Because You're Swell

Blue Eyes

Jules knew she was still healing, that she shouldn't be going after Shawn and Gus like this. But as soon as she'd read Shawn's short text, she'd grabbed the keys and ran out the door.
She went well over the speed limit as she sped to the address she'd found in the files earlier. Caroline lived outside the city in an old neighborhood.
Juliet tried to put together in her mind why Caroline would do all of this. She'd lost her nephew, but she and Angelica had said in interviews that they had grown apart in adulthood. They only really saw each other on Christmas.
Juliet thought it was unlikely that Caroline would suddenly feel so strongly about the police's work on her nephew's case that she'd bomb the station. Her mind spun trying to think of answers, but she just pushed the thoughts away and made the car go faster.

•••

"We've been looking over Peter's case and trying to figure out what went wrong." Shawn said, only part of his focus on Caroline and most of his attention on the gun. She'd placed it behind the purse that was sitting on the table, but it was no hidden enough to be missed.
"They say the first 24 hours in a missing persons case, especially a child's, is crucial. It took the police department 51 hours to find Peter. And by then it was too late." Caroline responded. Her voice was flat, a significant lack of emotion considering the words being said.
"Were you involved in the investigation?" Gus asked. He obviously still hadn't noticed the gun, because he had not run screaming from the house.
"My sister called me when she realized Peter was missing," She paused, "My sister and I aren't as close anymore, but I came as soon as I heard. Peter is my family."
"Did you and your sister have a falling out?" Shawn said, earning a critical look from Gus.
Caroline's eyes narrowed, but she spoke, "When I was 15, we had a big fight. We didn't speak for a while, but I wanted to be in Peter's life. And in my sisters life."
As she spoke, Shawn glanced around the room, taking notes of the sparse decorations and bare walls.
"When did that happen? There's no pictures of your family anywhere?" Shawn asked.
"It was recent. I didn't meet Peter until he was five. I only got to know him for two years." This was the first time Shawn saw any real sadness in her blue eyes.
"And then that time got taken away from you, far too soon. Because the police couldn't save him from that psychopath." Shawn said.
"Shawn, a word." Gus said, dragging him quickly to the other side of the room.
"We're trying time figure out her story, not condemn her with no evidence."
"Oh I already know it's her." Shawn replied.
"What? How?" Gus whispered back.
"The gun on the table." Shawn answered.
"What? This crazy girl has a gun?" Gus's voice was getting high pitched.
"Don't worry, I have a plan."
"A dumb ass plan." Gus said.
Shawn and Gus turned back to face Caroline, who now had the gun in her hands.
"You guys really don't know how to whisper." She said.
"Fair enough." Shawn replied.
"Look, Caroline, we're here for answers just like you want. Let's not let this get worse than it has to be." Gus tried to reason.
"I have been failed over and over again. I cannot let this happen." Caroline said, her tone dark.
Shawn held his hands up and took one step closer, "Caroline, I understand."
"How can you understand?" She hissed.
"Remember? I'm a psychic. And I'm getting some very important messages from the world beyond." Shawn said.
"You really expect me to believe that?"
"How else would I know that you were Peter's birth mom?" Shawn asked. Beside him, Gus let out a small gasp.
"That's ridiculous." She said.
"You has a son at 15, way too young to raise a baby. So you're older sister took him. But you fought about it, so much so that you didn't talk for years. You tried to move on with your life, you graduated high school, you even earned a scholarship and started college for engineering but dropped out when Peter went missing. You could continue to live the lie you and your sister had created, with all those years of built up guilt." Shawn explained.
"How," Caroline took a breath, "How could you know that?"
"Psychic." Shawn said, pointing at himself.
"Well did the spirits tell you how the cops did nothing to save my son? They were spread so thin looking for all those kids. They didn't act fast enough, smart enough. But somehow they saved everyone. They acted like it was a victory. Except it wasn't. Not for my sister and I. It was the worst day of our lives, because he was gone forever." Caroline said, her voice starting to crack.
"Kidnapping cases are complicated. Attacking the police was not the answer." Gus spoke up.
"They deserve to feel the pain I felt." Her voice was rising. She held the gun up high again.
"Caroline, this isn't the way to get revenge." Gus said, putting his hands up higher in the air.
In a split second, she screamed and shot her gun at the ceiling. The bullet shattered the hanging light, glass falling everywhere.
In the next moment, the front door burst open.
"SFPD, put your hands up." Juliet shouted as she entered the room, her gun pulled.
"You should've done better." Caroline was crying now, "I should've done better."
"Hands up Caroline. You're under arrest." Juliet yelled. After a moment, she complied and dropped the gun to the ground. Shawn stepped forward and kicked it away.
"Told you I had a plan." Shawn said to Gus.
"Calling Juliet for help does not count as a plan. It's just her rescuing our sorry asses." Gus retorted.
"I've heard it both ways."