Title: Family - chapter 4 - Questions

By: CSI-Sleuth

Rating: G

Summary: Grissom has more questions about his father's reported death.

Authors Note: The characters aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them for a little creative diversion. This is a work in progress. Feedback is encouraged.

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After a few more beers and many more glorious innings of baseball, Gil reluctantly went back to the hotel. He flopped down on the couch and thought about the last 24 hours. Ever since that question "What do you know about your father?" he'd been out of sorts. Every time he thought he was walking towards an answer, there was a bend in the road that took him somewhere else. He knew if he could just sit down and sort it all out, something so very routine for him, he could figure it out. He hadn't counted on the emotional aspect of this case. Emotional involvement in a case - that was definitely foreign territory.

He replayed everything from the beginning. He knew there was something he'd overlooked. Something that didn't fit. What was it Quinn had said in his office? A body in the water near Norfolk. Drowned. Parasitic infection. Body dumped from a.

Gil suddenly sat up. That was it. In the office bedroom he found some paper and a pen. He sat back on the couch and started taking notes.

1. How did Quinn know the body was dumped if the ME ruled the death a drowning?

He thought back over the findings in the case file. He couldn't remember the fact he was searching for. Another question appeared on the pad.

2. Was the water in the lungs salt or fresh?

Then there was that unanswered question from the plane:

3. Why did Quinn, former CIA director, come for me?

Grissom was on a roll now. He quietly contemplated as he continued to write down more questions. Each question seemed to lead to yet another.

4. With one of the best ME's in the country on the case why did they need me for the investigation?

Quinn could have easily brought the effects and a copy of the file to Vegas.

5. Quinn wanted me there for a reason, but why?

6. Did Quinn know about the false fingerprint card?

Quinn had certainly looked through his father's effects and knew about the handprint. So Quinn probably knows, but,

7. does anyone else at CIA know? Why the mystery? Why not just tell me my dad's alive but no one else is to know?

And there was something odd about that whole walk to the vault and back. He kept writing.

8. Why was it necessary to follow Quinn to the vault and observe that whole security procedure?

9. Who was the dead guy? Does Quinn know? Did Quinn have a part in the man's death? Was his death an accident or murder?

10. Just what is Quinn's connection to my father?

He thought back over the questions he and Kay had come up with earlier in the day and added a few of them to his list.

11. Cysts present in the brain and spinal cord?

12. Signs of a head injury?

13. Where did he go into the water? And how?

He looked back over his list to see if he'd left anything out. All of the other questions seemed moot as he added one more question.

14. Where is my father?

The last time he'd seen him had been the morning he went to Jimmy's. He was five. They were in California. He picked up his father's map of LA that Quinn had given him. It showed signs of wear. The copyright date on the front was 1956. As he opened it he noticed some tears along the folds. He placed the opened map on the coffee table in front of him. The roads and city names were very familiar. But there were a lot fewer of them on this map.

He traced his finger along the highways and began to notice some writing on the map. He adjusted his reading glasses and looked closer. He saw a star and the date '08/19/61' near the home he had shared with his mom. To the north was another star and the date '06/17/78'. The date of his college graduation. The date the photo was taken. He reached for the envelopes and one by one matched the stars and handwritten dates to the photos in the envelopes. He looked at the map, trying to see if there were any more clues. A little northeast of downtown LA he was sure he saw a star. He pulled out his magnifier. Sure enough there was a star, but no date. Grissom looked up and saw his own puzzled reflection in the window overlooking DC.

He got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen for some water. As he walked through the foyer he caught the site of something white out of the corner of his eye. He glanced towards the door. On the floor just inside the front door was an envelope. He was sure it hadn't been there when he walked in and he hadn't heard a sound since he'd been in the room. Well, he had been lost in thought and he'd been known to tune everything and everybody else out when he tried to solve a puzzle. He forgot about the water. He'd thrown his coat on top of the baby grand on his way in. He pulled a pair of gloves out of the pocket and picked up the envelope.

He examined the envelope as he headed back to the couch. It was very similar to the others. The same return address was in the top left corner, but there was no postmark and no stamp. This time it was addressed to 'Gil Grissom - Marriott Wardman - Washington DC'. The envelope flap was not sealed but tucked inside. He pulled the flap up. This time there was something with the photo in the envelope. First he looked at the photo. It was a Polaroid of him boarding the private jet in Vegas on his way to DC. That made him pause for just a moment. He wasn't sure if he should be scared or angry. He reached for the pad of paper.

15. Who is following me?

He finally looked at the second item in the envelope. It was a ticket. A ticket to a baseball game at Dodger Stadium for Friday.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He woke up the next morning knowing he and Kay had some results to go over and as much as the scientist in him wanted answers to all the questions, all that really seemed to matter was that his father was alive and he needed to be in LA by the end of the week. But before leaving DC, he had someplace he had to visit. The driver was due to meet him at 9 a.m. He'd make a stop before heading to CIA headquarters.

The car pulled up to the address he gave the driver and he noticed the place was deserted. It was located a good walking distance from all the main DC attractions on the Mall. He guessed not many people came over this way unless they knew where it was or had a reason to visit. Grissom had a reason.

He walked past the small reflecting pool and the lion guarding the low sweeping wall on the west side of the memorial. His eyes gazed at the names etched into the wall, each one representing an officer killed in the line of duty. He was at the National Law Enforcement Memorial. He walked past the names and saw the mementos left by loved ones and friends: flowers, flags, and an occasional letter. He reached the end of the wall and walked to the opposite side and started looking at the names. He wouldn't find the one he was looking for.

Technically, he wasn't a cop and neither was anyone on his team, or anyone who used to be on his team. It had been Holly's first night as a CSI. Brass was determined to have her running by the end of her first shift. Only she didn't end up running. She ended up dead.

Everyone had taken it very hard. It was the whole reason Sara had come to Vegas. She came in at a very difficult time for all of them and was given the task of investigating why Warrick had left Holly alone at the crime scene. He'd finally cleared Warrick and they all moved on, but there really didn't seem to be a sense of closure for any of them. He was hoping this visit would help him.

He was about halfway through the eastern wall when he saw her. She was on her knees, her finger tracing a name on the wall. Flowers lay at the base of the wall where she was kneeling. He slowly approached her and spoke softly, "Good men must die."

"but death cannot kill their names." The woman at the wall finished the quote for him.

He watched her rise to her feet, "I'm sorry to interrupt." He paused. "I'm also sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, but I didn't actually know him." She could see the questioning look on his face. "He was a friend of a friend. I've got a brother and a good friend in law enforcement. Both have colleagues, friends, with names on this wall. I come here to remember their friends and pray I never have to come back here to see their names etched on this wall. I'm not sure I could handle that."

"I know what you mean." This time it was her turn to have a questioning look on her face. "A colleague of mine was killed on the job last year. I hoped coming here would bring some closure."

This time it was her turn to say, "I'm sorry."

"Thanks." He knew he shouldn't ask the next question, but somehow it came out. "You want to grab a cup of coffee or something?"

"Thank you, but no. I have someplace I have to be." She paused just a moment. "This is a very peaceful place. A good place to reflect on things. I hope you find the closure you're looking for."

With that she walked off and left him staring at the names on the wall. He moved towards the southern end of the wall and found what looked like new etchings. He read the names and started to recognize a few. The stories were still so fresh. He knelt down in front of them and gently touched the names. They were heroes that day in September. Then he did something he hadn't done in a long time. He prayed. Prayed there wouldn't have to be any more names added to this wall. That no one else would have to sacrifice their lives for peace. He silently remembered Holly, and then got up and walked slowly back to the car. Before getting in he turned back towards the memorial. She was right it was a peaceful place. May they all rest in peace. He stood a little straighter and said aloud, "Holly, rest in peace."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He met up with Kay in the lab. "I've been getting to know your father. He has a very interesting story to tell." Kay looked at Gil and noticed a rather blank look on his face. "If you're not up for this, I completely understand."

"No, it's not that." Gil paused. "I'm sorry Kay, I need to get back home. I know we were going to work together on this, but something related came up." He reached into his coat pocket, "Here's my card. When you've found all the answers and filled all the holes, give me a call."

Kay took his card. "I will. Have a safe trip." Kay hesitated while Grissom nodded his head and turned to leave. She called out after him, "Gil, you may not like the answers either of us find."

Gil turned back to look at her, "I know that Kay. But we've both got to follow the evidence to wherever it takes us. Whether we like the answers or not." He gave her a half-smile and then leaned over and gave her a quick hug. "Thanks for your help. If you're ever in Vegas, stop in and say 'Hi'." Before she could reply he turned and walked off in the direction of Quinn's office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Grissom sat down in the chair opposite Quinn's desk and just stared at the man. He still wasn't sure how much Quinn knew. And if he did know, how much he could say.

"I hear you're leaving us. Did you get the answers you came for?"

"Enough." Grissom continued to stare at Quinn.

Quinn's eyes drilled into Grissom's, "As far as the CIA is concerned your father died in the waters off of Virginia." Quinn's gaze didn't change. "Is there anything else you need to know?"

Grissom shook his head. "No."

Quinn stood indicating it was time for Grissom to leave. Grissom followed his lead. "Roger is outside. He'll take you to the airport." Quinn hesitated before continuing, "I'm glad I finally got to meet you. I wish it could have been under better circumstances. Your father never forgot about you. Spoke about you all the time. The bright young boy who knew all about bugs and solved the unsolvable crimes. He is very proud of you."

Grissom blinked and a tear rolled down his cheek. Neither man looked at the other. The only thing Gil could say was, "Thank you." He was just about to open the door when Quinn replied, "Have a Dodger dog for me." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to be continued