Spoilers 1x02: Cool Change
September 2000
An internal investigation? Grissom looked at the other man with a sick feeling in his stomach. Chances were, it would be someone who already had their mind made up or someone so green that they could be manipulated so that their conclusions suited those in charge. The man was still speaking. "…sending Michael Collins. But of course if either of you have a contact outside who is qualified, I would be more than happy to accommodate you." He smiled unpleasantly.
He knows we don't, Grissom thought angrily. Nobody I know could come in on such short notice. He looked over at Brass. The other man seemed pale and his hands gripped each other tightly but Grissom couldn't tell if it was nerves or rage. Everything had just spiraled out of control. He had come into work excited to have a new student and looking forward to replying to an email from Sara. Now the student was on the brink of death and—Sara. She was qualified and the San Francisco crime lab owed him a few favors. Would she come? He knew that she loved a challenge, but even for her, dropping everything and flying out might be a bit much.
There was only one was to find out. He spoke up. "I have a contact at the San Francisco crime lab."
"San Francisco? We don't have that kind of time."
"If they can spare her, she could be here by tomorrow."
"And she is qualified to conduct an internal investigation?"
Grissom's eyes narrowed at the slight emphasis on the pronoun, but he refused to rise to the bait. "Sara Sidle is a trained investigator and she would be the last person to skirt the truth to spare someone." Even me, he added silently. But he trusted her. If she told him what he didn't want to hear, he would at least know that he was hearing the truth, not just the next step in someone's private political agenda.