Summers' Heat

Chapter 6

  
"That's...he..." gasps Makayla unable to tear her eyes away from the semen covered underwear.
"Yeah," darkly growls Mateo, "come on. You saw, now let's go."


With an arm around her shoulders, he guides her stiff body back out. She's sat back on the couch with large hands covering her own. Her brain is slow to catch up but as it thaws it starts whirring twice as fast. She ignores the part about what's on the underwear because that's just totally gross and instead acknowledges that it was in the middle of the bed. Mateo said he'd been in the room already so he'd already have seen it. Which means there's something else. Something that he'd missed which caused Andrea to come and tell him later on.


"See chica I told you-"
"That's not everything," she blurts out.
"What?"
"There's something else, isn't there? Something the Sargent just came and told you."
Mateo's jaw clenches tight as he gives out an unhappy exhale.
"She's got you there, Rojas," points out Aria with a humourless chuckle.
"So?" asks Makayla.
Mateo gazes around, avoiding the question but Makayla's not so easily swayed.
"Mateo, tell me," she demands.
Her new gal pal backs her up too by chipping in, "just spit it out Rojas. She wants to know and she's not as fragile as you think."


He makes a noise of annoyance and after another moment of deliberation gives in. Just when he'd thought they were getting a handle on this bullshit, more turns up. Fuck. This wasn't just a violation, it was also a statement. If it was up to him, he'd have her shipped straight away to someplace safe and not be told at all of all this mess.


"The uniforms...they searched the place and found cameras," confesses Mateo.


There's no telling how long the sick freak has been spying on Makayla but it's obvious he was watching last night. He must have seen Mateo in her room. It's why the cup he'd handed her is smashed to pieces and why most of the trashing of her bed was focused on the side he slept on. He'll have the rest of her place searched but he's doubtful there's any more cameras. If there had been the first time Mateo was over the guy would have known and made his dissatisfaction clear from the start.

"Oh fuck," hisses Aria, "are digital forensics on it?"

Mateo gives a short nod.
"Good, is that everything? I need to update Eric."
"That's everything. You saw the room. He left DNA. He's probably not going to be in the system."
"Yeah, I figured as much. Alright so what's the plan now? It's not safe for her to stay here."



Makayla runs her hands back over her forehead to the back of her head, flinching at the pain that shoots up from the bruise near her temple. Hard to believe that had happened only 24 hours ago. Now there's not even an illusion of safety in her house. Where's she going to go? What's she going to do?


"Makayla?" calls Aria.
She's not sure what to even say. Everything's so jumbled up in her mind right now. She needs time, paper and a pen to organise everything and sort out this whole mess.

"Uh..."
Where is she going to go? Not to Emily or Sabrina's because she can't put them in danger.
"A hotel," she finally states.


"No," counters Mateo, "she can stay with me."
"Summers this okay with you?" Aria confirms.
Stay with Mateo? She turns to him and contemplates what that would even mean.
"It's well protected, no one would know. She'll be safe," he murmurs towards Aria but it's more for Makayla to hear.
That makes her choice a lot easier. If it's for safety then well...she can hardly say no.
"Yeah. Yeah, if that's the best option that's what I'll do."

                                                                        *********

She's not allowed to take anything from her bedroom since apparently, it's all evidence but why they won't spare her a few bras and panties, Makayla doesn't know. With the promise she can get them tomorrow, Makayla brings her the toiletries from her bathroom, her work files and electronics. With Mateo there to take over protection detail, Aria sticks around Makayla's house and says she'll swing by for her in the morning.