A/N: We're finally getting to the second half of this story. I'm so excited. Courtroom drama! In my opinion, they needed more of it on the show. And since I'm not a lawyer, and neither is Grissom, having him represent himself was the only way I could write it and it be somewhat believable. Crosses fingers that it turns out well.
Ch. 14:
One Month Later
She nearly ran into Hodges who was rushing down the hallway towards Catherine's office. "Whoa, where's the fire?"
He stopped, turned around and said, "I think I solved the case," as he raised a sheet of paper he had in his hand.
"My B&E—"
Hodges smirked as he said, "No. Grissom's case—"
"Grissom's…Julia Holden?" she asked as she started following him down the hallway, bypassing the A/V lab. She saw Archie in there, waiting on her, and she held up a finger for him to wait. "How could you have solved it when you haven't been on that case in weeks?"
"Something's been bothering me," he said, which made her shake her head.
"The fact that you actually thought Grissom was guilty, or that you were wrong?"
She was no longer upset that Hodges actually thought Grissom was guilty. It used to bother her but then she found out why he'd thought it. It was because Hodges thought it was a clever idea to set yourself up for murder only to prove your innocence, thus being off the hook, only to have actually done it. He thought it would have been genius. And he's an idiot. Now, she just thought it was funny.
"Maybe I deserved that—"
"Maybe?" Now, she was just busting his chops.
He stopped her as he turned back around and said, "I was working under the assumption that his wife was alive somewhere—The moment her body was found and…" He actually looked ashamed of himself before saying, "Grissom wouldn't do that to her, or to anyone."
"You're right," she said as she felt the anger, and hurt, inside at the thought that anyone would think it. "He wouldn't."
Hodges cleared his throat before opening the door to Catherine's office walking in with her right behind him.
Catherine hung up the phone and stood as she said, "Hodges, Sara, what's going on?"
Hodges took a breath and said, "I think I solved the case—"
"He's talking about Julia Holden's murder," she said as Catherine had that same perplexed look she'd had earlier.
Holding up her hands, Catherine said, "Take a breath, Hodges. Now, explain."
"The tie," Hodges said as he looked between the two of them.
"You didn't find any trace evidence on the tie," Catherine said as she stood and walked around her desk.
"I know, but I smelt something—"
She shook her head as she said in confusion, "You…smelt something?"
"Yeah," Hodges said as he pointed to his nose. "I have a gift."
Catherine let out a sigh as she said, "I'm sure you do," as she crossed her arms and leaned back onto the desk.
"I couldn't let it go. So, I reexamined the tie using the electronic nose. The Cyranose 320. I knew I smelt something odd on it, and I was right." He handed the printout over to Catherine as he said, "Sodium tallowate, PEG-100, stearic acid, carnauba wax, sodium carbonate, glycerin, lanolin, and benzisothiazolinone."
Catherine had taken the sheet and read it over. Once Hodges was done, she said, "Interesting…What is it?"
"I don't know. I know that sodium tallowate is a cleaning agent. Glycerin, a moisturizer. Carnauba wax is a polish…"
She nearly laughed as she said, "The trial starts tomorrow. If it's going to be submitted as evidence in the case, we need to know the source."
Hodges took the sheet back as he said, "I'll work overtime." He looked so eager, so right, that it was hard to say no, especially when it could be a lead.
Catherine gave a nod. "Get with Nick. He's the one who processed the tie and will be introducing it as evidence in court. Have him help you."
"Thank you," Hodges said as he turned to leave the office.
Once he was gone, she looked over at her boss as Catherine shrugged, saying, "The nose knows."
"Sounds like something Grissom would say," she quipped with a smirk.
She nearly smiled as she regarded her for a moment. At first, she'd been really supportive, and also helped to keep her busy with work to get her mind off everything. That was before the media discovered that Gil had guest lectured at the university where she was a graduate student. That she had been in his class…The rumors ensued, and they were correct to an extent, but still; it hurt. What made it hurt the most, however, was Catherine's response.
"You were his student—"
"No, I was not. He was there for a month. Graded one paper—"
"It doesn't matter. He was in a position of power to seduce you—"
"Catherine, he did not seduce me. I went to his office on my own accord. I knew what I wanted, which was him. I mean, he was hot. I asked for it." Catherine gapped at her and she realized maybe she shouldn't have said that. It was too late now. "And before you say that I did it for a good grade, he gave me a B."
She let out a deep breath and shook her head. "Sara—...You were, what? Twenty-two—"
"Twenty-four—"
"He was forty. Married, with a kid. How can this not look like a seduction on his part? Grooming—"
"Grooming?" she nearly laughed. "Do you know Grissom? Because I do, intimately. Him and Julia were no longer in a committed relationship, and we were two consenting adults—"
"The press is practically having a bonfire with the ignition you two have given them. Your reputations—"
"We met before I was even a CSI, in a different state. Once I moved here, we continued our relationship, started dating…It developed into a more serious relationship. Isn't that the blueprint of all intimate relationships? Who cares how it started?"
"If he wasn't on trial for murdering his wife, no one would care."
"He's not the bad guy here."
She shook her head and said, "Could've fooled me. The more I find out about his personal life, it doesn't sound like he's a good guy either."
"I can't believe you," she said as she stood up from the crouching on the floor. They were at a house fire. All the family members got out except for the teenager daughter. "Of all the people taking this personally and actually getting up in arms, you're the last person to talk—"
"Am I not supposed to get upset? My question is, why aren't you?"
"I'm not upset for the same reason why you shouldn't be: I know him—"
"Ha!"
"Oh, my God," she said as she went to put her camera back into her field kit. "You actually think I don't know the man I'm sleeping with—"
"All women think they know the men they're sleeping with until they find them in bed with another woman."
"This is about Eddie, isn't it?" When she didn't get an answer as Catherine went back to searching for the source of the fire, she said, "He's not your ex-husband."
She threw the flashlight over at her, right in her eyes, and said, "He's a cheater. They're all the same—"
"He's Grissom. And no, they're not all the same. That's like saying all of us are the same, with the same motivations in life, the same issues and pain, when we're all different. All struggling with our own problems. When you love someone who's struggling, you don't just abandon them—"
"Sara—"
"No, Catherine," she snapped before she could catch her, but she was done with this. For months, all she's heard was judgment. Judgment from her friends and co-workers. The media. "I'm sick and tired of people making assumptions about mine and Gil's relationship. We were right to have kept it private. Everyone, instead of talking to us, is creating their own narrative without knowing anything. Stop judging and start forgiving. You know him. You know his heart as much as I do. You know the look on his face when he finds a dead child. You know how much it affected him when he learned that some kid was responsible for his best friend's death, though not his fault…" She grabbed up her kit as she said, "You know how he gets with wife abusers. None of that has changed," she said as she started towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
Calling out over her shoulder, she told her, "The morgue. Someone has to process the body."
Gil had refused to see her at first. Then, last week, he finally let her visit him in jail. He'd told her that at first he didn't want her to see him there, in that place, but then realized that it wasn't what he wanted. And that, even if it was, he had no right to deny her what she needed, which was to see that he was doing okay. He spent all his time working the case and preparing his defense. That had also been one of the reason's he let her visit him. He had an idea.
Sitting in front of him, plexiglass between them, and the phone to her ear, she frowned at how tired he appeared. There were dark circles under his eyes, his shoulders were slumped, and his smile never reached his eyes, though she knew he was glad to see her. He also looked like he'd lost some weight.
When she made a comment about it, he shrugged and said, "I prefer your cooking."
She smiled at him as she tried not to get too emotional. He was right to have kept her away from seeing him in jail. It wasn't where he belonged and just thinking about him in a cell, all alone, and with criminals made her want to cry. Actually, seeing him dressed in the orange DOC jumpsuit, it was hard to fight back the tears.
He must have realized how much she was struggling as he shifted in the chair, glanced off towards the guard, and then placed his hand on the glass. She put her hand over his as he leaned forward and spoke into the phone, "It's going to be okay."
"You say that so confidently—"
"I am confident. I know exactly how I'm going to win my case."
She gave him a smile as she said, "The evidence that never lies? If it didn't, you wouldn't be here."
He frowned at her as he let out a breath. "The evidence isn't lying, Sara, it's just that…the right story isn't being told with it. That's why I need your help."
"Anything," she told him.
"I need you to prepare my defense."
She frowned at him in confusion. "Isn't that what you've been doing?"
"Yes, but, I mean, my actual defense…once it's my turn to present my case. I can't do it in here. I don't have access to what I need."
She had no idea what he was planning, but once he told her, she found herself smiling at his ingenuity. "Your alibi has been right in front of us this whole time."
He shrugged again, saying, "I've had time to think." He then looked her over as he smirked, saying, "Been thinking about you." She nearly blushed as she shook her head. "Imagining you as my cellmate, looking all cute in an orange jumpsuit."
"We should role play when you get out." She started laughing at the incredulous look on his face.
His smile finally reached his eyes as he said, "I've missed that laugh."
She was trying to not let the laugh turn into more tears as she told him, "I love you."
One night while playing poker, on a dare, she got him to sing. Ever since then, he liked to spontaneously surprise her with it. "Ooh baby, I love you," he started quietly singing to her. "What more can I say? Ooh baby, I need you…I miss you more every day."
"Uh, Lynyrd Skynyrd?"
He nearly chuckled as he softly smiled, saying, "I'll see you in court." There was pain in his eyes when she felt the tears on her cheeks.
She quickly wiped them away as the guard walked over. It was time to go. Her hand made the ASL sign as she hung up the phone. He did the same, signing it back to her, as he was escorted back to his cell. She didn't ask about Charlotte because she already knew the answer. He didn't want her to see him like that either. And his mother most likely refused to bring her even if he'd asked. Just asking him about her would have caused him even more pain than what he was already in.
"I thought you were off for the next couple of days?" Catherine asked as she realized that she shouldn't be at the lab at all.
"I need Archie's help. I'm preparing Gil's defense for him."
She was surprised by that but gave a nod, asking, "You need my help?"
"We can handle it," she said as she headed towards the door.
Catherine smiled slightly as she said, "Okay. Let me know if—"
"I will," she said, cutting her off as she went to leave the office.
"Sara, stop." She had the door open but stopped short of walking about when she turned to face her boss.
Catherine took a step towards her as she said, "I'm sorry. You're right, I do know Grissom. I know he didn't do this and…" She let out a breath as she said, "I hope you two make each other happy. Are we good?"
"I don't know. Why was that so hard?" she asked as she left the office and headed towards the A/V lab.
"Today is the first day of testimony in the murder of Julia Holden. Her estranged husband, Dr. Gil Grissom, is on trial for her abduction, rape and murder. Our correspondent Scott Daniels is outside of the courthouse where the trial is about to take place. It was moved to the city of Mulberry due to a motion that had been granted for a change of venue. Scott, what can you tell us so far—"
"I thought I told you to stay clear of my courtroom, Dr. Grissom." He turned away from the window and saw Judge Douglas Mason, aka Paul Millander, standing inside the door with an amused smirk on his face. Walking over to him, Judge Mason glanced out the windows, and then down towards the ground, saying, "I heard that a serial killer who represented himself used a CSI's ID badge to walk right out of the courthouse. If you're considering taking a leap, we're three stories up, you might only break your ankles.
"I'm not planning an escape. And if memory serves me correctly, Judge, the serial killer you're referring to was actually guilty."
Judge Mason smirked slightly as he addressed him, "I cleared my calendar in order to accommodate your trial. It's going to be a pleasure having you in my courtroom."
"I hope it's a fair trial. You wouldn't want me to be found guilty only for my conviction to be overturned in appellate court."
"I run a fair courtroom. Strict, but fair," he told him as he checked his watch and went to walk away. He stopped at the door and turned to him as he asked, "Have you caught that killer yet, this Paul Millander that I supposedly resemble?"
"No, we haven't."
"Since you're insisting on your innocence, I'm assuming you're going to try to put blame of your wife's murder some other suspect. I hope I don't have to find you in contempt of court again for trying to get me arrested in my own courtroom."
"That would only happen if I thought you guilty of the murder and have evidence to prove it. I don't. Besides, it's not your M.O—"
"It's not Millander's M.O., you mean." He then opened the door to leave.
Before he left, he told him, "Too bad you had already killed a guy with my birth date and year, August 17th, 1956, or else I could have been next, huh?"
Judge Mason stood in the door, gave that some thought, before he smiled and said, "Apparently, for the both of us," before he left, shutting the door behind him.
He stilled as he realized that Paul had just given his birthday. It was the same as his. Once he cleared his name, he was going to have to look into that. Turning back to the window he'd been looking out of, he saw all the media outside the courthouse in the town of Mulberry, Nevada and shook his head. Hordes of them, vans from every major news outlet as well as local channels, and trying to walk around them, or through them, were members of the Las Vegas crime lab. He had spotted Sara earlier, she was the first to arrive and brought him his suit for the trial.
It wasn't long before he was escorted out of the holding room and into the courtroom. It was packed, every seat filled, and the press were lined up in the back of the room. There were also cameras. The trial was being televised. Sitting directly behind the defense table was Sara. He smiled at her as he entered the room and she returned it, making his day already better. His heart dropped into his chest when he didn't see his daughter there. His mother also wasn't, but he expected that. Though, there were members of the deaf community in attendance, Julia's close friends and colleagues.
He saw Catherine, Nick, Greg, and Warrick as well as Doc Robbins. They were all supposed to testify today as well as tomorrow. Given the fact that there were two separate investigations, the initial disappearance and then Julia's body discovery, there was a lot of evidence. However, the basis for that evidence, the groundwork, had to be put in place before it could be introduced. And like a chess game, when to introduce evidence was the key. District Attorney Jefferson was trying to win a game, while he was only trying to figure out the truth about what happened.
"All rise," the bailiff called out and everyone stood. "The Honorable Judge Douglas Mason presiding, on this day, May 24th, in the Superior Court in the city of Mulberry, state of Nevada."
Judge Mason took his seat, looked out over the court, lingering on him with a slight smirk on his face, and said, "You may be seated."
While this may be amusing for the judge, he tried to remain as calm as possible. Turning to the notebooks and files on the table in front of him, he picked up his pen and focused on the case. Unless he proved that he couldn't have possibly committed the crimes he was being accused of committing, he'd either spend the rest of his life in prison, or get the death penalty.
Jefferson gave his opening statement, making him out to be some narcissistic cold-blooded killer who killed his wife in order to marry his mistress. He resisted looking back at Sara but could feel her anger. She'd wanted to go public and make a statement, which he had to talk her out of. The truth would come out in court. There was no reason to talk to the press only for them to use it, twist it, take it apart, and then use every word she said as a possible admission of guilt.
Jefferson stood as he said, "Your Honor, I call my first witness: Charlotte Grissom."
There were audible mutters and gasps in the courtroom, and he was one of them as he stood and said, "I object—"
Arguing his case, Jefferson said, "Charlotte Grissom is the first witness to the crime. Her testimony lays the foundation for the entire case—"
Looking at Judge Mason, he told him, "I'll stipulate to every piece of evidence and testimony the prosecution wants to submit to the court regarding Charlotte's testimony. Officer Mitchell was the first officer on scene. He can testify to Julia's disappearance. Detective Rodriguez can introduce the witness statement—"
"I have the right to question the witness, Your Honor—"
"You're not putting my daughter on the stand," he said while trying to control his anger.
"I'll have order in this court," Judge Mason said as he pounded his gavel on the bench.
While Judge Mason took a moment to make a decision on his objection, he glanced back around the court and didn't see his daughter in attendance. She must have been waiting in the hallway if Jefferson was planning on calling her to the stand.
"Your objection is overruled, Dr. Grissom. I'll allow the witness. Bailiff, call Charlotte Grissom to the witness stand."
He watched with a sinking feeling in his gut and a twist in his heart as a court appointed deputy opened the doors in the rear of the courtroom and he saw his daughter being waved in. Escorting her inside was his mother. It'd been a month since he'd seen her; she took his breath away. She had on a butterfly dress that he'd bought her and had ribbons in her hair. She brought a smile to his face and once her eyes spotted him, she nearly jumped in surprise and happiness. Her hands started signing to him until another woman who had entered with her signed to her that she wasn't allowed to sign to him right now.
It didn't matter. Seeing her sign "Daddy" had been worth it. He also hadn't sat back down in his chair.
Judge Mason made sure he did before the questioning started as he told him, "Dr. Grissom, please be seated."
He swore he heard amusement in his voice as he sat down. Judge Mason was loving every bit of this. Overruling his objection, watching him squirm as he listened to Jefferson ask his daughter questions, making her relive her birthday, the events of that evening, and then the morning when she discovered her mother missing. Introducing her diary into evidence as well as her drawings. Then her statement to Detective Rodriguez and Dr. Philip Kane about her mother physically lashing out at her. Slapping her for asking a question.
It all made his head hurt, his heart sick, as he watched the tears roll down her cheeks. He was aching to get out of the chair, to rush to her and console her, but he couldn't. He had to wait until it was his turn to speak with her.
Before he could, Jefferson did something that caught him off guard and caused the entire courtroom to go silent. He asked, as he grabbed a piece of paper out of a file, "Were you aware that your father paid for your mother to have an abortion—"
It was like a hit to the chest as it knocked all the air out of his lungs. He was so stunned he forgot how to breathe, before he stood and said, "Objection, Judge, relevance? It's also immaterial and incompetent—"
"Your Honor," Jefferson said as he sat the paper back down on the prosecution table, "I withdraw the question. No further questions. Your witness," he tossed his way with an air of contempt in his voice.
Judge Mason stated as he went to move around the table, "I warn the defendant that if he acts improperly, he'll be held in contempt of court."
"Define improperly?" he asked as he headed straight for his daughter. "Because nothing short of Officer Crais shooting me will stop me from consoling my daughter."
"That can be arranged. You will refrain from physically consoling her. Is that understood?"
He stopped short of the witness stand as he heard the sharp tone in Judge Mason's voice. He meant those words. Despite her tears and grief, Charlotte was trying to be so strong. Letting out a breath, he raised his hands as he told her, while speaking the words, /Charlotte, you are very brave getting up here and telling the truth, no matter how much it hurts. I am so proud of you. And I know your mom would be proud of you too. She loved you very much. Before you were born, we were both so scared, spider. And sometimes in fear, we might think things, consider things, that we normally wouldn't. Once you were born, once we saw your smile, held you in our arms…we never regretted having you. You were your mother's joy. Just as you're mine./
She wiped the tears away before signing, /I know, daddy. I know you and mommy love me. It's in my heart./
He smiled at her as he felt his love for her swell up in his chest. /Smart girl,/ he signed before he spoke without signing, "Your Honor, I have no questions for my daughter."
Charlotte got out of the witness stand and the interpreter took her by the hand and led her across the floor. He wanted to hug her, to hold her, and never let go as she walked by him. Holding her hand out, she signed, /I love you./
He signed it back as she smiled back at him before disappearing out the doors along with his mother. They weren't staying for the rest of the trial. He felt an ache in his chest the moment she was gone.
"Gil."
Upon hearing Sara's soft whisper, he looked down at her and then around the room. He realized he was still standing, again. "Oh," he said as he sat back down in the chair at the defense table. He tried to focus on the next witness, which was Officer Mitchell, but he was having a hard time keeping his thoughts on the testimony and off his daughter. He rubbed his head as it started to ache.
Jefferson proved one thing with that question. That he wasn't only playing to win, but that he was going to try to win whichever way he could, even if he had to play dirty. He had no reason to ask that question other than to get a reaction out of him and to get it into the jury's heads that he didn't care about his daughter. It could go to motive. That he held some sort of discontent and hatred for Julia all this time, ever since she got pregnant. That it had been his idea but that she had decided to keep Charlotte to his dismay. Either way, the jury heard it and despite the fact that Jefferson withdrew the question, it was now in their minds.
Once Officer Mitchell was done, he told Judge Mason, "I have no questions."
Mitchell left the witness stand and passed him on the way out of the courtroom. It was like that for a while. Brass was next. He recalled his arrival at the house and then taking him to the police department for questioning. He went over his statement, the gas station receipt, and his given alibi. That he was with Dr. Heather Kessler all night. From about 10 pm to the time he remembered driving home, around 5:30 to 6 in the morning.
Once Jefferson was done, glanced at Brass and then at Judge Mason as he told him, "I have no questions for Detective Brass as of now."
Brass frowned slightly, like he was expecting some sort of question from him, before he was dismissed from the stand.
"Before I call my next witness," Jefferson said, "it's approaching the noon hour."
Judge Mason glanced at the clock before dismissing the court of the noon recess. "We'll reconvene at one o'clock. The jurors are dismissed." Once the jury had left the courtroom, he stood as he said, "Court adjourned."
Standing, he waited until Judge Mason had left the courtroom before turning to Jefferson, asking, "What's the matter with you?"
"I'm doing my job."
"No, you're not. Blindsiding me is one thing, but that was a low blow and you know it. What you did was intentionally harmful to my daughter—"
"It goes to motive," Jefferson said as he gathered up his files into his briefcase. "You wanted to free yourself of your obligations to your wife and child to run off with your mistress. It's the same ol' story—"
"But it's not my story. It's not what the evidence is saying. If you stop and think, you'll see."
Jefferson grabbed up his briefcase as he said, "I've seen all the pieces of evidence in this case, and it all points to you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm late for a lunch date."
He let out a breath as he watched him walk away. There were a lot of people remaining in the courtroom, but the first ones he saw and the only ones that mattered to him were the night shift CSI's and Sara. Brass had left but he was on his cell phone.
"Looks like you could use a drink," Catherine said as he approached them. "That was rough."
"You can say that again," Warrick said with a shake of his head. "He was way out of line."
"Yeah," was all he could say as he let out a breath. Then, he thought maybe he had to explain, "Julia was the one who didn't want to be a parent. I told her I would support her in her decision. I gave her the money, we went to a clinic, filled out the paperwork—"
"You don't have to explain to us, or to me," Catherine said.
He knew that, but he had come to accept them as more than just his coworkers. They were his friends. If they weren't, they wouldn't be by his side now. He could feel Sara's eyes on him as he said, "For some reason, she changed her mind. I was so relieved. She saw it. She knew I would do anything…because that's what she wanted. She wanted me to keep proving my love to her, even at the expense of my own happiness…until I couldn't." He shook his head as he tried to find the right words. He couldn't. How could he explain their relationship if he couldn't even explain it to himself?
"I'm glad she changed her mind, too," Sara said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Charlotte's wonderful. She's not going to lose you, Gil. Don't worry, we got this." Upon hearing her words, knowing that she still not only wanted him but accepted his daughter, he couldn't help but love her even more.
Nick gave a reassuring nod as he told him, "We have new developments in case. Hodges came through and Brass is following up on it now."
He gave a nod then asked Sara, "Are you finished with our little project?" he couldn't say too much in front of the others, plus, someone might eavesdrop, so he kept it vague.
"Archie is finishing up with it tonight. As soon as you're ready to present your defense, it'll be ready."
"What will be ready?" Catherine asked.
"My alibi," was all he said as he rubbed the back of his head as the Deputy headed his way. He couldn't go have lunch with everyone else. He was to be taken back to the holding room where he would eat before returning to the courtroom. "I, uh, I have to go."
He was led away once again out of the courtroom and back to the hold room where he was given his lunch. As he ate, he couldn't help but wonder what new developments required Brass to leave the courthouse. He could only hope he was getting closer to catching the real murderer.
TBC…
Disclaimer songs used/mentioned: "I Need You" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
