Appreciation by SLynn
Summary: An art heist, an arsonist and a lot of angst. Takes place approximately four months after the end of 'Precious Things' This is the fifth in a series. Greg/Sara and Nick/OC
Spoilers: Up to 'Nesting Dolls'
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing and will return them all when I'm done, virtually untouched.
Chapter 4: Compromised
Sara found it increasingly difficult to focus on her job.
She'd gone on with Grissom and Dr. Stewart documenting any changes found in the gallery and then eventually moving back up to the offices. They stopped by the video room first and found Kenny back on the job. He'd already copied the tapes and had the originals waiting for them, guessing that's what they'd need. Sara took them into evidence.
"I want to thank you both for your help," Dr. Stewart said, sitting down behind her desk.
"We'll need a way to get in touch with you if we have any more questions," Grissom said.
"Certainly," she said taking out a business card for each of them, "this has my office and cell phone, I always have that with me. Please don't hesitate to call."
Sara took the card and looked at it, everything falling into place.
"Erika," she said just under her breath, a tight smile on her face.
Dr. Stewart looked up expecting a question.
"Sorry," Sara said trying to play it off, "I didn't catch your name before."
Sara momentarily locked eyes with her. Sara saw it there, the flicker of understanding. She knew that Sara knew exactly who she was. She knew that Sara knew exactly how well she knew Greg.
"I just changed it actually," she said smoothly, "I was a Rosenbaum until my divorce last year."
"Is that so," Sara said still trying to fake ease.
Grissom looked first at Sara and then at Dr. Stewart uncertain exactly what was going on here but almost positive it had something to do with their run-in with Greg downstairs.
"Yes," she returned almost brightly, still smiling. "It's one of the reasons I moved here from San Francisco. Well, besides the job offer."
Now Grissom was certain and knew he needed to act.
"Thank you again Dr. Stewart…"
"No," she interrupted turning from Sara, "please call me Erika."
"Well thank you again Erika," he began again, "but we really need to get to work. Someone from the lab will be in contact with you."
"And if I should need to contact you?"
Grissom took out his own card and passed it to her with a small smile.
"Thank you both again," she said as they left, shutting the door behind them.
Sara practically raced down the hall. Grissom, unsure if he should ask or not, followed behind her.
She didn't even notice his turmoil; she was too wrapped up in her own.
Sara wanted to either go back in there and slap that woman or go back down to the gallery and slap Greg.
She'd never run into one of Greg's old girlfriends before and she honestly didn't know how to act or what to feel. Okay, there was Gretchen but that didn't really count. Gretchen and Greg didn't have a relationship. Gretchen and Greg didn't spend three years together. Greg hadn't wanted to marry Gretchen. But he'd had that with Erika.
This was much more threatening, more aggravating. If she and Greg had still been together she might not have felt that way but now she did.
"Sara," Grissom's voice called her out of her reverie.
She looked at him questioningly.
"We're this way," he said indicating the left passageway instead of the right she'd begun to take.
"I was going to take these tapes to Archie."
"I think we need to finish the gallery first."
"But if we see the perp on these tapes we'll know where we need to look for evidence."
Grissom nodded and she was on her way. Sometimes it was easier not to fight Sara and he had a feeling she knew better then he did where she needed to be.
Who she needed to be away from.
It was well past the start of their normal shift when they returned to the lab. Grissom wanted them all in the main conference room for a review. Catherine had ended up being the last at the scene, so by default she had to make the dinner run.
It wasn't long before the six of them sat down around the table for discussion.
"What do we know?" Grissom asked.
"According to the inventories," Sara answered, "the only painting removed from the gallery was the 'Adonis in Blue' by Stephanie Winger a local artist."
"Has she been notified?" Catherine asked.
"Brass called her," Nick provided with a nod. "She, um, didn't take it well."
"Did we get any prints?"
Warrick and Greg both chuckled under their breath.
"Did we get any prints?" Greg echoed, "We probably have half of Vegas waiting in there for Jacqui to run."
"Well," Sara added, "it looks like on the tapes our guy came in and out the southeast entrance."
"That will definitely narrow it down," Warrick said with a nod.
"Okay," Grissom said moving them along, "do we know how the alarm was tripped?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"I can keep watching the tapes," Sara suggested.
"No," Grissom said, "I want you and Nick to focus on that arsonist case. I'm putting Warrick and Greg on the heist; Catherine and I are going to work the bomb."
Sara let out a sigh and looked down slightly shaking her head.
"Are you sure that's the best arrangement?" she asked Grissom directly and Greg felt himself tense up.
"I think its fine," he said evenly giving every indication that he was not going to change his mind.
Sara didn't say anymore but Greg knew exactly what she'd meant. Everyone there, except Catherine, knew exactly what she'd meant.
Finished with dinner everyone cleaned up and was ready to get back to work.
"We need to talk," Greg said to Sara as soon as he got the chance to do so relatively alone.
"I've got work to do," she said back to him firmly shaking her head and starting to move away.
"No," Greg said stepping in front of her, clearly determined. "We need to talk now."
Sara looked up at him for a moment before stepping around him and out the door. He followed behind her not surprised to see she was heading to the roof. Once there she crossed her arms and turned around to face him.
"Okay talk," she said flatly.
"Why are you trying to get me thrown off this case?"
"Because you shouldn't be on it. You're compromised."
"Oh come on," Greg said as he shook his head and looked away from her, "Just because I know someone from the scene…"
"Know?" Sara cut in sharply. "Know? Is that what you call it? Do you tell people you 'knew' me?"
"Sara…"
"No, you had a relationship with that woman. Think about that. Greg, if this goes to trial the defense team is going to dig into that. They'll find out."
Greg pursed his lips together.
"I'm not trying…" Sara started and then moved away from him shaking her head now as he'd done before. "Greg I'm not trying to be difficult or cause problems. I'm really not. I'm trying to help you."
Greg nodded and took in her words.
"You are asking for trouble if you stay on this case."
"Grissom knows…"
"He doesn't know," Sara cut him off once more, growing angry at his persistence. "He may suspect some level of involvement Greg, but he doesn't know you had an affair with her."
"So what? Are you saying I should go down there and give him the details?"
"No, I'm saying you should take yourself off of the case."
Greg knew she had a point. A very good one. If Mitch Anderson had dug up the fact that he'd had some type of relationship with Erika, even if she didn't tell him anything, a defense team trying to get someone out of jail wouldn't stop until they knew it all.
And it wasn't like their involvement had been a one-time thing. Greg had stayed with Erika for three years. Had stayed with her even after he found out she was married. A defense team could easily argue that Greg, willing to please her, had manufactured evidence to point to their client. It wouldn't be true but all they'd need is one juror to buy it.
Greg was silent a long time before coming to a decision.
"I'll ask Grissom to remove me."
Sara nodded and continued to watch his movements, to watch him. She wanted him to know that she really was just trying to look out for him. That she didn't want to see him hurt.
"Sara," he finally said, "Next time just come to me. Don't do that in front of everyone. I'm not…I know you're not just…"
Greg turned away shaking his head. Not sure what he meant to say.
"I'm sorry I did that. I didn't think you'd listen, that you'd just think…"
"Think what?" he asked when she didn't finish.
"That you'd just think I was jealous," she said with a near sigh.
Greg just stared at her, an odd light in his eyes.
"I'm not," she said determinedly.
"I didn't say you were."
"Okay then," she said moving away.
Greg walked just behind her, taking hold of the door before she could and keeping it shut.
"There'd be no reason," he said, momentarily stopping her process, "To be jealous that is. I'm not interested in her."
Sara said nothing, just looked back into his eyes and gave him a weak smile. That should have made her feel better but it just made her wonder whom he was interested in.
"It's not my business Greg," she said evenly.
He returned her smile but just barely as he opened the door, letting her leave first. Greg kept his head down as he followed behind her and again he tried to teach himself indifference. Sara obviously didn't care, he thought for a moment there…but he'd been wrong.
She was worried about the case, not him.