Seasoned Dead
Author: Moggie
Pairing: ?/?
Category: Drama & Thriller.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Happy Halloween. Ever wondered what a human body, salt and lap dancers have in common? I haven't but some one must have. -grins-
Spoilers: Justice is Served/and maybe another I can't remember the title.
Disclaimer: I do not under any circumstances own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Note: I really wanted this up for Halloween night, but that obviously didn't happen. I'm still not sure where everything is in Las Vegas, which mean's I don't know where anything is or what the names are, so they are mostly made up. I rushed to write this, so if it's crap I'm terribly sorry. I haven't beta'd this, but I will at a later date.
Note2: This is for my mum, she has put up with my continuous ramblings about plots, ideas and so on since I started writing. She also came up with this title, purely out of no where while we were chopping up wood in the freezing cold. Never have I thought my mother would come up with the ideas that is this story, she has a dark side that none of us were aware of. I should really say that this is a collective of minds and lots of laughs.
Warnings: If you don't like animal's being killed, don't read. Although I'm 'talking' about killing animals, not actually killing them. Also, don't proceed if you don't like cannibalism or anything a butcher would do that would make you sick, like cutting up meat and so on. Be BLOODY warned before you continue. It's Halloween and it's supposed to be full of blood, grossness, sick, death and spookily supernatural ritualistic killings.
Clue: If you like anagrams see if you can see the one and only mixed up word in this story. GOOD LUCK.
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Camera, Light's, Action
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Xavier Juno Balannic head's one of Las Vegas' top funeral parlours. At 6 o'clock every evening, he collects his things and locks up, taking his estate car further into Vegas towards a motel south of the Strip.
Pushing the door closed, he slid the chain across and deadlocked the door before turning to the room and scanning it with critical eyes. Once satisfied that nothing had been moved or removed from his sanctum, he walked over to his fridge and pulled out a plastic container. Setting it on the table, he reached into a cupboard and grabbed a tall straight glass.
The usual wind down from a long day's work was to pour himself a glass of one of his home-made family recipes and sit down with a book. One this particular night, being Halloween and all, he knew his work was not finished for the day.
Settling into his chair, he dialled a specific number from the yellow pages and waited. Whilst he sipped at his drink, he watched the door carefully, listening to the outside. After ten minutes, he looked at his glass and rolled its contents in a slow circle as to admire its colour and texture against the clear glass.
Thirty minutes past and a knock at the door presented a young female with light brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing a long light grey coat. They said their hello's and casual greetings before getting down to business.
Xavier knew the rules; he had them memorised. His eyes watched her body as she danced before him, showing her skin, her limbs and her skill at controlling her balance and movements. His own control was spectacular as his mind wasn't watching her dancing, but watching her body with clinical eyes, readying himself for the right moment.
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Crime Scene
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The crime scene was only just dark, but still cold due to the time of year. Police officers, trooper cars, paramedics and the coroner's van waited to collect the body surrounded the park. Las Vegas Country Park was a lovely fun place to be with many visitors during the daylight hours, but not on this particular day/night.
Sara lifted and ducked under the yellow tape with her field kit in her right hand and her badge in her left. Showing the officer that held up his hand to stop her entering the crime scene, she flashed the badge and smiled.
"Thanks." She said absently as she walked past him and towards the only other person inside the crime tape. "Hey Griss."
"Come look at this." He practically ordered in his normal gruff manner. As soon as she reached his side, he dived into a brief summary of the victim lying at their feet. "Female, Caucasian, mid twenties and dressed pretty lightly for a chilly October night."
She looked around the body and sighed. "I'm hazarding a guess here, Lap dancer?" She suggested, seeing the lack of bikini covering the victim's body.
Grissom turned his eyes to her briefly. "Perhaps." He pointed a section on the victim's stomach. "There looks like light bruising around the entry wound and plenty of blood, but what's wrong with this picture?" He asked.
Sara crouched down and narrowed her eyes at the body. "Hmm. I'd say this is not where she was killed."
"Explain." He requested starting to collect various items he thought might be a key clue to finding the killer.
"She's just laying there, like someone placed her down gently, like she was sleeping. Plus there's no blood spatter or pools around the body to indicate that she sustained such a deep cut from lying here." Sara's mind was already reeling with possibilities, but she had promised herself that she would save judgement till after the fact and follow Grissom's line of thinking. He's the big shot CSI and knows more about bodies that anyone else she knows.
"Well, there's not much to go on here. It's safe to say, she wasn't killed here." He finally assessed and closed his kit, containing what minuscule evidence he could find.
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Autopsy
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Sara stood in her light blue lab coat as she listened to Doc Robbins autopsy evaluation. For once, she had made it before Grissom, who had returned to his office to take an important call from the sheriff. As Al was reaching the lower body of his final conclusions on how the victim died, Grissom pushed through the large doors as he was pulling his lab coat on.
"Glad you could join us Gil." Al extended his clipboard with the autopsy results on to the supervisor as he continued to explain to Sara the laceration. "The edges of the wound are confusing." He announced as he reached behind him, steadying himself on his single crutch before turning back with a small scalpel in his right hand.
"The killer cut her with a scalpel?" Sara asked in amazement.
Al nodded and pointed at the major points of the cut. "It starts from the bottom and as the scalpel is dragged up, the blood pours out, but in this case, the killer has cut into the body twice to enlarge the hole to allow a faster flow."
"Like bleeding a pig." Grissom nodded, finally speaking as he placed the clipboard on the trolley behind him. "Butchers cut from the bottom up to allow the blood to start pooling while they finish cutting open the body."
Sara grimaced and nodded numbly as she closed her eyes briefly and covered her mouth. "Lovely." She mumbled behind her hand.
Al gave her a sympathetic fatherly smile and squeezed her arm. "It's more humane than that Sara. Being a vegetarian and all, the animals are killed as painlessly as possible." He turned back to the body when she smiled and shrugged as to say if-you-say-so. "Also, I have to add that this looks professional."
Grissom looked at him doubtfully. "Someone killed her 'professionally?"
"Something like that. She died from the blood loss and probably shock, but the cuts were made with a surgeons precision, almost as though a doctor did this and knew exactly what they were doing."
Sara opened her mouth to speak, but furrowed her brows and looked up at Grissom and the coroner with a sarcastic smile. "You mean that we may be dealing with some sicko that's out there cutting people with a scalpel, bleeding them and may even hold a PhD?"
Grissom shrugged and looked back at the body. "We won't know until we process the clothes and get an ID."
"I'll have more later." Al said as he turned and walked towards a trolley with the instrument's he'd need to complete the autopsy.
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Apology
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Grissom sighed as they left autopsy. "Sara, I'm sorry about what I said in there." He said out of the blue.
Her head snapped up from the file she was holding, surprised he'd just apologised to her, sounding caring and concerned. "What did you say?"
He took a deep breath. "I didn't realise until I'd said it, but I didn't mean to make you feel ill or anything with my butcher comment."
Sara nodded and smiled faintly. "No problem, it would have come out sooner or later Griss, just not over a dead body." She advised.
He chuckled. "Duly noted."
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Layout Room
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"Did Brass find a name yet?" Grissom inquired as he entered the room.
She opened a brown file to reveal a photo and a record of the victim's history. "Her name is Nicole Fisher, aged 28, single, no family and. she's a lap dancer." Sara added with enthusiasm.
"Really!?" Grissom exclaimed in surprise.
"Yep."
"Where does she work?" He asked, looking at the file.
Sara scanned the file quickly before answering. "She's one of those freelancers. Erm. phone a lap dancer sort of thing."
Grissom stared at the small pieces of clothing with a raised eyebrow. "She walked around in just that?"
Thinking about this for a few minutes as she stared at the clothing, she breathed in slowly. "She must have had a coat." Sara suggested with a shrug. "Maybe the killer dumped it or. still has it."
"In any case, we need to go back to the scene; search the bins and any other dumping ground that would hide our vics missing clothing."
"Should we get the guys to help?"
"Would make the job easier."
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Crime Scene
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Nick cleared his throat in the almost silence as he trudged through the thick layer of leaves that covered a section of the park. He had been trying to fight off a cold for the past week, but it was taking longer than he wanted. Warrick was the cold's previous host and gladly handed it to him, so far the rest of the lab was unaffected by it.
"God man, I'm totally wasted and I've only been here ten minutes." He groaned miserably as he pushed through some leaves. Warrick and Catherine looked at him with smiles.
"Nicky!" Grissom called from the path.
"Yeah boss?" He turned quickly.
"Go home if you're ill. I don't want you contaminating evidence." His voice was soft, but authoritative.
Sara was digging into a trashcan not far from the group and could hear them talking and Nick's sneezing. She pulled out a few soda cans and some fish and chip wrappers carefully. Just as she removed a large pizza box, she saw something that could be what they were looking for. "Hey guys!" She shouted.
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Roll Camera
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Looking across the street at the few cars that blocked the road, Xavier could see people searching the park. He was angry with himself for getting things wrong. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. He didn't know how could he?
Getting his scattered thoughts back into a fairly collective manner, he turned and went back into his motel room. He needed to finish what he had started. His eyes watched the commotion from his veiled window as he dialled the same number from only a few hours ago. He'll get it right this time.
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Crime Scene
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"I think this is the vics." Sara smiled as she placed the blood soaked coat onto a plastic sheet.
"Don't jump to conclusions Sara." Grissom advised as he pulled his left glove tighter onto his hand.
Sara looked up at him with her smile fading. She opened her mouth, but saw the look on Warrick and Catherine's faces that said 'don't'. She sighed and stood up, leaving them to look at the coat. She reached into the bin and leaned down to place a purse on the sheet. Everyone looked up as she pulled off her gloves and zipped up her coat. "I'll be looking around some more." She shrugged and walked away.
Catherine scowled. "What did we say?"
Grissom shot her a look and knelt down. "We didn't say anything. I said she shouldn't jump to conclusions." It was obvious that he hadn't seen the looks Warrick and Catherine gave to Sara after he gave that particular sentence.
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Outside Crime Scene
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"Hey, did you question the locals?" Sara asked the officer that stood at the entrance to the park.
"Sure I did ma'am." He smiled and leaned back against his car.
Sara nodded and settled beside the officer. "Anything sound suspicious?"
He thought for a moment. "Well, they were pretty spooked. It's Halloween and a body was found." He sighed and shook his head. "Maybe one. He seemed upset, even devastated."
"Did he know the vic?" Sara asked as she pushed off the car.
"Actually, he didn't say."
Grinning at the young man, she had to ask. "You asked him, right?"
The officer laughed. "Course I did. He sort of avoided the question." He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "I got his name and address if you wanna talk to the guy."
"Bonus." Sara exclaimed.
"Sara!"
"Well, I better go Thomas." She glanced over her shoulder at Grissom. "Can you send the information to the lab for me?" She asked as she turned back.
"Sure Sara." He smiled.
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Layout Room
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"We got epithelial's from the coat, just gotta wait for Greg to get to it." Warrick informed them as he turned to leave.
Grissom nodded and looked at the yellow pages he had in front of him. "Is this the place Sara?"
Sara got up from her seat across the room. "Yep, she's one of their best, was." She added as she walked back to her seat and looked through Thomas's notes he'd dropped off.
"Find anything useful from your officer friend?" Grissom asked with his head down and his eyes focused on the number of the lap-dancing agency.
Not looking up, Sara shrugged. She could have been imagining it, but it sounded like a hint of jealously in his voice. "Maybe. Thomas may actually have a viable suspect for us."
Grissom finally looked up. "How viable?" He asked, truly interested.
"Was in the neighbourhood at the time the vic was found. He was really concerned about the vic and he even avoided the question on whether he knew the vic or not." Sara looked up. "You think we should take a look?"
His eyes lingered on her longer than a few minutes before he nodded and shifted his eyes to the number he'd written down. "I also think that we should check this agency out."
"Can't Catherine do it?" Sara sighed as she stood.
Grissom nodded. "She could, but may I ask why her?"
Sara shook her head and shrugged. "No reason." She turned away and past Warrick as he brought the coat evidence back from Greg.
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Witness's Home
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Sara knocked on the door and waited for an answer. It took more than a few minutes before a handsome, well-dressed, light haired and tall male stood in the doorway to a very nice and seemingly clean house. Grissom held up his badge and showed it to the man. "Hi, we're from the crime lab. My name is Gil Grissom and this is Sara Sidle, may we come in?"
The man nodded and stepped back. "This is something to do with the body in the park."
Grissom and Sara exchange looks before nodding and following the man further into the house. "We have a few questions."
"Ok." He turned and took a shallow breath. "Can I get you a drink or something?"
"No thank you, we're fine." Grissom answered for both him and Sara. From where they sat, Sara was looking around the room. It was clean, really clean and it had an almost sparkle to it. She turned back to the man when he answered Grissom's questions.
"Yes, of course. My full name is Xavier Juno Balannic. I head the funeral parlour."
"The one down on Hammerson?" Sara asked.
Xavier smiled. "That's the one. I've worked there for over 12 years. My Grandfather had the head position before me."
Sara nodded and asked another question. "Did you know the victim by any chance, Mr Balannic?"
He shrugged. "I see people everyday, Miss Sidle."
Grissom had been looking around and was fascinated to see that there was not a dust particle in sight. "Mr Balannic, are you a compulsive obsessive cleaner?" Seeing the shocked look on Xavier's face, he added more gently. "I'm curious as to the very clean household you have here. It's almost sanitised."
"I like things clean. Germs and dirt cause illness." He supplied the CSI's cautiously.
Sara pushed herself up to take a look around. "Is it ok if I look around a bit, I promise not to touch anything?" She asked with a sweet smile and started scanning the room at Xavier's permission.
Walking down the hall, back towards the front door, she noticed a large thick wooden door that must lead to the basement, but wondered why a series of locks would be on a basement door and less on his front door. Sighing in silent frustration, she had to force herself not to get too nosy and get into trouble. It certainly made you curious.
Grissom continued to ask questions while Sara looked around. He asked about his whereabouts during the time the victim was found and some personal questions to start building a witness profile that could help if they every turned into a key suspect.
"Sara!" Grissom called from the front door a little after finishing his questioning.
"Sorry, I was in the kitchen." She smiled at them both and followed Grissom out the door. Just before Xavier closed the door after them, she turned. "I like your display of achievements and accomplishments in your office. It's always nice to see someone excel in their work and enjoy it."
Xavier grinned. "I've been at it awhile and it's been in the family for generations."
Sara nodded and smiled once again before leaving.
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Tahoe
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"What was that about?" Grissom asked.
Sara turned her head to the older man with confusion marring her face. "What was what?"
He exhaled forcefully. "You talking to the witness like a best friend and disappearing from sight."
She looked at him with sudden understanding, but kept it inside for the time being and turned to look out her window. "I was looking around for clues and you were with Mr Ballanic the whole time, so I was in no danger to wonder about snooping."
"Beside the point Sara." He sighed. After a few quiet minutes, he rolled his shoulders and glanced at her. "Find anything?"
Sara smiled, but didn't let it show as she turned to look at him. "He's not just an undertaker, but. a qualified butcher and I even saw a doctors bag by the front door, like." She furrowed her brows.
He looked at her quickly. "Like, he needed to break out and do some work?" He finished for her. It surprised him that he was hearing the very similar words come from his mouth when he had heard Warrick say near enough the same thing a while back.
"Yeah." She sat back in her seat and brushed her hair from her face. "I also noticed that there was a door heavily bolted up in the hall."
"I saw it. Basement?" He questioned.
"That was my thought."
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Xavier's Home
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Quickly unlocking the large wooden door, Xavier rushed down the stairs to stop before a large thick wood table. Lying on the table was a body. He'd managed to not mess this one up so far, but he was nervous. This confused him because the other's had never made him nervous before. Although, he'd never fucked up before.
He walked around the table and examined the body closely as he struggled to fight the nervousness inside him. If he got this one wrong, he'd be letting his family tradition down. His grandfather had taught him everything he knows, but the feeling that he's let his grandfather down. it made him sad, but also angry.
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CSI HQ
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"Hey guys, I got a list of girls working tonight and even a few regulars." Catherine burst into the room with her hair flaying every which way as she stopped by Grissom's side and slammed the papers down on the table.
"What's the rush Cath?" Grissom asked as he looked over the list.
"No rush, just getting things done." She shrugged and left the room.
Sara moved around the table and leaned against it as she kept a far distance from Grissom. She looked from afar as Grissom read the list carefully. "Nicole Fisher is on here." He said absently as he wrote the number and the address to the person who booked the lap dancer. He continued reading and leaned on his elbow. "There's the number and address again, but different girl though." He mused.
"Is there a time on there?" She asked.
Grissom nodded and circled the information he thought was helpful and scrawled down the address and number. "Let's take a look and see what's so popular about this place." He suggested, pushing away from the table.
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Motel
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"There's the park and here's the motel." Sara said as she closed the car door.
They talked to the manager and talked the man into opening the motel room they asked for. "He's a great bloke really, pays the rent on time, keeps his room clean and never gives me or the other punters any hassle." The manager offered as he unlocked the door to motel room number 13.
"We'll be the judge of that Mr. Rolland." Grissom argued as he entered the room.
Sara smiled at the manager and watched him walk away. She looked at Grissom and wandered what was into him lately. 'He was snippy, apologetic, sarcastic, snappy and jealous, all in one evening and it wasn't even 12 o'clock yet.'
"Sara!"
"Coming!" She growled, but tried to smother it with a cough. "What's up?" She asked as soon as she stepped into the room, but stopped with the look of awe and surprise. "Wow!"
Grissom turned. "De-j-vu."
"It's Halloween Griss. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed." His eyes snapped to hers as she looked at him. Seeing him look away, she sighed. 'Now what did I do?' "I'll go talk to Mr. Rolland."
"Sara." He called out. "I had noticed and. I'm sorry."
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Motel Front Desk
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"You said this man was staying a lot?" Sara asked Mr. Rolland as she leaned over the front desk to watch him look through his logbooks.
"Yeah and like I said, he's a good bloke."
Sara nodded and smiled. "I know Mr. Rolland, but the good ones aren't always that good." He looked at her and sighed in resignation. "Can you give me his name?"
"I'm sorry, confidentiality."
"I understand, but what if I asked you a few questions and you just answer the best you can?" Sara looked over her shoulder to see where Grissom was, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"I guess that's ok." Mr. Rolland agreed.
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Motel
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Grissom lifted up some papers and spotted a yellow pages by the phone. He adjusted his glasses and peered at the book that was open. It showed the lap dancer advert and a large red circle the number. Pursing his lips, he looked around some more. Moving to his right, he looked down at the armchair beside the phone and raised an eyebrow at something on the floor by the side of the chair.
'What's this I wonder?' He knelt down and gingerly picked up what looked like a stunner. 'Stunner?' He mused and bagged it.
Sara entered the room a few minutes later with a confused look on her face. "I don't like working Halloween night. I just saw three kids who couldn't be more that 12, running down the street in Freddie and Jason costumes and plastic knives in their hands."
"Kids today and. it is Vegas after all." He said as he held up the baggie in his hand. "I found this."
She narrowed her eyes and nodded. "Anything else?" She asked as she looked around the room from the door.
"One off topic question." Grissom turned to her after he'd placed the stunner in his case.
Sara stared at him. "Off topic?" She puzzled as to what he meant by that, but knew he'd clarify it with the question soon enough. "Sure, off topic question, shot."
Standing up straighter, he looked down at his feet briefly before raising his head and looking directly at her. "After shift." He cleared his throat and shrugged his shoulders. "Do you, want to get some breakfast?"
Sara couldn't help it, but she broke out into a huge smile. "Nervous?" She teased.
He turned away and coughed nervously. "You have no idea." He managed through one cough.
"I think I do and yes, I would love to." She smiled widely and turned to leave the room, but remembered something. "Oh yeah, back to work. Mr. Rolland gave me a description of the guy, but no name. We need a warrant and we don't have one that extends to confidential information."
"Ok," He said, looking around quickly. "I think I got what we came for."
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Autopsy
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Greg ran the DNA Grissom collected from the motel's bathroom and the stunner while Jackie ran the prints Grissom also collected from the room. While this was going on, Sara and Grissom were in Autopsy for their final update from the coroner.
"So?" Grissom asked as soon as he entered the room.
Al turned from the x-ray board and removed his glasses. "I do have something, but it's not nice. She was 12 weeks pregnant and I think that's why she was dumped."
Sara looked down at the body. "Pregnant?"
"I'm afraid so." Al sighed. "If it's any consolation, she may not have known." He watched Sara as she walked over to the x-ray light board.
"What else?" Grissom asked after a few quiet seconds.
"I am puzzled though. She's perfectly healthy in every way, but the way this person cut her, it's almost, to use the word, lovingly, like they needed to take utmost care in cutting her." Al grumbled to himself as to how that just sounded and moved towards the body.
"Like a butcher who takes care of the meat so they don't bruise it?" Grissom asked theoretically.
Al nodded and pulled back the sheet slightly to show a partial line across the lower back. "This looks like scorch marks."
"The stunner?" Sara supplied as she finally made her way towards the other's. "Maybe that's how he surprises them. He calls the agency, the girl dances and he watches. Once her back is turned, she's stunned."
Grissom pondered this. "If that's so, where was the blood at the motel?"
Sara shrugged and walked around the body, looking at the floor. "What if he takes them somewhere?"
"Like where, hom-" Grissom looked up quickly. "Didn't you say you saw Mr Ballanic's basement door was locked and bolted?" Sara nodded as she caught onto what he was thinking, but was stopped from saying anything more when Al jumped in with the must absurd comment.
"Cannibal."
"Huh?" Sara turned.
Al shrugged "That's what Ballanic spells if you rearrange the letters."
Grissom furrowed his brows and removed his glasses to rub his eyes. "Cannibal? Maybe we're looking at this all wrong." He announced.
"Yeah, what if Ballanic killed Nicole Fisher for late night supper, but didn't know she was pregnant." She shook her head as soon as the words left her mouth. "Nah!"
"You know that cannibalism is sometimes carried down the generations through families. Some people eat human organs to survive, same goes with human blood, but what if Ballanic kills lap dancers and eats them?" This came from the coroner and received two surprised looks from the CSI's.
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CSI HQ
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They were walking towards the exit as Grissom rang Brass to get a warrant, but were delayed when Greg came rushing down the corridor with the epithelial results from the coat and DNA lifted from the stunner. "Gotta match!" He practically screamed.
Sara grabbed the results and quickly ran her eyes over them before handing them to Grissom who was still talking to Brass. Getting the warrant, Grissom and Sara continued to leave the lab.
"You think it is Ballanic?" Sara asked suddenly.
Grissom nodded and glanced at her. "He matches the description from the manger at the motel. He was the only witness that stuck around after the vic was found. He's acting suspicious and too concerned about a victim he apparently never knew and I don't know if you feel it, but he's hiding something huge in that basement of his.
Sara grinned at him. "You seem to come out of your shell on Halloween Griss. You're actually eager to get a look in that basement."
"Hell Yes!" He laughed, surprising Sara. "I now know you have been itching to look down there too, so don't deny it."
"It's a full moon and Halloween, who are you and where is Gil Grissom?" She asked playfully.
Grissom chuckled and shrugged as he held the door open for her. "As you say Sara, it's Halloween and strange things do happen on Halloween."
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Xavier's Home
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Brass knocked on the door to Ballanic's house and sighed when no one answered. "Ok, let's stand back." He suggested as he let a police officer and his metal door breaker to pound the lock and force the door open. "Stay here." He ordered Grissom and Sara as he entered the house and shouted out to let his presence known.
Sara turned to Grissom and sighed. "Did we ever find out what happened to the second girl?"
Grissom shook his head. "Catherine said nothing about it and Mr. Rolland didn't see anything."
Looking through the doorway, they noticed the locks on the basement door. "Weren't they lock earlier?" Sara asked hesitantly.
"Uh huh." Grissom dropped his hand to his gun and unclipped it. "Where'd Brass go?"
"Not sure." Sara copied his actions and followed closely behind him.
Pulling the door of the basement open slowly, they both looked down the stairs to see a bright light. Sara and Grissom exchanged shrugs and looked around to find Brass, but didn't see him. "Strange." Grissom muttered as he started to descend the stairs.
Xavier lightly held the scalpel in his right hand and grimaced as he lowered it to the woman's body, but stopped with a groan. "Damn it." His hand hung loosely at his side as he ran the back of his left hand over his brow. "This wasn't supposed to happen." He whispered to the body.
Grissom stopped as soon as he reached the last step. "Put the scalpel down." He ordered calmly as he held his gun up.
"You're not to be here." Xavier sighed. "I can't do this with distractions. It would have been done by now if it wasn't for, she never said she was pregnant. I wouldn't have done it then. DAMNIT!" He squeaked.
"Calm down." Grissom held out his other hand steadily.
Xavier groaned. "You don't understand." He held the scalpel at the stomach and sighed. "I have to do this, but what if it happens again?"
Sara took this as an opportunity to talk Xavier down. She placed her hand on Grissom shoulder to move slightly around him. "You can find out."
He looked at her. "How?"
Grissom glanced at Sara and then the body as a hand and fingers moved. Sara saw this too and inched forwards slightly, but was stopped by Grissom's hand on her arm. "A test."
"Pregnancy test?" He asked as if he was actually considering the option.
"It's one way or you could ask her."
"She'll be out for a while." He glanced down at the body. "I have to do this before Halloween's completely over."
"Why?" Grissom asked as his hand tightened around Sara's arm to hold her still. "What's so important about Halloween?"
Xavier pointed absently to a darkened area in the room. "I need one more. I can't survive without one more."
'One more?' Sara nearly balked when she realised what he was talking about. "You were preparing her to be eaten?"
He nodded as if it was a frequently asked question. "It's a necessity for my family. We Ballanic's teach each of our new generations when they reach the right age otherwise they will die."
"Teach them what?" Sara asked, although she really didn't want to know the answer.
"You have to treat the body with absolute care. Don't damage the organs or the meat, it's vital to keep them clean and healthy." Xavier looked at the body and grasped the scalpel tightly. "I'm behind. I should have gotten her salted by know and ready for storage." His voice was frustrated.
Grissom cleared his throat and had to ask. "Salted?"
Xavier nodded. "Yeah. Dry Curing. It's how I prepare them once I've removed the organs and drained the bodies. I put saltpetre on the meat, then rub in the salt and sugar before burying it in salt and leaving the meat for two weeks. It's got to be very precise or it goes all wrong and you only have one try to get it right or people begin to notice." He was trying to grasp the fact that he was late in completing what he'd just explained and in increasing frustration, he rubbed his eyes.
Sara was starting to understand as she watched his movements and agitated manner. "So, you save the bodies and eat them?"
He nodded. "Yes, otherwise I die."
"When do you do this?" Grissom asked.
"Every October 31st. It's tradition and my family thrives on tradition. It's all about precision and patience."
Sara groaned inwardly as she asked. "How many do you need for a whole year?"
Xavier flicked a switch from on the table to illuminate the darkened area of the room. "13 in total. It's a ritualistic number for such an occasion and allows me to survive all year round."
Grissom felt sick as he looked over the 12 closed crates that were sitting on racks. There was one open box awaiting its occupant and the thought snapped him back to the body under the scalpel. "You know you can't continue this."
"I have no choice." Xavier stated, preparing to cut.
Sara spoke up quickly when she spotted the body move again. "What about the pregnancy test? Do you want another body that can't be feed off?"
"No." He sighed. "But I won't know until I cut."
The body moved as Xavier started cutting. A loud scream shocked him as his hand came down to knock her out, but he didn't make it. Three gunshots echoed through everyone's ears.
*^*^*^*
CSI HQ
*^*^*^*
Nick sat up from his hunched position on the couch and grabbed another tissue. Warrick handed him a coffee and Catherine sat down beside him. "You'll get better soon, Nicky." She soothed.
Sara entered the room and shuddered as she walked towards the coffee pot. "You know, I don't think I'll ever look at a human being in the same way again, that just grossed me out." She rambled to herself.
Warrick chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "I hear you got the guy, well done."
"Yeah, freaky." Sara grumbled. "The guy was actually eating them." She shuddered again and groaned. "I need a shower." She said as she sat down at the table and drank her coffee.
"So, this guy, Ballanic?" Catherine inquired. "He's a cannibal?"
Sara nodded. "Yup, he even salts, sugars and stores the bodies so he can eat throughout the entire year."
Everyone grimaced and closed their eyes at the thought of someone willingly eating a human as their only source of food for survival.
"Sara?"
Turning at the sound of her name, she looked over her shoulder. "Yes Griss."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked.
She stared at him briefly, before placing her cup on the table and nodded. "Oh, right. Shift over already?"
"It is and you're late."
"Late for what?" Catherine asked as she unconsciously looked at her watch.
Sara shrugged and stayed quiet while she dumped her coffee in the sink.
Grissom wasn't so quiet and shocked her by admitting. "I'm taking Sara to breakfast and no you're not invited." He turned and waited.
"That wasn't nice." Sara said as soon as they were walking down the corridor.
He sighed and pushed through the locker room door. "I don't want breakfast with the other's. I want breakfast with you and it'll be kinda awkward anyway."
"Awkward in what way?" She asked as she grabbed her coat and slipped it on.
Grissom closed his locker and looked purposely at the book in his hand. "I would have asked you to dinner, but it's morning and I would have suggested we see what happens, but it would be awkward if the gang were there."
Sara stared at his almost shying body and smiled. "I did ask you to dinner once, remember and no one else was invited. I also remember suggesting we see what happens, but you're right, it would be awkward with the gang." She walked past him and smiled wider when he moved to walk with her.
"That's why I said no to them and yes to you and no matter what you say when we get to the restaurant, I'm eating a steak."
Sara swallowed hard and elbowed him. "Yuck!" She then looked at him with a huge grin. "You're taking me to a restaurant?" Grissom laughed and led the way out to the car park and towards his Tahoe.
Halloween was over and the sun was finally up. Sara for one was glad there were no more gruesome human body eating cannibals to investigate. And for a year at least, there was no more Halloween and weird happenings to freak you out. The only thing to do now was to find some way to talk Grissom out of having steak for breakfast.
THE END
(Ew! I thought it would have been better than that, but I have a bad back from writing all day and rewriting to get it right in certain places. I'm going now to have my spine straightened and a sit back and relax. I hope you at least muttered your own Ew's and Yuck's during this story, if you did like it, tell me what you think, but be nice. I spook easily. HAPPY HALLOWEEN)
Author: Moggie
Pairing: ?/?
Category: Drama & Thriller.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Happy Halloween. Ever wondered what a human body, salt and lap dancers have in common? I haven't but some one must have. -grins-
Spoilers: Justice is Served/and maybe another I can't remember the title.
Disclaimer: I do not under any circumstances own CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Note: I really wanted this up for Halloween night, but that obviously didn't happen. I'm still not sure where everything is in Las Vegas, which mean's I don't know where anything is or what the names are, so they are mostly made up. I rushed to write this, so if it's crap I'm terribly sorry. I haven't beta'd this, but I will at a later date.
Note2: This is for my mum, she has put up with my continuous ramblings about plots, ideas and so on since I started writing. She also came up with this title, purely out of no where while we were chopping up wood in the freezing cold. Never have I thought my mother would come up with the ideas that is this story, she has a dark side that none of us were aware of. I should really say that this is a collective of minds and lots of laughs.
Warnings: If you don't like animal's being killed, don't read. Although I'm 'talking' about killing animals, not actually killing them. Also, don't proceed if you don't like cannibalism or anything a butcher would do that would make you sick, like cutting up meat and so on. Be BLOODY warned before you continue. It's Halloween and it's supposed to be full of blood, grossness, sick, death and spookily supernatural ritualistic killings.
Clue: If you like anagrams see if you can see the one and only mixed up word in this story. GOOD LUCK.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Camera, Light's, Action
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Xavier Juno Balannic head's one of Las Vegas' top funeral parlours. At 6 o'clock every evening, he collects his things and locks up, taking his estate car further into Vegas towards a motel south of the Strip.
Pushing the door closed, he slid the chain across and deadlocked the door before turning to the room and scanning it with critical eyes. Once satisfied that nothing had been moved or removed from his sanctum, he walked over to his fridge and pulled out a plastic container. Setting it on the table, he reached into a cupboard and grabbed a tall straight glass.
The usual wind down from a long day's work was to pour himself a glass of one of his home-made family recipes and sit down with a book. One this particular night, being Halloween and all, he knew his work was not finished for the day.
Settling into his chair, he dialled a specific number from the yellow pages and waited. Whilst he sipped at his drink, he watched the door carefully, listening to the outside. After ten minutes, he looked at his glass and rolled its contents in a slow circle as to admire its colour and texture against the clear glass.
Thirty minutes past and a knock at the door presented a young female with light brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing a long light grey coat. They said their hello's and casual greetings before getting down to business.
Xavier knew the rules; he had them memorised. His eyes watched her body as she danced before him, showing her skin, her limbs and her skill at controlling her balance and movements. His own control was spectacular as his mind wasn't watching her dancing, but watching her body with clinical eyes, readying himself for the right moment.
*^*^*^*^*^*
Crime Scene
*^*^*^*^*^*
The crime scene was only just dark, but still cold due to the time of year. Police officers, trooper cars, paramedics and the coroner's van waited to collect the body surrounded the park. Las Vegas Country Park was a lovely fun place to be with many visitors during the daylight hours, but not on this particular day/night.
Sara lifted and ducked under the yellow tape with her field kit in her right hand and her badge in her left. Showing the officer that held up his hand to stop her entering the crime scene, she flashed the badge and smiled.
"Thanks." She said absently as she walked past him and towards the only other person inside the crime tape. "Hey Griss."
"Come look at this." He practically ordered in his normal gruff manner. As soon as she reached his side, he dived into a brief summary of the victim lying at their feet. "Female, Caucasian, mid twenties and dressed pretty lightly for a chilly October night."
She looked around the body and sighed. "I'm hazarding a guess here, Lap dancer?" She suggested, seeing the lack of bikini covering the victim's body.
Grissom turned his eyes to her briefly. "Perhaps." He pointed a section on the victim's stomach. "There looks like light bruising around the entry wound and plenty of blood, but what's wrong with this picture?" He asked.
Sara crouched down and narrowed her eyes at the body. "Hmm. I'd say this is not where she was killed."
"Explain." He requested starting to collect various items he thought might be a key clue to finding the killer.
"She's just laying there, like someone placed her down gently, like she was sleeping. Plus there's no blood spatter or pools around the body to indicate that she sustained such a deep cut from lying here." Sara's mind was already reeling with possibilities, but she had promised herself that she would save judgement till after the fact and follow Grissom's line of thinking. He's the big shot CSI and knows more about bodies that anyone else she knows.
"Well, there's not much to go on here. It's safe to say, she wasn't killed here." He finally assessed and closed his kit, containing what minuscule evidence he could find.
*^*^*^*
Autopsy
*^*^*^*
Sara stood in her light blue lab coat as she listened to Doc Robbins autopsy evaluation. For once, she had made it before Grissom, who had returned to his office to take an important call from the sheriff. As Al was reaching the lower body of his final conclusions on how the victim died, Grissom pushed through the large doors as he was pulling his lab coat on.
"Glad you could join us Gil." Al extended his clipboard with the autopsy results on to the supervisor as he continued to explain to Sara the laceration. "The edges of the wound are confusing." He announced as he reached behind him, steadying himself on his single crutch before turning back with a small scalpel in his right hand.
"The killer cut her with a scalpel?" Sara asked in amazement.
Al nodded and pointed at the major points of the cut. "It starts from the bottom and as the scalpel is dragged up, the blood pours out, but in this case, the killer has cut into the body twice to enlarge the hole to allow a faster flow."
"Like bleeding a pig." Grissom nodded, finally speaking as he placed the clipboard on the trolley behind him. "Butchers cut from the bottom up to allow the blood to start pooling while they finish cutting open the body."
Sara grimaced and nodded numbly as she closed her eyes briefly and covered her mouth. "Lovely." She mumbled behind her hand.
Al gave her a sympathetic fatherly smile and squeezed her arm. "It's more humane than that Sara. Being a vegetarian and all, the animals are killed as painlessly as possible." He turned back to the body when she smiled and shrugged as to say if-you-say-so. "Also, I have to add that this looks professional."
Grissom looked at him doubtfully. "Someone killed her 'professionally?"
"Something like that. She died from the blood loss and probably shock, but the cuts were made with a surgeons precision, almost as though a doctor did this and knew exactly what they were doing."
Sara opened her mouth to speak, but furrowed her brows and looked up at Grissom and the coroner with a sarcastic smile. "You mean that we may be dealing with some sicko that's out there cutting people with a scalpel, bleeding them and may even hold a PhD?"
Grissom shrugged and looked back at the body. "We won't know until we process the clothes and get an ID."
"I'll have more later." Al said as he turned and walked towards a trolley with the instrument's he'd need to complete the autopsy.
*^*^*^*
Apology
*^*^*^*
Grissom sighed as they left autopsy. "Sara, I'm sorry about what I said in there." He said out of the blue.
Her head snapped up from the file she was holding, surprised he'd just apologised to her, sounding caring and concerned. "What did you say?"
He took a deep breath. "I didn't realise until I'd said it, but I didn't mean to make you feel ill or anything with my butcher comment."
Sara nodded and smiled faintly. "No problem, it would have come out sooner or later Griss, just not over a dead body." She advised.
He chuckled. "Duly noted."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Layout Room
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Did Brass find a name yet?" Grissom inquired as he entered the room.
She opened a brown file to reveal a photo and a record of the victim's history. "Her name is Nicole Fisher, aged 28, single, no family and. she's a lap dancer." Sara added with enthusiasm.
"Really!?" Grissom exclaimed in surprise.
"Yep."
"Where does she work?" He asked, looking at the file.
Sara scanned the file quickly before answering. "She's one of those freelancers. Erm. phone a lap dancer sort of thing."
Grissom stared at the small pieces of clothing with a raised eyebrow. "She walked around in just that?"
Thinking about this for a few minutes as she stared at the clothing, she breathed in slowly. "She must have had a coat." Sara suggested with a shrug. "Maybe the killer dumped it or. still has it."
"In any case, we need to go back to the scene; search the bins and any other dumping ground that would hide our vics missing clothing."
"Should we get the guys to help?"
"Would make the job easier."
*^*^*^*^*^*
Crime Scene
*^*^*^*^*^*
Nick cleared his throat in the almost silence as he trudged through the thick layer of leaves that covered a section of the park. He had been trying to fight off a cold for the past week, but it was taking longer than he wanted. Warrick was the cold's previous host and gladly handed it to him, so far the rest of the lab was unaffected by it.
"God man, I'm totally wasted and I've only been here ten minutes." He groaned miserably as he pushed through some leaves. Warrick and Catherine looked at him with smiles.
"Nicky!" Grissom called from the path.
"Yeah boss?" He turned quickly.
"Go home if you're ill. I don't want you contaminating evidence." His voice was soft, but authoritative.
Sara was digging into a trashcan not far from the group and could hear them talking and Nick's sneezing. She pulled out a few soda cans and some fish and chip wrappers carefully. Just as she removed a large pizza box, she saw something that could be what they were looking for. "Hey guys!" She shouted.
*^*^*^*^*^*
Roll Camera
*^*^*^*^*^*
Looking across the street at the few cars that blocked the road, Xavier could see people searching the park. He was angry with himself for getting things wrong. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. He didn't know how could he?
Getting his scattered thoughts back into a fairly collective manner, he turned and went back into his motel room. He needed to finish what he had started. His eyes watched the commotion from his veiled window as he dialled the same number from only a few hours ago. He'll get it right this time.
*^*^*^*^*^*
Crime Scene
*^*^*^*^*^*
"I think this is the vics." Sara smiled as she placed the blood soaked coat onto a plastic sheet.
"Don't jump to conclusions Sara." Grissom advised as he pulled his left glove tighter onto his hand.
Sara looked up at him with her smile fading. She opened her mouth, but saw the look on Warrick and Catherine's faces that said 'don't'. She sighed and stood up, leaving them to look at the coat. She reached into the bin and leaned down to place a purse on the sheet. Everyone looked up as she pulled off her gloves and zipped up her coat. "I'll be looking around some more." She shrugged and walked away.
Catherine scowled. "What did we say?"
Grissom shot her a look and knelt down. "We didn't say anything. I said she shouldn't jump to conclusions." It was obvious that he hadn't seen the looks Warrick and Catherine gave to Sara after he gave that particular sentence.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Outside Crime Scene
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"Hey, did you question the locals?" Sara asked the officer that stood at the entrance to the park.
"Sure I did ma'am." He smiled and leaned back against his car.
Sara nodded and settled beside the officer. "Anything sound suspicious?"
He thought for a moment. "Well, they were pretty spooked. It's Halloween and a body was found." He sighed and shook his head. "Maybe one. He seemed upset, even devastated."
"Did he know the vic?" Sara asked as she pushed off the car.
"Actually, he didn't say."
Grinning at the young man, she had to ask. "You asked him, right?"
The officer laughed. "Course I did. He sort of avoided the question." He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "I got his name and address if you wanna talk to the guy."
"Bonus." Sara exclaimed.
"Sara!"
"Well, I better go Thomas." She glanced over her shoulder at Grissom. "Can you send the information to the lab for me?" She asked as she turned back.
"Sure Sara." He smiled.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Layout Room
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"We got epithelial's from the coat, just gotta wait for Greg to get to it." Warrick informed them as he turned to leave.
Grissom nodded and looked at the yellow pages he had in front of him. "Is this the place Sara?"
Sara got up from her seat across the room. "Yep, she's one of their best, was." She added as she walked back to her seat and looked through Thomas's notes he'd dropped off.
"Find anything useful from your officer friend?" Grissom asked with his head down and his eyes focused on the number of the lap-dancing agency.
Not looking up, Sara shrugged. She could have been imagining it, but it sounded like a hint of jealously in his voice. "Maybe. Thomas may actually have a viable suspect for us."
Grissom finally looked up. "How viable?" He asked, truly interested.
"Was in the neighbourhood at the time the vic was found. He was really concerned about the vic and he even avoided the question on whether he knew the vic or not." Sara looked up. "You think we should take a look?"
His eyes lingered on her longer than a few minutes before he nodded and shifted his eyes to the number he'd written down. "I also think that we should check this agency out."
"Can't Catherine do it?" Sara sighed as she stood.
Grissom nodded. "She could, but may I ask why her?"
Sara shook her head and shrugged. "No reason." She turned away and past Warrick as he brought the coat evidence back from Greg.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Witness's Home
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Sara knocked on the door and waited for an answer. It took more than a few minutes before a handsome, well-dressed, light haired and tall male stood in the doorway to a very nice and seemingly clean house. Grissom held up his badge and showed it to the man. "Hi, we're from the crime lab. My name is Gil Grissom and this is Sara Sidle, may we come in?"
The man nodded and stepped back. "This is something to do with the body in the park."
Grissom and Sara exchange looks before nodding and following the man further into the house. "We have a few questions."
"Ok." He turned and took a shallow breath. "Can I get you a drink or something?"
"No thank you, we're fine." Grissom answered for both him and Sara. From where they sat, Sara was looking around the room. It was clean, really clean and it had an almost sparkle to it. She turned back to the man when he answered Grissom's questions.
"Yes, of course. My full name is Xavier Juno Balannic. I head the funeral parlour."
"The one down on Hammerson?" Sara asked.
Xavier smiled. "That's the one. I've worked there for over 12 years. My Grandfather had the head position before me."
Sara nodded and asked another question. "Did you know the victim by any chance, Mr Balannic?"
He shrugged. "I see people everyday, Miss Sidle."
Grissom had been looking around and was fascinated to see that there was not a dust particle in sight. "Mr Balannic, are you a compulsive obsessive cleaner?" Seeing the shocked look on Xavier's face, he added more gently. "I'm curious as to the very clean household you have here. It's almost sanitised."
"I like things clean. Germs and dirt cause illness." He supplied the CSI's cautiously.
Sara pushed herself up to take a look around. "Is it ok if I look around a bit, I promise not to touch anything?" She asked with a sweet smile and started scanning the room at Xavier's permission.
Walking down the hall, back towards the front door, she noticed a large thick wooden door that must lead to the basement, but wondered why a series of locks would be on a basement door and less on his front door. Sighing in silent frustration, she had to force herself not to get too nosy and get into trouble. It certainly made you curious.
Grissom continued to ask questions while Sara looked around. He asked about his whereabouts during the time the victim was found and some personal questions to start building a witness profile that could help if they every turned into a key suspect.
"Sara!" Grissom called from the front door a little after finishing his questioning.
"Sorry, I was in the kitchen." She smiled at them both and followed Grissom out the door. Just before Xavier closed the door after them, she turned. "I like your display of achievements and accomplishments in your office. It's always nice to see someone excel in their work and enjoy it."
Xavier grinned. "I've been at it awhile and it's been in the family for generations."
Sara nodded and smiled once again before leaving.
*^*^*
Tahoe
*^*^*
"What was that about?" Grissom asked.
Sara turned her head to the older man with confusion marring her face. "What was what?"
He exhaled forcefully. "You talking to the witness like a best friend and disappearing from sight."
She looked at him with sudden understanding, but kept it inside for the time being and turned to look out her window. "I was looking around for clues and you were with Mr Ballanic the whole time, so I was in no danger to wonder about snooping."
"Beside the point Sara." He sighed. After a few quiet minutes, he rolled his shoulders and glanced at her. "Find anything?"
Sara smiled, but didn't let it show as she turned to look at him. "He's not just an undertaker, but. a qualified butcher and I even saw a doctors bag by the front door, like." She furrowed her brows.
He looked at her quickly. "Like, he needed to break out and do some work?" He finished for her. It surprised him that he was hearing the very similar words come from his mouth when he had heard Warrick say near enough the same thing a while back.
"Yeah." She sat back in her seat and brushed her hair from her face. "I also noticed that there was a door heavily bolted up in the hall."
"I saw it. Basement?" He questioned.
"That was my thought."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Xavier's Home
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Quickly unlocking the large wooden door, Xavier rushed down the stairs to stop before a large thick wood table. Lying on the table was a body. He'd managed to not mess this one up so far, but he was nervous. This confused him because the other's had never made him nervous before. Although, he'd never fucked up before.
He walked around the table and examined the body closely as he struggled to fight the nervousness inside him. If he got this one wrong, he'd be letting his family tradition down. His grandfather had taught him everything he knows, but the feeling that he's let his grandfather down. it made him sad, but also angry.
*^*^*^*
CSI HQ
*^*^*^*
"Hey guys, I got a list of girls working tonight and even a few regulars." Catherine burst into the room with her hair flaying every which way as she stopped by Grissom's side and slammed the papers down on the table.
"What's the rush Cath?" Grissom asked as he looked over the list.
"No rush, just getting things done." She shrugged and left the room.
Sara moved around the table and leaned against it as she kept a far distance from Grissom. She looked from afar as Grissom read the list carefully. "Nicole Fisher is on here." He said absently as he wrote the number and the address to the person who booked the lap dancer. He continued reading and leaned on his elbow. "There's the number and address again, but different girl though." He mused.
"Is there a time on there?" She asked.
Grissom nodded and circled the information he thought was helpful and scrawled down the address and number. "Let's take a look and see what's so popular about this place." He suggested, pushing away from the table.
*^*^*
Motel
*^*^*
"There's the park and here's the motel." Sara said as she closed the car door.
They talked to the manager and talked the man into opening the motel room they asked for. "He's a great bloke really, pays the rent on time, keeps his room clean and never gives me or the other punters any hassle." The manager offered as he unlocked the door to motel room number 13.
"We'll be the judge of that Mr. Rolland." Grissom argued as he entered the room.
Sara smiled at the manager and watched him walk away. She looked at Grissom and wandered what was into him lately. 'He was snippy, apologetic, sarcastic, snappy and jealous, all in one evening and it wasn't even 12 o'clock yet.'
"Sara!"
"Coming!" She growled, but tried to smother it with a cough. "What's up?" She asked as soon as she stepped into the room, but stopped with the look of awe and surprise. "Wow!"
Grissom turned. "De-j-vu."
"It's Halloween Griss. I'm surprised you hadn't noticed." His eyes snapped to hers as she looked at him. Seeing him look away, she sighed. 'Now what did I do?' "I'll go talk to Mr. Rolland."
"Sara." He called out. "I had noticed and. I'm sorry."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Motel Front Desk
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
"You said this man was staying a lot?" Sara asked Mr. Rolland as she leaned over the front desk to watch him look through his logbooks.
"Yeah and like I said, he's a good bloke."
Sara nodded and smiled. "I know Mr. Rolland, but the good ones aren't always that good." He looked at her and sighed in resignation. "Can you give me his name?"
"I'm sorry, confidentiality."
"I understand, but what if I asked you a few questions and you just answer the best you can?" Sara looked over her shoulder to see where Grissom was, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"I guess that's ok." Mr. Rolland agreed.
*^*^*
Motel
*^*^*
Grissom lifted up some papers and spotted a yellow pages by the phone. He adjusted his glasses and peered at the book that was open. It showed the lap dancer advert and a large red circle the number. Pursing his lips, he looked around some more. Moving to his right, he looked down at the armchair beside the phone and raised an eyebrow at something on the floor by the side of the chair.
'What's this I wonder?' He knelt down and gingerly picked up what looked like a stunner. 'Stunner?' He mused and bagged it.
Sara entered the room a few minutes later with a confused look on her face. "I don't like working Halloween night. I just saw three kids who couldn't be more that 12, running down the street in Freddie and Jason costumes and plastic knives in their hands."
"Kids today and. it is Vegas after all." He said as he held up the baggie in his hand. "I found this."
She narrowed her eyes and nodded. "Anything else?" She asked as she looked around the room from the door.
"One off topic question." Grissom turned to her after he'd placed the stunner in his case.
Sara stared at him. "Off topic?" She puzzled as to what he meant by that, but knew he'd clarify it with the question soon enough. "Sure, off topic question, shot."
Standing up straighter, he looked down at his feet briefly before raising his head and looking directly at her. "After shift." He cleared his throat and shrugged his shoulders. "Do you, want to get some breakfast?"
Sara couldn't help it, but she broke out into a huge smile. "Nervous?" She teased.
He turned away and coughed nervously. "You have no idea." He managed through one cough.
"I think I do and yes, I would love to." She smiled widely and turned to leave the room, but remembered something. "Oh yeah, back to work. Mr. Rolland gave me a description of the guy, but no name. We need a warrant and we don't have one that extends to confidential information."
"Ok," He said, looking around quickly. "I think I got what we came for."
*^*^*^*
Autopsy
*^*^*^*
Greg ran the DNA Grissom collected from the motel's bathroom and the stunner while Jackie ran the prints Grissom also collected from the room. While this was going on, Sara and Grissom were in Autopsy for their final update from the coroner.
"So?" Grissom asked as soon as he entered the room.
Al turned from the x-ray board and removed his glasses. "I do have something, but it's not nice. She was 12 weeks pregnant and I think that's why she was dumped."
Sara looked down at the body. "Pregnant?"
"I'm afraid so." Al sighed. "If it's any consolation, she may not have known." He watched Sara as she walked over to the x-ray light board.
"What else?" Grissom asked after a few quiet seconds.
"I am puzzled though. She's perfectly healthy in every way, but the way this person cut her, it's almost, to use the word, lovingly, like they needed to take utmost care in cutting her." Al grumbled to himself as to how that just sounded and moved towards the body.
"Like a butcher who takes care of the meat so they don't bruise it?" Grissom asked theoretically.
Al nodded and pulled back the sheet slightly to show a partial line across the lower back. "This looks like scorch marks."
"The stunner?" Sara supplied as she finally made her way towards the other's. "Maybe that's how he surprises them. He calls the agency, the girl dances and he watches. Once her back is turned, she's stunned."
Grissom pondered this. "If that's so, where was the blood at the motel?"
Sara shrugged and walked around the body, looking at the floor. "What if he takes them somewhere?"
"Like where, hom-" Grissom looked up quickly. "Didn't you say you saw Mr Ballanic's basement door was locked and bolted?" Sara nodded as she caught onto what he was thinking, but was stopped from saying anything more when Al jumped in with the must absurd comment.
"Cannibal."
"Huh?" Sara turned.
Al shrugged "That's what Ballanic spells if you rearrange the letters."
Grissom furrowed his brows and removed his glasses to rub his eyes. "Cannibal? Maybe we're looking at this all wrong." He announced.
"Yeah, what if Ballanic killed Nicole Fisher for late night supper, but didn't know she was pregnant." She shook her head as soon as the words left her mouth. "Nah!"
"You know that cannibalism is sometimes carried down the generations through families. Some people eat human organs to survive, same goes with human blood, but what if Ballanic kills lap dancers and eats them?" This came from the coroner and received two surprised looks from the CSI's.
*^*^*^*
CSI HQ
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They were walking towards the exit as Grissom rang Brass to get a warrant, but were delayed when Greg came rushing down the corridor with the epithelial results from the coat and DNA lifted from the stunner. "Gotta match!" He practically screamed.
Sara grabbed the results and quickly ran her eyes over them before handing them to Grissom who was still talking to Brass. Getting the warrant, Grissom and Sara continued to leave the lab.
"You think it is Ballanic?" Sara asked suddenly.
Grissom nodded and glanced at her. "He matches the description from the manger at the motel. He was the only witness that stuck around after the vic was found. He's acting suspicious and too concerned about a victim he apparently never knew and I don't know if you feel it, but he's hiding something huge in that basement of his.
Sara grinned at him. "You seem to come out of your shell on Halloween Griss. You're actually eager to get a look in that basement."
"Hell Yes!" He laughed, surprising Sara. "I now know you have been itching to look down there too, so don't deny it."
"It's a full moon and Halloween, who are you and where is Gil Grissom?" She asked playfully.
Grissom chuckled and shrugged as he held the door open for her. "As you say Sara, it's Halloween and strange things do happen on Halloween."
*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Xavier's Home
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Brass knocked on the door to Ballanic's house and sighed when no one answered. "Ok, let's stand back." He suggested as he let a police officer and his metal door breaker to pound the lock and force the door open. "Stay here." He ordered Grissom and Sara as he entered the house and shouted out to let his presence known.
Sara turned to Grissom and sighed. "Did we ever find out what happened to the second girl?"
Grissom shook his head. "Catherine said nothing about it and Mr. Rolland didn't see anything."
Looking through the doorway, they noticed the locks on the basement door. "Weren't they lock earlier?" Sara asked hesitantly.
"Uh huh." Grissom dropped his hand to his gun and unclipped it. "Where'd Brass go?"
"Not sure." Sara copied his actions and followed closely behind him.
Pulling the door of the basement open slowly, they both looked down the stairs to see a bright light. Sara and Grissom exchanged shrugs and looked around to find Brass, but didn't see him. "Strange." Grissom muttered as he started to descend the stairs.
Xavier lightly held the scalpel in his right hand and grimaced as he lowered it to the woman's body, but stopped with a groan. "Damn it." His hand hung loosely at his side as he ran the back of his left hand over his brow. "This wasn't supposed to happen." He whispered to the body.
Grissom stopped as soon as he reached the last step. "Put the scalpel down." He ordered calmly as he held his gun up.
"You're not to be here." Xavier sighed. "I can't do this with distractions. It would have been done by now if it wasn't for, she never said she was pregnant. I wouldn't have done it then. DAMNIT!" He squeaked.
"Calm down." Grissom held out his other hand steadily.
Xavier groaned. "You don't understand." He held the scalpel at the stomach and sighed. "I have to do this, but what if it happens again?"
Sara took this as an opportunity to talk Xavier down. She placed her hand on Grissom shoulder to move slightly around him. "You can find out."
He looked at her. "How?"
Grissom glanced at Sara and then the body as a hand and fingers moved. Sara saw this too and inched forwards slightly, but was stopped by Grissom's hand on her arm. "A test."
"Pregnancy test?" He asked as if he was actually considering the option.
"It's one way or you could ask her."
"She'll be out for a while." He glanced down at the body. "I have to do this before Halloween's completely over."
"Why?" Grissom asked as his hand tightened around Sara's arm to hold her still. "What's so important about Halloween?"
Xavier pointed absently to a darkened area in the room. "I need one more. I can't survive without one more."
'One more?' Sara nearly balked when she realised what he was talking about. "You were preparing her to be eaten?"
He nodded as if it was a frequently asked question. "It's a necessity for my family. We Ballanic's teach each of our new generations when they reach the right age otherwise they will die."
"Teach them what?" Sara asked, although she really didn't want to know the answer.
"You have to treat the body with absolute care. Don't damage the organs or the meat, it's vital to keep them clean and healthy." Xavier looked at the body and grasped the scalpel tightly. "I'm behind. I should have gotten her salted by know and ready for storage." His voice was frustrated.
Grissom cleared his throat and had to ask. "Salted?"
Xavier nodded. "Yeah. Dry Curing. It's how I prepare them once I've removed the organs and drained the bodies. I put saltpetre on the meat, then rub in the salt and sugar before burying it in salt and leaving the meat for two weeks. It's got to be very precise or it goes all wrong and you only have one try to get it right or people begin to notice." He was trying to grasp the fact that he was late in completing what he'd just explained and in increasing frustration, he rubbed his eyes.
Sara was starting to understand as she watched his movements and agitated manner. "So, you save the bodies and eat them?"
He nodded. "Yes, otherwise I die."
"When do you do this?" Grissom asked.
"Every October 31st. It's tradition and my family thrives on tradition. It's all about precision and patience."
Sara groaned inwardly as she asked. "How many do you need for a whole year?"
Xavier flicked a switch from on the table to illuminate the darkened area of the room. "13 in total. It's a ritualistic number for such an occasion and allows me to survive all year round."
Grissom felt sick as he looked over the 12 closed crates that were sitting on racks. There was one open box awaiting its occupant and the thought snapped him back to the body under the scalpel. "You know you can't continue this."
"I have no choice." Xavier stated, preparing to cut.
Sara spoke up quickly when she spotted the body move again. "What about the pregnancy test? Do you want another body that can't be feed off?"
"No." He sighed. "But I won't know until I cut."
The body moved as Xavier started cutting. A loud scream shocked him as his hand came down to knock her out, but he didn't make it. Three gunshots echoed through everyone's ears.
*^*^*^*
CSI HQ
*^*^*^*
Nick sat up from his hunched position on the couch and grabbed another tissue. Warrick handed him a coffee and Catherine sat down beside him. "You'll get better soon, Nicky." She soothed.
Sara entered the room and shuddered as she walked towards the coffee pot. "You know, I don't think I'll ever look at a human being in the same way again, that just grossed me out." She rambled to herself.
Warrick chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "I hear you got the guy, well done."
"Yeah, freaky." Sara grumbled. "The guy was actually eating them." She shuddered again and groaned. "I need a shower." She said as she sat down at the table and drank her coffee.
"So, this guy, Ballanic?" Catherine inquired. "He's a cannibal?"
Sara nodded. "Yup, he even salts, sugars and stores the bodies so he can eat throughout the entire year."
Everyone grimaced and closed their eyes at the thought of someone willingly eating a human as their only source of food for survival.
"Sara?"
Turning at the sound of her name, she looked over her shoulder. "Yes Griss."
"Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked.
She stared at him briefly, before placing her cup on the table and nodded. "Oh, right. Shift over already?"
"It is and you're late."
"Late for what?" Catherine asked as she unconsciously looked at her watch.
Sara shrugged and stayed quiet while she dumped her coffee in the sink.
Grissom wasn't so quiet and shocked her by admitting. "I'm taking Sara to breakfast and no you're not invited." He turned and waited.
"That wasn't nice." Sara said as soon as they were walking down the corridor.
He sighed and pushed through the locker room door. "I don't want breakfast with the other's. I want breakfast with you and it'll be kinda awkward anyway."
"Awkward in what way?" She asked as she grabbed her coat and slipped it on.
Grissom closed his locker and looked purposely at the book in his hand. "I would have asked you to dinner, but it's morning and I would have suggested we see what happens, but it would be awkward if the gang were there."
Sara stared at his almost shying body and smiled. "I did ask you to dinner once, remember and no one else was invited. I also remember suggesting we see what happens, but you're right, it would be awkward with the gang." She walked past him and smiled wider when he moved to walk with her.
"That's why I said no to them and yes to you and no matter what you say when we get to the restaurant, I'm eating a steak."
Sara swallowed hard and elbowed him. "Yuck!" She then looked at him with a huge grin. "You're taking me to a restaurant?" Grissom laughed and led the way out to the car park and towards his Tahoe.
Halloween was over and the sun was finally up. Sara for one was glad there were no more gruesome human body eating cannibals to investigate. And for a year at least, there was no more Halloween and weird happenings to freak you out. The only thing to do now was to find some way to talk Grissom out of having steak for breakfast.
THE END
(Ew! I thought it would have been better than that, but I have a bad back from writing all day and rewriting to get it right in certain places. I'm going now to have my spine straightened and a sit back and relax. I hope you at least muttered your own Ew's and Yuck's during this story, if you did like it, tell me what you think, but be nice. I spook easily. HAPPY HALLOWEEN)