Chapter 9

Mich was driving herself crazy. In the last hour, she had selected about 8 different outfits, but still couldn't decide what to wear. She had to admit, she was nervous about joining Calleigh and the girls for a night out. Valera she had got to know, but Natalia was still an unknown.

In addition to that, the three of them knew what the fashionable thing to wear in Miami was. Mich didn't really care for clothes, she was a mix and match type person, dressing up or down as the situation dictated it. The same top could dress down with jeans, or smart for a meeting with trousers and a jacket and a dinner date (not that she expected one any time soon) would see the trousers replaced by a skirt.

She had the red dress she had worn to 'Fuego' the night that H had caught her out, but the girls had mentioned a movie first. Mich sighed, she needed help. "Nicky…!"

Grinning, her friend walked through the door, "well its ten minutes later than what I expected…" Punching him in the shoulder, she told him to help.

Looking at what she had thrown on the bed, Nicky spotted a blue halter neck top, a turtle neck, but sleeveless and a pair of black slacks. "This will do nicely, do me a favour though Mich, lose the ponytail." Mich laughed, she almost never wore her hair down. Nicky joked that her hair was so used to being in that style, that it would stay in position without a band. Delving through Mich's jewellery box, Nicky found a pair of long ear-rings that would complete the look.

Meeting the other girls, Mich was glad Nicky had helped her out, Calleigh and Valera were both in trousers, but Natalia was in a skirt. "Movies first, then a late snack, then a club. What do you think..?" Calleigh seemed in control, Mich just nodded her agreement.

A short distance away, Eric was getting worried, Ryan and Dan had turned up right on schedule, but there was no sign of H. Then, just as the game was starting, H slipped into the chair next to him. "Sorry guys… got held up." Eric tried not to show his concern. H was putting in extra hours at the lab, especially now he had got a lead on the bank robberies – most of the robbers had been illegal immigrants 'paying' for their trip to the USA from South America. Someone was very, very organised.

After the game, the four of them enjoyed pasta at a superb little Italian restaurant called Rosinella's. "So what next…? Dan suggested going on to a club, Ryan said he knew of a new place which was pretty good, played music from all the decades, which was getting popular. H hesitated; he wasn't really into the club scene. After a few minutes of persuasion from the three younger men, he agreed, he could always go home later if he wasn't enjoying it.

Walking into the club, he realised why the boys wanted to come here, the place was full of girls, though there was a good mix of ages he noticed. He was startled however, when he walked into Calleigh on his way to the bar.

"Hey girls, look who I just found…" Looking up, the three saw Calleigh being followed by four familiar faces.

Grinning, the guys sat down. "Hey Mich – didn't expect to see you here…"

Eric laughed as Mich pulled a face at him "I got dragged out by Calleigh... She was appalled to find out that I've been here for a year, and not been out clubbing since the day I arrived."

Joking away between them, Mich couldn't help but smile; the people around her were a very close knit group, exactly like a family. In some ways, Mich was intrigued, why had she been included in the group? Ok, she had got to know Calleigh very well, but that didn't explain why… "Hey Mich fancy a dance?" Eric was standing in front of her, holding out his hand.

Mich loved to dance, but hadn't had a lot of chance, so she accepted Eric's invitation immediately. Eric's Cuban roots were apparent the moment he walked onto the dance floor, his sense of rhythm was perfect – making for a superb dance partner. Mich knew that some people were watching, but it didn't bother her at all.

Within a few minutes, Mich noticed that they had been joined by Natalia and Ryan, who seemed a lot closer than she had first realised, they were followed by Dan and Valera, and finally Calleigh and Horatio. It had taken Calleigh sometime to persuade H to get up and only then because she had teased him unmercifully about letting the side down.

Dancing in the group, Mich found herself changing partners, dancing a short time with Ryan and Dan and with H, before returning to Eric. The DJ announced a change in music – going back in time to the 1980's. After a couple of well-known dance tracks, he brought out an old Lionel Ritchie track, "All Night Long…." Trading glances, Calleigh and Eric started to get ready for their next move.

Through the record, everyone traded partners a few times again, but this time it was no coincidence that H and Mich were dancing together when the track changed, and the DJ decided to 'slow things down' for a short while. The first track was Aerosmith's 'Don't want to miss a thing', which allowed Mich and H to continue dancing as they had been, but the next record was a different story.

Elton John's 'Your Song' caused a brief flicker of pain to pass across H's face. Looking up, Mich was able to see it, and couldn't help herself, "You ok…?" H gave a half smile, "Just an old memory." It did not take a rocket scientist to work out what he was thinking about. "Eric told me about his sister, I'm sorry H…She must have been a wonderful person to know…."

"She was…" Lost in his thoughts, he unconsciously tightened his grip around Mich's waist, pulling her in close. Mich was startled, but seeing the distant look in his eyes, realised that he was thinking of someone else. Relaxing, she felt his grip tighten further, until there was no way she could have moved from this position.

Nor did she want to… Closing her eyes, she felt oddly secure and protected, a feeling she had not had in a long time… Allowing her mind to drift, she thought back to the last time she had felt like this. In the arms of a man she had loved, until he sacrificed himself to keep her name clear. She would never see him again, but neither would she forget him.

As the track finished, H seemed to realise where he was. Looking down, he smiled at Mich, who smiled back. "Shall we get a drink?"

H nodded, "sounds like a good idea to me." As she broke away from him, H pulled her back for a quick hug. "Thanks Mich, I needed to remember, just for a moment…"

Putting her finger on his lips to silence him, Mich told him that he had said enough, "Anytime H, you helped me to remember too."

Calleigh and Eric grinned at each other, but they also realised that Mich was the one pulling away. "This is going to take a while."

Eric nodded his agreement, "Rome wasn't built in a day…"

The following day, Horatio was glad he didn't have to go to work. The group had stayed together until about 3am, when Mich had made her apologies and left, she had a full working day today. H thought back to the night before and smiled, Mich hadn't used the situation to any advantage, or taken any offence, she had just accepted that he needed to remember Marisol for a moment.

Thinking of Mich made him wonder what her story was. She had obviously been through some bad times, but also seemed to understand him more than most people. Was it because she had been in law enforcement herself and knew what he had to deal with every day, or was there something else?

After his shower, he headed for the lab, old habits die hard, and he had found out some interesting information. The robbers in custody admitted that they were paying off their debt to the organisation that had helped them get into the country. Through them, H had also found out about a new extortion racket, and a new enterprise in fake passports. Unfortunately, none of them knew who the leaders of the organisation were, so H had to work through the information he had.

John Buchannon was furious. The police had closed down yet another of his little sidelines. A knock on the door made him look up, Mike and Tim walked in, after their night of collecting information. "Tell me you have some good news…" Mike described how, after nearly a month of work, they had built up information on the CSI day team.

JB smiled, he had enough information to start using it. Duquesne's father being a drunk, Delko being a ladies man. Wolfe and Boa Vista back together in their on again-off again relationship. It wouldn't take much to use that to his own ends. The one thing he hadn't been able to work out was how to hit the Lieutenant where it hurt the most. Sure his team were like family to him, especially Delko, but the Lieutenant was a solitary man, spending most of his time at the lab, whether he was on duty or not.

As Mike Johnson began to tell him about last night's work, JB started to listen intently. "I want to know more about this woman. Who is she, where does she come from…?" Johnson nodded, and followed by Slater, he left, leaving JB feeling in a happier mood. He now had something to aim at, but how best to use the target.

JB decided to wait, he was sure it would be worth it. At that moment, his secretary announced that he had a visitor. JB smiled as his guest came through the door. "Good to see you again. I have some information that may prove interesting to you."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

A few days later.

Horatio and Frank moved cautiously down the corridor, after tracing down the fake passports, they had finally got a lead which had led them to this dump of a motel. At the other end of the corridor a couple of uniforms were making their way towards them.

Inside the room that was the target of H and Frank's slow progress, a group of immigrants was being briefed on the next bank job. Many of them were afraid, they had not bargained for this, but most of them had families, and would therefore do as they were told.

The next moment, all hell was let loose as H and his back-up burst through the door, the immigrants all dived for cover, but the two men briefing them decided to make a run for it. One headed for the window, but didn't get any further, finding it closed; the other went out through a connecting door into another room – pursued by a couple of uniforms.

Back at MDPD, Frank and Horatio couldn't believe their luck, the man they had caught at the window was Mike Johnson, one of the hard men that worked for John Buchannon, but they had to work fast, as soon as Sackheim learnt about this bust, he would come asking for him.

The other was an even bigger fish in the Buchannon organisation; Mitch Carter was one of Buchannon's inside circle and would know a lot of things about the organisation. Unfortunately, he had been with Buchannon in the old days, when the group had worked for the Mafia and the law of Omerta existed even now.

After being questioned carefully, both men continued to keep their mouths shut. Only giving information that the police already had, Frank had other detectives checking out the immigrants' stories. It was now apparent that to both him and H that John Buchannon was behind the robberies, but who was bankrolling him – he had never worked off his own back. There must be someone else involved.

H went back to his office, he now had proof that Buchannon was involved in both the illegal immigrant trade, and in the bank robberies, but it was not enough to put the gang boss away. There wasn't even enough to have him arrested, the evidence was not strong enough to support the arrest.

Seeing a message on his desk, H made a telephone call, listening for a few minutes, he smiled. "Ok, no worries, bring it here will you, I'll hand it over in person…" Closing down the internal line, he dialled an external one. "Hi are you busy? Great, I have something for you – can you come in? Ok, I'll see you later." Sitting back in his chair, H began to relax even more. This was going to be a nice part of his job.

&&&

Mich walked into MDPD, she was curious, what on earth could Horatio have for her…? Going up in the lift, she was acknowledged by several officers, most of the day shift knew her by now, after her weekly practise in the basement range.

Walking into H's office, he smiled and gave her an official–looking document, to which was clipped a small plastic coated card. Puzzled at first, she grinned when she realised what the card was. "Now I can practise with my own gun, instead of a borrowed one…"

"As long as you keep it at home – and don't go hunting with it," H teased.

Mich blushed. "I keep my promises Horatio."

H chuckled, "Listen, did you have lunch yet?" Mich shook her head. "Join me..? I'm starving and I could use some company." At first Mich hesitated, but then accepted, H had become a good friend after all and maybe he could advise her as to the best place to go and get her Glock.

Putting down the phone, Buchannon was visibly shaken… That dn red-headed Lieutenant was doing it again… His visitor inquired after business… JB tried to cover his tracks, but to no avail… Two gun shots put an end to his failures… Tim Slater was the first to be called to the office – to dispose of JB's body…… "Let this be a message to those on the street, I have returned to continue my business…. When you have done this job for me, return, I want to know everything you have found out about the Lieutenant and his team……."

Tim Slater was concerned…. His job was to remain covert, but he wasn't sure how his brief would cover this….. He needed to report in, but the new boss was no fool – JB had an exaggerated opinion of himself – which was why he was now turning cold… How could he do this….? Dumping the body, Slater made sure that he left a print on a business card inside JB's jacket pocket – just a partial, but it would be enough for someone to drag him in for questioning…….

Returning back to the office, he found that the new boss liked the way he worked… and wanted to keep him close…. Passing over the information he had collected, the new boss stopped him – "forget the rest of the team, there is only one person I am interested in… He shall pay for what he did to me – and for the death of my brother….."

Tim Slater's blood turned cold – Lieutenant Caine was being green lighted again – and this time, the person who was marking the target had vengeance on their mind….. Leaving the office, Tim hoped that JB's body would be found soon – he really needed to get this information in……

As he left the building, his new boss relaxed in his chair, and began to smile… JB had been a fool, and there were those that had called him a fool for using him…. They had not realised that he had intended to remove JB all along….. Putting his feet up on the table, Ramon knew that his time had come……