Sweet Salvation

Chapter 18

A new case

“What?” Jenn asked with an innocent smile, “Oh, I just want to make sure that the two of you eat enough, you can’t live on love.” She added with a smile that was even more innocent. Catherine smacked her on her arm in mock anger.

“Shut up!” We both said in unison, as we made our way to the parking lot. We got into the car and Jenn drove downtown and parked the car in the parking lot of a small but companionable diner.

We sat down in one of the corners on a corner bench. The waitress approached our table as we where reading the menu. We ordered dinner and ate while we talked about all kind of things. An hour later Jenn dropped us off at our home and took Lindsey with her. We slept for a couple of hours before we had to go to work.

~*~

Catherine’s POV

“Hey girls,” Nick greeted us when we entered the break room.

“How was your trip?” Warrick asked while he handed us both a mug of coffee. I shook my head in silence, not wanting Nick or Warrick to ask any further if Sara didn’t want to answer their questions. I could see in Warrick’s eyes that he understood my silent plea.

“It was fine.” Sara answered plainly.

No one asked any more questions and I was relieved, I knew how hard it was for Sara to talk to anyone about her parents. Especially now I had met them I could imagine what she must feel like when anyone asked her about her parents.

Grissom opened the door to the break room and walked in with some case files. He motioned everyone to sit down at the table while he greeted Sara and me. We sat down while Grissom turned and walked back for the door he came back several minutes later closely followed by Greg, Archie and Dr. Robbins.

Grissom sat down at the head of the table and put down his glasses while he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He placed back his glasses. “We have a difficult case, a series of hate crimes.” He sighed, “I don’t know how to say this so I just will. There have been two murders on woman, a gay couple to be exact and so far it appears to be a hate crime.”

“We need all the help we can get for this case. Archie and Greg this case has a top priority. Catherine, Sara whenever you go out I want the two of you wearing a bulletproof vest at all times. Even if you aren’t working on this case.”

“Oh, but I’m working on this case. This is no different to any other case, you don’t pull us of cases that involve woman haters do you?” Sara exclaimed with a new found spirit, I knew for a fact that if she laid hands on the guy who murdered these woman that she would grill him. Anger and rage flickered in her eyes.

“Count me in too, this is just another case.” I answered, Grissom watched us both intently, and I knew that if we as much as stepped out of line once that he would take us off the case. I also knew that I needed to be there to control Sara. Her built up anger at her father could cause problems in this particular case.

“Okay then. Two women were killed at the apartment that they shared. Catherine, Sara I want the two of you processing the scene, Brass is waiting for the two of you there. Greg, stand by to process any samples that come in. The police were warned by an anonymous phone call about this murder. The tape should arrive here soon, Archie start processing it.”

“Can we go?” I asked Grissom.

He nodded and Sara and I got up.

Chapter 19

Search for the evidence

We stepped into the corridor, and I knew that I had to talk to Sara about this. I knew what she could be like when she was mad about something or someone that made her feel diminished, that degraded her because she is gay. I lay my hand on her shoulder and instantly she turns around to face me.

“What is it, babe?” She asks innocently, but I know her well enough to know that she knows why I stopped her.

“Sara are you sure that you’ll be able to do this?” I sigh, “I mean, I’m not doubting your work, but well with all that happened, it’s okay to say no.”

“I know, I can do thisn’t n’t worry. It’s like any other case.” Sara looked at me, I decided to leave it there and see how this would develop. Sara took my hand in hers and planted a kiss onto it in a gentle gesture. “Don’t worry we can do this.”

She smiles before we continue our way out of the building towards the car. “Wait a minute.” She says before she goes back to the locker room. I follow her as she retrieves her bulletproof vest from her locker.

“We have to wear them, remember.” I sent her a small smile; those things weren’t really comfortable to wear, but we had no choice.

~*~

We arrived at the scene, and it was obvious that Brass hadn’t expected to see us there. He sighed before walking over to us; he would rather have seen one of the guys.

“Catherine, Sara?” He wasn’t able to hide the surprise in his voice. “Grissom informed you about the case details didn’t he?”

“Yes, he did. What can you tell us?” I asked.

“Well the usual, I was the first person on the scene and I made sure that everyone stayed outside.”

Sara turned around and walked towards the front door. She walked past it and I couldn’t see her anymore. I nodded at Brass and followed Sara. I was a little scared of what the scene might look like. I could tell myself that this was just another case, but I know that it will be different. That it will be harder and that I will need to talk to Sara about this case. Just to ease my mind and to help her.

Sara is still standing in the hallway waiting for me as I climb the stairs. “Ready?” she asks softly as I walk up to her.

I nod and together we enter the room. My breath stuck in my throat for a second as I lay eyes upon the scene. A quick glance at the room made clear that both women died a horrible death. One was seated in a chair her arms tied behind her back. She had been killed by a single shot to the chest. A cloth filled her mouth and duct tape was covering the lower part of her face. Her tank top was ripped apart and the pieces were hanging around her breasts.

The other woman was on the bed on her back. Her eyes facing the ceiling in a terrified look. She had been stabbed more then once, and also shot in the chest. Her clothes where ripped and her body had been tortured.

Sara kneels down next to the bed and snaps some pictures. I move around the bed to see what she found. “What is it?”

Sara bends down and retrieves something from her kit, before picking something up. I move in closer to see what she found as she holds up a cloth drenched in chloroform. She wrapped the cloth into a bag and started to take shots of the room and the victims. She bent down behind the woman seated on the chair.

“Cath, can you help me?” she pointed at the woman’s hands tied together with a piece of rope. “I need to snap a picture of the knot can you please hold it for me?” I bend down next to Sara and we were both sitting behind the chair when we heard someone enter the room. We were interrupted by a cough. Sara snapped the picture and I got up when she was ready.

“Oh, hi David.” He was still standing in the doorway when Sara got up, he always seems so nervous around us. I never really knew what he thought, he never talks much. He’s mostly silently waiting until someone gives him an order and it doesn’t matter who that someone is.

“David, you can take the bodies, but can you make sure that the knot in the rope comes back to me. You never know what you find in a knot.”

“Yeah, sure no problem.” David answers before he starts to move around in the room.

We move around the room to search for more evidence.