Chapter Ten.
Isabelle was excited. It was her first day back to work. Two days ago her stitches were removed. She was glad to be returning to work. she had finished brushing her hair, and she slid her heels on, then headed for the kitchen. Stetler had just finished cooking breakfast when she walked in.
She sat down, and he set a plate in front of her.
"Excited to be going back?" He asked.
"Excited, and a little worried." She said.
"Worried?" He said.
"Yeah, about the state of the lab. I haven't been there in a week, frankly, I'm surprised if it's still standing." She said.
Stetler laughed.
She read the paper as she ate. She finished, and washed the dishes.
When she finished with the dishes, Stetler turned her around and kissed her.
"I think that she be able to carry me over to lunch." She said, with a smile.
"Well, if it don't, give me a call." He told her.
"Count on it. We should go." She said.
He handed her, her badge and gun.
"You're going to need these." He said.
"Thanks." She said.
They headed for their cars.
About thirty minutes later, she was pulling into the parking garage, and parking. She made her way to the locker room, which whas empty. She clipped her cell phone to her pants, the opposite side from her gun and badge, then put her purse into her locker.
She then headed for the break room.
"Isabelle! You're back." It was calleigh.
"Hey Cal." Isabelle said, hugging Calleigh.
"Everyone has missed you Belle." Eric said, giving her a hug too.
"I've missed everyone too, it's great to be back." Isabelle said.
**********
There was a prison break. Connor McDonnah broke out. About two years before, Isabelle, caught him, and put him away. At the trial, he yelled that he was going to kill her. She wasn't going to get worried, she was going to do her job, and catch him again.
Isabelle was in Trace, with Horatio and Eric, going over the evidence, when Stetler walked in.
"Rick, what can I do for you today?" Horatio asked.
"Nothing. I need to speak with Isabelle for a moment." Stetler said.
Isabelle peeled the latex gloves off of her hands, then followed Stetler out of Trace.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"First, I can't make dinner tonight. I'm taking my mother to a rest hom, and i'm going to get her settled in." Stetler said.
"Of course, take as long as you need." Isabelle said.
"Second, Connor has escaped. He threatened that he was going to kill you if he ever got out. I think that you should accept a detail, for protection." Stetler said.
She shook her head.
"No, I don't need protection Rick. I'm not scared, I can take care of myself, nothing will happen to me." Isabelle said.
This time he shook his head.
"I would feel better if you had protection, Connor Mcdonnah said that he would kill you, and not take a second thought about it." Stetler said.
"I'm flattered that you are so worried about me, but I'll be fine." Isabelle said.
Stetler said.
"Fine. No protection. I'll see you at lunch. Be careful." Stetler said.
She nodded.
"I will, I promise." She said.
Stetler left, and she returned to Trace.
"What did Stetler want?" Eric asked.
"He heard about McDonnah breaking out. He offered me protection, but I turned it down. He tried changing my mind, but I said that I didn't want it." Isabelle said.
**********
"Isabelle, wait up!" Someone called.
She was on her way to the A.V. lab, to check out the security videos from the prison.
"Heather! Hey, how have you been?" Isabelle asked.
"I've been fine, how about you?" Heather McCall asked.
"I'm great. Have you heard about McDonnah?" Isabelle asked.
"Yeah, it's crazy, didn't he threaten you?" Heather asked.
"Yeah. I've got it handled though." Isabelle said.
"I'm glad. you know what? We should get together, sometime, for drinks, or whatever, to catch up." Heather said.
"I would like that, how about dinner, my place, tonight. I can tell you all about my boyfriend." Isabelle said.
"Sounds great. I'll be there around seven, that is, if you don't cancel again!" Heather said, with a laugh.
"What can I tell you, work." Isabelle said.
Both laughed.
"Okay, well, I've got to go, I'll see you tonight." Heather said.
"Bye." Isabelle said.
Isabelle continued to the A.V. lab, and Heather left.
"Please tell me some good news." Isabelle said.
"Well, we know the fight was a diversione." Tim said.
"I figured. Anything else?" Sh asked.
"Nothing yet." Tim said.
They watched hours of security footage. About five minutes before lunch, her cell phone rang.
"Isabelle Evans."
"It's me, I'm heading over to my house. Meet me there, when you leave the lab." Stetler said.
She smiled.
"Okay, I'll be leaving inn five minutes." She said.
She hung up.
"Is everything okay?" Tim asked.
"Yeah, everything is fine. Hey, do you mind if I head out early? I want to make it to my lunch reservations." She said.
"Sure, go ahead. Have fun." Tim said.
"Thanks Timmy. I'll see you when I get back." Isabelle said.
"Bye." Tim said.
She hurried to the locker room, for her purse, then to her car.
She drove to stetler's house. By the time she got there,, he had lunch ready for her. They ate quickly, then went to the bedroom, for dessert.
**********
"Are you sure you don't want any protection?" Stetler asked.
She smiled at him, and put her hand on his cheek.
"Yes, I'm certain." Isabelle said.
"Okay. We should get going." Stetler said.
She nodded.
She headed back to the lab.
About an hour later, she was working in Trace, when Stetler walked in.
"Hey." She said.
"Hi. How is everything coming?" He asked.
"Slow. We think someone inside helped McDonnah escape." Isabelle said.
"That's not good." Stetler said.
She shook her head as his phone rang.
He answered it.
"Yes, okay, thank you, I'll be right there." Stetler said.
He hung up, and sighed.
"What happened?" Isabelle asked.
"They found a body. It is District Attourney, Heather McCall." Stetler said.
It felt like someone had punched her in the stomach.
"I'm sorry, I know she was your friend. Maybe you should go home." Stetler said.
She shook her head.
"No. I can work the scene. I'm going to work the scene." She told him.
He nodded.
"I'll meet you there then." He said.
"I need to grab my kit, then I'll be ready." She said.
She grabbed her kit, then started up the hummer, and headed to the beach.
She got to the beach, and saw Stetler. She headed over to him. She took one look at Heather's body, and she couldn't breathe again.
She wouldn't let herself cry, but a tear escaped. She quickly wiped it away.
"Isabelle, let's talk, over there." Stetler said, pointing to a spot, so no one would hear them.
She followed him.
"McDonnah went after the District Attourney, he's going to be coming after you soon, please accept protection." Stetler said.
"No, I can do this." She said.
Stetler put his hand on her shoulder.
"Isabelle, please, I've finally found you, I don't want to lose you." Stetler said.
"I know you're worried Rick, but I will be fine, I promise you, nothing is going to happen to me." She said.
His hand slid from her shoulder, down to her hand. For a moment, they stood there, holding hands.
"Okay. Are you sure you can work the scene?" He asked.
She nodded.
"I'm fine. I can work it." She said.
"Okay, let's go." He said.
They returned to Heather's body, thinking that no one had seen their exchange, but they were wrong. Someone had seen everythin, and Horatio did not like what he saw.
Isabelle began taking pictures of Heather, when Horatio walked up to her.
"How are you doing?" Horatio asked.
She looked at him, and gave a small, sad smile.
"We were supposed to meet tonight, at my house, for dinner. We haven't seen each other in forever." Isabelle said.
"Maybe someone else should work this." Horatio said.
"No, I can work it." She told him.
He nodded.
Isabelle began collecting trace. When she was finished, she put the evidence in the hummer, then walked to the driver's side. Horatio was standing there, waiting for her.
"Isabelle, are you okay?" He asked.
"I'm fine." She said.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
She sighed, as a tear slid down her cheek.
She wiped it away, quickly.
"Sorry." She said, quietly.
He shook his head.
"Never appologize for crying." He told her.
She nodded and more tears came.
Horatio pulled her into a hug. He just held her for a minute, until she calmed down.
"Feel better?" He asked.
"Much, thank you." She said.
"You're welcome. Are you sure you can work this case?" He asked.
"I'm certain I can." She said.
He nodded.
"Okay, get everything back to Trace." He told her.
He handed her his handkerchief. She took it, and wiped away her tears.
"Thanks." She said, holding it out for him to take.
"Keep it." He told her.
She nodded, then headed back to the lab.
**********
Isabelle was in the lab, when Eric walked in.
"Belle, I heard what happened. How are you doing?" Eric asked.
He hugged her.
"I'm fine, if I wasn't, Horatio wouldn't have let me work the case." Isabelle said.
Eric smiled.
"Yeah, I guess so." Eric said.
"So, are you just checking on me, or did you need something?" She asked with a smile.
"I was wondering if you had anything yet." Eric said.
"I can say with certainty, Connor McDonnah shot and killed Heather." She said.
"I'm really sorry Belle." Eric said.
She nodded.
"If you ever need to talk, I'll always listen." Eric said.
"You're sweet, but I'll be fine." She said, with a smile.
He smiled.
"Okay." He said.