A/N -1 It's been a few days hasn't it? Man am I tired…aha. Well, thank you to all my lovely reviewers and it's time to get rolling!
My thanks to:
MissLizzymizzy
Emily-brat
Lilmickey2008
LA Calleigh
Mini Librarian
Kerribear(anon.)
Celkin
Chi-chi-chillin(anon.)
Heather C. C.
SharpObjects82
Elislin
Elizabeth. Alexandra. Hallen(Change your name you silly goose! XDD. This tis my bestie..aha…)
SVUCSIWTRDOOLluver
Disclaimer: I do not own anything…yeah yeah yeah….
Chapter 9- The Fourth Riddle
Horatio was very positive when it came to this riddle. Positive that he didn't know it. It had been almost a full day since David had given it to him and still, he had no answers. His fingers itched to open his computer, click on Google, and see if he could find the answer there. But he knew, some how, some way, David was watching.
He looked up and watched Alexx go to the new secretary. Alexx talked a little, laughed a little, got her messages and headed for his office.
"Hey, Honey. How are you faring?" Alexx asked, leaning on the door frame.
"Not so good."
"Have you noticed that new secretary? She's a bit too…perky for a place that takes care of murder victims and dead bodies."
"Yes, I've noticed. She's…odd." Horatio murmured.
"Odd, Honey? Have you seen her smile? It's about a mile long. I expect it to freeze on her face permanently." Alexx murmured.
Horatio grinned and chuckled.
"I'm sure Eric and Ryan have already made a bet on that."
"Knowing them, of course!"
Alexx grinned at Horatio one last time before she exited his office.
Horatio had to admit, that new temp secretary was a bit too chipper. Getting up from his desk, he watched the new temp talking on her phone to someone. Her face was serious and she was getting quite mad.
"Anything wrong?" Horatio asked, going up to her.
She jumped, closing her phone immediately.
"Boyfriend," she said quickly. "He's…being mean."
Horatio nodded.
"Understandable. Any new messages for me?"
"Y-yeah."
Michelle picked up a few things and handed them to him.
"Thank you." Horatio walked back to his office, but Ryan stopped him.
"Alexx wants you, H. Something familiar about the murder of Paula." Ryan said.
"Alright."
Horatio set the messages on his desk and followed Ryan, occasionally glancing back at the secretary who seemed to look a lot more troubled.
David had set Calleigh's food in her room while she was sleeping and gone down the stairs. He picked up his phone and dialed his accomplice's number.
Hello?
"It's me."
I know.
"How's the lieutenant faring?"
He's talking to Alexx now. Maybe gossip?
David snorted. "If I know anything, the good lieutenant does not gossip."
How much do you really know about him?
"Enough for you to shut up about it."
Whatever.
"Don't take that tone with me."
Fine.
"Is that sass I hear?"
No. I'm just tired. I haven't slept decently for a while. You have me watching over the lieutenant day and night since he never leaves this place.
"I figured as much. Do you think he'll solve this riddle?"
Hard telling.
"Well, figure it out!"
I'm doing my best.
"Well, apparently, your best isn't good enough."
Hey! I am really trying here okay? You can't come and do this so you forced me too. I'm already an accomplice in that secretary's murder. God, I have a guilty conscious.
"No you don't. You take after me because I don't even have a guilty conscious."
David heard a click and looked at his phone. Closing it, he sighed. Something must have happened. He decided to wait for them to call back.
Several minutes later, his phone rang again.
"Well, what happened?" David asked, opening his phone.
The lieutenant scared me. Have you ever realized that maybe hurting him isn't such a good thing? I mean, he's a good man.
"Do you remember what he did to us?"
That's the man you sought after? All these years?
"The very same. I don't intend to let Calleigh live either. The good lieutenant will find her, and then I'll kill them both."
So you'll be known all over as the one to take out the best of the best in the CSI?
"That, and revenge. That's the main part of it. Where is our lieutenant at right now?"
Going down to visit Alexx I believe. Something about Paula's murder comparing with another. Did you shoot Paula in the temple as with Rebecca?
David smirked. "Maybe."
He's going to know it was you. Then he might suspect me.
"You're too perky and bubbly. Plus, you can act stupid. Like he would suspect you."
Ever heard of accomplices? Yeah, I'm one of those.
"You did have a choice…"
Hardly.
"Then leave. Right now. But if I'm caught, I'm naming you as an accomplice."
You wouldn't!
"Try me."
Fine. I have to go. The good lieutenant is coming.
"Fine. I'll call you later and make sure you answer."
David closed his phone before he received an answer. Getting up from his chair, he climbed the stairs softly and opened the door to Calleigh's room. He grinned as he saw her sitting up, eating what he had left for her. Her right hand, of course, was rendered useless so it was curled up near her chest. Her left hand was shakily picking at her food.
"Hello, Calleigh," David said.
Calleigh jumped. She had never been so scared in her life, but David made fears she kept deep within come alive. She was never one to show emotion, or pain for that matter, but she was very much scared of David; whether she liked it or not.
"David," she said, nodding her head.
"Let me ask you something. What is the longest word in the dictionary, Calleigh? Think carefully." David said.
He's testing me…Calleigh thought.
"I know what it is. I told you, I grew up with riddles. Did you lose any brain cells while you were down there?"
David raised his hand up, as if to strike her across the face, but stopped, dropping his hand again.
"My patience is wearing thin, Ms. Duquesne. I don't much want to be the one to tell the lieutenant that I killed his best CSI because she was mocking me. That wouldn't go over too well with him would it?" David questioned.
Calleigh shook her head. "No."
"Good. I'm glad we understand each other."
David exited her room again, slamming the door shut and locking it tight.
Horatio sat at his desk tiredly. Alexx's words from earlier set the gears in his mind whirring.
"Odd, Honey? Have you seen her smile? It's about a mile long. I expect it to freeze on her face permanently."
Horatio rubbed his eyes and yawned tiredly. It had been a while since he last had sleep, but he knew he couldn't sleep until he knew the riddle. Something about what Alexx said made him think harder and harder.
Smile…smiles…mile long…
Horatio tilted his head to the side, remembering a riddle from his younger days. One of his friend's had decided to play a trick on him, a trick he had fallen for.
"Hey Horatio! What's the longest word in the dictionary?"
Horatio grinned.
"Smiles. There is a mile between the two S's." Horatio whispered.
As much as Horatio hated admitting it, David was a cunning bastard. Horatio didn't like him at all, but he had his moments. Such as this one. All this time, Horatio had been looking for some giant word in the medical dictionary, when it was right in his memory all along.
Leaning back in his chair, he relished his victory by taking a well deserved nap.
David paced in his office, glancing at his phone every now and then. Finally, it rang.
"Hello?" David asked quickly.
I believe the good lieutenant has solved it.
"What makes you say that?"
He's sleeping.
"And?"
I think he made a promise to himself or something. He hasn't slept at all while thinking on that riddle. Now, he's out cold.
David grinned. "Sleeping on the job, huh? He's a bad lieutenant isn't he?"
I suppose. Your riddles must be harder to stump the lieutenant, David.
"I realize that!" David hissed. "And they will be. They will be."
Whatever. At least the lieutenant is not snoring. Don't you have more pictures to send to him?
"Yes. Yes I do."
And you're not sending them why?
"In good time my dear. In good time."
You piss me off you know that?
"It's my job to."
Isn't that the other way around?
"It changes, time and time again."
Right, well, seeing as the lieutenant has gotten the riddle, I'm coming by the house for some sleep.
"No your not."
Then I'll book a hotel room or something.
David sighed angrily.
"Fine. Come here. But say nothing that lets Calleigh know you're here. She's been making me angry lately."
I said it once, I'll say it again. Get some help and go to anger management classes.
"Shut up. You annoy me."
I know I do. And you talk too much. Okay?
"Haha. That was so funny, Mickey."
I hate that nickname! Shut up!
David grinned. "Keep me posted."
David snapped his phone closed and sat down in his chair. He grabbed a photo frame from his desk, and pulled it close to him.
In the photo was a younger him, with a beautiful brunette haired women, and a young girl in between them. Sighing in defeat, he placed the photo frame down again.
Forgive me…
The next day, Horatio couldn't sit still. Either he was pacing his office, getting coffee, or keeping tabs on the new secretary. She didn't look right to him. At all. His phone beeped softly and he picked it up, before opening it.
"Hello?"
Greetings, lieutenant. How is it going?
"Fine, David. Absolutely peachy." Horatio muttered, sarcastically.
Someone woke up on the wrong side of his chair this morning. May I have the answer, lieutenant?
"Shove it up your-"
Lieutenant, you try my already thin patience.
"Fine. It's smiles because there is a mile between the two S's."
Horatio could hear David clapping softly.
Wonderful lieutenant. Wonderful. I was thinking about tweaking my rules a bit, you know?
Horatio frowned. "Isn't that cheating?"
Not for me!
Horatio snorted. David was too perky. Perky…Casting a glance over at the secretary, she seemed tired and down cast. Shrugging and pushing a sudden thought to the back of his mind, he struggled to listen to David again.
Anyway, I've said that I would kill Calleigh if you got one wrong correct?
"Yes."
I think I'll hurt her…a lot. What do you think about that instead? If you do find her, well, she'll be black and blue. Such fun colors! Don't you agree, lieutenant?
"How is she, David?"
I never thought I would say this about Calleigh 'Bullet Girl' Duquesne, but she's scared of me. Terrified even. I'm wearing her down lieutenant, and by the time, if and when, she gets away from me, she'll be scarred for life. And I will be the one reaping all the glory for doing that.
"No, you'll be the one rotting in jail. I know you killed Paula, David. Why did you do it?"
Horatio could almost hear David shrugging.
She got in my way. Annoying woman…
Horatio sighed. At this rate, no one in his crime lab would be safe.
Anyway, lieutenant, are you ready for your next riddle?
"Give me a challenge, David," Horatio said, messing with David.
It's a challenge alright. With pointed fangs it sits in wait, with piercing force its doles out fate. Over bloodless victims proclaiming its might, eternally joining in a single bite. What am I?
Horatio immediately thought of a vampire, but humans have blood. They are not bloodless.
Got you thinking lieutenant? Good. That was the goal. Enjoy your latest!
Horatio closed his phone and began writing down the riddle. His mind just wouldn't work, and this was most definitely the worst riddle yet.
A/N 2- What about that riddle? Aha. It IS a hard one! My apologies to those I didn't get sneak peeks too. I couldn't find a good place to give it to you. *grins* Reviews, to me, are like getting a call from Horatio. Aha. I kid. But they are love. I thank all of you, and hope this chapter pleases!
