Chapter 6
Alan looked though the open doorway at his youngest son's empty bed and wondered how their lives had grown so complicated so quickly. First his eldest son takes on a career breaking case that is making the national news practically every other day and then his youngest son spontaneously comes home from England alone and then disappears again without so much as word. No explanation given as to why he'd left, where he was or when he was coming back. Alan knew his children were old enough to live their own lives and that he should probably stay out of it but surely there was a point when a parent should step in?
Shaking his head, Alan sighed at the glowing digits on his son's digital alarm clock. It was seven thirty in the morning and judging by the look of Charlie's bed, which clearly hadn't been slept in, Charlie had been gone all night. Perhaps it was a jet lag thing, maybe his son just needed time to clear his head…either way it didn't stop Alan from worrying.
In fact it was quite the opposite. Lately it seemed that all he did was worry about one or the other of his two sons. In Alan's eyes Don was pushing himself too hard to prove that he was worthy of a promotion he should have had years ago…and Alan was just worried that the pressure and workload that he was currently under would put a strain on his relationship with Robin. Don may act the tough FBI agent but Alan knew that he was really quite sensitive and took any failure at work to heart. Besides, Don and Robin were planning a wedding and a future together; the LA Child Snatcher was the last thing that he needed right now but would that stop Don? It never had before and as a parent the thought of his son going head to head with a child serial killer had Alan scared.
It was something that Alan had been wrestling with for the majority of his eldest son's adult life. Alan's greatest fear was the thought of an officer coming to his house and telling him that his son was dead, shot in the line of duty. He knew that his son is a great agent and would be an even better SAIC. There was no one in the world that he trusted more to keep them all safe and take down this child murdering son of a bitch. That didn't mean that he couldn't worry though…right?
As for Charlie and Amita, God knew what was going on there. All Alan knew for sure was that Charlie was refusing to say anything and Amita wouldn't return any of his calls, that didn't stop Alan trying though. The two were acting like children, well mostly Charlie was. He had never been good at dealing with emotional and personal problems, look at the way that Charlie had reacted when his mother had died, but that didn't mean that Alan condoned him running away from them either. He was married now, with real problems to sort out and being on different continents was never going to help.
Charlie's problem was that he only ever did things by extremes when faced with painful situations. He couldn't face his mother as she died of cancer so he locked himself away in their garage. He wants space from Amita he goes on a ten hour plane trip and leaves the continent. There was just no telling what Charlie would do next and it worried Alan that Charlie wasn't telling him anything. The last time Charlie had acted so uncharacteristically it was because Charlie knew that he was in the wrong and the guilt was eating away at him. Was that what was happening now? Was he leaving Alan in the dark because he was ashamed of himself, of what he had done? God Alan just wished he knew already. If he knew Alan was certain he could help!
Giving up, at least until after breakfast, Alan shut his missing son's bedroom door and moved down the hallway to the stairs and kitchen. Once there he turned on the radio as he set about making tea and toast. He was starving. Worrying about his sons had always turned him into a stress eater. Thank God he loved food and was good at cooking it he supposed…
"…and in other news…" The news presenter on the radio's voice caught Alan's attention. "…Pasadena was without power last night due to a failure with one of the city's backup generators. Thankfully no other areas were affected. In related news, construction starts today at Caltech where a roof was set alight by lightening. Keep us updated with your post storm news via our website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter…"
"Dad, you up?" Charlie called from the hallway making Alan start. He was back. At last!
"Charlie?" He asked in reply as he turned the radio off, ignored the ping of his toast and went to find his errant and wayward son. Charlie looked terrible, his shirt and jeans were wrinkled beyond saving, his curly hair needed a comb and he was sporting two days' worth of stubble. There was however a sort of optimism in the way Charlie moved and stood…a kind of glow…
Irritated beyond belief, Alan put his hands on his hips and bellowed: "Where the hell have you been? I've been worried sick!" Like any other concerned parent, of a child that had snuck out the night before and not told you where they were going would.
"I know, I know," Charlie held his hands out defensively. "I'm really sorry but I got stuck in traffic trying to get out of Pas…out of work this morning…" Charlie replied shiftily, dropping his car keys in the bowl he left by the door at Amita's insistence one night after losing his keys more times than she could bear.
Sometimes for fun he would tease her about it… Shutting the memory down before it had a proper chance to form; Charlie took his coat off and slung it on the end of the banister. He really didn't want to think about her right now… Not today, not after what nearly happened last night. He was confused but then being around Ian had that effect on him. It had felt so…so right, like everything had just fallen into place and yet he felt guilty too. He was a married man. Better than that, he was a married man to the woman he loved and had loved for years. He was lucky to have her…but she had cheated. She had betrayed him after only three months of marriage and him? He had almost cheated. Hell, he had cheated. It was an emotional cheat not a physical one but it was still a lie to his wife and to himself. Regardless, he had stayed faithful unlike Amita. He just felt so…so angry. He was lost, he was in denial but mostly…mostly he was conflicted. How do they come back from that? Did he want to?
"Work? That's where you were…all night…?" Alan asked skeptically. Something had changed. Alan could see it in the sudden droop in his son's shoulders, the frown on his brow and the storm of conflicted emotions in his soft brown eyes. It looked like the weight of the world had just landed on his fragile shoulders and Alan longed to help shoulder, well whatever it was that Charlie was holding back.
"I got caught out by the storm," Charlie shrugged evasively, unable to meet his father's suspicious eyes, he felt guilty enough as it was. He didn't need his father telling him that he was behaving inappropriately. He knew that he had or was… He knew that he should have sorted things out with Amita in England and not just bailed like he did. Regardless he hadn't sorted it and now…now he was just trying to cope with the ramifications of that decision as best as he could. "There was a power cut so rather than risk leaving last night I decided to sleep on the couch in my office. I would have called but there was no cell reception." Charlie lied. He hated lying. He never lied, not to his dad at least. Alan had always made it perfectly clear growing up that he could handle anything that his son's threw at him but he didn't condone lying. It was like a golden rule: 'Thou doth not lie to dad'.
"A power cut…well…I guess they…they can't be helped…I was just worried is all." Alan stepped back as if he had been slapped, fists clenched and back rigid Alan turned a cold shoulder on his son. "Charlie…? Why did you come home early? Where's Amita?"
"Dad," Charlie's voice broke with pain.
He couldn't do it. The words were choking in his throat. It was too soon. He didn't know how to explain any of it. Amita had cheated. She slept with another man and Charlie…Charlie had also almost slept with another man. Had the power not cut he was sure that was where they were leading and he wouldn't have been able to keep his faithful moral high ground anymore and Charlie really wanted to see and talk to Amita before rushing into anything with Ian. He wasn't sure if his marriage could be saved or if he even wanted it to. Regardless, Charlie just didn't know how to tell Alan about Ian yet. Not today. Not now. Not like this.
"I…I need more time and space right now. Amita and I are going through some stuff. I just. I can't talk about this right now. I'm sorry." Brushing past his frustrated father, Charlie ran up the stairs to the safety of his bedroom. He was a fool for thinking that being here was better than England. Mind you if he hadn't come home early then he wouldn't have known about Ian being back and ready to finally settle down. He didn't know why but that changed everything.
Angry, hurt and confused. Alan went back to the kitchen and put a fresh slice of toast in the toaster. He could count the number of time Charlie had lied to him on one hand, he was proud of that fact. It did, however, make each new lie that much harder to bear. What was Charlie doing last night that he would feel compelled to lie about it? Alan was certain that Charlie hadn't made up the power cut, which meant he was in Pasadena last night…what was in Pasadena?…It just made no sense. Grabbing the phone, Alan dialed Don. He'd had enough. Charlie may be unready to talk about whatever it was but he had better get ready. Alan wasn't standing for it anymore. If he wasn't going to let them in, then Don was just going to have to pry it out of him!
*Break*
Pulling up opposite a small detached bungalow on the out skirts of town, Don let his SUV idle as he watched the comings and goings of the quaint residential street. In comparison to the others, the house he was visiting was beautiful but tiny. The walls were white washed with dark green painted shutters and window boxes filled with a multitude of colorful flowers. On one side was a trellis with honeysuckle vines creeping up towards the red tiled roof and on the other was a basketball hoop above a built-in garage.
Smiling to himself, Don watched as a young boy, approximately six years old, squealed with joy as his father chased him from around the back of the house. Leaning down the tall stocky man scooped his young son up by the chest and raised him over his head, spinning him round and round as his tiny limbs spread out like the rotor blades of a helicopter. Without meaning to, Don felt a tiny stab of jealousy as a middle aged woman opened the front door and upon seeing the happy pair settled against the door frame to watch her husband and son. The love that radiated between the three was so overwhelming that Don couldn't help but think 'I want that'.
Turning off the ignition, Don got out of the car and made his way across the street. Elliott spotted him even before his feet hit the drive. "Don," He smiled and waved as his son stopped playing long enough to size up the stranger that had distracted his father from their game.
"Hey," Don smiled back as Lucas ducked behind his father's legs. "Who's the little guy?"
"That would be my son Lucas," Elliott beamed, pride rolling off of him in waves. "Lucas, this is daddy's friend Don. Come say hello."
"Hello," Lucas said from behind his father, his small arms hugging his leg tightly.
"Hello," Don laughed good-naturedly as Elliott's wife left her post at the door to collect her son.
"Karen, love, this is SAIC Don Eppes of the FBI," Elliott told her as he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her in for a peck on the temple. She had waist length brown hair and dark soulful eyes. She was wearing a long floral patterned blue dress pinched in at the waist by a thin strapped belt. She had bare feet and her face was bare of makeup. She wasn't classically beautiful but Don could see the attraction. She was homely and brave, radiating passion and strength.
"It's nice to finally put a face to the name," She nodded in recognition. "I'm just glad that El's finally getting some help on this case. It's had him away from home too much lately. It's been nice having him back."
"Your husband is a fine detective, I'm just glad he decided to collaborate with us. His insights have proved to be invaluable." Don smiled sheepishly in return. He liked this ballsy no-nonsense straight taking woman. She was the perfect fit for Elliott and judging by the look of love that passed between them, Elliott agreed.
"Lucas baby, say goodbye to daddy." She bent down and picked up the reluctant child.
"Bye daddy," He whispered sadly.
"Don't worry boy," Elliott leant down and kissed the top of his young son's head loudly. "I'll be home tonight to tuck you in and finish reading that Thomas the Tank Engine story for you."
"Ok," Lucas smiled slightly as he clung to his mother's neck whilst eyeing Don suspiciously. At least that was how Don read it, he was awkward around kids. Well other peoples, he was sure it'd be different with his own one day…
"Ok then. Later darling," Karen said as she tilted her head upwards for the kiss she instinctively knew was coming. "Look after him," She told Don sternly before swooping back inside, leaving the pair standing in the front garden as she shut the door behind her.
"You have a lovely wife and son," Don clapped Elliott on the shoulder as the pair wandered back up the short driveway to Don's car.
"Detective Hayes!" A loud old woman shouted from a garden two doors down. "You-hoo!"
"A friend of yours?" Don raised a quizzical eyebrow whilst trying to keep the laughter from erupting out loud.
"The local neighborhood watch and busy body," Elliott whispered as he nodded and smiled to Mrs. Walker. "Mrs. Walker, a pleasure as always," Elliott lied as he clasped his hands diplomatically in front of him. "What can I do for you today?"
"I wanted to make sure that you were planning to attend tomorrow's meeting? Ms. Brown is baking her special brownies and there will be free coffee…" She started nattering away and Don was only marginally ashamed to admit he drifted off from boredom.
"Mrs. Walker, I will do my best," Elliott smiled a strained little smile as he waved goodbye and practically man handled Don to his car. "Sorry about that." He said once they both were seated. "Ever since she found out I was a cop it's been nonstop!"
"I think it's sweet," Don teased as he turned the ignition on and pulled out of his parking spot and onto the road. "Besides, Ms. Brown's cooking her special brownies. How can you miss out on that?" Don winked mischievously.
"Trust me I wish they were that Special," Elliott laughed heartily, putting air quotes around the word special. "Pot brownies might actually mellow some of these people out!"
"That's probably the wrong attitude for a cop to take but I just met the woman who runs your meetings!" Don laughed as they stopped to let a dog walker across the street. "So I'll let you off."
"Personally I'd take the football and a cold beer over the meetings but Karen makes me go, something about the importance of being neighborly… So anyway, what is so important you had to come collect me?" Elliott inquired curiously, changing the topic whilst Don was distracted.
"DNA's back. Claudia asked for you and Colby but he's been called away to help on a case he was on before this one." Don frowned as he indicated to turn left.
"Problem?" Elliott asked as he rested his head on the arm he had propped against the passenger side window.
"It's the Judge Tompkins case. It goes to trial in a week and the prosecutor needed Colby to answer a few questions, help prepare him for trial. It's a pretty big case." Don replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Sounds big," Elliott nodded sagely. "I thought it was a pretty open and shut case though?"
"It is, but well I've known defenders that have won case like this because the prosecutor wasn't prepared or properly informed. No one wants this case fucked up on a technicality. We all need justice for the judge, family and cops alike. Colby's just there to make sure they know the ins and outs of the case." Don's grip tightened on the wheel.
"So the DNA…" Elliott swiftly changed the subject again, sensing Don's need to move the conversation back on track. They had all known the judge personally, which made cases like this that much more important and that much harder to win. It was times like this that Elliott was envious of Ian's ability to switch it all off when shooting.
"We may not have our killer today, but we'll have the answer to why Connie Burnett was targeted and who put her in the sights of a serial killer," Don replied as he pulled in to the LA County Morgue's large car park. The morgue was perhaps Elliott's least favourite place in the whole of LA. Unfortunately being a homicide detective it kind of came with the job.
"Claudia, what do you have for us?" Don asked when they made it into one of the many examination rooms.
"A couple of things," She replied, skipping the hellos. "Tox panel came back on Connie Burnett."
"And…?" Elliott asked impatiently, trying not to look at the little girl lying dead on the table beside him.
"And she had Flunitrazepam in her system." She replied as she plucked a file up from her desk and handed it to Don.
"She was roofied?" He asked horrified.
"It makes sense in a sort of twisted way," She sighed sadly. "Flunitrazepam, or Rohypnol as it is more commonly known, is a powerful sedative and judging by the levels found in her system our suspect wasn't taking any chances. It's also the reason that there are no defensive wounds on her body save for the minor bruising around her mouth and the tearing in her vaginal wall."
"And the DNA? Was it Michael?" Don asked his anger obvious as his large hand cradled the top of the dead child's head protectively.
"No Don, Michael's clear. He didn't abuse his child-"
"-Oh thank God!" Don cried happily. Robin would be pleased, not that Don had really suspected Michael when he'd waved his right to make them need a warrant. He had seemed genuinely surprised and angry.
"I'm not finished," Claudia replied, bringing Don crashing back to earth.
"We got a hit?" Elliott asked hopefully.
"No, no matches to anyone in the system but that's not important because whilst the sample wasn't Michael's it did share enough genetic markers for me to say without a doubt that you are looking for a brother." Handing over a second file to Don, Claudia watched as her news sunk in. "Sibling DNA tests aren't conclusive though. I've seen it tossed out of court before, so unless you're willing to play Russian roulette with which judge gets assigned to the case, get me that other sample.
"A sibling? I didn't realize Michael had any…" Elliott replied confused. "Don? You know something?"
"Robert," Don whispered angrily. "Son of a bitch!"
"Who? Wait…what?" Elliott asked, taking the file off of Don and giving it a glance of his own.
"Michael's only brother Robert. He's five years younger and well…kind of the black sheep of the family. Michael asked Robin for help getting Robert out of a sticky situation a few months back…I just don't…I don't understand why he did this…to his own niece." Shaking his head, Don thanked Claudia before storming out of the morgue, headed straight for his car and then the Burnett family residence.
Running after him Elliot managed to slam the door shut before Don could climb inside. "Don't drive angry, give me your keys."
"El, I'm fine…" Don tried to pull at the handle on the door but Elliott was stronger than he looked.
"Keys," He held his hand out, his voice firm as if he was ordering the key's back from Lucas-which happened more than he liked to admit.
"Fine," Don slammed them into Elliot's waiting hand before storming around to the other side of the car and climbed in. "I've got to call Robin, have her meet us there," Don stated as he pulled his mobile out of his jeans pocket and was surprised to see a missed call from his father. Putting the phone to his ear, Don called his answerphone to listen to the message.
"Hey Don," Alan said down the phone. "I guess you're busy…I just wanted to call and let you know that I've changed my mind. You should talk to your brother. I know…I know what I said but Don, Charlie lied. He didn't come home last night and then he lied about where he had been. Does Pasadena mean anything to yo-" Unfortunately Alan was cut off before he could finish the message. Don wasn't sure what was going on but it couldn't be good. Lying to their father was like a cardinal sin growing up.
"Problem?" Elliott asked from the driver's side of the car as he punched in the address for the Burnett family home on Don's GPS.
"Just a voice mail from my dad, it was weird. Something about my brother…" Don replied, distracted temporarily from his previous anger.
"Oh, Charlie right?" Elliott nodded as he switched the ignition on and pulled out of the morgue's car park.
"Yes, Charlie…how did you know that?" Don asked surprised.
"I met him last night at Ian's," Elliott replied, turning south as he followed the GPS's directions.
"Last night…at Ian's?" Don repeated, still confused. "Does Ian live in Pasadena by any chance?"
"Yeah, didn't you know that? He's housesitting whilst his adoptive father is on holiday. It's really quite a nice house, though it's hard to imagine Ian growing up there, though I suppose he only stayed there from fifteen onwards. Before that it was foster homes and the streets." Elliott rambled on, unaware of the confusion he was causing in Don.
"Ian told you all that?...about Kevin?...his time in care and on the streets?" Don asked surprised.
"Yup and about his mother being a drug addict." Elliott nodded as he indicated right.
"Wow, I'm amazed. Ian usually isn't so forthright with his past," Don replied impressed. "I knew him three years before he told me anything at all!"
"People find me easy to talk to," Elliott shrugged as he stopped at a set of traffic lights.
"Huh…" Don said impressed as he watched Elliott through slanted eyes. "And Charlie just…turned up? It wasn't planned?"
"Ian seemed surprised but then who wouldn't be. Your brother was soaking wet. I think he'd been standing outside for a while unsure whether or not to come in."
"Why do you say that?" Don asked carefully.
"Because…Ian was reluctant to let him in, then he asked me to stay… I had to get home though, so I don't know what happened after that. Why?" Elliott finally glanced over at Don curiously.
"No reason, I just…it's nothing." Putting a pin in his father's confusing message and Elliott's new information, Don called Robin and told her to meet him at the Burnett home. He would have to deal with his family later. He had a pedophile to take down and this time Robert wouldn't be getting Robin and Michael's help out of it.
*Break*
"You're sure about this?" Michael Burnett asked numbly. It was hard for Don to tell exactly how Michael was feeling, it's not every day you get told that your brother was sexually abusing your six year old daughter.
"Yes, and if you're completely honest with yourself too, then you know that we're right," Don nodded in reply as Robin patted Michael's arm consolingly.
"Ok, follow me," Michael said to no one in particular. "Robert is staying in the pool house. I have a spare key."
"Maybe you should stay here," Robin told Michael concerned.
"No," was all he said, before getting up and moving over to the garden's large glass sliding doors and lead the way down a long winding path to an outside pool and small apartment.
There was loud music playing from somewhere inside and Don had to shout to be heard, "ROBERT BURNETT?"
After a few minutes with no reply, Michael shouted: "ROB!" at the top of his lungs whilst slamming his fist repeatedly on the fragile door causing the glass to shatter. He was just about to whip out the spare key when the door swung inwards to reveals a younger, shorter, blonder version of Michael.
"Mike?" Robert asked confused, his eyes squinting as he tried to take in the small crowd outside his door. "What's going on?"
"These officers are here for a DNA sample," Michael replied shortly, his body rigid and his arms clasped tightly to his chest.
"Don't they need a warrant for that? Robert asked, automatically jumping to the defensive as he folded his arms and moved his body to bar the entrance.
"Actually we don't need a warrant. Your bother owns the premises and he's given us permission to search his house for evidence of sexual assault," Don smiled evilly like a cat that had cornered its prey.
"That includes the pool house," Elliott added for emphasis.
"Well I guess I have no choice," Robert replied not bothered as he stepped out of the house and out of the way of the door.
Perhaps it was too many years in the job or indigestion, but Don's gut was telling him something. It was shouting, nay screaming, 'that was way too easy', at the top of its lungs and Don rarely ignored his gut. It was how he'd managed to stay alive all these years. Waiting as the others made their way inside, Don watched Robert edge further away from the pool house and closer to a side gate in the garden, a grim determination on his face.
"After you Mr. Burnett," Don smiled, gesturing at the door whilst taking a step closer to their suspect. It was in that moment as realization dawned on Robert's face, that Don wasn't going to enter the house without him, that Robert decided to make a bolt for it.
"Elliott, he's running!" Don shouted as he undid the clasp on his gun and chased after their fleeing suspect. Unsure whether Elliott had even heard him, Don followed Robert as he leaped the neighbor's fence and landed with a thud on the other side. Hesitating for a second, Don shook his arms and legs and made a running jump for the fence, mercifully getting the right angle to swing his body up and under his arms. It wasn't like he'd been sitting behind a desk for the last three months and was out of practice, it was just that he had been sitting behind a desk for three months and was definitely out of practice! Thankfully for Don their suspect was out of practice too and hadn't gotten much further ahead.
Ignoring the jolting pain in his right foot as he landed the jump awkwardly, Don raised his pistol and continued pursuit over three more neighbors' fences until they both landed winded into the street next to Michael's. "Stop FBI!" Don shouted, leveling his weapon at Robert's chest. The shot missed, however, as Robert ducked down a slip road that wasn't obvious from where Don had landed from the last jump. Swearing loudly, Don followed Robert down the slip road and into a dead end.
Seeing no escape, Robert made a hasty leap for one of the fences that the road backed on to. Expecting as much, Don pushed harder and faster until he reached Robert and managed to grab him by the back of his loose jeans and yanked him to the ground.
"Don?" Elliott shouted worriedly from the main road.
"Down here!" Don wheezed back as he put a foot on Robert's back to stop him from getting back up.
"Don!" Elliott shouted amazed as his arms raised in a 'what the fuck?' manor.
"He ran," Don smiled mischievously, his breathing shallow and his side hurting from a stich that had formed as he ran.
"I love it when they run," Elliott told Don as he pulled out his cuffs and reached down to pull Robert's hands behind his back. "Makes it so much easier to tell who's guilty."
"Tell me about it," Don smiled as he helped Elliott pull Robert back to his feet and shoved him in the general direction of the Burnett home. "Colby's going to be gutted, he loves giving chase!" Don laughed a little manically as the adrenaline continued to course through his tired body, his heart thumping loudly in his chest.
"Don!" Robin practically screamed when the trio came into view at the end of the street. Letting Elliott handle Robert, Don gave Robin a massive hug as she ran straight into his outstretched arms. "Are you ok?" She whispered, her face burrowed in his chest.
"Just peachy," He lied. The adrenaline was finally wearing off and he was suddenly aware of a sharp stinging pain in his foot.
"You're hurt!" She shouted as she snaked his arm across her shoulders and used her slender frame to help prop him up and carried him up to the house where a fight was breaking out.
"How could you? After everything dad did to us!" Michael was red in the face and screaming furiously at his unaffected brother. "How could you hurt my little girl the way he hurt us!" When he didn't reply Michael decked Robert one on the nose causing it to bleed.
"You never understood," Robert spat back finally pissed. "Not then and not now. I won't explain myself to you!"
"She did nothing to you but love you and you assaulted her! You murdered her!"
"I loved her! And unlike you I had the balls to show her how much!" Robert smiled twistedly, blood dripping down his mouth and chin. "Oh come now," he grinned. "Don't act like you haven't thought about it! The way dad touched you, touched me. It made you feel special, important. Well I made Connie feel special. I let her know that she was important."
"You bastard!" Michael whispered, his body shaking with anger and mortification as he took in his little audience for the first time. "Don, get him away from me!"
"Robert Burnett, I am arresting on suspicion of the sexual assault of Connie Burnett. You have the right to remain silent; anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?" Don asked Robert after reading him his rights.
"What about him? I want him done for assault!" Robert shouted as he resisted Don to scream at his brother.
"I didn't see anything," Don smiled pleasantly at Robert as he opened the back door to his SUV and forced Robert on the back seat with a gentle push on the head. "You tripped, didn't he El?"
"That's right," Elliott smiled grimly. "He tripped."
"That's crap!" Robert shouted disgustedly. "He hit me and I want him done!"
Leaning in close, Don whispered fiercely in Roberts's ear, "You know what they do to pedophiles in prison? Huh? It isn't pretty. Now I'd shut that trap of yours before I decide to take a minute out of my day to get you a roommate that thinks your real pretty. My advice, don't bend down for the soap any time soon."
"I…no…you can't!" Robert floundered afraid as the enormity of his situation finally dawned on him.
"Don't give me reason to then," Don winked as he gently slapped Robert on the cheek and shut the back door.
"Don?" Robin asked as she came over to her fiancé and turned him to face her. "Is everything ok?"
"Everything's great," He grinned impossibly.
"Good. Here's your sample," she told him as she placed an evidence bag into Don's outstretched hands. "Oh and Elliott, make sure he sees someone about his foot," She kissed Don quickly on the lips before stepping back and letting the pair get into the car.
Waving goodbye, Robin waited a full thirty seconds before returning to the house and her assistant district attorney. That was quite a bombshell that he had just dropped on them and for once Robin was unsure how to be there for him. In the end she settled for a hug as he crumpled into her embrace and wept for hours until he had no more tears to give.
*Break*
Back at the office Elliott found Don sitting in the observation room, waiting and watching as their suspect stewed. All that separated them was a thin sheet of tinted glass that allowed them to see in without being seen. It's funny how wherever Elliott went that sheet of glass was always the same, even if the room wasn't. Back at the precinct, their interrogation room was a little box of a room with a cell like door and no windows, the only furniture a metal desk and chairs. The room was nicknamed the oven because it was always baking hot and the suspects got a grilling there.
Here, however, the interrogation room was a glass cube with shutters on all the windows. All were drawn save for the exterior wall with a view that let the suspect know how high up they were whilst letting in the sun in horizontal stripes that cast the image of bars in the shadows. Everything from the cameras to the temperature of the room was controlled by a computer that sat in a separate observation room that was built between two identical interrogation suits. Their suspect Robert Burnett sat in one, whilst the other lay dormant. Elliott supposed that it was useful when you had two suspects that needed separating. You could watch them both at the same time and monitor who was the most likely to cop a plea first. It was just another thing to be intimidated by, he supposed.
"Have you gone in yet?" Elliott asked Don, who wasn't looking too good. His suit jacket had been discarded over the desk, his tie was gone and his shirt had been opened at the collar. He wouldn't say as much, but Elliott could see the pain in the hard set to Don's jaw and his white knuckled grasp on the desk that he was perched on whilst his foot rested on the room's only chair.
"I'm letting him sweat," Don grimaced as he shifted to make room for the detective.
Sitting down next to Don, Elliott took in their suspect. He was a young man, Elliott estimated twenty four maybe twenty five. He had longish blond hair that was almost white in appearance and the family grey eyes. The resemblance to Michael considering their five year difference was remarkable. They both had strong square shoulders and straight roman noses. Robert was dressed in a white sleeveless tank top and faded levies, the casual to his brothers smart. He was also sporting metal bracelets, Don had cuffed him to the table and Robert was playing with them now whilst occasionally shouting at the window.
"How's the foot?" Elliott asked concerned as Don added a couple more degrees to the already uncomfortable heat in the interrogation room.
"The doctor say's I have a stress fracture. They were worried about it displacing so they've put it in the boot as a precaution." Don frowned at his foot. "The doc wasn't pleased that I kept chasing our suspect, thinks I've done some damage to it. Either way he reckons it can take anywhere between six to eight weeks to heal. Till then I'm stuck in these things!" Don gestured angrily at the crutches resting next to him.
"That sucks; after all you are the most hands on SAIC I've ever met." Elliott smiled. "I thought you'd be like the captain, always in the office being updated on the case. But your something else altogether!" Elliott laughed. "You're like a rock star. I've honestly never met a more down to earth guy and I mean that genuinely. I know how stressful my job can be, but you…you put everything you have into this case and don't you have other cases to oversee and teams to keep check of?"
"Yeah, well…you should see my office! I'm not really managing this whole SAIC thing too well…" Don brushed off the compliment, blushing slightly in embarrassment. "I am being kept appraised of the other active cases and one day I will sort out my office, but I don't know, this case…it…it…"
"I know…" Elliott smiled easily, comfortable in Don's company. "It gets under your skin."
"Exactly!" Don half laughed half coughed. "Look, I'm new to the whole being the boss, the captain as it were. I mean I was in charge of my team but that was heading one team, now heading several, especially ones that think I'm shit at my job…it isn't easy, I won't lie. I wasn't messing around though when I made this priority one case. We need to stop this guy and if that means me putting everything I have into it and then going home being with my fiancée, waiting till she falls asleep and then getting up and spending half the night on the other cases I will. All I know is how to be and agent. I guess I'll have to practice at the whole staying aloof and delegating thing…after the LA Child Snatcher is behind bars…"
"Personally? I wouldn't change, not a bit. You're clearly in charge and your approach; well it's really quite refreshing. If I'm not careful I think I'm going to lose my partner to the FBI!" Elliott laughed, though a little part of him wondered if he was hitting the nail on the head. Brian had been complaining a lot lately. He needed to be challenged and as much as Elliott hated the thought of breaking in a new partner, he liked the thought of Brian finally doing something for himself and not for or against his family. "I dropped the sample off by the way," Elliott told Don as he dug into his pocket for the keys to Don's car. "Here are your keys."
"Did you tell Claudia to rush the sample?" Don asked suddenly agitated again. He'd had to see the doctor about his foot after booking Robert and had needed to leave it up to Elliott to see the sample safely to Claudia's lab. It's not that he didn't trust anyone other than Claudia; it was just that no one else was as invested as Claudia was. It was her table that all the girls had ended up on after all.
"She knows we can only hold him for twenty four hours, she's going to do her best," Elliott sighed. Sometimes it was annoying knowing that you had your man but the lab was over worked and unable to produce the results in time. The amount of scum got away with crimes on a technicality sickened him. He was determined this time; Robert Burnett wasn't walking on this one!
"The AD, Nick, is working on getting us thirty six hours. I know it's a long shot, that kind of special holding is generally reserved for murder charges, but he is a person of interest in a major serial killer case…so who knows, Nick might be able to do it. I've seen him work a miracle or two in his time…" Checking his watch, Don lowered his foot and slid off the table. "We should go interrogate our suspect detective," Don smiled sardonically. "Who knows maybe he'll not lawyer up or call us on our complete lack of evidence."
"You never know," Elliott smiled wolfishly in reply. "Stranger things have happened."
"That they have," Don smiled back as he opened the door to the interrogation room, ignoring the crutches. He didn't want to look weak, first impressions were important in interrogations and Don could manage to walk with only the slightest of limps so long as he manned up and swallowed the pain. He was made of tougher stuff and Elliott admired him for it.
"That they have," Elliott repeated as he entered the room and sat opposite Robert whilst Don stood over by the window, his index and middle finger holding a blind down so he could see out the window.
"Let me tell you how this is going to go…" Don smiled savagely as Robert winced, his head snapping to Elliott's equally unfriendly face, his ghost eyes boring into Robert's as he gulped for air…
*Heathrow Airport,
England*
"Welcome to flight UA 629 to Los Angeles," the pilot's voice trailed over the tannoy, breaking into Amita's troubled thoughts. "Please put on your seat belts and prepare for take-off. The time is ten p.m. and we should be arriving in LA around eight a.m. Enjoy the flight."
Groaning internally, Amita triple checked that her seat belt was still fastened. She wasn't a nervous flyer; she was fine once they were in the air. She would quite happily live without the actual taking off and landing. It hadn't been so bad when she had first flown out to England because Charlie had been there to kiss and hold her hand and she missed him now. More importantly she hated that she had screwed up so badly. Charlie not being here was her fault, though she still felt like she shouldn't shoulder all of the responsibility….
Besides he was the one who had buggered off back to America, leaving her in a foreign land without even telling her! She'd thought he had gone to another hotel or something and she'd catch him at school and try to talk to him but no, Charlie needing space clearly equaled getting on a plane and flying ten hours to another country just to get away from her. She hadn't known a thing until Alan had phoned.
"Are you ok Ma'am?" The nice looking gentleman next to her asked, concern wrinkling his unusually broad brow. He had an American accent and the little comforting piece of home relaxed her a little.
"I'm fine, just not big on takeoffs," Amita smiled her thanks, he looked busy and important in an expensive pin stripped tailored suit and tie. He had a brief case in his lap, but he put it on the floor to take her hand.
"I'm Mitch," He smiled, as he gave it a comforting squeeze.
"Amita," She managed a small smile as the plane moved from the terminal to the runway, her hand now holding his in a death grip.
"Why don't you put these on?" He asked handing her his eye mask. "I'll let you know when it's over."
"Thanks," She smiled gratefully as she put on the blindfold. With her eyes covered she could almost pretend that it was Charlie's hand that she was squeezing, even though she knew he was in America and that she had driven him there.