Author's Note: MJ Taylor is my creation. I have no rights or claims to CSI: NY and it's established characters belong to CBS.
Chances
Stella Bonasera, Lindsay Monroe and MJ Taylor had met up for lunch. There was this new restaurant they all wanted to try out and decided to make a girls day out of it. The call came to Stella's phone, who was on call that afternoon, just as they were paying the tab. "DB found in the park at 75th and Central." She announced. As usual Lindsay and MJ were thinking alike "Mind if we tag along?" they asked in unison. They began walking out of the restaurant and Stella turned around and smiled "You two are getting as bad as Mac and I, it's your day off" She looked at both of them. "Don't you both have boyfriends you could be spending time with?" Stella slyly asked. MJ answered. "They're at a ballgame." Stella was shocked knowing MJ's passion for the game. "He took Danny instead of you?" Lindsay laughed and answered for MJ "It's a Yankees game. MJ won't step foot in that stadium, she'd rather take the subway to Shea." They were now at the entrance of the restaurant. MJ was laughing out loud "Hey, I prefer real baseball were you have to strategize and actually think, not throw the same nine overpaid guys out there for nine innings. I don't care how good they look in pinstripes." They walked out on to the street laughing amongst them. Lindsay was still giggling at MJ's comment. Lindsay preferred football but was always amused by the banter between Danny and MJ's over baseball.
Lindsay returned to the subject at hand "So mind if we tag along?" She asked. Stella relented knowing them both well enough to guess that they would end up at the scene anyway. "Sure, I'll drive. But you're finding your own way home." MJ laughed and responded. "No biggie. It wouldn't be the first time I've slept at the lab." Lindsay and Stella just shook their heads and all three were off to the crime scene in the park.
Stella got the rundown from the detective first on scene as MJ and Lindsay secured the area. The body was just off a path but visible enough if you were looking in the right direction. As Stella approached them she announced what she found out. "Okay, body was discovered about an hour ago by a couple jogging past. The woman stopped to tie a shoe lace and a rabbit that was sitting by the victim caught our jogger's eye." MJ hated not having her kit. Sometimes it was like a permanent appendage to her hand. Lindsay looked like she shared the discomfort. As Stella had said, they were technically off so they were both unprepared. But as always Stella's kit had three times the needed supplies, so there was plenty to share. They all gloved up and let Stella take the lead, as always. Stella was one of the smartest investigators MJ knew, other than Mac Taylor that is. She handed Lindsay the camera and asked her to take overviews. For some reason MJ was drawn to the victim's body. A young girl, about 16, jet-black hair and had several visible tattoos. She was about 5'6 and about 130-140 pounds. "I found a backpack." Stella announced as she began going through it. "Some clothes, couple of photos, a toothbrush, hair brush. No ID yet." MJ looked over to Stella's direction then returned her focus to their victim; she now knew why she was so drawn to the victim. "She's a street kid." MJ announced.
MJ carefully without disturbing too much tried to get a good look at the victim's injuries. "Whoever did this, was pissed off. She has several stab wounds to her stomach and her upper torso. It's a mess; Sid's going to have to tell us more once he gets her cleaned up. But I think she goes by Charlie." MJ declared. "What makes you say that?" This coming from Lindsay. "She's got a tattoo on the inside right forearm just above the wrist." MJ continued to scan the victim's body announcing what she saw. "She fought back and hard. She has defensive wounds on her hands and a relatively fresh healed scar on her lower left arm about 4 inches long. Her clothes don't really match or fit her, as they should. Careful checking that Stel, there is most likely a weapon of some kind. Probably a knife." MJ advised. Stella continued her search she then announced "Yep, found it." She carefully pulled a small 3-inch knife out of the backpack. "No sign of blood so I don't think it's our murder weapon. But we'll check anyway." MJ stood and viewed the area around the body. Then found what she was looking for, "Stella, I don't think she was killed here. I found a blood trail. I'll be right back" MJ followed the trail marking as she went back to the street, which is where the trail ended. She headed back to the scene. "Yep, blood trail I found ends at the street. Someone drove her here. There are tire treads and a dented garbage can with some paint on it. It might lead us somewhere." MJ started looking more closely at the actual area where the body was placed. "Stella look at how she's laid out." Stella seeing what MJ was indicating, the victim was placed on a soft patch of long grass, which almost looked comfortable, under different circumstances. Beneath the victim's head there was a bunch of flowers and more long grass almost like a pillow. "Now that's odd." Stella observed. MJ looked at her and stated "This place means something to her or maybe to her killer." MJ was silent for a moment, thinking before she spoke. She needed to be sure because she knew this was going to be walking a thin line. But she couldn't turn her back on Charlie, MJ needed to find out what happened and why. MJ looked directly to Stella and wanted to ask but more so she told her. "Stel, I want this one."
Stella pulled her gently aside just out of Lindsay's earshot. Stella wasn't sure how much Lindsay knew about MJ and didn't want to accidentally reveal something out of turn. "You are one of the best, I know I trained you, but I need your head on this one." Stella sounding very much like her boss and mentor. "It is." MJ confidently stated. But Stella wasn't sure, not yet. Stella's tone softened slightly. "Mags, if she is a street kid, it's going to take you back both in your head and in this case. You'll essentially be back on the streets looking for answers. That was a dark time for you I would hate to send you back there when you've come so far." This sounding more like a concerned friend than boss. But MJ was sure. "All the more reason for me to be the investigator. I'll know where to look and how to approach the life. Stella, I've never lied to you, ever. I can handle this, if you want you can work the case with me or maybe have Lindsay. She's a lot like you in regards too observation. She'll know if I'm getting in too deep and I trust her enough to go to you should that happen. But it won't, I swear." Stella looked at MJ's face and into her eyes. MJ believed what she was saying and Stella did trust her, implicitly. "All right. You and Lindsay. But I'm going to be poking my nose in and checking on things." MJ smiled. "Just like always." They were both quiet for a minute. "Thanks Stella." Stella just prayed she and MJ wouldn't regret this choice. They turned back towards the scene where Stella asked Lindsay if she minded working this case with MJ, since she had a case pending for court in a week and wanted to focus on that. Lindsay agreed without question. Once they had all that they needed, Charlie headed off for an unfortunate introduction to Sid Hammerback, the Medical Examiner and the women headed off to hopefully find a killer.