Chapter 36

Gil Grissom had given Nick Stokes a very specific list of questions for Martina Yakovich. Only Nick would be allowed to question the woman even though a detective would accompany him. The night shift supervisor wasn't sure what was going on. He knew that his
friends were probably being hidden by the feds and the likelihood of their return seemed to be less and less probable.

A blond woman opened the door and Nick felt like his feet had gone numb.

"Mr. Stokes?" Two hands clasped one of his in a firm grip. She was tall, taller than Nick by at least half an inch. Her dark blonde hair was in a messy short cut, her wide green eyes bore no makeup and her fair skin had been browned by the Nevada sun. There was a tiny gap between her two front teeth that reminded Nick of Sara.

She watched the trim Texan, conscious of his gaze. Martina was used to men staring at her but this man's stare made her want to tug at her clothes and check her hair.

She stepped out of the way and allowed the two men to enter her short elegant home. The detective took century in the well lit foyer. Nick had asked him to leave him alone with Martina for questioning.

"Mr. Stokes would you like a something to drink?"

He didn't know why he was suddenly sheepish. "Water please." His throat was so dry he was sure that his lips cracked as he spoke.

"With our without ice?" The leggy blonde moved to a
small bar on the other side of the room. She was
thin, maybe a little to thin for Nick's taste, sort of
like Sara at least the last time he had seen Sara. He
wondered if he would ever see Sara again.

Nick blinked himself back to the present.

"Mr. Stokes?"

"Sorry, with ice please." She wore a wispy linen
shirt with a tank top underneath. Her small breasts
strained against the fabric as she handed him the
glass

He began the memorized list of questions and thanked
God that he did not have to rely on his faculties
for the interview.

"How long did you date. Dr. Boer?"

"We were together for three years."

"Did you love him?"

"Very much"

"Where did you meet him?"

"At the Braun museum opening."

"When?"

"Around seven years ago. Actually I met your boss
that night."

"Grissom?" Even though they didn't officially work
together anymore Nick would always think of the
bugman as his boss.

"Yes . Dr. Grissom. He put me in contact with his
mother. She still represents me in California."

"Did you start seeing Dr. Boer that night?"

"You are asking if we slept together that night."

"Yes." Nick took a frantic sip of his water.

"We did."

Nick didn't know why but he was disappointed by her
words.

"You were engaged.

"We were."

"Who called off the wedding?"

"Abasi did."

"Why?"

"Because he thought I was seeing another man."

"Were you?"

"No, but I wanted him to think that I was."

Nick's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Because that's the only way I could get him to break up with me."

"Why did you want him to break up with you?

Lillian's red lips hardly moved. "Because I knew if I married him he would kill me one day."

Nick waited for her to explain. "Abasi loved me very much." Her green eyes sparkled with intensity. Nick could just make out tiny flecks of gold around her pupils "No that might be wrong. He was obsessed with me yet at the same time he seemed angry with himself
for loving me."

"Did he ever physically threaten you or hurt you?"

She studied the small crow's feet that were beginning to form around Nick Stokes' eyes. He would be one of the men that grew better looking with age. She wondered how old he was. She thought he was a little younger than she was. "A woman just knows."

"Who did he think you were seeing?"

"A former boyfriend who signed up for my little ruse, his name is Tracy Houston. He is a pit boss at the Beau Rivage, at least he was the last time I talked with him. That was about a year ago."

"How did he react when he found out about you and Tracy?"

Martina's eyes traveled the length of Nick's torso settling on his hands. She was pleased that he had no ring. "He was relieved, I had done what he expected me to do; I was disloyal and untrustworthy. In his mind women were a type of poison to a man of intellect, great men he called them. No good could come from it."

"Did he ever tell you that?"

Nick's eyes tried to see if a band surrounded her left ring finger. She laid it flat for him to see.

"He would talk about men like Dr. Grissom as if their need for romantic love was a character flaw. He was very disappointed in himself for having succumbed to it. "

Nick had come to the end of his questions. Martina
stood and led him to the door. The detective went past the duo to stand by the truck waiting in her driveway. Nick smiled at the blond woman. His words were unusually formal and static. "I would like to take you out to dinner."

The breath she was holding came out in a sharp exhale. "When?"

"Tomorrow night" Nick's voice was firm.

"What time?"

"Six."

"Where are we going?"

Nick watched her coral lips form a heart. He wanted to kiss her very badly. Without knowing it he took a step towards her. Their lips were approximately one inch apart. For a second Nick wondered how Grissom had been able to stand it all those years, so close to
Sara everyday. "It's a surprise."

"How will I know what to wear?"

Her mouth changed from a heart to a pout. Her green eyes flickered with an emotion Nick had never seen. What was it? He pushed his hands into his front pockets.

They stood there for a time drinking in one another.

"Are you seeing anyone Nick?"

His head moved from side to side. "Are you?"

Her head repeated the movement.

She could feel his breath disturb the hair along her temple. "I don't know if I can wait to see you."

Martina touched his wrist with one of her fingers. His hands were still covered by the pocket material of his pants. It was all either of them could stand.

Martina licked her lips self consciously. "What time is your shift over?"

"Seven in the morning"

"We can have breakfast."