A/N: I apologize for the long delay in updating. This chapter was hard to get right with all the dynamics that are being flushed out. I hope the next chapter comes quicker.

Thanks and Enjoy!

Industrial Warehouse

East River

The usually dark loading dock was lit up with swirling blue, red, and white lights from the various emergency vehicles surrounding the scene. The first to arrive were the patrols followed closely by the fire trucks. Two hours later, she slowed the department issue SUV to a stop behind the M.E.'s van. Logan sat still beside her as they both reached for their cups of coffee.

The weather was taking a turn for the worse. The city had blissfully been enjoying a slight warm front, turning the snow to puddles, but now the puddles were turning to ice as the temperature continued to drop. She had watched part of the weather forecast on the news that evening before the call came in. The state was once again preparing for a snowstorm.

After a few hefty drinks of the coffee, she was ready to face the bitter wind that whipped around the warehouses and vehicles. Staring out the windshield, she thought of the reason why they got the call to the scene. The person's ID had been found. It was burnt and half of the information and the photo were melted, but it belonged to Brenda Hanson.

Brenda was one of the people responsible for Bobby's shooting two months ago. Alex had checked the database first before leaving for the scene. Brenda had posted bail after the Grand Jury indictment and then disappeared. She had taken off; that was until her body was discovered earlier tonight.

Another thing she thought about was the last time she'd been at that particular warehouse. It was a few years ago while they were conducting a case of stolen jewels. When Nicole Wallace had come back into their lives after the jury presiding over her case found her innocent. It was also the last time she thought they would ever see Wallace after she fell out of the top window of the warehouse and into the river. Her lover had been killed, but Wallace hadn't.

Logan cleared his throat and she looked over at him as he pulled on his gloves and wool cap while saying, "If this scene is completely destroyed, I say we get in and out as quickly as possible. What do you say?"

She opened the door and got out, asking, "Define 'completely destroyed'?"

Logan gave her a look as she turned to shut the door. "Irrefutable deniability that we can't learn anything or find anything useful from the scene."

"Wow, you keep that up you might start impressing me," she said right before shutting the door.

Logan hurried to get out as he asked, "You saying I haven't yet?"

"After working with Bobby, my expectations are ridiculously high."

"Oh, how high?"

"You'll have to perform a miracle," she said as they walked toward the front of the warehouse. As she ducked under the crime scene tape, she added, "Or, you could speak Arabic."

Logan straightened from having to duck lower than her under the tape. "I wouldn't hold my breath on the Arabic," he told her as they spotted Rodgers leaning over the body.

It was covered by a white sheet, but she didn't need to see it to know what had happened. The presence of the fire department was a give away, as well as the smell of burnt hair and flesh. There was about a five foot burn radius around the body from where the accelerant had charred the concrete.

"It's a woman, problem is the body is burnt beyond recognition. We'll have to wait on dental. I doubt CSU can get a print off these hands."

"I thought her ID was found? Brenda Hanson?" Alex asked as she watched as Rodgers recorded the liver temp.

"It was, but we like to be one hundred percent sure that the ID matches the body." Rodgers stood and pulled off her gloves. Looking at her, she said, "TOD is inconsistent with the burning of the body."

"Are you saying she was killed first before she was set on fire? How long between the two?" Logan asked.

Rodgers shrugged, telling them, "Liver temp says she's been dead for over 24 hours. I can't give you anymore than that until I do the cut."

Logan wrote that down as he turned to her and said, "Ok, let's make this quick. I'll talk to the first on scene. Find out how the body was discovered. You see what the techies have found so far, if anything."

Alex watched as Logan turned to walk over to a group of cops who were standing just inside the tape line. The fact that Logan had taken control of the scene didn't came as a surprise. The detective was senior partner to her, which was a big change from her being senior to Goren. However, he never once tried to assert himself as senior to her until now. Normally, they both went off and did what they had to do without telling one another. They just knew what had to be done and did it.

She wondered if there was something going on with him or if he was finally showing this part of himself to her. After thinking about it, and about Mike's desire to get out of there as soon as possible, she figured it was something else. Maybe he had a date.

Trying not to give it anymore thought, she went over to the techies as they were photographing the scene and searching the ground floor for any clues as to the who and why. Approaching a friend of Bobby's, a tech she now knew to be Tom Dietrich, she asked, "Find anything?"

Dietrich glanced down at her and she saw the recognition in his blue eyes as he answered, "Detective Eames, how are you?"

"What have you got?" she asked again, not answering his question.

Dietrich had been the one to find out about Bobby's DNA connection to Caleb Cunningham. He was the man Bobby had first scene after leaving the hospital the night he was accused of killing Caleb. It was also the night Bobby had disappeared.

Dietrich looked taken back by her brush-off, but he quickly recovered as he pointed over to an open box. "We found the accelerate used," he told her as he brought his camera back up and snapped a photo of what looked to be a burn trail that lead from the back of the warehouse to the body. "The fire was started back here and then it spread along the floor to the body."

She went over to the box and saw a regular red plastic gas container. The kind anyone could buy at a store for five bucks. It was dented but other than that there was nothing special about the container.

"They tossed it after emptying it," Dietrich told her. "We found it across the room."

Alex heard him say that as she started to walk that direction. The entire bottom floor of the warehouse was burnt from the fire with fallen bricks and pillars, half the ceiling had crumbled to the floor. She had to be careful stepping over debris as she made it to the back door. Pushing open the door to the warehouse, she looked out across the river. The warehouse had been situated on one of the piers near the waterfront. Walking out toward the water, she noticed a ladder leading down to the water and several cleats to tie up small boats.

"Thinking of going for a swim?"

Alex nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned to see Logan coming up beside her. Leaning over the side, he saw what she was looking at.

"I'll note a possible boat as the getaway vehicle. I saw the gas can. Not much we can use as far as evidence in tracking the killer. A sanitation worker saw the smoke and called it in. He's been cleared."

She gave a nod and turned to tell the CSU's to print the railings and ladder when Dietrich stuck his head around the door.

"We found a jacket, wallet and cell phone. They belong to Goren."

Alex glanced over at Logan who had the same dumbfound look on his face as they headed back into the warehouse. Sure enough, it was Bobby's wallet. She was certain it was his from just seeing it through the plastic evidence bag. She had gotten him it for his birthday last year. His old one was getting old and the leather had dulled from years of use so she had gotten him a new one. Pressed into the leather at in the bottom right corner on both sides were two of his initials since he hardly used his middle name, if ever.

"Everything but money was left in it: driver's license, credit cards," Dietrich looked at her as he said, "Condoms."

Alex frowned as she heard that. Looking to him, she asked, "Condoms?"

"Yeah, in the part where the money goes. There were two."

She fingered the wallet in her hand, turning it over as she thought about that.

"What is it?" Logan asked as he took it from her and looked it over. "You two were, you know, involved," he softly said as he tossed the wallet back into the evidence box.

Alex gave a nod but didn't say anything else about it. Instead, she asked, "And the cell phone?"

Dietrich pointed over to a CSU tech who was hooking it up to a laptop. "That's Jeff department. He's downloading the sim card data onto the laptop and going over last calls, text messages, that sort of thing."

Since the era of portable computers and computer programs existed, the techs were able to do on-the-scene analysis of evidence instead having to wait to get everything back to the lab first.

"Where were they found?"

Dietrich nodded over to an area where desks sat. The warehouse was recently condemned and it had yet to be completely cleared of the furniture. "The jacket was slung over one of the desks, half buried under the fallen ceiling."

"How do we know the jacket's Goren's?" Logan asked as he picked up the suit jacket.

The jacket was Armani and looked his size. Bobby would sometimes keep an extra suit in his car, just in case. Alex eyed it and made a mental note to ask the crew who went over Bobby's car if they found the rest of the outfit in the trunk. "We don't, but it probably is," she told Logan as she went over to Jeff and waited for him to start speaking. He looked hard at work on the cell phone and she didn't want to interrupt.

"His last call was to our victim."

"Are you sure?"

Jeff glanced over at her like she was joking with asking that question. "I have Hanson's cell phone," he said as he held it up. "I have Goren's," he said while pointing to it. "Believe me, he called her."

"When?"

"February 19th…that would be Saturday night, at 11:26 exactly. The duration of the call was 3 minutes 56 seconds."

Alex took a breath as she registered the time. She had called Bobby that night at Carmel Ridge. He wouldn't answer his cell phone when she tried calling him all day, so she tried the facilities landline. She had talked to Bobby for less than a minute before he hung up, telling her that he was coming home. That was around eleven. So, after he had talked to her, he had called Brenda Hanson? That didn't make any sense. Neither did the condoms in his wallet seeing how they no longer used protection. She was on the pill and he didn't like wearing them despite his desire to not be a parent.

"He also sent a text an hour later, at 12:48."

She picked up the cell and read the text message. 'I'm here.' That was all it said, and there was no reply. "I want a full diagnostic on his phone. Everything you can get, and on my desk ASAP. Especially where he was when that call was made."

Jeff just gave a nod as he was once again focused on the computer screen.

"What'd you think is going on?" Logan asked as they headed out of the warehouse.

"Honestly, Logan, I have no idea," she told him as she pulled out the keys and tossed them to him. "You drive." Alex looked around the parking lot and spotted Rodgers talking to one of her assistants by the M.E.'s van. "Give me a minute," she told Logan before walking over to Rodgers.

Rodgers looked over and spotted her coming toward her. "Detective?"

Alex smiled slightly at interrupting her as she looked over to the assistant. He promptly left them alone, heading to the back of the van and taking out his cell phone. Once they were alone, she said, "I heard you were at the Public Defender's office earlier. Anything I need to know about?"

Rodgers eyed her as she let out a sigh. "My assistant Trevor told you that."

Giving a nod, she said, "I guess he didn't know that he shouldn't have."

Rodgers looked offended as she defended herself. "It's my job, Detective. Just like you I have the right to confidentiality, especially when I'm being subpoenaed."

"Against Goren," she said.

"No, Detective. At least not yet. I do have other cases. After I went over my testimony for another case, I was approached by Defense Attorney Leonard Starks, the man defending Paul Savioe. He wants me to go over all the autopsy files of the victims. He also wanted the results from Cunningham's autopsy as well, which I handed over to him before I got the call to come out here. And once this goes to trial, and I'm sure it will, he'll call me to the stand no matter whose side I'm on. Satisfied."

Alex saw the pained expression in her eyes and wished she hadn't asked. Giving a nod, she thanked her than turned away. She got into the SUV and took a breath.

"Everything ok?"

Not answering him, she was quiet the entire drive back to 1PP.

Major Case Squad

She entered the room and spotted a woman sitting at her desk, using her computer. Stepping up to her, she asked, "May I help you?"

The woman held up a finger while she wrote something down. Alex glanced over at Logan who was barely containing a smirk as he pulled out his chair and sat down.

Looking up at her, the woman said, "You must be Detective Eames. I'm Detective Barek; I'm working on Goren's case."

"And using my desk?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hey, I'm doing as I was told. Deakins allowed me to use your computer until he can get a desk for me and I'm given a computer of my own from supply. Until then, it looks like we're going to have to share."

"You can use mine, Eames," Logan offered as he took picked his up and held it out for her.

Alex pushed the computer away and shook her head. "You're working Goren's case, with the Captain?"

Barek sighed and looked back up at her. "Yes. Are you going to question me about this all night? I'm trying to finish this up so I can leave."

Alex went to respond back when she spotted Deakins rounding the corner and heading toward his office. It was late, he should have already left to go home by now. Saying to Logan, she told him, "Could you check the records for me? I'll be back." Without excusing herself, she hurried to his office.

Deakins looked up from picking up a file on his desk as she entered. "Eames, what-"

She closed the door behind her and turned to face him, asking, "Who's Detective Barek and why are you letting her use my desk?"

He stared at her for a long moment before picking up his coffee cup. Getting up, he asked while gesturing to the machine, "Want one?"

"Captain-"

"She's a new addition to this squad. We didn't get around to supply today, and since you were out, I let her use your desk and computer. She'll have her own tomorrow."

Alex looked back at the woman. Barek and Logan were talking across the desks at one another. "And you're working Bobby's case with her."

Deakins gave nod as he sat back down. Taking a sip of the coffee, he said, "She's doing most of the work. I'm just there to make sure it gets done and gets done right. So, what about your new case?"

Rubbing at her head, she took a breath as she told him, "Preliminary ID is that of Brenda Hanson."

"And why isn't the identification official?"

"Because the body is burnt beyond recognition. Until dental comes back to verify the half melted ID found on the body, we're waiting to call it."

"Good, anything else?"

Alex realized that Deakins didn't recognize the name and the significance. "Brenda Hanson was the Assistant Medical Examiner to Chief M.E. Eddie Kerr of Staten Island. She was also the one there that night when Bobby was shot. Three weeks ago she along with Detectives Dwight Travis, Jimmy Rivers, and Stanley Jackson were all indicted on the attempted murder of Bobby. And now, Hanson is found dead after making bail."

Deakins sat back in his chair as he listened. After a couple moments, he asked, "What about the others?"

"I don't know yet. Logan's checking records since Barek's at my desk."

They heard a tap on the door and when they looked, Logan was opening it. Sticking his head in, he asked, "Bad time?"

"What'd you got?" Deakins asked as he motioned for him to enter.

Logan closed the door behind him and then informed them, "Jackson and Rivers are still doing their time at Riker's in solitary confinement. Hanson put up bail two weeks ago, and Travis had his bail denied since he ran the last time he was out. His trial was pushed back to May."

"So, she was out for two weeks and suddenly turned up murdered. Any leads?"

Alex took a breath and finally told him what was they discovered at the warehouse. "CSU found a jacket, along with a wallet and cell phone at the scene."

"Great, we have a suspect. Track the person down and-"

"They were Goren's."

Deakins stopped talking as he stared at her in near shock. Finally, he said, "And you're just telling me this now? What did CSU get off it?"

"That there was a phone call and text message made to the victim from his phone. Nothing is really known yet or is definitive."

"Except for the fact that now your case is my case."

"Captain-"

"Eames," Deakins said as he got up and rounded the desk. He leaned on his desk and stared at the floor for a couple seconds. Then, he said, "Okay. We can work a joint investigation. However, any evidence pertaining to Goren, I'll handle it along with Barek. You and Logan focus on everything else. Look at other possibilities. Am I understood?"

"Yes," she answered after glancing over at Logan. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. If I think there's even a remote possibility that Goren was actually in that warehouse during the time of the murder, I'm taking it over."

Alex gave a nod before she left the office along with Logan.

"Come on," Logan said as he picked up his laptop and the reports he had started. "We'll go to a conference room and finish up."

Too tired to argue, she looked over at Barek who was still hard at work on the laptop before following Logan.

Bobby & Alex's Apartment

Entering the apartment, Alex took in a deep breath and shut the door behind her. Leaning her back against the door, she closed her eyes as the weight of the day set in. She didn't know what to think of it or how to feel about any of it. It was all making her head hurt. Pushing off the door, she walked into the kitchen and got rid of her coat and purse. Going over to a cabinet, she took out the bottle or red wine she had and filled a glass.

Walking into the living and looking around at all her furniture in Bobby's apartment, she felt empty. She felt as if a part of her was missing. And it was. Bobby was missing. The man who helped to heal the wounds left in her from Joe's death was out there without her.

The man who had giving his home over to her in her time of need was no longer there to fill it with his energy or his silence. Bobby helped to make this truly her home. Her home was with him. Wherever they physically lived, either together or apart, she felt the most at home in his presence.

Stopping in front of the bookcase, she took in the few photos she actually had of him and smiled as she picked up her favorite. It had been taken at a crime scene of all places. They had been called out to Central Park last winter and were waiting around for Rodgers to get done with the body. A CSI friend of hers, Erica was testing her camera when she had captured the two of them letting out a little frustration. Bobby had been teasing her about her scarf while she was making fun of his wool cap. The teasing jabs had escalated until he grabbed her scarf, pulling it up to her nose while she grabbed his wool cap and pulled it down over his eyes. It had worked to defuse the actual fight they had just hours before in the squad room.

Biting back a sob with her soft laughter, she put the picture back as she took a big gulp of the wine and headed for the bedroom. She sat the glass down as she took off her blouse and then her tank-top, tossing them both onto the bed. Going over the dresser, she took out some clean clothes and went to take a shower.

Nearly an hour later, as she was massaging lotion over her arms and legs, she spotted the difference. When she had looked to check the time on Bobby's alarm clock, she noticed his watch missing. Sitting up in bed, she stared at the spot where it had been sitting untouched since he Saturday as her thoughts raced.

Looking around the room, nothing else seemed to be missing. Getting up, she checked the closet and then the dresser. Some of Bobby's clothes were missing. She hurried down the hall and pushed open the door to the study. The blanket that had been on the back of the couch was balled up at one end of the couch.

Bobby had been there. He had found out where he lived. Alex felt her heart racing as she left the study to get her cell phone. She was in such a rushed panic of excitement that she didn't notice him until he cleared his throat.

Alex jumped, dropping the cell phone to the counter as she turned. At seeing him sitting in the kitchen, at the table like always, she breathlessly spoke, "Bobby?"

He slightly tensed as he leaned forward in the chair and then calmly said, "You left the door unlocked."

Alex looked to the backdoor and then at him. "I did, didn't I." Looking him over, she didn't see anything physically wrong with him except for a small cut on his lip. Looking down at the floor, she saw her cell. As she bent to get it, she saw that he braced himself while eyeing the phone in her hands.

She didn't know what to say but his tension and sudden look of fear put her on edge. She responded by holding up her hands as she told him, "It's okay, Bobby. I'm not…" she trailed off as she steadied herself. She could see the emotions in his eyes, she could see the battle with whether to trust her or not. He was taking a big step coming there. "I'm not going to hurt you," she finished.

He took a breath as he willed himself to calm down. Looking to the floor, he rubbed a hand over his eyes as he gave a nod. Peering up at her, he cleared his throat and asked, "Can I have something to drink?"

Eames smiled a little as she gave a nod. That meant he wanted to stay. "Of course. I can put coffee on." He watched her as she prepared the machine and started it. While she waited for it to brew, she said, "You were here earlier. I saw your watch gone, and some clothes."

Bobby only looked at her as he gave a curt nod.

Alex didn't know what to feel about his silence. Maybe he wasn't expecting her to find him there again tonight. "When was that?"

"Last night. I slept in the, uh…in the study."

"I never go in there," she told him.

"Why not?"

Alex took down a mug and filled it while answering, "It's yours." She grabbed the creamer and went to open it.

"No cream…thanks."

She looked over at him with a weird look but sat the creamer down. Taking the mug to him, she handed it over to him. He took it from her hands, barely touching her hand. Alex had to will herself to not reach out to touch him as she drew away to fix herself a cup.

"What's the matter?"

Alex stopped and turned back around to face him. "I…I just wanted to tell you that I've missed you."

Bobby looked away from her at hearing that and took a sip of the coffee. He gave her no return feeling that he'd missed her too.

She made herself a cup and sat down across from him; it was the closest she'd been to him for days. "You don't drink black coffee. Not unless it's four in the morning and we're at a crime scene. Or if we're interviewing a suspect and you know you're not going to finish it."

Bobby looked back down at the table and took a few more sips of the black coffee. Alex didn't know how to take that sudden change in him. When she was reading over Bobby's books and doing her own research on people with amnesia, she had read peoples sudden changes. They would have different habits or tastes in food, and even drastic changes in personality and behavior. There was one case study of a man who had suffered the same type of amnesia as Bobby, and he had changed so much from his previous self that he had quit his job and remarried a different woman.

She wondered if Bobby would change, and if so, how.

"Did, uh…did we, or…one of us recently move in here?"

Eames spotted the box he was looking at and she hesitated in saying, "I'm packing."

He looked over at her as he asked, "You're moving? Did we break up?"

"No," she quickly reassured him. "It's not like that. We had agreed that things we easier when we lived apart. That's all."

Shifting in the chair, he stared at her until he seemed satisfied. "Okay," he told her as he took another drink of the coffee.

Relaxing a little when he didn't ask anything else about it, she told him, "I know you're confused, and that you probably don't know what to believe, but I would never lie to you, Bobby."

She wanted him to believe her. There was no reason for him not to, but looked reluctant in doing so. Alex knew that it wasn't just her. That Bobby had a hard time believing anybody because of his trust issues, but she hoped that even despite his lack of memory, that he would see that she was being honest.

Bobby leaned forward as he told her, "If you want me to believe you, then…then I want you to tell me why I'm wanted by the police. I don't want some cryptic answer either. I want the truth. I deserve that."

Alex let out a deep breath and gave a slight nod. She had been avoiding his questions because she didn't know how to tell him. And, she was hoping that he would come in so she could do it in a much more formal setting where she could present evidence to him in order to back up her claims. Deciding to be blunt, she flat out told him, "You're wanted for questioning in the death of a seventeen year old named Caleb Cunningham."

Instead of looking shocked or surprised by that information, he simply asked her, "The police think I murdered someone?"

"You didn't do it," she stressed to him.

"But the police think I did," he said a little too sternly.

Alex saw the anger clouding his eyes. It caused her to tense slightly in preparation for a fight as she explained, "If the police thought you did, there would be a bigger manhunt, believe me."

"You told me yesterday that the DA thought I was claiming amnesia for a defense," he told her. "That tells me that the State has already made up their minds."

She was getting impatient with his refusal to believe her. Out of habit and nervous reaction, she rubbed her head as she looked over at him. "Even when you have no memory, you're still you," she said that with a soft smile. "Yes, you're right. They want to indict, but that's all it is at this point. The DA has to take it to the Grand Jury to see if he can even take this to trial. I doubt they'll do it since there is absolutely no evidence other than the word of one police officer."

Alex wanted to tell him about the evidence Deakins and Barek had concerning his innocence but it was an open investigation and she knew she couldn't. She wasn't even supposed to know about it but Barek had to fully disclose everything they had once Deakins declared that they would be working together on a joint investigation.

"And what was his word? What did he see?"

She was getting more frustrated and that seemed to anger Bobby more when she hesitated in answering again.

"Am I being an inconvenience here, detective?" Bobby suddenly snapped. "I'm sorry I can't remember but this is my life and the more you hold back-"

"I'm trying to protect you," she sternly told him.

"Protect me? How can you protect me when I don't even know what you're talking about!" he snapped as he hit the table. "Don't you think it's better for me to know now than after I'm arrested?"

"Bobby, you need to calm down. This isn't easy-"

"And you keep calling me Bobby like I'm supposed to respond to that name. You know what I feel when I hear you call me that? Nothing. I don't know who this Bobby person is. I don't know what he's supposed to feel or think or how he would react. All I have is-is…is this overwhelming need to know what's happening to my life. All I want is the fucking truth. All of it. I need to know something. Can you give me that? Because if you can't then I'm walking out. I'll leave." When she only stared at him in shock and disbelief, he smacked the table again and stood up.

"Bob-…just wait," she said as she got up with him. "If you don't want me to call you Bobby, that's fine. But I've got to call you something."

"Just call me Robert, okay," he told her. "For right now, I'm used to that."

"Okay," she said as she wrestled with his sudden outburst. She was used to his anger, but for him to demand her to not call him 'Bobby' was worrying her. She didn't know how to take that, or any of this. The last thing she wanted him to do was to leave, so she asked, "What do you want to know? I answered why you're wanted. What else?"

He started pacing around the kitchen, rubbing at his neck. "All right, that uh, that picture in there of-of you and the boy…Is-is, is he ours?"

Alex nearly gapped at him by that question. Then, that was when it happened. The reality of the situation, and the extent of his memory loss fully hit her. Bobby had no idea. Tears welled in her eyes as she shook her head, telling him, "No. That's my nephew. I was a surrogate for my sister."

"Was that so hard?" he asked as he stopped pacing and crossed his arms. "Now, what did the cop say that he saw?"

She let out a breath and shook her head, telling him, "He said that he saw you enter a hospital room where Caleb was being held. That you told him to take a smoke break so that you were alone with him. When he returned from the smoke break, that you told him that he should call a nurse because Caleb busted a stitch. The cop waved down a passing nurse who entered the room. Then the alarm sounded and the nurse came out telling him that Caleb was dead. You were the last person, besides the nurse, to have seen him before he died."

He listened to what she said and he shook his head after she was done. "I did it."

"No-"

"There's no other explanation."

"Bob-" she cut herself off as she stopped herself. There was no way she would ever get used to calling him Robert. "You didn't. We have reason to believe that the nurse was an old enemy of yours; a woman named Nicole Wallace. She's a sociopath and a killer. She's the one who did it. We also have reason to believe that she was the one responsible for your disappearance. We found your car and a needle that was left in it. That's her weapon of choice, poisons."

There was a look in his eyes, one of recognition at the mention of Nicole's name. Instead of demanding more out of her, he actually smirked slightly. Giving a nod, he picked up the cup and downed the rest of the coffee. He picked up the suede black jacket that was over the back of the chair he'd been sitting in and slipped it on.

"Are you leaving?"

He adjusted the collar as he gave a nod.

Alex no longer held back as she rushed to him, putting her hand on his as he went to zip the jacket up. Bobby braced him as he looked down at her with conflicted dark eyes. Reaching up, and ignoring the warning as he tensed, she cupped his jaw. "Bobby-"

His sudden jerk as he stepped back while grabbing her hand surprised her. The grip was hard on her hand as he held it away from his face that quivered. Alex couldn't tell why he was shaking, but his eyes grew darker as he pushed her slightly away. She didn't know what to do as she caught herself while staring stunned at him.

Clearing his throat again, he told her in a soft, shaky voice, "I got another cell phone. I'll give you a call." He then turned and opened the door.

"Bobby! Wait, where are you going?"

"Keep your phone on, detective," he told her before he pulled on a wool cap and started down the alleyway with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

TBC…

PS: What happened with Bobby and Nicole? All that will be answered in the next coming chapters. Be patient everyone, trying to build this story is taking some time in getting it right. And writing a Bobby/Nicole interaction is tough work.