A/N: The final chapter! Thank you for reading. Thank you for your kind words.
In Search of Truth
Chapter 7
Six months later:
It was a perfect evening for a party; dry and cool with windows and doors open to admit outside air. Decorative hanging lights glittered like raindrops in sunlight while soft music drifted in the air providing a perfect background for gossip and laughter of guests. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres were being passed by a wait staff with an age and expertise of the best employees at Catherine's casino.
Sara had surrendered her children to others for a few hours as she caught a glimpse of her husband across the room. He was laughing, head thrown back, surrounded by a group of men he'd known for years. He held Ellie who was playing with his beard; her little fingers running across the soft fuzz on his chin, seemingly unaware of the noise around her.
A moment passed before his gaze flicked in her direction and a tilt of his head signaled he and his daughter were fine. She felt his warmth so palpably that fifteen yards between them did not exist.
"Sara!"
She turned to greet David Phillips and his wife; some of the happy shrieks from the pool came from their seven year old son and four year old daughter.
David said, "This is quite a party even by Catherine's standards!"
Laughing, Sara said, "It is—so many of the old crew—and a dozen kids!"
David's wife, Amy, asked about Sara's children and the three fell into an easy conversation about four year olds and the inherited genes passed to children. Sara found she was relieved to have this couple, who obviously loved their children, talk about the complicatedness of being parents.
As the hostess, Catherine glided and twisted and turned around the entertainment areas of her home. She and Lindsey, dressed in similar Chinese-red silk outfits, their golden hair swept up with curls framing their faces, exhibited a choreography that illustrated an uncanny awareness of each other's position at all times. The two women reminded Sara of crimson butterflies landing quickly before moving to another flower all the while giving full attention to their guests.
Eventually, Grissom came to her with a drowsy Ellie against his shoulder, and the party goers made their way onto the outside terrace that had been transformed into a relaxed and informal dining area with a dozen men and women dressed in bright plaid shirts and ten-gallon hats pouring wine and water without spilling a drop, grilling food on massive racks, and passing trays of bite-size food.
One of several baby-sitters appeared and took Ellie from Grissom's arms without a sound. Catherine led Grissom and Sara to a large table placed in the center of other tables.
Around the corner of the house, another party was occurring—one with balloons and finger foods that included marshmallows—for the children. And no child seemed to miss parents.
Sara let the conversation flow around her as trays of grilled vegetables, platters of roasted beef and smoked chicken, an amazing assortment of salads and fruits were passed from person-to-person, table-to-table. She was certain—by the look on her husband's face—that a platter of smoked oysters had stopped at his plate.
Everyone at the party had been involved in or knew details of the arrest and trial of Anna McCall and her husband. Anna would be sent to prison for a very long time; she had overlooked one detail in one of the dismissed cases. DEA had been involved, consequently theft of evidence became a federal crime.
Lou Vartann had gone after the husband first and found a hidden history of hacking into gaming computers. MGM had hired him rather than prosecute but when Detective Vartann and Sheriff Ecklie brought up the possibility of negative publicity, the MGM managers quickly cooperated. Two days later, Lahn had found evidence of a sophisticated back-door hack into the lab's video bank which was linked by a complicated path to the IP address of a computer owned by Anna McCall.
Anna, who had legally changed her name in Texas, was more difficult to convince she'd been discovered, eventually charged for mishandling of evidence which was quickly upgraded to federal charges. It would be years before she'd see blue sky again.
For both of them, federal officials were quick to add the request by Clark County judges to prevent internet access while sentences were served.
A small army of analysts, librarians, and technicians had descended on the crime lab to set right and reconstruct all damaged done by Anna. Several new procedures had been developed to safeguard physical and digital evidence—and there had been no further disasters, no media catastrophe.
All day, Sara had visited with friends, old and new. Lahn had been delighted to see her again and had filled her in on the details of the trial. Lou Vartann had spent several hours sitting near Catherine's pool going over the interrogation and arrest and trial information. While methodical with information, he made no secret of his satisfaction with the outcome.
The two people Sara had been most happy to see had nothing to do with the arrest of Anna McCall. Greg Sanders had returned from his far-away travels to regale everyone with the rare digs and discoveries in Greenland. He looked and sounded like the Greg of twenty years ago, excited, enthusiastic, and adorable; Sara knew he would not return to the lab.
Nick Stokes had arrived mid-afternoon and had spent several hours with Everett and Libby who loved their 'Uncle Nick' with boundless energy. Across the dinner table, his head was bent toward Grissom and Jim Brass as they quietly talked. Sara knew their conversation was about problems in the San Diego lab.
Earlier, she and Nick had walked in the desert garden surrounding Catherine's house. Her three children had played hide and seek, giggling and chasing each other, as the two adults talked about a past life.
The two men had been constant and loved friends for twenty years and, after all the years, Sara took time to tell each one how much their friendship meant to her; their unrelenting support had been bedrock to a young woman without a base.
At a much later hour, when most of the guests had departed and small children had been tucked in beds, Sara opened the door of Catherine's guest bedroom and found her young children sleeping soundly across the middle of the bed. She kissed each forehead and folded covers around each before heading into the spacious bathroom.
As she turned faucets, she smiled at her memories of their previous visit. The long hours of work at the courthouse followed by a soak in this tub had been a delightful repose in her life. As she shed her clothes, she giggled as she thought about the nights of tub-sex—they had talked about having one installed in their home; both knowing it was impossible in the tight space of their house.
Opening one of several bath oils, she sprinkled a few drops into the tub before she slipped into the deep warm water, steam rising from the lavender scented water.
She knew Grissom would talk for hours tonight; he, Jim, Nick, Greg, Ecklie, and Lou were enjoying Catherine's well-stocked liquor cabinet. She would likely be asleep with their children before he came to bed.
Stretching the length of the tub, she sank into the water so only her nose was above the water. Taking a deep breath, she felt her body rise and float. Slowly, she exhaled so her body sank and she reached for a bath pillow. She'd stay in the tub until the water cooled.
So, when the bathroom door opened, it was with a rush of pure gladness at the site of her husband. His eyes glowed with warmth, burning brighter as he came closer. His fingers were working on the buttons of his shirt.
A smile lifted the corners of his lips as he said, "I remembered this tub." When he leaned over her, she smelled the smokiness of his breath. Her lips met his in a kiss that tasted of expensive aged whiskey and in that moment, she knew life was far more interesting, more beautiful than she could ever have imagined on that long ago day she arrived in Las Vegas.
The End
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