Present Day~
Jordan barely had the Explorer in park when she jumped out. She pressed the cell phone to her ear. Woody's home number. She had tried every other number she had with no luck.
She stormed into the building. Woody's voice mail picked up the call. Jordan disconnected. She had a charred body a few blocks down, a federal task force fumbling around the scene and, a headache the size of Quincy Market growing at the base of her skull. Jordan pounded the heel of her hand on Woody's door. The neighbors could bitch at him later.
"Damn it Hoyt, get your ass out of bed....!"
There was no answer. She pounded harder.
"We found your car....just answer the door....!"
There was no answer. She pounded the door with both hands. A few heads where peeking out of cracked doors. Jordan heard mumblings from one of Woody's neighbors about calling the police.
She looked at the nose sticking out through the security chain and shouted "He is the frigging police!" The door slammed quickly as if she were a rabid animal ready to strike.
Her hands were growing numb from pounding. Jordan stopped and caught her breath. She put an ear to the door, for a second, listening for any sound. She let out a nervous laugh.
"Woody, I don't give a damn if you're getting laid ...open the door...."
Still no response. She began to pound again this time adding her foot for good measure.
"Dr. Cavanaugh... please, step away from the door."
Jordan turned to see Agent Bernard flanked be two uniformed Boston PD. His jet black hair slicked back as perfectly as it was at the crime scene. He voice dark and menacing, reminding her of James Earl Jones. Jordan had an uneasy feeling about Agent Bernard. His badge may say FBI and his shoes may say FBI, but there was something that didn't add up.
"Don't you have a crime scene to finish destroying, Bernie?"
She turned back to the door and yelled "Hoyt let me in... I've got some unwanted company."
"Dr. Cavanaugh he is not in there."
Jordan ignored him and pounded the door again.
"Dr. Cavanaugh you are causing a public nuisance. These officers can and will remove you by force if necessary."
"I'm just looking for some answers. Leave me alone."
Jordan grabbed the doorknob and turned it violently. Why wouldn't he answer the door? She screamed out his name.
"Dr. Cavanaugh this is your last warning."
Jordan turned and looked at the small crowd that was gathering. She brushed a stray hair away from her face and walked up toe to toe with Bernard. She looked him in the eye and still didn't like what she saw. Without a word she turned and walked out. In the distance she heard Bernard reassuring the bystanders that everything was alright.
He met up with her as she pulled herself into the SUV.
"Dr Cavanaugh, please go back to the Medical Examiner's Office. Everything is under control."
"Just who the hell are you, Bernard?"
"Just go back to where you belong, Dr. Cavanaugh. And once again you have my condolences."
Jordan slammed her door and threw the Ford in gear. She hoped when she looked back she would see Bernard in some kind of pain. He only turned foot and climbed into the dark blue sedan parked at the curb.
It only took one block when Jordan realized the two uniforms that Bernard brought with him where tailing her. So much for doubling back to the scene. At the first red light she pulled out her cell. She put it back when she realized she didn't know Lois's number.
Her tail followed her all the way into the morgue parking lot. She had a feeling they would be there long after she made her way to the ninth floor.
Jordan rubbed her temples when she stepped into the empty elevator. She pressed the floor and the car began moving up. She caught her reflection in the polished steel and she pressed the emergency stop button. The elevator jerked to a halt and she barely noticed it.
Just the other day Lily told her that the universe seemed to have a winkle in it. The world had turned upside down in the last months, culminating in this. Jordan let herself slide to the floor of the car. She was suddenly tired. So very tired.
"Oh, Woody...why?"
Why did he do it? One day they were sharing a drink thankful that they were all alive after the chain of events stemming from finding Jeffers, the next he is sitting in an uptown office burying the same case in mountain's of red tape. The hand writing was on the wall. Hoyt had stepped over to the dark side.
She willed herself not to cry. They had no substantial proof that it actually was Hoyt in that car. Jordan rested her head on her knees. How could this be happening? Suddenly a buzzer sounded in the car.
"Hello? Is there anyone in there?"
Jordan let out a deep sigh. "Yes."
"This is security. Does there seem to be a problem with the elevator ma'am?"
Jordan silently stood and set the car in motion again. When the doors opened and she was standing eye to eye with Nigel. There were no witty good mornings. Nothing. His face looked ready to crumble at any moment. Jordan fought to remain in control of her quickly unraveling nerves.
"Did you get a copy of those pics before the Feds got a hold of the email?" Jordan said without preamble.
She walked toward her office. Nigel had to all but run to keep up with her.
"Love, I didn't think you need to worry about that right now."
She stopped so suddenly that he almost ran into her. She looked up into his pale face.
"You did get a copy."
"Yes, but..."
Jordan started walking again. She stood in front of her office fumbling with her keys. She finally gave up. Nigel took the keys out of her hand and opened her door.
"Thanks"
"Jordan, you were there.... what happened?"
Jordan opened her mouth and closed it. She stepped into the office and waited for Nigel to follow her in.
"The car was found about six blocks from his place. The police apparently think the bomb was not wired properly. Even so the damage was pretty bad but not as bad as it could have been. Woody's badge was on the body, but that doesn't mean a lot.....but what really bothered me was the Feds were all over the scene before the preliminaries where even done. "
Jordan stopped talking when she caught a glimpse of Renee Walcott walking toward Garret's office.
"Get me that copy of the scene photos Nig......."
Jordan pushed Nigel aside and was hot on Walcott's trail. By the time Jordan reached Garret's closed door she noticed Walcott standing in front of the desk. She could tell what they were talking about. She didn't bother to knock and walked in. Garret's head snapped up.
"Jordan, you can't just storm in here."
Jordan only gave him a scalding look and turned to Renee.
"What happened back there? Since when do the Feds just commandeer a site like that? I hope you nailed that jackass to the wall."
"Jordan" Garret growled in warning.
Renee put up a hand.
"Jordan, this is a case for the FBI."
"I'm maybe be a little vague a few things, but I thought the Boston PD had jurisdiction in the city of Boston."
"This homicide involves a police officer, Jordan. Detective Hoyt was under investigation...."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah I thought IA was in house."
"The Mayor's office wanted an outside investigation to Hoyt's murder."
"This office hasn't had a chance to confirm his death...get me that body and we'll see who was really in that car."
Jordan was being irrational and she knew it. She wanted; no, needed definitive proof of the identification of the body. If Renee Walcott wanted a pissing contest Jordan was more than in the mood for it.
"Jordan, the case has been turned over the federal authorities. They will process the evidence in there own facilities. I'm sorry."
"I don't trust those SOB's to tell the difference between criminal evidence and a pile of...."
Garret stood up.
"Jordan, that's more than enough."
He caught Renee's eye as she slipped out of the office.
"I can't believe you are going to stand there and let this happen, Garret. You saw what was happening back there. This is dicked up already. Whoever sent that bomb is going to get away with it!"
"Jordan, you're too upset. You're thinking rationally. "
"Oh, don't patronize me Garret, it's very unbecoming. I have to go, I'll check in later."
"Where the hell do you think you're going?"
"Well, since you're just going to put your head up your ass, I guess I'm on my own."
Garret stopped her before she could get out the door.
"Leave it alone Jordan."
"Yeah, right."
"Where are you going?"
Jordan had a thousand answers on her tongue. She didn't know why but she told him the truth.
"First thing first. I'm going to head over to talk to Worthington. If anyone knows what the hell's going on here...it's him."
"Hoyt's dead Jordan."
"I'll believe that when I'm handed positive proof. Until then I'm going to work under the assumption we have a John Doe. This stinks of the sick games Cahill and Conroy are playing out on the streets. Worthington is the man with a game card."
Garret's voice got low she had could barely hear him.
"Damnit Jordan, stay away. What if it's true? What if he is alive? You'll only get...."
He cleared his throat and grabbed the intake log.
"Jordan, let the feds handle this. You're not going anywhere. I need you here. Another gunshot came in last night."
He handed her a file and opened the door.
"Jordan, I know you were close with Hoyt. Even after everything that's happened in the last few months. Promise me, please, just stay out of it."
Jordan looked at the desperation in Garret's face. He wasn't telling her everything. Hell, he hadn't been talking to her in weeks. Jordan would never believe that Garret could be part of any kind of corruption. In fact, when it became evident that Woody had crossed the line, Garret was as confused as the rest of them. She needed to think. She needed time to regroup.
She took the file out of his hand and left the office. Heads were poked out of doorways and corridors watching Jordan make her way back to her office. She was sure everyone heard the raised voices coming out of Garret's closed door.
"Get back to work." Garret yelled before he slammed his door closed.