SAW: Hoffman

Erickson

Hoffman picked up a coffee from the machine that had been installed after his dispute with Alice.

"This stuff is just as bad." He muttered as he ran straight into Erickson, almost spilling the hot liquid down the front of his shirt.

"Hoffman." Erickson nodded shortly, "Come into my office."

Hoffman stepped through the door and stood behind the chair facing Erickson's.

"Sit down, Detective." Erickson gestured, sitting down in his chair, "I hear you had a dispute with Agent Strahm."

"Yes." Hoffman replied, sitting down stiffly, "He managed to enter the interview room after I interrogated a young woman about another case."

"Unrelated to the Jigsaw case?" Erickson pressed, leaning forward.

"Unrelated." Hoffman agreed, leaning forward slightly as Erickson stared into his eyes with an unreadable expression.

"I may have to place a tab on Special Agent Strahm after this incident..his condition seems to be growing rapidly." Erickson sighed, relaxing into his chair and folding his hands, "Thank you, Detective. That'll be all."

"Thank you, sir." Hoffman smiled slightly, "I'll have a report on your desk before I leave tonight."

"Good, good." Erickson replied absently, staring at the map on the wall.

Hoffman ran a hand through his hair and opened the door quietly as Erickson frowned.

"Detective?"

Hoffman turned back to the aged officer and raised an eyebrow, thinking of the elegant trap he had prepared, the one that would send Peter Strahm down in history as Jigsaw, tarnishing his prized career forever.

He almost laughed.

Almost.

"Sir?"

"The girl, does she know Strahm?"

Hoffman tilted his head as he considered his answer.

"I noticed them talking at a coffee shop on Main Street. I was on my break at the time and offered to give her a ride from the clinic. They were talking to each other after I left."

"Why did you go back?" Erickson demanded slightly, narrowing his eyes on Hoffman.

"Sir?" He asked coolly, his hand resting on the door handle.

"You said that they were talking after you left the coffee shop, so you went back there. Why?"

"I noticed that Cyan-the girl-had gone over to Strahm when I looked in the window. I wanted to confirm what I was seeing. Strahm had approached me in an irate mood, and I thought that Cyan could be in danger." Hoffman lied smoothly.

"You never logged the incident." Erickson noted, "I'd like to interview the girl at some point. She may be connected to the case."

"I have the report on my desk, sir." Hoffman replied, "I was going to hand it in before I was called to another scene."

"That'll be all." Erickson said, "Go and collect the report, Detective. You can go home. I think we've all had enough drama for one day."

Hoffman slammed the door behind him without another word.

---
He knocked on the apartment door and waited by the handle as he listened to rapid Spanish from further inside the apartment.

Cyan opened the door and smiled widely, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Mark smiled back.

"Oh, Mar-Detective Hoffman, I mean. Now really isn't the best time-"

Freya appeared at Cyan's elbow and smiled shyly at Mark, nudging Cyan slightly as Mark leant down to her level.

"How are you feeling?" He asked awkwardly as Romina poked her head out of the kitchen and shouted something at Cyan with a smirk.

"Better, I guess. I'm going to stay with my family in Chicago soon. Cyan and Romina said I could come over to stay for a while."

"That's good." Hoffman nodded, standing back up, "Could I have a word?"

Romina headed over to Cyan and waved cheerfully over her shoulder, a complete contrast to the woman at the clinic a few days ago.

"Detective, won't you come in?"

Cyan narrowed her eyes at Romina as Hoffman ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"I'm afraid I need to speak with Cyan-"

"We have been making some salad, and there is too much here for all of us." Freya added helpfully with a slight twinkle in her eyes.

"Besides," Romina grinned, "we would be more than happy to get to know you, wouldn't we, Cy?"

Cyan uttered something in Spanish and moved aside for Mark to step into the apartment.

"Really, I need to talk to Cyan in private." He insisted, feeling more awkward by the second.

"Ooh," Romina winked, "Why didn't you just say? I will set a plate out for you, Detective. You take all the time you need."

Mark felt a blush creeping up his neck as Cyan glared at her friend and growled under her breath.

Hoffman stepped back into the corridor and gestured to his own door.

"My apartment?" He suggested as Cyan slammed the door on a laughing Romina.

"Yes, yes. Let's just get this over with." Cyan replied distractedly as Mark opened the door and stepped back to allow her in first.

"Just sit over there on the sofa." Mark said as he threw his coat over the back of an armchair, "I rarely have visitors so you'll have to excuse the mess."

Cyan looked around the room and shrugged as he sat opposite her, his hands resting lightly on his knees. He noticed that she was looking at a photograph on the table.

"That's my sister, Angelina." He pointed to his beautiful, dark haired sister with her brilliant smile.

"Is that you?" Cyan asked quietly, nodding towards the grinning scruffy haired young man beside her.

"Yes. That was the year I joined the force."

"What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Erickson thinks you are connected to the Jigsaw case. He wants to interview you within the next few weeks, and I just wanted you to be aware."

"Me? I've only been here for a few weeks!"

"You met Peter Strahm, a suspect in the case. Your friend's aunt was attacked by someone in a Jigsaw costume. I'm sure you can connect the dots."

Cyan got to her feet.

"Anything else?"

Mark shook his head and frowned.

"Can't you make up some excuse for me?"

Cyan laughed and tugged at his arm, pulling him to his feet.

"Sorry, Detective."