CSI San Antonio

16

Victoria had just settled into her desk at the station when her supervisor, Alan, approached her, a serious expression on his face.

“Victoria,” he said, motioning her over, “we’ve got a situation at Sweet Treats Bakery on Main Street. Burglary, possible assault, and I’ll need you on it. The team is already securing the scene.”

Victoria nodded, grabbing her kit. “I’m on it. Are we working this one together?”

Alan gave her a quick nod. “Yes. I’ll be directing the team, but I’ll need your eyes on the forensics. Let’s see if we can get this solved quickly.”

The two of them drove to the scene, where officers had already taped off the bakery. Detective Chris Goffin briefed them as they arrived, his face tense. “The back window was broken, and we have signs of a struggle. There’s blood on the floor, a possible partial print on the cash register, and some footprints in the alley.”

Victoria immediately set up her equipment, the hum of the bustling team around her bringing her into focus. She moved to the back of the bakery, examining the broken window as Alan observed from a distance, taking notes. She used a swab to collect a sample of the blood on a piece of glass, carefully sealing it for DNA analysis.

“Looks like the entry was forced,” she remarked, glancing at Alan. “Glass scattered on both sides. And this blood—could be from the suspect or the victim.”

“Let’s get it processed ASAP,” Alan replied. “Every minute counts.”

Inside, CSI analitic Steven Taylorn worked at dusting the cash register for fingerprints. “Found one,” he announced, lifting a clear print from a button and passing it over to Victoria. She carefully sealed it, making a note to send it for analysis back at the lab.

After examining the footprints by the alley, she knelt down to take cast impressions of the prints, capturing every detail of the sole pattern. As she worked, she caught sight of Alan watching her with an approving nod.

“Nice work, Victoria,” he said. “Let’s get all of this back to the lab and see what it tells us.”

Back at the station, Victoria and Alan reviewed the evidence with the lab team. The fingerprint was run through the database, and a match quickly came up: John Smith, a known petty thief with a history of burglaries. The DNA test revealed the blood sample belonged to the bakery’s owner, Jane Dole, supporting her account of the altercation.

Victoria and Alan sifted through the security footage recovered from the bakery. The grainy video showed a figure matching John Smith’s build breaking in through the window. They watched as he moved toward Jane, knocking her down before grabbing the cash. Victoria shook her head. “Cold. He saw her and still went through with it.”

The next morning, the team assembled as Detective Goffin prepared to lead an arrest at John Smith’s apartment. Victoria joined Alan in the command room, monitoring the operation over the radio. They listened as Goffin’s team confirmed finding shoes with a sole pattern matching the prints from the bakery and a jacket with fibers matching those found on the bakery’s curtains.

With solid evidence in hand, Smith was brought to the station for questioning. Victoria watched through the observation window as Detective Goffin confronted him, laying out the evidence piece by piece: the fingerprint, the matching footprints, the security footage, and the fiber analysis.

Smith slumped, his shoulders dropping in resignation. “Alright, alright. I needed the money,” he muttered, his voice low. “Didn’t mean to hurt her. I thought the place was empty.”

Victoria exchanged a look with Alan, feeling a sense of satisfaction as Smith finally confessed, his resolve crumbling.

After the confession, Alan clapped Victoria on the shoulder. “Great work. Every piece of evidence you collected helped close this case.”

Victoria smiled, feeling the weight of the day ease slightly. “Thanks, Alan. It feels good to bring some closure to the victims.”

Alan nodded. “That’s why we’re here. Go get some rest—you’ve earned it.”

After a long night shift, Victoria was finally headed home, the early morning sun casting a soft glow over the city. She felt the weariness from hours spent piecing together clues, analyzing evidence, and working with Alan and the team to bring some justice to the community. But as tired as she was, her mind drifted to Samantha.

Meanwhile, Samantha sat on the bus, nervously clutching her backpack as she headed to her first full day at her new school. She scanned the bus, half-hoping to catch a glimpse of Dylan, the only familiar face she knew from her tour yesterday. The mix of excitement and anxiety was almost overwhelming, but she straightened up, determined to start her day with confidence.

As Victoria pulled into her driveway, she paused, glancing at her phone. She couldn’t resist sending Samantha a quick text: “Good luck today, sweetheart. You’ve got this!”

Moments later, Samantha felt her phone buzz. She read her mom’s message and smiled, feeling a rush of encouragement. She typed back, “Thanks, Mom. I’ll tell you everything when I get home.”

With a sigh of relief, Victoria leaned back in her car, knowing that, despite their different challenges, both she and Samantha were ready to face whatever came their way.