Flashback-Chapter 1
It was still early morning, and the hot Nevada sun was already beating down on the crime scene in the desert near Red Rock Canyon some twenty miles west of the city of Las Vegas. Two bodies were found just off a trail that led into the canyon. Ducking under the crime scene tape, Gil Grissom, the Graveyard Supervisor for Las Vegas Crime, approached the two bodies that lay facedown on the ground. Captain Jim Brass was directing his officers to secure the area and to keep the small crowd of on-lookers back away from the scene.
"Mitch, let the crowd know that this trail is closed until further notice," directed the seasoned detective.
The officer nodded and trotted down to where a small group of onlookers were craning their necks to see what was going on.
As Grissom approached the scene, he nodded with satisfaction that Greg Sanders was already taking photos of the body and that Warrick Brown was searching the perimeter looking for evidence. His team was well-trained and knew what they were about.
Turning to the police captain, Grissom took off his sunglasses and used the handkerchief from his pocket to polish his glasses.
"So Jim, what do we have here?"
"Two backpackers stumbled across these two bodies just when the sun was coming up. Sara is interviewing them now over there," Brass said, pointing off towards where two young college-age men stood with the tall brunette near the squad cars.
"You couldn't just have waited another hour until the dayshift reported in," Grissom sighed wearily. Having pulled three doubles in a row, he knew that another one was on the way. He glanced towards where Sara was intently questioning the two young men about finding the bodies. He would have to take over questioning the two witnesses since Sara had already maxed out on overtime.
Brass gave Grissom a pat on the shoulder and said with a grin, "Death waits for no man. Besides, your team is better equipped to handle this kind of case instead of Days. They are more into the B & E's and trick rolls."
"Yeah, whatever, Jim. You owe me one," said Grissom softly as he walked away from his friend and towards Sara.
Brass gave Grissom a knowing smirk as he watched Grissom turn his back and walk in the direction towards Sara. The police captain waited for a moment, watching for the fireworks to begin. Sara wasn't going to go back to the lab quietly, especially when most of the team was still out in the field.
The senior supervisor ambled in the general direction where the buff young men leaned against the black and white patrol car. Grissom observed the young men as they casually eyed Sara up and down while she took notes from their statements.
A surge of protectiveness passed through Grissom when the taller of the two men, a tall muscular blonde, crossed his arms and took a step towards Sara, invading her personal space.
"Hey, when we're done here, how about we go and get some breakfast? I know a real nice place near here that's real private- just down the road a bit," the young man said in a low soft voice as he towered over her.
Sara instantly stopped writing and, for a moment, keeping her head down as she focused on her clipboard. She pursed her lips together as her jaw tightened. Did this idiot really just say what I think he said? Slowly Sara lifted her head up and gave the young man an icy stare.
"You know, the first witness to a crime scene is always the first suspect. The fact that you're trying to hit on me speaks to me loud and clear as being totally inappropriate given the fact that there are two dead human beings not far from here," said Sara with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Grissom stopped in his tracks, smiling softly to himself, watching the scene play out. He needn't have worried. Blonde guy's eyes grew huge as he hastily stepped back, holding his hands up.
"Hey, I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that…well…,"stammered Blondie. "I'm sorry. You don't think that I…I mean…we killed those two people, do you?"
Grissom stepped up, deciding to save the young man from further embarrassment. Giving both men a cold stare and not taking his dark blue eyes off of them, the supervisor asked briskly, "Ms. Sidle, are you finished interviewing these two young upstanding citizens? Their statements pan out?"
Sara turned to Grissom, catching the look in his eyes, making her realize that he had witnessed the whole exchange.
"I believe that I have finished interviewing them," she said, and then paused, "at least, for now. Gentlemen, I thank you for your cooperation. We'd like you to go to the crime lab. We'd like to have the clothing you have on for further analysis and, of course, your DNA."
Blonde Guy's companion stopped leaning against the patrol car and asked incredulously, "What for? We did our civic duty and reported the bodies and now you're hasslin' us? Do we need a lawyer? I know my rights. You need a warrant or something."
Grissom shook his head at the brown-haired man. "No, son," he said, "you don't need a lawyer. However, if you want us to eliminate you as suspects, you'll submit. We could always get a warrant, but that means you'll be detained even longer and in the end, you'll still have to give us your clothes and DNA. Besides, if you're innocent, you have nothing to worry about."
Grissom shrugged his shoulders. "Your choice gentlemen."
Blonde Guy stood a little taller, taking advantage of his 6' 4" frame. "Then I guess we'll cooperate," he said evenly.
Grissom gave him a bright smile and shot back, "I thought that you might see the light."
"Now if you, Mr. Damien, and you, Mr. Swenson," said Sara as she checked their names on the clipboard," would go with Officer Mitchell, he'll take you back to the crime lab. They'll give you some department issue sweats that you can change into, courtesy of the Las Vegas Police Department."
Officer Mitchell stepped up and escorted both men to his patrol car, and, as they were loaded into the back seat, Grissom turned to Sara.
"Sara, you need to return to the lab. Log in the evidence that Greg and Warrick have collected, go home, and get some rest. Be ready to process whatever hasn't been processed when your shift starts."
Grissom stopped for a moment and watched as the patrol car carrying the two young men back to the crime lab passed them. Nodding at the passing patrol car, Grissom said to Sara, "I'll have Hodges take their clothes and DNA. You don't go near them."
"Griss, the crime scene hasn't been cleared yet. You can't send me home. This'll be the fourth double this week for you," protested Sara.
"You're maxed out on overtime…again, my dear," said Grissom in reply. "Conrad will have my head if you accumulate one more hour this week. I have no choice, so go home and take care of Hank for me, okay? I'm the supervisor, remember?"
"Fine," Sara hissed, "but you'd better get your ass home at least six hours before the next shift so that you can get some rest."
"I'm fine, Sara," replied Grissom with a wan smile, "but I promise to get some rest before shift tonight, all right?"
Sara gave him a rueful smile and her eyes softened, "Okay, I'll expect you late afternoon."
Grissom nodded and turned to see how Greg was faring. David Phillips, the assistant coroner, had just arrived and was checking over the victims. Grissom pointed Sara towards her department-issued Denali.
"Go," he ordered in an attempt to sound stern.
Sara rolled her eyes, threw up her hands, and, with kit and clipboard in hand, trudged unwillingly back to her vehicle.
Grissom turned and walked up the trial to find Warrick. The tall Afro-American was photo-documenting some disturbed vegetation.
Ducking under the crime scene tape, Grissom approached the assistant coroner as he inserted the thermometer to read the liver temperature of one of the victims.
"Hey David," said Grissom as he greeted Phillips. "What's the liver temp?"
"Morning Grissom," David said as he returned the supervisor's greeting. " Looks like 94.5 degrees. I would say that TOD was around 4 hours ago."
Grissom looked around at the terrain. Thinking aloud, "That means it was probably around 2 A.M. this morning. Still pretty dark out here. David, same with the other victim?"
"Yeah, the same Grissom."
"Preliminary COD, David?"
"Looks to be a single gunshot wound to the back. A through and through. The bullet exited the front of the chest. Probably shot through the heart. It's the same for both victims."
"Close range? Any GSR?"
"Um…no Grissom. Looks like both vics were shot some distance away."
"Even with a full moon out, the shooter had to be one helluva shot," surmised the senior investigator.
"Any ID on either of these vics?"
Both victims were dressed in worn jeans, tennis shoes, and nondescript T-shirts. Checking the pockets of the jeans, David shook his head.
"No ID Griss."
Grissom crouched down to take a closer look at the victims. Pointing to the fingers of both victims, Grissom asked Greg, "Hey Greg, what do you make of the fingers of our victims?"
Greg paused from snapping off pictures and studied the fingers of the victims. Reaching down with gloved hands, he turned the hands over and lightly ran his hands over the skins of both victims.
"Both hands are covered with dirt, and it looks like they had blisters forming on the palms and fingers. With the blisters forming like that, they were doing something that obviously their hands weren't used to. Perhaps using a tool that would need force and repeated action."
Grissom looked at his young protégé and gave him a half smile. "So what do you think?"
"Well, Grissom, with the dirt on the hands and under the nails and with the blisters, given the fact we're out in the middle of nowhere, I'd say that our vics were using a shovel of some kind. Digging a hole, perhaps?"
Grissom smiled. "Very good, Greg. Question is were they burying something or digging something up? They weren't dressed for hiking and even though Red Canyon is a popular hiking area, this particular trail is one that is seldom used. What were these guys doing here at 2 A.M.?"
Grissom stood up and brushed the dirt off his slacks. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed Jim Brass making his way back to the bodies after touching base with Sara.
"Jim, want to go for a walk?"
"I don't know. It's already hot out here. Where're we goin'?"
"Well, these guys don't have any ID, their hands show evidence that they were doing some excavating of some kind. Thought we might look for signs of disturbed earth and find out what these guys were up to. Maybe it will help us figure out who would want to off them."
"Okay, so if they were digging, where're the shovels?"
Grissom shrugged his shoulders. "That's why we're walkin'"
"I think I'll pass, but you go ahead and wander, but don't go too far. I don't want to have to send Search and Rescue. I think I'll take off to the lab and visit with our two witnesses. Something about them doesn't sit right with me."
"Yeah, well, while you're at it, make sure that Sara goes home, will you? I sent her back to log in evidence and then go home. My bet will be that she'll still be there when I make back in from the field. If she gets any more overtime this month, Conrad will have my hide."
Brass gave his friend a pat on the back. "Happy hunting. I'll drive Sara home myself. How would that be?"
"I'm sure that she would just love that," Grissom said with a smirk and with a wave of his hand proceeded to walk slowly up the trail, looking for clues.
A/N: All mistakes are mine as this story is unabeta'd. This story has been rolling around in my head for a while. I have the rough outline; now I just have to flesh out the details.