Detective Robert "Bobby" Goren was working late. It wasn't as if this was unusual. No, he often worked late when he was trying to solve a case. The difference (well two differences, really) was that he didn't send his partner, Alexandra Eames, home early, and that they were finishing filing paperwork and not following some obscure clue for a difficult case.

He looked up from the paperwork to see his partner smirking at him. "What?" he asked.

"You really want to get this filing done don't you?" Alex observed.

Bobby chuckled. " How can you tell?"

Alex's smirk widened. "Your forehead's getting all furrowy and that only happens when you have a major lead and want to figure it out."

Bobby raised an eyebrow, " 'Furrowy'? I believe the, uh, the correct term is 'furrowed'".

"Yeah, well, I'm tired. Plus, your furrowed," she emphasized the word, "forehead makes you look about five years older than you already are. You're making yourself wrinkly and older looking, partner dearest."

Rolling his eyes, Bobby picked up a stack of papers and walked over to a nearby filing cabinet and started placing the papers into their respective drawers.

The phone rang and with a groan, Alex picked it up.

"Major Case Squad, Detective Eames speaking. Uh huh, yes, okay," she reached over to get a pen and started scribbling an address down. Looking at it, she mentally calculated the time it would take to get there, "Yeah, I got it. We'll be there in about fifteen minutes". She hung up.

Bobby, shrugging into his coat asked, "What happened?"

"Some corporate big shot's sister-in-law was murdered. Her kid found her after coming home from the movies. Here's the address." Alex handed over the scrap of paper that it was written on.

"I know where this is."

Alex stopped, about to press the "down" button for the elevator. "What?"

"Yeah, there's a really good, uh, bookstore café thing right across the street."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, now let's go."

The car ride was a quiet one, and when the two detectives got to the apartment, they found that CSU was already there taking pictures.

Taking a look around the tiny kitchen and adjoining breakfast nook and family room, Bobby noticed a girl, no more than seventeen years old, sitting on the couch, forehead resting in one hand and a steaming mug of crimson tea in the other. He motioned to his partner and they walked over.

"Hi," he started, "I'm Detective Goren and this is - "

"Detective Goren?" Bobby could hear the recognition in the girl's voice.

She looked up and he felt comprehension dawning on him. "Lauren Grant?"

She gave a weak smile that didn't quite reach her bloodshot eyes. "The one and only." She stood up. "Wow, talk about small world. What are you doing here?" She reached to shake his hand. "I thought you worked Narcotics."

Bobby grinned, "I got transferred about four years ago, the week after we met, actually."

Alex gave the teen a suspicious look and asked, "Now that we've observed how small the world is, can you tell me how you know my partner?"

Lauren nodded, "I met you partner about four years ago in the book store across the street. The book I was looking for was on a high shelf and I couldn't reach it even with the footstool. He was nice enough to get it for me. You must be Detective Eames. Detective Goren told me a bit about you."

"Yeah, Goren here's like that and yes, I am Alex Eames," Alex agreed. "Now we need to see your mother".

Any happiness that penetrated Lauren's distress when the detectives showed up disappeared almost instantly. Her now shaking hands managed to put down the mug without spilling, and she guided them through the tiny hallway to her mother's room where a man wearing a CSU jacket was still taking pictures.

Bobby walked right up tothe bodyand started prodding it while Alex examined the rest of the room. "Was the, uh, body moved at all since you got home, Miss Grant?" Bobby asked falling into his professional mode.

"Well, I picked up her wrist to feel for a pulse when I found her. I just let it fall back down."

"Do you know anyone who might want to hurt your mother?" Alex asked.

"No, I don't, but -"

" 'But'? But what?" Bobby asked.

Lauren looked uncomfortable. When she didn't say anything, the detectives looked at her expectantly. "Alright, I'll say it bluntly: my mother was a floozy. She started about eight years ago; we needed money and she was too stubborn to ask for it even though my uncle was already paying my tuition. That probably was the reason. Anyway, she came home on Sunday morning with a bruise on her upper right arm. It could have been intentional, or it could have just been rough sex. She had a," she grimaced, "client that night."

"Does your father mind?" Alex asked.

Lauren gave a mirthless laugh, "My father walked out when Mom told him she was pregnant. I don't even know who he is, but don't worry, I've gotten over the fact that I don't have a father. Now, I just have to get used to the fact that I'm an orphan now."

Alex looked sympathetic, but asked, "Do you know who your mother was with Saturday night?"

Looking at her, Lauren asked, "No, she didn't tell me those things. Mom kept her work life separate from her home life. She refused to bring men home while I was here. But, I might be able to find out for you."

"How?" Bobby asked.

Lauren walked over to the closet and started digging through shirt pockets. When she got to a tiny pocket inside the bust of a corset, she reached inside and pulled out a key. Taking the key, she made her way around the body, across the window, between the two detective who were looking on curiously to the desk in the room's corner.

Squatting down, she placed the key in the lock and turned it. They all heard the lock click, and Lauren opened the drawer and rummaged through it, her face pulling looks of disgust when her hands touched a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs and other items of that nature.

Finally she pulled out a small leather-bound notebook. Turning to the detectives, Lauren said, "Mom used this to keep a record of who she did, what she used with them, how she used it, and how much they paid. All according to date. I found out about it about two years ago," she placed it on the bed where Bobby picked it up, "when I was looking for a blank notebook to use for my fencing class".

When she noticed Bobby's very pink face, Lauren gave a real laugh. "My sentiment's exactly. The entry you want should be the last one. I remember Mom saying he looked like an ex-convict. He might be in your system."

Bobby looked at her, "Can we keep this? It could be very useful."

"Keep it, burn it, throw it in the Hudson, I don't care what you do with it. I just don't want it." Bobby handed it to Alex who put it in an evidence bag.

Very suddenly, the phone rang.

Not expecting it, Lauren jumped. "Excuse me," she said. Walking over to the phone, she picked it up. "Hello?"

On the other end, a cool feminine voice with an accent that Lauren immediately placed as Australian answered, "Hello, Lauren. How do you like your... how shall I put it?... end of the school year gift?"

A/N: Well, there's chapter two. Sorry for the delay. Now we get into the plot. If you think that Lauren is getting too Mary Sue-ish, tell me and I'll try and change it.

Please review, constructive criticism is appreciated and flames will be used to burn marshmallows.