Continued from chapter 3

"So, I was thinking," Martin spoke between sips of coffee, "if we finish early tonight, we could go see a movie?"

Samantha barely looked up from the computer where she had been adding a few remarks to her interview with James Crowther. "What?"

"I said that if we finish early tonight, we might go catch movie," he repeated patiently. "You know, actually have a life outside these offices. I think it´ll do us good."

As much as he would enjoy watching a movie with her; what Martin actually meant was that it would do her good. He had observed her since she left Jack´s office earlier and had been struck by how frazzled she seemed. How drained. He had suddenly realized that she had been putting in a lot of hours lately, and he wanted to make sure she didn´t have a breakdown. Their work was a tough and addictive one, slowly but unrelentingly grinding you down and it generally took someone else to point out when you needed a break. Someone else to tell you when it was time to go home.

She stared at him for a moment, as if unable to comprehend his words. Then shook her head imperceptibly, giving him an absentminded smile before returning to her work. "Sure, if we´re really that lucky."

"Well," Martin pushed a stack of papers away and made himself comfortable on her desk, putting his mug of coffee down beside him. "I hate to say it, but I think this case is going cold. Unless Viv and Danny get something from the ex-husband or we catch a lucky break, I don´t see this going much further."

At first he didn´t think Samantha had heard him as she continued to type for a moment, but then she pushed her chair away a few inches from her desk to better look at him. "What makes you say that?"

He shrugged, "Well, we have no witnesses to speak of, no motive, no real direction to take this. Once we´ve exhausted all our sources, which will probably happen already today, that´ll be it."

He could tell by her frown she was getting annoyed and her response was rather sharp, "I think you´re jumping the gun on this one, Martin; who knows what we may or may not learn. It´s too early to write Deborah Harrison off as just another casualty."

"Hey," he raised his hands quickly, hoping to mollify her. "I didn´t mean to sound like I´ve already given up. I was just saying that in my experience-"

"Samantha, Martin."

They both looked up by the sound of Jack´s voice and watched as he strode toward them. "According to school records, Erick White has been absent several times in the past months. Including yesterday when his grandmother disappeared. He´s previously been suspended for smoking pot, destroying school property and getting into fights. It may not be relevant, but make sure to ask him about it."

"We will," Martin replied and was about to continue when the phone on his own desk rang. "Just a sec." He hoisted himself off of Sam´s desk and went to answer it, nodding as he heard the short message. Hanging up, he searched for a pen under all the papers on the desk while he spoke. "Reception just called; Erick and Caroline White are on their way up now. If we´re lucky, we´ll get to speak to him alone. How are Danny and Vivian coming along with Mr. White?"

Finally finding the pen he wanted, he rearranged his papers into something that might resemble order, half listening for Jack´s reply. Not getting one, he turned halfway, glancing back to see what the delay was and was immediately hit with a familiar sinking feeling in his gut as his eyes fell on Jack and Samantha.

There it was: that damned look he had witnessed so many times, the look he hated so much.

"Thanks for lunch."

Jack´s voice was soft, almost intimate, as it drifted to where Martin was standing and even though he had never heard it before, he knew instinctively it was a tone Jack used only with Samantha. Or maybe he had heard it before, he realized. Some late night long ago walking past Jack´s office. Back when he would not really have been paying attention to the scene; back when he would scantily notice Samantha was in there with him, talking subdued about a case or maybe something else.

It didn´t bother him then, but circumstances were different now. Now he didn´t know what unsettled him the most - the fact that Jack and Samantha´s gazes hadn´t wavered for what felt like minutes, or the return of that voice. When had that happened? Why had that happened?

"You´re welcome."

The smile that accompanied Samantha´s just as softly spoken words almost made Martin cross over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, desperate for some kind of reassurance. Or even just an acknowledgement that she was aware of him. However, he restrained himself, looking back and forth between the woman he had started to secretly think of as his girlfriend and his boss. His recently divorced boss who was once Sam´s lover.

"You´ve never been very good at taking care of yourself."

"It´s never really mattered much."

"Maybe not to you."

Martin swallowed, feeling very much like a voyeur who was witnessing something intensely private, and a sudden anger flared in him. With an ease that surprised himself, the respect and admiration he generally had for Jack dissolved. He felt his eyes narrow and his jaw tighten, and he wanted nothing more than to go punch his superior in the face – damned the consequences. At that moment, Martin felt like he was willing to do whatever it would take to make Jack stop looking at Samantha. To make him stop looking at her that way ever again.

Because he saw it clearly now as if all of a sudden a veil had been lifted, and he was furious at himself for taking so long to notice. No matter how 'over' they were and how inappropriate it was, Jack still had feelings for her. Feelings that went beyond the easy bantering and camaraderie they always seemed to have had between them. He could see it in Jack´s eyes and hear it in his voice and it scared him. It scared him because if he could tell, there was no way in hell that Samantha would miss it.

Deciding to put an end to it right now, he stepped over, putting a hand on the back of Sam´s chair and not so gently swirling her around to face him. "Ready?" She blinked and looked up at him in confusion and irritation, her brow furrowing in a way he would normally find adorable. "For the Whites," he elaborated, thanking his lucky star that the elevator doors had just opened to reveal Caroline White and her son. "We should get started with the interview."

"Yes, you should," Jack replied instead of Samantha as he turned to look in direction of the elevator, and Martin could hardly believe the contrast. Special Agent Jack Malone was firmly back in place as if nothing had ever transpired. "I´ll go ask Mrs. White if she won´t have a cup of coffee with me in my office while you two speak to her son."

"Make that tea."

Jack, who had already begun to walk away, paused mid-step. He hesitated before glancing back over his shoulder at Samantha, a wry indulgent smile showing briefly on his face, "Just this once then."

She watched his retreating back for a moment, then abruptly turned to Martin who felt his heart sink when he saw a thinly veiled annoyance akin to anger spread across her face. "What was that?" she demanded and he quickly decided that feigning ignorance wouldn´t be the wisest choice of action.

"Look," he began in a voice he hoped came off as friendly and soothing. "I just didn´t want Jack to…to…" Martin faltered, realizing he didn´t know how to proceed without sounding like he was accusing her of something. He wasn´t ready for that yet, years of self-doubt and insecurities imposed on him by his father, already making him question that he had actually witnessed anything out of the ordinary.

Samantha regarded him sharply, but gradually he could see a softening of her features and he caught a glimpse of something in her brown eyes before she looked away. Exhaling quietly, she was about to speak, but decided against it and rose from her chair instead. Reaching out, she lightly curled her fingers around his arm just above the elbow, her touch lingering there as she met his gaze and gave him a small and affectionate smile. But her smile was hinged with something sorrowful and Martin felt his mouth go dry. He wanted to speak, to let her in on everything he held in his heart, but she had already let go of his arm and was walking to greet Erick White and his mother.

-

Vivian leaned back in her chair, studying Ian White with interest. He was an unusual type to be working as a surgeon. In the last ten minutes he had been in the interview room with her and Danny, he had never once been completely still. He fidgeted in his seat, rolled his head back and forth, tapped his fingers against the table or simply let his eyes roam the room, never resting for more than a few seconds on any surface. She would have expected a surgeon to have more of a calm and collected nature, but maybe it was different when he was actually in surgery. At least for his patients´ sake she hoped it was, making a mental note not to get any surgery done at the hospital where he worked.

She couldn´t yet tell whether this abundance of nervous energy was a result of natural apprehension about being questioned by the FBI, or if he actually had something to hide. Or if it indeed was just the way he always was.

"Well, as I said, I was in surgery till about 2 pm and after that I was in my office for maybe an hour, an hour and a half. Then I checked on my patient´s condition and returned to my office for some more paperwork. I probably left the hospital around 5 pm."

"Did anyone see you leave," Danny asked.

Ian White brought his fingertips together, tapping them lightly as he held Danny´s gaze, but only for a second, "No, I wouldn´t think so. I went through the basement. If I go through the front door, I´ll inevitably be accosted by some nurse or other wanting my assistance." Sounding peeved, he now looked at Vivian, "I mean, what do they expect? I spend practically all my waking hours in that place. So if I want to slip out quietly after I´ve finished my shift, there´s nothing wrong with that."

"No, of course there isn´t," Vivian reassured him. "We´re not here to question your work methods. We´re just trying to find out as much as possible about Deborah Harrison."

"Ah, yeah, Debbie," Ian White shook his head slowly. "It was a great shock when Caroline called to tell me what had happened. I can´t believe she´s gone." He ran a finger along the edge of the table as if testing the feel of it. "Someone must have taken her."

Danny leaned in across the table, making him look up. "What makes you think that Dr. White?"

"Well, what else could have happened?" White replied and, to his credit, Vivian thought he looked totally honest, if a little suspicious. "She wouldn´t just leave, would she? If that´s what you´re thinking, you´re all idiots. Is that really the best my tax dollars can buy?"

The two agents exchanged a subtle, slightly resigned glance, but Danny´s face was completely neutral as he managed to catch the doctor´s erratic eyes once more. "No, we don´t believe she left of her own accord without telling anybody. Consensus is that on the way home from her shopping, she was either taken by force by someone as of yet unknown, or she willingly went with someone…" He paused, before continuing, "Someone she most likely knew. It seems highly unlikely she would go with someone she didn´t know or trust."

Ian White nodded his head furiously, "No, exactly. That´s why you..." Realization hit and he looked quickly from agent to agent. "Hey, wait a minute! You don´t think..."

"According to our information you were turned down for a substantial loan not even two weeks ago," Vivian read from her notes, overhearing Dr. White´s indignant words of protest. "You told the bank you wanted out of the hospital and to set up an office as a private plastic surgeon. Is that correct?"

"Yes, but-"

"But due to old still unpaid student loans and the risk of such a venture... I see here that you attempted the same thing four years ago without success. They wouldn´t grant it to you. In fact, it was Deborah Harrison who prevented you from having to declare bankruptcy the first time around, wasn´t it? She stepped up and paid off your creditors."

White´s mouth fell open as he struggled for words, a shade of red creeping onto his cheeks from both anger and embarrassment. "That´s- that´s not how it was! If only my business partner at the time hadn´t bailed out, I would-"

"Just tell us," Danny interrupted calmly. "Did she or didn´t she cover your debt with her own money?"

It looked like it was almost physically painful for the doctor to answer, but then he managed to press out through gritted teeth, "She did." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, clearly trying to calm himself down. When he opened his eyes again, it was a different man looking back at them. He was still showing signs of frustration, but keeping his emotions tightly under lid and Vivian guessed it was his surgeon personae they were seeing now.

"Look," he sighed. "I admit, I made some mistakes in the past, and I admit that Debbie was the one to help me out, but I don´t see what a failed business venture has to do with her disappearance. As a matter-of-fact, the bank let me know they might be willing to reconsider if I could find a co-signer for the loan."

"And you were going to ask Deborah Harrison that?"

"Exactly!" Ian White gestured vehemently with his hands. "If anything, I´m the very last person to benefit from Debbie going missing."

"Hmm…" Danny scratched his chin thoughtfully as he jotted down a few words. Then, without looking up, he inquired, "Is there anyone you can think of who would benefit from you former mother-in-law´s disappearance?"

Dr. White seemed to sink in his chair, his shoulders slumping. "No," he answered in a subdued voice after a short pause. "No, I… I can´t think of anybody. Debbie… Debbie was always well liked. I mean is well liked," he corrected himself as his eyes found Vivian´s. "She…" he trailed off and Vivian surprised herself by being touched by his sudden helplessness. Then she shrugged it off; there would be time for sympathy later. There was still work to be done.

-

Standing outside the interrogation room, Jack watched as his two agents continued their questioning of Ian White. Walking up from behind, Samantha stood silently beside him for a while, following the same scenario as he. Then, without looking at him, she spoke quietly, "Are you doing anything tonight?"

Jack kept perfectly still for a moment, then turned his head slowly, barely managing to mask his surprise. He tried to see her face, but she still wasn´t looking at him, preferring to keep her gaze straight ahead.

"I… I…" he had never felt at such a loss for words.

His silence finally prompted her to look at him, keeping her voice low as she spoke hurriedly, "I need to talk to you." When he still didn´t answer, she implored him with her eyes. "Please. It´s important."

All Jack could do was nod, but it was enough. Nervous relief showed in Sam´s eyes and she managed a pale smile, "Thank you." She brushed her fingers lightly against the sleeve of his jacket. "I´ll get back to you."

Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heels and walked away.

TBC…