C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 22 - Head over heels

Lauren's POV
I'm woken up by the incessant noise of a phone. Fumbling in my half-sleepy state, I answer. "Callgate." I yawn. "Ms. Callgate, we have a case please report to the lab." Doctor Grissom instructs. "Sure, I'll be there in 15." I mumble. "Hmmm..." I groan. "Hay." I smile as I turn to face Jason also sleepily smiling. "Hay yourself." He yawns. "Hay I got work, I need to go. Will you be okay?" I ask. "Sure, I'll let myself out." He nods. "Thanks." I whisper as we kiss. "Actually, on second thoughts, why don't I, drop you off?" He offers with a smirk. "I'd like that." I giggle. It takes about 10 minutes for Jason and I to freshen up and head off to the lab. "Bye." I kiss him goodbye as we reach the lab. "Meet later at my place?" I suggest. "...um, as much as I'd love that, I have to go. I have some business to take care of in Boston so I gotta fly out today." He sighs. "Oh..." I breathe, the smile slipping off. "So this IS goodbye." I mutter. "Not forever." He tries to cheer me up. "Sure." I nod. "Take care Jas." I whisper as we hug. "You too." He nods. "Bye." He waves a final goodbye before I disappear into the lab and he into the world. "Ms. Callgate, nice of you to join us." Doctor Grissom greets. "Sorry Doctor Grissom. Body clock still adjusting." I blush. "Oh really." Catherine winks suggestively. "Oh boy, don't tell me you saw me in the parking lot." I groan. "Oh we saw." Warrick teases. "I am never hearing the end of this." I chuckle. "Nope." They all state with sneaky smiles. "Alright, what have we got?" I revert the attention back to work. "Okay. We have a dead male vic, Boulder, Sara and Catherine take that one and 2 dead and very decomposed vics unidentified, Warrick, Nick and Lauren take that one. I will be in my office as we have no other cases but I might get called out. Don't hesitate to call me." Doctor Grissom hands out the cases. "Who's driving?" Warrick asks as we head off. "Me!" Nick and I shout at the same time. I can't help blush at the coincidence. "Okay." Warrick chuckles. "Me." I smirk triumphantly as I snatch the keys from Nick. "Hay Detective Brass, what have we got?" I ask as we arrive at the crime scene. "2 dead vics, VERY decomposed. Restaurant employee found them when he took out the rubbish." He explains. "Oh wow..." I whistle. "They're ripe alright." Nick nods with a scrunched up nose. "Let's get it to the morgue. There's nothing we can do with the body right now." I instruct. "Any ID or possessions found in the dumpster?" I ask. "Not so far." He replies. "Okay, who's going dumpster diving?" I ask. "Rookies go first." Warrick smirks. "Rough. But fair." I chuckle. I grab a kit from my car and suit up. "Hay wait up!" Nick stops me. "I'll help." He offers. "Thanks." I nod. So we both suit up and dive in while Warrick takes the pictures and collects any evidence at the scene. "Hay, I got something!" I pull out a damaged wallet. "Is that for one of the vics?" Brass asks. "Don't know. At this stage, dental ID is all we got." I shrug. "Driver's license says Jamie Wong . Don't know how relevant it is or which vic it is but it's worth further analysis back at the lab." I explain. "Got anything Stokes?" I turn to the other unfortunate soul stuck in the dumpster. "Nope." He sighs. "Keep looking." Warrick instructs as he tries to hide a smile. "Oh I'll get you for this Brown!" I chuckle. "You're on." He sniggers. "Wait! I got something!" Stokes exclaims as he pulls out a damaged handbag. "If I had to bet, I'd say that's a lady's handbag, and an expensive one at that." I whistle. "There's nothing in it but let's bag this and see what we can find back at the lab." Stokes passes it onto Warrick who bags and tags it for transport to the lab. It takes us both another half an hour to comb through the dumpster before we're sure there's nothing more left. "I am not going back to the lab like this." I state grumpily. "I could drive you to your place." Stokes offers. "Oh uh, thanks." I nod. So while Warrick and Brass head back, Stokes and I head to my place. "You're welcome to clean up here as well." I offer. "Nah, it's alright. My place isn't far so I'll meet you back here in 20?" He declines. "Sure." I nod. I close the door behind me and make a beeline for the bathroom. I drop my stinky clothes in the washing basket, promising myself (unsuccessfully) that I'll get them cleaned. I don't think I've scrubbed so hard or used so many home cures but finally, the smell of garbage is gone and I get dressed as quickly as I can and wait outside. "Hay." I greet Stokes who's waiting in his car. "Hay, you good to go?" He greets. "Yeah." I nod. "So, anything?" I ask about the case. "Well the bag came through. It been expensive and brand, it had a serial. Through that we were able to create a list of potentials and Warrick and Archie are sifting through that list now. Doc will have autopsy done by the time we get there so I was thinking we got down there and see what he's got." He reveals. "Sounds like a plan." I agree. Back at the lab, we check briefly on Warrick and Archie's progress before heading to the morgue to see what doc Robins has for us. "Doc, watcha got?" We ask. "Well I can tell you one is a female and the other is a male." He reveals. "Um specifics would be helpful." I chuckle. "I'm afraid that's where I'm short. With the goo and whatever's left, it's going to take me a while to clean it up and to sift through. If we're lucky to get dentals, we can ID them through that." He sighs. "Alright, Thanks doc." We both thank before heading back to the lab. "Hay, anything? We got a hefty list here and any specifics would be good." Warrick inquires. "Sadly no." I relay. "So any of these women could be one of our vics." I state as we stare at the long list. "Better start calling. Archie will you go through missing persons reports? Maybe one was reported missing. They'd have to be gone a while to be decomposed that badly. Go as far back as 6-8 months if you have to." I instruct. "On it." He nods before returning to his keyboard. "While Archie cross checks the missing persons and the bag list, we can start going through the bag list. Maybe we'll get lucky." I suggest. "I'll take the first batch." I state, taking the first paper with the list of names. Nick and Warrick both take a list as well and we all head to the break room to call. First one on my list is a woman called Sara Murray. "Hi this is Lauren Callgate with the Las Vegas crime lab. I'd like to speak to Miss Murray." I greet.