Eric sent Lauren a text message letting her know he was in the layout room whenever she was ready.

The door to the layout room opened. Eric looked up, and saw Lauren walk in. "Sorry, it took me so long. I had to meet with the family. They were waiting for me," Lauren said grabbing a lab coat. "Then I had to make a phone call, but anyway let's just get right into the case. Not waste any time."

Eric handed Lauren the case file so she could follow along while he explained everything. He stared at her for a minute before giving her the details of the case. "Our victim is Chelsea Sinatra, whom you know. She was six years old. She was found out in the glades this morning. Detective Salas arrived on scene, and had to search for her. The person who reported it didn't leave any information. Time of death was between twelve and one in the morning today. Cause of death was strangulation. Our Medical Examiner found bruising around her neck. She also found stab wounds that were inflicted post-mortem."

Lauren studied the crime scene photos. The sight was disturbing. Just a few days ago, little Chelsea was running around her yard playing with her friends. Now she was in the morgue, her body violated. "This is so… I have no words," Lauren said disgusted. "Anything else Delko?"

"Yeah. Actually there was." He handed Lauren the file from Alexx. "Alexx ran a sexual assault kit…" Eric became quiet.

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness. "Don't tell me she was raped, Eric."

He bit his bottom lip and said softly, "Yeah."

Lauren leaned over the table and placed her head in her hands. She felt like she was going to throw up.

Eric looked down at Lauren and asked, "You okay Lauren?" He heard her sniffle.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Cases like these are difficult for me. I have a five year old niece and sometimes I think of her and you know."

"I can understand." Eric rubbed her back as he tried to comfort her.

Lauren took a deep breath and pulled herself together. "Okay, enough mushy stuff. What else is there?"

"We found a broken tiara at the scene, and I believe Alexx said she had several layers of makeup on. There was some kind of sticky substance around her wrists, ankles, and bottom too."

"Okay... let's figure out who killed little Chelsea."

Eric and Lauren got to work.

Eric looked into the conference room that housed Chelsea's parents then looked at Lauren. "I-I don't think I can do this. I mean I can, but talking to the family about what happened… I mean… I had a hard time telling you," Eric said nervously. Lauren couldn't help but smile; he was cute in his own way. "I mean there was this one case a while back where I flaked out. Speed had to cover for me. The girl had been-"

"Eric," Lauren interrupted. "I get it. It's okay... I got this for now. How about you go check on the evidence that's being processed. Once you're done come back here. We're partners on this case. I need you there with me."

"Thank you, Lauren," he said with a small smile.

"You're welcome. Now go before I change my mind." Eric nodded and headed off to the Prints Lab.

"Hey Delko! I want to see you back here though."

"You will."

"Good."

Lauren opened the door to the conference room and walked in. "Mr. and Mrs. Sinatra." Both parents looked up at Lauren. Their eyes were still red and puffy. "I'm back because I-"

Belinda interrupted Lauren, "Did you find out who did this to my baby?" Lauren's heart broke. Belinda was distraught.

"No."

"So why are you back?" José asked.

Lauren looked from Belinda to José. She said, "I'm here because I need to ask you some questions about Chelsea, and when you last saw her."

"Are you accusing us of doing this to our own daughter? Our only child!" José firmly stated.

Lauren had to choose her words carefully. Chelsea's parents were in a fragile state. "No sir, I'm not accusing you of doing this to your daughter. I'm merely trying to gather information so my partner and I can catch the person who did this. I know you loved your daughter very much. I saw that almost every day, but I need you and your wife to tell me everything you can think of, all right?" José nodded as his bottom lip began to quiver. "So can you start from the beginning of yesterday? What did you guys do that day?" Lauren picked up her pen and notepad and was ready to write.

The door opened and Yelina walked in. Belinda and José looked up at her. "Mr. and Mrs. Sinatra, this is Detective Yelina Salas. She'll be the Homicide Detective on the case along with CSI Delko and myself." The each shook her hand.

"Sorry I'm late. I had to take care of something," Yelina whispered to Lauren.

"That's okay. We haven't started yet. You're just in time." Lauren looked at the Columbian detective then at Chelsea's parents. "So, can you guys try and remember everything you did yesterday with your daughter?"

Neither parent said anything. "Mr. and Mrs. Sinatra, we need you to talk to us so that we can figure out who did this to your daughter," Yelina piped up.

"Don't we get a lawyer or something?" José asked.

Yelina spoke, "Yes, you can have a lawyer if you so choose, and if you cannot provide one for yourself we can provide you with one."

"Honey we have nothing to hide. If we need a lawyer later then so be it, but right now I just want to help Lauren catch the person who did this to our little girl," Belinda said firmly. "My husband and I woke up at six-thirty in the morning like we do just about every day. He has to leave the house by seven. I made him some coffee and breakfast; two eggs with two pieces of wheat toast. Chelsea was asleep in her room because I don't like to wake her up when she doesn't have to be." She sniffled and grabbed her husband's hand. He squeezed it and she continued, "After José left at seven, I went to Chelsea's room and curled up with her in bed. We both woke up around nine-thirty. She was excited because it was the day of her beauty pageant-"

Lauren stopped her right there. "A beauty pageant?" Earlier at the scene Eric said they had found a broken tiara. It would also explain the heavy makeup and the foreign substance on her buttock.

"Yes, Chelsea kept bugging us to be in a beauty pageant. We've never liked those things, especially child ones. But she really wanted to do one. We finally caved in. Why?" Belinda sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. Lauren handed her a tissue. "Thank you, but why do you ask?"

"They found a broken tiara where your daughter was found this morning. They didn't know why. Also, Chelsea was wearing several layers of makeup, and a few other substances that we're testing right now." Lauren looked at the two parents. "Mrs. Sinatra, did you do her makeup and pick out her outfits?"

She shook her head no. "We didn't know how to go about this whole thing so we called my sister. Her daughter Lindsay and her are into all that stuff… well I think more my sister than Lindsay. She took Chelsea shopping to get all the things she needed." Lauren clicked the top of her pen exposing the tip; she began to write again.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sinatra, were you at all involved in this process?" Yelina asked.

"We just went to the show and my wife helped a little with her outfits. We weren't backstage or anything. My sister-in-law did all of that other stuff," José explained.

"What is her name?" Yelina asked.

"Why?" Belinda asked sharply.

"We would like to talk with her," Lauren said.

"But she didn't do anything. I know her. She wouldn't do anything! She's my sister!" she said with a raised voice.

"Mrs. Sinatra, we are only trying to help find your daughter's killer. Now if you would give us her name!" Yelina said loudly.

Lauren stopped writing and looked up. "I know that you don't want to involve your sister in this investigation, but Belinda, it is imperative that you do. Trust me. I understand where you are coming from. I have a five-year-old niece. If anything happened to her I would be the same way. I, we need to know the name of your sister… please," Lauren pleaded softly. Being forceful with either of the two parents would get them nowhere.

Belinda fiddled with her wedding rings before she said, "Nancy Guimond."

"Thank you. Can you please write down her address and a phone number so we can get a hold of her." Lauren ripped off a clean page from her notepad and set it down on the table with her pen. Belinda picked up the writing utensil and wrote all the information she would need.

"Is there anything else you need from us?" José asked.

"Yes there is. I still need you to tell us what happened the rest of the day. I know it's hard." Jose held his wife's hand and comforted her by rubbing her back as she recounted the rest of the day's events.

Yelina and Lauren thanked them for their help and left the room. Lauren leaned up against the wall a few feet down the hallway, closed her eyes, and sighed.

Eric appeared and asked if she was okay. She opened her eyes and said, "Really wish my ni..."

"Aunt Lauren!" A high-pitched little girl screamed. Lauren barely had time to turn when she felt two little arms wrap around her hips, and a small body slam into her legs.

"Hey munchkin! Where did you come from? Where's your mother?" Lauren asked smiling as she picked Audrey up; Lauren hugged her tight.

"I'm right here," Margaret said smiling. "Here, baby girl, you need to wear this so your Aunt doesn't get in trouble." Margaret attached the visitor's pass to her daughter's shirt. "Sorry, we were passing by, and a little voice came from the back seat saying 'stop, we need to go in'. Margaret nuzzled her daughter, and tickled her while still in her sister's arms.

"Well, I'm glad you did." Eric cleared his throat wanting to be introduced. "Oh! Sorry. Margaret, this is Eric Delko. Eric this is my sister Margaret and her daughter Audrey."

Margaret smiled as she gave Eric's body the once over, "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Delko." She put her hand out for him to shake.

He grinned and shook it. "You can call me Eric... hey Lauren I got the results from the prints found on the tiara." Margaret smiled. She took her daughter from Lauren's arms.

"Okay, I'll be out in a few minutes guys." Lauren leaned in close to her niece's ear and whispered, "I think I see Timmy out in the waiting area, and I love you baby girl." She kissed Audrey's forehead and walked off with Eric to review the fingerprint results.

Audrey turned her head, and spotted Speed. She wiggled with all her might to get out of her mother's arms. Margaret turned to see whom she wanted to say hi to. She saw him and smiled. She let Audrey down, and she took off like the wind in a hurricane.

From the corner of his eye Speed saw a little girl running towards him. "Timmy!" Audrey squeaked. He smiled and bent down to her level.

"Hi Audrey, where did you come from?" he asked just as he looked up and saw Margaret walking over to them. She had a look on her face; he knew what it was.

Before he could say anything Margaret spoke, "Timothy James Speedle, why haven't you asked her?" She slapped him upside the head making him cringe in pain.

"Ouch, what the hell was that for?" Speed rubbed the back of his head.

"Mommy hit you, Timmy," Audrey chuckled loudly.

"Your mommy is crazy… just let me explain, okay." Audrey reached out her arms to her mother, and Margaret took her. "I was going to. Then my phone rang. It was my boss, I couldn't ignore it."

Margaret raised an eyebrow and gave him a look. "It's called turning your phone off."

"Margaret, I'm on call all the time. So is Lauren. If you knew what this case was about I think you'd think differently." Speed's face turned serious. "You know I love your sister more than anything in this world, but this case is important."

Margaret looked at his. She searched his eyes and knew better than to ask. Speed looked at Audrey then back at Margaret, hoping she didn't follow his eyes, too late. Margaret looked at him and then at her baby girl in her arms. "How old?"

"Six."

Margaret inhaled deeply. She hugged her daughter tighter. "Mommy you're squishing me!"

Margaret released her tight grip, but still held her close. "Sweetheart, say bye to Timmy, he and your Aunt Lauren have to go catch bad people." She looked at Speed, "Tell Lauren we'll see her at home."

Speed half smiled. "Actually, I don't think she'll be coming home." He winked.

"Why not Timmy?" Audrey asked.

"I'm going to ask Lauren to marry me," he whispered in her ear.

Audrey cupped her mouth with both her tiny hands. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Turn off your phone when you do that please." Margaret said to him. "Have fun."

He chuckled. "I will." With that, mother and daughter headed out into the Miami heat.