Hey y'all. So, finally, there's an update! Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I've been busy with school and stuff. Y'all know how it is.
Anyways, a special shout out to all y'all who reviewed last chapter: chelsea, El Gringo Loco (thanks for the AMAZING compliment), Nicole101, and bmo16. Thank you all so much. Now, on with the chapter.
Chapter Six
Laughing, Meg unlocked the door to her apartment. She walked inside and flicked on the living room light, Greg following in behind her.
After eating dinner, the two had wandered around Vegas, checking out the Strip and stopping in a bar to grab some drinks. They had talked the whole time they were out, never once having to stop to think of something to say. The conversation flowed easily between them. Every subject was covered, from family to favorite childhood memories.
"You want some coffee or something?" Meg asked as she placed her purse on the couch and moved into the kitchen.
"Sure, coffee sounds good." Greg said.
"Okay, just make yourself at home. The coffee should be ready in a little while." Meg said as she moved around the kitchen getting out mugs and turning on the coffee pot.
Greg sat on the couch and looked around the small apartment. There wasn't much there, just the necessities, and some black and white photos decorating the walls. It was obvious that Meg wasn't home much.
"What do you like in your coffee?" Meg called from the kitchen.
"Nothing, I just drink it black." He replied, getting up from the couch to look at the photos that lined the top of the entertainment center. There were pictures of her family (her father and all six of her sisters), and one of a woman who looked very similar to Meg.
"Alright, two coffees all ready." Meg walked into the living room and placed the mugs on the coffee table.
Greg turned towards her, the picture of the woman in his hand.
"Is this your mom?" He asked. Meg nodded and walked over to take the picture from him. Her eyes held traces of tears as she looked down at the woman who she so resembled.
"This was the only picture that I saved of her. Dad trashed the rest of them. He said that he couldn't bare to be reminded of what he'd lost."
Greg placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing that he couldn't do much to lessen the pain of her mother's death.
"So," Meg placed the photo back in its spot and went to sit on the couch, "how 'bout a movie?"
Greg watched as Meg bustled about selecting a DVD and putting it in the player. It was obvious she didn't want to talk about her mother, but Greg didn't think that avoiding the topic was altogether healthy. He let the matter drop, however, and sat down on the couch beside Meg to watch the movie.
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Catherine studied the photograph that she had taken from the vic's house.
There he stood, smiling and happy with an arm around the waist of a young woman. She was of average height and had dark black hair and hazel eyes. There was nothing out of the ordinary about the girl, but yet something about her stuck out in Catherine's mind. She seemed almost, familiar. But yet Catherine had never laid eyes on the woman except for in that photo.
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His eyes roving over the computer screen, Warrick worked to find any mention of Clarissa Donaldson in past newspapers, legal documents, and any other trace documents that he could find. But she was nowhere to be found. It was as if the woman had come out of nowhere and disappeared into the same oblivion.
"Anything yet?" Nick asked, coming into the room and sitting at a computer opposite Warrick.
"Absolutely nothing." Warrick shook his head. "It's like this girl never even existed."
"Maybe she didn't." The two men turned to see Catherine leaning against the doorframe. She held up the photograph of the vic and their mystery lady.
"What are you talking about, Cath?" Warrick said.
Catherine moved from her spot in the doorway and placed the photo beside Warrick. Nick leaned over to look at the picture.
"Maybe Clarissa Donaldson is our killer."
>>>>>
Beams of sunlight filtered in through the heavy curtains that covered the windows. She turned onto her side, hair streaming over her shoulder and the creamy white pillowcase. A groan escaped her lips as she placed a hand over her eyes to shield them from the persistent and annoying rays.
She didn't want to get out of bed. The guilt that weighed upon her was too heavy for even try to attempt to get up. But he was meeting her today for a progress report. Damn him for wanting to be so "involved" in her job. She didn't want to see him, to look at his face after what he had done to her.
In the past he had always been suggestive and flirty. He'd kissed her on more than one occasion and even felt her up. But never, never had he raped her. The very thought of his actions made her feel vile and dirty. It was as if she could shower a million times and still never be clean again.
A hot tear slid down her face, leaving a scorching trail of guilt and repulsion in its wake.
The alarm on her clock sounded, time to begin another day.
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"Clarissa Donaldson was dating our vic for five months. They started out with the vic serving as a financial advisor for her company and the relationship grew from there. I interviewed some of the vic's friends and they all claim that he and Miss Donaldson were madly in love." Catherine said, leaning back in her chair.
Across from her sat Grissom, his hands steepled and his chin resting on his upturned fingers.
"Where's Miss Donaldson now?" He asked.
"Gone." Catherine shook her head. "There's no trace of her anywhere. None of the vic's friends have seen her. Her business has been shut down. And her apartment is empty."
Grissom stared at the wall of his office, deep in thought.
"It's like she's dropped off the face of the earth, Griss. We're not gonna find her anywhere." She sighed wearily. So much of her time and energy had been put into this case, and now their one lead had disappeared. Catherine felt as if the weight of the world was settling on her shoulders.
Grissom remained silent, lost in his thoughts, his mind bending and twisting in unfathomable ways as he contemplated all the possibilities.
Then, as if coming out of a trance, his eyes focused on Catherine.
"We need to find out the suspects in the other cases." He said.
"Okay," Catherine stood, resisting the urge to stretch the kink in her back, "I'll talk to Meg and see what she can get us."
As Catherine left the room, Grissom returned to his ponderings. The key was in the other suspects, he just knew it. Now if only the FBI would agree to allow Grissom's team to look at the files of the other cases.
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An arm draped itself around her waist as Meg stood over the microscope inspecting the one or two fibers that they had been able to recover from the vic's home. Startled, she turned around and found herself face to face with a grinning Greg Sanders.
"Oh my god, you scared me." Meg said, placing a hand over her heart. Greg's smile widened. Meg felt a tug at her heartstrings. He was just so damn beautiful.
"What are you working on?" He asked, moving to lean against the table top.
"A dead-end." Meg replied with a sigh. She took the slide out from under the microscope and placed it back in its container before turning to face Greg.
"Shouldn't you be working?" She asked, her voice nothing more than a playful reprimand.
"Got nothing to work on until we get those case files from your boss." Greg replied, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Case files?" Meg hadn't heard anything about case files being sent over.
"Yeah, turns out Grissom and Catherine found out who the murderer might have been and now they're askin' for copies of the files from the other four cases so that they can see if their findings match up."
"Oh." Meg ran a hand through her hair. A silence fell over the pair. Not an uncomfortable one, but one of companionship.
"So," Greg said, finally breaking the silence, "I had a great time last night."
Meg felt her cheeks flush slightly.
"Yeah, me too."
And she had. They had sat on her couch until late that night, watching movies and talking. Meg had curled up against Greg, a sense of safety and security coming over her as she had sat snuggled in his arms. She liked that feeling.
They hadn't kissed, though Greg had wanted to. But Meg stopped him. After all, a lady doesn't kiss on the first date, she waits till the second.
"I was thinking we should do it again." Greg offered.
"Definitely." Meg smiled. She couldn't help it. Greg just made her feel so happy.
I'm falling in love with him, she thought. I know I shouldn't, but I am.
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