Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57499 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57499 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
I had a niggling suspicion in the back of my mind. Only this morning I’d come across something on my desk, and if this was what I thought it was, then my town was about to be caught up in a shit storm.
Shania was sitting in the jeep with a blanket wrapped around her. No matter how tough you were, or how many times you might've seen it, finding a body like that was never easy. It shouldn't be. If you ever became that hardened, it was time to walk away.
I wanted to be with her, so much, but I had a job to do. I knew she understood, but as a man, my first instinct is to protect my woman from everything, real or imagined.
The fact that this shit happened on our first date wasn’t lost on me either. I’ll have to make it up to her somehow.
We combed the area around the water meticulously, looking for any evidence that might've been left behind. Hopefully we wouldn't have to drag the cove, but we'll know more after we ID the vic.
The coroner pulled up to retrieve the body as CSI was just about done with it. I still hadn’t been able to go see about my girl and it was killing me. My guts were tied up in knots at the thought of what she may be going through.
This wasn’t some story her brother was telling me, about one of her exploits, or one of the many times I’d read about her in the national paper. Those times I could hide and worry in secret, hoping that she’d be careful on her next assignment.
But today was real, and I know that if the thought of her being near this shit had this effect on me, where there was no longer a danger, there was no way I was going to be fine with her going back out there, doing what she did.
I watched the coroner as she walked over to my jeep first, and started talking to my girl. I'd almost forgotten how tight those two were. When she gave her a hug, it eased my worry just a little, though I would prefer to be the one doing the hugging.
"Hey Lieu we're just a bout done here."
Scott offered up that information while his eyes were looking in the direction of the two women. I knew he wouldn't say anything now, not here while standing over some poor sap's remains, but later, I could expect some good natured ribbing.
Seems our little secret romance was outed in a big way.
Oh well, that works for me.
"Tell the guys to wrap it up and head out, take whatever we've got back to the station."
"Yes sir." He looked at me a little sheepishly before sauntering off.
"Hey Donovan."
"Doc, how's my girl doing over there?"
"She's holding up best as she can, as is to be expected. Now's not the time I know, but it sure took you long enough, please heaven don't let the wedding take another ten years."
"You're a real riot doc you know that, and what do you know about it anyway?"
"Oh please, she was my best friend in high school remember? Us females, we talk; unlike asshole men who think their words are gold and should be handed out sparingly."
"Why Angie Carney, does your husband know you talk like that?"
"Do fish swim in the ocean?"
We both laughed, before she sobered up and walked over to the body.
One other thing was certain, cause of death should be very easy to ascertain; there was a gunshot wound dead center of the vic’s forehead. Whatever had gone down here was going to be a big mess to clean up that’s for sure.
The Cove doesn't see many homicides; in fact, the last one was before my time, a domestic dispute gone wrong.
We might not be inundated with murders, but we were up on our game, we knew how to work the case.
That might be a moot point when all was said and done though. If he was who I was beginning to suspect he is, the FEDs will be descending on us before the day was out, or however long it took for the results on the prints to come back.
I was finally able to get back to my girl after the body had been cleared and the area sealed off. I was torn in two, the need to do my job and wanting to be with her.
As I turned once more from work mode, to lover, my protective instinct kicked in. I still had to get to the station to write this shit up, but I was taking thirty to reconnect with my baby.
The bond we had begun to form was as yet too new, before we’d been sideswiped by this out of the blue. I had to get back in there.