Burden Of Proof

Summary: Vijay is accused of a murder he didn’t commit
Warning(s): Spoilers for the first season of Prodigal Son; AU; canon-typical violence; explicit sexual content between two men
Pairing: Vijay/Malcolm

###

“You sure you want to do this, Bright?” Gil stopped outside the interrogation room and looked into Bright’s eyes. “The FBI’s got a pretty substantial case against him. And you know they don’t like you.” He reached out and clasped Malcolm’s shoulder, looking into his eyes. “This isn’t going to be easy.”

“I know, Gil.” Malcolm smiled at the man he viewed as his father figure; a far better father figure than Martin Whitley ever had been. “Don’t worry about me,” he added. “I can deal with the FBI if I need to. I’ve done it before.” He paused. “So how long do you think we have?”

“Not long,” Gil replied. “We go in. You ask the questions. We get out before your former colleagues wise up and come looking.” He paused. “You sure Chandasara will talk to you?”

“He’s more likely to talk to me than them,” Malcolm answered. “He trusts me. And I can talk him into giving them what they need, if it’s something that’ll help his case.”

Gil nodded, but his eyes swept over Malcolm even so. He didn’t protest or argue or attempt to dissuade Malcolm from the course of action he’d decided on. No. Instead, he opened the door to the interrogation room and stepped inside, taking a few moments before he then waved Malcolm in behind him.

To the casual observer, Vijay Chandasara looked put together. Calm and in control and completely unruffled.

But Malcolm could see the tension in the way Vijay held himself, stiff and straight. His fingers were clenched on the edge of the desk so tight, uncurling them would be something of a challenge.

But more than that, there was the slight widening of his eyes when they landed on Malcolm. He leaned forward, the movement barely perceptible, and some of the tension seeped from him. “I can’t believe they let you in to see me.”

“They didn’t.” Malcolm slid into the chair directly opposite his oldest friend. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gil take up position by the door. And then he turned his attention fully onto Vijay, knowing he didn’t need to worry about watching the door. Or his back. “I need to know exactly what happened.”

Vijay frowned and glanced at Gil, then towards Malcolm. “Wait, you’re not supposed to be here?”

Malcolm leaned forward slightly, holding eye contact. “They’ve got evidence that you did it.”

Vijay was shaking his head almost before the last word was out of his mouth. “I didn’t.”

“I know.” Malcolm’s voice was low and intense. This was one thing he was completely certain on. That Vijay wasn’t a murderer. He might have knocked down the bank robbers, but that was different. That had been self-defense. And besides, the only ones who truly knew what had happened then were the two of them.

Vijay had trusted him enough to read behind the lines then. Malcolm hoped that same trust was still there.

“I don’t know what else I can tell you that the FBI don’t already know,” Vijay said. “It looks really bad for me. I knew the woman. Not well, but she was a bit more than a passing acquaintance. They know we slept together last night.”

“And this morning, you woke up…?” Malcolm prompted.

“I woke up.” Vijay dropped his voice to a whisper. “She was dead. She’d been stabbed, multiple times. I was covered in blood. All over my hands. All over my clothes. And….” He paused. “The knife. It was in my hand.”

“Putting aside the fact that you were found with the murder weapon literally in your hands, why didn’t you wake up when she was being stabbed?” Gil asked. “Stabbing someone isn’t a quiet action. Unless she was drugged, or tied up and gagged, you would have heard something. You couldn’t have slept through all of that.”

“Unless you were drugged as well, or even instead,” Malcolm said. “Did they take a blood sample from you?”

Vijay shook his head. “I haven’t said anything to them. Apart from asking for a lawyer.”

“Then it’s a good job I brought a needle with me.” Malcolm quickly took the syringe out and uncapped it.

“Bright.” Gil reached forward and grabbed Malcolm’s wrist before he could stab the needle into his friend. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What I have to. We need to get tests run before any drug has the chance to leave his system. If the FBI hasn’t taken blood samples yet, they’re not likely to do so before whatever drug he’s been given leaves his system. If it hasn’t already.” Malcolm pulled his hand free and grabbed Vijay’s, pulling it towards him and turning it over so that he could see the veins standing out against his skin.

And then his hand started shaking.

“Damn it, Bright.” Gil quickly grabbed the needle from Malcolm’s hand and took over, drawing the blood from Vijay.

The only reaction Vijay gave was a slight wince. Gil carefully put the needle away after recapping it and then turned to Malcolm. “We’ll get this to Edrisa and she can run the tests. But even if she does find anything, that doesn’t mean the FBI will automatically start looking at another suspect. Or even that they’ll accept our findings.” He looked at Vijay, addressing him as well. “You need to cooperate with the FBI.”

Vijay glanced at Malcolm, who nodded. “Gil’s right. If you refuse to cooperate with the FBI, it’s going to make things even more difficult. They might not do things the same way as us, but you want to convince them that you’re innocent. Get them looking away from you and towards whoever the real killer is. Okay?”

“I trust you, baby boy,” Vijay responded. “But I can’t say the same for your FBI friends.” He paused. “You’ll find out who really killed her. Won’t you?”

“We’ll do what we can,” Malcolm promised. “But is there anything else you can tell me about her? About the victim, Rahne Fryer? Did she have any enemies that you know of? Any relationships with someone other than you?”

“I know it’s not a great help, but I really didn’t know much about her personal life,” Vijay admitted. “She’s in the same line of work as me. Or, well, she was, I suppose.” He shook his head and looked down at his hands. “You really think I should cooperate with them? Because it’s clear to me that they want to pin this on me.”

“It doesn’t look good,” Gil commented.

Malcolm looked at the older man, but didn’t immediately comment on his words. Instead, he glanced back at Vijay. “Cooperate when your lawyer gets here. In the meantime, we’ll run down all of the other possible avenues,” he promised.

“You’re leaving now?” Vijay glanced at Gil, though he addressed his question to Malcolm.

It was Gil who answered even so. “We need to leave now. We can’t stay any longer. Not until or unless we can come back with some new information for them.” He nodded to Malcolm. “Do you need anything else?”

“Not right now.” Malcolm stood quickly. “If you need anything, call me,” he said to Vijay.

“You’re the only one I would call. The only one I did call.” There was the slight hint of a smile; not a full one, because the situation was such a horrible one. He reached out and he rested a hand on top of Malcolm’s, as far as the cuffs would allow him to. And he gave the hand a light squeeze. “I know you’ll find out the truth.”

“Of course.” Malcolm stood there for a moment or two before pulling his hand free of Vijay’s and walked to the door. Almost as soon as he got there, Gil reached out and opened the door and the two of them headed back out into the main area of the precinct.

There was no sign of any of the FBI and Malcolm relaxed as they headed back to their department and grinned at his mentor. “That went better than I thought it would.”

“How do you figure?” Gil frowned. “You didn’t learn anything more, Bright. And I didn’t okay you bringing a needle in there,” he added. “You didn’t mention anything about that to me.”

“Of course not,” Malcolm replied. “You would have told me I couldn’t take it in with me.”

“With good reason.” Gil stopped walking just outside the door and turned to look seriously at him. “I took you in there because you insisted you needed to talk to him. What if he tells them you spoke to him? That could be enough for Swanson to insist you go before Internal Affairs.”

“Don’t worry, Gil.” Malcolm smiled at him. “Vijay wouldn’t tell them. I trust him about as much as I trust anyone. Even you.” He nodded towards the door. “You think Dani and JT are back yet?”

“Maybe.” Gil watched him for a few more moments before he turned towards the door and pulled it open, striding into the main office.

“Bright!” Edrisa walked towards him with a big, welcoming smile on her face. “I’m so happy to see you.”

Malcolm chuckled softly. “I haven’t been gone for that long,” he replied. Then, his eyes widened as he saw the file she was holding in her hands. “Is that what I think it is?”

“If what you think it is is the autopsy report on Sabine Broadmeadow, then yes.” Edrisa beamed. “I had to pull a few strings, but I got hold of it for you. The cause of death is exsanguination from multiple stab wounds. There were no defensive wounds, but there were marks on her wrists and angles from rope. Pretty strong rope, if the burns are any indication. And there were cotton fibres in her mouth. She was gagged. But both rope and gag must have been taken with the murderer, as there was no sign of either at the scene.”

Malcolm glanced at Gil. “Proof that there was someone else there.”

“But the FBI are going to be looking for an accomplice, not a separate murderer.” Gil took out the container with the needle and carefully passed it over to her. “We need the results back on this as soon as possible.”

Edrisa took the container almost reverently and turned a wide-eyed, dewy gaze onto Malcolm. “I can’t believe the FBI let you take a blood sample from him.”

“They didn’t.” Malcolm shrugged. “But it doesn’t matter either way. If you don’t find anything, they never have to know it happened. And if you do find something, then it should lead us to the true killer.” He smiled at her. “I’m counting on you.”

She nodded quickly, promising, “I won’t let you down!” Then, she quickly hurried off to the lab.

Malcolm heard the door open behind him and turned to look at Dani and JT as the two of them walked into the department. “So?” he asked. “Did you find out anything?”

“Agent Swanson wasn’t exactly forthcoming with information about the case,” Dani admitted.

“Yeah, almost as if she guessed that we were seeking out information for you and wasn’t open to sharing,” JT said. “Shocking, really.”

“But it does sound like the case is fairly airtight,” Dani said. “He was found with the bloody knife in his hand. No other fingerprints on it. Only his.” She paused and then asked, “Are you sure he didn’t do it?”

“A lot of people are capable of murder under the right circumstances,” JT added. “I know he was your friend, but people change. And after those robberies that turned to murder, at least one of the robbers was taken out by a car. From self-defense to a crime of passion. It’s not too far a stretch, Bright. I think you need to prepare for the worst.”

“He didn’t do it.” Malcolm spoke with absolute certainty. “I know he didn’t do it. I read people for a living. He’s not capable of this.”

“Bright, I know this is important to you, but we can’t focus on Chandasara’s case and nothing else.” Gil moved to Malcolm’s side as he spoke. “For one thing, we just can’t spare the resources. Now, you’re a consultant, so I can’t technically order you not to do any investigating on your own. And I can’t dictate what my detectives do on their downtime.” He paused.

“Thanks, Gil,” Malcolm said gratefully.

His mentor just nodded. “I have paperwork to do. There are no active cases at the moment, so take some personal time for today.” He then walked towards his office.

“So what do you want to do, Bright?” JT asked. “Go and take a look at the crime scene? Run down a suspect or two?” He paused. “You do have a suspect, right? Or at least a lead that we can chase down, since you so strongly believe that Chandasara’s innocent.”

“I don’t have any specific leads in mind right now,” Malcolm admitted. “But I figure the crime scene’s as good a place to start as any. The FBI will still have it cordoned off, which will help us find whatever they’ve missed.”

“And do you have a plan to get past the FBI?” JT asked. “Remember, you’re not their favourite person right now. And Agent Swanson will have left orders with them not to let you anywhere close to the crime scene. Not knowing your history with him.” He paused. “So do you have a plan to get in there? Cause I’m telling you, if you’re planning to use your charm and good looks to get in, it’s not going to work.”

“No. I won’t get in,” Malcolm agreed. “Not alone. But I’m not the only one who can play nice when I need to.”

“You’ve got a plan?” Dani asked.

Malcolm smiled. “Let’s just say, I have an idea for a distraction.”

###

“Any idea what we’re looking for?”

Malcolm and JT were standing just inside the hotel room that had been the scene of Sabine’s murder. Dani was talking to the agent who’d been left standing guard outside the door, Malcolm having given her a fake message to pass onto him from Colette Swanson. It had been enough to get the junior agent’s attention away from the door he’d been guarding; enough to allow JT and Malcolm to get inside.

Someone had cleaned up inside the room. Malcolm could smell bleach and polish. But under those two scents, he could make out the sickly-sweet, copper stench of blood. They’d cleaned, but they hadn’t cleaned well.

“Bright. Whatever it is we’re looking for, we need to get moving now. Dani can’t buy us a lot of time without raising suspicions.”

“It’s okay, JT.” Bright walked further into the room, feeling the carpet squelch slightly under his feet. He looked down, at the soft white carpet; now stained with rusted brown spots. “Someone traipsed blood through the carpet,” he announced, after crouching down to touch the stain and then sniff at his fingertips.

“You think it was the killer?”

“Maybe.” Malcolm thought about it. “Colette’s not stupid. She would have run down all of the obvious avenues. If there were shoe treads that didn’t belong, she would have found out who they did belong to. She might not like or trust me, but she’s still a good agent.”

“Yeah. Well, some might say that that’s one of the things that makes her a good agent.”

Malcolm snorted softly and straightened up. He crossed the brightly-lit room, stopping next to the bed and looking at it.

The bed was laundered and there was no visible sign of blood, though if the bedsheets hadn’t been changed, a black light would show the stains vividly. Of course, that would be any kind of bodily fluids, not just blood.

The bed was an old-fashioned one, with drapes that had been pulled back and bedposts. Malcolm leaned forward and studied the bedposts. He reached out and shook one of the bedposts. Then shook it more violently. And it didn’t even wobble. “The killer tied her to this.” He looked at JT. “See how sturdy it is? She wouldn’t have been able to get loose, if the ropes were tied tight enough. No matter how much she struggled.”

“That still doesn’t prove there was someone here other than the victim and Chandasara.”

“Maybe not.” Malcolm lay himself down on the bed and stretched out. “He didn’t say what side of the bed she was on, so let’s try both ways.” He patted the bed next to him. “Lie down.”

“I sure as hell ain’t cuddling with you.”

“I’m not asking you to cuddle,” Malcolm replied. “I’m asking you to help me.” He patted the bed again, a bit more firmly. “I need to get in the mind of the killer.”

“But you’re getting in the mind of the victim.”

“No.” Malcolm grinned. “I’m putting you in the place of the victim. Get down, JT. Like you said. We don’t have much time. Do you really want to waste what little we do have arguing over who gets to play the victim?”

“I’m still not cuddling you.” JT walked over to the bed and lay down next to Malcolm. Staring up at the ceiling, he asked, “Now what?”

“She was murdered right after having sex. Vijay wasn’t the killer, so there was someone else here.” Malcolm pushed himself up. “You planning on having sex, what’s one of the things you do to set the mood?”

“Candles?” JT shrugged. “Fine dining? Wine?”

“Yeah. So the drug was in the wine. Date rape drug, maybe.” Malcolm looked across the other side of the room, towards the small table. “They probably ordered in room service. So our killer’s either working for the hotel, or they stole a uniform and sneaked in to deliver the drugged wine.” He frowned. “Stabbing is personal. A crime of passion. But the murderer left Vijay alive. They didn’t hate him. Might have hated Sabine, but Vijay was just the handy scapegoat. It wouldn’t have mattered who’d been sleeping with her.”

“We looking for a jealous boyfriend, then?” JT asked. “A husband? Lover?”

“Maybe.” Malcolm sat up. “You can sit up now,” he told JT, then stood and walked over to the table. It was clear, now, of any bottles of wine or glasses. Whatever evidence they might have held would be washed away by now. The only hope rested with Edris and if she found anything in the blood sample they’d got to her.

“Was there any point in that?” JT asked. “Or were you just trying to prove something to me?”

“You helped. I needed to think. To get inside the killer’s head.” Malcolm traced the steps from the table to the door, pausing just before he reached it. “This murder was planned out. Place and probably time decided on. He didn’t see her as a partner. To him, she was an obsession. A possession.” He focused on JT. “She rejected him. He didn’t like it. It made him angry. He was angry that she was giving to someone else what he thought rightly belonged to him.”

“So if he couldn’t have her, no one else could?”

Malcolm frowned. “That’s what my profile’s telling me, but something doesn’t fit,” he admitted. “I’m missing something.” He paced back, towards the bed, eyes landing on the door to the adjoining restroom. Then, he moved towards the door.

“Bright, what are you doing?” JT moved over to him. “We need to get out of here. We’re pretty much out of time.”

“The killer would have had to clean up in the bathroom,” Malcolm replied. “The agents would have gone through the bathroom, they would have gone through everything, but maybe they would have missed something in there. Because they wouldn’t have looked too far.”

JT nodded. “Because they thought they already had the killer in custody.”

“Exactly.”

There was a murmur of voices outside the room and JT and Malcolm exchanged glances. Then, JT muttered under his breath, “Damn it.” He pulled open the bathroom door and shoved Malcolm inside, before shoving the door closed behind him.

On the other side of the door, Malcolm heard the sound of voices: JT, Dani and the voice of the agent who had been left to stand guard outside. He couldn’t make out the words they were saying and had to block them out.

He needed to focus on getting inside the mind of the killer.

The restroom was fairly simple, as far as hotel bathrooms went. It was painted all white, with a toilet and tiny shower cubicle to one side. There was a sink directly in front of him, with a mirror and a shelf just below the mirror. There was a row of basic hotel toiletries lined up neatly on the shelf.

Malcolm braced his hands on the sink and looked at his reflection in the mirror; though instead of himself, he saw a shadowy figure. The form of the killer. He spoke his thoughts out loud. “You stabbed her to death. I know you woke her up. You wanted her to see that it was you who killed her. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have needed to tie and gag her. You stabbed her, but you were totally covered with blood. So you came in here, knowing that you had to clean up. Wash the blood off. Otherwise, you would have drawn too much attention of the wrong kind.”

He turned away from the mirror and looked towards the shower. He walked over to it, muttering to himself. “You were smart. Decided to shower. Probably had a spare change of clothes already stashed here.” He opened the bin and looked into it; empty, apart from a few bits of tissue. He pulled on a glove and grabbed them anyway. Just in case.

And then the door was pulled open, revealing Colette Swanson standing framed in the doorway. She folded her arms and glared at him. “Malcolm Bright. I knew you’d find your way here eventually.”

“Look, Colette, I know you don’t like me. Or trust me,” Malcolm said. “But if you let me work with you, we can catch the real murderer.”

“We have the real killer. And it’s Agent Swanson to you,” she added. “I don’t need your help, Bright. If I did, I would have asked you.”

“Come on, Agent Swanson,” he said. “I know Vijay Chandasara. If he’d really wanted to kill someone, he wouldn’t have let you find him asleep next to his victim. Certainly not with the bloody knife in his hand. And what about the ropes and gag? Did you find any evidence of those here in the room? Why would he keep hold of the bloody knife but hide the ties? After all, those could be explained away as part of a kinky sex game.”

“Wait.” She frowned and shook her head. “Are you telling me you’ve got your entire team working on this? Did Arroyo organise this? Does he know about this?”

“Of course not.” Malcolm spoke the lie without hesitation. “Gil doesn’t know anything about all of this. I asked Dani and JT to help me, but they thought they were doing it for Gil.”

She stared at him and he knew she didn’t believe him. But he just smiled at her and hoped that she wouldn’t push too far in the wrong direction. As long as the rest of the team didn’t get into trouble for him trying to protect his friend, he’d be willing to accept full responsibility.

“As it happens, Bright, I did look for other evidence.” She spoke in a cool, even tone. “I didn’t look at only one piece of evidence and discard the rest. But there is no evidence of another person being here as well. This is an open and shut case. Your friend hasn’t confessed yet, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t do it.” She stepped back, away from the door, and motioned for Malcolm to leave the bathroom.

Left with no other choice, Malcolm walked out.

###

“So what you’re telling me is that you still don’t have another suspect. And now the FBI knows you’re looking into the case.”

Malcolm was standing on the other side of Gil’s desk. The door was closed and it was just the two of them in the room. Colette had left him there after telling Gil that she’d take further action if she saw Malcolm trying to work her case again. “She already knew I would be involved here,” he responded. “She knows my history with Vijay. She’d have expected me to get involved at some point.”

“Which is why all you’ve got is a warning,” Gil said. “I know you’ll keep on investigating, Bright. It’s what you do. But you need to let the FBI handle the crime scene.” He paused. “I can’t give you another chance to investigate after this one, Bright. Be more careful.”

“I got it, Gil.” Malcolm grinned at the other man. Then, with feeling, he added, “Thank you. For not telling me I can’t work the case.”

“Would it have made any difference if I told you no?” Gil returned. “I’ve had plenty of experience with your reaction when I tell you that you can’t do something. At least this way, I know what your end game is.”

“I still appreciate it, Gil.” Malcolm chose not to respond to the rhetorical question. He started to add something else, but then his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered it. “Bright speaking.”

“It’s Vijay.” He hesitated before saying, “I got a letter.”

Malcolm frowned, glancing towards Gil, who raised his eyebrows but didn’t speak. “Did you make bail?” he asked his friend.

“No. I’m still here. Locked up. Or I was. I asked to make a phone call.” Vijay hesitated before saying, “The letter was dropped in my cell. It’s typed. It doesn’t say much, but….”

“What does it say?” Malcolm motioned to Gil and the other man quickly provided him with a notepad and a pen.

Vijay cleared his throat and read, “You ruined my chances with Sabine. She’s dead because of you. Now I’ve ruined your life. Seems like a fair tradeoff.”

Malcolm waited and, when Vijay didn’t continue, he asked, “Is that everything?”

“That’s all it says,” Vijay confirmed.

“Did you tell the FBI agents about it?” Malcolm scanned the words he’d written down and then turned the paper towards Gil, so the other man could read what he’d written down.

“No. I don’t trust them.” Vijay had lowered his voice, so that Malcolm had to strain his ears to hear what he was saying. “This letter could have been delivered by one of them.”

“Or the real killer sent it to the precinct, knowing that you were held here,” Malcolm answered. “Is there anything else you can see about the letter? Any misspellings of words? Or random font changes that shouldn’t be there?”

“No. Nothing else.” Vijay hesitated before asking, “Can’t you come and see it for yourself?”

“I can try,” Malcolm replied. “But just in case I can’t get there as fast as I’d like, you need to look at that letter and let me know anything you notice. No matter how small you think it might be. Or how unimportant it seems. And I need you to report the letter to the FBI. I understand you’re reluctant to trust them, but ask for Agent Colette Swanson directly. Make sure you give it to her.”

“Is that who you trust?”

“She’s a good agent,” Malcolm replied. “And you can trust her. But like I said. If you notice anything, no matter how small or minor you think it might be, let me know.”

“Okay, baby boy. I’ll call you as soon as anything changes.”

Malcolm paused, listening to the silence after the call disconnected, just for a few seconds. It wasn’t the first time Vijay had used that nickname, but it was starting to throw him for a loop. More so that it gave his stomach a funny, almost twisted feeling. Like there were butterflies swarming inside. And he wasn’t stupid. This wasn’t the first time he’d felt like this around Vijay. It was just that it was the first time since they’d been best friends as kids.

“This seems like a stereotypical gloating letter to a victim. Or the FBI could claim that Chandasara had it sent to him to throw suspicion off him.” Gil’s voice broke into Malcolm’s thoughts and when Malcolm turned to face him, he frowned and asked, “Are you okay, Bright?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Malcolm shook his head to clear it and then nodded to the other man. “It doesn’t change much of the profile I had. But it does add a need to show off. Yes, the FBI are pretty sure they’ve got the right person. But if Vijay shows Agent Swanson the letter, there’s a chance she’ll start looking for another suspect. Or at least open another avenue of investigation she might not have looked into before.”

“Are you thinking that the real murderer’s arrogance has led him to make a mistake?”

Malcolm nodded, but couldn’t help frowning. Something still didn’t ring quite right with the profile, but he hadn’t slept properly for the past several nights and was in desperate need of a coffee. Or two. “Something like that.”

Gil stepped forward, moving round the edge of the desk, and placed his hand on Malcolm’s shoulder. “You need to go back to your loft. Get some rest.”

“I’m fine.” Malcolm did let himself move a bit closer to Gil, though, leaning into the older man’s touch.

“That’s not a suggestion, Bright.” Gil moved his hand towards the back of Malcolm’s neck and squeezed lightly. “Come on. I’ll drive you home. I don’t want to see you here before ten tomorrow morning,” he added.

“But….”

“Bright.” Gil moved his other hand towards Malcolm’s opposite shoulder and squeezed it as well. “There’s nothing you can do about it right now, Bright. Let me take you home.”

He thought about arguing. Considered refusing. He didn’t need to sleep, after all. He needed to solve this case. He needed to help his friend. And while he was at it, he needed to figure out how to deal with the crush that had come back full force.

Actually, maybe Gil was right. He could probably use some time to get his thoughts and feelings in order. He didn’t have to sleep. He could go to the loft and continue working on the profile and brainstorming the case.

Gil’s next words cemented the decision in Bright’s mind. “You either let me take you home and rest, or I’ll withdraw my unofficial permission for you to investigate Chandasara’s case.”

“All right, Gil.” He smiled at the other man. “I’ll do what you ask.”

###

He wasn’t getting anywhere.

Malcolm was sitting in his loft, on his bed, with his notes spread out in front of him. He was staring at everything he had, from the written letter through to the crime scene photos he’d gained copies of and the autopsy report Edrisa had got for him. But he had nothing. And he was on his third cup of coffee; and had yet to eat anything, despite promising Gil that he would.

A buzzing at his apartment door took his attention away from the files and notes and he walked over to press the button for the intercom. “Who is it?”

“Chinese delivery,” a voice replied on the other end.

Malcolm frowned. “I didn’t order any Chinese.”

“Well, someone did. And it’s already paid for, so you might as well pick it up.”

“Who ordered…?” The question died on Malcolm’s lips as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out to see that he’d had a message come through.

Enjoy the meal. Thanks for believing in me, baby boy.

That nickname again. Malcolm shook his head and buzzed the delivery person in. He took the offered bag with a muttered, “Thank you,” and then closed the door, carrying the bag over to the kitchen countertop. He opened the bag and pulled out containers with various food stuffs, spreading them all out on the side. Then, he took out his phone and sent off a quick message back to Vijay.

Are you trying to fatten me up?

The reply came back within seconds. You’re too skinny. Need to eat more. How are you sleeping? Still having nightmares?

Malcolm took out the chopsticks that had been included and picked at the food. He didn’t normally eat much, but…Vijay had arranged for this. And he couldn’t really bring himself to toss the food. Even though the other man wouldn’t have any idea unless Malcolm told him. He spooned some noodles into his mouth, chewing and swallowing before he tapped out his response. How did you get access to a phone?

Once again, the response came back very quickly. Avoiding the question, baby boy?

You’re not my therapist, Malcolm typed back. He continued eating; because he didn’t want the food to go to waste. Not because he was hungry. And it was a nice gesture on Vijay’s part. He ate until he was full and then typed, Thank you. For the food. He then walked over to the bed and sat down, eyeing his restraints before picking up the paperwork once more.

You want me to talk to you before you go to sleep? His phone chimed with Vijay’s message.

He paused, glancing at his phone. His first instinct was to respond with no. He didn’t need or want Vijay to talk to him before he slept. It had worked sometimes when they were younger, when they were at school together, but Vijay had stopped when the two of them had started withdrawing from each other.

I don’t need you to, Malcolm replied.

There was no response for long enough that Malcolm relaxed back into glancing through the paperwork, looking for anything he might have missed. Searching for the missing link in the pattern. What he might be missing from the profile.

And then his phone began vibrating and a glance at the screen showed the number was the one Vijay had been messaging him on. Malcolm answered fairly quickly, despite his opening words. “I told you I didn’t need you to talk to me. And how did you get a phone anyway?”

“I did what you told me to,” Vijay replied. “I showed the letter to Agent Swanson. I’m not sure she believed I wasn’t responsible for writing the letter and having it sent to myself to throw suspicion off me, but she let me have access to a phone. Just a basic one that I can use to send messages. I didn’t tell her that you’re the only one I’ll be messaging.”

“She probably guessed anyway,” Malcolm commented. “She already knows that we have a history together.”

“Did you get in trouble for trying to help me?”

“Nothing that I can’t handle,” he replied. “I really don’t need you to talk to me, Vijay. You’ve got more than enough to deal with right now. And I’m used to the nightmares.”

“Did you go ahead with the restraints idea?”

“It seemed like the smartest idea,” Malcolm admitted. “At least this way, I’m less likely to hurt anyone else.”

“Or yourself.”

“I guess that goes without saying.”

“Do you think I know whoever did it?” Vijay asked suddenly. “Is she dead because I slept with her? Was she targeted because of me?”

“I think it’s more likely that it had nothing to do with you and everything to do with her,” Malcolm answered. “The murderer was obsessed with her. With you, it was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn’t your fault.”

The sigh the other man gave was slow and quiet. “I think I needed to hear that,” he admitted. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Malcolm stared around at the papers spread out over the bed and held back a sigh.

“You should get some sleep.”

“You sound like Gil,” Malcolm muttered.

“There’re probably worse people to sound like,” Vijay commented. “You ate enough, right? So now it’s time that you get some sleep.”

“I can’t,” Malcolm replied.

“Do you have any other cases to deal with? Or just mine?”

“Just yours.”

“Then get some sleep, baby boy,” Vijay directed. “Move all that paperwork you’ve got spread out on the bed. Lock yourself up in the restraints. Put the phone where you can hear it.”

“Why? Are you going to sing me a lullaby?” Malcolm tried to sound caustic, but there was a happier note in his voice that he couldn’t hold back. And the butterflies were swarming again, triggered by the nickname and by talking to the other man. He found himself moving the paperwork aside, clearing it from the bed. He placed the phone, after putting it on speaker, on his bedside table, out of the way of any thrashing movements caused by his nightmares, and locked the restraints in place before he stretched out on the bed.

“You comfortable enough?” Vijay’s voice sounded from the receiver.

“Yeah.” Malcolm pulled lightly at the restraints, tugging on them to make sure they were secure enough. “So about that lullaby….”

“I’m not singing for you,” Vijay replied promptly. “But maybe next time, I can be there with you in person.”

“You mean in my bed with me?” Malcolm closed his eyes. The words were supposed to be teasing, but they sounded a bit more hopeful than he’d expected.

“Yeah.” There wasn’t even a hint of a joke or note of teasing in Vijay’s voice. “I get cleared of these charges, and I fully believe you’ll be able to prove I didn’t do it, and the first night of my freedom, I’ll be there with you. Like old times.”

Malcolm closed his eyes, not sure where the words came from as he asked, “But not quite like old times? I’ve only got one bed here and if you’re going to be staying in the bed with me….”

“We’ll be having sex.”

Malcolm wasn’t sure he was supposed to laugh in response, but the response startled one out of him. He cut it off and muttered, “Sorry.”

“That’s the first time I’ve had that reaction.” Vijay’s own laughter echoed through the phone. “Can I assume you won’t be laughing when we actually have sex?”

“I won’t laugh,” Malcolm promised. He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling awkward. His stomach flipped over and he kept his eyes closed. If they were closed, he could almost pretend that Vijay was there with him. “You ever done it before? Been with a man?”

“No. There were never any other men I was attracted to,” he replied. “Only ever you.” He paused. “What about you?”

“It’s the same for me,” Malcolm replied. “You’re the only man I ever felt interested in.” It was easier, in a way, to say the words to the phone. He didn’t have to see Vijay’s reaction as he said the words. “You won’t be able to fall asleep in the bed with me,” he added. “Even with the restraints, I’m not safe for someone to be sleeping in the same place.”

“I didn’t think anything had changed in the time we were at school to now,” Vijay answered. “You going to sleep now?”

“I think I should say no, just to be contrary.”

“Go to sleep, baby boy. Work on clearing my name in the morning, when you’ve had some sleep.”

“Just because you told me we’re going to have sex doesn’t mean you can now boss me around,” Malcolm mumbled.

If Vijay answered, he didn’t hear it, as he slipped finally into sleep.

###

As soon as Malcolm walked into the precinct the next day, Edrisa greeted him with bright eyes and an enthusiastic, “I found something!”

“Edrisa, let him get into the office properly before you bombard him with what you discovered.” Gil walked over to Malcolm, scanning him from head to toe before looking into his eyes. “How’re you feeling, Bright?”

“Pretty good.” Malcolm grinned at him. “I even got a full five hours of sleep last night. And I had a Chinese before that.”

“You ordered a Chinese?”

Malcolm looked towards JT and grinned at the other man. “No, I didn’t order it. But I ate it anyway.” He glanced at Dani, who nodded to him, and then looked at Edrisa. “You found something in his bloodwork?”

“I sure did!” She beamed at him. “Actually, I’m not sure the FBI would have understood what they were looking at, even if they had taken a blood sample from him. I mean, it’s something you might not even have noticed if you weren’t looking for something out of the ordinary. It’s actually pretty elegant, if you think about it.”

Gil cleared his throat. “Edrisa.”

“Right, sorry. Get to the point.” She smiled at Malcolm. “It was a date rape drug, but not like the ones we’ve seen making the rounds in the past. It’s an entirely new one.”

“There’s a new date rape drug going round?” Dani stepped over, glancing at Gil. “Did you know about this?”

“There’s been talk about it, but I haven’t heard anything concrete until now.” Gil’s focus was still on Edrisa. “You’re aware of a new one that’s been made and is circulating?”

“Well, I wasn’t aware of a new one,” Edrisa answered. “But after I ran the tests, I did some research and found out about it. There’s no official name for it yet, but its name on the streets is Sleep and Still. Because it knocks out its victim and even if they come to earlier than expected, it keeps them paralysed. You know, like that feeling when you wake up from a night terror and you can’t move? It mimics that.”

“Does it leave any lasting effects?” Malcolm asked.

“As long as the victim comes out of it okay, they won’t have any ill effects,” Edrisa answered. “But a few people exposed to the drug have ended up in comas. Even when they’ve come out of the coma, they’ve been left with pretty severe brain damage.”

“Can you give us all of the information you’ve got on this drug?” JT asked. “Sounds like this is something we want to put a stop to.”

“Already emailed you all of the information I have,” Edrisa replied. “I knew you’d want it straight away.”

“We need to give this information to the FBI,” Gil said.

“It won’t do any good without a suspect to point them towards,” Malcolm said. “And I don’t have that.” He shook his head. “Something’s missing from the profile. There’s something I’m missing.” He looked at each of them in turn, muttering to himself. “It’s someone who was rejected by her. Someone older? Not wealthy…unattractive to her. Someone she wasn’t attracted to….” He paused, eyes shifting towards Dani as he stilled. “I’ve got it.”

“Bright?” Gil moved closer to Bright, resting a hand on the back of his neck, looking into his eyes. “What are you thinking of?”

“I was assuming the murderer was male.” Malcolm shook his head. “But this was a crime of passion. And the use of the drug…did you find it in Sabine’s bloodwork as well?” When Edrisa nodded, he took a deep breath. “We’re looking for a woman.”

“Hold up, Bright,” Gil said. “We’re not looking for anyone. You need to give this information to Agent Swanson. She’s the one with the rest of the information and she’s already pissed at you for going against her before. If you go chasing after another lead, it’s going to make things even worse between us and the FBI.”

“Yeah, cause we really don’t need to make our relationship worse,” JT muttered.

“Agent Swanson isn’t likely to listen to me,” Malcolm observed. “She’s a good agent, but is more likely to ignore anything I say just based on the fact that I’m the one telling her it.” He looked at Gil. “It’ll be more effective coming from you.”

“You mean that she’ll listen to me while she wouldn’t listen to you?”

“Something like that,” Malcolm replied.

“I’ll take a look at that information about the drug with you,” Dani nodded to JT and the two of them headed over to one of the computers.

“And I suppose I’ll go and talk to Agent Swanson.” Gil looked at Malcolm. “Try not to get into any trouble while I’m gone.”

“I think I’ve been managing that so far,” Malcolm replied. “But you go ahead and tell Agent Swanson.” He looked at Edrisa. “What about you? Anything I can help you with?”

“Now that you mention it, I’ve got a strange corpse in the lab. It’s pretty interesting, actually. No obvious cause of death.” Edrisa smiled.

Malcolm nodded. “I’ll come with you. Since I’m sure Agent Swanson won’t come looking for me in your lab.” He followed Edrisa into the lab.

###

By the time they reached the end of the day, the word had got around the precinct that the FBI had followed another lead and it had led them to the true murderer. Malcolm had received a text from Vijay that had thanked him for what he’d done and then promised to meet him outside the precinct when the day was over.

Despite the unusual corpse Edrisa had found, there hadn’t been any new cases during the course of the day. Now, Malcolm stood in the doorway of Gil’s office and knocked lightly on the doorframe. “Do you need anything before I go home?”

Gil raised his eyebrows, looking intently at Malcolm. “That’s not like you to willingly go home at the end of the day, Bright. Is everything all right?”

“Well, we’ve been doing a lot over the past couple of days.” Malcolm paused. He didn’t really want to go into details about what was going to happen between him and Vijay. He didn’t really know himself how things were going to go and didn’t want to risk Gil (or someone else) telling him that what he was about to do was a bad idea. But he could keep to the truth to a certain extent. “I’m meeting up with Vijay.”

“Okay. But be careful, Bright,” Gil said. “This is the second time you and Vijay have been involved in a case together.”

“But this time, he was found innocent. And hitting the bank robber with a car was ruled as self-defense.” Malcolm smiled at Gil. “I get that you’re worried about me. But you don’t need to. Vijay’s my oldest friend.” He paused. “Well, my oldest friend apart from you.”

“And was it him who broke contact first or you?”

“We’re not children anymore.” Malcolm took a deep breath and then smiled at his mentor. “I know you’re worried about me, but I promise I’m not planning to do anything dangerous.”

“That would make a change from your usual behaviour.”

“Would you like me to check in with you every hour or so?” Malcolm smiled at him. “Really, Gil. I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me. At least not this evening.” He paused. “I really wanted to say thank you. For letting me work the case, even though the FBI didn’t want me anywhere near it. I really do appreciate it.”

“Like I said, Bright. If I didn’t let you work the case, I know you’d have gone ahead and done it anyway. With or without permission. At least this way, I knew where you were and what you were doing.”

“Well, ulterior motive or not, I’m still grateful.” Feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket, Malcolm pulled it out and looked at the screen.

Are you coming, baby boy?

“Haven’t seen you smile like that in quite some time, Bright,” Gil observed quietly.

“That was Vijay,” Malcolm replied. “I’ve got to go, I’ll see you tomorrow. Unless you really want me to check in with you every hour?”

“Just go home, Bright. Enjoy your evening. I’m glad to see you’re actually taking some personal time,” Gil nodded towards the door. “If I need you, I’ll call.”

“Thanks, Gil.” Malcolm smiled and walked out of the office. He glanced over at JT and Dani, who were both packing up their things, ready to leave. “Did you get any leads on that new drug?”

“Not yet,” JT answered. “And narcotics are taking over this case anyway. We’re only going to be involved if the drug’s used in another murder case.”

“And if it is, the FBI might be taking over that one too,” Dani added.

“Well, if it happens again, we’ll just make sure to get the case first,” Malcolm said. “But in any case, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He smiled at each of them and then headed to the door, leaving the office and heading out of the precinct.

Vijay was standing there, outside the precinct, one hand resting casually on the hood of his car. He didn’t look any the worse for wear for having spent at least three nights in jail. His suit was as smart and put together as it had ever been.

Malcolm walked over to Vijay and as soon as he was close enough, the other man reached out, grabbed his lapels and pulled him in close, kissing him hard on the mouth.

Almost automatically, Malcolm’s hands came up and wrapped around Vijay. They’d been building to this and now that it was finally here, all he could do was press in close; taste the other man’s lips. Breathe in his scent. Press so close to him that he thought they might merge their bodies into each other.

When they finally broke from the kiss, Malcolm breathed in deep and gripped the front of Vijay’s shirt, tangling his fingers in the fabric. “I think that was worth waiting for,” he whispered.

“We’ll go to your place. Since I’m sure you’ve got the restraints already set up. Maybe next time, we can go to my place.” Vijay moved to open the car door. He slid in and Malcolm moved round to the passenger side, getting in and buckling his seatbelt.

As Vijay drove them both in the direction of the loft, Malcolm allowed himself to gather his thoughts. He glanced sideways at Vijay, noticing the profile of the other man. The way he concentrated on the road in front of them. Then, as they parked outside the loft, Malcolm took a deep breath and opened the door, getting out of the car. He walked over to unlock the door, aware of Vijay coming to stand just behind his shoulder, close enough that he could feel the other man’s breath on the back of his neck.

Almost as soon as they got inside the apartment, Vijay grasped Malcolm’s shoulders and pushed him up against the wall, kissing him deeply and hungrily. Malcolm found himself responding…reacting…to the kiss. He returned it with interest and then let out a low moan as the other man’s hands moved to his pants, unbuttoning them and then unzipping them, so he could pull them down Malcolm’s legs. He knelt down at Malcolm’s feet, pulling his shoes off one at a time and then pulling his pants off, leaving Malcolm half-naked.

Even once Malcolm’s lower body was fully unclothed, Vijay didn’t straighten up to his full height. Instead, he ran his hands up the inside of first one thigh, gently squeezing and rubbing the sensitive skin, before he ran his hands down the opposite inner thigh. Then, he leaned in and pressed a row of tiny kisses along the same path his lips had covered.

Malcolm groaned and tipped his head back as Vijay’s mouth and hands worked magic, alternating between kissing, nipping, rubbing and squeezing the skin of his inner thighs until Malcolm’s whole body trembled and shook. He pressed back against the wall, trying to keep his balance, as his erection began to swell and grow.

By the time Vijay straightened up, Malcolm’s body was trembling. He grabbed Vijay’s shoulders and pulled the other man towards him, kissing him hard and deep. “I…need you….” He gasped the words into Vijay’s mouth and then groaned, pressing himself against Vijay’s clothed groin.

Vijay pulled Malcolm’s jacket off and then unbuttoned his shirt, pressing him hard against the wall as one hand ran down his chest and over his stomach. At the same time, he kissed Malcolm’s neck; and then gently nipped the skin.

“Vijay….” The name escaped Malcolm’s lips in a hoarse gasp. His head fell back and he ran his hands down the other man’s back. He was naked, his clothes pooled in a puddle around his feet, while Vijay was clothed. The rough material of the suit scraped against Malcolm’s bare skin, rubbing over his nipples and against his member.

Vijay tangled his fingers in Malcolm’s hair, gently pulling it and angling Malcolm’s head to one side, exposing his neck even more. And he took full advantage of that, kissing and then lightly biting the skin before closing his teeth over the pulse point that fluttered in Malcolm’s throat.

When he felt Vijay’s tongue flick over his pulse, Malcolm gasped and slid his hands up under Vijay’s jacket, giving it a gentle tug and pulling it free of the other man. He followed that with Vijay’s shirt, pulling it instead of unbuttoning it and then leaning in to kiss Vijay’s chest, then kissing his way down to one nipple, engulfing it in his mouth.

Vijay groaned and tugged Malcolm further into his arms. Without looking behind him, he pulled Malcolm towards the bed and pulled him down. He then rolled over, pinning Malcolm beneath him and kissing him hard.

Malcolm moved his hands to Vijay’s pants and unbuttoned them, pulling them and his underwear down, freeing his member from the constraints. Malcolm closed his fingers around Vijay’s erection, beginning to stroke it firm and sure. He was staring into Vijay’s eyes, breathing in deep. Emotions welled up inside him and he reached his other hand up, stroking the side of his friend’s, now his lover’s, face. “I always…wanted….” His voice broke, his emotions too strong for him to be able to continue.

“I know.” Vijay turned his face to one side, kissing Malcolm’s fingers and then wrapping his mouth around one of them, beginning to gently suck on the digit.

Malcolm moaned softly, beginning to stroke Vijay’s erection a bit more firmly and with a bit more surety. He couldn’t talk. Couldn’t force his brain to come up with words and send them to his mouth. He leaned up and kissed the side of Vijay’s face, then pressed another kiss to his chin.

“Wait.” Vijay pulled back, forcing Malcolm to release his erection. “Not yet.”

Malcolm blinked rapidly, levering himself up on his elbows to watch as Vijay moved off the bed, heading over to the pack he’d dropped on his way into the loft. A few seconds later, he was back, carrying a bottle of lube in his hand.

Vijay crawled back onto the bed and dipped a finger into the opened bottle of lube. He glided his lubed finger between Malcolm’s cheeks, rubbing it against his entrance, while his other hand reached up and gently squeezed, then flicked one of Malcolm’s nipples.

Malcolm gasped, then groaned as the opposite nipple was given the same treatment. And then Vijay was leaning over, swirling his tongue around each nipple in turn, lathing the slight sting that had been left behind. And at the same time, he pushed his finger into Malcolm’s entrance.

Gasping softly, Malcolm’s whole body arched and his fingers lightly gripped Vijay’s hair before he released it. He panted softly for breath, taking a few moments to get used to the unfamiliar feel of being breached.

As soon as Malcolm’s body relaxed, Vijay was adding in another finger, beginning to move both inside in slow, even circles. And he continued that until Malcolm was completely and fully relaxed, his fingers gliding down Vijay’s back and then he leaned up and pressed a kiss to the corner of the other man’s mouth.

And then Vijay pulled his fingers free and a few moments later, he was pushing inside Malcolm, his member bigger and firmer than his fingers had been.

Malcolm gasped quietly as he felt the slight sting and his fingers gripped tightly on Vijay’s shoulders as he arched his back and let his head fall back, exposing his neck to Vijay’s lips, tongue and teeth once more. His member was responding, growing and swelling and weeping the longer Vijay touched and moved inside of him.

Vijay’s hands moved to Malcolm’s hips and he gripped firmly as he began to thrust hard and fast inside Malcolm. They were looking into each other’s eyes and Malcolm felt moisture fill his own. “Vijay,” he gasped out. “I need….”

The other man’s fingers gripped tighter on Malcolm’s hips and he began to thrust harder and deeper. He let out a long, low groan and then slumped over Malcolm’s body, pressing a gentle, tender kiss to the side of his neck.

Malcolm’s own release had come over him right after Vijay’s and now, he lay limp and tranquil under Vijay’s body. “That felt so good,” he whispered.

Vijay kissed him and then carefully pulled out. He disappeared from view for a few moments and then returned with a damp washcloth that he used to clean up both himself and Malcolm.

Malcolm sighed, leaning his head back. His body ached, but it was a good ache. Like he’d done a workout and pushed his muscles. When Vijay moved within reach, Malcolm pressed a kiss to his lips and then let his head drop gently back against the pillows.

“Do you have anything to eat here?” Vijay asked. “Or should I be ordering anything in?”

“You can order something in for you, if you want,” Malcolm replied. “But I’m still full from the takeaway you ordered me last night.”

“You need to eat something.”

“I’m good. Just get me a bottle of water from the fridge and I’ll be fine.”

Vijay sighed and stood up from the bed. He walked over to the fridge and opened it, retrieving a bottle of water that he then brought over to the bed. He uncapped the bottle and handed it to Malcolm before sitting on the bed next to him.

Malcolm sat up and drank about half of the bottle before he then leaned lightly against Vijay’s shoulder. “I’m glad we did this,” he said quietly. “I always….” He took a deep breath. “I always had a crush on you, ever since we were at school,” he admitted.

“You had a funny way of showing that, after you broke the friendship in the first place.”

“I’m sorry.” Malcolm kissed the side of Vijay’s neck. “Will you really stay here with me tonight?” he asked.

“I really will,” Vijay promised, capturing Malcolm’s lips with his own. He wrapped his other arm around Malcolm’s waist, drawing him in close and tight.

Malcolm let out a quiet sigh and moved his head down to rest it lightly on Vijay’s thigh. “I’m glad you reached out to me.”

“I’m glad I came back,” Vijay replied. “I don’t know how long I can stay here for. I don’t even know if I have a job left. I know I was released without charge, but that doesn’t mean word wouldn’t have got to my boss about it.”

Tilting his head back, Malcolm looked up and into the other man’s eyes. “You know, if you don’t have a job to go back to, you can always stay here. Work with me. We made a really good team before,” he said.

“You’re right,” Vijay agreed. “And it would be good to work as a team again.” He leaned over and brushed a tender kiss against Malcolm’s lips. “I’m going to order in food for us. And then we’ll lock you in the restraints. I’ll sleep in the chair. And we can talk more in the morning.”

Malcolm thought he should probably protest, but for once, a sense of peace filled him. He was content and ready for the next step.

The End