I do not own CSI or any of the characters; even the ones I make up. Thanks for being patient in waiting for a new chapter. A lot has gone on in my life so I have been a bit behind in this.
Short chapter, but wanted to get an update. Hope you enjoy and more to come
"What the hell were you thinking?" Brass asked as he sat across the table from Nick, a hot cup of bitter coffee in his hands
"I don't know" Nick sighed tiredly
Brass scoffed. "C'mon, Nicky" He said "That's bullshit and you know it....don't bullshit me"
Nick glared at him "You think I'm bullshitting?" He asked with irritation "Do I look like I am bullshitting?"
Brass shrugged "I dunno; you tell me. I'm just here for the coffee"
"You think this is funny?"
Again, he shrugged "I never think violence is funny, Nick, you know that. But I think you were doing what anyone would have done in your situation...no matter how dumbass it was..."
He saw the perplexed look on Nick's face just as the door opened and another officer walked in, nodding at Brass before looking at Nick. "You're free to go, Mr. Stokes" He said "I'm sorry about the mix-up"
"What?" Nick asked incredulously. He'd been sitting in a cell for three hours, had been handcuffed and thrown into a squad car charged with assault and battery and now they were letting him go?
The officer nodded "You're free to go" He repeated "You need to sign some forms up front and we'll still need your written statement if you'd like us to pursue a case against Mr. Ecklie." As Nick slowly stood along with Brass, the officer continued "We can't charge Mr. Ecklie without your statement so we'll need that back as soon as possible"
Nick gave him a questioning look and he continued "You do want to press charges, right?"
Nick opened his mouth just as Brass patted him on the back "C'mon John" He said to the officer "Ecklie's Nick's boss...give the guy some time to absorb all of this, okay?"
The officer nodded "Sure, sure...take your time." He smiled at Nick "And, again, we really are sorry for the mix-up"
As they headed toward the front counter to sign out, Nick looked at him "What the hell was all of that about?"
Brass smiled, keeping his eyes forward as they walked "Let's just say it's time for Ecklie to taste a little bit of his own medicine"
Someone was banging on the door. Catherine groaned, rolling over to look at the alarm clock; it was just shy of 4:00 AM. She lay still for a moment, waiting for her head to clear as the banging continued before throwing the covers off.
"Mama!" She heard Lindsey call as she plowed down the stairs "Someone's here!"
"I know, Linds..." She called out as she grabbed her robe "Don't answer it, I'll be right there."
She rushed from the room and followed her daughter down the stairs, grabbing the teenagers arm just as she reached the door. "Stop" She said, lowering her voice "We don't know who it is"
Lindsey gave her a look "It's four in the morning, Mom" She replied "Maybe Grandma's drunk again?"
"No, Linds..." Catherine whispered, pulling her daughter backwards and pushing her towards the kitchen "Get the phone...just in case"
Lindsey watched her mom cautiously as the banging continued "You're kind'a freaking me out, Mama"
"Get the phone" Catherine ordered waiting until her daughter had the phone in her hand. She went carefully to the door, peeking through the peephole; her heart stopped
EcklieShit
"Go up to your room" She looked at Lindsey who watched her with wide eyes.
"Who is it?"
"Go to your room, Lindsey" Catherine ordered again. "And if you hear anything, call 9-1-1, okay?"
Tears sprung in the girl's eyes as she held the phone tight, shaking her head "I don't wanna leave you here---"
"Your room Lindsey!" Catherine whispered harshly "Now!"
As Lindsey reluctantly backed away to rush up the stairs, Catherine took a few deep breaths before going to the door. She did not make a move, but waited for the banging to stop. After a few minutes, the banging intensified as she realized that he was kicking her door. She looked towards the stairs, silently contemplating going to Lindsey's room with her daughter and dialing the police on her own.
Just as she was about to move, it happened. The front window next to the door exploded as a rock flew through it and Catherine caught herself letting out a cry of alarm despite herself, ducking down to avoid the shards of glass as the security alarm began to blare. She heard Lindsey scream upstairs and her instincts drove her as she took the stairs two at a time until she reached her daughter's room, rushing in to slam and lock the door behind her.
"Mama!" Lindsey was crying "What's going on!?"
Catherine scrambled to the bed with her, grabbing the phone as she pulled her trembling daughter to her. "Shhhhh..." She hushed her as she dialed the emergency number. "It's okay...."
Agonizing seconds ticked by as she waited for the emergency operator to answer the phone and she could swear she heard foot falls on the stairs. Her heart stopped as she felt both herself and Lindsey stop breathing.
He was outside the bedroom door
"Mama..." Lindsey whimpered and Catherine jumped up, pulling Lindsey with her to the walk in closet. She went inside with Lindsey and closed the doors, praying silently for the operator to pick up the phone.
9-1-1 What's your emergency?
Thank God. Catherine began whispering into the phone, detailing her address and that she had an intruder. By now, the police had been alerted to the break in by her alarm system's remote assistance department; help was en route.
She heard the bedroom door break open and Lindsey jumped against her as Catherine kept the phone pressed to her ear
"Willows!" He bellowed as he entered the room "Get out here!" She could hear him coming closer and she pulled Lindsey further into the closet. Damn it; she left her gun locked in her nightstand.
Ma'am? The voice of the operator said Ms Willows? Are you alright?
The closet door was yanked open and Lindsey began to scream, as Ecklie's large shadow loomed in the opening, sirens barely audible over the sound of the alarm. Before she could defend herself, he had her around her throat and pulled her from the floor as she dropped the phone, her daughter screaming as Ecklie seethed: "Did you call the fucking police, Willows!?"
"MAMA!" Lindsey was up and in one swift movement she caught him square in the temple with one of her ice skates, sending him backwards as he let go of Catherine
"You little BITCH!" He roared, his hand to his face as he attempted to lunge for the girl as another strike caught him across his jaw, this time by Catherine. He fell backward, tumbling over a pile of clothes on the floor as Catherine grabbed Lindsey and they ran from the room.
Catherine kept hold of Lindsey's hand as they bolted down the stairs and out of the house, rushing to the street just as a patrol car pulled up along the curb. The officer was out as Catherine rushed up to him "He's upstairs" She said breathlessly "In the first bedroom"
Gun drawn, the officer nodded towards his partner who followed him into the house as another patrol car pulled up. Catherine watched, her own body trembling as she put her arms around her daughter, as the lights from the flashlights reflected off of the windows in the house. After a few minutes, they were offered a seat in the second patrol car, recalling the events of the evening.
Catherine never said it was Ecklie and Lindsey could not make out his face.
After what seemed like an eternity, the officers came back out of the house; they were alone
"The house is empty" Officer Hopkins said "No sign of the intruder"
Catherine shook her head as Lindsey cried. "He couldn't have gotten out...."
Before she knew it, patrol cars lined the street as officers combed the neighborhood and she was face-to-face with Sophia and Greg, who had been sent to process the crime scene. Paramedics were sent to check on Catherine's cuts and she found herself being photographed for the bruising on her neck. Again, she told her story and as she repeated that she did not get a look at the intruder, she caught the look that Greg gave her.
Somehow she knew, he didn't believe her.
"I just don't understand why you are protecting him" Grissom sat across from her, his breakfast long since cold.
Catherine sighed in frustration. "I am not protecting him" She replied as she looked towards the back of the restaurant where Lindsey had gone to use the rest room "Did you ever think I am protecting her?"
"By not turning him in?" He asked "How is that protection?"
She glared at him "I don't know" She huffed "You tell me"
He pursed his lips, her point driven home. Of course she was referring to Sara. "That is different, Catherine, and you know it"
"How?" She asked "How is that different?"
It was his turn to sigh in frustration "Because Sara knows who is after her" He nodded in the direction Lindsey has gone "Lindsey has no idea he is after her and that makes it a deadly difference"
She was quiet, trying to keep the tears out of her eyes. "Who would believe me?"
He reached over and took her hand "Right now? Everyone" He squeezed her fingers gently "We have to stop him, Cath. And we have to stop him before he hurts someone else..." He nodded again towards Lindsey as she walked towards them "...before he hurts her"
She nodded, wiping away at the tear that slid down her cheek "I wish it were that simple..."
He let go of her hand as Lindsey rejoined them "But it is that simple" He replied with a wink "Trust me"
And as she watched him begin to converse with Lindsey, Catherine began to realize that something had changed within her friend and she knew that nothing would really ever be the same
