The New Recruits
Chapter 5
Maddison took in a harsh breath as she set her eyes on him lying in the bed. He had a blood pressure cuff on his arm, along with IV lines that snaked up from his now bruised hand. The oxygen line ran from under his nose to the oxygen tank that was placed just above his head in addition to the respirator that was keeping him breathing. She saw several white pads that were placed around his heart. His color was pale and mixed with the dim lighting of the room and his fiery red hair, made for a unsettling sight.
Raymond wheeled her to the side of the bed so that she could get closer. In the years that she had known Horatio, she never saw him incapacitate. This was a new and horrific reminder that he was a man. She ran her hands through his hair and then placed it inside his hand that lay motionless at his side.
" Horatio, it's me, Maddie. You've got to come out of this. You were going to retire, finally kick back and watch someone else do all the work," Maddison said as she fought the tears.
"Maddie,..." Ray started. He knew that they only had a moment left before the nurse came back in to retrieve them.
" Just one more minute, Ray. Horatio, please fight to come back to us. We need you more than ever before. I couldn't stand to lose you."
The door opened and Maddie let go of his hand, she would leave him for tonight, but she would return.
" You know, I can handle walking to the bathroom," Tim said as Robin helped him. It had been two weeks since the explosion and Tim was finally allowed home. Although he was discharged , he still had to spend another two weeks home before he could go back to work. He was already on edge about it, and having Robin around to cater to him was pushing him even further.
" I know, Tim. But the doctor said that you should take it easy for awhile," Robin replied as she got under his arm.
" Robin , if I needed a nurse, I would've hired one. I'm ok , really."
" Timothy, what's wrong with you?" Robin asked , noticing the irritation in his voice.
" Nothing, it's just that you are suffocating me. I'm not going anywhere, Robin."
" Suffocating you? What I am trying to do is help you, Timothy. But you know what, if you don't need my help, then fine. I'm going out," Robin said as she pushed away from him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Tim stumbled a little, landing wrong on his ankle. He winced in pain as he leaned up against the wall, watching her as she walked to the front door. He started to apologize , but then the front door swung open. Robin walked past RJ as he entered the hallway.
" Mom,..." RJ said as she kept walking. He then looked to his dad. He had a look of melancholy on his face.
"Dad, what's up with you and mom?"
" Nothing, RJ. What's up?"
" Just thought I'd come by and tell you that they finally got all of the bomb fragments together, and they found a signature. It's somebody you are familiar with."
" Really? How familiar?" Tim asked as he gained his composure again. His ankle was still throbbing.
" I was reading some of your reports from years back, and there was this case where a meth head was beaten to death with a pool cue, and you, Horatio, and Eric were investigating the scene, when the bomb went off."
" Yeah, so?"
" It's the same MO. The bomb that was found on the bridge had the same components as the bomb that you encountered. Even down to the guitar strings."
" So you are saying that Chaz did this? He got time for his last bomb making efforts."
" Yeah, but he got paroled about six months ago. Apparently he had some unfinished business," RJ said as he shifted his weight.
" Does Maddison know about that?" Tim asked. His ankle had subsided , but now his other leg was getting tired from the weight he was putting on it. " Susie had some dealings with him. That's how Horatio met her."
" She hasn't come in yet, but I am sure that she will find out something before the end of the day."
" Are you going back to the lab?" Tim asked as he walked back to the couch gingerly. He now felt like an ass for taking out his frustrations on Robin.
" Yeah, why?"
" Take me with you?" Tim pleaded.
RJ gave a short chuckle as he turned to walk out , " You're not going to get me in any trouble. I saw the way mom left here."
" Yeah, it's the old Speedle charm at work."
"Dad," RJ said as he paused. He didn't wan to pry, but he had noticed a marked change in his father since he got home from the hospital, especially to his mother. " Are you and mom doing ok?"
" Yeah, why do you ask?" Tim said as he sat down on the couch.
" I just see how much angrier you have gotten. Would this have anything to do with your conversation with Calleigh?"
Tim stared at his son with contempt in his eyes. He could not believe the gumption that he had. But the truth was, the conversation with Calleigh had affected him. The feelings that had lain dormant inside of him returned with a vengeance and he found himself thinking about Calleigh all the time.
" This has nothing to do with Calleigh, RJ. I'm just having a rough time adjusting to being home. I have never been away from the lab for more than two weeks, I'm just not used to doing nothing," Tim offered.
" Right," RJ retorted. He didn't believe a word that was coming out of his mouth.
" What do you want from me RJ?"
" Do you love her?" RJ asked as he moved to face his father.
" Your mother? Sure I..."
" No dad, Calleigh. Do you still love Calleigh?"
Tim glanced down at the floor, unable to speak. He had to give it to his son, he was one hell of an investigator.
" I um... I did. But I married your mother, and I love her. Satisfied?" Tim spoke hesitantly. RJ had put him on the spot.
" Remains to be seen , dad. I 'll see you later," RJ said as he walked out the front door. Tim watched as the door closed behind him and he then leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He couldn't believe what he was doing.
Maddison strolled through the corridors of the lab lost in thought. It had been two weeks and still no change from Horatio. Every morning she would go by his room checking to see if he had woken up, and every morning she would see that he hadn't. She felt as if her world had stopped turning , but in essence it kept going. The investigation had turned up cold until last night when the night shift had found the signature on the bomb. She was now headed to the lay out room to discuss the case with her team.
Walking in she saw as Jen was putting up the final picture on the lighted board and, Jacinda and Eric were going over some fingerprints. She moved to the table as she heard the double doors swish open and RJ walked in with Calleigh. She was ready to go over the evidence.
" Okay, so what do we know?" she asked as she opened the floor.
Jen spoke up first, pointing to the fragments that were groups on the lay out table, " This bomb was meant to kill. It was packed with dynamite along with two gallons of gasoline. The gasoline was in plastic gallon jugs that of course melted with the heat from the blast. Guitar strings were found as well as a capacitor. It was set on a time delay. The patrol officer who picked it up started it and in seconds...BOOM!"
" God it's like looking into a time portal," Eric said as he glanced at Calleigh. She was the only one in the room who knew first hand about the first bomb.
" How do you mean, Eric?" Maddison asked.
" Well the firs time I saw this was back in 2003. Same MO. The guy, Chaz ,was trying to cover up a murder by blowing up the scene, which I have to say we got out of before it could take us out. He was convicted of attempted murder of officers, but we couldn't pin the murder of Darwin on him."
" He got paroled. Six months ago, Maddison. I read in the report that he had taken your mother hostage," RJ said.
" So we need to find this Chaz and ask him some questions," Maddison said glancing at the floor then back up to the photos from the scene. "Anybody know where we can find him?"
" We fingerprinted the gun and lifted the prints from the wallet found on the vic at the bridge, who turned out to be one of Chaz's old running partners, Tommy Lee Hawkins. You want to guess whose fingerprints we found on the wallet?" Jacinda said as she lifted the report up. " Compliments of CODIS. Mr. Chaz Holloway. 1457 South Pierson."
" That's in Liberty City," piped up Jen.
" Okay, what about the gun?" Maddison asked as she turned to Calleigh. She had a distant look on her face as she glanced up at the photo of the gun. RJ noticed and sighed silently.
" I'll let RJ tell us about the gun," Calleigh said gesturing to him.
" RJ?"
" Yeah , um the gun a semi automatic 9mm, was pulled out of the water with the serial number shaved off , telling me that it was stolen."
" A semi automatic 9mm?" Jacinda asked, " Isn't that illegal?"
" Yeah, but when has that ever stopped any one? Three partials were found on the magazine, Four smudges on the barrel of the gun. We got one workable print from the handle that we ran in CODIS but nothing has turned up yet," RJ said as he moved through each photograph.
" We ran the bullet, that by the way was a match to the gun, in IBIS and guess what it kicked out?" Calleigh returned as he enthusiasm showed. Her love for guns was legendary. " The gun was used in a hold up about six years ago. I picked up at least 100 spent shells not counting the bullets in the vics. The perps were teenaged boys trying to score some cough syrup so that they could finish making their meth. Not very bright kids."
" Do we know where we can find these kids?" Maddison asked as she saw the door open. Standing there was Raymond, and he didn't have a good look about him. Maddison quickly glanced back at her team and smiled. " Okay here's how it is, Jen I want you to continue to process the remaining evidence from the bomb. We know that Chaz has a history of this , but I want to make sure that it is him. RJ and Calleigh continue with the analysis of the gun. I am going to go have a conversation with Mr. Holloway."
Everyone nodded at their assignments and went about their business, leaving Raymond and Maddison alone in the layout room.
" So what 's going on, Ray?"
" Did I just hear that Chaz Holloway is in play?"
" Yeah, why?"
" I don't think you need to be involved. He is tied to your mother."
" Who is dead. Ray, if he had something to do with this bomb, I want to find out. I owe it to Horatio to see this thing out."
" Speaking of Horatio, I just got off the phone with his doctor. It's not good. He's not showing any signs of coming out of this."
" Are you saying that he is brain dead?" Maddison asked as she placed a hand on the table to steady herself.
" No, he still has function in his brain , but he is not showing any kind of progress. They are talking about taking him off the machine."
" It hasn't even been a month! Why would they do that?"
" Because Horatio had a DNR placed in his will."
"Do not resuiciate? Why would he do that?" Maddison said as she sat down. She was unable to hold in her fear.
" I don't know , but unless he comes out of this quickly. They are going to pull the plug tomorrow," Ray said almost in tears.
" Is there anything we can do? Can't we get a judge to halt it?"
" After what this state went through in 2005? No, I don't think they would, especially since it is in his will. The only thing we can do is pray, Maddie."
Maddison nodded in silence and looked at her brother as she got up. She had to go see him, but she had an investigation to run as well.
Feeling her conflict, Ray offered, " I'll go see Chaz. You go to the hospital. I'll page you if anything comes up."
" I'll do the same if anything changes," Maddison said as she gave him a hug. "Thanks, Ray."
" That's what big brothers are for," Ray returned. He didn't want to see Horatio lying in the bed again. It was best that she go.
TBC...
A/N: Yes I went all the way back to the first season. Forgive me because I didn't know Chaz's last name, so I made one up. If I massacred anything, please let me know. R& R please.