"So, Sammy, Chief just asked me something a little odd?  He wants me to recall who made what phone calls, any weird calls we might have received over the last few days.  You don't suppose the killer, or our unfortunate & uninvited 'guest' would have been stupid enough to call us or even more stupidly would have used our phone to make a call?"

Sammy let out a little snort "yea, that's not likely, they'd have to be pretty stupid.  yet if Chief is asking, there has to be a reason."  

Conversation halted while they ordered coffee & fries & some more "snacks" for everyone.  

Once they were back on the road Whitney sipped her hot coffee & took a bight of her 2nd order of fries, "good grief, I can only imagine calories I've already sucked down, I'm going to gain so much weight if we don't hurry up and figure this out!   Hey Sammy, isn't that the turn coming up?"

"yep, it sure is." Sammy slowed to take the turn to the last 5 minutes of the drive to the safe house, in this case really just an apartment in one of your average apartment complex, not high class condo's & not slums, just average.

Sammy slowed down to the speed limit of 30mph, since it was a residential area, "So Whitney, can I ask you something personal?"

"We share a car 40 plus hours a week, you mean there is something you DON'T know about me?  Yea, so go ahead & ask"

"Well, I was just wondering, have you and the chief thought about making your relationship more public, officially I mean?"

Whitney turned & looked at Sammy with a shocked look on her face, "Sammy, have you lost your mind?" 

"C'mon Whit, I've known since you two first started flirting, everyone at the station knows you're dating.  I mean you'd have to be blind & deaf not to know there is something between you too."

"What?  I mean, I know you know about us, but the whole station knows?  How, we're so careful, at least, well, at least I thought we were?"  

"oh yea, they all know, plus their wives, husbands, and half the town?  Not to mention anyone else who walks into the station when you are both there!  You thought it  was a secret?  Now who's kidding whom?"  

Whitney was not sure what to say, "Do you think Chief is aware of everyone knowing about our "relationship"?  I would NEVER want to embarrass him or jeoporize his position or the respect people have for him!"

"Whitney, you could never be an embarrassment to anyone.  We all respect the chief just fine, maybe even more so because he works so hard to protect you.  & we respect you too."

"What do you mean he's protecting me Sammy?"

"Whitney, he's not going to go public until YOU are ready.  I'm pretty sure  he's just waiting for a signal from you."

"And  you're telling me this NOW because?"  

Sammy smile & glanced at her as he pulled into a parking spot not to close to the apartment, "Because, he loves you  & adores you, because you love him & adore him.  Because you seem to  be afraid of what would happen to both your careers instead of enjoying what you have together.  Everyone knows and we all think it's great!  So I guess I'm telling you to face your fears and here, let me ush you off the cliff to help you along the way! Silly girl!!

Sammy shut off the car but they didn't get out yet, "Well OK Sammy, so don't be shy about it or anything.  I get it."

"Hmmmm, I wonder?"  Sam whispered, with a little bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure.

Whitney grabbed a hold of the door handle, "Ok Sam, I hear you, thanks for sharing.  But for right now , how about we get back to the case at hand and get this food & these bags into the apartment & get settled before Ginny & the kids get here?"  she paused, "wait, shouldn't they be here already?  where are they?  Sammy, WHERE ARE THEY?"

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thanks!