Disclaimer : Please see chapter one
Authors note : Some of these places are ficticious but the streets are not.Apologies to anyone who lives in Vegas and knows better but I'm six and a half thousand miles away and don't know the city.
Four
Sara was lounging on the sofa of the break room reading a file and crunching on a cereal bar when Catherine bustled in carrying a large box.
'Hey you need help with that?' she asked without looking up from the page she was engrossed in.
'Thanks, I got it.' Catherine dropped it in a corner of the room then poured herself a coffee. 'watcha reading?'
'Just last nights report from that car jacking. Looks like no match from Afis on the prints we lifted and the vics have already been discounted. Hey, what was Grissom up to last night? He was supposed to be out with me on this job then changed his mind at the last minute and I never saw him after that.'
'He and Brass were closeted in one of the labs, very tight. Those boys are up to something but what, I couldn't tell ya.'
Sara threw her legs over the edge of the sofa her face now a picture of interest. Catherine noticed the change in her face.
'What you thinking Sara?'
'Well, I bumped into Brass in the corridor about 5am. He was totally out of it.'
'Out of it?'
'Yeah.I mean I physically bumped into him and it was like he was on another planet. No sarcastic comment, no sly smile, and I got an apology. Then he scurries off like a schoolkid with a secret to hide.'
'Hmmm, I think it's time I had a little chat with Mr Brass.'
**********************************
The light tap on the door brought Jim Brass out of his thoughtful contmplation.
'It's open,' he called. Catherine squeezed herself about the slightly open door as if opening it all the way would cause a great hardship. Brass was seated behind his desk turning a brown envelope over and over in his hands. He looked exhausted.
'You alright?' Catherine asked cautiously.
'I'm busy.' His voice was sharp, then his face softened into a smile. 'I'm sorry Catherine, what can I do for you?' She dropped into the over-stuffed visitors chair in front of his desk.
'A couple of things have bothering me since yesterday.' Brass remained silent. He sat back in his chair, dropped the envelope on the desk and placed his hands together as if he was about to make a prayer.
'What was so important that it would keep Gil out of the field and in the lab all night, and why is it bothering you so much?'
'I have a little problem,' he answered at length. 'Someone is playing a game with me and I have no idea who or why.'
Catherine screwed her face up as if she'd just tasted something nasty.
'A game? what kind of game?'
'Crossword.'
'And they'd be doing this because?' Brass shrugged in an 'I have no idea' gesture. 'Well that explains Grissom's involvement. Why keep me out of the loop?'
'There isn't one yet. The puzzle has commenced this evening.' He tossed a printed piece of paper towards her.
'Ring-o- ring a roses ; lick your opposition for your destiny is in her
hands.....what the hell?'
'It's a clue.' Brass passed over the map. 'See where I've ringed. Anagram clues and some cryptic clues I'm no good at, that's Grissom's department. Look, but I think I got this first one cracked all by my lonesome.See,one down, four letters and six letters. Rose Palace. The strip joint near the corner of First and Main St.'
'That's the solution. Places. What about the rest of it? I don't like the sound of 'lick the opposition' and I certainly don't like the sound of 'your destiny is in her hands.'
A faint smile traced Jim's lips. 'You wanna tag along and make sure I don't get into any trouble?'
'Hell yes. Think we'll find the next clue there?'
'Probably. This is just the first, long way to go before the solution becomes clear or who's behind it. I left a message for Gil to call me back, but I'll change it and ask him to see us when we get back. '
tbc
Authors note : Some of these places are ficticious but the streets are not.Apologies to anyone who lives in Vegas and knows better but I'm six and a half thousand miles away and don't know the city.
Four
Sara was lounging on the sofa of the break room reading a file and crunching on a cereal bar when Catherine bustled in carrying a large box.
'Hey you need help with that?' she asked without looking up from the page she was engrossed in.
'Thanks, I got it.' Catherine dropped it in a corner of the room then poured herself a coffee. 'watcha reading?'
'Just last nights report from that car jacking. Looks like no match from Afis on the prints we lifted and the vics have already been discounted. Hey, what was Grissom up to last night? He was supposed to be out with me on this job then changed his mind at the last minute and I never saw him after that.'
'He and Brass were closeted in one of the labs, very tight. Those boys are up to something but what, I couldn't tell ya.'
Sara threw her legs over the edge of the sofa her face now a picture of interest. Catherine noticed the change in her face.
'What you thinking Sara?'
'Well, I bumped into Brass in the corridor about 5am. He was totally out of it.'
'Out of it?'
'Yeah.I mean I physically bumped into him and it was like he was on another planet. No sarcastic comment, no sly smile, and I got an apology. Then he scurries off like a schoolkid with a secret to hide.'
'Hmmm, I think it's time I had a little chat with Mr Brass.'
**********************************
The light tap on the door brought Jim Brass out of his thoughtful contmplation.
'It's open,' he called. Catherine squeezed herself about the slightly open door as if opening it all the way would cause a great hardship. Brass was seated behind his desk turning a brown envelope over and over in his hands. He looked exhausted.
'You alright?' Catherine asked cautiously.
'I'm busy.' His voice was sharp, then his face softened into a smile. 'I'm sorry Catherine, what can I do for you?' She dropped into the over-stuffed visitors chair in front of his desk.
'A couple of things have bothering me since yesterday.' Brass remained silent. He sat back in his chair, dropped the envelope on the desk and placed his hands together as if he was about to make a prayer.
'What was so important that it would keep Gil out of the field and in the lab all night, and why is it bothering you so much?'
'I have a little problem,' he answered at length. 'Someone is playing a game with me and I have no idea who or why.'
Catherine screwed her face up as if she'd just tasted something nasty.
'A game? what kind of game?'
'Crossword.'
'And they'd be doing this because?' Brass shrugged in an 'I have no idea' gesture. 'Well that explains Grissom's involvement. Why keep me out of the loop?'
'There isn't one yet. The puzzle has commenced this evening.' He tossed a printed piece of paper towards her.
'Ring-o- ring a roses ; lick your opposition for your destiny is in her
hands.....what the hell?'
'It's a clue.' Brass passed over the map. 'See where I've ringed. Anagram clues and some cryptic clues I'm no good at, that's Grissom's department. Look, but I think I got this first one cracked all by my lonesome.See,one down, four letters and six letters. Rose Palace. The strip joint near the corner of First and Main St.'
'That's the solution. Places. What about the rest of it? I don't like the sound of 'lick the opposition' and I certainly don't like the sound of 'your destiny is in her hands.'
A faint smile traced Jim's lips. 'You wanna tag along and make sure I don't get into any trouble?'
'Hell yes. Think we'll find the next clue there?'
'Probably. This is just the first, long way to go before the solution becomes clear or who's behind it. I left a message for Gil to call me back, but I'll change it and ask him to see us when we get back. '
tbc
