Disclaimer: I don't own CSI.I don't make any profits from this.
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
By Moose
Chapter 10
Catherine sighed and rapped lightly on Grissom's open doorway. She had heard the last part of Grissom's conversation with Wren, and from the look on Grissom's face, she knew he was aware of how badly he had handled the situation.
Grissom looked to her direction and sighed. "I blew it."
Catherine gave him a small smile. "I don't think so. I'm sure Wren's old enough to understand."
"She is, but we don't have the best father-daughter relationship," Grissom said, his right hand reaching up to rub the bridge of his nose. "This relationship has its foundation in the sand."
When Catherine did not say anything, Grissom continued, "We hardly spent anytime together, and this is probably the first meeting we've had that didn't involve heated arguments on the first day. Now, I just had to ruin- "
"Gil, it's not too late," Catherine interrupted. "Go to Wren. Talk to her, apologize to her. But not right now. Give yourselves some time to cool down."
Grissom just sat there, his eyes closed. Finally, he opened them and gave Catherine a small smile. "I hope you're right."
Catherine smiled back. "I am," she said confidently. "Now, we have work to do."
"Right," Grissom nodded, trying to ignore the beginnings of a migraine. "If we're going to send the police to the meeting tonight, we'd better have enough evidence."
"Let's go get those evidences," Catherine replied. "I don't want another life to be wasted on for this cause."
The whole team had agreed to work overtime, Sara included. Catherine and Warrick were assigned to check out the third victim's clothes and things, while Nick tried to get more information from the hotel. Sara went back to the computer room and try to dig up more information about Jessie's nameless cult. Grissom took off to find Brass and inform him of the case developments, and of the potential raid they might do that night.
By noon, Grissom decided to call his team for a meeting in his office. The break room was already taken over by the day shift.
"So, what have you guys have to report?" Grissom began after the whole team, including Greg, had assembled in his office.
"We still don't have a name," Sara quipped.
"But I found out that aside from Jessie, twelve other girls on the list come here every year and check into the hotel," Nick said. "Seems that they've been meeting annually for five years already." He handed Grissom a piece of paper with the girls' names.
"Okay," Grissom nodded, taking the paper. He looked at it and was relieved not to find his daughter's name on the list. "What about the victim's things and clothes?"
Warrick shook his head regrettably. "Sorry, Griss. Nothing to link them to their killers."
Greg also turned in his results. "Nothing here either, Griss."
"We don't have any evidence at all," Grissom said. He knew this was a possibility, and he had a plan. "What do you guys think about a stakeout?"
"Cool!" Greg grinned.
"I don't know Gil," Catherine said. "What if something happens? The six of us can't handle all those people."
"I'm not suggesting we do this on our own," Grissom replied. "I've talked to Brass about this. He said he could spare several of his men, including himself, for this kind of thing tonight. But we have to make sure that these women are really the killers."
"How are we going to do that?" Nick asked.
"Right now, there's nothing more we can do," Grissom said. "But if we catch them in the act-"
"You mean, we have to wait until they begin killing someone?" Sara asked.
"No, we just have to wait until they state what they are going to do," Grissom replied. "And Sara, you're staying here."
"Grissom, you're not leaving me here," Sara protested. "I may not be able to move fast on my feet, but I also have eyes and ears, you know."
"What if they don't state specifically what they are going to do?" Warrick asked.
"Then we'll have to wait until right before they strike their victim," Grissom said. "Sara, you're staying."
"Oh, come on, Grissom," Sara protested. "I'll stay in the car, or in the hotel lobby. I just can't stay here!"
Grissom looked at her doubtfully for a while. Finally, he said, "I guess another set of eyes and ears will be of use. You'll be in the hotel security room. There will be cameras set up in that room to record the meeting. You'll be the one to tell us when to move in."
Sara nodded happily. "Where will you guys be?"
"Nick will be in the lobby, he'll guard the front exit. Warrick will be at the back exit, he'll wait in the car. Just in case they decide to change venue, which I think is highly probable. Brass will be in an unmarked car up front. Catherine and I will be just outside the ballroom."
"What about me?" Greg asked.
"You'll guard the back exit from the inside," Grissom said. "You alert Warrick if there are participants attempting to leave from the back." He looked at the rest of his team. "Let's meet here a little earlier than usual tonight, okay?"
He received five nods. "Very well, all of you go home and rest now," Grissom said. "I'll see you guys tonight."
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
By Moose
Chapter 10
Catherine sighed and rapped lightly on Grissom's open doorway. She had heard the last part of Grissom's conversation with Wren, and from the look on Grissom's face, she knew he was aware of how badly he had handled the situation.
Grissom looked to her direction and sighed. "I blew it."
Catherine gave him a small smile. "I don't think so. I'm sure Wren's old enough to understand."
"She is, but we don't have the best father-daughter relationship," Grissom said, his right hand reaching up to rub the bridge of his nose. "This relationship has its foundation in the sand."
When Catherine did not say anything, Grissom continued, "We hardly spent anytime together, and this is probably the first meeting we've had that didn't involve heated arguments on the first day. Now, I just had to ruin- "
"Gil, it's not too late," Catherine interrupted. "Go to Wren. Talk to her, apologize to her. But not right now. Give yourselves some time to cool down."
Grissom just sat there, his eyes closed. Finally, he opened them and gave Catherine a small smile. "I hope you're right."
Catherine smiled back. "I am," she said confidently. "Now, we have work to do."
"Right," Grissom nodded, trying to ignore the beginnings of a migraine. "If we're going to send the police to the meeting tonight, we'd better have enough evidence."
"Let's go get those evidences," Catherine replied. "I don't want another life to be wasted on for this cause."
The whole team had agreed to work overtime, Sara included. Catherine and Warrick were assigned to check out the third victim's clothes and things, while Nick tried to get more information from the hotel. Sara went back to the computer room and try to dig up more information about Jessie's nameless cult. Grissom took off to find Brass and inform him of the case developments, and of the potential raid they might do that night.
By noon, Grissom decided to call his team for a meeting in his office. The break room was already taken over by the day shift.
"So, what have you guys have to report?" Grissom began after the whole team, including Greg, had assembled in his office.
"We still don't have a name," Sara quipped.
"But I found out that aside from Jessie, twelve other girls on the list come here every year and check into the hotel," Nick said. "Seems that they've been meeting annually for five years already." He handed Grissom a piece of paper with the girls' names.
"Okay," Grissom nodded, taking the paper. He looked at it and was relieved not to find his daughter's name on the list. "What about the victim's things and clothes?"
Warrick shook his head regrettably. "Sorry, Griss. Nothing to link them to their killers."
Greg also turned in his results. "Nothing here either, Griss."
"We don't have any evidence at all," Grissom said. He knew this was a possibility, and he had a plan. "What do you guys think about a stakeout?"
"Cool!" Greg grinned.
"I don't know Gil," Catherine said. "What if something happens? The six of us can't handle all those people."
"I'm not suggesting we do this on our own," Grissom replied. "I've talked to Brass about this. He said he could spare several of his men, including himself, for this kind of thing tonight. But we have to make sure that these women are really the killers."
"How are we going to do that?" Nick asked.
"Right now, there's nothing more we can do," Grissom said. "But if we catch them in the act-"
"You mean, we have to wait until they begin killing someone?" Sara asked.
"No, we just have to wait until they state what they are going to do," Grissom replied. "And Sara, you're staying here."
"Grissom, you're not leaving me here," Sara protested. "I may not be able to move fast on my feet, but I also have eyes and ears, you know."
"What if they don't state specifically what they are going to do?" Warrick asked.
"Then we'll have to wait until right before they strike their victim," Grissom said. "Sara, you're staying."
"Oh, come on, Grissom," Sara protested. "I'll stay in the car, or in the hotel lobby. I just can't stay here!"
Grissom looked at her doubtfully for a while. Finally, he said, "I guess another set of eyes and ears will be of use. You'll be in the hotel security room. There will be cameras set up in that room to record the meeting. You'll be the one to tell us when to move in."
Sara nodded happily. "Where will you guys be?"
"Nick will be in the lobby, he'll guard the front exit. Warrick will be at the back exit, he'll wait in the car. Just in case they decide to change venue, which I think is highly probable. Brass will be in an unmarked car up front. Catherine and I will be just outside the ballroom."
"What about me?" Greg asked.
"You'll guard the back exit from the inside," Grissom said. "You alert Warrick if there are participants attempting to leave from the back." He looked at the rest of his team. "Let's meet here a little earlier than usual tonight, okay?"
He received five nods. "Very well, all of you go home and rest now," Grissom said. "I'll see you guys tonight."