Chapter 2
Sara's own breath was short as she jogged after what had just moments been her D.B. She was still in shock; she'd never had a live one before. The girl was slowing, and she could hear her laboured breathing even from several meters behind her. Suddenly she went crashing to the ground just down a small side street. She dragged herself into a small corner, her knees drawn to her chest, and an expression of pure fear on her face. Sara skidded to a halt just feet away from her. She didn't know what to say, she couldn't exactly say, "Oh sorry about that, just wondering how you've come back from the dead…" The girl was shivering something chronic so Sara did the only logical thing that sprang to mind and threw off her own jacket and made her way carefully to the curled up girl and wrapped her in the coat. The girl said nothing, merely looked at the floor. Sara's eyes were instantly drawn to the wrists that were jutting out of the jacket. They were bruised purple and yellow, and there were remnants of a grey substance on them. She sat beside the girl who still said nothing. She could see Grissom and a group of officers not far off, but clearly not coming any closer. She turned slowly to the girl, and tried to smile as nicely as possible. She didn't want her making a bolt for it again, even though she obviously wasn't in the state for it. She decided to try the most obvious thing,
"Hey my names Sara, what's yours?"
The girl said nothing, her eyes barely blinking. She crunched forwards more, deftly curling into a foetal ball. Again Sara noticed more bruising around her neck, and felt her blood rush slightly when she caught sight of what appeared to be bite marks on the left side of her neck. It appeared that her initial instincts had originally been correct. It looked like a very severe sexual assault. This girl needed to go to hospital; it just seemed the persuading was going to be harder than she thought.
"I think we need to get you check over…Will you come with me…We can help you."
The girl looked up blankly, her eyes dull. But to Sara's surprise she allowed herself to be helped up by her. She leant heavily on her clearly not wanting to put weight on her right foot. They began making their unsteady way down the road back to Grissom and the now stationed there, medics. Without warning the girl suddenly collapsed, falling in a breathless heap on the hard floor. She was red in the face and seemed barely able to catch one breath. Sara instantly reacted,
"Can we get the medics over here now!"
The group ran over, followed close in pursuit by Grissom. The girl was opening and closing her mouth like a fish struggling for air. The medic's immediately placed a mask over her face, but she flung out an arm and grabbed onto the Sara. She looked surprised. The girl had seemed totally detached just moments ago. With the other arm, the girl pulled off the mask momentarily to gasp out a few words.
"It's Lucy…My names Lucy…Don't leave me…"
The medic's placed the mask back on her face and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She was placed on a stretcher and they rolled her quickly to the waiting ambulance. Sara followed them down, but Grissom stopped her.
"Sara, I need you here, on evidence."
But she shook her head stubbornly,
"Get Nick. She asked for me Grissom, I'm not leaving her."
She noticed the questioning look in his eyes,
"Look while I'm there I can do a kit, and get any evidence of her, before we have nothing to go on at all, OK?"
He nodded, understanding that there was probably no point arguing, and she was right, they did need someone to get a statement and collect any DNA. Admitting defeat he paged Nick, and watched as Sara jumped in the back of the ambulance next to the girl and disappeared down the road.
Nick arrived just moments later, pulling easily onto the curb. He climbed out, his kit by his side and camera slung around his neck.
"Gris, you pulled me off a 419, for an empty crime scene? Where's the body?"
Grissom raised an eyebrow. How to put this…
"The body ran away…."
Nick blinked.
"Huh!"
Grissom smiled slightly, and directed Nick to the where the tire tracks lay, just in from the 'Crime Scene Do Not Cross' tape.
"Putting it simply, our DB was not a DB. Sara's gone to the hospital with her, I want you to get these tracks, put them through the database and find out what model the vehicle was."
He nodded, his face still incredulous, but began snapping photos.