When the Cat's Away Chapter 7
Emily stood in the Trace Lab, booking evidence from Annie Mancinelli's Case. She had just finished matching shoeprints and the blood on the shoe prints as well fingerprints. They all matched Shelley, Danny, and David, the original drug dealer. She also found out that David was Shelley's husband, and that Danny and David were brothers. They seemed to make a fine and dandy trio, too. She had heard from an Officer that several more arrests had been made, shutting down a major part of a large drug ring.
She put the evidence in a box, marked it completed, and left it in Valera's capable hands. She needed a walk. A long walk.
She walked slowly to the stairs, arms crossed to disguise the fact that her left arm was supporting her right side, which was still painful despite the Advil she had taken earlier.
She walked up the stairs and came out on the roof of the building. She walked over and rested her forearms on the top of the ledge that ran around the length of the roof. She could see pretty well from there. The sunshine warmed her, and a slight breeze helped her relax, and breathe, clearing away the stress of the day. She allowed herself to slip back into memories.
She remembered the weekend after her first case when she had gone to see little Annie at the hospital. She had played with the girl for a while, talking to her and comforting her when she cried. She had spoken to a Child Services agent who had assured her that a very good foster home had been found for Annie, a place where she would be safe and loved.
So much for that…Emily thought. She had been horrified to find that the mutilated body on the bed was Annie's. Anger had heightened her determination to solve this case. That anger had increased at the interview with the parents, and had driven her to try to capture David and his accomplices without any backup.
"Hey." Ryan's voice called out from behind her. She turned to see Ryan and Eric approaching.
"Hi." she mumbled.
The joined her on the ledge.
"Emily, I know I was harsh with you earlier. I was just worried. This case seemed to hit close to home for you. I didn't want you to do anything rash." Eric said softly.
Emily didn't answer. It was amazing how one day could change your whole perspective.
Yesterday, Eric had playfully chased her around the lab.
Today she had fought with him.
"You were almost killed. Twice. I mean, who knows what David would've done to you if he had managed to take you from that basement? Who knows what would've happened if we had not come after you when you tried to take three drug ring leaders on your own?" Eric continued.
"We don't want to lose you, Emily." Ryan put in, laying his hand gently on her shoulder.
"Look, the parents were being threatened by David. He was their electrician, apparently. He told them that if they wouldn't store the drugs in the house, he would kill Annie. They had taken in Annie before they took in the drugs." Eric began to explain.
"It seems the child made pretty good leverage, too. They managed to threaten Mr. Mingen into moving the drugs to various locations and warehouses. Mr. Mingen gave all these locations up, which helped us make numerous arrests. Shelley wanted more out of the Mingen's though, and they were refusing to do anything after all the drugs were out of the house. She decided kidnapping the girl would help further her cause." Ryan said.
Eric picked up the story. "Shelley was in the process of binding Annie when she decided, with all of those drugs in the house and a dead foster child, she could teach the Mingens that her demands were to be met always by putting them in jail for murder. She killed Annie in order to frame them."
Emily stepped back shaking her head. "Hadn't she already been through enough? She watched as her parents were killed, for heaven's sake!" A tear slipped down Emily's cheek.
"Emily, we caught the people that did this," Eric said. "We have done our job. I think it's time we just let it go."
Emily nodded. She looked up at Eric and managed a weak smile. "Thanks."
"Anytime," Eric answered. "How about a Smoothie?"
"Sound's good." Said Emily.
Eric watched his friend walk towards the stairs. He knew it would take her a while to get over this. He knew this had been hard for her and he was proud of her. She had acknowledged her mistakes, and had learned from the case. She was becoming an even better CSI, and that was what he wanted for her.
Emily poked at her smoothie with her straw forlornly. She felt really guilty about the way she had treated the Mingens. She sighed and got up, thanking Eric and Ryan. She hopped in her Hummer and drove to the Mingen house. She had some apologizing to do.
The next day Emily returned to the lab looking much better. She walked a little stiffly, and if anyone passed by too close to her right side she would wince and move away, but otherwise she was back to her normal self.
Eric smiled as he watched her tease Ryan, her eyes lighting up with her trademark smile. Things were getting back to normal.
