:) Thank you so much for the reviews (: Hope you like this chapter as well.
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„What happened, Calleigh?" Horatio asked when he picked up his phone. He were listening the other for a while, said "We're going now", and hung up.
"Is everything okay?" Speed stepped next to him, watching the cops taking Susan and his boyfriend into a police car.
"Not at all. We should hurry." He was staring at Kady who noticed it and felt a bit strange – it was like he could read her mind with just one look. And it really made her feel that something is wrong. She turned her attention back to the arrested man; he was so familiar for her, she was sure they've met before. But where, she didn't have a clue.
"Let's go!" Horatio said and headed towards the Hummer, the other's followed him. Kady gave Speed a curious look but he just shrugged. When they got back to the lab and got off the car someone called Horatio's name from the back so he turned into that way.
"Go in and wait for me. Don't go anywhere else and don't talk with anyone!" His eyes were shadowed with concern and anger as he was talking to his officers. The way he were looking Kady gave her the creeps. Speed softly held her hand to lead her into the building.
"Have I missed something?" She asked.
"We'll figure out!"
"And who is Horatio's talking with?" Kady glanced the woman before they walked in through the door.
"Uhm, she's Yelina, H's sister in law."
"Oh, she is?" Kady stepped into the elevator, Speed let her go first. "You've told me about Horatio's brother. His name was Ray, right?"
"Uhum, but I don't know what happened exactly. It's really complicated you know."
"I don't wanna force it. Yelina has beautiful hair by the way. She is so pretty."
The elevator reached the floor, the door opened and they found themselves right before Calleigh and Eric. The two of them seemed concerned, and Calleigh had a sheet of paper with her.
"You've found Susan?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, we have." Kady started smiling, ignoring the other's severe behavior. "Actually we have found much more we expected."
"As we have." Calleigh folded her arms.
"Why?" Kady's eyes turned serious. "What's that with you?"
"You were honest with us, weren't you?"
"Of course… I'm not hiding anything." Kady felt Speed's cool look but she said nothing more.
"The knife Calleigh found at the scene," Eric continued "had your fingerprints."
"What?" Kady chuckled a little, she couldn't take it serious. "You're kidding, right?"
"Do we seem like we are?"
The feeling which crept into her stomach was cold and frightening; she couldn't breathe for a second. She tore out the paper from Calleigh's hand and perused it; it confirmed Eric's statement.
"No, no, no, it can't be…" She whispered. She turned towards Speed with a look of entreaty, wanted him to tell it was just a joke. A really bad joke.
"Where is that knife from?" Speed avoided her glance.
"It was next to the victim's body covered with blood." Calleigh brushed her hair back. "Obviously it's the homicidal weapon but we're still waiting for Alexx's report."
"You cannot say for real that… Oh, my God, I don't know what's going on, but I'm not a murder…or a murderess…"
The elevator's door opened again and Horatio joined them.
"It would be great if you wouldn't discuss it at the hallway." He said. "Let's go into my office."
Kady's thoughts were chasing each other, they didn't let her calm down. She followed the others but saw nothing from the world around her. She is not a murder and she's going to prove it regardless of expense. Couldn't even imagine how this is happening with her, she was sure she never touched that knife. The looks and gazes which were surrounding her were beyond all bearings, she felt like a real criminal among the others. She caught Horatio's glance, couldn't figure what she saw in his eyes.
Anger?
Concern?
Frustration?
She knew it was hard to believe for a lesser known person, she could only trust in he is going to bottom this case properly and in the end they find out the truth.
"We'll solve it, don't worry!" Kady realized the other's when she sat down to a chair and Speed put an arm around her shoulders. Horatio closed the door and leaned to the table.
"It's an uncomfortable situation." He started. "We have to work quickly because I'm sure we'll have Statler breathing down our necks soon, and I don't want him to take over my lab."
The door opened and Eric stepped in - Kady didn't notice he wasn't with them till this point. She was as hard pressed as she couldn't even see her own pads of her thumbs although she was looking right at them. Eric had a file with Alexx's and Calleigh's reports in it, he gave it to Kady. She opened it and found some pictures as well – one from the homicidal weapon. Like bolt from the blue the recognition shot her, she couldn't help but taking a very deep breath.
"Oh, my God!" She stood up as the pictures of remembrance in her mind become one. "He was that guy from the cafeteria! I knew I've seen him before!"
"On the knife" Eric explained as looking at her curiously "we found fingerprints from two persons: Kady Weston and Brian Quinn. He was that man you arrested at Susan's place."
"Brian, of course…" Kady whispered.
"I'd like to hear what happened." Horatio was looking at her but she couldn't stand it. Speed shifted uneasily, Kady felt he's stiffened. Kady sighed, closed her eyes for a moment then started:
"In the morning I left Speed's place about… about 7 am, I went to a cafeteria in the next street. I don't know its name. Uhm, it's silly and there is some 'Cat' in it…"
"It's Green Cat Cafeteria." Speed was looking the floor.
"Ah, yeah, that's it." Kady sputtered; informations were just flowing out from her. "It was crowded when I got there so I had to wait a lot and when I ordered some guy pushed me. He said sorry and wanted to go away but he lost something. It laid on the ground and I just wanted to pick it up. He surprised when I gave it back to him and… I don't know, he was looking at me like I would be a robbery or something. But I could see his name card, and 'Brian' was written on it! Brian Quinn."
While Kady were speaking silence ruled the whole room. She was ill at ease, morosely bite her lower lip.
"You sure?" Horatio asked.
"Yes, I do!"
"So you're saying he dropped his clasp knife at the cafeteria?"
"I couldn't recognize it. It was just a black something, but… it didn't look like a weapon to me! If I would have known that's a knife I…" Kady almost shouted. Speed took his hand to her back.
"Calm down, honey. It's okay."
"No, it's not! Everyone here thinks I'm lying, but what I said is true. I have touched that weapon and if I would have been perceptive it wouldn't have happened!"
"Kady." Horatio's voice was soft and ignoring calm. "No one thinks you are lying. At least I don't, and that is what matters, okay? Calm down and try to remember every little thing from today's morning. You're fingerprints were found so the IAB will dump all over us. We have to clear you of charge as soon as possible."
"Okay." Kady nodded.
"Did Quinn say anything to you when you gave him back the weapon?"
"No, not even a 'thank you'. He just took it and went away. But… He forgot his coffee."
"His coffee?" Eric was standing next to the wall, now he shifted.
"Yes, his coffee. He ordered a cup of coffee right before me but he left it on the counter. When I gave him the knife he rushed out from the building."
"Why does somebody go to a cafeteria if he doesn't take his coffee?" Eric wondered.
"That's a really good question." Horatio stood up to look out through the window. Kady followed him with her gaze.
"Maybe he forgot it because of me. Or just wanted to get lost before I could say a word about the knife."
"You said he pushed you. He sure was nervous and he flustered. He sure has been there about something else but the coffee."
"So what's next?" Speed deeply sighed.
Horatio put his hands on his own hip, stared the others.
"Eric and Speed go and check the cafeteria, Calleigh, you search for the white pick-up, we have to find it. Kady, we're going to visit Mr. Quinn. Sure we'll have an interesting conversation."
..ooOOoo..
Kady thrummed on the table nervously, bite her lips and shifted in every minute as she was sitting on a chair in the interrogation room. Horatio was standing next to her, his gaze were fixed to the door. It opened as Brian Quinn walked in with a guard behind him. Quinn sat down in front of Kady; their look met and the CSI's stomach turned a somersault. Quinn stiffened, but a moment later he set himself in ease and stared at her.
"What do you want from me?" His voice was cold and filled with anger.
"You don't have a clue, right?" Horatio shook his head smiling.
"I think having sex with my bride is not forbidden."
"No, that's not. But killing is. And you, my friend murdered a young girl this morning, and were a fool enough not to hide, but walk right into our arms."
"I don't know this shit you're talkin' about."
"Oh, of course, you don't. But tell me, how can your fingerprints be on the homicidal weapon?"
Quinn's look drifted to the Lieutenant. "Maybe I lost that knife and… hm, someone found it and used it."
"Or maybe you thought Susan's lawyer will save your ass." Kady shifted as clasped her hands.
"Or maybe not, pussycat!"
Horatio stepped closer to the man and took some picture to the table where the suspect could see them clearly.
"Mary McKenzie was only 20 years old, but you should know this well as she is almost you're sister in law. Why did you come back to the crime scene after the murder, hm?"
"If I would be a murder, and of course I'm not," Quinn was smirking nervously "I wouldn't return the scene. That doesn't make sense."
"It does if you try to kill my CSI, because you recognize her from the Green Cat Cafeteria."
"Ha?" Quinn blinked.
"But, you made a huge mistake."
"What?"
"You haven't reckoned with me." Horatio picked up his head when he heard the knocking on the window; Rick Statler was standing out there and had a severe expression on his face. The Lieutenant nodded, than gave Kady a glimpse to stay in there and he went out from the room.
"Rick." He said.
"Long time no see, ha?"
"I would rather say we see each other too much these days. What can I help you?"
"You know exactly why I'm here."
Horatio lifted up his eyebrows questioning.
"Kady Weston." Rick looked at the woman. "She is a suspect now, I have to interrogate her, and her colleagues as well, of course."
"She is not a suspect, don't talk about her like she would be a criminal."
"You don't even know this woman, but you trust in her." It was rather a charge than a simple statement.
"It'd be wrong from the beginning if I wouldn't, don't you think?"
Kady was still sitting on the chair, but held her attention at the company out there. She could feel that Quinn were staring at her, she pretend she didn't notice it. After a minute he got bored of it so he crossed his fingers on the table and made a soft cough. Kady squinted at him but turned back right after.
"What's the matter, pussycat?" Quinn had an eloquent smile on his face.
"Stop calling me like this."
"You don't like it?"
"Why did you kill Mary McKenzie?"
"Oh, I didn't."
"At the cafeteria you seemed nervous. Why was that? Why have you been there, hm? You sure surprised when you saw me at the scene, ha?"
"I have an alibi for the time when Mary was killed."
"Oh, really? That's nice." Kady's voice was way too ironic.
"I was at the gym. I have a membership card, you can check it."
"Don't worry, I will. But I don't believe you, I feel like you're a liar. And it's not a good point for you."
"So police force's work is based on intuitions these days?"
Kady didn't answer. She was afraid she will pound him if this goes on, so she just sat back and folded her arms. Saw Horatio's nervous moves, she tried to figure out what were they talking about, and who could that man be. The look he was eying her with was telling, and Kady's fear became true when the door opened and Horatio asked her to join them.
"Rick Statler, Internal Affairs Bureau. You're Ms. Weston, right?" Rick didn't offer his hand.
"I should say it's nice to meet you, but that would be a total lie."
"And you are not the lying type, aren't you?"
"Precisely so."
"In this case you have no except against the interrogation, right? Your fingerprints were found on a homicidal weapon, so from this point you can't work on any case till we close yours."
Kady was leaded to another room; she and Statler settled down in front of each other, a guard was also with them.
"Safety arrangement." That was the man's answer for the question why he is standing behind Kady's back.
"You're going to cuff me as well?" The CSI's voice was ironic and she had a sneer on her face, Statler ignored it.
"You think I should?"
"Hm, depends on…" The severe look coupled with fluent styled speaking, Kady was fully aware of the discomfort emanated from Rick Statler. She liked how easily she could make him nervous with just one dubious glance, she wanted to lead the whole conversation and not let him finish her. Kady took her hands on the table, crossed her fingers and tried to seem innocent – as innocent as she really was in the manner in dispute.
"Khm." Rick cleared his throat. "Would you tell me where have you been between 7 and 8 am this morning?"
And Kady told him everything about the cafeteria, Brian Quinn and the tour in the lab with Speed – he was the one who could clearly prove her alibi. She was restless, and Statler tried to trade her down the river with cross questions, but as Kady was truthful he couldn't find any mistake in her story. They were in the interrogation room for over half an hour, Statler asked her about the arresting at the McKenzie house.
"I would fain do hear about it." He twitched his lips.
"Of course you do. Everyone heard how… dirty it was." Kady supported her head with one arm.
"I'm sorry?"
The woman chuckled softly; Rick had an expression between blushing and surprising. "This story is only for big boys. But if you still interested you can read Mr. Caine's report, I can say no more. He is authorized to clue you up. You said I'm not working on this case anymore…"
Statler were gawping for a while wonderingly, then Kady stood up slowly and asked:
"Can I go now?"
For a second there was no answer, finally he nodded and said "Of course!"
As Kady stepped out from the room she found Speed leaning against the wall.
"How was it?"
"Don't worry. I've told you, I'm a big girl now, can protect myself." She winked then headed towards the elevator. She could hear Speed slamming the door after himself as stepping into the interrogation room.
..ooOOoo..
The coffee was so warm, so fresh and so soothing, Kady wanted to sit there forever and just holding the cup. She finally could make her mind calm down and was able not to think about anything. It was the worst first day in her life, she could just laugh about it. How could she be so star crossed?
The phone's ringing pushed her back in the real world. She dabbed her eyes with one hand – she got sleepy a bit – and picked up the phone without checking the caller's ID. She was waiting for Speed to be through Statler's interrogation and now she wasn't expecting anyone to call her.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"It's Horatio. Where are you?"
"At the resting room."
"Wait me there." Than he hung up.
"Hm, okay…" Kady said to herself and continued doing nothing just enjoying the coffee. A few minutes have passed when Horatio finally arrived; he sat down to the couch next to the woman and asked about the interrogation.
"In his opinion I'm a murder and as I saw the way he spoke with me nothing can change it."
"I know Statler well and believe me he tries to prove his truth. But we won't let him do it."
"Speed was with me when Mary was killed, and others saw us as well here in the lab, so I think I'm safe. But don't think he will accept that I've met with Quinn at the cafeteria accidentally."
"Quinn said he's got an alibi as well."
"Ah, yeah, he also announced it to me."
"I've checked it and he really does."
"You're kidding, right?"
Horatio shook his head and made a soft sigh. "Calleigh have found the car and investigating it now. After she finished we'll know more. But for the time being please don't leave this building. And of course we haven't spoken about this case if Statler asks."
"What case?"
"Correct answer." Horatio grinned.
"This day is so ridiculous. Worst first day ever. I'm sorry for making troubles."
"It could have happened with anyone of us, wasn't your fault. You have been at a wrong place in a wrong time. That's all." Horatio stood up to leave, he glanced Kady for a while.
"Speed was right." He said.
"Hm?"
"Life becomes more exciting having you around."
"Ahh…" Kady lowered her head to her arms and sighed. "Thank you, guys…"
..ooOOoo..
As Eric stepped into Frank's office he saw Calleigh sitting on a chair.
"You're here, so you've found something." He said grinning.
"I have found the white pick-up."
Frank, who were sitting next to her looking at the computer's monitor coughed loudly.
"I mean WE have found it." Calleigh corrected herself and had a wide smile.
"Yeah." Frank nodded. "I put out a warrant on every stolen white pick-up, all of my men were searching it. It was left near the Everglades."
"The Everglades? That's far."
"I've already checked it" Calleigh continued "and found some hair and just one fingerprint. We're still trying to figure out who it is from, the DNA profiling is in process as well."
"Wow! You're fast, aren't you?"
"Do my best. And what you've got?"
"I've been at the cafeteria and spoken with all of the employees."
"By yourself? And Speed? Statler got him?"
"Uhum. So one waitress recognized Kady from a photo and she saw her giving something to a man."
Calleigh stood up and picked up her files from the table.
"That's great. It means she is okay now, Statler can't cast stone at her."
"But it doesn't mean he won't."
"And what's with Quinn?"
"H was right. Quinn has been there about something he wants to hide from us. He spoke to Mauro Mendoza who works there. After Quinn left Mendoza also got lost and no one saw him since then."
"Sounds strange."
"Mendoza was arrested a couple of times because of keeping drugs, but last time he was released. Does it ring a bell?"
Calleigh leaned to the table, thoughtful expression twitched her face.
"Yes." She looked up at Eric. "Quinn also had some drug business, right? He has been jailed for a few years."
"Horatio is with Susan McKenzie right now, questioning her about the killed guy. And guess what?"
Calleigh lifted up her eyebrows.
"Hm?"
"Mary had a huge life assurance."
"Oh, don't tell me the beneficiary was Susan."
Eric nodded. "Their parents passed years ago, Susan and Mary inherited their commercial establishment. It's leaded by their godfather by the way, he stands for the two owners."
"So, you think he wanted to cancel them?" Frank frowned.
"I don't think anything just inform you about the facts."
"Oh, almost forgot; Statler wants to speak with you as well." Calleigh folded her arms.
"We cleared Kady."
"He won't care about it." She said and left the two men behind.
..ooOOoo..
Pleasuring feeling pervaded the resting room as the warm sunbeams painted the white walls orange. There was no other sound just Kady's deep sigh when Calleigh told her that she is not suspected anymore – 'tho Statler haven't finished his investigation yet.
"The only one which matters is that I'm clear." She said smiling. "Thank you."
Calleigh stood up. "We just followed the way what the evidences showed us. And now come with me, you have a lot of things to do."
"But, wait! I can't, Statler still…"
"Don't care about Statler. You haven't killed anyone, so it's none of his business."
"Hm, okay, let's go."
Kady felt relieved. They made her clear of charge and she finally could work, not just sitting and waiting for some information. They met with Eric who told her everything what Calleigh already knew about, then they went into the lab. Kady grabbed the victim's clothes and finished what she started at the morning when Valera stepped in.
"What's with the DNA?" Calleigh asked her.
"It's from Quinn as you thought." She gave a sheet of paper to her.
"From Quinn?" Eric frowned. "That can't be. He was at the gym when the car tried to run over Kady. Horatio has spoken to the receptionist who could verify it."
"Hm, it means two persons were in the car." Calleigh seemed thoughtful. "But who was driving?"
"You said you found a fingerprint." Kady turned to face her.
"Yes, but the owner isn't in our system, we don't know who it is from."
It was around 5 o'clock in the evening when Horatio called them. He told that Quinn is willing to inform them about the first murder, if they release him, but Horatio disinclined to accede. He was sure about Quinn's guilt, and he wanted to find out the whole story without releasing any suspect. But this way they couldn't take a step forward, they needed a plan B.
"Maybe you should accept it." Eric said. "If he knows anything about Susan that may could help us. We could catch him later."
"Or maybe not. But I think we have to run the hazard this time."
Horatio was about to talk with Quinn again so he walked towards the interrogation room when Kady stopped him.
"Can I go with you?" Her gaze met the piercing blue eyes.
"If you'd like to."
They stepped into through the door and Kady realized right away that something changed. Quinn seemed way too self confident not long before, now he was sweating and was furious. A smug expression crossed her features, settled in front of him and folded her arms.
"Well, Susan disappointed you, if I can guess. Where is the lawyer whom she called for you?"
Quinn's anger was the certainty sign that she touched the spot.
"Susan refused to call a lawyer for him." Horatio explained, then turned towards the man. "More over, she told the same as you did; tells us everything about you, if we release her, or if she got off light at least. She could make a compromise."
Kady threw a questioning glance to Horatio but said nothing, she could guess what's going on.
"She did?" Quinn seemed confused. "But… she told me she will guarantee her pleader to me, and now she doesn't? No, no, she couldn't say anything like this."
Horatio looked right in his eyes, he wanted Quinn to be freaked out.
"Susan, you bitch!" And he did. He did much sooner than expected. Quinn got up quickly, a guard had to hold him down.
"I'll kill her if she gave me up!" Quinn shouted loudly. Kady analyzed him with a stern look, he psyched out almost in a minute, he would rave with fury if they'd let him. Horatio still were in deep silence, although Kady was eager to say something – he stopped her with one glance. Quinn sat back to the chair, the guard cuffed him.
"That bitch… she will pay me! I did my job properly, she will pay!"
"Pay?" Horatio's voice was low.
"Of course! You think we wouldn't have share that money? Everything has a price, and what I've done is expensive!"
"A person's life is priceless, but you took it free. You won't get even a cent, my friend."
Quinn gave him an angry look, he was huffing. "You'll see!"
Horatio was obviously lying to Quinn to make him mad, and in his state it went just too easy. Kady realized soon that the suspect is a junkie, now he it was his limit without narcotics. He couldn't find out that the Lieutenant shocked him into telling the truth.
"Tell me about Susan. We know she has been there where a Mike Newell named man was killed this morning at a warehouse. He was a drug dealer, and you're connected with him for a long time."
"What? She…she has been there?"
"You didn't know?" Horatio lifted up his eyebrows.
Quinn deeply sighed then licked his lips. His whole body was shaking a bit, he lost his control.
"Are you thirsty?" Kady asked derisively, she knew he's suffering from distraction. Got no answer.
"I've told her not go there, but she didn't listen to me. I… I didn't know she has been there, and… no, she didn't told me…"
"Maybe the bereavement made her forget about it." Kady was talking slowly watching the other carefully.
"Bereavement? C'mon, she hated Mary! She wanted just her money, nothing else!" Quinn seemed he's going to blow up in the next minute.
"Have you killed Mary McKenzie at the suit of Susan McKenzie?" Horatio was calm, seemed complacent.
"I had to, needed the money!"
"I have no more questions!" He said than left the room.
Kady followed the precedent, could catch him at the hallway.
"Something still doesn't clear for me." She started. "I mean the car. Who was driving? This guy isn't a genius, but he couldn't be at two places in the same time."
"No, he couldn't. He may…" Horatio was interrupted by his phone. "Yeah?" He picked it up right away. "What is it, Frank?... You sure? This is really strange… Okay, thank you."
Kady was watching him curiously, and as he put his cell phone back into his pocket he caught her glance.
"Frank just saw our Brian Quinn at the Coral Gables."
"What?" She was taken aback. "That can't be. He is mistaken."
"I think we found the one who drove that car."
"Okay, I don't get it."
"The DNA was from Quinn, right? But the fingerprint wasn't. What if we don't have to search for two people, just one? Another Brian Quinn."
"You mean…like a twin brother of his?"
"I mean exactly a twin brother. With this Brian's alibi is not so secure, right? Maybe he could be at two places at the same time."
Footsteps' voice could be heard, got closer and closer, finally Speed's shape showed up on the aisle.
"Kad!" He sighed. "I've been trying to reach you almost for an hour! Where have you been?"
Kady checked her phone – it was turned off.
"Oh, I'm sorry, darling, it went dead. Ah…"
"Eric told me that you're okay now!" Speed hugged her. "I'm so glad. It was really crazy."
"You're saying it to me?" Kady chuckled. "But, hey, what's with that Statler guy?"
"I've survived it, as you can see. He wanted to arrest you, I'm sure he is filled with anger right now. His dream is to be able to close this lab. Oh, yeah, chief. He wants to speak with you as well."
"I'll leave than." Horatio said and was about to go, but his gaze met the woman's once more. "You should go home. It was a rough day, you have to rest some."
"Oh, no, I'm okay, and…" She couldn't finish her sentence, Horatio didn't let her.
"We'll handle everything, and if there's another one from Quinn, we have to catch him first. I'll call you if anything happens." Kady saw something in his eyes, something strange. She made a soft smile watching him walking away than she turned her attention back to Speed…
