*Yes, Dave is back, I love him very much and refuse to leave him out of a story!* *sorry for the original formatting of this chapter*

DAVE MALUCCI

"Excuse me?"

The receptionist looked over at the young man. "Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Officer Mark Richards."

"Can I get your name?"

"Dave Malucci."

"Alright, Mr Malucci. I'll call him and see if he can see you now."

Dave stood anxiously by the desk, while the recpetionist spoke in her nasal voice on the phone. After a few minutes, she smiled at Dave. "Officer Richards will see you now. His office is down the hall and on the left."

"Thank you."

Dave followed her instructions and found the office, knocking apprehensively on the door.

"Come in," called out a male voice.

Dave did so. "Hi."

"You must be Mr Malucci. Sit down."

Dave sat.

"What can I do for you?"

"Um...I read in the paper about Luka Kovac and Abby Lockhart and I figured you could use any help you can get."

"You know them?"

"Hmm, kinda. I used to work with them at County General. I still hung out with Luka now and again, watch a game, have a beer. You know." "Yea I know."

"They were real sweet together. Little and large. He was real protective of Abby."

"Protective? Jealous?"

"Maybe. He sometimes got a bit jealous of how close she was to Carter, but I 'spose that's a given."

"Did Dr Kovac have a jealous nature?"

"Nah, not really. He just got a bit sulky."

"Had Dr Kovac ever been violent towards anyone?"

Dave shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Um...when they first started going out...maybe a year and a half ago, this mugger attacked Luka and Abby. Luka killed him. He didn't mean to," Dave hurried on. "He only meant to stop him from hurting them, but he killed him."

"Other than that?"

"No."

"Never got violent with Miss Lockhart?"

"Hell no. He wouldn't. He couldn't."

"I see. Is there anything else?"

"They...they both had..."

"Both had what, Mr Malucci?" Mark urged.

"Issues."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, Abby had a shitty childhood, and a shitty marriage. And Luka...his family died. His wife and children. All his friends."

"Oh. How long ago was this?"

"Three, four years."

"Okay. One last thing."

"Yes?"

"Would you happen to know if either of them were engaged in affairs?"

"No. Not in their characters. Neither of them."

"Thank you Mr Malucci."