Chapter Fourteen

I recommend reading Horatio's Baby for background on this chapter.

Nearly five years ago-when Aimee had just found she was pregnant with Rachel and before his kidnapping ordeal-Horatio and the team encountered a case that shocked them all and was still unsolved.

A population activist named Carson Dane was in town for a week long speaking engagement. He may have had his followers and firm believers but a portion of the public hated him. Even protecting outside his events, many going as far as to challenge him during his talks. His core point was there was too people on earth. That anyone who procreated, even once should be jailed and castrated.

Following his second speaking engagement, the Sullivans, a young family with three young children and who were expecting twins had been found in their partially burned, smoke-filled home. Both the parents had argued with the activist earlier that night. The father and two of the children were pronounced dead on the scene. Not from the fire but from gunshot wounds, the fire and smoke inhalation being a contributor in their deaths. Firefighters on the scene at the time said there wasn't much to the fire, but the smoke was as thick as pea soup. The mother and other child initially survived the fire. The mother would lose her unborn twins who were twenty weeks gestation and expired two days later without ever regaining consciousness.

The surviving child, just two years old at the time, would suffer severe brain damage and die a year later in a nursing home from complications from a lung infection. In the months following the deaths, the activist would refer the family during his speeches saying if "the children hadn't been bought here" by their parents, they wouldn't have had to suffer this fate. They were victims. The parents were not. The parents had "received just punishment." It took a lawsuit and gag order to silence him about the tragedy. But watching recordings made by people who went to the event for curiosity sake he seemed to know details only the killer could. The clothing each child wore, the layout of each room of the bungalow. That was not enough to convict, the courts said. With an eyewitness, they needed the gun.

Now they had it.

The weapon was seized from a robber who had broken in the residence owned and used by Carson Dane when he was in Miami. As procedure it was tested to find out if the gun was involved in any other crimes. Calleigh couldn't believe the results when she saw them. She was at the scene of those murders. The images of those children dead in their beds stuck with her too. Everyone on the team would love to put the handcuffs on this piece of shit. But Frank was going to get the honor. Just because no one else was sure they control themselves if they got their hands on Carson.

Carson was currently in New York City. A warrant for his arrest was issued. Five counts of first degree murder and one count of arson. Horatio debated calling the NYPD and Mac Taylor. However he found out Carson was on a plane back to Miami.

Horatio and Frank would meet him at the airport.

The smirk fell from Carson Dane's face when he was told they found the murder weapon that killed the Sullivan Family. The gun had been registered to Carson's late mother.

"The bad news is your home has been burglarized. But the worst news for you is the burglar found the gun you used to kill the Sullivans," Horatio said.

Cameron asked for a lawyer.

Horatio didn't need him to talk. The evidence did that for him.

Everyone else went out for celebratory drinks. Horatio got home in time to tuck his children into bed. Eric and Calleigh went home for baby-making sex.