Part 1
„I knew black is your color but since when do you wear it in your face, lieutenant." Sara tried to hide a wide grin when she saw Sofia. The blonde had a black eye and the rest of her appearance seemed to be a little bit messed up too. A button on her shirt was missing, the light blue shirt was mixed with something brownish-red, probably blood and a her pants were torn from the knee down.
"And Jim should show you how to dress up as a lieutenant. You know, you are a representative of this city, what will all the concerned tax paying civilians think when they see you like this?"
"That I work my ass off for their safety and do that regardless of the personal consequences for me. Will you stop teasing me, I had enough on my way to here, my colleagues think it's pretty funny how I look and they're really sorry that's only the lower part of the pants that's torn and not my shirt." Sofia grumbled and sat down. She needed a coffee and a hug and not all the mock she got already.
"Can't blame them for that. They won't have a chance to see a beautiful woman like you half naked every day."
"Stop sucking up that doesn't work today."
"Who's the Grumpy Smurf." Sara gave Sofia a cup of coffee and sat next to her. She placed a hand on the hand of the lieutenant. Usually she'd have been very concerned when she saw Sofia like this. But Brass had called her to tell her first that nothing bad had happened to Sofia and second the ego of the blonde was injured. Sara had asked twice if her friend was really alright and after that she was ready to tease Sofia the next time she saw her with the black eye and her torn clothes.
"What happened?"
"I'm sure you heard the story."
"I'm not interested in the story of some officers, I want to hear the truth from my favorite lieutenant."
"Bastard started to fight, he was pretty good. Got my nose, I thought first it's broken because of all the blood but the doc said it's alright. He punched me a black eye and ripped off a button. That was after I kicked the broken bottle out of his hands. The bottle is the reason why I get more air in my pants than I want."
"Where was your gun?"
"Lost it to his partner, he held a gun to my head and gave me the opportunity to die or to give him my gun. I made the decision to give him my gun. When he wanted to put it away, Jim shot him and his partner started the fight with me. Unfortunately Jim had no time for a second shot, another man of these lovely gang members kept him busy."
"But you are okay? Besides the black eye?" Okay, maybe Sara was worried a little bit. It had sounded funny when Jim had told her how Sofia looked. After she had heard the story to that she didn't think it was funny anymore. Her friend had been in serious danger.
"Yeah, a little headache, some bruises, nothing serious. I'll go home now, take some pills for the head and clean myself up."
"You want me to join you?"
"You're working, finish your job. I'll be fine, no need to worry."
"Okay but give me a call if you need something, will you?"
"Sure. Thanks for the coffee." Sofia gave Sara the empty cup.
"Sofia?"
"Mhm?" The lieutenant stopped in front of the door.
"I'm glad you're fine."
"Me too. You know I'm not that easy to shock, don't worry."
"I always worry about you."
"I worry about you, we're even." She blinked at Sara and left.
As soon as she was out of sight and far enough that Sara couldn't hear her anymore, Sofia groaned. She hadn't told her friend the whole truth. Her leg had been stitched and it hurt. The next few days Sofia wouldn't be able to run and she had the feeling, the first shower later would be very painful with all the water in the wounds. The bruised shoulder would make her sleep for the next two or three nights on the left side and there was the beep in her ears from the shot Jim had fired to kill the man who was about to kill her. She could still hear the bullet flying only inches next to her head and entering the skull of the man behind her. No, this wasn't an easy night, this was night that would be for a few nights in Sofia's mind.
"You don't look good lieutenant."
"You greeted me nicer, investigator."
"Are you alright?" Sara hadn't seen Sofia since she had left work earlier the night before. She didn't want to wake the lieutenant up and when Sara had gotten up. Sofia was already back in the department, taking with her Undersheriff and giving another statement.
"Yeah, fine. Better than the woman over there." She pointed to the middle of the street where a woman was laying.
Sara looked to the body and up. It seemed like the woman did jump from the bridge and that the fall from twenty yards killed her.
"Anything that suggests she was killed not by jumping?"
"From the first look I had? No. But I couldn't really see a lot. Got the street closed fifty yards in each direction and the whole bridge. You know what that means."
"Work fast as soon as the morning is there hundred of cars will be waiting, honking, drivers will yell and swear and the major will not be very happy."
"I love politics."
"So do I. Good luck, I'll check for traffic cameras."
"Hey lieutenant?"
"Yes?"
"I'd like to see you for breakfast."
"Maybe we can work out a meeting. I'll see you later."
"Later." Sara walked to the body. Greg was already there with David.
"Hey guys."
"Hi Sara."
"Can you tell me anything else than we've a vic who thought she can fly and was so deadly wrong?"
"I can tell you she wasn't good at flying."
"Anything that suggests she was forced to jump or pushed?"
"I haven't turned her yet." David looked at Greg. "Ready to do so?"
"Sure." Carefully they turned the woman.
"Oh shit." Sara mumbled.
"You know her?" David asked concerned.
"It's the niece of the Sheriff. I saw her a few weeks ago when she came with him through the department. She wanted to join the law enforcement."
"Sofia will love this phone call." Greg said feeling sorry for his friend.
"We will love to investigate this case, the Sheriff will be all over us. I'll call Sofia and Grissom." With a last look on the body of the woman she turned away and got her cell out.
"What's up, Sara?"
"Sofia, I think you might want to come back to the body."
"Why? I'm trying to…"
"I know, believe me, you want to be here and you have to make an important phone call."
"Sara, what is it."
"Come here." Sara ended the call and dialed Grissom's number. She knew he was somewhere in Henderson working on a 419.
"Grissom."
"It's Sara. Our suicide is a problem, Gil."
"Why's that?"
"It's the niece of the Sheriff."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." Sara turned when Greg's hand touched her shoulder. He held a wallet in his hand and had the driver's license out. Sara nodded thankful.
"Greg handed me the wallet, the license says it's Julia Bush, that's his niece. She was in the department a few weeks ago, the Sheriff showed her around, she wanted to join the law enforcement after college."
"Anybody called the Sheriff?"
"Sofia is on her way to here, I can see her. You think she should call the Sheriff first and then the parents?"
"What do you think?"
"First the Sheriff."
"He won't like it the other way around."
"He won't like anything of this here and he'll request you."
"No, he won't. He'll insist that I take you case over."
"That's fine with me. Just wanted to warn you."
"Thanks. I'll see that Nick can go on alone and then I'll come to you guys."
"Alright, see you later." Sara closed her cell. Sofia had reached her, was obvious annoyed.
"Sara, why couldn't you tell me…" She stopped when Sara handed her the wallet and the license.
"Julia Bush? Do I know her?"
"She's the niece of the Sheriff."
"Shit."
"Yes. I called Grissom, I'm sure the Sheriff wants him to be primary. I thought you'd prefer to know who she is face to face and not on the phone while you deal with something else."
"Thanks. Sorry to be…rude."
"You weren't. You're under pressure and this won't make it easier."
"No. I guess I've to call the Sheriff and the parents. You've got a phone number of the parents?"
"Greg, do you have a cell phone?"
"No, not in her pockets not in this area." Greg looked around.
"A young woman without a cell phone? Something is wrong with this." Sara said.
"Maybe she left it at home because she wanted to kill herself."
"But she took her wallet? With money? I doubt that."
"It's odd. Okay, I call the Sheriff, he can give me the number of his…sister?"
"Yes, it's the sister."
"This night means a lot of trouble." Sofia rubbed her face.
"Headache?"
"A little bit."
"I've a pill with me." Sara opened her kit and gave Sofia a pill.
"A new standard edition? With medicine?"
"I call it the emergency kit in the kit."
"What else is inside?"
"A bar of chocolate you'll get after the call."
Sofia smiled a little bit. "Thanks Sara." She felt even more guilty for being annoyed in the first place when Sara called her to come back to the body. She should know her friend well enough to know Sara would never call her for no reason. It seemed like her headache was interfering with her brain and the ability to think.
"You're welcome." Sara stroke her hand over Sofia's arm and turned back to the body. It was time to process the scene and the body. Even if Grissom had to take over later it was no reason to wait until he was here. The sooner they started to investigate the sooner they would find the killer or the evidence for the suicide.