A Hot Mess - 8. Chapter 8 – Taking stock

Travis was trying to catch a break, locking himself up inside the men's toilet. Dayton Baker’s questioning had left him drained. He had opened an angle in the investigation and in the process managed to scratch a very personal wound. To top it off Mallory Smith, although doing a favorable about face had made things really awkward for him with Jason. He could only imagine how annoyed Sergeant Scott would be at that moment. Hell, if it were him, he would be pissed off at being the butt of his subordinate’s jokes, let alone being linked to a subordinate.

In the meantime Jason, cooped up in his own office, was far from being angry. What he was going through was dilemma. Watching Travis get emotional, he had guessed the source of the young man’s meltdown. He had read the officer’s record earlier. It mentioned that young Travis Johnson, an exemplary student all his life, had left his parents’ home at fifteen to go and live with his older sister in New York. It would seem there were some unresolved issues there; perhaps an explanation behind much of the fellow’s quirks - his mouthy bravado, go getter attitude, defiance in face of frank opposition and yet underneath it all, lurking to break out, a streak of sadness which had confused Jason in the beginning. When Travis left the room in a hurry, Jason wanted to go after him. His instincts were telling him to show Travis that he was willing to be there, much like Mallory had suggested, and soak his tears away. The courage of course had failed him under the circumstances and he was instead standing there crushing a piece of paper in his hand.

With a knock on the door, Detective Smith came into his room. “Sergeant. What did you make of the father there?”

Jason’s mind was a million miles away from the investigation and he gave Mallory a blank look before regrouping.

“Ah, I think there’s more where that came from. We should question Mike Baker again. Also, obviously, find out more about Tiffany Austin.”

Mallory was nodding, “But do you think we have the wrong person? Johnson still does.”

Jason pressed the palm on his eye and said, “I don’t know Mal.” There was a hint of frustration in his voice which Mallory, who knew him well, was able to detect.

“You didn’t ask me why Johnson isn’t here with me.” she said.

Jason turned away from her.

“You know we all respect you a lot, don’t you? Jason.” He looked at her. “We respect you and we want you to be happy. If that guy is right for you then go for it. You know Commander Henderson will support you. We all will. Don’t let this department bull shit get into your head, ok? That boy is already messed up and I have seen the way you look at him. Don’t kick the ball around if you’re not playing.”

Jason looked like he was going to say something when there was another knock on the door. Travis peeped inside wearing a false smile.

“Started the debriefing without me Detective?” he asked Mallory. “By the way, sorry about my little episode in there. Won’t happen again.”

Mallory took a good look at Jason then at Travis. “Johnson,” she said, “I just had a quick chat with Sergeant here. I’m going to bring Mike Baker in for questioning again after lunch. Go get something in that pit of yours so we can nail that punk. Ok?”

Travis was not used to Mallory mothering him like this and nodded his ascent in surprise. His eyes were wide in wonderment. “Good” she continued. “Now if you Gentlemen don’t mind, I would excuse myself. You can stay and discuss more about the ‘case’ with Sergeant Scott if you want Travis.” She gave Jason a significant look on her way out.

Travis, who had collected himself with a lot of effort, knew fully well what Mallory was going for. He felt bad that Jason was being put in such an embarrassing situation and was ready with his apology.

“Sorry about that.” He said. “I know you must be angry, I would be if I were you. I’ll talk to her and tell her there’s nothing between us. That… I’ll make this stupid thing stop. I promise you. And you won’t have any more trouble from me either. Sir.” He added in the end. He had not looked at Jason the entire time, finishing the monologue with eyes fixed firmly on the floor.

Jason had to melt, “Thanks for the concern, Travis, but you don’t have to do that.” When the man he was addressing did not look up, Jason decided it was time he heeded Mallory’s advice and opened up a little more. “You don’t have to tell anyone, anything. Things are just fine the way they are. Ok? Travis, look at me please?”

Finally a pair of tearful blue eyes met with Jason’s brown ones. “You wanna get lunch?”

“Huh?”

“I asked do you want to go for lunch… with me?”

Travis was having trouble believing this. Contrary to what he had been expecting, Jason Scott did not want to avoid him; he wanted to have lunch with him? Words would not come out so he gave a nod, mouth still ajar.

“Great. Why don’t you wait at your desk? I’ll come and get you?”

“Sure… I mean, are you sure?”

Jason had to really control himself from going and showing Travis just how sure he was. His eyes landed on the other man’s luscious lips then traveled up to those goblets of blue sky; the heat of his stare must have been answer enough.

Travis bit his lower lip and walked out of the room on shaky feet. He made his way to his desk and sat down heavily, mind blanked out. The stress of the new job, getting an apartment, trying to win everyone’s approval, figuring out the case, talking to Dayton Baker and most of all, pining after Jason had taken a lot out of him. Suddenly things seemed to be falling into place and he was feeling all at sea. Constant battling does that to a person. Thankfully he did not get time to stew more as Jason came to get him.

“Ready?” asked the Sergeant standing in front of the new recruit who everyone knew was hot for him. Travis could feel the eyes of others, including the Twins and tried to sneak out without drawing further attention.

“What’re you gawking at, Edmunds?” Mallory barked from her seat.

“Eh, nothing, Detective.” Edmunds replied with one last look at the retreating forms of his boss and Travis. He wiped the lazy smirk off his face upon noticing the Detective’s deadly glare.

Travis and Jason did not have time for fancy fare and ended up getting hot sandwiches from a food truck.

“This is great” Travis remarked after taking a bite.

“It is, isn’t it?” Jason agreed with a smile. He had taken up the job of keeping the conversation going. He confessed how he was still recovering from the after effects of his trip; it felt like he was still floating on a boat. He narrated the story of him and his son catching a fish which neither of them could name and had ended up dumping back into the sea. He described the boat that his father had given him. Travis was lapping it all up, this first opportunity to get to know the man that he wanted to give his heart to.

Jason talked to him about his vacation, places to eat, his impression of the laid back city but kept coming back to the topic of his son. That boy, Travis gathered, was the center of Jason Scott’s universe. Understandably, this detail strengthened his emotions for the man. He did wonder how Jason could come to have a son that old at his age. Where was the mother? And what did it all mean if he was here, grabbing lunch with Travis? These were questions that would get answered in time, Travis thought. For the moment, Jason had managed to quell his nerves and he was enjoying the comforting company of the tall man; even if he did have to strain to look at that handsome face when they were standing this close.

Soon, they were making their way back to work, Jason having been rewarded for his efforts with ready smiles. Once or twice the two men felt like they were getting lost in each other’s eyes. But wisdom prevailed and they reached their desks, each happy with how the day had turned out. Travis could not help feeling a little dissatisfied. One must not be too greedy, he consoled himself and sighed.

“Feeling better?” Mallory Smith asked Travis in too sugary a tone. He sensed the danger and nodded warily. “Perfect. Now why don’t you get that cute little ass of yours in gear? We’ve got work to do. Mike would be ready for questioning in fifteen minutes.”

Travis’s spark had returned and he rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you say you want me to do your work, Detective Smith? Seeing as you need me to actually extract information for building your case.”

Edmunds and Sawyer snickered but piped down when Mallory shot them a look.

“Don’t get smart with me kid.”

Not wishing to undermine Mallory’s authority, Travis got up obediently. “Should we do a quick prep?” He asked.

“Sure, let’s do it in the room as we wait.” She said and led the way.

They only got ten minutes to align on a strategy before Mike was brought in accompanied by his lawyer. Jacob, who was once again behind the mirror wall, laid his eyes on the suspect for the first time. He could see how the broad built boy could pass off as over twenty one. There was physical resemblance, but nothing about his body language was comparable to the self-assured man who had been in the same seat earlier in the day. These grey eyes were shifting.

Mallory started things. “Mr. Baker. Your father was in here earlier.”

Mike’s face changed color, marginally. “He was?”

“Yes.” Mallory was giving one of those intimidating stares. “How well did you know Tiffany Austin?”

There was nothing new to read from Mike’s expression when this question was posed. He had looked scared from the moment he entered.

“She… she’d been working for my father for a few years.”

“But how well did ‘you’ know her?”

“We’d met in few times.”

“When did you meet her last before that day at the bar?”

“I… I don’t remember.”

“Were you expecting to meet her that evening?”

“No. I told you this before.”

Travis jumped in. “Mike, what do you know of the kind of relationship your father shared with Tiffany?”

Finally there was a reaction from the boy. “What do you mean?” He asked, surprised by this line of questioning.

“Did she say something to you?”

“That she… she was going to tell my father about seeing me there.”

Travis looked closely at the young man, he no longer thought of Mike as a boy, for signs of a crack. The fact that there wasn’t one, that Mike looked a bit too resolute in answering this question gave the Officer an idea.

“Who are you trying to protect, Mike?” Travis asked.

“Nobody.” Again a quick response.

“Mike, you went in there, after getting rid of your bodyguard, fully expecting to meet Tiffany. Was it your father who asked you to?”

“My father had nothing to do with any of this.”

“Then why were you meeting Tiffany there?”

At the point the lawyer intervened. “Officer, my client has already said he was not expecting to meet Ms. Austin that evening.”

“Well, then your client, much to his own disadvantage, is lying.” Travis stood up to his five feet eleven frame, looking much taller at that instance.

“You cannot make such an accusation.” The lawyer persisted.

Ignoring him Travis continued, “Mike, who are you trying to protect here? Who asked you to go meet Tiffany with a gun in hand? You’re not a stupid guy, why would you do such a thing? Who asked you to?”

“You don’t have to answer that question, Mr. Baker.”

“Don’t you see Mike? You shouldn’t be in here alone facing the chance of spending a lifetime in the prison.” Travis was in the young man’s face. “You went to the bar that night to threaten Tiffany. Who… asked you to?”

Mike kept looking into the officer’s eyes. For a second there Travis felt he was going to get an answer. The suspect was thinking, which was good. The lawyer tried to intervene again but Travis shot him a threatening look. He knew the guy had no clue as to what he was trying to stop his client from saying.

Mike was looking down now, Travis decided to throw in a hook. In a careful tone he asked, “Did your father have anything to do with it?”

“No,” came the response. “No. My father had nothing to do with it.

Mike looked up, his jaw was clenched. Travis and Mallory exchanged a look. The detective stepped in.

“Then who, Mike? Who asked you to do it? Why did you carry that gun into the club?”

“Nobody asked me. I did it because I’m an idiot.” A single tear trickled down the young man’s face.

Travis took another shot. “We know you’re not telling us the truth, Mike. We know. And we will find out why you did what you did. Trust me on that one. I think you were put up to do it. Someone, or something, prompted you. It was not the chance of losing out on a trip to Europe. You could have gone any other time in your life. You are gambling with your life here. Why?”

Mike took a lot of time to think. After making up his mind he looked at Travis calmly and said, “I’ve told you guys everything, too bad it’s not what you want to hear. I’ve got nothing more to say.”