Chapter 2

Alex peered out the car's windshield; she usually enjoyed driving, but realized she preferred dealing with the brutalities of New York City's traffic to the dubious wonders of country roads. "At least in the city," she thought, "you can usually find the pavement." She glanced at Bobby, who had been lost in a study of the case files throughout the trip from the city. A frown appeared on his face during their flight, and it deepened during the long drive from the small airport.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked finally breaking the silence.

"The files…the evidence…where and how the certificate reappeared…they suggest…that possibly…that the local law…at the very least…they didn't do a very good job with the initial investigation…"

"Great," Alex sighed. "I can't imagine the locals will be glad to see us under any circumstances…but if someone didn't do their job…but you…you think it's worse than that, don't you?"

"Yea," Bobby answered cautiously. He knew that Alex despised bad cops and the buddy boy system that frequently protected them. But she was the daughter of a cop, the sister of a cop, the niece of a cop, and the granddaughter of a cop, and her ties to the blue tribe ran deep and wide. The only thing that rivaled her hatred of bad cops was a case that required her to shine a spotlight on suspect cops.

"There's some things in the evidence…but I can be wrong, Eames."

Bobby saw the tension in Alex's jaw.

"We both know, Goren, that you're usually not wrong," she said. She stared at the snow. "I wish we could have flown somewhere closer…or at least gotten a bigger car…"

"There isn't anywhere closer," Bobby said. "And I think we were lucky to get a car…but I grant you that I wish we had something bigger."

Alex snuck a look at Bobby and tried not to laugh at his scrunched up form. "It's a good thing I'm driving," she said. "I don't think there's room for your knees here."

Bobby shot her a rueful look. "How bad are the roads? It's been coming down pretty hard."

"Not too bad…but I'd rather be on Fifth Avenue at rush hour."

"Prefer the known danger to the unknown."

"Original thought, Bobby?"

He gave her a quick grin. "Nah…adopted and adapted…can't remember what or who from at the moment. Truth is, Eames, I'm not a great original thinker."

"You're dazzling enough for me." Alex returned the grin.

They returned to a companionable silence, with Bobby studying files and Alex concentrating on the snow covered road. Lake Winnett was so far off the beaten track that the idea of winter tourism had yet to take hold. Unlike other resort towns in its area, Lake Winnett failed to provide for skiing or snowmobiling, and ice fishing was still a source of sustenance for locals and not a sport for outsiders. The town effectively shut down in winter, and there was some difficulty in finding Alex and Bobby accommodations. The New York State Police had been cooperative—Alex sensed it might be glad to be rid of the case—but there had been little response from the local sheriff department beyond an acknowledgment that it knew Alex and Bobby were coming.

Alex was not looking forward to dealing with a suspicious or worse local police force for the next few days. She was however, she realized with some surprise, looking forward to spending time away from the confines of One Police Plaza with Robert Goren. As she carefully maneuvered the car on the two lane road, Alex considered this fondness for spending time with her partner. "It's not like I don't already spend most of my waking hours with him," she thought. Her preference for Bobby's company was not new: it started soon after Alex realized the partnership might work, and intensified on her return from her nephew's birth. Her enforced absence from Bobby during her surrogate pregnancy highlighted how much she liked being in his presence. She had gone on sporadic dates—although none since her pregnancy—and the thought struck Alex that she spent at least part of these comparing, usually unfavorably, her companion with Bobby. As much as she loved her family, Alex had discovered she preferred to be with Bobby; she didn't have to play the role of aunt, or niece, or sister, or daughter with Bobby. She could just be Alex, and she liked the Alex she was when she was with Bobby.

Unaware of his partner's thoughts, which would have disturbed him far more than would have been safe within the car's small space, Bobby cast a quick look at Alex. He admired her adept handling of the car. Alex's willingness to drive the last miles of their journey allowed him to complete his study of the files covering the disappearance of Lydia Axelrod. The flimsy evidence contained in those files and the reason for their trip was troubling, but Bobby welcomed the opportunity to spend time with Alex. He stared out at the postcard winter scenery moving past the window and pondered his relationship with Alex Eames. She had become the perfect partner for him—tough, intelligent, tolerant, funny, willing to go with his craziest ideas, but also able to rein him in when necessary. And she stayed. In spite of everything, she stayed.

The professional relationship was rare and pure gold, but Bobby valued the personal relationship more than he could count. He had, as he told Alex during their Thanksgiving…what was that? A date? Whatever it was, it inspired Bobby to reveal some of what Alex meant to him. He did have many associates, but not many friends. And those friends now tended to be far away or in his past; Alex was his best, his truest friend. Bobby knew that Alex was unaware of her importance in his life, and that he held a far smaller role in her life. Alex had friends, brothers, sisters, a mother, father, nieces, nephews (especially one nephew), and a life. "She should have all of this," Bobby thought. "And more. Men, at least men with any brains, should be buying her diamond necklaces."

Bobby tried to stifle a sigh. He had reluctantly come to accept his emotional and intellectual need for Alex; he'd become aware of it soon after he knew their professional partnership would last beyond a few months. Since her return from her leave, however, he'd become aware of a growing physical want for Alex. Desperate to maintain their partnership and friendship, Bobby struggled against his want.

He chanced a look at Alex. "I can't let her know," Bobby thought. "It may hurt…but it's worth it…just to be with her…and I do work better with her around…somehow, she helps me focus…she's never a distraction…"

"Hey," Alex said. "I think we've actually found it." She peered down the road at what appeared to be downtown Lake Winnitt. "What should we do…check in at the hotel or head to the sheriff's department?"

"Hotel, then sheriff," Bobby answered. "Let's get the lay of the land."

In spite of the snow, they easily found the hotel, although considering Lake Winnitt's major street consisted of only one block, the effort failed to tax either Alex or Bobby's skills as a detective. Finding a clerk to check them in took somewhat more work.

"I'm sorry," the clerk fumbled as he struggled to find their reservations. Everything about him reminded Alex of a weed, from his thin graying hair to his high weak voice. She tried not to immediately dislike him. "The sheriff told me he'd call when you arrived."

Bobby and Alex exchanged a quick and unhappy look.

Alex took the lead. "We decided to check in first…it's been a long trip."

The clerk jostled the keys. "Here you are," he finally said. "Mr. Goren, you're in the room across the way." The clerk indicated a room within sight of the front desk. "And Miss Eames, you're around the corner…"

Bobby and Alex exchanged another, darker look.

"We'd prefer rooms next to each other," Alex said quietly, and she ignored the offered key.

The clerk stared at Alex, then Bobby.

"I…I'm sure, sir," he began.

Bobby performed his trick of adding several inches and pounds to his already intimidating size. "I'm sure you heard Detective Eames," he said in a voice made more threatening by its lack of volume. "We'd like rooms next to each other…preferably moving me next to Detective Eames…"

"And we know you're not full up," Alex added. She noticed, with no small amount of satisfaction, that the weed was blowing in the wind.

"Of...course..." the clerk stuttered.

A few moments later Alex was surveying her room. The clerk had made a feeble attempt to show them to their rooms, but Bobby's quiet but intimidating air easily
cowered him. Alex sighed as she examined her room; a large snow covered bush obscured a heating unit which in turn obscured the sliding glass door to the patio. It was not the room Alex, with her cop's sense of security, would have chosen. There was a knock at the door. Alex checked through the peephole and was reassured to find Bobby's sturdy frame standing before the door.

"Interesting welcome we got," Alex said as she let Bobby in. "I called Deakins to update him...he said to be careful..."

Bobby examined Alex's room and frowned as he saw the patio. He rubbed his neck and turned to Alex. "I don't like this," he said.

"Yea...but I wonder how bright the people who are doing this are," Alex said. "Pretty obvious attempt to divide us."

Bobby's vision swept to the hotel parking lot just visible from Alex's window. "Well, it looks like we might be about to find out about who engineered
it...there's a sheriff's car pulling up."

End Chapter TWO