Internal Affairs
By: Rhuben
Summary- [Extended/Deleted scene from "In a Flash" chapter 37]. Barry, Joe, Cisco, and Averey are questioned by Internal Affairs.
Joe
If there was one thing Joe West hated about worked for the Central City Police Department, it was that no one seemed to ever start their meetings on time. He tapped his fingernails on the arm rest of the chair he had been sitting in for the past half hour—which was a half hour past the time the Internal Affairs meeting should have started. Not that he thought there should have been an investigation to begin with.
Joe was a well recognized member of the Central City Police Department. The awards and accolades under his belt for his bravery and quick thinking were a testament to that. He appreciated the recognition from time to time but at the end of the day, they were just words on paper to him. What matters most was that he did everything he could to not only help the people of the city he loved, but that he got home safe and sound to continue to watch his daughter and his foster son grow into respectable young adults.
After all that hard work and recognition, why did it feel like the members of the CCPD, his co-workers and friends, were turning their backs on him now? Over a misunderstanding?
As he had stepped through the front doors of the precinct that morning, he could feel everyone staring at him as he and Barry Allen had made a beeline for the elevators. Some people even stopped themselves short of walking into a wall just to get a glimpse at the two of them. All conversations stopped. His years spent walking through those halls he knew it was better when there was constant noise. And in that silence, what stuck out the most, was that no one came to talk to him to see how he was doing. That was the hardest part.
Movement caught his eye and he watched Barry, who sat in the wooden chair to his right, start to bounce his knee again. Correction: seeing Barry so nervous and jittery (that coffee had nothing to do with) was the hardest part. It was his job to protect Barry, to guide him through life and now here he was, waiting to be grilled by Internal Affairs because he couldn't let go of the idea that Dr. Harrison Wells wasn't who he seemed to be. That wasn't what a parent was supposed to do; he wasn't supposed to bring any more pain onto Barry.
Curling his fingers around the arm rest, he tightly squeezed until his finger tips started to ache. If they weren't in the house that night, looking for clues that could lead to Dr. Wells, none of this would have happened. He was happy to have given Barry the opportunity to have some closure, and even happier to know that he could give him some hope in knowing that one day he would have the chance to save his mom in the past. However, he never expected the more current owner of the house to be dumped on the steps of the precinct, stabbed through the heart and to have all eyes put on himself, Barry, Cisco Ramon, and Averey Moore just because they were the last ones scene at the house.
Joe gave a sharp shake of his head. No. If he had stuck by his friend's side the night of Nora Allen's murder, things probably wouldn't have turned out the way they did. He wished he never had to sit trial against Henry Allen that night, stating that everything pointed towards the man killing his own wife.
"It'll be ok," he said to Barry, briefly placing his hand on Barry's head.
"Mmmhm." Barry nodded his head, corners of his lips lifting into a fleeting smile. His knee started bouncing faster.
He had barely sat still since the two of them had arrived at the precinct that morning. There was some comfort when Cisco and Averey had arrived, but the longer they waited, the more time he had to let his mind wander. Joe had made sure that Barry wasn't late, but maybe his usual lateness would have helped; they wouldn't be waiting so long for their questioning to get started.
"I'm just about ready to leave," Cisco commented, adjusting his tie for the umpteenth time. "Does the 'teacher rule' count here?"
"Teacher rule?" Joe repeated.
"When your teacher doesn't arrive after ten past, your class is allowed to leave," Averey explained, rapidly tapping at her phone. She sat up in her seat, letting out a loud gasp, eyes glued to her phone. "Nooo! I for sure missed that pipe!"
"Watch, the second we decide to leave," Cisco replied, going through the process of tying his tie, "they'll be ready to talk to us." He coughed as he pushed his tie up too high before . "I'm ready to just bag this and go to Big Belly Burger. Who's with me?"
As soon as he got to his feet, a woman with a tight bun and pointy glasses frames appeared at the far end of the hall, making her way towards them. She regarded the clipboard cradled in her arm before clearing her throat. "We're ready for you now," she announced, "Joseph West, you'll be in conference room A; Bartholomew Allen in conference room B; Francisco Ramon in the Roll Call room, and Averett Moore in interview room three."
"Do you know where you're going?" Joe asked Cisco and Averey as they got to their feet.
"I can show them, Detective," the woman offered with a gentle smile. "Good luck."
"Thank you." Joe pressed his lips together into a smile before letting out a deep breath of air. "Hey, listen, Barry."
Barry turned to face Joe as he passed him, mouth forming a thin line. Joe put his hands on Barry's shoulders, gently shaking him. "Everything will be ok." Joe searched Barry's eyes to see if he was accepting his words. Joe's heart sank to see them so empty of any emotion at all. That was not the Barry he had raised. "Just answer their questions truthfully. No matter what they say to you, don't let your emotions get the best of you. Be respectful."
"Ok," Barry replied with a nod of his head. He then gave Joe a knowing look. "You too."
Joe stared at Barry for a moment before letting out a light chuckle. "I will," he promised. "No matter what happens, you know I'm proud of you and the work you've done for the CCPD. Right?"
Barry relaxed into a smile. "Of course, I do," he replied. "I've been lucky to be able to work with you. Captain Singh didn't have to use you as a reference when I first applied." He gave him a curious look. "What's up?"
"None of this would be happening if it wasn't for me," he replied and Barry instantly started shaking his head. "No, Barry. We both know I had some part in all of this." For a brief moment, he put his hands to Barry's cheeks before placing them on his shoulders. "I am incredibly apologetic for what I have done to contribute to all of this. I know you understand what had happened and why I had done it, but as I've learned more about metahumans and how it's all tied in to your past, I can't help but feel guilty. I want to try harder and work harder by you."
"You already have been," Barry replied. "All of this would be so hard to do if I didn't have you on my side."
"I should have—"
"You've always been there," Barry said, shaking his head again. "You didn't have to take me into your home. You could have raised me until I was 18 and kicked me out, but you didn't. You helped me through college, and relationships, and I can't thank you enough for just being there."
Joe gave Barry a shaky, yet proud smile before pulling him in for a hug. Barry responded instantly, wrapping his arms around Joe and slapping his back a couple of times before stepping back, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. "Better get going," he said, his voice croakier than it had been a moment before like it always did when he got emotional. "It probably won't help if I'm late."
Joe laughed in agreement before turning on his heels, making his way to his assigned conference room. Coming up to the door, he knocked, and after being beckoned inside, made his way to the empty chair that sat across from the only other person in the room.
"Joe West," the man said. Adjusting the clip on his tie, he tugged at the hem of his uniform coat before offering his hand towards Joe. "Lieutenant Donovan. I've heard a lot of good things about you."
"Lieutenant," Joe said with a nod, shaking his hand, before settling back in his seat. "I can say the same to you." He cracked a small smile. "Although, what you heard about me can't be too good if we're having this discussion today."
Lieutenant Donovan's eyebrows briefly shifted upwards before he adjusted the already straight stacks of papers and folders in front of him. "I must say I was surprised to find that you were the subject of this investigation," he admitted. "Given the circumstances you can understand why it needs to be done."
"Of course."
"All right, so let's get started." Lieutenant Donovan motioned towards the corner of the room where Joe spotted a video camera set up on a tripod. Then the Lieutenant indicated his phone on the table. "With your permission, this conversation will be recorded."
"That's ok with me."
"Good." Lieutenant Donovan picked up a small remote control and pointed it at the video camera where a small red light came on. He then unlocked his phone and brought up a voice recording app and started it. He then recited the names of those in attendance, date, and time of the recording. "Ok, let's get started. We'll start with the details before we really get started. You were seen making repeated trips to the home of Sherry Covington before returning for a final time at night with Francisco Ramon, Averett Allen, and Bartholomew Allen, correct?"
"Yes, that is correct," Joe replied with a nod of his head. "As for the repeated trips, it was to gain permission from Mrs. Covington to gain access to her property. And I was able to gain that access."
"Had you previously tried to gain access to this location?"
"No, I had, in fact, not stepped foot on the property since the night of Nora Allen's murder," Joe replied. He cleared his throat and folded his hands into his lap. "I had offered to take Barry while he was in my care, but he wished not to visit."
"And you thought he was now ready to visit the home?"
Joe silently peered across the table, blinking repeatedly. He had never asked Barry outright if he was ready to visit his old home, but, yes, he did see and feel like he was old enough and mature enough to take that first step in healing. At the same time, take that first step in seeing that Dr. Wells was more mysterious than he put on.
"Yes, I felt that he was ready," he said after a pause, and a prolonged gaze from Lieutenant Donovan.
Lieutenant Donovan momentarily pressed his lips together before nodding. "I see." He reached for the folder beside him and flipped through the papers. "Detective, you've worked for the Central City Police Department for a long time."
"For more than twenty years, that's right," Joe replied with a nod of his head.
"Which makes this difficult, I understand," Lieutenant Donovan replied, "for the both of us. You've shown that you've been a commendable member of the city; you took a traumatized young man from his home and raised him as one of your own and, every day you risk your life to take some of the more violent members of society off the streets. I see that you've also sat on trial against Henry Allen. I can't imagine that it was easy for you."
"It was difficult," Joe agreed, nodding his head.
"So, I can't help but wonder if this was also a way for you to heal," Lieutenant Donovan replied.
"It—" Joe sat back in his chair, thinking. He had gone to the home with Barry in mind, and had his "work brain" on.
While he was there he was searching for clues from what happened that night and with the help of the STAR Labs equipment they had at the time, he kept his mind focused on the task at hand. Sure, every once in a while he would remember how the furniture in the house used to look when the Allens inhabited it and sometimes he could close his eyes and see little Barry and Iris running around the wooden flooring, but he never fully let himself think too much about what he had come across when the address came in over the police scanner.
"And maybe because of all those emotions and facing the past you might not have secured the house before leaving."
"Of course not!" Joe insisted. "I do my job well, I was told specifically to lock up while Mrs. Covington was gone and I made sure to do so."
"Would you say there was the possibility that something had made you forget to double check that everything was, in fact, secure?"
"Barry was in a rush to leave that night," Joe said, more thinking out loud than answering the question.
Lieutenant Donovan started shuffling through papers again. "There have been many reports that Barry Allen gets to work late," he said, lifting an eyebrow. "Yet, Barry was in a rush to leave? Why was that?"
"I don't know, I suggest you ask him."
"But it never crossed your mind that he wasn't ready to face his demons? And that was why he was ready to leave?"
Shaking his head, Joe made a face. What was it that they said on all those Law and Order shows? Leading the witness? That didn't sound like a normal question. It was almost like Lieutenant Donovan wanted him to admit that he had made a mistake. Maybe it was better than admitting there was some sort of curse on the Allen home or anything. He knew Barry and he knew that he would want to see what had really occurred that night 14 years ago. He was finally getting proof that there really was a "man in lightning" in his house that night.
"He was ready."
"Very well. There wasn't anything at the house that looked off to you?"
"No, it looked fine. I checked the area –this all should be in my report!"
"It is, I'm just making sure that even after this time, your story has stayed the same." Lieutenant Donovan curiously regarded Joe. "I'm sure you understand. It's not uncommon to question witnesses or suspects more than once."
"Of course, Lieutenant."
"Neighbors had reported sounds coming from the home after you left and upon investigation, we found the home in disarray. No one remembered seeing any suspicious cars around the time nor did they see anyone lurking through the neighborhood. Both instances where this occurred, you were present at the scene?"
"Is this why I'm being investigated?" Joe asked, eyebrows lifting. "Because people think it's suspicious that I've been at the Allen home where two murders occurred?" He didn't give his superior a chance to answer. "Are you serious right now?"
"Detective, I want to reassure you that I don't believe you have done anything wrong," Lieutenant Donovan said, putting his hands up in front of him, trying to fend off the frustration in Joe's voice. "With the details around the deaths of these two women; the same location, the same state of the house, the same cause of death, and the same mysteries surrounding the events, we want to make sure any complaint the neighbors had against you are unfounded."
"What complaints?"
Lieutenant Donovan sighed before scratching at his eyebrow with his thumbnail. "There are some who believe that you've become complacent, that you play favorites with Barry Allen, that you have, in both cases with Nora Allen and Sherry Covington, have played a part in their attacks."
"WHAT?" Joe didn't mean to shout, but he couldn't help the sound that burst out of him. "You're telling me…people think that I helped Henry Allen kill his wife?" He opened and closed his mouth. He started jabbing the table with his finger, feeling his throat start to lock with emotion. "In case they forgot, I stood against my friend throughout the whole trial because I was convinced that he had done it." He paused to lick his lips, trying to stop them from trembling. "I sat in my squad car when that call came in. I had to listen to my friend's address come in over the police scanner detailing that someone had a knife sticking out of their heart, and that the only suspect was still there."
"Someone could complain about how I handle a situation, or what I didn't do in a situation, but they can't complain about they think I should have handled a situation. You can call me a bad friend for not sticking up for Henry, or you can call me a bad parent for how I may have handled Barry's grief over the destruction of his family, insisting that there was no man in lightning in his house, but I'm not a bad cop! I'm not a bad person! And I would never do anything like aid in the attacks of two unsuspecting women."
It was then that he broke down, shoulders shaking, and tears filling his eyes. Lieutenant Donovan cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. After a minute, Joe heard the creaking of the Lieutenant's chair, footsteps, and then felt something prodded into his arm. Opening his eyes, Joe took the tissue box that was handed to him with a shaky smile.
"Thanks." He set the box of tissues down and grabbed a handful dabbing at his eyes. "I did everything I could to secure both those areas." He had to remind himself that people were just looking for an explanation to an otherwise unanswerable tragedy. "I did nothing wrong."
"Think of it how others might see it," Lieutenant Donovan commented. "A cop who had testified against their former friend in the murder of their wife. Just recently, this same cop, now detective, has been stating that he believes this friend is innocent; that they had made a mistake."
"This detective was also the last to see Sherry Covington alive, and was the last in her home. Some may find that suspicious, some a coincidence, some might even use it as a means to make sure that their next case, and proceeding investigation goes without a hitch."
"That's bull," Joe declared. "Complete bull." He leaned closer towards Lieutenant Donovan, speaking lowly and clearly. "I did nothing wrong. I just wanted to give Barry a chance to move on. That's all."
Lieutenant Donovan slowly nodded his head. "Ok," he replied. "Thank you for your time; that's all we needed." He turned off the recording on his phone and the video. "Our conversation is no longer being recorded." He folded his hands on the table. "We have to conduct these investigations if and when we on the board feel as if professionalism has not been met, or the circumstances around the complaints needs more investigation. You're an honest cop, Detective West, we are all on your side, here."
"I appreciate that."
"You may go and wait outside for us to call you in for group questioning."
"Thank you."
As soon as the door shut behind him, Joe's shoulders dropped. Being called a good cop was a great compliment from anyone higher up than him, but once they started up the group questioning, he would have to lie to them again.
What good cop did that?
Barry
Barry Allen repeatedly hit his forehead against the wooden table before sitting up straight in his seat. The man to his left and right silently scratched their notes on the legal pads in front of them, barely acknowledging him despite starting the questionnaire ten minutes prior.
Lieutenant Chapman, the man to his left, Barry had met a few times while he lived with the West family. He was a man everyone in the precinct respected for his hard and detailed work. He certainly wasn't going to miss anything this time. Sergeant Hicks, Barry had briefly seen coming in and out of his lab whenever a sample or test needed to be run.
"I've told you already, Joe took me to the house so I could really start moving on from what happened," Barry explained, running a hand over his face. The skin around his cheek and eye stretched backwards as he did so before shifting back into place when he let go. "I hadn't been there since the night my mom died. Joe had bought some things from the estate sale, but he hasn't been back since."
"Mr. Allen, we understand you're getting frustrated with these questions, but they are necessary," Lieutenant Chapman said, adjusting the glasses that sat the tip of his bulbous nose. "This investigation will allow the conclusion of conversations regarding the status of your and Detective West at the Central City Police Department."
"I understand that, but—"
"The investigation started with placing you, Detective West, Francisco and Averett at the Covington home—your old home. This is of, course no crime, as we were provided with ample evidence that you were given permission to access the household."
"Yes," Barry said shortly, "we were."
"Mr. Allen, we're not placing you under arrest for anything," Sergeant Hicks said, pausing in his writing long enough to put his hands up defensively. He placed his hands to his chest before motioning towards his Lieutenant. "We want things to go smoothly here. We believe—"
"If anyone at any point in their lives believed me on anything I have said, we wouldn't be here right now," Barry said tiredly, rubbing at his eyes. He had barely gotten sleep the night before. His legs couldn't keep up with how quickly his thoughts were moving through his brain. What would happen if they found reason to keep Joe and himself suspended indefinitely? He couldn't not work at the CCPD; all of his police training and the equipment on hand was the only thing that could help him free his dad.
"Mr. Allen, we understand—"
"They didn't send me to psychiatrists when I was a kid to help me cope with what I saw, or what they thought I saw." Barry hit the table with the side of his fist. "They sent me there to make sure I didn't show any signs of 'snapping' and doing what they say dad did to other people. A good person, who did nothing wrong. Someone who has been in jail for the past four-teen years!"
"With the increasing reports of angry outbursts," Lieutenant Chapman said, speaking slowly and calmly, "people have become worried about you.
"You can't blame me for being angry," Barry muttered. He could feel the burning of anger in his chest right now, but he knew the more rational he was, the better chance he had to be taken seriously. He could imagine himself back in the interrogation room the night of his mom's murder desperately trying to have someone believe him on the words that were coming out of his mouth. "Can I have some water, please?"
"Of course." Sergeant Hicks pushed his chair back and shuffled out of the room. "I'll be back shortly."
"Mr. Allen," Lieutenant Chapman removed the glasses from his face, pointing the arms at Barry, "we want to get to the bottom of this as much as you do. You have to understand the procedures that we must go through in situations like this. Everyone on this panel wants to gather all the facts surrounding those involved with this case. That is all. You have not been found guilty or kicked out of the CCPD. Ok?
Barry slowly nodded his head, watching Lieutenant Chapman pinch the bridge of his nose and rub at his eyes. It was something he remembered his dad doing after an extended period wearing his own glasses, especially after a long day at work. Working in the medical field, Barry knew his dad worked stressful days, but he always looked forward to when his dad came home to relax on the couch and talk about each other's days. His dad had always made time for him no matter what.
"Ok."
"I understand there are times where you bottle everything up so much that you will eventually let it out," Lieutenant Chapman explained, "but you can't go off on Captain Singh or anyone else you're working with."
Barry lifted an eyebrow. And yet, he had to take Captain Sing screaming at him every time he was at work. But, he was a subordinate, and he was just a forensic assistant. Maybe he was due for a promotion any day, he wasn't sure, but he had been warned by Joe about his temper on a fair few occasions, whether he had been whammied or not.
When was he going to be allowed to feel the way he wants without people telling him not to? He couldn't be frightened when he tried to explain to anyone who would listen about the "man in the lightning." He couldn't show any sign of happiness or hope after moving in with Joe because everyone thought it was weird that he had barely shown any emotion regarding what happened to his parents. Now, he wasn't allowed to be angry just because it wasn't how he normally acted?
"I understand," Barry said. He'd just suck it up like he always did.
"Good." Lieutenant Chapman nodded at Sergeant Hicks as he returned with a paper cup filled with water.
"Thanks," Barry said with a smile, taking the cup. Tilting his head back, he quickly downed the cool liquid before setting the cup down onto the table.
"Now, I hope you understand why this investigation is being held in the first place," Lieutenant Chapman said as his colleague reclaimed his seat. "As members of the CCPD, people look up to both you and Detective West and your expertise in your areas of work to not only keep the city safe, but to help those who need it."
"Unfortunately, this also means that those who don't understand what exactly being a member of the police department entails can draw their own conclusions from the facts of the case wherever they find it," Sargeant Hicks said with a heavy sigh. "Which means they can also listen to whatever internet user says about a case and believe it to be true. So we want to hear from you what had occurred that night."
Barry closed his eyes for a moment before he opened them, his shoulders dropping with a sigh through his nose. "Joe had come to me saying that he wanted to go visit my old home," he explained. He lifted his hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. "I had at first explained to him that I didn't know if I was ready to go with him. He said he didn't even know if he would be given permission to enter the home, but if it was something I ultimately did not want to do, then he wouldn't do it."
"Ultimately you chose that this was something you were ready to face," Sergeant Hicks said, starting to write again, "as you did end up at the home. What was it that made you decide to go?"
Barry twisted his mouth to the side. It was times like these he wished he could just come out with the truth instead of making sure his Flash life and normal life were separate. "I knew Joe was ready to go to the house," he explained. "Sometimes I forget I wasn't the only one whose life was changed that night. I mean, Joe was the one who responded to the 9-1-1 call that night. He saw everything before I did and he still did everything he could to make sure I was ok."
"What did you do once you got there?"
"I stayed outside for a while," Barry replied. "Just looking at the house, trying to remember what it was like when I lived there." He stretched his arms over his head before locking his hands on the back of his head. "Then when I went in, I went straight up to my room. The kid of Mrs. Covington lives in there now, but it still pretty much looked the same. I could remember where I had my bed set up, and my telescope, and my fish tank."
He remembered the nights he spent practically gouging his eye out trying to see everything he could about the moon and stars on the clearest nights. He remembered all the times he hid under his covers sneaking an extended read of his favorite comic books, trying to hide his actions from his mom. He remembered playing hamper basketball with his dirty socks with his dad. He remembered sneaking down the stairs late at night and finding his parents dancing through the kitchen to whatever jazz song was playing on the radio.
Now his house felt foreign to him, it didn't feel safe despite how lived in it looked.
"I just walked around, looking at everything."
"Why were you in such a rush to leave?"
"It just got to be too much." Barry could feel the hair on his arms start to stand. Shifting his seated position, he massaged the bass of his spine, trying to rid himself of the tingling feeling that suddenly appeared there. "I wasn't as ready as I thought I was. I felt like something was going to happen."
"Like what?" Sergeant Hicks asked.
"Like it was going to happen all over again," Barry replied. He pressed his elbows onto the table, resting his chin in his hands. Maybe if things had played out how it had in the first place, the Reverse-Flash wouldn't have made an example out of that woman. She wouldn't have been killed for no other reason than to taunt Barry. "The place just felt cold."
"Having Joe and your friends there didn't help?" Lieutenant Chapman asked.
"I was happy they were there, but, I just needed to get out of there."
"Why return to the house that evening? Why not during the day?"
"We all had work. I couldn't call off that quickly and we didn't want to be in the way of Mrs. Covington and whatever it was that she did during the day. I didn't want anyone to know I was there."
"Why not?"
"I had already gone through the pointing and staring enough as a kid." Enough so that Joe had him learn how to defend himself from the bullies. He still couldn't believe Iris had clocked him so easily when he first started out. At least now he could put those session to good use. His supersonic punch against Girder was a testament to Joe's teachings (and a bit of Eddie's help as well).
"That's understandable. No one really knows what it's like to live through a tragedy like this."
Barry let out a short laugh. "Yeah, no kidding," he replied.
"For the record, were you ever in contact with Mrs. Covington that night?" Sergeant Hicks asked.
"Joe had said he let her know when we arrived at the house as well as when we were leaving," Barry explained. "I made sure to lock the house and check that everything was as she had left it before hand."
"Did you ever get a response from her?"
"Not to my knowledge, no."
"Neighbors have reported after you had left that there was the sound of a struggle." Lieutenant Chapman set his glasses back onto his face, squinting over the tops at his notes. "There were indeed signs of a struggle; furniture tipped over, papers everywhere, glass shards on the floor. The officers who were first to respond to the scene have compared it to the state of your home 14 years ago."
Barry wet his lips. Reaching for his cup of water, he peered inside it, at the small collection of water that was left at the bottom. If only they knew what had happened to her. It was no coincidence that her fate was a duplicate of his mother's. Thanks to him, another little boy would be growing up without a parent. The cup crackled under his fingers as he squeezed it between his hands. He clenched his hands tighter and tighter until the tips of his fingers started to throb with pain.
"I made sure to lock everything up," Barry insisted, releasing the pressure of his grip on the cup. Slowly. "I know I did. I may have been in a rush to leave, but I wouldn't be that careless."
"Your attention to detail is what made you a great candidate for this department when you first applied," Sargeant Hicks said, nodding his head. "But, it would be understandable if you were to have missed something. You were in an environment that's bound to have you filled with so many emotions."
"That's not what happened." Barry stretched his legs out underneath the table. He gently shook his legs, trying to rid them of the pins and needles feeling starting to creep in from lack of movement. "I didn't miss anything." He sighed. "When are Joe and I going to get back to work?"
"Whenever we get this all sorted out," Lieutenant Chapman replied. "After our sessions today, we'll be one step further in clearing both you and Detective West. We are just compiling everything together right now, getting your statements, to get the big picture of what occurred."
"It's all in our initial report," Barry replied. "Nothing I've said between then and now has changed. Nothing I've said from 14 years ago to now have changed. We did no-thing wrong." He looked back and forth between the two men. "Sure, you can see that this was no accident, no break in. Sherry Covington was found with a threatening note on her body."
"How did you come across this information, Mr. Allen?" Sergeant Hicks asked.
"Before Joe and I were taken off the case, and suspended from work, we were briefed by Captain Singh about what had occurred," Barry explained. "These people don't want to believe anything is happening in this city and want to blame us because it's the easiest way out."
"No one is blaming you for this."
"Then why isn't anyone looking into why this case happened exactly like my mom's?" Barry burst out, slapping his hands down onto the table. How hard was it for them to see the similarities? His father was in jail now, they have proof that strange things were occurring in Central City. Why couldn't they see what was going on? "It's the exact same thing, you even said it yourself. But no one is paying attention to that!"
"We don't want to alarm anyone over something that could be perfectly well explained, "Lieutenant Chapman replied.
Barry stared at him. "Lieutenant, there is an explanation for all of this," he declared. "Whoever did this to Mrs. Covington is the exact same person that did this to my mom. It was the man in the lightning, the Reverse-Flash. You have evidence and have seen what this guy can do, why is no one following that lead?" Using his shirtsleeves, he swiped his forearm across the table to mop up the spittle that hit the table. "Why?!"
There was a long stretch of silence as Lieutenant Chapman and Sergeant Blake regarded with him with a mixture of curiosity and sadness. Barry crossed his arms over his chest. When was the last time anyone gave him that pitying look? He was so tired of seeing that look.
"Stop looking at me like that."
"Mr. Allen, I think that's enough for now."
He didn't know when his chest started heaving, but as Barry roughly got to his feet, he found himself taking in deep breaths of air, trying to steady his breathing.
Cisco
Cisco Ramon wondered if it was a bad idea to wear a graphic t-shirt underneath his nice sport coat. It was a blessing and a curse to work at STAR Labs; there wasn't much of a dress code for what he did, but now he was wishing he had some nicer dress clothes hanging in the back of his closet. Who would ever anticipate anything like this would happen in his career?
A tie here and there, sure, he could scrounge that up. A full on suit was way more expensive in comparison. Not to mention he would have to find the time to get it measured, and altered, have it sent back, and make sure it actually fit before wearing it for the meeting today. It would just add on to the mess he was already in.
Still, a "Keep Calm and Drink Coffee" shirt wasn't the smartest thing he had done.
Sergeant Blake, whose bushy mustache kept swaying every time he breathed, had briefly glanced at his shirt as he sat down in the big room, but otherwise didn't say anything. With his big arms crossed over his big chest, he looked more like the muscles, the "bad cop" out of him and Lieutenant Flynn.
"Could you answer the question, Mr. Ramon?"
"Sorry?" Cisco asked, snapping to attention. "What was the question?"
"Why do you think we've called you in."
"Honestly, I don't really know. I mean, I don't work for the CCPD, so why would I need to be investigated?"
"Do you know Detective Joe West and CSI Barry Allen well?"
"Barry's one of my best friends. Joe's a great cop, and we've been becoming friends, too." Sergeant Blake shifted in his chair, making a low grumbling sound in his throat as he did so. Cisco briefly looked over at him before putting his attention back on Lieutenant Flynn. "After Barry woke up from his coma I thought that would be the last I heard from him or the Wests, but—" He shrugged. "We've been tight."
"So you would say that you know Detective West and Barry Allen well?"
"Suuure," Cisco slowly replied. He scrutinized Lieutenant Flynn, trying to figure out where he was going with his questions. "I mean, as well as anyone can know someone for the past year."
"But you just called Detective West a 'good cop'. After a year you would know whether or not they were good at their jobs would you not?"
"I guess. Sure. Yes, I would."
"You don't sound certain."
"Yeah, well," Cisco said, slumping in his seat just slightly, crossing one leg over the other, "I was certain STAR Labs was going to change things." And it did, just not in the way he or anyone else was thinking. "But, yes, I would say they do their work well. Why?"
"Sit up!" Sergeant Blake commanded.
Cisco instantly did as he was told. "Yes, sir," he replied. He even threw in a small salute while he was at it.
Lieutenant Flynn merely glanced in Sergeant Blake's direction. "We agree and believe that both Detective West and Mr. Allen both excel at their jobs," he said, a light tone to his voice. "It's great that you believe they are, too. That gives us some room to breathe in regards to the comments that have aided in our deciding to have this meeting."
"Ok, so what's the problem?" Cisco asked. "I mean, don't bad cops come to Internal Affairs? I mean, that's why cops are afraid of you guys, right?" He glanced over at Sergeant Blake. For good reason, too.
"Not necessarily," Sergeant Blake explained, his harsh demeanor softening in front of Cisco's eyes. Maybe he wasn't the big scary walrus everyone thought he was. "We are the last group of people to go over the events surrounding a complaint and will interview those involved, but that doesn't always mean a dismissal of someone. Don't forget, people can make false claims, too."
"The problem is: after the time you indicated that you had left the Covington household, someone had broken into the house and left it in shambles." Cisco's eyebrows twitched, but he didn't say anything. "Do you recall seeing anything out of the ordinary?"
You mean like a projection of future Barry and the Reverse-Flash? Cisco slowly shook his head back and forth, his heartbeat double timing in his chest. He knew lying to the police was something you just shouldn't do on principal, but there was no way he could tell the truth without sounding absurd or giving away Barry's identity. If he did that, then their operation at STAR Labs would be in jeopardy and they could potentially be seeing police presence at their base of operations for housing all the metahumans in their pipeline in the first place. It was just too much to deal with at one time.
"No," Cisco said. "Not that I noticed. I mean we got in, looked around the place, and then left."
"How long would you say you were in the house?"
"More than an hour—maybe an hour and a half, maybe two." Cisco shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't pay attention to the time. I just wanted to make sure my friend was ok."
"You said you and Barry Allen are 'tight'," Sergeant Blake said, using air quotes. Cisco bit down on his tongue to stop himself from laughing out loud. Seeing a guy of his stature using the slang that kids today were using was not only jarring, but funnily so. "Did you notice anything odd about him while you were there?"
Odder than seeing that he had saved his childhood-self from the Reverse-Flash? Cisco pressed his lips together, shifting his weight in his seat. "Odd how?" he asked.
"That's what I'm asking you."
"Right." Cisco thought back to the night he had set foot in Barry's old home. He did seem confused about everything that was happening. Maybe it was the grief and he was just stumbling around, trying to make sense of everything that was going on? He couldn't imagine what it would be like to go back to a place filled with so much tragedy that used to belong to his family. "He was pretty quick to get out of there, not that I blame him. I mean, for him it was odd because he's late to just about everything, but he really wanted to get out of there."
"You don't think he was ready to face his past?" Lieutenant Flynn asked. "Joe said he was ready for it."
"Joe knows Barry better than I do," Cisco replied. "I think people can be ready for things before getting into situations and realizing they're not."
"You mentioned that Barry being late to things is normal for him," Sergeant Blake said, leaning forward in his chair to rest his big arms on the table. "Is his anger also something you've seen more of? We've heard that Barry has been known to have outbursts here and there."
"I can't imagine working with the CCPD is a cake walk," Cisco commented. "Stress can make anyone lash out if it builds enough."
"And you've been through a lot of stresses in your life," Lieutenant Flynn replied. He reached for the folder beside him.
When the cover was flipped over, Cisco saw a picture of himself on top of the stack. He made a face when he saw the picture that was used for his STAR Labs ID card. They could have at least gotten a better picture from his Facebook profile or something instead of one of him cheesing so hard. What could he really say other than that he was excited to be working at STAR Labs?
"First living in Detroit for a few years before moving to Central City with your mother; Adriana, your father; Mateo, and two older brothers, Armando and Dante," Lieutenant Flynn read aloud. "Correct?"
"Yes."
"Your father is a commercial driver for his company, Ramon Shipping; your mother was a stay at home mom before becoming an office manager; Armando went to school out in California before travelling with a soccer team; and Dante has pursued a career in music."
Or he's tried to. "Yes, that's right," Cisco replied.
"And you've made a name for yourself as an employee at STAR Labs," Lieutenant Flynn finished, looking up at Cisco. "That's impressive."
"Depending on who you ask, not so much anymore," Cisco replied evenly. He blinked in surprise when both Lieutenant Flynn and Sergeant Blake laughed quietly. "But, thank you."
"You're welcome, that's a big change from working at a pizza shop, wouldn't you say?"
"Sure." Cisco tried to keep a neutral look on his face, but on the inside he was starting to panic. "But it helped me learn how to interact with people."
"But the stress of knowing that all your hard earned money was going to your brother had to be difficult to deal with."
And there it was. Cisco cleared his throat before brushing his hair out of his face. There were a lot of questions running through his head, and he didn't know which one to start with. Luckily, he didn't have to worry about it too much.
"How did I know that?" Lieutenant Flynn asked and Cisco slowly nodded his head. "It's all right here." He patted the stack of papers next to him. "We perform an extensive background check on those we're investigating. Your bank records over the years had shown numerous transfers."
"But, I'm not CCPD, so why would I need it done on me?"
"Like I had previously explained, it's because of your connection to both Detective West and Barry Allen that we have asked you in. You were also present while they were in Sherry Covington's home and were one of the only two witnesses who can verify whether or not the complaints against them are warranted."
"I understand that, I just don't see why a look at my past jobs has to do with anything." Cisco pointed to the window behind the two policemen. "Unless you want to see if I can get you a discount. I can't promise you anything though."
"No, that's ok," Sergeant Blake replied, cracking a small smile. "Given the circumstances about why you took that job in the first place, knowing you wouldn't see a cent of it, must have been very stressful."
"I did what I could," Cisco replied, trying to keep his tone as even as possible, "to help my brother."
At the time, he was more scared of what could happen if Dante didn't come up with all of the money he owed, than angry or frustrated. He did wonder how someone as talented as Dante could be caught up in betting debts, but with how tight money was for their family, he couldn't say that he wouldn't eventually end up the same way if they had stayed in Detroit.
"And you were fine with that?" Lieutenant Flynn asked. "Someone who had gone and performed at Carnegie Hall was now getting into trouble with a bookie?"
"I wasn't fine with it," Cisco replied, letting out a heavy sigh. He shifted his gaze up towards the ceiling before putting it back on the two men in front of him. "But, I also wasn't going to let him deal with it on his own." Even if I never got a thank you for it. "There was no way he could have managed it."
"Just like Barry wouldn't have managed to visit his old home on his own. You wanted to be there to help."
"Exactly."
"With your father's job he would have had to have been gone from your life for extended periods of time, correct?" Sergeant Blake asked.
"Yeah, sometimes he'd be gone for weeks at a time."
"So both you and Mr. Allen understand what it's like to grow up without having your father around. Would you say that would contribute to his anger?"
Um, duh, dude. The guy's dad has been sitting in prison for the past 14 years for something he didn't do. Oh, and being whammied by Bivolo has absolutely nothing to do with it.
"Would you say Mr. Allen is a stressful person?"
Hmm, let's see. Not only is he working at the CCPD, and has recently been suspended from working, but he also is the only person in the world that is a match against any of the metahumans that have appeared. Oh yeah, and he can't tell anyone about. No, not stressful at all.
"No," Cisco replied with a shake of his head. "Hell no. Barry is actually a pretty energetic person. Since I've met him, he's stumbled a bit readjusting to life, but I've barely ever seen him without a smile. There are still things in life that he gets excitement from and that's saying something in this day and age. If he has been getting angry at anybody, I wouldn't take it personally. Barry just isn't an angry person."
"If I told you that people believe that it was Barry who had gone back to the house and trashed it, whether it be anger, sadness, what have you-"
"Barry would never do that," Cisco replied. "He's gone through so much in his life and he still thinks of everyone before himself." He smiled. "That's why he's a friend. He could have left us at STAR Labs to pick up the pieces, but he's been helping us with our studies. Barry's a great guy."
"Even good people can find the motivation to act out in ways they wouldn't normally act," Lieutenant Flynn reminded him.
"Not Barry."
"He had gone through a tragedy, just lost both parents. Maybe he hasn't properly grieved until now."
"Not Barry."
"Ok. Not Barry." Lieutenant Flynn and Sergeant Blake exchanged glances. "But you had previously stated to us that you think maybe he wasn't actually ready to visit his old home. What with how quickly he wanted you all to leave."
"Do you know where he went after leaving the Covington home?" Sergeant Blake asked.
"STAR Labs," Cisco replied. "I offered to bring my equipment back myself, but he insisted. Joe went home and I went home. I didn't talk to Barry again until the next morning."
"What equipment was this?"
"Uhhh." Cisco stalled. Why did he even bring up the equipment in the first place? How would he explain that it was to find any leftover markings from the attack years before. Think, Cisco, think! "I'm a big believer in ghosts and the paranormal. Sounds kind of morbid, but I think the Allen home could be a good spot for those ghost tour things. I just wanted to get in on the action before hand and see if I can find anything. Take pictures, videos, and stuff. I keep it all at work; the tech we work with is better than anything at home."
Cisco looked back and forth between the two men, letting out a breath of air under his breath. It wasn't the best thing he had ever come up with, but it sounded plausible. And he wasn't exactly lying; his equipment did look like the kind of thing that ghost hunters used on their shows, just way more high tech. It was really a work of art if he did say so himself.
"How was he that next morning?"
"Fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. Well, he did come down with the stomach flu a little while after. That was it."
"Yes, we do have that note," Lieutenant Flynn said, shifting through his papers. "That was shortly before Sherry Covington was found on the precinct steps." He looked up at Cisco (who started back), before closing the folder. "Well, that seems to explain what had occurred between the time neighbors spotted you in the home and when her body was found later. You've been a big help, Mr. Ramon."
"No problem," Cisco said, grabbing onto the arm rest of his chair. "Can I go now?"
"Sure," Sergeant Blake replied. Cisco started to get to his feet, stopping when he heard, "But don't go far. We need to bring you back in for more questions."
"More questions?" Cisco asked, deflating from his half standing, half squatting position. "Seriously?"
"Seriously," Lieutenant Flynn replied with a nod of his head. "We'd like to speak to all of you together."
"Why not?" Cisco threw his arms into the air. "I just need some coffee."
Maybe his shirt wasn't a bad idea. As long as he remembered what it said, he could get through more questions.
Averey
"We thought you'd feel more comfortable if you had the two of us asking you questions," Sergeant Cobb said as she indicated the woman sitting next to her.
"How are you doing today, Averett?" Sergeant McBride asked, tucking a pen behind her ear. A gentle smile graced her features.
"Averey," Averey Moore instantly corrected the woman. A split second later, she sat up straight in her seat, folding her hands on the table. "Ma'am. Your honor. Ma'am."
"You can relax, this isn't a court room," Sergeant McBride replied, her eyebrows lifting in a look of amusement.
"Oh, but it feels like it." It wasn't that different than the rooms she would sit in at Keystone Regional when meeting with her lawyer and discussing the charges against her. It was just about the same size, with little else in the room, giving a bit of a comforting feeling, and yet it was intimidating all at the same time.
"Ok, let's get this started," she said in a somewhat chipper voice. "I'm Brooke McBride and this is Victoria Cobb. We'll be taking you through questioning today."
Averey looked back and forth between the two women. Sergeant McBride looked to be the one who would be more open and relaxed in the conversation. With her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, she looked more fresh faced compared to Sergeant Cobb, the more tired looking of the two. Her auburn hair had little wisps of gray at her temples despite her age. Stress from the job was obviously aging her.
"The reason for Detective West and Mr. Allen's suspension from the CCPD is because of their close proximity to the open investigation into Sherry Covington's case," Sergeant Cobb said, getting straight to the point. "As well as the case revolving around Mr. Allen's old home. You've been called in as a witness to Detective West and Bartholomew Allen's actions while at the home. Do you understand?"
"Reckon I do," Averey replied with a nod of her head. "But this was all off duty."
"Even while off duty, policemen and policewomen do have the ability to investigate incidents in their jurisdiction if one sees any illegal or suspected illegal activity. It is in their favor, however, that nothing had occurred while off duty in the realm of discharging a fire arm or needing the use of handcuffs, or anything that would require them to step in. Nevertheless, they follow the same expectations as if they were on duty."
"Oh, I see."
"Complaints against the two is misconduct unbecoming of a detective, or in the case of Mr. Allen, a forensic assistant, and unprofessional behavior to name a couple. These complaints were brought on by members of the neighborhood that Sherry Covington resides. Normally, these complaints would be looked at by Captain Singh, but given the circumstances surrounding the complaints, we suggested he pass it on up to us."
"First, we would like to bring up your past criminal history," Sergeant McBride.
Averey was taken aback at the sudden change in topics. Her stomach dropped as if she had gone over a drop on a ride at Luna Park. What else could anyone say about her time spent in the court system? Their faces didn't change. Not even the slightest twitch of the lips or eyes to give away what they were thinking.
"As I'm sure you know, the Covington House was found to be ransacked as the investigation into Sherry Covington's murder was being looked into. For the record, did you take anything from the home while you were there?"
"No," Averey replied, "I did not."
"When the reports of the search are examined, they will not find anything missing?"
"If they do, it wasn't because I knicked anything."
"Would you be willing to have your person searched if you were asked?"
Averey opened and closed her mouth, unsure how to answer. If she said yes, she knew she would be cleared. If she said no, it would look like she had something to hide despite knowing that she didn't take anything from the house. She understood why they were asking, but it didn't stop the hurt from being seen as someone who would take advantage of a home without the owner present.
Ha, stop whinging, Ave, she thought to herself, you did the exact same thing at other flats, only the owners were still there. So what difference did it make if she agreed or declined? Was there a point in being offended by the questions when this was the one instance where she actually was innocent?
"You can always decline," Sergeant Cobb said over the silence in the room.
The answer was poised on her tongue, but she stopped herself again. What if you say 'no' here and they get a warrant to search you at the flat? Her knee started bouncing underneath the table, slow at first, and then faster as the silence continued. Looking around the room, she quickly calculated which way out would be the fastest, but there was no way she could actually try and leave. It would make everything look worse than it was, and she wasn't really in any trouble.
She just had to keep reminding herself that these were routine questions to get any suspicions out of the way. The questioning was more about Joe and Barry and she was quick to recognize upon first meeting that they were good people.
"No," Averey finally replied, knowing that her silence had probably already sealed into the officers' minds that she had a reason to stall in her answer. Not that she really blamed them. She knew the statistics of anyone going to jail or prison committing a crime again. "I'm going to give that a miss."
"Ok, no problem," Sergeant McBride replied. "We just have to ask; it's something we need to look into, and prepare ourselves for."
"Reckon you do."
"And you're sure you didn't take anything from the home?" Sergeant Cobb asked.
Averey let out a huff of annoyance and it was only the second or third time the question had been asked. It was a tactic she knew well; both women would ask her the same question worded differently more than once to make sure she stuck with her original answer. She was sure it was a tactic that worked, but it was frustrating to flat out tell your truth and have no one believe you no matter what.
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Nothing as accidental as picking something up and forgetting to put it back?"
"I didn't take anything."
"Maybe you went through the house on your own and just looked at something and walked out with it."
Averey grit her teeth together, clenching her jaw tighter and tighter together as the seconds ticked by. She wasn't lost on the undertone of the statement. This wasn't like the shoe store she had stolen from. The situation was more dire; if they were just going based off her previous charges, was it that far off to think that she made sure the house was unlocked when she left and returned hours later?
Sherry Covington did seem to be pretty well off, she couldn't deny that. Maybe she was doting on her son through her divorce, but the gaming systems could have gotten her a good amount of money. Her attention , however, was more focused on the two times she had been present in the house. She and Barry may be the only ones to remember it, but getting answers on what had occurred and talking to Dr. Wells was of more importance the second time around.
Averey slowly relaxed her jaw and said quietly, yet forcefully, "I did not take anything from that house."
Sergeant Cobb nodded, jotting down a note.
"What drew you to the house that night?" Sergeant McBride asked.
"Barry had called Cisco and asked us to come over." Averey gathered her hair in her hands, holding it in a ponytail behind her head before pulling it down over one shoulder. Leaving some skin exposed to the air was sure to lessen the heat that was building around her collar. "We were in Keystone at the time at one of those pottery painting places. It was one of my favorite places to go while I lived in the city."
"So you hadn't initially planned on going to the house that night?"
"No. But, we decided to join Barry because we felt like he needed the support."
"While there, did you at some point see anything that would back up these statements against Detective Joe West and CSI Assistant Barry Allen?"
"Misconduct and unprofessional behavior?" Averey asked and the two women nodded. "No. Like I said, they were off duty. I was told specifically that Joe had gained permission to access the home. We didn't move or take anything."
"But you did, in fact, bring something to the home? Neighbors have reported Barry Allen carrying a case into the house."
Averey sat back in her chair. Did Barry have something with him? Closing her eyes, a wall of moving images appeared, forming a grid in front of her eyes. Shifting her eyes back and forth, up and down, and diagonally, she shifted through them like looking through photo albums on the computer, looking for a specific date. Finding the one she wanted, she started playing the memory, watching as Barry burst through the doors of his old home carrying a large case with STAR Labs printed on the side.
Blinking hard to clear the image, she opened her eyes (the whole act only taking a matter of seconds) and nodded her head. "That was just photography equipment." Planting her foot into the ground, she tried to force her knee to stop bouncing. "I dabble in it from time to time. I'm not that great at it but thought it would be something Barry would want recorded to look at later in life."
"In Detective West's report, he stated that he wanted to gain access to the home because the Nora Allen case was being reopened. This was, of course, not true. Would you say that there is a chance that this would be a way to gain access to the home to continue the investigation on their own?"
"This would, of course, explain the unprofessional complaint," Sergeant McBride added.
"If Joe ever brought up the case being reopened, it would be to warn Sherry that she would potentially have more visitors to her home," Averey explained. "But, you'd have to ask him that yourself. I went to give Barry support in facing his past before everything was really thrown into the open. Again."
"Of course, of course."
"What had occurred is such a tragedy, I don't wish for life to be any harder for him than it has been over the years," Sergeant Cobb replied. "Becoming a CSI Forensic Assistant, that's a big accomplishment for him. We are proud of the work he's done here and do not wish to see him leave our team."
"Barry likes his job," Averey said. "I mean, he may be late from time to time, but he likes going. Personally, it's not for me, but it suits him."
"Why do you think that is?"
"I haven't known Barry long, but he's a detail oriented type of person, he notices things other people don't. He thinks a different way and can piece things together with even the smallest details. It's right quite impressive, really."
Sergeant McBride nodded her head in agreement. "With how you described Mr. Allen, would you say it would be out of his reach to find any clues or pieces of information that the initial investigation in the home had turned up?" she asked.
"Maybe," Averey replied. "But, it's been 14 years. The only bloody thing in that house that was apparently the same was a piece of furniture." She waved her hand in the air. "What could he find in that stretch of time that some other bloke hadn't already looked for?"
"They are called cold cases for a reason."
Averey scoffed.
Sergeant Cobb stared her down. "Is that funny?"
"It's a right laugh." Averey made a face, chuckling. She shook her head back and forth, crossing her arms over her chest. "Henry Allen was implicated as the killer in the city's eyes before his wife's body had gone bloody cold, wasn't it? Now people think Joe and Barry are capable of doing this despite all the help they've received from them. Maybe they think because they knew Henry, they had to have done this, but I know they didn't do anything."
"I don't believe I have any more questions," Sergeant Cobb said, turning in her seat to face her co-worker. "Do you?"
"None at this time, no," Sergeant McBride said, shaking her head back and forth. She reached for the pen tucked behind her ear, held it between her index finger and middle finger and twirled it back and forth, the end clacking on the table. "That's it for now. Thank you for speaking with us."
"Yeah, sure, no worries."
A/N: After some comments of thinking about how the IA would interview each of them separately, I did this one-shot to get an idea of how that would have gone for each of them.