Two for the Road
Law and Order: Criminal Intent
Episode #17 from 2007 – 2008 Season
AnneMarie Donahue
Police Auction Yard
St. John's Port, Newfoundland, Canada
"Our next item is this roomy family camper. Recently repossessed, this is a fine vehicle. Not a thing wrong with it." The auctioneer said in a very thick nasal islander accent. He looked out at the group of thirty people. "What should we start it at?"
"$1,000" a voice in the back shouted.
"Okay, thousand noted." He nodded, "now maybe somebody would like to make a real bid."
The crowd gave a good natured laugh and came alive.
"Two thousand!" A man sitting in the front bid.
"Twenty-five hundred." The older man standing towards the back countered.
The younger man turned and tipped his hat, "three thousand."
"Thirty five." The older man kept up without losing a beat.
The younger man bit his bottom lip and nodded to his friend sitting next to him. "Four thousand.
The man in the back patted his wife's hand. She smiled at the excitement. "Five thousand."
The young man laughed and clapped his hands. He stood up and bowed to the man in the back. The auctioneer announced the winner, and the crowd applauded as the Sheriff of St. John's Port Newfoundland tipped his hat and kissed his wife.
Fitchburg State College
Fitchburg, MA
"This weekend is gonna rock!" David dropped his books on the floor and turned up the stereo. His RA walked by and eyed the room but shrugged it off and kept walking.
Matt, his roommate looked up from his computer, "I just gotta finisht this."
"Frack that man!" David laughed.
"Nawh, Robert is gonna chew my ass if I don't finish this." Matt turned his attention back to his computer. He was editing a skate video on final cut pro.
"You know we're the only students from here that are going to this thing, like not even the one that are presenting, I mean going."
"Sucks."
"Yeah, Chawla wants us to take the camera and record everything to show off in class." David had sprawled out on his bed.
Matt looked up from his computer and thought for a bit, "cool, road trip documentary."
Four Point Sheraton Ballroom
St. John's Port, Newfoundland, Canada
"When John came to me and said he was going to retire, all I could think was… Thank God!" A man holding a wine flute said. The room was full of nicely dressed people and many uniformed police officers, as well as several Mounted Police Officers. They laughed at the joke. "I've been trying to start a rum-running racket up here for years and as we all know John St. Clair is the Dudley Do-Right of the islands!"
The crowd laughed at the two men. John, the retiree stood next to his tormentor and in a good nature chucked him on the arm. The audience applauded.
"Chief," a man curve his hand at his mouth and yelled to the stage, "what are you going to do with your retirement?"
The crowd hollered in response, the chief waved down the applause. He stood at the podium, his friend sat down, a little tipsy. The Chief looked over at his wife and winked at her. She smiled that mischievous little elf-smile he noticed on their first date.
"I'm invading America!" The Chief said and the crowd erupted into more laughter and cat-calling.
Route 2 West
North Adams, MA
David recorded Matt driving on the mini-DV camera loaned to them by the very trusting communications department at Fitchburg State College.
"Well FSC, this is Matt and Dave, and we're going to the Vancouver University Film Festival to showcase our film, "Dead in America." We are the only two students from FSC accepted to this and we're happy to represent our school."
From behind the camera Dave could be heard yelling, "REPRESENT!!!"
Matt rolled his eyes and turned back to the road, "yes, represent indeed."
"What the movie about?" Dave turned serious behind the camera.
"It's a retelling of Night of the Living Dead from the point of the Zombies. However much like NLD this movie is a commentary on the position minorities have in this country. This retelling looks at the welfare system as something that is not helping people out of their economic barriers, but keeping them, literally, fenced in."
"Ah, deep man."
Matt laughed, "shut up."
St. Clair Residence
St. John's Port, Newfoundland, Canada
"Dah, I'm not happy with you doing this." John JR slapped the camper's side and looked at his father.
"When did you get so big?" The father took his son in a bear hug. "We'll be fine, I've got my sidearm and if anything worse comes along there's always you mother to defend me."
"Oh, not for too long." She walked up behind the two men, and wedged her way in-between them. She kissed her son on the cheek and then patted her husband on the bum. "I'm going to find me some young hot stud in Florida and leave you."
"Ella, you're a treacherous hag and I love you." John said to his wife who kissed him.
John disappeared into the camper.
"We'll be fine." Ella hugged her son, "We'll call you from New Brunswick."
Public Rest Stop
New Rochelle, NY
David's camera work followed Matt's movements as he tried to understand the map they both faced.
"Put the camera down and help me out, Dave." Matt wouldn't turn around, after four hours of being filmed and three of those spent traveling in circles his patience was wearing thin.
"No, this could turn into a great horror movie." David joked.
Matt looked over to his side, the light from the road was starting to grow dim. He was worried about not finding the campus in time and the thought of driving through upstate New York at night was not pleasant.
"I'm going to ask them." He pointed at the camper parked a piece away from the road.
David followed constantly filming every bouncing step. Matt broke into a jog to cross the street.
"Awesome!" Matt said.
"What?"
Matt pointed at the license plates, "they're Canadians. They'll definitely know how to get there."
"Dude, they're from Newfoundland, that's not anywhere near it."
David's camera followed Matt as he knocked on the thin metal door, waited for an answer. Then Matt walked around to the driver's side window and yelled into the car. David's camera stayed on the original side of the camper, waiting for an answer.
David grew impatient and tried the door. It opened, and the camera moved into the little room. It showed the room torn to shreds, contents from the cabinets split everywhere, clothing torn into disarray and two mutilated bodies on the floor.
The camera fell to the floor as David ran out of the camper to vomit outside.
Public Rest Stop
New Rochelle, NY
"Two bodies, dead when the initial response arrived." Falacci pointed to the two bodies on the floor of the cramped camper. "The male, took a hell of a beating then finally was shot in the chest. The woman was shot twice in the stomach, but it doesn't look like there was any other abuse."
Logan yawned, not out of disrespect but sheer exhaustion. "Falacci, tell me there's a reason we're here."
Falacci raised her hand and pointed out the window at Matt and Dave standing by a cruiser, "they were found by those two, late yesterday evening. According to them there were no other cars or people around when they stopped here."
"I'm waiting to be impressed." Logan took a final glup from his coffee and looked at Falacci.
She smiled at him and took out her pocket knife. She flicked it open with her thumb and that elicited a raised eyebrow from Logan.
"Logan, have you bothered to look around at this mess?" Falacci walked carefully to the small couch and picked up one of the seat cushions. She stabbed into it and ripped the fabric apart. She stuck her gloved hand inside and pulled out a bag of cocaine. "Impressed yet?"
"Very."
One Police Plaza
Manhattan, NY
"No ids on the body yet, but Rogers has them and will run through Canada's database." Ross started. He was walking through the bullpen with Logan and Falacci at his side.
"Captain, I understand this should go to Narcotics, but I'd like to keep it." Falacci asked, in a manner altogether unknown to Ross, respectful.
Ross stopped in his tracks and was so taken back that he found himself saying yes before he had thought the matter through. He opened the door to his office, to usher them in. Across the room he spotted Goren and Eames in a heated argument at their desks.
"Just drop it." Goren shouted and walked away, leaving Eames to slump into her desk.
Ross was going to call out to her when Logan cleared his throat behind him.
"I'd let them sort it out." Logan advised.
Ross nodded and moved into the office, closing the door behind him.
"I'm keeping it here for the time being, you and Logan are on it," Ross addressed himself to Falacci. "But understand that if anyone hirer up wants to lay hands on it, we'll play ball."
"You got it." Falacci smiled.
Ross couldn't believe his good fortune; twice in one conversation Falacci had been not only agreeable to actually receptive to him. He would certainly press his luck and talk to Eames in a moment. Of the entire office Eames was the adult.
Office of the Medical Examiner
Manhattan, NY
"Glad you're here, meet former Chief of Police for St. John's Port Newfoundland." Rogers said pointing at the first body on the slab.
"He was a Mountie?" Falacci asked incredulously.
"Not all the Canadian cops are Mounties, Falacci." Logan said.
"Time of death was between 4 and 5 yesterday. I can't give you a more approximately TOD because of the weather, they bodies were in a metal tube and it was warm yesterday."
"Yikes." Logan grimaced to Falacci.
"Don't get dramatic, they didn't cook." Rogers threw the sheet back to expose the chest. The long autopsy suture ran from the shoulders to meet just above the heart and run down the sternum. "John St. Clair. He took a hell of a beating. Three broken ribs, both hands broken, right arm broken in two places…"
"Did you check him for substances?" Falacci cut in.
Rogers looked up at her, "Both of their tox screens came back clear. Do you suspect this was a drug related?"
"We're keeping that open." Logan covered.
Rogers shrugged her shoulders and moved on. "His wife, Ellen St. Clair. She was shot twice in the stomach, but was otherwise unharmed."
Falacci nodded. "Has his family been informed?"
"I pulled his medical sheets from the Canadian government, the doctor told me St. Clair's son would be informed."
Police Impound
New York City, NY
"Hey Doug." A young man in a uniform walked onto the lot.
"You're late." Doug moved his old frame from the seat and picked up his lunch pail.
"Yeah, sorry. A friend of mine came into town tonight.
"Sorry don't cut it son. I let Mr. Sykes know and he'll be contacting you tonight." Doug walked past the younger guard with a pat to the shoulder.
The younger man sat in his booth. He looked out, the yard of impounded vehicles was dead silent. He arrived a half hour late for his eleven p.m. shift. The moon was distant and didn't give off much light, but the flood lights filled the yard. He tilted his chair back and popped his iPod headphones in.
The young guard had just closed his eyes when a sharp knock on the window woke him. He was blinded by a flashlight and holding his hand at his forehead squinted. The light went out and his eyes adjusted, the figure before him came into focus.
"Oh, man. You're early." The guard rose and picked up a key. He walked to the back of the lot, leading his visitor to a camper with Canadian plates.
The young man turned around, and was met with a small side arm aimed at his face.
"What the hell, man?"
Police Impound
New York City, NY
"I'm beginning to think this thing is jinxed." Logan stood by the camper, which had been cleared out again.
"Well, it doesn't look like they got what they came for." Falacci consoled.
The CSU team was all over the camper, checking for anything the dogs may have missed in the first sweep. After Falacci's initial find of the one bag of cocaine the CSU team had brought in dogs to find the rest, which they did throughout the camper. Cleverly concealed in the upholstery and walls of the camper's house the dogs had sniffed out almost a dozen 12 oz bags of cocaine.
Behind Logan a team moved the body bag into the ambulance. A uniform walked up to Falacci, "Ma'am?"
She spun on him, "yes."
"The body was Tony Williams, he's the night guard. The supervisor found him this morning." The cop pointed to a man standing by the fence watching the movement.
Falacci nodded Logan, and began walking towards the gentleman.
"Mister?"
"Cummings. Michael." He held out a hand for Falacci, she didn't take it.
"You found Williams this morning?" She flipped open her notepad and started her notes. Logan looked at the man.
"Yes. I received a call from my other night guy, Douglas Furman, that Tony hadn't shown up for his shift on time. I came in and found him here."
"Was he a problem child?" Logan asked.
"Yeah, I didn't want to hire him, but we need people to work the night shift…" he trailed off and shrugged to Logan.
"Other than the camper are there any other signs of an intruder?" Falacci asked, she didn't look up from her notes.
"No. In fact," he paused.
"Go on." Logan encouraged him.
"Well, it looks to me like Tony let the person in. The front gate wasn't forced open, and Tony had the keys to it."
"Anybody else have these keys?" Falacci asked.
"Sure, the other guards, I do, and we have copies at all the precincts."
Falacci noted that and turned away from him.
"Thanks." Logan turned to follow Falacci. They walked a few steps and Falacci turned to talk, she was still writing her notes. "What are you thinking?"
"Penny for my thoughts?" She joked.
"Rate of inflation, these days."
"I'm not sold that Tony let the person in, but he definitely knew him. There's no sign of a struggle…"
"Except for the dead body."
Falacci paused and looked at him annoyed.
"Please continue." Logan placated her.
"So we have someone with access to the keys, or someone who Tony let in." Falacci pointed to the camper. "They come back to the camper, hoping that we didn't find everything and toss it. They don't find it, and take it out on Tony."
Logan grimaced. "There was no sign of torture on Tony like on St. Clair. Tony was shot in the head at close range."
One Police Plaza
Manhattan, NY
"Eames, I'm sorry." Goren said.
Falacci and Logan stepped off the elevator and walked into the middle of the conversation.
Eames was in tears and walking quickly to the bathroom, Bobby was two steps behind her. Alex opened the door and pointed to the word "Women". She walked in, leaving Bobby behind in the hallway looking in a kicked puppy.
"Maybe you should go in there with her?" Logan leaned over and whispered to Falacci.
"Why?" Falacci walked into the bullpen without a thought.
"Don't you want to know what's wrong with them?" Logan asked.
Falacci paused and shook her head, "nope."
Logan raised his eyebrows and sat down at his desk.
They were silent for a minute, Falacci noticed that neither of them were talking and it began to gnaw at her. Finally she broke first.
"I don't think partners should date, it's not smart." She leaned forward in her chair to whisper at him across their desks.
"They aren't dating." Logan laughed, but suddenly felt a little uncertain.
"No?" It was Falacci's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"She wouldn't want to date that." Logan sat back in his chair to crane his neck for a view of the hallway. Goren was pacing in front of the woman's bathroom waiting for Alex to emerge. "That guy is just a walking pile of baggage."
"I don't know Logan, women like the idea of being able to help a guy with his personal problems."
"That's stupid. Are you telling me women intentionally date messed up men?"
"You honestly have to ask?" Falacci smirked.
Logan sat in his chair. Alex came out of the bathroom, Bobby was immediately hounding her apologizing over and over. She waved him off and rubbed her temple, a sure sign he was getting on her nerves. Logan noticed at Goren was getting on her nerves a lot lately. Maybe a switch up would do both teams good?
Logan ducked forward to look at his desk before Alex caught site of him learing.
"You should ask her out." Falacci added.
"Thought you said they were dating?"
"Thought you said they weren't?" She countered.
The phone on Falacci's desk rang, she answered it and had a very quick conversation. Then she rose and announced that Rogers had information for them.
AMD's NOTE – I started my graduate class for Spring and am very busy with reading and writing. I can't finish this story today but will post the conclusion tomorrow. So stay tuned! Find out: What else was in the camper? What happened in Canada? Who was the person in the impound yard? And most important, what's going on with Goren and Eames?