for those of you interested here is the next chapter to my story...i didn't have this one beta'd, but it will be sent to my beta once i find their email address...i'm already halfway through my first draft of the next chapter, so look forward to it.
I didn’t know where to start. The store was a mess. A display of postcards had been knocked off the counter and were scattered across the floor. Glass littered the back aisle where the glass doors of the refrigerators had been shattered by flying bullets. On my initial walkthrough, I had only seen two bodies, but plenty of blood.
Grissom had told Sara, Catherine and I that Archie had already reviewed the security tapes and out of the six people at the convenience store four had survived; but, the store clerk and one of the unidentified gunmen were dead. The question was where were the survivors?
Catherine was working behind the register, Sara was processing the blood evidence and I was collecting shell casings, and documenting each bullet hole in the back wall. As I reached the third refrigerator door I noticed that there was an odd spiral pattern to the fracture in the glass.
Grissom conveniently derailed my train of thought, “Catherine, Sara, ‘Rick could you guys come up here for a minute?” Setting my clipboard and flashlight down I made my way up front. For the first time I noticed Brass standing with Grissom. I acknowledged his presence with a simple nod in his direction. Grissom cleared his throat, “Alright, we’re treating this like a missing persons case. Swing shift graciously offered to lend a hand considering the circumstances.”
A silence fell upon our small group. Looking around our awkward circle, I attempted to read my co-workers’ faces. Sara’s body language showed she was obviously upset about having to share the case, but her eyes told a completely different story. I understood. Anything to get Greggo back.
Without having to look too hard I could see Catherine switch into what was obviously ‘mother mode’. He had seen it whenever she talked about Lindsey.
Grissom, he was a completely different story. Never had he looked this old. It was obvious that the troublesome situations his shift had been encountering recently had been taking their toll.
My mind then went to Nick. Although he wasn't here with us, I couldn't help but wonder how he was coping.