Chapter Three: Flash

Once Jordan was outside, she realized it was dark and she would have to call a cab. She reached into her purse for her cell phone and pulled out her keys instead. They felt heavier than usual, and when she examined them she found something new attached.

Jordan gasped. It was a flash drive—Pollack's flash drive. She remembered it being on his key chain last night…but now it was on hers. Changing her mind about going home, Jordan quickly called the cab and headed to the morgue.

When she got there, however, she hesitated. She wasn't allowed in the morgue…what if she was caught? Normally, such details didn't phase her, but Jordan had no desire to spend the next nine months in jail. She'd be even more powerless then.

For the next five minutes, Jordan vacillated between going in the morgue and giving up. She thought briefly of going to the precinct instead, but wasn't sure if the same "do not enter" rule applied there as well.

Just as Jordan made up her mind to take the risk, Woody came out of the elevator.

"Jordan," he said, alarmed. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!"

"Any news?" she asked, ignoring his questions.

Woody shook his head. "No…nothing yet. I was just going back to the precinct…I've got to take myself off the case."

It was Jordan's turn to be alarmed. "What? Why?"

"Because I'm not going to help Lu bring you down," Woody replied firmly.

Jordan gave herself just enough time to be touched before letting panic take over. "You can't do that!" she exploded. Woody looked at her, confused. "If you aren't on the case, then there won't be anyone there on my side! Please, don't, Woody. Please!"

She was so desperate, Woody had to give in. "Okay," he said. He moved closer to her, and she allowed him to hug her, relieved for a moment.

"Thank you."

"No problem," he answered. "But I'm still breaking up with her."

Jordan chuckled. "That's fine."

When they pulled apart, Woody asked again, "So what are you doing here?"

Jordan gave him the flash drive. "It's Pollack's," she explained and told him how she found it. "I was thinking Nigel could dig through it…maybe it will lead somewhere."

Woody examined the drive for a moment. "It's possible," he said. "Maybe he made an enemy in DC. I'll go have Nigel look at it."

He turned around to go back in the morgue, but stopped when Jordan followed him. "No, Jordan. You are not going in there. I've got it; it'll be taken care of."

"But—"

"No buts," he said decisively. He softened at her crestfallen reaction. "Have you had dinner yet?"

Jordan shook her head.

"Okay. Go down to the diner and wait for me. We can eat while Nigel does his thing."

Jordan started to protest, but Woody simply pointed in the direction of the diner. This was one battle she would not win.

Jordan had only been at the diner a few minutes when Woody showed up. She looked at him questioningly.

"Pollack put an encryption on the drive," he explained. "Nige is going to call when he gets something."

Jordan nodded glumly and returned to staring at her menu. "I'm not really hungry," she said.

"Too bad, you need to eat, Jordan," Woody said. "Even if it's only enough to keep you from passing out."

The waitress came, and when Jordan was unresponsive Woody ordered her a burger and fries. They sat in silence until the food came.

Jordan pushed the fries around her plate for a while, until Woody looked like he was about to force feed them to her.

After taking a few bites, Jordan asked, "How big is a mustard seed?"

Woody gave her a weird look. "I have no idea. Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "No reason…just forget about it."

He sighed. "We're going to figure this out, Jordan. Have a little faith."

There was that word again. She looked up at Woody and gave him a tiny smile. Then, Woody's cell started ringing.

Jordan listened intently as he spoke to Nigel, but couldn't make much out of what she heard.

Hanging up, Woody turned to Jordan. "Nigel found something…something about a judge in DC and some shady acquittals he made while he was in Boston. Maybe Pollack was onto him."

He was getting up to leave when Jordan stopped him. "Woody?" He turned around. "I think I might have been drugged."

"How would you know?"

"I drank JD's drink last night…he made some joke about me drinking a girly drink, and I wanted to show him up. Maybe it was drugged and meant for him," she said.

"You're just remembering this?"

Jordan lowered her eyes. "Yes…well, no. I remembered it while I was waiting for you here…but that seemed really stupid until we had something else to go on."

"Okay…I'll tell the guys. Bug can run some more tests," he assured her. Then his stubborn face returned. "But you are going home…I'm not letting you get yourself thrown in jail. It'll only make you look guiltier."

Sighing, Jordan gave in. "But call me when you know something?" she asked.

"I will," he said.

Woody paid the bill, and they went separate ways…each concerned about Jordan's fate.