Spoliers for 2x15; Fair Game
Taylor reached into the back of her locker and pulled out the only outfit that wasn’t a dress: her running clothes. Well, at least she had finally found them. She hadn’t worn them since she the case with the ecstasy and that had been a good couple of months ago now. She pulled them on, even though they smelt a little musty – anything was better than smelling of coffee – and pulled her lab coat over the top to hide the outfit. She headed out of the locker room and down to the interview room, where she set up seat the other side of the mirror.
“You don’t call, you don’t write. I was starting to think you were seeing other detectives, William,” Flack began.
On the other side of the glass, Taylor began giggling. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t know how he did it, but he could be extremely witty.
“You so like him.”
Taylor turned around and found Maddy staring at her with a smirk on her face. “I think you’ve had your head in the clouds too long.”
“I think you’re living in denial land,” Maddy corrected her.
Taylor rolled her eyes, “You do this with every guy I talk to.”
“I could always follow him around, and find out for certain,” her dead friend offered.
“If it wasn’t for the fact it would go straight through you, I would be throwing something at you right now. Why don’t you just stick to stalking Sheldon?” Taylor suggested.
Maddy grinned, “Don’t worry. I have every intention of doing that.” She stopped and stared at her friend.
“What?” Taylor asked her suspiciously.
“Yo le he perdido, Taylor, y lo siento que yo no le escuché acerca de Pete.”
Taylor fought back the tears as Maddy disappeared, “I missed you too,” she whispered.
The tears were suddenly forgotten about as Mac stood up and slammed the table into the suspect. “You think this is a game? We got you on burglary two, and you’re a violent, persistent felon. No more get out of jail free cards, for you William.”
Taylor blinked. It had been a long time since she’d seen Mac rattled like this. She’d clearly missed something when she had been talking to Maddy, because the expression on Flack’s face was one that read he was annoyed Mac had done that first.
“Look, I don’t know nothing about no cemetery, which is obviously where you found this Vance guy,” said William, as he sat back in his chair, a smug expression on his face. “Which means you probably can’t put me at the cemetery and now you’re pressuring me for a confession? Which is why your veins are popping out your forehead, which, means we’re done here.”
Another ‘which’ and Taylor would have flung the desk at him.
“We’re not done until a second life sentence is added to your time,” Mac finished, storming out of the interview room, leaving Flack to get the officer to take William to booking. Taylor left the room as Flack did. He stopped when he spotted her and stared.
“What?” Taylor asked him.
“What happened to your skirt?”
Taylor looked down. The shorts she was wearing were actually that short, they were hidden the lab coat. She’s wanted to hide the running outfit, but not that much. “Oh,” she gasped, blushing brightly.
“Forget to get dressed properly?” he sniggered.
“No,” she retorted, quickly recovering. “I spilt coffee down my dress this morning, and the only thing I had in my locker that wasn’t another dress, was my running outfit.”
Flack smirked.
“Oh, quit it,” she told him, before he could comment. “At least I have a locker.”
Flack looked behind her at the door she had stepped out of. “Do you normally watch interviews?”
Taylor nodded, “If I can, yes.”
He frowned slightly. “Why?”
“Because the suspect may say something which makes what the ghosts tell me make sense,” she frowned. “Does that make sense?”
“It would,” said Flack. “If ghosts actually existed.”
“You know, one day, you are going to get a rude awakening when it comes to ghosts. And when they start haunting your ass Exorcist style, I’m just going to stand there and say, I told you so.” Before he had the chance to respond, she spun on her heel and stormed off. Like him? Maddy was talking trash.
“You don’t call, you don’t write. I was starting to think you were seeing other detectives, William,” Flack began.
On the other side of the glass, Taylor began giggling. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t know how he did it, but he could be extremely witty.
“You so like him.”
Taylor turned around and found Maddy staring at her with a smirk on her face. “I think you’ve had your head in the clouds too long.”
“I think you’re living in denial land,” Maddy corrected her.
Taylor rolled her eyes, “You do this with every guy I talk to.”
“I could always follow him around, and find out for certain,” her dead friend offered.
“If it wasn’t for the fact it would go straight through you, I would be throwing something at you right now. Why don’t you just stick to stalking Sheldon?” Taylor suggested.
Maddy grinned, “Don’t worry. I have every intention of doing that.” She stopped and stared at her friend.
“What?” Taylor asked her suspiciously.
“Yo le he perdido, Taylor, y lo siento que yo no le escuché acerca de Pete.”
Taylor fought back the tears as Maddy disappeared, “I missed you too,” she whispered.
The tears were suddenly forgotten about as Mac stood up and slammed the table into the suspect. “You think this is a game? We got you on burglary two, and you’re a violent, persistent felon. No more get out of jail free cards, for you William.”
Taylor blinked. It had been a long time since she’d seen Mac rattled like this. She’d clearly missed something when she had been talking to Maddy, because the expression on Flack’s face was one that read he was annoyed Mac had done that first.
“Look, I don’t know nothing about no cemetery, which is obviously where you found this Vance guy,” said William, as he sat back in his chair, a smug expression on his face. “Which means you probably can’t put me at the cemetery and now you’re pressuring me for a confession? Which is why your veins are popping out your forehead, which, means we’re done here.”
Another ‘which’ and Taylor would have flung the desk at him.
“We’re not done until a second life sentence is added to your time,” Mac finished, storming out of the interview room, leaving Flack to get the officer to take William to booking. Taylor left the room as Flack did. He stopped when he spotted her and stared.
“What?” Taylor asked him.
“What happened to your skirt?”
Taylor looked down. The shorts she was wearing were actually that short, they were hidden the lab coat. She’s wanted to hide the running outfit, but not that much. “Oh,” she gasped, blushing brightly.
“Forget to get dressed properly?” he sniggered.
“No,” she retorted, quickly recovering. “I spilt coffee down my dress this morning, and the only thing I had in my locker that wasn’t another dress, was my running outfit.”
Flack smirked.
“Oh, quit it,” she told him, before he could comment. “At least I have a locker.”
Flack looked behind her at the door she had stepped out of. “Do you normally watch interviews?”
Taylor nodded, “If I can, yes.”
He frowned slightly. “Why?”
“Because the suspect may say something which makes what the ghosts tell me make sense,” she frowned. “Does that make sense?”
“It would,” said Flack. “If ghosts actually existed.”
“You know, one day, you are going to get a rude awakening when it comes to ghosts. And when they start haunting your ass Exorcist style, I’m just going to stand there and say, I told you so.” Before he had the chance to respond, she spun on her heel and stormed off. Like him? Maddy was talking trash.
* * *
“BOO!”
Taylor leapt off the chair in fright to find Maddy clutching her sides in laughter, with a less than amused Kyle next to her. “Maddy! I’m not ready to be joining you, yet,” she scolded her friend as she waited for her heart to slow down to a normal pace.
“You’re not joining me for a while, yet,” Maddy told her as she tried to control her laughter.
“Keep that up, and I might,” she grumbled.
“So, I’m actually here because Casper here has something to give to you.”
Taylor’s mouth fell open. “Maddy, you can’t call him Casper – it’s disrespectful.”
“I can. What’s he going to do about it?” she shrugged. “Strangle me? Because I’ve been there, done that, and I’m wearing the suit.”
Taylor threw a pen at her. “You really need to work on your sense of humour,” she growled as the pen sailed through her friend and hit the wall behind. Maddy gave her a grin and threw the pen back, before pushing the ghost towards her.
“Get him,” he told her, offering her three business cards.
Taylor took them and looked at them, Kyle Vance, Wedding Planner Extraordinaire; Kyle Vance Travels; Kyle Vance Casting ASA. “I thought you were an ADA,” she said, looking up, but the ghost had vanished, taking Maddy with him.
Taylor frowned and turned to the computer. Ten minutes later, she had an address.
Taylor leapt off the chair in fright to find Maddy clutching her sides in laughter, with a less than amused Kyle next to her. “Maddy! I’m not ready to be joining you, yet,” she scolded her friend as she waited for her heart to slow down to a normal pace.
“You’re not joining me for a while, yet,” Maddy told her as she tried to control her laughter.
“Keep that up, and I might,” she grumbled.
“So, I’m actually here because Casper here has something to give to you.”
Taylor’s mouth fell open. “Maddy, you can’t call him Casper – it’s disrespectful.”
“I can. What’s he going to do about it?” she shrugged. “Strangle me? Because I’ve been there, done that, and I’m wearing the suit.”
Taylor threw a pen at her. “You really need to work on your sense of humour,” she growled as the pen sailed through her friend and hit the wall behind. Maddy gave her a grin and threw the pen back, before pushing the ghost towards her.
“Get him,” he told her, offering her three business cards.
Taylor took them and looked at them, Kyle Vance, Wedding Planner Extraordinaire; Kyle Vance Travels; Kyle Vance Casting ASA. “I thought you were an ADA,” she said, looking up, but the ghost had vanished, taking Maddy with him.
Taylor frowned and turned to the computer. Ten minutes later, she had an address.
* * *
“Taylor, can I speak to you?” Lindsay asked, hurrying to catch up with her.
“Yeah, of course,” said Taylor, “How did that address work for you?”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you. Before Mac.” Lindsay looked around and then pulled her into an empty office.
Taylor frowned, “That sounds ominous, Lindsay.”
Lindsay bit her lip, “I found this,” she told her, handing her an envelope with RIP written on the front of it.
Taylor took it and opened it, pulling out about a dozen photographs, “I’m not following, Linds.”
“Do any of those faces look familiar to you?”
Taylor leafed through them and suddenly stopped as she found herself staring at… herself. “Oh, crap.”
“Yeah,” Lindsay agreed.
“I guess we had better see Mac,” said Taylor, pushing the photographs back into the envelope..
“You know what this is about?” Lindsay asked in surprise.
“Yeah, but I think it would be better if I explained this to Mac at the same time.” She handed the envelope back to Lindsay and the two of them hurried down the corridor to find Mac. He was with Stella in his office.
“Mac, have you got a minute?” Lindsay asked as Taylor followed her in.
Mac took one look at Lindsay and nodded, “What’s the matter?”
“Well,” Taylor began, “First of all, not only was Kyle Vance an ADA, he was also a wedding planner, a travel agent, and a casting director.”
Lindsay glanced at Taylor, who smiled at her, “Taylor found a lead and I went to an office he had rented out. He’d dressed it to look like three different offices. When I went in, it was all set up to be a casting office. He had movie posters, video cameras – everything.”
“Which means he was pretending to be someone he wasn’t,” said Mac.
“But why?” Stella asked.
“There was also another popped balloon,” Lindsay continued.
“And she found these,” said Taylor, taking the envelope back off Lindsay and handing it to Mac.
Mac looked from Taylor, to Lindsay, and finally to the envelope, pulling out the photographs. The first one was the one of Taylor, a giant red cross though her. “What’s this?”
“Your vic was playing Water Gun Wars,” Taylor explained.
“And you know this, how?” Mac asked her.
“Because I was killed playing it,” she told him, pointing to the photograph.
“Water Gun Wars?” asked Stella, her eyebrows arched.
“It was something that Alex, my editor, set me on. Basically, you become an assassin. You get given a dossier from The Supreme Commander, which includes a photograph of your target, and their home and work addresses. To advance, you either shoot your target with a water gun, or a water balloon. Once you’ve ‘killed’ them, you inherit their target,” Taylor explained, using finger quotes. “The last one standing wins $100,000.”
“Who is this Supreme Commander?” Mac asked her, a frown on his face.
“I really don’t know, and I’ve spent two weeks trying to track him down. To enter, you call a 1-800 number, and then he contacts you anonymously for you to pick up your dossier at an abandoned warehouse,” Taylor continued.
“So how does Vance fit into this?”
“Sounds like someone was got him before he got them,” said Stella.
“So who was his target?” Lindsay asked.
Taylor pointed to a photograph of a girl whose face hadn’t been handed out.
“We know her,” said Mac. He turned to Taylor. “You should stay here.”
Taylor nodded and watched the three walk away. She decided to head back to the computer and finish her research on Vance – he seemed to be leading a double life. Only on the way, she spotted Maddy sat on a table across from Danny, watching him process some clothing.
Maddy spotted her and pointed to Sheldon - who had only just walked in the lab, a few paces in front of Taylor, so hadn’t noticed her – an enormous grin on her face. Taylor rolled her eyes and leant against the door frame.
“You handing out cigars, papa?” Danny asked Hawkes as he approached the table.
Sheldon grinned at him, “Not yet – eggs are still incubating.”
Taylor frowned. After that ‘feast’ the night before, she wasn’t sure she could stomach the thought of more creepy crawlies.
“Any trace of our baker on that bowtie?” Sheldon continued.
Danny pulled a face. “The only thing we know is that our killer had a seventeen and a half inch neck.”
“Hetu’s looked smaller.”
“Yeah,” Danny agreed. “Doesn’t help put him at our vic’s apartment. What you got?”
Sheldon flung a folder at him. “Stomach contents,” he explained, as Danny pulled a sheet of paper out. “Safe to say our vic wasn’t on the Zone.”
“Water bugs, duck foetus, whale bacon?”
Taylor spluttered from the doorway. All three faces turned to look at her.
“Are you alright?” Danny asked.
Taylor rubbed her forehead, “Actually, I think you just described last night’s menu. Exotic cuisine.”
“You think?” exclaimed Hawkes.
“What do you mean, last night’s menu?” Danny asked her warily.
“Exotic Cuisine,” Taylor explained. “One of our food critics dragged me to this thing that’s going on at the Grandview Regent this week. Black tie affair where the super rich get together and eat crazy stuff, including what you just reeled off.”
“I saw an ad for that in the paper,” said Danny in agreement. “Are you telling me that you ate that?”
Taylor pulled a face, “Some of it. I drew the line at what was still alive.”
“Duck foetus?” Hawkes questioned.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but I’m never touching it again,” Taylor added with a shudder.
Sheldon turned to Danny, “Well, that would explain the bowtie, fancy dress by the bed.”
Danny pushed a photograph over to Taylor, “That’s our vic. Do you recognise her?”
Taylor glanced at the picture and shook her head. “I didn’t stay for long, and there was actually a lot of people there. I’m sorry.”
“No worries,” said Danny. He turned back to Hawkes. “What do you think?” Danny asked him, “You hungry?”
Sheldon nodded, “Let’s go.”
The two said goodbye to Taylor and left. “Wait for me!” Maddy shouted, tearing off after the two. Taylor laughed and headed back to the computer lab.
“Yeah, of course,” said Taylor, “How did that address work for you?”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you. Before Mac.” Lindsay looked around and then pulled her into an empty office.
Taylor frowned, “That sounds ominous, Lindsay.”
Lindsay bit her lip, “I found this,” she told her, handing her an envelope with RIP written on the front of it.
Taylor took it and opened it, pulling out about a dozen photographs, “I’m not following, Linds.”
“Do any of those faces look familiar to you?”
Taylor leafed through them and suddenly stopped as she found herself staring at… herself. “Oh, crap.”
“Yeah,” Lindsay agreed.
“I guess we had better see Mac,” said Taylor, pushing the photographs back into the envelope..
“You know what this is about?” Lindsay asked in surprise.
“Yeah, but I think it would be better if I explained this to Mac at the same time.” She handed the envelope back to Lindsay and the two of them hurried down the corridor to find Mac. He was with Stella in his office.
“Mac, have you got a minute?” Lindsay asked as Taylor followed her in.
Mac took one look at Lindsay and nodded, “What’s the matter?”
“Well,” Taylor began, “First of all, not only was Kyle Vance an ADA, he was also a wedding planner, a travel agent, and a casting director.”
Lindsay glanced at Taylor, who smiled at her, “Taylor found a lead and I went to an office he had rented out. He’d dressed it to look like three different offices. When I went in, it was all set up to be a casting office. He had movie posters, video cameras – everything.”
“Which means he was pretending to be someone he wasn’t,” said Mac.
“But why?” Stella asked.
“There was also another popped balloon,” Lindsay continued.
“And she found these,” said Taylor, taking the envelope back off Lindsay and handing it to Mac.
Mac looked from Taylor, to Lindsay, and finally to the envelope, pulling out the photographs. The first one was the one of Taylor, a giant red cross though her. “What’s this?”
“Your vic was playing Water Gun Wars,” Taylor explained.
“And you know this, how?” Mac asked her.
“Because I was killed playing it,” she told him, pointing to the photograph.
“Water Gun Wars?” asked Stella, her eyebrows arched.
“It was something that Alex, my editor, set me on. Basically, you become an assassin. You get given a dossier from The Supreme Commander, which includes a photograph of your target, and their home and work addresses. To advance, you either shoot your target with a water gun, or a water balloon. Once you’ve ‘killed’ them, you inherit their target,” Taylor explained, using finger quotes. “The last one standing wins $100,000.”
“Who is this Supreme Commander?” Mac asked her, a frown on his face.
“I really don’t know, and I’ve spent two weeks trying to track him down. To enter, you call a 1-800 number, and then he contacts you anonymously for you to pick up your dossier at an abandoned warehouse,” Taylor continued.
“So how does Vance fit into this?”
“Sounds like someone was got him before he got them,” said Stella.
“So who was his target?” Lindsay asked.
Taylor pointed to a photograph of a girl whose face hadn’t been handed out.
“We know her,” said Mac. He turned to Taylor. “You should stay here.”
Taylor nodded and watched the three walk away. She decided to head back to the computer and finish her research on Vance – he seemed to be leading a double life. Only on the way, she spotted Maddy sat on a table across from Danny, watching him process some clothing.
Maddy spotted her and pointed to Sheldon - who had only just walked in the lab, a few paces in front of Taylor, so hadn’t noticed her – an enormous grin on her face. Taylor rolled her eyes and leant against the door frame.
“You handing out cigars, papa?” Danny asked Hawkes as he approached the table.
Sheldon grinned at him, “Not yet – eggs are still incubating.”
Taylor frowned. After that ‘feast’ the night before, she wasn’t sure she could stomach the thought of more creepy crawlies.
“Any trace of our baker on that bowtie?” Sheldon continued.
Danny pulled a face. “The only thing we know is that our killer had a seventeen and a half inch neck.”
“Hetu’s looked smaller.”
“Yeah,” Danny agreed. “Doesn’t help put him at our vic’s apartment. What you got?”
Sheldon flung a folder at him. “Stomach contents,” he explained, as Danny pulled a sheet of paper out. “Safe to say our vic wasn’t on the Zone.”
“Water bugs, duck foetus, whale bacon?”
Taylor spluttered from the doorway. All three faces turned to look at her.
“Are you alright?” Danny asked.
Taylor rubbed her forehead, “Actually, I think you just described last night’s menu. Exotic cuisine.”
“You think?” exclaimed Hawkes.
“What do you mean, last night’s menu?” Danny asked her warily.
“Exotic Cuisine,” Taylor explained. “One of our food critics dragged me to this thing that’s going on at the Grandview Regent this week. Black tie affair where the super rich get together and eat crazy stuff, including what you just reeled off.”
“I saw an ad for that in the paper,” said Danny in agreement. “Are you telling me that you ate that?”
Taylor pulled a face, “Some of it. I drew the line at what was still alive.”
“Duck foetus?” Hawkes questioned.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but I’m never touching it again,” Taylor added with a shudder.
Sheldon turned to Danny, “Well, that would explain the bowtie, fancy dress by the bed.”
Danny pushed a photograph over to Taylor, “That’s our vic. Do you recognise her?”
Taylor glanced at the picture and shook her head. “I didn’t stay for long, and there was actually a lot of people there. I’m sorry.”
“No worries,” said Danny. He turned back to Hawkes. “What do you think?” Danny asked him, “You hungry?”
Sheldon nodded, “Let’s go.”
The two said goodbye to Taylor and left. “Wait for me!” Maddy shouted, tearing off after the two. Taylor laughed and headed back to the computer lab.
Originally posted: 11/06/2006