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Chapter 2

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"Okay. Is it possible that someone could have entered through the back?" Horatio stood asking Mr. Forentini, scrutinizing the store clerk. The clerk hadn't noticed anyone out of the ordinary coming in from the front. He knew his customers; most of them were regulars.

"No, Lieutenant, the back door is locked from the inside and the door to go in the back store has a bell that goes off when someone walks in." Speed had only someone exiting through the back door on tape. Those back store cameras weren't as effective as the other ones in the store so owners often used a motion sensor to keep track of ins and outs.

"Right. Ok. Hang on a second." Horatio walked out of the interrogation room, flipping the cell phone on in his hand, leaving Yelina behind in the interrogation room.

He dialled, letting the door close.

"Hey, Calleigh, it's me."

"Hey Horatio - " her lively voice was great to hear. Frankly, she could never hide the happiness she had when he called her.

"Listen, I want you to find the motion sensor of the back store's inner door, there must be some kind of magic eye near the frame or on the wall-" Calleigh walked towards the door and carefully searched for it. She spotted a small plastic box hanging on the wall.

"Yeah, I've got it – but it's been bashed in, Horatio."

"Thanks Cal."

"No problem - "

"Take care," he told Calleigh before flipping his cell phone shut.

Horatio walked back into the interrogation room and leaned towards Mr. Forentini. "Were you aware that the devise was damaged?" Horatio questioned the man, gaze pausing on Yelina who was surprised to hear this.

Wide-eyed Mr. Forentini replied shaking his head, "No, not at all."

"Okay, think back- when was the last time you heard the ring go off - "

"It worked this morning, I remember because it was quiet, not so many customers, and when Danny took the Pepsi bottles in the back, the bell ringed."

"Danny is one of the three boys who work for you, along with Marco and José." Yelina said it more as a question than a statement.

Mr. Forentini turned to her. "Yes. I can run the shop mostly myself except on the weekends when it gets too busy so I do the cash register and the boys take turns filling the fridges, the shelves, cleaning up- you know, the usual -"

"Okay - who was working with you today?" Horatio asked.

"José. His shift started at four o'clock but he didn't show up so I called up Danny to fill in. I was so busy with all the customers -" the owner trailed off.

"Alright. At approximately what time did you call Danny?"

"Four... ah... four seventeen, I remember looking at the clock."

"That can be verified. Tell me what happened after that -"

The interrogation went on. The owner of the store was kind enough to be questioned voluntarily. He said he was very busy with the customers and when he heard screaming from the back of the store, he turned just for instant to see the back store through the small black and white television set and saw someone exit the back door. Then, he picked up the phone immediately dialing the police.

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Horatio's cell phone rang.

"H, it's Speed."

"Yeah, how we doin' Speed?"

"We got a problem - "

"What's that?"

"Weak security system - camera didn't catch the killer's face or the act."

"Yeah, no surprise there."

"However, camera did get him exiting through the back door - "

"Which confirms Luis' aliby."

"Wait there's more- as he's leaving through the back, the sun catches on something he's carrying - something shiny that reflects light - I'm thinking the murder weapon - "

"He wiped it before exiting - Good work, Speed."

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Horatio entered the autopsy lab a few minutes after receiving a page from Alexx. "Hey Alexx, results from the rape

kit - "

"Yeah." She sighed. "Fortunately, no sign of sexual assault but she's bruised up - a lot, Horatio. I recovered fingerprints right here," Alexx pointed to the young girl's arm. "Sent them over with Calleigh."

"So he's not experienced - "

"And not too bright either. I also handed swabs to Calleigh. I think he was messy and cut himself while doing the job."

"Rare are those who don't nick themselves."

Horatio's eyes narrowed.

"Horatio?" she asked softly, "what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that the victim was found undressed and even though there's no sign of sexual assault - "

"It's still a sexual crime."

"Exactly."

"Alright, Alexx, I'm gonna check up on the rest of the team - you take care."

"Will do."

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"Hey, you're just in time - " Calleigh smiled.

"Talk to me - " Horatio strode towards the stool where Calleigh sat.

"I can tell you that the stab wounds are a perfect match to the weapon found at the scene and - "

He cut her off "Wait a second, no one told me we found the murder weapon - "

"Eric brought it just a minute ago - " she reached for the plastic evidence bag containing a knife. "He found it in the dumpster behind the store."

"Blood?"

"Yeah, found some under the knife's handle - belongs to the victim. I've compared the fingerprints taken from the murder weapon with the one Alexx gave me from the girl's arm and they're a match."

"Did you run them through AFIS?"

"And CODIS, came up with nada," she said with disappointment.

"So, what we know is that the killer is inexperienced, messy and a first-timer."

"Calleigh, nice job."

She smiled proudly at his approval.

"Where's Eric now?"

Horatio's pager went off. "Hang on a second - " Horatio unhooked his pager, reading recognizing the number. He shook his head and told her, "Never mind. Gotta go - "

He swiftly left the lab and Calleigh was left saying "Bye, take care, keep me posted - " to the decompression of air from the lab door closing with a squeak.

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"Eric - "

"Hey H. I processed the scene and found four different sets of footprints. One belongs to Mr. Forentini, the three other ones I don't know yet."

Speed pitched in "They look like converse sneakers to me."

"Three pairs?" Horatio asked.

Eric answered "I could tell because one is a size over the other two and one is brand new compared to the worn out sole of the other - "

"Okay, let's start with Marco, let's go pay him a visit - " Horatio said determined to find out the truth.

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"Ma'am, may we speak to your son?" Eric asked the woman standing in the doorway of her home. After coming up at a dead end with Marco who had gotten in a fight at school and had been stuck in detention until 6 o'clock, Horatio had decided to question Danny.

"What's this about?" she asked eyes going over the three individuals in front of her porch.

"Mrs. Morgan, we just want to ask Danny a few questions - " Detective Salas tried to ease a mother's concern.

"Fine," she spat and turned, letting the screen door close on its own, calling after her son.

Horatio took hold of the doorknob and motioned Yelina and Eric to enter.

The house was small but well taken care of in this considerably bad neighbourhood. The most surprising about the inside of the Morgan's home was the religious deco. The paintings, the numerous statues and trinkets... All symbolized the Catholic faith.

Danny's mother yelled again "Danny, get down here right this minute!" as she walked towards the kitchen. The two CSIs and the detective followed, noticing crosses hung over every door, prayers written on sheets of paper taped in the corner of a mirror in the living room and many votive candles placed here and there. Mrs. Morgan returned to baking cupcakes in the kitchen, gesturing the visitors to stay put. A cupcake would be good right about now, Eric thought silently, as the pleasant smell reached his nostrils and his stomach growled in response.

A scrawny teenage boy strolled down the stairs. Eric's hunger was forgotten when he noticed the Converse sneakers.

TBC...