Both worked in silent for some time and then sat at the table. He just played with his food instead of eating it.
"You'll need to eat something, honey."
"I'm not really hungry." But he knew better than to spoil with Alexx. So he forced himself to eat a few mouthful.
"I see you got along with Eric."
"Like I had a choice", he said.
"Well…I could have given you a helping hand instead…" she smirked.
"THAT I'm sure of. Serious, Alexx. I want to thank you."
"You're welcome", she waited a few seconds not sure how to start before she asked "Are you up to tell me what happened yesterday?"
His face turned into stone as he stared at her. He stood and then left the kitchen.
Alexx went after him. "Tim! Don't do this to me. You need to talk about…"
Suddenly he turned around, his face red. "I'm sick of it! I don't need your pity…just leave me the hell alone!"
She didn't know how to react to his sudden outburst, but she wasn't willed to back up. "Don't pretend that nothing happened yesterday. I'm worried – we all are – about you. This has nothing to do with pity."
Speed just stood there, breathing hard. His head throbbed, so did his cut. He didn't want to yell at Alexx, but he couldn't stand this anymore. He swallowed as he could see tears forming in Alexx' eyes. His mind was racing.
"I don't know what this is all about, but you need to come to terms with it. Because if you don't, it'll eat you up inside" Alexx said quietly. "And you're way too special to end up broken."
"Believe me, I'm already eaten up and broken…" he stopped and looked at his feet. When his head got up again, his eyes were filled with tears too. "I can't stand it anymore. I just can't."
"Then let me help you. We're here for you" she said and stepped forward to take his left hand. "Trust me."
He had to smile. "Yeah. I did once." But then he turned serious again and took a deep breath. "I really ruined this case, didn't I?" he asked.
"Not yet. But we need to know what's going on your twisted mind."
"Who says I have a twisted mind?"
"Horatio."
"Really?"
"Yes…and Calleigh and Eric."
"And you? Do you think I have a twisted mind, too?"
"Only sometimes." She could see that he relaxed more and more while they spoke. "You have to admit that you're not a very talkative person…you know the saying 'still waters run deep'. I guess it suits you very well."
He sighed and looked at his feet again and ran his hand up and down his cheek. He didn't know how to go on.
Alexx sensed this. "Okay. I'll leave it there. For now. Tell me when you're ready." With that she went and left him standing alone in the living room.
During the investigation the team revealed some gruesome details from James Connor. He said that he got drunk that particular night and he couldn't hear his daughter crying any longer. The reason she was crying was because she was hungry. But he couldn't manage to prepare food so he placed her in the bed. The little girl cried and cried. Her mother went away short after she gave birth to her, so James was in charge ever since. He didn't want this child, neither his older daughter Kate. She had been a pain in the ass, too. But he had been living with the mother of the child back then, so he could give away the toddler any time he wanted to. He never cared about the kids and as Annie didn't stop the crying, he just got her out of the bed again and began to hit her in order to quieten her. Alcohol did its part and soon after, she was silent.
Right
now Horatio and Connor's attorney sat in Horatio's office. He
listened absent minded, his thoughts were reconstructing Annie's last
moments. This made him very sad. Also because something about this
case made Speed suffer a lot. Alexx had told him what happened this
morning after trying to talk with him. Sometimes Horatio was glad of
Speedle's stubbornness, but right now he was annoyed of it. 'That boy
makes himself a wreck' he thought while he sat there.
"Did
you hear me? I said that we're going to sue that colleague of yours,
what's his name? Speedle? He hurt my client. That's police
brutality…" Connor's attorney rattled on.
Horatio got out
of this kind of daydream. "Mr. Leach, speaking of brutality…your
client beat his two daughters to death…but I think the jury will
understand Det. Speedle's action very well after we shown them the
evidence we've found at the crime scene."
"A crime scene
that was contaminated from Mr. Speedle…"
"I've already
lectured Det. Speedle for that one. He's on absent leave right now."
'Not to mention the immense pain he's in' he wanted to say, but
stayed silent. "Mr. Leach, let the evidence speak for itself.
The only contamination at the crime scene is at the front doorframe.
It has nothing to do with what happened inside. And about the so
called "fight", Mr. Leach, your client was barley touched
by Det. Speedle. We've got plenty eyewitnesses for that. Other than
that, you have nothing else to use against him. I'll get his police
record for you. Det. Speedle is one of best trace experts in Florida.
I'm sure the jury puts more weight on Mr. Connor, since he's the one
who killed his own siblings. Twice. Excuse me, I've got an
investigation going on", he said as he stood and opened the
door.
"Nice speech, Lt. But we're not done. I'll make sure
Mr. Speedle gets his own sentence as well."
After he had
stepped out onto the hallway, Horatio said to him and emphasized the
word Mister: "And Mr. Leach, it's Det. Speedle."
tbc…