Chapter 9

Wednesday morning followed the pattern that Goren and I had quickly established and he left the house before I did. Aside from morning sex, our routine had also started to include Goren having coffee ready for me. I savoured the rich dark roast he'd chosen as I switched to work mode. Our plan was to head to Bryant Park midmorning. We hoped to have more luck finding John Harrison this morning. I was surprised when my cell phone rang.

"Hey Eames," he, too, was in work mode. "I was thinking that if Johnny usually works as a bouncer, maybe he's doing security work. It would be a good fit."

"And he'd blend right into the background, just like you said. Anyone else would have too much interaction with the models," I remembered his early thoughts on the case.

"Mmm," he responded noncommittally. "What if they have shifts, Eames? Maybe he's on nights."

"Then we missed him. It's 8:30," I checked the time on the radio. "We can ask about shifts if we don't see him when we're there."

"Why don't we stop by now?" Maybe shift change is at 9?" he suggested

"Shift change won't be at 9," I argued. "But if you want to go, we can go."

"I want to go."

"I'll call Deakins and let him know," I smiled to myself. I'd known what his answer was going to be before I asked.

"And Eames, I remember once you told me surveillance was your strong suit. We're going to need those eagle eyes."

Traffic around Bryant Park was already backed up. It usually took me half an hour to get to work. It took me 45 minutes, including finding parking, before I finally met up with Goren, and Bryant Park was closer. He was waiting with a fresh cup of coffee.

"Thank you," I breathed as I took it from him.

"I knew you'd be long finished the cup I left for you." he smiled at me.

Several more tents were up and a couple more were still being assembled. When we tried to go into the first tent we were stopped by a security guard.

"When is shift change?" I asked after I'd flashed my badge.

"8," he let us know as he held the door open. I looked back at Goren but said nothing.

The lighting had been hooked up, so it was far easier to see than it had been the day before. There were security guards at every entrance, but none were Johnny Harrison. We had the same luck in the second and third tents. By the time we got to the fourth tent I was beginning to wonder if Goren had been right about the night shift, but as we approached the entrance at the far end of the tent, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I touched Goren's arm to let him know. Johnny Harrison wasn't alone. There was a second security guard with him. They were drinking coffee.

"Hey guys," Goren called to them as we flashed our badges. "Can we ask you some questions?"

"Sure," Johnny shrugged. The other guard looked alarmed.

"I'm Detective Goren and this is my partner, Detective Eames. We're investigating some missing persons cases that seemed to be linked to Fashion Week," Goren let them know.

"Is this your first time working here," I asked.

They answered simultaneously. Johnny said no, the other guard said yes.

"Well, we're kind of at a dead end here," Goren shrugged sheepishly. "We know you guys are the eyes and ears here. You know everything that goes on. Am I right?" he grinned and raised his eyebrows.

"Well, yeah," they looked at each other and agreed.

"Our captain is really hounding us on this one," I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe you could help us out?" Goren sounded hopeful.

"I can't think of anything that would be of any help," Johnny told us apologetically.

"That's too bad," I looked at Goren sorrowfully. "Oh, I have an idea!" I smiled toward Johnny. "Maybe you could come with us and look at mug shots – see if you recognize anyone."

"That's a great idea, Eames," Goren slapped me on the back, almost making me spill my coffee. "Could you," he leaned in to read Johnny's nameplate. "Jack? It would help get our captain off our backs."

"I guess," he agreed reluctantly.

"Thank you!" Goren reached for his hand. "When does your shift end?"

"Oh, I'm off the clock," he assured us. "I had the graveyard shift. I was just shooting the breeze."

Or hunting, I thought to myself. "I think our luck may have just changed, Goren," I forced myself to smile.

Jack rode with Goren to 1 PP. I called ahead to tell Deakins we were bringing Jack in to 'help' us. He promised to get Carver there as soon as possible.

"How do you take your coffee, Jack?" I asked him when I met them at the elevator.

"Regular, thanks," he smiled.

He looked like a regular guy, about 5'10", maybe 180 pounds, brown hair, hazel eyes. The very things that created a successful serial killer. They fit right in.

"Eames, let's use one of the interrogation rooms," Goren suggested when we got off at the 11th floor. "It's quieter and Deakins won't keep interrupting us."

"Okay, I'll just grab the coffees, I won't be long," I smiled.

After I dropped the coffee off to them, I told them I'd grab my laptop and be right back. Goren and I'd had no time to talk about our interrogation strategy, so I was just going to have to follow his lead. Once I'd retrieved my laptop, I popped into the viewing room to tell Deakins we'd be doing this off the cuff.

"He goes by Jack Gregory," I let him know. "And you're a pain in our ass," I told him with a smile as I left.

"Here we go," I chirped as I walked into the interrogation room. I was surprised to see that had polished off half of his coffee already.

"I'll set it up," Goren smiled brightly at me. "You sit and drink your coffee."

"Thanks," I smiled as I sat down. Whatever his ruse was, it had already begun because the sweet accommodating partner was new to me.

"Jack was telling me he's been working at Fashion Week since '94," Goren informed me as he turned the laptop toward our guest.

"You must really love your job," I tried to sound impressed.

"I do," he sounded sincere. He took another swig of his coffee as Goren showed him how to click through the pictures.

"I bet you do," Goren winked at him.

"What do you mean?" Jack looked confused.

"Oh, come on," Goren elbowed him. "Let's be honest. We know why he keeps going back, don't we, Eames?"

"It's pretty obvious," I smiled broadly.

Jack's blink rate increased, but he said nothing. Instead he drank more coffee.

"It's the view, isn't it?" Goren grinned. "All those models?"

"What can I say?" he smiled sheepishly. "Who doesn't like models?"

"They aren't really my type, if I'm being honest, Jack," Goren leaned in as though he was sharing a confidence. "You're sitting across the table from my type."

I couldn't stop my eyebrows from shooting up. I had no idea where he was going with this.

"Oops, look," he tilted his head at me. "Now she's mad at me 'cause it was supposed to be a secret."

Jack looked over at me, unsure of what to say.

"But we're all friends here, right?" Goren elbowed Jack again. "Jack's not going to run and squeal to Deakins, are you, Jack?"

"No," Jack shook his head.

"Deakins is already hassling us about this case. Can you imagine what he would do if he found out that I was sleeping with my partner?" Goren's eyes got big.

"No, I can't imagine," I stood up. I'd noticed that Jack had finished his coffee and I wanted to get his cup to the lab as soon as possible. "Would you like another cup," I asked as I picked up both of our cups.

"No thanks," he looked up from the laptop.

"It's terrible coffee, isn't it?" Goren laughed. "That's how it keeps you awake."

"Well, I'm used to it," I shrugged. "I'm going to have another." It would be my fourth coffee of the morning. I hoped my stomach could handle it.

Once out of the interrogation room, I sealed Jack's cup in an evidence bag and asked Detective Bryant to run it down to the lab for me. After quickly grabbing another coffee, I went into the viewing room.

Deakins had an amused look on his face.

"I told you we hadn't gone over the strategy," I rolled my eyes. "I'm just trying to keep up."

"It's pretty entertaining on this side of the glass," he laughed. "Carver's on his way up."

"Wish me luck," I smiled as I opened the door. Carver was rounding the corner when I got into the hall. "You're missing the show," I whispered as he walked by.

"Alex," Goren stood up when I walked in. After taking the coffee out of my hand, he set it on the table. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you first before I shared our secret with Jack. Will you forgive me?" He walked with me to my chair.

"Of course, Bobby, just don't blindside me like that again, okay?" I put my hand on his arm.

"I won't," he smiled. "I promise," he said sincerely as he began to lean in toward me.

I knew immediately that he was coming in for a kiss. I understood that he was trying to win Jack's confidence, but I thought we'd already done that. Now I had no choice but to let Goren kiss me in front of Deakins and Carver. I was worried that my annoyance would show, but as soon as our lips met, my body relaxed. It was nothing like one of our normal kisses. It was almost chaste. Goren's hand went nowhere near my hair and the kiss was over as quickly as it had begun. I could tell my cheeks had turned pink and I hated to think what the conversation was like next door.

"Sorry about that, Jack," Goren returned to his chair. "If I hadn't apologized she would've stewed about it all day and then I would've really been in for it."

Jack chuckled at Goren's confession.

"But I can relax now that I know I'm forgiven," he leaned back in his chair. "Still don't recognize anyone?" He was watching Jack click through the mug shots.

"No, nothing," Jack shook his head.

"See, that's what I don't get about why you like models," Goren changed the subject back. "They're so high maintenance. But look at Alex, she's smart, she's beautiful and sure she was angry with me when I let or secret slip, but you saw that she forgave me right away."

"Ya," Jack shrugged.

"It's not like I had to crawl through broken glass or anything, but models, whew," Goren whistled. "They think they're all that, with the hair and the make up and the clothes," Goren shook her head with a laugh. "I make an okay salary here but I couldn't keep a model happy."

"They do have expensive taste," Jack agreed.

"And they want you to dress like a male model," Goren added.

"And be as tall as one," Jack added snidely.

"And they never have any time for you," I weighed in. "Bobby and I have all the time we want."

"Ya," Goren laughed. "You gotta explain it to me, man, because I just don't get it."

"I just like'em," he shrugged.

"Why? Because they treat you bad?" Goren laughed. "You got a secret you want to share?"

"No," Jack shook his head in frustration.

"So what, then? Are they really good in the sack?" Goren kept pushing.

"I – well," Jack sputtered.

At that point Goren leaned over and whispered something in Jack's ear that I couldn't hear. "Is that what models are like in bed?"

"Um, I really, well..." Jack was completely flustered.

"If you're shy around my partner, just whisper it to me," Goren leaned toward him, but Jack remained stone-faced. "I don't think he's actually slept with a model," Goren's tone was mocking.

"I've slept with plenty of them," Jack's tone was defiant.

"One night stands?" I offered.

"Yeah," he agreed readily.

"None of them were girlfriend material?" I continued.

"Nah," he sneered.

"Why not?" Goren wanted to know. "Did you ask them out again and they turned you down."

"No," Jack was getting angry.

"I was right," Goren slammed his hand on the table, startling Jack. I'd known it was coming. "It's because they're too much trouble, isn't it?"

"Well," Jack paused.

"C'mon," Goren egged him on. "They walk around barely dressed, like they own the world and they see a nice guy like you and they take advantage. Don't they, Jack?"

He nodded in response.

"They ask you for favors. 'Do this for me, do that for me.'" Goren stood up. "Am I right?"

Jack nodded again, his eyes wide. He seemed surprised that Goren understood him.

"And you're happy to do things for them and then you two talk and laugh and she tells you all of her little secrets," Goren paced behind him.

"Sure," Jack agreed.

"And then you ask for one little thing and she looks at you like you have three eyes. What gives her the right?" Goren sounded indignant.

Jack kept nodding along as Goren ranted.

"After everything you did for her? Brought her coffee, brought her water, listening to her incessant chattering about her good-for-nothing boyfriend," Goren continued. "What do they expect?" he held up his hands. "You deserve a little something after everything you've done, right?"

"Right," Jack agreed.

"It's perfectly reasonable," I concurred with both of them.

"And then they have the nerve to blow you off? When all you're doing is trying to be nice?" Goren looked like it confused him too.

"Ya," Jack was agreeing with everything Goren said.

"Like they freak out when you ask them for a coffee, after you brought them, like ten coffees."

"Ya," Jack snorted.

"Or get all weird when you offer them a ride home, like you did with Carolann Moffat?" Goren went in for the kill.

"She looked at me like I was nuts," Jack laughed.

"Did she?" Goren had become quiet again.

"I –uh," Jack's blink rate was on the rise again.

"She was walking home from a party. She'd just broken up with her boyfriend," Goren pulled out his chair and sat down. "You saw her and offered her a ride home."

Jack just looked at us. He had no idea what was happening to him.

"What did she do that was so bad you had to do this to her?" Goren pulled a picture out of his case and put it in front of Jack.

Jack stared at the photo of Carolann's body, lying where he'd dumped her.

"This means nothing," he shook his head. "So I offered her a ride," he shrugged defiantly.

"And failed to mention it to the police when she went missing. She never made it home from that party," Goren pointed out.

"I thought they'd get the wrong idea," he defended himself.

"Or the right one," I huffed.

"I'm leaving," he stood up.

"No you're not," Goren pushed him back down.

"John Harrison, you're under arrest for the murder of Carolann Moffat," I informed him.

"No," he shook his head, not reacting to my use of his real name. "No, I'll tell your boss that you two are fucking. I will, I'll tell."

"Watch your mouth," Goren told him angrily. "Go ahead and tell," he beckoned Deakins and Carver to join us.

John stared at us in bewilderment.

"Go ahead." Goren repeated when the door opened. "Tell them the big secret."

John remained seated in stunned silence.

"If you knew what people are really feeling, you would've seen through my lie," Goren chuckled derisively. "When I told you we were sleeping together, you thought Eames was angry," Goren rolled his eyes. "She wasn't angry, she was surprised and you couldn't tell the difference." Goren laughed at him. "Carolann was upset. She'd just broken up with her boyfriend. She would've accepted your comfort, but you thought she was disgusted with you."

"This proves nothing," John was breathing hard.

"We have your DNA from the coffee cup," I reminded him. "Maybe if you'd been smart enough to wear a condom..."

"They were sluts, all of them," Jack's face was bright red. "How dare they ignore me? Treat me like garbage. They got what they deserved."

"They deserved to be raped and murdered because you misinterpreted their emotions?" I looked at him in disbelief.

Goren hauled John up by his uniform jacket. "You're also under arrest for the murder of Sylvie Gagnon, Anca Schmidt, Charmaine Willis and Simone Saunders," he turned John around and pressed him up against the mirror. After kicking John's legs apart, he reached his hand back, tacitly asking for my cuffs.

"And once we sort out jurisdiction and look into some suspicious missing persons cases," I took John by the arm. "There'll be a lot more charges to come."

Once we had him in holding, we started on the paperwork. Carver said we'd be able to have him arraigned after lunch. Before heading to the courthouse, I called Carolann's mother and let her know we'd arrested John Harrison. Goren called Rodgers. Although Goren and I regularly went to trials, we rarely went to arraignments. For this one we made an exception. Rodgers met us there and to my surprise, so did Deakins. We were expecting John Harrison to be remanded and we weren't disappointed.

While Goren and I had established that I wasn't an alcoholic, I was beginning to wonder about Rodgers. She invited us out for another drink once we'd left the courthouse. This time she chose the bar. It was called The Edge of Reason. It was 4 o'clock when I was parking my car, but I could hear the bar before I could see it.

Rodgers and Deakins already had a table and waved to me when I walked in. Goren startled me by appearing next to me as I walked to the table.

"I didn't see you there," I yelled at him.

"What?" he yelled back.

I waved him off. I'd always had a hard time being heard in bars. I was glad they'd chosen a table instead of a booth. I wouldn't have to worry about not touching Goren. Even though we were there to celebrate the arrest we'd made, from what I could hear, the conversation was mostly small talk. When Rodgers asked me why I was so quiet, I had to shout my answer four times to be understood. I'd decided to have a glass of wine as a treat and as soon as it was done, I stood up and waved my goodbye. I don't think I've ever been that happy to get to the street during rush hour.

My normal half hour drive took me almost an hour and Goren managed to beat me home somehow. I'd planned to ask him what route he took when I got inside, but he had other plans. My shirt was open and his hand was under my bra almost before I had the door closed. He began to plunder my mouth as he moved us to the living room.

"Hi," I smiled when he paused for a breath.

"I missed you," he returned my smile before pulling us both to the couch.

"We've been together all day," I reminded him.

"Not the kind of together I wanted," his eyes darkened as his lips sought mine again.

I was startled out of my Goren-induced reverie by a knock at my front door. We looked at each other questioningly, having no idea who might be there. My family and friends always called first because of my schedule. At the sound of a second knock, I fixed my bra and buttoned my shirt back up. When I moved the blind to look outside, I was surprised to see Deakins standing there.

"Captain," I said loudly as I opened the door. "Is anything wrong?"

"I need to talk to both of you," he didn't look happy as he stepped inside.

"Both of us?" I tried to sound confused.

"Don't bother, Alex," he sighed. "Goren's car is outside and you buttoned your blouse back up wrong."

I looked down to discover that he was right. "C'mon in," I led him to the living room feeing mortified. I wasn't sure what we were in for, but I couldn't imagine a single positive outcome.

Goren was sitting on the couch with his forehead resting on his left hand. He watched as Deakins took a seat in the chair opposite the couch. No one said anything as I sat down beside Goren.

"I don't even know where to start," Deakins sighed.

Goren and I remained silent.

"How long?" he looked at me.

"A week," I overstated. It had really only been six days.

"A week?" he repeated with a laugh. "Not as bad as I thought, but you still should have come to me right away," he sounded the way my father had when he was disappointed in my behaviour.

"How did you figure it out?" Goren, of course, was curious.

"A lot of things," Deakins was now rubbing his forehead. "The two of you did a lot of off duty talking about this case. Bobby was suddenly seeing someone and your little act may have fooled your suspect, but you aren't the only one who can read body language," he was looking at Goren.

"So, now what?" Goren's bluntness surprised me.

"So now, nothing," Deakins shook his head. "This is one of those things the brass will ignore until they want to use it against you," he informed us. "I'll deny it, if I'm asked, unless someone shows me a picture and I really don't want to see any pictures. Am I making myself clear?"

I didn't say anything. I felt like I'd been caught making out underneath the bleachers and I hated being lectured to. Goren seemed to be taking it all in stride. He was more used to being chewed out then I was.

"Don't put me in this position again, understood?" he stood up. "If I'm gonna go to bat for you, you need to keep me in the loop."

"Got it," Goren answered. I simply nodded.

"And you seem to be fooling everyone else and I'd like to keep it that way, okay?" he started to leave.

"Yes, Captain," I took a deep breath as I stood up to walk him out.

"And before I forget," he turned around again. "Good work on this one."

"Did he just give us his blessing?" Goren stood up when I returned, amazement in his voice.

I had to stand on my toes to put my arms around his neck.

"I think he did."

end