Questions for Some Answers
After Grissom and Sarah had collected the meager amounts of evidence, they decided to head back to the CSI headquarters and start looking at all the pieces of the puzzle. Looking for any clue that might lead them to a suspect. After a long and silent car rider in which both Grissom and Sarah were both wondering what was going through the mind of the other, Sarah wondering what was wrong with Grissom and Grissom wondering if Sarah knew what was wrong with him, they arrived back at the lab. In the briefing room Grissom laid out all the information that they had. 2 murder victims, first Jeff Robertson 31 year old male, 5'1", 101 pounds, jockey at the Las Vegas Race Tracks. Killed from a skull fracture and multiple internal injuries. The second Mark Doble, 19 year old male, 4'11", 98 pounds, jockey and exercise rider for Freedom Flies Racing Stable, cause of death multiple internal injuries, and repeated blows to the head by a blunt object (hoof). One attempted murder victim, Ryan Cale, 51-year-old male, 5'10", 167 pounds, owner of Freedom Flies Racing Stable, injuries caused by a single gunshot wound to upper left shoulder. Murder "Weapons":
Petroleum jelly on boot of jockey
Drugged horse and glass shards in boots
Gun (in attempted murder) All this information was spread out over the lighted table and all five CSIs were hunched over it desperately seeking something, anything. Suddenly Grissom stood up, with that "I've figured something out" look on his face. "What is it Gris? Catherine asked, eager to hear some good news.
"We're looking for two different people" Grissom replied.
"OK not the news I was hoping for, but why do you think that?" came Catherine's reply.
"The first murder, look at what happened, guy falls off horse in the middle of a race. Could have been an accident; also murder could not have been the objective. The horse was not hurt at all. Second murder, could in no way have been an accident. It also was directly intended to kill the horse, even if the rider was not killed. The attempted murder, crime of opportunity, or so it seems, perhaps it was intended for a horse to be shot, but Ryan Cale showed up and was shot instead. Thus making it a crime of necessity for the killer. Then al the horses were let out, and one in particular, Freedom's Song, Tala Cale's first horse. This also means that the killer has a good knowledge of Tala. Do you see where I'm going with this?" He asked.
"First murder was committed by someone who wanted Jeff out of the way, the rest were deliberate attacks on Tala Cale." Nick replied.
"Right Nick, because Tala cares more about horses he she does people. Ok, Warrick, I want you to run through all the races in the past few days since the first murder look for owners who had the most to loose if Jeff raced. Especially Matt Shadore, oh and check the race that Jeff was in see if Matt had a horse in that as well. I still don't trust him. Catherine and Nick I want you to go through all the records of Freedom Flies Stable and find all the employees that were fired or left unhappily. There's something there we just have to find it. Sarah you're with me, we're gonna go back and talk to Tala again. There are a few questions that need answers that only she can provide." Grissom said.
"Uh, Gris there is still a pretty bad storm going on out there, maybe we had better wait until it's over before we go see Tala again." Sarah said
"Oh right. I'll be in my office if any of you need me before then." Grissom replied. 'I'm gonna get these guys" He muttered as he headed to his office.
Three hours later the storm had calmed down and Grissom and Sarah were getting ready to head back out to Freedom Flies Racing Stable when Nick came sliding into Grissom's office.
"I've got something, I think,' he gasped, out of breath after running the whole way there. "I have two people who were let go by Tala's farm that could hold a pretty nasty grudge. First guy Derrick Temore, was fired because of his mistreatment of the horses, the other Adam Prescott was let go because of a history of mental illness that was not revealed at the time he was hired, and for his subsequent mistreatment of horses. Those are the only two, all the rest went somewhere else by choice, and because of Tala's training style."
"Good work Nick, Sarah and I were about to go see Tala, go help Warrick if he isn't done then," Grissom replied.
Sarah and Grissom finished packing up the Tahoe and once again headed to Freedom Flies Racing Stable. They pulled into the now familiar lane and headed to the door of the huge farmhouse. Grissom knocked on the door and it was only moments before it was opened for them.
"I was wondering when you would be back, come on in" Tala said, not at all surprised to see them.
They all walked into the large living room. Grissom too a quick look around and noticed that nothing had changed. 'Of course it didn't change, you were just here a few hours ago' he berated himself.
Sarah spoke up "Tala we have come to realize that we are looking for two different people. Jeff and Mark were killed but very different character types."
"So what you're telling me is that there's some kind of conspiracy against me?" Tala asked with a hint of disdain.
"No, we think that the second killer used the death of Jeff as a cover up for himself.' Grissom replied, " We have two suspects and we need to know what you know about them."
"OK I'll tell you everything that I know.' She said.
"The first is Derrick Temore, what can you tell me about him?" Grissom asked.
"He's a major asshole, but he's also really stupid. From what I've seen this killer has some brains, and that does not in any way describe Derrick, he doesn't have two brain cells to rub together.' She replied.
"OK the second is Adam Prescott" Gil said.
"Who? We never had an Adam Prescott here. At least not that I know of.' Tala replied.
"Wee our records show he worked here, and was let go because of an undisclosed mental illness." Grissom answered.
" We let a Paul Romster go because of a mental illness, but not an Adam." she said "Wait, if a person gets a name change does their record stay the same?"
"Yes, Why?" Sarah asked
"Because if you get fired from a job, and sent to a mental hospital, you don't want to have that name when you go back into the same line of work. Paul was good with horses, but he was skitso and he got rough with the horses when he had an episode." Tala answered.
"You're right, Sarah call Cath and have her run a check on a Paul Romster, see if he changed his name to Adam at any time." Grissom said. Sarah went off to do as she was told.
"If you're right about this, I'm pretty sure that Adam/Paul whoever he is, is our man. He definitely would have a vendetta against your' Grissom continued.
"What about Jeff, that's what started this whole thing?" Tala questioned
"I've got a feeling that it was Matt Shadore, don't ask me why, but you said that he had just lost a race to you and was really mad about it, he could have been ensuring that he won the race that Jeff was in and it was only coincidence that Jeff was your friend, or it could have been that he was trying to scare you into not riding any more." Grissom answered.
"I know how to get him to talk. All you have to do is tell him he'll get off easier if he does, or threaten him with both murders, Matt's a wuss, he'll squeal." Tala said with a hint of a smile.
"Well thank you for that advice. Brass has already got a warrant for Matt's stuff, we should find something there," Grissom replied.
"Good luck Mr. Grissom" Tala said as he left the house.
After Grissom and Sarah had collected the meager amounts of evidence, they decided to head back to the CSI headquarters and start looking at all the pieces of the puzzle. Looking for any clue that might lead them to a suspect. After a long and silent car rider in which both Grissom and Sarah were both wondering what was going through the mind of the other, Sarah wondering what was wrong with Grissom and Grissom wondering if Sarah knew what was wrong with him, they arrived back at the lab. In the briefing room Grissom laid out all the information that they had. 2 murder victims, first Jeff Robertson 31 year old male, 5'1", 101 pounds, jockey at the Las Vegas Race Tracks. Killed from a skull fracture and multiple internal injuries. The second Mark Doble, 19 year old male, 4'11", 98 pounds, jockey and exercise rider for Freedom Flies Racing Stable, cause of death multiple internal injuries, and repeated blows to the head by a blunt object (hoof). One attempted murder victim, Ryan Cale, 51-year-old male, 5'10", 167 pounds, owner of Freedom Flies Racing Stable, injuries caused by a single gunshot wound to upper left shoulder. Murder "Weapons":
Petroleum jelly on boot of jockey
Drugged horse and glass shards in boots
Gun (in attempted murder) All this information was spread out over the lighted table and all five CSIs were hunched over it desperately seeking something, anything. Suddenly Grissom stood up, with that "I've figured something out" look on his face. "What is it Gris? Catherine asked, eager to hear some good news.
"We're looking for two different people" Grissom replied.
"OK not the news I was hoping for, but why do you think that?" came Catherine's reply.
"The first murder, look at what happened, guy falls off horse in the middle of a race. Could have been an accident; also murder could not have been the objective. The horse was not hurt at all. Second murder, could in no way have been an accident. It also was directly intended to kill the horse, even if the rider was not killed. The attempted murder, crime of opportunity, or so it seems, perhaps it was intended for a horse to be shot, but Ryan Cale showed up and was shot instead. Thus making it a crime of necessity for the killer. Then al the horses were let out, and one in particular, Freedom's Song, Tala Cale's first horse. This also means that the killer has a good knowledge of Tala. Do you see where I'm going with this?" He asked.
"First murder was committed by someone who wanted Jeff out of the way, the rest were deliberate attacks on Tala Cale." Nick replied.
"Right Nick, because Tala cares more about horses he she does people. Ok, Warrick, I want you to run through all the races in the past few days since the first murder look for owners who had the most to loose if Jeff raced. Especially Matt Shadore, oh and check the race that Jeff was in see if Matt had a horse in that as well. I still don't trust him. Catherine and Nick I want you to go through all the records of Freedom Flies Stable and find all the employees that were fired or left unhappily. There's something there we just have to find it. Sarah you're with me, we're gonna go back and talk to Tala again. There are a few questions that need answers that only she can provide." Grissom said.
"Uh, Gris there is still a pretty bad storm going on out there, maybe we had better wait until it's over before we go see Tala again." Sarah said
"Oh right. I'll be in my office if any of you need me before then." Grissom replied. 'I'm gonna get these guys" He muttered as he headed to his office.
Three hours later the storm had calmed down and Grissom and Sarah were getting ready to head back out to Freedom Flies Racing Stable when Nick came sliding into Grissom's office.
"I've got something, I think,' he gasped, out of breath after running the whole way there. "I have two people who were let go by Tala's farm that could hold a pretty nasty grudge. First guy Derrick Temore, was fired because of his mistreatment of the horses, the other Adam Prescott was let go because of a history of mental illness that was not revealed at the time he was hired, and for his subsequent mistreatment of horses. Those are the only two, all the rest went somewhere else by choice, and because of Tala's training style."
"Good work Nick, Sarah and I were about to go see Tala, go help Warrick if he isn't done then," Grissom replied.
Sarah and Grissom finished packing up the Tahoe and once again headed to Freedom Flies Racing Stable. They pulled into the now familiar lane and headed to the door of the huge farmhouse. Grissom knocked on the door and it was only moments before it was opened for them.
"I was wondering when you would be back, come on in" Tala said, not at all surprised to see them.
They all walked into the large living room. Grissom too a quick look around and noticed that nothing had changed. 'Of course it didn't change, you were just here a few hours ago' he berated himself.
Sarah spoke up "Tala we have come to realize that we are looking for two different people. Jeff and Mark were killed but very different character types."
"So what you're telling me is that there's some kind of conspiracy against me?" Tala asked with a hint of disdain.
"No, we think that the second killer used the death of Jeff as a cover up for himself.' Grissom replied, " We have two suspects and we need to know what you know about them."
"OK I'll tell you everything that I know.' She said.
"The first is Derrick Temore, what can you tell me about him?" Grissom asked.
"He's a major asshole, but he's also really stupid. From what I've seen this killer has some brains, and that does not in any way describe Derrick, he doesn't have two brain cells to rub together.' She replied.
"OK the second is Adam Prescott" Gil said.
"Who? We never had an Adam Prescott here. At least not that I know of.' Tala replied.
"Wee our records show he worked here, and was let go because of an undisclosed mental illness." Grissom answered.
" We let a Paul Romster go because of a mental illness, but not an Adam." she said "Wait, if a person gets a name change does their record stay the same?"
"Yes, Why?" Sarah asked
"Because if you get fired from a job, and sent to a mental hospital, you don't want to have that name when you go back into the same line of work. Paul was good with horses, but he was skitso and he got rough with the horses when he had an episode." Tala answered.
"You're right, Sarah call Cath and have her run a check on a Paul Romster, see if he changed his name to Adam at any time." Grissom said. Sarah went off to do as she was told.
"If you're right about this, I'm pretty sure that Adam/Paul whoever he is, is our man. He definitely would have a vendetta against your' Grissom continued.
"What about Jeff, that's what started this whole thing?" Tala questioned
"I've got a feeling that it was Matt Shadore, don't ask me why, but you said that he had just lost a race to you and was really mad about it, he could have been ensuring that he won the race that Jeff was in and it was only coincidence that Jeff was your friend, or it could have been that he was trying to scare you into not riding any more." Grissom answered.
"I know how to get him to talk. All you have to do is tell him he'll get off easier if he does, or threaten him with both murders, Matt's a wuss, he'll squeal." Tala said with a hint of a smile.
"Well thank you for that advice. Brass has already got a warrant for Matt's stuff, we should find something there," Grissom replied.
"Good luck Mr. Grissom" Tala said as he left the house.