Chapter Eight: All I Have to Give
He didn't stick around at the crime scene. As soon as he could he took the dog and headed back toward the lab with the few things they'd managed to salvage before the explosion. The dog remained quiet the entire ride back. Delko checked on him frequently in the rearview mirror, happy that he'd been 'reckless' and taken the dog with him. He was going to take the pooch back to the lab and swing by the morgue to see Alexx. There was a possibility of finding flesh in the dog's teeth; in fact, he was hoping that there would be some. After that he would drop some of the bloodied fur off at the DNA lab in hopes that Valera could tell him more about it. Then he would see about getting the dog some water and food. As he pulled into the parking lot at the lab he couldn't help but wonder what would become of the dog. Would he really end up in the pound like Ryan had said? Delko didn't like the odds of the dog finding a new home that way. He wanted to make sure the dog would find a good home where someone would treat it with the respect and love it deserved instead of locking it in the garage. If only he could keep him, but his landlord didn't allow pets so that wasn't an option.
Jury-rigging a leash out of piece of scrap rope he headed into the lab with the dog. He expected barking and growling but the dog remained quietly at his side, his tail down though not between his legs. Needless to say Delko got a few odd looks as he led the dog through the halls toward the morgue. He hoped that Alexx wouldn't mind the intrusion. He pushed the door open a bit to see what she was doing. Amazingly it looked as though he'd caught her at the right time; she drew a sheet over the body of the little girl. He entered the room with the dog.
Alexx looked from him to the pooch and back again. "I have nothing against performing a necropsy but I prefer that the patient at least be deceased."
"I'm hoping to find skin or something between his teeth," Delko explained. "There was blood leading away from him so I think he might have bit our murderer."
"Can't you just test the blood?" Alexx asked as she grabbed a few tools and slipped on a new pair of gloves.
"The house kind of exploded."
"What?" Her eyes got wide.
He was quick to explain that there was a gas leak and that everyone got out and to a safe place before it happened. She sighed with relief, happy to hear that no one had been hurt. None of them talked about it but there was no ignoring the tension in the lab. With the shooting and the car accident and the fact that Speed was currently gone things had gotten a little tense, people were edgy and jumpy. It was like walking on eggshells through the lab. And it didn't help that the mayor was breathing down Horatio's neck and threatening to cut the funding unless the case got solved. While Delko watched Alexx check the dog's teeth he prayed that they would find something or that the blood would give them a clue. Not only would it give him bragging rights with Ryan but it would be a major help now that the crime scene was literally a pile of rubble.
"Looks like you might have gotten lucky," Alexx said holding up a pair of tweezers with something clasped firmly within them. She slipped it into a bag, handing it to him. "Here you go. What a sweet dog," she said, patting him on the head.
"Thanks, Alexx," Delko said. Then he had a thought. "Hey, I don't want this guy to have to go to the pound; would you be interested in having him?"
Alexx smiled sadly. "My husband doesn't want dogs or I would take him in a heartbeat. I'm sure you'll find a good home for him."
"I'll ask Valera when I drop off this…whatever it is," he said as he held up the bag. They parted company and he set out for the DNA lab. They were one step closer to having an answer about who killed the family, one step closer to getting the mayor to leave them alone. The dog continued to behave himself as he walked the halls with Delko. A few minutes later they surprised Valera by walking into her section of the lab.
"What a cute dog," she said. She promptly scratched the dog under the chin. "What can I do for the two of you?"
Delko handed her the bag. "I need this tested. And the dog has blood on his fur that I would like to have tested. Hopefully it'll belong to our killer."
She took the bag and placed it on the table next to a microscope, then picked up a pair of tweezers and another bag. "Just let me gather a few of those hairs and you can be on your way." She began to pull a few of the bloodied hairs, some from the back and few from the muzzle. The dog didn't budge. "Any idea what kind of dog it is?"
"Nope," Delko shook his head. "Maybe he's a mutt."
"Well he's a very well behaved and cute mutt. I wish my landlord allowed pets because I'd take him home with me," she said as she stood, her job done. Delko didn't say anything about the dog just told her to keep him up to date on the test.
--
Later that day Delko was sitting outside the lab under a tree with the dog beside him. He'd managed to get the dog to drink some water but couldn't get him to eat any of the food, not even half of his sandwich. It worried him that the dog wasn't eating. It also worried him that he hadn't been able to find anyone that could keep the dog. He had asked Calleigh and Frank, Jake and Cooper. Even Ryan. But none of them could have a dog. Either it was allergies or they weren't allowed or they didn't have the time and space. It looked more and more like the dog was going to end up at the pound and that put Delko in a bad mood.
"So this is the dog that everybody in the lab is talking about?" Horatio said as he came upon the pair. The dog greeted him, though somewhat nervously.
"The dog everybody talks about but can't help," Delko muttered.
"Test results are in," Horatio said, slightly changing the subject. "The blood belongs to a Mister David Rossi. I'm going to take Jake, swing by and have a word with this man. I will make sure to check for dog bits."
Delko pet the dog. "Seems kind of sad that he gives us a key piece of evidence and we have to give him over to the pound."
"I'm almost positive that things will work out," voiced Horatio. He turned to walk away but stopped, looking back over his shoulder. "Oh, Valera says that he's an Anatolian Shepherd, a breed that originated in Turkey. And if I understand correctly they can be quite rare."
"That could be why the guy wanted him."
"We'll find out."
Horatio left so Delko found himself alone with the dog once again. The poor nameless, homeless dog but at least he knew that dog's breed. And the simple fact that the dog had done what it could to protect a family that had obviously treated it without love spoke a lot to the breed. It just seemed such a shame to him that a dog that lived in a cold garage without food or water would end up at the pound and most likely get put down. He thought about setting the dog loose, letting it run as a stray but there was no guarantee that life on the street would be any better. The dog could get hit by a car or shot or poisoned.
"When did you get a dog?"
His heart skipped a beat as the words settled over him. He looked up to see Speed standing off to the side. At the sight of Speed his throat went dry and he couldn't think of a thing to say.
The dog ran up to Speed, his tail wagging. "Hey buddy, do you have a name?"
"No," Delko explained, finally finding his voice. He quickly gave Speed the rundown on how he'd come into the possession of the rare Anatolian Shepherd. He even expressed his concerns about the dog not eating or having a good home to go to.
"I'll take him."
"What…you…?"
He shrugged. "Why not? My therapist has suggested getting a dog to help alleviate my fears and this guy needs a home. He shouldn't have to end up at the pound when he might have provided justice for a family that didn't care about him."
Delko smiled as a sense of warmth passed over him. "I guess Horatio was right, things did work out in the end." He was quiet a second before saying, "We need to talk."
"How about we go get this guy a hamburger or something? We can talk then."
"All right," Delko agreed. There were a lot of things on his mind, a lot of emotions that he had to sort through before they reached whatever restaurant they could find that had outdoor tables and wouldn't mind the dog.