On the drive to the news station Nora called Georgia to get the lowdown on Matthews. He didn't have a record but he wasn't exactly clean, so Dan warned them to tread lightly.

Georgia did uncover one interesting piece of information, but what it meant was a guess.

"About two years ago a unit was called to the Matthews' for a domestic but by the time they arrived the Mrs. changed her story," Nora informed her partner. "And then about eighteen months ago Matthews was picked up in solicitation raid. He claimed he was working on a news story so no charges were filed."

"Hmm, I don't seem to recall that story," Nikki smirked.

"The strange thing about the arrest. Or, non-arrest," Nora clarified. "Was that one of the officers on the raid was Jack Parker."

"What's strange about that?" Nikki queried. "I spoke with him yesterday, he'd never heard of Rosalie."

"Did he mention that Tony Parker, Rosalie's landlord, is his cousin?"

Nikki's head whipped around as she gapped at the blonde. "So you think he hooked Matthews up with her?"

"You're the one who thought she could have a friend in vice."

"Yeah, someone who looked the other way not a pimp." Nikki pulled the car over to the curb.

"What are you doing?" Nora demanded as she turned in her seat.

"What do we have on Matthews?"

"What do you mean? He killed her."

"We can't prove anything without his DNA and with what we have so far no way his lawyer is going to let us get a sample."

"Izzy saw him."

"She's a six year old child, Nora. Any lawyer with a damn will make sure her word isn't enough. And I don't want to put her through proving what she saw. Do you?"

Nora leaned back in her seat. "No," she sighed. She turned her head to look out the window. "But I promised..."

"I know," Nikki soothed. "But now we have a better approach." When Nora turned a questioning glance her way she explained. "Have Georgia get Jack Parker to come into the station."

"And what are we going to do?"

"I have a few follow up questions for the landlord. And if they happen to, accidentally, end up in the same interrogation room..." Nikki smiled as she trailed off.

"I always knew you were more than a pretty face."

Nikki gave a quick wink before she pulled the car back onto the street. "Even if we can prove Matthews knew Rosalie, it'll still be a stretch to prove he killed her."

"I just need an excuse to rattle his cage."

"Nora," Nikki warned.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize this one."

"All we need is for one of the Parkers to crack and then we'll have a reason to at least talk to Matthews. We should be able to convince him to talk back at the station."

"Yeah," Nora agreed. "He's not going to want to talk where there are news cameras everywhere."

"Once we have him there maybe he'd be willing to offer a DNA sample in order to clear himself."

"And if he doesn't fall for that?" Nora questioned. "I can't go back and tell her I failed."

"We just need to convince the DA that we have enough to arrest him." Nikki reached over and held her partner's hand. "We won't fail. This bastard is going down."

Nora smiled as she raised their joined hands and gave Nikki's a kiss. "Oh yeah, much more that a pretty face."

Nikki's plan had worked even better than she could have hoped. Detective Parker was in Dan's office when Nikki and Nora came into the station with his cousin. Nikki had peeked her head in while Nora escorted the landlord to interrogation, acting surprised to find Parker there. "Hello there detective. Did you remember something else since we spoke yesterday?" Nikki had asked innocently.

Within the hour the detectives found themselves driving back toward the news station. "Do you remember anything else, suga?" Nora said with an exaggerated and breathy southern accent. "Yes, I remembered that I was pimping."

Nikki giggled. "Now darlin'," she drawled. "I don't sound like that. And he didn't actually say he was a pimp."

"I thought the landlord was going to have a coronary when he saw his cousin in Dan's office. He was blabbering about doing nothing wrong before we'd even made it to interrogation. Once he realized we weren't, actually, after him he was more than happy to give us Matthews."

"It'd be nice if we could get him for something though," Nikki complained.

"Well, at least Detective Parker isn't going to get off scott-free."

"May as well be," Nikki gritted. "He may be kicked off the force but I don't see the DA going after him for anything."

"As long as we get Matthews for murder then I don't care about the other two."

Nikki shook her head, she did care. Spending time in the Vice department she knew that the officers there were more likely to bend the rules than other departments. Sure the ones who strayed the furthest may have spent time behind bars but, most of the time, to save 'departmental face' the offenders were simply dismissed and swept under the rug. They weren't going to stop the cycle that way.

The two parked the car and made their way inside. "Don't forget, tread lightly," Nikki reminded. "We want him to want to come down to the station."

"I know," Nora said with an eye roll. "You're the honey, I'm the vinegar."

"Oh you can be sweet when you want to be," Nikki whispered as she approached the reception desk.

"Excuse me we are here to see Donald Matthews. Is he in?"

"And you are?"

"I'm Detective Beaumont, this is Detective Delaney."

"Detective?" the receptionist asked, surprised. "Did something happen?"

"Is Mr. Matthews in?" Nora huffed.

"Oh, yes, of course," the receptionist rushed as she picked up her phone. After a few moments she looked back up. "He'll be right out."

"Thank you," Nikki responded. She rested her hand on Nora's upper back and guided her partner away from the desk. "Relax."

"We don't need to explain to her why..." Nora began complaining.

"Take a deep breath," Nikki ordered.

"You don't need to handle me," Nora gritted.

"I thought you liked it when I handled you," Nikki whispered. Nora blushed but Matthews entered the lobby before she could respond.

"Hello detectives," he said as he approached. "I'm told you'd like to speak with me."

Nikki extended her hand. "Yes, Mr. Matthews. I'm Detective Beaumont, this is my partner Detective Delaney." She pulled a picture from her pocket. "We were wondering if you knew this woman?"

Matthews studied the picture for a second before shaking his head. "No. I don't believe I do," he answered as he handed the photo back.

"Would you mind coming down to the station with us? Answer a few questions?" Nikki asked sweetly.

"I've already said I don't know her," Matthews answered again. "Besides, I need to get ready for the newscast."

"We've been told by the person who introduced you that you do, in fact, know this woman," Nora cut in hotly.

Matthews glared at her. "I don't..."

Nikki stepped forward to place herself in front of Nora. "Given this woman's line of work I believe it would be much better to clear up this misunderstanding down at the station," she told him quietly. "Rather than here, around all these news people and gossip hounds."

"Fine," Matthews gritted. "Let me just get my jacket and call my lawyer to meet us there."

Ten minutes later they were headed back to the station with, a grumbling, Matthews in the backseat.

His lawyer was already waiting when they arrived. "Are you okay Donald?"

"He's fine," Nora scoffed.

"Look, Detective Delaney is it?"

Nora stepped up to the man. "Yeah, Delaney. Badge number..."

"Excuse me," Nikki cut in. "I feel we're getting off on the wrong foot here. I'm detective Beaumont. And you are?"

"Preston Holloway. Mr. Matthews council. What is the reason for this meeting?"

"If we could just take this somewhere more private," Nikki said as she directed them all to an interrogation room.

Once they were all settled Nora bit her tongue and let Nikki begin the questioning. "Now, Mr. Matthews, you've stated not to know this Rosalie Montgomery, her actual name being Fernandez. However, we have the word of two people that say you did, in fact, know her. One being her landlord, the other being a detective in the Vice division. A detective, by the way, who was involved in the prostitution raid that you were involved in."

"I was doing a story," Matthews claimed.

"And when did this story air?" Nikki asked.

Matthews leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "It didn't pan out."

Nora snorted. Nikki giving her a sideways glance before turning back to the newsman. "It turns out that the detective and the landlord are related and it seems that they've been helping Rosalie get some of her clients."

"Even if Mr. Matthews had been, or currently is, a client what exactly are we here to discuss?" Holloway asked. "You can't charge him with solicitation after the fact."

"No, of course not Mr. Holloway," Nikki agreed. "Ms. Fernandez was murdered the other night. We are just trying to rule out our long list of suspects."

"I didn't kill that girl," Matthews commented.

"Well a simple DNA test could clear that up quickly."

"A DNA sample?" Holloway questioned. "On the word of a pimp landlord and a crooked cop?"

"No," Nora gritted as she leaned forward. "On the word of..."

Nikki leaned forward, elbows resting on the table, and cleared her throat in order to cut the blonde off.

"I've noticed you've changed your wardrobe recently Mr. Matthews."

"Turtlenecks a new fashion statement?" Nora interjected. "Or a cover for something?"

"You want a DNA sample? You're going to need a judge's order. Good luck getting one with what you've got." Holloway stood up. "Let's go Don."

At that moment Dan entered the room holding a piece of paper. "Actually," he said holding up the order. "We didn't need luck."

Holloway stepped forward and took the paper. "I'd like a moment with my client."

"I didn't mean it," Matthews stuttered brokenly.

"Donald, don't say anything," Holloway ordered.

"She threatened me with blackmail. Said she'd tell everyone."

"So you didn't give her the chance," Nora accused as she stood up, resting her hands on the table and leaning toward him.

"She attacked me." Matthews pulled down his collar to show the injury. "It was self-defense."

"Self-defense?" Nora scoffed. "You killed her in..."

"Mr. Matthews, you are under arrest," Nikki stated evenly.

"I'll escort them to booking," Dan offered.

Nora stood frozen in her spot leaning on the table and when the others left Nikki covered one of her hands. "You okay?"

Nora sank back into her chair. "Yeah. Sorry."

"Nothing to be sorry for. That arrogant bastard had it coming."