A/N: This is a continuation of my Madison stories and takes place about a month or so after my fic Amendments. Please read and review.
Chapter 1
Their arrival was announced by the slamming of two doors on the SUV as they stepped into the muggy July night air. They got the call at two am and it was now not quite four. Bobby made his way to the ally where the body was, while Alex hung back to talk to the uniforms that were first on the scene.
"We first thought she was a working girl, but a purse was left with the body…her id was in it. She's an ADA," an officer explained. "Hence the call to Major Case."
Alex nodded. "Any witnesses?"
"We're still combing the area…her boyfriend apparently is already on his way…he's a cop."
"Thanks," Alex nodded with a crinkled brow and thin pressed lips, and then began to walk toward Bobby.
He knelt over Tricia Clarkson's body and delicately cradled her head as he examined the large gash on her head, that had left caking blood around her head and eye. Her body was slumped against a brick wall in the alley between her own apartment building and another, wearing only a simple black negligee and the numerous bruises littering her body.
Alex squatted down and began to look through the discarded, small, but stylish handbag that sat next to Tricia's left hip.
"What do you think?" Alex asked. "She was walking home and someone grabbed her?"
He sat back slightly, with a huff as he surveyed the wall behind her, and shook his head.
"I-I don't think she was killed here," Bobby said. "The wound on her head…she was on her knees when he hit her…he swung upward…there should be blood splatter, but the only blood is on her."
Alex followed his hand as he gestured to the wall and then the ground and nodded her agreement with a sigh.
"Well whatever she was doing…she was traveling light," she said holding up the purse. "Only thing in here is her ID…"
"And traveling without her clothes," Bobby said. "You'd think there would be something…but not even her underwear…just the purse…someone displayed her here."
"But made sure we'd know who she was."
Alex placed the purse back where it was and then rose, soon followed by Bobby as he nodded.
"He-he wanted to humiliate her," Bobby said glancing from the body to Alex. "We need to go check out her apartment."
Alex nodded, prepared to say something when man's cry of "Tricia!" interrupted her.
"I'm guessing that's the boyfriend," Alex said.
They made their way to the entrance of the alley, both searching out the man in question. Both settled on a man of average height with broad shoulders and wavy brown hair, who was being held back by a uniformed officer.
"Marcus?" Alex muttered.
Bobby turned slightly toward her and dipped his head, until she returned his gaze.
"It's Marcus Laidler…we worked in vice together," she said.
She watched Bobby as he opened the file in his head that held every secret or anecdote about her life before he was a part of it and she knew the instance he found it because he ticked his head to the opposite side.
"The one from your C.O.'s farewell party…the one who you…" the rest of the thought dissipated as his finger rolled in the air.
Alex rolled her eyes and nodded, feeling a slight flush hit her cheeks. She figured she could probably blame it on the heat in the air.
"Well do you want to talk to him or are you okay with me doing it?"
The right corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Yeah…" he said with a quick lift of his eyebrow. "Look try to get him over to the diner across the street…I'll go take a look in her apartment and meet you over there."
Alex nodded and they both went off into different directions.
She remembered Marcus as a sweet guy and a good cop, who wasn't very good at hiding the fact he had a bit of a crush on her. Though he was always respectful towards her and even Joe liked him, knowing Marcus respected them too much as cops and people to violate their trust. They weren't partners, but worked in the same unit for three years.
She watched him continue to struggle with the officer, whose hands were firmly planted on Marcus' shoulders.
Alex watched him still as she stepped up beside the officer, lightly brushing his shoulder as a signal to back off.
"Alex?" Marcus asked; his eyes runny and bloodshot.
"Hi Marcus," Alex said.
"Is she?"
"I'm sorry…"
His face quivered with unshed tears.
"I have to see her…"
"You know you can't…and it's probably better if you don't," Alex said as she held up a hand to stop him. "Let's go across the street, sit down and talk, all right?"
He looked over her shoulder to the crowd of CSU officers who filled the alley, but couldn't see any sign of Tricia.
Alex grasped his elbow and gently steered him away. He slowly turned his gaze away from the alley and willingly went with Alex to the all night diner across the street.
The diner was empty with the exception of a couple of waitresses and a male cook, all of whom stood at the glass store front watching the scene across from them.
Alex directed Marcus to a booth in the center of the diner, away from the windows and then sat across from him. He stared down at the table and placed his shaking hands against the table top.
She shifted in her seat as she watched him and swiped her hair behind her ear, hoping her cheeks wouldn't give away her discomfort in meeting him again. Her mind wandered to the night they shouldn't have shared and that she barely remembered, since she was intoxicated with vodka and three months worth of grief and anger.
"How could this happen?" Marcus muttered. "She was always so careful…"
"Do you know what she was doing tonight?" Alex asked.
"Just working on a case…"
"In her office?"
He shook his head.
"She usually brought things home with her…"
Alex wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or tenser when she saw Bobby enter the dinner and then slide into the booth beside her, giving Marcus a sympathetic gaze.
"This is my partner detective Goren," Alex said.
Marcus slowly acknowledged him with watery eyes and nodded.
"How-how long have you been seeing Ms. Clarkson?" Bobby asked.
"Uh…on and off for four…almost five years," Marcus said.
"On and off?" Bobby asked.
"At first she wasn't ready for anything exclusive, but about a year ago she said that's what she wanted…I normally would have been with her, but she said she needed some time to work on this case…so…so I went to my apartment…" Marcus paused, rubbing his palms against his eyes, and then suddenly glanced up at Alex and Bobby. "Was…was she raped?"
Bobby gave a slight nod as he glanced down at the table.
"I-it looks like it," Bobby said.
Marcus' head fell into his palms and his fingers slid into his hair.
Bobby shifted and reached his arm across the table, placing his hand on Marcus' arm.
"Why don't you let a uniform take you home?" Bobby suggested. "You can come by our office later to give a…a formal statement."
Marcus glanced from Bobby to Alex and then reluctantly nodded.
Bobby gestured to an officer standing outside the diner, effectively getting him to walk to them.
The officer agreed to take Marcus home, who gave one last look and nod to Alex, before letting the officer lead him.
Alex sighed and rubbed her forehead as she turned slightly toward Bobby.
"Poor guy," Alex muttered.
Bobby nodded and then turned his attention to her, linking his fingers together and resting them on the table.
"It looks like she was killed in her apartment. I found a glass carving…probably what he hit her with," Bobby said. "He-he had to have put the negligee on her after he killed her…there were bloody clothes in the hamper…"
"So somehow he manages to drag her downstairs, unnoticed, and into the alley…"
Bobby nodded. "It's interesting…the scene looks like a rage killing, but displaying her like that…it's…it shows planning…calculation…"
Alex studied him.
"You think she may not be the first," Alex said.
Bobby shrugged and gave a small nod.
"I-I think it's a possibility."