1:50AM
"This isn't getting us anywhere," Warrick muttered. "All this guy's doing is repeating the same thing over and over. He knows we can't offer him a deal so he's pleading stupid."
"What time is it?" Nick's voice was dull.
"Almost two." Nick sighed and slammed his fist against the counter.
The door opened and Catherine walked into the observation room, her face flushed. "I had to get out of there before I heard him take the fifth again or I was going to lose it." Her voice was shaking.
Nick put a hand on her arm and she started crying. "I can't do this," she whispered. Quickly he pulled her into a hug.
Warrick looked back at Alexander MacLean, hoping to see something in the man that would give them a lead. His eyes moved around the room, going to the cops and the file folder, then back to MacLean, taking in every detail of the man's appearance. The wary blue eyes, the erect posture, the almost childlike folding of his hands…
"That's it." Warrick looked back at Catherine and Nick. "Kristin's dad said he followed MacLean to the school and that's where he got his license plate."
Catherine ran a distracted hand through her hair. "MacLean said something about needing to get some textbooks from his classroom."
"The boxes we found in the trunk covering the..." Nick's voice trailed off. "Oh for crying out loud...Come on!"
The three CSIs scrambled out of the observation room and Nick quickly banged on the Interrogation room door before turning the handle and shoving his head in. Both detectives looked up and Brass hurried over.
"MacLean stopped at the school after the shooting," Nick spoke rapidly before Brass could interrupt. "Picked up some textbooks and put them in his car."
The cop turned to the uniformed officer standing by the door. "Advise Detective Andersen we've gone to St. Cecilia's High School," he ordered, then looked back at the CSIs. "Let's go!"
2:15AM
By the time the car screeched to a halt in the school parking lot the three CSIs were unbuckled and had their doors halfway open. Another minute and they were standing with Brass up at the closest entrance to the building.
"Police!" Brass shouted before ramming the butt of his gun through the window, then reached in, turned the lock, and jerked the door open. Inside the CSIs found themselves in a dark corridor with classrooms and lockers on either side of them. A map on the wall showed the building was shaped like an 'H' with an extra crossbar, along with an arrow indicating their position. Brass pointed to the map.
"Nick and Catherine, take the other side of the building. Warrick and I will start with the classrooms on this side. We'll meet you in the second cross hallway."
The two CSIs nodded and headed for the nearest crossing hallway. The first door was the library and Nick checked the door before shaking his head. "Locked." Catherine shone her light through the window, trying to see between the shelves, but it was next to impossible.
"If we can't get in there, MacLean probably couldn't either," Nick said. Catherine nodded and looked across the hall. There were two washrooms, along with a staff room, which was also locked. Catherine pushed open one door and started making a rapid search of the stalls.
"Grissom? Grissom!" she shouted, shining the beam of her flashlight around. When she was satisfied the room was empty she reluctantly exited, meeting up with Nick as he came out of the other washroom.
"Anything?" Nick shook his head and she sighed. "For all we know he could be in one of the classrooms that's locked."
Nick didn't answer, just shone the beam of his flashlight into another classroom. With his hand he hit the side of the door several times and called out his friend's name, hoping that if Grissom were able he'd respond.
Catherine moved to another door and shone her flashlight through the window. A small window near the ceiling let in some light from the streetlights and Catherine could dimly make out some tables, what looked like industrial arts machinery, and what looked like a person lying on the floor. Quickly she yanked at the knob.
"Nick, I've got him!"
"Brass, Warrick – over here!" Nick yelled before hurrying to Catherine's side. She'd already smashed the window with her sidearm and was scrambling down the stairs.
Gil Grissom was lying partially on his side, partially on his back, just inside what looked like a garage door. His eyes were closed and his face was pale, almost white. As Catherine got closer she could see that the front of his shirt was caked in blood.
"Oh, no," Nick whispered.
Catherine felt the icy hot nausea return and she struggled to push it back as she dropped to her knees and gently shook her friend's shoulder. "Grissom? Gil, can you hear me? Gil!" He lay motionless, giving no sign that he had even heard her. Trembling, Catherine reached a hand out to check his pulse.
