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In The Darkest Light
(8)
Doc Robbins stood underneath the bright light at the foot of the autopsy table tapping his fingers against the metal in a bittersweet rhythm as a grim expression masked his features. He'd paged Nick five minutes before and the anticipation of the Texan bursting through the door had him turning at every sound.
"Doc- what have you got?" The familiar voice filled the room.
"Knife wounds that are short- bruising at the entry suggest pen knife. Sara and Greg's victim had identical wounds." Doc Robbins explained making the casual link not wanting to push his assumptions any further.
"The same guy..." Nick hypothesised.
"I would say so." The pathologist nodded in agreement. "But it's almost impossible to tell from just the wounds whether it's the same killer."
"Is there anything else?" Nick asked.
"No...No other evidence of trauma, I've sent blood to tox and samples to trace but there is nothing more I can tell you." He shrugged.
"Thanks Doc." After nodding a goodbye Nick disappeared into the hall way. He found Langston in the layout room surrounded by the few items that were left that they had collected from the hotel room.
"So is there anything here?" Nick asked pulling on a pair of latex gloves his eyes surveying the table.
"Nothing much- the killer seems to have taken everything of any value- Mandy is working on the prints we collected." The older man paused indicating to a laptop bag. "Took the laptop but not the bag... it's a bit odd don't you think?"
"It is... perhaps the killer didn't notice it?" Nick suggested- Occam's razor coming to mind.
"It was in plain view- on the desk. Have a look." Langston passed him the crime scene photos to illustrate his point.
"That is a bit strange..." The bleeping of the pager filled the layout room catching their attention. "It's Mandy she has our prints ready."
They pair made their way towards the print lab with the hope that they would be able to find some leads to pursue.
Greg killed the engine as he pulled up into his usual spot at the Crime Lab parking lot while Sara fidgeted in the seat beside him. They had driven to the lab in silence not being able to form the correct words to explain what had happened between them, or rather what hadn't happened. A strange taste had settled in Sara's mouth and even Greg could see the tears that were building up in her eyes.
"I'm sorry." She finally said breaking the silence between them, her voice cracking, her throat dry and her eyes on her wedding ring.
"Don't be." Greg muttered back to her, taking her hand into his own. As always he was putting her first and Sara could feel nothing but guilt settling in the pit of her stomach- over the years she had learnt to live with all of the things she had done wrong but she realised that this was different. This time if she self destructed she would be taking other people down with her.
"I always screw everything up." Her voice had a bitter edge; she knew Greg would soon learn the weight of that statement. She knew that the moment that he opened that case file everything that she had built would fall apart. All of the secrets she had wished to keep to herself would become common knowledge. All of the shame she had attempted to forget would be fresh in her memory.
Sara thought of doing the only thing she had learnt to do- running.
"No you don't Sara- things are going to be fine. I promise." Greg's voice sounded so comforting, so sure but she knew better. "Come on let's go inside, we have a lot of work to do today."
She gave him a weak smile and climbed out of the passenger side door into the warmth of another day. They both slowly made their way towards the break room to be stopped by Brass waving a sheet of paper at them.
"I've managed to track down where the victim's belongings disappeared to- Gibson's Pawn Shop. Owned by a Thomas Gibson- I also got a warrant." He gave them a grim smile and indicated towards the exit.
Sara could feel her heart in her throat as the name registered in her mind, she could feel her legs going but knew that she needed to gain her composure. She couldn't break down. She couldn't let it show not now. She wished with the whole of her being that this wasn't the man she had known all of those years ago.
But she realised that luck and wishing had never been on her side.
Sara let Greg drive much to his surprise knowing that she was far too preoccupied to be able to focus on what was happening. He attempted to talk to her as they made their way there but she barely registered a word of what he was saying. He pulled up alongside the marked police car and turned to see Sara staring blankly ahead. After a few seconds she turned to him wide eyed- nothing but fear beyond her expression.
"Sara, are you okay?" He asked his voice full of concern. She nodded and silently climbed out of the truck leaving him to follow suit.
They stepped inside the store their senses being subjected to the smell of musky items and unsettled dust. Wall to wall the space was filled with belongings that people no longer wanted, or could no longer afford to keep.
"LVPD... we have a warrant to search this premises." Brass announced realising that having a look around first would be a redundant task.
A man with tattoos covering his arms and his neck stepped forward, his greying hair was slicked back and most of his teeth were gold. He snatched the warrant paper of the police officers hand before his eyes settled on Sara.
"Sa-rah Sidle- well I be damned." He said his features twisting into smirk. "You sure made pretty didn't you..." He gave her the once over.
"Tom...please..." Sara seemed to be pleading with him- everyone's eyes were on her as she fought back tears.
"Get him out of here." Brass demanded. Once Tom had gone he and Greg turned their attention back to Sara.
"Who is he?" Brass demanded to know.
"He was my foster father..." Sara's eyes were on the ground as she avoided their gaze.
"So what else are you not telling us Sara?" The older man continued asking ignoring Greg's warning eyes. But there were was no answer- Sara remained perfectly silent.
"Brass- we need to start processing the store..." Greg mumbled knowing that the only way Sara knew how to respond to confrontation was by pushing back.
"Fine..." Brass stalked out of the store leaving them alone.
Greg turned to Sara attempting to figure out what to say- he knew there was more to her story but from the tears in her eyes and her shaking hands he knew that she wasn't ready to talk about it.
"Thank you..." She said weakly her eyes looking at the things they were surrounded by. "I'll start at the back..." She turned away from him and began walking towards the shop counter.
"Sara..." He said softly to get her attention. "Whatever he's done... we're not going to let him get away with it..."
"That's what I'm afraid of..."
