The story opens on an overcast, damp and unseasonably chilly late August early Saturday evening (temperatures in the mid 50s) with a man (Howard Kaplan) in his mid-30s wearing a vested suit waiting outside a building on 39th street between Park and Madison Avenues. A woman (Rachel Tearson, also in her mid-30s) almost as tall as he with slightly-longer-than-shoulder-length brown hair wearing a black, vested suit with a well above the knee skirt., white, open-collared blouse and barefoot comes out in an excited mood and gives him a big kiss, accidentally hitting him in the back with a pair of stiletto heeled, knee-high boots she was carrying in her hand.
"Sorry about that", said Rachel, giggling a little and backing off slightly, blushing while doing so.
"You look great, but what's with the suit on a Saturday night?", asked Howard.
Rachel replied in a semi-serious tone as they began to walk east to Park Avenue, "Uh, it's not exactly warm, and in fact, it's the coldest it's been in August in almost 20 years, I think? I didn't want to have to drag out and carry a heavy coat for half the night as it's supposed to actually drop to the 40s late tonight", then in a less serious and more happy/slightly embarassed tone, "As for these hitting you, I was so excited I grabbed them and my purse and ran downstairs, figuring I'd put them on in the cab", giggling a little at the end.
"Actually, we're going to have to take the subway, traffic's a mess around here", then said Howard while they stopped so Rachel could quickly put her boots on, her realizing he was not kidding as traffic where they were was at a standstill, then resuming walking east on 39th street.
When they reached the southwest corner of Park Avenue and 39th, they were turning to walk north towards Grand Central Station and the subway stop there, seeing more of what was gridlock in the area. A woman who was dressed for a normal, but quite underdressed for an unusually chilly day in August (in a strapless top, denim skirt and wedged sandals) was walking south with her arms folded on her chest, clearly chilled by the unseasonable temperatures and was the only person besided Rachel and Howard on the block between 39th and 40th on Park Avenue South when a car that was on 40th suddenly turned on to the sidewalk and appeared to speed after the woman.
"Look out!", yelled Howard as he and Rachel ran out of the way of the car to safety under the upper floors of an office building that ran on Park Avenue from 39th-40th streets, right outside the building entrance.
"Are you all right?", Howard asked Rachel after the car passed.
"I'm fine!", replied Rachel as Howard helped her up as she had fallen to the ground, but did so on her rear end and was uninjured.
The other woman heard Howard yelling, but was not as fortunate as she was hit head-on with no chance to get out of the way, with the car then slowing down, but unable to avoid crashing into another car at 39th street, with the driver then running out of the car and east on 39th before anyone could get a chance to grab the person who did this.
"Oh my god!", yelled Rachel upon seeing the dead woman, then covering her mouth with her hands, her head then sinking into Howard's chest as he consoled her while he looked and called 911.
"Name is Roxanne Velasquez", said a uniformed officer to Joe Fontana, who is at the scene surprsingly fast given the traffic problems (wearing a leather jacket and turtleneck with slacks and loafers), something the uniformed officer noted.
"I live not far from here. Got the call right after it happened, and I walked over", said Joe.
"You're doing this solo?", said the uniformed officer.
"For now until Ed can get here. Water main break on 34th and 5th has really snarled traffic.", said Joe.
"That's right. I was wondering why traffic was a mess around here", said the uniformed officer.
"Yeah, well, whoever did this must have had a really bad case of road rage", replied Joe, pointing to the car that hit another with uniformed officers and Emergency help who were able to get to the scene, with the driver of the car uninjured as he managed to get out before the car that killed Roxanne hit his.
Joe then talks to Howard and Rachel, who appear to be the only witnesses who were not in cars when that happened.
Rachel would start by saying to Joe, "We were walking towards the subway at Grand Central when we saw this girl. She was clearly feeling the chill when this car suddenly jumped the curb and appeared to be coming straight after her. We had to run out of the way or would have been hit ourselves."
Howard followed, "I yelled for the girl to get out of the way, and I think she did hear me as she did start to run, but it was too late and she was unable to. I didn't see her get hit because I was in the process of getting out of the way as was Rachel. I didn't exactly get a good look at the driver"
At that point, Ed makes it there and joins Joe, with Joe thanking Howard and Rachel.
"Sorry for taking so long", said Ed.
"Not your fault. Thank a water main break on 34th and 5th", said Joe.
"Ah. That's why traffic is gridlocked", said Ed.
"Yeah. Everything's a mess", said Joe.
"Holy cow!", then yelled Ed, with Joe noticing Roxanne's body .
"You know who she is?", asked Joe.
"She's the daughter of Joe Velasquez, one of the top doctors in the Army in these parts", said Ed.
"Now I know who you are talking about", said Joe.
After finishing with witnesses at the scene, Joe and Ed head for the morgue.
"Who would want to kill her?", said Joe Velasquez upon seeing the body of her daughter.
"I was wondering the same thing. Witnesses said a car on 40th and Park Avenue suddenly made a sharp turn and jumped the curb, then sped up and may have been trying to do it on purpose. Two other people had to run out of the way or they would have been killed as well", said Joe F.
"Why would they do that?", asked Joe V.
"Who knows. We do know there was gridlock because of a water main break on 34th and 5th", then said Joe F.
"You mean someone with road rage killed her?", asked Joe V.
"I doubt it, personally, though it is possible. I have to ask, is there anyone who would want to harm your daughter?", said Joe F.
"Beats me. She was a very bright girl who was very loved", replied Joe V.
The conversation continued along those lines until it was realized at that point Joe V. had no idea who would want to kill his daughter. M.E. Rogers then confirmed that it was the car that caused it, with Roxanne having been killed as soon as her head hit the ground, showing the Detectives a deep skull fracture. After that, the Detectives are given via fax a description of the man who appeared to kill Roxanne: White, about 6' tall who was bald, with glasses.
"That narrows it down a whole lot. Lot of men in the Village look like him", said Joe F. upon seeing the fax.
"Yeah. That isn't going to help us a whole lot", then said Ed.
"Excuse me, Detectives?", then said Joe V. seeing the Detectives on their out of M.E. Rogers' room.
"Yes?", asked Joe F.
"This might seem odd, but can I take a look at the fax?", asked Joe V.
"Sure, but why do you want to look at it?", asked Joe F.
"Just curious. I'd like to have some idea of who killed my daughter", then said Joe V., who was then given the picture, with his getting a stunned look on his face when he saw the picture, "Roxie said there was a man who looked like that who appeared to be stalking her recently, mainly in front of a club she worked at on 39th between 3rd and Lexington. Given how she was dressed when you found her, she was probably headed there as she normally started around 7:00 and usually worked until 5:00 the next morning Wednesday through Saturday nights. She usually would wear a short skirt with a strapless top and either the sandals she was wearing or fur boots no one used to wear at this time of year."
"Are you sure someone like this was stalking her?", asked Joe F.
"I'm positive. She had to be going to work, and I think just forgot how chilly it was since she lives right next to the subway at 93rd and Broadway. Whoever did this I guess saw an opportunity to kill her and make it look like a case of road rage given the traffic jam", replied Joe V.
With that, Joe and Ed head for the club where Roxanne worked at. A few workers were putting away stuff as the club never opened that night once they learned of Roxanne's death.
"This is awful. When I didn't see Roxie by 6:45, I knew even with the water main break a few blocks from here something was wrong", said the manager, Nick o'Connor.
"So she was the kind who was always on time?", asked Ed.
"Yes. She's only been late twice in three years, and that was when there were problems on the subway both times she couldn't control. She rarely missed any work time", then said Nick.
"That's good to know. Did anyone here hate her?", asked Ed.
"Not at all. She was beloved, and that's in fact why we never opened tonight. The other girls who worked with her became so upset there was no way they could work tonight. They're still here if you want to talk to them.", then said Nick.
Joe then replied, "In a minute. Do you know of anyone who outside the club who wanted to harm Ms. Velasquez?"
Nick then replied, "No, but I do remember there was one guy who'd come in a couple of times, about six feet, balding, wore dark glasses who seemed to be looking at Roxie more than the other women. Not that it isn't normal for men to do that in here the way the women are dressed, but he did it in a way that was different from most, looking at her intently."
Joe then said, "So I see. Do you remember seeing this kind of car?", with Joe showing him a picture of the car that crashed at the scene.
"As a matter of fact, yes. It seemed strange there was someone in that car in front of here as much as it seemed to be, especially at 5:00 in the morning. At first, I figured whoever it was had to be an early riser, but I was getting suspicious and was ready to call the cops on it, but then he suddenly stopped showing up completely. I do remember Roxie saying one evening about a week ago there was a car that looked like whoever that was that followed her here, enough to spook her into walking down Park Avenue instead of Lexington because the same car seemed to follow her for several days in a row", then said Nick, with Joe and Ed thanking him and moving on to the waitresses, who were dressed similar to how Roxanne was found with strapless tops and above-the-knee denim skirts, though some were wearing sandals like Roxanne's and others UGG Boots.
Most of the women, seated together at a table were still very upset when Joe and Ed came over to see them. They would also mention to Joe and Ed seeing the man in question on the fax and also see the car in question having been around the area.
One waitress said to Joe and Ed, "He seemed very enfactuated on Roxie, and not in a positive way to me. The guy gave me the creeps", with the others pretty much agreeing on that.
At that point, Joe and Ed get word the car was registered to an Eric Timmerman, who was in his mid-40s and actually lived not far from the club on 40th street and 2nd avenue. The Detectives go to the his apartment, where he clearly looked like he was banged up a little from a car crash, prompting them to bring him into custody at the 2-7.
At the 2-7, Eric would remain silent, and would not talk until his lawyer arrived. With Joe and Ed waiting outside, Alexandra walks over, with Joe and Ed noticing she was actually dressed for the unusually chilly weather in a red pea coat and dark blue, turtleneck sweater dress that was above the knees with matching UGG Boots that were knee-high.
"I wasn't going to wear heels again on a Saturday night after the last time", joked Alexandra to the Detectives, referring to what had happened a few weeks earlier when she had to chase down a warrant after being on her feet all night in high heels, then after a second while taking off her coat said to them, "So, this is who ran down Roxanne Velasquez?"
"It appears so. Apparently, she had told her father a man matching his description was watching her at the club she worked at, and the manager and waitresses who worked there all said he was there, often looking at Ms. Velasquez in some not-so-nice ways. He's remained silent, and I suspect will until his lawyer shows up", said Joe.
"I see", said Alexandra when out of the corner of her eye came his attorney, Jason Whitaker, with Alexandra's facial expression changing to an "Oh, Brother!" with her eyes rolling as he came closer.
"What is it with you ladies and those hideous boots?", said Jason in a joking manner upon seeing Alexandra, his wearing a suit and tie.
"Well, for one thing, they're a lot better than flip-flops on a night like this", Alexandra shot back in a semi-snarky tone, with Joe and Ed wondering if there was something between them.
"Anyway, what is he doing here?", then said Jason, pointing to his client inside the interrogation room by himself.
"He killed a woman using his car, as well as there being evidence that said he was there as well as witnesses, plus other witnesses who said he was stalking Roxanne Velasquez. He's looking at murder two if he doesn't talk", then said Alexandra as Anita walked over with new information that had Eric's fingerprints definitely on the car that killed Roxanne.
"Let me talk with my client for a minute, in private", then said Jason, with his doing so while Joe, Ed and Alexandra watched outside.
While waiting, Joe asked Alexandra, pointing to Jason with his thumb, "What was with the eyerolls with him beforehand? You two have something?", with Alexandra replying, "Oh, that. You know Susanne Gorton?"
"I sure do. Briefly was McCoy's assistant before you.", asked Joe.
Alexandra replied, "Because I was tied up with a big trial in Major Crimes when Serena left. Anyway, Jason's been trying to get a date with Susanne for a while, but she has no interest in seeing anyone. He seems to think he can either get to Susanne through me, or if he can't get Susanne go out with me."
"And you have no interest in him either, I assume", then said Joe.
Alexandra replied, "Bingo!", as Jason knocked for them to come in.
"My client isn't going to talk. He staying silent for now", said Jason, as Eric is then arrested for Roxanne's murder. Arraignment would come on Monday, with Eric held without bail.
After arraignment, Jack and Alexandra head to Rikers to talk with Eric and Jason.
"Guess the threat of really serving 25-life is sinking in", said Jack to Eric.
"Actually, it isn't. I had to make it look like I was willing to serve the time", replied Eric.
"Excuse me?", then asked Jack.
Jason then unleashed a bomb, saying, "My client couldn't say anything about this until after the arraignment and he was here. The reason he killed Roxanne Velasquez is because he was ordered to."
"Sure he was. I've heard that one before", then said Jack.
"I'm serious", then said Eric.
"What nonsense is this?", then asked Jack, with Eric's facial expression becoming fearful when he said it.
Jason responded by saying, "I can prove it. It had to do with attempting to prevent her father from exposing something big."
"On what?", asked Jack.
"Joe Velasquez as you know is one of the top doctors at that Army base?", then said Jason.
"So?", then asked Jack.
"He and Paul Trainer are like the top two doctors on the base. Dr. Velasquez had a meeting this week with that ADA who handled the Grand Jury investigation trying to get Tommy Callahan and Wes Myers off because of the drug Quinium", then said Jason.
"You mean Casey Novak? You know her very well from what I understand", then said Jack.
Jason replied, "I know I do. Anyway, Dr. Velasquez was ready to spill the beans on Quinium in an attempt to help Callahan and Myers. In the process, that would have killed the company my client works for if they went public, and they instructed him to threaten both Drs. Trainer and Velasquez, which he did, but when Dr. Velasquez said he wasn't going to give in the Dr. Trainer did, he was ordered to kill his daughter, if possible making it look like an accident."
Eric then said. "That is all true. Patrick Pharmacuticles is who I work for. The Chairman himself ordered that I carry out the threats and then kill Ms. Velasquez, and if I didn't, he was going to not only fire me, but put out doctored photos of my oldest daughter that would have made it look like she was having lesbian sex, and she isn't a lesbian", with Jason showing Jack documents that showed it was in fact the Chairman of Patrick Pharmacuticles, Brian Patrick, who ordered this.
"So, why didn't you come to us with these threats when they first happened?", then said Jack.
"They would have done the same things if I did, and possibly killed me as well. I'm glad my wife isn't around to see this. She died two years ago", then said Eric.
"The part about firing is on the document. He had no choice. He was hoping he'd not be caught, and could just live his life", then said Jason.
"I'll have to confirm about this. I'll be able to make a deal if this is all proven to be true, and he not only testifies to it in court, but it leads to a conviction", then said Jack.
"A deal? My client should walk. He was under orders to do what he did!", then said Jason.
"He could have told us earlier", then said Jack.
"And have my daughter's life ruined? If the photos there were leaked, it would have caused her to not only be fired from her job as a stockbroker, but her husband would have divorced her. My son-in-law grew up in a part of North Florida that is very backwards, and his parents would have pressured him to divorce her even if the pictures were proven to be doctored, which they were. His parents and others down there automatically assume all gays and lesbians are like the stereotypes of 20+ years ago, and are very closed minded. They're very religious in a bad way", then said Eric.
With that, Jack and Alexandra are finished with Eric and Jason for now, with Jack then having a late lunch once back in Manhattan with Casey Novak at an outdoor cafe near the DA's Office on a Monday that had temperatures still unseasonably cool, but closer to normal in the low 70s.
"I know why you wanted to see me. I heard the man you have in custody for Roxanne Velasquez's murder was ordered to do it, and also torpedoed my Grand Jury investigation last spring if as he claimed threatened Dr. Trainer on orders.", said Casey to Jack.
"That's what he said, and it appears documents say that as well", then said Jack.
"I had in fact asked Dr. Trainer if he was threatened, and if so by whom. He went on about how naive I was, and that was not how the world worked", Casey replied.
"Maybe Lexi and I should talk to him", then said Jack, which after he and Casey finished lunch, he would do with Alexandra.
"Like I told Ms. Novak, she was so naive, that's not how the world works", said Dr. Trainer when Jack and Alexandra saw him at a park on Baxter Street, across from the DA's Office.
"And how the world works is you lie to a Grand Jury?", asked Jack.
"You have no idea Mr. McCoy of the consequences of what would happen if Quinium were taken off the market. There are other drugs soldiers could take for Malaria, but those have to be taken daily and a lot of soldiers would not do so", Dr. Trainer replied.
"So it's better to have soliders potentially kill innocent people here?", then asked Jack.
"Like I said, you have no idea", then said Dr. Trainer.
"Only because you were threatened", then said Jack, with Dr. Trainer completely flustered by that before replying, "Oh, I forgot, that man you have in custody says he threatened me."
"We have documented proof that you were threatened by Eric Timmerman", said Jack.
"Oh, I heard, a man who was threatened himself", Dr. Trainer replied.
"By allegedly the head of Patrick Pharmacuticles", then said Jack.
"So I heard that too", then said Dr. Trainer, who paused for a moment with Jack staring into his eyes before saying, "Yes, I was threatened by Mr. Timmerman, and he looked like he didn't really want to do it either."
"How did he threaten you?", asked Jack.
"He said if I didn't lie to the Grand Jury, the company would kill my daughter and her family", replied Dr. Trainer.
"And you believed him?", asked Jack.
"Why shouldn't I. Companies like that are extremely powerful, and they will use any tactics necessary to get their way!", replied Dr. Trainer.
After that, Jack is finished with Dr. Trainer, making it clear that if he doesn't cooperate and testify this time, he would look to hold him as a material witness. That would be strengthened when Jack gets a call from Joe saying they found new proof that Brian Patrick did in fact order the threats.
Joe and Ed then go to the headquarters of Patrick Pharmecuticals and arrest Brian Patrick for his ordering the murder of Roxanne Velasquez, witness intimidation on Drs. Joe Velasquez and Paul Trainer and forcing another person to commit crimes using intimidation. He is then held without bail, with Alexandra surprised to see Arthur Gold at arraignment that his daughter Sue Ellen was handling.
Jack and Alexandra then head to Rikers to meet with Mr. Patrick along with Arthur and Sue Ellen.
"Thought you retired", said Jack to Arthur upon seeing him.
"I basically am, however, Patrick Pharmecuticals is an old client of mine, and Mr. Patrick wanted me here even though I told him Sue Ellen would actually be handling much of the work. I'm working this more in an advisory position", said Arthur.
Sue Ellen then said, "Gentlemen, can we get down to business?"
Jack replied, "Sure. You're aware your client basically threatened a man with death if he didn't kill Roxanne Velasquez, which we have documented proof of, as well as intimidate two other witness, one of which tampered with a Grand Jury investigation another of our ADAs was doing."
"Oh yeah, the one Casey Novak was doing, trying to indict the government on providing medicine to soldiers because of those two who went to jail because they went crazy", then said Arthur.
"And there are two men Ms. Novak was having to get ready to take to trial in Tommy Callahan and Wes Myers as a direct result of his tampering before we found out about it", then said Jack.
"I'm sorry about those two men, but has it ever occured to you that Eric Timmerman or someone else may have made up those notes and forged my client's signature in order to make it look like he was threatened?", then said Sue Ellen.
"You don't really believe that", then said Jack.
"I don't know what to believe. All I know is my client didn't actually write up those notes. I would suggest you have your handwriting expert look carefully at the notes", said Sue Ellen.
"Why didn't you bring this up earlier?", asked Jack.
"I didn't know anything about this until I was arrested", then said Brian.
With that, the notes are submitted to a handwriting expert who the next morning tells Jack that it actually was a woman who signed the notes, forging Brian's signature. As he finds out about this, Sue Ellen walks into Jack's office.
"I think you'd want to see this", said Sue Ellen, handing him three different, signed notes, including a pre-nuptual agreement Brian signed with his second wife, Katty.
"What is this?", asked Jack.
Sue Ellen replied, "Look carefully at the signatures. The first one is Brian's actual signature. The second one, which is on the notes with the threats, looks like Brian's signature, and look at the signatures on the pre-nuptual agreement."
"Holy cow, you're right! The signature on the threat is not Brian Patrick, but his wife's!", then said Jack.
"Exactly. Katty is my client's second wife, who he married two years after his first wife was murdered. You're going be stunned to find out something else", then said Sue Ellen.
"And what is that?", asked Jack.
"Katty's name is not Katherine Green as it says on the prenup. It's actually Katarina Grushkov!", said Sue Ellen.
"As in Sasha's daughter?", asked Jack.
"Yes. She is actually Sasha Grushkov's daughter. I would bet anything she had planned this out very well, and is looking to take over as head of the Grushkov crime family permanently once her father is finally executed for ordering the killing Serena's ex-husband and his second wife. That will always stay with me because it could have been either Serena or myself who was killed that night under different circumstances", then said Sue Ellen, with Jack knowing how she meant it.
Jack then said, "What better way to do it than to frame her husband for ordering murders and making it look like her husband actually did it when she really did, and taking over a company that has a contract with the government to provide a drug to boot", before telling Joe and Ed to head for the Patrick's home.
With that, Joe and Ed head for the home of Brian and Katty Patrick to arrest Katty for forging signatures that made it look like her husband ordered the murder of Roxanne Velasquez along with everything else. Katty, who had blonde, shoulder-length hair was waiting for Joe and Ed, seated in the living room wearing a floral print skirt suit with a matching headwrap in her hair, an open collared dress shirt underneath, with a pair of stiletto heeled mary janes next to her on the side.
"Hello Detectives. I assume you came for me?", said Katty upon seeing the Detectives.
Ed replied, "We did. I'm guessing you know why we're here."
Katty replied in a very cold tone, "Yes, I am. Silly little man my husband. Guess I'll just have to prove in court it wasn't me who did that."
"Well, would you please stand up?", asked Joe.
"May I put my shoes on first?", asked Katty.
"I guess", said Joe, knowing Katty wasn't going anywhere as the place was surrounded and more cops were waiting at all entrances.
Katty put the shoe on her right foot first, and then appeared to be putting on the left shoe when Ed noticed something at the bottom of the heel.
"Joe!", yelled Ed as the Detectives went after Katty, who then slammed what turned out to be a tiny razor blade attached to the bottom of her shoe along with the heel, which was very sharp twice into her stomach.
"We need a bus, stat!", yelled Ed to officers waiting outside as one of them called for one, with Katty bleeding badly from her stomach. It would prove fuitle, as she would die before parimedics could arrive.
With that, knowing the situation with the Grushkov crime family, Eric Timmerman, Brian Patrick, and their familes are all placed in the witness protection program, while Joe Velasquez, Paul Trainer and their families are sent to unknown millitary bases overseas, where they would be protected by millitary personnel from any threats the Grushkovs could try.
The final scene takes place late that Tuesday afternoon outside the DA's Office, with Jack, Casey and Alexandra all having lunch outside at a cafe near the DA's Office.
"Unbelievable. I guess Katty Grushkov didn't quite have the stomach her father had. She had that all caluclated from the Detectives told me", said Alexandra.
"Yes, being witnesses to her death. The detectives said they should have realized something was up the way she was sitting in her living room", said Jack.
"But they couldn't have realistically thought she'd stick a razor blade to the heel of her shoe and use that to kill herself", then said Alexandra.
"Well, given we had two murders in the past year where high heels were the murder weapon, I'm not as shocked as I would have been otherwise", then said Jack.
"Same here. She figured she could make it look like her husband did it, and when that backfired thanks to Ms. Gold, she took the easy way out. She knew she'd probably be executed with her father", then said Casey, as they continued to eat.