Chapter 14:

"One Ms. Tia Elan was raped and probably killed by our very own Lieutenant David Century. Who, by the way, owns a .45 caliber semi-automatic, military issue handgun." Greg practically crowed.

Elliot dropped his head into his hands and spat out the same raunchy expletive about four or five times.

"What?" Greg looked a little perturbed that his information didn't go over as well as he'd expected.

Olivia was morose. "Tell everyone to meet us down in the basement and we'll explain."

Greg gave a cursory nod and headed out, followed out shortly by Sara and David. Dr. Robbins shut the deceased in her drawer and headed out for his hot date with his wife leaving only Olivia and Elliot.

"It's all our fault Liv. We could've stopped it before it even started." Elliot said as they headed down the hall.

Olivia's only response was to reach out and briefly squeeze his hand in sympathy and then let go just as quickly.

When they reached the basement, everyone else sat around the table or on the couch with saddened looks. Sam's sketchbook sat closed before her, as did Catherine's magazine, and Nick and Warrick's Gameboys were turned off. The room was deathly silent.

Sara brought her legs to her chest, wrapped his arms around them, and propped her chin on her knees. "Detective Munch just called. He told us most everything. Greg and Diana…I mean Alex, filled in the blanks."

Alex actually looked about ready to crawl into a hole in the wall as Elliot dropped beside her on the couch. "So now you know."

"We got bits and pieces from Munch and Alex. They said you guys were primaries on the case. So what's the whole story?" Greg asked.

Elliot slumped back on the couch as he started the story. "Seven years ago the bodies of Christine Century and Julia Anderson were found in the Hudson. Their fathers, David Century and Michael Anderson, were the first suspects. There was no tangible proof, though, and they had alibis. About the time we were going to give up, Warner called and said she found a hair from Christine's boyfriend. It seemed like a godsend at the time. He had no alibi and his DNA was on her. So, Alex prosecuted him and sent him to jail. Something about it didn't feel right at the time but it was already too late."

Olivia picked up from there. "Five years later, Todd Saxon, the boyfriend, gets out on parole and is shot one week later. The fathers are again our first suspects, but they have alibis…each other."

Alex nodded in agreement. "Two years and eleven murders later we finally catch up with these guys, and we still have nothing to bring them in on."

"It's not your fault man." Nick started.

"That's bullshit."

Everyone turned to look at Olivia as she slouched in her chair in defeat.

"We had those guys under suspicion from day one for the rapes of their daughters and then the murder of Todd Saxon. All we had to do was lock them up. And instead…"

"Instead we sent Todd Saxon, an innocent man to jail and probably to his death and left those two loose on the streets." Alex finished.

Warrick slid a folder across the table to Olivia. "Well, then here's your chance for redemption. We have enough to bring Century in for the rape."

Elliot scrubbed a hand over his face. "But not the murder. And there's nothing on Anderson."

"But it's a start." Tasha said as she twisted a hank of hair into a painfully tight looking knot.

Sam took her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose. "If we play our cards right we might…and I emphasize might…be able to get 'em on the rest."

Warrick eagerly leaned forward on his elbows. "All we have to do is get them to tip their hand."

"And we need something plausibly possible to get a judge to sign a warrant. I think I can get Judge Edson to sign one, she owes me a favor." Grissom said as he scratched at his beard.

Brass raised an eyebrow.

"I got rid of a pest problem for her." Grissom simply stated.

A smile pulled at the corners of Sara's mouth. "I wondered how you suddenly got a huge terrarium full of fire ants in your office in one weekend."

Catherine smirked. "And of course you didn't think to tell her it was a pleasure to take them off her hands."

Grissom smiled benignly and linked his fingers over his stomach. "On the contrary I told her it was no trouble at all but she insisted that she owed me one. I think she meant something along the lines of dinner though, but this will do."

Shannon's brow furrowed. "Isn't Judge Edson married?"

Greg let out a chuckle and his eyebrows went up in disbelief. "Grissom, you sly dog you. Letting that poor woman think you were interested in her."

Grissom snorted. "You think I led Judge Edson on? That 'poor woman', as you call her, practically accosted me. I tried to get away from her as soon as I was done."

"Yeah, you tried really hard." Brass snickered and Grissom sent him a dirty look.

Jen stood and put her sunglasses on. She pulled a pair of handcuffs from the small of her back and twirled them around a finger.

"How about we bring the Lieutenant and Commander in for questioning?"

"But we've only got enough to bring Century in." Tasha said.

"We might be able to get Anderson as an accessory. If what Huang said is right, then he's going to be Century's alibi." Elliot replied.

Sara handed Grissom the phone. "While they go get the suspects, how about you call Judge Edson?"

Grissom groaned and reluctantly took the phone from her.