Danny Woo arrived at the Irons Estate, just like Sara had asked him. He
wondered if she had finally managed to get them an interview with the man
himself. What other reason could she have for asking him to meet her here
of all places, on their day off? He drove up, parked and went to the front
door where he was admitted and shown to the den. He had been in this room
before, the day after they had landed this case, looking for Irons. The
room is still pretty strange though, he thought. He heard the door close
behind him and looked to find Sara and Ian sitting on the couch together,
looking very much at home, with a big dog asleep on their feet. It was a
little puzzling, the two of them in Irons house like that. What was going
on? Sara and Nottingham seemed if anything more comfortable with one
another, as if they had overcome some unexpected hurdle in their
relationship and come out the other side closer, more confident. It was
hard for Danny to get the idea out of his head that he was missing
something important. Sara had definitely been going through a hard time,
and while blind faith was all well and good, he had a feeling Nottingham
was a part of it.
Sara rose, putting down what looked like a grey rug, which came bounding
over to sniff him. Danny realized it was some kind of puppy, and very
friendly. Nottingham stood with her and they walked over closer to him.
Danny started across the floor and met them next to the large table. Sara
gave her partner a quick hug as a greeting, and Ian held out his hand. He
was dressed in black again and wearing gloves, indoors. He thought about
commenting but decided to just ask Sara later.
"Hey Partner, glad you could come, I hope Lee was ok with losing you for a little bit." Danny shook Ian's hand and followed them across the room. "You want some coffee?" she asked, trying to calm her own nervousness with activity.
"Yeah, sure, you want to tell me what's up?"
"We will, why don't you sit down, I'll get this." Sara got Danny a cup of coffee from the service on the table and Ian gestured him to a chair next to the couch as he sat back down.
"All right, now, you want to tell me what is going on. Nothing personal Sara, Mr. Nottingham."
"Ian, please."
"Ok, Ian, I'm Danny," he said a little cautiously, "and I'm confused. First, why are we having this little get together here and on my day off. Unless you've got an interview set up with Irons, I can't see why you needed me."
"Well, for starters, we aren't going to be able to interview Irons at all, ever," Sara said, being a little more brutal than necessary in her own nervousness. "He's dead, Danny." Danny gave her a stunned look as she put a hand on Ian's leg to reassure him, noticing the way they seemed to be so connected. This comforted him a lot. Sara was not usually the least bit sensitive to others feeling, including and especially those she was dating. Maybe this was finally the real thing, weird but real. He pushed the speculations away as he tried to process the new information. Irons dead? So what were they doing here? So far more questions than answers, he returned his attention to Sara. "That's one of the things I needed to tell you. Remember when I promised you that I would tell you what I could when I could, well, it's time." She gave him a moment to process the information.
"He can't be dead. There was nothing on the news or in the papers, even I would've heard it."
"Danny, listen." she started. Ian interrupted her.
"Sara, let me tell this," he said quietly. "Please, it is my story." Ian looked down at her, sadness on his face. Danny watched the two of them in silence, trying to get a handle on what was going on.
Ian told his story quietly, almost emotionlessly, starting with meeting Sara at the museum before the explosion, while looking over Mr. Irons collection, and ending with his death. As he got closer to the end, his voice got quieter, sadder. Danny didn't know what to make of it all. He was pretty sure that there was more in it than was revealed by the words, but for some reason he believed him. Maybe it was the way Sara sat there, looking at Ian, reassuring him. He finished and looked up at Danny, there was something haunted about Ian's eyes that made him wonder even more about the strange man that seemed to be suddenly so important in his partner's life.
"Whoa, ok, now I understand why you've been so jumpy partner. How much of this did you know before?" he asked.
"Not much, I knew Irons was not doing well but Ian asked me to keep it a secret. The best interests of the company, stock prices and all that. If this gets out."
"Yeah, no kidding. What are we going to do now?"
"We aren't doing anything, the only reason I told you is that I promised. I don't want you involved. I'm going to talk to Joe tonight, try to arrange a meeting. The commissioner isn't going to want this getting out anymore than we do. With any luck we can close it and bury it in private."
"I don't know, Sara, and what about credibility. I mean nothing personal, Ian, but why should they listen to you?" Sara gave Ian a significant look.
"You have to tell him, finish it," she said. "You are going to have to tell people sooner or later, might as well practice." Sara took his hand. Ian sighed, heavily; it had been a long time.
"They will believe me because I am Kenneth Irons' son." The room went completely silent as Danny digested this piece of information. It explained a lot, the holes in the records that Jake had gotten him, the Black Dragons, his move straight into Vorschlag, a man wanting to keep his son close.
"You can prove it?" he asked. Ian simply nodded. "But Irons' never married, did he? I thought I read that somewhere, most eligible bachelor poll or something."
"That is correct,"
"Besides, you're, what, in your thirties? He would have had to have you at about twelve," he said, confused, wondering if they were playing with him.
"Mr..My father was.well preserved for his age," he said mildly, not wanting to have to clear that up. "I can confirm what I am saying, right here if you like," he said, a little challenge in his voice. He knew that he would have to do this, but he had never before had to defend his parentage, his birthright, it had never been a issue.
"How are you going to do that? A birth certificate can be faked. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but."
Ian just nodded and rose, picking up the telephone. He spoke quietly and then replaced it, returning to the couch. "Just a moment," he said. There was a knock at the door, and Ian called out for them to enter. The butler or whatever he was that had greeted Danny at the door let himself in and walked over.
"You called, Sir?" he asked respectfully.
"Yes. Wilson, how long have you been here?"
"Since 1964, Sir," he answered.
"Please tell the detective who I am."
"Sir?" he asked, a slight note of confusion in his voice.
"It is important, Wilson," Ian said with a distinct nod of his head.
"Very well, you are Ian Nottingham. Kenneth Irons was your father. Is that what you are asking me to confirm, sir?"
"You know that for a fact?" Danny questioned, playing the devil's advocate. It made sense, at least as much as anything else did at the moment.
"Yes, Detective, I have known him since the day he was born. Mr. Irons was a private man. He did not wish it to be known outside the house at the time. He was concerned that there might be some danger to Mr. Ian if others knew.
"Not to mention a little embarrassing," Danny said under his breath. There was a startled look from all concerned.
"No sir," Wilson said sharply. "He was never ashamed of his relationship to Mr. Ian."
"Sorry, my mind is working overtime, got away from me, no offense meant."
"None taken, it is a logical assumption if you never knew my father," Ian said, smoothing over the situation.
"Is that all, sir?" Ian nodded and Wilson walked out the door, wondering if he were finally coming to terms with his new position. He certainly seemed to be taking steps to deal with it. This too was perhaps attributable to a certain green-eyed police detective.
"There, Danny, you done with the interrogation?" Sara asked him sarcastically. She couldn't help it, this sudden desire to protect Ian, even from her partner.
"Easy, partner."
"Sara." Ian interposed. "He is only trying to help, it is a little much to take in at once," he said, surprised to find himself defending Danny to her. But he found he rather liked her partner, anyone who cared that much for Sara deserved his respect at the least.
"Don't worry about it Ian," he said. "I'm used to abuse from her, that's why I'm her partner, no one else would put up with her." He teased a little. Sara raised her hand, making a smacking motion in his direction. The joking around lightened the mood quite a bit in the face of all the stress and they all laughed together, even Ian. The puppy took that opportunity to jump up from her place on the rug and attack Danny's shoelaces. He looked down at the furry little bundle and smiled, picking her up as she squirmed in his arms. "And who is this?" he asked, trying to keep her from licking him as she wiggled and wagged her happiness to the world in general. Caillian raised her head from the rug and gave her daughter a watchful stare.
"That is Maria, she seems to have attached herself to your partner," Ian told him with a grin. Once again, it was puppies to the rescue.
When Danny left, Sara collapsed back against Ian, the immediate stress handled for the moment. She was tired, really bone deep tired, but at the same time wound up too tight to really completely relax. Ian ran a hand through her hair, and she sighed a little, wishing they could just spend what remained of the weekend curled up in his room before the fire. It was a little startling to realize how quickly the place had grown on her. She had hardly thought of Irons, of his death here except in the abstract, how it affected their plans, their future.
"Tired, my love?" Ian asked her, pulling her closer. He was still entranced with the simple act of holding her. The need to be in physical contact with her was a heady experience and he wanted to enjoy every moment, heedless of anything else.
"Yeah, a little."
"We have some time, if you want to take a nap," he suggested.
"Nah, too keyed up to sleep. I just need to burn off some energy or maybe just excess stress and caffeine."
"Then perhaps you would like to work out? I know how much you enjoy pummeling helpless objects into submission." She gave him a surprised look, his sense of humor seemed to be coming along as well.
"You volunteering?" she asked.
"I am hardly helpless, and I would love to, but I should check on Gabriel and I need to make sure that I have all the documentation we need."
"Gabriel, oh damn, I had forgotten he was here. I should probably go see him." Now she felt like a real heel, first she asked him to do her a favor and then she ignored him.
"I doubt he would notice. I am merely curious to see how he is getting on. Why don't I show you to the gym and I will join you when I have finished?" She started to protest but he interrupted. "I will tell Gabriel where you are and if he is ready to take a break he can join us there. Will that satisfy you?"
She thought about it for a moment, she really wasn't in the frame of mind for a little light chat and working out sounded like a good plan. "Yeah, that will work," she told him, pulling herself up before she got too comfortable to move. Ian rose, offering her his hand and they left the room in search of diversion, a little something to take the edge off the stress that they were both feeling.
"Hey Partner, glad you could come, I hope Lee was ok with losing you for a little bit." Danny shook Ian's hand and followed them across the room. "You want some coffee?" she asked, trying to calm her own nervousness with activity.
"Yeah, sure, you want to tell me what's up?"
"We will, why don't you sit down, I'll get this." Sara got Danny a cup of coffee from the service on the table and Ian gestured him to a chair next to the couch as he sat back down.
"All right, now, you want to tell me what is going on. Nothing personal Sara, Mr. Nottingham."
"Ian, please."
"Ok, Ian, I'm Danny," he said a little cautiously, "and I'm confused. First, why are we having this little get together here and on my day off. Unless you've got an interview set up with Irons, I can't see why you needed me."
"Well, for starters, we aren't going to be able to interview Irons at all, ever," Sara said, being a little more brutal than necessary in her own nervousness. "He's dead, Danny." Danny gave her a stunned look as she put a hand on Ian's leg to reassure him, noticing the way they seemed to be so connected. This comforted him a lot. Sara was not usually the least bit sensitive to others feeling, including and especially those she was dating. Maybe this was finally the real thing, weird but real. He pushed the speculations away as he tried to process the new information. Irons dead? So what were they doing here? So far more questions than answers, he returned his attention to Sara. "That's one of the things I needed to tell you. Remember when I promised you that I would tell you what I could when I could, well, it's time." She gave him a moment to process the information.
"He can't be dead. There was nothing on the news or in the papers, even I would've heard it."
"Danny, listen." she started. Ian interrupted her.
"Sara, let me tell this," he said quietly. "Please, it is my story." Ian looked down at her, sadness on his face. Danny watched the two of them in silence, trying to get a handle on what was going on.
Ian told his story quietly, almost emotionlessly, starting with meeting Sara at the museum before the explosion, while looking over Mr. Irons collection, and ending with his death. As he got closer to the end, his voice got quieter, sadder. Danny didn't know what to make of it all. He was pretty sure that there was more in it than was revealed by the words, but for some reason he believed him. Maybe it was the way Sara sat there, looking at Ian, reassuring him. He finished and looked up at Danny, there was something haunted about Ian's eyes that made him wonder even more about the strange man that seemed to be suddenly so important in his partner's life.
"Whoa, ok, now I understand why you've been so jumpy partner. How much of this did you know before?" he asked.
"Not much, I knew Irons was not doing well but Ian asked me to keep it a secret. The best interests of the company, stock prices and all that. If this gets out."
"Yeah, no kidding. What are we going to do now?"
"We aren't doing anything, the only reason I told you is that I promised. I don't want you involved. I'm going to talk to Joe tonight, try to arrange a meeting. The commissioner isn't going to want this getting out anymore than we do. With any luck we can close it and bury it in private."
"I don't know, Sara, and what about credibility. I mean nothing personal, Ian, but why should they listen to you?" Sara gave Ian a significant look.
"You have to tell him, finish it," she said. "You are going to have to tell people sooner or later, might as well practice." Sara took his hand. Ian sighed, heavily; it had been a long time.
"They will believe me because I am Kenneth Irons' son." The room went completely silent as Danny digested this piece of information. It explained a lot, the holes in the records that Jake had gotten him, the Black Dragons, his move straight into Vorschlag, a man wanting to keep his son close.
"You can prove it?" he asked. Ian simply nodded. "But Irons' never married, did he? I thought I read that somewhere, most eligible bachelor poll or something."
"That is correct,"
"Besides, you're, what, in your thirties? He would have had to have you at about twelve," he said, confused, wondering if they were playing with him.
"Mr..My father was.well preserved for his age," he said mildly, not wanting to have to clear that up. "I can confirm what I am saying, right here if you like," he said, a little challenge in his voice. He knew that he would have to do this, but he had never before had to defend his parentage, his birthright, it had never been a issue.
"How are you going to do that? A birth certificate can be faked. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but."
Ian just nodded and rose, picking up the telephone. He spoke quietly and then replaced it, returning to the couch. "Just a moment," he said. There was a knock at the door, and Ian called out for them to enter. The butler or whatever he was that had greeted Danny at the door let himself in and walked over.
"You called, Sir?" he asked respectfully.
"Yes. Wilson, how long have you been here?"
"Since 1964, Sir," he answered.
"Please tell the detective who I am."
"Sir?" he asked, a slight note of confusion in his voice.
"It is important, Wilson," Ian said with a distinct nod of his head.
"Very well, you are Ian Nottingham. Kenneth Irons was your father. Is that what you are asking me to confirm, sir?"
"You know that for a fact?" Danny questioned, playing the devil's advocate. It made sense, at least as much as anything else did at the moment.
"Yes, Detective, I have known him since the day he was born. Mr. Irons was a private man. He did not wish it to be known outside the house at the time. He was concerned that there might be some danger to Mr. Ian if others knew.
"Not to mention a little embarrassing," Danny said under his breath. There was a startled look from all concerned.
"No sir," Wilson said sharply. "He was never ashamed of his relationship to Mr. Ian."
"Sorry, my mind is working overtime, got away from me, no offense meant."
"None taken, it is a logical assumption if you never knew my father," Ian said, smoothing over the situation.
"Is that all, sir?" Ian nodded and Wilson walked out the door, wondering if he were finally coming to terms with his new position. He certainly seemed to be taking steps to deal with it. This too was perhaps attributable to a certain green-eyed police detective.
"There, Danny, you done with the interrogation?" Sara asked him sarcastically. She couldn't help it, this sudden desire to protect Ian, even from her partner.
"Easy, partner."
"Sara." Ian interposed. "He is only trying to help, it is a little much to take in at once," he said, surprised to find himself defending Danny to her. But he found he rather liked her partner, anyone who cared that much for Sara deserved his respect at the least.
"Don't worry about it Ian," he said. "I'm used to abuse from her, that's why I'm her partner, no one else would put up with her." He teased a little. Sara raised her hand, making a smacking motion in his direction. The joking around lightened the mood quite a bit in the face of all the stress and they all laughed together, even Ian. The puppy took that opportunity to jump up from her place on the rug and attack Danny's shoelaces. He looked down at the furry little bundle and smiled, picking her up as she squirmed in his arms. "And who is this?" he asked, trying to keep her from licking him as she wiggled and wagged her happiness to the world in general. Caillian raised her head from the rug and gave her daughter a watchful stare.
"That is Maria, she seems to have attached herself to your partner," Ian told him with a grin. Once again, it was puppies to the rescue.
When Danny left, Sara collapsed back against Ian, the immediate stress handled for the moment. She was tired, really bone deep tired, but at the same time wound up too tight to really completely relax. Ian ran a hand through her hair, and she sighed a little, wishing they could just spend what remained of the weekend curled up in his room before the fire. It was a little startling to realize how quickly the place had grown on her. She had hardly thought of Irons, of his death here except in the abstract, how it affected their plans, their future.
"Tired, my love?" Ian asked her, pulling her closer. He was still entranced with the simple act of holding her. The need to be in physical contact with her was a heady experience and he wanted to enjoy every moment, heedless of anything else.
"Yeah, a little."
"We have some time, if you want to take a nap," he suggested.
"Nah, too keyed up to sleep. I just need to burn off some energy or maybe just excess stress and caffeine."
"Then perhaps you would like to work out? I know how much you enjoy pummeling helpless objects into submission." She gave him a surprised look, his sense of humor seemed to be coming along as well.
"You volunteering?" she asked.
"I am hardly helpless, and I would love to, but I should check on Gabriel and I need to make sure that I have all the documentation we need."
"Gabriel, oh damn, I had forgotten he was here. I should probably go see him." Now she felt like a real heel, first she asked him to do her a favor and then she ignored him.
"I doubt he would notice. I am merely curious to see how he is getting on. Why don't I show you to the gym and I will join you when I have finished?" She started to protest but he interrupted. "I will tell Gabriel where you are and if he is ready to take a break he can join us there. Will that satisfy you?"
She thought about it for a moment, she really wasn't in the frame of mind for a little light chat and working out sounded like a good plan. "Yeah, that will work," she told him, pulling herself up before she got too comfortable to move. Ian rose, offering her his hand and they left the room in search of diversion, a little something to take the edge off the stress that they were both feeling.