Men will be men ... yes of course we know this, but oddly enough, sometimes women will listen to men ... this time, see who they drag into the mess.

CHAPTER THREE: Time and Place

"Seeing" Things

After several hours of searching the national criminal data base and delving into the personal lives of Alex's two E-Pals, Bobby is still not satisfied.

"I can't find anything on either one of these women, Detective. As far as I can tell … neither one of them has any traffic violations and I can't find anything about spitting on the sidewalk."

"I can't find anything either, Ira. They are very clever. They have somehow managed to infiltrate the NYPD computer systems. They know that we are looking into to their past and they have made up a history on these two women. Damn, they're good … they're very good."

Just as he's scratching his head, Meghan stops by his desk.

"Hey, what are you two working on?"

He shoots Ira a look and shakes his head. He sits back in his chair trying to look nonchalant and begins shaking his foot like he doesn't have a care in the world.

"Oh nothing … just hangin."

"Just hangin?"

"Yup."

"So, what are you going to do without Alex this week-end? I hear she's meeting her romance novel friends in Upstate New York."

"You know about that?"

"Yeah, she called and told me to keep an eye on you … apparently, an old flame of yours is back in the city."

He chuckles.

"Do you belong to this E-book club, Meggie?"

"Are you kidding me? I can't believe she does … The Almighty Sword … please."

She winks at Bobby, meows, then leaves. He turns ten shades of red.

Ira asks, "Detective, what's The Almighty Sword?"

"Its ah … ah a.. ah … swashbuckling novel that ah … Detective Eames read for this book club thing."

"Oh, okay. So, what's next, Detective Goren."

"We set up a trap and we use Detective Eames as bait. Ah … we just don't tell her."

"We don't tell her?"

"No … we don't. This is why they don't encourage you to date your partner. Don't ever date your partner, Ira. It's too late for me, but learn from this situation."

"I think I already have."

Goren presents the evidence … or lack there of … to Ross. Ross calls the computer forensics lab and asks if that is at all possible. They tell him that it is possible but not probable. That's all he needed to hear … he was on board with Goren. As long as it was at all possible … he was going to set up a sting operation … Goren was in charge.

Bobby goes home to gather the information needed … that was the easy part.

"Honey, I'm home."

"In here packing."

He trots into the bedroom to find her already packed and ready to go.

"Hey, I thought you said this week-end?"

"Change of plans. We all have today off, so we thought we'd get an early start."

"Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?"

"No, I was packing slowly."

She approaches him seductively. He takes this as a way of getting information … any other day, his sword would have been taking over, not his detective brain.

She begins to caress his big broad chest. She looks up into his chocolate brown eyes with her seductive light brown eyes. He bends to kiss her. She deepens the kiss. He pulls away slightly and lifts her up and lays her down on the bed. He begins at her neck and works up to her ear … he grabs his cell phone and presses speed dial … number three for Ira.

In her ear, he whispers. "Baby … I'm gonna miss you so much … tell me where your staying so I can at least fantasize about you and I in that big motel room bed."

Ira - with pen in hand poised to write. I so don't get paid enough for this.

"The Bonnie View Resort … ooh yeah right there. They have a private beach."

"I hate the beach."

"Just fantasize about the hot tub in the roooom … oh my God Bobby!"

Okay, that's it … hanging up now … TMI!

Ira heads off into the direction of Captain Ross's office when he runs into Detective Wheeler again.

"Come on Ira … you can tell me. You and Goren are working on something big … right?"

"No, ma'am … I mean Detective Wheeler. I'm just … ah … hangin."

"Hangin huh? … There seems to be a lot of that going around."

He makes his way to Captain Ross's office with the location of the meet. Wheeler is watching the interaction discreetly. Hmm, what the hell is going on? … she wonders. Goren, Ira and Captain Ross … Three minus one … one being Alex … hmm?

"Ira, how did you and Goren get the meeting place? Did he just come right out and ask her?"

"You could say that he came right out and asked her."

"Ira?"

"Please, I'd rather not talk about it."

Wheeler decides she needs to know what's going on … she had an idea, knowing Bobby. She interupts Ira and Ross.

"Captain, Ira … may I ask … what the hell is going on around here?"

"Nothing at all Detective … slow day. I was just asking Ira here, if he could help my son with his computer science homework some night this week."

"Homework? Your son, the straight A student?"

"No … the other one."

She was at a loss … they were both straight A students. Defeated in her quest … she retreats to the break room to think things through.

"Captain … Ira asks … why aren't we including Detective Wheeler?"

"Because she'll go running off and tell Eames. Eames believes these women are actually women and not serial killers. You know Ira, I'm very disappointed in Eames. You would think being a Major Case detective, she would smell trouble a mile away. I just can't get over this."

"Maybe it's because she lives with a highly decorated profiler such as Detective Goren … she let her guard down."

Ross rolls his eyes at highly decorated.

"I don't know, maybe you're right. If you are, she's damn lucky he didn't decide to go off fishing with Logan or his mechanic friend Lewis."

Ira crosses his arms over his chest and stands tall and proud. "No way Sir … not Detective Goren … the only fishing he does is for bad guys and - he - smells - fish!"

"You really admire him, don't you Ira?"

"I do, Sir. You must admit … he's never wrong."

"Yeah … If I'm being honest with myself … I must admit that. I'll call the local LEO's Upstate. You find out what time they're suppose to meet."

Ira looks at his phone … "Okay, if I have to."

"Yes Ira … you have to. I need to know all the particulars before I make the call."

Just then, Ira's cell rings … it's Goren. Great … here we go again.

He flips his cell open and he can hear Alex's screams of ecstasy.

"Oh … yeah … God Bobby, you're sooo, so good at that. Yeah baby, right theREEEE!"

Oh Jesus.

"What time … Al … what time."

"Oooh … right nowwww!"

Okay, seriously … not getting paid enough.

"No baby, what time do you need to meet your friends? I don't want to make you late."

"Make me late, Bobby … MAKE - ME - LATE!"

I'm asking for a raise … Goren's obviously getting one … or is he getting, a rise?

After taking one for the team … Goren finally satisfies Alex and himself and heads back to 1 Police Plaza to put Operation E - Killers to bed … no pun intended.

Ross has already made several calls to the local law enforcement to help set up the sting. It was a small town so the local Captain was very excited. Goren asks him to have one of his officers register at the same hotel and he obliges with his one and only female officer. Operation E- Killers was beginning to take shape. Goren, Ross, Jeffries and Patricks were all getting their gear on … side arms … badges. Checking all their equipment, when Ross and Goren look over at a dejected Ira.

"Come on Ira … grab your ah … laptop. You're coming too."

And like a child at Christmas … or in his case Hanukah … with a huge smile on his face, Ira grabs his laptop and joins the Detectives for Upstate New York. Before they can make it to the elevator … Wheeler stops them.

"Hold on … I demand to know what's going on around here. I am sick and tired of the boys club! Give!"

They all keep looking from one to the other.

Wheeler approaches Goren.

"You - speak."

Bobby barks like a dog. The "boys" all start laughing.

He places his hands on her shoulders to gently move her out of the way and softly says … "Are we good now? … May we leave?"

She comes up on her tippy toes and whispers in his ear … "Alex tells me you go commando. Shouldn't be to difficult to knee you in the almighty sword there Goren!"

He steps back … "Okay … he flings his hands up in the air … she needs to know."

"What is it that I need to know?"

Captain Ross steps forward. "Meg … serial killers have targeted Detective Eames. She doesn't know it, but we are aware of it and we also have local law enforcement on it. We'll catch them before they get anywhere near her."

Wheeler looks shocked, bewildered. "Oh my God … those two women?"

Bobby pipes in. "We don't think they're women Meg. We think that this has been a well thought out elaborate scheme … we're not even sure how many police officers have fallen into this same trap."

"Damn it … I told her that romance novels were stupid. Count me in!"

The team is set and ready to go. As they head to the elevator, Bobby thanks Meg for coming.

"Hey, she's your girlfriend, but she's my friend."

"Yeah, I know, but thanks just the same. By the way, who's the old flame of mine that's in the city this week-end?"

"How can you think about that now?"

"I just need to calm my nerves … it will probably make me laugh … like she has anything to worry about."

"Lola."

"Ooh … Lola."

"Goren!"

"Lola has big huge man hands … that's why I broke up with her." He shutters at the thought.

"And that's a problem for a guy with an almighty sword in his pants?"

"How would you like a guys hand down your … ah … never mind."

They both laugh and load their weapons.

Next up ... "The sting"