Shift had been over for two hours and Grissom still sat in his office working through the mountain of paperwork. It was only fair to clear this up before the new supervisor took over. But it was a gargantuan job and he would have to put in some extra time to do it. Knowing it was the last he would have to do made the task less distasteful.
Engrossed in the reports, Grissom didn�t hear the door close. He did, however see his resignation letter thrown on top of the testimony he was trying to read.
�What the hell is this?� demanded Conrad Ecklie, face red and arms flailing.
Grissom calmly looked at the letter, then looked up at Ecklie, serenely replying, �It�s my letter of resignation.�
Ecklie looked at Grissom with disgust. �Just what are you trying to pull here, Grissom? Is this a pathetic attempt to get a raise?�
Grissom removed his glasses and looked at Ecklie. �No. This is a formal letter announcing my intention to cease employment at this lab.� Ecklie scrutinized Grissom skeptically.
Grissom sighed. �Look, Conrad. In the last year, I�ve become increasingly dissatisfied with my job. The long hours, the mountains of paperwork, the horrific things we see human beings do to one another daily. I�ve come to a point in my life where I need a change.
�Some time ago, I was offered a teaching position at Western Las Vegas University. I�ve decided to take them up on it. I start in two weeks.�
�So this is some sort of mid-life crisis,� Ecklie declared with a snort.
Grissom pondered this statement. �Perhaps. Most of my life has been spent establishing my career, to the detriment of all else. I�ve come to realize that there is more to life than this lab. There are things outside of my work that are much more satisfying.�
Ecklie sneered with enlightenment, �So that�s it. A woman.�
Grissom smiled. �Not just any woman, Conrad. THE woman. The love of my life. If you had ever felt for another human being what I feel for her, you would understand.�
A look of sadness passed over Ecklie�s face. He seemed far off when he replied, �I understand better than you think. Did you know I was married once?� Grissom slowly shook his head in amazement. Ecklie sat down in the chair facing Grissom�s desk.
�We were young, I was ambitious. I paid more attention to my career than her. She needed � no, she deserved - more. Today, she�s happily married to an insurance salesman with three kids.�
Looking up at Grissom, Ecklie became somber. �We�ve had our differences, Gil. We�ve not seen eye to eye on, well, practically anything. I thought you were arrogant and stubborn. Still do.
�When the sheriff came to me demanding you be sent to Oxford, I was furious. So much so that I said some things to him that were not very politically correct. I was reprimanded. I realized that to protect my job, I had to get a grip on why I was so mad.
�Self-reflection is a scary thing. Do you know what I discovered? I�m jealous of you. Not just your international reputation as an entomologist. Or your ability to elicit such amazing loyalty from your staff. But your innate ability to connect things that take others eons to discover, if ever. You can look at evidence and develop a theory simultaneously. And when new evidence emerges, you can assimilate that into a different theory with no concern for being thought wrong about your previous theory. You look for the truth with no bounds. I can only see the truth in its relationship to me.
�And now, it looks like you�ll also have the personal happiness that escaped me.�
Grissom was awestruck. He would never have expected such a confession from Conrad Ecklie. Even though it was prompted by his own imminent departure, he was still touched.
�Too bad we didn�t have this conversation long ago. We might have had fewer battles and more collegiality.�
Ecklie gave a weak smile and shrugged. Both men sat in uncomfortable silence. Grissom felt the need to change the subject.
�Do you think it would be beneficial to appoint the new supervisor before I actually leave? That way, incoming cases could be supervised by them while I finish up the ones currently on my docket.�
Relieved by the distraction, Ecklie thought a minute, then nodded. �Yes, that makes sense. I�ll try to come to some decision today and we can announce it this evening before your shift begins.�
Ecklie stood, a thought obviously percolating in his mind. �Would you be willing to work with the lab as a consultant? Most obviously with bug-related issues, but any other areas where you have experience might come into play.� Grissom was caught off-guard. He hadn�t considered such an offer might be forthcoming.
Seeing Grissom�s hesitancy, Ecklie decided a hint of honesty was in order, considering his earlier confession. �In truth, the under sheriff is going to be furious at losing you, what with your international reputation and all. Keeping you as a consultant might placate him. And you could make some extra income on the side. Academia is not the most lucrative of fields.�
Things just kept getting better for Grissom. With this offer, he could be selective in what he did with the lab and how extensively he participated. He could be involved in solving cases without the headaches, working with Sara and the others as a consultant, not a co-worker. �I�ll think about it, Conrad. I can�t make any decisions without consulting my better half. I�ll let you know.� Grissom would not make the same mistake twice.
Ecklie smiled in acknowledgement and moved toward the door. As an afterthought, Grissom spoke up. �Catherine is the logical choice for my replacement. She�s familiar with the team and has supervisory experience.�
Ecklie�s caustic smile returned. �I don�t want to be pressured into any decisions just because we�ve had a bonding moment. I�ll look at all qualified candidates and let you know prior to shift.�
Ecklie walked to the door and paused as he reached for the knob. �You know, I somehow thought that you and Sidle�� Ecklie stopped mid-sentence and shrugged, shaking his head as he opened the door, and exited.
�You�re more observant of the truth than you realize, Conrad,� said Grissom to an empty room.