Disclaimer: See prologue

CHAPTER 10

It was almost 5 p.m. Both Sara and Grissom had come to work early, since today they would be talking to Ronald Grumps, csi supervisor of the Fbi. After the strange phone call of this morning, Sara was more determined to solve this case and get Raymond Yessar convicted.

Both were sitting at the break room table; Sara with a mug filled with coffee, Grissom with the same but with his crossword puzzle as well. The only sounds that could be heard were the scratching of the pen, and the occasionally sips of coffee.

Judy came walking in with an unknown man trailing behind her. "Sara, this is Ronald…"

"…Grumps." Sara had stood up and extended her hand to the man to greet him. "Sara Sidle. Nice to meet you."

"Ronald Grumps." Grumps took Sara's hand to shake it, his eyes making his way over to Grissom who was still sitting at the table.

"That's Gil Grissom, my supervisor." Sara explained.

Grissom stood as well, extending his hand to greet the other csi supervisor. Both men shook hands and then Grissom excused himself.

'You don't …" Sara started.

Grissom shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea. I'll be in my office."

Grumps looked from Grissom to Sara, definitely not understanding what they were talking about. he'd assumed the man would stay while he and miss Sidle were talking. But apparently he'd assumed wrong.

Sara Sidle saw her boss leave and then turned her attention to the other man. She sighed not knowing what turn the conversation could make. She extended her hand, indicating they wouldn't talk in the break room. Sara walked besides the man, towards an interrogation room.

"Sorry, it's the only place where we won't get disturbed." Sara apologized.

"It's alright." Ronald Grumps sat down on one of the chairs.

Sara kept standing, knowing she had too much energy to sit. She waited, not really knowing how to start.

Grumps noticed this and therefore was the one who started to speak. "You called me, because of this case you're working on."

Sara nodded. "Yes, that's right. You said you didn't want to talk over the phone. Why?"

"Why don't you tell me about your case, and I'll come to your question later."

Sara looked sceptic at the man in front of her. Nonetheless she started telling him about her case.

x

Catherine made her way over towards one of the lab rooms. She'd been in search of Hodges for about an hour now and the man was nowhere to be found. She had sent that little piece of paper to him, to see if there would be any results coming of it.

Catherine thought back to her conversation with Grissom. At the time she said it, she meant it as a joke. But when she saw the disturbed look on Grissom's face, she was sorry and angry it had slipped out of her mouth.

She'd been so lost in her own thoughts, Catherine didn't notice that Warrick had been walking around the corner and she bumped into him. Looking up she mumbled an apology and quickly went on her search for Hodges. She didn't get that far, for Warrick stopped her, taking her by her elbow and guiding her into one of the rooms.

After he'd closed the door behind him, he spoke: "Care to tell me what's got you so lost in your own thoughts, you don't see or know where you are going?"

Catherine hesitated before telling Warrick what she was thinking about. "Yesterday I talked to Grissom, about the note. I said something which I shouldn't have."

Warrick nodded his head, indicating that he knew Catherine was not finished talking yet.

"That piece of paper we found? With the nursery rhyme? When I made the indication it was three down, two to go … You should have seen his face, Warrick. And when he mentioned Sara, I knew why he had that look."

Warrick took the pictures out of the case file, laying them on the table in front of him. "I know what you mean. The Debbie Marlin Case all over again, isn't it. I take it Grissom has seen the pictures?"

Catherine nodded, then started to rearrange the pictures from victim number one, to victim number two, to victim number three. Both of them were looking so intently at the pictures –perhaps hoping they would get a clue– that they didn't notice that Nina was standing in the doorway.

"Knock, knock."

Both Catherine and Warrick looked up, seeing Nina in the doorway. Catherine quickly tried to put the photos back into the case file.

"Don't do that on my account." Nina said, while pointing to the photos. "That's why I'm here."

"Come on sit down." Catherine had walked over to Nina and pointed to one of the chairs.

Warrick was looking confused from Catherine to Nina and back to Catherine again. "Anyone care to tell me what's going on?"

"You haven't told him yet?" Nina asked Catherine.

"Euhm, yes I did."

"You have told me what, Catherine." Warrick really didn't know what both women were talking about..

"Remember yesterday, when I was in search for Grissom and went to his office, Sara and Nina were there, talking. While putting the case file on Grissom's desk and asking Sara if she knew where I could find Grissom, one of the photos slipped out and fell to the ground."

Warrick looked at Nina, suddenly remembering what Catherine had told him in the morgue. "You knew one of the victims."

Nina nodded, "yes, and I guess since her photo is first, she's been the first victim."

x

"He's done it again."

Sara looked surprised at Ronald Grumps. She'd never told him Raymond Yessar had done it before.

Grumps saw Sara's surprised look. "Nina must have told you her husband had hit her before."

"Yes she did."

"She also must have told you she went to see me."

"She told me that as well. That's why I called you, too be honest."

Ronald Grumps nodded his head slowly. "That's what I thought. Well, I guess you still want to know why I wanted to come over and not to talk over the phone."

This time Sara did sit down. She had the feeling that this could be a long, but interesting story.

Ronald Grumps began his tale, and Sara kept listening, never once interrupting. When the man had started, she knew something must be going on at the Fbi headquarters in New York, but what Grumps was telling her, shocked her to the core.

Author's notes: First of all, sorry in the delay of updates. Work's been like hell and I've been quite busy. Now, with the Eastern days off, I've managed to finish chapter 10. I hope people are still sticking by my story. I can't promise the updates will be more frequently, but I will be trying. Please leave me a review, it's always great to hear what people think of my story.