Note: Thanks to everyone who is reading this. I hope that you are being
entertained to some degree.
Thanks to Alison for beta reading.
Nan Giles lived on the outskirts of town. They drove through the streets in silence, passing the restaurant they had eaten in the previous night. Sara remembered the unopened take out box and glanced around the car. It was on the floorboard where she had placed it.
The container was heavy and when she opened it, the smell of apple pie wafted out and floated around the car's cabin. Grissom shot her a look and she started to close the container when something caught her eye. A piece of paper was taped to the inside of the box lid. She pulled it free and returned the box to the floorboard.
"What's that?" Grissom watched her unfold the paper and frown.
"It's a note. It's from Bess." Sara read the note again, this time aloud. "It says that we should speak to a Paul Hanson. He is on the football team with Andy."
"Is that it? Why didn't she just tell us that in the restaurant? Why the cloak and dagger?"
"That's a good question." Sara tried to recall the conversation with Bess and Olivia. Did she mention anyone named Paul? With sudden recollection, she spun towards Grissom and reached for his arm. "Hanson!"
"Hey! Careful." Grissom kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel despite the sudden movement of Sara clamping her hand around his forearm.
"Hanson was printed on the back of Olivia's jersey. She is dating him." Sara let go of his arm and sat back. "We should go to the school and interview him as soon as possible."
"And see it in tomorrow's paper? Maybe we should find him at home."
"No." Sara stared out of the front window. "I think we should interview all of the boys on that football team. We need to learn more about the effusive Andy Giles."
Grissom did not say anything for several minutes. He was weighing his thoughts with what he felt was the best course of action. "You're right, Sara." He decided not to resist the urge to investigate this case thoroughly. Up to now, he had felt that he was performing some obligation and then he could continue with his own life, but not now. He was in too deep and he had pulled Sara with him. "First, we need to visit Nan Giles. She is expecting us."
------------------------------ ---
Sara stood beside Grissom on the porch of Nan Giles home. This porch was much smaller than Elaine's was, without the littering of toys or rocking chairs. It did have a swing that gently swayed in the light breeze and hosted a wide assortment of potted plants; ferns, cactus, spider plants, and many that Sara did not recognize.
She and Grissom avoided exchanging looks as they waited for Nan to answer the doorbell. Five minutes later, they were still waiting.
"Are you sure that she is expecting us Grissom?" Sara tried to keep the doubt from her voice.
"Do you think that I lied to you about calling her?"
"No."
They stood there for several more minutes trying to decide if they should wait or come back later.
"Maybe I should try calling again." Grissom suggested. He took his cell phone out just as the sound of a car engine revved from the street.
A metallic red convertible eased up behind their Tahoe and they stared in wonder as the man sitting behind the wheel gave them a wide salute.
The man that shut the engine off and climbed out from behind the wheel resembled Grissom, from a distance. As he drew closer to them, Sara could understand why the locals were taken aback by the remarkable likeness. However, she thought the similarities were subtle. Tom Giles hair was dark brown and curled in the back to the nape of his neck. His chin was cleft, but not as distinct as Grissom's, as were the dimples when he flashed an appraising smile. Removing his dark glasses, Sara noted that his eyes were not as blue as Grissom's, although they twinkled in appreciation.
"You must be Sara Sidle, my long lost brother's girlfriend." Tom held out his hand to Sara before acknowledging Grissom's presence.
Grissom tensed beside her, but held his tongue. Sara shook her head in the negative.
"I'm Sara Sidle." She took his hand. "I'm not his girlfriend. I work with him."
"Media." Tom smiled and raised her hand to his lips. "You can never trust them to report the truth."
Sara narrowed her eyes and pulled her hand back. She looked over her shoulder at Grissom who shrugged at her questioning expression.
Tom followed her look and focused on the man standing defensively beside the door. He did not look surprised by the similarities between them; in fact, he appeared completely unfazed by the circumstances.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gil. I've waited years to have the honor."
"Excuse me?" Grissom was stunned by those words. Sara could only imagine how he felt. She started to reach out to touch his arm, but held back. She was not sure he would appreciate her empathy.
Tom did not appear startled; instead, he gave him a soft smile. "I know that you must be knocked off balance by all of this, Gil." He nodded towards the front door. "Why don't we go inside and I'll make some coffee and we can talk."
Grissom was set to protest, but some inner turmoil made him hesitate. He glanced at Sara who was staring at Tom with puzzlement.
"We rang the doorbell, but your mom didn't answer." Sara watched him open the door that had been apparently unlocked.
"She is probably outside in the garden." Tom led them inside a well-kept foyer. Walking towards the back of the house, he motioned for them to follow him. He brought them to a spacious kitchen where he gestured towards the table. He then walked over to a glass sliding door and stared outside into the back yard.
Sara followed his gaze and saw a gray haired woman digging in a tomato garden. The woman sat back and glanced towards the door. When she noticed them, she gave a wave before standing up and pulling the gardening gloves from her hands. They watched her approach the sliding door and Sara thought her steps seemed heavy. Dismissing it as her imagination, she turned away from the door to find Grissom seated at the glass topped table staring into space.
Tom slid the door back and gave his mom a warm hug. Nan Giles smiled at Sara and held out a wrinkled, but firm hand. Sara recognized where Kyle had received his own good looks in this woman's dignified appearance. Nan smoothed her hands on her gardening attire and took a deep breath before facing the man she had been preparing herself to face for years.
"Gil."
Grissom stood. He searched for the feelings he thought that he should have towards this woman who must have known about him for years if Tom's words had implied what he thought they did.
"I hoped that we would meet someday." Nan did not hold out her hand to him as she had Sara. Instead, she stepped forward and hugged him with warmth that he had not expected.
Taken aback, Grissom did not return the hug. His hands remained by his side and his face registered his shock.
Nan pulled back and motioned towards the table. "I suppose you have many questions."
"No." Grissom wanted to leave. He wanted to leave this surreal place and drive back to Vegas and the crime lab where the strangest people made some sort of logic.
"We do have questions regarding Kyle and Andrew." Sara stood close to Grissom, trying to absorb some of his shock.
Nan's smile faltered. "I don't know what has happened to my son and grandson. I hope that you can help us find them." She turned away and busied herself by the coffee pot. "Would you care for coffee? Or would you rather something cold?"
"Coffee would be fine." Sara looked at Grissom and then over at Tom who was observing them with interest.
He pulled out a chair for Sara and took the one next to hers. Grissom stood for another minute before reclaiming his own chair.
"Do you care to explain how you know about me?" Grissom directed the question at Tom, but he included Nan.
Tom glanced towards Nan before offering his explanation. "I learned about you about ten years ago. My mom told me of you and wondered how you were doing, what had become of you. I decided to find out, so I did some research."
Nan placed a cup of coffee before Grissom and one in front of Sara. She then placed creamer and sugar between the cups.
"I knew of you from when I was married to your dad." Nan pulled out a bar stool and sat on it so that she could face Grissom. "He told me a little about you after Tommy was born. I didn't know of you before then."
Grissom did not want to hear about his dad. He wanted to find out more information on Kyle and Andrew, and then leave.
Nan kept speaking, though, lost in her memories. "He told me that Tommy looked so much like his son, Gil." She wiped at a tear. "He told me that he did not know where you were and that your mom had kept you away from him."
Anger swelled up inside Grissom. He fought to keep his voice steady.
"My mom and I lived in the same house in Marina Del Ray, California until I went off to school. She then moved to Florida. If he wanted to find me all he had to do was come back home."
Nan did not look surprised. She nodded at Tom who picked up the explanation. "When he left us, my mom was suspicious of that very thing. She still wanted to know about you and has always felt a connection."
"I wanted to know that you were okay, and ten years ago Tommy found out that you were more than okay. You are one of the few entomologists in this country. You run a crime lab in Las Vegas. You have done well for yourself. I'm relieved."
"Why would you be relieved?" Grissom was honestly baffled. "You did not steal him away from my mom and me. He left because she became deaf and he could not handle it."
"I'm not sure why it has weighed on my mind for years." Nan exchanged an indescribable look with Tom.
Grissom allowed curiosity to rule his own mind. "He told you his real name? Grissom? Is that how you traced me?"
Tom took over the explanation. "He told mom that his ex wife owned an art gallery in Venice. It wasn't hard to track from that point."
Grissom gave him an appreciative look. He knew that it would be hard to trace from that point because his mom had used her maiden name and kept her personal life private.
"It's all history." Grissom stated matter of factly. "I'm here to ask you about Kyle and Andrew."
Nan referred to Tom once again in a manner that intrigued Sara. She noticed that Grissom had not missed the possible significance.
"We know as much as you do, Gil." Tom reached for the creamer and sugar while he clearly planned for the appropriate words. "Tom told us that he and Andy were going camping. I asked him to wait until I could go with them." He looked up and into Gils' eyes. "The Mojave can be an unforgiving wasteland if you don't respect it."
"You think they simply wandered off and got lost? That doesn't seem likely seeing as their car was found with all of their camping equipment." Grissom did not want to spell it out in front of Nan, but the fact that Tom was suggesting that carelessness had resulted in their demise was ridiculous. He also thought it was an odd reaction from the missing person's family.
Sara had the same reaction. "Are you assuming that they wandered away from their car, even though they are experienced campers?"
"No, of course not." Tom wore an exasperated look. "I have not given up hope that they are okay. I don't know what to think."
Grissom looked at Nan's ashen face. "What do you think Mrs. Giles?" Nan caught his eyes with pain etched in her own. "I think that someone has taken them and has them locked away someplace. I think they will be okay if we can find them."
"Mom. Don't say anything." Tom forgot his coffee and stood up to touch the older woman's frail shoulders. He looked back at Grissom and Sara. "She is hoping for the best and at this point that is the best scenario."
"Who do you think could have them, Mrs. Giles?" Grissom spoke with such softness Sara had to strain to hear the words. Nan Giles heard his question and so did Tom.
"I don't know, Gil. That is why I had Elaine call you and ask you to come here to help us find them."
"What do you mean, Mrs. Giles?" Sara picked up the silence as Grissom stared between Tom and Nan.
"It's nothing." Nan patted Tom on the hand and smiled weakly at them both. "I knew that you were an investigator and I thought that you could help."
"He isn't that kind of investigator, mom. I told you that." Tom spoke with tenderness, but his expression was agitated. "I think that we've told you everything that we know concerning their disappearance." His dismissive tone was not lost on Grissom or Sara.
Sara thanked them for seeing them and took Grissom's arm.
"I need to move my car," Tom led them back through the house and out of the front door. "I'm sorry that my sister-in-law and mom got you involved in this, Gil. We should have met you under different circumstances."
TBC
Thanks to Alison for beta reading.
Nan Giles lived on the outskirts of town. They drove through the streets in silence, passing the restaurant they had eaten in the previous night. Sara remembered the unopened take out box and glanced around the car. It was on the floorboard where she had placed it.
The container was heavy and when she opened it, the smell of apple pie wafted out and floated around the car's cabin. Grissom shot her a look and she started to close the container when something caught her eye. A piece of paper was taped to the inside of the box lid. She pulled it free and returned the box to the floorboard.
"What's that?" Grissom watched her unfold the paper and frown.
"It's a note. It's from Bess." Sara read the note again, this time aloud. "It says that we should speak to a Paul Hanson. He is on the football team with Andy."
"Is that it? Why didn't she just tell us that in the restaurant? Why the cloak and dagger?"
"That's a good question." Sara tried to recall the conversation with Bess and Olivia. Did she mention anyone named Paul? With sudden recollection, she spun towards Grissom and reached for his arm. "Hanson!"
"Hey! Careful." Grissom kept his hands firmly on the steering wheel despite the sudden movement of Sara clamping her hand around his forearm.
"Hanson was printed on the back of Olivia's jersey. She is dating him." Sara let go of his arm and sat back. "We should go to the school and interview him as soon as possible."
"And see it in tomorrow's paper? Maybe we should find him at home."
"No." Sara stared out of the front window. "I think we should interview all of the boys on that football team. We need to learn more about the effusive Andy Giles."
Grissom did not say anything for several minutes. He was weighing his thoughts with what he felt was the best course of action. "You're right, Sara." He decided not to resist the urge to investigate this case thoroughly. Up to now, he had felt that he was performing some obligation and then he could continue with his own life, but not now. He was in too deep and he had pulled Sara with him. "First, we need to visit Nan Giles. She is expecting us."
------------------------------ ---
Sara stood beside Grissom on the porch of Nan Giles home. This porch was much smaller than Elaine's was, without the littering of toys or rocking chairs. It did have a swing that gently swayed in the light breeze and hosted a wide assortment of potted plants; ferns, cactus, spider plants, and many that Sara did not recognize.
She and Grissom avoided exchanging looks as they waited for Nan to answer the doorbell. Five minutes later, they were still waiting.
"Are you sure that she is expecting us Grissom?" Sara tried to keep the doubt from her voice.
"Do you think that I lied to you about calling her?"
"No."
They stood there for several more minutes trying to decide if they should wait or come back later.
"Maybe I should try calling again." Grissom suggested. He took his cell phone out just as the sound of a car engine revved from the street.
A metallic red convertible eased up behind their Tahoe and they stared in wonder as the man sitting behind the wheel gave them a wide salute.
The man that shut the engine off and climbed out from behind the wheel resembled Grissom, from a distance. As he drew closer to them, Sara could understand why the locals were taken aback by the remarkable likeness. However, she thought the similarities were subtle. Tom Giles hair was dark brown and curled in the back to the nape of his neck. His chin was cleft, but not as distinct as Grissom's, as were the dimples when he flashed an appraising smile. Removing his dark glasses, Sara noted that his eyes were not as blue as Grissom's, although they twinkled in appreciation.
"You must be Sara Sidle, my long lost brother's girlfriend." Tom held out his hand to Sara before acknowledging Grissom's presence.
Grissom tensed beside her, but held his tongue. Sara shook her head in the negative.
"I'm Sara Sidle." She took his hand. "I'm not his girlfriend. I work with him."
"Media." Tom smiled and raised her hand to his lips. "You can never trust them to report the truth."
Sara narrowed her eyes and pulled her hand back. She looked over her shoulder at Grissom who shrugged at her questioning expression.
Tom followed her look and focused on the man standing defensively beside the door. He did not look surprised by the similarities between them; in fact, he appeared completely unfazed by the circumstances.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gil. I've waited years to have the honor."
"Excuse me?" Grissom was stunned by those words. Sara could only imagine how he felt. She started to reach out to touch his arm, but held back. She was not sure he would appreciate her empathy.
Tom did not appear startled; instead, he gave him a soft smile. "I know that you must be knocked off balance by all of this, Gil." He nodded towards the front door. "Why don't we go inside and I'll make some coffee and we can talk."
Grissom was set to protest, but some inner turmoil made him hesitate. He glanced at Sara who was staring at Tom with puzzlement.
"We rang the doorbell, but your mom didn't answer." Sara watched him open the door that had been apparently unlocked.
"She is probably outside in the garden." Tom led them inside a well-kept foyer. Walking towards the back of the house, he motioned for them to follow him. He brought them to a spacious kitchen where he gestured towards the table. He then walked over to a glass sliding door and stared outside into the back yard.
Sara followed his gaze and saw a gray haired woman digging in a tomato garden. The woman sat back and glanced towards the door. When she noticed them, she gave a wave before standing up and pulling the gardening gloves from her hands. They watched her approach the sliding door and Sara thought her steps seemed heavy. Dismissing it as her imagination, she turned away from the door to find Grissom seated at the glass topped table staring into space.
Tom slid the door back and gave his mom a warm hug. Nan Giles smiled at Sara and held out a wrinkled, but firm hand. Sara recognized where Kyle had received his own good looks in this woman's dignified appearance. Nan smoothed her hands on her gardening attire and took a deep breath before facing the man she had been preparing herself to face for years.
"Gil."
Grissom stood. He searched for the feelings he thought that he should have towards this woman who must have known about him for years if Tom's words had implied what he thought they did.
"I hoped that we would meet someday." Nan did not hold out her hand to him as she had Sara. Instead, she stepped forward and hugged him with warmth that he had not expected.
Taken aback, Grissom did not return the hug. His hands remained by his side and his face registered his shock.
Nan pulled back and motioned towards the table. "I suppose you have many questions."
"No." Grissom wanted to leave. He wanted to leave this surreal place and drive back to Vegas and the crime lab where the strangest people made some sort of logic.
"We do have questions regarding Kyle and Andrew." Sara stood close to Grissom, trying to absorb some of his shock.
Nan's smile faltered. "I don't know what has happened to my son and grandson. I hope that you can help us find them." She turned away and busied herself by the coffee pot. "Would you care for coffee? Or would you rather something cold?"
"Coffee would be fine." Sara looked at Grissom and then over at Tom who was observing them with interest.
He pulled out a chair for Sara and took the one next to hers. Grissom stood for another minute before reclaiming his own chair.
"Do you care to explain how you know about me?" Grissom directed the question at Tom, but he included Nan.
Tom glanced towards Nan before offering his explanation. "I learned about you about ten years ago. My mom told me of you and wondered how you were doing, what had become of you. I decided to find out, so I did some research."
Nan placed a cup of coffee before Grissom and one in front of Sara. She then placed creamer and sugar between the cups.
"I knew of you from when I was married to your dad." Nan pulled out a bar stool and sat on it so that she could face Grissom. "He told me a little about you after Tommy was born. I didn't know of you before then."
Grissom did not want to hear about his dad. He wanted to find out more information on Kyle and Andrew, and then leave.
Nan kept speaking, though, lost in her memories. "He told me that Tommy looked so much like his son, Gil." She wiped at a tear. "He told me that he did not know where you were and that your mom had kept you away from him."
Anger swelled up inside Grissom. He fought to keep his voice steady.
"My mom and I lived in the same house in Marina Del Ray, California until I went off to school. She then moved to Florida. If he wanted to find me all he had to do was come back home."
Nan did not look surprised. She nodded at Tom who picked up the explanation. "When he left us, my mom was suspicious of that very thing. She still wanted to know about you and has always felt a connection."
"I wanted to know that you were okay, and ten years ago Tommy found out that you were more than okay. You are one of the few entomologists in this country. You run a crime lab in Las Vegas. You have done well for yourself. I'm relieved."
"Why would you be relieved?" Grissom was honestly baffled. "You did not steal him away from my mom and me. He left because she became deaf and he could not handle it."
"I'm not sure why it has weighed on my mind for years." Nan exchanged an indescribable look with Tom.
Grissom allowed curiosity to rule his own mind. "He told you his real name? Grissom? Is that how you traced me?"
Tom took over the explanation. "He told mom that his ex wife owned an art gallery in Venice. It wasn't hard to track from that point."
Grissom gave him an appreciative look. He knew that it would be hard to trace from that point because his mom had used her maiden name and kept her personal life private.
"It's all history." Grissom stated matter of factly. "I'm here to ask you about Kyle and Andrew."
Nan referred to Tom once again in a manner that intrigued Sara. She noticed that Grissom had not missed the possible significance.
"We know as much as you do, Gil." Tom reached for the creamer and sugar while he clearly planned for the appropriate words. "Tom told us that he and Andy were going camping. I asked him to wait until I could go with them." He looked up and into Gils' eyes. "The Mojave can be an unforgiving wasteland if you don't respect it."
"You think they simply wandered off and got lost? That doesn't seem likely seeing as their car was found with all of their camping equipment." Grissom did not want to spell it out in front of Nan, but the fact that Tom was suggesting that carelessness had resulted in their demise was ridiculous. He also thought it was an odd reaction from the missing person's family.
Sara had the same reaction. "Are you assuming that they wandered away from their car, even though they are experienced campers?"
"No, of course not." Tom wore an exasperated look. "I have not given up hope that they are okay. I don't know what to think."
Grissom looked at Nan's ashen face. "What do you think Mrs. Giles?" Nan caught his eyes with pain etched in her own. "I think that someone has taken them and has them locked away someplace. I think they will be okay if we can find them."
"Mom. Don't say anything." Tom forgot his coffee and stood up to touch the older woman's frail shoulders. He looked back at Grissom and Sara. "She is hoping for the best and at this point that is the best scenario."
"Who do you think could have them, Mrs. Giles?" Grissom spoke with such softness Sara had to strain to hear the words. Nan Giles heard his question and so did Tom.
"I don't know, Gil. That is why I had Elaine call you and ask you to come here to help us find them."
"What do you mean, Mrs. Giles?" Sara picked up the silence as Grissom stared between Tom and Nan.
"It's nothing." Nan patted Tom on the hand and smiled weakly at them both. "I knew that you were an investigator and I thought that you could help."
"He isn't that kind of investigator, mom. I told you that." Tom spoke with tenderness, but his expression was agitated. "I think that we've told you everything that we know concerning their disappearance." His dismissive tone was not lost on Grissom or Sara.
Sara thanked them for seeing them and took Grissom's arm.
"I need to move my car," Tom led them back through the house and out of the front door. "I'm sorry that my sister-in-law and mom got you involved in this, Gil. We should have met you under different circumstances."
TBC