Colby and David had just brought their three prisoners into the interrogation room when David's cell phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID as he closed the door. "It's Charlie." He flipped the phone open. "Yeah, Charlie? How are you guys doing? Liz got you to the hospital safely?... Okay. Yeah, I like that idea. Bait, huh?" David glanced at the prisoners and grinned. "I think it'll work... You take care of yourself, all right? How are Don and your Dad doing?... Keep me posted, okay?" He closed the phone and continued grinning as he looked from the three prisoners to his partner. "Well, Colby, our favorite genius has come through again."

Greg's eyes had widened at the mention of the word 'bait.' Now he folded his arms across his chest and scowled at David. "Professor Eppes said we'd be put into protective custody. Using us as bait doesn't exactly qualify as 'protective.'"

"Professor Eppes is not in law enforcement. What he says has is in no way binding on us. You kidnapped and assaulted three men, including a federal agent. You're suspects in the murder of Ellen Davis, an attempted assault, the theft of three works of art and attempted sale of stolen goods. Do you really think a college professor can get you out of that?"

Colby shook his head as he sat across the table from the three students. "Besides, Greg, what makes you think you're the bait? Oh, that's right. You've got an irate buyer on your tail. What better way to flush him out than set you guys free and wait for his goons to come and get you? That way we'd get the final cog in the wheel and if we're lucky, save the taxpayers some money prosecuting the three of you."

"You can't..." Jason stammered. "We've got constitutional rights."

David laughed. "I haven't looked lately, but I don't think there's a constitutional right to be thrown in jail."

"But they'll kill us," Jason squeaked. "Greg! We can't let them do this."

Colby regarded Daniel. "You've been awfully quiet, Daniel."

Daniel shrugged. "I've been weighing our options."

"And?"

Daniel looked from Greg to Jason. "And I don't see a good choice for us in all this. We got in over our heads and now we're paying the price." Hie two accomplices nodded and he turned back to David. "What did Professor Eppes come up with?"

David smiled. "You'll see. And don't worry. We'll take good care of you."

Colby smirked. "As good as possible, anyway. Accidents do happen, you know."

--

Don lay, curled up on his side on the exam table chuckling as he watched Charlie making his pitch to David

Charlie closed his phone and looked at Don "What's so funny? I thought it was a good idea."

"Did I say anything? It is a good idea. Have David and Colby talked to those kids yet?"

"I don't think so. I would have loved to see their faces when David repeated 'bait' out loud."

Don chuckled and grimaced. "I'll bet they were almost as scared as you were when Greg grabbed you."

"Donnie," Alan scolded. "Don't pick on your brother. I seem to remember seeing a trace of fear on your stony features as well."

"I was worried about what they'd do to the two of you," Don insisted. "Hey, Charlie, you need help getting up on the table?"

"They're going to send me for x-rays anyway, so I might as well stay in the wheelchair."

Liz laughed. "Alan, I think your sons are getting way too used to being here."

"I think you're right. At least they can teach me the ropes."

The door opened and Dr. Torre entered. "Welcome back! I had to come see for myself if it was really was you. What happened?"

Don sighed. "There were three criminals waiting for us when we got to Charlie's house. They're involved in the case we've been working on. Charlie had gone in first, and while Dad was helping me into the house, one of them grabbed him. They twisted his arm around behind his back."

Dr. Torre glanced at Charlie, noting the blood soaked bandage on his right arm. "I'll be with you in a minute, Charlie. I want to have a look at your brother first."

"That's good," Charlie said. "One of them punched him in the stomach."

Don hissed as Dr. Torre gently rolled him onto his back. "Sorry," the doctor said as he lifted Don's sweatshirt. He removed the makeshift bandages Colby had applied and wiped the blood from the area around the wound. Pressing gently on Don's abdomen, he said, "Tell me when it hurts." When Don gasped, Dr. Torre nodded. "You're going to have a nasty bruise there. That guy packed quite a wallop. But it's far enough away from the gunshot wound..." he pressed on a few more places, watching Don's reactions. "I think we'll just redo your stitches and have you come back in to be checked in a few days."

He pressed the call button. "Andrea? We're going to need to do a little embroidery on our favorite Special Agent."

They could hear the smile in Andrea's voice as she replied, "I'll be right there, Doctor."

"Thanks." He walked to Charlie's side. "Well, Charlie, it looks like you're ready to go for a ride."

"I think my arm is broken this time. I figured you'd want to send me down to x-ray."

"Good guess, Doctor, but I want to have a look first. Let me help you up onto the table."

Charlie stood shakily and, with Dr. Torre's help, climbed up onto the exam table. He started to slip his arm out of the sling, but Dr. Torre stopped him. "Leave it. I don't want to move it any more than I need to." He picked up a pair of scissors and cut the sleeve from Charlie's shirt.

Charlie steeled himself and watched as Dr. Torre cut the red soaked bandages and pulled them away from the wound. With a grimace, he looked at the doctor. "Does it look as bad to you as it does to me?"

Dr. Torre glanced at Charlie's pale face and chuckled. "I doubt it. It actually isn't as bad as it could have been. I'm going to wrap it back up and send you down to radiology."

While the doctor was rebandaging Charlie's arm, Andrea brought in a tray of equipment, scrubbed, and put on her gloves. "Hi, Don," she touched his shoulder. "Can you roll onto your back for me?"

Don opened his eyes and eased himself onto his back. "Hey, Andrea. Long time, no see."

Andrea laughed as she prepared her equipment. "I know. You just can't resist me, can you? Okay, let's see if we can get this shirt off of you." She helped him sit up and supported him with one hand while she helped him remove his sweatshirt. As she eased him back down, she said, "Now, let me clean you up and give you a local. Then we'll give you some new stitches."

"This time I'll be more careful," Don murmured.

Once Charlie's arm was bandaged, Dr. Torre called an aide to take him to radiology. He disposed of his gloves, washed his hands and put on fresh gloves, then turned to Alan. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Alan opened his eyes. "That's okay, Doctor. I'm fine now."

"But you were unconscious. I'm afraid I still have to check you out." After studying Alan's eyes and ears, Dr. Torre asked, "How's the head feeling?"

"Sore," Alan said, rubbing his cheek gingerly.

The doctor nodded. "It'll be that way for a while. I'd say you have a mild concussion. Sit up and I'll have a look at your back. I understand you took a punch to the kidneys."

Alan winced as the doctor helped him sit on the edge of the table. "Yeah. I imagine I'll be peeing red for a few days."

Dr. Torre chuckled. "At least." He poked and prodded Alan's back. "Do you have anyone at home who can keep an eye on your for a couple of days?"

"Maybe my boys and I could keep an eye on each other?"

Liz spoke up. "I'll call Millie and Amita. We'll work out a schedule to babysit the three invalids."

Don craned his neck to try to see her. "You don't have to do that."

Liz grinned at him. "I'm guessing your only other option is to move back into your room here. Am I right, Doctor?"

Dr. Torre pulled Alan's shirt back down. "You are right, Agent. We'll see what Charlie's x-rays show, but I'm hoping to get all three of these gentlemen out of our hair. And that will only happen if they have someone to keep an eye on them."

Don sighed. "I guess we're going to have to accept your offer, Liz."

Liz laughed as she pulled out her cell phone. "Gee, Don, don't act so thrilled."

--

"Colby, you entertain our three guests for a minute. I have to make a phone call," David stood and left the interrogation room. Once he was back in the bullpen, he opened his cell phone. "Gary? This is David Sinclair."

"Sinclair! How are Eppes and his family? They doin' okay?"

'They're in the emergency room still. But it sounds encouraging. Listen, Gary, I need your help."

"Anything."

David explained Charlie's plan. He could hear the smile in Lt. Walker's voice as he replied. "Sinclair, that is brilliant. I guess it helps to have a genius on your team. I'll take care of things at my end. You just let me know when you want us to move, all right?"

"I will, Gary. Thanks. When this is all over, I'm buying the first round."

Gary chuckled. "I'd say you're going to owe me at least a couple of rounds after this."

David laughed. "You got it. Talk to you later."

His next call was to Human Resources Director Jill Weber. "Ms. Weber, this is David Sinclair."

"Where are you calling from?"

"I'm in the office. I have something I need to discuss with you. Would you be free for a few minutes in," he consulted his watch, "about half an hour?"

"Of course. Is this regarding Professor Eppes' work?"

"It is. But we really can't discuss it over the phone. I'll see you in half an hour."

"All right. I look forward to finding out what is going on."

--

Colby watched David exit the room, then turned to Greg. "Tell me everything you know about this buyer. How does he contact you? Have you ever seen him or spoken to him? Do you have a way of contacting him?"

The three students exchanged nervous glances before Greg replied. "If I tell you, will you promise to protect us?"

Colby leaned forward. "I promise the risk will be minimal IF you tell us everything you know."

"All right. He called me on my cell phone two days ago and said that he knew I had the painting."

Colby pulled three cell phones from his pocket. "Which one is yours?"

Greg pointed. "That one. But the caller ID said 'unknown caller.'"

"Okay, so it was a man. What was his voice like?"

"Pretty much average. But he spoke carefully, like... like English wasn't his first language, you know? He sounded very formal. No contractions, no slang."

"Good. Is that the only time he contacted you?"

"No. He called last night. I knew we were in deep.. uh.. trouble. He was really pissed off that we'd lost the painting. He told me that if we didn't get the painting back, he'd have his men track us down and kill us like dogs."

Colby nodded. "So that's why you threatened Dr. Cole and kidnapped Agent Eppes and his family."

"Yeah. We didn't know what else to do." Greg chewed on his lower lip. "Is Professor Eppes going to be okay?"

"Stop pretending to care about Charlie. You tried to get him in trouble with his boss. You were involved in the gang who shot him..." Colby stopped, then narrowed his eyes at the three students. "What do you know about Curt Stevens?"

Greg looked confused. "Who?"

Jason LoBella looked from David to Greg. "He was one of Mr. Agincourt's students, Greg. Don't you remember him?"

"Yeah, Greg," Daniel said, "He was the one who shot Mr. Agincourt and Professor Eppes. I heard him bragging about it."

Greg nodded slowly. "I do remember him. But we weren't involved in that. And I told Professor Eppes we were not involved in killing my cousin."

David entered the room while Greg was speaking. "And Charlie believed you?" He asked softly.

Greg scowled at David. "Yeah. Why wouldn't he?"

"Oh, I can think of a few reasons." David sat next to Colby. "So who did kill your cousin, Greg?"

Greg looked down at his hands and blinked a few times. "I don't know. But I can tell you I really want to find out." He met David's eyes. "Ellen and I weren't really close, but she didn't deserve to be murdered."

"How did you get involved in this gang?"

"I was in Mr. Agincourt's class. Francis, not Fred. I got involved in that after school club thing Fred ran, and Francis approached me. I didn't know at first that Ellen was involved. I'm not really sure how involved she really was."

"She stole a painting, Greg," Colby said. "that's pretty involved."

"Yeah, but did she want to steal the painting, or was she – I don't know – forced in some way?"

Colby and David exchanged glances. David nodded. "Once Charlie gets out of the ER, he's going to do one of his network things and try to find out why Ellen did what she did. But it would help him narrow things down if you tell us everything you know about Ellen's involvement with the Agincourts."

--

"Okay, we're all set," Andrea said, pulling Don's sweatshirt back down.

"Charlie still in x-ray?" Alan asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. We're a little busy here today." Andrea helped Don to sit up. "I'm afraid we're going to need this room. You can go back to the waiting room, and I'll let you know when Charlie gets back."

"Thanks," Don eased himself off of the exam table. "Dad, you need a hand?"

Alan chuckled. "I think you need more help than I do, young man."

Liz put an arm around Don's waist and the three made their slow way back to the crowded waiting room.

They sat, watching the door they had come through, waiting to find out what was happening with Charlie.

Half an hour later, the door opened, and Charlie, his right arm heavily bandaged and in a sling, shuffled into the waiting room. "Charlie!" Alan called, standing. "What's the diagnosis?"

Charlie eased himself into a chair next to his father. "A broken humerus." He noticed Don smirking and said, "Don't say it. There's nothing humorous about it."

Alan looked confused. "But if it's broken, why didn't they put a cast on it?"

"The way they explained it to me, for a cast to be effective, it has to immobilize the joint above and below the break. Since they can't immobilize the shoulder, they have to use a splint instead. Now, can we get out of here?"

"Gladly," Alan and the others stood.

Liz took out her phone. "I'll contact the team at your house and make sure it's all clear."

"The team?" Charlie struggled to his feet. "Do you really think we need a 'team' at my house? You still have Greg, Jason and Daniel in custody, right?"

"But until we find the buyer, you're still at risk," Liz said. "So you're going to have to put up with a body guard as well as a caretaker. It's my turn to pull double duty."

Don added, "And the team, I assume, is the crime scene techs."

"Yeah," Liz said, "a couple of them hung around to keep an eye on things until I get you three home. I'm parked right out front. Flashing a badge can do wonders."

Alan chuckled as they walked out the door. "You think I could get one of those things? It's getting to be impossible to find a parking spot around here."