Thanks for the reviews! I've loved all the time I've had to write. Just to prepare you guys, I go back to school the end of August, and then updates will be snail-paced as usual. Thanks to rozzy, Loopey-Laura, anmodo, and Mariel!
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After her confrontation with Vivian, Sam needed her space. For all her virtues, she did not like being disputed, and she liked it even less when she found herself outgunned and out of verbal ammunition.
She got up from the worktable and went to make herself a cup of coffee in the break room. After setting the coffee grounds, water, and filter into place in the coffeemaker, she leaned back against the counter with a worn out sigh. Samantha massaged her temples and listened to the calm, constant sputtering and gurgling of the coffeemaker.
She hadn't meant for the discussion between her and Viv to become so goddamned territorial, but once they got started, she couldn't back down. It wasn't in Samantha's nature to leave well enough alone, and today with their tempers running thin and their patience running thinner, now seemed as good as any other to have it out with anyone – even Viv.
Samantha ruminated over the conversation, sorting through it like one might a cluttered closet or desk drawer. It had started with Martin. Martin broke protocol. Even worse, he did so after the factory, when Danny demanded they let him "talk" to Layman. Samantha huffed a laugh. Yeah, talk. Because they all knew that's what Danny did with uncooperative suspects. There was much a chance of that happening as there was for the Empire State Building to turn into a Pretzel Stand overnight.
Now, that was an odd comparison. Had Jack said that once? Yes, he probably had. She could almost hear his sarcastic drawl laced into the analogy.
And just like that, here Jack was again, center stage in her thoughts no matter what else she tried to think about. Sometimes Samantha saw him as a corrosive acid, burning through whatever solid foundation of thoughts she put into place. She frowned and grasped the skin between her eyes, as if trying to ward off a migraine. No, Jack was a mess of knots that she had neither the time nor the desire to untangle, not right now anyway. What she should be thinking about was Danny. Danny and his connection to those kids. That had started their argument, hadn't it?
She remembered leafing through the pages with Danny's cell phone number inner dispersed throughout the copies. Seeing his name written next to those numbers stirred a mix of emotions within her. She'd been startled, confused, angry, but mostly disappointed. Not because of Danny's actions. She'd worked her job long enough to understand what drives people to want to change the lives of those around them. Sam personally experienced it all the time, especially with cases that hit close to home. Danny made some mistakes, but it wasn't that.
Over the years, she and Danny had become close friends. Their relationship had started out with mutual respect and grown into a unique friendship born of affection rather than attraction. That kind of relationship was rare for Samantha, and that made her appreciate it all the more.
However, the more their team worked this case, the more she realized that she knew more about some strangers than she did about Danny Taylor. For months, Danny had been in over his head with Jordan Coliandri, and not once had she noticed that anything was wrong – not until last night at the bar. She hadn't noticed, and Danny hadn't said a word about it.
If they were so close, why hadn't he come to her? Why hadn't he trusted her?
But then again, it was probably like Vivian had said. Whatever had happened in his life was too complicated for him to talk about with them, or with anyone, no matter how close they were. His only outlet was his work and the volunteering he did at St. Luke's orphanage. He'd chosen that over telling anyone about his problems, even over her.
Samantha could understand, but it hurt all the same. Throw in that, Martin's vigilante justice, and Jack's gunshot wound, and it wasn't difficult to see why she lashed out at Vivian. In a way, their argument now seemed only appropriate.
With Vivian's words still fresh on her mind, Samantha arched her neck to look out of the break room and back into the office. Vivian was still there, working as constantly and methodically as she had been all day.
Turning back to the coffeemaker, Samantha made a decision and poured two cups of coffee. She put two sugars and a creamer in one and half a creamer in the other. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the office and set one of the coffee cups down on Vivian's desk.
Vivian looked at the cup and then up at Samantha. "Two sugars and cream?"
"As you like it."
Vivian took the coffee. "Thank you."
Samantha took a seat close to her and sipped her coffee. After a long moment, she said, "I get a little worked up. I guess it really is like Martin said. This case is personal."
Vivian's shoulders relaxed. She exhaled, as if letting her animosity towards Sam steam out of her body. "It's alright, Sam. It's been a difficult day for all of us. I don't think any of us knew how to handle it."
She smiled wearily. "I don't know. Compared to the rest of us, you look like the poster child for keeping professional boundaries."
Vivian smiled wryly. "I wouldn't be too sure of that. I mean, I'm here, aren't I? Reggie goes to bed without a good-night kiss and my husband sleeps alone tonight."
"Yeah, well…" Samantha loomed her eyes around the office, as she had on so many occasions before. "Even if it wasn't for Danny, I'd probably be here this late anyway."
"Don't tell my husband this, but I probably would, too," she admitted.
Samantha sighed. She quietly stared down into her cup. "I'm just worried about Danny, Viv." She arched her neck back up. "I just hope he's okay."
Vivian pointed to her computer screen. "If we find something, he might be."
As Vivian turned towards the computer, she couldn't see a proud smile ease its way onto Samantha's face. Danny, Martin, and Sam all complained about being stuck behind a pile of paperwork when it was their turn. Though she must have felt the same frustration, Vivian bore it with the grace of a queen.
"I've been thinking," Sam said, "about those numbers. I mean, we searched all day. There is not one common thread amongst them."
Vivian made a noise as if to say 'no kidding.'
"I think we need to branch out. Jordan didn't have a cell phone, and if she needed to make a call to Bryce Layman, she wouldn't have used the phones at the convent, Northeast Detention, or the payphone on Birch Street. She'd be too smart for that."
"You think we need to look into other blocks around the city, maybe ones close to the convent, close to the subway, close to the factory…"
Samantha begrudgingly smiled. "You already..."
"Made the call," Vivian answered, sharing her smile. "I got on the phone a few minutes ago and got in touch with Verizon for pay phone read-outs around the 10 block radius around St. Luke's section of the Bronx. After a good look at the phone numbers, I got to thinking the same things you were."
"Did they give you a time frame?"
"Within the hour."
"You're good, Viv."
"They don't pay me the big bucks for nothing."
Samantha got up from her seat. "I think it's time we took the map of the South Bronx out for another look."
Vivian turned away from her screen. "Good idea. If she was running drugs around the city, something tells me she might have had other places to be besides church in the morning."
