Alison stood in front of Greg at the airport.
"You know I don't have to go." Alison looked over at the security line.
"Go have fun. See Nick Henry and Hodges testify in the case.
I'll see you next week." Greg kissed her.
"I love you, and I can't wait to marry you." Alison smiled.
"Neither can I."
Greg walked out of the airport.
"Grego," Nick called out, running over to him. Greg smiled, setting his bag down so he could hug him and Hodges.
"So, if we want to get to the food, then we need to leave." Greg picked his bag up.
"Lead the way I don't have to testify until Monday, so I'm all yours."
Greg sat in the front seat while Nick drove. Hodges and Henry were sitting in the back.
"So how's Alison," Nick asked, looking over at him.
"She's good. I can't believe that we're getting married in a few months." Nick smiled over at him.
"I'm happy for you moving to New York seems like it was the right decision. Can't say we don't miss you." The car bounced on the dirt road.
"You know theirs a full moon tonight, so every nut job in the state will be out," Henry said, growing tired of being in the car. To be honest, Greg was tired too. Nick said he knew this place that had great food. Greg was just glad to be out in the middle of nowhere.
"I'm surprised, Henry. There is absolutely no statistical evidence linking lunar cycles to an increase in irrational," Hodges said, but Greg's eyes were on the road in front of them.
There was a red convertible swerving in the road coming toward them. "That would want criminal behavior." The car continued toward them.
"You sure about that," Nick yelled as he wrenched the wheel to the right. Their car hit a berm rolling over the side. Greg closed his eyes as pain flooded him. He looked down at his arm. He could feel that it was broken though it wasn't bent strangely, so it probably wasn't a complete break. Nick crawled out of the car. While Henry and Hodges got out the back. Greg's door was smashed shut.
"Is everyone alright," Nick called out.
"My ankle is sprained," Henry said Nick noticed that Greg hadn't moved. He leaned in the car, looking at him.
"You alright, Greg." Greg moved to shake his head. A wave of nausea hit him.
"No, my arm is broken." He said through gritted teeth. Nick gave a small nod looking him over.
"You also cut her forehead." He stood back up. "Hodges help Greg on the other side." Hodges ran around to Greg's door. The window was broken. With the use of his good arm and their help, Greg was able to pull himself out of the car. Nick looked at the car.
"Man, I rolled that bad boy, didn't I." They all looked at the now totaled car letting out a small laugh. "Anybody get cell serves." They all pulled their phones out and let out a sigh of disappointment.
"It doesn't really matter Haries is maybe about a mile up that way if we walk it," Henry said.
"Here, let me help you." Hodges help situate Greg's bad arm. While Nick grabbed flashlights out for everyone. He and Greg checked their gun before turning to walk down the long road.
They continued well into the night before finally reaching a building with a bright neon singe of a pig on it.
"Gentlemen, we have arrived," Nick said.
"Finally, I thought you said It was a mile away," Hodges said to Henry. Nick walked up to the door, trying to open it, but it was locked, and there was a closed sign on it.
"Close by the public health organization," Nick said.
"Great, you were all going to give me food poisoning on my trip," Greg said through gritted teeth.
"Still no signal," Hodges said, checking his phone.
"There's a working phone inside let's take a look around."
Nick said, leading them to the back.
"How's your arm," Hodges asked, noticing Greg's pained expression.
"Not gonna lie. I wish we had just gone to dinner at the diner."
"I think we got a dead body," Nick called out. They all walked over to the broken window where Nick was standing. Nick and Greg crawled in gun's drawn followed by Hodges that was holding the light for Greg and Henry, who limped over to the body.
"It appears this man has a large raccoon sticking to his face."
Henry said, describing the scene.
Nick used a napkin to grab the gun in the vics hand.
".357 no blood pool around the body no apparent entry wounds no signs of decomp. This is a recent event fellas." Nick said to them.
"The entire upper half of his body looks like it was singed"
Greg said his mind thinking over the possible causes.
"Hey, let's roll him," Nick said, looking at Hodges.
"Oh no, I...I'm not a coroner." Nick rolled his eyes.
"I'll help you," Greg said, putting his gun way, getting to the other side of the body.
Nick pulled the body forward while Greg used his good arm to direct it Hodges shined the light on the Vicks back.
"No apparent entry wound on the posterior aspect, either." Greg described.
"Maybe that raccoon lept though that window ninja-style before this guy could shoot it. It landed on him and chewed his face off." Henry suggested. "Well, maybe we should call it in. Oh, that's right; we've got no reception." Nick ignored him, looking at the window.
"Well, it looks like something propelled them both through that window at a high velocity. Alright, I tell you what Greg you and Hodges take a look around outside I'm going to clear the building see if I can find a phone if you're up to that. Henry stay with the body." Nick said, standing up.
"Hey, wait," Henry said, stopping them. "Sanders is the Detective here. He technically outranks you now." Greg held up his hand.
"Not in the eyes of Las Vegas. I'm still just a CSI here." Nick gave him a small smile as they headed out of the building. Greg and Hodges walked over to some large mettle cylinders. Hodges flashed a light on a large container.
"Compressed ethylene gas" He reached down, grabbing something. "Used box of matches. Somebodies been playing with fire."
"Gee, I wonder who." Greg looked in one of the containers. "Gnawed bones and trash at the bottom of the barrel."
"Raccoon bait." They stood up, looking at each other then over at the window. "Really well, let's go tell them." The two of them walked back into the restaurant. "Mystery solved…" Hodges trailed off at the sight of a stranger pointing a gun at Henry. Nick was standing behind him with his gun drawn. The man pointed his gun up at them. Greg drew his forced to used his bad hand to cock it. Hodges held up his hands.
"Who are you." He yelled at them.
"I just work in the lab," Hodges said.
"Detective Sanders," Greg said.
"We're crime scene investigator," Nick called out from behind. "Greg and I are going to reach into our pockets and show you our badges." Greg moved his bad hand, pulling it out. The man looked at it then over at Nick's "There you go no need to panic."
"Yeah, tell that to Gomez." The man said, glancing at the body.
"Give me the shotgun," Nick said again.
"You all cops." They all nodded at the man. He lowered the gun, handing it over to Nick. Greg lowered his weapon, uncocking it with some effort.
"Sir, I think we can explain what happened to your friend.
You see, it looks like he baited the pip outback to lure the raccoons filled it this ethylene gas and then tied to ignite it." Greg started to explain his bad hand spasmed, and he sucked in a breath. Seeing this Hodges continued.
"Unfornitly, he didn't see that the gas was pooling at the bottom, so when he resorted to other methods…" Greg nodded at Hodges.
"It was an accident." The man looked over at the body.
"That's Raccoonzilla. How did you get here so fast I saw Gomez not less than an hour ago."
"We were here for the ribs. We're off duty," Nick said.
"Well, I was the handyman. I'm the night watchman now."
The man explained.
"Do you have a car," Hodges asked. A light flashed in the window.
"Somebody's coming," Greg said.
"That be Shirley Harry's wife." Nick turned to the man.
"Where is Harry anyways."
"I'd better let Shirley tell you." They walked out to find a very drunk woman leaving behind the convertible that ran them off the road.
She walked right past them without saying a word. Greg looked at the car.
"You go find out what she know's I'll see if I can get this working." He walked over to the car. Shirley had run into the fens when she arrived. Hodges walked over next to him.
"You don't think this is acuity going to still work." Greg looked at him, whipping some blood off his nose.
"No, but it's worth a shot. From the smell of things, I'm not surprised she only nearly killed someone." He looked down at his hands; they were shaking slightly as the anger inside him build.
"I'm sorry," Hodges said.
"I know this must be hard." Greg peered at the engine, trying not to think about his parents.
"Thanks, but you can tell Nick this thing isn't running anytime soon."
"You sure you want to be left alone." Greg nod.
Henry Hodges and Greg sat at the Bar while Nick looked for a radio. Shirley was talking, but Greg wasn't paying attention to her. Hodges had helped him create a sorta splint for his arm, but it still hurt and wasn't getting any better. An idea coming to him as Shirley grabbed another bottle.
"If I can't find a phone I'm going to make one." Greg stood up. "Keep an eye on her." He said needing some space in between him and the lady. Greg walked into the kitchen. He placed the flashlight in his mouth, checking the phone on the wall with his good hand. Glancing around the kitchen, he spotted some wires sticking outside a toolbox. Disconnecting the phone from the wall, he looked at it.
"This could work." He ran and found Nick. "I got an idea, but you're not going to like it."
They walked out to the phone pull.
"So, you think this can work," Nick asked as Hodges followed them.
"Yeah, all we gotta do is go up the pole and clip these taps into the mainline." Nick grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Then why don't Hodges or I do it your arm is broken and getting more and more swollen." Greg glanced down at his arm. He wasn't wrong.
"Because I've done this before, and if you do it wrong, we'll have more than one body to deal with." Nick gave a small nod looking over at Hodges. They lifted Greg to the fist hook. He grabbed it with his good hand. He slowly made it up the pole to the box at the top. Greg took a deep breath opening the box. He pulled his flashlight out of his pocket then the phone. While his good arm held him into place. His arm was trembling as the pain got worse. There was a woman on the other end talking, but Greg was having a hard time focusing.
"Excuse me. This is an emergency." He said, trying to get through to her. She counted to talk, and Greg switched the line finding a dial tone. He quickly dialed the lab.
"Willows." The familiar voice coming across the line.
"Oh, Cathrin." He said as relief filled him. "Hey, it's Greg. You're not going to believe what happened." He was talking fast, giving her the information. He hung up, looking down at Nick.
"You good, Greg." His friend called up.
"I'm starting to get dizzy," Greg called back as he slowly made his way down. When he reached the bottom, he swayed. Hodges steadied him, looking at his eyes.
"Nick, come look at this." Nick looked into their friend's brown eyes.
"How long have you had a headache." Greg shrugged his shoulders. "How long, Greg."
"Since the car, I think I hit my head on something." Nick closed his eyes.
"Greg, your left eye is slightly dilated. You might have a concussion." Greg shook his head, then a wave of nausea filled him. He bent over. "Hodges, we need to get him inside." Hodges gently grabbed his arm. Greg let out a deep growl as he bumped his arm. They got him in the restaurant easing him into one of the booths. Nicky explained what was going on with the others.
Henry stood up, walking over the sink.
He let out a loud scream. Greg and Hodges ran over to him. Greg using the counter to steady himself.
"What happened?" He called out.
"It's sulfuric acid," Henry called out.
"Put your hand underwater," Nick called out, running over to the fire pit. Greg grabbed Henry's hand, plunging it into the water. Nick dumped the coal into the water. Henry cries lessened.
"Go get some more," Greg said. Hodges slowly took Greg's place so he could lean against the counter. The sudden exertion wasn't helping him.
"Wow, what do we have here," Nick called out. They looked over at him and found him holding a skull. "Check it out, guys." Nick walked over to Shirley and the man. "You want to tell me who this is." Greg's knees gave out slightly. Hodges grabbed his shoulder.
"Go sit down will get everything back to the city and can get you looked at." Greg didn't say anything walking over to one of the chairs sitting down with a thump.
Greg sat at the table in the coffee room at the lab. His arm was in a temporary case until the swelling went down. All he wanted to do was to go to sleep, but his concussion was preventing that. Nick was going to keep an eye on him, so he had to stay at the lab until he got off. Nick walked in, sitting down next to Greg.
"Here's the situation. They're both accusing the other."
Greg rubbed his forehead. "Could be either one or both."
"So far, there is no evidence that suggests either of them actually did it," Greg growled out.
"It could even be somebody else entirely," Nick replied, rasing his glass of coffee. Greg would give anything for a cup. His eyes were having a hard time staying open.
"My money is on someone else altogether," Henry said, walking in with his crutch under his arm.
"What do you got there," Nick asked as Henry sat down, setting a folder down.
"A postcard Harry sent Shirley after he was dead, Which is why I had Mandy print it—and get this: She got a hit for Gomez's mother a 60-year-old in Boco Rattan. So I ran the handwriting through Q.D. It was an excellent Forgery. It was good enough to fool Shirley git a check and empty their bank accounts." Greg looked at the card.
"But wait, where did you…" Greg started before he was cut off.
"An example of Harry's handwriting? From his bank." Nick held up his hands.
"Time, you let me get this straight. Gomez, a convicted forger, wrote the postcard sent it to his mother, who then mailed it back to Shirley all the way from Florida?" Henry snapped his fingers.
"Yes, see it's a deliberate attempt to obscure the details of Harry's death. See, I think Shirley really believed Harry ran out on her."
"But why...why would Gomez…" Henry cut Greg off again.
"Kill Harry? I don't know." Nick held his cup up.
"I bet Harry knew Gomez was on the lam and was using it to keep him under his thumb."
"Seem reasonable to me." Greg's phone rang; it was Alison. Nick and Henry left him alone.
"Hey Greg, I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you. Mac had me running a double, and I just got to charge my phone." Her voice was light, and Greg had to turn the volume down. "What going on, did you get…" Greg cut her off.
"Ally, I was in an accident." The phone was silent. Greg closed his eyes; this was not how he wanted to do this. "We were driving and ran off the road."
"Is everyone alright." Her voice was cold.
"Hodges and Nick have some cuts and bruises. Henry sprained his ankle." Greg tapped his foot on the ground.
"And you." Greg took a deep breath.
"I have a small concussion, and I broke my arm." There was a slight sniffle on the other end. "I'm fine, Alison."
"Do you want me to come out there." Greg was slightly surprised by the offer. He knew Alison Loved him and would do anything, but things like this brought up bad memories.
"No, but you can give me a ride home from the airport when I get back in town." Alison let out a small laugh.
"I was going to do that anyway. But really, Greg, you know I'm here for you." Greg took a deep breath fighting the emotions.
"I know, and I love you, but I'm fine." They talked for a little while longer before Alison had to go. Nick walked back in, seeing that he's gone.
"How'd she take it." Greg rubbed the back on his neck.
"She took it better than I thought she would. I texted Danny, her older brother, to let him know. He said he'd keep an eye on her." Nick looked at him.
"Can I ask you a question." Greg gave a small nod.
"Yeah." Nick shifted slightly.
"From what I've heard, She has a past." Greg looked up at this. It wasn't common knowledge. "Is it as bad as it seems." Greg looked down at his hands.
"It's not good. Enough to be glad that she wasn't here." Nick furrowed his brow. Greg lifted his arm. "He shot her and left her hooked up to a heart monitor so she could watch herself die."
Nick's jaw clenched.
"Man, I can't imagine getting over something like this." Greg smiled.
"She's the strongest person I know, and I'm lucky that she loves me."
Nick looked at him.
"But it must be hard." Greg smiled.
"If that's what it takes to spend the rest on my life with her, then I will gladly do it." Nick smiled at him.
"I would have never thought the Lab tech listing to rock music would have said something like that." Greg laughed.
"Well, New York has a way of changing you."