Fic: Last Seen Wearing, Chapter 5 (CSI, Nick Stokes / Greg Sanders)
Title: Last Seen Wearing, Chapter 5
Fandom: CSI
Pairing: Nick Stokes / Greg Sanders
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine, etc.
Feedback: Always Welcome
Notes: Inspired by Jared Cade`s book The Eleven Missing Days
CSI Las Vegas Main List
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
“Cath?” Warrick busted into the locker-room looking like he had run all that way from the parking lot. “Sorry I’m late. Where are we going?”
“Nowhere. We’re waiting for Kerr.”
“Why?”
“She has something new and she said she needs help with something.” She sighed deeply. “How’s Nick? That’s why you’re late, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. He’s getting worse and worse. Not eating and not sleeping.”
“Greg’s been gone for eleven days, I think…. I think people are starting to think we wont find him alive.”
“Good, you’re both here.” Kerr walked in. “Remember when I said we checked all the motels and hotels in the area?”
“Yeah.”
“I send some of my men to check all the places near the area where the car was found one more time. No Greg Sanders.”
“So?” Warrick looked as impatient as he sounded.
“But they did found something interesting. A little Bed & Breakfast few miles from the crash site. Guess who was listed on their guestbook?”
“Get to the point.”
“Andre Parson.”
“Why the hell would he keep a room there when he has an apartment?”
“That’s what I thought. I went to check it myself.” Kerr paused and enjoyed the impatient looks. “Parson wasn’t there. But someone else was.”
“Who?” Catherine’s tone was now identical to Warrick`s.
“Sanders.”
“You mean…. are you sure?”
“Yeah. I talked to him myself. According to the man who keeps the place, he came without suitcase or bags, paid in cash, gave that name to the register and didn’t leave his room after that.” Kerr paused. “He… he said Sanders seemed groggy and confused when he came there. He couldn’t see visible injuries, but said he looked disoriented. He didn’t leave the room, ate in there, and according to the cleaning ladies, spend most of his days resting.”
“So….” Catherine tried to collect his thoughts. “He was disoriented after the crash, wandered away from the car…. And then what? He saw some little Inn and checked in?”
“He’s in the hospital now, but I managed to get some answers from him. The last thing he remembers is walking down the hill, feeling dizzy. He checks his pocket and founds a wad of cash but no IDs. He sees the sign of the Inn and decides to rest. He signs in, goes to bed and after that eleven days after that are all in the same fog.”
“Why did he have that much cash with him, but no IDs?” Warrick wondered.
“And why did he use Parson’s name?” Catherine added.
“He said he tried to remember his name, but that was the only one he remembered. And we knew that he withdrew some money before that intended trip to Lake Meade. My guess would be that it was the same wad of money. We found his wallet and ID`s in the car, remember?”
“Is he alright now?” Catherine asked.
“He remembers his name, who he is, all that stuff. Not the accident or what happened before that.”
“You mean the thing with Nick and Parson.”
“Yeah, but that’s not all. That’s why I asked you to meet me here. I need someone who knows him to talk to him. I… didn’t want Stokes to upset him, all things considered, so you two are probably the best choices. I would have called Archie Johnson too, but he’s up to his neck in work. I talked to Grissom, I can borrow you two for a while.”
“What did you mean when you said that wasn’t all? What else?”
“You’ll see in the hospital.”
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“Knock, knock.” Catherine opened the door. The man in the bed opened his eyes. “Can I come in?”
She took a step closer and snapped the lights on. Bedheaded man covered his eyes.
“Sorry, you want me to put them off?”
“No… It’s okay, it just aggravates my headache when the lights go on suddenly.”
Catherine waited as the man slowly opened his eyes again, blinking rapidly.
“Greg? How are you feeling?”
“Fine, just this damn headache….” Greg took his first good look at his guest. “Catherine, right?”
“Right.”
“Catherine…. Willows?”
“You remember.”
“I never forget pretty blonds. When did you change your hairdo?”
“I haven’t changed it. Not for a long time.”
“Are you sure? I thought you had that same look the whole time I’ve known you.” His expression turned from curious to panicked. “Wait. Do I still have a job?”
“Of course you do.”
“They said they couldn’t find me and…. I’m still on a trial period.”
“What do you mean?”
“I still have two months left.”
“No, you-” Catherine paused. Some sort of hunch was hitting her mind. “Greg, how long have you been working in the crime lab?”
“About a month, you know that.”
“And when did you move to Vegas?”
“Maybe two months ago. Why are you asking?”
“Greg, was that…. You dont remember anything else that happened before the accident?”
“I dont think so. Why?”
“Honey, you’ve been in Vegas for seven years.”
“No. I haven’t.”
“You have. And you haven’t worked in the DNA lab for few years, you’re a CSI now.”
“I am?”
“Doesn’t that sound familiar?”
“No.” Greg rubbed his temples and tried to think. “Is this some kind of a candid camera thing? Stalk people with head injury and make fun of them?”
“No. Do you remember Grissom?”
“Yeah.”
“Warrick?”
“Yeah.”
“Nick?”
“Yeah.”
“Anything specific about him?”
“Nick? Dark hair, dark eyes, bit of an accent.”
“Anything else?”
“What else should I remember?”
“Nothing, honey.” Catherine said soothingly. “What about your social life? Anyone special in your life?”
“No. Like I said I just moved and…. Sorry. This is just so…. Like a bad joke.”
TBC