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At the lab, Sara and Grissom were processing evidence of a seemingly obvious event. The further they got the more their hopes of finding anything useful dwindled. It was starting to feel like a waste of precious time.
"Found anything yet, Sara?" Grissom asked.
Nothing we didn't expect. The glass was broken from the outside, smashed in probably with this stone. Sara pointed to a brick lying in a evidence bag on the table.
According to Brass there is a construction site down the road, they are using bricks there, so he could have taken it there. But none of the workers saw a thing. I managed to secure a shoeprint in the garden. Looks like sneakers, but the computer is still running it through the database. What did you get?"
"The sheriff on the phone and Greg's report. Blood on the letter opener is Nigel Crane's. But since there was no blood on the floor, he probably has just a slight cut. His prints are all over the place. He wasn't concerned about us finding out that he was there."
"Which shows that he either is as mentally incompetent as his therapist claims, which I don't believe, or that there is only one way out for him. He was ready to kill himself before." What Sara was thinking but didn't put into words, was that Nigel Crane's suicidal plans probably included Nick as well.
"We have to talk to that psychiatrist again, the sheriff said she would be working with us and should come by here sometime today. I want to know more about the routine of the patients there, for example whether Nigel Crane was free to send mail. If he could so why would he only start mailing Nick now, he knew the address all along. We also need transcripts of his sessions with Dr. Sharp."
Sara could sense Grissom's determination to find Nigel Crane. Although Grissom was not someone who showed any emotions, he did care about what happened to the members of his team. He was troubled by the thought that a deranged stalker was possibly after one of his team members. In any other situation Sara would have at least inwardly smiled at the new insight into Grissom, but she too was filled with worry.
Dr. Sharps arrival did nothing to ease their worries. She seemed genuinely at a loss to explain what had happened. Her calm had dissipated and her voice was rather shrill as she sat in the briefing room with the now complete Nightshift, as Catherine, Warrick and Nick had finally come back from the hospital.
"I've hear what happened. Are you sure yet that Nigel Crane was involved?"
"Yes, we found his DNA and his fingerprints at the scene. There is no doubt about it."
"He has never exhibited any violence since he became a patient. But he had been on medication. Suddenly stopping could destabilize him further."
"What exactly was he on?"
"He was being treated with trifluoperazine which is used to treat both psychotic and anxiety neurosis. Especially in the beginning he was experiencing severe anxiety with was linked to his loss of identity. I still think that he wasn't planning on resorting to violence. Being interrupted must have triggered the reaction."
"Yeah, looks like it, I mean he only pushed me against the counter, he could have easily killed me when I was down." Warrick said, unable to hide his uneasiness. He was lucky and didn't know why. In the past, Nigel Crane hadn't shown himself so "kind" to his victims. Murder and a second story window were rather serious.
Grissom tried to defuse the awkward situation by asking another question:
"Are the patients allowed to make phone calls and send or receive mail?"
"Some patients have a list of approved contacts whom they can call regularly. Nigel Crane didn't have any. He refused any contact with his family, even though they tried several time. All outgoing and incoming mail is being screened. As far as I know, He never exchanged any mail, he only received a few letters form his family.
"Could it be that Nigel Crane has been manipulating you and other personnel? He couldn't have gotten out without outside help."
It was cleat what Catherine was implying. She simply put into words what all of them had been thinking. There had to bee someone who was helping him.
"What are you saying? Do you think that we would let him escape knowingly? I have worked with Nigel for three years now, and I think I'm fully competent in making his behavioural assessment. I do not appreciate you suggesting otherwise." Dr. Sharp was exasperated at the notion. "I came here in goodwill and all you do is shift the blame to me?"
"Nobody is accusing anyone of anything yet. We are just exploring the possibilities." Warrick tried to defuse the situation, seeing that Grissom either wasn't aware of the imminent explosion or simply didn't think to prevent it. The last thing that Warrick wanted was a loud, counterproductive argument.
The feeling that the investigation was going nowhere was affected all their nerves. Everyone was rather edgy. Grissom had picked up on that now as well and decided that it was best to call it a day. More aggravation wouldn't help anyone.
"I'm going to stay and work on the transcripts. Nick, you go and take a hotel room, O'Reilly has gotten you two officers for protection. You're officially still on vacation, so I don't want to see you at work tomorrow. Warrick you go home and get some rest. Dr. Sharp, I suggest we sit back together tomorrow, in the meantime, if you think of something, please don't hesitate to call me"
"I'm staying. It will take you ages to work through all the transcripts alone." Sara was eager to put in for work.
~~
Though tired, Nick couldn't even imagine going to sleep right now. His emotional turmoil had all but abated. The predominant fear that had initially struck him had now receded and made way to anger and determination. He could remember what Grissom had told him after they had arrested Nigel Crane two years ago, that Nigel Crane's obsession wasn't about him as a person.
Nonetheless, he took it personally. Nick could get Nigel out of his head. The thought that he had been in his apartment, again, made Nick nauseous. It had taken him weeks to feel comfortable at home after his attack. Right now, he didn't think he ever could get back there. But worse than the unshakable imagine in his mind where was the feeling of profound failure. Again, he was the victim, who was being pushed around by Nigel Crane, driving into hiding and fear by a madman. Nick hated the feeling of being totally powerless, his feelings and actions controlled by Nigel Crane, even though he was possibly hundreds of miles away. He was the ideal victim, easily scared and driven into submission. He, whose job it was the find evidence that nailed bastard like Nigel Crane. Nick let out a bitter laugh at the irony of it all. He had to do something, this time he wouldn't sit by the sideline. He knew where to go. Something he had already noted earlier that day was still present in his mind. He wasn't sure that it was the clue they were looking for, but it was an avenue worth pursuing.
~~
The arms of the clock were moving at an ever steady pace, indicating the change from day to night and eventually into early morning again. The were the only sign of passing time, aside from a period empting and refilling of coffee cups. Sara and Grissom were reading their way through to years worth of daily sessions, court assessments and police transcripts.
"There is nothing in here." Sara shut another folder. "I'm starting to think that this Dr. Sharp maybe was right after all, he's nuts. Hardly says anything and what he says his completely rubbish. Not a word about Nick or Jane Galloway, for that matter. Stuff about another patient who wasn't nice to him, that the pasta he had for dinner wasn't good, that he likes the wood workshop and sweets. It reads like he's a seven year old. Definitely not like he was even up to planning an escape." Sara was frustrating. They treading water, not going anywhere.
"Same here. It just doesn't fit. We have to look for someone else. He had to have some help. Someone who got out the letters, assuming they were his and someone who also helped him escape. He has to get cash and transportation from somewhere. I'd love to pill the financial records from all the employees at the institute, but we are never going to get a warrant for that."
"You are right you won't." O'Reilly and Catherine had just come in. "No stolen cars or thefts that would fit Nigel Crane. No one in the neighbourhood noticed anything suspicious. No motel or hotel has reservation in his name. It's like he broke into Stoke's house and then disappeared into thin air."
"That doesn't happen" Grissom simply said.
"Apparently it does, and according to the news it's our fault. The story is all over TV right now. Psychopath escaped and LVPD clueless, at least that's the gist of it. Panic creation at it's best"
"Well, I don't think he is a danger to the general public. He isn't a serial killer. He picks one victim, stalks him or her and only eventually strikes."
None of them answered, all the avenues they were normally pursuing at brought up dead ends. No clue how Nigel Crane had gotten or where he was going. They were running out of ideas. They all knew that this occasionally happened. Some fugitives were never captured. As long as Nigel Crane didn't get involved in a crime, he had good chances of remaining undetected indefinitely. He had escaped over three days ago now. The odds were starting to tip in his favour. Grissom knew that without another crime, Nigel Crane would probably remain free, a thought which he hated, but he wasn't rooting for another crime, either. His personal assessment of Nigel Crane and his obsession told him that he would not be able to carry on like a normal person. Sooner or later his obsession would surface again, driving him to stalk and kill. Their best bet was that he wasn't over Nick yet, why else would he have returned to Nick's apartment, stolen clothes and a gun.
The ringing of O'Reilly's cell interrupted his thought. O'Reilly answered.
"O'Reilly here." He then listed.
"No, of course not. You stay right where you are. Did he say anything? Was anyone with him?"
Another pause, longer this time.
"How could you not go with him?! You know what police protection means? I don't think so. We'll be right there." O'Reilly was infuriated.
Catherine and Grissom expectantly looked at him. Both knew that something bad had just happened.
"The door guards from Nick's hotel. They wanted to know whether to could return to the PD. Turns out that around 11pm last night, Nick told them he was going to work at CSI. Of course none of them thought to come with him. "
"11 pm, that was over six hours ago." Catherine checked her watch. She didn't add the logical conclusion form this. Six hours was a long time, during which a lot could have happened to Nick. She knew that he might already be dead. But she couldn't afford that assumption. They had to do everything they could under the premises that Nick was still alive.
"I told him to stay put." Grissom said.
"It was obvious that he couldn't stay away from the case. Telling him to stay out was a waste of time." Catherine snapped. She was more aggressive than she wanted to. Worry, lack of sleep and a guilty conscience as a mother had triggered her anger.
"I'm sorry. If Nigel does have Nick, we have to stay focussed on the case. Every minute could count."
Note: Thanks for all the great reviews for the previous chapters. Hope you liked this one, even though I know the ending isn't very nice ;). Next chapter is written already, it just needs finishing touches, I'll probably be done with it by tonight.
