Chapter Two

"I came home one night." She swallows hard. "My sister and I took our mother out to dinner and the theater for her birthday and when I returned home."

Two Months Earlier

"Bobby you're still awake," she says excitedly. "We had such..." she stops dead in her tracks as she spies her husband of ten years sitting on the floor, legs under the coffee table and remnants of white powder spread throughout. Tossing her jacket and bag on the couch, she bellows, "What the hell have you done?" His glassy eyes never make contact with hers, "Bobby!" she screams.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Their 9-year-old son asks as he descends the stairs, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh my God, Robby," she looks to her son and then her husband, "Daddy's sick honey." She takes his hand, "Come on little man back to bed, it's late and it's a school night." Walking side by side up the stairs, she asks, "What time did you go to bed?"

"Regular time, why?" They reach the top step, he releases his hold and jogs down the hallway toward his bedroom, he jumps into bed before she enters the room.

"Did you…." she pulls the blanket over his body, "Did you hear Daddy leave the house?"

"No, I didn't hear anything till you got home. Why? I can stay home by myself for a few minutes."

"I know, I know." Running her fingers through his dark curls, "You need a haircut." She leans down kissing his cheek, "Goodnight Robby."

"Night Mom," He pulls the blanket up to his neck and turns on his side.

When she returns downstairs, he is as she left him, sitting on the floor. She knows enough not to talk to him now. She picks up the phone, "911 what is your emergency?"

"I need to report my….I need to report a parole violation on my husband. His name is Robert Goren we reside at 824 Foster Ave."

She looks up and Ross is doing all he can, not to look flabbergasted. "He's not a substance abuser or a criminal," she states firmly. "He's a good man Captain. He's just had two very shitty years." She crosses her legs then uncrosses them, trying her best to feel comfortable in the chair.

"Contrary to what people may think, I don't go home and memorize your personal files."

She manages a faint smile, "It all started about two years ago, a team of five undercover narcotics cops where just about to bring down one of the biggest drug rings in the city. All hell broke lose and four of the five cops were murdered, Bobby was the only survivor, it was believed that someone blew their cover."

"I remember that, after it was over not too many people were left standing on their side."

"Yes in essence the operation was destroyed but since four cops were murdered the NYPD brass decided they needed someone to blame and they picked on the cop who sometimes does not play by their rules, can be disrespectful to authority but let's not look at his record. Oh no," she says sarcastically. "The long string of arrests, good arrests and convictions," she sits forward in the chair, "He was a hell of a cop Captain. Anyway," she pauses. "After three months of investigation," Ross interjects, "Three months?"

She nods, "Yes with half pay, they finally concluded that he was not responsible for the deaths, so the day came when they gave him back his shield and gun, shook his hand and said welcome back. He was, I thought thrilled but it was gone, his determination and love for the job was gone, so they agreed to early retirement. He opened up a vintage car restore shop with a friend of his but one thing was still haunting him, his team. They were all dead and he was alive. The guilt he had was overwhelming. One night he made a dreadful mistake, he got behind the wheel," she hesitates, "Drunk, he was pulled over and after a quick search of the car they found an ounce of cocaine." He was arrested and sentenced to 12 months; he served six and at the time, he was on parole for a year."

"A retired cop with his record and he was sentenced to 12 months in jail?"

"Yes, well when the judge was reading through the report and his background he said ex-cop and for some reason that just did not sit right with Bobby, ex-cop to him meant fired, forced to leave or a failure. He stood up and opened his….big mouth before his lawyer could stop him. If I remember correctly he also called him an ass."

"Jesus," Ross sits back in the chair, "Who was the judge?"

"It was Judge Nathan Cramer and he was not about to give a break to a cop who broke the law."

"Oooh yes hard-ass Cramer," Ross shakes his head as an unpleasant memory concerning the Judge crosses his mind. "I remember him." He leans forward, "Bobby didn't lose his benefits, did he?"

"No," Alex expels a sigh of relief, "Bobby's lawyer immediately pleaded his case stating that the reason for his offense was emotional distress extending from the lose of his colleagues and the investigation, and since he would be rehabilitating at Gainsport, they agreed."

"What about this time?"

She frowns, "It's the same offense Captain."

"Yes, yes you're right. I'm sorry." Alex chuckles softly as Ross winks at her. "I take it he was not going to counseling?"

"Counseling? Oh he has and was, he has since come to terms with the death of his colleagues and the ringer that the NYPD put him through but after all the meetings there is something that he has yet to come to terms with," Alex says with disdain, "His family."

"His family?" Ross says surprisingly. "Are they the reason he went over the edge that night?"

"Yes," she lightly hits the arm of the chair with her fist. "His mother, you see she has two sons and since Frank, who in my opinion is a weak and clinging man who wanders into her life, only when he needs something. Anyway, she dumps all that is wrong in this world on Bobby, not considering what he may be going through. It was the last straw or the straw that broke the camel's back. It was the wrong night for her to call and ask him for a favor concerning his brother. I know it sounds as if I'm making excuses for his behavior, I'm not Captain. I just try to understand it."

"He has a younger brother?"

"No Captain," she smirks. "Bobby is the younger brother."

"Has anyone ever told you Detective that you did the right thing in turning him in?"

"Yes plenty," she smiles proudly. "The only person who was ever upset with me was…."

"Bobby," Ross states firmly.

"No Sir," she smiles shyly. "My son, who I have to pick up from school," she stands. "I just got off the phone with Bobby's lawyer and due to a horrible misunderstanding; he neglected to call me sooner to let me know that Bobby was in the hospital."

Ross frowns, "Misunderstanding?"

"Yes Sir I told him that I wouldn't be making any trips upstate to see Bobby this time and he misunderstood what I meant."

"Call me and let me know what is going on," he stands as she reaches for the doorknob. "Alex," she turns to face him. "Take all the time you need."

"Thank you Captain."

TBC