Horatio cleared his throat as he put his hand on his hips. "Gentlemen."
"What…" Speed asked lifting his head from the layout room table. The table was covered in test results and photographs.
"Boss." Eric said waking up too. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here."
"What time is it?" Speed yawned.
"A little before 9 am." Horatio replied.
"Nine am?" Eric repeated. "We were only supposed to sleep for an hour."
"You've both been here all night?" Horatio questioned.
"We were trying to figure out what we're missing in this case." Speed replied. "I need some coffee."
"Why don't you get some coffee and fill me in?" Horatio suggested.
"First, how's Calleigh this morning?" Eric asked.
"She's doing better. She scheduled to have her leg reset this afternoon, they call and let me know how it goes. You should be able see her as they are going to transfer her to the orthopaedic ward afterwards."
"That's great."
"She said to tell you to behave yourselves and not to make a mess of the ballistics lab while she's away."
"Sounds like." Eric smiled.
"Good you're awake boys." Alexx said coming in carrying a holder with four cups of coffee and a paper bag. "I brought you some breakfast."
"Thanks Alexx. You're our hero." Speed smiled.
"You're a godsend." Eric took the bag from her to investigate what Alexx had brought them.
"Good morning Alexx." Horatio said.
"Good morning Horatio. I brought you some coffee too."
"Thank you." Horatio said accepting it.
"Also a message from Calleigh." Alexx added.
"I only saw her less than an hour ago." Horatio said.
"She said to tell you if you try to go back to the hospital unless you're on a case before 6pm tonight hospital security are under orders to throw you out."
"She is definitely getting better." Eric said. Horatio looked at him. "Sorry H. So coffee Alexx."
"Here you go baby." Alexx handed him a cup of coffee. Then handed Speed his.
"Thanks Alexx."
"So did you find out anything yet?" Alexx asked.
"We've been over the evidence repeatedly, there is nothing to indicate another person being there. Are you sure she couldn't have driven?" Speed asked.
"Between the chloroform and the carbon monoxide no. She may have been able to get out and stumble around but she couldn't have driven." Alexx confirmed.
"And no bruising?" Eric questioned.
"Nothing that would indicate a struggle but I'll recheck the body for you."
"Is there a chance that she stumbled around to the door and whoever it is we're looking for gave her some more chloroform to get her into the car, which is why she didn't have a chance to fight the effects of the carbon monoxide?" Speed asked.
"Anything is possible." Alexx replied.
"Perhaps someone could fill me in." Horatio suggested.
"Sorry H."
"I'll let you know if I find anything." Alexx said.
"Thanks Alexx and thanks for breakfast."
"My pleasure Timmy."
"Do you remember that woman who we found in a car on the beach yesterday…" Speed started to fill him in on all the details of the case.
"Let's get the PD to re-canvas the neighbourhood." Horatio said. "Some may have seen or heard something they didn't think was significant at the time and may remember now."
"I'm going to eat this, then we're going back over to the house." Speed said. "There has to be something that we missed."
"Have you spoken to their families?" Horatio asked.
"PD are trying to track them down, but no luck so far." Eric replied.
"This isn't going to be one of those cases we can't solve." Speed said.
"Sometimes we can't solve every case that crosses our path." Horatio told him.
"You can't just take out an entire family and not leave any clue behind."
"You can't get personally involved with cases Speed, otherwise you'll never sleep." Horatio advised.
"I'm going to get some air." Speed climbed off from his stool.
"Eric…?" Horatio prompted.
"You didn't see that little boy H, he was three years old. He got to us, we have to find out who killed him. I could use some air too, we've been in here for the last fourteen hours." Eric pushed back and grabbed his coffee and left too.
TBC
