Judge, Jury, & Executioner

Chapter 7

Why did it have to be her? Of all the detectives in New York it had to be her.

Reaves felt a knot twist in his stomach as she looked at him. The anger, and pain, he could see spread across her face. Man, she hated him. Every ounce of him. He didn't want to see her, he didn't even want her to know he was there. But that stupid partner of hers just had to go ruin everything. And now he couldn't stop himself.

Her brown hair gracefully rested on her shoulders as he approached. The prosecutor looked at him and seemed to be sizing him up. Reaves looked at him, eye level, and then looked at Maddox. He could see she was clenching her hands into fists. Her index finger picking at her thumb. The other thumb had a bandaid on.

"Maddox," He said nearly choking on her name. Reaves cleared his throat and hoped it wasn't obvious.

Maddox gave him a scowl and then looked towards McNaughton.

"You'll have to find someone else to work this case," She said before walking away.

McNaughton went to object, but Maddox wouldn't hear it. Reaves watched her walking and then he looked at the others. Tommy was remaining neutral and was practically ignoring the whole thing. Detective Drake was studying Reaves reaction to the events and McNaughton was walking off, angry.

Reaves argued with himself and then went after her. Last chance. He ran down the hallway and followed her outside. The press were taking pictures and trying to sneak inside. Maddox was walking towards her car. Reaves looked around and then ran to her car. He slammed his hands onto the hood and then lifted them off in pain.

"Ow." He said.

Maddox looked at him and he thought she was going to shoot him.

"You just don't stop, do you?" She asked.

"I'm sorry. How many times do I have to say it to fix this?"

"Don't you get it? There is no fixing this. You dug up personal information on me. And then when I came and decided to open up about it, you kept that fact from me. You lied!"

Reaves threw his arms up and shrugged. "I'm sorry. But don't let your hate for me interfere with solving this poor guys murder."

Maddox stopped getting into her car and then looked at him.

"How do you know it was a murder?" She asked.

Reaves smirked and then folded his arms.

"Reaves, why do you think it's murder?" She asked slamming her car door.

He jumped and then she stepped towards him. Reaves was doing to hold his ground. Until she grabbed his ear and twisted.

"Okay, okay! Because I found this." Reaves said holding up a phone. Maddox released her iron clad grip on his ear, and he rubbed it.

"You found a phone?" Maddox replied.

He nodded and then turned it on to show her what he'd discovered while waiting for the emergency personnel to arrive. The phone had two calls on it and a couple text messages. The text messages revealed a threat to Whitty's children and then a photo of one of them. The person texting Whitty told him to kill himself or his daughters died. Whitty had eaten the nut bar intentionally and then dumped his inhaler and Epipen in the trash to prevent anyone from reviving him.

Reaves watched her as she looked at the phone. Then, he looked back and the screen turned black. It got really hot and then it busted into flames in Reaves hand. He dropped it and it sparked as it fried.

"That's different," Reaves said before stepping back.

Her response was a slow nod in agreement.

"Okay, so it is murder. Which makes this a heck of a lot more complicated case." Maddox said thinking out loud.

It was then an idea popped into his head. It was a long shot, but it could work. Reaves stepped towards her and held out his hand.

"I bet I can solve this case first."

She shot him a look of confusion, which then turned into a sneer. Reaves was putting his money where his mouth was, and she knew it too.

"Whoever wins gets bragging rights, and if I win you have to take me back as your partner." Reaves offered.

Maddox glanced at his hand and then at the phone.

"Okay, and then if I win, you never come back," She said before shaking it.

In his moment of triumph, he didn't even notice the fist slamming into his cheek. He tumbled over and placed his hand on his face. Maddox had punched him. Regaining his balance he turned and looked at her.

"Feel better?" He asked, holding his cheek still.

Maddox rubbed her fist and then said. "No."

Reaves scowled at her and then looked back towards the courthouse. I'm going to regret this. Maddox grabbed a quart bag from her backseat. After ensuring it wasn't hot, she placed the phone inside and sealed it. She looked around on the ground for any pieces, and after not finding any, she headed for the courthouse.

Reaves followed her back towards it, where Drake and McNaughton stood. Reaves could see in the prosecutor's eyes he didn't like Nate very much. Well the feeling is mutual.

"Okay, McNaughton I apologize. I'm going to work this case to the best of my ability," Maddox said, before adding to Drake. "Give this to Liam tell him it exploded in Reaves hand for no apparent reason. Let him know too, we may have to have someone from Computer Crimes Division consult." She handed him the bag with the phone in it.

Drake glanced at the phone in confusion and then shook his head, apparently clearing his mind of it.

"Well, why you were throwing your little tantrum over there. I did some good detective work. AKA, I got a suspect. Turns out there's a doctor on our jury," Drake explained.

"Doctor?" Reaves asked, trying to figure out why they didn't step forward when he asked for help.

"Yep, a Doctor Frank Carson."

Reaves turned to Maddox and smirked.

"The game is afoot my dear-"

"Do not call me Watson." Maddox interrupted before walking away.

Reaves looked at Drake and shrugged. It is afoot my dear Maddox. Yeah, I better not say that to her either.