Fic: Scorched (Numb3rs, Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger, David Sinclair / Ian Edgerton)
Title: Scorched
Fandom: Numb3rs
Pair: Charlie Eppes / Colby Granger,
David Sinclair / Ian Edgerton,
Don Eppes / Martin Fridegord
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
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Follows:
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and
Increasingly Creepy
“I know I’m late, so don’t even start to lecture me about it. Where’s everyone?” Don groaned as he lurked to his desk. He had bought a cup of coffee from the vendor across the street, but the caffeine hadn’t kicked in yet.
“David’s on his way and Taylor called in sick. Charlie’s working on….. something.”
He pointed to the conference room, where Charlie was furiously scribbling on a blackboard.
“Morning.” Ian marched out of the elevator. “Could you tell David as his boss to answer his phone when I’m calling?”
“Good morning to you too. And he’s not here yet.” Don informed him.
“What do you mean not here? He left before I did.”
“I’ve been here over an hour and I haven’t seen him.” Colby reached the phone and dialled the number for the security check in the lobby. “This is agent Granger. Is agent Sinclair in the building? Are you sure? Okay, thanks.” He hung up. “He hasn’t signed in.”
“Agent Eppes?” Agent Parker approached them. She had been working in the office for two years, and she was still as annoyingly perky little girl scout as she had been when she started.
“What?” Don sighed. It was bad enough to face Martin’s perky morning mood every morning, but this was almost too much.
“PD called about an incident. They checked the licence plates and-”
“Start from the beginning.”
“They got a report on a car fire in Silverlake district. A car was dumped on an empty lot, doused with gasoline and set on fire. According to the initial report the vehicle was empty. The licence plates are agent Sinclair’s car.”
All three men stared at her.
“The vehicle was empty.” Don finally said.
“Yes.” Parker glanced down to her notepad. “They found some items from the wreck. They were all pretty badly burned, but they’re pretty sure they`re agent Sinclair’s badge and gun.”
“But no body.” Colby stated.
“That’s right.”
“Don, I think I found the-” Charlie bounced to the bullpen, but paused when he saw the looks on the other men. “What’s going on?”
“Parker, get me the name of the detective who handling it and his number, and tell them to send me everything they have about it.”
Parker turned and headed back to the elevators.
“He was supposed to drive straight to work.” Ian slammed his fist against the desk. “Where the hell is he?”
“He didn’t say he was going to go anywhere on the way here?” Colby tried.
“No!”
“Somebody tell me what happened.” Charlie demanded.
“David’s missing and his car was left on some empty lot and burned.” Colby explained. He turned to Ian. “Did he have his phone with him when he left? Can we trace that?”
“I don’t know, I’ve been calling his cell all morning. I’m going to chat that cop who handles the car.”
“No.” Don blocked his way. “I’ll go there with Granger, you’ll go home to if his phone is there.”
“Eppes.” Ian growled with his best get-out-of-my-way tone.
“Edgerton.” Don stared back at him.
“Come on, I’ll go with you.” Charlie offered and pulled Ian away from Don.
----------------------------------------------------
“Nine missed calls.” Ian tapped the keys of David’s phone. It had been laying on the coffee table in the living room.
“I’ll call Don.” Charlie pulled out his own phone.
“If you can get a signal. They started some renovations in this building and the machines interrupt the signal.”
“Really? I called Larry from the hallway.” Charlie mused.
“And the line worked?”
“Yeah, no problems-” He paused and looked at Ian. Both of them had the same expression of realisation. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Ian didn’t answer. He marched to the living room and started rummaging through the shelf’s and all possible hideouts. Charlie followed him and a minute later Ian pulled out a little device from one of the green plants.
“Camera.” Charlie stated.
“Yep. There has to be more. You take the kitchen, I’ll take the bedroom.”
----------------------------------------------------
“Okay, we’re just leaving. We’ll meet you at the office in half an hour.” Don hung up.
“Did they found his phone?” Colby approached him, carrying a labelled evidence bag.
“Yeah, and something else too. What’s that?”
“The stuff they found from the wreck. There’s an FBI agent involved so it’s our case now.”
“Good, Peterson case is almost wrapped, it can wait. This is getting serious. They found spy cameras from the apartment.”
“Cameras?”
“Six of them. They disturbed phone signals, that’s why they figured it out.”
“How is it even possible to get them in? Ian put in a new security system couple months ago.”
“The janitor had the access codes and the maintenance key. He remembered letting in a man last week to update the security systems.”
“Did he leave him alone in the apartment?”
“Yep. And before you ask, no. He couldn’t remember the guy’s face. Average height, average built, Caucasian, dark hair. That’s all.”
TBC