Sharon tucks her curled hair behind her ear, still holding her daughter's hand as they dim the lights in the ER for the patients to rest easier with exception to the nurses station in the middle of it all that seems to be glowing. She wasn't moving anywhere. Leaving her purse at the scene in the back of the squad car where she found her daughter, it contained everything including her cell phone.
Andy slips into the room, holding up her purse. He offers her a smile, "How is she?"
"They did a rape kit on her... There's bruising and tearing consistent with..." Her voice wavers as she looks to the young woman, "I already collected the shirt and what was under her nails and hair." She nods, "Hospital was nice enough to let me use some of their bags-"
"Shar-"
"Did you call Rusty? Kate is going to be getting hungry soon and-" A single tear escapes her eye.
"Sharon." Andy walks closer to her, pulling her to him tightly.
"Why her? I mean...What if he had-"
"But something in you told the driver to stop. Something in you knew that you needed to be at that scene." Flynn shakes his head slowly, stroking her hair gently, "I called Rusty. He said he went to get her hours ago. Said Liz Provenza called him and told him the baby wouldn't go down for her and that Louie told her he was the expert."
Sharon nods slowly, "She's home..."
"Kate's home. Rusty looked up on his phone what to buy her. She's doing formula until you get home." He kisses her temple, "Don't worry. They're fine."
"He has school tomorrow and-"
"I think we can let him stay home a day." Andy nods, letting her cry onto his shoulder, "I called Chad too. Left a message. I don't know what he plans to do with it."
She picks her head up, "You called my son?"
"It's his sister. She cares for him, maybe he'll do the same for her." He shrugs.
"Thank you." Sharon swallows, nodding as she turns back to face her daughter, "She's broken, Andy. She's broken and I don't know how to fix it."
He sighs, "Did you find anything else?"
"Nice skin samples from under her nails, dirt and fibers in her hair, the shirt is in the bag." She sighs, "Some of her wounds look self inflicted though. She'll need impressions of those...Whether that be before or after she stabbed that man, I don't know."
"We don't know if she stabbed him and even if she did, it looks like self-defense."
"You're right, we don't know." Sharon says quietly, "Anything from the scene?"
"The man had identification on him, there was twenty dollars in his wallet. Looks like the kill was a cut to the jugular, the others were after the fact, but Morales is going to have to tell you more about that. Turns out I'm not a pathologist." Andy keeps a hand on her shoulder as she returns to her seat, "Looks like, no matter what happened, she fought her ass off."
Raydor smiles slightly, "There were defensive wounds." She nods.
"Scares the hell out of me, you know. How much she looks like you. That's what Kate will look like in a few years-"
"Twenty-four years."
"Kate will look just like that except with your eyes and...I'm still thinking about that moat."
Sharon smirks, "You hear that, Eve? He's building a moat to keep people away from seeing your sister." She laughs a little to herself.
"Nice to see you're able to laugh after my sister was attacked." A voice comes from the doorway, tall and broad chested. Chad Raydor walks closer to the opposite side of his sister's bed, folding his arms, "What happened?"
Flynn sighs, able to smell the alcohol on the young man. He sighs, "We don't know yet."
Chad glances to the other man, "Why are you even here?"
"Lieutenant Flynn is part of my team helping to work your sister's case. He's also your other sister's-"
"I don't have another sister." The young man hisses, causing silence in the room if only for a moment.
"Your other sister's father." Her voice heaves slightly as the tears return to her eyes, "I'm marrying him, Chad."
Chad shakes his head, bitterly laughing, "Of course you are."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Flynn looks to the young man.
"She cheats on my father with you, gets knocked up with you, and instead of taking care of it, flaunts a pregnancy around in front of my father when she's old enough to be the kid's grandmother. He became deeply depressed and blew the back of his head off. Because of that woman, my father is dead."
"That woman happens to be your mother-"
"Not anymore she isn't." Chad shakes his head.
Flynn reaches over the young woman, grabbing the other man by the front of his shirt and brings him close to his face, "You watch yourself. If you knew any damn thing, you'd know your father was running around on her for years and years. She was the only constant you had, kid. You smell like cheap cognac and you come in here hurling insults about things you know nothing about." He shakes his head, "Just like your father."
"You don't know my father." He snarls.
"He went to AA a few times. I saw him there. Maybe you should try it sometime." Flynn lets him go.
"I don't need AA." Chad shakes his head, "I need her to realize what family is and it isn't you or that boy or that baby."
Sharon sits on the side, letting the tears slide down her cheeks as she brings her daughter's hand up to rest against the side of her face. She looks into the young woman's face, "This needs to stop." She swallows, "Andy, give us a minute."
Chad smirks.
Andy shakes his head, "I don't feel comfortable leaving the two-"
"I'll be fine." Sharon nods slowly, "Just a minute."
"You hurt either one of them and as God as my witness, I will kill you right here." Andy glares at the other man, walking past him to sit on a seat just outside the door.
"I'm glad to see where your loyalties lie." Chad continues to smirk.
Sharon brushes her cheek with the back of her hand, "Wipe that look off your face." When he does she continues, "It was Flynn who asked you to come here, not me. I knew you would carry on like this. I know just how much you are like your father, even down to the same brand of booze."
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"It is. Andy thought you could be here for your sister, for your family. A family that includes Rusty and Kate, whether you like it or not." Sharon slowly stands, never letting go of her daughter's hand, "I didn't want you here."
"Of course not."
"I didn't want you here because I know how much your actions hurt Eve."
He looks down at his sister, shaking his head slowly.
"Yes, Charles Junior, they do. She wants you to get help instead of turning out like your father. She wants you to realize that Rusty and Kate aren't so bad. In fact, they're actually kind of great. She wants you to not feel like everyone is out to get you. She wants you-"
"Stop blaming mom." A voice whispers from between them.
"Eve." Sharon leans down, kissing her hair.
"She didn't pull the trigger." Eve continues, clearing her throat with a flinch, "He did."
"Because of-" Chad tries, swallowing.
"Kate is beautiful. She's happy and she doesn't care about anything else but being loved, little brother. If you opened your heart and got help, you'd love her too."
"Help? I don't have a problem to get help for."
"Yes, you do. You know you do. Until you do so, you're not going anywhere near our sister."
"I don't want-"
"Yes, you do." Eve nods slowly, "For me."
Sharon looks away from her children, a tear sliding down her cheek once more.
"Please, Chad? Just...AA? Andy can help you. He's great."
"That guy is an ass."
"No, he's got his problem under control. Been sober for a long time, Chady. You can do it too. I know you can."
Chad has always been virtually powerless over his sister, she had always meant the world to him. Especially now, in bed, in pain. He nods slowly, "AA...if I need more help, I'll get it." His voice quiet, defeated.
Sharon smiles ever so slightly, moving over to her son and hugging him tightly even though he towers over her, "I don't want to see you die." She whispers in his ear, "I love you."
"I'm not comfortable with...those kids and that man..." He slowly but surely begins to sober up. Chad lets his arm wrap around his mother. It has been months since he has shown any sort of affection toward his mother, possibly over a year.
She nods, kissing his cheek before returning to her daughter's side, "How do you feel?"
"Have they been giving me pain meds?" Eve attempts to look up at her intravenous line.
"Some...just to keep you comfortable and nothing more."
"Okay..."
"Sweetheart, Someone from my department needs to ask you some questions-"
"You can't do it?"
Shaon sighs, "I can, but I'm afraid I will be partial or get too emotional during it...I can't risk it being omitted."
"What about Andy?"
"That's who I was thinking of." She nods, "I have a recorder in my purse..." Sharon glances to her clutch that she transferred her essentials to, "In my other purse, but I can use my phone and have Lieutenant Tao or Buzz transfer the file. It's not a problem."
"Where is Andy now?"
Sharon motions to the pacing figure just outside the door.
Eve smiles a little, "Okay." The dark hues of her bruises lit brilliantly by the dim contrast of the room, "I can try, but...I don't know how much I actually...I don't know."
"If you aren't ready, Evey, it's fine. It's just the sooner the better...the more you remember."
The young woman nods again, "I understand. I want to at least try."
Sharon nods, glancing over to her son, resting in a chair next to the bed. She slowly realizes this is what they needed. As bad as that sounds, it's true. The only way to ever get through to her son was through her daughter when they were growing up. "One minute." She nods to her daughter, walking to the door, "Andy."
Flynn glances up, "Everything alright?"
Sharon nods slowly, "Eve wanted to give her statement."
"Yeah?"
"I don't want to...I can't. You can use my phone, but I can't ask her those questions..." She says softly, looking to him, "Can you?"
Andy nods quickly, "Of course. Do you want to be in the room?" He moves closer to her, wrapping his arms around her.
"I um..." Sharon shakes her head quickly, "I can't...I can't, Andy."
"It's okay." He kisses her hair, "What about Chad?"
"He's agreed to go to AA. You'll help him?"
"As much as he'll let me."
"Thank you." Her piercing green eyes filled with tears, "He's asleep...passed out, I think."
Andy sighs, "Sit out here. I'll only be a few minutes."
She hands him her phone, "You know how to use it."
He nods, helping her into the chair, "If you need me." He kisses her softly before going back into the room, "Eve."
The young woman looks up at him, "Lieutenant...Lets do this quickly...these meds are starting to ware off."
Andy nods, sitting on the bed next to the woman, "Can you tell me the date?" He nods when she rattles it off, "Your name?"
"Eve Claire Antonia Raydor."
"You have two middle names?" He smirks.
"My Confirmation name." She nods, "Mom laughs when I use it. It's all very Catholic."
"I see. Okay. What do you do for a living, Ms. Raydor?"
"I teach Kindergarten as Douglas Elementary."
Andy folds his arms, "You're doing great, Eve. Can you tell me how tonight started?"
Eve nods slowly, "I got off work and...I was supposed to have dinner with this guy...with my boyfriend..." She adjusts herself in the bed, "I only had about an hour to get ready and be there, but...I think I did alright."
"You got to the restaurant?"
She shakes her head slowly, "To his apartment."
"Can you tell me the address? His name?"
"Michael DiAngelo. Handsome as hell. Was one of those odd black hair, blue eyes combo..." She sighs, "I don't remember the exact address, The numbers, I mean. It was on Maple Street. Not Avenue...I went to avenue once by mistake and was nearly shot."
Andy smirks, "Okay. What happened at the apartment?"
Eve sighs, staring at the ceiling, "I let myself in. He gave me a key for emergencies...ya know...just in case. So, I go in and I see...fucking drugs just...just everywhere. I knew he smoked marijuana once in awhile, but who doesn't. I didn't really care about that, but I saw cocaine and meth...maybe heroine. I'm not sure. I didn't want any part of it."
"Okay."
"He was...in a suit, I think. It's... a little..." She nods slowly, "He yelled at me for coming in. I didn't...I didn't want to be there anymore, didn't want to be with him. I started to run and...he followed me...ran after me." Eve swallows, "I noticed and I changed where I was running. My car was parked just outside the ally, I thought it would be the best idea considering, but he caught up with me."
"How long were the two of you together?"
"Six or seven months...Seven because he knew dad from some...one of the bars Dad frequented. Bahama Mamas?" She shakes her head, "I don't remember the name of it. Mom would know. The one on Thursdays."
Andy nods again, "He caught up with you and then what?"
"He had crazy eyes. Something wasn't right. He tackled me and..." She swallows, shaking her head, "He tackled me and..."
"It's okay. What were you wearing?"
"Skinny jeans and...a t-shirt..." Eve shakes her head, glancing up at the man, "What happened to them?"
"I ask the questions. You can ask yours after."
"Okay."
"Did he say anything to you?"
Eve swallows, looking away from him in an attempt to think of anything, "He...I think he had a knife...He was swinging it at me."
Andy nods, "Let the recording note that Eve Raydor, does in fact have large gashes to her abdomen and chest. Bruises also cover her face. I apologize, please continue."
"That's all I remember...that's all..."
"You you participate in consensual relations at all tonight?
Eve shakes her head, "We've both been too busy...I haven't had anything in..." She pauses, looking to him, "Why are you asking me this?"
Andy sighs, "During your pelvic examination, a rape kit was performed. It showed strong inclinations that you were probably raped or participated in rough intercourse."
"It's been months." Eve whispers, shaking her head, "He raped me?"
"Looks that way." He gently takes a hold of her hand, "I'm sorry."
She shakes her head still, "It's okay...at least I don't remember, right?" She offers a sad smile, always wanting to cheer everyone else up, "I um...I don't remember anything else, Lieutenant, I'm sorry."
"It's okay. We're going to handle this." He picks up his phone, turning off the recording. "Want me to get your mother?"
Eve raises a shaking hand to her head to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, "Yeah, please...and see if the nurses can give me something for the pain."
"Yeah." He stands, touching the screen of the phone, "I'll get justice for you."
"Is uh...Is Mike okay?"
Andy shakes his head, then realize she wasn't told anything, "No, Eve...Eve, he was dead when we found him. You were holding the murder weapon."
"I don't...I don't remember that...at all." She shakes her head quickly, her hand shaking as she gently places it over her chest, "I killed him?"
"I have to be honest with you, It really does look that way. However, when they found you-"
"Who found me?" Eve swallows.
"You were leaning against a wall, bloody as hell...You were in public, people called it in."
Her chin begins to tremble and her cheeks tighten, "I don't remember...I don't remember any of that...I don't remember the cops...I don't remember the...I don't remember being brought here."
He sighs, gently taking her trembling hand as it rests on the bed, "We called for an ambulance. Your mother rode with you."
"I'm sorry...I'm..." Eve shakes her head again, "Could you ask my...I need...I need my mom..."
"Don't worry. We're going to handle this, okay?" Andy pats her hand, moving to the front door again. He waits for it to close, glancing to Sharon, "She cries like you."
"She's crying?"
"Give her a minute before going in there." He nods, "I...I told her how Provenza said she was when they got there. She doesn't remember any of it." He sighs, "I got what I could..."
Sharon nods, glancing through the glass as she stands, looking to her daughter, "Maybe it's better if she doesn't remember."
Andy nods, waiting a moment before wrapping his arms around her, "You okay?"
"I need to be in there. She needs me."
"I know." He nods, picking her head up and kissing her lips softly, "I love you. We'll help her through this together."
Sharon swallows, nodding quickly as she moves away from him and returns to her daughter.
Andy sighs, running a hand through his hair before leaving to take the phone to his technologically savvy co-workers.
