Spoilers for 2x07: Manhattan Manhunt
Mac’s idea involved Alexa’s seventeen year old sister, Sarah. Flack had finally tracked her down at Hathaway Prep, then brought her in so that Mac could have a little chat. Whilst Flack had gone back out to follow up with the case, Mac had sat down with Sarah in an interview room, and Taylor was stood behind the mirror, watching them chat.
Sarah was sat with tears streaming down her face, obviously distraught, “I can’t believe this happened to my sister. Can I see her please?”
Mac was sat opposite, his usual blank expression on his face, “Miss Endecott, I think it’s best we wait 'til your parents are with you.” He frowned, watching her shake, “You know it never quite made sense to me that your classmates were at your house but you weren’t.”
“No, I told you, I… I had class, so I gave them the key,” she whimpered.
Taylor watched as Mac got to his feet and walked around to the other side of the table, “Miss Endecott, will you stand up please?”
“Why?” she asked him.
‘Sarah.” Taylor was surprised. The way he said her name, was almost like a father would speak to his daughter. Did Mac even have any children? Considering how he was always in the office, probably not. But it looked like he would make a great dad one day. “How’d you rip you skirt?”
“Ok, I was there,” Sarah cracked. “It was a pharm party. But I must have been in the pantry or something when my sister came home because I never heard her arrive and I never even knew she was in the house.”
“Why didn’t you come forward with this information when my detective picked you up at school?”
“I don’t know. I just didn’t want to get in trouble, ok?” Sarah responded thoroughly. “I’m sorry.”
Taylor had heard enough. The girl had done the smart thing of getting out of there when she did. It was only because she had left that she had stayed alive. Mac was right though, she should have said something.
But the interview didn’t seem to be proving helpful. Alexa had given her the clue to talk to her sister, but the sister was giving her nothing in helping her find the girl she was supposed to save.
Taylor was walking down the corridor, heading back to the break room to fill up her mug, when Alexa appeared again, still dressed in the school uniform. Before Taylor could say anything to her, the ghost handed her a business card with the name, “Dr Miles Feldstein,” on it.
Taylor took it, confused as to how the ghost was able to give her solid object. As she looked back up, the ghost had vanished. Stood down the corridor, slightly facing the side, hands on his hips and sunglasses on, despite the lack of… well… sun, was Horatio. He gave her a smile, then walked after Stella who had crossed in between them on the way to one of the labs. When Taylor looked back down, the card had disappeared.
She headed back the way she came, looking for Mac, but instead found Sheldon, who told her Mac was already on the way out with Flack. Before he could tell her where they was going, Taylor had taken off at a run for the elevator. Seeing it was already on the way down, she went for the stairs, running so fast down them that on more than one occasion, she nearly tripped and fell.
As she reached the bottom, she burst out of the doors to collide with her not-so-favourite detective. Mac stood above them watching them with a less-than-amused expression on his face.
“Try running with your eyes open,” complained Flack as he got to his feet and brushed himself off.
“Try reducing the size over your overly-big head, and then I might have the option of not being able to miss it,” Taylor snapped back as she also got to her feet, noting Flack’s lack of offer to help her up. “Mac, before you go, I think you need to talk to a Dr Feldstein.”
Mac nodded, “Flack and I are already on our way.”
Taylor frowned. Why was Alexa giving her clues which the CSIs clearly didn’t need? “Who is Dr Feldstein?”
“He testified in Darius’ initial hearing about Darius’ competency,” Mac explained.
“Can I come?” Taylor asked.
Mac stood and stared at her, “Taylor, I’m not sure if that is a very good idea. You seem to be getting a little too emotionally involved in this case, and technically, you shouldn’t even be working on it.”
“Mac, I appreciate your concern, and I see where you’re coming from, but I think I need to see this one through to the end.”
Mac stared at her for a little longer, then nodded. “Fine. But you know the drill.”
Taylor nodded – no talking to witnesses or suspects, and no touching. Anything.
Sarah was sat with tears streaming down her face, obviously distraught, “I can’t believe this happened to my sister. Can I see her please?”
Mac was sat opposite, his usual blank expression on his face, “Miss Endecott, I think it’s best we wait 'til your parents are with you.” He frowned, watching her shake, “You know it never quite made sense to me that your classmates were at your house but you weren’t.”
“No, I told you, I… I had class, so I gave them the key,” she whimpered.
Taylor watched as Mac got to his feet and walked around to the other side of the table, “Miss Endecott, will you stand up please?”
“Why?” she asked him.
‘Sarah.” Taylor was surprised. The way he said her name, was almost like a father would speak to his daughter. Did Mac even have any children? Considering how he was always in the office, probably not. But it looked like he would make a great dad one day. “How’d you rip you skirt?”
“Ok, I was there,” Sarah cracked. “It was a pharm party. But I must have been in the pantry or something when my sister came home because I never heard her arrive and I never even knew she was in the house.”
“Why didn’t you come forward with this information when my detective picked you up at school?”
“I don’t know. I just didn’t want to get in trouble, ok?” Sarah responded thoroughly. “I’m sorry.”
Taylor had heard enough. The girl had done the smart thing of getting out of there when she did. It was only because she had left that she had stayed alive. Mac was right though, she should have said something.
But the interview didn’t seem to be proving helpful. Alexa had given her the clue to talk to her sister, but the sister was giving her nothing in helping her find the girl she was supposed to save.
Taylor was walking down the corridor, heading back to the break room to fill up her mug, when Alexa appeared again, still dressed in the school uniform. Before Taylor could say anything to her, the ghost handed her a business card with the name, “Dr Miles Feldstein,” on it.
Taylor took it, confused as to how the ghost was able to give her solid object. As she looked back up, the ghost had vanished. Stood down the corridor, slightly facing the side, hands on his hips and sunglasses on, despite the lack of… well… sun, was Horatio. He gave her a smile, then walked after Stella who had crossed in between them on the way to one of the labs. When Taylor looked back down, the card had disappeared.
She headed back the way she came, looking for Mac, but instead found Sheldon, who told her Mac was already on the way out with Flack. Before he could tell her where they was going, Taylor had taken off at a run for the elevator. Seeing it was already on the way down, she went for the stairs, running so fast down them that on more than one occasion, she nearly tripped and fell.
As she reached the bottom, she burst out of the doors to collide with her not-so-favourite detective. Mac stood above them watching them with a less-than-amused expression on his face.
“Try running with your eyes open,” complained Flack as he got to his feet and brushed himself off.
“Try reducing the size over your overly-big head, and then I might have the option of not being able to miss it,” Taylor snapped back as she also got to her feet, noting Flack’s lack of offer to help her up. “Mac, before you go, I think you need to talk to a Dr Feldstein.”
Mac nodded, “Flack and I are already on our way.”
Taylor frowned. Why was Alexa giving her clues which the CSIs clearly didn’t need? “Who is Dr Feldstein?”
“He testified in Darius’ initial hearing about Darius’ competency,” Mac explained.
“Can I come?” Taylor asked.
Mac stood and stared at her, “Taylor, I’m not sure if that is a very good idea. You seem to be getting a little too emotionally involved in this case, and technically, you shouldn’t even be working on it.”
“Mac, I appreciate your concern, and I see where you’re coming from, but I think I need to see this one through to the end.”
Mac stared at her for a little longer, then nodded. “Fine. But you know the drill.”
Taylor nodded – no talking to witnesses or suspects, and no touching. Anything.
* * *
“Detective Taylor, NYPD, and this is Detective Flack, and Taylor Turner. We’re here to see Dr Feldstein, right now,” Mac informed the psychiatrist’s secretary as they stood in the waiting room of the doctor’s office.
The secretary looked at them as though they were something that had been brought in attached to the bottom of someone’s shoe, rather than as detectives (and a journalist). “He’s with a client. You can’t go in.” She pointed up to a yellow light above the door, “The yellow light means he’s midsession.”
Mac walked past her, “Sessions over. We’re here about a murder,” and he went in.
Taylor made to follow him, but Flack grabbed her arm, “Nah, you’re not going in. He’s as good as interviewing a suspect.”
Taylor nodded. It was good enough of them to let her come along. She wasn’t going to jeopardize that. “Do you think we’ll catch him before he kills again,” she asked him quietly so the secretary couldn’t hear.
Flack looked at her, and then nodded. “Don’t worry,” he reassured her, “We’ll catch him. I promise.”
Taylor was about to thank him, when Mac came running out. “Flack – outside! Scaffolding!”
The two men drew their guns and tore off down the stairs and outside. As they rounded the building, they were joined by about five uniformed officers, also with their guns drawn. Taylor ran behind them, not wanting to get caught in the middle. As she rounded a corner, Darius was stood with his back to them on the window washer’s gurney.
“Darius, show your hands!” Mac yelled, his gun trained on him. “Turn around. Slowly!”
Darius turned around. Only it wasn’t Darius – it was the window washer. And he look petrified.
“He put a gun in my mouth. Told me to take my overalls off, put this hat on,” he told them, “Please don’t shoot me.”
The officers dropped their guns. He was harmless. Taylor scowled. She was beginning to understand police officers now – their drive to arrest certain people – it was almost like an obsession. She looked at Mac and Flack. They were staring upwards to the top of the building. As she looked up, a scarf came falling down and landed on her. Mac picked it off her and looked at it.
The secretary looked at them as though they were something that had been brought in attached to the bottom of someone’s shoe, rather than as detectives (and a journalist). “He’s with a client. You can’t go in.” She pointed up to a yellow light above the door, “The yellow light means he’s midsession.”
Mac walked past her, “Sessions over. We’re here about a murder,” and he went in.
Taylor made to follow him, but Flack grabbed her arm, “Nah, you’re not going in. He’s as good as interviewing a suspect.”
Taylor nodded. It was good enough of them to let her come along. She wasn’t going to jeopardize that. “Do you think we’ll catch him before he kills again,” she asked him quietly so the secretary couldn’t hear.
Flack looked at her, and then nodded. “Don’t worry,” he reassured her, “We’ll catch him. I promise.”
Taylor was about to thank him, when Mac came running out. “Flack – outside! Scaffolding!”
The two men drew their guns and tore off down the stairs and outside. As they rounded the building, they were joined by about five uniformed officers, also with their guns drawn. Taylor ran behind them, not wanting to get caught in the middle. As she rounded a corner, Darius was stood with his back to them on the window washer’s gurney.
“Darius, show your hands!” Mac yelled, his gun trained on him. “Turn around. Slowly!”
Darius turned around. Only it wasn’t Darius – it was the window washer. And he look petrified.
“He put a gun in my mouth. Told me to take my overalls off, put this hat on,” he told them, “Please don’t shoot me.”
The officers dropped their guns. He was harmless. Taylor scowled. She was beginning to understand police officers now – their drive to arrest certain people – it was almost like an obsession. She looked at Mac and Flack. They were staring upwards to the top of the building. As she looked up, a scarf came falling down and landed on her. Mac picked it off her and looked at it.
* * *
Taylor was pacing around in the break room. She had been walking up and down that often, she was almost certain she was beginning to create a groove where she walked. This case was driving her slowly insane. Food and sleep had no longer become an issue for her. All she could focus on was getting Darius.
“Save her.”
Taylor turned and looked at the ghost, who was still dressed in the school uniform. “Alexa, all I can think about is getting this guy, but I’m not a criminalist, and I’m not a detective. All I can do to help depends on what you tell me. And what you’re telling me, they already know.”
“Save her,” Alexa pleaded.
Taylor frowned and rubbed at her temples. She was clearly trying to tell her something that she wasn’t getting. If she just stopped prancing around in that stupid uniform – she’d seen that clue already – then maybe she’d work it out. “The uniform. You’ve been trying to tell me all along.”
Before Alexa could disappear, Taylor had already left the room and was hunting Mac down again. She found him at a computer with Danny. “Sarah. We need to find Sarah again.”
Danny looked from Taylor, to the computer which had beeped at him, “I think she’s right, Mac. She’s the discrepancy in the timeline. She was the last person to open the safe.” He told him, giving Taylor a confused look.
Mac nodded, “Let's have homicide bring her in.” He turned to Taylor, “You come with me.”
Taylor followed him to yet another lab – the building was like a maze – where Stella was stood. He spoke to Stella quietly, so that Taylor couldn’t hear. As he turned to start talking to Taylor, Flack came walking in.
“Checked on the whereabouts of Sarah Endecott,” he told them, “She’s not at the house, or the school, or anywhere in between.”
“That’s what we figured,” Mac told him. “So we switched over to plan b.”
That was news to Taylor.
“Yeah,” said Stella, “No girl ever leaves the house without her cell phone. At least not at that age.”
“What are you going to do?” Taylor asked.
“GPS the phone number,” explained Mac as he pointed to the monitor.
Taylor walked over and glanced at the screen. Stella had typed in Sarah’s number and was waiting for the location to triangulate. A map popped up showing the location.
“Tiffany’s!” exclaimed Taylor with a grin. “Now you’re talking my language.”
Flack and Mac exchanged looks. “You can tell from a map?”
“Are you kidding? That place is my first stop every time I go shopping.”
The two men looked from each other to Stella, who shrugged at them, “I can tell from the moon. I love those little blue boxes. Let’s go.”
“Save her.”
Taylor turned and looked at the ghost, who was still dressed in the school uniform. “Alexa, all I can think about is getting this guy, but I’m not a criminalist, and I’m not a detective. All I can do to help depends on what you tell me. And what you’re telling me, they already know.”
“Save her,” Alexa pleaded.
Taylor frowned and rubbed at her temples. She was clearly trying to tell her something that she wasn’t getting. If she just stopped prancing around in that stupid uniform – she’d seen that clue already – then maybe she’d work it out. “The uniform. You’ve been trying to tell me all along.”
Before Alexa could disappear, Taylor had already left the room and was hunting Mac down again. She found him at a computer with Danny. “Sarah. We need to find Sarah again.”
Danny looked from Taylor, to the computer which had beeped at him, “I think she’s right, Mac. She’s the discrepancy in the timeline. She was the last person to open the safe.” He told him, giving Taylor a confused look.
Mac nodded, “Let's have homicide bring her in.” He turned to Taylor, “You come with me.”
Taylor followed him to yet another lab – the building was like a maze – where Stella was stood. He spoke to Stella quietly, so that Taylor couldn’t hear. As he turned to start talking to Taylor, Flack came walking in.
“Checked on the whereabouts of Sarah Endecott,” he told them, “She’s not at the house, or the school, or anywhere in between.”
“That’s what we figured,” Mac told him. “So we switched over to plan b.”
That was news to Taylor.
“Yeah,” said Stella, “No girl ever leaves the house without her cell phone. At least not at that age.”
“What are you going to do?” Taylor asked.
“GPS the phone number,” explained Mac as he pointed to the monitor.
Taylor walked over and glanced at the screen. Stella had typed in Sarah’s number and was waiting for the location to triangulate. A map popped up showing the location.
“Tiffany’s!” exclaimed Taylor with a grin. “Now you’re talking my language.”
Flack and Mac exchanged looks. “You can tell from a map?”
“Are you kidding? That place is my first stop every time I go shopping.”
The two men looked from each other to Stella, who shrugged at them, “I can tell from the moon. I love those little blue boxes. Let’s go.”
* * *
Taylor was stood in line at Starbucks waiting for the guy behind the counter to make her coffee. They had found Sarah as she exited the jewellery store carrying lots of bags, and a rucksack with several hundreds of thousands of dollars in it. After a short chat, they had brought her into the station so that they could talk to her officially, with her father present, who had just returned from Australia.
The only thing that they had found out from the interview was that her father was denying that Sarah had stolen the money – even though it was clear that she had – to protect himself from losing another daughter. But when Mac had mentioned that there was only half the money there, Sarah had confessed as to who had the other half – the secretary of Dr Feldstein. Mac and Flack had gone to arrest her, but it had been Stella who had stopped Taylor from going, telling her that if she was going to stay, she was going to have to have a break, because she looked like she needed one.
So that was why Taylor was in Starbucks, and ultimately, that was why she dropped her coffee all over the floor when Alexa appeared in front of her, startling her. Taylor let out a small yelp, “You have got to stop appearing so suddenly!” she told her, forgetting that she was in the middle of a busy shop.
“Save her.”
“Save who?”
Alexa placed her hand over the gunshot, and then pulled it away so that there was blood on her hand. She held her hand up for Taylor to see the blood.
“Blood? What are you trying to tell me? It’s something to do with your blood?”
Alexa nodded.
“Blood?” she frowned, “Family?”
Alexa nodded again, “Save her.”
“The key is in the blood.” Taylor muttered, as Alexa disappeared. She snapped out of her daze. The shop had gone quiet, and everyone was staring.
Taylor glared at them. She was far too tired, and far to determined to get Darius than to worry that everyone thought she was crazy. “Get back to your coffees,” she snapped as she ran back to the lab.
She darted out of the lift and was informed that Stella was interviewing a suspect for a murder in Miami with Horatio. She dashed off to find her, only to meet her as she left the interview room. “Stella! It’s in the blood. The answer is in the blood.”
Stella frowned, “What do you mean?”
“You need to look at the blood samples,” Taylor shrugged desperately.
Stella continued to frown, then nodded, “Come on, you can see how DNA works.”
Taylor nodded and followed her. The two women sat in silence as Stella worked up the DNA profiles. Finally, the printer spat out the results and Stella grabbed the paper, “Oh my!” she exclaimed, as Mac walked in, closely followed by Horatio, who smiled at Taylor – she was leaning against a bench chewing on her nails.
“Blood evidence from Alexa’s crime scene?” Mac asked.
“Ah, yes gentlemen. Thanks to Taylor here, I found something very interesting,” she told them indicating to Taylor. Both men gave her a confused frown. “I compared the blood reference samples from Alexa Endecott to Henry Darius. They’re related.”
“Related?” repeated Horatio. Stella handed over the printout. “They are brother and sister,” said Horatio, reading out the results and handing the sheet to Mac.
“I also ran the Endecott parents. Mrs Endecott is unrelated, but Tom Endecott is Henry Darius’ father.”
Mac looked up from the notes, “Well that changes everything. You think Endecott knows this?”
“I’ll go get Flack,” said Stella, “Get him to look for a paternity suit in his past.”
“Well, doesn’t that mean that the…” Taylor’s face lit up in understanding, “Darius’ target is Sarah. That’s who she wants me to save.”
Mac’s shook his head, “Darius would have more to gain by going after his father. I’ll get him in again.”
Horatio looked at Taylor, “I’ll try to track down Sarah again.”
The three detectives left, leaving Taylor alone in the lab. She sat down. Now it was time for her to step back. Or at least, that was her intention before Alexa showed up again.
“Home.”
Taylor frowned – that was new, “She’s at home?”
The other 12 ghosts of the people Darius had killed appeared behind Alexa. “Save her!” they all cried, before disappearing.
Taylor gulped – if they were all there, then they Sarah’s life was in serious danger.
The only thing that they had found out from the interview was that her father was denying that Sarah had stolen the money – even though it was clear that she had – to protect himself from losing another daughter. But when Mac had mentioned that there was only half the money there, Sarah had confessed as to who had the other half – the secretary of Dr Feldstein. Mac and Flack had gone to arrest her, but it had been Stella who had stopped Taylor from going, telling her that if she was going to stay, she was going to have to have a break, because she looked like she needed one.
So that was why Taylor was in Starbucks, and ultimately, that was why she dropped her coffee all over the floor when Alexa appeared in front of her, startling her. Taylor let out a small yelp, “You have got to stop appearing so suddenly!” she told her, forgetting that she was in the middle of a busy shop.
“Save her.”
“Save who?”
Alexa placed her hand over the gunshot, and then pulled it away so that there was blood on her hand. She held her hand up for Taylor to see the blood.
“Blood? What are you trying to tell me? It’s something to do with your blood?”
Alexa nodded.
“Blood?” she frowned, “Family?”
Alexa nodded again, “Save her.”
“The key is in the blood.” Taylor muttered, as Alexa disappeared. She snapped out of her daze. The shop had gone quiet, and everyone was staring.
Taylor glared at them. She was far too tired, and far to determined to get Darius than to worry that everyone thought she was crazy. “Get back to your coffees,” she snapped as she ran back to the lab.
She darted out of the lift and was informed that Stella was interviewing a suspect for a murder in Miami with Horatio. She dashed off to find her, only to meet her as she left the interview room. “Stella! It’s in the blood. The answer is in the blood.”
Stella frowned, “What do you mean?”
“You need to look at the blood samples,” Taylor shrugged desperately.
Stella continued to frown, then nodded, “Come on, you can see how DNA works.”
Taylor nodded and followed her. The two women sat in silence as Stella worked up the DNA profiles. Finally, the printer spat out the results and Stella grabbed the paper, “Oh my!” she exclaimed, as Mac walked in, closely followed by Horatio, who smiled at Taylor – she was leaning against a bench chewing on her nails.
“Blood evidence from Alexa’s crime scene?” Mac asked.
“Ah, yes gentlemen. Thanks to Taylor here, I found something very interesting,” she told them indicating to Taylor. Both men gave her a confused frown. “I compared the blood reference samples from Alexa Endecott to Henry Darius. They’re related.”
“Related?” repeated Horatio. Stella handed over the printout. “They are brother and sister,” said Horatio, reading out the results and handing the sheet to Mac.
“I also ran the Endecott parents. Mrs Endecott is unrelated, but Tom Endecott is Henry Darius’ father.”
Mac looked up from the notes, “Well that changes everything. You think Endecott knows this?”
“I’ll go get Flack,” said Stella, “Get him to look for a paternity suit in his past.”
“Well, doesn’t that mean that the…” Taylor’s face lit up in understanding, “Darius’ target is Sarah. That’s who she wants me to save.”
Mac’s shook his head, “Darius would have more to gain by going after his father. I’ll get him in again.”
Horatio looked at Taylor, “I’ll try to track down Sarah again.”
The three detectives left, leaving Taylor alone in the lab. She sat down. Now it was time for her to step back. Or at least, that was her intention before Alexa showed up again.
“Home.”
Taylor frowned – that was new, “She’s at home?”
The other 12 ghosts of the people Darius had killed appeared behind Alexa. “Save her!” they all cried, before disappearing.
Taylor gulped – if they were all there, then they Sarah’s life was in serious danger.
Originally posted: 18/05/2006