Setting: Sunday, January 1, 2006: Miami
"Following me, Valera?" Speed asked drily, hitting the call button for the elevator.
A light flush swarmed over the brunette's face and she responded, "not really. I'm going to Calleigh with a new hit on the kid from the crash. Maternal." She wasn't sure how she would answer if Speed demanded to see the results.
He didn't. Instead, with a nod, Tim Speedle walked through the open elevator door and said, "good. The more information, the better. We need to get him back to his family if we can. If his mother's alive, willing, and able."
Maxi joined speed in the elevator and watched as he hit the button for the ballistic's lab floor. She blurted out, "aren't you curious who your brother was with?"
Turning unfathomable brown eyes on the tall, slender woman, Speed merely watched her for several uncomfortable seconds. Finally, he asked, "should I know? I'm not on the case."
Stunned, Maxi met Speed's gaze full force. "You're not even curious?"
"I was born curious," Speed retorted with a frown. "It's why I'm a good CSI. But I also don't need Stetler slapping the lab with charges, which will happen if I nose in where I don't belong."
"And where don't you belong?" Calleigh's voice broke over the two, drawing their attention to the fact that the door had opened while they spoke.
"On the crash case. I'm related to the boy." Speed handed over the first DNA result sheet as Maxi offered Calleigh the second.
Calleigh reviewed both results and her eyes widened. "Does Megan know yet?"
"Megan?" Speed felt his insides clench and he hunched his shoulders in unconscious self-defense. The way Calleigh had said the name led Speed to believe that she meant Megan Donner. "Why should Megan be told?"
Calleigh met Speed's worried eyes and gently said, "she's the mother, Tim." At the shock in her friend's eyes, the petite woman added, "your brother's?"
Stiffening, Speed growled, "has to be. I never slept with Megan." 'Thought that didn't stop her from trying,' he thought to himself.
Biting her lip, Valera stayed silent through the entire exchange. She wished she hadn't been doing DNA at all. The misery in Speed's eyes would haunt her for some time, and questions raced through her head. She didn't really remember Megan Donner. All she knew was that the woman had run the lab and quit when her husband died. Maxi had heard Speed and Megan were friends; she must have heard wrong.
"Tim, are you recusing yourself from this crime case?" Calleigh suddenly asked.
"Yes," Speed hadn't hesitated in his answer. Unlike H, Speed didn't remove himself from the workings of the rest of the lab. "Just this case, though. I'm putting you in charge. But I'm going to inform Rain to make herself available as your lead assistant. I don't want you taking on too much stress."
Unoffended by his overprotective attitude, Calleigh agreed whole-heartedly. "I'll let Rain know. It's near the end of shift. I'm going to insist you take the rest of the day and go meet your nephew. See what he can tell you." The petite blonde held up a hand, "I know you aren't on the case, but he might open up at any time, so take notes if you can." She knew Speed's incredible memory would aid him with that particular task.
Nodding, not protesting being relieved from duty early, though Speed was somewhat of a workaholic and never left early, the six foot tall man turned and offered a very brief flash of a smile to Valera. He punched the number for the main floor and let the elevator doors close, leaving the two women in ballistics.
Maxi's heart flipped at that brief, but devastating smile. "Has he got a girlfriend?" she asked, not expecting an answer.
With a low chuckle, Calleigh said, "he's engaged and has a baby. But, yeah, when he smiles, girls' heads turn." She led Valera to the sign in desk and gestured for her to sit down. Calleigh slid back into her own seat. Once seated, Calleigh began to review all aspects of the DNA, including the boy's, for the huge case; there had been several unspecified blood smears they had to pinpoint.
In the interrogation room, Sarah Piper worriedly took in the five foot four inch redhead put in charge of her. She said, "I know this is about the accident last night, but, please? Is he okay? He looks so sick."
Rain eyed the woman for a long moment then relented, something her fellow investigators would be stunned by. "He was shot and should be dead. He's recovering slowly." Pausing a little to let the witness absorb the information, Rain then added, " do you need some time?"
Straightening, offering a weak smile, Sarah shook her head "No, Rain. May I call you Rain?"
"That is my name. You may use it," Rain agreed stoically.
"Tim Speedle helped me during a murder case last year. I'm glad he's alive. I . . . remember him a lot healthier."
"Naturally that would shock you," Rain agreed. The conversation didn't make her uncomfortable, though her fellow investigators often thought she hated small talk. Actually, Rain liked communication but when she worked, she preferred to get straight to the point and solve her case. For the moment, she saw the value in letting Sarah Piper adjust. After another long moment, Rain offered, "I've only known him for a few months, since he came out of witness protection. He seems a good man who cares for people."
Sudden fear laced Sarah's eyes and she asked in a hushed tone, "Rain, is his shooter still out there?"
Thinking back over the two very different shootings involving Speed and his twin, Rain finally answered, "no. Speed should be safe."
"Speed?" Sarah gave a short bark of laughter without merriment to it. "He doesn't live up to the nickname. I don't know if he did, actually." She met Rain's eyes. "He was methodical and thoughtful when he helped me. Though he did jump to my defense rather quickly."
Rain didn't point out the nature of Speed's nickname; it would be evident to Sarah if she thought about it. Instead, she lifted the bag containing the camera. "Are you ready to help his nephew and the other victims, Ms. Piper?"
Determination lit the woman's eyes and she nodded, "tell me what I need to do, Rain. I want to help."
"All you need do," Rain replied, "is answer some questions . . . and allow us to process this camera."
Sarah smiled grimly and said, "why don't we send the camera off for processing while you ask? It would be speedier I think."
With a snort, Rain gave a half-smile to piper for her humor. "Why don't we?" she agreed and hurried to do just that, leaving Sarah in the interrogation room for the moment.
Walking into the Audio-Visual Department, Rain signed over the camera. She took in the ever changing accident scene on the computer station Tyler Jensen sat working. "A witness took video at the scene last night and claims she might have captured the accident."
All four men turned to the woman, Tyler and Delko pausing in surprise. Tyler shot from his chair to the sign in table and carefully notated that he processed the evidence. He moved back to his work station, but to a different computer, and began working on the film. "Not stills?" He asked without looking away from his work. "Actual video? And where was she in relation?" He looked up at the screen and the footage answered both of his questions.
A nice looking Asian-American man came into view as the footage started. He walked easily across the top of the wall where the museum sign sat. Laughing down at the person filming him, the man, dressed in casual winter clothes and a cheap top hat, bowed, doffing his hat. "I am not in the slightest drunk, Pipe," he soberly if amusedly informed the camera.
Sarah Piper's voice answered with a laugh, "I can see that."
A loud honking from behind the woman drew the camera's view. The accident was hard to see over the wall, but a truck seemed to blast through a group over lower vehicles, distinguishable only by their lights. Then a motorcycle flipped over the wall, skidded a ways, and soared with great speed into the trees on the other side, losing first the smaller passenger before disappearing from view. The screams started, the music rose louder, and Sarah's voice said, "my God, call nine-one-one, Leon! I don't know who hit that motorcycle but someone's in trouble!" The footage stopped.
Tyler shook his head, "well, that didn't show much we didn't already know." He frowned at the long battle still ahead of them.
"Play it back to the beginning of the accident, freeze frame as she swings over," Rain instructed.
Tyler nodded, "saw something," he affirmed without question. The tech did as instructed and they watched the footage, frame by frame.
"There!" Tyler and Rain claimed simultaneously. Tyler pointed to a vehicle just topping the wall heading towards the wall, pushing between the large Mack Truck and the line of opposing traffic - - including the motorcycle it sent flying. The lights of the black vehicle continued on, past the sight and out of frame.
"She caught the actual crime as it happened all right," Ryan breathed.
"Now, we put it together with the CCTV footage that should be arriving shortly," Rain said, a hint of satisfaction in her tone.
Delko said, "I'm going to track the CCTV footage, see how long it will take. Ryan, are you able to help Tyler?"
"Yes," Ryan instantly agreed and turned towards the reconstruction station. "Tell me where you are," he instructed the tech.
Delko hurried from the room with Rain, at a calmer pace, on his heels. He branched off to do his errand while Rain headed back to her witness.
Arriving at the hospital, Tim Speedle took a steadying breath and made his steady way into the building. He didn't feel any fonder of hospitals after the numerous recent visits he'd been forced to endure. Pushing away his own predilections, the dark-haired man made his way directly to the children's wing. He presented his credentials to the charge nurse and murmured, "the John Doe child. We've had DNA evidence run and found a match." He presented the official copy presented to him by Calleigh after their brief discussion.
The woman looked over the copy and then back at the still presented credentials. "Oh!"
"He's my brother's son," Tim explained, paused, then added, "my twin brother's."
She nodded and pushed back both items to give a wide smile up at the investigator. "I'm glad you are able to be here. He still hasn't woken, but he's been showing signs of coming around. Is your brother on the way?"
"My brother was shot and killed last year," Speed stated, matter-of-factly. "And we are locating the boy's mother now. May I know about his injuries?"
Nodding, the woman said, "I can tell you some things, Mr. Speedle, but I can't tell you much without the mother's permission."
"I understand. His case is very complicated." Speed waited.
The nurse didn't disappoint. "Out of the three children, Mr. Speedle, he was the least injured. Whoever had charge of him had apparently given him enough alcohol based medicine or actual liquor to keep him pliant. He was apparently limp when the accident happened, maybe even asleep."
Speed didn't let excitement show in his voice. Instead, he softly asked, "asleep on a motorcycle?"
With a nod, the nurse responded, "we've speculated he might have been tied on or held in front of the driver. We're not sure until the boy wakes up. He's got scrapes and bruises, mainly, but the jacket and helmet protected him, despite both being over sized. Your nephew is a very lucky little boy, Mr. Speedle."
"Yes. And I intend to see that luck continue, ma'am. Thank you." Speed pocketed his credentials and DNA proof then walked into the room, already knowing the number from spotting H's children listed on the board above the nurse's station. He walked to the door and stopped, looking in at the four bed room and the occupants.
By the window laid seven-year-old Madison, hugging Horatio and crying. Pain unrelated to the shooting lanced Tim's heart; the girl must know her mother had died. A tall, blond man sat between the bed and the window; Speed didn't know him. In the bed next to Madison's laid HR, watching his father comfort the little girl. The boy's wide blue eyes held tears, as well. Across the room, in the bed directly in front of HR's, laid a dark-haired boy with lightly tanned skin, no more than eight years old.
Speed headed for that bed.
No one except the tall blond seemed aware of Speed as the six-foot tall brunet slipped into the empty chair beside his nephew's bed. He leaned over and hesitated then placed his hand over the boy's abdomen. "Hey, kiddo," he murmured softly. "We never met, but I'm your uncle. We can talk about why I never visited when you're feeling better, okay? I'll listen to all your stories and adventures. You just gotta open your eyes, kiddo."
The nurse had been right; the boy had been on the verge of waking, but to others it might have seemed a miracle. As Speed spoke, the boy's eyes flickered open revealing confusion in the brown depths. Speed offered the boy a gentle smile and repeated, "hey. Don't be scared. I'm your Uncle Tim Speedle. You were in an accident and are in the hospital. You're going to be okay."
Meeting Speed's eyes, the boy rasped out, "thirsty."
Nodding, Speed looked around for water and met the sympathetic blue eyes of the towering blond. The man offered a cup with straw to Speed, without comment, and Speed nodded his gratitude. He turned and aided the boy to sit up in the bed. As Speed supported the slight, shaking weight, the boy sipped at the straw.
The boy finally pulled back and studied Speed: they looked like they could be related, they're coloring was almost identical. "I'm Tony," the boy said softly. "You really my uncle? 'Cause I heard that before."
"Really?" Speed studied the boy, his tone interested. "Why don't you tell me about yourself, Tony. And about your adventures . . . and the man who said he was your uncle. And whatever else you want to talk about."
He hit the exact right note with the boy by not insisting on hearing about the accident right off. Instead, the apparently lonely little boy began to talk about anything and everything, quite willing to open up and trust this stranger who claimed to be related.
Speed fought a combination of grief for the lonely child and anger at every single person who'd put the child in this spot. There would be some answers as soon as he had Tony comfortably settled - - and the first person to do some answering would be Megan Donner.