Chapter Four
"That poor girl," Jenny sighed. "She didn't have a chance."
"She might have, but not anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"Captain just called me. She slipped into a coma."
"Dammit. So let me guess, I have to be good cop again?" Jenny asked as she and Nicola headed to the interrogation room.
"Why? You wanna be bad cop?"
"I never get to be bad cop," she pouted.
Nicola paused outside the door. "Fine. You need the practice anyway. Just remember, he doesn't know that girl is still alive. Let him trip himself up."
"Fun. Let's go," Jenny said, squared her shoulders and after Nicola handed her the suspect's folder, opened the door and went inside. Their suspect sat in a chair, hands cuffed, looking pissed.
"About fucking time," he grumbled, but jumped when Jenny slammed the folder down on the table. Nicola grinned inwardly as she stood in the corner.
"In a hurry to go back to the clink?" Jenny asked him as she sat down and opened the folder.
When he didn't answer, Nicola reached into her pocket for a pack of cigarettes. "Do you smoke?" she asked him. When he nodded, she offered him one, and lit it for him.
"You've refused your right to counsel, correct?"
"Yeah. I don't need a lawyer. I didn't do nothin."
"That's very brave. Because whatever you say in this room can and will be held against you in court, do you understand that?" Jenny asked him.
"Yeah. It's bullshit."
"What's bullshit?"
"I didn't hurt that girl. We went out a couple times but I didn't lay a hand on her."
Jenny took out some pictures and laid them out on the table. "Doesn't look like that from where I sit. She didn't get like that all by herself."
She watched his expression as he looked them over and then looked away. "Well?" she prodded. "How did she get like that? Raped, beaten and left for dead in those bushes."
"How the fuck should I know? I didn't do it."
"Gee, that's funny, because your good buddy Ray was here earlier and he had quite a different story."
"Ray was here?"
"Yep."
"And you let him go?"
"I really had nothing to hold him with. And he claims you've gone on more than just a couple of dates, and each time, she turned you down for sex. Does that ring a bell?"
"Just because she turned him down, doesn't mean he did anything to her," Nicola said.
The guy looked up at Nicola and gave her a favorable grin, then back at Jenny. "I want her to interview me."
"Sorry pal, you get who you get, and you're stuck with me," Jenny said.
"Then why is she even here?"
Jenny leaned forward and whispered, "to make sure I don't beat your ass."
He looked back at Nicola, who merely nodded, then he looked back at Jenny, sizing her up. "Yeah right," he scoffed.
"She's tiny but she's been on probation for several police brutality charges. So don't piss her off. Now answer her questions."
"No."
"Well then, I'll leave the two of you alone," Nicola said and headed for the door. "I'll have EMS on standby," she whispered to Jenny, just loud enough for him to hear it.
"No wait!" the guy said.
"Are you going to tell us what happened?" Jenny asked, her voice softer now. She was done playing bad cop, Nicola could tell, but she was proud of her partner.
"Yeah, yeah okay."
"Look, we know you didn't mean to hurt her," Nicola said as she sat down next to Jenny.
"I didnt…"
"So run us through the night. What happened?"
Nicola's pager went off and she checked it. "I'll be right back."
When she was out of the room, she called the number and they put her in touch with House.
"Why are you calling me? I'm at work."
"Yeah, well I just wanted to tell you personally that the girl in a coma just died."
"Damnit," Nicola sighed. "Thanks for letting me know."
"No problem. Are you ok? You seem...frazzled?"
"I've got a suspect in the box and I have to get back. I'll call you later, okay?"
"Kay." And he ended the call before she could say another word.
Nicola returned to the interview room as the guy was shouting. "I didn't mean to kill her!"
"Wait hold on," Jenny said. "How do you know she's dead? I never said that. Did you, Lieutenant?"
"Nope, but I guess when you beat someone until they're motionless and bleeding, you would assume that, but guess what? She was still alive when you left her and that's why you're here. So let's just cut the bullshit and get down to brass tacks. You'll feel much better when it's off your chest."
The guy shook his head. "Well you can't charge me for murder. I didn't kill her."
"You still would have gone down for attempted murder and assault. But now we have a new charge. Murder one."
"What do you mean?"
"I just got the call. She died ten minutes ago. Stand up."
"Huh?"
"Stand up!" Nicola shouted and hauled him to his feet. "You're under arrest for the murder of Celeste Michaels."
Jenny read him his rights as she marched him down to booking and Nicola returned to her office and called House back.
"I need a drink, or two. Or even three. I'm not picky."
"Did you get your man?"
"I did. Or rather, Jenny did. Seriously, your call couldn't have come at a better time. He cracked like an egg in a hot skillet."
She could hear House chuckling. "So that drink, wanna meet up after your shift?"
"Sure. Six?"
"Where at?"
"I'm easy."
"Well I know that, but where do you want to meet?"
"Ha-ha, very funny."
"I thought so. Tony's? They've got a live band playing tonight."
"Sure. I'll be there. It's within walking distance."
"You didn't take your car?"
"No, it was nice out so I walked."
"I see. Okay then. I'll see you at six," and again, he ended the call before she could say anything else.
Shaking her head, she hung up and went back to work.
XXX
House had just sat down at a booth when Nicola entered the bar, found him and slid into the booth next to him.
"Hope you weren't waiting long."
"Nope, just got here. What're you drinking?"
"I'll have Gin and seven," she told the server when she came by their table.
"So how did it go with your suspect?"
"It was awesome. Your call helped. And for that I'm buying you a drink."
"Cool. So the guy is going down for murder?"
"Yep. Among other charges."
When her drink arrived, they clinked glasses and drank. "I need food. What's good here?" she asked.
"Everything. They do have good burgers."
"Done," she said and signaled their server. "Bring House another and I'll have a bacon mushroom burger with no relish."
"I'll have the same, but with relish and no pickles."
"Got it," she said and hurried off to get House's drink.
The live band finished setting up and began to play. They were a 90s Grunge tribute band but they were great and House could tell that Nicola was into the music.
"I never took you for a grunge girl."
"I love Nirvana."
"They're okay. Too emo for me."
She smirked. "Sometimes emo is a good thing. It reminds you that things can always be better."
"Interesting take," House said as their food came. Nicola ordered herself a beer to go with it and they ate while listening to the band.
However, one of the songs was cut short when the lead singer and the bass player seemed to have some sort of altercation.
"Emo, indeed," Nicola chuckled as she munched on a fry. House attempted to steal one from her plate but she slapped his hand. "Hey! These are mine. You have your own."
"Yours taste better."
"It's the same damn thing!" she laughed.
They were alerted to the stage when the singer punched the bassist in the face and he fell off the platform.
"Shouldn't you go and do your doctor thing?" she asked him.
"Is anyone here a doctor!?" someone shouted.
"I guess I have to now. I've been summoned," he said and grabbed his cane. Nicola got up and followed him. The bass player was lying unconscious on the floor.
"Give them some space," she called out as she expertly controlled the crowd while House examined the bassist.
"Call an ambulance, have them take him to Princeton Plainsboro.
"What are we supposed to do without a bass player?"
"I know one, a kickass bassist at that," House volunteered and Nicola's eyes widened.
"House!"
"We need to finish the set or we don't get paid," the singer whined.
"Well maybe you should have thought about that before you knocked out your bass player."
"Hey, sweetie," the drummer called to her, "you play?"
She ignored him and watched House examine the guy who was slowly coming around. He called Cameron to give her a heads up and the paramedics showed up to take him to the hospital.
"All in a day's work," he grinned as they went back to their table. The band played their last set, without a bass player, but it wasn't quite the same.
"Why didn't you play with them?"
"The drummer called me sweetie. That's all I needed to know that I didn't want to play with them. Besides, our jam session was much more fun."
"Yeah it was."
They finished their drinks and then went out into the dark night. "Need a ride?" he asked her.
"On your bike?"
"Yeah."
"Totally. But I don't have a helmet."
"You can wear mine. Where do you live?"
"Oh, you can just take me back to the station."
"Why? I can take you home, it's no problem."
"No it's fine. I have some paperwork I didn't finish and it needs to get done."
"What's the big deal?"
"I just want to go to the station."
"I can take you home, it's late."
Nicola rolled her eyes. "Ya know what, forget it. I'll just walk."
"What the hell is your problem?"
"There's no problem."
"Then why won't you let me take you home?"
"I don't want to go home."
"Do you wanna grab a drink somewhere else? Or get dessert?"
"No, I'm good."
House was getting impatient. "You don't wanna go home, you don't want to go out somewhere else, what do you wanna do?"
She groaned and turned away but he followed her. "Hey, where are you going?"
"I told you I'm not going home and since you won't take me to the station like I asked, I guess we're done here."
"I don't get it. I'm not trying to be a jerk here."
"Then just take me to the station."
"Why? What's the big deal about me taking you home?"
"Because I don't want you to see where I live, damnit!"
House was floored. "You think I care where you live?"
"It's a hole and I hate it, but it's all I've got."
"But you're a Lieutenant…"
"I know. Look, House, you're a nice guy. You can have any woman you want, you don't want me. I'm just a cop whose parents cut me off because I didn't want to live up their expectations."
"Do they know how long it takes to make it as a Lieutenant?"
"They don't care. I was just starting college when they cut me off. Hence the porn. I had to have some sort of an income to pay for school."
House nodded. "Come on, let's go. I'll take you to the station if you want but I'd rather see you get home safe. I wouldn't even walk out late in this neighborhood."
Nicola sighed and nodded. He clearly wasn't going to let it drop and she was tired of arguing. "Okay."