"Search for the Truth" part 6/7
By Rita Widmer
All pertinent information in the prologue. Thanks again for all the reviews and enjoy!
************************************************************************
"So the killer was blackmailing Catherine to stop her investigation?" asked Nick.
"Did I say that? No, no it was that lady. What's her name? Really odd name Sandy, Candy, or oh I know Candeece. She felt the charges against her would ruin her singing career. She wrote Ms. Willows that if she dropped those charges against her then she would tell her who the killer was," answered Shuman.
"Did you have any murder suspects? Do you have any of the blackmail notes?" questioned Brass.
"We were looking very closely at both Candeece and then a man named Kiner. Strange man. There just didn't seem something right about him. I can give you any information that we had collected during the investigation. Though you're going to have to wait until the morning so I can get it out of the safety deposit box."
"That's fine, Mr. Shuman. If you could pick it up in the morning, and drop it off at this address for us. We would be thankful," said Brass, handing over his card.
"So again we are left with Kiner. What I really don't get is why he would do it? Hopefully when we bring in Kiner for interrogation, we can get something from him. Otherwise we are going to have to depend on mostly Catherine for evidence," pondered aloud to Brass as he left Shuman's home.
"We need to find out what gun was used or type then if we can identify it to one our suspects. Plus it would help if the guns were the same in both cases. It will be another connection between Eddie Willows' murder and Catherine's attacker. Any good defense attorney could try to make a case that Catherine probably many enemies after all her years at CSI, and why couldn't it be one of them. We need solid evidence that it is the same person. Especially if Catherine struggles to remember what happened that night and who was the attacker."
"That is a possibility after all she's been through. The defense could use any sign of weakness to build up on the chances it really wasn't the defendant. He also could get off for both if one is not proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
************************************
The reflection before him was not the man that had come to work that day, but a man he almost didn't recognize. This was a man that had finally opened up his heart to only fear what that would do to him. This was no longer a man that kept a secret all to himself for over 15 years reflected back at him. He had opened up his heart for what may become the greatest days of his life, or for years of loneliness. Time would only tell, and he would not press for the answer. There would be time for that.
On the other side of that window sat another man. A man who might have taken away the most precious thing in his life. Deep down he knew that this was the man who attacked Catherine Willows. His eyes seemed to squint at Warrick Brown as he went on interrogating him. Kiner kept refusing to answer his questions.
There were so many questions left to be answered. He had no idea where to start, and if he would like the answers he would receive. The fury he felt for the person that attacked Cath was so strong that if he ever was left alone with him he knew the man would not come out alive.
He had been kept so far out of the loop since the case began, he didn't really know where they stood. As of now, the man in the interrogation room was their most likely suspect. He had been interrogated for Eddie's murder and the evidence once again points to him. The likeliness, he felt, that their were two different criminals was too miniscule to even consider.
His phone ringing brought him out of his reverie. The number was not one he recognized, but it could be the hospital so he quickly answered.
"Grissom."
"Hi Mr. Grissom, this is Catherine's doctor. She is starting to wake up, but she'll be drowsy for awhile" replied the doctor.
"Thanks, how is she doing?"
"Everything is looking fine for the condition she is in. I won't make you any promises on the outcome, but I have high hopes for her."
"Thank you, I'll be there in 20 minutes," Gil hung up as he prepared to get ready to go back.
************************************
Inside the interrogation room sat a very frustrated man. No matter what Warrick Brown said or did seemed to provoke a response from their only suspect. He could feel Grissom's eyes watching them behind the window. The tension in the room could have been cut by a knife.
He decided he needed a new tactic with this man. With a few guesses here and there added with the facts that he did know maybe he could persuade this guy he was actually on his side, and couldn't blame him for doing it.
He silently apologized to Catherine for the words that would follow. He knew she would understand his tactics and know it isn't his true feelings.
"You know, Kiner, I really can't blame you for wanting to attack Catherine Willows. I've been working with her for years. She thinks she's this almighty woman who can do whatever she wants, and should worshipped for all she has gone through. There have been times that goddess like personality has made me want to go after her and attack her."
Warrick watched as the man narrowed his eyes at him like he was trying to figure out if he meant his words. He would not give the man satisfaction by showing that he was lying through his teeth. He was a gambler after all, and knew how to keep his personal feelings to himself.
"You only killed Eddie, because you knew how much that would hurt Catherine. You wanted her for yourself. There was no better punishment to serve her, and you took the opportunity. You used his girlfriend to become another suspect so we couldn't prove either of you beyond a reasonable doubt. All along you were planning to get to Catherine."
The next moment caught Warrick totally off guard as the man in front of him stormed at him. Kiner's fingers went for Warrick's neck as he took out all his rage on him. Warrick felt almost helpless as the man's strength and rage was too much for him to beat off.
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! You couldn't leave her alone, and let me have my way. Eddie stole her heart from me, and I was left with nothing. All I wanted was to have her. Is that so much to ask? You forced me to take action. She was going to tell your precious little Catherine the whole truth. Can you believe it? The woman I love wanted to tattle on me. After getting rid of Candeece, I knew there was still one missing link to get rid of. Catherine needed to go away."
Just as Warrick felt consciousness leave him, he heard the door open behind him. The next few moments went by quickly in front of his eyes as he struggled to keep conscious. There was nothing more to do. Kiner had just admitted to all the crimes. They had the man.
************************************
Catherine Willows watched as Gil Grissom walked slowly into her room. She could see the signs of lack of sleep and worry had done to him written all over his face. As he noticed that she was awake, he gave her a brilliant crooked smile.
"Hey."
"Hi."
They both had so much to say, but nothing would come out of their mouths. Catherine was the first to be able to speak.
"How are you doing? I hope you didn't have too crazy a night at CSI."
"Its always more crazy when you aren't around, and you have the whole team worried about you. They are going beyond duty to try to find your attacker."
"I could have saved the trouble. I know the man that attacked me."
Gil's eye went to the floor before answering. "We didn't know if you would make it."
"I have you to thank for making sure that I didn't give up. I'm here to tell my story. I highly doubt I will ever forget what happened." Catherine's mind slipped back to the events that had led them here.
TBC...
By Rita Widmer
All pertinent information in the prologue. Thanks again for all the reviews and enjoy!
************************************************************************
"So the killer was blackmailing Catherine to stop her investigation?" asked Nick.
"Did I say that? No, no it was that lady. What's her name? Really odd name Sandy, Candy, or oh I know Candeece. She felt the charges against her would ruin her singing career. She wrote Ms. Willows that if she dropped those charges against her then she would tell her who the killer was," answered Shuman.
"Did you have any murder suspects? Do you have any of the blackmail notes?" questioned Brass.
"We were looking very closely at both Candeece and then a man named Kiner. Strange man. There just didn't seem something right about him. I can give you any information that we had collected during the investigation. Though you're going to have to wait until the morning so I can get it out of the safety deposit box."
"That's fine, Mr. Shuman. If you could pick it up in the morning, and drop it off at this address for us. We would be thankful," said Brass, handing over his card.
"So again we are left with Kiner. What I really don't get is why he would do it? Hopefully when we bring in Kiner for interrogation, we can get something from him. Otherwise we are going to have to depend on mostly Catherine for evidence," pondered aloud to Brass as he left Shuman's home.
"We need to find out what gun was used or type then if we can identify it to one our suspects. Plus it would help if the guns were the same in both cases. It will be another connection between Eddie Willows' murder and Catherine's attacker. Any good defense attorney could try to make a case that Catherine probably many enemies after all her years at CSI, and why couldn't it be one of them. We need solid evidence that it is the same person. Especially if Catherine struggles to remember what happened that night and who was the attacker."
"That is a possibility after all she's been through. The defense could use any sign of weakness to build up on the chances it really wasn't the defendant. He also could get off for both if one is not proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
************************************
The reflection before him was not the man that had come to work that day, but a man he almost didn't recognize. This was a man that had finally opened up his heart to only fear what that would do to him. This was no longer a man that kept a secret all to himself for over 15 years reflected back at him. He had opened up his heart for what may become the greatest days of his life, or for years of loneliness. Time would only tell, and he would not press for the answer. There would be time for that.
On the other side of that window sat another man. A man who might have taken away the most precious thing in his life. Deep down he knew that this was the man who attacked Catherine Willows. His eyes seemed to squint at Warrick Brown as he went on interrogating him. Kiner kept refusing to answer his questions.
There were so many questions left to be answered. He had no idea where to start, and if he would like the answers he would receive. The fury he felt for the person that attacked Cath was so strong that if he ever was left alone with him he knew the man would not come out alive.
He had been kept so far out of the loop since the case began, he didn't really know where they stood. As of now, the man in the interrogation room was their most likely suspect. He had been interrogated for Eddie's murder and the evidence once again points to him. The likeliness, he felt, that their were two different criminals was too miniscule to even consider.
His phone ringing brought him out of his reverie. The number was not one he recognized, but it could be the hospital so he quickly answered.
"Grissom."
"Hi Mr. Grissom, this is Catherine's doctor. She is starting to wake up, but she'll be drowsy for awhile" replied the doctor.
"Thanks, how is she doing?"
"Everything is looking fine for the condition she is in. I won't make you any promises on the outcome, but I have high hopes for her."
"Thank you, I'll be there in 20 minutes," Gil hung up as he prepared to get ready to go back.
************************************
Inside the interrogation room sat a very frustrated man. No matter what Warrick Brown said or did seemed to provoke a response from their only suspect. He could feel Grissom's eyes watching them behind the window. The tension in the room could have been cut by a knife.
He decided he needed a new tactic with this man. With a few guesses here and there added with the facts that he did know maybe he could persuade this guy he was actually on his side, and couldn't blame him for doing it.
He silently apologized to Catherine for the words that would follow. He knew she would understand his tactics and know it isn't his true feelings.
"You know, Kiner, I really can't blame you for wanting to attack Catherine Willows. I've been working with her for years. She thinks she's this almighty woman who can do whatever she wants, and should worshipped for all she has gone through. There have been times that goddess like personality has made me want to go after her and attack her."
Warrick watched as the man narrowed his eyes at him like he was trying to figure out if he meant his words. He would not give the man satisfaction by showing that he was lying through his teeth. He was a gambler after all, and knew how to keep his personal feelings to himself.
"You only killed Eddie, because you knew how much that would hurt Catherine. You wanted her for yourself. There was no better punishment to serve her, and you took the opportunity. You used his girlfriend to become another suspect so we couldn't prove either of you beyond a reasonable doubt. All along you were planning to get to Catherine."
The next moment caught Warrick totally off guard as the man in front of him stormed at him. Kiner's fingers went for Warrick's neck as he took out all his rage on him. Warrick felt almost helpless as the man's strength and rage was too much for him to beat off.
"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! You couldn't leave her alone, and let me have my way. Eddie stole her heart from me, and I was left with nothing. All I wanted was to have her. Is that so much to ask? You forced me to take action. She was going to tell your precious little Catherine the whole truth. Can you believe it? The woman I love wanted to tattle on me. After getting rid of Candeece, I knew there was still one missing link to get rid of. Catherine needed to go away."
Just as Warrick felt consciousness leave him, he heard the door open behind him. The next few moments went by quickly in front of his eyes as he struggled to keep conscious. There was nothing more to do. Kiner had just admitted to all the crimes. They had the man.
************************************
Catherine Willows watched as Gil Grissom walked slowly into her room. She could see the signs of lack of sleep and worry had done to him written all over his face. As he noticed that she was awake, he gave her a brilliant crooked smile.
"Hey."
"Hi."
They both had so much to say, but nothing would come out of their mouths. Catherine was the first to be able to speak.
"How are you doing? I hope you didn't have too crazy a night at CSI."
"Its always more crazy when you aren't around, and you have the whole team worried about you. They are going beyond duty to try to find your attacker."
"I could have saved the trouble. I know the man that attacked me."
Gil's eye went to the floor before answering. "We didn't know if you would make it."
"I have you to thank for making sure that I didn't give up. I'm here to tell my story. I highly doubt I will ever forget what happened." Catherine's mind slipped back to the events that had led them here.
TBC...
