A/N: Not my characters, but I sure am having fun with them! Remember to leave a review!

Chapter 10

Where are the Books?

"Look Rick, I think we have bothered Downtown Brown enough already!" A.J. stood on the sidewalk outside the police station while Rick held the door.

"A.J., the man isn't going to lock us up." He motioned for Andrew to enter. A.J. walked past him still debating as to whether or not they should go in. "Besides, he can't, Mom's out of town and there's no one to bail us out."

Andrew snorted. "That's comforting!"

Leaning back in his chair with his boots on his desk Detective Marcel Brown studied the two brothers. "That case is ancient history. There's no possible way that the books from Binder and Lindel Auto Sales are, if they were ever, in evidence! Guys, too many years have passed."

"Okay, do you have a suggestion of where we can look?" A.J. inquired.

"And not get shot? No." Brown smirked. Swinging his feet to the floor he sat up. "Look guys, I don't think you're going to find the books, at least not where they should be." He paused. "Have you thought about asking the desk?"

"Oh come on Brown! Just how is that piece of furniture going to answer that question!" Rick quickly stood up from his chair. "Come on A.J., it looks like we're on our own again." Rick yanked the door open and stomped out. Before Lieutenant Brown could tell him not to slam the door, the sound echoed throughout the squad room.

Brown looked over to Andrew. "A.J., you got to find a way to calm your brother down."

A.J. nodded. "I know, there are just so many things that aren't adding up right now. He sighed, and left the room quietly.

Lieutenant Brown shook his head mumbling. "The cases these two get involved in!"

As they entered A.J.'s home Rick walked right over to the fridge and pulled out two beers. Handing one to A.J. he went in the living room and sat down in an armed chair, with swing one of his legs over one of the arms. Andrew followed him into the room. "I wish you would sit like that. It ruins the arm."

Rick shifted his position in the chair. A.J. nodded. "Thanks. What are you doing?"

"I, little brother, am studying the desk." He took a sip of his beer, squinting his eyes as he peered at the desk.

"And what about it are you studying, pray tell." Andrew was getting nervous. Anytime Rick went silent it meant that weird things were about to happen. With it concerning his desk, he just wasn't too sure what would happen, or if the outcome would be good.

"I think we need to dismantle it." Rick stood up, taking another sip of his beer.

Andrew gasped. "Are you serious? I just bought this!"

"Yeah well, you got the booby prize brother." Rick smirked as he took a step towards the desk.

A.J. jumped in front of him. "Oh no you don't! This is my desk! You cannot just take it apart."

Rick pushed him aside, reaching under and around the marble, he looked at the front then the back of the desk, he smiled. "I may not have to, I think I got it!" Reaching for one of the lower drawers, Rick pulled it out as far as it would go. Reaching inside the drawer to the back of it, he smiled.. Andrew was closely watching him, fearful of what he would do to the desk. "With a slight push and there we go!" Rick removed the drawer, revealing that at the back of the drawer was a false back and a slot behind that. He reached down into the slot and gingerly pulled out a green cloth covered book with gold lettering of B&L on the front. He held it out towards Andrew, but his smile faded as he looked past his little brother.

Rick stretched out his hand that held the book, when A.J. reached for it he felt a familiar nudge in his shoulder blade with a hard object. "Move aside." The voice was low and commanding. A.J. looked at Rick and stepped quietly aside.

"I didn't hear you come in." A.J. stated, half apologetically to Rick as he glanced over as the man removed the book from Rick's possession.

The stranger grunted his response as he flipped through the book. He looked up and motioned his gun at Rick. "Where's the other one?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. This is the only one we found. You can check if you want." Rick stepped aside motioning to the drawer.

The man motioned again with his gun for the two brothers to step well away from the desk. Keeping the weapon trained on them, he reached down into the drawer and felt around, finding it empty, he glared a them. "What about the other drawer?" He demanded.

Rick shrugged. "I don't know. You interrupted us." The man stepped to the other side of the keeping an eye on them as he moved. He bent sideways to grab the handle with his free hand and quickly yanked the drawer open causing it to get caught against itself.

"Hey!" Andrew stepped forward.

The man waved his weapon at him menacingly. "I'd advise you to step back!" Andrew stopped and moved back. Straightening the drawer, the stranger pulled it open as far as it would go. He looked at Rick. "Just how did you get the other drawer to come out all the way?"

"It's hard to explain." Rick's mind was racing. He gave A.J. a slight nudge warning him to be ready.

The man straightened up. "Well get over here and get it out." Both brothers moved forward and the man waved his weapon again. "Just the one with the hat." He growled. Stepping aside he moved the barrel of his weapon from one brother to another, making sure they understood that he meant business.

Rick bent over the drawer and reached in. "It's kind of hard, you see." He grunted as he reached way back. He could feel the same construction he felt with the other drawer.. "There's a small metal post that you, gotta, push.." He felt around finding it, he carefully pushed it in. Looking at the man he could see that he was focused on what Rick was doing.

"Well push it!" The man ordered. Rick gave A.J. a quick look.

Looking at him, Rick tilted his head as he grabbed the sturdy back of the drawer."What?"

"You heard me, push it!" He shouted.

"Oh, okay." With that Rick aligned his feet and pulled the entire drawer out with one clean motion, knocking the gun out of the stranger's hands. Caught off guard he stumbled back only to find himself being tackled by Andrew. Sending him to the floor, causing the book to fly across the room. Before A.J. could get a better hold of him, the man lept to his feet and ran out the door.

Rick reached down giving Andrew his hand. Grabbing it, Rick pulled him up. He grinned. I didn't know if you got my signals."

Andrew chuckled. "Yeah I got them. But who was that?"

Reaching into the second drawer, Rick pulled out a second green book with the B&L gold lettering. "That my little brother was Mr. Lindel from Lindel's Auto Plex." He reached for the first book and put them together. "I think we will be getting our answers now."

A/N: Hope you are enjoying this story! I plan to complete it this coming week, I have put it on hold way far too long! I do want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!