Blind Justice

The incessant ringing of the phone woke Harvey from a deep sleep, and it took a few seconds for his sleep-drugged brain to connect the sound. Groaning, knowing a phone call in the middle of the night couldn’t be good news, he rolled over and stretched for the receiver. Fumbling, he almost dropped it. "H’lo?" It came out as a croak and he cleared his throat to try again. "Hello?" "Inspector Leek? This is Sergeant Davis, out of Western Division, and I’ve got something for you. We gotta dead woman and it looks like a gang hit. She was shot as she was getting out of her car." Rubbing his eyes and trying to clear his head, Harvey’s brow wrinkled in confusion. "A gang hit? Why isn’t Gang Taskforce taking it?" "They passed it on to Homicide, Inspector." That didn’t exactly clear things up for Harvey. "Uh…then why isn’t Homicide dealing with it?" "They passed it on to SIU." The question of why his number had been the first one to call flitted across his mind, but Harvey ignored it. "Why are they dumping it on us?" “Well, Inspector, the victim is an Assistant District Attorney.  Tracy Withers, according to her driver’s license” Somewhere in his foggy brain, Harvey knew that name should be familiar.  Ah, well, it would come to him. "Alright, I’m on my way. Is CSU there yet?" "Yes, sir, they just pulled up a few minutes ago." "Good. Tell them to be extra thorough with this one, okay?" "Will do, Inspector." Dropping the handset back in its cradle, Harvey rubbed a hand over his face. Experience had taught him to sleep in boxers and t-shirt, just for this reason. He flung back the comforter, crawled out of bed and stumbled over to the closet. He grabbed a shirt and jacket from hangers without really looking at them and slipped them on. Snatching up the blue-jean cargos he’d worn the day before, Harvey shoved his feet in the pants legs. He pulled on a pair of socks and wasted several minutes trying to remember where he’d put his shoes. Finally finding them in the bathroom and putting them on, he grabbed a belt, cell phone, his badge, gun and holster, and finished getting dressed as he made a quick cup of instant coffee. Man, how he hated instant coffee. But, any port in a storm… By the time Harvey pulled the Ranchero up to the crime scene, he was a little more alert. Climbing from his car he glanced around, taking in the whole scene as he looked for the sergeant in charge. "Inspector!" Turning toward the shout, Harvey saw Sergeant Davis over by the blanket-shrouded victim. Recognition dawned as he made his way over to the car. "Hey, Davis, didn’t you drag me out of bed in the middle of the night just last week?" Davis chuckled and pulled a notebook out of his pocket. "Yeah, I guess I did. Sorry about this, but the buck just kept getting passed and you’re the poor sucker that got it next." "Yeah, well, it’s the story of my life. Remind me to give you the numbers of a few co-workers, though, for the next one." “You got it,” he said as he chuckled.  He understood that completely.  Davis turned and pointed to the car and victim to get back to the business at hand as he told Harvey what had been found.  "Well, it looks like she was hit in a drive-by while getting out of her car. There were no witnesses, naturally. We’ve marked the shell casings and the photographs have all been taken, but I wanted to leave the casings where they were so you could see them ‘in situ’, so to speak." "Thanks, man." Pulling out his own notebook and pen, Harvey made notes as he checked the scene. There was something a little off about the whole thing. He stood and stared at the car for several minutes before it finally occurred to him what was bothering him. There were very few bullet holes in the car. One had gone through the left passenger window, and two had hit the driver’s side door. That was it. Harvey thought that was a little odd. Usually, in a drive-by, the car was riddled with bullets. This one wasn’t. Going over to squat next to the body, Harvey took a deep breath to mentally prepare himself and lifted the blanket off to get a look at the victim. She looked familiar. He wondered if he’d seen her while in court. It was certainly possible, but something else was niggling away at the back of his mind. There were four wounds to her body, and all were centered in the middle of her chest. Alarm bells went off in Harvey’s head. He didn’t think this was a drive-by at all. If it was, they were in trouble…the gang members’ aim was improving. Just as Harvey was pulling the blanket back up to cover the body, he stopped in shock. He remembered where he’d seen this woman. It had been at the surprise birthday party Nash had thrown for Cassidy a few months ago. Harvey had seen Tracy Withers dancing with Nash’s friend Scott Tyner who was a federal judge, if he remembered correctly.  The only reason that her face stuck in his mind was because he’d stood there and laughed when Evan had unsuccessfully tried to cut in. "Oh, man. Nash is not gonna like this." Harvey pulled his cell phone from his pocket and started to dial his boss’ number, but changed his mind when he glanced at his watch to see what time it was. No need for both of them to be up at 3:30 in the morning. It could wait a few hours. Besides, that gave Harvey some time to dig into Tracy Withers’ life to see what he could come up with. He still felt like there was something not quite right about this so-called gang hit. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey clicked through the files on his computer fairly swiftly. There was a lot of press on Tracy Withers. He had easily found considerable information on her background, her family and her personal life as well as her more high profile cases. He paused when a photograph came up from the mayor’s ball. It was of Tracy with Scott Tyner and they both looked happy. He felt a little pang of sympathy inside. Scott Tyner didn’t even know yet. He glanced down at his notes. Tracy Withers had an impressive list of cases with a 90% conviction record.  He was impressed.  He barely remember speaking to her at Cassidy’s party, but he did recall overhearing part of a conversation when she mention how much she enjoyed the investigative part of her job, which was probably the reason behind her high conviction record.   Evan had insisted on moving closer on the off chance that he would have another shot at her.  Harvey shook his head at his partner’s insatiable libido.  It was certain to get him in serious trouble one day. He sighed at the holes still left in his report to Nash. He had gleaned every bit of information that he could from the articles and case files online, but it still didn’t explain why anyone would want to murder her. He simply didn’t buy a gang hit. He was certain that there was more of a motive than a drive by. The time of day was one of the things that bothered him. The middle of the night in the Western Edition wasn’t exactly crime central. Someone had to have been waiting for her and, unless he missed his guess, he was willing to bet that it was someone that she knew. He tapped his pen against his note pad. He needed her current case file, but he knew that he wouldn’t get anywhere near it until the offices at the courthouse opened. That was going to be his first stop after getting a decent cup of coffee.  Thank God for Starbuck’s, he thought, then started to run yet another search when he was interrupted. "You must have been here all night," Ronnie commented as he walked up to Harvey’s desk. “Just about,” Harvey returned. “I got called in early. We got a murder case dropped into our laps. What are you doing in so early?” Ronnie chuckled. He was willing to bet that ‘early’ was several hours ago. "It’s already seven," he returned. "Nash should be getting here any minute." "Talking about me again Ronnie?" Nash asked and gave the burly officer a rap on the arm with his morning paper as he joined in the conversation. "Never boss", he returned and smiled knowingly. "Morning Harv. What’s got you grinding the wheels at this hour?" His eyes narrowed when Harvey stood, but didn’t look up at him.  Something didn’t feel right.  Harvey looked much too somber.  He glanced down at the scattered files and notes on his desk.  It was obvious that he had been working on something for some time. "I got called in on a homicide in the Western Edition early this morning. It was set up to look like a drive by shooting, but I suspect that the killer was more than likely someone that the woman knew. She took four square in the chest and there was very little damage to her car." "That doesn’t fit with a drive by", he agreed. "That’s what I thought too. I’ve been getting as much background as I could, but nothing is standing out yet." “Uh huh. Now what are you not telling me?" Harvey looked up into his eyes then.  He knew that Nash would get right to the heart of the matter.  He always did.  "The woman was Tracy Withers." Nash closed his eyes. "Damn," he muttered.  Scott had just mentioned her the last time they had run into each other at the courthouse.  That had been awhile, but he was fairly sure they would still be together.  Scott and Tracy had been practically inseparable, as much as their legal obligations would allow, since the day they met.  "Have you called Scott Tyner yet?" "I thought that you might want to handle this one, boss," Harvey said sympathetically. "You’re absolutely right," Nash returned.  “Let me know if anything pops up,” he said, then walked off.  He didn’t relish the thought of telling one of his oldest friends that his girlfriend had been murdered, but he couldn’t push the task off to anyone else. It was his responsibility. With a heavy sigh, Nash sat down at his desk and dropped the paper next to his computer. He paused a moment, rubbing is eyes, then reached out to pick up the phone. He dialed the well-known number and waited. When he didn’t get an answer, he looked at his watch and gave himself a mental kick. Of course Scott wasn’t at home, he was probably already at work. Hanging up, he dialed the number for Scott’s office. He heard the click of the receiver and then Scott’s deep voice. “Scott Tyner.” “Scott, it’s Nash.” “Hey, Nash, it’s been a while. Too long; when are we going to get together for dinner?” Nash rested his head in his hand, rubbing his brow. He closed his eyes.  This was the part of his job he hated the most.  “Scott, I’ve got some bad news.” “Nash! Is it Caroline?”  His first thought, as always, was for his daughter. Clearing his throat, Nash sighed. “No, it’s not Caroline. I’m sure she’s fine and getting ready for class. I’m calling about Tracy. Scott…she’s dead. One of my guys was called in on it this morning. She was shot in her car, man. I’m sorry.” When he next heard Scott speak, Nash could hear the anguish in his friend’s voice. “Nash…I need to see her. Where did they take her?” “The M.E. has her. This was a homicide, so they have to do an autopsy. I’m sorry.” “Nash, I have to go. I need to…I have to go to her, Nash.” “I understand, Scott. Listen, if you have any questions, or need to talk, just give me a call, okay?” “Thanks, Nash.  You’re a good friend. I gotta go. I’ll call you later.” Nash listened to the dial tone for a few seconds then hung up the phone. This was definitely not how he’d wanted to start his day. He let his eyes wander around the barge, looking at the people coming in. His gaze fell on Harvey, who was typing away at his computer. Harvey was hunched forward, intense, a sure sign that the world could explode and he’d never notice. If he and Joe weren’t already undercover on another case, Nash would probably take over the investigation into Tracy’s murder. He knew Harvey would have understood. But, he and Joe would just have to stand back on the sidelines this time. At least he knew the investigation was in the hands of one of his best. It was hard to drag his thoughts back to his own investigation, but he knew he had to. He suddenly remembered that he and Joe were going to need Evan most of the day. He leaned back in his chair. “Harvey. Harvey!” Smiling, Nash got up and walked over to Harvey’s desk and sat on the corner, his presence still going unnoticed.  It always amazed him how focused Harvey could be.  He leaned over to nudge him on the shoulder. “Harv.” Startled, Harvey looked up in surprise. “Yeah, Nash?” “Evan is going to be with me and Joe today, so you’re on your own I’m afraid.” “That’s okay, boss. Not much to do today, probably, but the usual. Find out where she went and who she saw yesterday. Check out her office and residence. You know the routine.” Sighing, Nash frowned. “Yeah, I know the routine. I just hate it when it’s someone I know.” He got up from the desk and gave Harvey a serious look. “I know you’ll do a good job, Harv. Just keep me informed, okay?” “You got it, boss.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey looked through the cardboard boxes of files sitting on Tracy Withers' desk, his eyes skimming over the tabs for a third time.  The most recent date was three months prior and Tracy had already added a section of her findings as well as the final jury decision.  Guilty.  He had chuckled at her hand written note that had been underscored three times. “Justice served”.  There had been many times when he felt the same sentiments.  It was obvious that Tracy took her job seriously.  He was starting to regret not having the opportunity to get to know her.  He had a feeling he would have liked her. He sighed heavily as he looked around at the photographs and artwork scattered around the room.  Nothing extreme, but not exactly typical lawyer office stuff.  On one wall was a mounted poster of Humphrey Bogart in the Maltese Falcon.  He moved closer to see the smaller frames next to it, chuckling when he recognized the autographed photo of Harrison Ford, but it was the other photograph that held his attention.  It was fairly old, he guessed from the attire worn by the man.  He moved closer.  There was something familiar about his face. “Oh my...” the secretary said, startled when she walked into her boss’s office to find the inspector still there.  “I thought you had already left,” she confessed as she put a hand over her heart. He smiled at her apologetically for the scare.  “Ellen, right,” he said, certain that he had the name right, but waiting for her nod just the same.  “I was just about to,” he returned, then pointed up to the old photograph.  “You wouldn’t happen to know who this is, would you?” Ellen smiled as she stepped up next to him.  “Believe it or not, that’s an actual picture of Elliot Ness.  Tracy was a big mystery buff,” she informed him.  “She couldn’t get enough of them both real and movies.  In fact,” she took a couple of steps over and pressed on a hidden panel in the wall to expose a television set, head phones and an assortment of movies including the Maltese Falcon, the Untouchables and Working Girl. Harvey picked up the Harrison Ford tape and looked back at Ellen.  “That’s a little out of character with all of these mystery/suspense movies, isn’t it?” She smiled knowingly.  “Tracy was a sucker for anything Harrison Ford.” He touched his black armband.  “Grateful Dead fan myself, so I can relate.”  Quickly changing gears, he gestured to the rest of the office.  “You know, one thing I noticed is that there aren’t any personal photographs around,” he commented casually.  “Wasn’t she dating Judge Tyner?”  He didn’t miss the look that she shot him.  Apparently there was a story to tell, he mused.  He had to wonder if she was the type to share it. Ellen suddenly felt a little uneasy.  She was so used to confidentiality around the office that she was unsure of how much she should share.  Then she realized that Tracy wouldn’t exactly be complaining and felt stab of remorse.  She had liked her boss.  “As a matter of fact, she did have a picture of her and Judge Tyner on her desk.”  She walked over to the old oak replica of the desk that Sam Spade used and opened one of the drawers to remove the picture she spoke of.  “When I noticed that it was missing from her desk, I asked her about it.” He glanced down at the photograph as she handed it to him.  It was of Tracy and Scott at a luau.  “And?” he prompted, looking back up at her expectantly. “She asked me if I ever felt totally disillusioned by a person.”  Ellen shook her head.  “Tracy is...was,” she corrected herself, “...a very private person.  She never actually came out and said what happened between her and Judge Tyner, but it was easy to see that she was hurt.” He handed the frame back to her with a sympathetic smile.  “Thanks.”  He remained silent for a moment when Ellen brushed a tender hand over the frame, then carefully tucked it into one of the many boxes on the desk.  “One other thing,” he began again.  “I was looking for Miss Withers’ recent case files.  Would you happen to know where they are?” “Well, the client cases have already been passed out to other attorneys, but anything personal that she was working on wouldn’t be here.  It would be at her home.” “Personal cases?” he asked in confusion. Ellen nodded.  It wasn’t the first time that she had to explain that to someone.  “Tracy would take a personal interest in a case and investigate it herself.  She loved to champion the underdog and took on several cases that eventually became high profile.  That moved her up the ladder quickly.  Major law firms have been courting her for years.” “Did you ever ask her why she didn’t take the offers?” he asked, encouraging her to continue. “Oh yes.  I told her that I would be telling this place to kiss my backside, but she said that she didn’t want to sell her vote to anyone.”  She shrugged her shoulders.  “She didn’t care about how much she could make.  She cared about what she could do with her talents.  She loved taking on lost causes.  It didn’t matter if it was about fish or CD piracy or land grants.  She could smell a scandal a mile away and she wouldn’t let go until she uncovered it.”   “She sounds like she was a great lady,” he commented. “She was,” Ellen affirmed as she searched his face.  She gestured over to the poster on the wall.  “She was a mystery fan and she loved digging into things.  If something didn’t strike her as kosher, she was like a pit bull.  She couldn’t let go of it until she found out what was wrong.  That’s why she was such a good attorney.” “It sounds like you really liked your boss,” he commented. “It was easy to like Tracy,” she returned.    He hesitated for a moment, glancing over his notes to make sure that he had covered everything then he looked back up at her.  “I’m really very sorry for your loss,” he told her.   “Thank you so much for your help,” Harvey returned as he pulled a business card out of his jacket pocket.  “If you should think of anything else, give me a call at the office anytime.” She glanced at the card and noted that his home number was on there as well, then she eyed him up and down.  “Will do inspector,” she said with a smile.  He was a little unusual, but definitely worth investigating on her own.  Perhaps she would have to find a reason to call. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Walking through the glass doors of the courthouse, Harvey felt like he had more questions than answers.  He wondered what Tracy had been investigating.  Now, more than ever, he was convinced that her death was a murder and not a random act of violence.  Checking the time, he decided his next stop would be the Medical Examiner's office.  Maybe he'd get some corroboration for his hunch from the ME. After fighting traffic for almost an hour, Harvey pulled the Ranchero into the parking lot, his mind still on the mystery surrounding Tracy Withers.  It took some searching to find the ME, but Harvey finally got pointed in the right direction.  Dr. Calvecci had just finished the autopsy and was pulling a sheet over Tracy's body, when Harvey walked into the room. "Dr. Calvecci, nice to see you again.  Well, under different circumstances, anyway."  Harvey wandered over to stand next to the shrouded body.  He once again felt regret that he hadn't known the spunky attorney. Slipping on a new pair of latex gloves, Dr. Calvecci cocked her head at Harvey's expression.  "I take it that you're here to see what I found on this one?  Weren't you just in here last week, harassing me about a case?"  “Yeah, I guess I was,” he returned somewhat sheepishly.  He knew how it felt to be dragged out of bed in the middle of the night. The doctor chuckled and joined Harvey by the table.  Lifting the sheet away, she raised an eyebrow.  "Anything in particular you want to know, or just general information?" Pulling a notebook and pen from his pocket, Harvey smiled sadly.  "Well, let's start with what you think happened, and work from there." "Fair enough."  Pointing to a small, round wounds just to the right of the "Y" incision on the dead woman's chest, Dr. Calvecci shook her head.  "Well, the bullets entered here.  Help me roll her onto her side, will you?" With an inward grimace, Harvey donned a pair of gloves and helped roll the body onto its side.  Dr. Calvecci pointed to the much larger exit wounds with a frown.  "Now, you see there's an exit wound here.  The other three bullets lodged in the spine and ribs. The pathway of the fourth bullet went straight through…no ricochet.  If you want to know what I think, I'll tell ya.  Miss Withers was bending over when the first bullet entered her chest." Lowering the body, Harvey looked at the doctor in surprise.  "You think it's possible she was bending down to look into another car?  Talking to someone, maybe?" Pursing her lips thoughtfully, the doctor slowly nodded.  "Yes, it's possible.  I'd also say the wounds indicate that the shooter was pretty close to her when he or she fired the shot.  So, yes, I'd say that was a distinct possibility." Harvey took another quick look at Tracy's body.  "CSU took the bullets to ballistics.  Looks like it was a .45.  Does that match with what you found?" Picking up a file from her chair, Dr. Calvecci nodded thoughtfully.  "Yes, that sounds about right.  Come look at these, Inspector.  I'm sure you'll find them interesting." Curious, Harvey leaned over her shoulder to see the crime scene pictures.  The picture on top was of Tracy's body lying on the pavement next to her car.  It had been enlarged and, after several long minutes, realization dawned. Dr. Calvecci laughed, almost seeing the light bulb go on over Harvey's head.  "You see it, too, don't you?" Talking quietly, almost to himself, Harvey shook his head.  "There's glass all over her.  Was any glass found under her body?" "No, it wasn't.  It appears that the first shot killed her and she fell to the ground next to the car.  Then, shots were fired at the car, breaking the glass which was why I didn’t find any embedded in the front of the legs or chest.”  The doctor smiled triumphantly.  "I’m no forensics expert, but I would definitely be curious to see what else they pull up.”  She was amazed at how easily she could read his face.  She thought that she had imagined it the last time they met.  “You didn't think it was a gang hit even before coming here, did you?" Chewing on his upper lip in concentration, Harvey almost missed the question.  "What?  Oh, sorry, doc.  No, I didn't.  It just…didn't feel right.  Not that knowing I was right makes things any clearer."  He dropped the latex gloves in the biohazard bin and washed his hands.  Harvey jotted a few more notes then flipped the notebook closed and slipped it back in his pocket. "Hey, doc, you got a TOD?" "It looks like she was killed shortly before the police got the first call at 2:17am.  I'd say somewhere between midnight and 2am.  Although, it was probably closer to 2:00." "Thanks.  If you come up with anything else, doc, call me."  Handing the doctor one of his cards, just in case, Harvey smiled his thanks.  "Oh!  One other thing.  Has there been anyone in to identify the body yet?" he asked.  She shook her head.  "We’re the only insane ones to be in a place like this at such an ungodly hour." "I know what you mean."  He gave the doctor a quick wave and headed back to his car, more confused than ever. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey pulled into the parking lot at Tracy Withers’ apartment complex and glanced around at the area.  It was one of the more upscale complexes in the area for people who were generally too busy to enjoy the things they have around them.  He had a feeling that Tracy Withers was just that sort of woman.  After seeing her office, he felt like he was starting to get a handle on who she was and he was curious to see if her home would fit the profile working in his head.  “No neighbors,” he said to himself as he looked around for any nosey witnesses.  “Apparently you really can pay for privacy,” he remarked sarcastically as he mounted the steps into the second floor apartment.  He stopped at the top of the landing and listened.  Not a single sound to let him know there was another person near by. He shook his head at the eerie silence as he stepped up to the door of Tracy Withers’ apartment.  He was fishing in his pocket for the key he had just received from the apartment manager when the door suddenly opened and he was face to face with Tracy’s boyfriend.  “Judge Tyner?” Harvey said, feigning uncertainty.  The fact that the judge was carrying out a packed box had sirens going off in his head.  “A little early to be going through personal effects, isn’t it Judge?” he said suspiciously. “I know you, don’t I?” he asked instead of answering the question.  His heart was in his throat.  He wasn’t expecting to see anyone at Tracy’s apartment especially that early in the day. “I’m sorry,” Harvey returned smoothly as he reached down to grab the badge chained around his neck and held it up.  “Inspector Leek, SFPD.” “Special Investigations Unit,” he said in recognition.  One of Nash’s people.  He wasn’t sure at that point if that was a good thing or bad.  “What can I do for you inspector?” Harvey gave him a long, assessing look.  As a judge, he would at least have some idea of what went on with a murder case.  “I’m investigating Miss Withers’ murder,” he said softly and saw him flinch slightly at the word.  A natural reaction, he mused, but is it out of loss or guilt? After hearing Scott Tyner and Tracy had apparently split up, it made him all the more curious as to why the judge was there so early in the morning.  “I wasn’t expecting to run into you here,” he said tentatively.  “Nash gave me the impression that you would be down at the Medical Examiner’s office.” “I was,” he returned swiftly.  “I just stopped in here a minute ago and I’m really in a bit of a hurry.” “Can I ask what you’re doing here, Judge?” Harvey persisted.  He didn’t care if the judge had an appointment with the Supreme Court.  He wasn’t walking out of there with evidence. “I had left some of my personal belongings over here and I wanted to get them before they became a part of a murder investigation,” he returned, then tried to push past Harvey. “I’m sorry sir, but I can’t let you leave with that box,” Harvey said and placed his hand on the edge of the box to take it from him. “These things have nothing to do with your investigation, Inspector.  I assure you.” “With respect, sir.”  Harvey’s voice became more authoritative.  “You know that nothing can leave the area until the police have a chance to go through it.  Including your personal belongings.  I’m sure if you speak to Captain Bridges...” “You’re damn right I’ll be speaking to Captain Bridges.  You’re disrupting a federal case by confiscating these things.” “But how can personal belongings disrupt a federal case?” he asked curiously and was surprised when he saw a flash of panic on his face.  Apparently he hadn’t thought through that statement and Harvey had to wonder what it was he was so protective of, his involvement with Tracy Withers’ life or her death. “I don’t have time for a war of words with you, Inspector.  I suggest that you get your job done quickly so that my life can get back on track after such a horrible tragedy.” Tyner relinquished the box to his custody and started to walk off, but Harvey didn’t let him get far before asking, “Just out of curiosity, Your Honor.  Where were you this morning, around 2am?” Scott could feel his face redden, his jaw as well as his fists clenched.  “You’re bordering on insubordination, Inspector.  Get on with your investigation and let me be.” Harvey shook his head as he watched Scott Tyner storm off.  He jostled the box in his arms as he nudged open the door to Tracy Withers’ apartment with his foot.  “No doubt I’ll be hearing from Nash before the end of the day,” he mumbled.  He flipped the light on and did a quick glance through the box in his arms, noticing nothing of particular importance.  “So why would a federal judge risk getting slapped with a tampering with evidence charge for a couple of pictures, knick-knacks, bills, some vitamins and a couple of magazines?”  He asked himself, ticking off the contents of the box to make a mental note of them.  He set the box on a nearby table as he glanced around Tracy’s apartment.  Everything there was similar to her office, neat and tidy, with a few more mounted movie posters on the walls.  He was admiring them as he made his way down the hallway to her bedroom where he started his search.  Martha Stewart wouldn’t exactly give Tracy rave reviews, he reflected, but he could see her sense of style.  Tracy liked clean, simple, orderly perfection.  There was nothing busy or abrasive about the decor, but it was obvious that everything had its place in her life.  He glanced at the title of the book laying on her night table as he slipped his hands into latex gloves, giving a nod of approval for the best selling title.  “You’ve got to love a good mystery,” he commented absently, glancing around once more for a place to start. It was then that the laptop computer caught his eye and his mouth dropped open slightly when the screen saver kicked on.  “I don’t like the look of this,” he remarked, stepping over to the vanity table, which had been converted over into a makeshift desk.  He looked around the area before touching the computer.  He walked back and forth in front of it, then opened and closed the bedroom door rather forcibly.  Finally, he moved the mouse and the screen saver instantly clicked off to reveal a “files deleted” message.  He swore under his breath as he quickly checked the set time for the screen saver.  “Nash is really not going to like this.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey stared at the land surveyor’s bill he'd found in the box of Tyner's things, triple checking the identification number that matched with a plot of land earmarked for a luxury resort.  He remembered reading about the resort and the battle they had in court with animal rights activists trying to protect a breeding ground.  He wondered why Scott Tyner would have a survey report for that particular property.  Harvey didn’t recall seeing Judge Tyner’s name in any of the news reports. He turned back to his computer, tapping into a familiar news web site and pulling up everything he could on the case.  The first thing he noticed was that the case was still pending in superior court and that gave him a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.  He checked the list of jurors and judges and attorneys, and even ran down a list of bailiffs thinking that something had been misfiled.  Nothing on Judge Tyner, but Tracy Withers was the attorney for the animal activists.  “A crusader,” he said with a smile.  “You really were something, Tracy Withers.” After another half hour of searching, Harvey looked down at the bill in frustration as he rubbed at his ear.  He couldn’t find a single reason why Scott Tyner’s name was on that particular bill.  Something just didn’t feel right. Needing to get an idea of Tyner’s character, Harvey glanced over at Nash.  He wasn’t exactly sure Nash would take this conversation very well, but he had to ask.  Sliding his chair back, Harvey walked over and sat on the corner of his boss’s desk.  “Nash, tell me about Tyner.” Nash looked up from his computer in surprise.  “Scott Tyner?” “Yeah.  You’re good friends, right?  I need to get a line on this guy.” Frowning, Nash leaned forward intently.  “Well, I can tell you he’s a good friend, a great judge and damn good father.  Why?” A little uncomfortable under Nash’s steady gaze, Harvey shrugged.  “Just following up on some things that have been bothering me about his case.” “You’re barking up the wrong tree, bubba.  Scott had nothing to do with Tracy’s death.  I’ve known him for along time now, and I can tell you he’s an honest judge who’d never involve himself in anything dirty.  Not to mention murder.” Not knowing how far to push it, Harvey just nodded thoughtfully and went back to his desk.  He could almost feel Nash’s eyes on his back as he sat back down at his computer.  He’d known that might not go well.  He’d been right.  Now came the hard part.  If the niggling voice in the back of his mind was right, Scott Tyner was involved in this mess somehow.  Nash wasn’t going to like where this investigation was going. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey was practically sleepwalking back to the barge after interviewing the multitude of staff, friends, clients and associates of Tracy Withers.  The early morning was weighing heavily on him as the day crept by.  It certainly didn’t help matters to have his partner working on another assignment.  Nothing seemed to be adding up and he needed someone to bounce ideas off of.  Someone besides Nash.  He hadn’t taken two steps into the SIU when Nash stopped him. "I can tell by the look on your face that you got a phone call from Judge Tyner," he said cautiously. Nash jerked his head for Harvey to follow him outside.  While Harvey walked over to the rail to join him, Nash glanced around swiftly to be sure they were alone.  "Tell me what happened," he requested.  He was not pleased to hear Scott’s complaint about Harvey especially since he was tied up with another case.  He needed Harvey to be there in his stead not stirring up trouble like Evan generally does.  Other than Joe, Harvey was the only one that he would trust to do the investigation right so he couldn’t understand how it was already going wrong. "I was walking into Tracy Withers’ apartment and Judge Tyner was walking out with a packed box."  He shrugged his shoulders.  It was as simple as that. “The box you were going through earlier?” he asked and received a nod in return.  "Go on." "That’s pretty much it.  I told him to leave the box and he said he would be calling you.”  He knew that Scott Tyner had probably blown it out of proportion when relaying it to his friend.  He knew that the judge was not at all happy with his appearance, which only made Harvey more curious to find out what he was trying to cover up.  “There’s one other thing Nash," he said, then glanced around to stress the confidentiality of his statement. "I didn’t see it until after Judge Tyner left so I didn’t have the chance to ask him about it, but it looks like Tracy Withers’ laptop has been tampered with.  There’s no proof that he did it, of course, but there were a bunch of delete files on computer.”  Harvey didn’t want to say too much since Scott was a friend and all he had was circumstantial, but he wanted to give Nash a little warning. Nash dipped his head.  That certainly didn’t bode well for Scott, but he knew it wasn’t enough to even consider bringing charges.  “Any other suspects?”  “Just the usual line up,” Harvey returned.  “I’ve been beating the bushes all afternoon, but I’m not getting any red flags.  As far as I can tell, Tracy Withers was well liked and respected by everyone with the possible exception of the people who had to face her in court.” Nash nodded.  He knew he could count on Harvey to follow standard police procedures even if one of the suspects was a federal judge.  "I’ll ask him about the laptop,” he assured him.  “Stay on it, but keep a low profile on this one Harv. Scott Tyner is a good man and I don’t want to see his reputation tarnished especially if everything turns out to be just coincidence." "You got it boss." ~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey scanned through Tracy’s laptop trying to replace what little was left.  Someone did a thorough erasure, he thought.  What was bothering him was the possibility that it could be one of Nash’s closest and oldest friends. “Hey Harv,” Ronnie called to him from reception.  “Coroner is on line three.  Wants to know if it’s okay to release Tracy Withers’ body to the family.” “Yeah, it’s...”  Harvey froze.  That little nagging voice in the back of his mind was suddenly screaming.  “Dr. Calvecci said that no one had been in yet,” he mumbled, certain that Scott Tyner told him that he had been to see Tracy’s body before going to her apartment.  Harvey snatched up the phone and clicked on line three.  “Inspector Leek.  Dr. Calvecci?” “Yes.” “Didn’t you tell me that there had been no one in to see Tracy Withers’ yesterday morning?” he asked, biting nervously at his thumb.  “That’s right,” she returned.  “And I know that for a fact because I was there when Withers’ was brought in and was able to start on the autopsy immediately.  That’s why you had your report so quickly.” “So no one came in to see her?” he pressed.  It was still circumstantial, but now he knew that Scott Tyner was capable of lying if nothing else. “No one.” “Is there any kind of security video or log books?” he continued on his train of thought.  “Both,” she returned, then brought the topic back to the reason for her call.  “Listen Inspector.  I’ve got the sister standing here waiting and....” “Oh yes.  By all means, release Miss Withers’ to her sister.  Thank you Doctor.”  Harvey’s eyes darted, but he saw nothing.  His mind was piecing together the fragments of information and all of it was implicating Judge Tyner.  “But I still need proof,” he whispered. He remembered the way the judge had stumbled when trying to intimidate Harvey earlier that morning as his eyes fell on the land surveyor’s bill.  “Let’s see if we can get you to admit something this time.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey glanced around Judge Tyner’s office quickly, making mental note of everything he saw.  He ran his fingers over the tabs of the folders on the desk to get a better look at the names, a siren going off in his head when he saw one labeled Dandridge Enterprise.  He glanced around again, listening intently for any noise then continuing to search.  He was surprised that he had even been allowed into the judge’s office considering their last meeting and subsequent phone call to Nash, but he wasn’t about to waste the opportunity.  He was just about to try for the file cabinet when he heard the latch click and he jerked his hand back.  “Inspector,” Scott said curtly as he strode into the room still wearing his judicial robes.  “I assume that you’re here to apologize.”  He sat down at his desk and sorted through his messages.  “You have exactly two minutes.  Make it good.” Harvey was surprised by the suggestion, but he was willing to put on the front if it would get the judge talking.  “My apologies Your Honor,” he said simply and had Scott looking up at him in disgust.  “For any misunderstanding on my part,” he added, then had a flash of brilliance.  “I had no idea that you had just come from the coroner, Your Honor.” “It was the medical examiner’s office,” Scott corrected him.  He wasn’t falling for that game.  “At least get your facts straight Inspector.” Harvey gave him a confused look.  “Did you run into Dr. Calvecci?  She’s the one that did the autopsy.” Scott sighed heavily.  “There wasn’t anyone there when I stopped in.”  He looked over at the picture on the edge of his desk, which already bore a black ribbon.  It was of him and Tracy at a barbeque.  “I just had to see,” he whispered, then had to clear his throat.  “I had to know that it was really her,” he said with a measurably controlled voice. Gotcha, he thought.  “I’m sure it was especially traumatic to see the autopsy,” he sympathized and cringed.  “I was glad I didn’t get there until it was over.” “Apology accepted,” Scott said to end the conversation as he stood from his desk, gathering his messages.  “Now if you will excuse me, Inspector.” “Of course, of course,” Harvey said, heading for the door.  Suddenly he stopped and reached inside his jacket.  “Just one more thing, Your Honor.”  He held up an evidence bag with the land surveyor’s bill inside.  “You want to tell me why there is a receipt with your name on it for property along the coast that Tracy Withers was trying to protect?” “I don’t like your tone, Inspector,” Scott shot back. “No tone Your Honor,” he said, holding his hands up in innocence.  “I’m just doing my job following up on evidence.  I’m sure you understand, sir.” Scott could do nothing to stop his face from darkening when his heart began to race.  “If you must know, Inspector.  Tracy asked me to have the area surveyed so that she could have all of the facts in her case,” he said smoothly. “Wouldn’t that be right about the time that your relationship with Miss Withers ended?” he tested. “What?” he breathed, his voice trailing off, but he recovered quickly.  “I have no idea where you get your sources, Inspector, but I suggest you find new ones.” “Do you want to know what I think?” he pushed and Scott’s eyes rose to his again.  “I think that the last case Tracy was working on became more personal than she could possibly imagine.  I think that the trail she followed leads back to you.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nash glared at Harvey.  “Having Scott Tyner calling me twice in one day about your conduct is starting to concern me, bubba,” he said, he muscle in his jaw clenching.  He was furious with Harvey, but he was trying to keep his voice controlled.  “He said that you threatened him with....” “I didn’t...” Harvey began to argue. “...with unsubstantiated evidence,” he continued, “that any first year law student could get thrown out of court.”  Nash paused, giving him a moment to respond.  When he remained silent, he knew that Scott had been telling him the truth.  “I don’t know why you’re going down this road, Harv, but it dead ends here.” “What?” Harvey breathed in shock.  “You’re pulling me from the case?” “Just from investigating Scott Tyner,” he conceded.  “Any information that you come across concerning Scott, you bring to me.  You are not to go anywhere near him again without my okay.  Am I understood?” “Nash, you can’t tie my hands like this,” he argued. “Don’t make me repeat myself, Harv,” Nash warned softly. Harvey put his hands on his hips and let out a frustrated sigh.  This wasn’t meant to be a conversation.  It was the boss reprimanding his subordinate.  “Yes sir,” he said crisply. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey’s foot tapped nervously as he stared at his computer monitor.  Tracy Withers’ case had kept him up most of the night.  He knew that he was missing something.  Something that was irritatingly close to the surface, but he just couldn’t put his finger on it. Ronnie walked up to Harvey’s desk to find him hard at work.  “Hey, I thought you crossed off the secretary as a suspect,” Ronnie commented when he saw whose file he was working on.  Everyone had taken a personal interest in the case Harvey was working on because most of the officers there had encountered Tracy Withers on occasion at the courthouse. “I have, but something just doesn’t feel right about this whole thing.”  Harvey shook his head as he stared at the information on Ellen Cross.  “I’ve been running in circles with what little I’ve found.”  He leaned back in his chair and stretched. “Well, maybe you will get lucky at Judge Tyner’s house,” Ronnie returned as he tossed the search warrant onto Harvey’s desk.  “The warrant just came in,” he said, then walked off. Harvey snatched it up quickly and looked around to see if anyone had overheard, then checked his watch.  Tracy Withers’ funeral had just started.  “We can make it quick,” he mumbled to himself as he glanced around for Evan.  “Nash doesn’t even need to know.” ~~~~~~~~ Slipping his arm around his daughter's shoulders, Nash gave Cassidy a comforting squeeze.  For once, the weather was cooperating with them.  It wasn't too cool, and it wasn't raining.  Just the opposite.  It was a beautiful, clear day.  As if to mock the somber occasion, the birds chose this particular place at this particular time to sing to one and all.  Nash listened to the priest with half an ear, as he kept an eye on his friend.  Scott seemed to be holding up very well, under the circumstances.  Scott's daughter was taking things a little harder.  Caroline was crying softly and wiping her eyes.  She'd really like Tracy, and had hoped that her father would eventually marry the free-spirited attorney.  She'd brought some sun and happiness into Caroline's life after the death of her mother, and the teenager had really loved Tracy.  It had been wonderful to have someone to have nice long girl talks with, to confide in. The coffin before them was covered in flowers that shifted gently with the breeze.  Nash looked around at the men in their dark suits, the women in their black dresses…and wondered if Tracy's killer was among them.  He'd read the ME's report Harvey had given him.  Nash knew that the most likely scenario was that Tracy Withers had known her killer, but the evidence that Harvey had collected was entirely circumstantial, implicating no one.  Maybe someone from one of her cases, or someone she worked with, he mused. The priest's words once again registered on Nash's brain.  "Ashes to ashes.  Dust to dust."  The man said a few more words then a soft, beautiful voice began to sing "Amazing Grace".  Nash tightened his grip on Cassidy when he felt her shoulders start to shake with sobs.  Cassidy had also like Tracy. Holding Caroline's hand, Scott walked up to the grave to drop one last rose on Tracy's coffin then turned away to walk back to the limo.  Nash took Cassidy by the arm, and the two of them joined Scott and his daughter at the car.  Cassidy gave her friend a quick hug then the two girls climbed into the limo, leaving Nash and Scott standing outside. Looking back up the hill to the new grave, Scott shook his head.  "How could something like that happen to a wonderful woman like Tracy, Nash?  I just don't understand.  Do you have any leads on her killer?" Shaking his head, Nash tried to push away the question that had been niggling away at the back of his mind, but it didn't work.  As a friend, he knew there had to be a reasonable answer.  As a cop, he understood why Harvey was so insistent that the question be asked.  To save his friend from having a stranger ask such a question, knowing what it insinuated, Nash caught Scott by the sleeve before he could get in the car. "Scott, I need to ask you a question, and I need you to be straight with me." Puzzled, Scott shrugged and nodded his head somewhat warily.  "What's the question, Nash?" "Harvey, Inspector Leek, told me that shortly after he arrived at Tracy's apartment, he noticed the screen saver kick in on her laptop.  I need to know if you were looking at anything on her computer, Scott." Smiling reassuringly, Scott stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels.  "I didn't look at anything on her computer, Nash.  I must've bumped the table when I was getting my stuff.  I know I shouldn't have taken anything from the apartment…I just wasn't thinking clearly.  My girlfriend had just been murdered, and I was operating on autopilot, I guess." Pulling his hands from his pockets, Scott frowned a little angrily.  "That doesn't excuse your inspector's attitude, though, Nash." Holding his hands out in a calming gesture, Nash smiled.  "I've talked to Harvey and everything's taken care of, bubba.  He was just trying to do his job.  Now, let's get you and Caroline home, okay?"  He followed Scott into the limo and shut the door, looking out the darkened window at the new grave on the hill. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Harvey ran his hands over the files in Judge Tyner’s desk drawer, then glanced around the study looking for anything that could verify his suspicions.  He closed the drawer quickly and searched the next.  They were running out of time.  “Anything?” he called out. “Not yet,” Evan returned from the living room. Harvey felt a little guilty for conning Evan into coming with him, but he needed an extra pair of eyes and he couldn’t exactly have a squad come out to the house.  He had to find something or Nash was never going to believe him.  “I know you’re here,” he whispered as he pulled out a file, flipping through it briefly before returning it.  “There’s got to be something here.”  He checked the massive bookshelves next, looking for a safe or hidden panel, anything out of the ordinary. Harvey looked back at the desk again.  “Where’s your computer, Your Honor?” he mumbled to himself as his eyes narrowed.  He hadn’t noticed before, but the mat on his desk was attached.  “Hello,” he said, then walked back over to the desk to run his fingers along the edge.  When he found the button he had been looking for, the desk mat tipped back to allow the state of the art computer to take it’s place.  “Nice,” he whispered again and began typing. “I’m not finding a thing,” Evan said from the doorway.  “What about you?” Harvey pulled up the date book for the month and his mouth dropped open.  “I knew it,” “What did you find?” Evan asked, then turned at the sound of voices. Harvey quickly hit print, grabbed the paper and stuffed it into his pocket as he hit the hidden button once more to get the computer to return to it’s storage place.  He glanced up to see that Evan had disappeared and his heart jumped.  “Evan!” he whispered loudly, then he heard Scott Tyner’s voice. “What in the hell is going on here?” he demanded.  “Isn’t he one of your men?” Harvey’s eyes closed.  Apparently Nash had come home with the Tyner’s.  He muttered a curse, then walked out into the living room to see Evan trying to explain.  As soon as Nash saw Harvey walk out, he strode across the room.  “You want to tell me what the hell is going on?” he asked heatedly.    “I told Judge Simmons that I needed a warrant and that everything was on the QT because it was Judge Tyner,” he admitted.  There was no point in denying it.  He was caught red handed, a position that he had hoped to put Judge Tyner into.  Before things went any further, he gestured over to his partner.  “Evan thought it was a routine search.  I told him that you wanted the search to be kept low profile.  He didn’t know anything about how I obtained the warrant or that you ordered me to back off.”  He glanced over at Evan and saw the shocked, then disappointed look on his friend’s face.  “Sorry man.” The muscle in Nash’s jaw flexed, a sure sign that he was fighting to control his anger.  “When I ordered you to cease your investigation into Judge Tyner, Inspector, I didn’t mean to imply that it was okay to go behind my back instead.” Harvey dipped his head.  Nash walked over to Evan.  “I want both of you to go back to the SIU and wait for me there,” he ordered. “Yes sir,” Evan returned. ~~~~~~~~~ Nash rubbed a hand over his face, then looked at Harvey standing near the conference table.  He never thought that it would be Harvey Leek facing harassment charges from a federal court judge.  He glanced over at Joe and Evan.  They knew what was coming.  Everyone in the SIU knew which made his situation all the more difficult.  He didn’t want to make an example of Harvey, but he was feeling pressured to, which was why he had to give him one last chance. Jerking his chin for Harvey to follow, Nash led him out to the fantail for more privacy.  If he was going to be forced to do this, at least he could spare them both the public spectacle.  Walking over to lean against the rail for a moment, Nash stared out over the water…gathering his scattered thoughts and emotions.  “I don’t understand what is going on with you, Harvey,” he admitted.  “Are there problems at home?” he asked, still not sure of where his friend’s head was at in the last few days. Harvey’s mouth dropped open in disbelief.  “This isn’t personal, Nash,” he said, his frustration starting to mount.  “At least not to me,” he shot back. Why won’t Nash listen to me?  How could he not see what was right in front of his face? His back straightened at the jab.  With a sigh, he turned back to face Harvey.  "Judge Tyner has filed harassment charges against you, Harvey," he said without any further qualms. "You've got to back off.  I told you to be careful how you handled this." "Nash, I'm just doing my job.  Of course he doesn't want me around; I'm getting too close."  Harvey was frustrated that he couldn't get Nash to see what he was seeing with this investigation. "Too close to what?"  Nash crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.  "What evidence do you have to support your theories?" "Nash…"  Harvey stopped and took a calming breath.  If he wasn't careful, things could get real ugly, real quick.  "I don't have everything solid yet.  That's why I got the search warrant, to get the proof I need."  He thought of the piece of paper in his pocket, but decided it was best to remain quiet on that point for the moment. Throwing his arms in the air in a gesture of frustration, Nash took a step toward Harvey.  "There are at least half a dozen other suspects from Tracy's cases.  Have you done anything to see if maybe one of them might have killed her, or had her killed?  As far as I can see, all you've done is spend all your time chasing after Scott Tyner.  With nothing to show for it." Cocking his head, Harvey stared at Nash in disbelief.  "Nash, are you accusing me of being slack in my job?  Yes, I checked them all out.  The only person with motive, means and opportunity is Judge Tyner!" "Motive?  What motive do you have?” “He has ties with the resort that Tracy Withers was lobbying against,” Harvey shot back.  He didn’t know how Nash could be so blind.  Harvey had given him a detailed report.  “Nash, everyone was expecting Tracy to win.  If she did, then Scott and a couple of mobsters out of New York would be out a hell of a lot of money.” “Where’s your proof?” he asked, hands held wide.  “I can’t believe that you would risk your career on a hunch.” “It’s not just a hunch,” Harvey argued.  “Look at the facts, Nash.  Tyner told me that he went to see the ME, but he didn’t and I show up at Tracy Withers’ apartment and catch him walking out with a box of things he should know can't be removed from a murder victim's home without authorization?  That was enough to get me suspicious.  Then there were the deleted files on the computer and the surveyor’s invoice.”  Now Harvey held his hands wide as he silently pleaded for his friend to see.  “The computer Scott claimed he knew nothing about.  And didn’t you tell me that Scott claimed the surveyor’s receipt was from when he was helping Tracy with her lawsuit?” “That survey was taken before the property was sold,” Harvey argued, his voice rising in frustration.  “He didn’t know there was going to be a lawsuit or that Tracy even had an interest at that point.  She was still working on one of her slum lord cases.  In fact, I’ve got one of the animal activists to tell me that he recruited Tracy three weeks after the dated receipt from the surveyor.” “You’re speculating,” Nash returned. “Then let’s talk about the computer,” Harvey countered.  “The screen saver hadn’t even kicked in yet!” Harvey argued.  “At the very least, he had been looking at what was on the computer, but he claims that he hadn’t touched it." "He said he bumped the desk when he was getting his stuff!"  Nash was getting angrier by the second.  He couldn’t believe how fast that conversation was going down hill.  He wanted to give Harvey his support, but he couldn’t when Harvey was challenging him at every turn. "I thought of that when I was there, Nash.  I walked around the desk, opened and closed the door and even tried bumping the desk, but the screen saver only went off when I moved the mouse!"  A feeling of dread began to build, as Harvey stared into Nash's angry gaze.  There wasn't going to be a happy ending to this.  Not at all. Pointing a finger at Harvey in frustration, Nash tried a different tactic.  "Look, Harvey, the bottom line is this: Judge Tyner has filed charges of harassment and you are not to go anywhere near him.  Now, I'm telling you to follow up on the other suspects from Tracy's case files." "I've already checked them out, boss.  They're clean.  I'm telling you, man, Tyner has something to do with her death!  I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the one that pulled the trigger. Why can't you see what's right there in front of you?  It’s bad enough that justice is blind, but it doesn’t stand a chance when it becomes deaf and dumb as well,” he said sarcastically. Harvey couldn't believe he could be so stupid as to lose his temper in such a delicate situation.  He could see the anger, then the finality in Nash’s eyes.  Harvey dropped his head for a moment, whispering to himself.  "Damn, that was stupid, Harv.  You just got your ass suspended."  When he raised his head again, Nash’s face wore an expression of resignation.  He knew he was giving Nash no other choice…but he just couldn't back down on this.  Right or wrong, he was going to stand for what he believed to be the right thing. Looking back into Harvey's blue eyes, Nash could see the determination and the look of resignation, which was probably similar to his own.  He couldn't believe he was about to do this.  He couldn't understand why Harvey was forcing him into such a position.  "Harvey, are you refusing a direct order?" "I'm sorry, Nash."  Pain filled Harvey's eyes as he shook his head.  He knew there might not be a way for their friendship to survive the confrontation.  "If I dropped this, I wouldn't be doing my job." Nash could almost swear he heard the slamming of a door.  He felt the full weight of his job at that moment, and hated it.  When he finally spoke, it was barely above a whisper.  "Harvey, you're leaving me with no choice.  I'm suspending you, pending the final outcome of the harassment charges.  I need your weapon and badge." His heart lurched at the look on Harvey's face.  A mixture of hurt and disbelief that Nash could hardly stand to see.  With a feeling of the inevitable, Harvey slowly removed his gun from its holder.  He pulled the clip, then ejected the round from the chamber before handing the weapon over.  Grasping the chain, Harvey lifted the badge over his head and held it for a moment.  With an almost inaudible sigh, he dropped it into Nash's outstretched hand.  That was it.  Turning over his career was that simple. The two men remained for a moment, sharing a mutual feeling of loss.  Neither sure if things would ever be the same between them again.  Nash was the first to break the moment, turning his back to Harvey and leaning against the rail.  He couldn't bear to see Harvey walk away.  Walking away from his career, away from their friendship, away from the SIU. When Nash turned away, Harvey knew there was no going back.  He'd stood up for his principles and now he was just going to have to follow through on his own.  With a heavy heart, he gave a short nod and turned to leave.  Tracy Withers wasn't the only casualty in this whole mess.  A good friendship may have just died as well. The SIU was quiet as Harvey walked to his desk.  He sat down in a daze and went through his things, pocketing anything that he might need when he went after Tyner.  Typing in a few quick commands, he sent everything he had on file to his computer at home.  That would just have to be enough.  He stood to leave but paused a moment, staring at the framed Grateful Dead postcard on his desk.  He reached out to pick it up then changed his mind.  He'd be back.  He had to be. Suddenly aware of the uncanny silence, Harvey looked up to see all eyes were on him.  He stared from person to person, daring them to say anything.  His eyes, at last, fell on Evan.  "You could've backed me up, Ev." Guilt warred with self-preservation, but Evan was no fool.  He wasn't going to get in the middle.  Especially with Nash involved.  "Harv, I'm sorry, but…" "Just forget it, Evan.  It's over and done with.  Stay out of trouble."  Without another word, or a backward glance, Harvey walked out of the SIU. When he pulled out of the parking lot, Harvey didn't know where to go.  He didn't want to go home.  Not yet.  So, for several hours, he just drove around aimlessly.  He had no clear destination in mind…he just drove.  His mind whirled with thoughts.  What was Tyner up to?  How could he get the proof he needed to convince Nash?  What was he going to do next?  And most importantly…was he going to be able to keep his job? When Harvey finally looked around at the streets and homes, he realized he had driven to Scott Tyner's house.  He briefly thought of parking and staking out Tyner's place, but quickly discarded that idea.  His blue Ranchero wasn't exactly inconspicuous.  Tyner would be sure to recognize it and call Nash, if not the police.  So, with a sigh, Harvey accelerated past the house and swung the Ranchero in the direction of his own home.  He needed to formulate a plan, decide on his next move.  Maybe there was something in those files that he'd missed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After spending fruitless hours going over the files he'd sent from the SIU, he was no closer to getting anything solid that Nash would believe.  Harvey had adjourned to the Dead room after giving up on the computer, and now lay in the beanbag chair.  He sipped a beer while listening to a bootleg from a 1968 show at the Carousel Ballroom.  He felt disoriented, rudderless.  Like he had no purpose or meaning, without his place at the SIU.  It wasn't just a job, but a part of a tight knit family.  And, having no close relatives, that had meant a lot to Harvey.  Now, he felt more alone than he ever remembered.  Abruptly remembering the piece of paper he'd slipped into his pocket, Harvey set his beer on the floor.  Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the scrap of paper.  A. M., 2pm.  "AM?” he whispered in confusion, then he remembered seeing the Dandridge file on Scott’s desk.  “Anthony Marchetti?"  Suddenly, the pieces started to fall into place.  “Scott must have been feeding Marchetti information about the land dispute that Tracy was spearheading.  So Scott is in bed with Marchetti on the resort deal.”  Harvey thought about Tracy’s comment about being totally disillusioned and understood for the first time.  “She must have been devastated when she found out that Scott was one of the people she was fighting against.” Judge Tyner was bunkmates with some rough customers, alright.  "Talk about your mobsters.  Nash would love to get his hands on this guy.”  His mind was already making a checklist.  “Wonder what the good judge is up to now?  With Tracy dead there didn’t seem much point in meeting about the court case,” he mused  “I think I'll go to that meeting and find out." Chuckling as he realized he was sitting there having a conversation with himself, Harvey levered himself out of the beanbag with a renewed sense of purpose.  First on the agenda for tomorrow was to rent a car.  If he was going to be following Judge Tyner around, he'd need something less conspicuous than the Ranchero.  He needed to find his camera.  It wasn't as good as anything he could get from the SIU, but it would do.  He'd need film and a new battery, if he remembered correctly. Thoughts and plans still raced through his mind as he crawled into bed a few hours later.  He'd found his camera, and the best zoom lens he had.  He'd have to remember to get a battery and some film in the morning when he went to rent a car.  His thoughts pinged around his brain, making it nearly impossible to get any sleep.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When his alarm went off the next morning, Harvey rolled over with a groan and slapped the snooze button.  Dragging himself from bed, he shuffled, bleary-eyed, to the kitchen to start the coffee.  Forty-five minutes, and three cups of coffee later, Harvey felt somewhat human again.  Grabbing the camera and a miniature tape recorder, he locked the door and headed for his car, yet another cup of coffee warming his hands. The man at the rental agency had admired the Ranchero when Harvey filled out the paperwork to get a car.  They talked cars for a few minutes, while the young man typed Harvey's information into the computer.  "Well, for my money, if I had any, I'd take a '61 Corvette over just about anything." Smiling, Harvey signed the paper the kid slid in front of him.  "Red and white, right?" The kid chuckled.  "Well, naturally.  Or blue and white.  Those are the only two options, of course." Agreeing, Harvey took the keys and went to find the rental car.  It was a nice, ordinary compact vehicle.  Just like a million others on the road.  Just what he'd wanted.  After a quick stop for film and batteries, Harvey drove over to Scott Tyner's office and parked the car.  Dialing Tyner's number on his cell phone, he smiled when he heard Scott's voice on the other end.  Hanging up, satisfied that the man was in the office, Harvey settled back for a long wait. When Tyner walked out of the building, checking his watch, Harvey slid farther down in his seat.  He watched as the judge hurried to his car and got in.  Backing out of his parking spot and taking off with a squeal of tires, the judge tore out of the parking lot.  Harvey glanced at the clock on the radio and chuckled as he kept pace with Tyner.  The good judge was running a little late for his appointment with Marchetti.  "Shame on you, Your Honor.  Don't you know it's not nice to keep a mobster waiting?" When Tyner pulled up to a warehouse and got out, Harvey made a note of the address and the company name over the big sliding door.  As soon as the judge went inside, Harvey grabbed his tape recorder and camera and carefully made his way over to a window.  Peering through the broken pane, he made out the figures of five men.  Scott Tyner, Anthony Marchetti and three of the mobster's flunkies, no doubt. Taking a few shots with his camera, Harvey strained to hear what was being said.  Fortunately, the men were pretty much shouting, but he knew he was too far away for the little recorder to pick up the voices.  What he needed was the microphone equipment from the SIU.  The puzzle pieces all began to fall into place as Harvey listened to the raised voices. "Look, Tyner, you just be here tomorrow at the same time and bring that list." "Mr. Marchetti, that cop has gotten too close.  What if Bridges starts poking his nose around.  It's too risky."  Scott was in way over his head, and he knew it.  The walls were closing in and he didn't know how to get out of the hole he'd dug for himself.  He couldn't run.  Marchetti would find him and have him killed.  It was as simple as that. "I don't care about your problems, Tyner.  We need that witness list, and we need it now.  Just because Withers is out of the way doesn't mean this case is going to disappear.  Now, they've got three new witnesses and I need the names of those witnesses!"  Marchetti poked a finger against Tyner's chest to emphasize his words. "You got us those other two witnesses and that helped us a great deal, but we're still going to lose this case if we can't get to at least one of those new people.  You got it?  I expect results.  Be here tomorrow, 2pm with that list, Tyner." Swallowing the lump of fear in his throat, Scott nodded.  He couldn’t even remember how it had all started, how he had gotten in so deep.  He had no idea how he was going to come up with that list now that Tracy was dead, but he knew that he would be too if he did anything other than comply.  "I'll be here, Mr. Marchetti." Nodding, Marchetti turned his back on the judge and led his cohorts out the back door.  He knew the judge would be there the next day.  However, the mobster was going to take out a little insurance to make sure that Tyner did as he was told in the future.  He couldn't have the good judge falling apart on them.  Not when they stood to lose so much money. Watching from the window, Harvey ducked when Scott shuffled through the door and out to his car.  Not bothering to follow, Harvey waited until the cars were gone before heading to the rental car.  Scott and Marchetti weren't going to be the only ones at that meeting tomorrow.  He was going to be there a little early, to set a few things up to record the evidence he needed to get his job back. As he drove home, Harvey pulled out his cell phone and called his partner.  Ex-partner?  Harvey sighed.  He didn't really need a reminder of what had happened the day before.  "Evan?  Um, Ev…I really need you to do me a big favor.  Listen, you owe me big time.  What for?  Should I list them in alphabetical order or chronological order?  Yeah, I thought so.  Look, meet me at home after you get off work.  And, Evan…bring some surveillance microphones and a recorder with you.  You heard me.  C'mon, Ev, you can think of something.  Evan, do I need to mention the hole in the Watch Commander's car?  I bet she'd be interested to find out how that coffee stain got there.  I didn't think so.  I'll see you tonight.  I'll have some beer for you, so you can drown your troubles.  Later, brother." Driving to the electronics store that was nearest his house, Harvey shopped around for a digital camcorder.  He needed something with a remote, a good zoom and was small.  Plus, since he was the one to pay for it, he needed something that was fairly inexpensive.  It took an hour of deliberation before he settled on a camera that fit all of his requirements. Once he got home, he settled down in the living room to figure out the new camera.  He was pretty sure his plan was going to work.  But, only if Evan came through for him.  By the time Evan showed up, Harvey had been pacing the floor for almost an hour.  When the knock came, he threw open the door and almost dragged Evan inside.  "Did you bring them?" "Good evening to you, too, Harv."  Evan could hear "Dire Wolf" wafting from the Dead room.  "In a mood, are we?"  Well, if anyone had a good reason to be in a mood, it was Harvey. Leading Evan into the kitchen, Harvey opened the refrigerator and pulled out two beers.  Handing one to Evan, he gestured to the table.  They both sat down, and Evan played with his beer…spinning the bottle around and not looking at his best friend, afraid of what he'd see. Finally looking up, Evan was glad to see that Harvey didn't appear to be angry with him.  Not knowing what to say, he dug in his jacket pocket for the microphones and slid them across the table.  "Here, I lied to Nash about why I needed them.  I could get into a lot of trouble, Harv, but I do owe you more than a few favors.  Besides, for what it's worth, I think you are on the right track." Pocketing the electronic equipment, Harvey shot Evan a penetrating look.  "Thanks for taking the chance, Evan.  I know what you're risking, but Tyner is meeting with Anthony Marchetti tomorrow and I want proof of what's going on.  Besides, a talented, caring woman lost her life and I think I owe it to her to make sure the people responsible are caught, tried and convicted.  It's the right thing, Ev." "Marchetti?  Harvey, have you lost your mind?”  He had no idea that his partner was planning on taking on the nationally known mobster when he agreed to bring the microphones.  “That guy is dangerous and if you're caught, he won't hesitate to kill you." "I know that, Evan, but what choice do I have?  Look, I'm just going to hide a few microphones and set up a camera.  Nobody will know I'm there.  They'll have their little meeting, I'll give the tapes to Nash, and it'll all be over." Taking one last swallow of his beer, Evan stood to leave.  "Listen, Harvey, just be careful.  Nash will come around, eventually.  There's no need to get yourself killed." As Evan opened the door to leave, the two friends stood awkwardly…neither sure just what to say.  Shoving his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders, Evan looked at the floor.  Shrugging, he smiled ruefully.  "Well, call me tomorrow after the meeting to let me know how things went, will you?" "Sure, Ev.  Tell…well, never mind.  I'll talk to you tomorrow."  Shutting the door as Evan walked down the steps, Harvey went back to the Dead room and sighed heavily.  Hopefully, after tomorrow afternoon, everything will return to normal.  Dropping into the beanbag chair, he ran a hand over his face and frowned.  He knew he was kidding himself.  Things might never be "normal" again. Once again, his thoughts wouldn't let him rest and it was the wee hours of the morning before he could get any sleep.  Waking early, earlier than he wanted to, Harvey put the camera and microphone equipment in a bag and headed out to the car.  Driving back to the rental agency, he exchanged the rental car for a new one, just in case Tyner had noticed the other one. Driving out to the warehouse, Harvey settled in to stake it out.  When the noon hour hit without anything untoward happening, he hid the car, grabbed the bag and headed to the warehouse.  It took a little looking to find the right places to hide the three tiny microphones.  Once he got those set up, he looked around until he found the perfect place to hide the camera, then a hiding place for himself. Satisfied, Harvey settled into his spot for a long wait.  He didn't want to risk being seen if one party or the other showed up early.  Hopefully, before the day was out, he would be able to make amends with Nash. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ At one forty-five, Scott Tyner opened the sliding door and stepped into the warehouse.  Watching from his hiding place behind some broken crates, Harvey's eyes tracked Tyner's pacing.  The judge was obviously nervous.  As four men stepped out of the shadows, Harvey held out the remote control for the digital camcorder and pushed record.  The hidden microphones were already recording.  This time, Harvey would get what he needed to put Tyner and his pals away for a long, long time.  At least, he hoped so.  The hours were catching up to him, and the rift with Nash weighed heavily on his mind.  This needed to end, and soon. He couldn't really make out what was being said, until the voices began to rise in volume as the men became angry.  "Tyner, you'll do what you've been told to do, and that's all there is to it.  I don't care if some cop is following you around.  We'll take care of the cop, but if you want to see this resort built, you had better start taking care of your end of the deal." Halting his nervous pacing, Scott stopped a few feet away from the tall man who had spoken.  "Look, that damn cop is too close.  He's already been suspended and he's still poking around.  I think I saw him when I left the office yesterday and I don't like it.  He's getting too close and sooner or later Bridges is going to listen.  I want out.  I have too much at stake." Marchetti snapped his fingers at two of the flunkies with him, who disappeared into the darkness, and shot Tyner an evil smile.  "Oh, you have a lot more at stake than you know." Appearing out of the shadows once more, the two men dragged a teenage girl between them.  Her long blonde hair reflected the meager light filtering from the dirty windows, and frightened tears trailed down her dirt-streaked face.  Tyner lunged forward, only to pull up short as Marchetti pulled out a gun and put it to the girl's head.  "Wait, stop!  Don't hurt my daughter.  Let her go and I'll do anything you tell me.  She doesn't know anything.  Please, let her go."  Scott's heart raced; he'd never been so utterly terrified in his life.  He couldn't believe he'd dragged his daughter into this, however inadvertently. From his place of concealment, Harvey hesitated.  He had no backup and nobody knew where he was.  Evan knew about the meeting, but he hadn't told his partner where the meeting was taking place.  He knew if he stepped out into the open, his chances of walking away from all this alive were next to nothing.  Still, he couldn't just sit there and let an innocent girl pay for the sins of her father. Keeping an eye on the shouting men, Harvey pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed Nash's number.  It seemed to ring forever, but he finally heard Nash's voice.  "Bridges." "Nash, it's Harvey." "Harvey, where the hell are you?  I've been trying to reach you all day.  If you're out working on the Withers case, you and I are going to have another talk." Tensing as the shouting increased and Caroline began to sob, Harvey whispered anxiously for Nash to listen.  "Look, Nash, I only have a few seconds, here.  I'm at the Wellington, Inc. warehouse on pier 25.  Tyner is here.  Some men have Caroline at gunpoint and things are getting ugly.  I have to do something.  Get some backup here, like yesterday.  And Nash?  If something happens, there are three hidden mics in here.  There's a digital camera here, as well.  If you look, you'll find them.  The tape recorder for the mics is right next to the camera.  Wait, Nash, I gotta go." Cutting off Nash's questions, Harvey flipped the phone closed and dropped it in his pocket.  Tyner was going to get his daughter killed.  The man was yelling at his daughter's captors, now, making threats of prison and anything else he could think of. Harvey waited as long as he dared, giving the backup units as much time as possible to get close, then slipped his gun from his holster and, holding it out away from his body, stepped into the open.  "Tyner, shut up before you get your daughter killed." Every eye in the warehouse turned to stare at Harvey in amazement.  Three weapons moved to point at his chest.  Scott was the first to find his voice.  "Leek.  What are you doing here?" Still holding his weapon out where everyone could see it, Harvey shrugged.  "Looking for evidence to hang you with, obviously.  I didn't realize you were stupid enough to get your daughter caught in the middle." Grasping at straws, Tyner sagged in relief.  "There.  Kill Inspector Leek and our problems are over.  I'll do what you've asked me to do, so you can let my daughter go." "I don't think so."  Marchetti eyed Harvey speculatively.  "Inspector Leek must have something up his sleeve to risk coming out of hiding.  Besides, I let your daughter go and there's no guarantee that you'll do your job." Removing the gun from Caroline's head to point it at Harvey, Marchetti frowned.  "Very slowly, Inspector, lower your weapon to the floor and kick it over here." His heart pounding, praying Nash's backup arrived soon, Harvey complied.  He carefully lowered the gun to the floor and gently kicked it toward Marchetti.  Every second he kept them busy, the better off he was. "Well, well.  What do I do about this situation?"  Marchetti returned his gun to Caroline, keeping both Tyner and Leek from trying any sudden moves.  "I think what I will do is kill the interfering Inspector Leek, and keep the young lady as insurance that you do what you're told, Tyner." Scott paled and glanced at Harvey for support.  Harvey just laughed with disgust.  "What are you looking at me for, Tyner?  I'm in a worse position than you are."  He turned to Marchetti with a smile.  "You, however, are in a really bad fix.  I have microphones and a camera hidden in this area.  I've been sending the signals to the SIU, so they've seen and heard everything.  Backup is on its way, so I suggest you leave the girl and get the hell out of Dodge." Narrowing his eyes, Marchetti shook his head.  "You're bluffing." "Am I?"  Harvey decided to take a calculated risk.  "Look under that crate you're standing next to." Gesturing to one of his subordinates, he motioned for the man to check it out.  After searching for a minute, the man stood up with a small black mic in his hand.  "He's right, boss.  It's a microphone." "Well, well.  You came quite prepared, didn't you Inspector?"  Catching the distant sound of sirens, Marchetti closed his eyes in disbelief.  He couldn't believe this cop had ruined everything.  "It's over, Marchetti, give it up.  Let the girl go and get out of here."  This was the crucial moment, and Harvey knew it. Giving Caroline a shove toward her father, Marchetti smiled.  "You're right, Inspector.  It is over.  For you."  Swinging his gun up toward Harvey, he fired. When Marchetti raised his weapon, Harvey read the intent in the man's eyes.  He'd just begun to move, when he felt the bullet drive into the left side of his chest, spinning him around.  Harvey hit the floor on his stomach, unable to prevent his chin from striking the concrete.  All thought fled from his mind.  It took everything he had just to keep breathing.  He could hear voices from, seemingly, miles away.  He ignored them. When Marchetti sent his daughter staggering, Tyner jumped forward to grab her before she could fall, and squeezed her to his chest.  He jumped at the explosive sound of the gunshot and, for a terrifying moment, he thought his daughter had been shot. As Marchetti and his men ran from the warehouse, Scott saw Harvey's body on the floor.  First making sure his daughter was unharmed, he crossed the short space to kneel next to the fallen Inspector.  He reached out and grasped Harvey by the shoulder and hip then gently rolled him over onto his back.  Seeing the large red stain on Harvey's jacket, Scott removed the handkerchief from his own jacket pocket and pressed it to the wound. Being moved was the last thing Harvey would have wanted.  When he felt the hands grabbing him and rolling him over, the pain stole away what little breath he had.  He couldn't stop the strangled yell that movement produced, then felt the pain go up a notch as Tyner pressed down on his chest.  Harvey felt strange…cold and warm at the same time.  His mouth and hands tingled, and everything seemed distorted.  Sound came as though passing through a tunnel, and trying to pry his eyes open and focus took Herculean effort.  “I feel like I’m melting,” he said and attempted a laugh, but choked on the air. He knew Tyner was asking him something and it was a struggle to understand it.  "Inspector Leek.  Inspector, can you hear me?" After trying unsuccessfully to form the words, Harvey gave up and just gave a weak nod.  Scott stared down into the glazed blue eyes in wonderment.  "Why, Inspector?  Why would you risk your life for me and my daughter after I may have cost you your career?" This time, Harvey was able to get his brain and mouth to work together.  He was surprised at the weakness of his own voice.  "It's my job.  It's what I am." Even those few words took his breath away.  He let his weary eyes slide closed and just concentrated on drawing the next painful breath.  As he slipped into blissful unconsciousness, he wondered if Nash would find the camera and tapes. Panicking when Harvey stopped moving, Scott pressed two fingers to the wounded man's neck and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the weak throbbing.  If this man died, it would be his fault.  Scott couldn't believe he'd sunk so low, even if it was because his daughter had been threatened.  He knew that she wouldn’t have been in that position if it weren’t for him.  He had been greedy and it had cost him dearly. Scott listened to the sirens as they drew closer and finally stopped just outside.  He looked up into his daughter's beautiful face, and felt his world crumble.  This was it.  His career was over and he was going to prison.  His daughter would be left to pick up the pieces.  For the first time since he'd began helping Marchetti to win the land dispute, Scott Tyner thought of how his actions were affecting his daughter.  He had thought that the trial would cost him his fortune, but he had no idea that it would cost him so much more. As if appearing out of nowhere, Nash was suddenly kneeling next to him.  Scott looked into his friend's eyes and saw anger, fear and anguish.  "I'm sorry, Nash.  This is my fault.  He…he's still alive, but…Nash, I'm so sorry, but you’ve got to believe me.  When Marchetti said he was going to get Tracy out of the way, I had no idea...” “Medics!” Nash interrupted.  Staring down into Harvey's face, seeing the pallor and the slightly blue tinge around his mouth, Nash felt his chest constrict.  How had it come to this?  He should have listened.  He should have been there to help.  Turning to the door, Nash looked at Joe for a brief moment.  "Get those medics in here!" "Harvey!"  Nash heard the worried shout from Evan and stood to intercept the younger man, as the medics reached Harvey and began to cut away his shirt and jacket.  "Evan, we need to let the medics do their job." His own fear was mirrored in Evan's face.  Nash wished he could say Harvey was going to be just fine, but they could both see the activity over Harvey's still form.  Nash wouldn't make empty promises; he respected Evan too much for that.  He waved Joe over and nodded at Evan.  "Joe, you and Evan go ahead to the hospital.  Take the 'Cuda.  I'll ride in with Harvey." "You want me to drive the 'Cuda?"  Joe was sure that if Nash were in the right frame of mind, he never would've made that offer. "Joe, just take the car.  Right now, there are more important things than the 'Cuda." Unable to argue with that, Joe took Evan by the arm and led him away.  As they passed by Ronnie, Joe whispered, "Ronnie, take Scott Tyner to the SIU and put him in holding.  I’ll handle the processing myself.  Get a couple of our guys to find the camera and tape that Harvey has hidden around here.  I’ll want to hear that as soon as I get back to the barge.”  He knew that he was going to have to handle the details for a while.  Nash was going to take this one hard.  “I have no idea how many microphones there could be.  You can probably just check our stock.  I’m willing to bet that Evan had a hand in this.  Oh, take Caroline with you and call Cassidy to stay with her, okay?" "You got it, Inspector."  When Ronnie took Scott by the arm and escorted him and his daughter outside, Nash didn't even notice.  He was catching snatches of conversation flying back and forth between the medics. "Sucking?" "No, not yet.  Hand me an occlusive dressing.  No exit wound, damn.  You got the stick?" "Yeah, his left AC looks good.  Somebody get the backboard and cervical collar.  Here, set up the IV for me, will ya?" Everything seemed to go into slow motion for Nash, his photographic memory latching onto every detail.  A firefighter jogged off to find a backboard, while another tore off the plastic cover of an IV bag and ripped open another bag. Sound drifted away as he stared down at Harvey.  The burly firefighter hooked the tube to the IV bag and drained the air from it.  Once it was ready, he waited for the medic to finish inserting the IV catheter. The first medic slipped an oxygen mask over Harvey's face as the other finished taping off the IV.  Neat.  Efficient.  Routine.  They handled everything with practiced ease.  But not Nash.  This was personal.  He had caused this and his punishment would be reliving that moment for eternity with his picture perfect mind.  Returning with the backboard, the shorter firefighter joined his partner.  All four men worked together to carefully placed the cervical collar around Harvey's neck, gently rolled him onto the backboard and then strap him down. "Alright, on my count.  One, two, three."  On three the men lifted the backboard in unison and carefully laid it on the waiting gurney.  Nash jogged to keep up as the stretcher was rushed outside to the ambulance. The ride to the hospital took an eternity.  The conversations didn't get any better.  The prognosis that the medic radioed in held little hope.  Nash felt like he was in a dream, where you struggle and struggle…but don't get anywhere.  His heart was the only thing that raced in the void.  He tried not to listen, but he couldn’t stop himself from hearing now.  Every detail, and he just enough to know the prognosis wasn't good. "His B.P. is going to shit.  Give him a bolus." "Decreased breath sounds on the left.  We're losing the lung." "We're less than a minute out, don't decompress.  Let the docs do that." The bumps that signaled the arrival at the ER entrance were a welcome relief to Nash.  He followed as the medics pulled the stretcher from the ambulance, punched in the code to the ER, and rushed Harvey inside.  The medics were directed to the trauma room, and a nurse stuck out an arm to block Nash from entering.  Glaring at her and flashing his badge, Nash fully expected to be let in. "I'm sorry.  You can't go in, no matter who you are.  There are two other officers standing down that hall.  I assume they're here for this patient as well.  Why don't you go join them?" Seeing the defiance on the petite woman's face, Nash swallowed his protest and went to join Evan and Joe as they waited just down the hall.  All three stood and watched the people going in and out of the trauma room, wondering what was going on with Harvey. "Get x-ray in here for a spinal and chest.  David, go ahead and set up to intubate.  Let me get this tube in first.  Inspector?"  The tall, gray-haired doctor made a fist and pressed his knuckles against Harvey's sternum.  Rubbing hard, he finally got a groggy response.  "Inspector Leek?  I'm Dr. Michaels.  I need to insert a chest tube so your lung can re-inflate, allowing you to breath easier.  It's going to be extremely painful, but I need you to try to be as still as possible.  Do you understand?" Struggling for every breath, Harvey hadn't understood the doctor's garbled words.  He felt that the doctor was asking a question and he'd agree to anything, if they would just do something to help him breath.  Unable to draw enough air to speak, he gave a quick nod.  Harvey felt something cold and wet being rubbed on his side and chest.  Someone lifted his left arm over his head and pinned it to the bed, while another weight pressed down on his other arm.  Straps that had been removed from his legs were tightened.  When he felt the surgical knife pierce his skin, the pain exploded in a blinding light. Nash felt his heart drop to his stomach when Harvey's strangled scream echoed down the hall.  He took a tentative step toward the trauma room, but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. Joe, his expression a mix of fear and sympathy, shook his head.  "Nash, I really don't think you want to be in there.  And, I don't think Harvey would want you to see whatever it is they're doing, either." Hesitating, several emotions warring for dominance, Nash looked back at the trauma room.  Another pain-filled yell made Nash cringe and shut his eyes.  He knew Joe was right.  Slumping against the wall, he turned to his partner in anguish.  "Joe, how in the hell am I ever going to make this up to Harvey?  How could he ever forgive me for this?  If I had just listened to him, none of it would be happening." Joe looked at his feet for a moment.  They all carried part of the blame for this one.  "Nashman, you know as well as I do that Harvey doesn't carry grudges.  Believe it or not, I think Harvey understood where you were coming from." "I don't know, Joe.  This is…a lot to forgive.  God, Joe, what if he doesn't make it?" "Stop that, Nash!  Harvey's going to be okay.  He's gonna be fine, you'll see." The two of them jumped, startled, when Evan suddenly kicked at the gurney they all stood beside.  Nash stepped closer to the younger man and reached out a hand, but Evan shrugged him away.  "I should have said something, Nash.  I'd seen some of the stuff Harvey had dug up, but didn't want to get in the middle.  I didn't want to make you angry, so I kept my mouth shut and now look what happened." Sighing at the futility of it all, Joe frowned at both of them.  "Look, pointing blame at your selves or others isn't doing anyone any good.  Harvey, the least of all.  So, just stop it!  What's done is done and there's nothing anybody can do to change it."  Lowering his voice, Joe glanced down the hall.  "Let's just concentrate on the here and now, okay?" Scrubbing a hand across his face, Nash gave his partner a shaky smile.  "You're right, Joe.  Thanks, bubba." "No charge, Nashman." All conversation ceased when they caught a sudden flurry of activity from the trauma room.  Three people in scrubs came out, pushing Harvey's gurney.  Nash felt sick when he got a good look at his friend.  Tubes and wires seemed to be coming from everywhere.  One nurse was watching the monitor that had been placed between Harvey's feet, while she squeezed a bag attached to the tube in his throat.  He had another tube sprouting from his chest, draining into a container that hung from the side of the gurney.  Falling into step, Nash walked with them as they hurried to the elevator that led to the surgical floor.  As they waited for the elevator, Nash laid a hand on Harvey's forehead, the only place he felt safe in touching, and bent down to whisper in his ear.  "You're going to make it, bubba.  You hear me, Harvey?  You're going to be okay." The doors opened, the nurses hustled Harvey inside and the elevator doors slid shut again…leaving Nash standing alone in the hallway.  How long he stood there, he didn't know.  He felt a hand on his shoulder and knew without looking that it was Joe.  "Nash, this is Dr. Michaels.  He wants to talk to us about what's going on." Eying the distinguished looking doctor, Nash searched his face for a sign of good news.  The older man's face was serious, but not grim.  That had to be good.  Nash offered his hand, surprised at the strength in the doctor's grip. Seeing an empty room, Dr. Michaels gestured for the three officers to go inside for more privacy.  "Okay, here's what we're looking at.  The bullet went through Inspector Leek's left lung and lodged against a posterior rib.  That's why there was no exit wound.  Fortunately the bullet didn't seem to fragment, so that's good news.  It didn't go anywhere near his spine, either, so that's a relief.  I had to insert a chest tube to drain the air and blood from the area around the lung, allowing it to inflate.  That will likely remain for a few days.  Inspector Leek is on his way up to surgery to remove the bullet, but I foresee a complete recovery from this.  Any questions?" Looking at the others, Nash cleared his throat.  "Yes.  How long will he be here?" Pursing his lips, the doctor frowned.  "Well, that depends.  He'll be in ICU for 24 hours or more depending on how he responds after surgery.  Barring complications, it's possible he could be discharged in a week." "Complications?" "Captain Bridges, an injury such as this always carries the risk of complications such as infection or pneumonia.  Don't worry.  We'll be taking all precautions to see that that doesn't happen."  Glancing at his watch, Dr. Michaels led them back out into the hall.  "The evidence bag with Inspector Leek's clothes and a bag of his personal belongings are sitting at the nurse's desk for you.  The surgical waiting room is on the fourth floor, but you'll have to use the elevator out in the lobby.  Good luck to all of you." Without a backward glance, the doctor strode down the hall toward the next tragedy. Not really wanting either Nash or Evan to see Harvey's bloody clothes, Joe gave them both a gentle nudge toward the lobby.  "You guys go on up to the waiting room.  I'll get Harvey's stuff and call someone from the SIU to pick it up, okay?"  Joe shook his head as he watched them walk off.  “It’s going to be a long week,” he mused, then went to collect Harvey’s things.  He hesitated when he saw the bag of blood soaked articles, then he slowly began to pull them out one by one.  He was glad that he had sent Nash and Evan away because he was ready to lose his lunch looking at the hole through Harvey’s psychedelic vest.  “Knowing Harv, he’ll just slap a Grateful Dead patch on it and dye the whole thing red,” he said, then chuckled at himself before glancing around to be sure no one was nearby.  “Where are you?” he whispered as he dug into the bag again, finally finding what he had been searching for.  Joe’s heart dropped when he saw the condition of the Grateful Dead armband.  The white of the skull was saturated in Harvey’s blood.  “It can be cleaned,” he told himself, then became determined to see that it was. He flipped his cell phone opened and dialed the familiar number.  “Ronnie, this is Joe.” “Joe, we’ve been waiting for word,” Ronnie said, catching the attention of everyone within hearing distance.  “How’s Harv?” “Well, we won’t know for certain until he’s out of surgery, but it looks like he’s going to be okay.”  He heard the muffled sound of Ronnie conveying the message and smiled at the collective cheer.  “Ronnie,” he called him back to the phone.  “Someone needs to inform Anna Paxton about what’s going on.  You can probably find her number in Harvey’s rolodex.  Give her my cell number and you need to find someone who can take care of King.  I know Harvey has him on some sort of schedule, but I have no idea what it is.  We’ll just have to do the best we can.” “Not a problem Joe.  Several people have already volunteered for that detail.  In fact, one of the secretaries is already on her way over to walk King.  Apparently she and Harvey have bonded over their dogs.” Joe was glad to hear that the SIU grapevine was taking care of one of its own.  “Tell everyone thanks and there’s one other thing.  I’ve got a special errand that I want you to take care of personally, Ronnie.  Harvey’s armband is in pretty bad shape.” “Say no more,” Ronnie assured him.  “I’ll take care of it.” “Thanks man.  See you in a few.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The following morning, Nash stood staring through the window of the Intensive Care Unit at Harvey’s still form.  He felt like he was getting a second chance to set things right and he anticipated the moment when he could make amends.  The guilt had kept him up for most of the night and he had come in early to relieve Evan from his vigil.  Of course Joe had been right there beside him on the drive in.  He didn’t know why he had been so blessed with people he could depend on, but he wasn’t going to take it for granted again. Joe had filled him in on Scott’s confession, how he became involved with Anthony Marchetti and Dandridge Enterprises.  The judge had been a silent partner, silent until he was forced into spying on Tracy to swing the hearing in their favor.  Scott thought that would be enough, but Tracy was too good and countered every move the opposition threw at her.  On impulse, Anthony Marchetti ordered Tracy’s assassination to be carried out by one of his trusted confidants unaware at the time that she was Judge Tyner’s source. “Nashman,” Joe called out to him from the entrance to the ICU further down the hall.  “Nash!” he said a little louder, wary of raising is voice in the quiet.  When he finally got his friend's attention, he gestured for him to follow.  “He’s awake!” he said excitedly and saw Nash draw in a sharp breath. The relief that washed over Nash was something that he hadn’t anticipated.  He wanted to yell, he wanted to fall down on his knees and thank God, but he couldn’t move.  He was frozen to the spot.  Would Harvey even want to see him? “Come on Nashman,” Joe encouraged him, then he saw the look on his partner’s face.  He let the door to the ICU swing closed again as he walked the few feet to join Nash.  “The nurse said that the doctor has already been in to see him and that Harvey has been awake for the last hour.”  He waited, hoping that would spur Nash on.  “He’s asking for you.” Nash’s eyes glistened as he stared into Joe’s.  His heart raced at the possibility that Harvey actually wanted to see him and wouldn’t throw him out the door on sight.  Of course, he could always want the pleasure of doing that himself, he thought.  In any case, Harvey deserved at least the chance to do just that. Nash followed Joe into Harvey’s room where a nurse was checking the equipment surrounding him.  “Only one of you are suppose to be back here at a time,” she said in a hushed voice when she saw the duo. “We will only be a minute,” Nash assured her.  “There are a lot of people wanting to know how he’s doing,” he explained. The nurse hesitated for a second, but she knew that her patient was a police officer so she understood.  “He isn’t able to speak yet, his vocal chords are still inflamed from the endotracheal tube, and don’t tire him out,” she ordered, then left. Joe squirmed under Nash’s intense gaze.  “Okay, so I lied,” he admitted.  “He didn’t exactly ask for you.  But I’m sure he would have if he could have,” he insisted, then turned and walked out of the room. Nash looked over at Harvey and was surprised to see a smirk on his face.  “You’d think I’d learn knowing what kind of con he is,” he tested and got a slight nod in return.  He imagined that was all that he could manage at the moment.  “Look Harv,” he began.  In this case, he needed to take advantage of that.  Harvey couldn’t tell him to leave if he couldn’t speak.  “I know that there is absolutely nothing that I can say or do to make up for everything that has happened,” he hesitated, then sighed as he dropped his head.  Words just weren’t going to be enough.  “I must have been an idiot not to listen to you in the first place,” he began again.  “You and Joe are like the good and evil angels sitting on my shoulders.  No need to explain which is which,” he joked and received another tired smile, but Nash grew serious again quickly.  “I’m sorry Harvey,” he said breathlessly and felt the tears sting the back of his eyes.  Nash turned his head away as he tried to regroup.  He took a deep breath, cleared his throat, then looked back into Harvey’s eyes.  “I was blind,” he admitted.  “My arrogance wouldn’t allow me admit that a person who I thought I knew so well could have fooled me so completely.  You were right and I was wrong,” he said plainly, then gave him half a smile.  “I’ll try not to let that happen again,” he joked, then drew a gasp of air.  He didn’t mean to make light of what he was saying and felt a sudden stab of guilt.  He had wanted to make amends, but all he could seem to do was make jokes. “Look, I don’t want to wear you out.  We found the bugging equipment and the camera, by the way.  Scott Tyner is already being processed.  You did good work under impossible circumstances.”  He smiled down at him.  “Like always.   I just wanted to let you know that your job is waiting for you when you get out of here.  I should have been behind you from the beginning.  I won’t make that mistake again.”  Nash turned to leave, but a slight movement caught his eye and he paused.  His mouth dropped open when he saw Harvey’s hand reaching out to him.  Nash took it in a firm grip as he gave Harvey a quivering smile.  Harvey struggled to remain conscious.  He was so tired, but he had to tell Nash.  He had to let him know.  He did his best to wet his cracked lips with his parched tongue, then he managed only one word before drifting off into an exhausted sleep.  “Brother.”                                                                             *  *  *