The Long Winding Road: Chapter 13
By: The Confused One
A/N: As a note to the readers of this story who are also reading Misconduct and worried, I promise this one has a happier ending than Misconduct will. I hope to wrap this fic up in just a few more chapters. Enjoy the chapter and remember to review. Thanks.
Bobby took a deep breath. He looked at the Captain's office and then back at Alex's desk. With a sigh, he stood and headed for the elevator. He wasn't stupid. He knew he needed her with him. He wanted her with him. He knew she hadn't left the building this time. He had a feeling he knew where she was.
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Alex paced the roof, feeling stupid. She couldn't believe she had just acted that way. What was that? What was wrong with her? It was the third time in one day that she had lashed out at him and crossed the line. She wondered how much more of that he was supposed to take from her before taking off on his own and possibly getting himself hurt. She wasn't sure she had the answer. When she heard the door open, she was hoping it was Bobby. She sighed with a bit of disappointed to see Nikolas. She greeted him, "Hi."
Nikolas arched his eyebrows. He was definitely aware that he wasn't who she was hoping it was. After a moment of looking at each other, he finally ventured, "He's at his desk brooding. You know, I'd think you two would stay away from roofs."
Alex mentally chastised herself for making her disappointment obvious, but she smiled never the less. She found she liked having Nikolas around. He helped her keep things in perspective sometimes. She finally replied, "Yeah, well, I just needed to cool off and relax for a moment. Nicole Wallace gets involved, and he gets all crazy.
Nikolas restrained himself from laughing, but he did shrug before commenting, "I hate to tell you this, but you are the one who stormed off in a snit. He's down there working to find your daughter."
Alex shot him a death glare. She hated it when people contradicted her. Trying to cover, she argued, "You don't know how obsessive he can get."
Nikolas smiled now. Pointing to Alex, he accused, "Mixed with all that worry about your daughter, you're jealous. You think he cares about Nicole Wallace."
Alex snorted. She wouldn't admit he was right. She just wasn't going to do it, but she wasn't above noticing that it had been a statement of fact, not a question. It just tended to irritate her more. She turned around to face the city, when she heard another voice behind her, "Whatever part of me you think she reaches Alex, she doesn't. The day you can't reach me is the day no one can."
Alex closed her eyes and turned around to face Bobby. Sometimes she didn't get it. Sometime she just didn't know how he was able to say just the right thing at the right time. She turned to face him and assured him, "I know you love me, but sometimes I think she understands a part of you that you hide from me."
Bobby shook his head no. He assured her, "That's not true. You know every part of me. I have nothing hidden from you."
Alex rubbed her forehead. She was feeling stupid, again. She wasn't sure what was going on with her, but she did know she was acting like an idiot, not a cop. Not even the knowledge that most of it was about Hayley being missing was excuse enough for Alex. She tried to explain the real reason she acted out, "You know, sometimes, what really worries me is not being able to read you. It scares me so I lash out, which causes you to retreat more, with just causes me to lash out more. It's a ridiculous cycle. I've been lashing out at you all day, because of it and because I'm afraid of losing Hayley."
Bobby nodded. He understood and agreed, "Yeah."
Nikolas, relieved that tension was gone, suggested, "We should go back downstairs and decide what to do."
Bobby finally really noticed him. He nodded. The three headed for the elevator. He tested the waters again, "We still need to talk to Carson."
Alex nodded. She didn't argue this time. She didn't want to. She did comment, "Deakins isn't going to like the idea."
Bobby shrugged. He wasn't playing their game anymore. He guaranteed, "I'm talking to Carson."
Nikolas was interested. She had heard rumors of Bobby's interrogations, but he was interested in seeing one up close and personal. He finally got the nerve to ask, "Can I watch?"
Alex smirked at the comment. Getting off the elevator, she warned him, "It's not going to be what you're thinking."
Bobby gave Alex and then Nikolas a look. He asked, "What are you thinking?"
Nikolas had to keep from laughing. He shrugged and replied, "I'm not sure. All I know is that according to people it's quite the experience."
Bobby met Alex's eyes. She rolled her eyes and reassured him, "Don't look at me like that. You're the one who cuts themselves, pushes tables around, dances, jumps around, gets slapped, slams their fist on the table, breaks mirrors…the list goes on. There is a reason we have a reputation, and it's not my fault."
Bobby rolled his eyes now too before smiling. Leaning close to her, he whispered, "But you love it anyway."
Alex knew he was right, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. She did smile again though. It felt good to smile. She wanted to smile more. She wanted to get through the bad stuff and get back to their normal lives, such as they were. She just feared that was going to be impossible now. She changed the subject, "His office."
Walking to the door, Bobby knocked. When Deakins gave them permission to come in, the three trouped into the office. Nikolas found a corner to stand in, feeling he didn't have much of a right to be talking. Alex sat down in the chair, leaving Bobby to pace, as per usual.
Bobby began, seeing as it was his idea, "We want to talk to Carson ourselves."
Deakins groaned. He knew this was about Nicole. He tried to persuade them otherwise, "Don't do this to me Goren. It's not a good idea."
Alex sighed. This was going to need something extra. If it got Hayley back, Alex wasn't sure she was above anything. Swallowing her pride, she pleaded, "Please. He's our last lead. The house was a bust. Nicole was toying with us. Hayley is all we have left. We have to get her back. I promise you. We'll do it right."
Deakins rubbed his temples. They were getting desperate and fast running out of leads. He understood that. After a moment, he relented, "Alright. But I'm watching. If it gets out of hand, you're both out of there."
Bobby stopped and met Deakins eyes. With a nod, he replied, "Agreed. Thank you."
Deakins shook his head. Picking up the phone, he warned, "Don't thank me yet. I still haven't gotten you two off the hook with IA. I think they're still going to want to break you two up."
Bobby and Alex exchanged a look. Alex swallowed and nodded. They both knew they were ready for it, if it had to happen.
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Diego Carson sat in the chair, sweating. He knew Goren and Eames were good and unpredictable, and he knew how angry they must be. He assumed they had been the one to turn him in. He hadn't bothered to bring a lawyer. He figured he'd just tell them everything when they walked in. He felt incredibly guilty. He hated what he did, but it was his family on the line too.
Alex followed Bobby into the interrogation room. She instantly recognized the look of guilt on his face. Meeting his eyes, she greeted him, "Hi."
Bobby walked around the other side of the table. He sat down on the table, facing Diego. He looked at his notebook and casually asked, "I think we can skip the denials and go straight to the answers right?"
Diego nodded. He looked defeated and explained, "Nicole. Nicole had my mother. On top of that, she paid me to help set things up, keep track of what you two were doing. She already knew about the kids. In fact, she was the one who told me. I only met her once. Mostly. Mostly I dealt with her lackey, Gage Kingsley. I'm so sorry. I never wanted anyone to die. My mother was just dropped off at my house an hour ago. I swear. I was going to come clean. I just. I had to have her back."
Alex nodded. Sitting in the seat across from Diego, she had no sympathy. She encouraged him, "What does she want with Domingus and Lopez?"
Diego shakily tried to explain, "I swear I don't know. She seemed pretty desperate to get them back though."
Bobby nodded. He looked him over and stood up. With a nod he followed Alex to the door, saying, "You should have come to us."
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Alex sat at her computer. She tucked her hair behind her ears as she scrolled. Bobby leaned just so over her shoulder watching. Deakins was standing just to the side waiting. Nikolas sat patiently in Bobby's chair. He complained, "I feel jipped."
Alex smiled. Glancing up at him, she reminded him, "I told you you'd be disappointed."
Nikolas nodded. He couldn't deny that she had warned him. He asked, "Is that how it usually goes?"
Alex smiled again. Finding what she was looking for, she replied, "No. You missed the Goren show, but you might get to see it soon. He usually plays psychiatrist. I enjoy it in there. I hate it when he does it at home."
Walking away from behind her, Bobby grabbed the piece of paper that was printed. Reading it over, he defended himself, "I don't do it on purpose."
Alex smiled. She followed Bobby towards the elevator. Nikolas followed her. Alex snatched the paper and announced, "That's what makes it worse."
Deakins called after them, "The team will meet you there."
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She watched from the car. A SWAT team and Bobby and Alex right behind them. She frowned. She knew they'd find him, and she had to get gone. Nicole called up to her driver, "Let's go."
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Alex didn't see the same guilty look Diego Carson had had on his face on the current occupant of the interrogation room. She sighed. Bobby was going to have to crack this one. Alex took her normal seat. She eyed the lawyer for a moment, sizing him up. She told herself she wouldn't do something stupid if he started trying to stop Bobby. She decided he probably wouldn't be much of anything anyway.
Bobby had followed her in. He silently took the seat next to Alex. He too sized up their suspect and lawyer. Drawing the same conclusions, he began, "So Mr. Kingsley, we've been told you're an associate of Nicole Wallace."
Gage snorted. He shrugged and replied, "Yeah. I know her. She ain't done nothin' wrong."
Bobby shook his head. He clicked his tongue and asked, "You don't know much about Nicole Wallace do you?"
Gage looked a little confused. He warily answered, "I know what I need to know."
Putting a piece of paper in front of Gage, Alex spoke up, "We did a little research on you."
Bobby shook his head. He caught Gage's eyes and apologized, "I'm sorry about your baby brother. His mother killed him?"
Gage sat up straight. He didn't like people bringing up his brother. He hesitantly replied, "Yeah. My dad couldn't stop the crazy bitch. My mother sued and won full custody after that too. I wasn't allowed to see my Dad."
Alex put a photo on the table. She was pleased and relaxed. Things were going exactly as planned. She dry asked, "Do you know whose kid this is?"
Gage looked up from the photo to Bobby, expecting an answer. When one didn't come, he asked, "Whose?"
Bobby looked him directly in the eye and pointedly answered, "Nicole's. It's her three year old daughter that she killed in Australia."
Gage was a mixture of anger, confusion, and sadness. He shook his head no. He wouldn't believe it, "No. She didn't do that. She wouldn't kill her own kid."
Bobby shook his head and watched as Alex put some more papers on the table. He sighed and insisted, "Come on Gage. You know it's true. It's all right there. She was at the beach alone with her mother when Nicole claims she got swept out to sea. Only, her little girl there turned up buried. You're not a stupid guy. Why would you want to protect a woman who killed her own flesh and blood? You think that girl deserved it anymore than your brother?"
Gage looked lost. Looking at his lawyer, he nodded. The lawyer, asked, "What kind of deal are you willing to offer for his information on the kidnapped people?"
As Carver walked in, he answered, "So far we have implicated in at least six kidnappings, aiding a fugitive, conspiracy to commit two murders, and attempted blackmail of a police officer. That about cover it?"
Bobby nodded slightly. Some other incidental charges might be added later, but that was the bulk of the charges. He sighed and replied, "Sounds about right."
Carver nodded. He took the last chair in the room and suggested, "How about you tell us what you know and we'll see what kind of a deal it's worth."
Gage sighed. He nodded and replied, "Right. They're in Queens, off Broadway. It's the abandoned warehouse out there. You can't miss it. You'd better hurry. She was on her way to my place. She'll know something is wrong and might make a run for it. I don't know where that will leave your family."
Alex and Bobby were immediately on their feet heading out the door, Alex threw back, "We'll back later for your whole story and statement, so don't get comfy."
