AN: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine.

12. Guilty until proven innocent?

Don took a deep breath and walked into Gerrard's office. For a few minutes Gerrard ignored him and continued to sign various documents. Don could see his gun on the desk, he was tempted to reach over and take it, but decided to wait for the onslaught. If he got into trouble she would never forgive him.

After what seemed an eternity Gerrard looked up. "I have no choice Flack but to suspend you pending an investigation into your conduct in the Diaz case. I've read the reports it seems you chose to ignore the facts on this case. ... Nice touch when she recused herself, but what made you take it?" He asked then continued without giving Don the opportunity to answer. "you were off duty, it wasn't your problem she should have handed it over to someone else. ..."

"She tried, she didn't want me to take it." Don answered tersely, fighting to control his mounting rage.

"Convenient that don't you think? Oldest trick in the book Flack, she says no, you do it anyway, you're a romantic, she's got you right where she wants you and if you're not careful you'll go down with her and then what would your old man say!" Gerrard ranted.

"My father has nothing to do with this! She didn't do anything except her job! ... You haven't been there when she's haunted by nightmares about Diaz!" Don realised immediately he had said more than he should and shut up.

"Touching. Flack you have to learn you're not a one man band who can solve all your girl's problems. ... You've got what it takes to go far here. ... If you know what's right for you let her sweat this out on her own, get your own stuff in order and I'm sure the investigation will clear you. ... Think about it. ... She's been involved in 4 murders in 3 months. She's going down Flack, don't let her take you down too."

"She had nothing to do with that other case and you know it! She almost got herself killed taking down that gang! Hell, she even got a commendation for it!" Don yelled, furious that this asshole didn't seem to see the truth. "She didn't kill Crowe, and I'm gonna prove it!" he spat.

"Flack the case is Angell's now, I've pulled the evidence from Taylor's team to have it analysed by another unit, all we need is for them to confirm Bonasera's own findings, that Stevens' fingerprints and DNA were at the crime scene." Gerrard's phone rang, he answered it. Don couldn't glean any information from his yes, no answers, so he had to wait. Hanging up Gerrard looked at Don "... they found the murder weapon and a bloody shirt at your apartment. They're running the analysis now, but her prints are definitely on the knife."

"No! She did not do this! Whoever is behind this is setting her up and I won't let that happen!" Don yelled. "You want me suspended fine, but you can't stop me doing whatever it takes to find Diaz, ... Don't worry I won't kill him. I'll just look forward to him rotting in jail!" He flicked his badge off his belt, Gerrard stretched out his hand to take it, Don ignored it and slammed it onto the desk and turned to walk away.

"Just one more thing Flack" Don paused but didn't look at Gerrard. "Stevens is not allowed visitors except her lawyer and Taylor's team have been warned to stay away from both of you. Don't mess with me or you'll lose your badge for good."

Don yanked the door open and let it bang against the wall as he stormed out.

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Lindsay and Hawkes were in the breakroom going over the files from the Collins case. "Has anyone checked with the hotel in DC about the convention?" Lindsay asked.

"Next on my list. You wanna take a shot at Francesca Collins?" Hawkes replied. Lindsay shook her head.

"I'll wait until we hear about the husband. Do we know what time he's due in?"

"He should be taking off around now. I'm waiting for a call from check-in to confirm he's on the flight, then I'll have airport security bring him in." Hawkes answered.

"I'll try and talk to the publishing company and see if I can find out what else Mr Collins may have been doing." Lindsay suggested, flicking through the file again. "Hey Hawkes, have you had the results of the piece of rubber from the vic's wound?" She asked.

"Yeah, confirmed it was the rubber heel pad from Francesca Collins shoe and blood trace on the heel matches Roger Braddock." He responded.

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The door to the interrogation room opened. Mark Rawlinson, a youngish man dressed in a dark suit entered accompanied by another man in his 40s, with dark hair, wearing an expensive grey silk suit. Laura, who had been pacing the room turned and looked at them. Mark quickly took in her appearance, she was wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt, her hair was ruffled where she had obviously been raking her hands through it. "Laura are they treating you right?" he asked.

"Mark, thank god, Dad said he'd called someone. I'm ok, I just can't believe what's happening." She rambled.

"That's what we're gonna sort out." He told her, then introduced his companion. "Laura this is Henry Wallis, senior partner of Wallis, Cornwall and Knight, Henry has a lot of experience in cases like yours." Mark told her. "Henry, Laura Stevens."

"Mr Wallis, I've heard of you, thank you for coming." She acknowledged as they shook hands and they all sat down.

"Mark has given me an overview, but I'd like you to tell me everything that happened after you left the precinct yesterday." He requested.

"I was on the early shift, so I got away around 3. I had a doctor's appointment to check my shoulder, then I stopped grocery shopping at the corner store by the apartment. I got home around 4.30 and stayed there until I got the call out around 9."

"What did you do when you got home?" he asked.

"I changed, then started unpacking some of the boxes we hadn't got to yet. ... Don and I have just finished moving our stuff into the apartment, we planned to spend this weekend unpacking everything and getting straight."

"Don is your fiancé, right?" Henry questioned.

Laura nodded. "Don Flack, he's a detective with homicide too. ... He got home around 6.30 I guess, although I didn't really pay much attention to the time, I know it was almost dark. I was in the kitchen putting stuff away when he came in." she informed the lawyers. "... You want me to tell you everything right?" She queried looking at them apprehensively.

"Everything" Henry confirmed.

"He helped me reach the top cupboard to put away some stuff we don't really use, then we kind of got side tracked, he- it was the first time we'd been alone in almost a week, what with working different shifts and on call hours and moving and well .. we ended up in the bedroom and started-" Laura continued a little nervously.

"Ok Laura, I think you can skip that part" Henry interrupted as he ran his finger around the collar of his shirt, feeling distinctly uncomfortable at the prospect of hearing all the details of what they did. "What happened ... after?" he asked.

"We must have fallen asleep, the next thing I remember was hearing my phone ring in the lounge, I missed the call, but rang Dispatch straight back and was asked to attend the scene at Jason Crowe's apartment." She answered. They spent the next 30 minutes or so going over what happened at the crime scene, and then clarifying most of the details again, before they gave the ok for Laura to be questioned.

"Laura, I'm going to leave you with Henry, you know this isn't the sort of thing I handle." Mark informed her.

"I know, thanks for coming out." She said tiredly.

"You'll be find kid, Henry's the best at what he does." Mark told her. "When this is over you still need to come down to the office with Don and sign the pre-nup." Laura looked up at him stunned.

"What are you talking about?" she exclaimed. "Don't tell me! Mother asked you to do it?" She squealed.

"You didn't know?" Mark clarified. Laura shook her head.

"There will be no pre-nup, I've told her! ... I can't deal with this right now. ... Wait Mark, would you tell my father what's going on and ask him to keep her away from my wedding!" Laura hissed as she ran her hands through her hair again. Mark agreed and left. Henry too stepped out of the room to confer with Mark before the interrogation began.


Thanks for the reviews. Hope you all like this ...

Still more drama to come before things calm down a bit. ...