XVIII - GREG
Greg was waiting in the lounge when Sara and Nick arrived later that evening.
"Hey Greggo! What's up?" Sara smiled as she saw the young lab tech. His hair was particularly atrocious this evening, sticking up at a dozen different angle.
"I found something! Have you seen Grissom?"
Nick looked up from the newspaper he had grabbed. "You mean he's not here?" He looked at his watch. "Shift starts in 15 minutes! Which brings me to this - what are you doing here so early?"
Greg grinned. "I wanted to finish running the prints. So, I came in two hours ago, and got to work."
"Brown-noser." Sara teased, sidling over to Greg and trying to snatch the file from his hand. "So, what did you find?"
"Unh-unh. No way, Sidle. I'll wait until Grissom gets here." Greg's grin was smug. Sara grinned back.
"It's not that easy, Greggo." She looked at Nick, who was slowly approaching Greg from the other side, smiling. "Nick's on my side!" She lunged at Greg again, laughing as he deftly twisted away and spun into the middle of the room.
"Nick? You think he can catch me?" Greg was laughing, holding the folder over his head. "Besides, no fair - two against one." He was backing up slowly as the other two CSIs approached him. "I think I'll just go back to my lab!"
"Children, children - what's going on here?" Warrick's deep voice coming from the doorway immediately behind Greg made everyone jump. Warrick grinned as he snatched the file Greg had been holding over his head from his hands, waving it tauntingly in front of him. "What's this, Greggo?"
"Greg got a hit on one of the prints, and he won't share it with us!" Sara's tone was teasing.
"I want to wait until Grissom gets here. C'mon Warrick, give it back!"
Warrick was grinning. "Grissom's not here yet? Shift starts in like 5 minutes. Where's Catherine?"
Nick and Sara looked at each other, grinning, but before they could offer a hypothesis, Catherine glided into the room. "I'm right here, Warrick. Why? Need me for something?"
Warrick's tone was teasing as he replied. "I always need you, Catherine, you know that. Did you see Grissom when you came in?"
Catherine hid her grin behind the cup of coffee she'd just poured for herself. "Yeah - I think he's in his office. He should be here any minute."
"Ah-hah! Got it!" Greg crowed, as he snatched the report back from Warrick. Warrick had forgotten he had it as he bantered with Catherine, and had let his hand drop low enough for Greg to get it. Nick, Sara and Greg were still giggling when Grissom walked into the lounge.
"Hey, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting. I had a couple of messages and a new case to pick up - Warrick, Nick and Sara - we've got a murder/suicide at 12001 Crisco Way - I want you guys to take it. Greg, you should be in the lab and -" his eyes fell on the folder Greg was holding. "What's that."
Greg grinned. "I got some prints from one of the writing samples. It matches prints on the letter and envelope." He handed the file to Grissom. "Oscar Fennil. The drummer from Killjoy, the band that played just before Meat Bullets went up. I've sent his writing sample for analysis against the letter - told them it was priority. Mindy says she'll have a work-up for you before 8:00 pm."
Grissom quickly looked at the report Greg had printed for him, smiling. "Do you know this guy, Greg?"
"A little. He used to be in a band with a friend of mine, but they dumped him - personality conflicts. He's an idiot. I - uhm - I spoke with Brass earlier and told him what I found - he and O'Reilly went to bring him in for questioning. They should be here soon."
Grissom looked at Greg in surprise. Greg looked pretty pleased with himself. He looked at the report again, shaking his head. "Good work, Greg. Do you want to help Catherine and I question him, or would you like to help the rest of the team process the murder/suicide?"
"You mean, I can go and do field work?" Greg grinned. "Really?" He looked at the rest of the team, and noted they were all smiling at him. "Wow. I'll go with them."
Nick clapped Greg on the shoulders. "Welcome aboard, man. It's about time!"
Grissom smiled at the semi-stunned expression on Greg's face. "It's long overdue, Greg. You're a great lab technician, and we could use your talents in the field. Starting today, I'll send you out on as many cases as the lab work will allow. Practical experience will be good for you. You are now officially a member of our field team." He held out his hand, smiling as Greg shook it firmly.
"Thanks, Grissom! I won't let you down."
"I know you won't, Greg. Congratulations - and get moving!"
* * * * *
The mood in the CSI-Tahoe was pretty upbeat as the four younger CSIs headed to the latest crime scene. Everyone was honestly very happy for Greg, and were making sure he knew it. Greg seemed to be in a daze.
"I can't believe this! What's gotten into him lately? All of a sudden, he's being nice to me."
Sara, who was sitting in the back seat beside Greg, squeezed his shoulder. "He's just learning to appreciate you more, Greggo. I think we all are."
"Yeah. That was a great idea you had about checking for prints. None of us thought about it, and we're the experienced investigators. Grissom might be a little hard to read sometimes, but he appreciates people who contribute - and you contribute a lot, Greg." Warrick had twisted in the front seat, looking into the back and smiling.
"I think after shift is over we need to go out for a breakfast celebration!"' Nick added, as he turned into the driveway of the crime scene. "Grissom can pay."
* * * * *
O'Reilly was sitting in the interview room with Oscar Fennil, who was not exactly pleased to be there. "C'mon man. What's the hold-up here? I'm supposed to be meeting some friends to jam later on - I'm gonna be late."
O'Reilly ignored him, and continued reading the paper. Grissom was watching him from behind the one-way mirror, and turned to Brass, sighing. "I wonder if Oscar's his real name, or if he's just called that because his hair is green?" He looked at the young man again. "Did he give you a hard time when you went to get him?"
"Not really. Pretty agreeable about it, as long as he gets to leave by 9:00. I told him we just had a couple of questions for him, nothing serious." Brass smiled at Grissom. "I heard about Greg."
Grissom cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah? Well, he deserves it. He's a good kid - and his hair might be messy, but at least it's not green or blue. I think he'll make an excellent CSI. He sure showed initiative with this fingerprint idea of his, and getting you to bring Oscar in so we wouldn't have to wait around to question him."
"And yet, that's exactly what we're doing. What are we standing in here for - let's go talk to him."
"I'm waiting for Catherine. She went down to analysis to see if we might be able to get the handwriting report. A little extra evidence, as it were." He smiled as the door opened and Catherine stepped in. "And here she is now. Anything interesting, Cath?"
Catherine sighed, walked over to Grissom and handed him the report. "Handwriting doesn't match. He didn't write the letter."
Grissom frowned. "Really. Well, if he didn't write the letter, he should know who did. His fingerprints are all over the place, so he definitely handled it. Let's move."
* * * * *
"No, man. Give me a break. Everyone liked them. Waters and Rivers - they were gods on the alternative scene. You know how many bands they helped out? They were always playing indies on their show - they really promoted us." Oscar was shaking his head at Grissom, disbelief in his voice.
"Well, be that as it may, they are both dead and so is Phillips. And now, Murdoch is too. We think it's all linked to the Battle of the Bands, and we found your fingerprints all over a letter that was sent to Phillips, and the envelope it was in as well. If you didn't send it, how did your fingerprints get all over it?" Grissom's voice was neutrally blank. There was something about this kid he didn't like. Maybe it was the way he kept leering at Catherine.
"I tell you, I didn't write any letter. I don't know why my fingerprints would be on it, but I didn't write it. Take a handwriting sample if you want to and compare. Besides, our band wasn't allowed to participate in the contest - we hadn't been together long enough."
Catherine responded. "And didn't that make you angry? We saw you guys play at the tribute the night Murdoch was shot. You were pretty good - although, the song you chose wasn't very PC."
Oscar grinned. "Alternative rock isn't supposed to be PC. Besides, it's a great song." He sighed. "Listen, I'm not going to lie to you and say we weren't upset that we couldn't compete, because we were. But, rules are rules. You know what I mean? So, if there's nothing else, can I go now? Or do you want a writing sample?"
Catherine looked at Grissom, who shrugged. Behind them, Brass grunted. "You can go - a writing sample is not necessary. But we might want to talk to you again, so stay in Las Vegas. And if you think of anything new, let us know."
Oscar stood and stretched, smiling smugly. "I doubt I'll think of anything. If I do, I'll call. Say hi to Greg for me." With that, he turned and sauntered out of the room. Grissom looked at Catherine, annoyed. "Something's not right here. His answers were too pat. And why would he offer to give us a handwriting sample? He has to realize we already have one."
"Then again, he could just be a cocky guy with a chip on his shoulder." Catherine smiled at Grissom. "He wouldn't be the first we've ever run across. You know what I thought was weird? He told us to say hello to Greg for him. Why would he do that? Greg didn't sound like they were great friends or anything - said he was an idiot. So why bring Greg's name into it at all?"
Grissom sighed, and started pinching between his thumb and forefinger. "I don't know. I just don't know. But I don't like it, Catherine. Not at all."
_______
Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews and suggestions. I do take all comments and ideas to heart, plus they give me ideas for other stories. Things are heating up in the case, and Greg may be the catalyst - so keep reading!
Greg was waiting in the lounge when Sara and Nick arrived later that evening.
"Hey Greggo! What's up?" Sara smiled as she saw the young lab tech. His hair was particularly atrocious this evening, sticking up at a dozen different angle.
"I found something! Have you seen Grissom?"
Nick looked up from the newspaper he had grabbed. "You mean he's not here?" He looked at his watch. "Shift starts in 15 minutes! Which brings me to this - what are you doing here so early?"
Greg grinned. "I wanted to finish running the prints. So, I came in two hours ago, and got to work."
"Brown-noser." Sara teased, sidling over to Greg and trying to snatch the file from his hand. "So, what did you find?"
"Unh-unh. No way, Sidle. I'll wait until Grissom gets here." Greg's grin was smug. Sara grinned back.
"It's not that easy, Greggo." She looked at Nick, who was slowly approaching Greg from the other side, smiling. "Nick's on my side!" She lunged at Greg again, laughing as he deftly twisted away and spun into the middle of the room.
"Nick? You think he can catch me?" Greg was laughing, holding the folder over his head. "Besides, no fair - two against one." He was backing up slowly as the other two CSIs approached him. "I think I'll just go back to my lab!"
"Children, children - what's going on here?" Warrick's deep voice coming from the doorway immediately behind Greg made everyone jump. Warrick grinned as he snatched the file Greg had been holding over his head from his hands, waving it tauntingly in front of him. "What's this, Greggo?"
"Greg got a hit on one of the prints, and he won't share it with us!" Sara's tone was teasing.
"I want to wait until Grissom gets here. C'mon Warrick, give it back!"
Warrick was grinning. "Grissom's not here yet? Shift starts in like 5 minutes. Where's Catherine?"
Nick and Sara looked at each other, grinning, but before they could offer a hypothesis, Catherine glided into the room. "I'm right here, Warrick. Why? Need me for something?"
Warrick's tone was teasing as he replied. "I always need you, Catherine, you know that. Did you see Grissom when you came in?"
Catherine hid her grin behind the cup of coffee she'd just poured for herself. "Yeah - I think he's in his office. He should be here any minute."
"Ah-hah! Got it!" Greg crowed, as he snatched the report back from Warrick. Warrick had forgotten he had it as he bantered with Catherine, and had let his hand drop low enough for Greg to get it. Nick, Sara and Greg were still giggling when Grissom walked into the lounge.
"Hey, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting. I had a couple of messages and a new case to pick up - Warrick, Nick and Sara - we've got a murder/suicide at 12001 Crisco Way - I want you guys to take it. Greg, you should be in the lab and -" his eyes fell on the folder Greg was holding. "What's that."
Greg grinned. "I got some prints from one of the writing samples. It matches prints on the letter and envelope." He handed the file to Grissom. "Oscar Fennil. The drummer from Killjoy, the band that played just before Meat Bullets went up. I've sent his writing sample for analysis against the letter - told them it was priority. Mindy says she'll have a work-up for you before 8:00 pm."
Grissom quickly looked at the report Greg had printed for him, smiling. "Do you know this guy, Greg?"
"A little. He used to be in a band with a friend of mine, but they dumped him - personality conflicts. He's an idiot. I - uhm - I spoke with Brass earlier and told him what I found - he and O'Reilly went to bring him in for questioning. They should be here soon."
Grissom looked at Greg in surprise. Greg looked pretty pleased with himself. He looked at the report again, shaking his head. "Good work, Greg. Do you want to help Catherine and I question him, or would you like to help the rest of the team process the murder/suicide?"
"You mean, I can go and do field work?" Greg grinned. "Really?" He looked at the rest of the team, and noted they were all smiling at him. "Wow. I'll go with them."
Nick clapped Greg on the shoulders. "Welcome aboard, man. It's about time!"
Grissom smiled at the semi-stunned expression on Greg's face. "It's long overdue, Greg. You're a great lab technician, and we could use your talents in the field. Starting today, I'll send you out on as many cases as the lab work will allow. Practical experience will be good for you. You are now officially a member of our field team." He held out his hand, smiling as Greg shook it firmly.
"Thanks, Grissom! I won't let you down."
"I know you won't, Greg. Congratulations - and get moving!"
* * * * *
The mood in the CSI-Tahoe was pretty upbeat as the four younger CSIs headed to the latest crime scene. Everyone was honestly very happy for Greg, and were making sure he knew it. Greg seemed to be in a daze.
"I can't believe this! What's gotten into him lately? All of a sudden, he's being nice to me."
Sara, who was sitting in the back seat beside Greg, squeezed his shoulder. "He's just learning to appreciate you more, Greggo. I think we all are."
"Yeah. That was a great idea you had about checking for prints. None of us thought about it, and we're the experienced investigators. Grissom might be a little hard to read sometimes, but he appreciates people who contribute - and you contribute a lot, Greg." Warrick had twisted in the front seat, looking into the back and smiling.
"I think after shift is over we need to go out for a breakfast celebration!"' Nick added, as he turned into the driveway of the crime scene. "Grissom can pay."
* * * * *
O'Reilly was sitting in the interview room with Oscar Fennil, who was not exactly pleased to be there. "C'mon man. What's the hold-up here? I'm supposed to be meeting some friends to jam later on - I'm gonna be late."
O'Reilly ignored him, and continued reading the paper. Grissom was watching him from behind the one-way mirror, and turned to Brass, sighing. "I wonder if Oscar's his real name, or if he's just called that because his hair is green?" He looked at the young man again. "Did he give you a hard time when you went to get him?"
"Not really. Pretty agreeable about it, as long as he gets to leave by 9:00. I told him we just had a couple of questions for him, nothing serious." Brass smiled at Grissom. "I heard about Greg."
Grissom cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah? Well, he deserves it. He's a good kid - and his hair might be messy, but at least it's not green or blue. I think he'll make an excellent CSI. He sure showed initiative with this fingerprint idea of his, and getting you to bring Oscar in so we wouldn't have to wait around to question him."
"And yet, that's exactly what we're doing. What are we standing in here for - let's go talk to him."
"I'm waiting for Catherine. She went down to analysis to see if we might be able to get the handwriting report. A little extra evidence, as it were." He smiled as the door opened and Catherine stepped in. "And here she is now. Anything interesting, Cath?"
Catherine sighed, walked over to Grissom and handed him the report. "Handwriting doesn't match. He didn't write the letter."
Grissom frowned. "Really. Well, if he didn't write the letter, he should know who did. His fingerprints are all over the place, so he definitely handled it. Let's move."
* * * * *
"No, man. Give me a break. Everyone liked them. Waters and Rivers - they were gods on the alternative scene. You know how many bands they helped out? They were always playing indies on their show - they really promoted us." Oscar was shaking his head at Grissom, disbelief in his voice.
"Well, be that as it may, they are both dead and so is Phillips. And now, Murdoch is too. We think it's all linked to the Battle of the Bands, and we found your fingerprints all over a letter that was sent to Phillips, and the envelope it was in as well. If you didn't send it, how did your fingerprints get all over it?" Grissom's voice was neutrally blank. There was something about this kid he didn't like. Maybe it was the way he kept leering at Catherine.
"I tell you, I didn't write any letter. I don't know why my fingerprints would be on it, but I didn't write it. Take a handwriting sample if you want to and compare. Besides, our band wasn't allowed to participate in the contest - we hadn't been together long enough."
Catherine responded. "And didn't that make you angry? We saw you guys play at the tribute the night Murdoch was shot. You were pretty good - although, the song you chose wasn't very PC."
Oscar grinned. "Alternative rock isn't supposed to be PC. Besides, it's a great song." He sighed. "Listen, I'm not going to lie to you and say we weren't upset that we couldn't compete, because we were. But, rules are rules. You know what I mean? So, if there's nothing else, can I go now? Or do you want a writing sample?"
Catherine looked at Grissom, who shrugged. Behind them, Brass grunted. "You can go - a writing sample is not necessary. But we might want to talk to you again, so stay in Las Vegas. And if you think of anything new, let us know."
Oscar stood and stretched, smiling smugly. "I doubt I'll think of anything. If I do, I'll call. Say hi to Greg for me." With that, he turned and sauntered out of the room. Grissom looked at Catherine, annoyed. "Something's not right here. His answers were too pat. And why would he offer to give us a handwriting sample? He has to realize we already have one."
"Then again, he could just be a cocky guy with a chip on his shoulder." Catherine smiled at Grissom. "He wouldn't be the first we've ever run across. You know what I thought was weird? He told us to say hello to Greg for him. Why would he do that? Greg didn't sound like they were great friends or anything - said he was an idiot. So why bring Greg's name into it at all?"
Grissom sighed, and started pinching between his thumb and forefinger. "I don't know. I just don't know. But I don't like it, Catherine. Not at all."
_______
Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews and suggestions. I do take all comments and ideas to heart, plus they give me ideas for other stories. Things are heating up in the case, and Greg may be the catalyst - so keep reading!