AN: Merci beau coup to my beta.

This chapter is dedicated to all my readers...The moment you have been waiting for...drum roll...

Tanith

ACT 3 Part 2

SFPD, Bureau of Inspectors, 850 Bryant Street

Tossing his loose change into the can, Steve then poured himself a mug of percolated black coffee then walked over to his desk which Hartman had temporarily occupied. Jeannie's file sat opened on the desk and a pen rested on the page that Hartman had obviously been working on completing. Steve set the coffee down on the desk and lifted the pages from the manila folder. His eyes scanned through the first page and he quickly realized it was a statement taken by Hartman that afternoon. As he read through the documented account of Jeannie's attack and the comments that Hartman had added, Steve felt anger surging through him. The more he read, the harder it became to resist the urge to tear up the pages. A tap on the shoulder caused him to wheel around in one sudden movement catching Lessing by surprise.

"Hey, what's got you so wired up?" Lee held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Where's Hartman?" Steve ignored Lessing's comment, as he stood clutching the pages in one hand so tightly that the corners were crumpling up.

"He's been waiting for you in there," Lessing replied, inclining his head toward Mike's office. A confused look passed over his features as Steve thanked him in a low voice then walked briskly toward the cubicle.

Hartman paced the small room deep in thought. He began to mentally check off the list of things he needed to do when he got home. The first thing would be to get the truth out of his son once and for all. Then they would have to work out an alibi together and get rid of any physical evidence at the house that could point the investigation to Troy. His thoughts were disrupted when the door burst open and an agitated Steve Keller entered.

"What the hell is this?" Steve held up the pages in Hartman's face. His green eyes flashed dangerously.

"That's the statement I got off the Stone girl. What's your problem?" Hartman scoffed, looking rather taken aback by Keller's outburst.

"You know damn well what my problem is! You were out of line interrogating Jeannie Stone. What were you thinking, Hartman?"

"Oh come on, Keller! You've been in this outfit long enough to know that not everything is black and white. There are shades of grey everywhere you turn," Hartman snapped, the heat rising in his voice.

"Jeannie is not the type of girl you are making her out to be."

"Oh yeah? Just how well do you think you know her?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steve demanded heatedly as he took a step closer to the smirking detective.

Hartman shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I'm just saying that maybe Jeannie isn't as pure and innocent as you think." In a more serious tone he added, "Now you can take that anyway you like it but I'm just doing my job here and if you have a problem with that I suggest you take it up with the Captain. Frankly I think Mike wasn't the only one too involved with the case." With his last words, the Inspector brushed past Steve then walked out of the office amid curious glances.

Steve reached up and rubbed the back of his neck then loosened his tie. He could hear his colleagues talking with one another and feel their eyes burning a hole in his back.

"Hey, Lessing. Tell me, does Keller have the hots for this Stone girl or something?"

Hartman's comment was the last straw for Steve. He threw the file on the desk, wheeled around and stormed out of Mike's office. He ignored Tanner and Haseejian who tried to draw his attention, and headed straight for the dark haired detective. Grasping Hartman by the shoulder he spun him around then drew back his fist and shot it forward straight into the man's face.

Taken by surprise Jeff Hartman lost his balance when the blow landed and he fell back against the desk, knocking down several items onto the floor. His hand instinctively reached up to his mouth.

Tanner and Haseejian were at Steve's side in an instant, ready to hold their colleague back if need be.

Breathing hard, Steve stood bracing himself for Hartman's retaliation.

Straightening up, Hartman wiped the blood from his mouth and turned to face Steve. A dry laugh escaped his lips before a flicker of anger shone in his dark eyes and he lunged forward to make a grab for the younger Inspector.

Steve almost welcomed the movement as he acted upon it and raised his fists, preparing himself to exchange blows.

With the electrifying tension intensifying tenfold, Tanner, Lessing and Haseejian anticipated the fight escalating. They quickly gripped their colleague's arms and shirt, holding him back while Lessing placed himself in front of Hartman and planted a hand firmly against his chest, pushing him away.

"Cool it, Steve!" Tanner barked.

"You're a real piece of work!" Steve shouted, dismissing Tanner and jabbing his finger at Hartman.

"And you're a sick cop lusting over anyone in a skirt! I've heard all about your rep Keller. It's no wonder you can't handle a case without Stone to keep you inline!" Hartman shot back.

"Back-off Hartman!" Lessing warned, twisting Hartman's shirt in his hand and giving him a hard shove.

"Why you son of a –" Steve renewed his launch and almost broke free from Tanner and Haseejian's restraining hold.

"Does he know you're playing a love sick puppy after his daughter?" Hartman taunted.

Lessing drew the Inspector close to his face then shouted, "I said that's enough!" With a look that carried a threat of its own, the African-American detective gave Hartman one last shove then released his hold on him.

Hartman stumbled backward, still breathing heavily but losing his drive to fight off four men who glared at him warningly.

Steve's energy was almost spent from his struggles and seeing that Hartman was backing away, he slowly allowed his muscles to uncoil.

The sound of people releasing their breath filled the room as the friction dissipated when Hartman turned and flounced out of the bureau.

Steve shrugged away from the hands that were still restraining him.

"You okay, Steve?" Tanner asked in a steady voice.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Steve muttered.

"You sure?" Haseejian repeated.

"I said I'm alright," Steve replied with a hint of exasperation in his tone. He drew a deep breath and looked at the ground, avoiding everyone's questioning glances. Needing something to do he crouched down and started gathering the strewn paperwork from the floor when something caught his eye. His fingers closed around the edge of a photo frame that lay face down on the ground. He flipped the object around, shook the shattered pieces of glass out then rose to his feet, all the while studying the picture staring back at him from within the frame. Something about the photograph of a youth in a football jersey holding up a trophy caught Steve's attention. Upon closer inspection, he could clearly see a tattoo of a black bird on the inside of the youth's right arm. The same tattoo he had seen on the sketch that was drawn according to Jeannie's descriptions.

"What is it, Steve?" Tanner inquired, worriedly.

"Is this Hartman's kid?" Steve asked bluntly.

"Yeah. He's a college football star from what I've heard," Tanner replied.

"He plays for the Crows," Steve mused aloud.

"Yeah, have you seen him play? He's real good on the field."

"No, but I think I know who has." Steve placed the frame and the papers he picked up from the floor on the desk then hurried out of the bureau, calling out behind him that he needed to get some air.