Chapter Three
Crime Lab – Next Day
"Grissom!" Sara called to her boss who was walking just ahead of her in the crime lab corridor. He stopped and turned round.
"Do you remember that murder a couple of months ago? – "
"Be specific, Sara," Grissom interrupted before she had chance to explain which murder she was referring to.
"If you give me chance... A woman, she used to be a dancer at the French Palace, about twenty years ago – "
"I remember," Grissom nodded. "Is there a point?" he said, abruptly.
Sara was silenced by her shock. Grissom saw her face drop and the hurt in her eyes, and he felt his hostile attitude melt.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, and honestly.
"Grissom, if you want to talk about it, maybe I can help – "
"It's not something you can help with... Just preoccupy my mind with the case," he smiled.
Reluctantly Sara convinced herself to do as he said. "Well, the Loughlin lab have been in touch. They have a case with the same MO, and the vic used to dance at the French Palace."
"Do they have a suspect?"
"No, but they found evidence that he'd been watching her for a while before he killed her. Emily's looking through both cases now... But, the case from yesterday, at the Tangiers, the manager who was assaulted used to dance at the French Palace... co-incidence? Maybe, but I just thought it could be relevant to the other case."
"Interview her," Grissom said.
"She's on her way in," Sara smiled, pleased that she'd already thought of that. "I was just wondering if you could join me. Emily's really busy and – "
Grissom frowned, sure that he was missing something, but unable to figure out what it was. "You'll be okay."
At Sara's look of uncertainty he continued. "Sara, what aren't you telling me?"
Sara hesitated for a second. "We've met before... She and I... Six months ago... We didn't exactly get on."
"You don't have to get on, Sara. It's work. Be professional, "Grissom said seriously with a shrug. Then he turned from her and resumed his route towards the exit.
For a moment Sara stood still where she was as she forced her anger to dissipate. She didn't want to get angry with Grissom for his behaviour, but her patience was wearing thin.
Catherine approached the entrance to the police station, obviously over- joyed to be back here. She reached the door at the same time as a man wearing a Crime Lab ID badge, and she quickly hoped that he was there to interview her instead of Miss Sidle, the one who had investigated her ex- husband's death.
The man seemed somewhat pre-occupied, but he still stepped back and held the door open for Catherine to enter. He gave her a small smile when she said thank you, and she smiled back, beautifully.
"Cath!"
The shout came from behind her just as she was about to step inside. She turned to see Nick Stokes, one of her security guards, running across the car park.
She rolled her eyes - he could be so over-protective sometimes – and turned to the man who was still holding the door. "You might as well go in, thanks anyway," she smiled, and he nodded before walking into the building.
Turning back, Nick had just reached her. "Nick, what are you doing here?"
"I heard they had asked you to come in. Is everything okay? Are you alright?"
Catherine laughed a little. "Nick, I'm fine. You really need to stop worrying about me so much. I can take care of myself, you know."
"I know that. But I can't, so I have to make sure you'll always be around to advise me and stuff."
Catherine smiled. "You're such a charmer. It's a wonder you're still single."
Nick grumbled at her about bringing up that sad fact about his love life as the two of them walked into the station.
Nick accompanied her to the interview, and she was glad, because Sara Sidle was there, and the police Captain she had spoken to yesterday seemed more than happy to allow the CSI to ask all the questions. Catherine wondered if he noticed the tone that Sara was using, or if it was just her imagination that she was being interrogated as if she was a suspect in her own assault.
"And do you know of anyone who may have a grudge against you, or any of the other women who have danced at the French Palace?" Miss Sidle asked.
Catherine frowned. "There are a lot of men and women who I might have angered when I was a dancer. The only one I remember the name of is Mike Waters, he ended up in prison with a scar courtesy of my finger nail down his left cheek," she replied, unable to prevent the smile of pride from sneaking onto her face.
Sara's eyes narrowed a little, almost as if she was angry that Catherine hadn't been able to give her a more useful answer. Although, even Catherine realised that Mike Waters would be out by now, and could very well be seeking revenge.
"Anyone else?" Sara asked.
In the corner of her eye, Catherine noticed that Nick was frowning. Obviously it wasn't her imagination. He had noticed the attitude as well.
"Not that I can think of," Catherine replied calmly, not letting her opponent know that she was getting to her.
Brass asked the next question, stepping in as, apparently, he finally realised that Sara was having trouble keeping her personal feelings from the past out of the interview. "Had any of the other dancers had any run- ins with Mike Waters?" he asked.
"One or two that I know of. More, probably. I had seen him in the club several times before the night he attacked me," Catherine explained.
"Would you be able to give us the names of those women?"
"Sure," Catherine nodded.
As she gave the names to Brass, she noticed that Nick and Sara were exchanging smiles.
Sara's expression had softened immediately when she realised why Brass had cut in, and she had been sitting staring at the table, silently hoping that maybe no-one else had noticed her unprofessional behaviour. But Nick's eyes caught hers and she realised it hadn't gone unnoticed.
Nick saw the worry, and knew that she was sorry, and he smiled understandingly, trying to make her feel better.
Catherine inwardly laughed to herself. It didn't matter where Nick was, he always found someone to flirt with.
"Now do you see what I mean about her?" Catherine exclaimed as she and Nick headed for the exit.
"She was okay. Maybe she's just stressed out about something?" Nick said, defending Sara.
Catherine grinned. "I knew it! You fancy her!..." She laughed, shaking her head. "I can't take you anywhere."
"Well, she's cute!" Nick smiled.
They reached the doors, both laughing, when Brass's voice shouted to Catherine.
"Ms Willows?"
Catherine stopped, cringing at the formality of that address, and turned round.
"There's been a development," Brass said.
"That was quick," Nick commented.
"A body was found behind the French Palace yesterday. My colleagues have just identified it as Tessa Mills."
Catherine's face turned white. That was one of the names on the list she had given to Brass.
"Cath? You okay?" Nick asked.
"Tessa worked at the French Palace when I did. Mike Waters wouldn't leave her alone the night before he attacked me," she explained quietly, feeling nauseous at the thought that Tessa was dead.
"Whether it is Mike Waters or not," Brass said, "You might be in danger. I would advise that you don't go home, and you don't go to the hotel. We can offer you police protection if you like – "
"No," Catherine insisted. "I'll be fine... I have to go home to get my daughter... I'll take her to my sister's then I'll stay at a friend's house or something."
"You can stay with me," Nick offered. "And I'll go with you to Nancy's." Seeing that she was about to protest, he added: "No argument!"
Catherine yielded and nodded slowly. "Okay. Thanks."
Brass also nodded with relief. "We'll be in touch if we have any more news."
He turned and walked away, a spiky-haired young man approaching him, and falling into step with him as he walked down the corridor.
Catherine and Nick turned back to the door, and silently moved to go outside. A man reached the door as they did, and he held it open for them. Catherine glanced up as they walked through and smiled when she recognised him from earlier.
"We have to stop meeting like this," she joked.
The man laughed slightly, his eyes sparkling as he did so. He followed them through the door, and they headed their separate ways to their cars.
TBC...
Crime Lab – Next Day
"Grissom!" Sara called to her boss who was walking just ahead of her in the crime lab corridor. He stopped and turned round.
"Do you remember that murder a couple of months ago? – "
"Be specific, Sara," Grissom interrupted before she had chance to explain which murder she was referring to.
"If you give me chance... A woman, she used to be a dancer at the French Palace, about twenty years ago – "
"I remember," Grissom nodded. "Is there a point?" he said, abruptly.
Sara was silenced by her shock. Grissom saw her face drop and the hurt in her eyes, and he felt his hostile attitude melt.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, and honestly.
"Grissom, if you want to talk about it, maybe I can help – "
"It's not something you can help with... Just preoccupy my mind with the case," he smiled.
Reluctantly Sara convinced herself to do as he said. "Well, the Loughlin lab have been in touch. They have a case with the same MO, and the vic used to dance at the French Palace."
"Do they have a suspect?"
"No, but they found evidence that he'd been watching her for a while before he killed her. Emily's looking through both cases now... But, the case from yesterday, at the Tangiers, the manager who was assaulted used to dance at the French Palace... co-incidence? Maybe, but I just thought it could be relevant to the other case."
"Interview her," Grissom said.
"She's on her way in," Sara smiled, pleased that she'd already thought of that. "I was just wondering if you could join me. Emily's really busy and – "
Grissom frowned, sure that he was missing something, but unable to figure out what it was. "You'll be okay."
At Sara's look of uncertainty he continued. "Sara, what aren't you telling me?"
Sara hesitated for a second. "We've met before... She and I... Six months ago... We didn't exactly get on."
"You don't have to get on, Sara. It's work. Be professional, "Grissom said seriously with a shrug. Then he turned from her and resumed his route towards the exit.
For a moment Sara stood still where she was as she forced her anger to dissipate. She didn't want to get angry with Grissom for his behaviour, but her patience was wearing thin.
Catherine approached the entrance to the police station, obviously over- joyed to be back here. She reached the door at the same time as a man wearing a Crime Lab ID badge, and she quickly hoped that he was there to interview her instead of Miss Sidle, the one who had investigated her ex- husband's death.
The man seemed somewhat pre-occupied, but he still stepped back and held the door open for Catherine to enter. He gave her a small smile when she said thank you, and she smiled back, beautifully.
"Cath!"
The shout came from behind her just as she was about to step inside. She turned to see Nick Stokes, one of her security guards, running across the car park.
She rolled her eyes - he could be so over-protective sometimes – and turned to the man who was still holding the door. "You might as well go in, thanks anyway," she smiled, and he nodded before walking into the building.
Turning back, Nick had just reached her. "Nick, what are you doing here?"
"I heard they had asked you to come in. Is everything okay? Are you alright?"
Catherine laughed a little. "Nick, I'm fine. You really need to stop worrying about me so much. I can take care of myself, you know."
"I know that. But I can't, so I have to make sure you'll always be around to advise me and stuff."
Catherine smiled. "You're such a charmer. It's a wonder you're still single."
Nick grumbled at her about bringing up that sad fact about his love life as the two of them walked into the station.
Nick accompanied her to the interview, and she was glad, because Sara Sidle was there, and the police Captain she had spoken to yesterday seemed more than happy to allow the CSI to ask all the questions. Catherine wondered if he noticed the tone that Sara was using, or if it was just her imagination that she was being interrogated as if she was a suspect in her own assault.
"And do you know of anyone who may have a grudge against you, or any of the other women who have danced at the French Palace?" Miss Sidle asked.
Catherine frowned. "There are a lot of men and women who I might have angered when I was a dancer. The only one I remember the name of is Mike Waters, he ended up in prison with a scar courtesy of my finger nail down his left cheek," she replied, unable to prevent the smile of pride from sneaking onto her face.
Sara's eyes narrowed a little, almost as if she was angry that Catherine hadn't been able to give her a more useful answer. Although, even Catherine realised that Mike Waters would be out by now, and could very well be seeking revenge.
"Anyone else?" Sara asked.
In the corner of her eye, Catherine noticed that Nick was frowning. Obviously it wasn't her imagination. He had noticed the attitude as well.
"Not that I can think of," Catherine replied calmly, not letting her opponent know that she was getting to her.
Brass asked the next question, stepping in as, apparently, he finally realised that Sara was having trouble keeping her personal feelings from the past out of the interview. "Had any of the other dancers had any run- ins with Mike Waters?" he asked.
"One or two that I know of. More, probably. I had seen him in the club several times before the night he attacked me," Catherine explained.
"Would you be able to give us the names of those women?"
"Sure," Catherine nodded.
As she gave the names to Brass, she noticed that Nick and Sara were exchanging smiles.
Sara's expression had softened immediately when she realised why Brass had cut in, and she had been sitting staring at the table, silently hoping that maybe no-one else had noticed her unprofessional behaviour. But Nick's eyes caught hers and she realised it hadn't gone unnoticed.
Nick saw the worry, and knew that she was sorry, and he smiled understandingly, trying to make her feel better.
Catherine inwardly laughed to herself. It didn't matter where Nick was, he always found someone to flirt with.
"Now do you see what I mean about her?" Catherine exclaimed as she and Nick headed for the exit.
"She was okay. Maybe she's just stressed out about something?" Nick said, defending Sara.
Catherine grinned. "I knew it! You fancy her!..." She laughed, shaking her head. "I can't take you anywhere."
"Well, she's cute!" Nick smiled.
They reached the doors, both laughing, when Brass's voice shouted to Catherine.
"Ms Willows?"
Catherine stopped, cringing at the formality of that address, and turned round.
"There's been a development," Brass said.
"That was quick," Nick commented.
"A body was found behind the French Palace yesterday. My colleagues have just identified it as Tessa Mills."
Catherine's face turned white. That was one of the names on the list she had given to Brass.
"Cath? You okay?" Nick asked.
"Tessa worked at the French Palace when I did. Mike Waters wouldn't leave her alone the night before he attacked me," she explained quietly, feeling nauseous at the thought that Tessa was dead.
"Whether it is Mike Waters or not," Brass said, "You might be in danger. I would advise that you don't go home, and you don't go to the hotel. We can offer you police protection if you like – "
"No," Catherine insisted. "I'll be fine... I have to go home to get my daughter... I'll take her to my sister's then I'll stay at a friend's house or something."
"You can stay with me," Nick offered. "And I'll go with you to Nancy's." Seeing that she was about to protest, he added: "No argument!"
Catherine yielded and nodded slowly. "Okay. Thanks."
Brass also nodded with relief. "We'll be in touch if we have any more news."
He turned and walked away, a spiky-haired young man approaching him, and falling into step with him as he walked down the corridor.
Catherine and Nick turned back to the door, and silently moved to go outside. A man reached the door as they did, and he held it open for them. Catherine glanced up as they walked through and smiled when she recognised him from earlier.
"We have to stop meeting like this," she joked.
The man laughed slightly, his eyes sparkling as he did so. He followed them through the door, and they headed their separate ways to their cars.
TBC...