Chapter Fourteen
The black Dodge Charger pulled abruptly into the parking lot of the Lucky Sevens Self Storage to take the space nearest the door. Brass stepped out of the car and saw Catherine's Expedition and Iris' Bronco pull up almost immediately behind him. He appreciated their punctuality all the more because it was a blisteringly hot June day and the appeal of being in air-conditioned surroundings. His dark sunglasses afforded protection from the merciless glare of the sun but he could feel beads of sweat starting up on his forehead. Days like this he hated being in a suit and envied the CSI's more casual attire.
The business was the oldest self-storage in Vegas and the shabby-looking storage unit buildings showed the need for new paint and other general fix-ups to the property. A new large illuminated sign, however, boasted air conditioned units and the lowest rental rates in the town.
"Morning, Catherine," Jim said pleasantly but only nodded at Iris.
"Hey, Jim, so we have ye old search warrant?" Catherine queried but cautious of the way Brass still handled himself when Iris was present.
"You bet," Brass replied with a pat on his suit where the paper resided in the inside breast pocket. He held the door open and Catherine passed through quickly followed by Iris who wondered secretly would he only keep the door open for the senior CSI and only her. Jim said nothing and followed them inside.
A TV droned in the corner of the large room which an elderly unshaven man watched with drooping eyelids from behind the service desk with a disinterested air. Jim knocked loudly on the desk as the elderly man became wide awake. "Paulie Gallo, it's Jim Brass from the LVPD," Brass announced himself.
The older man's eyes blinked a few times as he adjusted his thick-lensed glasses and a wide-mouthed grin displaying several missing teeth with a raspy laugh. "Jimmy Brass, hell must've frozen over."
Jim had a slight smile at the greeting and shook the outstretched hand offered to him. "Paulie is the owner of the Lucky Sevens. I worked a homicide case here a couple of years ago. He and I got acquainted."
"I'm eight-five damn years young, remember! I run this place all by myself," Paulie said proudly jerking his thumb at his chest before the women caught his eye. "Hey, who are the cute broads? You bring one for me? I like this tall redhead, but the short one's a close second."
Catherine liked this character, as did Iris who stifled a chuckle.
"Actually, Paulie, we're here on police business. These ladies are from the crime lab. I've got a search warrant to serve," Jim clarified as he handed Paulie the folded warrant.
"What's this about? I don't allow no funny business here," Paulie insisted before looking the warrant over.
"Mr. Gallo, have you ever seen this woman before?" Catherine asked and held up a photograph after Paulie folded the warrant back up and gave it to Brass.
The older man took the photo and looked it over carefully. He put the picture down on the desk and stabbed it with a pointing finger. "Call me Paulie. Yeah, she's a red hot chili pepper who could give a dead man a boner."
"Paulie, she's a doll all right but she has a rental contract for one of your air-conditioned units, doesn't she?" Brass tapped the picture again to keep Paulie focused.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it here somewhere," Paulie said and turned to rifle through a nearby file cabinet.
"Sir, you don't keep your records on computer?" Iris asked.
"Call me Paulie, not sir! Got no time for 'em and don't trust 'em neither," Paulie rasped with a wheezing cough.
"What about a surveillance system?" Catherine wondered as she hadn't noted any security cameras anywhere.
"Sweet pants, I run a no-frills business here so I can give my customers the best price. They all know up front I don't have that techno crap. Never had a burglary here yet because after dark I got three Rottweilers who are my security system but I did have some odd days recently where I came in and they acted drunk like once a week, lucky fleabags," Paulie told Catherine with a slight leering grin. "Here we go, Sonia Valdez, unit number 20 on the end of row one."
"Paulie, can we have the key so I don't have to break a lock?" Brass asked and Paulie promptly handed him one from his key cabinet on the wall.
"Did the girl do something bad, I mean Jimmy's a homicide cop?" Paulie said in an aside to Catherine.
"We don't know yet for sure," Catherine replied and placed a hand on his arm reassuringly.
"Paulie, give us a few minutes while we go check out the unit," Brass said as he again opened the door the CSI's.
"We'll head over in my car," Brass said.
Iris didn't want to wait on who should decide and took the back seat so Catherine could ride shotgun with Jim. No conversation took place during the short drive to the storage unit on the end of the first row. They got out and approached the padlocked door. Catherine took care and brushed the lock with magnetic powder and then lifting off a series of clean prints. Brass nodded his approval and now quickly unlocked the door and shoved the rolling door with a firm heave-ho. The door rolled back with pronounced rattles and pops indicating the need for long overdue lubricant application. Jim used his flashlight to locate a light switch as a gush of chilly air washed over them. A bank of fluorescent lights came on and they were able to survey the interior of the storage unit.
"I better call Gil," Brass said to Catherine.
* * * * *
Warrick followed Grissom in and whistled softly as he came into the storage unit to view what Brass, Catherine and Iris had seen. Nick, Sara and Greg were covering outcalls from last night, so Grissom had asked him to come along to help process the scene.
"Wow, this is the break we've needed," Warrick commented to Grissom.
"It's a significant piece to the puzzle. Note the two long metal chains that suspend from the ceiling with metal shackles to secure around wrists. A hoist and winch with a pulley was positioned to pull a body up. A paint drop cloth is positioned neatly beneath to catch any paint spatter. Multiple cans of different colors of paint were neatly stacked on a table against one wall along with air paint brush guns confirm the uniform look of the paints and not a brushed look. She's methodical and neat just like her home," Grissom observed as they walked in to join Catherine and Brass. Iris was busy taking photographs.
"Hey, Gil, hot as hell out there isn't it?" Brass commented as he'd ditched his suit jacket some time ago and opened up the collar on his dress shirt. He was grateful to be wearing a short sleeved shirt as opposed to a long sleeved one.
"I think I heard a hundred and six on the radio but at least the humidity's low," Grissom said.
"Low humidity? Hot is hot, pal, anyway you slice it. We can't even use a fan in here so that the scene's not compromised," Jim countered with a cocked eyebrow. Catherine nodded in agreement. She'd pinned up hair and was fanning herself with a folded piece of paper.
"As the saying goes, 'if you can't stand the heat'…," Grissom responded as he again gazed up at the pair of metal chains.
Brass had a sharp comeback on the edge of his tongue but let it go given he was in mixed company with Catherine and Iris. While he knew he could say anything in their presence, he opted to hold off in deference to them as he regarded each in his book as a class act.
Iris let a snort of disgust go as he glanced at her. She was holding a 5-gallon bucket can of body paint in gloved hands and made a "pphhffft" sound to blow her bangs out of her eyes. Trying to be helpful with everyone else present, Jim sidestepped over to her. "What's wrong?"
She gave him a suspicious look at his amiable inquiry for a moment. "All of the cans of body paint are from the same mega-national company. It distributes to most major paint stores, hobby stores, sports stores. You could get this anywhere. No way I could've narrowed it down."
Grissom overheard her. "You were thorough in that part of the investigation and never gave up. Don't think I didn't see you burning the midnight oil at the lab camped out in front of the computer doing search after search."
Iris' face went bright pink but accepted Grissom's compliment silently with a head nod before replying, "At least I can get cracking on checking where the bar codes will show which stores received these paint cans and who purchased them. I can only hope a credit card or debit card was used, but even if cash was used then store surveillance video can be checked in relation to the date and time of purchase from the bar codes."
Warrick took the moment to bring in a ladder that Paulie had provided. The old man had been shocked to see the inside of the unit and retreated back to his office muttering to himself maybe it was time to consider buying a video surveillance system and a computer or maybe it was time to retire, one less rat in the rat race.
After setting up the ladder and putting a screwdriver in his pocket, Warrick slowly climbed up the steps until he was nearly to the last one. The ladder was a little shaky and he found himself swaying slightly. Catherine observed this and went to hold it and keep steady. Warrick grinned down at her in appreciation but she found it flirty at the same time. "Thanks, Catherine, you're always around at the right time."
"We'll see," she said cryptically at him but her eyes held a saucy look.
Their exchange wasn't lost on Iris. Grissom and Brass were discussing another topic between them and Brass was animatedly proving his point by his facial expressions. She sighed softly and went to bring in the dolly to begin loading up the cans of paint.
Grissom saw her loading the 5-gallon paint cans and moved to help her as did Brass who chided her, "Iris! Just ask for help for crying out loud."
"Everyone's busy. I have no problem lifting 75-pound hay bales or 50-pound bags of horse feed for Kyrie so why should this stop me," Iris retorted sharply and instantly regretted her tone. The rift between her and Jim didn't need to be made more apparent especially in front of her supervisor, his best friend.
"That may be, babe, but you'll get the help like it or not," Brass grunted and swung four more buckets of paint to stack while Grissom followed with four more. Iris found herself merely holding the dolly for them now, smarting from his use of "babe" which she didn't find to be a term of endearment but more of a "get out of the way and let the men take over."
Since Warrick had now brought the chains and shackles down along with the hoist and winch, Catherine took the ladder outside and came back in to help catalogue the items. Iris carefully folded up the paint drop cloth to take out after Catherine made note of it and catalogued it as well.
A little later, Jim mopped the sweat off his brow with his handkerchief after bringing down the rolling door and reapplying the padlock. Warrick posted the familiar yellow "CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS" tape across the door.
Everything had been catalogued and processed. It was time to get back to the lab with their booty Iris thought.
Grissom's phone rang and he quickly put it to his ear. "Grissom. Hello, Wendy. All did, eh? Yes and thanks for the update."
"News, boss?" Warrick asked curiously.
"Yes. Wendy has the results in on all the pubic hair samples tested from the canopic jars found at Sonia's home. There's a match for each of the victims," Grissom said quietly.
"That's great news, Gil. We've got this suspect dead to rights," Brass said straight-faced.
"We'll have a round table team meeting tonight before shift to bring us all up to speed. Jim, will you be questioning Sonia again?" Grissom asked.
"You bet your bippy although she's still resisting being assigned a court-appointed attorney," Jim shot back. "She needs to hear from this old geezer."
* * * * *
Because Catherine had developed a sudden toothache which followed with an emergent visit to her dentist, Grissom had asked Iris to sit in with Brass on the next questioning session with Sonia.
"So, Sonia, we meet yet again. I've truly missed seeing you," Brass said with a friendly wink.
"Where's Catherine? Nothing against you, Iris, I just think Catherine's way hot, totally easy on the eyes," Sonia asked Iris and ignored Jim's friendly attitude.
"None taken," Iris replied smooth as glass.
"Okay, off with the nice guy gloves. The DNA analysis on all the hair samples found in the canopic jars hidden at your residence matches the seven murder victims. Your stock is plummeting, Sonia. Better wise up and give up the name of your accomplice," Jim's voice was now tough as nails.
"Accomplice? I didn't have an accomplice," Sonia purred through lowered lashes at him with an ingratiating smile.
"Dammit, you don't have the upper body strength needed to haul up someone who's drugged and, no pun intended, dead weight high enough to then paint it head to toe. You had help so don't play stupid. Make this a little easier on yourself and give me that other name," Jim roared with an explosive slap on the table for emphasis.
"My, oh my, you have a fiery side to you don't you, Detective?" Sonia's voice mocked.
"You'll allow this other person to walk free when you're tried and convicted? You could get the death penalty at worst or life in prison at best. This is no game, Sonia. Is she worth it to keep silent?" Iris asked keeping her eyes straight on Sonia's.
Brass went cold inside. Why hadn't he thought of saying that he wondered.
Sonia's lips clamped in a straight line as she seemed to vacillate with her reply but this lasted over several moments. Her reply was heavy with sullen disdain. "You got it all wrong, Iris, you'll see. You and he-needs-laid-in-the-worst-way Detective Ball-Less there can't begin to understand the big picture."
Brass' face went crimson as he snarled to the jail deputy sarcastically. "Take her back to her cell! Sweetheart, you better get real used to just seeing four walls for the rest of your days."
Sonia's snickers echoed behind her as the deputy walked her out.
Iris felt for the detective. "Jim, they rarely get under your skin like that. I'm sorry she did."
Jim straightened his tie and adjusted his jacket. He blurted, "Why? She's not far off the mark."
Iris' eyebrows shot up at his remark but kept her reply on topic. "We've got solid evidence and we know a trial will be forthcoming. Perhaps in time she'll give you that name but it wouldn't be the first time the accomplice was never named."
"Maybe. Look, Iris, no offense but I'm going home for a short nap before this meeting tonight. I'll see you then," Jim said brusquely and left her.
"None taken, my Captain," Iris said softly in the empty room. She silently gathered up the case file folders to take back with her to the crime lab. Something else required her attention to follow up and she would not have the luxury of a nap as her esteemed captain would.
* * * * *
Grissom's entire CSI team was seated in the trace evidence conference room. The display of the victims' crime scene and autopsy photos made a grim mural on one wall.
"Interesting collage of the pubic area shots," Greg commented to Iris who sat on her right and Sara on her left.
"Something's familiar about it and I'll figure it out," Iris said confidently.
Grissom now walked in with Brass and to the team's surprise Conrad Ecklie.
"I wanted to sit in on this one," Conrad said simply.
"Our newest information is this: Wendy has matched the DNA of the pubic hair samples found in the canopic jars concealed at Sonia's home to be from all seven victims. Mandy was able to find a partial thumbprint on the first canopic jar Sonia brought here with her but only her fingerprints show on the other six canopic jars. The thumbprint didn't get a hit from CODIS. Sonia's fingerprints were also found on the padlock of the storage unit. Also of note is Wendy found DNA from an unknown Caucasian female on the sex toys taken from Sonia's home from saliva and vaginal secretions. The DNA doesn't match any in the criminal database but the search is ongoing. Skin samples collected from the chain manacles also yielded a DNA match to five of the seven victims. We still hold to the theory she had an accomplice because she simply lacks the upper body strength required to hoist a body high enough to do the body painting," Grissom summarized.
"Anything else?" Ecklie asked as he made notes.
"The body paint cans collected from the storage unit are a match for that used on the victims. Unfortunately, the paint manufacturer supplies a large number of stores but I'm pursuing the bar codes on the cans to see where the point of sale originated with Greg's help. We hope to establish Sonia's involvement even more with this," Iris added.
"Noted," Ecklie murmured.
"I questioned Sonia Valdez again along with Iris and we pressed her on the probability that she has an accomplice. However, she firmly denied this but we've hoped to have planted some seeds of doubt that may bear fruit," Jim said and Iris wondered if she saw a ghost of a smile her way. No, she corrected herself it was an illusion.
"Is that all?" Ecklie leaned back in his chair.
Iris chewed at her lip and let what had been percolating in her brain fly. "Mr. Gallo at the Lucky Sevens Storage mentioned that his three Rottweilers used for night security after the place closes all acted drunk on different occasions. He had to take them to the vet as a result to be checked out."
"So?" Ecklie arched an eyebrow at her.
Grissom looked on with interest. Where was she doing with this?
"I believe Sonia drugged the dogs on the night of each murder so she would have free access to the storage unit after closing. With her being a veterinary tech, she's admitted to us that she used ketamine and ecstasy on the murder victims so her using ketamine on the dogs is plausible. I called on Mr. Gallo this afternoon and his receipts for the visits to his veterinarian are dated to the day after each of the murders. On a long shot, I've called that vet to see if any of the blood samples he took on the dogs remain for tox screen testing because my initial web research indicates that ketamine can be found in animal blood for up to six three months when stored properly."
"Mr. Gallo's business also lacks a video surveillance system and is simply padlocked at night, so we are unable to provide video evidence of the suspect coming or going. However, as noted, a rental contact for this storage unit was found in the suspect's home in her name," Catherine interjected.
"Sonia was also visited by the bartender at the Girl Bar here. I oversaw this in the adjoining observation room and she denied having someone's help to Drae," Nick chimed in.
"Nick and I conducted a time trial of how long it'd take approximately to use an air brush paint gun to cover a body with the colors used. It took roughly ninety minutes and we have it recorded," Sara added holding up a DVD camcorder.
"Gil, your group's on top of it, as usual. We may never be able to settle the question of a possible accomplice but I'll pass this along to the undersheriff or do you wish to, Captain Brass?" Ecklie asked as he finished the last of his notes.
"Knock yourself out," Jim replied neutrally.
As the meeting adjourned, Brass stopped Iris in the hallway. Catherine hovered nearby pretending to get a drink of water at the fountain to ensure the meeting was civilly done.
"Iris, you went back without telling me," Jim said testily.
"I didn't need your permission to follow up on something the old gentleman freely told us," Iris disclosed quietly. "What he said about his dogs screamed drugged to me and hopefully my thinking will pan out."
"Okay, okay, smart move on your part," Jim allowed grudgingly.
"Thanks, Detective Brass, you know I tuck your compliments away to enjoy like fine wine later," Iris said breezily and left him standing.
"SSSSSTTTTT," Catherine said archly with a thumb to her butt. "She burned you, Jim, but good."
"Whatever," Jim growled at her.
"Come on, big guy, we're off tonight. I'll buy you a cold one," Catherine said coaxingly and slid an arm around his waist to guide him down the hallway.
"Need company after I drop off the case files in my office?" Grissom asked and hurried to join them. The reins he'd handed off to Warrick to dispense out-calls to himself, Sara and Greg, but Grissom would be on-call himself so it'd have to be club soda for his beverage of choice.
* * * * *
Iris decided to make the rest of her day off fun on her terms. She'd taken the dogs for a long slow jog on the walking trail near her condo. Relaxing afterwards in a long bubble bath where thoughts she had the weakest resistance to rose up, her hands slid caressingly on her skin…hands that in her imagination belonged to someone who began to…she splashed the water in frustration as she reined her emotions back.
"Fool," she said to herself, "you know better than to let your head and heart get this way."
She concluded the bath quickly after that and later texted Catherine to see what she was up to.
"Had a beer with Jim and Gil, then came home to do absolutely nothing. Jim said nothing about you," the text reply came.
"Just as well, enjoy your evening and have pleasant dreams of Warrick. See you tomorrow night," Iris texted back and grinned at the mention of Warrick because Catherine did her utmost to keep her feelings for her coworker discrete. Her model being what Grissom had carefully maintained only until recent months where Sara was concerned because it was delicate on office policy with a superior having a relationship with a subordinate on a team.
Iris debated popping a DVD in or perhaps firing up her laptop. Surfing was relatively mindless and would occupy her until she felt sleepy enough. She opened up the WinAmp music program and dragged over several songs to play and the first was "Don't" that Jim had slow-danced with her to. Had that really happened she asked herself in contrast to his general behavior these last few weeks where it involved her? Her Yahoo Messenger opened automatically when her laptop booted up and she saw that Megan was on-line.
"Hey, there," Iris tapped out with a smiley face. She liked using the Yahoo Instant Messenger face emoticons as they were called.
"Hee, hee, what're you up to?" Megan typed in reply using a smiley face.
"Nothing but chatting with you as I've got the night off," Iris keyed back with a big grin face.
"Are things okay between you and Catherine? I'd figure you'd be out with her tearing up the town. I still can't believe Sonia turned herself in," Megan responded.
"We're good but just staying apart at each other's home tonight. How well do you know Sonia? Nick said Drae wanted to ask you to represent her," Iris inquired.
"Sonia is a loner and can't keep a relationship with anyone. She's hit on Brittani a few times but Britt played it cool and eventually Sonia quit. I'd get the evil eye though from her when she saw me with Britt. At best I could only call Sonia an acquaintance," Megan indicated with a straight face emoticon.
"I can't say much about the case because it's ongoing but, sadly, Sonia refuses legal counsel. The evidence we've gathered is pretty damning for what she's admitted to," Iris replied with a sad face emoticon.
"I'm sad too because Sonia's had it rough with her family after coming out. They've virtually disowned from what Drae shared with us one night. Drae's like that, wants to take her regulars under her wing and keep an eye on everybody," Megan said with an angel face emoticon.
"Drae's good people," Iris tapped out.
"That's why we're both so fortunate to each be in love with who we have. You have a knockout like Catherine and I've got Brittani. Now don't get started on the dynamics of my relationship with her. I take what I have as it is with Britt. Catherine should count her blessings in how lucky she is to have you."
Iris was then seized by the desire to clarify an issue between them and ignored the cautioning voice inside.
"Megan, we're friends, right?"
"Absolutely."
"Can I tell you something that you MUST keep confidential."
"Hee hee, I work for a law firm so confidentiality is mandatory. What's up?"
"Look, it's about Catherine and me."
"Uh oh, trouble in paradise?"
"No, it's not anything like that."
"So, spit it out!"
"Catherine and I aren't a couple."
The reply box for Megan was blank for several moments.
"Explain," followed by a confused face.
Iris then went into a detailed account of how she and Catherine were asked to go undercover and why but that in real life she and Catherine were both straight. They were good friends who worked together and that Catherine actually outranked her in seniority and position on the CSI team.
"OMG! You're not hooked up! Let me say you two were pretty convincing!" Megan replied with a rolling eyes face. "So, Iris, who is it that really lights your fire, melts your butter, gets you all tingly?"
"Ha, I get your drift. I'd prefer not to but suffice it to say I'm committed to him in a one-sided affair and won't consider getting involved with anyone else."
"Meaning you're faithful to someone you haven't even been with like in the sack with."
"Yeah, something like that because it's how I'm wired. Sort of silly I guess."
"No, don't you dare think that. I think it's really sweet, like you're saving yourself for him. Are you sure he doesn't know or suspect?"
"No I keep it so low-key he'd never know but maybe someday because I don't think he thinks the same about me. We're solid friends so this could complicate what we already have. It doesn't change the fact that in my heart I believe we could be together but sometimes I have to sit back and realize it for what it is. Ignorance is bliss as the saying goes."
"So get off your perky butt and TELL him. What are you waiting for? Life's too short and I think he'd be the luckiest guy on the planet!"
"Thanks for that encouragement. I'll let you know when I poop or get off the pot as my grandma used to say."
A rolling on floor laughing smiley was Megan's reply. "Let me turn on my web cam."
Iris didn't have a web cam set up on her laptop but Yahoo Instant Message allowed a shared viewing with Megan who blew a kiss at her and began to type. "I know. Let's you and I run off together and tell everyone else to get stuffed."
Megan could be seen laughing hysterically after she sent the message to Iris who broke out in giggles herself.
"Hey, someone's at the door. It's Britt. BRB!" Megan messaged her.
Iris waited several moments patiently and watched the webcam. Blurred motion was occurring that was out of range of the webcam and then it went off as the webcam access was suddenly closed. Iris became curious and wondered if it was a bad time to try to continue their chat session now that Brittani had arrived.
"Megan?"
No reply.
"Megan, if you need to go, no worries."
No reply. The cursor continued to blink mindlessly in Megan's box.
Okay, I'll take a break, Iris thought and left to take care of business in the bathroom and then grab some sweet tea to drink from the kitchen. It had been fifteen minutes when Iris returned to her laptop and still no reply from Megan.
Iris was concerned now. If Megan and Britt were arguing for some unknown reason, she just wanted to be sure they were okay otherwise. She called Megan's number and it went to voicemail. She didn't leave a message and called again. Iris felt morose not wanting to be a reason the couple might disagree on for any or no reason. After thirty minutes of waiting, she tried to message Megan again without success and decided to call Megan's cell one last time.
Megan's phone rang and rang and just as Iris thought the voicemail function was going to kick in it was answered. "Megan, its Iris and I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
A muffled voice responded with a harsh chuckle, "Too late, CSI, too late."