Rai was getting dressed again when she heard the emergency rooms double doors burst open as if rammed by a bull. It wasn't an unfamiliar noise, she'd already heard similar entrances several times throughout the night, but even before she'd heard his voice, somehow she knew this time was different.
"Where is she?" Nicks voice was hard and horse, tinged with fear. Catherine replied in a tone to soft for Rai to hear. She was grateful for Catherine's calming presence. A few moments later she saw Nicks shadowed silhouette at the break in the curtains. "Rai?" He called, almost to tenderly for her to hear.
Come on in handsome echoed distantly in her head. "Yeah." She answered; it was all she could think to say. His fingers parted the curtains slowly, apprehensively he stepped through.
She was leaning up against the examine table, staring at the floor, unable to look at him, didn't want to see the effect of this on him, wished she could keep it from him. "Rai." He called her name gently; she gave in and looked up. He took it all in, the bruises, the cuts, the hollowness and pain in her eyes. His head dipped to the side, grief and helplessness etched into his face. She saw exactly what she knew she'd see, what she didn't want to see, her lip quivered, the dam she'd been holding back threatening to break free and pour forth. Instantly he was in front of her, his arms moved up to embrace her, hovering just above her shoulders. She fell into him, suddenly weak. He pulled her into him, his hands tight on her back. Her tears were piercing, his were silent.
The Tahoe's brakes squealed as Warrick pulled up and stopped hard in front of Rai's apartment. Throwing the gearshift into park he shut off the engine and jumped out of the truck, slamming the door behind him. In two steps he was at the back of the truck, unloading his kit and camera, as if his speediness could catch the rapist/murder any sooner. He'd seen things that he'd never imagined one human could do to another, and he'd become somewhat immune to them, but this time it had hit to close to home, hurting not one of his friends, but two. Greg stood on the sidewalk, mute, he'd never seen Warrick this angry before, and he wasn't sure what to do.
Following the same path that Nick had taken that first morning, they found Rai's apartment, the door slightly ajar. Brass was waiting inside, standing near the far wall, staring up at one of Rai's paintings that hung next to the television. He turned hearing their entrance.
Muffled dog barks greeted them. "Where's the dog?" Greg asked, speaking for the first time since he'd climbed into the Tahoe back at the lab.
"In the kitchen." Brass pointed to the door. "Animal control is on the way."
Warrick glanced around, getting a feel for the place. He pointed with a movement of his head. "Bedroom back there?"
"Yeah." Brass answered somberly.
They stopped in the doorway, taking in the room as a whole before picking apart the pieces. Glancing over his shoulder Warrick said "Greg, take the bathroom." With a nod, Greg turned and left.
A clock radio was on the floor half way between the bed and the door, it's cord strung out like a tail. The bed hadn't been made; the chocolate brown comforter was bunched up at the head of the bed in an odd shape. Nothing else jumped out as out of place. Warrick looked to Brass as he snapped on his gloves, heaved a sigh of resignation and stepped into the bedroom.
First thing, he photographed the clock then bagged it. Opening his kit, he pulled out his flashlight, and ran the illuminating beam over the sheets. Tweezing each hair he found, and bagging it in a small clear plastic bag, Warrick wondered how many of them were Nicks.
As he began to strip the bed, Brass's cell phone rang. Answering it, the LVPD captain stepped back into the living room, allowing Warrick to work in peace.
Thirty minutes later, just as he was labeling the final bag, Brass called him from the living room. Warrick walked out there, and found Brass staring at the floor near the front door.
"That was Grissom." He slipped the phone back into his pocket. "She's got some cuts and bruises, but she's not to badly hurt." He realized what he said and shrugged, unable to take it back or make it better. "Rai told Catherine the perp was startled by the radio, giving her enough time to get away from him. He tackled her," Brass held out his arms, as if telling Warrick about the size of a fish that got away, "about here. And, this is my favorite part, she kneed him in the groin and ran out the door."
From inside the kitchen Monte barked, as if to say that was his favorite part as well.
"Good girl" Warrick mumbled staring at the carpet.
Brass recognized the look on the CSI's face. "Think you can get something?"
"Maybe." Warrick set his field kit on the floor and took out a handful plastic sticks; they resembled extra long chopsticks. As he began to lay out a grid, he explained. "If the guys face hit the carpet, there may be saliva, I know my mouth would be hanging open if I'd just been kicked in the gonads." Brass gave a small smile. "Or we may be able to lift skin cells from his hands or even face." He finished off the grid as Greg walked into the room.
"Got a couple of fluid samples off the toilet seat."
"Good." Warrick answered, not looking up. "Print the door."
Brass stepped out of the way, and watched the two work. Warrick ran swabs over each square he'd created and Greg brushed black finger print powder on the handle and edges of the front door.
"Hey." A voice came from just outside the front door, startling them all. Greg opened the door a little wider and Warrick looked up from the carpet to find Sara standing in the doorway, her face pale, her eyes drained and stunned.
"You can't work this," he said simply.
"I know. I came to get Monte." Upon hearing his name, and Sara's familiar voice, Monte barked.
Warrick looked up to Brass, who shrugged in answer. "Your scene man."
"Alright." Warrick didn't like the idea of animal control taking the dog anyway.
"Thanks" Sara said stepping through the threshold, and around Warrick's grid. Instead of going straight to the kitchen, she headed down the hall, breaking the rules, but not caring. "I'm gonna get her some clothes, you're done in here, right?"