Chapter 4

Back at the station Brass, Grissom and Sara made their way to the interrogation room.

Recalling Sara's temper at the crime scene the night before Brass cautioned, "Maybe you should stay behind the glass, Sara."

Stunned by his suggestion, she snapped. "No. I want in there!" Having already agreed to stay behind when the warrant was served she wasn't going to sit this out too. She needed to be the one who brought him down.

Grissom gave the Captain a reassuring look. "She'll be fine, Jim." And if she wasn't he'd be there to intervene as he had on several occasions.

Grateful for Grissom's support Sara softened. "Thank you." Suddenly her anger toward him from the earlier scene in the restaurant evaporated.

Brass, still unconvinced, opened the door and motioned for them to step inside.

Under the watchful eye of an armed guard, David Flynn, a young twenty-something with dirty blond hair and killer eyes, relaxed at the interrogation table as if he were sitting on a park bench. He looked like he should be on campus not under arrest for rape and murder. Alas, all the evidence pointed to the fact that he was a vile creature.

Sara and Grissom took seats at the end of the table, eyeing the suspect watchfully.

As usual, Brass, sitting on the edge of the table, took the lead. "Mr. Flynn, I've been waiting to talk to you." Flipping his notebook open he calmly asked, "Is there something you want to tell us about last night? Remember doing anything maybe around seven, eight o'clock? Think back. Take your time." It was really a formality since they had his DNA on the dead girl but a confession always made things quicker and he had to try.

Smirking, the young man, replied, "I had pizza for dinner."

Brass nodded. "Pepperoni or Sausage? No wait, I don't really care." In the hopes of shaking things up he tried a different route. "I do hope it was good pizza though because that's the last meal you'll ever eat as a free man." He motioned for Sara to take over. "And now for your entertainment, our folks from the crime lab want to give you a little biology lesson."

Grabbing her folder, Sara stood and crossed the room. This was her chance to deliver for the victim. Calmly she proceeded. "Mr. Flynn, I'm just curious, do you miss prison?"

Belligerently he eyed her. "Yeah, right."

Opening her file she held up the lab's DNA results. "Well then I guess you're just stupid because you left your DNA at the scene…all…over…the scene. With your priors you had to know we'd ID you. So why would you do that if you didn't want to go back to prison?"

Brass chimed in. "You want to tell us more about last night, yet?" Playing to the psycho's ego he prodded. "I mean I think we can guess what happened but wouldn't it be more fun for you if you told the story?"

Sara moved in closer. "Maybe I can fill in some more blanks to jog your memory."

Stepping next to Sara, Brass signaled for her to step back. Having done this same dance before, she knew the routine and let him take over, once again fading into the back of the room.

Grissom remained invisible just the way he liked it. Quietly in the corner of the room he continued his observations.

Pulling up a chair next to Flynn, Brass sat down and reworked his tactic. "You want to tell us her name because I'm sure someone out there is worried about her." Staring Flynn down Brass pressed on, "Come on…make it the one decent thing you did in your sorry life. You tell me her name and maybe I can do something for you."

Flynn cocked his head and casually replied, "Her name was Brianna that's all I know. Well that and I didn't kill her."

A tiny gasp escaped Sara's lips. A name…they had a name and she knew Brass was going to get more. She could feel it. DNA evidence was always compelling but when it was wrapped with a confession or almost confession it was invincible.

"Sure you didn't kill her." Brass feigned empathy. "You just had sex with her, right? Consensual sex of course and then you left and whoa…she ends up strangled. The scientists show up and find only your DNA and aw shucks, everyone thinks you killed the girl. It's not fair. We hear that story a lot." With a crafty smile Brass leaned into the conversation, "you want to tell me about her. How you scored? I'm an old single guy; I need to learn some new tricks. I bet you're great with the ladies."

Puffing out his chest Flynn boasted as if he were talking about reeling in a prize bass. "Man was she ripe for the picking. You know the type…so needy they'll believe anything you tell them as long as you make it seem like you care. This chick…I was watching her and listening to her talk with her friends. She was carrying on about some guy…some stupid-ass football player who hadn't asked her to a party. Her friends were telling her to forget about him that she's been following him around like a puppy for years and it was about time she gave up." He paused to enjoy a hearty laugh. "I guess that wasn't the answer she wanted to hear because she blew up at her friends, throwing her iced tea on them and bolting out the door." Looking over at Sara he flippantly asked, "You ever been there baby?" He eyed her like prey.

Stunned by the unexpected question and the uninvited stare, Sara fell speechless.

Without missing a beat Grissom redirected. "Did you follow Brianna out the door?" He knew the scum would start talking about his conquest again if prodded.

On a dime Flynn turned his attention to Grissom. "Hell, yeah." A sleazy smirk took over his lips. "Like I said…ripe for the picking. By the time I got outside she was already crying and storming down the street." He shook with laughter. "I had a napkin ready to wipe her tears away. I learned that trick from watching soaps with my grandma. That napkin, a few sweet words and she was into me."

Recovered, Sara found her voice again. "If she was so willing to be with you then why drug her? And before you deny it we have your prints on a vial of GHB, the same GHB that was found in Brianna."

Her blood boiling, Sara leaned over the table. "You bought her an Icee with a twist of GHB." Sara tossed her file on the table. "The autopsy report indicates it was the last thing she ate and we have surveillance video from the convenience store around the corner from The Flying Aces that shows you pouring the GHB into her cup." Staring him down she waited for his reply.

Flynn licked his lips. "Yeah I bought her an Icee…cherry…just like her." He could tell he was getting to his questioner and relished it. "You may have me on tape but what you don't know is that Brianna asked me to give her something. Like I said earlier she was real upset. She was looking to calm down and I gave her just what she needed. She asked for the drug and she didn't say no to the sex."

Sara's anger mounted as she dug her fingers into the table. "She didn't say no to the sex because she was unconcious! What, her innocence wasn't enough for you? You had to take her life? Was she waking up and you were afraid she would fight back?" Swallowing hard she pressed on. "I think she got out one scream and that's when you started choking her. The impressions around her throat will match your hands. I can…"

Brass extended his arm to guide Sara away from the table. "Is that what happened, Flynn?" He steadied his gaze. "Cause I think that's what happened."

Arrogantly Flynn bore his eyes down on Sara. "Who cares what happened? She was just another desperate chick who didn't matter to anyone. This time next week no one will even remember her name. Hell I was the only one who gave her any attention." Smugly he added, "If Brianna were alive I bet she'd thank me."

Understanding why it's a good idea that she be unarmed in the interrogation room, Sara raged. "First you're going to rot in prison and then you're going to rot in hell you sick bastard!"

"Get him out of here!" Brass snapped for the guard and pulled the suspect from his chair. "Sara…do me a favor and do that breathing thing that worked last night." Flashing a critical glance toward Grissom he said, "I know, I know…everything is fine." Grumbling he left the room.

Like a caged lioness Sara paced the floor. 10-9-8…

Grissom tracked her with his gaze. "You did great up until that last outburst. I was right there with you though. I'd guess my pulse was well over ninety-five."

3-2-1 "Yeah, I could tell by the way you were sitting there quietly." Rolling her eyes she continued her walk around the room. It must be so easy to be him and be in complete control all the time; to never act on intense feelings…or any feelings. Lately she was a roller coaster of emotion and she wore it on her sleeve. What was going on? She had discussed burnout with her P.E.A.P Counselor but knew this was something different.

As a supervisor, Grissom made the appropriate offer. "You want to take a couple of days off?" He always made the suggestion, never once did she say yes. After all, Sara held the department record for overtime; she maxed out monthly and more often than not she worked through her scheduled days off.

"Yes. I'll take some time off." Stunned at her own answer, she froze, staring at her blurry reflection in the two-way glass.

"Um…okay." Gathering his scattered thoughts Grissom struggled for the right reply. Her back still to him he rose to his feet and walked over to her. "Sara…" But before he could get out his words, she spoke.

"I'll take a couple of days and I'm sure I'll pull it together." Sighing she stuffed her hands in her pockets and said, "I have a date with Mike tomorrow night maybe that will help take my mind off things here." It wasn't an accidental slip, she chose to tell him about the date but then she was too much of a coward to check if her words had impact.

A punch in the gut wouldn't have thrown Grissom more. "Uh…" Not wanting her to see his emotional reaction he headed back to the interrogation table to pick up his folder and forced a business tone. "Don't forget to fill out a paid leave form before you go. I don't need any flack about procedure from Ecklie."

Just as she suspected, Grissom was unmoved by the knowledge of her impending date. "I'll do the paperwork right now." Without looking back she left the room.

Alone, Grissom sank into the nearest chair. He knew it was for the best and yet he still couldn't accept it. She needed a life and he couldn't…no…wouldn't give her one. Staring at the wall he realized, it was during Dr. Lurie's interrogation in this very room nine months ago; that he first admitted it wasn't possible to pursue a relationship with Sara. He hadn't used her name but Brass knew who he was talking about. Sara, however privy she should be, knew nothing of the decision.

But now, sitting here in the same chair nine months later reeling from the revelation that Sara had a new man in her life, he questioned the decision, or rather, he questioned whether he had ever really made one. For if he made a decision, why was it so disappointing that she was moving on without him?