Trials and Tribulations

CHAPTER TWO

(curbside at airport)

Catherine and Greg emerged from McCarran Airport and blinked in the sudden bright sun. Catherine fumbled for her sunglasses and commented on the difference between the Nevada heat and the Washington D.C. humidity. A taxi pulled up and to the CSIs' surprise, Supervisor Russell climbed out.

"Catherine!"

"D.B!"

The two exchanged a warm hug and then broke off to talk.

"What are you doing here? I thought Greg was going to pick me up…wait, you have luggage? Don't leave on my account," Catherine joked.

"No…" D.B. answered somberly. He seemed to be struggling to explain as he realized Catherine had never met Julie Finlay. So he addressed Greg, "I'm sorry to tell you that Jules died this morning."

"Oh."

"There's going to be a small service and burial in Seattle. I'll be back the day after tomorrow."

"I'm sorry…who? What happened?"

(Flashbacks)

Russell goes to a boat marina at night to investigate a lead on the Gig Harbor Killer. Inside a boat he finds disturbing evidence including newspaper clips of the killer's crimes, and stalker photos of himself, his daughter, and Julie Finlay…He is confronted by the madman, disarmed, overpowered, and in serious trouble until Finn shows up and shoots and wounds the serial killer. Jared Briscoe is tried and sentenced to life in prison. A horrifying crime with the same m.o. happens in Vegas…The weapon was a bloody boat hook but there is no body, just a macabre manufactured crime scene investigation, strung to map blood spatter before the CSIs arrive. Suspicion falls on Briscoe's twin brother, a wealthy businessman protected by sleazy lawyers…they were separated at birth. Russell confronts Paul Winthrop outside a club and warns his date that he is a murderer. The CSIs work to gather and analyze evidence including planted clues referring to twins. A mass grave is found in the Nevada desert. Finlay is trapped in an SUV with a ticking bomb in the engine…Russell is behind a bomb shield frantically trying to get the bomb squad to rescue her when the phone rings. The voice forces D.B. to state that the wrong man is prison…and Jules is saved…but that admission gives Winthrop's lawyers ammunition to reopen the case and create reasonable doubt. Another crime, another bloody fisherman's gaff, with a pre-recorded 911 call and flashing strobe cameras illuminating another pre- processed crime scene and enough blood to indicate there is another dead young woman out there somewhere. Russell goes to Finlay's condo, calls out at the door, then spots blood and goes in to a nightmare scene…blood and trajectory strings…Paul Winthrop holds him at gunpoint and taunts him to imagine the ordeal that Julie went through before she died…Russell looks closer and realizes the crime scene staging is incomplete and there is only a pint or so of blood….Officer Mitchell and Sara Sidle burst through the door and the men exchange shots…Mitch shoots the Gig Harbor Killer in the shoulder…Sara radios to search the garage for Winthrop's car…Greg and Morgan pop the trunk and find Finlay beaten almost beyond recognition and covered in blood…Greg pulls her out and can't find a pulse but says she's still warm, and they frantically call for a medevac.

(End Flashbacks)

Catherine looked horrified and touched Russell in a supportive gesture. He seemed to shake himself from his traumatic memories and mustered a small smile.

"So you haven't told me why you've suddenly shown up in Las Vegas?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm here for some family business you might say," Catherine followed the shift in conversation. "My daughter Lindsay has graduated and is going to be a CSI."

"Here? In our lab?"

Catherine smiled proudly. "Yes. I'm going to show her around and get her settled in." Then, the former supervisor inside her blurted out, "Who's going to take shift?"

"Uh. Tell…can you believe I almost said, tell Jules? I guess it still hasn't sunk in yet, even though she was in a coma for months," D.B. shook his head. The guilt and grief clung to him. "Let's see, Sara's on trial…Nick's left for San Diego…I guess that means you, Sanders."

"Sure." Greg could see Catherine was bursting with more questions. He took her elbow. "We better let Russell catch his plane. I'll explain on the way home."

The group exchanged goodbyes.

A/N: I did mean to update this sooner, honest, but the tweets and instagrams and teasers are coming in every day of the filming of 16x1 "Immortality." It's a wonderful thing. It's a dream come true to see Grissom back and interacting with Sara in an encouraging way. As a fanfiction writer, though, it is conflicting with what I'm writing, and I'm second guessing where the story goes in relation to what I can surmise from the photos. So I decided to just finish as I originally envisioned. With maybe some scenes inspired by CSI, as all our writing is inspired by CSI. Scenes and dialogue in this chapter and in future chapters are lifted directly from transcripts, so as always copyright disclaimers apply. This is where I beg for reviews. And a vote on the CSIFO FF Challenge page if you really like it. Please.