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"Carter? Do you have a minute?" Kerry asked as she laid a file onto the counter. John didn't notice how nervous she was as she asked.

"Sure," he absently replied. He couldn't believe that the FBI was now involved in investigating his uncle's death. He couldn't believe that the guy he had spent the night with was doing the investigation. Boy, was his therapist going to get an earful at their next session. He followed Kerry into the lounge.

"Coffee?" she asked.

"No thanks. What's up?"

"I missed seeing you at home this morning, and so far I haven't had much of a chance to talk to you. Clark told me something disturbing last night."

"The FBI is investigating Joe Thielen's death."

She raised her eyebrows. "Exactly. They showed up at Clark's precinct yesterday around lunchtime. He stalled them as much as he could, telling them as little as possible. He doesn't think they'll find much in the file he loaned them."

"Why can't they leave things alone?" he asked, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. He didn't want to end up in the same state he was in at the time they discovered that Bobby had been the murderer.

"I don't know. Clark thinks that someone in the precinct called the FBI He doesn't know who or why, but that's what he thinks. Luckily, he had all his notes destroyed, so they aren't in the file. There's nothing in there to link you to your uncle."

"You're wrong about that, Kerry. I just got off of the phone with one of the investigating agents. They know I'm related to
him."

"I don't see how. I'll double check with Clark about it, but he seemed so sure that he had eliminated all references to you and your family."

"He must have missed something."

"I'll talk to him."

The door opened and Jerry poked his head in, "MVA in five."

"Thanks, Jer," Kerry replied. She rinsed out her coffee cup, then gave John a reassuring hug. "It will be okay, John. They'll talk to some people, then realize that there's nothing to investigate. In a few days, they'll be gone."

"I hope you're right," he answered, wanting nothing more than for the FBI to be out of this. But, deep inside, he also didn't like the idea of Fox Mulder being gone in a few days time. Despite finding out that Mulder was investigating his uncle's death, he found himself still wanting the man. Shit, he thought, maybe he could get in to see Nina today. He made a mental note to call her once the trauma was over. She was certainly going to get an earful that was for sure.

*************************************

When Scully knocked on the door of Mulder's room and didn't get an answer, she tried the doorknob, hoping it was unlocked. It was. When she got into the room, she was surprised to see Mulder sitting on the bed, looking as if he had been kicked in the stomach. She was afraid that he might get physically ill, he was that pale and shaken.

She sat down beside him. "I take it that he didn't take the news too well?"

Mulder raised his head and looked over at her. "He hung up on me. What am I supposed to do now?"

"Just what we had planned to do, Mulder. We're going to the hospital to talk to the people who attempted to treat Joseph Thielen, then we'll have a nice long talk with his nephew. Come on."

**********************************

The multi-vehicle accident kept John from worrying too much about Mulder and the fact that the F.B.I. was investigating his uncle's murder. But, when he came back downstairs after escorting the last patient up to surgery, he heard from Jerry that two F.B.I. agents were in the lounge talking to Mark.

"I think they're here because of your uncle," Jerry informed him. "They said they wanted to speak to Malik, Chuny, Doctor Weaver and you. I thought the police said your uncle killed himself?"

"They did. I don't know why the F.B.I. is interested in this." John grabbed the first chart he could reach, not caring what the patients' ailment might be. He needed to work. "I'll be with a patient. They can find me when they're ready to talk to me."

"Right." Jerry's expression was solemn as he watched John walk away. It just wasn't right that the Feds were here to dredge this mess up again. Everyone who worked in the ER knew that Carter had been victimized by his uncle, although no one spoke about it. The bastard was dead and the case closed. Why couldn't it stay that way?


Mulder leaned back in his chair, already weary of the questioning. So far, they had not learned anything that had not been in Clark Morgan's original notes. Mulder doubted if that would change with the next two to be questioned. As agreed back at the hotel, John would be questioned last, so Mulder was waiting for Scully to return with Kerry Weaver. The door opened and Scully returned, accompanied by a cute, petite redhead. The fact that the woman needed a crutch didn't distract from her beauty and Mulder felt a pang of jealousy as he considered her relationship with John. He knew that she was his boss and landlady. Was she more than that to him? Or was it possible that she wanted to be more than that?

He introduced himself as the women sat down. Kerry regarded him coolly, not liking the idea of being questioned yet again about that morning and everything that happened afterward. But, above her dislike of that there was her protectiveness of John. He was trying his best to shake years of guilt and shame and making good progress from what she could tell. Having to answer the questions of these two agents might bring all of that up again, and Kerry didn't want that to happen.

"Doctor Weaver, thank you for taking the time to speak with us," Mulder said, flashing his most charming smile.

"I wasn't aware I had a choice in the matter, Agent Mulder." Her gaze angry, Kerry sat stiffly, placing her hands on the table in front of her. She had nothing to hide, so she felt no inclination to be polite to these two.

"Well, we appreciate it anyway.

Mulder and Scully asked Kerry general questions about that morning. They were the same questions that had been asked of Mark, Malik and Chuny. Then the questions began to get a little more personal.

"Did Doctor Carter seem very upset after he found out that the dead man was Joseph Thielen?" Scully asked.

"He was upset. I don't know if I would use the word "very", though. Anyone would be upset to find out that they had worked on a relative and not realized it. That would be difficult enough, but when you add in the fact that the man was dead, then it's even worse. How would you feel if you arrived at the scene of a murder to view a mutilated victim and then discovered that it was a loved one?" Kerry replied.

"But, the fact is that Joseph Thielen was not a loved one." Mulder softly said.

Kerry glared at him. "Is there really a point to all of this? Joseph Thielen left a suicide note and the police and coroner ruled the death to be a suicide."

"Was Joseph Thielen wearing gloves?" Mulder asked.

"Of course not. We were in the middle of a heat wave, Agent Mulder. No one in their right mind would have been wearing gloves that morning."

"Then how do you explain the fact that there no fingerprints on the gun?" Mulder asked, looking her directly in the eyes.

"It's not my job to explain that," she evenly replied, steadily meeting his gaze.

Scully cleared her throat, "When did you become aware that Doctor Carter had been a victim of Joseph Thielen?"

"Are you investigating a suicide or a child molestation case?"

"We're investigating all possible leads, Doctor Weaver. While Doctor Carter has an alibi for that morning, there are members of his family who do not, and they are suspects," Scully replied.

"It was a few days later. Detective Morgan asked me if I thought that John had been molested. At first, I didn't agree with Detective Morgan's theory that John had been a victim, but when I asked John, he wouldn't answer me, and I realized that he had."

"Doctor Carter wasn't very cooperative with the police, was he?" Mulder asked.

"Define what you mean by cooperative," Kerry said.

"He didn't volunteer this information to Detective Morgan. According to the case notes, Doctor Carter wanted the case closed as quickly as possible so that his uncle could be buried."

"That was true. The entire situation was difficult on his aunt as well as the rest of the family. John felt it would be easier for her if she could bury her husband. I don't think I would refer to that as being uncooperative."

Mulder nodded. "Do you think that Joseph Thielen killed himself?"

"I think that a being from beyond the grave came back to get revenge on Mr. Thielen."

"I was asking you a serious question, Doctor Weaver," Mulder frowned.

Kerry refrained from telling him that she was serious. "I think that he was responsible for his own death, Agent Mulder." That was close enough to the truth for her. If he had not done the things he had done, then he would not have been killed that day. "Are we finished here? I really do have patients to see." Kerry said.

"I don't have any further questions at this time," Mulder replied. "Scully?"

Scully shook her head. "I'm done. Doctor Weaver, thank you for answering our questions. Would you do us the favor of asking Doctor Carter to come in here?"

"I'll see if I can find him." Kerry left the lounge.

"I think that went well," Mulder commented.

"As compared to pulling teeth?" Scully smiled. "Yes, it went well. We knew she would be protective of John Carter. Mulder, are you ready for this?" She knew he was still upset.

"I can do my job, Scully. That's all that's important, right?"

Scully shook her head. "No, it's not all that's important, Mulder. I care about you, and it hurts me to see you so upset. He really got to you, didn't he?"

Mulder shrugged. "I guess. While a part of me is glad we got this case because it resulted in meeting him, another part of me is regretting being assigned to this case. I don't want to hurt him, Scully. I know that you've wanted a nice, normal case for a long time now, but I would be more than willing to trade this one for a case involving the supernatural or aliens."

"Well, if you want to believe Doctor Weaver, then a ghost is responsible for killing Joseph Thielen," Scully pointed out.

"She was just yanking my chain, Scully."

"I know, but I'm surprised you didn't jump on the possibility."

"I don't believe in ghosts and you know it."

"So, you would have jumped if she had said he was killed by an alien?"

He grinned and nodded. "Now that is something I could believe."

The door opened and he tensed, not sure how John would react when they saw each other. It was a strange mixture of relief and disappointment when he saw that the person entering the lounge was the desk clerk and not John.

"Doctor Carter is finishing up with a patient right now and he'll be in as soon as he's through."

"Thanks, Jerry." Mulder replied.

"You're welcome." Jerry turned to leave.

"Jerry, may I ask you a question?" Scully asked.

Jerry turned back to look at Scully. "Sure, okay."

"Is Doctor Weaver very close to Doctor Carter?"

"He rents a room from her."

Scully smiled. "I was thinking more along the lines of personal feelings."

Jerry's face flushed as he realized just what the F.B.I. agent was asking. "No. There's nothing like that between them. Doctor Weaver is dating the cop who handled the case. She's not interested in Carter at all."

"Thank you, Jerry."

Jerry hurried out before she could think of any other questions to ask him. Where would she have gotten the idea that Kerry Weaver was romantically interested or involved with Carter? The very idea was laughable.

Mulder and Scully exchanged surprised looks as Jerry left.

"So, Clark Morgan, who wanted his case notes destroyed, is involved with Kerry Weaver, who just happens to live in the same house as John Carter. This case just got more interesting, Scully."

"I can't argue with that. The question is, when did she get involved with Morgan? Before or after the case was closed? I think we'll have to talk with the good Doctor Weaver at least one more time."

"Are you sure that's a safe thing to do?" Mulder asked. "I think she might be tempted to take a scalpel to us."

"She wouldn't use a scalpel, she's a trauma physician, not a surgeon. She would probably just use a rib spreader."

"Why don't I feel comforted by that?"

Scully grinned at him. "Look at it this way, with a rib spreader you..."

She trailed off as the door opened and a handsome man entered the lounge. By the way Mulder paled, she knew that this was John Carter. And he obviously was not happy to see Mulder here.

"I don't have much time to spend in here answering questions that I've already answered." John informed them. "So, make it quick."

"We'll do our best, Doctor Carter, but how fast this goes will be dependent on how cooperative you are with your answers," Scully said. "Please have a seat. I'm Agent Dana Scully. I believe you already know my partner, Agent Mulder."

John sat down, not even bothering to look at Mulder. "We've met," he tersely said.

To be continued...
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