Seconds
The young woman's name was Megan Brink. She was twenty-nine years old and was visiting with a group of friends from Seattle, Washington. The graveyard ME yawned as she stitched close the Y incision.
"Cause of death was a broken neck," she explained to Stetler. "Her C2 and C3 vertebrae were snapped into two pieces each. She died almost instantly. Had to be someone big, too, in order to cause this kind of damage."
"Alright Sherry, thank you," Stetler said as he left the morgue.
Stetler walked down the hall and was greeted by Horatio Caine just outside the Trace lab.
"Horatio, you can't work this case." Stetler said, "This is a direct conflict of interest for you, seeing as your daughter is a witness and potential suspect."
"Rick, I can guarantee my daughter had nothing to do with this young woman's murder." Horatio said, "But as her father I would like to see her. Jessica's no doubt shaken right now and I have the right to comfort her."
"Fine, but only Jessica, I don't care that you think Wolfe is your son."
"He might not be right now but some day he will be," Horatio said, the anger burning in his eyes.
Stetler led him to the holding area where Jessica and Ryan and a few other club goers were being held. Stetler motioned for Jessica to follow them and he led them to a private interrogation room. They sat there together silently. Horatio looked at Stetler hovering in the corner. "Would you mind, Rick?"
"Mind what?" Stetler asked, faking confusion.
"Leaving us alone."
"Horatio, Jessica here is a witness is an ongoing investigation, I can't very well leave you alone with her."
"Would you do this to any other parent and child?"
Stetler looked at him with glaring eyes. "You're only her father on paper."
"Then why does she test positive for my DNA? Besides, blood isn't the only thing that matters when you're family."
Stetler sneered at him as he turned and left the room. "You have fifteen minutes."
Jessica looked at her father. Horatio could see she was shaking. He took off his suit jacket and laid it on her slender shoulders over her revealing blue shirt. "Talk to me, Bug," he whispered.
"What do you want to know?" Jessica asked, her eyes huge.
"Why were you at that club?"
Jessica sighed and looked away from him. "It was Ryan's idea. Tuesday was our eleventh month anniversary and we haven't done anything for ourselves in months. He suggested that we go bar hopping and hit up that club." Jessica looked at Horatio. "I didn't drink any alcohol in case you're wondering. It was Shirley Temples and Cherry Coke all night for both of us. Ryan thought it would be fun to check that club out. We both knew what it was, but we went anyways. We just wanted to have some fun."
"What happened when you were at that club?" Horatio asked.
"We danced, drankā¦" Jessica's voice quietly trialed off and she looked away again.
"Bug, did you have sex in that club?"
Jessica hesitated but nodded her head as tears formed in her eyes. "That's what the place was designed for and Ryan said we should give it a try. We knew no one would notice us. No one ever does in those kinds of places. Everyone sticks to their own bed and no one pays attention to what anyone's doing. Ryan assured me we would be safe and I trusted him."
"Are you mad at him?"
Jessica shook her head. "No, I'm just freaked out, that's all."
"Something else happened, didn't it?"
Jessica bottom lip quivered as she thought. "A man came up and talked to me."
"A man talked to you?"
"Yeah, he said he noticed me from across the room and I told him to back off. When he didn't leave Ryan stepped forward and told him to move along." Jessica chuckled a little. "Just like the cop he is at heart."
"Did this man bother you anymore the rest of the night?"
"He followed me to the bathroom. He didn't think I noticed him but I did. After about five minutes I could still hear him outside the door. I sent Ryan a text and asked him to come meet me outside the door. Some girl with blonde hair left before me." Jessica's hand shook as she rubbed her eyes. "I heard it all, Daddy. I heard her scream and the crack of her neck. I listened to that girl die, Daddy, and there was nothing I could do."
Horatio listened and felt his heart rate quicken. "Bug, do you think he was waiting for you?"
Jessica nodded her head. "The other girl's hair was almost the same color as mine and she had on the exact same shirt. I think he thought she was me and he attacked her instead. She's dead because of me."
Horatio pulled Jessica into his arms and felt her tears against his neck. "It's not your fault, Bug. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"But he thought she was me! He was meant for me! I stood there in that bathroom and listened to the last few seconds of her life! I should have left first! I should have stopped her! I was waiting for Ryan and she left and I heard her die!"
Jessica was sobbing hysterically in Horatio's arms when Stetler walked in. He looked at Horatio and shook his head.
"For once Rick," Horatio said, "I'm glad you violated my privacy."
"What are you talking about, Horatio?" Stetler asked him.
"I know you were recording us. But don't worry," Horatio reached into his pocket and pulled out his voice recorder, "So was I."
"Horatio, she's going to have to testify." Stetler said, "She's a key witness. She doesn't really have a choice."
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
"Mr. Stetler," a young man in a lab coat said, "I have DNA results for you from the bed the victim was found on." He handed Stetler a file.
"Thank you, Larry," Stetler said, accepting the file. He opened it and looked over the results. He sighed and looked at Horatio. "Well it seems we have a bigger problem now."
"You found DNA from Ryan and I in the bed where the dead girl was," Jessica said against Horatio's shoulder. Horatio pulled his daughter back and looked at her. "That was the next thing I was going to tell you," she quietly said.
