Chapter Seventy-nine
"Maybe that wasn't such a great idea."
Looking down at the drawing of Jake that Neal had done for him Walsh felt a shiver in his spine at the predatory gleam in the Jake's dark eyes. He had used Neal as a bit of an excuse to keep Peter in the loop without technically breaking any laws, but he'd neglected to take into account how hard the request might be on Neal. With a fellow Agent involved in the case Walsh was finding it more difficult to keep to the book and keep everything strictly professional. He hadn't been treating Neal or Peter for that matter like the victims he was used to dealing with. However the way Peter had reacted to the news about Jake and seeing the way Neal had drawn him even when trying to make it expressionless was a reminder to Walsh that he needed to tread more carefully with the pair in the future.
Slipping the drawing of Jake back into the file he was carrying Walsh stepped up to the Nursing Station to announce himself before being directed to Ethan's room. If where Ethan had been found was any indication Jake hadn't stayed close to the Labyrinth and as a result Ethan had been taken to a hospital across town from where Peter and Neal were recovering. In fairly stable condition Ethan was on the regular recovery floor with one of the hospital's own security guards standing outside.
Flashing his badge at the guard Walsh was allowed inside the small room. The battered man that closely resembled Neal had the head of the bed up so he could sit up and cradle the young girl, maybe two or three years old, curled up in his lap. There was an anxious looking man with blonde hair sitting in a chair next to the bedside. The blonde man looked up at Walsh and instantly got to his feet in a defensive stance. With his partner on high alert Ethan looked around with a bit of a delay in his reactions that was likely due to anti-anxiety medications. Walsh flashed the pair a professional reassuring smile before holding his badge up for them.
"Special Agent Alan Walsh, FBI. How are you feeling, Mr. Talis?"
"Please, call me Ethan." Ethan smiled as he looked down at the child sleeping in his lap and up at the man at his side. "I'm better now. This is my husband Brian, and our daughter Sophie."
"It's good to meet you." Walsh nodded. "Ethan, I know you're already spoken with the police, but I do have a few more questions."
"I don't understand," Brian said in a highly passive aggressive tone "I could barely get the police to care when Ethan first went missing, now suddenly the FBI is involved too?"
"Brian, please." Ethan chastised.
"No," Brian said in frustration "when I went to the police and they found out we were gay it was just automatically assumed that you were just 'stepping out' of our marriage as if…"
Brian stopped when Sophie started to stir. Ethan reached down and smoothed out her strawberry blonde hair but it didn't keep her from waking up. Looking around the strange hospital room and seeing Walsh Sophie buried her face against Ethan's chest to hide. Ethan grimaced in pain but kept quiet. Brian still looked angry but he didn't want to fight in front of their daughter.
"Brian maybe you should take Sophie."
"Okay." Brian nodded as he calmed for his daughter's sake. "I love you."
"I love you too."
After gathering Sophie up in his arms Brian flashed Walsh a defiant look as if challenging him to discredit his and Ethan's relationship. Having no problem with the unconventional family Walsh didn't react. Clearly stressed Brian left the room reluctantly.
"I'm sorry about Brian," Ethan apologized "this has been really hard on him."
"I can't imagine." Walsh said sympathetically.
"I…uh…I'm not even really sure how I'm doing with it." Ethan said suddenly looking close to tears now that he didn't have to put on a brave face for his loved ones. "I'm just glad it's over. I honestly thought Jake was going to kill me."
"Jake?" Walsh asked surprised. "He told you his name? That wasn't in the police report."
"I was still in a bit of a daze when I was talking to the police," Ethan admitted "I don't…I don't even remember much about what I said to them, I just wanted to see Sophie and Brian."
"That's understandable. I know it's difficult but do you think you can you tell me about what happened?"
"I…uh…I was coming home really late, about 2am, I'd had a conference call with Japan. I was waiting for the subway and I saw a man down on the tracks, he seemed to just come out of nowhere. I rushed over and helped him up onto the platform, once up he started to thank me but when he actually looked up at me…I…I don't know…he just froze and stared at me with a look of shock or maybe even fear. I don't know, before I knew what was happening he…he attacked me." Retelling the story was making Ethan increasingly anxious as his sapphire eyes brightened with tears. "I…I was just trying to help, I didn't even think he might be dangerous, but it all turned into a nightmare so quickly. I…I…"
"It's okay." Walsh assured. "Take a break."
'Th..thank you." Ethan said sounding miserable.
"Tell me about Sophie."
"She's everything to me." Ethan smiled warmly. "Brian and I adopted her a year ago, we were nervous but I can't imagine life without her. That does remind me though, Jake didn't seem to understand my phone, he thought I should have pictures in my wallet. Everything about him was…not quite right."
"Can you elaborate?"
Ethan visibly hesitated to continue as he started breathing more heavily under the stress of the memory. Walsh hated pressing him but he wanted to know as much as he could about Jake's mental state. It was a positive sign to have learned that Ethan had been a crime of opportunity instead of Jake having actively sought him out. Walsh still wasn't sure what more he could do to find Jake but at this point any information he could get was better than nothing.
"He was very physical, but at the same time not really sexual." Ethan said quietly as he started to rub at his bandaged wrists. "He was always running his fingers through my hair, he would curl up against me to sleep, and he'd get angry when I didn't look at him. I didn't know what to do, he'd go into a rage one minute and the next he was putting his ear against my chest to listen to my heart. I also think he might be sick."
"You mean physically?"
"Yes." Ethan nodded. "His skin was very warm, and he often winced in what looked like pain. There was also this…scent on him, like…rot."
Walsh made a mental note to ask Peter if he might now the source of Jake's apparent infection. Due to their own medical and mental instability neither Peter nor Neal had given proper full statements to anyone about exactly what had happened. The broad strokes of their captivity were obvious and literally written out on their skin, but Walsh had been filling in some of the details on his own from other evidence found in the Labyrinth. Learning that Jake was possibly critically was a huge step in the right direction since he might eventually break down and seek help at an ER. Even though he no longer felt he needed to upset Ethan further by showing him Neal's drawing he could have it faxed to all the local hospitals for staff to keep an eye out for him.
"Can you tell me anything about where he took you? Do you think you could draw a map back to it?"
"I'm sorry, Agent, I was so scared I just ran. I wandered around for hours before I found help."
"It's okay, I doubt he's still there." Walsh said. "One more question and I'll let you get back to your family. How did you escape?"
"I didn't." Ethan said simply. "Jake let me go."
"Just like that? He lost interest?"
"No…uh…" Ethan looked around nervously to make sure they were alone. "I kissed him."
Walsh couldn't hide his look of surprise.
"I was desperate to try anything." Ethan said sounding mortified. "I'm not sure what I was thinking, but he was all over me and I…I didn't know what else to do. At first I thought I'd made a fatal mistake. He got so angry."
"And then he let you go?"
"He literally threw me out."
"Okay, thank you, this has all been very helpful." Walsh reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a business card. "If you think of anything don't hesitate to call."
"Thank you." Ethan took the card with a shaky hand. "I…I don't have to worry about him coming after me again, do I?"
"No." Walsh replied confidently. "I know this sounds cliche but you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Walsh didn't add 'with the wrong colored eyes' to the list but he knew that it was likely the strongest factor in his abduction. Ethan nodded at hearing that he was safe but he still understandably looked on edge. Walsh thanked him again before leaving. Brain was waiting out in the hall with his daughter in his arms protectively. Holding Sophie closer Brian stepped up to Walsh with an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, Agent, it's just…"
"It's okay." Walsh interrupted.
"Do you think you're going to catch this guy?"
"He's at the top of my personal most wanted list." Walsh replied seriously.
Satisfied by the response Brian thanked him before heading back to his husband. Walsh sighed and shook his head sadly knowing that even if they did catch Jake Ethan was never going to know or get his day in court. At the moment Jake was a major piece in the case against Walker and if he was brought into FBI custody there was going to be a record setting amount of deal making if he agreed to back Peter up and testify against Walker. Jake wasn't just going to walk free but he did have a unique opportunity to end up in WitSec custody instead of just being thrown behind bars.
"Assuming I can find him." Walsh muttered to himself.
Not really any closer to Jake Walsh pulled his phone out to check the time and found it was barely noon. He was still mostly banking on Asha's help right now for bringing Walker down for white collar crimes if nothing else and he wasn't about to miss his appointment with her this afternoon. Walsh was just about to put his phone back in his pocket when it rang showing a number from his office.
"Walsh."
"Hey, Alan, how's your day?" Tony from the lab asked.
"I've had worse." Walsh answered truthfully. "You got some good news for me?"
"Not really. We identified one of the branded bodies brought in on the Labyrinth case. Calvin Miller, reported missing just over three months ago, next of kin is his mother Judith Miller."
"No, no, I'm not…"
"Boss says it's your case."
"Burke/Caffrey is my case not…"
"Sorry, Alan. I'll text you the address."
Before Walsh could protest further Tony hung up on him only to have an address almost instantly spring up on his text. Swearing under his breath Walsh looked down and made sure the tie he was wearing was an appropriate dark color for his next task. Looking suitably somber and having several hours before he met with Asha Walsh didn't really have any good excuses. Walking back to his car Walsh headed across town with a sick feeling in his stomach. He had done several 'next of kin' notifications in his career and they had always been painful. Getting to the small walk up in a run down neighborhood Walsh knocked on the door. A tired looking older woman answered the door. Looking at the Agent on her doorstep a deeply sorrowful look fell over her face.
"Mrs. Miller?"
"You found my son, didn't you?" She asked in a near whisper.
"We did." Walsh confirmed. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Mrs. Miller sighed as tears streaked her face. "It's good to at least know he's at rest. In my heart I knew he was dead but the nagging uncertainty has been a constant source of pain. At least now I know he's not suffering."
Walsh just nodded. He wasn't used to having a family member already through most of the grieving process. In the past he was usually caught up in either the anger or the denial stages but it seemed like someone had helped Mrs. Miller through her son's disappearance to the point of acceptance before he'd even arrived.
"Can I…can I see him?"
"That's not advisable." Walsh said gently. "Once the investigation is over it would be best to coordinate with the FBI for cremation before the remains are returned."
"So it was murder?"
"The investigation is still open." Walsh answered evasively.
"I understand." Mrs. Miller said sadly.
The knot in Walsh's stomach tightened. Although she had initially taken the news very well he could tell that as she was getting a chance to process it the reality of her son being gone was starting to catch up with her.
"Do you have any support?" Walsh asked. "I can stay until they arrive if you'd like to call them."
"Actually I do have someone, but I will go to them."
"I can give you a ride to their house."
"Thank you. It's actually a support organization: Light for the Lost."
"Light for the Lost?"
"Have you heard of them?"
"Yes I have."
