Chapter Twenty Four:

Jeremy grimaced.

“You need medical attention.”

“No hospital.”

“I have a personal friend…who owes me. I’ll have him come,” she urged.

Jeremy lifted an envelope from his back pocket and handed it to Heather.

She glanced at the money.

“House calls can be expensive,” he said.

“You’ve been an undercover cop all this time?”

“I work for the Feds…well, whoever will claim me,” he gritted.

Heather stroked his hair.

“You need to get a message to…”

He did not finish as he passed out.

Jim Brass made his way through the alleys until he was convinced he had not been spotted.

He was relieved when Warrick drove up.

He quickly got into the vehicle.

“Is that blood on your sleeve?” asked Warrick.

“Sidle was shot…Jeremy…he took off. I have no idea where he went,” gasped Brass. “I’m too damn old to run this much.”

“Why the cloak and dagger bit?”

“Let’s just say Jeremy Sidle has quite a few people wanting to shut him up and they’re willing to kill anyone who gets in the way. I had a few shots taken at me by the Feds.”

“Those were no Federal agents at least according to the Feds that showed up at the lab. It seems Jeremy isn't the only one using cloak and dagger disguises. Grissom and Sara are safe….right?” asked Warrick.

“They know they’re not dead so…unless their hideout is blown then…”

Warrick cursed.

Brass pulled out the recorder given to him by Jeremy Sidle.

“I need to get this to Ecklie.”

“I’ll be glad when Formansky is behind bars,” sighed Warrick.

“Any news from our favorite couple?” asked Brass.

“Nick checked on them. The rest of us haven’t gone near the place…we’ve been waiting for you.”

“I just hope the stupid bastard, Jeremy, is still alive.”

Grissom watched as Sara stretched.

He’d awaken hours ago but kept quiet as she continued to sleep.

She rolled over and smiled when she found him sitting up in bed.

“This bed is rather small,” she purred.

“I like small beds,” he said with a grin. "Intimacy can be...." He stopped when they heard someone near the door.

Father Brannigan slipped into the room.

“I brought food,” he announced.

“Thank you Father,” replied Grissom.

Father Brannigan eyed the two.

Sara felt unsettled under the scrutiny.

Grissom pulled Sara closer to him.

“I want to thank you for giving us sanctuary,” stated Grissom.

“That is what the church is for,” he stated as he set the food down on the table.

“There’re no messages,” he added.

“Father, I would like to get a message to Catherine Willows.”

Grissom handed Father Brannigan a note which he placed in his pocket.

“I’ll get it delivered this morning.”

The man disappeared.

Grissom hand caressed her cheek.

It was not as warm.

“I’m better,” she announced, trying to ease his mind.

“The fever is better,” he said. “You still have an infection.”

“A couple of doses of antibiotics should do the trick.”

“Sara…”

“I don’t need a hospital…besides I already have a doctor.”

“My doctorate is not in….”

The footsteps near the door caused both to stiffen.

“Where the hell do you think they are?” grumbled an officer.

“Formansky wants this place thoroughly searched,” came another voice.

“Look someone is going to get suspicious if we’re off our beat any longer.”

“This door is locked. Find the priest and get him to open this. I’m going to check upstairs.”

Grissom quickly pulled Sara towards the closet.

Quietly he pressed inside the closet wall causing it to open.

He grabbed a blanket and pulled Sara through the small opening.

Once inside, he shut the closet door.

The hidden hallway was pitch black.

Grissom kept his hand firmly entwined with Sara’s as he fumbled around.

He was relieved to find the small shelf.

Within seconds Sara was staring at a small lantern.

“How did you…”

“Father Brannigan once told me about a priest who was often seen in town but was never seen leaving the church. It seems this tunnel was built years ago as a way of providing sanctuary to some very important clients.”

“Why do I feel like there’s more to the story?”

“There is but I was saving it until we’re at my place with a hot cup of tea and a warm bed,” he grinned. He wrapped the blanket around her. “Shall we?”

“Do you know where this leads?”

“It’s a long walk but…safe…maybe a few bugs and spiders.”

“I don’t like spiders,” she blurted out.

He smiled but continued forward.

“You think they will follow us down here?” whispered Sara.

“Let’s not hang around to find out.”

He stopped halfway through the tunnel when he noticed her labored breathing.

“We should stop here for awhile,” he said.

Grissom checked the ground before pulling her down beside him.

She refused to let him check for a temperature, choosing to lean against his body for warmth.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

She felt quite terrible but she wasn’t about to admit that to him.

“Is Jeremy an informant?” she asked suddenly.

“I uhm…”

There was a noise in the tunnel that made both of them panic.

Grissom gripped her hand tight as the sound approached them.

Grissom flicked off the flashlight.

“It’s just a bat,” he whispered as he protectively held her in his arms.

His lips gently kissed her forehead. “We best be getting out of here.”

The tunnel came to an end.

Grissom climbed the stairs and then pushed the lid to the opening.

He climbed out and then extended his hand.

Both glanced around.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Some place safe. I’ve been here lots of times,” he said.

A loud scream filled the air causing Sara to back away.

“Ignore the…sounds,” he urged.

Another scream filled the air followed by the sound of a whip.

Grissom practically pulled her across the basement and up the stairs.

“Griss….”

The door opened above them.

Sara stared at Lady Heather.

“If I knew you were coming, I would have made some tea,” purred Lady Heather.

“Always nice to see you, Heather,” smiled Grissom.

Once they were into the hallway, Heather threw her arms around Grissom. “I heard the reports…of your deaths.”

“As you can see, it wasn’t exactly true…but we need to stay…dead for a little while longer.”

“Come with me,” whispered Heather.

She led them to a room, inviting both of them inside.

“You can stay here for as long as you like. Can I get you anything?”

“Some hot tea would be nice,” smiled Grissom.

“I have a new flavor. I’ll be just a few minutes. Make yourselves at home.”

The door shut behind them.

He glanced at Sara who had remained quiet.

“Imagine my surprise when we found out the priest was coming here…before going into town.”

Sara’s silence bothered him so he continued.

“The priest…”

“I thought you were going to save it until…”

“Heather is getting the tea and we are in a bedroom,” he noted.

“We’re not going to stay here,” she blurted out.

“Heather has this place locked down like Fort Knox.”

“She didn’t notice…”

“As soon as we entered the last part of the tunnel, the alarm system sounded upstairs alerting her someone was in the tunnel. I’m sure she recognized us by the surveillance cameras below otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to enter the basement.”

Sara seemed impressed.

“You use the tunnel a lot?” she asked.

“Father Brannigan and I have come here a few times to visit with Heather. She insists on the tunnel so as not to tarnish the reputation of either of us.”

Sara nodded.

He waited for more questions but there were none.

“Heather is an accomplished chess player and we sometimes come…like the other priest…to play a game or two.”

She tried to hide her relief as she leaned against the wall.

“A hot bath would probably help,” he said as he watched her trying to hide the exhaustion and pain.

Grissom opened a closet and found a gown hanging inside.

“I’m sure Heather will not mind,” he said as he handed it to Sara.

She glanced down at her dust filled clothes and reluctantly took the gown stepping into the bathroom.

There was a tap on the door and then the lock turned.

Heather appeared with a tray.

“I hope you don’t mind if we borrow a few things,” stated Grissom.

“I’m sure she will look lovely in the gown…you always seemed to like that one…in particular.”

She smiled at him as he turned just as the bathroom door opened and out stepped Sara.

“She’s very beautiful,” whispered Heather. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

“Thank you Heather.”

Grissom pulled back the covers and extended his hand.

Sara slipped beneath the covers.

His hands caressed her cheek. “You need your medicine.”

“I just need…this,” she whispered as she pulled him down for a kiss.

He reluctantly pulled away.

She wasn’t quite sure what to make of his slight rejection.

She felt out of place in Heather’s home.

Now, she lay there wearing a gown that no doubt had been worn by Lady Heather herself.

It was obvious Grissom recognized the gown.

She caught him staring at the gown.

His fingers caressed the lace around the neckline.

"I bought this for....Heather," he admitted.

Sara felt the color drain from her face.

She inched away but he quickly realized what he had done.

"I saw this....and wanted to buy it for...you but...couldn't...since I was your boss and you were my employee so I bought it....but Heather would never wear it. She said she would hang on to it...until you could wear it."

"You confide in Heather....alot?" she asked.

"She and I....we don't trust many....we do trust each other...so yes, we talk."

Sara leaned in, kissing him seductively.

“I think I need a shower…too,” he said as he stepped away from the bed.

He stepped out of the bathroom several minutes later.

He stopped suddenly when he noticed the bed was empty.

He scanned the room and was relieved to find her huddled in a chair.

“You should be sleeping.”

A scream filled the air.

It was apparent the sounds unnerved Sara.

“The sounds will stop soon,” announced Grissom. “Business shuts down…”

“She makes money off of someone’s screams?”

“Some find pleasure…in pain,” he explained.

“I never did,” she barely said above a whisper.

Another scream filled the air.

Sara bolted from the chair.

“I promise you…no one is being hurt…unless they want to be,” he urged.

“This is…” she gulped, not sure she could stand to listen much longer.

He quickly pulled her into his arms whispering softly to her. “No one is going to hurt you.”

Another scream floated down the hall.

“Sara, I know…this may bother you but…”

“Reminds me…of home,” she breathed. “The fights…the screams…most of the time Jeremy and I left long before the screams began.”

“Try to lie down…with me,” he urged.

Once they were settled in the bed, he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

The screams continued but were soon drowned out by his soft voice as he quoted Shakespeare.

He continued even though she slept needing to ease his mind from the fear that she might be getting worse.

There was a soft tap on the door.

Grissom eased off the bed and opened it.

Heather glanced at the tea set.

“You didn’t like the tea?”

Grissom glanced over at the sleeping form.

“You’re worried about her.”

He glanced down the hall.

“No one is here now,” she announced. “We could talk in the next room…my room is preoccupied at the moment.”

Grissom seemed a little surprised.

“Don’t worry. The person is not going to put you in jeopardy. In fact, he states he planned your deaths.”

Grissom looked shocked. “Jeremy is here?”

“He was shot but…”

“Jeremy was shot?”

Heather took him by the hand, leading him to her bedroom.

She quietly opened the door.

A woman sat beside the bed.

“He’s still unconscious Ms. Heather,” whispered the woman.

“Passing me off to someone else?” grumbled Jeremy.

Heather smiled. “I really like his disposition…it reminds me of your friend, Jim Brass.”

Jeremy flew up from the bed but cursed. “Brass…where the hell is he?”

“I am not going to have the doctor return just because you rip out these stitches,” huffed Heather.

“Doctor….there was a doctor here?” asked Grissom.

Heather stared at Grissom. “Do you need a doctor?”

“Sara is running a fever.”

“Sara is here?” asked Jeremy, trying to climb out of the bed despite the young woman’s efforts to keep him still.

“Get away from me,” he griped through the pain.

“Jeremy shut up and lie still,” ordered Heather.

“Is it an infection? Doc said it was viral?” he asked still trying to squirm away from the woman. “Would you leave me alone!” yelled Jeremy.

Jeremy shot out of the bed the moment the scream was heard.

He tried to run toward the door but felt his legs give way just as Grissom caught him.

“Elise, get the ropes. I’ll tie him down myself,” muttered Heather.

“That was Sara!” gasped Jeremy. “I know…that scream.”

Grissom hurried back to their room, flung open the door and saw her sitting up in the bed.

“Sara?”

She seemed quite embarrassed as she tried to pretend that she hadn’t just screamed as if her life were in danger.

Grissom gave himself a moment to compose himself. His pulse was in triple digits no doubt and he was determined to act as though her screams had not rattled him to the core.

I hear my mother’s screams…

I hear my own…

I can’t stand this place…

How do I explain to him about this?

Note from author:

There are only twenty eight chapters....

Take care!