Nature versus Nurture
The first time he saw her was two weeks ago at the Museum of Art. She was there with a bunch of 8 year old kids, trying to explain to them the difference between Monet and Rembrandt, but they weren't paying attention. They were just talking among themselves or poking each other laughing. But she just continued her discussion.
He moved in closer so he could hear. She noticed he was paying attention to her and was interested in what she was saying. She started talking directly to him and smiling. Her smile brightened the room and he was mesmerized.
When she was finished she gathered up the kids and moved along. He followed but tried to remain hidden; he found her interesting and beautiful. She knew the man was watching her and found it flattering. She began to act flirtatious, tossing her hair, bending down so her cleavage would show or pointing her rear in his direction. He blushed but couldn't look away. She was playing a game with him and he liked it.
But now she was unconscious in the Police Commissioner's car. How did she get there? The fire department was using the Jaws of Life to get her out the car; the commissioner was dead. He wished he would have approached her that day and asked her name.
"They making any progress, Bobby?" asked Eames as she looked down the ravine.
"They should have her out in a few minutes," replied Bobby as he stood with his hands in his pockets.
Goren and Eames stood watching the Firemen work with anticipation.
"We got her out!" yelled one of the firemen who was down in the ravine.
The EMT's rushed down the hill with a back board and neck brace to bring her back up. Goren started to go down the hill but Eames pulled him back.
"Let them do their job, Bobby. I know this is an important case and Ross is going to be breathing down our necks, but there's no need to run down there and get hurt."
She didn't know the crime scene wasn't the reason he wanted to go down that hill. He wanted to check on her. But he stayed back as his partner suggested.
"As soon as we get her cleared, we will get the commissioner's body out and then we can get the car out. We'll tow it to the One PP garage," said the fireman.
"Did she have a purse? Or anything to ID her with," Goren asked the fireman and the EMT's.
The EMT's quickly checked her clothes and found nothing. They put her in the ambulance and raced towards the hospital. Bobby watched them as they left. The firemen double-checked the car and found nothing.
"Guess she is a Jane Doe for now," said one of the firemen.
"Well, there is nothing for us to do here, Eames. Let's head to the hospital; she is the one with the answers," said Goren.
Goren and Eames arrived at the hospital and inquired about the Jane Doe who was just brought in. The nurse informed them the doctor was still examining her, so they took a seat in the ER waiting room.
"Maybe the commissioner's wife knows who she is," suggested Eames.
"We can take a picture of her and Captain Ross can ask, since he wants to handle talking to her," said Goren.
"So he made the notification?" asked Eames.
"Yeah, he went to college with her; they are old friends. He wanted to be the one to tell her."
"Maybe he was having an affair with our Jane Doe," Eames wondered aloud.
"Let's not jump to conclusions." No way, he thought, she was some sort of teacher. The way she acted with those children she didn't look like an adulteress. This job has taught him nobody ever looks the part, but he wouldn't believe her capable of this. The doctor walked out of the ER into the waiting room; Goren and Eames stood up.
"Detectives, the nurse told me you were here about Jane Doe. She has a pretty nasty bump on her head. She still hasn't regained consciousness. But from what the x-rays and CT scan show, she is fine. She has some bruising but she is a very lucky woman," said the Doctor.
"Thank you, Doctor. We will need to get her fingerprints, a picture and a blood sample to help identify her. Also here is my card, please call us when she wakes up," said Goren.
"Sure, I understand. Anything I can do to help," replied the doctor.
Goren and Eames gathered what they needed to help ID Jane Doe and headed back to One PP. They dropped the items off at the lab. Rodgers, the Medical Examiner, hadn't yet completed the autopsy of the commissioner, so they headed for Captain Ross's office.
"Come in detectives," said Ross. "Do you have anything?"
"Here is a picture of Jane Doe. We thought maybe the commissioner's wife might know who she is," said Eames, handing Ross the picture.
"I can ask her. So this woman was in his car with no ID," asked Ross.
"No sir. No purse or wallet. We have a sample of her blood and fingerprints to run through the system. Fingerprints shouldn't take that long, but the blood might take awhile," said Goren.
Ross picked up the phone and called the lab. "Yes, this is Captain Ross. Detective Goren just dropped off some blood and fingerprint samples on the commissioner's case. I want them run before anything else. Do you understand? This is first priority," ordered Ross.
"Thanks, Captain," said Eames.
"I want to be kept updated on this regularly. Do you understand," asked Ross
"Yes sir," said Goren.
Eames and Goren went to their desks and tried to decide what to do next. Goren's phone rang.
"Goren...Ok, thanks." He hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his hair.
"What," asked Eames.
"Well, she doesn't have a record. Her prints weren't in the system," said Goren.
Eames' phone rang.
"Eames...Really?...From what?...Ok...thanks," Eames hung up her phone. "That's interesting."
"What," asked Goren.
"The commissioner died of a heart attack. He probably had the heart attack, ran off the road and caused the accident. Case solved," Eames said as she took a sip of her tea.
Goren's phone rang again.
"Goren...hmmm... ok. Thanks," Goren leaned back in his chair and rubbed his beard. "Well, I hate to blow your theory, but that was the garage. Seems the commissioner's brake line had a small pin hole that caused a slow leak. And there was red paint on the driver's side. Someone tampered with the brake line, chased him down the road, forced him off the road and down into the ravine. Then he had the heart attack," said Goren.
"Dang! Talk about overkill," said Eames. "So the accident caused his heart attack?"
"Not according to his Cardiologist," said Rodgers as she walked in. Goren sat up in his chair and the two detectives turned to look at her as she continued. "I called his Cardiologist about his last check-up and his heart was in fine condition, so I did some checking on his body again. I found a needle mark behind his right ear. Someone must have injected him with potassium chloride and instant heart attack." She handed Goren the picture of the injection site.
"So after they ran him off the road they climbed down the ravine and finished him off with an injection," Goren speculated.
Eames' cell phone rang. When she hung up she was white as a ghost.
"Maybe they were already in the car," said Eames.
"What do you mean?" asked Goren, turning to look at her.
"The person who injected him, our Jane Doe. Maybe she injected him," said Eames.
"Why would you think she did it," asked Goren.
"Because she is Nicole Wallace's sister," said Eames.