Note: We have some rocky ground coming. I put a case in there but my heart is more with Goren and Eames' relationship so the case isn't to be taken too seriously and only used to bring out emotion, and how everything is effecting Goren.
References to Blindspot. Not Beta'd
When he woke, the bed was empty and he looked down at the pillow that had replaced Eames sleeping form. He picked it up and placed it under his nose. The wafting scent of Alex filled his nostrils. Suddenly, he remembered, she wasn't in bed. He felt a panic stir inside him. He felt his heart beat stronger. His chest became heavy and he felt a weight as if someone was sitting on it. He had to take a moment to get his breathing under control. "Alex?" He shouted off from the bedroom. His voice was strained. He coughed and tried to get the morning out of his voice. His head ached slightly. Tequila. Nothing some water and aspirin won't fix. When there was no reply, he pulled the covers off and shifted his feet to the side of the bed planting them onto the floor. Not Again. I can't lose her.
He got up from the bed and crept through the door out into the living room. He sighed in relief when he saw her. Alex was sitting on the sofa curled up with a coffee.
"Finally, you're up." She exclaimed.
"Yeah uh" he wiped his eyes awake. "What are you doing up? I've never seen you awake before me."
"We get the search warrant today. I had all of this anticipating energy. I think I'm just eager to wrap this case up." He walked to her position on the sofa and kissed her cheek.
"Good morning."
"Morning, Bobby."
"I made coffee."
"I see. Thanks love. I missed you in bed."
"Yeah. I was restless. I thought about going for a run but settled for coffee instead. I heard you call for me. Did you have a bad dream?"
"I got worried when I didn't see you. It brought up some memories."
"Of when I was kidnapped."
"Yeah."
"C'mere." They sat on the couch cuddled together. Eames ran her hands up and down his back in a soothing manner. "I still have moments when I panic, not as much as right after it happened but occasionally, I'll hear something or smell something that takes me back. I have to remind myself that I'm safe and focus on my surroundings. I'm safe, Bobby. I'm right here." Goren leaned his head on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. He inhaled and and closed his eyes.
Goren got up and poured himself a cup of coffee and grabbed a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket.
"I'll be out on the fire escape."
"Okay." Eames knew better than to inquire more right now. She knew Goren just needed some time to himself.
He opened the sliding door and hopped onto the fire escape and grabbed a cigarette from his pack. He slid the cigarette between his fingers and put it to his mouth as he puffed to light it. He took a couple puffs then sipped his coffee. He alternated puffs and sips until his coffee was done. The morning air was cool. Goren was barefoot and the ground beneath him was also cool to the touch. Goren welcomed the sensation. His body's core temperature was warm and his hair was sweaty and matted at the back of his neck. Wisps of hair curling upward from the added moisture. He heard the sliding door open and Eames climbed onto the fire escape. "Hey you."
"Sorry, I came outside to keep the smoke from you."
"Uh huh. You know my dad smokes right."
"Yeah, I forgot. The smoking usually bothered my other girlfriends so when I'm not alone." Eames interrupted his babbling.
"I'm not your other girlfriends, Bobby."
"I know. You are an amazing woman. How did I manage to get so lucky to have you with me?" Goren deflected.
"You were annoyingly adamant, relentless, sweet and so very sexy."
"Is that so?" He pulled her closer into a hug. He had such few hugs in his life but he cherished every one. She leaned her head onto his shoulder.
"Mmhmm. You okay?"
"I'm fine, Alex."
"Okay. If you want to get something off your chest, I'm here Bobby."
"I don't need to get anything off my chest. It was a moment but the moment's gone." His body tensed up and he wanted to push her away but instead he pushed the feeling down. He took in a slow breath and Eames backed off sensing his discomfort.
"Okay, I won't bring it up anymore. I just wanted you to know, I'm here for you."
"Thanks." He took his last puff of his cigarette and smooshed it into the ashtray. He leaned in and gave Eames a quick kiss. He turned to walk away but was halted by Eames. She pulled him back for a much longer kiss.
"I wasn't done yet." She replied with a grin slowly making its way on her face. She intertwined her fingers with his and stepped up on her toes and kissed him again. "I mean it, Bobby. I have your back, always." He flashed her a quick assuring grin.
Sterling and Associates
Eames and Goren showed up to the suspect's office with Carver in tow and a warrant in hand.
"I thought, I told you not to come back. This is harassment. I'm going to have a talk with your chief."
"No, actually this is a search warrant, giving us the right to be here." Goren slammed the document into Mr. Sterling's chest "You're done." It was clear that Goren was in a mood. Eames saw it in his eyes with his eyebrows crinkled into a cranky expression and his body posture was stiffer and off putting. The tone of his voice had an edge to it. She was glad Carver didn't try to confront him in any way. Those two were repelling magnets despite the fact that they actually shared some things in common. Both were passionate, direct, and had strong personalities that liked to be right and would make sure you knew it when they were. Carver just trailed behind with a supporting presence enforcing the search. Thank God for small favors, Eames thought. She really didn't need him to set Goren off any more.
They pushed their way through the offices. Goren snatched some items up from the desk making a mess of it putting the items in the wrong places or knocking them over to the floor. Eames just shook her head. She hated when he was in a mood but she knew he needed to work his way through it a little before she could calm him down enough to open up about it. She just silently watched him as she poked around Mr. Sterling's documents in the file cabinets.
"Goren" she let out catching his eye and motioning him over. He walked over and bent down next to her. She passed him the file letting her hand brush his under the file. She removed it and let him breathe to calm himself a little. His face became plain."I think you may find something interesting in this one." She gave him a small smile and once she realized everyone else was otherwise engaged, she leaned in and whispered "Is it out of your system now?"
"What?" He whispered in response.
"Whatever it is that's bothering you." His face changed to a frustrated scowl.
"I'm fine." He let his hands swing out to his sides. He blew out air from his mouth and rolled his eyes back as he crossed his arms in a huff.
"Clearly." She snarked. "Bobby, I'm not gonna push you but this has to go right." She wanted to remind him that they needed to get through this search, this day without incident. He can blow up later and she would let him if he needed it but right now he was on the job.
She handed off the paperwork to some unis that were helping them collect all of the evidence. Goren found a couple personal items he wasn't sure of their significance yet but decided to bag them and have them logged in. Mr. Sterling ran to his side to protest his taking of those items but Goren just pushed his hand out pushing him away from him.
"Stop it," Goren clearly communicated with the man. He wasn't in the mood for his confrontation right now. Eames bagged some data drives, eyeing Goren from her peripheral vision. Goren found some loose photos in one of the drawers of Mr. Sterling's desk and asked Mr. Sterling for identification of the people in the photos. Mr. Sterling was in no mood to cooperate with him so Goren upturned his head and shrugged his shoulders. "No matter. We'll find out on our own." Goren informed as he tossed the images into a plastic evidence bag. Goren thumbed through a couple of the books and inside one of them a letter or note had fallen loose from it. Goren unfolded it and briefly skimmed it before tossing in a bag. They logged his laptop, took his suit jackets, and pulled samples of the flooring. "Make sure you photograph his office and the surrounding areas." Goren instructed as he knelt down looking for small traces of anything leading back to the victim.
Eames talked with the secretary who begrudgingly helped her access files on the main desktop computer and then vacated the area for her to search. Eames opened the drawers and looked through her personal belongings. One of the drawers was locked. "I'm going to need the key to this" Eames stated then instructed the secretary "unlock this" in a stern voice that led no room for questions. "Bingo. What do we have here?" She dug into the drawer room find a stack of papers. Underneath, she found a handkerchief covering the what looked like a small statue "Goren." He glanced up and walked in her direction. "Possible murder weapon." She stated frankly. He examined it briefly before the unis collected it for evidence.
"Some residue here maybe something from the victim. Blood smear. He pointed out with his left pinkie. Eames nodded. "There's some threads here. Tweezers?" He carefully removed it and placed it in an evidence bag.
"Looks like you did a rush job at cleaning this up. Don't attempt to take a job as a master criminal any time soon. You are really bad at it."
They placed the two under arrest and read them their Miranda rights. Unis put them in holding and processed them while Goren and Eames explored the evidence and came up with a working theory that would lead them to a confession.
"Maybe our victim found out what he was doing and got killed over it to what hide that fact that company was illegal front for dirty money."
She looked at him with a maybe in her eyes. Then, shook her head.
"He had to know that the murder would get traced back to him and his illegal front would be exposed. Why risk it?"
"Hey Einstein, anything you'd like to share with the class?" Eames jokes.
"I'm not seeing it, yet."
"But the wheels are turning?" He chuckled.
"You were right there has to be a larger reason but I can't find it, yet."
Interrogation / One Police Plaza
"You messed up. You really thought it was a good idea to hide the weapon at your place of business. Tsk tsk tsk. Rookie mistake. We have enough between the files and statements to put your business under and lock you up for fraud but tell me, why graduate to murder?" The suspect stared blankly. "What did she do? Did she find out what you were doing? Did she threatened to expose it?"
Still no answer. "We have evidence on the murder weapon linking to the victim some DNA, blood, and some threading that matches what she was wearing. We found the murder weapon in your building. It's over, you know that right? Your secretary is also going away for conspiracy and accessory."
"She wasn't involved." He finally spoke
"She hid the murder weapon and covered for you. Like hell, she wasn't involved." Eames responded.
"If I give a statement, can I get a deal to keep her out of it?"
"There's no incentive for us to deal. We have all the evidence to convict you." Eames responded
"I can clear up motive and give closure to the family."
"Do you really want to go through the hassle of taking this to trial?" His lawyer agreed.
"That's up to the ADA. We did our jobs."
They brought Carver in the interrogation.
"I hear you want to deal. Why would I want to do that?"
"I'll plead guilty. I'll take full responsibility. I just want Mrs. Lewis to remain out of the conviction. Can we do that?"
"You would have to give a full confession."
He nodded.
"And agree to maximum sentence."
"C'mon counselor that is egregious, my client is cooperating," his lawyer piped up.
He nodded. "Its okay, I agree."
"Okay so tell us what happened."
"Laura was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She came back for something she left behind. She heard us talking about the company and what we were doing with the billing."
"The fraud."
"Yes and she saw Mrs Lewis and I engaged in a compromising position. She wanted to leverage it for a payout. She threatened to expose everything, the fraud and the affair. Mrs. Lewis has children. My wife would divorce me and the company would fall apart. My life would be ruined. She wouldn't listen to reason. I panicked. I grabbed the statue on my desk and lunged repeatedly at her. Mrs. Lewis only hid the statue out of fear. She didn't have anything to do with the murder. She didn't want it to happen and was a mess afterwards. She should get to go back to her family. If we can keep the affair quiet and allow her to take back her life before she met me, she deserves that much. I made a mess of things and deserve everything that comes to me."
Eames looked at Mr. Sterling with disbelief that it boiled down to fear of his affair getting exposed. Men never learn. Poor Laura. Goren and Eames exited the interrogation room leaving Carver to work out the formalities.
"Good work, detectives." Captain Ross exclaimed.
