To Serve and Protect: Palm Beach

"Just a moment," came Pat's voice. There was a slight pause and then the chain rattled. The door swung open, and both of the Sams felt their jaws drop.

Pat was holding her pocketbook with one hand while digging into it with the other. She produced a twenty dollar bill just as her head came up. But what rocked the Palm Beach officers was that she was wearing nothing but one of the hotel towels wrapped around her. Chris mentally noted that her legs, although not as good as Rita's were worth more than being covered in jeans all the time.

Pat was speaking as her gaze lifted. "Boy, that was fast, we only ordered about 10 minutes..." her voice trailed off as she saw Chris and Rita, rather than the apparently expected room service.

"Ah, Hi!" Pat attempted to smile. She stood there, shifting from one bare foot to the other, even as the bathroom door opened and Mike came out. Like Pat, he was wearing only a towel. Now it was Rita's turn to decide that Mike looked very good, if maybe a little more muscular than Chris, and certainly with a good deal more hair.

"Honey, my wallet's on the dresser if you don't have enough... ohhhhh SHIT!" Mike turned red. He seemed to be considering diving back into the bathroom before he realized that it was a little too late.

"Oh dear," was all Rita managed to say. Chris was speechless. He finally gained enough possession of himself to suggest that they come back in a few minutes.

"How about we meet you in the lobby?" suggested a still blushing Mike. "I assume you have news about Green?"

"Who?" replied Rita, still in a bit of shock. Realizing how out of it she sounded, she hastily rallied and agreed.

Fifteen minutes later, after a quick planning session the foursome headed out. Once again Pat rode with Rita and Mike with Chris. As they had agreed, when they reached the dock area, the guys pulled to the front door and the girls around back. Marked units were standing by around the corner. The hope was to quietly arrest Green and any of his henchmen, rather than create a possible stand-off by an overwhelming show of force.

Slipping through the doors, the two pairs of officers carefully searched the sprawling building. A muffled conversation from an office built into one corner drew them in that direction. Arm signals spread the foursome out in a tight arc as they hopefully closed in on their quarry. Weapons were quietly drawn and safeties snapped off.

Just as they neared the office, the door suddenly swung open and Green emerged along with another man, unfamiliar to Chris and Rita. They had taken no more than two steps before they spotted the officers and froze.

"Police!" commanded Rita sharply. "Hands in the air and don't move."

Neither of the two suspects showed the slightest bit of resistance as they complied. Chris unhooked his handcuffs, a move that Pat matched from the far side of the arc.

Rita's eyes flicked to the doorway behind Green and the other man. Was that movement? Even as the thought crossed her mind she saw the black muzzle of a pistol appear from one corner of the opening. Unable to make out a target, she flung herself at Chris even as she screamed a warning.

The Sams went down in a tumble as Rita slammed into Chris. Shots rang out, fortunately over their heads. The two Palm Beach officers rolled apart, their weapons swinging towards the unseen shooter.

From her angle Pat had the best view of the doorway and could make out the shadowy form doing the shooting. Her handcuffs dropped to the concrete. Her right hand rose, bringing her weapon up as her left hand streaked to take the pistol in a two-handed grip. Instead of aiming, she used the instinctive point and shoot method, firing as soon as her training told her the gun was on target.

There was a loud clatter as the shooter in the office fell, his weapon skittering into view it dropped from his hand. However the danger was far from over. Both Green and the other man produced hidden pistols and began to frantically spray bullets around. Unaimed though they were in the panic the subjects showed, the danger was very real as one shot barely missed Mike as he threw himself to the side and dropped to one knee. Two other shots chipped concrete between Rita and Sam. Faced with the utter recklessness of the two men, the officers had no choice but to return fire. Eight shots, two from each cop, tore into the suspects, ending the gunfight.

Sirens sounded and tires squealed as the back up units arrived and officers poured into the building. Chris and Rita took charge, arranging for the scene to be cordoned off and preserved, pending the arrival of Internal Affairs and the Shooting Review Team. Quick examinations had proved that the three men were dead.

Hours later the foursome reassembled at Homicide. All were still shaken from the shooting but being the experienced officers that they were, they were holding together. Rita smiled to herself at the aptness of that phrase. Not only had she and Chris managed to hug one another, she had seen Mike sweep Pat up on his arms, holding the petite female officer completely off the ground as he held her tightly, a grasp that she returned with interest.

The Jackson County Deputies had to put off their departure for a couple of days until the Shooting Review was completed. All four officers were cleared, the shooting declared "Justified". Mike and Chris went off to the airport to make new reservations for the Georgia duo. They had announced after they completed that chore they were going to spend the afternoon working on Chris' car. Mike fancied himself a bit of a mechanic and itched to work on the Charger.

Left alone, Rita and Pat chatted about nothing for a bit. When Rita asked the other woman what she wanted to do while the guys were off bonding, Pat hesitated for a moment. She looked Rita over carefully, her gaze lingering on her as it had the first time they had met.

"Can I ask you something Rita?"

"Oh boy," thought Rita. She had sensed something coming on and hoped it wasn't what Chris has thought at their first meeting. She had come to really like Pat and Mike and hoped a budding friendship wasn't going to be spoiled by a pass. Then she relaxed. After what she had seen between the two out-of-town officers there was no way that Pat was interested in her, or Chris or anyone else for that matter.

"Rita, can you take me shopping?" Seeing Rita's jaw-dropping expression, Pat looked confused. She hesitated and then plunged ahead. "Rita, the way you dress. You make it so sexy and yet it seems so effortless and, damn it, practical. You've probably noticed that I'm sort of tomboyish. Well, I am but, I'd really like to be able to knock someone's socks off. The way you do Chris."

Rita smiled. "From the looks of things, I think you have already knocked Mike's socks off."

Pat blushed. "That wasn't the first time we've been together. But we have to be careful. Not only would they split us up as partners, but there's Carol and Stephanie to think about. I don't want to be blatant about what their dad and I are doing and I certainly don't want them to think that I'm trying to take their mother's place."

"You do love him though."

"More than I ever thought I could. And the girls, I adore them."

"I think I understand."

Pat laughed. "I know darn well you do. You might fool everyone else about how you and Chris feel about each other, but you don't fool me. I saw that even before you both risked your necks for each other in the dockside shootout."

Rita opened her mouth to protest, then saw it wasn't going to do any good. Instead, she surrendered. "Okay, lets go knock the socks off your guy."

Hours later the two women finished their exploration of Palm Beach's shopping districts. They arrived back at the hotel with less than an hour to go before the time they had told the guys they would meet them for supper. Giggling like school girls, Rita helped Pat carry her packages up to her room and change. While Pat dressed, Rita called Chris on his cell phone.

"Hey, there. How are you and Mike doing? Everything wrapped up? Good. Okay, meet us over at the Club Rialto for supper." She listened and laughed. "Oh yes, you're going to be surprised. DON'T say anything to Mike. He's the one in for a treat."

Mike and Chris were comfortably seated on a pair of bar stools when Rita came through the door. From the gestures the two guys were using, she guessed they were deeply engrossed in the usual male practice of swapping 'war stories' about their adventures on their departments. Chris, somehow sensing her arrival, looked over Mike's shoulder and smiled.

"Over here, Sam." Chris called.

Mike turned around. He peered past Rita, obviously looking for Pat.

"She's making sure of our dinner reservations," Rita assured him. "Let's go, I'm starved."

The guys each tossed some money on the bar and stood up. Rita took the lead, chatting brightly about completely inconsequential matters. Chris looked at her in puzzlement. When she was sure Mike couldn't see, she winked at her partner.

"What's going on?" Chris whispered from the corner of his mouth.

"You'll see."

The trio swung around the corner. Rita had snagged Chris' arm and slowed him enough to let Mike get in front. As they reached the maitre'd, a woman standing there turned around and both Chris and Rita had to slam on the brakes to avoid running into Mike's back.

Rita had never really saw someone's mouth actually fall open in surprise. Mike's did. He stared in amazement at his partner. For it was his partner who was standing there, but a Pat he had never seen before.

Gone was the leather jacket, the jeans, the assorted t-shirts and men's shirts she usually wore. Instead of her running shoes or leather ankle boots, Pat wore black open-toed high heels, her painted toenails peeking out. Mike's eyes traveled up her legs, covered in sheer silk stockings that showed off her well formed legs. A dark blue skirt, cut two inches over her knees, was topped by a ruffled cream colored blouse.

Nor did the transformation stop with her clothes. Rita had gone all out, taking the other woman to get her hair and nails done, as well as spending time with a cosmetologist that Rita trusted. All in all, the transformation was astounding.

Pat looked at Mike. Unable to resist, she twirled around. "Not bad huh?"

"Wow," said Mike quietly. "Honey, you look gorgeous."

"Thank Rita. She's the one who arranged for the whole thing."

"Thank you Rita. And Chris? Stop staring at my partner and stare at yours."

The four officers laughed and went into dinner. The conversation was enjoyable as they all swapped stories of adventures and misadventures that all cops seem to experience. Pat and Mike contributed spiritedly, although Mike couldn't keep his eyes off his partner. From the way the two Georgia deputies shifted their chairs bit by bit, Rita was willing to bet there was a lot of subtle touching going on under the table. As she and Chris were holding hands under the table cloth she decided it was no one's business but their own.

Supper was followed by a trip to the secluded club tucked away at the back of the hotel. The foursome shared a drink or two and danced to the music provided by a local band. Observing the proprieties, Chris and Rita switched off an occasional dance with Pat and Mike and sat out most of the slow numbers, although they managed two dances together that allowed them to hold each other.

The other pair was completely lost in each other. The Sams understood. Away from home, the visiting partners had an evening when they didn't have to hide their relationship and were determined to make the most of the opportunity. Eventually they all said goodnight. The last sight Chris and Rita had of the visitors that evening was as the elevator doors closed. Mike had swept Pat up in his arms and the two of them were kissing. Chris wanted to bet Rita that kiss wouldn't break until the other two cops were in bed. Rita declined, knowing a sure thing when she saw it.

The Sams arrived at the hotel and, as was now their habit, the girls rode together as did the guys on the trip to the airport. The Georgia visitors checked their luggage, including their sidearms and checked in at the airline counter. On the way to the gate, Mike contrived to drop back with Rita for a moment.

"Rita," Mike smiled. "Thanks for what you did for Pat."

"I enjoyed it," she smiled back. "I'm glad you liked it."

"I did," the tall officer admitted, "But not completely for the reasons you might think." As Rita's questioning look Mike elaborated. "Don't get me wrong, I think she looked incredible last night and I'd love it if she keeps at it. But I think she looks marvelous all the time, no matter what she's wearing."

"It WAS all her own idea, the make-over I mean. She wants to be more what she thinks you want in a woman. More feminine, I guess."

"It gave her a huge boost in confidence and I thank you for that." Mike hesitated. "I don't know all the details, but at sometime in her past, someone really hurt her. Its made her doubt herself. I think she realizes now she is a match for anyone. Its not easy, she feels she's always competing with the ghost of Lori, my first wife."

"Is she?" asked Rita quietly.

"Not at all," Mike declared. "I loved Lori. She gave me our daughters and she'll always be a part of us. But she's gone and now I love Pat. Just like you love Chris."

"Has EVERYONE figured that out?" Rita all but moaned.

"No, certainly not. But two people in the same position as y'all are? Of course we spotted it."

The two of them rejoined Pat and Chris at the gate. Handshakes and hugs were exchanged, along with promises to call, write and visit. Then the Georgia cops were gone and Chris and Rita headed back to the office.

However the story didn't end there. It ended several months later when Chris found Rita with her feet propped up on the bottom drawer of her desk, an envelope in one hand and a square of stiff paper in the other.

"What gives, Sam?" asked Chris, noting the broad smile on his partner's face.

"Its from Mike and Pat."

"Oh? What's up?"

Rita leaned forward, offering the paper to Chris. He took it settled back and started to read aloud.

"Lieutenant Michael Gibson and Detective Pat Morrison invite you to join them when they exchange their vows... Hey! They're getting married! Good for them."

The two detectives shared a smile, then looked away as the same thought crossed their minds. "Maybe SOME day...".

(The End)

(Hugs and kisses to my editor and friend Marian, who worked hard on this despite the fact she had never seen Silk Stalkings and had no idea why I kept calling Chris and Rita "Sam". Since I can never leave well enough alone, any mistakes are mine made after she returned the story to me.)