"Al, do you have anything new for me?" Grissom asked, entering the morgue.
"Yeah, I was just about to call Catherine, she was down earlier. The test results from both vics just came back."
"And?"
"Both of them had sedatives in their system. That's how the killer was able to shoot them at point blank range in the back without a fight."
"Anything else?"
"I already told Catherine this, but they were frozen. They weren't in that basement longer than forty-eight hours. Warrick took their clothes, you might want to ask him what he found."
I just came from there, and couldn't tell me? "Thanks Al," Grissom spoke, leaving the morgue.
Grissom pulled his cell phone off of his belt and speed dialed Warrick.
When a cell phone rang in the trace lab, the three of them looked at their cell phones. "It's mine," Warrick spoke, getting up to walk out of the room.
"Brown," Warrick answered.
"You want to tell me your analysis of the victims' clothes," Grissom stated, quite annoyed.
Warrick caught his tone of voice and tried to correct his mistake. "Sorry Griss, we've had so much evidence to process down here," Warrick started.
"Warrick, just tell me what you found."
"There was dirt on the lower legs of both sets of pants. That suggests that they were kneeling at some point."
"Execution style, but through the heart instead of the head," Grissom stated.
"Yeah, I guess that is possible, I didn't think of that," Warrick stated.
"Anything else?"
"I found some skin cells on the shoulder of Ecklie's shirt. Greg has that and samples of the dirt from the victims' pants."
"Alright Warrick, please update me when you find anything," Grissom stated.
"Okay, sorry again."
Warrick closed his phone and walked back into the trace lab.
"Who was that?" Nick asked.
"Griss, and he wasn't happy. I forgot to tell him about the evidence that I found on the victims' clothes."
"Shoot," Nick spoke, pulling his cell phone off of his belt, "I've got to tell him what I found."
Sara and Warrick laughed as he scrambled out the door.
"Grissom," he answered the phone.
"Griss, I wanted to tell you about what I found in the coffin," Nick stated.
"What?"
"I found a couple of hairs inside, and a lot of prints on the outside. Greg has the hairs, and I'm working on the prints right now."
"Okay," Grissom stated, "keep me updated."
Grissom ended the call and speed dialed Greg. "Sanders," Greg picked up.
"Greg, what do you have done in there?" Grissom asked.
"The skin cell sample from Ecklie's shirt is running. I got a follicular tag off of the hairs that Nick brought in, and that's running. I just started processing all of those samples that Catherine brought it. Griss, I'm swamped."
"I understand Greg. Did you do anything with that dirt that Warrick collected?"
"Yeah, I haven't gotten results yet though."
"Okay, when you get them give me a call. Greg, when this is all done, we're going to need to have a talk."
"About?"
"How the DNA from the serial rapist case got switched right under your nose."
Greg's pride immediately diminished. "Griss," Greg started.
"Greg, don't worry about it now. For now, only people that work in the lab are going to be in it."
"Okay."
Grissom closed his cell phone and Greg got back to work.
"I got a match on that envelope print," Warrick spoke.
"Who?" Sara asked.
"An Eric Miller, the mayor's campaign manager."
"Let's see him try to explain that," Nick spoke.
"I'm calling Griss," Warrick spoke, stepping outside the door.
"Grissom," he answered.
"I've got a match on that print on the envelope," Warrick stated.
"Who is it?"
"Eric Miller, the mayor's campaign manager."
"Alright, I'm going to go down and meet Brass at city hall. We'll see if we can get some information out of him. Report to Cath if you need anything."
"Okay Griss."
Warrick closed his cell phone and returned to processing fingerprints.
After processing fingerprints for a little while longer, Nick stopped and addressed Warrick and Sara. "Where's Cath?" he asked.
"She's probably catching a little bit of shut eye," Warrick spoke, "she didn't go home when we did."
"Someone needs to go out to the cemetery and get the workers' prints, and then go to the funeral home and get the workers' prints. We've got to rule out their prints."
"I'll go find her," Warrick stated, "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Warrick left Nick and Sara working on processing the fingerprints, and he went to find Catherine.
When Warrick entered the break room, the lights were turned off, and Catherine was stretched out on the couch, one arm laying across her face. Warrick poured a cup of coffee, and held it in his hand. "Cath," he spoke, laying his other hand on her arm.
Catherine brought her arm down and opened her eyes. "Hey Warrick," she yawned.
Catherine put her feet on the floor and sat up on the couch. Warrick handed her the cup of coffee and she gladly accepted it. "Sorry," Catherine spoke, "I just needed a few minutes."
"Yeah, you look like you could've used more. We need you to go to the cemetery and the funeral home to get their workers' prints. You can also see if they know where the body could have been removed."
"Okay," Catherine yawned, "what time is it?"
"Five."
"Alright, I better get going. Thanks Warrick."
Warrick nodded and left Catherine to go back to the trace lab.
While Nick and Sara kept working, Sara's cell phone rang. "Sidle," she answered, working her way out into the hall.
"Hello Sara, I am calling to tell you that I set up your bromium x-ray procedure for eight o'clock tomorrow morning."
"Okay," Sara answered, mentally cataloguing the time.
"Please remember not to eat anything after midnight," the doctor reminded her.
"Thank you," Sara spoke, closing her cell phone.
Sara walked back into the lab and starting working once again. "Who was that?" Nick asked.
"Oh, it was nothing," Sara tried to avoid the question.
Nick was about to ask another question, but he decided to drop it. If Sara had wanted him to know, she would have told him.
As soon as Grissom and Brass had confronted Eric Miller, he immediately demanded his lawyer, and they brought him back to the station. They had him in an interrogation room, trying to get some information out of him. "Would you like to explain how your fingerprint got on this envelope that was used to pay someone who was posing as the sheriff?"
"I don't know. Many envelopes are sent out from the mayor's office."
"How about the fact that your fingerprint is the only fingerprint on the envelope besides the recipient's?"
"My client has already answered that question," his lawyer spoke.
They tried to ask him some more questions, but their efforts came up fruitless.
By four o'clock in the morning, Sara, Warrick, and Nick had finished processing all of the fingerprints. "I've got a print off of the coffin that matches Eric Miller also," Nick stated.
"You better call Griss then, maybe it'll help him get some more information out of the guy," Warrick said.
Nick went out in the hallway to call Grissom. Sara was about to ask Warrick a question when she started to feel sick to her stomach once again. She thought she might be able to contain it, but she found herself at the sink once again, expelling the small amount of liquid in her stomach. Warrick went to her side, and as soon as she had washed out her mouth, he led her to the break room. Nick watched in concern as Warrick helped her down the hall. He closed his phone and followed them to the break room. When Nick entered the room, Sara was sitting on the couch with her head between her knees. He sat next to her on the couch and rubbed her back soothingly. He was about to ask Sara a question when Catherine entered the break room. Catherine took one look around the room and was worried. "What's going on in here?" she asked.
"Sara doesn't feel so good," Nick answered for her.
Catherine handed the evidence she had in her hands to Warrick. "Please go process these prints," she spoke, "Nick, go with him."
"Feel better Sar," Nick whispered before leaving with Warrick.
Catherine took Nick's place on the couch. "What's going on?" Catherine asked.
"World War III is taking place in my stomach, and if you ask me if I'm pregnant, I'm going to have to hurt you."
Catherine emitted a light chuckle. "I'm taking you home," Catherine spoke, "you're getting some sleep before you set foot in this lab again."
"Cath, I can drive myself home," Sara groaned, sitting up.
"Sara, I hate to tell you this, but you look like crap, and you're not supposed to be driving with that wrist anyway."
"Thanks Cath. I was driving before, I can manage to drive myself home."
"Gil would kill me if you got yourself into an accident. Plus, you were driving Griss' car before, and he'll probably need it," Catherine spoke, putting an arm around her, "come on, let's get you home."
Catherine helped her up from the couch and out to the car.
When Catherine pulled up at the house, she put a hand on Sara's arm before she could get out of the car. "Do you want me to call Gil and get him to come home?"
Although it sounded tempting, Sara didn't want to pull Grissom away from the interrogation. "No, he's busy trying to get some information out of that guy."
"One of us could replace him Sara," Catherine reasoned.
"No, that's okay Cath. I'm just going to go to sleep anyway, so there's no point in calling him home."
"Alright Sara, feel better. I don't want to see you back in the lab before ten o'clock in the morning."
"Yes mother," Sara groaned, getting out of the car.
Catherine waited until Sara got inside of the house, and she pulled away to go back to the lab.
By eight o'clock, Warrick and Nick were done processing the fingerprints and they had matched all of the fingerprints from the coffin. They called Grissom once again, who was still trying to get Eric Miller to crack. Greg had done all he could with all of the DNA samples, and they would have to wait two weeks before any results were available. He had finished analyzing the dirt from the victims' pants, but there wasn't any specific composition that would allow them to pinpoint it to a location. Catherine went back to talk to Robert, but she hadn't been able to gather any new information. Catherine, Warrick, Nick, and Greg were all sitting drinking coffee in the break room when Catherine's cell phone rang. "Willows," she spoke.
"Cath, all of you guys better get down to city hall. The mayor is reportedly resigning. Gil and I are down here already, we're hoping to be able to question him again."
Catherine groaned. "Alright Jim. For a guy who says he has no involvement in this, he sure is acting suspiciously."
"Yeah. Listen, the press didn't get here yet, but it's going to be a mad house as soon as they do. You're going to want to leave now."
"Okay," Catherine spoke, closing her cell phone.
As soon as she put her phone away she addressed the group. "We've got to get down to city hall, the mayor is apparently resigning."
A collective groan could be heard as they exited the break room and headed for city hall.
Before Sara left for her appointment, she tried calling Grissom. She had intended to tell him about the procedure before she went, but when she couldn't get an answer, she eventually just had to leave. He is going to kill me for this. I should have told him before now, and he should have been coming with me.
Once Sara had checked in with the x-ray department at Desert Palm, she was led to a cubicle where she had to change into a gown. The doctor handed her a cup filled with a barium liquid solution to drink, and after she finished it, they took a few x-rays of her stomach. When the doctor was satisfied that he had the needed x-rays, Sara was allowed to change back into her clothes. He explained the side effects of the barium to her, and gave her a few pamphlets. The doctor informed her that her primary physician would call her as soon as the results were known. Until then, she was to drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in fiber. Sara stopped at the grocery store to pick up some bran muffins, bran cereal, and milk. Since Sara still didn't feel quite right, she headed back home to lay down for a little while before she went back to work.
After about half an hour of laying down and drinking lots of water, Sara felt horrible. She knew that the doctor told her she would probably experience cramping, but she never knew it was going to hurt as bad as it did. She pulled out her cell phone again and tried calling Grissom, but she couldn't get an answer. After a few more attempts, she still hadn't been able to get through to Grissom. There was no way she was going to be able to make it back into the lab, so she tried calling Catherine instead. After a few rings she picked up. "Willows," Catherine spoke.
"Cath, it's Sara."
Catherine immediately knew something was wrong. "Sara, what is it?" she asked.
"Do you know where Gil is? I've been trying to call him for a while."
"He's in with Brass trying to talk to the mayor. The mayor decided he was going to resign. What's going on Sara, are you okay?"
"No," Sara admitted, "can you get Gil?"
"I'm going to have trouble getting through, but I can try to find him for you. Do you need help Sara?"
"No, no," Sara tried to assure her, "I'm alright, but I could use Gil right about now."
"Okay Sara, I'll go track him down. Do you want me to stay on the line with you?"
"No, that's okay, just get Gil to come home."
Catherine closed her cell phone and went in search of Grissom.
Once Catherine got inside of city hall, she talked to an officer. "I need to get to where Jim Brass and Gil Grissom are," Catherine stated, showing her identification.
"I'm sorry, I can't allow you to go there. For security reasons, no one is allowed out of this lobby right now," the officer stated.
"Well then," Catherine huffed, "I need you to get a hold of Gil Grissom and get him down in this lobby."
The policeman used his walkie-talkie to call up to the officer stationed outside of the room where Brass and Grissom were talking to the mayor, and within a few minutes, Grissom entered the lobby. "What was so important that you had to pull me out of there Catherine?" Grissom said, somewhat annoyed.
Catherine was slightly ticked off by his reception. "How about the fact that your fiancee is at home, too sick to move, and she's been trying to call you for a while!" Catherine shot at him.
Worry and concern immediately plastered themselves to Grissom's face. "What's going on Cath?"
"I don't know Gil. She threw up a couple of times before, and I took her home around four. She didn't want to call you then because she thought that work was more important. She just called me a few minutes ago, and she sounded horrible. You need to go home."
When it came to Sara, Grissom didn't need to be told what to do. "Have an officer take you up to Brass. Continue the conversation with the mayor," Grissom said, ready to walk out the door.
"Take care of her Gil," Catherine stated before he left.
Grissom went out to his car and raced home. I knew something was up, but I was too busy to realize that something was wrong. I haven't even talked to her since last night. I can't believe I did this again, she tried to talk to me and I blew her off. I've been unreachable for a while now, I hope Sara is okay. I hope Sara can forgive me.
By the time Grissom got home, many thoughts had streamed through his head as to what could be wrong. When he opened the door, he was worried sick. "Honey, where are you?" he called, walking through the door.
"Bedroom," she called through tears.
When Grissom entered the bedroom, his heart fell. Sara was curled into the fetal position on top of the covers, and tears streamed down her cheeks. "Sara, I'm taking you to the doctor," Grissom stated, kneeling near the bed and taking one look at her.
"No Gil," Sara sniffled, "that's where I just came from."
Grissom was surprised with the information. Sara felt ashamed that she hadn't told him earlier, and she couldn't look into his eyes. "I tried to call you," Sara stated, "but I couldn't get through."
Grissom followed her gaze, and saw the pamphlets that lay on the side table. He picked one up and his eyes widened. "An ulcer Sara?" he stated, looking back at her.
"I just came back from a barium x-ray," Sara stated.
Knowing that they could talk about their other issues later, Grissom helped Sara to sit up in the bed and handed her the bottle of water. "Drink," Grissom stated.
After taking another gulp, Sara stopped. "There are bran muffins in the kitchen, can you grab a few?" Sara asked.
Grissom didn't want to leave her side, but he knew the importance of getting fiber into her system. He went out to the kitchen and grabbed a few bran muffins and another bottle of water. After putting a heat pack in a pot of water on the stove, Grissom returned to the bedroom. Sara had pulled her knees up to her chest as another look of pain crossed her face. Grissom set the food down on his side table, helped her under the covers, and got into the bed next to her. He straightened her back out and handed her a bran muffin. While she ate, Grissom kept his arm around her and massaged her stomach. "Gil, I'm sorry," a few more tears streamed down her face.
"Sara, we both made some mistakes. Let's not worry about that right now, we'll talk afterwards. You need to calm down, being upset is just making all of the side effects worse."
Sara nodded and continued to eat the bran muffin. "Keep eating Sara," he spoke, "I'll be right back."
Grissom retrieved the heat pack from the kitchen and returned to his seat next to Sara. He wrapped the heat pack in a towel and placed it on Sara's stomach. Grissom rubbed his hand in soothing circles across her back as she continued to eat. When Sara finished the muffin she drank some more water and relaxed for a minute. "Do you feel any better?" Grissom asked.
"Yes, the cramping isn't as bad as it was. I never expected it to hurt that bad," Sara admitted.
Grissom wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. "I'm sorry you couldn't reach me. Brass and I were talking to the mayor."
"Yeah, Catherine told me," Sara stated, "it's my fault for not telling you sooner."
"I was really worried when Catherine said that you needed me, and I didn't know what was going on."
Sara nodded and sniffled. "Yesterday morning when Catherine told us to go home for two hours, I went to the doctor's office. I had seen you right before that, but I didn't want to worry you if nothing was wrong. The doctor thought I might be pregnant, but she ruled that out with a pregnancy test. She did another test and told me that I had a helicobacter pylori infection, which probably meant I had a peptic ulcer. She wanted me to have a barium x-ray done this morning to confirm the diagnosis and see if anything else was wrong."
"You should have told me you were going to the doctor, I would have liked to know," Grissom stated, disappointed that she hadn't confided in him in the first place, but understanding her reasoning.
"I know," Sara stated, "I just kept saying that work was more important. Then I tried to tell you about what I had found out at the doctor's office, and you said that you were busy, and we could talk later. Of course, we never talked later."
"I know Sara, and I'm sorry about that. I should have noticed sooner."
"We need to trust each other," Sara hated to admit it, but it needed to be said.
"I don't think that's the problem," Grissom stated, "we need to communicate better with each other, and spend more time with each other. This is a time that we should be worrying about planning our wedding, not dealing with a conspiracy with the mayor. We've both been working way to long, and we're utterly exhausted. We can't start doubting each other."
Sara nodded, and looked like she was going to start crying again. "I'm sorry," she spoke.
Grissom shushed her and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry too. We need to make sure we tell each other what is going on."
Sara nodded and turned so she could share a deep loving kiss. "Do you have any medications to take yet?" Grissom asked once they had pulled away.
"No, the doctor is supposed to be calling me once they interpret the results of the x-ray. I assume I'll be receiving the prescriptions then."
Grissom yawned. "Does it still hurt anywhere?"
"I'm still really crampy, but they told me that would happen. My stomach hurts a little bit, but it's okay."
Grissom reached over and took her injured hand in his. "How about this?" he asked, running a finger along her brace.
"That hurts a little bit," Sara stated, "can't take pain medication, it'll aggravate my stomach."
Grissom nodded. "I know. No coffee for you either," he gave her a small smile.
"I don't know how I'll survive," Sara stated.
Grissom set her arm down on her stomach and reached over to the side table to retrieve another muffin. "Get another one of these into you so you're not howling in pain in another hour."
"I do not howl," Sara defended herself.
Grissom handed her another muffin. "It sure sounded like you were howling."
Sara set the muffin down in her lap and slapped Grissom's leg. "Ouch," he complained.
"That'll teach you to make fun of me," Sara stated, picking up the muffin and beginning to eat it.
Grissom kept his arms around her as she ate the muffin. When she was finished, he helped her to get more comfortable in bed before he called Catherine. "Willows," Catherine answered.
"Cath, Sara's okay, but I want to stay here with her for a while to make sure she stays that way."
"What was wrong?"
Grissom looked to Sara to see if it was okay if he told her. Sara nodded and he continued the conversation. "She has a peptic ulcer. She needed to have a barium x-ray done this morning, and she really didn't feel too well afterward."
"Ouch," Catherine said, "I've heard the barium can really mess up your system."
"Yeah, that's what she's dealing with right now. Because of the ulcer and the stress, Sara kept getting sick before."
"Well, everyone's under too much stress right now. The mayor kicked us out of his office, but he still hasn't officially resigned yet."
"Let me know if you find out anything," Grissom stated.
"Alright, tell Sara to feel better and not to come back to work until she is ready. It's not going to help anything if she keels over on the job."
Grissom chuckled. "I'll make sure I tell her that. Thanks Cath."
"You're welcome, as always, bye."
Grissom closed his cell phone and turned back to Sara. "Catherine says it won't help anything if you keel over on the job," Grissom stated, smiling.
Sara groaned. "Thanks Gil, that makes me feel wonderful."
Sara drank some more water and yawned a couple more times. "Why don't we try to get some sleep," Grissom stated, "I don't remember the last time I slept."
Sara set the heat pack on the floor, and slid down in the bed to snuggle into Grissom's side. He rested his hand over her stomach and sighed. "I found myself wishing I was pregnant," Sara admitted, thinking back to when she was in the doctor's office.
"One day Sara, one day," Grissom whispered, drifting off to sleep.
Once Sara cleared her thoughts from her mind, she was able to fall asleep right after him.