Chapter 14

He called Carmel Ridge first, hoping for a good report on his mother's day. Bobby sighed. He hadn't had a chance to call her during the work day; they'd just been running from one lead to another all day long. Now she was asleep and he had to settle for a report from the staff.

It was a good facility. He'd shopped around carefully before getting her admitted there. But like anyplace, it had its ups and downs. He got a lot from calling the nurses, but conversation with her was the best barometer for him. Jut a few words from his mother, and Bobby could tell exactly where she was on the trajectory to a mental break.

"Hello, this is Robert Goren, I was calling for an update on my mother?"

"Hello, Mr. Goren. This is Theresa Mills."

"Hi Theresa." She was one of his favorite nurses there. "How is she?"

"She wasn't feeling well today."

"The-the cancer."

"Yes. She was achy and had some nausea and vomiting."

Bobby was pained to hear the news. He sighed and scrubbed his hand over his face. "And mentally?"

"Depressed, but lucid."

"Thank you, Theresa. I-uh, I'm working. Give her my love, will you?"

"Certainly, Mr. Goren."

"Thank you."

"Good night."

He ended the call and then dialed another.

"Bobby?"

"Hi, Alex. I just wanted to make sure you're… you know."

"You're checking up on me."

"Yeah."

"I'm okay, Bobby. Thanks."

"I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Bobby."

Satisfied that he'd done all he could, Bobby stripped out of his suit and dropped wearily onto his bed.

"He's sober, but now he gets to talk to his lawyer." Alex was as dry as ever, and Bobby thought again that maybe she was ready to be back. They busied themselves studying the details, preparing for whatever might crop up in interrogation.

All they got from Raines was a solid alibi. Later that night, Ashley's friend Nicole was on television claiming she had an affair with Jason Raines, too. This drew their attention back to Brian Murphy.

The next morning, they found out Brian had been tipped off that he would be the next suspect. They caught him just as he was about to leave by boat.

Wiznesky's partner had tipped him off. Brian told them that Wiznesky and Sajak were the ones who'd busted up the party. He told them the man had found his thirteen year old daughter walking the streets alone and he'd beaten him up for it.

The detectives decided to talk to Wiznesky's wife. The woman was obviously ill. She was jaundiced, and tired. Her movements were slow and careful. She was weak. Bobby noticed the medical tape on her chest and asked her if it was a stint for chemo.

Oddly, the interview was ended by Emily, the thirteen year old. She said her father would be upset they were talking to Joyce.

They brought in Sajak to see what they could squeeze out of him. All they got was a niggling in the gut. Sajak was covering for Wiznesky. Things were getting political, so they pulled in Ross to schmooze with the Water Haven Captain.

He assured them the whole Water Haven PD would alibi the two cops. Eames and Goren filled in the gaps for their Captain, connected the dots. He offered to get a subpoena for their patrol logs and warned them to watch their backs.

The next stop was to interview Ray Wiznesky. He was working a security gate, checking IDs as people drove on and off the police lot. "Hit him hard," Ross had said, so Alex opened with an accusation of the cover-up.

When Eames mentioned his wife, he became defensive. Something clicked in Bobby's brain. He looked up. "Your wife being sick…I mean, you can almost… feel that, can't you? I mean physically, the pain and the nausea."

"You don't know what I'm feeling."

"The rage? Helplessness?" Bobby countered. "I mean, I do know. Because my mother, she has lymphoma."

Alex glanced over at him. He was sincere.

"And the doctors, they talk about her life in months…and I think, you know, I'm smart, I'm resourceful…but that… it's a lot."

Wiznesky didn't even flinch. "Joyce is gonna make it. She's strong. And now, she's gonna be fine." With that, he ended the interview.

Alex walked with Bobby back to the car, engaged in a short recap of the conversation. "Your mom, that was true, right?" she asked him. She couldn't help feeling hurt that he hadn't told her before.

Bobby nodded. "She's a fighter," he said.

Alex frowned as they took the last few steps to the car. So they'd come full circle, then. Instead of the open intimacy they'd shared only a couple of weeks ago, she was back to learning his most personal details as he blurted them out to a complete stranger, when they were useful on the job. She spared Bobby a glance, and saw how he had steeled himself, standing straight, forcing a smile, forging ahead no matter how badly he was hurting.

In the car, she paused before she turned the key. "You know you can still talk to me, Bobby. I never wanted us to lose… that."

His face contorted and he nodded as he looked out his window. "I didn't want to… burden you."

"I need to look outside myself, Bobby. That's the path to healing."

He nodded, and allowed a glance her way. "You heal by helping me, lose my mother."

Her face fell. "Bobby, I love you. I want to help."

He nodded and spoke quietly. "I love you too. I know… I know you want to help. But what happens when… when she's gone? What happens to us then?" He looked her squarely in the eyes. "Olivet... what she told you was right. Maybe later, after I work through this… maybe then we can…"

Alex's face was pained, but she reached out her hand and gave his a long squeeze. To her surprise, Bobby clung to it tightly. At last, they let go and she started the car.

They caught up to Emily Wiznesky as she walked her dog on the beach, and got what they could from her before heading back to 1PP to run things by the Captain.

He promised to run a ruse by the Water Haven PD, informing them of an impending indictment against Wiznesky. Bobby and Alex got their stuff and headed out to Officer Wiznesky's home.