He woke in the hospital. He had to shake the grogginess off. He pulled his feet over the side of the bed and unsteadily got up. He knew that there would not be a guard at the door. They would believe he would be unable to leave under his own power. They didn't know who he was yet. He pulled the IV out of his arm. He looked up and down the hallway, clear, stepped inside the room of a sleeping man. He took the clothes and wallet and left the hospital. Hailed a cab and waited to recover.

Vega forced himself back into the office to inform Brass that the perp had apparently just walked away from the hospital. Jim looked from Gil to Holly.

"Don't let her leave." he barked.

The hospital had taken fingerprints and his identify was known. Robert Mason trained in special forces and AWOL. He had been in the same unit as Hollis Water house. Mason had left the service when he felt "God" had called him to be an angel of justice. He was known in certain circle as a man that would get justice for you when the courts and police would not or could not do it to your satisfaction. Mason also felt that "God" meant for him to make money at this new profession , ironically. Since this suspect could be connected to Jim's case he was told to go home.

"Gil you need to leave" Brass ordered. Gil started to protest, but he knew that Jim would fill him in on the doctor's connection and he was eager to see about all the commotion in the hallway

"I had no idea Hollis was connected to this." answering the question posed to her

"I'm taking some good advice. I'm going home." he said and left.

Gil reached into his pocket to get his cell phone and realized he had left it on Dr. Waterhouse's desk. He found her sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. She looked up when he entered. She was holding his cell phone.

"It rang" I was just coming to get you.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry you left it here or sorry you were rude to me."

"Excuse me?"

"I am not a suspect in any of this. I had nothing to do with any of this. My brother is not a careful man, he doesn't have great judgment, but he would not be involved in killing people"

"Sometimes, we have a different view of people when we care about them." he offered. "Are you going to be okay. I can walk you to your car."

"Thank you that would be kind."

Jim was waiting in his car, when he saw Holly and Gil walk out. He had moved it so she wouldn't see him waiting. He wanted to talk to her, but he didn't know what he would say. In his line of work there were no coincidences and this was one mother of a coincidence. He watched her get in the car. When she left he followed Gil back to the lab. They exited their cars at the same time.

"You want a drink?" Jim asked

"Coffee?" Gil countered

"Sure, I'm buying."

Jim brought two cups of coffee into Gil's office.

"You think she's connected?" he asked

"Greg hasn't dug anything up to support that. Why do you care?"

"She risked her life to save mine" he gave lamely. Gil raised an eye brow

"We spent the afternoon together." he admitted "A great afternoon."

"That's why she was with you." Gil stated.

"I could let her get under my skin, Gil. Every instinct is telling me to walk away, but part of me wants to know everything first."

"I doubt I'm the best person to be giving you advice but , check her out and then make your decision."

Jim thanked Gil for the chat and went home.

Brass knew how to check up on a person, without their knowledge. He kept tabs on Ellie this way, not that it could help him protect her. It helped knowing where she was and the kind of people she was around. He started simple: Google: Holly Waterhouse: 13254 hits. Narrow the search: Dr. Holly Waterhouse:1323 hits. More: Dr. Holly Waterhouse new Orleans and Las Vegas: bingo entries that looked promising.

Basic Bio stuff: DOB 3/6/1965 (he's thought she was older for some reason)

Birthplace: New Orleans. La

Parents: Davis and Liese Waterhouse

Education: private schools , Vanderbilt University (B.S.) Tulane Medical School

She had won some award, been ranked high in her residency and internship.

moved to Vegas in 2000.

He clicked on an article dated a few months before her move to Vegas.

Local Lawyer and Doctors son dies in jeep accident. The article went on to explain that the son of Blake Redding and Dr. Holly Waterhouse had been killed while riding with his father in a jeep on property the Waterhouse family owned. The family could not be reached for comment. The Redding's only had one child. Dr. Waterhouse's is also the sole heir to her mother's family's estate made rich in the oil business in the Gulf of Mexico, blah , blah…..

He clicked on an article about the family. Circa: 1993. It outlined the business, security, really booming after 911. The old man had started it as something to do after retiring from the military and marrying a much younger and apparently social wife. A mention was made of underworld connections of the youngest son and a daughter from the second marriage. The article pointed out her inheritance and that she was not involved in the security business. It also mentioned the up coming marriage of Holly Waterhouse to local attorney…….

He now knew about the boy in the photo. Now he knew more than he wanted to know about her. Damn it he thought. I can't get involved with this woman. Not now. Thing have to get cleared up on the brother. He had tried to keep his personal life and work life separate. He always felt a little superior to Sara for putting her hear on her sleeve for Gil, even though she tried to hide it. He wanted to Holly and let her tell her side of the story, but if her family had any connection to his shooting and Gil's attack it could hurt the investigation. They needed to get this guy. Warrick, Gil and he were still in danger with this guy on the loose.

Against his better judgment he dialed the phone. It rang for a long time. Caller id he thought, she won't answer.

"Jim." was her statement

"I'm sorry." silence on her end "I need you."

"Why?"

"Can you tell me what I need to know about you? I can be at your place in 15 minutes."

"No. I'll come to you." she hung up after he gave her the directions.