Chapter 1

It was the first of April, and a very pleasant morning in Miami. Before entering the Miami Dade Police Station on his arrival, Horatio stood at the top of the steps breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the feel of the warm sun on his face. He was about to turn and enter the building, when he saw a figure he knew well stepping out of a cab. Smiling, he walked down the steps saying, "Cardinal Benedetti, how good to see you."

Shaking Horatio's outstretched hand the Cardinal replied, "Good to see you also Horatio," and laughing added "And away from the confessional box for a change," which caused Horatio to give a wry smile.

"May I ask why you are in Miami Cardinal? I haven't heard you are on one of your official visits, and when the New York Cardinal is coming to town the news gets around fast."

"I'm just on a quick visit today to attend an important conference, but wanted to contact you at the same time Horatio. I need to ask you for some help for a friend of ours."

However, when Horatio invited the Cardinal to enter the building with him, he declined saying, "I have to get to this conference and it is likely to last for most of the day. I just had to stop to say hello when I saw you standing here. I was going to phone you later, but I would prefer it if you could manage to come to The Holy Redeemer Church this evening for a chat."

Horatio nodding his head in agreement asked, "Is seven pm okay?" The Cardinal agreed, and left moving quickly back down the steps to his waiting cab, and Horatio deep in thought, slowly returned to the top of the steps.

Frank arrived just as the Cardinal's cab drew away, and catching up with Horatio, he asked, "Was that the Cardinal I just saw?"

"Certainly was Frank."

Frank made his way into the building sensing Horatio was preoccupied, and was not about to join him.

Horatio continued standing outside for a while, twiddling his fingers and wondering who was a friend of his that was also a friend of the Cardinals? His initial thoughts were about his own personal friends in New York. However, he shrugged his shoulders, and entered the building ready to start his working day.

He made his way to his desk to check whether anything new had come in for the day shift to handle, but at the moment there wasn't. So, sitting down he started thinking about their case load and what his team were working on right now. They were in a good position as they were completely on top of everything, except for one case.

The previous morning, in Little Havana, a robbery had occurred around ten am at the Echemendía cigar factory, in South West Street. Fortunately, the owner Miguel Echemendia hadn't been hurt, but was in a state of shock when Eric, Frank, and Natalia had arrived at the scene. He told them there were two robbers, but couldn't identify either of them as they wore hooded masks, and as they brandished guns in his face, he wasn't about to do anything stupid. They had tied his hands behind his back, and he had no choice, but to watch them load hundreds of dollars worth of the finest Havana cigars on to their van, which had been backed into the factory through the open rear doors. As the two robbers had jumped into the back of the van before it sped away, there was obviously a getaway driver, who he didn't see at all.

He did tell them that it was strange the robbery took place that very day, as while the factory, employing Cuban workers made their own cigars with skills the Cuban exiles had brought with them to Miami, he had a deal with the Fernandez factory on the north side of Miami, to have a delivery of their cigars on the odd occasion to help his stock flows. And coincidentally, he had such a delivery that morning, about two hours before the robbery.

When asked if anyone else in his factory would have known about the delivery, he didn't think so as this had only been arranged the day before from his home, rather than from the factory.

Unfortunately, the CTV camera was not working either. However, they had a witness to the getaway, as the van being driven away at great pace nearly hit Pedro Gonzalez, who was just passing by at the time. He managed to get a look at the drivers face, and he noted the van's number plate, which he clearly remembered, having a photographic memory. The result being, they already had the van in the police compound.

The empty van had been found late in the afternoon, dumped in the car park of a closed down office block, and not that far from the factory either.

The van had obviously been stolen and was recorded as being owned by Carlos Mechosa, who did not report the van missing until the afternoon on his return from a business trip to Richmond.

After a while Horatio stood up, and wandered around the lab to check all was as it should be, and to see if he was needed anywhere, although most of the team was out for one reason or another, so it was pretty quiet. He knew Ryan was down at the Biscayne Court today, to give evidence for the prosecution, regarding the arrest of a drug dealer some months back, and only just coming to trial. And, he was expected to be there most of the day.

Following the instructions he gave them yesterday, Eric and Natalia were already on their way to the cigar factory, to see if they could pick up on any evidence that may have been missed the previous afternoon.

Calleigh was on a day's leave as was Walter, but he was on call if needed, and Doctor Loman was due at the Miami General Hospital to give a lecture; also on call. That left just him and Frank to hold the fort.

Frank was in one of the interview rooms at the moment with Pedro Gonzalez, who had come in to try to identify the driver of the van from their mug shot files. In passing the room, he peered around the door, and asked, "Any luck yet Frank?"

Shaking his head, Frank replied "Not yet Horatio, but we still have a way to go."

Horatio walked away saying, "Okay, Frank. Keep me-posted."

"Will do," said Frank to Horatio's departing back.

Returning to his desk and with no one needing him, Horatio had too much time to think and found his mind wandering back several times to the Cardinal's comments. He couldn't imagine any one of his friends in New York needing his help. But, the fact the Cardinal was about to reach out to him, suggested something serious was afoot.

Getting restless, he decided to take another wander around the lab, for no other reason than to stretch his legs. He saw Frank was still in the interview room who gave him a shrug as he looked through the window, and then he thought that he really could use this quiet spell to clear up some paperwork and answer his emails. So, he returned to his desk, and did just that. This took him to lunchtime, and he was shutting down his laptop, when Frank joined him, and told him that the witness had not been able to identify the driver from the mug shots.

However, Horatio hardly seemed to take any notice, so he asked "Are you okay Horatio?"

"Why do you ask Frank?"

"Well, I know it's very quiet in here today, and unusually, keeping fingers crossed, there have been no April fool day stunts out there yet, but you seem to be somewhere else today Horatio."

"I'm okay, just a bit preoccupied about something Cardinal Benedetti said to me this morning."

He paused for a minute, and then said, "Sorry Frank, you were saying the witness couldn't identify anyone from the mug shot files. That's a shame, he has a good eye. So, looks like the driver is an unknown to us for now. Maybe, we can get a print from the van. It doesn't seem like he was too smart letting his face be seen so hopefully, he continued not being smart and left a print behind. Let's get Eric and Natalia check the van out when they return from the cigar factory."

Frank nodded his head in agreement, just as Horatio's cell phone rang. Frank moved to leave, but Horatio gestured to him to remain, so he sat down as Horatio answered his phone "Lieutenant Caine."

TBC