Thanks to everyone who reviewed. As usual, please R+R!
We finally find out some stuff about Christine this chapter... Or should I say Mary?
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Christine Hamlyn, it seemed, had been slightly more than just an adoring mommy.
"John Garroway was the head of one of the biggest New York gangs," said Eric, staring at his computer screen. "His youngest daughter ran off when she was sixteen, married a guy called Frank Hamlyn. Changed her name as well. To-"
"Christine," whispered Calleigh. Finally. The pieces were falling into place.
"Someone liked Phantom Of The Opera,"
"Does any of this help us ID the suspect?" asked Horatio.
"I was searching through the family records, and found this," Eric pulled up a picture of a man exactly like the one in the photo. "Ralph Garroway, Christine's brother. Looks like he came for a visit last week,"
"Why last week? What's so important now that hasn't been for at least seven years?"
"That's what we need to find out. Eric, go home, get some rest. Speed cankeep digging. Calleigh, Alexx might have some bullets for you downstairs,"
Horatio walked out, the door swinging shut behind him. Eric yawned.
"Sure you can make it home without collapsing?" asked Calleigh.
"Of course. You've got places to go, things to shoot,"
Calleigh laughed. "See you later, Eric,"
"Bye,"
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It had to happen sometime.
Lily had already missed several days of school, and her teacher had been wondering when she was coming back. So that morning Aunty Annie had dressed her up in her nicest skirt and top and taken her and Kevin in the car to school. It was strange, not like it had been before… everything happened. Lily thought her teacher must have warned the other kids about what had happened to her Mommy, and to be extra kind or something like what she had said when Erin's aunty died. Now they just avoided her.
"Now, who can tell me what five plus five is?" Her teacher, Mrs Davis, looked around for someone to ask. Carla, do you know?"
Carla turned to look at Alice, who sat next to her. Alice whispered something.
"Is it ten?"
"It is, but next time try to work it out yourself,"
The bell went. Lunch.
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There had to be something here. There just had to be.
Kitchen. Blood covering the walls. Blood drops near the sink, she must have stopped there for a few seconds. Pool nearer the door. Speed had found a couple of white fibres here. Cotton, nothing on them. Probably from the hem of Ralph's shirt.
Moving towards the door. She must have tried to escape. Scuff marks on the bottom, someone had kicked it open. No boot print though. Traces of rubber, but nothing to catch him with.
Through the door.
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"Is it true your mom's dead?"
It was like Kevin's friends all over again. The others had been waiting for the teachers to go before they asked her. Lily didn't think they were trying to be mean, just… interested.
"Did you see her die?"
"Was there blood everywhere?"
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Living room. Blood splatter everywhere, but mainly around the door. Possible drag marks back into the kitchen. A large piece torn out of Christine's shirt was found here, and several hairs that all belonged to her.
Horatio went through the living room, examining everything. If he found something that could tie Ralph Garroway to the scene, they could arrest him- if they found him.
There. A tiny bit of blood, smeared on the bottom of a table clear across the room. How did it get there? It couldn't have been Christine's; she was bleeding too much by then to make it all the way across without leaving any other marks at all.
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Calleigh walked into the room with the photos and computer. Speed had gone and Eric was back in his place.
"Found anything good?"asked Eric without looking up.
"How did you know it was me?" asked Calleigh. Eric could smell it, but he'd never tell her that.
"Anyway, the gun that fired those bullets was used in a drive-by shooting a month ago. Nothing that could help find the owner though," She glanced at the screen. "Have you done any better?"
"Well, the Garroways aren't all that good at playing Happy Families," Eric turned the computer screen a little so Calleigh could see it more easily. "John Garroway had three kids, two sons and a daughter. Ralph, Alexander and Mary,"
"No wonder she changed her name,"
"John was English and wanted everyone to know it. Now, Mary runs away when she's sixteen. We don't know exactly why, but it could have been anything. Changes her name to Christine. Meets a man called Frank Hamlyn. They fall in love, get married. Probably about a year after Lily's born she has a moment of weakness and calls her big brother Ralph. Photos are taken. Now, I searched for Frank Hamlyn and it turns out he died of gunshot wounds somewhere in Louisiana, about seven years ago,"
"So Christine, thinking that her and her daughter are next, run away again to Miami,"
"Exactly. Ralph must have been searching for them all this time, and only just found them,"
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Afternoon lessons. A bit of English.
"For the next few weeks we'll be doing a project on Family," said Mrs Davis, with a guilty glance at Lily. "Write something about a member of your family. It can be your mom, dad or even dog if you want,"
The other kids got to work at once, talking and laughing. Carla leaned over.
"Who are you gonna do, Lily? I'm doing my fish!"
"I dunno," Lily whispered back. She only really had one person in her Family, and that was her Mommy. She couldn't write about her…
Lily had an idea. She leant over her paper and began to write.
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In the hall. Blood splatter and pool showing where Christine had been shot, directly in front of the spot where Lily had been sitting. Bullet casing had been found below next to the stairs. Footprints in the blood going out the door, slightly blurred from where Lily had slipped. Up the hall, to where Ralph had been standing.
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"So what happened to the other son? Alex?"
"I don't know yet, but I think it might explain a few things,"
"I've got some more stuff to process from the shooting. Good luck!"
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13th May
My Family
Mr Caine isnt realy in my family, he's a poliseman. I met him on the day my mom went mising and he was realy nice. He said he's going to find her four me. I hope he's rite. He came to vist me at Aunty Annies to.
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Blood smeared on walls. Handprint quite low down, so she must have fallen…
Horatio bent down to look. What was that?
He was distracted from the glint of metal by something cold pressing against the back of his neck.
"Don't move. I don't want to have to blow your brains out. Yet,"