Spoilers for 2x13: Risk
Taylor had just gotten back from a meeting with Alex, and flopped down on the couch, pulling out her cell phone. “Hey, Lindsay.”
“Hi, Taylor. What’s up?”
“How much have you managed to get out and see the city?”
“Well, in all honesty, not much – all I have seen has been on cases. Why?” Lindsay asked her.
“Well, I have a friend in the Arts section in our paper, and he got free tickets to see Don Giovanni, but he can’t make it so he gave them me. Are you interested?” Taylor asked her.
“Have you asked Maddy?”
Although Taylor had successfully managed to convince Maddy to come and stay at hers again, after she had explained the reason she didn’t get her from the hospital was because she had been trapped in a room with Danny, when Taylor had gone into the Crime Lab to help a ghost – it was the sister – Pete had come around and convinced Maddy that he was a changed man. So Maddy had gone by the time Taylor had come back.
“Maddy and Pete are busy this evening,” Taylor responded, shortly.
“Oh, well, sure, but I’m on call, so I may have to leave – I may never turn up,” Lindsay said.
“Lindsay, with the ghosts popping up left right and centre, I never know when I’m on call,” Taylor joked. She regretted it instantly.
“What time, and what should I wear?” Lindsay asked, ignoring the statement.
Taylor let out an inward sigh. “8pm, and dress nice. Dress and heels, type of thing.”
“Hi, Taylor. What’s up?”
“How much have you managed to get out and see the city?”
“Well, in all honesty, not much – all I have seen has been on cases. Why?” Lindsay asked her.
“Well, I have a friend in the Arts section in our paper, and he got free tickets to see Don Giovanni, but he can’t make it so he gave them me. Are you interested?” Taylor asked her.
“Have you asked Maddy?”
Although Taylor had successfully managed to convince Maddy to come and stay at hers again, after she had explained the reason she didn’t get her from the hospital was because she had been trapped in a room with Danny, when Taylor had gone into the Crime Lab to help a ghost – it was the sister – Pete had come around and convinced Maddy that he was a changed man. So Maddy had gone by the time Taylor had come back.
“Maddy and Pete are busy this evening,” Taylor responded, shortly.
“Oh, well, sure, but I’m on call, so I may have to leave – I may never turn up,” Lindsay said.
“Lindsay, with the ghosts popping up left right and centre, I never know when I’m on call,” Taylor joked. She regretted it instantly.
“What time, and what should I wear?” Lindsay asked, ignoring the statement.
Taylor let out an inward sigh. “8pm, and dress nice. Dress and heels, type of thing.”
* * *
“You looked like you understand it?” Lindsay asked, turning to face her as the house lights came up for the interval.
“My mother’s from Sicily,” Taylor explained. “But then again, I don’t think you need to understand the language to understand the opera.”
“I never used to think that was the case, and I always though Julia Roberts was lying in Pretty Woman, but it’s true,” Lindsay agreed. The two of them got up and headed for the bar, both opting for a coke.
“Your dress is really nice,” Taylor told Lindsay – green really suited her. “It sounds like a line that a guy should be using, but it really brings out your eyes. It’s a shame it’s wasted on me.”
Lindsay laughed. “I only have the one dress, and it probably won’t get worn for a long time now. I don’t manage to get out much.”
“Well, speaking of getting out,” said Taylor. “I won an award for the articles I wrote about Darius.”
“Congratulations!” exclaimed Lindsay, happy for her friend.
“Thank you,” Taylor smiled. “The paper is holding a party, well, more of a ball, for me. Which is kind of embarrassing, but on the same note, it’s a good excuse to party. It’s going to be a big event, according to Alex – he’s my editor. He gave it over to Sasha in PR, and that girl can plan a party. From what I can gather, there will be a few important people – like the chief of police and the commissioner – I’m making the state of crime look good…” Taylor laughed, “I’m sorry, I’m running away with myself. The point is, would you like to come?”
“I would love to,” Lindsay agreed with a grin.
“Don’t worry about the dress or even your hair and make-up. My colleague Gary from the fashion section has a few designer dresses we can borrow.”
Lindsay’s mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding?”
Taylor shook her head. “And if we’re lucky, he’s going to talk to his ex, who works in Tiffany’s, and see if he will let him borrow some jewellery for the evening too.”
Lindsay leant over and gave her a hug. “It doesn’t seem it with the job I do, but I am a girly girl at heart. You have just fulfilled one of my dreams.”
“Yeah,” chuckled Taylor. “Maddy tells me that all the time. I have some great connections. You should wait until the football season kicks off,” she told her, as the lights dimmed. Lindsay grinned.
They were half an hour into the performance when Lindsay’s phone went off. She silenced it quickly, reddening from the stares of the other people in their balcony, and leant over to Taylor. “I’m not even checking who that’s from. I know the answer already,” she whispered, “Thank you so much for inviting me. I’ll give you a call later.” She disappeared quickly, leaving Taylor to watch the end by herself.
Except, ten minutes after Lindsay had left, she was replaced by a filthy looking ghost who looked like a college student. Taylor sighed. “You could have appeared ten minutes ago when Lindsay was still here – saved me a cab fare,” she whispered, ignoring the strange looks which were being sent to her from the others near her.
“Help me.”
Taking one last glimpse at the stage, Taylor got up, and left.
“My mother’s from Sicily,” Taylor explained. “But then again, I don’t think you need to understand the language to understand the opera.”
“I never used to think that was the case, and I always though Julia Roberts was lying in Pretty Woman, but it’s true,” Lindsay agreed. The two of them got up and headed for the bar, both opting for a coke.
“Your dress is really nice,” Taylor told Lindsay – green really suited her. “It sounds like a line that a guy should be using, but it really brings out your eyes. It’s a shame it’s wasted on me.”
Lindsay laughed. “I only have the one dress, and it probably won’t get worn for a long time now. I don’t manage to get out much.”
“Well, speaking of getting out,” said Taylor. “I won an award for the articles I wrote about Darius.”
“Congratulations!” exclaimed Lindsay, happy for her friend.
“Thank you,” Taylor smiled. “The paper is holding a party, well, more of a ball, for me. Which is kind of embarrassing, but on the same note, it’s a good excuse to party. It’s going to be a big event, according to Alex – he’s my editor. He gave it over to Sasha in PR, and that girl can plan a party. From what I can gather, there will be a few important people – like the chief of police and the commissioner – I’m making the state of crime look good…” Taylor laughed, “I’m sorry, I’m running away with myself. The point is, would you like to come?”
“I would love to,” Lindsay agreed with a grin.
“Don’t worry about the dress or even your hair and make-up. My colleague Gary from the fashion section has a few designer dresses we can borrow.”
Lindsay’s mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding?”
Taylor shook her head. “And if we’re lucky, he’s going to talk to his ex, who works in Tiffany’s, and see if he will let him borrow some jewellery for the evening too.”
Lindsay leant over and gave her a hug. “It doesn’t seem it with the job I do, but I am a girly girl at heart. You have just fulfilled one of my dreams.”
“Yeah,” chuckled Taylor. “Maddy tells me that all the time. I have some great connections. You should wait until the football season kicks off,” she told her, as the lights dimmed. Lindsay grinned.
They were half an hour into the performance when Lindsay’s phone went off. She silenced it quickly, reddening from the stares of the other people in their balcony, and leant over to Taylor. “I’m not even checking who that’s from. I know the answer already,” she whispered, “Thank you so much for inviting me. I’ll give you a call later.” She disappeared quickly, leaving Taylor to watch the end by herself.
Except, ten minutes after Lindsay had left, she was replaced by a filthy looking ghost who looked like a college student. Taylor sighed. “You could have appeared ten minutes ago when Lindsay was still here – saved me a cab fare,” she whispered, ignoring the strange looks which were being sent to her from the others near her.
“Help me.”
Taking one last glimpse at the stage, Taylor got up, and left.
* * *
Taylor was walking to the Crime Lab when the ghost appeared again, this time showing her a map of the subway lines. It pointed to a stop, said “help me,” and then disappeared. Taylor sighed. Things would be much simpler if they just told her where they were and who killed them, instead of showing her random things accompanied by the most unhelpful phrases.
She was close to the subway stop and headed in that direction. By the time she got there, the area was cordoned off. However, she arrived only a few minutes after Lindsay, who was currently showing her badge to an officer so she could enter the crime scene. “Lindsay!”
Lindsay stopped and turned around. “What are you doing here?”
“A ghost,” Taylor sighed.
“Taylor…”
“Come on, Lindsay. You know as well as I do that I don’t mix too well with dead bodies. And besides,” she added. “I was enjoying the opera – I’m hardly going to walk out of it unless I had to.”
Lindsay sighed and turned to the officer. “She’s with me.”
The officer nodded and held the tape up for her to duck under. She followed Lindsay onto the platform and down onto the tracks. To say it was freezing down there was an understatement. When Taylor had left her apartment, she had gone straight to a taxi and then straight into the opera house, and even then it had still been pleasant – she hadn’t even bothered with a coat, unlike Lindsay who was currently wearing one.
She followed Lindsay a few steps behind, trying to keep her balance on the stones in her heels, to where Danny and Mac were bent over a body. The same one who’s spirit had been to visit her.
Danny got to his feet the moment he spotted Lindsay. “Well, hello Miss Monroe,” he greeted Lindsay with a smile on his face. “Wow, you clean up nice. You been to the mayor’s party also?”
Taylor glanced over at Mac who, unlike Danny, had actually spotted her. He gave her a look which matched the one she was giving him – that both she and him were perfectly aware of the looks that Danny and Lindsay were giving each other.
“I was at the opera,” Lindsay told him with a smile.
“I am hanging out with all the wrong people, you know that?” he said to Mac, before noticing Taylor stood to one side. He looked her up and down. “You’re another one that should wear a dress more often. What were you doing? Party with the stars?”
Taylor smiled at him. “I was also at the opera. Next time I get tickets, you can have one, if you like?”
“Nah, not my thing,” he frowned, “So, why are you here?” He glanced around, looking for some evidence of something else down there. Taylor caught his look and nodded.
“So this is our subway surfer?” said Lindsay, crouching down besides the body, not noticing the silent conversation Taylor and Danny were holding.
Mac nodded. “As far as I can tell, he didn’t fall from the top of the subway car. There are no injuries consistent with a fall from that height at that speed.”
“No, he definitely didn’t fall,” agreed Taylor. Mac and Lindsay looked over at her. “His ghost appeared. Why would he appear if it was an accident?”
Danny nodded, whilst Lindsay and Mac looked at each other – both still not accepting the fact that Taylor could see ghosts.
“What about the bruising?” Lindsay continued. “It looks like it was caused by a significant impact – it wouldn’t have happened if the body was dragged here and dumped.”
“The scapula and the ribs aren’t broken. The clavicle didn’t collapse, which means he didn’t bounce, flip, or ricochet; nothing,” Mac informed her. Taylor frowned. It wasn’t pretty to imagine someone falling from a moving train. “When he landed,” Mac continued, “He stayed put. All inconsistent with a fall from a moving train.”
“So, he was subway surfing, but he didn’t die doing it,” frowned Lindsay.
“Well, we’re too far away from the station for him to have fallen from the platform, and surely the body would have been… cut up… or something, if it was dragged,” offered Taylor, feeling slightly ill, yet exceedingly grateful she wasn’t encountering the body in several pieces.
Danny nodded. “Push, fell, thrown, whatever – this guy came off the train in front of mine. So someone on that train must have seen something.”
Mac looked at his two CSIs. “I’ll start with the body. You two start with the person who watches everyone get off and on the train.” He stood up and turned to face Taylor. “I assume,” he said after a long pause, “You think you can help us with this?”
Taylor nodded.
Mac sighed. “Alright. This kid is only young. I owe it to his parents to find out what happened to him. You’re going to come with me.” He frowned. “You remember what you can and cannot do?”
“I stand back and let you work, without touching anything,” Taylor recited. Sometimes Mac made her feel like a small child, and yet, she was still anxious to please him, even though she didn’t really have to.
Mac nodded. “Very well.”
She was close to the subway stop and headed in that direction. By the time she got there, the area was cordoned off. However, she arrived only a few minutes after Lindsay, who was currently showing her badge to an officer so she could enter the crime scene. “Lindsay!”
Lindsay stopped and turned around. “What are you doing here?”
“A ghost,” Taylor sighed.
“Taylor…”
“Come on, Lindsay. You know as well as I do that I don’t mix too well with dead bodies. And besides,” she added. “I was enjoying the opera – I’m hardly going to walk out of it unless I had to.”
Lindsay sighed and turned to the officer. “She’s with me.”
The officer nodded and held the tape up for her to duck under. She followed Lindsay onto the platform and down onto the tracks. To say it was freezing down there was an understatement. When Taylor had left her apartment, she had gone straight to a taxi and then straight into the opera house, and even then it had still been pleasant – she hadn’t even bothered with a coat, unlike Lindsay who was currently wearing one.
She followed Lindsay a few steps behind, trying to keep her balance on the stones in her heels, to where Danny and Mac were bent over a body. The same one who’s spirit had been to visit her.
Danny got to his feet the moment he spotted Lindsay. “Well, hello Miss Monroe,” he greeted Lindsay with a smile on his face. “Wow, you clean up nice. You been to the mayor’s party also?”
Taylor glanced over at Mac who, unlike Danny, had actually spotted her. He gave her a look which matched the one she was giving him – that both she and him were perfectly aware of the looks that Danny and Lindsay were giving each other.
“I was at the opera,” Lindsay told him with a smile.
“I am hanging out with all the wrong people, you know that?” he said to Mac, before noticing Taylor stood to one side. He looked her up and down. “You’re another one that should wear a dress more often. What were you doing? Party with the stars?”
Taylor smiled at him. “I was also at the opera. Next time I get tickets, you can have one, if you like?”
“Nah, not my thing,” he frowned, “So, why are you here?” He glanced around, looking for some evidence of something else down there. Taylor caught his look and nodded.
“So this is our subway surfer?” said Lindsay, crouching down besides the body, not noticing the silent conversation Taylor and Danny were holding.
Mac nodded. “As far as I can tell, he didn’t fall from the top of the subway car. There are no injuries consistent with a fall from that height at that speed.”
“No, he definitely didn’t fall,” agreed Taylor. Mac and Lindsay looked over at her. “His ghost appeared. Why would he appear if it was an accident?”
Danny nodded, whilst Lindsay and Mac looked at each other – both still not accepting the fact that Taylor could see ghosts.
“What about the bruising?” Lindsay continued. “It looks like it was caused by a significant impact – it wouldn’t have happened if the body was dragged here and dumped.”
“The scapula and the ribs aren’t broken. The clavicle didn’t collapse, which means he didn’t bounce, flip, or ricochet; nothing,” Mac informed her. Taylor frowned. It wasn’t pretty to imagine someone falling from a moving train. “When he landed,” Mac continued, “He stayed put. All inconsistent with a fall from a moving train.”
“So, he was subway surfing, but he didn’t die doing it,” frowned Lindsay.
“Well, we’re too far away from the station for him to have fallen from the platform, and surely the body would have been… cut up… or something, if it was dragged,” offered Taylor, feeling slightly ill, yet exceedingly grateful she wasn’t encountering the body in several pieces.
Danny nodded. “Push, fell, thrown, whatever – this guy came off the train in front of mine. So someone on that train must have seen something.”
Mac looked at his two CSIs. “I’ll start with the body. You two start with the person who watches everyone get off and on the train.” He stood up and turned to face Taylor. “I assume,” he said after a long pause, “You think you can help us with this?”
Taylor nodded.
Mac sighed. “Alright. This kid is only young. I owe it to his parents to find out what happened to him. You’re going to come with me.” He frowned. “You remember what you can and cannot do?”
“I stand back and let you work, without touching anything,” Taylor recited. Sometimes Mac made her feel like a small child, and yet, she was still anxious to please him, even though she didn’t really have to.
Mac nodded. “Very well.”
Originally posted: 30/05/2006