Don met Megan and David in the corridor outside of the interrogation rooms. "We have to talk to her," he said softly, gnawing at his lower lip.

"Felicia? We just finished…"

"No. The little girl who shot me. I think she knew the gun was loaded. She's not stupid. She knew she had a gun, not a taser. We need to see her after we finish with Francis."

David and Megan exchanged worried glances. "I don't think that's a good idea," Megan said. "You're not looking so good, Don."

"Gee, thanks," Don smiled feebly. He turned to David, "I need to see her, David. Maybe seeing me will shake her up."

"I don't know," Megan said. "From what I've read in the files, she may be a sociopath. She doesn't seem to feel any guilt about shooting you. Your appearance may not have any effect on her."

"You could be right. But I still want to do this. David?"

David sighed. "She was released into her mother's custody."

"Released?" Don was incredulous. "After shooting a federal agent and participating in a felony armed robbery?"

David shrugged. "What can I say? They're lawyered up. She's just a kid. The judge apparently didn't feel that she was a flight risk. Brickle didn't argue." He met Don's gaze and pulled out his phone. "I'll make the arrangements."

"Alvin Brickle is the AUSA on the case?" Megan asked.

"Yeah," David said. "Colby let me know that when he called about Ellen's phone records."

"At least it's not Robin," Megan said, grinning at Don.

Colby slipped his phone back into his pocket and reentered Fred's hospital room. Charlie and Fred were talking animatedly. Liz looked up. "Granger! You gotta help me. They're talking math."

Colby chuckled. "You get two teachers together, what do you expect? Ellen made one more call we didn't know about. She called Felicia Agincourt."

Fred's head snapped up. "What? She called my mom? What for?"

"I don't know that yet. I thought you might have some idea."

Fred studied his hands and then appeared to make up his mind. He looked back up at Colby. "Maybe she just wanted to explain what she was doing with the painting. Ellen wasn't one to leave loose ends."

Colby nodded. "Makes sense. I called David and told him about the phone call. He's with Felicia and Francis now, so maybe he can figure out what happened."

"Francis had the hots for Ellen. That's why he wanted her involved in this. Maybe Ellen was afraid of what he'd do to her if he knew she was backing out."

Liz and Colby exchanged glances. Liz said, "Sounds like motive to me. And we know Francis had the painting. He tried to sell it to that art dealer."

Colby rubbed his eyes. "And then the painting ended up being sold to a pawn broker by Ellen's nephew. How the heck did Greg get it?"

Liz stood. "Come on, Charlie. I think we should let Mr. Agincourt get some rest."

Charlie stood and shifted his arm in his sling. "It was nice talking with you, Fred. You have my card, so please call me if you want a guest speaker for your group."

"Thanks, Charlie. I'll definitely call you. It would be great to have someone who can make math interesting for the kids."

Liz rested a hand on Charlie's shoulder. "I've learned more math in the year or so I've known Charlie than I learned in all my years of school."

Charlie looked at Liz, wide eyed, "Really? And here I thought you were just waiting for the punchline."

"What can I say? You're teaching me in spite of myself." She turned to Colby. "So, Granger, where do we go from here?"

"Why don't we drop Charlie off at home and head back to the office?"

"I'd like to come to the office with you." He held up his hand as Colby began to protest. "We can wait for the others to get back and then Don and I can go home together. Meanwhile, I can see if there's anything I've missed in my calculations."

Colby laughed. "Okay. I know better than to argue with an Eppes."

While they waited for Francis Agincourt's lawyer, David called Colby and recounted the information they had received from Felicia. "I think it's all falling into place," he said when he had finished.

"Fred confirmed that Francis had the hots for Ellen," Colby said. "I think you're right about it falling into place."

"Don thinks we need to go talk to the kid who shot him," David said with a sigh.

"Cary Ryan?" Colby said. "Her lawyer is a real pit bull. Good luck."

"A pit bull, huh?" David chuckled. "Have you seen Don when he's got his mind made up? He thinks the kid – her name's Cary? He thinks she knew the gun was loaded."

"Makes sense. Why would she pull the trigger if she knew it wasn't loaded? She'd just wave it and threaten. But Don wants to confront her himself? I don't know if that makes sense."

"Me either." David glanced at Don, who was listening intently. "But I've learned that Don's instincts are usually right."

"Usually?" Don raised his eyebrows. "Usually?"

David rolled his eyes and turned his back on Don. "We're going to talk to Francis Agincourt and his lawyer, then wrap things up with Felicia. Then I'm going to call Cary Ryan's attorney and see if we can speak with her."

"Good luck."

David closed his phone and turned back to face Don and Megan. "Fred confirms what Felicia said about Francis and Ellen."

"And Colby agrees with you that I'm crazy to want to confront the kid," Don said, grinning.

"Yeah, but we both agree that your instincts are usually right."

"I take issue with the term 'usually,'" Don said.

"I know. But looking back at the Buck Winters thing…"

"And the whole thing with Charlie and the Pakistani professors," Megan added.

"Hey, that one was out of my hands. But I get your point. Just humor me on this. If it looks like it's going to turn out bad, we'll just leave."

"Agent Sinclair?" a well-dressed man walked toward them. "I'm Mr. Agincourt's attorney, Mike Alexander."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Alexander," David shook hands with the lawyer. "Have you met Special Agents Megan Reeves and Don Eppes?"

Alexander shook hands with the other agents. "Megan, nice to meet you. Don, we haven't met, but I'm aware of your reputation." He turned back to David. "Who's the AUSA on this case?"

"Alvin Brickle for now. With so many defendants, though, the US Attorney might have to assign someone else."

Alexander nodded. "Alvin's a good guy. Reasonable. Okay, you ready to speak with Mr. Agincourt?" He checked his watch. "I have to be back in court in an hour."

"This'll be quick," David said. "Your client's mother and brother have been a little more forthcoming than your client."

Alexander regarded David with narrowed eyes. "Then it's a good thing I'm here to protect him."

Mike Alexander scowled as David filled him in on the information they had gotten from Felicia and Fred. "So they're throwing my client under the bus. Does he know this?"

"Not yet. We spoke with them after we spoke with him," David said. "Are you counsel for the other two?"

"No. It looks like that's a good thing." Alexander glanced at his watch. "Can we go see my client now?"

"Sure," David said, opening the interrogation room door. "Right in here."

Francis Agincourt looked up as the door opened and the agents walked in with his attorney. "Mike," he said, standing. "Am I glad to see you."

"How are you doing, Frank?" Alexander shook hands with his client. "Are they treating you all right?"

"As well as can be expected," Agincourt said. "No rubber hoses. Yet. Here, have a seat."

"Agent Sinclair, I'd like to meet in private with my client for a moment," Alexander said, taking a seat.

"That's not necessary," Francis said. "I've decided to cooperate. My mom was responsible for this whole mess, and I'm ready to help in her prosecution."

"Frank, listen, they've gotten your brother and mother to talk. They're implicating you in the thefts and in the murder of Ellen Davis. I think we need to talk."

"What the heck!?" Francis stared at Don. "You said you'd work with the prosecutors to get me a lower sentence."

"That was before we found out you killed Ellen Davis," Don said softly. "That changes things."

"I loved her," Francis whined. "I … I didn't want to kill her, but she was going to ruin everything…"

"Shut up, Frank," Alexander yelled. "Agents, please leave now."

"We'll be outside," David said. "Just knock when you're ready to leave."

Outside of the interrogation room, David pulled out his phone. "I'm going to get Alvin Brickle over here. I think we're beyond the interrogation phase at this point. Then I'll call the Ryans and see if we can set up a visit. Don, why don't you go sit down? You're looking a little peaked."

Don grinned. "I'll find someplace the AD won't find me."

"How about we go to the break room, Don?" Megan asked, "That way the boss can't accuse you of working."

"But he'll think you're goofing off," Don chuckled.

Once they were settled in the break room with mediocre cups of coffee, Megan said, "Are you sure you're up to seeing this kid, Don?"

Don rubbed his stomach. "I hope so. I know it's not going to be easy, Megan. Just before she shot me, I noticed her eyes. She had the eyes of a cold-blooded hitman. For such a young kid, it was unsettling."

"So why subject yourself to being in the same room with her?"

Don took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't really know. I just have this gut feeling that I need to talk with her. I guess I want to find out why she did it. How she got to be so …"

"Cruel?" Megan finished for him. "How old is she?"

"I don't remember. Thirteen? Fourteen?"

"Kids at that age do tend to be self-centered. If she thought you were a threat, she might have felt justified in shooting you. I read through her statements. She insisted she didn't know the gun was loaded. But, Don, she shot you twice. She may not have known the gun was loaded when she fired it the first time, but she sure as hell knew the second time."

"Was there any background on her? Anything that says how she learned gun handling skills?"

"Her dad's a hunter. He taught his kids basic gun safety. And his darling daughter was a good student."

"A hunter? You don't see too many of them around any more."

"No, especially in LA. But I guess he's not from around these parts."

David entered the break room, putting his phone away. "Brickle's on the way over. The Agincourts are heading back to their cells, Frank's lawyer is waiting for Brickle, and Felicia's lawyer is on the way. And we lucked out with Cary Ryan. Her lawyer is already at their house. He's going to wait for us."

Don stood and tossed his half empty coffee cup into the trash. "Great. Let's stop and get some decent coffee on the way."

As they exited the elevator on the ground floor, they caught sight of Charlie, Liz and Colby. "Hey, Bro," Charlie said. "You going home?"

"Not quite yet. You go ahead without me."

"I've got some things I want to finish up here. Where are you going?"

"We're on the way to interview the kid who shot me," Don said. "And before you say anything, yeah, I'm sure I want to do this."

"Okay," Charlie said. "You know what you're doing." He glanced at David and Megan. "He does know what he's doing, right?"

"We're hoping so," Megan said. "If he gives us any trouble, David and I can take him."

"I know what I'm doing. And you can only 'take' me because I'm injured."

"I don't know, Don, she's pretty good with that krav magaa stuff," David chuckled. "Charlie, we'll bring him back safe and sound."

The Ryans lived in a white picket fenced ranch house in a quietly upscale neighborhood on the fringe of the city. The pair of matching brand new Lexuses in the driveway attested to the income level of the inhabitants. Behind the Lexuses was a BMW which most likely belonged to their attorney. David pulled in behind the BMW.

Megan nodded at the cars as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Looks like Daddy can afford the very best for his daughter."

"Yep. Well, let's see what her lawyer has prepared her to say," David muttered.

Before David could ring the doorbell, a man in a three pieced suit opened the front door. "Agent Sinclair? I'm Lance Bosworth, the Ryans' attorney."

David shook Bosworth's hand. "Thank you for letting us speak with your client."

"You're welcome. The Ryans are only interested in seeing justice done. Please, come in." He led the way to the living room, where Cary Ryan sat, flanked by her parents. Bosworth made the introductions and invited the agents to sit down. "These agents are here to hear your side of what happened, Cary. Answer their questions honestly, honey."

Cary nodded, not taking her eyes from Don. "I will. Um… Could I say something first?"

David nodded. "Please, go ahead."

"Thank you," Cary's voice was barely audible. "I… I just wanted to say I'm sorry." She looked nervously at Bosworth. "Is it okay to say that?"

"Yes, it is," Bosworth said. He looked at Don. "I explained to her that everybody already knows she shot you. That's not going to be a question in the court. We need to establish the reasons she did what she did."

Cary nodded. "I know what I did was wrong." She looked again Don, tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry I hurt you. What did you want to know?"

"Cary," David said, drawing her attention away from Don, "we've got Mr. Agincourt under arrest, and if we have our way, he'll go to jail for a long time. You seem like a good kid. Why'd you get involved in this whole thing?"

"I…" she looked at her mother.

Mrs. Ryan squeezed her daughter's hand. "Tell them."

"I like this boy, and he was in this after school group. He never talked to me much, but one day, he said he was in this really cool group and asked me if I wanted to join. Of course I said yes."

"Who wouldn't?" Megan said, smiling. "What's his name?"

Cary glanced nervously at Bosworth, who nodded. "Lance Foreman. He's in my grade, but he's one of the cool kids, you know?"

"Yeah," Megan said, "I know. And being with him, you'd be cool too."

"Yeah. And he's so hot." Cary giggled. "I guess it's cool to be hot." She grew serious again. "I'm sorry. What did you want to know?"

"You said you didn't know the gun was loaded," David said. "Yet I understand your dad taught you gun safety."

Cary's lips trembled and she looked down at her hands. "I lied. I loaded the gun. A bunch of us kids were talking. Mr. Agincourt made it sound like taking the paintings was going to be real easy. Maybe the first time, yeah. But we were thinking that the cops knew about the way we were stealing the paintings, and one of these days they were going to be ready for us. I was afraid. So I loaded the gun. For protection." She glanced nervously at Don. "I … I knew what I was doing, kind of. I just didn't think I would hurt a real person. You know?"

"I know," Don said softly. "Go on."

"I took the gun from Dad's gun safe. I know where he keeps the key. Mr. Agincourt wanted me to use a taser, but you can only use them once. I figured if there were cops, it wouldn't be just one."

Megan leaned forward. "So you were prepared to take out a number of officers?"

Cary nodded miserably. "But after I shot Agent Eppes, I knew it was wrong, what I did. I hurt somebody."

"You shot him twice," David said. "It took you two shots to figure out you hurt someone?"

"I knew after the first shot. I just… I was scared." The tears in her eyes overflowed. "I'm sorry."