CSI Miami - The Unsung Hero - Chapter 4
By Celtic Lady
"Alexx, what do you have for me?" Ryan asked as he entered the morgue.
Serina Wilson's body was on the table and Alexx was just finishing stapling her chest back together. Alexx smiled her usual cheerful smile. "I have her cause of death. It wasn't from you giving her CPR." She placed her hand softly on Ryan's arm. "Poor baby never stood a chance."
Relieved, he asked her, "Then what was it?"
"Blunt force trauma. She had a fractured skull along with her broken ribs. I found skin under her fingernails so she fought back. I sent it up to trace."
"Thanks Alexx. I'll check in with them." Ryan left and rushed upstairs to DNA for the results.
"Natalia, do you have anything yet on the nail scrapings from my vic?"
"Yeah Ryan, I do. I have DNA but it's not in the system so you need to find me something to compare it against." Natalia handed him the printout on the DNA results. "It's XY so you're looking for a male."
"Thanks." He read over the report and then left. As he was heading down the hallway, Officer Wilson walked up.
"I think I may have something that is helpful. I went through Serina's room and found this." He handed a folder to Ryan. "I always told her that police work also involves paperwork and she had asked me several times for some blank forms that are used on the job. I didn't see any harm, so I got her a copy of some of forms we use."
Ryan opened the folder and inside were completed police reports, compiled by Serina Wilson, along with suspicious activity reports and meticulous notes on the crimes she was investigating. She had even gone as far as taking photographs of illegal transactions such as drug sales, fist fights, and carrying of weapons in the school.
"Wow! She's good." Ryan looked at several of the reports and the backup data she had gathered as proof of the crime. "I'm sure this will be very helpful. Thank you."
After Officer Wilson left, Ryan made a bee-line for Horatio's office. Not finding him there, he walked over by the interrogation rooms looking for him.
"Horatio, you need to see this." Ryan handed him the folder. "Serina was doing her own little detective work. She documented everything she found with photos, witness testimonials, and even fingerprints."
He looked over the reports and found one on Ricky Martinez and his English teacher, Rachel Simmons. Serina had photographed Rachel and Curtis' secret rendezvous behind the school dumpster as proof that the teacher really did become romantically involved with her students. Their passionate kisses and sexual behavior were caught on digital images taken from the roof the Administration building. Accompanying the photos was an interview with Tracy Adkins on what she had witnessed between the teacher and Ricky Martinez in the music department's stockroom. Horatio pulled out this particular report to use in interrogating Ricky and Brad.
"Ryan, lets bring in Rachel Simmons and Curtis Long. If they found out Serina was investigating them, they might want to stop her." Horatio continued to look through the reports, "Lets also get narcotics involved on these drug cases and I see at least three students with knives and two with a gun so lets do a dragnet at the school and get the weapons out of there."
"Sure thing!" Ryan took back the folder and left to carry out Horatio's instructions.
--OO--
The high school was a bustling place with police officers everywhere. It apparently didn't take long for the TV stations to get a film crew on the campus just in time to see Rachel Simmons and Curtis Long escorted away by officers, but that was just the tip of the iceberg.
The photos of armed students was enough to obtain a search warrant of all the student lockers. Police officers opened each locker and searched, finding the usual kid stuff, when suddenly an officer called out, "I need some help here! Someone take photos of this!"
Several guns were found and each was removed and laid on the floor – three handguns and three shotguns. "Who's locker is this?" demanded Ryan.
The principal looked at his list of locker assignments, "Tracy Adkins."
Ryan was shocked, "Our stabbing victim?"
He immediately got on the phone to Horatio. "Horatio, hold on to Martinez and Garrison. Tracy Adkins locker is full of guns. It looks like three sets for three shooters. I'm thinking Columbine."
Ryan ended the call and turned back to the principal. "I need to know which lockers belong to Ricky Martinez and Monte Garrison."
Principal Ratcliff again looked at his list, "Lockers 303 and 498."
"Officers, open 303 and 498 next," Ryan directed.
The officers complied and found additional items. "Looks like grenades and smoke bombs."
"Oh my god. They were going to massacre the students," Principal Ratcliff exclaimed. "I don't believe it."
--OO--
The interrogation rooms were filling up as Horatio entered to talk to Curtis Long. Since Curtis was a minor, he had to wait for his mother to arrive before Horatio could question him. With his mother now present, Horatio began, "I'm Lieutenant Horatio Caine and I have a few questions for you son."
Horatio stood sideways from the seated boy and his mother. "Curtis, I want to know why you stabbed Tracy Adkins."
The boy was very defensive as he spoke. "I didn't stab anyone!" Curtis professed angrily.
"That's not what Tracy said." Horatio noticed a look of surprise on Curtis' face. "Why did you stab her?"
Curtis folded his arms across his chest as he glanced over to his mother.
"Are you sure it was Curtis?" his mother asked. "It could have been anyone."
Horatio sat down next to Curtis' mother. "We did a search of the high school and recovered a knife from his locker. There was blood on the knife and we'll know shortly if it matches Tracy Adkins."
In quick denial, Curtis exclaimed, "That knife is clean – there's no blood on it."
"Curtis, you have a knife?" The mother's concern was obvious in her voice.
"It's just a pocket knife, mom," Curtis reassured his mother.
Although Horatio hated to do this, he felt it was the right time to bring up the other matter. "There is also something else Mrs. Long." Horatio began laying the photos on the table showing Curtis and his teacher kissing.
"My son is only 14. This lady should know better." She turned to look her son in the face. "Explain young man . . . now!"
His demeanor quickly changed once his mother flexed her parental authority.
"Rachel loves me!"
"My boy is a good kid Lieutenant. This teacher, she's using my son. She's changing him."
"I understand Mrs. Long and we will deal with her." Horatio turned his attention to Curtis. "Curtis, how involved is your relationship with Miss. Simmons?"
"We're in love."
"Are you having sex with her?" Horatio asked.
"We're in love."
Frank was a patient man but he knew this kid was skirting the issue here. "Are you banging her?"
Just like Frank had hoped, Curtis came to his love's defense. "We make love – it's not dirty like you're thinking."
"Did Rachel tell you to stab Tracy?" Frank demanded.
Curtis didn't understand, "No, why would she?"
Horatio and Frank glanced at each other. Either Curtis was clueless or he was a really good liar. It was time to talk to Rachel Simmons.
