Chapter 26

Catherine walked through the hall of the police department. Memories of all the times she had trod these halls flooded her mind. Interrogating suspects. Joking around with the detectives and uniforms. She had left the lab shortly after Sara had returned, offering to get the list of suspects from Lady Heather.

She could tell the younger woman was more worried than she let on. When she had told them what she and guys had discovered at the motel, Sara was almost shaking. Russell had agreed, instantly, to arrange a protection detail for Grissom. The supervisor even pushed Sara in taking one herself. Though all the evidence pointed to someone targeting Grissom, Russell couldn't ignore the fact that Adrian Kelly's fingerprints had also been found at Sara's home.

Finn had joined them, going over everything she had found at the scene. There wasn't much physical evidence, thanks to the fire and the fire departments efforts to control it. But Finn was able to get an idea of the pattern. Kelly started the fire in the kitchen, using gasoline as an accelerant. She surmised, if Kelly had truly wanted to harm Sara, he would have set the fire in the living room. Which was situated directly below the master bedroom. Or on the landing, with an uninterrupted path. Instead, the arsonist-turned-bomber set it in the kitchen. The other side of the house. And put barriers in place, which stopped the fire spreading further.

"It doesn't make any sense," the blonde CSI said, frowning at her findings. "Why set a fire, with someone in the house, without the intent to kill?"

Catherine remembered, with a smirk, Grissom's reaction to that little statement. He shot the woman the dirtiest look Catherine had ever seen him give someone. Finn looked shocked at the reaction, but Catherine and Sara caught each other's eyes. Trying not to laugh.

"It's a fair point," Sara said, shooting Grissom a glance out of the corner of her eye. "And it fits with the other crimes Kelly is suspected in. B&E's, robberies, but nothing being taken."

"Nothing?" Grissom asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"No," Russell said. "His prints were found at multiple crime scenes. Each one a robbery, but nothing had been taken. Just a lot of mess."

"Has anyone spoken to his wife yet?" Sara asked.

"No," Russell replied. "Brass asked her to come into PD. But with him at Desert Palms, I don't know if anyone has followed up."

"Has anyone heard anything?" Sara asked, her face concerned.

"Yeah," Catherine replied. "I spoke to his doctor. He's doing fine. Giving the nurses hell, but keeping them entertained." Sara and Grissom laughed a little at that. "He should be being released today, or tomorrow."

"Someone needs to contact the wife again," Russell put in, bringing the conversation back to the case at hand.

"I'll do it," Catherine offered. "I'll get the list of names from Lady Heather while I'm at PD, too."

So, now Catherine found herself strolling down her old hunting grounds. She had already spoken with Lady Heather, the dominatrix a little more communicative without Sara present. Catherine had the suspicion the brunettes silence was less because she didn't like the other CSI, but more to do with the fact that she was uncomfortable with her. Probably because Sara was the only one, with the exception of Grissom, who didn't see her for her career. To Sara, Lady Heather was a woman and not a dominatrix. A woman, no less, with history with her ex-husband.

Heather knew how to get under Sara skin, just like she knew how to get under anyone's. But the difference was, Sara knew how to get under Lady Heathers. And that was something the dominatrix couldn't let anyone know.

Catherine pondered the fact that, if Grissom weren't in the picture, the two women would probably get on quiet well. Despite the differences in their lifestyles, they were very similar in terms of intelligence and the way they saw people.

Officers greeted her as she passed, and Catherine felt a sense of homecoming as she walked down the hall. If there was one thing she released, from the moment she arrived, it was that she missed Las Vegas. Her mind wondered back to the last conversation she had with her boss. The request he made of her. The opportunity. She hadn't answered him yet, not sure, at the time, if it was something she wanted. But now…

Catherine was pulled from her thoughts when the unmistakable form of Lou Vartann rounded the corner. He stopped short when he saw her, an uncertain smile forming on his lips. Catherine's own mouth parted in a small grin and Lou walked over to her, stopping just a few feet away.

"Catherine," he said, his deep voice vibrating through her. Man, he was good-looking. Tall, taller than most, and muscular. His hair was now more grey than not. Broad nose, and a strong square jaw. Full lips, with the bottom protruding a little.

"Hi, Lou," Catherine replied, sincerely hoping she didn't sound as breathless as she felt. This was one of the reasons she had kept her previous visits to the station short. Not sure if she was ready to see him again. Catherine didn't regret the end of their relationship; he had wanted things she wasn't yet ready to give him. But she did miss him. Missed him more than she thought she would.

He was the first man, since Eddie, who had got her thinking about marriage again. About settling down. Even in her infatuation with Warrick, the ex-CSI had never imagined them married or settled. But with Lou…

Not only did she imagine it, she wanted it. But she was scared. Scared of history repeating itself. After all, when she met Eddie Willows, she thought he was a good man. Eddie wasn't an entirely bad man; he was a good father and Lindsey had adored him. Despite everything, Catherine had loved him. But he was a mess. High and drunk, even aggressive at times. A liar and a cheat. He was everything Lou Vartann was not.

Regardless, Catherine couldn't get that fear out of her head. Lou was ready for more, Catherine wasn't. So, it ended. They moved on. She had even moved away. She didn't regret it, but she did wish some things could have been different. If she had to make the same decision now, Catherine wondered if she would have followed the same path.

"How are you?" Lou asked. He looked her over, not in the predatory way most men do, but just trying to take her in. As if he was memorising every inch of her. He looked at her that way before she left, and Catherine had kissed him. Swiftly, on the cheek. "You look good."

"So do you," Catherine replied. Lou put his hands in his pocket, shrugging off the compliment. "So, what have you been doing with yourself?"

"Oh, not much. Same old. You know the drill," he said, looking up the hall. "I saw Linds the other day," he added. "CSI level one. You must be proud."

"Yeah," Catherine said, her smile now forming in full bloom at the thought of her daughter. Lindsey had just qualified as a CSI and was now starting out at the Las Vegas Crime Lab. Catherine made a mental note to thank Sara for taking the young Willows under her wing. Lindsey absolutely raves about the seasoned criminalist, and Catherine was glad there was someone there to look out for her. "It's still hard to believe sometimes," Catherine confessed.

"Well, it's no surprise really," Lou said. "She has her mothers' brains." Catherine only smiled. Lou opened his mouth to say something but closed it quickly when his phone chirped. He glanced down. "Nick and Greg are done with the scene and my warrants have come in for the financial records." He looked up at her. "I should go." For a moment, Catherine thought he would say something else, but he just nodded his head and moved past her.

She turned to watch him go. "Hey, Lou," she called, and he looked over to her. "It's good to see you." He smiled and continued on his way, not giving her a second glance. Something in her chest squeezed as she watched him leave, but she quickly shook her head and headed to the interview room. Pulling her focus back to the case at hand.

Molly Kelly was sat at the table. Her black hair pulled back in braids. Clear, dark skin free of any makeup and her eyers were puffy. As if she had been crying. Which, Catherine reminded herself, was very likely. Her husband had just died. Keeping that thought in mind, the FBI agent pushed the door open.

"Mrs Kelly? I'm Catherine Willows, FBI."

"FBI?" Mrs Kelly asked, looking up at her entrance.

"Yes, I'm consulting with LVPD on your husbands' case. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if that's alright?"

Mrs Kelly nodded, straightening in her chair, and Catherine sat opposite her.

"First of all, I just want to say I'm sorry for your loss."

"No, you're not," Mrs Kelly replied. "Adrian blew up a casino. He's a criminal. You're not sorry at all." Her voice was harsh and breaking. Catherine knew the young woman was not too far from tears once more.

"I am, Mrs Kelly," Catherine said, sincerely. "Whatever he did, he was still your husband."

"He was," the woman replied, a sob escaping her lips. "I loved him, more than anything." Tears welled up in her eyes and Catherine placed her folder on the table as Mrs Kelly reached into her handbag to bring out a tissue.

Catherine waited for her to wipe her eyes before continuing. She pulled out two photos, one of Lucy Jones and one of Patrick Smith.

"Mrs Kelly, do you know these two people?" Mrs Kelly shook her head. Catherine took out two more. Grissom and Sara. "What about them?"

"No," Mrs Kelly replied. "Were they involved in what my husband did?"

"They may be some connection," Catherine replied, evasively. "Mrs Kelly, do you have any idea why you husband would want to blow up a casino?"

"No," she said, shaking her head to emphasise the point. "He hadn't even stepped foot in one for almost three years."

"Why?"

"He had a gambling problem," Mrs Kelly confessed. "He even went to therapy for it."

"How long was he in therapy for?"

"Three and a half years. I thought it was helping, he was getting better. We both were."

"What happened?" Catherine asked, softly.

"A few months ago, his therapist shut down her practice and recommended Adrian continue his sessions elsewhere," Mrs Kelly said.

"And did he?"

"Yes," the woman responded. "He started to see a new doctor, that was when things started to change."

"Change how?"

"He was acting strange. Would get phone calls, sometimes in the middle of the night, and his whole behaviour would shift. It was like he wasn't even in the room." Mrs Kelly sniffed and wiped her nose with her tissue. "I couldn't reach him when he was like that. And when I asked him about it, he said he didn't know what I was talking about."

"So, what happened?"

"I told him I didn't want him seeing this new therapist, that it wasn't helping. But Adrian was adamant. He told me everything was fine and that the doctor was helping."

"What was the name of the doctor?" Catherine asked.

"Lucas Quinn. His practice specialises in addiction and hypnotherapy."

"Hypnotherapy?" Catherine's brows rose. Not entirely trusting her next thougt. Hypnosis was a bit of a stretch, but it could explain the strange behavioural patterns of each victim.

"Yes," Mrs Kelly continued. "Adrian told me Dr Quinn uses hypnosis to combat addiction."

"Thank you, Mrs Kelly," Catherine said as she shut the file and stood.

"Ms Willows," Mrs Kelly called as the red head reached the door. "I know what he did was wrong, but I knew my husband. He wasn't a violent man. I just don't understand why he would do such a thing."

"Neither do I, Mrs Kelly," Catherine replied.