Ch. 5 Holding Down The Fort

"I don't understand." Esposito leaned against the wall outside the interrogation room. He leaned his eyes to see a Samuel Peters sitting with his attorney on hand.

"What don't you understand? He obviously has something to hide. Why else bring an attorney?"

"Maybe we set him up by putting him into an interrogation room."

"Possibly. But we had too. Let's go in calm." Ryan signaled for Espo to follow his lead.

"My daughter has passed and I am a suspect?" Samuel examined his nails, acting so cool and calm, as if he didn't really care.

"Of course not. We just need to talk. When was the last time you spoke to your daughter?" Ryan sat down and Espo stood near the door.

"About a week ago, when I threatened to cut her off."

"You were going to cut her off?"

"I didn't want to. But she leaves me no choice. I told her that I didn't become who I am today by buying. She yelled at me and told me how I never understood her. How I was such a bad father, that I did this to her. I simply warned her that she better do something better in her life or she could kiss the money goodbye. She slapped me then left. I do believe it is my fault, how she turned out." He leaned forward and sadness was evident in the crinkles and the bags under his eyes.

Ryan right then knew that he had nothing to do with his daughter's death. He could see anguish and confusion written on his face.

"You didn't speak to her after that?"

"No. I surely wish I had. I should have talked to her better or at the very least go to counseling. She lost it when Bertie died."

"Bertie?"

"My late wife. When she passed, Sylvia lost it. I never thought she would turn out this way. She was always so grounded then, I don't know."

"Did she get into anything she shouldn't have?" Ryan was quickly jotting down notes.

"Wrong people to hang out with but other than that, nothing. She has never done drugs and she would never drink. Bertie was killed by a drunk driver. Sylvia swore off anything like that because she knew the damage it left in its wake."

"Is there anyone who she was involved with we could talk to?"

"I don't know who she hung with these days. I'm afraid to admit that I don't really know who my daughter is. But if there is anything I could help out with, please let me know."

"Will do Mr. Peters. But one last question." When Samuel nodded, Ryan continued. "Is there anyone who would go after your daughter to get to you?"

"I have made enemies, that I am aware of. However, no, I hate to say that there isn't any."

"Thanks again for your time." After Ryan walked him out, he returned with a solemn look.

"What has got you down bro?" Espo was busy writing what they learned on the white board.

"Worrying about Kate." He sat down in his chair and started to comb over Sylvia's phone records.

"She is ok. It's Kate we're talking about. She is tough."

"So? She needs to know that someone is there for her. I am worried how she is handling it all." He pulled out a highlighter and stumbled upon a pattern.

"She isn't your girlfriend, she's your friend. Maybe you should call her and proclaim your love for her." Esposito chuckled as he sat down in his chair.

"Shut up. Have some class. I think I found something."

"What?" He rolled alongside Ryan and peered down at yellow lines.

"This number called her everyday, look." He handed over one of the sheets. "And the day she was killed, it called her several times. Look." He handed him another sheet while he smiled.

"Running it now." The phone rang and Espo grinned. "Maybe it's your not so girlfriend."

Ryan shook his head but marveled that it really was Kate. "Hey Kate. Anything new?"

"No. He is still pretty out of it. The doctor came in this morning and told me that we just have to wait and see. Because it's the brain and the brain is such a curious thing. Have you found anything on the cameras?"

"There weren't any views of the attack but we have uniforms canvassing to see if anyone heard or saw something."

"Thanks Ry. Anything on Sylvia?"

"A reoccurring number, Espo's running it. How are you and Alexis doing?"

"As best as we can. You'll let me know if anything else comes up won't you?"

Ryan heard the urgency and neediness in her voice and it pained him. He wanted to ease her worries by promising that he would get whoever attacked Rick but, he would never give false hope. All he could do was his best and that always seemed to be enough.

"You know I will. After we talked to Samuel we have a new theory."

"Oh right you talked to him, I forgot. How did that go?"

"He wasn't involved, I know it. But apparently she hung around the wrong people."

"Drugs? Alcohol?"

"Dad swears no but still checking it. Hold on."

There was a pause and it was enough to make Kate want to rush over and figure what was happening but when she took one look at Rick, she thought better of it.

"We have another one. Call you with the details, I promise."

"Thanks Ry. And thank Espo too."

"Sure. Bye Kate."

She thought she heard some longing in his voice but she was so lost, she was not sure of anything.

"You know you can go back to work. I wouldn't mind and Rick would understand." Alexis was perched along the window, fidgeting with her sweater.

"I can't just leave him. He needs me and you need me and I need you guys. I know he would be mad that I was staying here but I can't leave." Kate sat straight up and looked into Alexis' deep blue eyes.

That morning, she quickly slid on a deep blue pair of jeans and a blue, polka dot shirt with a pink bow hanging from the collar. She yanked on a pair black Mary Janes. Her hair was wisped up into a low chignon. She knew she wasn't going to really see anyone outside the hospital, hell, she wasn't planning on leaving the hospital at all. However, she wanted the comfort of her vintage clothing. That was just who she was, from birth.

"Fine. I knew you were stubborn but wow. Rick told me, better yet warned me, that once you sought after something that nothing could deter you. You're really strong Kate but sometimes you need to be weak."

"What?" Kate's brows pulled in confusion.

"What I mean is, that you need to let someone else tell you what to do. You have to realize that you can be wrong. Am I making any sense?" Alexis stood up and leaned closer to Kate. She barely sat on Rick's bed.

"Somewhat. But I can't just leave. What if…"

Alexis grasped Kate's hand in hers and smiled reassuringly. "You will be the first to know. Now please, go find out who did this. Only you can."

"He said that his past was back. That he thought it was over."

Alexis let go of Kate's hand and shuddered.

"Do you know what he was talking about?" Kate was intrigued by Alexis's quick and startled reaction.

"No. Just confused. I don't know what he was talking about."

Kate wasn't so sure but she trusted Alexis and that was all for the moment. "Ok. I'll do what you wish." She packed up her bag and kissed Alexis on her head. She leaned as close to Rick as possible in order to kiss him.

"I'll find out what is going on." She waved half heartedly and descended down the hallway.

I wonder what she is holding back. What the hell happened back then to come and bite him now? Kate knew that there was no time to debate with herself over what was really going on. She needed to get to the precinct to sort it out.

"What do we have here Lanie?" Esposito surveyed the crime scene and felt a strong sense of déjà vu. He took in the young woman with: two gun shot wounds, her red hair, her burned fingers and toes, and the lack of evidence. The crime scene looked like it was cleaned up.

Ryan strode up beside him and cocked his head to the right before blurting the obvious. "This has the same markings as Sylvia Peters. Same man."

Espo chuckled before slapping the back of Kevin's head. "Bro, we already reached that. You are a little late to the party."

"Ok. But we have to find if there are any other murders with the same M.O. It could be a serial." Ryan hated jumping to that conclusion but it was really clear. The killer was targeting certain women. But unlike Sylvia, the young women before them had no markings of being wealthy.

"Name's Gwenie Oar. Twenty and a student at Columbia." Esposito handed over Gwenie's I.D. to Ryan.

Ryan looked torn. "She is young. Different age as Sylvia but same look. Red head. Pretty. Bullets were removed. Two shots, no one knows anything. He is targeting a specific type."

"Bro, what are we supposed to do? Warn every pretty red head to beware of a serial killer? No, we can't. What we have to do is catch the son of a bitch."

Kevin nodded but a knot formed in his stomach. A woman, he was seeing was just that. Red head and pretty. But how could he warn her to beware that she might be murdered? He couldn't. He had to do what Javi said, he had to catch the son of a bitch. But with no trace of him ever being present, how could he do it? He needed Kate.

So much for holding down the fort.