CHAPTER 22

Garrett couldn't sit in his apartment anymore. He had been sitting in the same spot on his couch beside his phone for well over an hour. Lily obviously hadn't told Jordan, Nigel and Bug about anything yet… as soon as she did, he assumed he'd be overwhelmed with visitors and phone calls. He decided to go get a drink at a bar down the street. He needed to clear his head, and stop worrying about how everything was playing out with his friends. He grabbed his coat and headed down the street. As he got closer to the bar, he heard men's voices yelling in a small alleyway beside the bar. He wasn't in the mood to get involved in some fight with a bunch of guys, so he decided to try and go past the alleyway without being noticed. He quickly changed his mind when he recognized one of the voices. "If he knows anything… you're dead." Jack Slokum yelled. What was Jack Slokum doing in the alleyway at this bar threatening people? He decided to stop and listen… see if he could catch any important information.

"I swear… no one knows. I haven't said a word. Please, can I go?" A younger man's voice pleaded. Garrett didn't know who it was… he really didn't care either.

"Well someone knows. Someone screwed up. If it wasn't you… I don't know who it was." Slokum started yelling again. Garrett couldn't believe it, Slokum seemed like such an under control man. Even if he was behind some murders, Garrett would have never expected him to come out and talk to the young guys that were doing his work for him.

"Well, I swear… It wasn't me Slokum; it must've been someone else. I know you've got other guys working on it…" The second voice yelled back.

"Could you refrain from yelling out my name? What if someone hears you?" Slokum hissed a tinge of nervousness present in his regularly confident voice.

"No one's listening to us anyway." The man reassured him. "Don't worry! No one cares that you killed…" Slokum punched the guy out before he could finish the sentence. Garrett crept past and into the bar before taking out his cell phone and calling Renee Walcott. He told her he needed to meet with her, it was urgent. She told him to come to her office as soon as he could if it was that urgent. He hung up and headed back outside. He had to get his car and get to Renee's office as soon as he could. He passed Jack Slokum as he left the bar. Garrett could feel Slokum's eyes staring into him, but he couldn't make eye contact. Not after what he'd just witnessed. As soon as Garrett got outside, he went back into the alleyway to see if the guy was alright. He started to get worried when he got no response when he asked if anyone was there. He swallowed hard and headed down the alleyway, hoping the guy wasn't going to jump him or anything.

"Are you okay?" Garret asked before stumbling and noticing a body lying beside a garbage dumpster. "Shit!" It appeared that Slokum had beaten the guy up pretty badly. Garrett whipped out his cell phone and dialed 911. He told them where he was and hoped it wouldn't take too long before the ambulance got there.

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"Okay, I don't know how this relates to what Lily found out today, but this is what I've got." Nigel started to explain his story. "Jake Fredrick, born in San Francisco to a Mrs. Helen Fredrick and a Mr. Barry Fredrick. He has a younger sister named Samantha. There was a boy named Trevor living with them, Mrs. Fredrick's best friend's son. The best friend was killed when Trevor was 15 and he started living with the Fredrick's. Jake was 10 at the time, Samantha was 7. Trevor seemed to stay around indefinitely. He was still living at home with the Fredrick's when Jake went off to University. He got his degree and went into training to be a police officer. Seemed to be a good kid. Participated in extra curriculars in high school and university, impressive marks. Samantha was a different story. She started having a lot of problems when she was 8. She went from being described as an 'energetic, optimistic student' to being described as 'withdrawn, lacks social skills, socially inept.' Something went wrong. Mr. Fredrick was an accountant, Mrs. Fredrick a secretary. Trevor never seemed to do anything with his life. He lived with the Fredrick's until he died at the age of 27. Never went to university, never really kept a job, he isn't even recorded as ever graduating high school." Nigel paused to give Jordan and Woody a chance for comments thus far.

"Nigel, it's truly creeping me out how much stuff you can find out of people in that amount of time." Jordan told him with a smile.

"This family was a piece of cake. Everything was in one file on some shrink's computer." Nigel told them, not sure whether to take Jordan's comment as a compliment or not.

"Okay, but they seemed like a typical family… I could see the girl going for some counseling if she suddenly changed… but the whole family?"

"It's seems Jake and his father didn't take a real liking to Trevor. Mrs. Fredrick did since it was her best friend's son, but Mr. Fredrick didn't like him apparently, and convinced Jake to do the same."

"Understandable." Jordan observed, "How was Trevor killed?"

"There was never an investigation done. Suicide note written in Trevor's writing, overdose of pills taken and the pills were ones that shouldn't have been taken with alcohol in the first place." Nigel told her.

"But?" Woody prompted, knowing Nigel had some more information, or a theory.

"I don't know, it just doesn't seem to make sense. Samantha continued to be withdrawn from social activity and interaction of any kind all through high school. She moved to New York to go to university, and her situation seemed to improve. It must have been something at home that was making her upset." Nigel answered.

"Probably the same thing that made Trevor commit suicide?" Jordan suggested.

"But why didn't it affect Jake at all?" Woody asked confused. "There can't be something that makes this man commit suicide and this girl become socially withdrawn for most of her life that didn't affect a child living in the same household."

"Agreed." Nigel nodded, "Looks like we have a little more work to do."

"Maybe Jake can help us…" Jordan said an idea popping into her head.

"Jordan…" Both men warned.

"What? I'm not going to go up to him and ask. We'll make a plan." She laughed at their concern. "Thanks for being all worried though." She added with a smirk.

"Awe. I just can't wait to get out of here so I can help." Woody groaned.

"Ah, don't worry Farm boy. You're getting out of here soon aren't you?"

"Yeah, on Sunday actually," Woody answered with a smile, "that is if nothing else goes wrong…"

"It won't." Nigel reassured him. "So I wonder what Bug and Lily are up to? I hope they went to Lily's apartment because I'm assuming Shyama and Alok have invaded Bug's by this time." Nigel chuckled.

"I can't believe those two are together." Woody shook his head.

"I can't believe you two are together." Nigel shot back with a smile. Jordan smile grew wider as she looked at Woody.

"Yeah, everything seems to be working out." Jordan nodded. "When do you think Lily's going to get here?"

"Oh, actually, I'm supposed to pick her up…" Nigel said. "In ten minutes, so I better get going."

"Alright, don't take too long Nige." Jordan told him.

"Are you sure?" Nigel laughed back. Jordan looked around for something to throw at him, but he quickly ducked out of the room shutting the door behind him.

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"He's over here!" Garrett called as he saw the ambulance attendants rushing out with a stretcher. He started to explain the man's condition, but no one appeared interested so he just kept out of it.

"Good thing you called this in when you did." Someone told Garrett as they were loading the man's body into the ambulance. "You saved his life." Garrett forced a smile and nodded. A few police cars pulled up, and an officer got out to talk to Garrett.

"I'm Officer Larson; could you answer a few questions for me?" The officer asked Garrett.

"Sure. I'm Garrett Macy." He supplied feeling awkward leaving out the title of Chief Medical Examiner at the Boston City Morgue that usually followed his name. He didn't even bother to use Dr. anymore.

"Do you know what happened?"

"I decided to come down to the bar and get a drink… my apartments just down the street," Garrett started, gesturing in the general direction of his building. "I was walking towards the bar when I heard some yelling coming from the alleyway. I didn't want to get involved in whatever it was, you know, so I decided I would just try to get by without being noticed and go into the bar, but then I recognized one of the voices."

"Who's was it?" Officer Larson jumped at the unusual lead.

"Dr. Jack Slokum." Garrett answered with pursed lips. He knew it was quite an accusation to make, but he knew it was true.

"Oh. Are you sure?" Officer Larson clarified.

"Yes, I'm sure." Garrett told him. He realized how bad this was going to look. He was accusing Slokum of beating up some guy in an alleyway only a week after he had taken his job. He'd be lucky if anyone believed him.

"Wait!" Officer Larson exclaimed something going off in his memory. Garrett knew exactly what it was going to be. "You're Garrett Macy!" He said the name with new meaning this time. "Didn't Jack Slokum just take over your job at the Boston City Morgue?"

"Yes. He did." Garret answered trying desperately not to change the tone in his voice.

"Okay…" Officer Larson told him, making a note on his pad. "What happened next?"

"Well, I was a bit curious to see what Dr. Slokum was doing shouting with some men in an alleyway, so I decided to listen for a moment." Garrett went on to describe the conversation the two men had had. He made sure to say he heard the man he didn't know call Slokum by his name… and the part about the murders. Officer Larson seemed to forget about the question he had asked about Slokum taking Garrett's job moments before as the evidence seemed to build up against Jack Slokum. As long as the man that had been taken away in the ambulance made it and could confirm all this information… they had what seemed to be a solid case.

"Alright, you'll just have to come down to the station with me to confirm everything…" Garrett nodded. He had to go to the station to see Renee anyway. She'd probably be angry he'd taken so long after stressing the urgency… but all the information was going to get to her anyway, he just wouldn't be the one to tell her.

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Bug glanced over at the clock on Lily's wall. "What time is Nigel coming to pick you up?" He asked her.

"Um, in about ten minutes." She told him with a hint of disappointment their time together was ending. Bug was still holding Lily in a hug. He knew how much she was worried about Garrett. He was worried too. He was glad that Dr. Macy didn't tell Lily too much though, because if he told her something that got her hurt, or worse, Bug would kill him.

"Oh." He replied, catching her eye. They sat there for a second, staring into each others eyes before Lily leaned in and kissed him. He was so surprised at the action, even though it had happened twice the previous day, so it took a second before he responded. But he did, and the kiss was an amazing one. It reminded them, if possible, just how much they were in love. They were made for each other. The kiss went on for what seemed like forever before they pulled away. Then they just sat together on the couch in silence, Lily wrapped up comfortably in Bug's arms. They sat there for several minutes before they heard a knock on the door. "Must be Nige." Bug stated the obvious before reluctantly getting up. Lily followed suit and they were both standing at the door. Lily pulled it open and there stood Nigel.

"Was I interrupting anything?" Nigel asked with a laugh.

"No Nigel, you were not. We were expecting you." Lily told him with a playful shove.

"Just checking!" He defended himself. Bug just shook his head.

"Have fun at the hospital you guys, I know I'll be enjoying myself with my parents."

"Oh Bug, you'll be fine." Lily reassured him. She smiled sweetly and gave him a peck on the lips. Nigel pretended to gag before receiving another shove, this time from Bug.

"You people are always pushing me around." He complained as he and Lily headed to his car waving goodbye to Bug as he headed to his own car.

"So how was the date?" Nigel asked as he and Lily drove toward the hospital.

"Great." Lily answered with a smile. Nigel smiled too. He loved seeing Bug and Lily and Jordan and Woody this happy… but it sort of made him wish he had someone. He'd work on that department after they got this whole Slokum thing worked out for good.

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"So… what do you think about all this 'Jake' stuff?" Jordan asked Woody only seconds after Nigel had left the room.

"I'm not really sure… I just want to meet the guy first. I mean, he seemed to make a fine first impression on you…" Woody answered with a mock jealous grin. It earned him a soft punch in the arm from Jordan. "Hey! What was that for?" He tried to keep from laughing. "You're gonna have to pay for that!"

"Oh, I bet I will." She told him laughing now as well. The laughter suddenly stopped and Jordan felt Woody's lips on hers. It was definitely a feeling she was going to get used to, and she didn't mind at all. "Pay enough?" She asked him, staring right into his baby blue eyes, trying to keep a serious face.

"Ha! Not even close." He told her. With that, they kissed again… a little longer and more passionately this time. After the kiss ended, Woody was the first one to speak this time. "I really want to meet Jake." He told Jordan his face dead serious. If this guy was really in love with Jordan, he wanted to know him, and make sure he would never, ever put Jordan in danger. Woody never wanted to lose Jordan, and he wasn't going to let some stupid detective get in the way of them being happy together.

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"Nigel…" Lily started, "When are you going to get a girlfriend?" He shook his head with a smile. How did she read his mind?

"What are you, my mother?" He asked with a nervous laugh. He didn't like this topic being put under pressure. He knew how Jordan felt all those times Woody put the pressure on her to step things up a notch… but this was a bit different. No one was pursuing him… no one even liked him, in that way, and he didn't have time to get acquainted with someone new. Then there was the factor of Sara… he didn't even want to think about her anymore.

"No, but seriously Nigel, you deserve a happy relationship. You're a really great guy!" Lily told him.

"I don't need any cheering up Lily. I'm perfectly happy right now, you know." Nigel told her with a smile.

"Nigel, I'm serious!" She told him.

"Okay, okay. I don't know. I do want something like you and Bug and Woody and Jordan have… but you guys all just sort of found each other you know? You weren't out searching for a date… you were just living your lives, happily single, and came across each other. That seems to be the way to go these days." Nigel told her, eyes firmly fixated on the road.

"Oh Nige." She told him, "You'll find someone too… and you know there is nothing wrong with actually looking for someone, right?"

"Yeah, but where's the time? I'll think about it again after this whole Slokum/Garrett thing is over."

"Okay." Lily nodded, not wanting to further press the subject. He seemed to have his mind set. She could understand why he wasn't keen to go looking for a relationship. His last one with Sara hadn't turned out the best… she had used him, and if that kept him from being happy in a relationship for much longer… Lily would have to convince Jordan they'd have to intervene. She doubted she'd have much trouble.

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"This is Officer Narron. This is Dr. Garrett Macy." Officer Larson introduced him to another detective who would formally write down his statement. He proceeded to tell his story just as he had before. This officer had the same basic reactions to the story as Officer Larson had although he wasn't quite as obvious in showing it.

"Thanks for your time, Dr. Macy. You understand that because of your position on the situation, we can't do anything to Dr. Slokum without conformation from Mr. Grayson."

"So he's going to be alright?" Garrett asked hopefully.

"Yes, he should be fine." Officer Narron nodded with a smile at the doctors' sincerity.

"So I can go?" Garrett asked.

"Yes, you're free to go." Office Narron told him. He watched as the doctor stalked out of the room, but instead of leaving the station, he headed down towards Renee Walcott's office and went inside. He wondered for a minute why Garrett Macy would be going to see Renee Walcott, but dismissed the thought. He knew he didn't care enough to go and find out. If something interesting was going on there, everyone would hear about it in the office by tomorrow anyways.

A/N: Of course, don't own them... you know the deal.
Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing.
And yeah, I'm not up on all this Londer/Liverpoolian stuff! Sorry about that... but yeah, I'm not really up on that sort of thing.
So sorry, and keep reviewing! Thanks, muchlove, Dayna!