Author's note
Please see chap 1 for disclaimer etc. This is still a G.

TWO

'Absoloutely nothing! No prints, nothing!' Jim Brass growled in frustration.

'Patience is a virtue.' Grissom was matter of fact. 'There's other options here. I'll give it to Ronnie and see what he makes of the paper,the ink.'

'Do I look like a goddamn virtuous girlguide with the patience of a saint to you? In fact, don't answer that one.' Brass allowed himself the briefest of smiles.

'Hey Hardy Boys, what's the mystery?' Catherine entered the lab and found Grissom and Brass huddled in what looked like a conspiracy by a microscope.

'No mystery,' replied Grissom flatly. 'Just a little fingerprint experiment.'

'Someones idea of a practical joke,' chipped in Brass.'Look I'd better get outta here. Got a mountain of paper to clear before end of shift.'

'Well you two don't appear to be finding it very amusing. Can I assist with anything?'

'No thanks. We can handle it. Probably something and then nothing. Jim being over sensitive.' Brass shot him a 'watch it buddy' glance at that last remark. Catherine smiled.

'Oh yeah,' she cooed sweetly. 'Jim is such a gentle, sensitive soul who gets upset so easily.'

Just as Grissom was about to answer, Nick Stokes appeared at the door.

'Hey Gris, Sam Vega just called in. Some kid out necking with his girlfriend stumbled across a DB out towards the county line near Henderson. Want me to go?' Nick's eagerness to work a suspicious death dominated his body language and this was not lost on his Supervisor.

'Sure. Catherine you go too,' Grissom delegated. 'If it turns out to be anything other than natural, you can have Warrick if you need him.'

Catherine looked first at Grissom, then towards Brass who met her gaze begrudgingly, lowering his eyes and studying his shoes. They were holding out on her, she sensed, but holding what she didn't know. Yet.

'Oh,' said Nick suddenly remembering the brown envelope in his hand under the piece of paper upon which he had scrawled the directions to where Vega now awaited,'Almost forgot, glad you're here Jim, this was left at the desk for you.'

Brass stared at his name typed on the front. Grissom stared at the envelope and Catherine stared at both of them. Gingerly, Brass took it like it was a suspect package causing Nick to grin.

'What's wrong? You act like it's a demand for child support.' Then the grin faded. 'It's not is it?' Catherine rolled her eyes and pushed the Texan out the doorway.

'C'mon,' she said,'Time to catch some bad guys.' Walking down the corridor, she couldn't help but look backwards and see the unusually serious contemplation on the detectives' face as he opened the envelope.

tbc