Chapter 8

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Chapter 8

With a sigh she rises out of bed once again and tries to get on with the rest of the morning, before having to pull on her work uniform and go down to the police station. After an hour spent filling in reports, Sam decides to check in on her team to find out their progress with 'Danny-the-Pimp'. Turns out the man refuses to speak despite them threatening with charges of the dealing of underage prostitutes. Sam racks her brain for strategies to try get him to talk but nothing seems to be screamingly great and she's left no choice but to go into the interrogation room with her gut to rely on.
"So..Danny. Apparently you're not a very chatty guy," starts Sam dropping her file onto the metal table and scraping the chair back to take a seat. Danny looks worse than when she'd brought him in, but she knows it's not the force's fault. The guy probably refused to eat and sleep.
As expected Danny says nothing. All he does is tilt his head slightly to stare blankly at Sam with cold, dead eyes.
"Come on Danny," sighs Sam, "you know what you have to lose if you don't talk to us. You can't help Grace now-"
"Glitter. Her name's Glitter," hoarsely whispers the man. Sam raises an eyebrow at that but doesn't argue with him on it.
"Alright-Glitter. You can't help her, Danny, she's dead now," presses Sam, watching with a hardened heart as the man's eyes fill with an impossible amount of guilt.
"I know. I know. I know. It's-it's all my fault...it's all my fault," he repeats in hushed whispers.
"Is it? Did you kill her Danny?-"
"NO!" he screams in a war cry, tugging at his arms which causes a loud sound of metal to vibrate through the room. Realising the handcuffs on his wrists, he soothes himself before repeating, "no."
"Then who did Danny? What happened?" presses Sam.
"I-I...I can't..."
"Danny, listen to me. You failed her. You failed the woman you loved, didn't you? And you feel guilty for that. I can see it. But you can fix this Danny," softly urges Sam, "you can do her justice. Redeem yourself Danny. Do it for Glitter."
He pauses for a minute, a tear drop trailing down his cheek and falling onto the steel table. Keeping his head down he whispers audibly, "alright. Alright, I'll talk but...I want to see her. I need to see her, one last time."
"I can't allow that Danny. She's in the morgue, she's evidence. We can't let unauthorised personal to go-"
"Goddamn it! I want to see her! I ain't talking until I get to see her!" he shouts, rage filling him.
"I need you to calm down Danny or nothing will get done," she patiently tells him, glancing at his reddening wrists she tries not to wince.
Danny huffs back in his chair, seemingly defeated, "I want to see her," he quietly restates.
"We can discuss that after you tell us how Glitter ended up like that."
"No, I told you, I'm not talking 'til I see Glitter!" he presses. Sam exhales through her nose, looks like she'll have to pull some strings with the Chief. Saying no word, she exits the room and treks her way to the Chief's office. Knocking on the door, she enters waiting for no permission.

"Should have known it would be you, Torres. What do you want this time?" gruffly asks the Chief rising his head from his work to gaze up at her briefly.
"Danny-the guy-"
"I know who he is Torres. Get to the point."
"He says he'll only talk if he can see the body of his asset," explains Sam briefly.
"Right..." whistles the Chief, thinking deeply about it. It would be breaching protocol but...on the other hand they are allowed to bend the rules slightly, especially if it's information that's valuable enough. However what if it's not? What if the information he has is just a load of poppycock? Then they'll-he'll- have twisted the rules for no good reason.
"Chief I know what you're thinking and I swear, something connected to Santiago, happened to that girl. I just know it," presses Sam. This is the first time she's asked her Chief to just trust her on a whim, without any cold hard evidence. Although, there is that scrap of paper found in the girl's bra but that could mean anything as the Chief said before.
"...Alright. Alright, Torres. He gets 5 minutes viewing time and it's under the discretion of the morgue staff," sighs the Chief. Somehow he always seems to give into her.
"Thanks Chief," briefly grins Sam before she bids a goodbye and returns back to Danny.

Wiping her face of any excitement she enters the room void of emotion.
"5 minutes. You'll be escorted to the morgue. You'll have 5 minutes to view and only view. Then you'll come back here and talk, got it?" confirms Sam. The guy's eyes light up and she knows he'll do anything just to see this girl again.
"Yeah. Yeah, sure," he enthusiastically agrees. Sam gives a curt nod and goes to get some members of the team to assist in escorting Danny to the morgue.


There was only one coroner, to greet them but that's more than enough, especially as they've got all the evidence from her already. As expected, she's pulled out of the silver tray, covered only by a thin white sheet, up to her neck. The bullet hole in the centre of her forehead remains unchanged but apart from that she seemed...almost peaceful in death.
"No...No..." whispers Danny fervently as he tries to reach out and take the dead woman in his arms. 2 of Sam's accompanying officers are quick to restrain him and although Danny thrashes in their arms, he doesn't seem to be making too much of an effort to break free.

They stood around for ages, or at least it felt like that to Sam. She hated looking at the young girl's pasty face but for some reason her eyes just could not tear away from her. Sam can feel her mind numb, shocked, disturbed by the sight of a dead body. An actual dead body, like this. So inhuman, so...so...lifeless. All she knows though is it does not compare to seeing them on TV. The real thing, in front of her, now, is horrific. At least when she'd seen the girl before, lying in the alleyway, she had clothes on, make-up, some colour to her skin but now...she's like this pristine little china doll, with a bullet hole in her forehead.
"Alright....Alright, it's time to go now," Sam says without really feeling herself saying those words, because even as she says them her eyes keep fixated on the girl. And they probably would have remained there had it not been for the coroner sliding the metal bed with its resident back into darkness. As the metal clicks, Sam can whirl herself around and fight the nausea building up in her stomach.
Thankfully, apart from being a blubbering mess, Danny doesn't resist much as her colleagues more or less drag him back to the car. Sam on the other hand remains in her trance-like state until they actually arrive at the Police Station, where she forcefully reminds herself to concentrate on her work and push her silly...whatever it is away.

With Danny still mumbling nonsense, after being brought back into the interrogation room, Sam decides to break for lunch. She sits in her office, having went and bought a dry tasteless chicken mayo sandwich and chews slowly, mulling over her strange fear at viewing the dead body. She can come up with no rational theory to explain that icy numbness that had come over her because all she could think about was how wrong it was. Sure, she'll look like that one day too, although hopefully not deceasing so young with a bullet through her head, but still. Death is the only certainty in life yet...seeing it, seeing death is...is...
Before Sam can even begin to ponder over a concept as complex as death, she gains visitors-uninvited visitors to be exact.
Carmen and Hanna stroll in with wide grins on their faces. As Hanna strides in and places herself onto Sam's desk. Carmen shuts the door and takes a seat (like a civilised human being) on the chair opposite the desk.
"Sure, come on in Hanna, Carmen," mutters Sam, "mi casa, es su casa."
"Don't mind if we do, hon," winks Hanna, to which Sam just rolls her eyes. Saying 'no' to Hanna is like waving a red flag in front of a raging bull-not pretty.
"So, got a date for the Ball yet?" excitedly enquires Carmen wasting no time in getting straight to the point.
"That's ages away, I got time," replies Sam.
"Er, no it's not, Sammie. It's like...2 weeks from now. Oh My God, it's 2 weeks from now! Seriously, please tell me you have a half decent date for this," exasperates Hanna.
"I agreed to come to the Ball, Han, not to bring some shallow eye-candy for you all," retorts Sam.
"I knew it! I knew you'd go all 'Miss Independent' on us, which is exactly why I called my single cousin on the weekend and asked him to stay over, if you'd just call him, I'm sure he'll be happy to be your date," explains Carmen.
"Carmen! I will not take charity from your cousin!" hisses Sam.
"Oh trust me babe, he won't consider it charity. Especially if he sees that picture of you," winks Hanna.
" 'That picture of me'? What picture of me?!" spits Sam with narrowed eyes. Both Hanna and Carmen fall silent, which is just typical, because as soon as she wants them to talk they shut up.
"Er...nothing, no-"
"Carmen, don't bullshit me," she flatly retorts.
Hanna and Carmen exchange looks before, Carmen sighs and Hanna pulls out her other limb-her phone. With a few taps of her fingers, Hanna holds up the hot pink object in Sam's direction.
Sam's jaw drops as her eyes fly wide open and shock electrocutes her systems.
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Who the fuck took that? Just give me a name, Hanna, just a name," threatens Sam fully intending on punching the lights out of whoever has taken the picture of her when she was undercover as a prostitute. It's hardly her fault. She was just doing her job. And she got it done, so what the f'ing big deal?!
"Sammie! It's okay, calm down. Don't get upset. Don't get upset," chants Carmen to whom Sam has to restrain herself from spouting swears at.
"Yeah, I mean you look hot Sam, like totally...hip-hop honey hot!" exclaims Hanna as if that's meant to make Sam feel any less furious. What is she meant to be feel...proud? 'Cause she doesn't. Frankly it nauseates her that people took pictures of her like that, not just because she looks goddamn awful, but also because that's just not...nice.
"What the fuck is a 'hip-hop honey' Hanna? And no, okay, I don't look hot! I look-I look..." Sam breaks out not able to say the words; she knows if she does they'll see her differently; they'll see her as some insecure, meek woman and Sam will never admit to that, especially when she doesn't even admit it to herself.
"Duh, a hip-hop honeys are those girls you see on rap videos. You know the ones with big butts and curves smoother than Galaxy chocolate," wishfully sighs Hanna, who would kill for such curves.
"You mean I look trashy? Like a hoe?" Sam asks coolly.

"No-no-I mean-of course not-"
"Well...kinda, yeah..."
Both Hanna and Carmen answer simultaneously; Carmen having gone for the kinder option which is a total lie.

"Hanna, Carmen, seriously...Urgh! Who the fuck took this picture,-" growls Sam.
"Sammie, calm down! Look, me and Carmen will sort it out okay? We'll try get rid of the pictures, but I promise this'll blow over, okay babe?" reassures Hanna, knowing that for Sam, embarrassing experiences like this isn't exactly common. Hanna on the other hand thinks she's getting off mildly, because God knows the embarrassing stuff she went through in high-school, or more so specifically, at high-school parties.
"...Fine. Fine, alright. Thanks guys," sighs Sam in defeat. It's not like she can do much about it, but Carmen and Hanna with their experience and people skills may be able to.
"Good. Now....about my cousin," grins Carmen.
"No. No, I'm not-"
"Oh come on, Sam! You cannot turn up alone to the ball, especially this one," exasperates Hanna, receiving only a flat look from Sam.
"And why not?" she asks rolling her eyes.
"Because Sammie...there's apparently some kind of special announcement that they're keeping under wraps until then," loudly whispers Carmen with clear excitement in her voice.
"Whatever," mutters Sam.

"Well, Sam Torres, we are not leaving this room, or letting you leave, until you promise to call Carmen's cousin and ask for a date," decidedly states Hanna to which Sam only give a small growl at.
A wave of silence lapses over them as Sam and Hanna stubbornly stare each other off. In the end, Sam gives another sigh of frustration before throwing her hands up in complete debacle.
"Fine! But-But, I've already got someone I can ask," she splutters. What?!
"Oh yeah?" echoes Carmen.
"Yeah. Psh, he's...he's a special friend," carries on Sam. She can feel her mind screaming at her lips to stop moving and seal shut, but they don't seem to like that idea very much and much like the rest of her, carry on stubbornly.
"And what does this 'special friend' look like?" enquires Hanna with a clear smug smirk.
"Oh you know the usual..."
"No we don't know. Define; 'the usual'," smirks Carmen.
"Tall....Dark and well, handsome," awkwardly claims Sam.
"How tall?" fires Hanna.
"6 foot something," shrugs Sam, "taller than me anyway." Which to be fair, isn't that hard for a man to be compared to her anyway.
"Dark then, dark what? Hair, skin, eyes?" questions Carmen smugly.
Sam's brain flashes with panic, for some reason a random picture of Ian Somerhalder appear and after a split-moment of confusion, realisation dawns on her. She can just base this make-believe person off him because he's tall, dark and handsome, he'll do.
"Dark hair, almost black, in-fact I think it is black. Like waves, silky waves," she recites, mentally drooling over her own image of Ian.
"...What about eyes? What colour are his eyes?" asks Hanna now starting to become genuinely interested.
"Blue. Like bright, electric blue," describes Sam.
Carmen and Hanna exchange looks of surprise as their scientism starts to slowly dissolve away.
"And...he's real, right?"
Sam rolls her eyes mockingly at Hanna, "Yes, of course he's real!" Well...Ian Somerhalder is real...reasons Sam, who is basically the person Sam's described.
"Okay...okay, so...what's his name?" Carmen smirks at this. If they know his name then they can search him up to see if he's real, which knowing Sam he probably won't be.
"Ia-I-I can't say-"
"Ah-ha! I knew it! He's not real is he?-"
"Of course he is! I'm not that sad-"
"Then why can't you tell us his name?"
"Because...because..."
" 'Because'?"
Fuck! Mentally cries Sam, she can't exactly blurt out Ian Somerhalder now can she? She either needs a made up name, which of course, being the sniffer dogs they are Hanna and Carmen will guess is fake, or she needs to come up with an excuse. Think Sam, think.
"Um...Well, because-because I haven't asked him yet so I don't want you guys stalking him and then forcing him into God knows what," concludes Sam, congratulating herself on forming a somewhat valid excuse. If Hanna and Carmen ever did latch onto any type of lead that Sam may be genuinely interested in someone, they'd go into hunting mode right away to find out all his faults and then convince him of Sam's best assets-which, there aren't exactly many of.
"We wouldn't...Okay, yeah, fair enough, we probably would," flatly agrees Hanna.
"So when do you plan on asking Tall, Dark and Handsome?" asks Carmen.
Sam shrugs glad the heat is off, "oh I don't know, next week maybe-"
"What?! No, no, you have to give him more time than that! You need to have these things planned Sammie. You have to ask him tomorrow!" exasperates Hanna, eyes widening at the idea of her best friend not being so diligent with suitable bachelors in her life.
"Hanna, I don't think I need to ask him tomorrow," refuses Sam.
"Sammie," growls Hanna in that 'mom' kind of tone making Sam sigh in annoyance.
"Fine, I'll ask him tomorrow," she agrees.
Hanna gives her a narrowed eyed gaze, unable to quite believe that her stubborn friend has just given in so easily. But Sam doesn't really care when she 'asks' this guy because the answer's going to be the same anyway. It'll be a yes and then come the night before the ball, and oh dear! What should happen but him being called away to a very important and urgent meeting halfway around the world! Oh no! Oh what a shame! And then Sam will just have to miss the ball because she'll be too 'distraught' over the whole 'stand-up' situation. Oh well...Like Monty Burns from the Simpsons, Sam feels herself internally grinning at the coy, deceitful plot.

After the much relievedending of their conversation of dates, men and such nonsense, there wasn't muchtime left before Sam had to return to her duties. She started by making her wayto the interview room to get on with the information retrieval task with Danny,one she was excitedly anticipating, especially if he has information regardingSantiago.
Danny was slumped over when she entered yet she remained cool and took a seatopposite him. As she does so, he gazes up with tiredness, his eyes slightly redand puffy.
"So, let's get this over with," states Sam.
Danny gives a small nod before clearing his throat and preparing his speech.

"You should know that I never wanted Glitterto go with him. In fact, I didn't give Glitter out to any old perv butSantiago...I couldn't say no to him. I wasn't that stupid or fearless. Idon't...I don't even know what he was doing there. He doesn't-he doesn't liketo swoop to 'our level'. He prefers high-class whores. Anyway, I convincedGlitter to go with him. And she did-a little unwillingly but she went. I didn'tthink it was too much of a mistake until..."
"Until what Danny?"
"Until she called me. She was scared. She told me they'd blindfolded her.Glitter said Santiago had been on the phone and hadn't sounded happy, abusiness deal going wrong or something. So they'd stopped somewhere, warehouseson the outskirts of town or something. She'd been told to stay in the car, butbeing the stubborn, curious, idiot she was she just...she just had togo snooping. They spotted her and she ran, called me and that's when...well Iheard the gun shot."
"Okay so what did you do after?" she asks.
"...Nothing. There was nothing I could do. People like me don't go againstpeople like Santiago. You probably already know this but Santiago's a big deal.I can't-I couldn't go against him."
"So what changed?"
Danny's eyes glaze over and she can see this almost dead look in them, "although I heard a gun shot, I didn't-I didn'tthink they'd actually kill her. Ithought they may have harmed her but not kill. But now...now that she's gone,there's no point. There's nothing more Santiago can do to hurt me."
Sam feels her heart strings twinge in sympathy before she quickly remindsherself just what kind of a man Danny really is; one that dealt in under-ageprostitution and exploited young, vulnerable girls.
"Any more to add?" sighs Sam. If there's no more to the tale, then all that'sleft is to allow the CBT expert in to help Danny recall more specific details.
"No, that's all I got," concludes Danny and Sam can only nod in confirmation.She piles up her notes and bides him goodbye before announcing he'll be talkingto another team member.

As Sam makes her way across to her office, she mentally recites the reportsshe'll be writing. Suddenly music starts blasting out and the lyrics:
'I like big butts and I cannot lie...'
Sam's head whips around as laughter echoes around the open plan office. Hereyes widen in horror and shock, surely they're not laughing at her?! As she gazes around still wideeyed, she sees they are laughing ather. Embarrassment and fury fills her in equal proportions, causing her cheeksto flame and eyes to stare daggers at the culprit-Officer Hanson.
He's a handsome enough man with the typical blonde hair, blue eyes but he's gottoo much cockiness and ego in him for Sam's liking.
"Hey Torres, you're look fine today,"he drawls with an arrogant grin. Sam grits her teeth and forces herself to not swoop to his level. Besides, he technicallyhasn't done anything wrong yet; just insinuated it.
"Thanks Hanson," she mutters out through clenched teeth and a forced, fakesmile.
"Yeah, I see you got more clothes on today. Can't say I enjoy the change but atleast we'll have the memories," he carries on with the same mocking smirk. Samfeels her anger bubble to the top, her fingers twitching just to give him ahard smack across his stupid, presumptuous face, however by some miracle Samrefrains herself.
"Fuck you Hanson-"
"Is that an invitation? My place or yours?" he cuts in with a wink, causinganother round of laughter to circle around Sam and him.
"Not even if you were the last man on Earth and humanity was doomed, Hanson.Not even then," spits out Sam.
"Oh, you do hurt me Sammie," he dramatically jokes with one hand placed overhis heart.
Sam just rolls her eyes, "whatever, just get on with your job, Hanson. Any morecomments like that and I'll see to it your ass ends up in the Chief's bootingrange, got it?"
"I'd like my ass in your booting range-"
"What was that Hanson?" she icilyrepeats.
Hanson just shakes his head and shrugs, "just saying I understand Deputy."
"Right..." nods Sam and then addressing their audience, "as you were people."

Entering her office, Sam shakes her head as a smile breaks through herfeatures; is it weird she likes the banter?


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