Return To Maine Chapter 23
A/N: Thank you all for allowing my little rant. I hated having to do that, but I will not sit idly by while some, unfeeling people throw gasoline on an author or their story. If you have a criticism to make, please do it kindly. If we as authors and readers stand together then maybe, we will cut way back on the trolls here on FF. That is my hope, anyway. I am so thankful to all of you who continue to love and support this story.
I have decided to try and muddle through this on my own, as for some reason I cannot get back to P2P, but P2P, if you are still out here reading, I may still need your help. Now, on with the story.
"What have we got, Ryan?" Kate asked as she hurried from the Conference Room to her desk.
"A distraught female called in and said that she found the body of a woman on the mushroom at the site of The Alice In Wonderland statue at Central Park as she was going for her morning run is all I know."
"Alright. Let's go." she said as she grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer and they hurried to the elevator.
"Come on, Beckett. Whose the guy?" Espo asked as the elevator doors slid shut. Kate rolled her eyes. Did he honestly think she was going to dignify that question with an answer? Absolutely not! If that was what he thought, he had another think coming.
She hated getting calls in the park, as she had to dodge pedestrians and visitors, joggers and dog walkers, street vendors and street musicians and every other form of humanity as she crossed another concrete walkway to get to the crime scene.
Off to her left, she saw the medical examiner's van, ambulance, and other police vehicles parked in an open field next to the crime scene and cursed as her cruiser thumped over a curb to get to the open field and she parked her cruiser in between two others with their lights flashing.
Ryan and Esposito pulled up next to her and she unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out.
Ryan and Espo were at her heels as she walked briskly to the crime scene. "Come on, Beckett. Just tell us who the guy is."
She halted in her tracks and turned to him, "Why do you even care? Don't you two have enough to worry about in your own relationships without butting into mine?"
Espo grinned. "So you are in a relationship?"
No!" she replied vehemently.
"But you just asked…"
"It was hypothetical, Espo. Okay. Come here and I'll tell you." she said, stopping beneath a tree.
"Okay. Who?" he asked, leaning in close to hear her.
"Okay, but you have to promise not to tell a soul."
"I won't. I promise."
"I mean not ANYONE, Espo. Not even Lanie." she deadpanned.
"I am not sure why I am agreeing to this, but you have my word, Beckett."
"Mine too." Ryan piped up.
"Okay." she said, lowering her voice to a near whisper, then added, "It's Lou Ferrigno Jr. and he's even bigger than his dad."
She watched as both the boys's eyes got big and then Ryan caught on to her statement and leaned over and whispered in Espo's ear.
"Ha Ha. Very Funny, Beckett. I can't believe that you just told me that you're dating the son of The Incredible Hulk. "
Kate laughed. "But you so fell for it. I still don't understand why who I date is any of your business."
"So you admit that you are dating someone?"
"I'm not admitting to anything but how is that any of your business?"
"Come on, Beckett. You know that Ryan and I love you like a sister and we feel that we need to vet anyone vying for your affection to protect you."
"Seriously, Espo? Is that what you're going with?"
"Yeah. It's the truth" he nodded.
"Look, I feel the same way about both of you, but have I ever vetted any of your girlfriends?"
"No, but it's different with me and Ryan.
"No buts, Espo and it is no different so stop trying to act all macho on me. I appreciate how you both feel, but I am a big girl and can take care of myself, thank you."
Unis lifted the crime scene tape for them to cross under. "Hey, Lanie. What do we have?"
"Hey, yourself. How was your long weekend?" she asked, glancing up from her prelim of a very attractive brunette woman with large brown eyes and a bullet wound in the center of her forehead.
"It was great. Nothing special. My dad and I went up to the cabin and did some Spring cleaning, you know?"
"Uh huh. Now, when are you really going to tell me the truth?"
"Tell you what?"
"What you really did this weekend and who you were really with. I know that you weren't with your dad because I saw him at Whole Foods on Saturday and you were not with him. And besides, what is this I hear about a new piece of jewelry and I want to see it and know who it is from."
Damn it, Espo! "It's nothing! It's a gift from my dad, that's all."
"Not from what I hear."
"Just tell me about our vic." Kate huffed.
"Okay. Fine. But after work, I'm bringing a bottle of red and a pizza to your apartment and we're going to talk about this."
"There's NOTHING to tell!"
"Girl, I'm a smack you! You think you can pull the wool over my eyes? Think again."
Great! Now she was going to have to think about what to tell Lanie now, too. And in all honesty, besides Rick, Lanie knew her better than anyone else. And when Lanie got wind of something, she was like a dog with a bone and she wouldn't let go until she knew the truth.
"Lanie! The vic!" she countered, nodding her head to the deceased woman.
"Right. COD is a single gsw to the forehead with a large calibur, probably a .45, but won't know for sure until the shell casings are found, if they are or until I get her back to the morgue. TOD, I'm estimating somewhere between midnight and 4:00 am, but that's prelim. I'll be able to give you a more accurate TOD later today."
"Thank you." Knowing that she would get no more information from Lanie until later, she spun on her heel and headed to the woman that apparently found the body.
As she was walking away, she heard Lanie call out from behind her. "See you tonight."
She raised her hand dismissively in acknowledgement of Lanie's parting words and continued on.
A/N: I am going to leave this chapter here and begin on the next. I just wanted to see how this would go. Sorry, I know it is kinda weird to stop here and it's kinda short. Next chapter will be longer and look out for Kate has something in mind for the boys's meddling and needling her before this day is out. Have a good day! And P2P, I am so sorry we have been having trouble touching bases.