"Horatio the fingerprints on the knife used to stab Nikki Love have come back to Vinnie Baldwin," Eric reported. "How is she," Horatio asked looking at Ryan. Currently the signs of exhaustion and fatigue were distinct within the CSI's appearance. For six long days he's been on protective field duty keeping an eye on the unconscious Nikki. Someone wanted her dead but now the team knew who - possibly. "She's still unconscious but the doctor seems to think she'll come through," he replied.
"I hope so," Natalia stated. Ryan glanced at her wondering if the team was finally coming around to the idea she wasn't as bad as they believed - he was wrong. "We're going to need to question her once she wakes up." Ryan's eyes narrowed as the room full of his colleagues agreed silently. She was almost killed and you people still think she's apart of all this. Everyone returned to their work analyzing evidence from the crime scene. Nothing could be found except evidence of Nikki and Vinnie Baldwin.
Ryan looked up from his table now covered in crime scene photos from the Mendez, Martinez, and Baldwin homes. His coworkers were all hard at work trying to find a break in the case but nothing was coming to light. He was glad to be out of the hospital and back in the lab but he was frustrated with thoughts and fears of the young victim in the hospital. Is she going to make it?
Nearly three weeks later the call from the Alex Woods finally came in. "She's awake," Alex confirmed. Calleigh and Horatio were at the hospital quickly making their way to her new room outside the ICU. Alex left the room quickly making her way over to the two. "She's not doing too well," Alex sighed. "You just said she was awake," Calleigh stated confused. "Oh she's awake but I'm afraid she's not exactly happy."
"What do you mean," Calleigh questioned still not understanding. "She woke up swinging," Alex complained. "It took two nurses, a doctor, and a trio of security guards to get her under control. She broke two noses and even knocked out a nurse," Alex nodded disapprovingly. "Wow," Calleigh breathed just now noticing the staff with bruises and blood on them. "She's restrained now and a little calmer thanks to the narcotics," she added.
"Is she up for questioning," Horatio asked. Alex shrugged unsure and the two passed her heading towards the room. "Thanks," Calleigh added giving Alex her famous bright smile. In the room the two of them found a mess of things - flowers knocked over, a vase broken into pieces, even Nikki's ripped out IV lying on the floor. "Miss Love," Horatio announced his entrance.
"What," she growled; her voice slurred from the medication. "We need to ask you a few questions," Horatio explained. Nikki didn't respond but only huffed in disapproval of her restrained state. "What happened to you at Vinnie Baldwin's house," Calleigh asked. "I fell," Nikki laughed after a moment. "Did Vinnie Baldwin do this to you," Horatio asked with his expert soothing voice.
"I don't remember," she lied making no point to cover the fact it was indeed a lie. "You're going to need some time to heal; until you are released I'll be keeping a protective unit on you. I'll come back soon; maybe you'll remember then." Horatio motioned Calleigh from the room; she resisted at first but Horatio's stern expression made her give in. "Get well Miss Love," Horatio added before leaving the room.
"What do you mean she doesn't remember," Natalia argued. "She's lying H," Eric added. "She needs time," was all Horatio said before his phone went off. "Horatio Caine," he answered. "Lieutenant Caine I thought I'd inform you the patient Miss Love signed herself out against medical advice," a nurse informed. "When," he said already standing up and reaching for his beloved shades. "Ten minutes ago," she said presumably checking her log.
Horatio hung up and quickly speed dialed the police dispatch. "This is Lieutenant Horatio Caine I need any available units to the Miami General to locate a suspect; Caucasian female, five foot two, blonde hair, and blue eyes." Ryan and Eric followed Horatio to the hospital and helped with the search but Nikki was long gone by then. "H, I recovered this from her room," Ryan stated handing over the burnt slip of paper.
"Meet me at war," Horatio read the only visible part of the note. "The nurse said it was a private message but she recognized the stationary, there was a matching envelope and it came with the pink and white roses delivered by Augusto's Bouquets," Ryan reported. "Get them back to the lab," Horatio ordered before calling Eric over. "Yeah H," he asked removing his gloves. "We're going to pay Augusto a little visit," Horatio informed placing his shades on his nose.
"Yes I sent that delivery out yesterday with Juan," Mr. Augusto confirmed. "But there wasn't any note with it," he recalled. "Who made the purchase," Eric asked. The rather round Italian man smiled warmly as he arranged a fresh bouquet of yellow daisies. "Little Spanish boy came in saying they were for his mommy in the hospital. Paid thirty dollars cash after he picked them out; said they were her favorite." Eric glanced at Horatio trying to see if he believed the man.
"Was there anyone with the boy," Horatio asked. "No just him, but he didn't look unusual. He was dressed nicely and parked his bike right outside when he came in. He was maybe ten or eleven and very well-mannered as well. He told me the room number himself and even checked to make sure I wrote it correctly." Horatio nodded stepping away and dialing the hospital on his phone. "Who was in the room before Nikki Love," he asked the other line. "Mrs. Gonzales, she'd been in a car accident and was released just two hours before Miss Love took the room" the female voice replied. "Thank you," Horatio hung up.
"Who made the delivery again," Eric asked after talking with Horatio. "Juan, he's off today though; is he in some kind of trouble," the shop owner asked. "Can we get his address?" Horatio stared down the owner and after a moment of hesitation he scribbled down an address and handed it over. "Thank you Mr. Augusto," Eric nodded looking at the address. Eric and Horatio headed over to the home located at the address they were given to find a young man throwing a duffle bag in his trunk.
"Going somewhere Juan," Horatio accused. Juan closed his trunk and glared at him, "What do you want?" Juan Morales was escorted to the department for questioning; he was reluctant but mostly corporative. "So what is this about," he sighed getting comfortable in his chair. "Mr. Morales we have reason to believe you placed a note inside flowers delivered to Nikki Love at the hospital; flowers that were actually meant to be delivered to Mrs. Gonzales who had already checked out." Calleigh was eyeing the suspect reading every movement he made to catch any lies.
"I wasn't given a name just a room number and last I checked delivering a note with flowers wasn't illegal," he laughed. "It's not but it ties you into three open murder cases," Eric retorted. "Whoa man, there wasn't even a note. You ain't pinning no murder on me I haven't done anything," he fought. "There was no note when you delivered the flowers," Calleigh questioned. "No; it was just pink and white roses with a bow and vase and the business card from the shop, nothing else," he defended.
Juan Morales left the building, got in his car and drove to the location he was informed of. "Did they question you," his deep voice asked. "Yeah, but I told them there was no note; they let me go so I guess they believe it," Juan answered. "You did very good young man," the man praised. Histhick cigar smoke made Juan cough as he looked at the man. "What are you doing," he cried out seeing the gun in the man's hands. "No hard feelings kid," he laughed. "I did what you asked," he pleaded. "No loose ends," with that the gun fired leaving a bleeding corpse in the warehouse.
Nikki was slow moving from the room to see what had just happened. "It's nothing Nikki," the man soothed coming to her side to help her back into the room. She couldn't hold back the tears as she caught sight of the unfortunate victim lying dead on the ground. He only needed money for college, he wouldn't have said anything to the police; he didn't even know your name! "Don't cry Nikki," the man wiped away her tears. Flashbacks of the Mendez murder took over her mind briefly before she looked up at the man. "It just hurts so bad; I thought there was trouble and I just moved too quickly," she lied letting a few more tears exit her eyes. "It's going to be fine," the manassured her.
