A few weeks had passed since Bobby had dined with Jaycie and her young son, Mikey. He'd been to the restaurant around the block but hadn't seen the young family. Then he and Eames caught a case that tied them up for several more weeks and the diner was forgotten. He was in the squad room, at his desk, typing away on the computer. They had finally gotten the break they needed and finished the case. They were now working on the inevitable paper work that always seemed to pile up. His desk phone buzzed.
"Goren," he answered.
"Detective Goren, Major Case?" questioned the voice on the other end.
"Yeah."
"Office Beadles, here. Got a witness to a bodega murder just happened about 30 minutes ago. Says he won't talk to anyone but Detective Goren."
"OK, put him on the phone."
"No can do. The witness won't come out of the storeroom unless Detective Goren is here."
Bobby was beginning to get exasperated with the officer on the other end of the line. "Well, does your witness have a name?"
"Yeah," Beadles replied, still very flat toned, "but won't give it to me. Says he has to talk with Detective Goren. Look, I can't finish this scene until I get the witness out of the storeroom Can you just get down here?"
Goren shook his head in disgust, "OK. Let me clue in my captain and my partner & I will be there in 30. What's the address?"
Bobby paused as he wrote down the number. That's not far from where I live, he thought. "OK. Thanks." And he hung up the phone.
"So, what's up?" Eames asked.
"Beat cop. Investigating a murder at a little market around the corner from my place. He's got a witness who says he can't talk to anyone but me."
"Well, what do you want to do?"
"Guess I'll have to explain to Captain Ross and see if he'll give me leeway to go."
"Detective," the one and the same Captain Ross walked up behind Bobby's desk. "I just got a call from a squad supervisor. Says one his guys has a witness to a convenience store murder who only wants to talk to you?"
"Yeah. I just got the same call from the cop on the scene. What do you want me to do?" Bobby looked up inquiringly at his C.O.
"Go score some good will with the beat cops for us, Goren. Can't hurt. Besides, you and your partner are between cases now anyway. Lend a hand, if you can. Once they say they're done, get back here. Don't do anything more or less than what the investigators on the scene want. Got it?" Ross looked from one detective to the other.
"OK. Thanks." Goren grabbed his shield and gun, as Eames headed toward the elevators.
When they arrived at the crime scene, Bobby and Alex were met by the lead investigator, Detective Upshaw. "You're Goren, right?"
Bobby nodded. "Officer Beadles called you when the witness gave him the name and number. He's inside the store now." Upshaw led Goren and Eames to the door of the small store. "Beadles! Goren's here!"
Officer Beadles came out of the store. "Back there, toward the freezer case. There's a storeroom. Door must lock from the inside." Beadles explained, as tonelessly as he was on the phone.
Bobby headed toward the back of the store, Eames following slightly behind.
"Hello?" Bobby said to the door, "OK. I'm Detective Goren. I'm here."
Bobby stepped back as the sound of locks turning came from the door. Suddenly, the door flew open and four feet of little guy hit him solidly in the legs.
"I knew you'd come Detective Bobby!" the body said into Goren's legs.
"Something you need to tell me?" Eames asked, a slight lift to her eyebrows, as she looked at the little boy wrapped solidly around Goren's legs.
Bobby unwrapped Mikey, and knelt before him, eye to eye. "Are you okay?"
"I will be as soon as we leave here. I can't talk to you here." He whispered seriously to Goren.
"Okay. Hold on a second." Bobby turned back to his partner. "Mikey, this is Detective…"
"Detective Alex Eames. I knowed it was her as soon as I saw it was a girl. She's almost as pretty as mommy."
"That's a big compliment." Bobby looked up at Alex. "You'll stay with her for a few minutes, okay?"
"Yes, sir."
Alex took Mikey's hand, and the scared little boy leaned into her. Bobby smiled and walked to the front of the store, looking for Upshaw. "Detective?"
Upshaw turned as he saw Goren. "Well, did you get him out?"
"Yes, sir. But, he obviously quite traumatized. I think it would be best if we took him back with us to 1PP. It doesn't really matter who gets the statement, right? So long as we get it?"
"Yeah, that should be okay." Upshaw shrugged. "I'll let Beadles and his partner know you'll send over the paper work. Thanks for coming down."
"No problem. Uh…someone should probably go get his mom. She works at a branch bank. Here's the address."
"OK. I'll have a uniform go pick her up and bring her to you. Lady got a name?"
"Jaycie Conrad. Make sure she knows the boy's okay and with me. It'll make a difference."
"Goren? If you don't mind my asking, how do they know you?" Upshaw inquired.
"We're neighbors." Goren didn't hesitate at the small inaccuracy. He figured it was close enough to the truth for the detective. Upshaw nodded and went to find an officer to go pickup Jaycie from work.
Goren motioned for Eames to meet him at the front of the store. Mikey was obviously starting to warm up to Alex. Bobby could just hear the small voice asking a question every so often. They walked to the SUV and Bobby put Mikey in the back, strapping the seat belt securely around the young witness. Bobby waited until they had pulled away from the convenience store to start talking.
"OK, Mikey. What couldn't you tell me at the store?"
"I saw what happened, Detective Bobby."
"Why didn't you tell the policemen?"
"Because," Mikey paused. "It was a policeman that did it."