Brass and Grissom stared through the one-way window into the interview room. Inside Jo Simone sat with her back straight and shoulders squared, her hands cupped around a hot cup of coffee. She was still wearing the blue crime scene jumpsuit, and she had buttoned it right up to the neck as if fighting off the cold, though the room was pleasantly warm.
The gash on her head was now decorated with black stitches, surrounded by an orange stain left from the disinfecting cleaner. Her right cheek was swollen, a yellow-green bruise stretching from her cheekbone down to her jaw. A red-black shadow gave a damaged look to her right eye, and from where he stood Grissom could see that that too was slightly swollen. Her knuckles were an unnatural red.
Everything about her posture screamed poise and control, but Grissom could see the slightly downwards tilt of her head and the exhaustion that she couldn't quite keep from her eyes. Dark brown hair fell forwards, partly obscuring her face. The cut was short and the style shaggy. Her hands would run through it every now and then in an unconscious gesture. Occasionally she would suck her bottom lip into her mouth so that she could gnaw at it nervously. Yet despite all this Grissom sensed that this was a woman who excelled at her job and was in total control. Her track record was impeccable.
'So are you going to be quick with this?' Brass turned his dark eyes to Grissom.
'The medic said she's suffering with a mild concussion, but as usual Miss Simone wants to tackle the job at hand.'
His expression softened and he dropped the sarcastic tone.
'She's a good kid. She works hard. I reckon she'll go far, but she loves the streets. This was the first time she's fired her gun on the job.'
Grissom nodded.
'We'll take her statement, and then compare it to the evidence.'
Brass headed towards the door, and the two men entered the room.
By the time I heard the click of the door opening I was beginning to feel a familiar flush of anger. Part of me knew it was just a protective reaction to how disturbed I was feeling, and this only fuelled the ball of rage burning deep in my stomach. I wanted only to get on with this case, find out what had happened. I knew that if I could just find out what exactly had occurred at that house then I would start to feel a little more human.
'Jo.' Brass' voice was friendly. 'How you holding up?'
I forced a smile.
'Pretty good, sir.'
Grissom slid into the seat opposite me, and Brass took his usual position by the door. I was used to standing next to Brass in rooms like this, and I suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable. I shifted in the hard-back chair.
'Could you explain what happened once more, Miss.. . Jo.'
My lips curled slightly at Grissom's sudden correction, and then I told my story again.
Grissom just sat silently through it all, nodding occasionally, his blue eyes holding mine. Another wave of desire for a cigarette washed over me, and I chewed on my bottom lip in consternation.
Finally Grissom turned his eyes back to the file in his hands and started making notes. The silence of the room began to grate on me.
'Look, are we done here?' I couldn't quite keep the aggression out of my voice, and Gill pinned me with that steady gaze of his.
'Sure. C'mon Jo, I'll get you another drink.' It was Brass who replied, his protective instinct kicking in. He cared about his fellow officers, though he would have been amused to know that the women of the force called him the 'Big Daddy'.
I went to stand, gritting my teeth against a sudden wave of dizziness. When I realised Grissom was still watching me, I squared my shoulders.
'Thank you, Mr Grissom.' This time my voice was unfailingly polite.
'I was wondering if it would be possible for me to follow this case? I'd like to know what happened back there.'
For a while he said nothing, then he nodded. 'Of course, but you understand that it will take some time to build a case?'
I snorted derisively, my tiredness making me forget that I was asking for a favour.
'Yes, I know that. I'll be in touch.'
And with that I left the room, feeling Grissom's gaze on my back, and feeling oddly exposed under its glare.
The gash on her head was now decorated with black stitches, surrounded by an orange stain left from the disinfecting cleaner. Her right cheek was swollen, a yellow-green bruise stretching from her cheekbone down to her jaw. A red-black shadow gave a damaged look to her right eye, and from where he stood Grissom could see that that too was slightly swollen. Her knuckles were an unnatural red.
Everything about her posture screamed poise and control, but Grissom could see the slightly downwards tilt of her head and the exhaustion that she couldn't quite keep from her eyes. Dark brown hair fell forwards, partly obscuring her face. The cut was short and the style shaggy. Her hands would run through it every now and then in an unconscious gesture. Occasionally she would suck her bottom lip into her mouth so that she could gnaw at it nervously. Yet despite all this Grissom sensed that this was a woman who excelled at her job and was in total control. Her track record was impeccable.
'So are you going to be quick with this?' Brass turned his dark eyes to Grissom.
'The medic said she's suffering with a mild concussion, but as usual Miss Simone wants to tackle the job at hand.'
His expression softened and he dropped the sarcastic tone.
'She's a good kid. She works hard. I reckon she'll go far, but she loves the streets. This was the first time she's fired her gun on the job.'
Grissom nodded.
'We'll take her statement, and then compare it to the evidence.'
Brass headed towards the door, and the two men entered the room.
By the time I heard the click of the door opening I was beginning to feel a familiar flush of anger. Part of me knew it was just a protective reaction to how disturbed I was feeling, and this only fuelled the ball of rage burning deep in my stomach. I wanted only to get on with this case, find out what had happened. I knew that if I could just find out what exactly had occurred at that house then I would start to feel a little more human.
'Jo.' Brass' voice was friendly. 'How you holding up?'
I forced a smile.
'Pretty good, sir.'
Grissom slid into the seat opposite me, and Brass took his usual position by the door. I was used to standing next to Brass in rooms like this, and I suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable. I shifted in the hard-back chair.
'Could you explain what happened once more, Miss.. . Jo.'
My lips curled slightly at Grissom's sudden correction, and then I told my story again.
Grissom just sat silently through it all, nodding occasionally, his blue eyes holding mine. Another wave of desire for a cigarette washed over me, and I chewed on my bottom lip in consternation.
Finally Grissom turned his eyes back to the file in his hands and started making notes. The silence of the room began to grate on me.
'Look, are we done here?' I couldn't quite keep the aggression out of my voice, and Gill pinned me with that steady gaze of his.
'Sure. C'mon Jo, I'll get you another drink.' It was Brass who replied, his protective instinct kicking in. He cared about his fellow officers, though he would have been amused to know that the women of the force called him the 'Big Daddy'.
I went to stand, gritting my teeth against a sudden wave of dizziness. When I realised Grissom was still watching me, I squared my shoulders.
'Thank you, Mr Grissom.' This time my voice was unfailingly polite.
'I was wondering if it would be possible for me to follow this case? I'd like to know what happened back there.'
For a while he said nothing, then he nodded. 'Of course, but you understand that it will take some time to build a case?'
I snorted derisively, my tiredness making me forget that I was asking for a favour.
'Yes, I know that. I'll be in touch.'
And with that I left the room, feeling Grissom's gaze on my back, and feeling oddly exposed under its glare.