Disclaimer - I don't own the Miami characters - sadly, they belong to Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS. I do own Tim's wife and son, though and any other characters I might introduce as this little story progresses.

Rating - PG

Summary - Horatio finds one day that nothing is as he thought it was.

Tracking down Agent Jack Collins had taken nearly two days. Horatio finally resorted to speaking with Shelby when Jack's fellow agents wouldn't give him any information.

"Why are you looking for Jack?" Shelby demanded, standing in her kitchen with one hand on her hip while the other parceled out after-school snacks for her three children.

"I just have a couple of questions for him," Horatio explained with a disarming grin. "Lori told me that Jack was Tony's closest friend."

"Was," Shelby snickered, ruffling her youngest's blonde hair as he accepted a small paper plate from his mother. "Tony's a good man, a good husband, and he simply doesn't tolerate behavior like Jack's."

"What kind of behavior?" Horatio questioned.

Shelby grinned. "Horatio, you silly thing. Don't even stand there and pretend Lori didn't tell you about Jack's h-u-s-s-y. He's living with her, even though he claims he's not."

Horatio fought to stifle a laugh as Shelby spelled out hussy. If he hadn't already been in love with someone else, he might have been tempted by the beautiful and charming blonde. "Do you know where they are living?" he asked softly, suddenly finding the soft pattern in the kitchen tiles quite interesting.

"You underestimate me, Lieutenant," she teased, reaching past him and opening a drawer to retrieve a well-worn address book. She flipped several pages and handed him the book, adding, "You'd be amazed what kind of information is out there on the good ol' Internet."

He laughed, and shook his head. Just to the left of the tab marked "J", Shelby had written the name "Jack(ass)" and his address and cell phone number. "If I turn to the 'H' tab, will I find the girlfriend's information?" he teased back.

Shelby rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. "Now that would be a little too predictable, don't you think?"

"Mrs. Collins," he answered with another grin, "I have a feeling you are anything but predictable."

Special Agent Jack Collins opened the door to his downtown condominium. Horatio couldn't help but stare at the man before him – some might consider him handsome – early forties, athletic build, sandy blonde hair and light brown eyes. Although Jack was every bit as tall as Horatio, the lieutenant couldn't help but think that the agent somehow looked small.

Jack's eyes were tired and bloodshot, as if he'd been up all night. At four o'clock in the afternoon, he still wore flannel pajama pants and an olive v-neck t-shirt. "Can I help you?" he asked, his voice raspy with sleep.

"Agent Collins," Horatio began, peering at Jack over the bridge of his nose, "my name is Lieutenant Horatio Caine. I'm with the Miami Dade Police Department…"

"Miami?" Jack interrupted with a frown. "You're a little out of your jurisdiction."

One corner of Horatio's lip curled into an irritated grin. "I need to ask you some questions about a friend of yours, Tony Spears."

Jack's interest was instantly peaked. He straightened from his previous position, leaning against the doorframe, and motioned with his hand. "Badge," he requested.

Horatio unclipped the badge from his belt and pressed it into Jack's open hand. Collins studied it for a moment before handing it back to Horatio and throwing the door open wider. "Come in."

Horatio entered the small condo, taking inventory of his surroundings as he was prone to do. Having been there himself; Horatio immediately recognized the furnishings of a recently divorced man – plain white walls, bomber brown leather couch, big screen television, heavy oak coffee table.

"What do you know?" Jack Collins demanded, startling Horatio.

"I'm sorry?"

"What do you know?" Jack repeated slowly.

"I know that Tony isn't home with his family and Lori was instructed to come get me," he explained, without really giving anything away.

Jack shook his head and scoffed. "Don't you mean Tim isn't home and Leanna was sent to get you?"

Horatio's azure eyes widened in complete shock. "How do you…" he stammered.

"I'm their handler," Jack answered, his tone cocky and condescending.

Horatio was immediately put-off. He'd suspected he wouldn't like Jack Collins, and his suspicions had just been confirmed. "Leanna said you didn't know anything about their previous lives."

"Leanna's been out of the agency too long," Collins grinned, "her skills are slipping."

Before Horatio could toss back a nasty reply, his cell phone rang at his hip. He reached for the offending device, tossing out a quick "excuse me," before answering it.

He was greeted with, "Where in the HELL do you get off leaving me here all alone?"

Horatio fought the grin threatening to erupt on his face. "Calleigh," he said softly, "calm down."

"Oh, shove it," the fiery blonde shot back, nearly screaming in his ear. "I come back from three perfectly dandy days off to find that my lieutenant has jumped ship and left me in charge of four, count them, Horatio, FOUR murder investigations."

"Calleigh, you are quite capable…" he began.

"Where are you?" she demanded wearily.

Horatio could almost see her crossing her arms over her chest, probably balancing very precariously in an office chair with the phone receiver tucked under her chin while massaging her aching temples.

"New Orleans," he answered carefully.

"You better have one hell of an explanation," she warned.

"You have no idea," he replied, knowing full well he deserved everything she was throwing at him. He'd left her in charge without so much as a phone call. "I'll call you back in a few minutes and give you the details."

"I'm waiting with bated breath," she said haughtily before disconnecting.

He sighed and returned his attention to Jack. "Girlfriend?" Jack asked.

"No," Horatio explained quickly, "my second in command."

"She sounded as angry as any girlfriend I've encountered," Jack replied.

"I'll tell you that she reminds me a great deal of your wife," he countered.

"Enough said," Collins answered with a wave of his hand.

Horatio stretched his neck slightly and brought his hands to his hips. It was his fighting position, meant to intimidate whomever he was questioning. "How did you find out about Tim and Lea?" he demanded.

Jack shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm a good investigator, Lieutenant. It didn't take much. Tim Speedle's picture was plastered over every newspaper in Dade County after he 'died'," he said, using his fingers to mimic quotation marks.

"Is that what the two of you fought about?" Horatio questioned.

Jack's features registered his surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"Leanna told me about the fight you and Tim had, right before you left your wife," he explained.

"No," Jack said, shaking his head. "No, we fought about something else that night."

"Would that be the woman you were seeing behind your wife's back?" Horatio accused, instantly regretting his outburst.

The agent grinned, answering, "My girlfriend, Tiffany. Yes, that's who we fought about."

Horatio eyed him suspiciously, wondering if Jack's answer might have been different had Horatio not volunteered any information at all. He decided not to pursue it any further, opting instead to change the subject. "How long have you know about Tim and Leanna?"

"Since shortly after they moved here," Jack explained, with a sly grin. "I make it a point to know as much about my protectees as possible."

The coldness in his tone and the icy glean in the agent's eyes made Horatio shiver involuntarily. Jack Collins was lying through his teeth and Horatio had no choice but to find out why.

TBC...