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Lassiter stared at the two dead bodies on the floor.

Okay, maybe this is worse than I thought.

Vick sided up next to him, “Okay, Lassiter. What do you think about Spencer’s involvement in this?”

Lassiter stared at the Chief, inner turmoil validated when, for the first time in over a month working together, Vick asked for his opinion.

“I’m not sure,” Lassiter said dumbly. Vick raised an eyebrow and started to move away.

“Bring them in.” Lassiter suggested quickly.

The Chief looked at him, horrified, “What?”

“Bring them in,” Lassiter repeated, more firm. “We’ll know by their reactions if they had anything to do with it.”

Vick chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully, and patted her belly. Slowly, she nodded and Lassiter gave the order to bring Spencer and his partner into the crime scene.

Any doubts Lassiter had about Spencer’s involvement flew out the window as soon as the so-called psychic walked into the cabin. Guster’s high-pitched, girlish screams aside, the expressions on the men’s face were absolute shock and horror.

Lassiter stared at Spencer pensively, and pondered his situation.

At four in morning, Lassiter was still thinking. How does Spencer do it? He’s not a psychic; after all, if anyone would know, it would be Lassiter.

Eventually, Lassiter arrived at the conclusion that Spencer had an inside source. It was the only explanation for the tips. Someone was feeding Spencer the information in order to make a little extra cash on the side.

Satisfied, Lassiter fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Lucinda hadn’t come over that night.

***

“You can’t close this case! It isn’t solved, yet!”

Lucinda kicked Lassiter hard in the shin, but – instead of giving her usually death glare and diatribe on how chiefs could exercise whatever power the state of California deemed proper – Vick sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

“For once, Detective, we agree.”

“Oh, that’s totally… We do?”

“If I had the choice this case would remain open, but this isn’t my call.”

“But you’re the Chief.”

Vick blinked, “Interim Chief, you mean.”

“Yeah, but Interim Chief is still the Chief. For the moment.” Lassiter turned to Lucinda, who was staring, “What?”

“I… nothing.” Lucinda coughed and focused with a startling intently on her notes. Vick’s mouth twitched.

“This comes directly from the Lieutenant Governor, Detective, my hands are tied.”

Lassiter shook his head and stood, “This stinks and you know it.”

A knock on the door sounded, and all three heads shifted attention at once. Mr. McCallum stood in the doorway, white bandage on his wrist painfully obvious. Lassiter edged closer to Lucinda, suddenly uncomfortable.

“Chief Vick, Detectives, I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work you’ve done,” McCallum’s eyes filled with tears. “I just wish things had turned out differently.”

Vick stood and walked over to comfort the man, “You have our most sincere condolences, Mr. McCallum, and if there’s anything we can do to help you through this time not hesitate to let us know.”

Mr. McCallum shook his head, “Just… let’s get through this as quickly as possible. I’d like to put my son to rest.”

“Of course,” the Chief said. McCallum looked over at Lassiter, who nodded his agreement.

McCallum mutter his thanks again, and stepped foreword to shake his hand. Was it hot in here? He’d been fine a second ago.

Vick released an exasperated sigh, “Detective Barry, deal with Mr. Spencer please.” The Chief pointed out the window where Spencer and Guster were arguing heatedly next to Lucinda’s desk. Lassiter felt a headache start in his temples as, the now familiar irritation curled in his chest.

He watched as Lucinda unsuccessfully attempted to expel the duo from the station. Time to intervene.

Lassiter left the office just in time to hear Spencer say, “Something is going on, and I’m going to find out what it is.”

“No,” Lassiter said, smiling in a way that showed his canines. Lucinda recognized the look and left, allowing him to take point on the situation.

Lassiter wrapped an arm around Shawn’s shoulder in order to better maneuver the other man away from the office.

“You’re not going anywhere near that man. In fact, I’m going to make certain you never hear from the department again.”

“Whoa!” Spencer pulled away from Lassiter and raised his arms in surrender. “I’m getting strong vibrations that you may be wrong.”

“I’m onto you,” Lassiter said viscously, infusing his words with as much sincerity as he could.

“You’ve got a source somewhere and I’m going to find it. You think this is some sort of game? I’m not going to let you waltz on in here like a kid in a candy store.”

“Let me be honest with you, Detective. I used to work in a candy store, and it’s nothing like this.”

Lassiter stared hard at Spencer, trying to intimidate. Shawn stared back. Something in Lassiter’s chest clenched, but before anything more could happen, Shawn broke the stare and moved toward the exit.

“You’re in over your head, mystic,” Lassiter called after him.

“Okay, that,” Lucinda said rejoining him, “was unnecessary.”

Lassiter wanted to reach out and touch her arm, remembering the soft way she felt under him two nights ago. Remembering the way she moaned his name, his first name.

A little hopefully, Lassiter asked, “Don’t tell me you believe him?”

“The psychic thing?” Lucinda snorted and crossed her arms over her chest in a way that reminded Lassiter painfully of Dawn. “Give me some credit, Carlton. But maybe he can still help us. We both know that with the Lieutenant Governor on Vick’s back she can’t let us look into the case any further.

“But,” Lucinda stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Maybe Spencer can”

Lassiter nodded, glancing down at his shoe.

“Okay, when he comes to you for information, tell him what he needs to know. See if you can get any information from him at the same time.”

“Assuming he comes to me for information.”

Lassiter laughed, and it sounded bitter, “Trust me, he will.”

When Lucinda approached Lassiter casually at his desk later, he knew the plan worked.

“What did you learn?”

“Well,” Lucinda said standing at a distance instead of leaning on his desk. “He knows how to shoot a gun.”

Two pictures fall into place.

***

Lassiter stood in an old house. The smell of mold and burning wax invaded his senses, and the smooth handle of the axe fitted perfectly into his hands. The blonde woman in front of him was terrified and he quivered with adrenalin.

And rage.

Lassiter has never known rage like this. It seeped into his every pore, and made his heart thump double time in his chest. His body felt different. Not his own. He fixed his gaze on the blonde and swung the axe.

Gasping, Lassiter awoke on the floor of his bedroom – sheets tangled in his legs, covered in sweat, and his heart beating wildly against his ribs. It took a few tries before Lassiter’s shaking body was able to push itself off the floor, to the bathroom, and into the shower.

The shaking still hadn’t completely ceased by the time Lassiter arrived at the station in the morning.

“You look like hell,” Lucinda said in lieu of greeting.

“I’m fine,” Lassiter snapped. Lucinda posture stiffened, but – remembering the empty side of the bed next to him – he couldn’t bring himself to care.

McNab warily approached, “Um, Detective Lassiter? I’ve got a call from McCallum’s place. Apparently Shawn Spencer’s broken into the house and refuses to leave.”

Lassiter gritted his teeth.

***

“You know, it times like this when I remember why I love my job so much.” Lassiter informed Spencer as he dragged him to the back of the police car.

Lassiter was telling the truth. This was the first time he’d smiled all day.

Spencer was a bundle of nerves; Lassiter could feel the man practically vibrating against him. Guster was shouting at Spencer, and Spencer was shouting back, but Lassiter ignored them both as he opened the door to his car, and attempted to shove Spencer inside.

And then it started.

And then McCallum confessed.

And then it ended.

Lassiter leaned against the car door, feeling Spencer’s body heat blend into his own, and rethought his theory.

“Seriously, how?”

Spencer turned to him, all wide green eyes and ‘woe is me’ posture.

“I wish I knew.”

Again, the feeling of smug satisfaction flew off of Spencer like waves of light. The pit of Lassiter stomach sank as he realized this wasn’t over.

Spencer coughed, and gestured to the cuffs on his wrist. Lassiter frowned, but took his keys out. His thumb brushed Spencer’s pulse point as he slid the metal off and that’s when it hit.

Bodies moving together on a couch. A young woman – waitress – moving over him, groaning. Wet heat surrounded him.

“Um, Detective Lassiter?” Spencer waved a hand in front of his face.

Jerking out of whatever it was he had been pulled into, Lassiter jumped out of Spencer’s reach.

“Yes? Right. Good.” Lassiter stammered practically throwing himself into the car. He started the engine and almost drove off before Lucinda could get into the passenger seat. He could feel Spencer’s stare even as he pulled past the gate of the McCallum house.

***

Lassiter was packing up for the night when Lucinda finally came over to his desk looking unbearably awkward.

“So,” Lassiter fumbled for something to say. “How’s your mom?”

Lucinda gives him the look, “How did you know about my mom?”

For once, Lassiter had an answer; “The Chief came to speak to me.”

“You know about the transfer then,” Lucinda said miserably.

“Yeah…” Lassiter avoided her gaze, “That’s not the only reason, is it?”

Lucinda shook her head negatively, “Look, Carlton, I – ”

“Please don’t go.” It came out so soft, Lassiter wasn’t sure Lucinda heard him.

“I have to.” Lucinda’s voice sounded odd, “The whole station…”

She broke off, unable to continue.

Lassiter cleared his throat, “Well then, good luck, Detective Barry.”

He extended his hand and Lucinda took it.

“You too, Detective Lassiter.”

By next week, Lucinda was nothing more than an empty desk that Lassiter avoided walking by. A month later, Vick called Lassiter into her office to introduce him to his new partner.

The blonde with the hopeful face looked vaguely familiar, but the feeling of recognition disappeared before Lassiter could trace it.

It probably wasn’t that important anyway.

TO BE CONTINUED:

Next time on "I Know You Know": Lassiter figures it out (with the help of the Little Boy Cat, who is actually a girl).