Surprised, Nick turned to Warrick. "How is that possible?" he asked.
The tech left and seemed glad to get out of the situation.
Warrick frowned. "We shouldn't think the worst. Could be coincidence. It makes no sense to check every CSI's gun at the moment. What else do we have?"
"I sent some stuff from the victim's clothes to the lab," Nick replied.
"I bagged everything that was in the stinking garbage can. I've phoned the company which is doing the waste disposal out there. The can has been emptied only this morning," Warrick explained.
"And the murder happened around noon. So we know that everything in the can could be a trace back to the murderer."
"So we should get everything processed," Nick suggested eagerly.
When the end of their shift was approaching, Nick and Warrick met in the break room where already some people from nightshift were sitting.
Nick and Warrick said hello to Greg and chatted when Catherine was coming in.
She looked thoughtful. She saw them, walked next to them and said in a low voice: "The police called about two hours ago. They found a gun some houses away from our crime scene. It was in a plastic bag together with an empty bottle."
"Garbage again," Warrick said, but Catherine continued: "I was out, investigating everything, bagging the bottle and the plastic bag and getting the gun. At first glance I saw that it's one of our guns."
Nick and Warrick looked puzzled. Greg, who was sitting near them, turned his head to listen.
"I got it to ballistics and they compared the bullets with the bullets which killed the victim. It is the same weapon," Catherine stated.
After a short silence and now, nearly whispering, Catherine said: "It's Sara's gun."
"What?" yelled Greg, jumping to his feet.
"Calm down," Catherine said. "You shouldn't even listen." Sighing, she added: "But you have. So, have you seen Sara already? It's about time for your shift."
"No," Greg replied and shrugged his shoulders.
Half an hour later Sara still was not there. Nick looked at the clock which was hanging on the wall and then at Catherine.
"What are you going to do?" he asked her nervously.
"I'll search for her. Maybe she's in the locker room. I have to ask her some questions," she answered. "I'll wait here," Nick announced. Catherine nodded and left the break room.
Sara was standing in front of her closed locker, looking absent as if she thought about something.
"You're late," Catherine said matter-of-factly.
Sara turned around. "And you're still here?" she replied slightly surprised. "Sorry for being late, I had a little problem," she added.
"Looking for your gun?" Catherine asked.
Sara seemed perplexed. "How do you know?" she asked suspiciously.
"We should clear this in my office," Catherine suggested. There seemed to be some reluctance on Sara's side, but then she agreed.
Catherine and Sara took a seat in Catherine's office.
"We found your gun." Catherine declared directly. Sara's eyes widened.
"Where?" she asked.
"Near to a crime scene," Catherine said coldly.
Sara opened her mouth but said nothing.
"The victim was killed with your gun. We compared the bullets," Catherine continued.
Sara became pale for a moment but then she seemed rather angry. "My gun was locked in my car together with my kit. I checked my kit before I got to work and realized my gun was missing. It must have been stolen."
Catherine lifted her eyebrows. Sara jumped up from her chair. "What are you implying? I did nothing wrong. I have not even been near the crime scene," she said her voice growing louder.
Calming herself down she added: "Why would I shoot somebody I don't even know? That's nonsense."
Catherine folded her arms. "I have not said that you shot anybody. Only that the victim was killed with your gun."
Her voice got sharp when she continued: "We have identified the victim by now. Albert Ranger, 43. Does that ring a bell? We had him as a suspect here six months ago. He was suspected of having beaten up and murdering his wife. But we did not have enough evidence and had to let him go." Sara looked gloomily.
There was a short silence before Catherine continued: "So all I can say and relate from your behavior: you have a motive."
TBC
