"You know it's really annoying me that no one else is reviewing your story, because it is really very good. I am really looking forward to the next chapter so post soon!"

Thank you Smartstar247 for these kind words. I'm glad you're still enjoying this story. I must say it is a bit hard to keep writing when I don't know if other people feel the same or it's only you!

To be honest, I am considering not writing any more chapters. If other people have read and enjoyed this but not reviewed could you let me know please? You don't have to review regularly. I just need to know if there is more than one reader out there!

Thanks.

Chapter 6

Jim Brass rang the doorbell of the large, beautifully maintained house and waited until the door was opened by a woman. She was dressed in casual but expensive clothes and her face and hands showed evidence of regular appointments with a good beautician. He recognised her from the gossip columns as Adele Greyson, Emma's mother. "Mrs Greyson." he introduced himself, "I'm Captain Brass from the Las Vegas Police Department. This is Gil Grissom of our Crime Lab. We'd like to speak to Emma."

"Why?" asked the woman. "Is she in some sort of trouble?"

Grissom smiled reassuringly, "We hope not. But we think she can help us with a case we're working on."

Mrs Greyson looked worried. "Look, officers, Emma's not very well. That's why we've kept her off school the last couple of days. Can't it wait?"

Brass shook his head, "I'm afraid not. Speed is important in criminal investigations."

There was the sound of footsteps from inside the house and a tanned, distinguished looking man appeared. Brass knew him to be Peter Greyson, Emma's father, "Do you have a warrant?" he asked aggressively.

"Why? Do we need one?" countered Brass. "We were hoping prominent, law abiding members of the community such as yourselves would be willing to assist the police voluntarily. But, if you want us to get a warrant, fine; we'll be back with one within 30 minutes. Of course then, we'll also be bringing several marked squad cars and dozens of uniforms with us. We may also have to interview your neighbours."

Greyson glared at him and opened his mouth. What he was about to say, however, was interrupted by his wife who tugged on his arm. "Peter, let them come in and talk to Emma. They'll see she's in no state to answer their questions." She glared at Brass and Grissom, "But you're not seeing her unless one of us is present!" she told them.

Brass nodded his agreement. This was standard procedure with minors, but if the Greyson's wanted to believe they were being given preferential treatment he had no objection to letting them.

After a muttered discussion with her husband, Mrs Greyson led them into the house and up the stairs. Her husband disappeared into a room just off the hall, gone to call his lawyer Brass guessed.

Mrs Greyson knocked on one of the door leading off the landing, "Emma, honey." she called, "I have the police with me. They want to ask you some questions." She opened the door and walked in without waiting for a reply.

The bedroom was large, bright and airy. A collection of stuffed toys and dolls were arranged on a long shelf against one wall. The room also contained a sound system, television, computer and all the other conveniences wealthy parents gave their children.

Emma, however, was sitting curled up in an easy chair beside the window. She appeared withdrawn, not acknowledging their presence. Despite it being early afternoon, she was still dressed in her nightgown and had a bed robe draped around her shoulders.

Adele Greyson turned to Brass and Gil, "She hasn't been sleeping well." she whispered. She looked back towards her daughter, "Honey," she spoke louder, "these are Captain Brass and Mr Grissom from the Police Department."

Emma totally ignored her mother.

"There, you see!" Mrs Greyson told the two men, "Our doctor has diagnosed her with mild depression. He's prescribed some medication to help her sleep and referred her to a child behavioural specialist. Once she's made sufficient progress in her treatment, we'll let you know and you can come and take a statement then."

Grissom spoke, "Mrs Greyson, your daughter is undergoing amphetamine withdrawal. The last thing she needs now is more pills."

"How dare you! My daughter is not a drug addict!"

Brass ignored Mrs Greyson's protest. He moved forward and sat on a chair next to the girl. "Emma," he said gently, "Lindsey's told us everything. We know you were buying drugs from Vincent D'Arto and you went to see him the night he was killed but didn't have enough money, so he suggested you pay him in kind. We know that Lindsey brought you back here but later on you went out for a while. Why don't you tell us where you went?"

Emma suddenly became animated. She turned towards Brass, anger flashing in her eyes, "That double-crossing, lying bitch!" she shouted. "She promised me she wouldn't tell the cops."

Mrs Greyson looked shocked at her daughter's reaction but quickly recovered, "I knew we shouldn't have let Emma befriend that Willows' girl!" she exclaimed. "I know my daughter. She's not some junkie. If she's been experimenting with drugs, it's because Lindsey led her into it. Look at her family background, a mother who was a stripper and a grandfather who's little better than a gangster! I know what's happening here. Sam Braun's confessed to killing that man D'Arto, it's all over the news but that little bitch is trying to muddy the waters by dragging our daughter into it. The only reason you're listening to her is because her mother has finagled her way into a senior position in the Crime Lab, probably on her back!"

Grissom's face tightened but he kept his voice even. "Mrs Greyson, I can appreciate that this is a shock to you and you're upset but I'd suggest you be careful what you say. Ms. Willows is a highly competent forensic scientist who has earned her position through ability. To suggest otherwise is slanderous. Now, Emma has admitted that she was at D'Arto's apartment that evening and that she doesn't have an alibi for the time of the murder. If you believe she's not involved, surely you'd want us to continue questioning her so we can rule her out as a suspect?"

Peter Greyson appeared at the door, "I've just come off the phone with our lawyer." he said, "She advises us to terminate this interview now and, after what I've just overheard, I fully intend to follow her advice. Captain Brass, Mr Grissom, please leave my home, immediately. If you want to speak to my daughter again, get a warrant."

As the house door closed behind them Brass spoke, "Well that went well." he said ironically.

Grissom shrugged, "The parents are scared." he replied, "they know or suspect something but don't want to admit it, even to themselves. Jim, get that warrant. We need Emma to provide a statement but I also want to examine her hair and fingernails for trace evidence, the clothes she wore that night for transfer and I need a set of her fingerprints for comparison purposes."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lindsey bit hungrily into a burger as Catherine and her mother looked on. Normally they tried to discourage her from eating junk food but today was an exception. Finally, she finished and sat back with a contended sigh, absent mindedly wiping her fingers on a paper napkin.

Catherine took a deep breath; she had promised both Lindsey and herself a family talk and now was as good a time as any to have it. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry you felt you couldn't confide in me about your friend. I know that when you were growing up it must sometimes have seemed that my work took priority, but, please believe me when I say I was doing it for you. My job provided the money for all the things you needed when you were growing up and I wanted to keep you safe. One way of doing that was by taking the bad people off the streets. I've always been your mother first and a criminalist second."

Lindsey looked up. She appeared more relaxed than she had in a long time. "Mom, I've always known that you loved me." she explained, "But after what happened between you and Sam, I was scared that if I let you down, disappointed you somehow; you'd stop loving me like you stopped loving him."

Catherine felt a flash of anger, Sam; why did it always come back to him? Nevertheless, she felt her face open and receptive and her voice calm. At least Lindsey was opening up now and speaking honestly. That was progress.

"Darling, you're my daughter, there's nothing you could do that would make me love you any less." she said.

Lindsey looked puzzled, "But Sam's your father. You stopped loving him. What's the difference?"

Did I? mused Catherine, remembering her conflicted thoughts and feelings as she'd stood listening to Sam confess. She noticed her mothers' look of ironic amusement as she searched for an answer. "Sweetheart, he killed someone and then committed other crimes to cover it up."

"So if I killed someone, you wouldn't love me anymore?"

Catherine sighed, "Lindsey, I know that you'd never hurt anyone, except maybe in self defence."

"But what if I did?" Lindsey pressed the point.

Catherine considered. Of all the criminals she dealt with regularly, she hated and despised murderers the most. They not only killed their victim, they sucked happiness, hope, joy in life itself out of the family and friends who were left behind. No other crime, even rape, did this to the same extent. That was why she supported the death penalty. But now she had been forced to confront this question for the first time she had to admit to herself that there was nothing Lindsey could ever do that would make her love her any less. This was the reason Jim Brass' always rushed to the aid of his no-good daughter, Ellie and the cause of the genuine grief John Mathers' mother had shown during her son's execution. A parent's love for their child was unconditional and the bond lasted for life. Look at what Walter Gordon had been prepared to do for his daughter!

Finally she spoke, looking Lindsey straight in the eye. "Even if you murdered someone, I would still love you and stand by you." she said simply.

"Then why can't you do that for Sam?" her daughter asked passionately.

Because parents have a biological imperative to protect their children but there is no reciprocal imperative for children to protect their parents. Catherine thought, but she knew Lindsey would not understand that until she grew up and had children of her own. Instead, she said, "With the information you gave Gil Grissom there is a chance Sam may be innocent of this particular murder. We'll have to wait and see what the evidence says. In the meantime, what I said before about visiting him? I've changed my mind, if you want to see him, I won't stop you. In fact, let's both go. Mom, do you want to join us?"

Lily shook her head, her lips turning upwards with a slight smile, "No thanks, but tell him I'm thinking of him, won't you?"

Lindsey's smile radiated the entire kitchen, "Great! When?"

Catherine suddenly realized that she had absolutely no idea about how relatives arranged visits with incarcerated family members and she was shocked at her ignorance of prison visiting regulations. "I don't know." she said, "I'll contact his attorney and find out.

TBC