"Oh... okay," Alice stammered, feeling slightly embarrassed by her previous negative thoughts.

"We would never turn away from you because you have some... issues, Alice," Jody continued her reassurance. "Now, if you were a chainsaw murderer, it might be different," she gently joked, happy to see a smile on the girl's face.

But the smile was quickly replaced by a worried expression and a pair of troubled blue eyes was cast down, clearly avoiding Jody's friendly gaze.

"What... " Alice moistened her suddenly dry lips, while her heart hammered in her chest. Images from her dreams floated back into her memory. The smell of soot and fire, the feeling of a body underneath her hands, the pleading eyes of... somebody she once knew, she was sure of that. But who?

"What if... I did... ," she swallowed hard and Jody saw the slender body shiver in horror. " ... kill somebody? Maybe that's why I don't remember. Maybe I blocked it out," she whispered in despair.

Their conversation had taken an unexpected turn and Jody fell silent for a moment, pondering over Alice 's words. What if Alice was right? What if the girl had... No!

Jody mentally slapped herself for her thoughts and slowly shook her head. That was impossible. True, she had only known Alice for a very short time, but there was nothing about the shy teenager that indicated she would have a criminal past. Of course, she could be badly mistaken, but Jody was a person who usually followed her instincts. And they had never guided her wrong before, so she decided to go with her feelings and see where they would lead her.

" Alice , I understand you worry about the meaning of your dreams, because you have no recollection of the past, but hear me out, okay?" Jody spoke in a quiet, but determined voice.

"I have only known you for a short time, but I already know a few things about you. For starters, you rescued my mom from those two thieves. That was a courageous and utterly unselfish thing to do. To me that means that you are a good, honest person. You could have turned around and walked away, but you didn't. You cared about what happened to my mom. And that tells me a lot about who you are, Alice . Somehow I don't think a murderer would have done the same thing. Do you?"

Jody looked at Alice 's bowed head and after a few moments saw the girl slowly shake her head.

"Another thing I have learned about you is that you seem to be very modest. You were the one with the bad dream and then you worry about whether you are a burden to us. I don't think bad people would be so modest and considerate, Alice . So, if you would ask me if I would think you could be responsible for somebody else's death, I'd say åNo'. I don't believe that."

Jody's gently spoken words seemed to touch a place inside of Alice that had been empty and cold for a very long time. It was a hidden part of herself that had been filled with insecurity, despair, guilt and shame. A gathering of feelings that she had tried to ignore, but that had managed to creep into her dreams in the middle of the night. Usually when she was too exhausted to fight her dark thoughts and shattered memories. When there was no defence against the demons of her nightmares.

Jody's heartfelt words had brought a ray of hope and Alice could feel the warmth they radiated. Like gentle hands, tentatively reaching out to bring a healing touch. Careful not to scare her away, or frighten her. It was a sensation she was not used to and the hope it brought along, filled her with wonder.

Somebody believed in her. But it also brought back the pain she had been trying to push away for such a long time. Like a huge wave it came rolling towards her and no matter what she would do, there was no way for Alice to avoid the impact. Instinctively reaching out for Jody, she squeezed her eyes shut and let the emotions hit her with breath taking force.

Jody grabbed the seeking hands and felt Alice 's fingers close around her own with a painful grip. She winced but managed to suppress a moan, not wanting to make Alice feel any worse than the girl already did.

She could feel Alice 's hot tears fall on the back of her hands and for a moment Jody closed her eyes, her empathy causing her to share some of the pain the teenager was going through. During a few moments of insecurity she seriously wondered if they would be able to actually help the troubled teenager. But then Jody remembered something her father-in-law had said during his speech on their wedding:

" Girls, I could be a bore and ruin this perfectly happy day with a long speech about how to make a relationship work. But I won't, since it's really very simple. Let love be your guide. Love will help you to overcome things like pride, mistakes and insecurities. Love is a force to be reckoned with. It's the most powerful thing there is, don't ever doubt that."

Jody felt a warm feeling settle around her heart and she smiled.

"Thanks, dad."

Her sharp ears picked up the sound of a door closing and with relief Jody realized Sam was back, hopefully bringing Trishia along, who might know what to do. Although her initial feelings of panic and worry had been replaced by a feeling of gentle determination to, somehow, be there for Alice and support the girl by providing a home and friendship. Still Alice would probably need the help from a professional, who would hopefully know how to trigger her memories and be a guide to the girl and help her deal with her nightmares and complicated emotions.

Soft voices in the kitchen told her Sam was talking to Fiona and Jody wondered if she should leave Alice alone for a moment and hear from Sam what Trishia had said. But one look at Alice 's, still bent head, made her decide against that. It was obvious the girl was in distress and after having confided in her, Jody did not want to leave her. Not while she was still upset. So, instead of leaving Alice , she scooted a little closer. Without letting go of her hands, she put her cheek against a patch of soft, blond hair and softly smiled when the girl rested her head against her shoulder, steadily staining Jody's t-shirt with the still flowing tears.

"Great idea, Fiona, thanks," Sam praised the girl when she came back into the kitchen and saw the steeping tea. "I need a nice cup of that."

"Are Trishia and Lucy coming as well?" Fiona asked, putting some cups on the kitchen table. She cast a look at Sam and saw the slightly confused look on the tall woman's face.

"Don't worry, I know everything about the busted water pipe," Fiona deadpanned, seeing Sam's confusion increase. "Jody told me."

"Oh... um... she did, did she? Well... yeah. Good," Sam stuttered, not really knowing how to respond to the teenager's inquisitive eyes.

Inwardly she winced, knowing how hard it must have been for Jody to come up with a reasonable explanation for Trishia's and Lucy's presence in the guest house. Although her partner had a very vivid imagination, Sam knew she was a terrible liar.

But it didn't take the blond woman long to regain her composure. She accepted the mug of steaming tea from Fiona with a grateful smile and casually leaned against the counter top, answering Fiona's piercing stare with a raised eyebrow.

"Must be really awful, to come home and find your apartment flooded," she dryly remarked, sipping her tea.

"I bet," Fiona answered, thoroughly enjoying the game. "They must have been really upset."

"Well, you know Trishia, she's pretty down to earth, so... ."

"Yeah, I guess she is," Fiona agreed, pouring a cup of tea for herself. "I feel sorry for them. I know they were tired when they left here and they must have really wanted to go to bed."

Fiona couldn't hide the amusement in her voice and from the corner of her eye she saw Sam's clear blue eyes looking at her with an expression of total distrust. It almost made her chuckle, but she decided to play the game as long as she could.

"Coming home to a mess like that and then having to drive all the way back here... " Fiona paused and waited for Sam's reaction, which was one of a cool indifference. But Fiona knew Sam better than that and she knew her sister-in-law had caught on to the game, when she saw the twinkle in her eyes.

"Such a trouble to go through, Lucy's place would have been so much closer and convenient," she managed to get out without laughing.

Sam took another sip of her tea, while her blue eyes took in the dark haired teenager, who was sitting at the kitchen table, trying hard to present an innocent picture.

Slowly nodding Sam stepped closer and put her mug down on the table, resting her hands on the smooth wooden surface and leaning close towards Fiona, who did not show any sign of discomfort. Instead her dark green eyes reflected the amusement that was starting to show in Sam's.

"You, Fiona McDonnell, are way too smart for your own good, you know that? I hope you didn't make Jody squirm, because she doesn't deserve that and you know it."

"No, I didn't," Fiona answered. "You know she's a lousy liar, I saw straight through her little story. But Jody promised to tell me why Trishia and Lucy are here as soon as she can. In the meantime, I just keep my ears and eyes open. I guess that won't hurt, huh?"

"I guess not," Sam mumbled, not knowing whether to be amused or annoyed by Fiona's attitude. But then she realized that although Fiona was only a fifteen year old teenager, at times she had proven to be very mature. The way she had handled their captivity when they were taken hostage at Sarah's and Megan's house, just a year ago when she was only fourteen, had been very impressive.

And Sam knew the girl well enough to realize that Fiona could be very reliable and dependable, as long as she was treated with honesty. So she decided to discuss the situation with Trishia and ask the policewoman to inform Fiona about what was going on. After knowing the truth, the teenager could be a great ally in their efforts to keep Alice safe.

"Listen, Fi. I will talk to Trish about it, all right? Personally I think it's a good idea to keep you informed, but... "

"It's probably a police case and you need permission," Fiona added with an insight that never ceased to amaze Sam.

"Exactly," the tall woman grinned, when she saw Fiona's mischievous smirk. "You are such a smart ass! I promise I will do my best, okay? But I have one request. In the meantime, please, do as you're told?"

Fiona wanted to make a smart remark, but when her eyes met Sam's she saw the serious look in those clear blue eyes, she swallowed down her words and silently nodded.

Unexpectedly Sam bent over and quickly kissed her cheek.

"Thanks, Fi," she sighed, knowing that Jody's sister would keep her promise. The teenager might be annoying and opinionated at times and often so self assured she was almost arrogant, but Sam knew she was also a caring person, who would rather chew off her right arm than to hurt or disappoint her family. Especially her eldest sister.

Fiona was spared an answer, because the door was opened and a tired looking Trishia and a sleepy looking Lucy entered the kitchen. Lucy's long, dark hair was in unusual disarray and she was wearing her t-shirt inside out. It was perfect ammunition for a great teasing session, but Fiona pursed her lips and courageously decided to let it go. Instead she silently filled two more mugs with steaming hot tea. When she put one in front of Lucy and handed the other one to the still standing Trishia, Sam sent her a grateful wink. In answer Fiona smiled and quickly sat back in her chair, deciding to become invisible and try to find out as much as she could.

"Thanks, Fi, I needed that," Lucy mumbled, burying her nose in her mug and inhaling the scent with a groan of pleasure.

Trishia smiled at the dark haired teenager and even though she was very tired, her brain was working full speed and she was wondering how much Fiona had learned already and how much more they should give away.

Again, the responsibility to keep Lucy's family safe weighed heavy on her shoulders and Trishia knew she could not afford to make any mistakes. She had come through for them before. But could she do it again?

It was as if Sam could read her thoughts, because suddenly she felt a strong hand briefly touch her shoulder to give her an encouraging squeeze. When she looked up, it was straight into a pair of knowing blue eyes that looked at her with a sense of trust and compassion. And even though Sam was not a police officer, Trishia knew she could rely on the woman to keep a watchful eye on their loved ones. Sam had proven before to be smart, strong and courageous.

And suddenly Trishia felt part of the load being lifted from her shoulders. She had the support of a whole police team, her partner Peter, whom she knew would go through hell and back for her. And she had Sam, who had become one of her best friends and who was reliable and solid as a rock.

Trishia took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, shooting Sam a grateful smile. They could do it. No matter what or how, together they could keep their family safe.

"Why don't I bring Jody and Alice a cup of tea as well?" she suggested. "I am sure they can use one."

Sam nodded and poured the fragrant liquid into two more cups, handing them to Trishia on a small tray.

"I'll be here. I don't think invading Alice would be a good idea."

"Thanks, Sam," Trishia smiled, taking the tray and placing her own mug on it as well.

She was about to leave the kitchen when Fiona's voice stopped her.

"Last door on the left," the teenager helpfully provided. "Unless you want to scare the living daylights out of mom."

"Thanks, Fi," Trishia chuckled, leaving the kitchen and disappearing in the hall.

"Mom is still asleep?" Lucy asked. "Amazing."

"She had a rough day," Fiona yawned. "She could hardly keep her eyes open after dinner, didn't you notice?"

Lucy mumbled something unintelligent and took another sip of her tea. She did not want to admit it to her younger sister, but she had not noticed their mother being so tired. It made her feel guilty, but admitting that to Fiona, of all people, would not be a smart thing to do. Her youngest sister was capable of reminding her about that until the end of time.

Fiona cast a curious look at Lucy and shrugged her shoulders. Some things never changed and Lucy had always been the one who had difficulty waking up.

Trishia opened the door, careful not to spill any of the hot tea. She smiled at Jody and looked around for a place to put down her tray. Jody pointed at the night stand and let out a content sigh.

"Thanks, Trish, you are a life saver," she smiled.

"Don't thank me," Trishia objected. "Thank your sister, she made it. I am just the delivery person."

From the corner of her eye, Trishia had noticed that as soon she had set foot into the room, the girl had tensed. Her blue eyes had quickly travelled between Trishia and Jody and the expression on her face had become one of caution.

Jody had noticed the change in Alice as well. The moment Trishia had stepped into the room, she had felt Alice 's hand painfully squeeze her own. And the body that had finally relaxed a little immediately went rigid again. Jody had felt it in the shifting of the muscles in Alice 's arm.

She wondered why the tall policewoman had that effect on the teenager. Jody had only noticed Trishia being kind to Alice . As far as she knew, there was no reason for Alice to fear Trishia. Maybe it was something that had happened in the past. It was possible that Alice 's previous experiences with law enforcement had not been friendly at all.

Alice became aware of the fact that she was still squeezing Jody's hand and although the green eyed woman did not show any signs of discomfort, Alice knew that the vice like grip had to hurt. Quickly she let go, shooting Jody an apologetic look. But Jody smiled and gently patted Alice 's back.

"She knows," Alice thought to herself, feeling sadness well up from deep within her soul. "Jody knows that Trishia scares me. Damn. Why do I always have to make a mess of things?"

Alice cast down her eyes, so she wouldn't have to look at either Jody or Trishia. Her fingers nervously drew circles on the cotton sheet.

"Here, Alice , have some tea," Jody's soft voice suddenly sounded.

Alice took the mug that Jody was holding in front of her and only then she noticed how badly her hands were shaking. Jody's quick reflexes prevented the hot tea from spilling and burning her bare legs underneath the thin cotton sheets.

Ashamed Alice bent her head and Trishia and Jody could hear a soft, but heart wrenching sob coming from the slender body. For a brief moment Jody closed her eyes and swallowed hard. It would do Alice no good to see her cry, but her heart ached for the young girl who had been so badly damaged in life already. She shot Trishia a questioning look, which the tall woman answered with an attempt to smile.

Trishia debated with herself on how to proceed. She felt responsible for Alice and for a moment she wondered if it had been such a good idea after all, to take the girl with her to Murrook Farm. But the thought of a murderer on the loose who was possibly looking for Alice , quickly convinced her that her decisions had been right.

It was obvious that, for some reason, Alice did not trust her. Every time Trishia came near the girl, her whole demeanor changed. She visibly tensed, clammed up or became gruff and defensive. Still, Trishia knew she was responsible for the girl and she really wanted to help her. But it was clear she first had to gain the teenager's trust. Until would happened, Trishia knew she had to rely on Sam and, especially Jody, since she seemed to be the only one who could reach the girl.

Having made a decision, Trishia looked at Alice 's bent head with a look of calm determination. No matter how many times the girl would push her away, she would do her utmost to keep the girl safe.

"I know you don't trust me, Alice," her low voice calmly broke the silence. "I don't know if that's because I am cop or for some other reason. I am here to help you and... "

"You just want to send me back," Alice interrupted. Her voice was a mixture of anger, sadness and despair. "You are all alike."

"Send you back where, Alice ?" Trishia asked.

Alice clenched her hands into fists. She could feel the anger rise inside her body. It was intense and hot and it made her feel like she could erupt at any moment. Part of her wanted to do that. It would be such a relief to jump up and scream at the policewoman to leave her alone. To mind her own business and pretend to be the good cop to other people, who might believe it.

Another part of Alice tried to calm her racing heart, while a soft, soothing voice in the back of her mind kept telling her over and over again that it was not Trishia's fault. The woman only wanted to help. Like Jody. And Sam. And Joan and Fiona.

Slowly Alice could feel the surge of negative energy subside and unconsciously her body relaxed. It was not Trishia's fault, she knew that. But somehow, being around the tall policewoman was hard and Alice did not know why. If only she could explain why Trishia had that effect on her.

"You don't like me much, do you, Alice ?" Trishia said, interrupting Alice 's musings.

It was more a statement than it was a question. And Trishia's voice held no accusation or anger, just a friendly calmness. It had the desired effect, because the teenager's shoulders slumped and Alice could feel a blush creep up her cheeks.

"No," the girl finally answered and then added, almost inaudible: "Sorry."

"No worries," Trishia responded. "You don't have to like me. I understand you are pissed at me, because I make you do things you don't want to do. And I know it sounds tacky, but I am concerned about you. A girl your age shouldn't roam the streets, with no place to stay. It's not safe."

Trishia took a sip of her tea and studied Alice 's, still bent head. It was hard to tell what the impact of her words were, but the teenager's body language showed Trishia that at least she was listening.

"I didn't get up this morning with the idea to get a kid off the streets and annoy them to death. Because of the mugging our paths crossed and now I am responsible for your well being, Alice . I know you don't like it, but it can't be changed. All I ask of you is to try and answer my questions to the best of your ability. We don't have to become friends, but a civil working relationship would be nice."

Trishia took another sip of tea and gave Alice a few moments to digest her words.

"I don't remember much," Alice finally answered. This time her voice held no trace of hostility.

"I know," Trishia responded. "We will work with the things you do remember and just take it from there. And it's amazing how much dreams sometimes tell us."

Alice shot Trishia a quick look and for a moment their eyes locked. There was only honest concern in the policewoman's glance and immediately Alice felt a sense of relief. Somehow she knew that Trishia would not push her.

"I guess it's hard for you to tell me about your nightmares," Trishia said, sending Jody a quick smile. "But if it is alright with you, maybe Jody can tell me about it later."

Trishia knew she didn't need Alice 's permission. But she wanted the girl to feel her opinion was important and realize that Trishia would not treat her unfairly.

Alice softly snorted and when she looked up again, both Trishia and Jody could see a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"You would make her tell you anyway."

Trishia smiled and was pleased with Alice 's unexpected display of humor. It was obvious the girl was intelligent and could be quick witted as well.

"I could," Trishia admitted with a grin. Glad to see some of the former tension had dissipated. "But your cooperation matters a lot to me."

"I... it's just that... it's hard," Alice stammered. "My dreams are not exactly... normal, you know."

"I understand if it's hard for you to talk about it. Is it okay for Jody to tell me about them later?"

Alice did not look up, but Trishia saw the blond head nod and she silently congratulated herself with this tiny victory.

"Good. Is there anything I can do for you right now, Alice ? You need to know I will call our psychologist in the morning and set up an appointment. I think it's a good idea to talk to her."

"I don't need a... psychologist," Alice mumbled, but she didn't sound convinced.

"I know I cannot make you, all I ask is to see her once. Then you can decide for yourself. Alright?"

Alice shrugged her shoulders and bit her lip. She wanted to refuse. The idea of letting a stranger inside of her head frightened her. But Trishia had promised she only had to see her once. So maybe she should go with the flow and do just that. Once.

"Okay," she finally mumbled.

"Thank you," Trishia softly said, before smiling at Jody and leaving the room again.

Jody stared at the empty space where, just a moment before Trishia had been standing. Her head was spinning. Lack of sleep, combined with stress, worry and a million different thoughts, made it hard to think. So she decided to not even bother. The first priority was to get Alice settled in and then get some much needed sleep herself.

Jody's thoughts drifted to Sam and involuntarily she smiled when she felt a familiar warmth spread through her body. Even though they were not in the same room, Jody could almost feel her presence. If she closed her eyes she could feel Sam's arms wrapping themselves around her and pulling her close. Always giving her love and support and a sense of belonging. She was safe in Sam's arms.

With a sudden crystal clear insight, Jody realized that Alice did not have that. There was nobody who could give her comfort. Who would listen to her talk. Nobody who could offer a shoulder to lean on, or lend a hand for support. Nobody. At all.

Looking down at the blond head Jody felt the tears sting the back of her eyes when she realized how lonely the girl must have been. And probably still was.

Her thoughts went back to Trishia's story about the murder and how somebody was probably trying to hurt Alice . She could not help thinking about the å what if' s' . What if her mom had not tried to help out the girl? Alice would not have been in the park in front of The Reef when her mother was being mugged. Their paths would not have crossed and maybe the killer would have been able to hurt Alice . Or worse.

Jody felt a shiver run down her spine and reached out to gently rub Alice 's back. It was like she needed that contact to reassure herself that the teenager was safe. Nothing had happened to her. But what if it had? Would somebody have cried over Alice ?

The slow rubbing of her back had a soothing effect on Alice and she could feel her eyes grow heavy. The day had left her tired, the nightmare and the outburst of emotions had left her exhausted. Alice tried to suppress a yawn, but failed miserably, which made Jody smile.

"Are you ready to try and go back to sleep?" she softly asked, brushing away a strand of hair from Alice 's forehead, without even realizing she was doing so.

The kind gesture almost brought back the tears to Alice 's eyes, but the teenager was able to will them away. She mentally slapped herself for almost losing it again and wondered what was wrong with her. Normally Alice would try to analyze her lack of control, but now she was just too worn out. Her body felt heavy and all she wanted to do was sleep.

"Go to sleep, Alice ," Jody smiled, watching the teenager sink back in the pillow.

Dark eyelashes fluttered when Alice still tried to keep her eyes open, but it was a lost fight. With a deep sigh she finally closed her eyes and Jody watched the girl fall into a deep sleep. Within moments Alice 's breathing was deep and regular and when Jody got up from her position on the edge of the bed, Alice did not even move.

Careful not to make any noise, Jody collected the mugs and tray and turned off the lamp on the night stand. Quietly she made her way to the door, not needing a light to guide her way. Before closing the door of the bedroom behind her, she cast one last look on the peacefully sleeping girl.

"Sleep well, sweetie," she whispered. "I promise we will do anything to keep you safe."

"I am getting old," Lucy mumbled when she and Trishia made their way back to the little guest house. "There were times when I came home when the sun was rising, after partying all night and I still had some energy left. Right now I feel like a wet tea towel."

Trishia cast a look aside and smiled. The darkness of the night was fading and the blackness of the sky had turned into a dark grey, while the horizon heralded the rising of the sun, by painting it a soft pink. Soon it would be daylight.

"Well, I can reassure you," Trishia's low voice rumbled. "You don't look like one."

"Goodie," Lucy sighed, reaching out and grabbing Trishia's hand.

She looked up at the tall woman and answered the smile that was sent her way.

"You know, senior sergeant Waters, we should walk up that hill and watch the sunrise."

"Oh, my, Miss McDonnell," Trishia feigned shock. "Are you a closeted romantic?"

"You know I am," Lucy snorted, standing still and wrapping her arms around Trishia's waist and burying her face against a muscular shoulder. "Don't you remember our first kiss?"

"Oh, yes, I do," Trishia answered with a husky voice, all traces of her teasing had disappeared. "How could I ever forget?"

"It was so nice," Lucy mumbled dreamily. "On the beach, with the sound of the waves, the feel of a nice breeze and the soft sand."

Trishia's arms slid around Lucy's body to pull her closer. She rested her cheek on soft, dark hair and closed her eyes.

"It was amazing," she mused, feeling her heart rate pick up just remembering. "You are amazing."

Lucy raised her head from its comfortable spot and looked up at Trishia. Their eyes locked and for a moment time seemed to stand still. Without breaking their gaze, Lucy reached up to let her hand lovingly trace Trishia's face. There was enough light to see the passion and desire in the policewoman's eyes grow and Lucy swallowed hard, feeling her body responding to the look of want that was directed her way.

It would have been so easy to give in to the feeling, to capture Trishia's lips and kiss her senseless. But Lucy and Trishia could feel that something was happening between them and both were reluctant to break the magic spell that allowed them to look into each other's souls.

It was a timeless, breathtaking moment that touched the deepest parts of their hearts. The feeling was so profound it brought tears to Lucy's eyes.

"I am falling deeper and deeper," she finally whispered, feeling a tear roll down her cheek.

Trishia's eyes followed the moist track with a look of wonder and she raised her hand to brush away the lonely, salty drop.

She could not explain what just had happened, but she did know it was something unexpected and beautiful. Her heart was pounding in her chest and ready to explode from the abundance of love and happiness she felt. There were so many things she wanted to tell the woman in her arms. She wanted to pour out her soul and tell her about her deepest feelings, her biggest fears and most secret dreams. But when she finally spoke, it was short, but from the deepest part of her heart.

"I love you," she whispered, feeling the words deep down in the essence of her being.

"And I love you," Lucy answered, knowing she had said it before, but somehow this time it was different. It was deeper, stronger and all compassing.

They both smiled and without breaking their gaze, Lucy pulled Trishia's face down. Only when their lips touched, they closed their eyes and let themselves drift away on a wave of tenderness and quiet passion that gradually increased in intensity, until they were both softly moaning, while their bodies were pressed so close, only Trishia's muscular arms and legs prevented them from falling over.

After what seemed like an eternity, they breathlessly broke apart and looked at each other with unveiled desire.

"If we don't get back to the guesthouse right now, I will scandalize my family," Lucy warned in a voice that was rough with emotion.

Trishia swallowed hard and tried to clear her mind, which was hard, because the idea of lowering Lucy down in the fragrant, cool grass and ravishing her right there and then was very appealing to her, although not wise.

"Or I will," she croaked, which made Lucy smile.

Lucy untangled herself from Trishia's strong arms and grabbed her hand, pulling her with her.

"Come," she simply said.

"Definitely," Trishia joked, having regained some of her composure.

Lucy chuckled and took in a deep breath of fresh morning air. The tall policewoman obediently followed her to the guest house and as soon as the door closed behind them, she lifted Lucy into her arms and carried her to the bedroom.

A pair of trusting dark green eyes looked up at her with so much love and desire, it took her breath away. All fatigue and lack of sleep forgotten, Trishia lowered Lucy down on the bed and immediately felt a pair of impatient hands slip underneath her shirt.

"I thought you wanted to sleep," Trishia gently teased, feeling her desire grow when Lucy's hands cupped her breasts.

"I do," Lucy breathed. "Later...much later."

When Lucy and Trishia had gone back to the guesthouse, Sam and Jody had finished another cup of tea. And after sending Fiona back to bed, they were finally able to crawl back into their comfortable bed themselves.

"Oh, this feels so good," Jody sighed closing her eyes and feeling her body relax. "What an incredible night this has been."

"Yes," Sam admitted with a yawn. "And I am afraid it's only the beginning. I don't want to preach doom and gloom, but I really think this is a very serious situation we are in, honey."

"Poor Alice ," Jody whispered sadly. "You know, Sam, that girl has seen a lot of bad things, I am sure of it."

Sam scooted closer to the smaller body next to her and wrapped Jody in her arms, trying to give her partner the comfort she obviously needed.

"Does it bother you that Trishia suggested to talk about it in the morning? I mean, if you want to talk about it now, you can. You know that, don't you?"

"I do," Jody smiled, softly kissing Sam's shoulder her head was resting against. "And Trishia's suggestion didn't bother me, at all. In fact, I welcomed it. I need to digest the things Alice has been telling me. I want to have a clear head when I repeat the things she told me. Besides, Fiona was present."

"Yes, we need to talk to Trishia about that as well," Sam sighed. She snuggled closer and let out a small chuckle. "She didn't believe your story about the flooded apartment."

"I know," Jody groaned. "I felt so stupid. I hate lying."

"Don't worry about it, sweetie," Sam comforted her. "In the morning we will talk to Trishia and come up with a way to tell the girls something."

"Okay," was the sleepy answer and Sam smiled when she saw that Jody was fighting to keep her eyes open. "I still wanted to massage your leg."

She brought her face closer and softly kissed first one eyelid and then the other.

"Don't worry about my leg. Go to sleep, love."

"Night, honey," Jody whispered barely audible.

"Sleep well, sweetie," was Sam's answer.

Jody let out a deep sigh, snuggled even closer to Sam's taller body and was asleep within seconds. Sam smiled when she looked down at the sleeping woman in her arms and again she felt her heart swell with love and tenderness. It still filled her with wonder every time she looked at her wife and realized that they were together. Every morning when she woke up and looked at the woman next to her, she said a silent prayer of gratitude for having Jody in her life.

Trishia's words suddenly echoed in her mind and Sam involuntarily shivered.

"We have every reason to believe that Alice is in danger. Somebody is looking for her. Why, we don't know. ........But, somehow, Alice and the murderer know each other... .."

Sam realized that if Trishia would be right, they would probably become personally involved, since Alice was their guest.

"Who am I kidding?" Sam scolded herself. "We are involved already. There is a nutcase out there, looking for the girl, for heaven knows what kind of sick reasons. If the police don't catch him soon, he will end up here and we will be in the middle of it. Damn!"

The panic Sam felt rising constricted her chest and for a few fearful moments robbed her of her breath. Her heart was beating so fast, she could hear the blood humming in her ears.

"Don't lose it, Sam," a calm voice sounded in the back of her mind. "You have been through worse, remember? Most likely, this is just one person. Just be careful. Work with the police and you will all be safe. Trishia told you they have a head start. With a little luck they can stay one step ahead of this... person and it will be over before you know it."

Again Sam cast a look at the sleeping woman in her arms and all of a sudden her racing heart calmed and she was able to breathe again. Her fear melted away and was replaced by a feeling of calm determination.

"Focus, Sam," she whispered to herself.

The most important person in her life was Jody. And if necessary Sam would move heaven and earth to keep her safe. And she would do the same for her family and friends. And for Alice .

Sam pulled Jody even closer into her arms and smiled when the sleeping woman unconsciously nuzzled her neck. Her blue eyes stared at the window where, through a crack in the blinds, she could see the darkness was shifting and the dawn had arrived.

"Nobody touches my family," Sam whispered to herself. "Nobody."

She lay there, not moving, because she did not want to wake her sleeping lover. Only the occasional blinking of her eyes indicated that Sam was very much awake. She was aware of the danger they all could be in and, practical as she was, she did not want to solely rely on the police to keep them safe.

So Sam started to weigh her options and with an ease born from experience in the business world, she started to look at the situation they were in from every possible angle. Now and then she made a mental note to ask Trishia for clarification about certain things. She would need a heart-to-heart talk with the policewoman anyway, because Sam had no intention of sitting on the sidelines, just watching and waiting.

When the first rays of the sun tentatively touched the windowsill, Sam's eyes watched the shifting shadows in their bedroom and sighed.

It would be an interesting day.

Peter Jones had been up all night, pacing the office, reading old reports and keeping himself pumped up with mugs of black coffee, so strong it could easily be used for road construction.

After his phone conversation with Trishia, he had sunk down in his chair, feeling the anger well up in his chest. He had been a police officer for years and had seen his share of misery. But the suffering of young people and children, always hit him with a painful intensity.

Peter did not have the calm control his partner Trishia had, He was the hot head of the two and often Trishia had to jump in and keep him from doing something stupid. He had gotten better over the years, but still his temper sometimes got the better of him.

After receiving the fax messages from Perth and Sydney he and Phil Kanides had been on the phone for a long time, trying to gather as much information as they could. When there was nothing left to do that night, Peter had sent Phil home and had walked outside into the parking lot himself, to stretch his legs and get some fresh air. He had been breathing in the cool night air that was surprisingly fresh, with just a hint of salt in it.

For the first time since he quit smoking, Peter really craved a cigarette, but he knew that if he would give into it, he would be hooked again and he didn't want that. Just the image of the disappointment on his wife's face was enough to prevent him from jumping in his car and looking for a place where he could buy a pack of cigarettes.

A small smile tugged on the corner of his mouth when he pictured his wife, who would be fast asleep, since it was still early in the morning. He had called her before she went to bed. He had no specific reason, since he had already told her he would not be home for a while. He had just wanted to tell her that he loved her.

Her reaction had been one of pleasant surprise and Peter had noticed her tears were close to falling when she had told him to be careful. He had promised her he would and asked her to make sure all the doors and windows were shut and the alarm switched on.

If somebody would harm his family... .Peter shivered and felt the anger rise up again. The girl on the beach had barely been seventeen. The girl in Perth had been fifteen and the girl from Sydney had just turned eighteen the day before she was murdered. They had just been kids and Peter could not help wondering where their parents had been. Where were their fathers? Peter knew for a certainty that if he had a teenage daughter, he would protect her. She would not be roaming the streets at night and end up stabbed to death on a beach.

"Who are you kidding, Jones?" he snorted. "Those girls were all runaways, well the ones in Sydney and Perth were anyway. They must have had a reason to run. You know what reasons that could have been. For some kids, running away from home and living on the streets sometimes is better than staying at home. How sick and sad is that, huh? While parents are supposed to provide a safe and loving home, some kids have a damn good reason to not want to be around."

With a deep sigh, Peter stuffed his hands in the pockets of his cotton slacks and slowly turned around. He wanted to go over the information again, to see if he had missed anything. As soon as it would be a decent time to call her, he would update Trishia on the little information he had gathered. It was not much yet, just some facts about the murder scenes. The names of the girls and where they had been from. The murder weapon. Some pictures of the crime scene and a few reports. It wasn't much to go on, but at least it was better than nothing, Peter had reasoned.

A quick glance at his watch told him it was almost seven o'clock . Peter slowly walked back towards the building and dragged himself up the stairs to the first floor. He wanted to call Trishia, file away his notes and go home for a few hours of sleep.

With a big yawn he heavily sat down in his chair and looked at the paperwork on his desk. He decided to put it all together in a big envelope and lock it away in his desk drawer. He would go over it again later, with Trishia. Two could see more than one and a little rest would probably lift the fog that had seemed to have settled in his brain.

"What the heck," he mumbled to himself. "I will have some sleep first and then call Trishia. I can leave a message for her at the front desk."

Peter neatly stacked his notes and other paperwork and slipped it into an envelope, which was securely locked away in one of the drawers of his desk.

Pushing back his chair he stood up and purposefully strode out of the office, down the stairs, straight to his car. He made sure to roll down the window, so the cool morning air would hopefully keep him awake. Without looking back he pulled out and left the parking area, mingling with the traffic of the morning rush.

A pair of muddy brown eyes in a clean shaven face watched him leave. Only when he had completely disappeared out of sight, the figure stepped out of his vehicle and walked towards the entrance of the police station.

 

To be continued in part 9

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