Taking a drink of his beer, Trent continued his story. "Carlos was still with the police force and Sam and I had just moved in together. In many ways we were still getting to know one another and Sam was still recovering from her attack. In fact, I think it was only a month after the trial."

"Attack?" Jessie asked, but she was silenced by a look from Carlos that told her he would explain later.

**

"Hi T. How was your day?" Sam called from her seat on the couch as she heard the door to the apartment close.

"Just fine, but unfortunately I have to leave again," Trent told her as he walked over and kissed her. "I have a class to teach at the dojo and then I have to do some detective work. You doing anything tonight?" He knew her schedule could be as hectic as his.

"No. I am just going to be staying in tonight. Do you have time for supper?" she called as he went in the bedroom to grab his ghi.

"No, I'll grab something on the way," and with that he kissed her again. "Bye."

"Bye." As she watched Trent leave, Sam heaved a sigh of relief. She went in to the bedroom to find something to wear to the club.

**

Sam heard the throbbing music as she entered the club. It definitely has a beat you can strip to she thought. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as she looked around. The doorman smiled at her.

"Hi," she said, yelling above the din of the music. "I'm looking for a friend who works here. She said I might be able to get a job."

"What's her name?"

"Casey. Casey Potter. Is she here?"

"Just a minute, I'll check." The doorman walked over to the bar and began talking to a well-dressed man nursing what looked like a martini. As they turned and looked at her, Sam pretended not to notice. The man got off the barstool and approached her.

"Hello, Miss......" He extended his hand, waiting for Sam to tell him her name.

"Baker. Samantha Baker. Is Casey here? She said I might be able to get a job here."

"Casey isn't here right now but I am the owner, Eric Carter. How do you know Casey?"

Sam knew that Carter was checking her out and trying to determine if she was on the level. She tried to sound desperate. "I went to massage school with her and I was hoping I could get a job. I'm pretty new here in Dallas and I really need to make some money. My bills are starting to pile up and ..." She was cut off by Carter who had been looking her up and down.

"That's okay. Can you dance?"

Sam's hand instinctively went to the scar she bore on her stomach. She was still very aware of it. "I was hoping I could wait tables. I used to back home and I'm very good at it." She tried to sound as earnest as she could.

Carter looked at the man beside him and smiled greasy smile. "Well, I suppose you could work your way up." Turning to Sam he asked, "Do you want to try it out tonight and see if you can handle it? Tonight is my busiest night. Casey will be here later."

Sam smiled. "You bet!" She had gotten her foot in the door. Now she just hoped it wouldn't get broken.

**

"Sam? Are you home?" Trent had finished early and had headed home. He knew Carlos was on an assignment and wouldn't be at Uppercuts. He thought he would surprise Sam and come home early. But Sam wasn't there and there was no note. Trent was perplexed.

**

"Hey waitress!! Can I get a beer over here?" It had been a while since Sam had waited tables but she was surprised at how easily she fell back into a routine. She had spent many years waiting tables back home in Canada when she was in school. That experience was now paying off.

As s he was making change for a table of four frat boys, Sam heard the voice again. "Can I get a beer?" She turned and nearly dropped her tray. She was looking into the face of Carlos who was equally stunned.

"Hi," she said, trying to smile. "What kind of beer?" She knew the owner was watching and didn't want them to know she knew Carlos personally.

"Miller," he said. The look in his eye told her that he didn't want them to know either. As she went to the bar to get the beer, Sam took a deep breath. She wanted to talk to Carlos but she didn't know how. Her mind was still racing as she took the beer back to the table.

"Here, keep the change," Carlos told her. From under the $5 dollar bill he had placed on the tray, Sam could see a piece of paper. She knew Carlos had answered her problem for her. She smiled.

**

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" Sam was sitting in the Durango, listening to Carlos chew her out. "Are you nuts? That man is one of the biggest slimes around. He is under investigation for any number of things." As Carlos paused to take a breath, Sam finally spoke.

"Look, I don't care about that. I am trying to help a friend right now. All I know is you can't tell Trent."

"The hell I can't. Maybe he can talk some sense into you." Carlos took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

"I mean it, Carlos. You can't tell him. He'd freak. I am just doing this until I can find Casey. Then I will get out of the way and you can do whatever you have to get Mr. Carter." Sam had set her jaw and was looking directly into Carlos' eyes.

Calming down, Carlos spoke. "Sam, it is just too dangerous...and you are...." He stopped mid-sentence.

"I'm what, Carlos?" Sam knew what he was getting at but wanted him to say it.

Looking away, Carlos said quietly, "You have been through a lot, Sam."

"I am not going to break, Carlos." The rage Sam had been feeling had finally surfaced. "You all think I am so fragile. That I am going to break. You all have been driving me crazy the way you have been tiptoeing around me. Well, I'm a lot stronger than you think. I'm doing this Carlos, no matter what you say! " Sam flew out of the truck, slamming the door behind her, leaving Carlos speechless.

**

"Hi! Where have you been?" Trent had been waiting on the couch when Sam came home.

"Out," was the terse reply.

"I thought you were staying home tonight."

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. Why? You got a problem with me going out?" Sam was still livid from her argument with Carlos and it was showing.

"No. Do you have a problem with me asking?" Trent had been put on the defensive and he didn't know why. "Is something bothering you?"

"Just leave me alone," Sam told him as she went into the kitchen and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. Trent followed her.

"Sam..." he started.

"I said, LEAVE ME ALONE!" The anger in her voice caught Trent off guard.

"No," he told her trying to calm her down. "Something is obviously wrong..."

"This was a mistake," she told him as she pushed past him.

"What?"

"Moving in together," she said as she gathered her coat from the chair by the door. As the words rang in Trent's ears, the door slammed and she was gone.

Part 3

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