Chapter Three
Monday Night
Bobby sits on the couch trying to fight the temptation of going into the kitchen and taking out that bottle of whiskey. He loses the fight, fourth night of reruns and whiskey.
He does however remember to get the alarm clock. A few hours pass and he falls asleep.
The alarm clock goes off at 7 AM. He switches it off and slowly gets up. Goes into the bathroom and takes his shower.
Tuesday Morning
He arrives at the station before Alex He picks up the files from the Yardley case and goes into one of the side rooms.He spreads the information out on the table. The Yardley case is going into its second week, they are running out of suspects.
Alex walks into the squad room and sees her partner. "Now that's better, that's how it should be, you here before me, and Margie's coffee on the table."
She picks up the cup, "Thanks," She takes a sip.
"That tastes good." She takes another sip, "What are you looking at?"
"I was thinking we should look deeper into Michelle's activities the past few months."
"That's a good idea, I think we should to talk to her parents again."
"Yeah, separately this time."
"We should go back to the school and talk to her friends."
"You're right, but I need another cup of coffee. I'll be right back."
He returns within minutes.
"You look better this morning, looks like you got a good night's sleep."
"As a matter of fact I did."
ADA Ron Carver enters the squad room and notices them.
"Here comes Mr. Sunshine."
Bobby laughs.
He enters the room, "Morning,"
They answer at the same time "Morning."
"So anything new on the Yardley case."
Bobby takes a sip of coffee leaving Alex to speak. "We're thinking of looking closer at the girls activities and her friends."
"Keep me informed," Looking at Bobby, "Are you ready for tomorrow Detective?"
"What's tomorrow?"
Alex is even surprised he forgot.
"The grand jury hearing for Nicole Wallace is tomorrow."
He just nods his head.
"Knowing you, I'll bet you have everything arranged step by step in that head of yours."
Bobby turns his head away, "Yeah right."
Carver turns to leave, "Tomorrow 10 Am."
"Sure.
Carver didn't notice the color drain from Bobby's face but Alex did. He gets up quickly from his chair and goes to the men's room, his heart is palpitating and he starts to sweat, he feels nausea.
A panic attack, again.
He goes into a stall, stretches his arms, places his hands on the sides of the stall, and bends down his head. He takes deep breaths and his heart starts to slow down. The feeling of nausea is fading.
He exits the stall and slams it shut, "FUCK," the echo is almost deafening. Alex doesn't say anything when he comes back.
If he wants to talk, he will talk.
She looks over at him. He's doing it again, zoning out.
"Bobby," No answer.
A little louder, "Bobby."
"Yeah."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"No." Shaking his head, "I just don't want to do this."
She hears a sound of insecurity in his voice.
"Bobby, look at it this way, it's one step closer to putting her away for a long time, maybe forever, come on once you get up there, you'll be fine."
"You know, you're right."
"Was there any doubt?"
He smiles at her and she pats him on the arm.
"Let's get these files in order than we can go to the school."
They spend the day speaking with teachers and students at Michelle Yardley's school. She was an average student, didn't make trouble, just one student of many.
She had a small group of friends and only one of them went to Richards's party. They need to talk to her again, at her home.
Their next stop of the day is to speak with Michelle's father. They drive to Mr. George Yardley's accounting office.
Alex shakes his hand "Mr. Yardley, thank you for seeing us. We just have a few questions."
"Of course, please sit down."
"Did you notice if your daughter had been acting any differently lately?"
"No, she was always a quite girl, but she did tend to follow the crowd."
"Can you remember anything that may have happened in the weeks prior to suggest that she was hanging out with any new friends?"
"No, I only saw Lacy and sometimes her friend Kelly at the house."
Bobby's speaks for the first time, "This wasn't the first time your daughter had stayed out all night, was it? Where the hell were you that you didn't know where she was?"
If Alex's eyes were lasers, Bobby would be dead. Mr. Yardley is taken aback buy the question, he just shakes his head and stuttering he says, "We, we were home."
You son of a bitch
Alex looks over at Bobby when she starts to speak, "Do you think her friend Lacy talked her into going to the party?"
"Michelle and Lacy have been friends since the third grade. Lacy is a little more outgoing, so yes, probably."
"Thank you Mr. Yardley and again we are very sorry."
They stand up at the same time and leave the office. Alex pushes the button on the elevator then looks at her partner.
"What the hell is the matter with you, you say one thing through the interview and you lay the blame of his daughter's death at his feet."
"Well like I said maybe if they knew what the hell and where the hell their fourteen year old daughter was, this wouldn't have happened."
She just shakes her head in disbelief. "Did you replace your heart with a metal plate when I wasn't looking?"
"No I'm just being honest, like you didn't think the same thing?
"Oh Jesus Bobby, forget it. It's almost three, by the time we get to Brooklyn. Lacy should be home from school. Do you want to speak with her or Mrs. Yardley?"
"I don't care, whatever you want."
"I hope your attitude improves by the time we get there and let me do the talking"
Before he has time to answer her, she puts up her hand, "Don't argue with me, Goren I'm not in the mood."
They do not speak during the drive to the Yardley home.
They ring the bell and Mrs. Yardley is not there.
It is after three o'clock and they decide to visit Lacy, Michelle's best friend.
Lacy doesn't have anything new to tell them but she did admit that it was her idea to go the party. Lacy said that she knew a boy named Tony Miller was going to be there and she wanted to impress him, so her best friend agreed to go.
Bobby stays very quite when they speak with the girl.
If Michelle was using drugs or drinking, Lacy did not admit to that.
Alex tries her best to let the girl know that it wasn't her fault, and she shouldn't blame herself, but they all know the guilt the teenager is feeling.
They leave Lacy's house around 4:45 and head back to the station.
They decide to visit Mrs. Yardley tomorrow after the grand jury hearing.
TBC