Trials and Tribulations
Chapter Four
(Interior, Courtroom. Sara is still in the witness box.)
"Please elaborate, Ms. Sidle, on your being accused of murder." Judge Wilcox instructed.
"I was at the Mirage Hotel to celebrate my birthday. I had made reservations weeks before and was hoping my husband would join me. He didn't show up. A man I knew slightly came up and offered me a slice of birthday cake. We split it and shared a bottle of wine. "
Sara continued, looking more uncomfortable. "I, uh, went up to his room for a nightcap. We talked for maybe an hour or two. I left, went back to my room, and went to sleep."
(Flashback, the next morning. Sara is exiting an elevator. She looks hungover. Greg, surprised to see her, tells her there is a body on the 18th floor. Sara goes with him, and is horrified to discover the dead body is Taylor Wynard and that he has been stabbed to death. She informs Russell that she had been in his room the night before.
(Return to present. Interior, Courtroom.)
"You say you knew this man. Who was he and how did you know him?"
Sara looked embarrassed. "His name was Taylor Wynard. We uh…we met at a bar. We had too much…I had too much to drink. I had just had a devastating phone call from my husband…" She trailed off, looking upset.
The judge prompted her to go on. "Your husband is Gil Grissom, former nightshift supervisor?"
"Yes." Sara swallowed heavily. "Since he retired from the crime lab, and we got married, he's been overseas. Since 2009, apart from short visits, doing scientific research and consulting work. We made it work for years, with me flying out to see him and phone calls and Skype and emails…but we grew apart. After those years of separation, the strain on our relationship was getting worse. And the night before I met Taylor, Gil called and said we needed to separate, that neither of us was happy and that he was holding me back from a better…" Sara trailed off and fought back tears. She drew a breath, shakily. "I was lonely. Taylor seemed nice. He walked me to my car and…we kissed. "Sara wiped her eyes. "He felt different from my husband, and I knew it was wrong, so I stopped it. We parted amicably and I drove home alone. Two weeks later Taylor showed up at my table; it was a complete surprise." She drew a deep breath. This part was harder. "Someone took photographs of us kissing and planted them in my bedroom." She winced. "Obviously I didn't take them. Obviously I wouldn't keep them. I still love my husband." Sara was fighting tears.
The judge looked sympathetic but pressed on. "So you were in this man's room, and the next morning he was found dead. I can see why suspicion would fall on you."
"Yes. There was my lipstick and fingerprints on a wine glass. The knife, the probable murder weapon, was planted in my house, inside a dishwasher that was already running when I came in."
"How did you establish that it was Ronald Basderic that was framing you?"
"Initially, it was a necklace. A special necklace that Edie Graham gave me as thanks for trying to help her. It was planted in Wynard's room. I didn't have that necklace with me at the hotel."
"So what did you do?"
(Flashback, Interior of a nondescript parking garage. The elevator opens and Basderic steps out. Sara is waiting, almost laying in wait, for him.)
Sara confronts him. "I know it's you, Ronald. You wanted me to know, right? That's why you left the necklace?"
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." Basderic says coldly.
Sara becomes more agitated. "The necklace that Edie gave me. Because I helped her when she wanted a restraining order against you. You watched every move she made back then. I'm sure you were stalking her when she bought it, right?"
"You really don't look well, Sara. I wonder if you're not experiencing an unusual amount of stress lately. I'm worried about you," Basderic said insincerely.
"You killed a man, Ronald!" Sara is growing even more upset and her voice rises. She advances toward the stalker. "Why? Why did you do that? Because I helped Edie? Because I... because I stood up to you?"
"But you were wrong about me then, Sara. What makes you think you're not wrong about me now?
"You've been following me; you've been stalking me. You took those pictures. You somehow arranged for Taylor to be at the hotel."
"And did I somehow make you go up to his room? Did I force your infidelity on you?"
" Stay away from me." Sara is beyond horrified.
" Speaking of which, have you called your husband? Have you told him about the tough day you're having? Tell you what, let's do it together. I have his number right here on speed dial. Basderic pulls out his phone and hits some buttons.
Sara slaps it out of his hand and the phone clatters across the floor.
The judge cleared his throat. "Thank you, Ms. Sidle. Please return to your seat." Sara got up and, a little shakily, returned to the table with her lawyer.
Judge Wilcox spoke gravely. "I think at this point we need a different point of view as to how the actions of the accused affected you. We've arranged for Gil Grissom to testify."
The door at the back of the room opened and Grissom stepped through. Sara looked dumbfounded. They made eye contact but did not speak.