Love Isn't Always on Time
Author's note: I don't own CSI but I do love to play with them! It's the sincerest form of flattery!
GRISSOM SARA ROMANCE GRISSOM SARA ROMANCE GRISSOM SARA ROMANCE
A/N : If you love fan fiction, please check out GSRFO online. We will be holding our annual fan fiction contest in the upcoming weeks, so if you are as addicted to ff as I am, please join and join in!
Thanks to all for reading and reviewing! I'm trying to respond to everyone, so please leave me a note.
Don't flame me when you get to the end of this chapter. There is a reason for the interaction, you'll understand why later.
Chapter 3
"Greg," Warrick yelled over the music, "Turn that crap down!"
"Oh what because it's not your music, it's crap?" Greg answered.
"Yes, and because I'm the senior CSI on this case, I win," Warrick said as he grabbed the knob on the radio and turned the music off. "Anyhow, we are here now, so no need to argue!"
They stepped out of the Denali and grabbed their kits. The two men walked over to meet Brass, who had been called out after only a couple hours of sleep. He was clearly pissy.
"Another 420," Brass said, "Looks like a single shot to the head. David is on his way and I'm going home unless you need me for anything."
"No Jim, we got this one, and we can call if we need you," Warrick advised his friend. "There are plenty of uni's here, so go home and take a Tylenol ok?"
Jim left the crime scene in the capable hands of Detective Alex Venison, a recent transfer from Los Angeles, with strict instructions to call if anything came up. Jim was stressed out, not only because of Catherine's injuries, but also because his workgroup was running shorthanded. This was the third double shift he had worked in a row.
Warrick and Greg approached the red Mustang and began to take some overall photos. When the coroner arrived, they helped get the body out of the driver's seat of the car. Taking more photos and documenting the evidence to preserve anything that would be destroyed when the car was moved, they worked quietly and efficiently. It was clear they were comfortable working with each other.
David reached into the victim's pocket and pulled out his license.
"Mark Matzo," David said, "Local."
"Well I don't see any tattoos or anything to indicate he was in a gang, but this sure does look like a hit to me!" Warrick said, trying to impart some of his knowledge to Greg, the level 1 CSI. "Why don't you run it, Greg?"
"Well, it looks like he was moving pretty fast, the skid marks are long and impact looked like it was pretty forceful," Greg spoke as he thought about what he had seen. "Maybe he saw the gun pulled on him from another vehicle and tried to outrun the shooter?"
"I'd say that's a good bet," Warrick answered, impressed by Greg's ability to learn quickly, "No scratches on the side of the vehicle though, so it doesn't look like the were bumping quarterpanels. It could be that he didn't see the gun until the last minute and then "bang" it was over."
"Dead man driving!" Greg speculated.
"OK David, he's all yours," Warrick told the coroner, "Make sure we get tox on him asap."
"You got it Warrick," David replied, moving the stretcher to the coroner's van, "I'll call you as soon as Doc gets his results."
"Let's get back to the lab and see what we can figure out on this one," Warrick instructed his young partner, "and I'll even let you buy me some lunch on the way back."
"Oh lucky me," Greg laughed, "Franks ok?"
"Franks is perfect. Let's go."
GRISSOM SARA ROMANCE GRISSOM SARA ROMANCE GRISSOM SARA ROMANCE
After shift was over, Sara stopped at the local girlie club to watch the exotic dancers. Nick had agreed to go along with her as moral support.
"Well, it wasn't really THAT hard to talk you into going to a strip club," she laughed, ribbing Nick for his quick response to her invitation.
"Well," he replied, "Just consider it professional curiosity. I'd like to see how the magic is made."
They entered through the front door of Jade. Catherine had used her connections to get them in quietly so as not to raise any eyebrows. They walked to the back of the stage and took a seat in the wings to watch the stage.
It didn't take long for them to discover that this would not be close enough to the action for Sara to learn anything, so they left the backstage area and took a table out front.
After Nick slipped away to use the restroom, Sara found herself entranced by the woman dancing on the pole at the center of the stage. She was young and very beautiful. But more than that, she was a great dancer. She was sultry and amazingly flexible. She assumed positions Sara had never seen a person achieve.
As she was watching, she felt someone slip into the chair next to her.
Without turning to look at Nick, she said "Everything come out ok?" and chuckled at her double entendre.
Instead of a masculine Texas drawl, the reply was a sexy female voice.
"Well if you're lucky it could," the young woman replied.
"I'm sorry," Sara said, I thought you were my friend."
"No, I'm Jackie," the woman answered, "What's your name?"
"Sara," Sara replied.
"Was that your boyfriend?" Jackie asked.
Sara looked at her and chuckled, "No, no way."
"Cool, so you are here with him just as a friend?"
Sara was beginning to wonder why this woman had so many questions, but then it dawned on her that she was probably wondering if Nick was available. Not unusual – women often asked her for Nick's number. If the woman was not Nick's type, they would refer to Nick's girlfriend, Mandy as cover to get him out of any awkward situations.
"You know, I'm really sorry, but Nick is dating someone right now," Sara informed her, lying through her teeth, but knowing that this woman was not Nick's type. While she was an attractive woman, she had a masculine way about her that Sara knew would not be Nick's kind.
"That's funny," Jackie replied, as she reached over and touched Sara's hand, "I was more concerned about whether you were dating anyone or not?"
Sara quickly drew her hand back from its place on the table.
"I … uh… Yes, yes I am dating someone, a very special man, right now," she answered, fumbling for words.
Just then Nick arrived back at the table, noticing the position of Jackie's hand and her body language, knowing Sara was being hit on.
"Well hello darling," he gave the women a dazzling smile, and put his arm around Sara's shoulders, "I think we should get going dear."
"Um, yes, I think that would be a great idea," Sara said, relieved to be rescued by a knight in shining armor, "You have to get back to Mandy now, I've kept you away long enough!"
Nick caught her drift.
"Nice to meet you Jackie!" Sara said as she and Nick vacated the table.
"You too sweetie! I sure hope to see you again soon."
"My gaydar must be off," Jackie said to herself as she walked off to try another hit.