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CHAPTER 2:Skittles and a Diet Coke
"Has he asked her out yet?" Logan trapped Bobby by the vending machines.
"No. He'll wait until after the interview."
"Skittles and a diet coke." Logan nodded at the contents in Bobby's hand. You're sweet."
"Shut up, Logan. We didn't get lunch."
"Aren't you gonna' get anything for yourself?"
"In a minute. The change machine is broken again."
"Like I said," he winked, "sweet." The two men walked back toward the bullpen. "Let me know if you need me to run any interference. Hey, doll." Logan shot a grin at Alex as he sauntered past her.
Alex looked at Bobby from across the desks. "What's he up to?"
"Who knows?" Bobby said as innocently as child.
"Thanks for the snacks. I'm starving. Where's yours?"
"I'm OK 'till dinner. You want to grab something after work? My treat." His dark eyes were hopeful in anticipation of her answer.
"Yeah, that'd be nice." She smiled and felt the heat flare in her cheeks as she momentarily lost herself in his gaze. She had to look away. What the hell is wrong with me? She shook her head and turned her attention to her computer. "Oh, shoot." She wrinkled her nose.
"What? What's wrong?"
"I forgot. I told my sister I would look after Nathan tonight. Matt has a dinner party downtown………..something for work."
"Oh." Bobby couldn't completely hide his disappointment, not from Alex anyway. "That's alright, some other time."
"You could bring dinner to the house if you want to. Nathan always likes spending time with you. Besides, it would save me some time if you were in charge of dinner."
"Really?" Bobby said, delighted at the invitation. "I don't want to intrude."
"Since when have you been an intrusion? It'll be fun."
"OK. Nathan likes chicken and fries, right?"
"What kid doesn't? I have to pick him up at 5:45, no later. That means I have to leave here by 10 after 5, no matter what."
"10 after 5, Got it"
"Detectives, how did it go at the school?" Ross straddled the line between their desks with his hands in his pocket.
"They're in interrogation two. Peter went down to his department. He'll be back in a few for the interview."
"Very good"
Bobby felt like he should click his heels and salute. "What a jerk", he thought.
"Easy, Bobby. He's really not that bad." He turned his head to face Alex. He gave her a look that said how did you know what I was thinking. Alex rolled her eyes. "You're really not that hard to read, Bobby"
Bobby half smiled. "Not for you anyway," he thought.
5:00 P.M. 1PP
Ross shook Peter's hand. "Thank you for your help. You were instrumental in the investigation and we thank you," he said indicating Alex and Bobby who were standing behind Peter. Peter nodded.
Ross then looked at his team. "You too, detectives. Nice work." With that he disappeared down the hall toward his office.
Bobby and Alex headed for their desks with Peter in tow.
"Alexandra, could I talk to you for a second?"
"Sure" Alex said, still standing as she shuffled through a stack of files on her desk. "Bobby, have you seen the luds on the Martin case?"
"No, but I'll look."
"Sorry, Peter, what can I do for you?"
"Over here," he said quietly and led her to the side of the filing cabinet.
"Alexandra," Bobby heard him say from Alex's desk, "I was wondering if you might like to have dinner tonight?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I can't. I already have plans. My….."
"Here they are Alex!" Bobby appeared, right on queue, before Alex could finish her sentence. Bobby's enthusiasm startled both Peter and Alex. Before either could recover, Bobby turned to Peter. "I was wondering, Peter, if I could go over a few things with you, ah…………….it's about the case, some……….signs that I'm having trouble with." Bobby gently pulled on Peter's arm and pointed him toward the small conference room. His tone conveyed a sense of urgency. Peter turned to Alex, "excuse us, please. I'll talk to you later?"
"Sure"
"Ah, Peter.…..this way." Bobby glanced up at the clock on their way to the conference room. 5:05 P.M. Alex would have just enough time to gather her things and head out, which is exactly what he saw her do from the conference room.
Logan, who had been watching from his desk, formed an evil grin and headed for the conference room. He knocked twice on the door and entered without an invitation. "Hey Goren," he said, leaning on the door, "your partner said to tell you, '6:00 sharp,' and don't be late," he added with a twitch of his eyebrow and a mischievous grin. Peter, who had had his back to the door, turned to look at Logan when he entered. He quickly looked back at Bobby when Logan left.
"You and Al………Detective Eames, you're ……."
"Thanks for your help. Excuse me," Bobby said as he shot past Peter and back into the bullpen. He pushed his chair in at his desk and looked across the room for Logan. Bobby found him at his desk smiling at him as he leaned back in his chair. He sent him a nod of thanks and Logan acknowledged the thanks with a nod of his own. Bobby was on his way to the elevators when Peter appeared in the bullpen still looking as if he had just been punched in the gut.
TBC
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