Chapter 27: Mouse Trap

. . .

When Mac got to the crime scene, Danny and Flack were already there.

''Hi, boss.'' Danny greeted him and Mac only nodded in response. He put his kit down and took a look at the crime scene. It seemed to be a classic robbery.

''Any victims?'' He asked.

''Yeah, the owner. He got shot. Paramedics are taking care of him. Flack has already taken his statement.'' Danny told him.

''OK.''

''Listen, Mac. I need to tell you something about the Dribs' case.'' Danny said, coming closer to Mac. ''I paid Brown a visit.''

''You went to the state prison?'' Mac asked.

''Yeah, I thought that he might say something that would connect him to the kidnapping. But no luck.'' Danny said with a sigh.

''So we can only place him in front of the Coopers' house. That's not much.'' Mac murmured.

''I know. There is a chance that he might actually get free on bail.''

''We can't let it happen.'' Mac said strongly. Before Danny could answer anything, Flack walked into the bodega.

''The owner is on his way to the hospital. I'm gonna send a sketch artist there to make a facial composite.'' He said.

''Good.'' Danny nodded, while Mac didn't react at all, being lost in his own thoughts.

''What's going on?'' Flack whispered to Danny.

''It's the Dribs' case... We don't have enough evidence to charge Brown with everything he did.'' Danny told him.

''I can't even imagine this scumbag wriggling out.'' Flack said, shaking his head. They both watched in silence how Mac was taking photos of the blood spatter. ''Have you checked the neighbors' surveillance cameras?'' He asked after a moment.

''There was no records. They all were dummies.'' Danny told him.

''Yeah, I remember that.'' Flack nodded. ''But there was one house, pretty fancy. We went there with Jamie and the lady who owned it wasn't there. The other neighbor told us she was on holidays in Europe. Maybe she's back already?''.

''Well, I can check it.'' Danny said reluctantly. ''If we had a record with Brown taking Rick to that house, he would be up the creek.''

''Exactly.'' Flack nodded. ''OK, I'm going back to the precinct. Have fun, guys.'' He said and left the bodega. Danny walked towards Mac, who was taking prints from the register.

''There's one more thing.'' Danny said and waited until Mac take a break and look at him. ''I checked the visitation records and there is some woman, Violet Stone, who visits Brown regularly. Something tells me it might be her DNA on the cigarette butt we found in front of Coopers' house.''

''Is she his girlfriend?'' Mac asked.

''She probably is. I found out from the records that once she came to visit Brown with a kid.'' Danny told Mac. ''He might be Brown's son.''

''If I remember correctly Brown was convicted of child sexual abuse.'' Mac noted.

''Yeah.'' Danny confirmed.

''I have bad feelings about this case.'' Mac murmured quietly. ''OK, let's finish here.'' He ordered. ''Then we're going to think what we can do about Brown.''

. . .

It was still before the dawn when Jo woke up. She glanced at Mac's bed and saw it was empty and untouched. He had spent another night at work. She tried to fall asleep again, but she couldn't, even though she felt tired. After an hour of staring at the ceiling and thinking, she finally decided to get up. She pulled up the blinds and opened the window. The cold, humid air hit her instantly. It had been raining in the night, so it was nice outside, but she knew that soon, when the sun get higher it the sky, it would be as hot as yesterday.

The apartment was completely quiet, she could only hear the quite buzzing of the fridge and ticking of the clock. She went to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. Then she sat down at the table and slowly sipped her coffee while leafing through some magazine that Ellie had bought.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she heard the front door being open. Shortly after that Mac entered the kitchen.

''It's barely 6 a.m.'' He said. ''Why are you awake?''

''I couldn't sleep.'' She answered and closed the magazine. ''We need to talk.'' She added and he sighed. These words always indicated troubles. But he had no other choice but to sit down across the table from her. ''Why did you take my call?'' Jo asked.

''You were in the shower.'' Mac reminded her.

''Yes, but you could call me or wait till I'm done.''

''True, but I wasn't tired anyway and I thought you were.'' Mac explained himself.

''I know that as my boss you can do that, but I think you shouldn't. I feel like you're trying to lock me up at home with kids, while I still want to work.''

''Jo, that's not true...'' Mac started, but she cut him off instantly.

''Isn't it? We agreed that we would take shifts in turns. But lately you work 18 hours a day while I'm at home all the time.'' She noted.

''It's this case...'' Mac sighed.

''What case?'' Jo asked slightly virulently. ''Mac, I'm not stupid. I know what cases we're working on right now. Even though I go to work twice a week.'' She added and leaned back in the chair, crossing her arms over her chest. Mac winced slightly. He didn't want to bother Jo with all the news about the Dribs' case, but it seemed he had no choice.

''It's the Dribs' case.'' He finally told her. He glanced at her and saw how she furrowed her brows and fixed her eyes on him. ''We don't have enough evidence to prove that Dennis Brown took part in the murder and kidnapping. We keep looking, but there is a big chance that he might actually walk free.''

''Are you kidding?'' She asked with disbelief.

''We can't place him in the Coopers' house, only in front of it. And he claims he has nothing to do with the robbery and the kidnapping. He only lent the Dribs' brothers his car.'' Mac explained.

''What a bullshit...'' Jo murmured. ''Why didn't you tell me that earlier?''

''I didn't want you to worry...'' He admitted truthfully.

''Mac, that's not fair. You shouldn't keep stuff like this from me.''

''I guess you're right.'' He agreed quietly.

''Sometimes I feel that you don't treat me serious.'' Jo told him honestly.

''Jo, it's not true. I just want to protect you.'' He said and hesitated. He wanted to add something to prove that he really meant that. Because he did. He felt responsible for her and he wanted to take care of her. To make her happy, to make her smile everyday. And to watch her while she slept. To keep her in his arms then.

''I don't need you to protect me. Not like this. I need you to be honest with me, Mac.'' She told him.

''I was going to tell you about it.'' Mac admitted.

''When? When Brown will be already freed from prison?'' Jo asked. Then, without waiting for his answer, she stood up and put her mug into the sink. ''I'm going to the lab today. You're going to stay with the kids.'' She told him firmly. He wanted to make some comment about him being a boss, but he decided not to. ''I need to find some evidence that will place Brown at the crime scene.'' She added.

''Do you think I'm unable to do that?'' Mac asked, his ego deeply hurt.

''Maybe you think I'm unable to do that since you kept it from me.'' She answered back and left the kitchen. He sighed. It seemed that it was impossible to win the argument with her.

. . .

''Oh, hi, Jo.'' Adam greeted her when she entered the lab.

''Don't be so surprised to see me.'' She answered. ''I have a task for you. I talked to Flack, he's going to a witness to asked about a recording from a surveillance camera. I need you to go with him, make sure you collect everything, then come back here and watch it.''

''Umm, sure... Where do we have to go?'' Adam asked, slightly confused.

''To Stepping Stones Lane.'' She answered.

''Oh... Isn't it... Isn't it where those bad guys kept Rick?'' Adam asked.

''Yes, it is.'' Jo answered and turned her attention to the tablet she was holding in her hand. It seemed that she didn't feel need to provide Adam any other information, so he left the lab. Not much time later Danny showed up.

''I got your message. What's up?'' He asked.

''I want you to tell me everything you know about the Dribs' case.'' Jo told him.

''Well... Sure... But hasn't Mac told you all that already?'' Danny asked.

''It doesn't matter what Mac told me or not. Tell me everything.''

''OK. So, we were searching for some evidence to place Brown in the Coopers' house. There was none.'' Danny said.

''He was never inside.'' Jo nodded.

''Yes. I remembered that when I was making the tire-print impression I collected a few cigarette butts. We processed them and we found out they have two DNAs on them. One came out as Brown's.''

''And the other?'' Jo asked.

''Unknown female.'' Danny told her. ''It might be the woman who visits Brown in prison, but we don't have any sample to compare.''

''What woman?'' Jo asked and Danny stared at her for a moment.

''There is a woman who visited Brown several times in prison. Violet Stone. I think she might be his girlfriend.''

''Right.'' Jo murmured. ''How about fingerprints? They had to take her fingerprints in the prison.''

''Yeah... I can check if it would be possible to take some from the cigarette butts.'' Danny said slowly.

''How about the inside of the Brown's van?'' Jo asked.

''Yeah, that too. I'm on it.''

''Great.'' Jo smiled at him before he left the lab. ''And I'm gonna pay Violet a visit.'' She added to herself.

. . .

After Jo left for work Mac considered taking a nap. He went to the bedroom and lay down on the bed, but only 5 minutes later Lily burst into the room.

''Hiiii!'' She squealed and ran towards his bed. Then she climbed on it and sat next to Mac. ''Are you still asleep?'' She asked in a dramatic whisper.

''Mhm.'' Mac murmured. ''5 more minutes, OK?'' He asked and grabbed her, pulling her towards him. He silently wished that she would fall asleep as well. But there was no chance for that. She kept still for a minute and two, then she turned around and he felt her stare on him. But he kept his eyes shut. After another minute he heard how she sighed deeply. Then he felt how she touched his cheek. Then his nose. When she got to his ear, he couldn't help but smile.

''Lily, come on.'' He asked and she giggled.

''Are you done?'' She asked.

''Done with what?''

''With sleeping!''

''Yeah, I guess I am.'' Mac murmured. ''Aren't you sleepy?'' He asked.

''Nope!'' She denied cheerfully.

''Lucky you!'' He told her and tickled her, causing her to squeal and burst out in laughter. ''How's your arm?'' He asked after a moment.

''It's OK.''

''Doesn't it itch?''

''Nooo...'' She answered with hesitation.

''It will.'' Mac told her with a serious face.

''Then what?'' She asked with her eyes wide open. ''I can't scratch it.''

''I'll give you a ruler or a pencil.'' He told her and she started to laugh again. ''I'm serious!''

''What are we going to do today?'' She asked.

''I don't know.'' Mac answered. ''What do you like to do?''

''Go to the beach!'' Lily yelled.

''To the beach, huh?'' Mac murmured.

. . .

It was almost noon when Jo knocked on the door of one of the apartments on Bronx. After a while the door opened, but there was nobody in front of her. She lowered her eyes and saw a little boy. He was maybe 6 years old.

''Hi.'' She smiled at him. ''Is your mommy home?'' She asked and he nodded lightly.

''Teddy, who is it?!'' A woman's voice asked from the inside of the apartment.

''Some lady!'' Teddy yelled back and soon the door opened wider and Jo was able to see a young woman. She was maybe in her mid-twenties.

''How can I help you?'' She asked, looking at Jo.

''Are you Violet Stone?'' Jo asked.

''And who's asking?'' She asked, sounding rather cocky.

''I'm Detective Jo Danville, from the New York Crime Lab.'' She said and showed her ID. ''Can I ask you a few questions?''

''About what?'' Violet asked.

''About Dennis Brown.'' Jo told her. She was watching the woman's face carefully, but she kept poker face.

''No, sorry.'' She shook her head and tried to close the door, but Jo stopped her.

''I know you visited him in the prison.'' Jo told her.

''Is it a crime?'' Violet asked rhetorically and Jo felt more and more annoyed by her behavior.

''You know, if you were at the crime scene, we're gonna prove it. And once we do, you're son will see his mommy only once a week.'' She told her coldly. She could see how for a brief second strong emotions flickered across her face, but she managed to get them under control quickly.

''I have no idea what are you talking about.'' Violet said calmly. ''Anything else?'' She asked.

''No.'' Jo told her, looking into her eyes. ''That's all.'' She added and Violet closed the door. For a moment Jo seriously considered kicking it, just to make herself feel better.

''Mommy, why did this lady ask about daddy?'' Jo managed to hear a child's voice coming from behind the door.

''Shhhh.'' Violet hushed her and there was only silence, so after a minute Jo walked away.

. . .

''Can we get some water from the sea?'' Lily asked.

''It's the ocean.'' Rick corrected her.

''Can we get some water from the ocean?'' Lily asked again.

''Yeah, you can.'' Mac nodded. ''Rick, go with her, please.'' He added and the boy nodded. Mac watched how they went closer to the ocean and scooped water into pink, plastic bucket. Then Rick took it and Lily ran back to Mac.

''I saw jelly!'' She told him with excitement.

''It's also called 'medusa'.'' Mac told her

'' 'Medusa'?'' She asked.

''Yes. It's from the Greek mythology.'' Mac told her.

''Was it this one with venomous snakes in place of hair?'' Rick asked, putting the bucket with water down.

''Yes.'' Mac nodded. Then she glanced at Lily and saw that her mouth hung open.

''So, you're going to build a castle?'' He asked quickly, trying to change the subject, as he thought that Jo would rip his head off when she found out that he was sharing inappropriate things with Lily. Again.

''Yeah.'' Lily nodded and dropped to her knees. ''It will have four towers.''

''And a moat.'' Rick added.

''Cool.'' Mac said.

''What's 'a moat'?'' Lily asked.

''It's a ditch filled with water that surrounds a castle.'' Rick explained to her.

''But then nobody can get inside.'' Lily noted.

''That's the point.'' Rick said.

''But there is a princess in the castle. So how the prince will get to her?'' Lily asked.

''There is no...'' Rick started, but Mac gave him a poke. Rick looked at him and got the message. He rolled his eyes in response. ''I guess we can build a bridge.'' He offered reluctantly.

Mac watched how the kids build the sand castle, but he was thinking about something completely different. He was thinking about Jo. He wanted to find a way to make their relationship better. But it seemed that whatever he did, the effect was exactly opposite. He sighed deeply. He had a feeling it might get even more complicated. To the point where there wouldn't be any chance for them. Unless he would have the guts to finally tell her how he felt about her. At least then he would be able to tell himself that he did everything he could to make it work between them.

The more he was thinking about it, the better the idea seemed to him. He decided that it would be better to do it as soon as possible. But first, he needed to plan it well.

. . .

It was already late evening when Jo rubbed her eyes again and hissed at the feeling of her eyes stinging even more from the smudged mascara. She decided she had enough of staring into computer screen and that it was time to head home. She turned the computer off and grabbed her purse. She was just trying to localize her jacket, when her phone buzzed in the pocket of her jeans. She suspected it was Mac, asking her when she would come home or asking her to buy something on her way back home. But unfortunately the text was sent by the dispatch. 'DB, 768 5th Ave', it read.

''Damn it...'' Jo moaned. She was just going to put the phone back into her pocket, when she froze and checked the address again. At least it was Hotel Plaza, not some seedy neighborhood or creepy pub.

Half an hour later Jo entered the hotel lobby and glanced at the receptionist, who smiled widely at her. Jo slightly shook her head at the sight. They were taught to smile no matter what, despite the circumstances. She got into the elevator and pushed the last button. She briefly thought that most times when she was in a penthouse, there was a dead body there. Once Russ had booked the whole floor only for them in Las Vegas. But they had managed to have a huge fight right before going there and after all he had canceled the reservation. She sighed lightly and stopped thinking about it as soon as the elevator door opened. She was quite surprised that the corridor was completely empty. She expected to see the usual hustle and bustle that accompanied a crime scene. The door to the suite was closed, which was also strange. She put her hand on the doorknob and turned it, while her other hand went to her gun. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside. The suite was dim and it seemed to be completely empty. She furrowed her eyebrows and pulled out her gun as she couldn't see any police officer or CSI. She slowly entered and carefully looked around. There was no sign of struggle, no dead body, nothing that would indicate this was a crime scene.

Suddenly the memory of John Curtis attacking her came to her mind. That apartment had seemed also as a normal one, but it occurred that the reality was completely different. She could hear her own heart pounding in her ears almost painfully. She put the gun in front of herself in both hands, trying to stop them from shaking. She made a few quick steps to the nearest wall and leaned against it. Then she took a deep breath and started to search the suite.

It looked completely empty, but when she got to the middle, she saw a light movement. The sheer curtain moved in the wind and Jo glanced at the terrace. She was sure that someone was there before she even saw the silhouette. There was a man standing there.

As quiet as she could, she sneaked to the door and she moved the sheer curtain to the side with her one hand. She took one more step and was just about to tell the man to raise his hands and turn around when all of sudden he did it on his own, almost as if he had sensed her.

''Freeze! NYPD!'' She yelled, but much to her surprise the man didn't stop, nor raised his hands. Then he took a step towards her. Her finger flexed on the trigger. ''Don't move!'' She yelled again.

''Don't shoot.'' The man asked. She furrowed her eyebrows as she could swear that she heard a chuckle in his voice. ''Jo...'' The man added and her eyes grew bigger.

. . .

A/N Muahaha, cliffhanger! But no worries, I'm planning on a fast update.

I wanted to thank you for all the nice comments. I'm really really really glad there are still people who are interested in this story.

And as usual, sorry for all the mistakes.