"Bridget Maeve Riordan, can you confirm that's your name?" Hailey inquired as she sat in front of Adam's mother.
"Can we skip this and get to the part where you tell me what you want?"
"We want you to confirm your name. So let's go back to that '' Kim stated. Back when she was Adam's fiance she would have done anything to make this woman happy. She felt like she needed Bridget's blessing to marry her son. However, the arguing and bickering between her and anyone else who tried to have an opinion, especially Adam's step mom, wore old fast.
"You're Adam's ex-fiance right?"
"We aren't asking questions about us right now; so if you could please verify your identity we'll get a move on. Otherwise we go and process your assault of a police officer charge. Your choice" Hailey stated
Bridget sat back in her chair. She wasn't going to be able to strong arm either of these two; that much was clear. The detective in front of her wasn't playing games and Kim seemed much more self assured than she had roughly 9 years ago.
"Yes, that's my name."
"Could you tell us where you were and what you saw this morning?" Hailey continued
"I took a smoke break. Didn't see anything"
"See, we know you're lying." Kim stated as she opened the laptop where footage of the incident was a few clicks away from being ready to play. "This here is you and over here we have a carjacking. Then we see you get a glimpse and walk the other way. Still feel like sticking to the story that you didn't see anything?"
"I guess I just don't see what I can help you with then. You already have the thing on camera, why do you need me?"
"We have a visual yes, but no audio. Plus, we're an eye in the sky; you were at ground level, it's a completely different vantage point." Kim explained.
"So I talk and then what? You find some other reason to keep me here?"
"No, as stated we are willing to drop the assaulting a police officer charge if you would actually and honestly talk to us and answer some questions about what you saw" Hailey answered.
"Like what?"
"Let's start with what you heard?" Kim asked first; taking over with the questions.
"As I said I didn't hear anything. They didn't speak English"
"Spanish?"
"I think, but I couldn't understand a lick of it"
The rest of the interview progressed slowly but at least they were getting somewhere. Or rather, they were eliminating some possibilities. Bridget answered questions but wasn't necessarily forthcoming with all of the information.
"Alright, thank you for your time. We have your name and contact if there is anything else we need. I'll have someone from downstairs come up to bring you home" Upton concluded the interview and walked out, Kim rising from her seat to follow her from the room.
"Figures he'd have sent you in. Couldn't face me himself."
Kim was wondering when Bridget would bring up her son again. "Per CPD protocol family members are discouraged from interviewing each other." She replied simply
"Discouraged but not disallowed"
Kim shrugged her shoulders at the woman. She wasn't going to get into a battle of semantics with her.
"He spent most of his time with his father. Bet he grew up to be just like him; stubborn, over emotional and impulsive." She scoffed assumingly
Kim was just going to keep walking and follow Hailey out of the interview room when she paused at the door. Her head kept telling her to take the high road, leave and let be. But her heart; well that was screaming at her. To speak up, to defend the man that she knew inside and out.
"You know what?" she started as she turned back, closing the door behind her. "He is ALL of those things. He is all of those things and so much more. He's so stubborn he refused to give up on us, on me, for 7 years. He isn't afraid to show his emotions. He wears his heart on his sleeve; always has. It's something I've always loved about him, something my daughter… our daughter loves about him too. And that look on your face it's gold right now. Yeah, I said our daughter. He's impulsive alright. You see; when I asked him if he'd consider being her guardian he accepted within seconds. She calls him dad now and the look on his face when he first heard it; it was absolutely beautiful because he would have loved her the same regardless and it's that love he's always shared with her that gave her the reassurance that he would always be in her life and protect her. When his dad's house went on the market he just up and bought it for us. Not for him, we weren't together at the time but he wanted us to be able to feel safe and make new memories. You rattle off all of these traits as though they are damning negatives of him. But in reality they are the characteristics of a loyal and protective friend, partner and father. Everything I could ever ask for." And with that Kim left before Adam's mother could pick her jaw up off the table. She didn't need to hear another word out of the woman's mouth. Kim figured she'd let her stew with some of that new information for a while.
As she made it out to the bullpen she noticed Adam at his desk. Hailey had gone to Voight to provide an update and Atwater & Torres weren't back yet. He was trying to look like he was busy but it was all an act; clicking on random tabs, faking like he was reading what he'd opened up and then closing them back up, rinse and repeat. His face was neutral and Kim knew it meant he was spinning. The question was; was this in anger or confusion?
"Catch a lead?" She decided to tread lightly, Adam had gotten a lot better at vocalizing his thoughts and feelings over the last few years but this was his mom, uncharted territory of sorts. The last time Kim remembered him bringing her up was when they were planning their wedding and it wasn't like he really talked about her much before that either.
"Huh? Sorry, what?" He looked up as she came over and sat at the corner of his desk.
She flashed him a small smile. One that let him know that she was onto him, that her previous question wasn't worth restating. "Feel like sharing?"
"Nothing really to share. I feel like this has been a long time coming sadly. She's always been like this. I love her. She's my mom. But … I dunno. Feels like I should have, could have done more."
"Baby, look at me." She needed to know she had his undivided attention. "She made her own choices. She is your mother which means she's a grown woman. It shouldn't have been on you."
He nodded and when he heard the door to Voight's office open he looked back to Kim silently asking if they could drop the conversation for the time being. Kim understood what that look meant. She couldn't blame him, she had plenty of moments where she didn't feel like having her past dug up and analyzed in front of others; that was a whole new brand of uncomfortable and vulnerable.
Not too long after two patrolmen came up to pick up Bridget so they could drive her home.
"Hey, can you two give me a minute first?" Adam didn't know where this urge came from. He had been steadfast that he had nothing to say to his mom. But on the other hand he didn't want to have any regrets. He wanted to make sure that he checked on her and continued to give her the chances to be in his life; should she prove she was worthy. At least then he would know he had done everything in his own power.
"Hey mom" He couldn't explain why he knocked on the door first. This was an interrogation room, not her own room. But it was instinct.
"Wasn't sure if I'd see anymore than the top of your head as you hung it while I walked by earlier"
"Neither was I if we are being honest." He was determined not to grovel and beg. To tell her how he was feeling straight and to the point.
"So what? Was I 'good' enough to deserve a visit?"
"No, no I just decided that I wanted to come in and say hi. You can drop the attitude though, two patrolmen are waiting to drive you home. I'll leave you to it so you can get going. We appreciate your help today, wish it were under different circumstances but I'm happy that you are safe."
Adam's mother was clearly uneasy. Her sass and attitude directed at her son was a front. She was trying to act unbothered by the dynamic of the room. Adam had always been her baby boy but now as he stood just inside the door he suddenly looked as grown up as Kim described. Where had all those years gone? How did she not realize what she was missing?
Just as he was about to turn and leave the room Bridget spoke up.
"Kim says you're a father now?"
"Yea, little girl, she's nearly 9." Adam wasn't shocked that Bridget knew about Makayla. He knew with Kim being in on the interview their past and relationship was sure to have been brought up. "Kim adopted her when she was 6. She's the best; been through it but never lets it knock her down. She teaches us a lot about perseverance and finding joy in daily life."
"Fatherhood looks good on you." Bridget took in the look of adoration on Adam's face when he talked about Mack. His entire face lit up.
"Thanks" Adam didn't know what to say. As good as this conversation was going he wasn't able to completely trust her just yet.
"I'd like to meet her some day."
"Some day; maybe. I just told you, she's been through it. I need more from you before I can let you in her life like that. You're in and out of Sammy's life as it is; it hurts him when you flake on things you promised you'd do with him. I won't do that to my daughter. I can't be the reason she hurts."
"Ye of little faith"
"Respectfully, look at how today alone unfolded and you tell me where I've misplaced my faith." Adam wasn't going to be goaded into an outburst by her quips. In all honesty he'd love for his mother to be in Mack's life. But he first needed her to prove she was willing to put in the same love that Makayla no doubt would give her.
"Tell me what I have to do then?"
"Step up. Be better, do better. This ain't it, I'll tell you that right now" Adam concluded waving his arms around gesturing to their current location and situation.
"I'll try, am I allowed to text you?"
"Yea, my number hasn't changed, it's the same one you've had for a while now. Listen, I gotta put these patrolmen to work. You're good to go. Be safe ok?"
"Thanks, I will. Adam, I do love you." Bridget stated as she stood up.
"I know, I love you too. C'mon, they're around the corner there on the left." Adam escorted her to the patrolmen and went back to his desk.
He could tell his mother wished she could have spent more time with im but they had a case he was supposed to be helping with. It wasn't like she hadn't had his number for the past couple of decades. He knew he had to protect himself lest she disappear from his life again. He was truly hopeful that she'd prove him wrong and be there but at the same time slightly disappointed. Why, now? Because she found out he had a daughter? Not just because he was her son? The emotions continued to swirl through him for the remainder of the afternoon. It was one of his least productive shifts of his entire career and he was grateful when Voight sent the team home.