Chapter 3

"The DNA from Olivia matches the DNA found around Samantha's head," Mia told Nick.

"Thanks," Nick replied, walking out of the room.

This makes no sense. How could Olivia's blood get around Samantha's head? Why was Olivia in another room? Nick thought to himself.

Greg sat on his couch, starring mindlessly at the TV with an angry glare upon his face. He still couldn't get over how cold-hearted Matilda had been.

((Flashback))

"Is that your application for that dance school you were telling me about?" Greg asked.

Matilda nodded.

"Yup, if I get accepted and do really well, I'll be able to start my own dance academy. Isn't that awesome?" she asked.

"Yeah," Greg replied, "so, do you want to catch a movie?"

Matilda bit her lip. "I've got a dance recital in just two weeks and I really need to practice... mind if I take a rain-check on this one?"

Greg nodded, it wasn't the first time she'd turned down an offer because of her dancing. It was almost like dance was her boyfriend, and not him.

"I've got to go practice!" Matilda said before walking off.

((End of Flashback))

"She never did make a rain-check... she dumped me a week later..." Greg thought out loud, "she's never cared about anything other than dancing. I guess even the death of her best friend isn't important enough to be bothered with."

He hated that it made him so angry, but he just couldn't let it go.

He decided that to get his mind off of things, he would hang out at the lab. It wasn't like he had anything better to do. But deep down inside, he knew that the real reason he wanted to go to the lab was to get an update on the case from Nick.

And sure enough... Nick had an update for him.

"Greg... I was going to tell you when I first found out... but, I wasn't sure... and..." Nick trailed off.

"Just tell me... if it's about my cousin... just tell me!" Greg began to raise his voice with impatience.

Nick knew that this was going to be very hard. It wasn't everyday that you had to tell your friend his cousin died because she killed herself.

When Greg heard the news he fell backwards onto the chair behind him. He closed his eyes and refused to believe what he was hearing.

"You're lying Nick... I know you're lying to me..." he said in a flat voice.

"No, I'm sorry Greg... but I'm not lying. She has the marks on her wrist... and since there was no sign of a struggle, she either did it herself or had someone do it for her..." Nick tried to explain.

Greg didn't speak. He knew that Nick was telling the truth, but he didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that his own cousin would take her own life.

Nick wanted to console his friend, but he wasn't quite sure how. These type of things never happened to Greg, and it was unusual to see him upset like this. Nick wanted desperately to be able to do something, but he didn't know what.

Greg said nothing as he got up and walked towards the exit, with Nick quickly following him.

"Hey, where are you going?" Nick asked.

"Home, I just want to lie down..." Greg replied, opening the door and walking outside.

Nick offered to give him a drive home, but Greg refused. He just wanted some time to be alone.

Why? Why would she do this? Greg thought as he drove. When did she become so happy that she decided she didn't want to take anymore? Why didn't I make an effort to stay more in touch with her... maybe if I did... maybe this wouldn't have happened.

Before Greg could walk out of the building, Grissom tapped him on the shoulder.

"Wait, before you go, there was something sent here for you," Grissom said to him.

Greg turned around to see what Grissom had for him, there was a small white envelop in his hand. Grissom extended his arm and passed the envelope to Greg.

"Thank you," Greg replied before stepping outside.

He took a look at the return address and saw that it was from an Andréanne Thibeault.

"Who the heck is that?" he wondered as he got into his car and drove off.

He didn't bother to open it until he returned home, but once his eyes began to scan across the page to read the words written, he'd wished he'd read it sooner.

Greg,

I would have used my name on the envelope... but if I did then it would have probably been used as evidence, and I'd rather you be the first one to read this. I never meant to hurt you... I hope you can forgive me.

Olivia.

A single tear made it's way from Greg's eye onto the paper, before he allowed the paper to slip from his hands and fall onto the floor. He'd seen tons of suicide cases while working at the Crime Lab, and he never fully understood how painful it was for the people left behind. People dying from suicides had always seemed like numbers on a page, nothing but statistics. But not anymore... not he truly felt the pain that came along with it for those who knew the deceased.

Somehow, the note left him feeling empty. Not once did she mention why she did it.

----------------

"Listen Greggo, I'm a little busy right now... can this wait?" Nick told him.

"No," Greg said persistently, "I have something that you should see for the case. That letter that Grissom gave me... it was a note from Olivia."

Nick gratefully took the letter from Greg, making sure he let him know that he would return it to him. Once Greg left, Nick read over the letter... but something didn't add up.

Hmmm, this just doesn't seem right. Something about this letter seems too peculiar... Nick thought.

Because of his suspicions, Nick retrieved a sample of Olivia's handwritten to compare it with the note that was left to Greg. After what seemed like hours of comparing, it was concluded that Olivia had written the note... but not the address written on the envelope.

"This case just get more and more confusing... why would she write the note... but not the address on the envelope?" Nick asked out loud, "Maybe whoever's address this is... is the one who wrote it on the envelope..."

Nick learned that the person living at that address was Matilda Bolton, and she wasn't very pleased when a few police officers along with Nick showed up at her door.

"What on earth do you want from me? I've got a bloody competition to arrange and plan for!" Matilda said in an angry tone.

"I'm sorry to bother you Miss. Bolton, but we received a letter from someone in one of our active cases, and your address was on the envelope... by any chance is there an Andréanne Thibeault living here?" Nick asked.

Matilda shook her head.

"No. That's the name I use when I don't feel like using my own. But if you are talking about the letter Olivia Frank gave me... told me not to open... and give to Greg Sanders... then I'll save you the trouble and explain it. Olivia showed up at my door, and handed me the letter, in the sealed envelope. She told me not to open it, and I respected that and didn't. She told me to give the letter to Greg you see I used to date him... so she must have assumed I still kept in contact with. But at the time I didn't even know where he was, I hadn't spoken to him in a years, so I didn't do anything with the letter. Then Greg pays me a little visit to let me know what happened to Olivia... you see we used to be best friends... Olivia and I that is. So I do a little research and find out that Greg works for the Las Vegas Crime Lab... so I sent the letter to him," Matilda explained.

"You're telling me you were told not to open the letter... and you didn't have even the slightest bit of curiosity. You're telling me you didn't have the slight urge to read it?" Nick questioned.

"No I didn't. You heard what I said. Now... I know my rights, I don't have to answer anymore questions unless you've got actual documents telling me I have to. So if you'll excuse me... I believe I mentioned I have a competition to prepare for. Good bye."

She closed the door right on Nick's face.

"Wow. She's got an attitude... I can't believe Greggo would date someone like her... she probably had something to do with all of this..." Nick muttered. Something just wasn't adding up.