Chapter 18—Battered, Muddy, and Forever Silent

Horatio stared intently as he cradled his bandaged head with one hand. At times he still had to sit down while regaining his equilibrium, but for the most part, he could function normally now. He watched from a distance while the local forensics crew prepared to work on what was left of his battered, waterlogged Hummer.

His footsteps echoed on the concrete floor as he studied the brown, wet, dripping, mud-soaked wreck from the required distance. Swampy water still dripped out of the doors and ran across the concrete floor to the drain. The undercarriage had buckled in the center. Both headlights were smashed. Leaves, twigs, and other debris stuck to the scratched sides or had wrapped around the black grill. More twigs and leaves peeked out of the mud-soaked wheel wells. Windows that had not broken were now brown with a muddy film. Through the open rear hatch he could see the silt that had settled on the seats and the rear area. From where he stood, it was a miracle that he and Emmie hadn't been injured worse. That Hummer that he once drove so proudly now sat battered, muddy, and forever silent.

Forever silent. Like he and Emmie might have been. He just stared now as he fingered his sunglasses.

"Horatio."

He held his head as he turned toward the familiar voice behind him. "Rick. Nice of you to drive all the way out here to check on us."

"How's your head?" the IAB agent asked rhetorically.

He touched the bandaged scar. "Better."

IAB agent Rick Stetler stood with hands in pockets, that badge showing. His brown eyes scanned the dripping, muddy wreck as he paced over to the Lieutenant. "Yeah, well, they sent me here to find out what happened. They lost nearly half a million dollars in equipment because of that wreck."

Horatio now leveled his eyes at his nemesis. "So it's all about the money again, is it, Rick? You're aware that Emmie and I nearly died in that crash? And with all that high-tech equipment, why did it take almost a day to find us?"

Rick closed his eyes and put one hand up. "Look, I'm doing a joint investigation with Charlotte County now. I'll let Miami-Dade know my findings." He dipped his head now. "I understand Emmie was driving when you crashed?"

"She was. She's authorized to drive my vehicle."

"I know that. But why was she driving?"

"Time management. I felt it would be better for her to drive while I was on the phone with the lab over the Miller case. The weather was rough, but she's driven under all kinds of conditions, Rick."

He was unfazed. "I'm sure she has. But I saw the photos of the crash site myself. It's possible she might have been driving too fast for the conditions."

Horatio could feel his blood pressure rising. "They're still combing that area, Rick. That flash flood scattered a lot of evidence. It's gonna be days before they sort out everything."

The IAB agent lowered his head and pointed toward the doors. "I'm not on a personal witch hunt, Horatio! They're breathing down my neck to find out why we lost all that equipment and had to put in those man hours to track you down in the middle of a weather emergency. Not to mention sending me out here for a joint investigation and towing the Hummer back to Miami. That was a secluded stretch of road. Just what were the two of you doing out there?"

"We were on a detour, and Emmie missed her turn. The County didn't think it was necessary to put a navigation system in my vehicle. And now they want to crucify her. Is that it, Rick?"

"You know I'm just doing my job." He glanced at Horatio's waist. "What happened to your firearm?"

"Emmie took it off me for protection. I was unconscious and couldn't really do anything with it. Why don't you ask her?"

Rick raised his eyebrows. "You know as well as I do, Emmie's on pain killers. She's not coherent enough to answer any of my questions."

"She's coherent enough to work on the Miller case."

Rick furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"

"Mr. Wolfe brought the lab's other laptop up to her room. She's working with Tyler from her hospital bed. And Rick, when you go tearing into her, keep in mind that we almost didn't survive last night."

Rick huffed. "Yeah, I know all about her leg. But you're saying she's okay now?"

"No, that's not what I said. I said she's coherent enough to work on the Miller case. I'd be careful about making her a scapegoat. She has contacts at the state and Federal level, and they have their ways of getting even."

"I'm keenly aware of that" he retorted. "But I'm not so sure those contacts are gonna help her if she was grossly negligent."

The Lieutenant held his bandaged head and shot him another glare as he turned to leave. "I'm going to go sit down for a while. But there's just one more thing. Emmie might not appreciate you grilling her so soon. It might ruin your chances with her."

Rick's resentful brown eyes followed his nemesis as he walked out the door.

Emmie tilted her head tiredly toward Ryan while she balanced the laptop on her good leg. "Thanks for setting me up with this thing."

The young CSI shrugged as he smiled. "Yeah, well, Tyler said you were getting bored."

"You know I was able to help work on the Miller case for a little while? Tyler's cyberforensics is limited."

Ryan raised his eyebrows. "That's great. So the drugs aren't messing you up?"

"Maybe just a little. Stinks that I'm gonna be off this leg for a couple of months. She glanced down at her bandaged, braced left leg. "Ends up they put pins and screws in there. Thanks for coming."

He nodded. "Yeah. Glad to do it. Horatio kind of called in some favors so I could be here. If you want to know, I'm actually on a working vacation. Poor Delko's wiped out."

Emmie simply looked into his brown eyes. Ryan finally looked down.

"They got the Parade of Lights at the Harbor on Christmas Eve" he finally said. "Maybe if you're up to it."

"I don't know if I'm even gonna be able to stand up by then. But yeah, I'd love that."

Both Ryan and Emmie glanced up when they heard a tap on the door.

Rick Stetler strode in. "Wolfe, aren't you supposed to be helping in the Miller case?" he said, his eyebrows raised. "That was a condition for me bringing you out here."

Ryan smirked. "I'm working on the Miller case with Emmie right now, Sergeant Stetler" he said coldly as he stood up.

"Well, take a break. I need to speak with Emmie for a few minutes. Alone. So close the door on your way out."

Rick quietly sat in the armchair next to the brown-haired computer tech. He studied her—the vacant eyes, the nasal canula, the IV line in her right arm, her bandaged, braced leg. His job would be tougher than normal. The IAB agent was used to playing politics, but this time he would really have to walk a fine line. It wasn't just Emmie's family. He hadn't forgotten that night at the Silver Palm when he held her close and savored her perfume as they slow danced. He could still feel that chestnut hair tickling his face in the ocean breeze.

"What can I do for you, Sir?" she asked quietly, tilting her head to look at him.

Rick had heard the 911 calls between Dade, Charlotte, and DeSoto Counties. Tyler had also recorded Emmie's distress calls from the wrecked Hummer. The sound of her tired, scared, pain-wracked voice had affected him on a deeper level.

"How are you feeling this morning?" was all he could say at that moment.

"Tired" she nearly whispered, her eyes numbly fixed on him.

"I heard you're helping Tyler on the Miller case. That's good."

"Thanks."

He nodded. "You're welcome. How's your leg?"

"They put pins in it last night. The fatty embolisms stopped."

He pursed his lips. "I heard. Glad you're feeling better." He fidgeted now under her almost robotic stare.

"Are you here about the wreck? Is that why you asked Ryan to close the door?"

He gathered his thoughts and sighed. That perfume, that chestnut hair, that smart pink dress suit, those political ties….

"I'm gonna need you to tell me what happened, Emmie."

"I'm very tired right now, Sir. I have to sleep." She shut off the silver laptop and closed it.

He quickly stood up and put his hand out. "Here. Let me take that for you."

"Actually, Sir, could you please send Ryan back in? I asked him to take care of my stuff." With both arms she hugged the old silver laptop.

"I'll make sure he gets it" Rick persisted, his palm still out to her.

Emmie closed her eyes painfully and held the laptop more tightly. "Please let me give it to Ryan, Sir."

Rick pursed his lips and huffed as he turned to go. "We'll talk later."