Boulevard of Broken Dreams

author: BambiBlake007

summary: Danny and Flack interrogate a new suspect. Abby makes plans to come to New York City.

disclaimer: i do not own CSI:NY, CSI:Miami, or the characters within. i do, however, own Abby Walker.

author's note: i apologize for this chapter taking so long. i wasn't plzd with the interrogation & was planning to re-work it, then publish it. i got distracted over the weekend & didn't get a chance to work on it. then, we had a death in the family so i am lucky i even got the chapter up anyway. thank ya'll for being patient & not griping at me for being so slow :) i promise the story will be complete soon. very soon. i've only 1 more chapter to go.

author's note pt2: as always, plz R/R. feedback is love!! and all mistakes are mine. i take total responsibility for em.


Chapter 11

Frank Tripp moved about the small Emergency Room, nervously.

Abby was seated on a small bed. Next to her was Ryan Wolfe, on a rolling stool, holding her hand. Frank was pacing at the door. He hated Emergency Rooms. They brought back some real bad memories for the Detective.

"Alright. Tell me again what happened, Abby."

Abby sighed. "Brady showed up at my apartment."

"Did you see what he was driving?"

Abby shook her head. "No."

"Do you have any idea where he was staying?" Frank continued.

"No. I don't know. He said he wanted to stay with me."

"He had to have said something, Abby."

Abby bit her bottom lip. She stared at Frank. Almost challenging him. He stared back, calling her bluff.

"Do you think I'm lying?"

Frank said nothing.

"Cos I'm not lying."

"I never said that, Abby. I just meant--"

"You know I'd tell you if I saw what he was driving, don't you? I'd give you the description so you could run an APB. I'm not protecting him, if that's what ya think." Abby felt her anger rising by the second.

"I never said you were protecting him. I just meant--"

"Well, I don't know anything else." Abby whispered.

Frank sighed. "Then, I have no way of tracking him down."

"Can't you check around...?" Wolfe asked.

"Like, where?"

"I don't know. Bars or Soup Kitchens."

Frank gave Wolfe an annoyed look. "I have nothing to go on, here. Abby saw nothing. She probably couldn't give a precise description either."

Abby shook her head. "He looked the same. A lil older. But for the most part, the same. I can speak with a sketch artist if you'd like."

"That can be arranged." Frank gave Abby a side ways smile. "You know I have to treat you like every other person in an investigation. I know how Brady makes you feel, I just thought you might be protecting him cos of ya'lls history. Victims do that sometimes."

Abby nodded.

"Well, she's not like other victims," Wolfe reminded him, squeezing Abby's hand as he spoke.

"Also, I'll do what Wolfe suggested. I'll have some uniforms check around the local area for him. He might be at some of his old haunts."

"I appreciate it, Frank."

Before Frank could answer, the door opened and a nurse walked in.

"Miss Walker. You're free to go. All I need is for you to sign these release forms."

Abby took the forms and began signing her name, relieved that this nightmare was almost over.

...

Graham Denton set at the small table, Detective Flack and Danny across from him.

He looked like your typical drug-dealer. He was a young man, probably no more than 25 years old, but his appearance was horribly unkempt. He was greasy, wild-eyed, and fidgety. He kept scanning the room, eying the door and the double sided mirror. He kept moving about in his seat, a nervous twitch. His blue eyes were clouded over from dope and very wild. They never actually looked you in the eye, when he looked at you.

"Graham, you have quite the rap-sheet," Flack smiled at him.

Graham pushed his hand through his greasy sandy colored hair. A curl had fallen over into his eyes.

"You wanna tell me a little about your priors, Graham?" Flack continued, never missing a beat.

Graham glanced over at Danny, his eyes not quite following his head as he did so. Danny offered him nothing. He only watched him, determined to nail his ass. Graham turned back to Flack. He offered him nothing, as well, but it looked as if he was the one to talk to.

"I was framed for most of those," he answered.

Flack grinned, turning to Danny. "Ya heard that one before, Dan?"

"It's classic," Danny answered.

"Tell me about the coke charge, Graham. You got framed on that one?"

Graham nodded. "It was my roommate."

"And you just happened to be there when the cops arrived--what? Baking brownies?" Flack asked, glancing at Danny with a snicker.

"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, I guess. I didn't sell an ounce of that shit. I was on parole."

Flack set back. "Oh, that's right. You did a stint up in Rikers What for?"

"You seem to know everything about me, Detective. Why don't you tell me?"

Flack tilted his head. "Attempted rape, I believe."

Graham licked his lips. "She lied."

"Oh, she did? Well, the police report said she had been beaten pretty bad. The rape wouldn't have been nothin' compared to her broken ribs and busted up face. She looked like something out of a zombie movie, Denton. Why did ya do that to her?" Flack asked.

"I didn't touch her. She was a whore and she probably got into a scuffle with a John."

"Oh, a John did that shit to her? Hm? A John fucked her up and you had nothing to do with it, yet you went to Rikers for it. Why? If I didn't touch a woman, I wouldn't go to prison for it."

Graham set back with a sigh. "What do you want from me, Detective?"

Flack's blue eyes lit up. "What do I want?"

Graham nodded.

"I want you to rot in hell for what you did to Chloe Philips. That's what I want."

Graham's eyes fell. "Who?"

"The girl you left dead on the sidewalk, up above the Hudson. Did you forget?" Danny asked, calmer than Flack had expected.

"I don't know anything about that. I--"

"Save it, Denton!" Danny cut him off. He raised his finger at him as if that emphasized his point. "Erin flipped on you."

Graham's face softened for a moment. "Erin?"

Flack and Danny nodded.

"She told me--"

"What?" Danny asked. "What did Erin tell ya?"

"I'm not answerin' yo questions. I don't know no Erin." Graham shook his head, folding his arms across his chest as he spoke.

"We believe you do. You might as well tell us now what happened up there on that bridge, we already have Erin's statement," Flack answered.

"I don't believe that."

Flack pulled out a recorder. He pushed the play button:

Erin: "I met Graham through my step-monster. He was her coke dealer. She's had the habit since she was a teenager. I dunno what my Daddy sees in her at all--once a Coke whore, always a Coke whore, I say."

Flack: "We don't need to hear about your step mother's habits. We're more interested in your friend, Miss Fowler.

Erin: (a light laugh) "Oh. Well, I met Graham at a party my step-monster was hosting. It was for all her lil coke friends. Daddy was out on a business trip--again--and I was home. I went down-stairs and everyone was stoned out of their minds. Step-monster was in the corner with some guy and Graham was supplying the demand from the kitchen. He was nasty! (a laugh) But I figured he could be a necessity if I befriended him."

Flack: "What do you mean?"

Erin: "I have to make friends, Detective. I have to have something they want. A lot of the high-end celebrities enjoy their blow. I knew that he would come in handy at some point in time."

Danny: "So, you befriended a Coke Dealer in order to score points and not be a wanna be?"

Erin: "Exactly. I needed an in. Graham was my in."

Flack: "You used him?"

Erin: "We use everybody, Detective. That's the way the world goes 'round."

Flack: "Please, continue with your story, Miss Fowler."

Erin: "I wanted to be friends with Chloe Philips. I kept Graham on the fringes, ya know, just in case, I needed him for some reason. I wasn't sure if Alice was into blow when we first met, and turns out, she wasn't. I got into her circle, learned everything about her. She liked me. I fell in love with her. I didn't mean to fall in love with her, but I did. Bucky got jealous. Typical boyfriend."

Danny: "What happened to Graham, while you were playing house?"

Erin: "I tried to get rid of him. I just wanted him to go away. But he wanted to get his supply out there, ya know? Make a sale, like I'd promised him when I first met Alice and her friends."

Flack: "But he wouldn't listen?"

Erin: "No." (pause) "Turns out the bastard was in love with me."

Danny: "Really?"

Erin: "Yeah. He thought because my step-monster was easy, that meant I was, too. I told him I was in love with Alice--I tried to get him to leave Alice and me alone, but he said he wasn't going to let her take me from him."

Flack: "What about Bucky?"

Erin: "Bucky liked out arrangement just fine. I mean, he got to have sex with both of us. Every boy's fantasy, right? And I didn't mind sharing myself with them both, or Alice with him. He made her happy and if the media finds out you're bi or lesbian, they blow it way out of proportion. It was better to keep a man around."

Flack: "Thought he was jealous?"

Erin: "He was, at first."

Danny: "He didn't try to keep you from Alice?"

Erin: "What do you mean?"

Danny: "I mean, you didn't have Alice all to yourself, did you?"

Erin: "I did."

Flack: "No. No, you didn't. You found out that Bucky had asked her to marry him, didn't you?"

Erin: (silence for a few minutes) "She loved me! Bucky was just for show!"

Danny: "No! I think you found out about the engagement and wanted to put a stop to it. If you couldn't have her, well, be damned if Bucky got her."

Erin: "I don't wanna talk about Bucky."

Flack: "Alright. If you don't wanna talk about Bucky--Tell us what happened up there on the bridge. Tell us about you and Graham."

Erin: (a loud sigh) "Alright. Graham was there, too. He followed us and waited. Bucky and I took some X. He passed out pretty quick in the evening. But Graham was only supposed to rough her up a bit. Ya know? Teach her a lesson."

Flack: "Things got out of hand?"

Erin: "Yeah. He raped her. I was afraid to stop him. He's pretty mean when he wants to be. Anyway, he beat her, too. I watched him do it... And I wanted to help her--honest, I did. But he--he would have killed me if I'd said anything to him."

Danny: "You watched a monster kill the woman you love? How could you?"

Erin: (crying) "I don't know! I just wanted her to leave Bucky! See that I was the only one who could ever love her!"

Flack: "No wonder she was going to leave you. You're heartless."

Erin: (still crying) "No! I paid Graham a thousand dollars to leave us alone. But, then, I found out about her leaving me for Bucky. I paid him another thousand to teach her a lesson. I never meant for him to kill her. I never meant for him to--"

Flack turned the recorder off. He set back and stared at the man across from him. He had not spoken since Flack had started the tape.

"What have ya got to say now?" Danny asked.

"Was that really Erin?"

Danny and Flack nodded.

Graham sighed, heavily. "She's right. I wasn't supposed to kill her."

"But?"

"But she was the one standing in the way of me being with Erin. I love her. Haven't you ever loved someone?"

Flack glanced at Danny.

"Not enough to kill someone else," Danny answered somberly.

"She used me."

Flack stood up. "You're under arrest, Graham Denton. For the murder of Alice Langston."

As Danny watched Flack lead the perp over to the uniform who had been waiting next to the door, he took his glasses off and sighed, letting the relief flood through his body like a raging river. For the first time, in a very long time, he finally felt free.

"You alright, Danny?" Flack's voice cut into his thoughts.

Danny smiled up at him. "I'm good. I have a mom to call."

Danny stood up, reaching in his pocket for his cell phone. Flack started to exit the room, but stopped and turned to Danny.

"You wanna go out for drinks later?"

"Yeah." Danny started to dial Ms. Langston's number, but stopped. "We gotta take Adam with us."

Flack cocked an eye brow up in confusion.

Danny grinned. "I promised him."

Flack nodded. "Sure thing. Just let me handle this, OK?"

Danny nodded in agreement, then turned back to dialing Ms. Langston's number. He couldn't wait to tell her that he'd just picked up her daughter's murderer. This was going to be a good phone call. Things were going to be good from now on, Danny could feel it. Something good was about to happen to him. Little did he know just how true his feeling was going to turn out to be.

...

Mac Taylor answered the phone on the third ring.

He pushed the receiver up to his ear. "Taylor."

"Detective Taylor? This is Abby Walker from Miami-Dade," came a soft southern drawl from the other end of the telephone.

Mac smiled. "Oh, yes. I've been meaning to call you."

"I know."

"Did you get my message?" Mac asked, reaching for the file that Horatio had sent to him about Abby Walker.

"Yes."

"I think you'd be an asset to our team, Ms. Walker. I hope you consider coming up here."

"That's what I wanted to speak with you about."

"Oh?" Mac felt an uneasy feeling creep into the pit of his stomach. He hoped she wasn't turning him down on his offer. "Please. Continue."

Abby was silent for a moment. Mac waited.

"I wanted to ask you if it would be possible if I could move my arrival date to next week."

Mac was silent for a moment. He moved his chair around so that his back was to the main lobby. "Any particular reason?" He couldn't help, but smile.

"It's personal."

"You can tell me, if you like."

"I don't want to burden you, Detective Taylor."

"Mac. Please."

Abby paused. "I don't want to burden you, Sir."

Mac smiled at her persistence. "I understand. But I will be your boss soon. And... I need to know that you trust me completely."

Abby sighed. "Horatio knows."

"Well, shouldn't I?" Mac chuckled.

Abby bit her bottom lip. She wanted to be able to trust Mac Taylor like she did Horatio Caine, but she didn't want to breath a word of her situation out loud, because that would make it real. She decided to take a risk and tell him the truth.

"Ms. Walker?"

"Abby. Please."

"Are you OK, Abby?" Mac took full advantage of calling her by her first name.

Abby smiled when she heard him speak her name. It was nice to feel at ease with him like she felt with Horatio. He was worthy of knowing her secret.

"I was attacked in my apartment."

"That's awful. Are you OK?" Mac asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes, Sir. I'm ok. Just a lil shaken up."

"I can only imagine," Mac answered. "Who did it?"

"An ex boyfriend of mine," Abby answered, slowly. "His name is Brady Hooper. He spent some time in Prison for drug trafficking."

"You had a boyfriend who was a drug trafficker?" Mac had a sudden flash come across his mind's eye of Danny and how he had been involved with the Tanglewood Boys. He wondered, at times, if he had made a mistake in hiring Danny Messer to be on the force and he didn't want to second guess himself about Abby Walker before she came to New York.

"Sir?" Came Abby's voice.

"I'm still here."

"Anyway. Horatio is worried about my safety. He wants me to stay at a Hotel, but I can't do that. It's not right to let him dictate my life, ya know?"

"I understand."

"I wouldn't mind coming to New York a few days earlier than planned, though. You know, so I could get my barrings? I could see what I'm getting into it. Would that be OK?" her voice sounded hopeful, but tinged with uncertainty.

Mac turned back to the file. He opened it and was greeted by a picture of a pretty girl, smiling back at him. She was what he needed in his department--A Criminal Profiler--she had even been at Quantico and she was good at what she did. He didn't want her past to cloud his judgement. Yet, he had done that with Danny and he had proven to be a liability more times than he'd like to remember.

Mac closed the file. "I think it'd be ok. When can you fly in?"

Abby almost squealed, but stopped herself from doing it. "Monday morning?"

Mac saw Danny coming toward his office. He didn't want to tell the CSI about Abby coming. Danny needed to focus.

"Mac?" Abby breathed.

Mac smiled, more to himself, when he heard her say his name. "Monday will be fine."

"Thank you. Thank you, Sir."

Mac kept smiling. He couldn't help it. "Is there anything else?"

"No, Sir. Nothing else. Thank you again."

"You're welcome." Mac spotted Danny at the door of his office. "Accommodations will be available for you as planned. Alright?"

"Ok." Abby held the phone for a moment longer.

"Anything else?" Came Mac's voice.

Would you tell Danny hi for me? Instead, she said: "Nothing else."

"Have a wonderful day, then."

"You, too. Bye, Mac."

"Bye now."

Mac hung the phone up just as Danny reach over and knocked on the door. He motioned for the younger man to enter as he closed Abby's file. He pushed his elbows over the file and smiled at Danny as if nothing was going on out of the ordinary.

Danny stopped with a smile. "You OK, Mac?"

Mac bit his bottom lip for a moment. "Peachy."

Danny frowned. "Peachy?"

Mac nodded.

Danny tilted his head to the side. "If you want me to leave--"

"No. You have something on your mind?"

Danny stepped forward and set down across from him. "I closed the Chloe Philips case."

"I heard."

"Yeah. It's been a hell of a week, though. I just keep feeling like I should have done more. Ya know?"

Mac nodded. "Sometimes all you can do is bring the perp to justice, Danny. You can't save them all."

Danny nodded. "I know. I just wish..."

"She died, Danny. And that's sad. But we have the ability to bring killers to justice. And when your perp goes to trial, the evidence will speak for itself. Alright? You did your best. Now, it's up to a jury," Mac answered.

Danny stood up with a nod. "Thanks, Mac."

"No problem, Danny. You headed out?"

Danny nodded. "Me and Flack are taking Adam out for a drink."

Mac smiled. "Adam's a cool guy."

"I know." Danny pushed the door open. He turned to Mac. "Wanna join?"

Mac shook his head. "I would. But I got a file to look over." He held up Abby's file.

Danny nodded. "See ya later, then, Mac."

"Later, Danny."

After Danny left his office, Mac opened the folder and read over the background information that Horatio had sent to him about Abby Walker. Sure, she had a past--didn't they all? And if Horatio Caine thought she was worth keeping around at Miami-Dade, then, who was he to judge her? He glanced up for a moment from his paperwork and saw Danny, Flack, and Adam headed across the main lobby--laughing amongst themselves. He pushed himself back in his chair, with a smile.

He had been told by several people that he was making a mistake in hiring Danny Messer all those years ago, but he had trusted his gut. Danny was great at all aspects of the job--the detective side, the CSI side, and the science parts that went along with both--but he was a loose cannon at times. He could let his temper cloud his judgement and that had always made Mac a bit uneasy when it came to Danny. He just hoped he didn't have to worry about the same things he had worried about from time to time with Danny, when it came to Abby. He didn't want to feel like he had made a mistake with her, like he had found himself feeling toward Danny when he had been investigated by IAB for mistakenly shooting a fellow police officer in the subway.

Mac decided, after reading over her background information, that Horatio knew who was the best. And he trusted Horatio's judgement like he trusted his own. And if Leutinent Caine of Miami-Dade said Abby Walker was the best, well, then, that meant that she was definitely the best woman for the job! Mistake or not, she was already planning to arrive in New York City on Monday morning. There was no turning back now...