A.N. -- Whoa !! This has been raging around wanting out for so long, it's practically writing itself. I thought John Glover made a particularly 'creepy' Declan Gage, and hope I've done his portrayal justice. All mistakes are mine, and you can't have them. -- TM
Whatever they expected from Gage, it certainly wasn't that, and it showed in the looks on their faces and the utter and complete unbroken silence that engulfed them. After allowing a few minutes for the revelation to sink in, Fredericks cleared his throat and said, "Essentially, that is correct, but there are – reasons – for Dr. Gage's decision to dispose of his estate to Detective Eames." Turning to her, Fredericks gently touched Eames' arm, causing her to pull her gaze away from Goren with some difficulty to look at him. "Detective, you need to read them the letter."
Looking down at the papers she still held in her hands and then back at Fredericks, Eames said, "Why did Gage want this done here, with Bobby and the Captain?" Before he could respond, Goren's soft voice cut in, "Because Dec --- " he stopped, taking a deep breath before continuing on, '—always liked an audience, especially one of his 'peers' so he could show them how much smarter he was than the rest – and because he wanted the Captain to be absolutely certain I was never involved in his – his --- schemes." He paused again, resting his elbows on his knees and examining his hands intently. Catching Eames' eyes once more, he went on, "He's still doing things for me, to 'protect' me," not quite keeping the bitter note from his voice. Leaning back in his chair, he rubbed his eyes with his left hand, a characteristic gesture of stress. "Read your letter, Eames."
Watching him for another few seconds with concern, Eames finally looked back at the letter she still held in her hands. Clearing her throat, she began to read, "My dear Detective Eames --- "
"My dear Detective Eames ---
As I am sure you are aware, I use the term "dear" loosely, as 1) you are not 'dear' to me, and 2) as I am sure you are also aware, I do not like you. Please do not take this personally, as I really don't care much for women in general, except as a means to fulfill the baser instincts of man's nature. In any event, whatever my own personal feelings are on the subject, I recognize that you are very dear to Bobby, and he to you – Eames could feel her face reddening at this point – 'and for that reason alone, I never wished you any harm. Indeed, your loss would have been a blow from which Bobby would never have recovered, and because of the consequences to Bobby alone, I regret my daughter's actions. Having had no real use for the woman I called my wife aside from the stated and obvious, I also paid as little attention to Jo as possible when she wasn't the son I craved, and didn't notice she was more of a "chip off the old block" than even I realized.' Here, she and Bobby exchanged puzzled looks, but after a second or two, Bobby indicated she should continue to read.
'That being said, I suppose I can understand the attraction Bobby has to you. You are very much like his mother, or what his mother would have been like had she not been afflicted – small, intelligent, stubborn, and fiercely protective of those you care for." At this point, she stole a quick glance at Goren -- he was once again examining his hands minutely, but she noticed the tips of his ears had turned an almost neon shade of red, as had her own cheeks --- "However I might feel personally, I have no doubt that you will do whatever is in Bobby's best interests, despite whatever protests he may raise, and without any ulterior motive other than your desire to secure Bobby's well being and peace of mind. Also, you are pragmatic, and can set aside your own feelings for a greater good, whereas Bobby, while a brilliant profiler (even better than I, much as I absolutely hate to admit it) has a bit of a tendency to let his emotions cloud his judgment in personal matters." Here she paused, blinking rapidly to clear the film of tears from her eyes, realizing that Gage was right, at least in this regard --- if she did nothing else with this money, she could clear Bobby's debts and get him back on his feet financially. While nothing could make up for what Gage had taken away from Bobby (and if she were really honest about it, she was at least somewhat grateful that Gage had eliminated the burden of Nicole Wallace from Bobby's life), her practical, thrifty, what's-done-is-done Irish soul felt that he owed Bobby at least something for all the grief he and his daughter had caused him. She continued on ---
"Bobby's first and only tendency would be to torch everything. You, I am positive, will serve as his voice of reason, particularly as I believe my journals will prove to be of exceptional interest not only to Bobby, but to my 'colleagues' from other agencies. I hope that one day, the two of you will work together to edit and publish their contents." She paused to turn the page, thinking, 'well, we'll see about THAT, you raging egomaniac—'
"Thus, my not-so-dear Alexandra, because Jo has no need of it and Bobby won't take it, I leave all in your hands, and take my leave of this world. I know you will make sure Bobby, the son I always wanted, is taken care of, and as I told him (and I am sure you heard me do so from your vantage point on the other side of the 'looking glass') I am nothing to him now but dead weight, and thus better gone for his sake. I know you will not act rashly, nor allow him to do so. Aside from my journals, what you do with the rest of my estate is entirely up to you. Keep it, give it away, leave it sit and gather dust. It is no longer my concern."
She folded the sheets, slipping them back into the envelope. Refusing to meet the eyes of any of the men watching her, she asked, in a barely audible voice, "How much ----?"
Fredericks rose from his seat, picking up his briefcase as he did so. "I have already entered Dr. Gage's will to probate, and I am the named executor." He handed Eames a card. "Please have your own attorney contact me once you've had a chance to assimilate this development, Detective." He walked to the office door, opening it, before turning to once again face the room's occupants. "Oh, after taxes, Dr. Gage's estate is in excess of $2.5 million." With that, he left.