Chapter Text
The Guide Finds a Sentinel
By Franscats
Detective Jim Ellison glared at Captain Simon Banks as the latter removed his glasses and pinched the end of his nose to relieve some tension. “Look Jim, I’m sorry but the regulations state that an unbounded sentinel cannot investigate a crime scene without a temporary guide.”
“So find me a different one,” Jim answered with exasperation. “There has to be someone available besides Cassie Welles.”
“You know she’s the only unbonded guide in central booking right now.”
“I know why she’s unbonded,” Jim muttered angrily.
Simon ignored the comment with a glare of his own. “Look you either work crime scenes with her or stay away from them and use CSU’s reports for your investigations.” Simon didn’t add like the rest of us non sentinels do.
Jim gave a sigh knowing that there was nothing he or Simon could do about the policy. He watched as Simon stood from behind his desk walking over to his coffee pot and pouring two cups of coffee. Handing one to Jim he added, “Who knows she may grow on you. I know she’s a bit over enthusiastic.”
“She’s pushy and oversteps her role,” Jim corrected.
Simon nodded. He’d heard this before from Jim, and, in truth, knew it was true. Cassie Welles was a forensic expert but wanted to be a detective and sometimes tried to be one even if it stepped on detectives’ toes. “Maybe you might decide she’d be a good guide and decide-“
“Don’t say it,” Jim cut him off. “I’d turn in my badge before bonding with her.”
“In that case,” Simon answered with a smug smile, “make sure you go the Institute tonight. There’s a matching meeting.”
With a groan, Jim stalked out of the office, coffee forgotten.
A matching meeting was very much like one of those speed dating services. Sentinels, people with enhanced senses and Guides, people with the empathic ability to support sentinels, would come from around the West Coast to Rainier’s Guide Institute and the groups would move around the small tables meeting at ten minute intervals until the entire room had been covered.
Sentinels and guides would fill out paperwork based on these short introductions and see if further meetings were warranted, all in the hopes of finding a partner. Very, very, rarely a soul pairing would emerge from the process, an almost instant bond forging.
Jim hated these meetings but he was, as an unbonded sentinel, required to attend them.
Not wanting a guide, he had never put himself out and taken the time to get to know the guides at these meets and he certainly didn’t believe in a soul pairing for himself.
Pulling up at Rainier that evening, Jim parked as far from the front of the building as he could so he wouldn’t need to talk with other sentinels and guides as he entered and made his way through the back of Hargrove Hall. The meeting was held in a large sound proofed room in the basement. Decorated as a café, with soft lighting, the room was actually comfortable, the designers having kept sentinel needs in mind as they designed it. As he walked down the basement hall, a young man popped out of storage room #3 followed by a pretty young woman.
“I didn’t know you were looking for a sentinel Blair,” she said as they walked down the hall oblivious to Jim ten feet behind them.
“I’m not,” he answered.
“Then why are you going to the matching meeting?”
Blair chuckled. “I’m writing a paper on sentinel guide interactions and the only way you can get in to a matching meeting is if you’re looking for a bond with a sentinel or a guide,” he answered as the pair turned the corner and started down another hall.
“But what if you find a match?”
Blair glanced around not seeing anyone, unaware of Jim ten feet behind and just around the corridor. Still, the young man lowered his voice, “I doubt that’s going to happen. I looked at the list of sentinels going tonight: three fire fighters from Tacoma, three search and rescue sentinels from Seattle, five insurance investigators from Olympia and a cop from Cascade.”
“Okay,” the girl answered tossing back her long blonde hair, “I understand not bonding with someone from another part of the state but what about the cop? He’s from around here.”
“Ex-military and a cop. He probably has a poker up his ass. My Mom used to protest cops and talked about them as ‘jack booted tyrannical pigs.’ And while I won’t go that far in my assessment, I think they are a closed para military group. Not my scene.” The two stopped in front of the double doors that led to the meeting room, Blair giving the girl a quick peck on the cheek before turning and entering the hall, the girl continuing down to the exit.
Jim, who, with sentinel hearing, had overheard even the whispered conversation watched the guide go into the room. He couldn’t understand how anyone could expect him to want a stranger to come into his life and help him control his senses. Certainly, the guide who had just entered the room had his own agenda and was here on false pretenses. Why would anyone think Jim could trust any guide?
Scowling, he entered the room moving to the registration desk and signing in. At the end of the evening, he would be handed a card showing he had tried to find a guide. The PD required it of unbonded sentinels as did the fire department. Though both agencies recognized how important a sentinel was, because of the hazards of the job, both agencies considered unbonded sentinels in the field a danger and provided the sentinels with help. However, safety policies clearly stated that the sentinel must actively seek a guide. This was proof, in letter if not in spirit, that Jim had actively sought a guide this month.
Holding the papers he would fill out, he walked to the sentinel side as the Institute Director greeted them before starting the round robin.
Jim found no one of interest all night and was looking forward to leaving when the final round started. Moving into position he took a seat as the guide from the storage room sat down across from him. “Hi, I’m Blair,” he offered, pushing back long curly hair and offering his hand.
“Jim Ellison,” Jim replied, his voice clipped as he looked over the man ignoring the handshake. Realizing Jim was being completely unfriendly, Blair dropped his own hand and glanced at his papers.
“I see you’re a cop,” he offered conversationally deciding this one sentinel was a major counterpoint to the others he had studied all night. The others had been friendly, engaging, but Jim simply shrugged at Blair’s attempt at an introduction. “I guess being a cop you’d be suspicious of this process.”
“Yeah, the PD is full of us para military types with pokers up our asses. So we have to be careful of guides here on false pretenses.”
Blair’s head shot up, his face turning beet red with embarrassment as he heard his own words thrown back at him. “Oh man, you really heard that. Listen, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply-.”
“Forget it,” Jim stood and started across to the registration desk, Blair jumping up to follow. Descending on the receptionist, Jim demanded his card as Blair caught up to him.
“But Sentinel Ellison don’t you want to see if any guide was interested in exploring a bonding?”
“I wasn’t interested in anyone,” Jim answered and the woman nodded finding Jim’s card and stamping it.
As he turned toward the door Blair reached out a hand. “Listen man, I’m sorry. I was…” Blair stopped, an electric tingle running from his hand on Jim’s arm through his whole body. Practically, zoning himself, he looked up at the sentinel, really looking, as Jim yanked himself free of the grasp, and rushed out the door. “Oh man,” Blair pushed back his hair shaking his head to clear it. “That was something.”
“What?” the receptionist replied.
“That sentinel, he was…interesting,” Blair finished at last.
The receptionist nodded. “I’m afraid he wasn’t interested in bonding,” she answered looking over the cards. Blair nodded walking back to the table and taking his seat so he could look over Jim Ellison’s profile a bit more closely.
Blair hadn’t expected anything to come from the meet, he wasn’t looking for a sentinel but it seemed fate had a way of interfering in people’s plans because he was pretty damn sure that he was meant to have a soul pairing with Detective James Joseph Ellison of Major Crimes.
***
By the time Jim reached his truck he had convinced himself that the tingle he felt was not the precursor to the forming of a bond. He did not want a bond, period, and certainly not one with a hippie guide who was there to study sentinel guide interactions. Sighing, he leaned against his truck and took in some deep breaths, clearing his head.
Despite the fact that he told himself that Blair Sandburg, anthropological student, was not at all compatible and therefore not meant to be his guide, Jim was glad the student had been the last meeting of the night. He was tired, his senses were giving him some trouble and he needed to go home. He told himself that was why when the guide had touched him, his senses had reacted. Getting in his truck, Jim took off for home making sure that he had the card that recorded his attendance.
The next morning, Jim dropped the card on Rhonda’s desk before walking to his desk. The message light was blinking on his phone and he pressed play.
“Hello Detective Ellison, we met yesterday at the matching. My name is Blair Sandburg. I wanted to apologize for my comments. As an anthropologist, I know we should not hold once person to any societal perceived idea. Truthfully, I was trying to fit in with, hell,” Jim heard a chuckle. “I was trying to impress a girl who is totally anti-establishment. I really didn’t mean to insult you and I’d like to meet and talk with you.”
Jim looked down at his phone in surprise, not expecting to hear from the guide again. After all, the kid hadn’t been there looking for a sentinel. At the end of the message, he reached down to hit the delete with some annoyance. The kid had nerve bad mouthing cops to get a date. Dismissing the guide without any more consideration, Jim turned on his computer.
Two hours later, Jim had just gotten a call about a break in a case he was working on and was reaching for his coat when Blair Sandburg walked into the bullpen looking around, his large blue eyes wide open, as he scanned the busy room. Seeing Jim, he plastered on a smile and turned moving to the detective’s desk. “Detective Ellison,” he said softly.
Jim looked up and glanced over at Sandburg in surprise. “How did you get up here?” he demanded his voice reflecting annoyance.
“I told the officer downstairs that I was applying for a position with the PD.”
Jim shook his head at the lack of security in the PD. “I hope you got my message. I’m sorry about the comment.”
“Yeah, I got it and I’ve been called worse.”
“But not by a potential partner,” Blair insisted.
“Hold it right there Sandburg, I’m not looking for a guide. And you didn’t go to the meet looking for a sentinel.”
“But I found one, man. We are more than compatible. You have to have felt it. We’ve got the makings of a soul pairing.”
Jim snorted at Blair’s whispered statement and then turned picking up his keys. “I’m not interested,” he answered turning toward the door with a wave to Simon who was standing in his office door. “So, if you’ll excuse me,” he walked toward a young woman just arriving in the doorway. “Let’s go Cassie,” he stated gruffly and Blair watched Jim walk away.
Turning back, Blair hefted his backpack, his mind already working on finding another way to approach Jim Ellison. Looking around thoughtfully, Blair considered the room, and then smiled brightly as an idea occurred to him. Walking over to the secretary he looked down at the pretty woman behind the desk, putting on his most hopeful, not to mention most vulnerable, face. “Hi,” he said softly. “Is there someone here I could speak with about being an observer in Major Crimes?”
The secretary looked up and glanced at Simon still standing in the doorway where he had watched Jim wave the young man off. The Captain gave a slight nod of agreement before turning and entering his office.
“You could speak with Captain Banks,” she indicated the now closed door behind Blair. “I’ll see if he is available, Mr..?”
“Sandburg, Blair Sandburg.”
With a nod Rhonda walked over and knocked softly for protocol’s sake before entering the room. “Simon?” she questioned and the Captain glanced at her with a smile.
“I’m curious and a little suspicious,” he admitted. “Why did the kid talk to Jim? Send him in.”
Rhonda turned and walked back out. “Captain Banks will see you,” she held the door and Blair thanked her as he walked in. “Captain Banks, this is Blair Sandburg,” she stated as she turned and stepped outside closing the door behind the young man.
Simon Banks stood to greet his guest and Blair smiled at him. “Good morning Mr. Sandburg, can I help you?” he asked glancing over the young man’s colorful clothing with amusement. “Do you have a problem? I can get another officer to speak with you.”
“Uhm, no, not a problem, I, I met Detective Ellison last night and wanted to speak with him.”
Simon watched the young man thoughtfully, aware that Jim had been at the matching meeting and that he must have met the young man there. Guessing the man was a guide and deciding he needed more information he stepped forward. “Detective Ellison is going to be gone for a few hours. Maybe, I can help you.” Simon indicated Blair should take a chair. “I’m Simon Banks, Captain of Major Crimes.”
***
Three hours later, Simon Banks watched, through his blinds, as Jim and Cassie returned, Jim’s temper barely in check as he headed over to his computer, Cassie following. She was talking and Jim was doing his level best to ignore her as he logged in. Finally, Jim turned and with a snarl that could be heard through the open door of Simon’s office suggested she head back to her department.
Simon gave a sigh watching the pair. He really wished Jim would match with a guide and despite his teasing he knew Cassie Welles wouldn’t do. Jim could barely stand her. But with the right guide, Jim would be happy, Major Crimes would be happy, and the criminals would be in serious trouble. It would be a bonus if the guide worked for the PD. Simon could imagine the pairs closure rate would go through the roof, but even if he or she didn’t work for the PD, Jim’s senses would level out and he could use them better and work with someone besides Cassie Welles. She really was something of a distraction for him. Pulling out his cigar and sniffing it, Simon watched Jim sitting at the computer with a scowl on his face, his jaw set.
Simon could only guess Jim and Cassie Welles had been arguing about how to approach the case, again. After a few minutes, realizing she was getting nowhere, Cassie turned and stalked out of the bullpen and Jim breathed a sigh of relief. Throwing his coat on the back of his chair, Jim turned to check his messages as Simon came to the door.
“Ellison, my office.”
Jim looked up and then stood moving to Simon’s office.
“Sir?” Jim asked entering the room.
“Before you give me an update, I wanted to let you know we’re getting an observer for the next three months and he’s going to be traveling with you.”
“With me, why?”
“The observer, Blair Sandburg, is doing a paper on unbonded sentinel detectives in the PD.”
“Blair Sandburg,” Jim repeated. “He’s the kid who was here this morning. No, Simon.”
“Jim.”
“I’m not a lab rat,” Jim snarled.
“No one says you are. But the kid’s doing some research and the Commissioner okayed it.”
“Let him study some other sentinel.”
“You know we don’t have any other unbonded sentinels who’ve made it to detective’s rank and can work alone.” Simon paused and glanced at his detective. “Is there a reason why you can’t let him follow you?”
Jim took a deep breath. “I don’t think he should be allowed to study me without my consent. And before you say anything, I’m not consenting.”
“Jim, he wants to see how a sentinel handles the day to day investigations without a permanent guide. It could help a lot of sentinels.”
“He can see it somewhere else.”
“I’d let you battle this out with the Commissioner but I think you would try. It’s just for a few weeks and you don’t have to discuss anything but professional work. And he has to keep any information confidential. Hell, sic Cassie on him, but let him get his paper done.”
Jim realizing Simon wasn’t going to give in nodded after a moment, giving in none too gracefully. “Fine, but understand if something happens to him, it’s on your head.”
Simon didn’t like the sound of that but nodded placatingly. “Fine, now give me an update.”
Jim gave Simon an update on his cases and then went back to his desk to type up his reports, his body language suggesting he was still angry. Simon watched Jim go as he considered the conversation he had had with Blair Sandburg earlier. Sandburg had never said he was potentially Jim’s guide, not in words, but Simon wouldn’t be Captain if he wasn’t good at reading between the lines. The only problem he could for see would be between the two unbonded guides, both wanting to lay claim to the sentinel. Simon suspected the next three months were going to be loud and bumpy.
***
While Simon pondered the future and Jim fumed over the future, Blair spent the better part of the day filling out paperwork and getting medical forms in order, so he could observe at the PD. He knew if he stuck close to Jim, the sentinel would recognize him as his guide. Finally, finishing the mounds of paperwork, he went to Rainier and finding his academic advisor, Professor Hal Buckner, let him know about the study he was planning. He sold the idea pretty well, Professor Buckner and Anthropology Department Chair, Eli Stoddard, had seemed interested in the paper on the effects of being an unbonded sentinel in a high stress job and had given the green light for Blair to study the PD for the next three months with the stipulation that Blair meet his teaching obligations. Other than that, the Teaching Assistant was free to complete his research.
Going home, Blair set up his research, writing out his questions, thoughts and protocols for the research. His main reason for doing the study at this time was to be with Jim Ellison, sentinel.
But, the idea of this study had been in the back of his mind for a while, the research was legitimate. Writing the research paper would, in fact, help a lot of sentinels still looking for a job. As a bonus it would bring in some much needed cash.
Blair Sandburg was mentally going over the protocols and paperwork as he dressed a bit more conservatively than usual, even tying back his hair before going to Major Crimes the next day. Jim was already seated at his desk working when the guide arrived and pasting on a smile, Blair walked over to the desk, throwing a shadow across the papers Jim was reviewing.
“Hey, man,” he greeted. “Thanks for letting me be an observer. I have some paperwork you’ll need to fill out,” he stopped at Jim’s cold stare, “or I could fill it out for you and then you can sign it. It’s confidentiality agreements.”
“I didn’t agree,” Jim growled in response. “I wasn’t given a choice.”
“Right,” Blair stopped, the smile faltering momentarily, before casually leaning close so Jim would catch his scent. “I have to keep your name out of it. So you don’t have to worry about anything I publish. The paperwork says as much.”
Jim gave a dismissive glance at the paperwork and then back at Blair. “You have a lot of nerve coming in here to study me without my consent. I bet if I put in a complaint to Rainier they might agree.”
Blair sighed trying to think of a way to get past the walls Jim had erected. “Listen, I need to do this.” Blair stopped not saying why he needed to do it. It was, in his mind, just a little obfuscation. “And I’m more than willing to help in return. I’m really fast at typing and I’m great at writing reports. I bet you could use someone to type your reports,” Blair wheedled, trying to look his most pathetic. He didn’t think it would work until he saw the corners of Jim’s lips twitch with amusement.
“Okay,” Jim sighed giving in. “But we set a few ground rules, Sandburg.”
“Ground rules, right. I’m okay with ground rules.”
Jim stood, towering over the guide and Blair deliberately put a hand on Jim’s arm steadying himself, making sure he was in contact with (and in) the sentinel’s personal space. “Give me some room, Sandburg,” Jim growled in response and Blair stepped back. “That’s rule number one. Give me some room.”
“Sure man,” he answered, aware that Jim’s nostrils had flared scenting the guide. Blair knew the sentinel within Jim was cataloguing the scent.
Jim looked down into the expectant face of the young man and decided this was not going to work out well before turning toward the door. “I have to go down and see Samantha in forensics. A lot of police work involves following up on clues and leads. It’s not all car chases and shoot outs.”
“Of course I know that. And I’m an anthropologist, we study scenes and work from clues too,” Blair answered putting his pack down under Jim’s desk and following the detective out the door. In the elevator, he pulled out a small pad before glancing at the sentinel. “What are we checking in forensics?”
Jim looked over at the young man. “There’s been a series of convenience store robberies. Three men wearing ski masks, they come in separately, late at night, and case the joint. When the opportunity arises they rob the store at gun point. Unfortunately, the violence has been escalating as the perps get more comfortable. Last night I got a break, one of the perps dropped a cellphone.”
Blair nodded as they headed to the elevator. “Did you notice any unusual smells on the phone?”
“No.”
“Maybe since I’m a guide I can ground you and you can pick up something,” he offered, wanting very much to get the sentinel to focus his senses through Blair.
“Cassie was with me and I didn’t notice anything.”
“Cassie?” Blair asked cautiously, thinking if Jim was considering some other guide, Blair would have to find a way to get rid of her. Jim was Blair’s and there was no way he was going to let some other guide get between him and a soul bond with HIS SENTINEL.
“Cassie Welles, an unbonded guide who works for the PD,” Jim clarified, not noticing Blair clench his fists at the statement as they headed into the lab.
The lab was neat and clean with bottles and chemicals arranged around a workspace as Jim and Blair walked in and Blair thought it reminded him of the labs in Rainier as Jim greeted Samantha. “Hey Sam,” Jim walked over to the pretty brunette. “This is Blair Sandburg; he’s an observer from Rainier.”
“Hi Jim,” she glanced over at Blair. “Blair,” she said a bit more coolly.
“Samantha and I know each other socially,” Blair clarified as Jim glanced at Blair.
“We did,” she corrected. “Until he stood me up at a sushi restaurant.”
“I got the dates mixed up,” Blair explained.
“That’s what happens when you overbook,” Samantha answered coldly.
“Ouch,” Jim stated with a shake of his head considering the romantic ideas of the academic set. “Got anything for me?”
She held up the cellphone still in the plastic evidence bag. “I found a print on the battery. We’re running it through the database now.”
“How long until you get some results?”
“Maybe a couple of hours,” she offered and Jim nodded turning to go. “Can you give me a call as soon as you have the results?”
“Sure Jim, ah, Jim, can I talk with you a moment.” With a pointed look at Blair, she added, “in private.”
Jim glanced at Blair, “Could you wait outside?”
Nodding, wondering what Samantha had to say, Blair turned and walked out into the hall.
“A piece of advice, Jim,” Samantha said softly and Jim wondered what the forensic expert would say about Blair. “He’s a guide, so is Cassie. I’d keep the two of them far apart.”
“Why? I’m not bonded to either.”
Samantha chuckled. Though she was pissed at Blair, she had no great love for Cassie Welles either. The woman, despite being a forensic expert, seemed to belittle the importance of the forensic operations in investigations. Still, she wasn’t going to tell Jim that she had heard Cassie boasting that she was going to bond with Jim Ellison. “Let’s just say guides have a strange way of looking at unbonded sentinels.”
Jim nodded giving her a smile. “Thanks, let me know when you have the print.”
Out in the hall, Blair watched Jim emerge wondering what Samantha had to say. “Man, if she said something just because I had two dates that week and mixed them up, we were not in a committed relationship or anything, and-“
“Breathe, Romeo. What she discussed had nothing to do with your failed love life.”
Blair nodded falling into step with Jim as the detective headed back to Major Crimes. “So, what do we do now?”
“Now, I go work on another one of my cases. I have a case involving three dead bodies found in an abandon house on Birch.” Jim glanced thoughtfully at Blair. “I was going to look over the scene with Cassie this morning at ten.”
“We could go. I’m an accredited guide. I can help you.”
“I made an appointment with Cassie. As a matter of fact, she’s probably up in the bullpen rifling through my desk while waiting for me.”
“I’m sure she has other things to do,” Blair tried sounding reasonable and helpful as they headed back to Major Crimes. But Jim knew there was no way Cassie would give up on visiting the crime scene with him. Somehow she got it in her head that going with Jim gave her the right to investigate. And thinking over Samantha’s warning, Jim supposed she did have a thing about being a guide. Jim suspected Cassie would object to Sandburg replacing her in that role. Still, it would be nice not to have her interfering with his crime investigations. Maybe, just maybe, having Sandburg around for a few weeks might be useful.
“We’ll ask her,” Jim answered making his way into the bullpen. Sure enough, Cassie was standing by his desk, looking down at a photo of three men, obviously dead.
“Cassie does the word privacy mean anything to you?”
The forensic expert looked up, blushing. “I saw your notes about the case and I thought it would save us some time if I went over them.”
“Don’t,” Jim answered succinctly, before turning to Blair. “Cassie Welles meet Blair Sandburg. Sandburg is doing some research and will be traveling with me for the next couple of weeks.”
“Hello,” Cassie automatically put out her hand and Blair reached out their fingers touching. Immediately, Cassie knew Blair was a guide. Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him, sizing up the competition, before catching her composure. “What is your research on?” she asked to fill the silence as the combatants eyed each other, both aware of the prize standing beside them.
“Sentinels. I’m studying how they cope without a guide.”
“You should study a different sentinel. Jim has a guide to work with,” Cassie answered coolly, her eyes trailing over the guide. She was already more than aware that Blair Sandburg was a stronger guide. But that didn’t necessarily mean he was Jim’s guide.
“But he’s not bonded and it must make a difference with investigations.”
“I don’t see why it should. Jim uses his senses and I make sure he doesn’t get overwhelmed by them.”
“I’m sure you do that quite well,” Blair began with a smile to soften the bite of the next phrase. “But a bonded sentinel reacts differently than an unbonded one. There is, after all, a psychic component to the bonding.”
“If you two want to stand here and talk shop,” Jim cut in with annoyance, “I’ll just leave you to it.” Jim turned and without looking back walked out the door, not caring whether the two guides came or not. Cassie gave Blair a quick glare before both guides hurried to follow.
In the elevator heading down to the garage the two guides stood on either side of Jim and continually surveyed each other, silently. They could sense that the sentinel standing between them was aggravated by their posturing and so they settled on glaring at one another as they entered the garage.
Jim’s truck was parked in its usual place and he moved straight to it, Cassie next to him. Blair watching smiled, holding back for a second as he decided which seat would work best for him; backseat so he could lean over the sentinel or front, next to him. He watched Cassie as she waited by the passenger door and then with a nod climbed into the backseat, close to Jim.
Cassie climbed in and turned, freezing, as she realized her tactical error, Blair was much closer to Jim. Trying to move closer herself, she considered foregoing the seatbelt but at Jim’s impatient glare moved back and buckled up.
As for Jim, aware that the two guides were posturing and thinking it was just “a guide thing,” he was beginning to find the whole situation ridiculous and was ready to kick them both out of the truck. Turning on the radio to drown out the silence, he wondered what Simon would say if he dumped them on the street and went on alone. But despite that rather aggressive thought, Jim was feeling himself relax, Blair’s scent enticing. Realizing what that meant in bonding terms, Jim growled at Blair to sit back and Cassie gave Blair a smug smile.
Twenty minutes later, Jim pulled onto Birch and stopped in front of an old house. Ignoring his passengers, he got out and ducked under the yellow police tape to move over to the door.
The house looked as though a strong wind would knock it down. It was obvious the house had not had any upkeep in perhaps twenty years. The porch had holes in the wood showing the ground beneath and paint peeling from the supports. The windows were grimy with broken glass and broken screens and most of the ground surrounding the property was overgrown with weeds and trash. Unlocking the door, Jim walked in and stopped in his tracks, his nose tickling at the amount of dust in the air.
Blair and Cassie each took a step over to place a hand on Jim to help ground him as the sentinel sneezed. “I’m fine,” Jim growled shaking off the hands, his own hand covering his nose as he glanced around the room before squatting by the outlines where the bodies were found. Considering the locations of the bodies he was glancing around when Cassie came to squat beside him.
“Do you think this is a mob hit?” she whispered quietly.
Jim didn’t even bother to glance at the woman. “I’m at the beginning of this investigation so I’m not going to speculate.”
“I don’t think it is,” Blair blurted out and Jim nodded his agreement.
“Why not?” Cassie asked, annoyed that Jim seemed to be agreeing with the guide.
“If the photos are anything to go by, the victims looked itinerant, mobsters wouldn’t,” Blair answered. “I would expect a mobster to be dressed better, look cleaner.”
“The killer could have changed their clothes.”
“In that case, why wouldn’t they just move the bodies somewhere more private,” Blair countered.
“You have a good eye for this Sandburg,” Jim answered rising and walking around the room, not noticing Blair’s smile or Cassie’s frown.
end part 1