A/N: Sorry this took a while, I know I said that I would have this out by Christmas but what I didn't for see was I was going somewhere with no internet access for a few days. So here is the new chapter. I've had to upload it from my phone so I do apologize for any and all mistakes. I'm sure there are a few I missed. Do let me know, so I can correct them. And thank you for the reviews.


11: 57 P.M.

"Diane." Alicia rushed up to the formidable woman as nurses and ward boys bustled around the hallway. Diane leaned against the wall, shoulders slumped with a grave expression on her face, and she stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the hoard of medical personnel.

Diane turned towards Alicia, watching her work her way through the crowd up to the elder woman.

The panicked expression on Alicia's face was a stark contrast of the usual poker face the young associate usually employed. And for a second an unbidden thought crossed her mind, it seems like those two have finally made up.

She along with everyone else had noticed the change in attitude between the two women. They went from being two peas in a pod that never left each others side to as different as night and day, requiring a referee at all times, lest they kill each other with the tension in the room. It seemed the ice had begun to thaw if the expression on Alicia's face was any indicator.

Then again, only someone with a heart of stone would be unaffected by this tragedy. No matter the difference between them, it seemed it did not extend to injuries incurred by the other,

"Has there been any news?" Alicia asked leaning against the wall as she tried to catch her breath. It looked like she had rushed to the hospital.

Diane observed her for a moment before staring off into the distance again; she noted the police officers making their way into the hospital through the entrance gate.

"No, all I know is that they have taken her into surgery. The surgeon barely made time to tell that Kalinda had two bullet wounds, one in the shoulder and one in the abdomen. He also felt the need to tell me that she has lost a lot of blood and they were going to have to work as quickly as possible to repair the damage. He asked me to inform any family she has," Diane's voice cracked at the last few words.

Alicia's face grew paler with each word coming out of Diane's mouth; she sunk into the hospital seats, one hand over her mouth staring up at Diane in muted horror.

Diane sighed laying a hand on Alicia's shoulder she squeezed reassuringly. She moved to sit beside her in the empty seat, staying silent allowing Alicia to gather her thoughts in silence.

"H-how," Alicia cleared her throat trying to regain her composure, she attempted to voice her thoughts again, "How did it happen? Does Will know?"

Diane answered the latter first, not knowing how to answer the former.

"Will was listed as her emergency contact. He called me, there was too much traffic. He should be here soon."

Unfortunately for Alicia her other questions would have to wait, the officers had finally arrived, coming a stop in front of the two women as they stood up togreet the officers.


12:10 A.M.

"Ma'am, may we speak with you?" One of the policemen asked reaching for his notepad and pen. He was a rather tall man that loomed over the attorney's. He appeared to be in his late 40's with graying hair and a strict, serious expression on his face.

"I'm Detective Marks with Chicago PD and this is Officer Daniels, he was the first one on the scene when the incident occurred."

Diane nodded in his direction, offering a few words of salutation and introductions. She didn't really care who they were, she just wanted to know what the hell was going on.

The detective continued on, "If there are no objections, we would like to ask you a few questions. Anything you tell us may be useful in determining what happened earlier this evening."

"Of course, anything we can do to help," Diane responded, she took off her glasses playing with the stem, a nervous habit she had developed in law school.

"Ms. Lockhart, is it?" He barely waited for her answering nod before continuing, "As I understand it, Ms. Sharma is a private investigator that works for your firm. Is that correct?"

Once again Diane just nodded her head in confirmation. Words seemed out of reach, a foreign concept altogether.

"Well I'm not sure if you are aware of this but Ms. Sharma was found only a few blocks from your offices," he continued on scrutinizing the older woman. "Do you know she would have been there at this time?"

Diane shook her head. "Maybe she was following up on some case."

"Perhaps, but her car was also found there. I find it strange that she wouldn't have parked in the parking garage. After all, your firm does have one. A rather large one, might I add."

"Maybe she wanted to stretch her legs," Diane was at a loss. She had no idea why Kalinda would park a few blocks away. Then again, this was Kalinda she might have been tailed or something to that effect.

She watched Detective Marks as he surveyed her. It seems he didn't appreciate her meager response.

"Were any threats made against the firm, or Ms. Sharma specifically?" He pressed on, having determined that she honestly didn't know.

Diane was momentarily distracted as she heard Alicia's sharp intake of breath. Diane looked at her briefly before her own musings drew her in.

Will had called to tell her Kalinda was hurt and in the hospital. It had been after works hours and she figured Kalinda was just putting in some extra time on some of her cases. Kalinda had been a bit distracted lately.

Diane had assumed that Kalinda was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but what she has not expected or even dared to think was that a client of the firm could have done it. Out of all the possibilities that went through her sluggish mind since the moment she got the call, this had not been one of them.

It seemed Alicia was of the same mind.

Sure they had made many enemies over the years, feathers had been ruffled, maybe even more then ruffled, but there had never been a sense of danger, other than Lamont Bishop of course. However this was too messy to be his work.

"No," Diane stared haltingly, "But Kalinda does take outside work every now and then. She may have received threats, but if she had, she never mentioned them."


12:20 AM

Detective Marks jotted something down in that notepad of his. He was just as lost, much like everyone else.

There had been no witnesses to the shooting. Despite being such a crowed area there was no clue as who the shooter could possibly have been.

Most of the cops and detectives of Chicago PD knew Kalinda. They had worked with her. Sure her methods were a bit rash and questionable but she was a likable person. She rubbed some elbows, some people weren't pleased but then again, what cop likes an investigator, a female on top of that, butting into their business. No matter the history between them, Detective Marks wasn't going to let that come between finding her assailant. No one gets away with shooting one of their own. And that's what Kalinda was, one of their own.


Alicia had been quite silent during most of the interview. Soaking in the details Detective Marks laid out on the table not that there was much to go on.

As Alicia listened to the questions he asked Diane, she flinched just a bit when he mentioned any threats and clients that may have had something against Kalinda.

Should she mention Nick? After all, he was a very credible threat. Forget credible, Alicia was sure he was the assailant, and as far as she knew he was also the last person to see Kalinda.

"And I'm not in danger"

"No. You won't be."

She inhaled sharply.

Oh dear god.

She had been with Nick.

Making sure Alicia was safe.


12:25 A.M.

Alicia hoped she was doing the right thing as she spoke up, breaking her silence.

"Actually, there is someone. A client."

Diane looked on in surprise and the detective turned to look at her waiting for her to continue.

"He came to me a few weeks ago, asking us to take him on as a client. I had Kalinda vet him. Being a partner I wanted to be sure that his business would benefit the firm," Alicia spoke slowly, thinking through each syllable before speaking out loud.

The one thing she had learned being the wife of a politician was how to say things without actually telling the whole truth.

They just needed enough details to be able to find him, not the full story. That was up to Kalinda if, no when, she woke up.

"Kalinda found something. She told me the business wasn't legit. She didn't say why. So I called him in and informed him that due to financial troubles at the firm we would no longer be able to represent him," at this Alicia paused. Okay so maybe that's not why they had dropped him, but who needed to know the reason why.

"And what makes you think of him specifically? I mean I'm sure the firm has dropped many clients," Suspicion easily discernable on the Detective's face.

"He made a threat towards me, veiled enough that I couldn't really do anything, but a threat nonetheless. At the time I didn't think anything of it. However, I did bring it up with Kalinda," Alicia's voice cracked here, "She said that she would…umm… she would take care of it. That was about 6 hours ago."

The detective didn't miss a beat in asking his follow-up question.

"Who was the client?"

Alicia stared back at him, a blank mask obscuring any and all emotions as she replied.

"Nick Savarese."

12:30 A.M.


A/N: Hmm, Nick, Nick, Nick. He seems to be the person on everyone's mind. What do you think? Is it Nick? Or could it be someone else? Guesses are welcome.

See ya next time!