Back at the office they are all once again gathered around the conference table. "Agent Spade," a young man walked up to Sam. "The tape you requested and the details on the caller." He handed her a tape and a printout before leaving. Sam put the tape into a small recorder and pressed play.
"911 what's your emergency?" came the operator's voice
"They killed her." A man said desperately "Oh God, they've killed her!"
"Sir, sir listen to me I need you to calm down and tell me exactly what happened and where you are." The operator tried to take control.
"They weren't paying attention to the road and they ran straight into us!" he sounded like a wounded child. "Why did they do that?"
"Sir? Do you know where you are?"
"On the expressway… they killed her, they killed my Louisa… Oh you stupid boy!" he was shouting at someone. Martin was watching Danny's face. He looked ready to be physically sick. He hands were shaking. He noticed Martin staring and folded his arms tightly as the tape went on.
"Sir" the operator said "Sir, stay put I'm tracing the call we'll have someone to you as quick as we can."
He wasn't listening. "Louisa… Please… not again… oh God, not again…" He was starting to cry.
In the background another male voice could be heard. "The cops is coming Mikey, I'm ghost… if you had any brains you'd get outta here too." There was a scuffle and the sounds of two or more people fighting before the phone went dead.
Sam turned off the tape recorder. "What's the time on that?" Vivian asked
"2am Monday morning, just 6 hours before Frankie Cortez was picked up." She read off of the reports.
"So what are we thinking here?" Martin asked. "Mikey goes out with his older brother and gets into trouble. He calls Parker to come pick him up… Parker sees what has happened and he remembers loosing his wife… has a break down?"
"It's certainly starting to look that way." Vivian said. "What about this Darnell Thompson?"
"The system is down." Danny shook his head with an aggravated sigh. "I'll go down and get the records. I need some air."
"Ok" Vivian nodded as Danny got up.
"Where are you going?" Jack asked Danny as he walked up to the conference table.
"I'm going to pick up some records." Danny said evenly.
"Huh OK." Jack said "You're just always leaving when ever I arrive" he looked at Danny
"I wonder if there isn't a reason behind that." Danny said and walked off. Martin and Vivian exchanged worried looks.
Danny hadn't been gone more than 10 minutes when Martin's cell phone rang. "Fitzgerald" he answered it. "What? Oh God, are you sure?" he waved to Vivian "Ok, I'll get her and we'll be down as quick as we can."
Vivian came over to Martin's desk. "What's up?"
"That was Conway down at Bellevue. They have a John Doe in the morgue that fits Parker's description." Martin said quietly.
"Terrific" she said disgustedly. It was not the outcome she wanted. "Have they made a positive id yet?"
"No, they want a family member." Martin said.
"Are you up to it?" Vivian asked.
"There's not much choice." Martin said grimly. "I'll go tell Miss Parker and drive her down there."
"Good luck" Vivian nodded and Martin hurried out. Vivian went to update Jack and check on the computer problems.
Danny came back into the office with Darnell Thompson's file. "Hey Sam where is everyone?"
"Uh Viv's gone to check on the computer problems and Martin is taking Miss Parker to Bellevue." She looked up from her computer screen.
"Who turned up?" Danny asked.
"A John Doe fitting Parker's description, they want the family to identify the body."
"Body…" Danny said his stomach threatening to revolt again.
"Uh… yeah…." Sam nodded looking at her monitor again.
Danny didn't say anything he just dropped the file on the table and headed out the door. He needed to get to Bellevue Hospital. He knew he'd beat Martin there. He had to see for himself if it was really Stephen Parker.
Martin parked in front of Amelia's building and drew a long deep breath. He wanted to be sick. He hated this part of the job but knew it had to be done. He took out his cell phone and dialed her number. It rang twice before she picked it up. "Miss Parker, this is Special Agent Fitzgerald. I'm sorry to call you so late." He looked at his watch it was really only 8:30.
"It's alright do you have some new information?" she was surprised to hear from him.
"Yes, but it would be better if we spoke in person. Are you free?" Martin didn't want to sound cryptic but he didn't want to tell her about the John Doe over the phone either.
"Well yes of course, when can you get here? Or would you rather I came to you?" Amelia's heart was pounding. She knew something had come up.
"I'm actually parked out front." He confessed. "If it's alright I'll come up." Martin was already locking his car.
"Yes… wow…" she was stunned "…that would be fine, I'll open the door."
"Ok, I'll see you in a few minutes." He hung up and took another breath before crossing the street. He rang the door bell and she buzzed him in.
Amelia was waiting with the door to her apartment open. "Hello, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Please come in…" her smile belying the fear in her heart.
"Thank you." Martin said quietly. She could see he had something to tell her. She closed the door and took a breath.
"Please sit down, would you like some coffee?" She asked automatically.
"No thank you." Martin said "I have some news." He said gently as she sat beside him on the couch. He couldn't help notice her hands tremble in her lap as she nervously played with her fingers. "There's no easy way to say this… we've been notified by Bellevue Hospital that a man fitting your father's description has been brought in to the morgue."
He stopped. Amelia looked at him, her dark eyes huge in her face as she blanched. "The morgue…" she whispered.
"I'm afraid so, but…" he blew out his breath, "we need you to identify him." He looked at her, she was shaking her head. "Please Miss Parker… I know this is difficult, but it's the only way…"
"How…" she was struggling to find her words. "How did he die?" she asked.
"The man was beaten…. But we don't know for certain that it is your father." He said gently. "Are you ready to go to the hospital? I will drive you."
Amelia was still trying to process what he was telling her, what he was asking her. All he could do was nod and pray that this was all a bad dream and she'd wake up soon.
"Ok come on." Martin stood and offered her his hand. When she put hers in it and stood up he could feel her shaking, again he had an overwhelming urge to protect her. At the same time he wondered what could have been so bad that made Danny run away from her all those years ago. "It will be alright." Martin tried to say reassuringly. Amelia nodded and picking up her handbag she let him lead her out of the apartment and down to his car.
Danny drove like a man possessed, honking his horn and yelling at everyone on the road. He made record time to Bellevue certain he'd violated almost every driving statute on the books. He parked and hurried into the quiet rear doors leading to the morgue and viewing suites. There was a very bored looking young woman at the reception desk. She perked up seeing Danny heading her way.
"I'm Special Agent Taylor FBI." He flashed his badge "Is Conway here, we got a call about a John Doe." He said to her.
"Sure. He's here." She said in a heavy Brooklyn accent, she leaned on the counter and smiled at him.
"Will you tell him I need to see him?" Danny smiled to hide his growing impatience.
"Ok" she shrugged "What should I tell him it's about?"
"The John Doe he contacted the FBI about!" Danny held up his badge again.
"Sure. Hang on." She picked up the phone. "Dr. Conway, yeah there's a guy from the FBI here to see you about Mr. Doe… No he's alone… uh hang on… he says you're supposed to be bringing someone."
"They're on their way I wanted to see the John Doe first to prepare the family member for viewing." Danny smiled at her.
"Oh… he wants a peak at the guy first… what? His name's Taylor…Ok…" she hung up. "He says it's ok and you know the way." She pointed to the double doors.
"I do." Danny said. He turned and went through the swinging doors. For the second time that day the mixture of institutional disinfectant and something he couldn't quite identify assaulted his nose and made him queasy. He walked down the corridor to the viewing suite. Dr Conway, one of the city's top medical examiners was waiting for him in the ante room. Dr Conway was in his late 50's and had a full head of salt and pepper hair. He was in his usual light blue scrubs leaning against the door leading into the actual viewing suite.
"Danny! How are you?" Dr Conway greeted him with a hand shake. "I thought this was a family ID?"
"It is." Danny smiled "But there's a chance I might know him. I was hoping see him first."
"Oh I'm sorry, to hear that." Conway shook his head. "He's ready," he pointed to the door leading into the viewing suite. "Are you?"
Danny ran his hands over his face and licked his lips. "I think so" he nodded. "How did he die?"
"Didn't you get that info?" Conway was surprised.
"No my partner did, he's briefing the family." Danny said softly
"Oh I see," Conway nodded. "It was blunt force trauma" Conway shrugged "most likely a fist and it appears that he was kicked and stomped on as well." All Danny could do, was shake his head. "Come on." Conway opened the door and led Danny into the viewing suite.
The viewing suite was a small room its cinderblock walls an institutional shade of blue grey. On the long table was the draped body. Conway walked to the opposite side of the table. "Ready?" he asked gently. Danny drew a breath and nodded. Conway slowly moved the drape down to reveal the man's bruised and battered face. Danny looked closely. It had been so long since he'd seen Parker. He pulled his phone out and looked at the picture before leaning down for a closer look.
"Does he have any scars or birthmarks?" Danny asked. He remembered that Parker had a scar on his right shoulder from a football injury.
"No neither." Conway said looking at his own notes.
"So no signs of any surgical procedures to his shoulders then…" Danny asked again to be clear. "Because Parker had his right rotator cuff repaired in college."
"No, so this isn't your guy." Conway said.
"I don't think so." Danny drew his first easy breath that day.
"I'm afraid I'm still going to have to get the family to say conclusively." Conway said sadly.
"Do you really have to put her through that?" Danny asked his chest tightening up again.
"I'm afraid so." Conway said.
"They should be here any time now." Danny looked at his watch. "I'm going to get some water…"
Conway nodded and covered John Doe back up. Danny hurried out of the viewing suite and out of the ante room. He heard Martin talking to the woman on the reception desk. He hustled into the Men's room. He stood at the sink and splashed cold water onto his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. "When did you become such a coward?" he asked his reflection. He knew he shouldn't let Amelia go through that alone but he couldn't bring himself to go back in there either. He dried himself off straightened his tie and his jacket and walked back to the reception area like a condemned man on his way to the death chamber.
He had to pass the viewing suite on his way out. He stopped and drew a breath. "Just do it!" he said to himself. His hands were shaking as he reached for the door. Pushing it open slowly he found that they were already inside and Conway had uncovered the man's face. Amelia was hugging herself and shaking her head, tears streaming down her face. He watched her wanting to go in and hug her, to hold her and swear he'd move Heaven and Earth to find her father, to turn back time, to right the wrong and make up for the pain he'd caused her.
He saw her pointing to her right shoulder and Conway nodded to Martin and said something as he slipped the drape to show the man did not have a scar on his shoulder. Danny caught Martin's eye. He could see Martin was not happy. Conway had obviously told him that Danny had already been in to see him. Martin nodded stiffly and then watched, disappointment clouding his eyes as Danny slipped quietly out.
Danny went to the reception area. The young woman behind the desk was having an inane conversation with someone on her cell phone. Her accent was wearing on Danny's already frayed nerves and he went to wait for Martin outside. Martin's anger and disappointment he could bear, it was Amelia's that terrified him.
Danny drew in a deep breath and tried to prepare himself to face Amelia when all he wanted to do was run. He hoped Martin would forgive him for abandoning him, leaving him to deal with a distraught family member on his own. Moreover, he hoped Amelia would forgive him, for something so much more terrible than just abandoning her. "You'll have to man up and face her first" he said to himself.
It was what he'd learned in AA. Stand up and admit your mistakes, face the consequences of your actions. He thought he had, but he'd been lying to himself, to his sponsor, to Martin. He'd confessed in an AA meeting he drank to forget the pain of loosing his parents and to cope with all of the problems Rafi's addiction had brought into his life. But those were only parts of the reason. The rest of it revolved around Amelia and what he'd done to her, the damage he'd caused to her family. He had to face up to it. It had been his fault, even if it had been unintentional.
Amelia had her hand over her mouth willing herself to be calm. She felt physically ill, not because she'd had to try and identify a badly beaten man but because she was elated that she couldn't. It hit her hard. She was so desperately happy that it wasn't her father but at the same time she felt so awful that he was still nameless and his family was somewhere waiting for him to come home. The way she'd waited for Danny all of those years ago, she wondered if he'd been lying on a table like this waiting for someone to identify him and bring him home. That was the last straw. "I'm sorry." She whispered to Martin and she hurried out. Martin hastily thanked Dr. Conway and hurried after her.
She was sitting in the ante, trying to pull herself together. Martin handed her a handkerchief. "Thank you" she whispered. "I just felt so guilty… I was ecstatic knowing that man in there wasn't my father…" she had to take a shaky breath, "but then I thought about his family and what they must be going through right now."
Martin nodded quietly. "I'm so sorry I had to put you through that" he said softly. He got her a glass of water from the cooler in the corner. He sat with her for a few minutes until she was composed.
"Now what happens?" she looked at him.
"Well, I'll drive you home and then I've got a few more leads to run down." Martin said.
"But it's nearly 10:30, isn't your shift over?" she was surprised.
Martin smiled, "No as long as we've got active leads, we'll chase them up no matter what the time."
"I don't know what to say…" she said "but thank you… it seems like so little for what you are doing for me… for my father… Your job must be so hard…"
"It has its moments." Martin smiled. "When you find someone…" He cleared his throat "Right are you ready?" Amelia nodded and he held the door open for her. She still hugged herself as she walked. Martin, with his hand lightly on her lower back guided her towards reception. Martin was looking around for Danny. The receptionist noticed.
"That other guy went outside." She pointed to the door.
"Thanks," Martin said. "Just one of my colleagues" Martin answered Amelia's curious look. She nodded and let him lead her outside.
Danny saw them come out. He was standing a few yards from the entrance. Martin saw him, not sure if he were trying to run or force himself to stay. "There you are." Martin said quietly.
Amelia looked up to see who Martin was speaking to. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim light outside. Her heart nearly stopped when she recognized him. "Danny…" she gasped.
"Hi Mia." He said softly. The emotion of finally seeing her almost overwhelmed him. His eyes burned with tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. He swore they could see his heart pounding in his chest. His hands were shaking again.
"It was you that that doctor was talking about…" she said. "But he said it was Agent Taylor…" she shook her head confused, and then she saw his name badge. She stepped closer. "Danny Taylor." She read his badge. She gave a bitter half laugh "That's why I've never been able to find you."
"Mia… let me explain… let me try…" Danny, usually so smooth was struggling to find the right words. He'd rehearsed this moment so many times but he never expected it to be so difficult.
"Explain?" She looked up at him. "Explain what? How you walked out on me without a word…" she shook her head, "after everything that I… that you…. How could you just leave like that and on that night …of all the nights?"
"Mia… Please… I've been trying to find a way… I…" he was searching for the right words.
"You went in before we got here" she cut him off. Danny stopped and looked at her. The answer was in his eyes, he could never hide anything from her when he looked at her. "You knew it wasn't papi…" Danny nodded. "…and you still put me through that…"
"Mia… I'm so sorry…" Danny started to say.
Amelia was shaking her head. All of the emotions she'd been bottling up for the last week, all of the fear and anger and frustration she'd been able to control exploded with the realization that Danny had known who and where she was for at least the last day and had done nothing.
"Did I mean that little to you?" On the verge of tears, he couldn't answer. He wouldn't look at her. She mistook his silence as an affirmation. "You son of a bitch…" she said it softly and then a little louder and louder until she was screaming at him. He reached for her and she slapped him hard. He stepped back as she continued swinging at him and crying. Danny didn't try to defend himself; he held his hands in the air. He just gave up. Martin quickly stepped up and grabbed Amelia from behind catching her wrists in his hands. He held her tightly against his chest. Her resistance and spirit broken she sobbed in Martin's arms
"Get out of here… Danny just get out of here… go back to the office!" Martin barked at him. "I'll take care of her… just go!" Danny looked at Mia and felt his heart break. He turned and fled down the sidewalk. He hurried into the night trying to put Mia and Martin and all of his pain filled past behind him as fast as his feet would carry him.