Chapter Two

The next morning at work, Lennie received a call from Abbie Carmichael.

"Lennie," I can't find anything that seems to apply – at least not to anything we know about so far."

"So, we do have to wait until someone gets hurt?"

"Or at least until someone files charges. Unless. . . "

"Unless what, Abbie?"

"Your friend Miss Sandler works there, right? Is there any way she could find out more? Maybe get a look at some additional tapes? Ed said that that Tony person implied that what he showed him was just the tip of the iceberg."

"No," Lennie said firmly. "She's no undercover cop, and I don't want her anywhere around anyone having to do with anything like what she and Ed saw."

"Well, I guess I can't blame you, but do you suppose she could at least get some information on the opening so we can have someone there?"

"She might be able to do manage that. I'll call her."

He did, and Judith promised to let him know something that evening. Actually, she did better than that. She handed him an envelope with four tickets to the opening of "Urban Experience."

"Lennie, this is sort of unusual, but I found out that this opening is by invitation only."

"They never do that?"

"Occasionally, but it's uncommon. I think it means that they're expecting this to be quite a splash and want to create suspense and attract the critics. And raise prices, of course."

He examined the tickets. "So, what'd you have to do to get these?"

"Just asked for them. As an employee, I'm entitled to go and bring three guests."

"You're not going anywhere near that crap," he told her.

"Then no one's going. I can bring three guests, but I can't give away all four tickets."

Lennie thought about that. "So, you, me, and who else?"

"Not Ed," she said quickly. "I don't think it would be a good idea for Tony's curious patron to show up in the company of a cop or anyone known to keep company with a cop."

"True," he agreed. "Well, Abbie Carmichael asked about the opening in the first place. Maybe McCoy would like to tag along. . . ."

"He's hardly low-profile. Someone would be sure to recognize him."

"Also true. Well, I'll leave it up to Abbie to choose her escort."

But Lennie did have an idea about who he was going to suggest to her. Abbie agreed with him, and the next day Lennie found himself dialing Rey Curtis. First, he inquired if Rey would be able to get away from home that night.

"Sure, if it's important, I can get someone from the church to stay with Deborah and the kids for a few hours."

"Well, it's something I'd ordinarily check out with Ed, be he's sort of disqualified himself, so I'd like you to be along."

After Lennie explained about the abduction "artist," Rey was silent for a moment and then asked quietly, "What's the matter with people, Lennie?"

"I've given up trying to figure that one out. So, you up for it?"

"Sure. Just you and me on the job again – why not?"

"Well, um, not just us, Rey. Actually, we've got a couple of dates."

"Dates?"

"Yeah, I'll be with Judith, our hostess for the evening. And your date is a real knockout, Rey – a tall Texas lady with legs that don't quit, long dark hair. . . . "

"That sounds like Abbie Carmichael!"

"Bingo! Think you can stand it?" teased Lennie.

"Oh, I suppose I'll bear up somehow. Police work always requires sacrifice, doesn't it?"

"That's the attitude, Rey!"

Lennie thought it might be most efficient for them all to meet at Judith's apartment about forty-five minutes before the opening because it was closest to the gallery and it would give them a chance to get on the same page about what they might be looking for. Unfortunately, things got really busy, and it slipped his mind to tell Judith about that plan until about fifteen minutes before Rey and Abbie would be arriving. And he could have kicked himself.

She was fixing her hair in front of the mirror in the bedroom. Lennie took her hand and asked her if she would come sit down on the bed and talk to him for a moment.

"Judith, honey, this was incredibly stupid of me, I know, but right now there's just not time to do anything about it."

"What are you talking about?"

"I just, um, forgot to tell you that I fixed it up with Abbie and Rey to meet us here before we go."

"Well, that's okay. I'm almost ready, and this way we can all go together instead of trying to find each other somewhere outside on the street. I can put out some drinks and crackers if you. . . What is it? What's the matter?"

Lennie stared at her. Is it possible she really was not concerned at all that Rey and an ADA were about to show up on her doorstep?

"You do understand who's going to be here in just a few minutes?"

"Sure. Your former partner and. . . " Oh."

"Yeah. You going to be able to deal with that? I could meet them outside, head them off if you want."

"Oh, goodness, let me think a minute. . . " She nervously ran her hands through her hair and took a couple deep breaths. "You know, that really didn't occur to me. . . "

Lennie waited for her to sort it through and remembered the flashback to her arrest he had provoked the first time he came to her apartment. And Rey had been the other arresting officer. And an ADA had been there then as well.

"Well," said Judith slowly. "She – Miss Carmichael – she's not the same one. . . "

"Still. . . "

"No, that'll be okay. I shouldn't have a problem."

"And what about Rey?"

"Yes, well, that's a little harder."

"He's a good guy, Judith. I told you that he even said I should bring you over to meet his wife sometime."

"Yes. Yes, you did. Look, Lennie, I think. . . I think I can do this. It's not going to be a complete surprise, so I should be okay. Just let me finish here."

"You sure?"

She reassured him, and they were both in the living room when the doorbell rang. Lennie thought maybe it would be easier on her if she didn't see Rey in the doorway, so he offered to answer.

"No, I can't be afraid of answering the door in my own home."

"We'll both go."

And when she answered the door, Lennie's arm was around her waist.

"Miss Carmichael, how nice to see you again. Won't you please come in? And. . . And Detective Curtis. Lennie, please get their coats."

The four of them went into the living room. Lennie put his hand on Abbie's arm to stay her a moment and let Judith and Rey proceed a little ahead of them.

"Um, Miss Sandler," began Rey, "This is, uh, a little awkward, I know, but I'm really glad we can meet again under better circumstances. And my name is Rey."

Judith was drained of color, and Lennie could tell she was shaking a little, but she looked like she was going to be able to manage it.

"Rey, thank you for saying that. Lennie speaks of you often. You're very welcome here."

Abbie was watching the little scene curiously but with no apparent surprise. Lennie wondered how much Jack had told her or if perhaps she had looked up Judith's case herself.

"Well, gang," Lennie said as they all sat down, "It'd be nice if this was a social gathering, but it is a working night. Let's figure out what we want to do here."

First, they had Judith tell them anything more she could about the mounting of the show. Abbie described what they might look out for in the "art," and she suggested that they might want to alert the uniforms in the area for a possible call from them.

Judith seemed to be looking more uneasy by the moment. Lennie thought she had handled the Rey thing really well, but who ever could tell with her? She tended to keep inside a lot of what really upset her.

He touched her shoulder. "Honey? You okay?"

She looked around at the three of them. "I have to tell you all that I'm not looking forward to this. That's not stuff I really want to see again."

"It sounded pretty ugly," said Abbie.

"It was, and I'm sure that what Tony was allowing to be previewed were some of the tamer items. And. . . And something else. . . " Her voice trailed off, and she looked embarrassed.

"Go ahead, Judith," Rey said kindly. "You're our resident expert, after all."

"I know this sounds really ironic coming from me, but violence just makes me physically ill. And, even worse that that, I'm so really, really angry that this shit is being palmed off as 'art.' It just confirms so many negative stereotypes that keep people from appreciating what art can bring to their lives. Art isn't all sweetness and light – I know that. Of course, there had to be room for the darker side of human experience, but, as Lennie has said, you've got to draw a line somewhere."

Lennie, Rey, and Abbie looked at her in some surprise. She seemed embarrassed again by the attention and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rant. Lennie can tell you that I don't often get on a soapbox."

Lennie chuckled at that. "It's true, but I'm here to tell you that she sure can when the stakes are high enough."

Judith blushed deeply, and Lennie put his arm around her.

"Look, Miss Sandler – Judith," said Abbie, "We appreciate that this is really difficult for you, but it seems that you are, literally, our ticket to finding out what's going on here."

Lennie was beginning to have doubts about this whole little outing.

"Judith, we don't have time to take you over for a crash course at Actors Studio. You going to be able to pull this off?"

She shrugged. "I figure I'll just point you toward Tony. Ask him a couple questions about himself or what he's doing, and he doesn't shut up."

"Too bad we didn't have more like him in the IR, eh, Lennie?" cracked Rey.

"He'll just keep talking, and he probably wouldn't even notice if you were gagging. Some of the others who work with him are the same way to a degree. So, this can't be hard. But I think I'll leave the actual 'art appreciation' to you all."

Agreeing that was their plan, they set off for the gallery.

Lennie hated everything from the moment they walked in. About three-dozen videos were playing at once, bright lights were flashing, and a low but insistent music was pounding in the background. He gave thanks that he wasn't prone to seizures. Judith pointed out to him the "still" art – the blown-up video frames and renditions of them in various media. Everywhere Lennie looked, it was stomach-churning – like his worst day ever on the job infinitely multiplied. Slamming, punching, people bound and gagged, screaming, filthy mattresses – everywhere he turned. Occasional BDSM trappings popped up here and there, but that didn't seem to be the prevailing theme. He stuck close to Judith, unwilling to leave her alone in that atmosphere.

"Judith!" exclaimed a man with spiked red, white, and blue hair. "Darling! How kind of you to show!" He took her by the shoulders and air-kissed her cheeks. "Didn't think this was quite your thing," he said teasingly. "And how marvelous that you've brought your NYPD friend along."

He was wearing bright yellow silk rather than purple, but Lennie assumed this could only be Tony. Judith confirmed that with a slight nod.

Without waiting for an introduction, Tony sidled up to Lennie. "Well, Officer, you know, I never thought of it, but it now occurs to me that cop persons such as yourself would be huge, huge fans of this work. It must soooo capture the essence of what you do."

Lennie forced a big smile for the slimy bastard and said, "You know, I was just thinking something along those very lines myself. I don't suppose you'd have time to tell me a little more about what I'm seeing here, would you?"

"Oh, Officer, I'd be delighted," burbled Tony. "Positively delighted! Will you excuse us, Judith, while I show your friend around?"

And he linked his arm through Lennie's. Judith nodded and even smiled a little at Lennie's evident discomfort, to which Tony of course was oblivious.

"I'll keep an eye on you," Lennie whispered as he allowed himself to be dragged off.

As Tony gave him the grand tour – apparently with no notion whatsoever that Lennie, or anyone in the world for that matter, would find the exhibit in the least strange, let alone possibly illegal – Lennie did keep an eye on Judith and also observed that Rey and Abbie were taking a tour of their own and that Abbie was making notes in the exhibit catalog. She, however, never appeared to give them any indication that she spotted anything they needed to act on. Too bad, thought Lennie. I'd love to arrest Tony.

"Gosh, Tony," said Lennie, not making much of an effort even to sound sincere since it didn't seem to matter. "This is fab stuff, man. When do I get to meet the artist?"

"Ah, Officer," said Tony as he affected a tragic mien, "Genius, I'm afraid, prefers to remain elusive."

"You mean a guy does great work like this, and he doesn't even show up at his own show?"

"I know, I know," lamented Tony. "So few of us would have the discipline to hide our light under the proverbial bushel. Personally, I'd be climbing just all over the limelight, but this artist feels that revealing himself would compromise his effectiveness."

"His effectiveness as an artist?"

No, silly. As a. . . " And Tony stood on his toes to stage whisper into Lennie's ear, "A professional abductor."

"Oh? You mean so that he doesn't compromise the source of his, um, raw material?"

Tony was beside himself. "That's it! That's it exactly! You know, I must confess to you that never did I suspect one of New York's Finest would be so in tune with the avant-garde. Our Judith must be a very good influence on you. Now, tell me, that other charming gentleman the two of you brought along. . . Just exactly how attached might he be to the young lady with him?"

Lennie finally managed to disengage himself from Tony and returned to Judith and waited with her near the door for Rey and Abbie. Almost wordlessly, they trooped back to Judith's apartment.

Abbie sat on the couch and pulled her long hair back and twisted it in her hands. "Well, folks, that was one of the most disgusting displays I've ever seen. I don't suppose you'd be selling tickets to your shower, would you, Judith?"

Judith waved her hand. "It's on the house, but you might have to wait in line."

"It was pretty weird," observed Rey. "Did you notice how about half the crowd disappeared almost immediately? And they looked pretty appalled. Then the other half stays and ooohs and ahhhs. I guess it's one of those things – either you love it or hate it. Personally, I'd rather have walked out with the first wave."

"So, people, what'd we see?" asked Lennie. "Is it, as McCoy asked, illegal?"

"Not without victims and perpetrators," answered Abbie.

"That's all we saw all night, wasn't it?" asked Rey.

"Yeah, but who the hell are they?" she responded.

"What were you doing with that catalog?" Lennie asked her.

"Very judiciously spending the limited mad money Jack budgeted me for this project."

"You mean you bought some of that crap?" he asked. "So glad my tax dollars are supporting the arts."

"I tried to choose some of the tapes and stills that looked like we might have the best chance of IDing the participants. So often they were blurred or hooded, but I noticed that several of the abductees didn't seem shy about appearing on camera. Maybe we can track them down somehow."

"So, we're essentially back at Square One?" asked Lennie.

"Until someone files a complaint or we develop independent evidence that a crime has been committed, yes. And you guys know as well as I do that without something to sink their teeth in, neither of our bosses is going to be thrilled about any of us spending more time on this."

"Well," said Rey. "Don't think this hasn't been fun. . . "

". . .because it hasn't," chimed in Lennie glumly.

". . .but I've got to get home. Give me a call if you break anything. Abbie, Lennie, it's been great seeing you guys. Judith, you want to walk me out, please?"

"Oh, yes," she said a little nervously. "Sure." And she went with him down the hall to the foyer.

Left alone for a minute, Lennie looked at Abbie and said, "Go ahead, Counselor – get it out of your system."

"You and Judith? Honestly? It's about the weirdest thing I've ever heard, but it seems to be working for you both. More power to you."

He looked at her in some surprise, but just then Judith returned.

"Abbie, may I get you something?"

"No, Judith, thank you. I have to be going, but I really want to thank you for helping us do this tonight."

"I don't know what I've really done."

"Maybe a lot. Who knows? We'll just have to see. Lennie, after the pieces I ordered are delivered, I'll let you know if there's anything for you guys to do."

After Abbie left, Judith asked Lennie, "So, that's it?"

"Afraid so, doll," he sighed. "Sometimes that's just how it is. Stuff is a dead-end, or at least you have to move it to the back burner. In a way, probably the best outcome would be that we never hear about it again. At least that might mean that no one's gotten hurt."

"I suppose you're right. I just still hate it."

They were quiet for a moment, and then Lennie asked, "So, what'd Rey want to get you alone about?"

"He was really sweet. He said he hoped I had no hard feelings and mainly told me what a great guy you are."

"See? I told you not to worry about this stuff. The people who really count can get past it."

"Speaking of which," she said suddenly, "You didn't get here until it was almost time for us to go to the exhibit, so I never had a chance to tell you, but Julia called me at the gallery this afternoon."

"She did? How'd she know where to find you?"

"I asked her the same thing, and she pretty proudly pointed to me that she is the daughter of a detective after all."

Lennie smiled briefly. "I hope she didn't give you a hard time."

"No, really she didn't. I think she's still struggling with the idea, though. It seems like she was trying to reassure herself or something."

"Of what?"

"Maybe that I'm still the same person she met in Glens Falls – that I haven't turned into something else all of a sudden just because she knows about me now."

"That's what I asked her to think about when she first called. I guess she did."

"Well, I've got the definite feeling that I'm on probation, but that's okay. I think she doesn't hate me anyway."

"Of course she doesn't hate you. No one hates you. You've got to get over that."

"Easier said than done, Lennie."

"Well, you know what will help – at least with this Julia thing? We've been talking about taking a ride up there one weekend. I'd really like to see how the kid is doing."

"I know you need to see Jake, but now that they know about me, maybe it might be a better idea if I didn't go along."

"Honey, you know that's nonsense."

"I don't know that. Sometimes I don't know anything. It can seem like. . . " And her voice trailed off.

"Go ahead. What were you going to say?"

"It seems like I'm going along having a normal life, and then stuff happens, and it reminds me of what I did and what I'll always be."

"Well, no one has to be just one thing forever. You can go on and become other things. You already have been doing that."

"You think so?"

"I know so, and I don't want you thinking anything else," he said firmly. "You have a perfect right to be in Glens Falls with me, and Julia will be fine with it."

"I hope you're right."

"I am – you'll see. And, to change the subject, I'll tell you one thing Abbie was very right about – a shower after that show!"

Next morning, Lennie told Ed about their night out at the exhibit.

"Man, it doesn't sound like we're much further along than when we first heard about this."

"No, we're not," Lennie said resignedly. "Well, it's like I told Judith – sometimes stuff just doesn't pan out."

"Still, I'm going to go back there on my own and take a look around now that all the stuff is out in the open. Maybe something will come to me."

"Sure, knock yourself out."

"I have a feeling about it. There's something very, very wrong."

"Well, that's something you and Judith have in common."

Ed was silent for a minute, and it seemed to Lennie that he wanted to say something but didn't quite know what or how. "Something on your mind, partner?"

"Yeah. Judith."

Lennie sighed. What now? How many more ways was Ed going to find to get on his case about this? "Look, Ed, I just don't wanna. . . "

"No, man – relax. I'm trying to be nice here. It just don't come easy for me, you know?"

"Nice? You're trying to be nice about Judith? Yeah, right."

"No, really. Look, Lennie. . . Ahhhh, hell."

Lennie waited.

"I've been a shit – okay? I know I have. It's just that at first I was so surprised, and I thought it was a real bad idea – and I still don't think it's a real good one – but. . . Look, man, I'm sorry – okay?"

Lennie was stunned. He'd been telling Judith that Ed would come around, but as time passed, he really didn't any longer believe it himself.

"So, why now?"

"Well, after you first told me and we had that argument, we just didn't talk about it much except when I would make little digs at you, and. . . Well, I guess that just got to be a force of habit, and I really didn't think that much more about her until this abduction stuff came up. I mean, I guess if she had enough sense to alert us to it. . . And, well, you seem like a pretty happy guy nowadays, Lennie. So, I guess what I am saying is that I've been wrong to give you such a hard time about this."

Lennie didn't know what to say. Again, he couldn't quite figure out why he cared one way or the other, but it seemed now that some weight had been lifted. "So, you're all of a sudden okay with her?"

Ed sighed. "Like I said, I still don't think it was the smartest thing you've ever done, but that's a ship that's sailed. If Judith is what you want, I promise you'll never hear any more crap from me about it – or from anyone else, if I can help it."

"Ed, I don't know what to. . . "

"Well, let's just do us both a favor and skip any touching scene that might be about to occur here. I've said what I've had to say."

"Gotcha, partner."

Lennie's beeper went off. "It's Judith," he said as he looked at the readout. "She was going to let me know how the mood around the gallery is this morning."

"Tell her I said, 'hi.'"

"Are you sure?" Lennie asked as he was dialing.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'm sure. I meant what I said."

When Judith came on the line, she said, "I can't talk a lot right now, you know."

"Got time for coffee?"

"I'll make it. Usual place?"

"No. That's a little close." He named the shop where he and Ed met after Ed had paid the initial visit to the gallery. She agreed to meet him there, and when he hung up, Lennie said to Ed, "You want to say 'hi' to Judith, why don't you do it in person?"

About fifteen minutes later they joined her at a table in the shop. Judith drew in a sharp breath when she saw Ed. As he sat down, she turned to Lennie and widened her eyes. He nodded slightly with what he hoped was encouragement.

"Judith," said Ed. "How ya been keeping yourself?"

"It's. . . It's certainly been a while since we met."

"And that's been my fault. I was just telling Lennie that I'm going to try to do better about that."

"O-okay," she said uncertainly, as if she still weren't quite certain what to make of the situation.

Lennie was hoping that Judith got the picture. He tried to move along.

"So, how are things after the big show last night?"

"The reviews mostly have been pretty good, believe it or not."

"So, critics have crap for brains. What else is new?" sighed Lennie.

"A couple of them did say something to the effect that 'the Emperor has no clothes on,' but they pretty much all got in step, even if they expressed some puzzlement."

"Didn't someone once say something about 'hanging to the rear on every issue?'" asked Ed.

"Yes, that's about right," agreed Judith. "And Tony and company are completely ecstatic. You'd think he himself were the artist."

"Do you think that he does have anything to do with it?" asked Lennie.

"Tony?"

"Well, do curators usually get that enthused about the exhibits they mount?"

"Sometimes, yes. But now that you mention it, Tony has been really wired – even for Tony."

Lennie thought for a moment. "Judith, is there any financial incentive here for Tony?"

"Oh, no – absolutely not. The gallery gets a commission on pieces sold, of course, but designers and curators – no way. That's not kosher at all."

"Well, we pretty much started out here with 'not kosher at all,' didn't we?" pointed out Ed.

"True, very true," mused Lennie.

"So," began Judith, "Do you want me to. . . ?

"No," Lennie said. "I don't want you to do anything at all. If you happen to hear anything interesting, that's fine. But do not go playing Nancy Drew."

"You mean that reading all those forty or fifty volumes of that series back in fifth grade was all for naught?" asked Judith in mock distress.

"Trust me, doll, you just don't have it in you. Just stay away from that exhibit and from Tony."

"That's probably good advice, Judith," Ed told her.

"Somehow, Ed," she said, "I don't think it was advice."

"Judith," said Lennie, "I'm not trying to tell you what to do."

"Mmmm-mmm," she said smiling. "Who? You?"

Lennie sighed. Judith often teased him about what she called his "old-fashioned notions." Fortunately, they usually seemed to amuse rather than annoy her.

Ed grinned. "Old Spice time-warpin' ya back to the '50s, Judith?"

"It's a nice enough place to visit, but. . . " And they both laughed.

"Oh, that's just great," grumbled Lennie. "You finally drop your attitude, Ed, just so the two of you could gang up on me?"

"Hadn't thought of that, but I'm seein' the possibilities."

"Ya know, aren't we all supposed to be working today?"

"You're right," said Judith. "I really need to go. I left something that I don't want to dry completely before I get back to it."

"Thanks for the update, honey."

"What I told you means that the exhibit likely will be held over. But, as you said last night, perhaps the best thing will be that nothing ever comes of it."

"Let's hope that'll be the case," agreed Ed.

Ed did go tour the exhibit on his own, and they went to Abbie's office to look closely at the pieces she had purchased. They saw the faces of some of the "victims" – mostly white males – but had no way to put names to them. Lennie was still toying with the idea of calling the number on the brochure and setting up a sting, but Van Buren completely nixed the idea, calling it "borrowing trouble." "I'm a whole lot more interested in you guys' closing cases, Briscoe – not creating them," she said.

And a couple weeks later Lennie and Judith did spend a weekend in Glens Falls. She was still reluctant to go, and he had quite a time persuading her. He just didn't think it was something he could allow her to give in to. If she didn't go now, he reasoned, it would become a whole avoidance thing, and she would always be too afraid to see Julia. Better to deal with it straightforwardly was his thinking.

"But what if we get up there, Lennie, and she doesn't want to see me? Doesn't want me around Jake?"

"She's not like that. Look, Gloria and I might have gotten a lot of things wrong, but, I promise you, we raised her better than to behave that way. Besides, she didn't say anything to you on the phone about not wanting to see you, did she?"

"No, but seeing each other again was not something we got into."

"Well, we'll settle this right now." And he reached for the phone.

"Lennie, what are you going to do?"

"Let her know that we're driving up this weekend."

"Oh, I don't want to hear this." And she started to get up, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back down beside him.

"Oh, no you don't – stay put. This isn't going to be anything you can't hear."

"Oh, God."

"Don't get in a panic," he told her as he punched the number. "You'll see. There's nothing to panic about."

His son-in-law Bill answered. "Bill, it's Lennie. How's everyone doing?"

"Hi, Lennie. We're okay – really okay. It's one step at a time with Jake, you know, but considering everything, we really don't have much we can complain about."

"That's a good attitude, Bill. Keep it up. Say, is Julia around?"

"Sure. Just a sec."

"Hi, Dad," said Julia when she came on the line. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to let you know that we've cleared the decks and we'll leave to drive up there at noon on Friday."

Julia was silent for a minute, and Lennie could tell that she had caught the "we." "You're telling me, not asking me – right?" she finally said.

"Well, I'm assuming that with Jake's therapy and all that you're going to be home."

"Of course, we're going to be home. That's not what I meant."

"What did you mean, sweetheart?" he inquired pleasantly.

"Dad, I might need a little more time."

"That's not going to change anything, Julia. Trust me – it's better this way."

"And you know that – how?"

"I know you – that's how."

Julia sighed. "Okay. Sure. Whatever. Anyway, Jake's going to be so excited."

"And so are we. So, we'll see you in time for dinner on Friday?"

"Sure. See you then. Drive carefully."

"We will. Love ya, baby. Bye-bye."

"Love you, too, Dad."

"So," said Judith as Lennie hung up, "Did I hear a little fatherly arm twisting there?"

"Of course not."

"What would you call it?"

"I'd call it calling to let her know when we're coming."

"She won't appreciate it if you force me on her."

Why do women always have to complicate things, he asked himself? "There's no forcing here. It's just that what is, is."

"Maybe you want to talk to Bill Clinton about that."

"Maybe I want to talk to Bill Clinton about a lot of things, but that's not one of them. Look, just don't worry, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

"Well, you were right about Ed, so maybe you'll be right about Julia," she said hopefully.

Lennie didn't tell her that he had given up on Ed before he finally did come around. "Just keep a positive attitude."

On the drive north, Lennie could tell that was a struggle for her and he tried to distract her as well as he could with comments on the scenery and whatever lighter anecdotes he could come up with from the job that past week. Once they were in the motel at Glens Falls, she tried to get out of going to dinner at Julia's house.

"How do you know the invitation even includes me?"

"Of course it includes you. Please don't be like that, Judith. You only make difficulties for yourself that way, you know."

"I know you're probably right, but this just brings everything rushing right back – Stephen Campbell and. . . "

"Don't go there. Absolutely do not go there. You've grown beyond that, remember?"

"Sometimes I think so, but. . . "

"There are no buts. Just keep remembering that."

Lennie could tell she was trying as Julia answered the door, but he also could feel she was trembling. He was sure he was not imagining, however, that his daughter was being distinctly cool towards Judith. He really had hoped for better, but as he took his coat, Bill whispered to Lennie, "Julia is going to make this work. I guarantee. Just be a little patient with her." That helped.

And what really helped ultimately was Jake. Julia couldn't stay distant from a woman whose eyes filled with tears when she saw how much better her son looked. And, gosh, the kid did look better. Most of the cuts and abrasions had healed, and he even was spending part of the day on a walker.

"And you know what, Grandpa?" Jake bragged. "I can even take a few steps on my own, but Mom won't let me."

"Not without your therapist around, I won't," Julia said firmly. "I swear, the kid's gonna give me a heart attack before I'm thirty-five!"

They all laughed, and much of the tension diminished. Adult differences just didn't seem to matter much when they all remembered what Jake had been through and gave thanks for how far he had come. Cordiality reigned, and Judith visibly relaxed.

Lennie thought the weekend went remarkably well. Except for occasional moments in the kitchen, the two women didn't really spend any time alone together, but he never picked up on anything from either of them that led him to think Judith's background was still an issue. He was quite sure that Bill probably had worked on Julia a bit, but he didn't ask any questions. Mainly, he just tried to focus on Jake and his recovery. And he didn't allow himself to think about the woman who was awaiting trial for what she had done to his grandson except to once again be grateful to Judith because without her the woman might not have made it even that far into the justice system.

On the way home Sunday night, Judith seemed content. "Thanks for making me go, Lennie. It was the right thing."

"I won't say, 'I told you so,' but I am glad everything worked out." And he also was content.

On Monday morning at the 2-7, Ed greeted him with the news that they had a floater.

"Oh, goodie – fish food. Just the way I love to start off the week."

"Well, actually, not technically a floater, I guess. This one was dumped in the shallows off Pier 83."

"Oh, that's even better. Give the tourists a chance to see New York at its best. Why do you say 'dumped?'"

"He was bound and gagged, Lennie."

"Let's go."

At the pier tourists rubbernecked from the deck of the tour liner, some even snapping pictures. "Like they never have dead bodies in Kansas?" quipped Ed.

"Sure they do. Don't you remember In Cold Blood?

"Yeah, but that was a while ago. None since then?"

"Apparently not."

The body was that of a white male. Age was hard to tell, but Lennie thought maybe around fifty, judging from the gray in his hair. Dressed in a business suit, he was in a fetal position with hands bound behind his back and ankles tied together. A gag was secured in his mouth with a short length of rope, and duct tape dangled loosely from his eyes.

"Do we know who he is, or is that too easy?" he asked.

"No wallet," a CSU guy replied. "Taken or fell out, I can't say. There was some crumpled stuff in his jacket pocket – paper – but it's pretty soaked. Can't tell what it said."

He handed Lennie a couple of plastic evidence bags containing pulpy messes. One of them was colorful – all primary colors and some gold and silver. Maybe once a Christmas card? Lennie wondered. The other probably had been newspaper clippings. He sighed. They'd take them to the lab, of course, but it didn't look like much to go on.

There wasn't much to do but get the body to the M.E. and check Missing Persons.

"So, what do you think, Lennie? Someone throw this guy in here to drown?"

Lennie shuddered and hoped not. What a hell of a horrible way to go. "Well, we can be pretty sure he probably didn't roll himself in, but we'll have to wait for Rodgers to tell us more."

Later that afternoon, she did.

"He didn't drown," she told them, and Lennie was unaccountably relieved to hear that. "Heart attack. Probably about 72 hours ago."

"Well, there'd be no point to tying him up after he had a heart attack, so I'm guessing that caused it?"

"Can't tell you that for sure, but it's entirely likely."

"Injuries?" asked Ed.

"Some bruising, consistent with being grabbed and subdued. Nothing real serious."

"Anything that tells you who he is?" Lennie asked.

"No, but I don't think you're going to have to worry about that for long."

"What makes you think that?"

"A fifteen-hundred dollar suit makes me think that. Someone'll be looking for him pretty soon."

Ed sighed. "Well, it's back to Missing Persons."

"And don't forget another canvass for witnesses," Lennie added. "That's always fun."

But neither the canvass nor Missing Persons yielded any helpful clues, so Lennie and Ed gave it up for the evening. Lennie had a vague feeling that this one was bothering him more than most. Perhaps if it'd just been that the guy was bound, or if he were in just in the water, but the two together was giving him the creeps. So preoccupied was he with the case, in fact, that he did something he couldn't recall having done in years – he dreamed about it. He dreamed he saw the guy in the water although he actually hadn't. He woke up from that one and willed it out of his mind. The next thing as he was drifting off again was that he saw vivid colors – reds, a bright blue, yellow, green. And gold – sparkly gold, damnit! He sat bolt upright in bed and tried to think clearly. He might have imagined it, but he didn't think so. Okay, he told himself – think! Where is it?

Go to Chapter Three --