CHAPTER TEN
In spite of the best efforts of the best of the NYPD, three days passed with no sign of Bobby. The techs traced the text call to a spot on a highway, but there were no further communications from Sebastian and Caldwell, and Alex's frantic calls to Bobby's cell went straight to his voice mail. They traced Michael Sinclair to an address in Queens, but the apartment was empty, and the landlord could only confirm that a man looking like Mark Caldwell had visited the polite older man who had lived there and provided a description of that older man that fit the man who'd taken Bobby from the bar.
Alex scarcely slept. Ross urged her to go home, or at least go down to the crib to get a few hours of decent sleep, but she couldn't shut her eyes without terrible images of what was probably happening to Bobby filling her head. The few time she managed to fall into something resembling sleep she woke up with screams threatening to tear out of her throat. She wasn't certain if the fact that she had a very good idea of what was happening to Bobby made things better or worse. She also wasn't sure if her presence hurt or helped the investigation; she saw the curious, embarrassed, and frightened looks from other detectives. But she couldn't leave Major Case.
In one of those twists Alex found amusing when she was able to look back on a case, the young woman who'd escaped Sebastian and Caldwell's clutches because of Bobby's actions turned out to be the daughter of a city official who was a close friend of the Mayor. Alex wasn't entirely sure of the connections, but the young woman, whose body carried several of the drugs used on Marian Brewster, and her family were convinced that Detective Robert Goren had saved her from not only death but a fate worse than that. The family's influence extended far enough that even the Chief of Detectives was, at least publicly, wholeheartedly supporting the search for the lost detective. Alex would've laughed if she hadn't been so afraid.
She knew time was against them. Sebastian usually held his victims three days. Marian Brewster had been held for a week or so. Because of his connections to Gage, Bobby might get a few more precious days. "But," Alex thought. "If he's in horrible pain and we don't find him, what's the use?" Alex tried to keep that thought out of her head. She remembered how terrified and helpless she felt when Jo Gage had her. She imagined things were much worse for Bobby with his memories of his time at Tate.
On the third morning, Alex sat in a conference room with the other members of the hastily assembled force searching for Bobby. The FBI had lent the NYPD Frank Douglass and a profiler. Alex blamed the Bureau and anyone connected with it for at least some of what was happening; she tried not to think about how much this was like what the Bureau had done to Declan Gage. She attempted to avoid the profiler and Douglass. She liked George Huang, the psychiatrist who often worked with SVU and was also helping them, who seemed to have an open mind. The FBI profiler had just made some horribly obvious point, and Alex saw the usually diplomatic Huang roll his eyes.
"I'm sorry," the profiler said. "Frankly, we need someone with a better knowledge of Sebastian."
"Someone like Goren," Huang said softly.
"Or Declan Gage," Douglass said."
"Both of whom are not available," Ross said sharply.
Alex stirred. "Gage can't…or won't…talk to anyone?"
"Something of both," Ross said. "His doctors say his thoughts are…erratic…And when he's somewhat lucid, he wants to talk to your partner."
"He doesn't know that…" Alex asked.
"No," Ross said. "I don't think we owe him…"
"He might know something that might help us," Alex said.
Ross studied her for a moment. "No…" he said. "You are not going to talk with Gage…He probably doesn't know anything…Or he won't remember…And that's if he even would agree to see you…"
"He'll agree," Alex replied. "He's been waiting to talk to me…And I can handle it."
"Goren thought that too," Ross said. "And Gage went after him…I do not want Gage to use you for his own…"
"I don't care," Alex said fiercely. "If there's a chance it'll help save Bobby…"
"I think." George Huang carefully entered the debate. "That Gage will talk to Detective Eames. But I seriously doubt how much help he'll be."
"Captain. You have to let me do this." Alex didn't care that everyone in the conference room heard her plead. "It's the only thing I can do that no one else can. Bobby has only so much time. And we all know he's suffering…"
"All right," Ross conceded. "All right…If Gage agrees…But be careful, Alex."
For the next two hours Alex pretended to research attacks similar to Marian Brewster's case. The prospect of facing Declan Gage weighed heavily on her mind, and Alex truly didn't know if she wanted to see the man or not. It was nearly two when Ross waved her into his office. The Captain looked unhappy as he shut his office door behind her.
"I've heard from Gage's lawyer," he said. "Gage will talk to you…If you come right away."
Alex sat heavily in the chair closest to Ross' desk. "He wants me off-balance," she thought out loud. "Or he hopes I won't come." She looked up at Ross. "Does he know that Sebastian has Bobby?"
"His lawyer said Gage had been told something," Ross said. "But he's not sure how much Gage understood…His mental facilities…Well, like his physical health…" Ross shrugged. "But I think he's still capable of causing a great deal of pain."
Alex stood. "He can't hurt me, Captain. I know who he is and what he's capable of. He keeps underestimating me…and he's jealous of me. I can use all of that."
Ross sadly smiled. "I see that working with Goren has rubbed off on you. And I mean that as a compliment. But be careful, Alex."
Megan Wheeler drove Alex to Ryker's. The young detective was quiet until they were near the prison. "I'm sorry," Wheeler said. "I don't know what to say."
"It's ok," Alex said. "I don't know what to say either." She studied Wheeler. "Ross is worried about me? You're here…to keep an eye on me?"
"Yes," Wheeler answered without hesitating. "He's worried that you haven't gotten any sleep or enough to eat. That you feel responsible for this and all of this is too close to you. He really doesn't like you seeing Gage."
"I've always liked your honesty, Megan," Alex said sincerely. "Truth is, I am tired and I do feel responsible for what's happening and I don't want to talk to Gage. I'm not sure it'll do any good. But I gotta try."
Wheeler wanted to accompany Alex on the interview; Alex wanted her to stay in the car. They compromised to the point that Alex allowed Wheeler to wait for her outside the infirmary. Gage's lawyer waited for Alex there.
"I have to be honest with you, Detective Eames," the man said. "Mr. Gage isn't at his best today. I'm not sure how much he can help you."
"Does he know about Detective Goren?" Alex asked.
"I tried to explain the situation. But I'm not sure he heard anything beyond Sebastian." The lawyer looked apologetic. "The case is an obsession with him."
Alex disliked visiting Ryker's or any prison almost as much as Bobby did, but for different reasons. Bobby always hated seeing anyone or anything imprisoned. Alex believed most of the people in prisons belonged there, or at least were largely responsible for their own fates. It was something Bobby saw in shades of grey, while Alex saw it in black and white. As she waited for the guard to unlock the infirmary door, Alex desperately wished she could be arguing that point, or any other one, with Bobby. She felt naked without her gun. As much as she hated using it, she hated not having it. The small piece she frequently carried in an ankle holster rarely eased her mind. She needed to know where her official piece was, and she preferred to have it close. Bobby appeared to prefer not wearing his gun. Alex observed that he shed it as soon and as frequently as he could. She knew he didn't possess a backup piece until she'd given him one of her father's ancient revolvers the second Christmas of their partnership. Through Bobby's suspension Alex wondered if giving him the gun had been such a good idea. She gained enough courage and was worried enough after Gage's arrest to tentatively ask Bobby about it. He didn't take offense at her question and shyly admitted that he hadn't been able to figure out how to clean it or where to buy bullets for it. "But it meant so much to me that you gave it to me and that it was your Dad's that I never wanted to tell you…" he said, his eyes downcast. Alex didn't try to hide her relief that Bobby couldn't easily get his hands on the gun, and Bobby hadn't tried to hide that he was touched by her relief.
All of this raced through her mind as she followed Gage's lawyer and the guard into the infirmary. Ross had warned her about Gage's physical collapse; Bobby about his mental, but she wasn't prepared for the wild-eyed skeleton in the bed before her. For a brief moment, a small spark of sympathy flared in her, but Gage quickly quenched it when he haughtily dismissed his lawyer and the guard.
"So," he said imperiously. "What's happened to Bobby?"
Alex didn't ask how he knew something had happened to Bobby. She guessed that even if Gage hadn't remember what his lawyer had told him that the man would know she would only see him if Bobby couldn't.
"Sebastian has him," Alex said flatly. She would not, could not, let Gage know how upset she was.
Gage at first looked shocked and then, to Alex's horror, delighted and curious. "Extraordinary…extraordinary," he muttered. He shook his head and rubbed his claw like hands together. The sound reminded Alex of dead leaves burning. "He's changed his MO…You're sure it's him…"
"Yes," Alex said, successfully hiding her impatience. "It's definitely him…And we have his real name. It's Thomas Linley."
Gage frowned at the name.
"He posed as a forensic psychologist. He infiltrated your investigation."
Gage struggled with his thoughts. "That…That's impossible…I would've recognized…"
"Bobby did." Alex tried not to sound too proud of her partner. "He knew there was something wrong about Linley from the start."
"Sebastian took him because of me," Gage muttered.
Alex seized one of Gage's bony arms. "I know," she said sharply. "That you're a sick old man. I know that for all you've done to Bobby, he remembers what you've done for him. But this is not about you. This is about Bobby. Sebastian and his protégé have him. You and I know what they're doing to him. If you've ever cared about Bobby, now's the time for you to show it."
Gage stared at her, and Alex fought back the bubble of satisfaction she felt at the man's confusion. "No," she thought. "That makes you no better than Gage…This is about Bobby…Bobby…"
"Bobby wouldn't be so stupid," Gage said.
"He wasn't," Alex said sharply. "He did it to keep a young woman from Sebastian."
Gage slammed his hand on the bed. "Damn it, Bobby! I always told you that big heart of yours…"
"That big heart of his," Alex said, her voice rising. "Is why he's a good man…A great man…And why you never really understood him."
Gage stared at her again, but Alex wasn't sure if he actually saw her.
"Look," she said. "I'm not here to play some game with you. Bobby doesn't have a lot of time. Sebastian has him and is hurting him. If you have something that can help find him, tell me. If not, I'm leaving."
Gage shot out a skeletal arm, and his claws clutched Alex's arm. "There's one thing." Sanity and compassion glimmered in Gage's eyes. "Linley…Linley liked sushi…I went out with him and some others. Back then, it was unusual to find anyone who knew what sushi was, let alone liked it. He liked it enough that I remember him saying he had it several times a week and he knew the best places in New York." Gage slowly released his grip on her arm. "I do care about him…I do."
For a moment Alex saw the Declan Gage Bobby had told her about. She saw a brilliant, kind man capable of recognizing the gifts of a confused, troubled young man. Then, brutally and quickly, the man disappeared.
"You've got to get me out of here," Gage said. He clutched at Alex's arm, but she wrenched away. "I'm the only one who can deal with him. Even you must see that."
Alex stepped back from Gage's bed. She wasn't like Bobby. Knowing what the man had been didn't mean that she could forgive what the man had become.
"What I know," she said coldly. "Is that you let Sebastian get away. And now he has Bobby. And it's your fault." She turned to go.
"You care too much about him!" Gage shouted. "You don't see things clearly. You're jealous of me."
Alex spun to face Gage. Her control vanished. "You…How could I be jealous of you…You're in jail…Your mind is turning to mush…You're dying…"
"Jealous…Jealous of my time with Bobby…My work with him…Jealous that I knew him before you…That he depends…"
Alex shook her head. "You selfish son-of-a-bitch. Thank God Bobby is nothing like you…He doesn't depend on you…"
Gage's mind shifted gears. "But…he depends on you…" He spoke slowly. "And you…You resent it…You…"
His words punctured Alex's anger. She took a deep breath. "I may have once," she said carefully. "But not now. I…I'm…I depend on him just as much…I'm a better cop because I work with him…I'm a better person because I know him. But I don't know if you're capable of understanding that. I don't know if you were when you were well."
Alex turned and left the infirmary, leaving an astonished Gage behind her.
Wheeler waited for her in the waiting room, but the younger detective was perceptive enough not to say anything until they were in the car and well away from Ryker's.
"Bad?" she finally asked.
"Yea," Alex sighed. "But I might've gotten one thing. Linley likes…Or at least he used to…sushi…"
Wheeler frowned. "But a lot of people like sushi…"
"That was ten…fifteen…years ago," Alex said. "When you were in…What…Elementary school?"
Wheeler gave her a look of mock anger. "Junior high, thank you very much."
Alex smiled weakly. "Well…Sushi wasn't so common…"
"It'd be worth it to check some of the sushi places near where Linley lived," Wheeler said. "Maybe he's still hanging around and eating his raw fish."
"It's something," Ross said when Alex and Wheeler returned to Major Case and reported to him. "It's more than I thought we'd get from Gage. We'll start with the places closest to Linley's last address and work outward."
Alex had called three places before Ross appeared at her desk. "Any luck?" he asked, and knew immediately from Alex's face the answer.
"One that yelled at me for asking stupid questions about her customers; one that spoke a language I didn't recognize; and one that was sorry they couldn't help me." Alex rubbed her eyes.
"Hang in there, Alex," Ross said gently. "We'll keep calling and…"
Alex's cell phone beeped on her desk. She grabbed it, stared at the number, and held it up to Ross. "Bobby," she said. Before she'd answered the phone, Ross was across the room arranging a trace.
"Ea…Eames…" Alex's heart leaped at the sound of Bobby's voice, and immediately crashed at the terrible pain in it.
"Bobby," she breathed, and realized that every eye in Major Case was on her.
"Please…Don't know…How long…I have…" Bobby coughed and groaned in pain.
"Bobby…Where are you?" Ross pulled Alex from her chair and guided her from the squad room.
"Basement…Don't know where…Very cold…Wet…The girl…They were going to…"
"She's all right, Bobby. Keep talking. We're doing a trace…Keep your phone on…"
"They…They'll come back…I…Keep the phone on…Try to hide it…Oh…Oh…" He cried feebly in pain. "Ea…Eames…"
"I'm here, Bobby. I'm here." Alex and Ross and other cops were in the elevator now. "Hang on…We're coming…I promise you we're coming…"
"I…Gotta tell you…Sorry…I'm so sorry…" Each word cost Bobby a great deal.
"Bobby," Alex said as she and the other cops moved through the garage. "It's all right. We're coming. I'm coming."
"Everything I've ever done to you…Sorry…So sorry…"
"Bobby…You can tell me this when I see you." Alex struggled to control her voice as Ross and Wheeler bundled her into the back of a car.
"You…Never just…You everything…If…If I ever…I know I did…Hurt you…Please…Please…Forgive me…"
"Robert Goren." Alex tightly gripped her phone. "If you want me to forgive you, you gotta stay alive…You gotta fight…That's the deal."
A long silence followed, and Alex feared that Bobby had passed out or, worse, had his phone taken away.
"I…I'll try…" he whispered, and Alex winced at the pain in his voice. "I…I gotta hide…Alex…"
"Bobby…"
"Alex…Thank you…Thank you…You…Best thing ever in my life. Thank you…"
There was a sound of shuffling and then nothing. Alex stared at the phone, and looked up at Ross and Wheeler.
"They left him…He got to his cell…But they'll be back…" she said.
Ross stared at the road. "We have to get to him before they do."
END CHAPTER TEN