A/N: sorry this chapter is so short but I pretty much covered most of things in the last chapter and just wanted to get a few things out of the way with this one before I temporarily closed it for now. Don't worry; Nina will pop up again in other Empty Garden titles so be sure to be on the look-out for them. As soon as I catch the season opener for CSI: Miami, which is tomorrow night, I will be starting on Family Values.

Chapter 44

The next two days were a welcome reprieve for Nina and Frank. With the exception of one night-time visitor that Nina dealt with, the ghosts left her alone for the most part.

Because they were finally alone and without any pressing problems or concerns, the couple gave in to their desires and, once the initial awkwardness had passed, made love repeatedly, taking advantage of the hotel room's privacy and rather large bed.

During the time apart, Frank had done some thinking. He had come to the conclusion that his job and Nina's talent had something in common; they both started when someone died and they both had to deal with the people left behind. His job, however, was to catch the bad guy. Nina's job was to help the spirit find peace and cross over. He didn't know which of the two jobs was toughest but he figured Nina had the tougher one because she couldn't leave her work at work and sometimes the ghosts didn't want to cross over. You couldn't arrest a ghost for taking a punch at you or sue them for damages. Sometimes you couldn't even stop them from doing what they did except through cold, hard logic and a lot of faith and hope.

She had once told him a story about trying to cross over a father who had been an abusive bully and who was still terrorizing his family. It had taken a lot of work and effort on both the part of the family and her to convince the father to see the error of his way and leave the family alone. Before they had managed to succeed, however, Nina had been subjected to physical abuse that had left her aching and limping. She admitted that it was her anger towards the father of his abuse towards the family that had helped her carry on and not give into the verbal abuse the father had tried on her.

When Frank had asked why she bothered when she dealt with ghosts like the abusive father, she pointed out that not all ghosts were bad. Some were just lost and confused, such as the little girl who had once roamed the hallways of Riverside Elementary School. She had been there because she had seen the other children at the school and had wanted nothing more than to play with them; she had never gotten a chance to attend school and had always wanted to. The little girl had simply been lonely. It hadn't taken much effort on Nina's part and the part of the kindergarten teacher, a friend of Nina's, to convince the lonely little girl to cross over into the Light, where there were other kids she could play with and who would show her all kinds of wonderful things.

Before they left New York, Nina sent Flack a message that the late-nigh ghost had given her. It was a cryptic message but she was sure it would help the detective.

Detective Flack:

I understand you are currently investigating a case involving the murder of a young teenage girl found in an alleyway, who was beaten to death. Her name is Sonja Bolan and she was 17 years of age. She had a boyfriend named Nat Paterson, age 18. You initially considered him a suspect as he was one of the last people to see him alive but dismissed him when he proved to have a solid alibi. I also understand your case has started to grow cold. As it is, I offer a few leads for you on the condition that you destroy this letter upon reading it.

Look to the father, for he rules the family with more than just an iron hand.

Look to the youngest son, Adam, for he is not all he appears to be, especially genetically.

Look to Sonja's locker neighbor, a girl named Amy Hamilton. If you put on a bit of the charm (she's a bit guy-shy) and the sympathy act, explaining that you've been having almost no luck solving Sonja's murder and you feel bad that you can't seem to solve the murder because no one will talk to you about the things that need talking about, she will help you. Give her your card and wait a day or two and she will come to you. Be warned, though, what she has to share will make you sick to your stomach. If you look to Amy, you will find the answers that will lead you to the son and the father.

Five days after Nina returned to Miami, she paid a visit to the graveyard where Horatio Caine was buried. For this particular visit she had elected to go for a bit of a whimsical look, with a rich red blouse with a lace neckline, large handkerchief sleeves, gathered bust and waist, and a black Briar Rose bustier. She was also wearing black knee-high boots and snug light blue jeans.

She had received an e-mail from Flack who let her know that Sonja Bolan's murder had been solved with her help and she had been right; Amy Hamilton's information had been a box full of Sonja's journals and the contents had indeed made him sick to his stomach. Three year-old Adam had not just been Sonja's son; he had also been the son of Sonja's father. She had been murdered because she was planning to leave the family with Nat and take Adam with her and her father, being the controlling SOB that he was, had beaten Sonja to death to prevent that. The father had been arrested and Adam had been taken into protective custody until Sonja's older brother, a twenty-five year-old member of the Marines, could come back from serving over-seas and handed over to him. Sonja's mother had committed suicide less than a day after the father's arrest. The note she had left behind had said that she had been unable to bear the shame and humiliation of what her husband had done to their daughter and who Adam really was. Apparently she had been lead to believe, by her husband, that Adam was the result of a teenage pregnancy and not the result of him raping their daughter. Flack had sincerely hoped Sonja was at peace now and Nina had sent him a confirmation e-mail.

Horatio had been buried beside Marisol and, just like Marisol, he had a decent headstone. His friends and family had rightly figured that beside Marisol is where Horatio would want to be.

Nina crouched down and removed some of the weeds that were growing around the headstone. As she did, she talked.

"I don't know where you are, Horatio, but something tells me there's a lot more going on than there initially appears to be."

She stood up, looking around, and spotted a thick grove of bushes surrounding a bench. She went over there and sat down. She continued talking. "I've spoken with Marisol and she tells me you haven't joined her; that not everything is as it appears. Because it's Marisol and your mother and your brother who've spoken with me and who've all said the same thing, I'm inclined to believe them. However, it's been three months and people are starting to get suspicious. I don't know what you're doing but I trust you to know what you're doing. I'll keep your secret for now, just finish it, fast, and please be careful."

She sat there for a few more minutes, enjoying the peace and quiet of the cemetery, before heading back to her car. When she got there, she spotted something tucked under her wiper blades. It was a note with the single word Thanks written on it. There was no one else in sight but there didn't have to be; she had a pretty good idea who the note was from.

She smiled. "Your welcome," she said. "You're very welcome."