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Disclaimer – I own no rights to CSI or any of its characters yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. I do own anyone you don't recognise.

A Little Love

Prologue

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"You spoil me too much!" The twenty eight year old blond squealed as she gazed into the velvet blue pouch her beau had just handed her, she managed to poke one finger inside to draw out the item of jewellery inside. "I don't deserve you" she said as she leaned across the table and pecked the man in front of her on the cheek.

He took the silver necklace from where it dangled on the tip of her thin finger and held it to the dim dining room light, "the gem is white gold I thought it would look beautiful around your pretty little neck" he held the necklace out of her reach as she held out her hand for it.

"I'll put it on" she told him a happy smile on her face. Her eyes followed him as he rose from the high backed chair and stepped out of the room, "Where are you going?" she called out.

She got up from her own place at the thick glass table and followed his steps, Anna hung back choosing to wait for him by the saloon style doors that divided the dining and living room.

"I hope I chose well" she heard him shout out from the darkness of the next room Anna called out a yes in reply, "I thought it would be suitable parting gift" he said quietly. He stepped out from the shadows his arms behind his back.

"Parting gift?" she questioned a puzzled look crossed her tanned features. He nodded and took a step closer; she hesitantly took a step away from him.

"I saw you" he said his voice breaking he gulped choosing his next words carefully "You Hurt me" he said shaking his head in disbelief.

"What do you mean?"

He lifted his arm as if to strike her and she flinched "Don't lie to me! I'm tired of people manipulating me! You…Are just like them" he finished quietly whilst pointing outside as if 'them' where nearby, "This…" he said holding up the gift "Is our parting gift, I will never see you again after tonight and you, you won't have the chance to hurt anyone ever again. She didn't have time to react as he lunged at her his gloved hands closing around her throat, her screams penetrated the thin walls of the apartment but no one heard. They were the only ones home.

*

"Anna Cleaver, twenty eight years old, lived alone, worked as a receptionist at a private clinic 9 'til 2…Where did she find the money to get a place like this?" Catherine Willows asked more to herself than those around her. She looked around the dining room, the scene of the crime, Anna had been found at seven thirty pm by her best friend Abby Peters. She'd told Catherine she'd found her slumped across the table as if in slumber, she tapped her shoulder to rouse her friend from her sleep when she noticed the blood.

"There was nothing I could do she was already…She was dead!" The young woman was in a state of shock and could barely think straight let alone answer questions.

"Who else had access to her apartment?" Catherine asked softly kneeling in front of the trembling woman.

"Mickey her, her boyfriend" she hesitated then looked at Catherine her eyes wide "He wouldn't hurt her he was the nicest man, he loved her!"

"Where can we contact him?" The CSI asked.

"I don' know but Anna kept a notebook his phone number should be in there. It's in her room" Abby added.

Catherine nodded her thanks.

"It's him again" Sara Sidle stated as she knelt down and picked up the chain that lay beside the victims outstretched hand.

Gill Grissom turned and looked in her direction "Looks that way".

"Then we won't find anything this guy never leaves a trace that he's been here" she argued, Grissom opened his mouth to say something "Beside the victim I mean…He's a smart guy"

"I prefer Mr. hasn't made a mistake yet", Catherine said as she came up behind them.

"Yet being the operative word" Grissom said looking at Sara who shook her head in frustration. Grissom suddenly stood up and started walking across the other end of the room, he ignored Brass who'd walked through the saloon doors and crouched by a fallen plant.

"Did you find something?" Catherine shouted across the room.

Sara walked over to him and he held up the pouch that had held the chain, "He's never left anything before"

"Looks like he isn't as smart as you thought he was"

TBC…