Spoilers for FAMILY VALUES
FAMILY VALUES: POST SCRIPT
They watched the EMTs gently guide Kathy into the waiting ambulance.
"Tough kid," Alex said admiringly. "She got hit all at once with a lot of bad stuff, and still had the sense and smarts to leave us clues."
"And she got lucky," Ross said, glancing at Bobby. "There was a detective who could read her clues and get a confession from her Dad.
Had there been more light, Ross and Alex would've seen Bobby's pale face redden.
One of the EMTs waved at them. Ross moved forward quickly, briefly spoke to the EMT, and then called to Alex and Bobby.
"She wants to talk to you, Detectives…"
Alex and Bobby walked to the ambulance. Kathy, remarkably composed, sat in the ambulance's back doors. There were IVs in her arm and she shivered slightly, but her eyes were clear.
"She insists on talking to you before we take her to the hospital," the EMT said. "Please make it quick. She's going to be ok, but we need to get her checked out."
Kathy pulled an oxygen mask away from her face. "They told me…That you figured out what my drawing meant…And you got my Dad to tell you where I was…" She spoke to both Alex and Bobby, but her attention focused on Bobby.
"It…It was you," he said softly. "You…What you did…It was remarkable…"
"I…I didn't know if anyone would understand…Or even see them…Thank you…Thank you…"
The young woman leaned forward and embraced Bobby. After a moment, Bobby gently slipped out of her arms.
"Thank you," he said shyly. "But Detective Eames and Captain Ross had as much…if not more…to do with it…"
Kathy looked at each of the trio in turn. "Thank you…All of you…"
They watched as the EMTs carefully bundled her into the ambulance and drove away.
"Good job, Detectives." Ross took a deep breath. "Things could've been a lot worse."
"It was bad enough," Alex said. "We've seen worse things like this."
Bobby shivered. "I hate this wet cold," he said, but Alex and Ross knew it wasn't entirely the weather that caused his reaction.
"I need to speak with the FBI and the locals," Ross said. "But you two…Go back to the city and go home…We can deal with the paperwork tomorrow. Mr. Devildis is safe in the hands of the locals. And all of this may wind up in the hands of the FBI anyway."
"I have to confess, Captain," Alex said. "I wouldn't object if the FBI took this case."
"You and Goren are the least territorial cops I know," Ross said.
"Captain," Bobby said. "The FBI…and the locals…They've been terrific. If you could let them know how much we appreciated it…"
Ross nodded. "I will…And I know they've appreciated how well you've worked with them. I have too."
"You got a way back, Captain?" Alex asked.
"I'll catch a ride…You and Goren go…I'll be fine…"
"Thank you, Captain," Bobby said softly.
Ross studied him for a moment. "You're welcome, Detective."
Alex and Bobby walked silently to the SUV and slipped into their accustomed seats. They said nothing as Alex maneuvered the SUV through the small town to the two lane highway that eventually brought them to the interstate. They were on the highway before Alex broke the silence.
"You're going to have to talk to me, Bobby. I'm really tired."
Bobby sat up. The move seemed to take a great deal of his energy. "Would you like me to drive?"
"You're more exhausted than I am…And your driving is suspect even when you're at your best…"
"True…"
Alex took a deep breath. "You know I'm usually suspicious of people taking insanity pleas…Cases like this…I think the perp has the wrong order and should off himself first…But this guy…"
"It's not easy to fall from God's shepherd to deranged murderer," Bobby muttered.
"Is it wrong," Alex asked after a moment. "To feel so bad about that poor dog…"
"No…There's something about pets…The way they offer complete trust and love…It's not that they're defenseless…It's that they can't comprehend that they need defenses around the people who care for them. That dog probably walked right up to…" Bobby turned to stare out the window.
Alex fought against the lump in her throat. "Dogs," she said when she could trust her voice. "Dogs maybe…But cats?"
Bobby turned back to her. "You're prejudiced against cats…"
"Some," Alex acknowledged. "But I don't dislike them. I was raised in a dog family, and when I've had a pet, it's usually been a dog." She hoped Bobby wouldn't think about her lost bird. "But I appreciate cats. They're graceful. They're independent. They're dignified. And they look very silly when they lose their dignity and pretend they haven't."
"I don't have a lot of experience with pets," Bobby said wistfully. "My life hasn't exactly been conducive to having a companion animal…or a companion of any kind."
Alex couldn't think of a response, and they continued in silence for several miles.
"What do you think will happen to him?" Alex finally asked.
Bobby shrugged, but Alex sensed he'd been thinking about the question. "He knows what he's done now…He might plead guilty and go to prison for the rest of his life…Which wouldn't be long…He'd be a target…Suicidal…Prison would be a hell for him. "
Alex concentrated on the road. "All he has left is his mother…and Kathy…"
"He's lost Kathy," Bobby said. "She must be a great actress…To convince him to let her live…"
"She's got a lot to deal with…"
"Yea…But if anyone can, it's her."
They continued in silence again. Alex yawned.
"You sure you're ok?" Bobby asked. "You want me to drive?"
"I'm ok," Alex said. "But a cup of coffee would be good."
"The next exit looks promising…and I'll pay," Bobby said.
"Ok," Alex responded. "But this is not going to be a chance for you to take the wheel."
"I assure you, Eames," Bobby said dryly. "I have no desire to drive this vehicle."
"One of the good things about Starbuck's," Alex mused about a half hour later. "Is that it's improved the quality of coffee in other places. Even gas stations."
"Yea…and promoted the concept of iced coffee," Bobby agreed.
Alex drove carefully back on the interstate. "Thanks for the coffee."
Bobby tipped his cup to her. "You're welcome."
"This case," Alex said cautiously. "As hard as it was…Working on it…It felt good. Working with Rodgers…Ross…Even Ross…It all felt good."
"Yea," Bobby said. "Ross didn't take my challenges personally. Thank you…again…for supporting me…"
"It wasn't hard, especially since I at least half agreed with you." She hesitated. "It was good to see you like that again," she ventured.
Bobby turned to her. "Uh…Like what?"
"Like you were on full cylinders. At the crime scene. You were back. You seemed to want to be back. And I understand why you took him into the house by yourself, but I would've loved to have seen that interrogation."
"I…I had to shift gears a couple of times," Bobby admitted. "But it felt…right…"
"You know, Ross didn't even blink at that."
"Well, he trusts me enough to know I wouldn't harm a suspect," Bobby said. "Shake them up…but never harm…"
"I think he trusts you a lot," Alex said. "He didn't ask me to check up on you. One of the FBI guys asked if everything was ok. Ross told him just to give you a little time. That if anyone could get the guy to talk, it was you."
"It was easier with him on this case…He actually looked me in the eye and listened to me. Thanks for getting us to that point."
"Not a problem. I just wish he'd let you know when he appreciates what you do…"
"It's ok," Bobby said. "Just knowing that he'll listen to me…That he'll back us up…That I can work with him without you having to constantly be the referee…That's good…Very good…"
"Yea," Alex said. "I guess it is."
The traffic grew heavier, and they could see the lights of the city and its surroundings.
"Eames," Bobby said politely. "You don't have to drive me all the way to my house. I can get a cab or the subway…Or I can drop you at your house and take the SUV back to Major Case…"
"Oh, no," Alex said firmly. "I let you get back to Major Case, you'll go in and try to do all the paperwork and I'll find you drooling all over it in the morning…And it's too late to trust a cab or the subway."
"I don't drool," Bobby objected. "And…"
"You do sometimes," Alex declared. "You can have the guest room…It's not like you're not used to it…and…I'd appreciate the company…"
He offered no other objections. They were quiet until they reached her house. Alex politely offered something to eat or drink; Bobby, as she expected, politely refused both. She pointed him to a drawer in a chest in the guest room where some of his clothes had found their way.
"You washed these," Bobby said. "And used softener. Thank you…"
"Well, I wasn't going to let your dirty clothes hang around the guest room…Even if you've been its only occupant recently…" Alex stepped back to her room. "You want a shower…"
"Yea…But you go first…"
Alex was too tired to protest. As the hot water pounded and warmed her, she realized how comfortable she'd felt working with Bobby throughout this case. "It's…It's almost like it was…Before…Before…Everything…" she thought.
Although she was bone tired, Alex, wrapped in a blanket, waited in the living room and forced herself to stay awake until she heard Bobby finish his shower. She stood and walked carefully towards the bedrooms. Bobby, clad in dark blue pajama pants and long sleeved T-shirt, emerged from the bathroom and smiled at her.
"You didn't have to stay up for me," he said gently.
"I…I had a favor to ask…Could…Could you keep your door open a little? Just in case I get an attack of the heebie-jeebies?" Alex hated how small her voice sounded.
"Of course," Bobby said immediately. "If you promise to save me from them if they attack me."
"You got it." Alex walked to her bedroom and stopped at its door. "Bobby…"
He turned. "Yea…"
"It's good to have you back…"
He smiled. "It's good to be back."
"Good night, Bobby."
"Good night, Alex."
END