Chapter 8
Sara plunged the sharply toothed key into the car lock and turned it to the left, the locking mechanism made a whirring noise as it released the catch. She opened the door of the black SUV and climbed in, in unison with her sister who was still clutching at her notepad and pen, canvas bag slung over her shoulder. Sam pushed it into the foot hole in front of her and settled down for the drive, opening back up her writing tablet.
"What you writing?" Sara asked, trying to make conversation.
"Stuff" Sam replied unsociably.
Sara's eyebrows furrowed slightly then relaxed "What kind of stuff?" she continued, prying.
"Just things…" Sam guessed her sister was about to pry again "song lyrics…short stories, journal logs…nothing important."
"Oh…that's nice…" Sara replied, unsure what to say to that, "how come?"
Sam put her pen down again, irritated at the further interruption. "I like writing things down, because at any given moment it could all disappear, and what proof would I have then that it even existed? If not on paper then what?"
"Your memories?" She ventured.
"Memories are flawed. They filter in and out the things you want or don't want to remember, always changing, impossible to control…" Sam stated, very wise for her age. Sara smiled to herself, she recognised this quality in her sister, she was just like Grissom.
Sara continued the drive home to her apartment, the two Sidle sisters sitting silently together. Sam looked out the windows taking in the breathtaking landscape of Las Vegas. She was sure that Sara was taking the long way home on purpose. They drove past the tower representing the Eiffel tower in France, past all the famous character hotels and casinos including the one designed like a castle, and another like a pyramid. "It's so random!" Sam said smiling to herself.
"It's Vegas." Sara replied, how many times had she said that to explain the odd happenings she experienced in her line of work. "What do you fancy for tea then? Anything you like?"
Sam shrugged indifferently, "I don't mind… what you got in?"
"I was thinking we could go out, catch a movie or something?" Sara ventured.
"Its ok Sara, you don't have to keep me entertained… a pizza on the couch is fine."
Sara nodded, relieved, a pizza was easier, and cheaper than a restraint in the city, besides, if she got bleeped then she'd have to take Sam with her to work again…at least if they were at home, she could leave her alone for an hour or two. "So what did you think of the lab?"
"It was labbish."
Sara laughed a little, "Do you like science?" she asked, hoping they would have that, at least, in common.
Sam shook her head. "Not really…its too factual…you know, its all ordered and either right or wrong."
Sara nodded "Yeah, but that's what makes it interesting…that you can get one piece of science and it will make you understand the next bit…"
"It's not for me really…"
"Ok, what do you like best at school?"
"Home-time…" Sam answered not looking at her sister.
"You don't like school?" Sara asked concerned.
"Who does?"
"I did… I loved it."
"Yeah but you're a science nerd!" the younger sister laughed, finally closing her note pad.
"Yeah… I suppose I am…ok then where do you fit in at school?"
"I don't." Sam shrugged. Sara gave no response. "But I don't mind…I mean I have friends at school…well…had…"
"Well at your new school you'll have a chance to start all over again." Sara offered.
"I suppose… what school am I going to?"
"Well… I actually haven't got round to it yet…but I will soon, I promise…"
Sam rolled her eyes and looked out the window.
This would be too easy.
Back in the apartment, Sara stood in the open fridge desperately trying to find something to cook for dinner. 'This would probably be easier if I knew how to cook anything' she thought to herself as her eyes scanned across a three day old carton of milk, one egg, a tub of butter, three carrots, a piece of quorn-chicken she didn't trust, a bottle of mayonnaise and a bottle of ketchup, a bowl of soup Grissom had brought her when she'd been ill a few weeks previously that needed throwing out. She shut the fridge doors and moved to the cupboards. A tin of kidney beans and a tin of sweet corn was all she found in one cupboard, along with a few different boxes of cereal. IN the one adjacent to that, she found a loaf of bread. 'That could be of some use at leas she thought', taking it out and placing it on the work surface. She went over to the vegetable and fruit shelf and found some mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. 'What the hell am I meant to do with these?' she sighed and went back over to the most useful draw in the kitchen, pulled it open and took out thirty different take-out pamphlets.
"Sammy" she called "Come pick what you want to order" Sam came out of the bathroom, hair tied up on the top of her head, just her fringe and a few straggley bits loose, and came over to the kitchen, hoisting herself up onto the work surface. She leafed through the brightly coloured sheets. "What you fancy? Chinese? Indian? Pizza? Kebab?..."
"…heart failure?" Sam said putting the leaflets down. "I'll fiz something up Sara. You go watch tv or something…."
"I have been meaning to listen to my police scanner" Sara commented, mostly to herself "Are you sure you can handle cooking something, there's not much in…"
"Its fine… shoo!!"
Sara happily went and slipped into her pyjamas, Grissom's bug-racing free-bee t-shirt, and a pair of baggy trousers. She washed her hair over the sink of the bath, massaging flowery smelling soapsuds into her short brown hair, pulling her fingers through the knots. She wrapped her hair up in a towel and secured it with a bulldog clip. Facing the mirror, she wiped the condensation clear off it, and began to remove her smudged eye makeup. She wore only a small amount of makeup: a bit of concealed to hide the bags under her eyes, and a little mascara just because she liked it. By the time she had finished, her sister called to her.
"Sara…dinner!"
She went out to the main room and noticed that all her paperwork had been moved off the small dining table and into neat piles on the floor. Instead on the table was two plates, each filled with a small omelette with what looked to be sweet corn, tomato, onion, and mushrooms emerging from it. Sam had grated the carrots and found cucumber from somewhere to make a little side salad to go with it. There was also a glass of water each.
"So that's the colour of the table top then!" She said laughing "I don't remember the last time I saw it. This looks really good Sam!" Sara sat down opposite her sister.
"Thanks! Sam smiled "I always ended up cooking at the home…"
"Institution food is rubbish, isn't it…"
"Ahuh…" Sam said simply, then began cutting up her vegetable omelette.
"Mmm this is good," Sara said taking a bite "How did you know I was a vegetarian?"
"The quorn chicken kind of gave it away really…" Sara said squirting mayonnaise on her plate. "Hey Sara, is it ok if I go for a walk after tea…"
"Sure… want me to come, show you round?"
"No… thanks… I just want to have a look round the neighbour hood…"
"Ok but be careful…this isn't the safest…"
"….city in the US, I know, I know" Sam said completing her sister's sentence "I'll be careful I promise!"
"Ok then, but only for an hour or two right?" Sam nodded in agreement "So… do you fancy being in charge of the kitchen from now on then? I'm a bit of a disaster in it," she indicated towards the bin overflowing with take out cartons.
Sam nodded, she liked cooking. "Sure, it's the least I can do…"
Sara looked at her watch again. Where was Sam? She'd been gone for three and a half hours already. This wasn't like her…or was it… she didn't really know Sam yet after all. They'd only been together for a few short weeks, and Sam was quiet, barely saying anything, let alone going out on her own. Sara regretted not giving Sam her cell so she could at least try and make contact with her. What if she was lost? Or worse. Sara presumed that there would be loads of people who wanted revenge on her. Families of criminals that she had helped convict. She decided she'd wait for half an hour more, then she'd call in backup.
A few minutes later the door to the apartment opened and a soaking-wet Samantha Sidle shuffled in. "It's raining" she announced.
Sara jumped off the couch and headed to the door where her sister was stood and stood in the frame "Where the hell have you been?" she demanded.
"Walking…"
"For four hours?? I said an hour or two…"
"Its only been three and a bit…"
"That's not the point Sam! I was worried sick!!"
"I was only round the…"
"I don't want to hear excuses Sam! I told you two hours at the most, its dark, its been raining for about an hour! You don't know the city! Anything could have happened for gods sake."
"But it didn't…"
"But it could have! Sam you have no idea the kind of stuff I see done to girls your age in the city! You could have been killed!"
"But I'm not…"
"SAM!" Sara took a breath. "You were alone, in a city you don't know, in the dark, at night…put the pieces together will you and grow the hell up!"
"I WASN'T ALONE!" Sam screamed at her sister and ran off to her room, slamming the door behind her.
"Who the hell were you with then?" She screamed after her sister.
"Me."
Sara stopped dead in her tracks and turned round and saw a tall man in her door way, she took a breath, it was only Nick.
"Oh Nick thank god…" Sara motioned for him to enter and closed the door behind him "What were you doing with Sam?"
"She left her MP3 in Griss's office, I said I'd bring it round.. I was just outside when I spotted her leaving.. so I went and caught up with her. You really shouldn't have let her go out alone you know Sara…this is Vegas!"
"Yeah, Nick, I know."
"Anyway, sorry I kept her out so late… we stopped for an ice-cream…had a nice chat" He smiled.
"Oh…"
"Sara…she uh… told me about your mom and dad…"
Sara flashed an angry look in the direction of the door and sighed.