Title: Supernova

Summary: "Sara, since the beginning of time the stars have held the answers to all the questions."

A/N:  As some may have noticed, this is taking a slight N/S slant.  I haven't decided whether I'll bring more of that into the story (I am leaning to leaving the relationships up in the air – there are so many great stories out there that have relationships and I think I like mine the way it is, just hinting at the possibilities for relationships.)  Any and all feedback is appreciated.

On another note, I have been trying to research things before I toss them into the story, but I haven't always had success finding out how things actually work (although I have found some wonderful information!)  So, some of the 'tools of the trade' I make reference to are real, and some are merely figments of my imagination!  Oh, yeah, and I've been making up names.  If they belong to someone, it wasn't intentional (but I like your name!)

To everyone who read …thanks!  Special thanks to those who took a moment to review: forensicsfan, Ina & A Bloom.  Your feedback made my day!

Disclaimer: 'CSI' still doesn't belong to me…

Spoilers: "Playing with Fire," "Inside the Box"

***

                "This is the last straw," Sara announced as she stormed into the lab where Greg and Nick were analyzing some of the other samples collected from the scene.  Warrick was close behind her, and responded with a slightly apologetic shrug of his shoulders their questioning looks.

                "What's the last straw," Greg asked.

                "The mayor has a level six security password on his police file."

                Nick's eyebrows rose slightly.

                "Doesn't that mean he's the only person who can authorize access to them," Nick asked, looking to Warrick for confirmation.

                "Pretty much," Warrick replied.  "Brass might be able to get a court order to open the file, but by then the mayor would figure out we were investigating him and we'd probably be out of jobs."

                "Well," Greg interjected, "that's not the only way to find information out on the mayor."

                "Oh, yeah," Sara challenged.

                "Yeah, Sara," Greg retorted.  "Its called newspaper archives.  The guy's a charismatic, attractive politician.  The papers probably document every time he breathes."

                Sara shot a dirty look at Greg.  Everyone knew that searching the newspaper archives would take a long time, and no one really wanted to do it.  Fortunately for them, or perhaps unfortunately, Catherine choose that moment to walk into the room.

                "What's up," Catherine asked generally.

                "Sara's complaining about having to do her job the old fashioned way," Warrick grinned.

                "Uh huh," Catherine said.  "And just what does she have to do?"

                "Research the mayor through the newspaper archives," Sara answered.

                "Because we need his permission, or rather password, to access his police file, and it probably would be a good idea to look him up because we've found his blood and partials at the crime scene" Nick added.

                "OK," Catherine said, pausing for a moment to think, "Well, I guess that means Warrick and I will be researching the mayor, and Sara can give Greg and Nick a hand processing the evidence."

                "Hey," Warrick interrupted, "How come I'm helping you?  It was Sara's idea to look up the mayor."

                "You're the computer guy," Sara laughed, happy she was relieved of the tedious task.

                "Don't sound so smug," Warrick warned.  "I bet Nick has left all the monotonous tasks for you to do."

                "No, he hasn't," Sara replied, perhaps a little too hastily judging by Greg's snort and Nick's sudden need to reorganize the papers sitting in front of him.

                Catherine sighed, and grabbed Warrick by the sleeve to drag him towards the computer lab.  Sara could hear Warrick whining the entire way, complaining about the injustice of it all.

                "So, what should I work on," Sara asked, eager to get back to business.

                "How about you try and get a match on the hair samples found on the clothing of the victims," Nick suggested.

                "Sure.  Speaking of victims, have we got a match on the two unidentified victims?"

                "Yeah," Nick responded.  "I'll let Greg tell you about them.  It took some complicated searching on Greg's part to put together the victims' identities."

                Greg's cheeks flushed at the unexpected compliment.

                "Well, the first unidentified victim was pretty easy to find.  The partials matched with a 'Paige Austin', who was arrested a couple years ago for solicitation.  The charges were dropped in exchange for a plead on a couple drug misdemeanours.  Here's the twist.  If you drag up the report from the arresting officer on the solicitation charge, you hit a dead end.  It's sealed.  However," Greg continued, not allowing Sara to interrupt, "If you run the exact date and time of the solicitation arrest, which is available, you can match it with another violation issued at the same time by the same arresting officer.  This time, a traffic violation that was issued to none other than Dr. Ethan Matthews after his car was pulled over for irregular driving.  If we wanted, we could find him, but I think we can connect the dots ourselves."

                "So you're telling me we can connect Dr. Matthews to two of the victims, as well as place him at the crime scene, right?"

                "Pretty much," Nick acknowledged.  "Not that it will be enough to get a warrant yet, given that our suspect is the mayor of Las Vegas."

                "But that's not all," Greg said.

                Sara's eyes riveted back to Greg.

                "The second victim is a slightly more interesting story.  She didn't turn up in AFIS or CODIS.  However, being the bored individual I am, I opened the search to all databases, including the database of military personnel.  I got a hit in the military database through the fingerprints.  The second victim is 'Halle Robson.'  The US Army employed her for three years as a translator.  According to the report, she was honourably discharged.  Now, I looked up the name in the DMV, and her most recent home address is in Las Vegas.  Because I've got so much time on my hands, I tossed her name into the 'Las Vegas Sun' newspaper archive.  Ms. Robson is currently employed as a translator at the 'Las Vegas Academy for the Performing Arts', where Dr. Matthews is on the board of directors."

                "That's circumstantial," Sara objected, "A lot of people worked there."

                Greg smiled, "I knew you'd say that.  Anyways, it stops being circumstantial when there three photographs in the archives featuring our dear mayor and Ms. Robson.  He knew her, in some capacity."

                "OK, so the mayor knew all three of the victims and his blood and fingerprints put him at the scene of the crime, but we don't have a motive," Sara said.

                "Doesn't matter," Nick replied.  "We've got enough to justify a warrant to search the mayor's premises.  We just need Brass to get the DA to issue one, and that might be tricky."

                At that moment, Catherine burst into the lab, with Warrick behind her.  Brass followed at a more subdued pace.

                "Things just got a lot more interesting," Warrick explained, allowing Cath to regain some composure after her flurried entrance into the lab.

                "Brass," Cath ordered, "you explain."

                "The mayor issued a statement saying he doesn't want a police investigation into his daughter's death.  He says he's afraid that an investigation will only hurt the people surrounding his daughter and accomplish nothing."

                "That's outrageous," Sara exclaimed.  "One, it looks like the work of a serial killer.  How does he think he'd going to play that one?  People don't want a serial killer loose.  How is he going to convince the public an investigation is not necessary?  Even if we know its not likely the work of a serial killer, the public doesn't.  And two, he's not the only parent who lost of child.  The other families deserve justice."

                "Besides those, there's no legal precedent for him to stop the investigation.  It is the responsibility of the state to investigate all suspicious deaths, and he can't stop that," Nick commented.

                "He doesn't have to have a legal basis," Cath stated.  "He can portray the investigators in the media as insensitive creeps who are disturbing him during his mourning.  Public opinion will force the DA and police chief to silence the investigation.  When that method fails, he just sues the LVPD for harassment.  He can shut down the investigation."

                "Dammit," Sara swore.

                "Temper, temper, Ms. Sidle," Nick teased.

                "Sara's right," Warrick groaned.  "We've pretty much wasted the last twenty-four hours, except now we all know he did but we can't do anything about it."

                "Not exactly," Greg said slowly.

Five pairs of eyes turned to look at him, looks of interest mirrored in their expressions.

"He can argue that his daughter has a right to peace, and he reserves the right to mourn her death privately.  However, he can't deny the other families the right to justice."

"Are you suggesting we track down the families of one of the victims, drag them to Vegas and toss them into a media circus to throw public opinion in our favour," Brass asked incredulously.

"He's got a point," Sara said thoughtfully.  "We don't have to toss them into the media circus.  We just have to have them here to sign a statement to the effect they want the investigation continued.  Then, we invite the mayor in for a chat.  When he pulls his grieving father line on us, we play the trump."

"That just might work," Cath mused.

"However, its contingent on two things that might not happen," Brass warned.

"What," Sara questioned.

"Finding a family that cares, and getting the mayor in here," Brass answered grimly.