Disclaimer: CSI: NY and all the characters from the show are owned by CBS, Paramount, Jerry Bruckheimer, Anthony Zuiker, and other people who aren't me. Any other characters are my own and resemblance to any other person is a pure coincidence.

Thank you all who read the first chapter, I really appreciate it. In this one, I introduce one of my OC's who I hope will appear in any other stories I might write. Not a lot of action here though. I'll post Chapter 3 before Thanksgiving.

Wherein a new person joins our cast of characters and a certain Medical Examiner's results along with the evidence falsely seem to close the case.

Later that morning, after attempting and failing to get some sleep, I'm at the Lab.

Everything about this place, the hum of the computers pouring out data, the swirling of chemicals in various tests, the unraveling of mysteries, it makes me feel at home. Much more so than my apartment. Too many memories, even now.

Stella has gone to process what little we took from the crime scene. I get to go see if Sid is ready with the autopsy. Waiting for the elevator I hear a very distinct voice calling for me.

"Mornin Mac."

"Morning Tom."

The voice belongs to Thomas Hayes; the official legal counsel for the Crime Lab, our lawyer. Tom is a former ADA who transferred over to the Crime Lab. In addition to his legal duties, Tom acts as our chief administrative officer. He's also great at playing politics, which I refuse to do. Tom's Southern accent is very thick, and this has led countless people to think he is harmless or a bit slow. Big mistake. Tom is one of the smartest, most ruthless people I've ever met. He can quote obscure cases and undercut a politician with ease. Tom and I came to an agreement when I hired him. He takes care of the paperwork, the politics, and the legal issues, and I get to focus on actually being a CSI.

"Where you headed boss?"

"Autopsy. Hopefully Sid is finished with our vic from Staten Island."

"I'll go with yall; I need to talk to him about a couple things."

We get into the elevator. The air-conditioner in it is on the fritz making the ride stuffy and very uncomfortable. I look over and wonder how Tom is so unbothered by the heat, especially since he is wearing his usual three-piece suit.

"Aren't you hot at all Tom?"

"Not really. In North Florida, heat and humidity are the norm. You get used to it."

"Right." We make it down to autopsy, which is mercifully cool.

"Gentlemen." It's Sid, standing over Mr. Ackman. "You don't come down to visit this time of day very often Mr. Hayes. Something the matter?"

"No, but I have to tell you Sid that you are being called as an expert witness in the Allens trial next Tuesday."

"I thought that case was done with."

"It should be, but the defense attorney is trying everything to create reasonable doubt. I wouldn't worry."

"Anything else?"

"Just some paperwork; I need a copy of your report on the Tolen case."

"I can get that to you."

"Thanks Sid. See yall later."

Tom heads back to the elevator and I turn my attention to the ME.

"So, what do you have for me Sid?"

"I have a couple of things, starting with COD. It's a rather simple one; cyanide. Your victim ingested it in a diluted form, most likely mixed with a drink. Sounds like the revenge of Jim Jones to me.

"Anything else?"

"Stomach content. He ate a steak, some green beans and what appears to be a piece of pie, strawberry to be exact."

"A full dinner. What about drinks?"

"A glass of wine with dinner and later some orange juice."

"Orange juice? That doesn't make sense. Do you have a separate sample of the juice?"

"Got it for you here." He hands me the sample.

"Good, we'll run it through tox."

"Are you looking at suicide Mac?"

"That's what I'm leaning towards now, but we'll see what Stella was able to get from the crime scene."

***

At the same time Mac is seeing Sid about the autopsy, Mrs. Ackman came by to identify the body of her husband. Since Stella is busy processing the evidence from the crime scene, so Danny meets with the widow.

"Mrs. Ackman?" He asks of the middle-aged woman.

"Yes, that's me."

"I'm Detective Messer; can I ask you a couple of questions?"

"When can I see my husband?"

"In just a bit, I promise, but I need to ask you a couple of questions first."

"Okay, what kind of questions?"

"Where were you and your husband last night?"

"We went out to dinner which took about an hour, and then to a concert at Carnegie Hall for a couple of hours. After that, we were driving home and he said he received a phone call about something at the office. He dropped me off before going to deal with the issue. He sometimes has to work nights so I didn't have too many concerns, but then I got a phone call to come down here."

"Mrs. Ackman was your husband upset about anything? Under any kind of unusual stress?"

"Yes he was. Since the economy went south, Terry has had to make budget cuts. That included laying some people off. He ran a very tight-knit department and each time he had to tell someone that they couldn't work there anymore, it really upset him, even depressed him. Oh God! Detective, do you think that Terry might have… might have…? I can't even say it."

"We are still investigating. Did any of these people he let go have a grudge against him?"

"No, no one had anything but good things to say about Terry. The people who he had to fire didn't hold it against him at all. They blamed the City and the economy more than Terry. Now, when can I see my husband?"

"Right this way Mrs. Ackman."

***

I leave autopsy and head up the elevator. In the hallway, I see Danny leading who I assume is Mrs. Ackman to the elevator and down to the morgue. I go into the lab where Stella is waiting for me.

"Find anything Stella?"

"Out of the very little we had to work with at the crime scene? The answer would be a no I'm afraid. The skin you found under Mr. Ackman's fingernails didn't get any hits in our databases. Very little of the area was disturbed. Based on all the evidence we have, I have to say it was suicide Mac."

"That's what all the evidence is saying."

"Do you have any doubts?"

"I'm curious as to where he got the orange juice from."

"There were a lot of stores in the area; he probably got it from one of them."

One of the younger technicians comes in and hands Stella a file.

"It's the tox report on the orange juice. Confirms that there were traces of cyanide in it. He killed himself by ingesting cyanide-laced orange juice."

I try and think of anything that could puncture her argument, but there isn't anything. Everything says Ackman killed himself, but I have a nagging feeling that something is wrong. Still with nothing else to go on, we have to close this case.

She can read the lingering doubt on my face. "You always tell us to follow the evidence Mac, and this is where it is leading us. Mr. Ackman committed suicide."

I give up. "Alright Stella, I'll put in my report that it was suicide. Nothing disproves it."

"We can't save them all Mac."

"I guess you're right Stella. I guess you're right."