January 2
Hibiscus Avenue – Miami, Florida
Anxiety filled Marisol as she stepped out of her car and walked over to the man that was lingering in the shadows that covered the alleyway. She hadn't intended on buying anything during the day, but Emily had woken up so ill and in pain that Ryan had rushed her to the hospital while leaving the twins with Mrs. Speedle. Anxious to help her sick friend, Marisol had decided to go buy marijuana for her.
Emily would probably refuse it, Marisol silently thought as she opened her purse and took out a twenty dollar bill, "How much for one bag?" she asked softly, holding out the twenty. "My friend is sick."
There was silence and then the man stepped out of the shadows, revealing Frank Tripp, who had been doing an undercover sting to catch anyone who might be in connection to Clavo Cruz, as Clavo seemed to be the top dog when it came to illegal activity all throughout Miami, "Oh," Marisol gasped anxiously.
"Marisol Delko?" Tripp asked in a shocked voice, gazing at her. "What are you doing buying this?"
Not wanting Emily to get into trouble for something she may not even use, Marisol sighed, "I'm doing chemo and it makes me sick sometimes," she replied anxiously. "I'm not buying a whole lot."
"It's still illegal," Tripp replied in an official voice. "I have to take you down to the station, I'm afraid."
Marisol nodded and held out her wrists, but Tripp shook his head, "I don't need to cuff you," he replied in a concerned voice, his instincts telling him that Marisol wasn't telling him the whole truth.
"All right," Marisol replied anxiously, sighing heavily as she spotted the police car nearby. "Let's go."
Miami-Dade Crime Lab
"According to the timeline we've established and the evidence we have, John Sullivan touched the gun that killed Stewart Otis, but we don't know where or when the murder took place," Callieigh explained as she gestured to a sheet on a board that had the information mapped out on it. "Monte Parker was killed in New York, so that couldn't have been the motive, but it could have been in self-defense."
Eric frowned, "Do you think Stewart touched John like he touched Ellie, Kylie, and Maggie?" he asked, feeling sick at heart as he remembered finding Stewart's DNA on the girls after Ellie and Kylie's rescue.
"It's unfortunately very possible, as Edward's DNA was taken off John during his last exam," Tim commented softly, silently studying the report made from the rape exam. "The problem is that John is still having trouble remembering everything and without his memories, he can't really help us."
It was at that moment, Ryan came into the room and silently went over to an area that nobody was working at, "Wolfe, where have you been?" Eric asked curtly. "We were having a meeting today."
"A meeting?" Ryan asked blankly, suddenly realizing that they were supposed to meet and put together the case for Stewart Otis's and Monte Parker's deaths that morning. "Sorry, I completely forgot."
Eric scowled, "Horatio said that we need to all work together so that everything's in order when John Sullivan and his family come to Miami," he snapped just as Natalia came in wheeling a large tray.
"I had more important things to do, Delko," Ryan replied, a yawn in his voice as he spoke.
Natalia frowned, "Meeting?" she asked in a confused voice, having just come from a tele-meeting with Grissom where she had been asked to look into Lindsay and Lenny Stetler's abductors because Catherine had been demanding something be done. "I just came to run these old samples."
"John Sullivan and his family are coming on the tenth so that John can be interviewed and investigated for his role in Stewart Otis's death and about Monte Parker's final moments," Callieigh explained in a calm voice, hating that things were so tense between Eric and Ryan. "Horatio asked us to piece together a timeline that started when Ellie Sullivan was kidnapped and finishes at everyone's rescue."
Natalia nodded, "Can I do anything to help?" she asked softly. "This group is like my family."
Before Eric or Calleigh could reply, Horatio came into the room, "Speed, your presence is requested by IAB," he said in a somber voice, ignoring the shocked looks Eric and Callieigh were giving him.
"IAB?" Tim asked as he got up from the chair he had been sitting on. "What do they want?"
Swallowing hard, Horatio gestured out into the hallway and deeply confused, Tim followed him out, "A man named Tony Speedle broke into Club Cruz on Christmas Day and hasn't been seen since," Horatio explained in a somber voice as he led Speed to the elevator. "Does that name have meaning to you?"
"Tony's my brother, H," Tim replied softly, gazing at his friend and boss. "Is he off his meds?"
Horatio frowned as he led Tim into the elevator, "Your brother is on medication?" he asked softly.
"Tony's got mental health problems," Tim replied numbly as the elevator stopped and opened.
Nodding, Horatio was quiet as he and Tim approached the IAB office, only to find that the glass windows and doors had been shattered. What was left of the door was open and the couch was overturned while books and magazines littered the floor. Both Horatio and Tim immediately drew their guns.
There was a loud bang and the bathroom door suddenly shot open and a shaken Rick slowly limped out with a ball of paper towels in his hand and his gun in the other. His forehead was bleeding and his eye was swollen as if he had been in a fight. Almost immediately, a crowd of IAB officers gathered round.
"There's a gunman knocked out in one of the stalls," Rick wheezed anxiously, leaning against the wall for support as he elevated his walking boot above the floor. "He used a silencer and barged into my office, shooting my windows and doors out before saying anything. I threw things at him and ran…"
Without waiting for a command, Tim strode into the bathroom and frowned at seeing a dark-haired young man unconscious in one of the open stalls wearing black clothes and shoes with a gun in his hand, "H, he doesn't look that old," Tim called out, figuring the kid wasn't even 18 yet. "What should I do?"
Before Horatio could offer a reply, the young man immediately sprang to his feet and launched himself at Tim in an aggressive manner with the gun at the ready. Anxious not to be shot again, Tim kneed the young man in the face, grabbed the gun, and dropkicked the kid to the bathroom floor.
Within minutes, Tim had secured the weapon in a paper towel and had the kid by the collar as he led him out of the bathroom, "This isn't over, Stetler," the kid snapped, glaring venomously at Rick.
"Excuse me, but who are you and what gave you license to do this?" Horatio asked sternly.
The young man snarled, "My grandma said that this pig is the reason that Uncle Ryan didn't visit and give us nice stuff for Christmas!" he whined, glaring at Stetler. "I wanted to come meet him!"
"Excuse me?" Horatio asked sternly, realizing the young man was related to Ryan and Emily.
Stetler scoffed as uniformed officers pushed through the crowd, "Have Doctor Woods look at the kid and then put him in a holding cell!" he shouted in an anxious voice, humiliated and angry about what had just happened to him. "The rest of you get back to work unless you want to get fired!"
The crowd scattered and as the officers handcuffed the young man, Horatio looked at Rick, "Maybe Doctor Woods should look at you," he commented softly, noting that Rick was extremely agitated.
"I've got to get my computer and find a temporary office to work in today," Rick grumbled as he moved into what was left of his office, leaving Horatio and Tim alone. "Thank you for all of your help."
Tim frowned, "H, do you think that the kid's related to Ryan?" he asked in a concerned voice.
"Speed, how's the prep for the John Sullivan case coming?" Horatio asked in a worried voice.
Tim frowned, "It's coming," he replied gruffly. "Do you think the kid is working for Clavo Cruz?"
"I don't think so," Horatio replied, feeling as if Clavo had nothing to do with the attack on Rick. "Speed, I want you, Calliegh, and Eric to continue putting together the John Sullivan case and leave this to me."
Even though Tim wanted to help with the teen and his possible connection to Ryan, he nodded and silently went back to the elevators. Just as Horatio was going to go up to the lab and find Ryan to have a chat, his phone buzzed several times. Letting out a sigh, Horatio fished it out of his pocket.
"Caine," Horatio said in a brisk voice as he answered the phone. "Ah, Frank, what can I do for you?"
Shock hit Horatio as Frank explained that he had caught Marisol in the process of buying marijuana while on a drug sting to find associates of Clavo Cruz to get out of the way before the Sullivan-Boscorelli family came to Miami, "She's in holding, right?" Horatio asked anxiously. "I'll be right there."
Even though he wanted to talk to Ryan, Horatio thought silently as he hurried towards the elevators with his heart pounding in his ears, he also needed to be there for Marisol and figure out her actions.
Manhattan, New York
"I'm finished," John said in a nervous voice as he gazed up at the exam proctor, who had her eye on several kids in the large testing center, with a nervous expression on his face. "What do I do?"
Having been told by Bosco and Danielle that John would be nervous and most likely ask questions if he felt comfortable enough to do so, Maggie Davis nodded and walked over to John's desk, "You put the test in the envelope and I'll put it into the office," she explained quietly so not to disturb the other kids who were taking tests. "If you do well, you might get your high school diploma this year."
"Wow, really?" John replied softly as he checked over his answers. "Do you think it's realistic?"
Maggie smiled, "I may only do this part-time to supplement the bills that aren't paid by working at the elementary school with your brother, sister, and all the other children there, but I believe that you're more intelligent than your age," she replied quietly. "You just haven't been able to tap into your potential because of everything's that happened, but you are truly a remarkable young man, John."
"Thank you," John replied softly, both embarrassed and gratified at the sincere praise.
Maggie nodded and watched as John slid the test into the provided envelope, "Now, I'll take this and I want you to go enjoy the rest of your day," she whispered as he stood up. "It's a PD Day, after all."
Nodding, John picked up his diabetes bag and his coat and silently left the testing center, not surprised when he saw his grandfather leaning against the wall in the hallway, "How did you do?" he asked gently.
"I think okay, but Mrs. Davis will call and I'll also get a letter with the results," John replied softly.
Sully nodded, "If you graduate high school this year, you know that people will help you get into college if you want to go, right?" he asked softly. "You're as smart as your mom and you deserve to go."
"Maybe," John replied in a non-committal voice. "Can we go meet Maurice, David, and Ellie now?"
Nodding, Sully kept quiet as he and John left the building and walked over to the curb where the car was parked, "I think they went to Central Park with Holly, Tommy, and Kylie since there's no school today," John commented softly, suddenly feeling very chilled. "Grandpa, can we just sit in the car for a bit?"
Before Sully could reply, John got into the front passenger seat and stared straight ahead as if trapped in a daze. Sully quickly got in on the front driver's side and started the car, but kept the car in park.
"It was sometime in the really early morning or after dark in the evening, I think," John spoke softly, gripping the door handle as his eyes narrowed. "I think the van had stopped in New York somewhere so I could relieve myself, but I couldn't and Stewart got bored waiting with nothing to do. He tried to mess with me and pulled a gun on me just as someone came out of the van looking for us. I heard Edward shouting at Doc to get me to hurry up and I heard Stewart say that he had just given me a gun so that I could kill myself before I died. I had no idea that I was holding a gun until Stewart mentioned it and I…"
Taking a deep breath, John sighed heavily, "I fumbled with the gun and I heard it go off," he explained in an anxious voice, gazing at Sully. "I was blindfolded, so someone had to escort me to go to the bathroom whenever we stopped, which wasn't often. I think I might have actually killed Stewart Otis, Grandpa."
Sully's eyes widened as John slouched a little and placed a hand on his head, "I just feel like absolute crap right now and I wouldn't have remembered it except for the desks in the testing center are made of this metal that made me think of a gun," John explained softly. "I didn't think I'd remember this way."
There was a heavy silence and John sighed, "I guess I have to talk to a detective now," he spoke softly, suddenly full of fear about what he had remembered. "Do you think they'll want me to go to jail?"
"John, if you did kill Stewart Otis, it was an accident," Sully replied firmly. "Look, why don't we go back to your apartment and we can Skype Miss Wolfe or Lieutenant Caine. Do you trust those two?"
John nodded and Sully sighed as he started the car, hoping that everything would work out.
Out on the streets, Danielle sighed heavily as she slouched in her seat while Carlos carefully navigated the ambulance through the traffic, "…I'm not going to go home because I don't have the flu," she said in a tired, very irritated voice as she struggled to control the nausea she felt. "I'm just very overtired."
"You said that things were going better with the kids," Carlos replied in a concerned voice, sighing as they stopped at a red light. "You seem happy in your marriage, so what's making you so sick?"
Danielle shrugged and closed her eyes, "I'm not saying anything about what I think it is, so maybe you'd better just take me to Mercy," she said in a tired voice. "I need this sorted before I go to Miami."
Carlos was silent for a moment and his eyes narrowed before he nodded, "Okay," he replied calmly.
Miami-Dade Police Department
When Horatio arrived at the cell-block, he was surprised to see Ryan already there talking to Tripp in hushed voices while Marisol lingered inside a holding cell, "…I sent Marisol to get something for Emily to have once she's home from the hospital," Horatio heard Ryan say softly. "Arrest me if you need to."
"Mister Wolfe, Frank, what is going on?" Horatio asked calmly as he approached the two men.
Ryan immediately swallowed hard and took a step back, "I was out on drug surveillance and I caught Marisol Delko in the process of buying marijuana," Tripp explained in a concerned voice.
"And Mister Wolfe is here, why?" Horatio asked tersely, sensing there was more to the story.
Ryan flinched as if he had been slapped, "Mister Wolfe, there is a young man just down the hallway by the name of Jason Wolfe who was arrested for assault and property damage," Horatio stated firmly.
"Jason?" Ryan asked in a concerned voice, wondering why his nephew was there. "What do you…?"
Suddenly, the doors to the cell block banged open and loud footsteps entered, "JASON!" an angry, but very familiar voice shouted above the officers who were trying to calm him down. "WHERE IS MY…?!"
There was a silence as an older version of Ryan came down the hallway wearing a suit and looking murderous, "I should have known Stetler would be the reason for you missing Christmas, you spineless little worm!" the man snarled as he advanced on Ryan. "I heard Jason tried to shoot the jerk."
"Your son is Jason Wolfe, sir?" Horatio asked sharply. "He's down the hallway in the first holding cell."
The man scowled, "I'm not just any old sir," he hissed. "I'm Thomas Wolfe, the famous race car driver."
Tripp sighed, "If you'll just follow me, I'll show you where he is," he replied in a distressed voice.
As Tripp started to move away, Thomas glared at Ryan, "You owe us," he hissed as he followed Tripp.
Rolling his eyes, Ryan sighed and stalked off down the hallway to the other elevator. Flabbergasted by Ryan's strange behavior and Tom's rudeness, Horatio silently turned his attention to Marisol.
"Natalia, what did you want?" Tim asked as he poked his head into the DNA lab where Natalia was.
Natalia looked up from the computer where she had been reviewing the DNA that had been found at the abductions of both Stetler children years ago and stored, "I was asked by Sergeant Stetler to run some DNA from some unsolved cases and the name Speedle came up in the results," she explained in a nervous voice, watching as Tim frowned. "One of the unsolved cases was the abduction of a child."
"What?" Tim asked in a shocked voice as he came over to the computer and saw that DNA belonging to a Tony Speedle had come up on the computer. "What exactly are you doing with his DNA, Natalia?"
Natalia sighed, "This is a report on DNA that was found at the scene of the abduction of Lenny Stetler earlier in the year," she explained in a somber voice. "Stetler saw him do it, but he needed evidence…"
"There's 17 years between my brother and I," Tim replied softly. "He has mental health problems."
Natalia nodded, "I have to show this evidence to the Chief because Stetler wants the investigation re-opened," she said in an anxious voice. "If you or your parents have any idea where Tony can be found…"
"I haven't seen my brother in a long time and neither have my parents," Tim replied somberly.
Before Natalia could reply, Alexx came into the room looking concerned, "I was patching up Sergeant Stetler and he suddenly left after getting a page," she said in a worried voice. "What's going on?"
"I don't know, but I need to make a call before I get back to it," Tim replied as he calmly left the room.
Angel of Mercy – New York, New York
Anxiety filled Bosco as he hurried into the emergency room through the ambulance bay, deeply grateful that Danielle had given him a cell-phone for Christmas in case of an emergency. What he didn't expect, however, was Carlos to call him on it and say that Danielle was currently sick at the hospital.
Not wanting David and Ellie to be involved until he knew what was wrong, Bosco had left them with Holly, Kylie, and Tommy and had taken a cab to the hospital alone. Now, the sight of Carlos standing outside an exam room made Bosco want to either cry, throw up, or start yelling at the top of his lungs.
"What's going on?" Bosco asked anxiously as he approached Carlos. "What's wrong with Danielle?"
Carlos sighed just as Nurse Mary Proctor came out of the room and saw Bosco there, "Officer Boscorelli, your wife is hooked up to a few IV's and resting comfortably," she said in a professional voice.
Swallowing hard, Bosco nodded and silently entered the room, shocked to see Danielle sleeping on an exam bed with an IV in her arm and a fetal monitor on her abdomen that was connected to an operating ultrasound screen. The sound of a heartbeat on the screen caused Bosco's eyes to fill with wonder.
"That's my baby," Bosco whispered softly as he wandered over to the machine and touched the screen.
Tears filled Bosco's eyes and he sniffled, unaware that he was being watched by tired, but calm eyes.
"Maurice?" Bosco suddenly heard a very tired, groggy voice ask. "When did you get here?"
Bosco turned and saw Danielle looking at him tiredly, "Just a minute ago," he replied softly. "Carlos called me and I left David and Ellie with Holly, Tommy, and Kylie. John and your dad aren't back…"
"I guess we have a little souvenir from our honeymoon, babe," Danielle replied groggily, smiling at him. "I'm very grateful that we were given that night in a Plaza suite as a wedding present, you know?"
Bosco blushed and smiled, "I'm really tired and I was told I should rest a bit," Danielle whispered, her eyes drooping as she held out her hand to Bosco. "After I rest a bit, we'll go tell the rest of the family."
"Yeah," Bosco replied, taking Danielle's hand as she fell back asleep. "I love you a lot, Danielle."
The sun shone through the diner windows right on to Ryan, but he took no notice of it even though he was staring out the window at the view of the beach that the diner provided. He had left the PD after being reprimanded by Horatio for trying to help Marisol and he had asked Rick for a little talk. Rick had responded by signing him out and taking him to a diner that was several blocks away from prying eyes.
"I got you a sandwich and some onion rings to go with it since you weren't particularly fond of fries the last time we did this," Ryan heard Rick say in a calm voice as plates of food were set on the table.
Ryan turned his head and sighed as Rick sat in the booth across from him and smiled at a waitress as she walked away from the table, "I'm guessing Jason's father showed up to collect the little brat and he found you down there for some reason," Rick stated calmly. "Didn't Jason say you owed that family?"
"I missed Christmas," Ryan mumbled softly, his eyes downcast. "They expected me to show up…"
Rick scoffed, "Just to give them expensive gifts that you can barely afford?" he replied in an unimpressed voice, giving Ryan a look. "You were helping Anthony Speedle prepare a dinner for homeless people and Tommy couldn't stand that you weren't spoiling his bratty children?"
Ryan didn't respond and Rick silently picked up his sandwich since he figured Ryan wouldn't talk unless given time and space, "Emily woke up in pain and got sick in the middle of the night," Ryan finally said in a somber voice, finally looking up at Rick. "Her appetite comes and goes because of nausea and Marisol said that she knew someone could give something that could take the edge off and help her feel…"
Rick sighed heavily, "This friend of Emily's probably got caught in the bust that Detective Tripp was running to clear the streets," he reasoned calmly. "Have you been in contact with Emily lately?"
"I was at work and got ordered to help with that John Sullivan thing before I heard about Marisol being arrested," Ryan replied, finally picking up a few onion rings from the plate. "I went down to talk to Tripp about getting her out and Horatio showed up. Everyone at CSI but Speedle thinks I'm pretty…"
Rick raised his eyebrows, "As far as I know, Detective Caine also treats you with respect, as does Detective Tripp," he said in a calm voice. "I'll confess that I'm not entirely sure how John Sullivan will react to Lieutenant Caine, Duquesne, or Delko because they didn't exactly make him feel safe the last time he came here to look for Ellie. Then again, I wasn't in a position to know very much about what…"
Swallowing hard, Rick pulled at his collar, "I went to Victims Assistance for help," he spoke softly. "I just want you to know that I have to report your nephew's little stunt. Do you have any issue with that?"
"No," Ryan replied softly, his worry increasing. "I just don't want anything to happen…"
Rick sighed, "Bernard and Clavo will most likely come after me again once they're made aware that I talked to Victims Assistance," he replied in a concerned voice. "I want you to keep your nose clean and don't put up with crap from Horatio or any of his close buddies. Go take care of your sister, Ryan."
Ryan nodded and took the plate as he got out of the booth, "And stay away from Tommy, your mother, and his family," Rick commented softly. "Make sure you get that in a bag so you can eat it later."
As Ryan took his plate over to the counter to get the food put in a doggie bag, Rick silently gazed out the window and frowned as he saw a car with shaded windows pull up in front of the diner and a window open without any indication that it was going to stop. He also saw Horatio and a woman walking nearby.
Suddenly, bullets flew out the car window and towards the diner, shattering the glass windows upon impact. A searing pain shot up Rick's arm and he grabbed it just in time to see Ryan run back towards him and forcibly pull him out of the booth and on to the floor. Screams and alarms filled the diner.
The car took off and Ryan heard Horatio shouting outside, but he stayed beside Rick and quickly used his jacket to stop the bleeding from Rick's shoulder, "T-Tony Speedle," Rick finally managed to stutter.
There were footsteps, but Ryan didn't look up, "Mister Wolfe, what happened?" he heard Horatio ask.
"Put an APB out on Tony Speedle Junior," Rick managed to say as he slowly fell into unconsciousness.
"Miss Wolfe?" Emily heard a male voice ask as she lay there, allowing herself rest. "Emily."
Even though Emily was still very tired and wanted to rest more, she knew that the hospital would release her as soon as she was stable enough. Dr. Loman had given her a pain reliever and IV nutrients and fluids after she had been brought in with pain and nausea by Ryan earlier that morning.
Thinking it was Dr. Loman come to release her with instructions to take it easy, Emily opened her eyes and was surprised to see Ray standing at the foot of her bed with his hands on the empty portable table, eyeing both her and the possessions that were in a nearby chair. Ray looked unusually thin and tired.
"Emily, I need your help," Ray hissed anxiously. "Can you pull those out of your arms and come?"
Immediately realizing that Ray was high because she had seen countless criminals high during her police work, Emily shook her head, "I'm not going anywhere with you," she replied anxiously. "Not this time."
"I SAVED YOUR LIFE!" Ray shouted, shoving the portable table aside as he advanced on Emily and grabbed her arm roughly. "If it weren't for me, you'd have been killed in that hurricane!"
Emily whimpered and pulled away just as the sound of a gun cocking could be heard, "Get away from her," she heard Tim's voice say in a sharp voice as footsteps entered the room. "I'll shoot you."
Ray's eyes widened as Tim came into the room with his gun drawn, "I had a feeling something was wrong when I hadn't heard from you like I usually do," Tim spoke softly. "Who's the druggie?"
"Druggie?" Ray snarled as he grabbed Emily's other hand. "I suggest you leave now, copper."
Ray quickly sunk his fingernails into Emily's arm and Tim cocked his gun, "Last warning," he growled.
"You're a fool," Ray hissed as he released Emily and extracted a gun from his pants pocket. "You…"
Scared that the man was going to shoot the only woman he ever really loved, Tim aimed at Ray's leg and promptly fired. Emily screamed as Ray collapsed to the floor with the gun still firmly in his hand.
Light flooded the room and a dark skinned man promptly rushed into the room followed by several nurses, "I'm Warrick from Victims Assistance," Warrick explained as Ray forced himself to his feet and promptly aimed his gun at the floor-length window that led to outside. "Don't be stupid, Ray."
"Tell Horatio and Yelina hi when you see them," Ray hissed as he threw himself through the window.
As Ray took off hobbling, Emily began to shake and sob, utterly terrified about what could have happened if Ray had managed to drag her out with him, "Shh," Tim whispered, drawing her close. "I'm really glad I phoned my mom and she told me what happened. I can't begin to imagine if I hadn't…"
The silence made Tim look up from Emily to the nurses, "Call the MDPD," he said sternly. "Now."
Eric and Calliegh were both astounded as they pulled up in front of the diner in their CSI Hummer and saw two police cars and an ambulance outside the damaged diner. Two paramedics were sitting on the steps beside a shaken Stetler, who had very bad bruises on his arm and a bloodstained bandage. Ryan was inside, silently collecting evidence while Horatio silently lingered near a police car with Marisol.
"Horatio, we got a call on the way here that there was an assault at the hospital," Eric spoke up, giving Marisol a concerned look. "Speed's over there and so is a man named Warrick from the Victims Assistance organization who's getting statements. Should Callieigh or I go over there too?"
Horatio frowned as Rick glared at him, "Wolfe can go," Rick replied sternly. "He needs to go."
"Mister Wolfe is busy collecting evidence from the diner," Horatio replied in a confused voice.
Rick scoffed, "CSI Wolfe, front and center!" he shouted in a hoarse, but firm voice. "Now!"
There was an uneasy silence as Ryan came out of the diner looking startled, "There was an assault at the hospital that requires your attention," Rick stated in a firm voice. "Your immediate attention."
Ryan's eyes widened as he quickly realized that Rick was trying to tell him that Emily had been hurt while at the hospital and he should go to her, "Rick, I am Mister Wolfe's boss," Horatio stated in a cross voice, irritated that Rick was trying to undermine his authority. "His job here is very important and…"
"Delko and Duquesne can handle it," Rick barked, very much in pain from being shot. "Who's the girl?"
Eric glared at Rick, "My sister, Marisol," he snapped, very irritated by Rick controlling things.
"Marisol, hmm?" Rick replied, quickly deducing that it was the same Marisol that had been arrested while trying to get Emily something for pain relief. "And why is Marisol at an active crime scene?"
Horatio's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything as Rick sighed, "Wolfe, give Duquesne the bullet that went through my arm," Rick spoke in a pained voice. "Then go to the hospital and do the work."
Nodding, Ryan quickly handed Calliegh the evidence bag containing the bullet, "On second thought, Wolfe, I need you to give me a ride on the way," Rick said in a calmer voice. "I'm not needed here."
"Rick, you still need to give an account of what happened," Horatio said in a concerned voice.
Rick scoffed, "I told you to put an APB out for Anthony Speedle Junior and once you have him in custody without injuries, I will say what needs to be said," he replied frostily. "For now, I need to get some rest."
"Marisol, do you need a ride?" Ryan asked, eager to show Emily that Marisol hadn't forgotten her.
Suddenly remembering that Emily was probably wondering where she was, Marisol nodded and kissed Horatio's cheek, "I'll see you later, handsome," she whispered softly. "Perhaps for dinner at my casa?"
Horatio's eyes narrowed as Ryan and Rick silently walked over to Rick's car as if they were friends, but Marisol didn't see or hear Horatio talking with Calliegh and Eric as she followed Ryan and Rick.
Club Cruz
"Daaaad, what am I supposed to do while you're in visiting with Jenny and Grandma?" Jason Wolfe whined as his father parked the car in front of Club Cruz. "I'm just a minor, so I can't go in…"
Tommy sighed as he unbuckled his seatbelt, "Play games on the car computer," he said as he got out.
Swallowing hard, Tommy silently entered the club and was surprised to see that his mother was already there and being served a drink by Jenny. He was grateful that his mother had come even though he hadn't said why he wanted lunch and doubted she would be happy at the mention of Rick or Ryan.
"Mom, how are you?" Tommy asked grandly as he sat down at his mother's table. "I had to go pick Jason up out of jail because he trashed an IAB Sergeant's office and apparently, that's illegal."
Grateful that she was dressed in a fur lined coat and a fancy pantsuit and heels to keep her from the chills she felt about such news, Sarah Wolfe sighed, "An IAB Sergeant?" she asked coldly, picking up her drink and taking a sip. "You had better not be talking about Rick Stetler, Thomas. You know how I feel…"
"Yes, Mom, I know," Tommy replied calmly. "He's the reason Ryan didn't come for Christmas, though."
Sarah's eyes widened in anger, "I had a feeling," she replied coldly. "Oh, I'd love a word with that boy."
"Jenny, can you get me a Coke, please?" Tommy asked in a tired voice. "I really need some caffeine."
Jenny nodded and walked off into the kitchen where Clavo was sampling something that one of the culinary staff had put together, "Do we have customers out there?" Clavo asked as he watched Jenny get a glass and put some Coke from the machine into the glass along with a straw. "Seriously?"
"It's just my father and grandmother," Jenny replied calmly. "They're talking about my Uncle Ryan."
Realizing that he had just been given a way to get Stetler back on the straight and narrow, Clavo smiled, "Jenny, you look exhausted," he said, taking the glass. "Take a bit of a break and I'll go do this."
"Thank you," Jenny replied softly, exhausted from working as hard as he had that day. "Thank you."
Grinning, Clavo nodded and sauntered into the common area over to where Sarah and Tommy were sitting, "Who ordered the Coke?" he asked in a grand voice, smiling at Sarah and Thomas. "Hey."
"I ordered the Coke, Clavo," Tommy replied calmly. "Do you remember me? I'm Jenny's father."
Clavo nodded and handed the glass to Tommy as Sarah sighed, "I'm sorry, I'm just so upset over the fact that I can't even talk to Ryan about his irresponsible behavior," she said in a distressed voice, quickly downing the rest of her drink. "After what he did to the family, I deserve an explanation!"
Overwhelmed by the thought of Rick and Ryan still in contact with one another, Sarah began to sob and was completely unaware of the fact that Clavo was planning to kidnap Ryan in the very near future.
Manhattan, New York
Sully sighed calmly as he brought two cups, one of green tea and one of coffee, over to the couch where John was sitting with a blanket around him. While Sully had prepared the drinks, John had gotten on Skype and had left a detailed message the way that Emily had taught him to just in case he needed to talk and she couldn't respond right away. He had left a detailed message detailing what he remembered and had said that he would willingly repeat it when they could talk before calmly ending the call.
"You need to stay healthy," Sully said calmly as he offered John the green tea. "Warm green tea."
John nodded and took the mug, "Thanks," he replied softly. "How long will we be in Miami for?"
"I don't know, but it's not something you need to worry about until we actually go," Sully replied in a calm voice as he gazed at his eldest grandson. "Worrying will only mess up your health, you know?"
John sighed and silently drank the tea, "Do you think that Stewart Otis guy really hurt Ellie, Carlos's little girl, and Officer LaRusso's daughter?" he asked softly. "Why would someone want to do that?"
"You could hear what was going on, couldn't you?" Sully asked in a concerned voice. "All of it."
John nodded slowly, "I was in the basement, but I could hear little kids crying," he replied softly.
Sully frowned and sighed as John handed the empty mug back, "I'm sure that the police in Miami will make you retrace your steps according to what you can remember, but you won't be alone in doing so," Sully said in a calm voice as the door opened and Bosco and Danielle came into the apartment.
"Are you two up for going out for a meal with the rest of our family and some friends?" Danielle asked in a tired, but cheerful voice as she sat on the arm of the couch. "By the way, John, how was the test?"
John sighed, "The metal desk helped me remember some things, but I already called Miss Wolfe and left a message like I was told to," he replied softly. "I…I need to check my sugar and use the bathroom."
Bosco frowned as John disappeared into the bathroom, "What did he remember?" Bosco asked softly.
"How Stewart Otis probably died," Sully replied in a distressed voice. "John's processing it."
Danielle nodded and sighed tiredly, "It'll be better that we're staying with Bobby, then, I think," Bosco spoke up in a concerned voice. "A hotel would only make everyone feel more paranoid about things."
"Are David and Ellie going to be at wherever we're eating?" Sully spoke up in a worried voice.
Bosco nodded and sighed, "I want to go to John with the more stressful stuff that will be included in our visit to Miami," he spoke up in a concerned voice as he gazed at Danielle. "Since John's a minor, an adult has to be present whenever the police talk to him and I don't want you getting too stressed and…"
"I'm not going to lose the baby, Maurice," Danielle replied softly. "But you or my dad can help…"
Sully nodded and Danielle suddenly flashed a grin at him, "More time around the police in Miami will let my dad have more time with Detective Salas, after all," she replied gently. "You miss her, don't you?"
"We've kept in touch through letters," Sully replied softly. "Detective Salas is a very good friend."
Just then, John came out with his diabetes backpack in hand and a tired expression on his face, "It's a bit low, but I gave myself some insulin," he spoke in a tired voice. "I should be okay until we get there."
"Drink a glass of juice just in case," Danielle said in a gentle, but firm voice. "We can wait a bit."
John silently nodded and did as he was told, "Let's go," Danielle said in a gentle voice. "Okay?"
As Bosco, Danielle, John, and Sully left the apartment, the cell-phone that Danielle and Bosco bought Sully for Christmas vibrated in Sully's pocket. Sully kept walking as he took it out and looked at it.
Sullivan, we need to talk about Ryan and Emily's situations when you're in Miami – Rick
Letting out a sigh, Sully pocketed the phone and made a mental note to contact Rick at a later time.
Miami-Dade University Hospital – Miami, Florida
As Ryan and Marisol hurried down the emergency room hallway, Ryan was surprised to see that not only was Natalia there, but Yelina was with her. Tim was also there, but sitting on the gurney next to Emily and silently watching as Natalia processed Emily and Yelina gently talked with her in a low voice.
There was a pause and then Yelina came out looking very somber, "You must be Marisol," she said in a calm voice, smiling at Marisol. "I need to talk to Ryan for a few minutes, but you can go in and visit."
Marisol nodded and went into the exam room, "Ryan, Miss Boa Vista said that Emily saw Ray in her hospital room and that he attacked Emily?" Yelina asked softly in a concerned voice. "I've had my doubts about whether or not Ray was dead, but I've never had the courage to ask anyone about it…"
"Detective Salas, I can't say anything," Ryan replied softly. "Victims' Assistance won't allow me to…"
Just then, Natalia came out of the room, "It's okay, Ryan," she said softly. "You can tell the truth."
Swallowing hard, Ryan sighed and shook his head, "Ray faked his death so he could run Victims' Assistance without interference, but he's been acting erratic enough lately that I've conferred with one of the founders of Victims' Assistance to revoke his authority and he's now wanted for questioning," Natalia explained in an anxious voice. "It's because of this that Detective Hagen committed suicide."
Yelina's eyes widened, "Detective Hagen endangered Bobby's life because he was upset over Ray's lies?"
"Speaking of Bobby, where is he?" Ryan spoke up in a worried voice. "He didn't come to work today."
Yelina sighed, "Bobby prefers his business to be private," she replied gently, knowing Bobby would only be humiliated if she told others about what Bobby was doing to help his continued recovery along. "Perhaps we should go back and help Emily to feel safe until she is ready to be released?"
Ryan and Natalia exchanged a look, but went into the room with Yelina with questions on their minds.
In the privacy of the CSI Lab's morgue, however, Alexx had just finished examining Bobby and taking his vitals and was now preparing a prescription at a corner table while Bobby sat on the table usually reserved for examining corpses, "I'm sorry it's taken a while for me to do this," Bobby spoke softly.
Alexx smiled, but didn't say anything, "I've had insomnia and nightmares since Maggie and Amanda died, but I haven't had a panic attack since their funeral," Bobby explained in a gentle voice. "Lucky for me, BJ and Adam play in the yard a lot when they're not in school, so I clean up the yard when I can't sleep or I straighten up the house. I've got some guests coming in a few days, so I need to sleep."
"You're taking your partner's family in while they're here?" Alexx asked softly. "That's really kind."
Bobby nodded, "I know that finances are tight for them and I have the room," he replied calmly as he got off the table and walked over to Alexx. "Can you only give me a week's worth so I don't end up…?"
"Getting addicted?" Alexx replied softly, carefully putting pills into a bottle. "You aren't going to…"
Bobby sighed, "Amanda was mentally ill, but she took more than the prescribed dose because she said she couldn't function without the extra pills," he explained softly. "I did try to stop her from taking more than the required dose, but she would overdose just to get me to fall in line and I'm just afraid…"
"From what Horatio's shared with me about what happened, you're not like Amanda," Alexx replied in a calm, but firm voice as she put a label on the bottle and capped it. "I gave you a month's worth."
Nodding, Bobby took the bottle, "Thank you," he replied softly, pocketing the bottle. "I appreciate it."
Alexx nodded and smiled, "Enjoy the rest of your day, Detective Caine," she replied in a motherly voice.
Manhattan, New York
I'm out right now, but I will contact you when I get home. John sighed as he read the message that Emily had sent him over the phone just as a plate filled with a diabetic-friendly meal that he had ordered so he could eat along with everyone else at the table. He sighed and silently put the phone into his pocket.
Danielle smiled at John as he began to eat and then she looked at David, Ellie, Holly, Carlos, Kylie, Tommy, and her father before looking at Bosco, but Rose came into the restaurant and joined them at the table before she could speak, "I hurried over here on my break, Maurice," Rose commented softly as she smiled at the others at the table. "What was so important that you asked me to hurry over?"
"I'm pregnant," Danielle said in an anxious voice, shocked when she was suddenly hit with a barrage of smiles, positive comments, and suggestions for baby names when she had expected nothing of the sort.
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