Note: Thanks for the reviews. They are very helpful and encouraging. Case files are hard to write, but I think I havea clear direction for this one. Now I just have to find time to write it.
FBI Office – 16 hours missing
Samantha re-entered the interrogation room to find Katie more emotional than when she left. "Mrs. Mathews…are you okay?" Samantha asked with concerned. "I'm sorry if I brought up painful memories for you."
Katie looked up and tried her best to compose herself. She wasn't crying because Sam made her talk about Eric. She was upset because moments earlier Danny was standing just a few feet from her. Not a day went by in the last eight years that she hadn't thought of him…that she hadn't dreamed of him. Seeing him again…being close enough to touch him…was almost too much for her to bear, but she couldn't tell Samantha that. "I'm okay. Let's just finish this…"
"Okay. I just have a few more questions for you."
Katie nodded as she sat back down.
"Where were you last night at 9:00?"
Katie met Samantha's gaze. "I thought…I thought you said I wasn't a suspect."
"I said that I didn't think you had anything to do with Tracey's disappearance. I still need to verify your alibi. You do still have a motive, Mrs. Mathews."
"I was in the Hamptons. I have a house there. That's where I've been staying since I separated from Eric. Uh…we have a caretaker…who's been with our family for years. He was doing some work around the house until late last night. His name is Isiah Wheeler."
"I'll have to contact him."
"Okay…" Katie responded. "Is that it? Can I go?"
"Not quite yet. Um…I need to ask you…did you know that Tracey might be pregnant?"
Katie looked up sharply. "No…I…I had no idea. Eric never said anything. And I haven't spoken to or seen Tracey since that night I caught her with Eric. But if she is pregnant…I don't think Eric is the father…"
"Why would you say that?" Sam asked curiously.
"He didn't want children, so he had a vasectomy. I found that out two years after we got married. I thought there was something wrong with me…because I wasn't getting pregnant. It turns out…he just didn't want me to have a baby," Katie replied as tears filled her eyes again. "Looking back now...I guess I should be greatful. I thought having a baby would make me happy."
Samantha shook her head. The more she heard about Eric Mathews…the more she couldn't stand him. She continued. "If Tracey is pregnant and Eric couldn't be the father, then do you think…do you think your father could have gotten Tracey pregnant?"
"My father?" Katie laughed slightly through her tears. "You can't be serious, Agent Spade. My father is not sleeping with Tracey Simon. He wouldn't. His image is everything. He wouldn't risk it by having an affair with an account assistant. And despite all my father's faults, he adores my mother…"
"The rumor at Mason Industries is that he is sleeping with Tracey."
"That place is a gossip mill. My father is capable of doing some terrible things, but I can't believe he would do that. And he knows…he knows about Eric and Tracey. Why would he have an affair with Eric's mistress? It doesn't make sense, Agent Spade."
"None of this makes sense. Think about it. Why would your father keep Eric at Mason after he cheated on you? Something isn't right…and I think somehow Tracey Simon got caught in the crossfire."
As Sam finished questioning Katie, Martin and Danny were about to enter the conference room where Robert Mason was waiting for them. Martin was briefing Danny on what he found when he went through Mason's phone records. "According to his cell phone records, she called him six times. The longest call was thirty seconds, so they were probably just messages, but maybe she was putting the squeeze on him…if she found out she was pregnant."
Danny nodded. Before opening the door, he grabbed Martin's arm. "I have to tell you something before we go in there."
"What?" Martin asked with a confused expression.
"I know Robert Mason. I…um…I had a relationship with his daughter and he wasn't exactly happy about it…and it's a very long story. Suffice it to say…we're not exactly close…"
"Does Jack know about this?"
Danny shook his head. "No. Of course, he doesn't."
"You shouldn't go in there…if you know him and his daughter…it wouldn't be right, Danny."
"Look…I need to do this. It's important to me. Just give me a few minutes with him. Then if you have to tell Jack…I understand."
Martin knew it wasn't a good idea, but Danny had never asked anything of him before. He was torn between wanting to continue building a trust with Danny and doing the right thing for the investigation. "Regardless of your personal agenda…our number one priority is finding Tracey Simon," Martin said.
"Absolutely. I feel the same way," Danny agreed emphatically as he opened the door to the conference room. Martin entered first followed by Danny. As they entered, Robert Mason looked up and locked eyes with Danny.
"Tom said you were working on this case. I'm surprised to see you here, Danny," Mason stated with unflappable confidence.
"We're here to question you about the disappearance of Tracey Simon," Danny replied matter-of-factly as he sat across from Mason. Martin stood back against the wall…letting Danny take the lead.
"I'm not sure how I can help you. I barely know Ms. Simon," Mr. Mason said.
"That's funny because the rumor around your company is that you're banging her," Danny stated as he leaned in and gave Mason an intimidating glare. "What I don't understand is how you would even keep her employed…let alone sleep with her…when you knew she had an affair with your daughter's husband. But hell…you kept them both—Eric and Tracey. Your daughter…who you claim to want love and protect caught them screwing in her husband's office…and you…you just let it go."
As Danny spoke, Mason's temper began to flare. "I do love my daughter…and would do anything to protect her. You know that better than anyone."
Martin looked from Mason to Danny. The hate between them was palpable. He could see that the interview was sliding into very personal territory.
"Then why? Why protect Eric? And what is the nature of your relationship with Tracey Simon?"
"You couldn't begin to understand…"
"You sure as hell better help us understand…because right now you are looking like a pretty good suspect in my eyes."
"God…you must be loving this," Mason responded in an irritated tone.
"You would think so, but actually…it makes me sick. You make me sick. You claim to be this pillar of society. You look down on everyone…yet you can't keep your hands off the woman who humiliated your daughter. Do you have any idea how much you ruined Katie's life? All those years ago, you said you wanted to protect her…but look at the job you did…she's broken…"
"Mr. Mason, Agent Taylor and I need a minute," Martin said as he opened the door. "I'll be right back."
Danny hesitated as he continued to stare down Mason. "Danny…," Martin called out.
Danny rose quickly and walked out of the room, and then Martin shut the door so Mason couldn't hear them. "What…what are you doing? Why did you stop me?" Danny asked in an angry tone.
"Because you weren't asking Mason about Tracey Simon. You were condemning him for being a bad father. That's not why we're in there, Danny. Whatever he did to his daughter…whatever he did to you…it doesn't matter in there. I thought we were clear on that…"
"Danny…"
Martin and Danny both turned quickly at the sound of Jack's barking voice. As soon as Danny heard the tone of Jack's voice, he knew. He knew that Jack found out about his relationship with the Masons.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Do you know what just happened? Eric Mathews informed me that you know the Masons rather well. He told me this as I was interrogating him. He also threatened to sue us because he thinks you want to pin this on him because he stolemarried yourgirlfriend. How could you let me go in there not knowing that kind of information?"
Jack was irate. Martin actually felt bad for Danny because he'd never seen Jack talk to Danny like that before. Martin knew the sting of Jack's disappointment only too well.
"Jack…I…I…," Danny started.
"Shut up. I don't want to hear it," Jack interrupted. "Martin…you interview Mason solo. I've got to get back to Mathews…and see if I can salvage a shred of credibility."
Martin gave Danny a sympathetic glance before re-entering the conference room. "I'm sorry, Jack," Danny said quietly.
"You've completely compromised this investigation…especially if the Masons or Mathews are involved in this. Go home, Danny."
"Jack…don't…"
"You're in no position to argue with me, and you can't work on this case. Go home."
Danny knew there was no point in pleading his case, so he just turned and walked away.
When Martin returned to the conference room, Mason looked up with a surprised expression. "Where's Danny?"
"Agent Taylor is handling another aspect of the investigation."
Mason nodded. "I can't really blame him for thinking the worst in me. There was a time when I did the same thing to him. And looking back…considering all that's happened…I probably made a mistake."
"This isn't about you, your daughter or Danny. It's about what happened to Tracey Simon. What was your relationship with her?"
"I didn't have a relationship…"
"Then why do your employees think there is something going on?" Martin asked as he opened the file in front of him and slid a piece of paper in Mason's direction. "And why did TraceySimon call you six times last week?"
"Don't you need a subpoena for phone records?" he asked defensively.
"As a matter of fact, yes, we do. And we got one, along with a warrant to search your office."
Mason sighed angrily. "This is…this is…I had nothing to do with Tracey's disappearance, Agent Fitzgerald."
"Were you sleeping with her?"
"No…I…I want my lawyer. I should have brought him in the first place, but I never thought you would throw around such wild accusations. I won't say another word to you until my lawyer gets here."
Martin sighed knowing there was nothing her could do. "Fine. While you're waiting, I hope you think long and hard about Tracey. She's close to your daughter's age. She has a father…who is worried sick about her. Imagine if Katie was missing..."
Mason raked his hands over his face and hair. "Katie's been missing from my life for a long time. I need to call my lawyer."
"Knock yourself out. Phone's right there," Martin replied as he rose and walked out the door.
Moments later, Martin entered Jack's office where Vivian and Samantha had both gathered. "Mason lawyered up. He's not telling me something."
"Mathews did as well. There is something going on there," Jack added.
"On a more positive note, Katie Mason was very helpful, unfortunately…I don't think she knows anything. She was happy to find a way out of her marriage," Samantha stated.
"I can understand that," Jack agreed. "Her husband is a real prick."
"What's next?" Vivian asked. "And where's Danny?"
Jack looked up at his team and took a deep breath. He gave Martin a glance and then responded. "The next thing would be Mason's wife. If he was having an affair with Tracey, then she is a suspect. Viv…call her…get her in here. And Danny…I sent him home. Apparently, he knew the Masons at some point. He failed to tell me that. Mathews, however, didn't waste any time telling me. DidDanny tell you what the story was?" Jack asked as he looked at Martin.
"Not really. He said that he had a relationship with Katie Mason, but he didn't say anything beyond that."
"That's why he was so interested in watching her interview," Samantha responded. "He seemed so distracted."
"I don't understand why he wouldn't tell us?" Martin asked.
"Because it's Danny…" Samantha replied knowingly.
"Look…it doesn't matter. He's off this case. Let's stay focused. Martin…you and I will question Mason and Mathews with their attorneys present. Viv…you get Mrs. Mason and Sam…you stay on the evidence from Tracey's apartment."
As the team dispersed, Danny wandered out of the Federal building. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he knew he couldn't go home. He found himself entering the Starbucks across the street. He figured he'd kill an hour and then head back in to see if he could reason with Jack.
He ordered a coffee and took a seat by the window. He sat there for at least ten minutes just watching people go by on the crowded street. He hated feeling useless, especially while the rest of the team was hard at work. And he hated the thought of letting Jack down.
"Twice in one day…must be more than a coincidence…"
Danny looked up quickly at the sound of the familiar voice. Katie looked down at him with a hesitant, worried expression. "Definitely seems like more than a coincidence…"
