"I'm sorry." Amelia sat back and wiped her eyes.
"It's ok." Martin brushed her hair back behind her ear. It was a gentle familiar gesture that made them both smile.
"You don't do this sort of thing for all the families of the people you are looking for do you?" Amelia tried to tease Martin. He couldn't help thinking that she had an amazing smile. It was a lot like Danny's and like Danny, her eyes betrayed her true feelings.
"Ah, no I don't" he laughed softly. "In fact you're the first… ever…"
"Well…" she blushed and looked down. "I don't want to get you into trouble…"
"Don't worry, you won't." he smiled. His phone rang. "Excuse me." He picked it up off of the coffee table, "Fitzgerald… Oh hey Louie…" he wrinkled his brow. It was Danny's AA sponsor. "Yeah he's had a really bad few days… What?" Martin looked at his watch. It was nearly 05:30. "When did he call… ok did he try again? ... Any ideas where he may have been? … No, OK I'll get in touch with the office and see if we can put a trace on it I'll see if I can find him… no it's ok I have the list… yeah you keep trying and I'll call you when I find him… Ok thanks Louie… later." He hung up and looked at Amelia.
"It's Danny isn't it?" She asked him quietly.
Martin nodded. "That was Louie his sponsor. Danny tried to call him a couple hours ago but Louie thinks his phone either died or he switched it off." Martin was dialing Danny's number. "No… straight to voice mail…" he shook his head, "Hey brother it's me, call me and let me know you're OK. I'll come get you if you need a lift… Danny, please …just call." The emotion in his voice tugged at Amelia's heart.
"What can I do?" she asked as Martin stood up.
"Stay here, try to get some rest." He said before dialing his phone again. "Ted, Martin Fitzgerald, can you run a trace on Taylor's phone for me… on the Q.T. please… yeah he tried to check in but I lost him can you give me his last location?" Amelia watched Martin as he waited for Ted. "Brooklyn… Trioboro Plaza ... I know where he is… Thanks Ted."
"You know where he is… let me come with you…" Amelia was on her feet.
"Look it would probably be better if you let me go get him." Martin tried to dissuade her. She was standing in front of him her hands up on his chest, both stunned at the easy familiarity they had developed so quickly. "Trust me please. I will find him" he put his hands on her shoulders. "Let me talk to him. You get some rest and as soon as I know something I will call you." She still looked skeptical. "I promise." He smiled at her.
Despite both of them having been awake for nearly 24 hours Amelia couldn't help but think he had beautiful blue eyes, "Ok if you think that's best." She said reluctantly.
"I do, try and get some rest. I'll call you as soon as I can ok?" She nodded looking down. He hugged her gently. "It will be OK." he said softly. He picked up his jacket and slipped it on. "I'll try to get an update about your father too." He said as she walked him to the door.
"…and Mikey" She said softly.
"Of course, Mikey too" he nodded "Will you be alright on your own?" he asked. She nodded hugging herself. "Are you still in touch with your sponsor?" she nodded again. "Hey, you'll get through this… if you can't get in touch with your sponsor and you need some one… call me… ok any time…"
"Thank you" she said quietly. She had to hug him one more time before she let him go, locking the door behind him. Amelia dragged herself to the bathroom for a hot shower before trying to get some sleep. Her head was filled with thoughts of Danny as she tried to get comfortable. Martin crept into her thoughts too. "Oh God, give me strength…" she whimpered and pulled the pillow over her head.
Martin wove his way through the early morning traffic, cutting down back streets until he came to St Michael's Cemetery. He knew most of the bars Danny used to frequent; there was one on 49th Street that had been a favorite. Martin hoped he was there, or in the area. He found the bar and parked. There was no sign of Danny on the street. He looked up and down the block surveying the area before he walked up to the grimy bar. His nose wrinkling, he opened the door and was struck by the smell of stale smoke and booze. He narrowed his eyes trying to see in the dim light inside.
The handful of barflies turned away grumbling into their watered down drinks about the intrusion of daylight into their dark world, they didn't care what time it was so long as they had a drink in their hand and the world left them alone. Martin scanned the bar for Danny. He wasn't there. He walked up to the bar. The bartender recognized him as a cop instantly. "Who ya looking for?" he asked before Martin could say a word.
Martin didn't bother with his ID. "I'm looking for a friend. He's Hispanic, early thirties, dark hair, clean shaven, wearing a dark brown suit…"
"Oh him" the bartender shrugged, "he hasn't come inside yet." The bartender said.
Martin looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean?"
The bartender said "He should be back around in about five minutes."
"What?" Martin said his heart doing a summersault.
"He's been circling the block most of the night, just stopping and staring at the door." He pointed at the door. "He used to drink in here but I ain't seen him in a couple a years, he used to be a regular… there he is now." He nodded.
"Thanks," Martin said hastily and headed for the door. Danny was standing on the pavement staring at the door as Martin hurried out. "Danny!" he called. Danny looked at him, he was red eyed and disheveled. Danny was agitated, his tie loose and his suit looking as if he'd slept in it for a week. He looked at Martin, the day's growth of beard shadowing his face. Martin was to him in a few quick strides. "Danny." He said again his hand on his shoulder.
"I didn't…" Danny shook his head. "I called Louie… but my phone died… I didn't go in… I walked… I didn't go in"
"That's great man… really great. I'm proud of you." Martin said his blue eyes clouding with emotion, "Why don't we go get some coffee…" his voice wavered, he had to take a breath. "Let me drive you home." Danny nodded and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Martin was relieved Danny agreed so easily. He had his phone out looking through his recently dialed numbers. He could see Danny was wound up like a tightly coiled spring; he had to be careful with what he said.
"Who are you calling?" Danny asked him.
"Louie to tell him I found you." He said and made the call. "Hey Louie it's me Martin... Yeah I got him… No he didn't…" Martin smiled proudly at Danny "Yeah he's tougher than both of us. I'll take him home… Ok I will." He nodded and hung up. Martin was tired and not thinking clearly as he scrolled through his phone again. Danny stopped and looked at Martin. "Amelia…" he gestured with his phone. "She's really worried about you."
"Yeah right…" Danny said harshly. "You have no idea…" he turned and strode away from Martin.
Martin shoved his phone into his pocket and hurried after him. "Hold on just a minute…" he caught Danny by the arm. "You have no idea… I spent all night with her… she was a mess after that ID and you jumping out at her like that… what the hell were you thinking?"
"Stay out of it Martin" Danny warned and pulling his arm away he tried to walk off.
Martin cut him off. "Stay out of it… you do remember the case don't you? Her father is missing? Why the hell didn't you tell me you knew him? That you knew her?" Danny was looking down the muscles in his jaw working, his hands clenched at his side. "I spent most of last night with her trying to calm her down when I could have been out running down leads!"
"Leave it alone Martin." Danny said savagely before he looked at him. "What do you mean you spent last night with her?" His red rimmed eyes had dark circles under them he looked like a man on the edge. Martin stepped them into a quiet alleyway beside the bar.
"Danny," Martin relented. "I know about the accident." he said gently. Danny looked at him, pain, anger, shame and fear all warring in his eyes. "Amelia knows. She's worried
about you… we all are. She didn't want to be alone. She needed someone to talk too… I thought you'd want me to look after her."
"She knows?" Danny said shaking his head. He looked on the verge of tears. "…How?"
"I told her…" Martin started to say but Danny cut him off grabbing him by the collar and shoving him hard into the brick wall behind them. Martin was winded. "Danny… What the hell…" he gasped and grabbed Danny's wrists.
"How could you?" Danny was shaking again. "I was supposed to tell her… I was…"
"Danny…" Martin tried to push him away. He couldn't breathe.
"How could you tell her I killed our parents?" Danny shook Martin. Martin was as stunned by Danny's words as he was by hitting the wall again. He couldn't understand what Danny was talking about.
Martin was struggling to get his breath back "Danny… hang on a minute" he started to say. He stopped in time to see Danny's fist flying towards him. He turned his head the blow glancing off of the side of his face. His head hit the wall and he saw stars. Stunned again he slumped against the wall.
It stunned Danny too; he looked at his fist before looking at Martin. "I'm sorry…" Danny said backing away from him. "Martin… I'm sorry…" he turned and fled as Martin tried to pull himself together.
Martin leaned against the wall and wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. Danny was no where to be seen. Slowly Martin walked back to his car. He circled the area for 20 minutes before admitting defeat. He drove himself home to shower and change before going into the office. He didn't know what to do next, so it was time to fall back and regroup.
Danny had run down into the subway. Without his thinking about it, his feet carried him on a familiar journey. He took the W train out to Coney Island. He sat with the other commuters blindly watching the walls of the tunnels fly by the windows. His heart was pounding in his temples. What was wrong with him? He wondered. He'd tormented Amelia. He'd lied to and just punched the best friend he had. If he didn't straighten up he'd loose his job. Not that Jack would mind that. He'd love to get rid of me. Danny thought bitterly. He gets away with everything, the rest of us get shafted. He didn't know exactly when his relationship with Jack Malone had turned sour, but at that exact moment, he didn't care.
Martin wearily climbed the stairs leading to his apartment. He was worried about Amelia, terrified for Danny and he didn't know how much longer he could go on without sleep. He was sore from his run in with Danny. He couldn't help but think that his heart was even more bruised than his face, as he peeled his shirt off and surveyed the damage. His jaw and chin were starting to bruise and he had a few other minor bumps and bruises.
He climbed into the shower loving the feel of the hot water running over his body. He started to relax. No not yet. He thought to himself before turning the hot water down and the cold water up. It did the trick. Swearing to himself he quickly finished his shower and dried off. He was making himself some coffee while he dressed. Straightening his tie he poured himself a cup. His phone rang. He looked it was Vivian.
"Morning Viv" He smiled as he stirred his coffee.
"Morning, have you heard from Danny?" She asked him
Martin made a face as he tasted his coffee. "Well yes and no." he said. He could hear her impatient intake of breath. "I found him, but he took off on me again."
"Great." She had that perfect mixed tone of an exasperated and concerned mother. "How was he? Do you have any idea where he's gone?"
"He was agitated, really wound up as you could imagine." Martin tried to take another sip of his coffee before pouring it down the sink. "We spoke briefly; he lost it when I told him I spent last night with Amelia…"
"You WHAT?" Vivian cut him off. "No, don't tell me now just get your butt in here!"
"Ok but it's not what you're thinking…" Martin could feel his cheeks going red.
"It had better not be." Vivian sighed "I'll see you when you get here. Sam has more info on Thompson."
"Ok, good, I'm on my way." He hung up. He would be in, Just as soon as I stop at Starbucks for a decent cup of coffee. He thought to himself. He picked up his keys and as he went he couldn't help but worry about Danny and think of Amelia. He hoped they were both alright.
The traffic was heavier as he fought his way downtown. Guiltily he slipped into Starbucks before going into the building. Vivian was waiting for him as he got off of the elevator. "What took you so long?" she asked him as she shepherded him into one of the smaller meeting rooms and closed the door. "Now what happened?" she asked as they sat down. She reached out and gently took his chin in her hand. She looked at him closely. "Did Danny do that?" she couldn't believe it.
Martin drew a deep breath and nodded. He told her everything that had happened the night before. He did leave out the details of his rather personal and unprofessional physical contact with Amelia. He didn't feel he'd done anything wrong, but at the same time he didn't feel comfortable discussing it. Martin was exhausted again when he was finished speaking. "Why would he think I told her he'd killed their parents?" he shook his head.
"I don't know." Vivian was equally perplexed. "You don't know where he went?"
"No." Martin shook his head again. "It's like he vanished. He was definitely on foot, maybe the subway…" he thought for a moment. "There was a station near by. I think the W train runs out that way." He rubbed his eyes, not confident in his own thoughts at the moment.
"It does," Vivian nodded. "It runs from Brooklyn out to Coney Island."
"Coney Island" Martin sat up. "It might not mean anything but he's got a pressed penny on his keychain from Coney Island… and…" he cocked his head trying to remember. He closed his eyes and he could see Amelia holing up a set of keys as she showed him her AA key fob and on the set of keys… "Yes!" Martin sat up "Amelia has the same kind of penny on her keys. She showed me her AA chip… she's been sober for 10 years…"
"Well that's terrific but millions of people could have those penny keychains." Vivian said "It may mean nothing."
"I know, but it's just too much of a coincidence. Why would Danny keep something like that unless it meant something to him?" Martin asked. "Why would Amelia?"
"Well I'll ask Miss Parker when she gets here." Vivian said.
"Is she coming in?" Martin asked a little too quickly he realized and Vivian couldn't help but smile at his subtle blush.
"Yes she is, she called about five minutes before you got here." Vivian told him. "She's worried, about both of you." She raised an eyebrow and Martin's blush deepened. "Look why don't you go and find Sam? See where she is with Thompson, and let me talk to Miss Parker." Reluctantly Martin nodded and they walked out to the bullpen.
Sam was there talking to Jack. Even though their affair had officially ended a few years ago, they still exuded an air of intimacy whenever they got together. "Morning" Martin said quietly. He'd had a short lived relationship with Sam as well. Their affair had started long after her and Jack ended things but it still made him feel strange sometimes, like this morning.
"Morning," Sam smiled brightly at him. "You look exhausted."
Jack was more direct. "What the hell happened to you?" he greeted Martin.
"A little trouble getting some information" Vivian said simply. Martin nodded.
"Huh. Ok." Jack knew there was more too it and short of using a rubber hose and a bare light bulb he would not be getting it from either Martin or Vivian anytime soon. "So where's Danny?"
"He wasn't feeling well so I forced him to take the day off. We've got it covered." Vivian nodded.
"You forced him to take a day off? Danny "I don't do sick days" Taylor… the guy who would come to work on his deathbed?" Jack said skeptically
"I can be very persuasive." Vivian said calmly.
Jack looked at her for a moment, he knew her well enough not to push the subject for the moment. "Ok" he said, "So where are we?"
With the large white board they used to keep track of a missing person's case in the form of a timeline from just before their date of disappearance up until they are found Vivian brought Jack up to speed on the case.
"Thompson's last known address was empty but we found his girlfriend. We've got agents sitting on it but we don't expect him back there before tonight. He's gone to visit his brother Malique, who is living 'upstate' for the next ten to fifteen. I've been in touch with Attica and they will notify us when he leaves."
"Do we have the intel on his brother?" Jack asked.
"Not yet." Sam said "They were not willing to release all of his records. He apparently turned on some heavy hitters for a lighter sentence, some of the trials are still pending so…" she shrugged.
"Lawyers" Jack said contemptuously. "I'll go rattle some cages and see what I can shake free." He got up. "Is that the daughter?" He pointed to where Amelia stood at the reception desk.
"Oh yes." Martin got up and straightened his tie. "Excuse me." He walked over to her. Jack and the others watched as they greeted each other. Amelia gently touched Martin's chin and they watched him make a dismissive gesture before escorting her to one of the small meeting rooms.
Jack grinned at Vivian. "I'm guessing she's not the one who was giving him trouble."
"No I don't think so." Vivian smiled, trying to hide the fact she wanted to chase after the pair of them. "Well I think we've got all of the bases covered." She said. "Sam did you get anything more back from the lab on the bloody shirt?"
"There's a report pending, something about sending it to Quantico for confirmation. I'll chase it down." Sam said.
"I'll go make some calls and see what info I can shake free about Malique Thompson." Jack said and headed for his office.
"I'll check on Martin." Vivian said leaving Sam at her desk. She hurried over to the meeting rooms, not surprised to find Martin had chosen one at the quiet end of the corridor. She looked in and saw Amelia and Martin sitting close together. She had her head in her hands, he was rubbing her back. Vivian guessed he had told her about Danny. She gave them a few minutes before she knocked and opened the door.
Martin nods to Vivian as she walks in. "Amelia, this is Special Agent Vivian Johnson."
Amelia looks up. "Hello." She manages a smile. "I can't thank you enough for all of the work you've been doing trying to find my father… Martin was just filling me in…" she was finding it hard to speak. "Have you heard from Danny?"
"No I'm afraid I haven't." Vivian said gently. She took the chair opposite Amelia. "Did Martin tell you about everything that happened when he found Danny?"
Amelia nodded. "Why would he think he killed our parents?" she asked. "It doesn't make sense.
"I don't know." Vivian said quietly. "Maybe it's survivor's guilt. He was in the car."
"Oh God, I didn't know." Amelia said quietly. She looked down and shook her head. "I didn't know." Martin gave her his handkerchief. "Thank you," she took it and wiped her eyes. "That's why he left that night." She said to Martin. "I'm sure of it… it makes sense now. If he was in the car… maybe he thinks he caused the accident? I don't know what to think anymore." She looked at Vivian. "Do you have any idea where he may have gone?"
"I was hoping you might be able to tell us." Vivian said. "Martin had an idea because of a pressed penny keychain he noticed…"
Amelia looked at Martin. "Both you and Danny have a pressed penny keychain from Coney Island." Martin said. "He never talks about it, but the other morning after we left your father's office; I noticed he was playing with it."
"This one" Amelia pulled her keys out of her handbag. "We had them made one afternoon. Coney Island and the boardwalk down there, that was where we'd go to get away from…" she shrugged "everything."
Martin looked at the key chain and nodded to Vivian. "The W train runs to Coney Island." He said to Vivian.
"That's the train we used to take." Amelia looked from Martin to Vivian and back. "I think I know where he might be!" Martin and Vivian exchanged looks. "Look. If I can't help you find my father and Mikey at least let me help you find Danny… please…" she had Martin by the arm "Martin…"
"Ok… ok." Martin said quietly. "I'll take you."
"No," Vivian said "I'll take you." She said firmly. "You go home and get some sleep." Martin started to protest but Vivian silenced him with a look and a single raised finger. "No, I'll need you firing on all cylinders tonight to talk to Thompson, no arguments."
"Yes Viv" Martin said feeling a bit like a schoolboy being sent to bed for being naughty.
"Don't worry I'll call you when we find him." She relented with a smile; she could never really stay mad at either of them. Martin nodded and helped Amelia to her feet. They walked out together parting ways in the parking garage, all three hoping they'd have better luck with Danny this time.