"Tao, were you able to get anything from those tapes?" Louie Provenza stands in front of the Murder Room, looking to the man in question.
"Not much, No. Seems they've been meaning to replace the cameras because of a very fuzzy picture, however, I was able to make out someone running and I'm sure with more stripping and screening, I'll be able to get a bit more. Buzz, will you help me with that?" He glances to the man, "Maybe we'll at least be able to obtain some audio. Screaming, running footsteps, anything..."
"Was there anything in that alley way?"
"Here's where it gets interesting. There was a video cameras posted in the alley, but someone had broken it about an hour or so before things happened. It appeared to be a homeless man who threw a brick at the camera." He transfers the video to the projector in the room, "As you can see."
Morales runs into the murder room, out of breath.
"Running from something?" Sanchez smirks, sitting back in his seat.
"I have great news." He puts his hands on his knees, catching his breath a moment before standing up again to look about the room, "I have a lot of news, actually. Michael DiAngelo was the one to sexually assault Eve Raydor. There's DNA and things...he did that." He nods, "However, she was not the one to kill him."
"What? How?" Sykes sits up in her seat.
"You guys said she blacked out. She remembers running outside and she blacked out. Am I correct?" Morales nods.
Hobbs walks in from the elevators, smiling to the group. She notices Morales talking, "Sorry." She sits at Flynn's empty desk.
"Yes, Doctor Morales, you're correct, but there were a lot of stab wounds on the dead guy's body, defense wounds on Eve's body, and...What happened?"
"Michael DiAngelo's head was hit with a large, blunt object...at least twenty minutes before any stabbing was inflicted on him." Morales smiles, "He was dead. The only reason she had his blood on her is from the wound to the head."
"So, I don't have to make Eve Raydor an offer?" Hobbs smiles, folding her arms as she sits back in the chair.
He shakes his head, "Going back to what I said, there was definitely some struggle, I found scratch marks, heel marks."
Tao nods, "The skin samples found under Eve's nails were a match to DiAngelo."
Morales continues, "There's nothing saying she wasn't attacked, fought for a while, and passed out from the experience of the thing. People in that part of town are oblivious to anything that isn't related to them. They wouldn't have had to see it. There were no lights in that alley."
Provenza looks to the board and the pictures of the weapons, "She passes out, he rapes her, someone comes along and hits him in the head with..." He pauses, "A brick. The homeless guy." He points to the screen, "Maybe he saw everything and tried to save her."
Sanchez smirks, nodding, "He hits DiAngelo in the head, killing him, and runs away. Meanwhile, Eve wakes up, notices her clothing ripped and her pants missing. Grabs his knife and goes to town. She was traumatized by it. She was in shock when I gave her my jacket and helped her into the car. Wouldn't let me administer first aid or anything."
"I can get a clear picture from this video." Tao smiles to him, "This guy deserves a medal."
"Just a medal? He deserves a day in his honor, and a parade." Hobbs nods, "No one is at fault here except DiAngelo. Am I correct in my understanding before I call my boss?"
Provenza nods, "I'll call Flynn."
Andrea smiles, pulling out her cell phone.
"We still need to find the Homeless guy though." Sykes glances to the older man, "If we don't find him, this won't work."
"I know that." Provenza nods, "Sanchez, Sykes. Go see if you can find him. I'm betting he'll be back around there because it's probably his home. Buzz go on with them."
"Yes, Sir." Sykes nods, pulling on her jacket before walking toward the elevators with the other two men.
Provenza touches the screen of his phone, bringing it to his ear.
"What the hell do you want?" Flynn was able to see on the screen who was calling via a dopey picture of Provenza that Rusty had set it to.
"We solved the case."
"That was quick."
"Eve didn't kill DiAngelo. It was a homeless guy that lives in the alley where it took place. He used a brick."
"Was he the one that hurt her?" He hushes his voice, rolling away from facing her in the cot.
"No, that was DiAngelo, but she was more than likely unconscious when he did it. Homeless guy comes in and hits him in the head with a brick. The guy saved her, Flynn."
"Find him then." Andy smiles, "I want to shake his hand." He turns a little, noticing Eve was looking at him.
"Alright. How is she?" Provenza was intrigued by the young woman the moment he saw her.
"I'm sure she'll be feeling a lot better now." He nods, "Busy in there?"
Louie shakes his head with a smile, "Not really. Just sent the younger ones out to apprehend the guy. I'm going to make sure he's treated well."
"Don't start questioning him until I get there."
"No, you stay with the girl. I've got this."
Flynn shakes his head, "Please. I have to do this...for Sharon."
Provenza sighs, "Want me to call you when he gets here or-"
"I'll be there in twenty." Andy touches the screen of his phone, disconnecting the call.
"What happened?" Eve blinks, still watching him.
"It wasn't your fault." He sits up, running his hands through his silver hair, "You didn't kill DiAngelo."
"What?" She sits up slowly.
"He's the one that beat you up...hurt you, but...there was a homeless man in the alley. It looks like he saved you. Hit DiAngelo in the head with a brick. He died from blunt force trauma, not stabbing."
Eve puts her fist up to the air, pulling it down as a look of relief floods over her face, "I'm not a violent person, Lieutenant Flynn. I hope you know that."
"I never thought you were from the beginning." Andy smirks, noticing the young woman mimicking her mother's common reaction to achievement, "I want to be the one to talk to him. This guy who saved you."
"Of course...I wish it could be me." She can't help but smile.
"Well." He stands, looking toward the nurses' station, "Let me see about that."
"I have nothing to wear." Eve watches him walk toward the door, "I can't go to your work without anything to wear."
"What is it with you women always needing to be dressed to the nines?"
"You could run me by my apartment."
Andy turns to look to her, "You've barely gotten out of that bed and you think you can do what...leap tall buildings in a single bound?" He folds his arms, shaking his head, "It's going to hurt. It's going to hurt a lot."
"I just...I want to go and see him. I want to see Michael and I want to see this man. Please, Lieutenant."
"Your mother is going to kill me, you know that right?"
Eve smirks, "It wouldn't be the first time she's wanted to." She pushes herself up, pulling down the side rail of the bed to throw her legs over it, "I can muster through."
Flynn sighs needs to leave early and how they need her at the police station. Of course, the nurses comply, talking to the doctor and quickly releasing her with a pair of scrubs, a stack of care instructions, and a handful of scribbled prescriptions.
"Do I look like I should be sentenced to a correctional facility to you?" Eve smiles to the man after changing her clothes.
"For the mentally insane." He removes his sports jacket, draping it over her shoulders, "It's cold out and you aren't wearing shoes."
"I'm wearing slipper socks." She pauses and wiggles her toes.
Flynn shakes his head, smirking, "You're also a little high."
"And I have a prescription for more." Eve talks with her hands a little, holding his arm as they walk, "I'm fine. We can get them later."
He sighs, shaking his head, "Your mother is really going to kill me."
"Nah. I'll tell her not to kill you. You're Katie's father and Mom loves you a lot. Too much to ever kill you."
"Well, she's going to be pissed." Andy gently lifts her into his arms as they reach the sliding glass doors of the hospital, "It's too cold for you not to have shoes."
Eve leans onto him more, appearing small in his arms, "To my apartment to change...maybe wash my hair..."
"Anything else?" He replies sarcastically.
"Am I even allowed to wash my hair?"
"You have care instructions, you figure it out."
"It soaks up water like a sponge. I have huge hair." Eve signs.
Andy shakes his head, gently placing her into the car, "This is a terrible idea." He signs, buckling her, and closing the passenger door behind her.