January 14, 2003
Captain Deakins opened his office door and walked across the office to where Goren and Eames sat. "I just talked to the brass. Missing Persons detectives have a case that the Chief of Detectives wants you two to take over. McWallis is waiting for you."
Detective Tom Sutton was standing by the coffee pot when Alex and Bobby walked into their offices. Tom waved them over, and then gave his partner David Walton a light slap on the back to get his attention. "They're here," he said quietly.
"Glad you could make it right over." Walton said sarcastically as he stood up from his desk, tugging at the waist of his pants. "Loot's waiting for us." Walton jerked his thumb toward a closed office door.
Goren and Eames followed the detectives to the closed door and waited while the voice inside answered the knock. They had expected some resentment from the investigating detectives. It wasn't easy handing over a case, especially when you're forced to do it.
"Goren. Eames." Susan McWallis shook their hands.
"L.T." Goren said as he shook her hand. "What's your case?"
McWallis returned to the other side of her desk, and sat down. "Jamie Kirkland, 23, reported missing. The last time anyone saw her was just before Christmas."
"When was she reported missing?" Alex asked.
"Four days ago. She lives alone, it was her office that finally called us."
"She disappeared at Christmas?" Bobby asked.
"Yes. But she didn't have plans to go out of town."
"So what make this a Major Case?" Alex asked.
"We checked her computer." Tom took over, " She belongs to an internet fan club for Mark Price."
Bobby looked at Alex for help. "Movie star." She explained. Bobby nodded his head once in understanding and turned his attention back to the other detectives.
"You've never heard of Mark Price?" Tom Sutton seemed surprised, and somehow offended. Goren shrugged in answer. Alex tried to hide a small smile.
"Anyway. . ." Walton took over, "when we checked her e-mails, we found several to and from someone claiming to be Mark Price."
"We also found records of chat conversations. We're still waiting on the transcripts from the provider." Tom reclaimed his story.
"What's this Mark Price say?" Bobby asked.
"He says he doesn't know her. And doesn't chat with any of his fans. To freaky."
"So, why're we here?" Alex asked again.
"I'm getting to that. CloudWay Airlines has a record of a Jamie Kirkland leaving Kennedy on the 24th, landing in LA."
"How was the ticket paid for?" Bobby asked.
"Credit card. Stolen credit card." Detective Walton answered. "The card was also used to pay for on line time at an LA Internet café."
"The clerks there don't remember anything about the guy who used the card." Tom added. His tone of voice told Goren that he was trying to prove he'd done his job thoroughly.
"No video surveillance?" Alex asked.
"No."
Goren held his hand up in the air, as if to say "so?"
"LA found a body. Kirkland was never finger printed, so we had LAPD fax us a photo." Tom handed Eames the fax, Bobby maneuvered himself behind Alex so he could look at it over her shoulder. "Her co-works gave us a positive ID. It's her." Tom took a deep breath.
"Cross's state lines, this is for the FBI." Alex told them.
"We thought so too," Lt. McWillis answered. "But with everything going on, they told us to continue the investigation, and call them if we need them."
Alex glanced over her shoulder to where Bobby still stood. "California here we come."
Captain Deakins opened his office door and walked across the office to where Goren and Eames sat. "I just talked to the brass. Missing Persons detectives have a case that the Chief of Detectives wants you two to take over. McWallis is waiting for you."
Detective Tom Sutton was standing by the coffee pot when Alex and Bobby walked into their offices. Tom waved them over, and then gave his partner David Walton a light slap on the back to get his attention. "They're here," he said quietly.
"Glad you could make it right over." Walton said sarcastically as he stood up from his desk, tugging at the waist of his pants. "Loot's waiting for us." Walton jerked his thumb toward a closed office door.
Goren and Eames followed the detectives to the closed door and waited while the voice inside answered the knock. They had expected some resentment from the investigating detectives. It wasn't easy handing over a case, especially when you're forced to do it.
"Goren. Eames." Susan McWallis shook their hands.
"L.T." Goren said as he shook her hand. "What's your case?"
McWallis returned to the other side of her desk, and sat down. "Jamie Kirkland, 23, reported missing. The last time anyone saw her was just before Christmas."
"When was she reported missing?" Alex asked.
"Four days ago. She lives alone, it was her office that finally called us."
"She disappeared at Christmas?" Bobby asked.
"Yes. But she didn't have plans to go out of town."
"So what make this a Major Case?" Alex asked.
"We checked her computer." Tom took over, " She belongs to an internet fan club for Mark Price."
Bobby looked at Alex for help. "Movie star." She explained. Bobby nodded his head once in understanding and turned his attention back to the other detectives.
"You've never heard of Mark Price?" Tom Sutton seemed surprised, and somehow offended. Goren shrugged in answer. Alex tried to hide a small smile.
"Anyway. . ." Walton took over, "when we checked her e-mails, we found several to and from someone claiming to be Mark Price."
"We also found records of chat conversations. We're still waiting on the transcripts from the provider." Tom reclaimed his story.
"What's this Mark Price say?" Bobby asked.
"He says he doesn't know her. And doesn't chat with any of his fans. To freaky."
"So, why're we here?" Alex asked again.
"I'm getting to that. CloudWay Airlines has a record of a Jamie Kirkland leaving Kennedy on the 24th, landing in LA."
"How was the ticket paid for?" Bobby asked.
"Credit card. Stolen credit card." Detective Walton answered. "The card was also used to pay for on line time at an LA Internet café."
"The clerks there don't remember anything about the guy who used the card." Tom added. His tone of voice told Goren that he was trying to prove he'd done his job thoroughly.
"No video surveillance?" Alex asked.
"No."
Goren held his hand up in the air, as if to say "so?"
"LA found a body. Kirkland was never finger printed, so we had LAPD fax us a photo." Tom handed Eames the fax, Bobby maneuvered himself behind Alex so he could look at it over her shoulder. "Her co-works gave us a positive ID. It's her." Tom took a deep breath.
"Cross's state lines, this is for the FBI." Alex told them.
"We thought so too," Lt. McWillis answered. "But with everything going on, they told us to continue the investigation, and call them if we need them."
Alex glanced over her shoulder to where Bobby still stood. "California here we come."
