After conducting the interview with Leslie, Danny knew he should tell Jack about his past relationship with Katie and the Mason family. From what Leslie said, Katie and her father were their best suspects. And yet for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to tell Jack. He kept rationalizing the situation in his head. He hadn't thought about Katie in a long time. And their past relationship was really very brief. It had been such a long time since he said goodbye to her in that church that he could barely remember the feelings he had for her, or he just didn't want to remember. So Danny didn't tell Jack anything when he and Samantha briefed him and the rest of the team about Leslie's interrogation.
"Katie Mathews and Robert Mason definitely have a motive. So does Eric Mathews," Samantha stated as they sat around the conference table minus Viv who was staying close to Tracey's family.
"Did Ms. Jones know about the pregnancy test?" asked Martin.
"Nope. She know idea, and I don't think she was lying," answered Sam.
"Let's bring them in," Jack ordered. "Danny…Martin…interview Robert Mason. Samantha and I will take the happy couple."
Danny looked up…about to say something to Jack, but then stopped. He didn't know what to say without going into the whole sordid story. As they got up from the table, Jack continued, "Danny…get a hold of Mason and set up the interview."
"I'm on it," Danny replied knowing he would have to talk to Jack before they interviewed Mason. Fortunately, when Danny called Mason's secretary, she informed him that Mr. Mason had flown to Boston first thing that morning and was flying back as they spoke. At the very least, Danny figured he had some time to figure out how he could get out of interviewing Mason.
Danny spent some time going over Tracey's co-workers' statements. He rose from his desk to tell Jack that he thought he should go back to her building to follow-up on some holes in their statements. He thought that would get him out of the Mason interview. As he walked toward Jack's office, he noticed Samantha getting off the elevator followed by Katie Mason. He stopped dead in his tracks as he watched Sam lead her to the interrogation rooms. Without even thinking, he followed them. All the thoughts of talking to Jack flew out of his head. He waited until they entered the room, and then stood in front of the two-way mirror.
He noticed that Katie looked older, of course, but still youthful. She had a worried, scared expression on her face. Danny flipped the switch on the sound box so he could listen.
"If its okay, I'm going to ask you a few questions about Tracey Simon," Samantha started.
"Of course. I understand," Katie replied.
"You met her in college?"
"Yes, that's right. Um…I started at Columbia when I was 20. I met Tracey through a tutoring program that I volunteered for. She needed help with British lit."
"You became friends…"
"Yes. Tracey, Leslie and I became fast friends. I'd been married a couple of years….and felt disconnected. I didn't have any close girlfriends at the time…so they became my friends. I think I needed to connect with people my own age at that point in my life."
"I can understand that," Samantha said as she smiled. " Okay…according to Leslie, you helped Tracey get the internship at Mason."
"She didn't have any direction at Columbia. She was really struggling. I just thought if she had some experience…if she knew what she was working towards…she may be able to focus."
"But it didn't help her with school…"
"No. She focused…she just focused on the internship instead of her education. So…she flunked out, and eventually she was hired into an entry level job at my father's company."
"Leslie also said that you pulled away from them…after you graduated….Tracey, especially. Is that because you sensed something going on between her and your husband?" Samantha asked trying to catch Katie off-guard.
Katie looked at Samantha with a surprised, wounded gaze. "I wasn't that smart, Agent Spade. I pulled away from them…from everyone…because I was so very unhappy. It had nothing to do with Tracey," Katie responded as tears filled her eyes.
Danny watched Katie get emotional and his heart ached a little. It still bothered him to see her hurt.
"You were unhappy in your marriage to Eric Mathews?" Samantha asked.
"Yeah…I guess. We just…marriage wasn't what I thought it would be, and I just…I knew I made a mistake, but I couldn't go back."
"Divorce?" Samantha said with a curious expression.
"It's a long story, Agent Spade…and it has nothing to do with Tracey. I stayed with my husband for 8 years, and then one day I walked into his office when he said he was working late. I caught him and Tracey on his couch." Katie let out a breath and smirked a little. "If anything…catching them like that…gave me an out. It gave me a solid reason to leave Eric."
"You left him, but he didn't want you to, correct?"
"What…what do you mean?"
Samantha lifted a piece a paper from under her file folder. "According to this, you have a restraining order against Eric."
Danny continued to look on in concern. All the feelings he had for Katie...that he thought were dead…were flooding back.
Katie nodded. "I'm the cash cow. Before we married, my father insisted that Eric sign a pre-nup. When I caught him cheating, he forfeited any claim to my money. I got the restraining order because he wouldn't leave me alone after I left him."
"Also, according to the restraining order, you say you feel like you are in physical danger…"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Katie asked quickly.
"If your husband has ever hurt you, then it is very possible he could've hurt Tracey."
Danny's heart raced as he watched tears fall from Katie's eyes.
Katie hesitated for at least a full minute. "I…uh…I can't…."
Samantha interrupted. "I know this is hard, but right now you are a suspect. I don't think you had anything to do with Tracy's disappearance. I think you were relieved to find a way out of your marriage. That means your husband is one of our prime suspects. Do you think he is capable…"
"Eric is very careful. Everything is about appearances to him. He never hit me. He never did anything that people would notice. Instead…he would…he would do things to humiliate me. He would make me do things…. Sometimes I don't even know why I was so afraid of him…I just was. I think Eric is capable of anything. But if he did something to Tracey…you'll likely never know."
"Why is he still at Mason? Why would your father let him continue to work there?"
"That's a great question, Agent Spade. At first, I thought my father was punishing me. He never wanted me to marry Eric. But that doesn't make sense. My father…for all his meddling….has always tried to protect me. I can't understand why my father is keeping Eric onor even why he seems to wantme to stay with Eric. It hurts…."
Samantha stood up slowly. "I need to speak with my colleague, but I still have a few more questions for you. Can I bring you something…a drink?" she asked sympathetically.
"No…I'm fine," Katie replied trying to compose herself.
"I'll be right back," Samantha said as she walked out the door. After she closed the door and turned the corner, she saw Danny staring in to the window. "Hey…did you hear? It sounds like Mathews is pretty good suspect. I'm going to tell Jack. He's about to interview Mathews."
Danny nodded. "Okay. We're still waiting for her father to show," he said as he kept his eyes trained on Katie.
"When I come back, I'll asked her about Tracey and her father." Samantha noticed that Danny hadn't taken his eyes off Katie Mason and seemed distracted. "Are you okay, Danny? You seem…"
"I'm fine," he replied quickly as he turned to look at Sam.
"I feel sorry for her. It's strange how someone like her…who has the best of everything…would end up with someone like Mathews…" Samantha said as she walked down the corridor.
After Sam left, Danny slowly opened the door to the interrogation room. Katie was rubbing her temples with her eyes closed. Part of him wanted to walk away and leave this chapter of his life closed, but he couldn't do it. "Hey," he said quietly.
Katie looked up startled at the sound of the familiar voice. "Danny…"
"This is the last place I ever expected to see you," he said in a low voice.
Katie couldn't help but smile slightly. "I knew you worked with the FBI, but this is quite a coincidence. Are you working on Tracey's case?"
"Yes. I probably won't be for long if someone in your family is involved in her disappearance."
"Its kind of messy, isn't it?" she said as she stood up and walked toward him.
"That's one word for it. How long was Eric hurting you?" he asked suddenly.
Katie glanced at the two-way mirror. "You shouldn't have heard that…"
"Well I did hear. And I want to know…I want to know if it was happening before you married him. Is that why you did it? Because you were scared?"
Katie looked up at Danny with tear-filled eyes. She shook her head, but couldn't respond. Danny was about to press further when the door opened.
"Excuse me," Martin interrupted. "Danny…"
Danny looked at Katie for another moment and then walked out with Martin. "I thought Sam was talking to Mrs. Mathews?"
"She was. She's coming back," Danny replied defensively. "I was just…it doesn't matter…what's up?"
"Mr. Mason's here. He's waiting in a conference room." As Martin headed toward the elevator, Danny hesitated. "You coming?" asked Martin.
"I…um…" Danny knew he shouldn't go, but part of him desperately wanted to confront Mason. "Yeah…let's go," he said as he followed Martin.
