:V:

:V:

"H" is for Help

Conversations taped, May 15th 2001.

---05:09---

[V1] I heard you said something to that detective. What the hell?! Do you want to get us caught?

[V2] The element of suspense. Let's tease them for a while. We'll be out of here before they can catch us.

[V1] But why? There's the risk that they may solve it! They caught that serial killer you know.

[V2] Well, that's your fault. Plus their minds aren't fully on this case.

[V1] Why?

[V2] I heard the guy talking on the phone to Vegas. The girl has posttraumatic.

[V1] What?

[V2] Come on! Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He's going to urge her to get therapy. They'll be too busy with their precious Tuesday to catch us. We'll be to Switzerland before they know what hit them. They'll be too busy with their precious Tuesday to catch us. We'll be to Switzerland before they know what hit them.

[V1] Don't tell me you bugged Kerry's phone!?!

[V2] Yup. Can't be too cautious if she might catch on...

[V1] You... Oh, Kerry will kill us if she finds out!

[V2] No, we'll kill her.

[V1] This was never meant to be such a fiasco. Oh Damnit. Why are we doing this?

[V2] Money. This was your idea.

[V1] But...

[V2] Getting Vegas involved was your idea too. You couldn't have done any of this without me. But, it seems that I can't support your demands...

[V1] What!? You said...

[V2] You'll get your money. Don't worry.

[V1] But you said---

[V2] Wait. I can't support you, but that doesn't mean someone else won't help me.

[V1] I'm not following you...

[V2] Who is the richest employee here?

[V1] John... Oh, no! I let you use Luka, but not John too. Oh God, you're not serious...

[V2] Dead.

[V1] No! I'll tell everything tomorrow.

[V2] You do, and I will see to it that Kovac never sees you or anyone ever again.

---gasps---

[V1] You wouldn't!

[V2] I would.

[V1] You've lost it!

[V2] Watch your mouth. The noose tightens with every word.

[V1] You're crazy, not Miss. Haskle!

---V1 slams the phone down---

---Conversation ends---

---06:15---

[V1] Earl?

[V2] Boss?

[V1] Yup.

[V2] Did the canary sing?

[V1] She will.

[V2] Well?

[V1] Give him the ax. And make sure they can find him.

[V2] Got it boss.

[V1] Earl?

[V2] Yeah boss?

[V1] Expect a large bonus at Christmas.

[V2] Oh, thank-you sir...

[V1] Now get your ass in gear and don't disappoint me.

[V2] Yes sir.

---Conversation ends---

-----

"I think you should see the hospital psychiatrist."

Tuesday choked on her coffee. She was sitting with Nick at the café near the hospital. "What did you say?"

"You need to see someone about that anxiety attack." Nick set down his coffee cup.

Tuesday rolled her eyes. "What anxiety attack?"

"Tuesday, I'm serious. Catherine thinks you should too!"

Tuesday choked on another mouthful of coffee.

"Give me that." Nick grabbed her coffee mug and set it down next to his.

"You called Catherine?!"

"Yes."

"Great. I'm screwed."

"Look Tuesday, if you have nothing to worry about, then the shrink will tell you that. Do it for precaution."

Tuesday sighed. "You win..."

She was about to say more when one of the doctors – Jing-Me Chen – ran up to them.

"John Carter! He's missing!"

-----

Nick and Tuesday ran back over to the hospital.

"This is the final straw, Nick. We have to find the culprit." Tuesday sighed.

Nick just nodded as Jing-Me led them into the Doctor's Lounge. Kerry glanced up at them.

"He just didn't show up today, and his grandparents said he didn't came home last night."

"I think whoever got Luka got Carter," Dave Malucci exclaimed, a look of pure "I know it all" on his face and his arms folded over his chest.

"Could be," Nick said, glancing back at Tuesday.

Tuesday meanwhile, eyes raking about the room studied every single face. Everyone's eyes were on her and Nick, as if the held the explanation for all this and could easily tell them where Dr. Carter was, as well and Dr. Kovac. Her gaze settled on Abby, who looked away from her.

"Abby, did you see Dr. Carter yesterday?" she asked. It was like you see on TV, as the rest of the staff turned to look at the nurse.

"NO!" she screamed and ran from the room.

"She's guilty!" Dave yelped, pointing at Abby's retreating figure.

Deb slapped him upside the head with her clipboard. "She was close to Carter, Dave. Remember, point one finger and there are three pointing back at you."

"What?"

Nick and Tuesday exchanged annoyed glances and Tuesday turned to Kerry. She sighed.

"Uh, Dr. Weaver? What is the name of the head psychiatrist here?" she asked, deciding not to go into detail.

"Well, there's Kim Legaspi and Dr. Deraad."

Tuesday nodded and left the room.

-----

"Do you recognize a of these women?" Sara asked, spreading several pictures in front of the elderly desk keeper of the MGM Grand. The Polaroid shots were vague, and Tuesday had needed an old instant photo camera to take them. She had made a point that the department would be paying for the overnight shipping costs.

"Hmmmm..." Mel flipped through the pictures numerous times. Finally, he handed one to Sara.

Warric glanced at the picture over her shoulder.

"That's her?"

"Yup. I'm sure."

Warric nodded as Sara collected the pictures.

"Thank-you. Your help has been most appreciated." The two left.

"She didn't tell you who they were did she?"

Sara shook her head. "I guess she wanted it to be like when you pick out a criminal in a lineup."

"That certainly sounds like Tuesday."

At that moment both their phones rang.

"Sara? Warric?" It was Grissom.

"Yes?"

"You guys better get down here right away..."

"Why?" Sara's voice was about as worried as Grissom's.

"I think we just found your missing person..."

-----

"Okay, Nick. You wanted me to go see a shrink, so I am. But that also means that you have to do something for me too."

"What?" They were in an elevator, heading up to the psych unit.

"I think I might have an idea of what is going on. But I need you to do some undercover work for me," Tuesday explained. "I want you to look into a few people's lives. Here, I made out a list. Meet me at Navy Pier in ninety minutes."

Nick nodded and took the list from Tuesday. Scribbled in her chicken scratchy handwriting were the following names:

Abby Lockheart

John Carter

Robert Romano

"How do you want me to find out about these people?" Nick asked, looking up.

Tuesday shrugged. "That's your job. Get files from Romano, except his own and ask Dr. Elizabeth Corday about Romano. Corday is the assistant chief of surgery. She might know more about him. Snoop around. That's our job isn't it?" She grinned.

"Like a modern Sherlock Holmes novel, isn't it?" Nick posed as the elevator slid silently open.

"That's right. And the game is afoot."

The two bid goodbye as Nick remained in the elevator and Tuesday walked down the hall to Dr. Legaspi's office. She knocked on the door and was greeted by a pleasant voice.

"Miss Haskle? Come in."

Tuesday walked in shyly, reminded of going to see the counselor in high school.

"Sit down."

Tuesday obliged, and wrung her hands nervously. "I hope this isn't an inconvenience..."

"Oh, no. Kerry has told me about how you came half way across the country to find on of her doctors. What is the problem?"

"Well... I was urged by a few co-workers to seek treatment, after an event the other day, the night I got into Chicago," Tuesday began, not sure what to say.

"What happened?"

Suddenly, Tuesday found herself pouring out the entire story of the terrible night, explaining details as if she had just experienced them then and there.

Dr. Legaspi nodded. "A classic anxiety attack. You mentioned something about your boyfriend in Boston. What happened?"

"I was dating another CSI when I was working in Boston... At first, it seemed that we were made for each other, soul mates. But then he got scary. He would come home drunk, and sometimes really angry. He would take it out on me. I told him that I couldn't put up with it anymore, and left. I even relocated to a smaller division of the BPD, but he followed me. He threatened my life one evening when he got really drunk. He meant to shoot me in the head, but got my shoulder blade instead. I was in the hospital for a while, and when I got out I moved to Las Vegas. That didn't stop him though. He started a string of gruesome serial killings in Vegas, intent on finally killing me. He eluded us for months because he was a CSI too and had seen plenty of cases and knew how to not leave evidence. He almost got me again, but was busted and now is in the Nevada State Prison.

"I never had these attacks before, I don't know what set them off..."

Dr. Legaspi, who had been sitting in silence during Tuesday's tragic tale nodded again. Tuesday began to wonder if psychiatrists took special classes on nodding.

"I think your attack was spurned from the stress of having to take a case you didn't want and that you had to fly to Chicago."

"How did you know I didn't want the case?"

"I like to research my new patients."

"Oh. Well?"

Dr. Legaspi smiled. "You just need a few more sessions. If it is at all possible, maybe you could come in here once more before you go back to Las Vegas and try to see someone in Vegas."

Tuesday smiled. "So this isn't really weird is it?"

"Of course not! Quite normal for someone who has gone through what you have."

Tuesday thanked Dr. Legaspi and left for Navy Pier.

-----

"I was wondering when you would get here," Tuesday said, holding a hot dog out to Nick. "Your hot dog was getting cold."

"You won't be too upset when you see what I found," Nick countered, joining Tuesday on the park bench and took the hot dog from her hand. "What did Legaspi say?"

"That's private, buster" Tuesday exclaimed. "Now tell me what you found."

"Well, first of all, Abby was in medical school for about a half year. Her husband, or ex-husband I should say, was supposed to pay her tuition, but didn't so she had to go back to being a nurse.

"Now, John Carter is one of the richest people in Chicago. He was stabbed in February of 2000, and afterwards sunk into a depression and eventually drug addiction.

"And finally, Romano is involved in a huge scandal. It seems that he is responsible for firing several minorities from the staff of the hospital, which included homosexuals, Hispanics, blacks, and Jews."

Tuesday sat in silence for a while, broodingly chewing on her hot dog. Finally she spoke. "I think I know who done it." She explained her theory to Nick who concurred.

"That might just work."

Tuesday's cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Tuesday. I though you might want to know this," Sara said, her voice marred by static. "We found Dr. Kovac."