Chapter 13
Catherine and Grissom entered into the Sound Tech lab, Grissom for the second time that night. Archie was leaning one elbow on the desk, which held the equipment to divide and analyse sounds, and one hand was holding a steaming Styrofoam cup, of what Catherine assumed was coffee.
"Archie." Grissom announced, seeming satisfied that it was a good greeting. Archie pulled the elbow off the table and straightened his back to look at his boss coming through the door followed by Catherine.
"Hey Boss. Catherine."
"Good evening Archie." He smiled at her and then turned his attention back to Grissom as they pulled out two chairs to sit down beside him.
"I was just about to phone you boss. I got some more off Greg's phone."
"Good you can tell me here and now. Run them." Said Grissom.
"Well, first off…" Archie clicked the mouse and a short clip of sound played throughout the room. "…we have something that sounds like plastic crackling, or being crumpled up."
"Archie, do you have anything useful we can use. We already have plastic creaking, we've heard it." Said Grissom with urgency in his voice. "We are on a tight schedule."
"This is useful boss." Said Archie, clicking the mouse several more times until another piece of section was highlighted. "If you compare the two sound together, you'll see they're different." He clicked the play button. Both sounds played together, and even Grissom had to agree that they were both different.
"A wrapper being tossed maybe?" offered Catherine.
"Maybe. If so, Warrick will know, if there was garbage at the scene, he would have picked it up. Anything else Archie?" asked Grissom. Archie shook his head.
"Couldn't get much else, the connection was pretty poor."
"As is the evidence we have." Catherine laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Actually Archie, we do have some more evidence for you." She placed her cell down on the counter.
"Another CSI phone?" asked Archie in bewilderment.
"From the kidnappers, we need some info from it. He's a guy this time. He'll be on a mobile I'm sure, or maybe a car phone."
"How can you know?" asked Grissom. Catherine thought for a bit.
"You know, I can't know, not for sure anyway. Archie forget what I just said, just get us some more dirt on these bastards. I want to get Nick and Sara back."
"Sara's gone?" shouted Archie. They both nodded and stood up, placing their chairs back to where they came from.
"Make sure that's your first priority Archie. We'll be back." Said Grissom as he and Catherine headed towards the door.
"Sure thing boss." Said Archie in a daze, turning back to the phone and began to hook up the special equipment that would give him and the CSIs what they needed. As the two of them left the Sound Tech lab Grissom spoke up.
"So Catherine, what else did you find at the scene that you're not telling the rest of us about?" Catherine rose her eyes to meet Grissom's and he could see a kind of wild fear behind her eyes. In most of his years that he had known the woman, Grissom had rarely seen her loose her cool. "Cath, you can tell me anything." Catherine sighed, clearly not wanting this conversation to go any further, but she steeled herself, because she knew that she had to get this out of her. She reached into her bag and drew forth an evidence bag, containing one slip of paper that was as small as a calling card. Grissom glanced at the clear plastic bag and then looked back to Catherine with questioning eyes. "Catherine, why didn't you present this in our meeting?"
"I…I didn't want the others to see. I thought that this could be…just between us." She said, but her eyes pleaded with Grissom desperately.
"Of course. It will be our secret, what are friends for after all?" Catherine smiled weakly at his attempt at humour. She held out the bag for Grissom to take, and with much years of experience, he slipped on a pair of latex gloves. He unsealed the bag and reached inside for the paper. Catherine watched his face intently as he read what was written down on it. "You found this in Nick's apartment?" he asked.
"Yes." Said Catherine softly.
"You know this could mean anything. Nick might not even be mixed up in this, he might just have this because of business. It could be pure coincidence."
"You don't believe in coincidence."
"Too true." Stated Grissom, "however, I don't jump to conclusions either."
"What do we do about it then?" asked Catherine as she turned away from Grissom, not wanting to hear his answer.
"We follow the evidence."
A/N: OO, hope you liked this one as well, I did enjoy writing it! Anyway, hope this will settle you all, I will only be able to update on weekends I suppose, and next week I'll be away, so don't expect much next week. Thanks for all the lovely reviews, and who knows, in a later chappie you might find out how Nick and Sara were taken…