Thank you so much for your kind words and continued support! I got the revisions done on this next chapter early, so I decided to go ahead and post it today. As always, I welcome your feedback.

I do not own Major Crimes or any of the fabulous characters.


Chapter Four

Sharon sat at her desk looking over the reports on the handwriting analysis and prints on the note. She re-read the findings several times, but one word kept sticking out:

Inconclusive

The handwriting analysis was inconclusive, meaning David's handwriting sample couldn't be ruled out. It wasn't a definite match, but they couldn't say with one hundred percent certainty that he was cleared. Sharon thought back to her time with David: their friendship (they had met by chance at an art gallery), their compatibility (they shared a lot of the same interests which is why they became fast friends), and their eventual progression into intimacy (she had trusted him enough to take him to her bed and known him well enough to feel comfortable connecting with him in that way). Could she have missed his dark side? Was it dark enough to take another person's life? And could he still be harboring feelings for her after all these years? Even after finding and marrying someone else? All of it sounded preposterous, but what if it wasn't? The thought made her feel sick to her stomach.

She looked up from the reports to clear her head and noticed that her team had all begun arriving. She saw Andy walking towards her office carrying a familiar cup and it warmed her heart. He knocked and entered when she offered him a bright smile.

"Thought maybe you could use some coffee. You were up early," he said kindly and then leaned in closer to her. "And I happen to know that you were up a bit late last night as well," he added quietly. A soft rosy hue lit her cheeks as she smiled. He gave her one of his lopsided grins that she loved so much.

"Hmm... Yes, I do remember someone keeping me up," she teased as she took a sip of her coffee. "Hmmm, this is delicious. Thank you," she added, savoring the rich brew.

"And I don't remember hearing you complain," he added cheekily. She smiled knowingly.

"No, I don't think you'll ever get any complaints in that department. Certainly not from me," she assured him with a flirty smile. He enjoyed the ego boost, but then noticed that her expression changed to something more solemn. He could tell that something was splitting her attention.

"Hey, you okay? You look like you have something on your mind," he asked gently. She put her coffee cup down on her desk and let out a sigh.

"It's just these handwriting analysis results," she said concerned. Andy's brow creased in question. "They're inconclusive," she explained. He nodded.

"Well, David's wife confirmed his whereabouts," Andy offered, hoping to ease some of her doubts. She shook her head.

"She only said that he was in bed when she fell asleep around eleven that night," Sharon said with a shrug. "It's a little thin," she added staring at the paper in front of her.

"What about the note? Any prints?" Andy asked. She shook her head.

"Nothing. So, as of right now, we can't rule David out," she said sadly. Andy walked around to her side of the desk and began rubbing her back soothingly with his left hand.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I keep thinking this case has to get better and then it just gets worse. Especially for you," he added. She placed her hand over his other hand on her desk and moved her thumb back and forth. She looked up at him and gave him an appreciative smile.

"If the note was clean, then whoever killed Mr. Sinclair probably planned this ahead of time," she concluded, and Andy could see the resolve returning.

"You know," he replied, taking a step back so he could concentrate on his next thoughts. "The timing of this has been bugging me. If it has to do with the Lerner case in some way, why kill him fifteen years later?" He asked.

"I've been thinking about that, too. What if something happened to bring it all back," Sharon posited. Andy studied her a moment.

"Like what?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I don't know yet, but somehow this old case became new again. Once we figure out how, I think we'll get the who," she stated confidently.


It was mid afternoon when Sharon saw David walking through the murder room accompanied by Provenza and Sykes. He would need to be pressed further and this time, she wouldn't allow herself to be in the room. They needed to get straight answers to difficult questions. And, they would need another handwriting sample.

Sharon made her way to electronics and watched as her detectives questioned the man she used to know well, intimately. He answered every question they threw at him without hesitation. She watched as well-veiled anxiety danced across his face and mixed occasionally with aggravation. She couldn't blame him.

As she studied his features, his words, his body language, she couldn't help but think about him from a different time. A time when her world had finally stopped crashing down around her, and she had freed herself from her husband's financial and personal indiscretions. Her kids were thriving, and the three of them were happy together as a family. Jack hadn't been around, even to visit, in a long time, and the distance gave her a feeling of freedom and independence from the emotional bonds he had kept her in for so many years. That's why that night when David had leaned in and kissed her as they sat on her couch, she hadn't turned away or pushed him away. Instead, she welcomed his lips on hers and then his hands on her tingling skin and eventually that night, all of him in her bed as they hurried through a needy round of sexual fulfillment. It had been a long time since someone wanted her that way, with that intensity, and she had forgotten what that felt like. In the weeks that followed, they found a few times to connect, physically, to fulfill a need Sharon had forgotten about after her husband left. It was nothing more than raw human desire, but that allowed her to keep things simple. And then as quickly as it began, it was over. The only part she truly missed after the fallout, was his friendship.

With these thoughts floating through her mind, she studied David and wondered if he was truly capable of killing Devon Sinclair. Her gut was telling her no. It just didn't feel possible or plausible to her. She trusted her instincts. They hadn't let her down yet. And she liked to think that her judgement hadn't been completely off when she put her trust in the man currently under the microscope.

Provenza and Amy wrapped up their questions and collected another handwriting sample before they once again dismissed David. Sharon had run to the restroom while they were finishing and on her way back to the murder room, she almost bumped right into David on his way out.

"Sharon," he said a bit startled, but then he seemed to collect himself. She apologized and they shared an awkward moment.

"I missed you," he said suddenly, and it instantly caught her attention. She studied him, and her expression must have given her away. "In there," he explained, indicating the interview room he had just left. She relaxed.

"I thought it would be better if I wasn't present this time," she replied. He nodded.

"Yeah, I guess this must be awkward for you," he said, running a hand through his hair. "So how have you been? From the looks of things, you must be doing well here. Finally out of internal affairs," he said with a smile.

"Yes, things have been going very well. How about you? You got married," she said with a bright smile. He laughed.

"Yeah, imagine that, huh? She's great, though. Completely swept me off my feet," he explained. She smiled again.

"Good. I'm happy for you," and she was. After all those years of feeling guilty about how they had ended things, she was happy to hear that he had found happiness with someone else.

"What about you? Anyone special?" He asked and immediately noticed the goofy grin that lit her face. "I'll take that as a yes," he added enthusiastically. She nodded.

"It caught me completely by surprise, but it has turned into something I never thought I'd have again. He's amazing," she said beaming. He smiled.

"Good. You deserve someone like that after what you went through with 'he who should not be named'," David said genuinely. He admired her a moment. She really was one of the most beautiful women he had ever known. "Well, I don't want to keep you. I know you have a case to solve," he said. She nodded.

"Thank you for being so patient and cooperative," she replied. He nodded.

"Good to see you again, Sharon. But I hope the next time it's under different circumstances," he joked. She laughed. He enjoyed seeing her happy.

"Yes, that would be nice," she agreed. They said their goodbyes and he walked off towards the elevator, leaving Sharon contemplating their conversation and whether or not the man had changed. And if he had, could it possibly be for the worst?


Since her team had been working so diligently at solving the case, Sharon offered to get them dinner. She made her way towards the elevator and saw Sergeant Gilroy walking in her direction.

"Captain, I'm glad I caught you. I was reviewing those case files you pulled, and I noticed something that I thought might be helpful," he said.

"Really? What?" She asked as she pushed the button to call the elevator.

"It's a bit complicated. Do you want to come up to my office so I can show you?" He asked kindly. She looked at her watch.

"I'm on my way out to pick-up dinner," she said stepping into the elevator. "Why don't you ride with me down to my car and give me the summary and then we can review the specifics when I get back," she offered. He seemed to hesitate, but then stepped into the elevator before the doors closed.


Andy looked up from his computer screen where he had been doing research for the last hour. He had gone down a rabbit hole that dragged him further and further along until it ended abruptly at a dead end. He sighed and ran a hand down his face. Exhaustion and frustration warred with one another inside his tired mind. He glanced over at Sharon's office and was surprised to find it empty. He checked the time and then looked around the room. His brow creased in confusion.

"Hey, anyone heard from Sharon?" He asked suddenly.

"No, and I'm not happy. I was hungry over an hour ago. Now I'm just angry," Provenza replied.

"I believe it's called 'hangry', sir," Julio said with a snicker.

"What?" Provenza asked annoyed.

"'Hangry'. It's slang for being so hungry, you're angry. It comes from the combination-" Tao explained before Provenza cut him off.

"Ok, enough. Is there a new word for, 'Where the hell is the captain with our food'?" Provenza asked sarcastically. Andy rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, though, where is the captain? She should have been back a while ago," Amy said concerned. Andy picked up his phone and quickly found her name and pressed "Call". He tapped his foot impatiently as silence filled the line. Then, suddenly, her voicemail picked up. He looked up at his co-workers. They all seemed to be looking at him with concern on their faces.

"It went straight to voicemail," he said, disbelief evident.

"Try it again," Provenza insisted, his hunger momentarily forgotten. Andy tried again. And again. Every time was the same result: voicemail. He quickly called the restaurant she had gone to pick up the food from, hoping they were just running behind. He hung up the phone and tried to keep the panic he was feeling from manifesting on his face. He looked around the room and met five sets of worried eyes.

"The food's still at the restaurant. She never made it there".

TBC