Chapter Seven

The Roles Which Deceive

CSI Lab Miami

Later that night.

"Coleman, did you get a list of all the people who received invitations for the party?" Grissom inquired to the young CSI who he was not familiar with. Coleman was a new member of the night shift who was specifically assigned to aid Grissom and Sara in their investigation. He knew the two CSI's only by their reputation and through two seminars he attended last year.

"Yes, Dr. Grissom, I got the list off of Mrs. Nouvelle. She seemed quite determined to help out with the investigation. I will leave you two to work; just page me if you need anything. I'm working on a homicide at a pizza parlor, apparently the victim was shot cause the pizza he made had no extra cheese. He got the order wrong and I guess he paid for it." Coleman walked out of the room holding several case files, leaving Grissom and Sara some peace and quiet to sift through the evidence.

"So here's the list, we just have to compare this to all of the presents people brought in order to determine who did not bring a gift." Grissom and Sara began to sift through the presents which were now labeled evidence. After a couple of minutes of searching, Sara began to breech their topic of conversation which was never completely resolved.

"You know Grissom you never gave me an answer…" Sara held her breath waiting for Grissom's response.

"Sara…You know I don't think of you as a whore…" Grissom avoided her gaze by continuing to sort through the evidence; a practice which gave him a hint of comfort and security while discussing a subject he'd rather forget about.

"Well it certainly seems that way…"

"Yeah well, after your little charade you acted out in the living room many may perceive you to be one as we are supposed to be happily married."

"Who says it was all for show? You think I did those things to make you jealous or because I was drunk? I did them because if I can't get intimacy from you, I'm going to get it elsewhere." Sara's retort left Grissom feel even more emotionally drained.

"Yes well, you can go off on sexual escapades after this operation, not now…" Grissom returned back to the evidence, never allowing Sara to see how hurt he truly was.

"Yes that's right… Everything we do in public is all for show…I just can't help but wonder about what had happened behind closed doors…" Sara mirrored Grissom's actions by looking through the evidence.

"The windows were open Sara…If we were to act as a married couple I wanted people to believe we were in love. What newly wed doesn't have abnormally loud sex in their first new home?" Grissom stared at Sara lifelessly as she felt her heart sink.

"So it was all for show?" Sara glumly asked.

"Of course… What else would it be?" Grissom didn't even turn around when Sara left the room to try to gather her emotions.

"That bastard made me believe it was real only for me to find out it was all for the case. Typical Grissom, I should have known he would break my heart in the end." After allowing for a steady stream of tears to escape from her tear ducts she made herself promise to forget about Grissom. She had to forget about their intimacy, if not for herself but for the case. She needed a clear head to find the killer; she just could hope she could hold off until then.

"When I get back to Vegas I'm putting in for a transfer in shifts…I'm sure Warrick won't mind working under Grissom's wing once more… After all, he is Grissom's favorite CSI…" Sara entered the room once more to see Grissom in high spirits, already forgetting about what had just transpired.

"Alright I looked through all of the presents and every single guest brought something…" Grissom's glint in his eye only added to Sara's anger. She kept her feelings in check and decided to try to remain professional for the integrity of the case.

"So why are you so happy then…?"

"At a party who never usually brings a gift?"

"Umm the person or individuals being celebrated… Or the host…"

"Correct. Mrs. Nouvelle did not bring a gift as her gift to us was the party. A simple fact that we let slip our minds." Grissom smiled as he wrote down several notes in their case file.

"Hate to break up your happiness Grissom, but just because she didn't bring a gift doesn't mean she did it….Although…" Sara's memories rose up out of her mind in a flashback.

"Umm, do you mind if I ask where you bought your sandals, I would just love to pick up a pair."

"I actually don't remember, I bought them last spring…"

"Sandals…And seeds…" Sara stated as she searched for the photos she had taken earlier on in the day.

"Excuse me?" Grissom asked. Sara proudly held up three photographs, two of Mrs. Nouvelle's shoes and one of a seed that was on her stockings.

"When you were off doing whatever when I was left home alone…Mrs. Nouvelle just walked into the house to tell me about the party. She had seed pods from dandelions in her hair and on her stockings, along with a stain on her scandal that looked like blood. Of course since we're undercover I couldn't swab it. Therefore, I took a photo of it, just in case."

"The body was found in the Nouvelle's backyard in dandelion weeds…" Grissom stated while looking at the photos Sara took.

"You think that Mrs. Nouvelle hung the victim and had a party to cover up the murder?"

"Possibly, but why hang the victim in her own backyard? Why not leave the victim in her home, it would not tie her to the murder…" Grissom was in deep thought once more as he received an urgent page from Culpepper.

"I can take a guess as to who that is…" Sara exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, I'm late for an autopsy so he'll have to wait…" Before Grissom could leave Sara called out to him.

"Grissom…Could we talk more tonight…I just…Need to clarify some things about our relationship." Sara tried to give Grissom a smile, but it quickly faded as she saw Grissom's expression change to that of a narrow frown.

"Sara, I thought you knew what our boundaries were…I warned you at the start of the case that everything we did would be for show…I suppose a short conversation would suffice. But I want to focus on the case…Understand?" Grissom left Sara to contemplate on what her plan was for the evening.

"There has to be a way of showing you that this wasn't a mistake..."