Prologue
'The lab was lifeless, dark, with slabs of dust forming on the counter tops. It was due to be converted into office blocks like the rest of the building, but recent news suggested that the lab needed to be reopened after it's closure and dismissal of Mac Taylors Team and himself. Sid was not affected as he works for the ME office. Peyton has migrated back to New York and has come back working for Dr Neva Kyle, the new head of Medical Examiners. Jo Danville has been brought back along with two fresh CSI's, Detective Greer and Detective Sias. A search for a new Supervisor so far has proved tough. As the first crime came in, Jo and the team could feel the strain of having a small workforce.'
Chapter 1-
"Ok gang just got a call in from 1st precinct about a homicide that has taken place inside the department store Farwell's, the owner is trying to keep this quiet so he wants us down there as soon as. Mike if you head down there get the crime scene sealed off and ready for investigation, you know how to use the kit don't you".
"Do I look like I've just been brought in off the street, of course I know how!"
Jo gave a smug look at Mike and turned to Don
"Could you go down to the precinct and see if they can get a detective assigned to the case"
"Sure Jo, anything you need". Sias took the elevator down to the basement to the SUV.
Danville looked around the Crime Lab, how empty it had looked. She walked into Mac's old office, on his desk a frame lay there; with a picture of the old team altogether at a meal a few years back. Jo remembers that time, but got back to the real world and headed to the ME's office.
ME's Office 4:30am
"Hi anyone there, ohhh Siiddd, oh"
A brunette wearing glasses and a lab coat holding a checkboard walked over to Jo with a slight Latin accent.
"Hello there, my name is Dr Neva Kyle and I am in charge of the ME's working here, just then I assume you were referring to Sid Hammerback, if so he has taken reduced hours. Anyway how can I help"
"I just wanted to confirm that I had an ME available for a crime I'm taking in."
"Yes, let me just check". She looked down at her list on the checkboard.
"Peyton Driscoll will be doing the autopsy and will be at your disposal most of the time"
"Yes, I remember being told about her, she used to work for the old team before I joined".
Farwell's Department Store 5:00am-
"Hi I'm Detective Greer with the New York Crime Lab, I believe you have a body you want out the way".
The store owner was wiping beads of sweat of his forehead
"Yes, please be quick about this, the store opens in a couple of hours and we need to ready for the sales, you can talk to any of the staff, ask all the questions you want just get this out of the way".
"I'll try but I can't promise anything, by the way, there will be more CSI's coming down here soon to assist so let them in"
Greer looked down at the body; it was a woman, mid-30's, lacerations on the chest, with incision attempts made on the right forearm, as if someone was trying to carve something into her arm.
Sias walked over with the assigned detective Jamie Lovato. Lovato looked down at the body.
"Woah she's taken a beating, someone's really gone through the trouble of ruining this woman's life." Lovato had only been with the Homicide unit a year; previously she had worked for Narcotics but after an operation it led to her cover being blown.
Sias lent and looked down; taking several close ups of the forearm and her chest. He took her prints, but also found foreign prints in the process so lifted them for analysis back at the lab.
The ME's arrived and zipped up the body in a bag and took it back for autopsy.
Jo turned up at the scene and flashed her badge.
"Lovato, Greer I want you to interview any witnesses or any one you suspect may have the motive to do this."
Danville looked over at Sias, who was looking down at his feet looking like he had just be faced with death.
"Sias you alright".
"Uh yeah, just reminds me of something". Sias walked towards Jo.
"So what we doing, I collected fingerprints for analysis, took close up's of the marks made in her forearm and lacerations found in her chest". You take that back to the lab, I got the tech's back, so we have a bit more life in the lab!".
"Will do boss".
Jo walked over to a youngish employee; she hazarded a guess that it was the boss's grandson. The facial characteristics were similar to that of Mr Farwell.
"Hi, I'm Jo Danville with the New York Crime Lab what's your name."
"It's Joseph Farwell; I'm a grandson of Mr Farwell. He took me on last year when my parents died. I was on the streets; got myself into some bad places, then one day I get a call from my social worker who say's she has found a relative who's willing to look after me."
"And this is where you're at now"
"I know, I don't know where I would be without him, he really saved my life".
"Do you know who that woman is Joseph?"
"Seen her in here a couple of times, apart from that, nothing special, her name was Laura I think, don't know her last name"
"Ok thanks for your time"
Farwell's Department Store 2nd Floor 6:00am:
Lovato and Greer approached the clothing counter where two members of staff stand adjusting the tills and tidying up a bit. Lovato let Greer take care of this.
"Hi there, I'm Detective Michael Greer with the New York Crime Lab, this is my partner Detective Jamie Lovato with the 1st Precinct Homicide Unit, what are your names?"
"Can you read the name tag it's Eric Gassaway and that's..."
Before he could continue the other employee made a run for it bringing down clothing lines to obstruct Lovato and Greer's path. Greer went to try and chase her down while Lovato called it in.
"This is Detective Lovato 9786 we have a possible suspect in pursuit at Farwell's department store lockdown the main entrance and notify back up".
Jo began to catch-up when the message came through on her radio
"Suspect in pursuit, request for backup Farwell's Department Store"
She rushed over the elevator and saw the suspect running down the elevator, seeing Greer catch up with her. The suspect turned around, and took a shot at Greer, although he ducked, the second time he wasn't so lucky.
"Oh Jesus, you shot me in the god damn leg!" Jo pulled out her G19 Pistol and managed to get the suspect in the shoulder.
Several armed police officers ran in and apprehended the suspect to take her into custody. Greer was taken off in a stretcher.
Mr Farwell walked over to Jo.
"Hi Mr Farwell, I'm sorry but the stores closed until further notice"
"And why would that be"
"Well I'm guessing it's probably to do with one of your employees taking shots at my guys".
"All my employees are screened and."
"Save it sir, we need your full employee list as soon as"
"Fine, you'll have to get a warrant, oh and if this store is closed more than a day I will make a personal complaint to the commissioner".
Crime Lab 9:00am
Jo and the team arrived back at the lab to see a strange face in Mac's old office.
"And who are you?"
Michael Parker turned round
"I should ask the same question, who are you"
"I'm Jo Danville Assistant Supervisor"
"Michael Parker Crime Lab CSI Level 3 Supervisor"
"So you're the new boss"
"Yep, I've already met Sias, he's analysing evidence collected at Farwell's department store with the Lab tech. I hear Michael Greer was shot in the Leg".
"Uh yeah, he was, the suspect has been apprehended, waiting for her file to come through"
"Sorry if I'm stepping on any toes here, got a call at 3 in the morning telling my I was the Head of the new Crime lab, and here I am".
Jo gave him a smile and walked out his office.
Parker's phone rang. "Stella, is that you, sure that position is still open, come down here later today, got to sort the first case out, see you then".
Jo walked over to one of the lab tables. Lab Tech Haylen had just finished with the prints collected from the scene.
"Ok two sets of prints, one set from a Brinda Wood and the other set is our victim Monica Banuelos."
"Thanks Haylen, I'll go see Peyton down in autopsy to see if she has the cause of death worked out yet".
Hope you like this first Chapter, there will be five/six chapters in each story depending on how it is reviewed. So hope you look forward to more!