A/N: Hey guise! Thanks so much for your read and reviews like really I can't even it means a lot to get the messages throughout my day, so have a chapter early today! So this is the second to last chapter, don't worry everything will be explained and wrapped up in a nice little bow before the end! Also while getting ready to post this the song girlfriend started playing and I started laughing because of the serendipity of it all. Again big thanks to themagnificentsquid who without her none of this would have happened.
Disclaimer: I realized I hadn't made one of these yet, I will probably go back and add one into Chapter 1, but I claim none of these characters except the ones I made up. The rest belong to James Duff and I am just taking them out to play a little and I will put them back when I am done.
Matt Jones was pacing the length of the interview room, hands scrubbing through his short brown hair. He'd arrived in cuffs and was transferred into LAPD custody around 9 in the morning. Sharon thought it might be a good idea to let him stew and think about the fact that he was in custody.
Sharon watched the monitor, waiting for Tao to come back with all the paperwork they needed for the interview. The Amtrak records showing his coming and going from San Diego to LA. The blood that didn't match Michelle and the DNA from under her fingernails that had better odds than some of the ponies Jack gambled on that it belonged to the suspect in their interview room. She'd go in the room with Andy. She'd play to his sense of shame and guilt. Somewhere in his twisted head Matt Jones was convinced that he loved Michelle and Sharon would pull that out. Then Andy would strong arm him into explaining himself. Defending his actions to another perceived alpha male. It was a combination they'd perfected in three years of working together. They were good together.
Tao came in with the paperwork in hand. "Here is the DNA and Amtrak records, as well as emails I pulled from Michelle's computer. I highlighted some interesting passages."
"Thank you Mike." Sharon looked over the documents; taking more time on the emails.
One string of messages in particular stood out to her.
"Hey." -Matt
"Aren't you even going to acknowledge me."- Matt
"I asked you for space." -Michelle
"We haven't talked in weeks." -Matt
"That doesn't mean that I wanted to talk to you now." -Michelle
"I was just trying to be friendly. I know you don't feel the same way as I do but I thought maybe we could be friends." -Matt
"In no way have you been my friend. When I told you I didn't want to see you any more, four months ago, you continually pushed my boundaries, emailing, texting and im'ing me. I've been polite and told you to stop and not once have you respected me or my feelings. So STOP CONTACTING ME." -Michelle
"BITCH! I would have given you everything. I bared my soul and you just teased me. If you want me out of your life fine, I'm out." -Matt
"Bye." -Michelle
Filing the papers in order, separating the emails and Amtrak schedule from the DNA results, she went to leave the room. As she closed the door to the tech room she saw Andy pocketing his cell phone. "Ready, Lieutenant?"
"Yes ma'am." He nodded his head in confirmation.
Handing him papers, she explained, "Here are the DNA results, the blood near the door was his as well as the DNA under Michelle's fingernails."
"Let's go get the dirtbag." He stepped aside so Sharon could lead the way into the interview room.
XXX
"Here you go ma'am." Sykes let Sherri into the murder room. "Lt. Flynn's desk is over-"
Sherri didn't let her finish the sentence. "Yes I know, I've been here before."
Sykes smiled gamely, "Of course," and promptly went over to her desk. She was going to start paperwork, just so the others, who didn't have their Saturday's off, wouldn't have to work so hard. Sanchez was already working on similar reports.
Before she could sit she heard the voice of Andrea Hobbs and turned. "Where is Captain Raydor?"
"I believe she went into the interview room with Lt. Flynn."
"Great. I'll be in the tech room to watch."
XXX
"You really cared about Michelle didn't you?" Sharon asked softly.
Matt twisted his fingers in front of him. He looked at Sharon, pained. "I loved her. I would have given her anything."
"Is that why you followed her to LA, to tell her that?" Her voice still soft and understanding.
"Yeah." He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. "I just wanted her to understand how deeply I felt for her. She wouldn't even talk to me."
"What happened when you got to the hotel?" Sharon asked.
He got agitated. "She wouldn't listen to me."
Andy interjected. "Is that when you kicked the door in? Got a nasty cut on your neck there, was that from trying to make Michelle listen to you?"
"It wasn't like that!" Matt yelled at Andy.
Andy stood up leaning forward, the majority of his weight braced on his knuckles. "It wasn't like that when you pushed her through a table? Exactly what didn't she understand when you threw her off the balcony?"
Matt pushed his chair back, mirroring Andy's posture. "I want my lawyer."
Sharon placed her hand on Andy's arm, getting him to back down, and to make Matt think she was still on his side. Andy looked down at her, his brown eyes dark with fury, he was good at using his real rage to get a perp to talk it just took a little to pull him back. His rage fugue cleared up and his expression softened, letting Sharon know that she could step in.
"Matt, I have to respect your request for a lawyer, but after that telling your side of the story is going to become much harder. Once you ring that bell it cannot be unrung."
He leaned back, pulling himself together, moving his chair so he could sit in it again. Once settled, he crossed his arms in defiance. "I. Want. My. Lawyer."
Sharon put her hands up in acquiescence. "Alright."
Once Sharon and Andy were out the door and he had closed the door, he apologized, saying, "Captain, I pushed too hard if I had backed off a little he wouldn't have lawyered up."Sharon placed her hand, in comfort, where his arms were crossed. "Andy, I've seen you push dirtbags a lot harder than you pushed him." She quirked her head in the direction of the interview room. "When he realized that we weren't going to be as sympathetic as wanted us to be he knew he needed a lawyer. At this point we have the confirmation he was at the hotel, that along with the physical evidence, and threatening emails. It will be enough to negotiate."
He still didn't look too happy. "Yeah but it would have been better to have a confession."
Before Sharon could reply, she heard Sherri call, "Andrew."
They both turned suddenly, Sharon removed her hand from his arm, like she was being burned.
Andy smiled slightly. "Sherri, hey, what are you doing here."
"I felt bad about you working on the weekend so I thought I'd see if you could take a lunch break."
"Uh." He looked to Sharon and then back at Sherri. "We're kind of in the middle of a case."
Sherri's eyes narrowed. "I know that, it's there just so many other people here do they really need you too. We were supposed to spend time together this weekend." She ended it with slight pout.
"Babe. I know but I'm kinda a lead on this case. Provenza and I were first on the scene and that means we have to see it through."
"Isn't that her job." Sherri turned toward Sharon, shooting her daggers. "I mean she is your boss isn't she but, all she seems to be doing is staying at the office, saying she's working on paperwork and making you do everything."
Sharon was about to say something in defense of herself, but didn't have to because Andy beat her to it.
"Paperwork is 95% of what we do around here. She needs to be here handling that so we can do our jobs and find evidence to catch the dirtbag. If she wasn't here coordinating with the District Attorney's office, filling out paperwork as we go, and tracking down paper leads, we would literally be here all day everyday. Nothing would get done. She more than does her job. Now I have to do mine." He walked past her toward his desk, not noticing how Sykes and Sanchez were not even pretending to work.
Sherri's mouth was open in shock as she followed him with her eyes. Once it was obvious that he was not going to look back her way she turned to look at Sharon, who was barely hiding a smug grin. When Sherri looked at her with continued disbelief Sharon raised her hands in mock surrender, with a don't look at me face.
At that Provenza came out of the tech room. "Everything alright out here?"
Snippily Sherri responded, "Fine. Everything's, fine."
Disbelievingly, Provenza turned to Sharon for confirmation.
She shook her head as if to say not now. "Everything is fine, Lieutenant."
Sherri huffed and turned to leave.
Provenza didn't give her another look. "Hobbs is in the tech room when you're ready to discuss how to proceed."
"Great I'll go get her and we'll be in my office."
XXX
It took a while to get a lawyer on a Sunday but once they sat down and Matt Jones realized that, no matter how much he felt his anger was righteous, he was well and truly screwed. From that point Hobbs convinced them that the fact that she was negotiating down from first to second degree murder was a gift. With the emails and Amtrak ticket she could easily argue in court that his attack was premeditated. His DNA and recently discovered past of harassment of other women, who he just wanted to be friends with, sealed the deal.
And there it is, don't forget to press that little review button and I will see you tomorrow!
