Title: Las Vegas Knights
A/N: Okay for those of you wondering where I have been with the updates let me offer an explanation. When I started this story over a month ago I intended to write a pure case file. A few chapters into the fic, I realized there was no way I could do that. However, I still wanted to write strong case file with very little characterization. The story was boring the crapzors out of me. So I put it on the shelf until last night. For those of you who have read the previous seven chapters, please note that I have made some subtle changes to those chapters. I don't however, think you will need to go back and reread them.
From this point on I will of course be addressing the case file, but will focus more on the characters. This is what we want anyways right? :) Please R/R
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. These character's are owned by some ridiculously rich people who think that character development means that you turn one of your best characters into an alcoholic.
Chapter Eight:
Sara now regretted leaving the lab. Breakfast with Nick had seemed like a good idea until his victim showed up asking for a date. It didn't surprise her that Nick would find that woman attractive. By society's standards Gypsy Stone would be considered a knockout. She also wasn't surprised that someone like Gypsy would be interested in Nick. He was handsome, chiseled and well-mannered. Admitting these things to herself didn't stop Sara from feeling annoyed.
No, she wasn't jealous of them. She thought of Nick more as brother, rather than a love interest. Instead she felt annoyed at how easily other people find it to come together and meet on even ground. Sara had loved the same man for years and had never been able to find herself on solid ground with him. Even when he had loved her in return.
When she pulled up to her apartment building Sara thought she might shower and change before heading back to the lab. A moment's thought reminded her that she hadn't had more than an hour nap in over forty hours.
Sara sighed and opened her front door. Glancing around her apartment she was reminded of the Joan and Donna Marks case a few years earlier. Joan had been a lonely woman who spent too much time with the internet and ordering catalogs. Sara had felt that the woman's life had mirrored her own too closely. After that case she had come home and thrown away all of her catalogs, menus and anything else that would give her an excuse to stay home rather than go out. Since that time the catalogs, menus and other ordering brochures slowly made their way back into her life. Now as she looked around her barren apartment Sara realized that she had come full circle.
"I guess its who I am," she said aloud.
Sara set her personal items on the kitchen counter and opened her pantry. Pulling a bottle of Tequila out she poured herself a small glass of the liquor. She started to put the bottle away before staring at it for a moment. Instead she grabbed her glass and took the bottle with her. 'No point in having to get up to get it later,' she thought.
She sat the glass and bottle on her coffee table and went to retrieve her case file notes. She figured she could put a few more hours in on the case before catching a nap. Sara stretched out on her couch and got comfortable.
Yawning she took a gulp of her drink as she began looking at the first name listed in the stack of papers.
Eric Aarons: Age - 32
Torlock the Shady
15th Level Mage/8th Level Thief
Sara noted that underneath this title several items were listed such as a 'Wand of Magic Missiles' and a 'Cloak of Invisibility' as possessions the person "owned". She giggled silently to herself as she took another drink. Sara couldn't understand what the draw to this game would be. Everything about it was imaginary.
Within a couple of hours she had gone through half of the stack of papers and half of the bottle of Tequila. She had two possible hits on her victim, but intended to finish going through the stack before she followed up on them. Sara's exhaustion was catching up to her however, and she soon realized that between drinking a bit too much and not having slept in quite awhile, she wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer. She stood up a bit clumsily and made her way to the bedroom. She needed a shower, but felt too weary to even undress much less cleanse herself. Sara collapsed on top of her bed and fell instantly asleep.
A few hours later a ringing noise interrupted her peaceful slumber. It took her several moments to realize that the sound was coming from her bedside phone.
"Si...Sidle," she croaked as she placed the receiver close to her ear.
"Sara where have you been? I've been trying to call you for twenty minutes," Grissom demanded on the other end of the line.
Sara quickly attempted to clear her throat. "Sorry Griss I was sleeping. Um...why are you calling me?" she asked as she looked at the clock. It was only one o' clock and she had been asleep less than two hours.
"We have a hit on our case Sara. Missing person's came across a teenager who matched the description of our victim. The parents are coming to the lab now to ID the body. I thought you might want to be here."
Sara was already stumbling out of her bed. "Yeah Grissom. Thanks for calling. I'll be there in ten minutes," she said hastily as she hung up the phone. Looking down at herself she realized she had been wearing the same clothes for over a day. She quickly slid on a fresh shirt and ran a brush through her hair. Realizing she still looked horrible she threw some water on her face. 'I look like shit, but it'll have to do for now,' she thought with resignation.
She grabbed her keys, purse and notes and rushed out the door. She popped a cough drop in her mouth before reaching her Tahoe. Sara tried not to drive too fast as she didn't want to get pulled over, but she didn't want the victim's parents to get to the lab before her. She needn't have worried as the couple in question reached the lab a good twenty minutes after she arrived.
She followed Grissom and the attractive couple, who introduced themselves as Roger and Karen Miles, down to the morgue. When the woman broke down in front of them, Sara knew they could finally ID their victim.
Grissom and Sara stood side by side as they allowed the grieving couple a moment alone with their deceased son. Grissom gave Sara a once over before frowning. "You're tired aren't you?" he whispered.
She snorted lightly. "Don't worry about it. I am fine."
"Are you sick?"
"Huh?"
"Cough drops. You smell like menthol eucalyptus," he commented.
Sara blinked. "Uh no. Fresh breath. I didn't have time to brush before I left."
A muscle in Grissom's jaw flexed as he continued to observe her. He started to say something when the Miles' returned to stand in front of them. Karen Miles was openly weeping while her husband held her. His face was flushed red and his eyes moist with unshed tears.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Grissom told them softly.
Roger Miles nodded stiffly. "What happened to our son," he choked out.
"We are trying to find that out now Mr. Miles," Sara said comfortingly. "We were hoping you could answer a few questions for us."
The father stared at her for a moment. "Sure. Let me take my wife outside..."
"No Roger, I want to stay. I...I need to hear this," the woman said through her tears.
Sara looked at Grissom and he gave her a slight nod. "Mr. and Mrs. Miles, your son's name was Jonathan?"
"Yes. Everyone calls him Jon."
"Did you buy him a suit of German Gothic Medieval Armor from Jack Roberts at Medieval Replicas?" Sara inquired.
Karen Miles suddenly became a bit more alert. "Yes, but what does that have to do with our son's death?"
"Your son was found dead in that armor Mrs. Miles."
Sara and Grissom spent ten minutes explaining the details of the case to the grieving couple. The Miles' were able to confirm that they had indeed given their son the suit of armor so he could play the 'Talisman' game. In fact this past weekend had been his first time playing.
He was supposed to have come home with a friend of his. When they hadn't heard from him after a day the couple filed a missing person's report. Sara wanted to curse when the couple announced that they didn't know the friend's name. She instead kept silent and allowed Grissom to finish questioning the couple.
Once they left Sara turned a raised eyebrow Grissom's way. "So what do you think? Are they guilty?"
"Sara I told you not to make assumptions. Go home and get some rest," he said as he left the morgue.
Sara followed him out. "Are you going to stay?"
"Yes, for about an hour."
"Then I can stay too," she stated stubbornly.
Grissom stopped and swung around to face her. He looked annoyed. "Sara you look horrible. Go home and get some sleep. If you say no, then I will I will make you take tonight off."
Sara felt her face flush red with anger, but quickly agreed. She stormed past him and left the building leaving Grissom staring after her.
To Be Continued....