CHAPTER 3
A few hours later, near dusk, Grissom returned to the hut. He sat on a stool and watched the night life. All the couples on the beach during the night dances. Katie was no where to be found, so he waited. There was nothing else he could do.
The people who were tending to the bar were young, probably in their twenties. They told Grissom that they were Ted and Katie's kids, and that their parents would be back later after they had dinner. Grissom finally came out of his funk, and began talking to the daughter, Chelsea. Chelsea had told Grissom how Ted and Katie had met here at this very tiki hut, and in no time were married. "It's amazing," she said with a gleam in her eyes, "They've been together for thirty years. I hope I find a love that lasts that long, and more."
After a few hours, Ted and Katie returned, relieving their children of their duties. "Welcome back son," Ted spoke as he donned his apron. "How are you this evening?" "Okay I supposed." Katie came to the bar after she put her own apron on. "What's the matter, dear?" Grissom let out a sigh of defeat. "I can't find her anywhere. She said she was here. She wanted me to come with her, I know she's here."
Katie leaned on the counter, "Okay, so you know she's here. Did she give you any clues as to where she could be?" Grissom thought, "I don?t know, I checked the hotels, no one says there's a Sara Sidle registered in any of their rooms." Katie laughed, "Honey, they aren't going to tell just anyone." Grissom laughed at himself, 'Right, I'm not in Vegas, they didn't know I was a CSI."
"Well, it's been a while since she said she was here. I got an email.. She decided to go out with the Sea Shepherd, and?" "Did you say Sea Shepherd?" Grissom nodded, "Yea, why? Do you know something?" Katie pulled a notebook out of a drawer and flipped through some pages. "We're an affiliate of the Sea Shepherd here, along with our hotel down the beach, we offer some vacation packages, discounted of course, and?. Here it is! They're out for a 3 day excursion, they should be back on Tuesday."
Grissom sighed, and Katie laughed. "It's okay honey, you haven't lost her, relax!" A mob of customers came up to the bar and Katie and Ted served them until they had a brief intermission. "Have you got yourself a hotel room, son?" Ted asked. Grissom told him he had not, that he had flew in earlier that day, and had nothing other than a rental car.
"Don't worry about it. Hotels are usually packed this time of year, the holidays? but we hold a few rooms open for? special guests. We'll set you up with one." Grissom thanked them, and continued watching the crowd. After about another hour, Katie told Grissom to come with her. She took him to the Tiki Hotel, ironically, and showed him a room.
"This is our honeymoon suite. I'm giving you a good deal on this one, you're paying 25% of what we usually ask." Grissom again thanked her, and asked to please let him pay full price. "Honey, I don?t want your money. You're special, I can feel it. I'd offer the room to you free if we didn?t have to worry about the hotel closing."
Katie grew silent after her last comment. Being the man he was, Grissom insisted, and wouldn?t let her say no. She graciously accepted, and left him to his room.
