Sorry about te wait all, my computor crashed. But as you can tell it's back to running smoothly and i'll be updating normally again soon. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the new chap.


"So where do we stand?" Ezra asked as his team gathered in is office. He had just finished reading them Joe's statement and updating them on the boys' condition. Joe was making vast improvement while Frank was still critical but stable.

It was a small team, made up of only six people, himself included, but it was all he knew that they needed. Every body in the room was someone he trusted, someone he knew, and someone who knew the Hardy's.

There were Con Riley and his partner Carry Turner; Con was like family to the Hardy's and Carry's kids played on the same football team. There was Assistant DA Sharon Brooks, a hell o a lawyer who worked closely with Fenton several times. Normally she worked high profile crimes because she had away of dealing with the press like no other, but this time she had asked to be assigned this one. No one argued.

Next to her was the CSI team leader the odd ball Larry Walker, shifting through files. He may not have been as close to the Hardy' as the others, but he was the best and he had seen the boys being taken away, there was nothing short of lack of evidence that would stop him. Rounding out the team was Sam Radly, Fenton's assistant and friend. Normally civilians weren't allowed on police investigations, but this time it was different. Sam could get into places more easily and with less restraints then a police officer and that would come in handy.

Larry sat up straight and started to shuffle his papers around as he spoke. "We put a rush on all the evidence gathered from the scene. We got lucky, whoever's responsible had no idea what they were doing and didn't cover their tracks. We found cigar buds scattered about as well as prints, booth finger and foot. Unfortunately that's where our luck ends. We got no matches. All I can tell you is that there were three people in the house besides the Hardys. Two males, one female; get me a suspect and I'll get you a match. I can also tell you that all the blood on he floor belongs to the boys, not our suspects. There was trace amounts of litter fluid on the island counters and we found a litter near by. It's your standard, gas station litter but I've got a guy tracing it," Larry concluded as he finally sat still.

"Get back to m as soon as your guy's done," Ezra ordered, then turned his attention to Con. "What did you learn from questioning the girls?"

"Callie was the last one in the house before the break in. Frank had been sick and she was basically taking care of him. When he fell asleep, she left. She thinks that she left the alarm off, she didn't know the code. Vanessa was the last one to see Joe. They left the carnival around ten thirty and he dropped her off at the Shaw home around ten forty. He must have gotten home around eleven; it took me twenty five minuets to get to the Shaw home from the Hardy's and knowing Joe has a lead foot…"

"So basically there's noting?" Ezra asked, ignoring the attempt at a joke.

"No sir, there is something. Before I left for the Saw house I ran into a neighbor who saw a car parked up the street from the Hardy house. He even got a plate number; apparently the person had run over a mailbox."

"I ran the plate," Carry added, "It came back to a Samantha Whelm, which is really good news because it means we have a suspect."

"Samantha is the daughter of Jake and Marry Whelm, and the sister to Josh Whelm. While the rest of the family has nothing more serious then parking tickets, Josh has already been in trouble. He's not in the system because he's never been arrested, but he's this close from getting expelled. I have two witnesses who say that they heard him threaten Frank. One being the same neighbor's kid, a Bobby Rose, who works with Frank at a tutoring program after school and Callie Shaw. Callie even saw him threaten Frank."

Ezra could barely contain his glee at the news, it was the first solid lead they had gotten all day and he was so willing to run with it, but he had to be cautious, "Is this boy capable of something like this?"

"I don't know. I have to see. Carry and I are going to interview him," Con answered.

"Chief, if I may, this is nothing tangible, nothing that will hold up in court, it's just what I hear my boys saying. But from what they've told me Josh Whelm likes to fight. He goes out of his way to find fights. But like I said, that's just gossip I hear from my sons," Carry added.

Ezra nodded, and seemed to be thinking her words over, then he nodded, "Well why don't you go see for yourself what this kid is like."

The two detectives stood to leave, but Sharon's voice stopped them. "Chief, believe me I am not trying to tell you how to run your show. I agree with everything you've said. However, knowing that Fenton is a high profile detective and so are his sons I don't want to abandon the idea that this is related to one of their cases, not this early in the game. Kind of like, better to cover all your bases then to let the other team get a runner on first."

"I agree with Miss. Brooks, Ezra. I want to ask your permeation to go digging through the Hardy's case files. I'm the only one here who has complete accesses and even background knowledge to the cases," Sam added.

"I see no reason as to why not. Don you have to enter the crime scene?" Ezra asked.

"Yes, Fenton doesn't have Frank's faith in computers, he still keeps files in filing cabinets," Sam said with a small smile.

"Larry, are you and your boys done with the scene?" Ezra asked the CSI.

"We are for now, but if you don't mind I want to send one of my team there with you. When this goes to trial I want no argument about chain of custody. I want no evidence to be thrown out," Larry answered, his eyes locked on Sam.

Sam gave him a smile and a nod. They were all on the same page. "Well then it's settled, Miss Brooks, would you care to join us sense it was your idea?"

"Whatever I can do," was the unhesitant answer.

"While you all are playing detective, I'm going back to the hospital. I want to be there when Frank wakes up. Let's get going people; we've got work to do."