This is my favourite chapter of the beginning I think. (Some of the later chapters are fun... :D) Lots of fun stuff. More gore. Watch out. Okay. Shutting up now.

As soon as Lassiter was distracted by the new arrivals, Shawn skirted around the pool to get a better look at the tube and the body. Lassiter had essentially dismissed him, and it actually seemed like he expected Shawn to comply. It was a little disappointing.

He ducked behind the tube when Lassiter turned slightly to point with an emphatic finger at the pool. Shawn was preparing to poke his head back out from behind the tube when his eyes caught on something at the rim. His brow creased, curiosity rising within him, and he ran the pad of his fingers over two rough marks in the plastic. It looked like something had peeled a thin layer right off of the chute. Now that was interesting.

Peering around the end of the tube his eyes met those of the CSU diver, now sitting at the edge of the pool and he grinned. The diver's face started to move toward a frown before suddenly clearing and he grinned back. "Hey, haven't seen you in a while, Spencer."

Shawn's grin broadened, his brain working double-time to provide him with a name. "Tell me about it—" Ah, there. Just in time. "—Murphy."

"You're not touching anything, are you?" Murphy asked, tone only half-joking.

Shawn scoffed. "Murph, do I look like a rookie?"

That spurred another grin. "Hey, I gotta make sure."

"Well then keep up the good work, man."

Murphy grinned again, shaking his head before sliding on his mask and slipping into the tainted water.

Shawn glanced around the area to make sure no one was paying him any mind before returning his gaze to the pipe and subsequently, the opposite side of the rim where he could make out another mark similar to the one he'd been inspecting. He was definitely filing that away under: Really Interesting Crap.

He edged further around the pipe and squatted down to get a better look at the body. Much to his chagrin, he was forced to turn away, breathing raggedly through his mouth, when the combination of the coppery smell of the blood and the sight of the exposed layer of fatty tissue oozing blood on the man's chest made his stomach lurch. Jeez, he was on the verge of pulling a Gus.

When he finally got his stomach under control, he turned back to inspect the corpse with a clinical eye. And if he was being honest with himself, he was almost convinced that someone had gone at this guy like a fish. He'd been filleted. Which only spurred the disturbing question as to where that missing slice of skin had gone.

Glancing toward the pool, out of sheer instinct, his eyes caught on something floating in one of the far corners and his mouth dropped open slightly in horror. OH GROSS. He shuddered and decided he definitely didn't envy Murphy today.

Juliet crouched at the poolside watching absently as the figure of their diver moved along the bottom of the pool, carefully searching for any evidence. Glancing up when it didn't seem like he was going to be surfacing any time soon, she scanned the area and wondered idly where Shawn had gone. He always seemed to be doing that. Appearing and making a huge ruckus before seeming to evaporate into thin air. It was amazing considering the sheer strength of his personality. How could a person like that just up and disappear without anyone noticing? Then again, Shawn was always surprising her.

The sound of bubbles breaking the surface pulled her out of her thoughts and she looked down, curious to see what Murphy had discovered. "Hey, wha'd you get?"

He pulled back his mask and made a face holding up one hand, saying, "Here you go, Detective, this was all I found on the bottom. I've still gotta check the drain though and our missing chunk of man is over in the corner. I'll get to work on that next."

"Please." She held out an evidence bag and he dropped a pink cellphone in before pulling his mask back on and slipping beneath the surface.

Juliet was zipping up the bag when two hands landed on her shoulders and she found herself falling headfirst toward the pool. She gasped, one hand shooting backward and clenching around the first thing it came into contact with—a leg.

"Ooh, hey, ouch, Jules! Retract the claws, I wasn't going to let you fall!" Shawn exclaimed from behind her, hands now firmly holding her in place. She could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Shawn!" she hissed and he chuckled, squatting beside her, one hand still on her shoulder. She glared and shrugged it off, evidence bag clutched tightly in her hand. She didn't notice as the hazel eyes behind the sunglasses zeroed in on the phone, analyzing it carefully. Had to be Clarice's. He didn't know anyone else who would have the word "BITCH" spelled out in red rhinestones on the back of their phone.

He grinned, sliding the sunglasses down a little and said, "So…like what you've been seeing?"

"Shawn," she said sternly. "That's not funny."

His smirk grew. "A guy could get self-conscious with you around, ogling him at every turn." He crossed his arms over his chest in mock modesty. "Am I going to need to cover up to keep you focused?"

Juliet's face reddened but she said primly, "If I'm looking, it's only because I can't believe how scrawny you really are."

Shawn tipped his head, his expression vaguely pitying. "Jules, you and I both know that this body leaves the ladies lying in the aisles."

She rolled her eyes. "What are you even doing here Shawn?"

He grinned cheerfully. "Working."

Juliet sighed heavily. "That's not what I meant."

He shrugged. "I'm here because somebody is being stingy with cases and I need a Wii." Which was actually Shawnspeak for, "I'm broke and can't pay the rent and Gus won't pay it for me." Two weeks ago he had literally gotten on his knees and begged Chief Vick for a case because he liked his current apartment, thank you very much, and, out of sheer and utter pity, she had thrown him this not-even-necessarily-a-case embezzling gig and Robbie Grinsley had signed him on as a lifeguard to give him as much access as possible. That, and it was his way of paying for the psychic's services. The meager minimum wage he was receiving for the lifeguarding work was the best the park owner could pay. Which was exactly why he hadn't given Gus any details about his new job. It was extremely shifty looking when it came right down to it. "Besides, I don't have to tell you the girls love a lifeguard," he added and waggled his eyebrows suggestively, a wicked grin curling his mouth.

Juliet smacked him on the arm. "Shawn Spencer!"

He grinned and then gasped suddenly, fingers flying to his temple. "The cell phone! It's Clarice's!"

Juliet shot him a look. "That's great, Shawn, that'll help a lot."

His lower lip puffed out, pouting pathetically, and he sagged sideways, leaning on her shoulder. "I think I'm going to need you to hold me up for a while, Jules," he said, feigning weakness, and his hand moved to rest on hers. "That vision was a doozy."

She stiffened. "Shawn, don't be ridiculous." She pushed him off and he whimpered again.

"Hey, tell it to the spirits Jules."

"Spencer," Lassiter growled and Shawn winced as he grabbed him just a little too firmly by the shoulder and hauled him to his feet. "Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be somewhere else? Maybe letting someone drown, so I can arrest your ass?"

"I wish I could do that for you Lassie, really, I do," Shawn said, tone convincingly earnest, "but don't you think this man's life is more important when there are dozens of other park employees who can handle that job?"

Lassiter grit his teeth. "Spencer, I don't want you here."

"And I didn't want The Sopranos to end. We don't all get what we want, Lassie."

The detective pushed him toward the gate. "Go, Spencer."

"Dude. What if I did it? You're just going to tell me to get lost? You could be letting a murderer walk!"

"Are you confessing?"

"Yes."

"Shawn!"

"Spencer."

Shawn sighed theatrically and said, "Fine, fine, I'm not. But what kind of way is that to conduct a homicide investigation, Lassie?"

"The way in which I don't kill anyone in the course of said investigation, that's what way. Now get out of my crime scene, Spencer."

"I guess if you feel that strongly…" Shawn started toward the exit gate and Lassiter sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose because he knew there was a "but" coming.

"But—"

There it was.

"I should probably mention that the dead guy is Bobbie's brother. All right. That's all I'm saying. Out of your striking Irish hair, Lassieface. I'll be—"

Lassiter ground his teeth together and said tightly, "Spencer, who the hell is 'Bobbie'?"

Shawn smiled before turning, his expression innocent. "Our other manager."

"And how do you know this is his brother?"

"I work here. The dude is always lurking around and giving me the creeps. If you ask me he was a total—"

Lassiter's hand shot up to stop him. "I didn't ask."

"Do you know the victim's name?" Juliet asked.

"Robbie. With an 'IE'."

"Seriously?" she said and Lassiter groaned.

Shawn grinned. "Seriously. And I'm pretty sure they're not Canadian."

"Ha ha," Lassiter remarked dryly. "Last name?"

"Grinsley."

"And you're sure that's who it is?"

"Shirley."

Lassiter's eyes narrowed, sensing something amiss with the reply, but he couldn't be sure what exactly. "Anderson!" he barked, and a tall, thin, dark-haired officer hurried over. "Find Bobbie Grinsley, he—"

"Check the main office, near the back of the park. He likes to lurk at the security monitors," Shawn added helpfully.

Lassiter nodded sharply and the officer took off. Lassiter turned a glare on Shawn, hands on his hips, and said irritably, "What else do you know, Spencer?"

He smiled, sliding the sunglasses back on. "I thought you'd never ask."

"Give me those!" Lassiter snapped and snatched the sunglasses from Shawn's face.

"Hey! Lassie! I'm going to go blind in this sunlight! I can feel my retinas burning!"

"Shut up," Lassiter said. "And tell me what else you know about Grinsley."

"Well, he hated Dippin' Dots, which is a crime against nature—"

"Spencer! Useful information please!"

"Let's play twenty questions. Okay; go!"

Lassiter's jaw clenched and he glowered. "I have a better idea. Let's play 'Idiot Fake Psychic Tells Me What He Knows Before I Threaten His Life With My Piece', shall we?"

"Well, that game doesn't sound fun at all, Lassie."

Lassiter's hands curled into fists and he took a very deep breath, closing his eyes briefly. When he opened them, a smile (only partly forced) graced his features and he said calmly, "Fine. Thank you for your time."

Both Juliet and Shawn were taken aback by the sudden change in his demeanor. They exchanged a look.

"Come on, O'Hara," Lassiter said, and almost sounded cheerful as he turned and headed toward the exit gate.

She stared after him for a second, glanced at Shawn, glanced back at Lassiter, and then directed a little shrug in Shawn's direction before hurrying to follow Lassiter.

Shawn gawked after them, mouth slightly ajar. "Dude!" he exclaimed. "Touché!"