'What about Robert Kenilworth, what have we found out from his background check?' Viv's question broke the silence that had fallen

Danny came out of his reverie, pulled out a file from the pile in front of him and opened it;

'OK, well I've done all the usual checks. He rents his apartment but is in the process of buying one, he has over $2million in funds plus he still owns a property in Georgetown worth $1.5million. His family is worth approximately $50million and he will eventually inherit half of that. We've spoken to most of his close business colleagues and also his friends…..' he paused while he checked a list, 'all except James Holland…'

'James Holland? The James Holland?'

Danny was grinning now, 'Yes, the James Holland. He and Robert were at Harvard together and have stayed in touch. Before he moved to New York they saw each other maybe twice a year but since he's moved here Robert has been visiting him in Atlantic City most weekends'

Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise, 'Most weekends? I don't see that playing well with the voters; a prospective congressional candidate who has close ties to a gambling tycoon and who likes to spend his downtime in a casino'

'Well there's no evidence that he gambles', Danny saw the sceptical look on Viv's face, 'I've checked his bank and credit card records there are no large sums leaving or entering his accounts. If he gambles it's a couple of hundred bucks on the slot machines.'

'So he goes all the way to Atlantic City to hang out with an old college friend?' Sam sounded as if she thought this highly unlikely

Danny shrugged, 'so it would appear. Anyway, Holland flew to Las Vegas yesterday for a meeting and is returning today. He's agreed to come here as soon as he lands', he glanced at his watch, 'actually he should be here within the next hour.'

Jack sighed, 'OK, Danny keep checking into Robert's background', he paused for a moment and, without quite meeting her eyes, 'Sam, you help Danny.' He looked at Viv, 'Viv you and I are going to check out Kevin Brown and see if we can find a connection to Robert'.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Right, OK, thanks Sam'; Viv flipped the phone shut and finished jotting down the information that Sam had just given her

'What have we got?' Jack turned to look at Viv

'Well, Kevin Brown was released on parole 6 months ago and he has a job working for Caldwell Construction as an electrical contractor. Sam has checked, he doesn't have a phone in his apartment and we can't find any registered cell phone but he could have a pre-paid one of course. She's checked for bank accounts and credit cards and can't find any record of him having either.'

The traffic began to move again and Jack switched his gaze back to the road, 'Hmm, not a hell of lot to go on is there?'

'No but hopefully we will get something from his apartment', Viv looked thoughtfully at Jack. He looked tired and his eyes showed the strain he was under; she hesitated a moment then decided to bite the bullet and just ask 'Jack, what's going on between you and Sam?

She saw the tightening of his jaw and waited for him to decide whether to answer her question. The silence lengthened, then;

'It's nothing'

'It's not nothing Jack, both Danny and I have picked up on it.'

Jack shook his head, his mouth a straight line; Viv could feel the anger bubbling up inside of her; 'You know we've been here before. I helped clear up your mess last time; I'm not doing it again. You and Sam need to sort yourselves out once and for all'

She could see the anger on his face. The traffic halted again and he turned to face her, his mouth opening but the words stilled on his tongue when he saw the expression on her face. She met his eyes unflinchingly and the silence lengthened until the traffic began to move again and he was forced to look away.

The silence continued as the traffic eased and they approached Kevin Brown's apartment in Queens. Jack parked the car, climbed out and joined Viv on the sidewalk; 'I've tried to talk to her, she won't discuss it.'

Viv stared at him for a moment before she realised that he was talking about Sam; 'when did you try and talk to her?' he remained silent and she frowned, 'oh please tell me you didn't try to talk to her when you went to Robert Kenilworth's apartment?' He shrugged which she took to be a confirmation

'Well, I'm not surprised she didn't want to talk then, it's hardly the right time is it?'

'Yeh, that's what she said'

The look she threw him told him that she thought he was an idiot; he stared at her for a moment then turned and walked toward the apartment block, 'come on, lets see what we can find'

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Danny leant his head back in the chair and ran his hands through his hair; tiredness was coming over him in waves and he was struggling to keep his eyes open. A mug of coffee and a sandwich appeared in front of him and he looked up to see an equally tired Sam sit down heavily in the chair next to him.

'Thanks, you read my mind'

She smiled but didn't say anything, instead she picked up her sandwich, played with it for bit and then put it back down;

'You not hungry?' Danny spoke through a mouthful of cheese and ham sandwich and still managed to sound surprised. Sam shook her head

'Not really'

He looked at her thoughtfully, 'What's up?' she started to shake her head again; 'don't say 'nothing' Sam; is it Martin, is it Jack or is it both of them?'

She stared at him, her face showing some of the turmoil inside her. Danny finished his sandwich and reached for his coffee; 'Sam, you can tell me to go to hell if you want but it might actually help to talk'

She dropped her gaze to the table; 'Jack and I had dinner on Monday night; he said he needed to ask me something……….as stupid as it sounds I assumed it was…..it was, well I don't know really but I didn't think it would be about………us' she sounded as if she couldn't believe how naïve she had been.

'He wants the two of you to, what, try again?'

'Yes'

Danny pursed his lips into a soundless whistle, 'and how do you feel about that?'

She hesitated and then shrugged her shoulders; 'I love him, I always have'

'So what's the problem?'

'He thinks I should apply for a transfer to another team.'

'Well you can't work in the same team and have a…a…'proper' relationship can you, so one of you has to transfer if you want to give it another go; neither of your careers would survive another clandestine relationship' Danny saw Sam wince at the harshness of his words even though he spoke them as gently as he could.

'I know that, it's just ….' She hesitated, then is a rush, 'why does it have to be me that transfers why should he assume that I have to make the change. He ended it between us before and I understood why, I didn't make waves, I was the perfect bloody ex mistress' Danny could hear the anger in her voice as she continued, 'and he was so arrogant, telling me that he knew I still felt the same………' she fell silent, biting her lip as she tried to regain control of her emotions

Before Danny could say anything the phone rang; he cast an apologetic look at Sam; 'Taylor'. He listened for a moment the, 'OK, we'll be there in a minute'. He put the phone down, 'James Holland is here, you gonna come and talk to him with me?'

Danny thought that he could see a hint of relief in Sam's eyes. She nodded, stood up and headed toward the interview room at a pace that, as tired as he was, had Danny's mouth curling in amusement…..

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'Jack'

Jack looked up from the drawer he was searching.

'Look at this' Viv sounded excited. Jack stood up and headed over to see what she had found.

'What you got?'

She turned to look at him, a wide smile on her face and indicated the box she held in her hand; 'This was in the air conditioning vent, whoever went through this apartment last night must have missed it'.

Jack stared inside the box at a large amount of cash and four cell phones. He looked up at Viv; 'four cell phones?'

She held up a bill of sale, 'these four, plus the two that we have the call records for, plus another 10 where purchased from a wholesaler for cash around 6 months ago. I'll call tech and get them to run the numbers and see if it gives us anything.'

Jack was rifling through the cash, 'There is over $20,000 here', he looked at the bands around the money, 'and all of it appears to have come from the same bank, I'm betting we can trace where this money comes from', he grinned at Viv, 'this is the first time I've felt like we're getting anywhere. Come on let's get back to the office and see where this takes us.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sam stood at the window of the interview room and looked at the man sat inside.

James Holland; owner of one of the biggest, flashiest casino's in Atlantic City; a Harvard graduate and ex-model with a chiselled jaw and piercing blue eyes and a considerable talent for self promotion. His legs were stretched out in front of him, his hands thrust into the pockets of his designer jeans and the casual, relaxed appearance was completed by the designer stubble showing on his tanned face.

Danny arrived by her side reading a file. He handed Sam a copy, a grin on his face; 'look at this!' She quickly looked through the information contained in the file and then looked at Danny, her eyes wide, 'Wow, and they are OK with us using this?

'Yeh, it seems that Victor's made some calls and hey presto……'

'Does Jack know?'

'I just called him; he and Viv are on their way in'

'Well, let's go make some talk then shall we?'

Sam and Danny entered the interview room; James Holland sat up and took his hands from his pockets as they took their seats; Danny smiled, 'Thank you for coming in Mr Holland'

'No problem, have you heard anything yet?'

Sam sat back watching James Holland. He appeared subdued but his eyes were cautious, watchful………

'Well we are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry including talking to those people who know Robert best, hence our wanting to speak to you; when did you last see Robert?'

Sam saw James Holland tense at the abrupt way Danny asked the question and shift slightly in his seat. His eyes dropped to the table for a moment before he looked up again, his gaze switching between Sam and Danny as if trying to decide what to say……….

'It's a simple question Mr Holland, when did you last see Robert Kenilworth?' Danny sat forward, his voice was harder with a distinct edge to it.

Holland shrugged, 'We saw each other at the weekend'

Danny smiled, at Holland and then turned to Sam; 'That's nice isn't it, they saw each other at the weekend'

'Hmm, did you do anything nice together Mr Holland?'

Sam was smiling at Holland too and she saw him shift uncomfortably before he shrugged; 'it's Atlantic City, there's always something 'nice' to do'

'I'm sure there is, and I'm sure that you and Robert have done just about everything there is to do…….'

Danny's smile was still there as he threw some photos onto the table; Sam saw Holland's face whiten as he looked at them. He pulled back; 'I think I need a lawyer'

Danny leaned forward, his smile gone, his voice cold; 'You can get a lawyer if you want but if you do I can tell you that your chance of us agreeing to a deal goes out of the window. Alternatively you can tell us what this', he pointed to the photo's, 'is all about'

Sam leaned forward and turned the photos slightly as if she was interested to see what was on them, 'Hmm, what is that white powder Robert appears to be inhaling Mr Holland', she pulled another photo from the pile, 'and this 'lady' that he is getting very friendly with, do you know her?'

Holland seemed unable to speak; Danny turned the photos back toward him and looked at them again. He looked up at Holland a look of false surprise on his face; 'You know, that looks an awful lot like Diana Monroe', he turned the photo toward Holland, 'don't you think?' he turned the photo toward Sam, 'I mean, I think that looks like Diana Monroe, but it can't be can it?'

'Well I don't see how it can be, I mean why would your girlfriend perform oral sex on your friend while you film them……….' Sam stared expressionlessly at James Holland who was staring at her like a rabbit caught in headlights; she turned to Danny, 'unless of course that's what floats his boat? Maybe we should ask Diana Monroe'

'No need, we had an agent speak to her a few minutes ago' Danny had a smirk on his face as he watched Holland's reaction; 'she told us that you blackmailed her into having sex with Robert, something about setting her up on drugs charges if she didn't. We've offered her immunity of course, and she seems happy to tell us as much as she knows'

Holland groaned and put his head in his hands; Danny lent forward, 'Mr Holland, I know that you know what has happened to Robert Kenilworth and why………now you tell us what you know and we can sort out a deal'

Holland sat back and stared at Danny and then started to laugh; 'you think if I tell you what you want to know that I'll live past the weekend? You're mad'

Danny looked at him without sympathy; 'we'll offer you immunity and put you in the witness protection scheme if you testify; alternatively we will prosecute you and make sure that certain people know that you talked...', he shrugged, 'one way gives you a chance the other pretty much guarantees your early and regrettable demise'; he held Holland's horrified stare, 'your choice.'

'Well we'll leave you to have a think about things Mr Holland; don't take too long', Sam smiled at him as she and Danny stood up and left the room