A/N: I am so sorry that this is a little late tonight, I got home from work and just slept I was so tired but here it is! Thanks so much for the love and support! To all of the guests who I can't personally reply to thank you so much for your comments and guesses and all that! Again also much thanks to themagnificentsquid!
"What do we have?"
"SID turned up a lot of things, that will take a lot of time to go through, but we were able to find some personal items, including a computer and wallet." Tao said.
"Flynn and I managed to track down the name of her partner, Sean Monji. He was supposed to come to the hotel today. It seems that Michelle came up a day early to get ready." Provenza added, leaning back in his desk chair.
"Do you have contact information for this Sean?" Sharon asked, arms folded facing the white board.
Behind her Flynn spoke up, moving so he could stand closer, "No but we told the hotel staff to call when he checked in." Sharon looked behind her in time to see him checking his watch. "Which should be in about thirty minutes."
"Good. When the hotel calls, go and bring him in, maybe we can clear up some of this mystery. Mike, go through the computer and see if there is any information that can shed light on who killed Michelle. Before that, walk us through the crime scene.
Tao took a deep preparing breath. "The perp was big and not welcome because the slide lock chain was broken. I tried for a print on the door and they were wearing generic converse shoes, so no distinguishing markers there. There was residue on the hallway wall, matching the oil on Michelle's skin. So we think he came in and pushed her into it. There was some blood on the floor below. Most of the damage to Michelle was perimortem so we don't know if that blood is from her or if she managed to get in a hit and it's from the perp. We'll know when the lab comes back. Then the struggle continued into the room, breaking a chair, table, and then a small trail of blood leads onto the balcony. The trajectory of the fall and where she landed suggests that she was pushed or thrown from the balcony."
Sharon looked grim, imagining the terror Michelle must have felt before she died. "Okay so far we know that Michelle Clark took the amtrak from San Diego to have a romantic weekend with her partner Sean Monji. After a visit to the spa and a relaxing evening, she answers the door at 2 am, maybe expecting it to be room service, the lock still on the chain. She sees a stranger or someone she does not want coming into her room. The perp kicks the door open and grapples with her, Michelle puts up and good fight but is ultimately overpowered and thrown off the balcony."
Tao nodded. "Yes."
"Okay then, Mike, get to work on that computer. Andy, Provenza, take a break, get some coffee or sleep, and wait for that call. I'll be in the tech room with Buzz."
XXX
Questioning Sean Monji got them a name of a jilted ex, Matt Jones. With Sean's description and threatening emails on Michelle's computer, they had enough to bring Jones in. San Diego County Sheriffs were bringing him in the morning. Buzz was long gone and before Tao left he ordered Greek for the rest of the team, which meant that before they headed home, Provenza, Flynn, and Raydor were eating around the main cluster of desks.
Sharon was digging into her Greek salad with gusto, it may have been the hunger but she was certain that it was the best salad she'd eaten in a while.
"Are you even chewing or are you just inhaling?" Flynn joked.
Between chewing bites she pulled a face at him.
Provenza put his gyro down, chewing and swallowing hard as if he had something to say that he was about to forget. "Flynn."
"Yeah?"
"Brittney wanted me to tell you that she enjoyed our double date last night and that we should do it again."
"Yeah, I'll run it by Sherri." Flynn took a bite of his salad.
"Who's Sherri?" The question came from Nicole, who walked into the office.
Flynn's eyes widened as Provenza and Sharon looked between Nicole and her father.
Flynn took his time swallowing the bite, the wheels obviously turning in his head. "Sherri is. Sherri is...um..." He looked to his friends for help.
Provenza smiled widely and leaned back into his chair, ready to see how it played it out. Sharon shrugged and lifted her hands in a don't look at me gesture before she mirrored Provenza and leaned back in her chair. She said it before, he was a big boy, she couldn't buffer him out of this one.
"Nicole, I might have allowed you to believe that Sharon and I were closer than we actually are. She's been really supportive lately and she's a good friend, but we aren't dating." He hung his head, sure that he was going to lose it all, again.
"Dad, why didn't you just tell me that?" She sounded small, like a kid again.
"You really liked her and I felt like it made you like me more, and I am really trying hard not to screw up again."
"I get it, I don't like that you felt the need to lie to me but I get it. Just from this point on I don't want you to lie to me again." She was firm but kind. It gave Andy hope.
"Got it." He nodded his head emphasizing his agreement.
"Good. Now back to my original question, who's Sherri?"
"I'm Sherri."
Sharon rolled her eyes, when did they install a revolving door in the building.
Completely oblivious to the awkward tension Sherri continued talking. "And you must be Nicole, Andrew has told me all about you."
Nicole smiled sweetly, "Oh really, he hasn't said anything to me." She turned to her dad. "But I am going to guess that you two are dating."
He nodded in affirmative.
"Well that's nice." She said, smile still on her face. She turned to Sharon. "Sharon, I actually came to see if I could talk to you about something."
Sharon wiped her mouth with her napkin, getting ready to stand up. "Of course, let's go into my office."
Sherri spoke again, "It was nice meeting you."
Nicole was already heading towards Sharon's office but threw a, "Yeah," over her shoulder.
Once both Nicole and Sharon were in the office, Provenza finally spoke. "I'm sure she'll warm up to you."
Andy glared at him, then turned his attention to Sherri and smiled. "What's up, babe?"
She moved to sit in his lap. "Oh nothing much. I was just nearby and thought you would need a ride home." Once comfortable she kissed him.
He readily accepted the kiss. It came to end and he replied, "Sure thing. Let me wrap up some things, say goodbye to Nicole, and I'll meet you by the elevators."
She untangled herself from him, getting up. "Sure thing, honey."
When Sherri left, Provenza watched Andy gather up his things, finding a bag for his half-eaten salad, and putting his jacket back on. He finally said, "You're an idiot."
Andy was in the middle of shrugging his jacket on. "Yeah I know."
"No really you are a massive ass. You have three fabulous women in your life, all rooting for you, and if you keep this up it's going to blow up in your face."
Andy looked through the window in Sharon's office, Sharon and Nicole were laughing. Then he looked at the hallway toward the elevators. "I know."
I keep leaving it in horrible places but it works in the flow, sorry! See you tomorrow!
