Hi everyone, I've managed to sneak on my friend's computer so I can post a chapter for you all. First of all I want to thank the following people for their reviews…
dark syrinx
CatherineLouise
krysalys
Charmin-Lady
crazy-4-csi
A Christy
I want George
I'm sorry I can't type you all a message but I only have a few minutes to do this. Thanks for everyone's support and I'll try and get another chapter up soon (sorry of there are any mistakes on the chapter!).
So here's…
Chapter 12
It had been 3 days since Grissom received the photographs and note from Nick's stalker and Katie had reached a dead end. The 3rd fingerprint on the photographs was that of a photo developer who could not remember the customer who paid for the photo development and the CCTV footage of the photo store had been taped over. And the car that the photographer had been sitting in turned out to be a car with cloned plates, with no way of knowing whom the car belonged to or its origin.
Grissom had decided to put off telling Nick until they had exhausted ever lead. That time had come, and Nick was now waiting patiently in Grissom's office while Katie arrived. Grissom thought that it would be better if he broke the news with someone else there.
"Sorry I'm late," Katie said, as she slipped in through the door of Grissom's office and sat beside Nick, while their boss sat behind his desk.
"What's going on?" Nick asked.
Grissom looked straight at Nick, "Nick, I don't know how I should say this so I'm going to come out and just say it. A few days ago I received an anonymous package. It contained some pictures and a note that I think you should see." Grissom handed the photographs to Nick, and he and Katie watched as Nick's face changed from confusion to fear to anger.
"Why didn't you show these to me earlier?" he exploded. "I have a right to know!"
"Nick, I was running tests on them. Grissom felt you shouldn't have to worry about it until we were sure who they were from," Katie replied. She was slightly taken aback by her boyfriend's anger: she had never heard him this angry before.
"But you're in danger. This psycho could have hurt you. I should be protecting you."
Katie stood up and embraced him in a hug, "I'm fine. I know how to look after myself. Besides it looks like this person is after you."
Her hug comforted him and his tense body relaxed for a moment. Realising Grissom was still in the room he pulled away from Katie but kept hold of her hand. "Do you know who sent them?"
"I'm afraid we have hit a dead end, Nick" Grissom said. "This person is very careful not to leave any trace of him or her. Can you think of anyone who would want to do this to you?"
"I have no clue. It could be anybody, an old girlfriend, criminal or family member of someone I helped put away."
Katie kissed his cheek, "Hey don't worry, we'll catch him."
Nick smiled, "So I guess our secret's out, then?" He nodded towards Grissom.
"I guess so. Anyway the rest of the lab was going to see the photographs sooner or later. I think it's about time we came out."
"Do you want me to give you two a moment alone?" Grissom asked.
Nick sighed, "No, it's ok. I've got to interview a suspect now. Brass is waiting for me."
"Yeah, I have some things I have to follow up," she replied.
"Ok, well I'm going to go fill Catherine, Warrick and Sara in on the case and we'll see if any dead ends bring up something. Be careful, you two."
11:00 pm rolled on and Katie walked out of the locker-room and into the break room, where she found Warrick and Sara sat beside each other at the table deep in conversation, discussing something.
"Hey, what are you two up to?" Katie asked, pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting opposite them.
"We're just talking about the photos of Nick. I can't believe someone is stalking him. Are you ok?" Sara replied.
"Yeah, it just feels weird being watched when I'm with Nick. I'm so frustrated, I couldn't find anything."
Warrick placed a hand on her arm, "Don't worry girl. We're going to find this punk. Anyway, you and Nick, huh? I told you, Sara."
"What?" Katie looked confused at the two. "You guys knew?"
Sara smiled, "We had our suspicions. Nick totally gave it away with his obvious glances to you. That and the footsie under the table."
Katie blushed, "You knew about that?"
Sara laughed, "Yeah, he accidentally played with my foot once. I realised you were sat next to me and I thought 'There is no way he is coming on to me'. Plus his huge grin towards you was not subtle in any way."
"Yeah, and I read some messages he sent you on his phone. Damn girl, you bad!"
"Oh my God! Well, it's nice not to have to keep it a secret."
"Well don't worry. We're going to make sure nothing happens to him." Sara smiled and she and Warrick stood up and left to chase up a lead on the cloned license plate.
Katie stayed in the break room, contemplating Nick. Before he had come into her life she was scared to be close to anyone, afraid her father's illness would scare them away. But telling Nick was the best thing she could ever have done. Since that moment she spent her days a happy woman, having not felt such happiness since before her mother died.
And now here she was, almost about to lose him.
Catherine and Grissom entered the break room, pulling Katie out of her train of thought.
"Hey Katie, how are you holding up?" Catherine asked, walking past Katie and giving her shoulders a quick squeeze.
"I'm ok."
"Where's Nick?"
"He's at my house, hanging out with my dad."
"Well we might find this guy a lot sooner than I thought because I jut received another package," Grissom said.
Katie looked up, "Where is it?"
"The receptionist lost it. I bumped into Warrick and Sara on the way here and told them to track it down. We'll wait for them in evidence room 1."
Katie, Grissom and Catherine went to the evidence room and waited nervously as Warrick and Sara came in 10 minutes later holding a package.
Warrick pulled out a pair of latex gloves from his pocket, put them on and started opening the envelope. "Damn cleaner thought it was trash," he said, taking out a video.
"When was it delivered?" Catherine asked.
"About half an hour ago", Warrick placed the video in the VCR. The rest of the team held their breathe as he pressed play.
Static appeared in the screen for a few seconds until a man, about 30 years of age, appeared on the monitor. He started speaking, "To anyone who is watching my name is Clifford Hill and this is the last will and testament of crime scene investigator Nick Stokes. I've known Nick for a while. He testified against my brother and sent him to jail for the murder of a man in 2000 and ever since then I've tracked him down. He thinks he's so damn perfect, strutting round Las Vegas, assuming he could have any girl he wanted." Clifford stopped speaking and a number of shots of Nick followed – him walking down a street, driving and joking with Warrick at a crime scene. "You see, Nick is everything I have ever hated in this world. He's the typical high-school jock that everyone loved and adored. So when this 'Katie' entered into his life I knew I had to do something." Shots of Nick and Katie walking together, holding hands and the first time they ever kissed on her front doorstep engulfed the screen.
Katie's eyes widened, "Oh my God. That was months ago."
Clifford's voice boomed through the speakers of the screen and his angry face could be seen. "He may have the perfect job and life but he is not going to have the perfect love. He took away from me the only person that ever cared for me – my brother! He's rotting in some jail cell while Nick gets to walk the street! So as I sign off, I hope you get this in-time and know that you're all too late."
Katie felt her stomach churn when the final shot on-screen showed the front door of her house. In the corner of the screen had today's date and the time set at 35 minutes ago.
"He's at my house."
"Get Brass and a team over there now," Grissom ordered to Catherine.
Katie sat staring at the screen, "Nick. Dad." She immediately stood up and ran out of the room, praying she was not too late.
I know, what a way to end it! I can't thank you all enough for being so kind and sticking with the story – I'll try my best to update in the next two weeks…