Fifteen minutes later, Brooke Malinowski stood in the door way of what used to be her office, stunned. Jake Cohen looked up from behind what used to be Malinowski's desk and gave her a curt nod.

"Lost are, we?"

Malinowski looked back at the front of the open door that now held the words: Senior ADA Jacob A. Cohen on it and to her at her friend and colleague for an explanation.

"Apparently so. Don't get me wrong, Jake. Your promotion is long overdue but if Michael wants to give me the sack, he could have done it over the phone and saved me the trip in from Manhattan. By the way, congratulations, partner.You know, you could have told me during one of our five zillion phone calls over the last three weeks."

Cohen shrugged, determined not to give anything away.

"Listen, I have to be in court in twenty minutes. If you decide to stick around, you can buy me lunch and I'll bring you up to speed."

"Fine," she said with equal gruffness."If it's not too much trouble, maybe you could tell me where my personal items ended up when you cleared my stuff out of here?"

"Michael will tell you himself, he wants to see you ASAP."

"Great," she said turning on her heel.

Just as Malinowski's arm moved back to slam what used to be her door, Cohen cleared his throat and waited for her to look back over her shoulder.

"Oh, and Brooke? When I was in Manhattan last week, I saw Jack hailing a cab. Nice work,"Cohen said with a smirk."Every public official should have a dunce cap."

"Your fault as always, Cohen," she said without missing beat, before turning on her heel."You're the one that taught me how to crochet, in the first place."

As she walked down the corridor she'd walked down almost everyday for nearly twenty years, she noticed something else had changed, besides the name on her office door. The door across the hall from the DA no longer bore the name 'Clint Renard'. Malinowski paused in front the door.

She jumped back startled, when DA Michael Jackowicz suddenly opened it. The DA for Suffolk County stepped forward to embrace her, then remembering the reason Malinowski had been on a leave of absence, he extended his hand instead.

"What happened to Clint," she asked while they stepped into the office.

Malinowski looked around the office reserved for Jackowski's top prosecutor, noting the neatly piled boxes and the name plate that sat beside the large stack of unopened mail.

"While you were gone Clint's mother passed away," the Santa like man explained, while he motioned for her to join him in taking a seat in front of the desk."He's inherited property in Maine and asked me to recommend him for a position with the states attorney's office up there. Brooke, I know you've got a lot on your plate right now. That's why I didn't want to make the offer over the phone. When Clint and I discussed who should fill his shoes, we were in agreement. The new executive should be the person with not only the most time in the DA's office, but the highest conviction rate. That person is you."

Malinowski sank back in her chair, unsure of how to respond. She knew she looked the picture of competence. It had taken her almost two hours to get the hair and make just right before slipping into her 'power' outfit that consisted of a tailored Donna Karan charcoal suit and silk burgundy shell. She practiced her swift stride out of the train station, so when she walked into her building, she would appear to be her old self.

But she knew it was just a charade

"Michael, you how much I want the job..."

"It would have been yours five years ago," the DA said candidly."But when we all thought Sam had died…well… the point is you're more than qualified. Now, I know you're going through a bad time right now, but remember, the executive position is more administration than trial work in this office. That means, if you find you need some time over the next few months…if you need to take things slow…more often than not you can set your schedule. In fact, Clint's going to be back in town the end of next week to tie up loose end here and he told me he'd stick around if either of us needed him to, while you get settled into the position."

Malinowski nodded, unable to suppress her pleasure at seeing the title: Executive Assistant District Attorney under her name on the shiny new nameplate resting on the desk.

"Michael, "she said after taking a deep breath."I have to be straight with you. Right now, I'm doing my smoke and mirrors routine. I've managed not to fall into the bottle this time, but if something doesn't give….maybe after I testify at the trial. You know I want this, but the office needs someone you can count on. I'm just not sure..."

Jackowski nodded as he stood up and moved towards the seat behind the desk.

"I know how hard that was for you to admit. Not just to me, but to yourself. That's why I want you sitting in this chair. I know you'll put the job before anything else, including your pride. Give yourself the day to go through your mail, to get caught up. Give it some thought and then come see me before you leave tonight," he said as he motioned for her to sit in the chair he had pulled out for her behind the desk."Take your own advice on this one, Brooke: Don't let the bastards win. Use the promotion as a step in taking your life back."

Malinowski watched her superior leave and spent the next several minutes pondering his words before turning her attention to the large stack of mail on the center of the mahogany desk. She smiled when she saw the elegant antique letter opener at the top of the pile.

After setting her briefcase on the desk and pulling out her black rimmed reading glasses, she picked up the thick legal size envelope on the top and read the return address several times before using the opener to carefully slice it open.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," Jake Cohen said impatiently,"tell me what was in that envelope from Russia."

Malinowski took a deliberately long swallow of her ice tea before responding.

"You organized my mail," she said fenging surprise."I didn't think the new Senior Assistant District Attorney had time for such mundane tasks..."

"I didn't say I had time, I said I did it," Cohen shot back, as the waiter set their lunch orders in front of them."I called Stewart over at the 1 8 and had him run it down to the bomb squad, just to be safe. He says it harmless, but I have no idea who 'Nadia Brezin' is. Do you?"

Malinowski nodded while she began to mix the dressing into her Caesar salad.

"She was one of Rostov's victims. Daughter of the man that killed Rostov's brother," Malinowski explained."Apparently Detective Green contacted her for help when I was …when I was gone. Jake she was a barely eighteen when Rostov's men took her."

"She survived it Brooke," Cohen said patting her hand."You did, too."

"She said the same thing," Malinowski said thoughtfully."Apparently, some of the women have formed a support group in Moscow. They meet once a month to check on each other, as well as to socialize. They are amazing. Nadia sent me her email address and asked me to contact her whenever I'm ready."

"It's a good idea, "Cohen said firmly as he set the empty soup bowl a side."She might have some ideas on where this Ivan Janovich is hiding out, as well as some ideas on helping you get on with your life. When do the Canadians think they might need you to testify?"

Malinowski knew it had been a minor miracle that her fork had stayed in her hand when she heard her captor's name. She knew Cohen had seen he hand tremble and was grateful he had chosen not to call her on it.

"I talked to the lead prosecutor yesterday. He asked me to plan on coming up for three to five days at the start of May."

"The start of May? That's only a week and a half from now. Sounds like Canadian justice is swifter than in the US of A."

"We'll see. Enough about that. When do I get to take you out for a real celebration, Mr. Senior ADA?"

"After you decide whether I get to stay in my new office or whether you want Taz Montez to be our boss."

"Taz?"

"Yeah, she's next in line if you turn Michael down. What are you going to tell Michael?"

Malinowski gave him a wicked grin.

"It took me all of ten minutes to walk across the hall and tell him he had a new EADA, if he still wanted me."

"Well thank God, "Cohen said indignantly."I just got my picture of Harvey Milk centered on the back wall this morning. I've shot you myself if I had to pack up again. Have you called Jack yet?"

"Called and left a message. He meets with his Executive staff every Monday morning. I said to meet me at Gino's and to be prepared to celebrate. I'll tell him tonight."