Author's Notes:
New Readers to my series (or if you read Gravity and want to follow this sequel) – if you want to jump in, rather than starting from the beginning of the series, it will really help to read the Character List/Summary (there's a link in my profile). It will catch you up at the very highest level (Note: this will spoil you for the previous books, meaning you'll know people are married, pregnant, etc.). It is possible to jump in, readers who did so for Book 2 said after 3 or 4 chapters they had a great feel for the series and didn't feel lost, and that was without having the detailed summary I prepared for this one. You'll also want to check out the Photo Pages (link in my profile) that have pictures of the original characters and of everyone's homes (inside and out), pets, engagement and wedding rings, etc. They give an excellent visual.
Returning Readers - thanks for continuing the ride!
Laws of Motion – Book 3
Written by: Ms. Maggs/Edited by: KJT
Chapter 1
Saturday, September 24, 2006
I-15 - Nevada
11:02 p.m.
Sitting in the Ferrari to avoid the misty rain, Becca watched her husband taking a sobriety test on the side of the road. "Ugh!" Rolling down the driver's side window she yelled, "Tony! Did you tell him you're Detective Vartann with the LVPD and that I'm CSI Greg Sanders' best friend, and a lawyer for a prominent charity organization helping abused women and children! That Ponch-wannabe needs to step off and leave the good guys alone!"
"Honey, please just roll up the window and wait for me, thanks." Standing on one foot Tony smiled at the hard-ass highway patrolman, who wouldn't have cared if he was Jesus Christ driving a van full of leper children to an orphanage. "We've only been married a couple of weeks, she thinks my badge is like a magic wand."
"Speaking of wands." The officer pointed at the man's crotch. "How about you go ahead and pull up your zipper now?"
Tony immediately took care of business.
"How fast were you driving while your wife was pleasuring you Lewinsky style?"
"Hey, now…that's an assumption of fact."
"Is it?" The officer moved the beam of his flashlight to the man's pants. "What kind of a stain is that?"
"Duh." Tony pointed to the sky. "Rain drops." Then, losing patience, he snipped, "Look…I'm from Vegas and we haven't had any rain recently. Tonight was the first time I drove the wife's new car on a slick road and the brakes didn't respond the way I thought they would, end of story. Now, we both know there's no evidence to show I broke any traffic laws and I passed every sobriety test you threw my way, so what's with the attitude, Officer? Is it a jealousy thing? You know, because my car's hot, my wife's hotter and unlike me, you haven't had your wand waxed since Clinton was in the White House? That was in response to your disrespectful Lewinsky comment about my wife…I'll consider us even now. Here's the deal, it's late, I worked my ass off today, and all I want to do is get my car pulled out of that construction ditch and be on my way to see my niece who was born earlier this evening. So, how about we wrap this up and get you back to catching motorists who really are violating the rules of the road?"
Nick and Carrie's
11:10 p.m.
Sitting in the back of Carrie's Volvo as Nick pulled it into the driveway, Katie Stokes welled up at the sight of her partner rushing from her seat on the front porch.
"Are you okay!" Jean yelled when Katie stepped out of the car.
"Spooked, but yeah…I'm okay." Falling into her significant other's embrace she breathed easy for the first time since her mother had shown up on the doorstep. "It was a nightmare…"
"Katie!" Nick rushed into the station's booking area where his sister was fretting in a chair.
"I'm sorry for ruinin' your night, Nicky" the mortified sister tearfully declared upon seeing her law abiding brother.
"What happened?"
"There has to be some mistake. I hadn't touched a drop of wine in hours and from what I drank I can't see how I blew over .08. The cop pulled me over for speeding, but I was only goin' seven over the limit…I mean I know it's still breaking the traffic law, but my point is, I wasn't bein' wild or lookin' reckless."
Thanks to Drew's update regarding Katie's surprise revelation to their mother, he knew the reason his sister was distraught in the first place, and vowed to strangle his dense brother for not thinking that their mother might mosey over and find Katie and Jean. "Okay, sis…hang tight." Nick hugged her. "Jim's talkin' to the sergeant on duty and I'll come back and let you know what's what."
"Nicky…"
"Yeah?" he turned and saw her welling up.
"How are things with you and Carrie? Did everything go okay at the party? Or are things worse?"
"We're all better," he replied before smiling. "Thanks for thinkin' of us when you got all this goin' on."
"That's what family does, right? Look out for each other."
"That's right…and I'm gettin' on that ASAP."
Once they were all in the kitchen, Carrie hurried to make a pot of coffee for the group to have while Katie was telling her story.
"So, I'm panickin' a little more each second and everybody is lookin' at me like I'm dirt 'cause I'm being charged with DUI. I've never felt so humiliated in my life, it was terrible."
Nick interjected, "I'm across the way and suddenly I see Katie holdin' her chest and gaspin'. I haven't seen her have a full blown asthma attack in years and I forgot how scary they look. I remember her stuff's locked up in property so I'm rushin' to get it when she says between gasps for air that she left her inhaler on the front seat of the rental car because she was upset drivin' over to talk to Mama and felt her chest tightening up. That's when it hits me…inhalers throw off BAC results."
Smiling, Katie shared, "Nicky went into full superhero mode to find an inhaler in the building because my car was in the impound lot way across town. As luck would have it, there were two EMTs on site to answer questions about an accident they witnessed. They had a nebulizer in their truck. After we got me settled, Nicky told the cop the breathalyzer test result would be thrown out in court because the inhaler rendered it invalid."
Nick jumped in, "The cop asked for a blood test instead, but Jim looked at the Sheriff and asked, 'Is it really necessary? We have a valid explanation for the exaggerated BAC, she passed the repeat physical sobriety tests and she's being very cooperative.' The Sergeant turned to the cop and said, 'I'm satisfied, she can go'."
Placing milk and sugar on the table, Carrie smiled, "Now we have four happy endings tonight…Lindsay's adoption, Catherine and Warrick's surprise wedding, Nicky and I making up, and now this."
Nick patted his lap for Carrie to take a seat; between the excitement of the wedding and Katie's drama they hadn't spent any time enjoying the bliss of reconciliation.
Desperate for the feel of Nick's strong arms around her, Carrie jumped at the chance.
"We do still have one unresolved drama," Jean reminded the group while she took Katie's hand. "Your mother is awfully upset thanks to me and my big mouth."
"It's okay, Honey," Katie soothed, "it wasn't the ideal way for her to find out I'm a lesbian, but it had to happen and I'm relieved it did."
"Well…it's too late for me to go over there now," Nick said, checking his watch. "When I spoke with him earlier, I told Andy to try his best calmin' her down and said that I'd be over there right after my shift tomorrow to play diplomat." Yawning he announced, "I'm gonna pass on the coffee, because I need some solid sleep before gettin' up at six-fifteen tomorrow." Grinning, he kissed Carrie's cheek. "Are you gonna stay up and hang with the girls, Sweetheart, or are you comin' to bed with me?"
Smiling at her guests Carrie said, "I hope you'll understand if I want to go to bed with Nicky."
Nick's cell phone interrupted their laughter. "It's Gris. Shoot, I forgot I told Sara I would call and let her know how things worked out." Opening his phone he answered, "Hey, Gris. Sorry I…
"We've got a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
"Guess where Mrs. Marlene Rodgers moved into today?" He paused for a beat. "The house directly across the street from Sara and me. We ran into her when we got home. We were at the mailbox and she came over to ask 'a neighbor a favor'."
"Noooo."
"Yes. She was just as surprised as we were. It's pathetic…she's a pawn and living on borrowed time, but she doesn't care because she has money now."
"Damn. How did Sara take it?"
"She passed out and I barely caught her before she hit the pavement."
"Sara!" Clutching his wife's lifeless body, Gil started for the house.
From across the street Marlene cackled, "She's a bit of a wuss that wife of yours! Or is she drunk? That's right…my husband told me she was quite the lush. Even got pulled in for DUI, but unlike a civilian, she didn't get charged because you and Jim Brass pulled some strings! I hear that happens a lot for her…happened in Tahoe too, didn't it!"
Concerned about his wife, Gil ignored the accusations and rushed Sara into the house and onto the couch. "Sara…" he patted her cheeks, and when she didn't come around he hurried to make a cold compress with a dishtowel from the kitchen. "Sar…" he pressed the wet cloth to her forehead and stroked her cheek. "Honey…please open your eyes for me."
When Sara's eyes fluttered open she saw her concerned husband staring at her. "Did that really just happen? Or was it a nightmare? Please tell me it was a nightmare."
"I'm sorry, Honey…I wish I could." Watching tears build in her eyes his heart broke.
"He knows my home means everything to me and now he's found a way to ruin it. What are we going to do? Even if we packed up and moved, he'd follow us. I'm convinced he'll stop a nothing to ruin our happiness."
"I'll make sure he never gets out."
"What if you can't?"
"I will. I did it the first time, right? I can do it again." Holding her tight Gil promised, "I won't fail you or my unborn child. If they get an appeal, I'll fight it. When he comes up for parole I will be there with everything I've got. He won't win. Believe me, Sara. Do you believe me?"
"I really want to," she sniffled while visions of Mike staring at her from his front lawn wearing his trademark deceptively sweet smile danced in her head making her dizzy and the room spin.
"Will you ask Carrie to call her friends at the DA's office on Monday and find out everything she can about an appeal in the works?"
"You bet, Gris. Trust me, she hates Rodgers as much as Sara after the shit he pulled when I was in the hospital."
"Tell her thank you. Sara's asleep or I'd put her on." Sighing into the phone, Grissom said, "At least we know we've done nothing wrong."
Don Schultz's Residence
11:21 p.m.
Sitting in his home office surrounded by piles of files, Don reviewed his plan for Monday's ambush of the Sheriff and the CSIs. The amount of information he had amassed over the last several months was more than he ever hoped for and he couldn't wait to see the faces of the do-gooders when he presented every sordid detail of their personal and professional lives.
Standing up from this desk chair for the first time in hours, Don was about to head to the kitchen for a Red Bull when his phone rang. "Schultz."
"It's Fromansky."
"Officer Fromansky…you know I always love to hear your voice on the other end of the line. Whatcha got?" He continued his walk to the kitchen with the cordless pressed to his ear.
"It's good…real good."
"Then I'll be making myself a celebratory Red Bull and Vodka cocktail while you tell me the good news."
"You know how they say lightning doesn't strike in the same place twice? That's a lie. Nick Stokes' sister was picked up for DUI tonight, and just like he did for Sara Sidle, Jim Brass leaned on the Sergeant and they let her walk."
"Did you get any pics?"
"Two on my camera phone. You want to handle it the same way as the other ones…I print them out at home and mail them to your P.O. Box?"
"Actually, I don't have time to wait, because I'd like to have them for my Monday meeting. After your shift, print them out at home and then meet me at the Starbucks on Royce with the pictures and the rest of the details."
"I can be there at twelve-thirty."
"Your coffee and pastry will be on me."
"Thanks, but I'm just happy to help a friend and fellow cop who got the shaft. Mike was nothing but good to me when we worked together and these CSIs think their better than everyone else. I want to see that smug bastard, Grissom, get what's coming to him, so you know you can count on me, Schultz. Same with O'Hara and Packer. We're all in."
"Thanks, Fromansky." Don stirred his Red Bull and Vodka with a fork and a smile. "I'll pass that on to Mike too…it will keep up his spirits."
"Do really think you'll be able to get him his old job back once he's out?"
"Once he's exonerated and his record is expunged that puts him right back where he was before this mess began…right where he's been all along, an innocent man. Internal Affairs will have to give their blessing, but I'm not worried." He snickered, "By the time I'm done with them, the LVPD is going to be more than happy to give Michael anything he wants because the alternative is we go public and every single case those CSIs touched over the years will be in jeopardy of an overturn. Mike's freedom in exchange for thousands upon thousands of guilty psychos walking out of the joint seems like a real fair trade to me…especially since he's innocent. I'm sure it will look that way to everyone else too."
"Good deal, Schultz. You tell Mike I'm throwing a party at Flannigan's for him when he's out. Drinks on me."
"Oh, I think it'll be Mike who feels like buying for his friends. I'll see you at twelve-thirty."
"Starbucks."
Denny's – Barstow, CA
11:52 p.m.
"Coffee?" the gum chopping waitress asked of the couple who had just slid into one of her booths.
After carefully inspecting her mug for filth, Becca nodded. "Yes, please."
Tony relaxed against the vinyl seatback, smiling at his wife who looked as comfortable at the lackluster Denny's as a mouse at a cat convention. "Bring us two Grand Slam Breakfasts too, thanks."
When the waitress walked away Becca laughed, "Why are you punishing me by making me eat here after I just fulfilled your wildest fantasy in the car?" She wiggled her brows. "Was it everything you dreamed of?"
"Why do you think I'm buyin' you a Grand Slam Breakfast, Baby!" He broke into a wild grin. "It's symbolic…you knocked it out of the park while my bases were loaded."
"God, you're such a romantic." After a chuckle she said, "I thought perhaps you brought me here to poison me, so you wouldn't have to introduce me to your mother."
"Nah, I would have taken you to that nasty truck stop a half mile back if I was trying to poison you, that place has 'homicide' written all over it." Reaching across the table, he took her hand. "Sorry about the damage to your car."
"I have insurance to cover the damages." She smirked, "Your satisfaction, on the other hand, is priceless."
The Blakes
11:59 p.m.
"You owe me ten dollars, Miss Willows." Sitting a little taller at the kitchen table, Sean showed Lindsay the score sheet. "I won by fifty-eight points."
"Darn."
When he saw his friend's distress, Sean held up his hand. "Wait right here! I have a consolation prize for you. Close your eyes!"
"Oh! My gift!" With the excitement of the wedding, she had completely forgotten his promise to give it to her later. "Yay! Another present!" She loved every treat she had received…the spa day from the Grissoms; the cool Kate Spade bag from Tawny, Greg, Nick and Carrie; the trendy diamond-studded flip-flop necklace from Doc and Mrs. Robbins; the gift card to Tilly's from her old softball pals; the scrapbook kit from The Blakes; and a gift card to Barnes & Noble from Sean's grandfather. The self-help book on Empowerment given to her from Lady Heather was a bit odd, but since it came with a Macy's gift card from Jim Brass she didn't consider it a total wash. The most special gift however came from her mother. It was a locket with a picture of her with her parents already inside. "This is the best night!"
Breathless, Sean returned to the kitchen with the butterfly gift bag in hand. "Open!"
"Ooh, pretty bag!" Taking it in her hands she chuckled, "Butterflies…bugs…I should have known." Then she froze. "There aren't real bugs in the bag, right?" Although Sean was sweet, there was no doubting he was a tad weird, just like Grissom.
"Not real ones," he cryptically replied. The anticipation was killing him. "Open it up!"
Seconds later the tissue paper was on the table and the jewelry box in her hand. "Whoa," she remarked in shock at the extravagant gift. "You shouldn't have spent so much."
"You're totally worth it," he replied in a dreamy voice. "Happy Adoption Day." Say it, please it!
"You're the best, Sean!"
I will never get sick of hearing her say that.
Just as she was about to get up and hug him, Mrs. Blake breezed into the kitchen. "Aren't you kids getting tired?" For goodness sake, I want to make love with my husband and I won't be comfortable doing it until you're both out like lights! "How about I make you some warm milk?"
"Look what Sean gave me!" Lindsay proudly displayed the gift. "Will you fasten it on me, Mrs. Blake?"
"Sure, Honey." Enjoying every inch of Sean's outrageous smile, the ecstatic mother clasped the bracelet on Lindsay's wrist. "My son has good taste…in jewelry and girls."
"Thanks, Mrs. Blake." The comment meant the world after the drama she had caused the woman a month ago.
Seeing how hyper the kids were, Wendy gave up on her dream for romance. "Do you kids want popcorn? I was just about to make some for Paul and me."
"How about we eat it over a rematch, Sean?"
"You're on!" He quickly moved to clear the board for a new game, still riding high from his success with a lady.
September 25, 2006
Campbell Residence
12:01 a.m.
"Happy New Year, Baby!" Charlie cheered as he opened up another bottle of Cristal.
"It's September," Nina snickered as she pranced around her bedroom lighting candles.
"Yeah, but I feel like my year…no…my life is just starting now that I met you."
After locking the door, the party girl purred, "How's this for an exciting start?"
Watching his date shimmy out of her dress, Charlie salivated like a cat with free reign in a fish factory. "La Perla?" The sinful black lace bustier and thong were the lingerie of every one of his naughty dreams.
"I never wear anything else." Sauntering over to the closet, she shed her party shoes for her favorite Rene Caovilla coil sandals with death-defying metal reinforced heels that she teetered on like a tight-rope walker. "Check these out." She eyed all six feet of his tanned toned frame like prey, and counted the seconds until she would be running her fingers through his dark hair again and losing herself in his Superman-blue eyes.
"Ooh…Charlie like."
"They're my favorite." Posturing seductively she queried, "How about it, Charlie? Do they make you want me?"
"All night long, Baby. If you were any hotter this room would spontaneously combust…I know I'm close." To ensure the coke and alcohol didn't affect his performance, he turned his back and popped a Viagra.
"Mmm." Nina struck a pose on the bed and patted the mattress to beckon her date.
With a salacious grin, the playboy approached with two flutes of champagne. "Here's to a night we'll never forget."
Wrapping her finely manicured fingers around the stem of the glass, Nina murmured, "I know you'll never forget me, Charlie, because I'm unforgettable." Before she could take a sip, he had his tongue down her throat and she knew from his animalistic kiss the night would be hotter than hell.
Nick and Carrie's
12:05 a.m.
Lying in bed Nick panted, "If we have...a daughter…she's never…ever…going to Camp Dunmore." The room was still spinning. "I can't feel my toes."
Standing in the bathroom doorway brushing her teeth, Carrie choked on toothpaste foam. The poor man looked as if he just completed the NY Marathon.
"But, if we have a son…" Nick burst out laughing, "we're definitely sending him to the boy's camp across the lake! I take back every bad thing I ever said about Becca. I love her. Adore her! That reminds me, I need to buy her and Vartann a really nice wedding present. I'd say a Ferrari, but they already have one of those. So, maybe a nice vase."
After spitting and rinsing, Carrie emerged from the bathroom with an air of confidence in her step. "I'll go shopping tomorrow while you're at work."
Grabbing Carrie's wrist, Nick pulled her to the bed and covered her mouth with an eternally grateful kiss. "I love you, Darlin'. Not because you just knocked my socks off with your Ice Pop Night knowledge either." Turning serious he said, "I hate it when we fight."
"Me too. Thank you for believing me when I said I was sorry and that there's no other guy for me."
"Kiss me," he prodded while gently rubbing his nose over hers. "Opposite of how you were just now, make it sweet and slow…innocent, like you used to be." After a sinful play session he needed to know the old Carrie was still there.
"How was that?" she whispered when their moist lips parted.
"Perfect." The revelation brought great relief. "We really can have it both ways…naughty and nice."
"Exactly," she whispered running her fingers through his hair. "You really need to get some sleep, Tex."
"Don't worry, the sandman is already yellin' my name."
One tender kiss later they were spooning, two minutes later, Nick was sound asleep. Closing her eyes, Carrie breathed in time to the throb of her man's heart beating against her back. The rhythm reminded her of him…steady and strong, and in a matter of minutes she was drifting. "Pleasant dreams, Nicky."
The Grissoms
2:25 a.m.
"Sara!" Gil grabbed his wife's flailing body. "Honey! You're having a nightmare. Wake up! It's just a nightmare!"
When her eyes flew open, Sara clutched her husband's arm until her nails dug into his flesh.
"It was just a nightmare." His heart sank from the knowledge she was back to where she was after her near-death experience in Tahoe. Night after night for months, she woke startled, sometimes crying, sometimes beaded with sweat. "I've got you."
"I dreamt he killed Flash…like in the movie we saw…" she gulped for air, "Secret Window…remember? The guy put a screwdriver through the dog's neck. We came home from work and found Flash under his favorite tree…he bled out and flies were starting to swarm…you bent down to check for maggots and they started crawling out of his nose, and I could hear Mike laughing all the way from across the street…Flash was dead and Mike was laughing, and then he said 'You ain't seen nothin' yet, Sara!"
"Shhh." Gil pointed to the foot of the bed. "Flash is right there staring at you wondering why you're crying."
"I'm crying?" She hadn't even realized. "I…"
"Want some water?"
"Don't go." She increased her grip. "I hate this…look what he's doing to me and he's still in Ely. What's it going to be like when he's actually across the street?"
"You'll never find out, because Ely is where he'll be staying. Come on…" Gil eased her back against the pillows. "Try your old breathing exercise."
"Okay." Closing her eyes, she jaggedly sucked in as much oxygen as her lungs could bear and then let it out slowly.
"Again."
"I'm awake," she whimpered as tears streamed down her cheeks, "but I'm still living the nightmare."
"Shhh…try to sleep."
The Estancia Hotel – La Jolla
3:33 a.m.
"Wake up, Baby." Becca patted her snoozing husband's thigh. With both his sexual and gastronomical hunger satisfied, Tony had fallen asleep immediately after departing Barstow. "We're here!"
"Huh?" His eyes opened slowly. "What?"
"We're at the hotel." She pointed to the beautifully lit building.
"Oh." Tony rubbed his eyes. "How long have I been asleep?"
"All but ten minutes of the drive," she chuckled while opening the door, readying to hand her keys to the bell boy who had come darting out of the building.
"Good, I needed that sleep." The crisp night felt terrific after sucking in hot Vegas air all day. "This place looks great."
"Yeah, I've stayed here several times, but never with someone as wonderful as you." She tossed the keys to the young man at her side. "Careful with her…she's pristine."
Gary, the height and hair challenged bell boy, pointed to the damaged front end. "Uh…"
"Just kidding."
"How did that happen?"
"My husband was distracted when a wild animal crossed his path on the freeway."
"Mountain lion?
"Tigress," Becca growled, before tossing a wink and a smile at the curious young man. "Bring those bags quickly and there's a fifty with your name on it, Cutie."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Tony grabbed his wife's hand. "See…I love it when you play nice rich girl instead of rich bitch. You just made little Gary's night."
"Yesssss! More karma points!"
The Blakes
4:05 a.m.
"That's eighty-two points with the triple word score!" Lindsay jubilated. "I win! That means I'm the overall Scrabble champion!" Jumping off the couch, she began a victory dance.
"Darn! I can't believe I lost! No!" Sean covered his mouth immediately after the faux pas. "Sorry, I meant to say…congratulations. Well done!"
"Kids!" Paul Blake scolded when he found them in the living room playing Scrabble. "You're waking the house. What are you still doing up anyway?"
Sean quickly explained, "Mom said we could stay up until we were done playing. We held a tournament and it just ended."
"I'm not sleepy at all," Lindsay said as she reached for another can of Coke.
"Where did you get that?" Paul asked, eyeing the sugar-containing, teeth rotting beverage his health food fanatical wife never allowed in the house.
"We ran next door and raided my fridge."
Paul glanced over his shoulder to make sure Wendy hadn't followed him. "Got one left to spare?"
"Sure thing, Mr. B." Lindsay extended over her last can. "We've got chocolate too. Want some?"
"Ooh." Paul held out his hand. "Hurry, before we're busted."
"Will a Kit-Kat do?"
"Perfect."
Watching his father down a candy bar in record time, Sean laughed, "I guess you're not going to tell mom we stayed up this late, huh, Dad? Because then I'll tell her you ate and drank evil food."
"I didn't see a thing," Paul remarked as he licked his chocolate-coated fingers on the way to the kitchen. Once there, he planned to savor the Coke.
The Campbell Residence
6:04 a.m.
Staring at a glass top coffee table covered in coke dust, Celine knew the party had been as off the hook as it sounded from behind her locked door. Like clockwork, she always barricaded herself in her bedroom by one a.m. because that's when the weirdos got substantially weirder…a time when thirty year old men began eyeing her like a juicy steak.
With the door locked and a chair propped beneath the knob for extra security she had slept until her alarm rang at six, signaling it was time to get up and rob the drugged out, passed out guests.
"Ooh," she covered her mouth when she saw a diamond Tiffany Hearts charm bracelet on a red-headed girl sleeping in a puddle of hopefully her own vomit. With cat-burglar precision she opened the clasp and snaked the bauble off the anorexic chick's wrist. Studying the trinket she assessed its value at nine-thousand. Talk about getting off to a great start!
Adrenaline pumping through her veins, she snuck through the house, swiping cash and jewels while reminding herself not to trip on discarded bottles of alcohol.
Once she was done inside, she made a charge to her last destination, the pool house. A couple or two was always passed out naked in the there and stealing was so much easier when a guy's wallet was in a pair of discarded designer jeans.
After shoving her latest score, five hundred bucks, into the tiny black bag she had purchased specifically to use for these crime sprees, Celine had only one place left to search…her sister's room. She wanted the Tag Heuer watch Nina's latest hook-up was wearing. So, with her bag full of loot in hand and a grin plastered on her face, she hurried back to the main house and up the elaborately curved staircase to her sister's bedroom suite.
Once there however, her smile faded. Nina's door was locked. So, she trudged back to her room feeling a little less than victorious even though she figured she easily had fifteen grand worth of cash and goods in her bag.
As was customary, she would sit on her bed and count her loot. After that, she'd head out to the landscaper's shed and stow it all in the secret hiding spot she had crafted. Lastly, with no one the wiser, she'd skip back to the house and stroll in through the back door.
The Grissoms
6:15 a.m.
Opening the front door to fetch the newspaper, Gil found himself staring at the house across the way…the home of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Rodgers. He still hoped it was somehow all a crazy dream. Then he saw Marlene exiting the place in an atrocious hot-pink jogging suit. So that's how she stays in shape.
"How's your wimpy wife!" Marlene yelled as she looked both ways before crossing the street. Her near-death experience with a bus had made her more cautious. "Mike told me she was a drama queen."
For a moment Gil wished the woman had been killed by a bus earlier in the week. Then his conditioned Catholic guilt kicked in and he reminded himself that the last thing he needed was bad karma.
"Did you call my daughter and tell her that her Mama has moved across the tracks?"
"No." Gil bent down to pick up the paper, trying to ignore her.
"Any jogging trails around here?" Marlene broke into a belly laugh. "Right, how the hell would you know? From that jelly-belly mid-section of yours it's obvious you don't get much exercise. My husband on the other hand…he's rock hard and ready for action. Mike was tough when he went in the joint, but he's coming out invincible because prison hardens a man, especially innocent ones. You though…you look a lot like that dog at your side…flabby."
"What makes you so sure your husband will get out?"
She answered first with a riotous laugh and then said, "If you knew his lawyer, you wouldn't be asking that question. Have a lovely day, Asshole!" Waving, Marlene started down the street. "And you better pick those weeds on your lawn, or I'll report you to the Homeowner's Association!"
Sighing, Gil stared at the morning's newspaper headline, 'Crime Rates Reach a New High in Sin City' and then trudged inside with Flash on his heels. "C'mon, boy." The memory of Sara's horrific nightmare about their dog sent a chill up his spine. Suddenly he wished they hadn't put in the doggie door and their beloved Basset Hound was still attending doggie daycare. Kneeling down, he scratched the dog's head. "You ever see someone come into the backyard, don't be a hero, Flash, you run for the house. Do you hear me? Run for the house."
Nick and Carrie's
6:31 a.m.
Jogging up to the house, Drew hoped to catch his brother while his sister was still snoozing. Unfortunately when the door opened, it was Katie, who answered. "Hey, Sis!" He hugged her quickly. "Is Nicky home?"
"How's Mama?"
"You know…still in shock, but don't worry, she'll come around." Smiling he said, "I showed her I registered 'Independent' after I found out about you and that softened the blow a bit. You shoulda seen the look on her face."
"Thank you."
"Hey!" Nick walked into the living room with a steaming mug of coffee. "Come on in, Bro. The brew's hot and Carrie made muffins. I'll be back in a few…nature's callin'."
"I thought the future Mrs. Nick Stokes didn't cook."
"She doesn't." Katie chuckled, "But, she spent some time in the dog house yesterday and apparently researched how to make low-carb muffins off the Internet as yet another way of sayin' she's sorry for being a bad girl."
The Estancia Hotel – La Jolla
7:01 a.m.
"Rise and shine, Honey! We have a sweet little girl to see," Tony declared as he snapped open the curtains to let the sunlight stream in. "I can't help it, I'm stoked. They've been trying for years for this baby."
"Mmm…" Becca flopped onto her back. "Caffeine…need lots."
"I'll run down and get coffee while you hit the shower." Grabbing her hands, Tony tugged his wife out of bed. "Shit, we didn't buy a gift."
"Get a teddy bear from the gift shop and I'll stuff a hundred dollar bill in the ribbon around its neck. That's what I did for people at work who were stupid enough to have kids."
"I don't know…I get this image of a stripper bear."
"Hmm…maybe that's why I got funny looks every time I did that." Once Tony released her hands, she fell backwards onto the bed again.
"Becks…get your sexy ass in the shower. Visiting hours start at eight and I want to be there first thing."
"Okay…okay." She forced herself to her feet. "Only because I love you."
"Hey!"
"Sorry…sorry…I forgot about the ban on the 'L word'." Shooing him she said, "Get the hell out of here and get me my caffeine! I need to be alert when I meet my mother in law."
"Are you kidding? I'm getting you decaf." After a kiss to her cheek he explained, "You don't need to be a Mexican Jumping Bean around my family."
"Good point." She shooed him again. "Gotta pee."
"Very ladylike."
"Hmm…you didn't seem to mind me not being a lady on the drive over last night."
"Why'd you have to bring that up?" Tony checked his watch. "Uh…are you awake enough to…"
"Out!"
"Going!"
Her lips spread into a smile. "You sounded just like Hoj when we play our 'ing' game."
"Thanks for curing me, nothin' turns me off more than hearing you compare me to Sanders." He pointed to the bathroom. "Shower and then put on something normal to meet my mother…no inside out dresses or stupid shoes."
She saluted like he was her drill sergeant and when he was gone she finished her sleepy walk to the bathroom. Doing her best Bridget Jones impersonation she said, "Must not be a Mexican Jumping Bean around mother-in-law." She plucked her Xanax prescription bottle from her cosmetic bag which was sitting open on the sink. "I'll take a little extra just to make sure." Shaking the bottle she chuckled, "Thank God for pharmaceuticals."
After swallowing two pills, she grabbed her cell phone from her purse, deciding she needed a little encouragement from her best friend.
The Four Seasons Maui
4:08 a.m. HST
"Hello," Greg groggily answered his cell on the fourth ring.
"Hoj! Guess what I'm about to do! Meet my new in-laws!"
"Becks?" He rubbed his eyes and checked the clock. "Is something wrong?"
"No, everything's great."
"Then why are you calling me at four in the morning on my honeymoon?"
"Shoot! I forgot about the time difference. Sorry!"
"Well, I'm already awake now, so…" The abrupt click of the phone left him dazed and confused. "Bye." Glancing over, he saw Tawny was still sound asleep, so he tossed his cell and snuggled up to her, promptly passing out.
The Campbells
7:32 a.m.
As he slowly came to on the cold bathroom floor, Good Time Charlie realized his head was throbbing.
After a series of tortured moans and groans, he lifted a shaky hand to the edge of the bathtub. "Damn..." He released his weak grip and returned his head to the soft rug beneath him. Then, after a few minutes that felt like hours, he repeated the process, this time successfully pulling himself to a sitting position.
As was the case many of the times he woke up naked in a strange place, he had no recollection of how he got there. "Damn." Resting against the cold marble holding his head, the urge to pee suddenly overwhelmed him and with trepidation he attempted to stand on rubber legs. For a second he considered pissing directly on the floor, but opted to be a gentleman and find the strength to make it to his feet.
"There we go." Leaning against the wall, he let his pee fall in, on and around the bowl. "Baby?" he moaned as he trudged to the mirror to check his eyes. Once there, he saw a couple of scratches on his arms. What the hell did we do last night? Why is my back killing me?
Turning around, he saw claw marks deep in his flesh. "Someone liked what they were getting," he groaned as his brain pulsated in his skull. Gripping his head, Charlie weaved toward the door, almost falling down several times in the process. "Nina Baby…Charlie needs some TLC."
After tripping over his own two feet, he threw open the door. "I'm not…" With a dropped jaw, he stared in disbelief at the horrific scene in front of him. Nina was lying naked in a pool of blood that seemed toreach every corner of the room.
Dropping to his knees, Charlie studied her wide-open eyes and the jagged wound in her throat. In seconds his mind protected him with a hefty dose of denial, and he vacantly whispered, "I know what this is…yeah." Crawling forward, he tapped Nina's ghostly-white cheeks. "Okay, Baby…joke over." It was obvious she pulled this because he had been in a horror flick. "C'mon…I'm not feeling well. There's something wrong with my head this morning and…"
When she didn't respond, he snapped, "Get up. Seriously, the joke's over. This isn't funny anymore. Hey! You're freakin' me out! Get up! I said get up!" He violently shook her. "This…you…" Dropping her lifeless, body, he ran for the door shrieking like the horror-movie actor he was once paid to be. "Let me out!" He frantically yanked on the door knob. "Jesus Christ! Let me out! Let me out!" It never dawned on him to turn the lock. "Help! Help me!" He slid down the wall, and once on the floor he curled in fetal position, staring at the dead girl across the room while his body violently shook. "Help."
You're trippin' from whatever garbage you did last night. Dude, just close your eyes and when you wake up again she'll be alive. That's right, close them tight. When he heard pounding on the door he clamped his eyes tighter still. It'll be over soon. Just keep them closed.
Memorial Hospital – San Diego
8:05 a.m.
"Open your eyes for Uncle Tony," Gina Vartann urged as she rocked her newborn baby girl. "Come on…he came all the way from Vegas to see you." Holding her up she asked, "Wanna hold her?"
"You know it." Tony took his tiny niece into his arms like the four-times over uncle that he was. "She's gorgeous, Gina, because she doesn't look like your husband."
"Speaking of spouses." Reggie Vartann queried, "Where's your new wife?"
"Exactly what I was thinking," Marge, the curious mother, huffed. "Don't tell me the marriage tanked overnight."
"The gift shop, if you must know…buying presents for little Sierra and something for Gina. Where's Dad?"
"He's getting bagels from across the street."
"What's wrong with her that you couldn't tell us, Tony?"
"Nothing, I just wanted to make sure it was going to work out before I told you." He bobbed and cooed his niece in between questions. "Becca's great…terrific…you're gonna love her…really. Just like I love this little niece of mine." There was no denying that a baby felt right in his arms. "She's perfect, Gina…I'm so happy for you." Staring at the sweet newborn, he mourned the loss of his fatherhood dream once more. "Hi, there little one. I'm fun and cool Uncle Tony who is going to spoil you rotten. When you meet your Uncle Matt, you blow a raspberry at him, okay?"
"You're going to be her godfather too," Gina smiled at her favorite brother-in-law. As an only child, she had come to think of Tony as the big brother she never had. "Naturally we had planned for Amy to be the godmother, but…"
"Gina!" Reggie shook his head. "Look how happy he is for a change. Let's not talk about that skanky bitch. I'm sure Becca will make a great godmother for Sierra."
"Hello, Family-in-law!" Becca cheered from doorway, hoping the feminine outfit she had picked made her look less bitchy. "I'm the newbie and I've come bearing gifts for you strangers, so forgive me if they're not your style."
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, she's drunk at eight in the morning! Marge clutched the crucifix on her neck. And so skinny! She probably does heroin!
"She's not drunk, Mom," Tony stated, having read the look on his mother's face. "And no, she doesn't do Heroin. She was nervous and took a Xanax."
"Two actually," Becca corrected as she placed goodies on the tray table; a giant gourmet food basket, a vase of flowers and a bag of assorted gifts she had picked on the fly. "And this is for little baby Sierra." She produced a giant pink teddy bear with several hundred dollar bills stuffed all around the collar. "It's for her college fund."
"It's a stripper bear!" Reggie joked taking it his hands. "Thank you for you the gift."
"Told you, Honey." Tony smiled at his wife who really looked a bit crazed. "Mom…Bro…Sis…this is Rebecca Turnbull, now Rebecca Vartann, my wife. I really like her a lot and unlike the last one, I'm a hundred percent confident she won't wind up banging one of my friends in my bed, so please be nice."
"Welcome to the family, Dear." Marge Vartann placed her arms around the bony girl wearing a strange dress. "As long as you make my son happy, I'm thrilled to know you."
"Oh…you're like a huggy-kissy family, huh?" Becca returned the affection to the best of her ability. "My family was more the 'ignore your existence' type. Now I know why Tony gives great hugs."
"Would you like to hold the baby?" Gina offered as way to break the ice. Oh my God, could she be any skinnier! Not good timing either since I feel like a bloated cow!
"Uh…okay." Becca stared at her husband rocking the mewling infant and grinning at her. "Um." She held out her arms. "Just for a second." Literally!
"No, like this, Honey. You…wait." Tony chuckled sweetly, "You haven't done this before, have you?"
"Nope. It would have been a waste of time having Baby Care Night at Camp Dunmore, because everyone planned to have a nanny."
"Here…" He patted the chair. "Sit in this rocker, it will be easier."
"Okay." Becca took a seat and held out her arms again. "Uh…"
"Her head goes in the crook and use both arms to support her. There you go." Tony backed off to watch. Holy shit, I think she'd look more comfortable handling Plutonium.
Knowing his brother's struggles with infertility, Reggie prodded, "So have the two of you talked about kids? Because,Tony, I gotta tell you, even though Gina and I were exhausted from the infertility stuff she had to deal with, it was totally worth it when little Sierra popped out."
"Reg…we've only known each other two weeks. Cut us some slack. I don't even know her favorite color yet."
"Black," Becca announced as she tried to look happy holding the strange-smelling creature in her arms.
"Black?" Marge cringed. "I never heard of such a thing."
"Yep, black is my favorite color, and I don't want kids," Becca confidently stated. "This world is way too crazy to bring an innocent child into it. You'd have to be nuts." Then she remembered she was holding a newborn. "Except this baby…this one's good and she'll be fine…just fine…and you're not nuts."
"Time to breastfeed!" Gina anxiously announced, wanting to get her newborn out of her sister-in-law's arms.
"Sorry, kid, my tanks aren't only much smaller than your mom's, they're also dry." Becca couldn't wait for the creature to be snatched from her arms. With everyone's eyes on her, she enthused, "Well, now…that was fun!"
The Campbell Residence
8:11 a.m.
"Wow." Sara set down her kit to take in the chaotic atmosphere of the living room. "There was a lot of fun here last night."
"Yeah, until someone died." Grissom eyed the terrified party guests who looked like well-dressed vampires huddling together as if they feared the sunlight streaming in from the open door.
When Nick saw the house was enormous and the number of guests to question was roughly three dozen, he droned, "We're gonna be here 'til midnight."
"Hey!" Detective Vega waved the crew in. "The DB's upstairs. You'll need your waders."
It was code for 'the vic bled out every ounce in their body'.
On the way up the winding stairwell, Vega gave them the run down, "Nina Campbell, sixteen. Her father is Bruce Campbell, as in the owner of The Royale and several other establishments. He's flying in from New York as we speak. We rounded up thirty-two guests, including the little sister of the vic, and the guy who was found screaming in the locked bedroom with the deceased…Charles Dwyer of San Marino, California. He claims he's an actor…says his father is a prominent plastic surgeon, yadda, yadda, yadda."
"Hold up." Nick thought the name sounded familiar. "Carrie just mentioned a guy by that name. She and Becca met him at Starbucks in San Marino yesterday. He said he was Greg's friend from the Country Club out there and an actor."
Vega paused. "Do you need to recuse yourself?"
"I don't see why," Nick shrugged. "I've never met the guy." He looked to Grissom.
"I don't have a problem."
Vega nodded, "I think you'll all have a problem when you see this." He pointed to the door. "Good luck, and let me know when you want to see Mr. Dwyer. We have him in a guest room."
"Sara…" Grissom motioned for her to stand back. "How about you let us go in first?"
After the sleepless night she had, Sara couldn't have agreed more. "Go for it."
Grissom took the lead, turning the door handle and clicking on his flashlight.
"Damn." Nick felt the blood drain from his cheeks as his gaze lowered to the angel-faced girl who lay dead on the floor in a bedroom that looked straight out of a horror flick. "If we didn't already have a prime suspect, I'd put my money on Freddy Krueger."
Flattened against the wall, Sara closed her eyes. Immediately the haunting song of the horror film mentioned filled her head, One, two, Freddy's coming for you…three, four, you better lock the door…five, six, grab your crucifix…seven, eight, you better stay up late…nine, ten, he's back again. But when it repeated a second time, there was one change, One, two, Mikey's coming for you… "No…no, he's not."
"What's that, Sara?" Nick prodded as he tugged on a pair of booties.
"Huh?" She shook off her terror and smiled, "Sorry, I was thinking out loud."
"Don't you know by now that Master Criminalist Grissom hates that upon arrival at the scene? Remember, CSI Sidle…silent observation first. Let the evidence do all the talking, not you."
"How could I forget," she replied, while fighting the urge to run screaming from the house. "How bad is it?"
"As bad as it gets without mutilation."
"Okay, well…there's something to be thankful for…no mutilation."
"You okay?"
"Fine." She fronted a smile she hoped didn't look too psychotic. "I'm fine."
Recognizing her psychotic smile, Nick handed over a pair of booties, while flashing a supportive smile. "I'll meet you in there, then."
"Yep, be right there." With trembling hands, Sara pulled on the booties and took a deep breath. Feeling a high hurl probability, she also donned the homemade barf bag on a rope her husband made her and tugged it over her neck. "Hold it together," she whispered. "You've got it under control."
Stepping into the room, Sara's eyes widened. One look at the girl on the blood soaked carpet and the song was back. Only this time there were two changes. One, two, Mikey's coming for you…three, four, that's gonna be you on the floor…
"Sara!" Gil called out to his wife as she ran from the room. "Dammit!" In that moment, knowing his wife's peace of mind was shattered, he wanted to strangle every ounce of oxygen from Mike Rodgers being. "I'll be back."
"Take your time, Gris!" Pulling his cell off his belt, Nick dialed Sofia. "Yeah…I'm gonna need you and Jas out here ASAP. It's a mess…in more ways than one." Closing the phone he walked over to the dresser, picking up a photo of the vic as the vibrant young girl she was until sometime that morning. "We'll get you justice, Nina," he stated with confidence as he returned the photo to its spot. "Rest in peace."
Just as he was about to walk away, something hit him. "That face." Darting out of the room, he yelled for Vega.
"Yeah, Stokes?"
"Did you say you have her kid sister?"
"Yeah." He pointed down the hall. "Second door on the left…she's in her bedroom with Social Services."
Nick hustled down the hall, and opened the door. Sure enough, there was Ryan's friend sitting on the edge of the bed shaking like a leaf. "Celine…"
"You know her?" Talia, the Social Services worker asked.
"She's a friend of my nephew." Nick knelt in front of the girl who was still in shock. "Celine…"
"She hasn't said a word since they found her under her bed curled up and shaking uncontrollably."
"Do you know who did this to your sister? Celine…"
"Tag Heuer," she squeaked.
"What?" Nick glanced over at the Social Services worker. "That sounded French. I don't speak French, do you?"
Talia laughed. "It's a brand of watch, Stokes…an expensive one."
"Oh, right…I shoulda known that. Celine…are you talking about a watch?"
"Tag Heuer."
"What about the Tag Heuer watch?" Sensing that was all he was going to get, Nick smiled, "Good girl. Thanks for your help." After patting the girl's shoulder he stood. "You hang tight, okay? If you need me, I'm only a few seconds away."
"Tag Heuer," the teen repeated like a chant.
With that, he marched out of the room. "Take me to the suspect."
"Right this way…" Vega motioned for Nick to follow. "He's more freaked than the sister. Says he can't call his family attorney, because he'll be disowned by his father for causing trouble again." Upon opening the door, he announced, "Charles Dwyer, this is Nick Stokes of the Las Vegas Crime Lab, he'd like to ask you a few questions relating to you being found covered in the deceased's blood, in her bedroom, which was locked from the inside." Guilty!
The young man was sitting in a chair, wrapped in a floral comforter, rocking back and forth. "I didn't do it," he repeated over and over. Then, when he saw the word Forensics he screamed, "Hoj! Where's Hoj! He'll know I didn't do this!" Jumping up, he let go of the blanket, revealing his naked, blood-smeared and scratched body. "I didn't do it! Hoj will tell you…I'd never do something like that. I'm Good Time Charlie! Good Time Charlie loves girls, he doesn't kill them. I'm Good Time Charlie!"
Nick's eyes shot to the watch on the man's wrist. "Tag Heuer."
Author's Notes:
Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll stick around for the adventure ahead!
If you have any feedback, I'd love to hear it.
Next Chapter: Grissom and his team to work the case…more adventures in San Diego…and we'll find out who is watching Greg and Tawny! Posting: Wednesday, June 28th
Maggs