Page 42 of Black Bird

“Okay,” Sarah answered hoarsely. The truck started moving and she heard a motorcycle start up. She wasn’t sure how far down the road they’d gotten, but he kept close to Rhaena’s vehicle until they finally slowed to a stop.

“It’s safe now,” Rhaena said, patting her back gently. Sarah lifted the jacket off her head and sat up, not recognizing the nice neighborhood they’d stopped at. Kane was parking his bike across the well-lit street.

“Where are we?” she asked, meeting Rhaena’s eyes.

“We’re about five blocks away from your place. I wasn’t sure where to take you. You wanna call someone?” She rolled Sarah’s window down as Athan approached.

“I could call Wren.”

“Go ahead. We’ll head over if she’s home.” Rhaena nodded, glancing past her. She turned around and Kane stood a respectful distance from her window.

“Are you coming, too?” she asked. He lowered his eyes to her neck.

“It’s probably better that I don’t. One of us has to go back to the precinct now, anyway.”

“I’m so sorry.” She could hear her voice cracking, and the ache in her chest threatened to dump her eyes of whatever remaining tears she had. Rhaena reached for her hand and Sarah looked over at her.

“You don’t have a damn thing to be sorry for. This is what we do, girl. I just hate that it had to be you tonight.” Her comforting smile gave her some warmth, at least.

“I was gonna kill that man, you guys. I wanted to …neededto.” Sarah looked between them and the detectives exchanged glances. “If you hadn’t stopped me …”

“Don’t think about it. That’s what anybody in a self-defense position would have felt.” Kane offered.

“Killing a guy restrained in handcuffs isn’t self-defense, Athan,” Sarah breathed, wiping at her nose again. She could feel Rhaena bristle beside her when she’d said his name. “I’m gonna call Wren.” She took her phone when Rhaena passed it to her and held her finger down on Wren’s contact photo. She picked up on the first ring. “Hey, are you home?” Sarah sniffled. “Yeah, I’m okay. I was wondering if I could crash at your place tonight … nah, I’ve got a ride. I’ll be there in a few … love you too, bye.”

“Check in if you need anything. You’re in good hands.” Kane smirked.

“You know … if you’d just said yes.” Sarah snorted, passing his jacket through the window. She saw him glance briefly over her at Rhaena who didn’t say a word. “Thanks, though. Really.” He pulled the jacket on and nodded once, backing up a few steps.

“Get home safe.”

Rhaena put the truck in drive and Sarah watched him as he turned around and crossed the street, shoving his hands into his pockets. He didn’t look back at them as they pulled off. She was digging herself deeper into something she knew she had no hope of getting out of now.

And for some reason, Sarah found herself perfectly fine with that.

“It was smart, you know … calling him and leaving the phone on the bar?” Rhaena broke the silence as she glanced at her GPS. Sarah’s friend lived a good ten minutes away. “When he called me to tell me to head to that bar to help you, I had just left a drug store just up the street from where you were.”

“It was my fault. I should have just got up and walked out,” Sarah said. Rhaena looked over at the girl she knew was stealing her partner’s heart and felt sorry for her in more ways than one.

“No, it wasn’t. If you had, then you likely would have wound up in another dark alley, Sarah. Worse this time.” Rhaena found herself smiling as she looked forward at the street. “You were a force to be reckoned with, though. You should consider joining the force.”

Sarah snorted. “No.” She shifted in her seat. “I’m usually not that aggressive. All this rage … it’s been a part of me ever since this attack. I’m losing control of it.”

Rhaena glanced back over at her. “So … you’re saying it’s getting worse?”

“Without question. I swear if he hadn’t touched me, I would have just …” She gestured a slice across her throat with her finger and made a squishing sound.

“I would argue that Kane was right, though. All bullshit aside … I can’t say I wouldn’t have wanted to do the same thing.” Rhaena slowed behind a line of traffic at the stoplight.

“But I wouldn’t have … not the me before all this. It’s like something inside me has a voice. Like it goads me. I could actually hear it telling me to kill.” Sarah paused and they looked at each other. “Maybe I shouldn’t be saying this shit to a cop.” Sarah laughed.

“Then don’t consider me one, for now. Consider me as someone who just wants to help. What else can you tell me about it? Maybe we can sleuth this part of it too. I’ll deny it if you say anything, but … I liked working together today.” Rhaena shrugged.

“Nice vacation from Detective Brood?” Sarah chuckled.

“God … yes. I love Kane to death, but … he pisses me off more often than not. I also don’t have many friends to speak of, anyway. None that are women.” The light turned and Rhaena moved forward, flashing her signal, and turning left.

“Can we exchange personal questions?” Sarah glanced over.

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