One Police Plaza

Captain Ross walked back to his office running into Goren who informed him they had updates.

"Roy claims he was working but his key card had him out at 5."

"Avery's mother said they were due to arrive on friday for their wedding anniversary with woody."

"She was going to bring her lover to her parents' anniversary?"

"Woody's stayed with them before they think he's a sweetheart. They also think she's separated from Roy."

"Do they seem happy about that?"

"Very. Avery's mom thinks Roy is controlling. She always thought it was a matter of time before he blows."

"Well, he has before. His first wife took out a restraining order on him when they divorced. Woody and Avery. Nobody's heard from these two in four days," Eames asserted.

"The carjacking wasn't staged because they thought Kathy would find them. It was staged because they thought Roy would hunt them down," Goren replied wondering why he didn't catch it sooner.

"Let's bring him in and see if he changes his tune when confronted with the facts."

"Uh, Eames should do the interrogation alone."

"Alone with a guy who has been violent before and prone to blow up. Do you think that's wise?"

"No, he's right. I should do it." 'He is right,' are the last words I thought I would utter today.

"You've got a deathwish, detective?"

"He's a wifebeater,-" Goren began to explain but was interrupted.

"Exactly, why she should not go in there alone."

"She can handle herself," Goren looked at Eames to communicate what he said, he believed. It was genuine.

"It's the smart play. It will put him off-balanced that a woman would be telling him what he did or didn't do. He's controlling. It's our best option to put him in a situation he can't control."

Goren wanted to smile at her answer. They've taken down worse guys before and besides Eames could take down a man twice her size, especially a man who is emotionally explosive. That usually meant they were unbalanced enough for her to get the upper hand. I would be in there before it got crazy but I don't think it would.

"I don't like it but if you guys agree."

"We do." Eames said, giving a look to Goren as a token of appreciation that he vouched for her. That he believed in her abilities. It was a quick moment but Goren drank in the eye contact.

"This you agree on. Okay, you got him but if it goes sideways on you and you need help to get out of there, give us a tap." Captain Ross pointed to the glass 2-way mirror.

"Eames, play it extra humiliating."

She looked at him and didn't really like that he was directing her. "Isn't my first day on the job, Goren. I got this."

"I-I, um. Yeah."

Interrogation Room

She walked in the room full of confidence and swagger. She was in control. Heck she was chasing that control all day.

"Turns out you left work early. You came home after midnight. How you track Avery down, Roy."

"Track her down? What am I?"

"Well, we know you're a wifebeater. Maybe, a murderer."

Goren watched from behind the two-way mirror. He was on guard for any tell that she was rattling him too hard and he needed to step in. But she was also watching her. She was in her element.

"How's it going with you guys? Patching things up?"

"She's still angry. "

"She'll get over it."

"Maybe," Goren said hopefully but he wasn't so sure. He had never seen him this mad at him or this hurt. His attention drifted back to Eames in the interrogation room.

"Maybe a murderer? No, I'm a lover. I was with my lady friend."

"You were having an affair, too."

"Avery stepped out on me. I stepped out on her. I guess everyone wants what they can't have"

Eames smiled, "she have a name?"

"She does but I'm not giving her up. You can't hold me."

"Oh, yes we lied to us about your whereabouts."

Roy began to get annoyed. He started loudly rapidly tapping on the table.

It was working, Eames smiled.

"Oh, she's got him. That's his tell. He wants to appear in control of his emotions but h-he's not. It still comes out. In the house he tried to hide his bandaged hand but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't help bringing my attention to it." Goren rattled off to Captain Ross.

Captain Ross listened but continued watching the interrogation.

"For how long?"

Let's ramp up that annoyance shall we. She gave a noncommittal shrug palms up with a large smile on her face. You aren't in control here, Roy.

"Okay, my friend's married. If I give you her cell, you've got to promise me...don't call her night, you got me."

Eames laughed in his face. She knew that would tick him off. "Roy, I don't know what's more pathetic the idea that you think we would believe you or the idea that a woman would willingly sleep with you."

That got his attention. He folded his hands tightly in front of him. A controlling stance balling his hands. A show of force.

"He's angry now. See his hands. They are clenched tight. He is trying to appear calm with his hands folded in front but his whole body posture changed. She hit a nerve, alright. He did the same thing to me when we confronted him at his home. He stepped up to me threateningly but tried to play cool and spoke calmly like it wasn't angry. It's the quiet before he snaps."

Goren knew that first-hand. His stepfather behaved the same way when he was drunk.

"Should we get her out?"

"No, we need him to snap. Motive and we can hold him longer to establish evidence."

"What's the matter, baby? You're so used to ground chuck that you don't know filet mignon when you see it?"

Goren was a little annoyed by him. I wouldn't exactly call myself ground chuck there, Roy.

"All those steroids you took, your filet mignon wouldn't please one woman let alone two."

That's our cue. But she was quick. She was ready for him.

She was up before him ready for him as he picked up the edges of the table to flip it, instead pushing it aside. She pushed him down on his chest to keep him from escalating. Goren and Ross were already leaving the observation room just in case she needed reinforcements. She didn't need them. She handled him and played him right to her last remark. An officer came in to cuff him.

"Now we can hold you for a long time."

"You got me wrong. I make women smile."

Eames cringed at that line. Did he actually think that line worked for women? She exited the room joining Goren and Ross in the hall.

Even though I knew she could handle herself I was still nervous. I didn't realize I held my breath until I saw her exit the room.

Goren breathed a sigh of relief, "Well, Roy knew that Avery was leaving him. Now, he could have followed Woody and Avery to the Bronx and killed them while they were switching plates."

"All that effort to escape Roy and they end up leading him to the perfect killing ground."