Author's Note: More procedural drama. There's more character stuff in the next chapter, I promise. Big stuff.
Disclaimer: Law & Order: Criminal Intent belongs to Dick Wolf, NBC, and Wolf Films, et al. The characters and setting are borrowed without permission. This is a work of fan fiction. The plot belongs to me. I am making no money from this. I humbly request not to be sued.
Title: The Ivy Green
By: Marion
Chapter: 28
Donald Mason gave them Ambrose Roberts' address and place of employment. He was working at the Fulton Fish Market. They showed their badges to his boss and he directed them back to Mr. Roberts, who was unloading salmon from a refrigerator truck.
"Mr. Roberts," Alex said in her tough cop voice. "Detectives Eames and Goren, NYPD. We need to speak with you."
He looked over at them, clearly sizing them up. He wiped his hands on a grungy towel and came over to them beside an open loading dock door. He held his hand out to Alex to shake, but she didn't. He let the hand drop. "What can I do for you, detectives?"
"Where were you last Thursday night into Friday morning?" asked Eames.
"I was home, with my girl friend," he said. "You can ask her. We spent the whole night in bed." He quirked his mouth suggestively.
"We'll do that," said Bobby. "What's her name?"
"Carine Lopez," he said. He gave them her number and said she was living with him.
"Do you beat her like you used to beat your daughter?" Bobby asked coolly.
The man's face grew hard. "That little bitch was a born liar, just like her mother," he said. "I never laid a hand on her." He lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke out the loading dock.
Goren sniffed the air. "What do you know, Eames?" he murmured. "He smokes cloves."
"I noticed. When was the last time you saw your daughter?" asked Alex.
"I ain't seen the little hell spawn since she lied to the judge at my trial," he said. He spit on the ground.
Bobby's temper was flaring. "What do you mean she 'was' a born liar?" he asked, his voice betraying his anger.
Ambrose faltered. "She was born a liar," he said. "She's dead to me. Now I need to get back to work."
Bobby grabbed the man by the collar of his gray coveralls. "She's dead to you, is she?" he snarled. "That's because you killed her."
Ambrose Roberts backed away from Bobby Goren, snatching his collar from the man's grasp. "Shyné's dead?" He sounded genuinely surprised. He cursed under his breath. "Look, I didn't kill her. I don't even know where she is."
"We'll be checking up on you," said Alex. She had decided Bobby needed to be removed from this situation before he went off on the guy. "Don't skip town."
Roberts snorted. "Right," he said. "I'll just cancel that trip to Boca Raton." He tossed his cigarette out the loading dock door.
"You do that," Goren growled as he walked away from them. Alex put a hand on his arm and they left the fish market by way of the loading dock. "I want to throttle that guy," said Bobby, breathing heavily.
"I noticed," said Alex. "Take it easy. If he did it, we'll get him."
"If?" said Bobby. He knelt and bagged the butt of Roberts' cigarette. "He did it."
Alex looked skeptical, but didn't argue. "Let's go check his alibi," she said.
"Girl friends always alibi," said Bobby. "And they make terrible alibi witnesses."
"Let's do it anyway," Alex said, more command reaching her voice. He glanced at her and then nodded.
xxx
The apartment building where Ambrose Roberts and his girlfriend lived was a slum. Alex had to jump to the side to avoid a roach on the walk up. The hallway smelled of beer and piss and cigarettes.
"Nice place they've got here," said Eames. Bobby's only response was to let out a loud breath. He rapped on the door of the apartment.
They could hear movement and voices from inside. "Carine Lopez," Eames called. "This is the police. We need to speak with you." More rustling.
Finally a scantily clad, stoned looking woman came to the door. Her long black hair hadn't been washed in weeks. Track marks were visible on her arms. "What do you want?" she said roughly.
"Carine Lopez?" asked Eames.
"That's me," she bit out. "What do you pigs want?"
"Can you confirm the whereabouts of your boyfriend last Thursday night?" Eames asked.
She laughed. "Ambrose was right here until he went to work on Friday morning," she said. They heard movement inside the apartment.
"Ma'am is there someone else here?" asked Eames. Bobby stood behind her, trying to look imposing.
"Ain't nobody here," said Carine. "That's my cat you heard."
"Who were you talking to when we got here?" asked Goren.
"Nobody," she said. "I was on the phone. Are we done?" There was a crash behind her.
"I think I hear an intruder," said Eames, glancing at Goren. "We should make sure Miss Lopez is safe before we leave." He nodded.
"Ma'am," said Eames, "Please let us check your apartment. We'd just hate for someone to harm you on our watch."
"Hell no," said Carine. "You pigs plant evidence." She gave Eames a shove into Bobby.
"Carine Lopez," said Goren. "You are under arrest for assaulting a police officer. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, and to have the attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you at no cost." Eames wrestled Carine's hands behind her back and cuffed her.
"Entrapment," the woman screamed. "These cops are kidnapping me. I'll get you for this." She let loose a wordless guttural scream that pierced the air around them.
"Jesus Christ!" exclaimed Eames. "Use your right to remain silent!"
A half naked man stumbled into the living room of the apartment. "Hey," he shouted. "I paid for that hoe. You can't do this to me."
"Never underestimate idiots," said Alex. "Sir, did you pay for Miss Lopez to have sex with you?"
"Just a hummer," he said. "And she ain't done it yet."
"Bobby, call a wagon," said Alex. She walked into the apartment. "NYPD." She held out her badge. "Sir, put your hands on your head." Her hand was on her gun.
"Oh hell no, man," he said, reaching behind his back.
Alex's gun was in her hand. "Put your hands on your head," she shouted. "Don't make me shoot you!"
The man froze, his hands halfway behind his back. "Slowly," said Eames. "Put your hands on your head."
"I'm vice squad," he said. "Check my back pocket. I'm a cop."
Alex drew closer to him. "One move and I will shoot you," she said. She reached in his back pocket. He was Detective 2nd Grade, Matthew Bright. "You aren't too bright, are you, Matthew?" Alex snarked. "You should have identified yourself sooner. Who's your CO?"
"Lt. Pulaski at the One Five," he said. "Call him. I'm on assignment."
"I used to work your beat, rookie," said Alex. "You could have handled this much better. Your mistakes could have cost you your life. Pulaski will hear about it."
"Are you stealing my collar?"
"We have her for assaulting a police officer," said Goren. "We have a higher claim."
Detective Bright sighed. "I'm sorry if I caused any trouble," he said.
Bobby and Alex took the screaming, cursing, writhing woman outside to a waiting patrol car. Then they got in their SUV to head back to the station. "I swear they are hiring children these days," she said. "He barely looked like he'd hit puberty."
Bobby snorted with a little bit of laughter. "You were a rookie once," he said.
"And if I'd gotten shot by another cop because I was an idiot, you'd still be going through partners who don't last more than six months," she snapped. She hadn't meant for it to come out as cold as it did. The look on his face told her it stung. He turned back toward the window. They rode the rest of the way back to the 1PP in uncomfortable silence.
xxx
"What the hell did you guys do?" Ross asked when they returned to the squad room around four that afternoon. "Lt. Pulaski is having a fit. He says some of my detectives insulted one of his squad and stole a collar."
Alex laughed. "Captain," she said. "I used to be on his squad. Let me talk to him."
"Did you insult one of his squad?"
"The guy almost got himself shot because he didn't identify himself. He was a fool and I told him so," said Alex.
Ross held the phone out to her. "Be my guest."
She took it and explained the situation to her old Lieutenant. She returned to her desk when she was through. "Hey Bobby," she said. He glanced up at her and went back to reading the file he was working on. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."
He nodded stiffly. She bit her lip and began to read a file of her own.
"Eames," he said, in that tone of voice that said he had something. "I think I know where we might find the Marsen kid."
She got up and circled the desk to look over his shoulder. "That the kid's juvee file?" she asked. He nodded. "Whatcha got?"
"He likes to hang out in the sewer tunnels," said Bobby. "Shall we go spelunking?"
"You want to go down in the sewer tunnels?" she whined.
He smiled at her. "Where's your sense of adventure?"
"I like these shoes," she protested. "Send some Uni's down there to pick up the rat."
"Go change," he said. "I know you have coveralls and ratty sneakers in your locker."
She glared at him. "Do you think this kid is a suspect or a witness?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" he asked.
Eames faked a pout, then hurried off to the locker room. Bobby grinned to himself.
Author's note: Thank you all for your reviews. I caught a little flack for my last author's note. I'm not going to stop posting, even if I never get any reviews. I promise. Most of that note was me kidding around (as per usual). That said, it's just good form to review. We (fanfic authors) don't get paid. We just write for our enjoyment and yours. Writing is hard work. And many of us are self-conscious. (I know I am.) It's always a brave thing to put your work out to be judged. Reviews are the only encouragement we get. They mean the world to me. And I know they mean the world to other authors, too. So do something good for your karma. Brighten someone's day. Review. Not just my story. Thank you.
