A/N 1: Some folks want to make Phillip into a bad guy… he's not a bad guy, he's pretty OK, actually. He's just a guy who wants to keep having sex, with a woman he cares about a tiny bit more than he should.

~.~.~.~.~

CHAPTER SIX: COLLUSION

New York
2:30PM Monday afternoon

Bobby sat in the back seat of the cab staring at his cell phone the whole way to the airport. Why hadn't she called?

Remarkably, after he'd gotten over the shock to his system that Ross's news had incited, the Captain had taken Bobby out of the office for a coffee. And a private talk, Bobby learnt to his surprise.

"Detective. We're flying you out to Vegas this afternoon. But we need to talk first." It was back to Detective, thank God. Bobby was too nauseated for coffee, so while Ross sucked back a grande something as they sat on a bench across the street from 1PP, he just sipped a gingerale.

"OK, he mumbled, checking his phone for missed calls. "What – what do I need to know?"

Stupid question. But his mind wasn't working. Fuck! Why did this always happen? He needed to clear his head: Of Eames on her back, trading herself for a familiar face… sitting in lockup, friendless… sitting in lockup, turning to him for help… so mad at her partner or disappointed that she'd rather do any or all of the above than phone him.

"We?" he said belatedly. "Is the Chief of D's getting involved in this?"

"No," Ross said shortly, "Your presence has been requested." Ross's voice dripped with disdain.

"What? By LVPD?" That made no sense. The partner of a cop under suspicion is the last person a team wants anywhere near the case. Unless… Bobby frowned as the anger bubbled up. "Captain, if you expect me to go out there and help them bury my own partner, then–" He jumped up in agitation as Ross again held his hands up in a placating gesture.

"Detective! Goren! Of course not," he shook his head, "Of course we're not. Just listen." Bobby began pacing in front of the Captain, shaking his head. "I know I don't have Eames' magic touch, but would you just shut up and listen?" Bobby wanted to jump down his boss's throat for throwing Eames's name around so cavalierly, but he took a deep breath and reminded himself of two things: a) that a lot of the friction between the two men stemmed from Ross's habit of expressing himself injudiciously, and b) Ross was just contrary enough to obstruct an agency prosecuting one of his officers. He sat down and slowly nodded his head.

"OK Captain, OK." He looked at Ross and questioned him silently. Do you think she did it?

"Of course no-one believes that Detective Eames is guilty of murder, Detective. The important thing is what LVPD thinks, or more importantly, what they can prove." Bobby sighed in relief and nodded. Ross leaned in and lowered his voice. "The ADA and the Homicide team investigating the murder seem to have a lot of intel on you, Detective. Your various… ups and downs." Bobby's stomach balled up with foreboding. He knew what that could mean, and he hated that Ross knew too. Had Eames been talking about them? And to whom?

"But it's old." Bobby's head, bent with anxiety, jerked up. Ross was looking at him meaningfully. "The ADA seems under the impression that you two are on the outs. She thinks you would be amenable to giving some insight into your partner. I agreed to let you go out there and assist her. I trust you'll do your very best." In other words, try his very best to help Eames.

Ross and Bobby locked eyes, and Bobby's shoulders sagged with relief. "I think I can do that, sir," he said, nodding.

"I'm sure you can, Detective. At least, that's what I told the ADA." Both men stood up and began the walk back to 1PP. "I don't kid myself that I'm quite in your league, Detective, when it comes to reading people, but over the phone she gave the impression of a pit bull with ADD. She was insistent, but all over the place. I'm getting you a dossier of her past year or two's cases, so you can get a feel for what she'll be going for." Bobby murmured his thanks. "Goren. If you want to be of any use to your partner, you'll have to be very careful. That place is a china shop: don't barge in." Bobby snorted in frustration, then stopped abruptly as Ross nodded. "My point exactly, Detective. Get your bullish tendencies out before you hit Pacific Standard Time."

"Fine, Captain," Bobby said truculently, then relented. "Captain – I just…"

Ross waved it away. "Don't strain yourself, Detective. I do try to take care of my people, no matter what you might think."

They walked in silence, until Bobby asked his Captain the details of the crime. For the first time, Ross looked uncomfortable. "Uh, the details the ADA gave me were sketchy. I asked her to get some files to us before you leave, and if not, you'll get caught up once you arrive in Vegas." Ross spent the rest of the walk concentrating with his cell phone and avoiding Bobby's gaze, and Bobby let him. He didn't know if Ross was trying to spare his feelings (if so, how did he know how Bobby felt) or trying to save Eames from having her personal life discussed by her boss; either way, Bobby let it go.

But why hadn't Eames called him?

~.~.~.~.~

A/N 2: On the topic of the last epi, I'm just glad they both survived. I know some shippers are disappointed by the ending (I haven't seen it, BTW), but IMO it sounds like the whole thing was written for the fanfic community. So many possibilities! :rubs hands together:

WORDS: 1064 UPLOADED Saturday, March 27, 2010

Edited Friday, July 2, 2010 to fix section breaks

Further notes: After I posted this, someone told me that LV is Mountain time, not PST, but in Wikipedia it says PST. So… that's how it stays.