This story is based on characters created by Anthony E. Zuiker for the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Remuneration, Part 38
by Cheers

Paulson sat across the table from Ben Curtis in the interrogation room. Sitting next to him was Nick Stokes. Nick carefully laid out the evidence he had gathered to prove the county's case against the suspect. The trash bags found under the man's kitchen sink were consistent with the bag that was used to dump Shelly Danbridge's body. The hairs collected from his dog were consistent with the dog hairs found on the body. The carpet fibers from his car and his home matched the fibers found on both victims' clothing. A receipt they found led them to the shop where he had purchased the new tires. A mechanic at the shop remembered that Curtis still had the old recalled tires on his Explorer and that Curtis had not wanted to put the paperwork through for the recall refund because it would take time. Blaine McCallister positively identified him as the man she saw walking his dog near the building in the days leading up to Shelly Danbridge's disappearance. The audio technician was able to make an 80 match of his voice with that of the 911 call.

Most importantly, Robin Freeman had been found in his home. She had been assaulted in the same way that Shelly Danbridge had been. The barrette lying in plain sight had given them all the probable cause they needed to search for and find Robin.

Gil Grissom watched the interview from the confines of the observation room. He had been ordered to keep his distance from this particular suspect. Seeing Ben Curtis sitting in a chair, healthy and with a remorseless look on his face made Gil glad there was a wall between them. His anger still burned red hot.

"Are there other missing girls that you can tell us about?" Carl Paulson asked Curtis.

Ben Curtis looked placidly back at the detective. "None that I'm willing to discuss."

"There's not a jury in Nevada that won't give you the death penalty for what you did to these girls," Nick said. "Man, the only hope you have of saving your life is to cooperate."

"Nick's right."

Gil looked up to find Sheriff Mobley standing beside him in the observation room. It was the Sheriff who had spoken to him.

"He'll get the death penalty," Mobley continued.

"'These violent delights have violent ends and in their triumph die, like fire and powder.'" Gil quoted.

"Shakespeare?"

Grissom nodded. "Killing him won't bring Shelly Danbridge back," he observed bitterly.

"But a justice will be served," Mobley offered.

Gil didn't say anything right away.

In the interrogation room, Ben Curtis was smug. "If you kill me, you'll never know about the others," he told his interrogators.

"I'm not sure there is justice enough for him," Gil said.


It was nearly a week later before Grissom was allowed back on duty. The Sheriff had forced him to take a few days off to cool down. It wasn't a formal suspension, but it felt the same to Gil.

Robin Freeman had been released from the hospital that morning. The news media in Las Vegas had kept close tabs on the girl's status and reported several times each day on her progress.

Martha, Ron and Cheryl Danbridge had left to take Shelly's body back to Ohio for burial. Before leaving they had made a point to apologize to Grissom again. They also thanked him for helping to find her killer.

Carl Paulson had stopped by to apologize to him as well. Grissom was certain that he had Jim Brass to thank for that. Still, Paulson had the makings of a good detective. Paulson had found several small clues and quickly pieced together a workable theory as to what may have happened to Shelly Danbridge. Grissom gave him points for his deductive abilities even if the detective was way off base. Being wrong was often how one eventually got to being right. Paulson did help the investigation, and it was his hunch that had led to the discovery of Robin Freeman. That little girl had Paulson to thank for her life, and Gil told the detective that.

The incident with Curtis was the closest Gil had ever come to taking his rage out on a suspect. The fact that he could get that angry surprised him a little. He had always had a temper but had always been able to control it. Grissom was discovering that there were depths of emotion inside of him that he hadn't been aware of. So, for that matter, was everyone else. That was perhaps the most awkward aspect of the whole situation.

As with everything else about this case, Grissom's near assault on Curtis had passed into legend more quickly than the facts could be distributed. Employees at the lab spent a great deal of time whispering to each other as soon as they spotted him. The more timid among them went to great lengths to not be caught in the same corridor with him. It would be some time before things returned to normal.

At least that wasn't true for the wounds to his face. By the time he returned to the lab, most of the visible marks had disappeared.

As the shift wore on, Grissom became aware that the discomfort evident in most of the lab staff was completely absent in his CSI team. Catherine, Warrick, Nick, and Sara all seemed perfectly comfortable around him. Greg Saunders and Bobby Dawson were their usual selves, pleasantly goofy and pleasantly amiable respectively.

By the end of the shift, Grissom was feeling pretty good about being back in full swing again. He entered the Break Room looking for Nick and found him. He also found his other three CSIs.

"You ready, Nick?" Gil asked.

"Yeah, boss," Nick said rising. "Just one thing before we go."

"Where are you two going?" Catherine asked, her curiosity bringing her to the question just seconds before Sara or Warrick could ask the same thing.

"I'm taking Nick out for breakfast," Gil told her matter-of-factly.

"Without asking any of us?" Sara asked, half-hurt.

Warrick grinned at her. "We're not special enough today."

"It's just my way of saying thank you," Grissom said. Turning to Nick he asked, "What's the one thing?"

Nick smiled. "I was wondering if you wouldn't mind my inviting someone to join us."

Gil gave Nick a lopsided grin. "Who'd you have in mind?"

"A jealous bunch of petty-minded CSIs," Nick said, spreading his arms to indicate the present company.

"Hey!" Catherine protested. "Be careful there."

"Yeah," Sara said smiling. "We resemble that remark."

Warrick stood up and headed for the doorway where Grissom stood, "And you're buying for all of us, right Gris?"

"If you all promise to order from the kid's menu," Gil said.

Catherine stepped up next him and tapped him on the shoulder with the back of her hand before heading out the door. "In your dreams."

"There's a steak with my name on it," Nick said as he walked out and down the hallway.

"Got that right," Warrick said, moving past Grissom to follow Nick.

Sara wasn't far behind. "Vegetable lasagna!"

Grissom was laughing to himself as he scanned the now-empty room.

"Coming?" Catherine said as she poked her head back into the room.

"Yeah," Gil said as he moved to follow her. He really was finding out things about himself and, he now understood, not all of it was bad.