Chapter 7
Catherine moved quickly to a computer with a camera port; she trusted no one else with the pictures, and felt nothing but concern and protectiveness toward her colleague. They may have clashed in the past, but they shared a camaraderie that could only come from their line of work. They weren't cops, but history had proven they needed to watch each other's backs, and Catherine was going to protect every part of Sara.
The computer screen came to life as the pictures appeared slowly across the screen. The blonde stood, closed the door, and locked it securely. Walking around the room she closed every blind, and turned to the oversized plasma screen hanging on the wall. Finding the power button, she returned to the keyboard, and selected the first picture to enlarge.
When taking the pictures, she was careful to not get any of Sara's face in the shot. The only obvious facial injury was a bruise on her forehead, and she had confirmed that was all the UV device would reveal as well. The first shot encompassed just her hairline and forehead; and angry blue lumped jumped up at her.
Taking notes she began reviewing each picture one at a time. Writing, she moved the cursor to the 'next' button, and finished up her notes from the previous picture. Looking up she dropped her pen, and took off her glasses. Standing, she walked over to the screen. Angry purple marks surrounded both breasts. Tentatively reaching out with both hands, the ghost fingers disappeared under her hers. "Damn him," she breathed heavily.
---/---
Sara pushed off Grissom, wiping her tears away with her sleeve, and looking everywhere but at the man in front of her.
He gently cupped her chin, pulling her head to face him, "Sara, talk to me." Seeing her, brought back all the emotions he felt listening to Kelly James. "Do you want to tell me what the results from the gloves are?"
Removing her head from his touch, "Ask Catherine," she choked out. Trying to stand, "Nick'll be waiting for me out front." Her muscles refused to obey her, only allowing her to move inches off the chair before giving out.
"Relax Sara, just sit here a little longer, I'll go find Nick, and we'll help you get out of here," he explained knowing carrying her out of his office was not an option. Leaving her, he walked toward the exit. As much as he wanted to talk to her, he wanted to process the evidence and make sure they had an air tight case against James. He spotted Nick through the glass doors. Holding the door open he called out to him, "Nick!"
The younger man was leaning against the passenger side door of the lab's Denali. Hearing his supervisor's voice, he came to life and ran to him, "Grissom, I'm going to take Sara home," he started to explain.
Putting his hand up, he stopped the younger man. "I know; she's going to need our help to get her out here without causing a scene. She's been through enough tonight."
As the pair walked the short distance down the hall, they both observed it was disserted. The hour was going to work to their advantage. Grissom once again opened the door, and walked in front of Sara.
She looked up at Grissom first, and then sensed they weren't alone. Turning to Nick, she forced a small smile.
"Ready to get out of here?" his Texan accent soothed her.
"Please?" she answered, bracing her arms on the armrests, trying to push herself up. They shook visibly.
Both men moved to help her, bracing her under her arms, and gently pulling her to her feet. A groan escaped her mouth. The pain in her shoulders radiated up her neck, and down her arms, and her groin muscles scream in protest as they stretched.
It was all too much, and she swayed slightly, leaned against Grissom. Trying to remove their hands, she struggled slightly, "Please let go, it hurts."
Grissom was the only one in the room to fully understand what she meant, "Her shoulder," he explained to Nick who looked like he wanted to be sick at the thought that he caused Sara pain. "Steady her around her waist, or her forearm." He instructed the concerned man across from him as he shifted his own grip to wrap around her waist.
Nick slid his hand gently down her arm to steady her at her elbow, the other arm lightly gripping her forearm.
Sara shifted to take his hand, and laced her fingers through Nick's.
The three moved slowly through the hallway, and out into the cool air of the pre-dawn morning. "Nick, you stay with her until I get there?" Grissom asked waiting for confirmation from the younger man.
"I'll take good care of her," he promised and helped Sara into the passenger seat, and ran quickly to the driver's seat.
Grissom watched the black SUV until he could no longer see the tail lights, and turned to find Catherine. His stomached tightened as he thought about the case he was about to work.
---/---
He was surprised to find the door to the computer lab locked, and knocked softly. The blinds to his right shifted slightly as Catherine peered out. Making eye contact, she opened the door part way, shielding the opening with her body.
"Cath?" he asked, wondering instantly if she was going to take him down if he tried to enter.
The blonde looked around the door and at the picture that was currently up on the plasma screen. Turning back to her boss, "Did you talk to Sara?"
Shifting where he stood, he tried to decide if he was touched she was protecting Sara so completely, or annoyed that she was standing in his way. "She said to ask you," he answered holding up the folder he still hadn't looked at.
Opening the door quickly, she moved to let him in, and then locked the door once again. Turning she found Grissom staring intently at the photo on the screen. Sara's toned back would have been an interesting site to see if it weren't covered in harsh, angry bruises. He took a step closer, "Does she…are they…" He wasn't even sure what he was asking.
"They're the UV pictures, those bruises haven't come to the surface yet," she explained seriously, and picked up her note pad. "Most of the heavy bruising is around her shoulder and hip joints."
He sat heavily, "How long was she hanging there?"
"The best I can determine, fifteen minutes before you got there, another ten before I arrived, and then ten minutes to process her, and cut the ropes," she ran through her notes in her head.
His fists clenched, "Thirty-five minutes. Does she have any damage to her tendons?"
"The doctor said no, just some bruising, and soreness. Nick's staying with her?" Catherine didn't know where to begin with the evidence.
"For now," he answered quickly, and then held up the folder, "What's in here?"
Taking a deep breath she began to recount the statement Sara had given, pausing during the particularly graphic elements, observing Grissom, who remained silent. Once she was done, she waited for him to say anything.
Fingering the folder, "The gloves?" he asked holding it up.
Catherine nodded, "Sara's blood, mixed with cervical cells."
Suddenly standing, he flung the folder violently across the room, "God damnit! Catherine, I was sitting in my office talking to you!"
"I know—" she hadn't thought about the what-if scenarios.
He stood rigidly, "I even told myself I'd give her fifteen minutes to answer her phone. Fifteen minutes. I could have been there before he raped her." His rage was seeping from every pore of his body.
"Gil, I'm sorry, but we can't do this to ourselves," she told him, reaching out to him.
Grissom took one step backward, "Do what? Think about how we failed her? Think about how I should have protected her?"
---/---
Sara was vaguely aware of the vehicle coming to a stop, and the weight shifting as the driver side door slammed shut. She didn't want to open her eyes, she didn't want to move. Her door opened slowly, and she felt Nick's hand stroke her cheek softly, "Sara? Honey, are you awake?"
"No," she uttered quietly, and smiled after hearing his soft chuckle.
He leaned over, and unbuckled her.
Her head rolled to face him, and she finally opened her eyes, blinking rapidly, "I can't." She wanted the day to be over, she wanted to go to sleep and wake up from her nightmare.
Slipping his hands under her knees, and behind her back, he lifted her easily. Shutting the door with his foot, he turned to the apartment complex, shifting her weight as he walked.
Sara rested her right hand against his chest, and she closed her eyes letting the steady beat of his heart sooth her. His breathing increased as she felt them ascending the stairs, "Thank you Nick." Walking up to the door, she suddenly realized she didn't have her keys, "Nick, Catherine—"
"Gave me your keys," he finished for her, and deftly unlocked the door without jarring her. Moving down the hallway, he finally laid her gently down in her bed. Backing away he was stopped by her touch.
"Please stay here," she asked quietly.
He kicked off his shoes, and walked around the bed; sliding up behind her, letting her reposition herself. Finding his hand, she grabbed it, and pulled it around her. "Nick?"
Squeezing her gently, "Yes, Sara?"
Silence descended for a moment making him wonder if she even had a question or if she was just reassuring herself he was there.
"Was it rape?" she finally asked, her voice strained.
Nick closed his eyes, "Oh Sara." He wanted to help her, but he felt the strong pull to protect her. Knowing he was by no means a therapist he didn't know how to answer her question. He knew the technical answer, but he didn't want to admit the truth to himself.
"Nick?" she wasn't even sure she wanted to know his answer, but his silence was scaring her.
"Yeah Sara," he finally whispered, hugging her to him, letting her cry herself to sleep.
TBC
