Pulling up at the crime scene Steve and Mark exited the vehicle and headed towards the small army of cops who swarmed like ants around the archaeology department. Despite the intense heat of the day, the night air carried a chill and both men wore jackets. Steve's hands were jammed in his pockets, and his shoulders were hunched as he glanced moodily at the scene before him. Thoughtful, Mark followed, his shrewd eyes alert for the tiniest detail - anything that might shed light on exactly what had taken place in those twilight hours before dawn.
'Sloan, homicide' Steve brusquely informed the young officer on duty, automatically flashing his badge. Sensitive to both Steve's current mood and his seniority, the young man swiftly acquiesced and they were waved through. Climbing over the yellow police tape that sealed off the building the two men entered the fray.
Almost immediately Steve spotted a familiar figure amongst the chaos. Even from a distance he could tell that Tannis Archer was harassed. She wore minimal make-up and for once her regulation trouser suit was crumpled. Her blonde hair was escaping from her habitual ponytail, but she didn't seem to notice or care. He smiled – how different she was to most women in LA, the wannabe actresses whose lives were ruled by the mirror. A cell phone was jammed to her ear, whilst she simultaneously barked orders to the numerous uniformed officers in the vicinity. He was about to head in her direction when he felt a restraining hand on his shoulder – it was his father.
'Steve' Mark called 'I'm gonna go look for Amanda, see if she's found anything.' As a medical man the body was his priority, his area of expertise. Mark knew that to a skilled ME like Amanda, a corpse could tell a million tales. Morbid it might be, but as medical consultant, an examination of the body was undoubtedly where he could make his biggest and most immediate contribution.
Steve nodded wearily 'Go ahead Dad, 'I'll catch you up'. Reaching Tannis in a few long strides he let out a breath 'Okay Archer, what have we got?'
She turned to face him, looking as tired as he felt 'You know I was really enjoying my night off' she groaned, rubbing a weary hand across her eyes 'I had plans and it was all going so well.' She smiled ruefully 'a hot bath, a little pizza, some trash on the tube. Hell, I was in dreamland by 9.30 and then I get a call from the Chief'. She rolled her eyes, a touch of irony in her voice 'Spending my evening with a corpse wasn't exactly what I had in mind!'
'I know' Steve agreed sighing heavily 'But hey it's what they pay us for right?'
'Do you ever wonder if they pay us enough?' she asked dryly.
He smiled 'All the time.'
'Well' Tannis let out a breath 'Dr. Bentley is still examining the body, but we really don't need an ME to tell us that he died from a stab wound to the heart' she paused wrinkling her nose 'the knife was still in his chest when the porter found him'.
'Ouch' Steve winced 'That had to hurt!'
'Ouch is right' she agreed.
'So whadda we know so far?' he asked raking a hand through his hair tiredly.
'Well' she let out a breath 'Porter found the body about two hours ago.' She smiled ruefully 'Poor guy got quite a shock. He was just locking up to go home – didn't even know there was anyone in the building. He saw a light on, went to investigate and found the professor on the floor, skewered with a fifteen-inch dagger.'
She sighed and motioned with her head towards an ambulance where an athletic looking man was being checked over by an EMT 'You can go talk to him if you want, but I gotta tell ya he's pretty shook up.'
Steve groaned, from past experience he knew he was unlikely to get anything useful out of the man – at least not yet. Not that he could blame him of course. Although he hadn't yet seen the body himself, he could imagine quite vividly the gruesome nature of the porter's discovery. As a homicide cop Steve had seen plenty of murder victims, but he couldn't say he had ever truly gotten used to it, or ever would. Sure it was a while since he'd lost his lunch, but that sick feeling in the pit of the stomach never went away. The taking of a human life by force carried with it a chill that permeated even the most hardened of cops.
'Hey Sloan!'
Steve groaned again as he recognised the voice of John Wyatt, accompanied no doubt by his wise ass partner McBride. He rolled his eyes and exchanged a knowing look with Tannis 'And just when we thought it couldn't get any worse …' he muttered. She responded with a pained smile and a loud sigh.
'Well hello there Lieutenant, Sergeant' Wyatt greeted them amiably. The sarcasm behind his excessive bon hommie was not lost on either of them. Playing his role to the hilt, Wyatt took a deep and invigorating breath and beamed at them 'It's so good to see ya both on this mighty fine morning' he sighed contentedly. 'And I gotta say it sure is great to be here – hell, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be'. He turned to his partner 'How about you Cal?'
'Nope John, can't say that I can.' McBride sniggered appreciatively and Tannis rolled her eyes.
'Something we can do for ya guys?' Steve asked shortly. His tone was none too friendly, irritation bubbling just below the surface. Tannis could read the warning signs already.
'Oh I don't know Sloan' Wyatt pondered, raising his eyes as though deep in thought 'Whaddaya think Cal, is there anything Lieutenant Sloan here can do for us?' Playing along McBride shrugged. Tannis bit her lip; she knew Wyatt and McBride of old and had a pretty good idea of where this was going. Glancing at Steve she could sense the barely controlled anger, the man was a volcano and any minute he was gonna blow.
'Steve …' she interrupted
'Just a moment Sergeant' Wyatt was relentless 'Lieutenant Sloan and I were just in the middle of a little ole conversation here.' He smiled benignly, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes 'Now where were we Cal?'
'I think Lieutenant Sloan was asking what he could do for us John' McBride supplied with a smirk.
'That's right!' Wyatt continued. Looking at Steve he went on sweetly 'Now that you come to mention it Sloan there is something you could do for us'. He paused 'Here it comes' Tannis thought worriedly.
The overly friendly smile was replaced by a smirk, the pseudo 'chit chat' now a sarcastic accusation 'You know, you could do your damn job and get on and solve this case'. He indicated his partner 'That way me and McBride here wouldn't get dragged out of our nice warm beds at 3am, and in my case outta the arms of a feisty brunette, to come down here and cover your ass!' He grinned 'So what's the problem Sloan? Case too hard for you, or is it too much action with Sergeant Archer over there?' He leered at Tannis 'Have to admit if she was my partner I'd be distracted too. I'll bet she's a real animal …..'
He got no further as Steve's arm had shot out, right hand gripping him by the throat, left balled into a fist ready to deliver the silencing blow.
'Steve no!' Tannis moved quickly to get between them. Immediately McBride shifted behind Steve, ready to back up his partner if the need arose. Tannis held her breath. For a moment the two men were seemingly frozen in time, a grim tableaux in the early morning light. And then Steve let go. Turning abruptly he left them in his wake, hearing neither Tannis' call for him to 'Wait up' nor the derisive mutterings of the other officers.
'Good going guys!' Tannis turned on them, her voice dripping sarcasm.
'Hey' Wyatt held up his hands protesting innocence 'We were just having a bit of fun. Jeeze is it my fault the guy can't take a joke?' Dusting himself off he turned to her, a glint in his eye 'Your partner's a psycho Archer, he's lucky I don't report him, attacking me like that'.
Tannis looked at him coldly 'Don't even think about it John, because if you do I'll make sure the Chief gets to hear all about that little gambling syndicate you own a piece of down in Venice'. She grinned malevolently as his faced paled 'You know the one I mean dontcha John?' She paused meaningfully 'The one without the licence'. Leaving him to ponder the implications she turned and glared at the uniforms who were openly ogling the spectacle 'Show's over boys' she barked irritably 'Get back to work'.
Shaking her head she left them to it, heading off in search of Steve. As she walked, much as she tried to ignore it, a little voice reminded her that was the second time he'd lost it in as many days.
'Boy she's good' McBride whistled appreciatively.
Wyatt grinned and raised his eyebrows 'And hot!
'You, buddy, have a one track mind and a talent for getting into trouble' McBride complained good-naturedly.
Wyatt smirked 'Hey! It's why you love me.' he joked.
'That's as may be' McBride replied 'But if you've got any sense you'll stay away from Sloan for awhile' he looked at his partner suddenly serious 'he was damn near gonna kill ya'.
'Hey' Wyatt grinned with mock confidence, although his shaky voice gave him away 'You had me covered right?'
'Come on' McBride rolled his eyes 'I'll buy you a coffee'.
Leaning against the wall, eyes closed, Steve took several deep breaths as he waited for the pounding in his head to slow. Unclenching his fists, his hands shook with the residual tension from the adrenaline that had rushed his system. He groaned 'What the hell had just happened?' Sure McBride and Wyatt were a pain the ass, but they were nothing he couldn't handle – he frowned, usually. Tonight they'd hit a nerve, tapped into his own insecurities about the case and his lack of progress. He was going nowhere fast and now another murder had been committed right under his nose. He sighed; it felt as though the killer was toying with him, taunting him with partial clues and inconsistencies. The frustration was killing him. The crude comments about Tannis had been the final straw and he'd snapped.
From his refuge in the shadows he caught sight of her and groaned again. It was obvious she was looking for him. She had every right to be mad, the way he'd behaved. If it hadn't been for her he'd be in a whole lotta trouble right about now. He paused – may be he still was? If Wyatt reported the incident he'd be hauled into the Chief's office and …. well, he didn't even wanna think about it. He knew he should talk to her, but he was in no mood for a lecture. Pressing back into his hiding place he waited until she'd passed, then turned and hung a right, entering the archaeology building. He sighed; he hoped his father was having a better night.