Greeting Julie and Abby at the entrance of the building, he then led them through to a private interrogation room out of the eye of others.
"Please sit down," Horatio said cordially before he sat himself when his leg began to ache. She looks worried, she's definitely very anxious. Horatio thought just as the mother and daughter sat down opposite him. Watching Julie swallow as she took a deep breath and readied herself to speak, Horatio leant forwards on the glass table to give her his full attention.
"I… I called Stephen about the pills and he… erm, he just denied it and told me that I was being an idiot and when I informed him that Abby was home and safe, he hung up. I can't get hold of him now and his colleagues haven't seen him at all today," Julie said quietly and Horatio nodded. "I'm worried, Lieutenant, I'm worried about our safety now… after he–" she said before she completely broke down and covered her face. Witnessing the feeble woman weeping in front of him, Horatio gently pushed a box of tissues towards her as he pressed his lips together. She's definitely scared, has she found out that Stephen is the one that took Abby? I should talk to her on her own, her daughter doesn't need to see her mother distraught. Horatio thought to himself as he crooked his head to the side and clasped his hands tightly together on the table.
"Julie, I don't want you to worry, okay? Is it okay if we talk in private? I can have one of my CSI's stay with Abby for a few minutes," Horatio asked steadily with a soft tone. Looking up at the red-head, the mother nodded at him as she began to dry her eyes with the tissues Horatio had handed her. He slowly began to stand while he gave both mother and child a pleasant smile.
"Go with Lieutenant Caine Abs, I'll see you in a few minutes, we've just got to have an adult conversation," she said as she turned to Abby who nodded and then hugged her. Observing the loving embrace, Horatio could feel a mounting yearn for affection himself. He looked down at the glass table and placed each fingertip against the chilled glass. Feeling an unfamiliar sensation of unease, Horatio could feel himself becoming highly uncomfortable – something he never felt when observing others share such love and care in front of him.
"Don't cry Mommy," the little girl asked softly and then kissed her mother's cheek before she stepped back and looked up at Horatio. Julie then looked up at Horatio to see him staring down at the glass, lost in his own world wistfully.
"Lieutenant?" Julie asked, knitting her brow together. Rousing from his daze, Horatio stood up straight and offered Abby his hand as he strolled around the table. Why did that bother me so much? Horatio quizzed himself as he'd not consciously become aware of his natural desire for passion. The little girl placed her hand in Horatio's and slowly wandered out with him.
"Calleigh, would you please sit with Abby for a few minutes while I speak with her mother?" Horatio questioned when he caught her in the hall with a file in her hand. Pausing, she turned to Horatio as she flicked her long blonde hair from draping down the sides of her face and nodded.
"Of course Horatio," she smiled radiantly before she slowly crouched down to meet the little girls green eyes with hers.
"Hi sweetie, my name is Calleigh Duquesne and I am a police officer like Horatio. Shall we go and get something to drink?" Calleigh asked tenderly while she slowly reached out and lightly placed her hand on the child's shoulder. The Lieutenant nodded with a reassuring smile when the girl looked up at him anxiously. Slowly, the child let go of Horatio's hand and took hold of Calleigh's before she looked back up at Horatio once again for more reassurance.
"I'll see you in a moment Abby, Calleigh is lovely, there's no need to be afraid," Horatio said smoothly as his colleague stood back up. The CSI gave her boss a nod and then glanced down to the little girl with an enthusiastic smile. The Lieutenant walked back to the room and entered gracefully before he slowly sat back down, smiling sympathetically.
"Abby told me what happened after I bribed her with crisps and a promise that the man who took her will never go near her again," Julie explained and Horatio nodded as he leant forwards. With his expression intensifying, he began to fiddle with his sunglasses. I know exactly what his coming, I just don't know why. Horatio thought to himself as he nodded at the woman, encouraging her to continue. "Stephen, Stephen took her from her bed this morning and made her promise not to tell anyone and to be very quiet. He told her that they were going for a trip to the zoo. She told me that she was really scared and couldn't understand why he'd leave her with scary alligators. He put my baby in an enclosure to be eaten by alligators! How messed up is that?!" she snivelled before she broke down completely once more while she shook her head in disbelief. She's heartbroken… she's absolutely heartbroken that her husband did this. She's going to be even worse when she finds out that he's got the doctor too and when she finds out that he's been abusing her daughter. I know he has Rebecca. I need to get every ounce of information I can from Julie if I'm to find our missing doctor. Horatio mused as he pushed the tissues towards the hysterical woman once more. She nodded at him gratefully as she pulled more tissue from the box, which also allowed her to look into his compassionate eyes.
"Your husband did this?" Horatio questioned as he needed her to confirm and she nodded. Giving her a moment to compose herself, Horatio sat back and began to think to himself. Why would he do this to his daughter? What reason does he have? Why would he kidnap Rebecca in the first place? Why would he be doing any of this? The Lieutenant pondered as he began to run his thumb and index finger along the sleek metal frame of his sunglasses. Love often brings the most brutal murders and heinous crimes, frequently involving innocent children, why would anyone want it? Horatio questioned himself, he could feel himself slipping deeper into his thoughts while he zoned himself out from reality. I guess it's a primal desire to be loved, to receive affection… to have someone there for you when you need it. Horatio thought as he looked down at his suit and exhaled steadily. The Lieutenant still hadn't realised that he wanted something more from his life, but he never considered himself as a human being, therefore didn't require the basic needs that others craved. Love was forbidden in his mind, love wasn't something he deserved, or so he often told himself.
"He isn't Abby's biological father, but she thinks he's her real Dad. I conceived her when in an abusive relationship with an ex, he'd raped me. I met Stephen a month after and he took care of me. He's brought Abby up like his own for 10 years. Why would he put my baby in danger like that?" she asked which quickly pulled Horatio from his immersed thoughts. Sitting forwards once more and with an empathetic appearance, he tilted his head to the right.
"Julie, I will find out for you and I will find Stephen and he will be punished," Horatio replied confidently. Determination and pure conviction to the case ebbed through his eyes and mouth, even in his posture and the atmosphere; she knew that the Lieutenant would do his best to find her deranged husband and put things right and bring justice to those who needed it. "Do you have a photo of him?" Horatio questioned and she nodded as she pulled her purse from her handbag and then handed Horatio a picture of a man with her daughter. Taking his time to scrutinise the picture thoroughly, he exhaled and pressed his lips together. Paul Gunner. Horatio said to himself as he slowly placed the picture down and pulled his cell from his pocket to ring Eric. Sensing the atmosphere tense with fury, Julie sat up straight to look at him properly and knitted her brow.
"Eric… Paul Gunner… we've got him. Put out a BOLO for a man matching his description in a grey Ford Mondeo Estate, registered to Stephen Wells. He's using a fake identity," Horatio ordered, glaring down at the glass with his heart beating hard and his mind racing. He glanced up at Julie and saw her looking very confused before he hung up once Eric replied. Silently, he handed her the photo back before he took hold of his sunglasses once more and sighed lightly. I'm going to have to tell her, she needs to know. Horatio understood while he focused on his sleek shades.
"Julie, there's no easy way to say this, but your husband isn't Stephen Wells, he's a man called Paul Gunner. He faked his death 12 years ago where he took over the identity of a recently deceased man called Stephen Wells, he's got a rap sheet consisting of theft and fraud, now kidnapping and possible murder. We've found his prints all over Doctor Henderson's house," Horatio said reluctantly with a warm expression still radiating out strong. Her eyes connected with his for a moment as silence filled the air around them. He held the eye contact and watched the information very slowly sink in. I hope she doesn't take it too badly, she needs to stay strong for her daughter. Horatio thought to himself while he pressed his lips together while he inclined his head to the right a little more.
"What? You mean he's lied to me for 10 years? He's kidnapped my daughter's doctor and has possibly committed murder?" She questioned and Horatio nodded, silently and regrettably. Watching the woman take a couple of gasps of air, he reached over and placed his hand delicately over hers. She's in shock, denial perhaps? Or fury? Horatio asked himself while his eyes examined her closely. "I've let a criminal bring up my baby?" she questioned and Horatio nodded once more while he remained silent. Yanking her hand from under his, she covered her mouth while she violently exhaled and began to tremble through shock and abhorrence. "I've put my baby in harm's way for the last 10 years," she whispered as she looked back to the Lieutenant. Her expression became unreadable, but Horatio didn't have time to reply before she spoke again. "I'm a terrible mother! I'm an idiot, he's played me like an idiot!" she said as she began to hysterically sob. Covering her face with her hands, she shook her head and breathed heavily. She'd begun to become completely on done at the seams while Horatio slowly stood up and walked around the table.
"Julie, you're not an idiot and you're not a terrible mother. You did what you thought was best and it worked out for the first 10 years. He's a fraud, he's used to deceiving people, that's what they do," Horatio explained as he tried to soothe her by gently placing his hand on her back while she continued to cry into the tissue she had. He sighed inwardly, feeling his compassion heighten while she shook her head, disagreeing. I must find Rebecca; every minute is becoming more serious. Horatio believed while he continued to lightly move his hand over the blonde's back.
"Julie, I need you to focus right now, anything you give me could help us save another woman," Horatio said warmly to try and calm her down and focus on something else, something incredibly important.
"Abby mentioned that she saw her doctor briefly, but couldn't remember where. She said that Doctor Henderson looked upset and scared and that Stephen was in a rush," Julie said as she shook her head. She's still alive, but maybe not for long now Stephen knows we're on his tail, we've got to move fast! Horatio told himself firmly. "I couldn't get anything else from her, she's been so quiet all day. Usually she's such a happy little girl, he's destroyed my baby," she cried as she looked back to the glass table and squeezed the tissue in her hands. Nodding at her, Horatio began to lose himself in his thoughts once more. Time is of the essence, I will find her alive. Horatio instructed himself as he stopped rubbing her back.
"Thank you Julie, at least we know that she's still alive, we have hope. Do you mind if I talk to Abby myself in private? If you're not comfortable with that then you're very welcome to sit in. I just want to ask her a few questions," Horatio asked gently and she nodded as she gawped up at him with sore eyes.
"Of course, if it saves that Doctor then by all means, if you think you've got more chance of getting something from her without my presence then you can talk to her," with her permission granted, Horatio quickly nodded with sheer grit emitting into the atmosphere. .
"Thank you, I will be right back," Horatio replied graciously as he quickly plucked his sunglasses from the table and swiftly exited the room. Hurrying, he made his way towards the room Abby and Calleigh were sat in. Both looked up at him just as he entered with a calm, hospitable smile with his sunglasses in his hands.
"Calleigh, may we have some privacy, please?" Horatio questioned while he began to make his way slowly over to Abby. Rising to her feet, his colleague smiled and nodded at him courteously before she departed. With his leg beginning to ache once more, Horatio sluggishly sat down next to Abby, but maintained his pleasant expression.
"Abby, can you tell me where you saw Doctor Henderson today?" Horatio asked caringly in a warm manner while he observed her colouring in the picture she'd drawn with the crayons Calleigh had supplied.
"I can't remember," she replied as she glanced up to Horatio with her wide green eyes that she'd inherited from her mother. The Lieutenant nodded at her before she began to colour again.
"That's okay, can you remember where your Daddy took you?" Horatio asked tenderly but she shook her head while she heavily exhaled. "You can talk to me, I'm not going to tell anyone else," Horatio assured her quietly as he lowered his head to gain some eye contact with her, but she just focussed on her drawing.
"I don't know," she replied as she looked back to him with an unhappy expression. I'm frustrating her a little, but I must get this information, I know she knows the information I want. Horatio told himself as he leant forwards on the table and looked to his sunglasses in his hands.
"Can you describe Doctor Henderson to me?" Horatio asked warmly, looking back to her but she just shook her head and pursed her lips.
"Did you see Doctor Henderson?" Horatio asked calmly and she shrugged as her colouring became more jagged and rough.
"Abby, you can talk to me. No-one is going to hurt you. I need to know if you saw her because Doctor Henderson is in danger at the moment and we need to find her so we can help her, like we helped you," Horatio said warmly as he tilted his head at her with his mellow expression.
"She needed a bandage but Daddy said she didn't," she replied and Horatio nodded, encouraging her to go on. She's hurt. Horatio believed as his grip on the shades in his hands tightened
"Well done, can you tell me if she was really hurt?" Horatio asked, needing to know every detail he could get his hands on.
"I don't know she looked upset. She was in a chair," Abby replied and Horatio nodded.
"Can you tell me what she was wearing?" Horatio questioned and she shook her head as she looked back down to her picture.
"She had red stuff on her face though, Daddy said it was paint and she was doing some decorating," she replied and Horatio nodded as he swallowed. She's hurt and bleeding. Horatio thought as he briefly closed his eyes and calmed his growing wrath against her father. He then looked to the picture she was drawing and saw that she had a red crayon in her hand. Red crayon… red paint? Horatio thought as he put 2 and 2 together.
"Abby, can you tell me what you've drawn? It's very good," Horatio asked enthusiastically with a cheerful smile and she looked back to the picture and held it up to show him properly.
"Daddy's work, he has lots of trucks," she said with a smile as she looked back to Horatio who nodded. He examined the drawing more and narrowed his eyes on the red part.
"What's that there?" Horatio asked energetically as he pointed to the red patch she'd just coloured in. I bet it's 'red paint'. The Lieutenant mused.
"That's paint, Daddy told me to wait while he cleaned it up. He said the painters are messy," she replied as she looked back down to the picture and placed it flat on the desk to continue with colouring. There's red paint at his office. Horatio thought as he pressed his lips together, feeling his temper swell.
"Were you at your Daddy's work today, Abby?" Horatio asked and she nodded but concentrated on her colouring once again. She's at his work place… but I had officers check it out! Horatio said as he took a deep breath and felt a surge of fortitude to save the doctor.
"Well done sweetheart, you did well. Shall we go and find Mommy now?" Horatio questioned and she nodded blithely as she hopped off the chair and took her picture with her as she walked by Horatio's side. She must still be there, she has to be. Horatio pleaded himself, he needed to see the safe return of the good doctor, he knew he couldn't let it go. Entering the room Abby's mother was sat in, the Lieutenant smiled genially as he gave her a nod while Abby immediately left his side and rushed towards the woman.
"Julie, thank you very much. We've got the doctor's location," Horatio thanked her sincerely as she stood and hugged Abby.
"You have?" she asked and Horatio nodded before he placed his hands on his hips and clutched his shades in his left hand.
"Thank you very much, we're on the lookout for Stephen now, he'll be arrested when found and charged for a number of criminal acts, please do not worry," Horatio assured her and she nodded. His calm, protective aura that surrounded him had her feeling at ease.
"Thank you again," she said and Horatio nodded with a warm smile and then allowed them to leave before he walked out and into one lab where Calleigh, Eric, Ryan and Walter were situated.
"H, we've just got a call - Paul Gunner, AKA Stephen Wells has been sighted at the airport, but he's alone, he doesn't have Rebecca with him. We're on our way over there now," Ryan explained and Horatio nodded as he placed his hands upon his hips once more.
"Go with Walter. Eric, Calleigh, we've got a location on Rebecca," Horatio said before he turned and marched out of the lab and headed towards the elevator with a strong, driven stride. Eric and Calleigh looked at each other a second before they made a quick exit and rushed out after their boss while Ryan and Walter watched them enter the elevator.