St. Martins (Part 1), Night, Icene, Jazz, and Chad
Jazz felt more alert, it didn't hurt quite as much to think now, but everything still seemed to blur together. One minute people were leaning over her, the next a doctor was flashing a pen light in her eyes, asking what hurt where. What could have been only a second later she was in a room, alone apart from a nurse who was scribbling on a clipboard and checking the tube that ran from the IV bag down into her arm.
"When-" her torn lip pulled painfully and she paused, touching the wound carefully with her tongue before trying again. "When can I go?"
"That's really up for the doctor to decide, but...you are sitting up, and talking, so I wouldn't rule out being able to go home tonight." The nurse looked up and smiled gently, "Now, is there anyone I can call for you? Any family or friends?"
Jazz looked at the other woman, saw her poised with a pen, and had to look away. Cleo and Olly jumped immediately to mind, but they were half a world away. They couldn't do anything for her, it wouldn't do any good to wake them up. She thought for a moment about Jane. Jane would come, she was sure, but as she opened her mouth to say so, she remembered how scared Jane had been at the wedding. Jane didn't do well with violence and Jazz knew, deep down, that she wouldn't be able to put her friend through this.
Finally she shook her head gently, "No."
"No one?" the nurse prompted gently. "No one at all? No parents? No significant other?"
Another face flashed in Jazz's head. Blond hair, blue eyes, cool, impassive face - Thomas. But he wouldn't...would he? He didn't want to be seen with her anymore, even when she looked normal and good, and now, when she was - like this - he definitely wouldn't. Unbidden her conversation with Lucas played back in her mind. The teenager seemed to think that Thomas felt bad about what had happened...maybe, maybe if she just asked for a ride home, maybe he wouldn't mind?
"I don't, I mean, I'm not sure if he'll be available or anything, but maybe you could try-" the nurse smiled again and nodded encouragingly as Jazz paused. "-Thomas Avery." The nurse wrote the name down, as well as the number Jazz slowly provided then touched Jazz's arm lightly. "I'll call him. You just rest now, the doctor should be back shortly."
Jazz nodded and looked down at the floor silently as the nurse let herself out.
~.~
Chad was in uniform and already had pages of notes from the campus security. No definite description and it seemed to be the first mugging of this semester. The campus was going to review security tapes to see if there was anything on them, from half an hour before Jazz left to the time of Anastasia's phone call.
He was standing in the hall, looking through his notes when Icene found him. "Hi, just finished with the primary scene, how's the vic?" She smiled at Chad, even though it wasn't necessarily the time or place, but somehow it felt right. They'd been working together quite a bit now and it felt like they were friends. "We get anything from her yet or did the medics ruin any chance of any evidence being gathered?"
He shook his head. "Dunno yet. Nurse's been keeping busy and telling me to be patient." Jazz had been rather distraught and shaken at the scene, but that was to be expected. "Campus security was there when the medics showed up so I don't think they contaminated anything."
"What, we got a miracle? They usually mess something up for us." She tilted her head, "I have a full kit, what do I need to do? They sent me because the other night team is all male this evening, figured I might be more, um, sympathetic?" She arched one eyebrow, then rolled her eyes, "But isn't this one of the Manor Tenants as well as a Rutherford Student?" Icene flipped open her notebook, "Gonzalez, Estrella, second floor I think?"
Chad flipped the pages of his notebook to verify. "Yes, she is. Could be that connection, but I'll wager it's the female similarity. Girl's not gonna tell a guy if she's been... Well..." He didn't want to say the words because he didn't want that to be happening on the Rutherford campus. "You might be able to get more information too, being a woman."
"Dammit, when are they going to work out I'm a CSI first, and a woman only when off duty?" Icene chuckled, "Well, I'll go with the assault kit and see if the rape one is needed as we go along. Anything you can tell me otherwise? I found a couple of things of interest in the parking lot, but, we can probably compare notes on those later, some cigarette butts gone in for analysis, couple of prints off of cars nearby, oh and a blood typing off of what we are assuming is her keys? I'll need to run samples for elimination from the vic too." she looked in the notebook again, sure she'd missed something, "Oh and we found this, dropped at the fence around the car park, figure the perps dropped it? But if it's hers, that's a sure thing." Icene waved a plastic bag, sealed and signed, with an iPod in it, then stuffed it back into her kit. "Want me to ask about that too?"
Chad didn't have any answer to that question. He just figured they probably assumed it would be easier to send Icene instead of finding a woman to accompany one of the guys... It's what he'd figure too, but he'd at least have asked before sending her out and having her draw her own conclusions. He shrugged. "Dunno 'bout your guys, but as long as you're here. If you want me to come along just say so."
The evidence she'd collected would tell them a lot about someone. If it was the perp or not, that depended on how much matched up in the lab. Regardless, they'd question everybody that the evidence led them to. "If you want to, you found it."
"I'll be fine, how about you quiz the nursing staff about anything else you need to know and I'll get scrapings and samples and stuff? I'll even ask about the iPod, and the keys. Need to get the car too I think, perhaps we can get it towed home? I don't think she's gonna be driving herself, do you?"
Chad nodded. "Nurses, got it... Highly doubt the driving thing tho. I know a guy that'll pick up the car without disturbing anything inside of it." He said briefly before making a note to himself and turning toward the nurse's station.
Icene took a couple of deep breaths, and deliberately calmed herself right down before opening the not quite closed door and going in to see Miss Gonzalez. She was pleased to see the woman was awake, sometimes it was awkward if they weren't when you started and then woke up. Plus, it helped that she recognized her, despite the bruises. "Hi, I'm CSI Callan, I've come to collect any evidence of your attackers that we can, and I promise, it won't hurt. I'll also need to photograph the injuries you've sustained, and get your account of what happened, and any recollections you have of your attackers." She smiled a little, "I know, sounds a lot, but we can talk as I work and that should help cut the time down?"
Jazz looked up as the door entered, for a second thinking maybe... She blinked at the woman, letting her silly hopeful thoughts slide away, and nodded slowly. "Okay."
Icene set the evidence bag down on the floor, and pulled over a chair, shifting the bag to that once it was close enough and opening it out. A large envelope was opened, and from it a number of smaller ones emerged. "Let's start with the most important questions shall we? How many were there and would you recognise them again should have been covered, so, where did they hit you, and do you think you got a piece of them?" She smiled, "We have your car keys, so we know you did, and we're hoping for a dna match."
A sterile orange stick was produced, and Icene deftly picked up one hand and began scraping out under the finger nails, "Do you reckon you might have scratched one of them?"
Jazz watched all this in a distant sort of way, as if it were happening to someone else. "Um..." her forehead lined in concentration. "I don't know - I don't think, I mean, after the keys, they were holding my wrists, behind my back."
"Well, we'll analyse these scrapings anyway, we might get lucky right?" Icene looked up and smiled briefly, setting the first hand down and reaching for the second. Careful of the IV she worked just as quickly, but carefully, on that hand too, "So, were they taller than you or shorter? About the same height? Anything at all you can recall would be good, it will help to corroborate what the two ladies who rescued you saw. One of them even drew us a sketch, but she couldn't say much about their height."
She took a deep breath and hunched her shoulders slightly as she closed her eyes and tried to remember. "A little taller...and thick. Muscled, strong." She frowned. "Rough hands."
"OK, that helps," Icene finished with the scrapings, and sealed them up in their little envelopes, carefully marked left hand, and right hand. "Now, I have to ask, because they gave me a full kit, they didn't rape you did they? If they did I will have to take samples from there too, and I can't think of anything worse to do to a woman who's just been through that, but that evidence can be crucial in obtaining a conviction."
"No," Jazz said quickly, eyes popping open. "No. They just-" she looked down, then back at the other woman, "-hit me."
"And kicked you apparently," Icene put the envelopes in the big evidence bag, and then pulled out the special camera that took pictures which showed bruises that weren't visible yet. Sometimes the detail in those was enough to get a bootprint, or a fist impression, "which means you are going to have some really beautiful bruises, and I'd like to get pictures of them as soon as possible. This camera allows us to see them forming beneath the skin, while the details are still sharp? But, you'll need to take that hospital gown off I'm afraid. The camera just can't see through the fabric. I'll er, try not to photograph anything I shouldn't if that helps? Just the bruises?"
She made a noise that sounded vaguely like a strangled speech, but quickly tried to cover it by clearing her throat. "I, uh, I haven't seen," she looked at the blond and gestured gently to her own face. "Can I - I mean, do you have something...." she glanced toward the kit, then at the camera Icene had with her.
Icene picked out the large hand mirror she sometimes used, and held it facing towards her, "I don't know, I mean, you are not your usual gorgeous self right now, but I don't think it's too bad? Just some bruising and a bit of swelling, are you sure you want to look now? Before the worst of it comes up I mean? It is going to look a lot worse in a day or so."
Jazz hesitated, she hadn't thought of that, but finally nodded. "At least I'll have an idea of what's coming?" she tried to joke, but it just sounded sad even to her.
"Well, if you're sure?" Icene turned the mirror towards Ms Gonzalez, carefully keeping it angled right down until it was close enough for her to take it. "I'll just, um, set the camera up? But please, don't worry too much, it will heal. It just needs a week or so and your face will be back to normal."
She took it, shaking lightly. For a moment she left it angled down and away, but then she took a deep, painful breath, held it and turned the mirror toward her. The breath went out of her in a rush but otherwise she said nothing. She tried to assess the damage quickly - swelling over her cheek bone and nose, bruises already rising up, a red and swollen tear in her bottom lip, her left eye was bloodshot - then turned the mirror away again and held it back out wordlessly.
Icene had the camera out, and set down on the rolling table they usually provided for eating meals off of. She took the mirror back and set down the medical notes. "It's not so bad, and there's no permanent damage, couple of bruised ribs, some bruising and stuff, but, you'll be fine. Honest." She smiled briefly, "Now, can I take these photographs? That way I can leave you to relax and concentrate on getting better while I go out and see if I can't identify these dirtbags and send some police after them huh?"
Jazz sighed and hunched slightly again, but nodded carefully. "Yeah. Okay, sure."
"I'll start with your face, and don't worry, I'll be kind, even if the pictures won't look it. I just need to tuck that hair back out of the way," she reached for a loose tendril, tucking it gently behind Jazz's ear, "there now, just hold still, let me do the moving ok?"
She blinked, but otherwise did as she was told. She fixed her gaze on a distant spot, an imperfection in the paint on the far wall just above Icene's shoulder, and tried to pretend she was anywhere else doing anything else but what she was.
Icene took profile, three quarter and full face shots, and from both sides, then set the camera down and looked at Ms Gonzalez, "OK, now, I think I'll have to do your ribs next, so I need you to lie down, and um, I need to see where they kicked you, or punched you, I'm sorry, I know it's intrusive, but, the more evidence I gather now? The less chance you have to do this again in a couple of days time."
She looked round, ensuring nobody could see into the room, and then moved to see if she could get the bed flat, "I think you'll need to lie down too, are you gonna be ok with this?"
"Do I have a choice?" Jazz asked. She realized after she said it that it was kind of rude and she glanced at the other woman, "Sorry."
This was one of the reasons Icene hated dealing with the victims, it really did feel like she was invading their privacy, almost re-committing the crimes at times. So she wanted to ignore the comment, but, "Oh you have a choice, I could stop right now and walk away, but, what if there's a bootprint that would help us to identify the guys and we don't get it because you didn't want to carry on? Who else gets hurt?"
She shrugged, "Sometimes, I wonder if it helps to think that by you helping us, you're the one saving other people from what you just went through, or whether it just doesn't help at all really." A quick adjustment of the bed, and Mz Gonzalez was laid flat, "But, if I can just get these last shots? I know my team and the police are going to do everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else on campus."
She didn't push it though, waited for Mz Gonzalez to remove the hospital gown, or at least move it to one side out of the way.
Jazz let out a slow, long breath and blinked up at the ceiling as she laid back. "Slipped that one right under the ribs, didn't you?" she sighed, but the words held no real malice. She knew Icene was right. Jazz couldn't walk away from something like this. She'd never forgive herself if someone else got hurt and she hadn't done everything she could to prevent it....and what would Cleo say, if she knew?
Gently she reached over and pulled on the gown, pulling it up over her side to expose the swollen discolorations on her ribcage. Then, again, she fixed her eyes on something distant and tried to pretend while Icene moved and the camera went off.
The special camera revealed some very interesting details to the bruises that were already forming, as well as documenting the already extensive visible bruising. Icene almost winced, and she was not smiling when she set the camera down, "That is gonna hurt for a while, I'm so sorry. It shouldn't happen, but," she shrugged, "we will catch them, and when we do, we'll have all this evidence to get them locked up with."
She moved the gown back, and covered the woman gently in the soft blankets the hospital used. "There, I think I'm all done, unless you can remember anything else?"
"No," Jazz shook her head. "No, I think that about covers it."
Icene set the camera back in it's case, making sure everything was safely stored away and closing the case up and locking it. "Now, I know you're gonna hate me for this, everyone does, but I need your clothes. There might still be trace evidence of your attackers on them, and mostly the staff here are good about holding clothes for us, they sometimes even bag them for us." She sighed, "I'll give you a receipt and a claim form, you can fill that in and hopefully get a replacement value for them?"
"My clothes? But what-" she looked down at the gown she was in and for a second looked like she might cry as she realized what it meant. "Oh, this night just keeps getting better and better...."
"I know, I'm sorry, but, we do need to catch these guys, and any evidence we can gather now, we can use to identify them and make sure that they don't do this again." Icene deliberately only wore black jeans, the same make every time, and she never really got attached to anything she wore, it was safer that way when evidence wound up on her clothes. She just claimed for new ones.
It wasn't the clothes really. Yes, she'd like the jeans and the top had been cute - but it was more the idea. Here, after everything already this night, now she wasn't even going to be able to slink into the Manor with her chin up...she'd be to busy trying to cover her ass. How was this even remotely fair?
"I know," she sighed at Icene. "It just - sucks." For lack of a better term.
Icene couldn't have agreed more, but, having spotted the bag she thought she was looking for, she investigated it and found that it was indeed Ms Gonzalez' clothes. "Ah, this is them, I er, I wouldn't take them if it wasn't necessary, but, we really don't want this happening again, and I need to get back to the lab and start analysing." She folded the bag down a little more, and then sealed it into an evidence bag.
Packing everything up, she made a mental note to complain again about taking clothes from the hospital without ensuring something else was available. "I er, well I'll be going, you get well soon, and I'll probably see you about the Manor? You need to rest, take the painkillers, and um stay available in case you remember anything else? We might call up to ask you to clarify things."
"I'm not going anywhere," Jazz said dryly, blinking at Icene tiredly. "In fact I think I'll be spending the next few days in my apartment."
"OK, that sounds safe, and a very good idea, I'll have to stop by and catch up with you if we find any questions, has to be easier right than coming in?" She smiled and picked up the kit bag, "Right, well, you take it easy, is someone coming in to see you? Maybe they could bring you something, if not, give me a call and I'll swing by with some stuff?" She left a card on the table, and then headed back out through the door, there was lab work to be done.
"Wait!" Jazz called suddenly, wincing and hissing in pain when she tried to sit up too fast. "Wait - can...can I ask you something?"
Icene popped her head back round the door, "Sorry, what was that?"
Jazz pressed her free hand against her side and looked at Icene. "I wanted to ask, but forgot...about the women? That saved me, back on campus. Do you know their names?"
Icene smiled, "Yeah, they're neighbours of ours? Both live at the Manor. Let me just check," she pulled her notebook out of a pocket, and flipped it open, "here it is, Emma Brooks, she was the teenager who apparently thwacked one of them round the head with her backpack, and Mrs Anastasia Winters, a teacher at the College who called 911."
She closed the notebook and tucked it back in her pocket. "Kind of reassuring to know that when the Manor looks out for her own, she even does it off site huh?"
"Emma and Anastasia," Jazz repeated, trying to commit the names to memory. She owed them. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Icene smiled, and then turned back to the door, "Anything else before I go? No? Ok, you get some rest, and call me if you remember anything else. Bye now!"
With the smile still in place, Icene headed back out the door, and this time, walked down the corridor and went in search of a nurse. There were a few things she just wanted to clarify, and then, back to the lab!