Catherine and Warrick approached Delia Herrera who was sitting on the
bumper of Brass' police issued Ford Taurus, "Ms. Herrera," Catherine began.
"My name is Catherine Willows and this is Warrick Brown. We're with the
Las Vegas Crime Lab. We'd like to ask you some questions."
"Ms. Willows. Mr. Brown." Delia nodded. Her face was tear stained and her eyes threatened to unleash another storm of tears. Catherine pulled out a packet of tissues out of her pocket and handed it to Delia. "Thank you, Ms. Willows." She blew her nose and dabbed at her eyes.
Catherine sat next to Delia on the bumper. "Ms. Herrera, I know this is difficult for you, but I need to have to explain exactly what happened today."
Delia looked over at Catherine, "I get up early. Dr. Vargas leaves by 7:00, he works 12 hour shifts at the hospital, sometimes more. Mrs. Vargas, she usually sleeps in a little. I got up at 6:00 and got ready for the day. I made Dr. Vargas his breakfast and then after he left, I went to mass. Mrs. Vargas doesn't like to eat breakfast. I came home and started cleaning downstairs. I always do, I've got a system. I had to go out for a couple of hours to the market. You know, I really like the Albertson's, they take anyone's coupons. Anyway, I did the groceries and came home around 4:30. I hadn't seen Mrs. Vargas, but I thought maybe she had gone out with friends. She does that a lot when the Dr. won't be home till later. I put them away and then I watched Oprah and Dr. Phil. I always watch Oprah and Dr. Phil, that's my big break in the day. After that I always clean the upstairs. I was cleaning the master bath when I saw the closet door ajar. I went to close it, but it wouldn't close, so I opened it to see what was blocking it and then, she, oh, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph" Delia dissolved into sobs.
Catherine pulled out another tissue and handed it to her. Warrick and Catherine exchanged a glance. Warrick squatted down and placed a hand on Delia's arm, "Ms. Herrera, can you think of anyone who might have wanted to hurt Mrs. Vargas in any way? Anyone who might have had something against Dr. Vargas?"
Delia shook her head and through her tears began to speak again, "No. They were like my children. Since I came here from El Salvador, they took care of me like I was family. I could not know kinder people. How could anyone do this to Mrs. Vargas?"
Catherine gently asked, "Ms. Herrera, is there anyone who has access to the house besides the Vargas's and yourself?"
Delia thought for a moment, "Well, on Tuesdays Rick would come to take care of the pool. Wednesdays Randy would come with his crew for the landscaping. Sometimes they would come more when the Vargas's wanted extra things planted. Dr. Vargas is always hiring someone to do things around the house, he usually gets them through one of those agencies. He always takes care of it himself. He just tells me when they are coming and what they are supposed to do."
"So any number of people have access to the house at any given time?" Warrick asked to clarify.
Delia nodded.
Catherine placed a gentle hand on Delia's arm, "Ms. Herrera, Captain Brass is going to want to get some more information from you. He'll probably take you down to the station where it's more comfortable and then we'll get you set up in a hotel."
"Thank you, Ms. Willows." Delia managed.
Catherine and Warrick walked away from Delia toward Brass who was standing some distance away talking to one of his officers.
"Hey, Brass," Catherine called out, "we're finished questioning Ms. Herrera for the time being. Any word on the husband?"
In his typical manner, Brass replied, "No, the good doctor is still in surgery. I'm going to head down to the hospital myself and talk to him. Want to come along for the ride?"
"Yeah, thanks, Brass." Warrick replied.
"Is Grissom still inside?" Catherine inquired.
"Yeah, apparently science takes time." Brass responded. "Should I meet you kids there?"
Catherine flashed him a 100 watt smile, "I'm just going to let Grissom know where we are, and we'll follow you."
Brass' features softened. "Ok then."
"Ms. Willows. Mr. Brown." Delia nodded. Her face was tear stained and her eyes threatened to unleash another storm of tears. Catherine pulled out a packet of tissues out of her pocket and handed it to Delia. "Thank you, Ms. Willows." She blew her nose and dabbed at her eyes.
Catherine sat next to Delia on the bumper. "Ms. Herrera, I know this is difficult for you, but I need to have to explain exactly what happened today."
Delia looked over at Catherine, "I get up early. Dr. Vargas leaves by 7:00, he works 12 hour shifts at the hospital, sometimes more. Mrs. Vargas, she usually sleeps in a little. I got up at 6:00 and got ready for the day. I made Dr. Vargas his breakfast and then after he left, I went to mass. Mrs. Vargas doesn't like to eat breakfast. I came home and started cleaning downstairs. I always do, I've got a system. I had to go out for a couple of hours to the market. You know, I really like the Albertson's, they take anyone's coupons. Anyway, I did the groceries and came home around 4:30. I hadn't seen Mrs. Vargas, but I thought maybe she had gone out with friends. She does that a lot when the Dr. won't be home till later. I put them away and then I watched Oprah and Dr. Phil. I always watch Oprah and Dr. Phil, that's my big break in the day. After that I always clean the upstairs. I was cleaning the master bath when I saw the closet door ajar. I went to close it, but it wouldn't close, so I opened it to see what was blocking it and then, she, oh, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph" Delia dissolved into sobs.
Catherine pulled out another tissue and handed it to her. Warrick and Catherine exchanged a glance. Warrick squatted down and placed a hand on Delia's arm, "Ms. Herrera, can you think of anyone who might have wanted to hurt Mrs. Vargas in any way? Anyone who might have had something against Dr. Vargas?"
Delia shook her head and through her tears began to speak again, "No. They were like my children. Since I came here from El Salvador, they took care of me like I was family. I could not know kinder people. How could anyone do this to Mrs. Vargas?"
Catherine gently asked, "Ms. Herrera, is there anyone who has access to the house besides the Vargas's and yourself?"
Delia thought for a moment, "Well, on Tuesdays Rick would come to take care of the pool. Wednesdays Randy would come with his crew for the landscaping. Sometimes they would come more when the Vargas's wanted extra things planted. Dr. Vargas is always hiring someone to do things around the house, he usually gets them through one of those agencies. He always takes care of it himself. He just tells me when they are coming and what they are supposed to do."
"So any number of people have access to the house at any given time?" Warrick asked to clarify.
Delia nodded.
Catherine placed a gentle hand on Delia's arm, "Ms. Herrera, Captain Brass is going to want to get some more information from you. He'll probably take you down to the station where it's more comfortable and then we'll get you set up in a hotel."
"Thank you, Ms. Willows." Delia managed.
Catherine and Warrick walked away from Delia toward Brass who was standing some distance away talking to one of his officers.
"Hey, Brass," Catherine called out, "we're finished questioning Ms. Herrera for the time being. Any word on the husband?"
In his typical manner, Brass replied, "No, the good doctor is still in surgery. I'm going to head down to the hospital myself and talk to him. Want to come along for the ride?"
"Yeah, thanks, Brass." Warrick replied.
"Is Grissom still inside?" Catherine inquired.
"Yeah, apparently science takes time." Brass responded. "Should I meet you kids there?"
Catherine flashed him a 100 watt smile, "I'm just going to let Grissom know where we are, and we'll follow you."
Brass' features softened. "Ok then."
