Disclaimer - see chapter one
A/N - I'm not sure about Lindsey's age, so please bear with me on that
Chapter Three
They sat in the living room of the Weston villa with Brass whilst he explained to Marc and Ryanne about the police officers who would be watching the house.
"I know this may sound like we're putting you in danger, but we need him to make another move so that we can have more chance of finding him. If there are police crawling all over the house, he might be scared away."
"But what if he tries something more extreme? He's sent death threats, detective, he might try to follow through on them," Ryanne interjected, her tone a mixture of anger and fear.
"No-one will be able to get near the house without being seen. All people in the house will be carrying panic alarms that will alert the officers outside - "
"What do we need those for if no-one will be able to get near the house?" Ryanne interrupted.
"Ryanne," Marc said, putting his arm round her to calm her down, "They're doing everything they can. The alarms are a precaution, even the best laid plans can sometimes meet obstacles. They're just an extra security measure. It's better than having police all over the place. We do need him to strike again."
"I know," she nodded.
"Ms Moores," Catherine said, softly, leaning forwards in her seat to talk more closely to her, "Given the frequency of the notes, Marc should receive another one in the next few days. The officers will watch the house and apprehend him if he comes to deliver it personally as he did the last one. If not, we will be ready to run tests on it as soon as it arrives and hopefully we'll be able to get something off it. People normally leave something of themselves behind, no matter how careful they are. The sooner we run the tests, and the less people who handle it, the better. On that note," she sat back and removed some gloves from her bag. "If you could wear these when opening your mail, it will reduce the risk of there being lots of fingerprints." She handed the gloves to Marc who nodded and smiled.
Grissom picked up Catherine's explanation of what was happening. "We are continuing to analyse the letters we have, and you will be informed as soon as we know anything. For now, we should just be grateful the press don't seem to have picked up on it, and hope that he doesn't realise the police are involved. It'll make our job a lot easier if he decides to deliver it in person again."
"And what if he doesn't? What if there are no clues on any of the letters?" The panic in Ryanne's voice was increasing with each word.
"There is always a clue somewhere, Ms Moores, you just have to find it," Grissom responded.
*****
"I'm sorry about Ryanne's little outbursts," Marc said as he was showing them to the door, "she's just very shaken by all of this. We thought it would all end when we moved from LA."
Catherine smiled understandingly. "You don't need to apologise. It's understandable that she should be worried. She's your best friend. Worrying's part of the job."
Marc laughed slightly and opened the door. "Well, thanks for everything you've done so far. And for being so discreet, I really didn't want the press sniffing around. I think that's what made it so hard for the police in LA to find anything. They'd found footprints all over the place, but most of them belonged to reporters, it wasted loads of police time sorting through pairs of shoes. Sometimes they just don't know when to leave well alone."
"They're doing their job. It's unfortunate that nine times out of ten it makes ours harder," Grissom commented with a shrug, then walked outside.
"He likes to end things on a . thoughtful note," Catherine smiled to Marc. "I'm sorry we couldn't do anything more."
"It's okay. We understand."
"Okay. Well, I'll see you later."
Both laughed and then Catherine followed Grissom outside and Marc closed the door.
"You'll see him later?" Grissom asked, intrigued by Catherine's comment, which had not just seemed like a parting statement meaning 'until next time'.
"I have a date with him -"
"What? After everything -"
"If you'd let me finish!! With him and twelve giggling eleven year olds tomorrow night."
Grissom relaxed as he understood. "Ah, yes. Lindsey's birthday."
"Yeah. We're watching his latest film. I was telling him last night. Lindsey would be so jealous if she knew I'd met him. They're all obsessed with him. When they heard he was moving to Vegas they were all chattering about how they might bump into him when they were out shopping. I feel sorry for him if they did. They'd mob the poor man. I don't know how I'm gonna cope at the cinema. Me and twelve pre-teen teenagers drooling over him."
"I could go with you," Grissom offered as they climbed into the tahoe.
Catherine hesitated for a second before responding, unsure as to whether she had heard him correctly. It sounded like he had offered to go with her, but that couldn't be right.
"Did you say something as we were getting in the car?" she asked as she fastened her seat belt.
"I said, I could go with you."
"Where?" she asked, knowing she sounded stupid, but her mind was filled with too many thoughts of what was behind his offer to form a sensible response.
"To the movies, with the twelve pre-teen teenagers. how can you have already forgotten what we were talking about?"
"I haven't forgotten. I knew that's what I'd been talking about, I just wasn't sure that's what you were talking about. Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't."
Catherine's eyes opened wider with amazement, she had expected him to have backed out of it by now.
"Aren't you working?"
"No."
"That's it?. No?"
Grissom frowned, but was amused by how flustered Catherine seemed to be. Another good sign. "No, is the answer to your question."
"Well, why aren't you working? I'm not working. You have remembered that I've got the night off haven't you?"
"Of course I've remembered. It's Lindsey's birthday."
"So, who's running the shift? You and I are never off at the same time!"
"Not never Cath, there have been a couple of times when we were both off. Warrick will take the shift."
The calm in Grissom's speaking was only agitating Catherine's confusion more. "But.. What. Why aren't you working?"
Grissom shrugged. "I decided to have the night off."
"You decided? Gil 'I am my job' Grissom decides for the first time in sixteen years to take a specific night off, and it has to be the same night I want."
Grissom couldn't help smiling. "Catherine, calm down! There is no law that says we can't have the same night off! Why is this bothering you so much?"
"It isn't bothering me. I'm just surprised."
"Oh. It seemed like it was bothering you."
"It's not bothering me!"
"Okay, as long you're okay, and it's not bothering you - "
"It's not!"
"Okay, then we'll change the subject. So do you want me to come with you?"
Catherine hesitated again. Her answer to that question could have so many meanings. If she said yes, would he take it to mean 'yes, I want you to come with me because I want you' or 'yes, I want you to come with me to keep me sane amongst all those giddy kids'? And what did he want her answer to be. If he took it to mean the former, would he be panicked, like that 'forgotten' time that she had pounced on him, or did he want her to want him to go just to be with her? And if he took it to mean she wanted him there for sanity, would he be offended that he didn't mean anything more to her, or had he offered to go simply to keep her sane because she had made her comment about not knowing how she would cope? That train of thought led to another she had not yet considered. Had he only offered because he thought that comment was fishing for an offer? Did he actually want to go? Should she say no so as not to seem cheeky, or would he be offended that she didn't want him there? Her head was starting to hurt again. Logically she knew she was probably reading far too much into this, but she couldn't seem to get the logical part of her brain to take control.
"Catherine?" Grissom asked, for the fourth time, concerned at her silence.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. My mind wandered back to the case for a second," she lied, pretty badly from the look on Grissom's face. He obviously didn't believe her, she just prayed he wouldn't pry any further. "Erm, if you really want to come with me - us - then sure, but only if you're sure."
"I am. So, what time?"
"Well, the film's at six thirty. The other girls are meeting us at the theatre at about six fifteen so we have time to get drinks and popcorn, you know. Then we're going for a pizza afterwards. You're welcome to join us for that too, if you don't have to be rushing home or out or anything."
"That sounds great. I will, thank you."
Catherine frowned at the profile of her boss who had kept his eyes fixed on the road throughout that exchange, and seemed to actually be serious.
"So you don't have any other plans?"
"Nope."
"So, why'd you book the night off?"
"In case you needed me."
"What?"
"It's Lindsey's first birthday without Eddie, I wanted to be available in case you needed me. For anything."
He spoke normally, as if what he was saying was perfectly normal and not at all as moving as Catherine found it. Her heart swelled with love for this man, whose words brought a lump to her throat, and tears to her eyes. She couldn't respond. She sat in silence, muted by the feelings he had stirred within her.
And he didn't probe for a response. He could tell she appreciated his gesture, and knew she would speak if anything needed to be said.
*****
He brought the tahoe to a stop outside the crime lab, and had his hand on the door handle ready to leave when Catherine spoke.
"Gil?" Her voice was soft, and quiet, wrought with the emotions still overwhelming her.
He turned to face her and smiled.
"Thank you," she continued, kicking herself for not having the courage to say more, for not being brave enough to reveal what her heart was screaming.
Grissom smiled that smile again and said, "I'm your friend. It's part of the job."
TBC.
A/N - I'm not sure about Lindsey's age, so please bear with me on that
Chapter Three
They sat in the living room of the Weston villa with Brass whilst he explained to Marc and Ryanne about the police officers who would be watching the house.
"I know this may sound like we're putting you in danger, but we need him to make another move so that we can have more chance of finding him. If there are police crawling all over the house, he might be scared away."
"But what if he tries something more extreme? He's sent death threats, detective, he might try to follow through on them," Ryanne interjected, her tone a mixture of anger and fear.
"No-one will be able to get near the house without being seen. All people in the house will be carrying panic alarms that will alert the officers outside - "
"What do we need those for if no-one will be able to get near the house?" Ryanne interrupted.
"Ryanne," Marc said, putting his arm round her to calm her down, "They're doing everything they can. The alarms are a precaution, even the best laid plans can sometimes meet obstacles. They're just an extra security measure. It's better than having police all over the place. We do need him to strike again."
"I know," she nodded.
"Ms Moores," Catherine said, softly, leaning forwards in her seat to talk more closely to her, "Given the frequency of the notes, Marc should receive another one in the next few days. The officers will watch the house and apprehend him if he comes to deliver it personally as he did the last one. If not, we will be ready to run tests on it as soon as it arrives and hopefully we'll be able to get something off it. People normally leave something of themselves behind, no matter how careful they are. The sooner we run the tests, and the less people who handle it, the better. On that note," she sat back and removed some gloves from her bag. "If you could wear these when opening your mail, it will reduce the risk of there being lots of fingerprints." She handed the gloves to Marc who nodded and smiled.
Grissom picked up Catherine's explanation of what was happening. "We are continuing to analyse the letters we have, and you will be informed as soon as we know anything. For now, we should just be grateful the press don't seem to have picked up on it, and hope that he doesn't realise the police are involved. It'll make our job a lot easier if he decides to deliver it in person again."
"And what if he doesn't? What if there are no clues on any of the letters?" The panic in Ryanne's voice was increasing with each word.
"There is always a clue somewhere, Ms Moores, you just have to find it," Grissom responded.
*****
"I'm sorry about Ryanne's little outbursts," Marc said as he was showing them to the door, "she's just very shaken by all of this. We thought it would all end when we moved from LA."
Catherine smiled understandingly. "You don't need to apologise. It's understandable that she should be worried. She's your best friend. Worrying's part of the job."
Marc laughed slightly and opened the door. "Well, thanks for everything you've done so far. And for being so discreet, I really didn't want the press sniffing around. I think that's what made it so hard for the police in LA to find anything. They'd found footprints all over the place, but most of them belonged to reporters, it wasted loads of police time sorting through pairs of shoes. Sometimes they just don't know when to leave well alone."
"They're doing their job. It's unfortunate that nine times out of ten it makes ours harder," Grissom commented with a shrug, then walked outside.
"He likes to end things on a . thoughtful note," Catherine smiled to Marc. "I'm sorry we couldn't do anything more."
"It's okay. We understand."
"Okay. Well, I'll see you later."
Both laughed and then Catherine followed Grissom outside and Marc closed the door.
"You'll see him later?" Grissom asked, intrigued by Catherine's comment, which had not just seemed like a parting statement meaning 'until next time'.
"I have a date with him -"
"What? After everything -"
"If you'd let me finish!! With him and twelve giggling eleven year olds tomorrow night."
Grissom relaxed as he understood. "Ah, yes. Lindsey's birthday."
"Yeah. We're watching his latest film. I was telling him last night. Lindsey would be so jealous if she knew I'd met him. They're all obsessed with him. When they heard he was moving to Vegas they were all chattering about how they might bump into him when they were out shopping. I feel sorry for him if they did. They'd mob the poor man. I don't know how I'm gonna cope at the cinema. Me and twelve pre-teen teenagers drooling over him."
"I could go with you," Grissom offered as they climbed into the tahoe.
Catherine hesitated for a second before responding, unsure as to whether she had heard him correctly. It sounded like he had offered to go with her, but that couldn't be right.
"Did you say something as we were getting in the car?" she asked as she fastened her seat belt.
"I said, I could go with you."
"Where?" she asked, knowing she sounded stupid, but her mind was filled with too many thoughts of what was behind his offer to form a sensible response.
"To the movies, with the twelve pre-teen teenagers. how can you have already forgotten what we were talking about?"
"I haven't forgotten. I knew that's what I'd been talking about, I just wasn't sure that's what you were talking about. Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't."
Catherine's eyes opened wider with amazement, she had expected him to have backed out of it by now.
"Aren't you working?"
"No."
"That's it?. No?"
Grissom frowned, but was amused by how flustered Catherine seemed to be. Another good sign. "No, is the answer to your question."
"Well, why aren't you working? I'm not working. You have remembered that I've got the night off haven't you?"
"Of course I've remembered. It's Lindsey's birthday."
"So, who's running the shift? You and I are never off at the same time!"
"Not never Cath, there have been a couple of times when we were both off. Warrick will take the shift."
The calm in Grissom's speaking was only agitating Catherine's confusion more. "But.. What. Why aren't you working?"
Grissom shrugged. "I decided to have the night off."
"You decided? Gil 'I am my job' Grissom decides for the first time in sixteen years to take a specific night off, and it has to be the same night I want."
Grissom couldn't help smiling. "Catherine, calm down! There is no law that says we can't have the same night off! Why is this bothering you so much?"
"It isn't bothering me. I'm just surprised."
"Oh. It seemed like it was bothering you."
"It's not bothering me!"
"Okay, as long you're okay, and it's not bothering you - "
"It's not!"
"Okay, then we'll change the subject. So do you want me to come with you?"
Catherine hesitated again. Her answer to that question could have so many meanings. If she said yes, would he take it to mean 'yes, I want you to come with me because I want you' or 'yes, I want you to come with me to keep me sane amongst all those giddy kids'? And what did he want her answer to be. If he took it to mean the former, would he be panicked, like that 'forgotten' time that she had pounced on him, or did he want her to want him to go just to be with her? And if he took it to mean she wanted him there for sanity, would he be offended that he didn't mean anything more to her, or had he offered to go simply to keep her sane because she had made her comment about not knowing how she would cope? That train of thought led to another she had not yet considered. Had he only offered because he thought that comment was fishing for an offer? Did he actually want to go? Should she say no so as not to seem cheeky, or would he be offended that she didn't want him there? Her head was starting to hurt again. Logically she knew she was probably reading far too much into this, but she couldn't seem to get the logical part of her brain to take control.
"Catherine?" Grissom asked, for the fourth time, concerned at her silence.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry. My mind wandered back to the case for a second," she lied, pretty badly from the look on Grissom's face. He obviously didn't believe her, she just prayed he wouldn't pry any further. "Erm, if you really want to come with me - us - then sure, but only if you're sure."
"I am. So, what time?"
"Well, the film's at six thirty. The other girls are meeting us at the theatre at about six fifteen so we have time to get drinks and popcorn, you know. Then we're going for a pizza afterwards. You're welcome to join us for that too, if you don't have to be rushing home or out or anything."
"That sounds great. I will, thank you."
Catherine frowned at the profile of her boss who had kept his eyes fixed on the road throughout that exchange, and seemed to actually be serious.
"So you don't have any other plans?"
"Nope."
"So, why'd you book the night off?"
"In case you needed me."
"What?"
"It's Lindsey's first birthday without Eddie, I wanted to be available in case you needed me. For anything."
He spoke normally, as if what he was saying was perfectly normal and not at all as moving as Catherine found it. Her heart swelled with love for this man, whose words brought a lump to her throat, and tears to her eyes. She couldn't respond. She sat in silence, muted by the feelings he had stirred within her.
And he didn't probe for a response. He could tell she appreciated his gesture, and knew she would speak if anything needed to be said.
*****
He brought the tahoe to a stop outside the crime lab, and had his hand on the door handle ready to leave when Catherine spoke.
"Gil?" Her voice was soft, and quiet, wrought with the emotions still overwhelming her.
He turned to face her and smiled.
"Thank you," she continued, kicking herself for not having the courage to say more, for not being brave enough to reveal what her heart was screaming.
Grissom smiled that smile again and said, "I'm your friend. It's part of the job."
TBC.