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Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the plot and Annie. Even the title is borrowed from Van Morrison.

Italics - Spanish

Some bad words, some violence, and fade into black sex-scenes, nothing too graphic.

x x x

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Chapter 15. Withdrawal symptoms

In spite of all the excitement they both fell asleep and slept soundly through the night. Tank awoke around seven, and found Annie awake, lying close and just looking at him.

"Good morning."

"Good morning. I love your morning voice. It´s so deep I can feel the vibrations in your chest."

She gave him a quick kiss.

"Have you slept alright?"

"Oh yes, I just woke, and I spent the time admiring the scenery."

Tank laughed.

"I was thinking maybe we could go over to Haywood, and I could work out in the gym if you wanted to talk to Morelli," Annie said. "If that's OK with you, then I´ll just skip the shower for now and have a light breakfast before we go."

"Sounds like a plan. But I think I´ll work out some as well. I don't think he'll be easily awoken, or especially clear."

"Maybe that would be better for getting him to tell things."

"We´ll see."

After a light breakfast they drove over to Haywood. They met Brown in the gym, and he said he´d gotten the DNA sample from Morelli. And Hal had both gotten beer cans from Morelli´s trash can as well as tissues and napkins from the Kloughn car.

"Can we check it here?"

"I´m afraid not. At least not if we want it to stand up in court."

"If this comes up in court we'll have samples taken and processed in accordance with the legal system. This is just to get some quick answers."

"Why not ask if Nicole´s willing to work the tests here? Hal could tell her it´s for a small investigation, not what it's really about," Annie said.

"Who´s Nicole?" Bobby asked.

"Oh, we met them at cinema yesterday. She and Hal were on a date. And she works as a lab assistant on the TPD. If you have the equipment I´m sure she could do the tests. "

Annie looked at the clock on the wall.

"But maybe we should wait a bit, it's still early, and a Sunday."

They worked out in the gym. Tank took a quick shower and went back to talk to Annie.

"If you work out some more and take your time in the shower I´ll be back after I've checked Morelli."

"OK. See you later."

Since they were alone in the gym Tank gave her a quick kiss before he left.

He first went down to the surveillance room.

"Any news on Morelli?"

"Still asleep."

Zero pointed at one of the monitors.

"Zip and Woody had the night shift, and they said he didn´t move all night."

Tank left the room, and took up his phone. He called Ranger and gave him a brief summary of what had happened.

"So he was in the parking lot, although he´s scheduled for a hearing plus has a restraining order in place?"

"Yes. And the TPD doesn´t seem to be on their way to kick him out of the police either. He must have a hell of a handle on someone high up."

"Are you planning on interrogating him now?"

"I don't know. I don't know if it would be more effective leaving him there to sober up, or if I can get more answers when he's still half drunk and hungover."

Tank heard someone talk in the background.

"Steph says he's a mean drunk, and probably more likely to blurt something out if he's left alone for quite a while."

"OK, I'll do it that way then."

After talking to Ranger Tank called Hector.

"Didn´t you see the tracker on Morelli´s car in Annie´s parking lot yesterday?"

"I did, but since she wasn't there, I thought I should let him do another break in, this time on camera."

"If there´s a next time, call when he´s in the parking lot. I don't want him pissing all over the place."

"Will do."

"Oh, and since you're living next door to Hal, is he awake yet?"

"I think he´s already in the gym. Heard the door about ten minutes ago."

"Thanks."

Tank went back to the gym. Hal and a couple of other guys were in there working out.

"Morning."

"Morning, Tank. Annie left for the showers about five minutes ago."

"Good. I have another question for you. Would your friend Nicole be able to help us process the DNA-samples here at Rangeman? We have the equipment, but Brown wasn't comfortable running the tests."

"I can do them. I met Nicole when she spoke at a seminar about crime scenes and laboratory techniques last month. And when I ran into her at the TPD I asked her out."

"Good. Talk to Brown, he has the samples. I would appreciate it if you could do them as soon as possible. They don't need to be good enough to stand up in court, just good enough to say if Morelli and Valerie are siblings with a 90% accuracy."

"I'll do it as soon as I´m done in the gym."

"Good. And put the hours on your worksheet. It´s your free Sunday."

"If it can help getting Morelli busted I´d do it for free."

"Appreciate it, but this is work, so put the hours on your sheet."

"OK."

Tank went out and waited on Annie.

"How about some breakfast?"

"Sounds good."

"Ella´s got today off, so we're going out. Any preferences?"

"How about a pancake place?"

"Pancakes it is."

In the car Tank recapped his conversation with Ranger, and why they waited to talk to Morelli.

"Did they think it was a good idea to have me to talk to him?"

"I never asked. I`m not really comfortable with you in the same room as Morelli, but we can save it for later if we think it could be effective."

After breakfast they went back to Tank´s house. The weather was still beautiful, and they went outside. Applejack was still cautious, and the other cats remained inside.

"No Mrs. Gonzales," Annie smugly said.

"I'm convinced she'll be out gardening soon again."

"And I'm convinced the gardening will synchronize with your garden time."

"Then you better be over here a lot."

"I'll think about it. After all – what's in it for me?"

"What would you want?"

"I´ll take it into consideration and let you know. But probably something strenuous."

"I look forward to it."

"Oh, me too."

After all the pancakes they just had a sandwich for lunch, before returning to Haywood.

Zero had called about half an hour earlier, to tell them that Morelli was awake. He had begun shouting and pounding on the door. So far no one had made any contact with him.

At Haywood they met up with Brown.

"Hal is still working in the lab, but he did a preliminary test, that says Morelli and whoever the napkin belonged to definitely are related. How close is still a bit unclear, but at least a common ancestor three generations back."

"How´s Morelli?"

"A bit loud. He's got serious drinking problems, he seems to have withdrawal symptoms."

Tank looked at the time.

"OK, we picked him up about twelve hours ago, if he´s got withdrawal symptoms already I dare say he´s got a drinking problem."

"What's the plan?"

"I`ll talk to him, and try to get him to tell me what he knows about the mayor and the commissioner. And if he's done anything to get Helen Plum to support him. If there´s any opportunity I´ll try to talk about curly haired brunettes as well. Both Steph, Annie and the ones down at Stark Street."

"Quite a list. Good luck!"

Tank turned to Annie.

"I won't let you talk to him today. If you want to, Brown can take you to the electronics room, and ask Hector to show you the feed from the cell."

"Yes, please."

They left, and Tank went into Morelli´s cell.

Joe looked miserable, he was sweating heavily, and Tank could see his hands shaking.

"Morelli."

"What the fuck?! Get me out of here! I´m a police officer, and this is kidnapping!"

"You mean like when you drugged Stephanie Plum and took her to your house and handcuffed her to your bed? Naked.

"Oops, shouldn't have said that with Hector listening in. You know Hector, don´t you? Even Ranger has a healthy respect for him and his skills. Mostly his knife skills."

Morelli paled.

"I suppose I can keep him out of here for a while, at least. If you make it worth my time."

"Fuck off."

"You don't seem so convincing. How about you tell me why the TPD still has you on their payroll. You´ve been enough of an embarrassment for quite a while now. What information have you got on commissioner Ford?"

"Fuck off."

"Poor vocabulary. Anything else to add, before I let Hector in here? Oh, and incidentally, no one´s interested in where you are. We can keep you here indefinitely, and you sure won't get any booze."

"Let me out now!"

"You missed a fuck off somewhere. See you around."

Tank went out of the cell, and heard Morelli bellow behind the door. It sounded like he tried to pound or kick the door, but he knew it was solid and more likely to get Morelli hurt. He went to the electronics room.

"Was that true? About him kidnapping Estephania?"

"It was. And you will not go near him until I tell you so. Steph even managed to get Ranger promise not to do anything to Morelli."

"I haven't given her any promises."

"No, but I need you to help both Steph and Annie, and the other women he has assaulted. I need more answers before we decide what to do with him. He's not alone, and we don't want someone else to go free just because you lost your temper."

Hector took up his knife and threw it at a target at the wall, while swearing. He gave Tank a dark look.

"I won't do anything right now. But don't withhold that kind of information from me again."

"I sincerely hope not to have this kind of information again."

Tank turned to Annie.

"Ready to go? I'll leave Morelli to stew for some hours, maybe until tomorrow."

"Won't he be missed if he's not showing up at court tomorrow?"

"Who knows? They haven't been in a hurry to put him in front of a judge so far."

"And any evidence gotten this way probably won't stand up in court."

"We haven't done anything to him except locking him up to keep him from drinking."

"I don't think the judge or the police will look at it that way."

"Probably not," Tank agreed.

"Let´s go. Come on Hector, I think you would be a good guide to the best Mexican restaurant in Trenton,"Annie said.

Hector just looked at her.

"If you think I´ll leave you with that big a temptation think again. You need some time away from Haywood."

Hector mumbled something under his breath, but stood up and put on his jacket, before he went over and got his knife from the target. He put it somewhere on his body.

"You want Mexican, Bobby?"

"Why not, it´ll probably be an interesting discussion at the table."

Hector did know a good Mexican restaurant, and it looked run down enough on the outside that they probably never would have gone inside without him.

They ordered food, and got their drinks. Hector gave Tank a cold look.

"You better tell me what happened between Estephania and the cop."

Tank told him, and emphasized that the story was not to come out at Rangeman or anywhere else in Trenton. He also pointed out that he himself hadn't gotten the story until this week.

The starters had arrived, and they continued talking after the waiter left.

"I say you have to talk to Helen Plum as well," Annie said. "There're a lot of threads connected to her. And honestly, no sane mother would allow her daughter to be kidnapped and taken away."

"I´m not sure sane is a good description, but I agree that Helen is in the middle of it," Bobby said.

"Should we confront her before getting back to Morelli?" Tank asked.

"She won't let any of us inside the house," Hector claimed.

"Maybe she'd talk to me," Annie said. "I don´t look especially intimidating."

The men looked at each other.

"She probably would," Tank agreed. "But I can't say I'm comfortable with it."

"And it´s Sunday night. Frank´s at home, and she couldn´t leave home without even him noticing and wondering."

"Ms. Anderson´s going away for a couple of days, and her butler is taking the time off, so I'd be able to talk to her tomorrow. Should I go to her home, or try to convince her to see me with a phone call?"

"I'd feel better if you weren't in her house. Who knows if she's still got what she drugged Steph with. I suppose she'll be pretty desperate, considering that her eldest daughter isn´t her husband´s, and now she´s having an affair."

"I wouldn´t accept any food or drink, but I also feel that it would be better not to meet her at her home turf. Any suggestions for places to meet her?"

"According to the weather report the nice weather should hold for a couple of more days. Maybe outside in a park would be a good place. Then neither of you would have an obvious advantage or drawback. And of course we'll have some men there, plus camera and microphone on you."

"Let's consider it before we decide anything. And now we stop talking shop," Tank said.

The waiter brought their main courses, and they ate and talked about travels they´d done.

Annie, raised by well off middle class parents had travelled extensively in Europe, but not so much anywhere else. Tank and Bobby had been out of country several times in the army, but not so much as civilians, and Hector had mostly travelled in Mexico.

The waiter came back and asked if they wanted dessert. The men looked at Annie.

"Thanks, I'm quite content. And full. The food was really good."

She looked at the Rangemen.

"But I don't mind if you want dessert."

Bobby laughed.

"I suppose we´re used to Steph´s eating habits. She thinks dessert is a food pyramid all on its own."

"Oh, I indulge occasionally, but not when I'm full to bursting already."

"Thank you, Hector. It was an excellent choice of restaurant."

"You're welcome, Annie."

After leaving the restaurant they drove back to Haywood to drop off Bobby and Hector, and check on Morelli.

Binkie and Manny was on the monitors, and said that Morelli was having withdrawal symptoms. They had given him another bottle of water, and a sandwich, which he hadn´t eaten. The food and water was distributed through the small opening in the door, and no one had talked to him.

"Take a fresh sandwich and more water to him, and then leave him alone for the night. And be sure to get the old sandwich and the empty bottles out before you give him a new."

Binkie looked at him and said:

"Yes, we'll be sure to follow procedure, Tank."

"Sorry. I know you know what to do, but this whole cluster fuck sets my nerves on edge."

x x x

Annie and Tank left for his house. They fed the cats and drank some tea in front of the TV.

"I was thinking about going back to the apartment tomorrow."

Tank did not say anything at first. He took a sip of tea, and put the mug on the table.

"I know we've discussed this, and I agree with what we decided, but it´ll be hard coming back to just the cats."

"Look at it this way, maybe we can hold on to the honeymoon phase a bit longer if we're not in each other's pockets all of the time. I mean, Tank, except for work we've rarely been away from each other more than an hour.

"And I´ve loved it, but I don't think it´s healthy in the long run. And I expect to see a lot of you for a long time to come."

"That´s under the heading: Discussion I've put off. What happens when you're done with Ms. Anderson´s papyri?"

"My working visa is for a year, that´s another nine months approximately. I haven´t anything else lined up, my plan is to write a book about Ms. Anderson´s papyri collection, and doing it at home in Cambridge. But there's nothing saying I couldn't do the writing in Trenton. But I´ll have to leave the apartment the last of August."

"I'm sure there's someone who'd be willing to put you up."

"Do you know of anyone?"

"I'll think it over and let you know."

He kissed her.

"And if you're leaving tomorrow we´d better spend the time well."