The Congressman's Wife

Chapter 4

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

2:00 pm

Sharon had given her marching orders as soon as the team got back to PAB. They had a chance to regroup following the crime scene investigation. Louie and Flynn would go do the death notification. Buzz would go with them to record the notification. Sharon didn't want it too conspicuous that Buzz was recording the notification so Myra hooked him up to the newest police recording devices that looked like a pin on his lapel.

While Buzz was getting fitted with his recording device and being given special instructions by Myra for how to use it, Andy and Louie took the opportunity to rush to the area where the police vehicles were kept downstairs in the parking area.

"Hey Tao, do us a favor and tell Buzz to find us downstairs where the police vehicles are, huh?" Andy asked Mike. Louie smacked Andy on the arm. "We won't have to sit in the back seat now, will we?"

Andy tapped the side of his head with his index finger to signify that was exactly why he had come up with the idea. Louie nodded his head and smiled, while Mike just rolled his eyes. He had remembered his ride with the two gentlemen during the interview with Tristan Roberts' father and it was something he wouldn't soon be forgetting. Something about it made him want to save Buzz from the ordeal of riding in the backseat with these two, but not enough for him to offer to do it for Buzz.

Andy and Provenza left the murder room. Within minutes, Buzz came in to get them.

"Where are Andy and the Lieutenant?" Buzz asked out loud. He looked around and saw the rest of the team duck their heads to avoid answering him. When he looked over at Amy, she had a look of sympathy on her face, but said nothing.

Tao stood up and walked over to Buzz. "Buzz, they went downstairs to get the police vehicle assigned to them." Tao told him in a somber, apologetic voice.

"Without me?" Buzz asked confused. It took a few minutes before Buzz caught on what had happened.

Mike put his hand on Buzz's shoulder. "Good luck, my friend."

Buzz just rolled his eyes before heading out to the police garage. As he was walking towards the elevators, he could hear the detectives in the murder room bust out laughing and a "Poor Buzz" comment was made by Amy.

Entering the garage, Buzz found Flynn and Provenza waiting for him. Both had already taken up the front seat in Andy's car, so it relegated Buzz to the backseat.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive, Sir?" Buzz asked Andy as he was getting into the back seat.

"This isn't one of those tricked out police vehicles, Buzz. I've got this." Andy told him.

Buzz climbed into the backseat and prepared himself for the ride to Christian Marquart's home.

The beginning of the ride was quiet for the most part. The three discussed the Dodgers game from the night before getting quiet again.

Provenza, who spotted a Starbucks coming up told Flynn to stop there to grab him a coffee. Flynn ordered Provenza's coffee and a cinnamon soy latte for himself. "Buzz, what do you want?" Buzz gave Flynn his order and they proceeded to go to the drive thru window to pay.

"A cinnamon soy latte, Flynn?" Provenza asked his friend.

"What? They are fantastic. Not too heavy and just enough cinnamon. Sharon got me turned onto them." Flynn replied.

"Of course, she did." Provenza quipped.

Flynn ignored his last comment and went to pull out his wallet. He patted his back pocket and checked the pockets of his suit jacket.

"Uh oh." Andy said. "I had given my wallet to Sharon to hold this morning. I forgot to get it back from her. Provenza, pay for the coffee."

"I can't pay for the coffee. I spent the money Patrice gave me this week already." Provenza let him know.

"What?" Andy almost screeched in an exasperated voice. "How did you plan on paying for your coffee?"

"I planned on you paying for my coffee." Provenza stated in a manner of fact tone.

Provenza turned to Buzz. "Buzz, pay for the coffee. We will pay you back."

Buzz, in a sarcastic tone, responded to his CO as he was handing Andy a twenty-dollar bill, "Given your history, I doubt it, Sir."

Provenza looked at Buzz but couldn't think of a good comeback so he just shrugged his shoulders and took a long sip off his coffee.

Andy paid the barista for the coffees. The three drank them in silence while continuing their drive.

Andy interrupted the silence. "Did Sharon talk to you?" He asked Provenza.

"There is a lot of things the Commander would talk to me about. What is this in reference to, Flynn?" Provenza asked him.

"After this case, Sharon and I are finally taking our honeymoon." Flynn told his friend.

"Your honeymoon, Flynn? You've been married four years, Flynn. Hasn't that ship passed?" Provenza told him.

"You've been talking to Sharon? We never took our honeymoon. I want us to finally go to Ireland. I want our honeymoon!" Flynn told him raising his voice in flustered excitement.

"I think it is romantic, Sir." Buzz could be heard saying in the backseat.

Flynn pointed his thumb towards the backseat. "See, Buzz gets it!" he told Provenza.

"Of course, Buzz would get it. He is a romantic. I just don't remember you being that kind of romantic before Sharon." Provenza told him.

Buzz rolled his eyes and looked out the window.

Andy exhaled loudly, rolled his eyes towards the sky and shook his head at his friend.

Just as Andy was ready to start arguing with his friend, they pulled up to the gates of the Marquart compound. He was speechless for a moment before turning off the car. As they were getting out of the car, he looked at his friend and said, "Have you ever thought this lack of romance in you is why you have been married six times?"

Buzz hung back as the two started bickering with each other and walked slowly behind them. They bickered all the way up to the front door. Ringing the doorbell, Louie asked Flynn "Have you ever thought we went into the wrong field of government work, Flynn?"

"Absolutely." Flynn responded.

As the three men stood there looking around at the luxurious surroundings, the door was opened by the maid.

All three men held up their badges. "LAPD, Ma'am. Christian Marquart please." Flynn told the woman. Without comment, she invited them in and with a movement of her hand motioned for them to stay into foyer.