Disclaimer: I do not own anything relating to CSI or it's affiliates. I am merely a fan whose would like to take already established characters into a story of my own rendering.

Burn

Chapter 3

The car drive was a silent one as both CSIs were thinking of one thing as they made their way to the new crime scene: the first murder. Was it possible that this body and the other were related? They, of course, wouldn't know the answer until they got to the crime scene. The thought of having a serial killer on the loose was not a pleasant one. To Grissom, it would mean media, more overtime, and pressure to solve the case quickly. Find a suspect, link him, arrest him, convict him. That's all anyone would care about. He hated being rushed. Especially when it meant that other lives could be lost because of his hasten investigation.

For Sara, she thought only of the pain the first woman must have gone through as she was slowly tortured and killed. She thought of the fear that she must have had. The pain. Now there was a second body with possibly the same cause of death who would have gone through the same pains and fears. Who could do such a thing to another human being?

It was so barbaric thinking of all the ways she'd seen death played out. Strangle, beat, stab, shoot, crush, poison, drown. The list goes on and on. Sara knew she hadn't seen it all, but she'd seen enough to understand that death is just that: death, by natural means or not, you still ended up with a dead body to process. After a while, you would think that you just went numb. Sara thought. You don't. Not really. After all, as long as you're human, you'll always be emotional. Our mortal flaw.

Sara's thoughts led her to a frighting conclusion: were killers, especially killers who became serials, human? How can one be human and destroy another human. Not just kill, but destroy. Torture, rape, slowly take the life from them for enjoyment. How can that be human. Was it possible they could be the missing link? Something that divided them from their ancient ancestors? Or was it by chance, circumstance, or their own free will that the humanity was sucked from them, leaving nothing more than a beast capable of horrific crimes. Animal. They weren't normal. Normal people couldn't live with themselves. She'd seen what happens when a normal person commits murder. Their emotions always get the better of them. They confess. Their guilt will remain there for the rest of their lives. But people who kill for pleasure? They have no guilt. Serial killers are what haunt Sara's dreams at night. If this was a serial, she would be sleeping well anytime soon.

Not that she ever did.

As Grissom steered the Tahoe into the home where the crime was reported, Sara's theories about humanity seemed tested. If true humanity shunned murder, then why was there always a large crowd outside of a crime scene? What was it in humanity that caused normal humans to gawk at an inhuman act of violence?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Grissom shutting the driver's door, signifying that he'd gotten out of the vehicle already. Following suite, Sara hopped out of the Tahoe and moved to the back of the SUV where Grissom was already gathering their kits.

Not saying a word, he handed her field kit to her and the two walked up the driveway to meet Brass, whose face said it all. It was the same. "Although I know we can't confirm it until all the evidence is processed, but it looks the same to me." He said as the two walked with him into the house. Brass continued as they headed towards the bedroom where the body was, "Just like the first one. Jane Doe number two.

"We know who Jane Doe number one is." Sara interjected, "Melissa Rogers from Henderson." The sincerity in her voice led both men to conclude that she was taking this case personal. It wasn't the first time.

Instead of a comment that might be met with resistance, Brass merely nodded, "I'll get on the horn, track down family."

"Try finding a Jack Davis of Henderson first," said Grissom as if coming to Sara's support, "He's the boyfriend and the one who reported her missing."

"Will do. But first, a quick recap of this scene. Woman who found her lives alone just like the first witness. House, outside the city, both single women. Claims she doesn't know this victim or victim number one when I showed her a picture. She also doesn't know the other woman who found the first body." He paused to allow his words to sink in, "I'll let you two get to that thing you do so well while I track down info on our first vic." With that, Jim Brass walked towards his car to get started on tracking down all he could on Melissa Rogers.

"It would appear that he's establishing his signature." Grissom said after walking into the bedroom and taking in the scene. One the bed was the victim. Small burn marks all over the body. Nude. Brown hair, long. Just like the first victim, she too looked as if she had died there.

After a long silence that consisted of observing and checking the body, Sara finally spoke. "So he abducts them, breaks into a stranger's house, who happens to belong to a single white female whom he knows is not home at the time, rapes her, then burns her with cigarette burns and forces her to swallow them until she suffocates." She had surmised all this information after looking at the two scenes and knowing that the results of the rape kit were positive. "She also wasn't tied, just like the first vic."

"We'll look at the similarities when we get back to the lab." Grissom said as he opened his kit and went to work as did Sara.

Grissom started photographing the body when he noticed something that wasn't apparent at first. He closed his eyes, "Sara, would you come over here please?"

Sara, who was busy fingerprinting the doorknobs, carefully put her equipment down and went over to the body where Grissom was standing.

He pointed down at the woman, "Does she look familiar to you?"

It took Sara a minute, but she saw it too. She only nodded, which was all Gil needed to walk out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and out the front door, where Brass was still trying to get police to locate the family and friends of Melissa Rogers. "Brass, do you have Jenna Rhimes phone number?"

After an hour of photographing and gathering the evidence, the two CSIs were satisfied enough to head back to the lab.

"The problem is that this means he's already chosen his next victim and the location." Grissom stated on the ride back to the lab. "We just need to find both before he does."

Sara nodded in agreement, "So our problem is that we don't know what the two victims and two witnesses have in common yet, except that the two witnesses were both single white females who live outside the city in houses.

Grissom didn't hear her as she walked out. Something wasn't right about this victim. Something looked familiar besides the MO. "Brass, call Jenna Rhimes."

Brass looked questionably, "Why? You think she knows this girl?"

"Just do it. Quickly."

Brass, never one to questions Grissom twice, pulled out his cell phone and dialed Jenna's cell number. He'd made it a habit of programming witnesses and suspects into his phone until a case was solved. Usually for occasions like this. The phone began to ring.

A phone began to ring in the bedroom where Sara was still looking at the body. She looked around until finally following the sound on the floor. Looking under the bed, she found a cell phone that was ringing with Brass's number lit up on the screen.

While both were walking back in the house, they heard the sound of a cell phone ringing. Brass motioned to hang up, but Grissom held up his hand to keep the phone ringing. The phone continued to ring as they walked into the bedroom were Sara was standing up holding the ringing phone. Brass hung up the phone and Sara went to process the phone for prints when it began to ring again. Looking at Grissom and Brass, they both nodded for her to answer. Sara hit the speaker phone button, "Hello?" she said as she placed the phone on a chair so they could all hear. "Hello beautiful. Too bad you don't live in a house. All is well though, I'll enjoy watching your slender form squirm as you try to find me. Now then, f you've made it this far my dear police, then you know you're just starting.. I applaud you. I won't be easy to find. But don't think you know what I'll do next. I might surprise you." Silence.

The voice had been easygoing and seductive. An easy way to lure women to his prey. Grissom was uncomfortable with the comments about Sara, but it wasn't surprising that he'd been watching them. Many killers return to the scene of the crime, mostly in the crowds outside. They would just have to trace the phone, even though they all knew that more than likely he was on a public phone that wasn't near his residence. He didn't want to be caught yet. He'd only called to let them know he was watching and was playing with them.

Brass and Grissom again looked at the victim. Under the bruising and burn marks on the face, they finally recognized that it was in fact Jenna Rhimes. Brass immediately walked outside to the woman whose house they were in, who had identified herself as Mary Hawthorne. "Mary, do you know a Jenna Rhimes?"

Sara, who had followed Brass so she could talk to the witness, was stunned to hear their first witness's name. The witness, through the tears, said no. "I don't know her. Ids that who's inside my bedroom?"

"Miss Hawthorne, we have reason to believe you life might be in danger. We need to take you to a safe house for a few days. This fine policewoman will escort you. We'll get you some new cloths and other neceissities."

"But why? I don't know this girl."

"Miss Hawthorne, it would be in your best interest to let us help you. You can't stay here anyway until we release the scene. I'll drop by later to see how you're doing." Sara offered. Her words must have been magic because Mary conceded and allowed herself to be escorted away by the police. Brass walked back to his car to finish locating the families of the first victim while Sara went back inside the house to finish processing the evidence there.

Grissom noticed Sara walking back in just as he was packing up. "I think we're done here. David's on his way to bring her to the morgue." He walked over to where she was standing, "We're going to need help. I think that not even Ecklie will deny my request."