Ben read over the reports that CSI had completed. He scrutinized every sentence, wanting to find anything that would give him a lead. He needed it, this case had to be solved. After the fiascos of the Monaghan and Anders cases, this was his chance to show how good his team was. Results were needed, too many screw-ups and his ambitious nature hated to loose ends. He rubbed his forehead with his finger, pen in his mouth as he looked at the lab results. The report showed there were traces of silver in everything. It didn't make sense. He threw his pen down in frustration and pushed back in his chair, rested his head on the back of it. He rose to see if Beth was back at her desk yet. Ben frowned and looked at his clock as he picked up his phone.
Mick was just getting into his car at the scene of Ryder's murder when his phone rang.
"St. John." He answered as he stepped into the car, already tired from the heat of the sun.
"Is Beth with you?" Ben asked as he rose pulling on his jacket. Ben knew if she was anywhere it was with Mick, it was if the two were joined at the hip.
"No, she's at your office." Mick's voice began to fill with worry as Ben spoke again.
"Actually no, she was gone when I came in." Ben closed his office door and started down the hall to the exit for the parking structure. Mick looked around and he could feel panic starting to creep in.
"How long?" His voice became more agitated.
"I've been back over 20 minutes, you still at the scene?" Ben said confused by Mick's tone.
"Yeah, I wanted to double check a couple of things." Mick got back out of his car and headed back to the warehouse.
"There was a lot of silver found on all the evidence that was brought in, like the floor was dusted with it or something." Mick froze before he went back in. He lifted his boot to look on the bottom, not sure how much he had tracked into his car.
"Call me the minute Beth gets back." Mick said as he debated his next move.
"Well I've just stepped out, I'm going to go down and see if Guillermo found anything else on John Doe." Mick gave a half grin; he didn't have the heart to tell Ben the headless body was gone.
Mick ran through his numbers and found Beth's quickly dialing pressing send to catch her. Her phone rang then went to her voice mail.
"Beth it's me, call me back as soon as you get this ok." He hung up and cursed under his breath looking back at his car.
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Beth slowly walked up behind the dilapidated warehouse looking around for her witness. She was starting to get nervous about this being a wild goose chase.
"You alone?" Came the voice.
"Yes?" Beth stopped and waited for the voice again. Out of the shadows stepped a homeless man in full beard and dingy clothes.
"They were back this morning. I got nervous, I wasn't sure if I should talk to you or not." He stopped several paces from Beth.
"Did you see their faces?" Beth asked as she watched him look around nervously.
"Only one, he had a goatee and he was bald. The guy, he was like a bad ass in a suit." The man kept looking around, as if he were being watched.
"Did they see you?' She asked walking up to him.
"I don't know, where's my protection?" He asked looking at her. Beth smiled and pulled out her phone, she had a message. She skipped it and pressed send.
"Beth where are you?" Mick said just as he was almost back to his car.
"At the warehouse, I have a witness." Beth smiled at the homeless man as he continued to look around.
"Really? Lucky for you I'm close by, what part of the warehouse?" Mick asked in an irritated voice as he started around the side of the building.
"Back end, although there seems to be less warehouse than there was yesterday." Beth looked at the caved in roof and then jumped as Mick called from behind her. Her witness faded back into the shadows.
"That our guy?' Mick said as he stood by Beth. She nodded and looked toward where she saw the man last.
She called out to the shadows, "It's ok, this is your protection, it was his friend that was killed. You can trust him; he won't let anyone hurt you." The man slowly stepped forward, looking warily at Mick.
"We need to find Josef and get him into a safe house." Mick looked at the witness, hoping he was telling the truth.
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Mick watched as the man stepped from the shadows. As he did Mick inhaled slowly, selectively making sure he didn't pick up any unwanted scents. The man appeared to be homeless, dirty full beard and unkempt. The mans rapid heart beat indicated to Mick he was feeling uneasy.
"You got a name?" Mick asked as he slowly approached him.
"Thomas, call me Thomas. That's close enough." Mick stopped confused by the man's response quirking an eye brow. "Are you a cop?" Thomas asked suspiciously he wasn't sure about this tall dark haired stranger or the pretty blonde. Every instinct he had said bolt and run. But a man died not that far from him and he just wanted to help.
"No, a PI." Mick looked at Thomas, his patience wearing thin. Too much sun and not enough sleep were making Mick hungry and agitated. "You want protection or not?" Mick's voice carried a harshness that startled Beth.
"I said cops not a PI." Thomas said as he stepped back.
"You called us, we didn't call you." Mick continued to watch as Thomas stepped further back. "Fine!" Mick grabbed Beth's arm and turned her back toward his car. Beth looked at Mick; she was confused and not completely sure of what just took place. She looked behind her once more and then heard Thomas as he yelled toward them.
"Wait!" He shouted. "I just don't know who to trust. I'm scared man. You didn't see." Mick could smell Thomas's fear and focused in on his quickening pulse. Mick could tell Thomas was ready to help. As Mick and Beth started to make their way back to him, Mick heard an all too familiar sound. Somewhere above them a rifle was being loaded. Mick's eyes darted around the top of the buildings, trying to find the shooter or a reflection of light off of a rifle but the bright sun was blocking his vision. He had to depend on his hearing and then decide who the actual target was. He looked at Beth as she continued toward Thomas. There were too many variables, was the shooter trying to silence Thomas or threaten Beth or himself. Deciding he was unwilling to take a chance Mick pushed Beth down behind a nearby dumpster.
Mick barked a command to "STAY!" at Beth. Beth startled as her gaze landed on Mick's cold eyes. His face was deadly and Beth knew she wasn't even thinking of going anywhere. Mick bolted for Thomas immediately feeling the pain of a bullet penetrating the back of his thigh. Mick vamped and snarled looking up behind him. A second later another bullet propelled through the air and hit Thomas between the eyes killing him in one deadly shot.
Mick finally spotted his target and he sped toward a building opposite the warehouse wreckage. Leaping with a wounded leg and snarling from the pain as he landed just shy of his intended target. He leapt again and spotted his victim. He knew the hunter was now the hunted. Fear again permeated the air as Mick snarled at his prey. The man struggled with his weapon trying to get another shot off. The shooter kept looking at this unworldly face that was staring at him, fangs bared and eyes white. He kept stepping back as he fumbled with his weapon, then suddenly he ran out of space at the edge of the roof. Before he could straighten himself he slipped completely. He felt a rush, then nothing. To Mick's astonishment the man became off balanced and fell over the edge of the building to his death.
Mick looked over the side, seeing the broken dead body below. He raised his head to the blinding rays of the sun and cursed aloud. The only clue to Ryder's death was now lying dead in the alley below.
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Mick leaned against the building not far from the man who had fallen to his death. Beth was still giving her statement to Ben on what had happened and about the now dead witness. Ben was rubbing his head, still not understanding why Beth hadn't called him first.
"Why didn't you call me and tell me?" Ben's voice was agitated. He placed one hand on his hip and leveled a finger at Beth. "You work for me remember, not St. John. You called him first and now I have one dead witness, and a man that fits the description of the murderer provided by the now dead witness." Beth looked away from Ben feeling his temper. "I have yet, yet to put together a case that works. Yes we got back the missing boy. But these last 2 big ones, nada. You understand my point here?" Ben placed his other hand on his hip and glared at Beth. "The body that Mick found, our headless John Doe, is now missing as well." Beth didn't say a word she just continued looking down at her feet. Ben sighed the tension in his neck was beginning to make his head pound.
"I'm going to tell the DA that we found our murderer and he fell to an accidental death. I'll hope that CSI finds a sword or whatever was used on the first victims head." Talbot released a heavy breath and stared at Mick. He wanted to talk to St. John., but was pretty sure whatever story Beth told, Mick would repeat. He didn't understand her need to cover for him. Beth seemed like a smart girl and covering for a boyfriend just seemed beneath her. He was sure there was more there, but for now it would have to wait. There was going to come a time when he and Mick were going to butt heads, Ben was sure of it.
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"Talbot ok with your story?" Mick pushed off the wall and walked beside Beth.
"No, but he took it. He's going to lay it out as an accidental death and say this guy killed Ryder and the witness." Beth watched as Ben looked back her and Mick as they walked away. Then she turned to Mick noticing he was limping. "Why are you limping?" She looked behind him and noticed the hole in his pant leg at the back of this thigh. "Mick you've been shot!" She stopped and touched the back of his thigh were the bullet was. Mick in took a sharp breath at the feel of her finger at the back of his thigh. He turned and grabbed her hand and then placed her fingers to his lips.
"Aw I wouldn't do that too much in public." Beth started to blush as Mick continued to hold her hand taking her to his car.
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Mick stood on his balcony watching as the full moon slowly rises over the city. He could feel the tension of the past several days roll off of him. Ryder was killed and they still had no answers, was it vampire hunters or was it someone else taking revenge against Josef. He hated how once again Beth was placed in harms way due to what he was, who he associated with and he wondered if there would be a time when things would be "normal". He turned to the door as it opened and smiled as Beth brought him a glass of wine. She smiled softly at him as she stepped closer to him. Mick took both glasses and sat them on the balconies edge. Then he took Beth's hands and pulled her tight to his chest placing a gentle kiss to her forehead. He wrapped her tight in his arms and released a heavy breath as he focused on her pulse.
"I feel like I have more unanswered questions then answered ones." Beth spoke in a muffled voice as she held herself tight to Mick's chest. He stroked her hair, she felt his chest vibrate from a chuckle and she couldn't help but smile.
"We seem to share the same opinion. I didn't solve this one, and hate it. I wanted to give Ryder at least that much satisfaction." Mick bit the inside of his lip as he continued to look over the city lights of L.A.
"Well, you did your best, and we can still investigate it, just not from the DA's office. Ben was still pretty livid after I left. He's feeling like he's being railroaded." Mick quirked an eyebrow and tried to ignore Beth's words. Talbot didn't need to be getting into vampire business; it was probably better for his health Mick thought to him self. Beth leaned back and placed a quick kiss to his chin then turned into his arm staring into the moonlit sky, feeling safe inside Mick's arms. Mick started to smile to himself then turned to the door.
"Ah-ha! I knew I would find you two up here." Beth turned with a start to the door to see Josef stepping through with his own wine glass and a decanter that seemed darker than any wine she had ever drank. "Not wine Blonde." Josef said reading the question in her eyes. "I figured Mick could use some strength since well, you know…" Mick rolled his eyes and shook his head. Beth's eyes went wide as she felt her whole body suddenly turn a rosy shade of pink. Mick turned to Josef with a disgusted look.
"And you are here for?" Mick's voice filled with agitation at his best friend. His one night with just Beth and who would show up?
"I have a tradition when it comes to fallen comrades and I just don't want to do it alone tonight." His voice was low and Beth was almost sure she sensed a hint of sadness. Josef poured a large helping of liquid from the decanter into his glass then refilled Mick's glass.
"To Ryder…" Josef lifted his glass to Mick and then turned toward the city. Mick gave a soft half smile to his friend and then turned to the city lights.
"To Ryder…" Beth smiled up at Mick as she held out her wine glass she was getting lost again looking into those soft hazel blue eyes. Mick gave her a quick wink and raised his glass.
"To Ryder…" Mick drank from his glass and held Beth tight to his chest, the back of her head leaning against his chin. He inhaled her sweet fragrance and listened to the city. Mick wasn't reflecting on the day focused on what he failed to do, but instead, on what he was able to keep.