Dangers in the Dark

The Aftermath 8.2

Third Person POV

After finding out the name of the victim, Jim called up the mother of the man to tell her the dreadful news about her son's passing. Jim let her cry it all out for a while and waited for a while before he tried asking her any questions. To make sure it didn't feel much like an interrogation, Jim allowed the interview to happen at his desk rather than in an interrogation room.

"I'm very sorry for your loss, ma'am," Jim finally spoke up, as the woman wiped her running nose on a tissue. "Can you think of anyone who's hurt your son, Coleman?"

"No, sir. Nobody," the mother shook her head. "He was a good boy."

"Yes, ma'am. I can see that. No arrests, an honest young man," Jim said, making his mother nod her head proudly. "What did he do for a living?"

"He worked in a coffee shop," his mother answered, making Jim look at her in confusion.

"When we found him, he was in a suit. Suspenders," Jim told her.

"He was looking for a job in finance. He was very ambitious. First in our family to go to college," the mother continued with pride before tears started to fall again. "Who would do this, sir? Why?"

"We'll do our best to find out, ma'am," Jim assured her, trying to offer her some more comfort.

Meanwhile in Sarah Essen's office, Harvey was explaining how their investigation was going.

"Gordon's finishing up with the mother," Harvey explained. "Nothing off the severed thumb. None of the city's ERs have seen any thumb-less guys."

"He went black market?" Essen asked.

"That's next on my list," Harvey answered.

"How's Gordon?" Essen suddenly asked, as she looked through some files.

"Angry. How would you feel if every cop in the building ran out on you?" Harvey replied, glancing back out at Jim. "Now they treat him like he's got the plague. Seeing him reminds them of what cowards they all are." Harvey quickly caught his tongue when he saw the devastated look on Essen's face. "I'm sorry, cap. I didn't mean you."

"Nope. You're right. But he's gotta get over that. Can't do this job alone. Lucky he's got you," Essen said.

"Yeah," Harvey sighed, looking over at Jim before turning back to Essen. "She's more like him than they realise."

"Holly?" Essen asked, leaning up against the desk.

"Yeah. The both of them are drawn to danger, whether they mean to or not, they can't help but be involved," Harvey said. "I worry how much more danger Jim is going to get his daughter in with the way he's carelessly making enemies. They will use her against him."

"Then we have to make sure that doesn't happen," Essen said, walking over to Harvey's side. "Whatever it takes."

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After realising who to speak to, Harvey led Jim out of the precinct and took him to go see an old acquaintance. Harvey told Jim as little as he could about the man they were going to see as he knew he wouldn't approve.

When they arrived at the location, screams and shouts of pain echoed out down the corridors. Jim kept sparing glances at Harvey who seemed unbothered by all the noise. Further down the corridor, they found an open plan room that had a man hitting his patient around the head with a bat.

"They teach you that in med school?" Harvey asked sarcastically, making the man look over at the detectives.

"Ugh. Bullock," the man groaned when he saw him.