Disclaimer:All of the characters are the property of Dick Wolf. I thank him, the writers, the directors and all the great actors who brought them "to life" for our benefit. Any "liberties" I have taken with them is motivated only by my fond admiration.
AN: This story is not set entirely within the accepted "canon" or strictly within the "storyline" for the characters as it is only officially portrayed by the TV series.
They say some things are best left alone…I should have cut off my hands at the end of "Encore For Adrasteia" but then I got to thinking (again) about what might happen next…always a mistake…as anyone who bothers to read on will soon discover…
DEATH'S ETERNAL COLD
Thursday 13th November
St John The Divine, Amsterdam Avenue
It was claimed to be the largest Anglican cathedral in the world. If so, it was the largest still to be finished, over one hundred and fifteen years since they made a start on it. Similar structures in Europe had been completed in half the time, a thousand years earlier and with only man and horsepower to do the construction work. But in those days religion had more of a monopoly on people's time and money.
Built in the "Gothic Revival" style so beloved of the late nineteenth century, it had avoided the overbearing gloom of its also unfinished counterpart over at St Patrick's, but neither was much to Robert Goren's taste. "Gothic" was best left to those for whom it was contemporary.
He paused between slipping his overcoat over his uniform, to acknowledge a few people straggling down the steps at the west doors. And then hurried away. Like many and those who had not arrived in cabs or chauffer driven cars, he had some way to go to retrieve a vehicle.
At the top of the steps in civilian clothes, Alex Eames stood beside Jack McCoy as he spoke with the wider family of George White. His executive ADA had been killed, along with his flying instructor, almost a month ago. The funeral was a private affair, St John's had hosted the memorial service and the District Attorney had read one of the lessons.
A family tragedy as White had three teenaged children, but that afternoon an occasion for the great and good in New York civil and legal society to pay their respects. From the mayor down and since Eames was there as McCoy's recognised "partner" these days, it had neatly the solved a problem for Captain Ross. He'd sent Goren to represent Major Case and sit among the rows of NYPD who were present.
But as she excused herself from Jack's side, Eames also knew that White's death presented him with an opportunity. George had been appointed very much at political urging after McCoy was elected. A safe pair of hands and politically desirable ones to be alongside a DA whose tenure was already proving to be unconventional. White's successor would be of Jack's choosing and half way down the steps was a small clutch of the potential candidates.
Good manners had, until now, kept check on naked ambition but she suspected the gloves would soon be off and at home there were several invitations of the social kind. Intended to impress or drop opinion in McCoy's ear. Eames avoided the likes of Teresa Randle, Pat McCann and Eric Stoller. Making for a familiar and friendly face on the sidewalk.
"Hello Ron" she greeted Carver.
"Good to see you Alex. If sad circumstances and a lesson to us all to follow more mundane leisure pursuits"
Carver might once have been amongst that clutch or coven of senior ADA's, but these days he was in private practice.
"Oh I don't know, people maim themselves with garden tools or have heart attacks on tennis courts, all the time"
"How re-assuring" murmured Carver.
"You see the fight for the key to the executive washroom has already begun?"
Ron smiled fractionally "It's the same in the private sector. And I didn't know the DA's office had one"
"Had one what?" said McCoy in that deep voice at her shoulder.
"Executive washrooms"
"We don't have such fat expense accounts either Al. Good to see you Ron"
As they shook hands Eames saw their SUV come around the corner.
"Ooops there's Goren. Better go before he gets it in his head to drive. Then there will be serious losses in the legal community milling around here"
She turned to McCoy "Jack? Try not…"
"To be too late?" he muttered "You too"
"Bye Ron"
She gave McCoy's cheek a peck and made her way across the road between cars drawing up for people and the traffic stopped at lights. Goren was switching round from the driver to the passenger seat.
"Is he that bad?" mused McCoy.
"Drove me once. Exhilarating is probably the best word"
"Speaking of which Ron, got time for a few words and a coffee?"
Carver checked his gold watch with a slight frown "Not really Jack…could…"
They both saw someone approaching fixed on speaking to the DA.
"I'll give you a call later then. Fix a time"
"Okay" said Ron as the car belonging to Franklin & Levi came around the corner.
With the seat and everything else adjusted for the difference in their height, Eames slid the SUV into traffic.
"Did you remember I'm taking a couple of hours owed me Eames?" asked Goren.
"Sure. I'll drop you in the Village on my way round to 1PP"
"Thanks"
"So is it the thesis or decorating?"
"Thesis" he replied "I have yet to be given my orders for the dining room by Caro"
Eames smiled inside. Goren might make out he was under Dr Caroline Reece's thumb but if he was and she severely doubted that, it was because he put himself there. And was patently enjoying every minute. Was more relaxed, happy and at ease with himself than she had ever known him. Though slightly distracted of late perhaps because of the competition for his spare time. Of a Masters degree and getting together their home in Greenwich.
"I wish Jack were as accommodating as you. Do you know we spent most of last evening at my place squabbling about cushions? Did you go through this?"
"No. But then we were going to move somewhere completely new, not letting out one place"
"Could be that" said Eames.
Privately aware that it was something else that really irked Jack. That she was keeping her place in Brooklyn and not throwing in her lot completely to move in with him in Soho. He could see it as a symbolic absence of total commitment to him on her part. But then Goren and Caro did not have quite the same indifferent to bad marital or relationship track record as they did.
"What did you decide?"
"One set of cushions hit the dumpster" muttered Eames.
"His"
She laughed, "You know me too well Goren"
Their conversation turned as it usually did back to work fairly quickly as they headed south through Manhattan. At another set of lights, men with a cherry picker were stringing lights ready for the holiday season.
"Huh?" said Goren seeming almost to wake up, though she knew he wasn't dozing.
"I said three times…who else is going to be in Virginia with you for Thanksgiving?"
"Oh…Mike and Chrissie and the kids"
"How is the little boy doing at kindergarten?"
"You must be thinking of David, Caro's brother. It's him has that little guy. I was meaning Mike and Chrissie from Fort Worth. They have a girl of four and a boy of two"
"Sorry I get confused between Mike, the brother and Mike the brother in law" said Eames.
She knew "the brother Mike" was Deputy Principal of a school for the blind and they had adopted a boy after two girls of their own. One a single Mom had given up when he was diagnosed that way. Through the Reece family Goren had regained a large one after losing his father some years ago and his Mom. And, much more recently and tragically his only brother, Frank. Eames had shot him herself in the middle of a terrible series of events Nicole Wallace was responsible for, even from beyond the grave.
It said something for the professional and personal trust they had established over the years that Goren never for one minute blamed her in any way for that. Knew had things turned out differently, it might have been him who pulled the trigger that day. And would not have "forgiven" himself the rest of his life.
Goren's cell that he had dropped in the cup holder began to ring. Eames did not need to ask. She could tell from his tone throughout the conversation before it ended.
"Male or female corpse?" she enquired.
"Elderly male"
"Sorry you lost your time owed Goren"
"Maybe not all. Grove Street in the Village Eames"
He reached for the lights and sirens to clear them a way through. His mind now firmly focussed as he made a few quick notes in his folder.
To be continued…
AN: If y'all want to know why Frank got shot by Alex and how she got together with Jack McCoy you'll just have to read "Encore For Adrasteia"