Chapter 9

…

Sharon unlocked her door and stood in the doorway just staring at the entrance. Jack's hand came to rest on the curve of her back as she flinched at his touch.

"Sharon hunni, are you okay?"

"It's just the first time here since…you know."

"I understand Sharon, I know it's a little frightening being back here but you have an alarm installed now and an extra lock on the door, the key's on your chain."

"You did that for me." She asked, quietly looking up at him.

"Well….no. The Guys did."

"What Guys?"

"At Major Crimes, Sanchez, Provenza, Tao, Gabriel and Buzz."

"Oh, that was a very sweet thing to do."

"Yeah I guess, anyway come on and sit down."

Sharon allowed Jack to help her over to the couch and he helped her to sit down. His eyes showed concern when she grimaced as she got comfortable.

"I'm alright Jack, just a little sore. Don't look so worried."

"But I do worry Sharon, you're my Wife and I care about you."

"I know you do Jack but I…"

"I still love you Sharon."

She turned slowly to face him and gave him a small smile.

"Jack, I do appreciate you coming to collect me from the Hospital but don't start saying things like that."

"Like what?"

"That you're still in love with me, that ship sailed along time ago and you know why."

"Yeah but Sharon…"

"No Jack, just…no. Now I'm going to go and take a bath." She smiled, getting up slowly.

"You hungry?"

"I could eat."

"I'll make us some pancakes."

"Mmmm, sounds lovely. Thank you Jack."

…

Brenda had managed to get a hold of Nathan Collier's address and sent Gabriel and Sanchez to bring him in. She looked up when she heard yelling coming from outside her office, she stood up to see Collier struggling to get free from Detective Sanchez. She strode out into the incident room and headed towards them.

"I SAID GET THE HELL OFF ME, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT YOU ASS."

"Alright now that's enough." Brenda ordered.

"Shut up bitch."

"HEY, watch your mouth." Gabriel ordered.

"I'm Chief Johnson and I will not tolerate insubordination in my incident room, you got it. Detective Sanchez, Gabriel…please take our visitor to incident room 1 please, I'll be along in a minute."

"Sure Chief." Sanchez replied.

Brenda returned to her office and quickly grabbed her bag from her desk and made her way to the incident room. Once inside she sat down beside Sanchez as Collier looked on.

"Well well Mr Collier, it would seem you've been a busy guy."

"Aren't we all."

"Would you mind tellin' me where you were on the night of October 5th?"

"That was 2 weeks ago lady, how the hell am I gonna remember that huh."

"Well how about I tell ya', you were at Captain Rayors home, 63 Lansing Avenue on October 5th, when you pushed your way into her home and you shot her."

"Oh come on, you got no proof of that."

"Oh but I do, when you're surveying a place and you're peering through a window, you might wanna make sure your face is covered so that security cameras don't catch ya'."

"No way."

Brenda reached into her over sized back and brought out a file and removed a picture and slid it across the table. Nathan leaned forward and looked at the picture of himself, his reflection in the window.

"Oh shit." He replied.

"Who hired you?"

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do, you're wanted in England for the same crime aren't ya'. The murder of Adrian Molten, a Barrister. You were hired by the wife of a gangster, my question now is…who wants Captain Raydor dead."

Nathan remained silent for a few moments before Sanchez got his attention.

"ANSWER THE QUESTION?"

"I was hired to take her out."

"By who…WHO HIRED Ya'?"

"A Woman called Jessica Hampton."

"Why, why did she hire ya'"

"She said that Raydor needed to pay for what she did to Jessica Hampton's Husband."

"I don't understand, what exactly is Captain Raydor guilty off."

"She said that she was responsible for her Husband's death."

"You have an address for this Woman."

"Yeah."

"Am gonna need that..now. Detective Sanchez, wait here while he gets it for ya', I'll wait outside."

"Well wait, what's gonna happen to me." Collier asked.

"Well what d'ya think, you tried to kill a Police Officer. You're goin' down for quite sometime."

"But I'm helping you."

"So, it doesn't change the fact that you shot a very good friend of ours. Take him back to the cells."

Brenda got up and made her way out of the room, the only thing to be heard as she left was the cursing from Collier.

…

Andy drew up outside Sharon's building and made his way into the elevator and onto Sharon's floor. He came to her door and knocked a few times, the anger still building in the pit of his stomach. He looked up when the door opened and came face to face with Jack.

"Andy, what a surprise."

"Where is she."

"She's in the bath."

Andy pushed Jack aside and stepped inside the room before turning back to him.

"You've got one hell of a nerve Jack."

"I do, how's that exactly. She's my Wife after all, I had every right to collect her."

"You knew I was collecting her."

"Did I, I really…"

"Just stop, alright Jack. I know what you're playing at, hoping that if you play the dutiable Husband that Sharon will come back to you, forget everything you did to her, put her through."

"Yeah and what if I am, I love her and I told you I'll do anything to get her back."

"Who the bloody hell do you think…."

"What's going on."

They both looked to their side to see Sharon standing in the hallway, now in her sweatpants and sweatshirt.

"Hunni, Andy was just leaving."

"No I wasn't. Look Sharon I came to collect you from the Hospital today which he knew I was doing. He used it as an opportunity to get one over on me."

"Over on you, I don't understand?"

"He's trying to get you back Sharon, he told me to back off when he came to visit you the other week."

"Jack, why did you do that."

"Listen Sharon I…"

"No, I made it perfectly clear to you that we are never getting back together, you burned that bridge a long time ago. Jack you need to move on. You want to make amends then start with our kids, not me. I love Andy Jack and I have no intention of getting back together with you."

"Sharon hunni I…."

"Please leave."

"Sharon…"

"Go Jack, just go."

Jack grabbed his jacket from the stand and gave Sharon a quick peck on the cheek before passing by Andy and slamming the door behind him. Andy turned to Sharon and saw tears in her eyes. He moved closer and gently put his arms around her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, kissing her.

"I am now you're here, I'm so sorry about Jack…he's persistent."

"Don't worry about him, he's gone now. All that's important now is you and getting you better."

"I'm so glad you're here, I missed you."

"I missed you too, when you weren't in your room at the Hospital, when I saw the empty bed…I thought the worst had happened."

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm just glad you're okay."

"Love you."

"Me too."

"You hungry."

"I could eat, what you got?"

"Well Jack made pancakes just before he left, I'm sure they'll still be warm."

"Lead the way."

…

To Be Continued…