Office of the District Attorney

Office of the District Attorney

January 18, 2001

12:30 pm

"So, there you have it, Reverend Suskind," Jack McCoy concluded. "Based on everything we've reviewed, we're going to take you to trial for one count of Murder 2, one count of Manslaughter, and one of attempted Manslaughter."

"Can we cut a deal, Jack?" Shambala Green asked, looking at her client. "The Reverend was obviously overcome with emotion and made a bad choice."

"I would say that he did," Jack agreed, "He killed an innocent man."

"That man was working to kill babies," Suskind said, under his breath. "He was not innocent."

"Reverend," Shambala cautioned, then to McCoy. "Jack?"

"If he pleads guilty and allocutes the details, we'll go with two counts of Man 1 and one attempted manslaughter."

"All three to be served concurrently?" Shambala asked.

Jack shook his head, "We'll go with the attempted man served concurrently, but the two man 1's? No…they're back to back."

"Jack…"

"That's my deal, Shambala, take it or leave it. If he goes to trial, all of the sordid details of Mrs. Suskind's affair will be made available to the press."

"May I have a moment with my client?" she asked, standing.

McCoy nodded, and watched as Shambala and Reverend Suskind stepped out of the office. Pulling the door shut behind them.

"Do you think he'll go for it?" Abbie asked.

"If he wants to salvage anything of his ministry, he will."

Barely a minute later, the door opened and Shambala and Suskind walked back into the room.

"Well?"

"We'll take the deal, Jack."

"Smart move, Reverend."

Shoenstein Funeral Home

January 18, 2001

8:45pm

Ed walked through the crowded viewing room. He'd paid his respects to Walter Tsai's widow, then made his way to the back of the room. His eyes searched the group looking for Drea MacLean's but didn't see her in the large group of mourners.

Disappointed, he walked out into the cold January night. As he buttoned his coat, he noticed a woman sitting on the wide marble steps. Despite the fact that her back was towards him, he recognized her auburn hair.

"Drea," he began, causing her to turn quickly.

"Detective Green," she replied, looking up at him.

"It's Ed," he offered, stepping close enough to see that her eyes were red rimmed, as if she'd been crying.

"Ed," she nodded. "I'm surprised to see you here."

"I wanted to pay my respects," he explained. "And, I was hoping to find you here."

"I guess you know that Suskind made some kind of deal with the DA," she dryly said.

"I heard."

"Bastard should have to fry for what he did," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Instead, he'll come back out in 10 or 15 years and be a free man."

It was a cold night and she was visibly shivering. "Do you want to go back inside?" Ed offered.

She shook her head, "I had to leave. I just felt like the walls were closing in on me. I felt bad, but Ling understood. I managed to get this far before my knees gave out and I had to sit down."

"Why don't you let me take you home?"

"I'm not ready to go home just yet," she admitted. "I was waiting for my knees to stop shaking and I was going to go get a drink somewhere."

"Come on," he held out his hand, "I'll get you a drink and then I'll take you home."

"I think I need to sit for another minute or two," she tiredly said.

"Then we'll sit," he decided, sitting next to her.

"Thank you," she quietly said. "For coming tonight and for sitting here with me."

He gave her a smile. "I told you, I took an oath."

"I'm sure you don't give every crime victim this treatment," she returned.

"No, I don't," he allowed.

"Why me?"

"Why you?" he repeated, not sure what to say.

"That's what I asked."

"I don't know," he honestly replied. "I figured that you really were an innocent bystander in all of this. I can't imagine what you're going through right now." He watched as a momentary look of disappointment passed across her features, then disappeared. "What? What did I say?"

"Nothing," she tiredly said, "Look, I'm totally freaked out by everything that has happened. And despite this calm, cool exterior, I'm just barely holding on to my emotions. My head's all screwed up and I'm not really thinking clearly…" She sighed. "Okay, it's late, I'm tired and rambling. I'm just gonna say what's on my mind."

"Say it," he replied with a coaxing smile.

"I find you amazingly attractive," she began, looking over at him. "I thought maybe there might be some attraction from your end too and that might be the reason you came looking for me. Obviously, I was wrong." She looked away. "And now that I've embarrassed the hell out of myself, I think I need to go home and get some sleep."

"You weren't wrong," he quietly said.

She turned back to face him. "I wasn't?"

He shook his head. "No, you've been stuck in my head since that night I talked to you in the ambulance. And I came here because…"

"Because?"

"Because, I couldn't get you out of my head and I want to get to know you better."

"Ah, the truth comes out," she said with a smile. "I'm sure that wasn't part of the NYPD Detective hand book on how to deal with crime victims."

Ed laughed, "No, not even close. You probably won't believe this, but I've never done this before."

"Told a woman you're attracted to her?"

"No," he laughed again, "I've told a whole lot of women that. I've met some really attractive women while working a case, but this is the first time I've ever admitted it to them."

"I guess that's pretty much taboo, huh?"

"Pretty much," he agreed.

"So, I guess we should probably forget we had this conversation and get back to the cop/victim thing, huh?"

"We probably should."

"That sucks," she said, placing her hand on his leg. "Like I said, I find you amazingly attractive. It's been a long time since I've met someone that I can say that about."

He placed his hand on top of hers and held it gently. "It's been a long time since I've had somebody stay on my mind like you have."

"Really?" she seemed surprised.

"Yeah," he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it softly, bringing a smile to her lips.

"If you leave right now," she said, "We can pretend this never happened."

"I'm a grown man, pretending isn't my style."

"Good answer."

"Besides, Suskind took the DA's deal," he went on, pulling her into his arms. "We closed the case file."

"And that makes it all okay?"

"It makes it less taboo." He stood up and held out his hand again. "Come on, let's get out of here."