"You're an idiot." "I almost made it." Emmy worthy line.

Disclaimer: The same procedure as every chapter.

11. You're a coward, Wolfe, you know that?

It took them only 30 minutes to assemble a SWAT team in the area where Robert Donovan lived. It was just around the corner of the pub, and Eóin Kelly was more than happy to help Natalia. He let the SWAT team use the floor above the bar so that they could target Donovan's flat.

Ryan and Nicole, both with their guns drawn, stood in front of Donovan's door. Ryan cleared his throat, "Miami Dade Police. Mr Donovan, open the door please." Not a sound was heard in the flat. Ryan motioned to Nicole to watch his back. One last time, he yelled "Donovan, this is CSI Wolfe speaking. Open the door now or I'll open it for you!" Still, not a sound. Ryan took a deep breath, mentally counted to three, and then kicked the door open.

The sight that awaited him in the big living room was nothing Ryan would forget anytime soon. Walter was there. Alive. His hands were duct taped together in front of his stomach. A piece of duct tape was over his mouth. He was sitting on his knees. Next to him stood Robert Donovan, a gun pointed at Walter's head.

Now, Donovan smiled, "Drop your guns, or he's dead. I'm not kidding."

Ryan didn't react, "You drop your gun, Donovan. Give up. You will never escape. We know you killed Grandis. Your game is over!"

Donovan laughed, "Oh, Wolfe, come on. Don't be kidding me. Now, drop that gun." Ryan bit his lip and dropped his gun. Donovan looked at Nicole, "You too, bitch. Drop the gun, or I shoot him." She did what she was told. "Great. Now, that we have this settled, I'm gonna need to get out of here. I'm gonna need a hostage to achieve that." Now, as you may have noticed, Mr Simmons here is not really the best choice for a handy hostage… So, I'll leave him alive if one of you two agrees to come with me. I'll even give you two seconds to discuss it."

Ryan shook his head, "No need to discuss it. She goes!"

Nicole frowned, "And people ask me why you don't have a girlfriend." But she shrugged and walked over to Donovan, hands in the air.

Ryan watched as Donovan bound Nicole's hand behind her back roughly. It hurt him to see his best friend being treated like this. But he had a plan. And Nicole knew he had; he could tell from the look in her eyes. So she just endured the roughness of Donovan's grip.

Donovan looked at Ryan now, "You're a coward, Wolfe, you know that? Having a girl taking the heat for you." He held the gun against Nicole's cheek. "What if I kill her now? I could do it, you know? But that won't help a bit. So I'll just do what I planned to…" He caressed Nicole's face with his gun, then brought it down hard on Walter. Walter went down. "Okay, I got rid of that one." Now, Wolfe, I want you to listen carefully. You stay here and look after Simmons. If I see you or any cop near me, she's dead. If I manage to get out of the country, she lives. Do you understand that?"

Ryan nodded, "I understand, Sir." He then gave Nicole a look, "Sorry. But I have a family."

Nicole looked back, face dead serious, but her eyes had that certain sparkle to it. The I'm addicted to the thrill sparkle. "Yeah, I know. Coward."

Ryan let them walk away. And then everything went fast. Nicole passed the spot where both the guns were lying. She pretended to trip, but in the process kicked Ryan's gun towards him. Ryan caught it and shot. Donovan, his hand still clenched tightly around Nicole's arm, went down. Dead.

Ryan raced towards them, "Holy crap, that was close. Nicole, you're alright?" He freed her arm from the grip. "I'm sorry, Nicole, but…"

She moaned, "Stop apologizing, I'm fine! Go, check on Walter!"

Ryan did. Walter was alive, only unconscious. Ryan grabbed his cell phone and called the head of the SWAT team, and an ambulance. Then he freed Walter of the tape. He quickly checked if Walter was injured anywhere else besides his head. Everything was alright. "He's okay, as far as I can see. Paramedics are on their way."

"Great. Can you help me now?" Nicole was on her back, wiggling like a beetle, trying to get the tape off her hands.

Ryan grinned and helped her. Cautiously, he cut the tape. "How did you know I had a plan?"

She rubbed her wrists, "Because if you hadn't, you would have asked him to take you with him. Come on, everybody who knows you knows that you would never, ever, ever, put someone else's life on the line to save your own."

Ryan smiled; at least somebody had noticed! "Thanks for your trust. I trusted in you too, you know?"

"How?"

"That you would remember to kick the gun towards me. Everything okay with you? Nothing broken from the fall?"

"Nah, don't worry." She breathed out. "Funny though. This morning, we had nothing to go on. Stetler actually threatened to assign me to Traffic Control. And only a few hours later… the case is closed."

"It isn't. We don't know yet if Daniel and Marcus were on it."

She grimaced, "I know. I just hoped you wouldn't notice."

They waited until Walter was taken to the hospital. He had woken up just before the paramedics had come, and had immediately told them what he knew. It wasn't much though. And since Donovan was dead, they had nothing to go on. Now, Natalia and Ryan were standing in Donovan's flat, going over everything.

Natalia found a box of Xanax, "I think it's safe to say that he did it."

Ryan nodded, "Yeah. Even without the final DNA proof." He sighed, "I hope Nicole and Frank find something that helps us find out whether or not Marcus and Daniel were in on it."

Natalia bagged the box, "You know, I doubt it with Daniel. He was always cooperative. And his letters sounded nice enough."

Ryan leaned against the nearest wall, "I don't know. I mean, why did he write the letters at all? He's married with children."

Natalia gave him a look, "Have you ever seen Brokeback Mountain?"

"Actually, I did." He thought about it. "I see what you mean. Apparently some people still have to be afraid to come out, and rather live their lives pretending they are straight instead of living how they feel and risk social isolation."

Natalia was impressed, "I never thought there was a single man on this planet as understanding as that."

"Yeah, I'm great. You know what's odd? Apparently Donovan was Grandis' lover. If he killed her, of which I am dead sure, why? I don't see a motive. And why the letters to Walter?"

Natalia got up, "I think the letters were just a distraction. I don't think the kidnapping was part of the plan. If Tripp and Nicole bring Daniel MacLellan in, we'll probably find out."

At that moment, Ryan's cell phone rang, "It's Tripp." He picked up, "Yes Frank? I see. Yeah, we'll be there!" He turned to Natalia. "They found Daniel MacLellan. He's standing on the roof of the Miami Tower. He wants to jump."

At least they got Walter back! LeapingSensei, I couldn't possibly hurt him :D