Never Assume Anything (4/?)
Title: Never Assume Anything (4/?)
Author: Miss Widget
Pairing: Wait and see! This is a CSI / WMC crossover so anything is possible.
Note 1: This is a story in response to my posting on what if Sofia Curtis and Lindsay Boxer were ever to meet.
Note 2: I don’t live in the States (Hey, I don’t even live on the same continent!) so please forgive any mistakes on my part. I promise to do research on things I am not sure about as I go along but feel free to (kindly) point out any blunders on my part.
Note 3: Thanks to my girl for the beta to help fix it all up! yellowsmurf6 , you rock!!
Archiving: with permission
Chapter 4
The sound of a cell phone ringing broke the silence in the conference room, startling all three readers. After the typical ‘is it yours, oh sorry, it’s mine’ shuffle, Lindsay answered her phone in her usual style.
“Boxer”
“You know, you could sound friendlier when you answer to phone. That way, maybe you won’t scare everyone away.”
Lindsay sighed, “What can I do for you, Cindy? I’m kinda busy at the moment.”
The red headed reporter just laughed.
“Lindsay, it’s a quarter to one. Aren’t you meeting us for lunch? We’re all here waiting for you.”
“What?! It can’t be that late already, can it?”
A glimpse at her watch confirmed the time, just as a loud growl came from the stomach to her left. After a quick glance and smirk at a very embarrassed Sofia, Lindsay turned her attention back to the phone conversation.
“Sorry about that. We must have lost track of time. Do you guys mind if I bring along a friend?”
There was a quick pause before a hand muffled the phone on the other side, and Lindsay could just make out Cindy’s voice asking Claire and Jill if they minded an extra. After getting a response, Cindy was back on the phone.
“Nope, no objections this side. Make it quick though...Claire’s about to start chewing on the silverware.”
An indignant squawk followed by a smacking sound and laughter came over the phone.
“Ouch, no hitting! Lindsay, you’d better hurry! I’m being assaulted by a napkin wielding madwoman!” With a last giggle, Cindy hung up.
Lindsay just shook her head, hung up, and with a half-smile on her face turned to the other two.
“How about lunch. I know I’m not the only one who’s hungry.” This was said with a sly smile and sideways glance directed at Sofia.
Sofia just nodded as Jacobi leaned back and stretched muscles cramped from being hunched over files.
“Great idea. It’ll also give my eyeballs the chance to straighten out. I’ll give you guys in Vegas this much. You certainly were thorough.”
Sofia smiled over at Jacobi.
“Thanks. We tried everything we could think of, looking for the smallest possible trace of evidence. I can personally say that we went over those crime scenes on our hands and knees, picking up anything that looked out of place.”
Another growl sounded. Sofia quickly covered her stomach and blushed lightly.
“And yes, lunch sounds great.”
Lindsay laughed and started tidying up the folder she had been reading.
“Come on, I’m taking you to Papa Joe’s. They serve the best food around. And I’ll introduce you to some of my friends.”
“Ah, so you’re going to let her join your club?” Jacobi smirked, waiting for Lindsay’s predictable reaction.
“It’s not a club, okay? We just get together and …” At the sight of Jacobi’s amused grin, Lindsay cut herself off and shook her head.
“Come on, Sofia, let’s go get some food. And men are not invited, so there!”
With that, Lindsay stuck her tongue out at Jacobi, grabbed her discarded coat and swept out the door. Sofia grinned at the unrepentant Jacobi and trotted after Lindsay and the promise of food.
A short while later, the two cops entered Papa Joe’s. Their regular table was already occupied by the trio of Lindsay’s friends, and she pointed it out as she led the way over.
Cindy was the seated facing the door and as a result was the first to spot the two. The reporter nearly inhaled her coffee as she gasped in surprise. Heading her way was what appeared to be a vision, two women, mirror images of each other. One light, the other dark. Both walking with the seductive swagger of true confidence, eyes taking in their surroundings in true cop style. They brought to mind leopards Cindy had once seen at the zoo as a child, one golden, and the other black. The two women walking towards her had that same untamed spirit.
Heat surged through her body and rushed to her face in a blush as two sets of eyes, brown and blue, fastened onto her hazel ones. Cindy was suddenly glad to be seated, the intensity of her reaction to the sight before her causing her knees to turn to quivering jelly. Her stunned silence didn’t go unnoticed by her table companions, who followed her line of sight just as Lindsay and Sofia arrived at their table.
“Afternoon, y’all. I’d like to introduce Detective Sofia Curtis of the Las Vegas Police Department. Sofia, I’d like you to meet Claire Washburn, the Chief Medical Examiner, Jill Bernhardt, the Deputy District Attorney, and Cindy Thomas, crime reporter for the San Francisco Registrar.”
“Afternoon, ladies. It’s a pleasure to meet you all”
At Lindsay’s low Texan drawl and Sofia’s warm greeting, Cindy’s mind finally kicked into gear; unfortunately for her, not quite before her mouth did.
“My God! Do you guys shop at Hot Cops R Us, or is there a special manual handed out to a select few?”
As soon as her words registered, the flush that had just subsided rushed back to her face and Cindy dropped her face into her hands, then dropped her head to the table in total mortification.
After a beat of surprised silence, the other four burst out laughing, matching blushes on Lindsay and Sofia’s faces.
Lindsay pulled a seat over from another table for Sofia before dropping into the seat next to Cindy, who at this stage had her head buried in her arms and was shaking it from side to side, mumbling to herself the whole time.
After a quick glance around the table of amused faces, Lindsay wrapped her arm around poor Cindy’s shoulders in a one armed hug.
“Thanks, Cindy. I haven’t gotten such an honest compliment in quite a while.” Dark eyes met blue as Sofia added her voice to Lindsay’s.
“Yeah, that was a real boost to my ego, thank you. Come on. Don’t feel bad about speaking your mind. I admire your honesty.”
At Lindsay’s comment, Cindy’s body slumped as the tension ran out of it. When she heard the warm sincerity in Sofia’s voice, Cindy finally relaxed enough to raise her head. Running her hands through her hair and then over her face, Cindy tried to will away her embarrassment. Eventually she raised her eyes, first taking in the highly amused faces of Claire and Jill before turning to face Lindsay and Sofia. Hazel eyes flicked from brown to blue and back again as she took in the expressions of the two cops. She could see the slightly embarrassed pleasure on both of their faces, as well as the sincerity in both of their eyes. Clearing her throat softly, Cindy took a quick sip of her coffee.
“Um … sorry about that. I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that. It’s just … you looked … um … “, Cindy stuttered to a halt as a warm hand settled over her white-knuckled grip on her coffee cup. Hazel eyes flicked up to meet warm blue ones.
“Relax. Breathe. Don’t worry about it. I’d say forget about it, but I somehow don’t think this lot will ever let you live it down. I’m taking it for the compliment it was. And I just have one last thing to say. I greatly admire your taste.”
At this final comment, Sofia smirked and flicked a quick, appreciative glance at Lindsay, whose eyes widened in surprise.
This just set Claire and Jill off again, Jill gasping, “I have finally witnessed a miracle. Not just one, but both of you speechless. Priceless!” This, of course, set Claire off again.
After a laser-like glare from Lindsay and a pout from Cindy, the two finally settled down and lunch orders were given.
Sofia just watched it all with an amused smirk on her face. Maybe being in San Francisco wasn’t all bad, she thought, as lunch progressed with much banter between friends, both old and new.