Tattered and Broken, Stolen.
By: iferleigh
Rating: T (for now, just in case.)
Disclaimer: The ones you know aren't mine and the one's you don't know are mine.
thank you for the reviews! you know i love them and i hope you're not so pissed this took so long, but please, keep reading. There's more to come because i intend to finish this.
Note: The miniature killer never happened. Period. It just cuts through my timeline for this and it totally magnified GSR and you know I'm supa-dupa-pro Grillows—and because we have this journal thing now it should cue you in now that we will see lots of spoilers. I'm putting some made up cases in between where the miniature killer came in.
Note2: The timeline is based on the corresponding original air dates of CSIbased on CSI: wiki files. So if you find my errors, sorry, but I'd rather base it there to make it easierfor me.
-o0o0o0o-
Chapter Ten: Memories, Forgiving and the Meeting
Greg let out a puff of breath as he scanned through the pages, trying hard not to read the words and concentrate on the dates written at the top pages. "Wow, Cath wrote a lot…"
"Well, she had to do something to keep herself sane in this job," Nick said as he too was doing the same. "So far we've gone as far back as almost mid-2004…"
"What happened during almost mid-2004?" Greg asked as he flipped through the pages. "I have September 2004 for here…"
"I'm trying not to read here, Greg, so I don't know," Nick said as he wrote down on his notes, listing the dates he found.
Greg nodded. "I know, but maybe we'll find something. You know, evidence? We kinda need that in this job and we need it to find Catherine?"
Nick shrugged. "I just…you know, I just don't feel right about reading Cath's journals, you know…it's like intruding on her life or something." His southern morals never failed him. Nick always believed his parents tried their best to raise him right and he did not feel comfortable about letting them down.
Greg shrugged. "Yeah, but we're trying to figure out a timeline here, right?"
Nick shrugged. "I'd feel better if someone told me to actually read through it…"
Greg opened his mouth to reply, but a knock interrupted them. "How's the timeline going?"
"Hey, Rick," Nick said, thankful to be saved from Greg's persuasion, knowing the younger CSI was good in cunning plans and he would have had no chance. "Earliest we got is May 2004, but we haven't gotten through the others yet." He nodded towards the pile.
"And I told him to at least see what happened on some dates to find out if she had any idea about Corwin," Greg interjected.
Nick shook his head. "You did not say anything like that, man."
"I was going to," Greg said with a small grin.
Warrick shook his head. "You two about done here?"
Nick looked at his notes. "We have a few more, but I got this one…" he looked at his notes. "From September 2006—that's five months ago."
Warrick nodded, his green eyes clouding. "And that's around Sam Braun's death."
Looking back at his notes, Nick nodded. "Right."
Greg nodded. "Oh, right…Sam."
"Where's that journal?" Warrick asked and took the journal Nick handed him. He started opening the pages, passing each one after a glance.
"What are you doing?" Nick asked as he watched his friend.
"Sam died that time and at that same time, Lindsey was kidnapped and before that she thought she'd been drugged and raped," Warrick muttered. "She had to have written something. That time was one of the few times we paid attention to her even when we already knew…" he searched through pages.
Nick looked at Greg who shrugged with an "I don't know" look.
Warrick stopped when he found the page and set the book down in front of them. "Even when we already knew we weren't all there for her. Griss just had a last minute quadruple homicide that morning she woke up in that motel and he had Sara, you and Greg with him, Sofia too…Everyone was just all over the place that time, right? And when we were all actually working on it, save Griss, we were all too caught up with Lindsey's kidnapping to actually do something or say something to her…"
Nick nodded. "Or she wouldn't let us say anything. I tried to apologize to her, but she said they would have gotten her one way or another anyway…"
Warrick nodded. "And when we found Lindsey Cath was focused on bringing her home and dealing with Sam so we had no chance of catching up with her…messy family stuff."
Greg nodded. "Can't blame her, with a thug for a dad…"
"Greg," Nick said, shaking his head. "I don't think Sam or Cath would appreciate you calling him a thug 'cause compared to Tony Constantine…Sam would have looked like a saint."
Greg shrugged. "Well…"
Warrick held up his hand, "Sam died today. My father died, shot twice in front of the Tangiers…in front of me. We were talking; I was asking him if he already had the guy who used me and Lindsey to get to him killed. I remember he just laughed and said he had no idea what I was talking about. I remember looking behind him and seeing someone who looked familiar, I was trying to place him, who he was and what he was holding…I reacted too late, I my thoughts were so all over the place that I realized too late he was holding a gun. I tried to warn him, but I was too late. Next thing I knew he was staggering back and me, trying to catch him as he fell…I don't know, I think I screamed…I don't know, I think I called for help…but I remember, holding him, his eyes were wide and the color was draining from his face, his injured body too heavy for me to bear along with the shock…I still see the bullet holes on his body, how he limped against me as he lay dying…I caught him as he fell, but I let him die…if only I had reacted sooner, if I just looked closer…I would have seen it coming…My father lay dying in my arms and it was all my fault and I couldn't do anything…I cried for help, but I knew it was too late…I didn't realize I was crying until I saw my tears fall on his face…his eyes were open, staring out to nowhere…he was dead and I still sit here, blaming myself…"
Nick shook his head, as if he felt the weight of her emotions onto him. "I read the statements, it wasn't her fault. The guy came from nowhere and they were both talking. She wouldn't have seen it coming." He shook his head. "It wasn't her fault."
"But if you were in her place and it was your dad," Greg said, a look of seriousness passing on his face, his normally playful eyes sad and dark. "Would you think that? She just witnessed her father's murder."
Warrick ignored them as kept reading. "I can hear Lindsey crying from her room, she wouldn't talk to me…God, it feels like Eddie all over again…my mother left, I don't know where, but the man Sam had left to look after her followed. I didn't know what to tell her. What do you say to someone who lost someone they truly loved? What do you say to someone who just lost a part of themselves? With my mother, losing Sam was like losing a part of herself…I understand that now, their relationship…it took them a long time to find their way back to each other, but in the end they lived and loved…he loved her, I've always known that, even when I was a child and she loved him. All those years, all those tears…she loved him and she never stopped even when he left. They always found their ways back to each other…"
Greg shook his head. "Wow, so the stories are true. Cath did grow up with Sam around."
"She was his daughter, his only girl, he wanted to be a part of her life," Warrick said, nodding. "Sam was a mob guy, a murderer even, a cold, money grabbing tycoon, but when it came to Cath? As much as it's hard to believe he's capable of it, he loved her and whether she's ready to admit it or not, she loved him too."
Nick nodded, but suddenly shook his head. "Man what are we doing? We're supposed to be working, not reading Cath's journal. Aren't you supposed to be at the A/V lab?"
Warrick nodded. "Archie finished all the preparations; we've got a few minutes left. Griss told me to make the rounds."
"So Grissom's about to talk to that lunatic? Man, I'd like to see that." Greg said.
"Yeah," Nick said with a shrug. "But I think we gotta finish these first."
Warrick sighed as he continued to read, Catherine's words pulling him back into her world. "They always go. Always. All of them .Either they die or they walk away. Nobody ever stays…and I can't help but think it's my fault. Sam walked away from me, walked away from my mother, but I can't help but think maybe he left because of me…he was, content to just come around when he can or wanted to…or when my mother and him weren't fighting…The night Stephanie died; I left her because of Eddie and a stupid gig. God, if I'd only stayed…The night Ed died, I fought with him and Lindsey was so mad she wanted him and not me…I'd almost lost her that night all because I was so mad at her father. Then there was Mike…if I'd only come sooner…he would have lived, but he saved me. He saved me, but I couldn't save him…and now, Sam. God, who's next? They're all gone and they were all my fault, all of them. I must be cursed..."
Greg shook his head. "Stephanie Watson? The one with Jimmy Tadero? That's an open case; we found new evidence a few years back. Someone killed her in a back alley, right? Behind the French Palace? What's she talking about there?"
Warrick sighed. "Eddie had a gig that night and that time everything was still good, Cath was always present to support him and his bands. The sex, the drugs—everything, living like the rock star Eddie thought he was and she went along. She bailed out on Stephanie to go with Ed and by the time she got back, Stephanie was already dead."
Nick nodded. "What about the rest? Sam, Lindsey, Eddie and Mike Keppler?"
"You know how the human mind works," Warrick explained. "You know how Cath's mind works. You know at least the important details of everything that happened there. No matter what anyone would tell her, she will always blame herself. Even the one with Sam, she was a kid then, what did she know? …Cath was never good at forgiving herself."
-o0o-
Michael smiled as he checked his watched. He had two minutes left and it was time to go. He looked at Catherine as she lay, unconscious. "Good night, my dear," he said softly, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll make things right for you." He threw the satin sheets over her body. "I promise."
With on last look he silently slid out of the room, hoping that when she woke up she would start to eat. He wanted her strong, he needed her alive.
He had to tell her so many things, open her eyes and see the reality of everything. She had been blinded for far too long and he had to save her before it killed her soul and inevitably destroy her.
He wanted his plans to go perfectly.
He had two minutes left.
-o0o-
Grissom sat himself down, clenching and unclenching his fists as he waited. Anytime now he was about to meet the Michael Corwin character who took Catherine from everything. He hoped he would be able to control himself. He was always a calm man, he believed that, but he knew that after their last moment together, the fight with Sara, having everyone know about Sara and him, finding out about Catherine's abduction and evidences leading nowhere near finding her, plus the fact that Corwin seemed to be one step ahead of them and planned to lead him just where he wanted him…
He was near breaking point, he knew. And a confrontation with Michael Corwin might just take everything out of him.
He was sick of playing games, sick of fighting an enemy he didn't know and couldn't see, but he felt sick thinking it was only beginning.
The ringing of his phone pulled him from his conflicting thoughts. His hope grew a little when he saw the name on the screen. "Brass?"
"Yeah, it's me. We've got some places to look at. Other than that Corwin house we went to I found another one in Centennial Park and one in Carson City. I've contacted some people to search the place in Carson. If he's there or he's hiding her there, we'll find her. I'm heading to Centennial now."
Grissom let out his breath through his nose. "Good. Keep me posted, we're about to meet with Corwin. Archie's got everything ready, be ready just in case we get a location."
"Yeah," Brass said. "Listen, Gil, she's going to be…"
"Fine," Grissom said, cutting him off. "And it will all be over. I keep telling myself that but for some reason…I don't quite believe it."
"We'll get her back," Brass said reassuringly.
"When? How?" Grissom said, clutching his phone. "This guy has been planning this for years, Jim, premeditation at its best…he's not going to let her go that easy…"
"Gil," Brass said firmly. "Shut up, all right? You're not helping me, you're not helping her and you are damn well not helping yourself. Just get to work. Talk to the S.O.B., ask him what he wants and concentrate on getting her back."
Grissom nodded as he took a deep breath. "You're right…"
"I know I am," the captain said. "Now get working, I'll keep you posted."
Grissom shut his phone and looked down, staring hard at the computer keyboard in front of him. He stared hard at the keys until the letters didn't make sense to him. He had to focus, at least on something, or else his mind will start to wander again. He let his mind wander when he was talking to Brass and that was not helping at all. He wanted to believe it was near over.
But wanting to believe was never really the same as having it as a reality, right?
-o0o-
Michael smiled as his watch ticked near the deadline he had given them. Any minute now he was about to meet him, the very man who could cause his love so much pain yet at the same time give her such happiness that he knew he could never give her even if he tried.
But he has been causing her more pain than happiness lately and that was not acceptable.
Michael had read the last few of her journals and it was right then he knew it was time to do something. He was not about to continue to let her sit and endure the pain alone. He promised himself he would take revenge for her and he will.
And his promise was about to be fulfilled.
Soon.
-o0o-
Nick looked at Warrick who was staring at the journals while Greg continued with his work. "What are you thinking, Rick?"
Warrick looked at Nick. "What's the earliest date again?"
Greg buried himself through the journals. "This one starts around mid February…2003." He looked at the two CSIs. "What happened there?"
Warrick grabbed the journal. "Eddie died today. He laid there, in the morgue, pale, cold, unmoving and dead. Dead. I didn't know what to do. I felt so many rush of emotions…anger, sadness, loss, anger, anger and anger. I wanted to pull him up, scream at him to open his eyes and say everything I wanted to say. I was so angry at him for nearly taking Lindsey away from me forever…I wanted to cry too…for I loved him once, he was once my husband…and not everything had been bad. He loved me and took care of me at the beginning…I stared at his body, no longer the same man I used to know…What was I suppose to feel? Why did I feel the loss I did not expect to feel? A part of me thinks I should be relieved he's gone…that he won't be around to hurt me anymore…but then a part of me cries for my daughter who will have to grow up without a father…and it's worst because she's going to grow up, knowing her daddy was murdered and he super mom CSI couldn't even catch the bad guy that hurt her daddy…what am I suppose to do? He was the worst husband, but he was the best father for her. I cry for my daughter, I cry for our past, I cry for the love we once had, I cry for the pain he caused me and Lindsey, I still cry for him. While I was at the morgue…I just stared at him…a part of me was thankful that Al told me the morgue wasn't the right place to say goodbye, yet at the same time I felt angry for his intruding at what might have been my last moment with Eddie—"
Nick shook his head. "All right, that's enough." He sighed. "I think we've established that this was around Eddie's death."
Warrick looked at Greg who only shrugged. Why was Nick so reluctant to hear what Catherine had written, Warrick wondered. "Right," he said as he put the book down. "Uh, did you go to the funeral, Nick?"
Nick shook his head. "I—no, I had plans I couldn't break."
"I didn't know about the funeral until it was done," Greg said with a shrug. "I was still a lab tech then so you know..."
Warrick shook his head. "I didn't get to go too. It was at Eddie's parent's house in Pahrump." He sighed. "I had plans at the Community Center that time."
"Did Grissom go?" Greg asked.
"We'll try to find out then," Warrick turned a few pages. "We buried Eddie today. I wanted to cry, I did, a little, but I couldn't let myself break down in front of Eddie's parents and my Lindsey. I had to be strong for her…she wouldn't speak, she just stared and cried. I didn't know what to do, she wouldn't say anything, wouldn't eat, she just wanted to cry…Nancy came, thank God…I don't think I would have survived without anyone with me…it's not always easy to be strong alone in times like this…Nick and Warrick couldn't make it…and for some reason I couldn't reach Gil…where was he? He should know I need him now more than I have for a while now…we've drifted apart, but I didn't think he keep his distance when I need him like this…where was he? God, so many whispers have been going around the lab…they say Gil was at Lady Heather's the night Eddie died…he wouldn't do that, would he? He wouldn't leave me and Lindsey to cry at home alone just to go to a dominatrix, right? He wouldn't do that…Gil wouldn't.
Greg shook his head. "She wouldn't believe it."
Nick and Warrick looked at the former lab tech who was also the former gossip front runner in the lab. "What are you talking about?"
"What she wrote, I mean," Greg said with a shrug. "Because he did go to…" he trailed off upon seeing the looks on his friends' faces. "What, you didn't know? He did go to Lady Heather…"
Nick shook his head. "He didn't—he couldn't have. She challenged him, yeah, she stimulated him, but you don't really think he would…" he looked at Greg's face. "He wouldn't, would he?" he turned to Warrick. "He wouldn't have formed a relationship with Lady Heather, right?"
Warrick looked at Greg. "How sure are you about this?"
Greg shrugged. "Pretty sure, but you really didn't know?"
Warrick shook his head. "Obviously not, it's hard to believe he'd have a relationship with that dominatrix…it's just…I don't know."
Greg grinned a little. "Yeah, and it's hard to believe he'd have a relationship with Sara too."
Nick shook his head. "That's different."
"No, it's not," Greg insisted. "Do you have any idea how many times I asked her out? Tons."
"That's not exactly the surprise of the century, Greg," Warrick said dryly, reaching for another journal. "You're not exactly Sara's boyfriend material."
Greg decided not to comment on that. "Yeah, but what about him?" he motioned with his head to Nick who was raised an eyebrow.
"What about me?"
"She shot you down too and you were everybody's bet for Sara," Greg said. "But she shot you down too every time you asked."
Nick shook his head. "Now in what hole did you dig that from now?"
"People talk, Nick, and they talk about you too."
"Well that's comforting."
Warrick shook his head. "Don't we have evidence to process?"
Greg looked at Nick who ducked, muttering an agreement. All three men continued their work until Greg looked at Warrick. "She shot you down."
Nick looked at Warrick in disbelief. "You and Sara?"
Warrick shook his head. "Now that's bull."
Greg waved his arms around. "No! I mean, Catherine. You asked her out, didn't you? She shot you down too, except for that bet she lost with you."
Warrick shook his head. "She bet on a game for a fabulous dinner on me, but lost. But I took her out anyway. We had a good time, but it wasn't a date."
"Yeah, because she shot you down," Greg piped in.
Nick tried not to smile.
Warrick looked at Greg. "You know, I'd deck you on any other day."
Greg stepped back. "Right, mouth close…More mission rescue Catherine boss lady."
Warrick shook his head while Nick smiled a little.
At least they still managed to distract themselves from the reality they were facing. It would have been easy to lose themselves in the case and in the process, tire their bodies and souls, affecting their efficiency. It was only a small luxury to have a short escape after having had a glimpse into the mind of their tired, broken and missing colleague and friend.
They were coping.
-o0o-
A window opened and Grissom turned to see Archie give him the go signal. He took a deep breath before grabbing the mouse and clicking to begin the conference. Somewhere behind him, he sensed rather than saw Ecklie hovering tensely, coming in just in time with the results after talking to the mayor. Grissom could almost predict what had transpired in that call.
He had more important matters at hand.
The screen came alive, revealing a handsome Caucasian man with dark features. He would have been the typical male who would have gotten Catherine's attention, maybe even Grissom's as well. He had a mysterious aura and a pleasant smile that was almost enigmatic. The man exuded charisma that even men would notice. "Mr. Corwin?"
"Mr. Grissom," he said with a smooth voice. "It's a pleasure to finally see you. I know so much about you, but it's always different for me when I actually meet someone. Especially someone so special like you, she did you justice, Catherine."
Grissom looked at the man, noting that his suit looked very much expensive, not like the suits he rarely wore, the ones for court. This one was trimmed to fit him well, black pin strip suite with what seemed to be gold cufflinks. Grissom thought it could be Armani. He wasn't into labels, but he knew enough of the design. The handsome mystery sat with his leg crossed over the other on a beautifully carved chair.
He was everything Grissom had expected him to be: mysterious, elegant, obviously rich, but in a quiet sort of way. He knew this type of man liked being in the dark and alone.
"You are everything I expected you to be, Mr. Corwin," Grissom said calmly. "As to meeting you, I wish I could say the same of you, but under the circumstances…" he straightened up. "Where's Catherine?"
Michael smiled. "She's a little preoccupied at the moment. She's resting."
Grissom tried to make himself that she was indeed just resting, sleeping and safe, untouched and unharmed in any way. But images came haunting him—mangled, broken, bloody, dead.
It must have shown in his eyes for Michael smiled and said, "It is up to you to believe me or not, but she is fine. I'd show her to you, but I'd rather not disturb her. She's asleep."
Drugged or truly asleep, Grissom wondered. "What do you want? Why did you take her?"
Michael smiled. "I have my reasons."
"We want her back, she's important to us, she has a daughter and a mother," Grissom said. "What do you demand?"
"You're attention," Michael said. "Undivided attention, yours, Mr. Grissom and the rest of the people I'd like to once and for all meet. I want to see them."
"Who?" Grissom asked.
"Do you promise that you will call upon all the names I say and have them there with you the next time I contact you again?" Michael asked, folding his hands together.
Grissom nodded. "Yes, if…"
"No ifs, no buts," Michael said. "Give me your word that you will have them."
Grissom nodded. "If they're alive and well, yes. I give you my word."
Michael smiled, displaying his perfect and white teeth and said, "I want your team: Warrick Brown, Nicholas Stokes, Sara Sidle and Greg Sanders."
Grissom nodded. "They're here, so yes. I'll have them here."
Michael smiled, evidently pleased. "I want Jim Brass, Lindsey Willows and Conrad Ecklie." He thought for a moment. "And also, Sofia Curtis, if that's possible. I rather like her, she would be interesting to talk to."
"Lindsey is still being picked up by her grandmother," Grissom informed.
Michael nodded. "I know, but she will be there soon. Bring her there with you. She's important in all this. She is, after all, Catherine's daughter."
Grissom nodded. "Fine. Anyone else?"
"You'll know soon, but next time I want them all here," he smiled. "And, Mr. Johnson, I do hope you at least managed to find which state I'm currently in, as I'm sure you're listening in."
Grissom's eyes widened as he whipped around to find Archie staring at him in surprise.
Michael smiled. "Good bye for now, Mr. Grissom. I'll be in contact soon again."
With that, the screen went black to be replaced by a digital clock, the neon green numbers bright as it counted down to an hour.
He was gone.
Grissom turned to Archie whose fingers were working furiously over his keyboard. "Archie, did you get anything?"
Archie shook his head. "I couldn't get anything! He blocked me with block after block. He's using powerful blockers, I can't break them all, most of them have codes, and some even attacked me."
"Viruses?" Ecklie shook his head at the confirmation. "You mean even our software can't penetrate him and at the same time he's sending us viruses?"
Archie shook his head. "I can keep trying, but it's going to take a while. I'm still blocked in. Whatever he's using, it's powerful, superior, or maybe it's a variety of protective programs."
"So no location? Not even a state?" Ecklie asked.
Archie shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir, no."
Grissom shook his head. "We need everyone he called in."
Ecklie nodded. "Yes, and it seems I'm one of them."
"This guy is good, Conrad, he's planning something for all of us," Grissom said, slipping his glasses off and rubbing his eyes. He was starting to feel a migraine coming on. "He's been planning this for years."
Ecklie shook his head. "No shit." He turned to Archie. "Keep working at it. You're good, you're bound to break in some time."
"He knows we were trying to locate him," Archie said. "He prepared for it. He's good; he knows what he's doing…that is if he hasn't got anyone helping him."
Grissom shook his head. "Conrad, just get everyone he wanted in here. He knows Lindsey is on her way, send a patrol for her now. Put in an APB, I don't like that he knows. Have her ride in one of our government issued cars and tow in the one she's on right now to the garage."
Ecklie looked at him. "You think he bugged them?"
"I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did," Grissom said, opening his eyes.
"I'll have days and swing process evidence, your people need to turn them in before coming in here," Ecklie said. "Who knows how long is this going to take."
Grissom agreed, nodding. "Get them here, I'll talk to them. I'll call in Jim; he's in Centennial Park right now."
Ecklie nodded, surprising Grissom and Archie in his compliance. "I'll have them in then."
Grissom nodded, turning back to the screen, staring as the seconds ticked by. Pulling out his phone as he kept his eyes on the numbers, he called Brass. "Brass, plans havechanged. We need you in here. Now."
-o0o0o0o0o-
I know it's been a long, long, long, long time, but I hope this was good enough. It's summer here now so I have time. Expect updates because I'm really working on them right now. Promise!
Please don't hate me! this will be completed, but it'll take time. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Love it? Hate it? should i keep going? oh, just tell me!xoxo