Implied Connections

Chapter 4 – Discussions

By: Braidless Baka

Disclaimer: *wrestles with CBS over the ownership of Greg and CSI – mostly over the ownership of Greg* (Aka, I've not been successful yet, so I own nothing ~_~)

A/N: And just so everyone knows, I was getting sick of introducing everyone O_o;; So I hath decided it is time to move on!  Or at least move a few days along – whichever works O_o;;

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Several days went by like that.  With Catherine, Nick and Grissom working on one case, and Warrick working with Rachel on the other.  The 'Spring Valley case', as it had become affectionately known, was proving to be tougher than had been first thought.

"Blood found at the crime scene, possibly the perp's," said Catherine, moving several sheets of paper around the table the three were sitting at.  "Murder weapon's a mantel ornament – obviously not a bring-your-own deal – left at the scene, but absent of fingerprints."  She lifted the object in question, a large ornamental Buddha, to the light and scrutinised it.  "Practically the only other things left at the scene were Sara's hair and sneaker prints."  She indicated the sneakers with a wave of her hand.

"Do we know they're Sara's?" queried Nick, picking one up and looking at it, as though willing it to inspire him towards the answer.

"We had someone check them out.  Wear-marks are exactly the same."

Catherine glanced at Grissom, who hadn't spoken until this point.  "Did we ID the blood yet?"

Grissom shook his head in response to the question.  "Nothing."

"Okay, so… where does that leave us?"  Catherine glanced around the table hopefully.  "Any theories yet?"

"Maybe."

Catherine glanced towards Nick as he spoke the word cautiously.  "Wanna share?"

"What about… we have the jealous boyfriend of the victim's, she's newly married and not long after a rocky relationship, so-"

"The ex has an alibi."

"I know that, lemme finish."

Catherine nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"Okay, so, boyfriend comes round, sometime earlier.  Husband's at work, like he says he was, and the wife and her ex have their argument.  Just like how the boyfriend said it happened.  He goes away, upset, and maybe a little angry."  He paused then, looking up, a thought suddenly striking him.  "Has anyone talked to Sara yet?"

Grissom nodded.  "I called her."

"Anyone connected with the investigation who might have something against her?"

"If there is, then she's not telling."

Nick paused again.  "Maybe it'll be worth getting her in to talk to.  I mean, to talk to her 'officially'."

Catherine and Grissom looked at each other at that point.  What Nick was saying made sense.  They needed a proper environment to conduct this in, not chatting over the phone.  Not that they disbelieved Sara, but there were things you could show someone in an interview that you just couldn't show them over the phone.

"She's not going to like it," murmured Catherine quietly.

"She doesn't have to like it," responded Gil.  "It's procedure.  Nobody ever likes procedure."

There was a quiet silence in the room, before Catherine broke it by clearing her throat gently.  "So, you were saying, Nick?"

"Yeah, so, everything happens like we've been told it did.  And then, maybe someone with a grudge took advantage of the opportunity?  Went into that house, wearing Sara's sneakers, with a handful of her hair, killed our vic knowing how to avoid leaving evidence and planted our 'Sara evidence'."

"You're assuming too much," said Gil after a slight pause.  "Where would they get the hair strands from?"

Nick shrugged, shooting back evenly.  "Where did they get her sneakers from?"

"Another good question," murmured Gil, pointing at Nick thoughtfully with the tip of a biro.  "One that needs answers."  He paused, obviously thinking.  "Okay, we need to get Sara in, tomorrow sometime.  Treat her like a suspect."

"What?"

Gil turned to look at Catherine.  "If we're doing this by the book, we're going the whole way."  He then turned to Nick.  "Any idea how Warrick's case is doing?"

"Rachel says they're getting close."

This comment caused Catherine and Gil to raise an eyebrow.  "Oh?" murmured Catherine.  "Rachel does, does she?"

"What about Warrick?" asked Grissom.  "What does he have to say about it?"

"I've barely seen him in the past few days," said Nick sharply, aware of the accusatory tone.  "You'd have to ask him yourself."

"Alright."  The word was accompanied with a nod.  "I'll do that.  The second they're finished I want them on this case.  The more heads the better."

"Did we release the crime-scene yet?" asked Catherine suddenly, causing both the men to look towards her.

"We released it," said Grissom slowly, "but nobody's been in it.  The husband's staying at his parents, and the house is locked up."

"We can still go in though, right?"

Gil nodded.  "He did leave us his keys."

"So it's still fair game for me to go have another look around?"

Again, Gil nodded.  "Sure."  He paused, watching Catherine as she stood up, before speaking again.  "You going alone?"

"Nope, taking someone with me."

"Who?  Rachel?"

Catherine glanced sidelong at Nick, her suspicions suddenly confirmed that every second word coming from his mouth was, in fact, the word 'Rachel'.  "No," she said, with an amount of satisfaction as she made quickly from the room.  "I'm taking Greg."