TIPPING POINT

Chapter 2

At work the next day, there was no sign of Horatio, but Eric was immediately summoned to Chief Martinez' office.

"Eric, are you happy to run the lab for a week or so?"

"Of course, Chief." It wasn't the first time. He'd been Horatio's deputy for some years, although, admittedly, Horatio's absences had been few and far between. "Where's the boss?"

"He's suspended from duty. I'm sure you know why. It won't stay secret, but I don't want a lot of gossip and speculation going round, until the investigation's complete."

Eric nodded. There was no point in arguing about it.

"IAB wants to speak to you later," the Chief continued.

"I wasn't there, you know."

"I know. Horatio's made a full statement on tape anyway." Martinez sighed, his expression revealing concern and disbelief. "I don't know what's going to happen…"

There were a hundred questions in Eric's mind, yet he knew there was no point in voicing them. It would be decided in due course, and no one would discuss it with him. The only thing to do was to run Horatio's lab in his absence, and hope it wasn't going to end as badly as he suspected it would.

He returned to work to be pestered by the other members of the team, who, understandably, wanted answers he was unable to give.

"Look, I wasn't there, all right? All I know is, he shot a man who turned out to be unarmed, and he's suspended from duty while it's investigated." He knew he sounded short-tempered. He took a deep breath. "Let's just get on with the evidence… We still haven't got IDs on the victim, or the perp, come to that. The perp should be easy – housing records… The victim… Nat, call Dade Memorial and see how she is. Maybe you can talk to her…"

He left everyone working, and went to the morgue, to the only other person who knew the details…

Tom looked up as he came in. "Eric?"

"Tom… Have you finished yesterday's… body?" He almost said 'victim', and had to remind himself that the victim in this was the girl. If the man was a victim, it was only of Horatio's rage.

"I have. The heart wound was fatal. The other not so, although it would have been, fairly quickly, due to blood loss."

"So it came first."

"It did. I've sent the bullets upstairs." Tom sounded determinedly matter-of-fact. "I've also sent blood to be analysed for hepatitis, HIV, that sort of thing. In view of the… circumstances."

"I really hope they're negative."

"How is the girl?"

"I don't know. They had to operate on her for internal injuries. As Horatio put it, she'll never be a mother."

Tom nodded thoughtfully. "And how's Horatio?"

Eric smiled wanly. "I don't know that either. He's suspended." He turned to go, then looked back at the ME. "Tom, you're a doctor…"

"I hope so."

"Why? Why would he… do that? I mean, Horatio… He's got a temper, but he's always controlled it."

"Have you spoken to him at all?"

"Briefly, at the hospital. He just said he 'lost it'."

"Well, I'm no psychiatrist, but… if I was asked – which I won't be – I'd guess some sort of mental breakdown. A sudden loss of that control. I don't know, Eric… Perhaps he's tired, or depressed, or unwell… Perhaps he's just seen too much. So he, as he said, 'lost it'."

"I hope they see it that way. Thanks, Tom – keep this between you and me. The others know something happened, but not the details. I'd rather it stayed that way for now."

"Of course."

They put a name to the dead rapist, and Natalia departed to the hospital to talk to the girl. Eric took over Horatio's office, and tried to concentrate on the general work of the lab. It was hard, but he knew he owed it to Horatio.


IAB summoned him just after lunch. He had met Jack Spicer, Stetler's replacement, a few times, but hadn't yet experienced his interviewing technique with regard to anything contentious. He was a very different man to his predecessor. He came over as kind, and sympathetic towards his interviewee. It made him more dangerous than Rick Stetler – he lulled you into a false sense of security, which tempted you to say more than you meant. Whereas Rick Stetler had immediately put your back up, Jack Spicer made you want to confide. Eric had little doubt which was more effective, and was on his guard.

The gray-haired man indicated the chair opposite. He appeared older than Stetler, although Eric had never been one hundred per cent certain that Rick didn't dye his hair. "I'm sorry to put you through this, Mr Delko – would you prefer I called you Eric?"

"Yes, Eric…" He sat down, trying to appear relaxed, while concentrating hard.

"You know why you're here, of course. I'm looking into Lieutenant Caine's actions yesterday… You should know that he's already given a full account on tape, although I haven't yet spoken to him in person. And I have seen the ME's report."

It was a clear warning not to make things up. It was very Horatio – he was making sure Eric wasn't put in an awkward position. "Then you know I wasn't present…"

"I know you came in after the shooting, but tell me everything you observed."

Eric repeated the events as he remembered them. "And Horatio – Lieutenant Caine – was watching the paramedics. When they took the girl to the hospital, he left to go too."

"Did he say anything?"

"Only to tell me to wait for the ME and to process the scene."

"What did you think when you looked at the body?"

"What did I think?"

"Yes, what did you think? Typical shots?"

Eric tried not to fidget. "There's no such thing."

"Come on, Eric! How would you take someone down?"

"Head shot or heart shot… I suppose… If that's what you mean."

"And Horatio?"

"Heart… Usually."

Spicer changed tack. "You've known him a long time…"

It wasn't a question, but it didn't seem designed to trick. "Fifteen odd years."

"You're close?"

"We are." Eric wasn't going to deny him.

"So what did you think?"

"I don't know what I thought! I suppose, that something had happened that I didn't know anything about."

Spicer sighed. "I understand your loyalty, Eric."

"It's nothing to do with loyalty! I wasn't there! I don't know why he shot him…" His voice trailed off. "… like he did."

Spicer nodded, and made a quick note. "Did you talk to him again?"

"Briefly. At the hospital. We only spoke about the girl… how she was."

"He said nothing about the shooting?"

"Not really." But he couldn't hold Spicer's gaze.

"Well, never mind. Have you ever seen him take drugs?"

This time Eric laughed. "No! He hardly even drinks. Honestly – that's not loyalty speaking. He doesn't. Ask anyone."

"Fair enough – that I do believe. I understand you found no weapons at the scene…"

He wished the IAB man wouldn't keep jumping from subject to subject. He forced himself to be calm. "I didn't, no. Unless you count a poker the girl was raped with."

"Do you think Horatio could have thought the man was armed?"

"I suppose he must have. I don't know. Ask him."

"Oh, I will."

"It happens, you know. In the heat of the moment…" Don't say anymore, Eric… He knew he was reacting to Spicer's conciliatory manner.

"I know that. In any case, that's not really what this is about, as I'm sure you realise."

"Yeah, I do." Eric looked down at his lap.

"One more question… You say you're close – have you noticed any changes in Horatio lately?"

"Like what?"

"Anything. I've been hearing things about him for some time…"

"Again, like what?"

"You know he's had complaints against him…"

"Which he was cleared of. It goes with the territory."

Spicer's face showed a flash of impatience. "Even so…"

"Horatio is not a violent man," Eric said firmly. "Only as much as he's had to be."

Spicer seemed to realise that he'd get nothing more. "All right, Eric. That's all. Thank you for your time."

Eric returned to work, going over the interview in his head. He was reasonably satisfied he hadn't made anything worse for Horatio, though he hadn't done much to defend him either. Still, there wasn't anything more he could do. Except wait…

TBC