"Search for the Truth" part 3
By Rita Widmer
All pertinent information is in the prologue. Thanks for all the review and continue enjoying! Thanks again to Angie for betaing!
************************************************************************
"Eddie Willows? How can that be? He's been dead for months," asked Nick.
"Either we have the wrong person buried which I doubt since Catherine identified him, or that someone knew of this place and decided to keep living in it," answered Brass.
"So who would know it was available and was able to keep the landlady from knowing someone else took over?"
"I don't know, but I've got more questions for our lovely landlady."
They soon found her again in her office going through papers.
"What can I do for you?" wondered the landlady.
"Has Eddie Willows kept up paying his rent?"
"Awhile back he paid me a large amount trying to get out of his contract. Then soon after I got a note from him saying that he was going to stay, and just put the money for his future rent."
"Do you still have that note?" asked Brass.
"I might, but I don't know where it would be. If you give me time to search for it I'll call you if I find it."
"That's fine. How much longer did he have on his paid rent?"
"This month is paid for, but I would have expected payment on the first of next month."
"Have you seen Eddie Willows since he gave you the payment?"
"No, no. He's always kept to himself. I rarely heard a peep from him."
"Did you ever see any visitors come in and out? Anyone visit him tonight?"
"There used to be one girl that came regularly. I think his girlfriend. Tonight I don't think so, but I do have surveillance cameras on the outside of the building. You can take any that you need."
Soon they had the videos they would need to go through. They went in search of Warrick, and found him near the windows of Eddie's apartment.
"Find anything?" questioned Nick.
"No sign of forced entry, so they both knew how to get in. Who rents the apartment?"
"It's rented out to Eddie Willows. Just before he died he paid her a large amount of money to get out of his apartment contract. Then according to the landlady he changed his mind. She's going to try to find the note that he sent her telling the change."
"Odd, so was it Eddie that made that change or was it the person that's been living here ever since? The cabinets are full of food so they were living here regularly."
"We know Eddie made the payment since he gave it to the landlady in person so she saw him. She hasn't seen him since, but she knows there's been a regular girl stopping by. She assumed it was some girlfriend."
"Unless it is the new renter."
"The videos should give an answer to who's been coming in and out. When you are done here, Warrick, head over to Catherine's sister's home, and tell them what happened. Maybe they'll know more. Nick, you are coming with me to Catherine's place to check for evidence there," said Brass.
************************************
Warrick stood there in front of Nancy's door for a minute before he could gain the courage to knock. He watched, as if in slow motion, his hand go to the door. His hand softly hit it. Almost like it was afraid that it might actually do its purpose, and bring someone to the door. That was the problem, he didn't want to have to inform Nancy and Lindsey of what happened.
He had no choice, but to awaken them. This time he rung the doorbell, and it wasn't long after that Nancy was at the door.
"Warrick, what are you doing here so late? Aren't you supposed to be at work?" asked Nancy.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but this has to do with work. May I come in?" asked Warrick.
"Oh, of course. Sit down, can I get you something?"
"I think I prefer to stand up, and no thanks, but you better sit down."
Nancy did as she was told. "What does CSI want with me?"
"We were called into a scene. Catherine had been found shot three times in a strange apartment. She was still alive when she was found."
"Is she still alive?"
"Grissom is with her, and will tell us if there was any status change. Nancy, I'm so sorry. We are going to do our best to find out who did this to her."
"I know you will, Warrick, you and Gil will make sure of that. Lindsey needs to be told. Will you come with me to tell her? You would be able to answer her questions better then I can."
Warrick stopped at the door of Lindsey's room leaving Nancy to wake up the little girl. He watched her nudge her awake and call her name.
"Lindsey, you need to get up. Come on, we need to go visit your mother," said Nancy.
"Mommy?" asked Lindsey sleepily.
"Yes, your mom. She's been hurt, and she needs you."
"Is she going to okay?"
"Yes, she will be, but she needs you to be there for her. Lets get you dressed so Warrick can take us to the hospital."
Warrick went back to the living room as Lindsey got dressed. Soon they both walked out of the room all set to go.
Lindsey ran into his arms as she saw him. "Uncle Warrick, is mommy okay?"
"She's going to be fine. She wouldn't want to leave you alone, now would she?"
Lindsey gave a slight smile. "No she wouldn't."
The car ride there was in silence as they all went into their own thoughts. Some similar and others different. Lindsey only stared out the window, not allowing her aunt to comfort her.
Warrick was worried about her. She was hiding her feelings well from the others, but she seemed standoffish. As he looked into the mirror into the back, he noticed one tear fall down her face. Nancy and he shared a look that acknowledged that each was thinking the same thing.
************************************
The scene they met as they walked into the waiting room was one none they expected. Gil sat alone in a chair with his head in his hands. It was a broken man they saw in front of him.
Lindsey ran over to him, and tried to put her little arms around him to comfort. Gil looked up at the people in front of him. His tear stained face shown back at them. He turned to Lindsey, and put his arms around her.
"Uncle Gil, don't cry. Mommy won't leave us. She can't. She loves us," explained Lindsey.
"But I'm afraid. There's nothing we can do to bring her back to us, but we'll find the man who did this to her. I promise you that."
Those words seemed to comfort her for now. Warrick soon had to leave to go back to the lab leaving Gil, Nancy, and Lindsey to wait for news. Lindsey fell asleep on the couch soon after.
There was only silence in the room until there was a scream from Lindsey in her sleep. "Mom, you have to get him. Its your job! You promised me that you would get him," cried Lindsey in her sleep.
Lindsey was shaking as Nancy and Gil walked over to her. Nancy tried to wake her up, and when Lindsey woke up she flung herself into Nancy's arms.
Crying, Lindsey went on, "Its all my fault. I told her... I told her...."
TBC...
By Rita Widmer
All pertinent information is in the prologue. Thanks for all the review and continue enjoying! Thanks again to Angie for betaing!
************************************************************************
"Eddie Willows? How can that be? He's been dead for months," asked Nick.
"Either we have the wrong person buried which I doubt since Catherine identified him, or that someone knew of this place and decided to keep living in it," answered Brass.
"So who would know it was available and was able to keep the landlady from knowing someone else took over?"
"I don't know, but I've got more questions for our lovely landlady."
They soon found her again in her office going through papers.
"What can I do for you?" wondered the landlady.
"Has Eddie Willows kept up paying his rent?"
"Awhile back he paid me a large amount trying to get out of his contract. Then soon after I got a note from him saying that he was going to stay, and just put the money for his future rent."
"Do you still have that note?" asked Brass.
"I might, but I don't know where it would be. If you give me time to search for it I'll call you if I find it."
"That's fine. How much longer did he have on his paid rent?"
"This month is paid for, but I would have expected payment on the first of next month."
"Have you seen Eddie Willows since he gave you the payment?"
"No, no. He's always kept to himself. I rarely heard a peep from him."
"Did you ever see any visitors come in and out? Anyone visit him tonight?"
"There used to be one girl that came regularly. I think his girlfriend. Tonight I don't think so, but I do have surveillance cameras on the outside of the building. You can take any that you need."
Soon they had the videos they would need to go through. They went in search of Warrick, and found him near the windows of Eddie's apartment.
"Find anything?" questioned Nick.
"No sign of forced entry, so they both knew how to get in. Who rents the apartment?"
"It's rented out to Eddie Willows. Just before he died he paid her a large amount of money to get out of his apartment contract. Then according to the landlady he changed his mind. She's going to try to find the note that he sent her telling the change."
"Odd, so was it Eddie that made that change or was it the person that's been living here ever since? The cabinets are full of food so they were living here regularly."
"We know Eddie made the payment since he gave it to the landlady in person so she saw him. She hasn't seen him since, but she knows there's been a regular girl stopping by. She assumed it was some girlfriend."
"Unless it is the new renter."
"The videos should give an answer to who's been coming in and out. When you are done here, Warrick, head over to Catherine's sister's home, and tell them what happened. Maybe they'll know more. Nick, you are coming with me to Catherine's place to check for evidence there," said Brass.
************************************
Warrick stood there in front of Nancy's door for a minute before he could gain the courage to knock. He watched, as if in slow motion, his hand go to the door. His hand softly hit it. Almost like it was afraid that it might actually do its purpose, and bring someone to the door. That was the problem, he didn't want to have to inform Nancy and Lindsey of what happened.
He had no choice, but to awaken them. This time he rung the doorbell, and it wasn't long after that Nancy was at the door.
"Warrick, what are you doing here so late? Aren't you supposed to be at work?" asked Nancy.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but this has to do with work. May I come in?" asked Warrick.
"Oh, of course. Sit down, can I get you something?"
"I think I prefer to stand up, and no thanks, but you better sit down."
Nancy did as she was told. "What does CSI want with me?"
"We were called into a scene. Catherine had been found shot three times in a strange apartment. She was still alive when she was found."
"Is she still alive?"
"Grissom is with her, and will tell us if there was any status change. Nancy, I'm so sorry. We are going to do our best to find out who did this to her."
"I know you will, Warrick, you and Gil will make sure of that. Lindsey needs to be told. Will you come with me to tell her? You would be able to answer her questions better then I can."
Warrick stopped at the door of Lindsey's room leaving Nancy to wake up the little girl. He watched her nudge her awake and call her name.
"Lindsey, you need to get up. Come on, we need to go visit your mother," said Nancy.
"Mommy?" asked Lindsey sleepily.
"Yes, your mom. She's been hurt, and she needs you."
"Is she going to okay?"
"Yes, she will be, but she needs you to be there for her. Lets get you dressed so Warrick can take us to the hospital."
Warrick went back to the living room as Lindsey got dressed. Soon they both walked out of the room all set to go.
Lindsey ran into his arms as she saw him. "Uncle Warrick, is mommy okay?"
"She's going to be fine. She wouldn't want to leave you alone, now would she?"
Lindsey gave a slight smile. "No she wouldn't."
The car ride there was in silence as they all went into their own thoughts. Some similar and others different. Lindsey only stared out the window, not allowing her aunt to comfort her.
Warrick was worried about her. She was hiding her feelings well from the others, but she seemed standoffish. As he looked into the mirror into the back, he noticed one tear fall down her face. Nancy and he shared a look that acknowledged that each was thinking the same thing.
************************************
The scene they met as they walked into the waiting room was one none they expected. Gil sat alone in a chair with his head in his hands. It was a broken man they saw in front of him.
Lindsey ran over to him, and tried to put her little arms around him to comfort. Gil looked up at the people in front of him. His tear stained face shown back at them. He turned to Lindsey, and put his arms around her.
"Uncle Gil, don't cry. Mommy won't leave us. She can't. She loves us," explained Lindsey.
"But I'm afraid. There's nothing we can do to bring her back to us, but we'll find the man who did this to her. I promise you that."
Those words seemed to comfort her for now. Warrick soon had to leave to go back to the lab leaving Gil, Nancy, and Lindsey to wait for news. Lindsey fell asleep on the couch soon after.
There was only silence in the room until there was a scream from Lindsey in her sleep. "Mom, you have to get him. Its your job! You promised me that you would get him," cried Lindsey in her sleep.
Lindsey was shaking as Nancy and Gil walked over to her. Nancy tried to wake her up, and when Lindsey woke up she flung herself into Nancy's arms.
Crying, Lindsey went on, "Its all my fault. I told her... I told her...."
TBC...
