*hihihi* I can't believe it! You wanna have Stettler back? *hihihi* ;D ;D Well, when I thought about a figure playing the bad guy in their own rows it had to be an increase of Stettie's character.... Seems as if I got it...*hihihi* ;D ;D
O.K. then: today both teams meet while Calleigh and Ryan are feverishly searching for evidence to help Horatio out... successfully?
Chapter 20As soon as Horatio and Eric had left
La Guardia Airport, they did not spend any time on looking for a hotel, but took their luggage, hired a cab to Midtown Manhattan and rushed to the New York Police Department.
At the information-desk on the ground-floor they were welcomed by Lindsay Monroe, one of Det. Mac Taylor’s team-members; a dainty, small, dark haired woman, who seemed to burst because of her energy. She spoke without making any dot or comma.
“Lt. Horatio Caine. Nice to meet you! I’ve listened to one of your lessons about bombs. It was very interesting to learn about the so-called ‘
bomb-artists’.”
Eric grinned about this breathless way of welcoming them and said to Horatio: “You didn’t tell me that you also have fans in New York, H.”
Horatio grinned back and asked Lindsay: “And you are? – The last time we’ve had a cross-jurisdiction, I only met Danny Messer, Doc Sheldon Hawkes and Stella Bonasera.”
If it was ever possible, Lindsay blushed even more and after a little hesitation she answered still being a bit out of breath: “Well, I took over the job of Aidan Burns round about a year ago, but the others are still in the team. – I’m sorry, I’m Lindsay Monroe.”
Horatio liked how this young lady had not lost her girl-like charm, yet, and introduced Eric in return. And he was polite enough not to sound too impatient, when he asked: “Would you mind to take us to Mac and Stella now? – This entire case about the sniper causes us a lot of headaches and we’re just hoping that he won’t try his next swing on Miami as long as we’re here in New York.”
“Of cause, Lt. Caine.” Lindsay grabbed two ID-cards from the desk, handed them over to Horatio and Eric and then led them to the elevator.
***
“Nothing!” Ryan slammed several video-tapes on the huge desk of the A/V-lab, where Calleigh was still searching for Horatio on one of the tapes she had taken over. “What about your tapes?”
Calleigh was banned to the screen right in front of her. She did no move at all, so Ryan asked a bit louder now: “Calleigh?”
The blonde startled a bit and then answered: “I’m just going through the last tape of my portion. Nothing, too.”
“I just heard that the fed showed up again. – What did he want?” Ryan asked
Calleigh hesitated a bit before she managed to answer and she tried to give her voice a factual tone.
“He tried to spread lies about Horatio. He’s pretty sure that we won’t find any positive evidence on the tapes, which will prove Horatio’s innocence.”
Ryan hissed between his teeth and shook his head. Very self-assure he said: “But we’ll set him at his place as usual…” and because Calleigh did not agree at once, now a bit sheepish he added “…right, Cal? We gonna set this jackass at his place, don’t we?”
Calleigh did not stop staring at the screen to detect a sign of Horatio walking into or coming out of the MDPD-building. But instead of answering Ryan’s question, she asked him: “What did you find on your tapes?”
“As already said: nothing. Neither the boss, nor a plain visible suspect.” And after thinking his answer over for a while, he added: “Well, there seems to be the same guy at both buildings, which had been used to get a high-stand above the city-center.”
Calleigh wheeled around with her chair.
“And that’s what you call ‘
nothing’?” she asked excitedly.
“Well, the person has different hairstyles, hair colors and different clothing, but is always carrying similar bags, which would fit to a take-down. The movement is also quite similar, the behavior before entering and after leaving the building, too.”
“And…?”
“Nothing ‘
and’. I’ve tried everything from facial scanner to movement-schemes and biometric measurements. Everything I know right now is that our guy is between 30 and 40, male, white, 6 feet tall and a right-hand. That’s it!”
“Between 30 and 40?” Calleigh asked.
“Yes. – Why is it important?”
“Because it tells us that it’s not Horatio, Ryan! He’s getting 50 in next spring.” Calleigh answered a bit impatiently.
Ryan nodded slowly, because this idea had not crossed his mind, yet.
“Uhm, well, our boss is quite sporty, but, no, his movements are more floating without showing any efforts. But the guy I’ve found there has amplitudes in every step he makes.” And, after thinking this description over for a moment Ryan added: “Horatio moves much more lissome. The other guy walks like having razors in his shoes.”
“But he knew the position of the cameras. That’s why he chose different outfits every time. And he knows how we’re working the evidence. – That’s scary!” Calleigh turned back to the screen, where suddenly something seemed to happen, because she noticed how Ryan’s look got locked on the screen.
“There’s Horatio!”
“Time reference?” Ryan asked.
“That’s what I was afraid of,” Calleigh said tonelessly.
TBC