The call came in at 11:21 P.M. 

                    

There was a murder at The Shelter of Hope.  The Shelter was getting quite the reputation for the good work it was doing.  As a result, Gil Grissom was ordered to personally respond to the call.  He took

Nick Stokes and Catherine Willows with him.

The Vegas arm of the Shelter was the second chapter.  The first Shelter was started in Vermont, 19 years ago.  The Shelter specialized in helping homeless teenage girls learn to make a better life for themselves.  The girls all came from broken homes.  They were usually kicked out by parents that never wanted them.  They were girls that got involved with older men that didn't respect them.  They were used as prostitutes.  They were addicts.  But more importantly, they were young women who knew that The Shelter of Hope

was the last chance they had to have any kind of a decent future.

At the Shelter, they were taught that they may not be able to control their future, but they could control how they reacted to whatever came their way. 

The Shelter was located 25 miles east of the Strip.  It was an old ranch house that was donated to Sister Laura Ramsey.  Sr. Laura was the founder of the first chapter of The Shelter of Hope, in Vermont. 

Now she was in Las Vegas trying to help the throw-away girls of the west. 

Tonight, there was one girl that no longer needed her help, Maggie.  The auburn haired Maggie was found with bruises on her face, stab wounds in her back and fortunately for the CSI group, strands of

black hair around her fingers.   

Maggie hadn't been at the Shelter very long.  The Shelter had made an agreement with the Las Vegas court that they would occasionally accept a girl from them.  That's how at 17, Maggie ended up at the Shelter.  What they learned about her, during the 94 days she was with them, was that during her short 17 years on this earth she spent the first 6 without a father, but with a mother who was an addict.  Then there was the stepfather.  For the first few years he only beat her occasionally.  Then she turned 14 and her mother was away from home at night.  The physical abuse progressed to sexual assaults.  By 15 she had enough.  She just left home.  No note.  No goodbye.  No one came looking for her.  She eventually found her way to Las Vegas and to Spike. 

                          

Spike was one of those guys that preys on girls that are down and out and desperate for a meal.  He taught her how to turn tricks.  Of course, he kept the money she made.  He explained to her that he gave

her a place to sleep and he feed her.  What more did she want?  

                             

Then one day she was arrested.  She saw a beautiful pendant in the window of Foley's Pawnshop.  She had never owned anything of beauty.  She decided that she had to have it.  After all, the 63 year old pawnshop owner was one of her johns and he wasn't very good at getting aroused and he always took it out on her.  

                           

Bud Foley had an elaborate security system.  As soon as Maggie grabbed the pendant the alarm went off.  She ran out of the store.  He ran after her.  Just her luck, there were two bicycle cops riding

by at the same time.  They caught her.  Unfortunately, even though all she wanted was the pendant, she actually grabbed more than one piece of jewelry.  Just enough for Foley to allege grand theft.  Now

he could get his revenge on the little slut that couldn't make him feel young in bed.  

                              

Fortunately the judge knew Foley and suspected he knew Maggie, but not in a way that a 17 year girl should be known by the dirty old man.  There was something vulnerable about Maggie.  The judge decided to send her to the Shelter.  He knew this was her only chance of survival. 

                           

On the 94th day of her new life, Spike found her.  He wanted her back.  She refused.  She liked the opportunities at The Shelter.  She liked working for her keep.  She liked having people tell her she

wasn't trash.  They made her realize she could live without selling her body to men.  They feed and sheltered her, and they didn't ask for anything in exchange, except that she learn to respect herself. 

                         

Spike laughed at her.  He tired to drag her out of the building.  She fought him.  She wasn't going.  She was never again going to let a man abuse her.  She started to scream for help, but he covered her

mouth.  He had a bandana that he shoved into her month.  She didn't care; she kept on fighting.  This is when he hit her over and over again.  No woman ever disobeyed him.  Maggie was not about to succumb to his abuse anymore.  She hit him in the face with all the strength she could.  This took him by enough surprise that she was able to break away.  Unfortunately, he was right behind her and he was angry.  He pulled out his switchblade and stabbed her.  Still feeling the sting of her slap he continued to stab her until she was dead.                         

She was found at 10:45 P. M.  It was Maggie's night to clean up the Gather Room, after everyone else had gone to bed.  Gillian found her while making the final rounds of the evening.  It was always an

uneventful routine.  She checked to be sure all the lights were off, the doors and windows were lock and that everyone was safely in bed.  They went to bed early at the Shelter because their days started

early and were long and busy.  Gillian always did the last check of the evening because she liked the peaceful quiet of the night.   

                                 

The police were called immediately.  The first police car was there by 11:00 P.M.   The crime scene investigators were notified at 11:21 P.M.  They were at The Shelter by 12:11 A.M. 

                            

Things would never be the same again.