Major Crimes Mysteries
The Family McCoy
Chapter 24
As soon as the team left the office, Sharon called Dr. Joe's office to set up a meeting with him as soon as possible.
"Sharon, he actually has a ten am opening." His receptionist told her. "How about I get you in? You sound really upset.
Sharon texted Andy and Provenza to let them know that she would be gone from the office from about ten thirty am to a bit past noon due to unforeseen circumstances. Flynn immediately called Sharon's phone, but it went right to voicemail.
"What in the hell is going on, Provenza? First this nightmare and now this." Andy told Provenza with a worried look to his face.
Andy texted Sharon, but she failed to return his phone call or respond to the text message.
Provenza realizing this was more serious than the last time, was sympathetic to his friend. "I don't know, Andy. She didn't give you any clues?" He asked his best friend.
"No. Not a one. I begged her to talk to me, but it was totally the opposite. It was almost like she didn't want to be in the same room with me. I just can't figure out what I did, Provenza." Andy said almost on the verge of tears.
"Well, whatever you did, I think it rubbed off on me. It felt like she was ignoring me. She didn't even give me an assignment to do. It was definitely Mike and Buzz who were the teacher's pets today and you're married to her, Flynn." Provenza said with a hint of sarcasm to his voice.
"Hey." Mike could be heard saying from the back seat where the duo relegated him to sit even though he drove better than both of them.
"Mike, are you going to say she wasn't showing you favoritism?" Provenza asked Mike.
"I would hope so, after all, I more than likely found Rebecca McCoy's son. Can I get some brownie points for that please? Mike asked the two men in the front. "After all, didn't we have to deal with years of you being her pet, Andy. You didn't hear me complain." Tao told Andy.
"Suck up." Provenza said under his breath directed towards Mike Tao.
Tao just rolled his eyes in the back seat.
They got to the address of the first Eric Roberts. Tao, Andy and Provenza climbed out of the car and walked to the door. The house was a beautiful gabled house in an area west of the 410 which meant Eric Roberts had some money to him.
Tao rang the doorbell and a man of about fifty answered the door. "Eric Roberts?"
"Yes, I am Eric Roberts." The man answered.
"Mr. Roberts, are you familiar with a woman by the name of Rebecca McCoy? She might have been known as Rebecca Parkey when you knew her." Tao asked him as he held up a picture of Rebecca.
"Nope, but I just moved to California from New York a couple of years ago. I took a job with one of the studios." Roberts answered. "Should I know her?"
"Maybe. Did you live in New York all your life?" Andy asked.
"Born and bred. Miss it every day." Eric Roberts answered. "No change of seasons here. When you work for the studios though, they tell you where to live. There is nothing like upstate New York."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Roberts. We will let you get back to what you were doing." Provenza told him.
As Eric Roberts closed the door, Provenza looked at Mike and said, "Well that would have been too easy, wouldn't it have?"
"Well, we have two more to go." Tao said optimistically.
"I see Feinman's deli floating away. That pastrami sandwich has someone's name on it. It just isn't mine." Provenza said sadly.
"Tao, what is the address for the second one?" Andy asked him ignoring Provenza's comment completely. "Tao gave Andy the address, which he plugged into the navigation system. "So, from the Northwest side to the Southeast side."
"Yep, bye Feinman's" Provenza said.
In the traffic, it took them about one and a half hours to get down to where Eric Roberts number two lived. Provenza complained the whole way down about being hungry and wanting to stop for something to eat.
"We're not stopping Provenza. I want to get these interviews done and get back to Sharon. I am truly terrified for my wife." Andy told him.
"Flynn, don't fret it. You probably did something stupid to piss her off, and she'll forgive you in a couple of days. In the meantime, you are pissing me off right now and you don't care." Provenza told him.
"We. Are. Not. Stopping." Andy reiterated making sure to emphasize each world.
"Fine, but I drive back to the office." Provenza told him.
"No, you're not." Andy retorted as the final word.
"See, Flynn. This is how you piss people off. You probably did something like this to Sharon." Provenza came back absolutely refusing to allow Andy to have the final word.
"So, Provenza, as you are thinking that I did something to Sharon, maybe you should be asking why she was pissed off at you too. In case you forgot, we didn't see her talking to you at all. She didn't even give you an assignment today." Andy told him.
Provenza looked out the window reflecting back on what had occurred in the office. "Flynn, you're right."
Andy looked at Louie with a knowing glance that he knew he was right and that now both should be concerned with whatever was the matter with Sharon.
Mike Tao sat in the backseat thinking he should have brought his own car versus riding with these two. He swore to himself he would never make that mistake again.
When they pulled up to Eric Roberts number two's house, Provenza said out loud "Toto, we are not west of the 405 anymore." They found themselves in a very rough neighborhood. The house next to Eric's house was boarded up and had gang graffiti written all over it.
The three men went and knocked on the door of the house and a man in his late twenties answered. The trio introduced themselves and asked if Eric Roberts was home. When the man who answered the door introduced himself as Eric. The team looked at one another.
"Eric, is your dad's name Eric, by any chance?" Tao asked him.
"No, my dad's name was Harold. He passed away about a year ago from a stroke." He responded to the team.
Provenza simply thanked him and the team turned to walk back towards the car.
"Well guys, this is looking to be a fool's hunt." Andy said as he sat in the car. "We only have one more Eric Roberts and what are the odds?"
They drove in silence to the last home of Eric Roberts not expecting much. The address was attached to a mechanics garage that had an apartment above.
The team got out of their car and walked towards the garage entrance that had several cars up on lifts.
"Hello." Andy called out.
A man in his mid-forties pushed himself out from under one of the cars. "Hi. How can I help you?" The man said looking at the badges being displayed on the men's belts with a sudden look of concern on his face.
"Eric Roberts." Andy asked.
"Yes. I am Eric Roberts." Eric responded.
"Sir, do you know a Rebecca McCoy?" Tao asked.
"Yes. I do. She is my son's mother." Eric answered.
Eric could not miss a sense of excitement cross the men's faces.
"What is your son's name?" Tao asked.
"Tristan Roberts." Eric answered.
"Is your son here?" Provenza asked.
"No. He is camping in Yosemite. He called me the other night. He is looking for work up there he likes it up there so much." Eric answered. "Gentleman, what is going on?
"Sir." Tao said without answering any of Eric Roberts questions, "We are going to need for you to follow us down to the PAB office."