When Rick and Horatio arrived at Peacock Park their overdressed manner brought a welcome sense of amusement to an otherwise grim scene. The homicide detectives spied them first as they strode up through the trees side by side, suited and booted for an expensive dinner following the lights to a disturbing double homicide.

"Was there a dress code for tonight?" Tobias mused sardonically to Jack.

Jack gave a ghost of a smile and shrugged. "I thought I was the one making all the effort," he retorted.

Casualties of the corruption in the Narcotics Department under the currently incarcerated Lieutenant Stephen Hines, Tobias and Jack had both made the switch to Homicide to work under the newly appointed Lieutenant, Rick. Tobias had found it an easy move as he had worked for two years in Homicide before Narcotics, whilst Jack was still under supervision, having just come back from trauma induced leave.

Having his partner Jason Ferris being blackmailed and murdered while undercover and almost being murdered by two cops himself leaving him temporarily homeless with no one to trust had left Detective Jack Carson mentally scarred and more than a little paranoid. It had taken a lot of therapy and trust building exorcises before he had been ready to work again. It was also another reason for his transfer, he couldn't work undercover again. As Horatio and Rick had helped clear his name, he had found Homicide a preferable move. Having Tobias, who had been framed by the same cops who had tried to murder Jack, as a partner made things easier for Jack as well.

"You two certainly look flashy," Sergeant Frank Tripp mocked the arriving pair as he glanced over at them, "were you on a date?"

Frank was dressed in a simple suit of grey with a white shirt and green tie, his shield just visible at his belt in the shadows of his jacket. His suits were always simple, never flashy or designer and only stain free because of the sharp eye of his wife, he often let his shirts get wrinkled and figured just wearing a suit made him presentable enough. His status was notable from his sturdy build, stern stance and the seriousness of his dark gaze.

Rick frowned whilst Horatio smiled.

"Dinner Frank," Horatio retorted calmly. Although the redhead wore a relatively blank expression he was still basking in the happiness of the evening despite the morbid turn. Cassandra had said yes.

"Well I hope you enjoyed it," Frank retorted sincerely. He knew the night had been important for Horatio although the redhead had been coy as to why.

The sergeant turned his attention to the grisly scene, which was currently being attended by CSIs Ryan Wolfe and Eric Delko. Eric had paused momentarily to give his boss, Horatio, a nod of greeting and Rick a cold stare.

The evening air was pleasantly warm, tolerable now they had escaped the sweltering heights of summer. It was hard to take any joy in it however with the pair of corpses near them.

Rick stepped forward and stared down at the body of the woman with a cool calm. It was unsettling seeing as many bodies as he did now but, as Horatio had assured him he would, he was becoming used to it. He was still undecided as to whether that was a good thing or not.

"How did you identify her?" he quipped.

Rick knew they couldn't have had the chance to run her prints yet and he was struggling to see how they had identified her by her face given her eyes had been obliterated. He stiffened at that sight remembering his half-sister Gilly dead in the morgue with her eyes smashed inwards. Gillian 'Gilly' Garrett was not yet two years dead and every so often the image of her abused corpse would pop into Rick's mind unexpectedly causing him to tense up and half-throttle himself with his tie. It was one of many, many images of horror that tormented the lieutenant although thanks to therapy he was learning how to deal with them but he couldn't banish them.

"I.D in the purse boss," Tobias retorted.

Ryan lifted up a sealed brown paper bag. "In here," he explained, "I took some photographs and a quick look. There are a few sequins missing but I don't see any lying nearby although a sequin that size in a dark park." He flashed a smile up to Rick. "Well you know finding that won't be easy." Ryan's hazel gaze darted over to Horatio. "There's cash, a mirror, make-up and a driver's licence in it." He gestured with one hand outwards around the body. "I can't tell yet if she died here but it's doubtful she was naked with wings and a halo and her purse in a park so it doesn't look like robbery."

"No," Horatio murmured, "but our killer wanted us to know who our victim was." Horatio's calm cerulean stare darted from Ryan to Frank. "You say she phoned in her own murder?"

"911 got the call at half seven, I heard it over the radio," Tobias answered. "I remember Dispatch knew it was an odd one because they said the caller hadn't just given a name but a full name, she was Kara Watkins calling to report a dead girl in Peacock Park, that was it."

Tobias glanced over to the body Eric was attending and frowned. "Dispatch advised Officer Quentin McCoy took the call, said he was near, reckon he got here around eight." Tobias let out a laboured sigh. "We got here eight-fifteen, maybe eight-twenty, we weren't far behind him."

Rick walked over to the other corpse, treading softly on the grass, fearful of disturbing the scene any further. He stared down at the body blankly and found it easier to take in than Kara's.

"Have we confirmed this is definitely Officer Quentin McCoy?" Rick asked.

"His car is just at the gates," Jack retorted, "officers are going through it now, keys in his pocket opened it."

Jack still looked pale, he grimaced in the shadows as he lingered near the body but kept his stare firmly on Rick.

"What detective training wheels should point out and what you should have noticed is his badge," Eric spoke up rudely. He gestured to the metallic shield glittering on the bloodstained taupe shirt. "The number is Officer McCoy's."

Rick frowned back at Eric. The pair shared a colourful history, which included Rick investigating Eric with regards to purchasing drugs. Rick had no desire to be friends with the man and was accepting that they weren't going to be tolerable with one another either. What was worse was Eric was brother to Horatio's late wife Marisol and Eric couldn't seem to come to terms with the fact that Horatio had moved on to Rick's sister of all people. Rick and Horatio were both dreading how Eric would take the news of his boss' engagement.

"Screw you Delko," Jack grumbled back. "I was getting to the badge," he added defensively as he folded his arms.

"Hey I'm not paid to hold your hand," Eric retorted bitingly.

"No, tonight that's me," Frank interrupted bluntly before Rick or Horatio could say anything. He stepped over to the men and eyed them warily, daring them to continue the bickering.

Rick returned to Kara's body and resumed studying the corpse. She was naked save for two things, a pair of white wings which were spattered in blood and a halo made of a tarnished silver ring which was suspended with clear supports, although the mechanism holding it into her hair was unseen at the back of her skull. Her neck had bruising about it suggesting strangulation. Curiously, there were no visible wounds despite the bloodstains on the wings apart from the ruination of her eyes. The bloodstains about her face suggested that injury may have happened while she was still alive.

"What a strange position she's in," Rick murmured as he avoided looking at her destroyed eyes.

"Strange?" Frank echoed.

Rick nodded solemnly as he gestured down to her. "Look at her positioning, knees bent, palms clasped together, she's lying down but it's like she's mimicking kneeling in prayer."

Horatio was silent, observing Rick with a small degree of pride. Rick had always been a determined, detailed worker but now there was something else, an energy in him he hadn't shown in IAB, it was obvious Rick actually liked his current job and was determined to do his best in it as much out of love as pride.

"We'll know more after tests," Ryan said, "when and how and if any trace was left. Unfortunately, this spot, is frequented by a lot of people so it's heavily contaminated."

"Yes, the when will be interesting," Horatio said solemnly. "A half hour window between Kara's call and Officer McCoy's arrival, assuming she was dead when he arrived. A risky move for any killer." His gaze returned to the officer's headless body. "Unless the intention was always to kill the attending officer."

Rick looked at Horatio in a cold surprise. "Are you suggesting she was bait? But there was no way to know what officer would arrive here or when, unless any officer was going to do." He shook his head. "I'd buy it if she wasn't displayed like this, this must mean something. Is she meant to resemble a fallen angel?"

Horatio nodded. "Officer McCoy's death wasn't quick, the blood tells us his head was removed while he was alive, the M.E will confirm it's cause of death. This wasn't the panicked killing of a cop surprising a killer in action, this was something more.

Horatio turned his attention back to Frank. "You said you believe she is Senator Watkins' daughter, has the family been advised?"

"That's the next port of call," Frank said bluntly, "but she hasn't been reported missing yet, that I know. It wasn't in the system."

"This can't just be a crime of opportunity," Rick murmured with a frown. "We need to find out who and when Kara was last seen alive."

"Yeah, people taking advantage of women alone don't usually then leave them with accessories," Tobias mused. "Strangulation or stabbing fits but usually it's a better body dump than this."

"And they definitely don't get their victims to ring in the crime beforehand," Ryan observed between flashes of his camera.

The sound of sirens let them know that the medical examiner had arrived. The emergency vehicles went unseen through the darkness and the shadows cast by the flora of the park. The car park was closed and the main entrance to the park was ten minutes on foot from the murder site and concealed by trees.

"We need to tell her parents and find out when they last saw her," Horatio said solemnly. "We also need to speak to Officer McCoy's next of kin."

"Why put in her eyes like that?" Jack pondered with a grimace.

Rick's right hand reached for the knot at his tie and he tugged it a couple of times.

Horatio observed the homicide lieutenant's unease but did not comment on it.

"Quentin's brother is in homicide," Tobias said numbly, "Bill, family career, Quentin was due to sit exams next month."

Eric, who had scraped off a sample of the blood spattered on the shirt and was now sealing it, leaned back from the body as M.E Tara Price joined them with her assistants.

Tara was young, pretty and ever active. She was more methodical than her predecessor Alexx Woods, opting to be clinically professional with her cases rather than show a personal touch but she had a friendly side to her as well. Eric had very briefly contemplated asking her on a date but had decided against it, recalling the risks that had come with dating Natalia. Seeing Tara put Eric in mind of Natalia of again.

The thought of Natalia had Eric glancing to Rick with a heated hostility. Rick was dating her now and his sister had replaced Marisol and, if things continued as they were with Cassandra and Horatio, then Rick might well replace Eric too as Horatio's brother-in-law. What was extra maddening about it all was that Ryan couldn't understand why Eric still hated Rick so much, how could he not see how Rick and his sister were slowly but surely replacing Eric and Marisol in Horatio's life?

Eric couldn't warm to Cassandra, she was flighty, unbalanced at times and seemed shrouded in danger plus she had been an exotic dancer of all things and even had a record, how the hell anyone could think Eric would be happy with someone like her stepping into Marisol's shoes he could never fathom.

Then there was Natalia. Things with her and Eric had ended without either of them actually calling time on the relationship. There had been the pregnancy scare and even though Eric had handled it in his stride and vowed to stand by her no matter what, when it had turned out to be a false alarm Natalia had seemed to take it as a chance to escape before their relationship did get that serious.

Natalia had every right to move on but Eric had assumed it would be with Ryan who had also dated her. Eric had figured he would even be happy for them if it did work out that way. Eric was confused over his feelings for Natalia and Calleigh, and he figured if Natalia was with Ryan it might give him some clarity.

Natalia being with Rick just made Eric feel a little nauseous. The thought of Rick touching Natalia intimately made Eric's skin crawl. Then there was the idea that Rick might better than Eric, that his asshole personality somehow wasn't off-putting and the idea that Natalia might have serious feelings for Rick just annoyed Eric. It made him compare himself to Rick and wonder why he came up short and his relationship with Natalia had floundered whilst Rick still had her, hell he was living with her now, she and Eric had never even considered that stage.

"Eric?"

Eric snapped back to attention at Tara's questioning voice.

The medical examiner was looking at him with a wary, brown stare.

"Have you got everything you need from the body?" Tara repeated.

Eric nodded and shuffled back from the body some more. "Yeah, thanks Tara," he said sincerely.

Rick watched Eric carefully. He had seen the anger directed at him in the young man's eyes. He knew what Eric was thinking, some sort of hostile thoughts relating to either Rick's career success, his relationship with Horatio or his relationship with Natalia. Having once been dominated by hatred himself it was easy for Rick to imagine the thoughts running through Eric's mind.

Rick frowned. Understanding did not have to equal empathy. He had put up with Eric's shit for long enough now and he knew when Horatio announced his engagement it was only going to worsen and Rick didn't have the patience for it.

Tara's attention turned to Ryan. "And you Ryan?"

Ryan nodded. "Yep." He stood up and backed away from Kara's body.

Tara glanced from one to the other, grimacing at the sight of the headless body. "Has anyone found the head?" she pried.

"Not yet," Jack answered grimly, "but it's a big park."

Tara looked at the detective and was slightly unnerved by his sombre stare. The thought of some poor child making a morbid discovery in the park the next day had her suddenly uneasy.

"Just when I think this city can't get any weirder," she murmured sarcastically as she turned her attention to Kara instead.

Jack cracked a small smile at this and shook his head.

Tara crouched beside Kara's body and did a quick inspection grateful for the lights the CSIs had set up.

"Has she any other wounds on her?" Rick queried.

Tara glanced up at him warily. She didn't know the homicide lieutenant well having had limited interaction with him when he was in IAB. What she had heard about him from most people had initially been unfavourable but then he had risked his career to bring down the corrupt detectives and officers in narcotics and two lieutenants, one of whom was his own boss who had tried to get Rick declared insane to discredit him, and he had saved Annabelle Ferris while doing it and suddenly most people were a fan of Rick Stetler. His move to homicide made him reborn in some officers' eyes and they were willing to act like he hadn't been an asshole in IAB. For the moment Tara was reserving judgement of the man.

She inspected the body carefully and shook her head. "Not on the front, let's roll her."

With Ryan's help, she turned the body on its side. She frowned at the glitter substance that smeared her pristine gloves, the body glitter had been applied with something oily. "No visible wounds on her back," she murmured.

"Then where did the blood on the wings come from?" Rick quipped. "Would the injuries to her eyes have caused that kind of spatter?"

Tara glanced up at him calmly. "That's one for you to figure out lieutenant. I'll inspect her more thoroughly at the morgue but I don't think any cuts are going to show up."

Rick nodded.

"We need to talk to the family," Horatio said. "We should do that now, we'll start with Kara's."

Rick glanced over at the redhead out of the corner of his eye and nodded. "Right. Detective Frost, Detective Carson, canvas this area, and around the park see what anyone might have noticed. It's in a public area, not much to conceal someone doing a body dump or to escort an unwilling victim," Rick ordered his detectives as he gestured out to their surroundings.

Tobias gave a flicker of a grin as he shared a glance with Jack. They had impressed upon Rick their desire for him to use their forenames but Rick had a penchant for using titles. Rick viewed it as a sign of respect despite some thinking he was simply arrogant.

"Ryan, Eric, back to the lab to run tests on that substance on Kara and the blood and see if there is any possibility of prints on either of the victims," Horatio ordered.

Ryan nodded as he stood up. He stepped up to Rick and said cheerfully, "don't forget we have plans for Skybird's tomorrow night."

Rick gave a small grin as he nodded. "Sure, an early night though, it's a school night."

Ryan laughed at this. "So true for you." He glanced over at Tobias. "What about you Tobias, you get a babysitter sorted?"

Tobias nodded. "Yes, until ten, then I have to leave."

Eric frowned at the conversation but said nothing. He bristled slightly at Frank and Jack's responding laughter.

At least twice a month the men would do something sociable together, usually it was a drink in the bar maybe with some casual pool playing or air hockey, something Tobias was very competitive at, or it might be a non-profit card game at Frank's house or a trip to the batting range as one memorable night had been because Jack had always wanted to try baseball and apparently never had the opportunity at school.

It had all come about from Ryan's suggesting and casual pestering, all as a means of helping Rick deal with the mental health issues he suffered in the debacle with the corrupt members of the force and from a troubling childhood. Rick had always struggled with his social skills but after being kidnapped, tortured and almost murdered, and then betrayed and bullied by his boss, shot and almost killed by a detective he had then been forced to kill, and pushed to a mental breakdown by his boss, Rick had almost lost it all.

Rick had battled back and with therapy wrestled the worst of his demons and earned his promotion. However, he had a lasting trauma from it all that he couldn't entirely shake and he wasn't alone in that. Jack Carson had his fair share of woes and worries and had been close to the edge too. Horatio had taken a dark route towards rage and violence after losing Marisol and his brother both violently and then having Cassandra kidnapped and tortured, then forced to kill her assailant and then later being targeted and wounded by a man with a grudge against Horatio. It had all taken its toll on the redhead who had become bitter at the world and more inclined to serve vengeance over justice. He had put himself into therapy before he lost his job for it and as a show of support for Rick who worried about the damage to his career his mental health issues might bring.

Ryan thus was determined that they didn't slip back into a state of depression, fear or insecurity that no one else was aware of. He wanted them to know they had support or friends and he wanted them to have that moment of escapism and happiness. It was a chance to unleash the stress with people who could relate to it. He needed it too having his own demons to battle with gambling problems, debts and the trauma of a serious injury to his eye as well as being kidnapped and beaten by a Russian gangster.

Eric was of course invited to these nights. The invitation was quite open and who attended varied but Eric had never gone. Stubborn, he couldn't swallow his dislike for Rick to consider socialising with him. He wasn't blind with hate for the man, he had even defended him before, and he had a grudging respect for Rick's role in finding the killer of Eric's friend Thomas Menedez but Eric could never like him or be his friend. Part of him did want to but anytime he considered burying the hatchet bitter memories suddenly resurfaced or Rick displayed a show of arrogance or smugness that had Eric thinking the man hadn't really changed much after all.

Horatio watched Eric with a subdued look of guilt. He and Eric had been close once but the death of Tim, then Marisol, and Horatio's relationships with Rick and Cassandra had seen a distance come between him and Eric. True, he had never considered the man a brother-in-law in anything but name and Eric had never regarded Horatio as family in that respect but they had still been close, it had just been a damaged relationship. Horatio wanted to mend it but not at the cost of Cassandra or Rick.

The redhead had put too much effort into evolving his rivalry with Rick into something less poisonous. After Rick had almost died, Horatio had vowed they would never go back to a stage where they had such heated hatred between them. He was determined that their relationship never break beyond mending.

"Frank, I know you're on duty with the detectives," Horatio began.

"But you two came here in a taxi," Frank observed bluntly, "and you're a little overdressed to be taken seriously as cops so you need me to provide transport and look the part."

Horatio gave a faint smile. "Something like that."

Rick frowned, ill-appreciating the implication that he couldn't carry out his role in a suit. He thought of the morbid news they would soon be delivering and his frown deepened. Delivering news of death never got any easier.

Frank glanced at Tobias and Jack with mild uncertainty.

Tobias flashed a bright smile as he swung an arm over the taller Jack's shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll look after our newbie," he teased.

Jack bristled slightly and glanced over to Rick in mock protest. "Boss this has to be a form of abuse."

Rick, standing with his hands on his hips in an effort to avoid fidgeting with his tie, gave a small grin and shook his head. "Patronisation maybe," he retorted, "but not quite abuse. Search the area, call if you need or find anything."

Tobias and Jack nodded.

"Let's go then," Frank said.

The house of Senator Tom Watkins was as expected- large, secluded and heavily guarded. It was Horatio who got them through the proverbial red tape with a combination of smooth talking and mild threats for the guards on duty. The flashing of two lieutenant's badges and a sergeant's badge didn't matter much to anyone there and the three found themselves walking up the path with an escort.

James Hoyes, the hired bodyguard on duty at the front door, looked over with surprise at the approaching group. His questioning blue stare darted to the guards flanking the trio. "Little late for party guests isn't it?" he quipped as he eyed up Horatio and Rick's attire.

Rick bristled, tired of the stares and jibes now, and yanked out his gold shield for the umpteenth time. "I'm Lieutenant Stetler, we need to speak with Senator Watkins," he explained bluntly.

Frank resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Rick announcing himself. The man still hadn't gotten over his title despite having gained it a few months ago. Frank knew Rick had more than earned the promotion but he was still eager for the man to get the hell over it.

"And all three of you need to be here for that conversation?" James queried dryly. His stance was unthreatening and his stare calm as he looked at Rick curiously.

"We do," Horatio retorted with the same calm.

James shrugged. "Alright."

The young bodyguard turned from them and hit the buzzer for the door. Of course he knew the code but he was unwilling to key it in, in front of three observing cops.

The door was opened promptly leading Horatio to think that the people within had been told of their arrival and were just stalling so the senator could prepare to greet them.

A smartly dressed female in a black suit greeted them with a dismissive vibrant azure stare.

"Jesus Christ," Rick breathed out before he could help it.

The woman smiled as she stared up at him deviously. "Sergeant Stetler, what an unpleasant surprise," she greeted.

"Lieutenant," he corrected automatically. "And what's your title now?" he added with a slight sneer.

"Still Miss Greene," the woman retorted.

She was Bianca Greene, former detective in Narcotics and one of the deceased Jason Ferris' partners. Her apathy towards his death and the scandal surrounding it and, much worse, her indifference to the fate of his daughter Annabelle, had led her to become a pariah at work, especially after the truth of Jason Ferris' plight was revealed. Bianca had quietly quit the department but until now Rick and Horatio hadn't known or cared where she had gone.

"Miss Greene we are here to speak with Senator Watkins," Horatio explained, "on official police business."

Bianca raised her eyebrows slightly at this and smiled. "You don't look like you're dressed for official police business," she mocked.

"We've wasted enough time talking to henchmen here," Frank grumbled, "and you should remember sometimes you can be called into work even when you're off duty."

Bianca's smile turned cold. "Sure," she retorted bluntly. "Good to know you all still have a sense of humour." She stepped back from the doorway at last. "Come in then."

Rick led the way in and Bianca's smile widened.

"You in charge then Lieutenant Stetler?" she quipped.

"Of homicide," Rick retorted bluntly, "and Horatio is heading the CSI side of things, as normal."

Horatio hid his smile at this. Once Rick would have relished being put on a pedestal above Horatio and he certainly wouldn't have made the distinction but their relationship had come along way and Horatio appreciated the respect Rick showed to his rank.

Bianca led them through the house and into a secluded sitting area. "Wait here," she instructed, "and try not to touch anything."

She stepped out of the room and shut the door behind her before anyone could respond.

"I feel like we've just entered one of those locked room contests," Frank grumbled. He glanced about their surroundings with scorn.

The room was intentionally small, a cosy designed living room with a bookshelf spoiled with expensive, leather backed books that were probably never read, the classic crystal decanter and glasses with dusty bottles of aged scotch and whiskey and the terribly uncomfortable looking leather backed chairs. Rick wondered cynically as he took in their surroundings if there was a template for rich stereotypes somewhere that men of a certain age and wealth were likely to follow.

"So how was your dinner?" Frank queried as he glanced from Horatio to Rick.

"Good," Horatio retorted happily.

"Rick?"

"I'm not doing small talk Frank," Rick dismissed.

Rick studied the artwork on the walls with disgust. It was just like Garrett House, expensive things to never be enjoyed, a house that was less a home and more of a museum.

Frank frowned over at him. "Always good to have you in pleasant form Rick, I'm glad the promotion has made you a more sociable, cheery person," he scorned him.

Horatio dipped his head to hide his smile as Rick turned round to face Frank with a glower.

The door opened before Rick could snap a response.

It wasn't Bianca but the senator himself.

Senator Tom Watkins wore an emotionless expression as he stepped into the room and regarded the officers with a careful frost blue stare. He raised a hand to halt the people behind him before lowering it to close the door behind him quietly.

He spoke before the officers could bother with introductions. "Is my daughter dead?" he queried bluntly.

Horatio read the man's serious stare. He had dealt with politicians before and knew the man wasn't thinking how he felt over news of his daughter's demise but how he should be perceived to be feeling. It disgusted Horatio to think this Washington man was probably wondering what points he could score publicly in his expression of grief.

Rick wondered how the senator even knew they were here about Kara.

"Yes senator," Rick retorted quietly.

Senator Watkins' greying eyebrows rose slightly as he studied Rick's expression. "Bianca says you're the lieutenant of homicide," he murmured. His still emotionless gaze shifted to Horatio. "And you are the lieutenant in CSI, I've seen you on t.v., Lieutenant Caine."

Horatio nodded. "Yes Senator Watkins," he retorted calmly.

Frank lingered quietly in the background, unconcerned with the senator not knowing him. The man had enough to take in without wondering who Frank was.

"You two wouldn't be delivering this news if it was an accidental death, would you?" Senator Watkins' quipped calmly.

The man's calm was starting to grate on Rick and he pondered if it was a delay to the shock. "No senator," Rick retorted, "but how do you know we're here about your daughter?"

"She's been gone since this morning," he admitted stiffly, "with no contact."

Frank's eyes went wide at this. "It wasn't reported," he hissed out.

"Not to the police, no," Tom retorted carefully with a frown. "What happened then?"

"Her body was discovered earlier this evening senator," Horatio explained, "and we are currently awaiting confirmation of her cause of death."

"But you know it wasn't an accident," the senator commented bluntly.

Rick was disgusted by the man's attitude or lack of one, he wasn't sure exactly which it was. He wondered who in the world wouldn't report their own daughter missing especially someone so willing to accept she had met foul play in less than twenty-four hours?

"We do," Horatio confirmed. "Senator there was no lodged report of her going missing, why? Is there somewhere you expected her to be?"

The senator's mouth rose slightly in a hint of a self-mocking smile. "Are you trying to ask if I cared that she was absent because it wasn't reported?" he quipped bitingly.

"I was in D.C in the Senate. I didn't get contacted until the afternoon, then I had to endure a lengthy call from my wife telling me that Kara and she had a fallout last night and Kara was gone this morning. The assumption was that she had gone to a friend's house. Is it unfathomable that I assumed this was the most plausible outcome? That Kara had sought sanctuary with a friend?" he quipped.

Frank and Rick both filled with annoyance at the way the man spoke. He had just been told his daughter had been murdered, was the articulation necessary? Where was the emotion? Rick remembered being accused of his lack of emotion in the wake of his half-sister, mother and step-father's murders. He hadn't expression much emotion for the cameras and clung to professionalism but he felt this was different. In the moment of the revelation Rick had raged and the poor cop who had delivered Rick the news of the murders had feared losing their head. The senator wasn't in front of the cameras yet, where the hell was his shock and grief?

Horatio nodded. He had expected difficulty, people in power were always the worst when crime touched them, they seemed to struggle between their personal side and their professional side and were always worried over perception.

"Yet you guessed we were here to tell you she was murdered," Rick pointed out with an icy calm.

Tom fixed an empty gaze upon the Homicide lieutenant. "You're from homicide," he stated flatly, "here to see me and there is no else I know of who is absent. We checked with Kara's friends and none of them had heard from her today or so they advised. Her phone was dead and the people I have had looking for her have found nothing."

"Senator we will need to talk to your family and staff and go through what happened last night and this morning," Horatio said. "Kara started her evening at home and any details they can provide could help us learn what happened to her."

The senator's stare finally showed a hint of emotion- ire.

"My team are going through where we found her," Rick said. "We will find who did this to your daughter but we need everyone's co-operation."

The senator fixed his look of ire onto Rick. "She was killed outside these walls and I cannot imagine her killer being someone from this household but I do take your point lieutenants, you think retracing her steps might conjure up some picture of how she ended up dead instead of home."

The senator's sagged slightly and lost his stiff stance. "Home," he repeated softly.

His icy blue gaze stared past Rick this time, focusing on a gap between Frank and Rick where a desk stood.

Horatio followed his gaze to a framed photograph that was turned away from them and wondered if it depicted Kara.

Rick pulled out his wallet from his trouser pocket and from it produced his card. He was proud of the contact card although it wasn't practise for him to hand them out to civilians as it was for the detectives beneath him to take those calls but this was a senator. He held it out to the man.

"My card senator," he explained, "you can call anytime. We will go and give you time to speak with your family and process this news. When we have an update we will let you know."

The senator plucked Rick's card from him and shoved it into his jacket pocket with a brisk nod. "And her body?" he queried.

"When the Medical Examiner releases it you will be informed," Horatio answered him calmly. "We need to conduct a thorough examination to determine cause of death and preserve evidence."

"Right."

The senator glanced down at his attire. He was wearing an expensive, designer, pale brown based suit with a pale green tie. "I came direct from Washington," he explained as he glanced up at the men again.

Horatio felt the man was trying to tell them he had come as soon as he could upon hearing of his daughter's fallout with her mother. Like Frank and Rick he wondered at the man's emotions and the motivation for them and right now he couldn't tell if the man had rushed here out of concern for his daughter or to minimise a potential scandal.

"Where were you two?" Senator Watkins' pried curiously.

"Out for dinner," Horatio retorted with an amicable smile. He figured he would give the man the benefit of the doubt and considered that he was seeking a distraction in them to delay facing the grim news they had brought.

The senator nodded. "A pity it had to be ruined by this."

"It wasn't," Horatio assured him.

Frank scowled at this before he could help it. Did the man really think a dinner was more important than his daughter's murder?

"We will leave you to your grief now senator," Horatio said gently.

"Right."

Tom realised he wasn't going to get to delay anymore with them and he turned to reach for the door. He opened it and led them back to the corridor and the waiting Bianca.

"Bianca, see them to the door please," he ordered stiffly.

The woman nodded before her curious stare shifted to the cops. "This way," she said bluntly.

Bianca didn't speak or glance back at them as she led them to the entry of the house. She didn't bother with a farewell as they headed from the house and to the guarded pathway.

"Jesus that was some reception," Frank grumbled.

Rick nodded agreeably but didn't say anything as they headed for Frank's car.

"So," Frank murmured grimly, "Officer McCoy's family next.

Horatio nodded. "We'll need to bring up his file and see who's listed."

"Probably Bill McCoy," Rick murmured.

"Do you know him?" Frank pried.

Rick grimaced slightly and nodded. "He fell foul of I.A.B, when he was in uniform he got called to an abuse case, woman was beaten pretty badly and the husband was still there when Bill arrived. Bill saw red, got a few punches in before the arrest, the man cried foul, said he hadn't lifted a finger to Bill and hadn't been hitting his wife when Bill arrived. Bill's partner said Bill entered the house so he didn't see anything, obvious he was lying. I had the case and the evidence said Bill was guilty."

Rick gave Frank and Horatio a serious stare. "He was young, they wanted to make an example of him, prove the force didn't let hotheaded cops run amuck but I saw photographs of the wife while I was compiling the case and I think it was the wrong thing for the right reasons. Without his partner's statement it was hard to sell his guilt for certain and the CSIs couldn't determine a time frame for anyone's injuries so I recommended suspension without pay providing he didn't quarrel over it. It added two years to his wait for homicide and by all accounts he still calls me Shitstain Stetler."

"Oh yeah," Frank mused, "I always wondered where that nickname started."

Rick frowned at him whilst Horatio gave him a scolding glance.

Frank shrugged. "Hey I've gotten Sergeant Trippshit Dipshit and Officer Cueball," he grinned, "learn to smile and shrug it off Rick."

"You got it from civilians," Rick grumbled, "I get it from cops."

"Oh Rick, we've all got those one or two assholes in our team who hate the boss, comes with the job." He jerked a thumb at Horatio. "I've heard people in CSI on other teams call him a ginger prick."

"Well now that we're up to date on the departmental insults people have for us, we need to make contact with Bill McCoy," Horatio remarked with a stern calm.