The phone in Grissom’s office rang. Catherine and he looked at it, neither one eager to answer it in case it was bad news. Finally Grissom stretched out his hand and picked it up.

“Grissom.” He informed the caller.

“Sara’s car has been found, at that vegetarian store she goes to, there’s no sign of her, but the girl who served her told the officer that she noticed Sara talking to a woman in a red car, some foreign make. It looked as though the woman was asking for directions. The girl thinks there might have been someone in the back of the car, but she’s not sure. Anyway she had to serve someone and doesn't know what happened after that. For some strange reason she noted the licence plate, she's not sure why, just something struck her as odd.

“I’ve got men looking out for the vehicle I’ll let you know when I hear something.” Brass told him.

Two hours later Grissom’s phone rang again. “Brass here. The car has been found. It belongs to a Frances Wicker; we’ve got her on file for two counts of road rage.” The stocky man informed Grissom. He paused allowing this fact to sink in. “The officers haven’t touched the vehicle so you can give it a good going over.” Brass stated in a soft voice, “I’ll meet you outside.”

Grissom replaced the receiver and turned to Catherine, “They’ve found the car, the driver is on record for two counts of road rage.” Catherine gasped.

“There was no sign of anyone in the car, but it looks as though It could have been our man sitting in the back. He would take the Wicker woman for the sin of anger.” Grissom went on worry plain on his face.

“He’s been killing them at the scene of their sin.” Catherine said softly trying to find anything which might be a sign that Sara had not been taken by their killer.

“As I said they couldn’t see any sign of the Frances Wicker or Sara in the car, they haven’t touched it so we get first go.”

“The others?” Catherine asked wondering if they should take Nick and Warrick with them.

“We’ll get them on the way out, I want the car and surrounding area gone over with a fine toothcomb.” Was the stern reply.

“That’s what we usually do.” Catherine stated following him out of the office.

The car was pulled over to the side of the road. Grissom tried to look on it as just another crime scene, but found it difficult to do so. He kept getting flashes of Holly Gribbs; she had only just started her career as a CSI and had been killed on her first night. Her death was also the reason Sara Sidle had been brought into the Vegas unit.

“Nick, take the front of the car, Warrick, the area around the front, Catherine, you take the area at the back, I’ll do inside at the back.” Grissom directed his team as they ducked under the yellow tape which had cordoned off the area.

Nodding their acknowledgement they moved in.

Grissom opened the trunk and froze. Catherine who had followed him stopped and glanced at him puzzled, she was surprised to see the colour drain from his face and his arm lock straight as though he was using it to hold himself up.

“Gil,” she began moving nearer to the car, “what…” She too froze.

Lying in the trunk was the body of Sara Sidle.

Slowly Grissom’s hand slipped from the trunk and it reached out as though of its own accord towards the lifeless form, his fingers brushed aside the hair covering the young woman’s face and a gasp escaped Grissom, his knees buckled for a moment and behind him Catherine sobbed, “It’s not Sara.”

Brass stepped over to them “Are you two okay?” he began and then saw the limp form, “Is that...” Catherine turned and shook her head, the resemblance was too close. Frances Wicker, for that was who she supposed the woman was, had dark hair similar in length and style to Sara; she was slim and looked, even curled up in the trunk similar in height.

“I’ll call the coroner.” Brass told them moving from the car.

Grissom stepped back from the vehicle and turned to Catherine, “Better warn Nick and Warrick about this.” He told her.

“Right. Are you all right?” she asked reaching out to him. He nodded.

“Just the shock. I honestly thought it was Sara.” He said softly, still trying to recover from that moment.

Catherine moved towards him, “We’ll find her.” She told him reassuringly.

“Before or after?” He looked into her eyes; his blue eyes were deep pools of despair. “Remember Holly Gribbs?”

She pulled back from him angrily, “Of course I do.” She snapped.

He reached out towards her, “Sorry Catherine I didn’t mean it like that. None of us will ever forget that, I meant we couldn’t help her and I’m afraid we might...”

“We’ll find her before.” She told him forcefully, silently she thought //We have to.//

This time the killer had left a cassette behind. Having checked for prints on both the tape and player Grissom reinserted the cassette and played it. Sara‘s voice informed them that the killer had taken her because the police were too slow in finding out why these crimes were being committed and unless there was some sign of progress on the news she would be the next victim. Grissom went cold and seemed to withdraw into himself, Nick punched the door of the car with the side of his gloved fist while Warrick glanced at Catherine to see if she had noticed the reactions the tape had caused in the two men.

“Nick found a small sliver of wood under the brake pedal; we don’t think it’s been left behind deliberately. The question is was it left by victim or the killer or by someone else entirely.” Warrick informed them trying to break the tension.

Having finished working the scene the graveyard team returned to the lab.

Nick who had returned earlier with their small pieces of evidence had given the sliver of wood to Greg in ‘Trace’ and the cassette to Archie in Audio/video. With everyone hoping that something would be discovered which would give them some sort of lead, he joined up with Warrick and both men headed for the computer to continue the search for similar crimes. Warrick also hoped to talk to Nick about his reaction to Sara’s voice on the cassette. He had always thought the young Texan had feelings for the dark haired woman but it could cause problems if their supervisor had similar feelings for her.

Grissom headed for his office, shoulders slumped. Catherine watched him wondering whether to follow or leave him to sort through this on his own. She hated herself for the way she was feeling. It was obvious from Grissom’s reaction at the scene, and his lack of communication on the way back, that he loved Sara, and here she was envying Sara for having what she had always hoped to share with him. She had also noticed Nick’s reaction and wondered where this was going to lead when, there she had said it when not if, they found the young woman in question. Giving herself a shake and brushing her hair back with her fingers she decided if Grissom needed a shoulder to cry on the least she could do was offer hers.

Not bothering to knock she strode into her supervisor’s office, “Are you okay?” she asked, “Maybe I should rephrase that...” she paused trying to figure out how to ask what was on her mind without stepping over the line of Grissom’s privacy, “Oh Hell,” she sighed, “Gil, are you in love with Sara?”

He looked at her and then said softly, “No.”

She blushed slightly wondering what to say now. Her words of reassurance and attempt to console him were not required, well not in that respect. “You seemed so upset out there and you never spoke to anyone except to give orders that I thought this had hit you on a more personal level.” She explained stumbling over the words.

He just looked at her.

“Look, I’m just getting myself deeper in the mire here. If you’re okay I’ll...”

“I’m feeling guilty.” He told her rising from his seat and walking towards her he went on, “I got one hell of a fright when I thought it was Sara in that car and I thanked God it wasn’t her, but then all I could think was it wasn’t you that had been taken.” He stopped, looking at the floor unwilling to look up and see the look of shock on her face. “I think he’s taken her as Sloth.

He thinks we’re not working hard enough to stop him from killing again. I don’t think it mattered to him who he took, Sara was just the first to hand.” He went on quickly, trying to get away from his personal announcement and onto the firmer ground of work.

“You feel guilty?” Catherine asked. “You don’t love Sara?”

At the tone of her voice he looked up into her eyes. “No, I love you.” He told her, there he had said it, it was out in the open. “I always have.”

They stood looking at each other, neither quite certain of what to do or say next, this wasn’t really the circumstances Grissom had pictured himself telling the small blonde woman how he felt about her and he was sure she had never expected, indeed had never even considered him in that light.

Finally Catherine said, “I was feeling guilty. I was jealous of Sara when I saw how affected you were. I thought I had lost any chance with you.”

“I had meant to tell you at the right time but...”

“I guess this is the right time. It also makes things easier.” She paused and he looked at her puzzled. “It seems Nick has feelings for Sara and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen when we found her if you and he both...”

Again there was a silence, which was suddenly broken by Greg bursting into the office.

“Animal hide glue!” The young lab tech informed them after almost hitting them with the door. “I found traces of animal hide glue on the sliver of wood.” He went on.

Surprised by his interruption and confused by their situation Grissom and Catherine stared at the slim man.

“Animal hide glue is the preferred choice of glue for using on antique and early twentieth century furniture.” He told them. When they didn’t say anything he went on, “Principally it was made from cattle hides and has been used as wood glue for hundreds if not thousands of years.” He stopped, a pleased expression on his face.

“Our man used a wood carving knife to carve the letters on his victims.” Grissom stated. Greg nodded enthusiastically.

“Then he’s connected to furniture making.” Catherine concluded.

“Probably antique, restoration or handmade furniture.” Greg added smiling from ear-to-ear, they were beginning to get some kind of a lead on their suspect.

Grissom headed out the door to find the others.

They gathered in the layout room, Grissom had called Brass on his way there.

“Thanks to Nick and Greg we finally have something to go on.” Grissom began, “That sliver of wood had animal hide glue on it.” He turned and looked at Greg, “You found it, you tell them the significance.”

Just as the young lab tech finished his statement Archie entered the room. “I’ve been looking for you,” he informed them, “I’ve been listening to that cassette and the way Sara says ‘she would be the next victim’ not she will be, made me listen closer still. Then it hit me she emphasises the word ‘would’. It didn’t make any sense till I heard Greg talking, maybe she was trying to give you a clue not would as in w-o-u-l-d,” He spelt “but wood as in w-o-o-d.”

“Sara would try to give us a clue if she could.” Nick stated solemnly. His young faced was haggard and worried.

Grissom looked at him, “You look as though you could do with some sleep. Why don’t you head home? Warrick will get you if we find this is getting us anywhere.”

Warrick looked at his supervisor surprised at his comments, Grissom was not well known for his perceptiveness in any area other than his work, the fact that he was concerned for Nick whilst in the middle of such a difficult case was surprising. Quickly he glanced at Catherine and gave a slight nod towards Grissom. She smiled and mouthed “later.”

Nick shook his head, “I’m fine. No one else is taking a break!” he almost snapped back.

Grissom almost stated that no one else was as close to Sara, but Catherine gave him a warning glare. “Fine let’s get down to finding Sara.” Was his only comment.