Family comes before crime: Spin off the Criminal Case Files

Last time I was here

Today (outfit 15) it was around lunch and Don, Jones and I had gone to park to eat our lunch before heading back to work. You know the bench we're sitting on.... Don started.... Is the same bench we found you laying on that one night. He said to me. Remember? Yeah, during the short time that I was afraid of Charlie because of the people that looked like him, hearing those gun shots. Yeah, you were having a hard time sleeping and came outside with your Taser but no shoes. He laughed.

Yeah, and you both came after me but my Taser managed to zap Charlie and so he handed me to you instead, the one of few times I ran to you first instead of Charlie. Yeah he was so upset and confused, but probably mostly worried. It's funny I think that's the same night I found out he was part of NSA and I ended up joining the team even though I was afraid of them and then several weeks later we had that case with them. (CIA but he can't know that of course)

Well this was a nice place to have our lunch. Jones reminded us handing Don a hot dog before we heard a loud noise go off. And of course unlike "normal" people it was our job to go after the noise instead of away from it. First gunshots (curtesy of a CIA mission when I found out Charlie's CIA secret and this time another loud noise more like a bomb as we ran to other side of the park.

When we got to the place we heard the noise we saw a woman crying freaking out about what happened. Ms. Meadows what's wrong what happened here Harriet? I asked her. Oh Ms. Winters it was terrible and terrifying all the same. What happened? I asked her again. There was a loud explosion and these men were fighting and then.... Jones came over to us and told her to call 911 while we looked around the area where it happened.

Wow this place is the mess. What do you think happened here? The guy looks like he stepped on a land mine, he's in pieces hopefully there's just enough of him to get him to autopsy for Nathan to look him over and tell us what it was that killed him. What's that you found Farlie? I ask her. A foot print it looks like, we should get that up and take it with us, and I'll be sure to put this card together when we get everything settled.

When we set the body up with Nathan he was excited that we brought him this "puzzle" to him. He said it had definitely been some kind of bomb but couldn't tell what kind it was but he could tell us that anyone who was near the bomb under 30 ft. would have at the minimum partial hearing loss so that went down on our killer ID thing. So, not only did that mean other passerbyers but that also meant our victim.

Gee I hope at the least there isn't some terrible gas or chemical leaking from that bomb that could exposing everyone. I turned with hope to my brother. You're right kid we don't want another dirty bomb or another train car bomb or another train car gas leak "it's just a drill there's no real danger here" bomb. Did we switch places? That sounds like something I would say I chuckle.

You're right though we don't want it to be any of those other cases we've worked with in the past. Thanks Nathan. Bye gang. Ok, Don you and Jones go talk to Ms. Meadows call me when you get any new info and I'll stay here and work on this shoe print see if it will tell me anything about either our victim or fingers crossed our killer. Sure thing.

Ma'am what can you tell us about what happened here be sure not to leave out a single detail. Jones told her. You said you saw two men fighting? Don confirmed. Yes, it all happened so fast but the first man ran away and the other.... Is blown to bits Don finished for her. Is there anything at all that you remember that might tell us something about the man that did this? Jones asked. Oh yes he was wearing some kind of camo. She told them.

Thank you for your time ma'am. Now is there some place we can reach you if we need to talk to you again? Of course, I work at the front desk at the Greene Banking on Main Street. She tells them. Thank you for your time ma'am we'll be in touch Jones tells her. Alan Greene? She works for Alan Greene? Jones asks him. After our last case we worked with him I did some research he tells Don. Yeah and?

And he owns a lot of this part of this district. His casino, this bank and a bunch of sub companies. Call Farrah? Yeah we should do that Jones agrees with Don. Eppes? I call into the phone. Sorry, force of habit hearing you answer the phone like that. Anyways.... You're funny kid I hear Don chuckle at me and I turn my head to hear Charlie laughing in the back. I can almost sense Don rolling his eyes at me, the same way I can sense my real life younger brother roll his eyes at me when I say something strange, I'm serious sometimes you can just feel when someone is rolling their eyes at you your hairs on the back of your neck stick up as if you've done something wrong.

Anyways, sorry guys what's our next clue? Harriet said she saw a man wearing camo running away from the scene of the crime and that she works with Alan Greene at his bank at the front desk. Ok, thanks. And that shoe print? Don asked me. Well? I look it over its for an orthopedic shoe but neither our victim or Harriet wear these kinds of shoes so the only logical explanation is that the shoe print belongs to our killer and so far we're under the assumption that our killer is a man and after that is that he was seen wearing camo. But, despite Harriet hasn't had any of our profile features of our killer we can't rule her out as a suspect yet.

Great anything else? Don asks me. Yeah, actually I put this card together.... Put it together in what way? I heard my brother smirk into the phone. I put this card together and on it we now have the victim's name and his name was Henry Crosby and its a veteran's card and guessing by his age he probably fought in the Vietnam war and on the card has an emergency contact number a Shaun Crosby must be his son or something why don't you call him down to the station for questioning and give him the sad unfortunate news.

Ok, well we're on our way back. I hung up my phone and *sighed* you didn't answer the question Don asked you Princess. I heard Charlie smirk behind me. I roll my eyes trying to ignore his commentary. Farr's? He calls again. So what? I shrug. Again I can just feel the eye roll at me from behind. It's an easy feeling actually to feel if you really think about it. Once they got back they called Shaun down and he was freaking out about the explosion wondering if we would need reinforcements and then once they got him to calm down Jones asked him if there was anything about their father that could help us.

Shaun mentioned that his father happened to own a shop in the Eastfield market after the war that he just wanted peace and quiet and that Shaun tried to help as much and as often as he could. That if we had to we could check his stall at the shop that it was just down the street from the bakery off the corner. T: Bakery you say, I'll get to say hi to Chris on this case again. I smirk smiling at the thought, I love going into the bakery and seeing my teammate/friend even if he's really more Charlie's than mine.

Penny for your thoughts? T: Speak of the devil and he will come. Guess where the next scene is located?! Real question or are you going to tell me anyways? Yes! He lifts an eyebrow. Fine, its down the street off the corner from Chris's bakery. K, tell him hi for me then. I will. Hey kid you ready to go to the next scene? I hear Don call for me. Sure am! Bye love you. Be careful Charlie calls after me. And I don't just mean on the case he chuckles after me.

Once we go down.... Find anything? Bark, bark! I think someone did. I smile petting Farlie. A satchel, and its the weirdest thing it has a combination lock on it better bring it to Charlie. Excuse me. A female voice calls. Oh hey you're Rachel Priest the news reporter I'd recognize you anywhere. I say shaking her hand. I came here to meet up with Mr. Crosby about some documents concerning Greene holdings. I'm gonna assume that's what's in this bag.

I say swinging it around my neck. And that would now make whatever is in here evidence I'm sorry Rachel we can't give it to you. We found Mr. Crosby dead. Dead? I was supposed to meet up with him several mins ago about those very important papers and you're telling me he's dead now?! I'm afraid so. Well, but I can help you with your investigation, I'll give you my number and you let me know when you can turn those documents you find in there into me. I wouldn't count on that miss Jones tells her but we will take your card with your number on it in case we need to reach you again.

After getting back to HQ you guys go talk to the son about his father working with Greene and I'll confirm whatever documents are in this bag that Rachel was talking about with Charlie once I get him to open it for me. Sounds great kid. Hey Charlie will you please get this open for me? Sure of course. Piece of cake, look at those important looking documents. It's about Alan Greene and his company. Yeah, just like Rachel said.

I bet Greene wanted to build another casino considering that these documents look like he wanted to buy the stall off of Henry. I say looking them over. I better call Don and tell him. Good call. Eppes? He calls into the phone. Why do you do that? You've got caller ID?! Can't you just say what do you need? I could but that takes longer to say. Jones is talking with his son he tells me. Yeah the papers check out Rachel was right and it looks like maybe Alan wanted to buy his stall maybe turn it into another casino. I shrug. What do you got on your end?

Well Shaun is getting freaked out that Greene Holdings could possibly have something to do with his father's death it sounds like, sounds like Henry tried to expose what was going on with Alan Greene and his company that it sounds like when people stopped trying to take loans out from the bank that when they refused they needed to sell their stalls which is exactly what Alan wants to have happen, told us that his father was naïve trying to expose them by contacting the media aka Rachel it sounds like and it possibly got him killed because of it and now he's freaking out saying something about needing to make arrangements for something, and we'll be sure to keep an eye on Shaun.

We all come together and decide it would be best to tell King about it since whoever our killer was is planning on setting up all these bombs. Gee it does sound like our dirty bomb case. Remember? The bomb that went off that hit you guys there were no deadly chemicals in it you just had a ringing in your ears for a little bit after words. Hey you guys! Ramirez panics coming in a couple hours later after nothing had happened.

There's an imminent bomb about to go off on Main Street near the hot dog stall you better get down there and see if you can find it! Let's go! When we get down there I have a look around. But it almost looks like its about to go off, and I put my shield around us. Look out! I tell them as the shield goes up and as do my hands covering my ears. But a loud noise doesn't go off, it had an error and otherwise we've found a picture with Henry on it with some guy.

We'll get the bomb off to Alex and we'll get the photo off to Charlie Alex will tell us what went wrong with bomb and might be able to tell us who made it since the bomb says there was an error which we're lucky to have happen and Charlie can help me reveal this message on the picture there's obviously some kind of message under here. Hey guys, I've got tasks for both of you.

Whoa, whoa easy! Be careful with that thing Charlie panics. Relax guys Alex I need your help maybe see if you can figure out who made it, because it didn't go off. And Charlie there's writing on this photo that I need your help uncovering. You could've dusted this off yourself you know? Yeah, but I love seeing you get all excited when you're given a task to do it's very entertaining. Well then thank you for needing my help. You're very welcome.

After some time we have both the message revealed and the bomb figured out. Well, this bomb didn't go off because it wasn't supposed to and if you had tried to disarm it you would've ended up not much better than Henry did. But I can tell you this whoever made it really knew what they were doing they're got bomb making skill they're bomb experts. Really? Ok Alex thanks. Well judging by the fact that Shaun has some army experience and under his profile he was in the bomb squad do you think its possible it was some kind of tragic accident just like that terrorist case we thought we had with the plane that crashed and his son ended up "killing" his dad but it was an accident.

Don reminded me. Yeah, I nodded at him maybe. But, we should probably go see what Charlie came up with on the picture. Hey guys so about this picture.... Where did you find it? On Alfred's hot dog stand why? It has the name Donald on it and it says 1975. But as far as I know Donald has always been blind Jones points out. Well go down and talk to him anyways see if he knows anything about what happened to your victim. And while we're at we might go talk to Harriet again ask her about Henry's argument with Greene.

Sounds good. Don, go talk to Ms. Meadow Jones and I will talk to Alfred. K kid. You're the boss. After talking to Alfred we found out it sounded like Henry knew something was going to happen and that maybe he gave the photo to Alfred for him to follow up on this Donald after he was dead. Yeah, maybe I hope Don had better luck than we did. Want one? Jones offered me. No, but I know someone who will we'll go back to HQ and wait for Don to catch up with us there but knowing Charlie he probably hasn't had lunch yet and I don't eat meat.

I get it from my mom the guys are all meat eaters. I can barely stand the smell of it Ick! At Greene's Don talked to Harriet who unfortunately didn't seem to have too many feelings left after telling Don that Shaun once tried to throw a garbage bin at their window. Sounds like she thought Greene had offered Henry a pretty generous offer for his stall. But it didn't sound like Henry took him up on that deal.

When Don met back up with us he told us we should probably have another look at Henry's stall make sure we didn't miss anything the last time we looked at it. So, we went back. Once we were there we found a torn up later and once I put it back together we found that it was threat telling Greene Holdings to leave Henry's stall alone or they would get blown up.

Well I can't imagine that our victim wrote that letter given the irony, so we better go send it off to Alex see if he can make anything of it and if not Charlie sure can. Yeah sorry guys as you found out there are no fingerprints. Alex started. But using my FISH program I was able to compare the handwriting samples to determine that Shaun was the one who wrote it.

After talking to Shaun he flipped out on us again saying the letter one didn't mean anything since he never actually sent the letter and two that he didn't even remember trying to attack the back that he just had kind of snapped. But I would never hurt my own father. I'm sorry Shaun Jones told him but you're just too dangerous right now we need to have you arrested until we're sure you're not a threat.

After talking to Shaun we also learned that he was hard of hearing so we wrote that much down as well, and then we also found out he wore orthopedic shoes and then Ramirez came up to us in the park telling us that he saw a man in the park wearing camo wearing orthopedic shoes and we chased after him turns out this was the Donald from the picture and asked if Henry gave us the picture we found but we told him Henry had been blown up this morning by a bomb and that he was dead.

We decided Donald was probably the "ghost from the war" Henry had written about on his picture and Donald said they were once friends a long time ago when they were still in the war but now everything was just water under the bridge as he had put it. And then Donald walked away and we wrote down that he did in fact wear orthopedic shoes and then Ramirez ran up to us with bad news. The station just called we've got a problem!

What is it what's wrong?! The bomber called again and said that there was another bomb this time for real and that we had to find it ourselves this time, sounds like was time to call in back up. We called Rachel told her about Henry and promised if she helped us Jones would give her a copy of the documents she wanted and we hoped Rachel would pull through. But then we received even more terrifying news.

Shaun escaped our hold he's out on the lose! That's just great now we've got two lunatics running around freely! Jones said getting annoyed and angry. And we've got a bomb to go find. Well we need new leads we need to head back to the park and take another look around it was such a mess we could've missed something the first time. When we got there we saw Donald again and I had Jones and Don talk to Donald while I took a closer look at the area near the park bench.

After doing some more searching I found some fabric and it had blood on it, I got a sample for it to give to Grace and found out that our killer had O+ blood. And I went back to tell the guys who were talking to Donald and learned that he was just out walking and wanted to say hello and that he liked the explosion of colors in the fall and that Jones seemed to be wound up like a clock, and Jones decided he'd had enough and thought a few hours behind bars would cool Donald down. We learned he was half deaf and 100% nuts at least to Jones it seemed.

But we still had to find the bomb. You know I hear that blind people have a great sense of hearing. Let's go talk to Alfred again. He told us something about hearing a car's engine turn over and over again and never going anywhere, and then we turned around and saw a car behind us and Jones went up to the car and opened the truck we had found the bomb and I went in and deactivated it just in time.

And then King came down to hear what was going on and once we told him he was glad we had saved the day again but that we still needed to find out who had killed Henry and who had been going around planting all these bombs. Hey Farrah how did you know the code to the bomb anyways? The picture had a year on it I took a lucky guess. I shrugged. Well that sure was a very lucky guess indeed. But next time be more sure.

When we got done there Rachel came back and told us that Donald had just gotten out of a mental institute recently and that he was on the bomb squad so he knew a lot about bombs and that Henry had testified against Donald. Well, it sounds like we've got enough evidence to go put Henry's killer behind bars. Jones told us at the end of all this. But when we had enough info to arrest Donald Ramirez called and said Donald escaped but was singing a tune about the park and that we should go back there and find him.

It's the end of the line for you Donald! You're killing and terrorism days are over Jones called to him. I don't think so, I get to say when it's over he said revealing a bomb on his chest and I'd rather die than go back to that nut house again and if I'm going down I'm taking you all down with me! He laughed then grabbed my arm as I screamed being pulled up against his chest. Don! I screamed.

You'd think of all the times I've been held captive with an active bomb close enough to kill me it wouldn't scare me to point of having tears in my eyes still. That this should be second nature to me like being kidnapped but being kidnapped and having a bomb threat on you are a couple of the scariest things in the world. Then Shaun came over to try and shoot him and Don told him it wasn't worth it.

I looked at my surroundings noticing the bomb was about to go off any sec now. The only time I usually get out of this is by stepping back on someone's foot or biting them or sometimes even elbowing them in the stomach, his arm was wrapped around me close to my neck his hand that much closer to my mouth so I bit down and he let me go as I clung close to Don burying my face in his chest as we all got behind my barrier when Donald blew himself up.

Hey, is everyone ok? Jones asked us when all was clear and Donald was gone. Don looked around rubbing back resting his head on my own hugging me. Yeah, no else seems to have been effected. My watch beeped turning a disturbing orange color. Until I felt the gentle pet of my hair. And the soft mutter of "you're safe" whispered into my ear as I calmed down and it went back to its green color. I held my brother tightly I didn't want to let go. Bombs scare me the most I think about this job, they're loud noises which scare the crap out of me to begin with and knowing if I didn't have my abilities I'd probably be dead 1000 times over.

After we're finished here I'll take you over to your friend's bakery. Farrah? He called. He pulled my head up to meet his eyes. Did you hear me? He asked me. I shook my head. Can you now? Not really you sound far away my ears are ringing. Let's help our other previous suspects, I'll call Charlie down have him help you when we go split up to do the extra stuff ok? I nodded.

Ok, and when we're all done we'll meet up at the bakery. Once we got Charlie down here he rushed over to me throwing his arms around me pressing me against his chest in worry. I was so worried your watch turned orange are you ok? When I didn't answer he pulled me at arms length. He looked at me. Did you hear me? Chuck? Don started. He turned his head to Don.

She can't hear you fully her ears are ringing from the bomb. What bomb? I saw his lips move. The one Donald killed himself with and tried to kill me with when he captured me. I told him. Did you hear that? No? I read your lips. Do you know sign? He asked me. Yes I signed back to him. SL: Jack taught me a friend of his doesn't speak. I'll keep my phone on and on me at all times. I'll go with her, we'll meet you at the bakery when we're all done.

So, we split up. Don, I want you to go see what Rachel needs, and Jones go check up on Alfred. I didn't realize it but I was shouting, and that left Charlie and I to check up on Shaun since he was so unstable. Normally I would've had Don go there or even Jones and I'd talk to Alfred again since Jones had promised the papers to Rachel but I didn't see that going very well.

At Alfred's Jones had gone off to help him collect ingredients from Henry's stall to help Alfred make a new hot dog in Henry's memory, and got offered a burger on the house. Don had gone to go help Rachel get the scope on Donald and she said there was documents in his car and wanted to get into it. Once he got in he decided now that the case would be closed that when we got back together again we would discuss our wonder on whether or not why the bombs were both outside near Alan Greene's companies that it was suspicious and wanted to know himself if he had, had any beef with the company.

But instead he found a flash drive that he sent to the lab for Alex to check over. Once he got the new info Alex said that while Donald was in the institute he had been diagnosed with PTSD and paranoia and that while he was there he had some unorthodox treatment with a new pill that he couldn't make out of the effects of but it sure wasn't keeping him sane. He decided that Rachel would like to hear all about this new info.

After hearing what Rachel had to say about it and how she thought maybe Alan Greene had something to do with Donald's treatment Don was worried she might be getting paranoid herself, but she said he was just being naïve and thanked him for his help anyways. While Charlie and I had been checking up on Shaun.... We told him we wanted to check up on him since it had been such a long day today and wanted to see how he was holding up.

I'm fine personally but I wanted to bury my father with his silver star medal I was sure he was wearing it before he got you know.... Yes well finding things is kind of Ms. Winters specialty if that star is in the park we'll be sure to find it. Is she ok? She didn't get hurt by the bomb did she? Not hurt but her ears are ringing a little. Oh, I think she's the only one I'm already partially deaf as it is but it didn't effect me and it didn't look like it effected the other two agents. But then again she was actually pressed up against him before she bit him and then protected us all from the bomb.

She saved us. We'll go find that for you. He pulls me along and it doesn't take long to find it and now that I'm hard of hearing right now I pretended I didn't hear him at all when he tried to remind me not use my gifts to put it together myself. But I did anyways. There good as new. Once we got it off to him we left and went to the Bakery. I had my back turned to Chris when we walked in so that I could close the door behind me, and then felt Charlie nudge my shoulder as he signed to me.

SL: Chris is talking to us. He asked how you were. I turned towards him. Gee Shade looks like you've just seen a ghost. You doing ok? He asked frowning wiping his hands his apron. She ok? Sorry Chris, I shook my head, I'm ok just a ringing in my ear you sound far away. Chris covered his ears frowning Charlie covered my mouth. Sorry she was too close to a bomb and the noise was of course very loud that's why there's a ringing in her ears. Yeah, been hearing bombs go off all day down here. Yeah that's because it happened in the area.

Don said she got captured by the killer again and tried to bring her down with him she was pulled against his chest and she bit down on him protecting everyone when the bomb went off. How? He questioned. That's too complicated to explain right now we're not even entirely sure how either. Charlie shakes his head. Well Chris chuckled, there's no need to shout Angel I'm right in front of you.

He waved his hand in front of my face. And you know its funny he teased again. I'm the one back here cooking but you he reached over and swiped flour onto my nose and then threw a pinch at Charlie as he put his hands up to block it reaching him. But you both have flour on you. Man do you really have to do everything together Ghostshade? You somehow made a huge mess out of the flour and you weren't even the one the doing the baking.

But I guess it adds to your ghostly paleness. He laughed again. By the way if you pinch your nose and blow your ears should pop and you should feel better. He said drying his hands on a rag this time. Smacking a stack of napkins down in front of us. I did as he said and I felt better immediately. Thanks I said scrunching my nose. Always looking out for you kid. He teased pretending like he was gonna whack me with the rag.

But I batted it away. I heard the jingle of the door open and close giggling at Chris's playfulness. Hey Don hi Jones. Oh good I see you can hear better again. How's it going Chris? He asked him. Its loud over hear guys but otherwise going great. Hey Chuck how'd you manage to get flour all over you? You weren't the one behind the counter.

I'm gonna kill you he muttered at Chris. Looking forward to it mate. He smirked walking back into the kitchen. But you won't Charlie because you need me he winked coming back out with fresh baked cookies. Only for my favorite customers. Dig in. But be careful they're still hot right out of the oven. You know this should be a regular thing. Seriously? Yeah, you mean you don't get enough of us as it is? Charlie teased.

IDK what you're talking about he winked this time really actually trying to playfully smack Charlie with the rag he'd been playing with. Shouldn't you be working? Charlie glared playfully jumping out of the way. I'm serious Charlie ya'll should come down after your cases tell me all about them catch me up on them. We're all part of the same kind of family more or less. We all work for some kind of government organization. Some more than others he smirks his hair falling into his face as he wipes down the front counter.

Well, sorry for the interruption and the noise we'll get out of your hair now. Nah you guys are no bother, you're not an interruption or just plain noise to me brother. He teased one more time as he pushed the door open. Bye Eppes gang + extra. He waved after us chuckling all the while.