Chapter 27

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Disclaimer: This chapter does contain violence and profanity. I'm just warnin' ya! 

Chapter 27


As much as Sam would have liked to taken time to heal and come to terms with her family affairs, sadly there isn’t much time for it. Sunday is all the time she has and when Monday rolls around quicker than ever, she has to place her personal issues to the back of her mind so that she can concentrate on work.
Since the case was slowing down, the Chief has tasked her with the challenge of trying to get the help line for the abused victims up and running curtsey of Adrian’s donation. She wisely chooses not to argue that it’s more of a job for a PR rep than a Deputy police officer since that would only result in him placing her on trivial jobs and that would surely bore her to death. 




When she finally gets around to taking her lunch, breaking tradition Sam actually ventures out into the small cafeteria area of the station with it’s own little kitchen desktop to have her sub sandwich. Much to her disappointment though it’s far from peaceful as her sworn nemesis looms over her table. 


“What is it Hanson?” she groans swallowing the bite slowly and straightening her shoulders to match her cold expression.
“I’ve heard you’ve been digging up my past,” he states, placing his lunch and phone onto the table before taking a seat in the chair opposite her. 

Sam raises an eyebrow at the statement. Surely he must be aware of that. That is of course why he sent her that ‘message’-the one that had her evicted from her own apartment. Maybe this is just one of his stupid games?

She gives a small inconsiderate shrug of her shoulders and casually asks, “really?”

“You and I both know that you’ve violated my privacy Torres. Don’t play coy with me. I could go to the Chief with this, you know. You peeked at my file, didn’t you? Saw I grew up in a care home and went over there with lies to get some dirt on me.”

“So why don’t you go to the Chief?” she evenly questions, challenging him.
It’s a gamble she’s taking-that’s for sure. There could be serious consequences if the Chief did find out about this but logic reasons that if Hanson wanted to go to the Chief, he would have already; he wouldn’t be chit-chatting to her about it. 

“What else did you find, Sam?” he retorts, throwing her slightly off balance but she quickly regains. 


Her eyes sheen with triumph, after all, she does know one thing that he wouldn’t want coming to the light of day. 

“Oh not much…Just that you’re Santiago’s chew toy,” she smirks. 


“Was. I was his…’chew toy’. I’m not associated with those people anymore, Sam. It’s my past, everyone has one and I’m not especially proud of mine. I’m sure there are some things in your past too that you wouldn’t want dug up either, so all I’m asking is that you respect my privacy,” he concludes sincerely but Sam doesn’t quite buy it. 

“Yeah but the difference with my past and yours is Hanson that I wasn’t friends or associated with a wanted criminal unlike you.”

His expression falls into one of mocking hurt, “Sam…how was I to know at that age what would become of men like him? I know you don’t possess much compassion or sympathy, Torres but surely even you can understand how a kid from the wrong side of town with nothing to lose can easily end up in a gang.”

She regards him with narrowed eyes but says nothing causing him to sigh softly and shake his head.

“Really Sam? You’re a damned good cop, I know we don’t always get along but I can admit that much. When you came here a newbie and took that promotion within a few months, I hadn’t expected you to last past a year but here you still are; and making far more progress into the Santiago case anyone else has done before. I respect that. I respect you and that’s why I can’t believe you’d go and do something like this. I guess I was wrong when I thought you had a code of moral conduct.”

Sam can’t help but frown at that. There’s nothing wrong with her morals. It’s never steered her wrong before and she lives strictly by her morals. How dare a sneak like him question her?!

“My morals are in the right place-are yours? Just get on with it, Hanson. So you know I talked to your former care worker. What are you going to do about it?” she crisply questions.
She won’t take his bait. She knows he just wants to steer the subject away to her but she won’t let him. This has to stay on track.
“Well…I’m not going to the Chief about it. Not this time anyway. If there is a next time then I’ll reconsider but right now, I just want to call a truce.”
“ ‘A truce’?” she echoes.
“Yeah. I’ll let you do your work, won’t get in your way until you crack the case-”
“What’s to say I will?”
He snorts, “of course you will Sam. And until then, in return I’d like you to respect my privacy and respect me as a fellow colleague.”

He sticks out his hand in offering and Sam can only eye it suspiciously. Her life would be a lot easier if Hanson would quit his teasing and jabs at her everyday but at what cost? What if he’s the only way to Santiago? Or what if other evidence comes to light that’ll mean she has to dig more into his history? But then again, having him think she’s on his side or at least neutral may mean he slips up…It’s a long shot but better than refusing it and having him go to the Chief or get more suspicious.
She knows as soon as she shakes his hand, she’ll regret it and even his smirk twangs a sense of skepticism. Before she can say anymore, Shawn rises to make himself a cup of coffee, while Sam finishes the last of her sandwich.

Before he returns however his phone lights up at the incoming text. She glances across at the flat screen while his back is turned.
The sender is just named ‘Paul’ which isn’t the least bit suspicious but the what she can see of his message is: ‘Rendezvous 19.30 Thursday.’

She realises it could mean a multiple number of things but only one thing jumps to mind-the warehouse. She quickly snaps her gaze away just in time to see Shawn returning. Mumbling a quick goodbye or something to him, she strides out of there in a daze and back to the comfort of her own office.

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