Chapter Eleven:

"He came over and we had lunch together. We then sat down and watched a movie together. It was well past 4:00 when I fell asleep. Father Andrew left sometime after that," glared Sara.

Grissom stared at her.

"If you had left me on the case then I would have told you sooner," she stated.

Grissom turned and stepped back inside.

"Where were you around 2:00 pm?" asked Grissom.

Father Andrew stared at Grissom and said nothing.

Brass glanced at Grissom.

"Father Andrew, 2:00 p.m….dead boy. Does this ring a bell?" asked Brass.

"I went to see a friend…she hadn't come by and she had not returned my call. It wasn't like her," he said. "I went to her apartment."

"Do you often make home visits…with women…"

Sara burst into the room.

"That's enough," she glared.

"I told Grissom he was with me at my apartment. No need to put him through any further questioning…that is unless the two of you don't believe me?" she asked as she glared at the two.

"Father Andrew, I'll take you home," said Sara. "And next time, he'll have counsel present!"

"Sara, I don't need counsel. I have nothing to hide," Father Andrew replied sadly.

"It's just for your own protection…against this," she fumed.

Father Andrew looked at the two men who kept their eyes diverted from Sara.

"May I leave?" asked Father Andrew.

"Yes, you can," replied Brass.

Sara grabbed the old man's jacket as they headed out the door.

Once she was gone, Brass looked at Grissom. "Thanks for setting me up," he snarled. "Sara was ready to kick my ass. You could have told me that Father Andrew was with her."

"We didn't hear it from him," said Grissom.

"And you think Sara would risk her job and implicate herself as an accessory to murder by lying? You really don't like this man do you? Or is it Sara?" asked Brass.

Grissom said nothing as he left.

He banged on the door and was ready to face her temper but was surprised when she opened the door quickly and practically pushed him away from the entrance.

"What do you want?" asked Sara.

He felt odd standing out into the hallway with her.

"We need to talk," he said.

"No."

"Sara…"

"I'm too pissed. I'm not talking with you," glared Sara.

There was a noise inside the room and she glanced inside.

Grissom noticed the jacket on the couch.

"You have company," he said in a low voice.

"I didn't want to leave him alone at his apartment," she said quietly. "He's not well."

Sara glanced in the apartment.

She turned around to find Grissom retreating down the hallway.

She quickly went after him.

"I want to talk with you!" she whispered. "Not now…but we need to talk."

Grissom said nothing as he stood there and stared at her.

"I swear Grissom there are times when I would love nothing more than to kick your ass! You had no right to treat him like that! It's none of your business that we're friends. I don't know what it is that you think he did all those years ago but he is a good man and I will not let you pull that shit with him again!"

She turned on her heel and headed back toward the apartment but turned abruptly and grabbed him. Her actions caught him offguard. She kissed him firmly on the lips before releasing him.

A small grin came to his face as he turned and left.

Andrew coughed once again as Sara sat down on the bed.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "I should go home."

Sara pushed him back down.

"Don't make me angry. If you've learned anything today, it's that I have a nasty temper so don't even try to leave."

"Sara, I shouldn't stay. It doesn't look right for a man to stay with a young woman…"

"You're a priest and you're my friend. God knows there is nothing inappropriate going on here."

He smiled. "You didn't say 'your God'. Could it be that my faith is rubbing off on you?"

"Just rest. I'll be in there, if you need anything."

She dozed a few hours on the couch as she quietly checked on him. She glanced at her watch and knew the young kids would be arriving at the church soon. She was startled when she saw him standing there in the doorway.

"I'm feeling much better," he insisted.

"Why don't I believe you?" she said as she watched him head toward the door.

"I need to get to the church. The children will be there soon. They may have heard about Jimmy. I still need to meet with his mother."

"Father?"

He turned and looked at her.

"Why would Grissom think you could be involved in a murder…of children?" she asked.

"I was a prime suspect in California several years ago."

Sara tried not to react.

"Gil was young…he was still upset about…" Father Andrew sighed. "He blamed me for protecting someone…I was with someone…during the times of the murders. Sara, I couldn't tell him. He wouldn't take no for an answer and pressed further. The media found out I was a prime suspect and I was removed from my parish. Later, there was some unknown DNA that was found…it wasn't mine. I was released. I never heard anything more about it."

"The cases were never solved?" she asked.

"No. I was placed at a different parish after several years."

"Wait, he's mad at you and he was the reason you lost your parish?" she asked.

"I was new to the congregation. Suddenly there are two murders and I'm a suspect."

"But you were released…"

"I had already been judged…I was fortunate that I was given another parish. I've been happy there. I had just retired when Father Powell asked me to come here and cover for him. I think that was a mistake."

"We met," she said softly.

"Yes, we did," he admitted. "I stand corrected."

"Call me…if you need anything," she urged.

"Call me…so I don't worry," he countered. "I imagine Gil will be quite angry that you gave me an alibi this time."

"It was the truth," she said. "You were with me."

"I'm already condemned in Gil's eyes," he replied.

"Father Andrew…I know we said we wouldn't talk…"

"You should ask him," he said as he started to leave.

She nodded.

"Father?"

He turned and looked at her.

"Even if I wasn't your alibi, I would have believed you."

"Be safe, Sara," he said as he left.

She was waiting for him in his office the moment he arrived in the lab.

He shut the door and it actually surprised her that he would risk being caught alone with her.

"I need to ask you something," she said.

"I'm listening," he said as he sat down.

She looked at him.

"You look tired. Did you get any sleep?" she asked.

"You came to ask me how I'm sleeping?" he asked.

"I need to know what happened between you and…"

"I'm not discussing that with you," he ordered.

"I'm trying to understand," she pleaded. "Look, I just want…"

There was a tap on the door as Brass stuck his head in. "Is it safe to come in?"

"Sara was just leaving," said Grissom.

She stood and fled from the room.

"You just have a way with her," said Brass as he watched Sara storm down the hallway.

"Still pissed about the interrogation?" Brass asked.

"Do you need something?" asked Grissom.

"I thought you could tell me what you have on this Father Andrew," said Brass sitting down.

Grissom stood.

"I have assignments to give out," he said.

"Gil?"

Grissom looked at him.

"Don't let your past cloud your judgment. We could have simply asked Father Andrew to see his crucifix…maybe there was a logical explanation why the boy had it. There was no need to bring him in for questioning."

"We didn't. You asked and he agreed to come in."

"You know how it looked," said Brass.

"He was assisting with an investigation," replied Grissom leaving.

"Next time, I'm not going to jump so quickly unless I know you've got more than just a crucifix."

Grissom shut the door.

"Two boys were murdered in Andrew's congregation twenty years ago in California. Both boys were altar boys. One of the boys was found with scrapings under his fingernails. It seems he fought back before his neck was snapped. Unknown DNA from an assailant. Both boys were seen with a priest just hours before their murder. One of the boys had a crucifix found on his body. Andrew admitted it belonged to him."

"How did he explain the crucifix?" asked Brass.

"He said he'd lost it," said Grissom. "I think it was taken from him. He never let it out of his sight…much less his body. He refused to tell me who had access to it. He was not at the church…he was with someone."

"Have any idea who that person might have been?" asked Brass.

"If I knew that, we might have found out who the DNA belonged to."

"It still doesn't explain why you hate him so much," said Brass.

"No, it doesn't," said Grissom as he left.

"Nice talking with you," called out Brass as he shook his head.

He knew she was angry although she said nothing.

They kept their distance from one another.

The others noticed the battle line that had been drawn.

Sara ignored them all as she focused on the case he had given her.

She did not even complain when he sent Greg with her on a case that clearly could have been handled solo.

She pulled out her kit from the back of the vehicle and was immediately met with Greg holding a Starbuck's coffee.

She grinned. "You're idea of hoping I won't bite your head off?"

"No, I just thought you needed this. You look tired."

She was.

She had slept little while Father Andrew had stayed at her apartment.

Greg took the lead and she was content to let him. She commented every now and then as he grinned from ear to ear. Once they were finished, they returned to the lab.

"I'm proud of you Greg. You've learned a lot," she said. "You're ready to work solo."

"You really think so?" he asked eagerly.

"No…I just wanted to make you feel good…because of the coffee," she teased.

He frowned as she grinned. "You've improved a lot. Soon…solo…soon."

His smile returned.

"Thanks Sara."

She grabbed her messages from Judy as she started toward her desk.

She stopped suddenly.

"Judy, do you know where Grissom is?"

"He's still out in the field," she said.

"I have to leave early," said Sara. "Please be sure and tell Grissom when he gets in."

Judy jotted down the note. "Is something wrong?"

Sara did not reply as she rushed out of the lab.

Grissom ignored Catherine's onslaught of questioning as he stopped to get his messages. He looked up at Judy.

"Sara left early?" he asked.

"Seemed upset…told me to leave you this note," said Judy. "If you ask me, it was about that priest."

"Priest?" asked Grissom.

"Hospital called. Some father…was admitted. Sara was listed as his contact person."

Catherine and Grissom glanced at one another.

"They've gotten pretty cozy fairly fast," whispered Catherine.

She stared as Grissom left the office.

"Want to tell me where you're going?" she called.

"I'm off the clock," he called.

Note from author:

Where do you think Grissom is off to?

Leave a review.

Take care,

Penny