A Thin Line
Rated: T for now.
A/N- Thankyou so much to everyone who reveiwed my last chapter. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it. Thanks to everyone who's been reading my fic and has stuck around for chapter three, I hope I don't dissapoint. : )
--
Sara's chair squeaked in protest as she leaned back and studied Athena Greenman. Athena was in her early thirties. She was wearing a tasteful blue skirt and top and her platinum blond hair (a shade that could only be created from a bottle) appeared to have been tied back into a pony-tail without much thought. Her two carat wedding ring glittered under the interrogation rooms florescent lights. Toes painted blue peeked out of her sandals. Athena reminded Sara of her second grade art teacher. 'Color in the lines, Sara. Not out.' She frowned at the memory. Second grade had not been a good year.
Sara shook her head slightly, refocusing on the interrogation.
"I-I'm still…very shocked about Harry. I just heard about what happened yesterday from Jen." Athena said, tears pooling in her eyes.
"Jen as in Jennifer Kalaski? Harry's sister?" Brass asked leaning forward, his interest peaked.
Athena sniffed and nodded.
Sara felt Brass shift beside her. He looked at the papers lying in front of him. "How long were you and Harry married?"
"Almost two years..." Athena blotted her eyes with a tissue.
Sara leaned forward, studying Athena's face. "When did you separate?"
Athena's voice caught in her throat. "Um, about two months ago."
"But you and Jennifer Kalaski stayed friends after the break up?" Sara inquired.
Athena sniffled lightly, "Jen and I have been friends since college. We've known each other a long time before I married Harry. We wouldn't let the separation come between us."
"Who broke it off?"
Athena looked at Sara, her red-rimmed eyes narrowed. "I don't see how that is any of your damn business."
Brass's smile was sour, "But it is our business, Mrs.Greenman. Please answer the question."
Athena glared at Brass, but he appeared unaffected by the assault. Athena sighed, her shoulders slumping. "He did, okay? He said we weren't right for each other anymore."
"Were you?"
Athena's looked confused, "What?"
"Were you not right for each other?" Sara pressed.
Athena pursed her lips, "We were in love."
Sara looked at her skeptically.
Athena averted her eyes from Sara's. She scraped her nails through her hair, frowning angrily at the kleenex, blackened by tears mixed with mascara, clutched in her hand. "In the beginning, we were so in love. It was everything I wanted. He was so romantic, and caring. I really thought we were soul mates. We got married after two months of dating," Athena dropped the tissue on the table and began fidgeting with her manicured nails. "But, after a while, I don't know…we spent less time with each other. We both had careers that took up so much of our time, so we didn't see each other every day. I thought we were secure, and in love." She paused, sadness etched into her face. "He told me he loved me, but he just couldn't be with someone who was never 'there'" She looked up, staring between Brass and Sara bitterly. "But I guess love wasn't enough."
Sara shifted in her seat, uncomfortable with how close Athena's word's related to her.
"You were angry when he wanted to separate?"
Athena looked at Sara sharply, "Of course I was. Wouldn't you be if the love of your life decided to leave you? That they weren't willing to put in the effort…that you weren't worth the effort?"
"I know I'd fight for it…" Sara murmured, without thinking. She blushed lightly at the admission. Brass glanced at her curiously.
Athena slapped a hand on the table. "I did. I did fight," Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "But…but he wouldn't…"
When Sara felt sympathy well up inside her, she knew she needed to redirect the direction of the interrogation. She inwardly admonished herself for relating herself to the suspect.
"Okay. You were angry when you broke up…but what about after?"
Athena looked at Brass then Sara, her expression becoming defensive. "Excuse me? Are you insinuating what I think you are?"
Neither Brass nor Sara spoke.
Athena gaped. "I cannot believe this! You think I killed Harry? Are you fucking kidding me?"
"Enlighten us." Brass's voice was solemn.
"I freaking loved that bastard with everything I had!" Athena began earnestly. "Killing him would murder my soul. I'm carrying his damn baby for god's sake!" Athena stumbled to a stop, shocked with what she had divulged. Sara and Brass eyed each other surprised.
"I…um. I...just found out a couple weeks ago."
"Did he know?" Sara asked quietly.
"No." Athena whispered.
Brass considered Athena attentively, "Okay, so, two months ago you guys broke up. Can you tell us what happened a week before Harry was murdered?"
Athena leaned forward, picking up a glass of water off the table and took a sip. After swallowing she began to speak, her tone resigned. "A week before I got a call from Harry. He wanted to meet up with me…he was really insistent." Her voice warbled, "I agreed because I wanted to meet with him too. To-to tell him about the baby face-to-face. He was talking about reconciling…we were supposed to meet tomorrow…" Tears poured down her cheeks. "God, I loved him so much. Who would do this? Who would kill him?" She began to weep into her hands.
Brass cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Okay, Mrs.Greenman. That's it for today. We'll call if we need you to come back in."
Athena nodded, hiccupping around her sobs, her eyes blurred from tears. An officer helped her out of the room.
Sara turned to Brass as the door swung shut.
"What do you think?"
Brass thought for a moment, "I'm not sure. I can see many motives for her to have killed him."
Sara nodded ruefully, "Yeah. And we don't know for sure if he didn't know about the baby. He could've told her he wanted nothing to do with it." She pursed her lips in thought, "But, I just have a gut feeling she's genuine."
Brass stood, stretching his back. "Well, let's not speculate too much. The evidence will answer those questions."
Sara looked up at him oddly, "You sound like Grissom."
Brass shrugged. "I think I'll take that as a compliment."
--
Leaving the interrogation room Sara headed towards the break room. She passed Grissom's office; the office she had run from over two hours before. Glaring at the closed door she swore profanities in her head at the man inside.
He was so damn confusing.
Was he trying to do this to her? To let her think she was getting over him, just to pull her back in? Did he know how screwed up he made her feel when he played these games?
She had lived years without him. She was a tough, independent woman, dammit! No man controlled her! She could do this.
Sara found the break room empty. Sighing she sat down on the couch she had vacated two hours previously. She rubbed her temple with her fingers.
His eyes. In his office his eyes held emotion she had never seen in them before. They were feral and sexual. The thought both terrified and excited her. If he still felt such strong emotions for her…maybe…
She slapped a hand against her forehead. He may lust after her, but lust most definitely does not have a future. It would only end with her heart broken when he tired of her and wanted a newer model.
Sara made a sound of disgust in the back of her throat. Looking at her watch she groaned. Shift wouldn't be over for hours and all she could do was wait for lab results.
She dragged out a cold case file, desperate to silence the voices in her head.
God, she needed a drink.
--
"Hm."
Sara looked up, annoyed at the distraction.
"Yes?"
Catherine's face was pure innocence. She grabbed a mug and poured lukewarm coffee into it before speaking.
"Oh, nothing. Just noticing you're looking through a cold case." Catherine sat across from Sara. Taking a sip from her cup, she wrinkled her nose at the taste.
"…and?"
Catherine shrugged, as though disinterested. But Sara caught the glint in her eye. Catherine studied her nails. "Are you alright?"
Sara raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Catherine rolled her eyes, no longer having the patience to feign indifference. "I'm an investigator, Sara. I notice things. Like how when something's bugging you, you dig into the cold cases."
"You watch me?" Sara said incredulously.
"Good grief girl, no. I just notice. C'mon, you probably notice a bunch of things about me and the guys. Like how when Warrick is really stressed he starts shuffling a deck of cards. Or when Nicky's really pissed off his accent becomes really pronounced."
Sara thought for a moment. "I suppose."
"See? Okay. Lay it on me."
Sara furrowed her eyebrows, was Catherine serious? "Cath, I really appreciate it but…"
"Look, I know we haven't always gotten along, but you're part of the team. And the team is like my family…so I guess that makes you my sister. My younger, with questionable fashion sister. And you know sisters are notorious for not always getting along." She paused, trying to gauge Sara's reaction. "We don't need to get all 'ya-ya sisterhood' crap, but I'm a good listener."
Sara raised an eyebrow, "'Ya-ya sisterhood'?"
"Ah, whatever. I haven't seen a movie in such a long time. It's the best analogy I can think of. You know what I mean."
Sara was honestly touched by Catherine's effort. "Thanks Cath. I really mean it."
Catherine smiled, her eyes inviting Sara to continue.
"It's really complicated. I…just…I really don't know, Cath. I'm sorry, but I can't talk about it. Not yet, maybe never." Sara paused, "We-" She motioned between the two of them with a hand, "-haven't always gotten along…I mean…" She stopped, unsure what to say.
Catherine nodded. "I understand. You're honest, I respect that. Me and you haven't always clicked, so I understand your hesitancy. Just know I always have an ear to listen. And whatever you say will stay between us."
Sara looked down at her hands. She suddenly felt too emotional to say anything.
Glancing at her watch Catherine grinned, "Well, I should go, Warrick and Nicky should be almost finished with the decomp Gris assigned us."
Catherine stood and smiled at the younger woman. Before she left she patted Sara's shoulder reassuringly.
Sara stared at the file lying in front of her blindly. She choked the emotion welling in her throat. Part of her wanted to run and catch Catherine and spill the skeletons in her closet, but another part of her was stubborn to get through this, to get over Grissom on her own. She had never needed anyone before.
Sara jumped when she felt her pager vibrate against her leg. She half smiled at the name blinking at her.
--
"Awesome! You fixed your pager!" Was the first thing to leave Greg's lips when Sara arrived.
"Yeah."
"I was expecting to have to search for you."
Sara stared at him impatiently. "Greg…did you find something?"
Greg held up his fingers, "These babies are magic."
"Okay, show me some tricks."
Greg leered at her. Smiling, Sara pushed him away playfully.
"Results, Greg. Show me results."
"Fine, fine. I found female DNA on your male vic. And no, before you ask, she's not in CODIS."
Sara thought for a moment. "Anything else?"
"My fingers may be magic, but even they have limits. I'll beep you if I find anything else."
"Make sure to compare the DNA to Athena Greenman."
Greg bowed, "As you wish, m'lady."
Much to his chagrin, Sara patted Greg's spiky locks before she left.
--
The rest of the shift passed uneventfully. Sara had successfully avoided Grissom. She had not seen him once since he had called her to his office. Sara was sure this was mostly because he hadn't stepped out of his office most of the night. At least, if he had she certainly hadn't seen him.
Sara pulled off her jacket as she crossed the parking lot. The morning sun was already broiling, making Sara glad she didn't have to be outside when it reached its scorching high in the early afternoon.
After many false starts and many colorful swear words, Sara's car started. Sighing in relief she made a mental note to take it in to get fixed later that day.
--
"Hi Asha," Sara cooed when she entered her apartment.
Asha skidded to a stop in front of Sara and proceeded to use her leg as a scratching post. Sara brushed her off gently, stroking the kittens head. Asha purred in contentment.
Sara poured herself a glass of red wine. She drank it quickly as she changed into a t-shirt and shorts. Lying down on her bed Asha jumped up curling up in her respective place beside Sara. Sara savored the sleepiness that enveloped her. As exhausted as she was from work, she knew from past experience she wouldn't get to sleep easy without help.
The wine relaxed her muscles and placed a light fog over her senses.
Sleep was easy to find.
--
tbc