The Real Estate Giveaway
Disclaimer: I do not own in any capacity any part of CSI or the characters much to my dismay. If I did, Grissom would be shacking up with Sara every night. I do admit to having an active imagination…
I dedicate this chapter in memory of my father who wore his wedding band the same way Grissom does when he was at work.
Chapter 13
Grissom closed his office door and headed to the director's office. Maya, his secretary greeted him warmly and said that Dr. Carvallo was on a conference call that should have already wrapped up. He took removed his keys from his pocket and sat in a guest chair.
He fingered his keychain. There amongst the keys hung his wedding ring, where he placed it while at work. He removed it and again read the inscription engraved inside, adapted a bit from The Taming of the Shrew, Act 5: "My husband is my lord, my life, my keeper."
While reading the paper one morning a few months after they had begun living together, Sara had come across an advertisement in the entertainment section – The Taming of the Shrew was being performed by the Theatre Department of Las Vegas High School later in the week. She had asked if he'd like to go, knowing that Shakespeare was one of his favorite playwrights. He said he felt sometimes as if he was LIVING in the play, which caused her to throw a nearby napkin at him. He had laughed and they had gone, and he laughed at the spunk in Katherine, the "shrew."
Later, when they were snuggled into their bed, Grissom told Sara that her determination was as strong as Katherine's and she mistook him to mean Catherine Willows. She looked puzzled – until he explained that he meant from the play and not from the office. Not sure how to take it, she asked if he LIKED Katherine or found her cumbersome. He quickly pointed out that he wanted to be with her and that it was a blessing to have her in his life.
They had talked long into the night. He smiled at the memory – only to have this thoughts interrupted by Maya informing him that Dr. Carvello was ready to see him.
He sighed and placed the ring on his finger and keys in his pocket. He picked up a folder that had rested in his lap and entered the director's office.
Robert Carvallo stood beside his desk and extended his right hand. "Dr. Grissom, good to see you."
Grissom extended his right hand. "Good morning to you too, sir."
"Can I offer you some coffee?" Carvallo asked.
"Yes, please."
"Maya, please bring the coffee tray in." Maya returned a few moments later as Grissom and Carvallo made themselves comfortable in the sitting area of the room. She poured coffee for each of the men and then excused herself, closing the door behind her.
Grissom reached for the cream with his left hand – not thinking that the hand carried a bombshell on the ring finger. Carvallo stopped, his cup suspended between the table and his mouth as the gold circle caught his eye and its meaning registered. Grissom finished the motion and stirred his coffee.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting, Gil?"
"Several things, but let's start with the Copenhagen Grant." Grissom reached for the folder that he had perched on the table as they had settled in. "I've got a copy of the budget proposal here, along with the estimates I have received for the equipment for the insect incubation and the accompanying supplies. I've got a supplier in mind for the equipment and another for the supplies based on their bids and the recommendations I received for each – I've enclosed copies of all of the paperwork. Could you please go over them and initial the purchase order?"
"Uh, why yes. I can do that. Do you need me to do that now or can I have a day or two to review?"
"I'd like to have them by the end of the week if you can fit it in. The equipment has a 4-week delivery time."
"I can do that – should be able to get to it tomorrow, Wednesday at the latest."
"Thanks. This is probably the most promising grant I've managed and I think it would bode well to have a director's name as a reviewer of decisions. This is a prestigious group from which to receive money – and I want to stay in their good graces."
"I understand completely. You do good work Grissom, and by pursuing these grants you do nothing but elevate the Lab's status."
Both men fell into a silence.
"And, there is another matter we need to discuss."
Carvallo raised an eyebrow to signify that he was listening as he returned to his coffee.
"I am in the market for a house and was out to view a few on Friday when I managed to become part of crime scene. Our real estate agent opened the door to a body in a house on the market."
"I seem to have heard something about that, but not that you were there. Has the case been completed?"
"Since I am deemed a suspect, it would be a violation of ethics for me to even inquire about the evidence that was collected. So I cannot offer you an update on the case. But there are issues that will become evident in the paper trail that we do need to discuss."
"Are you comfortable with the investigators involved?"
"Why, yes. The scene was processed by Nick and Warrick."
"I see… Are you concerned that you are a serious suspect in this case? I don't quite understand…"
"I was not alone when the body was found. My wife was with me." Grissom paused and took another sip of his coffee.
Carvallo smiled – Grissom had come to tell him that he had gotten married. "Grissom! I didn't know you had gotten married. Congratulations!" He stood, but Grissom continued to sit on the sofa drinking coffee.
Carvallo was confused. He covered by walking over to his desk and grabbing his calendar and a pen, then returned to his seat. He began again, "I'd love to meet her. Think we can pencil in a dinner later in the week?"
Grissom dropped his bombshell. "Robert, you know her. My wife is Sara Sidle."