CHAPTER 4

Disclaimer: Eames and Goren are all mine..in my fantasy world! Dick Wolf owns them really (I want them ()

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Eames found the dance studio without too much trouble. A few more guys gave her looks, but she ignored them. As she entered the room a bunch of 7 girls in cheerleading uniforms were having a break from practice. They all drank water out of white Styrofoam cups and were laughing - exactly the opposite behaviour to Ashlie. They noticed the blond woman and greeted her.

"Is there a Carrie Manfield here?" she asked. A girl with bleach blond hair stood up.

"I'm Carrie," she said. Eames pulled her aside.

"Do you know Scott Cashmore?" she asked. Carrie nodded. "He was murdered this morning. Do you have any information?" she asked, gently. Carrie looked at her, and then started crying hysterically.

"Oh my god. No!" She just broke down. She calmed down after a minute to answer more questions from Eames.

"What is your relationship with him?" she asked.

"I was his girlfriend. I bet it was Ashlie. She hated him," Carrie said. Another girl overheard and came over to comfort her. She had tears in her eyes too.

"This is Sarah, my best friend," she said. Another slim, blond girl.

"We have to get to class," the girl said and they left.

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Eames met Goren who was sitting on a table in the empty schoolyard.

"How did it go?" he asked as he saw her approach. She shrugged.

"Ok. You?"

"Ok. What are you thinking?" he asked. Eames sighed.

"Carrie was so upset. She couldn't have had anything to do with it" she answered.

"Well Ashlie wasn't exactly devastated. She is at the top of the suspect list so far," he said. They both looked at the pavement in silence. Goren looked up and saw Ashlie walking around. He jumped up and ran to her.

"Bobby?!" Eames yelled after him, but knew he wouldn't come back. Ashlie saw Goren running towards her. She rolled her eyes. What now? Didn't he have anything else to do then hang around a school?

"Hey Ashlie, can I ask you something?" Goren asked her as he reached her. She stood waiting for his question. "Are you the way you are because of your father? I mean are you angry?" he asked.

"Well if you mean in police psychology shit, then yeah I guess. I learned to stick up for myself" she said. Goren nodded and went back to Eames.

"She is an angry girl needing an outlet for rage. Scott turning her down was the last straw. He just happened to be in the way." Eames thought about his theory. It definitely made sense. She saw Ashlie talking to Sarah. They looked like friends from their body language.

"That girl Sarah is a friend of Carrie's as well. Maybe we should talk to her" she suggested. Goren nodded. He watched Ashlie. Something about her fascinated him. He decided to talk to her a little more.

"We should take all of them back for interviewing" he said. The two went to find their class.

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The classroom Goren and Eames walked into was wide and spacious - an art room. Ashlie worked on a big piece of cardboard, Sarah was moulding clay, while Carrie was in a corner working on canvas. The detectives surveyed the work of the other students, then went to Ashlie. Eames spoke to the teacher while Goren leaned on Ashlie's desk admiring her work. It was a beautiful big painting with patched of art from Australian aboriginals, native Americans and other cultures around the world. She saw a shadow and looked up to see who it was, and he smiled. She looked at him in disbelief, put her paintbrush handle though her ponytail and leaned back in her chair.

"Oh for god sake, what now?" she said, annoyed. Couldn't she just have a normal day of education? Carrie turned around and eyed him. Very cute she thought.

"A boyfriend who won't get off your back?" she smirked. "Want me to handle him- literally?" she said sarcastically. Ashlie jumped from her seat, knocking it over. The class stopped their mumbling and looked.

"Shut your mouth Carrie or I'll shut it for you" she yelled. Carrie stood up in defence.

"Make me" she whispered in her ear. Ashlie was going to punch her but Eames stopped her.

"We want you two and Sarah to come with us" she said. Ashlie backed off.

"One day, you'll get yours" she threatened and walked out, Goren on her heels. Eames collected Carrie and Sarah and went back to the office.

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Goren interviewed Ashlie, Eames interviewed Carrie and Deakins interviewed Sarah. It took several hours before they finished and the girls went home. The 2 detectives and their captain came together to exchange information.

"Ashlie says Carrie has something to do with it" Goren said.

"Carrie said Ashlie did it" Eames said. They were going around in circles.

"Sarah is a mutual friend. She says either of them could have done it, but she's leaning towards Ashlie. She also says we should talk to Ryan Stanten.

"We'll do that tomorrow," Eames said looking at her watch. 7:43. She wanted to make up for the lost sleep. "Wait, could that be Jay Stanten's son?" She asked. Goren shrugged.

"Could be." Eames shook her head. She bid goodnight to everyone and went home. Goren did the same. It was raining again as he went outside. Eames drove herself to work this morning, so he couldn't give her a lift home. He kind of wanted to, just to talk. He got so involved with work, and talking to her was his escape.

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Ashlie didn't get home until 8:15. Her father was too drunk to pick her up and his mates were too busy shooting heroin to care. She didn't want to go home, but she had nowhere else to go. As she arrived, she paid the taxi driver and ran upstairs to the apartment. She took a deep breath and calmly walked inside. She didn't acknowledge all the med in her living room and went straight to her bedroom. She went straight to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She sat on her bed and thought. Why was she suspected of murder? She didn't ant to think about it, just do her homework and sleep. She closed her eyes and lay down, almost asleep. The door burst open and there stood 4 men, all of them drugged. She shot up.

"Piss off" she said defensively. They looked at her, laughing. They talked amongst themselves. 'Oh poor girl', 'I think she's scared', 'did she just say piss off?' 'That's not very lady like', 'we'll teach her how to behave'. Before she could do anything, they took hold of her and inflicted the worst pain she'd ever experienced.

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Carrie came from a more wealthy family. She and Sarah had the same kind of life. High New York society parties, brand name clothing and treated like princesses. Whatever they wanted, they got, especially Sarah. She even got all the guys. They stood up for each other and this murder case was no different.