Spoliers for 2x22: Stealing Home
Taylor flung her cell phone onto the couch next to her as she let out a frustrated cry. She had been trying desperately to get hold of either Alex or Sasha since she had left Danny and Flack to follow up on the evidence, but conveniently, neither of them seemed to be answering. Grunting in frustration, she decided that maybe she should go to see them in person. And then Maddy turned up with the mermaid again. “I guess I’m not, then.”
“Not what?” Maddy asked her.
“Seeing Alex. Seriously, Maddy, you know I don’t like that kind of thing,” she pouted, referring to the giant posters.
Maddy shrugged. “You’ll get more readers. Nice car by the way. I was going to say something, but the whole Vegas and Centralia thing happened.”
“Yeah, thanks for the heads up on that one,” Taylor muttered, rolling her eyes at her friend.
“Well, you know the rules.”
“Tell him I’m sorry,” the mermaid interrupted.
“Speaking of rules,” Maddy said, nodding her head at the other ghost.
Taylor took a deep breath. “Mermaids… right. Mermaids with lassoes. Are you trying to make this any easier at all?”
“It’s nothing to do with me,” Maddy told her with a shrug. “I know about as much as you do.”
“And why do I get the feeling that’s not entirely accurate,” Taylor muttered as the two ghosts disappeared. “So I’m a mermaid with a lasso. What would I be apologising for?”
Deciding she couldn’t do anything until she had found out who the girl was, she thought it be best to find Danny and see if he knew her identity yet. According to Adam, who only just managed to blurt the information out before dashing off, he was in the morgue with Lindsay. It was as he was leaving that she found him. “Any luck on her name?” she asked him hopefully.
“Nope,” Danny replied. “Lindsay’s going to process her clothing whilst I check missing persons. Taylor, can I ask you something?”
“I don’t know,” Taylor told him with raised eyebrows. “Is it something I want to be asked?”
“What’s so special about a wheat field?”
Taylor blinked. “Come again?”
“You know? A field where they grow wheat.”
“I’m pretty certain I know what a wheat field is, Danny,” Taylor responded, dryly. “What I’m not sure of is where on earth you plucked this question from?”
Danny stared at her before pushing his glasses up his nose. “This morning, when we pulled the girl out of the river, I mentioned to Montana something about the view, and she compared it to a wheat field. I mean, a wheat field?”
“Have you ever even seen a wheat field?”
“That’s exactly what she said!” Danny exclaimed. “It’s a field of wheat!”
Taylor burst out laughing. “Maybe you should get Lindsay to show you one.”
“That’s not an answer, Drew.”
“Sorry, Danny,” she apologised, still laughing. “You’re just going to have to find that out yourself.”
Muttering something under his breath, Danny turned and left, leaving Taylor smirking after him. “What’s so special about a wheat field?” she repeated, shaking her head. “Oh crap!” she exclaimed as she realised she had never asked him about the lasso.
Taylor headed into the morgue. Much as Lindsay wouldn’t believe her about the ghost, she was sure that she might be able to shed some light on the mystery. Sadly, it seemed that Lindsay had finished with the processing and was now discussing the finer points of the autopsy with Sid. “I created a sexual assault kit just in case, but the water likely diluted any evidence,” Sid was saying. He looked up when he saw Taylor, “Miss Turner. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Just here about the mermaid,” Taylor told him, wishing he was Marty. “I was here when she came in. I just wanted to make sure there really weren’t any mermaids living in the River.”
Sid smiled at her. “Sadly there is nothing mythical about this girl. She is completely human.”
“I don’t suppose she was killed by something other than drowning?” Taylor asked.
Sid narrowed his eyes, “She was killed on dry land.”
Taylor bit her lip. “Strangulation?” Sid nodded. “By something rope-like?”
“Hands,” he indicated to the bruising on the girl’s neck.
Taylor felt her sprits drop. “Oh,” she sighed glumly.
“What would make you think it was a rope?” Lindsay asked.
Lucky guess?” she offered.
Lindsay and Sid shared a look. “Have you got anything else for me?” Lindsay asked the coroner.
Sid nodded and gestured to the mermaid’s hands. “I did find unique scarring and calluses on both of her hands. They appear old. Difficult to tell where she got them.”
Lindsay smiled sadly. “Rawhide braiding.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Weaving together untanned hides to make reins for horses and lassoes for cattle. The friction and the pressure of the leather cut you pretty good.” Lindsay held her hands out for Taylor and Sid to see her scars. “My dad taught me when I was ten.”
“Lassoes?” Taylor repeated, feeling herself grow excited – it was slowly making sense.
Lindsay nodded. “You think Danny calls me Montana because I’m a 49ers fan?”
Sid looked at her with a small smirk. “He calls you that because he’s got a crush on you.” Taylor quickly looked at the ceiling, knowing that if she were to look at either of them she would burst out laughing. “Are you alright?” Sid asked her.
Taylor shook her head. “Actually,” she managed as she choked back the laughter. “I’m not feeling too good.” She wafted her face with her hand. “I’m going to get some air.” Thankfully, she managed to get out of the morgue before she started cackling. It may be that she was the only person who knew, but slowly others were picking up on the fact. It was only a matter of time before it leaked out.
“Not what?” Maddy asked her.
“Seeing Alex. Seriously, Maddy, you know I don’t like that kind of thing,” she pouted, referring to the giant posters.
Maddy shrugged. “You’ll get more readers. Nice car by the way. I was going to say something, but the whole Vegas and Centralia thing happened.”
“Yeah, thanks for the heads up on that one,” Taylor muttered, rolling her eyes at her friend.
“Well, you know the rules.”
“Tell him I’m sorry,” the mermaid interrupted.
“Speaking of rules,” Maddy said, nodding her head at the other ghost.
Taylor took a deep breath. “Mermaids… right. Mermaids with lassoes. Are you trying to make this any easier at all?”
“It’s nothing to do with me,” Maddy told her with a shrug. “I know about as much as you do.”
“And why do I get the feeling that’s not entirely accurate,” Taylor muttered as the two ghosts disappeared. “So I’m a mermaid with a lasso. What would I be apologising for?”
Deciding she couldn’t do anything until she had found out who the girl was, she thought it be best to find Danny and see if he knew her identity yet. According to Adam, who only just managed to blurt the information out before dashing off, he was in the morgue with Lindsay. It was as he was leaving that she found him. “Any luck on her name?” she asked him hopefully.
“Nope,” Danny replied. “Lindsay’s going to process her clothing whilst I check missing persons. Taylor, can I ask you something?”
“I don’t know,” Taylor told him with raised eyebrows. “Is it something I want to be asked?”
“What’s so special about a wheat field?”
Taylor blinked. “Come again?”
“You know? A field where they grow wheat.”
“I’m pretty certain I know what a wheat field is, Danny,” Taylor responded, dryly. “What I’m not sure of is where on earth you plucked this question from?”
Danny stared at her before pushing his glasses up his nose. “This morning, when we pulled the girl out of the river, I mentioned to Montana something about the view, and she compared it to a wheat field. I mean, a wheat field?”
“Have you ever even seen a wheat field?”
“That’s exactly what she said!” Danny exclaimed. “It’s a field of wheat!”
Taylor burst out laughing. “Maybe you should get Lindsay to show you one.”
“That’s not an answer, Drew.”
“Sorry, Danny,” she apologised, still laughing. “You’re just going to have to find that out yourself.”
Muttering something under his breath, Danny turned and left, leaving Taylor smirking after him. “What’s so special about a wheat field?” she repeated, shaking her head. “Oh crap!” she exclaimed as she realised she had never asked him about the lasso.
Taylor headed into the morgue. Much as Lindsay wouldn’t believe her about the ghost, she was sure that she might be able to shed some light on the mystery. Sadly, it seemed that Lindsay had finished with the processing and was now discussing the finer points of the autopsy with Sid. “I created a sexual assault kit just in case, but the water likely diluted any evidence,” Sid was saying. He looked up when he saw Taylor, “Miss Turner. To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Just here about the mermaid,” Taylor told him, wishing he was Marty. “I was here when she came in. I just wanted to make sure there really weren’t any mermaids living in the River.”
Sid smiled at her. “Sadly there is nothing mythical about this girl. She is completely human.”
“I don’t suppose she was killed by something other than drowning?” Taylor asked.
Sid narrowed his eyes, “She was killed on dry land.”
Taylor bit her lip. “Strangulation?” Sid nodded. “By something rope-like?”
“Hands,” he indicated to the bruising on the girl’s neck.
Taylor felt her sprits drop. “Oh,” she sighed glumly.
“What would make you think it was a rope?” Lindsay asked.
Lucky guess?” she offered.
Lindsay and Sid shared a look. “Have you got anything else for me?” Lindsay asked the coroner.
Sid nodded and gestured to the mermaid’s hands. “I did find unique scarring and calluses on both of her hands. They appear old. Difficult to tell where she got them.”
Lindsay smiled sadly. “Rawhide braiding.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Weaving together untanned hides to make reins for horses and lassoes for cattle. The friction and the pressure of the leather cut you pretty good.” Lindsay held her hands out for Taylor and Sid to see her scars. “My dad taught me when I was ten.”
“Lassoes?” Taylor repeated, feeling herself grow excited – it was slowly making sense.
Lindsay nodded. “You think Danny calls me Montana because I’m a 49ers fan?”
Sid looked at her with a small smirk. “He calls you that because he’s got a crush on you.” Taylor quickly looked at the ceiling, knowing that if she were to look at either of them she would burst out laughing. “Are you alright?” Sid asked her.
Taylor shook her head. “Actually,” she managed as she choked back the laughter. “I’m not feeling too good.” She wafted her face with her hand. “I’m going to get some air.” Thankfully, she managed to get out of the morgue before she started cackling. It may be that she was the only person who knew, but slowly others were picking up on the fact. It was only a matter of time before it leaked out.
* * *
It turned out that Alex had taken his daughter to his second home in the Hamptons for the weekend which was why he wasn’t answering his cell phone. Taylor had yet to find Sasha as she hunted through the building. After returning to Alex’s PA and pencilling in an appointment to see him as soon as he returned, she headed back to her apartment to catch up on some over-due chores.
She was mid-way through vacuuming the living room when the mermaid and Maddy reappeared, although, with her mp3 player on, and the noise of the vacuum, it wasn’t until she turned around that she noticed the pair. “For the love of all things alive!” she yelped, ripping the headphones out of her ears.
“No love for us that are dead?” Maddy pouted playfully.
“At this present moment in time? No,” Taylor told her with a glare.
“Tell him I’m sorry,” interrupted the mermaid.
“Tell who that you’re sorry about what?” The mermaid held out a sequin. Taylor pulled a face. “Seriously?” She looked at Maddy. “Are you winding me up?”
Maddy just shrugged at her before the two ghosts disappeared.
With a sigh, Taylor unplugged the vacuum cleaner and headed back to the crime lab.
She was mid-way through vacuuming the living room when the mermaid and Maddy reappeared, although, with her mp3 player on, and the noise of the vacuum, it wasn’t until she turned around that she noticed the pair. “For the love of all things alive!” she yelped, ripping the headphones out of her ears.
“No love for us that are dead?” Maddy pouted playfully.
“At this present moment in time? No,” Taylor told her with a glare.
“Tell him I’m sorry,” interrupted the mermaid.
“Tell who that you’re sorry about what?” The mermaid held out a sequin. Taylor pulled a face. “Seriously?” She looked at Maddy. “Are you winding me up?”
Maddy just shrugged at her before the two ghosts disappeared.
With a sigh, Taylor unplugged the vacuum cleaner and headed back to the crime lab.
* * *
She found Danny with Lindsay in one of the trace lab looking at a sheet of paper that Lindsay was holding. “Turns out that Paul White told Flack the truth. DNA from the boat does not match Sarah.”
“Her name is Sarah?” Taylor asked, joining them.
“Sarah Butler,” Lindsay confirmed.
Taylor stared sharply at her. Lindsay was desperately trying to hide the fact that she was upset. Taylor wondered whether or not to press the issue, but Danny made up her mind for her.
“Any longer and I would have been calling her Ariel.”
“Ariel?” Lindsay repeated.
“Makes more sense than Sebastian,” Danny shrugged.
Taylor’s mouth dropped opened. “You watched The Little Mermaid?”
“No!” Danny denied, quickly looking away from the women.
“What on earth were you doing watching The Little Mermaid?” Lindsay asked him with a snigger.
“Oh, shut up. I’m not completely behind on my popular culture that I can miss a Disney reference.”
“I wonder how many other Disney references you can notice?” Taylor asked him.
“What has this got to do with the case?” Danny asked, trying to change the subject.
“Um, the victim was a mermaid?” Lindsay offered.
“The victim was a young girl dressed up as a mermaid,” Danny corrected her. “You know, scales made of sequins? And I think we were discussing how it’s plausible that the sequins we found in the bed fell off when she was changing, you know?”
“And that’s the next clue,” Taylor told them. “Not that I have any idea what it means, but Sarah’s telling me sequins.”
Lindsay pursed her lips. “So what else do we have left?”
Danny pointed at the mermaid outfit. “You’re looking at it.”
“Sequins,” Taylor smiled.
Lindsay sighed. “Alright. Where’s the sequin you found in Paul’s bed?” Danny handed it to her. “Thanks.” Lindsay grabbed it, and began examining the outfit. A few minutes later and she had found something. “Sequins fell off this thread. This was the only sequin we found on the bed, right?”
“That’s it,” Danny nodded.
“But all the other sequins have fallen off this thread, so maybe they can point us in the direction of where Sarah was attacked.”
Danny grabbed a folder from the side behind them. “According to Sid, she wasn’t dragged anywhere. Maybe she was dumped near the ferry?”
“Can I come?” Taylor asked hopefully.
“Her name is Sarah?” Taylor asked, joining them.
“Sarah Butler,” Lindsay confirmed.
Taylor stared sharply at her. Lindsay was desperately trying to hide the fact that she was upset. Taylor wondered whether or not to press the issue, but Danny made up her mind for her.
“Any longer and I would have been calling her Ariel.”
“Ariel?” Lindsay repeated.
“Makes more sense than Sebastian,” Danny shrugged.
Taylor’s mouth dropped opened. “You watched The Little Mermaid?”
“No!” Danny denied, quickly looking away from the women.
“What on earth were you doing watching The Little Mermaid?” Lindsay asked him with a snigger.
“Oh, shut up. I’m not completely behind on my popular culture that I can miss a Disney reference.”
“I wonder how many other Disney references you can notice?” Taylor asked him.
“What has this got to do with the case?” Danny asked, trying to change the subject.
“Um, the victim was a mermaid?” Lindsay offered.
“The victim was a young girl dressed up as a mermaid,” Danny corrected her. “You know, scales made of sequins? And I think we were discussing how it’s plausible that the sequins we found in the bed fell off when she was changing, you know?”
“And that’s the next clue,” Taylor told them. “Not that I have any idea what it means, but Sarah’s telling me sequins.”
Lindsay pursed her lips. “So what else do we have left?”
Danny pointed at the mermaid outfit. “You’re looking at it.”
“Sequins,” Taylor smiled.
Lindsay sighed. “Alright. Where’s the sequin you found in Paul’s bed?” Danny handed it to her. “Thanks.” Lindsay grabbed it, and began examining the outfit. A few minutes later and she had found something. “Sequins fell off this thread. This was the only sequin we found on the bed, right?”
“That’s it,” Danny nodded.
“But all the other sequins have fallen off this thread, so maybe they can point us in the direction of where Sarah was attacked.”
Danny grabbed a folder from the side behind them. “According to Sid, she wasn’t dragged anywhere. Maybe she was dumped near the ferry?”
“Can I come?” Taylor asked hopefully.
Originally posted 02/08/2007