Euphony: Part 4

Grissom, with his silver case in hand, stood at the shallow grave. He had a hard task in front of him. Drudgingly, he began his work, brushing away the dirt. He placed the dirt on a plastic sheet to sift through later. When the body was unearthed, Grissom and Catherine stared at it. The mangled body of a six year old was lying in the grave. Grissom sighed an angry sigh and told Catherine to start working with the dirt. Grissom looked at the naked body twisted into the fetal position. Grissom couldn't handle the pain that the girl must have endured. He wiped the dirt from his face and called over the coroner. David inspected the body and pronounced it deceased. Grissom unwrapped the girl's shirt from her neck and bagged it. The girl had one shoe on, and Grissom tenderly removed it. The shoe was pink and had a Barbie doll on it.

"The parents cared about her." Grissom continued to take evidence from the body. "How long has she been dead?" Grissom asked. He looked at David.

David shook his head. "Umm...two weeks as far as I can tell." This was pitiful sight. David, Grissom, and Catherine stood around the girl. Catherine was wringing her hands on the edge of her shirt. Grissom was wiping his face. David pulled out an old body bag.

Grissom stopped him. "No, I want a new one. This case is top priority. Don't wash her when you get back to the lab. I want to see her first."

***

Grissom picked over the little body. He pulled a fibre off of her. The fibre was yellow and kind of plasticy. Grissom sent it to the lab via Catherine. He washed the body gently. As he sprayed her with warm water, he felt a connection to the little girl, because he knew who did this horrible thing to her. This man had to be stopped. Who knew how many other children he had killed?

Catherine walked into the lab. Greg was dancing to his music. He had his arms up in the air, swaying to the heavy metal. Catherine went over to the boom box and hit the power button. Greg turned around. "What was that for?" He asked.

"Top priority, now!" Catherine said. She slammed down a bag of evidence.

Greg looked at the bag. "Okay. Is that Grissom's orders or yours?"

"Does it matter? Just do it." Catherine said. She walked out of the lab and back to Grissom.

Grissom was sitting in a chair, talking to the little girl. "What is your name? I know your mother is looking for you." He said. He brushed a piece of hair out of the girl's eyes. He looked like he was expecting a reply. He was sitting on the edge of his seat. The girl's blue eyes stared into oblivion.

Catherine spoke up. "Grissom." Grissom jumped out of his chair. He inhaled sharply. "Grissom, what do you want me to do?" She said. She put her hand on Grissom's back and patted it.

"Go through the missing people list. Look for a girl like her." Grissom said. Catherine knew that it would be wrong to do that. She would never find the little girl in the computer. Faithfully, she obeyed Grissom's orders.

*****

Catherine sat looking at the computer screen. Five empty cups of coffee sat by the computer. She had been scrolling for days. Just sitting at the computer, eyes plastered on the screen, scrolling through the missing persons reports. A certain report with a picture of a cheery eyed girl caught Catherine's eye.

__________

Name: Susanne Dutchie

DOB: 12-24-98

Last Seen: 1-25-04

Description: Blonde girl. Blue eyes. About 3'1". Wearing pink dress when disappeared. Last seen with man walking her in the direction of her house. Goes by name Susie.

Any Information on this girl please contact 555-8483. Reward is offered.

____________

Catherine printed out the page and went to see Grissom in his office. She humbly handed the paper to him. He put on his glasses and read the paper.

"That's her." He exclaimed. He hit the paper with the back of his left hand and went to the coroner's office. He pulled out the drawer that Susie was in and spoke quietly to her. "We know who you are, Susie." He said. He pushed her back into the cabinet and removed the Jane Doe label. He made a label reading 'Susanne Dutchie' and stuck it onto the drawer. Now, he had to make the phone call to the parents. That was the hardest part of his job.

"Hello?" A woman said on the other side of the phone. Grissom could tell that she had been crying.

"Ms. Dutchie?" Grissom asked.

"Yes? How do you know my name?" Ms. Dutchie asked. She was confused.

"I'm Gil Grissom with the Las Vegas Criminalistics Department."

"Did you find Susie?" She asked. Joy leapt into her voice.

"Maybe. I think you had better come in." Grissom said.

"Okay, I'll be right in." Ms. Dutchie said. She hung up the phone.

Grissom waited at the front desk for Ms. Dutchie. She showed up and came up to Grissom. "Are you the one who called me?" She asked. Hurt was showing in her face. Her blonde hair was the same colour as her daughter's and she had the same sparkling blue eyes.

"Yes." Grissom said. "Follow me. You need to come ID the body." He led her to the coroner's area. He pulled out a drawer. The body had a sheet over it. "Are you prepared for this?" The hurt woman nodded her head. Grissom lifted the sheet. The woman was in agony. She whimpered. Grissom covered the body back up. "Is that your daughter?" He said as he pushed the drawer back in.

"Yes." She said softly.

*****

Grissom called up Horatio to tell him about the body they found. "Horatio?" Grissom said solemnly.

Horatio sighed. "Let me guess, you found a body."

"Yes."

"We found a body matching the MO of Stewart Otis. A body was found just outside Little Rock, Arkansas. It was a 14-year-old girl. How old was your DB?"

"She was just six years old. Her mother ID'd the body today."

"Do I have to send out a specialist on Otis?" Horatio asked.

"I'll call you if we reach a dead end."

"Well, Grissom. It seems like you have already hit one."

"We are working on it, H. It has been moved to top priority."

"Okay, but if you don't catch him within a month or another dead body turns up, call me."

"Sure, Horatio." Grissom said.

"Okay. Bye." Horatio hung up the phone. Grissom hung up slowly, reflecting on what had happened since he had seen Stewart. He had to catch that man, but he did not know how to. It hurt Grissom to think about the little girl, who had life in front of her, was now dead. She could have no children, no husband, and no joy of getting to drive for the first time. Grissom slammed his hand on the table.