Chapter One

She hoped when she arrived at Major Case that it would be a great step up in her career. She even vaguely hoped the temporary assignment would become permanent. Thanks to her high standing in her Academy class and her family connections she had her choice of assignments when she graduated. She managed to avoid a turn in Vice, which seemed to be a requirement for all female cops, and instead enjoyed several posts that drew good attention from the Brass and the politicians. The only down side—aside from the jealousy of other cops—was that these assignments provided little in the way of street credentials, and this was something G. Lynn Bishop was eager to remedy. She hoped for a spot in Narcotics, but jumped at the chance to work in Major Case, which looked like the perfect move for her career. She liked the Major Case captain. James Deakins was politically smooth and aware like everyone Bishop had met above the rank of lieutenant in the NYPD, but he appeared more honest and tolerant than most of the Brass she'd encountered. Bishop sensed she was being brought to Major Case as a favor to someone, but Deakins didn't press the issue.

"I need to warn you," Deakins told her near the end of their first conversation. "You're not entering an ideal situation. Detective Alex Eames is going on maternity leave. A lot of people like Eames a lot. Especially her partner, Bobby Goren."

Bishop leaned forward. She'd heard a lot about Alex Eames and Bobby Goren. Their partnership and its solve rate were legendary. She was puzzled to hear Eames was pregnant; what Bishop heard from the NYPD rumor mill was that Eames was a widow of a cop slain in the line of duty. The rumor mill held differing opinions about Goren. Roughly a third held he was an unstable whack job one step away from being a perp. Another third maintained he was the department's most brilliant detective. And the last third said he was both. Bishop reasoned that Goren was half of the team with the department's best solve rate, and so he must be responsible for at least half of that rate. She'd dealt with plenty of difficult men in her career, and thought she could handle anything Robert Goren threw at her. But, by the end of their first day together, Bishop's confidence was shaken. By the end of their first case, she was ready to leave Robert Goren and the Major Case Squad. Fortunately for her confidence and career, Bishop talked to Alex Eames and Captain Deakins. Both convinced her to ride out the first weeks of her temporary partnership, and apparently also spoke to Goren. He reached out to her with awkward gestures and words, and Bishop grudgingly began to respect Goren's mind and methods—or at least their results—even if she didn't understand him.

And then, Goren spectacularly solved a case that Bishop thought beyond any human intelligence, and managed to solve it under the white hot glare of the press and the Brass. It ended with the sort of confrontation Bishop had never experienced and hoped never to experience again. She watched in awe as Goren maneuvered civilians out of the sight and reach of a raving and disturbed man with a very big gun. Goren then eased Bishop and other cops out of range so subtly that Bishop and the others found themselves staring at a closed door and wondering what was happening behind it. After several long minutes, Goren, holding that big gun, led the now calm man out of the room. After that, Bishop worshipped Goren. He still confused and irritated and occasionally frightened her, but she viewed all of his actions as heroic. She defended Goren to anyone who dared to criticize or make fun of him.

But this case of a murdered computer geek confused her as much as anything had in her association with Goren. She didn't understand this world of online gamers and computer jockeys and was pretty sure she didn't want to understand it or them. Goren--who wasn't the most technologically gifted or aware person--adapted quickly to deal with this environment and its inhabitants. Listening to Goren speak with a NYPD computer expert, Bishop was stunned to realize she could barely follow their conversation.

"You learn stuff so fast," she told Goren after that. "I thought you barely knew how to use email."

Goren stared at his feet and shuffled his binder from one hand to the other. "I…uh…know a little more than that…The other stuff…Just research and some stuff I picked up…"

"Some research," Bishop thought. "He probably stayed up all night studying computer manuals…"

She'd felt in synch with Goren during this investigation. She'd been irritated, and had let that show, when he used her to demonstrate how Corinne Kennedy was killed, but she'd brushed that away. She managed to follow his reasoning through the case, and was as eager as he was to bring in Abe McVee. She enjoyed watching McVee squirm under Goren's intense interrogation until McVee revealed that his problems with his ex-wife and Jack Cadogan were both settled. As she realized McVee lacked a motive for murder and framing Cadogan, Bishop watched Goren implode. She couldn't understand why Goren was so upset. McVee was still a scumbag, and they had eliminated a suspect. She followed Goren to his desk, and couldn't understand why Goren flung a paper wad at Eames' chair. She understood even less as Goren mumbled.

"Croydon…Wally Stevens…Hitchens…"

"I don't understand," Bishop said.

"Eames…Eames would've known…"

The words hit her like a blow, and, confused, she sat at her desk. She didn't know what to do or say. She wished she'd spent more time researching Goren and Eames' past cases and less on the politics of Major Case. Goren awkwardly and tentatively asked her to release and apologize to McVee, and Bishop thought McVee was as confused by this turn as she was. When she returned to her desk, Bishop found Goren with his back to her. She sat uncertainly at her desk. "Temporary," she thought. "Temporary…Just like me…"

Goren turned and rolled his chair closer to her. "It's Neil," he said.

She looked at him and tried to understand what Neil Colby figured in this case. But she listened.

"It's about yearning…He misses his partner…"

As a weight grew in her chest, she listened as Goren explained how and why Neil had killed Corinne Kennedy and placed her in the middle of a computer scam. She felt anger and guilt; anger that Neil Colby could defame and kill an innocent young woman, and guilt that she hadn't been able to protect her partner—her temporary partner. She recognized that some of her anger came from knowing Neil Colby had in a few days learned more about Robert Goren than she had in several weeks. Her guilt and anger eased somewhat when Goren recovered and devised a plan to catch Colby, but she knew—as if she hadn't before—that she wasn't Goren's partner and never would be. That position was filled.

She watched with admiration as Goren sang his duet with Colby. She played her part in the chorus and scooped up Goren's binder at the conclusion. Goren's cell rang, and when he revealed that Eames had finally had the baby, Bishop said "That's great," and meant it. She liked Eames and thought she was doing a great and brave thing for her sister. "You should call her," Bishop said and handed his binder to Goren. "I'll handle the booking." As had so often happened with Goren, she couldn't quite read his reaction. But she'd learned about yearning.

END CHAPTER ONE