Just a little co-operation goes a long way
Everyday is a new day
I'm reminded of my past
Every time there's another storm
I know that it won't last
Every moment I'm filled with hope
'Cause I get another chance
But I will try, I will try
Got nothing left to hide
I'm beautifully broken
And I don't mind if you know it
I'm beautifully broken
And I don't care if I show it.
- Beautifully Broken, Ashlee Simpson
A/N: I know this took a long time to get out to all of you. Damn real life. Damn it all to hell.
Big thanks to 'My Montana' for her musical genius and to the wonderful Aphina for her great ideas and suggestions. And to them and Bluehaven4220 for all their support and guidance. Far beyond this little fictional world of mine.
Despite the news that his self proclaimed best employee had been found dead, possibly of foul play, Bill Palmer didn't appear to be fazed in the least. In fact, as Carmen and Flack sat in chairs in front of Palmer's cluttered desk on his equally as cluttered, musty smelling office, the phone sex boss continued to work on his desk top computer.
"She's dead?" Palmer asked calmly, not diverting his eyes from the computer screen.
"You don't seem to surprised." Carmen said.
"Or too choked up about it." Flack added. "This happen often? NYPD showing up to tell you an employee is dead? Possibly murdered? This old hat for you, Bill? Doesn't bother you anymore?"
"Of course I'm upset." Palmer said. "And shocked. But she was just an employee. I don't get personally involved with my employees."
"I don't get involved with my boss either but they'd be just a little more upset by the news of my untimely demise than you are about Danica O'Neil's." Flack told him, visibly annoyed by the indifferent smug man in front of him.
"Perhaps you have too personal a relationship with your employer." Palmer suggested.
"Hey, look, buddy…" Flack snapped, leaning forward in his seat, as if to get up and nail the guy in the face.
Carmen laid a hand on his arm to calm him down. "Mr. Palmer, how long did Danica work for you?" she asked.
"Three years. I poached her from a rival company."
"Poached her?" Flack asked.
"She was our biggest competitions rising star. Everyone in the industry knew Sugar and Spice."
"Excuse me?" asked Flack, taking out his log book and a pen to take notes. "Sugar and Spice? Who the hell is that?"
"That was Danica's operator name. And her porn name."
"She was a porn star?" Carmen inquired.
"One of the best." Palmer replied. "I'm sure your male counterpart here knows some of her work."
"Uh….no." Flack said. "I have a wife for that sort of thing. She handles that part of my life just fine. So how'd you meet Danica to poach her as you so eloquently put it?"
"At a sex trade show and conference in Detroit. She approached me and expressed interest in leaving the company she was with and working for another."
"If she was their rising star, why'd she want to leave?" Flack asked.
"She was looking for something more secure. With a benefits package."
"There's benefits?" Flack asked incredulously. "You have a benefits package here?"
Palmer nodded. "Prescription, eye glasses, dental…."
"Why?" Flack inquired.
"Why not? Everyone deserves proper care."
"You people talk on the phone all day!" Flack exclaimed. "Who gives a crap if all your teeth are fallin' out of your head? No one even sees you!"
"This is a legit business, detective." Palmer informed him. "And it's very cut throat. You don't offer these things, employees walk. I run a very reputable business."
Flack snorted. "Reputable. Right."
"You don't exactly have the most respected job in the city yourself. All the controversy the NYPD is embroiled in these days. Racial profiling, police harassment, brutality. Just to name a few."
"Bill, you are one step from me getting up and laying some police brutality down on you." Flack warned.
"When was the last time you saw Danica?" Carmen asked.
"Two weeks ago."
"She hasn't worked in two weeks?" Flack arched an eyebrow. "Why?"
"She's been deathly ill with a chest infection." Bill told him. "Damn thing nearly wiped this place right out."
"And did you speak to her at all in the last two weeks?" asked Flack. "Up until maybe three days ago?"
Palmer shrugged. "A couple times."
"When?" Flack asked.
"Last week."
"When last week?" Carmen inquired. "Do you remember what days?"
"I can't quite recall."
"Well try." Flack said. "And while you're at it, stop whatever it is your doing there, turn that damn computer off and give us ten minutes of your time. This is a possible murder investigation. We're not here on unpaid parking tickets."
Palmer sighed exasperatedly and put the computer on stand by and turned his chair to face them.
"Thank you." Flack said. "Now when was it you talked to Danica last week?"
"I called her Monday to see how she was. She said she was still very ill and didn't know when she'd be back. I told her she needed a doctor's note to come back after being off that long."
"And the second time?" Carmen asked.
"I talked to her again on Thursday afternoon." Palmer replied. "She called me. Wanted me to call the police because one of her regulars had found out her home number and was harassing her."
"And did you call the police?" Flack asked.
"No. I let it go."
Carmen sighed. "Why?"
"Not the first time it's happened. I thought it would blow over."
"Got a name for this regular?" asked Flack.
"I could get a print out of all her incoming calls for the last month. He calls, on average, ten times a day."
"I won't even comment on how desperate or pathetic that is." Flack said. "Could you get that information for me?"
"Don't you need to get a warrant for that?" Palmer asked.
"I could." Flack replied. "But considering one of your employees just turned up dead and you were the last person to see or talk to her, I assumed you'd do the decent thing and co-operate. You know, as a human being."
Palmer blinked and cleared his throat noisily. Intimidated by those cold, steel blue eyes staring him down from across the desk. "I can call out front to Marco and ask him to get those things ready for you." he suggested.
"Can you?" Flack asked sweetly. "I'd like that very much. And her employee file. Please and thank you."
Carmen bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. She glanced over at Flack as Palmer picked up the phone to make a short, terse call to his receptionist.
Flack grinned, showing off those dimples in his cheeks. "And you say I'm never nice." he said.
"I never said that. I said you're never nice to me."
"Please, Devine, you know that if I was single me and you…"
Palmer hung up the phone and turned back to them.
"Mr Palmer, are you aware that Danica had a record?" Flack asked.
"I was. I hold no prejudices against things like that. It didn't affect her work so I paid no mind to it. We have all sinned. Made mistakes."
"You are so preaching to the choir buddy." Flack said.
"I tend to be a very forgiving person." Palmer added.
"Well, excuse me for letting a criminal record tarnish my impression of someone." Flack said. "You said earlier that Danica had had some previous trouble with clients? What kind of trouble?"
"She had started a little business on the side. If that's what you want to call it. She was acting as an escort for some of her favorite clients."
"Do you know their names?" Carmen asked.
"Should be on her phone records. And there's probably files on her computer as well."
Flack snapped his log book closed. "I'm gonna need that computer." he said.
"Now, detective, that's overstepping…."
"I have a really nice, co-operative judge on speed dial, Mr Palmer. I could also have him give me a warrant to seize every computer and every file in here, including everything of yours, to prove that you're most likely running an escort service out of here as well. So unless you want me to have you closed down by this time tomorrow, I suggest you let me take the computer. And let me and Detective Devine search Danica's cubicle."
"Detective….."
Flack got out his cell phone. "Your choice, Mr Palmer. What'll it be?"
"Okay….okay. Fine, take the computer. Take whatever you want. Just leave my company alone."
Flack snorted and shook his head. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"
"Everyone has to make a living, detective. We all have bills to pay. I have three kids to clothe and feed and put a roof over their heads. Do you have children, detective?"
"One on the way." Flack said. "And I wouldn't want my kid knowing my legacy was pimping out women and supplying people with cheap thrills."
"Same way I wouldn't want my kids knowing my legacy was harassing people and putting innocent men and women behind bars for no other reason than the cheap thrill of having control over people."
Flack smirked and stuffed his log book and pen into the inside pocket of his jacket and stood up. "Thanks for your help, Mr Palmer." he said as he headed to the door. "I'll see you in a few hours with that warrant to take the rest of your computers and files."
Palmer jumped up in a rage. "You can't do that!"
"Actually,." Flack said as he opened the door. "I can."
Carmen hurriedly got out of her seat . "Which cubicle is Danica's?" she asked Palmer.
"Far left corner. Right next to the widow. The one with the firefighter calender hanging in it. Can't miss it. He can't really do that, can he?"
Carmen didn't answer and chased after the homicide detective.
"You're not really going to do that are you?" she asked Flack.
"Naw. But I would love to be a fly on the wall for the next few hours watching him just shit his pants."
She grinned. "So what first?" she asked. "You want to look at the cubicle or go see if your boyfriend has that stuff ready?"
"That is so not funny, Devine." Flack complained.
"He was kinda cute."
"You're disturbed."
"He seems like the passive type." Carmen said. "He'd love it for you to go all aggressive and dominating on him."
"You wanna walk back to the lab?" Flack asked.
"Take it as a compliment. Both sides of the fence find you attractive. If you ever get tired of the female side…."
"I'll pretend you never said that."
"Come on, Flack." she chided him. "Deep down you really liked it."
"You're never going to let me live it down are you?"
Carmen grinned from ear to ear. "Not in a million years." she said.
Samantha and Amelia sat in a window booth in the far back corner of a small, quiet Chinese food restaurant a block from the crime lab. They were both nervous to be this close to one another again. Uncomfortable as they sat across from one another, silently browsing menus, each wondering how to break the proverbial ice.
A drastic change from their relationship of old. Going out to eat and sharing gossip and girl talk had been a regular thing for them. They'd been exceptionally close since the day Zack had brought Samantha home to meet his family for the first time. The entire family had adored her and welcomed her into their lives with open arms. Had been ecstatic when Zack had announced four years after the start of the relationship that they were moving in together and getting married.
Only to have all the expectations and plans and excitement go all to hell when Zack decided to go and screw everything up and Sam took off with no warning.
There'd been many a time Sam had wanted to call Amelia. To see how her former would have been sister in law was doing. But she'd been afraid of the reception she'd get. Worried that Amelia blamed her for her brother's death.
Amelia herself had contemplated calling Sam just as many times. To see how she was getting on in New York City. And to tell her that she held no ill will towards her and missed her friendship.
The minute she saw Samantha Ross, she knew that she was genuinely happy to be out of Phoenix. The way Sam's eyes sparkled and the way she smiled. Beamed was more like it. Like she'd found the joy in life again and was well on the road to recovery and happiness. There was more, too. Appearance wise. Far beyond the flattering, stylish hair cut and clothes. She was slightly heavier. And healthier looking. And it had taken Amelia a few once overs to realize that Samantha was pregnant. And engaged. That diamond was hard to miss. She stared at it even now, watching is sparkle as Sam nervously used her straw to stir the ice in her water.
Amelia reached across the table to capture Sam's left hand in both of hers. Leaning forward to get a better look at stunning piece of jewellery gracing Sam's finger. "It's beautiful." she praised.
Sam smiled and took her hand back. "Thanks. It was a surprise. I wasn't expecting it so soon. I wasn't expecting to meet anyone so soon for that matter. It just happened. It was like he was waiting her all along for me. I know that sounds ridiculous, but its how I feel. Moment I looked at him, I knew he was different."
"Sounds like he's really something."
"He is." Sam agreed.
"So who is the lucky guy?"
"His name's Don Flack. He's a homicide detective. He works hand in hand with the lab."
"I shouldn't be surprised. You always did have a thing for policemen. And the baby? When are you due?"
"End of February, first week of March. The baby was an even bigger shock then getting engaged. Things have happened pretty quickly in my life since I got here."
"Does it feel right to you?" Amelia asked. "Does it feel sometimes like it's too good to be true? That you're just waiting to wake up from some amazing dream?"
"It does. Exactly."
"That's how I felt when I met Greg. We were only together for two months, remember? And then we got engaged. And look at us now. Still in love and happy four years later even though even questioned it and doubted us. Are you happy, Samantha? You look happy."
"I am. Disgustingly happy. I've never felt this way. Been in love with someone so wholly and completely."
Sam was suddenly struck by the words that had just escaped her lips. A sense of horror filling her as she remembered who was talking to. She felt awful for saying those things to Amelia, regardless of speaking the whole truth. She wondered how cold hearted she had sounded. Saying something like that after spending nearly five years with the young woman's brother. Not all those years were bad. And there was a time she genuinely loved Zack. Just somewhere along the line he'd become a monster.
"I'm sorry." Sam said sheepishly. "I shouldn't have said that. It was a terrible thing to say."
"Samantha," Amelia began, her voice calm and composed. "I don't blame you for hating my brother. You have every right to. What he did to you, the cheating with that girl in your lab and those women he was using….I don't blame you for taking off or being glad that he's dead."
"I never said that." Sam argued. "I never said he deserved to die. I just….I wanted him to pay. For what he did back in Arizona and when he came here to New York. I never wanted someone to kill him. I'm sorry it happened. I'm sorry for you ad your parents."
"And we're sorry, too. For knowing what he was like and what he was doing to you ad not doing a damn thing about it. We should have done something."
"It's the past now Amelia. That part of my life is gone. And it needs to stay gone. For my sanity and for my baby's healthy and the health of my relationship. And if you came here to blame me for your brother or to cause me grief, I'm sorry, but I can't sit here and put up with that. I'm sorry you wasted your money coming here." Sam slipped out of the booth.
"Samantha, please….sit down." Amelia said. "Please. That's not why I'm here. I came here in good faith, I promise you. Please just sit."
Sam sighed and reluctantly sat back down.
"I came here because I missed you and I wanted to see that you're okay." Amelia told her. "I wanted to call you so many times. But I never did. I was too afraid to. But you were like a sister to me and I miss that. And I wanted to tell you that to your face. I hate my brother for what he did to you. I hold no ill will towards you whatsoever."
"You came all the way here for that?" Sam asked. "I appreciate it. I really do, Amelia. But like I said, that chapter of my life is finished. And you didn't need to come all the way to New York to tell me something like this when a simple phone call would have been fine."
"There is one other thing." Amelia told her, opening the briefcase that sat beside her. She pulled out a manila file folder. Laying it on the table, she flipped it open. "This is a copy of Zack's will." she said, turning the folder around for Sam to see it. "The lawyer just read it three days ago. He never changed it after you broke up with him. And he left you everything."
Sam blinked. Shocked. And slightly offended. "I don't want anything of your brother's." she told Amelia.
Amelia pointed to a spot on the paper between them. "He had a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Some of it he made on investments, some he kept hoarded in a savings account no one knew about and the rest was what he had left over from the inheritance he came into when our grandmother died."
"I don't want to hear any of this, Amelia. I don't want anything from your brother." Sam insisted, sliding the folder towards her old friend.
Amelia pushed it back. "He also left you the house and his car."
Sam shook her head adamantly. "I don't want anything."
"You deserve something. Trust me. I know you're hurt and angry, Samantha. But think about how much this money would help. You and your fiance both work for the city. You guys don't make a lot and this city is crazily expensive to live in. You have a baby on the way. A wedding to plan. The money just by itself would give you some financial security."
"I know. But…."
"You could sell the house." Amelia said. "It's worth at least two twenty five. You could even sell the car. Sam, you know you deserve this. That you need this. Stop being so stubborn and just accept it."
Samantha sighed and combed her fingers through her hair.
"I know it's a shock. Me showing up here and telling you this. I'd be blown away. But my brother, as big of a bastard as he was, really did love you. I know he put you through sheer hell sometimes, Sam. But he did love you. This is proof of that."
Sam laughed out loud. "Sometimes, Amelia? Sometimes? Try all the time. There is nothing that can make the pain of what happened go away and I just can't believe that you can care about someone and do that to them. He may have loved me in his own messed up way, but it doesn't change what happened and no amount of money can make it right."
"You have every right to be upset, Samantha." Amelia said calmly.
"Upset? No. I'm not upset. What I am is relieved. Relieved that I got the hell out of there before it was too late and I was either permanently damaged or dead. That I got out of there and came here and met an amazing man that doesn't call me names and doesn't hit me and bash me around. I may not appreciate him as much as I should, but he's a damn good man that made me believe in love again, that I was worthy of having someone love me. And for you to come here, to my city, and tell me your brother loved me is an insult to every man who really knows what that word means."
"I'm sorry. Okay? I don't know what more you want me to say, Samantha. You deserve this money. If you won't take it from Zack, think of it as my family giving it to you. Talk this over with your fiance. I bet he'll agree with me."
"I doubt it. He's more stubborn than I am."
"Think about it, Sam. It's financial stability. Maybe not in the terms of forever, but its better than nothing. Here…." Amelia grabbed a pen from her briefcase and wrote on the inside cover of the folder. "Call me either way. I'm staying at the Regent Park for the next couple of days. This is my cell number and the one for the room I am in. When you make a decision either way, give me call."
She closed the folder and slid it closer to Sam.
"Maybe we can ever get together before I go back." Amelia suggested. "I'd love to meet this man of yours."
"I'll think about it." Sam said. What would I have to do if I decide to go with this? How do I proceed?"
"You'd have to get a lawyer and come to Phoenix to sign the papers."
"I can't fly. Doctor's orders. I have the beginning stages of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. She doesn't want me leaving the house half the time never mind getting on a plane."
"You could get a lawyer and have them fly down alone on your behalf." Amelia said. "If you decide in favor of this."
"It's a big if." Sam told her.
"It's your decision, Samantha."
Sam's cell phone, tucked into her purse, rang noisily and she pulled it out. "Work." she said, looking at the call display. "Excuse me?"
"Of course."
Sam pressed talk. "What's up, Danny?" she asked into the phone.
"You still at that Chinese place around the corner?" he inquired.
"I am. Why?"
"Mac wants you to come with me to the crime scene and photograph. Every one else is busy. You free?"
"I can be."
"Be there in like two minutes. I'm getting in the truck now." Danny hung up.
Sam pressed end and tucked the phone back into her purse. "I'm sorry. I have to go." she told Amelia, slipping out of the both and grabbing her coat and yanking it on. "Duty calls."
"I meant it, Samantha. Call me. Regardless. It would be nice to just hang out again."
"It would be." Sam agreed, digging two fives from her pants pocket to cover the cost of her barely touched lunch. "I'll give you a shout before you go back. I promise."
Amelia got out of the booth and hugged her friend. "I missed you, Sam."
"I missed you, too." she said sincerely, embracing her in return. "And I'm sorry things turned out the way they did."
"I'm just glad you're okay. That you've met someone incredible. Try telling him how much you appreciate him some time. I'm sure he'd love to hear it."
"He deserves to hear it." Sam said, then let go of her friend and scooped the file off the table. "I promise I'll think about all of this."
"It's all I ask. Be careful out there Samantha."
"Always." she said and hurried towards the front entrance of the restaurant.
Amelia hoped it wasn't the last time she'd see Samantha Ross.
Speed yawned noisily. His eyes were on fire. He needed caffeine. His ass was sore from being parked on it in front of a computer for the last hour. Muscles in his back tight from being hunched over a microscope in trace for two hours prior. In front of him, hooked up and ready to go was Danica O'Neil's work computer and 'business' cell phone. Beside him, Adam was just firing up the victim's lap top and home PC.
"Who wants to make the coffee run?" Speed asked. "I think the last time we did something like this it was me."
"Do I look like a receptionist?" Adam inquired, all ready getting to his feet.
"Thought of you in a skirt and blouse does little for me, Ross. Sorry." Speed quipped, pulling a crinkled five dollar bill from his pants pocket and holding it out. "Extra large, black, two sugars. Thanks."
Adam waved the money off.
"What? You rich all of a sudden?"
"My sister leant me some cash 'til payday." Adam explained, heading for the door.
"Should hit her up for a loan." Speed said.
"I think it's more Flack's money. Sam's nearly as poor as I am with all her old student loans she's still working at paying off. How the hell those two will ever afford to feed a kid is beyond me."
"Sometimes that's not the first thing on your mind. You're usually too busy having the fun and then getting yourself into the situation and worrying about what the hell you're going to do. They'll be fine. Flack will make sure of that."
"Thank God." Adam said. "'Cause my sister would loose her head if it wasn't attached."
"Remind me when I have kids never to leave them alone with her." Speed joked. "You mind picking me up something to eat while you're down there? Muffin or something? I'm starving."
"Anything else? My right arm? A kidney?"
Speed grinned. "You're spending way too much time working with your sister. Her mouth is rubbing off on you."
"She's a bad influence." Adam declared and left.
Gus hadn't spoken to Adam since late last night, when she had to all but force herself to leave his place and return to her own. She hadn't wanted to leave. She felt so comfortable there. With him. She didn't have to be anyone but herself around Adam. He accepted her as is and showered her with compliments and affection. Like she was the most precious thing in the world and nothing else mattered to him except for her happiness. It was way too early in the relationship to be thinking long term. She wasn't even sure if it was a relationship. All she knew was that she liked him. A lot. And she liked the way he made her feel and the things he made her feel.
She came to the lab on her lunch break to tell him just that. Compelled to get the thoughts out into the open. To hear his reaction. She'd never been that bold with a man before. But then again, she'd never been that eager about any of the other men she'd been involved with. Adam was different. He was loving and unselfish and compassionate. And oh so adorable. There was no way she was letting a guy like that get away.
She stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the thirty-fifth floor. Planning in her mind what she would say, what she would do. And how she'd react if, God forbid, he wasn't feeling the same things she was.
Go and have a good old fashioned get shit face session, Gus thought, her stomach uneasy with nervousness and anticipation as the elevator climbed closer and closer to her destination. Alcohol wasn't the answer for anyone. It wasn't a permanent solution to a problem. Just a temporary mask. And she'd told a numerous patient that in her years in her profession. But sometimes it was easier to not practice what you preach.
The elevator chimed as it reached the floor and the door slid open. She stepped off, lost in her thoughts, not paying attention to where she was going or who was in front of her. Then finding herself buried face first in someone's chest as a result.
"Shit…." she cursed, embarrassed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to nearly trample you."
"I can think of worse fates then being trampled by a beautiful woman." a familiar voice said.
She looked up and smiled, immediately warmed by those amazing turquoise eyes. "Hi." she said simply.
He beamed back at her. "Hi."
"I was just coming to see you. I thought I'd stop by on my lunch. Are you busy?"
"I was just heading downstairs to get some coffees and stuff to eat. We're caught up with this pretty big case so I don't have a lot of free time right now."
Gus' face fell. Along with her spirits. "Oh." she said, hoping she didn't sound too disappointed. Because apparent disappointment would make her seem to needy and anxious for something that may or may not be there.
Adam sensed the abrupt change in her mood. Saw it in her eyes. "You want to come with me?" he asked hurriedly. Feeling the need to make up for something, but not quite sure what that something was. "It's just downstairs to the cafeteria. I could buy you a coffee, spend a few minutes together?"
"I wanted to come here and tell you that I really like you and I hope that what happened between us wasn't a one time thing and I hope that you're feeling the same way and what more from it than just amazing sex." Gus blurted out.
Adam blinked. "Okay……"
"Jesus." Gus slapped her forehead with her palm. "I can't believe I just said that. Obviously it was the wrong thing to say, you standing there with that deer in the headlights look on your face."
"Gus…." Adam attempted to explain.
"I knew this was way too good to be true. Feeling like this. Look at you, you don't even know what to say. I just went and opened my big mouth and you don't even feel the same way."
"Gus…" he tried again.
"Never should have convinced myself this was a good idea. Bad mistake coming here. I'm sorry, Adam. I shouldn't have come here." she turned to the elevator. "I'm sorry."
"Gus." he said one last time, more forcefully, and grabbed her and pulled her into him for a smouldering kiss that made her hair stand on end and her toes curl.
"Wow." she simply said when it ended.
"I really like you too, Gus." Adam told her, one hand on the side of her face, the other on the small of her back, looking deep into her eyes. "And I'm glad that what happened between us meant as much to you as it did to me. I just wish we could run out of here right now and spend the day together. But…."
She smiled warmly. Relief washing over her face that she hadn't made an ass out of herself after all. She saw the sincerity in his eyes. Heard the tenderness in her voice. "You just made my entire day." she told him.
"It would make my day if you'd come and get a coffee with me and give us at least five minutes alone. Believe me, I wish I could give you more than that." Adam said.
"It's okay." Gus assured him. "I understand. You're an integral part of this lab. They need you."
Adam blushed. "Well I wouldn't go that far. But it would be nice to be appreciated more."
"I appreciate you." Gus said, standing on her tiptoes to press a feathery kiss to his lips. "Now how about that five minutes?"
He grinned. "If you said ten, I'd say I heard rumors about the janitors closet on the ninth floor."
"Well one day when you have more time, maybe we should see if the rumours hold true." Gus told him, kissed him one last time and turned for the elevator, dragging him along by the hand.
"Wish this was my lunch hour." he grumbled.
Speed had just managed to hack his way into Danica O'Neil's secure files on her work computer when he saw the tall, broad figure of Flack standing in the doorway of the AV lab.
"You just dropped them off forty five minutes ago, Flack." Speed said. "I'm good, but I'm not that good."
"Nothing off even her home stuff?" the detective asked.
"Adam hasn't even started on them yet. He's been going over the surveillance tapes again to see if Sam might have missed something."
"Did she?"
"Nothing out of the ordinary on those tapes. Nothing. So as soon as Adam gets back, he's going to start on the computers. How'd it go with the phone records?"
"All I know is that there's a lot of sick, desperate people out there. Some of these guys call over a dozen times a day. One guy in particular, called over forty times in the span of three days shortly before our girl was off sick. Tracked him down but he's got an air tight alibi for TOD."
"Which is?"
"He was down in Central lockup for indecent exposure."
Speed snorted. "That should not surprise me with these people."
"Anyway, I wasn't really here about the computers. I was here get Samantha. Only I can't find her anywhere and her cell phone is conveniently turned off."
"Call Danny."
Flack arched an eyebrow. "Danny? Why?"
"She's with him. Mac got her to go with him to the crime scene to take photos. You know, give her a chance to get out of the lab before she snaps and kills someone."
"She's with Danny? At a crime scene?" Flack needed some clarification.
Speed didn't have to look at Flack to know the man was pissed. He could hear it in his voice and sense it. He knew the thought of Sam not being confined to the lab was a source of massive stress to Flack and that the idea of something happening to her drove Flack nuts.
"It's just to take photos." Speed said defensively. "Nothing major."
"She's suppose to be in the lab and only in the lab." Flack seethed.
"Mac just wanted to give her a sense of purpose I guess. You know how she's been since getting quarantined to the lab. Hard for her to deal with. Cut her some slack."
"Cut her some slack? Would you be saying that if it was Carmen?"
"Well, no. But…."
Flack shook his head in disgust and made for the door.
"Where are you going?" Speed asked.
"To kick someone's ass." Flack replied.
Danny used the key to the Avalanche to slice through the seal on Danica O'Neil's apartment door and pushed it open, letting Sam pass through before reaching for the light switch in the front hallway. The skies outside were getting dark and stormy and there'd be no way they'd see anything without the lights on.
"How's it feel to be out of purgatory, Brooklyn?" he asked, leading the way to the living room.
"Like I've been re-born. Are you sure Mac said this was okay?"
"He's the one who told me to bring you along. Guess he hates seeing you walk around moping all the time. Thought he'd give you some fresh air. Let you see sunlight. Not that there's much right about now. So what was that all about at the lab earlier? Zack's sister showing up?"
"She was in town for some business." Sam said. "Thought she'd catch up."
"You guys were close?"
"Best friends. Things kind of fell apart when I left Arizona."
"Understandable." Danny said with a nod. "She's not a fan of her brother's, huh? If she still wants to keep in touch with you."
"Not many people are fans of his."
"She was surprised? To see you now? Engaged, baby on the way?"
"A little." Sam replied. "So exactly what are we here for?"
"Take a look at the coffee table. If we figured right, about her being doped up and passing out and hitting her head, there'd be some kind of mark on the coffee table."
Danny sat his kit on the couch and snapped it open. He took out a flashlight and switched it on and crouched down alongside the coffee table to get a better look at it. "Didn't notice anything before, but I wasn't looking for anything this morning."
"See anything now?" Sam inquired, glancing around the apartment.
"Nothing. Which makes no sense." Danny sat back on his heels and sighed in frustration. "Makes no sense. No DNA, no trace, no nothing. And if she had have passed out and hit her head, then there'd be something to show on the table. I can't explain it."
"I think I can." Sam said. "Just from a quick observation."
"Okay. Let's hear it."
"First off, look around this room. All the furniture matches. The trim on the couch is natural wood which goes with the bookcases, the desk, the two end tables and the behind the couch table. You're not going to match all of this up and have a coffee table that doesn't match. It's metal. With a glass top. Looks terrible with everything else. And at first blush, I'd say she was pretty anal about making sure things didn't clash. I have a thing myself against mixing different colours of wood furniture."
"Yeah?" Danny asked and stood up. "But no one ever said you were normal."
Sam ignored him. "Second of all, look at the indents in the carpet under the table. They don't even match up with the table that's here. There was obviously a larger, heavier table that sat here for a long time to dig in that bad. And the impressions match the legs on the end tables."
"Broke her other coffee table and got a new one?" Danny suggested.
"Or someone else broke it. Or damaged it. By smashing her head off of it." Sam said.
"You know, we could have been done with this damn case hours ago if you'd come along sooner. So where's the other table?"
"Does this building have a back dumpster area? That's the place to look. You're not going to carry a coffee table that far."
"Wanna come with or you okay waiting here?" Danny asked.
"I'll be fine waiting here. Rick Santucci is outside the door. He's a friend of Don's. He won't let some weirdo come in here and do crazy shit to me."
"Shouldn't really leave you alone." Danny said. "Flack'll kill me if anything happens to ya."
"What's going to happen to me with a uniform outside the door? Go ahead, Danny. I'll be fine. I get bored and I'll go and wait in the truck."
"Anything happens, and I mean anything, you come and get me, all right?"
"You're starting to sound like Don. Paranoid."
"Man loves you and his kid. Just wants you guys to be safe. And bad shit seems to follow you around. Be back in a few."
"Okay." she said, and helped herself to a pair of gloves from his kit. "I'm going to take a look around." she told him as he headed for the door. "In case you rookies missed something else." she winked at him playfully.
"Easy, Brooklyn. Easy." Danny laughed as he left the apartment. "Keep a damn good eye on her Santucci." he said to the young uniform parked by the door. "Flack'll tear your head off and shove it up your ass if anything happens to her."
Sam rolled her eyes at Danny's warning to the uniform officer and snapped the gloves on . Closing the kit and picking it up, she journeyed into the nearby galley kitchen to snoop around. She'd missed being out in the field and even this small bit of investigating made her feel worth while. As much as she loved her brother, being stuck inside with him every day was getting a little much. And she still had roughly another three months to put up with it.
There was a stack of mail nearly four inches thick on top of the microwave and she picked them up and flipped through them. Heating bill, electricity, numerous credit card statements and some overdue notices. Several, in fact. But certainly not something that someone would kill you over. Unless the collection agencies rented out mercenaries to get their money. She put the mail back and opened the cupboards. They were sparse. Nothing but enough dishes for two place settings, a few glasses in one and a box of granola cereal and some canned goods in the other. The last cupboard however, was stocked full of canned Slim Fast powder and prepared diet drinks. Along with packages of meal supplement pills.
Talk about screwing yourself up for the sake of loosing a few pounds, Sam thought, closing the cupboard back up. She must have been eating something. Live like that and you'll be invisible.
She turned to the fridge and opened it. Surprised, and dismayed, to find little more than bottles of vitamin water, a package of prepared salad greens and a bag of grapes. She closed the door and opened the freezer. Again no food, but something intriguing caught her eye. On the door of the freezer, a rolled up wad of cash held together with an elastic band.
"Nice." Sam said aloud, snapped a picture and then picked the money up, backing away from the fridge and shutting the freezer door.
She'd been so engrossed in her search that she hadn't hear anyone come into the apartment, and now, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a figure standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Startled, she jumped back and nearly caught the back of her head off the cupboards behind her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Flack asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.
"Not scaring the shit out of someone like you apparently like doing." Sam snapped. "First the dumpster, now this? Wouldn't have been so funny had I cracked my head open or peed myself."
"Do I look like I'm laughing?" Flack asked. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for something to eat. What does it look like I'm doing? I'm working. What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to drag you back to the lab kicking and screaming. You're suppose to be working back at the lab. And only the lab."
"Don't start." Sam said. "Mac let me out on parole for an hour. Relax."
"You know what? Quit your shit and let's go."
"I'm not done yet." she said and pulled the elastic band off the money. "Check this out. This is some heavy duty cash. There has to be over a grand here."
"So put it in an evidence bag and let's go."
"Would you just wait? What are you so upset about?"
"You were told no field work. None. And where do I find out you are? In the field."
"Take it easy, Don." she said and calmly thumbed through the money.
"You are a stubborn fucking bitch sometimes." Flack told her, grabbed an evidence bag from the kit sitting on the floor and snatched the money from her hand.
"I was counting that!" she protested.
"Count it when you get back to the lab." he dropped the money into the bag and sealed it and held it out to her. "Let's go."
"You can be a real ass." Sam informed him. "Stop treating me like this. I'm not a baby."
"No. You're not. But you're having my baby so I have a say where the hell you go and what you do. And right now, I say let's go. Get your kit and…."
"It's Danny's."
"Then we don't have to bring it then. Come on." he laid a hand on her back and gestured towards the door with his other hand.
"This is bullshit." Sam murmured and headed from the kitchen. "You act like you're my father. Or my jail warden. Not sure which is worse."
"Thought you liked the whole jailer thing. You're into the handcuffs I know." he said jokingly, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah? Well you're going to be sleeping on the couch for a very long time." Sam declared as they left the apartment.
Danny was coming down the hall towards them, a wide victorious grin plastered across his face. "What are you doin' here?" he asked Flack.
"What were you thinking Danny? Bringing her to a crime scene?" Flack ignored the question and posed one of his own.
"Mac okayed her coming to take some pictures. What's the huge deal?"
"She's suppose to be in the lab. That's the huge deal." Flack replied. "Then you go and leave her alone in the apartment?"
"Scene was secured long time ago." Danny said. "And there's a uniform parked at the door. Nothing was going to happen to her."
"Anything can happen. You know that."
"Excuse me? Hello? I'm right here." Sam complained.
"She was just here taking pictures, Flack." Danny told his friend. "You need to give it a rest with this overprotective, smothering bullshit. The scene was secure, uniform right outside the door and I was gone for less than twenty minutes. So quit bustin' my balls and riding her ass. No harm, no foul."
"What did you find?" Sam asked, anxious to change the subject.
"You were right, Brooklyn. Found the vic's matching coffee table out back by the dumpster. Corner of it was splintered and there was a large blood spatter on top and smaller blood drops on the leg. The things in the truck waitin' to go back to the lab. You find anything of interest?"
Sam held up the bag with the money in it.
"Shit." Danny said, shaking his head and whistling. "That's a whole lot of Benjamins. Where you find that?"
"Freezer. Only question is why was it in there? And why did she have this kind of cash on her?"
"And how'd she come by it." Danny added.
Flack's cell phone rang noisily and he pulled it from his pocket. "Flack." he answered. "What ya got for me, Adam? Tell me it's good news."
Danny looked at Sam and arched his eyebrow curiously as Flack listened to Adam ramble on the other end of the phone.
"All right. Thanks. I'm on my way." Flack hung up and slipped his phone back into his jacket pocket.
"What's the word?" Danny asked.
"Adam found Danica O'Neil's client list. One of them sees her four out of seven nights. He ran the name through the database, turns out he's a convicted felon. Spent six years in Rikers for sexual assault and domestic battery. And get this, the night before supposed TOD, our boy gave her three grand for her services."
Sam shook the bag of money. "If we print this and it leads back to him and if Danny can get some fingerprints or DNA off that coffee table….."
"Case closed." Danny concluded.
Thanks to all of you are faithfully reading and reviewing. I am so grateful to all of you. Please keep it up and sending all your reviews, e-mails and Pms. I love hearing from you guys. Thanks for all of your support. Love ya all.
Todays plugs:
Aphina: Devine Intervention and Finding Kate (over in Miami land)
Mauveine: Someday
Madison Bellows: What it Means, The Saints Ain't Coming
Evaflack01: For Kate's Sake
Hope4sall: Behind the Scenes
Forest Angel: Coming Home