Finding Kate

Chapter Seventeen

I'm falling apart, I'm falling apart
Don't say this won't last forever
You're breaking my heart, you're breaking my heart
Don't tell me that we will never be together

It's not over, it's not over, it's never over
Unless you let it take you
It's not over, it's not over, it's not over
Unless you let it break you

Second-hand Serenade – It's Not Over

Collins Avenue was the main traffic artery of Miami Beach; it boasted structures by some of the best architects in the world. Flanked by Art Deco buildings it was one of the most hottest places for the rich and famous to hang out in their down time. It was also where our dead girl had been found lying in the middle of the street, practically down the drive way from The National Hotel.

The early morning heat was ferocious, setting a high record for the rest of the day. I wiped the sweat off my brow with the back of my wrists, careful not dislodge my sun glasses. I had become far too accustomed to working the night shift these past few weeks. The stifling hot sunshine was getting to me a little. I peeled off the olive, three quarter length jacket and chucked it through the Hummer's open window, before picking up my kit and striding towards Horatio, Yelina and Alexx, my skin prickling under the heat.

Alexx was crouched own next to the young woman's broken and twisted body. Her eyes stared up at me wide and lifeless as I reviewed the position she was lying in to get a grasp of the scene. The nausea was pooling in the pit of my stomach just like it had for every day over the past month, and just like it would until I saw a doctor. I was still clinging to the fragile hope it would just go away, part of me didn't want to think of the alternative, the fact it might be something serious.

"I didn't realize you were on call today." Horatio murmured as I approached the scene after ducking under the tape.

"You caught me in the last two hours of my shift. It's eight till eight." I told him, checking my watch to calculate the time.

"I've brought in the rest of the team." I knew it was more of a warning than a statement.

"I wouldn't expect anything less." I said with a knowing nod before turning my attention to the real issue at hand. "So what do we have?"

"Dispatch said a hit and run. Paramedics called it in at five thirty am. The Valets don't recognise her as a guest at the hotel and apparently no one saw the car." Yelina spoke as she flicked through her notebook.

"Well the car definitely saw her." Alexx submitted from her crouched position. "Skinny girl like this didn't stand a chance. We have multiple points of impact."

"Pedestrian rotation." I murmured.

Horatio's eyebrows rose in surprise at my admission. I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly.

"I've been studying...a lot." I admitted, with a small shrug.

I didn't mention that it was one of the only things I had been doing between working and sleeping in the past few weeks. Now that the rest of my life had trickled down the pan, I had let work become my focus, so I was reading up on a lot of forensic journals to further my knowledge and experience in the field.

"Got windshield glass. The driver can't tell you they didn't know what they hit." Alexx continued as she pulled out the glass that was embedded in the victim's forehead.

"Take a look at these skid marks Kate. What do you see?" Horatio offered.

Even though I'd switched to the night shift, we still regarded ourselves as mentor and student and I was grateful that the nature of that relationship hadn't changed. I glanced around me, taking in the tread impression and the nature of the rubber burnt onto the road.