Thanks for the reviews guys, they were great. This is a crazy long chapter, I'm really impressed with myself that I have doubled the length of the story now! I hope you guys like it! Keep me updated about what you like and what you don't! Thank you all for the support and help with my story.
Don't own Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Chapter 4: Oh No He Did'ent
Chapter 4
Jake had been on the case for a week and a half now. He had forgotten about the game to annoy Amy; he just ate, slept, thought, breathed, this case. The case was a robbery homicide of a man Joseph Fleming.
Fleming was found shot in the chest, by his cleaning lady, early on Thursday morning. When uniforms and crime technicions got to the scene, upon their initial inspection, the entire apartment had been wiped clean of prints and DNA. Not even a trace of Fleming living there himself. The second dead end came when canvasing the neighbors, none of them heard a gunshot, and no one had seen anyone coming in or out of the apartment complex out of the ordinary. The door man assured the detectives that there were no maintenance workers, repair men, or instillation guys who came in that day, a story corroborated by the tenants of the building, explaining that none of them had, had any work done in their homes.
The next logical step was to check out the tenants who lived in the building. A search bringing up a lot of unpaid parking tickets, and one tenant with a criminal record in armed robbery, who had recently came out of prison. Clearly this man, Nicholas Richards, was now their prime suspect, but this prime suspect had an alibi. Bringing the detective back to square one.
Next Jake thought had been thought to be a hit, however looking into the background of the man was an elementary school teacher in the neighborhood, who had come from a wealthy family, he supplemented his income with a trust fund to afford the apartment in the nice side of town on a school teachers salary. He had no priors, he had no enemies, he was beloved by everyone, and there was no obvious reason to kill this man.
With this information sitting in front of him Jake was stumped, continuing with other cases, and police work, but always falling back on this ridiculous crime. He stayed late, pouring over statements, and evidence, and getting in earlier trying to put this case to rest, and justice to be served. It was not until Thursday, seven days after they had found Fleming shot in his apartment when the ballistics report had came in. It was a big break, the sort of break in the case an exhausted over worked Jake Peralta needed to regroup and plow through the information set out in front of him. The gun the same make and model that one Nicholas Richards, had registered in his name.
Upon re-interviewing some of the residents and some others, everything was falling into place.
The crime scene guy had called the same morning saying he found a partial print, going through the apartment again, asking if Jake had a suspect to match it to, not being enough on its own to be matched in the system. The fingerprint traced back to the original suspect, Nicholas Richards.
Jake was elated, he was practically singing, actually scratch that he was skipping and singing throughout the precinct. Singing a made up tune to the Spiderman theme song. "Jake's the man, Jake's the man, he gets the collar wherever he can, shoots his gun, flashes his badge cleans the streets of criminal trash." The final piece of the puzzle he had been searching for. The correct caliber gun registered to the suspect, his prints at the scene, and a criminal record of armed home invasions, they had him. Boyle, Diaz, and Santiago, along with himself, would take the guy in. It was what they needed to make the arrest.
The four detectives of the nine-nine were going to storm the door when they heard it. The worst phrase, any detective can hear.
"Don't worry guys, I got it from here." Said the deep voice of none other than the worst officer of the NYPD, the Vulture.
Jake was shaking in anger. He could not believe that he would steep so low to grab this case from him. The major crimes team stormed the apartment, and arrested the man, bringing him in for questioning.
"Don't worry Peralta, I am here to keep that giant white ass safe." Detective Pembroke said slapping Jake, and winking at Santiago. "Keeping it tight, ma"
And without a response from the four detectives, major crimes left the building with the suspect in tow, with iron clad evidence of his involvement in the crime, brought together by the detectives of the Ninety-ninth precinct. The Vulture had not lifted a finger on the case, but was about to get all of the credit.
"Seriously!" He yelled slamming his clenched fists onto the steering wheel. It was all he could manage on the ride back to the precinct.
"What is up with that guy?" Rosa said, from the passenger seat, as both detectives glowered forward into the red break lights of traffic.
"He is the worst," she answering a question that didn't need to be asked, seething at the absolute amazing timing major crimes seemed to have—in regards to stealing cases from the competent detectives of the nine-nine.
Both just stewed, sitting in the cruiser on the way back to the precinct, fury palpable in the air of the vehicle.
They all arrived back at the precinct livid and outraged. Jake slamming his NYPD windbreaker on his desk, and throwing himself down in the chair, when Holt approached the team.
"I thought that you were going to make the arrest of Nicholas Richards, where is the suspect?"
"We were Vulture'ed sir" Boyle said anger ranging through his entire body arms flailing about.
"Major crimes came in at the end, and made the arrest, sir" Amy said lacking all usual enthusiasm she typically had when speaking to the stoic superior officer.
Jake had remained silent, he could not believe that a week and a half of work, doing all the interview, all the evidence finding, breaking apart the alibi, he could not believe he was not in an interrogation room right now finding out why the hell the guy robbed his neighbors house and shot the man. He knew that now there was another psychopath off the streets of his city, but he wanted the closure of being the one to put him behind bars. He wanted to be the one who laid out the evidence in front of the scumbag, and told him he would be going away this time for the rest of his pathetic life. He wanted to look into the man's eyes and know that he did something great for New York when he physically pulled that man off the streets. He wanted to be the one who took that crazy, disgusting man, who killed an elementary school teacher, and throw him in prison. The Vulture took that away from him, and he was justified in his anger.
He sat at his desk, body tensed and blood boiling, until a voice reached his consciousness.
"Captain is sending us home, a little early, being that it is Saturday, want to get a drink with us," she said looking at Jake with an empathic expression. He didn't respond words didn't seem to want to come out at the moment.
"Come on Jake, first round is on me." She said trying to cheer her partner up, pulling his desk chair away from his desk in an attempt to move him. Finally a smile pulled at his lips.
"Fine," he said feeling anger melt from his body, tension waning with one interaction with his partner.
Nope that was a problem for another day. Jake thought, the rising attraction to his partner still a sore and unresolved problem. Physically shaking his head to clear the unwanted thoughts, he looked back at Amy.
"Well those are my favorite words," a smile crossing his face, "Now what will I get when it is on Santiago's bill!" he said, "maybe some thousand year old scotch, that is so expensive." He said mischief creeping back in his demeanor, trying to regain himself, after that horribly frustrating experience.
"Oh god, never mind I take it back," she joked reaching for her coat, and starting for the exit.
"Boyle you coming?" Jake said over his shoulder.
"Nope, got a hot date—so, I can't! Sorry Jakie," he said excitement, quickly replacing the frustration that had plagued the happy man, twenty minutes prior.
"Good for you Boyle!" Jake said, excited that his friend was getting back on the horse, well, that he wasn't pestering Rosa anymore, because there was no chance in hell that was happening. A date is what the guy needed.
"Amy is buying I'm in" Gina said, mostly likely thinking of the most expensive drink with the most ridiculous name to pick out.
"I could use a free drink" Diaz said picking up the leather jacket, and walking out of the precinct with the pair, followed closely behind by Gina in pursuit of the bar down the street.
~99~
Amy got up to get the second round of drinks for herself and Peralta. Diaz who had stayed for one drink then excused herself, and Gina, drinking a large, and to Amy's chagrin expensive, brightly colored drink flirting with a group of men across the room, leaving herself and her partner, at the table chatting and drinking.
She looked over her shoulder at said drinking companion to see that he was talking on her cell phone.
Nope, that was not good, she panicked, and threw money on the bar and taking the beers back to the table where he idiot partner was sitting.
"Hello, Detective Always Wrong's phone, her handsome partner speaking how may I help you?" Jake said ignoring the glare that Amy was sending him.
He paused listening to the person on the other line.
"Oh so you are her only friend! I feel honored to be talking to you. I thought she had made you up" Jake laughed good naturedly, skillfully maneuvering away from Santiago who was lunging at him trying to retrieve her phone back.
"Oh well, Amy is very forgetful, and irresponsible," He said somberly.
Shit, Amy thought, she had plans tonight with Kiley, and her brother. It was the only night that the three of them could get together.
"Oh well you are at Amy's apartment" Jake said still fighting off, his attacker. "Amy, you really should remember your engagements," he said shaking his head, taking enjoyment out of torturing her.
When Amy could hear the familiar voice come out of her phone, "Just give her the phone Jake" listening to the caller he gave the phone back to his partner with the comment, " she seems nice? Is she hot?"
She rolled her eyes taking the proffered phone.
"Hey I am so sorry! We had a case, and…" Amy began only to be cut off from her best friend.
"If you are on a date with Jake, Frankie and I are totally okay with meeting another time." Kiley said to her best friend since middle school.
"What," Amy exclaimed, pretending to be outraged at the very notion that she would be out on a date with her partner. Her stomach flipped and the rollercoaster sensation came back. "We aren't on a date," she hissed into the phone, turning her back on the amused Peralta; trying to avoid embarrassment.
"Amy if you had plans we can just leave," an unreadable expression crossing his features. It seemed as though a flash of disappointment, quickly covered with a neutral expression melted on Jake's face.
"No," she felt compelled to say, but she didn't really want to go into why.
"Hey," Amy said to her friend on the phone, "How about you and Frankie come here, we can talk, here"
Kiley would see through the plan, knowing she wanted to stay with her partner, and when her best friend came, she would see that Amy liked him, a fact that she was just coming to terms with herself. When she heard mumbled conversation happening between the two on the other line.
"Are you with Frankie!" Amy said, upset that they were hanging out without her.
"Yes we were waiting for you! Outside of your house, bitch" she said to her best friend.
"Okay point taken." Amy said, then giving the address of the bar to her friends, and ending the phone call.
"Amy, you really didn't have to do that," A grateful Peralta said to Amy.
"What are partners for, but to get them drunk after Satan himself steals your arrest." She said sipping her beer smiling at him.
"This is true, that is why I keep you around." He said thoughtfully, taking a pull of his drink as well, smiling at her.
She knew what it was like to have worked so hard to have that jerk steal a case from you. It sucked. Last time it happened Jake had come to her apartment in the morning with breakfast, and she smiled thinking that is what she needed, now she was going to be here for Jake.
~99~
Amy's friends had arrived about twenty minutes after she got off the phone, or just in the middle of their third round. Amy waved over a tall dark haired man, dressed in distressed jeans stylish button up and blazer. His dark hair cropped hair parted to the side and styled in such a way that looked natural. Jake looked to the man's right to see an average height blonde, in jeans and boots, and some sort of shirt that he could not identify, but didn't really want to.
She was pretty. Jake concluded, but his train of thought stopped when Amy pushed away from the table to greet them, her leg making contact with his under the table, causing all thoughts of the pretty blonde to stop.
What blonde, Jake thought as the only things that seemed to pass through his head were of his partner's legs and why they were so far away now.
He was in trouble, now! There was no denying it.
"Guys this is my partner Jake," Amy said introducing the group, "Jake this is my brother Frankie, and Kiley" she said smiling at the pair, as they made introductions and shook hands.
~99~
He looked over at his partner, seeing her relaxed and just hanging out with her friends was a new side of her. She was not eager to be heard, she wasn't trying to one up anyone, and she just sat and laughed with the other two at the table.
Jake needed to stop staring at her so blatantly it would without doubt attract attention, and it was getting creepy. Taking a sip of his drink, that seemed to be full at all times, but that was good for the buzz he had going on.
"No! Stop that was once!" Amy yelled a little too loudly for a sober person to speak in doors, signifying that his partner was drunk.
"What? I want more embarrassing stories!" Jake said whining and pouting.
"In that case, how long do you have!" Frankie, her brother said, turning his full attention on the other man at the table.
It was a night full of heavy drinking, and so much material he could use against Santiago, when they woke up in the morning.
~99~
Amy woke up in her bed, spooned on both sides from two different people. Trying to pry her eyes open, and figure out what was going on. Turning away from the light coming in from the window, which seemed to be causing her an unbelievable amount of pain, coming face to face with the man who was beside her. It happened to be her goofy partner, who had his arm around her middle, and she had inadvertently turned into his embrace.
Shit. She thought. How much did she have to drink last night?
Peralta pulled her closer to him, as the other bedmate said in a deep voice.
"Amy stop moving around." A voice she immediately recognized at Frankie coming from behind her.
"Yeah Amy," Jake said into her hair, "stop moving," his eyes still shut, lips dangerously close to her skin. Her entire body was short-circuiting, in response to the close proximity to Jake.
She had to get out of there!
"I have to pee," She squeaked, and climbed over her brother, and stumbled out the door as quickly as her alcohol-affected brain would allow her to.
"Well… good morning drunkie" Kiley said smiling over the cup of coffee she had helped herself to. Amy collapsed at the kitchen island, head against the cool granite countertop, which seemed to be soothing the headache that pounded though her skull.
"I like him" the blonde said to her best friend. Amy couldn't comprehend the conversation, it seemed like any thought process was painful.
"What the hell did I drink?" she croaked, her mouth dry, and stomach nauseous.
"The correct question is what didn't you drink" She said a Cheshire smile spreading across the delicate features.
Amy groaned lying her head back down on the table, maybe if she didn't move she would begin to feel human again.
"Seriously, I like him. You should pursue that." Kiley said not dropping the subject, which Amy had assumed that she would drop. She looked up at her best friend, who was smiling at her.
"Yeah, I'll work on it" she mumbled, knowing that lying to her best friend about how she felt was not something that would go over well, let alone work out at all. The woman in front of her would see right through the bull shit.
"Okay, but honestly if you just planted one on the boy, I am pretty sure that would do it." Kiley said, reveling in the boy drama, like she was in high school again with her friend.
Amy smiled and sipped the coffee that her friend set out for her.
"Well I have to go," Kiley said looking at the florescent lights of the microwave clock—the same microwave as Holt, she thought proudly.
"Aw… well I had fun!" Amy said hugging her friend.
"Francis we are leaving!" Kiley yelled to the other Santiago who came stumbling in the other room with Jake behind him. The three friends said their good byes and Amy making promises that she would call that week. Jake telling each of them it was so nice to meet them, and thanked them for the material that he now possessed to make fun of her with.
After the hubbub of the two leaving the apartment, the two of them sat in contemplative silence, when Jake artfully broke the weird tension getting up moving around her kitchen.
"You have a nice bed Santiago," He said looking into her fridge for something to eat. "Also I do not appreciate not being able to be the little spoon," He said bright smile crossing his features. "Sometimes a guy just has to be held."
Amy rolled her eyes. Trying to figure out how they woke up in the same bed, with her older brother. When she heard her phone buzz from the other side of the room. Answering it with a quick, "Santiago,"
"Yes, Terry on our way."
"Oh…" Amy stuttered, "Nope just me, on the way I'll pick up Jake, because it is on the way, don't think about it bye" she finished closing her phone.
"That was smooth." He said laughing at his partner.
"Shut up" She said moving back to her bedroom. "We have been called in,"