"Did you noticed the lawn was mowed?" Jess watched Sofia leaning into a garbage can.
"No." Sofia turned and looked at the lawn. "It doesn't look like. Why?"
"Because one of the neighbor saw two gardener leaving this morning. Apparently they mowed the lawn. Can you confirm this, CSI Curtis?"
"To me the lawn doesn't look like somebody mowed it this morning but I'll check on it, detective."
"I know you were a CSI before and you…kind of enjoy this job …for me it's weird to call you CSI Curtis, you've been lieutenant Curtis since we met the first time."
"One of your colleagues called me lieutenant yesterday. Said I still deserve the rank and the honor of a lieutenant."
"He's right. Do you want me to call you lieutenant?"
"Why don't you call me Sofia like you did before? Makes things easier."
"Deal. So we both see the lawn hasn't been mowed. The neighbor claimed he heard a mowing machine, even saw it and gave me a description of it."
"Also of the gardener?"
"No, his attention was on the mowing machine, exactly the one he wants to have too. I wrote it down, tried to get a few details about the gardener off him. All he could tell me was, it were two men and they looked Hispanic to him. Couldn't say how tall, thin or not, hair color, nothing. The mowing machine looked new, clean, this was the only thing that irritated him. He was impressed how good they cleaned their machine."
"They were here with a van?"
"Yes. A black one, no number, no name on it."
"You don't have a gardening company and have no advertise-ment on your van….look what we have here." Sofia leaned back into the garbage can until her feet lift up the ground and it looked for a second like she'd fell into it before she got back out. In her hand a tissue. "Shall we make a test how good your detective nose is?"
"You except me to sniff garbage? You're the CSI, you can sniff it. It's your job description, not mine."
"Not garbage, evidence." The blonde sniffed. Slightly sweet. "Chloroform. Like in the garbage can in Hollywood Palms yesterday." For her this wasn't a coincidence, this was the connecting evidence.
"Seriously?"
"Yes. We got our connection, I knew there is one. My guts don't lie." She bagged the tissue.
"Aren't you ahead of the evidence?"
"Do you believe there is so much coincidence?"
"No. Want me to send an officer to the lab with it?"
"Would be helpful, this way I can work on your lawn mow theory." She handed the bag to Jess. "Fast and reliable please, detective Guillyard."
"Sometimes you still sound like a lieutenant, CSI Curtis. Will you be fine without me for a minute or two?"
"Got a gun, the last time I did target shooting I was better than the average lieutenant."
"I take that as a yes." Jess took the bag and walked away.
Motivated Sofia turned to the lawn. A connection. Her gut feeling was still good, she could still rely on it. This was a boost she needed, not for her ego, but for her joy of the new job. The sense of achievement made being the CSI less…well it wasn't a bad job but…when she chased down a suspect, squeezed the needed information out of somebody in interrogation, it was a good feeling and this was the same good feeling. A makes-you-happy-feeling.
Step by step she walked from the house side to the fence. If there had been a running mowing machine on the lawn she'd find the place. One piece of evidence that helped, maybe she had a run and got another one that matched to the story of the witnesses. They needed more good news, more good evidence to get closer to the kidnapper, close to the babies and get them back home to their parents.
"Gotcha again!" The mowing machine had been here and it ran. On the same spot. Sofia took various photos of a piece of lawn that was shorter than the rest. She was particular interested in the area where the person who pushed the machine must have stand and if the machine lost some oil or anything that could help them to identify the person or the machine. A few examples of the grass, the soil and then she started to work her way from here to the fence. The kidnapper and his accomplice must have walked here, maybe Greg and she missed some evidence. They didn't know where exactly to look, now she had a better idea. Time to give it another shot.
Sara watched Jules. Her breath was even and her face relaxed. The perfect picture of a sleeping woman. Soundless she got up, took their plates and carried them downstairs. Scooby and Rantanplan followed her and she let them out into the garden. The fence would stop the dogs from walking away. If Sam did follow her? It was possible he stayed close to the house, watched her leave and was somewhere around here now. The streets had been busy, he never had a chance to stop her and talk to her alone. Should she send Sofia a text and tell her she was with Jules and would stay until the blonde and Greg came back home? With the right words she could make it sound like she worried about the pregnant woman, was here to comfort her, while it was Sara who needed the comfort.
The doorbell rang. Not one of Jules's girlfriends. Please not. And if it had to be one – not more than one – please let it be one of the less annoying ones. When the whole bunch was in front of the door, going back home and possible meeting Sam again wasn't the worst option anymore. Prepared for the worst Sara opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Not one or a few girlfriends, Jules's mother, doctor Bendler.
"Hello Sara, what a surprise to see you."
"Hey doc, come in Jules is in bed asleep. I'm her afternoon entertainer."
"Looks like she isn't the best audience."
"No, we had a lot of food, that makes you always tired."
"You look tired too. And your eyes are a little bit red. I imply you didn't smoke any dope, you weren't asleep which leave me to the conclusion you had a bad day."
"I had better ones. Same for you, I guess. Your hospital got some bad comments in the press today."
"It's not my hospital, I don't own it, I work there. And most of the things written about poor security is bullshit." Doctor Bendler went into the kitchen and started the coffee machine. "You know the security system, you know no place can be absolutely safe and we do everything to make this a sad single case."
"Are there any news?"
"Not that I know of. You've better connection to the police and the CSI team."
"I haven't talked to Sofia since she left for work this morning. She's busy, has a new case and …there are other things on her mind than keeping me posted."
"Are your red eyes because of her?"
"No."
"Good. Otherwise I had to tell her off when she's with me next week. Did Jules help you out?"
"There's no chance I walk in here with something that worries me and Jules doesn't get it out of me. Your daughter is the most amazing psychologist I've ever met and sometimes I regret I gave her up as my therapist."
"You've got her as your friend now."
"Which is better, I'm aware of that. It doesn't make her less the perfect shrink for me."
"Stop talking, get your asses up here, I can smell coffee and want one!" Jules shouted from the bedroom.
"In her dreams. A tea is all she gets. Are you with me on that, Sara?"
"Yes doc."
"Good. And stop calling me doc, you'll be the godmother of my grandchild, call me Alison. In a few days you'll be officially a part of the family. Didn't I tell you this already? I don't like it when I've to repeat myself."
"Yes do…don't worry, it won't happen again." Sara smiled. A part of the family. She had a part of her family she wanted to be far, far away. If her new family could help her with that?
"Where's my coffee and cake?"
"Tea and banana." Doctor Bendler said, put both on the nightstand and kissed her daughter. "You look like you need a doctor, Honey."
"I need a coffee."
"When I can see my lovely grandchildren you can have a coffee. Until then you drink tea. You like tea more than coffee anyway."
"Pregnancy changes a lot of things…damn…toilet again. I hate my bladder, why can't I sit for a few minutes without running to the toilet all the time?"
"Need a hand?"
"Use both to get me out of bed. Tomorrow I might need a crane to get lifted out of bed."
"Maybe it's time to get into hospital."
"Only if they get these two out the same day." Jules swayed to the bathroom. "It's like I'm drunk…oh I want a cocktail…."
Sara looked at doctor Bendler when Jules vanished into the bathroom. "She must be in pain."
"Definitely. The only way to get her out of pain fast is a caesarean. So far she doesn't want one, there are no medical reason to overrule her wish. Believe me every time I come here I wish I could get her into my car, straight to the hospital and have her carry her babies in her arms a few hours later. Not an option for her."
"We can't make her go there."
"Do you believe Hollywood Palms is a safe place for Jules and the twins?"
"Yes. I doubt the kidnapper will be back, people are alert, they'll check on everybody twice. Too risky for him."
"Did the Whitemeyers get any notes for ransom?"
"Not that I know of. The hospital?"
"Not that I know of." Doctor Bendler smiled faintly. "The chances to get Molly back are small, aren't they?"
"Over thirty hours. Nothing is impossible."
"A lot of things are possible, most of them aren't good."
"No."
"You two won't try to talk me into home birth, will you?" Jules was back, holding her back, sweat on her forehead. "Mom?"
"I want you on maternity ward, now and not later."
"Sara?"
"You're the mother, it's your decision where you want to give birth to your twins. In my opinion a hospital is the best place, there are doctors. I'd like to have some people around who can help you and the babies."
"Greg isn't happy about the hospital. He wants a private guard for our babies."
"Believe me Honey, I'm with him on that. It's not possible but if it would, I'd do everything to get you and the babies a bodyguard. Like I'd like to have a doctor checked on you twice a day."
"Mom, I'm pregnant not dangerously ill."
"Nevertheless I'd feel better with a doctor by your side."
"I can call 911 whenever I feel something isn't right." Jules dropped back on her bed. It wasn't like her life was at risk, she was pregnant, women gave birth to babies ever since there was human being. It wasn't anything complicated, it was natural.
With the prepared dinner in the fridge Sara felt a little bit like a housewife. It was almost eight in the evening and Sofia should be back any second. Fourteen hours at work were more than enough for her lover. Of course it was hard to stop when you had a case like the blonde, every minute counts, every piece of evidence could be the one you need to get the kidnapper but just like the parents needed her to work the evidence, Sofia needed to rest to see the evidence. A lesson Sara had to learn as well.
Scooby and Rantanplan lay lazy in front of the bed, busy in a snoring competition. Together with them and Don Sara walked around the reservoir an hour ago. Tony mentioned Sam's apparel to Don and he insisted on joining Sara. She didn't argue, it had been her plan to ask him to come with her. A second meeting with her brother today wasn't anything she wanted or could handle. Not without somebody by her side.
Slow steps on the staircase indicated somebody came up to the third story. The fact that the dogs woke up and ran to the stairs told Sara, her lover was home.
Tired, half dropped on the dogs, the blonde sat down on a chair. "Hey boys, did you miss me? Sure you did. Your mommy is a bad mommy, she's always away and doesn't have any time for you. I'm sorry I can't go for a walk, play with you. Soon there'll be more time and we'll go to the beach, you can run and swim and I'll take a lot of treats with me. How does this sound?"
"Like you forgot your girlfriend."
Sofia's eyes met Sara. "I might forget a lot of things, you're always on my mind."
"Where am I in your promise to the dogs?"
"With us on the beach, in my arms. We have a picnic, share a lot of kisses and don't leave each others arms."
"Sounds good." Sara walked to her lover and kissed her gently. "You look tired."
"I am tired."
"Why don't you get ready for bed, I heat up your dinner and you can eat in bed with me."
"Want to be my dinner?"
"We can talk about me being your dessert. I didn't have dessert neither, by the way."
"Want me to be your dessert?"
"I can't think of something more sweet and delicious. Before dessert you get pasta, cheese sauce, salad and ham."
"Dessert sounds better, the main course is for the stomach, dessert for the heart." Sofia got up, hugged Sara and snuggled into her arms. "Sorry I was so long away. If there was a possibility I'd come home earlier."
"Babe, I worked your job, I know sometimes you don't have a choice."
"My girlfriend understands me, doesn't accuse me of working too much, prepares dinner for me, I'm a lucky woman to have you." For a second Sofia closed her eyes and concentrated on Sara, her arms, her smell. Home. She was home. Sara was home. There was no place in the world she'd rather be than with her lover. Some colleagues went to a bar after work, sat there for an hour or longer before they went home. Impossible for Sofia. After a long day at work, hours away from her lover, she had to be back home ASAP. This was where she belonged.
"I'll be with you shortly." Another kiss and Sofia got out of Sara's arms and walked into the bathroom. Time to get ready for bed. After dinner she didn't want to go downstairs. Sara, her arms, their bed, was the only destination for tonight. At eight o'clock at night.
"Did you eat?" Jumping on one foot Sofia got from the bathroom into the bed. No need to put back on her prosthesis.
"Yeah, I had no idea when you come back and ate with Jules and her mother."
"Dinner with doctor Bendler? Wow."
"Alison. I'm supposed to call her Alison because I'll be the godmother of her grandchild which makes me a part of the family."
"Part of a doctor family, impressing. And when will you tell me what's wrong? Or is only Jules allowed to know?"