Chapter Two

Upon returning to the lab, Iris popped in to give Grissom a summation of her findings. He listened with interest and then asked a series of probing questions. What did she think of the victim wearing a wig and false eyebrows? Did the driver's story corroborate her initial impressions and evidence-gathering? Was the case going to be a simple investigation from beginning to end?

Iris without skipping a beat gave Grissom her impressions of the case thus far. She was intrigued by the fact that the victim was totally bald, wore a wig and had pasted-on fake eyebrows. Her intent was to check with Dr. Robbins to find out more autopsy findings. She had gotten a rundown from Brass on his initial questioning of the driver and was going to begin piecing together the accident scene and corroborating the measurements she'd taken. The driver had passed a field sobriety test and blood alcohol test. While she concurred this had the appearance of a case that would have a quick conclusion, she wanted to make sure she had covered all aspects fully and that the correct assessment resulted.

"I'd say you were on the hunt then Iris," Grissom said with a cryptic smile.

Iris knew a unique response was needed and gave Grissom a quote:

"The expense of spirit in a waste of shame
Is lust in action; and till action, lust
Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame,
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,
Enjoy'd no sooner but despised straight,
Past reason hunted, and no sooner had
Past reason hated, as a swallow'd bait
On purpose laid to make the taker mad;
Mad in pursuit and in possession so;
Had, having, and in quest to have, extreme;
A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;
Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream.
All this the world well knows; yet none knows well
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell."

"William Shakespeare's Sonnet 129. Very good!" Grissom said this time with a larger grin.

Iris went to another room of the lab where a large illuminated white table was used for recreating crime or accident scenes. She arranged the pictures accordingly that gave an interpretation of the evidence from where the victim was standing at the time of impact on. Her measurements were also employed to corroborate the distance between the minivan's impact and where the victim landed. Some things began to stand out to her and caused questions. Why was the victim standing in the street when he had to have seen the driver coming? He should have had ample time to get out of the way of the oncoming minivan. Why was the victim trying to pull his dog into the path of the minivan? The dog had stayed at the end of its leash and on impact the victim had let go of the leash. The dog had gone to the other side of the street and sat expectantly waiting on his master. Things just were not adding up to Iris. She suddenly saw Nick walking by.

"Nick, gotta minute?" Iris asked.

"Sure, what's up?" Nick replied.

"I've got my first case going and could use a second opinion if you don't mind," Iris said hurriedly as she felt a bit nervous.

"Okay, lay it out," Nick said, amiably.

Iris went over her version of the accident and every detail she could recall to give Nick a good outline of what she'd found thus far. Nick nodded at her in approval.

"I'd say you've got a good reconstruction of the accident going for you. You have good questions about why the victim just stood there and trying to reel his dog in at the same time. That makes no sense at all. You've got more digging to do, Iris, but let me know if you need to sound something off of someone," Nick said encouragingly as he patted Iris on the shoulder and went on his way.

She found herself bolstered by his words of encouragement. A few minutes later she heard the rest of the team in the locker area making plans to go to breakfast.

Sara asked her if she was going with them, but Iris had to pass and said she'd take a rain check for today.

Catherine watched her go. "Iris got her first case from Grissom so it stands to reason she's going over it with a fine tooth comb."

Greg had been there and done that as Iris fell just behind him as last in seniority on the team. "We all know what she's going through and that she's going to be even harder on herself."

Warrick sat by Catherine and stretched his tall frame out with a casual yawn. "So has Brass asked Iris out yet?"

He was met with a chorus of disbelieving responses from the team.

"Aw, c'mon, you guys can't tell me you don't see how they act around each other?" Warrick challenged.

"Iris is friendly with everybody, Rick, but I can't quite see her going out with Brass!" Greg observed.

"Those two couldn't be cut from more different pieces of cloth!" Nick agreed.

"Well, opposites attract and who knows there might be instant chemistry," Sara mused with an arched eyebrow.

"Let them come to that conclusion on their own and no help from us encouraging them!" Catherine advised.

"Fair enough, Cat, but I'm laying odds that he's going to ask her out or Iris will ask him out before the week's out!" Warrick proposed confidently.

The room was nearly split evenly with Warrick, Nick and Greg saying Brass would ask Iris out, while Catherine and Sara insisted that Iris was bold enough to do the same.

Unaware of the wagers being taken, Iris was done with her initial overview of the case and getting ready to go home. She had her purse and backpack as she walked by Brass's office when she heard him gripe, "Crap, lost another button!"

She poked her head in. "Captain Brass, uh, I mean Jim?"

"Hey, Iris."

"Wardrobe malfunction?"

"Sort of…lost a button on my shirt."

"I think I can be of assistance."

"Yeah, how?"

Iris smiled as she rummaged through her purse and brought out a traveling sewing kit. "I need you to take your shirt off."

"Is that a request or invitation?" Brass asked suggestively with a smug expression.

"Umm, take it as you will but I still need you out of your shirt," Iris replied with a quiet giggle.

"Your wish is my command," Jim obeyed with a cocked eyebrow.

As Brass removed his shirt, he was wearing a sleeveless white undershirt. Iris covertly snuck a look over his torso, feeling her pulse quicken as well as her breathing. He'd been working out she could tell. She spied the missing button on the floor, deftly picking it up, before threading the needle. She hoped he hadn't noticed her checking him out. It took only a few minutes to reattach the button. She bit off the thread and handed Jim his shirt.

"Thanks, Iris," he said gratefully. He had noticed her checking him out but kept that to himself.

"No problem, I'm always here if you need me," Iris blurted then berated herself for saying something so forward. What was up with her she wondered?

"Heh, really?" Brass questioned thoughtfully.

"Sorry, my mouth gets ahead of me sometimes," Iris apologized.

"Iris, would you…?" Brass began to ask.

"Yes!" Iris replied hastily.

"I didn't get to finish," Brass laughed.

"The answer would still be yes," Iris could feel the blush begin at her neck and creep toward her cheeks.

"If I could please finish…would you like to have dinner with me?" Jim finally asked with a smile.

"Yes, I'd love to and are we talking a date date?" Iris countered with a challenging look.

"Is there a distinction between a date and a date date?" Jim wondered.

"Well, I haven't gone out in a while so I just wondered. Tell me your fantasy, uh, I mean your favorite dinner and I'll make it when we go out again," Iris proposed in a rush.

"Our second date? We have to make it through the first one!" Brass joked.

"Well, I've never been an F anyhow!" Iris said thoughtfully.

"An F? Like a grade or something?" Brass was clueless.

"I have F's – freckles, fine hair, fine age lines! The F is for also for foxy like from back in the day when we were younger yet I never got called, sadly. You're only about eight years ahead of me, Brass!" Iris said exasperatedly with hands on hips.

Brass's response was to absolutely crack up. He'd gotten a rise out of Iris in a new way and was relishing the moment. Jim was laughing so hard that tears were actually coming to his eyes.

"If you mean it, call me later!" Iris said tartly before she walked out of Brass's office.

Grissom was walking by and watched Iris's rapid exit from Brass's office, finding his curiosity was piqued at the exasperated expression on his newest CSI's face and that she had a particularly spectacular blush in progress even for her. What was going on?