Torn
By: Manigault
Rating: R
Category:CRGS
Disclaimer: They belong to CBS, Atlantic-Alliance, and Anthony Zuiker.
Grissoms' Office
12:00 am
"I have the search warrant you requested, Gil, for what it's worth."
Grissom paused in his reading to look up at Brass, his face contorted in a baffled expression. "For what it's worth? You don't feel the evidence speaks for itself?"
"I feel that you," Brass hesitated, thought of his talk with Catherine, then continued. "And Sara are speaking for the evidence."
"What part of this is bothering you, Jim?" Grissom closed the files he had been perusing and stood abruptly. "There is a direct link between the first victim and this latest victim, and the editor is right in the middle."
Brass stepped further into the room, closing the door as he did so. "I'm not arguing this with you, Gil." He shifted uneasily and glanced back at the closed door. "The truth is…" He squinted and looked over Grissoms head, to a spot someplace on the wall. "The truth is the FBI caught wind of the latest victim waking up and they are on their way here."
Tension spilled into the room. Grissom closed his eyes briefly, pressed the bridge of his nose, and then opened them to stare with accusing eyes. "You have spoken with the agents in charge and informed them of what we have learned?"
"I told you that I would do the best I could to give you some time, but when they called me and asked questions…." He let the sentence go unfinished. "They asked me to inform you that they will take it from here. They are meeting me at the Simmons Residence in the morning."
Brass scratched the back of his neck, trying not to feel guilty. He had spoken with Catherine about this case in detail before receiving the call from Agent Gibbes who had learned of the CSI involvement from a doctor that was attending Erin Monroe. At first, he thought about stalling the agents, and then as Agent Gibbes continued questioning him, he decided it best to fill her in on the details. Catherine had listened to the exchange with concern, but she did not call him on it, allowing him to break the news to Grissom. "You couldn't have learned that much more in one night, Gil."
"I suppose that's something that we will never find out." Grissom said, and then asked. "Does Sara know?"
Brass shook his head. "We thought that you could break the news."
'This should be fun.' Grissom told himself as he tucked his glasses in his pocket and left the room to find Sara.
Crime Lab
12:15 am
Sara held the sketch in both hands, studying the black and white image that stared back with fascination. The man was extremely handsome, with wavy brown hair and wide eyes that Erin had described as striking green. She didn't hear Nick when he walked into the room. A firm hand on her shoulder made her jump.
"Hey Sara," Nick repeated for the fourth time since finding her sitting in front of the computer, her attention focused on the sketch that lay on the keyboard in front of her. "There are easier ways to use that." The concern in his eyes belied the teasing tone in which he spoke.
Sara shrugged off his hand before speaking. "I can't help but wonder if this man could have kept track of Erin Monroe all those months and then taken the baby from her when the opportunity arrived. And why? What purpose could it serve for him to do this?"
Nick folded his arms across his chest, breathing a sigh of relief when Grissom walked into the room. With a subtle nod to Nick, Grissom shifted his attention to Sara who was staring back at him, her eyebrows furrowed. "Will you excuse us, Nick?" Grissom asked.
When they were alone Grissom walked around the desk and pulled out the chair next to Sara, who had turned her attention back to the sketch. "Sara?" He reached out to her with his voice, waiting for her response, frowning with the one he received.
Sara held up the sketch. "This is the man Erin Monroe described as Valerie's biological father. I keep wondering what his motive would be if he is the one that killed those women and harmed her?"
Clearing his throat, Grissom didn't look at the sketch when he spoke. "I spoke with Brass a few minutes ago, Sara, and he told me that the FBI has officially taken over this case."
Sara did not speak for several minutes. When Grissom walked into the room, she had sensed a change that sent warning signals to her brain, but even so she couldn't believe that their part was over. "Maybe we can work with the agents to find Byran Thompson." She finally suggested, putting the sketch down before turning to stare into his concerned eyes. "They will keep us informed won't they?"
"Unless Agent Gibbes has changed in the past few years, then I don't think she will welcome our involvement." Grissom thought of the no nonsense agent and unconsciously shivered. "She tried to close me completely out of the first case and did a fairly decent job of it. It was only through another connection that I kept tabs on the preceding victims."
"You would not have had that, if I had known." The voice that spoke from the door made both Sara and Grissom jump. They turned to find a female, late thirties, attractive, dressed in a close fitting suit that reminded Sara of some of Catherine's clothes, staring at them with a slight smile.
"Agent Claudia Gibbes," Grissom murmured, not bothering to stand and shake her hand. "Brass told me that you and your partner would be coming in tomorrow."
"I told him that we would be searching the Simmons residence tomorrow." Agent Gibbes smiled a bit wider, surprising Grissom. "I know that you and your team work nights and I wanted to question you before we go to the house."
Sara decided to take the chance and offer her assistance, ignoring the set look on Grissoms face as he started to protest.
Gibbes cut him off with another smile. "No thank you, we have a team that will handle all of the evidence." She looked at the sketch lying in front of Sara and reached out a hand for it. "May I see that, please? I assume that it is the suspect?"
"If you know so much, Agent Gibbes, then why are you here to question us? I suspect you got all the information you needed from Brass."
Gibbes took the sketch, barely acknowledging Sara's indignation. "I'm here to speak with Grissom, to gleam any information that he may have held out on." She looked back at Grissom. "May we speak in your office?"
Sara barely held her temper in check. "This is my case, Agent Gibbes. I know everything that Grissom knows."
Gibbes stared at her with a knowing look. "I've heard all about your…attachment to this case, Miss Sidle. I spoke with the victims attending doctor."
Confusion made her blink rapidly. She looked towards Grissom who appeared equally irritated as he kept his gaze on Gibbes. "I don't have any information that I have been…holding out on, but if I think of any I will call you."
"You don't understand, Grissom." The smile fled and her voice was steel as she continued. "Brass, Agent Curry, and Ecklie are waiting in your office as we speak."