Chapter 11: Elizabeth Clark
Back at the hotel I laid awake in my bed staring at the ceiling. I have been laying here for about five hours now. My thoughts wondered from Ecklie's threat to Sara's face we I left her all alone. The situation with Ecklie weighed heavily on my shoulders since I got the fax. The last thing I wanted to do was jeopardize the careers of three very talented CSIs. He knew that it would hurt me if he destroyed the lives of those closest to me. We were family, in a way. I cared about my CSIs more than I would care to admit. Right now I didn't know what I was going to do about Ecklie but I couldn't leave Sara to fend for herself. Sara. Sara Sidle. Warrick Brown. Nick Stokes. Catherine Willows. These people meant more to me than they knew.
Sara's sad face drifted into my thoughts. When I looked into her eyes I was reminded of a past case when the wrong person was found guilty. He gave up hope and took his life. He couldn't bare to go to prison, it would have destroyed him. Sara was strong, but patience wasn't one of her strengths. My cell phone broke me from my thoughts.
"Grissom."
"Excuse me, Mr. Grissom its Jeremy Green. Did I wake you?" His voice sounded fresh like he got a good rest.
"No." I thought bitterly. I was a bit jealous that everyone else could sleep but me.
"Can't sleep?" He offered sounding concerned or maybe he just knew what it was like. I didn't know which and immediately sorry I was so bitter to begin with.
"Yeah but that's nothing new for me. How can I help you?" I said calming my voice.
"The warrant finally came through."
My heart skipped a beat. "That's great news for a change."
"They are picking her up now. She was trying to leave town. I thought you should be here."
"I'll grab my team and we'll be there in a bit."
"Alright. See you then."
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I looked through the glass at a woman about Sara's age. Catherine and Nick took a blood sample and her prints while she sat waiting for me. She was slim and fit, like she worked out. Her hair was a dark shade of red, almost looking black in some spots. She was very attractive. Her face was pale but in a healthy way. The only flaw was a busted lip and an old black eye that was slightly noticeable through her makeup. Her hands were busy tapping on the table as she waited to be questioned.
"Mr. Grissom she is ready."
I didn't say a word and followed Jeremy into the interrogation room. Ms. Clark looked at me with a desire to tell me everything, but she looked away when she saw that I could see all that in her eyes. Catherine and Nick gave a slight nod and exited to process the DNA and prints.
"Ms. Clark this is Gil Grissom and he wants to ask you questions." Jeremy introduced me and stood by the door with a young officer in a blue uniform.
I took a seat across from her and jumped right in. "Ms. Clark do you mind explaining what happened in your apartment?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Her voice was rough and raspy.
"An officer was attacked and taken to your apartment with the intent of being raped. I want to know about your relationship to..." Before I could say Thomas McBride, Ms. Clark surprised me with a very confusing answer.
"Sara and I were best friends."
She must have saw the confusing look because she tried to quickly recover from her mistake. Her face became panicked. "I meant me and Thomas were best friends."
I leaned forward. "No you said Sara. I didn't even tell you the officer's name. So how long have you known Sara?"
She swallowed hard. "I meant Thomas. I don't know a Sara."
"So you have never met Sara Sidle?"
"No I haven't."
I knew that kind of mistake wasn't a coincidence, Ms. Clark was lying. I had no proof she was lying so I decided to ask Sara about Elizabeth Clark later. It never crossed my mind that Sara knew the girl in addition to Thomas McBride. Or maybe Sara didn't, maybe Ms. Clark knew Sara. She could have been there at the time of the attack. And the plot thickens.
"Tell me how you know Thomas then?"
"Boyfriend."
"Must be serious to live with each other."
"Yeah you could say that. I have been with him for a year or so."
"Thinking about marriage?"
"He is dead and you can't marry a corpse Mr. Grissom." Her reply was short and held no compassion.
"I meant before the incident."
"I don't know we never talked about it."
I motioned to her face. "What happened?"
"I fell." She said with malice.
"I bet Sara got in a few hits on you too, Ms. Clark. You were there weren't you? Tell me did you help hold Sara down for your boyfriend." My statement was bold and had absolutely no evidence to support it. But if I could confuse her she might slip up again.
"What kind of sick person are you? I told you I never met a Sara and I wasn't there that night."
Damn it didn't work. New plan. "Is that why you tried to skip town?"
"I was taking a much needed vacation."
"Do you suffer from depression Ms. Clark?"
"No."
"Then could you explain why we found antidepressants prescribed for you?"
"Yes. That was after my mother died. Yes I was depressed but I got over it. I am fine now I assure you."
"The bottle was almost gone and you still had a month before a refill."
"Hey I was in a slump and I don't see how my mental state has anything to do with why I am here."
"This is just part of the questioning." I stated.
"Look am I under arrest?"
"No we got your DNA and that's all we needed."
"Good because I think you are done."
"Just one more question." I said before she reached the door.
"What?"
"Did Thomas ever talk about Sara Sidle? Or mention what he planned to do?"
She stared at me with contempt. "That's two questions Mr. Grissom."
"Indulge me please."
"No Thomas never mentioned that name or talk to me about anything but what he wanted to do. Unless you count the stereo system he wanted to put in his car."
"Thank you." I wish I could read her eyes as clearly as I did when I first came in. Right now her eyes were clouded and unreadable. What was she hiding? She didn't seem too upset that her boyfriend was dead. She didn't even ask if Sara would be prosecuted for killing the man Ms. Clark supposedly loved.
"Whatever." She mumbled then was gone.
It didn't matter though, I just had to follow the evidence.
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tbc...