Cat and Mouse
By Terri D. Thomas
Conclusion
"Tom? Thomas, can you hear me?" came the familiar voice. It penetrated the dark and drew him back to awareness. A cool sensation on his forehead was the next feeling that entered his mind.
Tom groaned as he opened one eye. It revealed nothing but a big blur. So he opened the second eye. It wasn't much better. He blinked, but still there was nothing but a haze covering his vision. Groaning, he tried to bring his left hand to his eyes. Then he realized that the action was being prevented. Something was holding it in place. "Tom, you're okay. I'm here."
"Cass?" he mumbled, not sure if any sound was made. "What?. . .Where?. . ." It then dawned on him that Cassy was holding onto his hand.
The woman smiled at her partner as she removed the ice pack from his face and slipped her free arm under his shoulders. "Here, let's get you up."
As Tom started to move, he realized where he was. "Murdock!" he exclaimed, looking around the room, panic in his actions. With his impaired sight he could see little.
"Murdock's not here. Only McCarthy."
"McCarthy?" Tom repeated.
"He's dead, Tom," Harry declared from behind Cassy.
It was at that point Tom's vision cleared enough to see two paramedic's kneeling over a body a few feet away. "No," Tom groaned as he collapsed backwards, a wave of dizziness washing over him.
"Be careful," Cassy warned. She grabbed him and eased him back down. "I think you've taken one too many blows to that hard head of yours. You look like you've been ten rounds with Holyfield. . .and lost." She pressed the cold pack against his bruised cheekbone.
Harry stood up and looked down at his detective. "What happened here, Sergeant?"
"I don't. . .I'm not sure. Murdock was here. He heard McCarthy confess."
"Jason McCarthy confessed?" Cassy interrupted, amazed.
"Yeah," Tom answered.
"To both murders?" Harry pressed.
"Yeah. Murdock. . .got the drop on us. I don't know. . .what he was planning." Tom finally brought his hand to his head, trying to feel the damage the latest abuse had caused.
"And?" Harry asked impatiently, his voice cold.
"And. . .McCarthy panicked. He attacked me. . .got my gun."
"My gun," Cassy interjected, shooting her partner a look of disapproval.
Tom winced. "Your gun," he corrected.
"Then?" Harry ignored the exchange.
"I don't know. . .I think. . .I heard a shot."
"McCarthy took one to the chest, right over the heart."
"Damn it," Tom groaned. "I tried to stop him."
Movement from behind Harry caught Tom's attention. Rollie Harrison, the detective from Riviera Beach entered the house. "We've searched the neighborhood. There's nothing. If your Murdock was here, he disappeared into thin air."
Cassy shook her head as her face paled. Tom gave his partner a questioning look. "How long was I out?"
"We're not sure. When we arrived on the scene, the door was standing wide open. The local police were just pulling up. They had reports of a shot fired. You were out like a light when we found you." She paused for a moment and closed her eyes as if saying a silent prayer. When she reopened them, Tom could see her worry. "I. . .we thought you were dead," she murmured.
Harry kneeled next to his two detectives, his angry eyes meeting Tom's hazel. "If he ever pulls a stunt like this again, he just might be. . .and I'll be the one responsible."
Tom gave his captain a half-hearted smile, but Harry's glare didn't change. Tom felt the heat of embarrassment rise in his face. "I'm sorry, Harry," he whispered.
"Don't even try to apologize for this, Ryan. If you think I was mad at you before, you have another thing coming."
Cassy interrupted her captain's tirade. "Harry, now's not the time. . .," she started.
Harry stopped her. "I know how to discipline my detectives, Sergeant. I'll determine the time and place," he spat. Then he paused and examined Tom's injured features. His eyes softened a little. "And that time isn't now." He pushed himself to his feet. "But don't get me wrong, Ryan. You and I will be discussing this little escapade of yours further."
Tom Ryan pushed open the front door of his apartment. God, he hurt. All he wanted to do now was collapse and sleep for the next week. 'I guess it's darn convenient I'll be on suspension for that long,' he grumbled to himself.
He stepped into the room and then remembered the reason why he couldn't retreat to the comfort of the bed. "Move it, Ryan. I'll make you some breakfast and then you can hit the sack," came Cassy's all too chipper voice from behind.
"Cassy, please, no. I just want to be alone so I can get some sleep. That's it."
"Nope. Doc said you can't take these pain pills on an empty stomach. And you certainly can't be left alone with that concussion. You are stuck with me for the next twenty four hours."
Tom sighed as he allowed his weary body to fall to the couch. The movement jarred his aching head and he let out a groan. Cassy stood over him, hands on hips. "Hey, count your blessings. At least it's me who's babysitting you. You could have had Harry."
Tom frowned and closed his eyes. "Don't remind me. I've never seen him so angry."
Cassy let out a snort. "You can't blame him, Thomas. What you did last night was. . .well, it was just stupid."
"I know," Tom agreed.
"And reckless," she added.
"I know."
"And irresponsible."
"I know," Tom answered, his words growing in frustration.
Cassy's voice softened. "And it scared me."
Tom opened his eyes. He saw the fear in his partner's blue eyes. "I'm sorry."
"I know you are, but sometimes that's not enough." Cassy lifted Tom's feet from the floor and sat down on the couch next to him, letting his legs rest on her lap. "You don't understand how. . .how I feel about Murdock. To know that you confronted that monster on your own is absolutely terrifying for me."
Tom didn't reply. Cassy leaned her head back against the cushion of the sofa. "I just couldn't live with myself if he decided to get back at me through you. . . like he did Brad."
Tom pushed himself up to a sitting position. "I don't think he intends to do that, Cass. Lord knows he had plenty of opportunities to kill me, but he didn't. It's you he wants. If anyone should be worried here it should be me about your safety. Not the other way around."
"Don't underestimate him, Tom. He's playing with you. It's like a cat playing with a mouse. He's batting you around like you’re a toy. Eventually, though, he'll stop playing. . .and you'll be dead. And it'll all be because of his vendetta against me."
Tom's left hand came forward and gently pushed Cassy's blond hair behind her ear. "Don't worry about me. It won't happen. I promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Ryan, especially when your face looks like it's been used as a punching bag," the woman scolded.
Tom sighed and then removed his legs from her lap and brought his feet back to the floor. "Look, Murdock has probably taken off. He knows that the police will be looking for him. By killing McCarthy he's reopened the interest in him." Tom pushed himself up and moved to the kitchen. "Want some juice?"
"Hey, I thought I was supposed to be the one taking care of you."
Tom smiled. "It's just juice. I'll let you do the tough stuff later."
Cassy followed her partner and slid onto the barstool across from him. "So Murdock taped McCarthy's confession?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Yeah. . .I guess so. He led McCarthy into thinking that he had done it. I just can't figure out why he didn't leave the tape behind as evidence. What purpose could it serve to take the tape with him."
"Maybe he was bluffing," Cassy reasoned. "We didn't find any bug on the premises."
"Yeah, I suppose," Tom agreed. He then stifled a yawn.
Cassy gave him a crooked grin. "Go lay down. I'll wake you when breakfast is finished."
"You don't need help? I mean this is the kitchen we're talking about."
Cassy gave her partner a smirk. "Smart ass. I do think I can handle breakfast." She slid from the stool back to the floor. "Okay, eggs are in the refrigerator, right?"
Tom laughed, leaned over and gave Cassy a quick kiss on her forehead. "Thanks, Partner. For everything."
She nodded, her hand gently touching his bruised face. "That's what partner's are for. Now, go get your butt in bed and let me take care of you."
Tom gave her a libidinous grin. "You don't know how many times I dreamed that I'd hear those words from you again."
Cassy chuckled as she swatted him on the rear, encouraging him to move quickly out of range.
Tom shuffled his way into the bed room and started to fall down on top of the bed when a small envelope caught his eye."
Written on the outside of it, in black pen, was his name.
"Hey, Cassy?"
"Yeah."
"I've got a present."
"What?" the woman asked, clearly confused by the seriousness of Tom's voice.
"Bring some gloves and come here."
Cassy grabbed latex gloves from her purse and went to Tom's side. She then saw the envelope lying on the bed. "Murdock?" she whispered.
Tom shrugged his shoulders. Cassy slid the gloves on her hands, opened the envelope and tipped it upside down. A small cassette tape wrapped in a piece of paper slid out.
Cassy held the tape up to the light. "McCarthy's confession," she concluded. Tom nodded in agreement.
She then opened the piece of paper. Her forehead creased as she read the message it contained.
"What?" Tom asked, straining to look over her shoulder.
"It's from Murdock," she commented.
Tom frowned. "What's it say?"
Cassy swallowed before speaking again. "It says, 'I gave you back your life. You owe me.'"
The End