The Miami sun had yet to rise over the horizon yet when Lieutenant Caine pulled into the parking lot of a gentlemen's club. There were already a number of uniformed officers with the entrance to the club taped off. The lot was empty, save for the department vehicles and three other cars in the lot. Horatio suspected one might be their victims. He cut the engine and climbed out of the hummer. He walked across the lot and ducked under the tape.
Inside, the club was fully lit. The walls were covered in deep red paper with overlaid black patterns. The bar was set up in the back, near the door. On the far side of the club was the stage. The stage was only four inches elevated from the main floor. The railing was metal, like one would have guarding their home, reached from wall to wall. There was no chance anyone could get onstage without climbing over the railing. The stage and floor were cleared of a body, but on the right side of the club were booths. One of which was the source of the crime scene. Horatio walked down the line of booths until he reached the final one. Inside was a scene that would surly hunt him should the assailant escape.
A young girl was lying on the floor of the booth, completely naked. Her body was horribly mutilated and covered in blood. Her long blond hair hung around her body, trapped in her own pool of blood. Her eyes were opened, glazed over in the look of the dead. She had been gaged by some material, still in her mouth.
M.E. Alexx Woods was kneeling beside the young woman. She shook her head as she examined the young girls face. "Poor baby."
"Do we have an I.D. Alexx?" Horatio asked.
"Nothing yet. No purse, wallet, anything." Alexx answered.
"Okay. Possible causes?"
"I won't know until I get her to the lab, but I wouldn't be surprised if the C.O.D. was exsanguination. With all the stab wounds and blood on the floor, she could've bled out in minutes." Alexx explained.
"Our victim's stage name is Chastity Wildheart." Frank Tripp said, joining them at the booth.
"Who found her?" Horatio asked.
"Coworker, stage name Roxy. The two of them were closing up. Roxy went to the back to talk to the owner. She claims she was only gone for half an hour. When she came back she found Chastity tied to the pole." Tripp explained.
"She moved the body?" Alexx asked.
"She said Chastity was still alive when she found her." Tripp continued.
"Did she see anyone?"
"No, by the looks of her, I'd believe her." Tripp finished.
"Okay, where is the witness now?" Horatio asked.
"She's in the owners office with the owner." Tripp answered. "And she's pretty shaken up."
Horatio nodded. "Thank you Frank. Calleigh and Eric are on their way, I want to have a word with the witness."
"I'll be out here." Tripp said.
Horatio walked back toward the front door but turned left. He followed the hidden hall toward the back of the club. He passed the restrooms and dressing room doors. The owner's office was near the back exit. The walls were glass, giving Horatio a clear view of the owner and the back of the witness. Two officers stood at the door, keeping an eye on them. Horatio reached the door and slipped into the office.
The owner was middle-aged. His black hair was cut short, giving a few inches to frame his face. He wore a black shirt with the top three buttons undone. His pants were black, sleek. He clearly made plenty from the club, or he had money of his own to spend on his expensive wardrobe. He stood in front of his desk, watching his employee. Clearly he looked aggravated someone else was sitting in his chair. He looked up as Horatio entered the room.
"Folks, I'm Lieutenant Horatio Caine." He said.
"Are you in charge?" the owner asked.
"I am sir. And you are?"
The owner walked toward him. Richard Billings. I own the club." Richard said. "Do you think you can speed up the process?"
"Mr. Billings one of your dancers was murdered in your club." Horatio said.
"And it's a tragedy. Chastity was a wonderful addition to the ladies, but I do have a business to run. If I'm not open by tonight, I lose my customers." Richard said.
"Richard the club can close for a night. God, Maggie was tied up and stabbed at one of the poles! How can you be worried about you club?" cried a familiar voice.
Horatio took a step to the left. He spotted the witness behind Richard. She had risen from the chair and was now leaning over the desk. She wore a tight red dress that barely reached the middle of her thighs. The neck line plunged down to her navel and was tied like a corset up the front. The front of her dress and skin was covered in blood. Her dark hair now hung loose around her face. Her makeup had run because of her tears. Several hours and an outfit change did nothing to hide her identity from Horatio.
"Oh please Roxy, Maggie's life was this club. She wouldn't want us to close down because of this." Richard replied.
"You arrogant son of a-"
"Mr. Billings would you please step out of the office." Horatio said.
Billings turned back toward Horatio. "It's my office, why should I leave?"
"Because it is part of my crime scene and I need to speak with your employee alone." Horatio explained.
Billings snorted bitterly as he stormed out of the office. "Unbelievable."
Horatio closed the door behind him. He took a breath and slowly turned around. "Marisol."
Marisol held his gaze. "Lieutenant."
"You failed to mention the club you for-"
"Is a strip club?" Marisol asked. "I didn't think that was vital information at the time."
"How well did you know the victim?" Horatio asked. He needed to stay on the task at hand.
Marisol licked her lip nervously. "I've known Maggie for about three months. We started working here at the same time."
"Is Maggie her real name?" Horatio asked.
Marisol nodded. "Margret Johnson. She'd just moved to Miami."
"So she doesn't have any family in the city?"
"No. She said they were all in New Jersey." Marisol explained.
"Marisol, I need you to tell me what happened." Horatio aid.
Marisol took a deep breath. "We were closing up. Maggie was cleaning the booths. I was counting the till behind the bar. We do it every night together. After I'd finished counting I slipped the money into the safety pouch and walked it back here to Richard."
Horatio nodded. "Okay, then what?"
"I gave the pouch to Richard so he could count it. And when he did he thought it was light and we got into this argument. When he finally counted the money again, he realized he had the right amount and I left." Marisol explained.
"Is that when you found Maggie?"
Marisol nodded slowly. She swallowed back the tears that threatened to return. "She was just hanging there, bleeding. And she was still alive. I cut her down and screamed for Richard to call for an ambulance."
"But it never came?"
"No, the damn office is soundproof." Marisol replied. She wiped a stray tear from her face.
"Marisol, do you have extra clothing?" Horatio asked.
Marisol nodded, confused. "Yes. Why?"
"When you cut Maggie down, you contaminated the crime scene. Your clothes are now evidence." Horatio explained.
Marisol sucked her bottom lip for a moment. "I didn't tell you where I work, for the same reason I haven't told my family. I don't want to see the look of disappointment and disgust on their faces. When I learned the firm was closing, I looked everywhere for a job. And unfortunately, the club was the only place that hired me." She rose from the chair and walked toward Horatio. "I get looks that make me hate myself from men I despise. I just wanted to spare you. You can have your CSI meet me in the dressing room for my dress, Lieutenant." Marisol walked past Horatio and opened the office door. She marched quickly toward the dressing room.
Horatio sighed heavily.
"Mari?"
Horatio walked out of the office. CSI Eric Delko was standing at one end of the hall as Marisol was at the other. Marisol quickly rushed off into the dressing room. Eric walked down to the hall toward the dressing room, but Horatio stepped in his path.
"Eric, do you know her?" Horatio asked.
Eric nodded. "Yeah, that's my sister Marisol. H, what's she doing here?"
"It would appear, Eric, that Marisol is the one who found her colleagues body." Horatio explained.
"What?"
"I want you processing the booth. Send Calleigh back here, is that understood?" Horatio asked.
Eric nodded slowly. "Yeah."
"By the book, Eric." Horatio reminded.
"By the book." Eric called.
Horatio watched as Eric vanished back down the hall toward the clubs main floor. He turned his head toward the dressing room. It was going to be a difficult case.
yeah...who saw that coming?