A/N: I still believe that Angell's first name is Jennifer, as it was when she was originally cast and credited, despite the wonderful mix-up and confusion last season. Therefore, in my fics, she's Jennifer. So deal with it. And also in my world, sometimes the endings are just as predictable as this. But it's getting there that's half the fun. So read, review, and enjoy. This story will likely be 4 parts/chapters.
Disclaimer: Standard rules apply here: I own nothing but my pen, paper, and computer. I wont even own my car until January. So don't go suing me.
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"Detective, get a look at this." A field officer was standing next to a marker he had just put down.
Detective Jennifer Angell walked to where the officer stood. As she looked down at what the numbered marker indicated as evidence, she scrunched her face a bit, puzzled. "Well, I don't think this belongs here."
"It seemed out of place to me too. That's why I thought you should see it. Crime Scene is gonna take it; see if they can get DNA."
"Good, keep me posted." Angell took statements and helped get the neighbors calmed down. She went back to NYPD and sat at her desk with reports and pictures.
Detective Flack came in a while later and sat at his desk next to hers.
Angell picked up the picture that was puzzling her and turned to Flack. "What to you make of this?" Flack raised his eyebrows in question but didn't respond. "This is a very wholesome household. Nobody had anything like this in their dresser drawers, and there wasn't enough DNA to suggest that the husband was cheating. Underwear like this makes absolutely no sense in this house."
Flack was smiling at the absurdity of the evidence. "These people have kids?"
"Two boys, eight and sixteen, and a girl, seventeen."
"If you've ruled out that it doesn't belong to the wife and the husband wasn't cheating, you've got a teenage girl who is a possible owner, and a teenage boy who's probably got a girlfriend."
Angell thought for a moment then went back to her original thought. "Nah, I just don't see anyone in this family having anything to do with skimpy lingerie. Church every Sunday, Bible study every night, they eat dinner at the dinner table as a family at least five times a week. You just don't normally meet people like that shopping at Victoria's Secret."
Flack grinned. "Angell, that's how you described your family to me. But I wouldn't exactly call you a goody-goody."
"What are you trying to say, Detective?"
Flack flushed a little. "Just wait until you get through your interviews and get all the results back from the lab. You may be surprised." He smiled and got up to leave.
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That afternoon, Angell had the family gathered for interview. They sat in a row of chairs quietly outside the interrogation room. Angell was standing across the room from a teenage boy with a smug look on his face. He was trying hard to put on a front. He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. Angell stepped up to the table, putting her palms on the cold steel surface and leaning forward to show the boy she meant business. "Why was your girlfriend in the house when you weren't home?"
"I told you, she didn't do anything wrong."
"Then tell me why she was there."
The boy held her gaze until he realized she wasn't giving in. "Look, you can't tell my folks. She goes to our house when she needs to get away from her parents. They're getting a divorce and she's stuck in the middle of it. I made her a key and told her she can come over anytime. She stays with me all night sometimes just to get away from the yelling." He sighed. "That's why her fingerprints are everywhere. She has to hide sometimes so she doesn't get caught. My parents don't want her there when they're not home. And they certainly don't want her there at night."
Angell sat down in the chair across from him. "I'm gonna refer your girlfriend to a family counselor. It's good that you're there for her, but it sounds serious." She handed him a business card and he pocketed it. "I also need to ask you when your girlfriend left these behind." She turned over a photo on the table of the underwear she collected at the scene. "We need to know how long these were in the house before last night."
He looked at the picture and blushed. "Those aren't hers. We've never done anything like that." He turned the picture over so he wouldn't have to look at it. "They're my sister's. She left her laundry in the dryer a few weeks ago. I needed to get my stuff dry so I put hers in the basket. Is my sister in trouble?"
"I don't know. That's what I'm gonna find out." Angell walked him out and asked his sister to come in. As they sat down, Angell cut right to the chase. "You're seventeen years old. Why would you want to buy something like this?" Angell slid the picture forward.
"I don't know. I thought it was hot. I wanted to get guys' attention."
At that moment, Flack stepped up to the one-way glass and looked in. He laughed at the girl's response. Sure, it would get a guy's attention, but you're just a kid.
Angell leaned forward. "A little mascara and lip gloss will do the same. And you'll get better guys."
She is right about that, Flack smiled.
"I was just tired of being a goody-two-shoes. I wanted guys to notice me."
"Did you take someone back to your house with you? Someone who noticed?"
"We didn't do anything. We got half our clothes off and I chickened out. I didn't want it to be like that." She sighed. "Guess my parents made more of an impression than I thought."
Angell smiled. "That's not such a bad thing. So how did your underwear end up next to the back door?"
"I decided to throw them out. I got to the back door and heard the window break in the living room. I dropped them when I ran out the door."
Angell decided the story fit unless anymore evidence proved otherwise. She let the girl go and walked out of the room.
Flack took a few quick steps to catch up with her. "Angell." She looked back and slowed as he matched strides with her. "So, did you figure it out? The mystery underwear?"
"Yeah. Teenage girl trying to grow up too fast. She thought skimpy black panties was the way to get her guy."
"Well, it'll certainly get guys, but not something a teenage girl oughta worry about."
Angell held up a hand in defense. "Guys should worry less about a girl's underwear and more about what's in her heart."
Flack chuckled. "Are you turnin' into a softie, Detective?"
"I'm just saying, it's not all about looks."
Flack looked over Detective Angell and grinned wickedly. "That's easier to say when you look like you do, Detective."
She cocked an eyebrow at him. Was that a compliment?
He cocked an eyebrow back, as if reading her mind, then walked off down the hall.
Angell, still a bit confused, smiled and headed off toward her desk.
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Okay, so I know it wasn't much, but it's only the beginning. I had to get ya warmed up to it. But hey, any kind of Flack/Angell flirting is pretty much okay in my book. And when I originally started this story, it was all one big, fat one-shot. So the little teaser at the beginning made more sense because it just kept right on going….I'm rambling, somebody shut me up please…a review might just do the trick ;)