Lt. Horatio Caine was waiting for Calleigh and Frank when they returned to the precinct.
"Horatio!" Calleigh said with a smile when she spotted him. Frank merely grunted a greeting, his mind seeming to be elsewhere.
"Good news … the case has been closed."
At that Frank and Calleigh both blinked and focused on Horatio. Calleigh said, "This I gotta hear."
"A man's girlfriend caught him getting rid of bloody clothes. She called the cops, blood is a match to our vic, Felicia Waters. He was paid by Ms. Water's ex to scare her … but the ex showed up as well and things got out of hand. They were trying to dismember her body before taking it out in the Gulf and getting rid of the remains when the cabana blew."
"Ryan's cousin mentioned seeing a man come running out of the bushes, vomiting."
"That would have been one of the men, yes. And since she would have recognized the ex-boyfriend it was likely the ex's friend. The reports are being finished for the prosecutor now. How are Ryan and his cousin?"
"Ryan is like a dog with his favorite bone," Calleigh said.
Horatio saw Frank give Calleigh a look before saying, "Protective."
"And the young woman?"
Frank answered before Calleigh and said, "Upset but trying to do as asked."
"She certainly listened to you," Calleigh said.
"She's barely more than a kid," he grumped. "She would have responded the same to Horatio. Look, I've got my own report to write. Call me if you need me."
"Well, well, well," Calleigh said with a sweet smile as Frank hurried away.
Horatio looked at Calleigh and asked, "Is there a problem?"
"Nope," Calleigh answered and then told her boss how easily Frank handled Ryan's cousin. "I wonder what Ryan would have made of it?"
"Hmm," was the only thing Horatio responded before saying, "We also have the answer to the exploding cabana."
"What did cause the explosion if it wasn't to hide the murder?"
Horatio saw Frank talking to Eric Delko and assumed he'd be getting the explanation that way … but he'd swing by the man's desk himself just to be sure. And to find out if there was going to be a problem with Ryan's cousin.
Turning back to Calleigh he said, "Dry ice explosion. They stored the dry ice for the fog machines in the ballroom in a cooler in the cabana. The latch on the cooler failed due to extreme pressure. The ER staff noted unusual burns on some of the people transported to the hospital and the burns turned out to be frostbite. Eric and Walter pieced together a couple of interesting pieces of shrapnel they found embedded in some nearby trees. Backtracking that we learned from the manager that staff put the dry ice outside because it was part of some rented items brought in from outside the hotel."
"Was it intentional or an accident?"
"For now it looks like unintentional mishandling by the hotel staff. Normally the hotel doesn't allow fog machines because they've had some slip-and-fall incidences from them; however, the hosting company paid extra and carries their own liability insurance. With the murder solved the remainder of the investigation will be done by the insurance company but I've asked to be kept apprised of any developments."
"Well, that certainly is going to complicate any insurance claims."
"Not our problem Calleigh. Let's just get this case wrapped up. Don't you have a recital to go to tonight?"
Amazed at the Horatio's ability to keep everyone's private as well as professional schedules in his head she grinned, "I do. Austin and Patty are both in a play at their school. Oh my gosh, I just remembered. I'm supposed to bring cookies, cupcakes, or brownies. Better add a trip to the bakery to my to do list."
Horatio grinned at how happy Calleigh sounded. Calleigh may have started off adopting the two children for their benefit but it appeared that it was benefitting Calleigh as well. After Calleigh left to go complete her share of the paperwork Horatio went to find Frank, finally spotting him as he returned to his desk with a tall cup of what was undoubtedly coffee.
"Frank."
"Got the story of the explosion from Delko. I'll finish up the report before I leave for the day."
"That's fine. What I actually stopped by for was to ask your impression of how Ryan handled being asked to stay off the case."
"Hmph. Given his high level of concern for his cousin better than I expected. He explained some of her history, asked if it could be you or I that questioned her, definitely didn't want Eric questioning her."
"Hmmm, I believe I understand why he wouldn't want Eric questioning her."
"Young, good-looking guy …"
"Actually the Porter brothers are all similar in coloring and build to Eric … their mother is even Hispanic, though Honduran rather than Cuban. Calleigh didn't mention it?"
"No."
"Alexx says that the young woman has an extensive array of previous injuries."
"Ryan says she played sports and both the girl and Ryan said she suffered injuries during an explosion."
"Yes. And your impression of her?"
"My impression? Why? The case is over."
"Let's just say I'm … curious. Mr. Wolfe isn't known for being able to hide when his personal life gets complicated. And as transparent as he sometimes is, this is the first I've heard of there even being a cousin much less one that he was temporary guardian of."
"Temporary guardian? I hadn't heard that."
"It came up during the interview with the Porter brothers. They seemed worried that Mr. Wolfe would set the police against them."
"Well he sure don't have a high opinion of them."
"Understandable to some extent. What about the cousin?"
Frank sighed. "If you met the girl I bet you'd understand better."
"In what way?"
"She's not quite twenty-five. She's been beat to hell both figuratively and literally. She obviously is … attached to Ryan. And Ryan apparently was close with her brother … and close enough with her to have disliked the ex-fiance for quite some time. She lived with Ryan for at least a few weeks and you know how he is about his personal space. Add in your intel that he was her guardian as a kid, at least for some period of time. I don't know Horatio, I'd be more suspicious if she didn't have squirrels in the attic. And while she wasn't as out of it as she was right after the explosion, she is definitely different."
"In what way?"
"Er …"
"Frank?"
"Look, she's … she's just … well my observation is that she's definitely not like your modern girl … er .. woman. Pretty damn old-fashioned, on the surface anyway. At the same time she was a private contractor in foreign areas that aren't known for their peace and tranquility. All that in an unusual physical package that only starts with the fact she is six feet tall." Looking uncomfortable Frank added, "She's got what my grandmother called the eyes of a dreamer … in her case a sad dreamer. I think Ryan isn't exaggerating about her being fragile, and not just physically."
"She really made an impression."
"Yeah, yeah she did." Horatio understood that to mean that Frank didn't really appreciate that fact.