CHAPTER TEN

Later that evening, Brass walked into the church Iris attended. He asked a teenaged boy inside where he might find Iris. He was lead to the nursery room where he heard the laughter of a young child above some oldies 50's music playing. Stepping into the room, he found Iris dancing with a little girl on her hip and pretending to dip the child down. The child responded with loud giggles. Seeing Brass, Iris stopped and set the little girl on the ground and turned off the music.

The little girl promptly ran to the police captain, begging to be picked up. He noted she had blue eyes and curly blonde hair with the features of a Down syndrome child. He gently picked the child up. "Who'th thith, Mith 'Rith?" asked the girl; her lisp pronounced as she looked at Jim.

"This is my good friend, Mr. Jim," Iris answered.

"Hi, I'm Heidi. I like you, Mithter Jim," said the little girl as she hugged Brass with genuine affection. Brass let out a little oof at the strength of the youngster. He gave the little girl a smile as he tousled her hair.

"Well, I like you too, Heidi," Brass replied as he carefully put Heidi down. She held his hand as he walked with her over to Iris.

In spite of herself, Iris couldn't help hiding a smile behind her hand. "Sir, you do have a way with the ladies."

Heidi's mother, Janice, poked her head in just then, "Thanks for watching her, Iris. Heidi, it's time to go."

"Okay, Mama, bye Mith 'Rith, bye Mithter Jim," Heidi said. She'd been holding both each of their hands and as she left she put their hands together. She ran on to catch her mother's hand as they left the nursery room.

"Cute kid," Brass said.

It was an awkward moment for them as Iris let go of Jim's hand. "She is and pure in her love of everyone. Jim, why are you here?" she asked simply.

"I wanted you to know that the night clerk confessed to the shootings. I was questioning him with Gil and we brought up what you found on the security camera tapes. In addition, the murder weapon was found in his car that we searched after getting a warrant. Apparently he'd tried coming on to the female victim and she refused his advances. He got tired of it and that night when the couple was otherwise engaged, he had the master key and entered their room and that was that. You cracked the case and I wanted you to know. Good work." Brass concluded.

"I could have heard that back at the lab or with a cell phone call. I think you are expected elsewhere tonight." Iris said feeling suddenly tired and alone.

Brass suddenly grasped her hands in his. He looked piercingly at her. "Look, I've had no time with you since Annie's been here. Your taking her to lunch was out of the blue to me and surprisingly that there was no catfight. What did you two discuss? I'd like to know right now from you and hold nothing back."

"As you wish but know this no matter what that you will always have my respect, my regard, and my heart. I can't compete for you as if you were some prize in a Cracker Jack box. I had hoped one day that this might lead to something permanent between us such as saying I do to each other. In my heart I see you as my bashert, foolishly perhaps, but you deserve to know what was said so this will be the 'Reader's Digest' condensed version. Anything I said to Annie beyond it she can relate to you but she sees you with her and that's it in a nutshell. I truly wish you and Annie all the best, but are you the same man you were when you first met her?" Iris finished as she gently kissed him as she would a good friend on the cheek before breaking her hands from his and walking away swiftly to go to her choir practice.

Brass swore under his breath, sighing wearily as he went to leave the other way.

Annie could wait he thought as he called her on the cell phone and then called Grissom.