Echoes of Resilience

17

Two weeks later the police still had no leads on who could be working with Derek, therefore Meredith and Addison were both still under lockdown. Meredith knew that this was very different from her time in the shed, but she found herself very angry with everyone in her life who had failed her, had it not been for Addison she doesn't believe she would still be standing. The redhead had a way of making her feel better about her current situation and as promised both Arizona and Cristina were frequent visitors.

Officer Jacobs was frustrated with their lack of progress and decided it was time to bring up an idea to her partner, but she wasn't sure how Officer Taylor would feel about it. With a sigh she turned to look at her. "I think it's time we call the feds."

"What brought you to that conclusion?" Officer Taylor asks calmly despite being irritated at the thought of her partner's idea. Despite any issues she may have with the FBI, she knows that after everything they've uncovered in the past couple weeks this is more of an FBI case. She just doesn't want to have to admit defeat.

"We're no closer to figuring out who Sheperd is working with and we both know this is an FBI case and it has been from the beginning. He brought Meredith across state lines which makes it a federal kidnapping, not to mention just about all the bodies we've connected him to are spread throughout different states. We can't use any of those cases against him to get him to talk, but the FBI can. Federal kidnapping on its own is a capital crime. Derek knows that he's not getting out of prison; there's no deal that can be cut that could get him to give up his partner. If the FBI takes the case they can pursue the death penalty, maybe if he hears that he'll talk in exchange for life in prison." She sees Taylor roll her eyes. "I know you like to finish out all of your cases, but this one is above our paygrade and frankly out of our jurisdiction."

"How is it out of our jurisdiction when he was keeping Meredith in Seattle! Rose was also both abducted and murdered here, that is in no way a federal case!" Officer Taylor throws her hands in the air, grasping onto anything that keeps the case on her desk.

"Yes, she was kept in Seattle but she was abducted from Boston and living in New Hampshire. It doesn't matter where he kept her, he crossed state lines with her. If we follow your logic the cops up North could argue that it's their case, when it doesn't take a genius to figure out that he committed federal kidnapping. As for Rose, yes we could argue that one is our case, but they could get him on capital murder as well the more bodies they have. The state of Washington cannot try him for the out of state murders, we could get a life sentence but we both know he deserves the death penalty. How about you take a second to think about the victims instead of turning this into a pissing match." Officer Jacobs exclaims with anger evident on her face. "I'm calling the feds." She turns and grabs her phone to make the call, no longer caring what her partner thinks.

"I thought you just wanted the feds to threaten the death penalty to get him to give up his partner in exchange for a life sentence? Now you're saying it should go to the feds simply because he deserves the death penalty? Are the feds bait or do you just want to see a needle in his arm?"

"The only way I will be satisfied with a life sentence is if it is in exchange for the name of whoever he is working with. Meredith spent nine months locked up and once again, she is locked up. It may not be the same as when she was being held captive, but she still is losing her freedom. If we can lock up this other killer then she will be safe and won't have to essentially be stuck under house arrest." Jacobs bites back, venom lacing her voice. "Had we tested the rope in the first place, like I wanted to, we could've connected him to Rose before he got his partner to slip him a phone and maybe then he would have given up the name before keeping it a secret could benefit him."

"We don't know that! That is a big what if!" Taylor exclaims, trying and failing to stay calm when she knows that they fucked up by not testing the rope. Guilt rising up as she's reminded that not testing the rope was her call.