Chapter 14

They arrived at another small airport 30 minutes from Miami. Once on the ground beefy Black agent directed them toa a mid-sized sedan, gave them keys to their condo and told themto relax.

Grissom thought he might never relax again. Sara still didn't seem to be talking to him and he had no idea how to thaw the frost.

They arrived at their condo within an hour. Grissom unloaded the car while Sara explored their new home. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found two bedrooms.

"Hey" Grissom was standing in the doorway of the bedroom that Sara was contemplating. "You in here?"

"I guess." He nodded and put her suitcase in the closet. The crisp beep startled them both. Grissom pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket. He read the display, Nick.

"Hello."

Grissom was not surprised to hear the worry and concern in Nick's voice. Over the past 24 hours two of his best friends had been whisked out of town by federal authorities. The young man had every right to be tense. Grissom sat on the edge of the bed. Sara's heart leapt when she realized her friend was on the other end of the line.

"Grissom?"

"Yes."

"What the hell is going on? Some feds came in and disappeared with Warrick and Cath. Then Brass tells me that you and Sara aren't going to be in for at least a few weeks. What's happening?"

"I can't really tell you Nick"

The line was quiet. Nick was afraid to ask the next question. "Where's Sara?"

"With me, she's safe."

"For real?"

"I wouldn't lie to you Nick. I'll let you talk to her in just a minute. Listen. You know you're in charge right?"

"What?"

"You're it. You are in charge of the night shift. Brass is pulling some county CSIs but they report to you. Where's Greg?"

"He's right here."
"Tell him that he can't go out into the field until I get back. He has to oversee the lab while I'm gone. I don't trust anyone else."

Nick sighed. "He's not going to like that."

"Tell him that as soon as I get back he's in the field at least 90 percent of the time."

"Will do. Grissom?"

"Yeah."

" Do you think am ready for this? I mean..."

"You were born ready Nick. You have everything it takes and Cath and I are only a phone call away. Here's Sara."

Grissom was surprised to see her looking sweetly at him.

When she signed off her voice was music to Grissom's ears.

"You know that meant a lot to Nick."

Grissom shrugged. "It's the truth." He stood and put his hands in his pockets. Sara tried not to smile but wasn't wholly successful.

"What?"

"Nick told me something silly Greg said."

"Oh. I should let you sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

She watched as he crossed the hall to the other bedroom. She sat down to send Leigh a text message.

The next morning Sara and Grissom ate breakfast in the condo dining room. They were seated with one other couple. Apparently seating was predetermined in order to encourage socializing as if they were on a cruise ship.

Sara and Grissom found themselves across from a pleasant looking couple in that appeared to be in their late early 40's. They were a study in contrasts. She was a tiny mocha colored woman with a short fashionably messy haircut. He was a large man honey colored man with shoulder length dreadlocks. They looked expectantly at Grissom and Sara.

Sara heard Grissom voice beside her. "Hi I'm Gil Stewart and this is my wife Sara."

He seems awfully relaxed Sara thought.

The man shot back. "It's so good to meet you. I'm Martin Sinise and this is my wife Elaina."

Appropriate greetings were exchanged until a waiter came to take their order.

Elaina flapped her hands excitedly. "Let me guess. Newlyweds right?"

Sara tried not to choke on her juice as Grissom put his arm around her. "Well no, we've been married for three years but everyday seems like our first day together."

Who was this and what had they done to her Grissom. Her Grissom! She sounded like Leigh.

Sara smiled despite herself. She hoped that she wasn't blushing but was sure she was. Elaina Sinise giggled behind a hand. "Aw honey look at them, they are so cute. So are you on vacation? We try to get to our place at least a couple of times of year."

Sara was continued to be dumbstruck as Grissom spoke again. "The misses and I are trying to have a baby and the doctors told us that it would help if we got away and relaxed for awhile."

It was Martin Sinise's turn to speak. "That's great. We have two sons, both in college."

Sara frowned. "You must have been young when you had them."

"We were. We got married the day after we graduated from Florida A&M. That was twenty five years ago. I saw her walking across campus the first day of freshman year and I called my Dad and told him I had met the woman I was going to marry."

Sara moved aside as the waiter sat down their orders. She was surprised to feel the grip of Grissom's hand on her shoulder.

Martin Sinise passed Sara a basket of croissants. "So how did you two meet?"

Grissom again. "I saw Sara walking across campus at Yale but she was student and I was conducting a seminar. I saw that smile and I thought, "That's it. I'm done. " Grissom found himself looking into Sara's eyes. "She was walking with a girlfriend and I don't think she was smiling at me but I didn't care. She showed up at the seminar and I haven't let her go since."

Sara was astonished. That had really happened in Boston. "I was smiling at you."

Grissom's words were soft. "Your food is getting cold honey."