Title: Fragile
author: Cindy Ryan
notes and summary: See part one

Mike's cell phone buzzed as he was ushering Wilkins into the interrogation room. He answered as he settled the arrestee into a chair and then stepped out to talk.

"Lucas, take a breath and start over."Mike instructed and he saw Jo raise an eyebrow as she recognized the name.

"Right, Sorry."The medical examiner's assistant responded."I heard this through the grapevine but confirmed it before calling you. NYFD was called to a fire an hour ago. It's Abe's shop!"

Mike stilled his detective instincts going on high alert.

"Have they found a cause yet? Was there damage?"Mike inquired.

"What?"Jo asked.

"Lucas you're on speaker."Mike stated as he held his phone out"Jo's here."

"I've been listening to the scanner."Lucas continued."Fire was quick did a lot of damage. They barely had time to evacuate surrounding buildings. Nobody hurt, but Abe's shop is a total loss."

"Lucas when was this?"Jo asked grimly.

"Hour ago give or take."Lucas explained. "From what I heard Abe had already moved most of the antiques out; so damage was structual."

"What about the apartment upstairs?"Jo inquired.

"Whole building; poof."Lucas stated. "Sorry guys, have to go. I'll let you know if I hear anything else."

"Thanks Lucas."Mike said ending the call.

"I'm glad nobody was hurt."Jo commented breaking the silence.

"Yeah."Mike agreed.

"What?"Jo prompted.

Mike shook his head as he put the phone away. Downside of being a cop you looked at everything jaded. Sometimes things were just as they seemed.

"Nothing; can't get my head out of cop mode sometimes."Mike replied with a weary smile. "Come on; let's see if we can close one of our cases."

As he followed Jo into the interrogation room Mike hoped his instincts were wrong. The fire so close to Doc's departure was sending up flags. If Morgan left because he was in trouble...Mike broke the thought off with a sigh. Henry Morgan was one of the smartest people Mike had ever come across. Mike just hoped that Doc would contact them if he needed help.

The immortal known as Adam smiled as he watched the building burn. He stood across the street melding into the crowd as the firefighters put out the flames and evacuated the block. Everything had gone according to plan. He had known Henry and his son were gone, but that hadn't been the point of the fire. It was time for a game of cat and mouse.

Jo absently played with the fork as it rested in the take out container of a chef salad. Her gaze was glued to her computer screen and the news article Lucas had sent about the fire at Abe's antique store. The information the M.E. assistant had given originally had been correct. NYFD said a highly potent accelerant was used possibly from a Molotov cocktail. Arson and foul play are suspected.

Jo knew Henry and Abe wouldn't have torched the business for the insurance payout. Neither would endanger anyone else. She knew Mike had been running scenarios in his head as soon as he heard about the fire. She'd seen her partner's proviberal radar go up. Jo knew he was being silent to protect her. To keep her from thinking of Henry and possible painful memories. Problem was the only painful memory Jo had was of Henry's abrupt departure and the unfinished letter. Her phone rang startling Jo a bit and she reached for the receiver and picked it up.

"Martinez."Jo greeted.

She listened and motioned Mike over as she wrote down the information. Jo thanked the caller and hung up.

"Who was that?"Hanson asked as he reached her desk.

"Caught a break in the Dubeau case."Jo said as she stood reaching for her coat. "That call was from a friend of mine in Vice. Apparently Dubeau's business partner was in deep."

"User or seller?"Hanson asked walking back to his desk to get his own jacket.

"Both. Vice is meeting us there."Jo added as she reached her partner's desk.

Mike looked past her out the squad room window and sighed.

"Hope they have skis."Hanson muttered.

Jo turned to look and saw the snow had turned heavy now and the wind was as strong as it had been that morning. She was suddenly wishing she'd grabbed warmer clothing when she left that morning.

"Let's get cold weather gear and take one of the SUV's."Jo suggested as she walked towards the elevator.

"Least my kids will be happy about the snow."Mike grumbled as they stepped into the elevator and the doors closed.

Henry felt a cold jab of fear as he stared at his son; eyes wide.

"Say that again."Henry requested quietly.

"Building's a total loss."Abe said still holding his cell phone."Fire took everything spread fast. Suspecting arson."

"Adam knows I've gone."Henry theorized."He's starting a game."

"I don't like this game."Abe muttered darkly.

"Neither do I."Henry agreed.

They both knew Adam would only escalate until Henry was forced to respond. That would put the very people Henry left to protect in danger. Henry had to make some decisions and quickly.