"This is bull-shit! What grounds do you have to even question me!" Officer Michaels exclaimed.
Greg paced the small interrogation room, trying to control his anger. He watched Catherine tensely grip the edges of the table, while Brass faced the suspect.
"A little birdie let us in on a little information, you know, that you took Clara McBride hostage, not to mention helped in CSI Stokes kidnapping. What do you have to say to that?" Brass said sarcastically.
"That I have no idea what your talking about."
"So you mean to tell me that our informant pulled your name out of thin air, that you had nothing to do with either kidnapping?" Catherine said.
"I don't even know who your informant is! But I'm pretty sure that whoever it is wants to pin it on someone else, so they probably pulled a random name out of their ass," Michaels replied angrily.
"I dunno Michaels. You were there when Nick went missing, and your route the night that Clara went missing covered the area we found her car in. Seems kind of suspicious, don't you think?" Brass said.
"I don't believe this! I was puking my guts out when Stokes went missing! And I don't even know what kind of car his girlfriend drives! Why would I want to go after her?"
"Then how do you explain the records from your car indicating you searched her plate numbers that night?" Greg snapped, throwing some files on the table for Michaels to see.
"What did you want to know Michaels? Did you want to be sure you were pulling over the right girl so that you could carry out your plan?" Greg yelled.
Catherine glared at the younger CSI, mentally telling him to calm down, but it wasn't working.
"You can't prove anything! I want my lawyer!" hissed Michaels.
"Fine. Lawyer up, but when Clara wakes up, she'll tell us all we need to know!" threatened Greg as he stormed out of the room.
Catherine followed the former lab tech. She had never seen him so angry before. She was really mad at Michaels as well, she had a gut feeling that he was behind everything, but she hadn't snapped the way Greg had. She saw him outside, leaning against the wall, pounding his fist on it.
"You know the wall didn't do anything Greggo," she said softly.
He turned to face her, his eyes still fuming, "That bastard is responsible! He hurt Nick, he hurt Clara and he nearly killed Sara! What do we have to do to put him away!"
"Victim, suspect, crime scene."
"We have all three though!"
"But we need to prove the evidence."
"Then let's get Haley back in here, maybe see what else he can give us. And I want to talk to Kelly Gordon as well. I'm gonna get this guy Cath, I swear," he said, stalking off down the hall.
"Hey! Where are you going?" she called to him.
"To bury him with evidence!"
Startled, Grissom woke suddenly from the sound of his pager going off. Catherine's number scrolled across the screen, and he pulled out his cell phone. He was about to dial the number when he remembered the hospital's rule. He heaved a sigh and pushed himself out of the chair to walk down the hall in search of a pay phone. Finding one, he deposited a quarter and dialled Catherine's number.
"Willows."
"It's Gil, what's up?"
"Michaels is getting a lawyer. He's denying any involvement in the kidnappings."
"Do we have enough to convict him?"
"Not right now. Just what Haley told us. We're gonna bring him back in for questioning and also talk to Kelly Gordon again. How's Sara?"
He paused for a moment before answering, "There's been no change. She's really frustrated right now, and…it's hard to deal with," he sighed, then quickly changed the subject, "I'm going to come help you with the Michaels issue. I'll be there soon alright?"
Catherine knew better than to argue with Grissom. She knew he needed to take his mind off of Sara for awhile. He needed the break, as much as he wanted to be there for her, it was killing him inside that she didn't remember anything.
"Ok then."
Grissom hung up and wandered back down the hall, sticking his head into Sara's room. She was lying on her side, starring out her window from her bed. She turned to acknowledge his presence, "What is it?" she asked tiredly.
"I'm going to leave for awhile, they need me at the lab. Will you be alright?"
She nodded, then turned back to the window. Grissom's face fell, a wounded look on it. He wanted his Sara back, and would give anything to see her smile at him again. His shoulders slumping slightly, he left the room, closing the door gently behind him.
There were files spread all over the table, any evidence crammed on as well. There had to be something, some other connection he could make to get Michaels. Yet without talking to Kelly or Haley again, he couldn't get anything else. Greg let his head drop to the table, his eyes closing in anguish and frustration.
"Um, you alive there Sanders?"
Greg shot up, nearly falling off his stool. He saw Hodges standing in the doorway and glared at him, "Unless you have something for me, now is not the time Hodges," he replied sarcastically.
"Ouch. You honestly think that low of me?"
"Duh. It's not like you think highly of me."
"Actually I applaud your effort at a time like this. Really, this case doesn't call for mocking. You're doing really well after everything that's happened."
Greg was more than a little shocked to be hearing this from Hodges, "Pardon?"
"Like I told you when we played that 'Dukes of Hazard' game. You haven't had the whole Hodges experience Sanders. I guess you could say I'm slightly jealous of you going from lab rat to field mouse, but only slightly, cause I still do break a lot of cases."
"Thanks…I guess," Greg answered slowly, raising an eyebrow at the lab tech.
There was an awkward silence for a few moments until Catherine came rushing by. She looked from Hodges to Greg, "Sorry to break up the little meeting but we've got Kelly Gordon here to question," she said ushering Greg to go with her.
"So what are you going to do? It's not like you can reduce my sentence any more if I help you," Kelly Gordon said calmly.
"Yeah, but we can increase it if you had anything to do with Clara McBride's kidnapping," Catherine replied.
"We know you're boyfriend is Haley, and we've already got him partially nailed for this. If you can give us any information, it would be very useful Kelly," Brass added.
"Why should I?"
"Because two many people have already been hurt because of what your father did, and you can help us stop it," Greg replied, glaring at her.
"I don't know anything and that's the truth."
"You know nothing about what your boyfriend did, what he did for you?" Catherine said dryly.
"No. My father didn't tell me anything about his plan, so why would any accomplice he had tell me? Sorry, but I can't help you."
Brass glanced at Catherine as if to ask her if she had another strategy,
"Greg, can I see you outside for a second?" Catherine addressed the younger CSI.
He got up and followed the blonde out of the room.
"I think she's telling the truth Greg, as much as that doesn't help us."
Greg frowned, "It's going no where. When's Haley coming in?"
"He's here, we're just waiting on Grissom."
"Grissom's coming in?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I thought he was staying with Sara," Greg's eyes dropped to the ground.
"Is there a problem with him coming?"
He huffed, "No…"
She eyed him, "What is it?"
"I…I just wanted to break this case myself. We've already done half the work, and I want to do this for everyone else, to make Griss proud, to put Michaels away for everyone," he shuffled his feet angrily.
"He's only coming to observe the interrogation Greg, that's still all yours, but he also wants to get Michaels as much as we all do. Griss is really taking this hard."
Greg's eyes flew up to hers, "And I'm not! Why is it always Grissom whose having the hardest time dealing with Sara being hurt? Those are my friends in that hospital too. You don't think I know what it's like to go through something like this? I'm as devastated as everyone else, but at least I'm trying to work through it, I just want to prove that I can do this….it hurt so much to see Sara like that, and Nick and…" he stopped, realizing he was close to yelling and seeing the shocked look on Catherine's face, "Oh God…Catherine…
I'm sorry…I didn't mean…" he backed up from her, his face full of shame, knowing he'd lost it on her when she didn't deserve it.
She was quiet for a moment before saying, "It's ok Greg," she reached out and touched his shoulder, "You're stressed, we all are. This has been really hard. I guess I, we, never stopped to ask how you were doing. I'm sorry. I called you to help me," she apologized.
"I never considered what this is doing to you as well. I shouldn't have said those things to you Cath."
"I understand Greggo. I'm hurting too, but someone's gotta work the case, and I'm glad it's you and me. But if you need some time, just let me know," she gave him a half smile.
"Thanks Cath," he moved towards her and they hugged. He broke apart from her after a few seconds, "Are we done with Kelly Gordon?"
"No…I think I have an idea Greg," she answered, heading towards the door.
They re-entered the room,
"Kelly, I know you're denying any knowledge of the kidnapping, but would you be willing to talk to your boyfriend, maybe get him to tell us some more. It would really help him if he could get us some hard evidence against Michaels. He would get his sentence reduced drastically I should think," Catherine baited Kelly.
Kelly Gordon raised her eyebrow at Catherine, "You think he's going to tell me anything?"
"He trusts you, and we have reason to believe his involvement was only to help you. Think about it Kelly, you can help bring Michaels down," Greg added.
Kelly seemed to think about this, "She was never an intended victim, this Clara, was she? Like she had nothing to do with Nick or my dad. This guy is just exacting his own revenge against my father isn't he?"
Brass nodded, "That's exactly it. He was doing this for his own benefit, probably just drew your boyfriend in, probably had no intention of helping you."
"What a bastard," Kelly said slowly, "Ok, I'll talk to Haley, see what I can do."
Catherine grinned at Greg, "We were going to talk to him next, but if you'll help us, it will be easier. Thank you Kelly, we'll go get him."
Greg and Catherine stood in the observation area as Calvin Haley was brought into the interrogation room with Kelly. Only an officer remained inside to give the couple some privacy.
"Now to see how this turns out," Greg sighed.
The door opened and they turned to see Grissom enter, "Hi," he greeted them quietly.
"Hey, the show is just about to begin," Catherine pointed to the scene before them.
Kelly looked up as Calvin was brought into the room,
"Hey Babe, what are you doing here?" he said to her.
"Don't hey babe me Calvin. We need to talk," she gave him a look and he became confused.
"What's going on? Have they dragged you into this as well?"
"I'm here to help."
"Why do you want to help them when they put you away Kelly? Is that what you want?"
"No, I want to help you. Listen, what this guy, Michaels did wasn't right-"
"He never got his fair cut from your dad!"
"Well I don't know what happened there, but he didn't need to hurt someone else because he was wronged, much less draw you into it-"
"I did it for you baby-"
"You did it for the money!"
Calvin looked at the floor and didn't answer.
"Look at me Cal," she demanded, and he raised his eyes to her, "I know your reasons, and maybe they weren't the greatest, but you can change this. They're willing to make a deal if you give them some hard evidence that Michaels did it."
"I already told them he did, isn't that enough?"
"No. They need more, and only you can help them. I don't want you going in the joint well I'm on the way out. Just help them and you'll be out in no time. Do this for me Cal and you'll be doing more than what you ever thought you could do with Michaels."
Calvin gazed at Kelly for a few seconds before answering, "I only do this for you babe," he whispered.
"I know," she answered, leaning over to kiss him. When they parted he signalled for the officer in the room, "Can you get them for me? I'm ready to talk."
Officer Michaels sat with his lawyer, facing Greg and Brass as Catherine perched on the edge of the table.
"Unless you have some substantial evidence, then there is no reason for my client to be here," Michaels' lawyer addressed the group.
"Oh believe me, we have plenty of good reasons to be talking right now," Catherine said.
"Yeah, like how you conveniently forgot to turn on your dashboard camera the night of Clara's disappearance, want to explain that violation of conduct?" Brass said.
"I forgot. I'm willing to accept the consequences for that."
"What if we told you our informant turned over his car, which was used to transport Clara McBride, and that we found your clients fingerprints inside said car?" Greg said in a low threatening voice.
"Say nothing," the lawyer whispered to Michaels, who smiled smugly before saying,
"This informant you have, what if I had pulled him over and searched his car? Unless I know who this is, I can't explain how my fingerprints got there."
"Again, what do you honestly have to convict my client?"
"Just the testimony from said informant that goes along with the car," answered Catherine, showing them an open file.
"So this informant somehow knows that I kidnapped Clara McBride? Do you have a name for me?" Michaels taunted.
"I insist that any damning evidence you may have against my client from said informant be revealed along with this persons name."
Catherine glanced at Greg who motioned for her to follow him outside, "Maybe you can discuss Officer Michaels' violation while we discuss something outside," Greg told Brass.
Outside the room, Grissom joined them, "We have enough to convict him with the testimony and the car, but the lawyers are going to argue that Calvin Haley's identity be revealed to prove everything, and then push to get him convicted as well. Do we have anything else?"
Catherine sighed, "Just this. We've got no prints off the bomb pieces, and any other evidence from that room is gone. All that's left is Clara's testimony, but until she wakes up, we've got nothing else."
"We can hold him for now, but not for long. His lawyer is pretty vicious," Greg said.
"I'll talk to Calvin, see if we can grant him immunity if he testifies for us," Grissom suggested.
Greg shrugged, "I guess we'll have to try to reason with those two," he indicated towards the room as Catherine followed him back in.
"Maybe I can help."
They turned around to find Warrick hobbling after them.
"'Rick! What are you doing here?" Catherine exclaimed.
"I brought you guys a present," he handed a folder to her.
She opened it and read over the contents as a big smile broke across her face.
"This is amazing 'Rick! Thank you," she turned to Greg, handing him the papers, "Here, take this and run with it Greggo."
Greg skimmed the papers, puffed up his chest and stalked back into the room, with Catherine, Warrick and Grissom following.
"Would your client care to explain this?" Greg said, waving the folder at the lawyer.
"Maybe you'd like to share what's in it first," he replied.
"I sure would. This is the sworn testimony from Miss Clara McBride as taken by CSI Brown," Greg indicated to Warrick, "And I quote: 'Officer Michaels pulled me over. I recognized him from visiting Nick at work. He told me that there was something hanging out of my trunk, and so I got out of the car to take a look. As soon as I turned my back to him, he put something over my mouth…it was the last thing I remember before waking up with the bomb strapped to me.' I'd say that's pretty damning!" Greg threatened, throwing the folder towards the lawyer.
"She's awake then? That's great," Brass smiled at Warrick who nodded.
"So your client pulled over Miss McBride, then chloroformed her to take her hostage. That's why her car door was unlocked, and he broke the window to make it look like a car jacking," Catherine explained.
The lawyer was still skimming the papers, and then he glared at the CSIs, "We're still going to push for your informant as an accomplice," he turned to Michaels, "Do you have anything else you would care to share? Though I would advise you to think it over first."
Michaels starred down the group before muttering, "That bitch was never supposed to make it out alive."
"I've heard enough. Officer Michaels, you're under arrest for the kidnapping of Clara McBride, the bombing deaths of two bomb squad members and under the suspicion of being an accomplice to the kidnapping and attempted murder of CSI Stokes. Plus you make me sick," Brass read him his rights.
The team watched as Brass led Michaels out of the room, and Grissom turned to his friends, "Well done everyone. Especially you Greg."
The youngest CSI blushed a little, "Well it's good to know that Clara is awake. How is she doing 'Rick?"
"She's understandably tired, there's still a long road of recovery ahead, but I'm sure Nick's gonna take good care of her. What about Sara?"
Grissom's smile faded, "I was just going to head back to the hospital to see her."
Warrick glanced at Catherine who shook her head at him, indicating there had been no change in their colleagues condition.
"Well, I'll go with you Griss, to see her and Nick," Greg said, as they headed out of the room.
Half way down the hall, Warrick turned to Catherine, "Do you think that we could go maybe grab some coffee?"
Catherine knew where this was headed, "I guess if you feel up to it," she glanced at his crutches and ankle.
"I'll be fine, but you drive."
To be continued…
Will Catherine and Warrick work things out?
Will Sara ever gain her memory back?
What will happen to Clara and Nick?
Stay tuned to find out! More to come after December 22nd!
Thanks for sticking with it! Sorry for the delay. Only 2 exams left!
For the X-files fans out there: My new story "Survival" is up, and its all MSR angst/suspense, yet sadly, only one person has reviewed it since I put it up. Care to tell me what you think? Please and thank you! Reviews make me ever so happy!
Happy Holidays! -L