Passion

[Tati]

“Passion”

Summary: Lilly re-investigates the 1997 murder of a 20-year-old woman, killed on Valentine’s Day. Post-“Time to Crime”. (There’ll be some Lilly/Scotty/Christina drama)

Disclaimer: I don’t own the original Cold Case characters. Only the characters I created for this case are mine.

Rating: PG-13, just to be safe.

A/N: This is my first attempt at writing a case fic, so please tell me what you think. The college featured in this fic – “Philadelphia City College” – is supposed to be fictional. Also, since I’m not from the USA, my writing of American college life was based on what I’ve seen on TV and movies.

~~~~

Chapter 1 – The case

February 14, 1997

(outside a dorm building on Philadelphia City College)

It’s about 11 p.m. A 20-year-old girl leaves the dorm room. She takes a shortcut behind the building in the direction of one of the faculty buildings. She looks concerned and focused. Someone comes running after her.

Person: You’re not doing this to me! Not again!

Girl: Oh God, you scared me. We’re not going to have this conversation again.

(The girl n keeps walking, the other person follows her)

Person: You don’t get it. I mean it.

(The person grabs the girl by the arm and pulls out a gun)

Girl: What is this? Have you lost your mind? Let me go!

Person: No. It’s over now.

The girl’s body lay on the floor, with a puddle of blood around her head.

A few weeks later, at the Philadelphia Police Headquartes, someone files another box at the unsolved cases shelf: “Hayes, K. – Feb 14,1997”

Philadelphia, 2005

Outside the Police Headquarters Building, Detective Lilly Rush is buying a hot dog from a street vendor. She seems to be waiting for someone. A few moments later, she spots her partner, Detective Scotty Valens, and waves to him.

Scotty: Hey, Lil. Sorry I’m late. Got stuck in court.

Lilly: Don’t worry. I just arrived.

(Scotty buys a hot dog too. He smiles to Lilly, in a mock face.)

Scotty: What, Detective Lilly Rush late for work? This world isn’t the same anymore. What happened?

Lilly (coldly): Personal problems.

Scotty (slightly embarrassed): Oh, sorry. Is everything OK now?

Lilly (shrugs, and starts to walk to the building): It has been worse.

(At the office, Lilly and Scotty are talking to Detectives Nick Vera and Will Jeffries. They’re expecting instructions from their boss, Lieutenant Tom Stillman)

(Stillman walks out of his office with a young African-American man, appearing to be in his late 20’s. They walk to the detectives.)

Stillman: This is Ian Tyler. He’s an ADA, started last month. He heard we were working cold jobs and asked if we could take a look at a 1997 murder. Ian, these are detectives Rush, Vales, Vera and Jeffries.

Ian: Nice to meet you all.

Stillman: Ian’s friend, Karen Hayes, was killed outside a dorm building 8 years ago.

Lilly: You got any new information, Ian?

Ian: Two weeks ago, I was going through all my college stuff. You know, I kept all the pieces of paper in which I wrote something during college. Now I’m leaving my parents’ house and I wanted to throw some useless stuff away. And then, I came across an article that Karen had written to the paper where we worked.

(Ian hands Lilly a piece of paper)

Scotty: You worked on a college paper, even though you were actually a Law major?

Ian: That was way more than just a college paper. It was an opportunity to voice our dissatisfactions and beliefs, and to try to gather help to our causes. Everyone there had a cause. Mine, was the fight for real equality between black and white people.

Scotty: And what were Karen’s causes?

Ian: Many, actually. Her favorites were women’s rights and animal’s rights. At that time, our college had a very active Medicine research department. Animals were being used on tests for new drugs and new surgery techniques. As far as we knew the animals were being tortured on those tests, so this cause was taking most of Karen’s time.

Lilly (reads from the paper): “The fight for the right to fight.”

Ian: Karen talks about how the society tries to suffocate any dissonant voices. And how the people who have beliefs that are not the ones established by our society have to endure two fights: the fight for cause itself, and also a very harder one: the fight to have the right to speak your thoughts, and act accordingly to them.

Scotty: Why didn’t you show this during the original investigation?

Ian: Karen handed me this article on the morning of the day she died. I was her proofreader. I was busy that day and I could read it immediately. After she died, I just packed away everything that was related to her. I just found it while cleaning up my college stuff. I read it, and believe me, this is not Karen’s usual style. Karen was tough and she was never intimidated. But this article, it seems like a cry for help.

Lilly: Maybe she was afraid she couldn’t put up one more fight. We’ll look into it and we’ll get back to you.

(Later, Lilly and Scotty are going through the case’s file)

Lilly (reads from the file): Karen Hayes, 20 years old. A Journalism major at Philadelphia City College. Worked on an alternative college paper, called “Freedom of Mind”. She was reported missing on the next day by her roommate, Lucy Van Holt, a pre-Med student. A few hours later she was found dead behind her dorm building. One shot to her mouth, bled to death.

Scotty (also reads from the file): Main suspects at the time were Karen’s boyfriend, Christopher Edwards, 22 at the time, a Law major; and Ian Tyler, 21 at the time, also a Law major. Christopher was the one who pointed out Ian as a suspect. Both had solid alibis and no other leads were found.

Lilly: It was quickly ruled as a crime of passion. No one thought politics.

Scotty picks up Karen’s picture from the box. She was very beautiful, with long dark hair and stunning green eyes. Her skin was white, but with many freckles on her nose and on the upper side of her cheek.

Scotty (shows the picture to Lilly and laughs): A pretty girl like that, killed on Valentine’s Day. I wouldn’t think politics either.

Lilly (coldly): Well, newsflash: women do worry about other things besides men.

(Scotty, a little taken aback by Lilly’s harshness, doesn’t answer and goes back to the box’s content. A few moments later, Stillman approaches them.)

Stillman: I just got off the phone with the Journalism department. They closed Karen and Ian’s paper three years ago.

Lilly: So it seems like they were really bothering someone.

Scotty: Is there someone there who we can talk?

Stillman: The Professor responsible for the college papers died last year. His substitute came from an Arizona University and the only thing he knows about the “Freedom of Mind” is what’s in the official reports.

Lilly (disappointed): Which certainly won’t help us at all.

Stillman: So, who do we have here to see?

Scotty: Parents, roommate, the boyfriend, paper co-workers… and especially ADA Tyler, who failed to tell us that he was a suspect back in 1997.

Stillman: Let’s not jump to conclusions, especially if it involves our friends at the DA’s office. You two, go talk to the parents. I’ll tell Vera and Jeffries to go talk to the roommate. We’ll leave the boys for later.

~~~

To be continued

[Tati]

Chapter 2 – The parents

Lilly and Scotty walk up to the door of a beautiful mansion in the suburbs of Philadelphia. They ring the doorbell and wait.

Scotty: It seems like the Hayes are loaded.

Lilly (nods): The father is a successful surgeon, and the co-founder of one of Philly’s most famous private hospitals.

Scotty (still admiring the house): I should’ve gone to Med school.

A woman opens the door. She looks to be in her mid-50’s.

Lilly (shows her badge): Detectives Rush and Valens, homicide. We’re looking at Karen Hayes’ homicide, and we’d like to talk to her parents.

Woman (surprised): I’m Karen’s mother, Vivian. Please come in.

(Vivian lets Lilly and Scotty in. She points them to the living room and calls out to her husband, who comes quickly. They all sit down)

Vivian (to Lilly and Scotty) : This is my husband George. (to George) Honey, those detectives are looking into Karen’s murder.

George (to Lilly and Scotty): You’re finally giving attention to my daughter’s tragedy. Well, better late than never.

Lilly: You felt the police didn’t work hard in 1997?

Vivian: Karen’s boyfriend, Christopher, is the son of a judge. George felt that Judge Edwards made an effort to have the case closed, to avoid any bad comments regarding his family.

(Lilly and Scotty exchange a look. Both know what the other is thinking. Their two main suspects are an ADA and a Judge’s son. This case was going to be tough).

Lilly: What can you tell us about Karen? Was anything unusual going on with her?

George (bitterly): Everything was as it always was. Karen was wasting her life with that stupid politics and that stupid paper.

Vivian (puts her hand on George’s shoulder): George always wanted Karen to go to Med school. Follow his footsteps.

Scotty: What about Karen’s love life? Was she in any trouble with Christopher?

Vivian (smiling): Not, not at all. Christopher is a wonderful man. A week before Karen was murdered, he even told us he was going to propose to Karen on Valentine’s Day.

Lilly: Did her ever tell you if he actually proposed?

Vivian (shakes her head): He never said anything, and we felt that asking would make him feel worse about the loss he just have had.

Scotty: Mr. Hayes, did you ever try to get Karen to change her major in college?

George: Of course. I never gave up on trying to put some reason in her head.

Flashback to 1997

(The Hayes are having dinner together at home).

Karen (happily): Our paper has just been nominated to an award given to college papers. If we win, our articles could be re-printed in papers across the country.

Vivian: Honey, this is wonderful. It sure will help you getting a job when you leave college.

Karen: The most important thing is that everyone will read about the atrocities that Philadelphia City College commits in its research labs against those poor animals.

George: Those animals are used in the development of new drugs and surgery techniques that might save thousands of people in the future. But you don’t even care about your parents, and less about sick strangers.

Karen: Dad, I know how much you wanted me to be a surgeon like you, but Journalism and Politics is what I love, what gives meaning to my life.

George: I worry about you, Karen. When you and your friends write those articles, you mess with powerful people.

Karen (annoyed): Please, Dad, don’t go there. It’s enough having Christopher giving me that speech all the time.

Vivian: Your boyfriend is a well-related man. His father is a judge and he knows how things work.

Karen: Christopher only thinks about himself, his main worry is keeping his social status. I see the bigger picture. I want to make a difference in this world.

George: If making a difference is so important, why don’t you give Medicine a try? Think about all the people you could help, all the lives you could save.

Karen (smiles, shakes her head): Dad, please, give up. Journalism is my true call.

Back to 2005

George: All my efforts were worthless. She kept that insane fight against everything, and look how she ended.

Scotty: You believe your daughter’s political activities got her killed?

George: What else could be? She had a family, a boyfriend and many friends who loved her.

Lilly: Maybe there was something else going on. Something she didn’t share with you.

Vivian: I doubt it. Those causes were her life. There wasn’t much else going on.

George: You know, it pains me to revive that awful episode. So, I ask you, please, find my daughter’s killer this time.

Scotty: We will, Mr. Hayes.

(Lilly and Scotty get up from the couch).

Lilly: Thanks for your time. We’ll keep in touch.

(Outside the house, Lilly and Scotty are walking back to the car).

Scotty (shakes his head): Parents didn’t do it.

Lilly: The father seemed really emotional about Karen’s career choices.

Scotty: Yeah, but he was respecting her choice.

Lilly: So it seems, but we’d better hear what Karen’s friends can tell us on that aspect.

(They arrive at the car. They get in and leave. Scotty’s driving)

Scotty: Vera and Jeffries are talking to the roommate right now.

Lilly: Let’s go back to the office, wait to see what they got.

Scotty: It’s past 7 p.m., Lil. Maybe we should leave it for tomorrow.

Lilly (annoyed, looking out the window): Well, I still have some paperwork to do. Drop me off at the office and go home if you wish.

Scotty looked at Lilly. Suddenly, he started to realize what this coldness was all about. The rest of the drive back to the Police Headquarters was quiet. Lilly didn’t say anything else, so Scotty concentrated on driving, while feeling guilty for having set up a date with Christina later that night.

~~~

To be continued

[TVFan]

Very interesting so far Tati! I can't wait to see where this goes. You've done a nice job developing the guest characters and the plot. Great work!

[Tati]

Thanks TV Fan. This fic is actually giving me more work than the others - I planned the whole fic, wrote characters descriptions and even decided about the ending - something that I usually don't do.
Also I had never written script format before, so I had no idea if it was going to be any good. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

[Tati]

A/N: Here's chapter 3. I could use some suggestions about the future of the Lil/Scotty/Chris situation and also about an ending song...


Chapter 3 – The Roommate

(While Lilly and Scotty are interviewing the Hayes, Jeffries and Vera are outside a lab in Philadelphia City College)

Vera (sarcastically): I don’t think we should have to for wait for half an hour. We’re cops, she could at least get us some cookies.

Jeffries: Lucy Van Holt, M.D., of the most promising researchers of this Lab. Don’t think she has time for cookies.

(A young woman approaches them. She has dark blonde hair, tied up in a ponytail, and dark eyes. She’s wearing a lab coat.)

Woman: Hello. I’m Dr. Van Holt, Sorry to keep you waiting. What is it about?

Jeffries: We’re looking into Karen Hayes’ murder.

Lucy: Oh. Let’s go to my office.

(At Lucy’s office, they all sitting down)

Vera: What can you tell us about Karen? Was there anything unusual going on with her during that period?

Lucy: Not that I remember. Karen was the same person she always was since I met her.

Vera: You two were roommates for how long?

Lucy: Almost three years. Since we started college until... the murder.

Jeffries: How was your relationship?

Lucy (smiling): We were best friends. When I came to Philly I was a very naïve girl, had lived my whole life in a farm in the middle of nowhere... Karen was helped me to adjust to the big city.

Vera: You were a Med student, you were always interested in Medical Research, which involved the use of animals in the tests. Karen, on the other hand, was an animal rights’ activist. It never interfered in your friendship?

Lucy (nods): Well, I won’t deny we had a few arguments over that question. But we were both intelligent grown-up women, and our friendship always came first for us.

Jeffries: What about Karen’s boyfriend? How was their relationship?

Lucy: Christopher loved her more than anything else. All girls were envious of her. They had been together for almost two years, and we were all betting he was going to propose on Valentine’s. It was their anniversary.

Jeffries: Did Karen feel the same?

Lucy (reflects for a few moments): At the beginning, certainly. But at the end... she was different. Absent. She spent a lot more time at the paper.

Vera: And it bothered Christopher?

Lucy (nods): A lot.

Flashback to 1997

(On Valentine’s Day, Karen and Christopher are at Karen’s dorm room. Lucy is arriving but when she hears loud voices she doesn’t go in. She stands by the door, listening)

Christopher: What is going on, Karen? I barely see you anymore!

Karen: I’ve told you, Chris. We’re very busy at the paper. And with these new tests that are going on at the Med Lab, we’re working extra-hours at the Animal Rights Group.

Christopher: What do you do this for? It’s ruining our relationship!

Karen: For me it’s not enough having a comfortable happy life of my own, when there are other people and the animals that are in pain and needing help. I shouldn’t have to explain this to you. You already knew how I was before you started dating me.

Christopher: Well, quit the paper and work only with the group. It’ll leave you more time.

Karen: Are you crazy? The paper is the voice for our causes. And besides, I’m going to be a journalist; I need this experience for my résumé.

Christopher (in a laughing tone): Yeah, I didn’t expect you to quit that stupid paper. Lately it seems like all the fun of the world is there for you.

Karen: Oh God. Not that again. I’ve told a million times, Ian is just my friend!

Christopher: Friend, right. I see the way he looks at you. I’m a guy, too, I recognize this things!

(Karen doesn’t say anything)

Christopher: Listen, Karen. I love you more than I love myself. But I won’t let you make a fool of me, you understand?

Karen: I would never do that. But you don’t believe it, don’t you? (pause) Maybe you’d better leave.

Christopher: But what about our dinner? It’s Valentine’s Day.

Karen: I’m not in the mood. We’ll do it some other time.

(Lucy notices Christopher is going out. She walks away and hides. Christopher leaves the room with an angry look on his face.)

Back to 2005

Jeffries: So, they never went to that dinner?

Lucy: No. A couple of hours later Karen left. She said she forgot something at the paper’s office and had to pick it up immediately.

Vera: For what you knew of Christopher, do you think he could get violent?

Lucy (bits her lip): When I arrived, the fight was already going on for a while. And I didn’t actually see anything, so I can’t say if they got physical. But, two things are for sure: first, Christopher was a jealous man. Second, when he left that night, he was really angry.

(Jeffries and Vera get up, they shake hands with Lucy)

Jeffries: Thanks for your help.

Lucy: Anytime.

~~~

It’s 8 p.m. Lilly is alone at the office, working on the computer, when Vera and Jeffries arrive.
Jeffries: Hey, Lil. Where’s Scotty.

Lilly: He dropped me off 15 minutes ago and left.

Vera (worried): Where was he going?

Lilly (harshly): I don’t know. I’m not his mommy.

Jeffries (sensing the tension): And Stillman?

Lilly: He’s at a meeting with the commissioner. He said it was routine. So, how was with the roommate.

Vera: Pretty interesting, actually.

Lilly (gets up): Well, let’s get some coffee, and you guys can me fill me in.

(The three detectives head to the coffee room.)

~~~

(Meanwhile, at a small restaurant, Scotty and Christina are having dinner. Scotty looks absent.)
Christina: Is there something wrong?

Scotty (shakes his head): It’s nothing. I just had a tough day at work.

Christina (smiling): I can give you a massage later.

(Scotty asks the waiter for the bill)

Scotty (smiles, but not very convincing): I’m afraid I might have to turn down your offer. It’s nothing, really, it’s just that my head is full and tomorrow will be another tough day.

Christina (disappointed): Oh, well, if that’s what you want, then OK. (smiling) We can do it some other time.

(Scotty takes the bill, pays, and they get up.)

Scotty: Sure we can. Some other time.

About 15 minutes later, Scotty drops Christina off three blocks away from Lilly’s house. He couldn’t drop her in front of Lilly’s house, obviously. He watches Christina walk away until she disappears. He looks around, sighs, and bangs his head three times on the wheel. In a muffled voice, with this head still down, he says to no one, “What the hell is happening to me?”.

~~~

To be continued

[TVFan]

This fic is actually giving me more work than the others - I planned the whole fic, wrote characters descriptions and even decided about the ending - something that I usually don't do

I do the exact same thing Tati. Otherwise, I find myself dragging on and on. As much as I hate prewriting, it's definitely a necessary evil for me.

RE: Your new chapter...
The plot thickens! I love how you tied in the roomate and her future/now career with what the victim fought against. Nice touch.

As far as the Scotty/Christina thing, I think you're on the right track. It doesn't seem to matter what Lilly tells Scotty, he's going to do what he wants. I like the way you're leaning in the direction of self discovery. I think Scotty has to realize his relationship with Chris is distructive behavior on his own. I'd say stick with the direction you have, but it's completely up to you.

For the final song, you could use "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band. It seems fitting and college-esque. You could also use "How's it Gonna Be" by Third Eye Blind. For more ideas, click here.

[Tati]

Thanks for the review and the suggestions TVFan. And special thanks for the songs - I'll check them out carefully over the weekend, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to chose one for those options.

[TVFan]

No problem! I look forward to your next chapter.

[Tati]

Chapter 4 – The friend

(Next day, Lilly arrives at the office. Scotty is already there, at his desk.)

Lilly: Well, you arrived early today.

Scotty: I wanted to make it up for not staying yesterday night. Anything interesting came up?

Lilly (sits down at her desk): Vera and Jeffries talked to the roommate. She said Karen and Christopher had a rough argument on the night of the murder.

Scotty: She turned down his wedding proposal?

Lilly: He didn’t even have the time to propose.

(Vera and Jeffries approach them.)

Lilly: We have any news about the gun?

Jeffries: According to Ballistics, the gun was never used in any other crime ever.

Scotty: We’re not looking into a professional job then. (looks at Lilly) Seems it really was a crime of passion.

Lilly: The question is, what kind of passion? Christopher’s passion was Karen, Lucy’s was Medical research, Ian’s was the paper... as far as we know, everyone’s got a motive, even the parents.

Vera: Ian’s passion was not only the paper. According to Christopher’s 1997 statement, Ian had a secret crush on Karen.

Jeffries: Two strong passions... maybe led to murder.

(Stillman comes out from his office, the detectives stop talking).

Stillman: Just got a call from ADA Tyler. He wanted to know how we’re going.

Lilly: Well, we haven’t got much so far. We still haven’t talked with the boys.

Scotty: We were planning on making a visit to Tyler this afternoon.

Stillman (nods): Right. (to Vera and Jeffries) You located Karen’s boyfriend?

Vera (nods): Yes. He’s a partner on a big law firm. We called and he said he’ll talk to us at anytime.

Stillman: OK. Just be careful, all of you. Tyler is a promising ADA and Christopher’s father was one of the most prestigious judges of Philly. Remember that when someone gets tiffed, I’m the one who gets the call.

(Later that day, Lilly and Scotty are walking to the DA’s office.)

Lilly: So, Scotty, did you get a good rest yesterday night?

Scotty: Oh...yeah, I did. (pauses) Huh, Lil... this might seem out of the blue, but... can I ask you a personal question?

Lilly (looks at Scotty, suspicious): Sure, go ahead.

Scotty (pauses, takes a long breath): Why are you so cold towards your sister? Why do you say the things you say about her?

(Lilly stops walking. She looks around and to the sky, then faces Scotty)

Lilly (shakes her head): I’m sorry, Scotty. (pause) Don’t get me wrong, it’s just that... it’s complicated.

Scotty (slightly disappointed): It’s OK, Lil. But if one day, you want to talk... I’m here. I was just worried.

Lilly (laughs): It’s funny that you’re saying that.

Scotty: Why?

Lilly: Because you never really talked to me about what happened to Elisa. This has to be a two-way street, Scotty.

Scotty (searches for an answer): I know. You’re right. I wasn’t – I’m not - being myself. (pause) I’m really sorry, Lil.

Lilly (smiles, but looks like something is still bothering her): Don’t worry, Scotty.

(Lilly and Scotty arrive at the DA’s office. Ian is outside waiting for them, and takes them of his office.)

Ian: I called Lieut. Stillman a few minutes ago. He told me you were walking here.

Lilly: You’re pretty anxious to get over with this.

Ian: Certainly. I have a feeling that justice will be made this time.

Lilly: Well, we need your help to accomplish this. You met Karen at the paper, right?

Ian: Yeah, she was working there for about six months when I joined. We worked together for two years.

Lilly: At the time she died, did you consider her a friend or just a co-worker?

Ian (reflects): Honestly, I wouldn’t know. Karen was very open when it came to her personal beliefs, but not about her personal life.

Scotty: Did you two go out together, had mutual friends?

Ian: No. Just the paper guys. We saw each other outside the paper just occasionally. We weren’t at college to party. I met her roommate once. Karen had warned me she was into Med research, and I immediately disliked her.

Scotty: And Karen never talked to you about her family?

Ian: Rarely. When we first met, she mentioned her Dad was a surgeon and wanted her to go to Med school. (pauses) And then a few weeks before she got murdered, she arrived at the office really upset. She had just come from her parents’ house.

Flashback to 1997

(It’s late at night. Ian is at the paper office, alone, reading something. Karen walks in, very upset.)

Ian: Karen, you OK?

Karen (sits at her desk): Just came from my parents house. It’s impossible to be OK.

Ian: What happened?

Karen (shakes her head): I won’t bother you with that.

Ian: Hey, of course you are! I know we usually don’t share personal stuff, but you can talk to me at any time.

Karen (sighs): Remember, that I told you, that my Dad was a surgeon? Well, he’ll participate in a project for a new hospital. More of a surgery teaching and research center.

(Ian gets up from his desk and sits on Karen’s desk. He reaches for her hand).

Ian: That article we published yesterday. About the use of animals in research. It mentioned a new surgery lab being built here in Philly.

Karen (nods): When I got home, my Dad was furious. I have no idea how he got hold of our paper so quickly. He said the most horrible things to me.

Ian: I’m sorry, Karen. But didn’t you say he always disapproved of your career choices?

Karen: Yeah, but he always respected me. He insisted on making me quit all of this, but never like that.

Ian: What did he say?

Ian (with tears in her eyes): He said that if I kept embarrassing our family like that, I wouldn’t be his daughter anymore. And that I would never want that to happen.

Back to 2005

Lilly: What do you think this could mean? How far could he go?

Ian: I never met her parents, but I know her Dad was powerful. Not only in Medical world. He had some political connections, was a close friend with Judge Edwards. Mr. Hayes could destroy Karen’s career if he wanted to.

Lilly: Judge Edwards... that’s Christopher Edwards, father, right?

Scotty: And Christopher was Karen’s boyfriend.

Ian (bothered): Yeah. (pause) I know where you’re getting to. No, Karen never told me she had a boyfriend. And yes, I asked her out three days before her murder.

Lilly: And she turned you down?

Ian (nods): That’s when she told me she had a boyfriend. She was kind of ashamed of him, because he was famous for bashing our causes. I had known him from some debates at Law school, and I couldn’t believe Karen was dating that jerk.

Scotty: At that moment, did she say anything about how her relationship?

Ian: Not much. She said they had been together for over a year. She seemed to love him.

Lilly: You know, Ian, in 1997, Christopher pointed you as a possible suspect.

Ian: Karen and I used to work late at the paper almost every day. The guy put a private investigator after Karen, and went crazy with that info. I don’t keep any bad feelings for him. He just couldn’t get over it. I don’t blame him. Karen was a wonderful woman.

Scotty (sarcastically): Wow, that’s really noble of you, Ian.

Ian: I know how it must sound like. But go talk to him. He knows I didn’t do it.

(Lilly and Scotty get up. Both shake hands with Ian).

Lilly: We’ll be in touch when we have something new.

Ian: Thanks.

(Lilly and Scotty walk outside the DA’s office, in the direction of the Police Headquarters.)

Scotty: We can’t complain of lack of suspects. Everyone’s got a motive.

Lilly: Vera and Jeffries went to the boyfriend today. Let’s see if they can shed any light on this.

(They walk some more and arrive at the Police Headquarters.)

Lilly: Are you coming in?

Scotty (surprised): Yeah... of course.

Lilly: I thought you might have something to do. Like yesterday.

Scotty: I didn’t say I had something else to do yesterday.

(Lilly shoots Scotty a “knowing” look, and they go inside. Scotty’s cell phone rings. Lilly signs that she’s going up to the office, and Scotty nods.)

Scotty (on the phone): No, I can’t today. Sorry.

(The person says something)

Scotty: I know what I said, but I can’t.

(Lilly, who was already out of Scotty’s sight, suddenly realizes she forgot her own cell in the car. She turns back. As she walks, Scotty is still talking on the phone, but with his back to Lilly’s direction. As Lilly comes near Scotty, she can’t help overhearing parts of his conversation.)

Scotty: I thought this was going to be “no strings attached”.

(Pause)

Scotty: I never promised you anything, Christina.

(Scotty turns around. Lilly is right behind him and they face each other.)

(Scotty is shocked. His mouth his hanging open. He doesn’t answer to the phone anymore).

(Lilly stares at Scotty. She can’t say anything either. She looks hurt and shocked – but not surprised.)


~~~

To be continued

[TVFan]

I can't wait to find out what happens next Tati! I like the way you had Lilly find out. Interesting plot point with the father getting very angry. I honestly have no idea who killed her.

[Tati]

A/N: TVFan, thanks for the review. It's nice to know I'm writing the mistery well. Next chapter will be the last, so I’m starting to wrap things up – I hope it’s still not obvious who the killer is.

~~~

Chapter 5 – The Boyfriend

(Earlier that same day, Vera and Jeffries are on their way to meet Christopher Edwards. After a while they arrive at a very fancy office building. They take the elevator to the 10th floor, they get out and approach a receptionist.)

Jeffries: We’re Detectives Jeffries and Vera. We’re here to talk to Christopher Edwards.

Recepcionist: Do you have an appointment?

Vera: Tell him it’s about Karen Hayes. He’ll talk to us.

(The recepcionist makes a call.)

Recepcionist (hangs up): Mr. Edwards office is down the hall.

(Jeffries and Vera walk to Christopher’s office.)

Christopher: Please, Detectives, come on in, sit down. I’m glad to talk to you. Can I get you anything, water, coffee?

(Jeffries and Vera shake their heads and sit down).

Vera: Well, Mr. Edwards, I must say I’m touched, we don’t get that kind of warm welcome that often.

Christopher: I’m just really thrilled that the mystery of Karen’s death might finally come to an end.

Jeffries: Does that event still haunt you?

Christopher: Of course. How would you feel if the woman of your dreams got brutally killed on the day you proposed to her?

Vera: We heard that proposal didn’t actually happen.

Christopher (annoyed): Karen and I had a fight earlier that night, but I still intended to propose. But when I came back to her dorm room, Lucy told me Karen had left, saying she wasn’t going to come back that night.

Jeffries: We also heard you weren’t supportive of Karen’s causes.

Christopher: Karen was so intelligent and had so much potential. All that activism crap, along with that useless paper, was just holding her back and putting her in danger.

Vera: Danger? Karen said anything to you about being in danger?

Christopher: Once she mentioned about being threatened, and being betrayed. But she never talked to me very much about that part of her life, knowing that I disapproved of it.

Jeffries: Do you have any idea of who could betray Karen?

Christopher (thinks for a while): She never mentioned any names, but on the weeks before her murder, she was always disturbed. There was one specific day, about a week before she was killed, that got me really worried.

(Flashback to 1997)

(Karen and Christopher are having drinks in a bar. Karen looks distraught.)

Christopher (reaches for Karen’s hand): Is everything OK, baby?

Karen (smiles): Sure, everything’s fine. Why do you ask?

Christopher: You look worried lately.

Karen: We’ve been working on some new stories for the paper. It’s been some stressful weeks, we’ve met with some unexpected obstacles.

Christopher: What are you looking into?

Karen: You know I can’t tell you anything until the story is printed. Confidentiality rules.

Christopher: Meaning, you don’t trust me.

Karen: Sorry, Chris, but we can’t trust an outsider with our stories and our investigations.

Christopher: OK, OK. But you said you came across some unexpected obstacles.

Karen (trying to sound casual): Oh, just some threats. The usual.

Christopher (shocked): Usual? A threat can’t be treated as “usual”! Who’s threatening you?

Karen (annoyed): It’s just stupid letters and e-mails, Chris. No big deal, it happens all the time. Now, let’s talk about something else, please?

Christopher: I’m just worried that something serious might happen to you.

Karen: Don’t worry, I can take care of myself. Plus, I’m not alone on this, there’s the whole paper crew, we are watching each other’s back too.

Christopher (sarcastically): Oh, well, I’m pretty sure that Ian guy is watching your back very carefully.

Karen (sighs): Here we go again.

Christopher: You two are working late together every night, and then he walks you to your dorm room. It’s pretty obvious that you’re his favorite cause.

Karen (surprised): Christopher! Have you been following me?

Christopher (slightly embarrassed): I hired a private detective.

Karen (angry): You have to be kidding me. (pause) You know, Christopher, one day you’re going to regret these things you do.

Back to 2005

Christopher: Then we kept on arguing about Ian and her lack of time for me. I wished I had pushed her about those threats. They were definitely what got her killed.

Jeffries: Why do you believe that?

Christopher: Well, at beginning she said she came across some “unexpected obstacles”, and then she said they were “usual threats”. That doesn’t make sense.

Jeffrey (nods): If they were usual, they couldn’t be unexpected.

Christopher: Exactly.

Vera: Back in 1997, you pointed to Ian as a possible suspect.

Christopher: I was in the middle of a jealous rage. I wanted a to blame someone and I was angry at the guy. I didn’t have any real reason to say he was the killer.

Vera: What about Karen’s relationship with her parents? You believe her father could be threatening her?

Christopher: Well, Mr. Hayes was definitely unhappy with Karen’s career choices, but I don’t think he could have killed her.

Vera: But could he have threatened her?

Christopher: Maybe, I guess. He always threatening her to stop sending her money or paying her college tuition. That wouldn’t be unexpected. However... there was this little interesting thing that happened maybe a couple of weeks before the murder.

Jeffries: And what was that?

Christopher: One morning, I go to the Hayes’ house to take a book that my father was lending Mr. Hayes. And then I run into Lucy coming out of the house.

Jeffries (surprised): Lucy Van Holt?

Christopher: Yes. She had brought Mr. Hayes a copy of Karen’s latest printed article. I believe it was an article about Medical research. Mr. Hayes was really angry when I talked to him, I suppose it was about that article.

Vera: And you believe whatever was written in that article could have set fire on the problems between father and daughter?

Christopher: I don’t know what the article was about, but if it talked about Mr. Hayes new teaching hospital, then Karen was in serious trouble.

(Vera and Jeffries share a look, confused with the new information. They get up and leave.)

(Later, Vera and Jeffries have just parked their car on the Police Headquarters parking lot. They are walking back to the office.)

Vera: So, who would say. It looks pretty good for the Dad.

Jeffries: Or the roommate. Karen’s articles could affect her interests too.

Vera: She definitely wanted to put Karen in trouble, but the harm on Dad’s situation would be pretty worse.

(Vera and Jeffries walk inside the building, and find Lilly and Scotty staring very awkwardly at each other.)

Vera: Hey, Rush, Valens. Waiting anxiously for us?

(Silence. Vera and Jeffries share a look.)

Jeffries: Should we go to the office, compare what we got today? Boss should be waiting for us.

Lilly (angrily): I forgot my cell in the car. You go ahead, I’ll be right there.

(Lilly walks away harshly. In her way she shoves Scotty slightly to the side).

Jeffries (watches Lilly go, turns to Scotty): Something wrong?

Vera (to Scotty): She found out, didn’t she?

(Scotty looks down. Jeffries still looks confused.)

Vera (to Jeffries): Our friend Valens has been banging Rush’s sister, out of consolation for his girl’s death.

Jeffries: Are you out of your mind, Valens?

Scotty: It wasn’t like that, you make it sound like I’m using the girl, and I’m not!

Jeffries (shakes head): Oh, man, you don’t know what you’re getting into.

Vera: You’ve been working with Rush for a year, you should know better than doing something like that behind her back.

Scotty: Look, it’s not that serious between me and Christina. I was already thinking about breaking it up.

Vera: Yeah, right.

Jeffries: Look, Valens, I won’t stick my nose into this mess, but don’t expect anyone around here to your side on this.

(At this point, Lilly gets back.)

Lilly: You’re all still here?

Vera: We were just chatting while you were out. We couldn’t start without you anyway.

Jeffries: Shall we go up, now? We had a pretty interesting talk with Karen’s boyfriend.

Lilly: Sure, let’s go. Stillman already called on my cell while one minute ago, asking about us.

(Lilly, Vera and Jeffries start to walk. Scotty follows them, but slowly.)

Jeffries (turns to Scotty): You coming?

Lilly (with a cold look towards Scotty): He has a phone call he needs to finish before.

(Scotty stands still, in silence. The other detectives go up to the office.)

(Scotty picks up his cell phone and dials a number.)

(Someone picks up the phone on the other side.)

Scotty: Christina, it’s me, Scotty. I need to see you tomorrow morning. First thing. We’ll have breakfast together.

(Christina says something on the other side.)

Scotty: Yeah, I can’t wait either. We have a lot to talk about.

~~~

To be continued

[TVFan]

Interesting how you had the Lilly and Scotty thing penetrate the entire team. I wonder if the show will do the same. It makes sense, since the team works together so closely. Vera is already involved, and I'm interested to see how he reacts. I think you did a nice job of his reaction in your story. I'm still guessing about the killer. I definitely haven't figured it out yet.

[Tati]

A/N: Here's the last chapter. I hope it won't disappoint in any aspects. Oh, and italycs mean song lyrics.
TVFan - I'd like to develop more about the involvement of the whole team on the problem between Lilly and Scotty, but as I was writing this chapter I realized I didn't have time to do in one chapter... I should've planned this part better.

~~~

“Passion”

Chapter 6 – The Truth

(The team is now up in the office, discussing the results of that day’s interviews.)

Stillman: So, we know that the roommate brought the newspaper article to Karen’s father. Maybe with the purpose of making him angry.

Jeffries: After all, Karen’s investigations and articles were against her area of interest.

Lilly: And from what we looked up on Mr. Hayes, he was definitely passionate about his hospital.

Vera: But Ian and Christopher could be covering for each other. Both saying the other didn’t do it. Kind of strange, considering they were both interested in the same girl.

Scotty: Yeah, I’m not buying those two either, but if they acted together, why did Christopher pointed Ian as a suspect back in 1997?

Stillman: OK, guys, we have a lot of possibilities to analyze. Let’s call it a day, go home, and tomorrow we come back, and take a fresh look at what we got.

(Everyone starts getting ready to leave. A few moments later, Lilly puts her coat on, grabs her suitcase, says goodbye, and starts to walk away. Scotty runs after her, still putting his coat on, and without saying goodbye to anyone.)

(Lilly is walking fast, Scotty is following her.)

Scotty: Lilly!

Lilly (keeps walking): I’m a hurry, Scotty.

Scotty (grabs Lilly’s arm): No, you’re not. Wait, please.

Lilly (crosses her arms over her chest): What do you want?

Scotty: Explain what you heard earlier.

Lilly: There’s nothing to explain, Scotty.

Scotty: Yes, there is, because it’s not what you’re thinking.

Lilly (laughs): Scotty... last time I checked myself in the mirror, I didn’t have “Stupid” written in my forehead. So, don’t give me that crap.

Scotty: Look, Lil, I need to explain what’s going on.

Lilly: Scotty, I’m your partner, not your mother, not your wife or your girlfriend, you don’t need to explain anything to me. It’s just that I expected better from you, Scotty. I thought differently of you, and of your feelings towards Elisa.

Scotty: Let’s not bring Elisa into this, Lil. She’s dead.

Lilly: Oh, yeah, right, she’s dead. She doesn’t matter anymore.

Scotty: Now, you don’t come and give me that crap, Lilly, because Elisa is not the reason you’re angry about this.

Lilly (starts to walk away): I warned you, she’s a train wreck. You want to check it for yourself, fine, good luck. But don’t expect me to show up at the wedding.

(Scotty doesn’t go after Lilly. He stays at building entry hall, watching her go. He looks confused, sad and angry at the same time.)

(Next morning, Scotty and Christina are having breakfast together at a cafeteria. Christina is talking excitedly about something, Scotty seems absent.)

Christina: What’s going on? You’re not paying attention to me, again!

Scotty: I’m sorry, Chris. I’m just worried.

Christina: Work, again?

Scotty: No, not today. Did you talk to Lilly yesterday?

Christina: No, when I arrived, she was already sleeping. And today when I woke up she had already left. She must’ve fell off bed. Why?

Scotty: Well, yesterday, Lilly accidentally overheard our talk on the phone.

Christina: Oh. So she knows?

Scotty: Yeah, she knows. And she wasn’t pleased. And I don’t get why.

Christina (shrugs): She’s just being Lilly.

Scotty: No, that’s not it. I ask her what the problem between you two, she doesn’t tell me. And I need to know.

Christina: It’s not important, Scotty. And it’s too complicated.

Scotty (begins to get angry): I need to know, Christina.

Christina: We can’t go there, Scotty. Lilly doesn’t want you to know, and I’m not sure if I want you to know.

Scotty (raises his voice a little): Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten into this mess between you two. But now it’s too late, and how can I make a fair judgement of this situation if no one tells me what the hell is going on?

(Scotty notices that a few people next to them are beginning to stare. He takes a deep breath and waits, but Christina doesn’t say anything.)

Scotty: So?

Christina (shakes her head): If you get up and walk out that door, I’m going to miss you. And if you change your mind, I’m still here.

(Scotty looks shocked. He drops some money on the table for the bill and leaves. Christina stays there. She wipes a tear off her face.)

(Later, at the Police Headquarters, the team are back to discussing the case.)

Lilly: Maybe we should go talk to Ian and Christopher again. They seemed to be the ones with the most useful information.

Stillman: If we do that so quickly, they’ll notice we’re confused. It won’t be good if they were the ones who did it.

(Jeffries gets off the phone.)

Jeffries: Mr. Hayes is clean. He and Karen’s mother were at a charity dinner for cancer victims the whole night.

Scotty (shakes his head): He was our strongest theory.

Vera: Check this. I got Karen’s e-mail records.

Lilly: The threat messages?

Vera (nods and starts reading): “You say you want to save the world, but the truth is, you’re not. Those new drugs, the new hospital, those are things that are going to save the world. You better realize it, before it’s too late.”

Scotty: Someone involved in the new hospital, or on the researches. That could be a lot of people.

Vera: Wait. Here’s the interesting part. I was going through Karen’s e-mails, and it seems like she had a very close friend going to college in Alabama. Karen and this friend shared their every thoughts through e-mail. Now, look at what she wrote her friend on the morning of her murder.

(Vera hands the paper to Lilly.)

Lilly (reading from the paper): It’s over now. Yesterday, I got the pictures. They´re torturing the animals in that lab. I told her it’s over. I’m writing the article tomorrow, it’ll be printed the next day. And I’ll add a copy of all these threat messages, of all the conversations that I taped. It’s finally over and I don’t have to put up with her everyday anymore. My luggage is package already.”

Scotty: Her luggage was packed.

Jeffries: She was running away?

Lilly (smiles): She was moving out.

(The team shares a knowing look.)

[Tati]

(Later, Lilly and Scotty walk into a lab.)

Lilly: Lucy Van Holt?

Lucy (turns around, surprised): Who are you? Get out of here!

(Lilly and Scotty show their badges.)

Lucy: You’re contaminating the experiment! Please, I’m finishing here in only half an hour.

Scotty: Sorry, Lucy. This can’t wait anymore.

Lilly: It has been waiting for eight years.

Lucy: What are you talking about?

Lilly: Karen Hayes. She was investigating your work, wasn’t she?

Lucy: Karen was investigating the whole Medical Research Department.

Scotty: At first, we found very strange that two girls with different interests could be roommates. But you had something in common: you were both passionate. Willing to do anything to save what you believed.

Lucy: Yes, we were. I still am.

Lilly: We got Karen’s e-mails records. She was moving out. She had found out about all the irregular things in the lab, and she had proof.

Scotty: Now, Karen had already published a very nasty article about her Dad’s hospital. Delayed the city’s approval of the project in two months. You couldn’t let her do that to you. You tried to scare her, but no one scared Karen. Her passion gave her strength.

Lucy (angrily, and with tears in her eyes): My passion gave me strength too.

Flashback to 1997

(Christopher leaves Karen and Lucy’s dorm room. Lucy comes out of her hiding place and gets in.)

Lucy: I saw Chris leaving. Aren’t you going out?

Karen: No. I’m not in the mood to go out with that jerk.

Lucy: What happened?

Karen: He wants me to quit the paper. The only place where I can speak the truth freely, and also spread that truth.

Lucy: You’re really printing that article about the lab?

Karen: Yes, Lucy. I’m sorry. I understand that researches are important, but not at cost of the lives of innocent animals.

Lucy: What do you want us to do? Use humans?

Karen: Animals can be used in the researches, and be treated kindly. But they can never be in pain, or be murdered. They don’t have to die for us. We’re not better than animals. Far from that, actually.

Lucy: You don’t get that these experiments could benefit thousands of people?

Karen: Look, Lucy, I’m not getting in that argument again. The article will be printed, and tomorrow I’ll be out of here. You won’t have to live with me, you won’t have to be my friend you don’t want to.

(Karen grabs her school bag.)

Lucy: We are you going?

Karen: I need to do some things at the paper. Don’t expect me back today.

(Karen leaves. She starts to walk in the direction of one of the faculty buildings. After a few minutes, she notices someone is following her. She turns around.)

Karen: Lucy?

Lucy: You’re not doing this to me! Not again!

Karen: Oh God, you scared me. We’re not going to have this conversation again.

(Karen starts walking again, Lucy follows her.)

Lucy: You don’t get it. I mean it.

(Lucy grabs Karen by the arm and pulls out a gun)

Karen: What is this? Have you lost your mind? Let me go!

Lucy: You don’t get it, Karen. The lives of thousands of people around the world are more important that your stupid convictions.

Karen (crying): No, Lucy! We’re all equal. One being is not superior to another, even if this other being is an animal.

(Lucy holds the gun near Karen’s face.)

Lucy: It’s worthless. You’ll never get it.

Karen (still crying a little): Maybe I’m blind. As blind as you are. But I trust that in the end, justice is made. You know that too. Now let me go.

Lucy: No. It’s over now.

(Lucy fires the gun, into Karen’s mouth. She watches Karen’s dead body fall to the ground and runs away.)

Back to 2005

(“Fly Like an Eagle, by Seal, starts playing.)

Yeah, think I
better get up
Doo...doo...du du ... Yeah ...
Doo...doo...du du ... Love, love, love ...
Doo...doo...du du ... Don't it baby? ...
Time keeps on slippin'
Into the future...
Said
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future...oohhh

(Lilly and Scotty are arresting Lucy. They take her out of the lab, handcuffed.)

Said I wanna fly like an eagle... to the sea
Fly like an eagle let my spirit carry me, I wanna...
fly...
Fly right into the future...


(Lilly and Scotty arrive with Lucy at the Police Headquarters, where Ian and Christopher are waiting, along with Jeffries, Vera and Stillman.)

I wanna feed the babies... said, who can't get enough to eat
Wanna shoe the children... no shoes on their feet
I wanna house the people... livin' in the street
Oh yeah there's a solution

(Ian and Christopher leave the Police Headquarters together. They shake hands before heading their own ways.)

Let me fly like and eagle... to the sea
Fly like an eagle let that spirit carry me, I wanna
Fly right into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future...


(Vivian and George Hayes are putting flowers at their daughter’s grave. George mouths “I’m sorry” as he puts the flowers down.)

Time flies don't it baby?
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future... ...Ohhh.
Time flies don't it baby?
Keep on flying...
keep on flying, ohhh ...

(The night is falling as Lilly is leaving the Police Headquarters. Scotty is waiting for her outside. He says something to Lilly, very seriously.)

Oh yeah, yeah
Think I better get up...
Don't it baby?
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey...
I wanna fly like an eagle... to the sea
Fly like an eagle let my spirits carry me, I wanna
fly...
Fly right into the future

(Lilly sighs and looks behind Scotty’s back. She “sees” Karen smiling at her. Lilly looks back at Scotty, Karen is gone. Lilly nods to Scotty and they start walking away together. While Lilly talks, Scotty listens attentively.)

Fly like an eagle let that spirit carry me, I wanna...
fly...
Fly... like an eagle... we'll fly...
Fly right into the future
Lemme fly like an eagle ... ... to the sea
In a sky full of people ... only some want to fly, isn't that...
crazy? ... Ohh hho ...oohh
fly...
Fly... like an eagle... I'm gonna fly...

~~~

The End

[Disasterfreak]

Tati-- HOW do you manage to write fanfic, work AND go to college at the same time??
Great going. The last chapter was a little rushed, but the mystery was great (had no idea where it was going till the end ;D), the dialogues were great and the song was well-chosen. I might've liked to see a little more of the Lil-Scotty-Chris issue, but I really like how you resolved it (with no shipping and no major spoilers :thumb: ) *sighs with happiness*.

[TVFan]

Great job Tati! I loved your ending song choice. You kept me guessing all the way until the end too.

[Tati]

Thanks Disasterfreak and TVFan! I'm glad you liked the ending song. That was tough to choose. I still have doubts if it works when you listen to it, but I liked the lyrics.

Disasterfreak said:

I might've liked to see a little more of the Lil-Scotty-Chris issue, but I really like how you resolved it (with no shipping and no major spoilers ).

Thanks. I started writing this fic before "Revolution" aired, so I kept writing as though it still hadn't aired. (wasn't easy). And I didn't want to write Lil or Chris telling Scotty whatever happened between them - we definitely don't know the whole truth yet, and I didn't want to make anything up. So I decided to leave it all to the reader's imagination.

[r2k]

Sorry I haven't commented sooner. That was good. Problem is you ended up using the a basic storyline to my next fan fic. I'm not mad. I still have plenty of ideas. Consider it a compliment that your story had similarities to mine. And you are giving me a little competition. You kept me guessing as well. I have spring break coming up in a week and a helf. I might be able to have one ready soon. I'm going to try a '20s fic. I have an idea that will make it possible.

[Ryebeach]

R2K said:

I'm going to try a '20s fic. I have an idea that will make it possible.

The '20s! Wow, that sounds great R2K. Can't wait.

[Tati]

R2K said:

Sorry I haven't commented sooner. That was good. Problem is you ended up using the a basic storyline to my next fan fic. I'm not mad. I still have plenty of ideas. Consider it a compliment that your story had similarities to mine.

Thanks R2k! Did you mention somewhere about this idea you had for a fic?? I swear my idea came mostly from my own head. And I really consider a compliment that my story was similar to yours!

R2K said:

You kept me guessing as well. I have spring break coming up in a week and a helf. I might be able to have one ready soon. I'm going to try a '20s fic. I have an idea that will make it possible.

I can't wait! I missed having a new fic from you!