Chapter 7
After the bombshell Sara had dropped, her workmates instinctively decided
the best way to deal with it was just to work. Sara obviously hadn't wanted
to tell them, and wasn't ready to tell them more. The only reason she had
done so was because her only other option was to give her stalker an unfair
advantage which could ultimately mean her death. She was stubborn and
scared, not stupid. Sara had quietly excused herself to go to the locker
room. Nick and Grissom had both moved to follow her but Catherine told them
to give her a couple of minutes alone.
Grissom couldn't help but think that it was his fault. Had he known her when this had happened? It would have been two, three years ago. Yes, they used to communicate via email. They had emailed or spoken on the phone at least once a week, usually more. Then it started happening less and less. The phone calls stopped altogether. He was lucky if he got an email once every two months. When he did get them, they were always hurried with spelling mistakes. That was unlike Sara, but he didn't care. It didn't matter because the emails were from her. He remembered how he had smiled when he saw her email address appear on the screen. He hadn't even stopped to think that something might be wrong. He assumed she was just getting busier, with work. God, why hadn't he realized? So many obvious signs of abuse. Psychological abuse in the way she wrote her emails and talked about herself. Social abuse, he probably didn't allow her to contact her friends which explained the haste in her letters to him. Probably financial abuse as well, another reason why she didn't feel as if she could leave. Then of course there was the physical abuse. How could anyone hit her? Why would anyone want to?
'Gil?' Grissom looked up, Catherine was talking to him. 'Nick's gone to find Sara. I'm not sure that she's going to tell him anything. Personally I think she'll tell you first, and I think she knows that but she needs some time before she can confront that fact, ok.'
Grissom nodded, he understood that. He was glad Catherine had explained it to him, he wouldn't have thought of it himself. But Catherine was right, Sara had just made one of the biggest steps in her life and she needed some time out before making any more.
Catherine continued, 'Warrick's gone to see if there are any recordings of the phone conversation.'
'You think Sara lied?'
'No, she was definitely telling the truth. But if we have a recording we can look for background noises, or see if the guy has any identifiable trademarks, such as a lisp. Sara might not have noticed that, I mean I wouldn't have if I was on the phone to a guy who is a ..' Catherine stopped when she saw the fear in Grissom's eyes.
'Front desk probably wouldn't have made a recording anyway.'
Great he was getting depressed. 'Look even if we have a transcript, we can look over his use of grammar and what he said exactly, without having to put Sara through it again.' Catherine was right. He knew Catherine coped by working and taking charge, just like she had when she was kidnapped.
'After Warrick's done that, he's going to join us in the evidence room. We're processing the chloroform that the guys collected from Sara's apartment. Hopefully we'll find out what strength it is, where it's from and how this bastard got access to it.'
[Grissom hadn't prayed for years. Not even for himself, but now for her, he was. Oh God, please don't let anything happen to her. She doesn't deserve it.] 'That's a good idea Catherine, let's go.'
'What do you mean I need a warrant?' Warrick was almost yelling.
'I'm sorry, you need a warrant before I can give you access to any phone calls or transcripts.'
'I work here.'
'That has nothing to do with it. It's a privacy and protection policy that was implemented last year. Even if you are a recipient to a phone call, you are going to need a warrant to see it if it is going to be used for legal or evidentiary purposes.'
'What are you? A textbook. Talk like a human being, man.'
'I'm sorry, it's the law.'
'Catherine, take a sample of this chloroform over to Greg.'
'What do you want me to tell him it's for?'
'He already knows that Sara's apartment was broken into.'
'But Grissom he doesn't know that she was chloroformed.'
'Just tell him it's for a case, don't elaborate and don't explain.'
'Sure. What are you going to do while I take it over to him?'
'I found a fragment in the chloroform puddle. I want to have a look at it before I take it to Greg, so I'll meet you over there. Ok.'
Nick opened the door to the locker room. 'Sara?'
'Nick? I really don't want to talk right at the moment.'
'That's fine.' Nick followed her voice to find her sitting near her locker. 'You know we're here for you right?'
'I know.' With that she collapsed into his arms. Nick was probably one of her best friends. Later she'd want to be comforted by Grissom, but not now, she was scared of his actions. She loved Justin once and look what he did, she wasn't ready to face Grissom's reactions yet. She just needed someone who was purely a friend. Nick was great like that. He was also good with people. He didn't make you talk if you didn't want to. She was thankful for that.
Grissom couldn't help but think that it was his fault. Had he known her when this had happened? It would have been two, three years ago. Yes, they used to communicate via email. They had emailed or spoken on the phone at least once a week, usually more. Then it started happening less and less. The phone calls stopped altogether. He was lucky if he got an email once every two months. When he did get them, they were always hurried with spelling mistakes. That was unlike Sara, but he didn't care. It didn't matter because the emails were from her. He remembered how he had smiled when he saw her email address appear on the screen. He hadn't even stopped to think that something might be wrong. He assumed she was just getting busier, with work. God, why hadn't he realized? So many obvious signs of abuse. Psychological abuse in the way she wrote her emails and talked about herself. Social abuse, he probably didn't allow her to contact her friends which explained the haste in her letters to him. Probably financial abuse as well, another reason why she didn't feel as if she could leave. Then of course there was the physical abuse. How could anyone hit her? Why would anyone want to?
'Gil?' Grissom looked up, Catherine was talking to him. 'Nick's gone to find Sara. I'm not sure that she's going to tell him anything. Personally I think she'll tell you first, and I think she knows that but she needs some time before she can confront that fact, ok.'
Grissom nodded, he understood that. He was glad Catherine had explained it to him, he wouldn't have thought of it himself. But Catherine was right, Sara had just made one of the biggest steps in her life and she needed some time out before making any more.
Catherine continued, 'Warrick's gone to see if there are any recordings of the phone conversation.'
'You think Sara lied?'
'No, she was definitely telling the truth. But if we have a recording we can look for background noises, or see if the guy has any identifiable trademarks, such as a lisp. Sara might not have noticed that, I mean I wouldn't have if I was on the phone to a guy who is a ..' Catherine stopped when she saw the fear in Grissom's eyes.
'Front desk probably wouldn't have made a recording anyway.'
Great he was getting depressed. 'Look even if we have a transcript, we can look over his use of grammar and what he said exactly, without having to put Sara through it again.' Catherine was right. He knew Catherine coped by working and taking charge, just like she had when she was kidnapped.
'After Warrick's done that, he's going to join us in the evidence room. We're processing the chloroform that the guys collected from Sara's apartment. Hopefully we'll find out what strength it is, where it's from and how this bastard got access to it.'
[Grissom hadn't prayed for years. Not even for himself, but now for her, he was. Oh God, please don't let anything happen to her. She doesn't deserve it.] 'That's a good idea Catherine, let's go.'
'What do you mean I need a warrant?' Warrick was almost yelling.
'I'm sorry, you need a warrant before I can give you access to any phone calls or transcripts.'
'I work here.'
'That has nothing to do with it. It's a privacy and protection policy that was implemented last year. Even if you are a recipient to a phone call, you are going to need a warrant to see it if it is going to be used for legal or evidentiary purposes.'
'What are you? A textbook. Talk like a human being, man.'
'I'm sorry, it's the law.'
'Catherine, take a sample of this chloroform over to Greg.'
'What do you want me to tell him it's for?'
'He already knows that Sara's apartment was broken into.'
'But Grissom he doesn't know that she was chloroformed.'
'Just tell him it's for a case, don't elaborate and don't explain.'
'Sure. What are you going to do while I take it over to him?'
'I found a fragment in the chloroform puddle. I want to have a look at it before I take it to Greg, so I'll meet you over there. Ok.'
Nick opened the door to the locker room. 'Sara?'
'Nick? I really don't want to talk right at the moment.'
'That's fine.' Nick followed her voice to find her sitting near her locker. 'You know we're here for you right?'
'I know.' With that she collapsed into his arms. Nick was probably one of her best friends. Later she'd want to be comforted by Grissom, but not now, she was scared of his actions. She loved Justin once and look what he did, she wasn't ready to face Grissom's reactions yet. She just needed someone who was purely a friend. Nick was great like that. He was also good with people. He didn't make you talk if you didn't want to. She was thankful for that.