Worries

'How are you feeling?'

Ryan tried to hide his irritation. 'I'm fine, Sandy. I told you, I'm fine.' He turned around, holding his phone against his ear balanced on his shoulder. 'You know, you don't need to keep ringing me.'

'I'm worried about you.'

'I only nearly died,' Ryan said lamely. 'It wasn't fatal or anything.'

'What are you talking about, Ryan?' she asked with some annoyance.

'Nothing,' he said, sighing. 'Look, I have to go. I have a massive pile of work here. You have no idea how busy we are here at the moment. It's like half the people in Miami have been murdered in the past two days.'

'I'll talk to you later, then,' she said. 'Bye, Ryan.'

'Bye.' He ended the call and switched the phone off, rolling his eyes. Whilst his relationship with his family, especially his sister, was mending, if it could be called that, the constant stream of telephone calls asking if he was all right, if he needed anything, was getting tiring. However, he wasn't complaining much just yet. The old wounds between him and his family were only newly healing and he didn't want to risk breaking them open again right now.

He sighed and picked up another evidence bag. He loved his job. But now he was bored. He enjoyed the variety of the job, of all the different jobs they did, of the being in the field and in the lab. Being stuck in the lab without any choice was frustrating and he was getting impatient. The same old pieces of evidence over and over again.

Ryan examined the evidence and resisted the urge to drop it on the floor and tread on it.

Fortunately, there was an intervention in the shape of Eric.

'You want something more interesting to do?' Eric inquired.

Ryan looked disappointed. 'I would love something more interesting to do but do you see my work for the day? I'll be lucky if it takes me a week.'

'Tell you what,' Eric said, 'forget it.'

Ryan laughed. 'Why not? What do you want me to?'

'Come this way.' Eric beckoned and led Ryan off through the lab until they came to one of the large rooms where there was the crumpled remains of a car. 'Fancy processing this for me?'

Ryan grinned. 'Eric, you're amazing. Something actually interesting. I'll have fun processing this. You want to fill me in on this?'

'RTA,' Eric replied. 'Think there might be something else going on. Car veered off of the road for no apparent reason, so we're investigating. Alexx is going to perform the post-mortem as soon as she's finished on the body she's working on right now.'

'Okay.' Ryan regarded the car with a delighted expression. 'I'll say it again. Eric, you're amazing.'

Eric grinned. 'I take it you're pleased.'

'I think you may have just saved my sanity,' Ryan said, gazing at the wrecked car in delight. 'This is great – not that someone has died,' he added hurriedly. 'I was just getting ready to start breaking the glassware.'

'And we don't want that again,' Eric agreed with mock seriousness. 'Anyway, I have yet another call out on a potential homicide so I will see you later. Have fun.' He waved and left.

Ryan surveyed the car for a minute, silently examining it. Crushed, a total write off. He wasn't surprised the victim driving it had been killed. He smiled grimly and pulled on his gloves.

Time to get to work.

'Hey, Ryan.'

He straightened and yelped in pain as he did, a razor sharp flash of pain searing through his stomach. 'Ow,' he hissed angrily, turning around.

Alexx watched him with some concern. 'Something wrong?'

'Think I just pulled a muscle,' he said with a grimace. 'Did you want to speak to me?'

She ignored the question and regarded him with an expression of worry. 'Are you all right?' she asked. 'You don't look too good.'

'I think I might be coming down with a cold,' he replied, stepping away from the car.

Alexx looked unconvinced but didn't push the matter. 'You want to come and witness this autopsy?' she asked. 'Eric still isn't back from his latest case, Calleigh is working on another one and so is Horatio. Someone should be there.'

'Sure. I've finished processing the car. I'll just drop these down to trace and DNA and then I'll be there.'

'Good. I'll be in the mortuary.'

Ryan dropped off the evidence he had collected into the labs and was making his way to the mortuary when Eric walked up.

'How's that car going?' he asked.

'Processed,' Ryan replied. 'I was just going to go and observe the autopsy – unless you want to?'

'Unfortunately, I have other evidence to process,' Eric said. 'You're okay, go on. Just keep me informed, right?'

'Okay.'

'Was there anything wrong with the car?' Eric asked.

'Nothing,' Ryan replied. 'I checked everything – the car was in perfect condition. Nothing wrong with the tires, the brakes, nothing.'

'So, we're looking at the victim,' Eric said.

'Yeah. I'll let you know if Alexx finds anything, okay?'

'Okay.'

Eric went on his way and Ryan went down to the mortuary. As he stepped through the door a wave of dizziness swept over him and he had to grab the doorframe to stop himself from falling. As Alexx looked around, he righted himself and gave her a quick grin. 'Tripped,' he said.

She frowned at him and then turned her attention to the body of the young woman lying on the table. 'Meet Ms Alicia Klein,' she said formally. 'Victim of the car accident Eric's got you helping him with. Was there anything wrong with the car?'

'Nothing,' he said.

'So there has to have been something wrong with her.' Alexx sighed. 'You're too young to be here, sweetie,' she said to the dead woman. 'Let's see if we can find out what put you here.'

'You got her effects?' Ryan asked.

She gestured to an evidence bag as she began the autopsy. Ryan examined the contents. 'Wow,' he said. 'This is one amazing ring. Engagement?'

Alexx nodded. 'Looks like someone is missing their fiancé. That's one big diamond, too.'

'I'll have it checked out,' Ryan said. He examined the rest. Opening her purse, he found an ID. Checking her mobile phone, he found several numbers.

'I'm going to go and have these things checked and processed,' he said to Alexx. 'I'll be back soon, all right?'

'All right, honey,' she said amiably. 'We'll both still be here when you get back. Hopefully, I'll have something to report.'