ladyhunter
Head of the Swing Shift
glad you like it sissi
more should be coming soon I promise
more should be coming soon I promise
Catherine's Serial Killer
- Thread starter ladyhunter
- Start date
ButterFlied92
Lab Technician
Wow! Awesome as always, keep it up!
CSIWillows
Rookie
Great Story Heather ! Can't wait for more!
MacsLovlyAngl
Head of the Graveyard Shift
"Cheers for hhunter", so far, so great, post the rest of it soon.
ladyhunter
Head of the Swing Shift
eerrr umm.... SOON I promise !
just a little later than I expected
just a little later than I expected
Depth-Of-Love
Lab Technician
Aweh i like it! Right more!
ladyhunter
Head of the Swing Shift
I hate to say this but you guy will have to wait
with the site being down and my life is SUPER BUSY and we are going on vacation... I'll have to update after next week
Sorry
with the site being down and my life is SUPER BUSY and we are going on vacation... I'll have to update after next week
Sorry
ladyhunter
Head of the Swing Shift
Catherine’s serial killer
It wasn’t the dark.
Even though it was the kind of dark that nothing could penetrate. The type that turned all the blacker the more you tried to squint and focus. The one that turned you upside down and tumbled you with confusion as you lost your bearings. This was the dark that swirled around, rose up and laughed as you tripped and stumbled, hands out trying to feel your way like a drunk. The one that suffocated you in its murky depths.
But it wasn’t the dark. Even as a kid, she had never really been that afraid of the dark.
It wasn’t the cold either. She could handle the cold. Truth be told, this wasn’t the kind of bone chilling, aching cold she expected from the desert at night. Must be global warming she thought grimly as she curled a little tighter into a ball more to relieve her discomfort than to chase away a chill.
The thing that was setting her teeth on edge, allowing just the corner of despair to start to enter her mind was the deafening quiet; the pure absence of sound. As much as she strained to hear, as much as she steadied herself and held her breath waiting for the faintest of sound, there was nothing. It was almost too much to bear. How could she get a sense of where she was, figure out road marks, get indicators of to where to leave clues? How could she bring the team to her if she couldn’t give them pieces of the puzzle to follow? In absence of her other senses, sound was the only way for her start collecting the evidence she so desperately needed to start working the case.
She willed herself to breath, told herself to calm down. This is a crime scene, start looking at the facts. Start bringing the elements together. You know the end, now start at the beginning. She began to think back allowing her mind to rewind to the place where this nefarious journey began as the silence echoed in her ears like a gunshot….
………………………………………………………………………………………………
BANG!
Her ears rang with the shot
Damn, I must have put the ear protection on too fast and not secured them properly.
Rookie mistake, she thought.
And Catherine was not prone to making mistakes; rookie or otherwise.
What was with her today?
Oh come on, she knew what was with her.
Her shift had started out normal enough; a new case with new crime scene. But, instead of the officer she expected to find at the scene, it was Brass.
Not as if that way anything out of the ordinary, but she didn’t realize how much she was looking forward to seeing him until he wasn’t there to meet her and fill in the preliminary details in his usual subdued, almost soft way. Their brief conversations and interactions had come to mean more to her than she had realized.
And later, back at the lab when she casually inquired about him, it was a bombshell to hear Brass say that he had transferred out last week. She absorbed the information like she absorbed a particular gruesome detail from a scene, with detachment and professionalism. At least that is how she reacted on the outside, on the inside she swallowed down the bitter taste of another opportunity lost. Only Grissom noticed the subtle change in her face as the three of them walked down the hallway summing up the details of the scene and parsing out information.
“You OK, Catherine?” asked Grissom studying her face with a little more intensity than usual.
“Oh, sure, just had a rough evening with Lindsey before coming to work. Teenagers, what do you do?” Catherine steadied her gaze to look back at him hoping he wouldn’t see anything and delve any deeper.
“What do you do?” Grissom echoed after a slight pause and walked away.
Man, thought Catherine as she entered the lab. It’s not like I’m loosing anything. What did we have? A professional relationship? A mutual respect for one another? A friendship? Well if you call banter over the blood splatter from a triple homicide a friendship then sure, we had a friendship. But there was something else that made Catherine thinks that she and Tony Vartann might have the potential for something more.
The way he turned to her when she spoke, like he could absorb everything about her through her words. The way his hand found the small of her back to guide her through the doorway while entering an interrogation room. The looks he gave her when they were on a particular hard case; scanning her movements looking for any small cracks in her Teflon armor. They had been on one date, after shift, but nothing had progressed from there. They had been like two planets in the same solar system. Revolving around the same sun, but never truly coming together.
“HMM…. What is this?” Catherine looked at the case file on her desk.
Why isn’t this Grissom’s case? She thought to herself
Catherine scans the file…
White female RAPED … November 23. 2003
African-American female STRANGLED … December 15. 2003
MINOR White Female, RAPED, STANGLED… January 15. 2004
They all have the same MO. Thought Catherine
She continued to study the file…
Detective: Tony Vartann
He’s the same officer in all three cases. Why do I have this?
Catherine makes her way down the hall towards Grissom’s office.
“Hey Gil, got a minute?” she asked barging through his office door
“So, what’s up Catherine?” Grissom said focusing on his red haired friend sitting across from him.
“Why do I have this? She asked holding up the file. All of these cases are a couple years old, you were the CSI on the case, and Vartann transferred out last week.”
“Because he might be back sighed Grissom. Remember the Strip Strangler, The Blue Paint Killer? Well, this guy is just as good.” Remarked Grissom.
“I really don’t like it when they are smarter than me…” Grissom’s voice trailed off.
“So, you still haven’t answered my question, why me?” Catherine questioned
“I… I can’t do it again. Grissom breathed. I can’t put myself out there, I can’t risk it all thinking he might get away again.”
His voice is quiet and faint.
“So, you think I can?” Catherine shot at him.
“You don’t have as much vested in this as I did. You can do this Catherine. Nicky and Warrick are that much better now. They will help you anyway they can.”
“Here is the current case, she was found in the alley behind Bally’s and Paris.”
Grissom hands her the file folder.
Catherine shudders suddenly. Something came over her. A feeling she couldn’t shake.
A feeling that not just about the case but about something else in her life is going to change.
This is my job. I love my job. I am good at my job. So why do I have this ‘feeling?’
Catherine goes back to studying the new case on her way back to her office.
Maybe I need to contact Vartann? She thought as a smile comes to her face.
“Not like that would be a bad thing?” She caught herself saying out loud.
*****************************
One month previous:
“So, are you asking me out Detective Vartann?” Catherine asked him in the police car on the way back to the lab
“Yeah, I guess I am.” He smiled at her.
AHH let me check in at home.” Catherine replied reaching for her phone.
Over dinner he tells her about his wife; or his soon to be ex-wife.
“I guess I was young and dumb. Tony told Catherine. We both were. We figured we knew what we were doing and weren’t going to let anyone tell us any different.” He said with some sadness in his face.
“Her name was …is…. Sharon.” His voice broke the silence.
“She loved me, or so I guess but she didn’t like that I became a cop.
When we met, I was actually in the Navy. I guess she watched An Officer and a Gentleman too many times thinking that I was going to be her salvation and become a decorated naval officer.”
“So, what happened?” Catherine asked
“My dad had a stroke and I had to resign my commission and move back home. I was the baby of the family and I stayed and helped Mom take care of him.
I joined the Police Academy and became a cop. I did that so I could be close to home.”
“And your father…” Catherine asked again
“He died a few years ago.” Tony responded
“I’m sorry.” Catherine added
“Your marriage…?” Catherine enquired
“I’m not sure what she expected from me but she didn’t stick around long enough for me to find out.” Tony explained
“She cheated on you.” Catherine interrupted him as she watched his fingers loop around his ring finger.
“How did you know…?” He stopped before she could answer
“Just a guess… Catherine answered looking at his hands. I’ve been there” She quietly said to herself.
They continued their dinner talking about the case, a freak accident on a rollercoaster at the top of The Stratosphere. About how cold it is getting even for Southern Nevada, and other mindless topics couples talk about on first dates; anything other than true deep down feelings that they are too afraid to divulge to each other.
He took her back to her house and walked her to her door.
The light was on inside so Catherine knew Lindsey is at home and still awake.
“Thank you for dinner Detective, I had a good time.” Catherine stated looking up into his steely blue/grey eyes.
“I’m glad.” He replied back.
Both of them knew they had an attraction for each other, but neither knew how to approach it or what to do about it.
He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, but Catherine misread him. She turned her face and her lips met his on accident.
They stood kissing for a moment or two.
Catherine immediately turned pink of embarrassment after she realized that was not his intention
“I’m sorry.” She stammered to him as she put her fingers to her lips; not looking at him in fear of more embarrassment.
“Don’t be. He quietly said back. I liked it.”
He touched her face, then turned and walked towards the car.
***********************************************
BRRRRIIIINNNGGG
“Henderson Police Department, how can I help you?” A female voice stated flatly
“Yes, can I speak to Detective Vartann?” Catherine’s voice wavered.
“Vartann.” His voice came across the line.
“This is… this is…Catherine Willows.” He interrupted her before she could get her name out.
“What do I owe the pleasure?” He asked before she could have a chance to speak.
“Well, she replied, I’m here in Vegas looking at three old case files of yours and I have a few questions.” She said into the phone her hands shaking.
Calm down… She thought to herself.
Why am I so nervous? We really didn’t have anything other than one date and some flirtation. But, I like his soft subtle way. I like the way he makes me feel, and even his smart-ass comments. But why is he being so elusive? Why did he leave?
“Why are these labeled ‘cold cases’? She asked….You were the Detective on all three….why did these go cold... Where is the evidence? Who was the CSI?”
Catherine fired at him through the phone line.
“Slow down.” He said catching her in between breaths.
“Give me a chance to look into them for you. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. How does that sound?”
“We are beating the clock on this one, we think he struck again. Grissom can’t handle it for some reason, so he passed the recent case to me.
By the way…What are you doing in Henderson? Brass told me you transferred out a couple of weeks ago.”
“They have expanded their homicide unit. I have a better chance to make Captain out here than at Metro.” Tony answered.
“I didn’t know that.” Catherine stated.
“You never asked.” He replied
“You never gave me a chance to.” Her voice fired at him full of frustration and hurt.
There was silence over the line.
“Tell you what”, he broke in, “next time I’m in Vegas, we’ll get together again, Okay?” He spoke with more tenderness in his voice than before
“Okay”. She quietly answered him. “But I need that info ASAP on those previous cases.”
“Got it, I’ll get back to you shortly, sometime today. I have to get going now. We’ll talk later, I promise.” He replied as he hung up the phone.
“Bye.” Catherine said realizing that he had already hung up.
Time passes as Catherine examined the files. She studied each case piece by piece and all the evidence and all the missing evidence.
“Hey”, Catherine managed to get out to him as she met him in the hallway. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.” She said.
Smiling, he replied, “Hey yourself. I have that information for you. You sounded desperate on the phone so I decided to bring the information to you in person” He said to Catherine as he handed her a file folder.
“Thanks.” She replied looking right at him.
She began to look at the file, and after a few moments, and a glance towards the Detective, she responded, “NO, NO, NO, This isn’t right! There should be more here. Where are the rape kits on these? Where is the DNA? This doesn’t look like your work Detective.” Catherine snapped at him.
“Hey, don’t get on me”. He argued. “This is all that I could find from my end. I would think everything else would be at CSI. So don’t get on me about this, I’m giving you all I have.” His voice fired at her as he began to walk towards the door.
.“WAIT!” She yelled after him. ”Come back. I…I wanted to ask you about these, that’s all”.
“Just what are you implying?” he asked annoyed
“This doesn’t look like your high standard of work. That’s all I’m saying”. Catherine replied to him giving him a pleading look. “There are several key pieces of evidence missing, and I find it hard to believe that you would close the case without all the evidence. And this guy, he could be out there still…”
“Or there is a copy cat.” He said cutting her off. “You know how copy cats love to come out of the woodwork after a trial or a recent crime spree.”
“And, for your information, I didn’t close the cases, the Under Sheriff told me to drop them anyway. Something about resources and man hours and about three dead dancers not being a priority.” He told Catherine after a moment.
“Why? I mean there are three dead women and one dead girl; I find that hard to believe that the Under Sheriff would do that.” Catherine responded with an unconvincing look.
“Why don’t you ask him?” Tony asked angrily and full of sarcasm, to Catherine starting to, again, walk towards the door.
“Look”, he said as he stopped and pointed his finger at her, “I am not a profiler or a CSI, what I am is a cop, a damn good cop.” He then pulled back both his finger and his hand and put it by his side. “But I also follow instructions from my superior officers, and when the Under Sheriff of Clark County tells me to drop the cases, I do that. Okay?” He said raising his voice.
“But why, why would you do that knowing that the cases could still be solved?” Catherine raised her voice back.
“Have you ever gone behind your supervisors back?” He asked impatiently. After a minute of him staring at her and her staring back with fire in their eyes, he had his answer.
“I thought not.”
Detective Vartann took in a breath, let it out and said,” I will try to help you as much as I can, but that is all I can give you right now Catherine.” He said with less intensity in his eyes. “I’m sorry I raised my voice at you, but I didn’t like where this conversation was heading. As for the Under Sheriff, I’m not sure why he asked me to drop the cases, but this does sound like the previous cases I was working on.”
“Sure, sure, I would really like that.” Catherine said in a much calmer tone.
“And, just out of curiosity, were you ever going to call me again, you know, before you went out to Henderson?”
“Actually I was going to call you, before you called me, really.”
He smiled at her. “I should get going but call me if you need anything else.”
He was still smiling at Catherine.
“I’ll see you around.” Tony said as he headed down the hallway and out the doors of LVPD.
****************************************
July 1989
It was hot. The kind of desert heat that even the most seasoned local needed some refuge from.
Some sought refuge in The French Palace. One of the premiere dance places in town and coincidentally, was one of the coolest.
Catherine had just finished her set for the day, but the hour was almost 8 in the morning.
Her petite frame glided and slid up and down the dance pole to some Def Leppard songs that she preformed both flawlessly and without emotion.
“God, its hot.” she noticed even for the early morning hour as she took a sip of Diet Coke. She walked back to the dressing room as sweat poured from her face.
“The bastard makes sure all the customers are cool but what about us girls?” She said to no one in particular.
“I should go if I want to make it to class on time today.” Catherine said again out loud.
As she sat at her vanity backstage, fatigue set in. The heat, the dancing, and the classes in Forensic Science at WLVU were taking a toll on her. A thought crossed her mind. I could do another line to get me through the day … I wonder if Tommy is available…
But she thought better and decided to open another can of Diet Coke instead.
She noticed dark circles under her eyes as she applied some cheap make up.
Some day, when she had some money saved up, that would be what she would want to buy. Make Up. The expensive kind they sell at Nordstrom or Dillard’s. The kind of over the counter make up sold by woman who’s sex life is better because their husbands come to see her dance. She wanted the kind of make-up that hides rich women’s sins. But for now, she had to settle for the cheap drug store kind to hide the dark circles.
After applying the make-up to her satisfaction, she began to walk toward the exit as the coolness of the lounge hit her. It felt refreshing after her routine under the hot lights and the very hot day it turned out to be in Las Vegas.
“Hi Baby.” Catherine heard from behind her as she felt a kiss on her cheek.
“Oh, hey baby.” Catherine said to her soon-to-be husband Eddie Willows.
“Are you ready to go?” He asked. I know this great place for breakfast then we can head home and …do I need to say anymore?” He looked at her with his blue eyes dancing.
“I can’t, I have class. Don’t you remember? I told you last night.” She said looking into his dancing eyes. “Besides Gil is going to meet me before class and help me through this part I’m having trouble with”.
“Here we go again”. Eddie’s voice stated.” If I hear Gil Grissom’s name ONE MORE TIME….” He stopped short of completing the sentence.
“Look Eddie, he’s my friend, he got me into to school, and he helped me out, and he is going to get me a job with the LVPD working in their crime lab. It’s the least I can do to be on time to meet up with him.”
“And what exactly is Gil Grissom getting in return for all of this?” Eddie asked with sarcasm in his voice.
“Oh Please Eddie, you don’t know what you are talking about.” Catherine stated to her fiancé.
“Don’t I?” Flew out of his mouth.
Eddie dropped Catherine’s hand and began to walk out.
“Fine, go meet with Mr. Grissom, but I want you home immediately after class. DO YOU HEAR ME?” Eddie shouted at Catherine
“The whole damn place can hear you Eddie!” She yelled back at him as he walked out the door of The French Palace.
Catherine stomped around with her things flying everywhere. In a frenzy of anger and frustration and pure exhaustion she managed to gather up her school books and changed her clothes and again made her way through the dark lounge of the club towards the door.
A hand caught her by the arm.
“Hey”. She mustered. ”What do you want now, Eddie?” She sighed as she turned to face the person who had her arm.
A voice asked, “Hey Red, how about a private show?” It was a very distinct voice but one she didn’t recognize.
She squinted in the cool darkness of the club but could not make out a face.
“AHH, in case you haven’t noticed, the show is over.” She replied looking down at the hand on her arm.
“This guy giving you trouble?” Another voice asked as it came up on the other side of her.
This time Catherine recognized the voice of Max, the club bouncer.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” She breathed.
“Get lost.” Max’s voice echoed throughout the club. “And how many time do I have to tell you NOT TO BRING THESE THINGS IN HERE!” he said as he confiscated a Camcorder from the other arm of the body still attached to Catherine
Catherine still couldn’t see who belonged to the voice. But something make her ask; “How old are you?”
“The women you covet are Godless souls.” The voice said. “You are a Godless soul”. The voice said again as the person released their hold on Catherine.
The shadowy figure then walked out the door as both Max and Catherine watched them go.
“Who was that?” She asked breathing a sigh of relief. “Don’t know; I didn’t get a good look at his face.” Max replied
“He’s been in here before?” She asked
“Yeah, once with one of those damn Camcorder things. I caught him by the stage trying to tape Joyce and… YOU.” Max recalled.
“I didn’t get a good look at his face that time either, but I just assumed he wouldn’t come back.” He added.
Something about the voice and his words of Godless souls made Catherine shudder.
Then reality hit and Catherine realized she was going to be late for class… again….
*******************************************************
Detective Vartann returned to his desk in Henderson. He didn’t want to be upset with the conversation between him and Catherine, but he was.
He likes her, but somehow they keep getting tangled in each other’s work to really appreciate each other. Or maybe that is what makes them really appreciate each other?
Who the hells knows. All Tony Vartann knew is that Catherine Willows is different from any other woman he has known.
BBBRRRRIIIINNNGGG
His phone almost danced off the receiver. What good timing he thought, hoping it would be Catherine calling him back.
“The woman you covet is a Godless soul.” Came across the line after he picked up the phone.
“Excuse me? What did you say?” Tony asked
“The woman you covet is a Godless soul.” The voice said again “You are a Godless soul.”
Then there was nothing on the other end of the line
It wasn’t the dark.
Even though it was the kind of dark that nothing could penetrate. The type that turned all the blacker the more you tried to squint and focus. The one that turned you upside down and tumbled you with confusion as you lost your bearings. This was the dark that swirled around, rose up and laughed as you tripped and stumbled, hands out trying to feel your way like a drunk. The one that suffocated you in its murky depths.
But it wasn’t the dark. Even as a kid, she had never really been that afraid of the dark.
It wasn’t the cold either. She could handle the cold. Truth be told, this wasn’t the kind of bone chilling, aching cold she expected from the desert at night. Must be global warming she thought grimly as she curled a little tighter into a ball more to relieve her discomfort than to chase away a chill.
The thing that was setting her teeth on edge, allowing just the corner of despair to start to enter her mind was the deafening quiet; the pure absence of sound. As much as she strained to hear, as much as she steadied herself and held her breath waiting for the faintest of sound, there was nothing. It was almost too much to bear. How could she get a sense of where she was, figure out road marks, get indicators of to where to leave clues? How could she bring the team to her if she couldn’t give them pieces of the puzzle to follow? In absence of her other senses, sound was the only way for her start collecting the evidence she so desperately needed to start working the case.
She willed herself to breath, told herself to calm down. This is a crime scene, start looking at the facts. Start bringing the elements together. You know the end, now start at the beginning. She began to think back allowing her mind to rewind to the place where this nefarious journey began as the silence echoed in her ears like a gunshot….
………………………………………………………………………………………………
BANG!
Her ears rang with the shot
Damn, I must have put the ear protection on too fast and not secured them properly.
Rookie mistake, she thought.
And Catherine was not prone to making mistakes; rookie or otherwise.
What was with her today?
Oh come on, she knew what was with her.
Her shift had started out normal enough; a new case with new crime scene. But, instead of the officer she expected to find at the scene, it was Brass.
Not as if that way anything out of the ordinary, but she didn’t realize how much she was looking forward to seeing him until he wasn’t there to meet her and fill in the preliminary details in his usual subdued, almost soft way. Their brief conversations and interactions had come to mean more to her than she had realized.
And later, back at the lab when she casually inquired about him, it was a bombshell to hear Brass say that he had transferred out last week. She absorbed the information like she absorbed a particular gruesome detail from a scene, with detachment and professionalism. At least that is how she reacted on the outside, on the inside she swallowed down the bitter taste of another opportunity lost. Only Grissom noticed the subtle change in her face as the three of them walked down the hallway summing up the details of the scene and parsing out information.
“You OK, Catherine?” asked Grissom studying her face with a little more intensity than usual.
“Oh, sure, just had a rough evening with Lindsey before coming to work. Teenagers, what do you do?” Catherine steadied her gaze to look back at him hoping he wouldn’t see anything and delve any deeper.
“What do you do?” Grissom echoed after a slight pause and walked away.
Man, thought Catherine as she entered the lab. It’s not like I’m loosing anything. What did we have? A professional relationship? A mutual respect for one another? A friendship? Well if you call banter over the blood splatter from a triple homicide a friendship then sure, we had a friendship. But there was something else that made Catherine thinks that she and Tony Vartann might have the potential for something more.
The way he turned to her when she spoke, like he could absorb everything about her through her words. The way his hand found the small of her back to guide her through the doorway while entering an interrogation room. The looks he gave her when they were on a particular hard case; scanning her movements looking for any small cracks in her Teflon armor. They had been on one date, after shift, but nothing had progressed from there. They had been like two planets in the same solar system. Revolving around the same sun, but never truly coming together.
“HMM…. What is this?” Catherine looked at the case file on her desk.
Why isn’t this Grissom’s case? She thought to herself
Catherine scans the file…
White female RAPED … November 23. 2003
African-American female STRANGLED … December 15. 2003
MINOR White Female, RAPED, STANGLED… January 15. 2004
They all have the same MO. Thought Catherine
She continued to study the file…
Detective: Tony Vartann
He’s the same officer in all three cases. Why do I have this?
Catherine makes her way down the hall towards Grissom’s office.
“Hey Gil, got a minute?” she asked barging through his office door
“So, what’s up Catherine?” Grissom said focusing on his red haired friend sitting across from him.
“Why do I have this? She asked holding up the file. All of these cases are a couple years old, you were the CSI on the case, and Vartann transferred out last week.”
“Because he might be back sighed Grissom. Remember the Strip Strangler, The Blue Paint Killer? Well, this guy is just as good.” Remarked Grissom.
“I really don’t like it when they are smarter than me…” Grissom’s voice trailed off.
“So, you still haven’t answered my question, why me?” Catherine questioned
“I… I can’t do it again. Grissom breathed. I can’t put myself out there, I can’t risk it all thinking he might get away again.”
His voice is quiet and faint.
“So, you think I can?” Catherine shot at him.
“You don’t have as much vested in this as I did. You can do this Catherine. Nicky and Warrick are that much better now. They will help you anyway they can.”
“Here is the current case, she was found in the alley behind Bally’s and Paris.”
Grissom hands her the file folder.
Catherine shudders suddenly. Something came over her. A feeling she couldn’t shake.
A feeling that not just about the case but about something else in her life is going to change.
This is my job. I love my job. I am good at my job. So why do I have this ‘feeling?’
Catherine goes back to studying the new case on her way back to her office.
Maybe I need to contact Vartann? She thought as a smile comes to her face.
“Not like that would be a bad thing?” She caught herself saying out loud.
*****************************
One month previous:
“So, are you asking me out Detective Vartann?” Catherine asked him in the police car on the way back to the lab
“Yeah, I guess I am.” He smiled at her.
AHH let me check in at home.” Catherine replied reaching for her phone.
Over dinner he tells her about his wife; or his soon to be ex-wife.
“I guess I was young and dumb. Tony told Catherine. We both were. We figured we knew what we were doing and weren’t going to let anyone tell us any different.” He said with some sadness in his face.
“Her name was …is…. Sharon.” His voice broke the silence.
“She loved me, or so I guess but she didn’t like that I became a cop.
When we met, I was actually in the Navy. I guess she watched An Officer and a Gentleman too many times thinking that I was going to be her salvation and become a decorated naval officer.”
“So, what happened?” Catherine asked
“My dad had a stroke and I had to resign my commission and move back home. I was the baby of the family and I stayed and helped Mom take care of him.
I joined the Police Academy and became a cop. I did that so I could be close to home.”
“And your father…” Catherine asked again
“He died a few years ago.” Tony responded
“I’m sorry.” Catherine added
“Your marriage…?” Catherine enquired
“I’m not sure what she expected from me but she didn’t stick around long enough for me to find out.” Tony explained
“She cheated on you.” Catherine interrupted him as she watched his fingers loop around his ring finger.
“How did you know…?” He stopped before she could answer
“Just a guess… Catherine answered looking at his hands. I’ve been there” She quietly said to herself.
They continued their dinner talking about the case, a freak accident on a rollercoaster at the top of The Stratosphere. About how cold it is getting even for Southern Nevada, and other mindless topics couples talk about on first dates; anything other than true deep down feelings that they are too afraid to divulge to each other.
He took her back to her house and walked her to her door.
The light was on inside so Catherine knew Lindsey is at home and still awake.
“Thank you for dinner Detective, I had a good time.” Catherine stated looking up into his steely blue/grey eyes.
“I’m glad.” He replied back.
Both of them knew they had an attraction for each other, but neither knew how to approach it or what to do about it.
He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, but Catherine misread him. She turned her face and her lips met his on accident.
They stood kissing for a moment or two.
Catherine immediately turned pink of embarrassment after she realized that was not his intention
“I’m sorry.” She stammered to him as she put her fingers to her lips; not looking at him in fear of more embarrassment.
“Don’t be. He quietly said back. I liked it.”
He touched her face, then turned and walked towards the car.
***********************************************
BRRRRIIIINNNGGG
“Henderson Police Department, how can I help you?” A female voice stated flatly
“Yes, can I speak to Detective Vartann?” Catherine’s voice wavered.
“Vartann.” His voice came across the line.
“This is… this is…Catherine Willows.” He interrupted her before she could get her name out.
“What do I owe the pleasure?” He asked before she could have a chance to speak.
“Well, she replied, I’m here in Vegas looking at three old case files of yours and I have a few questions.” She said into the phone her hands shaking.
Calm down… She thought to herself.
Why am I so nervous? We really didn’t have anything other than one date and some flirtation. But, I like his soft subtle way. I like the way he makes me feel, and even his smart-ass comments. But why is he being so elusive? Why did he leave?
“Why are these labeled ‘cold cases’? She asked….You were the Detective on all three….why did these go cold... Where is the evidence? Who was the CSI?”
Catherine fired at him through the phone line.
“Slow down.” He said catching her in between breaths.
“Give me a chance to look into them for you. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. How does that sound?”
“We are beating the clock on this one, we think he struck again. Grissom can’t handle it for some reason, so he passed the recent case to me.
By the way…What are you doing in Henderson? Brass told me you transferred out a couple of weeks ago.”
“They have expanded their homicide unit. I have a better chance to make Captain out here than at Metro.” Tony answered.
“I didn’t know that.” Catherine stated.
“You never asked.” He replied
“You never gave me a chance to.” Her voice fired at him full of frustration and hurt.
There was silence over the line.
“Tell you what”, he broke in, “next time I’m in Vegas, we’ll get together again, Okay?” He spoke with more tenderness in his voice than before
“Okay”. She quietly answered him. “But I need that info ASAP on those previous cases.”
“Got it, I’ll get back to you shortly, sometime today. I have to get going now. We’ll talk later, I promise.” He replied as he hung up the phone.
“Bye.” Catherine said realizing that he had already hung up.
Time passes as Catherine examined the files. She studied each case piece by piece and all the evidence and all the missing evidence.
“Hey”, Catherine managed to get out to him as she met him in the hallway. “I wasn’t expecting to see you.” She said.
Smiling, he replied, “Hey yourself. I have that information for you. You sounded desperate on the phone so I decided to bring the information to you in person” He said to Catherine as he handed her a file folder.
“Thanks.” She replied looking right at him.
She began to look at the file, and after a few moments, and a glance towards the Detective, she responded, “NO, NO, NO, This isn’t right! There should be more here. Where are the rape kits on these? Where is the DNA? This doesn’t look like your work Detective.” Catherine snapped at him.
“Hey, don’t get on me”. He argued. “This is all that I could find from my end. I would think everything else would be at CSI. So don’t get on me about this, I’m giving you all I have.” His voice fired at her as he began to walk towards the door.
.“WAIT!” She yelled after him. ”Come back. I…I wanted to ask you about these, that’s all”.
“Just what are you implying?” he asked annoyed
“This doesn’t look like your high standard of work. That’s all I’m saying”. Catherine replied to him giving him a pleading look. “There are several key pieces of evidence missing, and I find it hard to believe that you would close the case without all the evidence. And this guy, he could be out there still…”
“Or there is a copy cat.” He said cutting her off. “You know how copy cats love to come out of the woodwork after a trial or a recent crime spree.”
“And, for your information, I didn’t close the cases, the Under Sheriff told me to drop them anyway. Something about resources and man hours and about three dead dancers not being a priority.” He told Catherine after a moment.
“Why? I mean there are three dead women and one dead girl; I find that hard to believe that the Under Sheriff would do that.” Catherine responded with an unconvincing look.
“Why don’t you ask him?” Tony asked angrily and full of sarcasm, to Catherine starting to, again, walk towards the door.
“Look”, he said as he stopped and pointed his finger at her, “I am not a profiler or a CSI, what I am is a cop, a damn good cop.” He then pulled back both his finger and his hand and put it by his side. “But I also follow instructions from my superior officers, and when the Under Sheriff of Clark County tells me to drop the cases, I do that. Okay?” He said raising his voice.
“But why, why would you do that knowing that the cases could still be solved?” Catherine raised her voice back.
“Have you ever gone behind your supervisors back?” He asked impatiently. After a minute of him staring at her and her staring back with fire in their eyes, he had his answer.
“I thought not.”
Detective Vartann took in a breath, let it out and said,” I will try to help you as much as I can, but that is all I can give you right now Catherine.” He said with less intensity in his eyes. “I’m sorry I raised my voice at you, but I didn’t like where this conversation was heading. As for the Under Sheriff, I’m not sure why he asked me to drop the cases, but this does sound like the previous cases I was working on.”
“Sure, sure, I would really like that.” Catherine said in a much calmer tone.
“And, just out of curiosity, were you ever going to call me again, you know, before you went out to Henderson?”
“Actually I was going to call you, before you called me, really.”
He smiled at her. “I should get going but call me if you need anything else.”
He was still smiling at Catherine.
“I’ll see you around.” Tony said as he headed down the hallway and out the doors of LVPD.
****************************************
July 1989
It was hot. The kind of desert heat that even the most seasoned local needed some refuge from.
Some sought refuge in The French Palace. One of the premiere dance places in town and coincidentally, was one of the coolest.
Catherine had just finished her set for the day, but the hour was almost 8 in the morning.
Her petite frame glided and slid up and down the dance pole to some Def Leppard songs that she preformed both flawlessly and without emotion.
“God, its hot.” she noticed even for the early morning hour as she took a sip of Diet Coke. She walked back to the dressing room as sweat poured from her face.
“The bastard makes sure all the customers are cool but what about us girls?” She said to no one in particular.
“I should go if I want to make it to class on time today.” Catherine said again out loud.
As she sat at her vanity backstage, fatigue set in. The heat, the dancing, and the classes in Forensic Science at WLVU were taking a toll on her. A thought crossed her mind. I could do another line to get me through the day … I wonder if Tommy is available…
But she thought better and decided to open another can of Diet Coke instead.
She noticed dark circles under her eyes as she applied some cheap make up.
Some day, when she had some money saved up, that would be what she would want to buy. Make Up. The expensive kind they sell at Nordstrom or Dillard’s. The kind of over the counter make up sold by woman who’s sex life is better because their husbands come to see her dance. She wanted the kind of make-up that hides rich women’s sins. But for now, she had to settle for the cheap drug store kind to hide the dark circles.
After applying the make-up to her satisfaction, she began to walk toward the exit as the coolness of the lounge hit her. It felt refreshing after her routine under the hot lights and the very hot day it turned out to be in Las Vegas.
“Hi Baby.” Catherine heard from behind her as she felt a kiss on her cheek.
“Oh, hey baby.” Catherine said to her soon-to-be husband Eddie Willows.
“Are you ready to go?” He asked. I know this great place for breakfast then we can head home and …do I need to say anymore?” He looked at her with his blue eyes dancing.
“I can’t, I have class. Don’t you remember? I told you last night.” She said looking into his dancing eyes. “Besides Gil is going to meet me before class and help me through this part I’m having trouble with”.
“Here we go again”. Eddie’s voice stated.” If I hear Gil Grissom’s name ONE MORE TIME….” He stopped short of completing the sentence.
“Look Eddie, he’s my friend, he got me into to school, and he helped me out, and he is going to get me a job with the LVPD working in their crime lab. It’s the least I can do to be on time to meet up with him.”
“And what exactly is Gil Grissom getting in return for all of this?” Eddie asked with sarcasm in his voice.
“Oh Please Eddie, you don’t know what you are talking about.” Catherine stated to her fiancé.
“Don’t I?” Flew out of his mouth.
Eddie dropped Catherine’s hand and began to walk out.
“Fine, go meet with Mr. Grissom, but I want you home immediately after class. DO YOU HEAR ME?” Eddie shouted at Catherine
“The whole damn place can hear you Eddie!” She yelled back at him as he walked out the door of The French Palace.
Catherine stomped around with her things flying everywhere. In a frenzy of anger and frustration and pure exhaustion she managed to gather up her school books and changed her clothes and again made her way through the dark lounge of the club towards the door.
A hand caught her by the arm.
“Hey”. She mustered. ”What do you want now, Eddie?” She sighed as she turned to face the person who had her arm.
A voice asked, “Hey Red, how about a private show?” It was a very distinct voice but one she didn’t recognize.
She squinted in the cool darkness of the club but could not make out a face.
“AHH, in case you haven’t noticed, the show is over.” She replied looking down at the hand on her arm.
“This guy giving you trouble?” Another voice asked as it came up on the other side of her.
This time Catherine recognized the voice of Max, the club bouncer.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” She breathed.
“Get lost.” Max’s voice echoed throughout the club. “And how many time do I have to tell you NOT TO BRING THESE THINGS IN HERE!” he said as he confiscated a Camcorder from the other arm of the body still attached to Catherine
Catherine still couldn’t see who belonged to the voice. But something make her ask; “How old are you?”
“The women you covet are Godless souls.” The voice said. “You are a Godless soul”. The voice said again as the person released their hold on Catherine.
The shadowy figure then walked out the door as both Max and Catherine watched them go.
“Who was that?” She asked breathing a sigh of relief. “Don’t know; I didn’t get a good look at his face.” Max replied
“He’s been in here before?” She asked
“Yeah, once with one of those damn Camcorder things. I caught him by the stage trying to tape Joyce and… YOU.” Max recalled.
“I didn’t get a good look at his face that time either, but I just assumed he wouldn’t come back.” He added.
Something about the voice and his words of Godless souls made Catherine shudder.
Then reality hit and Catherine realized she was going to be late for class… again….
*******************************************************
Detective Vartann returned to his desk in Henderson. He didn’t want to be upset with the conversation between him and Catherine, but he was.
He likes her, but somehow they keep getting tangled in each other’s work to really appreciate each other. Or maybe that is what makes them really appreciate each other?
Who the hells knows. All Tony Vartann knew is that Catherine Willows is different from any other woman he has known.
BBBRRRRIIIINNNGGG
His phone almost danced off the receiver. What good timing he thought, hoping it would be Catherine calling him back.
“The woman you covet is a Godless soul.” Came across the line after he picked up the phone.
“Excuse me? What did you say?” Tony asked
“The woman you covet is a Godless soul.” The voice said again “You are a Godless soul.”
Then there was nothing on the other end of the line
MacsGirlMel
Mac's Personal Assistant
I agree...and the ending was creepy. Update soon!
ladyhunter
Head of the Swing Shift
thanks guys.. an update is coming shortly
and special thanks again to britfan for beta'ing this and to kaylyne for the Catherine backstory
and special thanks again to britfan for beta'ing this and to kaylyne for the Catherine backstory