Chapter 16
"Detective?"
Alex looked up from her desk. How long had she been staring into space? "Mrs. Menendez, what can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to thank you again for catching the man that did this terrible thing to my daughter… my Anna."
Alex gave her an empathetic smile. "Yes, mam."
"Your partner is not here?"
"Um, I'm not sure. He was here just a second ago. If you would like to have a seat, I'll go and find him."
"No, no. I don't want to take up anymore of your time. You have important work to do. You looked as if you had something setting in your mind when I walked up."
"No, nothing new anyway."
"Well," Mrs. Menendez offered Alex a shaky hand, "thank you again and you will give Detective Auxland a thank you as well."
"Yes, mam."
Alex watched Mrs. Menendez walk out of the precinct as her partner returned to his desk.
"What did the mom want?"
"Mrs. Me-nen-dez came to thank us."
"Ah, did she leave any parting gifts?"
"You're an ass. I mean really. What is wrong with you? She just found out an even bigger ass than you killed her only daughter for the hell of it, and you want to know if she left you a gift?"
"Geez Alex, lighten up. Sometimes people like her bake cookies or do something to show their appreciation."
"People like her?" There was fire in her eyes but Auxland was either too arrogant or too stupid to back away. Lucky for him, Captain Hannah appeared at their desks with an invitation for Alex to join him in his office.
"How are things with Auxland?"
"He's an ass."
"Yes, he is. But you didn't answer my question."
"Things are fine, I guess."
"You were in homicide, how long?"
"8 months"
"Glad to be back at Major Case?"
"I will be." Careful not to betray any emotion, she asked, "Have you heard from him?"
"No, but I did hear from his superior."
"And?" She was in no mood for games.
"And, they are officially dotting the "I's" and crossing the "T's" as we speak. He should be home soon."
She smiled. She couldn't help it.
Three months ago, Captain Hannah had called to request a face to face with Alex. They met at a coffee shop in neutral territory between 1PP and Rockaway homicide. Hannah introduced himself as an old friend of Bobby's. He wanted to know if there was any chance she would consider returning to Major Case. She respectfully declined his offer. Hannah, however had upped the ante when he suggested that Bobby return also. Alex did not see how that would ever happen, even with Moran relieved of his duties as the Chief of Detectives. Hannah made it clear that, as Captain of Major Case, he had the final say as to who filled his bullpen. The dust from the administrative shake up that the NYPD had just experienced was beginning to settle. Captain Hannah spoke highly of the newly placed brass. He said that he had personally worked with several of them over the years and that they were, for the most part, a good group of men and women. He asked Alex to consider the offer and to let him know. They spent the next hour exchanging stories. Alex listened as Hannah offered up more than one memory of Bobby. She knew she was smiling a little too big at the mention of his name, but it was wonderful to hear a "higher up" speak about Bobby with admiration and praise.
As the conversation slowed Hannah asked, "Detective Eams, could I ask you something of a personal nature?"
"You can ask," she retorted, clearly guarded.
"Why did you walk away? From the Captain's position, from Major Case?"
"My Dad was a cop. He loved his job, but he let it destroy him. He drinks too much… gets lost in his regrets. Staying at Major Case without my partner would have destroyed me. And as far as the captain's job goes, I wasn't willing to join forces with the then current administration, not when my first order of business was to fire my best… my partner."
Captain Hannah nodded once, "Understood. Just think about my offer."
"I will, but…"
"Would it help if I told you that I spoke to your partner last week?"
"Auxland?" she replied, more than a little irritated.
"No, not Auxland… Goren."
"What? How did you…?"
"I have a few contacts at the FBI myself. They expect this thing to wrap up in the next month or so. I left word that I was taking over Major Case and that I wanted Goren back when his gig with the FBI is up. He agreed, contingent upon one condition."
"Yes?"
"That I convince his partner to return too."
Her face betrayed no emotion. She simply said, "I'm in."
Captain Hannah extended his hand to Alex and said, "I look forward to working with you. I'll talk to your Captain and have you transferred back. I'll also leave word with the FBI… let them give Bobby the good news."
"Thank you"
"Thank you, detective. I'll be in touch."
That was three months ago. She returned to Major Case two weeks later, having wrapped things up at Homicide. Partnering with Auxland had been regrettable, but she considered him a speed bump on the road to getting Bobby back. It had been 11 months since she had come home to a dripping wet Bobby on her front porch. They had said hello and goodbye in a night and she physically ached to see him again. She had received six letters in those 11 months. All were sealed in a blank envelope stuffed inside a security envelope from the FBI field office in New Mexico. In his letters, he never complained about his present situation other than to say that he missed her terribly and that he would be home to her soon. He always ended the letters with a poetic quote and signed each with "all my love". She replied to his letters in kind, addressing them to Bobby in care of the field office. She had no idea if he received them or not. Driving home from work, she kept hearing Captain Hannah's voice, "He should be home soon."
"Not soon enough," she thought.
Thanks for reading. I'll watch the series finale tomorrow (wipes a wayward tear) and finish this story up as well.