Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. The characters from CSI: Miami belong to CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer productions, and probably a few other people I've forgotten to mention. Lily Montalvo, however, is my creation and I'd like to be consulted before she's used in anything else.

Dedications: To my tireless Beta-reader, Ithil-Valon, who gave me the courage to branch out past the Lord of the Rings fandom I've been writing in for a while now. She also occasionally gives me the necessary kick in the pants to keep me going. Thanks for that, hon. Also for Evendim, who gave me the courage to post that first LOTR story, and has graciously invited me to play in her playground anytime I like. Thank you so much. And last, but certainly not least, my partner AJ who is my strength and my rock, and provides interference when I'm writing so I can concentrate on plotlines… and helps me brainstorm when I run out of them. Usually with chocolate and late night movie-fests to, you know, research. Lots of eye candy.

THIS STORY IS SET IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. This means that some features, places, and faces from canon won't fit. It is set sometime after the season 2 ender, 10-7, so Tim Speedle is no longer in the picture… but it is also set after Calleigh's return to Ballistics, so sometime during Season 3… I hope. I just can't see her anywhere else.

All that said, enjoy! If you like it, leave a review! If you don't like it, Leave a review! If you hate it and think I should be shot, leave a review! Get the hint?

Chapter Four

Calleigh raised her head from the scope and rolled it on her neck to ease the stiffness. She had processed Lily Montalvo and come straight back to the lab, where she had been hunched over her scope for several hours, trying to find something that patently didn't want to be found. She had to at least find the weapon type that had fired those rounds.

She had set one of the casings into a solution to attempt to bring out the base markings; they had been filed off, presumably to prevent identification. So far, it hadn't worked; but now, as she drew it from the solution, the felt the first beginnings of the engraving beginning to reappear. That would please Horatio, almost as much as it pleased her. She could at least track the manufacturer.

Another five minutes should do it, she estimated. And then she would have something solid to give Caine; or so she hoped. At least the manufacturer's identity would narrow down her search for the exact weapon.

It wasn't like she could just compare the rifling on the casings. They were smooth, unmarked. Wait, that was it! Smooth, unmarked casings, casings from bullets that had never been fired! How had she missed that? It was such a simple dodge; but it also meant the placement was deliberate. Either the shooter was taunting them, or it was a case of classic misdirection. She needed to talk to Horatio and quick.

Wolfe gave a yip of surprise and turned to Delko, who had just swiveled his chair to face Wolfe. "You won't believe this," Wolfe began. "This guy's got no record for anything, right? So why am I finding regular deposits into his savings account, cash deposits, huge ones? His business was on the ropes, it couldn't account for this much cash."

"That's not all. Phone records show regular international calls," Delko supplied with a trace of a smile. "Give you three guesses where they went."

"We need to find H," Wolfe growled. "This changes everything. If he was smuggling stuff into the country, it supplies a motive for the killing. We didn't have that before."

"And explains the need for a high-end hitter, too. The cartels don't mess around when someone crosses 'em. Let's find H." Eric was up and moving almost as fast as Wolfe.

Horatio stepped into the interview room with his skepticism firmly intact. No doubt Lily was going to give him another "vision." He wasn't buying it.

Lily regarded him steadily. "You 'ave no faith in what you cannot explain, do you?" she asked bluntly. "I 'ave seen something you should listen to. You are in great danger, Horatio Caine." It was coming off a lot more mystical than she intended, but with an inward shrug, she continued. "I 'ave seen a confrontation between you an' another man. A deadly one. There are voices, yours and one other, a male, and your voice holds something like defiance. Then, a gunshot." She shrugged. "It is very vague, this vision. But it is a true sight, just the same. Someone, maybe this Dominguez I 'ave spoken of, will try to kill you. An' it will 'appen soon."

Caine raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The silence stretched between them, thin and brittle, with neither of them willing to break it. Finally Horatio turned a straight-backed chair around and straddled it facing her. "I want to believe you, Lily, but you're making it very difficult," he said softly. "If you would just tell me the truth about what you know, it would be easier."

"I am telling you the truth!" she replied vehemently. "It is not my fault you don' believe in visions, monsieur. There are things that cannot be explained by science, oui? This is merely another of them. My visions are real, an' I am trying to save your life. I know what I 'ave seen. I directed you to the place your shooter fired from, oui? An' provided you the location of the shell casings 'e left for you. Your evidence cannot place me at your crime scene because I was never there, also true? Think what you may about my gift, monsieur Caine. It is real." She was losing her composure rapidly, and uncertain why. Of course, the fact that this man refused to believe what was patently true, what had been proven true, might have something to do with it.

Caine fought the urge to shake his head, settling for holding her gaze with his own, trying to gauge her honesty, her integrity. Silence descended again, and still they remained, each trying to force the other to bend, neither willing to back down. Finally he gave another sigh and rose. "Lily, I want to believe you," he repeated steadily. "The evidence clears you of being at the crime scene, but that doesn't explain how you knew it so intimately. Someone had to have described it to you in minute detail, Lily, and I need to know who that someone was. I need a name."

"I 'ave given you a name," Lily replied firmly. "Eduardo Dominguez. I cannot describe 'im, but I know the name. 'e is the one you should find." A frisson of cold threaded its way down her spine and she stiffened. Something was wrong, very wrong. Something… a handgun, a dry click where there should be a muzzle flash… a dark-haired man falling… and blood, a river of it, draining the life from him. She was caught in the grip of it, the horror of the scene, the stark pain in Caine's face as he held the younger man while the life ran from him in a red flood.

She didn't want to use what she had just seen; the pain she had witnessed was horrific, soul-searing. The dark-haired one had been someone Caine cared for dearly, she could see that; a close friend, a co-worker, very close.

"Lily?" Caine's voice was soft and his fingers touched her hand lightly. "Are you all right?" He had been nearly to the door when she had blanked out. She had made no sound, but something had drawn his eye. She had been sitting absolutely still, barely breathing, her hands on the table but her expression… her expression had been chilling. She had been in the grip of something he didn't understand, that he still didn't understand.

She forced herself to focus on the sound of his voice, to come back. The vision had been devastating. Clear, concise, and starkly brutal. "No," she whispered. "Monsieur Caine… 'is death was not your fault. 'e did not clean 'is gun properly, vraiment? It misfired because 'e neglected it. That is not your fault."

Caine's blood ran cold. She couldn't possibly have known that. The official report had stated 'weapon misfire, cause unknown.' No one but Calleigh Duquesne and himself had known the truth; and they only knew because it had happened before. Speedle was careless of his weapon; but the higher-ups had never known. It had been one reason he had been so obsessed with Wolfe's weapon, when he interviewed for Speed's position.

He needed to think this through. She could not possibly know; but she did.

"Lily, we can't hold you, not based on the evidence, but I'd like for you to stay here for a while," he said firmly, giving no hint as to his thoughts. "I'll be back." And he strode out the door, sunglasses in hand, his mind in turmoil.

Ithil-valon: You ain't kiddin! I think she might have shocked him, though…

RigelsDarkAngel: I think he might be a lot closer to believing her than he was… stay tuned!

Dragon: Glad you're enjoying this! It's been a lot of fun writing so far, too!

Dread Lady Freya: Hope you enjoy this! I bet H surprised you LOL

Leetah: I am so glad you're enjoying this. Stay tuned! The best is yet to come!