Chapter 7
Greg slipped through the glass doors of the LVPD. He knew the success of his plan depended on what would happen during the next few minutes. He attempted to maintain a brisk pace without drawing attention to his urgency as he made his way through the police department and on to the crime lab. The other CSIs and lab techs were all busy with their various duties, which allowed Greg to slip through the hallways unnoticed. Glancing over his shoulder, he quickly entered the locker room and opened his locker. He grabbed the backpack, which contained a change of clothes and assorted toiletries. As he put his hand on his gun, verifying he was still wearing it, he mentally checked items to retrieve off the list in his head. He was about to close the locker when he paused. He unclipped his cell phone from his belt and placed it inside the locker. Then, he reached in his pocket to retrieve the envelope he had tried to deny existed. He slid the photos out in his hand and hurriedly shuffled through them. After removing two pictures he didn't want anyone to see, the one that repulsed him, and the note which had been included, Greg stuffed the others back in the envelope and placed it in the locker next to his cell phone. He hated leaving the pictures in his locker, but in the unfortunate event that something did happen to him, he wanted the team to know about them. He gently closed the door and slung the pack on his shoulder. He peeked out of the locker room door. Hodges was just turning the corner, causing him to duck back inside. After a couple of beats, he tried again. This time, Fin and Morgan rushed out of the AV lab. Ducking back inside again, he held his breath, shut his eyes, and willed them not to come toward the locker room. Realizing the sound of their voices was moving away from him, he opened his eyes and darted from the room.
Greg had been successful leaving the lab without being seem, but he still wasn't home free. Avoiding Nick coming back through the parking garage was his next obstacle. Deciding it best to hold up behind a large support column until the coast was clear, he ducked out of sight. In less than a minute, he heard the soft clicking of his friend's boots on the pavement as Nick approached. Greg waited until he was out of sight before heading for his personal car. Soon he was pulling out of the LVPD parking garage and into the streets of Vegas.
Greg couldn't get the images of the most resent photos out of his mind. Knowing the stalker had been inside his home and the lab was hard for Greg to grasp. He shook his head at the thought. There was no one new that he could remember being in the lab. And what about his home? Had someone actually installed cameras inside the walls? Surely no one had been inside with him and him totally unaware. An involuntary shudder ran through his body. He felt violated and betrayed.
Greg needed to be sure his getaway had been clean. He had scanned his surroundings as he left the lab and hadn't seen anything or anyone unusual, but that wasn't enough. Someone could be tailing him right now. Quickly he glanced in his rearview mirror. He needed another car. One no one would recognize. Driving just out of the city limits, he pulled into the parking lot of a small diner. He had never been in this particular diner before, which, for his purposes at the moment, would be helpful. The probability of anyone knowing him there was almost nonexistent. He parked, grabbed his backpack and sunglasses, locked the car doors and headed inside. The diner was dimly lit and currently only occupied by the guy behind the counter and an elderly gentleman; neither seemed to notice him when he walked in. Greg hoped it stayed that way. It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't taken time to eat earlier and he was feeling empty. But he wasn't here to eat. He didn't think he could keep anything down now, anyway. Greg slid into a booth in the back of the diner which gave him visual access to both the front and back doors. The counter guy was approaching, so Greg signaled for a black coffee. When he saw the man coming back with the cup, he excused himself to the restroom. He didn't want the guy getting too good of a look at him.
Fifteen minutes later, the old man had finished up, tossed a ten on the table and left. Fortunately, no one else had come in. Checking the time, Greg turned up the last of his coffee. He tossed several bills on the table, grabbed his backpack and headed out the back door to the alley behind the building. Scanning the alley for any suspicious shadows, he slid behind the wheel of the rented Toyota Corolla that the nearest rent-a-car company had just delivered for him. He was glad he had picked up the throw a way cell phone when all of this started a few days ago. Soon the lights of Las Vegas were fading from view as he glanced in his review mirror.
