"There are five lawyers with Massaratti." Sara said.
"Pretty much for a man who says he didn't do anything wrong." The detective took a sip of her coffee. They had given themselves a little break while Massaratti and his lawyers were in one of the rooms.
"They are all innocent. They could stand covert in blood next to a body, holding the knife in their hands and would still swear, they're innocent."
"And their lawyers would believe that."
"They get paid to believe whatever he tells them."
"I get paid to believe nothing."
"Their money is better."
"It is. But my girlfriend is better than theirs." Sofia grinned.
"You know their girlfriends? I thought I saw rings on at least two hands." Sara smirked.
"Don't need to see that to know mine is the most beautiful one. And I don't think they would mind a girlfriend besides their wife. I'm sure they are real men and real men can handle more than one woman."
"I know this kind of man." Hank had more than Sara as his girlfriend. Things like that happened. She had never thought he's the one, he was nothing more than a cheap replacement for Grissom.
"Only an idiot would betray you. Lucky for both of us I'm not an idiot."
"You're one of the hot twins."
"I am. The younger and hotter one."
"I wondered the whole time who the younger one was." Sara cocked her head watching Sofia. "The hotter one? Well…" Sofia narrowed her eyes. "Definitely!"
"If you tease me, my lovely Sara Sweetheart, it might end bad for you. I might forget our agreement about how to behave at work. You tease me and I'll pull you into my arms and kiss you. You won't like that."
"I wouldn't say I don't like your kisses. I think they deserve a better place than the department. And your colleagues will have a lot of fun with you when they find out about us. They are not like mine."
"True." Sofia looked up. Brass came with Bertolli on his side down the hallway.
"He has got Bertolli." The address Massaratti had given them was therefore the correct one. At least one thing that was true.
Sara's eyes became furious. There was the man who abducted her lover. She wished she could have five minutes alone with him, he would never ever come close to Sofia.
"Don't." Sofia had seen the reaction of her girlfriend. "Don't do anything stupid, Sara. It's alright, nothing happened to me, don't give him anything he might use against us."
"If I could do what I want to do, he wouldn't be able to do anything at all."
"I prefer to spend my nights with you in our bed and not alone while you're in a cell. Leave that to Bertolli and Massaratti."
"He abducted my lover."
"Usually I love it when you're getting macho, it looks so cute, but this time, leave it, please."
"I won't touch him."
"Will you shoot him?"
"I'd love to."
"Don't do it, okay?"
"I won't." Sara touched Sofia's hand for a second. "I'll be a good CSI."
"Good."
Brass came in the room. "Do you want to join the interview with Bertolli?"
"Yes." Both women answered.
"Sorry Sara, not your turn. You can watch, if we need a CSI, we'll call you. Don't shoot the guy, he isn't worth it."
Sofia chuckled and followed Jim Brass. Marco Bertolli sat without a lawyer by his side in interview room 3. A small smile appeared when he saw Sofia.
"Mister Bertolli." She sat in front of him.
"And you are?"
"The detective you abducted yesterday." Brass said. "Don't try to play us."
"I've no idea what you're talking about."
"You have. You know what you'll get for abducting a detective?"
"A detective? She's way too pretty to be a cop." Bertolli grinned wide.
"Surprise. Why don't you save your and our time and stop playing dumb? Don't you wonder how we found out where to find you?" Brass asked.
"The roses." Bertolli's eyes were still on Sofia. "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful woman. You know, a woman with your talents could make so much more out of her life than being a cop."
"I heard that today before, your best friend Massaratti suggested the same."
"You spent time with him? I thought your taste is better."
"What can I say? Yesterday you suggested so kindly to me I should meet him, so I did that today. He claims he has no idea who the two men killed."
"And you believe him?"
"Why should he lie? They're dead and were found on your premises. There's no evidence that anybody else than you had contact to them. And he didn't abduct me."
"And I thought you work as good as you look."
"Sorry to disappoint you. But I'm not that bad, I found you."
"You could have asked."
"You didn't leave your card when you abducted me."
"I didn't abducted you. You wanted to meet me, friends of mine made that possible."
"The next time we should meet like ordinary people in a café. Or I'll ask my friends to bring you around. I like this meeting much more."
"As you will have noticed, I didn't call any lawyer, I guess this is a friendly meeting about the deaths of my friends."
"That's a nice term. Nobody knew that Sergeant Portfield was one of your friends."
"I'm not responsible for that. And do you tell your colleagues who are your friends? Does Captain Brass know all your friends?"
"Most of them."
"But not all."
"No."
"See."
"Are you interested in finding the killer of your friends?"
"Sure I am. And I think you found him."
"Who?"
"Massaratti."
"Why should he do that?" Brass asked.
"To harm me."
"Why?"
"That's what he does. For years."
"That breaks my heart. You're both not innocent. So if you don't want to be in big trouble and having the DA in here accusing you with double murder, you should start to talk. Like your friend did when he told detective Curtis where we can find you."
"Did you interrupt him with the twins?" Bertolli smirked.
"No, I went to him as one of the twins."
"Lucky bastard!"
"That's what he thought first until he found out who I really am. So Bertolli, do you want to tell us something or shall we go to Massaratti and his lawyers? I'm sure he has got a lovely story for us."
"He lawyer up? Coward. We're talking about Friday night, right?"
"Yes."
"I was in New York."
"Anybody reliable who can confirm that."
"Do you accept NYPD?"
"I beg your pardon?" Did he really offer the New Yorker Police Department as a witness for his whereabouts? Sofia thought she didn't hear right.
"Your colleagues should have a lovely photo of me, being a little bit in a hurry on the Brooklyn Bridge on Friday evening. I wasn't pleased, it's my first speeding ticket. The next time I'll let somebody else drive."
"You got a speeding ticket?" That had to be a joke.
"Yes and I'm afraid your colleagues will ask for my license. Really sad."
"I think it has a good side for you. If that story turns out to be true, you've got a pretty good alibi."
"I'll bear that in mind when I have to walk." He smiled.
Sofia got up.
"You want to leave me?"
"I'll check your alibi. Captain Brass will take good care of you." She smirked and left the room.
"Do you believe him?" Sara had left the room behind the mirror.
"NYPD will tell us. You want to come with me or do you want to stay here?"
"I should go to the lab."
"What for? There's no fresh evidence. You can come in with me when Massaratti and his sharks are done."
"Do you try to keep me close to you?"
"Always. Come on." Sofia's finger touched Sara's hand. Together they walked to Sofia's desk. Sara started to make some coffee while Sofia dialed the number of the NYPD.
"Detective Flack, it's detective Curtis, LVPD, I called yesterday…yes our Mafia men….they are both here in the department…no…we can't hold them for long, there's no evidence…I need to ask for a favor. Bertolli claimed he was on Friday in New York. He said he got a speeding ticket on the Brooklyn Bridge in the evening….yeah camera, not stopped…could you check that for me? If he really got that ticket, he can't be our killer…no….well, I can give you his cell phone number, we got that from Massaratti, even if I think he'll change that number as soon as he's out of this building…yes…yes, grab something to write…"
Sara took both cups and carried them to the table. She liked to watch Sofia working. She was so serious and into her work, a cop by heart. Seeing her working here helped her to understand why Sofia wasn't happy in the lab. That was for her like it would be for Sara if anybody forced her to go to the PD. It wasn't her world. They had the same purpose, they wanted the bad guys locked away, but the way they worked was totally different.
"He'll check and call me right back. Thanks." Sofia took the coffee, letting her fingers touch Saras a little bit longer than it was necessary.
"You're welcome." Sara smiled. "Do you know you're really cute when you're working? I love to watch you."
"Ditto. Do you know what the best thing is about my job?"
"What?"
"I get paid to watch you working. Keep the CSI safe, what a great job."
"That's why you follow me all the time."
"I follow you all the time because you love to leave crime scene without telling anybody, Sara. Somebody has to take care of you."
"You"
"You want somebody else?"
"No." Sara. "I've got exactly the one I wanted."
"He really got a speeding ticket and it's definitely him. Bertolli wasn't in Vegas when Cooper and Portfield got killed." Sofia had the copy of Bertolli's speeding ticket photo in her hands. "NYPD sent it over."
"I think in that case his alibi is solid." Brass sighed.
"Yeah." Sofia wasn't happy with that. It wasn't like she liked Bertolli more for the killings than Massaratti, she wanted both to be locked away. This photo made her chance of locking Bertolli away for the rest of his life smaller.
"We'll get him for your abduction."
"He has got a lot of lawyer, he'll pin it on Daniel Jacks."
"You saw him, it doesn't matter what he says. You're a detective, if you tell the judge it was Bertolli who ordered your abduction…"
"I can't prove that. We all know he did that, but how can we prove it? Jacks won't say Bertolli ordered him to abduct me, if he does, he'll be dead within the next 24 hours and his whole family too. He knows that. He'll confess and will go to prison to protect his family and life. That's another thing that really stinks."
"We'll do everything we can to get him locked up." Brass laid an arm around Sofia. "He won't walk away easily."
"But he will walk away. I know it."
"Give Sara two minutes alone with him and won't walk anyway."
"Jim, we both know, she'd do something that would bring her trouble. I don't want to lose her for such an idiot like Bertolli."
"Problems?" Gil came in the room.
"No." Sofia sighed.
"My girl worries that this Mafia asshole won't get punished for abduction her; and she's probably right."
"You saw him."
"I saw him and his men will swear he has never been there. They'll confess and there's nothing I can do to prove him wrong."
"Of course you can."
"I can?"
"Sofia, think like a CSI. We know where he talked to you, all we need are his shoes, we'll find the evidence that will place him there. How is that for a start?" He smiled thinly.
"That, Grissom, is the best thing I've heard in a long time. I'll get a judge for a warrant. Do you have any more ideas?"
"I've got plenty of them."
"That's why he's the supervisor." Jim grinned. "Get a warrant and try to cover with it as much as possible."
"I will." Relieved and with a little bit more hope Sofia left the room.
"She's taking it alright?" Grissom asked.
"So far. She wants to see Bertolli locked away." And then he added because Grissom didn't know the news. "He was in New York on Friday. NYPD sent us a photo of him speeding in the Brooklyn Bridge. Two hours before Portfield was killed, impossible for him to be the killer."
"Possible for him to order the kill and get this photo as a alibi."
"Yeah, we've not proof for that. If Sofia gets the warrant we might find something more. I would like you to join me in case we can search Bertolli's house. Leave the kids out."
"You don't think they should be there?"
"Yours is too angry and mine is too eager to get him. And both have personal reasons to get Bertolli in prison. If we find anything against him, I will take Sofia off the case immediately. His lawyer will love tearing her work apart."
"True. I might send Sara to another case too. You never know the jury reacts when they find out that the investigator is the girlfriend of the abducted detective."
"You ever thought of not letting them work together anymore?"
"No." Gil smiled. "There's no reason. They do a good job, why tear them apart? Because of the possibility of a case like this? No. You?"
"About a second and then I got my head clear. They're a kind of cute together."
"I know now, that when my investigator takes off again, your detective will make damn sure, she won't take off alone." Gil smirked. He had worried sometimes about Sara, knowing how often she walks off without telling anybody. Now, when she was at the same scene like Sofia, he knew the blonde would make sure, Sara was safe.
"I can't believe they told us to back off." Sofia kicked a chair in her living room. It flew through the room and crashed into a wall.
Sara winced.
"Too personal. What a shit. Of course I take it personal when somebody drags me into a car, tied me up and blindfolded me. I take that damn personal. What do they expect? But that's no fucking reason to do a bad job. What do they think? I'll place some faked evidence? I'll make a story up to get this asshole? Shit I'd love to." She kicked the next chair in front of the wall. "I'd really love that. But I'm a good detective, I don't do that. Idiots." She kicked her boots through the room and turned. Immediately her anger was gone and she was with Sara, anxious to touch her.
"I'm sorry." How could she react like that? She had scared Sara, it was more than obvious.
"It's alright, I'm fine."
"You're not." Oh, she felt sorry. She felt how her heart broke. She felt guilty. She felt stupid. Why didn't she think first?
"I scared you. Can I…may I…is it alright if I take you in my arms?" Don't do more wrong than you've already done, Sofia.
"Sure." Sara pulled Sofia in her arms.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think."
"I shouldn't be that sensitive. You're mad, you need to let it out."
"Yeah but not in a way that makes you remember the bad things of your childhood."
"I was happy when he kicked nothing more than the chair."
"I'm sorry, I truly am."
"It's alright. I'm not happy that we got pulled off either."
"You think the Sheriff told them to do so?"
"No. They knew if we stay on we might give the lawyers something they can use. They did that because they want Bertolli locked away just as much as we do."
"You're right." Sofia sighed and kissed Sara's ear.
"I'm always right, you should know that. Now detective, what do you think of getting the chairs back where they belong and making breakfast? I'm starving. Some eggs, toast, bacon for you and after a shower we jump into your bed, snuggle up and sleep for eight hours."
"Sounds like a free Sunday."
"It's not Sunday, we have not a day off, but we can pretend it's a free Sunday if you like."
"Do I get lazy Sunday sex?"
"I don't know about your ex lovers, but I've never experienced you lazy while we had sex." Sara smirked coy.
"No, being lazy isn't my style. I need to touch you, kiss you, feel you. That's easier when I'm active."
"Be active, clean up the mess you made."
"Sara?" Sofia held her girlfriend before she could walk away.
"Yes?"
"I never wanted to scare you or make you uncomfortable in any way."
"I know. Don't worry about it."
"You know, no matter what happens, I could never hurt you."
"I know." Sara kissed Sofia. "Stop worrying about it. I'm fine. If you want to scare me away you have to try harder."
"It was hard enough to get you, Sara Sidle, I won't scare you away!"
"Good. I want to spend some more time with you, Sofia Curtis. A lifetime or something like that."
"I'm glad you didn't say 'life sentence'."
"No, that sounds like...sooner or later I'd prefer to get the death penalty."
"Being with me is a worse punishment. sweetie."
"Really? So far not. Tidy up your mess, Rambo."
"I'll give you Rambo later."
"You give me whatever you want as long as it's good." Sara smirked and left the living room to the kitchen.
"She's dirty." Sofia smiled. She was relieved she didn't scare Sara. The next time she'd get rid off her anger in another way or when Sara wasn't with her. The problem was, she wanted Sara to be with her all the time, she didn't want to be without her. So she had to find another way to let her anger free. Screaming under the shower? Getting the carpet out and slap it until there was no dusk left in it? That should work and she would be happy later about the clean carpet!
"Don't be peeved." Grissom sighed when Sara ignored him.
"I'm not peeved."
"You are. We had no other choice than removing you and Sofia from the team. We're about to nail both, Bertolli and Mattarazzi because you two did such a great job…"
"Gil, I don't want to talk about that anymore. I don't care who close the case as long as these men will end up in prison."
"They will."
"Good."
"You're still peeved."
"Gil…"
"You snapped at me, you're peeved."
"I won't have this conversation with you any longer." She turned and walked away. "I have some work to do." She heard Grissom sighing 'Women' and vanished in an empty room to look at evidence from a new case; or Warrick's old case.
It wasn't like really minded that she was off the case, she thought it was better, more safe for herself and Sofia, but could have asked them if they would give their case away.
And Sara knew, Sofia was really mad about that. Unfortunately that was the best reason to get her off the case, she took it too personal. She wanted to get Bertolli so badly, if it was for the killing or for the abduction, Sara wasn't sure. Her girlfriend wasn't in a good mood and Sara hoped that whoever was out with Sofia tonight, would make sure, the blonde stayed calm.
"Sara, do you have a moment?" Macy came in the room.
"Sure." She put her evidence aside.
"Not here, break room."
"Okay." Even better, she needed a coffee. To her surprise was Sofia in the break room too.
"Hey, shouldn't you be out?"
"I was with Greg." Sara sighed relieved. Greg was the best person for Sofia to be around today. He knew how she felt and wouldn't be offended when the detective was a little bit snappy.
"You?"
"Working on the evidence Warrick collected yesterday."
"Great."
Sara sat next to the detective and took her hand for a short moment. Sofia needed to calm down.
"I want to thank you for your work." Macy started.
"You got us removed from the case."
"You know why, detective Curtis and I understand why you're angry. I can promise you, these men will pay. Betolli will pay for your abduction, I'll take of that. Without your work and yours, Sara, we would be still looking for a killer or a connection. Now we might be able to get two bosses from New York's Mafia scene. And a killer of a Marine."
"A dirty Marine."
"A Marine none the less. I know you understand why your boss took of the case, detective and you know he had no other choice and that you'd have done the same if you were in his shoes."
"Maybe." Sofia grumbled.
"She's fine." Sara smiled a little bit.
"I can see she's the temper and you're the patient, Sara."
"Most times. She's the fire." Sara smirked when she said that, knowing Sofia knew she was referring to the first day they'd met Macy and Warrick had said, Macy had fire in her eyes.
"And you're the ice?"
"No, her eyes are icy blue, she's both."
"You're definitely an interesting pair. I'd like to work with you again. If you ever feel like a change, coming to Los Angeles and working for NCIS, you're more than welcome to join my team. I could use you."
"Uhm…thanks…but no, thanks. We're happy in Vegas…I think?" Sara looked at Sofia.
"We are." Sofia sighed. "Not right now but in general. I can't get my CSI away from her colleagues and I enjoy working with Brass. Thanks Macy, but I think we won't leave…or, do you guys have a lot of time for the beach?"
"If I say yes you'll come to L.A.? No, we don't. We're as busy as you are here."
"Pity. I could imagine myself on a beach every day, can you, Sara?"
"I can imagine you on a beach, yes."
"Silly." Sofia nudged Sara and got serious again. "When do you think you can arrest Mazzaratti and Bertolli?"
"Within the next thirty-six hours. You're more than welcome to have a look from the observation room."
"No, I'll go on with Warrick's old case. Somebody is waiting for justice."
"And I'll get out and catch some bad guys. Somebody has to get the other Bertolli's of the street."
"You're the best person for that job, detective."
"Thanks."
Macy got up. "I'll contact you as soon as there's something new in this case." She smiled and left the room.
"A compliment, an offer of a new job and I still feel shit because they've taken away this case." Sofia sighed.
"It will always be your case, honey."
"My ex case."
"There could be something worse be your ex, couldn't it?"
"Yeah." Sofia took Sara's hand. "I love you."
"I love you too. Come on, catch a bad guy for me, detective."
"Find the evidence to convict one, investigator." They blinked at each other and left the room. After all, they lost a case but they still had each other and that was much more important than anything else
Note of author: That's it. Our lovely ladies aren't allowed to work on this case anymore. But at least they've each other.
I might put Macy in one of my other stories but 'Twins' are done and I'll start with a new story on Friday.
Thanks for reading and reviewing.
Fleppy85
