Chapter 23—A Sort of Homecoming

Frank Stockburne wore a polo shirt that was the same shade of blue as the Miami sky. Like everyone else, he was just relieved that it was all over—the rain as well as his daughter's ordeal. Through his mirrored sunglasses he looked up gratefully at the clear sky and then faced his guests. Members of the Miami-Dade Crime Lab and their guests sat in the shaded white chairs and watched him.

"First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming here today. If you're anything like me, you hate those long, boring political speeches, so I'll just keep it short. This is a special occasion for our family. Not only did you all help bring our daughter Emmie back safely, but also because I found out this week that she's been awarded a special citation by Lieutenant Caine." He put his hands together. "Everybody give yourselves a hand. All of you did a great job!"

The sound of applause echoed from the white pavilion.

The CEO smiled. "We knew that, in some little way, this family had to say thank you for what you did. So today, our home is your home. The whole Stockburne-Parr family is here, three generations of us, and I'm glad your families are as well. So without anymore boring speeches, because I know everybody's had a busy couple of weeks, I'll just let you know." He gestured with his hand. "Our pool and hot tub are over there to your right. Eat as much as you want. The food is in the main dining room behind you. So grab some food, sit back, relax, enjoy yourselves, and make some new friends." He stood back with a smile and held up his arm. "Thank you. Now go have fun."

Calleigh wore a tank top and shorts as she sat next to Delko at the pool's edge. Calleigh gently kicked the pool water, while five of Emmie's young cousins had their eyes glued to Delko.

"So you're a real diver?" one of them asked.

Calleigh smiled as Delko seemed to enjoy the attention. "That's right. Great way to get a girlfriend" he said with his boyish grin, glancing back at Calleigh.

Two of the boys wrinkled their faces. "Ewww!"

Delko never stopped grinning. "Watch this! I'll show you how to do the perfect cannonball."

Alexx sat at the white-clothed table and chatted with some other ladies when her son and daughter came up to her.

"Mom, can we go swimming? Mr. Delko is teaching us how to do cannonballs!"

Alexx smiled. "Go ahead, Sweetie." She smiled after them as they ran in the direction of the pool.

A brown-haired girl in a pretty red party dress and black shoes approached her. She carried a porcelain doll in a dark blue Victorian dress and bonnet.

"Well, hello there, Sweetie" the M.E. said, leaning down to her. "Oh, now that's a beautiful doll you're carrying." Alexx reached over and put a hand on the little girl's shoulder. "And what a pretty dress. What's your name?"

"My name's Tabitha" the little girl said, looking at the M.E. with some wonder.

"Tabitha? What a pretty name for a pretty girl."

"Aunt Emmie says you're a real doctor."

"That's right."

Tabitha pouted slightly as she held up her Victorian doll. "Lizzie's not feeling well. Can you make her feel better?"

Alexx gasped delightfully as she held the rustling doll and gently looked it over. Playfully she held her hand up to her chin. "Well, let's see now. Hmm. I think Lizzie's just been missing you. If you hold her for one hour, she'll feel all better." With a smile she gently handed the doll back.

Tabitha smiled at her. "Really?"

"Really."

The little girl clutched Lizzie tightly. "Thank you!" With that she walked away.

"You're welcome" Alexx called out with a delighted smile.

Delko stood at the edge of the pool, water dripping off him, as he lifted his last new little friend out of the pool. He couldn't help but notice that Frank now strolled by, eating cake from a paper plate. He glanced up at him. "Hey. Looks like you're starting 'em young, Delko."

Getting that boyish grin again, he looked at the two boy and three girls who watched him eagerly now. He nodded with a resolve.

"Okay! Everybody ready? Cannonball!" he shouted. In unison, Delko's five little friends shrieked as they grabbed their knees and followed Delko into the pool in unison, sending up a wave that doused Frank and his cake.

Frank dropped his wet cake and shook off his brown suit. "Delko! You…." He quickly censored himself around the young ears. He wiped off the top of his head and walked away, wringing out his brown jacket.

"That's why you want to know how to do the perfect cannonball" he said with his wet, boyish grin. His new little friends laughed as they hung onto the side of the pool.

Emmie leaned her crutches on the table as she sat in the pavilion. She perched her injured leg up on a white chair as she watched her co-workers enjoy themselves. Ryan sat with her.

"It was really nice of your family to do this" Ryan said as he watched out on the lawn. "Looks like everybody's having fun."

The computer tech smiled. "I'm just glad to be home."

Chelsea, her five-year-old second cousin, sat nearby, bouncing in her flowery dress.

"Chelsea?"

The little girl looked at her aunt.

Emmie pointed to Horatio. "See that tall, red-haired man in the black suit with the sunglasses?"

The curly-haired little girl whipped her head around and then looked back at her elder cousin. "Uh huh."

"That's Lieutenant Caine. That's a real superhero."

Chelsea smiled. "Really?"

"I bet he'd really like it if you gave him a hug" she said with a smile.

The little girl trotted over to Horatio and immediately wrapped her arm around one leg. The Lieutenant smiled and stroked her hair. "Well. What was that for?" he asked her with a delighted surprise.

The little blonde-haired girl looked up at him. "My Aunt Emmie says you're a real hero."

He gently picked her up. "Actually, your Aunt Emmie was the hero. What's your name?"

"Chelsea."

"I had to do that" she said with a smile. Ryan chuckled.

Both of them leaned away as a wet, dripping Frank walked under the shade and began to blot his tie and shirt with a white towel.

"Tripp, aren't you supposed to get changed before you go swimming?" Ryan kidded.

The detective scowled at him. "Yeah, right! Delko's little swimming club did a cannonball right in front of me!" He now took off his wet brown jacket. "I'm gonna go dry off and get a beer!"

"You gonna want to take a boat ride with Uncle Edwin, Ryan?" Emmie asked.

He pursed his lips in thought. "Don't know. You coming?"

"Uh huh. It's really beautiful to go down the canal in the sunset. Just be careful. Uncle Edwin likes to make sure you've had enough beer."

Suddenly Emmie pointed out at the lawn and giggled.

"What is it?" Ryan wanted to know.

"Oh my God, will you look at this!"

Horatio now walked carefully across the lawn toward the shade. He still held Chelsea on his hip. She rested her little head trustingly on his shoulder and clung to his jacket lapel. Three other little girls in party dresses now walked closely behind him, each one clutching the hem of his black jacket in their fists. He still wore his sunglasses and smiled slightly.

"Mr. Wolfe. Miss Stockburne" he said matter-of-factly.

"Sir, I always knew you were the ladies' man" Emmie said between laughs.

Through his sunglasses he glanced down. "Well, it would seem word got out that I'm some kind of hero." He then turned back toward the house with his entourage. "Ladies, what do you say we go back up to the house and get something to drink?"

The little girls turned with the Lieutenant, still clutching his black jacket, nodding enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

He smiled. "Maybe we'll see you two on the boat ride." And with that he left.