"I bring out the worst in my enemies, and that's how I get them to defeat themselves."
Roy Cohn

I arrive home, Sam's and my home, around 8:15. It's been a long day behind my computer. As I was getting ready to shut down my laptop, I saw that Dad had emailed me. He knows that I need to have the report prepared for Benson tomorrow morning. I decided to wait until this evening to review my father's findings.

I place my bag on the kitchen table and eat a quick sandwich. I pour myself a Merlot and prepare for a much-needed hot bath. While I enjoy letting the heat from my bath untangle the twisted, tense muscles in my neck and shoulders, I think back to what I discovered today about Gregory Wallace.

He was 38 and twice divorced when he went missing. He graduated from the LSU Online Construction Management program after completing high school.

I found it interesting that both ex-wives had restraining orders against him, and in several jobs, they cited him for sexual harassment. Due to this, Wallace bounced from job to job. He would quit before any companies he worked for had a chance to fire him.

That Holland even considered hiring this man has me concerned. It shows me that their hiring process is lacking if they allow someone of this low caliber to work for their company.

I swallow my last bit of wine and reluctantly leave the tub. I have way too much work waiting for me to indulge myself any further. I wrap a towel around me and enter the bedroom to change into pajamas, then go back to the kitchen, pour another glass of wine, and sit at the table to fire up my laptop. I pull up my dad's email and read through it thoroughly before going back to take notes.

By the time they reported Wallace missing, a few days had passed. The police looked into the disappearance and chalked it up as Wallace left on his own accord. Just because they want to reinvent themselves doesn't mean there's a crime. I did find it odd that he never used his credit cards again after he went missing. They repossessed his home and vehicle for non-payment. His house and everything in it went up for auction. The car has me puzzled because they found it abandoned at the construction site where they last saw him. I discovered the answer to my question regarding why Holland hired him. He's Joe Holland's cousin.

I hear the front door open at 11:15. Sam is home from his shift. I quickly get up and poor him Merlot and refill my third glass. It's been one of those weeks.

"Hey." Sam immediately takes me into his arms and tenderly embraces me. I love the safe feeling that I get while in Sam's arms. It's like coming home to a warm fire blazing in the fireplace on a snowy winter's night. It's my favorite place to be. He kisses the top of my head before releasing me and handing me the case file on the unsolved murder at a Big Dog's construction site.

I hand him his wine and take the folder from him. He follows me to the table and joins me. He enjoys his wine while I peruse the file.

"Wow, Sam, you weren't exaggerating about the lack of leads."

"I know," he sighs.

I reach over and place my hand over his. "Hey, it looks like you did everything possible to solve this."

Sam lifts my hand to his soft lips and kisses it sweetly. "Thank you."

"What did I do?" I ask him curiously.

He smirks at me. "I love how supportive you are. You always look on the bright side, and you make me want to be a better man who deserves your love."

Sam takes my breath away with his words. Does he not think that he's deserving of me? If anything, I don't deserve him.

"You do know how amazing you are. You always put other's needs ahead of your own, and you have spent your entire life serving your community by keeping them safe."

He lowers his eyes from mine.

"Sam, what's wrong?"

He finishes the last of his wine, gets up from the table, and opens a new bottle. He refills his glass and raises the bottle towards me. I wave him off. I've had enough wine. I still have work to do. He sits back down. I once again place my hand over his and squeeze.

He slowly looks up at me.

"What is it?" I ask him again.

"This case."

"This case?" I repeat.

"Babe, no one wants to be reminded of a failure, and that's what this case is for me." His grey eyes look sad to me suddenly, and my heart breaks knowing I'm the reason for this.

I move off of my chair and straddle Sam's lap. I place my hands on each side of his head and tilt his face so our eyes meet. "I'm so sorry, Sam. I saw your name was associated with this case. I didn't even know it was a cold case."

A smile slowly spreads across his face. "I know, Cindy. I don't blame you, and I want to help you even if it means looking into one of the most frustrating cases of my career."

"Oh, Sam." I feel like shit, but I have a job to do.

"Come on, Babe. As much as I'm enjoying your sweet ass on my lap, I'll be of no help to you on this case with you distracting me." He smacks my ass as I kiss his lips.

I reluctantly crawl off of my man. "Where do we start?"

Sam and I spent the next two hours going over his cold case. The body of a male, age 30-40, was found at a site where Big Dog Contracting had recently filled in the building's footers. They thought someone inside must have known the schedule for pouring the footers and believed that the murderer had planned to bury the body in the wet cement of the footer. Unfortunately for the murderer, Big Dog filled the footers earlier than scheduled, and the cement had already set. They instead panicked, dropped the body, and fled.

The victim was shot execution-style in the back of the head. Since there was no blood at the worksite, it was not the crime's location, which led to few clues to follow. They had checked video surveillance in and around the site and came up empty. The victim's fingertips and teeth were missing, leaving his identity a mystery. Sam even used the media to attempt to discover the victim's identity. Nothing panned out, and the case went cold.

"I keep returning to the fact that you thought it was an inside job or at least someone inside the company informed the murderer about the footers' schedule to be filled," I absentmindedly speak my thoughts.

Sam agrees. "I still think that, Babe. I don't have any proof. If we discover his identity, that will change everything."

I rub my hands over my tired eyes. "Then let's find out who the hell this guy is."

Sam chuckles. "Okay, Inspector, let's go to bed." He takes my hand and leads me to our bedroom.

"I mean it, Sam, we need to find the identity of that murdered man. If nothing else, his family needs closure."

He pulled me into him as he took possession of my lips. I immediately reach behind his head and tangle my fingers into his thick, wavy hair. I pull him in closer and lick his bottom lip. He moans into my mouth as he opens his wine-soaked lips, giving me access to his sweet tongue. He continues to let me take the lead in our kiss. I feel so empowered by this man. He makes me feel free as the wind, giving me the courage to soar. Our kiss ends with several sweet pecks.

"Damn, Love! If I wasn't so damn tired..." Sam hushes me with a gentle kiss.

We undress and crawl under the silky sheets with our naked bodies cuddled close as sleep quickly overtakes me over.

My alarm goes off, and I quickly turn it off in the hopes that it doesn't wake Sam. I attempt to get out of bed without disturbing him but am unsuccessful. I feel his arms grab me and pull me back into him—his morning wood pressed into my ass.

"Where do you think that you're going?"

"To work," I giggle.

"I miss you."

"Sam, I'm right here."

"Not for long," he whines.

"Let's have lunch at my townhouse, and if you want, I can bring food." I wiggle my ass into his hardness.

"Deal."

I roll towards him and kiss him before I get out of bed and ready myself for the day. I peek into the bedroom before I leave and kiss Sam's head. I whisper, "I love you."

I grab my purse and head out of the front door. I was surprised to see an envelope on the front doorstep addressed to me. I open the envelope, and my hands shake as I read the message.

Mind your own business, Bitch.
Consider yourself warned.

"SAM!"