Summary: Horatio needs a 5th man on the field will the new guy live up to par when there's a gay serial killer on the loose.
Note: This is my very first CSI fic so please be gentle and don't hate me if there's H/OC pairing.
"Randy, it's Horatio" Horatio Caine talking to the head of the LAPD Crime Lab
"Well, my friend what can I do for you?" Randy Walker replied
"I'm one man short apparently I can't seem to find good help around here, a serial killer is on the loose. Got anyone in mind? Horatio asked
"Well that sounds the Horatio I know! Knowing you'd want the best. Well, I've got a rookie Gabrielle Rumsfeld but she's really good the only one I took under my wing the very best. If given the right time and good training she'll be as good as you!" Randy replied.
"Don't tease me Randy; is she good with blood spatter?" Horatio asked
"Of course, you'll like this kid she's got great instincts, quick learner and a good team player. Have I ever done you wrong Horatio?" Randy replied.
"OK! You've got me quite convinced, send me here resume and I let you know what I think." Horatio answered.
"OK! Bye!" Randy hanged up.
"Yo, H!" Eric called out appearing at Horatio's office door.
"Here's the paperwork you've been asking for." Eric reported handing them out to him.
Eric Delko couldn't help overhearing Horatio's conversation on the phone.
"So you're finally getting a new guy to fill in Megan's place huh?" Eric asked.
"Yup, we need another good pair of hands around here." Horatio replied.
"Rumsfeld, why does it sound familiar?" Horatio said thinking out loud.
Then Horatio's fax went buzzing, Walker has just faxed in Gabrielle Rumsfeld's resume
Eric and Horatio scanned over her resume
"A really impressive resume' studied in a boarding school in London in her high school years, studied Medical technology in Harvard Pre-Med, knows how to speak French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese. Has a black belt in aikido and jujitsu. What does this girl can't do?" Eric remarked.
Horatio read her father's name Henry Rumsfeld (deceased).
"Is this right? The same Henry Rumsfeld who was killed in a car bombing 13 years ago?" Horatio thought.
Eric noticed that Horatio was contemplating on the name Henry Rumsfeld.
"H, so this Henry Rumsfeld is….." Eric trailed off
"The one who owns Rumsfeld Shipping & Industries one of the largest companies in Miami." Horatio remarked.
"So, William Rumsfeld the CEO is her uncle, well this is interesting heiress playing criminalist." Eric added.
"Did the rich dude die of natural causes?" Eric asked
"No, he died of a car bombing incident 13 years ago. Megan and I were on the case." Horatio replied.
"During your bomb squad days huh?" Eric added.
Flashback:
Horatio remembers the scene vividly, the parking lot of the Miami Polo Club was filled with smoke and police line tape. Charred remains of GMC Yukon w/ a charred body inside, Megan photographing the charred DB and other CSIs were all over the vehicle.
"Somebody called the Bomb Squad?" greeted Horatio.
"Horatio." Megan called out.
"So what do you think huh?" asked Megan as Horatio surveyed the vehicle.
"Typical TNT detonator wired to the ignition with an accelerant. A hired hit, couldn't have used C4 it decomposes the body easily since the contractor needs the assurance that his money was put to good use, he wants us to identify the body." Horatio replied coolly.
"Any witnesses?" he asked.
"Several, but the daughter he was picking up from equestrian practice got the full view." Megan replied.
"Where is she? What's her name? Horatio asked.
"There, her name is Gabrielle I haven't talked to her yet. She's still might be in shock." Megan replied pointing to a 12 year old girl sitting in the back of the ambulance being treated from sustained wounds.
Horatio felt a great tug inside him as he approached the ambulance, Gabrielle had rosy tan complexion with shoulder length chestnut brown hair in a tousled pony tail, wearing camel jodhpurs (riding pants), a white rolled up shirt w/ blood in it and black riding boots. The medic was bandaging her right arm from minor burns she sustained; she received a cut in her left eyebrow from the debris of the blow.
Horatio imagined the scenario from the wounds he had surveyed from her.
Her big beautiful hazel eyes were weary from crying and stared at the crime scene were once her father stood.
"Hi, my name is Horatio Caine. Gabrielle?" Horatio greeted giving her a faint smile and motioned to sit next to her.
Broken from her stupor she looked at him and gave a faint smile.
"You're a brave girl did you know that?" Horatio said soothingly
"Gabrielle I know this is hard, but you have to try I need to know what happened here. Do you understand? Horatio explained.
"Yes sir, I understand." She replied politely.
End of Flash back
"Henry Rumsfeld came by the Polo Club to pick up his daughter from equestrian practice. He parked his car around 7 a.m. and watched his daughter for 3 hours giving the hit man time to plant the bomb on his vehicle. At exactly 10:10 a.m. Mr. Rumsfeld climbed aboard the Yukon turned the ignition activating the detonator, 12 yr. old daughter Gabrielle was spared since she came back for her saddle and riding breaches, but was just in time to see her father get charbroiled. Perpetrator was bodyguard Dante Lorenzo hired by Philip Gartner the greedy business associate of Rumsfeld wh0 committed suicide before we got to him. Lorenzo got 25 to life, but got stabbed inside the bastard lasted only 72 hours." Horatio narrated to Eric while looking at Henry Rumsfeld's file.
2 weeks later…….
"Good Morning I'm here to see Lt. Horatio Caine. Gabrielle Rumsfeld, I have an appointment. " Gabrielle Rumsfeld said to the receptionist.
"I'll send you right up to his office in a while, dear." The receptionist replied.
"Thank you!" she said and sat down at the area where usually the relatives of victims waited.
"So, you think you could get away with it huh?" Horatio declared while looking straight at Nathan Hoffman, an 18 year old who shot his parents and sister inside their home, because he refused to be taken to a rehab center. Nathan, who's giving Horatio and Detective Frank Tipp an arrogant smirk, made Horatio's blood simmer.
"You make me sick, to think that you gave a touching eulogy at your parents' and sister's wake deceiving the whole of Florida that you were the victim." Horatio said hotly.
"Take him away, Frank before I rip his head off." Horatio told Frank.
Frank escorted Nathan outside the interrogation room. Upon reaching a foot away from the interrogation room, Nathan while handcuffed elbowed Frank Tipp in the stomach bringing him to his knees, kicked him in the face and scurried away. Horatio saw just what happened, upon leaving the interrogation room and went after him "STOP!" he yelled as he pulled out his gun.
Nathan reached the hallway were Gabe was sitting saw the handcuffs and knew it was a perp trying to escape. With no time to waste, she immediately stood up and punched Nathan's face. Rendering him unconscious and on the floor. Horatio who was not far behind has seen the entire thing happened. Speed, Eric and Frank with a cut eyebrow appeared, holding their pistols behind Horatio. Frank collected the guy by his collar as he regained consciousness.
"That bitch broke my nose!!!" he said while groaning in pain and nursing his bloody nose.
"Well, you deserved that asshole??!!!!" Frank replied grinning as he escorted the perp to the elevator.
Gabe stood there shaking the hand that punched the perp. Horatio, Speed and Eric holstered their guns and approached the young woman w/cropped chestnut hair wearing hip-hugging jeans, a crisp white shirt, high heeled boots and a brown suede jacket with a visitor ID pinned to it.
"Horatio Caine. Thank You, Ms…." Horatio asked while motioning to shake her hand.
"Rumsfeld. Gabrielle Rumsfeld." She replied while shaking Horatio's hand. Horatio remembers those beautiful features that once belonged to a grieving 12 yr. old girl who has now blossomed into a beautiful 25 yr. old woman.
"MMHMM! " Eric cleared his throat sending a signal to Horatio to introduce them to her.
"By the way these are Detectives, Eric Delko and Tim Speedle." Horatio declared.
"Nice to meet you." She said while shaking their hands, and smiled at them.
"Lieutenant, Lt. Walker asked me to see you upon your request." She said directly to him.
"Yes, let's talk in my office. Speed, Eric keep me posted on Lily Pierron's case okay?" Horatio said and motioned Gabe to follow him in his office.
Eric and Speed were walking back to the lab, when Calleigh saw them after talking to Hagen about their plans this weekend. She had given up on Horatio after learning that he was interested in his brother's widow, Elena. The thought of being second choice, was not her thing Calleigh Duquesne is not a substitute she always thought.
"Hey guys, I heard about the racket awhile ago. Nathan Hoffman tried to outrun Frank and Horatio." Calleigh asked his colleagues.
"Yeah, but didn't went that far. The Rumsfeld girl punched him dead on his tracks." Eric replied grinning.
"Yeah, but I don't think H is gonna hire her Eric. She's still you know a "blue blood". Speed added sarcastically
"Oh, is she pretty huh Eric?" Calleigh teased.
Eric looked at Speed both grinned and chorused "Mighty Fine!!"
"Really now!" Calleigh purred.
"Yeah, she has this Bond Girl kind of vibe in her. Cropped chestnut hair like Winona Ryder's, rosy tan complexion, big beautiful hazel eyes, long thick lashes, luscious lips and a curvy body not those reed thin types ala Angelina Jolie." Eric narrated
"Okay Delko, I think we need to call somebody to wipe your mouth now!" Speed said jokingly.
Calleigh seems to have feigned curiosity from what she heard from these two and even though she hates to admit it also feigned a little jealousy.
Meanwhile, Horatio has finished his proposal to Gabe about transferring in the Miami-Dade Crime Lab.
"Any questions?" Horatio asked.
"Just one thing sir, Why me? I don't mean to be rude sir, but why me of all people?" Gabe replied.
"Because I don't see the name you carry. I see the potential in the person right in front of me." Horatio said coolly.
"Then I guess sir, I don't need time to think. When do I start sir?" Gabe replied
"Tomorrow and please call me Horatio." Horatio replied while motioning to shake her hand.
"Okay, Horatio. Then you can call me Gabe." Gabe replied smiling.
The next day…..
Speed and Delko arrived at the parking lot at the same time, both very competitive yet good friends.
"Guess we're both kinda running late huh?" Eric greeted Speed.
"Yeah, guess so." Speed replied
"Did Calleigh get a new ride?" Eric asked while surveying the shiny red Range Rover in the parking lot.
"Nope, I don't think so, sweet ride though." Speed replied also looking at the Range Rover.
Both arrived at the locker rooms and saw Gabe Rumsfeld settling in her things. Shocked at the sight, Eric nudged Speed and said. "You were saying about hiring a blue blood. Cough up the 50 bucks!"