Laws of Motion – Book 3
Written by: Ms. Maggs/Edited by: KJT
Chapter 38
Saturday, November 12, 2005
LVPD – Trop Station
9:42 pm
"Why did you leave the Stratosphere, Mr. Sanders?" IAB Detective Aaron Fitch asked while pouring himself a cup of water from the cooler in the interrogation room.
"My wife is twenty weeks pregnant and we're having our second ultrasound this coming week." The sound of the water cooler's bubble made Greg thirsty, so he paused for a sip. "We were celebrating last night and I got her this really nice picture frame. It holds four photos. I put our first ultrasound photo in it and then we'll put the twentieth week, thirtieth week and then the twins' birth picture in the last slot."
"Very thoughtful." The thirty-seven year old father of three nodded and reclaimed his seat.
"Yeah, but like an idiot, I left it at my apartment. So, when I woke up at five and knew Tawny would be out for at least another two hours, I got dressed and ran to the apartment to get it."
"Did you leave her a note saying where you were?"
"On my pillow. We didn't save it, but…" Thinking like a CSI he said, "If you go to that room and grab the pad, you may still be able to get an imprint of it from the page below."
"You're a very clever guy, aren't you, Sanders? A CSI and a genius, what an asset to the County. You graduated from Stanford with a Masters in Chemistry when you were twenty-two. I read your entire file while waiting for you to come in. Numerous math and science awards, top of your class, President of the Chess and Chemistry Clubs. Your academic record, like your IQ, is quite impressive."
"You could have just said 'Wow, you're a geek'," Greg laughed, "It's a lot fewer words."
"So you went back to your apartment to get the frame…"
"Yeah, I had left it on the coffee table in the living room."
"Wait…if it was a surprise, why did you leave it out in the open for your wife to see it?"
"Oh, no, she doesn't live with…me." The sound of the can of worms opening deafened him. "It's a little complicated, but my wife lives with my Dad. Platonically," he chuckled nervously. "Tawny just turned twenty-two when I got her pregnant and we barely knew each other. We got married pretty quickly and that led to some issues. We love each other deeply and are totally committed to making things work, but we had never lived with someone before and were struggling. We went to counseling and our therapist suggested we take a step back and ease into marriage. I've been in an apartment on my own, well now I share it with my brother."
"Your file said you didn't have siblings."
"Daniel was just adopted by my Dad."
"So, the child your father adopted is living with you, while your wife lives with your father?"
"It sounds so weird when you say it like that," Greg laughed.
"No, it is weird."
"Daniel isn't a child, he's nineteen."
"Still weird, maybe weirder. Why would your father…wait…Daniel?." The Detective flipped through his notes. "That wouldn't be the same Daniel whose father is suing the County on the grounds that you coerced his son into pursuing a gay lifestyle while working a case?"
Greg very quietly replied, "Yeah, actually that would be the same Daniel. I've already given a statement about that to Nick Stokes and Jim Brass."
"I read it."
"The bottom line is, Daniel's father and my father had a pissing contest and my Dad won. Mr. Ellis is suing the County because it's the only thing left to try."
Shaking his head, Fitch redirected, "So, you left your wife at the Stratosphere at five am and went to the apartment you share with your gay newly adopted brother and you returned to the Stratosphere at what time?"
As bad as it looked, Greg couldn't lie because he knew they could pull the Stratosphere's security tapes. "Seven twenty."
"Two hours and twenty minutes door to door to retrieve a picture frame." Detective Fitch smiled. "Was traffic really snarled up at five am on a weekend, or is there another reason you took so long?"
"You're not going to believe me, but it's the truth." Greg tossed up his hands, "I was playing Xbox."
"Did your 'brother' see you playing Xbox or was he playing with you by any chance?"
"No, he was in the bedroom and never woke up."
"How many bedrooms does the apartment have?"
"One," Greg snipped when his patience ran out. "Daniel moved in to assume the apartment after I move back home with Tawny. I wanted him to be comfortable transitioning from the group home and he's literally never had a room of his own. In Utah he shared with three brothers. It was cool, I took him shopping and he got to pick stuff he liked for the first time in his life. I've been crashing on the couch, which is fine because I'm so tired when I get home from work I could sleep standing up. I know that all sounds 'weird', but my whole life has been 'weird', so for me it's perfectly normal."
After turning off the audio equipment, Fitch leaned in and whispered, "Off the record, I'd like to point out that it's a hell of a lot better to admit you like a little boy action on the side than to be arrested. You get to keep your freedom and your job if you're queer. Hell, the Crime Lab Director is dating the Bondage Queen of Sin City and your boss has a history for banging prostitutes, so you're in good company. LVPD doesn't have a problem with their employees having sexual idiosyncrasies, what can you expect in Sin City, right?" The detective chuckled, "So come on…my time is valuable and you have your babies' futures to think of. If you're worried about the wife finding out, I wouldn't worry. Tawny was a stripper for years, so it's a safe bet that she likes to party with girls. Maybe you two can work out a mutual arrangement to satisfy your cravings. You wouldn't believe some of the things married couples do in this town." He placed his cellphone on the table. "Do you want to call Daniel and let him know it's okay to kiss and tell or are we sticking with Xbox on the couch while your sexy wife is alone in bed at the Stratosphere and Amy Vartann is being murdered?"
Greg motioned for Fitch to lean closer. "Don't ever talk smack about my wife again."
"Is this macho posturing for real or just a manipulative move to make me think you don't like to take it in the ass?"
"If I had a nickel for every time a repressed homosexual asked me that question." Greg chuckled as he relaxed in his chair, "My ass is cherry. If you ask me to prove it, I'll really be suspicious about you, Detective."
"Moving on." Fitch glanced at his notes. "A little birdie told me you have a history of helping Becca Turnbull, now Mrs. Vartann, out of sticky situations. Taking her for an abortion in college, for example? Was that your baby, Sanders?" He smirked, "Are you one of those guys who knocks up women to convince people you like girls?"
"The little birdie's name wouldn't happen to be Don Schultz, would it?"
"I don't recall." Fitch smirked, "Okay, Sanders, I'll lay off the queer jokes. Now tell me why Mrs. Vartann called you at eleven-fifty last night. Was it to meet for a screw while her husband was at a strip club in Hesperia, California? Or did she need a genius CSI to help her kill Amy Vartann and get away with it?" He snickered, "Maybe both? Did you leave the Vartann home and burn off the post-murder adrenaline by tearing each other's clothes off in the back seat just like you used to do in high school?"
"I think I liked the queer jokes better." Realizing he was in deep shit, Greg reached for the audio equipment and turned it on. "I'm an Xbox addict, ask anyone. My wife said she's getting me a 360 for Christmas and I'm totally jazzed. It's a great way to take your mind off a hard day in the field. This morning, I was so excited about giving Tawny the picture frame I knew if I went straight back to the hotel I'd wake her up. After making love for hours last night, we went to bed at two. She needed her rest. So, I did the considerate thing and stayed at the apartment for a while…playing Xbox. I returned to the hotel at seven twenty, ordered room service from the concierge's desk and surprised my wife with the frame around eight. That's all I have to say, Detective. If you want to continue the discussion I'll want my lawyer present."
"No, we're done for now, thank you, but don't leave town."
"Wasn't planning on it."
"I'll be recommending you be placed on Administrative Leave until further notice."
Greg stood and casually replied, "If you must, but it'll be the County's loss. Our backlog is nasty already."
Fitch handed over his card. "In case you remember any pertinent information about your time spent at the apartment."
"No thanks. My story won't be changing," Greg replied before walking out, certain that Grissom and Nick would be both irritated and proud of his behavior.
After clicking off the audio, Fitch called Jessup. "Just finished with Sanders. He accounted for his whereabouts, but has no alibi for five am to seven-twenty am this morning, other than he was home playing Xbox while his hot wife snoozed at the Stratosphere. He lawyered up after ten minutes. I told him not to leave town."
"What's your read?" Jessup curtly asked.
"Unless he really is the biggest dork on the planet, I don't think he was playing Xbox this morning. Whether he was screwing Daniel Ellis or Becca Vartann, or involved in a murder remains to be seen. We'll know more once the Vartanns stroll into town. For now I recommend Administrative Leave and a lot of pressure."
"Will do."
"I've got Mrs. Sanders waiting for me next door. I call you when I'm done with her." Fitch strolled into the hall and smiled at Greg who was seated on a bench sipping from a bottle of water. "I'm gonna talk to your wife now."
"You better treat her right," Greg calmly warned.
"You can watch through the glass, but I can't broadcast the audio." With that, Fitch entered the room and shut the door. "Mrs. Sanders, I'm Detective Fitch with IAB."
"Hi." Tawny waved and then returned to sitting on her hands so she wouldn't fidget and appear nervous.
"How do you like working as a clerk in Questioned Documents?"
"I love it."
"Yeah, it's a good job with great benefits. Not bad at all for a high school drop out with a GED." Flipping through his file, Fitch casually asked, "Do you like it more than Exotic Dancing though? You probably made ten times as much dancing with your assets."
"I like QD much more," Tawny snapped, going from nervous to pissed that the man asked such an insulting question.
After turning on the audio equipment, Fitch switched to a professional tone. "Mrs. Sanders, where were you from ten pm last night until ten am this morning? Be as specific as possible, including times and as many details as possible."
"Details, huh?"
"Yes, the more the better."
"Okay, then." Knowing the pig already assumed she was a vapid bimbo, Tawny took a deep breath and gave the answer she hoped would make Greg sound least gay, because she was certain they'd play that card when they heard he went to the apartment where Daniel was. "I was at the Stratosphere Hotel the entire time. My romantic husband surprised me with dinner at Top of the World and a night of non-stop loving. From ten pm until eleven-fifteen I was in Room 2110 in bed making passionate love with my husband, then we freshened up and went to the Chapel in the Clouds for a beautiful vow renewal ceremony from eleven thirty until eleven fifty-five. Immediately after the ceremony we returned to Room 2110, because neither of us could wait to re-consummate." Changing too a sexy rasp, she shared, "We made love again…in a chair that time…totally steamy, then we took a bubble bath, Freesia scented. After the bath we returned to bed and pleasured each other in some very special ways, showered, and then fell asleep in each other's arms. At six thirty I woke up because my bladder was full and the girls were kicking it. My husband wasn't there, but he left an adorable note on his pillow saying he'd be back shortly with a surprise. He's always doing romantic things like that. Greg returned a little over an hour later and gave me a gorgeous picture frame with our babies' first ultrasound photo in it and spaces for the next ones. After that we ate a yummy breakfast in bed…he loves feeding me fruit, we showered together…because we got a little sticky from all the drizzled juice. We left the room for some air, lounged poolside, returned to our room for a red hot quickie, and then we checked out at ten-forty five. Was that enough detail or do you need more?"
"No, um…that was plenty." Fitch cleared his throat hard. "Does your husband have an Xbox?"
"Yes, it's his favorite pastime. I'm buying him a 360 for Christmas." Chuckling she shared, "I'll come to the apartment and find him passed out on the couch still gripping the controller." Shrugging, she sweetly said, "I don't mind. He needs a release after working hard. CSIs see some really bad stuff in the field. Xbox is how Greg escapes for a while. He doesn't have any of the killing type games, only the fun stuff. He loves the car related ones the most. Some wives would probably be pissed off, but I think it's better than having a husband who screams at sports games on TV and it's innocent, he's not out drinking or gambling his stress away. We have a joke…his favorite things are sex and X and he's addicted to both." Giggling she added, "I'll probably be cutting him off around my eighth month, so I'm glad he has something to fall back on."
"Would you describe your husband as a dork, Mrs. Sanders?"
"Totally," she sighed, "and I love every dorktastic inch of him."
"He told me he left the Stratosphere around five to go to his apartment and he didn't return until seven twenty. What do you think he was doing at the apartment for two hours?"
She serenely replied, "Playing Xbox like a giddy little boy."
"Thank you, Mrs. Sanders." Fitch stood and turned off the audio. "That's all I have."
Drew's House
10:21 pm
"I had the best time tonight," Marta gushed as she floated up the front steps holding her Drew's hand.
"Me too. I'm really glad you agreed to go out with me tonight." Ready to fulfill Marta's fantasy, he stopped in front of the door. "I'd really love to go out again soon."
"That would be great," she answered while getting lost in Drew's dreamy smile.
"So, uh…I'll call you tomorrow."
"I'd like that, yes." Closing her eyes, Marta waited for the doorstep goodnight kiss.
"Good night." Drew innocently kicked off the smooch by grazing his warm lips over hers, but by the time they parted it had become a passionate lip lock. "How was that, Honey?"
"Perfect," she swooned.
Suddenly the massive front door swung open and Nick yelled, "You're twenty minutes late, young lady! You know your curfew is ten pm."
Carrie joined in the antics by nodding furiously and adding, "I told you those Stokes boys were nothin' but trouble. They're all sex crazed lunatics!"
"What do you expect?" Nick harrumphed, "I hear their mother is a Democrat. They've even got one of them there lesbian girls in the family."
"You're never to see that boy again, do you hear?!" Carrie grabbed Marta's hand, yanking her in the doorway. "Hit the road, Stokes! Our little girl's too good for you."
Drew clapped for the performance and explained to Marta, "I called and asked Nick and Carrie to fulfill another missing moment from your teenage years."
"Very funny." Marta had already thought Drew had gone above and beyond to make the night fun and special. "Thanks for watching the kids for us."
"Any time." Carrie gave a sisterly hug.
"Okay." Dangling his car keys, Nick announced, "I have to work tomorrow, so we're gonna hit the road and let you kids get away with some heavy petting."
The Vartanns
10:37 pm
"Do we have a status on the Vartanns' pet rat?" Jessup's voice boomed over Grissom's radio. "I forgot I was supposed to call back Detective Vartann with that information because his wife is quite concerned."
Grissom stopped processing the bed to answer, "Tell them the rat is unharmed and in its cage. I had Sofia process it and we can release it to them tonight. We'll have it brought to the station with the next round of evidence bags."
"A police escort for a dirty rat," Jessup chuckled. "Happens all the time."
When the radio clicked off Grissom looked over at Sofia, who was on the opposite side of the bed. "She laughs and jokes?"
"I didn't think she did either." Sofia held up a thin pink dog collar with the word 'sexy' spelled in metal letters and a petite matching pink whip. "I hope to God no one ever dies at my place. Having my co-workers touching my sex toys and judging me would be so thoroughly unfun."
Grissom froze imagining in Sofia processing Sara's nightstand drawer and finding her French Tickler and cinnamon gel.
"Do you see a pink leather blindfold?" Sofia queried, "It comes with this set."
"And you know that how?"
"Irving and I double date with Jim and Heather a lot." When she saw Grissom's reaction she laughed, "The whip and collar are from the Pink Kink Kit. It's very popular at bridal showers and I've been to way too many of those unfortunately."
While Sofia bagged the last items found on top of the sheets, Grissom swept his ALS over the cleared bed. "I think this part will be far more 'unfun' than bagging and tagging their sex toys." With his tinted eyewear on, he glanced up. "Which do you prefer? Fluids or hair?"
She answered by whipping out her tweezers and magnifying goggles.
"Luckily all the blood is on the edge of the bed and floor, the fluids are untainted."
"I wonder if the sheets were fresh at the time of the murder."
"They weren't. Tony said Becca had called the maid to ask her to clean up their mess. She specified clean sheets because they had boinked and bolted. Becca's words, not mine." Scouring the bed, Grissom announced, "There are four stains groupings, one much smaller than the other three. From the look of things, three were from a. male/female duo and the one lone stain on the pillow…female only."
"Okay, eww. Other than finding out the Vartanns are murderers, I couldn't be more disappointed. They're sex slobs! If they were sheet changers, transfer wouldn't be an issue." Sofia shook her head. "The naked Ex could have rolled all over the bed getting her kicks and picked up trace of Tony from when he was with Becca earlier. One pube on the vic will have Jessup wetting her panties." She glanced over at the IAB officer in the doorway. "Sorry, I'm a little obsessive when it comes to my sheets."
"S'okay." Officer Brent Allen glanced over his shoulder, checked to see his radio was off and then whispered, "Maybe Jessup would chill out if she had one once in a while. Oh, and I'm with you on the sheet thing," he winked, "I'm all about good hygiene in bed."
Staring at the handsome African American man wearing both a flirtatious smile and a suit very well, she smirked, "I'll keep that in my good to know file."
"Seeing someone?"
"Living with actually…only a about month."
"Just ended one of those myself."
Grissom glanced up from the sheets miffed, "Flirting with IAB, Curtis?"
"Hey! IAB flirted first." Sofia returned to hair collecting. "I can look and chat, I just can't touch."
"If she flirts a little more do you think IAB will clear additional personnel?" Grissom queried. "Because if it's just the two of us, it'll take until Monday to collect every ripped scrap of fabric and broken piece of glass."
"Sorry, Man." Brent lifted his hands. "That's all Jessup. I don't know when you'll be gettin' more help, but…"
"Have no fear," Warrick breezed into the room with his kit. "I'm relaxed, refreshed and ready to work a double."
"I hope you brought friends," Sofia said. "How was Berumda?"
"They cleared Cath, but not to work in the house. Jessup sent her to the morgue for the SAE. Pete and Jas should be here in ten minutes. Bermuda was…"
"Welcome back," Grissom stood up and breathed a sigh of relief. "Now go process the bathroom, we don't have time for post-honeymoon chit chat I'm afraid."
"I missed you too." Warrick carefully made his way through the destruction. "Nice jacuzzi tub."
"I hate Irving's tub," Sofia griped while combing the next square foot of bed. "Men don't think about the bath tub when they buy places, because they generally shower."
Standing over the clogged toilet Warrick yelled, "Arrive late, get the crappy job!"
"We need all the crap preserved in case it's the vics!" Grissom directed. "Might help with ToD."
"It better be the vics," Sofia warned, "because if they don't change their sheets or flush the toilet I'll be coating myself with hand sanitizer every time I'm near Vartann. Ooh! I got a pube." She snatched it with a tweezer. "If there's one on the bed, there's probably one on the vic."
"We'll know that shortly if Cath is there doing the SAE."
LVPD – Morgue
10:48 pm
"Hell of a welcome back from your honeymoon, Catherine." Doc worked along side her, trying to move as fast as possible, so he could be out of IAB's watchful eye sooner rather than later.
"Yeah, well…I'd rather be me than her." Catherine sighed while gathering her samples. "I'll be in DNA if anyone's looking for me." She waved to her shadow. "Let's go, Dodd. After I drop these off I need you to follow me to Starbucks."
"I'm all for that," Bill Dodd chuckled. "Then where to?"
LVPD – Interrogation Room A
11:01 pm
"Right in here." Detective Fitch let the gorgeous woman slip by him, enjoying her erotic perfume. "Randi Watson…you've known the deceased how long?"
"Since freshman year at UNLV." Firmly clasping a clump of tissues, she took a seat. "We were roommates. I'm an only child, and she's like the sister I never had. When she dropped out of college, we got a place together."
"Can I get you a glass of water?"
Randi nodded while blowing her nose.
"What did you think of Tony? As Amy's pseudo-sister, did you approve of him?"
"Sometimes yes, sometimes no."
Setting the water in front of his guest, Fitch took a seat. "Care to expand on that?"
After a sip Randi explained, "Amy was a wild party girl when she met Tony."
"How did they meet?"
"About six years ago. We were at this club and Amy was dating this jerk named Chase. I used to tell her all the time 'run from Chase, Amy! He's bad news', but she didn't." Her smile faded. "Her and Chase got into it in the club's parking lot. It wasn't the first time Chase had hit her, but she always forgave him, it drove me crazy. Tony was on duty sitting in his car writing up a report when he saw it go down. To hear Amy tell it, he came out of nowhere like Superman and saved the day." Dabbing her eyes, she continued, "The next day, Amy had to go to the station to press charges and everything. She told Tony that she wanted to thank him for saving her in the parking lot by buying him dinner. He did the whole 'I was just doing my job, Miss, you don't have to thank me' thing, which only made Amy fall a little harder. Finally he says she can buy him a cup of coffee when his shift is over in twenty minutes. They walk out together and when they get to street, Amy sees her car is being repossessed. She had missed payments."
"Why?" Fitch asked while sliding the tissue box closer to the heartbroken woman. "Was Chase taking her cash?"
"No, Chase had plenty of cash, the problem was Amy snorted her paychecks." Randi grabbed a Kleenex. "That day in the parking lot, Amy broke down in Tony's arms and told him her life story. He decided to keep playing Superhero. She moved in with him that night to go cold turkey from coke and Chase. Tony got her to give up all her bad habits, he paid her bills, got her car back, and even took her to see her mom in Phoenix and helped her reconcile with her. His parents lived in Arizona too and he brought her to meet them too. She was on cloud nine when they got back."
"So, in return for sex, she got…"
"No, they weren't having sex." Randi shook her head. "They weren't even kissing. Tony had refused to start a relationship until she was clean for a while. It was about two months later, he took her to San Diego to meet his brother and they kissed on the beach at sunset. They were engaged two months later and married six months after that. He got her a nice job at LVPD after the honeymoon and life was great, but I thought it all was a little creepy at the same time."
"Creepy how?"
"It was like he had plucked her off the street and molded her into his wife. Everything was his way, she even deposited her pay checks into his account and he managed all their money. I could see his point because of her history, but at the same time it was demeaning." Randi's tears returned, "Amy didn't mind though, because he loved her and spent plenty of money on her. When they got engaged I said 'Amy you're twenty-three mentally going on seventeen, he's thirty-four, right now it's great that he's taking care of you, but I think you should take some time to find out who you are first' or one day you'll regret it." Dabbing her eyes, Randi confirmed, "That's exactly what happened. She started to want to do things her way and it caused friction because he just expected her to stay the same. He had worked very hard to make things perfect and she started rocking the SS Perfection. The first near-divorce was her coming home and saying she wanted to leave LVPD to be a Hair and Makeup Artist, because it was always her dream to own a salon. He hated the idea, thought it was stupid to put four years in at LVPD, get two promotions, and then start over with a new career. In all fairness, he was working like a dog and had just dropped ten grand buying her the boobs she had to have, so I could see why he didn't want her to quit her job and give him a tuition bill, but it was the way he handled it, like her future wasn't up to her. Amy thought he was treating her like a child, so she started to act like one and it drove him crazy."
"Do you have an example?"
"I have dozens. About a month after the beauty school blow out, she dressed up as a genie and decorated a corner of the living room like a genie bottle with big satin pillows and sheer pink curtains. When Tony came home, she served him a beer and then dashed off saying 'call me when you need something, Master, I'm here to serve you. I'll be in my bottle waiting to do your bidding and not thinking for myself'. He was so pissed off by that point, he went with it, literally calling her genie and asking for stuff. He even invited his buddies over for a poker party and she didn't cave. It was a battle of wills. She kept it up for five days by using vacation time. She slept in her bottle and every day he asked for more humiliating stuff."
"What made her give in?"
"It was Tony's day off and the first day of the annual Bath and Body Works Big Sale. She couldn't resist the urge, so she got dressed and left the house. Tony didn't say a thing, but when she got home from the sale, she found a tuition check for beauty school sitting on top of one of the satin genie pillows and a note that said 'I love you, Amy. Let's start over. If you try to act like a grown up, I promise I'll try to chill out.' They were great again and Tony really backed off, but about six months later, the sex stuff started."
"Sex stuff?"
"She told Tony she thought he was too sweet in bed." Randi sighed, "The control issue I could understand, but the sex stuff…I was on Tony's side. I thought Amy had a great marriage at that point and she had always been happy with their love life, so I didn't get it. Then she told me that she and a couple of women from work went to some ladies night out thing at Lady Heather's Dominion and it really opened her eyes about what she was missing. She got into watching hardcore porn, and started sending in naked pictures of herself to magazines. When Tony wouldn't give her what she wanted, she tricked him into going to a couples party to swing. She told me it worked out great because all the guys wanted her because she was open to anything, and all the wives wanted Tony because he was well endowed and not into twisted stuff."
"Do you have names of the other couples?"
"That was rule number five…no name dropping. I wasn't in, so I couldn't know."
"What about out of bed? Any violence?"
"She'd throw things at him, but he never touched her. He did finally start screaming at her though. They had this huge fight at my New Year's Eve party. She was trashed and totally humiliated him in front of everyone. In the middle of the living room she told his friends that he refused to…uh, how can I put this delicately…enter through her backdoor?"
"Got it."
"She told the guys Tony said it was something gay men do to each other, so it grossed him out. The guys were drunk and one said that meant he was secretly queer. Amy jumped right in talking about how Tony loved to cook and that his mom had a photo of him wearing her heels. God he was so embarrassed. He grabbed her by the elbow and went off on her in the back yard. It was really freaky to see him raging after years of calm, but now it makes sense with the steroids."
"About that, if you knew she was poisoning him with Rogaine and Steroids and you knew…"
"No! Not until last night," she sobbed. "Amy told me when she shared why Matt Vartann threatened her. I got so mad. I even said I would testify against her if Tony sued her. I never would have stood by and let her do that to him. He was too controlling, but he totally loved her and he's a really good guy in every other respect. He didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve to have her screwing guys behind his back either. I didn't tell him, because I kept hoping it was a phase and she'd get over it and then life would be great again. I still feel guilty about lying to his face to cover for her." Randi dropped her head into her hands. "Last night when Amy said Tony called saying he forgave her and wanted to meet and clear the air, I chilled out and we made up. I mean if he could forgive her, then I should too, right? I'm really glad I did, because she would have died thinking I was mad at her." A fresh batch of tears started spilling. "At least I got to hug her and…she was so sure he was going to take her back. She even raced home to see if her wedding dress still fit. I don't understand how this happened."
"We found her wedding dress torn to shreds in her bedroom," the Detective shared to see if it would produce any revelations.
"She loved that dress, she'd never do that, no matter how pissed she was, she never…"
"Well, she was served with a Temporary Order of Protection last night at nine forty-five, maybe that threw her over the top"
"From Tony?"
"Yes."
Confused, Randi asked, "Did she lie to me about him calling?"
"No, he said he told her to go home and meet him, so she would be there and wouldn't have to be served in public and be humiliated."
"That sounds like Tony, caring about Amy, but totally controlling the situation." Wiping her face she somberly remarked, "I thought it was odd that he was forgiving her so quickly, but then again, he got into therapy a month ago, so it wasn't like him caring about her came out of the blue. I thought maybe things weren't working out with the new wife. I don't know, I guess I wanted to believe it because I wanted her to be happy."
"Were there any other men in Amy's life recently?"
"She slept around a lot, Detective." Crumpling the tissues, Randi said, "She stopped telling me about all the one night stands because I would get freaked out about her going off with strangers. I know she had something going on with Mike Rodgers, he's a cop here. She was secretly meeting him at The Duke Motel." All cried out, she said, "He indulged her kink."
"What did she like?"
"Bondage, rape scenarios…all the stuff Tony saved her from back in that parking lot." Shaking her head, Randi showed her exasperation, "I told her it would get her killed one day. So did Tony. We were both right, but I'd rather Amy were still alive than me be right."
"Do you have any proof she was having sex with Rodgers?"
Randi shook her head, "But Amy kept souvenirs. She got the idea after seeing some documentary on TV about Monica Lewinsky and the blue dress scandal. If a guy left a little something behind on her clothing, she put it in this box she had. I told her it was totally gross, but she thought it was hot. Her favorites were stained and ripped lingerie."
Nick and Carrie's
11:24 pm
"I hope aliens don't rip me out of my clothes tonight," Carrie announced while posing at the foot of the bed. Chomping her bottom lip, she waited for Nick to glance up and see she was wearing a sexy, but tasteful red and black satin flyaway babydoll nightie. She had purchased it on a dare from Tawny during a lunch hour shopping trip to Victoria's Secret.
Already in bed and assuming they were just going to kiss goodnight and sleep, Nick laughed from behind his Sports Illustrated. "Don't worry, we'll spoon, and I'll save you from the clothes ripping aliens."
"Uh, Nicky, could you help me out with this?"
"Sure." He tossed the magazine and glanced up to see what the problem was, "Hello!" His eyes popped wide so he could take in every inch of his gorgeous fiancée. "Red lipstick, you never wear red lipstick and that lingerie…"
"I thought about our talk earlier," she softly replied, while crawling onto the mattress like a tigress. "If nobody up there is watching and listening to my every move, I suddenly feel a little more comfortable in the bedroom."
"Did you really think God and your mom were watching you in bed?" he asked in disbelief.
"Well if I thought they could see me bringing soup to the homeless!" Giggling she said, "When you say it out loud it sounds really dumb, but…yeah, in a conceptual 'all knowing' afterlife sort of way, not that they were watching every move." She slinked closer. "But that was the immature me thinking like a Sunday School kid, this is the new me and since no one has me on their widescreen TV in heaven, and because there aren't uninvited guests eavesdropping on us, I feel," she straddled his hips while enjoying the delight dancing in his eyes, "a lot less inhibited…even more than when I drink lots of wine like last night."
"You look beautiful," he softly said when he sat up to meet her mouth with a kiss. "Mmm…love your hair." He ran his fingers through the fluffed curls scented with her cherry blossom spray. "And those ruby red lips…give me another taste, Darlin'."
His kiss felt deliciously different, Carrie thought as they tumbled onto the bedding.
"Don't you dare take those strappy shoes off," he rasped in her ear. "Feel free to buy more ensembles just this like this by the way. I promise I will not hassle you about frivolous spending."
Carrie giggled from the comment and the hungry trail of kisses down her neck. It was like he had been holding back a little too and now it felt natural, not as though he was analyzing his moves for offense or being sweet or cute in the lead-in for her benefit. She had walked into the room with the express purpose of tempting him and he was proving it had worked like a charm. "Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise when he authoritatively pulled both sides of the top so she'd pop out of it.
"Leave the top on just like that," he commanded while diving into her chest.
"Whatever you want, Baby," she replied like a Cinemax vixen. Having never called him 'Baby', it brought her to another giggle.
"No, it was good." He winked before coiling his fingers around her panties for a sensuous reveal. "It's all good."
"Yes…it…is."
Blanketing her with his body, Nick gave yet another affirmation, "In case you can't tell, I'm lovin' every second of this."
Grinning, she gently swirled her nails over his bare back. "I definitely feel it, Tex."
"So, uh…just how adventurous does the new uninhibited you want to get tonight?" he taunted while contemplating several options.
Carrie tried out her temptress act once more, "I meant it when I said whatever you want, Baby." But when he tugged down his boxers, her anxious persona returned. "Condom! Don't forget to…"
"Why don't you get it, Darlin'?" he playfully suggested, before rolling onto his back. "It doesn't have to be me who puts it on."
"Oh. Okay. I'll give it a shot." She lunged for the nightstand giggling once more. "I have to confess that while I've always been curious, as soon as you grab one I stare at the ceiling because it feels wrong to watch you do it. So, I've never actually seen how it's done."
"From sultry sex kitten to cute as hell in seconds. I love you, Sweetheart." Watching her frantically reading the instructions on the box, he could see her getting nervous. "C'mere." Taking her hand, he whispered, "You know I'm always happy to walk you through new stuff."
The Vartanns
11:56 pm
"No signs of forced entry in the rear." Jas excitedly relayed her new information to the Master Criminalist while Sofia and Warrick worked their way through the items littering the floor. "All the windows are locked and I found nothing as far as footprints, but the landscape is all rock and deck tile. Without rain or mud there wasn't much hope. Maybe they left a door open when they left town?"
"A cop doesn't leave his house unlocked when he leaves town," Sofia stated. "And a guy doesn't leave the house open with his Ferrari in the garage…boys treasure their rides way too much."
"Gris!" Pete rushed into the room. "You know how I griped about you assigning me to the maid's belongings because it was boring?"
"All too well," Grissom groaned.
"I take it back." Holding up two evidence bags, one with Marcella's keys and one with her client book, Pete grinned, "She kept her keys on a hook in her wide open tote bag. Assuming that was standard, all of her clients potentially had access to the Vartanns' key. When you use a key you don't need to force entry. Guess who else besides the Vartanns employs Marcella the Maid?" When Grissom finally looked up he said, "Twenty-two people I've never heard of and…Mike Rodgers."
"Nice work!" Jas cheered her boyfriend.
"Don't kiss him in front of IAB," Sofia whispered in the girl's ear. "They frown on co-worker dating."
"Sorry, I didn't think it was that obvious."
"Pete, run all the names," Grissom ordered, trying to mask his excitement about the lead. "First thing in the morning, they all get visits, unless of course something in the name check makes you feel a pre-dawn disruption is warranted."
"I'm on it."
"Grissom!" Jessup's voice blared through the radio Gil had tuned to a private channel to communicate directly with the shrewish IAB leader. Grabbing the radio from his belt he answered, "Go ahead, Jessup."
"Maid's awake in the hospital. I sent Willows."
"I'd rather send Jas to the hospital and have Catherine's expertise here. Why can't you clear her for the house?"
"The Sheriff has requested that Willows not step foot in the house based on something that came up in a meeting with Don Schultz recently. Does a veiled accusation concerning her finding evidence in a home that helped a friend beat a murder rap ring a bell?"
"It's not the same situation. Willows isn't close with Detective and Mrs. Vartann," he responded, trying his best to get Catherine clearance.
"When I questioned Willows she disclosed she had been quite close with Detective Vartann on at least one occasion before he was married. Something about being stuck in Searchlight and bored? This is what we get for not letting you people have lives and time to develop relationships."
"Fine, send Willows." Annoyed, Grissom returned the radio to his belt.
Sofia and Jas whipped around to look at Warrick.
"It's news to me too," Warrick replied to the glares. "And not really any of my business since we weren't together at the time. Gris, isn't the point of having a private channel with Jessup to keep things private?"
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Amy Vartann's
12:09 am
"I think I found her secret stash" Sara informed IAB Officer, Kent Malcolm while shining her flashlight into the crawlspace above the master closet. After taking some pictures she asked the thirty-seven year old big-brother type, "Pregnancy and ladders don't mix. Care to do the climbing for me?"
"Sure thing." Kent pulled on a pair of gloves and used a chair to reach the large floral-print box. "You really think this is it? I was expecting something different for storing soiled sin-wear."
"Me too," Sara pointed for him to place the box on the plastic tarp she had ready on the floor. "I want a few exterior photos first." She snapped them, popped open the lid and took a few more pictures.
"No way," Kent remarked while kneeling next to Sara to peer at the discovery. "I didn't expect it to be that full."
Sara removed the top Ziploc, which was stuffed with red lingerie. "Looks like the straps were sliced."
Having been married for twelve years, Kent shook his head in disgust at the twisted collection. "Working these cases, do you ever wonder why some people can be satisfied with one partner and normal sex, while others need to sleep around and do this twisted crap? Seriously, all my wife and I need are each other's naked bodies and thirty minutes without the kids interrupting us and we're happy. If we get to sleep in each others arms for a few hours before waking up to deal with a kid, it's a bonus."
"Do you know your wife is happy, or are you just taking her word for it? Tony had no idea Amy was sleeping around. He thought they were happily trying to make a baby together."
"Are you trying to freak me out?" Kent shivered at the thought of his wife cheating on him. "I know Callie is happy."
"Good." Sara flashed a friendly smile and turned over the bag, "Whoa…there really is a God."
"What?"
Sara held up the bag in disbelief.
Tilting his head, Kent read the handwritten words scrawled on the bag's label, "10-4-05/ Duke Motel/ Mike Rodgers/Switch BladeBJ/DogBack/2O/5S!!"
"She labeled her souvenirs." Sara ran a gloved fingertip over Mike's name. "Thank you, Amy."
Author's Notes:
Thanks for reading and for the reviews on the last chapter.
Chapter 39 is posting on 12/5 - More revelations as the Vartanns arrive in Vegas and Grissom hears about Sara's discovery.
Thanks,
Maggs