Letters from a Year Apart
APRIL
From: Robert Goren
To: Alexandra Eames
Subject: Thank You
Date: April 12, 2010
Eames,
If I did not mention it before, thank you for driving me to the airport and seeing me off.
Goren
From: Alexandra Eames
To: Robert Goren
Subject: Re: Thank You
Date: April 13, 2010
Goren,
You're welcome. I hope you had a good flight and made it safely.
I had my interview for that job we were talking about. I should get it. I'm over-qualified. It seems fine for the time being, and until something better comes along. Anyway, I put your name down as a reference—just in case you're contacted.
—Alex
From: Robert Goren
To: Alexandra Eames
Subject: Re: Re: Thank You
Date: April 14, 2010
Eames,
I am finally in England and settled in. It is hot, unseasonably, and there is no air conditioning in the hotel; apparently not a lot of older buildings have air conditioning. I don't seem to remember that the last time I was here. But that was a very long time ago.
Why would you put my name down? They might not hire you for knowing me.
Goren
From: Alexandra Eames
To: Robert Goren
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Thank You
Date: April 14, 2010
Using you as a reference is a chance I'm forced to take.
—Alex
From: Robert Goren
To: Alexandra Eames
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thank You
Date: April 15, 2010
I am sorry this is the way things are. You should not be job-hunting at this point in your career.
Goren
From: Robert Goren
To: Alexandra Eames
Subject: The 27 Called
Date: April 20, 2010
Eames,
I got a call from the 27 at a horrible hour in the morning concerning your character and professionalism and leadership abilities . . . thanks a lot. Anyway, you will get the job. I gave them a glowing review about the kind of cop and person you are; I told the truth. It was just a formality, I'm sure; I could tell they have already made up their minds to hire you.
Goren
From: Alexandra Eames
To: Robert Goren
Subject: Re: The 27 Called
Date: April 20, 2010
Goren, thanks! I appreciate it. I really don't want to work, though, so I have to admit I'm slightly disappointed to get this job so easily. I'm having far more fun mowing my sister's lawn, picking my nieces and nephews up from school, helping with homework—and general laziness. But I know I need the job. . .
How are things in England? Do you have a stuffy accent yet? Have you started teaching or was that starting later?—I forget.
BTW: Don't apologize for the way things are. We've been over this. It is what it is. Maybe leaving MCS was for the best—the best for both of us. And I know you don't want me to apologize—again—for firing you.
—Alex
From: Robert Goren
To: Alexandra Eames
Subject: Re: Re: The 27 Called
Date: April 21, 2010
I am sure the kids enjoy having you around, and I am also sure your sister likes having her lawn mowed. It does not sound like laziness to me. Maybe this job will not be as demanding as MCS. It is a local precinct, right? So that means you'll be investigating things differently. Lab tests will take longer to come back, evidence will be lost more often, and the ME reports will be backed up for months. There will be more headache, but I think you will find that you'll have more free time. Maybe this is for the best.
I start "teaching" the first week of May. I'm only a guest lecturer, so I do not know what will happen after this is over. But I kind of like the idea of being in a military community again; it's been a long time. Although, it's a bit strange to have to teach others the "process" of a criminal profiler. I'm not sure I was ever a profiler to begin with.
Goren
From: Alexandra Eames
To: Robert Goren
Subject: Re: Re: Re: The 27 Called
Date: April 24, 2010
You're the best profiler I know. Anyway, I hope you're spending this free time sightseeing. Don't just sit in your room going over lecture material… and reading emails. Get out and have fun.
—Alex
From: Robert Goren
To: Alexandra Eames
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: The 27 Called
Date: April 24, 2010
Going over lecture material and email is fun. But, you'll be happy to know that I visited the Tower of London earlier today. It was crowded.
Goren
From: Alexandra Eames
To: Robert Goren
Subject: I Helped Deliver a Baby Today
Date: April 30, 2010
Goren, yesterday I got a call telling me I got the job, and today I started. That place is horribly understaffed and going through major personnel changes. When I got to work, the captain was in court and some detective—who I assume will be my new partner—shows me my desk and says that I can wait around for the captain. Well after a while, when the captain did not show up, I spent the day at the front desk helping people fill out forms, answering phones, and, get this, delivering a baby. No Joke.
This woman comes in yelling and screaming about her boyfriend who was just arrested (for something he didn't do, I'm sure) and of course I'm the closest to her so she starts screaming at me. I tell her to have a seat while I see where the boyfriend is, but I know he is in the holding cell. Anyway, I tell her calm down—because she is VERY pregnant—and suddenly she shuts up and sits down.
It all happened very quickly—she started screaming again, this time about the labor pains and not the boyfriend, and so I move her into an office and I help her deliver the baby.
That was a first for me. I've never delivered a baby before. It was by far the best first day of work I have ever had. I hope tomorrow is just as good.
—Alex
From: Robert Goren
To: Alexandra Eames
Subject: Re: I helped Deliver a Baby Today
Date: April 30, 2010
Eames… That is something else. It sounds like a memorable day. I'm sure you left a lot out of that story; you can tell me the rest some other time.
You know, I have never delivered a baby. Every New York cop does that at least once, right? I hope they at least named the baby after you. Alex is a kind of unisex name…
Have a great second day of work.
Goren