Troubled Waters
See Part 1 for Disclaimers, etc.
Calleigh looked at her reflection in the small, dirt-streaked mirror above the bathroom sink. Her face was tearstained and pale and her hair was sticking to her sweaty neck. She hadn't stopped crying since he had left her and sank to the bathroom floor as the sobs continued to shake her small frame. She fought back a wave of nausea as she thought of him forcing himself inside her over and over again. It had gone on for what seemed like forever and Calleigh had closed her eyes, trying to take herself far, far away from what he was doing.
When he had finally stopped and gotten off her he'd promised her he'd be back soon and left the room, locking the door behind him. She'd run to the bathroom right away, emptying what little was in her stomach into the toilet. Calleigh looked around the bathroom now, wondering if there was anything she could possibly use against him.
There was nothing in there of course, and Calleigh thought again how hopeless this situation was. There wasn't even a door to the bathroom that she could use to shut herself in. She lifted her hair away from her neck and tightly braided it, letting it hang down her back. Everything, including her hair smelled like him right now and it just made her feel sick all over again. Calleigh washed herself as best as she could using a towel by the sink and forced herself back to the bed, tearing the sheets off and throwing them on the floor. Calleigh lay back down and though she tried to fight it, fell into a fitful sleep.
When Eric had discovered Speed wasn't in his apartment he had called Horatio on his cell and offered to help in any way he could. Horatio had told him to just keep an eye on Speed in the lab, feeling that as long as the two friends were working together they would keep in other in check. He knew that Eric was close to Calleigh too and didn't want him out working on the case either.
They were both volatile young men and there was no telling what they could get themselves into if they were left to their own devices on this one. It had been confirmed that the semen found on the latest victim belonged to Schneider and that added more fuel to the fire.
While the two of them worked away at the lab, Horatio met with Schneider's ex-girlfriend. Theresa Hurlburt had been living with him when he was convicted of the nine sexual assaults two years before. She had been supportive of him during the trial, refusing to believe that he was guilty until the verdict was read and the media had ripped her to shreds. Horatio was surprised at how helpful she was to him but was also grateful. Theresa gave him a few ideas on where Schneider might be hiding out and insisted that he hadn't contacted her since he had been let out on parole but if he did she would let Horatio know.
She had a little girl of her own and was very afraid that Schneider may come after her. Horatio promised to have someone watch her home and her daughter's school just in case. Theresa's little girl also happened to be Schneider's daughter and Horatio had a feeling that he wouldn't stay away for long. After leaving Theresa, Horatio wasted no time in calling Hagen. Hagen agreed to check out every single lead given by Theresa right away. Horatio hung up the phone, feeling hopeful that he was closer to finding Calleigh than he had been a little while ago.
When Speed got the call he was passed out on the couch in the staff lounge, dreaming of Calleigh. The sound of the phone jolted him awake and back to reality. Remembering instantly that Calleigh was gone, Tim answered his phone, hoping for good news.
"Speed, we're watching a house right now that we're fairly sure is Schneider's hideout at the moment." Horatio's voice was loud in Tim's ear. "His ex gave us a few ideas as to where he might be and this one looks good. We've questioned some tenants who live in the building next door and they confirm that they've seen someone matching his description entering and leaving this house for the past couple of days. It belongs to a former associate of his who we've been unable to track down."
"Where are you?" Speed asked, running out the door to find Eric. Horatio gave him the address, knowing he should be there if they did find Calleigh. Speed found Eric and updated him as they headed out the door to Eric's jeep.
Calleigh was hungry. Despite the fact that she still felt sick she could feel the hunger pangs stab at her stomach. She knew that she needed food and water but she'd rather die of hunger and thirst than have Schneider return. She didn't know what time it was but knew she'd probably been here for nearly 24 hours.
Much to Calleigh's relief Schneider hadn't been back since she'd gone to sleep. Sleep had done her some good, her head was no longer throbbing and she felt stronger. Her dreams had been of Tim and she ached to feel his arms around her. If she died now, she was grateful to have loved him for at least a little while. It wasn't enough though, there was still so much more she wanted to do. Calleigh looked at the door warily, wondering where Schneider was and hoped that he wasn't out raping any more girls. Calleigh shuddered, knowing now what those poor little girls must have gone through before they died.
If she did survive this, Calleigh vowed to avenge the deaths of those innocent children. She'd kill Schneider herself if she had to. God help him if he ever came face to face with Calleigh and a loaded gun. The thought brought some comfort to Calleigh and she curled up on the bed, willing sleep to return and bring a reprieve from this nightmare.
Speed and Eric arrived at the scene just as police were breaking the door down. Horatio informed them that Evan Schneider had just been arrested outside his daughter's school as he was trying to enter the building. Hagen had been ecstatic as he relayed the news to Horatio and was certain that this time it would be death row for Schneider, who had refused to say a word about Calleigh.
All he would tell them is that he wouldn't say anything without his lawyer present. Not sure if that was a good sign or a bad one, Speed ran past Horatio into the house. He was sure Calleigh was in there and wasted no time looking through the little house for any sign of her. He was the one who found the door with a padlock on the outside and one of the officers gave him some tools to break it off. Throwing open the door, Tim let out a gasp at the sight before his eyes.
TBC...
See Part 1 for Disclaimers, etc.
Calleigh looked at her reflection in the small, dirt-streaked mirror above the bathroom sink. Her face was tearstained and pale and her hair was sticking to her sweaty neck. She hadn't stopped crying since he had left her and sank to the bathroom floor as the sobs continued to shake her small frame. She fought back a wave of nausea as she thought of him forcing himself inside her over and over again. It had gone on for what seemed like forever and Calleigh had closed her eyes, trying to take herself far, far away from what he was doing.
When he had finally stopped and gotten off her he'd promised her he'd be back soon and left the room, locking the door behind him. She'd run to the bathroom right away, emptying what little was in her stomach into the toilet. Calleigh looked around the bathroom now, wondering if there was anything she could possibly use against him.
There was nothing in there of course, and Calleigh thought again how hopeless this situation was. There wasn't even a door to the bathroom that she could use to shut herself in. She lifted her hair away from her neck and tightly braided it, letting it hang down her back. Everything, including her hair smelled like him right now and it just made her feel sick all over again. Calleigh washed herself as best as she could using a towel by the sink and forced herself back to the bed, tearing the sheets off and throwing them on the floor. Calleigh lay back down and though she tried to fight it, fell into a fitful sleep.
When Eric had discovered Speed wasn't in his apartment he had called Horatio on his cell and offered to help in any way he could. Horatio had told him to just keep an eye on Speed in the lab, feeling that as long as the two friends were working together they would keep in other in check. He knew that Eric was close to Calleigh too and didn't want him out working on the case either.
They were both volatile young men and there was no telling what they could get themselves into if they were left to their own devices on this one. It had been confirmed that the semen found on the latest victim belonged to Schneider and that added more fuel to the fire.
While the two of them worked away at the lab, Horatio met with Schneider's ex-girlfriend. Theresa Hurlburt had been living with him when he was convicted of the nine sexual assaults two years before. She had been supportive of him during the trial, refusing to believe that he was guilty until the verdict was read and the media had ripped her to shreds. Horatio was surprised at how helpful she was to him but was also grateful. Theresa gave him a few ideas on where Schneider might be hiding out and insisted that he hadn't contacted her since he had been let out on parole but if he did she would let Horatio know.
She had a little girl of her own and was very afraid that Schneider may come after her. Horatio promised to have someone watch her home and her daughter's school just in case. Theresa's little girl also happened to be Schneider's daughter and Horatio had a feeling that he wouldn't stay away for long. After leaving Theresa, Horatio wasted no time in calling Hagen. Hagen agreed to check out every single lead given by Theresa right away. Horatio hung up the phone, feeling hopeful that he was closer to finding Calleigh than he had been a little while ago.
When Speed got the call he was passed out on the couch in the staff lounge, dreaming of Calleigh. The sound of the phone jolted him awake and back to reality. Remembering instantly that Calleigh was gone, Tim answered his phone, hoping for good news.
"Speed, we're watching a house right now that we're fairly sure is Schneider's hideout at the moment." Horatio's voice was loud in Tim's ear. "His ex gave us a few ideas as to where he might be and this one looks good. We've questioned some tenants who live in the building next door and they confirm that they've seen someone matching his description entering and leaving this house for the past couple of days. It belongs to a former associate of his who we've been unable to track down."
"Where are you?" Speed asked, running out the door to find Eric. Horatio gave him the address, knowing he should be there if they did find Calleigh. Speed found Eric and updated him as they headed out the door to Eric's jeep.
Calleigh was hungry. Despite the fact that she still felt sick she could feel the hunger pangs stab at her stomach. She knew that she needed food and water but she'd rather die of hunger and thirst than have Schneider return. She didn't know what time it was but knew she'd probably been here for nearly 24 hours.
Much to Calleigh's relief Schneider hadn't been back since she'd gone to sleep. Sleep had done her some good, her head was no longer throbbing and she felt stronger. Her dreams had been of Tim and she ached to feel his arms around her. If she died now, she was grateful to have loved him for at least a little while. It wasn't enough though, there was still so much more she wanted to do. Calleigh looked at the door warily, wondering where Schneider was and hoped that he wasn't out raping any more girls. Calleigh shuddered, knowing now what those poor little girls must have gone through before they died.
If she did survive this, Calleigh vowed to avenge the deaths of those innocent children. She'd kill Schneider herself if she had to. God help him if he ever came face to face with Calleigh and a loaded gun. The thought brought some comfort to Calleigh and she curled up on the bed, willing sleep to return and bring a reprieve from this nightmare.
Speed and Eric arrived at the scene just as police were breaking the door down. Horatio informed them that Evan Schneider had just been arrested outside his daughter's school as he was trying to enter the building. Hagen had been ecstatic as he relayed the news to Horatio and was certain that this time it would be death row for Schneider, who had refused to say a word about Calleigh.
All he would tell them is that he wouldn't say anything without his lawyer present. Not sure if that was a good sign or a bad one, Speed ran past Horatio into the house. He was sure Calleigh was in there and wasted no time looking through the little house for any sign of her. He was the one who found the door with a padlock on the outside and one of the officers gave him some tools to break it off. Throwing open the door, Tim let out a gasp at the sight before his eyes.
TBC...