XII.
Jack Malone was sitting in his office, looking at his watch for fourth time in about as many minutes. It was half past eight, and he had expected Danny half an hour ago. He had tried to call him on his home number more than once, but nobody had answered the phone. And since Danny had lost his cell phone the previous day there wasn't much else for Jack to do than sit and wait.
Oh – and he was going to call Detective Rush.
He wanted to speak to her as well since he had new information on their case's newest developments. He hadn't called her yet, though, thinking that he was going to have a conversation with Danny first. However, now Jack reached for the phone…
… which chose exactly that moment to start ringing. Grabbing the receiver Jack barked his name into it: "Malone."
"Jack, it's Danny." The voice sounded hesitant and surprisingly insecure. In short; not like Danny at all.
"Where the hell are you?"
"Listen I… I overslept. I'm still at home."
"I tried to call you earlier."
Danny didn't answer right away. When he finally did his voice sounded even more hesitant. "I… I didn't hear the phone, I'm sorry."
"What the hell is wrong with you lately?" Jack asked directly, his voice more worried than angry, but he didn't give Danny a chance to answer: "However, you think you can be here at nine?" He wouldn't have gotten a proper answer, anyway.
"Yeah, I guess…" Without another word Danny hung up and Jack was listening to the phone beeping. With a sigh he dropped the receiver – and lifted it up to his ear again, when he remembered that he wanted to call Lilly Rush.
Her voice sounded irritated when she answered the phone. "Rush."
"Hi, it's Jack Malone."
"Agent Malone. What can I do for you?"
"There's a few news I'd like to tell you. In fact, I think you two solved the case. I spoke to your boss earlier this morning; he wants you to return to Philadelphia. I'll tell you more you're here. Could you make it at nine?"
"Sure."
The conversation was over and Jack hung up, confused. Something didn't seem right, and an idea made its way into Jack's mind causing him to frown; he didn't like it. But then his thoughts were interrupted by Sam who came storming into his office without knocking.
"Jack, we just found Mr. Connor and his wife. They are safe and sound – and not as innocent as they appeared to be…"
"They are not the only ones, these days…" Jack mumbled.
"Huh?"
"Nothing. So, where are they?"
"Just a few floors away from you, being questioned by our people."
"Well done." Jack nodded approvingly, his mind still elsewhere.
"Jack, what's going on?"
Shaking his head Jack considered telling Sam, then he decided not to but she remained adamant. Instead of leaving like she was supposed to do she sat on one of the chairs opposite Jack's desk, waiting. "What's wrong?"
"I was just… uh… wondering. Can you remember the last time Danny overslept?"
Now Sam looked confused.
"I mean, when was he ever one hour late for work?"
Sam shrugged. "I think he was once, but that's gotta be three years ago. Although, I don't remember if it was him or Martin, though…"
"No, that was him. I remember. So once, three years ago. And today."
"So what?" Sam asked.
"I don't know. It just seems… suspicious…"
"Suspicious?"
"However. It doesn't matter, Sam. You can leave now."
Obviously taking the hint Sam stood up and walked towards the door. But before she left she turned back one more time: "Don't be too hard on him, Jack. He's had a rough couple of weeks."
"I'm surprised to hear that coming from you, Sam."
Sam smiled. "I know, but somewhere deep inside, I've got a heart as well."
"Never doubted that."
………………
When he had finally regained his composure enough to he feel able to drive, Danny had driven home and had arrived there at about 8.30. It was the moment he had seen the display of his alarm clock he had remembered that meeting with Jack he should have been at, half an hour earlier.
He had totally forgotten to call his boss!
With an unfamiliarly nervous feeling in his stomach he had sat on his couch, picked up the phone and dialled Jack's office number, unsure what to tell him.
Lucky for him Jack hadn't asked too many questions, and Danny had agreed to come to his office at nine, although he had no idea how to make it. But since he knew he wasn't going to make it all if he remained sitting on the couch wondering, he got up, walked into the bathroom and took a less-than-two-minutes shower. After shaving and brushing his teeth he walked into the bed-room to find some clothes wear.
He slipped into the next best not caring if they matched and was – only moments later – on the way to work. He felt the beginning of a headache – a consequence of crying so much, maybe? – and his throat felt sore. Cursing, Danny realised that he was probably bound to get a cold after that dunking in the river and staying in his wet clothes for way too long.
When he arrived at work he ran straight into Vivian.
"Hey."
She was smiling up at him and he smiled back, half-heartedly.
"You okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine. You?"
"Never been better."
The both lied and they both knew it. But there was noting more to say and neither of them wanted a discussion. Danny excused himself and hurried on. When arrived at Jack's office he saw through the glass door that his boss wasn't the only one waiting for him; on one of the chairs in front of the desk Lilly was sitting, seemingly trying hard to keep her expression neutral.
Danny took a deep breath, knocked and entered without waiting for an answer. When he saw Jack raising an eyebrow while looking at his watch he just said: "Sorry."
Jack sighed. "Don't worry. Take a seat."
Danny did as he had been told.
"Now…" Jack looked from one to the other and Danny got the strange feeling that his boss knew what had happened last night. Between him and Lilly. And – he had to admit – it was probably not even a surprise. We could have it printed on our foreheads and it wouldn't be any more obvious, he thought, glancing at Lilly. She seemed determined to ignore him at the moment.
"… let me get straight to the point", Jack continued , interrupting Danny's thoughts. "I just made a few phone calls and I now know who the man in the boat-house yesterday was. I also know that this morning he confessed being involved in the murder of Linda Guerin."
If things had been different Danny would turned to Lilly now, grinning and saying something like: See? I was right after all! However, now he just remained still, looking at Jack to see if he anything else to say. And so did Lilly.
"The man's name is Edward Kingston."
The name sounded familiar to Danny and thinking about it now, the face had seemed vaguely familiar yesterday, as well.
"He was Amy Bradfort's boss."
Now Danny remembered. He had never met Kingston, but had seen a photo. The team had considered him a suspect, but just briefly before dropping it again. Obviously that had been a mistake. Curious now, Danny asked: "So? Did he lie about the last time he saw Dina?"
"Dina?" For a moment Jack looked confused, but then his face lit up. "Oh, right; Dina. No, he didn't. In fact, Mr Kingston did lie at all. He called the police, remember? Saying that Amy hadn't arrived for work – yeah, I know her real name is Dina, but let me just stick to Amy, okay? – and that was the truth as well. Only, what he didn't tell us, was that he knew that Amy didn't come to work because now she was living the life of Mrs Linda Guerin."
"But how is he involved?" Lilly asked now, speaking for the first time since Danny had entered the room.
Ignoring the question Jack went on: "Mrs. Guerin – the real Mrs. Guerin – was already gone for a while by the time we started investigating."
"What? For how long?" Danny wanted to know.
"About a week and a half. Seems that Amy killed her some time at the end of the week, before that that Friday her boss claimed to have last seen her."
"Wait a moment – you saying that during that one week…"
"… she was being Amy Bradfort and Linda Guerin at the same time – yes. To most people around she already was Mrs. Guerin. That gave her time to change her appearance – on behalf of Linda Guerin. Some of the other neighbour did even know that but of course they didn't tell us because we never asked."
Danny was speechless for a moment – something that didn't happen very often. Finally he found the words to ask: "So, Dina Larstrom was Linda Guerin and Amy Bradfort at the same time? How did that work?"
Lilly sighed. "That's obvious, isn't? I guess she turned into Mrs Guerin just after she had killed the real Mrs. Guerin, except for when she was at work. Then she was Amy. And since nobody in the neighbourhood did really miss Amy because she didn't have any social contacts except to Mrs Guerin, and nobody missed Mrs Guerin at work because she didn't have a job nobody suspected anything."
"That's right", Jack said.
There was moment of silence in the room.
"What will happen now?" Danny finally wanted to know.
"Well, since this isn't a missing person's case anymore it will be handed to the NYPD. I guess Amy or Dina or whatever her name is will be tried for murder." Jack turned to Lilly: "I spoke with your boss this morning. He wants you to be back this afternoon. We'll stay in contact, though."
Lilly nodded and rose from her seat. "Okay, thank you, Sir. That all?"
Jack stood up as well to shake her hand and smile at her. "Yes. You two did well, and it was a pleasure to work with you, Detective", he said. "I think, Agent Taylor will agree."
"Sure", Danny made himself say. Although he didn't want to he looked up to meet Lilly's eyes. She was looking back, but he could read nothing from her expression. So he just took her extended hand to shake it as well. "Detective Rush."
"Agent Taylor."
No good-byes were said and Lilly took her briefcase and walked away. When Danny made to leave as well, Jack's voice held him back. "Danny?"
"Yeah…"
"You got a minute?"
"Sure", he sighed, slumping down on the chair again. Now what could Jack want? Still giving him that lecture about not telling him about the boat-house, yesterday?
"Something going on between you two?"
Danny looked at him, questioningly. How the hell…?
"I mean you and Detective Rush."
"I know who you mean. I just can't see why that is any of your business."
Shrugging, Jack replied: "It isn't. And since you don't want to talk about it…"
Getting impatient, Danny started to fidget on his seat. "Listen Jack, is there anything else you want to speak to me about? Or can I get back to work?"
"You can go home now, that's what you can do."
"What?" Danny didn't believe it. "You're sending me home? Why?"
"Because I think you should get some rest."
"Jack, it's morning! I haven't done anything, yet."
"But you had a hard time, lately, and you spend half an hour yesterday outside in this weather in wet clothes and you really need some time off. I should have made you take a few days a long time ago, and since I didn't I'm going to make up for that now. And don't even start to argue because I made my mind up and I don't want you here today. Get go home and get some rest and don't come back before tomorrow. Heard me?"
"Yes Sir."
Danny was already halfway out when Jack held him back once more: "Oh, you can, actually, if possible, make sure you replace your phone, today."
"Yes Sir."
On his way out Danny met Sam. She didn't say anything but gave him a warm smile. It didn't really lift his mood, but still he was grateful for it. He left the building quickly, thinking about what to do with his time.
Maybe, Jack was right and the first thing he should do was replace his phone. And then… nervousness overcame him again… he could finally go and see Martin. Maybe apologize for not having been there for his friend before.
It sounded like a plan and Danny was determined to stick to it.
………………
A few hours later he was sitting in his car a few blocks away from where Martin lived. He was nervous and so far he hadn't been able to gather the courage to get out of the car, walk down the street and ring Martin's doorbell.
What if he still looked as bad as he had been when Danny had last seen him?
Eager to put the visit off for another few minutes Danny fetched his new phone from the pocket of his jeans. He had bought right after leaving from work and then he had gone home to get changed out of his suit and spend a few hours in front of the TV. He had fallen asleep and when he had woken up it had almost been noon. It had taken all the strength he had to sit in his car and drive all the way here.
For a while Danny considered calling Martin to see if he was at home. But he wasn't sure if the phone was working yet. So he dialled his own home number first – just to test it.
The beeping sound told Danny it was working. He was about to dial Martin's number when a thought came to his mind. Maybe he should call Lilly. The way they had departed that morning just didn't seem right to him.
He didn't have her number anymore since it was saved on his old phone but Danny had a good enough memory to remember it partly. It took him a few attempts but finally there it was; her voice. He was just about to say something when he realised he had just reached the mail box.
Impatiently he waited so he could at least leave her a message. Clearing his throat he finally spoke: "Hi Lilly, it's me." – It's me? – Quickly he added: "It's Danny Taylor. Listen, I… I just wanted to tell you that I've got a new phone number. So if you have any more questions – I mean, about the case – you… uh… just call me, okay? So… um… well, bye."
He hung up and put the phone away, taking a deep breath. That had been difficult, but what was coming now would be even more difficult…
