Author's Note: Here's chapter 3. Enjoy.

Don't forget to place Size 13 Shoes links. We are so close to the goal I can taste it. Google it and see what I mean.

Disclaimer: Law & Order: Criminal Intent belongs to Dick Wolf, NBC, and Wolf Films, et al. The characters and setting are borrowed without permission. This is a work of fan fiction. The plot belongs to me. I am making no money from this. I humbly request not to be sued.

Title: An Ordinary Family

By: Marion

Chapter: 3

Goren and Eames returned to the head master's office. Clement's assistant, Angela, was printing out a short list of the people who were with Cory Harris before he disappeared. "We'll need a list of staff who were still in the building," said Eames.

Angela nodded. "I called the boys' parents," she said. "Andrew Nolan's father works just a few blocks away. He's on his way down here now. He wants to be here when you interview his son. Terrence Fisher is absent today. But he's only in kindergarten. I've put his contact information on the list. The other four boys have parental consent to speak with you. I can call them to the conference room as soon as you're ready."

"Thank you," said Eames. "We'll want to talk to them individually."

Goren looked over the list. "Brandon Peterson," he noted. "He was the monitor?"

"Yes," said Angela. "Some of our older boys stay back in the afternoon to mentor the younger boys. And to keep an eye on them until their parents pick them up. They play games or help with homework."

Just then Mr. Nolan came in. "Good afternoon, Angela," he said. "Are these the detectives?"

"I'm Detective Eames, and this is Detective Goren." He shook each of their hands.

"The Harrises are dear friends of mine," he said. "Our sons grew up together. This has been really hard on Andy. I just wanted to be here for moral support. We lost his mother last year to cancer, and now this. Cory is his best friend."

"I understand," said Detective Goren. "We'll be as gentle as we can in the interview."

"I appreciate it," said Mr. Nolan. "I really don't know what'll happen to Andy if you don't find Cory."

Angela called Andrew to the conference room and the detectives and his father went in to wait. "How do you know the Harrises, Mr. Nolan?" asked Eames.

"I grew up with Audra," he said. "Our parents had neighboring summer homes. Clay was my roommate at Cornell. I introduced them."

Andrew Nolan came into the conference room, looking unsure of why he'd been called down. "Dad? What's going on?"

"Andy, these two detectives are working on Cory's case," said his father. "They want to ask you a few questions about the day Cory disappeared."

"Hi, Andy," said Eames. "I'm Detective Eames, and this is my partner, Detective Goren. Is it all right if we talk to you for a little while?"

The boy eyed them warily. He went to sit next to his father, across from the detectives. "I guess that would be all right," he said after a moment.

"Thank you," said Goren. "You and Cory are pretty close, aren't you?"

"He's my best friend," said Andrew. "I've known him as long as I can remember."

"Since they were babies," his father added. "They were born a week apart."

"How was Cory on Friday?" asked Eames. "Did he seem like he normally does?"

Andy thought about it. "Yeah, he did," he said. "He talked about the camping trip we were supposed to go on over Labor Day weekend with his dad. He was excited about it. We… we were supposed to leave on Saturday."

"Did you see him talk to anyone unusual?" asked Eames. "Someone he doesn't usually talk to?"

"No," said Andrew. "We came downstairs like we always do. He went over to talk to Brandon. I was playing dodge ball. When I looked for him a few minutes later, he was gone. I thought he had gone home… until his mom called and asked if I had seen him."

"Brandon Peterson? The after school monitor?" asked Eames. The boy nodded.

"Does Cory always go talk to Brandon?" asked Goren.

Andrew looked apprehensive, as though he were worried he was some how selling out his friend. He took a deep breath. "He does," said the boy. "Brandon has been looking out for Cory for years. B-but Cory's mom doesn't like Brandon. If you tell her, she'll be mad!" He looked down. "Cory will be mad that I told you. Brandon buys him candy and trading cards. His mom and dad will make him stop."

"It'll be okay, son," said his father. "The detectives need to know everything you can tell them. The important thing is making sure Cory gets home safely." Andrew nodded, looking no less distressed.

"That's right," Eames said gently. "Have you seen anyone hanging around the school who didn't belong?"

Andrew thought about it for a minute. "There was this guy… I thought he was a parent or something because I saw him after school several times, but I never saw him with a kid," he said.

"What did he look like?" asked Eames.

The boy looked unsure of how best to answer. Bobby stood. "Was he tall like me?" he asked gently. The ten year old craned his neck to look at the detective.

"He wasn't as tall as you," said Andrew. "But he was taller than my dad, I think. I never got really close to him. I asked Cory about him once because I wondered whose parent he was. He didn't know either."

"I'm 5'11"," Mr. Nolan supplied helpfully.

"So this guy is probably over six feet," Goren said mostly to himself as he jotted down a note in his binder.

"Was he white or…?" Eames began.

"He was white," said the boy. "With brown hair."

"Can you remember anything else about him?" Goren asked gently.

"He had big ears," said the boy. "They stuck out." He pulled on his own ears in imitation.

Eames smiled at the little boy tugging on his ears. "If you saw a picture of this man would you recognize him?" she asked.

Andrew bit his lip, then nodded. "I think so," he said.

"That's great, Andrew," said Eames. "We might have some pictures for you to look at later."

Andrew and his father nodded. Eames handed the little boy her card. He took it and studied it, trying to look grown up for this woman who thought him grown up enough to give him a business card.

"If you think of anything else about that day, you call us, okay?" she said.

He nodded solemnly. "You're going to find Cory, aren't you?" he asked.

"We're going to do our best," said Goren. He shook the little boy's hand. "You've been very helpful."

The boy gave the detectives one last reassured look as his father hugged him at the door of the conference room and sent him back to class. Mr. Nolan turned back to them after his son was gone. "I should be preparing him for the worst, shouldn't I?" he asked softly. The pain of the thought was written on his face. "Cory's been missing for three days. I've read the statistics."

"Right now we are treating this like we expect to find Cory alive," said Goren. "Sometimes hope is all we have. Don't take that away from him until you have a reason."

Mr. Nolan came over and shook their hands. "Thank you, detectives," he said. "God speed with your investigation."

Bobby watched him leave, a look of sadness creasing his features. "What's wrong?" asked Alex, touching his arm.

He shook his head slightly, pulling himself from unpleasant thoughts. "I can't help remembering Ivy… the morning of Shyné's murder. She begged me to tell her it was a bad dream. I don't want to tell that kid his best friend is dead."

"We don't know that he is," she said, letting her hand slide down to his and giving it a little squeeze. "We'll find him, Bobby."

He held her hand a moment longer, feeling stronger for it. "Let's talk to the other kids first. I have a feeling our interview with Brandon is going to take a while."

Alex nodded. "I got that impression, too." She pulled out her cell phone. "I want to call Andy's description of the mystery man in to Wheeler and see if it pops with any local registered sex offenders. She might be able to get us a photo array before school lets out."

"Good idea," said Goren.

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