"Lieutenant, your rape victim is awake." Doctor Bendler herself called Sofia.

"Can I talk to her?"

"Otherwise I wouldn't call. You get five minutes. No second more. Understood?"

"Of course, doctor. And it's CSI."

"The CSI is what you're now, the Lieutenant is what you'll always be. You can't change your destiny by changing jobs. Once a cop, always a cop. I arrange you can see the young woman. We still need a name."

"We don't have one, nobody reported her missing."

"Then you better work out yourself who she is. Goodbye Lieutenant."

"Goodbye doctor." Sofia got up from her desk, took her kit and drove to Hollywood Palms. When the victim was alive and she could talk to her, why didn't she tell the doctor what her name was? Couldn't she remember? If so, was she able to recall what happened to her yesterday?

With not high expectations she went to see a nurse, who took her to the room of her victim. Connected to tubes and covered in bandages, the woman lay in bed, still, like she was asleep. Her eyes were open and fixed on a spot on the ceiling.

"Miss? I'm CSI Curtis." No reaction.

"Miss?" Sofia stepped closer and got the attention of the young woman.

"Hey, your doctor called me, told me you're awake. She didn't get your name, can you tell it to me?"

"I…I don't know…"

"You can't remember your name?"

"I'm…I'm not crazy…am I?"

"No."

"Why can't I remember my name? I must have one. Everybody has a name."

"That's right. You were assaulted. Can you remember anything of it?"

"No. Who did this to me?"

"We're about to figure this out. What do you recall of Monday night? Why were you around Hollywood Boulevard?"

"I have no idea. Maybe I live there. Work there? Do I have a job?"

Great, this woman had more questions about herself than Sofia did. This wasn't a conversation, that helped the blonde to find out, who their victim was or who attacked her. "What can you tell me about yourself?"

"I'm…I have no idea…why…do I have money? I need to pay for the treatment and…"

The door was opened and doctor Bendler came inside. "Good morning, I'm your physician, doctor Bendler. How do you feel?"

"Awful."

"You're a tough cookie, I'm sure you'll recover. Now, CSI Curtis and I wonder about your name."

"Why can't I remember? Am I crazy?"

"No, you suffer from temporary memory loss. With the head injuries you have it's a common side effect. In a few days you should be able to recall all these details again."

"I'm not crazy?"

"No, you're not."

"Doctor, can you tell us anything that helps identifying her?"

"You're likely a waitress. At least you have some injuries, that are common among waitresses."

"I could have been on my way to work…or home?"

"I'd say home. You were attacked around three in the morning." Sofia wrote down the new information. She had to check for restaurants and diners in the area. Of course, the woman could work somewhere else, took the bus and left there because she lived nearby. "I need to take a photo of you, so we can ask people if the know you."

"I look awful, I'm…how do I look? I never saw a picture but all these bandages."

"Let me take a picture for you." Sofia took a photo with her cell phone and showed it to the woman. Immediately she started crying. No surprise and understandable. It was a shock, Sofia had no idea how the woman looked before, she might not remember this herself but she saw, she was severely injured and not in a good condition.

"Ohmygod. What did he do to me? Did he also…?"

"Yes."

"Ohmygod." The young woman started shaking.

"I think it's best you come back tomorrow, Mrs. Curtis. This lady needs to rest."

"Okay." No point in arguing. The victim had no memory and was no help at the moment. Together with doctor Bendler Sofia left the room. "When she gets her memory back, will you let me know?"

"Of course. Do you think you'll be able to get more information about her?"

"With the waitress angle I've got something new to work on. I pass the photo on to some officers, let them show it to various restaurants and diners."

"What about the rapist?"

"So far I have no information about a new case."

"Which doesn't mean he didn't rape a woman last night. He could have killed the woman and disposed the body."

"I know."

"You need more sleep, Sofia." Doctor Bendler stopped and put one hand on the blonde's shoulder.

"I did sleep."

"Not as good as you should, I can see it in your eyes. Is everything okay?"

"Family…not problems…being married has not only perfect sides."

"No, there's dark and light, you need a lot of work to keep a marriage running, it doesn't run smooth all the time, there're bumps and sometimes even a dead end. As long as you drive together, it doesn't matter how the road looks, you get to your destination and that's what's important."

"Wow, that could have been coming out of the mouth of your daughter."

"I know. She is a smart woman."

"Of course, she is your daughter."

"That she is. Good luck Sofia, with your job. You don't need luck with your marriage, you found the perfect partner for the trip."

"Thanks." Of course Sara was her perfect partner, they only took a dead end road and had to turn. Was it a dead end? After all, nothing happened and they had a wonderful evening.

"Do you have a minute?" Sara sat in the car, the cell phone in her hands and waited for her wife to respond.

"Yes, I can take my lunch break. How are you?"

"We're having poachers in the forest. There was another blood pool today. Not human."

"Not good news."

"No. What about your case?"

"I didn't get another call, he might have not attacked somebody last night. The last victim is still without a name, she can't remember anything. I saw her earlier."

"Shit."

"Yes, could be easier. At least her life isn't at risk anymore."

"Good. Do you have an idea when you come home?"

"No. Why?" Sofia hated herself for the tiny little bit of suspicious in her voice. Sara didn't ask because she planned something, she asked because she missed her. What the hell was wrong with her?

"I can leave around three. When you know what time you come home, I prepare dinner, make Steve stay so we can have a nice family dinner together."

"Sounds good."

"Any dinner wishes?"

"No."

"All right, then I ask our son what he wants. How about mouse au chocolate as dessert?"

Did Sara feel guilty? Did she offer Sofia's favorite dessert to make up for something? Was it her way to apologize for…did she really think these things? Sofia felt like smacking herself. Sara offered to make Sofia's favorite dessert because she loved her. How stupid did anybody have to be to come up with only suspicious thoughts? She should be ashamed of herself.

"Nothing says 'I love you' more than mouse au chocolate."

"What about chocolate spread? Chocolate bars? Chocolate ice cream?"

"All right, all right, nothing says 'I love you' better than chocolate in any form and shape. A reason why we have to save our planet, it's the only place with chocolate."

"I make sure to pack a huge bag in case we ever have to leave this planet."

"Where are we supposed to go?"

"As long as I'm with you I don't care where we go to."

Could this be the words of a woman with a guilty conscience? Or were these the thoughts of a crazy woman? A crazy jealous woman.

"I like where we are, let's not move planets. Steve likes his high school, we're happy in our jobs, a new planet means a change for all of us. And at one point the big bag of chocolate is empty."

"Right. Do we need anything? Shall I go shopping on my way back?"

"I think we have everything."

"Okay. And Honey?"

"Yes?"

"When we had dinner, Steve is busy with his computer and Susan in bed, we'll have another conversation."

"About?"

"You worrying why I didn't tell you about Caro. Me forgetting to mention her to you. You realizing there are things in my life you have no idea of. Me realizing small details are important in a relationship too."

Sofia swallowed. Sara knew. Somehow everybody seemed to see there was something wrong with her. Was it this obvious?

"I'm stupid."

"No, you're not stupid, I didn't marry a stupid woman. You're the woman I love, my everything. We talk and sort things out. How does this sound to you?"

"Perfect. I love you."

"I love you more. And now go back to work and catch some bad guys while I chase poachers."

"Kick their asses."

"First I kick their balls, that hurts more."

Sofia grinned. This was her wife, her Sara. Gosh, she loved this woman. More than words could say.

Sara picked Susan up on her way home. Not from her parents-in-law, from daycare. Today her daughter went with Eric, Jorja and Louise to daycare and from what Sara saw when she watched her daughter for a few minutes, she liked it. Louise and her were in a competition who could pull herself up most often and made a step. Which didn't work out for either one of them unless they had help from nursery care teacher. Sara still liked Marie and Marc most as babysitter for her daughter, but there was joy she saw in the eyes of her daughter, when she was with other kids.

"You're going to be such a sociable girl." She kissed her daughter. "Like your daddy. It's good you're not like me, keep more to yourself. It makes life easier when you're somebody, who can connect with strangers. Just make sure you don't trust everybody. The world can be bad, my Love."

"Ma!" Susan said.

"Ma? Can you say mama? Susan, say mama."

"Mama. Mama." Susan cheered.

"You're such a smart girl." Her daughter said mama. "Can you also say daddy? Dad?"

"Da!"

"Daddy."

"Dada."

"Well, that's near enough. Say grandma."

"Ma. Mama."

"Okay, I'm sure Marie will be happy with this too." She opened the door to the garden, stepped outside with her daughter. The sun was shining, it wasn't very warm, but warm enough to enjoy the sunshine for a few minutes. The dogs greeted them when she stepped into the garden. "Hey guys, how are you? How about we have a cookie and a coffee and then go all for a walk?" The dogs didn't care about the coffee, the cookie and walk things were the things they were after. And some time with their pack.

With a photo of the latest victim Sofia walked along Sunset Boulevard. Famous Sunset Boulevard, twenty-two miles of history, broken dreams, dreams, that came true, love, life and death. From Figueroa Road to the Pacific Coast Highway, passing Echo Park, Silver Lake, Hollywood, Beverly Hills and other parts of the city.

The blonde had no idea how many restaurants and diners were on Sunset, not even how many were in the area she was walking around, her feet felt like there were at least five dozen on one mile. So far none of the people she talked to had seen the victim.

"Good afternoon, my name is CSI Curtis, I'm looking for this woman." A small twenty-four hour shop was her next destination. A woman in her late fifties was behind the counter. She looked at photo and slapped her hand in front of her mouth.

"Oh my god! That's Anna. What happened to her?"

"She works here?"

"Yes, I was wondering where she is, she didn't come in last night, she is always very reliable. I couldn't reach her, worried and was about to call the police in case she doesn't show up today."

"Did she work here Monday night?"

"Yes, until two in the morning. What did happen?"

"She was attacked a few blocks away. What is her full name?"

"Anna Koslovski. She's twenty-one. I…I can give you her address when you need it."

"Yes, we do need everything you've got. Do you know if she has family around?"

"No, she's from Delaware, came here for university. I don't have their telephone numbers. She does have a boyfriend."

"You don't happen to have his name and address?"

"His name is Murphy, I don't know more. Sorry."

"That's okay."

"Let me get you her address. One minute, please."

"Thanks." Sofia took a deep breath. With the new information she could call Lynn and have her join her at the apartment of Anna. There should be more information, contact details or the name of the boyfriend. Not the first time a boyfriend was the perpetrator. It wasn't likely unless he also attacked the woman Sunday night. Maybe he did. Mistook her for his girlfriend.

"Here you are." The woman gave Sofia a sheet of paper.

"Thank you very much. Is this your business, Mrs.…?"

"Doe. Melinda Doe. Yes, it's my business, a family business in third generation. My grandfather opened it back in the days, when Sunset wasn't much more than a dirt road."

"A long time ago."

"In 1931 they paved the road from Horn Avenue to Havenhurst Avenue. Sorry, you're not here for Sunset Boulevard history. How can I help you and Anna?"

"I need you to be available for further questions."

"Sure, I write down my phone number. You can also reach me here, I live above the shop, so I'm around almost twenty-four/seven. Please get whoever did this to Anna. She will be fine, will she?"

"All I know is she'll survive. I talked to her today, she can't remember anything, not even her name. It should be temporally, in a few days or weeks she should be able to remember everything."

"Tell her, when she's fine again, she can continue to work here. Her job won't be gone."

"That's very kind of you, Mrs. Doe."

"Not only the shop and the Boulevard are old-fashioned, my husband and I are the same. We're from a time when you didn't send your employ home or took away her job because she was ill. A good work relationship is like a marriage, it works both ways and you don't end it when there are some troubles. You stick together in good and bad times. Unfortunately people seemed to forgotten about this; in all areas. Nowadays people throw things away that are broken instead of fixing them."

"Yes, I'm afraid you're right." Sofia took the sheet of paper and left. Time to call Lynn and see, what they could find out.