Spoilers for 2x15: Fair Game
“Roger, I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but this is really not what I thought you meant when you were talking about getting me out of the house.”
“Taylor, you’re right, part of the reason was to stop you moping in your room. I know Maddy was a close friend, but it’s been three weeks – you have to start living again. However, the other reason was because I owed Omar a favour. You got him Carol Williams’ number for him and he said to bring you to this event instead of him.”
Taylor glanced at her colleague. She hadn’t been moping – far from it. In fact if he’d have seen her, he’d have thought she was convinced her friend was still around. Well, technically, she was. Admittedly, she was on the slightly transparent side, and Taylor hadn’t seen her since Flack’s apartment, but she was around still. No, what Taylor had actually been doing was research for an upcoming three-edition special.
The research was actually killing people. With water guns, that was. Alex had told her that the chief of police wanted an article running about the new craze which had hit the streets, being as it was getting dangerous. Alex had run the article, but he had also made Taylor sign up. She’s been doing really well and had manage to ‘kill’ eight targets, but then she realised that she was actually more famous than she thought. Someone had been complimenting her on her column and then ‘shot’ her. So she was out of the game.
Instead of telling Roger this, she stared at the food in front of her. “Roger, a boat trip, a walk around Central Park, even a hot dog from the corner of 56th – that would have been a welcome distraction. Bugs are not.”
“Come on, Taylor,” he grinned popping a handful of live water bugs in his mouth.
Taylor watched as one jumped out, before he started chewing, and blanched. “The whale bacon wasn’t that bad. Even the duck foetus wasn’t as terrible as I thought it was, but bugs I draw the line at.”
“Taylor, everybody else in this room has paid $10,000 for this, and you’ve got it free because you’re with me,” Omar pointed out.
“If I’d have known that this was the menu before I got here, you wouldn’t have got me to come if you paid me $10,000!” She pushed her bowl away from her.
“If the water bugs are not to your liking, can I offer you a live octopus?”
Taylor looked up at the head chef who was offering her, well, an octopus on a stick.
Taylor could feel the whale bacon ad duct foetus begin to churn in her stomach as she watched the tentacles wriggle about. “No, thank you,” she told him. He smiled and wandered off, in search of another victim. “And I wonder why I’m losing so much weight, these days,” she muttered, before realising that there was someone else stood next to her.
Her eyes settled on the blood on his chest in her eye line, before allowing her eyes to travel upwards to the man’s face.
“Get him.”
“Taylor? Are you alright?”
Taylor turned her attention back to the food critic in front of her. “Yeah, I… uh, I don’t think this food is settling too well with me.” Strictly not a lie. She excused herself from the table and left. As she stood waiting for a cab, he appeared again, this time bringing a familiar face with him.
“Hey Tay!”
“Hi Maddy.” She was wearing a white pant suit, with a gold top, and was… glowing.
“Sorry about him – he got away from me.”
Taylor smiled, “So who is he, and how did he die?”
“Not a clue,” Taylor shrugged.
Taylor raised an eyebrow at her dead friend, “I thought that you were here to help.”
“I am, as much as I can. But these guys aren’t exactly the chattiest of people. It’s something to do with them being in limbo.”
“So, what you’re saying is that you’re going to be supplying me with your own input on things, rather than theirs.”
Maddy grinned. “Pretty much.” She gave the ghost a prod. “Come on dead guy, spill your secrets.”
Taylor bit back a smile, “I don’t know what they taught you, but I’m pretty certain insulting the dead isn’t the way to go.”
The ghost opened his hand to show the picture of a tombstone of Samuel Cooper.
“Is that this guy?” Maddy asked her.
Taylor frowned. “I don’t think so. Unless he’s been dead for six months. It says the year he died was 2005. Which means he was probably killed there.”
“Well, I’ve got to go, Tay. I’ll catch you later.”
Taylor smiled as the two ghosts disappeared. This was certainly going to be interesting.
“Taylor, you’re right, part of the reason was to stop you moping in your room. I know Maddy was a close friend, but it’s been three weeks – you have to start living again. However, the other reason was because I owed Omar a favour. You got him Carol Williams’ number for him and he said to bring you to this event instead of him.”
Taylor glanced at her colleague. She hadn’t been moping – far from it. In fact if he’d have seen her, he’d have thought she was convinced her friend was still around. Well, technically, she was. Admittedly, she was on the slightly transparent side, and Taylor hadn’t seen her since Flack’s apartment, but she was around still. No, what Taylor had actually been doing was research for an upcoming three-edition special.
The research was actually killing people. With water guns, that was. Alex had told her that the chief of police wanted an article running about the new craze which had hit the streets, being as it was getting dangerous. Alex had run the article, but he had also made Taylor sign up. She’s been doing really well and had manage to ‘kill’ eight targets, but then she realised that she was actually more famous than she thought. Someone had been complimenting her on her column and then ‘shot’ her. So she was out of the game.
Instead of telling Roger this, she stared at the food in front of her. “Roger, a boat trip, a walk around Central Park, even a hot dog from the corner of 56th – that would have been a welcome distraction. Bugs are not.”
“Come on, Taylor,” he grinned popping a handful of live water bugs in his mouth.
Taylor watched as one jumped out, before he started chewing, and blanched. “The whale bacon wasn’t that bad. Even the duck foetus wasn’t as terrible as I thought it was, but bugs I draw the line at.”
“Taylor, everybody else in this room has paid $10,000 for this, and you’ve got it free because you’re with me,” Omar pointed out.
“If I’d have known that this was the menu before I got here, you wouldn’t have got me to come if you paid me $10,000!” She pushed her bowl away from her.
“If the water bugs are not to your liking, can I offer you a live octopus?”
Taylor looked up at the head chef who was offering her, well, an octopus on a stick.
Taylor could feel the whale bacon ad duct foetus begin to churn in her stomach as she watched the tentacles wriggle about. “No, thank you,” she told him. He smiled and wandered off, in search of another victim. “And I wonder why I’m losing so much weight, these days,” she muttered, before realising that there was someone else stood next to her.
Her eyes settled on the blood on his chest in her eye line, before allowing her eyes to travel upwards to the man’s face.
“Get him.”
“Taylor? Are you alright?”
Taylor turned her attention back to the food critic in front of her. “Yeah, I… uh, I don’t think this food is settling too well with me.” Strictly not a lie. She excused herself from the table and left. As she stood waiting for a cab, he appeared again, this time bringing a familiar face with him.
“Hey Tay!”
“Hi Maddy.” She was wearing a white pant suit, with a gold top, and was… glowing.
“Sorry about him – he got away from me.”
Taylor smiled, “So who is he, and how did he die?”
“Not a clue,” Taylor shrugged.
Taylor raised an eyebrow at her dead friend, “I thought that you were here to help.”
“I am, as much as I can. But these guys aren’t exactly the chattiest of people. It’s something to do with them being in limbo.”
“So, what you’re saying is that you’re going to be supplying me with your own input on things, rather than theirs.”
Maddy grinned. “Pretty much.” She gave the ghost a prod. “Come on dead guy, spill your secrets.”
Taylor bit back a smile, “I don’t know what they taught you, but I’m pretty certain insulting the dead isn’t the way to go.”
The ghost opened his hand to show the picture of a tombstone of Samuel Cooper.
“Is that this guy?” Maddy asked her.
Taylor frowned. “I don’t think so. Unless he’s been dead for six months. It says the year he died was 2005. Which means he was probably killed there.”
“Well, I’ve got to go, Tay. I’ll catch you later.”
Taylor smiled as the two ghosts disappeared. This was certainly going to be interesting.
* * *
“Taylor? Do you normally come to the cemetery at this time of night?” Stella asked as she watched her friend walk over.
Taylor frowned, and then realised what she was talking about. “Actually, I wasn’t going to Maddy’s grave. I’ve already seen her tonight.”
“A ghost, I take it?” Stella asked.
Taylor nodded. “Yup. Some clue about Samuel Cooper.”
“Yeah, that’s where we found our vic.” She pointed to a grave with a small screen in it.
“Oh. That’s new,” Taylor muttered in surprise, watching the display.
“Well, if you’ve got the money?” Stella shrugged.
Taylor laughed. “True. Have you already processed the scene, then?”
Stella nodded. “On the way to the morgue for the autopsy. Is Marty working tonight?”
“I don’t know, actually. He’s been a bit funny with me recently,” Taylor admitted.
“He probably isn’t sure how to act around you, considering what happened,” Stella suggested. Taylor frowned, but said nothing. She was pretty sure that Maddy’s death had nothing to do with it. “You want to come with me?”
“Not really, thanks. If I don’t have to see a dead body, then I’m not going to.”
Stella smiled, “Yeah, I can understand that. I take it you have no intention of going home, then?”
Taylor sighed. “Trust me when I say that when there’s a ghost around, it’s a wasted effort.”
“I see.” Stella looked at Taylor, as though noticing her for the first time. “Where on earth have you been this time, to be dressed up like that?”
“The Grandview Regent Hotel,” Taylor replied.
“Sounds expensive. Who was the lucky guy?” Stella grinned.
Taylor snorted. “Try $10,000 worth of expensive. And I was tricked into going by our food critic.”
“Tricked into going for a meal?” Stella asked as the two walked back to her SUV. “That cost $10,000? What were they serving? Dodo eggs?”
“I wish. Try, live and wriggling creepy crawlies, and interesting delicacies such as duck foetuses,” she told her, unable to keep from shuddering.
“I think the word springing to mind, is ew,” Stella agreed.
Taylor frowned. “The whale bacon, strangely alright. The rest of it. Yeah, you’d be right with ew.”
Taylor frowned, and then realised what she was talking about. “Actually, I wasn’t going to Maddy’s grave. I’ve already seen her tonight.”
“A ghost, I take it?” Stella asked.
Taylor nodded. “Yup. Some clue about Samuel Cooper.”
“Yeah, that’s where we found our vic.” She pointed to a grave with a small screen in it.
“Oh. That’s new,” Taylor muttered in surprise, watching the display.
“Well, if you’ve got the money?” Stella shrugged.
Taylor laughed. “True. Have you already processed the scene, then?”
Stella nodded. “On the way to the morgue for the autopsy. Is Marty working tonight?”
“I don’t know, actually. He’s been a bit funny with me recently,” Taylor admitted.
“He probably isn’t sure how to act around you, considering what happened,” Stella suggested. Taylor frowned, but said nothing. She was pretty sure that Maddy’s death had nothing to do with it. “You want to come with me?”
“Not really, thanks. If I don’t have to see a dead body, then I’m not going to.”
Stella smiled, “Yeah, I can understand that. I take it you have no intention of going home, then?”
Taylor sighed. “Trust me when I say that when there’s a ghost around, it’s a wasted effort.”
“I see.” Stella looked at Taylor, as though noticing her for the first time. “Where on earth have you been this time, to be dressed up like that?”
“The Grandview Regent Hotel,” Taylor replied.
“Sounds expensive. Who was the lucky guy?” Stella grinned.
Taylor snorted. “Try $10,000 worth of expensive. And I was tricked into going by our food critic.”
“Tricked into going for a meal?” Stella asked as the two walked back to her SUV. “That cost $10,000? What were they serving? Dodo eggs?”
“I wish. Try, live and wriggling creepy crawlies, and interesting delicacies such as duck foetuses,” she told her, unable to keep from shuddering.
“I think the word springing to mind, is ew,” Stella agreed.
Taylor frowned. “The whale bacon, strangely alright. The rest of it. Yeah, you’d be right with ew.”
* * *
Whilst Stella was in the morgue, Taylor set to researching the victim, Kyle Vance, and his connection to Samuel Cooper. As dawn broke, Maddy reappeared, minus Kyle. “Nice jacket.”
Taylor spun around in her chair at a computer and pulled her glasses off – she only really wore them when she was sat in front of computers for long periods of time, as the light of the screen made her contacts itch. “You like?” The jacket she was referring to was a white crime lab one. Stella had dug one out for her, so that, despite the fact she was now a familiar face, and had an ID badge, she would have something to cover up the little black dress with a peasant neckline that she was still wearing. All she had in her locker were several other dresses from when she’d appeared at a crime scene wearing them.
“Kinda cute, yeah,” Maddy nodded.
“How come you’re here, then?”
Maddy looked around, “Thought I’d pop in and see how people were doing.”
Taylor raised her eyebrows at her friend, “People? Isn’t that classed as stalking?”
“I think the term for a ghost is actually haunting,” Maddy froze, realizing what she had admitted to.
Taylor laughed, “Sheldon and Danny have been called out to a DB at a hotel.”
“Firstly, what’s a DB, and secondly, why isn’t he working this case?” Maddy demanded, hands on her hips.
“A DB is a dead body. If you’re sticking around, you’re going to hear that term a few times. And I don’t know why. You’re stuck with Mac and Stella.”
Maddy pouted. “Great. First job and it’s not with my eye candy.”
“You’re dead and you’re still horny,” Taylor laughed. “Oh, some things never change.”
“Right, well, if that cute butt isn’t here, I think I had better get back to my DB,” she grinned at Taylor at the use of the new term.
“I don’t think that applies to a ghost,” Taylor muttered, but Maddy had already gone.
Taylor yawned and decided that instead of continuing with the research, which was drawing a blank anyway, she would go get a coffee. She hung up her jacket and halfway to the break room realised that the coffee in the place was actually dreadful, so she changed direction, opting for the Starbucks across the street.
Taylor spun around in her chair at a computer and pulled her glasses off – she only really wore them when she was sat in front of computers for long periods of time, as the light of the screen made her contacts itch. “You like?” The jacket she was referring to was a white crime lab one. Stella had dug one out for her, so that, despite the fact she was now a familiar face, and had an ID badge, she would have something to cover up the little black dress with a peasant neckline that she was still wearing. All she had in her locker were several other dresses from when she’d appeared at a crime scene wearing them.
“Kinda cute, yeah,” Maddy nodded.
“How come you’re here, then?”
Maddy looked around, “Thought I’d pop in and see how people were doing.”
Taylor raised her eyebrows at her friend, “People? Isn’t that classed as stalking?”
“I think the term for a ghost is actually haunting,” Maddy froze, realizing what she had admitted to.
Taylor laughed, “Sheldon and Danny have been called out to a DB at a hotel.”
“Firstly, what’s a DB, and secondly, why isn’t he working this case?” Maddy demanded, hands on her hips.
“A DB is a dead body. If you’re sticking around, you’re going to hear that term a few times. And I don’t know why. You’re stuck with Mac and Stella.”
Maddy pouted. “Great. First job and it’s not with my eye candy.”
“You’re dead and you’re still horny,” Taylor laughed. “Oh, some things never change.”
“Right, well, if that cute butt isn’t here, I think I had better get back to my DB,” she grinned at Taylor at the use of the new term.
“I don’t think that applies to a ghost,” Taylor muttered, but Maddy had already gone.
Taylor yawned and decided that instead of continuing with the research, which was drawing a blank anyway, she would go get a coffee. She hung up her jacket and halfway to the break room realised that the coffee in the place was actually dreadful, so she changed direction, opting for the Starbucks across the street.
“Hey Mac, what are you up to?” Taylor rounded a corner on her way back to the lab, sipping on her coffee to find Mac staring at a man offloading stacks of newspapers.
Mac said nothing, merely holding his arm out, blocking Taylor from moving any further. Taylor frowned and took another sip, watching as the senior CSI took a couple of steps towards the man. “William Tucker?”
The man stopped what he was doing and glared a Mac. “Do I know you?”
“No,” said Mac, pulling out his badge. “But you knew Kyle Vance, didn’t you?”
William glared at Mac before grabbing a bunch of papers and throwing them at him. Mac dodged out of the way to start chasing him, as the papers caught Taylor’s arm before knocking over a trash can. But not before her coffee had been spilt all down her.
Taylor gaped at the mess and looked up in time to see Flack appear with his gun drawn. He spotted Taylor as he cuffed the suspect and snorted in laughter at the sight of her. Taylor threw her cup down in frustration and stormed off past him, back to the lab.
Mac said nothing, merely holding his arm out, blocking Taylor from moving any further. Taylor frowned and took another sip, watching as the senior CSI took a couple of steps towards the man. “William Tucker?”
The man stopped what he was doing and glared a Mac. “Do I know you?”
“No,” said Mac, pulling out his badge. “But you knew Kyle Vance, didn’t you?”
William glared at Mac before grabbing a bunch of papers and throwing them at him. Mac dodged out of the way to start chasing him, as the papers caught Taylor’s arm before knocking over a trash can. But not before her coffee had been spilt all down her.
Taylor gaped at the mess and looked up in time to see Flack appear with his gun drawn. He spotted Taylor as he cuffed the suspect and snorted in laughter at the sight of her. Taylor threw her cup down in frustration and stormed off past him, back to the lab.
Originally posted: 10/06/2006