Spoilers: Slight reference to "Shawn and Gus of the Dead"

Disclaimer: Don't own Shawn, Gus, Lassie or any part of Psych. Those rights go entirely to USA network. Keep up the good work!

Lassie is missing. How will our characters react?

Chapter 8

"What do you mean 'he just disappeared?' I gave you explicit orders to increase the security at that hospital. You can't tell me that no one saw him leaving!" Chief Karen Vick was furious. She really hadn't wanted to let Detective Lassiter go undercover on that job. It had seemed to dangerous, but with the FBI closing in, she needed to have that case solved. Now, her head detective was gone and they had a day or two at the most before he would become the next victim to this mystery killer. She slammed the phone down after giving the head of security firm orders of sending ALL camera footage of that night to the SBPD and leaned her head back against the back of the chair.

There was a knock at her door. She looked up to see Detective O'Hara standing timidly outside the door. Vick raised a tired hand and motioned for the young detective to come in.

"Chief Vick, is it true?" she asked, her worry clearly in her eyes. "Is Carlton really missing?"

Vick was surprised at the blonde detectives use of the Head Detectives first name. Even though they had been partners for over two years, she had never heard her refer to him as anything other than Lassiter, or Head Detective. She must have been really worried.

"I'm afraid that he is, Detective O'Hara." replied Vick. "He went missing last night as the guards were changing shifts. We still don't know how he knew when it was, but somehow he managed to get in and take Detective Lassiter without so much as a struggle."

"I see," said Juliet, trying to remain composed. She was afraid that something like this was bound to happen and now that she had, she didn't know what to do. "I'll be going to check out the crime scene now."

"O'Hara," said Chief Vick in a kind voice. "You know the rules. You are too emotionally invested in this case to continue. I'll have to give up the lead to one of the other officers. Go home, relax. We'll find Lassiter."

Juliet shook her head. "With all due respect Chief, I will not back down from this case. When Lassiter was kidnapped, it left me the point on the case and I will not relinquish that position. I can't just go home and relax while my partner lies somewhere, being prepared to be killed. What kind of person would that make me. I need to be out there, in charge of the case and taking action. I've been on this case with Carlton since the beginning and I know everything there is to know. Giving up the case to someone else would mean lsoing time while they were briefed about it and time isn't something that we have. And if you do choose to take me off this case, you know it won't stop me from investigating. I'm sure you'd rather I do it with the department behind my back."

Vick was slightly shocked. Never had O'Hara so openly disagreed with her. That was Lassiter's job, but as Chief Vick thought about it, she began to see the points that the young detective was making. True, it would take time to debrief someone on the matters of this case and it was true that they wouldn't have time to do this. And Vick didn't want to lose another great detective simply because she went investigating without any sort of backup.

"Alright, O'Hara," she grudgingly replied. "You can stay point on this case, but if I see you are becoming too emotional in your decisions, I will take the case away from you."

Juliet brightened, and nodded, but contained the relief she was feeling from showing on her face. She had been really worried about being kicked off the case.

"With your permission then, Chief, I would like to hire Shawn and Gus for the case." As the Chief began to shake her head, Juliet kept talking. "You know, and I know, that they've been extremely invaluable in the past. They've closed all of our cases that they have worked on in the past, even though some of their methods may have been slightly unorthodox. And they are really good in tough cases that have been time sensitive. We need all the help we can get."

Once again, Juliet had been openly against the Chief's wishes, and once again, she had a good point. "Very well, call Mr. Spencer and Mr. Guster and have them meet you at the crime scene." Juliet stood there for a few more seconds. "Well go now. You said it yourself, we have no time to waste." Juliet nodded, then quickly turned and walked out of the Chief's office, closing the door behind her.

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"Shawn, stop flicking pencils at me!" exclaimed Gus as he was typing on his computer. "I need to finish my monthly sales report and it's due tomorrow! We've been so busy with cases this past week, you haven't given me any time to do this report."

The two best friends were sitting in the Psych office, waiting for a phone call from Juliet. She had said the day before that she would call later to give them any new files on the case to see if they could help with the case any more. But Shawn, being the child that he was, didn't like waiting for more than 30 minutes on new updates and now he was using his boredom as an excuse to annoy Gus.

"But Gus," he whined. "There's nothing to do. You won't let me turn on the television or play trash can basketball."

"That's because those two things are annoying. Just sit still for a few more minutes and let me finish my report and send it in."

"But what then? You're going to make Juliet magically call us? You're going to get our cable back? Are there going to be unicorns involved?" asked Shawn.

"No," said Gus. "I'll plug the phone back in." He held up the wire that gave power to the Psych office phone. "I took it out so we wouldn't get anymore calls while I was trying to finish up my report. Which," he said as he triumphantly clicked his mouse one last time. "I have just done." He bent over and plugged the phone cord back into the outlet. "Now, Juliet can actually call his."

True to his word, the Pysch office phone rang within a minute of him plugging it in. Gus dove for the phone, but Shawn got there first. "Shawn Spencer, resident psychic speaking. I sensed you were calling. How may I help you?" He asked in a mysterious voice.

As he had dived for the phone, Shawn had inadvertantly pressed the speaker button, so her voice blared out unexpectedly at him and he nearly dropped the phone.

"Shawn," she said. "You and Gus need to get down to the Lassiter's hospital right now. He's gone missing."

Both Gus and Shawn stared at each other in shocked silence. Detective Lassiter, missing?

"We'll be right there, Juliet, don't worry." said Gus as he grabbed his phone, jacket and car keys. "Come on, Shawn. We need to get down to the crime scene now."

"Yeah Jules, we'll be there as soon as possible." Shawn told the phone as he ran out of the Psych office.

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At the crime scene, Shawn was immensely relieved to not find any blood. Of course, he didn't need to worry, the killer had never left blood before, but nonetheless, it calmed him a little. Immediately, he noticed the unplugged clock by the bedside, reading 1:13 as the stuck time. The plug must have been pulled during the brief silent struggly between the killer and Lassiter.

Scuff marks, on the floor. From Lassiter's shoes. The killer had dressed the unconscious man and then dragged him out. Meaning he wasn't the same size or bigger than Carlton. Or the he was a she. But most women preferred poison to chosen method of murder, dissection just wasn't their thing. Wait, Shawn paused after his latest observation. The scuff marks. The killer must have dragged Lassiter until he got a more convenient means of transportation. Or until he left the building.

"I'm sensing-" Shawn voiced aloud, causing Juliet, Gus and the rest of the forensics team to turn towards him. "I'm sensing the killer went that way with our dear detective." He spastically lunged towards the doorway, then quickly scanned the area for the telltale marks. Down the hallway to his right. Flipping about, after all he was having a strange vision, Shawn made his way through the hospital, twisting and turning at every scuff mark. Finally, he reached the emergency exit where he stumbled into the broad daylight.

"My eyes!" he screeched dramatically. "But wait, am I wearing sunglasses. Why is the killer wearing sunglasses?"

Behing him, Shawn heard Gus explain. "He's channeling what the kidnapper was seeing as he took Lassiter."

"Not sunglasses, it is night. The kidnapper took our Lassie at night."

"That's great Shawn, but we already know that. He was taken at the changing, why is that important."

"Because, Jules, not only could the killer not see, he did not want to be seen." replied Shawn. "Oh, the spirits are calling me, to the security booth!" He began to run back inside the hospital, then turned. "Umm, where is the security booth?"

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After leading Shawn to the security booth, Juliet and Gus situated themselves so that they could clearly see the screens

"Well this much more comfortable than that room at the museum, wouldn't you say so Gus?"

"I would have to agree, Shawn." said Gus.

"Look Shawn, don't mean to be a bother, but could you hurry it up with the small talk. We are on a really tight schedule here." said Juliet exasperatedly.

"Of course, Jules, whatever you say. But you should know, the spirits cannot always be rushed." said Shawn in his most mystical voice.

"Just give me what you got." she said impatiently. Juliet was not about to lose her partner.

"Well, first I need you to pull up the footage around the time of the kidnapping." said Shawn to the burly security guard who had escorted them. The man did just that.

"Ok then." said Shawn as he examined the screen for details. "The spirits are telling me to look at the fifth turn past Lassie's room towards the loading bay. They tell me the killer wouldn't have been able to escape being caught on camera at that specific place. And you can bet there's a good reason why the killer doesn't want us to see him."

"Because then we would know who he was?" asked Gus. Of course, that would be an obvious reason for someone to avoid security cameras.

Shawn was watching the guard typing in the footage time. "No Gus, our kidnapper was obviously wearing something that covered his face. It would stupid of him not to. But there's something else. A distinguishing characteristic that he wouldn't be able to hide with clothing."

"Like a limp!" piped up Juliet.

"Precisely, my Jules." said Shawn.

"My?" asked Juliet skeptically.

"Oh, sorry about that. I uhh-" he trailed off. Shawn Spencer had been made speechless.

Luckily, the awkward silence did not ensue for very long, because right then the security guard informed them that Shawn was in fact right. The kidnapper had appeared, for ten seconds on the footage as he dragged a full-clothed, unconscious Detective Carlton Lassiter through the hallway. And the limp was visible as the masked man walked quickly, obviously trying to avoid being seen. Shawn's eyes flashed across the screen, as he tried to get in information. Judging from the man relative to Lassiter, he looked about 6'1". Probably about 180 pounds. On the black and white footage, it was impossible to clearly see the color of the stray hairs escaping the mans tight hat, but from what Shawn could see, it looked blonde. Black working boots on his feet, with mud. Probably what caused the stains on the floor. They looked extremely worn, meaning the man probably had a day job as some sort of a laborer.

Suddenly, Shawn's thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of Juliet's phone. She answered it, then listened and replied with a few short words. After she snapped it shut, she looked at Shawn and Gus, worry in her eyes.

"The crime scene guys found something in the main lobby. They said we should come check it out." said Juliet.

"Well, I'd love to come, but to be honest, I'm way behind on my routes. I really need to catch up on my regular work so I'll be free later if any new developments come up in Detective Lassiter's case." said Gus.

"Of course," said Juilet. "I understand. We'll keep you posted."

"Really, Gus? You're going to abandon me now?" asked Shawn.

"You know I've been putting my work off to help you with this case. I've got to keep my day job to help pay for Psych. So, if you'll excuse me, I have to go." With that, Gus turned around and walked back to where his car was parked. "Catch a ride with Juliet." he called over his shoulder.

As Juliet and Shawn began walking towards the main hospital lobby, Juliet suddenly spoke. "So what was that about calling me yours?" she asked.

"Well, um, I already said sorry," stumbled Shawn. He was clearly uncomfortable, unheard of when it came to the audacious flirt.

"Not that I mind," she smiled. "I usually prefer it if someone buys me dinner before they start acting like I belong to them."

"Will you have dinner with me then?" asked Shawn. "I mean, after this is all over."

"What?" said Juliet, surprised. She hadn't expected him to take it seriously.

"Have dinner, with me, like a date." said Shawn. "After we've found Lassie and all of course. We wouldn't really have the time right now."

"I'd love that, Shawn," smiled Juliet.

At last, they had reached the main lobby. A crime scene guy walked up to them, with a book in hand. When they saw it, they realized it was the folder that kept record of the patient's being checked out. Of course, Lassiter's name was written the list, but when they saw who was written as the person who had checked them out, both Shawn and Juliet gasped. In capital, bold letters, there were the words Santa Barbara Police Department written where the name of the person checking out the patient should be.

"He knows who Lassiter is," said Juliet in the stunned silence.

"What does that mean for Lassie?" asked Shawn, in a grave voice.

Tried a cliffhanger here. Hope you liked it :). Sorry about the time it took me to update. MAJOR writer's block. But I'll try to be more frequent.

So I managed some Shules. Exciting, I know. Don't worry, we'll see some darling Lassie next chapter. Till then, Read and Review( I kinda need some more reviews to keep me going so please help fuel this little writers machine) Concrit is appreciated!