The next day found them at the M.E.'s office again. She put up the x-rays and stood back as he looked at them. Eames said, "Do you even know what you're looking at, Goren?"

He glanced at her, but before he could respond, the M.E. said, "He will surprise you with what he knows, Detective Eames. I know he still surprises me. He knows what he's looking at."

"Well, I don't, so would one of you please tell me?"

Goren pointed to one x-ray after another. "She has healed fractures all over her body, Eames. This woman suffered many beatings, probably throughout the course of her marriage."

"How long were they married?" the M.E. asked.

"Seven years," Eames replied.

"I'd have to agree with him then. That's a lot of beatings."

Goren was talking to himself. "Ribs, collarbone, arm, hell…he even fractured her pelvis…" He looked over his shoulder. "How the hell do you do that?"

"That takes a lot of force, Detective. It could have been a car accident."

"Of he could have hit her with the car."

"Yes."

He turned away from the x-rays. "The body tell us anything new?"

"No. You have the whole story right there. You saw the cigarette burns, I assume."

He nodded. Eames answered, "He doesn't miss anything."

The doctor smiled. "You learn fast. No, he doesn't. If I find anything else, I'll let you know."

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As they walked down the corridor, he looked at her. "How about lunch?"

"Is it lunch time already?"

"It's almost one. I'll treat."

She smiled. "All right. What are we having?"

"There's a decent sandwich place not far."

"Can we walk?"

"Sure."

"Then it sounds great to me."

They sat in a booth with their lunches. Eames studied her partner. "So where do you think this guy is?"

"Canada."

"Really?"

"Really. Would you stick around? His wife was a senator's niece and now his abuse of her is going to come out…I know I wouldn't stick around."

"Would you ever do it?"

"Do what?"

"Abuse someone like that?"

"Do you think I would?"

She looked closely at him. "Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Turn everything back around on me like that? You can't answer a simple question without turning it back into a question."

"That makes you think. It's a good habit to get into, thinking."

"Do you ever do anything without analyzing it?"

"I used to. I try not to anymore."

"Why's that?"

"It causes too much trouble." He sat back and looked at her with intense, penetrating eyes that made her uncomfortable. "So, do you think I would abuse someone?"

"Stop staring at me and I'll answer you." He diverted his eyes to the tabletop with a muttered apology. If nothing else, the man knew how to apologize, and he did it, often. "No," she said sincerely. "I don't think you would abuse anyone…except maybe yourself."

He looked up. "Why's that?"

"You seem to me to be a man who's very hard on himself."

He found himself studying her again. "What makes you say that?"

His questions never stopped…just like a kid, she mused again. "I don't know. That's just an impression I get."

She was more like him than she realized, he reflected. But he had revealed enough for now. If she stayed, she'd get to know him. He wasn't one to open up to someone he didn't know. "Let's get back to the squad…" He paused. "If you're done."

He could be taught, she smiled to herself. Little by little, he was remembering he had a partner, and he was stopping to consider her before he leaped headlong into something. "Yes, I'm done."

They headed back to the squad, each reflecting on the other in silence as they walked.