CSI Miami Fan Fiction "Raymond's Christmas Carol" (Fanfic format)
Chapter 6—"A Bitter Memory"
Albert Engleberg was at South Beach Plaza—but it was not for Christmas-shopping. He couldn't see the point of the holiday after Irene's family shut him out. The little sandwich shop he chose was right near the South Beach Graham's Goodies. His brother-in-law, Ian, ran the store; Ian had gained custody of Duncan after Irene's death. Albert bitterly remembered the events of two years ago as he ate his lunch…..
Albert—Robert, as he had been known then-had needed to teach Irene a lesson when she had forgotten her priorities again. Irene claimed she had been at a friend's house; Robert had suspected that her "friend" was a lover. Young Duncan had tried to protect his mother; Robert had shoved Duncan across the room into a wall. That was when Ian and David had arrived at the house.
Outraged at the treatment of his terrified sister and nephew, Ian called the police and had Robert arrested. Then David, Irene's father, had the audacity to contact the Grahams' family lawyer for a temporary re-straining order. The order was handed to Robert upon his release from jail. Ian and David had Robert's things packed and sent to a nearby hotel while Robert was away. Robert was ordered to remain away from the family pending a further hearing.
Two nights later, Robert had driven back to the house where he was made so unwelcome. He waited until Ian and Rose had left. Robert didn't know if he had a chance at reconciliation, but he was willing to risk jail trying. What he didn't know was that David and Ian had changed all of the locks after Robert had been arrested. When Robert discovered this, he became angry and kicked the door in. Irene ran for the phone, but Robert was faster. Irene was severely injured when Robert was done—but not before Robert had taken several blows himself.
Robert had then noticed that his then-ten-year-old son had seen and heard everything. Robert was going to take Duncan with him, but Irene's screams had alerted the neighbors, foiling that plan. Robert ran out to his car and quickly left, leaving a confused and scared Duncan. Unknown to Robert, Duncan had called 911, then simply sat and waited quietly till the police came. The police, of course, wanted to talk to Robert, but he was already long gone. Duncan was sent to live with Ian and Rose.
Albert's thoughts returned to the present as he finished his soup. Time had healed the physical wounds and changed his appearance a bit. Working out and a new job had helped, too. He doubted that any of the Grahams would recognize him. But Albert was determined to have his son back—even if he had to go up against Ian again to do it.
Ryan later told Horatio and Calleigh what he saw at the Plaza. Tyler, after a careful study of Ryan's pictures and further checking, told them that the high-powered scanner Ryan had seen in Engleberg's vehicle was indeed illegal for civilians, including the media. "So that's how he's been finding out!" Calleigh said.
Eric and Natalia couldn't question Bob Gormanson just yet—his parents wanted a lawyer present. The young man had been sent to a holding cell for the time being while the evidence gathered from his house stayed at the lab.
That evening, in an apartment not far from the South Beach Plaza, a thin, sandy-haired man waited and planned a family reunion of sorts for December 17th, after the South Beach Graham's closing. Albert would pay a visit to his brother-in-law—and get his son back. Albert knew that the detectives had been to the Gormanson house from the news; he figured that Bob was being questioned. All Albert could do was hope that Bob kept quiet; otherwise, Albert's chances of getting what he wanted would slide away forever.
And that blond-haired detective who wouldn't talk to him—she was Irene! She wasn't dead, after all—just hiding out under a different name with a new job! That would also explain that one detective who got in his way; Albert would deal with him later, after getting Irene and Duncan back. Albert had sent a bouquet of a dozen red roses in a glass vase to her that afternoon, carefully writing out his message, but not signing the card: "Merry Christmas—and don't think I've forgotten you!"
The flowers arrived at the lab later in the day. Calleigh was delighted, thinking they were from Eric—until she saw the card.
Eric wondered who was sending flowers to Calleigh-especially with an unsigned card. The florist didn't remember much about the sender just then—only that the purchaser was a male who paid cash. Eric carefully put the flowers in another container and carefully worked on getting some prints from the vase and card.
Horatio also saw the card and flowers, and it reminded him of another case…a two-year-old case and a scared little boy. He headed to the evidence locker for a particular case file, then retrieved the card from Eric and asked Natalia to meet him in the Questioned Documents lab.