Last Voice: A Concert
10: Deciso
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I found Warrick filling out a report in the break room.
"Hey, Warrick, can I have some advice?"
"From me?"
He looked skeptical.
Make that suspicious.
"Yeah," I said innocently. "Would I ask you if I wanted, oh, say, Grissom's answer?"
"Shoot," he said.
"Well, there's this lab tech, this female lab tech—"
"Sorry, no love advice. You want that, try Nicky."
"No, I mean, I need help keeping this girl away without hurting her feelings."
Warrick stopped, gave me a look, and made a motion like he was cleaning his ear.
"Sorry, I think I have waxy build up again – did you just say you want to keep her away?"
"Yeah."
"I thought you were the class flirt."
"This ain't flirting, man." He gave me another disbelieving look. "I'd prefer if you didn't ask why. Just tell me how you manage to get the message across. If you don't, I'll have to go to Gris for help and you now what bad people skills he has."
Warrick considered this for a moment.
"The only advice I can give you've apparently figured out – to stay away. There's enough stuff in life with this job and all without love gumming up the gears."
"Tell me about it."
He gave me a curious look, but I didn't elaborate.
"So?"
"So stay away from it at all costs."
"You sound bitter."
"No kidding."
By this time I wished I hadn't asked.
"Okay, I really came to tell you that Sara wants you to come with us to reinterview the suspect."
"What, you need a big strong man to stand up to him?"
"No, we need someone who isn't afraid to have their arm broken by a guy twice their height."
Warrick raised an eyebrow. "Try Nick."
"Sara said he was busy in trace."
"Gris?"
"Sara said he was doing paperwork."
"Aren't you going?"
"Yeah, but Sara said I was a termite."
"Did Sara also say to jump on one leg?"
I grinned. "No, there was no 'Sara says' with that, so Bobby was out of the game when Sara ran into him."
"What?"
"She stepped on his foot."
Warrick laid the paperwork on the table. "Okay, I'll go, just because 'Sara says' and I don't wanna be out."
"Mr. Samson?"
Knock, knock.
"Hey, it's Sara Sidle from the crime lab again. Mr. Samson?"
"Maybe he's not home from work yet," I suggested.
"I called his boss. She said he called in sick today."
"What does this guy do?" Warrick asked.
"Construction," I said.
"Construction?" Warrick repeated musingly.
"Construction," Catherine confirmed.
"Is there an echo in here?" I grinned. We were gonna get this guy. As soon as he opened that door…
"Are you looking for Ted?"
We turned. Behind us was the landlord – a short portly man – the one who had given Sara the key to Kasey's apartment.
"Yeah."
"He left several hours ago. Packed all his stuff into a bunch of bags and piled 'em into his truck and took off."
"Took off?"
"Hoo boy."
"I'm calling Grissom," Warrick said, taking out his phone and moving out of ear shot.
Sara turned to me. "I'll call in about a warrant for the apartment."
"He vacated earlier, like I said," the landlord put in. "Turned in his keys and everything. It's mine again, and I'll give you permission."
I raised an eyebrow. "Forensics Files?"
"Law and Order. I'll get the key."
He hurried off as Warrick returned.
"Grissom's calling Brass about searching for Samson and putting a rush on all of the rest of the tests for this case – paternity, the semen stains – and Catherine and Nick are going to reconstruct the crimes."
"When will they be here?"
"As soon as they can be."
I looked at Sara. The landlord came panting up the stairs, something dull silver in his hand.
"I've (puff) got it…"
"Good. Thanks. Hold on a second." She pulled on a latex glove on and took the key. "Better safe than sorry."
"Right," Warrick said. "Greg, you need the reconstruction experience – ask Grissom to come help us, and you can go with Cath, okay?"
Oh, joy, I thought. Now I can't even process an apartment.
That didn't matter. That's what I told myself. Team. There's no "I" in team.
Right. Time to go back to the alley.
A/N: Dun dun dun! Hmm… I actually know what I'm going to do now. Poor Brass, I'm neglecting him… Oh well. He'll live, I'm sure. Ha.
