Chapter XXIII
Consequences
Cambridge Parker could handle the criminally insane, she had before and she was sure she would again. What she couldn't handle is the feeling of helplessness that washed over her when she saw Sara so pale and shaking. "Damn her. Damn her to hell."
Sara looked up from where she was leaning against the scorching hot metal of the SUV. "Is she the killer?" Cami threw the truck's door open. "Oh she did it and she's enjoying it and she won't stop until she's caught." Tears of frustration welled up behind her eyes and she blinked them back. "She's going to keep taking little girls and she's going to keep killing them. She thinks she would make a good mother but for some reason doesn't have children. She enjoys the power at the idea of ruling over a person's life so personally. Did you see how she enjoyed making you flinch?" Sara nodded and Cami noticed that the color was starting to return to her friend's face. "You've got the right person, Sara." She nodded. "Well, let us just get back to the crime lab and prove it."
Cami got into the car and Sara followed. She started the SUV. In her head, she was already calling to request information, specifically any open disappearances or murder cases in the Carson City and DC area.
That would come later, though. "You know that Grissom guy is weird, but smart. Really smart." Sara nodded, "He got you, huh?" She nodded. "I would really like to get him on my couch." Sara laughed out loud and Cami pushed her foot to the floor. "We'll go get some food first, then we'll save the world, Wild Woman."
They had halved a pizza, reminisced about their "glory days" at Harvard and by one o'clock when Sara returned to the Crime Lab alone, she was in a rather good mood. She had hours of work before her but she could taste the victory. She would get Madison Daniels and then she and Sofia were going on vacation. It was a snap decision, something that was completely out of character for her. Then, again, she'd gone against direct orders, called in an old friend for help and interrogated a psycho today. She deserved a vacation with her girl. That thought alone made her smile. She went into the building and waved at the receptionist. She did not notice that the receptionist did not wave back. She had Cami's case profile and a quick psych profile on Madison Daniels in a folder under her arm and if she wasn't mistaken, she smelled Greg's Blue Hawaiian brewing in the break room.
She was thinking about stealing a savory cup when she heard her name. It was not being called out or even shouted. It was being bellowed. Bellowing was never good. She turned and saw the Mayor, the Sheriff and Conrad Ecklie bearing down on her.
"Shit."
Grissom watched them march Sara into the conference room and he saw the door slam in his face. It was locked. All he could do was watch through the frosted glass.
The Sheriff opened the file that Sara had. "After I told you to leave Congressmen Daniels alone...after I specifically told you to drop it, YOU WENT BACK!" He slammed his fist on the table inches away from Sara's arm. "That woman is a pillar in this city. She's got power and she is not afraid to use it! She served two terms in Carson City as Lieutenant Governor and you are invading her home and her office!" He rubbed his hands over his face. "Christ, Sidle! Are you that fucking insane or just stupid?"
Sara scowled, "Madison Daniels killed those little girls. She is going to kidnap more and keep killing until we stop her!" Ecklie leafed through the pages. "I did not authorize any psychological evaluation or a profile." Sara squared her chin. "Good Samaritan." Cami had not put her name on anything, which would stall them long enough to allow her to get out of dodge. Ecklie slammed the papers on the table, "There is no evidence here, Sidle. I don't know what fantasy world you and the rest of the night shift lives in but the rest of us work the evidence! You're just jumping at shadows and smearing a good name!" Sara's spine went stiff and she stared Ecklie down. "I didn't know a good name was an excuse for murder, sir."
The mayor finally spoke. "Miss Sidle, this is inexcusable. You will leave Madison Daniels alone, period." He looked to the sheriff. "I want her off this investigation." The sheriff glared at Sara, "Unpaid leave, indefinitely, Sidle." He jerked open the door and came face to face with Grissom. "Not this time, Grissom." He pushed his way around the entomologist. The Mayor followed him. Ecklie looked from Sara to Grissom. "You can't help her now, Grissom. She's gone."
Sara stood up. For once, she was glad for her reputation as a "Grissom in the making" Her face revealed nothing, she didn't spare Ecklie a glance, but she did gather the files from the table and hand them to Grissom. "Make sure Catherine gets these."
She walked down the hall, making her way to the locker room. The lab techs watched her from behind their glass walls. They each turned their backs on her, even Archie and Wendy, they all separated themselves from her. As she drew closer to it, she saw the door to Catherine's office close, the door caught with a soft click and that was what made Sara wince. She was a pariah and no one would come to her aid. What was worse? She didn't blame them. She was not the great Gil Grissom, she was not the beautiful Catherine Willows or the good old boy Nick, or anyone. She was Sara Sidle, the outsider. That knowledge boiled in her stomach as she made her silent walk, her walk of shame.
Frustration, pain, fear, a wild mix of emotions thrashed inside of her. Wild and uncontrollable it burned through her like acid in her blood.
She slammed her locker door and threw the lock down in place. She stared at the dull metal in front of her. She didn't know how much longer she'd have this locker. She'd just been effectively fired. Her entire career had gone up in flames in front of her and she hadn't said a word in her own defense. A tear slid down her face and she wiped it away. She would not cry over this… this… this miscarriage of justice. She could get a job anywhere. She was an experienced CSI, a CSI III. She could go back to San Francisco or maybe to Seattle or anywhere. She could check out the FBI like she had thought about doing years ago. She could... No, she wanted to stay in Vegas. She had just straightened herself out again. She'd been in a good place. Then politics and power hungry pricks had taken it all away.
With her emotions spiraling out of control Sara indulged in something that she hadn't done since high school. Her fist balled tight and she lashed out against the metal. The crack of her flesh and bone on steel was a satisfying sound, so she did it again. Like a pro boxer in a title match, she punched the locker with wild abandon, oblivious to the pain. Her pain and anger flowed out of her through her fists. Violence was not supposed to be an answer, but it felt good right now.
Someone caught her fist as she pulled back for yet another blow. Sara jerked to a stop. Two strong arms came around her and she found herself caught up in Sofia's grasp. She let out a strangled sob.
A low voice whispered in her ear, "You're hurting yourself." Gentle hands took Sara's battered knuckles in her own. She pulled Sara closer to her, "You could've broken your hands, sweetie." Sara leaned back against Sofia. "I'm finished." Sofia lifted one of Sara's bleeding hands to her lips and kissed it. "You've not got a pink slip yet. We need to fix these hands before we do anything else." Sara opened her mouth to protest, but Sofia squeezed her and she fell silent. "I'm pretty sure I have a fist aid kit at home."
Author's Note: Et tu Catherine? Remeber when Nick was accused of murder and Catherine begged for time to prove him innocent? Or how in the Strip Stranger, the entire team sided with Grissom? Not so much here and now. Can it get worse? This is me you're dealing with, folks, of course it can. I would love to hear some feedback right about now, so if you've got a spare minuite or two, hit the button and tell me what you think.