Bonus - Week 8

Undertow

At his words, Chelsea paused, then nudged Noah's arm. "Take them inside, hon. I'll handle this." She waited until her partner and Nicholas and Maggie were all the way across the street and then regarded the officer in the service khakis seriously. "Nora died three years ago, Officer...?"

"Metcalf," he told her, eyes wide, and she frowned. "Sorry. Mike. What... how..."

"Start with the police station," she finally said, tone measured. "And then the Department of Family Services in Arlington if you want to find Pete. We had him here for a while, but..." Chelsea let the sentence drift, hoping she wouldn't have to actually say what was on her mind. She wasn't feeling generous after how badly Pete had been treated by people from Fort Worth NAS, or she'd have directed Metcalf to the local social services office instead.

He got in his car and quickly drove away. If he was really a friend of the family, why did it take him three years to investigate?

Doldrums

Entering the police station, Mike was suddenly overwhelmed at the activity inside and had to sit down and do a breathing exercise to calm his nerves. An officer or two glanced his way, but otherwise left him alone until the officer on duty at the front desk noticed him and waved him over. "What can we do for you, Lieutenant Commander?"

The story poured out of him in such a way that left the officer puzzled and then he turned and looked back into the bullpen. "Rock, who was on the Mitchell case three years ago?"

Mike blinked, startled, when another officer approached him and beckoned him back, file in hand. "This isn't necessary."

"You're asking, sir. Yes, it is."

Mike glanced at his name badge, which read Santos. "Is Rock short for something?"

Santos nodded. "Rockford. Grandma said I reminded her of a peach."

Celerity

"So what brought you to us?" Santos asked as he led him to an empty conference room and shut the door for privacy.

"A touchy red head," Mike answered honestly.

"Ah, you met Miss Lowell. Sit?" They both sat down, and Santos handed the file over and watched while Mike skimmed it, eyes widening at the information and the pictures of how Nora Mitchell had been found. "I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell you the details, sir."

Mike shook his head. "Don't be. I'm just wondering where her son is. Miss Lowell told me to go to Arlington and ask there." Silence caused him to look up, to find Santos frowning. "What?"

"Local office," he said and grabbed a piece of paper to write the address down. "I suppose you could go to Arlington if you wanted. You'd get directed back here to Fort Worth proper, though." Santos paused as he slid the piece of paper over.

Mike took it, frowning. "Thank you. Can I have a copy of this file?"

"That is the copy," Santos told him. "Like I said: you're asking and taking this seriously and it means something to you. I've had that copy waiting ever since the incident."