Chapter 4
"The kid's name is Robert Callen. He's been reported missing when he was fourteen. He and his brother Jordan Callen were last seen on their way to school. Foster mother confirmed it."
"Foster parents?" Sage looked at Lockwood for confirmation. She read the file to make sure.
"Yeah. She called when they didn't come home. Filed a report but it was assumed that they ran away," Lockwood replied to confirm the story.
Sage read the details while Lockwood was recounting. It would have been logical to assume that they ran away. It does happen but something didn't seem right in the situation. She read the basic vitals on Robbie and Jordan and frowned a bit. "Can I ask you something Detective?"
Lockwood looked at Sage and replied, "Sure thing Parker."
"Why would two boys run away if the home life was good?" When Lockwood didn't respond, Sage looked up and pointed at the file, "They were A/B students, were involved with clubs, and went to church every Sunday… why would they run away?"
"Well both parents died in a car crash," Lockwood supplied, "Could be that it got to them."
Sage highly doubted that. People for the most part were consistent with their behaviors. Even the ones that appeared to be highly random had a pattern to it. It brought to mind her old roommate's adage of 'how random is random', a joke among mathematicians that nothing was entirely random. It just appeared that way. "I might be inclined to believe that as a possibility but…"
"You don't think so," Lockwood finished. "So follow up on the foster parents?"
"That would be a good place to start but we also need to look for Jordan. He's still a minor," Sage replied.
Lockwood nodded in agreement. "I can also check into any other missing persons with a similar MO. Your boy did imply that there was a girl. I'll check into a Rachel. Might get lucky."
Sage wasn't going to burst the detective's bubble that Rachel, if taking into account the different variations in spelling, he might as well be looking for a needle in a haystack. Without a last name, prints or DNA even assuming that she might be in the system, they were operating on very little. Instead she replied, "Alright. I'll go back to the evidence. Might find something on what we collected." She gave a slight smile at the detective.
"You sure you don't want to talk to the kid again?"
"Maybe later," Sage replied. As much as she wanted to talk to the kid, she wanted to wait. It seemed that she might have to work this one piecemeal; sporadic conversations or something like that. She didn't want to cause the kid anymore confusion if it was already possible since he was suffering from PCS. "I want to be able to have something to get him to talk more."
"Alright. I have a uniform stationed outside his room just in case. Seems to have calmed down now that you've talked to him."
"Must be my charm," Sage replied in a slight deadpan. "Thank you detective. Anything else, just give me a call."
"Will do."
Sage turned to head back to the lab. She tapped her fingers on the edge of the case file regarding the missing kids. She was not inclined to believe that they ran away considering the bruises but then again there have been cases where runaways were bruised. She just didn't buy the runaway story. She needed to think about that and no better way to do it than to process the evidence collected.
"Hey Sage."
Sage smiled as she continued walking through the halls. "Greg, how's the DNA?"
"Slow thanks to you," Greg teased. "Now Mandy has a punishment worked up for me and I don't even want to know what she has in mind."
"Maybe a music number," Sage replied more as an afterthought. She glanced at Greg and said, "Now Greg I thought you liked challenges. Besides I needed a quick one and Mandy is the best."
"I thought I was the best," Greg replied with a slight pout.
"You are my best DNA man," Sage replied with a tolerant smile. She gave a shoulder pat to the tech who was smiling like a cute little boy. "So you have something for me on another case or…?"
"No… just talking."
"Well we're burning daylight standing here. I gotta go process some evidence and I think you should go back to your station. Can't have Grissom get on your case. Otherwise I won't be allowed back there anymore." She gave a slight smile and gave a slight point with her finger as she clasped the folder to her chest.
"Well we wouldn't that now would we," Greg replied with a slight smile. "Any DNA you find, shoot it my way. Same with MassSpec."
"I'll take you up on that," Sage replied. She then leaned forward and softly sang, "Cause I'll always love you." She stood back and gave a smile and turned and walked away.
Greg blinked at what just happened. He then gave a slow smile. He knew she would remember that night they had at the club. It was interesting since she didn't mention it since then. That had been an interesting evening. Smiling he went back to his lab to get back to work.
The light table was perfect to use and sort evidence. Sage put the box that contained the personal effects of Robbie Callen. After putting on her lab coat and gloves, she cut the tape and removed the lid. She took a moment and looked at the content and pursed her lips. There wasn't much and Bobby had the bullet to work with and he was given instructions to page her.
"Who are you Robbie Callen?"
Sage tapped the box with her fingers and started pulling out the clothes. She placed them on the lighted table and set up for swabs or anything probative. Picking up her penlight, she looked at it and remembered when she looked at the kid. She remembered the agitation the kid had when she flashed it in his eyes.
Turn it off!
Frowning, Sage flipped the switch on her light and pulled up the t-shirt Robbie had been wearing. Slowly she began working over it with the light, looking for anything. The t-shirt yielded some interesting stain patterns. They looked like dirt and possibly some oil stains. Taking a swab she took a sample of it and marked it on the box. It was a start and it looked like there were several different kinds of stains on the shirt including some blood, probably from the kid's abrasions from being hit and jumping out.
The jeans pulled up dirt and dust that she pulled for possible trace and location. Not that was going to help since the desert was desert. Still she would get what she needed to establish where her victim came from and possibly find out who was abusing him. She did manage to find something in the pocket. Using a pair of tweezers she pulled out a wadded piece of paper. It was covered with lint from the jeans and it looked like when you left a receipt in the pocket and it got washed in the machine.
"Something for QD."
Further exploration of the pockets revealed more lint and something else. Sage frowned a bit as she pulled out what looked like a piece of cloth. When it was fully out of the pocket Sage handled it and moved it between her fingers. She noted that there was something in it and unrolled it. She raised her brow as she revealed another doll, similar to the one that Nick recovered at the scene.
"Two?"
Sage flashed her light on it. She had noted that it had been carefully wrapped as if with care. It wasn't even one of those expensive dolls but a rag doll. Shining her light on it, Sage went over it carefully and noted a milky like substance on the doll. It was most unusual. So she took a swab and logged it in and moved on.
The last item on the list in terms of actual clothes was the plaid over shirt. It was flannel actually; typical of a substantial percentage of the male population that wore such clothes for more less than casual settings. The distinctions would come from the trace and anything else she could find on it and of course she took swabs of the blood as exemplars for Robbie.
"Hey how's it coming?"
Sage didn't flinch at the sound of Nick's voice. She was used to it. It didn't detract her from replying, "Making sure the outsides match the insides." She was going over the shirt near the shoulder.
"Come again?"
Sage made a slight sound that sounded like a chuckle. "Going through it." She paused a moment and frowned a little. "Hey, what does that look like to you?"
Nick leaned in close to take a look at what Sage was looking at. It dried something with a bit of white milky stuff along the edges. "Doesn't look like vomit," he offered. "What are you thinking?"
"I found something that visually looks similar to what I found on that," Sage pointed at the doll as she reached for a swab. "This though looks a little less milky. Might be something into finding where Robbie came from."
"Yeah about that," Nick began as he watched her swab a sample, "You sure about sticking with this? I mean it could mean a conflict of interest."
"We speak for the victim," Sage replied as she finished swabbing. Her tone was matter of fact but it really didn't fool Nick. "Can't ignore the human element. The trick is to balance it out hence…"
"Matching the insides with the outsides," Nick finished nodding. He noticed that the shoes the kid was wearing hadn't been logged in and processed. "You need some help?"
"Bored of Warrick already? Let me guess, he's with Archie looking at traffic cams."
"Sometimes I think the pair of you premeditate on things like that," Nick replied as he put on a pair of gloves. He lifted the shoes and started doing a cursory inspection. He found dirt that looked similar to the traces he found in the car. No surprise there.
"We're tight me and Warrick," Sage replied as she bent over to write down the inventory and the notes for the box of evidence. She didn't mind Nick helping. It was fairly obvious that their cases were connected. "We know how to hang."
Nick couldn't help but chuckle, "You know how ridiculous you sound sometimes?"
"I try," Sage replied looking up and giving a smile. She noticed that there was something on the sole of the right shoe since Nick was holding it up. "Check that out."
Nick looked at the sole and saw what Sage had been looking at. It was small but collectible. He looked for something to pull it off and made a knowing face when Sage held the tweezers up for him. She didn't have to say anything but the look said much. His own look was a silent rejoinder before taking the tweezers and pulling at the substance. "Looks like some kind gum like substance. Tar maybe. Might help."
"Every little bit helps," Sage replied as she held up a collection jar. She held it close while Nick pulled some off for trace. "Another sample for trace and… that's it." She sealed up the collection jar and labeled it while Nick started putting evidence back in the box.
The trip to trace and DNA was short and allowed Sage to run through her thoughts while toting her tub of samples for Greg. Nick had gotten a call from Warrick about their bullet in the car and went to go follow up on that so she was 'flying' through the lab. She brought it in and came across Greg bobbing his head to his Marilyn Manson while writing a report for another case.
Sage pursed her lips in an amused fashion as she put her box on the counter and just watched. She noticed the boom box next to her and looked at Greg and then at the box. Pushing the pause button, she looked up to find Greg still bobbing his head until he stopped and looked over. She smiled, "I dislike shouting."
"You didn't seem to mind when we went out a couple weeks ago," Greg replied as he leaned back in his chair giving a smirk.
"Different occasion," Sage countered. She tapped the edges of her box. "I have something for you. Trace from my kid's shoe, dust particles, DNA and a strange substance I found on his shirt and a rag doll. Need you to do a full work up. The usual."
Greg leaned over and peered into the box, "The usual is my game. It will take me a while since…"
"It's fine. Not priority at the moment." She tapped her nails on the container. She had decided not to wear nail polish anymore but her nails were still long and neatly trimmed and filed. "Page me when you've got something."
"Will do," Greg replied. Before she left he added, "Hey Sage, if I get something will you give a repeat performance like you did with Mandy?" He grinned as he said it.
Sage gave a smirk. She knew someone had overheard. It was funny in hindsight and at the time. She got the feeling that Mandy might use it sometime in the future now that she put the idea into her head. That would be entertaining. She replied, "Well I already gave you a show when we went out. Mandy got an encore… I'll have to think of something. Bye Greg." She pushed the play button on the radio and Marilyn Manson blared forth again and she left the lab, leaving Greg to do his thing while taking the receipt with her.
Sage walked through the hall down to QD. She had just handed it over when her pager beeped. She frowned since she was certain Greg didn't have anything yet and Bobby was busy with her bullet. She looked at her pager at the number. She almost didn't recognize it since she was still learning the ins and outs of the lab. It turned out to be Lockwood. Something was up.
Sage shut the door to the Tahoe she checked out of the lot, pulling her kit with her. She looked around at the loneliness of the alleyway. They weren't that far in terms of driving from the accident site but it was a fair distance to walk. Everything about the place spoke of those horror stories of back alleyways and the shadows that hid the bad guys. Part of that was true.
Frowning slightly Sage turned to where the police tape was and started walking forward. A uniform lifted it for her and she gave a nod of thanks. Heading over to where Lockwood was at, she said, "Detective."
Lockwood was looking at the scene and shaking his head. He had put out a notice on the missing kid Jordan Callen since now they had a name and to see if they could find the kid and clear up a few things. Like Sage, he didn't think that they just decided to run away. Still it was his job to ask questions just like hers was.
The call came in and at first Lockwood didn't want to believe it. Yet the description of the kid was accurate even though he was older than when the case was first issued. Jordan Callen was dead. He watched as David went through the motions of checking liver temp and other signs to TOD. He only looked up when he heard Sage's tread. He said, "The call came in twenty minutes ago. Homeless guy found him and started screaming his head off and someone came. Saw him and called 9-1-1."
Sage looked down at the body. "Is it him?"
"Description is right. Jordan Callen."
Sage blinked as she watched David work and then looked at the body. She could make out blood and it looked like a pool of it which gave her reason to believe that he bled out. He was face down but his head turned to the side; easy identification. She kneeled and asked, "You got a TOD, David?"
David looked up at Sage and replied, "Approximately 7-8 hours ago. Looks like he bled out from two gunshot wounds. Lividity has set in completely. It looks like he fell and just bled out. Rigor has set in but not completely. Supports the 7-8 hour mark." David looked at Sage as if he wasn't sure of what more to say.
"And I was hoping that he would just walk into the station," Sage replied. She sighed and took pictures of the body for record. "Okay turn him over."
David nodded and slowly turned the body over so that the body was flat on his back. Sage took more pictures as she documented the scene. She paused as she looked at the front of the victim's shirt. It was a flannel plaid like his brother's and it was just as dirty and ripped in some places. She kneeled to get a better look at what caught her interest.
Putting the camera down and reaching for the tweezers in her kit, she leaned forward and picked up what she had been looking at. It was a long hair and it wasn't the hair color of the victim or the brother's. "I got a hair," she murmured. She was pleased that there was a skin tag on it.
"From the attacker maybe?"
Sage didn't look at Lockwood but managed to reply, "Possible. It could also be from our other missing person." She bagged it into evidence and wrote everything on it. Another sample for Greg to play with.
Looking back at the body, Sage frowned. She shone her light on the area and leaned in closer. There was the same milky clear stuff she had found on Robbie's clothing and the doll in his jeans pocket. What exactly is going on here? Her thoughts were consumed by that question since whatever it was it was consistent with the other evidence she collected in appearance.
"You find something?"
Sage didn't say anything at first but pulled a swab from her vest. She collected a swab from the stain she found on the shirt and placed it with the stuff to go to Greg. "Maybe." She looked at the body once more and then said, "Okay David. You can get him out of here."
Sage stood up and looked down the alleyway. If Jordan jumped out of a moving vehicle, he would have had a ways to go from the street. That meant that he would have had to have been shot running away. Yet the blood pool… unless something else happened here… She pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.
It was basic field survey but Sage had the time and patience. She might as well put in some overtime today. She started on a survey of the area, looking for anything that might be out of place. In this case, she was going to have to look pretty hard since this was an alleyway and half the stuff was… It was long and dirty work but if she had to take the whole alleyway, she would.
Most of the alley stuff was junk that could be discounted. The obvious thing to follow was the blood trail. She followed it, marking each one with a marker and photographing it. It was like following a beeline until it all of a sudden stopped. That was the strange part and it had Sage perplexed but at least she knew she had a starting point for something else.
"Hey, you started without me?"
"Not my fault you're slow," Sage replied as she looked around. She found tire marks not too far from the last blood pool and put a marker next to it. "I've got tire marks. Might be a match to your SUV." She snapped the shot.
Warrick made a slight scoffing sound at that but it was halfhearted. He walked over to where the tire marks were and shone his light on them. "Looks like it based on visual. You got a clean one for comparison?"
Sage looked at Warrick with a raised brow, "What do I look like? A rookie?"
"Just a good looking sassy girl," Warrick replied with smirk.
Sage shook her head as she smiled. She took a breath and looked around. "Body was found there with fixed lividity and rigor almost to the max. Blood trail comes all the way here and here are the tracks."
"Thinking they stopped?"
Sage looked down the alley and at the evidence. She could almost visualize the scene with at least Jordan standing there. Robbie she couldn't quite get a fix on but assuming that they were both standing here. She could see a gun, 9mm raised at them and then the sound she could almost hear. "From initial look, it does. But that doesn't explain the dust found on Robbie's clothes."
Warrick was thinking the same thing since they found dirt and dust from the desert or an underdeveloped neighborhood in the SUV. "Well I know we have this as two separate cases but I'm thinking that they are together."
"My thoughts exactly," Sage replied as she continued looking around the area.
"My intention to keep you in the loop anyway but you know Grissom."
"And I understand that," Sage replied as she shown her light while looking around. Sunlight was going to hit pretty soon but she was on a roll. If they could find anything else it might answer some questions. "Perks of the job."
Warrick went to work looking around the scene of the blood drops. He decided to follow the tire marks. He himself had been wondering about why Grissom wanted them to keep it separate when it was obvious the two events were connected. Still he would do his job and the answers would come with each piece of evidence. Maybe Nick would get lucky with the traffic cameras with Archie.
He followed the tire marks and found skids. "Looks like someone peeled out of here fast. Thinking maybe our guys were held here and a fight…"
"But both were shot. One is dead," Sage replied. She could see her breath forming plumes of smoke. She flashed her light on a pile of trash. Something caught her eye and she slowly started moving the debris.
It was like finding a beacon when her light flashed on the gun. She looked at and picked it up. "Found a gun. 9mm. Could be our weapon." She opened it and checked the magazine. "Five rounds expended." She looked up at the pile of trash and something else caught her eye.
Warrick brought and evidence box for the gun. "Well we can account for four. That would leave the fifth." He held out the box for Sage to take it but she didn't grab it. "Parker, here."
"Warrick, was there any evidence of another body in that SUV?"
"Not that we could tell," Warrick replied frowning. "Why?"
Sage looked at Warrick as he came up. She held her light up in her right and the gun in the other. She then looked at what she was staring at. The light shone on another body. She looked at it and said, "Cause I think this case just got a little more interesting."
A/N: Time to process evidence and looks like the missing kid turns up dead and another John Doe with a gun. Where does this lead? Stay tuned for more Desert Secrets...