+18 - eps 28-32 - On the sixth installment of the Blackbird series, Cassidy sends Gillian and her team with Brock and Russel to Tampa, Florida, to look into the death of a girl while winter storm Jonas beats the East Coast. But this seemingly ordina...
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**picture: Frank Poole, 2001 A Space Odyssey
Brock came down from his room still on the phone with Andrea, who swore yet again she was fine and the storm wasn't tearing her mother's house down. A tempting smell of meat and veggies floated over the hall, and on his way to the 101, he heard Gillian's curse and Russell's chuckle from the kitchen.
Aldana stormed out of the 101 when he was about to walk in.
"Reg! You gotta see this!" she called out, and turned to Brock. "Looks like we found a link to Bennett."
He followed her in as Gillian hurried from the kitchen. He noticed she kept her right index finger to her lips, as if sucking its side.
Aldana grabbed a marker and stood by a scarce clean spot on one of the boards, to write as she spoke.
"After Bennett's trial in League City, two of his younger brothers changed their names to use their mother's maiden name," she said.
"To keep people from relating them to a suspected murderer," Gillian murmured, finger still to her lips.
"And turns out one of them moved here. Lou Harris—the name Ron texted me. Here he met Laura Prince, who had just divorced one Frank Poole—whose life was an odyssey, but nothing to do with outer space. They moved in together, but Lou died in a hit-and-run last year."
"So she's Bennett's sister-in-law," said Brock. "If Mark Reed is really Bennett, it'd make sense that she helps him to earn a living under the grid."
"That name, Frank Poole... it rings a bell..." said Gillian, thoughtful.
"He went out on an EVA and his last known address was on route to Neptune," said Aldana. "He's expected there by 3001."
"I found the partial Fred gave me earlier," said Tanya.
"Speaking of HAL," said Gillian. "Thought you were working on the adoption."
"I'm already into the system. No closed adoptions on Irene's name. Neither from the Richmond area since September," the girl replied. "So I need something more than 'Irene Graff-Richmond-December' to narrow it down."
"You found Reed's car?" asked Brock.
"I have two matches for the partial and the model."
"Owners?" asked Gillian.
"One is registered to Molly Robinson. And the Oscar goes to the other one, registered to Charles Poole."
Brock and Aldana stared at her, surprised. Gillian clicked her tongue as she turned to the other board.
"There!" She pointed at the three pictures on the corner. "Charlie Poole! He was one of the traffic controllers on duty the night of Irene's murder!"
Tanya typed swiftly again.
"D'we have an address, T?" asked Aldana.
"He's Laura Prince's firstborn!"
Gillian grabbed a marker and Brock noticed the blood about to drip from a hollow cut along her right index. So he stopped her from writing and met her eyes.
"Go take care of that finger, Gillian," he said, flat tone.
She scowled. "What? Forget it! This is much more imp—!"
"I have an address!" said Tanya.
Brock held Gillian's eyes. "It's your trigger finger, Gillian. You're not checking the address of a murder suspect if you can't handle your gun," he said, adamant. "Go, I'll warm up the car."
Aldana and Tanya managed to swallow their giggles at the way Gillian breathed deep, spun around and stalked out. Nobody but Brock could boss her like that. Russell came in as Brock turned to them and pointed at the equipment cases at the corner of the room.
"Did Bellison bring his motion scanner?"
"Yessir."
Brock turned to Russell now. "Wait for them, Coleman, and bring Bellison's scanner. We're gonna take a look at the place until you join us."
Russell looked past Brock, at Aldana. "No Baileys ruse, please."
"Don't worry about that," said Brock, dead serious, as he walked out.
Tanya had the chance to let out her giggle at the way Aldana rolled her eyes.
