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.
A/N - Many, many thanks tomy friend Nathalie (better known as Hgirl) for reading the last two chapters and giving me, not only her support, but confidence and some amazingly wonderful comments...
Shelby Collins hopped out of her Ford Expedition and shut the driver's side door so that she could help Nicholas out of his car seat while her three children unbuckled themselves and got out of the car. She took Nicholas's tiny hand in her own and grabbed her youngest son, Brendan's hand with the other. She led the four kids through the garage and up to the kitchen door.
"Yoo-hoo!" she called out brightly, "Lori, honey, we're here." Lori was sitting at the kitchen table, her eyes red and puffy and Shelby knew instantly her best friend had been crying. Her own eyes narrowed in concern as she watched Nicholas tear past his mother.
She glanced over to find Tony stooped down by the stove, ready to welcome his son into his arms. "Tony, you crazy boy," she teased, stepping over to hug him as he stood, "when did you get home?"
"This afternoon," he grinned, kissing her cheek lightly while balancing Nick on his hip. "I'm making veal to thank you for taking such good care of my family while I was away."
"Psshhh," Shelby waved him off and rolled her eyes. "We're family, darlin'. It wasn't anything family doesn't do for one another. But it would be beyond rude to turn down one of Tony Spears' dinner creations, so I will simply say, you're welcome."
She stepped over to where Lori still sat at the table, looking pale, weak, and scared. She kissed the top of Lori's dark head and rubbed her shoulder. "You gonna tell me what the hell is going on?" she whispered.
"Oh, you're about to get an earful," Lori said cryptically, pulling Shelby's daughter Alanna onto her lap.
Nicholas was chatting happily with his father while perched on the counter next to the stove. Tony was searing the tender meat in the pan, standing between the flame and his son, nodding approvingly and saying "uh-huh", in just the right spots. She watched father and son wistfully, wishing that just once, Jack could have paid the kind of attention to his kids that Tony always paid to Nicholas.
She made her way over to Horatio, resting her arms on the counter near the stool where he sat. The red head's expression was tense, matching perfectly the tone in the room. If Shelby hadn't been so worried about what was going on, she might have made a crack about needing a knife to cut the tension.
"You wanna tell me what the hell is going on around here?" she whispered to Horatio.
"In due time, my dear," he replied with a sad smile, "all in due time."
The four adults struggled to keep the conversation during dinner light. Tony asked the kids about the past few days at school while Shelby asked Horatio about life in Miami. They cleaned up the kitchen after sending the kids upstairs to play. Tony suggested they retire into the living room with a glass of the wine he'd picked up in Washington.
Lori and Shelby settled onto opposite ends of the sofa, sharing a chenille blanket they draped over their legs. Tony sat on the leather ottoman, close to the two women. Horatio stood near the entertainment center - leaving Shelby to wonder if this was the same stance he took when interrogating a suspect.
"Shelby," Tony spoke first, "we have some things we need to talk to you about."
"What's that lousy-ass husband of mine done now?" Shelby asked with an irritated roll of her eyes. Lord, she thought, she was going to be glad to be rid of that man once and for all.
"It's funny you should mention that," Tony sighed. He turned to Horatio, who handed him a thick manila file. Tony passed it to Shelby.
"What's this?" she asked curiously. She glanced over at Lori, but the younger woman looked away.
"It's my FBI file," Tony explained. "We aren't who you think we are, Shelby. My real name is Tim Speedle, and I was a detective, a crime scene investigator, in Miami Dade County. I met Lori, who's real name is Leanna Clark Speedle about eight years ago, when we worked a case together. We fell in love and planned to get married. Horatio," he said, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb, "is not only my friend, he was my boss."
"I don't understand," Shelby said quietly, her voice cracking with the overwhelming sense of dread she was suddenly feeling.
"Shortly after I met Lea, evidence that I uncovered at a crime scene was instrumental in putting away one of Miami's most notorious mob bosses - a guy named Martin Bruckson. Bruckson had his hand in a little bit of everything in Miami - clubs, restaurants, gambling, race horses. He offered to pay me a quarter of a million dollars to overlook the evidence against him. Conveniently lose it, or contaminate it, he didn't care, as long as I blew the case. Obviously, I couldn't do that."
"So this guy is after you?" she asked, shaking her head as if the simple motion would help sift this overload of information into her brain.
He nodded. "I testified in court, Bruckson threatened me, but I was too hard-headed to believe he might be serious. Things quieted down for a few years, and then the threats became more specific. There were pictures of Leanna and I together. Then, she was suddenly kidnapped."
"Oh my God," Shelby breathed out, instinctively reaching out to take Leanna's hand. A cold shiver shot down her spine. She simply couldn't believe what she was being told. It was like of the mystery novels she loved to read - only stranger, and real.
A sudden knock on the kitchen door startled them all. Tim and Horatio looked at each other with tense expressions. Horatio nod in the general direction of the stairway and Tim took off to gather the children. Horatio unholstered his gun and headed for the kitchen.
The banging continued, and Horatio opened the door to find an extremely agitated Eric on the other side. "Where is he?" the younger man demanded, pushing past his boss.
Leanna and Shelby hung back in the doorway to the den, Leanna standing protectively in front of her best friend.
"Lea," Eric said coldly.
"Eric," Leanna said softly. She turned to Shelby. "Shelby, I'd like you to meet my husband's best friend, Eric Delko. Eric, this is my friend and neighbor, Shelby Collins."
"Nice to meet you," Eric said half-heartedly. "Where is he?" he demanded again.
They all turned in the direction of the stairwell as Tim reappeared. "I'm right here, Delko."
Eric stepped up to his long-lost friend, shaking his head. No one was sure what was going to happen next. Eric's fists where clenched and he swallowed hard, visibly blinking back tears. "I don't know whether to hug you or beat the shit out of you."
Tim grinned brightly. "Well, whatever, man, but don't say 'shit'. I've got a three year old for Christ's sake and I don't want the first thing his Uncle Eric teaches him to be 'shit'."
The younger man shook his head and grabbed Tim, pulling him into a tight embrace. For Shelby, the entire exchange was surreal. Tony or Tim, whatever his name was, had just been telling her this unbelievable tale, and now, standing in front of her, was his long lost best friend. The two men embraced one another, pounding each other on the back as men seem to do, before finally releasing one another.
"I swear to God, man, I'm never letting you out of my sight again," Eric nearly cried.
"Well, there's a promise I'm not in any hurry for you to keep," Tim shot back.
"So, what are we doing here?" Eric turned his attention to Horatio. "Cal said you were gonna help him end this mess."
"That's just what we were explaining to Shelby," Horatio answered, motioning for all of them to return to the living room.
They all returned to their previous spots, with Eric now leaning against the doorframe. Tim waited for everyone to get comfortable again before continuing. "Lea's partner was allowed to go undercover to Bruckson as a mole. He said he'd give me up in order to get Leanna back."
Shelby reached for Leanna's hand again, then nod for Tim to continue. "Thomas told Bruckson's goons about a case he was working on - they 'arranged' for an informant's child to be kidnapped. The kid was never in any real danger," he added when Shelby gasped. "Some fake jewels were passed as a ransom, the informant was killed. That led Horatio and I to the jewelry store and..."
Tim swallowed hard and looked away, seemingly staring out into space as the thought trailed off.
"You were killed?" Shelby asked weakly.
"That's what everyone was allowed to think, yeah," Tim answered softly. "We got Leanna back and she and I went underground immediately. We were in a safe house in Atlanta by the time my funeral was held."
"How," Shelby demanded, her pent-up tears finally rolling down her cheeks, "how do you pull something like that off?"
"The how isn't important, Shelby," Horatio took over, "Tim and Leanna have been made again, and we think your husband might be involved."
"What?" she asked incredulously, shaking her head, "no, no, Jack's an idiot, and a liar and a cheat, but he would never...Tony was his friend. They are...our family."
"You weren't supposed to find out about Tiffany," Tim explained. "It's part of what they were hanging over his head. Your divorce isn't being held up because Jack doesn't want you to get your hands on his family's money, it's being held up because there is no money."
Shelby looked to her best friend for support. Leanna dug another file out from beneath the end table and handed it to Shelby. "He spent almost three million dollars over five years, keeping Tiffany living in high style, all the while, maintaining your lifestyle."
Shelby examined the bank records Leanna had handed her. "He was bought by the men who want to kill you?"
"We think so, yeah," Tim said softly.
Shelby brought a hand up to her mouth and stifled a sob. She closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. "So, what do we do now?" she asked, her resolve set.
TBC...