A/N : I don't own the CJ characters, only Ann, the victims, suspects and a few minor characters are mine.
Hit the magic buttum, it makes me happy ;-)

Chapter 2: A Good Evening

"Dr. Cavanaugh?" As Jordan was looking for Lily to give her the documents to contact Mr. Hacq's next of kind, she heard a masculine voice calling her. She turned to see who it was.

"Jeffrey." She looked at her watch. "The DA's office is working overtime? Wow."

"Erm… no… actually… is Lily still here?" He was holding a bouquet of roses.

"I don't know." Jordan lied. Of course Lily was still here. "But I'll tell her you're looking for her if I found her." She walked in the corridor, not paying attention where she was going. Then a door opened and someone almost ran into Jordan. That person looked over Jordan's shoulder.

"Oh God, he's still here." And she quickly turned back. Jordan followed her.

"Lily?" But she didn't stop. Jordan went after her. "What's the matter?"

When she felt safer, Lily stopped. "Jeffrey. He's been there for half the day." She sighed. "What can I do?"

"You still haven't talked to him?"

"Not since I've met his parents." Lily had told Jordan what had happened that day. It was a disaster. They were snobs and kept belittling Lily, nothing was good enough for them.

"Maybe you should try to talk to him."

"And I tell him what?" Lily was upset. "Jordan, you told me I was right to not talk to him after the dinner."

"Yeah, and I still think it. I mean, you should… talk… to him. Tell him what you feel, that you don't want him to wait here for you anymore…" She wanted to calm Lily. "If that's what you feel, of course." She added quickly. Lily sighed again. "Do you still love him?" Jordan asked with a serious tone.

"No." Lily whispered and Jordan barely heard. "I… I think I have feelings for someone else."

"You only think." Jordan pointed.

"I… I don't know. But I need time."

Both women reminded silent for a while, then Jordan gave her documents to Lily.

"Lily, could you contact Mr. Hacq's next of kind, please?"

"Sure." She took the files and went to her office, where she found Macy.

"Ah, Lily. There's been a homicide, Woody needs someone. But it's late and everyone here is already on a case. Could you find someone, please?"

"Yes. What address should I give?"

He told her the address. "If someone needs me I'll be with Nigel in Autopsy 1."

Lily sat at her desk and dialed automatically a number without paying attention.

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It was Friday evening and Bug had invited Ann to the restaurant. She was really special to him and he enjoyed being with her but tonight he wasn't feeling as complete as he usually did when he was with Ann. He was already anticipating the next week, when she'll leave the town. She was a Doctor Without Borders and she would soon have to go to India with her new team. 8 months. He tried to chase his thoughts and focus on the woman in front of him. She had long brown hair and a beautiful pair of brown eyes, and tonight she was wearing a black dress that Bug particularly liked. She was looking gorgeous. And she was also kind, carrying, intelligent, generous, simple… like Lily. Damn. He was happy with Ann, why did he have to think about Lily? He was over her now, wasn't he? Well, sometimes he wasn't so sure, but in the meantime he didn't want to loose what he had with the doctor.

"Mahesh?"

It was always strange to hear someone call him like that. She was the only one to use it. Most people didn't know his real name and he didn't usually say it. Well he wasn't really sober when he told her, but it didn't bother him, it was hers now and no one else used it.

"Are you okay?" She asked him. He realized he hadn't listened to the conversation.

"Yes… I was thinking… about next week."

"Mahesh…" She put her hand on his cheek. "I'll come back." He took her hand in his and looked in her eyes. He loved those eyes. "I love you." She added after a while.

He smiled and kissed the hand he was still holding. The magic was broken by a phone ringing. Bug answered it but he still held Ann's hand.

"Lily? … I'm not working tonight. … Yes, but… … Isn't there any other possibility? …" He sighed. "Okay." He said with a disappointed voice and he hung the phone off. He looked at Ann. "I'm sorry."

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Later at the crime scene

"Good evening Bug." Woody welcomed the shorter man.

"It was one before you needed someone and I ended up here."

"Sorry, crazy day. I know you had plans and I really tried to get someone else but everyone is already working on a case. Over here." He led Bug into the Victorian style house. In the immense living room there was a man lying in a pool of his own blood, his face on the floor.

"Be careful where you put your feet." Bug told the officers.

"Why is that?" Woody asked.

Bug pointed to a red stain on the luxurious carpet. It was barely noticeable since the carpet was mostly red and brown. "Bloody print of a woman's high heel.

"Officer, I need some photos here." Woody called a policeman who was carrying a camera.

Bug moved toward the body with big strides and knelt down. "He died less than 2 hours ago." He took a wallet that was exceeding from a pocket of the man's pants. "Leo Lasch. 36."

"The name reminds me of someone…" Woody said, pensive.

"He owns 'LL-wardrobe'."

"Oh yes, it's a chic shop." He looked at Bug, smiling. Then he said with a very serious voice. "You buy your clothes there? You don't say it. It'd cost me a whole month of work to buy a single sock there."

"What is that supposed to mean? I don't know that shop, but he has a dozen cards in his wallet." He moved the head of the victim. "Jugular vein has been cut. It looks like it's what killed him."

As Bug started to collect the evidences, Woody went in the kitchen. There was a reddish woman crying, sitting on a chair and a police officer was trying to comfort her. Woody asked another officer with his eyes. The other policeman moved toward him and told him what he knew.

"She's a neighbour. She said he broke with his girlfriend last week and she wanted to see if he was okay and if he needed something. She brought him a cake and rang the bell but he didn't open. Since she saw lights in the house, she began to worry and called us."

Woody thanked the policeman and sat at the table to talk to the woman.

"Ma'am? I'm detective Woody Hoyt."

"Elvira." She said between two sobs.

"How well did you know Mr. Lasch?"

"I live in the house across the street. We were friends. We used to share dinners when we were both singles. Then he met that girl… Sarah. At first she was very sweet but then… They had been together since 2 weeks when she moved to the house. She acted as if this place was hers, she wouldn't let him do anything without her. Then he had enough and he broke with her. He was depressed and I thought I should come to see how he was. And… and… there was all that blood…" She was still crying.

"Do you think someone could want him dead?"

"Sarah of course! She was so pissed he dumped her! Say goodbye to the luxurious clothes and dinners with high people. She didn't love him, she loved his social position. She went completely mad when he told her they were over. They had a scene in the street. She said he would regret it. Oh God, I never thought she could…" Elvira sobbed again.

"It's okay." Woody wanted to comfort her. "We'll find who did that to him."

More Garret/Nigel to come...