NINETEEN

Andy hardly noticed Provenza's laborious descent into a crouching position next to him because his full attention was on Sharon. His hand was shaking with the same adrenaline that was making his heart race when he reached for her forehead out of pure instinct. Her skin felt clammy and cold to his touch. Andy noticed that while she had fallen on her side, her arm was still loosely wrapped around her middle, so she had probably reacted out of instinct as well.

"Sharon?" he asked. "Sweetheart, can you hear me?"

Sharon groaned low in her throat, but since it sounded deliberate, it seemed like the sweetest sound in the world to Andy. Her eyelids were beginning to flutter just in time for the rest of the team to come running to investigate what Provenza's shouting had been about. It took Sharon a moment to come to and when her eyes had finally gained focus, he smiled at her, trying to look more reassuring than he actually felt.

"Easy, Sharon. I'm going to help you sit up, okay?"

She gave an almost imperceptible nod and winced when he carefully helped her into a sitting position and offered his shoulder, so she could lean into his side. He felt tremors going through her body when he gently stroked her arm.

"We need some water over here!" Provenza called out and Andy was glad that he seemed to be taking charge. "And maybe a cookie or something."

Gabriel headed towards the break room to retrieve the requested items, but Tao, Sanchez and the Chief formed a semi-circle around them, all looking equally worried. Andy and Provenza were already in their shirtsleeves, so Sanchez took off his jacket and draped it carefully around Sharon's shoulders. She was still too dazed to thank him, so Andy gave him a grateful nod instead.

"What happened?" Tao asked. "Did she just faint like that?"

Provenza nodded, blissfully tight-lipped for once.

"She looks dehydrated to me," Tao said. "Maybe that stomach bug she caught?"

"Yes," the Chief said, looking almost amused now. "That stomach bug."

She still seemed to be bitter about the soda.

Sharon sighed and looked up at Andy, her hand now covering her stomach protectively.

"Andy," she said so softly that he could barely hear her, sounding oddly breathless. He waited for her to say something else, but that never came because she closed her eyes again, leaning into him. It seemed that she was too exhausted to carry on a conversation or even say what it was that was on her mind. Since Andy had a suspicion as to what she had been going to say anyway, he gently placed his hand on top of hers. He had seen her collapse and it hadn't seemed to him that she had fallen on her stomach, but he didn't know for the life of him how to tell her that without drawing suspicion.

"Are you okay, Sweetheart?" he asked her instead. "Are you in any pain?"

She opened her eyes again and looked down at their joined hands over her stomach.

"I don't think so. I mean… nothing major. But, Andy," her eyes were suddenly swimming in tears again and she turned her head, so the others wouldn't see. So very vulnerable as she was right now, reassurance clearly took priority over keeping her secret for the moment. "The fall, Andy. I'm worried that it hurt our baby."

From the corner of his eye, Andy saw Tao and Sanchez exchange a look of complete astonishment. Gabriel who had just returned even accidentally dropped the bag of nuts he was carrying, causing it to noisily connect with the floor. After that, the room fell completely silent.

"It's okay, I don't think the fall was that bad," Andy told Sharon, pressing his lips to her temple. "Your hip took the brunt of it."

She gave him a teary smile, her relief palpable. Aware of the curious looks of the others around them, Andy drew his hand back and Sharon did the same. It was pointless, though. Everyone had clearly heard and understood if their expressions were any indication.

"Well, I guess that explains the nausea," Tao said, nothing but not quick to recover given the situation. "Have you been sleeping enough? Pregnancy can be exhausting."

Sharon gave a weak snort as if Tao had just made a bad joke. "I don't sleep very well lately," she said, her voice still husky but her pronunciation clear again. It was no secret that Tao had an affinity for natural sciences and medicine in particular. And once he was on a roll, he was usually unstoppable. Unfortunately, today was no exception.

"Well, there we have it. You need some rest, Captain. Your body is adapting to carrying a child and you're older than the average expectant mother. The closer you get to menopause, the harder it is for-"

"Thank you, Lieutenant!" Sharon interrupted him, sounding slightly scandalized. Andy glowered at his team mate over Sharon's head and made a cut-off motion with his hand. Tao, realizing what he had done, had the grace to at least look sheepish.

"How about we get you somewhere more comfortable, Captain?" he asked. "Do you think you can get up?"

Sharon nodded slowly, squeezing Andy's hand for support. He slid his arm around her waist and carefully helped her stand. She hissed in pain when she straightened up, reaching down to rub her hip.

"My hip did take the fall," she said, grimacing.

"That will be quite the bruise," Tao confirmed. "Maybe Gabriel can get you some ice."

"No can do, Mike. He is still busy trying to pick his jaw off of the floor," Provenza deadpanned. He was probably right, because Gabriel didn't even react to the comment.

"Can you walk with me?" Andy asked Sharon, unsure whether she would be able to support her own weight yet. Sharon hummed, leaning into him more heavily.

"In a moment. I'm still so dizzy."

Even though what Tao was saying seemed to make sense, Andy was growing more worried about her. This was clearly it. She wasn't going to last any longer in this investigation. Sharon needed to rest and badly. He was just about to tell her that when someone cleared their throat behind them. He looked up to discover a sturdy-looking guy in a security guard's uniform. He came to realize that the picture in their files had been taken years ago, because the guy had grown softer around the edges, the uniform shirt a little tight across his stomach. His hair was longer, too, new dark curls touching his collar and leaving his cold, appraising blue eyes the only easily recognizable feature. There was something about the way his jaw was set that hadn't been there in the picture. Suddenly it dawned on Andy. He had seen him very recently when he had returned from the café with Sharon after the photos had leaked. He had been the person behind the reception desk in the hall who had smirked at him. The one he had taken for a desk sergeant back then, but who had in fact been a security guard. He had seen Sharon and Andy return, it struck him. Had he maybe tipped off Elliott?

"Am I interrupting something?" His voice was oddly soft, but not in a pleasant way. In fact, he sounded as if he was in dire need of clearing his throat. Andy grew uncomfortable just looking at him.

"We have a bit of a situation here, Mr. Richardson. Thank you for coming. Why don't you come through to the interview room with me? Lieutenant Tao, would you please sit in with us?" The Chief gestured for them to leave, clearly eager to get Richardson away from Sharon as quickly as possible.

If Richardson was behind Elliott's murder, he had to know that they were on to him, so Andy was surprised at his nonchalance when he shrugged and walked past Sharon. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her and for a moment there was a glimmer of something dangerous in his eyes.

"Pregnant, huh?" he said. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear. You better be careful around here. It's a dangerous environment for a pregnant woman."

"This way please!" The Chief's voice carried that forced cheerfulness that she used when she was really pissed off with someone. Richardson followed her without as much as another glance at Sharon.

"This guy gives me a bad vibe," Tao informed them darkly before he and Gabriel walked off as well. Andy looked at Sharon who had grown a different kind of pale. It seemed that she, too, had noticed the weird tone in the man's voice, indicating that what he had said had been meant as a threat.

"Let's get you a little more comfortable, okay?" Andy asked her, his arm still wrapped around her body. Steadied by Andy but walking by herself, if slowly, she made her way over to Chief Johnson's office where a hideous purple velours couch had appeared a few weeks prior after the Chief had spent an entire day gracelessly nursing a major Merlot hangover slumped in her desk chair. If Sharon took offense in its atrocity, she didn't show it. Sanchez brought over a chair so she had something to put her feet up on and then took a few steps towards the door, lingering for some reason.

Provenza handed Sharon the water bottle he had taken off a speechless (and motionless) Gabriel earlier and encouraged her to drink with a nod.

"What are you waiting for, Sanchez? We're needed in the monitor room," Provenza ushered him toward the door. "Off you go."

Sanchez shrugged but turned around at the door, giving Sharon an awkward half-smirk.

"Oh, uh, congratulations, Ma'am."

"Thank you," Sharon replied, her voice still thin, but Andy could see that some color was beginning to return to her face.

"And sir," Sanchez added with a sly look at Andy who gracefully refrained from responding. At that, Provenza huffed and grabbed the detective by his shirt, pushing him through the door. When it had closed behind them and they were alone, Andy sat down next to Sharon on the couch and put his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

"So much for the secret keeping," he said with a lightness he did not feel since the chill Richardson's creepiness had sent down his spine had left a residue. Sharon looked up at him, clearly distressed.

"I think Richardson just threatened me," she said, her voice tight and her body tense, panic beginning to take hold of her.

"It's okay, he is being interviewed and I am here," Andy told her in a bid to calm her down. Sharon wasn't ever rattled easily, but he understood that her defenses were down. She was probably feeling like shit physically and emotionally. Anyone would have been in her stead. "I won't leave you alone for a second, okay? I'll make sure you and the baby are safe."

Sharon placed her hand on her stomach. Something in her had demeanor had changed very suddenly. Maybe it had been the fall or Richardson's threat, but she looked as if she was about to get up and run as far and as fast as she could. She was the better runner, so it was lucky for Andy that she was in no state to even walk fast right now or he wouldn't have been able to keep up.

She took a deep breath. "I want to watch the interview."

Andy had expected something along those lines, but he didn't think it was a good idea for her to be anywhere near the interview room or away from the only place she could lay down. Due to that, he was about to tell her no when the door opened and Buzz walked in with a laptop in his hand. He gave Sharon a shy smile, drawing a chair and setting the laptop down on top of it, so Sharon could watch from the couch.

"Hey, Captain. I hope you're feeling better. Lieutenant Provenza asked me to bring you this, so you can watch the interview."

With that, he made his excuses and left rather hurriedly. Maybe he had heard the news and was just as weirded out as the rest of the team. Andy wouldn't have been surprised. Eternally grateful that Provenza was nothing if not forward-looking, he took Sharon's hand as they watched.

Lucky for them, the interview was just beginning. Richardson was slouched in his chair, watching Chief Johnson and Lieutenant Tao with undisguised hostility. In manner and appearance he reminded Andy of a schoolyard bully.

"Mr. Richardson, do you know why you're here?" Tao asked by way of opening the conversation.

"Because you summoned me. I'm all ears."

It occurred to Andy for the first time that Richardson might not expect them to be on his trail after all. If it hadn't been for the coincidence of Andy stumbling over his dead girlfriend's FID file, there wouldn't have been an apparent connection to him.

"Are you aware that our Captain Raydor has been targeted by an unknown assailant lately?" the Chief asked and had the situation been less dire, Andy would have smirked at the way she said "our".

"Unknown assailant? I thought it was clear that the culprit was Sergeant Elliott?" Richardson asked, accompanied by a rotating forefinger next to his temple, the universal gesture for "crazy".

"We have reason to believe that he was not acting alone," Tao said calmly and let that information hang there in the silence that suddenly filled the room. For the very first time, Andy saw unease creep into Richardson's demeanor. Had he really been that sure of himself?

"And I'm here because I am in charge of surveillance around here?" he asked with what looked a lot like feigned innocence.

"It so happened that Sergeant Elliott got Captain Raydor out of the building without being picked up by a single security camera. They were all turned off due to an unscheduled maintenance that was not on the books," Chief Johnson elaborated. "Do you happen to know who could authorize such maintenance except for you?"

Richardson was shrinking into his seat. The man was really quite bad at controlling his body language, because he was definitely giving himself away.

"There was an issue with the wiring. It was, as you said, a coincidence. Why would I help crazy Elliott? He was just going on and on about how Captain Raydor was having that affair with Lieutenant Flynn."

"So you spoke to him on a regular basis?" Tao leaned in, slightly reminiscent of a dog that had picked up a scent. "That seems odd to me because no one on his team, let alone Captain Raydor herself had any idea that anything was amiss. How would you describe your relationship with Sergeant Elliott?"

It was become more and more obvious that Richardson had stumbled into this interview without the slightest bit of a plan. He had walked right into Tao's trap and didn't seem to know at all how to wriggle out of it again. His face was hardening and his hands were clenched into fists on the table in front of him. The air of aggression Andy had sensed around him earlier when he had still been sure of himself was growing more pronounced and he was sure he would snap soon if Tao and the Chief kept at it.

"The e-mail that contained those pictures of Captain Raydor and Lieutenant Flynn came from a computer within the building," the Chief said sweetly.

"Because Elliott sent it!" Richardson said, his voice now urgent. "I had nothing to do with that! Nor with those slashed tires or cut brakes or him abducting her."

Tao and the Chief exchanged a meaningful look.

"The information that Captain Raydor's brakes were cut have never been made public," Tao said. "How would you know that?"

Richardson was beginning to sweat and wiped the moisture off his forehead with one meaty arm. "Elliott told me, of course. He was crazy. I told you! I don't even know Captain Raydor. I mean, there are plenty people around here who hate her. Why would you think it's me of all people?"

Andy looked at Sharon who was still tense, but attentively following what was happening on the screen. How bad was it to hear that everyone hated you multiple times a day as if that was the most logical thing in the world? For now she didn't seem particularly bothered by it. Maybe practice really did make perfect.

On the screen, Richardson was still squirming while Tao and the Chief methodically spun their web around him. There wasn't much room left to maneuver and it was becoming more and more apparent that Richardson didn't know a way out.

"You still haven't explained to us how you would be so close to Sergeant Elliott," Tao reminded him, providing some false hope that they might be inclined to believe him after all. "How do you know so much about his feelings towards Captain Raydor?"

It was clear that Richardson was sensing a way out now. "He came to me one day, okay? He had seen Lieutenant Flynn and Captain Raydor kiss in the underground parking and he wanted to make sure the video was erased from our security system. It seemed weird to me at first, so I asked him why on earth he would care so much. He seemed really worked up about it, told me that he didn't want anyone to think lesser of Raydor for it. It seemed weird to me, so I checked, but there was no surveillance camera that had even picked it up. He was so relieved that we talked a bit more. Over the next few weeks he changed, became a bit weird. We used to have a coffee here and there, so he told me that he his psychiatrist had told him he might be psychotic or something."

The Chief leaned back in her chair and regarded the man in front of her in that uncanny way of hers. So far, what he was saying fit with what Elliott had told Sharon. But why had he left Richardson out of his narrative so completely? He either hadn't seemed important or he had had some hold over Elliott.

"So Elliott told you that he had slashed the Captain's tires and cut her brakes?" Tao asked to which Richardson nodded, obviously regaining some of his earlier confidence. "Did he just drop that into the conversation?"

That was throwing him off again, so he relied on what was quickly becoming his standard response. "He was crazy, I told you!"

"Why didn't you tell anyone about it?" the Chief interjected. "You must have known that Captain Raydor was in danger if one of her people had it out for her."

"I didn't think he'd really done it. He always seemed so…" Richardson paused for effect. "Adoring."

The Chief gave Richardson a smile. "That is exactly how most people perceived him around here. I don't quite see why he would send those pictures of her to everyone at the LAPD when he initially turned up at your office to have footage erased that contained only a kiss."

Richardson looked from Tao to the Chief and back. Realizing that he was between a rock and a hard place, he seemed to opt for confessing in part. Suspects often did that, admitted to some lesser crime in order to shift the focus away from the big things. Andy had seen it a thousand times and, especially this early in an interview, it usually meant that they would end up contradicting themselves or even confessing it all sooner rather than later.

"Look, I admit it, okay? I had that old camera and I had Elliott hide it on the Captain's balcony when he was over there for some dinner, okay? It was just for a laugh. Elliott thought it might somehow get him closer to her, I don't know. And when I got those pictures - jackpot! I mean, it's no secret that she is completely stuck-up. She should be thanking me that I made everyone see that sensual side of her."

Sharon rolled her eyes and exhaled.

"What an ass," Andy said.

"Okay," the Chief said slowly. "Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Richardson. But why would you do that if you didn't hold a grudge against her? I mean, it seems pretty radical for a laugh."

Richardson gestured with little coordination, beginning to seem desperate again. "Okay, right. It was dumb." He was looking at Tao now. "But you know how guys are sometimes, right? Just having a laugh."

Tao looked back at him with a stony expression. Poor Richardson couldn't have picked a worse man to try and be buddies with. The silence stretched between them and grew uncomfortable very quickly.

"Okay, okay," Richardson continued. He seemed to have a habit of filling silences and digging himself in deeper in the process that usually came in quite handy with suspects. "Elliott didn't like it either. Actually told me that he didn't like it when the photos came out."

"Those photos were sent a mere hour before Sergeant Elliott kidnapped Captain Raydor. How do you explain that?" the Chief asked.

"Well, he was being impulsive, wasn't he? She walked into FID, Flynn left and then he had the opportunity." Richardson shrugged. "You're the cops! You know that's how it works. Opportunity makes the kidnapper." He actually had the audacity to laugh at his own joke.

"You seem to know all the details of that kidnapping. Where it happened, how it happened. Again, those details weren't made public."

Richardson swallowed, gulping down half his water in one go. "People talk. Security guys pick up a lot more gossip that anyone else, believe me."

"And then there is that convenient unscheduled maintenance only for cameras that were on Elliott's way out. It seems that Sergeant Elliott was one very lucky guy," the Chief sing-songed.

"Before he was killed, of course," Tao supplied.

"Yeah, that." The Chief cocked her head. "Who do you think did that? And why?"

"I don't know," Richardson said, which probably constituted his smartest answer in the entire interview so far.

"Hm, I think this is what happened, Mr. Richardson. Sergeant Elliott turned to you when he was trying to help Captain Raydor. You noticed that something was off with him and decided to use that to your advantage. You encouraged his delusions about the Captain and talked him into putting the camera into place. You were the one who slashed the tires and cut the brakes, but you got him to take the blame for that because you helped him get the Captain out of the building and into his beach house."

Richardson pretended to be offended. "Of course not! He wanted to kill her!"

"Again, you knew this and didn't report him?" Tao asked.

"I can assure you Sergeant Elliott wanted nothing of the sort," the Chief said. "He pushed the Captain away when it was becoming apparent that there would be a shooting. I am pretty sure that he was trying to protect her. He might have been angry with her because of the delusions you were feeding him, but he didn't want to harm her."

Andy looked over at Sharon whose eyes were wet again. It must hurt to hear that Elliott had been used, that someone had exploited his mental illness to get to Sharon. He was dead now and couldn't speak for himself, but she had discovered that the young man in her office hadn't turned into a violent madman who wanted to hurt and embarrass her. after all. He had just fallen ill. That had to be equally comforting and devastating for her.

"Sergeant Elliott wanted to talk to us when he was in the hospital and I think you knew he would give up your part in it. And you didn't want that, did you? Because this was never the way you planned things to go. You were sure that Elliott would be killed in the process. You never expected him to come out of that alive. Or if he had, you would have done exactly what you have been trying to do ever since we stalked talking. You would have relied on the fact that no one would believe him over you because he had a mental illness." The Chief's voice had picked up and she was almost shouting now.

Richardson had turned pale.

"Mr. Richardson, I am so close to arresting you for murder," the Chief said in a low voice now, suddenly reminiscent of a predatory animal.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Richardson protested. "And I want a lawyer."

"A lawyer it is then, Mr. Richardson," Tao said and got up. "Anyone special we should call for you? Maybe the guy who handled your ex-girlfriend's drug charge or would you prefer someone more specialized?"

Richardson had frozen at the mention of Freya Simmons and Flynn could tell even from the small image on the laptop screen that he was ready to pounce.

"Freya Simmons, I remember her," the Chief said conversationally, gathering her papers as if the interview was winding down for now. "Thank goodness Captain Raydor got that one kicked out. She was a danger to herself and…"

Her comment was having the intended effect, because Richardson's chair crashed into the wall behind him. His face was suddenly bright red and a vein on his forehead was bulging.

"Don't you dare! Don't you ever dare! That Raydor bitch ruined her! She's responsible that she died! And I swear I'll never let her forget that!"

"The Christmas cards, yeah. Did you write them?" Tao asked. It seemed like those seemed like safe territory to Richardson because a grim smile broke through his expression of rage.

"I sure did. I hope it gave her the creeps to get those cards from beyond the grave!"

"You know what?" Chief Johnson straightened up and smiled grimly herself. "Captain Raydor wasn't creeped out at all because she had no idea that Freya is dead until yesterday."

Andy knew that stating it so bluntly was a means to getting him worked up and Sharon did, too, but she still tensed beside him. He looked over at her and took her hand.

"This will soon be over, Sharon, I promise," he said.

On the screen, Richardson lost it. Shouting expletives, he shoved his cup off the table and grabbed the chair to throw it against the wall. The display of rage and violence was so intimidating that Andy shrunk back from the screen.

"I should have killed that bitch myself! I should have killed her with my bare hands!" Richardson shouted. "I should have killed her and her fucking baby when I had the chance!""

Andy turned away from the screen and towards Sharon when he heard her let out a breath. Their eyes met and she leaned back against the couch.

"It's over," she said, maybe referring to the interview or her predicament or possibly both. "It's over."