Chapter ONE

Alex Eames sat quietly in the bar's dark corner; she could just see the dark top of Bobby Goren's head at the bar. He had gently suggested the need for drinks together after the explosions of the Garrett trial, and Alex had swiftly accepted. They chose a place far enough away from One Police Plaza to avoid running into other cops, but roughly midway between their apartments. Bobby was more familiar with the place than Alex, although they had held some post case meetings here in the past. The bar catered more to white collar than blue and tended to empty out soon after the free snacks of happy hour disappeared. The bars near One PP would just be catching their second breath about now, Alex thought, while this place was dozing.

Alex focused on Bobby. Since the revelation of her long ago and forgotten transfer request Bobby had been calm and stoic. He reassured her frequently that he understood, that the request was in the past, a minor blimp as far as he was concerned. "We really weren't even partners yet," he told her at one point. "The important thing is that you stayed."

"I should have told you," Alex told him. "Then we wouldn't have been blindsided by this."

"Eames, that request should have been hidden…and when Deakins and Carver find out who let it out, heads are going to roll…there's no reason why you should have ever expected to see it again…and no reason why you should have told me about it…you certainly didn't want to tell me about it when it happened…and after…there just wasn't any reason…"

Alex wasn't sure if Bobby's quiet acceptance made her feel better or worse. She studied him as he moved from the bar, carrying a margarita for her, some dark amber liquid fire for him. "I have to tell him," she thought. "It's probably why the staff let that…scum… in…he's going to find out anyway…and it'll be better if he hears it from me…and this is a nice neutral territory…"

Bobby placed her drink before her and sat down. "I think I convinced the bartender to make it extra strong," he said.

Alex ran her finger along the salted glass.

"Eames…it's ok…really…like I said…I'm lucky." Bobby leaned towards her to emphasize the point and was surprised when she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"There's …something…I need to tell you…something else…"

"What?" Bobby said lightly. "There's been other times…it wouldn't surprise me…I'm not the easiest guy in the world to get along with…and even the best partners sometimes…Fin…the cop I used to work with in Narcotics…told me that at least every few months he considers various ways of killing his partner Munch…and five minutes later they're saving each other's rear ends." Bobby sipped his drink. "You wouldn't be human if I didn't drive you occasionally to requesting a transfer…hell, sometimes I want a transfer from me."

"This…this may be…different." Alex stared into the depths of her drink. She took a long sip.

"How?" Bobby was curious but calm.

Alex concentrated on her drink. "Has the staff at Carmel Ridge told you why they let that…that…in?"

Shadows appeared in Bobby's eyes. "No…they're looking into it…"

"It might be…" The words hurt Alex. "It might be…that another…someone else from the NYPD…might have been…"

Bobby stared at her; his mind jumping to several conclusions and not wanting to accept any of them.

"You remember that saying…"no good deed goes unpunished"? Bobby, please understand…I meant…" Alex swallowed. "My sister-in-law…the one that's a nurse…she got a temporary job at a clinic near Carmel Ridge about three years ago…and my sister and I went up to have lunch with her…and the facility where your mom is…it was only five minutes away…and…" Alex blinked; she didn't dare look at Bobby. "I didn't mean to pry or anything…I thought it would be rude not to go see her…and…I told the staff…I was a friend of her son's…" It struck Alex that her words were the same used by the private detective to reach Bobby's mother in the Garrett case. "I…just wanted…to say hello…I know…you said…she didn't have a lot of visitors…and…"

Alex's head shot up at a bang. Bobby, furiously rubbing his neck and his eyes dark, swirling pools, stood over her. And then he was gone.

End Chapter 1