Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. We're approaching the end of this story so I hope everyone enjoys the last few chapters as much as they have the others.

-43-

"Ms. Connell."

"Mrs. McCoy," Mary corrected her again. It was becoming obvious that Jenny had a problem with Mary that went beyond her involvement in this investigation.

"Tell me again why you went to see Mason Greggs today?"

"I had information about my father that I thought the church should be aware of."

"What information?"

Mary dropped her head into her hands and leaned her elbows on the table. She'd been in here for hours, telling Jenny the same things over and over again. Either she didn't believe her or it wasn't what the Detective wanted to hear.

"My answers haven't changed since the last six times you asked me. What is it that you want me to say?"

"I just want the truth."

"And I've given it to you!" Mary tried to control the level of her voice, but she was on the verge of losing it with this woman. When the police had shown up at the house she'd been immediately separated from Danny and they'd both been brought in separate cars to the station. She could only assume that Danny was being questioned in much the same manner in another room.

"Why did you decide all of a sudden to come forward with these allegations against your father? And why to Mr. Greggs? Why not to the police?"

"I knew the police couldn't do anything about what happened to me. The statute had already expired, but my father was working with children and I felt that Mr. Greggs was in a position to stop him. I had no idea that he would kill him."

"So you didn't know that your father had been abusing Jessica Greggs?"

"What?" Mary asked in disbelief. "Omigod…I didn't know." Her eyes began to tear up as she was faced with the reality of her inaction, but Jenny didn't give her much time to dwell on it.

"You mean to tell me it was just a coincidence that Mr. Greggs found out right after you left his office, just a coincidence that two hours after he spoke with you he shot your father in the head? Just a coincidence that your husband," Jenny spat the word, "was seen outside your father's house just moments before the murder."

"Danny was there?"

"What the hell kind of a game are you playing, Mary?"

"I…I …," Mary didn't know what to say.

"Right now we're looking at charging you with failing to report a crime and possibly obstruction of justice."

"What? Why?"

"If in fact your father abused you then you had a duty to report it to the proper authorities. Now, if you cooperate and tell me what really happened with Mr. Greggs today and how Danny is involved then I can try to help you."

Suddenly, Mary's resolve fell back into place. There was no way she was going to let this woman scare her into admitting something that wasn't true and Mary refused to let it go on one minute longer. "Do you really think I'm that stupid, Detective? That I'm so weak-minded I would let you trick me into saying something that's absolutely not true. If you think you have something on me then arrest me…otherwise, I'm done talking. I want a lawyer."

"Detective."

"Chief Ross," Jenny said as both women looked up at the older gentlemen who had just entered the room.

"I'd like to see you outside Detective Cho." Giving Mary another disgusted glance, Jenny headed out into the hallway with the man who was obviously her superior, closing the door behind them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing in there?"

"I'm questioning a suspect."

"Suspect? We've already got a confession from Mason Greggs."

"Sir, I think there's more to this than meets the eye. I think Mary Connell was looking for someone to get rid of her father and Mason Greggs was the perfect scapegoat."

"You're walking a very fine line, Detective."

"Sir, I have witnesses that put Danny McCoy on Frank Connell's street moments before the murder and I'm convinced that she told him about the abuse of his daughter in the hopes that he would do harm to Frank Connell. Danny was there to make sure that it happened."

"I think you're letting your personal connection to this case cloud your judgment. You seem awfully anxious to pin something on these people."

"Because I know Danny McCoy and I know he's not above taking the law into his own hands. This time he just found someone else to do the dirty work. If you'd just give me a little more time with her I know I can get something." Jenny was desperate and she hated that she could hear it in her voice.

"You're not getting anymore time tonight. She's lawyered up and unless you're prepared to book her on solicitation of murder or as an accomplice you need to release her. I will not let you charge an abuse victim for failing to report it. That would be a PR nightmare for this department. Get her official statement and then send her home."

"What about Danny?"

"He's given his statement and I'm satisfied with it for now. Unless we get information out of Mason Greggs that implicates the McCoys in all of this then we're done, Detective Cho."

---
The ride home was made in silence. Mary and Danny sat side by side in the back of the squad car, both of her hands holding one of his tightly as it rested on her knee. Danny had realized long before Mary that they needed a lawyer to stop this mess. Ed had called in a favor and the guy had arrived right about the time they had decided to let them both go. Danny was furious that Mary had been subjected to the same relentless grilling as he had and all at the hands of a woman he had once cared about.

Neither one had said a word as Danny let them in the front door, but as he watched Mary walk towards the kitchen, he finally spoke.

"Mary, I'm so sorry. Jenny's just trying to get back at me. She's on some sort of power trip."

"Yeah you sure know how to pick 'em," Mary responded absently as she looked in the fridge for something to eat.

She didn't realize Danny was right behind her until she felt his arms wrap around her shoulders. "Don't I get some credit for getting it right in the end," he said softly in her ear.

Mary let herself relax–her head falling back against his chest. Turning in his embrace, she sighed as she felt Danny's strong arms hold her tight, their bodies swaying to an unheard rhythm. She knew there were so many things they needed to talk about, but right now all she wanted was for Danny to make love to her and she hoped he would understand her need for intimacy more than words in this moment. Silently she moved her hands to the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head–desperate to feel the heat of his skin.

They made it as far as the couch–making love there first before moving to their bed. Despite their exhaustion, neither one had been able to sleep–the events of the previous day weighing heavily on both of their minds. Mary lay on her side, her head resting in the crook of Danny's arm, her body pressed tightly against him. Every once in a while Danny could feel something push against his side and he realized with a smile that it was the baby making her presence known.

"I can't believe he's really gone. I should feel something, shouldn't I? I mean I feel bad for Mr. Greggs, but when I think about my father–I just can't bring myself to feel sorry that he's dead. Is that terrible of me?"

"No," he responded, absently running his fingers through her silken hair. "I'm just sorry that it wasn't me that took care of him. It should have been me."

"You can't mean that, Danny."

"I was so angry today, Mary–when I went to his house-- I wanted him to pay for hurting you, for scaring you, for making you think that he might hurt our daughter, but I let Ed talk me out of it. I couldn't do what needed to be done. I couldn't end it."

Mary propped herself up on her elbow so she could look him in the eyes, "Danny, listen to what you're saying. If it had been you then my father would have succeeded in ruining our lives–just like he ruined the Greggs. Is that what you would have wanted?"

Danny could only respond with a shake of his head, his throat was closing up with emotion and he reached for Mary–bringing her face to his until his lips touched her forehead in a gesture he had always reserved only for her.

"Just because you stopped yourself from killing my father doesn't mean you love us any less than Mr. Greggs loves his family and it only makes me love you more. He made a bad decision today and he and his family are going to have to live with that. I just hope there's a way for me to help him."

Before Danny could respond the phone rang, startling them both. "Who could be calling this early? Hello," Danny listened intently, his brow furrowing. "NO COMMENT," he said loudly before disconnecting the call.

Mary looked at him confused, waiting for an explanation, but before he could speak a light outside the window caught her attention. Pulling herself from the bed she crossed the room and opened the blinds–immediately noticing the news van parked in front of the house.

"Danny, what's going on?" she asked as the phone started to ring again. Danny joined Mary at the window, a frown marring his features as he quickly connected then disconnected the call–before leaving the phone off the hook. Suddenly, he heard his cell phone vibrating on the nightstand and he groaned–hoping that it wasn't another reporter. Noticing Ed's name on the caller ID, he answered. Mary walked to the living room, making sure the front door was locked and all the shades were drawn. She wasn't sure what to expect. She'd never been besieged by reporters before, but she was pretty sure that was exactly what was about to happen. She had just finished pulling the curtains closed in the dining room when Danny walked in.

"I just talked to Ed. Apparently, what happened yesterday is big news and someone released your name to the press. Reporters have already been calling the Montecito trying to get information on both of us. They know about me being at the scene and they know about the abuse allegations–from both you and Jessica."

"The police are not supposed to release information on abuse victims, Danny. They promised me last night that everything in my statement would be kept confidential. I mean, I knew it was going to come out eventually, especially if there was a trial, but not like this. How could the press get their hands on it?"

"I have an idea," Danny grumbled, reflecting once again on his lousy taste in women.

"Look, everything's going to be okay, but until this whole thing blows over we definitely can't stay here. Get dressed and pack a bag."