Catherine Willows opened the double doors that led into the crime lab. She glanced quickly at her watch, she was 15 minutes late. Why was she always late on days when Grissom was gone? She never intended to be late, it just happened, one of the mysteries of the universe. Today her car didn't start, and the neighbor told her that the alternator was running funny and should be checked by a mechanic. Fortunately, she was just 15 minutes late.

She ran to her locker and threw her jacket and purse in there, and slammed the locker shut. She then dashed over to Grissom's office, well her office for the next two weeks. As soon as she reached the doorway, Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle were standing there waiting for there assignments.

"Well, it's about time," Sara said impatiently. "Sorry guys, my car is running funny," Catherine replied. "Oh," Sara said dejectedly. Together the three CSI's entered Grissom's office and Catherine plopped herself down in Grissom's chair. "Okay, Grissom is gone for 2 weeks, so," she looked up and noticed Warrick was gone. "Where's Warrick?" Catherine asked. "He's with Brass interrogating a suspect, Cath." Nick replied. "Okay," Catherine replied. "You two, there is a hit and run I want you to investigate." Catherine said to Nick and Sara. I will be working on a dead body in the park."

Catherine handed Sara a manila envelope, and the two of them were off, Catherine got up, left Grissom's office, went back to her locker and borrowed a car from the department, she didn't want to risk her car breaking down at a crime scene. She was off, and 20 minutes later, she was at the park. The traditional yellow tape had placed around a park bench, a fountain, and some trees.

Catherine saw a police officer standing there, waiting for her. She recognized him as one of the new guys in Vegas. His name was Franklin? Something like that. Catherine walked over to the yellow tape and lifted it up and walked under.

"Hey, Franklin, right?" Catherine asked kindly. "No, Francis." Francis said quite baldly. "Francis, sorry," Catherine replied. Catherine looked at the body lying there, it was a man, and he was dressed in casual clothing, a pair of jeans, a red shirt, and a pair of tennis shoes. Nothing about him stood out of the ordinary. Catherine looked at his face, his hands, there were no abrasions. Where was David? She thought to herself. He should be here to pronounce time of death.

Speak of the devil, there came David huffing and puffing up to the yellow tape. "Sorry, Catherine," he replied breathlessly. "Car trouble," "small world," Catherine replied. "I have been having trouble with my car also." David wasted no time; he got up close to the body, and began to look the body over.

All of a sudden there was an irritating beeping noise that made Catherine jump, her beeper was going off. "Your beeper is going off," Francis replied tartly. "Yes, thank you, Franklin." Catherine replied, that guy was really getting on her nerves. The beeper showed Brass's number.

"Well, Catherine," David began. "He's been dead for about 6 hours." Catherine thought that was odd, he had been laying in an open part of the park, where she had been previously, and knew that there were joggers and people walking their dogs going through here constantly. Her mind went back to the beeper. She picked up her cell phone and called Brass.

Brass picked up his phone, and said Hello. "Brass," Catherine said. "What's up? I just got your page." "Bad news, Catherine." Brass said, "There has been a stabbing." Damn it, Catherine thought to herself. With Grissom gone, she would now have to assign Nick or Sara to the case. She had given herself the DB in the park because she knew that Sara would get all pissy over getting such a pathetic case when there was a hit and run. Now she would have to reassign one of them. "Okay, thanks Brass," Catherine said, and hung up the phone.

She decided that she might as well stay on the dead body. She dialed her phone again, and Nick answered. "Hi, Nick? It's Catherine." Listen, I am going to reassign you, you have the stabbing case, and you can get the file from Brass." Catherine said all in one breath. "Tell Sara that she is going to be working alone with Grissom gone." "Okay, Catherine," Nick replied and hung up his phone.

Catherine placed her phone back in her pocket. She started to think about the case, and started to scan the sidewalk for clues, or anything that would point to foul play. She looked around for a good 45 minutes and nothing but a penny and several pieces of broken glass were found.

Catherine decided that there was nothing else to be found here and that if anything; there must be something on the guy's body. She turned around and left the area she was in and went back to her car. She unlocked the door, and opened it, and the heat coming out was like an oven. She started the car, and pulled out of the parking lot and back to the station.

She drove down the road thinking about, how now everyone had a case, and she hoped that she wouldn't have to call Grissom. She pulled into the parking lot, and went in through the double doors.

She went to the coroner's room, to see if Dr. Robbins had done the autopsy yet. As soon as she walked in, there was Dr. Robbins with the man's stomach cavity open. "Ah, Catherine," he said. "I just got through the autopsy." "Great," Catherine said. "Well, to begin, your man died of a heart attack, he appeared to be in the park, then he got a pressure in the chest, and, well, you know a heart attack. Anyway, he collapsed, and died several minutes later." Dr. Robbins all explained. "Any thing that could've brought this on, I mean, he is a rather thin guy," Catherine asked.

"Well, just because you're thin doesn't mean you aren't going to have a heart attack naturally." Dr. Robbins said, "I sent some of his blood to trace." "Okay, thanks, Doc." Catherine said.

Catherine thought about Grissom, and how lucky he was to be in California in a conference. She had his emergency number somewhere, she wanted to make sure just in case. She went back to his office and tried to find it, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find it.

"That's odd." Catherine muttered to herself.

Dear readers, sorry for such an uneventful chapter, but as you all know, suspence builds, and if you wait, good things shall come!

- Silver 186