Spoliers for 2x16: Cool Hunter
Somewhere along the line, Taylor had found herself in a car with Danny and Stella, on the way to see the latest suspect. And the thing was, it was beginning to feel like it was normal. Neither of them had asked – just expected. She realised, as she followed them into the building, that it was actually a really nice feeling to know that they both believed and trusted her to come with them. So different from Mac and Lindsay.
Out of all the CSIs, it was Danny she had grown the closest to, and despite all the joking, the two of them were nothing more than two, really good, friends. Short of Marty who really did know pretty much everything about her, Danny was there at a close second, and if there was one thing she knew for certain, she would trust him with her life. He turned to look at her, as they ascended in the elevator, “What’s up?”
Taylor smiled, “Nothing. Just thinking.”
“Careful! You don’t want to strain something.”
“No, one look at you and I’m scared of the consequences of doing that,” she smirked, earning a snort of laughter from Stella, who in turn, earned a reproachful look from Danny.
“Smart Alec,” he muttered.
“Come on, children,” grinned Stella as the elevator pinged open and they walked out onto the floor.
Out of all the CSIs, it was Danny she had grown the closest to, and despite all the joking, the two of them were nothing more than two, really good, friends. Short of Marty who really did know pretty much everything about her, Danny was there at a close second, and if there was one thing she knew for certain, she would trust him with her life. He turned to look at her, as they ascended in the elevator, “What’s up?”
Taylor smiled, “Nothing. Just thinking.”
“Careful! You don’t want to strain something.”
“No, one look at you and I’m scared of the consequences of doing that,” she smirked, earning a snort of laughter from Stella, who in turn, earned a reproachful look from Danny.
“Smart Alec,” he muttered.
“Come on, children,” grinned Stella as the elevator pinged open and they walked out onto the floor.
* * *
“The Escalade’s my company car,” said Rico Cerda.
Danny frowned, “Who drives it?
“Elliot Stanton. He works for me – my best employee.”
“Trendspotting?” Danny asked, referring to the name of his company.
“Yeah. So what?” To say Rico’s attitude was a little hostile may have been a slight understatement. “What’s this all about, detectives?”
“It’s about your competition,” Stella told him. “The Next Hot Thing. One of their employees was murdered and found in Washington Heights.”
“What does this have to do with my company? I mean, The Next Hot Thing is no threat to me. I know what’s hot long before they do. I don’t have to kill the competition. I’m already doing it.”
Stella pointed to a display Taylor had been looking at. It was a model wearing a funky looking pair of jeans – the bottoms of which were nothing more than free hanging beads – and they were exceedingly similar to the pair Jenny had been wearing earlier. “Could this be the next top thing?” she asked Rico.
Rico nodded, smugly. “Guaranteed.”
Danny glowered, “What makes you such an expert?”
“I’m just a… You know, I grew up four blocks from here. When people thing Washington heights, they think urban decay,” explained Rico, “But, see, I see the future. And now all the big companies are coming to me. Madison Avenue loves that I still have one foot in the neighbourhood. They know that I am connected and that I operate at a street level.”
“What does Jenny Rodriguez get for all of this?” Taylor asked.
Rico turned to face her, finally acknowledging her, “Who?”
Stella rolled her eyes at him, “The girl in your pictures.”
“But I guess you just steal her fashion design,” Taylor scoffed. “You don’t need to know her name.”
“See, my clients pay me for information. And before you know it, everybody walking down time Square looks up to see what I discovered. The rest of America jumps on board. I run a multi-million dollar corporation. I’m not in public relations,” he sneered.
“I suppose,” said Danny. “If your competition say, The Next Hot Thing, took a few photos of Jenny – it could complicate things, eh?”
Rico glared at him, “I don’t like what you’re implying. Now, I’m a very busy man, detectives. You know the way out.”
“I have one more question,” Stella told him, obviously happy about keeping Rico for a little longer – payback for being unhelpful. “Where’s Elliot Stanton?”
Danny frowned, “Who drives it?
“Elliot Stanton. He works for me – my best employee.”
“Trendspotting?” Danny asked, referring to the name of his company.
“Yeah. So what?” To say Rico’s attitude was a little hostile may have been a slight understatement. “What’s this all about, detectives?”
“It’s about your competition,” Stella told him. “The Next Hot Thing. One of their employees was murdered and found in Washington Heights.”
“What does this have to do with my company? I mean, The Next Hot Thing is no threat to me. I know what’s hot long before they do. I don’t have to kill the competition. I’m already doing it.”
Stella pointed to a display Taylor had been looking at. It was a model wearing a funky looking pair of jeans – the bottoms of which were nothing more than free hanging beads – and they were exceedingly similar to the pair Jenny had been wearing earlier. “Could this be the next top thing?” she asked Rico.
Rico nodded, smugly. “Guaranteed.”
Danny glowered, “What makes you such an expert?”
“I’m just a… You know, I grew up four blocks from here. When people thing Washington heights, they think urban decay,” explained Rico, “But, see, I see the future. And now all the big companies are coming to me. Madison Avenue loves that I still have one foot in the neighbourhood. They know that I am connected and that I operate at a street level.”
“What does Jenny Rodriguez get for all of this?” Taylor asked.
Rico turned to face her, finally acknowledging her, “Who?”
Stella rolled her eyes at him, “The girl in your pictures.”
“But I guess you just steal her fashion design,” Taylor scoffed. “You don’t need to know her name.”
“See, my clients pay me for information. And before you know it, everybody walking down time Square looks up to see what I discovered. The rest of America jumps on board. I run a multi-million dollar corporation. I’m not in public relations,” he sneered.
“I suppose,” said Danny. “If your competition say, The Next Hot Thing, took a few photos of Jenny – it could complicate things, eh?”
Rico glared at him, “I don’t like what you’re implying. Now, I’m a very busy man, detectives. You know the way out.”
“I have one more question,” Stella told him, obviously happy about keeping Rico for a little longer – payback for being unhelpful. “Where’s Elliot Stanton?”
* * *
Elliot Stanton could apparently be located in Washington Heights, which the three of them made a detour over to. Taylor could see all hopes of lunch slipping away.
“Man, for half the kids on this neighbourhood, this is it.” Danny noted as the three of them walked down the busy streets looking at the people who were about, “They never leave, they never go anywhere else. Not even Jersey. This is their whole world.”
“Well, they may never leave, but their cultures and styles travel everywhere,” Stella told him.
“What do you know? Elliot Stanton’s on Rico’s payroll and he gets to drive a company car,” Danny pointed to across the street where a new Escalade had pulled up.
“Can’t say I’m a big fan of Escalades,” Taylor muttered as she crossed the street behind the two CSIs. The three of them headed straight for the driver of the car, who was part way down the street.
“You know this guy, Elliot?” Stella asked him, holding a photo under his nose.
“Nope.”
“Imagine him alive,” Taylor muttered dryly.
The two CSIs looked at her as Elliot shook his head. “Never seen him.”
“Looks like you were at the wrong end of a couple of punches,” said Danny, “You landed a few though, right?”
“Looks like it hurts,” Stella told him.
Elliot glared at them, “Are you paramedics?”
Danny finally lost his patience. “Alright, look, we get it, Elliot. Your boss told you we’d be swinging by. Stop playing the coy boy, do this the easy way and answer us a few questions.”
“Okay,” said Elliot, smiling smugly, “I fell of my bike.”
“Before or after you slammed your fist into Ben Hatfield’s face?” Stella asked him.
“Ben, who?”
Taylor, who at that point had been reading a text message from Smith – he still hadn’t given up on trying to get her to buy some shares – looked up to find Danny looking pointedly from her phone to Elliot.
“Ben, hanging from a swing in the park, Hatfield,” Stella snapped.
Taylor took the hint and flicked the camera on and started taking photos.
Elliot glared at her, “What are you doing?”
“What do you think?” Danny asked, drawing the attention away from Taylor, “next new fad – ligature marks instead of tattoos?”
Elliot just continued to glare at them.
“I hear you’re really good at your job,” said Stella. “Well, we’re even better at ours. You think about that.”
The three of them left Elliot and headed back to their SUV. “You get it?” Danny asked Taylor.
Taylor nodded and threw the phone over to him. “I got it,” she told him as he flicked through the pictures.
“Good,” said Stella.
“Man, for half the kids on this neighbourhood, this is it.” Danny noted as the three of them walked down the busy streets looking at the people who were about, “They never leave, they never go anywhere else. Not even Jersey. This is their whole world.”
“Well, they may never leave, but their cultures and styles travel everywhere,” Stella told him.
“What do you know? Elliot Stanton’s on Rico’s payroll and he gets to drive a company car,” Danny pointed to across the street where a new Escalade had pulled up.
“Can’t say I’m a big fan of Escalades,” Taylor muttered as she crossed the street behind the two CSIs. The three of them headed straight for the driver of the car, who was part way down the street.
“You know this guy, Elliot?” Stella asked him, holding a photo under his nose.
“Nope.”
“Imagine him alive,” Taylor muttered dryly.
The two CSIs looked at her as Elliot shook his head. “Never seen him.”
“Looks like you were at the wrong end of a couple of punches,” said Danny, “You landed a few though, right?”
“Looks like it hurts,” Stella told him.
Elliot glared at them, “Are you paramedics?”
Danny finally lost his patience. “Alright, look, we get it, Elliot. Your boss told you we’d be swinging by. Stop playing the coy boy, do this the easy way and answer us a few questions.”
“Okay,” said Elliot, smiling smugly, “I fell of my bike.”
“Before or after you slammed your fist into Ben Hatfield’s face?” Stella asked him.
“Ben, who?”
Taylor, who at that point had been reading a text message from Smith – he still hadn’t given up on trying to get her to buy some shares – looked up to find Danny looking pointedly from her phone to Elliot.
“Ben, hanging from a swing in the park, Hatfield,” Stella snapped.
Taylor took the hint and flicked the camera on and started taking photos.
Elliot glared at her, “What are you doing?”
“What do you think?” Danny asked, drawing the attention away from Taylor, “next new fad – ligature marks instead of tattoos?”
Elliot just continued to glare at them.
“I hear you’re really good at your job,” said Stella. “Well, we’re even better at ours. You think about that.”
The three of them left Elliot and headed back to their SUV. “You get it?” Danny asked Taylor.
Taylor nodded and threw the phone over to him. “I got it,” she told him as he flicked through the pictures.
“Good,” said Stella.
* * *
Danny and Stella had gone straight to the AV lab to take the photos off her phone leaving Taylor to head to a vending machine. Danny was certain they would be able to get some lunch after they photos were safely on the computer, so in the meantime, a Snickers bar was going to sustain her. Only, before she got to the machine, she spotted Sid heading to Sheldon with a few x-rays, and Maddy stood to one side, with Ben, staring at them. Taylor bit back a smile, wondering how Sheldon would react if knew Maddy was as good as haunting him.
The two of them had had a discussion about the x-ray and left before Taylor made it over. Instead, she walked over to Maddy and Ben, giving Maddy a pointed look. Maddy shrugged, “Ben wanted to show you something. It’s not my fault Sheldon happened to be here.”
Taylor rolled her eyes and turned to Ben, expecting him to show her the dead snake again, but instead, he showed her a small black ball. “Help me.”
“Sure thing, only, what kind of ball is it?” Taylor asked. Ben, as she expected, didn’t respond. Maddy shrugged and the two of them disappeared.
Muttering curses under her breath as she abandoned her mission to the vending machine and turned to head in the opposite direction.
The two of them had had a discussion about the x-ray and left before Taylor made it over. Instead, she walked over to Maddy and Ben, giving Maddy a pointed look. Maddy shrugged, “Ben wanted to show you something. It’s not my fault Sheldon happened to be here.”
Taylor rolled her eyes and turned to Ben, expecting him to show her the dead snake again, but instead, he showed her a small black ball. “Help me.”
“Sure thing, only, what kind of ball is it?” Taylor asked. Ben, as she expected, didn’t respond. Maddy shrugged and the two of them disappeared.
Muttering curses under her breath as she abandoned her mission to the vending machine and turned to head in the opposite direction.
* * *
“Elliot Stanton is our primary suspect and we don’t have enough evidence to hold up in court.” Danny was in one of the layout rooms with a slightly dejected Hawkes, when Taylor walked in
“Hold up,” Danny said to Hawkes. “Don’t throw in the towel just yet. Exhibit A,” he held up a photograph. “Elliot with his arm around Jenny, walking. Exhibit B,” he held up another photograph. “Our vic’s shirt with grab marks, pattern left by gloved hands.”
“We don’t know that it was Elliot’s gloves that left the impression on the shirt,” Hawkes told him.
Danny nodded, “Bruising and cuts from the picture Taylor took of Elliot’s hands are consistent with the wounds on our vic.” Danny frowned and stuck his hand into his pocket, pulling out Taylor’s phone and threw it to her.
“Well, that just proves that Ben Hatfield and Elliot Stanton got in a fight, not necessarily with each other,” Hawkes explained.
“You don’t need to be a pathologist to see that Elliot’s hand is infected. He knocked out Ben’s tooth. That’s what opened the flesh.”
“What we see, and what we can prove are two different things. We need to connect Elliot Stanton with our victim. Prove that it was his gloves which made the pattern on the shirt, and that it was his fist that knocked Ben’s tooth out, and ultimately that it was Elliot Stanton’s blood which we found in the sandbox.”
“If it helps,” Taylor piped up, “Ben gave me another clue – a small black ball.”
Danny grinned, “Makes complete sense to me.” Taylor looked at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation. “We’re going back to the crime scene,” Danny told her.
“But-”
Danny nodded, “Safe to say we’re skipping lunch.”
Taylor sighed.
“Hold up,” Danny said to Hawkes. “Don’t throw in the towel just yet. Exhibit A,” he held up a photograph. “Elliot with his arm around Jenny, walking. Exhibit B,” he held up another photograph. “Our vic’s shirt with grab marks, pattern left by gloved hands.”
“We don’t know that it was Elliot’s gloves that left the impression on the shirt,” Hawkes told him.
Danny nodded, “Bruising and cuts from the picture Taylor took of Elliot’s hands are consistent with the wounds on our vic.” Danny frowned and stuck his hand into his pocket, pulling out Taylor’s phone and threw it to her.
“Well, that just proves that Ben Hatfield and Elliot Stanton got in a fight, not necessarily with each other,” Hawkes explained.
“You don’t need to be a pathologist to see that Elliot’s hand is infected. He knocked out Ben’s tooth. That’s what opened the flesh.”
“What we see, and what we can prove are two different things. We need to connect Elliot Stanton with our victim. Prove that it was his gloves which made the pattern on the shirt, and that it was his fist that knocked Ben’s tooth out, and ultimately that it was Elliot Stanton’s blood which we found in the sandbox.”
“If it helps,” Taylor piped up, “Ben gave me another clue – a small black ball.”
Danny grinned, “Makes complete sense to me.” Taylor looked at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation. “We’re going back to the crime scene,” Danny told her.
“But-”
Danny nodded, “Safe to say we’re skipping lunch.”
Taylor sighed.
* * *
It turned out, the trip to the crime scene wasn’t as boring as Taylor thought it was going to be – it wasn’t until they had returned to the lab and been there a while, that she even realized that was still hungry. And the reason for that was a very sweaty Danny had been her distraction. Danny may have been just a friend, but she was still female, and Danny certainly wasn’t lacking any ‘phwoar factor’.
The reason for the Danny distraction was because of a game of handball. They had arrived back at the crime scene to find two guys hitting a small black ball off a wall, using their fists as hands. Danny had had to explain to Taylor that handball was just like squash, except for the racquet replacement. He had then had to explain the rules of squash, after rolling his eyes at Taylor, who had just given him a blank look. Finishing the explanation coincided with one of the guys declaring his victory, which was when Danny stepped forward. “I’m next.”
They guy let out a sarcastic laugh. “You? Why don’t you and your little Blue Man group go find a playground on the Upper East Side,” he snorted, referring to the two uniformed officers who were standing with Taylor.
“No, we’re good here,” Danny told him. “In fact we’re going to stay here for a while. This is a murder scene. Kid was killed here just this morning. You know, funny how no one saw anything. So these guys are going to stick around, alright?” He pointed to the uniformed officers. “For as long as it takes. Unless you know something?” He snatched at the ball the guy had been bouncing.
“Give me my ball back, man.”
“I tell you what, why don’t you play me?” Danny offered throwing the ball up and down. “You beat me, I get out of here, and I’ll take these guys with me, not to mention you get to tell everybody that you got to beat a cop.”
The guy eyed him suspiciously. “And if you win?”
Danny shrugged. “A little information.”
The guy looked from Danny to the officers with Taylor and sighed. “You serve.”
Danny smiled and walked back to Taylor, pulling his shirt off over his head and handing it to her. “What?”he asked Taylor, who was looking expectantly at him.
“You’re going to stop there?” she asked him, wiggling an eyebrow at him.
Danny grinned and swiped at her. “Shuddup.” Pulling on a brand new pair of fingerless gloves, he headed over to the court and served.
Danny’s opponent was no push over, and he had Danny running all over the court… and diving over it. However, somewhere along the lines, Danny had played handball too, and surprised Taylor by pulling back from his loss to win the game. After collecting in on his winnings – some information, he headed back over to Taylor with a grin on his face.
Taylor rolled her eyes. “I dread to see you if beat Marty and Flack at basketball.”
“Whaddya mean if?”
“Oh, you really need to get a shower,” she muttered.
Danny puffed out his chest. “Not liking the smell of victory?”
“I think you’re mistaking the smell of victory with the smell of sweat,” she told him dryly, earning a big, sweaty, hug. “Daniel!”
Danny just laughed at her.
The reason for the Danny distraction was because of a game of handball. They had arrived back at the crime scene to find two guys hitting a small black ball off a wall, using their fists as hands. Danny had had to explain to Taylor that handball was just like squash, except for the racquet replacement. He had then had to explain the rules of squash, after rolling his eyes at Taylor, who had just given him a blank look. Finishing the explanation coincided with one of the guys declaring his victory, which was when Danny stepped forward. “I’m next.”
They guy let out a sarcastic laugh. “You? Why don’t you and your little Blue Man group go find a playground on the Upper East Side,” he snorted, referring to the two uniformed officers who were standing with Taylor.
“No, we’re good here,” Danny told him. “In fact we’re going to stay here for a while. This is a murder scene. Kid was killed here just this morning. You know, funny how no one saw anything. So these guys are going to stick around, alright?” He pointed to the uniformed officers. “For as long as it takes. Unless you know something?” He snatched at the ball the guy had been bouncing.
“Give me my ball back, man.”
“I tell you what, why don’t you play me?” Danny offered throwing the ball up and down. “You beat me, I get out of here, and I’ll take these guys with me, not to mention you get to tell everybody that you got to beat a cop.”
The guy eyed him suspiciously. “And if you win?”
Danny shrugged. “A little information.”
The guy looked from Danny to the officers with Taylor and sighed. “You serve.”
Danny smiled and walked back to Taylor, pulling his shirt off over his head and handing it to her. “What?”he asked Taylor, who was looking expectantly at him.
“You’re going to stop there?” she asked him, wiggling an eyebrow at him.
Danny grinned and swiped at her. “Shuddup.” Pulling on a brand new pair of fingerless gloves, he headed over to the court and served.
Danny’s opponent was no push over, and he had Danny running all over the court… and diving over it. However, somewhere along the lines, Danny had played handball too, and surprised Taylor by pulling back from his loss to win the game. After collecting in on his winnings – some information, he headed back over to Taylor with a grin on his face.
Taylor rolled her eyes. “I dread to see you if beat Marty and Flack at basketball.”
“Whaddya mean if?”
“Oh, you really need to get a shower,” she muttered.
Danny puffed out his chest. “Not liking the smell of victory?”
“I think you’re mistaking the smell of victory with the smell of sweat,” she told him dryly, earning a big, sweaty, hug. “Daniel!”
Danny just laughed at her.
* * *
As Danny headed to the locker room to shower, Taylor headed back to the vending machine. Her stomach had reminded her, in no uncertain terms, that it was still wanting that Snickers. The vending machine, however, had other ideas. “Give. Me. My. Chocolate!” Taylor spat at it, hitting it with each word.
The vending machine wasn’t in a particularly talkative mood, Unfortunately for Taylor, Stacie was. “It was him.”
Taylor barely had time to react before the vending machine exploded into life, firing its contents out, through the glass. Taylor dove to the floor, sliding along the tiles, lucky enough only to have been hit by a flying packet of skittles. She started to pull herself to her feet.
“IT WAS HIM!”
Taylor dropped back to the floor and cradled her head as the can machine decided it wanted in on the action, firing cans at the wall behind her. They exploded as they hit the wall above her, drenching her in every combination of soda created by the Pepsi Corporation.
Finally, the battleground fell silent, apart from the bubbling soda on the floor, and Taylor pulled herself to her feet, incredibly surprised that no one had come to see what the commotion was. When she realised that Stacie had gone, she let out a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding in, and headed to find Stella to let her know that there was a bit of a mess in the corridor.
After finding Stella, and reassuring her she was alright, then heading for her a shower, Taylor changed. With her hair still damp she set out to find Danny – she never had that Snickers – but was stopped in her tracks by two friendlier ghosts. “Are you alright?” Maddy asked her.
Taylor nodded. “Short of being attacked by a packet of candy, I don’t think she wanted to hurt me,” Taylor frowned. “I know it sounds strange, but I think she’s just trying to scare me.”
Maddy nodded. “Just be careful.”
“Help me,” said Ben, holding out the dead snake.
Taylor looked at Maddy, who shrugged, before both ghosts disappeared. Taylor sighed and continued looking for Danny – all hopes of eating had completely vanished.
The vending machine wasn’t in a particularly talkative mood, Unfortunately for Taylor, Stacie was. “It was him.”
Taylor barely had time to react before the vending machine exploded into life, firing its contents out, through the glass. Taylor dove to the floor, sliding along the tiles, lucky enough only to have been hit by a flying packet of skittles. She started to pull herself to her feet.
“IT WAS HIM!”
Taylor dropped back to the floor and cradled her head as the can machine decided it wanted in on the action, firing cans at the wall behind her. They exploded as they hit the wall above her, drenching her in every combination of soda created by the Pepsi Corporation.
Finally, the battleground fell silent, apart from the bubbling soda on the floor, and Taylor pulled herself to her feet, incredibly surprised that no one had come to see what the commotion was. When she realised that Stacie had gone, she let out a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding in, and headed to find Stella to let her know that there was a bit of a mess in the corridor.
After finding Stella, and reassuring her she was alright, then heading for her a shower, Taylor changed. With her hair still damp she set out to find Danny – she never had that Snickers – but was stopped in her tracks by two friendlier ghosts. “Are you alright?” Maddy asked her.
Taylor nodded. “Short of being attacked by a packet of candy, I don’t think she wanted to hurt me,” Taylor frowned. “I know it sounds strange, but I think she’s just trying to scare me.”
Maddy nodded. “Just be careful.”
“Help me,” said Ben, holding out the dead snake.
Taylor looked at Maddy, who shrugged, before both ghosts disappeared. Taylor sighed and continued looking for Danny – all hopes of eating had completely vanished.
Originally posted 10/07/2006