Chapter Twelve
When Iris had had Brass on stage earlier and he'd taken the initiative to kiss her, it had felt electric and left him sweating with a thudding Viagra-like response in what he jokingly termed the Man Land Amusement Park that had been hung with a closed for business sign for some time or so he thought.
When it was seen that Iris was gone, he felt Catherine tug hard on his shirt sleeve. "Brass, I had no idea about this part so I don't know where she's going!" He saw her concern was genuine and reflected by Warrick and found it now equaled his own.
"Where'd Brittani and Megan go?" Brass asked quickly.
"Brittani was in tears and Megan took her to the women's room. I don't think we'll see them anytime soon," Warrick replied as he glanced at the nearest rest room where the line was mounting.
Nick had now made his way to the front since he was near the stage watching Iris. He came to stand by Warrick and curiously asked, "When's Iris coming back?"
"You three check the dressing rooms and I'll go out to the parking lot," Brass ordered as he headed toward the rear exit behind the stage. Nick gave Catherine a "what the" look.
Catherine brought Nick up to speed and then took the main dressing room while Warrick and Nick cautiously knocked and announced themselves before entering the other two. They were all empty.
Catherine rejoined them in the hallway and they ran for the rear exit to help Brass search.
Out in the parking lot, Iris fumbled with her Dallas Stars key ring to find the ignition/door key for her Bronco while cursing her weakness as tears blurred her eyes that she willed not to fall. Success she wanted to shout happily the way the Three Stooges used to as the key slid into the lock and she got the door open. A clean getaway was all she wanted at the moment as she threw her backpack purse and duffle bag behind the driver's seat. Her foot on the running board, she started to climb in when an arm encircled her waist and pulled her back out and to the ground. She found herself turned with her back to the Bronco and her path forward blocked. The cologne that intoxicated her nose told her exactly who held her captive.
"What do you want?" she asked dully.
Jim looked down at her, the black cowboy hat she'd put on him in still in place but cocked back with an arrogant slouch to it. She felt anger flame up for a second wishing with all she had for just one moment she was as tall as Catherine so she could face Brass eye to eye. They both heard the clatter of multiple footsteps as Catherine, Warrick and Nick joined them. They were the only ones there in that part of the parking lot.
Brass swore under his breath wishing that this could take place privately but Iris wouldn't have stood for it and he couldn't really have blamed her. He sighed and stepped back from her several feet as she followed tentatively to go past him as they cautiously circled each other in what Iris would have felt was a fencing match where each one gauged the other to look for a weakness to exploit. She stopped when she was facing the Bronco and Jim's back was to it. Iris noted Catherine, Nick and Warrick flanked her.
Jim sighed again and then said, "Iris, I gotta know."
"Know what?"
"Well, it's about the kiss you planted on me."
"Okay, you're welcome."
"No, that's not what I meant."
"What then?"
"It's just I need to know."
"Again, Jim, know what?"
"Look, it doesn't matter either way."
"Get to the point; WHAT DOESN'T MATTER?!!"
"Are you straight or not?"
This brought forth a collective angry outburst from Catherine, Warrick and Nick. Iris pleaded with them to be silent. "I got this."
She turned back to face Brass. "What the…? If it doesn't matter, as you say, then why are you asking? Am I a lousy kisser? Hey, I'm up to date on my shots! I don't think you're in danger of contracting something exotic. So, where is this line of questioning going, Detective?"
Jim found himself backpedaling in earnest. "It was a great kiss…I mean you kiss great…I mean I just wanted to know which way the gate swings with you is all."
Iris was livid as she suddenly advanced on him and stabbed her index finger into the mid-sternum of his chest with a series of painful pokes as she backed him up to the Bronco. She then grabbed him by the belt buckle. He had nowhere to go and he would hear her out finally as she unloaded on him.
"Lets find out if I'm AC/DC or not. Come on into the back seat with you. It flips down into a bed for convenience. You know I'm betting you're a real bull in the sack. I want to claim the sole distinction of being the author and finisher of the most gloriously intense sexual experience you've ever had or will hope to have. I'll have you not caring if I go one way or the other because right here right now we're going balls to the walls! When I'm done having my way with you in all the tried and true ways plus some others you've only dreamed about, I'll execute an acrobatic flying dismount that you'll rate ten plus infinity. And while you're incapacitated for at least the next five minutes in the aftermath of your state of repletion with twitching head to toe spasms of exquisite torture, your body in such a heightened state of sensitivity that if a gnat were to alight upon the tip of your nose it would send you into convulsive bliss before you entered that sweetest realm of orgasmic oblivion and then and only then will you be allowed to leave. But we'll never know shall we…what a pity."
Jim stood absolutely gob smacked; Catherine's eyebrows rose in alarm but her expression seemed one of approval; Warrick mouthed "you go, girl" to her; Nick gave her a smart thumb's up sign.
"Thanks guys, let me by," Iris turned and climbed up into the Bronco. It roared to life as Nick and Warrick each grabbed Brass by an elbow to haul him back and gave her room to leave. The Bronco jumped in reverse as the tires squealed and it bolted from the parking lot and narrowly missed Jim's Dodge Charger.
Several moments passed before Catherine stepped up to Jim and smoothed the front of his shirt with a comforting pat. "So need a cold shower?"
Brass gave her a baleful glare. "Button it!"
He strode to his Dodge Charger, opened the door, cranked the engine, shoved the floor shift in reverse as the tires squawked in protest and then drive, leaving the parking lot less than two minutes behind Iris.
Nick said to Warrick, "I think the Brass man is in the dog house big time."
"Yeah, I think he'd do well to give Iris time to cool off," Warrick said.
"You gonna call him with that advice?" Nick asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Uh, no, he's a big boy," Warrick shook his head.
"They'll have to work it out whatever "it" proves to be exactly. We better get back in there," Catherine suggested before they went back in the club. She had to get to Grissom.
* * * * *
Brass took off right after Iris and headed for the I-15 because he believed she would just head back to the lab instead of home. He knew that part of her well enough he thought. He didn't call radio dispatch in case she had her police radio on. Instead, he called dispatch on his cell phone to request a discrete reply from any unit who saw the Bronco. In three minutes, he received a reply from a patrolman that she was about a mile ahead of him. He hit his lights.
Iris looked up in her rear view to see flashing blue and red lights. This is just craptacular she thought and made her way off the road shoulder as far as she could and obediently pulled over. She was exceedingly put out with Brass but more angry with herself now and knew full well she was speeding. The reason to put distance between her and Brass while she headed for the crime lab was lame she realized. With a heavy sigh, she lowered her driver's window and placed her hands on the window's edge to cause no alarm for the officer who'd stopped her.
Jim opened the door and held his flashlight up as an officer would do at a traffic stop and strode up to the Bronco. Iris held her license and insurance card ready to give to the officer who she could see approaching but due to the flashing lights couldn't make out the face as she blinked from their glare. He must be off-duty she thought in an unmarked unit because he was in street clothes. Her eyes went wide in surprise as she now recognized that distinctive walk of the approaching person.
"Brass! What the devil?" she sputtered angrily as he saw her look of dismay.
"We're not done discussing this, King!"
"Right, I've been Brassking for this…"
"Funny, Iris."
"Hmm, first it's King and formal, now it's Iris and informal. Look it, there's nothing to discuss. You made everything perfectly clear back there and we have witnesses."
"This isn't how I meant it to go."
"Oh, really, I understand you perfectly and I'm out of here."
"No, I don't think so," Brass said and reached in to take her keys.
"You try that and you'll draw back bloody nubs where your fingers used to be," Iris said ice cold.
Jim stopped as their eyes locked for several seconds.
"Smart move, Brass, see you back at work where it's safe for you. You may know everything there is to know about how to be a superior homicide detective but when it comes to knowing me you don't know squat," Iris said as her voice cracked.
With that, she suddenly leaned forward to grab his shirt and pull him in to kiss tenderly, almost chastely, and as before he couldn't resist returning it as lips willingly slid apart for tongues to gently duel with each other when she pulled back abruptly.
"I knew it," she said with an exultant tone to her raspy voice.
"Huh, knew what," Brass was totally confused.
"You definitely kissed me back," Iris said and her voice broke totally this time.
"This ain't working," Brass growled at her and opened the Bronco door, reaching over Iris to unbuckle her seat belt.
"Get out!" Iris rasped at him and turned to push him away. This only led to her finding herself pinioned with his torso as his arms engulfed hers. The best position Iris could call this would be an upright missionary. She tried again to dislodge him but he held her fast.
"Not until this is finished," Jim said with calm finality and bent his lips to hers as she frantically twisted her head away. He would not be denied and gently but forcefully put his mouth to hers.
Her lips were honeysweet to him and he demanded a full taste as his kiss became more insistent. He held her in a tighter and tighter embrace. Iris felt as if she were going to faint when he suddenly let her go.
"Had enough?" he said down at her with a sarcastic smile.
She pushed him slowly away as he saw her brown eyes go moist and swimming before they went black in anger. He wasn't prepared for the mule kick to the groin he received next as Iris exploded. "No, I think its you who's had enough!"
Brass had heard Grissom say "the victim sustained blunt force trauma" a hundred times as he experienced it in the first person while he uttered a loud gut-wrenching groan with a frantic protective clutch at his below the belt region before he slid down the side of the Bronco to his knees. Iris never looked once as she turned the Bronco sharply right to miss his kneeling form and the Bronco accelerated by him as it swiftly merged back into I-15 traffic with the skill of a NASCAR driver leaving the pits.
Brass was breathing heavily in as much pain as when he'd been shot by Willie Cutler as he winced at the glare of the disappearing tail lights. Had Iris been impassioned to commit in flagrante delicto on the spot with him or had she deduced his intentions were to push the envelope with her? Her shot to the family jewel box had been executed with deadly accuracy and he still felt nauseous. He recalled his comment to Drae in the parking lot that night about such a thing happening and how it ironically foreshadowed his condition now. Brass got up slowly and walked painfully with an impaired gait back to his Dodge Charger when his cell phone began to ring just as he sat gingerly in it. He took a deep breath before answering so his voice would sound as normal as possible, "This is Brass."
"Brass, its Vartann. We've just had a woman come into Metro confessing to the Vegas Lady Killer murders and claiming to have brought evidence. She'll only talk if Paula Francis agrees to be present at her questioning. You better get back here to headquarters."
"No rest for the weary," Brass sighed with the wish to go home and shower before collapsing into bed with an ice pack remaining unrealized. With a groan, he checked his side and rear view mirrors before getting back on the I-15 to head for Metro.
* * * * *
The Ford Bronco zipped into the parking lot and into the first vacant space available. Iris glanced at herself in the vanity mirror on the flipped down sun visor. Puffy eyes looked back through her wire-framed glasses as Iris wearily climbed out with her backpack purse and headed into the LVPD Metro building that also housed the crime lab. Her will had won out and not one tear had she shed. She was still aghast at her reaction to his last kiss that still had her lips smoldering but she'd lost control and she was angrier at herself than at Brass. Her cell phone had rung and rung, showing Brass' number each time, but now it was Catherine. This call she'd take as stayed outside the building. "This is Iris."
"Iris, haven't you heard from Jim? He's been trying to get you. That was some exchange you two had back here!"
"I'm ignoring his calls, Catherine, but I figured if it was something to hear I'd rather get it from you since the *69* text didn't happen."
"Fair enough. Vartann called Brass minutes ago to report someone's confessed to the killings and brought so-called evidence there to Metro. Now get this, Iris, the suspect will only talk fully if Paula Francis from Channel 8 is there also. I'm on my way from the club. Other personnel there will supervise the closing so that frees up Warrick and Dominique cut Nick loose. The undersheriff's stepping back in to get the arrangements made for Paula Francis to come over as soon as we confirm this suspect is the real deal and not a flake."
"You and Brass will handle the questioning I assume."
"Yes but I want you in there too because Grissom will observe behind the two-way mirror."
"I'll go but only if it's absolutely necessary, Catherine, because I think you two would do better than to have me on hand."
The stress Iris tried her best to conceal still came through in her voice despite her efforts to make it sound upbeat and Catherine picked up on it.
"Iris, your role in this investigation is as critical as mine or Jim's! We wouldn't be where we are without you and that's in spite of how he's been toward you. You've shouldered it well and you're needed now more than ever."
"Thanks, Catherine, it means a lot. I just got here but I'll be going over the boards on the victims if you need me."
"Brass should be there any minute but keep your cell phone glued to you, okay?"
"You got it."
Catherine hung up the phone and hesitated. Should she call Brass and tell him to keep clear of Iris and simply meet her in the interrogation area of Metro? Both Jim and Iris were stinging from the encounter she, Nick and Warrick had witnessed. Of this Catherine had no doubt. It wasn't like Jim to be deliberately cruel to anyone he worked with. He was a definitely a what you see is what you get man who could be as blunt, earthy and downright snarky when the situation called for it. His one-liners were legend with the team for his skewed sense of humor and observation. Yet Catherine knew him as intimately as she did Grissom and while Brass could be irascible he could also be very gentle, especially with young children. She felt Brass and Iris had that same call-it-as-you-see-it quality and why he was treating Iris this way she still couldn't figure out. None of this added up to her at all as one who was accustomed to being able to get to the bottom of anything analytical relatively quickly.
* * * *
Upon entering the building, Iris decided to cut through the morgue and lessen the chance of an encounter with the detective beforehand she'd always looked forward to seeing. Doc Robbins saw her say hello briefly to David as he hosed a body off as she went by. Iris' unique walk that looked like a wind-up toy dog that enabled her to keep with others much taller than her caused the pathologist to smile. She was among his favorites on the CSI team given her background was the most medical. Doc Robbins was also an eagle-eye when it came to observing a person and the frayed nerves expression Iris bore caused him to take action.
"Iris! Where's the fire, missy?" Doc called from his office as he came out walking to the doorway with his cane that he now waved at her to get her attention.
"Hi, Doc, just on my way back in, you know burning the midnight oil and all," Iris replied glibly and gave him a pasted-on smile.
But Doc noted her puffy eyes and forced expression and waggled a finger at her. "Something's wrong…I can tell…you look upset like you just had it out with someone. Did you have a bad third karaoke night at the Girl Bar? My wife wants you to come over soon to teach her those dance steps she's seen you and Catherine doing on YouTube."
Iris looked startled for only a moment before her lips curved in a slight smile at the pathologist as she quietly replied, "No, Catherine and I took no prisoners. But I'd rather not say any more if you don't mind, Doc…it's sort of personal."
Doc pressed her further but she was steadfast and wouldn't elaborate with details. He'd heard rumblings from the other CSI's on Grissom's team that things between her and Brass were about to reach a meltdown point and he feared it had happened tonight. "Alright, Iris, I'll respect your wish not to tell me anything of substance but I want you to go into my office and lay down on my couch in there for a few minutes."
"Doc, I'm perfectly…," Iris protested.
"Tut, tut, tut, doctor's orders, my dear," Doc Robbins was adamant as he guided her into his office with his free hand. "You need a brief power nap just long enough to clear the attic." He tapped at his head.
Dave brought in a cold cloth folded into a compress that he offered Iris as she sat on the couch.
"Super Dave, your wife struck gold and so did yours, Doc," Iris told them with a hint of a smile as she accepted the compress. "I'm not used to being on the receiving end as the one taken care of."
"Your devotion to the rest of the CSI team and others here you count as your friends knows no bounds," Doc said and playfully tweaked the end of her nose. "Take at least ten minutes, okay?"
"Yes, sir," Iris replied with mock meekness and sank back into the overstuffed leather couch with the compress over her face.
* * * * *
Brass passed the Bronco as he came into the parking lot but had to park several spaces beyond it, muttering darkly under his breath. Catherine had just called him and had requested he wait for her in the hall by the interrogation rooms. Grissom would meet them there too. She hadn't said anything about what had transpired in the parking lot of the Girl Bar and he felt a small measure of relief. He did note as he walked by with difficulty that the Bronco was empty but reinforced himself for the chance that he and Iris might cross paths. He'd play it so cool it'd be frosty he decided as he opened the outside door and went in, hoping strongly that this suspect might be indeed be "the one."
Jim was doing his best to walk with a normal gait as his "boys" continued to send messages of protest to the pain center in his brain while he opted to stop by his office briefly and ran into Undersheriff McKeen and Ecklie, the poster boys of political self-advancement and definition of smarmy to Brass. He grimaced slightly as he knew McKeen was about to engage him with an ingratiating smile. "Jim, Paula Francis is set to arrive to Metro as soon as you determine this suspect to be viable."
"Hell, Jeff, you know better than to think a few minutes of questioning is going to be enough to qualify this person as THE suspect," Brass snorted, knowing that the undersheriff and crime lab director wanted to garner the kudos and benefits that positive press of any kind could elicit. "I don't like this grandstanding either with Paula Francis being present during any part of questioning this possible suspect, it totally goes against policy."
"Jim, like you I want to see this serial case solved and the perpetrator behind bars and off the street but if it took Paula Francis sitting in nude with honey poured on her I'd do it," McKeen said as Jim deliberately looked past the undersheriff's ear and seemed to nod his head in pseudo-agreement.
"Okay, let's meet halfway. Paula Francis can sit it in on the questioning but she won't be permitted to ask the suspect anything on her own or to record what the suspect says in any way. I want her patted down from head to toe before she comes in there to make sure she's not wired in any way. If she doesn't agree to my conditions, it's a no go," Brass said flatly with a set jaw and arms folded over his chest.
McKeen stared at Jim, who was nonplussed, then motioned to Ecklie to step away for a swift exchange in hushed tones. They then rejoined Brass. "Very well, Jim, we'll play it your way. I know you detest dealing with the media but please be civil to Ms. Francis."
"Sure, I'll be on my best behavior, a real boy scout," pledged Brass holding up his right index and middle and fourth fingers in a Scout's honor position while he silently thought, "That's right, you schmucks, read between the lines."
* * * * *
Iris was in one of the large rooms of the crime lab with its large illuminated table that the CSI's used during assembling of photos and similar materials during an investigation. She was going over the crime scene photos of the latest victim when her cell phone chimed and it interrupted her thoughts. She'd done her best to put the incident with Brass on a back burner mentally and focus her concentration on the case. Iris opened her phone with an annoyed grunt to look at the text message. Her expression changed to one of surprise.
"Meet me in observation area of interrogation room eight. Now. Grissom."
"Okay, boss, on the way," she texted back and pocketed her phone.
The observation door opened and Grissom glanced away from the two-way mirror when Iris came in. He motioned at the vacant seat beside him. "Jim's in there at the moment and Catherine's now out in the hall. I wanted you to sit on this with me. Paula Francis will be with them during the questioning at the suspect's insistence."
Iris nodded and sat down beside her supervisor and watched Jim fidgeting with his tie through the two-way mirror. "Jim looks nervous."
"I agree he appears that way which is out of character for him. Why did you leave the Girl Bar so abruptly after such a strong rendition of 'Love Reign O'er Me'?" Grissom asked going smoothly from one subject to a totally different one.
"Brass and I had a disagreement in the parking lot that was witnessed by Catherine, Nick and Warrick. I left and came here. End of story," Iris replied and looked at him directly but ignored his compliment on the song.
"Catherine gave me the basic details before we both left the Girl Bar. What occurred there rattled Jim and it's done the same to you," Grissom said looking straight ahead at Brass through the observation mirror glass.
Iris swallowed hard. "Jim and Catherine will be able to question that suspect even with the news diva there. She's got his back and vice versa. I know how tight she is with you and Brass. He just feels very strongly I shouldn't be on this case. No matter, it's all good."
Grissom knew her simple statements were genuine and sincere. She'd honestly shared with him that she sometimes questioned her performance as a CSI and being a solid member with his team with its reputation for high caliber work.
"I want you here for the questioning for that very reason because you're all part of this investigation. I don't know why Jim has been the way he has where you're concerned but he has his reasons. He's been my best friend for several years. I heard him out on his asking for your removal from the case but I still told him no. I want you and Catherine to be on it to its conclusion," Grissom said gently.
"Brass…Jim…he's my friend too, Grissom. Yeah, no doubt we quarreled but I don't give up on a friend just because of a disagreement. I just want him to trust me again no matter what it takes," Iris told Grissom and gestured at the two-way mirror.
Jim straightened his tie yet again and glanced at the two-way mirror with a cocked eyebrow. He knew Grissom sat there on this other side and shot his friend an "are we having fun yet" look and pointed to his ear before Catherine joined him with the case files for the serial victims. She thought he looked preoccupied.
"Jim, you okay?"
"Yeah, just focusing on what to ask this, uh, suspect. You set with the new gadget?"
"Yeah, yours in?"
"Yep, just can't get used to it."
"Well, McKeen said Paula Francis should be here any time. The suspect won't be brought in until she's here and sitting with us. Some conditions this person gets to set."
"I told McKeen I didn't want the news queen here. It smacks of a kiss-off, Catherine! McKeen'd sell his mother if it got him advancement, let alone Ecklie."
"We know all too well how they roll, Jim. Let them think they're calling the shots. Come on, we got this. It's our time to shine. No guts, no glory," Catherine encouraged him with a fond nudge to his shoulder.
A female deputy stepped in. "Captain Brass, Paula Francis is here. I frisked her myself, sir. She's clean but she looked ready to spit nails during the pat down."
"Ah, I'd of paid to sit in on that," Brass winked at Catherine.
Paula Francis entered the room looking impeccable in a blue-gray silk pantsuit. She gave Brass a scathing look. "I'm given to understand I was frisked at your request even though Undersheriff McKeen knew I agreed to the conditions."
"We have to protect the integrity of this investigation, Ms. Francis, so please forgive that one caveat of mine," Brass said in appeasement with upraised hands. Catherine covered her mouth to stifle a smile before moving to arrange the case files.
"Very well, Detective, so where is this suspect?" Paula asked.
Jim motioned to the female deputy who left the room before he addressed Paula again. "Remember, your presence here is out of courtesy of the Metro P.D. You're not to address the person we're questioning at any point even if she asks you a question directly. Whatever information she gives us is off the record until it is properly investigated and verified. Do I make myself clear Ms. Francis?"
"Crystal clear," Paula replied haughtily.
The door opened as the female deputy escorted in a stunningly attractive petite Hispanic woman to be seated across from Brass and Catherine. The deputy handed Brass a folder and he swiftly scanned its contents and gave it to Catherine to view before he looked at the young woman.
"Miss, I'm Detective Jim Brass and this is Investigator Catherine Willows from the crime lab. So you're claiming to be the Vegas Lady Killer?" Brass eyed her with a disbelieving expression.
"It's not a claim, it's a fact," the young woman replied before she looked at Catherine. "I've seen you at the Girl Bar and at the candlelight rally. So it's true you're an investigator and a lesbian, then where's your partner, Iris?"
"Yes, I am an investigator but I'm bi actually, as is Iris, who's here in another part of the lab," Catherine said.
"I'd of preferred to talk to you two instead of this old geezer here. You got guts to come out on TV the way you did," Sonia said admiringly.
Brass managed a sour expression at being called an "old geezer" while the young woman shifted her attention to the third person present in the room besides the female deputy who stood back in the corner.
"Paula Francis! You'll get to have an exclusive interview now," Sonia gushed at the anchorwoman who could only smile back.
"Miss Valdez, here's the thing. While Paula is here at your request, we have to interview you first and verify what you claim to be true and corroborated with investigations by the homicide department and crime lab. Once that's all bona fide, then she may be allowed to interview you but no deals are on the table," Brass was quick to lay out the ground rules.
Sonia shrugged wordlessly.
"You're a college student here on your student visa from Mexico taking a veterinarian technologist course at the College of Southern Nevada as a full-time student. Your father is a veterinarian and your mother is a nurse. You're the oldest of six children. You don't have a police record of any kind, not even a parking ticket. It makes me wonder how an attractive little number like yourself could get mixed up in a sordid mess like this," Brass continued as kept his eye contact direct with hers until she finally looked toward Paula for support but none was to be found.
"Right now, we simply want to ask you some baseline questions," Catherine directed.
"Sure, ask away," Sonia smiled at her.
"How did you know the victims?" Catherine began.
"You know as well as I do. If you club often at these spots pretty soon you know the regulars. They were all regulars," Sonia replied.
"Were you involved with any of them?" Brass now asked.
"No but I knew other women they hooked up with either for the night or a short fling," Sonia said.
"So why do this? What would drive you to allegedly kill seven different women you say you weren't involved with and dump their nude bodies in church parking lots around Vegas?" Brass pressed her.
"Did you have a message or were you trying to make a point?" Catherine added.
The young woman's eyes darted to Catherine, Brass and then Paula. She then closed them for several moments before her answer came. "When you're raised Catholic but you love women not men, it doesn't fly well with your family or the religion."
"Meaning your message was directed to the church about acceptance or tolerance?" Catherine asked.
"Amongst others," Sonia replied cryptically.
"Anyone out there could come up with the reason you just gave. There are other details you could make known if you are indeed the Vegas Lady Killer," Jim coaxed with a knowing smile.
Sonia looked at Brass through eyes narrowed to slits. "What?"
"He means details only the true killer would know," Catherine clarified.
"Like evidence?" Sonia smirked.
"Yeah, evidence or certain things unique to these killings," Brass added.
"I did promise to bring evidence didn't I," Sonia said casually and withdrew from her purse an unusual looking ceramic jar that she set on the table.
The female deputy kept her hand on her service revolver. This suspect she'd also patted down personally and found no sign of a concealed weapon. The purse had been searched and sent through the x-ray machine by the metal detector earlier without incident. She'd been instructed to leave the jar undisturbed as the x-ray had not indicated any potentially harmful elements.
In the observation room, Grissom leaned forward with an intense look at the jar as he murmured, "Very odd. Iris, do you recognize it?"
"I do and must admit it's the first time I've seen one show up at a suspect's questioning," Iris' doe eyes were wide with surprise.
"Same here," Grissom said.
"What's in the jar?" Brass had put on gloves before tapping it with an index finger.
"Look inside and see for yourself," Sonia said with an "I dare you" look.
"Let me, Jim," Catherine had also put on latex gloves and slowly lifted off the top of the ceramic jar.
Jim and Catherine were both wearing wireless ear bud receivers because Grissom had wanted to maintain one-way contact with them and assist with their questioning if needed.
"Catherine, it's called a canopic jar and was used in ancient Egypt for keeping the internal organs from a mummified corpse. The top of this one has the head of a jackal representing Anubis the god of the dead," Jim said before Grissom was going to tell him.
Grissom watched Iris' lips curl in a faint smile of surprise at Jim saying that as he placed a hand over his lapel microphone. "Jim has a degree in history from Seton Hall, you know."
"Yeah, it's just he always has a surprise up his sleeve, verbal or otherwise," Iris said softly.
Catherine made a slight face at Brass but carefully removed the top of the canopic jar, looked inside, then used a pair of forceps to reach in and withdraw a clump of curly dark hairs.
Sonia gave them a dismissive look as she said, "Those are from the first victim Gabrielle Fernandez. It's her pubic hair I shaved off and then painted her koochy yellow. You know the body painting was tricky the first time but I got better and the colors I use are stunning."
Brass and Catherine exchanged a guarded look.
In the observation room, Iris' sharp inhalation caused Grissom to glance at her momentarily before he spoke quickly to Catherine via the small lapel microphone he wore.
"Excuse me for a moment," Catherine replaced the hairs in the jar and left the room with it.
"So how'd you know this was a, you know, can..cany…, screw it, that jar! I only bought them at Pier One because they looked cool and unusual," Sonia said testily.
"I walk like an Egyptian," Jim snapped. "Now, you've got my full attention. How'd you do the first victim?"
Sonia locked eyes several moments with Brass before she averted them. She shrugged and replied, "I met Gaby at the Free Zone. She'd caught my eye before at the clubs. We danced a slow dance and I tried to get friendly but she blew me off. I told her I wanted to apologize and before closing I bought her a drink. When another woman flirted with her, I slipped her drink a Mickey."
Catherine now stepped back into the room and took her seat back.
"Sonia here was just elaborating how she allegedly met the first victim," Jim indicated with a wave of his hand.
Sonia glared at Jim as she dismissed him angrily, "Alleged, my ass, like I said I saw her and wanted to take her home. She turned her nose up at me and I got pissed. I still wanted her even if the feeling wasn't mutual but she had to be friendly and cooperative, so I doctored her drink when she wasn't looking. I knew how long to wait before she started to act really slutty with me. The bartender called her a cab but out in the parking lot I offered to take her home."
"What did you drug her with?" Catherine asked sharply.
"A combination of Easy Lay and Special K that I know how to get and then it's a matter of making sure you give the right dose and timing it for the person to become…let's just say absolutely compliant. When she was totally out of it, I hung up her body, shaved her pubes and put in the number one, and painted it different colors. When she was dry, I took her to the church and cut her throat and wrists. I can promise she never felt a thing and didn't suffer," Sonia replied matter-of-factly.
"Which church?" Brass asked coldly.
"St. Thomas, of course," Sonia sniffed.
"You may want to consider a lawyer at this time," Brass cautioned her.
"I don't want one. Shouldn't I be writing this up or something?" Sonia tapped her finger on Catherine's note pad.
"Not yet. Sonia Valdez, you're under arrest for suspicion in the murder of Gabrielle Fernandez. You have the right to remain silent…," Brass began.
In the observation room, Grissom leaned back and looked speculatively at the young woman being given her right of Miranda. "Jim's taking no chances to make sure she's given her chance to say no more pending legal counsel."
"Catherine gave the jar to Wendy?" Iris asked as they watched and heard Jim continue the list of Miranda rights.
"Right and Wendy will rush the processing. Since we have DNA profiles on all the victims, it will expedite comparison of the results for a match," Grissom replied as Jim concluded mirandizing Sonia.
"Cool, this is just like being on a crime drama show! Like I said I don't want a jerk lawyer so let's get on with it," Sonia said with a "bring it" wave of her hands.
"Very well, just write it all down on this nice large legal pad starting with the first victim to the last," Jim grunted and gave her a legal pad with a ballpoint pen.
Sonia flashed a sarcastic smile at the detective and took up the pen and bent her head to start writing. Her right hand grasping the pen began to shake involuntarily and her writing quickly degenerated into an illegible scrawl. Sonia threw the pen at the wall in anger. "Damn, why'd it have to happen now?!"
Iris looked at Grissom. "Neuromuscular problem?"
"Maybe, let's see what Brass and Catherine can find out."
"What just happened?" Jim asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Do you need medical attention?" Catherine queried.
Sonia rubbed her right wrist and hissed angrily at them, "No, I've got severe carpal tunnel in both of my wrists and hands. My right is the worst of the two. It gets so bad sometimes I can't write or hold things."
Grissom pursed his lips and then spoke briefly into his microphone to Jim and Catherine.
"Did you experience this problem while dealing with any of the victims?" Brass asked pointedly.
"Yes but I still managed to do what I had to," Sonia replied testily.
"Sonia, you don't have to write anything out. You can provide a videotaped statement instead. Would that suit you?" Catherine intervened soothingly.
"I will if Paula sits in on it," Sonia agreed.
"Ms. Francis will be allowed to if she's so inclined but again she can't ask you any questions and you can't address her in like fashion during it," Jim said bluntly.
"I'm so inclined, Detective Brass," Paula said for her first and only verbal contribution to the interrogation room proceedings.
"Miss Valdez, you know we'll be executing a search warrant as soon as possible of your home," Brass informed her.
"Of course but you won't find anything because I never took any of them there. You'll have to bargain with me to get more evidence," Sonia said nonchalantly as handcuffs were placed on her by the female deputy.
"Take her to booking," Jim sighed as Sonia was escorted from the room by the deputy and followed by Paula.
Grissom wasted no time in coming into the interrogation room and insisted Iris come along.
"What do you think?" Catherine asked Grissom as he sat beside her.
Iris opted to sit by Brass during this time. She had to rise above the emotional tug of war she felt inside.
"It's obvious she's involved but I can't say I'm convinced she's acting alone. Her height is perhaps 5'4", just a little taller than Iris, and the upper body strength needed to hoist a body up high enough to do the painting makes it highly doubtful for her doing this solo with that degree of carpal tunnel syndrome," Grissom considered.
"She also didn't know what a canopic jar was and made no mention as to any significance of the body paint colors or why the bodies were left at churches," Brass said.
"True. Even though she's attending veterinary tech classes, I would strongly think a second person is involved who's masterminding this with a veiled statement expressed through the body paint colors and where the victims were left," Grissom said thoughtfully.
"You know the carpal tunnel she has makes it unlikely she could have done the shaving of the pubic areas," Iris interjected.
"Why do you say that?" Catherine was curious.
"The person doing the shaving would have to exercise great control and skill to achieve shaving a number like that. I believe a small straight-edge razor was used to accomplish this. Sonia works for her father and is familiar in doing prep shaving for surgical procedures on animals, but her carpal tunnel makes it nearly impossible to have that same control to do what was done on the victims," Iris proposed and then bit her lip to hear what her supervisor and lead CSI had to say.
Grissom gave Iris a long scrutinizing look before he spoke. "You may have something there, Iris. Good observation. Let's get after it."
As they were walking out, Catherine leaned over to Iris to whisper before following Grissom, "You hit a homer."
Iris in turn looked at Brass who was bringing up the rear, "You and Catherine did great questioning back there. A canopic jar? Well played, sir, well played."
"I can be surprising on occasion," he murmured to her with something of a cryptic air.
It was first civil exchange they'd had in days and in spite of the unfortunate incident earlier between them where a kick was involved Iris couldn't stop the warm smile Brass received from her as they followed Grissom and Catherine down the hall.