"Sally in the Alley"
Author: carmen_085
Disclaimer: I don't own any Rookie Characters. All original characters belong to me
Summary: They stared at each other in the darkness; the endless Wyoming sky above them. It was another dead end and she knew he was at the breaking point. They were risking it all to find a killer, hundreds of miles from home and no back up. But they wouldn't go back, not until they found justice for her. (Takes place after 2x11)
Author's Note: This idea just came to me. Not a whole lot of Rookie Fics on here yet. Hope everyone likes it !
Chapter Two
Lucy sat in the empty roll call room. It was nearly ten o'clock but Mid-Wilshire was still buzzing with activity. Staring at her hands on the table top she tried to think of something…of anything besides Isabel laying in that pile of trash. She had been a cop once. She had walked the same streets Lucy was walking now. Isabel had sat in this roll call room, uniform just as blue as the one she was wearing now. And she had been Tim's partner; backed him up, protected him, fell in love with him. It was easy to dismiss a dead overdose in an alley; just another dead body. But when you know the story; know where that person came from and how they got there, it wasn't so simple. Isabel had been exactly where Lucy was right now, there was almost no difference between them. Only choices and time.
Looking up she saw the back of Tim's head in Gray's office. While she couldn't see his face she knew he was still putting a monumental effort into keeping it together. His shoulders were tense and drawn back as his right hand twitched nervously on the butt of his pistol. When Tim was nervous he always did that. Looking away for a moment she wondered why she knew that. Why she paid so much attention to the things he did. Shaking her head she forced that question from her mind. There was no time for it right now.
Word had, no doubt, spread that Tim's wife….Tim's ex-wife had been found dead. Due to her recent criminal activities most everyone knew the 'deal with Bradford's ex wife' as it was referred to in hushed whispers and nervous stares. They knew she was drug addict but they didn't know it was because of the job. Because she went undercover and got addicted. Because, really, she had given up everything to be a cop.
The door opened as Nolan slid into the seat next to her. "Tim in with the boss?"
She looked at him and nodded. Had it been anyone else she would have been annoyed but it was Nolan and this was just him. "I thought she was clean." Lucy nodded again, looking at her hands.
"She was. She was doing really good." She didn't know why she felt the need to defend Isabel but she did. Shaking her head she cast a glance at Tim, "So did he. He had no idea she relapsed."
Nolan leaned back in the chair exhaling deeply. Both of them looked up as Tim left Gray's office headed for the locker room not bothering to cast a glance their way. Lucy watching him go as Gray opened the glass door, eyes landing directly on her. "Chen.."
Snapping toward her boss she hoped that he hadn't seen her staring at Tim. "Yes sir."
Gray looked to Nolan for a moment before back at her. "Shift's over for you. Go home and get some rest."
She lingered on Gray's face for moment. Go home and get some rest? They needed to be out there doing something. The longer they waited the less likely it was they would find something. The boss saw her hesitation and was quick to jump on it. "You didn't forget what I said earlier?" Chen was quick to shake her head,
"No sir." Gray looked at her dubious for a moment before nodding slightly.
"Armstrong's lead on this….he'll get the bastard." Nick Armstrong was a great guy and good detective but the level of intensity he brought to this would not be enough for her TO and she knew it. She forced a smile for Gray.
"I know he will." Tapping the glass with a file in his hand her CO retreated back to his office.
"You should get some rest. It's been a long day." Nolan got up pushing his chair in as she nodded following him. "I'm sure Armstrong will be up on this all night."
Agreeing with him they parted ways as she headed to the locker room. She was relieved that neither Harper nor Lopez were also in there as she didn't want to answer anymore questions. Before Tim went into Gray's office, Lucy had been grilled by the boss and she lied to him. Yes…lied to him. While she honestly didn't know anything new about Isabel she also conspicuously avoided the questions about before. When Isabel was out on the streets using, and they spent the majority of their days chasing her around. It would look bad on Tim and she didn't want that, not now…not after everything they had been through and everything that just happened.
Emerging from the locker room she slung a bag over her shoulder as she cast a glance toward Gray's office. He wasn't watching her and was rocked back in his chair talking on the phone. Yes she would do her best to keep Tim from going off the rails but she also wasn't going to stop him from doing what he needed to. The cool night air blew her hair into her face as she walked around the building to her car. As she rounded the corner a pair of hands reached out and grabbed her pulling her against the building.
Caleb shoving her into the trunk of a car flashed into her mind as she gasped. Freezing she became stiff as a board not even able to reach for her gun if she wanted to. The touch wasn't rough, though, it was warm and gentle and even familiar in some way. "Hey..Hey..It's me. It's me." Tim's voice brought her back to reality as she shook the hair out of her face and blinked. He let her go as he scratched the back of his head. "I"m sorry…I.."
She shook her head straightening up. "It's…It's fine. What are you doing out here anyway?"
Looking around her back to the front door of the Division he checked the parking lot to make sure they were alone. "I…I think I know where to start with this." She was silent as she took him in. Every muscle in his body was tight as his right hand twitched involuntarily near the gun on his hip. "But if you're going to do this with me I need you to know that we're going off the standard playbook." He would understand if she said no. She had just been kidnapped and almost killed. Lucy was also still a rookie, his rookie no less and his responsibility so there really wasn't one good reason he should be asking her to help him. Except that he wanted her there; needed her there. Yes her probation wasn't over, but despite that she had crossed over from his trainee to his partner. And no matter what he tried to tell himself about her, he couldn't deny that. So, yeah, he wanted her there with him and as he stared at her in the dark he hoped with every part of himself that she would say yes.
"I'm with you. I already told you, whatever it takes to make this right." Tim let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"Alright…Let's go." Not looking back, Lucy nodded resolutely as she followed her TO to his car.
Tim slowed the car to a stop as he cut the ignition. They sat there in silence as he eyed a run down apartment complex. He hadn't said anything to her since they left the station and it didn't seem like the time for her usual nervous small talk. Staring down at her hands she took a deep breath.
"Who lives here?" Tim stared out the driver's window, his elbow propped on the door and the back of his hand covering his mouth. She couldn't see his face but she could see the muscles of his neck twitch.
"She'd been out there for a while….using again. I saw her arms." Lucy averted her eyes back to her lap. He wasn't wrong. His voice was strained when he spoke again as she wondered how long he would be able to keep this up before he totally lost it. "I…I had no idea."
In the meager street light she could see his chest heaving up and and down as he struggled with himself. She hadn't touched him; not since she tried to stop him in that alley. Her mind flashed back to laying in the dirt, holding onto him for dear life sobbing hysterically. Before that they hadn't really touched each other much; at least not when it wasn't necessary. But since that day, she had developed a subconscious physical pulling toward him and he to her. It wasn't anything anyone would notice but it definitely there. A hand on the shoulder, two knees bumping together under the desk, or leaning into one another whenever they stood side by side. They had become a salve to everything that was frayed or torn inside of the other.
Reaching out she tentatively place her hand over his right wrist. He flinched at the contact before letting a strangled sigh escape his lips. Through the warm skin of his forearm she could feel his pulse racing. Ever so slightly he turned his palm up as she, encouraged by this, slid her hand into his. Tim let his eyes slip closed as he interlaced his fingers with hers. Taking a few deep breaths before squeezing her hand he opened his eyes, turning his gaze to her. Lucy's eyes met his gaze as she offered him a faint smile.
"I'm really sorry this happened to her." Tim nodded meeting her eyes briefly.
"Me too." Pulling his hand from hers, he gestured toward the building. "Every time she slipped up…it was always because of him. Michael Sanchez, they call him Mickey, she met him when she was under. He got her addicted. If she was using again, he would have known." Lucy followed his gaze across the parking lot to an apartment with the door ajar. Warm yellow light streamed out as the curtains blew in the cool night air. He turned to her, his expression a mix of desperation and warning. "If you don't want to…it's ok. You don't have to. This is my problem, not yours."
Lucy shook her head as she returned his stare. "Your problems are my problems," pausing she steeled herself. "We're partners." They technically weren't partners; she was a rookie and he was her TO. But they weren't like Nolan and Harper or Lopez and West. There was something more, though, and it started the moment Isabel came charging out of that liquor store on her first day. He let her in that day, not because he wanted to but because he had to. Now they let each other in because they both wanted to. That was partners and she felt it with everything inside of her and she knew he felt it too.
He looked at her silently before turning back to the apartment neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Lucy let a breath out she didn't know she was holding. Unlatching the driver's side door, Tim pushed it open as he paused for a moment looking back at her. "This shit bag makes one wrong move you shoot him…Do you understand me?" Lucy paused before nodding slowly. "I don't care if he give us something or not…I…ah…" he shook his head looking away as she stared at him. "I..I can't let you get hurt again." He said the words so fast they all ran together as she sat there stunned. Swinging the door and stepping out into the street Tim didn't wait for her to reply as he began walking toward the apartment.
I can't let you get hurt again.
Those words tumbled over in her mind as she hurried to follow him across the parking lot. Taking her gun out she followed him up the stairs as they moved silently. Loud Spanish music wafted out into the cool night air as they inched closer to the open door. Crouching down Tim peered over the ledge of the window, careful to stay out of sight. The curtains blew inward with a breeze coming off the ocean. The room was empty. Standing up, Tim cautiously swung the door open.
Lucy's eyes wandered over the dirty couches and the coffee table littered with drug paraphernalia. The carpet was stained and torn as the smell of burnt plastic stung her nostrils. Staying close behind Tim, she kept her gun up and level. Somewhere in the back hallway she heard a door swing open as a loud voice yelling in Spanish came toward them. A hispanic male appeared with an iPhone pressed to his head, completely oblivious to their presence.
"What the fuck…" Turning, his break for freedom was cut short by Tim's fist. The iPhone went flying as he stumbled backwards into the dining room table. Pinning him to the table, Tim held him down by throat. Looking back toward her he nodded toward the hallway.
"Clear the rest of the apartment." She didn't need to be told twice as she swept the back rooms finding an open window but no other people. Returning to the living room she stopped, eyes coming to rest on her TO.
"Clear." She could see the muscles of his jaw twitching as he barely acknowledged her. Bent over the table, Sanchez stared up at him wide eyed as Tim tightened his fingers around the poor bastards neck.
"How long had she been using for?" Sanchez wheezed as his legs kicked wildly. Leaning into him Tim wasn't going to stop until he got the answers he needed. Lucy winced at the look on his face, it was dark and deadly and something she wasn't used to seeing. Their prisoner was about to pass out as his eyes rolled back into his head. Stepping forward Lucy came to stand next to Tim as she reached out touching his arm gently. A strangled breath escaped his lips as he eased up slightly.
"Tim…" Sanchez was on the verge of passing out as blood trickled out of his nose. Releasing his hands from the doughy flesh of the man's neck Tim watched as he crumpled to the ground. Glancing at Lucy he shook his hand as he walked around the couch putting space between himself and his ability to lose all control. On the floor Sanchez's head lolled side to side as he wheezed for air. His voice came out croaked and disjointed when he spoke.
"What do you mean had…" Tim stared at the wall not able to make eye contact much less say the words.
Bringing her gun back up Lucy bit her lip before speaking. "She's dead. We found her today." Sanchez looked between the both of them as he coughed blooding coming out of his mouth as he shook his head.
"Oh God…"His head dropped back to his hands as he shook it side to side. Turning to look at him, Tim stood there with his hands on his hips. His gun was back in the holster at his side as a wry smile crossed his lips.
"NO !" Lucy jumped at his outburst. "NO! You don't get to cry over her…" Taking two bounding leaps he was back on Sanchez, this time this gun pressed against the man's forehead. He quivered under the pressure of the Glock against his skull. Swallowing hard Lucy didn't dare lower her own weapon. Despite that she hoped with everything inside of her that this didn't go any further. Yes, she had agreed to back him up no matter what, to take this as far as they had to, to get justice for Isabel and make this right. But this was Tim, her Person, the one she trusted more than anyone else. He couldn't be someone who killed in cold blood.
"I haven't seen her in about a month…" His words came out in sobs as blood dripped off his face and onto the carpet. "She didn't have the money for dope so she started doing meth." Tim's outstretched arm began to shake. "Last I knew she was running around with some white boy…they call him Joey…."
"Joey what?" Tim leaned into the barrel of his gun harder as Sanchez moaned in pain.
"I don't know man…I…" Taking a step forward he put the toe of his boot into the man's crotched as he howled. Leaning into Sanchez's ear his voice was low and deadly.
"I don't have the time to fuck around with you, Mickey. So I'm going to ask you again…Joey what?"
Sanchez rolled side to side in agony as sweat beaded up on his forehead. "Joey Ferguson …" Taking a step back Tim kept the gun against his head.
"Where can I find him…"
"He's gone." Shaking his head side to side he continued to sob in pain. "He left LA a couple days ago." Lucy felt sick; Isabel had been laying there for two days. "He has a cousin that does that shit….I don't know what the fuck it's called…some kind of oil drilling shit. It's in Wyoming; on some Indian Reservation."
"Fracking?" Lucy's voice caused Tim to drop his right arm; his hand still twitching at his side. Sanchez looked at her, seemingly relieved for a second.
"Yeah…yeah that's it." He slumped over to the floor looking up at Tim with pleading eyes. "Joey's brother told me he had two strikes, drugs and shit..you know, wanted to get out of California before he gets locked up for life. Nobody said nothing about Isabel…I swear if I knew he hurt her I would have killed him … You gotta believe me."
Glancing down at Sanchez a look of disgust came over his face. "Oh yeah, you're a real knight in shining armor…" Lowering his arm, he shook his head, "No matter who killed her; it'll always be your fault, Mickey." Holstering his gun he glanced at Lucy before heading to the door.
"She never loved you." Tim paused before stepping out as Lucy saw his shoulders tense. "If she did, she never would have starting using in the first place." For a second it looked like he was about to turn back, an undoubtedly brutal response to Sanchez's harsh accusation.
Turning his head so that the reply could be heard Tim's voice came out soft and low. "I know."
The door to the roll call room was slightly ajar as Lucy looked up at the clock. It was nearly two in the morning but she still wasn't tired. After the boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend as it seemed, gave up Ferguson they immediately returned back to the station. Lucy wasn't hopeful as Sanchez seemed less than reliable, although it was as good a place as any to start. Armstrong meanwhile had buried himself in a mountain of files trying to understand how a cop's ex-wife could end up raped and murdered in a pile of garbage.
As her and Tim bent over the computer, Lucy reasoned that they were due for some luck. Earlier that day Wyoming Highway Patrol had recovered an abandoned vehicle registered to a Barbara Ferguson of Los Angeles; Joey's grandmother. He had most likely stolen her car in an attempt to make a quick escape from the city. Inside were hand written directions to a place called Lander, Wyoming; a small town just outside the Wind River Indian Reservation.
And for the first time today, Tim let out the breath he was holding and relaxed ever so slightly. That's until they went in to talk to the boss. Gray was pulling an all nighter helping to fill Armstrong in on Isabel's history. Staring at both of them in clear displeasure he gestured toward the roll call room. At the door he held his hand up to Chen.
"Wait out here, Officer Chen." Back to the wall, she slid down until she was sitting on the floor. The door hadn't closed all the way as she pushed it open fractionally; just enough to hear what they were saying.
Tim leaned against one of the tables, legs crossed at the ankle as he hesitantly met his CO's stare. "What the hell are you thinking?"
Pursing his lips he shook his head, "I can't just sit back and do nothing…this is my ex-wife we're taking about !"
Gray shook his head. "I know. And the only reason you're not in there being questioned right now is because I know you ! And I know what you would have done for her if you could." Tim had to acknowledge that if this was any other situation with any other CO, he would have definitely gotten interrogated by the detectives.
"I know…and thank you for that." His voice was soft, conceding. Gray looked at him silently.
"You think this Wyoming thing is credible ?" Tim paused for a moment before nodding.
"Isabel always went back to Sanchez, every single time, if anyone would know, it would be him." Gray considered this for a moment. Tim, seeing his opportunity to push it further added, "The car proves he's there." Standing up straighter, Tim walked toward him. "Please….I have to know."
Gray looked at the torment on the younger man's face as he sighed. If someone hurt his wife, his daughter; he would tear up the world finding them. "OK. But you're not going alone. Armstrong will…"
Before Grey could finish Tim cut him off. "No." Armstrong was a nice guy but Tim didn't trust him, not yet anyway. There was something in his past that he wasn't telling them, something dark that lurked just behind the shadows in his eyes. Gray looked at him surprised. Tim licked his lips searching for a plausible reason that the CO would buy. "I think he needs to stay back; in case this turns out to be nothing. Keep on the trail here." It made sense, he hoped Gray would buy it.
After a few moments he reluctantly nodded, "OK. How about…" Before he could finish Tim met his eyes to show he was serious as he interjected.
"I want to take Chen with me." This time Gray didn't stop to consider.
"No. Absolutely not." He shook his head vehemently. "She's rookie and with everything she's been through you want to put her through this?"
Tim didn't have a good explanation for that as he dipped his head. When he spoke again his voice was weak and emotional. "I…I need her there, sir. She's my partner and I don't want anyone else backing me up."
Outside the door Lucy felt tears come to her eyes as a gasp escaped her lips. Covering her mouth she pushed herself up to her feet.
Gray studied Bradford, his expression somewhat softened. "With everything she's been through…can she do it?"
Lucy pushed the door open standing in the back of the room. "I can do it."
Both Tim and the CO turned abruptly not expecting her to be there. Gray opened his mouth to speak but Chen cut him off. "We don't leave each other behind. We don't keep walking when one of us falls down." Coming to stand next to Tim she looked at his face for a moment before looking back to the CO. "And we don't stop looking when someone is lost." Tim swallowed hard as a wave of emotional tore through him. "We kick down every door, talk to every witness, and take it as far as it needs to go to make things right." Taking a deep breath she looked Gray right in the eye. "I can do this, Sir. I want to do this."
Gray looked between the both of them as he shook his head, "Find a flight to Casper or Cheyenne or wherever the hell you need to go. Leave in the morning, before this lead goes cold." Sighing he moved to leave the room before turning back, "Nobody gets hurt on this….you play it safe…and you both come home."
Tim nodded as he replied taking responsibility for both Lucy and himself, "We will."
The door shut leaving them standing there feeling both excited and terrified.
TBC….the adventure starts next chapter. Yes this will be AU as it is going to take place outside of LA but it will also be all Lucy and Tim all the time !
Thank you to all for the wonderful reviews. Keep them coming !