The cell phone rang; alone in his office, Grissom picked it up absently. “Grissom here.”

 

“Court in twenty minutes. Six bucks says the green suit and the cream dress,” came an amused low voice. Grissom looked around guiltily, then glanced at the phone.

 

“Forget that first--the green’s a shoo-in. Talk to me about accessories and we might have a bet.”

 

“Okay, big man. I say the jade donut choker, the buckle shoes and at least one barrette.”

 

“And I say the Chinese coin choker, the heeled loafers and she’s out of the barrette phase. What about the cream dress?” Grissom pretended to scratch a note on the file in front of him, but his smile was growing. Once again a low laugh echoed in his ear.

 

“If I know my co-worker, and I pride myself on just that, I’d say the pearl studs, that brick colored lipstick and I KNOW she’s going to wear the slingbacks,” came the gloating tone. Grissom frowned a little.

 

“It’s off if you checked her locker you know.”

 

“Come on Grissom, that would be cheating. I have faith in my powers of observation and speculation. Gotta move though if we want a good seat.”

 

“There in ten. Your turn to make the excuse.”

 

“Hey! No it’s not—“ but Grissom had hung up, his grin much wider.

 

Ten minutes later, he stood outside and below the parking entrance of the employee lot. An aggrieved Warrick sauntered over to him, holding out rubber gloves and a sample container.

 

“What are we digging up now?” Grissom asked pleasantly. Warrick scowled.

 

“Chewing gum. Building a database of different types.” Grissom shook his head, even as he donned the rubber gloves. Warrick glared at him, “What? Not good enough?”

 

“In the words of Greg, which is not something I ever thought I’d resort to, that’s LAME, Warrick. Lame enough to need its own wheelchair.”

 

“Well I don’t see YOU coming up with anything better!” Warrick snapped, pulling on gloves and shooting a worried look up towards the door.

 

 Grissom smiled.

 

 He fished in his pocket and pulled out a baggie full of cigarette butts. Grissom then opened it and proceeded to scatter them around the first row of parked cars, taking care not to step on any of them. Warrick cast a skeptical eye over the assorted litter and sighed.

 

“Something slightly obscene about picking butts—“ he announced. Grissom shrugged.

 

“Either that or we’re looking for a contact lens neither one of us wears. Get down here, look busy.”

 

After a few minutes, the door above opened; Sara and Catherine strode out, sunglasses on, sleek and sophisticated looking. Warrick gave a small, heart-felt sigh that Grissom echoed as they watched the two women cross the mesh grating stairway down towards them. A sudden playful breeze blew by and for a second, both women yelped, clutching their fluttering hemlines against the impromptu peepshow. Sara caught sight of her open-mouthed colleagues first.

 

“You did NOT see that!” she growled down at them. Grissom and Warrick exchanged glances of perfect innocence, holding up the sample container. Catherine snorted.

 

“Butts?”

 

“For the cadets to analyze,” Grissom offered, smiling. Sara peeked over her sunglasses as Catherine led the way down to the ground level and towards the cars.

 

“Oh joy—well, have fun boys, we’re off to do REAL work.”

 

They climbed into the car, tooting the horn and pulling out as Grissom and Warrick watched them go.

 

“Damn it, I got so caught up in that peek of heaven I can’t remember if I won or not—“ Warrick whined. Grissom blinked, still lost in reverie.

 

“I won.  Green two-piece suit, Chinese choker, loafers, and . . .  thigh highs. I can die a happy man now.”

 

“What about Catherine?”

 

“Who?”

 

In the car, Sara pulled off her sunglasses and smiled over at her partner. She held out her hand and reluctantly Catherine dropped a worn five-dollar bill into it.

 

“Damn it! I was SURE it would be chewing gum,” she grumbled as the car headed downtown towards the courthouse.

 

END