Chapter 20

Alex Eames walked into the interview room at Major Case. She had been here many times before (only a few hundred), but never in her position. This time, she was the one being asked the questions. She sat down across from the balding Psychiatrist. She didn't know whether to feel worried or annoyed, but decided it was probably a little bit of both.

"Hello, Detective Eames," he said. He sounded truly gentle. "I'm Dr. McKoy. I assume you know why you are here."

"Because I work here," spat Alex.

"Detective, lashing out at me will not help you at all. The more you are open with me, the more I can help you."

"You think you can help me if I open up and tell you everything?"

"You're afraid that your actions will cost you your job?"

"You tell me."

"I can't tell you unless you tell me," he replied simply. He paused. "Have you been feeling stress here- at work?"

"There's always stress, this is Major Case. We deal with twice as much shit-"

"You know what I mean, Detective. An unusual amount?"

Alex sighed. "It was tough. It was a tough case to crack and it was tough when I was shot and taken. There's always an 'unusual amount of stress' involved in that. But," she shrugged and looked as if she could smile for just a moment, "We're trained to cope with it."

He wrote in his notes. "You think you cope well with it?"

"Well enough, yeah."

"Do you drink?"

"Bobb- Goren and I go out for drinks occasionally, but we never get drunk. We're each other's designated driver…" She smiled to herself.

McKoy nodded and wrote in his notes again. "Have you been involved in a relationship recently?"

Alex paused. "Yes," she finally said. How could she be so stupid! Here she was, Ms. Smartass, and she was telling a Psychiatrist that she drank with her partner…she was (Alex twitched) sharing her feelings. She wanted to scream with rage.

"With who?"

Alex regained her mental composure. "I'd rather not say."

McKoy nodded and decided that it was time to charge ahead. "With Detective Goren?"

"My business is my business," said Alex with no discernable facial expression.

"So you have?"

"Do not put words into my mouth, doctor," she said, agitated. She leaned forward.

"I am asking you, yes or no. You know that I have to. That's what this whole investigation is about-"

"It doesn't interfere-"

"Have you or haven't you?" Alex and Dr. McKoy were staring each other down from across the table.

Alex was shaking. So, it was down to this… All she had to do was think like Bobby. This doctor was trying to get her to confess. If she knew Bobby's techniques inside-out, she could beat this guy. She just had to be careful…"No," she said and she threw herself against the back of her chair. Shit! Lying was the first mistake…

"Ok, Alex, let's move on to something else… When Peter shot your partner and abducted you, your first thoughts went to… your partner?"

"My partner."

"How long have you two been working together?"

"We're in our fifth year."

"So it was only natural that your thoughts should go to Detective Goren-"

"My thoughts were focused on the man lying on the floor bleeding from a gun shot wound. Had any other person been there I would have thought about them. The fact that it was," she paused, but just for a split second, "Goren only proves that it was Robert Goren who was shot."

"You weren't worried about what Peter might have done to you?"

Alex sighed again. "Of course I was. Our information up until that point had led us to believe that he had raped and murdered 5 other women."

"And yet you worried over your partner-"

"Don't try to belittle the situation! There were a lot of things on my mind: my injury, what Peter could have done to me, what could have happened to Goren. Every possible scenario went through my head. If I tell you that I was 'worried' about Goren because he wasn't capable of saving me will you stop tainting your questions? If I act selfish will you ignore the fact that I was genuinely concerned for him and think that I was worried what would happen to me because I didn't love him as opposed to thinking that I was worried about him because I did?" Alex was panting.

Dr. McKoy had to take a moment to digest what she had just said… Wait, she wasn't worried for him because she didn't love- no wait…say that again? He repeated the words in his head as best he could remember them: If I act selfish will you think I was worried only for myself and didn't love him? He finally got everything organized. "So…you were sleeping wi-" he stopped and thought carefully at the look of outrage on Detective Eames' face. He reverted back to school: if she thinks you understand, she'll open up. "So, you love him?"

"I have to go to the bathroom," she said coldly and got up and left.

Alex walked to the ladies room and rinsed her face. Bobby made it seem so easy… because it was. If this fruitcake could crack her then Bobby cracking a Criminal was nothing- no! Bobby was better than that. This guy is just a fruitcake; there are criminals who are smarter than he is… Ooh I can't wait for Bobby to chew this guy up and spit him out…

She left the restroom and sat down at her desk across from Bobby. "How did it go?" he asked.

"Horribly. Bastard put words in my mouth…"

"I'm sure you stuffed those words right up his ass."

Alex laughed. "Oh, if only… You got the body and the weapon from Peter yet?"

"Not yet, we're meeting with him tonight, 8pm."

"After dinner?"

"Yah- do you need a drink?" he asked.

"I would love one, but my shrink says I'm not allowed to drink to cope with stress…" she said with annoyed sarcasm.

"Really…" said Bobby sarcastically. He knew drinking wasn't the answer, but Alex needed some form of comfort.

"Yah, only not in so many words…"

"So he never said it specifically?" he asked slyly.

"No."

"Then why are you still thinking about that fruitcake?"

Alex smiled. "Be my designated driver?"

"Always."