"Hello?" A voice said on the other end of the phone.

"Samantha Greene?" Nick asked.

"Yes."

"I'm with the LVPD. I have some bad news for you."

"What?"

"Early this morning we found you mothers body on the outskirts of Las Vegas. I'm so sorr-

"I don't mean to disappoint you but my mother lives up in Overton. You must have the wrong person."

"Well, I don't mean to be rude but we have information that says she was here in Las Vegas."

"Yes, my mother was down here, but she left days ago and she was in such a rush to get home she left her cell phone here. So if theirs anything else I could do for you let me know."

"Actually there is what was your mother wearing the last time you saw her?"

"-sigh- She was wearing a red tank top, a jacket, and denim shorts and her blonde hair was in a pony tail." Samantha said sarcastically. "What was the woman, you claim is my mother, wearing?"

Damn! Nick thought "Blue and white striped shirt and jeans and her brown curly hair was down."

"Like I said not my mom." -dial tone-

Nick closed his cell phone and closed the file he was looking at then quickly opened it when the coroners report caught his eye. 'Victim recently had hair dyed, natural hair color is unknown?' "Of course." Nick got up and got his keys, he didn't think he should call Samantha back she would probably hang up the minute he started talking about her mother again. So he decided he should pay Samantha a visit.

------- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------

Nick pulled up to the house on Carlson. Nick looked around most of the houses here were really nice. Nick was expecting a small house with broken windows and shutters. But this house was pretty big about the size of his, and it was one of the newer houses with clean windows and pillars. Nick put his vest on, grabbed his field kit, and headed for the front door.

When Nick got to the front door a voice said, "What can I do for you?"

Nick looked around to see where the voice same from the saw that in the window, between the door and garage, was an outline of a figure.

"Are you Samantha Greene?"

"Yes, what's it to ya?"

"I'm Nick Stokes, I called earlier about your mother, now I know you said your mother was blonde but the body we found might have been a blonde, we aren't sure though."

"Your confusing me but I assure you, that body isn't my mother. My mother left five days ago and when she's in Las Vegas she stay's here. I'm sorry but I don't think I can help you."

"I understand that would confuse you, I don't want me to waste anymore of your time." Nick was stalling now trying to think of anything to say so he could get this woman to identify the body back at CSI, "Listen how about we just talk as friends," Nick said while taking off his vest and setting his field kit down, "Nothing will go on record."

The figure didn't say anything but disappeared from the window and Nick heard the door unlock. In the doorway was a woman not younger then 24, maybe 25, with autumn colored hair and deep blue eyes, she looked a little thin but besides that Nick found her attractive. "Fine, but I'm not letting you in here just because you said 'off the record'." Samantha said opening the door and stepping aside to let Nick in. She closed the door then said, "Can you take your shoes off?" Nick turned and looked at her, he hated taking his shoes off. As if reading his mind Samantha said, "I just put new carpeting down." She smiled at him showing off her dimples.

Nick caved, "Sure thing." Flashing back a smile of his own.

Samantha walked into another room and Nick followed her after he took his shoes off. Nick walked through the kitchen then to the living room that was off the kitchen.

"So why do you need to talk to me so bad?"

"We found a ring that is the only connection between the body and the name because we didn't exactly find it on the body."

"Okay, so what can I do for you?" Samantha said getting up and walking back into the kitchen.

"First off," Nick said looking around, "When did you get new carpeting?"

Samantha replied from the kitchen, "Do you think I got new carpeting to hide blood stains?" Samantha said chuckling, "Just kidding, I got it laid down Saturday, my mother was with me when they put it down. The old carpeting had stains and dog hair all over it that I couldn't get out." Samantha walked back into the room with a glass of milk.

Nick was looking at a picture on the fireplace mantel. "Is this her?" Nick said pointing to a photo of Samantha next to his Jane Doe, in the photo with blonde hair.

"Yeah that's at her wedding." Samantha said setting her glass on the coffee table and walking over next to Nick. "Andrew gave that to me as a house warming gift. I took the photo out he had in it." Samantha scoffed.

"You don't like Andrew."

"No, not until a couple months ago."

"What happened?"

"I went up to visit them about 3 months ago. My mom was running late so I let myself in. Andrew was in the study talking on the phone. I knew he was talking to a woman by the tone of his voice." Samantha walked over and sat down on the couch and took a drink of her milk. "It wasn't as rough as it was when he talks to his guy friends, Anyway when he saw me he kinda freaked out, he turned away and told the person that he would call them back later. Then he looked at me and said he didn't hear me come in and asked how long I'd been their. Basically asking me what all I heard. I told my mom about it she said that he had this business thing that he'd been working on for a few weeks. But then he left before dinner said he had to go into work. In the morning my mom asked him when he came home he said around midnight but I was sleeping on the couch and I woke up when he came in and it was around 3:30. I don't know what mom sees in him."

Nick realized she still thought her mother was alive and hated that he had to be the one to tell her that she wasn't.

"So Andrew gave you the picture frame?"

"Yeah, and another photo from the wedding, he said it was the "family picture" but it was actually the bride, groom, and the maid of honor. After he left I put in the photo from the reception of me and mom after I caught the bouquet."

"May I borrow this?" Nick asked pointing to the picture frame.

"Yeah, the picture that was in it is behind that one. Just make sure I get it back, you can keep the other picture, if you want."

"Thanks." Nick got an evidence bag out of his field kit and put the frame in it. "Samantha I know you don't believe that the body we found is your mothers, but if you could just come down and look at the body even if its not your mother just so I can remove all possible doubt. I'll even give you a ride."

Samantha sat there for a second pondering this "Sure. You came all this way. Its the least I can do."

Samantha got up and walked into the kitchen, Nick following behind her. Samantha opened her fridge to put her milk away and Nick saw that there was barely any food in it. No wonder she's thin, Nick though. Nick looked down at the evidence bag and sealed it when Samantha turned to look at him, so she wouldn't know he saw her fridge.

"I'll meet you by the truck." Nick said putting his shoes back on.

Nick got to the truck and put the evidence bag, his vest and field kit in the trunk. When he closed it he saw Samantha heading toward the truck. He got to the passenger door before her and opened it for her.

"Thanks." Samantha said smiling at him.

"No problem." He said smiling back.

He closed the door and walked around the car. Damn it Nick, quit being all gentleman like. You didn't take this job to get dates. You're not trying to impress the girl. Get your head out of the clouds. Nick thought to himself. He knew he shouldn't fall for women he met on the job, or was he only being nice because he felt sorry for her that she was about to find out that her mother was dead. Nick was hoping it was the last one.