A/N: The first chapter was more of an introduction rather than an actual chapter. So since someone likes the idea heres the next. The next chapter of the Apartment should be up later today or most likely tomorrow. Anyway, Troy and the rest should be appearing in the next chapter. And more background on Gabriella later in the next one. There is a whole family and work story behind her and will be revealed in time. So .review. and tell me your thoughts. :-)
Chad plopped himself down in the seat across from his boss's chair and stuck his legs on the desk; knocking over the picture of his daughter graduating high school. "What's the deal, Capt?"
Capt. Matsui picked up the picture and tapped on Chad's boots, "The deal is you break my picture, I break your face. And get your feet off my desk before I demote you," he threatened before sitting in his chair.
Taylor rolled her eyes and gave Chad her What-The-Hell-Is-Wrong-With-You look she often gives him. Arrogant asshole, she thought as he gave her a kissy face. She turned to her Captain, "What's up?"
Capt. Matsui clicked on the small compact television in his office. A blonde reporter appeared on the screen.
"In other news, another kidnapping has been reported; this time around the Central Park area. Successful business owner Jack Bolton was last seen walking home from his office in Manhattan. His assistant was quoted saying Jack was staying late to finish closing an important business that would expand his company. No one has heard or seen the victim in the past four days and close friends say Jack isn't one to miss a day from work. If you have any news please inform your local police department. In other news…"
Gabriella shrugged. That's not exciting. "Some hotshot businessman was taken. Big deal. The guy will want some small fortune and bada-ding bada-boom; Jack comes safely home to his family. Case closed," she leaned against his desk.
Chad sighed, he was really hoping for something good too. "I say we just wait it out. He'll probably be released tomorrow."
Capt Matsui pulled a file from his over loading cabinet. "Not so fast. Jack Bolton. Does that ring a bell to you, Danforth," he slid a picture across his desk.
Chad squinted at the picture. A middle-aged man with sandy-brown hair and ice-blue eyes bored back to him. Jack Bolton. Jack Bolton. That name is familiar. He snapped his fingers; "He had ties with the Moretti family back in Queens. I remembers this guy, had to question him. Geez that family was a real piece of work." He turned to the confused looks of his squad, "Remember the Moretti family back in like '03 or '04? The organized crime family who had ties with the mafia and charged with that string of businessmen's murders? Yea, this guy Jack came in, apparently been doing business with them for only the year. This was all before he became a big shot. Said he needed the money so he did little jobs for them like selling stocks and bullshit. Didn't believe a word. He had no idea what kind of people they were," he mocked. "Son-of-bitches didn't even get jail time. Pinned it on some kid, Richard or Tony or some kind of Italian shit like that.."
"Language," Taylor cut in.
Chad rolled his eyes; "Anyway, Jack was let go cuz we had no evidence on him to hold him. Promised he'd never let himself get tied up into that family again," he shook his head. "They are bad mother fuckers though. Shot my partner in the back. And that was them being nice."
Gabriella's interest perked, "So, we got this young entrepreneur with connections to the mob. Jack's trying to build his business and turns to them for finical help. Pulls a couple bad moves and screws them. Now they want his blood," she theorized.
Taylor shook her head, "I don't think he would lead his source of income out to dry. Do you know how much he made off these guys," she asked Chad.
"Good money. Couple grand or something in the month or two he was connected. Said he bought his kids Christmas presents with it."
"Oh great! Tonka truck courtesy of the mafia," Jason quipped. "Thanks dad!"
Gabriella flipped with the file. Nothing much to go on. Details of his day, where he took his lunch breaks, information on the family, names and numbers of those he was close to. Good lead but not great. "I thought the Moretti's disbanded a while ago."
"Apparently not," Chad leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms behind his head.
Capt. Matsui stood up, "Look, I don't want a case involving the mob. It will be hell on earth to solve and I don't even wanna think about the aftermath. Let's see what other leads we got before we come to conclusions," he gave Gabriella a pointed look. "Chad and you go check out this assistant and see is anything has been abnormal. Taylor and Jason, I want you guys…"
"Researching and finding possible leads," Jason droned. "Yea, yea, we're on it."
Taylor snatched the folder from Gabriella, "Let's go boy. And go for a coffee run while you're at it," she ordered.
"I'm not your servant, ya know? Like, we do the same job."
Taylor stuck out her hip and poised her hand. "Want to say that again?"
"Iced or hot?"
Gabriella followed Chad out the door, listening to Chad once again argue with Taylor about her 'sass with Jase'.
"Gabriella," Capt. motioned her back in. "A word."
Gabriella swung her head, "Yes, Capt?"
"You still know you are under evaluation after last month's foot race, right?"
Gabriella moaned, "Oh my god, they're still on my back for that! Capt, he was waving his gun like it was a freakin' sparkler. I had to do something."
"I know. I know," he soothed. "But you know how touchy those yups can be in internal affairs. The IBA is busting my balls because of that stunt you pulled last case. That's why I am thinking maybe you and Taylor should switch jobs, just for this case. Until things cool down."
"Oh come on," Gabriella exclaimed. "You know I'm not cut out for typing and googling. Capt. I need to be on the field. I'll go nuts in there," she threw her arm out as crying and ringing echoed into the room.
"It was just a suggestion," he shook his head. "I like you, Gabriella. You know that. You're tough as nails but you need to learn to cool it. Take the extra second to think it through before you pull the trigger."
"Yeah," Gabriella shook her head. "I'll make sure to analyze every aspects of my action before I do them. I'm sure the perk will enjoy the 2 minute head start I'll give him."
"Remember Gabriella, every action has an equal and opposite reaction," Capt. Matsui's voice carried out the door after Gabriella.
Gabriella pulled her black wool coat closer to her body. She wiped away a stray curl that fell out of her pony. "I can't believe Capt is still on my ass about that case."
Chad stuck his hands into his pockets, "Everyone gets a little touchy when gun powder is involved."
"Chad, you didn't see the look on this guy's face," she shook his head. "I knew he was gonna do something with John. I could just feel it. If I might add, I'm pretty sure you were crying for your momma with a busted nose and head on Taylor's lap," she laughed and ran in front of Chad. "Wah, wah wah. My nose is bleeding! Taylor! Taylor! Help me! It hurts," she mocked before cracking up.
Chad pushed Gabriella out of the way, "I could stomp you, you know?"
"We're resorting to wife beating are we now," Gabriella quirked her eyebrows at Chad. "I guess I'll just call my buddies down in SVU to take a gander at you."
"The vagina squad? Yeah, can't wait for those guys," Chad shook his head. He glanced down at the neatly written address Taylor gave him before he left. "This is the place."
Gabriella rubbed her hands together, "Let the games begin."
A petite woman clicked her heels down the carpeted floor. She grabbed two mugs of coffee and set them down before the two cops. "Cream? Sugar?"
Chad motioned her to put them down, "We can do it. Thank you though."
Gabriella stirred some sugar into her cup, "Sit please. We have some questions regarding Jack."
The blonde crossed her legs and folded her hands, "Oh it's terrible thing. Poor Jack. He was such an honest man. Always gave people the hours they needed and even gave me my Christmas bonus. Good man," she nodded. "I don't know who coulda done such a thing!"
Vapid Blonde, Gabriella internally moaned. "Anything strange happened before Jack was taken? Like any characters come in for a business deal? Or phone calls? Anything?"
The blonde shook her head, "I didn't see anything."
Of Course.
Chad leaned forward on his elbows, "Amanda, how long have you been Jack's assistant?"
"Just this year. The other one quit," she played with the end of her ponytail.
"Why," Gabriella asked.
She shrugged, "I don't know. Jack saw me waitressing and ordered me one on the spot. Such a generous man," she smiled.
Chad and Gabriella exchanged looks. Something was up if a hotshot businessman offers a position close to him without so much an interview.
"Does Jack have anyone close to him," Gabriella pressed.
Amanda nodded quickly, "Oh yes! There's his son and daughter."
"No wife," Chad knitted his eyebrows.
"They're separated."
"When did that happen," Gabriella leaned forward.
"Just this month. The lady's a bitch," she stated bluntly.
Chad's eyes popped open, "Why'd you say that?"
Amanda twirled a piece of hair, "She was calling her nonstop and I had to deal with her screaming and yelling. The woman is crazy. Jack had so much on his plate and his wife demanded all this attention. She wanted this and that. He wasn't spending enough time with her. Blah. Blah. Blah blah blah," Amanda mimicked a person's flapping lips with her hand. "SO annoying."
Gabriella rolled her eyes, "Did he have a good relationship with his kids?"
Amanda clapped her hands, "Oh the bestest! They are the cutest things."
"How old," Chad asked.
"Twenty-seven and twenty-four."
Gabriella nodded. Jesus Christ get me out of her. "Did anything seem out of the ordinary the night Jack disappeared?"
Amanda opened her mouth then paused for a minute. "Well, his son did come in during his lunch break. All upset about something. They were talking about Lucille," she looked at the officers' confused looks. "Jack's wife. They got into a huge fight. His son, Troy, threw his glass snow globe at the wall. Caused a huge commotion."
"What were Jack's kids names again," Chad asked.
"Troy and Kelsi Bolton."
"Do you happen to have their address or a way to contact them," Gabriella asked standing up.
Amanda popped up in her chair, "I'll get you it in one second!"
Gabriella bursted out of the double doors, "I think I lost AT LEAST ten brain cells talking to that woman!"
Chad rushed to meet up with her, "So we have an assistant who looks young enough to be his daughter, an estranged wife, and bipolar son. Guess Mr. Big shot was living the American Dream like he seemed."
"If they have a dog, I think I'll die of laughter or kill myself. Whatever will draw less attention," she shouted over her shoulder.
Gabriella chuckled as she and Chad entered the fast-paced office, "You're a real idiot, you know that right?" She tossed her partner a napkin.
Chad rubbed at the mustard stain, "Look. I was hungry and there was a hot dog. How was I suppose to know the wind was gonna be that strong?"
Taylor swirled around in her chair, "Any leads?"
Gabriella made her way over to Taylor's desk. It was the only one in the office where you could actually see the hardwood. "Lucille Bolton, estranged wife of Jack. According to his lovely assistant, she's a complete psycho," Gabriella mocked a valley girl accent while pulling a strand of hair.
"Lucille Bolton, got that Jase," Taylor called over her shoulder.
Jason was hunched over his desk. "L-U-C-I-L-L-E," he spelled softly to himself.
Taylor shared a look with Gabriella, "And you see what I go through everyday."
"Try him," Gabriella pointed to Chad who was licking the mustard stain.
Taylor shuttered, "I'll have that image in my head forever."
Gabriella laughed. If you asked who her best friend was Gabriella would most likely say Taylor. The two were close considering they worked together and were the few females in their squad. Gabriella liked how Taylor pulled her own weight and them some. But it's not like the two met up for drinks outside of work or anything. Come to think of it, Gabriella didn't think she'd ever seen Taylor out of work.
"Anything else," Taylor leaned her head on her hand.
"He has two kids. Older. And there was a blowout between the son and pop the night he disappeared."
"Oh, he did it," Jason piped up.
Taylor turned around slowly and gave him a pointed look, "Were he talking to you?"
"Well, no," Jason answered slowly.
Taylor closed her eyes, "That was a rhetorical question, Jason. I didn't want you to answer," she said exasperated.
"Then why ask a question if you don't want an answer," he asked confused.
Taylor held her hand up and shook her head.
Gabriella chuckled. Oooh rooks.
"Names," Taylor asked.
"Troy and Kelsi Bolton," she answered while plugging the names into the computer.
"Oh, he's cute," Taylor gushed as a picture popped up on the screen.
"Very," Gabriella said as she studied the picture. A man with short sandy brown hair and a bright smile caught Gabriella's attention. She recognized his ice-blue eyes as his fathers.
Taylor pressed print and waited for it to be processed, "Want copies?"
Gabriella giggled, "Shut up. Like I want some spoiled mama's boy picture anywhere near me," she picked up the picture. He is cute though, she thought to herself. Maybe interrogation will be fun.
