Ok I just got back from Arizona and I guess a week in the mountains helped my muse cuz I just seemed to be able to push out this chapter tonight!! Enjoy!

Calleigh squinted into the microscope, adjusting the focus on the sides to get a better look at the trace of the mud she collected at the scene. She could determine from looking at it that the mud found in the victim's home was not from her front yard but had been transferred from another location. She was so engrossed in her examined that she did not hear the door to lab open.

Suddenly two large hands came to rest on her hips and a warm breathe on her neck. "What are you doing?" she asked without removing her eyes from the scope

"Just trying to get a better look at your results"

"Well" she said covering his hands with hers "the focus on the scope is here" taking his hands and putting them on the sides of the scope "and you look here, not at my neck" she finished turning around in the little enclosed space his arms now created.

"Is that how this thing works?" Eric replied

Calleigh narrowed her eyes at him, feigning anger "We're at work"

"I was working"

"On what exactly?"

"Lots of things" he said looking her up and down, licking his lips as he did

"I'm not on the menu Mr. Delko" she joked "Did you get the results on the prints?"

Eric laughed "Yeah all the prints matched the family and since Mr. Winters and the son have an alibi"

"They were camping with the neighbor and his son" she finished for him

"Exactly so no outside prints. Do you get anything on the mud?"

"Actually yes; it's not from the Winters' yard. The mud contains enzymes that aren't usually found in soil you'd find in someone's backyard"

"How so?"

"The soil was high in Nitrogen"

"So it's possible it came from the Everglades"

She nodded "That makes the husband a suspect; they were camping in the Everglades"

"Based on the time of death and the temperature in the house there is no way Mr. Winters could've slipped away or even killed his wife before he left for the camping trip"

"So we've hit a dead end"

"Here yes; let's see if Frank turned up anything in his canvas with the neighbors"

Eric nodded "Does this mean we're working late tonight?"

"You have one track mind" she giggled

"Well you promised"

"I know"

"As long as you haven't forgotten"

"You're hopeless"

As it turns out the nosey old woman from across the street had seen a man in his mid thirties coming and going from the house during the day for several weeks.

"Mr. Winters were you aware your wife was having an affair?" Calleigh asked

"Excuse me?"

"You're neighbor, Mrs. Dolby said she's seen a man, who isn't you visiting your home during the day" replied Eric

"Mrs. Dolby is nosey"

"But she's right?" asked Calleigh

"I had my suspicions. Mary started spending more time at the gym, she put us all on diet; hell she even started wearing make up on a regular basis. She was a stay at home mom, so that was sort of a dead give away"

"Did you have anything to do with the death of your wife?"

"No"

"So you didn't mind that she was having an affair?" questioned Eric

Winters remained silent

"Mr. Winters?"

"I couldn't really say anything since I was having one of my own"

"What's her name?" asked Calleigh

"Look the woman just lost her husband and we work together"

"So you felt bad for her and took advantage?"

"No it's not like that"

"Her name Mr. Winters"

"Deborah Hanson"

It was Calleigh's turn to be shocked "Excuse me"

Eric could see Calleigh visibly stiffen. He really hoped that Deborah Hanson was a common name and it wasn't the same woman who lost her husband in the café.

"It was after Marc died and it just happened"

"Did it keep happening?" asked Eric

"No"

"So you don't blame your wife for having an affair?" asked Calleigh who seemed to recover slightly

"Was I mad? Hell yes. But I can't say I blame her. I was always at work or busy to pay any attention to her. I don't know in a way I felt relieved"

"Relieved?" asked Eric

"Yeah there were no expectations from her when I came home. Look all I ever wanted was for my wife to be happy and once in a long time she was. I know it sounds twisted but that is the way I look at it. Maybe that is why Deborah and I happened"

"Did Mrs. Hanson have any expectations from your affair?" asked Calleigh

"She had nothing to do with this"

"Is that a no?" asked Eric

"That is a no. She felt worse about what happened than I did and we really haven't spoken since. As far as I know she is taking a leave of absence from the company to go stay with her mother because…because she is having trouble making ends meet without Marc"

Eric could tell Calleigh was struggling to keep her composure but knowing Calleigh the way he did; he also knew she wouldn't want to stop the interview because it would seem unprofessional "Do you recognize this man?" Eric asked sliding a sketch of a man across the table

Mr. Winter examined the picture for a moment "He sort of looks like Josh; Josh Hages. We hired him several months ago to re landscape our yard"

"Commercial landscaper" Eric said a loud

"Who would have high concentrations of Nitrogen in mud stuck to his boots" finished Calleigh "Thank you Mr. Winters, we'll be in touch" she added before getting out of her chair and rushing out of the room.

Eric immediately followed

"Ok I'll call Frank and ask him to bring in this Josh Hages"

"Calleigh"

"See if you can pull up his DMV photo and show it to Mrs. Dolby so she can make a positive i.d."

"Calleigh stop" Eric said placing a hand on her arm to stop her forward motion "Are you ok?" he asked making her turn towards him

"Eric, I really don't want to talk about this right now"

"It's not your fault" he said putting his hands on her upper arms

"Part of me knows that" she replied looking down at the floor

"But?" he asked

"But the other half feels that if that day never happened..."

"Calleigh Winters wife was having an affair long before Johnson walked into that café. What happened after is none of your fault. We can't control what people do with their lives"

Calleigh finally looked up to meet his gaze. She looked deep into the eyes of the man who had captured her heart and quiet possibly made her a better person. And he was right; she couldn't control what people did with their lives. "Thank you" she replied putting her hands on his hips.

"Anytime" he replied before they both dropped their hands and separated. "Let's go find Josh Hages shall we?"

"Lets"

TBC….Ok be sure to review and let me know what you think.