In The Dead of Night

The detectives had barely gotten in the door when the phone rang and they had to get their butts down to Cooper Park. They were both glad they'd gotten a late start to the day.

Reaching the dark area of the park where street lights struggled to find purchase past the fountain.

Past the yellow tape they could make out a lone figure, supported against a tree was a blond teen but the disturbing part was the support. An arrow was lodged in the young man's eye, blood having poured out to drip down onto his green, checked shirt.

"I know him, that's Freddy Stewart." David found froze in place for a moment. "He's caused us trouble in the past but..." He trailed off, gulping harshly, rapidly shaking his head.

JJ sighed before bagging a crossbow, its bolt matching the one in the victim; he also found a freshly smoked cigarette not far away on the park bench.

He waited as David talked with a young boy and he wished he could kiss away that solemn expression but now wasn't the time.

"The boy is Julian Ramis, he was the one to call it in." The elder's shoulders slumped in as if defeated and all of a sudden New Orleans seemed like a lifetime ago. "He heard an argument then someone running and investigated, finding this." He casually gestured to where the corners were working. "He and Freddy were really good friends apparently, anyway Freddy's next of kin is his sister Ramona and Freddy and Julian often spent time at the abandoned tree house."

He nodded his head and got back in the car, swinging by the lab first before going to make the dreaded call.

When they reached the dingy house that rested on the edge of the district next to financial they both steeled themselves for the worst part of their job.

JJ dragged up the courage to knock and they both waited as a shadow moved past the lit window and the door handle turned.

A young woman with dark blond hair and bright blue eyes poked her head out and looked at them with confusion in their eyes.

"Yes?"

"Ramona Stewart?" She nodded her head once. "Were sorry to inform you, your brother Freddy was found dead in the park this evening." David told her and JJ was the one who caught her as she collapsed, completely numb. They lead her inside and settled her on the sofa and waited for her to come back online.

"Dead?" She whispered.

"We think it was murder." David added, fighting a wince.

"But, why? He was... kind, and sweet. We were like... two peas in a pod... What am I gonna tell our parents?" She started sobbing and the two detectives comforted her the best they could

"Who found him?" A slightly odd question for her to ask but far from out of the realm of reason.

"A young boy, Julian Ramis. He said he was a friend of yours." Jones ended it something like a question but not quiet.

"Julian, oh God! He's just a kid, why did he have to see that?" She sniffed, wiping away tears. "Do you need anything else?" They answered in the negative and left their card before getting in the car.

As they drove to the abandoned tree house Jones spoke.

"Imagine losing your brother like that." Jones shivered.

"I can't and I won't." JJ spoke firmly, making his lover flinch so he reached over and squeezed his knee in apology.


The tree house was dark and wet as the rain started to come down and JJ pulled out a bright torch and lit up the area, leather jacket zipped up and collar closed, David wearing one equally dark.

It was an almost scrabble to get the evidence which turned out to be the victim's bag as well as a freshly bloodied cloth that they took to the lab before going home to crash.

David absently wondered when he'd started calling it home. He really should be musing over the cufflinks they'd found in the vics bag but he really just wanted to curl into JJ and fall asleep.

Lying in bed they settled in and drifted off peacefully, hot breath fanning against flushed skin, soothing in the tired haze of a long day.


Drifting back into the lab after only four hours of sleep in the morning they dropped into all the usual spots, trying not to yawn every step of the way as they waited for the caffeine to kick in, taking the form of coffee and coke.

They'd found out that the victim was a smoker from Nathan but still needed more to lead them in the right direction.

"Morning boys, how was New Orleans?" Grace didn't really need an answer from their smiles but they talked amicably until she managed to gather everything.

"Okay, between everything I can tell you the killer wears Eau Dela." Jones let out a surprised whistle. "That's off the crossbow. Then off that cigarette butt I managed to find out your killer has green eyes. And the tip of the ice burg, your killer's blood was on that cloth, they're A negative." They nodded their heads in thanks before trudging up the stairs, neither of them had the energy right now.

"Hello my little Nerd, have a good Christmas?" JJ asked as they approached and the brunette nodded a bright smile on his face.

"I got all the video games I wanted." The two men snorted before bursting out laughing while Alex blushed, realising how that sounds. "Anyway, those cufflinks, they belong to Alden Greene." Both detectives groaned. "But they were never reported stolen." His brow scrunched as he turned to them.

"A man like that doesn't admit weakness. Let's get going." JJ sighed, ruffling the younger's hair to his annoyance and David did just the same.


Alden Greene's office was not somewhere JJ wanted to find himself but as always he sunk into the couch as his love walked around, looking over everything.

Soon enough the man himself walked in, a far too bright smile on his face.

"Sergeant, Inspector, I didn't expect to see you so soon after the incident with my grandson." He placed himself behind the desk. "What can I do for you?" He asked, lighting a cigar and taking a large puff.

"We've found a pair of cufflinks that belong to you, Mr Greene. I believe they were stolen recently?" Jones spoke.

"In fact they were. Where'd you find them?" The man laughed and it sounded so false it was dark.

"On a dead boy" JJ spoke. "A teenager managed to get the better of you Mr Greene, what would you say about that?" His southern drawl was thick with a smugness that was designed to irritate and by the jumping vein in his forehead, Jensen had hit his mark.

"Are you accusing me of something, officer? Do you really think I would kill a child over a pair of cufflinks?" The low growl was rather amusing to the former recon and he nearly laughed.

"Not at all, just asking your opinion." Greene all but glared at him before his jaw clenched and he answered.

"That my security is incompetent, Noah Richards is the head of it, and I have nothing else to tell you." They just left after that and outside the building JJ found himself pushed against the car out of view of others and kissed senseless.

"You are incredible." David whispered against his lips and was drawn into a deep, lingering kiss.

They were interrupted by David's phone.

"Jones."

"Sir, Edward Ramis, Julian's father wants to talk to you." Ramirez said with a drag in his voice.

"Thanks Ramirez now get some sleep, one of the others can watch the phones."

"Yes sir."


It took them a little time to hunt down Richards and found out that Freddy was the thief from the night before and that he had a partner that Richards couldn't identify.

And when they spoke with Edward Ramis he seemed far to shaken up for the average person but JJ was sure he wasn't their man.

They opted for a look at the Stewart house and found more stolen property and pictures that showed an amicable relationship between the elder Ramis and the victim but nothing of use but over all the red-headed detective was getting together an idea of what happen but hoped he was wrong, he didn't want to see two lives down the drain.

The clincher was the security footage sent by Alden Greene and before them they had Julian Ramis.

"Hello Julian." JJ watched through the glass as his partner crouched before the young boy and took a deep breath. "You know what I smell on you, cigarette smoke and Eau Dela." The young boy already had tears in his eyes and it was breaking their heart to see this.

"Our killer is five foot tall, A negative blood type and has green eyes. Do you know anyone like that?" It came out softly and it was all that was needed to make the boy break out in sobs.

"Me! I killed him!" His father tried to talk but was cut off. "I didn't mean to. Freddy wanted to rob the Greene place and I went with him. Freddy was obsessed with crossbows so brought his with him. I didn't mean to shoot him, I didn't mean to pull the trigger, it just happened."

After that there was no way to get a word out of the boy and they didn't try, this wasn't a murder, just a blood filled tragedy.