“Sara, will you get me the Cox case file?” Dr. Gilbert Grissom, private eye/scientist, says to his all too eager assistant, Sara Sidle.
“Sure Griss, not a problem.” The 18-year-old raven-haired beauty replies.
She retrieved the file and brought it to his desk. “Thanks Sara.” The 33-year-old brown, curly haired man said.
“So have you figured out who did it?” Sara wanted to become a scientist as well, but with what Gil was paying her, she couldn’t afford to go to school.
“Yes. It was Wilhelmina Cox, Mr. Cox’s wife. She did it for the insurance money.”
“How did you figure out it was her?” Sara batted her eyelashes in amazement.
“First her fingerprints were all over the knife. Secondly, her statement gave her away. She mentioned how the insurance would take care of everything because of a suicide clause. I investigated it and found that it only lasted two years. They had that policy for five.”
“You’re amazing, Griss. Do you know I want to be just like you when I get older?”
“Really? I think you’d be terrific at it.” He was in love with Sara, but never admitted it to her because of the age. He was fifteen years older than her and he knew that was wrong.
“Thanks Griss.” Sara was in love with him as well. She hasn’t gotten up the courage yet to tell him.
“Have you thought of going to school to be a scientist? That’s the only way you can do what I do. Unfortunately forensic scientists are such a minority right now that they don’t have a major for it. Besides, when you were in high school I remember you bringing home A’s on your science papers. You are very intelligent in that subject.”
“I could. I love science. I thank you for taking me in as your assistant when I was 15. It saved my life.”
“I know. I’m sorry you had to see your mother put away.”
“It’s okay Griss. She killed him so she deserved what she got. Although I don’t blame her; dad abused the hell out of her.”
“I’m glad that you are okay with that.”
“Yeah.”
“I also got you away from that awful nun at the Catholic home.”
“Yeah, I thank you for that. I was ready to kill her, and I didn’t want to end up like my mother.”
“I was there at the right place and the right time.” Gil smiled at Sara. He wanted to tell her how much he loves her, but he just couldn’t.
“Yup. I’m going to go sit at my desk now, if you need anything just holler.”
She headed over to her desk in the reception area. The room was a scientific lab white with a couple of hydrangeas that Sara placed there for a more homey effect. Gil was too clinical for his own good she figured. She also placed a couple of pretty floral paintings on the walls. There was a couch that was black and a couple of black chairs so that clients can wait to see Gil.
On her desk was her newest Teen Beat magazine. She was rapidly flipping to the newest Monkees article. The Monkees were her favorite group. She has loved them since before they became famous: they were just local band mates who lived in a beach house in Malibu. In fact, they still live there, and they still play the local discotheques that made them famous. Just now they get to play arenas and halls.
Sara was in dreamland, fantasizing about meeting them and getting to kiss Micky Dolenz on the lips when Gil walked in to pour himself a cup of coffee.
He noticed her big grin and broke her out of her daydream. “What are you reading?”
“Oh the newest issue of Teen Beat. The Monkees are so groovy and fab.”
“Who?”
“Omigosh, you don’t know who The Monkees are? You are so out of it man! They are only the biggest band in the land! They are as big as The Beatles.”
“The Beatles? They are okay but my favorite band is Pink Floyd. They came out with their first album last year and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
“Pink Floyd? They are on the strange side. I’ve heard that one song called Arnold Layne. Very interesting. I’m not sure if I would buy their records though. The Monkees and The Beatles are more my style. Oh and Herman’s Hermits. Peter Noone, the lead singer, is a hunk! He’s not as hunky as Micky Dolenz though! What a dreamboat! What I would give to meet them!” She was starting to slip into her dream world again.
“I’ll have to let you listen to both my albums. Once you listen to both the whole albums, you will understand them, I assure you. They may be spacey but in a cool science way.”
“Ah okay. I’ll take you up on it sometime then.” Sara’s mouth went agape as she read the print in her magazine. “Omigosh! They are touring this summer!!! Oh how I wish I had the money to go. I couldn’t go when they toured last fall. That was their first tour too. I only got to see them once, and that was at a discotheque on the Sunset Strip. I was 16 and I snuck in.”
“You snuck in to a discotheque? Sara, and that was while you were working here, shame on you!”’
“Sorry Griss, I found out they were going to be there and I had to get in. They were so fab, so far out!”
“Anything for your favorite band, huh?”
“Basically. I found out about them through a friend of mine at the Catholic home. She had seen them at one of their beach shows by their home in Malibu. She raved about them, and I had to find out who they were. In fact, Melody and I snuck in to the discotheque together. It was a good thing that mean Sister Bernadette didn’t find out or else she would have beat us with the ruler! We weren’t allowed to like rock and roll. I wish I were still in touch with Melody; she went and became emancipated on her 16th birthday. It was when I started working here and became emancipated myself.”
All this talk about The Monkees gave Gil an idea. He was going to find out when they were playing in the L.A. area and he was going to legitimately get her in there. In fact, he would go one step further and get backstage passes so she could live out her dream of meeting them. “Wow, you sure have led an intriguing life. Well, I’m going to go back to my desk, so you can continue reading or daydreaming.”
“Okay Griss.” She continued reading, and sighing heavily.
Gil shut the door behind him and used the black rotary dial phone on his desk. He first used the phone book and found the Whiskey A Go Go. He figured they would play at a big discotheque like that.
“Hello, Whiskey A Go Go?”
“Hello, do you know if you are having The Monkees play there?”
“As a matter of fact, yes. They will be here on June 17th.”
“Great! That’s only a week from now. Do you have any tickets left?”
“As a matter of fact, we do. It’s first come, first serve, and believe me, they pack the house, and so you’ll want to get here early.”
“Okay. How much are the tickets?”
“Ten dollars.”
“I’d like two. Can you hold them for me, I’ll be down at around noon.”
“Sure. What is the name?”
“Doctor Gil Grissom.”
“Okay, see you in a bit Dr. Grissom.”
“Thank you.”
He hung up and since it was only a half hour away, he figured he would go now.
“Sara?” He called from his office.
“Yes Griss?”
“Take messages for me while I’m gone. I have to run an errand.”
“Okay, no problem.”
Gil left and drove to downtown Los Angeles to the Whiskey A Go Go.
He arrived twenty minutes later and purchased the tickets. He then drove back and pondered when he should let Sara know. He also wondered how he would ask her, since this was a date. He has never dated a girl before and he became very nervous.
‘Oh man, I need to figure out how I am going to ask her. I can take the friend approach, which will work out nicely. I need to take this slowly.’ He then thought about what he just said and panicked. ‘Take it slowly? Remember it’s wrong to take her out on a date, what in the hell am I doing?’ But he already bought the tickets so he had to go through with it. ‘Grissom, your heart is ruling the mind...’
Gil brisked into the office, asking Sara, “Did I get any calls?”
“Nope, it’s as dead as a doornail.” She was still leafing through her Teen Beat, but this time she had it opened to some band called Paul Revere and the Raiders.
“Okay. Listen, I have something to show you.”
Sara’s eyes and ears perked up. “You do? Some new forensic breakthrough?”
“Wishful thinking my dear Watson.” Gil joked. “No, I have something that I bought.” He then pulled the tickets out of his pocket.
“What are those?” Sara’s curiosity was piqued.
“Tickets to a Monkees concert at the Whiskey A Go Go.” Gil grinned widely, waiting for the reaction to set in.
“Omigosh!!! You did that for me??? Oh Griss, I could kiss you!” She then ran over and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Gil blushed and felt aroused at the same time. “You’re welcome. The show is next week.”
“Griss, you are the nicest boss I know! I can’t believe you would do that for me! Now I need to decide on what I am going to wear! I want to look absolutely fab for the show, in case Micky sees me! Oh man, I wonder if I would faint!”
“You have a week to figure all that out. I sure hope you don’t faint. Am I going to have to bring the smelling salts with me?”
“I think you better. With the way I gush over them, I may just faint.” Sara giggled.
Gil loved her giggle, it was just too cute, and feminine. Sara is usually a tomboy so it doesn’t match her personality. “Okay, I’ll bring it along. Oh and it’s first come, first serve, so I will need to pick you up at 1:00.”
“Do you even know where I live? You haven’t been to my apartment. Wow, I know they pack houses but that early? Okay...I want to be in the first row anyhow. Oh gosharoonies, I wonder if Micky would touch my hand! I’d die!”
Gil rolled his eyes. “No I don’t know where you live. Make sure you give me directions. I wouldn’t get my hopes up Sara.”
“Well they might! A girl can hope, can’t she?”
“Yes.”
Just then, the phone rang.
“Gilbert Grissom Detective Agency. Sara Sidle speaking, how may I help you?”
“Yes, my name is Georgia Cummings. I have a problem with my husband; I feel he’s cheating on me. Do you think you can help?”
“Hold on, let me connect you with Dr. Grissom. Griss, it’s a call for you on Line 1!”
“Okay, I got it! Hello, Dr. Gil Grissom speaking?”
“Hello Dr. Grissom. My name is Georgia Cummings. I have a problem with my husband; I feel he’s cheating on me. Do you think you can help?”
“I don’t normally do those kinds of cases, but I can make an exception this time. Do you have any proof yet?”
“Yes, I found lipstick on his collar, and I know it wasn’t my color. Thank you for taking my case, Dr. Grissom. Why is it you don’t normally take cases like mine?”
“Because I am a Forensics Scientist. I study cases of the criminal level. Since I have no cases at the moment, I decided I would take your case.”
“I have heard of people like you, but it’s said that you are a rare breed.”
“That we are, unfortunately. Would you be able to come into my office this afternoon?”
“Yes sir. Do I need to bring anything?”
“Unless you still have the shirt with the lipstick stain, no.”
“I washed that after I saw it. If I would have known it would help...”
“It really wouldn’t have. It just would have allowed me to see the evidence.”
“Oh okay. So what time would you like me to come in?”
“As soon as you can.”
“Okay, I will be there in fifteen minutes.”
They hung up.
Sara then walked in, smiling her trademark gap toothed smile. “Did you take the case?”
“Yes. Considering there hasn’t been any action in two days, I figured I would. I’m bored.” He then thought of what he wanted to do to relieve the boredom, but he quickly shook the thought from his head. That was just unethical.
A few minutes passed and Mrs. Cummings entered the reception area.
“Hello, may I help you?”
“Yes, I’m Georgia Cummings...”
“Oh hello Mrs. Cummings! My name is Sara Sidle; I am the receptionist. Dr. Grissom will be out in a couple minutes.
Sara walked to the door of Gil’s office and knocked.
Gil answered. “Yes Sara?”
“Mrs. Cummings is here Dr. Grissom.”
“Please come in, Mrs. Cummings.” Gil showed her inside his very white, pristine clean office. The only sign of it being another color was his mahogany desk with a matching type chair.
“Thank you so much Dr. Grissom once again for taking my case. I am so angry that my husband is cheating! I don’t know why he would, we’ve been married for twenty years and it seemed to be happy to me.”
“I am not sure why he possibly is cheating, but we will find out. I can find out for you two ways; I can either a) collect and process evidence in a scientific approach, or b) get a camera and start surveilling him wherever he goes. I can tell you that it might be easier to do the first one, as long as you can collect the evidence we need. A shirt can have fingerprints on it that would help.”
“Oh I can bring in a shirt the next time he tells me he’s going to be late from work. Thank you so much Dr. Grissom.” Mrs. Cummings shook Gil’s hand and left.
Chapter 2
Back to more stories by Ann
Home