Hannah saw the two tired looking detectives as they entered the squad room, and stood in the doorway of his office to get their attention. They saw him and walked over.
"Good morning Captain." Mike said.
"Good morning. Good to see you two back safe and sound."
"Thanks." Mike and Nola said in unison.
"Logan, why don't you go down to that kiosk in the lobby and get us some of that fancy coffee." Hannah said, taking them by surprise.
Mike looked at Nola, then back at the Captain. "Sure boss. You want an orange mocha frappuccino?"
Hannah smiled, "Just an espresso, smart ass!" He pulled out his wallet and handed Mike some cash. "Get whatever you want for you and your partner.
"Want the usual Nola?" Mike asked. She nodded so he turned and headed for the elevators.
Hannah moved aside and invited Nola into his office, closing the door behind them. "Have a seat Falacci." He said, and then went to sit behind his desk.
"Captain I am really sorry. I didn't mean to…." She began, thinking her actions had probably gotten them in serious trouble.
"Nonsense. I am not here to reprimand you. I wish you had shared with me what you're going through right now. I need to know things like this Detective… not the details of course, just… when your personal life becomes a hardship. I can't have your back; I can't take care of my team if I am left in the dark."
Nola looked down at her hands folded in her lap. It sure felt like a reprimand. A lot like the lecture Mike had given her a few days ago. Keeping her eyes on her hands she said in a quiet voice, "Yes sir, you're right."
"How did your trip to Erie go? Were you able to achieve your objective?" Hannah asked.
Nola looked at him now. He really did not seem angry, but genuinely concerned, and it touched her that he cared. It made it hard not to break down. She never wanted to break down in front of Captain Hannah. "May I ask what Detective Logan told you about the trip?"
"He said you and your husband had been going through a rough patch, and that you came home to an empty house that night. That you'd found a note and that Jake had taken the kids. Logan said there was no way he was going to let you drive 8 hours through the night alone. He said you'd told him you couldn't get a flight, and that he was certain he would not be able to convince you to wait until the case was solved. I checked the flights to Erie after I hung up…."
"They all lay over somewhere until the next day! The shortest I could find was 13 hours! I am pretty sure I could not have afforded the ticket either. Jake has the credit cards." She felt tears misting her eyes and fought to keep them in check.
"Are you okay financially, Nola?"
She scowled, looking down at her hands. Her paychecks were directly deposited into a joint account of hers and Jakes. It never occurred to her to check her balance. "I think so. Jake handles the money." She looked up at Hannah.
He could see the new concern furrowing her brow and it worried him that Jake may have taken more than the kids. It also became clear that her trip to Erie had not solved anything. "Alright, go do that now. And keep me apprised of your situation from now on. I want an update before you go home today."
"Yes Captain." Nola said, standing up and leaving Hannah's office.
It turned out there had been some benefit to Mike and Nola's brief hiatus from their case. Hannah had sent an evidence collection team back to Rousseau's Gallery to go over it a second time with a fine- toothed comb. The detectives found an abundance of evidence reports and a collection of new leads on their desks that morning. Wheeler and Daniels as a sort of 'thank you' to Mike for all the surveillance hours he had logged, had already followed some of the leads up. Unfortunately they were dead ends.
Mike and Nola got started on the remaining leads. Every one they checked that morning was another dead end, so now they sat in a cafe having lunch and going over their notes, reviewing the rest of the leads. Mike was studying a list of names in front of him and could still not shake the nagging thought that had plagued him since the drive home the day before. What ever it was, it hovered at the fringes of his mind, fleeting just out of reach every time he thought he knew what it was.
Andrew Lydecker, Walt Handy, Melanie Thatch, Bill Preston, Sean Reed… "Bill Preston! Bill!" Mike said suddenly startling Nola. He stood abruptly. "We have to go, Nola, we have to go right now!"
"Can I finish my lunch at least?" Nola asked."
"No! Come on!" He said grabbing the second half of her sandwich off her plate.
Nola stood up then. "Is it the case? Who is Bill Preston?"
He handed her the sandwich half, pulled a twenty from his wallet, dropped it on the table, and grabbed the case reports. "No, not the case, not Bill Preston, Bill Porter. We have to get back down town to the City Clerks…."
She followed him out to the car, "Why, what about Bill Porter?" She dropped the sandwich into a garbage can on the curb and got into the passenger side.
Mike went around and got into the driver's seat. He started the car, switched on the lights and siren, and pulled away from the curb. "Nola you have to file for divorce as soon as possible! Damn! You should have done it first thing this morning. Hell, you should have called a lawyer from Erie and done it yesterday!"
'What? No Mike! I still think Jake and I can work this out."
"Fine, work it out. But in the meantime you have to file." He glanced at her and was relieved to see that she looked more angry than upset. Maybe she could handle a little truth. "Nola, I don't think Jake plans to reconcile."
"Oh? Something Bill Porter told you?"
Mike looked at her again. "No. A long time ago I had this friend, Bill Porter, and he and his wife started to have problems, but he continued to believe they could work things out. One day he comes in and tells me the wife has taken the kids to her mother's… in Nebraska! But Bill still thought they were going to reconcile. He even flew out there once! A week after he got back to the city he gets divorce papers in the mail."
"So, it happens, couples divorce all the time."
"He had to move to Nebraska Nola, just to see his kids! The Nebraska court system destroyed his life. She was awarded full custody, even though she had no job, no skills. But she had her whole family there and it was determined that the children would be better off around family than being in day care all day with strangers while he worked. Nola, you can only file for divorce in one state. If Jake files in Pennsylvania, you'll lose everything." He looked at her; she was staring straight ahead, absorbing his words. "If we are not too late, and you file here first, you'll win, okay Nola? Your family is a little too far to help with the kids, but you have friends here, and know more than one lawyer, and at least one judge that will be on your side."
"Mike, so you think Jake knows this; that this was his plan all along?" She sounded worried.
"Have you ever known him to have any acquaintances in the legal system? This is not common knowledge. I am fairly sure he just ran home to momma because he's scared and confused. Nola, Jake probably feels a lot like you do right now." She looked skeptical. "He didn't clean out your bank account, and he left the check book behind. Do you think he's vindictive?"
"I guess we'll find out when we get to the City Clerk's Office… how ironic. I am filing for divorce the same place Alex and Bobby got married…."
Alex wasn't surprised when Bobby returned in time for their afternoon session with the twins. She could have told Captain Reynolds he would not find any flaws in Bobby's work. They switched babies this time as they did every session, and Alex was delighted when Timothy demonstrated the same signs of recognition with her as he had with Bobby. Bobby asked Nurse Janie to pick up Claire first to see how she would react toward him. As with Alex, Claire went from agitated to tranquil.
Janie didn't want to spoil Alex and Bobby's delight at this critical junction in the preemies development, but there was a stage she needed to prepare them for. "Just so you both know. It is very common for preemies to digress somewhat just before they are ready to go home. Theories are that it has to do with the transition from the machines that have been sustaining them in the incubator to normal crib care. Probably, as uncomfortable as the machines are, they get accustomed to them."
"But it'll mean they're that much closer to coming home right?" Alex asked optimistically.
"Yes." Janie said. "That's the spirit Alex. When it comes to preemies, all progress is good progress. And don't be worried that they may not develop at the same rate. Preemie growth stages are very unpredictable." Janie left Alex and Bobby with the twins, confident that there would be no more surprises for this family. The babies were strong, and the parents were nurturing and attentive….
As Bobby and Alex cuddled together again in the visitors chair they talked excitedly about their plans for when the twins came home. Finally satisfied that they were in complete agreement about all the important things, like night feedings and diaper changes, Alex said, "So, can we talk some more about Donny?"
"Sure. In fact I have made a decision. You know my apartment is rent controlled, right?"
"Yes, and why it is such a hard decision to give it up." Alex replied.
"Between us we know a lot of people Alex, professionals, blue collar types, civil servants. Plus, you have a huge family. We have resources, wouldn't you agree?" Bobby gently moved a lock of her hair back over her ear as he spoke, letting his fingertips brush her cheek.
"Yes." She said, smiling and holding his hand against her cheek for a moment, delighting his touch. Then she let it go and said, "Are you considering asking one of our acquaintances to put Donny up?"
"No, to give him a job. Alex, if he had a job, I could let him use my apartment, and he could pay the rent, or utilities, or whatever he could afford depending on whatever job he can get. That would give us a few extra bucks in considering a new place."
"You don't want Donny living with us." Alex stated.
"I hardly know the kid…."
"He's gotta be about 25 now."
"Even worse; I hardly know the guy. And Alex, I am not leaving a virtual stranger, ex-con, at home with my wife and kids while I go off to work every day, no matter how related we are, until I get to know him."
Alex hugged Bobby. Then looked at him, smiling. "Bobby, you and I have great instincts. We both read people very quickly. I think we'll know instantly what kind of person Donny is." He started to say something, and she put her index finger to his lips. "I think yours is a brilliant idea, because the money will help, so yes I support you in this. I just think that we will be okay with Donny in our lives. When he was in holding at Major Case he seemed like everything Frank said he was, a scared kid, not a hardened criminal."
"Alright, I'll give his mom a call tomorrow." Bobby said, and Alex hugged him again.
"Well." Mike Logan said as he and Nola entered Alex's Maternity ward room. "Maybe we should come back later."
Alex got up and moved toward Nola. The two ladies hugged, and Alex said, "Nola! How are you?"
"Come on Bobby, let's give our partners some privacy." Mike insisted.
As Alex had said, she and Bobby had great instincts, and one thing was for sure. Nola needed some 'girl time' with Alex. "Sure Mike." Bobby said getting up, and following Mike from Alex's room.
"Alex, you are up and about now! Does this mean you can go home soon?" Nola asked.
"Yes, Monday. What is it Nola? Something's wrong." Alex perceived.
"I filed for divorce today." Nola said, her voice cracking even as she said it.
Alex took Nola's hand and lead her to one of the visitor's chairs, then moved the other chair closer. She took Nola's hand again. "I'm sorry Nola. I know that's not what you wanted. Why did you do it?"
"He took the kids, Alex." Nola began
"Oh my God, Nola. When? Where?" Alex listened as Nola related the last 24 hours to her. She did not leave out the part about spending the night at Mike's.
"I know he loves Clarissa, Alex, what do you think he meant by that?" Nola said at last.
"That he likes you, a lot?" Alex confirmed. She nodded. "Nola do you believe it is possible to love more than one person at a time? And I don't mean like you parents and siblings, I mean like two different lovers."
"I don't know. Alex I have spent almost a year trying to hold my marriage together. And yet, I have to admit, I am really attracted to Mike."
"And he's attracted to you. You are two good-looking people. If you are asking if Mike has feelings for you, then consider this, the terms 'like' and 'love' don't mean nearly as much as the phrase 'care about' when coming from a man. What were your intentions when you suggested you share his bed last night?"
"I swear Alex, I just wanted some company. I wasn't thinking about sex at all."
"You're an intriguing individual Nola. How old were you when you got married?" Alex asked.
"20." Nola answered.
"How many guys have you slept with Nola?"
"Two. The guy I dated in high school, Prom night…." Nola smiled at the memory. "And Jake."
Alex smiled. "Nola, I think you should stay at your Moms… I know it's a longer commute… but with everything you are going through, until you know what you want, I think you shouldn't stay at Mike's. I know Mike is a great guy, but he is a guy, and I think if you stay at his place, you're going to give in."
"Yeah, I know you're right. It's just that my mom and my younger sister are going to be unbearable. I am going to hear I told you so as long as I stay there. But if my younger brother is there, he'll stick up for me."
"Well, it's for the best. It's better that than to do something you may end up regretting, especially if you still believe you and Jake can reconcile." Alex said.
"We have one more lead we want to check out this afternoon. We've just come from the Clerks office because the hospital is on the way. And, the address we are headed for is actually on the way to my mom's, so yeah, I'll stay at mom's tonight."
Mike and Bobby came back then. "You ready to go?" Mike asked Nola.
She and Alex stood up and hugged again. "Call me anytime Nola, ok?" Alex insisted, and Nola nodded, and then followed Mike from the room.