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Chapter 18: 'I'll Never Forgive You'
Soon, the coroners arrived at the warehouse, ready to take Michael's body back to the lab for autopsy.
The crimminalists were all eager to start processing the scene, determined to get the masked phantom and bring him to justice. Nick and Sara, of course, were excluded. They had been given an immediate leave by Grissom, which they grudgingly took.
After the couple left, everyone set to work in their respective tasks. Grissom developed the habit of constantly reminding his team,"Treat this like any other crime scene, no emotions,"
This was of course a crazy thing to say, how could they not feel any emotions? This is the son of their friends they were talking about.
After careful examination and picture taking, no evidence was found. Warrick said, frusratedly, "An average male loses about 80 hairs a day! Yet, not a single hair to be found!"
Catherine sighed, tucking a loose strand of her own strawberry blonde shoulder-length hair behind her ear,"Remember when Wes stole our suspect's head gear? Maybe he's shaved since then or something..."
Meanwhile, Wes had gone to see Dr. Al Robbins in the morgue for Michael's autopsy. Wes and the coroner were both in blue scrubs. One of the senior coroners, Dr. Robbins is in his sixties. He had a bushy graying beard and always carried a metal cane around, he had lost his leg in a car accident a few years back.
"Cause of death?" Wes asked.
"Death by strangulation," replied elderly coroner. His usually bright eyes were red and his usual chirpy tone was solemn.
He gently thumbed open one of Michael's eyelids,"Petechial hemorrahaging in the eyes, ligature marks on the neck suggest a rope of some kind was being used. Very hard to be traced,"
Wes sighed,"Painful death..." staring at Michael's body, now covered to the neck with a white sheet.
Dr. Robbins said,"Tell Nick and Sara that they can claim the body for burial tomorrow," shaking his head, he continued,"It's a pity. This boy's got his whole life ahead of him. Nick and Sara doesn't deserve this,"
Wes muttered,"No one does. So, evidence wise, what do we have?"
Dr. Robbins replied,"Evidently, nothing. As far as this case is concerned, dead end."
Stoke's residence:
Soon, Nick and Sara arrived back home. Mrs. Stokes greeted them and when they told her the news, she too broke down crying.
Sara pulled her into a hug, while looking at Nick. Strangely enough, Nick wasn't making eye contact with her. Come to think of it, Nick hadn't spoken a single word to her since this morning.
After Mrs Stokes left five minutes later, Emily came rushing out. "Mommy! Daddy!" rushing into Nick's arms. "Daddy, where's Michael?"
Nick hesitated,"Well, um... Michael has gone to heaven, sweetie,"
"Oh, when will he be back?"
Nick closed his eyes and said, "He won't come back. You have to understand, Emily, Michael's gone to a much, much happier place but he will always be with us, even though we can't see him,"
Emily said,"But I want to play with him..."
"I'm sorry Emily, but Michael's gone. He's gone..."
Tears leaped to Sara's eyes again as Emily pulled away from Nick and ran down the hall into her room, crying. Nick called after her, "Emily, Emily!"
When she did not reply, Nick sighed. Sara asked timidly,"Nick, do you want to talk or anything?"
Nick turned to her, "No, I don't want to talk! Because of you, we have lost a son, so excuse me, I'm not in the mood to talk right now!" he took a deep breath and said,"I told you, if anything happens to our family, I'll never forgive you,"
With that, he went into the twin's room after Emily.
Things were terrible for Sara during the next few days. After the funeral, Nick was more distant than ever. He never seemed like the kind to hold grudges, but this time...
Nowadays, Nick had left home for the lab way before anybody else and he comes home at about 3am. Nick had insisted to go back to work. Sara, however was still on leave.
But one evening changed it all, and not for the better. It was three days after the funeral. Sara was getting bored just sitting around the house. Emily had gone to Mrs Stoke's place as usual.
During the late evening, Sara tried calling Nick on his cellphone,"Hey Nick?"
"Yeah?" came Nick's stoney reply.
"I baked some muffins, maybe after work you can come home and..."
"Uh, don't think so Sara, we are going to have a major meeting to discuss some budget stuff and we won't be done til late night. Sorry!"
"Oh, then..."
"I gotta go,. bye..." and the line went ded.
Then Sara thought,'Why not bring the food over? Everyone usually complained about the lack of good food in the lab,' so that's what she did. She packed the muffins up and headed towards the lab.
When she went in, she ran into Jen, who was on her way out,"Hey Sara! What are you doing here?"
"Just thought that maybe you guys will like a threat. CSI is having a meeting right?"
"Yeah, dunno when they'll be done. You know, these meetings about job budgets and stuff can last really long. With day and night shift butting heads. Thanks to them, I have to go interrogate on my own..." replied Jen while eyeing the box in Sara's hand.
Sara laughed as she opened the box. Jen pulled out a muffin and asked,"So... how are you holding up?"
Sara replied,"I'm fine... thanks,"
Jen nodded back and said,"well, I gotta go, see ya..."
Sara said,"Workaholic! Loosen up a little, Jen! Don't work so hard!"
Jen grinned and replied,"Look who's talking! Grissom's heir!" and she went out of the building.
Sara sat in the reception room for about half an hour when she saw Wes and Warrick pass by. They both looked extreamly tired and sleepy eyed. Well, Warrick always looked sleepy eyed, but today it looked very much increased.
"Hey fellows! Meeting over?" Wes nodded while Warrick said, "Yeah, it was short for once. You shouyld have been there. Cath and Ecklie were yelling at each other hoarse,"
Sara smirked,"Not Grissom?"
Wes said,"Nah, he was quiet. Thanks to Cath, we get more holidays next year. Might even get a company trip,"
Warrick scowled,"I voted against it.I'm not going anywhere with Greg Sanders..."
Sara grinned,"Me too. Uh, seen Nick?" asked Sara.
"Locker room," said Warrick.
"Thanks," said Sara as she handed Warrick the muffins and headed towards the locker room. Wes and Warrick exchanged glances and followed Sara slowly from behind. But when she stopped in front of the locker room, the two guys turned to into the conference room, not wanting her to see them wanting to eavesdrop.
Sara stopped outside the locker room, out of sight, somehow, her gut told her to stop. She just had to see what Nick will do. She got out her cellphone and dialed Nick's number.
A few seconds later, Nick's cellphone rang. He fished it out and asked,"Hello?"
"Nick?"
"Yeah... what's up?"
"Hey, uh... meeting over yet?"
"Oh..." Sara could see Nick staring at his locker hesitantly.
"No, not yet. Will probably go on for hours... you know Conrad Ecklie..."
Sara frowned,'How could he lie like this?' she thought.
Angry and hurt, she went into the locker room and asked a very surprised Nick,"If you find it so hard to live with me, why don't you just move out?!!" without waiting for an answer, she stormed off, almost knocking Wes and Warrick over, who were just carefully trying to eavesdrop, on the way. The two of them hardly caught a word, though.
They stared at her, walking down the corridor looking angry. She had tears in her eyes.
The guys knew immediately that Nick had lied to her about something or other. Wrrick called after her,"Sara, wait!" but she didn't turn back.
Wes and Warrick exchanged glances. They knew that Nick had been avoiding Sara. He had asked them to keep him company at one of the casinoes and bars til the early hours of the morning.
Wes and Warrick walked into the locker room and Wes said,"Now you've done it,"
Nick looked at the two guys and asked,"What?"
Warrick said angrily,"She just lost her son! She needs all the support she can get! But what does her heartless husband do?!?!"
Nick looked down,"She's the cause of Michael being killed," he said quietly.
Wes said,"Damnit, Nick! Sara doesn't deserve this kind of treatment! Do you have any idea how Sara is feeling now?"
Nick got up and shut his locker,and asked,"What about me, guys? Do you have any idea how I feel now? I don't think so!" and stormed off.
TBC
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