So this is the next chapter this wait was not as long as the last one, still very sorry about that, but here it is.
The sun shone through the windows of the Parker Center early the next morning. Brenda had just stepped off of the elevator and started towards her office. She was surprised to see Agent Osmond standing just outside of the squad room. Brenda put a smile on her face.
"Good morning, are you here to see Buzz?" she asked.
"No actually," Agent Osmond stood up straight, "I came to see you."
Brenda was puzzled; it must have showed on her face because Agent Osmond immediately started to explain herself.
"I'm going to be leaving L.A. in three days. I can't just pack while this case is still open," Agent Osmond paused, "I'd like to help, anyway I can, please."
Brenda met the desperate eyes of the FBI agent.
"Well since you are no longer on the FBI's clock, I suppose you that can join us," Brenda spoke hesitantly.
Life seemed to reenter the young agent as a huge smile spread across her face.
"Thank you Chief Johnson, I won't let you down." Agent Osmond nearly sprinted towards the electronics room.
Chief Johnson and Sgt. Gabriel stood in the morgue, dressed in the light blue papery gowns that they wore whenever they entered this depressing room. Harrison's pale body lay on the metal table, stitched up after the autopsy. Dr. Morales opened a manila folder and read his finding.
"There were no signs of sexual abuse."
"Well that's good," Brenda nodded and released an internal sigh of relief.
"COD was blood loss, my best guess would be from this head wound. He broke his neck at the fourth vertebra, and had a broken clavicle, radius, femur, tibia, and multiple ribs. All consistent with falling down a ventilation shaft."
Sgt Gabriel grimaced and stared at the small boy's body. Chief Johnson emitted a simple, "Ugh."
"There were no defensive wounds or any signs that he tried to stop falling," Dr. Morales closed the folder, "But I did find these on the back of his neck."
Dr. Morales turned Harrison on his side to reveal tiny circular marks in a virtually perfect line across the back of his neck.
"What does this all mean?" Sgt. Gabriel asked.
Dr. Morales shot a look at Sgt. Gabriel, "In my opinion the blow to the head knocked him unconscious for the rest of the fall and he never regained consciousness."
Before Sgt Gabriel could say another word, Chief Johnson stepped between the two men.
"Thank you Dr. Morales, thank you so much," Chief Johnson made a beeline for the door and Sgt. Gabriel followed behind her.
Chief Johnson posted the autopsy pictures on the white board in the squad room. Pictures from the ware house and the Tanner house were already posted as well as some of Harrison's drawings. Chief Johnson began the brainstorming process, asking questions, searching for any reasonable answer. Then the phone rang on Sgt. Gabriel's desk, and after a few mumbled words Gabriel looked up at the chief.
"It's Mrs. Tanner, she wants a word with you," Sgt. Gabriel held his hand over the mouth piece.
"I'll take it in my office," Chief Johnson briskly walked to her office and shut the door behind her.
She sat at her desk then took a deep long breath as she reached for the phone.
"Mrs. Tanner," Chief Johnson said calmly.
"Yes. It's my son Nathan. I sent him to his friends house this morning, so that I could be with Sarah ten minutes later he comes running in with a bloody nose and a black eye. And he won't talk to me, I just don't know what to do," Mrs. Tanner spoke rapidly.
"Alright Mrs. Tanner calm down for a moment. We'll be right there," Chief Johnson stood up.
"Thank you," Mrs. Tanner said before Chief Johnson hung up the phone.
Chief Johnson slowly opened the door to Nathan's room. The young boy lay on his bed holding an ice pack to his eye. There were blood stains around his nose and mouth, and his knuckles had small abrasions on them.
"Nathan," Chief Johnson spoke softly.
He sat up, still holding onto the icepack. He wouldn't meet her eyes. Chief Johnson sat down on the edge of Harrison's bed, across from Nathan. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as she mentally prepared for this interrogation. She knew that Agent Osmond was outside trying to keep the frantic mother relaxed and more importantly out of the room.
"Nathan can you tell me what happened? Did someone hurt you?" Chief Johnson asked.
"No I lost a fight," Nathan mumbled angrily.
"Lost a fight huh, with who?" Chief Johnson leaned in towards Nathan.
"Just some guys," Nathan refused to look up.
"Who started the fight?" Chief Johnson's tone grew harsh.
"I did," Nathan looked up quickly, meeting her eyes for just a moment.
"Why Nathan?" Chief Johnson asked, "Why did you start the fight Nathan? Was it because of Harrison?"
Nathan flinched at Chief Johnson's words and she knew that she had him.
"Nathan look at me," Chief Johnson ordered and the boy looked up, "Did you do this because of what happened to Harrison?"
"Yes," Nathan broke his silence and looked Chief Johnson straight in the eye.
"Who was it Nathan?" Chief Johnson cheered up at her progress.
"These guys from school, they always pick on Harrison because he's small and quiet. People don't know about his dad so they don't cut him any slack. I saw them this morning when I was going over to Danny's. They said that they had fun with him yesterday, and one of them was wearing Harrison's dog tags," Nathan paused, "It had to be them right?"
"Now Nathan, this is very important. Do you know their names?" Chief Johnson asked.
"No," Nathan shook his head and Chief Johnson sighed, "But I know where they live."
Chief Johnson stood in the electronics room with the PHD, Agent Osmond, and Buzz. On the monitors showing the interrogations rooms were two boys around thirteen years old. Chief Johnson sighed and rubbed her temples. Then she grabbed up her bag and left. A moment later she appeared on the screen and her voice came over the speakers.
"Hello I'm Deputy Chief Johnson of the LAPD and…"
"Do you think these guys really killed the kid? They're still kids themselves" Sgt. Gabriel questioned the room.
"Don't let them trick you cuz they're kids. We see people kill for no reason all the time, what makes kids any different?" Sanchez answered.
"Don't we get a lawyer?" A voice of one of the boys came over the speakers.
"Your parents have decided to wave your rights. They trust that you haven't done anything wrong so they are going to let me ask you a few questions," Even through a video screen Chief Johnson's glare was unnerving.
"So which one of you is James?" Chief Johnson asked?
"I am, but everyone calls me Jimmy" answered the smaller of the two boys.
"So that means that you're Edward," Chief Johnson turned from the smaller boy to the larger one.
"Eddy," He stated bluntly.
"Alright then, Eddy, Jimmy, I just have a few questions for you."
The team watched as Chief Johnson systematically wore down the boys until one of them finally slipped up.
"Yeah Harrison gave me these," Eddy grabbed the dog tags hanging from his neck.
"Really? Because I have witnesses that saw Harrison leave his house the morning he died wearing those. But you just said that none of you saw him that day." Chief Johnson quickly retorted.
The two boys looked at the Chief dumbfounded. Neither of them knew what to do or what to say.
"I know that you two were the last to see Harrison. So whoever tells me what happened gets to leave first," Chief Johnson crossed her arms over her chest and waited less than a minute for one of them to break.
"We saw him riding home on his bike. We started chasing him and he went to this warehouse place. He went up onto the roof and we followed him," Jimmy quickly.
"Shut up man," Shouted Eddy.
The smaller Jimmy turned and looked at bigger Eddy, terrified.
"No! Jimmy, look at me," Chief Johnson met the boys eyes.
"We took his backpack, played some keep away. Then we tossed it down the vent." The boy finished quietly.
"And then he tried to get it," Chief Johnson glared at the two boys.
Rebecca released a breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding. The relief that she felt by the confession was contradicted by a sudden tightness in her body from the thought that these boys lives were over. She jumped slightly when Buzz's hand covered her own. Everyone in the room was talking as Chief Johnson entered the room. The Chief took off her mic and watched the screens as the boys were arrested for reckless homicide.
"Good job team, we'll let the lawyers settle this one."
There was a consensus of nods and uh huhs. The room emptied quickly, except for Buzz and Rebecca. They sat in silence for a moment before she stood.
"I should go, the case is over," She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I'll stop by your place tonight to help you finish packing," Buzz smiled up on her.
"Thank you," She smiled back at him and then lightly kissed his lips, "Seeya later."
Buzz sighed as she left the room and he began the long process of making multiple copies of the interview and then putting them onto discs. At the same time Rebecca briskly made her way down to Chief Johnson's office. She knocked on the Chief's door and then poked her head in.
"May I?"
"Come in," Chief Johnson looked up from her computer screen.
"I just wanted to thank you for letting me see this case out," Rebecca moved to the chair in front of Chief Johnson's desk, "so, thank you."
"Well it was a pleasure working with you, you're welcome to visit us next time you're in town."
"Thank you," Rebecca stood, "I've actually got to get going. I have a lot of packing to do."
Chief Johnson nodded as Rebecca stuck out her hand.
"It was an honor working with you and your team."
Chief Johnson took Rebecca's hand and shook it. When they released each other's hands Rebecca looked down and Chief Johnson smirked slightly.
"Don't be a stranger here," Chief Johnson sat down.
"Alright," Rebecca's hand rest on the door, "Goodbye."
Rebecca left the Chief's office and walked out of the PHD for the last time.
Review Please so I know that this is not being ignored.