Our Story: Harvey's Life

Which one is it?

    

    "Can I get discharged now?" She asked one of the nurses.
"No, you must at least spend the night here," she smiled sweetly.
"Thanks," she walked gently back into her room.

     "Of course, trust me Barb. I'm gonna stick to her like gum," Johnson said on the phone as he winked at her. "Just have a goodnight, I'm with her. Yes, bye." He disconnected the call.
      Luke and Jason were on the couch.

"Was that my mom?" She asked as she took a seat.
"Yeah, I had to tell her," he sighed.

"Now, everyone leave." She gestured to the door.
"Do you think I was joking when I said I was staying here with you?" Jason removed his coat mad rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Luke removed his tie and opened the briefcase.

    They sat on the floor and brought out their papers. Johnson crossed his legs and sat on the couch.

   Tess brought out her phone and tried to FaceTime Caleb.

"Hello?" His face popped up.
"Hey, any new leads?"

"Are you in a position where you should worry about the case right now?" He asked.
"If your sister was raped, killed and then her left eye and breast were cut off, would you rest?"

   Mitch appeared and said,"Harsh but true."

"We identified the man," David's head also popped up. "His name is James Sullivan. He doesn't have a job, he lives in Broome. Even Iron Man didn't admit that James killed the girls. Nothing notable, he's clean."

  "No, he's not." She placed her legs under the blanket. "What about the hair found in the victims hands?"

"It's not his, forensics are having a hard time identifying the DNA."

"That son of a bitch left everything clean." She closed her eyes for a while and said to them,"I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Wait,what?" Mitch went wide-eyed.
"You're getting discharged already?" Caleb asked.
"Yeah, tommorow. For today, I'll just enjoy this typical hospital smell." She disconnected.

     Johnson was already snoring away on the chair. Tess shook her head and turned to look at the remaining duo. Luke was still typing on his computer while Jason was looking at Tess.

"What?"
"You're handling the murder case?" He asked her.
"Yeah, I thought you knew about that."

"Can't you just assign it to another team?" He looked at her pleadingly.
"Nope, I caught it first." She tried to lie down.

"Will you please listen?!" He yelled and stood up abruptly.
"Stop shouting! You're not paying for this room, right?" She screamed back.
"No,he's not." Johnson answered from his sleep.

"I care about you Tess. I just don't want to see you on the news without your left eye and left....."

     She looked at him closely. She stood up and walked up to him. They were looking at each other closely.
      Luke sat there looking at the drama unfolding while Johnson opened one eye.

   "You," she searched his eyes. "You don't love me, do you?"

     He swallowed hard.
"I mean, I know you kinda have a crush but hope it's not what I'm thinking about?" She walked close to him that their noses were almost touching.
     She could feel his hot breath on her face.

   "Goodnight," she turned around and tucked herself in.

"Oh thank God," Johnson yawned. "For a while there you had me. I thought you were gonna kiss."

 
Jason still stood frozen on the spot.

"Are you sleeping or what?" Luke asked him. He had already used their jacket and coats as a blanket.
"I'm sleeping."

     Before they woke up the next morning, Tess was gone. Well, she had discharged herself and went home. The trio dispersed quietly.

 

   "So, I have a question." Mitch asked Tess when she took her seat. "Which one of them are you dating?"

"What do you mean?" She raised her eyebrow.
"There were three guys there," David started. "The CEO, his secretary and your friend."

    Tess placed one leg on top of the other and relaxed in her chair.

"Which one is it?" Caleb asked.

"You're curious too?" She chuckled.

"I hate to admit but yes," he said immediately.

       "Try to guess which one," she smiled and stood up to the coffee maker.

"The CEO seemed like he was just developing feelings for you," Mitch said and followed her.
"The secretary looked like he had given up on trying to win you over," Caleb followed too.

   "Your friend," David halted. "He's hard to read."

"How so?" She took her cup of coffee and turned to him.

"Sometimes he looks at you like a very caring friend and sometimes, he's like someone who's trying really hard to fight off his feelings and be your friend," He concluded.

     She smiled and sipped her coffee.

"Excellent," she clapped. "I've been teaching you guys well. You could be excellent criminal profilers," she picked her coffee cup again. "The moral of the story is that nobody should have feelings for me," she walked away and they all looked at each other weirdly.

 

   "Are you gonna keep talking?" Eva asked and they moved closer to her.
"James Sullivan doesn't know Iron Man." Diana said.

"What?" Tess placed her coffee cup on the table and moved closer.
"We cracked his phone and it was clean. If they knew each other, there has to be a connection or at least a conversation," Eva said.

"But that doesn't rule out the possibility that they might know each other." Tess walked around. "What if they're toying with us?"

"True," David took his seat.
"For now, we'll keep our eyes on James."
"Aye aye captain!" Caleb answered and everyone looked at him. "What?"

"You watch SpongeBob?" Eva held in a chuckle and Tess smiled.
"No, I don't!" He denied vehemently.
"Really?" Mitch chuckled too. "It kinda sounds like you do."

    "Oh, alright! I admit it, I watch it sometimes," he looked embarrassed.
"Not cool dude," Mitch bumped him on the shoulder playfully and they all waked away.

"Wait," he said to himself. "How do you guys know it's from SpongeBob?" He walked behind them. "That means you watch them too!"

"Whatever Squidward," Tess said and he gasped.

"Why am I Squidward?" He placed his palms his waist.
"Well most of the times, you're grumpy so.." Diana said, pushing her glasses up.

"You're one to talk Sandy," Mitch faced her and smiled.
"Oh please SpongeBob," Eva pulled Mitch by the ear.

"Then, what am I?" Tess faced them all.
"Mr Krabs?"
"Mrs Puff?"
"Plankton?"
"Old man Jenkins?"
"Patrick?" Caleb said as he ran away.

"I better not catch you!" She yelled as she ran after him.