AN: I wrote this CJ story in response to a challenge on Coffeerooms (better late than never!) from Brinny on2/23/2005. I'm still new to this whole FanFic thing, but the challenge was so fun! I hope I delivered well! Please review and let me know what you think. Story is complete...unless some part of it begs to be continued!
All In A Day's Mystery
Woody rounded the corner, not too anxious to see Jordan again after their last argument. They'd been in the middle of a great relationship, things had progressed finally -- and they'd even been intimate. He'd been waiting for the right moment to propose, but it just never seemed to be a good time. He wondered if it ever would. But they'd gotten into a stupid argument and he'd apparently said some rather hurtful, stupid things -- although he couldn't for the life of him remember what, exactly, he'd said -- and as a result, Jordan had ceased talking to him…for about six weeks now. It was getting unbearable. She'd avoided him at every turn, even when he requested his favorite chestnut-haired ME. He'd sent apologies, gifts….to no avail. She wouldn't return his calls, although she had returned the gifts. And everything he'd left at her apartment. Then suddenly, she was assigned to the case at hand. He wondered at her sudden change of heart, and realized that, with Jordan, it was probably not going to be the make-up session he'd been hoping for. He wondered if their relationship was going to be mended, and hoped it was not irreparable, but all signs indicated that was the case. He'd even been hearing, through the office grapevine, that she'd been spending a lot of her spare time with someone else -- some old flame apparently, but who it was, he couldn't guess. He wasn't sure he even really wanted to know.
He spotted her right away, talking to the Homicide Division Chief, Eddie Winslow, who was whispering something to her. She laughed, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. At that moment, it started to rain -- Not a soft, welcome drizzle, but a cold, hard, stinging rain. "Damn, I forgot my umbrella!" he heard her exclaim, moving closer to the other detective, who had quickly and deftly opened his. Woody quickened his steps, wanting to foil anything that might be developing between the pair, wondering if it was Winslow she was now interested in. He didn't have an umbrella to offer her, he thought, or he'd have gladly given it to her and stood in the rain himself, just so she wouldn't have to share with Winslow.
"Hey Jordan…Chief," he greeted politely. They jumped apart a little bit too hastily and Woody noticed that Jordan was avoiding looking up at him, instead gazing at the ground beneath her, where the raindrops were forming large pools of water. He took out a notepad and pen and asked, "So, what we got?" aware that the pages would soon be soaked and illegible.
Eddie pointed to the warehouse behind them. "Two bodies, one with a gunshot wound to the head, the other has no obvious COD. The scene isn't wholly secure yet -- this place gets pretty busy about this time of the morning." It was almost five thirty - a.m. - and Eddie waved them under a nearby awning.
"I didn't see your car, Chief…Didn't know you were on the street today," Woody observed.
"I, uh…" Eddie looked at Jordan and she shrugged. "I rode in with Doctor Cavanaugh…" He noticed that Woody was staring at said ME in disbelief. "I'm out to observe this week…Well, Jordan…Detective… I'll leave you two to start working and check back later this afternoon." He turned to Jordan. "I'll catch a ride back to the station with Officer Wendell. Take care, okay? I mean it." He planted a soft kiss on her cheek as Woody fidgeted uncomfortably and then he was gone.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Woody turned to Jordan in a huff. "So…setting your sights a little higher, huh?" he spat out bitterly. "Didn't take you too long to get over us, did it? Well…be sure to name your firstborn after me…"
Jordan looked at him in puzzlement for a moment, then said vaguely, "I just might…"
"Great…What's that supposed to mean?"
She looked at him and shrugged slightly, and then hastily changed the subject. "So….I guess we should go check out the body." She turned and left him standing there, wondering at her odd behavior.
Later that morning at the morgue, Nigel was bent over a microscope, trying to read the identification on a medical alert bracelet. It had been dangling from an as-yet unidentified female whose car had been nothing but a piece of scrap metal by the time the rescue crew had reached it. The victim's body was covered with charred flesh from the flaming vehicle. "Well, any luck?" Bug asked, leaning over Nigel's shoulder.
"Nothing yet….But then I am just getting started," the lanky Brit said with determination. "So….any plans for the night, mate?"
Bug moved back. "Why do you ask?" he queried.
"Well…I wondered if you might want to take a run with me up to Salem."
"Massachusetts? For what purpose?" Bug asked suspiciously. He moved back away from Nigel.
"Of course Massachusetts…How many other Salems are there?" Nigel asked.
"Let me see…" Bug began. "There's Salem, Oregon…Salem, Virginia….Salem New Hampshire….Salem, New Jersey…."
"What are you, a national atlas?"
"I was an ace in my geography class…My answer is no. "
"What do you mean, no?" Nigel pressed.
"The last time I let you talk me into a road trip, it turned out to be a disaster….and not too light on my wallet, either!" Bug reminded acidly.
"Well, how was I to know that the transy was shot? It was a rental car, for crying out loud….It should've been in better condition…." Nigel defended.
"Yeah," Bug shook his head. "I'm still waiting for that refund…."
"Don't worry….the rental insurance will kick in at some point if the company doesn't pay up."
"That was six months ago!" Bug threw up his hands in frustration. "No way…No road trip!"
Nigel looked up at him. "C'mon, mate…Where's your sense of adventure?"
"That's how you talked me into it the last time…."
"Don't you want to look back on your life and remember all the fun…"
"Not if I'm sitting in the poor house," Bug said dryly. "No trip. Period!" He turned and left the room. Nigel almost laughed at Bug's dogged rejection of the whole trip. He'll come around, he thought, peering back into the microscope, hoping to identify the poor, charred woman who was lying in Autopsy Two.
"Hey, Garret," Lily said brightly, quickening her steps to catch up with him. "How've you been?"
"Oh, hey Lily," Garret returned her greeting, entering the break room. He looked at the empty coffee pot sitting on the still-hot burner. "Guess I'll need to run to Starbucks, huh?" he said, indicating the pot. The smell of burning coffee grounds permeated the air. "Well, at least someone brought doughnuts…Want one?" he asked her.
"Uh…No, thank you. Hey, listen….I have an identification later this afternoon and I wondered if you would mind doing it for me…."
Garret's hand paused above the doughnut box. "Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned. It wasn't like Lily to pass off her work to anyone else.
"Yeah….Well, kind of. It's just…Well, the deceased's name is Margaret Baxter. I…I, uh, dated her son when I first moved to Boston. Frank. He was a real nut job…We didn't exactly end on a great note, so if you wouldn't mind…?"
"Sure, no problem…What time?" She told him and then left the break room. He reached into the box and found it empty.
"Any cream-filled ones left?" Jordan asked from the doorway.
"There aren't any left…And since when do you eat anything that remotely resembles breakfast?" Garret said, his voice carrying a hint of frustration.
"Well, what do you expect on my miniscule salary?" Jordan started, ignoring his last comment.
"You brought doughnuts to work? That's not like you at all….Not unless Woody's around," Garret teased. "Which reminds me, we haven't seen too much of him lately. And I was wondering why, whenever he asks for you, you are suddenly unavailable? That's not like you…Is something going on that I should know about?" He saw the color rise to her cheeks. Jordan Cavanaugh, blushing?
"You look like hell, Garret…" Jordan tried to change the subject.
This time, it was Garret who blushed. "I got in late last night…" he began.
"And?"
"And what?" he asked defensively.
"It just seems like there should be more to that story," she said simply.
He indicated the empty coffee pot again. "Look, I really need some coffee….Maybe you can walk down to Starbucks with me and I'll fill you in…"
"Wow, a breakfast date? Your treat?"
"Jordan…." he started.
She laughed at him. "Hey, the least you can do is repay me for the coffee and doughnuts I didn't get!"
"Deal!" he said, offering his arm. The strolled toward the elevator. "So….I saw that you got called out this morning. Chief Winslow…He ask for you specifically?"
Jordan nodded. "I haven't seen Eddie in ages. It's still so…weird sometimes. Especially now that he's engaged. I mean, you remember we'd had that - thing - between us…Back before I left Boston the first time."
"I remember. Do you regret it?"
"Regret what?"
"Not moving the relationship forward?" Jordan looked at Garret, her mouth open and poised to say something, but just then, the elevator doors slid open and Woody stepped off. He took in Jordan's close proximity to Garret and closed his eyes. Was she just playing the field, or had it been Dr. Macy she'd been interested in all along? Should he just ask for a transfer and be done with the whole thing? It was almost unbearable, hearing all the rumors about her, and trying to guess who she was 'with' now.
"Good morning, Woody. How're things at the precinct?" Garret asked, noting the detective's unusually quiet and somber mood.
"Uh, hi, Doc," he returned absently. "Jordan….I came down to talk to you about the double homicide…."
Garret looked from one to the other. "I thought Chief Winslow…"
"Uh, actually, Woody's the actual detective assigned. Eddie's just observing in the field this week," Jordan offered. She didn't notice Woody wince at the Chief's name. "Hey, Garret…Can I take a rain check or something? I probably need to stay and talk to Woody about this case."
"Sure…you want anything?" He waited for her order.
"Uh….chocolate chip frappuccino. Heavy on the whipped cream, please." She saw the incredulous look pass between Garret and Woody. "What? A girl can't try something new every now and again?"
"Sure." "Yeah." they both said in unison. Garret walked onto the elevator, a puzzled look on his face, and the door slid closed.
"Chocolate chip? Since when do you take your coffee any way other than black?" Woody asked.
"Hey, just because we practically lived together for a few months does not mean you totally know me…I can change it up every now and then!" Jordan said.
"Oh, I'm sure that Eddie knows how you take your coffee now!" Woody spat.
Jordan spun around angrily. "Let's try to keep this on a strictly professional level, okay?" She turned on her heel and went stomping down the hall toward her office.
"Wait, Jordan….I'm sorry!" Woody followed after her, wondering what else he could possibly say to at least keep things civil between them.
Abby walked down the hall and into her father's office, her eyes tearing. She plopped onto the chair in the corner and flipped through a copy of Glamour magazine she'd brought from home. But the words were a blur as her tears started to fall onto the page in little drips and drops.
Lily was walking by Dr. Macy's office when she heard the sounds of someone sobbing. She peeked into the doorway discreetly and, seeing Abby crying, knocked gently on the door jam. "Can I come in?" she asked kindly.
"Yeah, whatever…" Abby said, sniffling into a tissue.
"Do you want to talk?" Lily offered. The girl in front of her shook her head at first, then started shaking. "Hey, hey….It's okay, it'll be alright…" Lily offered, gently gathering Abby into her arms and patting her back to soothe her.
"It's….it's….My mom. She's….she's…she's missing…." Abby finally got out.
Lily pulled back so she could see Abby's face. "What!" she asked incredulously. "Are you sure?"
Abby nodded, sniffling into her tissue again, her sobs becoming louder and louder. "I….I don't know where she is!" she wailed.
"When did you last see her or talk with her?" Lily tried.
"She never came home last night….She'd called to tell me she'd be late…and I had a…ummm…a friend over, so I wasn't really concerned….I was so glad she wasn't coming home!" The girl broke into tears again.
Lily nodded in understanding. A college student with raging hormones. Understandable. But where could Maggie have gone off to? she wondered, hugging Abby close to her. "It'll be okay, Abby. Your dad will be back soon and he'll find her. You'll see…." she comforted, hoping that she wasn't making a promise that Garret couldn't keep.
Woody was standing in the hall, Jordan having just shut her office door. In his face. "Ah, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Nigel said, coming up behind him.
"What? What's that supposed to mean?" he asked the lanky Englishman.
Nigel shook his head. "She's just a little put out with you, that's all….That whole Devan thing…." he offered.
Woody's face was a puzzle. "What whole 'Devan thing' are you talking about?" He looked down the hall at the office that used to belong to the blonde ME. "What are you talking about, Nigel…Devan's been dead for - what - almost a year now?"
Nigel grimaced. "Ah, maybe you better ask Jordan…:" he tried, but Woody shook his head.
"She won't talk to me…She hasn't spoken to me except for a few brief sentences in the last six weeks!" He looked at Nigel beseechingly. "Hey, man….If you know of anything that will help…"
"Look, Woodrow, I like you. I do…But this is not my affair. I don't think Jordan would appreciate my meddling in this case." He gave Woody a sorrowful glance. "Not this time, mate. You'll just have to figure it out on your own," he said cryptically and then walked toward trace, leaving Woody more perplexed than he'd been.
Garret heard the sound of familiar sobs coming from his office. He threw open the door and found Abby crying onto Lily's shoulder. "What's wrong?" he demanded, moving toward them. Abby looked up for a second, then transferred herself to Garret's frame. His arms locked around her instinctively and he looked at Lily, waiting for an answer.
"It's Maggie….Abby thinks she's missing…" Lily started.
"She is missing….Oh, Daddy!" Abby cried, clinging to him as she had frequently done in her younger years, when her biggest fears were night time monsters that dwelt under her bed. "Mom's gone…Just -- gone!" she broke into fresh tears.
"Calm down, honey…I'm sure there's some logical explanation for this," he began. "Lily…"
"I know, Dr. Macy…I'll take care of it," she turned to go, knowing that he would want a report of anyone found in the hospitals who matched Maggie's description. Or worse, she thought, looking toward the autopsy rooms where two Jane Does were waiting to be identified.
It was nearing lunch time. "Jordan…" Woody knocked. He had walked away for a few minutes, to give her a chance to cool down.
She surprised him by opening the door. "Come on in." She held the door open long enough for him to sneak in, then shut it quickly. "Uh, Woody…We have to talk."
"I know, strictly professional," he said, his voice sarcastic. "So, did you have a chance to examine our two bodies? I just wanted to get some preliminary…."
"That can wait," she started, an underlying hint of urgency in her voice. "This is about something else…." She paused, thinking about her conversation with Nigel earlier in the day.
"Jo? That sample you gave me earlier? It's positive," he said, He thought he saw her face pale slightly, but it was gone in a flash.
"Are you sure? You tried both samples?"
He nodded. "Yep. Urinalysis and blood work. I would say about eight to ten weeks along, but that's just a guess. So….Want to tell me about it?"
"Tell you about what?" she asked, trying her best to look innocent. "There's nothing to tell…."
Nigel looked at her, his mind doing some quick calculations. "Jordan….this isn't….you…is it?" Her silence was answer enough. "Oh, Jo….What are you going to do? Does he even know?"
Jordan's face became calm. "No. Not yet. After what he said, Nige…about her and us…I just - It took me so long to trust him and now…." a tear escaped and plopped down on her desk.
"Hey, love…You know I'll always be here for you…We've always been friends, right?"
"Yeah, of course…You're one of my best you know….Like a brother. I just don't know…."
Nigel looked at her squarely. "Are you going to…keep it?" he asked softly.
Her face betrayed her shock at his question. "Of course! You don't think I'd…We see so much -- death -- every day. Of course I'm going to, to…."
"I didn't mean anything by that…" he said quickly. "It's just…Well…."
She looked at him, a brave smile playing across her face. "I understand…I mean, that would be the sensible, easy choice -- but when have I ever done anything the easy way?" Her smile faded then. "Besides, Nige -- I really love him."
"You have to tell him, Jo…You can't keep avoiding him. Especially not now, now that you know for sure." She knew he was right.
"Of course…Well, no sense putting off the inevitable. We were assigned a case this morning….I'm sure he'll be by any time now."
"Do you want me to…"
"No," she interrupted. "I need to do this myself."
He looked at her, seeing that determined look creeping across her face. "Well, love, some advice… Swallow your pride in this one. He probably doesn't even know what he said. Just let it go…"
She nodded, wondering if she could. "I will -- try -- to."
"And," he said sternly, "absolutely no running away…No matter how difficult it gets. Promise."
"I promise," she said.
Now that Woody was standing in front of her, she wondered if she could keep that promise.
"Jordan?" Woody asked, interrupting her thoughts. He was afraid that she was about to tell him that she was seeing Garret now, or Eddie Winslow….or someone.
"Woody, I'm…" but the urgent ringing of her telephone interrupted her. She looked at it, half annoyed and half relieved.
"Jordan Cavanaugh, Medical Examiner," she answered. "Oh, hi Eddie….Invitations? No." She held up her finger to Woody, and turned so he couldn't hear the rest of her conversation.
Invitations? Oh God, he groaned. It was worse than he could've imagined. She was getting married or something! His face was green - either from jealousy or from the sick feeling that rose up from the pit of his stomach. He bolted out of the room, practically knocking Nigel out of the way.
Nigel walked into the office as Jordan replaced the phone on its cradle. "So, love…I see you told him."
"What? What are you talking about?" Jordan asked.
"Woodrow….That he's going to be a daddy soon…." Nigel started.
She shook her head. "No, I didn't tell him…"
"You promised…" Nigel accused.
"No, I started to, but then Eddie called and…I turned around and he was gone."
"He raced out of here, green about the gills, practically ran me over…You didn't tell him? What's wrong, then?"
Jordan shrugged her shoulders. "How should I know? Look -- I promise, Nige….I'll get around to it…" she tried.
"When, while you're in labor?" he shot. "He needs to know, Jordan….Today. If you haven't told him by then, I may have to intervene…."
"Don't….I'll do it. I promise." She walked over to Nigel and pecked him on the cheek. "I promise…" Then she picked up the case file from the morning and headed toward the autopsy room, hoping to find Woody alone.
Lily saw Nigel come out of Jordan's office and walk down the hallway and hurried to catch up with him. "Hey, have you found out anything about the two Jane Doe's that were brought in this morning?" she asked urgently.
"Well, the one woman was a homeless woman - Catty Braun - originally from the Philadelphia region. Her sister will be in tomorrow to make a formal positive identification. But Catty's been hanging around the soup kitchen for a few months and one of the volunteers gave an id before lunch…." Nigel started. "As to the other one, that's turning out to be a bit of a mystery. Not much survived the auto accident, I'm afraid. I do have a half-melted medical alert bracelet and I'm running a few tests on it…Why the sudden interest? Someone call looking for a missing person?"
"Actually, someone is looking for their mother….Abby Macy," Lily told him, sorrow in her eyes.
"Abby Macy -- Doctor Macy's daughter?" Nigel asked incredulously. Lily nodded.
"Her mother was out last night and just never came home…" Lily began. "Doctor Macy's in with Abby now, and I've already called the hospitals looking for her, but no one matching her description has come in within the last week, let alone the last twenty-four hours…"
"Yikes…Well, do you know if she had a medical condition that would have required a medical alert bracelet? Heart problem, diabetes, allergies….?"
"I don't know, but I'll see what I can find out," Lily said with resolve. She walked back toward the office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
"So, what say you, Buggles…Have you relented? Are you coming to Salem with me tonight?" Nigel tried again.
"Absolutely not!" Bug said. "I…Have other plans…"
A smile crept across Nigel's face. "Oh, have you now? What kind of plans?" he asked wickedly. "Something cooking with Detective Framus?"
"Absolutely not!" Bug said. "I have….other plans." He smiled when he saw Lily enter the room. "Hey, Lily…" he said, then turned to exit.
"Don't forget…The play starts at seven!" she called after him.
"Oh, don't worry…I won't forget," he said with embarrassment.
"So, you and Bug are going….?" Nigel tried to fish the information from her.
"Nigel…Maggie had no reason to be wearing a medical alert bracelet…Maybe it isn't her…" He nodded.
"Let's hope so..." He tried the Bug angle again. "So-o….Bug, huh? What happened to the not-so-likeable Detective Seeley?"
Lily threw up her hands. "Oh, that man is a pain in my ass!" she said, disgusted. "We went out last night…"
"Finally?" Nigel interrupted. Lily shot him a look and continued.
"He found fault with everything….Nigel, it was the absolute worst date I have ever been on in my entire life!"
"So your opinion of him has changed…how, exactly?"
"I used to think he was cute, a little rough but workable, you know? But…He started with the cab. The driver was 'incompetent' and the cab itself was 'smelly'…I'm quoting here….Then, we get to the restaurant. I wanted Thai…"
"Ah, you do so enjoy your ethnic foods…" Nigel said, smiling. "Let me guess…Seeley didn't care for the spice of life?"
"Oh my gosh….Not only did he complain about the ambiance…Too 'foreign' for him….He hated the waiter, the food, it was overpriced….It was awful!"
"Well, you stopped at dinner, right?"
"Uh, not exactly….I should have…" Lily said, her voice full of regret. "Nigel, I wasted my entire evening on that arrogant, selfish, cruel, mean-spirited…"
"Watch the language, love," he chided. "So, after an insufferable supper….Then what?"Nigel's curious nature was piqued.
"A movie," she said.
"Drama? Action?"
"Chick-flick, it turns out….It didn't advertise that way," she hastily defended. "But the whole time, he was talking, hogging the popcorn, complaining about the 'exorbitant' price of the tickets, the drinks, the popcorn…How the actors were 'ripping honest, hard-working people' -- like himself -- off if they thought that they had any talent, how acting was easy….Oh, I was soooo embarrassed."
"Please tell me you ended the evening there…." Nigel said, full of sympathy.
"I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt…His job's so stressful," she tried.
Nigel shook his head. "You didn't!"
"No…Not what you think…I do have some self-respect….But then we went for coffee and dessert. Again, it was the waiters, the overpriced coffee, his cake could've been dug up from outside, it was stale and hard as a rock…." she wailed. "Never. Never, ever, ever again….Hit me or something if I even mention it!" she said.
"So, you're no longer enamored with Detective Seeley?" he asked innocently.
She shot him a look. "No!"
Lily rubbed her temples, her shift was almost over. "…Turns out that the deer walked in front of the car and she swerved to miss it, hitting a tree and flipping the car. I can't imagine your pain, Mr. Parson. I'm so sorry." She looked at the grief-stricken man.
"Can I see her?" the young man asked, his head hanging down.
Lily shook her head. "Sir…Her body was so…We could only identify her by her medical alert bracelet and her dental records. I'm so sorry for your loss…"
Garret stood outside the conference room, watching Lily comfort Paul Parson on the death of his wife, the Jane Doe now-identified as Mrs. Elena Parson. He sighed in relief. At least it hadn't been Maggie. She'd finally called, her car had broke down miles from any telephone. She didn't realize that Abby had stayed the night, figuring she'd gone back to her dormitory. Thankfully, she hadn't been alone…Her latest boyfriend had been with her, and they'd managed to hike to a nearby hotel, a roach-infested tawdry lodging almost literally in the middle of nowhere. They'd called to have the car towed first thing that morning, and she hadn't thought any more about it until she'd gotten a frantic call from Abby on her cell….But she hadn't been able to return the call because by the time she'd gotten a strong signal, her cell phone's battery had died and the pay phone at the motel was not working. The best thing was, he grinned just a little, for once Maggie would be on the receiving end of Abby's anger.
Maybe his night hadn't been quite as bad, he thought, remembering his date with Renee. They'd had to call their night out short when her nanny called, but they'd ended it with a nice night in….Other than that…. Well, maybe they could resurrect what they once had shared. He'd have to catch up with Jordan and ask her about it, but he imagined that she was having her own relationship problems.
Jordan had finally caught up with Woody as he exited the bathroom, wiping his face with a wet paper towel. "You okay?" she asked, her voice full of concern. Woody looked at her in surprise. It was the first time in weeks she had been more than just civil to him.
"Yeah," he shook his head. "Guess I ate something that didn't agree with me…" he tried as an explanation. Jordan wondered if it was possible for someone to have sympathy pains when they weren't aware of their partner's pregnancy, and the thought made her laugh aloud. "Well, glad to know that my pain makes you happy," he said sneeringly.
She hastily composed herself. "I'm sorry," she offered with genuine concern. "It's just that…." Again, the picture of Woody's possible sympathy sickness played prominently in her mind and she laughed again.
"Thanks. Thanks a lot." He turned in a huff and started toward the elevators.
"Woody, wait!" she called after him. "Let's try again…"
He spun around. "Try what, exactly, again, Jordan….Our relationship? Isn't it more than obvious that you have moved on….I hear you're practically engaged! Please tell me I'm not on your guest list…." Her jaw dropped open and she stared at him. "I can't take this anymore, Jordan…." He pushed the elevator button over and over, hoping to speed it up.
"My what?!" she finally got out.
"I heard you talking with Chief Winslow earlier…Eddie…" he said the name scornfully. She couldn't help it, a giggle escaped her, and he groaned and stepped into the elevator. She hurried after him, prying the door open and scrambling in before the door closed shut.
"Woody…"
"Just leave me alone, Jordan….I can't take this…I truly can't." He looked at her, his crystal blue eyes full of pleading and regret.
"Woody…."
He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Look, Jo….I love you. I've loved you for years….I can't be around and watch you get married….I just can't. I'll put in for a transfer right away - today - and then I'll be out of your life, okay….Just….Be happy, Jordan." He finished and looked at her, a sole tear escaping.
"Woody…."
"Just, please, don't say anything else….I can't do this now, I can't take it…" he pleaded, his love for her and his vulnerability on his face in full display.
She looked down at her feet, studying them for the second time that day, and reached up and unexpectedly stopped the elevator. The alarm started to blare. "Jordan, what are you doing!"
"Woody, I'm about two months pregnant!" she blurted before he could say anything else.
"What the hell is wrong with the elevator?" someone mumbled, pressing the button again and again. Eddie Winslow stood behind the throng and waited patiently. Bug had run a latent print found at the crime scene and on both bodies, and they already had a suspect in custody. The autopsy results had been sent over by courier earlier in the day. He was merely going to go over Jordan's findings with her to be sure the case was tight.
Finally, the elevator doors opened and Detective Hoyt had his arms wrapped around Jordan, kissing her over and over, looking over-the-moon. It hadn't taken him long to calculate that he was going to be a father. Well, Eddie thought, maybe he'd just catch up with them later….No need to interrupt. He turned and left the building as the rain fell in soft splashes all around, the picture of Jordan Cavanaugh happily kissing Detective Hoyt like she was in love - for once - filling his mind.