Chapter 3-Arrested
Both Nick and Greg arrived at the lab shortly after they had received the call from Grissom. Nick parked the truck then turned to Greg who was staring out of the window. For the whole drive to the lab he was silent. Nick just stared at him a mixture of pain, concern and understanding written on his face. He opened his mouth to say something when Greg beat him to it.
"Thank you Nick" He said suddenly.
"For what?" Nick asked.
"For being there for me, you didn't have to, but you did even after I was being an ass to you so yeah thank you" Greg sheepishly said looking up at him.
"No need to thank me Greg! Your my best friend and no matter what I will always be there for you" maybe even more than a friend Nick thought, but didn't say. Greg looked at him in awe and smiled, hoping Nick was thinking the same thing as him.
Greg opened the door and got out as Nick followed behind him. They walked along the parking lot talking as they entered the elevator that took them up to the main floor. They both exited the elevator and headed for the lab. Upon arrival they saw Catherine and Sara along with Warrick, Grissom and even Brass was there.
They entered with smiles on their faces. They smiled back, but didn't comment on it as both Nick and Greg took the two empty chairs so they could get started.
Grissom looked between the two then to the others as he cleared his throat catching their attention. "Alright now that Nick and Greg are here, we have a situation. 2 hours ago a little girl went missing, her parents just called it in and..."
"Why didn't they call it in earlier?" Nick asked interrupting Grissom he looked at him.
"Because the girl was supposed to be at a friend's house and when she didn't show her parents thought that maybe she was out with her other friends and when she didn't call nor show up this morning they called the police" Grissom explained. They nodded as Brass stepped up.
"Griss is right! The young girl's name is Lylla Henderson she is at least 10 years old and the girl that Warrick found at the crime scene earlier yesterday her name was Stacie Harris and she too was 10 years old so it crucial that we find the girl" Brass stated as he tossed the file on the table for everyone to see.
Greg looked down at his hands he knew, or he had a feeling on where this girl was, but he was too afraid to say anything. His hands started to shake, this didn't go unnoticed by Nick who by now was looking at him so he took his hands into his own holding them tight. This action caught Grissom's attention as well.
"Greg are you ok?" Grissom asked this caused everyone else in the room to look over at him he nodded and looked up.
"Y-Yeah I'm fine" Greg smiled at them. He turned to Nick who was looking at him. "It's just...I-I might know where that missing little girl is" Greg muttered quietly, but loud enough for them to hear. They gasped in shock at him.
"You know where the girl is?" Grissom asked Greg looked at him then sighed and nodded.
"Yeah you'll find her at the crime scene" Greg stated he new that's where she was. Brass looked at him then got up he walked over to Greg and with great regret he hauled Greg up turned him around and cuffed him this got the CSI team to their feets in an instant
"Brass what the hell do you think you are doing?" Grissom yelled angrily.
"I'm doing my job" Brass said. He hated to do this, but because Greg new where the girl was and after the display at the house made him a suspect instantly "You know I have to do this Griss! Greg knows where the girl is and after all the suspect new Greg and judging by his reaction Greg new him so that makes him a suspect and you know I have to do this. I really am sorry" Brass said sadly. He hauled Greg out of the breakroom.
"NICK! Nicky do something please" Greg pleaded as he was being dragged off he was in tears and all Nick could do was stare in shock, but he quickly snapped out of it and ran out of the breakroom.
"Brass wait! Greg didn't kidnap that girl" Nick said. Brass stopped in his tracks, he turned and walked back to him.
"And what makes you so sure he didn't?" Brass asked suspiciously.
"Because Greg has an alibi at the time of the kidnapping" Nick told him Brass looked at Nick.
"Oh? Care to tell me his alibi then?" Brass challenged Nick looked to Greg who was pleading with him through his eyes then he looked at the others who too were looking at him. He took a deep breath then turned back to Brass.
"Because after Greg had gotten home I went to see him and to demand what was goin' on! We talked then we fell asleep and I held him all night or until Grissom called" Nick truthfully admitted.
Everyone gasped in shock. Only Sara smiled. It was in that moment Nick realized that he couldn't take anything else for granted. He loved Greg and he was determined to tell him. Grissom finally put two and two together as he walked up beside Nick looking him straight into his eyes as he nodded.
"Nick that wasn't the only reason you went to Greg's either was it?" Grissom stated Nick looked at him then to Greg he sighed and decided that the truth was a far better choice.
"Yes! I went because I love him and he needed me at the time, even if it was only for a friend" Nick said.
Greg gasped in shock as did Brass "Nicky? D-Did you just say you loved me?" Greg asked hopefully.
Nick nodded.
"Yes! Greg I've loved you since the beginnin' and nothin' will ever change that" Nick said proudly. Greg smiled through his tears.
"I love you too Nick" Greg stated. Everyone was silent for a moment then Warrick spoke up breaking the silence.
"Well it's about damn time he confessed" Warrick muttered they nodded Nick stared mouth opened.
"Y-You new?" Nick asked in wonder they just smiled
"Nick we've always known you liked Greg we were just waiting for you or him to confess, but I wish it wasn't like this" Catherine said.
Nick nodded then turned to Brass. "Brass please! Greg didn't do this, I know he didn't" Nick pleaded, but Brass shook his head.
"I'm sorry Nick, but unless you have more compelling evidence you know I have too" Brass said as he turned and hauled Greg away. Nick shouted out at him.
"Greg don't worry we'll get you out of this!" Nick shouted as Greg disappeared out of sight. He turned to Grissom and the others. "This isn't fair! Greg didn't do this Griss, you know he didn't" Nick stated in frustration. He just had to watch the love of his life being hauled away just because he knew of the girl's whereabouts.
"I know Nick, but we need to gather the evidence if we are going to help Greg" Grissom said seriously.
Nick nodded and walked back into the breakroom.
!
Brass hauled Greg into the jail cell as he uncuffed him closing the door behind him. Greg turned grabbing a hold of the bars he rested head between the two bars looking dead into Brass's eyes his filled with tears. Brass looked at him and shook his head.
"I'm sorry Greg! Really I am" Brass said sympathetically.
"Brass I didn't kidnap that girl! You have to believe me" Greg said.
"I have no doubt that your innocent, but Greg you know as well as I do that if you tell me you know the whereabouts of that girl then what am I suppose to think? How will everyone else react if I just let you go? Greg I had to take you in I'm sorry really" Brass told him, "but don't worry I'm sure Grissom will find something that proves you're innocent and I really hope he does" with that Brass walked away.
Greg watched him go. He walked over to the bed and sat down. He couldn't believe this was happening, not only was his past catching up with him, but now he was being charged with kidnapping all because he thinks he knows where the girl is. This was all one big nightmare; he bowed his head and began to weep.
!
Sara sat at the table looking at the file she had in her hands while Nick and Warrick looked over the evidence case as Catherine and Grissom looked over the fingerprints and blood they collected from the crime scene. As Catherine studied the photos something caught her eye in one of the photos was the picture of the room that Warrick had found the young girl in and on the bed was a teddy bear. She picked up the picture and examined it taking the magnifying glass she looked at the name tag on the teddy bear and gasped in shock the others looked over to her after hearing her gasp.
"Catherine what is it?" Warrick asked.
"I was looking at the photo you took of the room where you found the girl and..." Catherine started, but Nick interrupted.
"Let me guess you found a teddy bear that had Greg's name on it didn't ya?" Nick said then asked Catherine nodded
"Yeah, but how did you know?" Catherine asked in wonder, but Nick remained silent.
"Nick if you know something you need to tell us" Grissom said seriously.
"It's not my place to say" Nick said.
"Not your place? Nick this could help prove Greg is innocent don't you want that for him?" Warrick asked.
"Of course I want that, that's why Greg told me to tell you to go back to the house" Nick said.
"Why?" Catherine asked. Nick looked at her then sighed.
"I knew that teddy bear belonged to Greg I'm not goin' to tell you how I know! Just know that I know, he told me to tell y'all that ya' will find remains at that house and he will tell ya' everythin' you need to know once you find them" Nick said. They looked at him then nodded to themselves.
"Alright we need a court order and several guys to help dig, let's head out then" Grissom said.
Grissom walked into Brass's office to talk to him before they left.
Several hours later he walked out with the warrant and plenty of officers to help dig as they loaded up in three separate vehicles and drove back to that house. When they arrived Grissom showed the 'new' owner of the house the warrant and for some odd reason he didn't like it one bit. As they spanned out and started looking, one of the officers that was using some sort of device to look for corpse's underneath the ground stopped suddenly.
"Excuse me Mr. Grissom? I think I've got something here" He yelled out causing Grissom and Warrick to come rushing over.
"Let me take a look" Grissom said as he peered down at the screen. "I'll say you have! Alright Warrick help me dig it up" Warrick nodded taking out his shovel he began to dig.
This went on for hours on end. By the time it was close to dark they had found at least over a hundred bodies on the premises some were years old while others were quite recent. Grissom and the team met back up dab in the middle of the grounds as they shook themselves off from digging.
"I cannot believe this! What the hell have we stumbled upon?" Sara asked.
"I don't know Sara, but I think it's time to have a little talk with Mr. Pierce" Grissom said as he turned and headed for the house.
When they got to the house Mr. Pierce was nowhere to be found. He must have slipped out when they were busy digging. Grissom took off through the house searching for him as he came to the near bedroom he opened it and there he found the missing little girl she looked at him unafraid for some reason so he walked closer to her and scooped her up carrying her out of the room. He arrived in the living room where the others met up and looked stunned at Grissom who had the little girl in his arms.
"It's ok sweetheart! We're going to get you to your mommy and daddy ok?" Grissom said. She nodded to him. "Can you tell us who took you? Was it this man?" Grissom asked showing her the picture of Greg she shook her head.
"No! It was that mean man who lives here" Lylla replied. They all looked at each other.
"Are ya' sure sweetheart?" Nick asked gently, hoping it wasn't Greg as she said. She nodded this time.
"Uh-huh I'm sure I maybe 10 mister, but I'm not dumb" she said. They all chuckled at her.
"No honey you're not" Catherine replied with a smile. They took the girl out and straight to the paramedics. Once they took the girl Grissom whipped out his phone.
"Brass!"
"Brass we found the little girl alive! And she just confirmed that Greg did not take her and that it was the victim's son! We all heard her" Grissom said as he looked to them.
"I'm glad you found the girl! Where is she now?" Brass asked.
"On the way to the hospital" Grissom replied.
"Ok I will meet you there" Brass said, but Grissom shook his head.
"No can do sorry! We found at least over a hundred bodies here on this property so you'll have to talk to the little girl by yourself. Sorry Brass" Grissom said. He could hear sighing on the other end.
"Alright! I'll call you back when I got done ok?" Brass asked.
"Alright! Bye" Grissom replied as he hung up.
!
Brass hung his phone up as he got up. As he grabbed his coat he couldn't believe what Grissom had said a hundred bodies found at that house? What the hell have they stumbled on? He wasn't quite sure so he quickly made his way to the hospital to ask the child what she knew. He arrived shortly after asking the nurse what room the little girl was in after showing her the picture she pointed and got to his destination seeing the parents already there. They greeted him with smiles.
"Thank you Detective Brass. Thank you so much for finding our little girl" the mother said happily. He shook his head and smiled.
"No need to thank me! Thank the CSI team for finding her, but if it's alright with you I would like to ask her a few questions" Brass said. They nodded as he turned to the little girl. "Hey sweetheart! I need to ask you a very important question ok? Did this man take you?" Brass asked gently as he too showed the little girl the picture of Greg she shook her head.
"No! Just like I told the other people who rescued me he didn't take me it was the man who lived at the house" Lylla said.
"Ok are you sure though? Think about it for a minute" Brass said gently.
"I'm very sure mister! He didn't take me like I said earlier I maybe 10, but I'm not dumb" Lylla replied. They laughed at her and smiled happily Brass put the picture away.
"Alright sweetheart thank you and you get better you hear?" Brass said. She nodded with a smile. He shook the parents hands and left.
Brass arrived back at the station as he headed down to the cell house. He got in and walked up to the cell he was more than glad to release Greg and more than happy to know that he didn't kidnap that girl and that he was innocent of all charges. He opened the gate as Greg sat up staring at him.
"Well Greg, you're free to go! They found the girl and she confirmed that you didn't kidnap her, again I am sorry about that" Brass said, but Greg shook his head.
"Brass you were only doing your job! No need to be sorry I'm just glad that I was found innocent" Greg happily said getting up.
"You and me both buddy, you and me both" Brass replied he grinned big. "Now that you're a free man what are you going to do?" Brass asked.
"Join Grissom and the others at that house to do my job as much as it pains me to go back to that house I know I have too sooner or later" Greg said as he headed out.
He grabbed his kit from his locker in the locker room then grabbed his keys as he headed out the door and right back to the house that had caused him so much pain in the past.
Tbc...