Disclaimer: No infringement of copyright intended. All original characters belong to the creators of CSI: NY.
A/N: As always, thanks to my faithful reviewers, and to all those reading this story. Hold tight, the ride is just beginning!
Chapter 13
The Boy Falls
"You're sure?"
"It couldn't be anyone else."
"Good. Keep an eye on him." Carolyn closed the phone, gloating for a moment. She opened an internet browser and finished her plane reservations.
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
"Sam?"
"What?"
"Is that one of the cops?"
Sam spared her only a cursory glance, his eyes going cold. "Maybe. But I'll catch you up. Don't wait for me. Okay?"
"Oh. Okay." Jake waved and left, looking over his shoulder at them. Sam wasn't sure if he felt bad about lying to Jake or not. He knew that she wasn't a cop. He also knew he wanted to know what she wanted. And that he'd only find out by going with her. Squaring his shoulders, he opened the car door and got in.
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
Absently, Mac glanced at the clock as his pager beeped at him. Five o'clock, who on earth would be calling him at five o'clock?
"Taylor."
"Mac?" Elena sounded a little hysterical and a lot desperate. "Do you have Sam?"
"No. Why?"
"He didn't come home from school today."
"I'm on my way, Elena, sit tight." Mac cut off her protests and hit one on his keypad.
"Bonasera."
"Stell, do you have Sam?"
"No."
"Meet me at Elena's, call Don. Ask him." Mac hung up before she could ask any questions. After a seconds thought, he hit two.
"Dr. Driscoll."
"Peyton, it's me."
"Mac. What's wrong? You sound tense."
"Do you have Sam?"
"No, of course not. Why? What's wrong?"
"He's not at home. Meet me there?"
"As soon as I can." She hung up first this time.
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
"Flack."
"It's me, Don."
"Stella, what's up?"
"Do you have Sam?"
"No. Why? Should I? Am I late to get him?"
"No. Call Danny, ask him. Meet me at Elena's."
"Will do."
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"Sheldon, it's Mac."
"Hi Mac--"
"Do you have Sam?"
"No."
"Call Adam. Meet us at Elena's."
"Okay."
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"This is Messer."
"Danno, do you have Sam today?"
"Nah, I think he's with his parents, why?"
"He's not. Call Linds. Meet us at Elena's."
"Shit. Okay."
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
"Adam."
"It's Sheldon,"
"Oh, man, your tests aren't run yet, but they're getting there, I promise. There's some weird trace on the gum you found on the floor, but I haven't analyzed it under the--"
"I don't care about the tests, Adam."
"What? Why?"
"Is Sam there?"
"At the lab? 'Course not."
"Come to Elena's. He's missing."
"What!?" But he was speaking to a dial tone.
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"Hi Danny."
"Dumb question."
"S'all right, you've warned me."
"Do you have Sam?"
"No. You know we don't take him Tuesdays."
"Come to Elena's. I don't think any of us do."
"Sam is missing?"
"Looks like it."
"I'm coming, babe. Keep her calm."
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
"Reed's phone. Leave a message if you've got anything worth printing."
"Reed, it's Mac. Sam's missing. I need your help. Please come to Elena's or call me. Whichever. Let Natalie know." Mac agonized over how to end the message. He knew what he wanted to say, but there was no way he could. "See you," he finished lamely, and closed the pager.
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
Elena was busily making everyone coffee when Lindsay arrived, with Stella seconds behind her. They walked in the door, exchanging a quick look. Stella nodded, and gently took Elena's arm, leading her into the kitchen. Lindsay shook her head when Danny raised a questioning eyebrow, following Stella.
"Okay, Elena, it's okay. We're all here now. We can find him," Stella soothed, rubbing the younger woman's back as she cried.
"Are you… are you s-sure?"
"Yes. We will find him. And get rid of whoever took him." Lindsay's voice was cold steel wrapped in silk. Without thinking, she grabbed the kettle, filled it with water and put it on the stove. "Teapot, Elena?" Elena just pointed blindly at a cupboard.
Stella looked at her oddly. Without saying anything, Lindsay held out her hands, which were shaking in anger and fear. Stella nodded, her eyes terrifying to behold.
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
"Elena," Mac said in his gentlest voice. "We need to know exactly when he went missing. It will help us find him."
"I don't know. He didn't come home from school. He walks with Jake, most days. But I didn't see either of them, Jake usually comes here for a snack."
"Where's Jake's house?" Flack asked intently.
"Two down."
"Left or right?" Danny's voice was softer than Flack's, but just as angry.
"Left."
"Coming, Flack?"
"Right behind you, Danno."
CSI: NY – CSI: NY – CSI: NY
"Hello, Mrs. Fairbairn?" She didn't open the screen door, looking at the two young men on her stoop with barely contained suspicion. The tall, dark one was talking. "I'm Detective Flack, this is Detective Messer."
As one, both cops flashed their badges.
"We're friends of Elena Martinez," the short one added.
"Are you now? You wanna prove that?"
"Listen, ma'am. Sam's missing. It seems someone took him from school. We would just like to talk to Jake, maybe he saw something?"
Her defenses crumbled in a second. "Sam? Sam's missing? Oh my God. How could that happen?"
"I don't know, ma'am. That's why we wondered if we could talk to Jake. We want to find him as soon as we can."
"Please, Detectives, come in." She unlatched the screen door hastily, and called her son downstairs.
"Hi Jake, I'm Danny. I think we've met before." Jake nodded soberly. It wasn't possible for him to look less like Sam. Hair only an inch long, blond as wheat, eyes blue as the ocean, skinny as a rail and a foot shorter than his best friend. "This is my friend Don."
Solemnly, Jake shook Flack's hand.
"I knew she wasn't a police officer."
"Who wasn't, Jake?"
"The lady who picked up Sam today."
Danny and Don exchanged darkly significant looks.
"What did she look like?"
"All I saw was blond hair. Sam wasn't scared though. He walked right up to the car and got in. I thought she was a friend."
"Did Sam act like he knew her?"
"Kind of. He looked kind of mad. He said he'd catch up, so I walked slow. But he didn't catch up, and he didn't phone later."
"Thanks, Jake. You've been a huge help."
"You're welcome."
"Detectives?" Erin Fairbairn stood by the door, her eyes wide. "Do you know who took him?"
"I have a suspicion or two," Danny grumbled under his breath.
"We'll find her, Mrs. Fairbairn. We'll find her."