A/N; Be warned, at the end of this chapter is my first attempt at a cliffhanger! Hope you are filled with suspense!
The women made their way back to the crime lab and found the rest of the team looking at the latest crime scene photos. Horatio looked up instantly as they came in.
"How did it go?"
"Guilty on all counts," Frankie replied shortly.
Horatio nodded, satisfied with justice done. "Good work."
Calleigh hit Frankie gently on the shoulder and gave a theatrical sigh when the profiler shook her head. "Horatio, Enrique Fuentes' brothers threatened Frankie. I think we should keep an eye on them for a while."
Horatio's eyes narrowed. "Weren't you going to mention this Frankie?"
Eric had moved to give Frankie a reassuring hug. She rolled her eyes at Horatio's tone. "It's nothing. They were just venting. I was the nearest target."
"Still, it might be an idea to be careful for a while," Eric ventured. "Do you want to stay over at mine for a day or two?"
"Thanks Eric, but it's really not necessary," Frankie smiled.
Horatio caught up with her later in the day. "Frankie, can I have a quick word?" At her deliberately blank expression, he sighed. "Look, I know you aren't worried about the Fuentes brothers, but I'd appreciate it if you let me drive you home tonight. Just to see you in the door. I just want to make sure you're all right."
Frankie studied him intently for a long moment. His eyes showed their usual compassion for a friend in danger, nothing more. She shook her head in despair at her own optimism. "I'll be fine Horatio. I thought I made it clear: stay away from me. I'll be a lot better by myself that I would be with you." She walked off without looking back.
Frankie felt exceptionally paranoid for the rest of the week, but nothing out of the ordinary happened. She was followed home from work a couple of times, but that was by a silver Hummer, and she thought she did very well not to throw something at the man. Honestly, she wasn't allowed to care for him, but Horatio expected her to accept his help? His arrogance irritated the hell out of her. Still, there was no sign of the Fuentes brothers and she dismissed them from her mind.
She was outside CSI, chatting to Ryan and Calleigh at the end of another long day. They were debating whether to go out for a drink together, and Frankie knew Calleigh was becoming very anxious about her. She simply didn't feel like socialising much these days.
"I'm sorry guys, but I'm exhausted. I think I'm going to call it a night." She walked away from them, heading across to the car park when a squeal of tires made her look around. A black motorbike had come out of nowhere, with two men on it. The one on the back pulled something out of his pocket, and then she heard distinctive sound of automatic gunfire. A burning pain sliced through her stomach, and she fell to the ground, Calleigh's scream echoing in her ears.
