4.
As he tried collecting himself she reached the door leading back into the building.
"Schell, wait!" he said rushing forward, but she didn't hear him as the door swung shut behind her.
His cell phone abruptly rang and with a scowl, he looked down, reaching into his jacket for it and when he looked up a man was stepping out of the darkness near the door.
"Lieutenant Caine," he said sharply as he scowled before he realized by the shape of the man that Rick Stetler had either been hiding in the shadows or had just come through the doors. "No, that's all right." he said to the person on the other line. "Just leave that information on my desk, I'll get to it in the morning. Yes, that's fine," he said before hanging up. He looked at Rick, his face blank and his eyes watching the IA agent suspiciously.
"Who was that?" Rick asked, turning to point at the doors Schell had just gone through. He turned back to look at Horatio, slowly sliding his hands into the pockets of his slacks and balancing on his heels.
Horatio suddenly had a slight smile on his face, cold and indifferent, as he half chuckled at Stetler before looking at him with an unfriendly gaze. "Hmm," he murmured, "Why don't you go ask her?" he said carefully, his voice lowering.
"I just might, but she seemed in a bit of a hurry." Stetler eyed Horatio. "There wasn't something going on here was there?"
"Why don't you tell me?" Horatio murmured, tucking the phone away and putting his hands on his hips. He leaned forward a little, lifting his chin.
"Well I don't know Horatio," Stetler said slowly looking at him doubtfully, "but your track record with women lately…"
"Hmm," Horatio smirked, snorting softly with amusement and giving Stetler a cold eye. "Cute."
"I mean," Rick started, "I come outside to see a woman rushing away from you, makes me kinda wonder."
"You know what, Rick?" Horatio said leaning closer into Stetler's personal space. "This is a personal matter and has nothing to do with you whatsoever, so wonder about it all you want."
"Was I prying into something else you're trying to hide, Horatio? I mean, I just came out here to get away from the crowds. And, well, here you are."
"Here I am." Horatio confirmed, the smile on his face utterly unimpressed with the man before him. He waited.
Stetler eyed him back, "Pretty lady, whoever she is, but uh, what's with the hair?" he asked extricating a hand and waggling a finger in the direction of his hair.
"Why don't you go find out, Rick?" Horatio asked, tired of their games.
"Oh…" Rick said, slipping his hand away again. "I plan to."
"You do that, and in the meantime?" Horatio leaned forward further still, taking a step closer and forcing Stetler to take a step back. He smiled in grim pleasure at the look of imminent alarm in Stetler's dark eyes. He reached up, causing Stetler to jerk his head back. "You really could use a few lessons in tying a bow tie," he murmured, gripping the black ribbon and tugging it into shape, all the while never blinking as he stared Stetler down. Dropping his hands, he stalked away.
Inside the crowded hall he looked quickly around, trying to spot Schell amongst all the people and, unable to locate her, immediately headed towards the civic center's main entrance. He spotted an attendee where the incoming guests delivered their coats, handbags and what-nots for safekeeping.
"Was there a woman just here? About 5'5" tall, in a blue gown?" he asked.
"White hair?" the attendee asked. "Yeah, she just got her things, went out the door." He nodded at the entrance, looking at Horatio puzzled.
"Thank you…" he said absently as he headed outside.
He was just in time to see her sliding into the back of a cab and despite trying, was unable to stop it from pulling out and heading away.
He stopped, dropped his head, and pursed his lips in anger and frustration. He stood there for some time, hands on his hips before he reached for his phone again.
"This is Lieutenant Caine again, put me through to Tyler…" he said, looking out into the streets. "Tyler," he said as another person answered the phone. "Would you access the BellSouth database and look up a number for me? Including all the unlisted numbers? Look up Schell Demereau. First named is spelled s-c-h-e-l-l, last name is d-e-m-e-r-e-a-u. Then call me back as soon as you have an address? Thanks." he said, disconnecting the line.
He stood there for several more minutes, staring down at the concrete, before finally deciding it was time to go. Heading back in, he approached the men responsible for the valet parking. He presented his ticket to one of the men, "2003 BMW 750 Sedan, dark blue," he said, before sensing someone approaching him from behind. Turning, he saw Alexx coming towards him.
"Don't you tell me you took a call out," she said looking at him in concern and consternation.
"No," he said, looking down, and smiling slightly.
"But you're leaving…" she said simply, looking at him as he blinked a few times. "Horatio, what is going on?" she asked in concern. "I'm not stupid; you took off from the balcony like a rocket when you saw that girl. You know her, don't you?"
"You, stupid?" Horatio said, his eyebrows rising as he shot a glance at her, trying to hide behind an amused smile. "I would never think that of you."
"And I know when you are trying to avoid answering a question, which just answers it for me, sugar." Alexx purred, putting a hand on her hip and looking at him with a challenge in her eyes.
Horatio snorted softly, looking down at his fingers. What Alexx could see in his eyes was trouble and weariness. He heaved a sigh and looked at her, the flash of agony on his face enough to raise alarm bells in her.
"Sugar, what is it? You know that girl don't you?"
"Mmm," he murmured, nodded once and blinked again. He was looking anywhere but at Alexx.
"Horatio… don't make me drag it out of you." She said softly.
He suddenly smiled in embarrassment, reaching up to run a hand down his face, before drawing a deep breath, glancing at her, then back down at his fingers.
"I know her…" he admitted in a very quiet voice and looked at Alexx with agony in his eyes. He sighed again, putting a hand on his hip and dropping the other in resignation. "I know her…" he repeated distantly.
Alexx was looking at him in alarm, "Honey, what is it?"
He shook his head, casting a glance at her with pain all over his features. "Nothing you can help with," he said softly.
"Horatio?" Alexx said betraying a trace of impatience. "Who was that girl?"
He didn't reply straight away, he just stared at the floor a moment, aware that Alexx wasn't going to leave until he said something.
"That umm," he stammered, then sighed, "that was Schell Demereau."
Alexx stared at him in dawning comprehension. "The artist? The one you met in Seattle this year?" she asked.
She remembered how --when he had returned from the Pacific Northwest-- he had been relaxed and happy, but as the months since his trip up north had passed he'd become more melancholy, brooding, and weary. He didn't start coming around to some semblance of his normal self until the previous month or so. Then Rachel Turner had turned up on her table and she realized he had cared very much for the woman (surprising everyone that he had actually accepted a dinner date) before he was promptly plunged into a hellish nightmare. Her concern for him had grown as the situation of his being suspect in her murder had escalated until the Crime Lab had cleared him of the crime. But Horatio hadn't been the same man, since. And he wasn't, now…
"Mm hmm," he murmured, nodding again.
"Something happened between you two, didn't it?" Alexx asked, point blank.
Horatio barely concealed a look of annoyance. "Alexx…" he whispered in a strained plea.
"Don't Alexx me, sugar…" she said. "I wasn't born yesterday and I am a woman. Whatever just happened didn't go well, did it?"
"Yeah," he said looking up. He paused and glanced at her, his eyes dark and shuttered, causing her to sigh as she realized he was closing up again.
"Horatio…" she whispered, pleading back, searching his face. "Sugar, what happened?"
Horatio spotted movement outside and saw his car pulling up. He drew a breath, looking at Alexx with regret in his eyes.
"Let's just say…" he said softly, "Let's just say, that I am a damn fool, Alexx, all right?" The sad smile he gave her nearly brought tears to her eyes as she saw the depth of pain for a brief instant in his eyes and face. "I'm just a damn fool."
"Sir…" one of the valets spoke up, looking towards him. The pain vanished in a flash, replaced with resigned fatigue.
He leaned forward, giving her a gentle kiss on her cheek, startling her for a brief second, before he straightened and turned away. "Give Doc my regards," he said and walked out of the building after the valet. Alexx stared after him, watching as the young man opened up the car door and Horatio climbed in. She sighed, reaching up to stroke her face a moment, then turned and went back into the civic center.
Searching out her husband, she pulled him aside as he asked if everything was all right. Alexx shrugged. "I'm not sure, but listen, do you remember who the guy was that that white haired girl was with?"
"I think so, yeah, why?"
"I gotta do something, baby. Can you point him out?"
"You have that look in your eye, Alexx." he said.
"Just point him out for me, sugar, I promise you won't regret it." she smiled coyly at him.
"Last time you said that," he started. Alexx just smiled all the more.
"All right," he said, turning. "He's right there, guy with the white hair been hanging around with that blonde for half the night. And he's had a few too many glasses of the complimentary champagne."
"Hang tight, sweetheart," Alexx purred, patting her husband on the chest, "I'll be right back!"
She worked her way through the crowd and approached Lionel Harrison, who was extolling the virtues of Constance Lange's new gallery to a few, a very few, half interested listeners.
"Pardon me…" she said carefully, and gracefully inserting herself into the picture. "I hate to interrupt you all…"
"Well hello there, darlin'!" Lionel burbled forth. "You aren't interrupting a thing!"
"How kind of you." Alexx smiled. "I was wondering if that was Schell Demereau you came to the party with, tonight?"
"Well hell darlin' it sure was! She's the Heritage Trust's latest commissioned painter. We have her working on several different projects for the Maritime section of the Trust…" he started in.
"That's terrific! I wonder if I could have a word with you?" She said, winking at Constance, who looked a little perturbed as Alexx slid her arm in Lionel's and steered him away for a moment from the group.
"Have you seen her?" Alexx asked innocently.
Lionel blinked, looking dumbfounded for a moment. "She was just here a moment ago, said she needed to use the ladies room." He began peering around the assembled crowd.
"Never mind that." Alexx smiled sweetly. "Here's the thing, I just spotted her and my husband and I were just getting ready to leave, I knew Schell at school and now I have no way of getting a hold of her, you wouldn't have a way I could call her would you?" she batted her eyes. "Old school friend and all? I'd love to catch up with her, she seems to be doing so well for herself…"
"Oh hell, darlin', is that it?" Lionel exclaimed. "Schell is doing damned well for herself, her paintings are going to be a real asset to the Trust and to Florida history as well. I'll tell you what, I'll do you one better then that, let me see if I can find her…." He started to turn away.
"I would love to stay and say hello, sugar, but you see, I really have to leave… maybe just a number I can call her at, catch up with old times?" Alexx purred. Lionel turned back looking disappointed until Alexx smiled at him again.
"Certainly darlin'" Lionel said reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small card keeper and a pen. "I'll even keep it a little secret, make the surprise for her all that much more fun, she's been through a rough time lately, damned Yankee lawyers up north tried preventing her from moving here and all. Here ya go," he handed Alexx the card. "That's her home number… tell her I sent ya."
"I'll do that, sugar!" Alexx smiled back, taking the card, "I think you better get back to your lady friend, I think she's a little annoyed."
Lionel peered around Alexx at Constance who was barely restraining herself from trying to listen in on what Alexx and he were talking about.
"Oh right you are, darlin', thanks!"
"No problem…" Alexx said and waved her fingers at him as he headed back to Constance and their group.
She smirked to herself and headed back to where her husband stood.
"Now are you going to tell me what that was all about?" he asked.
"Later, baby, later… Let's just call it damage control and helping a good friend. Now let's shake this shindig, baby… I've had enough!"
Horatio found himself, somewhat disoriented, driving west on the Macarthur Causeway. He glanced at his watch, it was still early evening and he scowled before following the road signs taking him south on I-95. Unable to settle down, he merged into the left lane, taking the exit from I-95 to Hwy. 1 and set the cruise control. Two hours later, he was pulling off the road at Islamorada, having driven onto the Overseas Hwy. His cell phone had gone off, and he finally found a place to pull over near the Islamorada Coast Guard station.
"Horatio Caine," he said as he answered the phone, sitting back in the leather seat and sighing.
"Hey, boss," Tyler said. "Got that information you asked for. You sound really distant, where are you?"
"Bad connection," Horatio replied, reaching over and popping open the glove box, where he pulled out a note book. He reached into his jacket, extracting a pen. "You said you got an address?"
"Sure thing. 1404 Ocean Court #4, Miami Beach. Number is 555-6310." Tyler replied.
Horatio froze in his writing. "Did you say Ocean Court?"
"Yup, Miami Beach. Nice place to live too, and expensive as hell!"
Horatio closed his eyes wearily. In his head he could see exactly the location on 14th avenue and Ocean Court, one block off the northern tip of Lummus Park. He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to will away the headache that had been steadily getting worse as the night wore on. He knew the location down to the corner. He himself lived in a rented condo on 6th and Ocean Drive, right on the beach.
They lived less then nine blocks apart.