The tall Hispanic man had just walked into the office of Thunder Investigations when he heard the voices. He smiled at the receptionist.

"Hi Kim. What's up?" he asked, motioning his head towards the loft.

"Texas Rangers, Carlos," she told him. "They are questioning Trent about Carter." A thought came to her as she remembered a message. "Oh, Jess called. She is filling in for Butch downstairs and she said you are to go see her immediately when you come in. She sounded pretty freaked out."

Carlos and Jessie had dated a little but it worked better as a friendship. Carlos wondered what could have gotten her upset. "Is he okay up there? Should I stick around?" Just then Trent leaned over the loft.

"Hey buddy. Going for a beer?"

"Yeah. Do you need me here?"

"No. I think we are just finishing up." He turned to the Rangers who had joined him at the railing. "This is Gage and Sydney."

"Hi. If you guys need me I'll be downstairs." He turned to Kim and smiled. "I love it when a woman needs me." With that he headed out the door.

As he headed down the steps, Carlos thought he heard a scuffle in the parking lot across the street. He stopped and scanned the lot but could see nothing. You're hearing things, manno he told himself, continuing down to the bar below.

Uppercuts was about half full, and most of those present had their eyes glued to a Dallas Stars hockey game on the big screen. Carlos scanned the bar, looking for the familiar face of Jessie. Jess hadn't worked here for awhile, now that she had opened up her therapy office downtown. She must have owed Butch a favour. Who didn't in this town? Carlos thought with a smile. Finally, he saw her approaching the bar, with a batch of empties in her hand. He smiled. "Hey, sweetie. You wanted to see me?"

Jess didn't return his smile. Carlos knew something was wrong and asked what.

Jess continued behind the bar as Carlos took a seat at it. After putting down the empties, she approached him. "Carlos," she started, looking for a way to say what she had to. "Is it possible that Samantha isn't dead?"

"WHAT?" Carlos almost fell off the barstool. "Why the hell would you ask something like that?"

"I saw her today, Carlos. In here. Ten minutes ago."

"NO!" Carlos was shaking his head vigorously. "YOU ARE WRONG!" The bar had stopped to look at him now. Jess tried to calm him.

"Okay, maybe it wasn't her. But it looked like her. Exactly."

Carlos was still shaking his head. "No way. I saw the body, Jess. Maybe Sarah is back... I mean you never even met Sam!"

Jess tried not to let the hurt show. She had never met Sam but she had seen more than a few pictures of her. "Carlos," she started, "It wasn't Sarah....

"And it wasn't Sam, Jess! It wasn't." They both looked towards the door as Trent entered. Carlos turned back to her. "And don't even THINK ABOUT mentioning this to him," he hissed under his breath.

Jess was about to say that of course she wouldn't mention it when Trent reached the bar. Luckily, he seemed too preoccupied to notice Jess and Carlos' fight.

"Hey guys."

"You okay, Trent?" Jess asked. She pretended not to notice the cold stare Carlos gave her.

"Yeah. The Rangers were here to question me about Carter. I've got to find Casey before they do."

"Why?" Jess' colour faded. She couldn't ethically tell Trent the she had been seeing Casey on a regular basis.

"Because they think Carter was killed. She had motive and possibly opportunity."

"Seems to me I remember someone saying 'Don't ask questions you don't really want the answer to', " Carlos said gently. "What will you do if she did kill him?"

Trent thought. "I don't know, Carlos. I just don't know."

**

Rachel sat shivering in a cold dark room. There was a window but it had been covered over and the single light bulb gave off only a thin ray of light. She sat on the floor with her knees drawn up, crying quietly. She tried making sense of everything that had happened but there was none to be made. After they had grabbed her in the parking lot by the bar, they had kept calling her Samantha and asking her about a Casey. The more she said she didn't know, the angrier they had become. She had no mirror but she was sure her eye was swollen and her entire face puffy from the blows. She could only wonder what was going to happen next.

**

Trent sauntered into the emergency department at Methodist Hospital and looked around for the nursing station. He tried to block out the still painful memories of that night 6 months ago when his life had changed. He leaned on the counter and flashed the biggest smile he could, all the time thinking that this would be better suited for Carlos.

"Hi. I was wondering if you could help me," he asked the woman behind the desk.

"Yes?"

"I'm looking for a nurse."

"A particular nurse or will anyone do?" she asked with a smile.

Trent laughed. "A particular one." He tried to look sheepish. "I met her in a bar the other night and I've lost her number."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Okay, what's her name?"

Again, Trent smiled. "Well, I don't know that either." Trent had a feeling that Casey wasn't using the other name she had told them. "I know she said she worked in the ER here at Methodist."

The woman looked at him suspiciously. "She may just have been saying that."

"I know but it is worth a try. She has long auburn hair, is about 5' 5" and about 150 lbs. Do you know her?"

The woman thought. "The only person around here who fits that description is Barb. She is working today. Just a second and I will see if I can find her."

Trent waited patiently as the woman entered the ER. She returned a few moments later, trailed by Casey.

"Hi," Trent said smiling. "You got a minute?"

Casey smiled. "I thought it might be you." She turned to the woman at the desk and told her. "Lynn, I am going to take my break. I'll be in the staff room if you need me." Turning to Trent she motioned him to follow her. "Let's go."

When the got to the empty room Casey turned to him. "What do you want, Trent?"

"The Rangers were questioning me about Carter," he told her.

"So?"

"So? They asked if there was anyone who had anything against him. They asked about you."

"What did you tell them? Did you tell them I was here?"

"Yes."

"So? Just because I work here doesn't mean I killed him. And what would you do if I did? I would think it was justifiable homicide."

"Casey.." Trent started to move towards her but she pulled away.

"No, Trent. The system failed me. Maybe someone had to act as their own judge, jury and executioner."

"You don't really believe that, Casey."

She turned to face him, with hate burning in her eyes. "Don't I? You have no idea what that man put me through. There are things I never told anyone. And then they assured me if I testified he would go away forever. That never happened. He bought his way out. So maybe someone had to exact justice."

"They are going to want to talk to you, Casey."

"They'll have to find me."

"If I did, they will."

Casey smiled. "You just happened to be lucky. After today, I am starting another job at another place."

"Where?"

"I think it will be better if you don't know. I know they will find me eventually, and when they do I'll tell them I wasn't here or on duty then."

"Were you?"

"Do you really want to know if it was me? Aren't you glad he's dead, Trent?" Casey looked him in the eye.

"I don't know Casey. I can't say I'm upset that he's gone but that doesn't mean I agree with killing the man."

"But he was going to be walking around free. I would never be safe. He would find me, Trent." She started to cry.

"Casey," he said quietly as he took her in his arms. "It will be okay."

"Did Jess tell you?" Casey asked through her tears.

"Jess? Tell me what?' Now Trent was confused.

"Never mind," she said. "When they find me, I'll talk to them."

"The other person to watch for is Nicky Carter. The Rangers said he has sworn revenge. Be careful, Casey."

"I forgot about his brother. I'll be careful. Now you have to go and I have to work. Good-bye Trent."

Trent knew that he would probably never see her again. "Bye Casey," he said as she turned and walked back out to the ER.

As Trent left he hospital his mind was racing. He thought about Casey, the Rangers and Eric Carter. He really didn't want to know if Casey was guilty or not but he didn't like how things had gone. As he walked to his car he pondered his next move. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't see the men until they were right in front of him. Too late, his guard went up. As they attacked, Trent fought but it wasn't enough to beat the four men. The last thing he saw was a smiling face as he was hit from behind. The world went dark.