Here's part 5. See part 1 for disclaimers, etc. Lisa Wilson, making a
brief reappearance here, is from the Hopes and Fears.
***
"And it isn't a dream. Not a dream after all."
Les Miserables, the musical
***
Calleigh woke up lazily, keeping her body perfectly still but stretching her mind luxuriously after the soundest night's sleep she'd had all week, even with the interruption in the middle of it. She opened her eyes instantly - since being blind for two weeks, she always relished just opening her eyes on the world every morning - but she lay there quietly for several minutes. She didn't want to disturb Horatio. He was snuggled against her, and she could tell from his breathing that he was still asleep. He probably needed it as much as she had, poor man. He hadn't really gotten sound asleep until 3:00 AM. She rolled her head gently until she could see both his face and the clock. He didn't stir. It was 5:45.
Her mind ran over the events of the past 24 hours again. It was incredible how much had been packed into those hours. She had realized, with Alexx's help, that there was more than one way to lose him, and she had almost lost him in multiple ways. This morning, in the crisp early sunrise, her dream seemed ridiculous. Maybe telling him about it would make it go away now. She vowed to never let him leave the house again without telling him she loved him, though. She had to remember that a successful relationship was uncharted waters for Horatio even more than it was for her. Every event of his life seemed to have conspired against him to make him believe that he had let the people closest to him down. When he had no other context to fit her actions into, that would be the one most likely to resurface. He had lived with her love for only just over a year, but he had lived for decades thinking that he wasn't good enough. She had made so much progress with him that she sometimes forgot his background. He even sometimes forgot now. But its shadow was still there, even if it had shrunk, and she had to remember not to give it an opening to reclaim the ground she had won. Communication, she told herself. Hiding things just compounded the problems. It was a recent concept for her, too, but they had to remember it. They could help each other with it, after all. They were in this together.
She ran one hand across the growing swelling in her abdomen, thinking about Rosalind, about the three of them together. This is a happy family, she thought. I'm finally learning what that means. Not perfect, but better than perfect. It was real. And reality, unlike a dream, could be held and talked to and lived with. It could face problems and overcome them. She reached out and stroked his cheek lightly, lovingly. Yes, this was better than a dream.
An idea suddenly struck her, something that would be a tangible reminder of her feelings for him. Communication was vital, but she also understood the power of symbols. She slowly, surreptitiously crept out from under the covers. He shifted slightly, then settled back down. She picked up her clothes silently and tiptoed out of the bedroom. Once into the kitchen with her clothes on, she looked up a number, picked up the phone, and dialed. It was a crazy hour for a social call, but she knew that the person she was calling would be up this early. In fact, this was probably her best chance of reaching her.
"Hello." The voice was curious but wide awake already.
"Hi, Lisa. This is Calleigh Caine. Remember me?"
"Of course. Hi, Calleigh. Haven't talked to you in a few months. How are you? And how is Mr. Caine?"
"He's fine. Things are wonderful, Lisa. I'm pregnant."
"Awesome. When's the foaling date?"
"Late February. How is life at the stable?"
"Fine. I still miss Sam, but Emily is a good partner. The business is holding up. We're doing okay this year, even without Sam's money to fall back on." Lisa hesitated for a second. "Did you want something, Calleigh? Not that I'm not glad to hear from you, but most people besides me aren't up at this hour."
"Yes, actually, I wanted a little shopping advice. I'm looking for something, and I thought you could tell me the best place."
Lisa sounded dubious. "Shopping advice? You're kidding. I really think someone else could help you better, Calleigh."
"No, believe me, you're perfect for this. I can't think of anybody better qualified to help me." She explained what she wanted, and Lisa did, in fact, know immediately where to find it and even had some suggestions on selection. They chatted amiably for a few more minutes, then hung up.
Humming softly to herself, Calleigh started to make coffee. Her cell phone rang, and she pounced on it, hushing it instantly, wanting to give Horatio as much time as she could asleep. "Hello."
"Hi, Calleigh." It was Adele. "Sorry, I know it's early. I'm trying to get a head start on the day. I just went by the hospital early on the way to work, and they said Horatio hadn't stayed."
"No, he's here. Still asleep, though. Did you need him?"
"No, don't wake him up. I just wanted to warn him to look out for approaching paperwork."
Calleigh sighed. "The explosion. They're wanting a report from everyone, aren't they?"
"In triplicate. Bureaucracy strikes again. They want the CSIs to process that scene today, too, and get a cause for the explosion. Not H, of course. I'm sure they'd understand his taking the day off, but they'll be tracking him down at home. Paperwork waits for no one."
"He probably isn't going to be at home." Calleigh and Adele sighed in unison. "I doubt he wants to process the site, though. He's more interested in who wasn't there. He'll probably let Speed or Eric do it. I think Eric's almost done with our gang shoot out. And before you ask, I'll try to finish it today. I got a little side tracked yesterday."
"I can imagine," Adele said. "How is he? Tripp said he was cut up pretty badly by the broken glass in the window frame but seemed okay otherwise."
"63 stitches," Calleigh said. Adele whistled softly. "He's determined to finish out the pharmacy cases today, though. It's personal now. You know how he gets, especially if an officer gets killed. How's Tripp?"
"Making life miserable for the nurses. He's got a broken leg, but it's not serious. He definitely isn't a good patient, though."
Calleigh laughed. "I'm sure. What about the other officer, the one who was knocked out?"
"He's got a concussion. He'll be okay, though. Tell Horatio, when he wakes up, that the bureaucrats want his statement some time today, and the sooner the better."
"I'll tell him. Thanks for the warning, Adele." They hung up, and Calleigh went back to making coffee. She glanced at the clock. Almost 6:30, and Alexx would be here at 7:00. She hated to wake him when he had finally gotten asleep, but she had no choice. As soon as the coffee was ready, she poured a cup and headed back for the bedroom, armed with antibiotics and painkillers.
Horatio was still lying there in exactly the same position she had left him. Obviously, the cell phone ringing hadn't disturbed him. Calleigh put a hand on his shoulder gently. "Horatio. I'm sorry, Horatio, but this day is already trying to start without waiting for us." He stirred slightly, rolled over on one of his arms, and recoiled instantly, coming upright with a jerk. Calleigh flinched. "Here." She thrust the coffee and pills at him, and he took them without complaint, then swung his feet over the edge, sitting up on the side of the bed. "Adele just called." She ran through the conversation with the detective, and Horatio groaned.
"Official statements about the explosion. This day only needed that."
"Sorry. Don't shoot the messenger." She kissed the top of his head. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit with a flying window frame."
"You could just stay in bed today. I'll tell the world to leave you alone."
He shook his head and climbed to his feet. "I've got to finish that case. And see Mrs. Martin."
"And the bureaucrats."
"They can catch me. A moving target is harder to hit. I want to go by and see Tripp and Andrews, too. Did Adele say how they were?"
"Tripp is driving the hospital staff nuts." He grinned, picturing it. "Andrews has a concussion but is doing fine. You'd better get dressed. Alexx will be here at 7:00 to make sure you're still alive."
Horatio wasn't totally sure of that himself. The night had stiffened up all the sore points he'd known about and brought new ones to light. Calleigh helped him get dressed, since it hurt him to move his arms. They proceeded to the kitchen then and were just finishing breakfast when Alexx's knock was heard.
Horatio let her in while Calleigh cleared the plates away. "Morning, Alexx."
"Good morning." She looked from Horatio to Calleigh shrewdly, then relaxed, smiling at both of them. "How are you feeling, Horatio?"
"A little sore, but not too bad." Calleigh shook her head as she dumped the plates in the sink. Horatio's definitions were quite inventive at times.
Alexx had brought a small bag of medical supplies with her. "Sit," she commanded. Horatio sat down on the couch, and she sat beside him and slowly unwound the bandages. Calleigh came over herself to inspect the damage at close range. It did, indeed, look like he had been the victim of a hit-and-run by a sewing machine. The bruising was becoming evident, too, with his arms blossoming in various dark shades. It hurt just to look at them, Calleigh thought. Alexx inspected the gashes. "They look a little inflamed but not infected. Not yet, anyway. The inflammation is a perfectly normal response to the level of injury. Are you taking those antibiotics?"
"Yes," he replied. "Calleigh is my witness." Calleigh nodded.
Alexx started rebandaging his arms. "I suppose it's pointless to try to convince you to stay home today."
"Totally pointless," Horatio agreed.
"Well, at least try to keep from using them as much as you can. You can use your hands, but moving the arms in just about any direction is going to pull on at least one row of stitches, even aside from the bruises."
"We've already found that out, actually," Calleigh said, smiling at Alexx.
"Your car is in the driveway. Jonathan is picking me up in about five minutes. I'd avoid driving, Horatio. Not that you couldn't do it, but it would just make everything hurt worse."
"We'll see how the day goes," he said noncommittally. Alexx sighed. "I've got to see Mrs. Martin to deliver Paul's message, and I've got to find that third man, assuming he isn't dead already."
"Paul's message?" Alexx was puzzled.
"Paul Martin, one of the officers who died," Calleigh informed her. "He asked Horatio to tell his wife he loved her." Alexx's eyes went back to Horatio sympathetically, and he stood up, briskly business like, shrugging off the concern and taking charge of the conversation. He couldn't accept sympathy for himself right now, not while others were still waiting for justice.
"The first thing I need you to do today, Alexx, is autopsies from the explosion yesterday. Do the person or people inside the house first. I want a body count, and I want to know if Snake was in there. You should be able to recognize him. He was missing an upper front tooth. Teeth can survive almost anything."
"I'll let you know," she said. The beep from her husband's car was heard outside. "Be reasonable today, Horatio. See you later, Calleigh." She left, and Horatio and Calleigh looked at each other.
"What's first? Mrs. Martin, the hospital, the bureaucrats, or the case?" asked Calleigh.
"First," said Horatio, going over to her, "we haven't properly said good morning yet. Good morning, Cal. Good morning, Rosalind."
Calleigh kissed him back, overwhelmed with gratitude that she had the reality, not the dream or the nightmare. "Good morning, Horatio."
***
Speed arrived only a little late and wearing matching socks. He was humming as he entered CSI, enjoying the first morning of the week which hadn't started with an early call to a pharmacy. He spotted Eric with Valera in the break room, started to go in himself, then hesitated. They were quite close together and were laughing about something, obviously enjoying each other's company. Speed decided that three was a crowd and went on past the break room. He considered the pairing as he went on to Trace. Eric could do a lot worse. So could Valera, actually. Maybe his friend should be looking here at CSI instead of in clubs. Horatio and Calleigh had found each other on the job, after all, and that match was working out beautifully. Speed decided to grant Eric and Valera the enormous concession of not teasing them about it. Not for a while, anyway.
He arrived at his own workstation and came to a confused but hopeful stop. A napkin was in the center of the table, with a doughnut parked in the middle of it. Chocolate covered with sprinkles, his favorite. Speed looked right and left. No one else was nearby to claim ownership. He grabbed it before it could disappear and polished it off in three bites, then noticed the note that had been tucked underneath. In Calleigh's flowing handwriting, it simply said, "Sorry, Tim." He grinned to himself while he chewed the last bite. This day was definitely an improvement over the last few.
It was then that he spotted the second note on the table. This one was in Horatio's precise writing, signed H even though everyone at CSI knew his writing anyway. No one else Speed knew wrote like that, even and perfectly controlled. "Speed. First thing this morning, finish processing the residue on the floor from those three pharmacies. That was either from Snake or the 3rd perp, and I'm betting it was the 3rd man. Identify it and find out where it was picked up. Second, go back to the security tape and get me everything you can on the 3rd perp. Height, handedness, anything. The police artist is making a drawing with the Alvarez kid this morning, but I doubt he noticed smaller details. I want any information at all on that perp. When you know all about him and where he's been, let me know, and we'll go find him. H."
Even without Horatio himself there, the thought of him could inspire effort. Speed quickly swallowed his last bite of doughnut, snapped on the gloves, and went to work.
***
A few hours later, Calleigh and Horatio returned to CSI after going to the hospital and then to see Mrs. Martin. Both of them were silent as they entered the labs, emotionally wrung out from that last visit. They walked down together to the autopsy bay, where they found Alexx working on Paul Martin's autopsy. Bad timing, Calleigh thought. Horatio looked steadily at the body, refusing to let himself turn away, his acknowledgement a silent promise to his former fellow officer. Calleigh put a supportive hand on his arm and squeezed it, which was a mistake. He nearly jumped out of his stitches, and she instantly let go, wishing she could hurt herself to compensate. "Sorry, Horatio. I wasn't thinking."
He gave her a thin smile and turned his attention to Alexx. "How many were inside, Alexx?"
"Just one," she said. "And I'm sure it was Snake. The tooth was missing, just like you said."
Horatio's strained blue eyes focused on a point far beyond the room, the point where the unknown third perp waited for him. "The third one is still out there, then." He started to reach slowly for his cell phone and had only made it halfway when Speed appeared in person.
"H. Tyler said he saw you come in. The dirt in that residue is a specific kind of soil mixed with fertilizer that nurseries use working with plants. There was also one fiber of burlap with it at that third pharmacy. They use burlap to tie up the roots of trees so they'll survive transplanting."
"Nurseries." Horatio tilted his head thoughtfully. "Not something usually associated with drug gangs. If a nursery owner had a son, though, the son could have fallen in with the wrong crowd."
"Like the Alvarez kid." Speed nodded. "Could be the son of a worker, though, not just the owner."
"More likely the owner," Horatio said. "The son must have been working there recently to have picked up that much on his shoes, not just stopping by. Probably his parent is trying to keep an eye on him. Okay, here's what we do. You and I will swing back by the hospital to pick up the police artist drawing, and then we'll go to every nursery in town and ask if the owner has a son matching that description. What did you get from the tape?"
"He's a bit taller than the Alvarez kid, shorter than Snake. About 5' 9", I'd say. Also, he's left-handed. He used the left one first every time he opened a pill drawer." Speed pulled a slightly crumpled paper out of his pocket. "I printed off a list of the nurseries in Miami, too."
"Nice work." Horatio gave one final, lingering glance at Paul Martin, then headed for the door purposefully. "Let's go find him."
"Horatio." Calleigh's voice stopped him, and he swung back around to look at her, smiling but asking a silent question with the eyes. "Let Speed drive." The smile faded. "Please, Horatio."
He relented. "Okay. See you later, Calleigh. Maybe you can finish up your gang shootout."
"Maybe so. High time I did. I love you, Horatio." She didn't usually say it outright at work, but she didn't care who was listening just now.
He smiled at her again. "I love you, too." He spun around smoothly and was out the door before Speed realized he was moving again. The trace expert plunged after his boss, hurrying to catch up, and the autopsy room door clicked firmly shut behind him.
Calleigh looked back at Alexx and gave her a weak smile. "He's going to push himself ruthlessly all the way through today and then totally collapse at the end of it."
Alexx nodded. "He will come to the end of it first, though."
"Yep," Calleigh agreed. "I just hope he's careful out there."
"He does try to be careful, honey. Did you tell him?"
"Yes. You're right; he didn't think it was silly. And I didn't have that dream again last night. Maybe telling him about it will make it go away. He didn't get much sleep, though." Calleigh looked at Paul Martin herself. "Alexx, could Horatio have done anything differently to save him?"
"No. He had too many arteries cut. If it had happened 100 feet from the ER, I think he probably still would have bled to death. There's no way one person could have saved him, even if that one person hadn't already been hurt."
"Be sure to put that in your report," Calleigh suggested.
Alexx nodded knowingly. "I had already planned on it." Her gloved hands were occupied, but she hugged Calleigh with her eyes. "He'll be okay, Calleigh."
"I know," she said. "I just hope he finds that perp quickly. I'd better get to work myself. See you, Alexx."
"See you." Calleigh left, and Alexx returned her attention to Paul Martin. "Horatio went to see your wife this morning," she said, as if he could hear. "He passed on your message." Talking to the body as if she could distract it from her activities, Alexx continued her work.
***
Speed pulled the Hummer up to the fifth nursery, and they both got out, with Speed pretending not to notice how much it hurt Horatio to reach for the door handle and open it. They had just started up the sidewalk to the main building, though, when Horatio's cell phone rang. He gingerly fished it out and smiled as he glanced at the caller ID, and Speed ambled off a few feet to give him some privacy. The smile was caller ID enough. Horatio only smiled like that for one person. "Hi, Beautiful."
"Hi, Handsome. How's the search going?"
"Four nurseries down, only a few dozen left to go, assuming we're not lucky. If we get lucky, maybe only another four to go."
He could hear the smile in her voice. "You don't need to be lucky. You're good."
"I wouldn't turn down luck if it came my way. You didn't call me to ask where we were, though. You've got that woman on a mission tone behind your voice. What's up, Cal?"
"It's time for you to take some more antibiotics. I just wanted to make sure you did."
He'd forgotten on the hunt, actually. "Not yet. We'll grab a bite when we finish at this nursery, and I'll take them then."
"Wrong," she said with southern finality. "You may say that with the best of intentions, but you'll get on some trail and forget about it. I want you to take them now, while I'm holding the phone, and then tell me you did." She knew he couldn't tell her a direct lie.
Horatio sighed. "Hang on a sec. Speed." The trace expert was off studying bushes and ostentatiously not listening, but he looked back up at Horatio's call. "Run over to that gas station next door and buy us each a Coke, would you? I'll pay you back later."
"Sure, H." Speed trotted off, fishing for change, and Horatio turned his attention back to the phone.
"He'll be back in a minute. Don't you trust me, Cal?" The tone was playful, though, much different from the hurt of yesterday morning. He heard her answering smile.
"On 99% of things, yes, implicitly. Taking medicine falls into the 1%."
He grinned. "What would I do without you?"
"Beats me. I don't know how you managed to survive all these years."
His tone dropped back into seriousness. "I don't either. How are you coming along?"
"Making progress. The next time a case has 18 guns with multiple shooters, though, I hope it happens on night shift."
"No, you don't. If it did, you'd turn up to make sure they were doing it right."
She laughed. "You're probably right."
Speed returned holding out Horatio's drink, opening it as he offered it to him. Even if he hadn't said anything, he'd noticed how Horatio was avoiding using his arms as much as he could. "Thank you, Speed," Horatio said, and Speed nodded and retreated to analyzing the shrubbery again. "Just a second, Cal. This is going to take both hands." He put the phone on the hood of the Hummer and fought the child resistant cap on the prescription bottle, swearing silently to himself, until he managed to twist it open and fish one pill out. "Okay, Calleigh. I just took the antibiotics."
"Take another one of the painkillers, too."
"Not worth the bother of opening another bottle. It would hurt more to take them than not to."
Calleigh stood firm. "Get Speed to open the bottle for you, then."
He sighed and repeated the whole operation. "Okay, I took one. Satisfied?"
"For the moment. I'll call you back in four hours unless you're done by then."
Horatio slipped into mock sternness. "For now, we all need to get back to work. Too much time being wasted here. We have to give the taxpayers full value, you know."
She laughed. "See you later, Horatio."
"See you." He ended the call, gingerly pocketed the pills and the phone, and picked up his drink. Speed was still looking at the plants, hiding his smile behind his usual stony exterior. "Come on, Speed."
***
The owner of the eleventh nursery stared at the drawing. "Yes, I'm afraid I do have a son who looks something like this. It's not a perfect likeness, though," he added hopefully.
"Is he left-handed?" Horatio hated this. For his sake, he wanted the answer to be there, but he knew that he was confirming this father's suspicions. Suspicions can be denied. Facts couldn't. At least, not by this man.
"Yes," the man said simply. He closed his eyes for a minute, then reopened them. "He's been involved in some crime, hasn't he? Is it serious?"
"I'm afraid so. I'm sorry, Mr. Duncan." The sincerity there was even stronger than the badge, and Mr. Duncan nodded in acknowledgement.
"I always worried that he would be. His mother died five years ago, and he's been so resentful of everything since then. Falling in with the wrong crowd. I tried to get him to work here, give him something productive to do with his time, but he doesn't even turn up half the time. He used to like the plants, but it's just like nothing matters to him anymore."
"Do you know where he is right now?"
"Sorry. He should have been here this afternoon, but I haven't seen him since this morning. Rob said he was going off to school - he's a senior - but I didn't push him. Maybe I should have."
To challenge the statement would have been admitting to himself that his son was a liar. Horatio knew why Mr. Duncan had let it go. "Who are his friends, Mr. Duncan? Who is his best friend?" His father would hardly know his drug contacts, but the son might be avoiding them after yesterday's explosion. His quasi-respectable friends would be a better shot this afternoon.
"Chris something. Let me think a minute." Horatio stood patiently, not pushing, and Mr. Duncan snapped his fingers suddenly. "Harper. Chris Harper. I'm not sure how good an influence he is, but they've been good friends in school for years."
"Do you know his address?" Mr. Duncan shook his head. "What school do they attend?" They would do it the long way, then. Mr. Duncan supplied the school name, and Horatio thanked him smoothly and left. He turned back for a second at the door, seeing the man sitting behind the counter with his head in his hands. An honest, hard-working, overwhelmed man who had done his best and who knew now for a certainty that it hadn't been enough. It's not your fault, Horatio wanted to tell him, but he knew Mr. Duncan wouldn't listen right now, any more than he himself had listened when Mrs. Martin said those same words to him this morning. Some days, he felt like he spent all of his time bringing pain to people instead of healing.
"H?" Speed decided it was time to distract his boss.
Horatio snapped back to himself, once again the consummate professional. "Coming. Call the school, Speed. Let's start cutting red tape."
***
The Hummer pulled up in front of Chris Harper's house. The house, like the whole neighborhood, had seen better days. It was one of a hundred similar low rent houses in a few blocks next to an industrial area. Neighborhood kids immediately spotted the Hummer, but no one came over to inspect it. Suspicion was the rule here. Horatio made sure Speed set the security system anyway.
"Nice little neighborhood," Speed quipped as they went up the sidewalk. They looked for a doorbell and found none. Horatio gave the door one good knock and winced, and Speed took over, adding a few more. No one came. The neighborhood kids still looked at the Hummer with envious caution. "Don't think anyone's home, H."
Horatio's head suddenly snapped up, and he turned and sprinted around the edge of the house. A fast-moving figure was just disappearing from view, ducking through back yards and between buildings. Horatio instantly gave chase, with Speed panting to catch up with him. "H, should I get the Hummer?"
"No, he won't stick to roads. We'll get him this way faster." Horatio followed like a bloodhound on the track, not even noticing at the moment that he was jolting every bruise he had in this chase. He spun between buildings, nimbly jumped a small trash pile, and caught another glimpse of the quarry ahead. They had closed the distance a little. Horatio stretched out to a full sprint, and Speed plowed after him, trying to keep up.
Rob Duncan raced along, trying to use his knowledge of this area, trying to think through the fear that had gripped him since yesterday. The man was glued to his trail, and he couldn't shake him or outrun him. He left the houses behind for the industrial section and took three turns quickly, trying to confuse his pursuer. Ahead of him was an alley, and he turned that way instantly, suddenly hopeful again. These were all abandoned buildings. A heaven sent hiding place for him, if he could just get in one. He entered the alley at a dead run and frantically tried the doors that lined it. The third one opened with a squeaky protest at long disuse, and he ducked inside.
***
"And it isn't a dream. Not a dream after all."
Les Miserables, the musical
***
Calleigh woke up lazily, keeping her body perfectly still but stretching her mind luxuriously after the soundest night's sleep she'd had all week, even with the interruption in the middle of it. She opened her eyes instantly - since being blind for two weeks, she always relished just opening her eyes on the world every morning - but she lay there quietly for several minutes. She didn't want to disturb Horatio. He was snuggled against her, and she could tell from his breathing that he was still asleep. He probably needed it as much as she had, poor man. He hadn't really gotten sound asleep until 3:00 AM. She rolled her head gently until she could see both his face and the clock. He didn't stir. It was 5:45.
Her mind ran over the events of the past 24 hours again. It was incredible how much had been packed into those hours. She had realized, with Alexx's help, that there was more than one way to lose him, and she had almost lost him in multiple ways. This morning, in the crisp early sunrise, her dream seemed ridiculous. Maybe telling him about it would make it go away now. She vowed to never let him leave the house again without telling him she loved him, though. She had to remember that a successful relationship was uncharted waters for Horatio even more than it was for her. Every event of his life seemed to have conspired against him to make him believe that he had let the people closest to him down. When he had no other context to fit her actions into, that would be the one most likely to resurface. He had lived with her love for only just over a year, but he had lived for decades thinking that he wasn't good enough. She had made so much progress with him that she sometimes forgot his background. He even sometimes forgot now. But its shadow was still there, even if it had shrunk, and she had to remember not to give it an opening to reclaim the ground she had won. Communication, she told herself. Hiding things just compounded the problems. It was a recent concept for her, too, but they had to remember it. They could help each other with it, after all. They were in this together.
She ran one hand across the growing swelling in her abdomen, thinking about Rosalind, about the three of them together. This is a happy family, she thought. I'm finally learning what that means. Not perfect, but better than perfect. It was real. And reality, unlike a dream, could be held and talked to and lived with. It could face problems and overcome them. She reached out and stroked his cheek lightly, lovingly. Yes, this was better than a dream.
An idea suddenly struck her, something that would be a tangible reminder of her feelings for him. Communication was vital, but she also understood the power of symbols. She slowly, surreptitiously crept out from under the covers. He shifted slightly, then settled back down. She picked up her clothes silently and tiptoed out of the bedroom. Once into the kitchen with her clothes on, she looked up a number, picked up the phone, and dialed. It was a crazy hour for a social call, but she knew that the person she was calling would be up this early. In fact, this was probably her best chance of reaching her.
"Hello." The voice was curious but wide awake already.
"Hi, Lisa. This is Calleigh Caine. Remember me?"
"Of course. Hi, Calleigh. Haven't talked to you in a few months. How are you? And how is Mr. Caine?"
"He's fine. Things are wonderful, Lisa. I'm pregnant."
"Awesome. When's the foaling date?"
"Late February. How is life at the stable?"
"Fine. I still miss Sam, but Emily is a good partner. The business is holding up. We're doing okay this year, even without Sam's money to fall back on." Lisa hesitated for a second. "Did you want something, Calleigh? Not that I'm not glad to hear from you, but most people besides me aren't up at this hour."
"Yes, actually, I wanted a little shopping advice. I'm looking for something, and I thought you could tell me the best place."
Lisa sounded dubious. "Shopping advice? You're kidding. I really think someone else could help you better, Calleigh."
"No, believe me, you're perfect for this. I can't think of anybody better qualified to help me." She explained what she wanted, and Lisa did, in fact, know immediately where to find it and even had some suggestions on selection. They chatted amiably for a few more minutes, then hung up.
Humming softly to herself, Calleigh started to make coffee. Her cell phone rang, and she pounced on it, hushing it instantly, wanting to give Horatio as much time as she could asleep. "Hello."
"Hi, Calleigh." It was Adele. "Sorry, I know it's early. I'm trying to get a head start on the day. I just went by the hospital early on the way to work, and they said Horatio hadn't stayed."
"No, he's here. Still asleep, though. Did you need him?"
"No, don't wake him up. I just wanted to warn him to look out for approaching paperwork."
Calleigh sighed. "The explosion. They're wanting a report from everyone, aren't they?"
"In triplicate. Bureaucracy strikes again. They want the CSIs to process that scene today, too, and get a cause for the explosion. Not H, of course. I'm sure they'd understand his taking the day off, but they'll be tracking him down at home. Paperwork waits for no one."
"He probably isn't going to be at home." Calleigh and Adele sighed in unison. "I doubt he wants to process the site, though. He's more interested in who wasn't there. He'll probably let Speed or Eric do it. I think Eric's almost done with our gang shoot out. And before you ask, I'll try to finish it today. I got a little side tracked yesterday."
"I can imagine," Adele said. "How is he? Tripp said he was cut up pretty badly by the broken glass in the window frame but seemed okay otherwise."
"63 stitches," Calleigh said. Adele whistled softly. "He's determined to finish out the pharmacy cases today, though. It's personal now. You know how he gets, especially if an officer gets killed. How's Tripp?"
"Making life miserable for the nurses. He's got a broken leg, but it's not serious. He definitely isn't a good patient, though."
Calleigh laughed. "I'm sure. What about the other officer, the one who was knocked out?"
"He's got a concussion. He'll be okay, though. Tell Horatio, when he wakes up, that the bureaucrats want his statement some time today, and the sooner the better."
"I'll tell him. Thanks for the warning, Adele." They hung up, and Calleigh went back to making coffee. She glanced at the clock. Almost 6:30, and Alexx would be here at 7:00. She hated to wake him when he had finally gotten asleep, but she had no choice. As soon as the coffee was ready, she poured a cup and headed back for the bedroom, armed with antibiotics and painkillers.
Horatio was still lying there in exactly the same position she had left him. Obviously, the cell phone ringing hadn't disturbed him. Calleigh put a hand on his shoulder gently. "Horatio. I'm sorry, Horatio, but this day is already trying to start without waiting for us." He stirred slightly, rolled over on one of his arms, and recoiled instantly, coming upright with a jerk. Calleigh flinched. "Here." She thrust the coffee and pills at him, and he took them without complaint, then swung his feet over the edge, sitting up on the side of the bed. "Adele just called." She ran through the conversation with the detective, and Horatio groaned.
"Official statements about the explosion. This day only needed that."
"Sorry. Don't shoot the messenger." She kissed the top of his head. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit with a flying window frame."
"You could just stay in bed today. I'll tell the world to leave you alone."
He shook his head and climbed to his feet. "I've got to finish that case. And see Mrs. Martin."
"And the bureaucrats."
"They can catch me. A moving target is harder to hit. I want to go by and see Tripp and Andrews, too. Did Adele say how they were?"
"Tripp is driving the hospital staff nuts." He grinned, picturing it. "Andrews has a concussion but is doing fine. You'd better get dressed. Alexx will be here at 7:00 to make sure you're still alive."
Horatio wasn't totally sure of that himself. The night had stiffened up all the sore points he'd known about and brought new ones to light. Calleigh helped him get dressed, since it hurt him to move his arms. They proceeded to the kitchen then and were just finishing breakfast when Alexx's knock was heard.
Horatio let her in while Calleigh cleared the plates away. "Morning, Alexx."
"Good morning." She looked from Horatio to Calleigh shrewdly, then relaxed, smiling at both of them. "How are you feeling, Horatio?"
"A little sore, but not too bad." Calleigh shook her head as she dumped the plates in the sink. Horatio's definitions were quite inventive at times.
Alexx had brought a small bag of medical supplies with her. "Sit," she commanded. Horatio sat down on the couch, and she sat beside him and slowly unwound the bandages. Calleigh came over herself to inspect the damage at close range. It did, indeed, look like he had been the victim of a hit-and-run by a sewing machine. The bruising was becoming evident, too, with his arms blossoming in various dark shades. It hurt just to look at them, Calleigh thought. Alexx inspected the gashes. "They look a little inflamed but not infected. Not yet, anyway. The inflammation is a perfectly normal response to the level of injury. Are you taking those antibiotics?"
"Yes," he replied. "Calleigh is my witness." Calleigh nodded.
Alexx started rebandaging his arms. "I suppose it's pointless to try to convince you to stay home today."
"Totally pointless," Horatio agreed.
"Well, at least try to keep from using them as much as you can. You can use your hands, but moving the arms in just about any direction is going to pull on at least one row of stitches, even aside from the bruises."
"We've already found that out, actually," Calleigh said, smiling at Alexx.
"Your car is in the driveway. Jonathan is picking me up in about five minutes. I'd avoid driving, Horatio. Not that you couldn't do it, but it would just make everything hurt worse."
"We'll see how the day goes," he said noncommittally. Alexx sighed. "I've got to see Mrs. Martin to deliver Paul's message, and I've got to find that third man, assuming he isn't dead already."
"Paul's message?" Alexx was puzzled.
"Paul Martin, one of the officers who died," Calleigh informed her. "He asked Horatio to tell his wife he loved her." Alexx's eyes went back to Horatio sympathetically, and he stood up, briskly business like, shrugging off the concern and taking charge of the conversation. He couldn't accept sympathy for himself right now, not while others were still waiting for justice.
"The first thing I need you to do today, Alexx, is autopsies from the explosion yesterday. Do the person or people inside the house first. I want a body count, and I want to know if Snake was in there. You should be able to recognize him. He was missing an upper front tooth. Teeth can survive almost anything."
"I'll let you know," she said. The beep from her husband's car was heard outside. "Be reasonable today, Horatio. See you later, Calleigh." She left, and Horatio and Calleigh looked at each other.
"What's first? Mrs. Martin, the hospital, the bureaucrats, or the case?" asked Calleigh.
"First," said Horatio, going over to her, "we haven't properly said good morning yet. Good morning, Cal. Good morning, Rosalind."
Calleigh kissed him back, overwhelmed with gratitude that she had the reality, not the dream or the nightmare. "Good morning, Horatio."
***
Speed arrived only a little late and wearing matching socks. He was humming as he entered CSI, enjoying the first morning of the week which hadn't started with an early call to a pharmacy. He spotted Eric with Valera in the break room, started to go in himself, then hesitated. They were quite close together and were laughing about something, obviously enjoying each other's company. Speed decided that three was a crowd and went on past the break room. He considered the pairing as he went on to Trace. Eric could do a lot worse. So could Valera, actually. Maybe his friend should be looking here at CSI instead of in clubs. Horatio and Calleigh had found each other on the job, after all, and that match was working out beautifully. Speed decided to grant Eric and Valera the enormous concession of not teasing them about it. Not for a while, anyway.
He arrived at his own workstation and came to a confused but hopeful stop. A napkin was in the center of the table, with a doughnut parked in the middle of it. Chocolate covered with sprinkles, his favorite. Speed looked right and left. No one else was nearby to claim ownership. He grabbed it before it could disappear and polished it off in three bites, then noticed the note that had been tucked underneath. In Calleigh's flowing handwriting, it simply said, "Sorry, Tim." He grinned to himself while he chewed the last bite. This day was definitely an improvement over the last few.
It was then that he spotted the second note on the table. This one was in Horatio's precise writing, signed H even though everyone at CSI knew his writing anyway. No one else Speed knew wrote like that, even and perfectly controlled. "Speed. First thing this morning, finish processing the residue on the floor from those three pharmacies. That was either from Snake or the 3rd perp, and I'm betting it was the 3rd man. Identify it and find out where it was picked up. Second, go back to the security tape and get me everything you can on the 3rd perp. Height, handedness, anything. The police artist is making a drawing with the Alvarez kid this morning, but I doubt he noticed smaller details. I want any information at all on that perp. When you know all about him and where he's been, let me know, and we'll go find him. H."
Even without Horatio himself there, the thought of him could inspire effort. Speed quickly swallowed his last bite of doughnut, snapped on the gloves, and went to work.
***
A few hours later, Calleigh and Horatio returned to CSI after going to the hospital and then to see Mrs. Martin. Both of them were silent as they entered the labs, emotionally wrung out from that last visit. They walked down together to the autopsy bay, where they found Alexx working on Paul Martin's autopsy. Bad timing, Calleigh thought. Horatio looked steadily at the body, refusing to let himself turn away, his acknowledgement a silent promise to his former fellow officer. Calleigh put a supportive hand on his arm and squeezed it, which was a mistake. He nearly jumped out of his stitches, and she instantly let go, wishing she could hurt herself to compensate. "Sorry, Horatio. I wasn't thinking."
He gave her a thin smile and turned his attention to Alexx. "How many were inside, Alexx?"
"Just one," she said. "And I'm sure it was Snake. The tooth was missing, just like you said."
Horatio's strained blue eyes focused on a point far beyond the room, the point where the unknown third perp waited for him. "The third one is still out there, then." He started to reach slowly for his cell phone and had only made it halfway when Speed appeared in person.
"H. Tyler said he saw you come in. The dirt in that residue is a specific kind of soil mixed with fertilizer that nurseries use working with plants. There was also one fiber of burlap with it at that third pharmacy. They use burlap to tie up the roots of trees so they'll survive transplanting."
"Nurseries." Horatio tilted his head thoughtfully. "Not something usually associated with drug gangs. If a nursery owner had a son, though, the son could have fallen in with the wrong crowd."
"Like the Alvarez kid." Speed nodded. "Could be the son of a worker, though, not just the owner."
"More likely the owner," Horatio said. "The son must have been working there recently to have picked up that much on his shoes, not just stopping by. Probably his parent is trying to keep an eye on him. Okay, here's what we do. You and I will swing back by the hospital to pick up the police artist drawing, and then we'll go to every nursery in town and ask if the owner has a son matching that description. What did you get from the tape?"
"He's a bit taller than the Alvarez kid, shorter than Snake. About 5' 9", I'd say. Also, he's left-handed. He used the left one first every time he opened a pill drawer." Speed pulled a slightly crumpled paper out of his pocket. "I printed off a list of the nurseries in Miami, too."
"Nice work." Horatio gave one final, lingering glance at Paul Martin, then headed for the door purposefully. "Let's go find him."
"Horatio." Calleigh's voice stopped him, and he swung back around to look at her, smiling but asking a silent question with the eyes. "Let Speed drive." The smile faded. "Please, Horatio."
He relented. "Okay. See you later, Calleigh. Maybe you can finish up your gang shootout."
"Maybe so. High time I did. I love you, Horatio." She didn't usually say it outright at work, but she didn't care who was listening just now.
He smiled at her again. "I love you, too." He spun around smoothly and was out the door before Speed realized he was moving again. The trace expert plunged after his boss, hurrying to catch up, and the autopsy room door clicked firmly shut behind him.
Calleigh looked back at Alexx and gave her a weak smile. "He's going to push himself ruthlessly all the way through today and then totally collapse at the end of it."
Alexx nodded. "He will come to the end of it first, though."
"Yep," Calleigh agreed. "I just hope he's careful out there."
"He does try to be careful, honey. Did you tell him?"
"Yes. You're right; he didn't think it was silly. And I didn't have that dream again last night. Maybe telling him about it will make it go away. He didn't get much sleep, though." Calleigh looked at Paul Martin herself. "Alexx, could Horatio have done anything differently to save him?"
"No. He had too many arteries cut. If it had happened 100 feet from the ER, I think he probably still would have bled to death. There's no way one person could have saved him, even if that one person hadn't already been hurt."
"Be sure to put that in your report," Calleigh suggested.
Alexx nodded knowingly. "I had already planned on it." Her gloved hands were occupied, but she hugged Calleigh with her eyes. "He'll be okay, Calleigh."
"I know," she said. "I just hope he finds that perp quickly. I'd better get to work myself. See you, Alexx."
"See you." Calleigh left, and Alexx returned her attention to Paul Martin. "Horatio went to see your wife this morning," she said, as if he could hear. "He passed on your message." Talking to the body as if she could distract it from her activities, Alexx continued her work.
***
Speed pulled the Hummer up to the fifth nursery, and they both got out, with Speed pretending not to notice how much it hurt Horatio to reach for the door handle and open it. They had just started up the sidewalk to the main building, though, when Horatio's cell phone rang. He gingerly fished it out and smiled as he glanced at the caller ID, and Speed ambled off a few feet to give him some privacy. The smile was caller ID enough. Horatio only smiled like that for one person. "Hi, Beautiful."
"Hi, Handsome. How's the search going?"
"Four nurseries down, only a few dozen left to go, assuming we're not lucky. If we get lucky, maybe only another four to go."
He could hear the smile in her voice. "You don't need to be lucky. You're good."
"I wouldn't turn down luck if it came my way. You didn't call me to ask where we were, though. You've got that woman on a mission tone behind your voice. What's up, Cal?"
"It's time for you to take some more antibiotics. I just wanted to make sure you did."
He'd forgotten on the hunt, actually. "Not yet. We'll grab a bite when we finish at this nursery, and I'll take them then."
"Wrong," she said with southern finality. "You may say that with the best of intentions, but you'll get on some trail and forget about it. I want you to take them now, while I'm holding the phone, and then tell me you did." She knew he couldn't tell her a direct lie.
Horatio sighed. "Hang on a sec. Speed." The trace expert was off studying bushes and ostentatiously not listening, but he looked back up at Horatio's call. "Run over to that gas station next door and buy us each a Coke, would you? I'll pay you back later."
"Sure, H." Speed trotted off, fishing for change, and Horatio turned his attention back to the phone.
"He'll be back in a minute. Don't you trust me, Cal?" The tone was playful, though, much different from the hurt of yesterday morning. He heard her answering smile.
"On 99% of things, yes, implicitly. Taking medicine falls into the 1%."
He grinned. "What would I do without you?"
"Beats me. I don't know how you managed to survive all these years."
His tone dropped back into seriousness. "I don't either. How are you coming along?"
"Making progress. The next time a case has 18 guns with multiple shooters, though, I hope it happens on night shift."
"No, you don't. If it did, you'd turn up to make sure they were doing it right."
She laughed. "You're probably right."
Speed returned holding out Horatio's drink, opening it as he offered it to him. Even if he hadn't said anything, he'd noticed how Horatio was avoiding using his arms as much as he could. "Thank you, Speed," Horatio said, and Speed nodded and retreated to analyzing the shrubbery again. "Just a second, Cal. This is going to take both hands." He put the phone on the hood of the Hummer and fought the child resistant cap on the prescription bottle, swearing silently to himself, until he managed to twist it open and fish one pill out. "Okay, Calleigh. I just took the antibiotics."
"Take another one of the painkillers, too."
"Not worth the bother of opening another bottle. It would hurt more to take them than not to."
Calleigh stood firm. "Get Speed to open the bottle for you, then."
He sighed and repeated the whole operation. "Okay, I took one. Satisfied?"
"For the moment. I'll call you back in four hours unless you're done by then."
Horatio slipped into mock sternness. "For now, we all need to get back to work. Too much time being wasted here. We have to give the taxpayers full value, you know."
She laughed. "See you later, Horatio."
"See you." He ended the call, gingerly pocketed the pills and the phone, and picked up his drink. Speed was still looking at the plants, hiding his smile behind his usual stony exterior. "Come on, Speed."
***
The owner of the eleventh nursery stared at the drawing. "Yes, I'm afraid I do have a son who looks something like this. It's not a perfect likeness, though," he added hopefully.
"Is he left-handed?" Horatio hated this. For his sake, he wanted the answer to be there, but he knew that he was confirming this father's suspicions. Suspicions can be denied. Facts couldn't. At least, not by this man.
"Yes," the man said simply. He closed his eyes for a minute, then reopened them. "He's been involved in some crime, hasn't he? Is it serious?"
"I'm afraid so. I'm sorry, Mr. Duncan." The sincerity there was even stronger than the badge, and Mr. Duncan nodded in acknowledgement.
"I always worried that he would be. His mother died five years ago, and he's been so resentful of everything since then. Falling in with the wrong crowd. I tried to get him to work here, give him something productive to do with his time, but he doesn't even turn up half the time. He used to like the plants, but it's just like nothing matters to him anymore."
"Do you know where he is right now?"
"Sorry. He should have been here this afternoon, but I haven't seen him since this morning. Rob said he was going off to school - he's a senior - but I didn't push him. Maybe I should have."
To challenge the statement would have been admitting to himself that his son was a liar. Horatio knew why Mr. Duncan had let it go. "Who are his friends, Mr. Duncan? Who is his best friend?" His father would hardly know his drug contacts, but the son might be avoiding them after yesterday's explosion. His quasi-respectable friends would be a better shot this afternoon.
"Chris something. Let me think a minute." Horatio stood patiently, not pushing, and Mr. Duncan snapped his fingers suddenly. "Harper. Chris Harper. I'm not sure how good an influence he is, but they've been good friends in school for years."
"Do you know his address?" Mr. Duncan shook his head. "What school do they attend?" They would do it the long way, then. Mr. Duncan supplied the school name, and Horatio thanked him smoothly and left. He turned back for a second at the door, seeing the man sitting behind the counter with his head in his hands. An honest, hard-working, overwhelmed man who had done his best and who knew now for a certainty that it hadn't been enough. It's not your fault, Horatio wanted to tell him, but he knew Mr. Duncan wouldn't listen right now, any more than he himself had listened when Mrs. Martin said those same words to him this morning. Some days, he felt like he spent all of his time bringing pain to people instead of healing.
"H?" Speed decided it was time to distract his boss.
Horatio snapped back to himself, once again the consummate professional. "Coming. Call the school, Speed. Let's start cutting red tape."
***
The Hummer pulled up in front of Chris Harper's house. The house, like the whole neighborhood, had seen better days. It was one of a hundred similar low rent houses in a few blocks next to an industrial area. Neighborhood kids immediately spotted the Hummer, but no one came over to inspect it. Suspicion was the rule here. Horatio made sure Speed set the security system anyway.
"Nice little neighborhood," Speed quipped as they went up the sidewalk. They looked for a doorbell and found none. Horatio gave the door one good knock and winced, and Speed took over, adding a few more. No one came. The neighborhood kids still looked at the Hummer with envious caution. "Don't think anyone's home, H."
Horatio's head suddenly snapped up, and he turned and sprinted around the edge of the house. A fast-moving figure was just disappearing from view, ducking through back yards and between buildings. Horatio instantly gave chase, with Speed panting to catch up with him. "H, should I get the Hummer?"
"No, he won't stick to roads. We'll get him this way faster." Horatio followed like a bloodhound on the track, not even noticing at the moment that he was jolting every bruise he had in this chase. He spun between buildings, nimbly jumped a small trash pile, and caught another glimpse of the quarry ahead. They had closed the distance a little. Horatio stretched out to a full sprint, and Speed plowed after him, trying to keep up.
Rob Duncan raced along, trying to use his knowledge of this area, trying to think through the fear that had gripped him since yesterday. The man was glued to his trail, and he couldn't shake him or outrun him. He left the houses behind for the industrial section and took three turns quickly, trying to confuse his pursuer. Ahead of him was an alley, and he turned that way instantly, suddenly hopeful again. These were all abandoned buildings. A heaven sent hiding place for him, if he could just get in one. He entered the alley at a dead run and frantically tried the doors that lined it. The third one opened with a squeaky protest at long disuse, and he ducked inside.