Stalker

Chapter Five

Sara parked her car in the parking lot of CSI. She climbed out, locked her car and headed toward the entrance.

She hurried across the lot, looking over her shoulder every once in awhile. The shadows closed in around her, causing her heart to pound. She didn’t like the feeling and wanted it to stop.

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind, a hand clamped over her mouth. A scream escaped her, but it was muffled against the hand.

“You’re mine,” the voice from her nightmares whispered in her ear.

Sara struggled, but the man held her tightly against him. She elbowed him in the stomach. She heard him grunt, but he refused to release her.

“You’re mine, Sara. No one can have you. Especially not him.”

Sara shifted her mouth so she could open it and bit into the man’s hand. He cried out, shoving her into an SUV. She slammed her head against the vehicle and slid to the ground, dazed.

She looked up and saw a large shadow hovering over her. She backed away from him, but the SUV prevented her from moving further. She watched as the man bent toward her, his hand reaching for her.

“You’re mine forever.”

“Sara!” Greg’s voice caused them both to freeze.

Sara held her breath as the man straightened and looked toward the direction where Greg’s voice had come from. She prayed the man would leave or Greg would go back inside. She didn’t want him to get hurt. She had a feeling this man would kill anyone who got in his way.

“Sara!” Greg called again, his voice closer.

She closed her eyes, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Go back inside, she thought with rising terror.

“Sara, are you all right?” His voice was right above her.

Her eyes flew open and she stared up at him. He knelt beside her and she never felt more relieved. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him against her as tears stung her eyes.

“He was here,” she whispered. “I was afraid he was going to attack you.”

“He’s gone,” Greg whispered as he stroked her hair.

Greg scanned their surroundings as he held Sara. He didn’t see anyone, but he wanted to get her inside. He held her to her feet and led her into the building.

“You have to tell them now,” he said, hoping the fear he felt wasn’t in his voice.

He saw her nod and he squeezed her hand. She smiled at him and returned it.

“I’ll be with you,” he said as they made their way to Grissom’s office.

“Thanks.”

Greg knocked on the door and Grissom looked up. Grissom raised an eyebrow, but motioned them inside.

“What is it?”

Greg looked at Sara, who appeared shaken. He wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her. He knew she wouldn’t accept it, though, not in front of Grissom.

Sara drew a breath and spoke.

“I was attacked in the parking lot.”

“What?!” The surprise was evident in Grissom’s voice. “When?”

“Just now,” she answered, folding her arms against her chest. “I’m being stalked.”

Against his better judgment, Greg placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him and smiled slightly.

“How long has this been going on, Sara?”

“Over a week,” she said as she sat in a chair.

She looked so tired. Greg wondered how much sleep she had gotten. He wanted to wring the stalker’s neck for tormenting her. He wanted to make all this go away.

“You never told anyone?” Grissom asked as he looked from Sara to Greg.

Sara sighed, “Just Greg and only because he kept pestering me.”

Greg smiled at that as he sat beside her.

“Good for him,” Grissom said. “I’m going to call Brass. Gather all the evidence you have and give it to Nick.”

Sara nodded and Greg helped her stand. He led her out of the room and into the locker room.

“You still have those notes?” He asked, hoping she would.

She nodded as she sat on the bench. Greg brought out his kit, opened it and took out a swab. He knelt in front of her and swabbed the blood from her forehead. He winced as she drew in a breath.

“Done,” he said as he marked the evidence.

“Is that mine?” Nick said from behind them.

Greg handed him the evidence then looked Sara over for any more injuries.

“I’ll get the notes,” she said as she went to her locker.

She opened it and brought out a week’s worth of notes. She handed them to Nick then sat on the bench. She placed her head in her hands and sighed deeply.

“I’ll see where these came from,” Nick said. “Do you have anything else?”

Sara nodded, “He’s called my house a couple of times. I saved the messages.”

Greg’s blood ran cold at the news. If the stalker had called her then he also knew where she lived. The knowledge didn’t sit well with him. It scared him to know how much danger she was in.

“I’ll need them, too,” Nick said. “We can get them now if you want.”

“Might as well,” Sara said as she sighed in defeat.

Greg sat beside her and rubbed her back. She looked at him and he offered her a slight smile. She looked away, but she didn’t move from her position. He took it as a sign she accepted his comfort.

“I’ll let Grissom know,” Nick said as he put the notes in an evidence bag.

“You can tell me now,” Grissom said as he stepped into the room.

Nick filled Grissom in as Sara gathered her purse and jacket. Greg put his jacket on as he planned for a way to keep an eye on her. He didn’t want her to be attacked again if he could help it.

“I told Brass about your stalker,” Grissom mentioned when Nick finished filling him in.


“What’s it going to be?” Sara asked as she put on her jacket. “Police in the parking lot? Body guards?”

Grissom raised an eyebrow, glancing at Nick, who shrugged.

“Not quite,” he answered. “If he has your phone number he knows where you live.”

Greg saw Sara’s face pale, but her expression remained neutral. He had to admire her determination to keep her emotions hidden.

“I take it you have some kind of plan?”

“You’re not staying in your apartment,” Grissom told her.

“You’re putting me in a hotel?” Sara’s eyebrows rose.

“That’s not a good idea,” Grissom said.

“She should stay with someone,” Nick put in.

“She can stay with me,” Greg mentioned.

Everyone stared at him then and he suddenly felt like one of Grissom’s specimens. He looked at Sara and saw the color had returned to her face. She shook her head at him, her eyes narrowed. He cleared his throat and placed his hands in his pockets.

“Or maybe not.”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Grissom said as he tapped his finger against his bottom lip. “He does live far from her.”

“And he has great security,” Nick added.

“She can’t go back to her apartment which means she has buy the things she needs.”

“We can stop by a store on the way,” Greg mentioned. “There’s one right where I live.”

“Hey!” Sara shouted, causing the three to look at her. “Remember me. I’m still here.”


She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. She turned away from them and Greg feared she would refuse. He wanted to reach out to her, but he knew she wouldn’t accept his help. At least not now.

“It’s the only way, Sara,” Grissom said. “We can’t let this stalker get to you again.”

Sara sighed and faced them. Her face was set, but her eyes glittered. Greg didn’t know if it was tears or anger that caused her eyes to sparkle.

She sighed and looked at him, “When?”

“Now,” Grissom answered.

Sara nodded, “For how long?”

“Until we’ve caught the stalker,” Grissom answered.