Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: In some states (I'm not sure whether Florida is one of them), animals may be credible witnesses.

Chapter 11—Witness to Murder

Delko stepped into the computer lab. "Get anything off that fake car's VIN number, Coop?"

Without taking his eyes off the monitor, Dan Cooper handed up a printout. "Registered to a Dean Cresswell here in Miami. Not MDPD. Or anywhere else."

Delko studied the printed photo. Young, short black hair, receding hairline. "Last record of employment was a year ago." He raised his eyebrows. "Isn't that where Walter Mullinax worked?"

"Yep. They both got laid off about the same time when the firm downsized."

"Bring up James O'Brien's file."

Dan Cooper clicked keys again. James O'Brien's photo with the words DECEASED popped up on the main monitor. "Looks just like him. But that's Dean Cresswell's last known address."

Rick Stetler stood behind Blizzard and held his hands over her shoulders. The white cat looked up at him patiently while Tyler came by with a handheld scanner and waved it over her back. "If there is a chip in here that has information, this'll pick it up. It can read up to three feet away."

Ryan stood at Blizzard's side. She ignored him. "I don't get it. That printout said 'MDPD Blizzard's ear.'"

"We'll find out" Tyler assured him.

The scanner beeped. Tyler looked at the screen. "Yep, this cat's got a memory chip. Five hundred meg. It's right here between her shoulder blades. About the size of one of those HomeAgain chips."

"So the chip in her left ear is a GPS tracker, but there's a memory chip in her back. Nothing to do with who owns her." Ryan put one hand on Blizzard's chest and probed her back in circular motions with one finger. She looked at him curiously and swung her tail. "Yep, there's a tiny lump right here. Too hard to be a cyst." At that moment his cell phone chirped. "Ryan Wolfe. Yeah. I'll let him know, Horatio." He clicked his phone shut. "Sergeant Stetler, Horatio wants you to bring Blizzard over to Interrogation."

The IAB agent nudged the cat into the cage and closed the door. "Come on, Blizzard." She made him feel like he was doing important police work again.

Ryan snickered as Rick strode out proudly with the cage. "So who'd've thought? Stetler actually got somebody to like him."

Tyler smiled. That smile went away quickly when blue and green print reflected back at him. "Yep, these are MDPD officers all right." He shook his head.

Ryan just looked over his shoulder. "Look at this. Must be about two dozen or so here."

"Names, addresses, next of kin. Social Security numbers, birthdates, security levels. And Calleigh was just one of them."

"You suppose these are random?"

"Don't know. They must've hacked the system before I could get the firewall up."

"I mean, why them?" Ryan nodded at the screen. "What about this? 'AMVW Detail'?"

Tyler clicked the mouse. Another screen flashed. "Same thing. This is another HR database. AMVW employees. Looks like Walter Mullinax hacked into their computer too."

Ryan lowered his head in thought. "Wait a minute! Tyler, go back to the MDPD names."

Tyler clicked and scrolled again. Names rolled up on the black screen.

"These are officers who volunteered to help the Air Force with AMVW. Security detail to help with shipments into the Port of Miami."

"So somebody had a good reason to hide this info on a cat" Ryan mulled. "I better call H."

He could have fooled nearly anyone in that uniform, Horatio thought. He wore the short-sleeved khakis, shined shoes, even a badge, all in perfect detail to Officer O'Brien. "Lieutenant Caine—" he began.

"Sit down, Mr. Cresswell!" Horatio growled. The Lieutenant could handle just about anything except child killers, abusive boyfriends, or anyone who would undermine his team. Now this MDPD imposter would feel the weight of his anger.

The man looked at him dumbfounded as he slowly sat down. "I'm sorry, Sir? Officer James O'Brien."

Horatio pulled out a piece of paper and slid it in front of him. "Officer James O'Brien was killed in a hang gliding accident. You assumed his identity! You then shot Walter Mullinax with Officer O'Brien's backup service revolver." He held out his hand. "The badge!"

Cautiously the young man handed his MDPD badge to Horatio who then studied it. "Where'd you get this?"

He dropped his eyes.

"Mr. Cresswell, you're looking at the death penalty, if you last that long in lockup. Impersonating a police officer, obtaining property under false pretenses, three counts of Murder One, conspiracy, and selling a police officer's identity. But I get the feeling you didn't act alone."

The fake officer shook his head. "Police officer's identity?"

"Bridgette Hambry gave you up. You sold her Calleigh DuQuesne's identity. Was money a little tight after you were laid off?"

"Lieutenant Caine, I don't know anything about any murders."

It was all Horatio could do not to lose patience with him. "Ballistics matched all of the rounds in the real Officer O'Brien's backup weapon to Walter and Theresa Mullinax, and Dr. Reese. We have proof that you set up Theresa Mullinax and then shot her execution-style. As we speak, my ballistics expert is testing your backup weapon."

He shook his head. Wordlessly Horatio held out a microcassette recorder and clicked it on, playing the voice mail message. "Sounds like your voice, Mr. Cresswell. Not only that, but we have a material witness to every one of your murders." Out of the corner of his eye Horatio watched Rick Stetler carry the cage down the hall. He motioned toward the uniformed officer behind him. "Officer, take Mr. Cresswell down the hall. Wait for me outside the door."

The black-haired, gray-eyed man seemed calm and collected, but he was obviously unsettled on finding out about Dr. Reese's death. Horatio fingered his sunglasses. "I'm sorry for your loss, Dr. Hughes."

"Thank you, Lieutenant" he said quietly. "Dr. Reese was brilliant with animals. I'd worked with her a couple of times. We've both been expert witnesses at trials. Sometimes on opposite sides of the courtroom."

"Doctor, Sergeant Stetler is going to bring in a white cat named Blizzard. We think she's witnessed several murders, including her owner as well as the owner's brother. We'll need you to work with us."

"Absolutely."

Rick stepped through the door carrying Blizzard in the black carrier. Blizzard crouched in the cage and watched ahead of her, glancing around, sniffing, getting to know her new surroundings. "What's going on, Horatio? You paged me."

"Rick, this is Dr. Leland Hughes, who will be taking Dr. Reese's place. He too is an animal behavioral specialist and a veterinarian."

Rick and the veterinarian nodded to each other. "So this is Blizzard?" He seemed to welcome the cat as she slowly, cautiously sniffed along the table. "It's okay, Blizzard. Don't be afraid."

"Doctor Reese explained to us that dogs and cats will recognize and react to certain sounds, scents and voices. You will also have to make sure she would be good as an animal witness. Is that true?"

Blizzard sniffed his hand and looked up at him. "That's correct."

Horatio nodded at the uniformed officer who stood outside the door of the glassed room. He escorted in Dean Cresswell.

Blizzard immediately crouched and laid her ears back, eyes dilated. The fur on her back stood on end. Her tail fluffed up like a bottle brush as she growled in low, threatening tones.

Dean Cresswell sniffed and smiled slightly. "What's a cat doing in here? What's going on?" He reached out with his fingers. Blizzard responded by baring her teeth and hissing, never taking her eyes off the officer. Doctor Hughes's attention was piqued. He stood up, watching Blizzard and the imposter carefully.

Horatio also watched every move. Dean Creswell had been around this cat before.

"Mr. Cresswell, roll up your pants legs. Both of them."

He hesitated.

"Mr. Cresswell, either you can do it now or in lockup. The choice is yours."

Still standing, he bent over and pulled up the cuffs of his khaki slacks with both hands and pushed down his black socks. Horatio nodded at the two puncture wounds on each side above his right ankle. Dean Cresswell swallowed and trembled.

"Rick, take Blizzard out" Horatio instructed. "Dr. Hughes will need to take an impression of her teeth and match it to the bite marks on Mr. Cresswell's leg."

Rick dipped his head and tightened his lips. "You're the guy who broke into my house!"

"The lab is going to prove that Blizzard bit Mr. Cresswell when he tried to retrieve her."

Blizzard seemed to calm down as Rick nudged the growling, hissing cat back into her cage. As he passed by with the cage, the cat's low growling turned into a singsong wail. Her ears laid down and her claws came out, ready for action.

Horatio kept his head down. This man was an imposter and a murderer. "Mr. Creswell, why don't you tell me what your interest is in that cat?"

The man started to tremble, and he sat down as his legs gave out. "I-I…."

He cocked his head. "Whoever you're working for is going to let you take the fall, and you know it. You're looking at Murder One, impersonating a police officer, first-degree burglary and obtaining property under false pretenses. The murder charge will get you the death penalty if you last that long in lockup. I, on the other hand, can cut you a deal."

Dean Cresswell's aloofness turned into fear. He gripped the table. "I can't."

"Think about it while you're in lockup. Book him and get him out of that uniform!"

Rick Stetler watched through the glass while Blizzard crouched and growled. He raised the cage and looked into her angry blue eyes. "Hey! Cut it out!"

Blizzard stopped growling.