Chapter 7
Monday October 11th, 2004
1:53 a.m.
CSI Lab
"Anything new?" Grissom asked with a sigh as they sat around the table after completing the scene of the latest victim of the Birchwood-Night Stalker.
"Just the new passages in the bible," Jessica replied as she lifted the book.
"Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth - for your love is more delightful than wine…Beloved How right they are to adore you! Dark am I...Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels. We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver…All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; …looked…but did not find…I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked…but did not find…The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. Have you seen the one my heart loves? ...How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just short, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone. Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate. Your neck is like the tower of David, built with elegance; on it hang a thousands shields, all of them shields of warriors. Your two breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense. All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you… Come with me from Lebanon. Descend from the crest of Amana, from the top of Senir, the summit of Hermon, from the lions' dens and the mountain haunts of the leopards. You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice! Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; milk and honey are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like that of Lebanon. You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain."
"Anyone else starting to wish we knew what this guy was thinking?" Catherine asked softly.
"You and me both sister," Nick agreed.
Sunday October 31st, 2004
7:52 a.m.
Beckman Residence
Officers and other personnel were gathered outside the tented house. Grissom parked his SUV out on the street front. He, Greg and Jessica exited the car and met up with Brass who filled them in as he consulted his notebook. "Okay. So two days ago the residence was tented for termites. This morning, the bug guys came to clear the house. They found the homeowner exterminated." The group made their way under the crime scene tape toward the front house entrance. "He's ID'd as Elliot Beckman, 42, lived alone. Body's in the family room."
"Who's been inside?" Grissom asked
"Just the exterminators and the paramedics who pronounced. They entered and exited through the front door. Good luck," Brass turned and left as Grissom, Greg and Jessica walked into the tented house.
Grissom opened the front door. He turned on his flashlight and saw the dead insects on the floor. "Exterminators use sulfuryl flouride. It kills the bugs and then evaporates. Agro scientists call it the "safety" fumigant."
"You know, I'm sure he would disagree," Jessica countered as they approached the dead body that was lying face down on the floor. Jessica and Grissom nearest the body.
Greg stepped on a dead insect. The crunching sounds loud in the silent house. He knelt in front of something. "Eyeglasses on the floor." Near the eyeglasses he found a pool of vomit. "Got vomit?" Greg stood up and continued to look around the house, while Jessica opened her kit. Greg looked around in the other room and found a blue feather on the desk and a cluster of blue feathers on the floor. He made his way back into the living room.
"What flies when they're on and floats when they're off?"
"Feathers," Grissom answered.
"Long and blue. I'll bag 'em," Greg replied as Jessica took photos of the body.
"His cheek is bruised."
"What was he doing in here?"
Sunday October 31st, 2004
8:28 a.m.
Beckman Residence
Jessica examined the outside of the tented house, snapping photos of the tent and of the clips holding the tent sides together. Stepping around the house she found Greg also photographing the side of the house.
"Jessica." Jessica finished taking a photo and walked over to Greg. "Looks like someone tampered with the tent," he said pushing the tent aside to reveal a partially opened window. "Window's open."
"Well, exterminators leave some windows open to help circulate the gas. This could have been the victim's way in," Jessica theorized. "Once inside, he was overcome by the fumes."
"He must be an idiot to go inside a tented house," Greg said
"Maybe he forgot something. Figured the gas had dissipated."
"Well, assuming you're right, and he went in and never left, shouldn't the window be open wider?"
Jessica looked at the window and tried to open it. The window doesn't catch and slides back down. "It's old. The rope has snapped."
"Okay. Now, Mr. Beckman never came out of the house. Why is there a trail of sand leading away from it and straight to the neighbor's house?" Greg said holding up the crime scene tape for Jessica as they both head for the neighbor's house.
"That's a good question."
Jessica and Greg walked over and knock on the neighbor's back door. The neighbor answered the back door coughing. "Can I help you?"
"Yeah, we're with the crime lab. We're investigating the death of your neighbor next door."
"Elliot? What happened?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out," Jessica replied as Rory coughed.
"Have you been in his house recently?" Greg asked
"Look, man, I've been laid up for the past two days puking my guts out. I haven't left my place."
"Do you live alone, Mister... ?" Jessica prompted
"Rory Kendell. My wife bailed a few months ago."
"Rory, have you felt dizzy or disoriented?" Greg asked
"How would you know?"
"We're going to need a urine sample," Jessica replied
"Why?"
"You may be suffering from sulfuryl fluoride gas poisoning. Urination's the only way for the poison to get out," Greg explained
"I got the flu."
"If that's true, then your urine will be sulfuryl-flouride free," Jessica countered
"But if you're lying, you're in big trouble," Greg added.
Sunday October 31st, 2004
10:09 p.m.
CSI Forensic Autopsy
"This one's easy, he drowned," Robbins said, going over the autopsy results.
"What?" Jessica asked surprised
"The termite fumigant entered his bronchioles causing his lungs to fill with fluid. COD is pulmonary edema and respiratory arrest."
"Just like a drowning victim. Doc, tell me about the bruise on his cheek," asked Jessica.
"Zygoma's fractured," Al began as he pointed. "Check the x-ray. Given the force needed to cause this type of damage, the injury's more consistent with inflicted blunt force trauma than a simple fall, if that's what you're asking."
Tuesday November 2nd, 2004
11:52 a.m.
CSI Lab
Jessica was sitting at the computer running a search through the database when Greg walked in. "Just came from tox. Rory Kendell's urine analysis is still pending. I know we're not supposed to get ahead of the evidence here, but if he's not guilty..."
Jessica, picking up the print lifts, interrupted Greg. "I lifted several prints off the clamps you found by the open window. I AFIS-matched them to a neighbor. The guy's on file for a D&D in '82."
"It's Rory, right."
"No. Zach Alfano."
"Who?" Greg turned around to look at the computer screen.
"He's the neighbor on the other side. I called his house. His daughter said he was picked up in an ambulance two days ago. Apparently, he was vomiting, he couldn't breathe, and he passed out. Brass is taking a statement," Jessica pulled Zach Alfano's photo up on the screen. "He's still in the hospital."
Tuesday November 2nd, 2004
1:28 p.m.
Beckham Residence
Jessica stood in the center of the living room looking at the rug on the floor. Walking in Greg stated, "The print on the doorbell is a match to Zach, and I found vomit in the bushes. Both support his account. Jessica?"
"We missed something."
"What?"
"The directionality of the floor rug. The center of the rug is pointing towards the side window," Jessica began as she looked back at the window. "Also confirms Zach Alfano's story. We're back to Rory Kendell. If he didn't leave the house for two days, how come he didn't answer the door when Zach Alfano rang the bell?"
Wednesday November 3rd, 2004
1:27 p.m.
LVPD Interview Room
Jessica and Brass were interviewing Rory Kendell. "I was sick. I figured it was some girl scout selling cookies."
"We got back the results of your urine analysis. There was sulfuryl fluoride in your system. You were at Elliot's house," Jessica began.
"No."
Jessica sat down. "Here's a thought, after the exterminators left, you met up with Elliot. You had a fight, you knocked him out, and you dragged him into the house through the side window," she explained the scenario
"You figured the fumigation would cover your tracks, that we'd chalk it up to an accident," Brass added
"Why would I want to kill Elliot?" Rory asked looking between them.
"You've had five noise complaints against him last year," Brass pointed out
"That's hardly reason to kill somebody."
"Or is it a reason to commit assault? He filed charges against you last May," Brass continued as he looked at the papers in front of him.
"I knocked on his door, and I asked him to turn down that classical crap. He refused. I overreacted. I apologized. Charges were dropped." He looked at them. "I swear."
"Save the swearing for trial. You're under arrest." Brass replied as Kendall started coughing.
Wednesday November 3rd, 2004
3:45 p.m.
CSI Lab
Greg was going through the database looking for a match to the blue feather as Jessica walked in.
"How's it going?" she asked as she stopped next to him.
"Ornithological database just ID'd the feathers I collected at the crime scene," Greg said handing the evidence bag with the feathers to Jessica. "Hyacinth macaw. So how come you and Brass didn't involve me in the interrogation?"
"Greg, you still have the solo to complete, and, technically, you're still a trainee, but you're doing a great job."
"Thanks."
Jessica turned and left while Greg went back to the computer.
Wednesday November 3rd, 2004
3:47 p.m.
Grissom's Office
Grissom was mixing up a concoction when Jessica walked in. "What are you doing with potassium nitrate?"
"I'm making a bomb. Two bombs actually," he replied as he took a scoop of sugar out of the sugar bag.
"And sugar. You're making sweet bombs?"
"I'm making smoke bombs."
Wednesday November 3rd, 2004
4:15 p.m.
Beckham Residence
"Ready?" Grissom asked before he and Jessica pulled down their face masks. They knelt down in front of two canisters. "One, two, three."
They each uncovered the canisters and the room started to fill with a white smoke. Jessica and Grissom walk around the room as they waited.
Wednesday November 3rd, 2004
4:16 p.m.
Kendall Residence
Greg stood in the bedroom at the back of the Kendall house looking around for something. He passed the hallway and saw white smoke leaking out from under the closet door. Not long after the smoke started coming from the closet, the fire alarm started ringing. Greg opened the closet to find white smoke leaking into the house from an opening at the bottom of the closet. "Grissom. We got smoke. Coming from an uncapped electrical conduit," Greg spoke over the phone
Wednesday November 3rd, 2004
4:17 p.m.
Beckham Residence
"Hey, I found it!" Jessica called finding the opposite opening in the wall, turning around to report to Grissom as he walked into the living room. "It's right behind the speaker. Music traveled through the conduit directly into Rory's house. No wonder he was so pissed off."
"At one time, both houses must've been connected to the same electrical meter."
"A single property. How did you figure that?"
"We found fumigant in Rory Kendell's urine. But he claimed he was never in the victim's house," Grissom explained
"So you devised the experiment to prove he was lying?" Jessica smiled
"Exactly. But, he was telling the truth," Grissom agreed
"So now what?"
Thursday November 4th, 2004
10:15 a.m.
CSI Break Room
Brass entered the break room where Jessica and Greg were sitting at the table. "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, I presume?
"What do you need, Brass?" Jessica asked looking up at him.
"Well, it may be elementary, but I have a conundrum. I just got back from the Four Aces. The hotel manager said Elliot tried to check in with his bird. The guy turned him down because he didn't have a cage, so supposedly Elliot went home to retrieve it, but neither he nor the bird ever returned."
"Looks like we need to find that bird," Greg announced.
Thursday November 4th, 2004
10:37 a.m.
Beckham Residence
The front door of the Beckman house opened as Greg and Jessica walked inside. They immediately split up and looked around the area. Greg heading for the hallway to check out the bedrooms; Jessica heading for the kitchen. From an open storage cabinet, flies buzz.
"Greg." Greg walked up next to Jessica and saw the flies, lots and lots of flies. "Oh. There were no flies in here when we processed the house."
Jessica and Greg head for the cabinet. "Fumigation kills all household insects, and it takes time for new flies to find a portal of entry," Jessica explained
"Well, bird could've flown up somewhere and died."
The flies were coming from the top shelf in the pantry. Jessica grabbed a step ladder to check it out finding a dead rat. "Carcass with a fresh colony of maggots. The bird's not here; it's a dead rat."
"Which means the macaw was either bird-napped or he flew the coop," Greg summarized
Thursday November 4th, 2004
12:05 p.m.
Buy Buy Birdie Store
Grissom walked into the bird shop to find the Bird Shop Manager trying to teach a Cockatoo to speak.
"I love you. I love you. I love you."
"Teaching him to speak?" asked Grissom.
"Although the cockatoo is intelligent, birds don't speak. To speak requires a cognitive ability to understand, which they don't. They just imitate. And Edweena is a she. How can I help you?"
"I'm looking for a macaw."
"Well, you came to the right place. Buy Buy Birdie's the only exotic bird store in Clark County."
"Has anyone tried to sell you a macaw in the last few days?" wondered Grissom.
"No. Why?" the manager asked confused
"Well, I'm trying to locate a missing blue hyacinth," Grissom explained
"Very rare. In my whole career, I've only sold one."
"Do you remember the buyer's name?" Grissom asked
"Sure. Mr. Beckman. He's in here all the time. Bob likes to eat cashews out of my pocket. Mr. Beckman doesn't go anywhere without Bob."
"Mr. Beckman, um, died three days ago. We found these...feathers in his house," Grissom explained as he showed the Bird Shop Manager the photo of three feathers taken at the scene.
"Tail feathers. That's not good."
"Why is that?"
"Macaws only molt one tail feather at a time," the shop owner explained worriedly. "Get a pile like this, someone yanked. Real hard."
Friday November 5th, 2004
6:07 a.m.
Martin Residence
Ted Martin answered the door to find Brass, Jessica and Grissom outside. "Mr. Martin, we have a warrant to search your apartment. Please, stay with me. Stay ahead of me," Brass instructed as they walked into the house.
"Look, if you guys tell me what you're looking for, maybe I can help you out, um..." Ted began
"Look, shut up and stay still," Brass ordered
Jessica opened a drawer in the kitchen, then a cabinet, continuing to look around. She opened the counter drawer to find it filled with watches. "Brass? How many watches do you own?"
"Couple of sport, couple of dress. Why?"
"Mr. Martin has about twenty here."
"Twenty?" Brass asked surprised
"I'm a collector."
Jessica picked up a woman's watch. "This is a little small for your wrist, don't you think?" she asked as she opened another drawer. "Several rings, a necklace, cufflinks and a gold pen. You know, these things all have one thing in common, you can kind of slip them into your pocket. This is engraved, 'Joan Arryington'. I wonder what the odds are that Mrs. Arryington is a client of Oden Pest Control."
As Grissom looked through the nightstand drawers, he heard a bird squawk come from the bathroom. He walked into the bathroom and opened the shower to find Bob in his cage and smiled. "Hello, Bob." Bob squawked in reply. Grissom walked out into the living room with the cage. "Look what I found." Bob squawked once more.
"I think we all know what happened here. After your buddies left, you were poking around Mr. Beckman's house. But he surprised you. Somehow, you managed to get the bird in the cage, seal the tent and release the gas," Jessica explained.
"Despite his neighbor's best efforts, he was a goner," Brass continued
"I'm not admitting to anything."
"You don't have to, Ted. We know why the caged bird sings," Grissom replied
Monday November 15th, 2004
8:46 p.m.
Streets of Las Vegas
Sighing softly Grissom stopped at a red light. As he waited for the light to change he thought back over the last few hours. Night Stalker had struck again, victim number 58.
And there was a new passage highlighted in the new bible as well...
Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outwards adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.
Like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.
Looking up from his musing Grissom stared at the people crossing the street before someone honked behind him to tell him that the light was green. Waving his hand, he started to drive, more than just the new case floating through his head now.
Thursday November 25th, 2004
4:18 a.m.
Fountain in a Gated Community
David Phillips was leaning over the dead body of a young woman in a water fountain in the center of the road, waiting for the water to be turned off.
Brass walked up to him. "What's the matter? Can't do your work?" he asked before yelling "Hey, fellas, what's the holdup? Come on. I told you half an hour ago turn the damn fountain off! Give me a break."
Together, Grissom and Jessica ducked under the crime scene tape on the way to the fountain. Just outside the tape are the party-goers. Grissom put his kit down.
"You can't find good help," Jim spoke to Grissom
"As Lord Byron once said, "In the desert, a fountain is springing."
"Well, this one sprung a dead woman, Vanessa Keaton. She lived over there," Brass said indicating the house nearby, Grissom turning to look. "A neighbor walking her dog found her."
Grissom took note of the crowd around the tape. "This is a pretty well-dressed crowd for this time of night."
"Well, you know, it's a shindig. 43 Niagara Circle. The vic was there with her husband. Who left the party early. That's Dan Keaton, and that's his daughter Amy."
"You know, you might want to sneak some photos of this crowd," Grissom told Jessica as she looked up at him.
"A gated community, middle of nowhere, if this wasn't an accident, they're all suspects, aren't they?" Jessica said before turning around and snapping photos of the people in the crowd.
The water in the fountain was still running so David did the best he could looking at the body. "Foam in her nose and mouth. It's consistent with drowning. Abrasion on her forehead is fresh. And..." he paused as he reached for her wrist. "...lividity is unfixed."
"Well, since water motion has no effect..." Grissom began
"She's been dead less than two hours," David continued as the fountain water shut off.
"Thank you. Finally!" Brass exclaimed
"Still waters run deep."
Thursday November 25th, 2004
7:18 a.m.
As the Coroners remove the body on the gurney, Jessica and Greg watch. Greg holding a camera.
"You know, they never go home until they see the body taken away?"
"Necrophilic voyeurism."
When the crowd started to disburse, Jessica knelt down next to the fountain and looked inside, picking up a black shoe.
"Hot shoes," Greg mused.
"You think these are sexy, huh?" Jessica asked and Greg shrugged. "Did you know that shoes like these put degenerative stress on the hip joints, throw off the curve of the spine, and the tilt to the pelvis, over time, women get headaches, sore backs, shortened calf muscles and bunions, of course."
"I take it back," Greg answered as she stood.
"First thoughts?"
"Vanessa Keaton was walking home. She had a few. Her feet hurt. She takes off her shoes. Dolce vida."
"There's no sign of blood or hair. Nothing to suggest contact."
"The fountain was on. Maybe the action of the water washed away evidence."
"How do we know it was an accident? Maybe she wasn't alone," Jessica countered
Greg thought about it for a moment. "We don't know that."
"We're going to need a water sample and a bag for the shoe, of course."
"Okay," Greg said walking over to his kit to get the things Jessica had said.
Thursday November 25th, 2004
4:58 p.m.
CSI Forensic Autopsy
Grissom was standing next to the autopsy table watching Dr. Robbins finish stitching up the Y-incision. "One of the most attractive women I've had on my table. But beauty's skin deep and inside, we all look pretty much the same."
"What about this abrasion?" Grissom asked pointing.
"Have you no poet in you?"
"Beauty is truth, truth, beauty. That is all you know on earth and all you need to know…except cause of death."
"Pulmonary edema due to drowning. I sent samples of the water in her lungs to trace. The abrasion's serious enough to cause loss of consciousness. You may want to look at this though. You want to come over here? Let's turn her over."
Grissom walked around the table and they turned over the body where Robbins pointed out four holes in her back. "Puncture wounds?"
"Four, uniform diameter, perimortem, non-lethal. No corresponding holes in her dress."
"So she wasn't wearing it when she was stabbed."
"Collected lubricant from the labia. Which means, uh...I don't know if she had a date with her husband or herself. I sent an SAE kit to DNA. Personal observation... " Robbins picked up the black lacy underwear, showing it to Grissom. "...you don't wear La Perla to a Tupperware party."
"La Perla?"
"Very expensive. I gave some to my wife once. She accused me of having an affair. You know, sex on the steel."
"Lubricant and lingerie. I don't think the evening turned out the way she planned, do you?"
"Nope."
Thursday November 25th, 2004
7:24 p.m.
CSI DNA Lab
Mia Dickerson was in the lab putting her latex gloves on when David Hodges walked by noticing something. He opened the lab door and walked inside.
"You alternate hands when you double glove?"
"Yes. And I don't like being watched."
"If you alternate, there's more contact between the exposed latex of the first glove and atmospheric microbes." She stared at him for a beat, and then started removing her latex gloves. "What?"
Mia looked up at him annoyed. "You know, it would have been better if you didn't say anything, but you did making it impossible for me to concentrate, and now I have to sanitize and start over."
The opposite door opened. "Hey, Hodges, you got the results of our drowning victim?" Greg asked as he walked in
Hodges turned to look back at Greg. "Yeah, in five. I'm in the middle of the rest of my life."
Greg rolled his eyes, before continuing insistent. "Well, I kind of need them now."
Hodges turned and smiled at Greg. Turning back to Mia he spoke, "I'll be back."
Mia rolled her eyes at Hodges as Greg left the lab.
Friday November 26th, 2004
10:05 a.m.
Keaton Residence
Jessica was interviewing Dan Keaton next to the empty pool in his back yard. Amy Keaton sitting on the pool's edge a short distance away from them.
"Crack runs right through the deep end. Had to drain it. Half the neighbors have cracked slabs, leaky roofs. This was perfect when Vanessa and I moved in. Place isn't built to last."
"Mr. Keaton, I know this must be hard for you and your daughter."
"Why are you here?" he asked.
"Your wife didn't die in a fountain. We're taking water samples of every pool and spa in this community. Was there swimming at the Brady's party?" Jessica asked.
"Why?"
"Routine question," Jessica assured him.
"Some, I guess. It was that kind of party."
"Was your wife in the pool?"
"She could have been. After I left. What does this have to do with her accident?" asked Mr. Keaton curiously.
"Did anyone behave inappropriately towards her?"
"We were with our friends. Our best friends. I wouldn't have left her there if I didn't think she was safe," Dan finished looking over at Amy who looked away.
Friday November 26th, 2004
12: 11 p.m.
CSI DNA Lab
Mia Dickerson was going through the things Greg brought back from the house. "Nine vibrators, five plugs, four strands of beads."
Greg smiled saying "And a partridge in a pear tree," causing Mia to throw him a look. "Some kids are happy playing in the sand box, others want every toy in the store. And apparently these are dishwasher safe."
"I'll swab the nooks and crannies for semen, vaginal secretions and epithelials, but don't get your hopes up."
"Oh, my money's on bag number two," Greg answered cheerfully as Mia opened it and her look just said 'oh great'.
"Twenty-six used condoms."
"Just like being back in college, right?"
"Catherine said you didn't lose your virginity until you were 22."
The smile froze on Greg's face and he changed the subject quickly. "Grissom and I figured that they practiced safe sex, so we processed their trash. Check them inside and out, please."
"I've analyzed condoms before, Greg. Just not in bulk," Mia said reaching into the third package and taking out another plastic bag. "Skewers?"
"Yeah, screen them for blood. Possible weapon," Greg finished leaving the lab.
Friday November 26th, 2004
12:15 p.m.
Grissom's Office
Catherine followed Grissom into his office. Grissom holding an open book in his hand, reading it as he headed for his desk.
"I know that you got the memo, I'm not sure that you read it. Eckley is being promoted to Assistant Director. They are taking applications for his supervisor spot on days. I want it." Grissom sat down not saying anything. "What? You want the day spot for yourself? You're worried about giving me a good A.P. score and breaking up the team? Or maybe you just think that I'm incapable of the position? Not worthy of the promotion? Is that it?" She questioned rolling her eyes and scoffing.
"I'm just always, always, always defending myself to you." Catherine sat down, Grissom still not having said anything. "I'm unbelievable. I have a daughter who is so starved for my attention; she is thumbing rides to Fremont Street to see her grandfather. The last person I want her around. I mean, not that it's much better with my mother, who sees Lindsay much more often than I do." Grissom's continued lack of attention finally gets to be too much for Catherine. "I am missing out on my daughter's life. I have no life of my own. Would you just stop me and say something here?"
Grissom finally took off his glasses and looked at Catherine. "You want the job because you're worried about Lindsay?"
"That's part of it, but ..."
"The position calls for leadership, Catherine. You have to inspire others, solve problems, which means you have to leave your own problems at home."
"I want the job because I can do it. I'm qualified, I'm motivated and I'm ready, Gil. You know that I am."
"I do. Which is why I already sent in your A.P. I gave you 100. I even put in a good word with the Director. The rest is up to you. And...I hope you get it," Grissom said as he put his glasses back on.
Catherine couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Thank you," Catherine said standing up and walking out of the office. Grissom sighed as he watched her go.
Friday November 26th, 2004
1:26 p.m.
LVPD Interview Room
Jessica was interviewing Paul Brady. "Erin is the greatest wife in the world."
"But you still had sex with Vanessa Keaton?"
"Yeah. Yeah. It's fun."
"How did your wife feel about you and Vanessa Keaton?"
"Well, it's not like we were having an affair. That'd be breaking the rules."
This perked Jessica up. "The Rules?" Jessica asked starting to take notes.
"No, means no. Arrive as a couple, leave as a couple. Drugs, never. Condoms…condoms always. No affairs. Sex with someone other than your spouse is only allowed at the parties. No photos, no video. And the kids must never know. I came home one night. I parked the car in the driveway and went to the fridge to grab a beer. It was the wrong beer. I was in the wrong house. Anyway, it just got all the neighbors talking. Variety is a good thing. And if you get the right group of people together, a couple of drinks, you'd be surprised what can happen."
Friday November 26th, 2004
1:48 p.m.
LVPD Hallway
The door opened admitting Paul Brady out into the hallway at the same time that Erin Brady walked out into the hallway. Jessica was sitting in the hallway chair watching them. She watched as they met and kissed. Grissom walked up to Jessica, taking the seat next to her, handing her one of the two cups he was holding.
"Thank you. I know I'm supposed to be objective, but I think I have a problem with the lifestyle."
"Well, they're consenting adults, it's not illegal. At most, they only hurt themselves."
"Tell that to Vanessa Keaton. Everyone has a jealousy gene."
"You think it was a crime of passion?"
Jessica nodded. "Yeah. When you have to go outside of a marriage for passion, you're in trouble. And you're asking for trouble."
Grissom looked over at the Brady's. "Well, they say they're happily married."
"You think they're happy?"
Grissom didn't answer as he considered the question. He never did get to answer as his phone rang. "Grissom…Very good, thanks." Hanging up, he turned to Jessica. "Hodges matched the water in Vanessa Keaton's lungs. He knows where she drowned."
Friday November 26th, 2004
3:49 p.m.
Cunningham Residence
Grissom and Jessica walk into the Cunningham house. In one of the rooms, a boy is playing video games in front of the television set. Grissom and Jessica continue through the house. Jessica heading upstairs as Grissom heads into one of the rooms.
Jessica walked into the home office and looked around. She took a look at the contents of the bookshelf before opening the desk drawer. Under the 'Vegas Life' magazine, she finds a 'Big Bodacious Babes' Magazine.
A few minutes later Grissom walked into the study.
"Found some porn," she said standing and handing them over to Grissom who flipped through them.
"Well, nothing new about this stuff. The Frescos at Pompeii were more explicit. The Kama Sutra and Decameron."
"Yeah, but that's art; this...is not art," Jessica said holding up the issue of 'Bondage'.
"Hmm." Grissom again opens the magazine and finds something recognizable. "Here we go. Webcam photo. And she's wearing La Perla," Grissom said showing Jessica the photo of the "headless" woman wearing black underwear.
"Vanessa Keaton?"
Friday November 26th, 2004
4:29 p.m.
CSI Morgue
Grissom opened the morgue cabinet with Vanessa Keaton's body inside, pulling out the table so he and Jessica could compare the body with the photos. He lifted the sheet to look at her belly button. It didn't match with the photo.
Pointing to the photo, "Innie." "Outie," he said as he pointed to the body. Jessica changed the photo to one with moles. "...and Vanessa doesn't have any moles on her torso."
"The woman in the photo is not Vanessa," Grissom concluded.
"Oh, you got my message," David spoke as he entered the area
"What message?" Jessica asked confused
"To meet me here. I was preparing the body for a mortuary pickup, and I noticed something," David lifted the body to show them the bruising on the back around the puncture wounds. "Postmortem bruising."
"Well, it can take a day or two after autopsy for the bruises to percolate through the soft tissue and become visible," Grissom surmised.
"Vanessa wasn't stabbed four times with a skewer. She was stabbed twice with a two-pronged instrument," Jessica said. Grissom looked at Jessica after her statement.
Friday November 26th, 2004
8:07 p.m.
CSI Lab
Grissom walked into the lab where Jessica was working on the laptop. "I just started combing through Tom Cunningham's computer. I haven't I.D.'d our mystery woman, but there's just lots of back and forth between Cunningham's e-mail account and Keaton's."
"Any attachments?" Grissom asked
"Yeah. Got one for the Keatons' account. "U axd 4 my pic so here. Sweetkeat." Jessica clicked on the attachment and found the photo. It's the same photo. Grissom shook his head causing Jessica to glance at him.
"Any reply?"
"Yes. From...cunning1." She clicked it open. "Can you handle it? Midnight. Behind the skate park."
Friday November 26th, 2004
10:15 p.m.
LVPD Interview Room
"You are an inny. Amy, you e-mailed this photo of yourself to Tom Cunningham," Jessica began as she showed the photo to Amy who was sitting next to her father across from Jessica and Grissom.
"What's she talking about?" Dan asked.
"I have no idea."
"You were having an affair with Tom Cunningham. He's just been booked on statutory rape," Jessica continued
"What?"
"It wasn't rape," Amy answered as her dad freaked
Dan got to his feet. "I'm gonna to kill that son of a bitch!"
"Like you care who I have sex with? I know about your parties, all the kids know, so don't get all righteous on me," Amy told him before turning to Jessica. "I want to see Tom."
Dan grabbed Amy's hand. "Let's go."
"Mr. Keaton, sit down, please. We're not done yet," Grissom spoke for the first time.
Dan, Amy and Jessica sat back down as Grissom took out the bar-be-cue fork in a plastic bag, putting it on the table. "We retrieved this from the Cunningham's backyard. Your stepmother's blood is on the tines, and your fingerprints are on the handle," he said looking at Amy Keaton.
"The stab wounds weren't fatal, but your stepmother was knocked unconscious. It took two or three minutes for her to drown," Jessica continued
"That's a long time to stand around and watch someone die," Grissom added
"It wasn't like that," Amy began before looking at Grissom. "He was trying to protect me." Turning to Jessica she continued "So we put her in the fountain." Grissom looked from Dan to Amy. "He loves me. Can I see him?"
Jessica and Grissom stepped out of the interview room. Together, they walked down the hallway side-by-side. For a moment, they were silent.
"Arrive as a couple, leave as a couple."
"No photos, no video."
"No affairs."
"And the kids must never know." Grissom finished.
A/N : Excerpts from : Women's Devotional NIV Bible copyright 1990
Monday October 11th, 2004's passages - Song of Songs 1:2, 1:4, !:9-11, 3:1-3, 4:1-12
Monday November 15th, 2004's passages - 1 Peter 3:1-3, 3:6