Seven years ago is when Lieutenant Horatio Caine met Kirsty Lansen. She's a criminal psychologist who was assisting him on a case; the IHearU Killer – as the press had called him. This specific case involved a serial killer who tortured and murdered couples whilst their child/children were in the next room. Horatio and Kirsty worked together talking and helping the youngsters throughout the terrible tragedy that left them orphans.
There had been sexual tension between them for sometime before they actually and officially dated. Horatio knew that he had to act upon his feelings when he nearly lost Kirsty. They hadn't caught the killer and because he was targeting families, it was unimaginable that he was to go after either one of them, let alone both.
It was a late Thursday night and Kirsty and Horatio were discussing the evidence; or lack of, at the Crime Lab. Horatio Caine was looking tired; he hadn't slept for over three days. The IHearU Killer had already destroyed two families, and Horatio didn't want it to happen to anymore children.
He offered to take Kirsty home and she took it upon him. They were driving out of the lab car park when Horatio got a phone call from a familiar number; Michael Downs, his personal nemesis – who was also a fellow member of the Miami Dade Police. The phone call was telling him to come to a house that had been suspected of holding the killer along with three children but no parents. Horatio hung up and told Kirsty – who was confused as to why there were no parents, that wasn't in the profile that she had created. He always killed the parents with the children in the next room and then he left. What was different this time?
A few minutes later, they arrived at the address Downs gave them. No other police car or unmarked car was in sight. Horatio had a funny feeling about this, something wasn't right, and so he told Kirsty to stay near the car. He handed her his back-up weapon and told her to shout if she needed him. She was scared. Didn't know how to load a gun up let alone aim and shoot.
Horatio entered the house, leaving Kirsty standing cautiously next to the car. She felt something, a weird feeling. Like someone was approaching or watching, at least. She looked around. Could see nothing but darkness. She turned back around, to face the house when she saw someone in front of her. Holding up her gun the shadow reassured her and told her to put the gun down. He was the one who called them – it was Downs identifying himself, showing Kirsty his badge.
Rick lead Kirsty into the house, said that Horatio wanted her to talk to the children. They wouldn't leave the premises out of fear. Kirsty walked down the path which lead to the house - ahead of Downs. She entered the front door and turned around, about to ask Rick where the children were when he hit her around her face with his gun – knocking her unconscious.
She awoke in a dark room. Unable to talk for the duck tape around her mouth. There was a small amount of light in the cold room. She could see the outlines of three small children – in the same situation she was in. She began to look closer at the children and recognised them as the surviving victims of the IHearU Killer.
She couldn't work it out. She had been so wrong about this case. About the un-sub. About Downs.
There was muffled screaming coming from the children. Gunshots were coming from above them. She could hear the sound of objects breaking. The two men shouting at each other. They must be in the basement; it was the only logical answer. Maybe a secret entrance – one which Horatio couldn't find.
Her heart began to race. Someone was about to come through the basement door, afraid that he would come back and hurt the children she tried called for Horatio. Trying her hardest to free herself to keep the children safe. But then she heard the sound of hope – police sirens. Still afraid that it was Downs coming through the door and that Horatio was above her wounded – or even dead, she began to cry.
That all changed. Her crying and worrying stopped when she saw the red-headed man coming through the doorway with policemen behind him. Horatio Caine untied Kirsty whilst the police men released the children and took them to safety.
"Can you take me home Horatio?"
"Anything for you…ma'am."
Chapter One
In seven years Horatio Caine became one of Miami Dade Police's greatest Criminal Investigators. Although Horatio was the most committed man when it came to his work – he wasn't as committed when it came to relationships. Or that's what Kirsty thought; and that being the reason they aren't together anymore – and haven't being together since last year.
However, just because Kirsty and Horatio aren't together anymore, well, that doesn't mean they don't love each other. He's still as over protective of her – maybe now even more as he's not constantly with her when she needs him. They have a son together, Jack, and Horatio tries to see his son ever day; often putting him to bed.
The present day…
It was an early spring morning in Miami; the sun was shining brightly as it always was. A cool wind breezed through the city on the crisp morning. Kirsty had dropped her three year old son off at the day centre, she liked him to interact with other children, socialize more.
A few blocks away from the Miami Dade Crime Lab in an old apartment building a man was sitting down on his bed, thinking of the next line to his so-called poem. He was writing it for the next woman he thought he could win over. The second woman he had his eyes on, as the first one rejected him and he killed her.
He bound her hands together, tortured her and then killed her. She was called Claire, a twenty-seven year old successful newspaper editor. From what Horatio's team found, she was tortured for up to 8 hours before being killed in such a way that it took the coroner a good few hours to figure out what the cause of death was; a single stab wound to the heart. Covered up my multiple post and pre mortem stab wounds to the entire body.
He left the first verse besides the first victim's body;
"I've been waiting all my life for someone as good as you
I look into your heart and know you're too good to be true
I look into my past, at everything that's gone wrong
And because you are here things are finally moving along
All for you. Carpe Diem"
Neatly typed up on a computer in which its ink and paper was traced back to a local internet café. All computers were checked and hacked but nothing was uncovered which could give them a lead to their suspect.
The next verse of the poem was complete;
"People always tell me my feelings will go
But they don't know what I know
They don't fell what I feel
It's like a scar that won't heal
All for you. Carpe Diem"
Horatio and his team did not realise that they had identified the first victim of what was the beginning of a serial killer.
* * * * *
Kirsty had already been to the 'office' and collected the brief for her biggest case after having her son four years ago. This case was the first case in which she would work with Horatio since the IHearU Killer where she completely misjudged the unsub in the investigation. This knocked her confidence; she kept saying to herself that if she profiled it correctly then no more families would have broken up.
She told her self that it would be the last time that she got the profile wrong. And since that day, she hasn't. This would be the biggest case she had worked on since the IHearU Killer all those years ago.
"Hello?" She asked, answering her ringing phone.
"It's Mark again. We have another murder. A female, single, lives alone, professional career etc." He paused. "The crime scene is only a few blocks away from your place."
"I'm on my way." She responded, hanging up the phone.
Kirsty arrived at the second murder location to find Calleigh and Eric processing the scene. Upon her arrival she saw a group of people outside the perimeter of the building - any of which could be a suspect. She subtly took pictures of the crowd with her phone.
"Hey Kirsty." She heard Calleigh say. "I didn't know you were working this case."
"Yeah, so they were both found in their own home?" Calleigh nodded. "Any signs of a struggle?"
"No." She paused, packing away her equipment. "We believe he drugged the women but there were no signs of any foreign toxins in their bloodstream."
"Alcohol?"
"Not that either." She said. "Listen, I've got to get back to the lab, Eric's in the house if you need any more answers."
"Hi." Kirsty murmured to Eric as she walked into the house. "How are you?"
"Good. And you?" He paused. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah…"
"You haven't told him have you?"
"Eric, can we focus on the case please?"
"Sure."
Kirsty walked around the victim's house. She couldn't see any signs of a struggle. None of the rooms in the house looked like they'd had visitors, nothing out of place. The victim looked dis-similar to the previous victim – not as many wounds to her body. But still, she was brunette, twenty –nine, renowned author of romance novels, single and her hands were bound behind her back.
She came back to Eric who was just finishing processing the scene. She looked at the door; it was not forced open so the victim knew her killer.
"Eric, have you seen this door?"
"It's not been tampered with." He paused. "She knew who it was."
"Was the door closed when the first on scene arrived?"
"Yeah."
"So, the unsub got from the front of the house all the way into the kitchen. She knew him." Kirsty paused. "I think she knew him well…"
"I'll check the reports from the first victim. Look for similarities."
