Case 13: Bomb Alert On Grimsborough
The two detectives were walking through Cooper Park after having attended a trial, Dorian was playing with a few of the kids in the park.
The two men ignored a few of the comments that came up from people, some supporting, some not so supporting. David was in a white turtle neck instead of uniform, gun in the back of his jeans while JJ was minus a gun holster but his lover knew he still had four knives and three guns.
The brunette had just suggested lunch when a colossal boom rocked the park and JJ felt a hundred memories pass in a second before the adrenaline pushed them away and they tore off towards the noise.
Soon they came across the scene and started ordering civilians around, creating a perimeter, JJ quickly calling it in until a group of other officer arrived, taking over crowd control so the detectives could get to work.
David started with interviews and JJ sent Ramirez to get his kit from the impala and he quickly returned handing back the keys so JJ could collect the torn card and shoe print, he also grabbed a piece of blood wet cloth that appeared to have a camo print.
"I'm done, the rest is for forensics and the corners office." JJ told his approaching partner who could see the shivers starting.
David lead him away and to the car, Dorian going around the tape and to his master's side.
Once there the elder made sure the red-head was sat down, facing him.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Calloused hands gently held his cheeks, cupping his jaw. The tremors slowed and the erratic breathing evened out after a minute everything appeared normal.
"Old memories, I'm okay now." He smiled but it wasn't as bright as normal, a dark, haunted edge to it, ghosts that wouldn't let go.
"Want me to stay at your's tonight?" A single nod was his answer before they both heard the shutter of a camera and someone coming closer.
The blond women wore a half buttoned shirt that showed off her chest nearly to its full and a dangerously short skirt with killer heels.
"So I was right, how long has this been going on?" Ah so this was Lindsy Lucy.
JJ, groaned, turning into the car closing the door once Dorian had jumped in and David got into the car, driving them to the department without a word to the reporter.
"The witness, Harriet Meadows, says she saw two men fighting then the bomb went off. But she did see the surviving man wearing a camo pattern." JJ nodded his head, hands brushing through Dorian's fur.
"Fits, I found a bloodied cloth with that on it." David hummed.
"Also she works at Greene Bank by the park. Alden Greene's company Greene Holdings spreads across the whole district, the casino, bank and at least half a dozen other things."
The red-head understood the implications, the Marconi of Financial only seemingly legal.
Both men got to work, David looking over the shoe print while JJ pieced together the shreded card.
"An orthopaedic shoe, and neither our victim nor witness were wearing them." JJ hummed before he took out his phone.
"Hi Rix, need a favour... Our vic is a veteran... Henry Crosby... Okay thanks." The red-head hung up before turning to his partner.
"The emergency contact is Shaun Crosby, son maybe. From the date he served in Vietnam."
Neither said anything as they left quickly picking up the SUV instead. Halfway through JJ's phone started ringing, playing Daughters of Darkness by Halestorm.
"Hey Rix, you're on loud speaker."
"Hello all." The Southern drawl was mocking and dark before a lighter chuckle came through the speaker. "Henry Crosby served in Vietnam as a bomb specialist, disarming mostly." Her voice was now relatively cold, a solider giving her report. "Exemplary record but he did testify against Donald Byrd resulting in a dishonorable discharge, I'll get to that. He was remarkably well adjusted and seemed to be walking well along civiy street. His son Shaun however is not, he seems to be suffering from PTSD of a high degree from the psychology report, severed in Afghanistan as a bomb expert, got back a year ago."
"Jesus Christ." The Jensen's hummed in time.
"Donald Byrd on the other hand you need to watch out for. Sever PTSD, paranoia and was used for a trial on an experimental drug when he was at Grimsborough Psychiatric Hospital. He was court martialed for trying to blow up fellow troop members believing them to be spies."
Both men grimaced as they continued to listen.
"Crosby disabled the bomb and then testified that the work was Byrd's, resulting in Bryd being discharged and then committed."
The tone switched again, now a concerned sister.
"JJ be careful, this guy was unstable when he went in the hospital, who knows what those drugs did to him."
"I got it Rix, we will be." He smiled, happy to have her concern.
"Okay I've e-mailed you the three files and I did a little extra research, the bombing was by Greene Bank, Greene Holdings is a major donater to the hospital and Alden Greene is on its' board."
"You know I think you've just solved this case for us." Jones mused.
"You're David right?" He answered to the affirmative, slightly nervous. "Don't worry, as long as you keep JJ happy you're good with me. We'll all be at home for Christmas, you should join us."
David bit down on his lip, but noticed his lovers hopeful look.
"I'd like that." The red-head gave him a blinding smile
"Well I'm out, take care, bye."
"Bye Sis." And he hung up the phone.
"She's a lot scarier in person isn't she?" JJ burst out laughing, clutching his stomach, tears starting to fall. With a big breath he pulled himself together, wiping away the moisture on his cheeks.
"Yes she is but when your family it just means you're safer." He shrugged.
Shaun Crosby was devastated at the news but he also showed how much he'd been affected.
Before they went to the deceased's market stall and found his satchel, a block of documents and a torn letter.
"Looks like Alden Greene was trying to buy the market." Jones commented, looking over his partner's shoulder.
Just then a brunette woman in a smart suit came towards them, a camera man just behind her.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Henry Crosby, would you know where he is?" She asked politely.
"On a slab, Mr Crosby wad killed this morning in the bombing at Cooper Park." JJ told her and she blanched.
"What, I was suppose to have meeting with him this afternoon about Greene Holdings." She seemed shaken as she looked at them.
"That will be the forms we collected, I'm afraid they're evidence now Ma'am. May I ask who you are? You seem vaguely familiar." The New Orleans native, tipped his head to the side, curiosity in his gaze.
"Rachel Priest, I work for CCN, look, here's my card if you change your mind about those documents." She handed it over then flited away.
They looked back towards the shreds of paper and JJ worked his magic.
"'Leave Eastfield Market alone you greedy scum, or I will blow you all up.' Christ, I call that a threat."
"Really?" Jones narrowed his eyes at the sarcasm but amusement shone in his eyes.
They spoke with Shaun Crosby and found out a little more about the bank before returning to the station, JJ had printed off the files from Rixton and was reading them over, getting increasingly disturbed in regards to Donald Byrd.
David had spoken to the Chief and was now reading through the Crosby files, leaning against the younger's desk, their knees brushing ever so slightly.
David took the Byrd file when JJ was done and the young amused himself by watching him go paler and paler as he contemplated the case, he knew just how well war could screw up a man and sometimes the damage couldn't be repaired.
He leaned back in his chair, shooting back up when Ramirez came to the desk doing a good impression of Usian Bolt mixed with a scream queen.
"A call came in! Their's a bomb just outside Greene Bank ready to blow!" Neither Detective even realised they'd moved but still found themselves speeding to the crime scene, a siren blaring.
Officers were shouting, civilians screaming as the clock ticked away, 3, 2, 1, nothing.
JJ felt the air rush out of his lungs as the bomb squad picked it up to take it for analysis and he flamed at his lover who was watching him with concern, he handy realised he was stark white again.
Collecting the evidence past in a blur and JJ honestly couldn't tell you what he picked up, he felt oddly hollow until everything sunk in, and then he just wanted to be sick.
By the time they arrived back at the station the shakes had started and stopped and the information, grabbing Byrd and talking with Alfred.
David dragged the deranged suspects to holding before returning.
He grabbed his lover, pulling him into a bruising kiss, feeling him slowly respond, coming back to life under his hands, each movement adding a small spark of energy until the younger was kissing him as if we're a last breath.
They pulled apart by the smallest amount, breathing the same air and Jones was pleased to see the light shining in green eyes even if it wasn't as strong as it should have been.
To say JJ was furious when he found out that Ramirez had let the suspect slip out under his watch as was King and whole messy result had been Byrd blowing himself up, it was pure luck that no one had been hurt, physically.
David spent the night curled around his lover, soothing away the nightmares, the memories. Heart aching, gut wrenching with every sob, every whimper. Wiping away the tears that spilled over even in sleep.
The least painful part of it all was the bruising grip JJ kept around his waist, unwilling to let him go and he wondered how many of those nightmares included him. Of Byrd setting off that bomb and the red-head not grabbing him quick enough, not moving him behind that tree so neither the blast or the shrapnel would end him.
Tentatively he reached out, gent tracing the edge of the white bandage the wrapped his shoulder where a thin cut lay beneath, something that could have so well ended them both.