A/N: Thank you, thank you for your very kind words. So, frantically updating before the season 2 premiere. Which means that this needs to all be neatly tied up in a bow ASAP…. The characters, however, still have a bit to say (and do), so this may mean one or two more chapters…
Disclaimer: Still don't even own the box set... bummer...
Chapter 9: Secrets uncovered
Frank listens to Luke and Jo, nods his head. Turns to Andy and Sam. "Up for a drive Swarek, McNally?" They nod.
The plan is to visit Devon Campbell at the college and convince him to come in for an interview. With force, if necessary.
"You realise that this has the potential to turn nasty. We don't know what he may do when backed into a corner. At the moment, we are just looking at questioning him. But, if he is who we think he is…" Frank points out.
"Is she ready for this?" Jo interrupts, inclining her head towards Andy.
"Ah, yes. She is," Andy answers for herself, irritated.
"Yes, she is." Sam reiterates, nodding.
"And if he pulls a gun? I think it's too soon Andy," Luke adds, looking at her pleadingly.
"I have a job to do, and whether you all approve all not, I'm going to do it." Andy responds in a huff, marching off, holding her ribs lightly.
Sam looks at Jo, then Luke, shakes his head. Follows his partner out.
Chris had been back at work for one hour, 45 minutes – 25 minutes of which had been spent behind the locked door of the observation room, interrogation two. With Gail. They have been… Reminiscing. It was Gail who broke away first, pulling her open shirt together, rapidly buttoning as she elbows Chris, trying to get his attention on the two people in interrogation two.
Luke and Jo. They cannot hear what they are saying, and don't want to alert them that anyone is watching, by turning the sound on. But by looks of things – it's not pleasant. Jo is mouthing off, arms gesticulating wildly. Luke interrupts her, responds, runs his hands through his hair. Shakes his head. She steps closer to him, still angry, still determined. He shakes his head again. Vehemently. Hesitates. Nods. They are nose to nose, staring each other down. Shoulders heaving. Luke reaches out, pulls her towards him. They kiss, breathing in each other's air. Luke bends her onto the table.
"Aaahh, Gail. I don't think. I really think we should… agghh…" Chris, never much of a conversationalist at the best of times, is completely lost for words. "Hushhh." Gail puts her finger on Chris's lips.
Jo and Luke pull away from each other. Straighten up. Blue eyes stare into blue eyes, fingers lifted to bruised lips. The door opens, Jerry: "There you two are, been looking for you. McNally and Swarek have Campbell. Didn't resist, looked quite shocked apparently. They are on their way in. We meeting here?" peers around the room, nods once at them. Leaves.
Luke lifts his hand to Jo, she shakes her head. "Not now. Not now."
"I'm sorry Jo. I shouldn't have… I had no right… I…"
Stifling back a strangled sob, Jo pushes past him.
Luke follows her out. Things just got a whole lot more complicated.
Gail and Chris make sure the coast is clear, slip out the door. "Do you think we should tell Andy?" Chris asks. Gail shakes her head. "Sam then?"
"No. It's not our place, Chris." He looks at her. "You know Gail, sometimes I just don't get you." Muttering he walks off.
"The truth always has a way of coming out, Chris. Always." She yells at his retreating back.
Luke stands at the coffee, stirring in his sugar. How the hell did he get into this situation. Again. With Jo. With Andy. Doesn't notice Gail sidle next to him. She takes her time, pouring her coffee, adding milk. "You know," she whispers, conspiratorially. "The observation room is a much better option. Less chance of being caught." She licks her spoon.
"You, you are not going to tell Andy, are you?" He blanches.
"Nope," she says, tossing her stirrer, moving away. "You are."
Sam leads Campbell into interrogation. Sits him down, says he will be back. Andy is standing inside the observation room, leaning against the wall, eyes closed.
"You okay?" Knowing full well she isn't.
She walks up to the glass. Puts her hands up: "Maybe I'm just tired. But Sam, I don't know. I am sure I would have seen him in the crowd. Surely. He's older than the students. I would have noticed him Sam. I would have noticed him."
Sam stands next to her. Waits.
"He doesn't seem like a cold-blooded killer. He seems. I don't know. Confused? Hurt? Broken? What if we're wrong, Sam. What if he isn't the one."
"We don't know McNally. We don't have all the facts yet. The best we can do is question him, and see what is uncovered. Gut is good, you need to listen that gut. But, you have balance it with your head, as well." Taps the side of her head.
Luke pops his head in. "You coming Swarek? Or do you need an invitation," he snaps.
Devon Campbell sits, head in his hands. Explains how he has been lecturing for the past nine months. Had worked at a computer company before this, but… things didn't work out the way he thought they would. Lost someone close to him, hit him hard. Decided to get a fresh start. A clean start. Turned to his second major instead – psychology. "Guess I wanted to uncover more about how the brain is wired," he shares.
About five months ago, he met Mandy. Started coming to his lectures. Didn't know what it was, but there was just something about her. "It was her eyes, I think" he finally admits. "Green eyes. Eyes that have seen so much. Eyes that seem so dull, so sad most of the time. And then, just light up, wrinkle with laughter and mirth. Reminded me of someone I once knew… Regret. It's a cold bedfellow." He stares at his shoes.
"I know it was wrong. Pursuing her. Wanting to spend time with her. Used the excuse that I would mentor her, tutor her. But, anyone who checked her marks could see that she didn't need tutoring." Guilt soaks him. "There are rules. She is a student. I am her professor. She is just 20, I'm 35. There are rules…"
Andy doesn't notice Jo standing a bit behind her, watching her, as she stares through the glass.
"He doesn't know."
"Wha…what?" Jo asks, shaken, thinking that Andy is referring to the incident earlier.
"Campbell. He doesn't know that it was Heidi. He was drawn to her, recognized something about her. But, he didn't know it was actually her."
"They need to ask him about Heidi." She adds, leaving the room.
She knocks on the door, knowing she is breaking protocol. Sam gets up, opens the door. Looks at her confused. "McNally?"
"Sam, Officer Swarek," she corrects herself. "Can I have a minute, please?" Steps back into the passageway.
Sam turns to Luke, Jerry, shrugs, excuses himself.
"What McNally. This better be important."
"You need to ask Campbell about Heidi."
"That's what we're doing McNally. What you been doing in there, painting your nails?"
She growls at him. "Not Mandy. Heidi. You need to ask him about Heidi. He was her partner, right? They used to work together, she electrocuted him…. I think that they may have been in a relationship."
He looks at her. Furrows his brow. Gives in.
"Okay McNally, I will ask."
Smiling, she goes back into the observation room.
Shaking his head, Sam goes back to the interview. Leans down, whispers in Jerry's ear. Jerry shrugs. "Okay. Guess there's no harm."
Sam straightens. Walks over to the mirror. Stands facing it, smoothing his hair in the reflected image. "Tell me about Heidi Barrett."
A gasp. A grimace. "What she got to do with this?" Campbell asks, confused.
"You worked with her right – at that computer company?" Jerry picks up smoothly.
"Yes. But she.. she died, close on a year ago. One of the reasons I had to get out of there. Had to leave."
Campbell, visible shaken, explains. Describes how they had worked together, side-by-side for two years. How he had tried to pluck up the courage to ask her on a date, but just never seemed the right time. One evening, as they were working on a new system, she accidently hacked into the city's electrical mainframe. She managed to isolate power surges. He didn't believe her of course. So, she showed him. Zapped him with his own keyboard. He smiles at the memory. The smile drops. Explains that they had to report the incident, particularly since his keyboard was fried… They started working on a game together – thought it would be the next big hit.
Got to the testing stage, but that's where things started to go awry. He told her to get out. Warned her they were in over their heads. But, she insisted she knew what she was doing. They had a fight. He knows he shouldn't have left her there that night. But he did. And it cost her. Cost her life.
It's a moment, a decision that he regrets every single day. Wishes he stayed. Wishes he had protected her. Wishes he told her how he felt. Too late.
Didn't think he could feel that way again. About anyone. But there was just something about Mandy. From the moment she walked into his lecture room. There was this… connection. They tried to stay away from each other. Knew it was wrong. But, he says sadly: "I got the feeling that she felt the same way. Oh, don't get me wrong, I am a realist, pragmatic. I knew about David. She even told me that they were planning to move in together. That day. Day of the concert. The day she died. To be honest, part of me wondered if she had told me, because she had hoped, had wanted me to ask her not to. But, I didn't. Told her, he was good for her. Told her he was the right choice. The safe choice. Told her to go. And just like Heidi, she was gone." Shakes his head, tears build up in his eyes.
Luke stands. Breaks the news: "Heidi didn't die a year ago. She died three days ago."
Campbell looks up, confusion on his face. "I… I don't understand…"
Sam fills him in, tries to give him some comfort. Some closure in his grief. "Mandy was Heidi. She survived the attack that night Campbell. Had extensive surgery, was put into the witness protection program, moved here with a new name, new life. Obviously, checks and balances weren't carried out correctly, as she should never have been placed in the same vicinity as you. But, she was. That's why she seemed so familiar to you."
Sobs wrack Campbell's body. The three men, uncomfortable, stand, leave him some dignity, some space.
They walk out into the passage way, meet Jo and Sam exiting observation.
Jo looks at the men: "It wasn't him." It's not a question.
"Someone in my department has screwed up. If Mandy, Heidi, whoever, was placed in the same college, then it's possible that someone else connected the dots."
"So, what do we now?" Andy asks.
"Back to the drawing board. Hope none of you had plans for tonight. Because we are going to have to go through all the files relating to this case. There must be something we missed," Luke says, giving a sideways glance at Jo.
"Best we order in," Sam purses his lips, heads off to the squad room and the takeout menus. The others follow.
At the doorway, Andy puts her hand on Luke's arm. "Aaaah, Luke." She stops him. "Have a moment? We need to talk."
