I should have mentioned in the beginning, that watching Frame would be a great boon to my mediocre little tale. Otherwise this story makes even less sense.
Not much makes me want to vomit. A glistening, bloody, heart in a box got me pretty damn close. I'm glad we actually slept the night previous, because we surely needed it after Nicole's latest expo of pain. I tried to tell Bobby to wait. To wait and not open the box. Since Frank's death, certainly since Bobby realized Nicole was involved. He'd been almost running toward these macabre punishments, like he welcomed them. Maybe because he figured he deserved them.
The drive back to NYC could only be described as gray. Bobby was gray, with grief and guilt. I was red, with anger. I still continued to hold my anger in check. Little did I know, it wouldn't be Nicole Wallace who'd cause me to eventually lose it.
********
Rodgers dropped the bombshell immediately after the DNA results came back. It was Friday and Bobby and I weren't at work more than twenty minutes, when word came up from the ME's office.
It's not Donnie.
I felt a ten second gust of relief, followed by a what the fuck, that lasted long enough for Rodgers to tell us that it was Nicole Wallace's heart in that box.
The way Bobby was arguing and lamenting about how it couldn't be Nicole. I was starting to think he wished he'd removed the offending organ himself. After barking at everyone, including me for supposedly taking "their side". King Kong stalked off into the abyss, leaving me and the newly anointed couple du jour alone. Then I was asked to leave…..I was glad to do so, Bobby's words and particularly his looks in my direction still stung. I needed some fresh air.
********
There are days I really miss Deakins. His calm and non-threatening demeanor would be greatly appreciated right now. I don't dislike Ross, mind you. But he has no finesse when it comes to handling Bobby. The two seem to butt heads, sometimes unintentionally.
When Ross came to me about Bobby's paternity. The fact that Mark Ford Brady was his biological father. I don't think I did such a good job of hiding the fact that I already knew. Sure I played along with Ross, but my lack of shock may have given me away. Appalled was the emotion to describe that moment. The moment Ross named Goren as a suspect in his own brother's murder.
"Clear him!" Ross said.
And I intended to do just that.
The end of the day was fast approaching and Bobby never resurfaced. I assumed he went to pick up Declan from the hospital. I may love Bobby, but I have trouble justifying his relationship with Declan. The man pretty much intentionally turned his own daughter into a serial killer. I understood Bobby's obligation though. Declan was his mentor and without him, Robert Goren wouldn't be the detective he is today. But I hated when Bobby disappeared on me like this. Especially right now. With all this weirdness going on. I called his cell.
6:00pm-multiple rings then to voicemail
6:30-ish pm- same as 6pm
7:15pm-straight to voicemail (fuck you Bobby!)
8:00pm-see 7:15pm
Finally at 9pm, my cell phone finally rings and it's Bobby.
"Yeah." His greeting is full of all kinds of warmth……
"Just making sure you're alive. Sorry to bother you." My temper is getting to the breaking point.
Long pause, then deep sigh… "I picked up Declan, you know how he is. Wanted to sit and talk my ear off for hours….. Look Eames I'm tired and…."
I cut him off. "Just a little common courtesy partner…. That's all."
I was about to leave it at that and hang up. When Bobby threw one of his famous Goren curve balls.
"Are you in bed yet Eames?"
I was rather taken aback by the question and I stuttered. "Uh, no…… why?"
"Cause I'm outside your building. Can you let me in?"