Rae sighed. "Yes, I do. My gut says drugs are involved. The furnishings in Amy's apartment are just too expensive for an out-of-work college student. How could she possibly afford that?"

"Maybe her parents," Sarah offered logically. Rae thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"I don't think so. Did her parents strike you as the rich type? A small farming town in Michigan? No," she said decisively as she pulled up to Sarah's house.

"Well, why don't you pick me up in a couple of hours? Go home and relax for a while." Sarah kissed her. Rae sat there blinking.

"Well, o-okay. I'll see you in a bit."

Sarah smiled and nearly tumbled out of the jeep. "Good grief, this car, or whatever you call it." She laughed and slammed the door. "Don't be late." She winked, then walked away.

Rae sat there for a moment and watched her as Sarah entered her house.

"s.h.i.t," she cursed out loud as she pulled away from the curb.

Her heart told her to run to her, forget the past and everything, and just cling to Sarah. If she pushed her away long enough, she'd leave. Is that what you want? her heart asked.

"I wish my heart would keep its big mouth shut," she grumbled childishly.

Across town, Jane stood in the shower, the hot water beating down on her. Deep in her heart, she knew Pam was somehow involved in this. She wasn't completely honest with Rae and the rest of them. She had put two and two together months ago.

Amy was buying things with a flourish. Pam was also spending more and more. She said her bookstore was doing quite well, although whenever Jane stopped in, there were never more than two people in the store at a time.

Amy's wild streak, Pam's mood swings. She stepped out of the shower and dried herself. She'd tell Rae this after the funeral. Delia and Rae were right. It was drugs. How they got them, Jane didn't know.

Then she grinned, thinking of Delia Grainger. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Delia's warm hand touched hers. She never, ever felt like that with Pam. No pa.s.sion with her, no romance. No lovemaking, just s.e.x. Jane was not as experienced as Pam, so when they started their relationship, Jane followed Pam's lead.

In the short year, however, Jane had grown up. Seeing Pam's dark and unfaithful sides, she realized perhaps Delia was right. Perhaps she was better than this.

The shrill sound of her phone broke her thoughts as she jumped. It was Pam, an angry Pam.

"Where have you been?" she demanded as Jane pulled the towel around her.

"I was in the shower."

"For the last hour?"

"What do you want? Aren't you tired of this? I know I am," she said in uncharacteristic control.

"Are you really? I'm sure the cop thinks so, too. How was breakfast?" she asked smugly.

Jane froze for an instant. She followed her? She took a deep, calming breath. "If you saw me, why didn't you stop in? The four of us were talking about Amy, that's all. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get ready. I'm picking up Doug and Helen at nine. I'll see you then." She tried not to notice her own hands shaking. There was dead silence for a moment.

"I'm not letting you go, Jane. Please remember that," she said in a low angry voice, then banged down the phone.

Jane stood there, shivering, staring at the phone. She then put it down and walked away.

Delia walked out of the precinct and put on her sungla.s.ses. She didn't notice the red car across the street as she got into her own car and drove away.

She pulled into the parking lot of a deli and got out. Delia, unaware of what was about to happen, walked around her car through the parking lot. She heard the squeal of tires too late.

The last thing she remembered was the flash of red.

The day turned cold, dark, and dreary as they stood by the casket. The priest spoke kindly about Amy. Jane then walked up and said a few words about her friend. Rae noticed Pam just staring at the closed casket with a blank look on her face. She also noticed Pam holding a hanky and fidgeting nervously with it.

Rae smiled ruefully, she couldn't blame her. Even though this was just a small family service, wakes and funerals were barbaric to Rae. She then looked over at Amy's parents. Her mother was sobbing, and her father tried to be stoic as he held on to her. But in the end, he too sobbed quietly.

Sarah stood next to Rae with such a look of sadness on her face that it broke Rae's heart. She'd wipe her eyes and sniff as she listened to Jane's eulogy. Rae reached down and took her hand and gave it a rea.s.suring squeeze. Sarah looked up, smiled through her tears, and held her hand.

Mercifully, it was over, and as they silently walked back to their car, Rae and Sarah waited for Jane and Pam. They helped Amy's parents into the car, then Jane walked over to Rae and Sarah, hugging them both. "Thanks so much for coming... I really needed the support," she said tiredly.

Sarah put her arm around her. "Where are you going now?"

"Doug and Helen just want to be alone. I don't blame them. Pam and I are taking them back to the hotel." She stopped and glanced back at Pam. She then looked at Rae.

"I need to talk to you, Rae. Can we meet later?" she asked, and with that, Rae's cell phone rang.

She answered it, and Sarah and Jane watched her face turn white.

"Where? Is she all right?" she asked angrily, then snapped the phone shut. She looked at both of them. "Delia's in the hospital. Hit-and-run."

Jane turned an ashen color and covered her face. Rae took her by the shoulders. "You can come with us if you want, but I have to go now."

Jane took a deep breath and nodded. "Give me one second." She hurried back to Pam. From the look on Pam's face, she wasn't thrilled. Jane explained to Doug and Helen, who urged her to go.

Rae raced to Illinois Masonic Hospital. She darted in and out of traffic as she cursed every driver in her way.

"What happened?" Sarah asked softly.

Rae took a deep breath. "Apparently, she was going into the deli on Broadway and some motherf.u.c.ker," she spat out angrily, and Sarah reached over and gently touched her knee. Rae calmed and continued, "Someone came screaming through the parking lot and hit her, then just took off like a cowardly f.u.c.ker."

In the backseat, Jane sat staring out the window, praying that Delia would be all right. Her heart was beating so fast, she heard it pounding in her ears.

They pulled into the emergency parking lot, then finding her room, they raced to the second floor. Rae ran down the hallway and stopped at her room. The doctor was just coming out. It was the old doctor from the ER. He smiled when he saw Rae.

"I knew you'd be here. She'll be all right. A broken leg. A mild concussion, facial bruises. All in all, she's one lucky woman. A witness said she jumped to get out of the way at the last minute. If she hadn't, I'm sure I'd be telling you a different story. No internal injuries," he said fatherly and patted Rae's shoulder. "She'll be fine."

Rae nodded. Sarah noticed her trembling but said nothing. "Can we see her?"

"Just for a few minutes. She'll be out of it for a while. Don't get her riled up." He smiled and walked away.

Rae took a quivering breath and walked in, followed by Sarah and Jane. She heard Jane gasp as she looked at Delia.

She was lying there, her right leg in a cast and hoisted on some contraption. A small bandage covered her brow, and the left side of her face was red and raw with scratches and bruises.

They stood there just looking at her. Rae frowned deeply, looking over her body. "G.o.dd.a.m.n them." She let out an angry sigh as Delia's eyelids fluttered.

Rae's face changed in an instant. She smiled and took her hand. "You're supposed to look both ways. Didn't your mother teach you anything?"

Delia smiled and held on to her hand. "f.u.c.k you," she whispered, and Rae laughed quietly. Delia then looked over to see Sarah and Jane. "Jane, have you nothing better to do?" she asked and winked. "Hey, Sarah."

Sarah bent down and kissed her brow. "How are you feeling? Stupid question?" She smoothed her hair.

Delia smiled. "You are one lucky woman, Rae." She closed her eyes.

Thinking Delia was sleeping, Sarah moved out of the way, and Jane stood by her head. "Your luck might change someday, Detective," she whispered and put her hand on Delia's shoulder.

The nurse came in to check on the IVs. "Just another minute," she said and walked out.

Delia then opened her eyes and blinked a few times. "Rae. The car. It was red. That's all I remember," she said tiredly.

Rae frowned again. Delia was too out of it to make the connection, but Rae did. The red sedan of Mike Porter.

"Okay. You rest now," she said as her voice caught in her throat. She bent down and kissed her head. "Sleep. I'll take care of everything."

Delia nodded, then looked at all of them. "Now get out of here. Don't you know I'm concussed?"

Rae chuckled. "You were born concussed. I'll stop by in the morning."

Sarah smiled and kissed her. "Me too."

Delia gave Jane a slight smile. "Will you come back to see me?"

Jane was beside herself with every emotion she could think of. She only nodded and tried to be strong, but it didn't work. She put her hands to her face and let out a heart-wrenching sob. Delia frowned and cursed her limitations. She couldn't move. "Jane...Jane, look at me."

Sarah gave Rae the high sign and motioned to the door. Rae, in a stupid moment, had no clue what she wanted. Sarah rolled her eyes and walked around the bed and pulled Rae out of the room.

Jane and Delia just looked at each other, unaware that they left. "Jane, please don't cry. I'm sorry about Amy, and I know Pam is a disappointment right now," she started, and Jane cut her off.

"I don't care about any of that. I just can't stand to see you in pain like this," she blurted out and started crying again.

Delia lay there, stupefied. Happy, but stupefied. "Oh" was all she could come up with.

"Please, go to sleep. I-I'll come back to see you. I..." She stopped, then she bent down and kissed her and hurried out of the room.

Delia lay there, staring stupidly at the door. A contented grin flashed across her face as she sighed and drifted off to sleep.

The waitress came up for their order. None of them was thinking about food. Sarah ordered coffee as did Rae. Jane wanted nothing.

"You've got to eat," Sarah offered, and Jane shrugged.

"She'll have a salad and soup," Rae said firmly and handed the menu to the waitress.

"Thanks for taking care of me. I feel like a helpless idiot." She sighed in a dejected tone. "Pam always says I'm like a helpless bird, but I'm not a complete idiot," she said almost angrily.

Rae reached across and took her hand. "Listen to me. You're not helpless and you're not an idiot. And if you ask me, anyone who thinks so doesn't have your best interests at heart. You're too young and smart to waste your time on people like that."

Sarah looked at her watch. "Well, I've got a vulgar amount of papers to grade." She reached over and took Jane's hand. "Try not to worry about anything. Call me or stop by my office if you'd like, sweetie," she said in her soft lilting voice. Jane nodded as once again the tears sprang into her eyes.

"I'll talk to you later, Rae." Sarah kissed her cheek.

Rae nodded and grabbed her arm as she slid out of the booth. "I-I," she stumbled all over herself.

Sarah stood and laughed quietly. "I'll talk to you later," she said again and walked away.

They both watched her as she walked out of the diner. "Professor Connelly is truly a good woman," Jane said.

Rae turned back to her and agreed. "Better than I could ever imagine," she said almost to herself. The waitress came with the food, and Jane groaned. "Eat. You haven't eaten all day. Afterward, you're going home, and I think I may have a chat with Mike Porter to see if he's been to the deli lately," she said, drinking her coffee.

"You think he...?" Jane asked with a mouthful of salad.

"I don't know. Delia said the car was red. I know it's not the only red car in Chicago, but there is just way too much going on to be coincidental. Mark Rhodes said, 'They know.' I'm a.s.suming whoever 'they' are, they're watching us. Perhaps Delia was a warning." Her voice trailed off.

Jane picked at her salad as Rae watched her. "Okay, what's on your mind?"

Jane sat back and put her fork down. "I-I think you may have been right all along about the drugs." She explained her theory about Amy and Pam.

"Hmm. That would explain the expensive furnishings in Amy's apartment. Perhaps she was dealing," she said absently, then looked at Jane. "Do you think Pam could be dealing?"

Jane rubbed her forehead with a shaky hand. "I don't know anything anymore. I'd hate to accuse Pam of something like that."

Now Rae was worried, really worried. She looked at Jane, who was staring at her plate. Sarah was safe at home. Delia was in the hospital. Where was Pam?

Chapter 26.

Rae drove toward The Snake Pit and parked across the street. It was three in the morning as she yawned wildly. The last of the patrons left, and she saw Pete come outside with a young man and lock the front door. He gave it a secure yank, and they walked arm in arm down the street and out of sight. Rae then pulled away, parked a block away, and walked back.

She went around to the back entrance and tugged quietly; she knew it was locked. She checked the door and the window, making sure there were no signs of an alarm system. These buildings in Chicago were very old, and most of them had no security at all. She highly doubted if a dump like The Snake Pit would spare the expense.

She looked up to see a small window, which looked partially open. "What are the odds?" she whispered, looking around for something to stand on. She found a few wooden crates and placed them atop each other; she carefully stood on them and eased the dirty window open. With a grunt, she hoisted herself up and through the window, barely fitting.

Taking out a small pocket flashlight, she gave herself a minute or two for her eyes to adjust to the dark. She took a whiff and winced-stale beer and smoke. She shone the low beam around the storeroom. She walked through the room, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Boxes upon boxes of liquor were stacked in the corners; a walk-in icebox with a gla.s.s door held the beer. Then she noticed two doors. Quietly opening the one on the far right and shining her flashlight, she noticed stairs leading up to the bar.

She then walked over to the other door and gingerly opened it. It was pitch dark, and after a moment of walking around, she knew she was in the same place as the other night with Sarah.