Chapter 8

Nick led Warrick and Greg through the hotel up to Sam Braun's private suite. Warrick was frowning heavily, but he refrained from commenting. Greg was not as controlled. "What are we doing here? Is Jessica here? Why?"

"Catherine arranged it." answered as the elevator stopped on the top floor. Three large men were standing there to meet them. "Sam can protect Jessica better than we can at the moment."

"You are not allowed up here." The largest of the three men stepped forward. "No one is permitted up here."

"We're CSI's" Nick flashed his identification. "It's our people in there."

"I don't care if you're Elvis, come back to life. You are not allowed up here. Leave now, before we have to hurt you."

"It's my daughter in there." Warrick growled menacingly. Although the men had him in, he wasn't about to let them intimidate him. "I just want to see that she's okay."

"Ask Grams, she'll okay us." Greg added. The man turned his attention on him, clearly knowing who he was talking about."

"Call Braun. Have him clear us. We just want to talk to the little girl, see that she's doing okay, and then we'll be on our way." Spotting a surveillance camera he went over and pecked on the lens. "Braun! Have your Goons let us in! Braun!"

One of the 'goons' but his hand to the earpiece he wore, then whispered to the head goon. "Mr. Braun says that Warrick can enter, but no one else."

Warrick frowned at this, but stepped forward. He glanced back at the other two and shrugged. "I won't be long."

"We'll wait downstairs for you." Nick agreed reluctantly. Greg passed a dirty look at the three guards before following Nick back into the elevator.

"Baby?" Grams looked up as Warrick entered the suite.

"Daddy!" Jessica charged over to him, knocking over the board game she and Lindsey had been playing. She jumped into his arms and Warrick easily caught her to him in a hug. He closed his eyes, soaking up the sweet smell of his daughter. "I've missed you Daddy? You here to take me home?"

"I'm sorry sweetie, but I'm just here to see you. I've missed you!" Warrick couldn't stop hugging her.

"Is Mommy still sick?"

"Yeah, but she's getting better." Warrick answered, feeling a huge lump in his throat.

"Is that bad man gonna huwt Mommy again?" Jessica asked. Lindsey and Grams looked at him, interested in the answer to that.

"No. Uncle Jim has him in his jail. They got him, all because of you sweetie. You're a hero." Warrick planted a kiss on her nose. "I'm very proud of you."

"You not mad at me? Cuz I bited him?" Jessica questioned, looking up at him apprehensively. "Biting is bad."

"I'm not mad at you for biting the bad man. You saved Mommy. You're the reason we got him in jail." Warrick explained, moving her to his hip, he approached his grandmother. "You doing okay here, Grams?"

"I'd rather be home, but I know you want the girls to be safe." Grams answered.

"They treating you right? Anyone bothering you?" Warrick questioned. Grams looked over at Lindsey for a moment and frowned.

"That man comes in every once in a while." She grimaced. "Stares at the girls. He's like a snake. A rattler. I keep thinking he's making a plan on when to strike at us."

"I'm sorry Grams." Warrick looked at her with concern. "If there was any other place……"

"Don't you be worrying about us girls. We're making a party of it." Grams shushed him. "You just get my Gemma-girl all better and you get the ones that are behind all this."

"We're trying, Grams. The best we can." Warrick gave his daughter another kiss, kissed his grandmother and Lindsey on their cheeks and headed to he door. At the door he paused. "If you have any trouble, you call me." He patted the cell phone he carried in his pocket. "For anything."

The CSI nightshift team, minus Warrick, gathered around the table. "Carrey is still not cooperating with us. We've secured his phone records, but he's managed to avoid leaving any sort of trail." Grissom began. "We are at a standstill again."

"What about Nick's girl, the medium?" Sara questioned, earning herself a death glare from Nick. Grissom frowned but had no comment.

"She's been right about everything so far. She knew Gemma was going to be hurt, and that she was going to lose the baby." Greg added with a sad sigh.

"She warned me that Warrick was going to lose it in the interview." Sara nodded. "If we hadn't have been warned, We would have lost Carrey."

"Nick? What do you think?" Grissom looked at the red-faced CSI.

"She has been right." Nick muttered. "She says she's seen the place the girls are in her visions. If it's our only……witness…..I don't suppose it'd hurt to give it a shot."

Greg snickered but said nothing. Sara and Catherine exchanged a womanly smile.

"Okay, Nick, Sara I want you to on the Malone woman's…..theories." Grissom decided. "Greg, I want you to chase down every number that Carrey called in the last year."

"and me?" Catherine questioned.

"They're releasing Gemma from the hospital. I need

you to arrange it for her to stay at Braun's with Jessica. The

guys had trouble gaining entrance earlier, so perhaps you could smooth things over."

"And you?" Catherine didn't look happy about it, but she didn't argue about it. "What are you going to do?"

"Jim and I are going to continue to work on our Perp, hopefully he will tell us something useful."

"Do you even think these girls are even alive. They've been missing for…..seventy-three hours?" Greg asked.

"We keep hoping they are until we find out otherwise." Grissom sighed. "No matter how much time passes, we act like they are."

"So, where do we find your girlfriend?" Sara questioned as they headed out to the parking lot. Nick gave her another glare that looked really evil. Sara was impressed.

"Lucy Malone is a Pediatric nurse. She's at work right now." Nick explained as they climbed into the rig.

"I don't suppose she'll be too happy about us storming in on her at work." Sara looked regretful.

"I'm not too concerned with her feelings. Twice now, she's shown up at my home. She's got me in trouble here at work. Times about fair play!" Nick looked rather pleased with the idea as he started up the rig.

Sara shook her head in disbelief. "You guys are all acting weird. Warrick has become Mr. Emotional. You're Mr. Pissed-off. It's a strange day when Greg is the normal guy."

"You can't really blame Warrick." Nick defended his friend. "He's a family man now."

"Yeah, but he was ready to kill that man in the interview room!" Sara reminded him. "I saw the murder in his face."

"Do you blame him? Think about how happy he was about that baby, and then that scumbag ends it for him. Nearly takes Gemma while he was at it."

"I know, but it's so unlike Warrick." Sara gave him a gap-toothed smile. "What is your excuse?"

"That woman…..gets my goat……drives me nuts!"

"She's very beautiful." Sara commented, trying to sound innocent.

"Yeah, she is. But, she's more irritating than beautiful. Pushy, loud, constantly in my face. Had the nerve to call me selfish. She brought up my experience in the box."

"How'd she know about that?" Sara demanded to know. "Who told her?"

"One of her so called dead friends is what she claimed." Nick looked sick to his stomach, and actually felt that way too. "Not exactly something I want anyone talking about…..dead or alive."

"You made it through it Nick. That's all that matters. Everyone is proud of how well you handled it." Sara told him. It was rare that Sara had something to say that wasn't negative, so Nick stored the complement in his heart and gave her his best smile.

"Thanks Sara."

"Don't let it go to your head Stokes." Sara gave him a playful glare as he put the vehicle into park in front of the medical clinic.

Nick got out reluctantly, not knowing if he really wanted to have another dealing with Lucy Malone.