Tina's announcement crackled through the interview room. Sara closed her eyes on a wave of nausea that threatened to send her sprinting from the room. She couldn't do that. Not here. Not now. Tina needed her here.
Her eyes shot open again, and the sickness settled into a burning lump as Brass said softly, "Tina Collins, I'm placing you under arrest for murder. You have the right…"
The rest faded into the background as Sara's mind raced. Tina had confessed – without the attorney Sara had suggested at the group home. There had to be something else Sara could do to help, though. Sara wasn't willing to give up and leave Tina at the mercy of the legal system. Unfortunately, she hadn't been in Las Vegas long enough to make any contacts in the legal community. Forcing herself to stand, she murmured, "Cath, can I see you outside?"
Catherine frowned and peered at Sara intently. "Are you OK?" Her eyes narrowed, and Sara could almost feel her gaze as it raked up and down her body. "Another headache?"
Headache didn't begin to describe the pounding in Sara's head. "Not exactly." Not saying anything more, Sara walked carefully around the room to the door and slipped into the hallway. If Catherine didn't follow, she'd have to come up with another solution. Maybe one of her old friends from San Francisco knew a good lawyer in Vegas.
As Sara reached for the cell phone in her pocket, Catherine came out of the interrogation room. "Sara, if it's another…"
"Cath, I'm fine." Sara said, cutting off Catherine's concerned comment. It was an overstatement; she wasn't anywhere near fine. However, Sara needed to get them on the right topic. "I do need your help, though. Or…Tina does. I normally have the names of some good criminal lawyers. Right now, all mine happen to live in San Francisco."
Eyes widening, Catherine gripped Sara's arm and led her down the hall to the observation room entrance. Once inside the tiny room, she released Sara and paced. "If Grissom heard you say that, his head would explode. You can't get involved."
***
Catherine could tell her words weren't welcomed. Sara stiffened and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why not? The evidence is already tagged, and Brass was there to witness the confession. It's not like anyone can say I tampered with the evidence or was biased in my conclusions."
"Really?" As much as she understood Sara's need to help Tina, Catherine knew she had to keep Sara from making a huge mistake. "Any good defense attorney is already going to be looking at you."
When Sara flushed and then went pale, Catherine stopped. "Why would you say that?" Sara's question was husky and strained. "They don't have any reason to 'look at me.'"
Filing Sara's reaction away for later discussion, Catherine continued. "We normally move off the evidence, Sara. You? It's like you're psychic. How did you know that I should take those photos of Brenda? How could you even begin to suspect the abuse?" She held her hands out, palm up. "You have to explain how you knew what happened in that house – before we found the evidence."
Sara's arms tightened around her body, and Catherine waited for an answer.
It didn't come. Catherine took a deep breath and felt an ache in her chest. She had too many years on the job. The questions she'd thrown at Sara and the scene in the interview room with Tina were slowly starting to make sense.
Catherine wished they didn't.
Trying not to put Sara further on the defensive, she tried to explain her thinking. "Look, honey, the only way we can help Tina is through the evidence. You should know that." Catherine watched through the mirror behind Sara as a deputy cuffed a still-crying Tina. "Whatever you did at your old job – it doesn't happen here. Grissom is all about the facts." She searched for words as she continued. "If you've…seen a case like this one…" Catherine saw Sara flinch away from her words. "You can use the experience to steer you in the right direction. At the end of the day, though, your report – and the evidence – has to connect in a nice, neat, straight line."
"That's bullshit!" Sara snapped. "The evidence we have will bury Tina. We've done our job, Cath. The only thing left is to write the damned report. Why would anyone think we weren't objective because we gave Tina the name of a good lawyer?" She spun and faced the mirror, one hand pressed so hard against the glass Catherine saw the muscles in her arm bunch.
"Bullshit or not, that's the job." Swallowing the sour taste in her mouth, Catherine walked forward and placed a hand on Sara's shoulder. Sara trembled under the touch and the hand on the mirror closed into a fist. Catherine refused to back away. "Sara…" How much should she push?
Before she could answer that question, Sara whispered, "They deserve a chance, Cath. Tina and Brenda deserve a chance." Her head turned, and the tears in her eyes hit Catherine like a bullet to the chest. "If we don't do anything, we're no better than Mrs. Collins – looking the other way while the system rapes them."
Now it was Catherine's turn to flinch. Pushing the image of Brenda's haunted eyes and bruised body out of her mind, she repeated Grissom's favorite phrase automatically. "The only way we can help is through the evidence." Then Catherine grimaced. She wasn't Grissom, and his policy might work in a courtroom – or his tidy little lab. This case, though… Catherine knew she'd never sleep again if they didn't do something to help Tina.
She felt Sara watching her. "Cath?" The question was tentative. Sara turned so she faced Catherine again.
"Give me a minute." Opening her cell phone, Catherine dialed a number from memory. She planned the conversation as the phone on the other end began to ring.
After a few seconds, a husky voice mumbled, "Yeah?"
"John?" Catherine smiled slightly as she spoke into the phone. "It's Catherine."
The smile widened at his reply. "My God, Cat. It's been what? Five years since you remembered my number?"
"I know it's been a long time. My fault. The new job and Linds eat up all of my time. Listen…" Catherine didn't want to lose track of the real reason for her call. "I hate to spring this on you, but I've just finished a hell of a case. It's right up your alley," she said quickly. "And I need your discretion, too. I'm calling off the record." No need to get Grissom up in arms if she didn't have to.
"I've never betrayed a confidence, Cat. It's part of the job. What have you got?" John's voice took its cue from Catherine's information. The husky, suggestive edge was gone. He was all business now, and she pictured him propped against the pillows with the notebook and pen from his nightstand.
Wandering across the interview room, Catherine filled him in on Tina's situation. "I can't give you much. You'll have to read the official reports for that." Skipping the details of the case, Catherine touched on Tina, Brenda, and the abuse they'd suffered. "Think you can help?"
There was no immediate response. Finally, though, a sigh drifted out of the phone. "I've been doing this for far too many years, and I'm still sickened by what people can do to their kids," John said. "You know I'll take it. You wouldn't have called otherwise."
Very true. Catherine felt the knot in her stomach loosen. "Let's just say I was hoping." As her tension eased, a yawn slipped out. God, she was tired. "I owe you one."
"No counting, Cat. I don't think either one of us can count that high. Get some sleep. Knowing you, you've been running on adrenaline and caffeine. I'll see you in court." The phone went dead as he hung up.
With her mission accomplished, Catherine closed the phone. "Hope you're happy, Sara. I dug deep into my…" The words trailed off as Catherine turned to find Sara missing from the interview room. "What the hell?" She'd compromised her own ethics to make that call, and Sara didn't even hang around for the results? Stifling a frustrated growl, Catherine strode into the hallway and peered up and down.
No Sara.
Fed up with Sara's inconsistent behavior, Catherine shrugged and headed for Grissom's office. He, at least, would be where she expected. Sure enough, when she poked her head around the doorframe, Grissom sat behind his cluttered desk, engrossed in a forensics journal. "Gil."
His head snapped up. "Cath," Grissom echoed. Then, as if reading from a cue card, he added, "Nice work on the Collins murder. Jim called and said they'd booked the older girl and her boyfriend."
He said it as if it were good news. Catherine's muscles stiffened at that. "Yeah. Thanks. Sarfa and I thought there might be an accomplice." John was going to have his hands full. She rubbed the back of her neck and changed the subject. "I'm taking Sara home, and we'll do the paperwork in the morning. I'm afraid if I try to type anything tonight, a rookie PD could find the mistakes."
One of Grissom's eyebrows rose over the frame of his glasses. "Cath, we really need to get the reports filed. The Sheriff is already mad about the mix-up with the cult." A tiny smirk tilted his lips. "He's asked that we keep him informed more quickly."
"I bet." Catherine shook her head. "He should be thrilled that I'm waiting to write until after I sleep for at least twelve hours. Another bad press conference and his hopes of re-election will be shot. See you tomorrow." With a wave of one hand, Catherine retreated and resumed her search for Sara.
Twenty minutes later, she was still alone – and fending off waves of worry. Sara hadn't looked well after the interview. Surely she hadn't tried to drive home…
She was considering calling Nancy to see if Sara was there when Warrick walked up next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Cath? You alright? Greg said you've been stalking up and down the hall frowning. It'll give you wrinkles," he teased.
"And God knows, I have enough of those already." Winking up at him, Catherine tried one last time to locate Sara. "I'm beat, 'Rick, and I've got one foot out the door. Have you seen Sara? I was hoping to share a ride home." She tried to keep the words casual.
His answer was immediate. "I saw her heading out a while ago. She said she needed to clear her head after the case." Now Warrick was the one frowning. "You know, maybe I should have stopped her or something. She didn't look too good."
The news wasn't a shock. "The case was a real bitch," Catherine explained. "If I didn't have Linds to go home to, I'd be hitting the first bar I drove by for a drink or three." Her concern over Sara intensified, but Catherine reminded herself that Sara was an adult. She could take care of herself, and she knew how to reach Catherine or any of the team if she needed anything. "Thanks for the info. Looks like I'll be going home alone."
Warrick chuckled. "If you need company, there are a dozen guys right here who'd kill for a chance to make your trip less…lonely." He mock leered at her. "Might even include me on the list."
Catherine smacked him lightly in the stomach. "You couldn't handle me and you know it." Blowing him a kiss, she walked away. "And Greg?" she called over her shoulder. "He wouldn't last ten minutes."
She walked out of the building to the sound of Warrick's laughter.
The parking lot shimmered under the morning sun, and Catherine donned her sunglasses as she started the Tahoe. The stifling heat leached into her muscles. Fighting a need to close her eyes and nap in the SUV, Catherine determinedly left the lab and headed for home. Cranking the air conditioning up helped alleviate some of the exhaustion.
Hands tapping on the wheel to the song on the radio, Catherine scanned the restaurants lining the street. Breakfast sounded better now that she wasn't on the verge of falling asleep. Seeing golden arches up ahead, she put on her turn signal and checked the lane to her right.
That's when she spotted another black Tahoe parked in front of the Aces High bar and lounge.
Breakfast could wait. Changing lanes, Catherine forgot about an Egg McMuffin as she whipped into the bar's parking lot. The license plate on the Tahoe indicated it was Sara's. This couldn't be good – not with Sara's reaction to their case. Catherine found an empty parking spot and was already dialing Nancy's number as she hopped out of the SUV. "Hey, Nance," she told the answering machine. "I'm sure you saw the big murder on the news this morning. It was a long, long night. Sara and I are stopping for breakfast and a drink to unwind. Can you keep Linds this afternoon? I'll call when we get home to check in."