Ryan Wolfe felt only disgust for the man sitting at the table opposite Horatio and Detective Jack Carson. He was a witness and a criminal and possibly the last person to have seen Kara Watkins alive. Ryan and Horatio's trip to The Silver Lemonade cocktail bar had proved successful, they had CCTV footage from the day of Kara's death and although it had taken a few hours of searching through it they had eventually found Kara at the bar talking to a man. He was wearing a baseball cap and kept his head bowed from the camera but when he had bought Kara a cocktail he'd paid by card. They saw him close to her drink but the camera had no zoom option and it was impossible to prove if he had spiked her drink or not.

They had watched Kara get up to go half an hour after her drink, she was unsteady on her feet and when the man had gotten up and followed after her, Ryan had been sickened.

The outside CCTV camera was damaged so there was no following Kara there but they had been able to get the payment history for the cocktail and a name to go with the credit card used for it- Brian Glover. Brian it turned out wasn't the owner, he was a college student missing a card but angry and certain he knew the thief- fellow student Marcus Jones. So now here was Marcus in for questioning, picked up on campus wearing the same red baseball cap they'd seen on camera. Oh sure it was a weak lead but using a random stop and search on him had yielded Brian Glover's bank card still in his wallet.

Marcus was small, ordinary and evidently uneasy judging from the way his gaze kept darting anxiously from one man to the other.

They occupied a small interview room with glass walls in the MDHQ but its open surroundings had done little to ease the woes of a man who probably knew he was a suspect.

Ryan leaned against the far wall, arms folded as he stared down at the man impatiently, well aware that he was meant to be turned away so the man didn't feel intimidated. Ryan hated having to pander to the weak, anxious male, wondering if this anxiety was all for a show as it certainly didn't match up with a man who tortured and murdered people.

"Mr. Jones, please run through your account of the morning you met Kara Watkins in The Silver Lemonade," Horatio compelled him calmly.

Marcus swallowed hard before glancing down to his half-drank cold cup of coffee and then staring up at the redhead as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"It was late morning, around eleven maybe," he said hastily as he frowned, "I'm not sure." He gave Horatio a sharp glance. "I wasn't checking the time," he insisted.

Jack Carson almost looked bored as he stared back at the man, glancing down briefly to write on his notepad. Jack was a lean man with an eternally weary looking gaze, which gave him the deceptive look of someone unthreatening. He was here representing Rick's side of things and ensuring there was a detective present for the interrogation. He was also the one who had gone and picked up Marcus for questioning at Horatio's behest.

"Did you know Kara before that morning?" Jack quipped calmly. His pale eyes darted up momentarily.

Marcus shook his head. "No, she was just a pretty girl at the bar," he murmured.

Horatio raised his golden-red eyebrows slightly at this. "Mr Jones, you have surely seen Kara in the news, why haven't you come forward to say you were with her the day she died?"

"I didn't get her name," Marcus mumbled. "Can't say I realised it was her. Look, she was just some girl I met at the bar, she seemed angry and upset, I figured she needed help."

"And why did you think the girl needed help?" Jack queried. "Miami is a popular place for party goers, even in the morning, what made you think she wasn't just another young woman bar hopping?"

"I just said she seemed angry and upset," Marcus grumbled back as he glowered at Jack.

"Like a number of young women at a bar," Jack mused. He glanced up at Marcus calmly. "Anything specific?"

"I asked her what was wrong and she said her friend was a bitch," Marcus retorted bluntly.

"So you bought her a drink," Jack stated.

Marcus nodded. "That's right, it's called being chivalrous."

"And is it also chivalrous to spike the drink?" Horatio pried calmly.

Marcus looked startled at the accusation. His jaw dropped slightly as he gaped at the redhead. "What?"

"The bar had CCTV footage," Horatio stated calmly.

Marcus frowned and folded his arms defensively. "I didn't, look I've nothing to do with what happened to her," he protested.

"Who says you did?" Jack queried as he gave the man an accusing gaze. "Lieutenant Caine just informed you the bar had CCTV footage. We know Kara Watkins' drink was spiked. Maybe you want to revise your story Mr. Jones?"

"Look, it was nothing," Marcus protested with a wave of his hands. "I mean, I just wanted her to loosen up, calm her, she was upset like I said. Look, she decided to leave."

"And you followed," Horatio said sternly as he fixed a hostile gaze upon him.

"Yes, alright I did," Marcus attempted. "But she told me to get lost, I tried to calm her down, she started getting nasty and then this cop appeared and said he'd deal with it. I told him I just wanted to help, and he said it was fine, that he'd get her home and then he waved me off."

"Did he use those words?" Horatio quipped sharply. "Get her home?"

Mr. Jones nodded. "Yes, he definitely said home but isn't that what a cop would do?"

Ryan sighed heavily, drawing three pairs of eyes to him. He looked to Marcus and gave him a cool stare. He didn't buy his story of a cop, if there'd been one they'd have learned that already.

Horatio speculated the word choice too. A cop would probably have been a little vaguer to Marcus, committing to taking someone drunk and disorderly home was risky, if they were abusive then it would be lock-up and then there'd be accusations of the arrestee being mislead or arrested under false circumstances. The police weren't taxis, it would be more proper to take the person to safety- a police car or station perhaps, and then try to get a relation or friend to come and collect them. Of course it could have been a rookie cop or a do gooder. It was a wonder they hadn't pressed Marcus a bit more too, surely any cop worth their salt would have been suspicious of the man chasing the woman from the bar.

"And what did this cop look like?" Jack asked.

"Like any cop," Marcus retorted waspishly. "He had the uniform, badge at his hip and a holstered gun. I wasn't looking at him much," he muttered, "soon as I saw the uniform I wasn't hanging about."

"Give us something Mr Jones," Jack advised, "because so far it sounds like a fairytale."

"He had a cap on," the man retorted defensively, "one of those police hats with the black brim and a gold band across it."

"Gold?" Horatio repeated.

The man nodded confidently with another frown.

Jack was back to writing in his notepad whilst Ryan shook his head.

"What does that matter?" Marcus pried as he glanced from Ryan to Horatio.

"Police officers in Miami tend to wear their hats for ceremonies only and the band is silver, gold would be a higher rank," Horatio informed him calmly.

Marcus paled slightly. "Well I couldn't know that, who would know that? Look, I'm not making this up alright! I confess, I did put something in her drink but that's it, I didn't take her anywhere, the cop did!"

"Do you often see police officers in hats?" Ryan queried sarcastically.

The young CSI felt guilty for his remark when he caught Horatio's disapproving stare and yet when he saw Marcus squirm uncomfortably and frown his anger for the man returned swiftly.

"No but I don't often see police," Marcus muttered. "So he wasn't an officer then?"

"Possibly not," Horatio admitted. He gave Marcus a serious stare. "Which means Mr. Jones, if you are telling the truth, that there is a high possibility that you not only witnessed Kara's potential last moments alive but that you are also our one witness to our possible killer's appearance."

Marcus' pallor took on an unhealthy shade and he swallowed hard again. "I didn't really take him in. Come on, I'd just spiked her drink for Christ's sake and she was making a scene, telling me to get lost. I didn't want the cop taking in my face and remembering me."

"What was his voice like?" Jack queried, still calm. "Any noticeable accent?"

"No. He just sounded like a regular Miami guy."

Jack nodded as he wrote some more.

Marcus parted his arms and glanced at his watch. "So, what now? I've told you everything."

"I'd like you to meet with a sketch artist," Horatio said, "perhaps you could help us form an idea of this police officer."

"I didn't look properly at his face," Marcus insisted.

"Well you're getting booked for drugging Kara," Horatio advised him. He gave the man an icy stare void of pity. "Consider Mr. Jones that by spiking her drink you may be the reason why she was unable to fight off her killer."

Horatio stood up from the table. "Stay here Mr. Jones, I'll have someone book you now."

Horatio led the way out of the interview room followed closely by Jack and then Ryan.

"What a tool," Jack murmured dryly once they were outside. He was back to his notepad, scribbling and scoring out notes.

"At the moment he's our best witness," Horatio murmured coolly.

"God help us then," Jack retorted sardonically.

Horatio glanced over at the younger detective curiously. He knew very little about Jack Carson and had met him under unpleasant circumstances when Jack was in hiding from detectives trying to set up him and murder him as well.

Jack still wore a gaunt look, he was a dark, mistrusting man and only socialised because his partner Tobias Frost and boss Rick Stetler practically forced him into it.

Horatio wondered about Jack's abilities as a homicide detective, he was still in training after all but had impressed the redhead with his questions for Mr. Jones and his harmless, bland interviewing manner.

"Do you doubt his story?" Horatio queried.

Jack shook his head. "No, he doesn't seem the type to have a good imagination, if he did he'd have come up with something better than a cop. There was a man disguised as a cop that morning, I buy it, but unless they were working with Mr. Jones, and I highly doubt that, they can't have known he'd drug Kara, which means there's every chance this wasn't personal but a crime of opportunity and we have some nutcase dressing up as a cop to lure vulnerable women to their deaths."

Jack frowned and pushed a hand up into his messy, brown hair as he shook his head. "Except Kara wasn't raped and her eyes being pushed in and the presence of Bracker's blood seems personal, like a message."

Horatio nodded agreeably. "A message we're not translating," he murmured.

Horatio glanced at his watch, it was just after seven. "I have to go Detective Carson, type up the notes on this and we'll review it with Rick and Tobias, perhaps they've done better with Henry Bracker."

"Doubtful," Jack said grimly to his notepad.

Horatio ignored the comment and headed for the door. He had to go home and collect Annabelle and Marissa and take them home.

Horatio arrived home to find Tobias Frost's dented silver Toyota outside his house. He parked in the drive and headed for the front door, pausing when he noted the broken pane in the lantern hanging in the porch. Horatio frowned and wondered when and how the damage had happened. He noticed it was broken inwards as indicated by the glittering sprinkle of shards within. He knew it was paranoid to be so concerned with such idle damage but he couldn't help it, too many times he and his loved ones had been in danger and he wasn't running the risk of missing any potential signs. He made a note to check his CCTV footage later before heading into the house.

The redhead heard the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen and felt that familiar and unwanted prickle of uneasy envy as he headed after the joyful noise. He knew it was unfair of him to feel anything negative towards Cassandra and Tobias' relationship and mostly he didn't but Tobias was the old boyfriend and the first serious one too, there was always going to be a history there.

Horatio entered and found the pair of blondes sharing a coffee at the kitchen counter whilst the girls chased each other around with bubbles. The redhead smiled at the bright scene of chaos as Annabelle blew bubbles with giggles of delight and Marissa and Alice raced around with excited cries.

Cassandra looked over as her fiancé arrived and gave him a beaming smile as she stood upright from the counter.

"Hey Horatio, did you grab dinner on the way home then?"

Horatio realised with her question that he hadn't and he hadn't eaten since this morning. He shook his head calmly. "No, I'll eat something later."

Cassandra's smile faded as she raised her hands to her hips. "Horatio, you need to eat," she chided him.

"After I take the girls home," he assured.

"I'll come with you," Cassandra said.

Horatio glanced to Tobias calmly. "Any luck with Henry Bracker?" he pried.

Tobias opened his mouth to answer but before he could Cassandra spoke.

"Toby is the answer to that going to be child appropriate?" she quipped with a warning gaze.

Tobias winced slightly at the dark eyed glower as it put him in mind of his boss and he offered her a sheepish smile. "No."

"Then take it outside. I'll get the girls ready." Cassandra spared a withering look to her partner. "Horatio you know better," she chided him.

The redhead held his hands up apologetically to the young woman. "Alright Cassie, we'll talk outside."

Horatio led the way back out to the front where they stood in the shade of the porch. Horatio slipped his sunglasses back on and gazed outwards to the golden evening calmly. The neighbourhood was tranquil, across the road a neighbour was out washing his car and two doors down a couple of kids were playing in the front yard with their dog. It seemed peaceful but the lieutenant was always wary as to how deceptive appearances could be. He searched for any telltale oddities but nothing jumped out at him.

"Henry Bracker implied that that his father and Kara Watkins were having an affair," Tobias stated bluntly. "To be honest that's about all we got out of him, he seems pretty crazy."

Horatio kept his gaze ahead, relieved that his shades could hide the surprise budding in his blue eyes.

"Crazy enough to have made that up?" he queried calmly.

Tobias contemplated his answer as he looked forward as well. "I don't think so," he admitted. "It's another layer to this mess isn't it? What if they did have an affair? Who knew about it?"

Horatio nodded as he thought about Lydia informing them that Kara had been arguing with her mother and had kept talking about Benjamin, could her mother know about the affair? Horatio knew he and Rick were going to have to push Catorina into setting up that meeting with themselves and the Watkins.

"And we still haven't Ided our John Doe," Tobias complained. "I'm trying to see if anyone linked to the Brackers might suddenly be M.I.A but nothing so far."

The blonde looked over his shoulder to the door before offering Horatio a thin smile. "Anyway, enough work right? Can't be morbid in front of the girls."

"No," Horatio agreed. He looked to Tobias and tilted his head forward slightly so the detective could see his gaze above his shades. "Tobias, did Cassandra mention anything to you about colours? Specifically yellow and blue."

For a moment Tobias looked confused before he started laughing. "She doesn't trust me with wedding details, she's afraid I'll tell Rick." Tobias chuckled. "I'm glad, I can't say it interests me. I remember my Meggie showing me all these samples for her dress with all these fancy names, asking me to pick a colour and I'd still swear to this day they were all the same thing."

Tobias gave a sad smile at this before fixing a serious stare on the redhead. "You tell yourself you know what you have when it's there but you really don't know until it's gone, do you?"

Horatio nodded empathetically. It was rare for Tobias to speak about his late wife but Horatio could understand that, he scarcely spoke about Marisol.

Tobias made himself smile again as he heard the laughter of the girls faintly through the door as they drew near it.

"Well at least I have Jack," Tobias jested. "Sure he's the social skills of a rock but the man always knows the best takeaways in town."

Horatio gave a small smile at this before stepping away from the door to allow Cassandra to exit with the girls.

Cassandra fixed a sunny smile on Tobias as she urged his daughter Alice to him gently with one hand. "See you soon Toby, have a good night. And you make sure to make him something nice in art tomorrow," she addressed Alice.

Alice gave the woman a cheery smile before nodding.

Tobias took his daughter's hand before giving Cassandra a look of gratitude. "Thanks as always Cassie, see you soon." His gaze shifted to Horatio. "See you soon too Horatio."

The redhead nodded before helping Cassandra get Annabelle and Marissa into his car.

Rick answered the front door hastily. He had rushed from the back patio at the sound of the bell, leaving Natalia to continue enjoying the fresh air of a warm early evening. He opened the door to greet Cassandra, Horatio, Annabelle and Marissa.

Cassandra's face immediately filled with mirth as laughter escaped her before she could help it. "Good grief Rick you are spectacular looking," she taunted.

Horatio was quiet as he took in the man and felt an unexpected moment of unsettledness.

Rick frowned down at his sister before swiping off the sunglasses that had caused her laughter. They were geometric, black tinted with silver frames and by themselves probably a decent pair but on Rick they were entirely ill-suited. It was hard to say why, if it was the shape, the frame, or the tint, or possibly all three.

"I...didn't know you wore sunglasses," Horatio said softly.

It was such an odd statement it drew both Cassandra and Rick's curious stares his way.

Cassandra giggled again as she spied the uneasiness in her fiance's blue eyes.

"What, thought you were the only one?" Rick quipped sardonically. "It is sunny outside, that is what sunglasses are for," he snapped.

Rick stepped back from the doorway at last and gestured them in. "Nat is out back, go say hi," he suggested.

Marissa stepped in first, moving at a skip as she clutched her doll Becky in both her hands. As she moved her dark plaits bounced up and down behind her back.

"Were you out somewhere?" Rick pried as he watched his young niece as she hastened for the patio.

"No," Cassandra murmured.

"Why did you plait Mari's hair then?" he queried in puzzlement.

Cassandra shook her head with a grin. "Sometimes girls just like to style their hair," she mused.

Rick glanced to Horatio for confirmation but the redhead was still staring at the sunglasses in Rick's hand as if they were dangerous.

Cassandra stepped into the house and gave a dramatic twirl so she was facing her brother once more as she moved into the hallway. "Hey Rick, what do you think about silk?"

Rick cocked his head slightly as he gave his sister a puzzled look. "Er what?" he demanded.

Cassandra's grin widened. "Just curious, I mean it's got a nice look but then so has velvet," she mused.

The blonde giggled before she turned and headed after the girls, into the kitchen which led to the patio.

Rick pushed a hand through his greying hair before looking to the redhead for an explanation.

Horatio closed the door behind him. "I have no idea. She said something about yellow and blue as well."

Rick's hand slipped down his cheek slowly before he dropped it by his side. "Well damn Horatio if she's picking blue and yellow velvet suits you're on your own," he warned.

"What happened to Cassie getting what she wants because she deserves a proper wedding?" Horatio quipped sardonically as his cerulean gaze sparkled with a hint of amusement.

Rick pointed at Horatio with one hand, waving his sunglasses as he did. "There's a line Horatio, make her aware of that. She'll have us carrying out some hippie ceremony in the ocean if you let her. Don't let her."

Horatio ran a thumb over one of the silver dolphin cufflinks he donned. A gift from Cassandra, they represented a reminder of the ocean view he'd given up when he had moved in with her, they looked terribly tacky but Horatio appreciated the meaning behind them. He fixed his gaze upon Rick ghastly green, white, and blue tie, it looked like it was meant to be a solid olive green before someone had splashed it with bleach to invoke the white and accidentally drizzled royal blue paint down it.

Rick gave a sardonic grin as he saw Horatio staring and he tapped at his tie pointedly. "I have thirty of these now," he advised. "That's what happens when you want to spare her feelings. You want to be the nice guy then you're walking up a beach in a velvet tuxedo that's either going to be ocean blue or sandy yellow knowing her and by God you'll be wearing it alone. Remember, I don't have that kind of loyalty or love for you."

"Thanks Rick," Horatio murmured sardonically.

"Let's go see them," Rick suggested.

Horatio nodded. He stepped through the hall towards the kitchen, leaving Rick to closed the door and reset the alarm.

Outside the sun was still shining but lower in the sky and Cassandra had been quick to join Natalia sitting on a deckchair attempting to soak up the last of the early evening rays. Annabelle was looking at Marissa's plaits with an odd fascination.

Cassandra caught the young blonde staring and grinned. "Would you like your hair plaited now Annabelle?" she offered.

Annabelle glanced over her shoulder suddenly with a startled look. Her eyes were wide as she stared up at Cassandra dumbfounded. The young girl never really knew how to address the woman despite Cassandra's insistence that Annabelle call her Cassie like everyone else. Truthfully she didn't really know how to address Rick or Natalia either.

Cassandra gave her a warm grin as she leaned forward in her chair. "I could do it for you now if you want," she said.

"Why?" Marissa piped up rudely. "She didn't want it in the house."

Marissa had seated herself on the patio away from Annabelle, Becky in her lap as she pointed out flowers to the doll. Marissa had turned seven last month and Rick was starting to worry that she was lingering in a babyish phase with Becky but he had yet to voice it to the girl out of fear of upsetting her.

"Because she might like it now," Cassandra retorted, unfazed by her niece's sullen tone. "You like yours, don't you?"

"Yes," Marissa replied, "but her hair is different to mine," she added quickly.

Natalia pursued her lips slightly and exchanged a glance with Cassandra.

"Yes Mari so her plaits will be different."

"It's okay," Annabelle mumbled to her lap.

"Why don't you let me try hmm?" Cassandra suggested. "I'll brush it out first, see what you think. You don't like it, we'll stop."

"She doesn't want it," Marissa pouted. "She said no in the house."

"Mari let Annabelle answer for herself," Rick remarked as he stepped out to the patio. He put his sunglasses back on and pointedly ignored Cassandra's mocking snort.

Natalia leaned across the table and nudged Cassandra. She pointed over to Rick when the blonde turned to her. "They don't suit him do they?" Natalia quipped quietly to Cassandra.

Cassandra smirked. "Midlife crisis pending I'd say," she teased loudly.

"That happened when you moved in," Rick grumbled.

Rick was focused on Marissa and Annabelle. He knew Marissa's budding jealousy had always been an inevitability. They were close in age with less than two years between them and both girls, a sibling rivalry was always a potential but he considered that it was deeper than that. The pair were both orphans as well after all. He understood that Marissa was probably defensive of keeping her Auntie Cassie to herself and since she was only seven it was a little difficult to try and explain to her that Cassandra could show Annabelle attention without losing her devotion for Marissa.

Rick's thoughts shifted to memories of an unbalanced childhood with Marissa's mother Gillian. Marissa was always prying into her mother's life with her aunt and uncle, always wondering why Rick and Cassandra were reluctant to discuss it and querying every obvious difference she noted between their youth and her mother's. The homicide lieutenant wondered if she was worried something similar might happen to her and Annabelle. Could her young thoughts be that detailed?

"I talked to Tobias about Henry Bracker," Horatio addressed Rick calmly, "we need to get that meeting with the Watkins arranged."

The redhead remained standing just as Rick was only he lingered in the shade of the balcony by the door as if ready to leave.

Rick folded his arms and nodded seriously. His brown eyes shone with annoyance as he considered that meant speaking to Catorina. He had been forced to explain to Natalia about her after he had met her. Once Cassandra and Horatio had left his house, Natalia had been firm about getting a confession from Rick about his bad mood. It had been awkward but Natalia was trying to be understanding.

"I can ring Ms Sanchez," Horatio offered calmly.

"Sure," Rick said bluntly.

Cassandra stood up, her bracelets and ankles chiming unanimously as she did. "I'm going to get a brush," she announced. "Maybe you two could talk about something other than work," she suggested as she frowned from one man to the other. "I mean surely there's something else that could be occupying your attention," she added pointedly.

The blonde slipped past Horatio back into the house.

The jibe had Horatio refraining from tell Rick about their new lead.

Natalia leaned forward slightly to watch her go. Once she was out of earshot, Natalia turned her warm brown stare up to Horatio. "I want to have a celebration for Cassie. This is big news you know and good news and you two keep acting like it's nothing," she scolded. "Cassie deserves a nice night out to have a few drinks and celebrate, don't you think?"

Horatio was surprised to feel a slight intimidation from Natalia's questioning gaze. "Of course," he answered hastily.

Cassandra returned triumphantly with a soft, cream bristled brush in hand. If she was aware of the sudden silence that fell she did not comment upon it. The blonde seated herself cross legged on the granite patio behind Annabelle.

"Alright, I'll start brushing it and we can see how it goes," Cassandra offered. "You tell me if you don't like it."

She placed into her lap a handful of bobbles and ribbons before reaching to pull Annabelle's hair over her shoulders.

Rick watched Marissa keenly, waiting for reaction. The young girl was silent as she stared down at Becky deliberately.

"How was school, Mari?" Rick queried.

"It was okay, I couldn't do gym because I started different tablets," Marissa murmured quietly. "My teacher said I have to be careful, she always says that." Marissa looked up at Rick sorrowfully. "Is it ever going to be different?"

Rick tried to banish his scowl and look positive for the girl but it was a question he didn't have the answer to.

"Of course," Cassandra retorted brightly as she brushed Annabelle's hair into a shine. "At any rate Mari it's alright to have something, I have my headaches and my poor eyesight."

"I want to go on the slides at the pool," Marissa complained as she frowned back at Becky.

"You can," Cassandra answered blithely.

"Not all of them," Marissa retorted moodily.

"Well neither can I," Natalia commented with a smile. "Some of them a little too much for me."

Rick glanced at her curiously. "Too much for you?" he quipped teasingly.

"Things get a little um loosened," Natalia retorted vaguely. Her cheeks darkened slightly as she suddenly became aware of her boss' stare upon her.

Cassandra grinned at this. "Me too but hey, it's how God intended us," she remarked chirpily.

Rick's teasing smirk suddenly vanished as he turned a scolding stare on the blonde. "Cassie what the hell," he snapped.

Cassandra shrugged. "Not my fault, blame the jets on those slides or whoever designed bikini straps to be so skimpy."

"You don't have to buy them skimpy!" Rick yelled with a wild wave of his hands. He turned to Horatio with a glare.

The redhead fought to keep his expression neutral but he didn't quite banish the amusement in his cerulean eyes quick enough.

"You're not going to comment on the fact that your fiancee flashes people when on water slides?" Rick quipped crossly. "Do I have to remind you the aquarium she works at is joined to a water park?"

Cassandra rolled her eyes whilst Natalia raised her hand to stifle a giggle.

"It's not like my job is flashing people at the water park," Cassandra murmured. "Geez Rick calm down, it's only happened like three, four times and not at that place."

"Could we change the topic please?" Horatio queried calmly before Rick could start yelling again.

"Hey Annabelle, do you like swimming?" Cassandra pried.

Annabelle shook her head before realising her error as she felt her hair tightening slightly in Cassandra's hand with the gesture. "No," she answered quietly. "The water is cold."

"It's not," Marissa retaliated quickly.

"It can be," Cassandra commented neutrally. "So what do you like Annabelle?" she pried. "I know you like bubbles, you'd fun playing with them today. What else?"

The girl glanced to her lap and fidgeted with her fingers before her stare darted up to look across the garden.

"Dancing," she answered quietly. "Daddy took me to ballet lessons."

"Oh that sounds fun," Cassandra enthused. "I always wanted to do ballet when I was young."

Rick, who had looked a little guilty at Annabelle's reply, shook his head at Cassandra's retort. "I remember that phase, you used to run about my room with ribbons asking me to watch you dance to the swan song."

"Did you get lessons?" Annabelle asked.

Cassandra stiffened a little, her hand hesitating over the plait she had started in the young girl's hair. "No honey," she answered quietly. "So what level were you at?" she queried quickly. "Did you get any prizes?"

Horatio watched Cassandra continue to engage the young girl with ease. He was proud at Cassandra's ability to engage the young girl and admired how it seemed to come to her effortlessly.

"A few," Annabelle answered, still quiet.

"Well that's good," Cassandra praised.

Cassandra gave the girl one large plait at the back with several ribbons weaved through it. Satisfied with her work, she gave a proud smile before standing up and heading over to Horatio.

"We should go," Horatio advised.

Cassandra nodded. "Yep, you need dinner." She turned to face her brother and Natalia. "See you guys soon."

Natalia rose from the table. "Well it's always good to see you," she said sincerely. "I'll walk you to the door, give Rick some time with his sunglasses," she joked.

Rick shook his head as he made a point of putting his shades back on. "Bye," he remarked.

"He means goodbye and thank you so much for taking care of the girls," Natalia corrected pointedly.

Cassandra grinned at this. "Anytime. We'll do ice-cream soon, maybe have a girls day hmm? Mari, Annabelle, you Natalia, and me?"

Natalia nodded at this with a small smile. "I'd like that."

Natalia walked the pair to the door and let them out. She closed the door after waving them off, locked it and set the alarm before retreating to the garden.

Seeing Rick now seated, Natalia slipped onto his lap, smiling at him as she wrapped her arms about his shoulders.

"Take those ghastly things off," she ordered before kissing him lightly on the mouth.

Horatio and Cassandra made it back home shortly after eight, after a detour to the local Chinese takeaway. It wasn't exactly healthy but Cassandra was adamant that Horatio had dinner and neither was up for cooking so late in the evening.

Smelling the food as he started to unpack it in the kitchen had Horatio realising just how hungry he was. As he snatched up a spring roll he felt Cassandra's knowing gaze upon him. He glanced behind him and saw her standing there with her hands folded and a smug smile.

"Alright, I'm hungry," Horatio admitted.

"I'm just waiting for you to give me the fortune cookie," she joked.

She moved to help unpack the food and serve it out onto plates before the pair took a seat at their dining table.

Cassandra extended a hand out across the table to grab Horatio's suddenly.

The redhead looked back at her quizzically.

"It's been a while since we've done this," she said softly. "Just sat and had dinner at home, just the two of us." Her smile brightened. "I'm just savouring the moment."

Horatio gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I know it's been hard with this latest case," he confessed, "but I do think about the wedding."

Cassandra laughed as she released his hand. "Oh Horatio, I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty."

"I know," he said quietly, "but the wedding is important to me and I need you to know that."

Cassandra cocked her head slightly as she continued to smile at him. "You've been worrying about the colours haven't you?"

"Can I have a clue what they're for?" Horatio pleaded.

"Flowers."

"Ah, blue and yellow flowers?" Horatio smiled. "Yes, that would be nice."

Cassandra shook her head. "You don't even want to know the type?"

"I don't really know flower types."

Cassandra fidgeted with her cutlery causing her bangles to jingle. "No, I...I had another thought about the wedding." She pushed back some of her hair exposing the scars on her eyes and fixed a serious stare on Horatio.

"Yes?"

"I want to find my father if I can. I mean," she started to babble, "I'm not expecting some fantasy reunion or anything like that but it's been so long and I don't...I don't want another wedding without him if I don't have to." She shrugged uncomfortably. "I mean, I guess I want to be sure that he really doesn't want to know me because I keep hoping that somehow he just... oh I don't know."

Horatio nodded sympathetically. He had been expecting this for a while now, he and Rick both had. "Cassie I'll help with you with that how I can."

"Then you'll talk to Rick about it," she blurted out.

Horatio's gaze widened slightly. "Um..." For a rare moment the redhead was lost for words.

"Please, he just stonewalls me over it and then we fight."

Horatio suppressed a sigh and opted for eating a dumpling instead. Once he swallowed it he nodded. "Alright Cassie, I'll talk to Rick about it."

Cassandra rewarded him with a bright smile. "Thanks, you can have the fortune cookie."

Horatio shook his head. "No thanks."

The pair continued their dinner in a more jovial manner. Once they'd finished and cleared the table, Cassandra headed off for a shower whilst Horatio went to check the CCTV footage.

It took the redhead a while to trawl through as he couldn't be confident when exactly the porch light had been damaged, although he was sure it couldn't have been that long ago or he would have noticed.

It was half an hour into skimming through footage that he saw it. The redhead froze up as he pause the tape before pressing play on the grainy, black and white footage that indicated it was night time. The date stamp was two nights ago, or rather one night and day as it was just after two in the morning. The redhead stared at it and felt an odd chill dart through him.

The footage showed a figure standing opposite their front door on the path, still and calm with their head craned up slightly to the camera as if they wanted the audience. They were clad in skintight, dark clothes and a mask, blank, white and totally emotionless. Horatio couldn't even be entirely sure of their gender never mind anything else about them. He watched as they stood there motionless, the only indication that the video wasn't frozen was the increase of digits in the bottom right corner. Half an hour went by before they moved, leaning forward to press a single, gloved finger outwards. The camera didn't catch what they were doing but judging from the angle, Horatio suspected they were touching the lamp.