Laws of Motion – Book 1
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
Chapter 6
August 29, 2005
Crime Lab
Jim Brass's Office
2:51 p.m.
When Gil called in and said he and Sara would be getting some much needed sleep and that he would be in later that night, Jim Brass took the opportunity to meet with Warrick and Sofia to review the potentially correlated Park Attack case objectively. "Okay…I've gathered you fine people here this afternoon to educate me on Glen Montana."
Warrick nodded at Sofia, giving her the lead.
Moving to the whiteboard she grabbed a black marker. "I'll draw the time line." After uncapping the marker she wrote, 7 p.m. "The time of the fight between Montana and his baby-mommy girlfriend, Jessica Hanson. Hanson says Montana knocked her around a bit then forced some hardcore sex…which apparently is a pretty typical love-making pattern for them." She rolled her eyes while writing, 7:40 p.m. "Having released enough testosterone for the moment, Montana takes his girlfriend's welfare money and leaves to score some crank after yelling 'you better get your ass back on the street and earn some cash, Ho!'." Sofia glanced over at Warrick and Brass. "Isn't it amazing that this chick had a loaded gun at her disposal but at no time did she blow this bastard's head off? Some people really have a remarkably high tolerance level, don't you think?"
Leaning back in his chair Jim sighed, "All kidding about my personal life aside…she obviously has a very submissive personality combined with a severe self-esteem problem and no ability to see beyond the trailer park walls. Some women can last a decade before hauling off." His thoughts momentarily turned to Sara's parents' story. "Others never do. It's a mental illness on both sides."
"Yeah…" Warrick shook his head. "But only one of 'em suffers mentally and physically. I am amazed that she didn't kill him at some point because Ms. Hanson has anger management issues of her own. She went off at the scene threatening Cath. I filed a report, Jim. That cop in charge needs disciplinary action for leaving the tape."
"Don't worry, I'll follow up." Jim pointed to the board, "Keep going, Ms. Curtis."
8:15 p.m. "We have an eyewitness, a regular informant, placing Montana walking up to a house and exchanging cash for crank. Vega and his boys are on that. Montana hung around for approximately a half hour talking smack." 9:00 p.m. "It's Ms. Hanson's lucky night because her sweetheart boyfriend returns with the crank in his system and he wants a little more action. This time she only has to get on her knees and he's out the door in five minutes" 9:30 p.m. "He's in Conley Park mugging Mr. Nunez, who unfortunately fought back when Montana walked away and he ended up dead. We have a positive ID from that vagrant, Jonesy, that Vartann brought in as well as a blow by blow of events."
Tapping a pencil Jim said, "Montana's rap sheet contained assault with a deadly weapon but no murder charges."
"The joint made him harder," Warrick surmised. "He went in a rapist and came out a murderer."
10:30 p.m. "Don't be such a cynic, Warrick. The system doesn't work for everyone but it works for some."
"Yeah…" he nodded. "I'm sure it's doing wonders for Mike Rodgers."
"Back to the timeline." Sofia pointed to the time she just jotted. "An eyewitness puts him at Sonny's on Stevenson from ten thirty until eleven twenty."
Warrick interjected, "That place is down the street from the park where Nick was playing ball. It's your typical locals bar and strip joint."
Sofia continued, "In Nick's statement he says he left home to play ball at eight-thirty. At that time Montana was busy getting high and chatting with nefarious friends so he couldn't have followed Nick. In Carrie's statement it says she left their apartment at eleven, driving. Montana is accounted for at Sonny's and couldn't have followed her."
Jim caught Warrick's eye. "How often does Nick play at Stevenson? Could Montana have gone there hoping to find him knowing the lights go out at eleven thirty?"
"Nicky and I played pick up games together there some mornings when we both worked nights. Before Carrie moved here he played without me at night but that ended quick once she moved to town. Without any other connection…"
"Okay." Sofia stuffed her hands on her hips and sighed, "To coin Jim's phrase…all kidding about my personal life aside…and in the interest of the case, I'll say that I've witnessed Nick at Sonny's on multiple occasions in the past."
Jim raised a brow for two reasons…first that at one time Sofia liked to accompany Nick to a semi-sleazy strip joint and secondly for the reason he said out loud. "So, in the same night, Montana ends up in two places that Nick frequented. That makes me curious."
"Yeah but…" Warrick countered, "I'm guessin' Nick hasn't been to Sonny's since Carrie moved to town…I'd even goes as far as sayin' that he hasn't been there since the Mike Rodgers thing blew a year ago." He looked at Sofia for her opinion.
"I can't place him there since July 2003," she replied before laughing. "For the record…I haven't been back since either." She shrugged. "Sonny's was a very short-lived phase and wouldn't you gentlemen love to know the details."
Jim couldn't hold back. "July 2003, huh? So, that's when the fireworks stopped. Sorry…sorry." He held up his hands. "I'll make sure Heather punishes me for that." He chuckled. "See…I made fun of myself and that somehow makes it okay, right?"
"If you say so, Jim." Sofia returned to the board. 11:40 p.m. "Montana surprises Nick and Carrie in the park."
"What the hell were they doing in that park in the dark?" Jim blurted. "And I mean that in all seriousness. I can't believe Nick would put Carrie in that type of vulnerable position when he knows the crime rate there."
Sofia capped her marker. "I know Carrie likes that neighborhood for its convenience to the courthouse but, they really need to move if they plan on enjoying neighborhood amenities at night."
Warrick glanced at the casefile. "Carrie's statement says that she went there to surprise Nick and they were about to go out for a drink when they were jumped by Montana."
Jim took the statement from Warrick's hand. "All kidding about Nick and Carrie's personal life aside…I think that's bullshit. At the party she was going on about how behind she'd be at work because of her unplanned vacation. She specifically said she'd be up all night working so drinking doesn't jive. And how good does it look that Nick's going out drinking while trying to get his head together?"
Sofia countered, "Maybe the cop wrote drink but Carrie meant coffee. It wouldn't be the first time something's been written incorrectly by a cop."
"Why does it matter anyway?" Warrick asked. "They were at the park, they weren't doing anything illegal, they were just talking."
Jim defended the question. "I'm just playing devil's advocate because you know the Sheriff will be reviewing this one since Nick killed the guy while he was out on mandated vacation only a week after he went nutso on the Brittany Thomas crime scene."
Warrick leaned back in his chair and said, "Playing ball is an excellent way to release stress…I'd tell the Sheriff that Nicky was following orders to decompress and it's not his fault the County doesn't pay him enough to buy a house in a better neighborhood. Then I'd say his girl was meeting him because she's a romantic and likes to surprise him and with her future mother-in-law in town she wanted a little time alone with her man." Next he turned to Sofia. "I know you didn't have a chance to review the statements with them when they were here so…when Carrie does review it, I'd point out that the officer wrote 'drink' and ask her if she meant a cocktail or coffee."
Jim flashed a proud papa smile. "Very nice, Mr. Brown…I know you didn't learn that lovely political two-step from Grissom. I think I'll have you meet with the Sheriff because lately I can't stop myself from being a wise ass around him and I think he's tiring of my wit."
"It would be my pleasure."
Jim held up Sofia's report. "Justifiable homicide…self defense. Any qualms?"
"Nope." Sofia flicked her hair off her shoulder. "The evidence shows they were robbed at gunpoint. Montana had GSR on his hand from discharging his weapon at Nick. Nick witnessed Montana kidnapping Carrie and threatening rape. Carrie witnessed Nick fighting for the weapon and gaining control. In her statement she says Montana's hands went up but seconds later he lunged again…with the drugs in his system, which are detailed in the Tox Report, I'm sure he was an animal and wasn't going to quit. As a two-time loser he'd be facing his third strike and consequently be sent up for life. It was a fight to the death…thankfully Montana lost. Montana's previous convictions show he has a preference for jumping people in parks late at night. Sonny's is on the way from Conley to Stevenson. When Nick frequented Sonny's, Montana was incarcerated. In conclusion, I see no evidence of this being anything but a random act of violence because there was nothing in the apartment linking Montana to Nick or Carrie and the only thing they had in common was geography."
Jim tossed the file back on his desk. "That's an A plus for you too, Curtis. When the time comes, you go with Warrick to see the Sheriff." Cracking a grin he said, "But leave out the part about Sonny's."
Warrick laughed, "Since I'm not your boss anymore, Sofia, can I give you crap about that and we'll chock it up to bonding?"
Returning the laugh she replied, "I imagine bonding is really more of Jim and Heather's thing."
Jim shooed them away. "Be gone…I'm an important man."
Walking out of the office together Sofia informed her curious co-worker, "Nick, on the other hand, is very anti-bonding and that's all you're gonna get, Brown unless you dish me something good about Catherine."
"No way…you'll throw it back in her face."
"Yep." She swaggered down the hall away from him. "Guess that means you'll have to keep guessin'."
The Blakes
3:07 p.m.
Sitting around the kitchen table, Catherine, Wendy, Ryan and Lindsay stared nervously around the room. It didn't help matters that the house was unnervingly quiet because Paul had taken Sean, McKenna and Ashley to the grocery store.
"More milk or cookies?" Wendy finally asked to break the tension. She had baked dozens of cookies upon returning from her outing with Ryan, but now felt rather silly offering such a famous childhood snack during a talk about inappropriate adolescent behavior.
Catherine watched her future neighbor buzz around the kitchen like Betty Crocker on crack and decided she would have to make the first move. "I guess we should get down to business."
Proving he and his twin brother had some things in common Ryan blurted, "Lindsay getting down to business is exactly why I'm stuck here when I could be at Josh's for an end of summer swim party."
"Ryan!" Wendy shrieked. "We talked about how we were going to behave at this meeting and that's not what we agreed upon."
"Sorry," he groaned and returned to silence.
Her eyes fixed on the half-eaten cookie in front of her Lindsay felt her cheeks turning rosy red. Ryan thought she was a tramp and by now he had probably told several of the guys. "What exactly are we supposed to accomplish here?" Lindsay asked in a quiet voice. "Because if the purpose is to humiliate me I say we just marker a scarlet letter A on my t-shirt and call it a day."
Confused Ryan asked, "Why a scarlet A?"
Lindsay shot him a look. "It's from a book, Jocko. You know…the thing with pages of paper bound together that you're supposed to…"
"Lindsay!" Catherine snipped. "Let's not make matters worse."
"Um…" Wendy returned to her seat and nervously tucked her blonde bobbed hair behind her ears. "Maybe we should talk about future expectations. For instance…Ryan and Sean were never told they couldn't have girls in their rooms. Now that I've made that clear, it won't happen again. Isn't that right, Ryan?"
"Absolutely positively…" He glared at Lindsay. "No chicks allowed…because they just cause a nice guy trouble."
Nordstrom
4:47 p.m.
Dr. Sylvia Myers was wandering through the dress department at Nordstrom when she heard her pager sound. Pulling it out of her purse she scrolled through text display.
I'm feeling Almond Joy! Greg 702-555-1629
With her cell phone in hand the doctor headed for the woman's lounge, punching in her frantic patient's phone number.
"This is insane!" Greg yelled into the phone upon answering.
"Where are you?" She took a seat on the plush sofa.
"San Marino. She made me come here without her. Without her!" he yelled in frustration. "She knows I have a ring and a proposal planned and she made me come here without her and do you know why!"
"Calmly tell me."
"She wants me to have sex with Becca!"
The doctor raised a brow. "That's what she came home and told you to do?" It certainly wasn't what she suggested.
"Yes! My girlfriend, who is pregnant with my children, wants me to sleep with Becca and coincidentally, Becca wants me to sleep with Becca, but Becca doesn't know I have a pregnant girlfriend who I'm planning to propose to this weekend. I realize this would be just swell for some guys, but it has me losing my mind. Since when did my life become a freakin' soap opera? I'm supposed to be at her place at six o'clock. That's an hour from now. How the…no…no way…I don't care what Tawny wants, I'm canceling. I have to cancel. I'm canceling!"
"What are you afraid of, Greg?" When he didn't reply she said, "Hello? Did you lose your wireless connection, or your nerve to answer that question honestly?"
"Here's the problem…" He reluctantly confessed, "I…um…when Becca was talking to me on the phone earlier, I got…um…" Lowering his voice he whispered, "…aroused."
"I'm sorry…I couldn't hear that last word." She pressed the phone harder against her ear.
"Aroused!"
Yanking the phone away Dr. Myers winced then returned the receiver to her ear.
"I'm afraid if I see her it will happen again and I don't want it to happen, because I love Tawny. I want Tawny. She's the only one I want for the rest of my life…which I predict will be really short if my heart rate keeps skyrocketing. I want to marry Tawny. I want to raise our babies under the same roof. I don't want to be a weekend dad and I don't want my kids to split their time between two houses because my friend Robbie grew up like that and it sucked. I don't want any of that confusion for my kids. That's why I don't want to see Becca." In a distant voice he said, "Because if I see Becca…she has this way of…you know, I told you…and what if there really is some kind of undeniable chemistry…what if something happens?"
"Do you mean sex or do you mean that you'll suddenly think you've been forcing the idea of Tawny as your perfect match?"
"That…both…but particularly that last one because…um…it's really hard for me to say this…the truth is, if Becca made this same move the day before I met Tawny it would have felt like I won the lottery. But now Tawny feels like winning the lottery. But what if…even though I don't want it to…what if it still feels like winning the lottery when I see Becca?"
"It's certainly a possibility, Greg but so are the other ones we discussed. What if you go there and you realize that Becca isn't the same girl you once thought she was? That the fantasy of your youth isn't the reality you want in your future? What if spending time with her makes you realize that Tawny really is your perfect match and you walk away from Becca feeling not just content, but absolutely certain about your decision to marry Tawny? Wouldn't that be terrific?"
"That's the only reason I agreed to do this when Tawny asked…not that I told her that was the reason. I just grabbed my bags and walked out…like an ass…because I was in shock…but mostly because I was pissed that she's putting me in this position and now that I think about it…I'm still pissed!"
"Deep breath." After popping a mint into her mouth the doctor intuited, "I know you want a guarantee that it will all work out nice and clean but sorry, Greg…there are no guarantees."
"I knew you were going to say that." After heaving a laborious sigh he grumbled, "I guess I should go get changed for my date with destiny."
"Greg…" The doctor was interrupted by her pager sounding. "Sorry…hold on for a moment." Grabbing it she turned down the volume and checked the message.
I think I messed up BIG! Tawny 702-555-4901
"Sorry for the interruption, Greg." The doctor set down her pager and finished her train of thought. "Approach your date with Becca like you would when processing a case...be on guard, be observant, don't make rash decisions and don't come to any hasty conclusions…gather the evidence required to make an accurate assessment."
"Okay, thanks for calling me back, I really appreciate it."
"Feel free to page me again if you need to."
"Okay."
"And, Greg…"
"Yeah."
"Since you really don't know how this will play out…please…please…please, stop at the store before you see Becca. Don't show up at her house thinking if you don't have protection nothing will happen. There are complicated situations and then there are soap opera worthy disasters, Greg, and I don't think I need to cite an example of what can happen accidentally in the heat of the moment…especially not a moment fifteen years in the making."
"Ugh…yeah, okay…I'm in the parking lot of Ralph's. I promise I'll buy them, but I guarantee you I won't need them."
"Thank you, Greg."
"Thanks, Doc. Bye."
When she heard him hang up, Dr. Myers punched in Tawny's number.
The Townhouse
4:59 p.m.
Mindlessly staring at the soap opera on TV while she waited for Dr. Myers to return her page, Tawny busied herself catching tears one by one as they plunked from her eyes.
Finally the cordless phone rang and she hurried to click the TALK button. "Thanks for calling back, Dr. Myers."
"What's going on, Tawny?"
Watching the characters on the TV screen she explained, "Fawn just got her heart broken! Carson loved Destiny since elementary school but Destiny married Trevor when she thought Carson was dead. Then she found out that Carson wasn't really dead but it was too late because she was already married. Then Trevor got killed in a boat explosion, leaving her a widow, which would have been great but, Carson just proposed to Fawn! He proposed because when he returned from El Salvador and found out Destiny was married, he slept with Fawn without using a condom and got her pregnant. Out of jealousy, Destiny seduced Carson to get pregnant. So, now Destiny and Fawn are both pregnant with Carson's babies and…"
"Tawny…" The doctor interrupted. "Who are you talking about?"
"Fawn, a girl on my soap opera who is as dumb as me." Her breaths quickened. "I told Greg to go to California without me and see Becca to get her out of his system! I even told him to have sex with her if that's what it took. How stupid was that! The man has no control over his piece when he gets offered sex from a fantasy girl. I have two babies growing inside me to prove it!"
"Just because you told him to do it doesn't mean he will," she reasoned.
Collapsing against the pillows Tawny anxiously replied, "He used to get a woody just hearing her name. He had to create a heavy duty anti-boner visual just to survive sitting next to her in English class. What guy wouldn't sleep with his high school fantasy if she threw herself at him and his girlfriend encouraged him? Of course he's going to sleep with her!"
"Now, Tawny…I never told you to send Greg to California with instructions to sleep with Becca. I told you to suggest to Greg that when you get to California that he should have lunch with her. What happened?"
"I didn't think lunch would be a strong enough test so I suggested what Fawn did…tell him he could have sex with her to get over her, but not expect him too, but that was before I knew Carson would actually go all the way with Destiny, get her pregnant and dump Fawn!"
In frustration Dr. Myers prodded, "Let me get this straight…you're ignoring your therapist's advice and doing what people on a soap opera do?"
"When you say it like that it sounds even more asinine." She sniffled loudly, took a deep breath and rambled, "I had this silly idea in my head that Greg would go see Becca, she'd throw herself at him and after kissing and groping each other for a little while he'd realize that she doesn't do it for him like I do. Then he'd suddenly he'd snap out of the trance she's had on him for fifteen years and he'd rush out the front door to call me. With conviction he'd say that he absolutely knows without a doubt that I'm the only woman on the planet who could possibly make him happy for the rest of his life because if his old fantasy girl couldn't do it for him like I do, no one else will! Kind of like an accelerated womanizing plan since Greg hasn't sown a fraction of the oats most guys do. You know…Greg's a genius overachiever, so I figured what took Nick fifteen years to figure out will only take Greg fifteen minutes."
"Oy vey."
Sighing she dropped her head in her hands. "What was I thinking? Happy endings never happen for me. Help me, Dr. Myers….please. What should I do?"
"Okay, first things first…pick up the remote and click off the TV. You need to stop watching soap operas while you're pregnant and hormonal."
Nick and Carrie's Apartment
5:45 p.m.
After knocking lightly on her son's bedroom door, Jillian increased the volume. "Nicky…" Checking her watch she decided Carrie would have a fit if she let her sleep any longer. "Son…I'm opening the door so if you're in the middle of somethin', take cover."
Through the opening she called out again. "Nicky…Carrie…you've been asleep for six hours and you made me promise I'd only let you go thirty minutes." Pushing open the door she saw them still sacked out on top of the comforter, Nick spooning Carrie so tight that Jillian could barely see her.
Seeing her son slumbering so sweetly in bed triggered Jillian's emotions over his abuse again and she thought…that's how he should have been in bed under the babysitter's care…innocently sleeping, not screaming for his mother to rescue him. Swiping away a tear Jillian approached the bed with a feigned smile, ready once again to honor her son's request for normalcy.
Leaning over she decided to rouse him the same way she had every morning before school, running her fingers through his hair and sweetly whispering, "Nicky…your brother's gonna eat all the bacon if you don't get a move on."
"Mmm…" Gently he stirred but his eyes remained shut. "Ten more minutes, Mama."
Upon hearing his usual response, Jillian stifled her laugh with her palm. "Son…" She gave him a light shove. "I'm really afraid you've suffocated your fiancée and supper's ready."
"Huh?" Rolling onto his back Nick's eyes flapped open. When he saw his mother and got his bearings he smiled wide. "Did I miss the big game?" he jokingly asked like he always did as a kid because he had done it once when in a sleepy haze and from then on he and his mother made it a running joke.
While watching him stretch Jillian replied with her trademark line, "Yes, but don't worry, your brother caught all the touchdowns. If you hurry though…you can still catch the mayor giving him the key to the city."
"Somethin' smells good," he remarked after laughing at the nostalgic moment.
Sitting on the edge of the bed she smiled. "That would be Chicken Cordon Bleu. I went to the market while you were sleeping and did some proper grocery shopping for you domestic misfits." Pointing at Carrie she remarked, "That girl sleeps like a log. Did she come that way or is it a conditioned response because of your snoring?"
"Lucky for me she came that way."
Shaking her head Jillian teased, "Looks like you drooled on her too."
"See, that's why I had to sleep with her before I proposed…it wouldn't have been fair to surprise her with my annoying sleep habits on our honeymoon. You should know, Counselor…full disclosure is the key to a binding a contract."
Carrie finally stirred to the sound of Nick and his mother laughing heartily. "Mmm…what time is it?"
"Almost six."
"What!" Carrie bolted from the bed. "I'll never get my work done!"
"My goodness she's a nimble thing." Jillian stood and informed the panicked woman, "Relax, Sugar, I have two thirds of your To Do list completed and Chicken Cordon Bleu for supper."
Clutching her chest Carrie slowed to a pant. "Really? You did my work for me?"
"You should double check it though because I may be a little rusty. And there were a few Nevada-specific things I wasn't sure of so I highlighted."
"Thank you." Carrie threw her arms around Jillian. "For helping me, but most of all for the Chicken Cordon Bleu…because my mom always made it when I was stressed."
Squeezing her tight Jillian said, "Then I'll make a few batches and freeze them, so you'll have some around for after rough days at the office."
The buzz of the doorbell broke up the maternal moment.
"I'll get it," Nick announced as he rolled out of bed.
"Son!" Jillian snipped, "Put a shirt on before you answer the door, it could be a Jehovah's Witnesses coming to preach."
Carrie tossed him a tee. "Or Betty Sue from down the hall, and we both know she's always hoping for a free show." When Nick left the room Carrie faked her best drawl. "Betty Sue is a fellow Texan and she just luuuuves to ask my cowboy to come over and lift heavy thangs. She's a dancer at Diamond Jake's and always seems to need Nicky's help when she's wearing itty bitty clothes and lots of glittery makeup."
"You're not worried about my boy cheatin' on you, are you?"
"Hell, no!" Carrie joked, "I'm just worried one of these days she's gonna jump him and I'll have to kick her ass because no girl let's another girl, especially from Texas, touch her man's ass…I learned that in Flagstaff," she snickered. "No, if there's one thing I know I don't have to worry about it's Nick's fidelity because…if the rumors in this city are true…he's purged every wild oat in his system at least twice with a variety of woman."
"Hey, Carrie…it's Sofia!" Nick yelled from the front door. "She needs us to review and sign our statements."
Winking at Jillian, Carrie chuckled, "Speaking of wild oat women…she's one of them, but pretend we don't know that, because he doesn't know I figured it out and he's keeping it from me because he's embarrassed. Sofia knows that I know though so it's fun."
"My goodness you're a tolerant woman." Placing her arm around her future daughter in law's shoulder Jillian suggested, "Should we invite Sofia to stay for supper? I could ask innocent questions that will make my son squirm."
"Ooh, that would be great!"
Dr. Myers's House
5:55 p.m.
"Hi, Honey," Sylvia wearily greeted her husband as she stepped out of the car.
"Rough day?" Steve stood holding open the door for her.
"I sincerely hope there's a chilled bottle of wine in the fridge."
He smiled as he opened his arms. "Gil and Sara or Greg and Tawny?"
"Tawny! Do you know what that confused, hormonal and desperate girl did?" Sylvia slipped into her husband's arms. "She totally ignored my advice and instead, mirrored the actions of some vapid soap opera character."
"Well you get to keep your fee either way," he quipped. "Sorry…bad joke and I know Tawny and Greg are special." Over the three decades that she had been practicing she always had favorites, patients she took a little too close to the heart. Now that Sara and Gil were holding steady, Greg and Tawny were the dysfunctional couple always on her mind. "What did she do?"
"Greg's dream girl from high school…"
"Becca," Steve proudly announced. "See…I am listening while I watch TV."
"Becca e-mailed Greg professing her love for him and Tawny intercepted it. Then she showed him a printout of it and told him to go to California without her and hook up with Becca to see if he would rather be with her." Outraged all over again she said, "She even gave him permission to sleep with Becca if it will help him get over her…or if it will help him decide who really is his perfect match."
Steve promptly placed his hand over his mouth.
"Just say it," Sylvia droned.
"Of course he's going to sleep with her. Every guy dreams of bedding his high school fantasy girl and now he has the opportunity and permission? Hello? The only way that scenario could be improved upon for Greg would be for Tawny to be in bed with them for the ultimate guy fantasy."
Sylvia sighed, "Thank you for your honest and very crass male opinion."
After kissing her cheek he led her towards the kitchen and the wine. "But this is Vegas…I'll gamble and say that Greg picks Tawny."
"Oh, I'm not worried that Greg will realize Becca isn't the girl for him." Holding her throbbing head she groaned, "I'm just not sure he's going to realize it until after he sleeps with her."
712 Via Diabla, San Marino, CA
6:04 p.m.
Parked in Becca's driveway, Greg sat in his car staring at Becca's multi-million dollar Spanish Colonial home, one that even put Sara and Grissom's decadent abode to shame.
After a minute, a comforting thought hit him…surely once Becca heard he was only making thirty-five grand in an entry level CSI position and couldn't even afford a condo, she would categorize him as a loser and be quickly turned off. With a smile plastered on his face for the first time that day, Greg stepped out of the car, anxious to inform Becca of his pathetic-ness.
"Hoj!" From the entryway Becca dashed to the driveway yelling, "I just peeked outside and saw you getting out of your car. Nice wheels! Quite an improvement over that beater you were driving." She couldn't believe how put together he looked with mature clothes, a killer tan and tame but stylish hair. "You're a sight for sore eyes!" she gushed before breaking into an effervescent smile. "I love your new look." Standing before him she swore he must be oozing pheromones. "Wow! I'm so glad you're here," she declared while tossing her arms around his neck.
As Becca tightened her embrace Greg remained silent and listened to the random statements pinging in his overwhelmed brain….I only look this good because my pregnant girlfriend, the one who told me to come to California and sleep with you, bought these clothes for me and made me get the tan and change my hair. How could Becca possibly get better looking when she was already perfect? Wow…she looks stunning in that tight black business skirt and lime chemise…so sexy yet intellectual. Whoa…Tawny's boobs really are huge because I used to think Becca had a righteous set of melons but now they look like oranges…maybe even tangerines. I can't believe I'm comparing their boobs. I'm sick! I'm so…so…so…lucky…holy crap, my girlfriend told me to hook up with my high school fantasy girl and have sex with her. Some guys would give a kidney in exchange for that scenario. But not me! No! This is so…so…so…oh god…she's running her hands over my back and breathing heavy on my neck. She needs to stop that. Yeah…that has to stop…right after she does it just a little while longer because I'm so…so…so…going to burn in hell for this even though it's only a hug. But it's not just a hug. No, it's a hug initiated by my old fantasy girl because she finally wants me and that feels so…so…so…wrong! "Becca! I'm broke because I only make thirty five grand before taxes and I can't afford a condo."
Chuckling she stepped back. "I see you're still a blurter when you're tense."
"Did I say that out loud?" Good.
"Aww, Hoj." Becca coyly tucked sleek auburn hair behind her ears and smiled.
Oh god…she still does that adorable little hair tuck move. "Um…"
"It's the house, isn't it?" Sighing, she glanced up at the mini-mansion. "It's intimidating you."
No, it's the fact that I'm in love with Tawny and don't want to be here...but now that I'm here, you're making me feel good and that's confusing as hell. "Actually…"
"Look…I could have a wealthy, materialistic guy in a heartbeat." With her palm pressed to her heart she pumped his ego. "I admire you for following your dream and not selling out for the almighty dollar. You're helping victims get justice and making the world a safer place." While tenderly gazing into his puppy dog eyes she took his hand. "That makes you even more special to me, Hoj. And it makes me feel ridiculous for dating asshole after asshole all those years instead of going after you. I hope it's not too late."
The sweetness in her voice and eyes warmed his heart. Finally she recognized he had something special to offer her that those bums she always chose over him didn't. "You really mean that?"
"Really." Giving his hand a squeeze she sweetly ordered, "Now grab your stuff and come on inside already. I was in the middle of making a pitcher of margaritas and I still need to change out of my office clothes."
"Um…Becca." After swallowing hard he said, "There's something important you should know."
Halfway to the door she turned to face him, her giddy smile evaporating. "Oh god…you really are gay and I've been making a complete idiot of myself."
"What? No!" The old insecurity was back with a vengeance and while two seconds ago he was desperate to make her not want him, suddenly he was dying to be desirable again. "I'm hetero, I swear…really. I was just a late bloomer and I only wore the pirate shirts and the eyeliner to piss off my dad. Trust me…" He stood a little taller. "There are plenty of women in Vegas who can vouch for me" Plenty was a gross exaggeration but desperate times called for embellishment. "I'm not gay."
"Oh, yeah?" she snickered while seductively approaching. "Prove it."
"Uh…" He pointed across the street. "There's a shirtless male landscaper mowing your neighbor's lawn and even though he's sweaty and muscular, I have no desire to get his phone number." Then he realized most guys probably wouldn't notice a sweaty, muscular male landscaper, but he chocked it up to being an observant CSI.
Gliding her hands over his shoulders she chuckled hard. "I've really missed your quirky sense of humor." Brushing the tip of her nose over his she changed her voice to a sultry whisper. "But I was hoping you'd prove it by kissing me."
"Oh." Standing there, a heartbeat away from the kiss of his old dreams, Greg grappled with how to gently break the news about Tawny to this vulnerable woman and long-time friend who was going out of her way to make him feel like a million bucks. "Um..."
After a minute of near kissing, Becca ended the tortuous wait by caressing Greg's parted lips with hers.
Nick and Carrie's Apartment Complex
Pool Area
6:11 p.m.
Placing Nick's police statement on the patio table Sofia prompted, "I need you to read over your statement and sign it for me."
"Sure." Nick took a seat and began reading.
While staring at the old man doing laps in the apartment complex pool Sofia said, "We found out Montana was at Sonny's prior to heading for the park. In the interest of the case, because we were concerned that the attack wasn't random, I mentioned to Brass and Warrick that I knew you were a patron."
Looking up from the page he cringed. "Please tell me that's all you shared."
"I may be blonde but I'm not stupid."
"I haven't been there since the last time we were there," Nick stated in a defensive tone. "And I don't take Carrie there…or anywhere like that. She's not into…that."
Laughing at him she said, "Oh, so it was good enough for me but not for your fiancée, eh? I guess that makes me a kinky tramp." She left him pondering how to get his foot out of his mouth for a minute and then said, "I'm kidding…you don't need to talk you way out of that one, Slick."
Still feeling guilty he said, "I wouldn't have taken you there if you weren't into it. And if you didn't want to do it you would have said something because we both know when you get pissed off in the bedroom…you speak your mind."
"For cryin' out loud…would you relax and sign the damn statement already!" Dropping her head back against the chair she droned, "Yes, at the time I was into it and no you didn't force me…and don't look so guilty. We weren't doing anything illegal, just a shade immoral in some people's eyes."
In the words of his mother he confessed, "Definitely not somethin' I'd want people to hear about on the six o'clock news." Returning his eyes to the statement he continued reading. "And it's not like we went there plannin' it…it was a spontaneous thing."
"The first time," she chortled.
"Yeah, okay…after that it was a very short-lived phase."
"For both of us." she confirmed while shaking her head. "I thought of it as the experimentation I never got around to in college."
"That's funny…I thought of it as reliving my wilder college days." Chuckling, he continued reading. "Greg told me he set you up with Irving. He shaves his head…I bet that won him a point with you."
"Absolutely." Sofia laughed at the memory of severely intoxicated Nick letting her shave his head when he lost a bet. "I have tomorrow off. We're going hiking in the mountains. He's outdoorsy…you know that's another point."
"Carrie and I hiked down a couple of miles in the Grand Canyon on vacation, it was great. She's real outdoorsy too." Grinning, his thoughts turned to Carrie celebrating peeing in the woods and 'roughing it'…before whipping out her mango hand sanitizer and whining that she got mud on her new boots.
"Hey, Nick…since we're speaking on a personal level here, I'm going to say that I personally don't think two weeks will be enough time off for you…not after last night."
"Thank you for your concern and I agree." Nick signed off on the statement and glanced up at Sofia. "This morning I left a form on Jim's desk asking to tack on a third week since I have plenty of time on the books." He would be using it to investigate Shelly.
Taking the statement she nodded, "Great. Now send your fiancée out here for me so I can tell her all about the good times to be had at Sonny's. Who knows…maybe when she hears how much you enjoyed your time there she'll want to go with you and partake." Teasingly she needled, "You never know, she could be into…that."
"Firstly…I know you're shittin' me about telling her." Laughing hard he stood. "Secondly, all of my adventures with Carrie happen in private and without third party participation because…" Placing his hand over his chest he said, "I'm a one woman guy from now until the day I die."
The Grissoms
6:15 p.m.
Sitting at the kitchen table, Gil shuffled his fork around his salmon salad while working up the nerve to broach what he knew would be a very touchy subject with Sara.
"Did you hear the temporary shift plan?" Sara asked, desperate for small talk instead of discussing Mike and assuming her husband was out of the loop as usual. "Nick won't be coming back for two more weeks instead of one."
"Yes, actually…Jim told me at some point this morning." Gil snapped out of his train of thought and into the conversation. "Apparently Nick's mother needs some help with a family matter."
"Yeah." After sipping her decaffeinated iced tea, Sara said, "Pete is supervising because Jim wants to test him out in case the Swing Supervisor position opens. Sofia has tomorrow off then starts working Days on Wednesday. Jas and I will be there and Jim is retaining two of the relief shift crew for the duration of Nick and Greg's time off…Kyle and Lynn. That should be enough coverage to dig out of some of the backlog."
"Make sure Pete knows about your maternity restrictions and you're not to work solo with this threat over your head."
"My, aren't we protective," she smiled warmly.
Gil countered, "My, aren't we too relaxed about all this."
"Come on…you don't seriously think he'd hire someone to pull something while I'm on the job, do you?"
"Actually, no, I don't." After a sip of ice water Gil said, "I think if something were going to happen it would happen here, that's why I've hired a security consultant to install some extra measures at our house. He's meeting me here tomorrow evening."
Hurt that he hadn't consulted her about hiring the consultant she snipped, "When were you planning on telling me we'll be turning our house into a maximum security prison?"
"I was waiting for the right segue." Wiping his lips with his napkin Gil dreaded the next part of the conversation. "Sara…"
"I know that tone."
He decided to just drop the bomb. "Until things are secure around here…I want us to stay with my father at the Mandalay. The only access to his suite is the secured elevator. It's a casino and there are cameras everywhere. The suites have their own security staff watching every door and hallway."
"No." Tossing her napkin on the table Sara made her case. "I won't give up my home because of that bastard. You know what having a home means to me."
"Sar…"
"No." The tension rising quickly she darted from the table to pace the living room. "This infuriates me because it's just what he wants! You know he's done his research. You know he must have found out I was in foster care since I was nine. This whole thing…the stupid greeting card threat was probably just to get us scared so we'd do exactly what you're proposing…flee our home…my home…the one I finally got to have after twenty-five years of not having one. He knows a home means everything to me and…"
"Sara!"
The volume of his voice startled her. "Don't yell at me." Memories of the big fight in the same location came flooding back.
"I'm sorry." He crossed the room and placed his hands on her shoulders, certain he knew what she was remembering. "You were getting hysterical and it's not healthy for the baby."
"Neither is yelling." She tossed her hands in the air. "He has us yelling at each other. See…that's just what he wants…he's winning."
"You're right, I'll do better." Gently he caressed her cheek. "Honey, this move…it's only temporary."
"So was every home I've ever known." She felt a familiar tremble when thinking about displacement, the same one she had experienced many times in her youth. "You know why this place means so much to me."
"Of course I do." He cupped her face. "That's why I wouldn't suggest it unless I thought it was the prudent thing to do. You can't just think about yourself, Sara." Placing his palm on her womb he zoomed in on her eyes. "You have to think about the safety of our baby. I can't let you sleep here alone until I know this place is tighter than Fort Knox. I'm sorry if I seem overbearing but it's primal instinct for me to protect my offspring."
"Sure…pull the Biology card." Exasperated, she pecked his lips and yielded. "This guy you're consulting with can make that happen?"
"He comes highly recommended by the mob."
"Oh, well…great." She tossed her hands in the air. "Look what happened to Jimmy Hoffa."
"Exactly…" Grissom brushed a kiss over her forehead. "Because Hoffa didn't hire this guy."
"I've spent all day being brave and forcing myself not to be scared and now…"
"You've always been very good at fronting."
Her lips quivering, she finally caved under the stress. "I don't want to give him power over my life."
"I know, Honey." Gil cradled her in his arms. "In the end we'll triumph, but for now…caution and a healthy paranoia is the order of the day. Or think of it this way…we'll be spending more time with my dad and Lina. Last month you would have been thrilled if I wanted to do that."
"True." Lifting her head she forced a smile. "Maybe Lina could teach me to cook a few things."
"Now you're being a little too optimistic."
Their nervous laughter dominated the room.
"Come on." Gil took Sara's hand and tugged her toward the hallway. "Let's pack."
"Don't you think you should call your dad and tell him we're coming?"
"I did while you were sleeping."
"What did he say?"
"He's nervous for us but thrilled for the quality time." At the bedroom door Gil smiled, "He and Lina have been walking on eggshells since he spontaneously introduced her as his date yesterday. I think he's grateful we're coming to help alleviate the tension."
"Well…" Stepping into her favorite room Sara sighed, "There is a very good chance that Ron and Lina will get together because Rodgers is already responsible for you and me hooking up as well as Nick and Carrie." Finding her strength she joked, "We should send him a thank you card."
"Just don't send a Hallmark because he'll think you care enough to send the very best."
Author's Notes:
Hello! I hope everyone is enjoying the story. If ever you have any questions or concerns you'd like answered about the story, feel free to e-mail me through the link in my author page or leave them in a review with a link to reply to, as I can't answer them in my author's notes per the rules of this website.
FYI because someone noticed, I'd thought I'd mention...In order to maintain the T rating and/or comply with the rules of this website,I sometimes post a slightly edited version of a chapter compared to the one that is on my personal website. If there is significant impact to a chapter I will post a note at the top noting it most of the time it's just a matter of a few different words, a few chopped lines , the exclusion of a song lyric a couple of times in FS I had to take out a whole scene. The only other difference is, I post to my website and then delay posting here by a few hours to make sure any problem with the chapter (i.e. missed editing) is caught before posting here since you can't correct ASAP here.
In the next chapter: find out what happens after Becca's kiss; Cath and Warrick share a quiet moment; The Grissoms move into the Mandalay and Sara gets a Ron and Lina update; Mama Stokes and Carrie are happy to give Nick some of that normalcy he's craving; and a phone call really tweaks someone. Posting: Friday morning
Thanks as always for reading and reviewing. Thank you to: ChickieBaby,SouthernCSILover, Mrs. Fitzgerald, Moia, Golden Grasshopper, Misty J and katiegsr for reviewing and sharing your thoughts! If you had a question and had an email address on your page I replied. :-)
Maggs