Notes and Disclaimers are at the beginning of Chapter One.
Part Two - Gathering The Evidence
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Once the body had been released to the David Phillips from the coroner's office, Margie finished working on the scene. She hadn't called in backup from her shift. David would keep his mouth shut, and Vega would handle the cops. Margie rarely talked to anyone about her cases unless Ecklie ordered her to. And with Ecklie at a conference in Texas, leaving Margie in charge of the shift, no one else needed to know. Margie didn't want others questioning her actions while she was gathering the evidence.
Slipping the last evidence bag into the box she'd placed outside the bedroom door, Margie considered the man still sitting on the couch. Vega stood near him, but Margie ignored the detective. She was assessing Grissom as another piece of evidence, trying to determine what she would need from him to solve the case and placate those who would be reviewing her work. GSR test, definitely. DNA sample as well. His fingerprints were in the system already, and Vega would see to getting his statement.
Once they had his statement and she'd analyzed what she'd found in the bedroom, she'd know if she needed any other samples from Grissom.
Margie took the box out to her Tahoe and set it carefully into the back. She pulled out the trace metal analysis kit and the NAA kit from their box and walked back into the house. She set the NAA down on the floor near Grissom's feet and removed the aerosol can and black light from the trace metals kit.
"I need your hands," she told the older CSI.
Grissom's blue eyes looked up at her, hauntingly vacant and dazed. She'd seen that expression in other suspects before, when they realized what had happened and were trying to come to terms with it. Slowly, he held out his hands to Margie. She sprayed his hands and ran the light over them. Her facial expression didn't change, but Grissom's and Vega's did as it became painfully obvious that Grissom had held a gun in his right hand recently.
"Did you pick up the gun in the bedroom, Gil?" Detective Vega asked as Margie handed him the light so she could photograph the results of the test. Grissom didn't say anything. He merely watched as Margie began preparing the neutron activation analysis swabs.
"I need your hands again."
Grissom nodded and let Margie do her job. The test came up positive for gunpowder residue. She avoided Grissom's eyes as she carefully packed the swabs away. She removed another swab for the DNA sample. Grissom made no protest, simply letting Margie take the sample. When she was done, he leaned heavily against the couch, the odd expression still in his eyes.
Detective Vega pulled Margie off to one side. "I don't know what do to…"
Margie thoughtfully chewed on her lower lip. "It's looking bad for him, Sam, but let's not do anything irreversible just yet. I haven't finished processing the house. Take him and get his statement, but I don't want to ruin his life unless I have no choice."
Sam nodded and walked back to Grissom. The CSI stood up unsteadily, swaying a little as he walked to the front door. Detective Vega reached out an arm to stabilize the other man. Margie watched from the doorway. It almost looked like Grissom was drunk, though she hadn't smelled any alcohol. She made a mental note to get a blood and urine sample from him later. When the two men had left for the station, Margie turned to finish her work in the other rooms of the house. But from what she had seen, there would be no evidence to clear Grissom.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Part Two - Gathering The Evidence
*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Once the body had been released to the David Phillips from the coroner's office, Margie finished working on the scene. She hadn't called in backup from her shift. David would keep his mouth shut, and Vega would handle the cops. Margie rarely talked to anyone about her cases unless Ecklie ordered her to. And with Ecklie at a conference in Texas, leaving Margie in charge of the shift, no one else needed to know. Margie didn't want others questioning her actions while she was gathering the evidence.
Slipping the last evidence bag into the box she'd placed outside the bedroom door, Margie considered the man still sitting on the couch. Vega stood near him, but Margie ignored the detective. She was assessing Grissom as another piece of evidence, trying to determine what she would need from him to solve the case and placate those who would be reviewing her work. GSR test, definitely. DNA sample as well. His fingerprints were in the system already, and Vega would see to getting his statement.
Once they had his statement and she'd analyzed what she'd found in the bedroom, she'd know if she needed any other samples from Grissom.
Margie took the box out to her Tahoe and set it carefully into the back. She pulled out the trace metal analysis kit and the NAA kit from their box and walked back into the house. She set the NAA down on the floor near Grissom's feet and removed the aerosol can and black light from the trace metals kit.
"I need your hands," she told the older CSI.
Grissom's blue eyes looked up at her, hauntingly vacant and dazed. She'd seen that expression in other suspects before, when they realized what had happened and were trying to come to terms with it. Slowly, he held out his hands to Margie. She sprayed his hands and ran the light over them. Her facial expression didn't change, but Grissom's and Vega's did as it became painfully obvious that Grissom had held a gun in his right hand recently.
"Did you pick up the gun in the bedroom, Gil?" Detective Vega asked as Margie handed him the light so she could photograph the results of the test. Grissom didn't say anything. He merely watched as Margie began preparing the neutron activation analysis swabs.
"I need your hands again."
Grissom nodded and let Margie do her job. The test came up positive for gunpowder residue. She avoided Grissom's eyes as she carefully packed the swabs away. She removed another swab for the DNA sample. Grissom made no protest, simply letting Margie take the sample. When she was done, he leaned heavily against the couch, the odd expression still in his eyes.
Detective Vega pulled Margie off to one side. "I don't know what do to…"
Margie thoughtfully chewed on her lower lip. "It's looking bad for him, Sam, but let's not do anything irreversible just yet. I haven't finished processing the house. Take him and get his statement, but I don't want to ruin his life unless I have no choice."
Sam nodded and walked back to Grissom. The CSI stood up unsteadily, swaying a little as he walked to the front door. Detective Vega reached out an arm to stabilize the other man. Margie watched from the doorway. It almost looked like Grissom was drunk, though she hadn't smelled any alcohol. She made a mental note to get a blood and urine sample from him later. When the two men had left for the station, Margie turned to finish her work in the other rooms of the house. But from what she had seen, there would be no evidence to clear Grissom.
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