inviting her often to dinner or out to the boat for a weekend of fishing. They'd become close. In fact, so close, she'd call Tori her best friend.

The soft buzzing of her cell phone put an end to her thoughts and she opened it, seeing Hunter displayed in bold.

"O'Connor," she answered.

"We have the name of the boyfriend. He's a student there. Night classes. Are you having any luck?"

She shook her head. "None. The registrar doesn't want to break FERPA."

"What the hell is FERPA?"

"Privacy act that governs higher education. I tried to sweet-talk her. I'm waiting while she sees if there is something she can give me."

"Okay. Don't waste too much time. We're on our way to pick up the boyfriend."

"You got in touch with the family?"

"Yeah. Sikes did. They live in Arlington. And the boyfriend is practically a part of their family. They said no way could he have done this."

"They always say that."

"We also found out who the Julie was who called the manager. Julie Watts, her best friend. She's not answering her cell. Since you're there, maybe you could try to get in touch with her. She lives on campus."

"Yeah, okay." Casey jotted down the number Tori gave her then folded her phone and slipped it into the leather pouch clipped to her belt. She felt eyes on her as students passed by and she consciously moved her holster to the back and out of sight. Fall, winter, even spring, she could wear a jacket to hide her weapon. But summer? There wasn't a lot you could do, and she-like Tori-refused to wear a sports jacket with her jeans when it was a hundred degrees out.

"Detective O'Connor?"

5.

*She turned, nodding at a young girl who approached.

"Mrs. Wheat asked me to give you this," she said quietly, handing over a piece of paper.

"Thank you. Tell her I appreciate it."

She turned away and unfolded the paper. The Debate Club. Under that was written a name and room number. She walked down the hallway, stopping the first student who looked her way.

"Excuse me. Can you tell me where I can find Dr. Arness? She's with the debate club."

"She's in the business building."

Casey was about to ask where she could find that building when the student hurried off. The campus wasn't that big. Surely she could find it.

"Next block," Sikes said, then held on as Tori sped around a corner. "I swear, it's a miracle you haven't killed us yet with the way you drive."

"I get us there, don't I?"

"Oh, yeah. You've just taken years off my life, that's all."

Tori grinned as she slammed on her brakes, tossing Sikes forward.

"Jesus Christ, Hunter!"

"The light was yellow."

"You barely stop at red lights, much less yellow."

"Cops aren't above the law." She glanced in the rearview mirror, thankful they didn't get hit. No one stopped at yellow lights. As soon as it turned green, she sped through the intersection, tossing John back against the seat.

"You're such a guy," he muttered as he adjusted his seatbelt. "A teenage guy."

"Glass Sporting Goods, there it is."

"You think the family already called him?"

"You asked them not to, right?"

"Doesn't mean they didn't."

6.

*"And most likely they did."

There were only a few customers inside, but at one of the registers, a group was gathered, all wearing nametags. She looked at Sikes. "They called him." She walked over to the group, holding up her badge. "We're looking for Brian Helms. This is Detective Sikes, I'm Detective Hunter. Is he around?"

After only a slight hesitation, one of the young girls came forward. "No, he left.