DISTRACTED PROGRESS

At around eleven o'clock, Sara Sidle and Warrick Brown pulled into the parking lot at the Dwarves Hotel. Several shady looking people stood casually conversing out front while smoking cigarettes and cigars. As the CSI's got out of their cars, the people paid them no notice and carried on in their near incapacitated states. The hotel was small and bright and seemingly in dire need of renovations. Inside, the floor tiles were chipped, the walls yellow with grime, and the air thick with uncleanliness.

"Charming place," Sara commented on their way in.

Warrick hummed a sound of agreement. "Reminds me of that date rape case we did a few months ago. Hopefully this manager has his pants on."

They approached the front desk and asked a young, blonde-haired man to get the manager of the hotel. As they waited, Warrick held out a photo of Ava Laerton out to him.

"Have you seen this woman in here before?" he asked sternly, his green eyes watching the man's expression intensely.

The clerk studied the photo and confirmed that he had seen her several times in the past week. "She was here with a man," he said meekly. "They were always hanging off one another, disturbing other hotel visitors and such. Nearly had to have 'em kicked out."

"Was this him?" Sara asked, holding up a photograph of Bruce Romero.

He nodded. "That's the guy."

A man appeared suddenly behind the clerk, his brow furrowed with ennuis. "How can I help you people?" he asked, clearly wishing to avoid any delay.

"We're going to need your room records for Ava Laerton," Sara said to him.

"You need what?" he asked incredulously. "You can't have that. That information's confidential. We have a customer policy."

Warrick raised his eyebrows in annoyance. "You can give them to us now, or we'll come back later with a warrant. Either way we'll get them."

"All right," the manager agreed reluctantly. He leaned in close to them, his greasy skin shining under the florescent lighting. "But this doesn't get out. Business is hard enough as it is out here without you people causing a raucous."

The CSI's exchanged glances. "We'll be out of here soon enough if you cooperate," Sara said. The manager muttered something and turned to log onto the hotel's computer database.

It's only a matter of time, Sara thought.

This place is gross, thought Warrick.

After a short period of time, Warrick and Sara were out in the parking lot with their required documents. The nighttime air was thick and humid and Sara wished she could be back at the lab doing the interrogation. Or maybe hovering in Grissom's doorway waiting for him to look up at her in his usual startled way.

"What are you thinkin' about, Sara?" Warrick asked as they strided towards their car. He had noticed her distant expression and her sad, brown eyes.

"Things," Sara replied with a sigh. "This case has me in knots. We have our who now, but still no how or why.And I think it's really getting to Catherine. She's been different lately. I'm worried."

"I've been worried about her too," Warrick said with a heavy heart.

Sara eyed him as they walked on. He'd noticed it too so at least she wasn't alone with her concern. "I don't think it's the just the case though," she reasoned. "Catherine isn't like that. She seems… I dunno."

Warrick continued staring straight ahead. "We all have our days. She'll work through whatever it is that's bothering her. Right now, we're walking the paths of the dead."

He put his arm around her in a friendly way, but other things weighed on her mind too much for her to even feel the friendly touch. It was a feeling she'd long forgotten; one that she he had no doubt lost her ability feel.

They got into the car, the hotel lights flashing behind them as they drove out onto the road and sped off into the night.