Precious Things by SLynn
Spoilers: Up to 'Nesting Dolls'
Rating: R for violence and disturbing content.
Disclaimer: Not mine – well, some are mine, just not the ones you recognize.
Chapter 21: Interrogation
An hour before shift ended and Archie came peeling around the corner searching for Nick and Sara. They were both in the layout room looking over the latest evidence in the case from earlier that night.
"I've got something for you," Archie said grinning from ear to ear.
"About?" Nick asked.
"The rape-murders," Archie continued, coming into the room with a print out. "You know I've been working on locating IP addresses in the area for anyone who might have downloaded those journal entries about the Fenton case?"
"Yeah," Sara said with a nod. She knew very well. She'd asked him to do it since they were Greg's entries.
"So," Archie said catching his breath, "I didn't have a lot to go on and basically it was downloaded like thousands of times and that was just inside of Vegas."
"It was worth a shot," Nick said with a nod.
"It was and it was a great idea," Archie continued, "except it was like looking for a needle in a haystack but without knowing what a needle looked like."
"Got it," Nick said again, "but how…"
"I'm getting there," Archie cut off, "When you were in my lab earlier, talking about the counselor I got an idea. What if I just checked for IP hits coming from North Desert High?"
"And?" Sara asked knowing he must have gotten something.
"One hit," Archie said showing them both the print out. "Just over three months ago before the Emily Harris case."
"This is good," Nick said with a smile.
"Do you want better?" Archie asked smiling now himself.
"Do you have better?" Nick asked in return.
"Possibly, but you'll have to take me with you to the school. The IP address ended in oh-oh-five. It's probably faculty, high up on the network. I can find the computer for you if I can get on their network. We may be able to tell who logged in and get evidence off of the hard drive."
"We'll need a warrant for that," Sara said nodding and checking her watch. "Have to wait a few extra hours."
"We might be able to compel DNA samples too if we get the right judge."
"Does this mean I'm going?" Archie asked.
"If we get the warrant," Nick answered.
"Very cool."
Sara and Nick watched Archie bound out of the room.
"I'll call Sullivan," Nick said heading for the door now himself as he checked his own watch. "He should be there with us. So should Greg."
Sara nodded.
"I'll call him, if he's home."
"He better be home," Nick said with a laugh, "I told him not to keep them out long."
Sara laughed too knowing that was probably pointless. When Greg did go out, which wasn't as often as it use to be, he rarely kept track of time. They'd stayed out all night more then once on the times they'd gone out together.
Sara went to the phone and dialed their home number first.
"Hello," came a very sleepy Greg after four rings.
"When did you get home?" Sara asked with a smile.
"What time is it?"
She laughed.
"That late huh?"
Greg rolled over and checked the clock. It was just after seven now.
"Yeah. I think I got here around four."
"Did you drink?"
"No," he answered sitting up now, "I don't mix my anti-depressants with alcohol."
"Just checking."
She heard what sounded like a muted laugh come out of him and it made her smile bigger.
"So, why the wake up call?" he asked now.
"You need to come down to the lab. Got an update on our murder-rapist."
"Do I have time to shower?"
"Make time," Sara said laughing. "Please."
"Good," Greg said and she heard him yawn. "Because I smell like a club."
"Well you shouldn't stay out all night."
"Are you jealous?" he asked and she could picture his face so clearly it was startling.
Sara could just see every detail of his face in her head it was as if he was in the room with her. Everything from the exact glint in his eyes, to the very shape of his smile. All cocky and sure of himself in a way she found endearing because it was so him at times. Times she hadn't seen a lot of lately.
"Hurry," was all she said before saying goodbye.
By the time Detective Sullivan and Nick had gone down to the court house and gotten the warrant, Greg was at the lab waiting. He looked dead on his feet but seemed eager especially after Sara filled him in on the details.
"Okay, so how's this working?" Greg asked as he, Sara and Archie waited to go in the break room. "Are you and Archie checking the computers while Nick and I talk with Ms. Blanchard and get the samples?"
"Actually," Sara corrected, "I thought you and Archie could go over the computers."
Greg looked at her, stuck. He wanted to protest that it was Nick and his case and he should be interviewing potential suspects not her but two things were stopping him. One, she did out rank him and could technically tell him what to do still. And two, he wasn't sure if he wanted to start this discussion. Even though it was completely work related he knew they'd both take it home with them and by then it would no longer be a discussion.
"If two men approach her," Sara reasoned, seeing it in his eyes and trying to explain it away. Not just to him, but to herself as well, "she might not be as cooperative."
"Sara," Greg said, "we're going to be tactful. I can be tactful."
"I know," she agreed, "but I just think it would be better if I was there."
Nick, having just walked into the room with Charlie, immediately sensed the tension.
"What's going on?"
"We were talking about whose going to do what at the school," Sara answered after a heavy pause.
"Is there a problem?" Nick asked, hating to but technically he was in charge.
"Yeah," Greg said deciding to just let it out. Sara never held back with him when she'd had a problem with him at work and he figured he shouldn't either. "Sara thinks that she should be on in the interviews and collection and I think I should."
Nick nodded and said nothing. They were both being very professional, but Nick knew that this wasn't easy for either of them. Or him for that matter.
"I know you suspect her of something more," Sara said looking from Greg to Nick, "but she's still a victim. Right now she's just a victim. You shouldn't overwhelm her."
"And you think the two of us would do that?" Nick asked.
"Well, three actually," Sara argued indicating Charlie, "Three men approaching a known victim for what? Helping her attacker lure new victims? We don't know if she's involved"
Nick nodded and reluctantly saw her point. He turned to Greg and didn't even have to say it.
"Okay," Greg said standing up and tapping Archie on the shoulder, "I check computers. Got it."
"It's not personal," Nick started but Greg just waved him off.
"I know it. It's work. I'm fine," he said as they made their way to the door, "But I still don't think this is right. We're not always going to have Sara or Catherine or whoever around to interrogate the female suspects and she is a suspect right now. Everyone at that school is."
Greg didn't say any more just left to ride out with Archie towards the garage.
The ride was very quiet. Greg, trying not to be angry, instead focused on driving. Archie stayed silent knowing that this wasn't easy on him.
They got right to work and saw nothing of the others until about twenty minutes after they'd arrived. Charlie came into the faculty lounge where they'd located the computer that had downloaded the information.
"That was quick," Greg said to him, feeling a bit better. Calmer now at least.
"You're not the only one who got kicked out," he said coming over to them both. "Brass is here. Guess he heard what was going on and wanted to be in on the interview himself. They're all heading back to the precinct, already got the samples."
Greg nodded and gave him a weak smile. At least he wasn't alone in this.
"Archie," Greg said turning to him, "want to tell the man what you've found?"
"Yeah," he answered. Up until now he'd been trying to ignore the exchange but jumped right in when needed. "This is the computer used to download the files. It wasn't printed here, but zipped and erased. We don't know who did it, just the time and date. Basically it was a faculty admin password that all the teachers and staff have so it could have been anyone."
"Including Anne Blanchard?" Charlie asked.
Archie nodded.
"What about Russell Blackwater?" he asked again.
"No," Archie said, "Unless he got the username from someone. The principal assured us that only the teachers and administrative personnel have access."
"Archie was just getting ready to unhook this thing so we can go," Greg said. "We're all done."
"Alright then," Charlie said nodding, "I'll see you guys back at the lab then, or are you heading to the station?"
"I'm probably going to drop off Archie and then head to the station. I can at least listen in on the interview."
Charlie gave him a smile and then said goodbye to them both.
By the time Greg had dropped of Archie and thanked him for his help the interview was over. He had made it down there just in time to see Anne Blanchard leaving the interrogation room. She didn't seem upset or angry, just walked past him like she didn't recognize him and exited the building.
Nick, Sara and Brass all exited after her and met him in the hallway.
"How did it go?" Nick asked.
"I was about to ask you that," Greg returned, fatigue making it impossible to hide his irritation.
"Nothing," Nick said. "She admitted she was Ann Bosworth but legally changed her name not long after her attack."
"Did you tell her about it being the same guy?"
"Yeah," Sara answered sounding off. She sounded angry. "Didn't react. It was like she knew and didn't care."
"What happened with the computer?" Brass asked Greg now, turning the tables on this little question and answer session.
"Archie tracked it down and is looking at it now but don't hold your breath. There was really only one username and password, anyone could have done it."
"So we've got nothing," Nick said shaking his head. "Still."
"What about the carpet fibers? The cat hair?" Greg asked looking to Brass. "Can't we search her house? Then at least we'd know if she was in on this."
"You're never getting a warrant for that," Brass said shaking his head now too. "Not without something more pointing to her. She gets a half-descent lawyer and he's shouting 'harassment' and he'd be right."
They all stood there at a loss. Everything about this felt wrong and there was nothing they could do.
"Listen guys," Brass continued, "go home. Get some rest. We'll find something but not like this."
They all nodded and headed out the door together.
"Man," Nick said looking at his watch, "it's already past noon."
"So," Greg commented, "aren't you off tonight?"
"Yeah but Amy and I were going out. I've got too much to do besides sleep."
"That's right," Sara said now, "the big birthday date. What have you got planned?"
"I'm not telling," Nick said with a smile, "but I've got to go. I'll see you two tomorrow."
They both said goodbye and then spent an awkward minute not knowing what to say to each other. Greg was glad that they'd driven in separate cars right now and just worried what it was going to be like back home.
