A/N: This story remains a priority and hopefully will get back to a regular posting schedule once real life gets back on a regular schedule…your reviews have prompted a slight turn of events in this story, proving once again that reviews do help shape the story…again, another cliffhanger – although careful readers may just find more clues being uncovered…looking to add more soon…thanks to all those remaining patient with these updates…more soon as I can…hope you will stay tuned…take care…Kathy
His headache rivaled that of his heart as Gil's eyes processed the lake area already cordoned off with the yellow crime scene tape.
Crime scene.
Grissom's stomach lurched as he staved off the nausea by sheer will alone.
Jim had been cryptic in his relating the details of the callout, stating simply that they would have to 'wait-and-see'…and then began his 'what were you thinking' tirade as he related how worried everyone had been about his disappearance.
But Gil wasn't worried about 'everyone's' anxiety about his departure.
Even now, he held onto the small hope that, even after his uncharacteristic outburst, Sara still cared that he was gone.
The lone officer on the scene looked sickly grey as he could only give them halting directions towards the evergreen-shaded lake edge before inhaling deeply and continue his valiant fight to keep down the bile that was rising into this throat.
Allowing Jim to lead the way, Gil's head swam with possible scenarios they would find.
Having just reached the water's edge, the detective could already hear the distant sounds of CSI vehicles nearing the scene.
Yet the sight before him had caused Gil to channel out anything other than the horrific image presenting itself mere feet away – and its devastating implications.
Floating face down, brown hair a bit longer than shoulder length matted with mud and debris, lay a tall body of a what appeared to be a woman.
That fact had the seasoned investigator shaking his head in silent disbelief.
There are many women with those characteristics, he argued with himself, still unable to shake off the ominous undertones.
Yet, there was one piece of evidence that would remain irrefutable once fully uncovered.
The black, sleeveless vest in which the barefoot, jean-clad body was clothed – now mostly submerged as the thin, down filling had fully absorbed the murky wetness surrounding it – was similar to department-issued vests.
From behind, Gil could hear Nick's admonition that Greg "hurry on, loverboy", yet his focus remained on that vest.
A low whistle escaped Nick's lips, his eyebrows puckered slightly as he surveyed the scene before turning his attention to Grissom.
"Well, you're a sight for sore eyes," the Texan began amiably, yet his message was clear.
"Nick-" Gil began, then stopped as he looked over at Greg who had been silent since their arrival.
"What's wrong with Greg?" he asked, as Nick rolled his eyes and moved closer to keep his answer private.
"Man has love trouble," he began with a smirk.
"Seems Tessa had two nights off this week, and Greg had switched his own nights so he could surprise her with a getaway – only she stood him up."
Gil looked over at Greg forcing himself to be professional at the scene but failing miserably at keeping his anger in check.
Tossing a glance over his shoulder, Nick concluded, "Worse, she didn't show up at the lab tonight so he had to deal with Catherine's threat to keep him in the lab to cover for her."
Sighing, he added, "He really has it bad for that chick. She has him eating out of her hand."
Shrugging his shoulders, Nick lifted his kit. "Women. I can't figure them out."
Gil turned back to the security tape as the coroner's van pulled up and David stepped out.
Brass filled him in quickly as he led them towards the water's edge; a smile popping out on David's face upon seeing Grissom.
"Hello, David," Gil managed, his thoughts distracted by what the next few minutes would hold.
"Good to see you, Griss," the young coroner gushed, and his old boss knew the greeting was heartfelt.
The pleasantries ended as David turned towards the body.
His eyes snapped to Grissom's as the unasked question was answered.
"Looks like a CSI vest…" the coroner was speaking aloud as he neared the body.
Nick scoffed, but in his heart he also knew the truth.
David stepped twice into the water before asking if photos had been taken.
"I'm on it," Greg spoke for the first time, and in moments the task was completed.
"Nick, help me roll her over to the edge?" David asked as Gil held his breath.
A small gasp was uttered by almost everyone at the completion of the task.
The body was fully bloated, unrecognizable as human, with a gunshot wound to the face - apparently pointblank – having removed most of the central facial characteristics.
The rest of the face's tissue was swollen with lake water, making even the shape of the face indiscernible.
Yet no one was searching that area as all eyes were glued to the name plate sewn onto the chest area.
David's hands brushed the muddy dirt away from the cloth, and Gil's heart stopped as the S-I were unveiled.
"This is NOT. HER.!" spoke Nick emphatically, falling to his knees with outreached hands in an attempt to uncover some answers to this mystery.
"Nick! STOP!" ordered Grissom, his supervisory instincts causing him to react swiftly.
The Texan halted as emotion-swept eyes pleaded with his old boss.
"David," Gil continued, everyone seemingly agreeable to his ordering them around as if he were still in charge of the graveyard crew.
"Transport this body and personally take charge of the disposition at the lab until we arrive back there," he spoke and the coroner grabbed Greg to help him maneuver the gurney and body bag down the slight embankment.
"Nick, get back to the lab. Get in contact with Sara. Call Brass when she's in your sight, and stay with her until you get further instructions."
Nick nodded, his pulse racing as he hesitantly reminded Grissom, "Someone needs to process this area…maybe you should-"
Grissom just shook his head, "It would be best if you would take care of Sara, Nick…don't let on what's been found here."
Nodding to Brass as if to secure a final assent, Jim glanced at Grissom and merely nodded which sent the tall CSI scurrying towards the Denali.
"Now what?" Brass asked in the few seconds of calm remaining.
Gil rubbed his forehead, the image of Sara's vest clothing those damaged remains burning itself into his memory…the stuff of which nightmares are made.
This is my nightmare, he thought, cursing himself for leaving her alone over the last three days.
David pulled out the body bag and was starting to prepare for transport when Gil suddenly asked, "David, did you take a liver temp?"
The coroner looked surprised and answered, "Lake water would have lowered the temp, so TOD would be inexact," he replied.
"Still, just…could you do it anyway?" Gil asked, and Brass stepped closer looking curious as to where this was heading.
The coroner's forehead crinkled as the reading came back much higher than expected.
His confusion was not mirrored on Grissom's face, which Brass now was searching in an effort to find an answer.
"David, have the lab check for the presence of chlorine on the clothing and epithelials," Gil ordered and the young man stood from his crouched position to come face-to-face with the scientist.
"You think-" he started, but Grissom answered without his completing the thought.
"This is not the primary crime scene."
David looked around before answering.
"This was a body dump. You believe this body was kept somewhere else, most likely submerged, before it was brought here."
Brass looked stunned by this pronouncement and continued to stare silently at these two men who were jointly forming a conclusion that might begin the steps to uncovering the killer.
"What tipped you off?" David asked, already buying into Grissom's conjecture.
"Lack of insect activity," was the only answer, as if that should have been a foregone conclusion.
"What do you estimate as to the length of submersion, based on the bloating of the tissue?" Grissom continued, wincing as he eyed Greg's distress in staring at the vest's nameplate.
David inhaled before speaking.
"Based on similar cases of waterlogged decomps, I think it's fair to say – three days."
Three days.
The words stunned Grissom as his eyes flicked first to David then down to the body that lay next to the gurney.
Three days.
Oh. My. God.
Sara.
Gil was stunned immobile as Brass was already barking into his phone to have a unit sent over to the Grissom residence as backup for CSI Stokes who was enroute.
