Lassiter sped through the streets on his way to Gus' apartment. "How on earth did you know about USC?" He glanced in the rearview mirror at McNab.
McNab shrugged, "Francie went there. She has a class ring just like that reporter does. There was a reunion last week. I read about it in the alumni newsletter."
"You read your wife's alumni newsletters?" Lassiter couldn't fathom why anyone would do such a thing. He never had when he had been married to Victoria.
The other man shrugged again. "It's better then her home and garden magazines." Lassiter grunted in agreement.
"What about the crime scene?" Juliet asked, trying to refocus the conversation.
"Do you want me to name a criminal?" McNab asked.
Juliet thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "No, too hard to cover. But you could give us some clues as to who the burglar is and how he got in."
"There aren't going to be any signs of a break in," Lassiter reminded him. "You should make a case for the hide-a-key."
"I know how to analyze a crime scene," McNab muttered as Lassiter continued to walk him through police procedures.
hcyspsych
In the reporters' vehicle, Gus was still in jackal mode. Being stuck in a car with these two girls was much more enjoyable than when Shawn had abandoned him with those sorority girls.
Catie turned around in her seat to face him. "Gus, has anyone ever told you that you look like Bud from The Cosby Show?"
"He so does!" Savannah grinned from the driver's seat. "I thought he reminded me of someone."
Gus crossed his arms and sat back in his seat. Suddenly, he wished Shawn was there. At this point, his best friend would be attempting to put the attention on himself. Shawn would probably claim to look like Kirk Cameron from Growing Pains or Sean Astin in The Goonies.
Shawn wasn't there, but Gus was, and he was starting to think this whole thing really would turn out just like that evening at the college. Although, he doubted it would end with him running out to his car screaming like a girl.
"Yes, as a matter of fact," he responded. "But I can assure you, I am not Deon Richmond nor was I on the Cosby Show when I was a kid."
Savannah laughed. "You seem like you're a good sport about things. I know it's probably not always fun tagging along with Shawn, but was this something you were excited about from the beginning?"
"Uh, no. And to be honest, it can sometimes be frustrating even now. But I can definitely say that I wouldn't go back and say 'no' if given the chance."
"What's the worst situation you guys have ever gotten into?" Catie was holding the recorder in her hand so Savannah could drive.
"It all depends. There was one time where we solved a murder at our high school reunion; it took me three years to plan, and Shawn ruined it by finding a body there. Another time, I had to dress up like an idiot for a Civil War reenactment, and then there was the time Shawn got shot."
"I read about that," Savannah nodded. "From what the online article said, you guys saved Shawn's life."
"It was a team effort, and the department had to replace the tires on my company car." He pointed out the window. "You should take this next left."
They turned into the parking lot and Savannah found a place near Lassiter's car. The detectives and McNab were waiting.
"It's about time," Lassiter snapped as they headed up to the apartment.
"You couldn't have been waiting very long," Gus remarked.
"This must be a pretty new crime scene if there's no tape up," Catie observed, taking some pictures of the door to Gus' apartment.
"We're the first on the scene," Juliet explained as Lassiter stepped forward.
He shoved a roll of crime scene tape into her hands. "This was in my trunk. Tape off the scene; we don't need it getting ruined by any curious neighbors."
The door was slightly ajar and Lassiter nudged it the rest of the way open with his foot. He had his gun drawn, and Juliet rolled her eyes slightly as her partner cleared the 'crime scene'. Once Lassiter had walked through the apartment, he holstered his gun and waved the rest of them in.
Gus, McNab, and the reporters entered the apartment. Juliet followed after taping off the door.
As Lassiter started forward, McNab put an arm out to stop him from walking further into the apartment. "Hang on a second, Lassisota."
Gus and Juliet both stood ready to tackle Lassiter if he tried to draw his gun again. From the shade of red the head detective's face was turning, it would not end well for McNab if Lassiter snapped.
"I'm getting the vibe whoever did this had a key. Did the owner say anything about a hide-a-key?" McNab was slowly walking through the living room, carefully stepping over the cushions and pillows strewn around the room.
"Hide-a-keys are very useful tools in the event someone locks themselves out of their apartment," Gus interjected, defending his fake plant.
"Right you are, my friend, but they are also very useful tools in the event that someone decides to break into said apartment." McNab held a hand to his temple.
Catie was quick to snap several pictures as he studied the room.
As McNab continued to "read" the scene, he suddenly clenched his eyes shut. The reporters leaned forward slightly in anticipation; Gus and the detectives figuratively crossed their fingers, knowing McNab was about to announce a "revelation".
"I'm getting something ... I'm getting something ..." McNab trailed off, then he gasped and opened his eyes. "This wasn't a burglary."
"It wasn't?" Lassiter sounded just as annoyed as he usually was when Shawn started "divining" things. "But the place is ransacked!"
"It might be ransacked, Lassie, but the intruders weren't here to simply steal things. They were looking for something," he declared.
"Has someone notified the owner?" Gus asked, playing along as if this were a regular crime scene.
Juliet nodded. "Yes. He is out of town today on business; we'll interview him when he gets back into town and-"
"Gus, what's going on here?" Henry Spencer's voice interrupted Juliet's explanation. Gus and Juliet exchanged a panicked look. They hadn't expected Henry to show up at the crime scene.
Lassiter took control of the situation and grabbed Gus' arm, dragging him out to the hallway with Henry. "C'mon psychic; we'll need you too," he snapped at McNab. If Henry was surprised by Lassiter referring to McNab as a psychic, he didn't let it show. Gus avoided making eye contact with Henry when they got out to the hallway.
"What in the world is going on here? This is just supposed to be a training exercise. Were those reporters?" Henry didn't look happy at all.
Gus spoke up first. "," he blurted out.
"Try it again, but slower." Henry crossed his arms.
"McNab is pretending to be Shawn for some reporters, and we're using the fake crime scene for the interview." Wincing internally, Gus prepared himself for Henry's reaction.
Henry arched an eyebrow. "Who thought this was a good idea?"
"For the record I thought it was a horrible idea." Lassiter raised his hand.
McNab who had stayed silent through the entire conversation spoke up now. "The department really needs this interview to go well."
"Why didn't anyone ask me about this?"
"It's your day off, part-time consultant overseer," McNab supplied. Gus half smiled when he realized McNab was still trying to be Shawn-like. Henry glared at McNab.
Gus recognized the look on Henry's face. It was the look that Henry had given Shawn the morning after he arrested him for stealing a car their senior year. It was a look that meant Henry was about to give a lecture, which would last for the better part of three hours. Bathroom breaks not included.
"Zip it, McNab," Lassiter ordered. "This childish act you have going on is fine when you're pretending to be Spencer, but at this moment you're a real cop and we expect you to act like one."
Henry threw his hands in the air. "You know what, you three can have fun in your fake crime scene with your fake clues and your fake psychic. I've got a fish to catch." With that he stomped his way down the stairs and out of sight.
Lassiter gave Gus and McNab an 'I told you so' look and headed back in the apartment.
Juliet was talking with reporters. "After we secure the crime scene we contact the home owner and they do an inventory of the-" She paused as the three men came back in the room.
"Who was that?" Savannah asked, looking for Henry. "He seemed to know you guys."
"That was Henry Spencer, a coordinator for the police department. He helps us balance the consultant side with the actual police side." Lassiter forced a smile when explaining to the reporters. They both nodded and Savannah jotted down some notes.
"He's also my father," McNab continued. "A retired veteran of the SBPD."
"So, you must take after your mother?" Catie looked him up and down, trying to justify the obvious difference in height between 'Shawn' and Henry.
"I'm adopted," McNab made up.
"That explains so much," Lassiter mumbled. For the second time that day his cell phone went off. He pulled out the phone to silence it while glaring at Gus. When he looked at the caller ID, he paused and then pressed the talk button instead. "Carlton Lassiter." He gave his usual gruff greeting and headed out to the hallway.
Juliet gave Gus a worried look. She could hear Lassiter complaining out in the hallway.
"Well, make Dobson do it." Lassiter's voice carried through the open door. "What do you mean he's already on a case?"
Juliet gave the reporters an awkward smile as Lassiter came back into the room. "Trouble at the station, Carlton?"
"The fire department was called to a house fire earlier this morning. After the smoke cleared, there is concern that it could be arson, and they want us on the scene."
Catie raised an eyebrow. "Does this happen often? I mean, you guys are assigned to this case right?"
"No need," McNab spoke up, putting his hand to his temple. "I've already got enough to put us on the trail of whoever did this."
"This is a simple B&E, a child could solve this." Lassiter snapped without meaning to. This was the worst thing that could happen. The crime rate had been slow lately, and Lassiter hadn't expected to be called in on a case today. He had ditched his therapy appointment because he thought it was a waste of department resources. "We'll put some of the rookies on it and then head over to the fire."
"Are you going to ride with us again?" Catie asked Gus.
Gus could see the hope in her and Savannah's eyes and it took all of his will power to shake his head no. "For a robbery Shawn can acclimate himself, but for something like an arson I will need to help him achieve a higher mental state." Gus could practically hear Lassiter's eyes rolling upward behind him.
"The fire department is waiting for us. We need to leave now." Lassiter headed for the door.
Everyone shuffled down the stairs and out to their cars. The two reporters waved cheerfully to them as they waited to follow Lassiter to the new scene.
Lassiter hated cheerful people, especially cheerful girls who looked like they should be in college and smiled at fake psychics.
"So that went well," McNab broke the silence as Lassiter turned out of the parking lot.
"Went well? Are you kidding me McNab?" Lassiter launched into a lecture that would have made Henry Spencer proud. "You had a complete disregard for police procedure, not to mention you insulted a superior officer."
Juliet shushed her partner. "Carlton, we'll deal with this later. Right now we need to figure out how Buzz is going to be a psychic at a crime scene where we don't know what is going to happen. Gus, can you try calling Shawn, maybe he'll have some kind of vision about the fire."
Gus pulled out his cell phone and dialed his friend's number. It took several rings before a very sleepy-sounding Shawn Spencer answered his phone.
"H'lo?" Shawn's words were a little sloppy. "Gus?"
"Shawn, we have a problem."
"I do too, buddy; I was napping and some jerk called me and woke me up."
Gus could hear Shawn's voice go from sleepy to irritated. If he wasn't careful, Shawn would just hang up and not answer his phone again. "Sorry, Shawn. Look, we got called to a real crime scene, and you know Buzz isn't really going to be able to ... divine any clues."
Shawn coughed before continuing. "Oh. Well, I guess Lassifrass is going to have to be an actual detective today, isn't he?"
Gus glanced up to make sure Lassiter hadn't heard yet another mutilation of his name. The man had hearing like a bat. Thankfully the man was still focused on the road. "Shawn this is serious,"
Shawn yawned and then coughed again. "Let me see what's on the news. I know you Tivo the twelve o'clock news on channel nine because of the cute weather girl."
"Shawn ..."
"See, you didn't deny it."
"Shawn, just call me back if you get anything," Gus finished and hung up the phone.
"Guster, make sure Spencer knows that the next time he calls me Lassifrass I will shoot his knee caps," Lassiter threatened.
"Hearing like a bat," Gus muttered. Lassiter glared into the rearview mirror.