*LE GASP* Two chapters in two days! Don't go fainting from shock before ya'll read it though! Dedicated to Suzanne, just 'cause :)
Both Sara and Lou had been more than a little anxious after seeing Catherine storm out of the interrogation room. They'd followed her into the parking lot just in time to see her car pull out and drive away.
"What do you think happened?"
"I don't know," Lou replied, pulling out his cell phone. "But it can't be good.
Sara had left Lou trying, and failing, to reach Catherine. She knew if she went home she wouldn't sleep so chose instead to return to the lab. She headed to the break room for a much needed caffeine fix and was surprised to find both Nick and Greg sat there, nursing their own cups.
"Don't you two have homes to go to?" she joked half-heartedly, grabbing some coffee and joining them at the table.
Greg shrugged and answered for both of them. "We didn't feel like it."
The group lapsed into a heavy silence, each occupied with their own thoughts.
Greg was the first to break it.
"How'd it go at P.D.?"
"Alright." She paused for a moment. "I.A. called Catherine in." Both men looked at her.
"Did you see her? Talk to her?"
"How did it go?"
His question was the first time Nick had spoken since she'd arrived.
"I didn't speak to her. The last time I saw her she… she'd stormed out of the interrogation room. Vartann was trying to call her when I left. I'm guessing it didn't go that well."
Greg sighed. Nick was still for a moment before banging his mug down on the table, spilling coffee and making his companions jump.
"This is stupid! This whole damn thing just stinks man!" Before Greg or Sara could say any more he stood and stalked off. Both of them winced as they heard the deafening slam of the locker room door down the hall.
"It's bad isn't it?" Greg's voice sounded small when he finally spoke again. Sara didn't respond, but reached across the table and placed her hand over his, squeezing gently.
It was all the answer Greg needed.
Catherine had driven around aimlessly for a while, her mind not focussed on her destination. All she could do was run the events that had transpired during the I.A. interview round and round her mind, like a movie on a continuous reel.
Before long she found herself pulling up outside the Eclipse. The young valet recognised her immediately and scrambled to open her door. She offered him a small smile as she exited her vehicle, handing him her keys and walking into the hotel. More or less all the staff knew her and greeted her as she passed; she responded each time with a 'hello' and a small smile. Catherine meandered her way across the casino floor, ignoring the larger bar near the front and heading for the small lounge bar near the back.
It was dimly lit, the soft strains of a piano playing. Her mother had said it reminded her of Old Vegas; Sam would have loved it.
She hopped onto a stool at the far end of the bar, but before she could signal to Jack the bartender he appeared in front of her. Catherine smiled, knowing that he'd probably clocked her the second she'd walked in.
"Hey Ms Willows, what'll it be?" Even though he was only in his twenties, Jack was cute, enthusiastic and a damn good bartender. Lily had commented that there was something about him that reminded her of Sam.
"Double Jack on the rocks, and how many times do I have to tell you to call me Catherine?" she mock-reprimanded and he flushed slightly before mixing her drink, setting it down in front of her.
He noted her choice of liquor, combined with the way she tossed back half of it in one go and waited until she swallowed before asking the age old bartender question.
"Rough day?"
Catherine huffed out a laugh and swirled the ice around in her glass, listening to the soft clinking sound it made.
"You could say that."
Jack grabbed the cloth from his apron and began casually wiping the bar, making Catherine feel like she was in one of those old black and white noir movies; the tragic dame spilling her guts to the sympathetic bartender. She drained the rest of the alcohol from her glass and Jack refilled it without being asked, leaving the bottle nearby.
Catherine had just taken a sip from her third drink when Jack's demeanour changed; he stiffened, his eyes becoming hard. The strawberry blonde glanced over her shoulder then faced Jack again, reassuring him with a simple look. The young man relaxed and turned to his new customer.
"What can I get you?"
"A beer, thanks," Lou replied, settling himself on the stool next to Catherine. Jack complied, serving Lou and leaving the bottle of Jack Daniels within Catherine's reach before moving away; he sensed the couple would want a little privacy.
"You can be a tough woman to track down Catherine Willows," Lou said after taking a sip of beer. The woman in question merely shrugged and took a gulp of her drink. He was silent for a few moments, just watching her.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Catherine refilled her glass, swirling the amber liquid round with a slender finger.
"Shultz is convinced Brass removed flex cuffs from the scene and disposed of them, that he tried to cover up the fact that Ray murdered Haskell. There's no concrete evidence to back that up though."
"What do you think?"
"Like I said, there's no evid…" she began but Lou cut her off, placing a hand lightly on her arm.
"I didn't ask what the evidence says Cath, I asked what you think."
She sighed and took a long swallow.
"I don't know. In my heart I don't want to believe Jim would tamper with a crime scene and break the law like that. I've known him for a long time; he's a good man and a great cop." The redhead sighed again and Lou laced his fingers with hers, giving her hand a supportive squeeze. "But my gut says that I have to at least acknowledge there's a possibility. It seems like the only logical explanation. That doesn't mean I have to admit that to Shultz. I'm not about to shove Jim in front of the firing squad when there's no real evidence, just supposition and gut feelings."
She drained her drink and set her glass down on the bar.
"You're amazing, you know that?"
"I do," she shot back with a small smile.
Lou chuckled and leaned forward, stealing a quick kiss before standing and pulling Catherine to her feet, their hands remaining entwined.
"Take me home copper."
Thanks for the reviews everyone. Hope ya'll like this chapter :)
Lily
-x-
