Ron Carver looked up from his desk when the knock sounded on his door. "Come in."
Goren came in. "Do you have a minute, Mr. Carver?"
"What can I do for you, detective?" he asked as he motioned for Goren to sit.
The detective sat but he was quiet for a moment before he said, "I'd like you to offer Ricky Waters a plea."
Carver sat back, surprised. "May I ask why?"
He looked at his hands for a long moment before he looked back at the ADA. "I want to spare Eames any more grief."
"She would not be called to testify."
"It's not that. It's just…she's filed for divorce and she'll have to go through all that, and…" he sighed. "To be totally honest with you, Mr. Carver, she doesn't know everything that's been happening, and I'd like to keep it that way."
"Explain yourself."
"Barek and Logan have been helping me to…keep everything…quiet. You have the file there. You know what I'm talking about."
"You mean Mr. Waters has been trying to bully you for more than two years now, and Detective Eames had no idea."
"Yes, sir. I never told her."
"Detective, he put you in the hospital shortly after picking a fight with you in the parking garage. According to what Detectives Logan and Barek told me, he tried to start fights with you numerous times. It's to your credit that you didn't fight back, but I have every thing I need here to put him away for a good number of years. Jealousy is a powerful motive, and there are plenty of witnesses…"
"Waters just assaulted Mike Logan because he wouldn't tell him where she is. Mike's already walking on thin ice. I don't want to see him in trouble because of Waters. And I…I would rather spare Eames as much as I can. That's all. Besides, if he accepts your offer, he'll start his sentence that much sooner."
"Are you complaining about your protective detail duties?"
"Not at all. But I'd like it better if no detail were needed. Then she can get her divorce and get on with her life. She and her daughter will be safe."
"Detective, let me ask you this. If he had ever raised a hand to her or her child, would you be here?"
"No, sir."
"If I do this, and she comes to me demanding to know why, I will not lie to her."
"I wouldn't ask you to. I'll deal with the fallout."
"Are you absolutely sure about this?"
"Yes, sir."
Carver sighed. "Very well, then. I'll offer him a plea."
"Thank you, Mr. Carver."
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Four days later, late in the afternoon, Barek dropped the last of her paperwork in her out basket and looked at her partner, who was making a paper airplane. "You can do the paperwork after our next case," she said.
He smiled. "That's what you said last time. Besides, I finished my paperwork."
"You left three-quarters of it for me to do."
"You're so much better at it than I am."
"I swear, Logan…"
She was interrupted by Eames, who stormed up to their desks. "Where is my partner?" she demanded.
Logan and Barek looked at one another, then back at Eames. Logan shrugged. "Beats me. He left about thirty minutes ago and he hasn't come back. Why? What's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" She leaned over toward Logan, close enough to make him nervous. "Are you saying you don't know what he did?"
"I guess not, since nothing comes to mind that would have you this pissed off."
"Did you know Carver offered Ricky a plea? Seven to twelve. Do you know why Carver offered it?" They had no chance to answer. "Because my idiot partner asked him to, that's why! Why would he do that?"
Logan shrugged again. "I have no idea. Who can figure out why he does half the things he does?"
"You're sure you didn't know about this?"
"I'm sure." He nodded toward the elevator. "There he is. Go get 'em, tiger."
"Shut up, Logan."
She stormed off. Logan looked at Barek. "Once again, I thank my lucky stars I am not him."
"Did you know about this, Mike?"
"Not a clue."
Eames approached her partner, and he knew she was angry. In a quiet voice that clearly told him she was furious, she said, "Come with me, Goren."
She shoved him toward the elevator. The car came right away, but there were several people already in it, so he was granted a few moments' reprieve. He followed her from the building down to the street and walked beside her, waiting for her to say something. He knew better than to even try to say anything. Finally, she said, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"You're going to have to be a little more specific than that."
"Why did you ask Carver to plead him out?"
He was quiet for a moment before he answered, "That doesn't concern you."
"The hell it doesn't!"
"The charges he is facing are for what he did to me. I was well within my rights to talk to Carver."
"I'm not disputing that. But why? He could have gone up for fifteen to twenty. He doesn't deserve your sympathy, Goren."
"It wasn't sympathy. This was something I had to do, ok? Just trust me."
She was silent as they walked along. Trust him...that had never been an issue. She could feel herself calming down, even though she still wanted to be mad at him. Finally, she said, "One of these days, I swear I am going to kick your ass."
He smiled. "You're welcome to try any time, Eames."
Shaking her head, she punched his shoulder. "You are so damn frustrating."
He laughed. "Are you through being mad?"
"No. But I'm not ready to take you down and beat you any more." She looked at him. "Does this have anything to do with you protecting me again?"
"In a way, but not entirely. Just let it go, please."
As many times as he had done the same for her, just because she asked him to, she finally agreed. "Ok, I'll let it go. But I'm still mad at you."
"Fair enough. We'd better get back to the squad before they send out a rescue party."
She laughed. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"So I've been told."
They headed back toward 1 PP.