Title: Shattered Lives

Author: csimiamilover

Rating: K+

Summary: Life is like glass, it is fragile and whole to begin with. But with enough force applied it can shatter into pieces. A serial stalker turns violent and another woman is subjected to his dark fantasy. Can this stalker be stopped?

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI:Miami or the characters associated with the show. They belong to their respective owners. I only own Dr. Mira Thomas.

Chapter 2- Shattered Glass

One week earlier……..

I always thought life was like glass. Take a windshield for example. One crack was all it took. The tiny imperfection was contagious and would spread until the entire windshield was suddenly filled with cracks.

All it took was a little force and the world could suddenly shatter.

Broken glass showered the polished hardwood floor. Standing sideways with his hands on his hips, Horatio Caine studied the glass with curious piercing blue eyes. He leaned down and with a gloved hand picked up the bloody shard that had captured his attention and examined it closely. The redhead wondered if the piece of glass was connected to the death of the young woman found in her apartment.

We'll find out sooner or later.

Placing the shard into an evidence baggie, the redhead rose from his crouching position and wandered back to the master bedroom at the end of the hallway. The medium-sized room was simply organized and clean, well expect for the corpse laying on her back in a pool of blood on the queen-sized bed that stood in the center of the room, dominating it. He moved deeper into the bedroom, soaking in every detail - The hardwood floors, the pink-colored walls ,the bureau tucked away in the far left corner. Oh and don't forget the newest addiction- Two CSIs. The lab's resident firearms expert Calleigh Duquesne photographed the body from different angles while Eric Delko photographed and processed the spots of blood at the foot of the bed.

Beside the bed the medical examiner, Dr. Alexx Woods an attractive African-American woman with dark hair and chocolate brown eyes examined her charge with great care. Horatio crossed the room, heading toward her. He stopped short at the foot of the bed, studying the victim's pale face. She was positioned in the center of the bed. Blonde hair loosely framed her pleasant, round face, her head tilted to the left side. Lifeless blue eyes stared out the massive window on the far left wall. The victim's arms were crossed over her chest peacefully, a single white rose was placed on her abdomen.

She looks like she's sleeping. Horatio thought. "What have we got Alexx?"

She looked up meeting his gaze, her face a mask of sympathy. She pointed to the wound on the young woman's stomach with a gloved finger. "Poor baby girl was stabbed in the abdomen. There were signs of struggle and defensive wounds but I'll more at post." She explained. He nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks Alexx."

So the killer and victim fought. That might explain the broken glass in the living room.

"Horatio." A female voice broke through his thoughts. He looked over at the blonde standing on the other side of the bed. "Ma'am?" She lowered the camera in her hands and their eyes met again. "The knife used to inflict the wound on her stomach must have been large because there is lots of blood on these sheets. I don' t think her blood is the only one on this bed. " Calleigh explained.

Listening to her words, his gaze fell on the crimson colored liquid. He studied it for a moment and stepped closer to the bed. Cocking his head to the side, he looked at the bigger picture. The rose, the way her arms were crossed over her chest. Everything suddenly fit. "I think you're right Calleigh. Look at the way her arms are crossed over her chest. She was positioned that way by the killer."

She nodded in agreement. "I'll swab this blood ." Calleigh said, walking off to grab the swabs out of her kit. "Thank you ma'am." Horatio called over his shoulder but she was already lone gone. Within seconds of her departure Detective Frank Tripp arrived, coming to a standstill beside his friend. "Horatio." A simple greeting.

Horatio nodded. "Frank. Do we have an ID on the young lady?" Frank referred to the notebook in his hands before meeting his gaze. "22 year old, Jennifer Shelton. Her sister found her this morning, they share this apartment."

The redhead looked at the floor for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "Where is the sister now Frank?" He asked.

"In the hallway with a uniformed officer. She's pretty shaken up."

"Alright Frank, let's go talk with her." Frank led the way out of the apartment and into the building hallway with Horatio trailing closely behind him.

--

My sister and I were always close as children. We still are, and it's hard not to be living together. But sometimes I felt she was hiding her private life away from me. I couldn't blame her….. There were secrets between us. Secrets that could ruin us.

"I can't believe she's gone." Taylor Shelton, the victim's sister told the two investigators. She tucked a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear, letting out the breath she had been holding in. Standing in the apartment building hallway with Horatio and Frank , Taylor was trembling, tears welling up in her hazel eyes again.

"Take your time Ms. Shelton." Horatio gently told her. A few minutes of silence passed before Taylor had gained her composure. Now the questioning began.

"What time did you arrive at the your apartment?" Frank asked, his notebook open in his hand, pen poised and ready to write on the white lined pages.

Taylor let out a long sigh. "Around 8:30 this morning. I used my key to get in and saw the broken glass in the living room. Panicking I called out Jennifer's name and when she didn't answer I searched the apartment…….and found her in the bedroom." She recalled.

Horatio nodded, the information sinking in. "Do you know anyone who would want to harm your sister Ms. Shelton?"

She shook her head, not trusting her voice to speak. She could feel herself breaking down again. With a crack in her voice she begged Horatio to find who did this to her sister.

"I will Ms. Shelton, I will".

--

TBC? So what did you think?