#They hadn't been working for more than 20 minutes when Grissom's cell phone pierced the uncomfortable silence, causing both to jump. "Grissom… I'll be right there." He hung up and then looked at Catherine, "There's a double homicide over at the New York, New York, Vartann needs me to go over."
"Okay," Catherine said, turning back to her work.
"You're coming too, accident or not I'm not letting you stay with him alone."
Her eyes narrowed, "I've been alone at a scene hundreds of times before. We can't leave and then come back later, that wouldn't be fair to the husband."
"Then I'll wait."
"You can't just forget the other scene."
"You're not staying here alone."
Catherine sighed, "If I call Vega will it make you feel better?"
"Yes. I'll wait-"
"No, it will take him five minutes tops to get here, you need to leave. It's my final offer," she said, crossing her arms, but her smile broke her tough façade.
"Fine," he sighed, smiling too, "You do drive a hard bargain Miss Willows." She laughed and went back to work as Grissom gathered his kit. "Don't forget to call Vega, and call me if there's even the slightest problem." He requested as he headed out the door. She agreed and watched him walk away, pleased by his concern. Catherine had never intended to call Vega, she only had a few more technical things to finish up before she was done and he and Brass should be back within the hour, so there was really no pint in bothering him yet.
Twenty minutes later she was finally beginning to pack her equipment when something caught her eye. She stood slowly and walked to the wall on the side opposite the body, pulling out her flashlight and examining a red drop on the wall. Her stomach plummeted as she got a closer look, and her eyes flickered nervously to the open door. Shaking, she fumbled for her phone and crossed to the door, closing it quietly as she called Grissom.
He answered on the second ring.
"Cath?" His tone held concern, and rightly so.
"Gil," she practically whispered, "I found an arched blood drop on the wall in front of her feet. Gil, I think it's cast off spatter."
"Shit, I'm coming right now!" Grissom said, a fearful urgency overtaking his usual monotone. Catherine had calmed down a bit from the initial shock and tried to focus on the task at hand to keep her cool.
"I'm going to try luminal," she said, her voice steadier now.
"No, Cath listen to me, lock the door and stay in there, don't let him get suspicious."
"He's still out there playing the grieving husband," her voice held bitterness, and a tinge of self-loathing for buying into it so easily. "I need to know," she continued, "I'll go crazy just waiting here." As she said this she heard the muffled sounds of sirens blaring on the other end of the line, and took comfort in knowing Grissom was hurrying.
"Catherine, please, just stay put," Grissom was now pleading, and it was almost enough to make her obey. Almost.
"I won't make a peep Gil." As she said this she crossed back to the door, locking it quietly. "I've locked the door, you'll be here soon." As Catherine shut out the lights and prepared to spray the luminal, her cell propped up to her ear with the help of her shoulder, she heard an angry sigh.
"You never called Vega did you?" His question went unanswered, however, because it was at that moment that Catherine gasped.
"Fuck, it looks like a slasher film in here," she breathed, taking in the glowing back spatter covering the walls. She picked up her camera, snapping pictures quickly, before the luminal disappeared. "Gil, this was definitely murder… shit, I'm an idiot!"
A sudden knock on the door startled her and muffled whatever response Grissom had given. "What's going on in there?" Catherine felt her stomach sink even lower at the husband's words.
"Don't open the door!" Grissom yelped in her ear.
"Wow, thanks Gil," she hissed back. She then raised her voice to reply to Ned, "Nothing, just some last minute evaluations, I'm almost done." She held her breath hoping he'd buy it.
"You're doing analysis with the lights off?" He sounded disbelieving.
"Yes, it's the only way certain tests work." She hoped his knowledge of forensics was limited and he didn't know exactly what test she had been running.
"What's happening?" Grissom asked.
"Noth-" she began to say, but at that moment she heard the sound of a key scraping in a lock and tried to sprint over to the light switch to hide her luminal discovery, but was too late. Ned walked in and saw the glowing display of his murderous deed. Catherine hid her cell phone behind her back and out of sight and flipped on the light switch, the glowing stains disappearing.
Ned turned towards her, his eyes devoid of the grief and torture she had seen before, and now reflected only cold harshness, "So, you know." It wasn't a question.
A/N: Hehe, I know, I'm evil. Perhaps a little cliff hanger could garner some more reviews… :)