For Disclaimer see Default Chapter
Chapter Nine – Black WidowThey met the Sheriff in his office to share the information they had gathered so far. Brooks reported the he had managed to identify the woman. Shirley's full name was Shirley Ann Vincent, aged 29 also living in Ely.
"I started calling the victim's telephone numbers and she picked up the phone from Vincent's place. It's my guess that she obviously still lives with him or at least under the same address. So I told her about her what happened to her husband and friend. You know, I would have expected some emotional reaction. But she seemed not to be shocked in either way. Just all busy and more than willing to come up to identify the bodies. She said that she didn't like driving nights, so she will arrive tomorrow morning, if that's ok for you guys."
"It obviously has to, Sheriff!" Grissom frowned but Brooks shrugged "Do something about it." So Grissom just continued telling Brooks about the conflicting information they got when Solder discovered the inconsistencies in minerals and soil found on the bodies and collected from the hill.
"I'm not sure that I understand", Brooks turned to the geologist.
"Whatever happened between the guys. It didn't happen uphill. They must have met on foot of the hill and got caught by the extension of the slide. It may well be", Solder explained, "that the other guy wasn't at all finished by natural cause. I'm pretty convinced that his severe head injury has occurred before the landslide."
"So, my first guess" Sara threw in, "had been on Clark setting up a fake poach scenery inviting Drake. They used to hunt together, didn't they. Uphill, Clark started arguing with Drake over Shirley, threatened him, forced him to swallow the letter and finally shot him. Than landslide occurred, bringing down both, the shot victim and his obvious killer, who died on the ride downhill, ended up with his neck broken." Sara said. "But here's the twist, if Clark was already unconscious or dead before and didn't die in the slide, then who killed Drake?"
"My theory would be on somebody he knew and trusted." Grissom said. "The gun shot has been from close range, remember? So, Sara, level with me. If the timeline projects another scenario, what would you think?"
"Well, so far we do not have a suspect. Or weapons for that case, neither a gun nor an object capable to cause blunt force. We have complicated geological evidence, difficult to explain to a jury by the way, to establish the timelines of deaths." Sara stated.
"So I'm going with my gut feeling here telling me that it may have started as a poach trip which ended up in an argument about the wife. They started fighting, the younger man, Drake, hit Clark with some hard object, probably weapon of opportunity. A branch maybe? Clark got paralysed when the blow broke his neck. Than Drake hold him on the ground, put his face in the dirt to suffocate him. Than what?" Sara looked expectantly to Grissom. "One thing does not make sense for me. Why did Drake had to swallow the sheet of paper? To destroy evidence, to conceal a motive? Or did Clark manage to force him to eat it before his own fortune went down? We'll never know."
"I hate to state the obvious", Grissom answered, "but it may not be of importance why that piece of paper ended up in his guts. As for now it is just helping us to put things into content and it leads to another person involved in that particular case. The wife, Shirley. Now we have to find evidence to put her at the scene."
"Isn't that jumping into conclusions, Grissom?" Sara frowned. "We didn't even talk to her. Maybe she has an alibi for time of death?."
"Well, Sara! It's about people. Cases like this mostly end up with a relative involved in the murder. Love, passion, jealousy, anger, hate. All of the above, people tend to ending up dead. I'm pretty sure about Shirley's involvement. We just cannot prove it yet."
"Come on, Grissom. You're a people person now? When did this happen?"
Grissom shrugged "I've also learned something. I can change."
"Can we have dinner or something, I'm starving." Solder interrupted them. "Anyway, my work is done and I have the feeling that my presence is not longer needed. So I'm gonna leave tomorrow morning."
"You were of great help though." Grissom stated. "Ever thought about a career in forensics?"
"Oh no thanks", Solder refused, "I prefer my places without dead bodies showing up. Rocks, minerals and nature is what keeps me going."
"Professor, grab your stuff. You can sleep over at the vet's place tonight. I'll give you a lift. We'll meet at the diner's then." Brooks nodded to Grissom and Sara.
Grissom and Sara had just finished their first drinks, when the Sheriff and the geologist returned.
"Same for me here" Solder waved Gloria pointing at Sara's beer. "And make it a big one."
"And for you Alan? Same?." She asked the Sheriff. He nodded. His eyes followed her when she left.
"You have a thing for her, Sheriff, do you?" Solder smiled at him. "I'm good with reading people's minds, you know."
"Non of your business, Sir." Brooks growled.
They ordered steaks and fries, the kitchen had some issues preparing appropriate vegetarian food for Sara. But she was absolutely fine with baked potato and a side salad.
The group finished their meals in silence and ordered another round. Grissom first rejected the invitation from Solder but finally agreed. It wouldn't do any harm to have another beer, there would anyway not much work to be done tonight, he mused.
When the Sheriff called it a night and left, the three of them got into small talk about nature trips, travelling and then motorcycles. It came out that Sara knew a lot about this particular issue, because once she dated a biker. Grissom watched Sara laughing and telling from a life of which he was never a part of. And found her responding to Phil Solder's advances. She seemed to enjoy it, she was relaxed and obviously having fun.
Grissom cleared his throat. "I'm going back to the office do some paper work. Good night, Sara. Professor." He nodded.
"You need help?" Sara wanted to know. "No, have some fun. I'll be fine." Said it and left the diner.
"He said it again!" Sara wondered. "What do you mean?" Phil asked.
"Well" Sara started to explain, "A lot of things happened back in Vegas. I do not particularly wanna talk about it, but Grissom and I, we, uh, had issues."
"You had a relationship, which did not work out?" Phil guessed.
"NO." Sara blushed. "It wasn't like this." Then she quickly continued, "I made a mistake, I was insubordinate to a superior, blew up at colleagues. Grissom covered my ass and got demoted because of it. It's all my fault." She sighed.
"I don't think so, Sara." Phil took her hand. "If he wanted to take care for you, to cover you up in that situation, he will have evaluated the odds and also considered certain consequences. His decision, his fault. Not yours. But, you know, by the way he's looking at you, heck, this old man definitely has a thing for you."
"He isn't THAT old." Sara murmured almost inaudible. Phil scoffed "Oh, come on, Sara. Please don't tell me you have a crush on him."
"I don't. And would you please lower your voice. I don't think that the public is much interested in my private life." Sara replied slightly embarrassed.
"Sara, look at me, I'm probably ten years younger and far more attractive than this guy. What does he have that I don't have?" He teased her and smiled.
"Stop it Phil. It's late. Let's pay the bill and go."
Sara waved at Gloria, but their dinner had already been paid by the Sheriff. So they left.
The geologist accompanied Sara back to the Sheriff's office. When she struggled caused by a bump in the road, he lifted her up before she fell and suddenly she found herself in his arms.
Their faces were just a few inches apart so Phil took hers in his palms and bowed down to kiss her. A bit light-headed from beer consumption Sara answered his striving. Phil carefully tasted her lips, then kissed her harder, more passionate, encouraged by her reaction, feeling her hand on his neck, in his hair, her responding body pressing against his.
"Phil, please." She winced and tried to loosen his grip. "Let's. Not." The whispered breathless. She put a hand on his chest. "You're cute, Phil. I like you. And perhaps, I mean, if we ever meet again… uh, I don't know what I'm doing anymore." Sara stammered.
"Hey, Sara. Shh, it's ok. I like you too. But there are certain issues you have to resolve first and currently you're obviously not…hmm…available." Phil hugged her and gave her a last kiss on the forehead. "I will see you eventually. If you want, I'll let you know when I'm in Vegas. I better go now. Take care, will you?" Sara nodded and handed him her business card. "In case you ever need a CSI, Phil. Have a safe trip back to Reno." She waved at him and entered the Sheriff's office.
In the dark of the office stood Grissom, watching the scene.