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And My Heart Says…

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Chapter 2

Bullpen

Flipping through a file on the way back to the bullpen, Bobby stopped and turned when he heard his name being called. It was Sue—a smiling Sue.

This was a different Sue from the past week. Since her announcement of David's proposal, Bobby had found himself spending more time than usual sneaking glances in her direction to check on her. He'd spotted a tiny frown creasing her brow when she sat at her desk more than a few times. She had caught him several times looking at her and had given him a half-hearted smile with a shake of her head to indicate she was still undecided.

"You're looking bright and chipper this morning," he smiled. He missed seeing this side of her.

"I am because I've decided I'm going to tell David yes."

He knew he should feel happy for her. David was a great guy. Thoughtful, charming, funny…he treated Sue with the respect and love she deserved. Why shouldn't she fall in love with him?

Then why…why should he feel disappointed? Wasn't this what Sue wanted?

"So, you decided you do love him after all?"

She hesitated as a trace of uncertainty crossed her face and disappeared in an instant. "I care about him and I know I could be a good wife to him," she said earnestly.

Bobby spotted the look of doubt and wondered about it. He squeezed her arm. "If you're happy about it, then I'm happy about it. Have you told David yet?"

She shook her head. "I haven't even told Lucy," she confessed. "I missed her this morning since she had to come in early. You're the first one I've said anything to."

"I feel honored," he declared. "When are you telling David?"

"We have a date for tomorrow night. He's cooking. That'll be the perfect time to tell him."

"This calls for a celebration," he announced. "What say we do lunch together? I'm buying."

A dimple appeared. "You don't have to."

"I insist."

"Then lunch it is."

The pair headed to the bullpen, Sue pleased she had finally made a decision, Bobby happy that the little worry lines on her forehead had disappeared. He couldn't explain the unexpected sense of loss he was experiencing.

"Bobby! Sue!" called out D when they entered the doorway.

"What's up, D?"

"How's that Winston jewelry case coming along?"

"We have an appointment to meet with the Winstons this afternoon," shared Bobby. "Mr. Winston will be back from a business trip."

"What do we have so far?"

"Let me get my notes," said Sue as she went to a file on her desk. "Metro PD began the investigation into the theft of Mrs. Winston's jewelry estimated worth a hundred thousand dollars. They turned it over to us at the request of Mr. Winston which they were glad to do."

"Apparently, he has some influence with the higher-ups at the FBI and thought we may have better resources at finding the culprits," said Bobby.

"Any suspects?"

"Nothing on the security cameras and the alarms didn't go off," said Sue as she scanned the report. "We have a copy of the tape and Tara is checking it to see if it's been tampered with."

D turned to their tech expert. "Tara, have you had a chance to go over that tape?"

"I haven't found any indications that anybody's been messing with it. However, I've only viewed the first couple of hours. I've got a ways to go yet."

"Sue and I have been going over the police files," shared Bobby. "Whoever stole the jewels went through the trouble to ransack the bedroom to make it appear like an outside job. However, the safe was intact so this person is either a pro or had access to the combination."

"An inside job made to look like an outside one?" Jack commented listening in on the discussion.

"Any of the pros come to mind with this MO?" Bobby's eyes darted between D and Jack.

D shook his head. "No. Those guys prided themselves on being neat and tidy. None of them would be caught dead making a mess."

"That's right," agreed Jack. "In and out as quickly and quietly as possible. That's their motto."

"Could it be the husband or the wife?" D asked. "You know…either one in a financial bind? It's been known to happen."

Sue consulted her notes. "Mr. Winston is a wealthy investment broker with no apparent financial difficulties. His co-workers and neighbors describe him as pleasant and an upstanding citizen. Mrs. Winston doesn't work and her husband gives her a generous monthly allowance."

"Any live-in help?" asked Jack.

"The housekeeper/cook is the only one and she has her own little suite."

"Who has access to the bedroom besides the housekeeper?"

"There's a woman that comes in to help clean. No one else would have a reason to be in the bedroom areas."

Jack's eyes narrowed when he glanced at Bobby. His friend's face looked thoughtful.

"I know that look," Jack stated. "You have an idea. What is it?"

All eyes focused on Bobby. "I think D could have something there. We need to focus on Mr. and Mrs. Winston. It wouldn't be the first time someone tried to fleece their insurance company and at this point in time, they're our best suspects in spite of a lack of financial need."

"Hey, Bobby," called out Lucy as she hung up the phone. She waved a slip of paper.

"Yea?" Bobby got Sue's attention and directed it to Lucy.

"Got something on your jewelry case." She held out the sheet to him. "Apparently one of the items has surfaced at a pawn shop in Virginia. Here's the shop, the address and the owner's name."

Bobby was already reaching for his coat. He scanned the information on the paper. "Sue?"

She grabbed her purse. "Ready."

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Pawnshop

"Mark Kendall?" asked Bobby as they approached the tall, middle-aged man behind the counter.

"Who wants to know?"

Bobby held up his ID. "FBI. Special Agent Manning, Sue Thomas. You called about some stolen merchandise?"

"I did. I recognized it from the list of stolen stuff put out by Metro PD. I'll go get it."

He opened a door and disappeared for a couple of minutes. He returned holding a black velvet pouch in his hand. "Here."

Sue opened an evidence bag. "If you could empty it in here, I'd appreciate it," she said. Out fell a brooch—a stylized bunch of roses consisting of diamonds and pink sapphires. Even encased in the plastic bag, it sparkled in the light.

Sue's eyes were wide as she looked up Bobby. "Very nice," she commented.

"That's the real deal," agreed Kendall.

"Oh look," she said, "there's a stone missing." She pointed to an empty spot in the leaf part of the design.

"Yeah, I noticed that. The prongs may have been loose or caught on something. Stone that size you wouldn't notice right away if it was missing."

Bobby looked at him speculatively. "How big would you say that diamond is?"

"Oh, maybe fifteen points…not larger than twenty."

She drew out a pen to label the evidence and noted the missing stone. She opened another evidence bag, carefully popped in the velvet pouch and sealed it.

"Can you describe the person that brought that in?" Bobby inquired.

"Male, late twenties maybe early thirties, thin, about five ten, hundred forty pounds, kind of longish dark blonde hair. Good looking in a scruffy kind of way. You know like that guy on the television show Lost."

"Okay," Bobby nodded as he wrote down the information.

"Anything different…unique about him?" asked Sue.

Kendall pondered the question. "Not rea…wait, he kept tugging his left ear, like it was a nervous habit. I don't know if that's helpful."

"It could be," she smiled.

"I'll write you a receipt for the jewelry," Bobby informed him. "While we can't reimburse you for what you paid for it, the owner's husband has a reward posted for the return of any of the jewelry."

"I'd hoped so. That set me back a pretty penny."

"Can we see your records for that?" asked Sue.

"Right here." He pushed a logbook towards them. "Name is George…Vince George."

Sue located the name and jotted down the information.

"Did the bloke show you any other pieces?" asked Bobby as he handed the receipt to the owner.

Kendall shook his head. "He seemed kind of nervous, like he really didn't want to pawn the piece but he said he needed the money."

"Drugs?"

The owner shrugged. "Could be. It happens often enough."

Bobby flipped his pad shut. "Thanks for your help."

"Any time."

When they were outside Sue looked at Bobby. "What now?"

"A trip to check out one Vince George and then a visit to the Winston residence. Let's see if Mrs. Winston can identify it. "

"She'll probably be glad her jewelry is starting to surface."

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Apartment Building

"The apartment manager said he moved out a few days ago," Bobby informed Sue. "Since it's still unlet, he's going to let us in and look around."

She looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Unlet?"

"You know, not rented?" he explained patiently.

"Is that an Australian expression?"

"No, it's…." he started when the manager joined them.

"I'll open the apartment for you and when you're done, just make sure the door's locked," said the manager.

"Thanks, mate," smiled Bobby. "We appreciate this."

"For the FBI anything." They walked a few steps. "Actually, you came at the right time. I was planning to clear out the place tomorrow and the cleaners are coming the day after that. He wasn't the neatest renter I've had."

The manager opened the door and let them in. "Here you go. I hope you find what you're looking for."

"Thanks," said Sue.

The manager was right—the place was a mess. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks.

"This place could be hazardous to our health," commented Bobby as he pulled on gloves.

"I'm afraid to let Levi in here," Sue confessed as she put on her gloves, too.

"I'm afraid to be in here." He looked around the place. "Why don't you take the bedroom and I'll look around here?"

She nodded. She paused at the doorway. Drawers were open and hangers were scattered on the floor indicating the person had left in a hurry. Sue grimaced at the task ahead. "Be careful, Levi. We don't know what we'll find here," she cautioned her companion as she began her search.

Minutes passed by as they conducted their exploration. She found nothing of interest aside from some drug paraphernalia, which she bagged as possible evidence.

She was just about to close the drawer of the nightstand when a flash in the corner caught her eye. Wondering what it was, she probed for the object with her finger. Pinching the tiny item, she held it up to her eye—it was a diamond.

"Bobby?" called out Sue as she stood in the doorway.

He looked up from the papers in his hand. "Yea?"

She held out her hand. Curious, he came close. His eyes opened wide when he saw what she had in her palm.

"What have we here?" He gently touched the diamond with the tip of his finger. He looked at Sue with a smile. "Good work, Sue…or rather good eyes."

"Will we be able to tell if it's part of the brooch?" asked Sue.

"Spectroanalysis of the stone should reveal if it's of the same quality as the other stones in the brooch," answered Bobby. "At least that's my guess."

"What do you have in your hand?"

"Letters from Mrs. Winston to Vince George stuffed in the sofa," he responded. "They're love letters dating from about a year ago."

"You think he was blackmailing her?"

"I don't think so. Otherwise he would've taken them with him to keep his cash flow coming. Plus, he wouldn't have had to pawn the brooch." He paused for a moment. "You know, it's kind of sweet in a way—not the content, the thought he kept the letters," he added hastily. "I didn't think people wrote letters any more with email."

"It would be really sweet if she wasn't a married woman," agreed Sue.

"There is that. C'mon. We still have the kitchen and bathroom to go."

She grimaced. "If the bathroom and kitchen are anything like the bedroom I think I'll need to take a shower after this."

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Bobby and Sue had agreed to visit the Winstons and gather more information before bringing in Mrs. Winston for questioning. They would save the letters for then.

Grant Winston had instantly recognized the brooch.

"That belongs to my wife," he declared flatly. "I had it made for her for our first anniversary. She likes pink roses." Mrs. Winston sat on the sofa looking slightly bored.

There was an obvious age disparity between the pair. In his mid forties, Grant Winston was of average height and slightly heavy, with a pleasant face.

Andrea Winston was a very attractive brunette with a stunning figure and much younger than her husband. Metro PD had informed the FBI that although it was her jewelry that was stolen, she wasn't the one who initiated the call to the police—it was her husband.

"We'll be holding on to the brooch as evidence," Sue informed them. "We'll have it checked for fingerprints or anything else that can be used to identify the thief."

"I don't know what the fuss is," stated Mrs. Winston. "We're covered by insurance. When we get the check I can replace those pieces."

"I'm sure the insurance company would rather the culprit be caught and the jewelry returned than pay out a hundred thousand dollars," her husband said dryly. He turned to the agents. "Some of those pieces are one-of-a-kind. I like to give my wife a piece of jewelry for every special occasion."

"She's a fortunate woman," Bobby commented.

Andrea Winston plastered a smile on her face.

Bobby and Sue rose. "We'll be contacting you if we get any further information," Bobby uttered.

"Thanks," said Mr. Winston. "We appreciate your efforts."

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Bobby dropped a folder on Sue's desk. She looked up at him.

"The lab couldn't find any usable prints," he told her. "However, the stone you found is most likely the missing one. The quality matches the rest of the diamonds in the brooch."

"That's good, right?"

He perched on the edge of her desk. "That's good but I don't know if that's enough to convict Mrs. Winston even with the love letters."

"We need to find Vince George and get him to confess."

"Right."

Sue looked perplexed. "Why would she become involved with another man? They've only been married a few years."

"Four years and a few months," spoke up Lucy handing them a sheet. "According to the information we've managed to dig up, Mrs. Winston, formerly known as Andrea Beckley, met Grant Winston five years ago at an art gallery reception. They were married six months later."

"That was quick," remarked Sue.

"Particularly since at the time he met the future Mrs. Winston, Grant Winston was engaged to another woman."

"He just broke it off like that?" asked a startled Sue.

"Pretty much."

"What happened to the ex-fiancee?" asked Bobby.

"Still single, works as a financial consultant, successful."

"What else?"

"Mrs. Winston was a model at the time she met her prospective marital partner," spoke Myles. "And I believe quite captivating. The people we talked to expressed surprise at the speed at which they got married since normally Mr. Winston is a very cautious man."

"How do you know that?" asked a curious Sue. "Did anyone say that?"

"They didn't have to. The firm he works for is a conservative one known for making sound, stable investment choices. If you're a risk-taker, you don't work for that company," stated Myles. "Trust me. I know these things."

"Okay then, we have to assume she dazzled him with her beauty and swept him into a whirlwind courtship," volunteered Tara. "She knew a good catch when she saw one."

"Very possible because according to everyone we interviewed Andrea Beckley-Winston is quite the looker," said Myles.

"She is," confirmed Sue. She might not care for the woman but there was no doubting her appeal to the male members of the human race.

She looked up at Bobby. "Didn't you think so, Bobby?"

"Perhaps to others but definitely not my type," he replied promptly. "She didn't look like she knew how to laugh or say a kind word."

"Those may not have been the qualities her husband was looking at when he married her," pointed out Myles. "Apparently, she must have other assets he values more."

The women exchanged looks of exasperation.

"You did say she didn't appear too concerned about the loss of her jewelry," said D.

"That's right. Her husband said he bought her a piece of jewelry for every anniversary or significant date," recalled Sue.

Tara was non-plussed. "Gee, if my husband bought me jewelry for every occasion, there would certainly be sentimental value as well as the monetary one attached to each piece." She looked at them. "That is, if I loved my husband and you said there's some doubt about that."

"Right," Bobby confirmed.

"So, what's our next step?" asked D looking at Bobby and Sue since they were the lead agents on this case.

"We need to put SOG on Mrs. Winston to see if she'll lead us to Vince George," Bobby said.

"And check again with our informants to see if any more of the jewelry is surfacing," Sue added. "The owner of the pawnshop said he thought Vince George needed the money, perhaps for drugs."

The team scattered to do their tasks. As Bobby stood to move to his to make the arrangements for the surveillance, Sue stopped him.

"Why would she do that to her husband?" she asked quietly.

He shrugged. "She probably married him for his money and after awhile, it just wasn't enough."

Sue looked sad. "If she married him for his money, why did he marry her?"

"He wouldn't be the first man to have his head turned by a pretty face," Bobby replied.

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