"Max was stuck on this a few nights ago," Kenny told Jimmy a few days later, after she had told him that if he didn't stop coddling her she was going to scream. "We flipped through a dozen scenarios of why Troy would get a sex change, why he/she would kill Kurt, and how it is all connected together."
"Did you come up with anything?" Jimmy asked as they stood in his office.
Kenny shook his head. "Yeah, but nothing that made too much sense. And nothing that we could prove. We're just spinning our wheels on this one."
"What about their father?" Jimmy asked. "I know the report says accident, but it seems coincidental that he would be killed that way especially after the way he treated his kids."
"You sound like Max," Kenny replied. "She thinks, and I agree with her on this one, that either Gina/Troy or Kurt killed him, and then she/he had a sex change to change her identity. Then she/he killed Kurt so he wouldn't talk about it, and so Gina/Troy could live her life free of him."
"No proof," Jimmy sighed. "And Wambaugh has enough reasonable doubt to have her walk."
"And Max's testimony is just hearsay," Kenny finished. "What about the shrinks? They have to say something about her mental condition; we all know the woman is crazy."
"We go to trial soon," Jimmy said. "We're going to keep digging into their past, and hopefully it'll give us enough leverage, although the fact that the sex change operation didn't…"
Kenny nodded in agreement, and he knew that this one was slipping away from them.
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"Pete," Max said opening the door, surprised. "Hi. What are you doing here?"
Play it cool, Pete thought to himself, as he looked at the casually rumpled woman standing in front of him. Clad in terry cloth sweat pants and a blue tank top, Pete could hardly believe she was almost 32 years old and three months pregnant. With her red hair pulled back, and her face scrubbed clean of make-up, Pete decided that she could pass for his age.
He shrugged. "I just wanted to stop by, I heard about your recent stay in the hospital… I didn't know you were pregnant, but I'm glad that you're all right."
"We weren't telling anybody yet," Max replied, letting him inside. "But I guess the secret is out."
"You're okay?"
"Yup. Both of us," Max replied, placing her hand on her flat belly. "It scared me though."
I'll bet, he thought remembering the scene that Kim had described. He couldn't see Max taking in the scene of her husband and bosses daughter necking on the couch too well, but from talking to Kenny at work and Max now, everything seemed normal. Pete guessed that almost bleeding to death, and losing a baby, might cause the two of them to work it out.
"Well, I'm glad," Pete replied truthfully. "You look good. Real good."
"Uh, huh," Max replied, her radar going up, sensing something weird here. Taking a tentative step away from him, she smiled nervously. "Do you want anything to drink? Or eat? I'm not much of a cook, but I haven't poisoned anyone yet."
"Thanks, but I'm fine," Pete replied. "Thought you might want some company, I know Kenny went to the station today."
"He was driving me nuts," Max admitted. "I love him, but he was hovering a little too much. I was ready to throttle him yesterday."
"Why?"
"Oh, I can't even remember," Max replied honestly. "Something stupid, I'm sure."
"Do you two fight a lot?"
Max shrugged. "We bicker… and antagonize each other… at least every other day. I think it's conducive to the relationship."
Pete thought to what Kimberly had told him about these two before replying. "Is that healthy? I don't mean to pry, but my parents fought all the time and it wasn't that pleasant to grow up in. They get divorced after I went to college, and I know that both of them are happier now. Sometimes I wish they hadn't waited."
Max stared at him for an instant, and tried to shake a nagging suspicion out of her mind. Filing it to discuss with Kenny later, she replied slowly. "Really? Why?"
"I think everyone would have been better off, even they say that. Too many people stay together for the sake of their kids," Pete declared, watching Max's pale expression. "And they never get to have the life that they deserve. And kids know when their parents are unhappy."
"Well, life has had its ups and downs of late," Max rationalized. "But I'm happy. We both are. Usually."
"Well if you say so," Pete said standing seeing the doubt chase across her face. "I actually have to get to work. I'll see you next week?"
"Sure," Max nodded, giving him a weak smile.
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"Someone else was there that night," Carter proclaimed, storming into Jimmy's office. "There is a third DNA sample, that isn't part of the Campbell family."
"Are you sure?" Jimmy asked, motioning Kenny and Skeeter inside and shutting the door. "Carter?"
"Positive," the Medical Examiner replied. "There was a third person there. Blood from the floor and skin from under the nails do not belong to the Campbell family."
"They didn't have relationships with many other people," Kenny said, thinking of what his wife had told them. "If someone helped her kill Kurt, it's probably a short list."
"Do we know anyone on it though?" Skeeter added. "Everyone we talked to barely knew their names, and besides the people that Kurt worked with and the abuse victims in that group, who else would she trust?"
"Would Max know anyone else?" Jimmy ventured to Kenny. "I know she's been over this a lot, but has she mentioned anything else?"
"No," Kenny replied, feeling a little uncomfortable around any of the Brocks recently. "She's been digging through this for awhile now, and I believe her when she says she doesn't know anything else."
"What about that counselor woman?" Carter asked. "The one you two went to see? I know she isn't this department's biggest fan, but she has to know something."
"It's worth a shot," Jimmy conceded turning to Kenny. "Let's go take a ride."
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"Max?" Kenny called later that night. "You here?"
"Where else?" she shouted back from the upstairs bathroom, after getting out of the shower. "Hold on, I'm drying off. I've got something to run by you."
The idea of his wet, naked, wife highly appealing, Kenny climbed the stairs to their bathroom and rapped gently before poking his head in.
"Enjoying the view?" Max asked with a wide grin, not surprised to see him in there. Adjusting the short towel so it wouldn't fall down, Max wrapped her arms around him and kissed him softly. Kenny stroked her damp hair, and kissed her neck as she laughed. Holding her in the steamy room, he began to think of all the things they could do in there. She kissed him again before regretfully pulling away because she knew she had to talk to him about some stuff. Cocking her head to the side, Max had to admit he looked damn good in that uniform, and she woke up feeling horny today. Hormones, she thought, must be the hormones.
"What?" Kenny asked, knowing the look in her eyes. "Max?"
"I had the weirdest conversation today," she replied. "And it got me thinking."
"Really? You should have heard the one Jimmy and I had with your counselor friend Jen," Kenny replied. "She doesn't like you very much, and I don't think Jimmy and me rank to high either."
"Why'd you go to see her?" Max asked curious.
"To find out about any friends are victim and murderer might have had. Carter found a third DNA type today," Kenny informed her. "And they didn't have too many friends. Especially ones that they would trust with murder."
"Who does?" Max replied. "What happened?"
"She kicked us out, and told us that you, as well as our department, ruined her clinic's reputation. And she was thinking of suing," Kenny replied, trying not to be distracted by the towel. "Do you mind putting some clothes on? I can't think with you looking like that."
Grinning, she wrapped it more tightly around herself and leaned up against the counter. "Really? She's going to sue? Does Wambaugh know?"
He shook his head, and tried to control himself. "Don't know. She's about as close as anyone to Gina, or Troy, or whatever we're calling her, him, lately."
"It? Like this guy," Max replied, pointing to her stomach, as Kenny advanced towards her. "What are you doing?"
Shrugging. "I was thinking about making out with my wife, who isn't hiding anything by wearing this towel."
"Who says I was trying to hide?" Max asked flippantly as his arms circled her waist. "Hey, wait a second. I've got to tell you about my conversation with Pete, it kind of freaked me out."
"Pete? Your partner Pete? The one that stares at your ass?"
"He doesn't stare at my ass, and he stopped by earlier," Max began, and she filled him in on her conversation with Pete as Kenny stood in silence. "Weird, huh? It got me thinking about something."
"So, he told you to get a divorce," Kenny asked slowly. "Is that what you're getting at?"
"Not in so many words," Max replied, seeing the anger in his eyes. "Don't be pissed at him. I just think it's odd though…"
"What?" Kenny asked, trying to control his temper.
Max paused for a second, trying to think of the best way to phrase this. "Well, Kim came by a few nights ago, and we both know what happened then… And as you so eloquently put it, Pete stares at my ass…"
"You think that they're in on it together," Kenny finished for her. "You're serious? Do they even know each other?"
"From school, he was a few years ahead of her," Max confirmed. "I know it's far fetched, but this is Rome Kenny."
Kenny had a gut feeling that Max might be right about this, and he didn't like the way that the younger man looked at her when she wasn't looking. If he wanted one thing more then anything else, it was to keep Max safe. Seeing her crippled on the floor and bleeding the other night was something he knew would be burned into his memory forever.
"So, what do you want to do about it?" he asked finally.
Max shrugged. "I want to wrap up this murder trial first, then why don't we check it out?"
"My first priority is you and our baby," Kenny replied seriously. "And I don't want you working with someone who is out to hurt you."
"He's not going to hurt me," Max insisted, holding her towel up awkwardly.
"Isn't that what we thought about Danny?" Kenny replied before he could stop himself, and Max recoiled like he slapped her. "Shit, Max. I didn't mean it like that."
"That's not fair," Max stammered.
Kenny hated the hurt he put on her face, and he reached up to stroke her cheek. "Hey, I meant… hell I don't know what I meant. You just seem to attract a lot of odd men. Besides me."
"Midgets, transvestites, obsessive controlling murdering rapists," Max replied, trying to keep her voice light, and pushing past him into the bedroom. "What about you? Twins, an older woman, and that whole parade of females that I watched for years."
"So? We finally found a relationship that works," Kenny countered, joining her on the bed. "Face it, Honey
, we're stuck with each other. There's no one else who could put up with us."
Despite herself, Max smiled at him and he kissed her on the top of her head. "Okay, okay. Can we sleep on it tonight? I don't think that this problem is going anywhere."
"Fine," Kenny agreed, tracing her collarbone, as she melted against him at his touch.
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This is going to drive me crazy, Max thought to herself after being back at work for a few days. Is this how everyone is going to treat me for the next six months? I'll scream really. It did take me an extra couple of seconds to button my pants this morning, but please. Ignoring the stares, Max joined Jimmy and Skeeter for the rest of the kinky video display.
"You up for this?" Jimmy asked her.
"I'm sure I've seen worse," Max countered. "I'm not going to fall apart after watching a few X-rated videos."
She'd been avoiding Pete all day, and Max decided a few hours of pornographic movies was better then digging into her suspicions about that at the moment. Knowing that Kenny was out on patrol, she was a little apprehensive about being alone with Pete. Joining Skeeter on the couch, she waited for Jimmy to start the movie. She didn't know exactly what they were looking for, but Max was determined to find it. Jimmy slipped on the VCR and slid behind his desk as the images filled the screen.
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"Pete."
"Kenny."
The two men eyed each other warily in the back hallway, and Kenny was doing his best to hold his temper in check. He had hoped that Kim and Pete weren't messing with them, but in observing the younger man, Kenny had his doubts. Nervousness chased across Pete's face, and he was poised for flight. Kenny sighed inwardly, and knew that Pete didn't stand a chance with Max. She would eat him alive. Still he didn't like the fact that he was hitting on her, and he wasn't about to be nice about it.
"Max said you stopped by the other day," Kenny said casually breaking the silence first. "She's had a rough time of it of late."
"I thought she might want someone objective to talk to," Pete replied quickly.
Kenny had to suppress a grin at his discomfort, before continuing. "Objective, huh? About what?"
"Things," Pete said defensively, knowing he'd slipped there. "I like to think that we're friends, and my opinion matters to her somewhat. I just wanted to be there."
"Right," Kenny said sarcastically. "She almost miscarried our baby, and did she tell you why? Or did you already know?"
Kenny saw all he needed to know at Pete's shock at his question. He took a step back from him, as Pete struggled to collect himself.
"I thought so," Kenny confirmed. "Whatever is going on, stop it. Jimmy's a good friend to both Max and me, and the last thing we want to do is tell him anything that can hurt him. And believe me this will."
Leaving the flabbergasted deputy standing in the hallway, Kenny went off to find Max.
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"I can't watch anymore of this. Put aside the fact that they're related, I didn't know that was physically possible," Skeeter declared, after they watched the recent tapes. "Do you think that they took yoga?"
Max shook her head. "They certainly are flexible, but this isn't getting us anywhere. So what if they have sex tapes dating back to their childhood… we know that both of them were screwed up from that…. Oh shit, look at that."
The three turned back to the screen, as a familiar figure came into view. Max felt shocked, utterly shocked, although she shouldn't have had. She nearly fell out of her chair, and she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Are you kidding me?" Jimmy sputtered, as the carnal acts continued. "My god, what the hell is wrong with these people? Hell. Max, bring Gina into the interrogation room, and Skeeter, take a team and go find her. This sheds some light on some things. An affair is certainly a motive for murder."
"Max," Kenny called as she came out of Jimmy's office, looking somewhat disgusted. "You look like you're going to hurl."
"Not yet," she replied as she pushed the images out of her mind. "I thought you were out of here by now."
"Nah," he said. "Where you heading in such a hurry?"
"To interrogate Gina again, and we just found her motive," Max replied feeling relieved at that. "She had a secret lover."
"Kenny," Jimmy called coming out of his office and walking over towards them, knowing that Max had probably just filled him in. "Go on with Skeeter to pick her up, while Max and I talk with Gina again."
Kenny shot one last look at Max, knowing he had to tell her about Pete, but merely nodded. "Sure. It's about time we got somewhere on this."
Max watched him go reluctantly, and she knew as difficult as it was that they had to keep their private and professional lives separate. Following Jimmy down to the cell block, she knew that they could finally break Gina.
"Look who is back," Gina said shooting them an evil look.
"Not surprised?" Max asked, as Jimmy led her to the room.
"No."
"We found your video tape collection," Jimmy said without preamble. "And we've watched them all."
"You and your brother are certainly entertaining," Max continued. "But I really enjoyed the part with your secret lover."
Gina suck in a breath, and deep down she had believe that no one would ever find those tapes. "Please leave her out of this, she didn't do anything wrong! It was all me, understand."
"An affair is a good motive," Jimmy replied. "And we're dragging her down here, right now."
Max felt a strange sense of déjà vu, and if what she was putting together made any sense to anyone else, it seemed like history repeating itself on a grander scale.
"Please," Gina begged. "I'll tell you everything, just don't bring her into this. I love her, I did it so we could be together. Kurt didn't understand! He was my brother, he shouldn't have had to be my husband too! I'd hid everything for so long, I just wanted to be me again, and he couldn't understand that!"
Max and Jimmy waited in silence for Gina to continue. "He threatened me… Max you know what that's like. To have someone holding all that power over you, and finally fighting back. He was just like our father, evil, and all he wanted to do was hurt me. You'd have killed him too, I know you would have."
Max shook her head in disbelief. "There were places you could have gone"
Gina cut her off. "Then everyone would have known! I just wanted to be free! I know Kurt wanted to keep me locked up forever, and this was my only way out! He wanted everyone to know what happened to Dad! The pictures of us throwing his drunken body off the pier…"
"You killed your father?" Max asked in disbelief.
Gina shook her head. "I want my lawyer."
"You need him," Jimmy replied, motioning Max out of the room. They stood outside the closed door in a still silence for a moment before he continued. "You think she's being straight with us?"
"I want to see the rest of tapes… they seemed to have cameras all over that house, maybe they picked up the murder," Max replied thoughtfully. "I have no doubts that she killed Kurt, and apparently her father, but I don't think she did it alone, or is entirely responsible for it."
"You care to explain that?"
"It may just be my personal experience," Max began. "But a therapist or a counselor has a lot of influence on a person, and it's a deep relationship. I know that. But if they had an intimate relationship… don't you think that Jen might have had some sway here? Especially if she wanted to be with Gina? She knew all her insecurities and could have played them until the point of convincing her to commit murder."
"You're not being objective, Max."
"I know."
"But it makes some warped sort of sense," Jimmy finished. "Let's wait to see what Jen has to say."
Max nodded, as he went to call Wambaugh. Leaving Gina to contemplate her future, Max slid back behind her desk, and began to think. She couldn't help but draw parallels between Gina and herself, and it scared her on a deep level. Gina had a terrible relationship with her entire family, and Max was still somewhat bitter that her Dad hadn't come to her wedding. They both had trust issues, she thought, and had been sexually abused and raped. And they both had relationships with their therapists, only I got out before I did anything irreparable Max thought, barely. And Danny never caused me to kill anyone. Feeling a little shaken, Max tried to remind herself that the world didn't revolve around her, and it was just some big coincidence.
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"This case is nuts Max, completely," Kenny said later that night, as they sat on the back porch.
"Yeah," she agreed quietly, feeling quite comfortable with his arms wrapped around her. "Kenny?"
"Max."
Max tried to clear her head, and put into words what she was thinking about earlier, before they brought in an incredulous Jen Davis, who insisted that she did nothing wrong. They had no choice but to let her go, until something else came up.
Sighing she replied. "I can't help this… after Jimmy and I talked to Gina today… I just felt like it could have been me in there. And it frightens me to think like that."
"You're a transvestite lesbian, who lived as her brother's wife and killed him and your father?" Kenny asked, trying to lighten her up after feeling her body tense up.
"I'm serious," Max replied as he massaged her shoulders. "We both were raped, had bad relationships with our fathers, and we both slept with our therapists… it just hits close to home."
"You didn't kill anyone though. That's a big difference."
"Yeah, but I keep thinking of the control that Danny had over me during our relationship, and the manipulations he caused. I think he could have made me do anything, and if Jen had that power over Gina… who knows what happened," Max said quietly. "Jimmy told me I wasn't being objective, and I'll admit that, but even he said it had some warped logic to it."
"Max," Kenny began sensing her fear of herself. "I know you, and believe me when I tell you that you would never kill anyone, except out of self defense. You got away from Danny, twice, and just because Gina couldn't get away from her Danny, doesn't mean she isn't responsible for this."
"I know that," Max replied defensively. "It's just that… I don't know. She's just so messed up…"
"That'll never be you," Kenny promised, kissing the top of her head. "I talked to Pete today. And I think you're right."
"He looked kind of pale this afternoon, and he all but ran away from me," Max replied. grateful for the change of subject. "What did you say to him?"
Kenny shrugged. "Nothing just scared the shit out of him."
"I just want some peace and quiet sometimes," Max replied. "No crazy serial killers, wouldn't it be nice to just lie on a beach somewhere?"
"You'd be bored."
"Probably."
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Jen Davis paced through her living room, while fingering a manila envelope full of pictures. She had searched Gina and Kurt's home right after Gina's arrest and never found the tapes. Jen knew that they liked to tape everything, and she feared that the murder might be on the tape, as well as other things. Flipping through the pictures of her and Gina in bed together, Jen cursed her bad luck.
"Should have never gotten involved with a patient," she muttered to herself, trying to bury her feelings for Gina. "Dumb-asses who video it all."
Knowing that they might have gotten away with it if it wasn't for Max. She knew Gina's history to well, and Jen was shocked that she never knew that she was a police officer. Jen collapsed on the couch and began to plan a way to rectify this situation.