Author Notes: This chapter took forever, but its done. Thanks so much for all the reviews it really, motivated me to write.
12. Exposed
Calleigh was defeated; she let him get to her. She couldn't believe she let Rick Stetler get to her. The "meeting" went unless than ideal, it was more like an epic disaster. It was confusing, emotionally straining and an utter train wreck. There were several things Calleigh wasn't sure for anymore, but one thing she was certain, the war Stetler and Horatio were fight, Stetler was the forerunner. The picture of Eric and Sharova on the pier was burn in her mind, why was he there, why was he there with him? Why didn't he tell her about it? How did Stetler get those pictures of them? Some of the pictures she had seen previously. Stetler had back her into a corner with no escape she didn't expect that Eric wasn't telling her things, she felt so betrayed. After Stetler showed her that the one people she thought she could trust had seemingly betrayed her, the wall begin to crumb.
"Ms. Duquesne I believe you, I know you didn't know about this meeting between Eric and Sharova. I know you want to tell me the truth. If you're really innocent tell me and the evidence will clear your name." He said a much lower and almost comforting voice. The picture had settled her, she was losing she composer. She was tearing up, all the emotions that she was trying to suppress were coming back to the surface, but the comforting tone from Stetler was confusing. Why was he trying to be sweet now? Why was he trying to act like his on her side? "Let start from the beginning" he said. "What was your relationship with Eric Delko?"
She was still shaking, but she was going to be honest. How worst could it be? "We're involved" she couldn't believe that she had to have this conversation with Stetler.
"How involved are you? Romantically?" he paused and looked at her "physically?"
She was starting to get annoy by his prying, it was too closed "Well why did you ask your photographer about that?" she snapped.
"Well then," He smirked and wrote something down on his pad. "Can you say that you didn't believe that Eric was involved with the Russian mob?"
"Yes, I do believe that. Eric's a good cop, I know he was at the armory because he had a good reason to be there, I'm just not sure why."
"Did you ever suspect that Eric was involved with the mob?"
"No, I can't say I expected that. I'm sure he had a good reason for being at the armor"
"Ok" Stetler said writing something down "Did you suspect Eric had a relationship with his father?"
"No, didn't" she said quietly.
"What are your views on Alexander Sharova?" he asked.
"I thinks he's dirty, I didn't trust him. He's involved with the Russian Mob. Despite all that of what he said to Eric, he is not innocent in my book." She said angrily. This integration was so confusing, first he was accusing and then comforting and now he was trying to get her side like he was actually cared and want to know the actually truth rather than stretch it like he typically did.
"When you shot at the car, did you know Eric was driving?" he asked.
"No, didn't know" she said.
"Why did you shot at the car?" He asked.
"Thought they were trying to flee the scene, a lot of bullets were flying and it was a tense situation happening with only a few seconds in between." She said.
"Ok" he said "Are you sure you didn't know it was him?" He asked again. Calleigh looked at him confused, way was he asking this question again.
"No, that answer is not going to change, if I knew it was him I wouldn't have shot him." She said annoyed.
"I'm sorry, can you repeat that? If you what?" Stetler asked.
"What?" Calleigh asked getting angry.
"If you what?" he asked.
"If I knew "She said coldly "I wouldn't have shot him."
"Ok then we done here" Rick said and got up walking out the room. Calleigh look at him in disbelief, still confused.
Rick Stetler sit in his office and he was beaming, he could not be happier; the thorn in his side that was Horatio Caine was looking like it was finally going to be removed. He initially had hired Ron Saris as an informant just to piss off Horatio, but lately Saris was providing him with crucial evidence that would finally take down the high and mighty CSI dayshift team. No longer would they thwart him; thanks to Saris for letting out some of his inner paparazzi, he had pictures and proof. He didn't deserve to be passed up for his Lieutenant rank by that fiery head fiend and he intended to set that straight for once and for all.
"One down, three more to go" He said to himself. Ryan was only the first to go because with the team already lacking a member, one less CSI would really put the strain on Horatio. His plan with Calleigh was a little bit more sophisticated than that, but she was the key. Right now she didn't know where she stood, but she was right were Stetler wanted her. He pulled a little tape from his bag and pulled a pen from his desk to write on the tape. He looked down at his handy work it said Calleigh.
After the interrogation Calleigh tried to get back to work, but she was so distracted. It was something about the way Stetler interrogated her that she found was a little bit off. She couldn't explain it or describe it, but something was awry she could feel it. It was different from any typical interrogation she'd ever learned. Grant it each officer practiced the interrogation styles differently in their own unique way, but in this situation that wasn't the case. He was all over the place asking question over again and rewording them, it bugged her. Her frustration was getting the best of her. It was taking an hour to dismantle a gun that would typical take her a second in her sleep. She chucked it across the room. Those pictures they reminded her of the photos taken by Cameron West when the mob was monitoring them, but he had gone off the grid since the credit card incident, permanently she had thought. Plus Stetler said he'd gotten them from a reliable source and someone who was affiliated with the mob would never be considered a reliable source. She had to get her hands on those photos and she had to get them to Dave in the AV Lab, he could find her the information she needed. She exited the ballistic lab and headed down the hall.
Eric woke; he was in a much nice place than his previous location. He was in what looked like a hospital room. "They had found me" he thought. He had IV in his arms and he pain was gone, but he was still weak. His bruises were bandaged and his body was cleaned. He went to sit up in bed, but his body denied him that action. He looked around the room; it was a small room with only two windows one which faced the outside and one which faced the hall of the hospital. It was a single occupation room, he was alone. He looked for the nurse button on the bed. He found it and buzzed it. Shortly after, a female nurse entered the room.
"May I help you, Mr. Delko? Are you in pain or would you like some food?" she asked. He tried to speak, but his voice was dry and raspy and he could manage was a crook. "Do you need water?" the nurse asked.
He nodded. She walked over to a pitcher on a table in the corner of the room and poured a glass. She walked back over to him with the glass and a straw. She handed it to him and with one big gulp he drank the water down. He tried to speak one more, this time he was able to managed words.
"Is there a Calleigh Duquesne here?" he managed to a raspy voice.
"Yes, I'll send her in right away." The nurse said and quickly exited the room. He wasn't sure how much time had passed since the nurse left the room, but he was having trouble keeping his eyes open he was fading in and out of sleep as he waited for Calleigh. Soon he was finding he was unable to keep his eyes opened when someone walked into the room. Before it all fade to black, he saw who enter the room it was a blonde hair woman, but she wasn't Calleigh.
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