This story is based on characters created by Anthony E. Zuiker for the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Remuneration, Part 21
by Cheers
Usually, Gil kept his office door open. He liked being accessible to the people at the lab. If they had a question or concern, he wanted them to feel free to speak to him. Though never really considered a 'people person', Gil felt it was his job as a senior investigator to help others work through the issues arising from the many cases the lab worked on daily. His experience was a valuable asset, not just to him but to his team. But right now, he wasn't in the sharing mood.
When he didn't answer right away the door swung open. Gil wasn't too surprised to find it was Catherine entering his office uninvited. She rarely kept the distance from him that the other members of his team did. Their friendship was long and she didn't find him nearly as intimidating as the younger employees of the lab did. Grissom had discovered that Catherine rarely found anyone intimidating. He was surprised to realize that he felt a bit relieved and even a little glad that she was standing in his office.
"Hey," he said as he turned to face her.
"Hey, yourself," Catherine replied. "I saw you were here and thought I'd check to see how you're holding up."
Gil shrugged. "I'm fine."
Catherine ignored the stock answer she knew she'd get from her friend and looked back at the office door, now standing ajar. "Feeling antisocial today?"
That got more than the expected reply. He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not here as the supervisor," he gave a slight shrug as he explained. "I figured the supervisor's door could remain closed."
"And you could keep all those pesky co-workers who are concerned about you at arm's length as well," Catherine replied.
Gil just looked at her.
"I thought as much," she said, meeting his gaze. Catherine knew not to expect much more from Grissom. This lack of demonstrativeness was normal. That didn't mean that she was any more pleased now with this aspect of his personality than she had ever been. Sometimes she just wanted to shake him.
Another knock at the door announced the arrival of Warrick and Sara at Grissom's office. Gil had to lean forward slightly in his chair in order to see around Catherine and identify the new arrivals.
"Can we come in?" Sara asked.
With a look that signaled resignation more than anything else, Grissom gestured that they enter. They were worried, he supposed. Why should they be? He was a robot, right? Hadn't they all said so, in one way or another?
Gil immediately and silently chastised himself. He wasn't being fair. Fear and anger had forced the unkind words he had received. There were enough unfounded accusations floating around without Gil giving in to the bitterness. It was only a matter of time before he would be proven innocent. Patience had always been a virtue he tried to practice. Right now they all needed to do that. By all reports, several members of the PD and the crime lab were a lot more impatient with the evidentiary process than he was.
"You doing okay?" Warrick asked after entering the office behind Sara.
Gil gave the younger CSIs a stern look. "I'm fine," he assured them just as he had Catherine. All the concern was discomforting.
Both Sara and Warrick gave Grissom an appraising look, trying to determine just how fine he might be. If Grissom was upset or angry about his current status at the lab or as a suspect, he wasn't about to say so. They really hadn't expected anything else from their boss. It was more important to let him know that they were there for him.
"We're not making much progress on the storage unit case," Sara offered in an attempt to say anything that wouldn't seem like emotional prying. She gave Grissom a brief review of the findings she and Warrick had made after examining the recliner and the victim's clothing. They were still trying to run down the laundry mark.
"The post is scheduled for midnight tonight," Catherine informed them. "We may know more after that."
Grissom nodded. "And if I'm ever allowed a chance to start this analysis, our insect friends might have a thing or two to offer as well."
Catherine grinned. "That must be your not-too-subtle way of telling us to leave you and your bugs alone," she half-joked.
Gil looked over the top of his glasses at her. "Yes," he said. His matter-of-fact tone told all of them that he was not wasting any subtlety on them at all.
"Well," Catherine said, not losing her grin, "I guess we can take a hint." Turning she said to Warrick and Sara, "Let's let the professor do his job, shall we?"
They all headed toward the door when Warrick stopped. "Hey, Gris? Did you hear about the deposits Ecklie found on his desk tonight?"
They turned back to Grissom and Sara could swear she saw the fleeting hint of a smile on his face. When he spoke to them, though, he was all business.
"I did," he told them. Leaning forward and pointing at them with the pen he held in his hand he said, "I better not hear that any of you had anything to do with that." Grissom eyed the three members of this team for a moment. If they were guilty of participating in antagonizing Ecklie, they were hiding it well. "You're senior investigators. I expect more from you."
"Sure," Sara said, nodding her agreement.
"No worries," Warrick added, fighting a smile.
With that, they all left. Catherine hadn't said another word. Gil was certain he could see the telltale grin on Catherine's face that was a sign she knew more than she was willing to say. Sometimes there were things it was better not to know. He had to admit that he wished he could have seen the look on Ecklie's face when he found the 'deposits'.
Nick had managed to isolate more animal hairs from Shelly Danbridge's socks. The hairs he found were similar in color and length to the hairs he had found on her dress and the top of one shoe she was wearing when found. There wasn't any underwear. The SART kit that had been sent to Greg for analysis also had included animal hairs. Doc Robbins had found similar hairs on the body and sent these to Nick as well.
Using the comparison microscope, Nick had been able to determine that the hairs were canine. The crime lab didn't have a very extensive database for dog hair, but the FBI did. Nick took several high definition photographs using the microscope imager and placed these in the file with his initial report. He would have to access the FBI database in order to determine breed or breeds of dog represented by the hairs that had been collected. This was an analysis he would let Hodges perform. Hodges would jump at the chance to prove Grissom was innocent. That kiss-ass would never pass up a chance to win brownie points with the boss.
Nick had also found two different kind of colored fibers. Both looked like some kind of carpet fiber. These would be his next priority, but they would have to wait.
At least the number of dog hairs suggested extensive exposure to an animal. Mrs. Danbridge didn't own a dog. Neither did Grissom. This was the first bit of good news Nick had obtained from the case. Now there was solid evidence that pointed away from Grissom. Where, exactly, the evidence pointed to was still a mystery.
