Chapter Text
Roger Murtaugh had slept beautifully the night before.
Christmas had been terrifying but wonderful at the same time.
His family was safe,he was safe and thanks to him Riggs hadn't shot himself. Yet. That in itself was a win.
He had just started frying the bacon when the kids came down. R.J addressed him first.
"Hey Dad."
"Hey yourself."
He replied with a smile.
He looked at Rianna expectantly but she already had her head phones in and was looking at her phone. Murtaugh lightly jerked one of the earphones out.
Rianna sighed.
"Daad!
She protested
"Good morning to you too."
Just then Trish sauntered down the stairs.
Murtaugh smiled.
"Good morning baby"
"Well good morning!"
She replied cheerfully.
They shared a kiss as the kids muttered in disgust.
"Ugh so gross."
"We're trying to eat here!"
They broke apart but continued to smile.
"What does your day look like?"
Trish asked as she made a cup of coffee.
"So far? I haven't had to talk to Riggs or had any emergencies from the precinct So things are looking sunny."
Murtaugh smiled just as his phone rang.Trish looked at him curiously.
He frowned
"Spoke too soon. It's Bailey"
He held up his phone for Trish to see. She chuckled lightly. Murtaugh answered it reluctantly.
"Hello. Uhuh."
Murtaugh sighed.
"Yeah I'm on my way."
He looked at Trish.
"I gotta go. I'll see you tonight."
He planted a quick kiss on her lips and grabbed his jacket starting for the door.
"See you tonight. And baby?"
Murtaugh turned.
"Be careful."
He smiled.
"Always. You kids be good alright?"
R.J and Rianna glanced at him
"Alright dad."
"Yeah ok."
With that Murtaugh kissed Harper and Was out the door.
Meanwhile at Riggs trailer
Riggs slowly opened his eyes head pounding like someone was taking a sledgehammer to it. He vaguely remembered the night before. He had stayed up pouring over Miranda's case files while also going over all the cases Tito Flores had been involved in making comparisons and desperately looking for anything similar in the files that might link Tito directly to the accident. But he found nothing.
So he had handled it in a perfectly rational manner. He drowned all his emotions in a bottle of jack. Or maybe two bottles,the amount was a bit a hazy but it didn't really matter much at this point. He had a headache the size of Texas and could desperately use some coffee. But then he was used to morning like this,had been for awhile. A long while.
He wrestled himself up into a sitting position raking a hand thru his rebellious waves. He fumbled around until he finally got his hands on the flask he carried regularly and took a swig,wincing at the blinding sun coming thru the window. What time was it anyway? He held his hand up trying to hold of the persistent rays. He slowly looked around trying to locate the whereabouts of his phone. Finally he got his hands on it and checked the time. First thing he saw was her face. He slowly slid his finger over the screen,remembering the smoothness of her skin under his touch and the soft feel of her hair. He quickly yet reluctantly shook the memory off and checked his call log. Sure enough three missed calls from the precinct. They must've caught a case. He gently pushed his phone in his pocket and checked his ensemble. Shirt,pants,boots,he was good to go. Sure it was the same things her worn yesterday... Maybe the day before but clothes,minor detail right? He slowly got up, grabbed his jacket, slid his pistol in the back of his jeans and started for the door when he heard a noise outside the trailer.
He took his gun out and opened the door pointing it directly in front of the man in front of him, well man was a bit of a stretch, the kid looked maybe eighteen at the oldest but already carried the tattoos of the gangs he recognised from the cartels in Juarez. The boy slowly raised his hands.
"Easy gringo, He didn't send me here to kill you."
Riggs smiled sarcastically And waved his gun to his side.
"Oh come on, Tito has to want me dead just a little bit. I mean I assume that's who sent you anyway"
The boy lowered his hands a little.
"Tito didn't send me."
Riggs stared at the boy.
"Really? Well you know with that ink forgive me if I don't really buy that your not one of Flores boys."
"I didn't say I wasn't with Flores,just not that one."
Riggs stared at him realization coming over him.
"Armando?"
"The boy nodded. He sent a message."
Riggs smiled.
"From prison? Aw I'm touched. Tell him my Christmas cards gona be a little late ok."
Riggs turned back toward the trailer.
The boy called out
"He's not in prison."
Riggs looked back. That couldn't be right, Armando was in for life. And he'd barely gotten off with that instead of the death sentence.
The boy smiled.
"Lets just say he has friends in high places."
Riggs turned.
"Or low places."
The boy shrugged.
"However you want to look at it."
Riggs turned back to the door
"Well you can tell him I'm very happy for him,I'm sure we'll see each other soon."
The boy stepped forward.
"You'll want to hear what he has to say gringo."
Riggs put his hand on the doorknob.
"I seriously doubt that."
The boy continued forward.
"It's about your wife."
Riggs stopped in his tracks.
"What did you say?"
The boy continued
"He knows you've been digging around. And that you know about Tito. He wants to make a deal"
Riggs turned and faced the boy.
"What kind of deal?"
The boy started to walk backwards.
"Come to the warehouse down by the old pier. You'll get your answers."
Riggs looked at the boy.
"Flores doesn't just give stuff away. What's the catch?"
The kid tipped his head.
"Maybe he wants some info of his own."
Riggs looked at the sky as if it held the answers to the universe.
"Warehouse is a pretty secluded spot. How do I know Armandos not just looking for revenge for Juarez? Or Eddie? Or both?"
The boy lifted a shoulder
"Hey he played in the rain he got wet. Eddie did too. Armando owns that. But his offer won't last forever. Come to the pier at 7:00 tonight. Alone. Unarmed. If you tell the cops Then the deals off. And if you try to bring anyone along it won't end well for you gringo. Or your partner."
Riggs eyes locked on the kid
The boy backed away.
"Your call. You have until 7:00 then Armandos gone."
A black SUV pulled up and the boy was gone.
At at the precinct
Murtaugh sat in Captain Avery's office in one of the two chairs him and Riggs usually occupied. Not totally surprisingly Riggs seat was empty. Captain walked in and glanced at Murtaugh.
"Where's Riggs?"
Murtaugh looked around.
"What you think I know?"
Captain looked at him brow lifted.
"Well he is your partner."
Murtaugh stood up and stuck a pointed finger at the captain.
"Yes I am his partner, not his babysitter. Besides he never tells me anything even if I did ask."
Avery sighed.
"Well,you'll just have to catch him up when he decides to get here."
Murtaugh nodded and followed Avery to the bullpen.
"I just got a call from Detectives in Juarez. Apparently a prison transport was hit yesterday,both guards were killed and the prisoner escaped. No one was supposed to know about the transport. This was well planned and well executed. These guys were Professionals."
Bailey spoke up.
"Where was the transport going?"
Avery looked at her.
"A high security prison in San Antonio."
Finally Murtaugh chimed in.
"So what's it got to do with us? What do the detectives want?"
Avery turned towards the white board
"The inmate is Armando Flores."
Murtaughs head snapped up
"Relation to Eddie Flores?"
Avery looked at Murtaugh
"His brother. We assume that Flores is armed and highly dangerous."
Cruz spoke up.
"I've heard of this guy,back when I was on the street. They say he was linked to at least a dozen homicides. Cops could never get him because any witnesses mysteriously disappeared."
Murtaugh spoke up
"So how did they catch him?"
Just then Riggs walked through the door of the bullpen.
Avery glared at him as he walked in.
"Look who decided to come to work today."
Riggs not hearing him smiled wide and grabbed a donette from a table nearby
"Hey Rog! Boys Am I late to the party?"
Avery spoke first
"We were just discussing the new case. You know,what this department is here for? What your here to do?"
Riggs face turned into feigned sorrow.
"Your upset that I came in late. Look I'm sorry traffic was a bear and-"
Avery waved a hand
"I don't even want to know,lets just refocus on the case,Riggs maybe you can give us some info,you worked in Juarez right? And with the Flores family?"
Riggs nodded as he stuffed another donut in his mouth.
"Yep."
Murtaugh watched Riggs as Avery continued.
"Do you know who Armando Flores is?"
Riggs hesitated for a minute. Murtaugh wasn't sure but for a second he thought he saw a shadow of something fall across his face,then in the blink of an eye it was gone. Murtaugh wasn't sure what it was or if his imagination was just playing tricks on him,still something about it bothered him.
Riggs spoke quickly
"Armando. Eddies brother. Pretty bad dude. Multiple homicides, trafficking, drugs, the family package. I hear they Tried to get him for months but Nothing ever stuck."
Avery looked at both Murtaugh and Riggs as he spoke
"Well the transport that was taking him to San Antonio was just hit. Armando's gone. The Juarez P.D wants us to find Armando and bring him back in, preferably alive."
Riggs tilted his head to the side as he stuffed the last bit of donut in.
"No promises Capt."
Avery's eyebrows lifted
"There never are with you Riggs. There never are. Now both of you go, I don't want to see or hear from you again until you have a lead."
Avery walked back into his office letting the door close behind him.
Riggs dusted his hands off as Murtaugh started
"Alright lets check out the crime scene first."
Riggs And Murtaugh drove in silence for awhile. Finally Roger couldn't take it anymore.
"Ok what is wrong?"
Riggs looked at him quizzically
"Hmm?"
Murtaugh continued
"You haven't said one word since we left the precinct. Now as much as I truly thoroughly enjoy not having to listen to You constantly, I've been forced to be around you enough to know when something's eating at you and those are the times when you are more prone to do something totally and completely insane that could very easily get me killed or at least seriously injured which are both very bad for me. So therefore I ask again, what is wrong?"
Riggs shrugged innocently
"Nothing is wrong I'm just thinking about the case."
Murtaugh looked at him
"You mean about Flores. Listen you have to keep your head in the game on this one Riggs or Capt. will take you off the case again."
Riggs cut him off mid sentence
"Rog relax I'm fine ok?"
Murtaugh looked at him skeptically as they pulled up to the crime scene
"Your sure?"
Riggs smiled
"Positive."
Murtaugh frowned unconvinced.
"Mhhm."
They opened the car and stepped into the street where the crashed van waited. Two bodies were laid out at the front and back of the vehicle. Riggs walked to the back and inspected the body and the van while Murtaugh talked to Bailey and looked at the front. The dead security guard couldn't have been more than fifty. Armando's men had done their jobs. Single gunshot to the head on both victims. Armando. Riggs mind kept going back to the deal he'd been offered that morning. It was insane to even consider it. But if there was even a sliver of a chance that Armando knew something about Miranda's death,there was no question as to whether or not he would take it. Scorcece and Murtaugh's voices jolted him back to the present.
"I think the cause of death is pretty obvious. Single bullet,.38 to the head on both victims. I might be able to tell you more after I get them back to the lab but for now that's all I have."
Murtaugh nodded
"Ok thanks Scorcece."
Just then Bailey walked up.
"What do we got Bailey?"
Bailey sighed
"Well unfortunately not much. The only witnesses there were were from down the street and they didn't see much, just a black SUV that blocked the van and three guys with ski masks and guns got out and shot the guards then took Flores and left. Witnesses didn't see the plates or which direction they went."
Murtaugh frowned.
"Ok did we pull traffic cams in the area?"
Bailey shook her head
"They were out of view of any of the cameras on the block."
Murtaugh sighed and looked at Riggs who was squatting down looking at the victim.
"Hey."
Riggs continued staring paying no attention to Murtaugh.
"Earth to Riggs."
Riggs head snapped up
"Yeah?"
Murtaugh stared at him exasperated.
"Did you hear any of the conversation?"
Riggs looked at him calmly
"Black SUV, Ski masks, the usual. Guys were obviously pro's,they hit the van where there were no camera's."
Riggs looked at the guard at his feet.
"Didn't leave any witnesses that could I.D them. I think it's safe to say Armando and these guys are long gone by now."
Riggs stood up,Murtaugh looked at Bailey.
"Alright canvas the area in case we missed something and also check with the prison security and see if their system might have been hacked at all."
Bailey looked at him obviously confused.
"Sir?"
Murtaugh continued.
"The only people supposed to know about the transfer were the guards and the prison officials. Now considering the guards are dead I highly doubt they were Flore's men. So the only other explanation is either someone at the prison or that they hacked the transfer info. Start there,Riggs and I will go to the prison."
Bailey nodded.
"Yes Sir."
Riggs watched Murtaugh through his shades. He knew he should tell him that the leak was most likely one of the guards despite the fact they were dead. Armando would kill anyone he needed to,deal or no deal and the reason he knew that was because he had been the one that finally caught Armando and put him away. But he couldn't tell his partner any of that,because if they did solve the case and catch Armando he would never get the answers he wanted. The answers he needed. Answers about Miaranda. He just had to keep Murtaugh away from Armando until tonight. Then he would go to the pier. Best case scenario,Armando would hold up his end of the deal and Riggs would finally know the truth about what happened to Miranda. Second best,Armando kills him and flees to Mexico. It was a win win really.
"Riggs!"
Riggs mind snapped back to the situation at hand.
"Are you coming or would you like me to send the limo back?"
Riggs smiled. Good o'l Rog.
"Nah limo's were never my style. I'll drive."
Murtaugh chuckled.
"Your funny."
Riggs looked at him with mock innocence.
"Are you implying that my driving is less than professional?"
Murtaugh continued smiling.
"I'm saying that your driving could make a priest swear. At best."
Riggs touched his hand to his chest.
"I am truly hurt Roger. My driving is completely safe and competent."
Murtaugh laughed as he opened the driver door.
"Competent. Now that's really funny."
Riggs was quiet the rest of of the way to the prison. Too quiet. And what he said back at the crime scene didn't sit well with Roger,he almost sounded like there was no point in investigating. Or like he didn't want to. He had expected Riggs to be gung ho and trigger happy on this one more than usual but it was the exact opposite. He was calm. Too calm. And Not for the first time since he had been partnered with Riggs,Murtaugh found himself scared though this time not for himself but for his partner.
To be continued.