When she first met Pam, she was instantly attracted to her. She was strong and confident, and Jane was drawn to that. Their courtship was fast and furious-not what Jane wanted, but she was caught up in Pam's insistent, firm position. They were lovers within the month, and Jane moved in two weeks later.

Only in the past few months did Jane decide to take an apartment near the university. She said it was because of her cla.s.ses, but they both knew it was because of the affair Pam had with Amy.

It was a short steamy month apparently for Amy and Pam. When Jane found out, she was heartbroken, but somehow, she was not surprised. Looking back on it, if she was more in tune with herself and Pam, she would have seen it coming. Pam was staying later at the bookstore, and Amy was not coming over as frequently as she used to.

Amy Davis, dead. Jane still couldn't believe it. To be honest, Jane always thought she'd wind up in some trouble but not dead. She had a wild, adventurous streak in her. Jane remembered when she first met Amy, she liked her right away; most people did. Whether it was her eccentric approach to life and love or just her smile, Amy drew women to her. That was what might have happened to Rae Jefferson. The way Amy raved about her, Jane thought for a happy moment that perhaps she finally met someone who could calm her down. That unfortunately was not the case.

She sighed sadly and got into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. Her mind racing, she couldn't get Pam and Amy out of her mind. Who would want to kill Amy? What was she in to? Or was it just a horrible accident?

As she faded off to an uneasy sleep, she couldn't help but think Rae Jefferson was right. Someone killed Amy Davis, and that someone was still out there.

Rae was dying for a cigarette. She hadn't had the urge in such a long while. She looked at the clock-it was six in the morning. She let out a small groan. Sarah stirred next to her but didn't wake. Rae winced and eased herself out of bed. Her body turned against her as every muscle ached. She was lucky she didn't drown the previous night. She threw on a robe and quietly left the snoring Sarah.

She put on the coffee-sleep was impossible now-and sat at the dining room table. She looked through the ComTele employee files she still had to work on and picked up Mike Porter's file. There has to be a connection, she thought. The odds were just too stacked.

She took out her cell phone and dialed Delia. "Get up, you lazy thing," she said, smiling.

On the other end, Delia groaned. "G.o.d. Don't you ever sleep? The rest of the world is still in quiet slumber."

"Quit grousing, you're too young. Look, can you get me that autopsy report or not?"

"Let me call McGrath and feel him out. I'll call you later. Does Sarah know you're out of bed?"

"Very funny. I'll call you at noon." She snapped the phone shut and set it on the table. "Okay, I need to get things in order here," she said absently as she took a piece of paper and her pen.

First, she met Amy at the bar and well... Rae frantically tried to remember when the h.e.l.l she would have given Amy her business card. In the end, she knew she didn't. Then why would Amy lift a card out of her wallet? She then tried to remember their conversation.

During dinner, they talked absently about her school and her love of literature. Amy spoke of her hometown in Michigan, and she remembered her saying how much she needed to get to a big city. The small farming town was just not for her.

Once they got back to Rae's, it was a bit hazy. She vaguely remembered there wasn't much talking. Amy had to have taken her card afterward and before Rae woke.

Rae leaned back and closed her eyes. "What did she say that morning?" she asked out loud. Then she sat up and opened her eyes. Amy had said she was supposed to do something, but now, she just couldn't and had to change plans.

Rae frowned and tiredly rubbed her eyes. "What did that mean?" she asked. "s.h.i.t." She glanced at her watch. It was six thirty as she dialed Jane's number.

Gratefully, Jane was an early riser as she picked up the phone. Rae asked to meet her for coffee. She had a few things rolling around in her head, and Jane agreed to meet her at the diner a few blocks away.

Rae quietly gathered her clothes and scribbled a note. She knew she'd be in deep with Sarah when she got back.

Jane sat in the booth drinking coffee as Rae walked in. "My, you're up early." Jane smiled.

Rae rolled her eyes. "This is nothing, trust me. I took the liberty of calling Delia, if you don't mind." Rae gratefully held her cup up to the waitress. "I need to bounce a few things off her head. She may be a grump. Delia Grainger is not a morning person."

Jane actually blushed and put a hand to her hair.

Rae watched her and knew what she was thinking. "You look fine. Now...Oh, here she is."

Delia was coming toward her, frowning and yawning.

"This better be good, you a.s.shole," she grumbled, then noticed Jane. The color rose quickly as she glared at Rae. "Miss Whiting, I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd be here."

"Shut up and sit." Rae pointed next to Jane, who slid over to make room. She was equally blushing.

Delia slid in and smiled at Jane. "Good morning," she said as the waitress filled her cup and she picked up a menu.

"Good morning, Detective," she offered and drank her coffee.

"I wanted Delia here. I may need some legal advice," Rae said.

Delia gave her a wary grin. "What are you planning?" she asked, concentrating on the menu.

The waitress came up, and Delia gave her a healthy order. Jane and Rae declined food.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Delia reminded them.

Rae then retold the previous night's adventure to Jane, who was astonished as she listened. She glanced every now and then at Delia, who was oblivious as she ate her pancakes.

"Do you know this Mark Rhodes?" Rae asked.

"He attends Northwestern. He was close to Amy, they were good friends," she said a bit hesitantly. Delia eyed Rae for a moment, then concentrated on her breakfast, saying nothing.

"How close?" Rae prodded. Both noticed Jane's uncomfortable posture.

"I think they may have been lovers at one point," she said.

"It would appear Miss Davis got around," Delia said as she drank her coffee.

Jane shot her a defensive look, which Delia took in professional stride. "No offense meant," she said.

Jane still looked perturbed. "You never met her. She may have had a wild streak, but she was just looking for someone to love her. She had little or no self-esteem and was constantly looking for approval. So before you make up your mind..." She stopped and put a shaky hand to her forehead.

Delia turned in the booth and put a warm hand over hers. "I do apologize. I'm just trying to help this nut," she motioned to Rae, "figure out who killed your friend. She was into something, I agree with Rae on that. And someone threw her alive into the Chicago River."

Rae gaped at Delia. "How do you figure she was still alive?"

Delia reached in the breast pocket of her jacket and pulled out a few folded pages. "Read it and give it back to me. I went to the Twelfth Precinct to visit a friend," she a.s.sured the wary Rae. "And McGrath was there. We had a nice little chat, and he was called away from his desk. Now read it."

Rae cautiously took the pages and opened them.

"Uh-oh. By the way, Sarah called me a little bit ago, and I told her where we'd be," Delia said so fast that Rae couldn't keep up.

"You what?" she asked, then felt someone behind her. She turned in the booth, and there stood Sarah sporting a smug look. Rae turned back to Delia, who gave her a sheepish grin.

"She scared me," Delia offered, and Jane chuckled. Rae stood, and without a word, Sarah slid in and smiled at Jane.

"Good morning, Jane. I hope these two idiots haven't bothered you." Sarah winked at her.

"No, not at all. We were just talking about Mark Rhodes."

Rae glanced at Sarah, who gave her a sweet smile. "Good morning, Rae. Delia, how are you?" she asked as the waitress came up. "Coffee, yes, please." She held her cup. "So continue."

Rae showed her the report. "The autopsy," she said as she read. The others sat in silence as Delia continued eating.

"You have a healthy appet.i.te, Detective." Jane smiled. "You must. Protecting the community and all," she said with a trace of sarcasm.

Delia shot her a look and laughed. "Yes, but it doesn't get me groceries," she reminded her, and Jane laughed.

Rae and Sarah glanced at each other, figuring it to be a private joke.

After a few minutes, Rae folded the pages and gave them back to Delia, who placed them back in the breast pocket of her jacket. "So." She looked at Rae.

"She was still alive. Maybe it was an accident." Rae sighed. "There were traces of cocaine in her system."

"Wait. Amy was not a drug user. At least I don't think she was," Jane started, then stopped. Rae watched her as her mind raced. She looked as though she were trying to recall something.

Then something struck Rae. Her mind raced back to dinner with Amy. "Jane, when I asked Amy if she moved to Chicago because of our beautiful lakefront, she told me she was terrified of water. Is that true?"

Jan thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, yes. Pam used to kid her about it when we'd go to the beach. I remember her not going anywhere near the sh.o.r.eline. I'm sure of it, I think. Oh, I don't know anything anymore," she finally said, then inexplicably, she buried her face in her hands and wept.

Delia naturally put an arm around her. "It's all right, Jane."

She wept sad tears as Sarah handed her a napkin. After a few moments, she stopped and chuckled nervously. "G.o.d, I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from."

"I do," Sarah said tenderly and held her hand.

Rae's mind raced. Amy had traces of cocaine and alcohol in her system. She then thought of her apartment. Her furnishings were anything but ordinary, especially for a young college student. "Where did she get the money for that?" she asked out loud, forgetting that anyone was there.

Delia knew exactly what she was thinking. She glanced at Jane, who was still drying her eyes. "Jane, what exactly do you know of Amy's life? I mean, who she knew other than you, who she was intimate with?"

Jane stiffened and avoided their inquisitive looks. "I-I know she was involved with Mark. Mike liked her, but she told me he wasn't her type, and she wasn't interested in him. She knew Molly just from cla.s.ses and this Jerry Truman. I've never seen him before, but Pam..." She stopped abruptly.

Rae and Delia exchanged glances but said nothing. Sarah still held her hand.

"Jane, someone killed Amy. I hate to say this, but I think Pam may know something, however innocuous. Where is she now?" Rae asked.

Jane took a deep, quivering breath. "We...I went home last night. We argued." She glanced at Delia. "Pam. She's a good person," she started again.

Rae inwardly grimaced. When someone started a sentence like that, it was all over. She looked at Delia, who probably thought the same thing.

Jane continued. "Lately, in the last few months, she's become distant and very hard. She and Amy were very close," she stumbled over her words.

Then it struck Rae. She knew Pam was being overly protective and wondered why. She gave Jane a sad look. "Did Pam and Amy have an affair?"

Delia frowned, and Sarah was shocked. Jane hung her head and just nodded.

There was silence for a moment or two. "They were sleeping together for a month. Then Amy broke it off, only after I found out. I saw them both coming out of The Snake Pit, quite by accident. I was at a red light on my way home, and I saw them... Pam was apologetic and was desperate to start over. I-I loved Pam. I didn't want it to end. But now." She stared out the window. "I don't know her anymore. There have been times she's like another person. She can be a bit cruel and dominating. Almost as if she owns me." Her voice trailed off, and no one said a word.

The three of them exchanged sad glances. Delia pushed her plate away, unable to finish.

"When was this, Jane?" Rae finally asked.

Jane, shaken from her reverie, smiled and looked at all of them. "Oh, about six months ago or so. I shouldn't be talking about this. It's not fair, but it's such a relief to say it openly," she finished sadly, put her head back against the booth, and looked out the window again.

Delia's beeper went off. She looked at it and cursed. "c.r.a.p, I gotta go," She quickly stood, gulping down her coffee. "I'll see you at the funeral if I can make it," she said to Rae and Sarah.

She then put her hand on Jane's shoulder. "You're better than this, you know."

Jane looked up at her with tears in her eyes. "Am I? How do you know?"

Delia flashed a grin and put on her sungla.s.ses. "I'm a cop. So don't argue with me," she said firmly and looked at Rae. "Take care of her. If you need anything, let me know."

She walked away, and Jane watched her the entire time with a sad, lonely look on her face.

"C'mon." Rae hailed the waitress. "You go home and get ready. We'll be at the funeral home by ten."

Jane stood, then reached out to Rae and held her arm. "Do you honestly think Pam has something to do with this?"

Rae smiled and patted her hand. "Honestly, I don't know, but why don't you just go by yourself this morning? I'd feel better if you weren't alone with Pam right now. I'm probably all wrong, but I've just got a hunch."

Jane nodded as Sarah gave her a hug. "We'll pick you up?"

"No, thanks. I have to pick up Amy's parents at the hotel at nine. I'll be fine," she a.s.sured them.

Then for some inexplicable reason, the hair on the back of Rae's neck bristled.

Chapter 25.

The ride back to Sarah's was quiet for about thirty seconds. "How do you feel?" Sarah asked with icy detachment.

Rae winced at the tone as she watched the road. "Fine. Look, Sarah. I'm sorry, but-" She was interrupted by Sarah putting up her hand.

"No need to explain, really. I understand. You're a lone wolf. You really don't need anyone. You're just fine on your own. You've lived your whole life that way. How can I expect you to change? It's your life, sweetie. You live it the way you want," she finished and smiled at her. Then she reached over and patted her leg.

Rae was frowning as she watched the road. "It's not that I don't need anyone."

Sarah let out a sad chuckle. "Oh, yes, it is. I know that look. My ex had it whenever she got the long a.s.signment. She was off and running. I do understand," she said honestly. "I'm not blaming you. Truly, I'm not."

She was sincere, and Rae didn't know what to think. Gratefully, however, Sarah changed the topic. "So you think Pam is involved somehow."