MISSING

Chapter 12

"So, Timmy, has Calleigh been nice to you?"

The boy nodded. "She's not like a cop."

"She's a very good cop, you know… So you told her everything you can remember?" Horatio looked over to Calleigh and winked.

"Everything, promise."

"Good man. Now, I have to say sorry to you."

"Why?"

"Because I made you a promise, and I didn't keep it…"

"Calleigh explained. She said Mac hurt you and you couldn't come back. So I forgive you." Timmy's voice was very serious.

"Thank you, Timmy." Horatio echoed his tone.

"Does your head hurt?"

"A bit, Tim, but it's getting better. Don't worry about me. I've got a hard head. What about you?"

"No one hurt me… but…"

"You hurt anyway?"

"Sort of… Inside… Like if you're hungry, but you feel sick… Sort of."

Horatio nodded thoughtfully. "Because of your Mom. I understand, buddy, I really do."

"Is your Mom dead too?"

"She is. I was only a little bit older than you when she died."

"Did you feel… funny inside?"

"I did. I still do, sometimes." Horatio sighed. "You want me to say something to make you feel better, Timmy, but I can't. You will feel better, but not today. Or tomorrow. Do you understand?"

"I think so." The eight year old face suddenly crumpled, and tears rolled down his cheeks.

For a while, Horatio just put his arm round him and let him cry. He looked at Calleigh and gave her a small sad smile.

At last, the boy sniffed, and whispered, "What happens now?"

Calleigh said softly, "The lady you were with last night is coming to get you."

"I want to go home."

"I know, but it's not possible, sweetheart. Tell Horatio about your Nana…"

"She's old. She lives a long way away. Where there's snow."

Horatio smiled. "Almost as old as me, I expect. So she lives where it snows… Let's think… Calleigh, how's your geography? Er… Michigan? Wisconsin?"

Timmy looked blank.

"No worries, Timmy. We'll find her… if you want us to."

Timmy sniffed again. "I don't know. Will I have to go away? Couldn't I stay with Dad?"

"Timmy, your Dad did a bad thing. I think you know that. He has to go away for a long time."

There was a knock, and the woman from Child Services put her head round the door. Calleigh went outside to join her.

"How's it going?"

"I don't really know. In the practical sense, he's given me everything I need. He's great friends with my boss – he opened up a bit. I think he's taking stock of losing his parents… Poor little kid… He wants to know what's going to happen to him. Oh, he's mentioned a maternal grandmother a couple of times, who lives 'a long way away, where there's snow'."

"Okay, I can look into that. Shall I take him now?"

Calleigh nodded. They went back in. Timmy looked distressed. "I want to stay with 'Ratio."

"Horatio needs to rest, sweetheart…"

"Ask Calleigh to give you my number," Horatio said. "If you want to talk to me, you can always call me. Anytime."

After they had gone, Calleigh sat down close to the bed. "You are so good with kids…" she said. "That's the first emotion he's really shown."

"Poor little soul. There's nothing I can say to make him feel better." He sighed. "Unless this grandmother comes up trumps, it's foster care… And I know what that can be like."

"I know. So how do you feel?"

"Not too bad. Still dizzy, but it's getting less. And a sort of permanent background headache. But I'm getting there. Couple of days, I should think."

"You take your time. We've got this case sewn up."

"What's happening with it?"

"We've got the two perps in custody. Well, three, if you count the husband. Bags of evidence. Frank and Eric are interviewing."

"And I suppose I'm a material witness?"

"I suppose you are." She smiled. "I'd better head back." She bent and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "You look tired. Get some sleep."

It was already late afternoon. Frank and Eric were sitting side by side on the wall outside the lab, drinking coffee. She hid a smile. So many times, it would be Frank and Horatio…

She went up to them. "How did it go?"

"So-so…" Eric said. "We can't get a confession from either of them, despite the evidence…"

"Not that we need it, for the Robbins murder," Frank added. "We've got evidence coming out of our ears – DNA, the weapon, her blood on their clothing... Not to mention Robbins' own testimony that he procured Rosso. What we haven't got evidence for, is the attack on Horatio. And I'm damned if they're going to get away with that."

"The boy confirmed it all to me," Calleigh said. "He was very clear, and he ID'd them from photos."

"But he's only eight."

"Ah, but you've got the best witness of all – Horatio."

Eric chuckled. "I suppose that's true. Except he was unconscious half the time."

Frank drained his coffee, and stood up. "We'll carry on tomorrow. They're locked up – separately. I'll bet that by then, Rosso's ready to give it all up."

"I agree – he's definitely shaky."

The next morning, Frank's instincts were proved correct. Robert Rosso wanted to make a deal.

"Can't think you've got much to deal, Rosso. Since we know what happened," Frank said acidly.

"Then you know I didn't actually do anything. I didn't kill her. Mac did that."

"We know that. You're both still guilty of murder. Joint enterprise."

"What can I do?" The man sounded gratifyingly desperate. "I don't want to die."

Eric snapped, "Do you think Hannah wanted to? Do you think Timmy wants to be an orphan?"

"Tell me what happened after you drove the Durango into the ditch…" Frank said.

"I just skidded. It wasn't my fault. That cop was chasing me."

"After that."

Rosso was indignant. "You know what happened. Your guys came out. And a tow truck."

"After that."

Their suspect was silent.

Frank watched him. "Do you want to help or not? If not, you can go back to your cell. I've got better things to do -"

"All right, all right! One of your guys… Once he was alone… Mac hit him… Knocked him out."

"What did he hit him with?"

"A bit of iron pipe – it was lying around."

"Why did you do it?"

"Not me! Mac! We needed the Hummer. We were desperate, dude!"

Frank scowled. "Rosso, I am not your dude. Not in a million years. What next?"

"Look, Mac wanted to kill him. I stopped that. I said, 'You can't just kill a cop'. I get some credit for that, right? And I kept the boy safe."

"Just go on with the story… Why did you take him with you?"

"We thought… someone would come looking. We didn't want him found. So we tied him up and put him in the Hummer."

"And then you drove the Hummer into a bog…" Frank said, with a faint smirk.

Eric laughed, and Rosso looked hurt. "What?"

"I was thinking what a piss poor driver you are."

"It wasn't –"

"I know, it wasn't your fault. Go on."

"We set out to walk. But your guy wouldn't stop struggling. Mac roughed him up a bit, but he still wouldn't go quietly. Then he got away. So we left him. Reckoned the 'gators would finish him off. Did they?"

"If they had," Eric said menacingly, "we wouldn't be talking deals. You'd be heading straight for death row. Did you know you cracked his skull?"

"Well, he was on his feet when we left him… Running. So it wasn't that serious."

"You say," Frank added, "but if he dies, all bets are off. Comprende?"

TBC