**New York – 1988**

*9:00 P.M.*

Heavy rain poured, lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled on the citizens of Manhattan, New York. "Looks like the angels are crying in heaven tonight sweetheart," Dr. Robert Casey said as he and his nine-year-old daughter, Lauren Casey, watched from the front door of their house. Robert Casey was a cardiovascular surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Lauren giggled. "They're bowling too daddy." Robert always told his little girl that when it was raining and thundering out, the angels were crying and God had been bowling.

Dr. Michelle Casey, Roberts's wife, and mother to his child walked up behind the two. "Come on honey it's time for bed. We have a big day tomorrow, remember," Michelle said kissing Lauren on top of her head. Michelle also worked at Mount Sinai Hospital, but she was a pediatric doctor.

"Yeah, we get to get a puppy!"

"Yes. So come on let's get you to bed."

"Okay, mommy! Goodnight daddy. I love you," Lauren said giving her father a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you to pumpkin."

Michelle looked back at Robert as she followed Lauren up the stairs. She mouthed, 'I love you.' Robert blew her a kiss back and she pretended to catch it; she headed upstairs with Lauren.

Outside something watched and waited.

**3:00 A.M.**

Lauren awoke to a loud thump coming from the upstairs hallway. At first she thought it was something paranormal because her father let her watch those shows occasionally, much to her mother's dislike. The loud sound came again, it didn't sound like a ghost. Lauren decided to go look being the curious person she was. She loved investigating.

As she walked to closer to the noise she realized it was coming from her parents' room. Lauren stopped and thought a moment. 'They probably are having alone time,' she said to herself and started heading back to her room, but then she stopped. A loud blood-curdling scream came from her parents' bedroom. It was her mother screaming her father's name. "ROBERT!"

"Mommy!" Lauren yelled and ran as fast as she could to the master bedroom.

Lauren went to open the door, but it didn't open. "MOMMY! Are you okay?" No answer. "Mommy!" Lauren started crying. She tried the door again, and this time it opened to a horrific site. A tall muscular man stood over her parents' bed, dressed in all black holding a knife. The man didn't see her open the door. He plunged the knife into her mother's chest several times. Lauren couldn't speak. The man in black pulled out a semi-automatic pistol. He wanted to make sure Michelle and Robert was gone for good. He fired nine rounds total: four in Michelle, and five in Robert.

The man turned and saw Lauren wide-eyed and staring at him. Tears were running down her cheeks. Thinking fast he returned the gun to his small duffle bag and started walking toward Lauren. He came inches away from her face. His eyes pierced her bright blue ones. She started sobbing.

"You killed my mommy and daddy! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Shut up little girl!" He yelled back. He grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. 'She isn't going to get away, and she isn't going to live to tell the truth,' he said to himself.

Thinking fast again, he found the cloth with chloroform he used on the father. He took her to her room throwing her hard on her bed. "What are you doing to me? Why did you kill my mommy and daddy? Please don't kill me," Lauren sobbed. The man in black smothered Lauren's face with the medicated cloth. She instantly went limp. A little chloroform went a long way with children.

With no more interruptions, the killer did his best to make himself look like the father just in case someone was outside. He collected all his things not wanting to leave any trace of himself behind then he grabbed Lauren.

Outside, he threw her in the back seat of the Michelle's car. He had previously come on foot, and had no transportation. He started the car and drove off.

**5:30 A.M. **

Two rookie police officers by the names of Mac Taylor and Horatio Caine arrived on the scene of the crime along with New York's crime scene unit. The Casey murders had been just been reported along with their missing child. "Officer Caine, Officer Taylor," Lt. John Chandler said, head of the NYPD Crime Lab. "Do we have an ID on the victims and the missing girl?"

"Husband and wife are Dr. Robert and Dr. Michelle Casey," Officer Caine said reading from his notepad.

"They had a child named, Lauren Casey. Neighbors say she was about eight or nine years old," Office Taylor said as he also read from his notepad.

"Thank you officers we'll take it from here," Lt. Chandler said walking into the house with his crime scene kit, following him were his crime scene investigators. The search for the killer and the little girl had begun.