It was nearly eleven the next day when I'd finally leaned back in my chair and stretched. Thanks to last night's encounter with Casey and the subsequent lack of sleep that followed, my concentration this morning was shit. Which meant the pile of paperwork took much longer to plow through than it otherwise would have.

Since Bobby and I have a lunch meeting with our current weapons and ammo supplier at one, at this point, I could use a snack to help me power through. I pushed away from my desk and crossed the control room floor toward the breakroom. Raphael was on monitors today with Ramon. I stepped up behind them and stopped. "I'm headed to the breakroom. Do either of you need anything?"

"Can you grab me a bottle of water?" Raphael asked.

I turned to look at him and caught movement on one of the internal camera screens. It was Casey leaving the infirmary. My brow was knit as I stared at her image. The infirmary was on her cleaning schedule for later in the afternoon. So, why was she there at this time of the morning?

"Uh…Les?" Raphael's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked down at him. "Did you hear me?"

"Yeah…you wanted water, right?"

"Right." He frowned. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine," I replied then turned at headed for the breakroom. Snack forgotten, I grabbed a bottle of water for Raphael from the fridge, then made my way back to the monitors.

"That was quick," he said as he took the bottle from me. "Thanks."

"Sure," I replied, then headed for the stairs. "I'm going down to talk to Bobby for a minute. Text me if you need anything."

Knowing Casey would probably be in the elevator, I took the stairs down the two floors, then pushed through the infirmary doors, and crossed through to Bobby's office.

He looked up from his desk and his eyes widened a fraction before he set his pen aside. "What's up?"

"What was Casey doing down here?" I asked.

He tilted his head as he leaned back in his chair. "She does work here, you know?"

I shot him my best don't bullshit me look. "Her cleaning time for the infirmary is usually later in the day. She also didn't have her cleaning supplies with her."

He actually rolled his freaking eyes at me. "How did you find out?"

"I was passing by the monitors on my way to the breakroom," I replied. "Is she okay?"

"Is there a reason why you think she wouldn't be?" he asked.

I've seen Bobby using this circular conversation tactic before. Usually when he was trying to hide something. Knowing that only caused my frustration to build. I lifted my hands to scrub them over my face. "Stop answering my questions with a question and tell me what's going on."

"I can't," he replied.

My brows winged up in surprise. "What in the hell do you mean that you can't? I'm her medical proxy."

"That's true," he said as he pushed up from his chair. "But she's not incapacitated or unable to make her own medical decisions. If you want to know why she was down here, you'll have to go ask her yourself."

Knowing I wasn't going to get any information out of him, I did my best to slam my blank face in place. "Fine." I pivoted on my heel. "Then that's what I'll do."

I'd only taken two steps when Bobby called out. "Les."

I turned back to look at him. "What?"

"She had some questions that she knew I could answer for her. I can tell you it's nothing bad." Even that little bit of information helped to ease the tightness in my chest. Her reasons for wanting to see Bobby wasn't for anything bad.

"Thanks," I turned to go again when he called out a second time.

"Her coming to me was difficult for her, Les. So, be very careful when you broach the subject. Okay?"

Why did I have a terrible feeling she'd talked to him about what happened last night? "Okay," I replied, then crossed back through the medical bays and out the door. While I wanted to find Casey and demand answers right now, I had a full schedule the rest of the day and I had a feeling this wouldn't be a short conversation.

First, was the lunch meeting with the weapons supplier, then a strategy session with the FTA teams for a capture we were planning late this afternoon. Unfortunately, my conversation with Casey would have to wait until this evening.

I'd done my best to put Casey's discussion with Bobby out of my mind. It wasn't easy and several times during our capture planning session the guys caught me spacing. Even now, as the crisp early December air filled my lungs, she was in my thoughts as I moved into position on the back of the Trenton Water Works Plant. Ram slid up behind me and nodded. Time for me to focus on the task at hand. Once our FTA was in custody, then I could have the conversation weighing on my mind all day.

I keyed the walkie-talkie. "Team 1 in position."

"Team 2 in position," Cal said a moment later.

"Team 3 in position," Manny added.

"Team 4 in position" Bobby finally said.

"Team 4, move in when ready," I replied.

Brock Fiore was an FBI most wanted who'd been spotted moving around Trenton. After two weeks of tracking his movements, we'd managed to identify his hideout under the Calhoun Street Bridge. Heavily wooded on both sides, it gave him good cover, though with it getting colder, I couldn't imagine how he was comfortable.

"I hope they're able to move soon," Ram said from behind me. "It's going to be dark soon."

I glanced over my shoulder at him and grinned. "Since when did you become scared of the dark?"

"I'm not," he shot back.

Sometimes, getting a rise out of him was so easy. "Do I need to get you a blanket and a pacifier?"

"Knock it off," he grumbled.

"Maybe plug in a nightlight for you when you go to bed."

Ram's face screwed into a scowl. "Fuck you, Santos."

I turned back to face the corner of the building. "Thanks, but you're not my type."

"That's right," he said from behind me. "Now a day it appears your type is a shy petite blond, who, by the way, is way too good for your sorry ass."

While I might agree with him that didn't stop the growl that tore from my chest. "Don't get any ideas, Ramsey. She's mine."

His chuckle told me I'd somehow allowed him to turn the tables on me. "I knew you were hooked on her, but I didn't realize it was that bad." He slapped a hand on my shoulder. "I'm happy for you, man."

"Thanks."

"So, does that mean I can have your little black book?"

Before I could formulate a pithy reply, Bobby's voice crackled through the mic. "Team 4 moving in," he said, giving me some relief that we'd wrap this up before the sun went completely down. Chasing Fiore down the riverbank in the dark could be detrimental to our health.

I could hear the blood swooshing in my ears as I waited, ready to strike if and when Bobby and Binkie flushed him out, and he ran in our direction. Hopefully, Bobby and Binkie could take Fiore into custody without incident, but the rest of us were ready if he decided to run.

A few minutes later the urgent tone of Bobby's voice came across the walkie-talkie and cut through the silence. "Subject on the run. I repeat, the subject on the run heading North along the riverbank. "Team 4, he's headed your way."

Shit! It would figure the guy was going to be a pain in the ass. It was a fair distance between the bridge and the far side of the water treatment plant. With any luck, he'd tire out and allow Bobby and Binkie to catch him. If not, hopefully, he'd take the easy route and split off the bank at the end of the parking lot fence. Doing that would put him on more solid ground and direct him right into our clutches.

Several minutes passed before Bobby's voice came across the mic again. "Team 4, he's staying on the riverbank."

Damn it! This prick was starting to piss me off. Knowing he probably wouldn't take the time to try and stop to climb the fence, Ram and I headed for the fence instead. We made quick work of the chain link fence with both of us a few feet apart and perched on top, waiting. No way was this not going to hurt when I dropped down onto Fiore.

The growing sound of footsteps told us not only was Fiore headed our way, but Bobby and Binkie were still in pursuit. A moment later I spotted Fiore. He was looking over his shoulder, probably trying to gauge how close Bobby and Binkie were to him. He'd just turned back to look forward when I leaped, catching him around the neck. My forward motion, combined with the collision sent us both crashing to the ground. Lucky for me, he took most of the impact, but I didn't escape unscathed as the force of it knocked the air out of me.

I rolled away as Ram, Bobby, and Binkie swarmed Fiore. As I lay on my back, trying to catch my breath, I looked over to see Binkie slapping the cuffs on Fiore and Ram dragging him to his feet. While I might have sore ribs for the next few days, we'd accomplished our mission and would collect a nice payout from the FBI for our efforts.

Within minutes Cal and Hal, Vince, and Manny had joined us. Ram handed Fiore off to Cal. "Capture paperwork is on the dash in our Escalade," he said. "I'll call Agent Wilson and let him know you're on your way to the designated hand-off site."

Bobby appeared in my line of sight and knelt next to me. "You still with us? That was a pretty big hit."

"Yeah, but it was better than possibly having to take a swim in the Delaware. At this point in the year, that water is probably fucking cold."

"True," he agreed. "Are you hurt?"

Slowly I pushed up into a sitting position and winced at the protest my ribs made.

"That would be a yes," Bobby said before I could answer.

I shook my head as he studied me. "I don't think I broke anything. Maybe just bruised some ribs."

"We'll find out when we get back to Rangeman. I'll get some x-rays of your ribs just to be sure."

Before I could protest the sound of Ram's voice caught both our attention. "Um…guys. I think we have a problem."

Bobby helped me the rest of the way up, then we both turned to see Ram looking at an area a few feet away where the river encroached on the shoreline. Weeds, reeds, and an overhung tree helped to trap garbage and debris in the little alcove near the bank. I spotted what Ram was looking at in the middle of the flotsam and my stomach rolled. It was just like in my nightmare.

"Is that what I think it is?" I asked Ram. Please let me be wrong.

He pulled the mag light from his utility belt, turned it on, and swept the beam over the area in question. His groan that followed told me I wasn't wrong. "Awe hell. Why us?"

The long black hair floating along the top of the water led me to believe the body was probably female. A cold chill slithered through me as more memories from my nightmare came rushing back. For a moment I feared that I might puke as the nausea nearly overwhelmed me.

Knowing my night was about to get a lot longer, I turned away from the scene, pulled my phone from my belt, and called TPD.

"TPD," the bored-sounding voice said. "How can I help you?"

I made sure to keep my back to the new scene. "This is Lester Santos from Rangeman. My team just found what we believe is the body of a woman floating in the Delaware."

"Where are you? I'll send units your way," the man said, no longer sounding bored and uninterested.

"We're in the woods just North of the Trenton Water Works plant. If you tell your units to pull into the plant's North parking lot and follow it around to the back, they'll see us on the other side of the fence."

"10-4," the officer responded. "Stay with the body. I'm sending units your way right now."

"We'll be here."

Less than five minutes later, though I'd swear it felt more like an hour, the first cruiser arrived. Costanza and Big Dog stepped out and waved at us. "Do we have to jump the fence?" Costanza asked.

I gave his question an eye roll that I knew Beautiful would be proud of. There were times I wondered how some of their officers passed their yearly fitness tests. "Two choices, Costanza. Either head back out to the road and come through the opening for the walking path or continue following the fence around to the back of the building. It will come to a stop and open up to the riverbank. Then you can backtrack."

He gave a nod and then headed for the road.

A moment later, Morelli arrived in his department-issued POS, complete with Kojak light. He stepped out looked around and sighed. Then he walked over to the fence climbed up and jumped down on the other side just a few feet away from us.

"I see you decided to take the shortcut," I mused.

He smirked. "I'm not walking all the way around. That's a waste of time."

Ram motioned to the body with his flashlight. "Well, it's not like she's going anywhere."

Morelli's face screwed into a scowl. "Damn it."

"What are you cursing about?" Bobby asked. "I thought you only worked homicides."

Morelli motioned to the body. "What do you think the chances are that she's not a homicide?"

My thoughts instantly turned to Casey and my stomach rolled again at the memory of her standing on that bridge railing. "You never know," I said. "She might be a suicide or an accident."

"And I might quit my job and come work for Rangeman," he quipped.

"You totally could," I replied. Despite his propensity for eating too many meatball subs and pizza, he did a good job of keeping in shape. As proven by his scaling the fence a few moments ago. Though he would have to lose the asshole attitude.

He slid me the side eye as he faced the body. "It's bad enough I lost the girl to Ranger, I refuse to ever call him boss man."

"I thought you guys were all buddy, buddy now?" Ram said.

"We have an understanding," Morelli corrected.

"What kind of understanding?" I asked.

"Ranger and I agree not to kill each other because we both love Stephanie and want what's best for her," he replied.

"Wait." Bobby held up a hand. "I thought you were seeing that nurse from Capital Health, what's her name?"

"Sonny," Morelli replied. "And I am. We're very happy together. That doesn't change the fact that I will always and forever love Steph."

I could understand, probably more now than ever. While I still love Stephanie, that love has morphed from a deep-seated infatuation to something more platonic. She's one of my best friends and no matter how in love with Casey I am, my love for Steph will always be there.

"Okay, where's the body," Big Dog asked as they approached.

Once again Ram aimed his flashlight toward the water. "Damn," Costanza said. "I'll call for extra units. We're going to need to cordon off the area and check the scene for clues."

"I'll get started with the pictures," Big Dog said.

Morelli motioned for us to follow him back toward the fence. "I need to get each of your statements."

Since they hadn't been around when Ram found the body, Cal, Hal, Vince, and Manny were all able to return to Rangeman. The rest of us had to remain on site while TPD worked the scene.

"Hey, Ram," Costanza called out. "Want to give me a hand with the body?"

Ram groaned, "Why me? Why can't Big Dog do it?"

"I'm taking pictures and collecting evidence," Big Dog said.

"Why are you guys doing all this anyway?" I asked. "I thought you would have handed it off to Morelli's team to process."

"My team is shorthanded and overworked," Morelli said. "Everyone is having to pull double duty right now."

"Come on," Costanza said. "I can't pull her out by myself."

Ram's shoulders dropped as he hung his head. He handed me his flashlight, then walked over to Costanza who pointed to a tackle box a few feet away. "Mask and gloves are in there. You're going to want both."

Ram donned the mask, then put on the gloves and stepped over to the edge of the bank. "Fuck," he grumbled. "With the way she smells, someone from the water works plant or walking on the bike path would have noticed her before long."

Ugh. I'm pretty sure I won't be eating dinner tonight.

As he and Carl pulled the body free from the water, they turned her over and laid her on the bank.

Ram took a step back and stared down at the woman. "Damn it."

"What now?" We all asked at once, but my heart stopped when he looked over at me, his expression appearing haunted against the glare of the spotlights.

"I think this is Isabella Sanchez."