DISCLAIMER: I do not own CSI. Also, looking forward to your reviews.
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Chapter 01, The Fall
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GRISSOM lifted the yellow tape for Sara as they approached the scene. She murmured thanks and he nodded in response. Somehow they managed to walk close together through the people around. It's normal for people to be interested in situations like that, but Grissom had a feeling the interest for this one would spread around like fire.
"Hey, Brass", Grissom heard Sara greeting the detective.
"Sara, Grissom", Brass responded. "Terrible one, I warn you. Little girl was found on the floor. Apparently fell from the apartament she lives with her father, brother, sister and step-mother. The father is called Ben Cornwell, and the step-mother Virginia. Same last name".
"Fell?" Grissom asked, raising his eyebrows and looking up trying to identify the apartment.
"Well, the right answer is with you, folks", Brass signed, "All I can tell you is that it's not a good way to start a week. Those people won't sleep thinking about it".
Sara looked around, already taking off her camera from her bag, while Grissom approached the little body on the floor. The girl had long blonde hair and her skin looked like porcelain.
"Yeah, maybe they won't for the whole week", she said.
Her fingers started to snap photos around the audience in a discreet manner. When she was done, she approached Grissom, who was still bent over the girl's body. When she looked over his shoulder, she noticed the girl's body was flat on her back and her mouth was open just a little.
"Did someone move the body?", she asked Brass.
"When the doorman heard the impact on the floor, he came running, said she was breathing and had a weak pulse, so he did his best with the little he knew about first aid procedures", Brass answered.
"Which floor did she live on?", Sara asked looking at the huge building in front of her.
"Seventh"
"Free fall like that against pure concrete, it would be a miracle to make it", Sara stated.
"I don't doubt the door man thought she had a weak pulse", Grissom suddenly said, getting up and breaking off his own silence.
Sara heard someone approaching and looked over to see who it was, and was met with Dave smiling timidly at her.
"Sorry, guys, busy night, I'm afraid", he told them while kneeling on the floor beside Grissom.
"We just got in here as well", Grissom said to him.
"What about her father and step-mother, where were they?", Sara asked.
"They have two other kids, 3 and 2 years old. Neave was almost 6. Mother claims she was giving a bath in one of them, while the father was taking care of dirty clothes they brought back from a car trip", Brass told her in a sober tone.
"We're going to know more when we reach the morgue, but by the state of the body, I'd say she's been dead for around two hours" Dave said looking at the blonde girl lying on the floor "She looks like my daughter's neighbor. It's a shame, really".
Everyone nodded at that. Every death was a shame to somebody, but a kid's death was a shame for the whole society, Grissom thought to himself.
"She has a cut above the eyebrow. It looks fresh", Grissom pointed out.
David looked a little closer.
"Yeah, I agree. When I was this age I used to get cuts and bruises a lot. You know, brothers and their fights, but this one looks like a sharp object".
Sara smiled at him. David could be a really sweet guy even in delicate moments like this.
"So, where do you want to start?" Grissom asked her.
Sara looked at him.
"You tell me", she stated.
He looked around before answering. "Take a look at the car and secure it, so we can process it properly in the lab. Then come up and meet me in the apartment".
"Sure, I"ll be there in 15", Sara said before leaving the three men behind.
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WHEN SHE reached the blue car, it was easy to realize that, at least, the first part of the story was true: it was a car that belonged to a family with kids, no doubt. It was equipped with the proper safety seats, case for tablets and, God, it was a mess. Turning her light on, she saw crayons, papers, junk food, clothes, toys, diapers. Looked like it was their second home.
Looking with a little more attention through the window, Sara spotted something that looked like blood drop on the carpet and the edge of the back seat. Too early to state something, but a red flag no doubt. She looked around on the floor and there were no blood drops. Something happened and stopped inside the car? Maybe one of the kids hit the head against something? Well, too many questions and she didn't even get to the apartment yet. She sealed the car and demanded its delivery to the lab.
Well, for now, no sign of dogs there.
TBC