Fluffy-CSI, I like your idea, but sadly, I started this chapter before I saw it. And for everyone else, I didn't go into the actual event—just it's aftermath. For that matter, I didn't even hit on that in this chapter; you'll have to wait for the next one.
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The InterviewBobby stumbled into the Bullpen just as Deakins was leaving his office. They both looked up and made eye contact. Bobby's sad eyes pleaded for forgiveness while Deakins' exposed how dumbstruck he actually was. They stayed that way for a moment; the two men who had never quite gotten along were finally beginning to connect over something they felt was far too drastic to be real.
Logan walked up, intent on asking Deakins a question, but noticed the connection between the two. He looked from one to the other before butting in. "What kind of alternate universe are you two in?" It broke the spell. Both men looked away, one ashamed, the other emotionally lost, both grief stricken.
Carver walked over. With a slight nod from Deakins, he pulled Logan aside and explained the situation. The look on Logan's face was one to be remembered. Never in his history of working with the police department had Carver ever seen such an expression of disbelief.
Logan snapped out of his stupor, looked up at Carver, then over at Deakins and Bobby neither of which had moved much since he had last looked at them. Without hesitation, he walked over to his captain, and brought a hand down on his shoulder shocking Deakins out of his staring contest with the floor. "What can I do to help?" This wasn't in character for Logan and Deakins knew it. Logan was trying to keep his ass at Major Case, not stick his neck out for a detective he never talked to. Then again, when a fellow cop is in need, staying in character is never the foremost thought.
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"Come on." Logan said as he walked up to his desk.
"Wha—?" Berak hadn't been informed, but there didn't seem to be time for that. Eames was missing and their only hope in finding her was an intimidating man who tended to turn in on himself. In fact, the only person he ever opened up to was the one currently missing. This was going to be one hell of a wild goose chase.
"Eames is missing—thought kidnapped—and Goren, of all people, is the only one who might know where she is." Berak's normally blank face softened for a moment before she turned and took the situation into her own hands.
"Bobby, could you come here please?" He ambled over and she led him into an interview room. Logan followed behind them but stayed in the corner. Let her handle it; putting Goren and Logan together usually ended up in a worse situation.
Both Bobby and Berak sat down at the table which held only a tape recorder. Logan leaned against a wall, lost in the shadows. Bobby was shaking; one hand tried to hide his face but it shook so much that it wasn't worth the effort. Berak grabbed it. "Bobby, calm down. We'll never get anywhere if you're this agitated."
"You-you're right. I-I need to ca-calm down." He looked up at a corner and then his body followed. He paced around his side of the room before beginning. "Deakins had ordered her to stay at home. She…she wasn't sleeping well. I knew that she was stressed and needed to have some fun…but I also knew that—that she was even more aggravated by the fact that she wasn't working. So I…so I invited her to go dancing under the pretext that…that we could look for Gabriella's partners." He said the last bit quickly, purposely not looking at the two-way mirror assuming his captain would be behind it watching him and scrutinizing every word. In fact, only Carver was there to hear the confession. Deakins was still wandering around aimlessly looking for something that could help the situation.
"So you two went dancing. What time was that?"
"7:30…8."
"And where did you go?"
"Uh, Stepping Out Studios on 26th. That-that's where Gabriella and…and…"
"Thank you Bobby, that's good. What did you do there?"
"I got pulled onto the floor and when I looked back, she had to. Some tall, dark, skinny man. A-about, 5'11", black hair, tan skin. He danced well, looked…Latino. White shirt…black pants…When the song ended, he talked to her, but I came up and pulled her away. I had this…this feeling. Like something wasn't right. I got pulled away again. She insisted that I go dance while she rested on the sidelines. I went back when the song was over, but she was gone. I-I looked…all over. Went to get her coat, just to see if she had gone. But it was…it was still there. I ran…outside to look for her. Couldn't see…too much hail. But I fell…it-it was her sweater…"
There was a long silent pause before Berak broke in. "Where is this sweater now, Bobby?"
"At my apartment…on-on the bed."
"We're going to need that; there's still a chance of trace evidence." Logan stepped out of the shadows and looked at Bobby who nodded listlessly.
"Thank you Bobby. What you've said has given us a good start. We'll let you know what's happening as often as we can." Berak stood up, threw a look at her partner and walked out the door.
Logan started after her, but paused at the door. "I'm sorry for what happened." He whispered before he left Bobby alone.
Alone—again. It seemed Bobby was always alone, except when he was with Alex. She might not know exactly what he was thinking, but at least she was there. She wasn't here now, not mentally or physically. Bobby was utterly alone in the cold, concrete interview room. There was one table, four chairs, a window… Even the tape recorder had been taken out when Berak had left.
It had been hard. Only Alex's disappearance got him talking. He knew they needed all information in order to find her. Normally he wouldn't have said much—just what was necessary. But this was Alex, and she was gone. And it was his fault. He shouldn't have taken her on a stake out without prior consent. He should have called for backup. He should have done so many things differently. He shouldn't have taken her dancing. He shouldn't have gotten so close to her. And he shouldn't have started falling for her. That was his greatest mistake.
He knew she could be ripped from his life at any moment. Get close to your partner professionally, even personally yes, but never emotionally. And don't depend on them. Trust them and help them. But never let them become your only lifeline. Too many things can go wrong. There are bullets, and bad guys, politics and retirement. He had gotten too close, too emotionally tied. Now he was paying for it.
Still standing in the interview room, he threw his fists against the wall over and over again, screaming and crying out at each lung. Soon he tired out and fell to the floor crying. And for once, Carver who had looked on at the whole ordeal actually shed a tear for his opponent.