Ink and Intrigue

Chapter 4: Politics

☽Season 1, Episode 4☽

Avery stands at the latest crime scene, waiting for her dad and Beckett. She overhears some officer comment.

"You really basing your next character on Detective Beckett?"

"Every artist needs a muse," She can hear her dad comment.

She, along with Kevin and Esposito, approaches the two, "Detective Beckett."

Esposito gestures behind him, "Jack Lifford and Hall Morrison. While moving in, they, uh, see a rolled-up rug sticking out of a dumpster. They figure it's their lucky day," The group moves into the main living room where a body is laying on the rug, "They bring it home, only to find there's a prize inside."

Kevin smiles, "Dead guy in a rug- naturally, we thought of you."

Beckett squats next to Lanie, Richard doing the same right behind her, as the ME explains, "38 Caliber, close range. Killed him instantly."

"You got an ID?"

"No, pockets were empty," Avery says, "No wallet, no keys, no jewelry."

"We figure a robbery gone wrong," Kevin gestures to him and Esposito.

Beckett, Richard and Avery all comment at the same time, "This wasn't a robbery."

They all share a look before Richard explains, "I rob someone, I'm not gonna stick around to wrap him up and throw him away."

Avery nods, smirking as that was the opinion she voiced, "Blood splatter indicated that he was standing near the rug when he was shot."

"Where did they find this?" Beckett nods, agreeing.

"East Third. About two blocks away," Kevin tells her.

Beckett starts ordering, "All right. Let's get CSU on the rug-fibers, blood, identifying marks-and let's get a team down to the dumpster, see if they can dig anything else up. Lanie, you do what you can about an ID."

Richard stops the team from leaving, "Don't bother. I know who he is."

☽☽☽☽

Avery finds herself with Kevin and Esposito heading down to the dumpster, "So, Mini-Castle, your dad's book comes out today. He nervous?"

"Extremely. He's a narcissist who constantly needs validation from those around him. If this book doesn't sell well, he'll be a pain in the ass for a long time."

"Isn't he already?" Kevin jokes.

"Can we focus?" Avery laughs, "We have to figure out if anything was left in these dumpsters from our victim or killer."

The boys immediately jump into the dumpsters, "I don't care if it was free. Even if you pay me, I'm still not going to take that rug."

Kevin asks, "You're telling me you lived in New York your whole life, and you never scored a piece of roadkill?"

"Roadkill?"

"It's an accepted practice, bro. When you're done with your old stuff, you leave it on the street for those less fortunate- artists, students, former hedge fund managers. It's trickle-down economics at it's finest."

"Yeah, well, I prefer not to be trickled on," Esposito says as Avery stands next to the dumpster they are searching, avoiding any splashes from the garbage before she gets into the dumpster next to them.

Kevin smirks as he looks over to Esposito, "You know that red couch I have, the one you like so much?"

"Don't you say it, bro."